Datasets:

cfli
/

ssss

Dataset card Data Studio Files Files and versions Community

Split (1)

train · 73.3k rows

question stringlengths 18 1.2k	facts stringlengths 44 500k	answer stringlengths 1 147
An architect and playwright, who designed Blenheim House in Oxfordshire, England?	Blenheim Palace \| Historic Oxfordshire Guide HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS: Birthplace of Winston Churchill Blenheim Palace entrance Summary One of the great treasure houses of England, Blenheim Palace was a gift from a grateful Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. A descendant of the Duke was Winston Churchill, who was born in a small room near the grandiose main entry. An exhibit tells the story of Churchill's life and times. The interiors are truly magnificent: one of the most ebullient expressions of Baroque style in England. Designed by John Vanbrugh, and completed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, with grounds by Capability Brown. Take your time, there's a lot to take in. The House When John Churchill, leader of the English forces in the War of the Spanish Succession, triumphed over the French at Blenheim, in modern Austria, he might have suspected that Queen Anne would offer him some kind of reward. Surely he could not have foreseen just how generous the monarch would be. Churchill owed his good fortune to his wife Sarah, who was the queen's confident and best friend. Anne made Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough, and had Blenheim Palace built for him on the former royal manor of Woodstock. The monarch had Parliament grant £240,000 for the construction of Blenheim, a huge sum in those days. So influential was Marlborough, mainly through the considerable political machinations of his wife, that it was said he was effectively the ruler of the country. South range and Great Court The architect responsible for creating one of the finest stately homes of his or any other age was John Vanbrugh. It was a curious appointment, as Vanbrugh had limited architectural experience, but the results, though not to everyone's tastes, speak for themselves. The Duchess wanted Sir Christopher Wren to take charge of the project, but for once she did not get her way. The Duke chanced to meet young playwright John Vanbrugh at a playhouse, and, it is said, was so impressed that he offered him the commission on the spot. There is more to the tale than this, for Vanbrugh had already begun the extravagant Castle Howard in Yorkshire, in conjunction with architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. Churchill probably knew of the work at Castle Howard and desired something equally extravagant at Blenheim. HERITAGE HIGHLIGHT In the park at Blenheim is Fair Rosamund's Well, supposed site of a house built by Henry II for his mistress, Rosamund de Clifford. Several legends surround Rosamund. One claims that the king built his lover's bower at the centre of a maze, through which he alone knew the path. Another tale claims that Rosamund took her own life, but an alternative version tells that Henry's volatile queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, poisoned her rival for the king's affections. If that was the case, he got his wish, for Vanbrugh created a lavish building, supremely ornate and very military in bearing. The house was designed to be seen from afar, which may explain something of the immense size and bulk of the edifice, which seems quite overdone up close. Churchill's birthplace chamber Work did not progress smoothly, however. Political factions in Parliament complained over the cost of the palace and the flamboyance of the design. Sarah Churchill, peeved that her favourite, Wren, had been bypassed for the commission, criticized Vanbrugh's work at every opportunity. Finally she had Vanbrugh banned from the building site, though the architect snuck back in in secret to view progress. The work of completing Blenheim Palace was left to Nicholas Hawksmoor. When Blenheim was finally opened to the public in 1725 Vanbrugh and his wife attempted to view the palace but were refused entry. So controversial was Vanbrugh's design that, far from making his name, he received few other commissions as an architect. Long before that time Queen Anne had fallen out with Sarah Churchill, and refused further money to pay for the palace construction. The Duke and Duchess were exiled, only to return the day after Anne died in 1714. House or home	John Vanbrugh
What was the name of the prison setting for the TV comedy ‘Porridge’?	Rococo Architecture Rococo Architecture Rococo, the 18th Century and Revival Styles When and Where Blenheim Palace, Entrance court, Oxfordshire, England 1705-1722 18.2 Germain Boffrand- Salon de la Princesse, Hôtel de Soubise, Paris, (c. 1740) Photo © LaCour Slide Library 18.20 Richard Boyle (Lord Burlington) Kent- Chiswick House. near London (begun 1725). Photo© WNCC Slide Library 18.21 Plan of Chiswick House Photo© WNCC Slide Library 18.23 Horace Walpole- Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, near London. (1749-1777) Photo© WNCC Slide Library Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin- Benediction. (1978) Photo© WNCC Slide Library 18. 25 Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin- Pipe and Jug. (undated) Oil on Canvas. 12 1/2 in. x 16 1/2 in. Louvre, Paris. Photo © LaCour Slide Library 18.27 John Singleton Copley- Paul Revere. (c. 1768-1770) Oil on Canvas. 35 in. x 28 1/2 in. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo© Late Baroque and Palladian Classicism in England James Stuart (1713--1788), who designed the Doric portico in Hagley Park, published, with Nicholas Revett, the first of a series of volumes entitled Antiquities of Athens, Sir John Vanbrugh (1664‑1726) was commissioned to build Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, northwest of London. The palace, a vast structure, was Queen Anne's award to John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, for his victory over the French at Blenheim. Vanbrugh, an amateur architect at best, had been a theater designer and dramatist. Blenheim Palace, Entrance court, Oxfordshire, England 1705-1722 Palace of Blenheim The Baroque tradition is represented by the great palace of Blenheim (Figure 20‑11), built in the early eighteenth century by Sir John Vanbrugh. As Kenneth Clark points out, Vanbrugh was an amateur, a fact used by some critics to explain the somewhat incongruous elements he combines in this massive building. Voltaire commented that "if only the rooms had been as wide as the walls were thick, the palace might have been convenient enough." Blenheim Palace was built between 1705 and 1724. Its size is particularly impressive, but as a Baroque work it sits uncomfortably in its country setting. The use of colossal orders, projecting pavilions, and encompassing colonnades flanking a huge forecourt drew scorn from Vanbrugh's contemporaries. So did impractical design matters, such as placing the kitchen 400 yards (375 m) from the dining ball. Gabriel‑Germain Boffrand (1667‑1754) was one of the architect‑decorators whose work was popular in the early eighteenth century in Paris. Boffrand was a pupil of Franc,ois Mansart. He redesigned and built town houses for the aristocracy in Paris particularly concentrating on elaborate decorative interiors in the Rococo style. Salon de la Princesse, Hôtel de Soubise. A frequently cited example of this rich, rather frothy style is the oval Salon de la Princesse, a reception room in an elegant private town house, the Hotel de Soubise in Paris, designed in 1732. Windows, mirrors, and wall panels alternate around the room, extending the space and fracturing the light. Gilt moldings and floral decorations enhance the surfaces, and paintings over the panels conceal the separation of wall from ceiling. The vaulted ceiling supports a huge chan delier fashioned to echo the room's shape Jacques‑Germain Soufflot (1713‑1780) was a French architect trained in Italy, principally in Rome. He lived and worked in Lyon. Soufflot traveled in a French royal entourage to Italy, particularly Paestum, where he studied the Doric temples. In 1755 he was named supervisor of the royal constructions for Paris and director of works at The Louvre. The Pantheon The Pantheon, Paris. Shortly after, from 1757 to 1790, Soufflot built the Church of Ste.‑Genevieve, known since the French Revolution as the Pantheon. His church is often cited as an example of Neoclassicism and as a reaction against the Rococo. Very few Rococo churches were built in France to react against, however, and Soufflot's sources combine his experience with archaeological study and his training in Italy. The dome for the Pantheon is closely modeled on the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The rather severe outer walls of the Pantheon are the result of walled‑up windows. This was done after the Revolution when the church was converted to a memorial to French heroes. Its interior is far more elaborate. There are domes over nave and choir and transept wings. It is claimed that SouMot built his vaults using Gothic principles of construction, a technology he is known to have admired and praised. As a result, while it may be premature to call this work Neoclassical and it may be an exaggeration to seek Gothic principles in its construction, the Pantheon is a harbinger of both trends, each of which will emerge as the second half of the eighteenth century progresses. Fundamentally, it is still a building of the Baroque era • Jacques Germain Soufflot's (1713‑80) Pantheon represents Roman grandeur. The temple was designed with archaeological exactitude; the colonnaded dome was based on that of St. Peter's. Better to consider as Baroque. Lord Burlington (Richard Boyle) (1695-1753) and William Kent (c. 1686-1748) Chiswick House, near London (begun 1725) Interior is Late Baroque This is classical and “rational w. free variation *English Garden - INFORMAL (to balance classical order) Picturesque	i don't know
What was the home state of character Tony Soprano in the TV series 'The Sopranos'?	The Sopranos (TV Series 1999–2007) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life. Creator: While Silvio has the flu, Chris and Paulie run his collections for him, which results in the pair getting lost in the woods and nearly freezing to death. 9.6 Tony makes a request to Johnny Sack on behalf of his cousin, and Adriana makes a request to the FBI, followed by one to Chris. 9.4 The Beginning of the End. Phil finally puts the hits on the Soprano clan and Tony puts a hit on Phil which results in mistaken identity making everyone think its safe when its not and it results in a... 9.4 TV Entertainers Who Passed Away in 2016 31 December 2016 7:00 AM, -08:00 \| TVfanatic a list of 38 titles created 19 Mar 2012 a list of 40 titles created 30 Dec 2013 a list of 28 images created 10 Apr 2015 a list of 38 titles created 24 Sep 2015 a list of 25 titles created 15 Nov 2015 Search for " The Sopranos " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: The Sopranos (1999–2007) 9.2/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 113 wins & 301 nominations. See more awards » Videos Baltimore drug scene, seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement. Stars: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn An Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law, conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era. Stars: Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon A drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper. Stars: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family's future. Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn True Detective (TV Series 2014) Crime \| Drama \| Mystery An anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law. Stars: Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams Dexter Morgan is a Forensics Expert, a loyal brother, boyfriend, and friend. That's what he seems to be, but that's not what he really is. Dexter Morgan is a Serial Killer that hunts the bad. Stars: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas Various chronicles of deception, intrigue and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. Yet all of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, ND. Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman A series chronicling the daily activities of an unusual prison facility and its criminal inhabitants. Stars: Ernie Hudson, J.K. Simmons, Lee Tergesen The story of Easy Company of the US Army 101st Airborne division and their mission in WWII Europe from Operation Overlord through V-J Day. Stars: Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston Better Call Saul (TV Series 2015) Crime \| Drama The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer, Jimmy McGill, in the time leading up to establishing his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn House of Cards (TV Series 2013) Drama A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him. Stars: Kevin Spacey, Michel Gill, Robin Wright The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York friends. Stars: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards Edit Storyline An innovative look at the life of fictional Mafia Capo Tony Soprano, this serial is presented largely first person, but additional perspective is conveyed by the intimate conversations Tony has with his psychotherapist. We see Tony at work, at home, and in therapy. Moments of black comedy intersperse this aggressive, adult drama, with adult language, and extreme violence. Written by David Fowler Taglines: Meet Tony Soprano. If one family doesn't kill him.... the other family will. (season 1) See more » Genres: 10 January 1999 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Made in Jersey See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia The only cast members with no Italian heritage are Jamie-Lynn Sigler , Robert Iler , David Proval , Nancy Marchand , and Jerry Adler . See more » Goofs Given the mafia's priority with making money and Tony's nature, Tony should've never killed Ralph because Ralph was the crime family's biggest earner. See more » Quotes Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr. : So, what step are you at now? Christopher Moltisanti : I did all the steps, except for the one where I'm supposed to go around and apologize to all the people I fucked over when I was using. Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr. : ...I think maybe you shouldn't do that one. You know, let sleeping dogs lie. Christopher Moltisanti : Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Performed by Alabama 3 (as A3) Courtesy of Geffen Records, Inc. Under license from Universal Music Special Markets, Inc. Contains a sample from "Standing At The Burial Ground" by Mississippi Fred McDowell Used courtesy of Sony Music Contains elements from "Tell Me" (Norway) – See all my reviews The Sopranos is one of the best TV-shows I have ever seen. If you like gangster/mobster/mafia movies, I can strongly recommend "The Sopranos". The show is mainly about Anthony "Tony" Soprano and his life as a father, husband and leader of a mob in the 21st century. The show is (as far as I know) realistic, compared to many other mafia shows and movies I have seen. The actors fit like a glove to their parts. This show made me realize how good many of these actors are in other shows and movies. This show has it all; humor, action, drama, good music, good actors, good "behind the camera" people and a good plot. The show displays all sides of the mob business; "buisness", private life, the cops/FBI point of view, the victims side of the story and much more. 92 of 112 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes	New Jersey
Which square on a UK Monopoly Board comes between Pall Mall and Whitehall?	The Sopranos - The Soprano Family / Characters - TV Tropes Played by: James Gandolfini "Whatever happened to Gary Cooper : the strong, silent type?" "All due respect, you got no fuckin' idea what it's like to be Number One. Every decision you make affects every facet of every other fuckin' thing. It's too much to deal with almost. And in the end you're completely alone with it all." The central character of the series. Capo (and later Acting Boss) of the DiMeo Crime Family, Tony Soprano has to juggle between the mounting pressure of running a crime organization and everyday problems with his family. After suffering a panic attack and collapsing on his son's birthday, Tony has no choice but to see a psychiatrist. Abusive Parents : In flashbacks, both of his parents are portrayed as highly manipulative and callous narcissists who regularly prioritized their own needs at their children's expense. Whereas Tony's father is portrayed as a corrupting influence who was alarmingly indifferent to his children's emotional well-being, his mother, Livia, is revealed to have regularly subjected Tony and his siblings to physical and emotional abuse that has left them psychologically scarred as adults. Screw the Rules, I Have Connections! : A given when one is a rich and powerful mobster . He also serves as the invoked connection for other characters. Secret Identity : A paper thin one, he is a "waste management consultant" for Barone Sanitation and usually goes by the name of Mr. Spears in the civilian world. Sharp-Dressed Man : Zig-zagged, he tends to favor casual and sportswear, but suits up when the occassion calls for it. The Sociopath : Played with but ultimately subverted. While he displays some trademarks of sociopathy, including a grandiose sense of entitlement and poor impulse control, he is nevertheless revealed to be capable of experiencing genuine remorse for his crimes as well as making sincere (albeit largely ineffectual) attempts to perform acts of kindness for those outside his immediate family. However, his self-absorbed and covetous nature is entirely consistent with narcissistic personality disorder . The Stoic : What he would like to be, but to his chagrin the opposite of what he is. He points out there are too many therapists , disfunctions, and excuses for everything. Tantrum Throwing : T. really loves to hurl things against the wall when he is enraged. Tragic Hero : Tries to do right by his friends and family, but his narcissistic tendencies put a damper on this. Troubled Sympathetic Bigot : Zig-zagged. Sometimes his racism is used to show what a Jerk Ass he is, but others it's shown that he mainly resents other races out of a genuine sense of loss for the world he once knew as the changing demographics of his city and America in general have resulted in the loss of much of the places and culture he grew up with. Vader Breath : Breathes rapidly through his nose as he grows more agitated (making this a major danger signal), growing to wild boar-like breath when he's fully angered and/or violent. Villain Protagonist : While having his fair share of Pet the Dog moments, he effectively discards nearly all of his virtues from Seasons 3-6 in favor of becoming an individual who is just as ruthless and destructive as his adversaries. Wicked Cultured : Played with, a refined ruffian with some college background who likes to insert learned words, but often mangles them with malapropisms . In another life, from another background, he could have been an intellectual; as he is, not so much. Would Hit a Girl : There are several scenes of him being violent with women, although he usually won't strike them unless they hit him first. The exception is Carmela. When he's furious with her he'll manhandle her but he won't bring himself to punch her. You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious : When someone calls him "Anthony", it's a sign of something serious. Most of his underlings simply call him T. or Ton. Your Cheating Heart : A serial adulterer with quite a reputation. Having a goomah is an ancient tradition in the Mafia. Carmela Soprano Played by: Edie Falco "You really don't hear me, do you? You think for me it's all about things." Wife of Tony Soprano. Enjoys the lifestyle that Tony's money brings in, but struggles with his infidelity and the dirtier aspects to his profession. All Girls Want Bad Boys : Says that Tony being a gangster made their courtship more exciting, and later on she lusts for the ruthless enforcer Furio. Distracted by the Luxury : Her main trait; creator David Chase informally defines her character as an ascended Gold Digger because of it. Sibling Yin-Yang : The distinguished one. Soapbox Sadie : Once she starts college. Turns Up to Eleven when she feuds with Tony over her black boyfriend. Spoiled Brat : She trashed her grandmother's house and her only punishment was taking away her credit card. The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter : Let's be perfectly honest: Meadow's pretty good-looking, while her dad? Not so much. Lampshaded; when Janice mentions Tony's "good-looking kids", Tony jokes, "even with our genes." You Are What You Hate : During most of the series, Meadow rebels against her father and his lifestyle. But by the end of the series, she ends up defending her father's lifestyle, chastises other mob kids for speaking frankly in front of "outsiders", and even embraces the role of crime family wife, being engaged to a Mafia family attorney. Anthony "AJ" Soprano Jr. It Runs in the Family : The panic attacks and depression come from his dad. Lazy Bum : Tony notes that A.J. shrinks away from anything that involves work. Man Child : By the time AJ reaches young adulthood, he's still acting like a lazy and spoiled teenager. Nice Guy : When he cares enough, he can be a very kind and respectful individual, such as when he is in a relationship. The Slacker : Definitely the lazier of the two siblings; doesn't once look like he's interested in anything involving actually working towards his goals. Spoiled Brat : A.J. was basically the living embodiment of the rudderless spoiled rich kid. The Unfavorite : Meadow was definitely the more talented of the two. Unwitting Instigator of Doom : It was through him that Livia found out that Tony was seeing a psychiatrist. "Well Done, Son!" Guy : Wants to live up to his father's perceived expectations, but fails. A tragic example has him trying to emulate Michael Corleone's rise by attempting to kill Junior. Corrado "Junior" Soprano Corrado "Junior" Soprano Played by: Dominic Chianese "Keep thinking you know everything. Some people are so far behind in a race that they actually believe they're leading." "You may run North Jersey, but you don't run your Uncle Junior! How many fuckin' hours did I spend playing catch with you?" Tony's uncle and de jure Boss of the Soprano crime family. Authority in Name Only : Junior is made de jure boss of the Di Meo family, and actually keeps the title for a few seasons despite Tony's role as de facto boss. Bad Boss : Junior starts abusing his new power as boss almost immediately, taxing Tony's friend Hesh at the suggestion of Livia. Big Bad Duumvirate : In Season 1 with Tony's mother, Livia. Butt Monkey : Always suffering mishaps and embarrassments, whether getting his hand stuck down the plughole of his kitchen sink for 6 hours, to discovering his capos have been working behind his back. After season 1, he spends the whole time either going stir-crazy under house arrest or suffering illnesses, finally developing dementia. The Cast Showoff : The season three finale gives us a nice sample of Dominic Chianese's singing. Dirty Old Man : Junior is a shameless flirt and it has gotten him into trouble a few times. A nurse he regularly flirted with turned out to be an FBI plant and his downfall into senility starts when he turns around to greet an attractive reporter and hits his head on a boom mike. Due to the Dead : He seeks to attend the funerals of old acquaintances, but only because this frees him from his house arrest for a while. Even Evil Has Loved Ones : He doesn't stand for anyone ridiculing his institutionalized deceased brother, Ercole "Eckley" Soprano. He snapped at Richie Aprile for talking about a hit on Tony. Junior: That's my nephew you're talking about! How dare you in my own home! Grumpy Old Man : A fairly obvious example. In an early episode, Tony jokes about giving him his DVD player so he can watch Grumpy Old Men . This just annoys him further. Hidden Depths : Is an extraordinary singer. He literally brings a room full of mobsters to tears. Humiliation Conga : After failing as a Big Bad in Season 1, he suffers increasing emasculation, and eventual senility. It's equal parts hilarious and depressing. Married to the Job : Never married, and his one stable relation was ruined by the business and related gossip. Nerd Glasses : Dominic Chianese has said the trademark oversized glasses are the character, and he would even wear them in all the rehearsals. Nice Hat : A staple of his wardrobe. Nice to the Waiter : He's very abrasive towards Bobby, his loyal and resignated assistant. Offing the Offspring : Attempted twice with Tony, the offspring of his brother but a son-figure nevertheless. Vito: He Marvin Gayed his own nephew. Parental Substitute : In flashbacks, he is revealed to have been more of a father figure to his nephew than Tony's actual father, "Johnny Boy" Soprano, who largely neglected his family in favor of pursuing his own appetites and ambitions. Passed-Over Promotion : He is the heir apparent of the family, but Tony steps in and up. Pet the Dog : During the first season, he genuinely seems to love his nephew, Tony, like a son despite growing increasingly resentful of his widespread influence within the Di Meo crime family. This is evidenced by his apparent unease over ordering Tony's assassination even while firmly believing that he poses an imminent threat to his position as Boss . However, after Tony effectively strips him of all his power and influence by the beginning of Season 2, nearly all his feelings of affection towards his nephew are tainted by a deep-rooted contempt that endures throughout the remainder of the series. Playing Sick : Straight example to dodge criminal prosecution, and then ironically twisted as he is really going senile. Sanity Slippage : Senile dementia. Showcased in two episodes of note; First in "Where's Johnny?" when a disoriented Junior wanders off in search of his (deceased) brother, "Johnny Boy," forcing Tony, Janice, and Bobby into a day-long search that ends when he's finally returned home by the police. Then again at the end of "Members Only," when he confuses Tony's late-night presence in his home for his (also deceased) rival "Little Pussy" Malanganote the guy he had killed in the pilot, and the one Tony torched the original Vesuvio to keep Junior from killing him there. and shoots Tony in the stomach. Season 6 sees him ostracized by the family following this incident, dooming Junior to increasingly shabby state care and finally a Loss of Identity . Sibling Team : With his younger brother, Johnny Boy. Sir Swears-a-Lot : Everyone in the cast (save for Livia) is a potty mouth, but Junior swears more than all of them. Tap on the Head : A news crew's boom mike hitting his head prompts a Staircase Tumble down some steps outside a courthouse following one of his trials. It's later theorized this incident might've triggered his onset of dementia. Thicker Than Water : Subverted when he backs Tony against Richie, he invokes Pragmatic Villainy as he's better off with his nephew. Livia Soprano Played by: Nancy Marchand "I gave my life to my children on a silver platter!" "Who says everything has a purpose? The world's a jungle....In the end, you die in your own arms......It's all a big nothing. What makes you think you're so special?" Tony's hateful and abusive mother. Abusive Parents : A real piece of work who threatened to stick a fork in Tony's eye when he was 10 years old, among many other examples. Sanity Slippage : Senile dementia. Unwitting Instigator of Doom : She is implied to be the chiefly responsible for moulding Tony's psychological behaviour. Ultimately, it was her who actually destroyed his own family. Janice Soprano Played by: Aida Turturro Sister of Tony Soprano who lives in Seattle at the start of the series. Abusive Parents : Much like Tony, she was the victim of this in the form of her spiteful mother, Livia, who relentlessly criticized her appearance as well as her failed string of romantic relationships. Aloof Big Sister : Played with but subverted. In Season 1, Tony speaks of her this way to Dr. Melfi when describing how she left him and his younger sister to endure the brunt of their tyrannical mother's abuse in order to pursue a hedonistic lifestyle. Similarly, Tony all but admits in the same therapy session that he was perpetually anxious of the possibility that she was his father's favorite child . In Season 2, she returns to New Jersey and quickly reopens old wounds by ingratiating herself with their mother, Livia, in order to become the prime beneficiary of the estate. However, it is later revealed that she is just as much a victim of Livia's abusive parenting as her younger brother. All Girls Want Bad Boys : While in high school, she dated the brutal Richie Aprile, whom she is later revealed to remain attracted towards despite the abusive nature of their prior relationship. While they briefly resume their relationship in Season 2, she ultimately decides to cut her ties with Richie permanently by shooting him after realizing that she will never be safe from his violent disposition. In Season 4, she attempts to replace Richie with the violently unstable mobster, Ralph Cifaretto, but quickly tires of him. By the end of the series, she seems to have shifted her attention from hot-headed and often Ax-Crazy hoodlums to more manipulable men by marrying the sweet and humble Bobby Baccalieri. Ax-Crazy : Especially in the later seasons. Black Sheep : A west-coast hippy in her backstory, later the not-really-welcome prodigal sister. Calling the Old Man Out : Constantly pestering and bickering with his brother, the head of the family. Consummate Liar : When she has something to gain, she is second to none in feigning sentimentality and manipulating those around her with gossip and half-truths. Cool Aunt : Her seemingly laid-back and free-spirited personality along with her liberal outlook charms even Meadow, who is largely distrustful and contemptuous towards adult figures in her family. This is subverted when she reveals her narcissistic and vindictive nature by angrily calling upon Meadow and her friends to be punished for wrecking Livia's house where she plans on living. Didn't Think This Through : She didn't do her late mother any justice by conducting a remembrance in the great room of Tony's room. Just ask Carmela. Foil : For Tony, despite having many of the same traits. Freudian Excuse : Same as Tony's, less than stellar parents and upbringing. Granola Girl : At first. It fades as she gets settled in to Jersey. I Was Quite a Looker : In high school, she was lusted after by many of the boys Tony knew growing up, much to his chagrin. Jerkass Has a Point : In Season 2 when she notes Carmela's untapped potential and dependency on Tony, then in Season 4 when she tells Bobby his prolonged grief over his wife is unhealthy. The Load : Has a parasitic life that only generates problems for the actual money earners. Narcissist : An "amorous" example given that she also exhibits traits of histrionic personality disorder (See Theodore Millon's "Personality Subtypes" ) as evidenced by how she actively seeks to make herself the center of attention regardless of the circumstances while making such events as dramatic (i.e: theatrical) as possible, much to the chagrin of Tony and Carmella. However, unlike Tony, Janice also exhibits traits typically seen in "unprincipled" narcissists "Well Done, Son!" Guy : Towards Tony, his Parental Substitute Wrong Genre Savvy : Thinks he's living in a gangster movie. Which technically he is, but The Sopranos is largely a deconstruction of the tropes Chris lives by. Your Cheating Heart : Has affairs on the side, but are not given much importance, for the most part. Anthony "Tony B" Blundetto Played by: Steve Buscemi Cousin of Tony Soprano who is released from jail in season 5. But for Me, It Was Tuesday : Mild example in his bullying of Christopher during his youth, in tandem with Tony. Butt Monkey : Sees himself as one, though most of his misfortune is his own fault. Chekhov's Gunman : Tony B's return and murders of Joey Peeps and Billy Leotardo would end up being the snowball that caused the avalanche of the New York - New Jersey war. Your Cheating Heart : Had affairs on the side, like most mobsters. Barbara Soprano-Giglione Barbara Soprano Giglione Sister of Tony and Janice. Hufflepuff House : The most inconsequential member of the Soprano family. After season 2, she tends to only show up at funerals. The Other Darrin : The actress gets recast. Hardly noticeable given her sporadic appearances. White Sheep : The one Soprano with a life outside the mob. Soprano Extended Family Hugo "Hugh" and Mary De Angelis Hugo "Hugh" and Mary De Angelis (née Pellegrino) Carmela's parents. But Not Too White : Inverted, when Meadow was born, Mary was disappointed by the dark skin tone of her granddaughter. Butt Monkey : Hugh doesn't get much respect from his family and suffers a series of illnesses and injuries. Cool Old Guy : All things considered, Hugh is a laid-back and casual chap. Dude, Where's My Respect? : Hugh's wife and daughter treat him like a lackey; only Tony shows the man some consideration. Good Is Not Nice : Mary is quite obnoxious, but her objection to Tony's presence at Hugh's birthday is ultimately a valid one, considering that Tony is a mobster. Carmela, however, warps it into some form of cultural persecution and gives her mom a Reason You Suck Speech . Hugh, meanwhile, is both good and nice, but adores Tony and is unwilling to confront the evil nature of the man. Henpecked Husband : Mary bosses her husband around and nags him a lot. Never Speak Ill of the Dead : Oh so very much subverted at Livia's funeral. Obnoxious In-Laws : Mary is embarrassed by Tony, whom she regards as a rustic Nouveau Riche . Harpo "Hal" Soprano Harpo "Hal" Soprano The estranged son of Janice. Butt Monkey : The poor guy can finally say which would be worse: Having Janice as a parent or being abandoned by her and left to live on the streets. The Ghost : Never seen. Only mentioned in dialogue. Named After Somebody Famous : Discussed/mocked. He's not named after Harpo Marx but after the song "Harpo's Blues." Only Known by Their Nickname : His surname is never mentioned. Parental Abandonment : What Janice did to him. Street Urchin : He's living on the streets, according to Janice. Ercole "Eckley" Soprano Ercole "Eckley" Soprano Brother of Corrado Jr. and Johnny Soprano, uncle of Anthony. Ambiguous Disorder : He is described only as "retarded" or "feeble-minded", since little was known about such things during his time. Dumb Muscle : Junior says he was strong like a bull. One Steve Limit : Shares a name and nickname with the jailed boss of the Dimeo crime family, another off-screen character. Richard "Dickie" Moltisanti Richard "Dickie" Moltisanti Christopher's late father (and Carmela's first cousin), shot by a corrupt cop when he was little. Broken Pedestal : Christopher eventually reconciles the fact that his previously idolized father was little more than a violent junkie. Shrouded in Myth : Christopher's perception of his father is funneled entirely through Tony's rose-tinted recollection of the man. :: Indexes ::	i don't know
Who was revealed to be the fourth Russian spy in the Burgess, Philby and Maclean affair?	In 1979 who was revealed to be the fourth Russian spy in the Burgess, MacLean and Philby affair? Sign up View the step-by-step solution to: In 1979 who was revealed to be the fourth Russian spy in the Burgess, MacLean and Philby affair? This question was answered on May 17, 2016. View the Answer In 1979 who was revealed to be the fourth Russian spy in the Burgess, MacLean and Philby affair? LaurindaIman posted a question · May 17, 2016 at 6:00am Top Answer Here is a detailed explanation... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29572195) ]} Chrisjoel answered the question · May 17, 2016 at 6:00am Other Answers {[ getNetScore(29572209) ]} profKEV answered the question · May 17, 2016 at 6:01am Anthony Frederick Blunt (26 September 1907 – 26 March 1983), known as Sir Anthony Blunt, KCVO, from 1956 to 1979, was a... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29572269) ]} peterkivuva61 answered the question · May 17, 2016 at 6:05am Anthony Blunt In 1964, MI5 received information from the American Michael Whitney Straight pointing to Blunt's espionage; the... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29572283) ]} Who was the first secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party at the time of the Russian invasion in 1968? Recently Asked Questions Need an European History tutor? mathtutor1983 4 European History experts found online! Average reply time is less than an hour Get Homework Help Why Join Course Hero? Course Hero has all the homework and study help you need to succeed! We’ve got course-specific notes, study guides, and practice tests along with expert tutors and customizable flashcards—available anywhere, anytime. - - Study Documents Find the best study resources around, tagged to your specific courses. Share your own to gain free Course Hero access or to earn money with our Marketplace. - Question & Answers Get one-on-one homework help from our expert tutors—available online 24/7. Ask your own questions or browse existing Q&A threads. Satisfaction guaranteed! - Flashcards Browse existing sets or create your own using our digital flashcard system. A simple yet effective studying tool to help you earn the grade that you want!	Anthony Blunt
Who was the author of the 1992 novel ‘Jurassic Park’?	Cambridge spy Guy Burgess who defected to party in the Kremlin \| Daily Mail Online comments Fugitive: Guy Burgess in Moscow in 1956 after defecting to the Soviet Union Time was running out for Soviet spy Donald Maclean. A senior member of the British Foreign Office who had been passing secrets to his Moscow masters for two decades, he had at last been rumbled by MI5, and he knew it. He enlisted the help of his old Cambridge contemporary and fellow traitor Guy Burgess to escape. They were just days, possibly only hours, ahead of the law. Fleeing by train, plane or sea ferry was impossible, given Maclean was on watch lists and false papers could not be produced quickly enough. Yuri Modin, their Russian handler in London, looked at sending a submarine to pick up Maclean and whisk him away to the Soviet Union, but this proved unrealistic. It was fellow spy Anthony Blunt who noticed there were ships — favoured by businessmen for entertaining their mistresses — which sailed without passport checks from the southern English ports and cruised along the French coast, putting in, though not strictly allowed, to ports such as St Malo for a bit of shopping. That would be their exit route. Meanwhile, the British authorities were taking their time. Maclean was being tailed and his phone was tapped. They felt sure they could wait a little longer in the hope that Maclean would crack and, by his actions, totally incriminate himself. They might even catch him red-handed with his Soviet controllers. The Americans — kept fully in the loop on what was happening — were less sanguine. Their advice was ‘to pull him in at once and get the truth out of him without all this nonsensical kid-glove treatment’. But the British insisted on sticking to their own timetable, and while they procrastinated, Burgess acted. On Thursday, May 24, 1951, he booked a two-berth cabin on the Falaise for a weekend cruise to St Malo for himself and a friend. To put those watching him off the scent, he also dropped into the Reform Club, a favourite London haunt, and ostentatiously looked at road maps of the North of England, discussing the merits of various routes with one of the club servants, and letting it be known he was planning on going to the Lake District or Scotland. Next morning, Jack Hewit, who shared a flat with Burgess, brought him tea in bed. ‘I realised he’d had a sleepless night,’ Hewit recalled ‘I planted a kiss on his forehead and said: “I’ll see you later.” He didn’t say anything.’ RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Burgess went out and hired a car, bought a suitcase and raincoat and went home to pack. Into the case went a tweed suit, a dinner jacket and the collected novels of Jane Austen. He then set off for Maclean’s house in Kent. Maclean had taken his usual train home after a day at the Foreign Office and was there when Burgess arrived. They left at 9pm, Maclean saying goodbye to his two sons, and drove along back roads to Southampton. Just before midnight, the car screeched to a halt at the dockside. Abandoning it, they ran up the gangplank as it was being raised, with Burgess shouting: ‘Back Monday.’ As the ship steamed away, an immigration official, who had recognised Maclean from the watch list, rang MI5 headquarters. Alerts were put out to British intelligence officers on the Continent, but the French police were not informed, for fear of a leak. The Falaise reached St Malo on Saturday morning, and after a breakfast of eggs and bacon Burgess and Maclean went ashore, leaving their luggage in their cabins. A taxi-driver drove them to Rennes, where they took the train to Paris. And that was the last anyone from the West saw of them for five years. Across Europe, British Intelligence suddenly roared into action. In Berlin, 50 MI6 agents staked out crossing points into the Soviet sector. A tip-off that the runaways were in Switzerland led to a manhunt around Lake Maggiore. Security authorities in Tangier were requested to arrest Maclean and Burgess on sight. While authorities in the West struggled to locate Burgess, he drank vodka and partied with the KGB in Moscow Back in London, Special Branch combed through Burgess’s flat and found love letters from boyfriends going back 20 years, which he had kept as much for blackmail as sentimental reasons. What they didn’t know was that Anthony Blunt, another of the Cambridge spies, had been there before them and already swept up anything incriminating. Blunt had missed one clue — a letter to Burgess from Kim Philby, also a double agent. Standing next to the police during their search, Blunt spotted the letter and scooped it into his pocket without being seen. (It would be 13 years before Philby was exposed as a traitor and nearly 30 before Blunt was outed.) Meanwhile, a blanket of secrecy was thrown over the whole affair as the Intelligence Service pondered what to do. Four days went by before the Foreign Secretary was told. It was a further week before the story broke in banner headlines in the British Press: ‘Yard Hunts Two Britons.’ The Foreign Office was forced to put out a bland statement: ‘Two members of the Foreign Service are missing from their homes. One is Mr D.D. Maclean, the other Mr G.F. de M. Burgess. All possible inquiries are being made. ‘It is known that they went to France a few days ago. Mr Maclean had a breakdown a year ago owing to overstrain, but was believed to have fully recovered. Owing to their being absent without leave, both have been suspended.’ It did nothing to still the barrage of questions. One paper suggested that, as well as treachery, there was widespread sexual perversion in the Foreign Office. The Daily Mail offered a reward of £10,000 for information that established the whereabouts of the missing diplomats. Rumour was further fanned by reports that Burgess’s mother had received a cryptic telegram postmarked Rome: ‘Terribly sorry for my silence. Am embarking on long Mediterranean holiday. Do forgive. Guy.’ Foreign Office spy Guy Burgess disappeared for five years, sparking a global manhunt, at the height of the Cold War As for the Americans, officially they were told ‘there was no reason to believe they had carried any secret papers with them’. But the Americans, furious at being kept in the dark, were not reassured. Dean Acheson, U.S. Secretary of State, exclaimed: ‘My God, Maclean knew everything! If he and Burgess have gone to Moscow it will have very serious consequences.’ The CIA’s response was to break off all intelligence liaison with the Brits. ‘They simply clamped down and stopped giving us anything,’ according to a senior MI6 source. Anglo-American co-operation was damaged for years ahead. Of the runaways there was still no sign. Some 15,000 policemen in West Germany, Austria, Italy and the Scandinavian countries peered into cafés, bordellos, hotels and airports. The French Foreign Legion was brought in. There was a frenzy of sightings in Brittany, Monte Carlo, Berlin, fishing villages near Naples, in Rome, Andorra and Vienna. In January, 1952, there were reports that they were in the notorious Lubyanka prison. Burgess was also allegedly sighted in China. But the truth was no one had a clue, not least because through all this, the Russians watched quietly and said nothing. Yet while publicly nothing had been heard of the men, they were known to be alive. This was confirmed when just before Christmas 1953, Burgess’s mother received a long letter from her son. It was dated November and had been posted in South London. He wanted her to know ‘how well your son is and how unchanged in everything is his love for you’. He went on: ‘I wish I could say something definite to cheer you up about the possibility of meeting, but, as yet, I can’t. The situation is still too untidy.’ Years passed, and interest in the pair of runaways began to wane in official quarters, anxious to consign this embarrassing incident to the archives. In 1954 — three years after the defections — MI5 decided to cease its investigations. As far as it was concerned, the case was closed. But that same year, a KGB defector confirmed that Maclean and Burgess were indeed Soviet agents. All the while, claims about their whereabouts continued to make headlines. One report said confidently that Burgess had committed suicide. The truth, though, was about to emerge in the most dramatic of ways. In February, 1956, journalist Richard Hughes was in Moscow for an interview with the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, during which he made a request for an explanation of what had happened to Burgess and Maclean. Hughes waited in his hotel opposite the Kremlin for a response but when none came, he booked a flight out. He was packing his case when the phone rang. ‘Please come to Room 101,’ a voice said. Assuming it was the manager inviting him for a farewell drink, he ignored it. The phone rang again. ‘Come now,’ he was told. ‘Urgent.’ Spy Guy Burgess is interviewed at a flat in Moscow after defecting to the Soviet Union In Room 101, according to his later account, ‘a tall man in a blue suit and red bow tie stood up and extended his hand. “I am Donald Maclean,” he said with a wooden smile. “I am Guy Burgess,” said a shorter man with a bubbling smile, and wearing a blue suit and an Old Etonian tie.’ From a leather case, Burgess produced, with a flourish, copies of a signed 1,000-word ‘Statement by G. Burgess and D. Maclean’ and handed one each to Hughes and the three other journalists — one from Reuters and two from Russian agencies — in the room with him. Part of the statement read: ‘We came to the Soviet Union to work for the aim of better understanding between the Soviet Union and the West, having both of us become convinced from official knowledge in our possession that neither the British nor, still more, the American government was at that time seriously working for this aim.’ Then the two left, refusing to answer any questions. The interview had lasted five minutes, but the story was a sensation. Yes, they were indeed still alive. And, yes, they had defected. The admission opened the door for other journalists to meet the defectors on trips sanctioned by the Kremlin. Among them was Tom Driberg, the Left-wing Labour MP who was openly gay and a Burgess confidante. He visited Burgess — ‘I felt a little like Stanley discovering Livingstone’ — and took down his life story. According to Driberg’s subsequent book, the defectors had had no firm escape plan beyond catching the boat and slipping off at St Malo. Their one thought was to get to Prague ‘because there was a trade fair on, which would make it easy to get visas’. From Paris they took an overnight train to Switzerland, where they collected visas at the Czech embassy and then flew to Prague, where they reported to the Soviet embassy. They waited a week for instructions from Moscow. Burgess claimed his plans were uncertain. One option was to leave Maclean to make his own way to Moscow, take himself on holiday to Italy and then go home. British double agent and Russian spy Kim Philby pictured in Moscow Once back in London, he could plead he’d never been with Maclean and had no idea where he was. He’d talked his way out of scrapes like this all his extraordinary life. This was a man who, when arrested for cottaging at a men’s lavatory in Paddington Station, had persuaded a magistrate he’d been inside the cubicle reading George Eliot’s novel Middlemarch. When an indecent note was passed under the door, he’d sent it back. Astonishingly, he was cleared of the charge. But if Burgess harboured hopes of going home, events overtook him. While he and Maclean waited in Prague, news broke in the Press about their disappearance. Now, there was no going back. On the spur of the moment, he decided to go to Moscow, too — something for which Kim Philby, back in London and now in danger of exposure, never forgave him. Yuri Modin, his Soviet handler, concluded that Burgess went along ‘for the fun of it. He expected some kind of party at the Kremlin in his honour.’ That has the authentic Burgess ring. Lots of drinks, boyfriends, good company, with him as the star turn. And on their arrival in Moscow, the promise was fulfilled. On the balcony of a hotel in Red Square there was merriment as KGB apparatchiks shook their hands and they drank vodka and brandy until 3am. The next day Burgess went looking for bars and crawled his way round the city’s dives before he was hauled back to the hotel. But, as we shall see tomorrow, life in the Soviet Union soon proved to be a bitter experience. ‘I miss London,’ Burgess wailed. Adapted by Tony Rennell from Stalin’s Englishman: The Lives Of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie, published by Hodder on September 10 at £25. © Andrew Lownie 2015. To buy a copy for £20, visit mailbookshop. co.uk or call 0808 272 0808. Pre-publication discount until September 5. P&P free.	i don't know
Who wrote the 1987 novel 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'?	Tom Wolfe - Author, Journalist - Biography.com “The surest cure for vanity is loneliness.” “A cult is a religion with no political power.” “I never forget. I never forgive. I can wait. I find it very easy to harbor a grudge. I have scores to settle.” Tom Wolfe Synopsis Tom Wolfe is a best-selling author and journalist, well known as a proponent of the New Journalism, using fiction-writing techniques in journalism. After earning a doctorate from Yale, Wolfe worked for newspapers before writing best-selling books such as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968) and his 1987 novel about urban greed and corruption, The Bonfire of the Vanities. Early Life Tom Wolfe was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, in a middle-class family. His father, Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Sr., was an agricultural scientist, and his mother, Louise, a landscape designer. Both parents placed a high value on education and encouraged young Tom to pursue his early literary interests while he attended St. Christopher's School in Richmond. Wolfe turned down an offer to attend Princeton University and instead enrolled at Washington and Lee University, graduating in 1951 with a B.A. in English. Briefly, he pursued a career in baseball and even tried out for the New York Giants, but was cut from the team. He then received his Ph.D. in American Studies at Yale University. Newspaper Journalist After college, Wolfe plunged into a decade-long career as a newspaper reporter, first with the Springfield Union in Massachusetts, and then The Washington Post. There he earned the Washington Newspaper Guild Award for Foreign News Reporting for his coverage of the Cuban Revolution in 1961. Like many ambitious young journalists, Wolfe wanted to test himself in New York. In 1962, he signed on with The New York Herald Tribune and, with reporter Jimmy Breslin, wrote for the paper's Sunday supplement, which later was spun off as New York Magazine. The New Journalism During the New York newspaper strike of 1962, Tom Wolfe proposed an article on the Southern California hot-rod culture for Esquire magazine. He struggled with the angle and finally sent his editor a letter explaining his ideas, dispensing with traditional journalism conventions and describing the entire scene in a personal voice. The editor was so impressed that he removed the letter's salutation and published it in its entirety. From this, Wolfe developed his own writing style, which became known as "the New Journalism." In this style, writers experimented with a variety of literary techniques, combining journalistic accuracy with a novelist's eye for description. At this point, Wolfe began transitioning from beat reporter to social commentator. In 1964, he wrote "The Last American Hero," about NASCAR driver Junior Johnson. In this article, he introduced the term "good ol' boy." The technique of creating new catch phrases such as "statusphere," "the right stuff," "radical chic," and "the Me Decade" became a trademark of Wolfe's. In 1965, a collection of Wolfe's articles were published under the title The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby and quickly became a best seller. In the 1960s, Wolfe traveled the country, recording the social changes in America. Essays appeared regularly in Esquire, New York Magazine and Harper's. In 1968, two of his books were published the same day: The Pump House Gang, a collection of essays, and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, a novelistic look at the counterculture, centering on the LSD-influenced antics of Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters on their coast-to-coast bus trip. Provocateur Besides being a journalist and novelist, Wolfe is also a provocateur, challenging prevailing notions. His book Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers (1970) is a stinging account of a party given by Leonard Bernstein to raise money for the Black Panther Party and of the practice of using racial intimidation to gain government welfare funds. In addition to his own efforts in New Journalism, Wolfe edited a collection of articles by other authors, such as Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Hunter S. Thompson and Joan Didion, in a book entitled The New Journalism. In 1979, Wolfe published The Right Stuff, an account of America's first astronauts. The book was adapted into a successful feature film in 1983. In 1985, Wolfe published The Bonfire of the Vanities, a portrayal of the money-obsessed, sex-seeking, power-hungry residents of urban New York. Wolfe has staked his career on the idea that all human beings are controlled by a quest for status. In his three novels, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full and I Am Charlotte Simmons, he explores male power-jockeying by individuals who suffer from feelings of inadequacy or inflated egos, sometimes alternating between both. Considered a political conservative because of his attacks on liberal individuals and causes, Wolfe sees his role in the tradition of John Steinbeck, Emile Zola or Charles Dickens, documenting contemporary society. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information	Tom Wolfe
Who wrote the picaresque American novel 'A Confederacy of Dunces'?	NYTimes November 1, 1987, Sunday, Late City Final Edition Section 7; Page 1, Column 1; Book Review Desk Byline: By FRANK CONROY; Frank Conroy is the author of ''Stop-Time,'' an autobiography, and ''Midair,'' a collection of stories. Lead: LEAD: THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES By Tom Wolfe. 659 pp. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $19.95. Text: THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES By Tom Wolfe. 659 pp. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $19.95. NOW comes Tom Wolfe, aging enfant terrible, with his first novel, (his first novel!), six hundred and fifty-nine pages of raw energy about New York City and various of its inhabitants - a big, bitter, funny, craftily plotted book that grabs you by the lapels and won't let go. As in much of his other work, such as ''The Right Stuff,'' Mr. Wolfe's strategy is to somehow batter the reader into submission, using an incantatory repetition of certain emblematic phrases, (HIS FIRST NOVEL!), detailed description of people's clothing, hyperbole, interior monologue whenever he feels like it, and various other New Journalism devices he is apparently too fond of to give up. What is amazing is that he gets away with it. I read ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' straight through, in two sessions on two consecutive days, and enjoyed it enormously. It swept me right up. When he writes about process he knows what he is writing about, whether it's the Wall Street bond market, the Bronx District Attorney's Office, print and television journal-ism, or the working habits of sleazy lawyers -the man knows how to prepare and he knows how to research. As well, he knows how to tell a story, and how to make us laugh, qualities not always present in the work of some of the more polished, more literary or ultimately more ambitious novelists of his generation. The novel relates the fall of Sherman McCoy, an investment banker making a million a year who seems blind to everything except appearances, sex and money. He lives in the middle of New York City without knowing New York City. He seems barely to know his decorative wife, his decorative daughter or his libidinous mistress, to say nothing of himself. He's all surface is Sherman, and when he blunders off the expressway into the welfare jungle of the South Bronx in his $48,000 Mercedes, into the biggest trouble of his heretofore charmed life, he is without reserves of experience, imagination or moral awareness with which to guide himself. All he's got is adrenalin and fear, fear and adrenalin. He's a sort of carefully bred white rat in Dr. Wolfe's urban laboratory of horrors, destined to run mazes and endure shocks for our edification and amusement. (His first novel!) The action jumps back and forth from upper-class Sherman, or to borrow some lingo from the recording industry, from Sherman's track, to the Criminal-Justice-System-in-the-Bronx track - involving assistant D.A. Kramer (a working slob), Judge Kovitsky (burnt out), various cops and other marginally middle-class types - to the corrupt media track, involving the degenerate newspaper reporter Peter Fallow (writing for a thinly disguised New York Post), to the venal lower-class black track and the hypocritical and aptly named Reverend Bacon. There are dozens of minor characters on each track, and Mr. Wolfe does a fine job of keeping them all under control and in clear focus, while the major characters spiral in on each other toward the final explo-sive courtroom scene. Mr. Wolfe writes in such a way as to make us read him quickly. Very quickly. (Indeed, if one lingers over the pages the sensation is something like hearing a 78 r.p.m. record played at 33 1/3. One perceives the structure, but misses the essence.) Fast as it is - like falling downstairs, sometimes - the pace is superb, and the action, twists of plot, comic setups and jumps from track to track always occur at just the right times. The plot is simple. Sherman screws up and the dark forces of the city close in on his rich white butt - but the presentation, or the attenuated revelation of the plot, is admirably complex, and allows for the weaving in of much interesting ancillary material. Mr. Wolfe never cheats the reader. He works hard to get every last bit of juice from every scene, every situation. And yet, when the author has let go of your lapels and the book is over, there is an odd aftertaste, not entirely pleasant. Maybe he doesn't entirely get away with it. HOMOPHONIC attempts to recreate regional or class accents are only irritating. '' 'N thin mibby nuthun'' seems clumsy rather than Southern. ''Muh uhms uh shakin'' seems strained. Nor is the urban black speech, Long Island WASP or New Yorkese any better. Mr. Wolfe misses, it seems to me, because of a tendency to embrace the grotesque. It is the fact of an accent, rather that the quality or nature of it, that interests him. Elmore Leonard, for instance, goes after the sound and rhythm of certain accents, and does it very well without any tortured spelling. (So does James Baldwin, for that matter.) Mr. Wolfe writes with another agenda, with a kind of malicious glee, and exaggerates in order to make fun of his characters, with whom, truth be told, he has not much sympathy. What they say is fine -the dialogue is fine - but I wish he'd just let them say it, and let my own ear do the work. The relentless writing about clothing becomes tiresome. As new characters enter the narrative we are immediately told, at length and in elaborate detail, what they are wearing, as if the key to an understanding of their souls might emerge from that information. Again, malice is involved. Sherman, in his $1,800 imported suit and British hand-lasted shoes is, ipso facto, an arriviste and a poseur. A detective wearing ''a sport jacket and the sort of brown pants a wife might choose to go with it'' has obviously delegated too much authority. Professors wear ''rotting tweeds,'' blacks wear running shoes. Everyone is slightly absurd. Mr. Wolfe seems unable to imagine a character who gets dressed simply to avoid being naked. The clothes are always understood to be a choice, a statement, expressing some folly or character flaw or some lie. There is so much about clothes, about appearances, that the author runs the risk of being understood to say that's all there is. In what is otherwise a fine scene in one of the best extended sequences in the book, Sherman is in a holding cell with some tough Latinos and blacks: '' 'Yo! Look at me when I'm talking to you!' ''Sherman turned his head toward him. Pure malevolence! '' 'I ask you for a drink, and you wasn't nice, but I'm going to give you a chance to make up for that . . . see . . . I'm feeling cold, man. I want your coat. Gimme your coat.' ''My coat! my clothes! ''Sherman's mind raced. He couldn't speak. He shook his head no.'' Considering the sorts of things Sherman might reasonably be expected to be worrying about in such a situation this seems less symbolic than anticlimactic. Mr. Wolfe will forgive me if my mind does not reel in shock at the prospect of Sherman losing his jacket. In an epilogue, written as a New York Times story printed a year after the action of the novel, Mr. Wolfe tries to make the point that Sherman is a changed man, now the hounded creature of the criminal justice system. ''Mr. McCoy, 39, was dressed in an open-necked sport shirt, khaki pants, and hiking shoes. . . . in sharp contrast to the $2,000 custom-tailored English suits he was famous for.'' Novelists often try to show us how people have changed by describing what they do or say. Mr. Wolfe makes gestures in that direction, but he always falls back on appearances, on descriptions of surfaces. As it turns out, it doesn't matter if we believe Sherman has changed (which is lucky, because we don't). It is enough that we believe he went through the fire. The odd aftertaste may be in part because there aren't any people in the book who seem to exist independent of the author's will, no one with enough depth to surpass his or her accent, clothing, class or situation, no one for whom believable change is possible. They are all victims of fashion or other surface forces. The fun of the book, and much of its energy, comes from watching Mr. Wolfe eviscerate one pathetic character after another. And he is good at it, really brilliant sometimes - whether it be a society matron or a Jewish business tycoon making money running charter jets to Mecca for Arabs - but after a while, when it turns out that everyone is pathetic (except for me and thee, of course), the fun can turn sour. Malice is a powerful spice. Too much can ruin the stew, and Mr. Wolfe comes close. But in the end everyone is going to read the book, and no one is going to ask for any money back. It positively hums with energy. There are dozens of fine scenes, set pieces, a strong story line, lots of laughs and a solid, psychologically penetrating piece of imaginative writing about Sherman going into the slammer. ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' (an earlier version of which ran in serial form in Rolling Stone magazine) may be closer to R. Crumb than to Theodore Dreiser, but it satisfies. It definitely does it to you, and isn't that what it's all about? CHARGE OF THE NEW BREED At Seventy-ninth Street and First Avenue the taxis lined up every day to take the young Masters of the Universe down to Wall Street. . . . It was a ten-dollar ride each morning, but what was that to a Master of the Universe? Sherman's father had always taken the subway to Wall Street, even when he was the chief executive officer of Dunning Sponget & Leach. Even now, at the age of seventy-one, when he took his daily excursions to Dunning Sponget to breathe the same air as his lawyer cronies for three or four hours, he went by subway. It was a matter of principle. The more grim the subways became, the more graffiti those people scrawled on the cars, the more gold chains they snatched off girls' necks, the more old men they mugged, the more women they pushed in front of the trains, the more determined was John Campbell McCoy that they weren't going to drive him off the New York City subways. But to the new breed, the young breed, the masterful breed, Sherman's breed, there was no such principle. Insulation! That was the ticket. That was the term Rawlie Thorpe used. ''If you want to live in New York,'' he once told Sherman, ''you've got to insulate, insulate, insulate,'' meaning insulate yourself from those people. The cynicism and smugness of the idea struck Sherman as very au courant. If you could go breezing down the FDR Drive in a taxi, then why file into the trenches of the urban wars? From ''The Bonfire of the Vanities.''	i don't know
Which town sits opposite Tynemouth at the mouth of the River Tyne?	Ten interesting facts about Tynemouth & Cullercoats - Chronicle Live News Ten interesting facts about Tynemouth & Cullercoats Tynemouth is a town at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats, and is famous for being a surfing championship venue. Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Tynemouth is a town at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats, and is famous for being a surfing championship venue. Whereas, Cullercoats is a small village on the coast with a semi-circular sandy beach, cliffs and caves. Both places are popular destinations for day-trippers and tourists to enjoy sea views and eat the best fish and chips. Here are ten interesting facts about the two areas: 1. Tynemouth Longsands, along with Whitley Bay, King Edward’s Bay and Cullercoats Bay beaches have all been awarded prestigious Blue Flag status. 2. Tynemouth pier's construction took over 40 years (1854–1895) and in 1898 the original curved design proved inadequate against a great storm and the centre section was destroyed. The pier was rebuilt in a straighter line and completed in 1909. 3. Collingwood Monument is the giant memorial to Lord Collingwood, Nelson's second-in-command at Trafalgar, who completed the victory after Nelson was killed. 4. The annual Mouth Of Tyne Festival, which started in 2005, is staged in Tynemouth and South Shields on the opposite bank of the Tyne and includes live world music, cultural performances, processions and pyrotechnics, as well as art displays. 5. Many of the books of prize-winning children's author Robert Westall are set in Tynemouth. 6. The 80's television series Supergran was predominantly filmed in Tynemouth and the flying bicycle and other artefacts used in filming were until 2006 on permanent display in the Land of Green Ginger on Front Street. 7. Cullercoats harbour is the home of the Dove Marine Laboratory, a research and teaching laboratory which forms part of the School of Marine Science and Technology within Newcastle University. 8. In 1848, a coble taking a pilot to a ship further out at sea capsized with the loss of all on board. In response to this disaster the local landowner, the Duke of Northumberland funded the setting up of an RNLI lifeboat station in Cullercoats. 9. The salt industry thrived in Cullercoats with salt pans all around the bay. The high demand for salt as a preservative saw a new pier in place by the end of the 17th Century. The new pier also allowed the transportation of coal by sea and with the coal and salt industries flourishing Cullercoats was one of the busiest ports on the North East Coast. 10. In the early 1900s a number of local artists started to paint in Cullercoats and the village soon developed a reputation as an artists' colony. Artists such as Robert Jobling and John Falconar Slater painted many scenes that are recognisable today. Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent	South Shields
What is the name of the village on the Wirral originally built by William Lever for his workers?	River Tyne - Major Rivers Of The British Isles Major Rivers Of The British Isles There are two River Tynes located in Great Britain, the thirty mile long River Tyne in south, east Scotland and the sixty two mile long River Tyne in north, east England. Historians believe that the word tyne was possibly of Celtic origin and is derived from the word tin, which meant river. Neither of these British rivers were known by this name during the Roman occupation of Britain, with the word not listed as spelled as tyne until the Anglo - Saxon period. RIVER TYNE, SCOTLAND Scotland’s River Tyne, shown in the above two pictures, rises in the two thousand, one hundred and sixty two foot high Moorfoot Hills in East Lothian and travels in a north, easterly direction for thirty miles through the towns of Pencaitland, Haddington and East Linton before draining into the North Sea at Belhaven Bay, situated twelve miles west of the coastal town of Dunbar. The river passes through a few areas of interest along it’s route including, the ancient village of Pencaitland, which is home to the house and grounds of the eleventh century Saltoun Hall and the fourteenth century Hailes Castle . The river also passes the eighteenth century Preston Mill at East Linton, the medieval town of Haddington, the historic house and grounds of the Vogrie Estate Country Park , which also incorporates the two mile long Tyne Valley Path, and the coastal areas of Belham Bay and Tynesands situated on it’s estuary. The River Tyne estuary also incorporates a small part of the forty five mile long, John Muir Way, coastal path. The mouth of the River Tyne is situated at the head of Belhaven Bay, a reknowned, local surfing venue with a wide, sandy beach, which is flanked on it's south side by the one thousand, eight hundred and eleven acre, John Muir Country Park, which houses the ruins of Dunbar Castle, and on it's north side by the spectacular rock formation known as St Baldred's Cradle, named after the sixth century Evangelist abbot and hermit, Balthere of Tyninghame. The river has twelve small tributaries, the three largest of which are Birns Water, Humbie Water and Tyne Water. The river is spanned by twelve bridges, the oldest of which is the Nungate Bridge in the ancient town of Haddington, which is a three arched, sandstone bridge completed in 1550. Overall Scotland's River Tyne is a fast flowing river popular with canoeists and a sought after location for fishermen, owing to it's exceptional stocks of brown trout and sea trout. The area surrounding the course of the river is also a favoured location for golfers, hikers, cyclists and nature lovers and the waters of the bay that encompass the river's estuary have become a local surfers paradise. RIVER TYNE, ENGLAND The River Tyne, situated in north, east England, is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the River North Tyne and the River South Tyne. The River Tyne travels for sixty two miles from the point where the above two rivers join at Watersmeet, situated two miles from the Northumberland market town of Hexham, to it's basin on the North Sea at Tynemouth, situated between the towns of North Shields and South Shields. The River North Tyne has it's source on the one thousand, nine hundred foot high Deadwater Fell in Northumbria, situated just three miles from the Scottish border on the edge of Kielder Forest, Europe's largest man made woodland. The river travels for about thirty miles, passing through Kielder Water, the U.K's largest artificial lake, the village of Bellingham, where it joins with the Hareshaw Burn and the village of Redesmouth, where it joins with the River Rede, before arriving at Watersmeet to link with the River South Tyne. The River South Tyne has it's source on the one thousand foot high Alston Moor in Cumbria, which is part of Cross Fell, the source of the areas other two main river systems, the River Tees and the River Wear. The river travels for about twenty five miles through the villages of Haltwhistle, Haydon Bridge and Allendale, where it meets with the River Allen, before joining the River North Tyne at Watersmeet. From Watersmeet the River Tyne flows for sixty two miles, passing the market town of Hexham, famous for it's tenth century abbey, the ancient village of Corbridge, famous for it's Stonegate Roman Site, and on through the county of Tyne and Wear where it divides the City of Newcastle - upon - Tyne, pictured above, from the town of Gateshead, situated between Hebburn and Jarrow on it's south bank, and the towns of Wallsend and Tynemouth on it's north bank. The course of the river has been joined by the sixty mile long Tyne Valley Railway which runs from Hexham to Newcastle - on – Tyne, through part of the North Pennines AONB - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - which also makes up part of the Newcastle to Carlisle Railway Line. The River Tyne is joined by the tributaries of the River Ouseburn at Newcastle - on - Tyne, the thirty five mile long River Derwent at Derwenthaugh, the ten mile long Devil’s Water at Dilston and the River Team at Gateshead. The River Tyne is especially noted for it’s bridges, of which it has around twenty two in all, seven of which are situated between Newcastle – on – Tyne and Gateshead and are the most iconic of them all. These bridges include the oje thousand, three hundred and thirty seven foot high, High Level Bridge, a multi piered, rail and road, girder bridge built in 1849 by engineer Robert Stevenson, the two hundred and eighty one foot wide, hydraulic, cantilevered Swing Bridge, built in 1876 by W.G. Armstrong, the five hundred and twenty eight foot high, metal through arch, Tyne Bridge, built in 1928 and the one thousand, one hundrd and fifty seven foot long, Queen Elisabeth II metro rail, truss bridge, opened in 1981. The river’s newest bridge is the striking, steel arc, Gateshead Millenium Bridge, which was the first tilting bridge to be built in the world. This unique bridge situated between Gateshead Quays and Newcastle Quayside was completed in 2002 and was built for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge tilts in order to allow ships to pass beneath it. Between them, these five bridges are renowned for their unique system of artwork and LED lighting, a feature known as the Nocturne. The oldest bridge spanning the River Tyne is a Roman, stone bridge at Corbridge, originally built around AD160. The River Tyne is served by three tunnels. a nine hundred foot long pedestrian and cycle tunnel between Jarrow and Howden, which was completed in 1951 and was the country’s first purpose built cycle tunnel, and two, one mile long vehicular, toll tunnels, one which was completed in 1967 and another which was completed in 2010, both of which link North Shields with Howden. The river has a fourteen mile tidal stretch between Wylam and Newcastle, and it’s river mouth has been the site of an important port since Roman times. Since the thirteenth century the river has been synonomous with the carriage of coal and since the nineteenth century, with a large shipbuilding industry. Today The Port of Tyne’s deep river port, situated at South Shields, sits on six hundred acres of land and incorporates two car terminals, three rail terminals, international cruise and passenger ferry terminals and a large cargo port, which is ranked the fourth largest in Britain. The mouth of the River Tyne is situated between the towns of North Shields and South Shields and is known as Tynemouth. The Tynemouth is flanked by two one thousand foot long breakwaters which both sport nineteeth century lighthouses. Also situated along the Tynemouth are the ruins of the seventh century Tynemouth Castle, the seventh century Benedictine Tynemouth Priory, the Arbeia Roman Fort at South Shields, the route of the Shields Ferry, which has been the site of a ferry crossing since 1377, the picturesque, King Edward’s Bay Beach and the internationally famed, championship surfing beach at Longsands. SOME RIVER TYNE WEBSITES	i don't know
In terms of population, which is the second largest city in Austria?	Austria Facts on Largest Cities, Populations, Symbols - Worldatlas.com (conversion rates) 20 Euros Ethnicity: Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% GDP total: $357.8 billion (2012 est.) GDP per capita: $42,500 (2012 est.) Language: German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other 5.3% Largest Cities: (by population) Vienn, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck Name: Austria's name comes from a Medieval Latin translation of the German word Osterreich, which means "Eastern borderlands." National Day: October 26	Graz
Served with a steak, which sauce is made with butter, egg yolks, white wine vinegar, and tarragon?	Political Map of Austria - Nations Online Project ___ Political Map of Austria About Austria Map is showing Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, a landlocked country in East Central Europe that borders the Czech Republic , Germany , Hungary , Italy , Liechtenstein , Slovakia , Slovenia , and Switzerland . With an area of 83,871 km² Austria is compared somewhat smaller than Portugal (92,090 km²), or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maine . The country is mostly dominated in the west and south by mountains (the Alps), the Central Eastern Alps, the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps are all partly in Austria. About a quarter of the country along the eastern and northern margins of the Alps can be considered low lying or gently sloping. Austria's highest point is Grossglockner mountain with a height of 3,798 m (12,460 ft.). The Pasterze glacier, Austria's most extended glacier covers parts of the Grossglockner's eastern slope. The major rivers north of the watershed of the Austrian Alps are the Inn, the Salzach, and the Enns, they are tributaries of the Danube. The rivers south of the watershed are the Gail and Drau rivers in Carinthia and the Mürz and Mur rivers. Austria has a population of 8,593,800 people (2015), capital and largest city is Vienna , with a population of 1.8 million people. Spoken language is Austrian German (official), spoken regional languages are Croatian, Hungarian, and Slovene. Depicted on the map is Austria with surrounding countries, international borders, major cities, main roads, railroads, and major airports, Vienna International Airport (in German: Flughafen Wien; IATA Code : VIE) is the primary international airport in Austria). You are free to use this map for educational purposes, please refer to the Nations Online Project. Cities and Towns in Austria: The map shows the location of following Austriaian cities: Largest Cities (pop. 2013) after Vienna are: Graz (300,000), Austria's second-largest city and the capital of Styria (Steiermark), known as a student city with six universities; Linz (190,000), founded by the Romans, today one of the main economic centers of Austria and the capital of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), Salzburg (150,000), capital of the federal state of Salzburg, famous for its baroque architecture of the "Old Town" and as the birthplace of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Innsbruck (117,000), capital of Tyrol (Tirol) and the cultural and economic center of western Austria, it is an internationally renowned winter sports center; Klagenfurt (90,000), capital of Carinthia (Kärnten), one of the nine Austrian states. Other cities and towns: Amstetten, Bad Ischl, Baden, Bischofshofen, Braunau am Inn, Bregenz, Bruck, Dornbirn, Eisenerz, Eisenstadt, Feldkirch, Fohnsdorf, Fürstenfeld, Gleisdorf, Hallein, Hollabrunn, Horn, Imst, Kappl, Kitzbühel, Krems an der Donau, Kufstein, Laa an der Thaya, Lienz, Liezen, Murau, Mürzzuschlag, Neunkirchen, Neusiedel am See, Obervellach, Ried im Innkreis, Saalfelden, Sankt Pölten, Schrems, Schwaz, Spittal an der Drau, Steyr, Telfs, Tulln, Uttendorf, Vienna, Villach, Wels, Wiener Neustadt, Wolfsberg, Wörgl, Zell am See, and Zwettl.	i don't know
Above which castle did Charles I raise his Standard in 1642, effecting declaring war on parliament?	Nottinghamshire history > In and About Nottinghamshire The Civil War: 1642-46 Portrait of Charles I by Daniel Mytens (1631). Charles I. had reigned eleven years without convening a Parliament, but with the Star Chamber and High Commission, fines, penalties, monopolies, customs duties, confiscations, and the like followed. Ship money, which had in time of national danger been enforced in maritime towns for the cost of fitting out ships, was now in the time of peace extended by Laud and Wentworth into a general tax, to be imposed on the whole country. "Newark was in 1636 assessed for ship money at £120, but could raise only £50." John Hampden thrilled the country by refusal to pay the ship money. At the same time Laud was forcing the Prayer Book upon the Scots, who rebelled, and formed the Solemn League and Covenant, and raised money to pay the cost of an army to fight, and the King was compelled to call a Parliament, which not being submissive was dissolved, to be followed shortly by another Parliament, which would not dissolve, for the pent up indignation of its members now burst out uncontrollably. The King’s favourite minister, the Earl of Strafford, was impeached and beheaded. Archbishop Laud was sent to the Tower, where he lay for four years before he was beheaded. "The Grand Remonstrance" was drawn up and published, setting forth the efforts, difficulties, and dangers in the way of the Parliament. It did not seek to abolish Episcopacy, but to reduce the power of the Bishops. It was not revolutionary, but desired the observance of existing laws, and the due administration of justice, the appointment of ministers who possessed the confidence of Parliament, and so forth, and on the King’s demand for the surrender to him of five Members of Parliament preparations for war began. Nottinghamshire Landowners "Before the flame of the warre broke out in the top of the chimnies," Mrs. Hutchinson says, "the smoake ascended in every country (county)." Both parties had made active preparations, so that "every county had the civill warre, more or lesse, within itselfe. Some counties were in the beginning so wholly for the parliament, that the king’s interest appear’d not in them; some so wholly for the king, that the godly, for these generally were the parliament’s friends, were forc’d to forsake their habitations, and seeke other shelters; of this sort was Nottinghamshire. All the nobillity and gentry, and their dependents, were generally for the King." She speaks of the Earl of Newcastle, (he was the last of this title in the Cavendish family,) as a great prince who had "ran himselfe much in debt." The Earl of Kingston (of the Thoresby Estate) "a man of vaste estate, and not lesse covetousnesse, who devided his sonns betweene both parties, and conceal’d himseife, till at length his fate drew him to declare himselfe absolutely on the kings side." "Lord Chesterfield and all his famely were highly of the royall party; so was Lord Chaworth; the Earle of Clare was very often of both parties, and I think never advantag’d either. All the popish gentry were wholly for the king." Sir John Biron, and all his brothers, "were all passionately the Kings. Sr John Savill, a man of vast estate was the like; so were Sr Gervas Eyre, Sr John Digby, Sr Matthew Palmer, Sr Thomas Williamson, Sr Roger Cowper, Sr W. Hickman, Sr Hugh Cartwright, Sr T. Willoughby, Sr Thomas Smith, Sr Thomas Blackwell, Markham, Perkins, Tevery, Pearce, Palme, Wood, Sanderson, Moore, Mellish, Butler, with divers others." Parliamentarians. "Of the Parliament men, Mr. Sutton, afterwards Lord Lexington, and Sr Gervas Clifton forsooke the parliament, went to the king, and executed his commission of array. Mr. William Stanhope left the parliament. Mr. William Pierrepont second sonne of the Earl of Kingston was of the parliament. Sr Thomas Hutchinson continued with the parliament. Mr. Henry Ireton having had an education in the strictest way of godlinesse, and being a very grave and solid person, a man of good learning, greate understanding, and other abillities, to which was ioyn’d a willing and zealous heart to the cause and his country, he was the chiefe promoter of the parliaments interest in the country (county)." Referring to the Town of Nottingham, Mrs. Hutchinson says there were "more malignants (? Royalists) than well affected." Of seven Aldermen only one owned the parliament. "All the devout people of the towne were very vigorous and ready to offer their lives and famelies, hut their was not halfe the halfe of the towne that consisted of these; the ordinary, civill sort of people coldly adher’d to the better, but all the debosht, and such as had liv’d upon the bishops persecuting courts, and bene the lacqueys of proiectors and monopolizers and the like, where all bitterly malignant ; yet God awed them.’’ Useful Reformers It should be stated that William Pierrepont, Esq., second son of the Earl of Kingston, had secured the passing of an Act requiring annual parliaments, crippling the power of the King with regard to dissolving parliament in less than fifty days, and Denzil Holles of Haughton, second son of the Earl of Clare, had taken a prominent part with Pym, Hampden, and others, in restraining the royal prerogative, and extending the liberties of the people, for which he was accused of high treason. Levies. On March 4th, 1642, parliament made an ordinance for the speedy raising and levying of money for the maintenance of the parliamentary army, by a weekly assessment. By this ordinance the weekly assessment of the county and borough of Nottingham was fixed at £187 10s. 0d., a sum which shows the heavy burdens that had to be borne on both sides. And these terrible burdens had to be borne in addition to raids, exactions, and looting, to which the people were subject, sometimes from their so called friends, and sometimes from their enemies, and sometimes from both in succession.. An Awful Position Let us stand still for a minute, and contemplate, the awfulness of the position in our town and county at this time. Here the people are hopelessly divided into two hostile camps, the one regarding themselves as bound to the King, as being the only way to secure law, order, and religion, as they view it; the others feeling themselves bound to oppose the King, as being the only way to secure civil and religious liberty, of which they are deprived, and these differences cannot be settled by a court of law, or by arbitration; and neither party will wait or hear of concession, and they are going to fight, and seek to kill each other, and by fines and imprisonments, by injury to or abstraction of property they will impoverish and harass one another; and hearts will break, and families be divided, and homes be destroyed, and children starve, and obedience to the laws for securing life, liberty, chastity and property be suspended, and hell be on earth. If angels can weep, this is enough to make them. A Proclamation. On August 12th, 1642, the King issued a proclamation to all subjects residing on the north side of the Trent, or within twenty miles southward thereof, to assemble at Nottingham on the 22nd of August, "where we intend to erect our Standard Royal, in our just and necessary defence, and whence we resolve to advance forward for the suppression of the said Rebellion, and the protection of our good subjects among them, from the burthen of the slavery and insolence under which they cannot hut groan until they be relieved by us." Those that came armed the King promised to at once take into his pay, and at the mine time he asked for loans of money, which he would repay us soon as God enabled him. Parliamentarian pamphlet on the Raising of the Standard in 1642: " A true and exact Relation of the manner of his Maiesties settting up of His Standard at Nottingham, on Munday the 22. of August 1642". Standard Hill On the wall of the General Hospital, on Standard Hill, at Nottingham, there is a tablet which reads: "On a mound about 60 yards to the rear of this tablet Charles I. raised his Standard, August 25th, 1642." He had set it up on a tower in the Castle three days earlier. This banner, Bishop Trollope says, was painted by Robert Large, of Nottingham, at the order of Lord Beaumont, and was attached to a long red staff, and next this was displayed St. George’s Cross, and on the red ground of the remainder the Royal Arms, and the motto: "Give Caesar his due." It was pennon shaped, cloven at the end, and from its great length must have formed a conspicuous object as seen from the Town below. Sir William Penniman expressed the opinion that it would be a good deed to burn down the Town below, because its people had not come forth to serve their King." Sir Edmund Verney, the Knight-Mareshal and Standard-bearer of England, when the Standard was set up, stepped forward and passionately exclaimed that "they who would take that Standard from him must first wrest his soul from his body.’’ Then the drums and trumpets sounded, and the troops shouted : "God save the King!" The King commenced the War in Nottingham, apparently because of its central position, and his belief that the people would rally to his support, but they did not. On the above date the King sent from Nottingham a message to both Houses of Parliament by the Earls of Southampton and Dorset, and others, the answer to which was that until the King’s Proclamations were withdrawn, and the Standard taken down, they could not consistently with the public trust reposed in them, and the general good of the nation, agree to the terms proposed by His Majesty. A Warrant. Four days after the King had sent the message of peace to the Parliament he issued an Order "from our Court at Nottingham" to all Commissioners, Sheriffs, Mayors, Justices of the Peace, etc., throughout England and Wales, directing them to apprehend the Earl of Essex, who was leading the Parliamentary forces, and his confederates ; to kill and slay all the forces opposed to them and to disarm all Popish recusants, ill-affected persons, Brownists, Anabaptists, and other sectaries, who had certified their ill disposition to the peace and government of the Kingdom. The King left Nottingham on September 13th. Clifton. In the Clifton Book, by the Rev. Rosslyn Bruce, a copy is given of a letter written from Nottingham by King Charles, August 31st, 1642, and addressed "to our trusty and well-beloved Sir Gervase Clifton, Knt.," asking for "all the armes you shall think fit to send us in response to which there was within three days sent a number of saddles, bridles, pistols, muskets, spikes, etc. For this, and other help rendered to the King, Sir Gervase had to pay dearly, for he was afterwards by the Parliamentarians fined £4,000—a very large sum in those days. This he paid by four instalments, during the years 1649 and 1650, "as a fine for his delinquency to the Parliament."	Nottingham Building Society
Which bloody 1651 encounter was the final battle of the English Civil Wars?	marrrkusss: January 2014 A month of civil war! part eight Yes, faithful readers, part eight has dawned already - and with it, we near the end of this overview of the English Civil War. There were effectively three civil wars in England in the first half of the seventeenth century, though it was the second conflict that saw the execution of Charles I and the introduction of the Republic. As I'm sure you'll remember, we left Charles riding into the parliamentary camp at Southwell, and royalist organisation effectively died with the king's surrender in 1646. There began a long period of negotiation throughout 1646, with Charles being seen as the lynchpin to control of the country by whichever faction could successfully treat with him, be they the Scots, the Independents, the New Model Army, or the Presbyterian government in Westminster. Charles clearly knew this, and so courted each side as he made the rounds through the country. In December, Charles made a play for Scottish support by agreeing to implement the Solemn League and Covenant, while he was being kept in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight. While this never officially happened, it was enough to garner some significant Scottish support in the war that followed. It's important to note that Charles was not a prisoner during this time, and certainly nobody wanted to cut his head off. Remember, the Civil War had started in 1642 as a 'rescue mission' by Parliament. Charles was kept in a degree of luxury, albeit under guard, but in 1647 members of the Army captured him, setting in motion the events of the Second Civil War. Round Two The issue of pay was a long-standing one between the Army and Parliament, but when they captured Charles, Parliament used the issue to their advantage, withholding arrears in an attempt to coerce them into handing the king over. However, the officers of the New Model Army found themselves in an increasingly important position politically, because they held the king in their custody, and it was enough to make the Scots resume their alliance with Parliament's Presbyterian faction - and the remaining royalists, no less - and declare war on the army. The Second Civil War had the curious effect of almost reversing the factions of the earlier conflict, as the New Model Army mutinied and declared their support for the king in February 1648. The new Royalists were once the military instrument of Parliament. However, the military action of the Second war was comparatively short-lived, and has been described since more as a revolt than an actual civil war. Following the Army declaring for the king in February/March, a wave of uprisings broke out against parliament, swiftly put down by Cromwell, Fairfax and others. By August, the war was effectively over, when Charles' troops were roundly defeated at the Battle of Preston. Charles was in the north to meet with the Scottish support for his negotiations from December 1646, known as The Engagement, but Cromwell crushed the Scottish army and ended any hope of reinstating Charles as king. The Rump You'll remember, I'm sure, that I began this series by saying that it was on 1 January 1649 that Parliament decided to put Charles on trial. So, what happened to bring them to this point? At the end of the war, there was quite a high demand for the king to be punished, especially for inciting the second conflict, which was seen by many as wasteful and unnecessary. What is perhaps odd, though, is that many had thought the Charles' position during the first war was justifiable. Negotiations began to put Charles back on the throne as a constitutional monarch - that is, a king under the law. This had already been negotiated in Scotland, as part of the National Covenant of 1638 (remember, Charles ruled in Scotland separately to how he ruled in England and in Ireland). The idea of returning Charles to the throne infuriated many of the more die-hard Independents, including Cromwell, and on 6 December 1648 a contingent of the military was led into Parliament by Colonel Thomas Pride. Subsequently, any MP who had shown himself to be supportive of restoring Charles to the throne was removed from the House, and in Pride's Purge, about 200 MPs were forcibly removed from power. The remaining 75 MPs then formed the 'Rump' Parliament, which was to govern England for the foreseeable future. Can they really try him? The answer to this question is a lot more complicated than a simple yes or no, and a stunning example of legal manoeuvering, I have to admit! On 1 January, it is true that the Rump did not have the legal authority to try the king - much less try him for treason, which was defined on the statute books as killing the king (among other things). However, let's look at this in some more detail. English history isn't exactly replete with precedents, but similar situations have arisen in the past nonetheless. Edward II was asked by parliament to abdicate before he disappeared, for instance. In 1485, Henry VII actually amended the treason law to legitimize his own coup that overthrew Richard III, so that if the man who sat the throne wasn't the legal king, but only the king in name, it did not constitute treason to kill him. However, on 4 January 1649, the Rump passed a sort of preliminary vote that essentially gave themselves the right to try the king: 1) The people of the kingdom are the source of all just power, second only to God; 2) The House of Commons, being the elected body of the people, is therefore the source of all just power in the kingdom; therefore 3) The House of Commons has the sole legislative power in the kingdom. How does this allow them to try the king? Well, the legal system in England was built in three stages: a bill must pass through the Commons, the Lords, then the King before it became law. During the war, this had broken down when Parliament was issuing its 'Ordnances' that were sort of emergency laws that didn't require the Lords or the Royal Assent, but the vote of 4 January basically made it law that the Lords and the King were not required to make a bill law. This is pretty mind-blowing stuff, but it does get worse. "Remember I am your King, your lawful King..." With that established, the date for the king's trial was set for 20 January 1649. 150 commissioners were named to act as the jury, including six peers, though tensions remained high throughout the month, and their number was reduced to 135 before the trial, though it was decided that only 20 would actually be required to deliberate if necessary. As it happened, no more than 68 ever appeared at any one session during the trial. Charles Stuart, king of England, the Commons of England assembled in Parliament, being deeply sensible of the calamities that have been brought upon this nation, which is fixed upon you as the principal author of it... So began the trial, with an acclamation of blame for the war firmly at the feet of the king. When the prosecutor actually charged him with treason, Charles was said to have laughed, before making his famous rebuttal, "I would know by what power I am called hither". Reading through the transcript of the trial, which was of course made by a Parliamentary scribe, I admit I had a degree of empathy with Charles: a group of men decides they have the power to hold a trial and, after amending the constitution to allow them to do so, they try him for treason, though it is clear that they have already decided his guilt before the date was even set. I would probably have laughed at them, as well. Charles was accused of abusing his executive powers as king, though the irony here is that the Rump Parliament effectively abused their powers when they did away with the legislative checks on power and gave themselves the power to pass a law. In principle, the Rump Parliament were as bad as the king they were trying. But, treason? It is undeniable that the charge of treason is a thorny one. As I said before, the Treason Act defined treason as the murder or attempted murder of the king, the heir apparent, the queen, or the lord chancellor of the kingdom, or the raising of arms against any of those four persons. The moment the Earl of Essex raised his army and pursued Charles through the midlands in 1642, he was arguably guilty of treason, and the subsequent civil war made the entire parliamentary cause treasonous. But history is written by the winners, of course, and Charles had raised arms against his country, and so was guilty before he even sat a trial. I sound like I am sympathizing strongly with Charles here, I know. I should say that my sympathies lie with the legal system, and I feel that the Rump Parliament abused that system for its own purposes when they did away with the Lords and the King. There can be no doubting that a king who raises arms against his own people has failed, of course. Charles' own belief in the divine right of kings ought to have prevented the civil war itself, as the belief states that God has chosen the king to govern his people fairly and justly. Charles' behaviour does smack strongly of a temper tantrum, of course, and so is unbecoming for a monarch, but I'm not sure that could justify the constitutional manipulation undertaken by the Rump to enforce its will. At any rate, Charles refused to formally answer the charges laid against him. Instead, he continually questioned, when he was allowed to speak, the legality of the court before which he was arraigned. It was, perhaps, a too subtle tactic. The commissioners were charging him with killing his own subjects, and Charles' defense, such as it was, was to question the authority of the men who questioned him. Despite several incidences of Charles appearing to be getting the better of the judges, who told him to stop with his line of questioning in what appears to be a blustering fashion, it ultimately proved fatal for him, as a defendant who enters no plea was assumed to have plead guilty by the law of the time. As such, Charles was found to be guilty on 24 January, and condemned to death. Charles was, at this time, still king, which was affirmed by the clerk when he read the sentence. This was, therefore, something quite new in English history - the reigning king was sentenced to death while still in office by his own subjects. Again, pretty mind-blowing stuff! On 27 January, Parliament passed an act that made it illegal to declare any person to be king, though did not formally abolish the monarchy until 17 March. The House of Lords had, by that time, already been abolished on 6 February. Execution It is perhaps common currency the story of Charles asking for two shirts on the morning of his execution, due to the unseasonably cold weather making him shiver. It is also fairly common knowledge that Parliament struggled to find a suitable executioner, the City's hangman having refused. In fact, Alexandre Dumas makes a bit of a tale out of this in Twenty Years After , the sequel to The Three Musketeers , where D'Artagnan et al race to save Charles from the block, only to be thwarted when the son of Milady roughly does the job himself. (If you haven't already, I can highly recommend reading Dumas' novels, which are full of swashbuckling adventure!). After making a mournful speech, which was likely not heard beyond the scaffold due to the large crowd of soldiers that interposed between it and the people, Charles was executed in one clean stroke around 2pm. It was common practice for the executioner to hold the head by the hair to the crowd, and declare "Behold, the head of a traitor!", but the words were not spoken, presumably because the person who eventually acted as the headsman did not want to be recognised. Denied burial at Westminster Abbey, Charles was interred at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with his head reattached. Interregnum The execution of the king did not stop the fighting, which continued in Ireland until 1653 as the Third Civil War, and would again spark up later in the century. Oliver Cromwell vehemently opposed any idea that he would succeed Charles as king, but as leader of the Puritans in Parliament, he accepted the title of Lord Protector in 1653, and nominated his son Richard to succeed him in his place upon his death in 1658. It is perhaps quite ironic that Cromwell himself grew tired of rule by parliament and dissolved the Rump in 1653, echoing Charles' own frustrated actions all the way back in 1629. The army maintained significant power throughout the period of the Commonwealth, and when it appeared that the politicians were losing sight of the original aims of the civil wars, they had sufficient power as to force Richard Cromwell to dissolve Parliament in 1659, reinstated first the Rump Parliament, then the MPs who had been expelled in Pride's Purge of 1648, before finally negotiating to restore the monarchy itself in the person of the former Prince of Wales as Charles II. But! It would be remiss to think the Restoration of 1660 was a return to some form of 'old way'. Charles II was a constitutional monarch, but he was still allowed to dissolve parliament when needed: the 1664 Triennial Act stipulated that a parliament must meet every three years, but did away with the previous requirements that it could only be dissolved with its own permission. The Restoration was, instead, a re-imagining of what monarchy should be. Despite promising religious toleration in his Declaration of Breda made shortly before he returned to England, Charles II's first parliament passed a flurry of pro-Anglican laws that severely curtailed the powerbase of the Puritans, perhaps in the hope that they wouldn't start another war now that Charles had reopened the theatres... So that's my month of Civil War finished! Only intended as a high-level overview, I hope it has inspired you to find out more, and maybe visit a battlefield or two! Posted by A month of civil war! part seven Part seven already! We left the Civil War in 1644, with the forces of parliament in the ascendant. However, things weren't all that rosy in London, as cracks began to appear. However, this was perhaps inevitable, as opposition to Charles was based on several different grievances, which made for an already split group before the war officially broke out. So following Marston Moor, when a distinct group of MPs loosely led by the Earl of Manchester began to manoeuvre for peace negotiations rather than a total victory. Cromwell actually called him up on this in parliament, exposing the fractures between the groups who commanded the army further. This led to the Self-Denying Ordnance, which excluded from parliament any military commander, and vice-versa. It was the first step on the road to creating the New Model Army, which would prove to be so valuable to parliament in the further prosecution of the war. There was also a religious aspect to these divisions. Part of the agreement with Scotland that prefaced the Solemn League and Covenant was for religious reformation in England along the lines of the Church of Scotland, whose supporters were called Presbyterians. Opponents to this idea wanted no hierarchy within the church - no bishops, no presbyteries - and instead wanted the congregation to decide its own way for itself. These were called Independents, and much in they way they opposed a hierarchy in the church, they were also much less inclined to a restoration of the monarchy as time went on. In April 1645, the New-Model Ordnance led to the creation of a new model of army, one cohesive unit under the control of parliament, rather than separate units commanded by MPs and lords in a loose coalition. The New Model Army, as it became known, was also notable for its religious heterodoxy. Following the lapsing of censorship in 1640, there was a degree of religious freedom, with many different sects and ideologies appearing. Many of the officers, however, were staunch Independents. The Clubmen I said at the beginning of this series that the civil war in England was not all that enthusiastically received. There is perhaps a tendency to think, after reading all of the accounts of the wars, that the country did suddenly fall one side of an imaginary divide, with royalists on one side, and parliamentarians on another. "Cheshire declared for the king" makes it sound like the entire county was pro-Charles, staunch to the last. That just isn't true, of course - landowners in Cheshire might declare for the king, but the rest of the people who lived there wanted nothing more than to continue on with their lives in as much peace as they were allowed. I suppose the biggest idea to take away from this is that, for most of the people in any particular county, it just didn't matter. However, when the war was brought home, and stampeding ranks of soldiers were ravaging the countryside on their way to one battle or another, it did matter. While many 'ordinary' people did fight in the war as part of the militia, the dispute between king and parliament was not what motivated them. But when their own livelihood was threatened, matters were taken in hand. And this is where the Clubmen come in. This is, for me, a wonderful expression of that 'ordinary' sentiment, of people who want to be left out of wars, but also of common sense. Literally bands of men with clubs and other farming implements, Clubmen first gathered in Worcestershire in 1645 to protect their lands and their families from the marauding soldiers who would frequently pass through, destroying land and seizing crops and other supplies as they went. As time went on, organization became more sophisticated, with even local gentry who had desired to stay neutral in the war setting up bands of vigilante-like men to protect their lands. A third party to the war, they often tried to force peace on the warring factions. Perhaps understandably then, they were popular with neither side, and it wasn't long before military campaigns were taking account of the potential presence of Clubmen and moving against them. On the road to Naseby In 1645, Rupert was sent north to attempt to re-take control there. The New Model Army, after some early successes, then went to lay siege to Oxford, despite the fact that Charles had already left his capital. When this was discovered, Parliament, a little shamefacedly, gave full command of the army to Lord Fairfax, who immediately pursued Charles throughout the midlands. Charles and Rupert, having stormed Leicester, marched first to Newark for reinforcements before heading for Oxford and Fairfax. On a foggy 14 June, the opposing armies at first struggled to find each other. When battle eventually broke out, the infantry was so close that after one volley of musketfire things devolved into hand-to-hand combat. The royalist cavalry were forced to charge uphill, and it didn't take much for Cromwell's flank to defeat them. The remaining parliamentarian forces were able to encircle much of the royalist army, causing many to surrender or flee, with only Rupert's own regiment left standing. The King attempted to lead a charge to relieve them, but it is said his bridle was taken by the Earl of Carnwath, who dissuaded him from riding into certain death, and in the confusion his own bodyguards retreated from the field. With the royalists in disarray, and the New Model Army successful in its first major engagement, parliamentarian forces appear to have then run amok among the royal baggage train, killing at least one hundred female camp followers. This atrocity against civilians was nothing compared with the PR disaster that resulted from the capture of Charles I's personal correspondence, however. The King's Cabinet Opened Remember how many people were convinced, in the 1630s, that Charles was some sort of closet-Catholic, and would ruin the kingdom because of it? Well, it turns out they were half-right. Charles' personal letters captured at the battle revealed that he was in secret talks with the Irish Catholic Confederation, as well as many Catholic nations on the continent, to supply him with troops to continue the war against parliament. Of course, parliament wasted no time in publishing these letters, to the general outcry of the public, and thus tipped public opinion firmly away from Charles. The remainder of 1645 was one disaster after another for the royalists. Prince Rupert appears to have been significantly depressed by the course of events, and surrendered Bristol to Fairfax on 10 September. Charles was horrified, and banished Rupert from the kingdom. Charles rode to Chester, but parliamentarian forces were dogging his every step, and his forces were repelled at Rowton Heath on 24 September. 1646: The End With the New Model Army overrunning the south, royalist bastions began to fall like dominoes. In February 1646 at the Battle of Torrington, the royalist army was finally defeated in the field, and the New Model Army began mopping up the remnants. Charles, in what was quite possibly utter despair, rode into the Scottish camp at Southwell on 5 May. Oxford fell to parliament in June, and peace negotiations formally began in July. It seemed like the hostilities had come to an end. However, it was not to be so simple! Come back soon for the next installment in A month of civil war! Posted by A month of civil war! part five Here we go again! Last time we looked at the beginnings of the war, culminating in the Battle of Edgehill on on 23 October 1642. Following the battle, Charles spent the winter securing his position at Oxford while Essex remained at Windsor. The Earl of Newcastle, William Cavendish - a stalwart supporter of the King, who was relied upon for financial assistance in the absence of the possibility of Charles raising taxes - began to march south to Newark and Nottingham, with the aim of securing the northern ports for the arrival of Queen Henrietta Maria from the United Provinces, where her daughter Mary was married to William II of Orange and who had pledged materiel for the war effort. Lord Derby's efforts throughout Cheshire and Lancashire enabled the royalists under Lord Byron at Chester could link up with Newcastle's forces in Nottinghamshire, securing the north for the King. As a precaution, parliamentary forces began to band together in the east, headed by Oliver Cromwell. The war of words It was in 1643 that the journalistic war began, with the royalist propaganda machine publishing the Mercurius Aulicus from Oxford. Parliament soon responded with their own Mercurius Britanicus. These newsbooks, along with over a dozen others that sometimes only lasted for an issue or two, attempted to put their own version of events across to the general public. Broadly speaking, the Aulicus portrayed the parliamentary forces as brutal thugs who frequently engaged in destructive behaviour, even such as attacks on cathedrals (as at Peterborough), while the Britanicus engaged in snide remarks about the King's position within his country, and the popish behaviour of the royalists. Indeed, there's an excellent description of Charles bouncing around the kingdom like a tennis ball, as the war became increasingly frenetic. 1643 began quite badly for Charles, with Essex besieging Reading successfully in April. As the most significant of the fortresses in the buffer between royalist Oxford and parliamentarian London, its loss was dangerous, but the Queen eventually arrived in May with her convoy of materiel, and the King's fortunes began to change. In July, thanks to the brilliance of Charles' nephews Maurice of Simmern and Rupert of the Rhine, Bristol was in royalist possession - Bristol of course was England's second most-important port at this time. Essex' army at Reading was forced to withdraw due to the outbreak of disease, but Charles was unable to capitalize on his successes by marching on London due to dissent in the ranks. With armies largely made up of Yorkshiremen and Devon natives, but Parliament in control of Hull and Plymouth, the generals were unwilling to risk retaliations at their homes by moving against London. Instead, Charles moved west, and planned to attack Gloucester. After an ineffective siege, relieved by Essex, the royalists chased off the parliamentarian army and they arrived on 20 September at Newbury. The Battle of Newbury Parliamentarian intelligence had given Essex to understand that Charles had retired to Oxford, so he led a leisurely retreat to London when in actual fact Prince Rupert's cavalry were gaining on them every day. When they eventually caught up, Rupert harassed the parliamentarians enough that the royalist infantry caught up, and by 20 September, battle was imminent! Essex' forces began early, and managed to gain the high ground that proved so decisive to the battle. Rupert led the main cavalry charge in an attempt to break the parliamentarian ranks, but their stubborn defense proved difficult to overcome. A combination of heavy artillery fire and stubborn resolve caused the royalists to over-commit, resulting in significant losses. The infantry under Lord Byron had used the most part of the royalist gunpowder to no avail, so by midnight when the two armies eventually disengaged, the royalists were in pretty poor shape. Essex expected to re-engage the following day, but Charles' men were in no state, and reluctantly moved north to Oxford, leaving the way clear for Essex to return via Reading to London. However... 1643 also saw two very important agreements reached by each side, that would ensure the war would not be concluded any time soon. Firstly, Charles reached a truce with the Catholic rebellion in Ireland, where hostilities were for the time being suspended, and the Irish Catholic Confederation formed as a government in Kilkenny. This truce was interpreted as an ill omen in Parliament, for many thought an Irish alliance with Charles was on the cards - remember, many already thought he was pro-Catholic, so it wasn't entirely impossible to imagine. The fateful words of Lord Strafford uttered to Charles during the Bishops' Wars in Scotland came back to haunt the king, as well - when Charles couldn't raise an army to oppose the Scots in 1639, Strafford had told him there were men in Ireland he could use 'to reduce the kingdom'. He meant, it is now understood, to reduce Scotland, but in the volatile climate of Civil War England, Parliament decided he had meant to reduce England. So to guard against such an alliance, Parliament negotiated with Edinburgh a Solemn League and Covenant, which effectively brought Scotland into the war against Charles. In return, the Scottish Presbyterian Church would be adopted as the national church, which was fine with many of the Puritans in Parliament, though remained ambiguous enough in its talk of religious reform that it was agreed to by most MPs. But not all. Some MPs actually left London in protest. Mercurius Aulicus had some choice words to say on the subject, and made the most it could of portraying the cracks that were forming among the leadership in London. Next time, we're on our way to Marston Moor, and I'll also be looking at those cracks in some more detail! Posted by A month of civil war! part four It's part four! We've seen the European background to the conflict, and we've seen both the religious and the political state of the nations of the British isles. But what actually happened during the Civil War in England? What were the Scots - to say nothing of the Irish - up to? Well, let's take a look! We left Charles last time with his standard raised in Nottingham, on 22 August 1642. What exactly does this mean, though? By raising his banner, he summoned his army to him, which formed a declaration of war. However, he was declaring war on parliament, the elected body of the people of England. This is hugely significant, for it had never really been done before. Previous civil wars within England had been aimed at the king, such as the de Montfort rebellion, or the Wars of the Roses. The English Civil War reflects a breakdown of the political system, but from the top-down, rather than the bottom-up. However, it would be wrong to think that 1642 marked a watershed moment, where the people of the country fell into either the King's or Parliament's camp. The vast majority of the country greatly desired to stay neutral. Wars were costly, and nobody really wanted to go fighting each other, except perhaps the King himself. But war was now inevitable. The king's forces had assembled, parliament's troops followed them to 'rescue' the king, as mentioned last time - that would not be effected without military action, of course. The road to war: Edgehill What is perhaps most surprising about the Civil War is that there were only ever three big set-piece pitched battles throughout the entire conflict, beginning with Edgehill on 23 October 1642. Parliament had trooped through the East Midlands, ending in the Cotswolds, strategically placing themselves between the King's base of Oxford and London. Charles perceived his greatest support to lie in the Welsh borderlands, so moved from Nottingham to Shrewsbury, before deciding to march to London. Pausing at Wellington, Charles made the famous declaration to uphold Protestantism, to uphold the law, and to uphold the liberty of parliament. The parliamentary army, led by the Earl of Essex, led his army to meet the royalists, and the two forces met at Edgehill in Worcestershire on 23 October. While the armies were assembled in the morning, nothing actually happened until the early afternoon, when the sight of Charles personally encouraging his troops apparently goaded the parliamentarian army into opening fire. The royalist cavalry, led by Prince Rupert and Lord Byron, charged on their guns and caused a whole troop of parliamentary cavalry to retreat from the field. Seeing so much of their cavalry disappear, many of the infantry also fled. However, when the majority of the royalist cavalry didn't return from their initial rout, choosing instead to loot the baggage train, the remaining parliamentarian cavalry were able to ride down the royalist infantry. The centre was in such disarray as a result, the king's standard was captured. Luckily, the royalist cavalry then returned, re-capturing the standard on the way. The light failed, and the battle soon ended as the armies retreated to their respective camps. The following day, neither side was too keen to resume, and by that evening Essex was leading the parliamentary force to Warwick Castle, which allowed Charles to resume his march to London. However, a roundabout route that took him via Oxford and Reading, while Essex went directly from Warwick to London, prevented Charles from entering London, and so he retreated to Oxford, which by now he established as the royalist capital. Just the beginning... The armies of the king and of parliament were reasonably well-matched, which really proved to be the cause for the war going on as long as it did. In these early days of the conflict, there was no clear way to say who would prevail. At Edgehill, it has been postulated that Charles should have won, but his undisciplined cavalry, who were too concerned with looting than with prosecuting the war, allowed the parliamentary army to regroup, whereas they could have capitalized on their rout and smashed Essex' forces. Well, that's all a maybe now. Nobody won Edgehill. The civil war in England continued on, and I'll be looking at more of the conflict soon! Posted by A month of Civil War! part three Welcome back for part three! Today, as promised, I'll ramble on a bit about the political side of the causes for the Civil War in England, with a look at the events that led up to the battle lines being drawn between the King and his parliament. Differing views of religious belief played a large part in the declaration of war, as discussed last time, but perhaps one of the most iconic images of this period is Charles I dissolving parliaments because they disagreed with him. This is certainly one of the enduring ideas that I've taken away from my school days of studying the period. Charles, we were told, wanted money, but parliament refused to grant it to him so he ruled without parliament for most of his reign. When he finally had to call a parliament, they turned on him. Did they? Charles I - despot? I have mentioned in previous entries that Charles I was a firm believer in the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, that a King receives his authority to rule from God alone, and therefore his will is comparable with that of the Almighty. This perhaps gives some idea as to the rest of his character. Charles was certainly a proud man, with a definite taste for the finer things in life. He was a big art collector, and commissioned lots of art from Rubens, Van Dyck, et al. All of this cost money, of course, more than the King's personal income. To get money, the King needed to get a parliament to agree to grant him a portion of the revenue raised from taxes. While James I was used to much less confrontational sessions when he ruled Scotland, he resorted to some creative means of money-raising when on the English throne, for instance selling titles and monopolies. He merely circumvented parliament. Charles, on the other hand, was much too proud for that - he seems to have believed that parliament existed to merely sign off on his decrees. As such, when he was forced to negotiate for settlements with the MPs, in a fit of pique he dissolved parliament on no less than three separate occasions - the last, in 1629, was to be the last parliament called for eleven years. This does seem to make him appear a bit of a despot, don't you think? A man who believes parliament is beneath him, and who refused to negotiate with his subjects on the way in which he ran the kingdom. Creative accounting Much like his father, Charles went about sourcing other channels of income. The most famous of these is probably the Ship Tax. Ship Tax was a tax payable by all the people who lived on the coast of Britain, to pay for the upkeep of the navy and harbour defenses in case of foreign invasion. Charles, the little scamp, decided that all those inland dwellers benefited from the harbour defenses and the navy being kept in shape, and so they should also pay the tax. I must admit, I do see the logic of this - a more general-purpose defense tax would be far more sensible than merely taxing those who live on the circumference of the country. This assumes, of course, that the money goes towards the defense of the country... Other sources of revenue explored during this period were revivals of Forestry laws, where the king claimed ownership of all land that had once been forest (and so could charge for rents etc); knighthood fines, whereby the king reserved the right to re-knight any peer at his coronation, and those who did not attend were forced to pay a fine; forced loans, similar to ship money, where the king forced noblemen to pay a kind of defense tax in case of foreign invasion (real or otherwise); and the selling of wardships of wealthy orphaned children to noblemen. Charles could not pass new laws, because he needed parliament for that. Instead, he merely revived laws still on the statute books, so in essence he was doing nothing illegal or wrong. However, when people appealed such things as the knighthood fines, judges did often find against the king, which in turn led to their dismissal - another mark of the tyrant? This couldn't last, of course, and it was the outbreak of the Bishops' War in Scotland that signalled this for Charles. He simply didn't have the money necessary to raise an army to meet the Covenanters in 1640. The Short Parliament In April 1640 Charles called parliament. Immediately, the MPs began to lodge complaints about the King's conduct for the period of his personal rule, with very little being decided for Charles' own aims. When he demanded money to pay for the army, he was told 'Till the liberties of the House and kingdom were cleared, they knew not whether they had anything to give or no'. Charles' ally the Earl of Strafford successfully caused a rift between the Lords and the Commons before Charles dissolved the parliament after three weeks. Peace was made with the Scots in October, whereby Charles agreed to basically pay the Scots off, then called another parliament that November. The Long Parliament This time, the MPs were ready. Before attempting anything else, they forced Charles to sign into law some key pieces of legislation, with actual threats of violence made if he failed to do so. In addition to signing the death warrant for Strafford, he was made to repeal the Ship Tax, the abolition of the royal prerogative courts (which Charles had used to decide many appeals in his favour during the personal rule), and most importantly, the Triennial Act. This last ensured that a parliament must be called for at least fifty days in any three year period. He was then forced to agree that parliament could only be dissolved by its own agreement, with an Act of Parliament passed to such an effect. Thus began the Long Parliament, which sat until 1648 more or less continuously. However, all was not united under this new parliament. Strafford's discord had obviously done the trick, as his trial kept the Houses split and a pro-Charles faction soon emerged. MPs were keen to redress the religious reforms that Charles had implemented with William Laud, who had also been arrested, and the legality of the King's meddling in religious affairs was questioned. However, while many MPs began to move for a removal of Laudian reforms, it didn't take long for appeals to come in requesting the reinstatement of the bishops. The situation in Ireland in 1641, with the Catholic uprising bringing news of ghastly atrocities being committed against Protestant English settlers there, caused control of the army to become a major issue in parliament. It was at this time that the Grand Remonstrance was presented to the King by John Pym, who had listed all of Charles' misdeeds over the period of personal rule, and possible solutions to each. Parliament requested the power to appoint commanders in the army and navy. The King refused, and refuted the Grand Remonstrance. When news reached him of a plot to impeach his Catholic wife for her alleged part in a Catholic plot against the country, Charles decided to act. In 1642, Charles moved to arrest the five leaders of the Commons who had been most vociferously against him. Forewarned, they did not attend the parliament when Charles burst in, so he left London for Oxford with his royalist followers, and set up the Oxford Parliament. Parliament in Westminster then decreed that all measures it passed did not require the royal assent to be come law, and passed the Militia Ordnance that gave it control over the army. Charles revived the Commission of Array that allowed him to appoint a Commissioner in each county, who would be responsible for raising the local militia into an army. Charles went first to Hull, to make use of the arsenal created there during his dealings in Scotland, but was barred entry by the parliamentarian governor. Arguably, the expulsion of the royalists from Hull was the first military action of the English Civil War. Frustrated, Charles moved south to Nottingham and, on 22 August 1642, raised his standard. Parliament had during this time appointed the Earl of Essex as commander of their army, and tasked him with 'rescuing' the King from the 'desperate persons' he was with. It was war! It's interesting to look back and see where such comparatively small steps eventually led. Charles saw it as his right, as King, to govern his subjects as he saw fit. When he was challenged, he went into a fit of pique and circumstances pushed him into war with his own people. There is, to my mind, a definite sense of smugness about parliament once they had secured their own safety with the Triennial Act and the Act against Dissolution - perhaps if they had been more circumspect war would have been avoided. Of course, circumspection is perhaps a tall order to ask from a nation who had been under what they had perceived to be a tyrannical rule for eleven years. At any rate, war was inevitable, with the royalist forces gathered in the west midlands, and the parliamentarians moving through the east midlands to meet them (collecting Oliver Cromwell from Cambridgeshire on the way). Come back next time, for a series of snapshot views of the conflict! Posted by Welcome back! It's part two of my look at the English Civil War, and I would like to spend today's installment looking into the religious background to the wars in England, Scotland and Ireland - the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Religion and Charles I In school, I learnt that Charles I was an arrogant and petulant monarch, who demanded more and more money from parliament. When they wouldn't give it to him, he dissolved parliament, who fought him during the Civil War and won, executing the king and setting up the Commonwealth. Oh, and by the way, everyone in parliament was a Puritan, and they banned Christmas and football. Such a simplistic view of events is a criminally distorted one, it really is. Let's look at some religious details... James I was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, the woman who posed such a threat to Elizabeth I as a focus for Catholic insurgency against the English monarchy. James was brought up far removed from Mary, however, by a Calvinist Protestant group of men, which allowed him to succeed Elizabeth in 1603. James appears to have had a fairly tolerant view of religion, however, aside from the reaction to the Gunpowder Plot. He conducted a pro-Spanish and pro-French foreign policy, Catholic nations both, eventually marrying his son Charles to Henriette Marie, the daughter of the King of France, Henri IV. Perhaps because of his wife, Charles I was seen to be extremely well-disposed towards Catholics, a dangerous position to be in when the English Reformation was to some extent still being settled. His choice of Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud, perhaps made matters worse. Anglicanism stripped away a lot of the ceremony and pomp from the Catholic church, making services much simpler. Instead of the sacrament of the Mass, a Communion was held between the minister and the congregation, taking place around the Communion table, which was placed in the centre of the Chancel rather than against the east wall, as the Altar was in Catholic churches. Mass was a huge deal for the Reformers of the sixteenth century. For Catholics, during the Mass the wafer and the wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ himself by the ordained priest. Luther denied this, preaching that the wafer and wine are consubstantiated to represent the body and blood of Christ, in commemoration of his sacrifice. The difference is subtle but massive. Further reformers, beginning with Zwingli in Zurich, denied this altogether - the wafer and wine are a wafer and wine. Instead, during the Communion it was determined that the congregation entered into a spiritual experience with Christ, but he was not deemed to be 'present' in any physical sense. The sacrament of the Mass caused a great deal of turmoil over the course of the century. By the seventeenth century, this was by no means a resolved issue. Many English Protestants wanted further reform in a Lutheran/Calvinist vein, as opposed to the delicate balance Elizabeth I had introduced. However, Archbishop Laud did not prove popular following his investiture. Calvinism, Arminianism, and William Laud As discussed above, Luther offered his own version of the sacrament of the Mass, and Zwingli rejected these ideas in favour of a Communion. The next big reformer to take up these ideas was John Calvin, who developed Zwingli's idea along with that of predestination in a godly society. Briefly, God has decided who is to be saved and who will be damned ahead of time, and no amount of 'good works' will save you. This takes Luther's condemnation of 'good works' a step further. Calvinism rigorously controlled society, much in what we now think of as a Puritan vein, through the consistory courts of a Company of Pastors, who judged society and instilled a sense of religious morality. This caused huge upheaval in Geneva, but eventually Calvin settled the city to become something of a Protestant paradise, especially for French Huguenot refugees from the Wars of Religion. From Geneva, Calvinism spread up the Rhineland to the Spanish Netherlands, where it was built upon by the Humanist scholars and theologians, particularly Jacob Arminius. Perhaps the biggest point of contention between Calvin and Arminius is the idea that man can be saved by having faith in God, and has the free will to choose whether he pursues a life of faith or not. All of this is significant, because Charles I and a substantial part of his court were Arminian believers, including his choice of Archbishop, William Laud. However, Calvinism had become fairly widespread under Elizabeth I, and many nobles expected Charles to follow his father in espousing the stricter form of worship. What they didn't expect, however, was Laud's agenda for the Church, one that was backed fully by Charles. Following Henry VIII's restructuring of the Church of England, with himself at the top, the episcopal rule through bishops remained in place, as it was in Catholicism. Calvinism, as discussed, ruled the church through the Company of Pastors and the consistory courts, and as such had abolished episcopal rule. Charles, however, was a major supporter of bishops in the Anglican Church. Under his rule, bishops remained in place. Adding to this unpopular ruling, Laud continued to upset the people with a series of reforms of his own. I said earlier that Anglican Communion tables were in the centre of the church, accessible by the congregation in order to partake of Communion. Laud, however, moved the Communion table back against the wall, and railed off the Chancel - the congregation was now expected to approach the table kneeling to receive Communion. This smacked too much of the Catholic idea of the sacrifice and transubstantiation, and outrage ensued. Laud also initiated visitations, which ensured that religious practice remained consistent throughout the land - yet another Catholic idea. Consistency was the watchword of the day, however. Charles appears to have desired a greater consistency in his kingdoms. I say kingdoms, because while he was King of England, Scotland and Ireland, the King merely provided the common denominator for the three, as each had its own parliament and could govern independently of the other (except in matters of foreign policy, for instance, which could only be determined by the King). This is where a lot of the tension comes during the seventeenth century, as Westminster could not tell Edinburgh or Dublin what to do. Speaking of Dublin... As part of his break with Rome, Henry VIII had declared himself King of Ireland in 1542 (previously, the King of England had ruled as Lord of Ireland by Papal dispensation). It was always a difficult position to maintain, because of the cultural clashes between the native Irish and the Old English, who had settled in Ireland as part of the Norman Conquest of the country in the twelfth century. Following the break with Rome, a policy of Anglicanisation had been implemented, where any Catholic who rebelled against the Crown had his lands confiscated and sold to Protestant English 'planters', who came over and established model farms for the local Irish to emulate. These 'New English' were often at odds with the Old English because of their respective religions. After the accession of James I in 1603, 'planters' also came from Scotland, establishing communities in the northern, Ulster regions of Ireland. The 'planters' served to unite the Old Irish and the Old English by their common religion, breeding two very distinct religious factions in the land. By the 1630s, however, something approaching religious toleration had been reached. While the Irish Parliament was primarily Protestant, Charles had agreed to granting them toleration in exchange for higher taxes. However, all Irish legislation had to be approved by the King, and when he had demurred a bit too long, the Irish broke out into revolt. Catholic uprisings against the Protestant 'planters' were brutal, with news coming across the water of horrific massacres throughout Ulster, one of the most heavily-Anglican areas of Ireland. When Civil War broke out in England, the Catholics saw their chance to seize control of Ireland and establish the Irish Catholic Confederation in Kilkenny in 1642. Meanwhile, up in Scotland In 1637, Charles initiated a policy in Scotland of Anglicanisation - that is, he insisted on the use of the Book of Common Prayer , a new liturgy for the church to use, and an episcopal rule of the church, to which Scotland was vehemently opposed. This Book is perhaps one of the most fractious and divisive books ever written! The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh declined, to say the least - a National Covenant was drawn up, renouncing the Book and bishops. Charles, who had been ambivalent at best about his kingdom north of the Tyne, decided he would force the Scots to agree with military action. The National Covenant was first espoused by Scotland in 1581, and was based on an earlier Confession of Faith from 1560, which basically outlined the Presbyterian faith. Derivative of Calvinism, it was developed by John Knox, who studied with Calvin in Geneva. Rather than the large system of church consistory courts that Calvinism adopted, Presbyterianism adopted a simple rule of the church through the minister and elders in a council called a presbytery (unrelated to the architectural term used for the East End of a monastic church). As such, it was opposed in theory to the episcopal rule of bishops, hence the ideological clash between the Scots and the Laudian reforms. The National Covenant reaffirmed the opposition to popish elements of religion, which is how many of Laud's ideas were seen. However, not everyone in Scotland was opposed to Charles, and a clash between royalists and Covenanters that began the First Bishops' War of 1639, became the first engagement in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Charles marched north with a hastily-assembled army, and only narrowly avoided serious military action by agreeing to basically postpone any formal decision on the implementation of religious reform until the matter was heard by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament then dismissed any idea of reform, and the following year a Scottish army marched into Northumberland and Durham - the Second Bishops' War - but Charles couldn't afford to raise another army. He had managed to rule the country for eleven years without parliament, but in desperation he called a meeting in 1640. However, the MPs refused to deal with the King's issue before they had their own grievances discussed, so Charles dissolved this Short Parliament and marched north again, concluding a second peace treaty at Ripon that basically required him to pay off the Scots. A second parliament was called in order to raise the revenue to make this payment, but things wouldn't go so easily for Charles this time... So... I find Charles I to be something of a problem. He seems to have the potential to have been a fine monarch, inspiring some pretty amazing demonstrations of loyalty during his lifetime. But just how far those demonstrations are for loyalty to the man or to the crown is hard to say. His obstinacy, however, would ultimately prove to be his undoing. A fervent belief in the divine right of kings - that is, the monarch is divinely ordained to rule the people of that country - led to some undeniably arrogant displays. Charles is a man very sure of his kingship - in the idea that he must be obeyed, because he is king. He also demonstrated some unbelievably unsympathetic behaviour towards his subjects, not least in matters of religion. While the English Reformation had seen few years of sustained conflict when compared with, say, the French Wars of Religion, or the persecutions in the Spanish Netherlands, by the 1630s it was still something of an open wound in the country. After Henry VIII had broken with Rome, Edward VI had instituted some quite ruthless religious reforms, and then Mary I had burnt as many Protestants as she could get her hands on, Elizabeth I proved to be incredibly skillful in achieving a reformation almost through coercion rather than imposition. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 had demonstrated that Catholics still moved among the English, however, and the threat of national instability as a result of open religious conflict as was happening on the continent loomed large for many Englishmen. Under Elizabeth I and James I, the ruling elite was Anglican, and a Catholic rebellion was therefore intolerable. And yet Charles was seen to favour Catholics, and to reintroduce Catholic elements to the religious life of the country, by force if need be. This sort of reform was bad enough, of course. But Charles' attitude to reform was perhaps the worst part. As king, he expected to be obeyed without question, and when he wasn't, he didn't think to coerce or compromise, he sulked. And herein lies the problem. A refined patron of the arts, capable of inspiring tremendous loyalty, but also a politically shortsighted brat. Next time, let's look at the political side of the fence, in the run up to the clash between King and Parliament! Posted by A month of Civil War! part one Happy New Year everyone! While we all recover from the festivities, I'd like to inaugurate a short series of small blogs that I plan to produce throughout the month, discussing the English Civil War (and the wider conflicts of the early half of the seventeenth century). It was on 1 January 1649 that Parliament decided to put King Charles I on trial, and by the end of the month they had killed him, so what finer way to commemorate this - and, indeed, to start a new year - than with a look at just what all the fuss was about? What finer way, indeed. Where to begin? I realise that, for the majority of my blogs so far, I have made suppositions about prior knowledge, largely because most of what I have covered has in some way featured in the national curriculum for British schools. However, I feel that this curriculum has done a fairly poor job of explaining many aspects of the English Civil War that I feel like I didn't, in fact, study it at all. So let's take a broad look at the whole thing. The causes of the English Civil War - indeed, of any war - are myriad and difficult to unpick from the tapestry of history, and still cause some debate among historians to this day. Taking a view of the Civil War as a religious conflict, one of the causes can be said to stem from the previous century. The Reformation movement of the 1500s caused a radical shift in the life of continental Europe, and spawned a series of religious wars that were fought in many theatres for about 150 years following Martin Luther getting his hammer out. Possibly the most far-reaching result of his actions, however, was the idea that religious freedom is a right that everyone should have. Of course, that wasn't really his intention, but the idea grew. If Luther could disagree with the Pope and preach his vision of Christianity, why not anyone else? Huldrych Zwingli certainly thought this way. John Calvin, too. The religious reforms of the 1530s and 1540s spread throughout Europe, causing a major crisis in the Holy Roman Empire. Religious persecution was rife, and millions were killed as the sixteenth century wore on. The Holy Roman Empire was a collection of principalities, duchies and other nation-states in central Europe, ruled by an Emperor who was elected from among the seven leading princes of the lands comprising the Empire - the Electors. The Emperor had no real jurisdictional rights over those lands - so he could not determine the 'state religion' as such - so he needed his own resources if he were to govern effectively. For most of the sixteenth century religious crisis, the Emperor was Charles I of Spain (who ruled the Empire as Charles V). A fervent Catholic and member of the powerful Habsburg family, his grandfather was the immensely powerful Maximilian I, who had also reigned as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles eventually abdicated in 1556 in favour of his brother Ferdinand I, with his son Philip II ruling his ancestral lands of Spain and the Spanish Netherlands. Philip was of course the ruthless counter-reformation monarch who made it his mission to purge as much of Europe as he could of Protestants. While Ferdinand I was of a similar mindset, his son Maximilian II allowed the Protestant nobles throughout the Empire religious liberty. This official sanction of the religious diversity within the Empire led to considerable strife as the turn of the seventeenth century loomed. The Thirty Years War The Thirty Years War looms large over the causes of the English Civil War, and yet its events barely concerned England after 1628. In a (large) nutshell, Maximilian II's son Rudolf II died without an heir, having granted religious freedom to the people of Bohemia. His heir, Matthias, was elected Emperor and attempted a conciliatory policy among the Catholics and Protestants of the Empire. However, he was forced to revise this later in his reign, and to accept the much more hard-line Ferdinand II as his successor. As Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II almost immediately set in progress a counter-reformation throughout the Empire that sidelined many Protestant nobles in Bohemia, and in 1618 led them to revolt, starting the war. The Holy Roman Emperor was, traditionally, also crowned as King of Bohemia, but the Bohemians offered the crown to any Protestant ruler who would take it - and the Elector Palatine, Frederick V, accepted. Frederick V had married Elizabeth, the daughter of James I of England (and through whom George I had his claim to the English throne in 1714), but his lands in the Palatine (roughly the Rhineland) were insufficient for him as a resource to govern in Bohemia. Ferdinand allied himself with the Duke of Bavaria, and their joint army defeated the Bohemians, outlawing Protestantism. Simultaneously, Philip III of Spain (Ferdinand's son-in-law) launched an attack on the Palatinate. Frederick fled to Amsterdam, and gave up his electoral title to the Duke of Bavaria. By 1622, there were no Protestant powers left in the Empire to oppose Ferdinand. The Dutch then re-launched their war with Spain following a period of peace, and when Christian IV of Denmark entered the conflict seeking to annexe several important areas in Holstein, a Protestant Union was formed between Denmark, the Dutch, and England. This was crushed in 1629, and Christian removed Denmark from the war. However, Ferdinand's power in the Empire began to be feared by Catholic nobles. Then, in a surprise move, Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden swept through Pomerania and, in a series of conquests, captured a great swathe of the Empire down to Bavaria. As a Lutheran king, this was a massive threat to Ferdinand's rule, but Gustavus was killed at the Battle of Lutzen in 1632. Three years later, with the official expulsion of the Calvinists from the Empire under the Peace of Prague, France entered the war in an effort to prevent Austro-Spanish Habsburg domination within the Empire. Ferdinand II died in 1637, with his son Ferdinand III succeeding him as Emperor. With France in the conflict under the direction of Louis XIII and the shrewd Cardinal Richelieu (of Three Musketeers fame), Ferdinand sought to bring the conflict to a close by granting important concessions to the electors, including the right to determine their own foreign policy. Oh dear. Such a massive concession led to the weakening of the Emperor's power. With the Spanish harassing the French, Richelieu aided the Portuguese in rebelling against Philip IV of Spain, which effectively took Spain out of the war. However, Richelieu died in 1642, and Louis XIII the following year, leaving the infant Louis XIV to the throne. Luckily, Richelieu's successor Cardinal Mazarin was just as devious, and began to draw the war to a close under the military leadership of the Prince of Conde. In 1643, Denmark tried to re-enter the war on Ferdinand's side this time, but the Swedish army, which had been pushed back into northern Germany, cut them off. Conde defeated the Bavarians in 1645, and in 1647 France and Bavaria concluded peace. The following year, the French and Swedish army defeated Ferdinand's Imperial forces at the Battle of Zusmarshausen, and the French defeated the Spanish at Lens. The war came to an end with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Under the terms of this peace, Ferdinand held absolute authority only over the Habsburg hereditary lands in Austria and Bohemia, with Protestants in Silesia and Hungary retaining their religious freedom. France emerged in Europe as a major political power. Most importantly, the Imperial princes could not demand confessional conformity from their subjects. Frederick V's son, Charles I Louis, was given the Lower Palatine and an eighth electoral vote was created for him. But why is any of this important to the English Civil War? Mostly, it provides a sort of preemptive echo of things to come, as regards attitudes to both religion and state. To begin with, for most of the course of the war MPs in England - Protestants, all - implored the king to join the Protestant coalition against the Emperor, as a sort of ideological crusade. The Dutch were primarily responsible for a series of newsbooks that would make it across the waters to England with news of Imperial atrocities committed against Protestants. While James I and Charles I both weren't forthcoming with military aid, even though Frederick V was James' son-in-law and Charles' brother-in-law, they did send money to provision troops abroad. Many noblemen and mercenaries from the British Isles also fought on the continent on one side or another. The threat of a Catholic conspiracy was very real at this time, also. Since the pope declared it a religious duty to kill Elizabeth I in 1570, English Protestants felt very vulnerable to a Catholic threat. The Armada in 1588 from Spain served to heighten this, and the 1605 Gunpowder Plot caused widespread panic and anti-Catholic feeling. So when Charles I appeared to favour Catholicism, dissent began to form... Next, a closer look at the state of religious affairs across the British Isles! Posted by	i don't know
What name is given to the speculation mania that ruined a great many investors in 1720?	South Sea Bubble South Sea Bubble (1720) Speculation mania that caused financial ruin for many British investors. Parliament's acceptance of a proposal by the South Sea Co. to take over the British national debt resulted in an immediate rise in its stock. After soaring from 12812 to over 1,000 in nine months, the bubble of overvalued stock burst and the price per share dropped to 124, dragging other stocks down and leaving many investors ruined. An inquiry by the House of Commons found collusion by several government ministers. * * * ▪ British history the speculation mania that ruined many British investors in 1720. The bubble, or hoax, centred on the fortunes of the South Sea Company, founded in 1711 to trade (mainly in slaves) with Spanish America, on the assumption that the War of the Spanish Succession, then drawing to a close, would end with a treaty permitting such trade. The company's stock, with a guaranteed interest of 6 percent, sold well, but the relevant peace treaty, the Treaty of Utrecht made with Spain in 1713, was less favourable than had been hoped, imposing an annual tax on imported slaves and allowing the company to send only one ship each year for general trade. The success of the first voyage in 1717 was only moderate, but King George I of Great Britain became governor of the company in 1718, creating confidence in the enterprise, which was soon paying 100 percent interest. In 1720 there was an incredible boom in South Sea stock, as a result of the company's proposal, accepted by Parliament, to take over the national debt. The company expected to recoup itself from expanding trade, but chiefly from the foreseen rise in the value of its shares. These did, indeed, rise dramatically, from 128 1/2 in January 1720 to more than 1,000 in August. Those unable to buy South Sea stock were inveigled by overly optimistic company promoters or downright swindlers into unwise investments. By September the market had collapsed, and by December South Sea shares were down to 124, dragging other, including government, stock with them. Many investors were ruined, and the House of Commons ordered an inquiry, which showed that at least three ministers had accepted bribes and speculated. Many of the company's directors were disgraced. The scandal brought Robert Walpole ( Walpole, Robert, 1st earl of Orford ), generally considered to be the first British prime minister, to power. He promised to seek out all those responsible for the scandal, but in the end he sacrificed only some of those involved in order to preserve the reputations of the government's leaders. The South Sea Company itself survived until 1853, having sold most of its rights to the Spanish government in 1750. * * *	South Sea Company
"Who revolutionized the high jump, inventing a unique ""back-first"" technique, named after him?"	Speculative bubbles - The First financial cricis. - Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid more tulipmania Floraes Gecks-Kap. "Floraes Geks-kap Afbeeldinge van't wonderlijcke Jaar van 1637 doen d'eene Geck d'ander uytbroeyde, de luy Rijck sonder goet, en wijs sonder verstant waeren". Satire on the tulip mania showing a fools' cap used as a tent. Inside the fools' cap people are sitting around tables with scales, with an inscription above their heads 'De Comparitje', a flag hangs from the tent with two fools on it and an inscription underneath 'Inde 2 Sotte Bollen', on the right of the tent a woman named 'Flora' rides a donkey and an angry crowd is following her. In the foreground, people carry tulips and flower bulbs. Underneath the print text in Dutch and French. The end. The end came in the summer of 1720. John Law , running France's biggest company and its national bank, essentially was the economy. In fact, Law did introduce paper currency to France, which could have worked out all right. However, when trouble hit, Law began issuing financial decrees, such as forcing people to turn in their gold for paper money. He backed off but then made other serious mistakes that killed off confidence in the company and the economy. When Mississippi share prices plummeted, so did its capitalization and the national money supply. Law, abandoned by his protector, the Duc d'Orleans, fled to avoid jail, eventually washing up in Venice, living out his days as an unsuccessful gambler. The French government actually did OK, since Law had used the Company, via the Bank, to buy the government's debt when Company shares were at 10,000 livres. The British collapse quickly followed the French one, but with less severe consequences. Britain had the Independent Bank of England to manage national finances, and Parliament acted quickly to bring in regulation. The courts tried Company directors, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Postmaster General. The latter two were convicted of stock manipulation and insider trading and had their estates confiscated to pay damages. The British government, like the French one, had managed to offload its debt, so it came out all right. Many Dutch investors were of course ruined also, and the crash took down legitimate companies as well as shady ones, but the Dutch economy wasn't really affected. Dutch involvement was short, and the high price (ï¿½1,000 to ï¿½10,000, in today's money, was a typical price range) and limited availability of shares (in Dutch companies anyway) also limited the fallout. The economy at the time was easily strong enough to weather the crash. Damage in Britain was more widespread, mainly because there were more companies to buy into. France, also suffered because the Mississippi Company was inextricably tied up with the paper economy. It recovered, more or less. The South Sea and Mississippi Companies lasted until the Seven Years War (1756-1763), which resulted in a serious financial crisis throughout Europe. The Rotterdam Lending Bank, later the City Bank of Lending (Stadsbank van Lening), existed until a few years ago, when it was bought by Fortis Bank ! Naturally, the general bubble and its collapse in all three countries were fodder for much satire. Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid. In Britain there are a number of cartoons, including an early one by William Hogarth on the South Sea Bubble, and many satirical songs and broadsides. In France, a few. But in the Netherlands, the Bubble gets a whole book. The general grotesquerie and the economic pointlessness of many of the Dutch "Bubble-companies" probably offended the Dutch Calvinist soul. Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid : vertoonende de opkomst, voortgang en ondergang der actie, bubbel en windnegotie, in Vrankryk, Engeland, en de Nederlanden, gepleegt in den jaare MDCCXX is a matter of fact a collection of caricatural plates in prose and verse satirizing the first truly international speculative crisis in the history of financial capitalism, the "Mississippi scheme" (1718-1720) of the French Compagnie d'Occident and the speculations its stock that led to the complete ruin of many of its over-eager French, Dutch and English shareholders. 'The engravings, which illustrate the rise and fall of the great speculation, are full of humor; many of them are exceedingly ludicrous, and some very obscene… The number of plates in copies varies from 60 to 74" (Sabin). The book was anonymously published. Not only are the plates worth studying as a historical document, it is also notable for examples of the kind of textual and visual language we still use whenever a new "bubble" appears. We offer for sale a very fine example of this book. Bernard Picard. A few plates in the book are signed by Bernard Picard. While Picart trained initially in Paris, establishing a studio on Rue St Jacques, au Buste de Monseigneur, in the late 1690s he found more work in the Netherlands. Picart turned Huguenot and settled in Amsterdam around 1711. Romeyn de Hooghe. Many plates in the book are probably etched by Mr. Romeyn de Hooghe. Romeyn de Hooghe was born in Amsterdam in 1645 and worked there until c.1680-1682, when he moved to Haarlem, where he died in 1708. For several Netherlandish provinces, he created interior architectural paintings and other works. In 1662 De Hooghe was invited by Adam Frans van der Meulen (1632-1690) to Paris, where he etched the baptism of the Dauphin in 1668. There he met King Jan III Sobieski of Poland and was knighted by him in 1675. De Hooghe painted, engraved, sculpted, designed medals, enameled, taught drawing school, and bought and sold art as a dealer. During the 1690s he made sculptures for the palace of Het Loo (1689-1692), designed and etched triumphal arches and medals for William III's entry into the Hague (1691), and designed the Haarlem market festival decorations for the peace celebration after the capture of Naumur (1695). His political, legal, and economic interests are evident in his writings: Schouburgh der Nederlandsche Veranderingen (1674), ï¿½sopus in Europa (1701), Spiegel van Staat des Vereenigde Nederlanden (1706), and Hieroglyphica of Merkbeelden der oude Volkeren (1735), all of which he also illustrated. He was well-educated and may have attended law classes at a university in Harderwijk or Leiden. De Hooghe's earliest print, after Nicolas Berchem, was made around 1662. He created about 3,500 images, most after his own designs, some after other artists, for himself and other authors, publishers, and printers. His plates were often retouched and adapted for later events, sometimes by De Hooghe, sometimes by others. He etched allegories and mythological scenes, portraits, caricatures, political satires, historical subjects, landscapes, topographical views (especially of Netherlandish cities), battle scenes, genre scenes, title pages, and book illustrations. From 1667-1691 he illustrated various newspapers: Hollandsche Mercurius, Princelycke almanach, Orangien Wonderspiegel. The first political iconographer of the Netherlands and its first great caricaturist, De Hooghe was closely associated with William of Orange. He repeatedly caricatured James II and Louis XIV, sometimes using pseudonyms on his most audacious images. He was an expressive master of physiognomy; and his original, lively style displayed the baroque fashion for spectacular and allegorical fantasy. Romeyn de Hooghe was the most significant and prolific Netherlandish engraver in the second half of the seventeenth century. John Law. John Law was born in Scotland in 1671, the son of a Scottish banker. He received an education was in political economy, commerce and economics in London. In 1694, however, he was forced to flee to Amsterdam, after killing an opponent in a duel. There, he continued his education, studying banking. In 1715, he settled in France, and soon came to the attention of the Duc d'Orleans, regent for the young king of France. At the time, France was virtually bankrupt, partly a consequence of her lengthy and expensive foreign wars. On May 20th, 1716, Law was granted a license establish a 'Banque Gï¿½nï¿½rale' in France. The initial capital of six million livres was divided into 1,200 shares, each of 5,000. The shares were payable in four installments, one-fourth in cash,three fours in 'billets d'etat.' Law was authorized to issue notes payable on demand to the weight and value of the money mentioned at the day of issue, and on April 10th, 1717, it was decreed that Law's notes could be accepted in payment of taxes. The Banque Gï¿½nï¿½rale was very successful in regulating the paper currency, with the consequence that the interest rate fell to 4 1/2%, while the note issue rose to 60 million livres. In the August of 1717, Law founded the 'Compagnie de la Louisiane ou d'Occident', which absorbed both the Louisiana Company founded by Antoine de Crozat in 1712, and the Compagnie du Canada. Law was granted extensive powers to exploit the Mississippi region - in French eyes the area of North America watered by the Mississippi, and its tributaries. When one considers that these tributaries include the Missouri and the Ohio Rivers, the French laid claim to a vast area, including regions also claimed by the British. The following year Law purchased the tobacco monopoly in this region. Law's proposal to exploit the apparently limitless resources of the region - the Mississippi Scheme - caused a tremendous wave of interest, not just in France, but throughout Europe, and this encouraged the development across Europe of several others overseas companies, for example the rapid expansion of the English 'South Sea Company' (founded in 1711), and a number of smaller companies in the Dutch Republic. In December 1718, Law's 'Banque Gï¿½nï¿½rale' was converted into the Banque Royale, with Law made a director. More importantly, the bank's notes were guaranteed by the king. In 1719 the ï¿½Compagnie de la Louisianeï¿½ took over the ï¿½Compagnies des Indes Orientales et de la Chineï¿½, with the new company being called the Compagnie des Indes. By this time, Law's reputation was truly in the ascendant. When he undertook to repay the national debt, in return for control of national revenues, and of the French mint, for a period of nine years, the share price of the Companie rose dramatically in a frenzy of speculation. Shares in the Companie were originally issued at 500 livres, but rose to 10,000 lives in the course of 1719. When the Companie issued a 40% dividend in 1720, the share price rocketed to 18,000 livres, far-outstripping the capital base of the Companie. At this point, speculators resolved to take their profits. The share price dropped as dramatically as it had risen. As panic set in investors sought to redeem their bank notes and promissory notes, but the Companie did not have sufficient coin and went bankrupt. Investors outside the Offices of the Mississippi Company in Quincampoix Street. The effects were felt throughout Europe. Many European investors had invested in the French Companie and were ruined. Moreover, confidence in the other European companies was also destroyed, and these in turn went bankrupt. Law, although undoubtedly a financial genius, was a victim of his inflated claims and also of his success. He fled from France, returned to his nomadic existence, and died, penniless, in Venice in 1729. The English South Sea Company was founded in 1711 and was granted a monopoly over trade to South America and the Pacific Islands. The Company seems to have been run responsibly at first, and achieved considerable success, indicated by King George III becoming governor in 1718. However, the directors were spurred on by the French example and, in 1719, they offered to take over the national debt of ï¿½51 million for a payment of ï¿½ 3.5 million, and various other concessions. After competition from the Bank of England, the South Sea Company had to raise its offer to ï¿½ 7,567,00, an offer which was accepted in 1720. The vast majority of the National Debt was held in the form of annuities. The Directors of the South Sea Company were relying on persuading holders of the annuities to exchange them for shares in the Company, but by inflating the share price, so that a large proportion of the annuities could be cancelled with the issue of a smaller value of shares. Apparently, over half the annuity holders readily accepted the offer, again in the belief of the potential profits to be gained. However, unlike the Compagnie d'Occident, the South Sea Company actually had no geographical presence, so its future earnings were always going to be problematic. Once the Company had taken over the national debt, outside speculators and investors became more heavily involved in purchasing shares. In early 1720 the share price was 128 1/2d. In June, the shares traded for 890d, and in July they reached 1,000d. At this point, prominent investors indulged in profit-taking, not speculators as in France, but the directors of the Company themselves. With the loss of confidence induced by the failure of the French scheme, the share-price collapsed, falling to 135 by November. So serious was the matter, that the House of Commons set up a committee of inquiry to look into the affairs of the company. It soon became apparent that the Company had been falsifying its accounts to inflate its profitability. More significantly, widespread corruption was uncovered. The Company's negotiations with the government had been advanced by the distribution of bribes to individuals within the government The principal recipient was John Aislabie, Chancellor of the Exchequer. So serious were his offences that he was thrown out of Parliament and imprisoned. Others implicated were the equivalent of the Prime Minister, Charles Sutherland, Earl of Sutherland, the Secretary of State and the Postmaster General, although none was convicted. It is also possible that King George I was involved. As punishment, Parliament seized the assets of the Directors of the Company, raising something over ï¿½2 million, of which about ï¿½ 1.68 million was used to assist investors bankrupted by the failure of the Company. Eiland Geks-kop. AFBEELDINGHE van't zeer vermaerde Eiland GEKS-KOP. geligen in de Actie-ze, ontdekt door Mons.r Lau-rens, werende bewoond door een verzameling van alderhande Volkeren. die men dezen generalen Naam (Actionisten) geest. One of the most famous cartographic curiosities; The island of Madhead: showing a man's head, wearing a fool's cap, with bell, but with the ears of a jackass. Cartographic features are given punning names such as the River Bubble, the Island of Despair and the town of ï¿½Madmandamï¿½. Principal names within the map: QUINQUEPOIX: capital of the island, named after the headquarters of the Compagnie in the Rue Quimquempoix, Paris. R: de Seine, R. de Teems & R. de Maas: the principal rivers of the three major countries involved: the Seine (Paris), the Thames (London) and Meuse (Amsterdam). R: de Bubbel: Bubble River Z.Z. have: South Sea Haven, alluding to the English South Sea scheme. M. have: ie Mississippi haven. As such itï¿½s in the tradition of maps of Utopia, matrimony or even gastronomy, which use the power of cartography to express abstract concepts. The title translates Representation of the very famous island of Mad-head, lying in the sea of shares, discovered by Mr. Law-rens, and inhabited by a collection of all kinds of people, to whom are given the general name shareholders. Readings & sources: - Cole, Arthur H. The Great Mirror Of Folly (Der Groote Tafereel Der Dwaasheid), An Economic-Bibliographical Study). Baker Library, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration (Boston, 1949). - Carswell, John. The South Sea Bubble, London, 1960. - Gelderblom, Oscar and Jonker, Joost. Mirroring Different Follies: The Character of the 1720 Bubble in the Dutch Republic. Paper 17 April 2008, published at Univ. of Utrecht. (a first draft). - Kees Smit, Pieter Langendijk. Uitgeverij Verloren (2000, Hilversum), pp. 152-155. - Stadsarchief Amsterdam image bank (Beeldbank) for images of the Quincampoix coffeehouse at No. 29 Kalverstraat (just south of the Dam) - Wikipedia; South Sea Bubble, Mississippi Bubble, Windhandel.	i don't know
By custom, the medals for which men’s event are presented during a Games’ Closing Ceremony?	Why are the medals for Men's Marathon presented during the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics? - Quora Quora Traditionally, the Marathon ends in the Olympic stadium and marks the end of the games and the closing ceremony starts off or resumes with the medals being awarded in front of everyone. This is in addition to User 's answer. 830 Views Related Questions Phone. I am never separated from my phone, except for those times I really need to separate myself from my phone. Wallet. People seem unhappy when I try to buy stuff without money. Keys. I've slept in the porch enough times to know this is important. ID. Updated Aug 29 The more action you have seen, the less you talk. After my first battle in the Bosnian war the army gave my platoon a week of rest and recreation on the Adriatic coast. One morning I went on a boat trip with a friend. When we were out alone on the sea he told me: “Never tell anybody what you’ve seen during the last weeks. “ When I asked why he said: “First of all nobody will believe you. And ev... Elizabeth H. Simmons , Physics Professor, Dean, and Associate Provost at Michigan State University and Daniel Kaplan , High school teacher for 15 years. My dad died two weeks after my fifteenth birthday and two weeks before my grade ten final exams. He was my world. I stopped sleeping. I stopped eating. I stopped living. We all did. My "guidance" counselor (who was also my English teacher) told me I still had to write my final exams because "It will be a good experience." I've never been so happy in my whole life to have a mom who was a vice...	Marathon (disambiguation)
In which musical does the song “I Got Plenty of Nuthin’”appear?	2016 Summer Olympics: The U.S. dominates Rio Games with 121 medals - LA Times 2016 Summer Olympics: The U.S. dominates Rio Games with 121 medals Aug. 27, 2016, 10:01 a.m. The 2016 Rio Olympics have come to a close with Americans earning 121 medals -- 46 gold, 37 silver and 38 bronze -- their biggest haul ever, not counting the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games or the 1904 St. Louis Games, when hardly anyone else showed up. Aug. 27, 2016 10:01 a.m. Aug. 27, 2016, 10:01 a.m. Conakry, Guinea Two Guinea athletes do not return home after Rio Olympics Associated Press Two Guinea athletes do not return home after Rio Olympics Mamadama Bangoura carries the flag of Guinea during the opening ceremony for the Rio Olympics on Aug. 5. (Sergey Ilnitsky /EPA) The head of Guinea's Olympic delegation says two athletes did not return to the West African nation after competing at the Rio Olympics. Atef Chaloub said Saturday that swimmer Amadou Camara disappeared 48 hours before the team's scheduled departure. He said Mamadama Bangoura, who competed in judo, also did not return to Guinea, having disappeared after leaving a message saying she wanted to “try her luck” abroad. A friend of Bangoura's, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid punishment for failing to stop her from fleeing, said Bangoura was ashamed she didn't earn a medal and wanted to try “working in a developed country.” More than a dozen African athletes — including some from Guinea — did not return home after the London Olympics in 2012. 9:57 A.M. Chuck Schilken Rio police's account of Ryan Lochte incident may not be entirely accurate either, report says U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte won one medal at the Rio Olympics, a gold in the men's 800-meter freestyle relay. (Patrick B. Kraemer / European Pressphoto Agency) The extent of the property damage Ryan Lochte and three of his fellow U.S. Olympic swimmers caused to a gas station eight days ago might have been exaggerated by Rio de Janeiro police, according to a report by USA Today. At a news conference Thursday, Fernando Veloso, the head of Rio de Janeiro's civil police, said the Americans had broken a soap dispenser and mirror inside the restroom. Other reports have said the four also broke a bathroom door. But one of the U.S. swimmers, Gunnar Bentz, said in a statement Friday that he didn’t see anyone vandalize the bathroom and the only damage caused by the group occurred when Lochte pulled a “loosely attached” advertising sign from a wall. In examining all available surveillance footage from that night, including one aimed at the restroom doors, USA Today found no evidence the swimmers ever went near the bathroom, after relieving themselves behind the gas station. A USA Today videographer visited the gas station and found no damage to the soap dispensers, mirrors or door, and none of those items appeared to be new. The swimmers were eventually held at gunpoint by security guards at the station and were released after paying the equivalent of $50. Fernando Deluz, a bilingual Brazilian who served as a translator between the swimmers and the security guards, told USA his understanding was the money paid was to cover vandalized property and that the only property that came up during the negotiations was the advertising sign Lochte had pulled down. Deluz also said that because of the language barrier, the Americans might have believed they were being robbed. 5:00 A.M. Rio Olympics: Live updates from the closing ceremony Fireworks explode during the Rio 2016 closing ceremony. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10:45 p.m.: That's all, folks, at least for the official part of the program. Partying might go deep into the night. Thanks, Rio. 10:40 p.m.: A taste of Carnival, some fireworks, some confetti. Athletes dancing with the performers.Exuberant and vibrant ending. 10:25 p.m.: Olympic flame is extinguished. Now, much dancing and merriment. 10:20 p.m.: IOC President Thomas Bach declares the Rio Games closed, calls upon world's youth to reassemble in Tokyo in four years. 10:16 p.m.: Bach says Rio Olympics will leave a "unique legacy." Seems to be the say-nothing equivalent of calling someone is 'nice.' 10:15 p.m.: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach praises unifying effect of athletes living and competing together at the Games. The scene of the two livid Mongolian wrestling coaches stripping in protest of a bronze-medal match result earlier Sunday and being escorted out by police wasn't quite in line with that lofty ideal. 10 p.m.: Rio 2016 chief Carlos Arthur Nuzman continues the Olympic spin by saying the rain is coming to celebrate. It looks like it's actually just making everyone cold. 9:55 p.m.: Tokyo offers a teaser about its Olympics. Looks pretty cool, actually. 9:47 p.m.: Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes booed as he's introduced. 9:45 p.m.: Now for the flag handover ceremony from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo. Here's hoping they complete the exchange better than the U.S. men's 400-meter relay team exchanged the baton. 9:35 p.m.: Coming up soon: a ceremony recognizing the Games' volunteers -- that workforce was one of the trouble spots for the event in both numbers and training -- then then Olympic flag will be lowered. 9:25 p.m.: Medal ceremony for marathon top three. Way cool. 9:15 p.m.: Now: a tribute to lacemaking. Really. As for the Olympic channel, will it show everything on delay, as NBC did? 9:12 p.m.: Next up: a heart-pounding segment on ... the launch of Olympic channel. At least the athletes have the waves of cold rain to keep them awake. 9:05 p.m.: The athletes have entered. Was wondering if they'd get into the stadium before the next Olympics. Hey, PyeongChang Games are only, what, 18 months away! 8:50 p.m.: Rain really coming down hard. Many athletes wearing ponchos, jackets with hoods. 8:40 p.m.: Inside the Games is reporting that major electrical problems at Maracana Stadium have required the use of generators to keep the show going. 8:35 p.m.: No sign yet of the shirtless Tongan guy from the Opening Ceremony. Did NBC delay his entrance, like it has delayed everything else?? 8:30 p.m.: Loads of the big-name U.S. athletes have already departed Rio de Janeiro, including Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps and, uh, Ryan Lochte. Simone Biles, however, is still here and is the U.S. flag-bearer. 8:25 p.m.: Athletes still parading in. Line looks as long as I'm anticipating the airline check-in line will be tomorrow morning at GIG. 8:20 p.m.: 'Heroes of the Games'--the athletes--enter the stadium. Colorful display. 8:15 p.m.: The closing ceremony is underway on a rainy night in Rio de Janeiro. Maracana Stadium is about two-thirds full, continuing the Games-long problem with empty seats. The 2016 Summer Olympics come to an today, with the closing ceremony scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Pacific time at Maracana Stadium. You will not be able to watch it on TV, however, until 7 p.m. on NBC, with coverage scheduled to end at 9:30. So, some things could be edited out for time. As usual, the closing ceremony will end with the official handover of the Olympic flag to Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo, host of the 2020 Games, and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. And, no, Ryan Lochte is not expected to be there. 2016 Rio Olympics in Pictures 2016 Rio Olympics in Pictures See the best images from Times photographers Robert Gauthier and Wally Skalij USA's Kyle Snyder battles Azerbaijan's Khetag Goziumov in the 97 kg gold medal match. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 4:47 P.M. Closing ceremony live: Lace and clay? Sounds like a Batman villain Closing ceremony live: Lace and clay? Sounds like a Batman villain 4:42 P.M. Closing ceremony live: Anyone need a fill-up? Closing ceremony live: Anyone need a fill-up? 1:46 P.M. reporting from rio de janeiro Kevin Durant leads U.S. to runaway victory over Serbia for men's basketball gold Chris Hine Kevin Durant leads U.S. to runaway victory over Serbia for men's basketball gold USA's Kevin Durant, left, and Jimmy Butler celebrate after winning the gold medal. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) After Kevin Durant made a three-pointer early in the second quarter, he walked back down the court while pounding his fist on his chest and yelling at his teammates on the bench. Turns out he was just clearing his throat. It was Durant’s monster second quarter that ended any notion of an upset and put the U.S. on the gold-medal stand for the third consecutive Olympics with a 96-66 victory over Serbia, which surprised in these Olympics by taking the silver. Durant had 30 points for the game, 18 of those in the second quarter, when he made Carioca Arena I marvel at both his shooting and athleticism and turned an unwatchable game into can’t-miss television before it eventually became a laugher. Durant won his second gold medal. Veteran forward Carmelo Anthony and Mike Krzyzewski, coaching his last Olympics for Team USA before ceding to Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich, each picked up their third. The U.S. had a rocky start to the game in the first quarter when Serbia mucked up the proceedings by fouling the Americans in transition and keeping them from developing an offensive rhythm. The U.S. led 19-15 at the end of the first following a late three-pointer from Durant, who was beginning to catch fire. This team was often criticized for its lack of ball movement and a propensity for too much one-on-one basketball on offense. The thing is, when one of those players is feeling it as Durant was Sunday, even that brand of basketball looks effective. The U.S. continued to pour it on in the second half, making it a smooth gold-medal game after an Olympics filled with bumps in the road. There were close victories against Serbia, France and Australia in pool play, but this team, though not as dominant over the tournament as some of its predecessors, avoided the embarrassment of coming home with anything less than gold. 12:01 P.M. Houston Mitchell Saturday's Rio Olympics schedule and results The U.S. women's basketball team celebrates after beating Spain for the gold medal. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Schedule and results from Saturday's Rio Olympics competition. All times Pacific. Badminton Kyle Snyder becomes youngest American wrestler to win gold Associated Press Kyle Snyder becomes youngest American wrestler to win gold USA's Kyle Snyder celebrates his gold medal over Azerbaijan's Khetag Goziumov i (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) American wrestler Kyle Snyder won gold on Sunday, becoming the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history. The 20-year-old Snyder beat Khetag Goziumov of Azerbaijan, 2-1, for gold at 97 kilograms during the men's freestyle tournament on Sunday. Snyder is the second consecutive American wrestler to win Olympic gold in this weight class. Jake Varner, who Snyder beat at the U.S. Olympic team trials in April, won in London four years ago. 11:05 A.M. reporting from rio de janeiro Rio Olympics: Mongolian wrestling coaches strip in protest of loss Nathan Fenno Rio Olympics: Mongolian wrestling coaches strip in protest of loss Mongolia wrestling coaches take off most of their clothes after wrestler Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran lost his bronze medal match. (Jack Guez / AFP/Getty Images) Two Mongolian wrestling coaches stripped in protest Sunday after their wrestler lost the bronze medal match. The coaches had rushed to the mat in celebration minutes earlier at Carioca Arena, believing Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran had defeated Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov in the 143-pound (65 kg) class. One coach fell to his knees in the center of the mat and appeared to be sobbing. But the judges awarded the Uzbekistan wrestler a penalty point — and the victory. The sudden turn of events enraged the Mongolian coaches. One removed his shirt in front of the judges’ table and flexed. The other took off his shirt and pants, wearing only a pair of underwear. "This was a protest," one of the coaches, Byambarenchin Bayaraa, said. "There was a problem with the refereeing. "Three million people in Mongolian waited for this bronze medal and now we have no medal ... 100% of the stadium supported us." The coaches piled their clothes on the table. The crowd, meanwhile, roared approval and chanted “Mon-gol-ia! Mon-gol-ia!” Officials pushed both men off the mat after the display. They eventually put on their clothes before members of Brazil’s National Public Security Force escorted them from the venue as the crowd serenaded them with cheers. Mandakhnaran, the Mongolian wrestler, remained fully clothed during the incident. 10:47 A.M. Reporting from RIO DE JANEIRO Silver medalist Feyisa Lilesa shows solidarity with protesters in Ethiopia Silver medalist Feyisa Lilesa shows solidarity with protesters in Ethiopia Ethiopia's Feyisa Lilesa crossed his arms above his head at the finish line (Olivier Morin / AFP/Getty Images) Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia was nearing the finish line at the men’s marathon on Sunday morning when he crossed his wrists above his head. The silver medalist did it again. And once more at the end of an extraordinary news conference -- standing alone and posing for photographers -- in which he explained his show of solidarity with protesters in his homeland, Ethiopia. He explained that the gesture was in protest of the killing of the Oromo people, saying he stands with the resistance movement, adding that the government was “killing our people.” Lilesa was asked about the consequences of his protest. He said maybe “they kill me…if not they kill me, they put me in prison.” Later, it was mentioned that the International Olympic Committee frowned upon political protests/gestures at the Games. Said Lilesa: “They can’t do anything. It’s my feeling.” Kevin Baxter Rio Olympics: Claressa Shields makes history with her second boxing gold Claressa Shields fights her way to a gold medal over Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Claressa Shields became the first American boxer to earn two Olympic titles Sunday when she won a unanimous-decision victory over Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands in the women's middleweight final. Shields dominated the Rio tournament, winning all 12 of her fights. And she may have been at her best in the gold-medal match. After a slow start, she took control of the fight early in the second round, staggering Fontijn with a strong right to the head. She continued stalking the Dutch fighter in the third round, connecting twice with left jabs and landing another hard right. And rather than protect her big lead in the fourth round, she repeatedly waved her arms, begging Fontijn to come forward and fight. Fontijn,who lost to Shields in the final of the world championship in May, was cheered Sunday by a huge contingent of orange-clad Dutch athletes and coaches. And she was game, landing a a couple of good punches in the opening two minutes. The victory ran Shields' record to 77-1, with her only loss coming before the London Games four years ago. It also closed a successful tournament for the U.S., which got a silver-medal performance from bantamweight Shakur Stevenson and a bronze-medal effort from light-flyweight Nico Hernandez. The three medals are the most for a U.S. boxing team in the Olympics since 2000, when the Americans won four. 8:07 A.M. Reporting from rio de janeiro Rio Olympics: Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya wins men's marathon; Galen Rupp of the U.S. takes bronze Rio Olympics: Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya wins men's marathon; Galen Rupp of the U.S. takes bronze Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line. (Buda Mendes / Getty Images) Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya continued his nearly flawless marathon career, winning the Olympic men’s marathon on Sunday in 2 hours 8 minutes 44 seconds. Second was Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia and Galen Rupp of the United States took the bronze. Rupp’s 2:10:05 was a personal best. American Jared Ward was sixth, in 2:11:30, also a personal best. Meb Keflezighi of the U.S. was 33rd in 2:16:46. Rupp was 11 seconds out of second place. Kipchoge and Lilesa dropped Rupp at the 35-kilometer mark and then Kipchoge put on a patented surge himself and won by a margin of 1 minute 10 seconds. Heading into Rio, the 31-year-old Kipchoge had lost just once in seven career marathons, at Berlin in 2013. Only three years ago, he moved up to the marathon distance. 6:44 A.M.	i don't know
Which Mountain Pass provides a route between Kentucky and Tennessee via the Appalachians?	Appalachian mountain range \| Article about Appalachian mountain range by The Free Dictionary Appalachian mountain range \| Article about Appalachian mountain range by The Free Dictionary http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Appalachian+mountain+range Related to Appalachian mountain range: Scandinavian Peninsula , Appalachian Trail Appalachian Mountains (ăpəlā`chən, –chēən, –lăch`–), mountain system of E North America, extending in a broad belt c.1,600 mi (2,570 km) SW from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec prov., Canada, to the Gulf coastal plain in Alabama. Main sections in the system are the White Mts., Green Mts., Berkshire Hills, Catskill Mts., Allegheny Plateau, Black Mts., Great Smoky Mts., Blue Ridge, and Cumberland Plateau. To the E is the Piedmont (foothill) region. The Appalachians, much-eroded remnants of a great mass formed by folding (see mountains mountain, high land mass projecting conspicuously above its surroundings and usually of limited width at its summit. Although isolated mountains are not unusual, mountains commonly form ranges, comprising either a single complex ridge or a series of related ridges. ..... Click the link for more information. ), consist largely of sedimentary rocks. Mt. Mitchell (6,684 ft/2,037 m) in North Carolina's Black Mts. is the highest peak. The Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley is a chain of lowlands extending S and W from the Hudson Valley; its main segments are the Lehigh, Lebanon, Cumberland, and Shenandoah valleys; the Valley of Virginia; and the Valley of East Tennessee. Long a major north-south travel and settlement corridor, the Great Valley is one of the most fertile areas in the E United States. The Appalachians are rich in coal; other resources include iron, petroleum, and natural gas. The scenic ranges also abound in resorts and recreation areas, including Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mts. national parks. The Appalachian Trail Appalachian Trail, officially Appalachian National Scenic Trail, hiking path, 2,144 mi (3,450 km) long, passing through 14 states, E United States. Conceived in 1921 by Benton MacKaye, forester and regional planner, and completed in 1937, the trail extends along the ..... Click the link for more information. winds 2,050 mi (3,299 km) along the ridges of the Appalachians between Mt. Katahdin, Maine, and Springer Mt., Georgia. Crossed by few passes, the Appalachians were a barrier to early westward expansion and played an important role in U.S. history; major east-west routes like the Cumberland Gap Cumberland Gap, natural passage through the Cumberland Mts., near the point where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet. The gap was formed by the erosive action of a stream that once flowed there. It was explored and named in 1750 by Dr. ..... Click the link for more information. and Mohawk Trail Mohawk Trail. 1 Old road (c.100 mi/160 km long) in central New York state following the Mohawk River. It was the sole route through the Appalachians by which thousands of settlers emigrated from the Eastern seaboard to the Midwest. ..... Click the link for more information. followed river valleys or mountain notches. Appalachia is a name applied to parts of the region that were long characterized by marginal economy, isolation of its people from the U.S. mainstream, and distinctive folkways. Bibliography See E. Porter, Appalachian Wilderness (1970); H. M. Caudill, My Land is Dying (1971); M. Brooks, The Appalachians (1986); H. D. Shapiro, Appalachia on Our Mind (1986). Appalachian Mountains a mountain system in eastern North America, in the USA and Canada, forming a belt of ranges and ridges, valleys, plateaus and tableland, from 300 to 500 km in width and extending for 2,600 km southwest to northeast from 33° N lat. to 49° N lat. The principal ranges are the Blue Ridge Mountains, White Mountains, Adirondacks, and Green Mountains. The Appalachian Plateau should also be noted. The dominating altitudes are 1,300–1,600 m (the highest peak is Mount Mitchell, 2,037 m). The Appalachians were uplifted on the site of a géosynclinal system which developed actively in the Paleozoic era on a late Precambrian folded foundation. The mountains were leveled during the Jurassic Paleocene period. Mountains reappeared in the Neocene-Anthropogenic period, when the territory of the modern Appalachians underwent a domed uplift, which resulted in the vigorous breakup of the surface and the formation of the modern terrain. The ranges consist of folded rocks and boulders and are divided by intermontane erosional valleys and basins. During the Anthropogenic period the northern part of the Appalachians underwent glaciation, while the southern part remained in a warm and humid climate. As a result forests of broad-leaved and evergreen trees were able to survive there and subsequently to spread over a large part of the Appalachians. By structure and development the Appalachians are divided into the northern and southern regions (with the borderline approximately at the latitude of New York City). The northern Appalachians border on the Canadian Shield in the northwest, along a huge fault (the Logan line). They lack frontal sag and consist of a narrow belt of lower Paleozoic sedimentary deposits in the northwest and a wider belt of igneous, intrusional magmatites and metamor-phic rock in the southeast. The main tectonic periods for the northern Appalachians were the Taconic (at the end of the Ordovician) and the Acadian (at the end of the Devonian). During the Carboniferous-Permian period intermontane sag developed in the interior, filled mainly with continental deposits, first coal-bearing and then red in color. The southern Appalachians border on the midcontinental plate of the North American platform via the cis-Appalachian sag, comprising Upper Paleozoic deposits, with which important deposits of coal, oil, and gas are linked. The external, wider zone of the southern Appalachians (Valley and Ridge Province) consists of folds pointing northwest and accumulations of Lower and Middle Paleozoic rocks. The interior zone (the Blue Ridge Mountains) is made up of metamorphic sedimentary igneous Lower and Middle Paleozoic and Upper Precambrian rocks and granites. The final uplift and folding of the southern Appalachians occurred toward the end of the Paleozoic era. In the late Triassic period the structure of the Appalachians was complicated by grabens that were filled with red continental deposits and basalt extrusions. The climate of the Appalachians is modified by the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and especially of the Gulf of Mexico. It is temperate in the north and subtropical in the south. The average temperature in January ranges from - 12°C in the north to 8°C in the south; in July the average ranges from 18°C to 26°C. Annual precipitation is from 1,000 to 1,300 mm. In the winter there are heavy frosts in the upper zone of the mountains, and much snow falls. The valleys are drier and warmer. The summers are humid and cloudy; rainfall is abundant, especially on the western slopes. The clearest and sunniest weather comes at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. The rivers flow in deep valleys; the flow is abundant all year round, providing considerable reserves of hydro-power. Drainage altitude ranges from 30 cm in the north to 40 cm in the south. The largest rivers are the Connecticut, Hudson, Susquehanna, and Tennessee. They overflow their banks frequently because of melting snow in the spring and heavy rainfall in the summer. The major rivers of the northern Appalachians are navigable. As they fall from the eastern edge of the Piedmont, most of the rivers form rapids and waterfalls (the so-called fall line), which are used in part for power production. The Appalachians may be divided into two sections according to geomorphological characteristics. The northern Appalachians (as far as New York City) are a leveled-off plateau, 400 to 600 m high, with rocky massifs and ridges or ranges rising above it—the Adirondacks (1,628 m), the Green Mountains (1,338 m), the White Mountains (1,916 m), and others. The mountains have flattened tops, slanting slopes, and occasional dissected cirques. The massifs are divided by tectonic valleys, which have been transformed into troughs (the largest are along the Hudson-Mohawk-Connecticut rivers and Lake Champlain). The depressed sections, especially along the Atlantic coast, are hilly and covered with glacial deposits. The soils are mountainous, podzolic, and turf-podzolic. The vegetation consists of coniferous and mixed forests of fir, silver fir, thuja, hemlock, maple, elm, beech, yellow birch, hickory, and basswood. The southern Appalachians have a more varied terrain. Their eastern foothills are made up of flat, poorly separated valleys of the Piedmont plateau (altitude from 40–80 m in the east and up to 400 m in the west). Rising sharply above the plateau are the Blue Ridge Mountains with steep slopes and undulating or domed peaks (altitude 2,037 m—Mount Mitchell). The western slope of the range falls steeply to a long depression, the so-called Great Valley. The western foothills of the Appalachians form the Appalachian Plateau, criss-crossed by narrow and deep valleys and sloping gently from 1,500 m in the east down to 500 m in the west. The predominating soils are mountain dark brown forest soils; in the foothills, the soils are red and yellow earth. Up to an altitude of around 1,000 m there are broad-leafed forests consisting of numerous species of oak, maple, ash, and many endemic and relic species (tulip tree, magnolia, planer tree, white acacia, and others); above 1,000 m the forests are mixed and coniferous, characteristic for the northern Appalachians. Subalpine vegetation is widespread in the upper belt of the mountains (rhododendron, alders). The forests have been badly depleted. The most characteristic fauna of the Appalachians includes numerous endemic species: whitetail deer, Virginian opossum, and several species of bats; there are also tree porcupines, American black bears, lynxes, raccoon, skunks, otters, and others. The Appalachians are a very important area for hiking, skiing, water sports, and hunting. The Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and other features are well known. REFERENCES	Cumberland Gap
Which was Roger Moore’s final Bond film?	Appalachian Mountains \| Article about Appalachian Mountains by The Free Dictionary Appalachian Mountains \| Article about Appalachian Mountains by The Free Dictionary http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Appalachian+Mountains Related to Appalachian Mountains: Appalachian Trail Appalachian Mountains (ăpəlā`chən, –chēən, –lăch`–), mountain system of E North America, extending in a broad belt c.1,600 mi (2,570 km) SW from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec prov., Canada, to the Gulf coastal plain in Alabama. Main sections in the system are the White Mts., Green Mts., Berkshire Hills, Catskill Mts., Allegheny Plateau, Black Mts., Great Smoky Mts., Blue Ridge, and Cumberland Plateau. To the E is the Piedmont (foothill) region. The Appalachians, much-eroded remnants of a great mass formed by folding (see mountains mountain, high land mass projecting conspicuously above its surroundings and usually of limited width at its summit. Although isolated mountains are not unusual, mountains commonly form ranges, comprising either a single complex ridge or a series of related ridges. ..... Click the link for more information. ), consist largely of sedimentary rocks. Mt. Mitchell (6,684 ft/2,037 m) in North Carolina's Black Mts. is the highest peak. The Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley is a chain of lowlands extending S and W from the Hudson Valley; its main segments are the Lehigh, Lebanon, Cumberland, and Shenandoah valleys; the Valley of Virginia; and the Valley of East Tennessee. Long a major north-south travel and settlement corridor, the Great Valley is one of the most fertile areas in the E United States. The Appalachians are rich in coal; other resources include iron, petroleum, and natural gas. The scenic ranges also abound in resorts and recreation areas, including Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mts. national parks. The Appalachian Trail Appalachian Trail, officially Appalachian National Scenic Trail, hiking path, 2,144 mi (3,450 km) long, passing through 14 states, E United States. Conceived in 1921 by Benton MacKaye, forester and regional planner, and completed in 1937, the trail extends along the ..... Click the link for more information. winds 2,050 mi (3,299 km) along the ridges of the Appalachians between Mt. Katahdin, Maine, and Springer Mt., Georgia. Crossed by few passes, the Appalachians were a barrier to early westward expansion and played an important role in U.S. history; major east-west routes like the Cumberland Gap Cumberland Gap, natural passage through the Cumberland Mts., near the point where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet. The gap was formed by the erosive action of a stream that once flowed there. It was explored and named in 1750 by Dr. ..... Click the link for more information. and Mohawk Trail Mohawk Trail. 1 Old road (c.100 mi/160 km long) in central New York state following the Mohawk River. It was the sole route through the Appalachians by which thousands of settlers emigrated from the Eastern seaboard to the Midwest. ..... Click the link for more information. followed river valleys or mountain notches. Appalachia is a name applied to parts of the region that were long characterized by marginal economy, isolation of its people from the U.S. mainstream, and distinctive folkways. Bibliography See E. Porter, Appalachian Wilderness (1970); H. M. Caudill, My Land is Dying (1971); M. Brooks, The Appalachians (1986); H. D. Shapiro, Appalachia on Our Mind (1986). Appalachian Mountains a mountain system in eastern North America, in the USA and Canada, forming a belt of ranges and ridges, valleys, plateaus and tableland, from 300 to 500 km in width and extending for 2,600 km southwest to northeast from 33° N lat. to 49° N lat. The principal ranges are the Blue Ridge Mountains, White Mountains, Adirondacks, and Green Mountains. The Appalachian Plateau should also be noted. The dominating altitudes are 1,300–1,600 m (the highest peak is Mount Mitchell, 2,037 m). The Appalachians were uplifted on the site of a géosynclinal system which developed actively in the Paleozoic era on a late Precambrian folded foundation. The mountains were leveled during the Jurassic Paleocene period. Mountains reappeared in the Neocene-Anthropogenic period, when the territory of the modern Appalachians underwent a domed uplift, which resulted in the vigorous breakup of the surface and the formation of the modern terrain. The ranges consist of folded rocks and boulders and are divided by intermontane erosional valleys and basins. During the Anthropogenic period the northern part of the Appalachians underwent glaciation, while the southern part remained in a warm and humid climate. As a result forests of broad-leaved and evergreen trees were able to survive there and subsequently to spread over a large part of the Appalachians. By structure and development the Appalachians are divided into the northern and southern regions (with the borderline approximately at the latitude of New York City). The northern Appalachians border on the Canadian Shield in the northwest, along a huge fault (the Logan line). They lack frontal sag and consist of a narrow belt of lower Paleozoic sedimentary deposits in the northwest and a wider belt of igneous, intrusional magmatites and metamor-phic rock in the southeast. The main tectonic periods for the northern Appalachians were the Taconic (at the end of the Ordovician) and the Acadian (at the end of the Devonian). During the Carboniferous-Permian period intermontane sag developed in the interior, filled mainly with continental deposits, first coal-bearing and then red in color. The southern Appalachians border on the midcontinental plate of the North American platform via the cis-Appalachian sag, comprising Upper Paleozoic deposits, with which important deposits of coal, oil, and gas are linked. The external, wider zone of the southern Appalachians (Valley and Ridge Province) consists of folds pointing northwest and accumulations of Lower and Middle Paleozoic rocks. The interior zone (the Blue Ridge Mountains) is made up of metamorphic sedimentary igneous Lower and Middle Paleozoic and Upper Precambrian rocks and granites. The final uplift and folding of the southern Appalachians occurred toward the end of the Paleozoic era. In the late Triassic period the structure of the Appalachians was complicated by grabens that were filled with red continental deposits and basalt extrusions. The climate of the Appalachians is modified by the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and especially of the Gulf of Mexico. It is temperate in the north and subtropical in the south. The average temperature in January ranges from - 12°C in the north to 8°C in the south; in July the average ranges from 18°C to 26°C. Annual precipitation is from 1,000 to 1,300 mm. In the winter there are heavy frosts in the upper zone of the mountains, and much snow falls. The valleys are drier and warmer. The summers are humid and cloudy; rainfall is abundant, especially on the western slopes. The clearest and sunniest weather comes at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. The rivers flow in deep valleys; the flow is abundant all year round, providing considerable reserves of hydro-power. Drainage altitude ranges from 30 cm in the north to 40 cm in the south. The largest rivers are the Connecticut, Hudson, Susquehanna, and Tennessee. They overflow their banks frequently because of melting snow in the spring and heavy rainfall in the summer. The major rivers of the northern Appalachians are navigable. As they fall from the eastern edge of the Piedmont, most of the rivers form rapids and waterfalls (the so-called fall line), which are used in part for power production. The Appalachians may be divided into two sections according to geomorphological characteristics. The northern Appalachians (as far as New York City) are a leveled-off plateau, 400 to 600 m high, with rocky massifs and ridges or ranges rising above it—the Adirondacks (1,628 m), the Green Mountains (1,338 m), the White Mountains (1,916 m), and others. The mountains have flattened tops, slanting slopes, and occasional dissected cirques. The massifs are divided by tectonic valleys, which have been transformed into troughs (the largest are along the Hudson-Mohawk-Connecticut rivers and Lake Champlain). The depressed sections, especially along the Atlantic coast, are hilly and covered with glacial deposits. The soils are mountainous, podzolic, and turf-podzolic. The vegetation consists of coniferous and mixed forests of fir, silver fir, thuja, hemlock, maple, elm, beech, yellow birch, hickory, and basswood. The southern Appalachians have a more varied terrain. Their eastern foothills are made up of flat, poorly separated valleys of the Piedmont plateau (altitude from 40–80 m in the east and up to 400 m in the west). Rising sharply above the plateau are the Blue Ridge Mountains with steep slopes and undulating or domed peaks (altitude 2,037 m—Mount Mitchell). The western slope of the range falls steeply to a long depression, the so-called Great Valley. The western foothills of the Appalachians form the Appalachian Plateau, criss-crossed by narrow and deep valleys and sloping gently from 1,500 m in the east down to 500 m in the west. The predominating soils are mountain dark brown forest soils; in the foothills, the soils are red and yellow earth. Up to an altitude of around 1,000 m there are broad-leafed forests consisting of numerous species of oak, maple, ash, and many endemic and relic species (tulip tree, magnolia, planer tree, white acacia, and others); above 1,000 m the forests are mixed and coniferous, characteristic for the northern Appalachians. Subalpine vegetation is widespread in the upper belt of the mountains (rhododendron, alders). The forests have been badly depleted. The most characteristic fauna of the Appalachians includes numerous endemic species: whitetail deer, Virginian opossum, and several species of bats; there are also tree porcupines, American black bears, lynxes, raccoon, skunks, otters, and others. The Appalachians are a very important area for hiking, skiing, water sports, and hunting. The Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and other features are well known. REFERENCES	i don't know
Which film opens with Bond performing a bungee jump from a dam?	Goldeneye opening [HD] - YouTube Goldeneye opening [HD] Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Feb 1, 2010 Bungee jump stunt. Goldeneye [1995] Category	GoldenEye
Who sang the theme for the film ‘You Only Live Twice’?	James Bond fans flock to Contra Dam to copy GoldenEye leap \| Daily Mail Online comments Film fans are flocking to copy James Bond by taking a breathtaking leap off the dam featured in the iconic opening sequence of GoldenEye. Thrill-seekers can pay up to £170 to bungee jump off the 720ft-high Contra Dam, also known as the Verzasca Dam, on the Verzasca River in Ticino, Switzerland. In the action-packed opening sequence of the 1995 film, which marked Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007, Bond can be seen fearlessly throwing himself off the dam before turning his gun to the camera and pulling the trigger. Scroll down for video Thrill-seekers can pay £170 to throw themselves off the Contra Dam on the Verzasca River in Ticino, Switzerland, where the iconic opening to 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye was filmed One man looks scared as he leans over the edge (left) before throwing out his arms as he starts the 720ft fall down the side of the concrete dam Thousands of film fans have flocked to Contra Dam in Switzerland to experience the thrill of falling 720ft - before bouncing back up on the bungee One brave man looks tiny compared to the imposing concrete dam (left). The landmark is 220 metres, or 170ft, high - more than seven times as tall as Big Ben GoldenEye marked Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007, though the jump seen in the film was performed by stuntman Wayne Michaels. Operators of the breathtaking bungee claim that the dam is one of the most well-known and memorable film locations in Europe. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Built between 1961 and 1965, Contra Dam has featured in a number of films and TV shows. Soon after GoldenEye was released, the dam owners started to lease the dam out to bungee operators. It is thought some 20,000 people have already made the daring jump off the dam. One adrenaline-junkie screams as he throws himself off the dam. After featuring in GoldenEye, the dam owners started leasing out the dam to the bungee jump operators One man looks fearless as he throws himself off the top of the dam (left) while a picture taken from the platform reveals just how terrifying it is looking over the edge (right) Operators of the breathtaking bungee claim that the dam is one of the most well-known and memorable film locations in Europe A close up of the image reveals one jumper dangling at the bottom of the bungee, before springing back up to the top. Operators estimate roughly 20,000 daredevils have taken the plunge A Swiss tourism spokesman told the Daily Mirror: 'The bungee jump is an unforgettable experience that gives you a chance to feel what it's like to be an international hero like James Bond. 'People absolutely love the thrill of it. You can't get this sort of excitement anywhere else.' James Bond's bungee jump in this film was voted one as the best movie stunt of all time in a movie by Sky Movies poll in 2002. In this shot from GoldenEye, James Bond can be seen standing at the edge of the dam before jumping off. The leap was performed by stuntman Wayne Michaels In the iconic opening sequence, James Bond can be seen falling down the side of the concrete dam. He then turns his gun towards the camera and pulls the trigger James Bond's bungee jump in GoldenEye was voted one as the best movie stunt of all time in a movie by Sky Movies poll in 2002 Pierce Brosnan (left) pictured as James Bond, with Joe Don Baker as Jack Wade, in a scene from GoldenEye. The 1995 film marked Brosnan's debut as 007, after taking over from Timothy Dalton	i don't know
Which film company did George Harrison create to finance ‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’?	Online Exclusive: Handmade Man: An Interview with George Harrison - Film Comment Online Exclusive: Handmade Man: An Interview with George Harrison From the May/June 1988 issue of Film Comment By Elaine Dutka in the September/October 2011 Issue George Harrison sits quietly amid the bustle at Warner Bros. Records in Burbank. The staff around him is busily promoting Cloud Nine, the ex-Beatle’s first solo album in five years and, just certified platinum, his biggest hit since the early Seventies—but George is talking film. His HandMade Films, co-founded in 1978 with American business manager Denis O’Brien, has made him a movie mogul of sufficient stature to have received the annual award for contributions to the British film industry from London’s Evening Standard last year. In a country in which film production companies have been dropping like flies, HandMade is, hands down, the most prolific of the bunch—virtually the only one able to finance big budgets without outside help. Though Harrison is determined to keep his London-based company small and British to the core, a trans-Atlantic invasion is evidently in the works. HandMade set up an office in New York last September and released its first U.S. film, Five Corners, in January. Of the 10 projects underway this year, seven will be American. Quite a leap from the early days of Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Time Bandits, irreverent low-budget comedies that channeled enough revenues into the company coffers to finance such films as The Long Good Friday, Mona Lisa, and Withnail and I. Success doesn’t seem to have taken much of a toll on Harrison, now 45. He’s a likable man, gentle and unassuming—less a legend, in his mind at least, than a fellow who’s grateful to have landed on his feet after the dissolution of an early marriage, years of legal and financial wrangles, and a spotty solo recording career. Remarried since 1978 to Olivia Arias, a secretary at his Dark Horse label, and the father of 9-year-old Dhani, Harrison seems to have found the serenity that eluded him early on. The three live in a palatial Victorian mansion on 30 acres outside of London, a spot where George hangs out with his mates and indulges his passion for gardening. Lest anyone confuse him with a traditional country squire, however, he still sports a scruffy beard and arrives for the interview in a one-of-a-kind cranberry jacket imprinted with eros and erotic. Breaking years of self-imposed silence, the quiet Beatle finally sounds off, talking about the ups and down of moviemaking, the challenges ahead, and the newfound balance in his life. You co-starred in three films as a Beatle. Now you’ve surfaced on the other side of the camera. How did it happen? Purely by accident. An English company had backed out of the Monty Python film Life of Brian in preproduction. And the guys, friends of mine, asked me whether I could think of a way to help them get the film made. I asked Denis O’Brien, who had been my business manager since the end of ’73. After thinking about it for a week, he came back and suggested that we produce it. I let out a laugh because one of my favorite films is The Producers, and here we were about to become Bialystock and Bloom. Neither of us had any previous thought of going into the movie business, though Denis had a taste of it managing Peter Sellers and negotiating some of the later Pink Panthers films. It was a bit risky, I guess, totally stepping out of line for me, but as a big fan of Monty Python my main motive was to see the film get made. When did you realize this was going to be more than a one-shot venture? Denis got a bug for it. And the pythons as individuals were all writing scripts. Terry Gilliam presented us with this brilliant idea, which turned into Time Bandits. Michael Palin had done a BBC-TV series, Ripping Yarns, a series of 30-minute films, and I once mentioned it to him that if he ever wanted to write a big Ripping Yarn it would be just great. So he did. He also made A Private Function, an hysterical little Alan Bennett film that did really well in England. I don’t know why it didn’t take off in the U.S. Maybe we should rerelease it now. Anyhow, one thing led to another, and our films just kept happening. After spending your life as a performer, does it feel strange to be wearing another hat? In a way. When I was acting, there was always the feeling that the artists were the clever ones who do everything—and then there were these horrible people who put the money up and don’t know anything. Everyone subscribed to that old Hollywood myth that Executive producers hate everything and chop everything up after you’ve done it. When they’d walk into a studio, it would be, “Look out, lads, here comes ‘The Money,’ ” with everybody cringing at those fat cats. So it is sort of funny being a simple musician who’s now a producer or—inverted commas—“The Money.” I can see it from both sides. It’s nice to let people have as much artistic freedom as possible, but I’m the one who has to pay back the bank. If they want total freedom, they have to get their own money and make their own films. It has to be a give and take. But I think we’re quite reasonable. Does film now take precedence over music in your professional life? Fortunately, I haven’t has to choose. Last year I spent most of my time doing the record. Once I committed to it, I went into the studio and spent all the time needed to get it done. HandMade Films now has a good, competent staff of about 35 people who seem to know what they’re doing. If filmmaking becomes a chore for me, I don’t want to do it. I can choose how involved I want to be, or I can step back away from it and separate. That way, I can enjoy it more. Going out and making business deals isn’t me. If I had to, I’d soon want to get rid of the entire company. Denis is the business person. He does that. I know all the projects we’re working on and who’s doing them, and I don’t have to be there. I’m not looking for an office job. I just pop in on films a couple times to see how things are going. I never intended to be David Puttnam. Three films: The Missionary, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, Bellman and True. All very different from each other on the face of it. Is there a common thread? With the exception of Shanghai Surprise, which was a big disaster—and the only expensive “Hollywood” kind of attitude project we got involved with—all of our films seem to be films nobody else will do. No one would go near Life of Brian. The Long Good Friday was a pickup that had been shelved by the owners. It was the same company, by the way, that had turned down Life of Brian. They wanted to cut it and put it on television, while we put it out in the form that the producers, actors, and director had visualized. It’s a great little British gangster movie. Critics said they hadn’t seen a performance as good since Edward G. Robinson. And it was true. Bob Hoskins was fabulous. If Denis O’Brien handles most of the business affairs, do you take primary responsibility for the creative end? There are so many scripts coming in now. And, personally, I hate reading them. But a guy on staff named Ray Cooper serves as my ears. He’s also a musician, a percussion-and-drums player for Elton John, and I know I can rely on his being sensitive to the artistic side of things. There’s always a conflict between the “business,” what people see as the brutal business aspect, and the “artistic” side. Since I’ve been an “artist”—make sure you put that in inverted commas—and have Ray there all the time, it eases the problem a bit. If a couple of people on the staff all happen to like the same screenplay, then copies go out and everybody reads them and decides whether we’ll do it or not. I suppose Denis and I have the final say, but it’s rather a committee system. It takes a number of people to like a script before the red light turns to amber. Are you happy, on the whole, with the direction the company is taking? There are certain things I don’t like that always crop up into films. I hate all the violence. I don’t mind a few explosions for a laugh, or when it’s “integral to the story.” But the whole Rambo situation, with films where people just want to see others getting their heads blown off, I hate that. What we’ve released isn’t necessarily a reflection of the films I’ve liked best, of course. It’s a funny business. Some films we’ve developed for three, four, five years have still not seen the light of day. We’d set them up and the director would drop out. Then, when a new director the actors approve of is lined up, one of the stars has got to go and make his other movie. By the time we replace him, another guy is gone. That kind of situation you learn to live with. And then there are films like Pow Wow Highway, in post-production right now, that go Number One with a Bullet. It came through my mailbox just a couple of months ago, and we’re making it straightaway. Like I said, funny business. Is it getting any easier these days? Somewhat. With the first batch of films we made we had our own money absolutely on the line—all the bank loans—and it was very hard for Denis to get distribution deals. We may have even finished a movie only to find we couldn’t line up a distributor. Now we’ve got a little bit of charisma going for the company, enough success for people to think, “Well maybe they are serious,” and a lot of people who’ve worked on HandMade Films who’ve had an enjoyable time. All that has slowly built to the point where, on a business level, it’s become slightly easier for Denis, and it’s made us want to do more movies. From my point of view, expanding our production schedule is much riskier. But from his perspective, it’s easier to do a deal with someone to distribute ten movies than one. Much harder to do separate deals for each movie. We’re also able to get good directors and good actors now because our reputation is getting better all the time. Still, it’s sort of frightening when you start a movie and you see all the people you’re employing. It’s quite a big responsibility. If I was to think about that, I’d panic. I wouldn’t want to be involved. I have a sort of kamikaze side to me that is optimistic, and in some ways I have to trust Denis’ business sense and hope he’s not going to bankrupt me. At this point, are you still putting your own money on the line? I do put quite a lot into every film. But not like when we started with Time Bandits and Life of Brian. For our first film, we put our office building, my house, and all our bank accounts—like a pawn shop—into the hands of the bank that was going to loan us the money. It was lucky the film paid off. We paid back the loan and put anything left over into the next one. Out of 15 films, we’ve had only three failures—four if you count Shanghai. But Shanghai was a failure only from an artistic point of view. We didn’t lose any money, since enough time has elapsed for us to be able to negotiate a more secure kind of deal up front. With more than $50 million invested in production right now, HandMade has obviously turned the corner. Just how solid are you? We’re OK. Though, with all this money tied up, the cash flow does get a bit shaky. It’s a matter of timing, being able to avoid getting caught short. A few of our films brought us back more than we expected, which helped us to pay off the flops. Things have been handled well on the business side, managed on a shoestring. We’re very penny-pinching in a way, trying to adopt a sensible approach—not many free limos. And we try to edit the scripts so that we’re not shooting footage that’s going to end up on the floor. If we continue on our current path, we’re poised to make a few dollars somewhere down the road. Why have other British film production companies had such a hard time managing to keep their heads above water? Basically, because it’s hard to get the money. Goldcrest was the big one over here. But all you need is one film like Revolution to go that much over budget and fail, and it sort of wipes you out. We were fortunate that the deal Denis set up for Shanghai Surprise made sure that it didn’t do us in. My understanding is that the cost of the film was covered in all the distribution deals. Once we delivered the film, we got back enough money to cover the budget, so even if the film was a flop, we were OK. If that happened to us back in 1980 or ’81, we probably would have gone the same way as most of the others. With a budget of more than $15 million and a temperamental, high-profile husband-and-wife team, Shanghai Surprise was a tremendous departure for you, financially and aesthetically. Why did you give it a go? I was dubious from the first. I get afraid by things like that. And a lot of others at HandMade didn’t want to make that film. Denis himself was just a couple of days away from just shelving the whole thing when suddenly the producer informed us that Madonna and Sean had agreed to be in it. At that time, it sounded like a good idea. But when we went ahead with it, it proved to be very painful for most of the people involved—the technicians as much as anyone, because of the attitudes of the actors. It was like “Springtime for Hitler” in The Producers: we got the wrong actors, the wrong producer, the wrong director. Where&mldr; did&mldr; we&mldr; go&mldr; right??? It wasn’t easy, but I was determined not to let it get me depressed. Cannon Films suffered a similar fate when it paid Stallone $12 million for Over the Top. Sure. We have to keep tabs on our budgets and not get carried away thinking we’re big shots. Many companies, with some success behind them, move into big, posh air-conditioned offices that all interconnect with private bathrooms. You see them swarming around in these limousines. It’s “Sod’s Law”: Even if we made hundreds of millions of dollars, once we moved out of our tiny, overcrowded office in London and got into the Big Time, I’m sure the bottom would fall out. The answer is to be humble. That’s it. Be humble. It would be nice, I suppose, from a staff point of view, to have a bit more space—our own viewing theaters, cutting rooms, and sound studios. But for me, as an ex-Beatle, I’m not into that trip of being a big shot. I peaked early. I got all that out of my system in the Sixties. Part of Disney’s current success is die to the stable of actors it has signed in what some see as a return to the old studio system. Are you making a conscious effort to do the same? It’s not an out-and-out strategic move, though we have worked with the same people a number of times. Bob Hoskins, of course, is one of them. He was the main reason Mona Lisa was so successful. We said, “He’s done good for us. We’ve all enjoyed him. Let’s let him direct his own film.” We take a little chance here and there, calculated risks, not only because he’s good but because he’s a joy to be with. His charm is that no matter how famous and popular he is, he’s so straight and down to earth. He makes the Seans and Madonnas look ridiculous. We’ve also had the pleasure of working with Michael Caine, Sean Connery—“name people” who go about doing their roles. They’re not as complicated. They’re very professional. Have you written any of the HandMade scores? I got really involved with the musical end of Shanghai. That was another reason why it was personally sad for me. I’d plugged so much of my own time into it. I worked with a guy who scored movies before, Michael Kamen, who’d done Brazil with Terry Gilliam. I worked with him because it’s too much for me to take on. I’m not going to write millions of violin parts, conducting orchestras. That’s not my idea of having fun. He’d do that kind of stuff, and I’d put in some funny little things that appeared. I also did a couple of songs for Water and one for Time Bandits. Your first American productions, Five Corners, was released this past January, and the majority of your current projects bear the U.S. stamp. Is this part of a larger effort to get a foothold over here? That isn’t my idea, but I think it could be Denis’s; he’s interested in broadening the base. I personally would not like to see HandMade Films turn into an American company in New York or Los Angeles. I like it being in a nice little office in England. When we named the company, it was going to be called British HandMade Films, but for some reason the government registrar or whoever’s responsible for company names wouldn’t let us call it “British.” I think you have to have lost millions and millions of pounds before they let you call it “British”—British Leyland, British Rail. Other than that, I can’t see why they’d turn us down. I like to have American actors and directors. We’re not closed to anything, really. But I wouldn’t like us to become some big swanky American company. At that point, I’d probably bail out. But aren’t Denis O’Brien’s instincts on target? Isn’t the American market as important to the film business as it is to the recording industry? Of course. To really make it, you have to have some success in America—in film and in records. You can sell all you like in England and France and Switzerland. But you need a big response in the American market to pay the bills, to pay back the money and make the thing work. The turning point for our company came in the last year or two, when some of the films we made strictly as slow-budget projects got accepted in America. Mona Lisa was one. Withnail and I was another—which came as something of a shock. I really enjoy the film personally, but thought there wasn’t a snowball’s chance of the American people getting this kind of humor. The jokes seem very English to me. I’m glad to say I was wrong about that. We’ve always been told that Americans want things to happen crash! bang! wallop! and want a film to be paced quickly. You get so terrified when there’s actually dialogue going on and people have to use their brains and listen. We’ve tried to give people credit for wanting to see a film with some kind of plot, dialogue, depth, and were pleasantly surprised that there are Americans who don’t mind working a bit—particularly given all the competition these days. Someone told me that 170 films were released between last August and Christmas in America alone. A few years ago, you could put a film in a theater in the U.S. and let it build on word of mouth. Now if you put a film out on Friday and it hasn’t grossed a certain amount of money by Saturday night, it’s gone. It’s ruthless—even more ruthless than the record business. What projects have you in the works? We have a comedy called How to Get Ahead in Advertising, about a fellow who wakes up with this great boil on his head and it sort of takes on its own personality. We’re going to do Stephen Berkoff’s Kvetch. We have great hopes for TVP, a film with David Stewart of the Eurythmics, who also conceived it. It’s about a little planet in outer space where everything has gone under from too much machinery. It’s like a little children’s thing, brilliant ideas in which the characters are actually musical instruments. They all plug into each other and can play together. Basically animation, but there are some people in it as well. Because HandMade Films is this warm, little, friendly company, Dave as a musician can work better with us. Nicolas Roeg directed Track 29, a psychological thriller starring Theresa Russell and Gary Oldman and written by Dennis Potter, who wrote Pennies from Heaven. And there’s lots more besides that. You’ve upped your U.S. release schedule from two in 1987 to six in ’88. Will we be seeing more and more from HandMade films each year? I hope not. I don’t like to have too much going at the same time. Do you remember those cabaret acts in which people kept all these plates spinning on sticks? They’d start up a couple, add a few more, then have to run back and give the first one a twist. They’d get another couple going, run back to the second and third ones, until they had ten plates all spinning at the same time. The problem is, if you don’t watch out, they all go crashing on the floor. I want to be careful not to get too carried away. Are you surprised that your “baby” has grown up so rapidly? I am, yes. I just hope that Denis doesn’t turn out to be a madman&mldr; You’re worried that he’s beginning to spin too many plates? Not yet. The logistics of it all makes it very difficult to get all those movies going at the same time. These plates you’re trying to spin are big, heavy things, you know. It’s good that he’s going for it in some ways, though. I would have been content just to do Life of Brian and Time Bandits—much happier just doing comedies. But, then, if I was in charge of this company I don’t think it would have gone on as long or gone as far, really. I probably would have encouraged us to have made even crazier films than we’ve made. I know I wouldn’t have been as adventurous in some areas. But at the same time, I don’t want to get too adventurous. I like to be safe and sure, you know. Any thoughts about the future? Someday, I’d like to make a real silly comedy movie full of silly music. I don’t really fancy my chances of being a scriptwriter or an actor, bit I do have a lot of silly ideas in the back of my head. If we can make enough money so that it doesn’t matter if I blow a couple million on my own ideas, I’d like to follow some of them up. Maybe as my last fling, I’ll have this huge but very cheap flop with all my mates in it. Establishing a post-Beatles existence can’t have been easy. How are things going for you these days? On behalf of all the remaining ex-Beatles, I can say that the fast that we do have some brain cells left and a sense of humor is quite remarkable. I’ve had my ups and downs over the years, and now I’ve sort of leveled out. I’m feeling good. I don’t get too carried away or too down about anything. I distance myself from things like the serious business side of the film company, or else I’d crack. I spend plenty of time planting trees, things like that. I have a lot of good friends, good relationships, plenty of laughs. A lot of funny little diversions that keep things interesting. It sounds good. But don’t you ever, even for a moment, miss all the excitement, the highs? No. Then’s then, and now’s now. In the late Seventies, I just sort of phased myself out of the limelight. And then all the new generations come up. You get older and change your appearance, and they forget what you look like. I suppose, though, with a new record out, that I’m launching myself back into show business for a while. Was that a conflict for you? No. I enjoyed making the record, though I don’t like to be on TV and do the interviews necessary to promote it. There was a time when I actually hated all that. But now I’m reasonably well balanced about it all and understand in my own mind why I’m doing it. Unfortunately, it will make me a bit “famous” again. I don’t really like being famous. I suppose I still am, but I don’t really think of myself as a famous person. People will be picking up magazines that will have me in them for a bit—but just for a bit. Then I’ll go back to being retired again. Or at least putting all this on the back burner. I’ve managed to find a balance between show business and a kind of peacefulness. It feels very nice. © 1988 by Elaine Dutka	HandMade Films
"For which play did Shakespeare write the line: ""All that glisters is not gold""?"	Mindhole Blowers: 20 Facts About Life of Brian That Might Make You Feel Like Whistling a Cheery Tune Mindhole Blowers: 20 Facts About Life of Brian That Might Make You Feel Like Whistling a Cheery Tune By Cindy Davis \| Seriously Random Lists \| September 25, 2016 \| Comments ( ) I’m fairly certain this is the first Python film I ever saw and I was immediately taken in by the silly humor and irreverence. Publicly poking fun at religion is allowed? Who knew? From that moment on I was hooked on the Python gang, and to this day they remain favorites who can consistently keep me giggling. Between this scene: and any scene involving Michael Palin’s widicuwous Pontius Pilate-speak, Life of Brian should leave you in touch with your inner 12 year old. 1. According to Eric Idle, the first ideas for Life of Brian came about while the Pythons were in Amsterdam premiering Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Idle and Director/Writer/Animator/Actor Terry Gilliam went to a small bar where they got “legless” and started making jokes about Jesus Christ correcting carpenters who kept “fucking up trying to build his crucifixion cross; it spun from that.” The two thought it was “…an interesting idea for comedy because no one had touched it—no one had joked about the bible or Christ. “They read books, bibles and the Dead Sea Scrolls to research, then began writing. Idle: “You couldn’t laugh at Christ because what he’s saying is good. He’s not directly laughable because it’s a very strong philosophy. So the people talking about him are the target.” If not for George Harrison (Mr. Papadopolous), Life of Brian wouldn’t have been made. Harisson was a great fan of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (financed by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others). The Pythons needed four million dollars and Harrison kept telling Idle he’d get the money for them—he did. He set up a film company ( Handmade Films ) and paid for it “…just because he wanted to see the movie.” 2. Terry Gilliam decided not to co-direct with Terry Jones because when they did Holy Grail together, they “were sometimes in disagreement. I had done Jabberwockey and worked with real actors—non-Pythons who respected a director, rather than people who fought back. Directing Python is different, such a group effort. Terry (Jones) and he talked about it, he (Gilliam) designed the film and let Terry (Jones) deal with the difficulty of the others.” Idle added that the two Terrys directing Holy Grail was a source of great conflict, like having two heads. “One was editing by night, the other by day, each deconstructing the other’s work. Terry Gilliam hadn’t enjoyed co-directing, it suited him to do production design on this one. He looked at images and left Jones free to look at shots and performances. (It was a) Great combination.” 3. The film was shot with Cinematographer Peter Biziou (In the Name of the Father, The Truman Show, Mississippi Burning, 9 1/2 Weeks, Pink Floyd The Wall) in Tunisia. Granaries were turned into the Bethlehem setting. They followed the footsteps of Franco Zeffirelli, who had directed “Jesus of Nazareth” in Monastir, using that film’s sets, costumes and even the same extras. 4. Terry Jones explained playing Brian’s (Graham Chapman) mother, saying it was “just assumed he’d play the Virgin Mandy. That was not Christ’s manger, (it was) the manger next door.” The baby in the scene was “lent to them” and only a couple days old. 5. Terry Gilliam felt he was given the chance to make an epic film in the opening animation, “It has a narrative to it. I sometimes think I shot it too quickly.” He used photos of Rome turned upside down and artifacts from Italian architecture he fiddled with, as well as “lots of laundry.” Gilliam said he kept getting frustrated with doing the animation but that was his “main function within the group” and so he put all his energies into it. Idle: “Terry gets a lot of angst into his animations.” 6. Terry Jones remarked that the opening shots were accidental; “We were shooting a main scene—with Christ doing the sermon on the mount—and a crowd, and suddenly the crowd all disappeared.” When the director asked what was going on, he was told the crowd of extras were mainly women, and they all had to go make tea for their husbands. “When they came back, Eric said ‘That looks great!’ and we put the camera on them.” 7. Kenneth Colley (Jesus) (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, “EastEnders”)—who appeared in Jabberwockey with Terry Gilliam—in real life has a terrible stutter, “…but the minute the camera runs, he’s brilliant.” (Gilliam) 8. Gilliam said they spent as much time on details as any serious religious film would have done, even though it was a comedy. “The more real the surroundings, the more believable the world it was taking place in—the more funny it became.” Jones: “The Python approach is that it is always important to create a world that is integral and discreet in its own way. Python is very free form and stupid, so we want the world to be very structured and organized to work with, so people can easily see, oh this is a Biblical epic. They recognize the world to which to react.” 9. The condemned man (John Young) scene was written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman, who spoke to one of the Queen’s vicars to get expert advice on the usage of Jehova’s name (and how it isn’t supposed to be spoken). According to Idle, John and Graham always wrote together, as did Michael Palin and Terry Jones. The pairs wrote together that way when they worked on “The Frost Report.” “It was their chosen method to work together. That’s how Python remained, in a sense. A tremendous amount happens in group—we can never remember who said what. Things start to float. Then we go into groups to write in bits and pieces.” 10. The Pythons went to Barbados to be together and write; with no wives, girlfriends or other commitments, they could let the ideas flow without interruption. The Who drummer, Keith Moon followed them and as the group kept regular “office hours,” waited on the beach for them to “come out and play.” Moon, who was “on Heminevrin and trying to dry out,” was supposed to play one of the mad preachers. Terry Jones told the story of the last time he saw Moon, at a Paul McCartney production, The Buddy Holly Story. “Keith came running up and hugged me, said ‘I can’t wait to do Brian!;’ he’d learned all his speeches. The next morning he was dead. Tragic. The only good thing was that I’d given Keith a great hug.” 11. Parts of the film were also shot in Sousse, “…an extraordinary town” where “Jesus of Nazareth” filmed the crucifixion. Mostly locals were used as extras. Jones explained that one might think it was quiet, but it’s actually the middle of a city and there was lots of traffic around. For one scene, Camera Operator John Stanier (Midnight Express, Oxford Blues, If These Walls Could Talk) started out with a Steadicam, but because it was so big, switched to handheld and walked backwards, “…in high temps, it was very difficult for him.” About fifty percent of the film is shot handheld. 12. Terry Gilliam’s favorite moment is “…when Graham (Chapman) spews every anti-Semitic word he can think of, and is proud of it. It’s a great moment to take everything negative and turn it into a positive.” (1:28 mark) 13. For this graffiti scene, fake walls were built in front of the real ones because they couldn’t write on the sacred walls. The production left a trail of black smudge that the director was assured would come off, but it didn’t. “In the end, we had to come back under cover of night to repaint the stones back to their natural color. I still don’t know if anyone knows about that.” 14. When John Cleese finished school, he became a Latin teacher for a couple of years. Gilliam spoke of how while most people go backpacking—traveling after they complete school, Cleese went right back to his and taught. “It affected him greatly. This allows John to write scenes from his emotional life, and which have some significance (as with his teacherly demeanor in the video above).” 15. For this graffiti shot, Gilliam drew the lettering on a piece of acetate and filmed it, then superimposed and layered it to make it look believable. 16. Jones wanted the film have a rich feel, using lots of dark colors—he didn’t shoot it as a comedy, “…which are often over-lit (sic). We wanted it to look like an art film, beautiful…to look like an epic. Peter Biziou did a beautiful job.” 17. Gilliam couldn’t figure out where to fit animation in, then the spaceship sequence came to him. “Brian is trying to escape an impossible situation—I gave him an impossible solution. It was a great Pythonic thing to do; pretend to be George Lucas for a moment and not do real animation. Normally spaceships don’t have gear changes, I thought that was a nice twist. The sound guys thought I was crazy. We used a motorcycle soundtrack. The explosions were special effects done at the end of film; we used Roman columns and hubcaps for the spaceship. We had run out of money.” 18. Eric Idle (Harry the Haggler) on haggling, “They’re not happy if you don’t haggle. I learned to haggle. My most famous was over a long carpet I really wanted. I spent two hours, went to lunch, came back and he said another price. I said ‘No, exactly the price I said before lunch, plus a cup of coffee.’ I got it. I enjoy haggling now. I went to Harvey Nichols once and started to haggle over luggage—they took it! It’s not so English to haggle so I was surprised.” Idle also wrote the film’s unforgettable finale song, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. Noting he is “good at endings,” Idle said the English are at their best during war times or when things are miserable and horrible. “Most of us were born during the second World War—we know what it is to be scared— the British reaction is cheer. I just went off and wrote it, whistling jolly. I once learned some Jazz chords, so I did a riff on the chords…it was so outrageous to have a crucifiction and a song. It is so uplifting it really works—lightens the whole load at the end of the film.” 19. Actor/Writer/Comedian/Playwright/Musician/Soldier Spike Milligan (Spike) was in town doing a World War II movie and his manager told Spike the Python crew were filming—so he just showed up. Eric Idle related a story about driving home at the end of the day and seeing Spike—in full costume—pulled over by Tunisian police. “We stopped the coach and went to help, saying ‘It’s all right, he’s with us!’” Of course, they were still in costume too. “I have no idea what the police thought.” 20. There was, as expected, much controversy after the film opened—misinterpretations abounded. Many outlets (including the BBC) refused to show Life of Brian; Ireland, Norway and several UK towns banned it. Michael Palin and John Cleese took part in a riveting televised debate with Bishop Mervyn Stockwood and Journalist Malcolm Muggeridge on “Friday Night, Saturday Morning.”	i don't know
What colour gloves does Sonic the hedgehog wear?	Why does Sonic wear gloves? - Sonic Generations Message Board for PlayStation 3 - GameFAQs The message you selected is no longer available for viewing. Why does Sonic wear gloves? Topic Archived Solid Sonic 5 years ago#1 Heck, lots of characters do. Creatures in this world seem to be born with gloves. Even Tikal wears gloves and she was born centuries before Sonic Adventure took place! The curse of bad taste is everywhere...what can you do to avoid it? User Info: AwesomeMario AwesomeMario 5 years ago#2 Personal preferences? No but in all seriousness I couldn't see any Sonic character without gloves they would look horrible which is also why I hate Werehog a lot in design and in Gameplay. waiting for Wii U. Solid Sonic (Topic Creator)5 years ago#3 Also everyone has fingers but no toes. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100205055130/sonic/images/a/af/A_d5.png User Info: neslink neslink 5 years ago#4 hes was in the original Mickey Mouse Club. He is showing his support to this day. http://www.thegamemaster.org/ ChaosInvoker 5 years ago#5 Many iconic cartoon/video game characters wear white gloves: Sonic These are the top 4 that come to mind! [ ;; [__] ;; ] * (BANG) * (+o' [___] ' ::) User Info: Phewfus Phewfus 5 years ago#6 Because Sonic Team based Sonic's design on old American rubber hose cartoons, where the animators gave their characters white gloves so that the character's hands could be more easily discerned by the audience. Miyamoto used the same concept for Mario back on the NES and I assume that was the intent with Sonic back in 1991. User Info: Solid Sonic Solid Sonic (Topic Creator)5 years ago#7 The CGI rendering team actually goes through a lot of trouble to make the gloves look substantial. http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2007/288/938798_20071014_screen011.jpg Look how intricate the fabric is. The curse of bad taste is everywhere...what can you do to avoid it? handromega 5 years ago#8 The gloves are a signature from old-school cartoon characters. Some old characters in the black&white era had problem with their hands, for example, putting the hands over the chest. because everything was black, you couldn't see the hands, or dark backgrounds etc... That why they started wearing white gloves. The character design for the 1ï¿½ Sonic game, is based on cartoon characters (Dr. Eggman wears Mickey Mouse's pants in black) so Sonic and others share this signature that represents a cartoon character. HollowNinja 5 years ago#9 From: Solid Sonic \| #007 The CGI rendering team actually goes through a lot of trouble to make the gloves look substantial. http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2007/288/938798_20071014_screen011.jpg Look how intricate the fabric is. Sonic Team's CGI is comparable with Square Enix's in quality. It always has been this way, actually. http://backloggery.com/hollowninja Steam: DJ illi ill PSN: DJ_iLLi_iLL XBL: DJ iLLi iLL craelon 5 years ago#10 To keep his hands clean. I declare this post a VICTORY ( ^-^ )v	A. White (Hampshire cricketer)
What kind of marsupial is the titular video game character ‘Crash’?	Blaze the Cat \| Mobius Encyclopaedia \| Fandom powered by Wikia See: Blaze Woman . Not long after these events, Blaze, for the first time in a while, got to enjoy a quiet day while Marine out at sea. Suddenly, however, she was overcome by strange flashes of light . She was then captured on the orders of Dr. Eggman and his new ally Dr. Wily and subjected to a modified form of Roboticization to become one of their Roboticized Masters . Under the name Blaze Woman , she was sent with Silver Man to retrieve the green Chaos Emerald, in which they were successful. The duo, along with the doctors and their fellow Masters, then attacked Sonic, Tails, and their new allies Mega Man , Proto Man , and Rush in the Skull Egg Zone . Proto Man, however, refused to participate in the doctors' proposed "tournament" and proceeded onwards alone, prompting the doctors to send five Roboticized Masters, Blaze Woman among them, after him before leaving themselves, granting the remaining heroes some breathing room and allowing them to devise a way to use Mega Man's Mega Buster arm cannon to restore their friends to normal. Blaze Woman and Silver Man wee subsequently called away from the pursuit for Proto Man as a precaution. ( SU : #52 , StH : #249 ) Later, Blaze Woman and Silver Man ambushed Sonic, Tails, Mega Man, and Rush at a waterfall. In the ensuing fight, Mega Man managed to change Silver Man back into normal Silver , who promptly immobilized Blaze Woman with his psychokinesis powers while she was fighting Sonic and Tails. Mega Man then changed Blaze back as well, though the whole process gave her somewhat of a headache. As it turned out, the strange lights Blaze had seen had also affected Mobius Prime and the world of Earth 20XX . While the six heroes rested following the skirmish, Blaze lamented that she and Silver, both exhausted from their ordeals, could not immediately aid their friends. In the interim, she and Silver optimistically agreed to look after each other, wishing Sonic, Mega Man and company luck as they continued on their way. Eventually, Blaze and Silver regained their strength and, on Sonic's instructions, were picked up by Mega Man and Rush for the upcoming battle with the evil doctors and their forces. ( MM: #26 , SU: #53 ) Blaze against several Fire-based Robot Masters. The battle unfolded in a major way: the group of heroes against a massive force of Robot Masters . Blaze was set upon by a group of fire-wielding Masters: Heat Man , Pharaoh Man , Flame Man , Solar Man , Burner Man , and Magma Man . However, calling upon her own fiery abilities, she took control of their attacks and creating a raging inferno that consumed her assailants. She would then battle with Toad Man before posing a threat to Wood Man and engaging Pirate Man . As the battle continued, Blaze would engage Pump Man , who hit her with water-based attacks. Eventually, she and her allies were surrounded by the enemy army, but continued to fight their hardest. Help arrived in the form of the Light Labs Robot Masters, and the battle continued until all the combatants were caught up in the reality altering effects of first the Super Genesis Wave and then Super Sonic 's use of Chaos Control . ( StH : #250 , #251 , MM : #27 , SU : #54 ) Pirate Plunder Panic From a readers point of view, everything from here on picks up from where the original timeline ended. Team Rose reunited. With her memories of her recent ordeals intact, Blaze found herself back in her home dimension with some unexpected companions: her old teammates Amy, Cream, and Cheese. With their memories of home left somewhat hazy, the trio joined Blaze-who sensed that they might have been brought to her world purposefully-on the next leg of her quest: recovering the final Sol Emerald. After a lengthy search, the group learned that it was aboard a ship belonging to several of the Sol Zone Pirates , though a different group than previously encountered. The Ocean Tornado and this vessel engaged in battle, during which Blaze and her friends-along with the Coconut Crew -were bombarded with fused bombs. Blaze quickly made the decision to board the enemy vessel, leaving her friends to continue the fight, and ended up discovering the source of the projectiles: her old foe Bean the Dynamite, who along with his teammate Bark had also been inexplicably transported to the Sol Zone. Believing him to be a captive, Blaze modified her plan, intending to rescue the pair before sinking the ship, only to learn that Bean was in fact in league with the pirates. She then confronted the ship's master, Captain Metal , and demanded that he surrender his vessel and the Sol Emerald. He responded by destroying the crippled Ocean Tornado, and with it-so far as Blaze was aware-her friends. Heartbreak turning quickly to rage, Blaze ignited her powers and once again demanded the Emerald, though she vowed to destroy Metal regardless of whether he handed it over or not. Unfortunately, her lack of control cost her, and she was knocked unconscious by Buckle . ( SU : #55 ) The Metal Marauder soon delivered the captive Blaze to Pirate Island , where Captain Metal informed her of his intent to use both her and the Sol Emeralds in his grand schemes. Taking her to his lair, the captain unveiled the instrument of his plans for conquest: the Egg O' War . As Blaze continued to refuse him aid, the captain unleashed his Kraken robot, ordering it to devour her. However, Blaze was then surprised and relieved by the arrival of her friends, who had survived the Ocean Tornado's destruction and found her with help from the Sprockets . Adding to the confusion, Bark and Bean stole Captain Metal's Sol Emerald, only for it to be stolen in turn by Captain Whisker's underling Johnny. Blaze and her fellow heroes escaped and pursued the pirate, taking over the Metal Marauder in the process. When the Kraken attacked both their ship and Whisker's, the heroines were forced into an unlikely alliance with Bark and Bean, the latter providing a bomb that destroyed the Kraken. However, the Sol Emerald was sent flying by the explosion, and wound up once again in the clutches of Captain Metal. ( SU : #56 , #57 ) Blaze flew to confront the robotic pirate yet again, only to once again be knocked unconscious. Upon awakening, she found herself inside the Genesis Reactor aboard the Egg O' War, where Captain Metal revealed his intentions to power it with all the Sol Emeralds. Blaze attempted to dissuade him, informing him that his actions would destroy their world; however, Metal ignored her due to the potential of his chosen weapon to travel to other worlds. The other six Sol Emeralds were forcibly summoned to join Metal's, and the Egg O' War powered up. However, Blaze's friends came to her aid yet again, freeing her and allowing her to obtain the Emeralds, which she used to transform into Burning Blaze. She reduced Metal to molten slag, only for the Egg O' War's internal security systems to start attacking, Metal having uploaded himself into his battle fortress. Blasting an escape route for her friends, Burning Blaze confronted the Egg O' War, and swiftly dealt it enough damage that it sank to the bottom of the ocean. With all seven Sol Emeralds recovered, her world safe, and her enemies fled or defeated, Blaze thank her allies-both friends and former foes. Using the power of the Emeralds, she then sent Amy, Bark, Bean, Cheese, and Cream back to their world. ( SU : #58 ) Personality Normally cool and collected, Blaze gives the impression that she keeps a tight lid on her emotions, but this may not be her true nature. Despite her calm appearance she can lose her temper easily and when she does, she's quite scary to be around. Her temper also makes it more difficult for her to think clearly, leaving her prone to sneak attacks. While she may at times be tense, she usually remains at least polite; however, she tends to be distrustful of others, especially when the safety of the Sol Emeralds is involved. She dislikes being referred to by her title of "princess" and prefers just being called by her name. She often speaks her mind bluntly but feels grateful to those who have helped her and will do what she can in whatever way to fulfill the debt. She is also very dedicated to her duty as princess, much like Sally Acorn , and does whatever she can to protect her people from outside threats. She also has a fondness of Marine the Raccoon, though often has her patience tried by her. Much of Blaze's coldness comes from the distance that is enforced between others and herself. However making friends like Sonic has helped her to become more relaxed and friendly, though any breach to her slowly developing trust is usually received harshly. Perhaps because threats to the Sol Emeralds are threats to the very survival of her world, Blaze holds little back in dealing with thieves, quickly expressing the possibility of employing lethal force. Under this hard exterior, however, Blaze conceals a fear of heights. Appearance Blaze is a lilac cat with gold eyes. Her muzzle is white, her inner ears are peach colored and the tip of her tail dark purple (though it has often been miscolored white). She wears a long purple flared mantle-like coat of sorts with a gold collar and white tights; the cuffs are fuzzy and white (sometimes miscoloured lilac). She has plumes of "hair" done up in a high ponytail with dark purple tips. Her outfit is generally accented in pinks and reds, including her high heeled shoes, hairband, coat trim and a small gem on her forehead. She was once briefly shown with her mantle removed. Abilities Blaze is a skilled fighter, gifted with the ability to create and control fire. Using her pyrokinesis, she can conjure fire at any place on or all over her body and even launch streams of fire at enemies, with temperatures that can heat up or melt metal. Blaze can also conjure up flames to use like solid weapons, as seen when she first battled Captain Metal on his submarine. She is able to move at high speeds that allow her to keep up with-or perhaps match those of-Sonic and his friends. By using this in combination with her fire, she turns into a veritable living comet, and is even capable of brief flight with an ability called Burst Hover. With the power of all seven Sol Emeralds, she is also able to teleport others to different dimensions and undergo a Super transformation to become Burning Blaze . Background information Blaze is the first female character in the Sonic series-games, comics, or otherwise-to have a Super transformation , with the second being Nicole the Holo-Lynx . Confusion of Title There has been a slight confusion as to her title of being either a princess or a queen. She is called "Queen Blaze the Cat" on the official Sega of America Sonic mini site, Sonic Central as well as the Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) game website. However, in Japanese, her title is 皇女 kōjo, which translates to "imperial princess," and is also called princess in Sonic Rush Adventure. The comic consistently refers to her as a princess. Confusion of Origins In the game universe, Blaze seems to have two different backstories as to where she came from. In her debut game Sonic Rush (and most other games afterward) Blaze is depicted as being a Princess and the protector of the Sol Emeralds in a parallel dimension to that of Sonic's world. The same backstory is applied in it's sequel Sonic Rush Adventure which takes place in her universe entirely ( Marine the Raccoon also hails from Blaze's world). However, in her second appearance in the series, Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) , Blaze comes from the future where she battles against the fearsome monster, Iblis (whom Silver the Hedgehog also combats at different times). At the end of Silver's story-line, Blaze sacrifices herself by sealing Iblis inside her body with two of the Chaos Emeralds and seemingly disappearing. At the end of the game, it was made so Iblis never existed, causing the events of the game to never happen, meaning that Blaze should still alive. A common theory that writer Ian Flynn also agrees with is that Blaze had removed herself from the universe/dimension and was rewritten after the events of the game were erased into always having lived in the parallel world seen in the other games. The possibility that she and Silver never even met each other is never clarified in the games universe, as in all future appearances they never appear together in their mutual stories and neither of them ever mention each other. Current comic writer Ian Flynn brought an end to the confusion-at least with regards to the comic continuity-when he thoroughly detailed how Blaze and Silver never met. (1) It is unknown if this theory is still viable given the events of the games becoming canon to the comic series. At the Sonic Boom 2012, Takashi Iizuka confirmed that Blaze comes from the alternate dimension. Featured Article	i don't know
In the classic video game, what colour hair do the titular Lemmings have?	Lemmings (Video Game) - TV Tropes The Adventures of Lomax , a pure Platform Game and Spiritual Successor to the non-Lemmings game The Misadventures of Flink. Lemmings on PSP was a remake of the original, with a very nice graphical overhaul and added level editor. It was later ported to PS2 where it gained a number of Eyetoy levels where players use their body to form a path Lemmings on the PS3 was a PSN download which returned to pure 2D. New mechanics included levels shrouded in darkness, so only the areas around torch-carrying Lemmings could be seen, bubbles that increased the number of tools you had, and clone vats that would copy the first lemming to walk by them, actually increasing the number of lemmings you have. And even more traps and ways to die. And various spin-offs or rip-offs by other companies, that generally nobody's ever heard of, such as Critters. Lemmings provides examples of the following tropes: Aborted Arc : Lemmings 2: The Tribes featured 12 tribes trying to escape their doomed homeland and its sequel, Lemmings Chronicles, dealt with those same tribes colonizing a new island chain they discovered , with one island per tribe. Chronicles followed three of the tribes from Lemmings 2: the Classic , Shadow, and Egyptian tribes. The other nine were supposed to be handled in subsequent sequels, but Tribes arc was abandoned after Chronicles and subsequent games pretty much pretend it never happened. Bizarre Puzzle Game : One of the classically bizarre ones. Brutal Bonus Level : The five exclusive SUNSOFT levels in the SNES version. For those curious, these five "SUNSOFT Specials" reappear in the Genesis version as the following levels: SUNSOFT 27, Two heads are better... SUNSOFT 29, I am A.T. Present 29, Private room available Present 30, Final impediment Mayhem 30, Lemmings' ark Choose Your Own Adventure : Two gamebooks, based on The Tribes, were published. Success revolved around choosing the right selection of abilities to bring into each area. The Coconut Effect : Obviously, the Lemmings' behaviour is closer to the public idea of lemmings than reality. Lemmings don't actually rush to death in mass suicide, but they do move in extremely large numbers when necessary. While doing so they may cross bodies of water and some of them will drown, resulting in the legend of mass suicide. (Also, they don't have green hair and blue outfits, and it's very difficult to teach them to build bridges.) Continuity Nod : Lemmings 2: The Tribes's intro references having saved the lemmings to bring them to their present homeland with an elder talking to a child, ending with the two lemmings turning to face "the guide who saved us before" — you. Just as the second Lemmings game was called "Oh No! More Lemmings," the second Egyptian-themed level in Lemmings 3D is called "Oh No! More Pyramids!" Cool Airship : The Ark in Tribes and Chronicles. Critical Existence Failure : Falling is like this for Lemmings. There are only two outcomes - walk away completely unharmed or spatter into a gory, pixellated mess. Lampshaded in the instruction manuals, which point out that the difference between the two is a single pixel. Lemmings 3D attempted to address this by adding an additional level between these two: if it's a height big enough that they shouldn't walk out completely unscathed, but not big enough to kill them outright, the lemmings will fall down unconscious on impact and remain like this for a few seconds before getting up and continuing as normal. Difficulty Spike : The Fun levels and the first half of Tricky have a relatively gentle curve where you normally have 20 of every skill and just have to endure more and more complicated layouts, something a novice can generally get through without too many problems. Once you hit Tricky 15 though, the difficulty climbs very quickly, as you are introduced to levels that require precision bombing (without the aid of Blockers) and lateral thinking. The first 20 levels of Oh No! More Lemmings are painfully easy and can be solved with minimal effort. Once you get out of the Tame difficulty setting, however, the game instantly becomes Nintendo Hard and doesn't let up until you've finished. In Lemmings 2: The Tribes, generally, the ten levels of each tribe gradually increase in difficulty. However, for some reason, the game designers saw fit to make the painfully hard "Snow More Lems" the third level of the Polar Tribe. Driven to Suicide : The Lemme Fatale in Chronicles uses her Compelling Voice to cause any Lemmings who come near her to fall madly in love, then kill themselves a few seconds later. Dummied Out : Many ports don't include the unique Shout-Out levels or the All the 6's level. Also, these ports tend not to include the music tracks based on "How much is that Doggie in the Window" and "Little Town of Bethlehem". The crystal tile-set contains a functional shredder trap that does not appear in any of the official levels. Dungeon Bypass : Multiple levels can be solved in a completely unintended way, e.g. by bashing inside the floor and under the whole level. (This is the mildest example; often, these backroutes require the use of Good Bad Bugs . Sometimes, they are also more difficult [or MUCH more difficult] than the regular solution, but allow you to save more lemmings.) There's also at least one completely intentional alternate solution: "Cascade" (see below). Embedded Precursor : Lemmings Paintball came bundled with Windows-compatible versions of the original Lemmings and Oh No! More Lemmings. Arguably, more people bought the game for this bonus than for the featured game, especially since ONML had already fallen out of print at the time. Enthralling Siren : The Lemme Fatale in Chronicles, with deadly results. Everybody Lives : Always an aim, but equally not always possible - making a lemming a bomber is a death sentence, and most blockers are just as doomed. An early level in 3D Lemmings called "Hole in Ten" requires you to save all (ten) of your lemmings. It also, however, requires a blocker. The solution? Cross back, liberate him from his platform, and guide him to the exit just like everybody else. Luckiest blocker in the game. Just this once, everybody lives! Similarly, in Mayhem Level 20 of the original game, the only solution involves using a blocker and later saving him. For many players, this is where they first discovered that doing so is even possible. Chronicles used this as a selling point - it was the first game in the series where it was always possible to save every Lemming in the stage, if you were careful (and, occasionally, pick up a few more along the way). Fake Difficulty : The randomness that arises from trying to assign a skill to a lemming out of a large group moving in opposite directions. Bashing through the wrong wall, for example, could easily send the entire group plummeting to their doom. In 3D Lemmings, one tool allowed you to click on a specific lemming amidst a group to highlight it, and then assign a skill. In Lemmings Revolution, you can pause the game and zoom in really close, making it a lot easier. In the first game, there's a level with a hidden exit, which is easily memorized. (Fortunately, it is also easily found.) In "Oh No! More Lemmings", there is a level with TWO entrances and exits, but one of each are hidden from view and you have to find them. (Again, easily remedied, especially with the mini-map.) Family-Unfriendly Death : The Lemmings can die in rather graphic ways such as being crushed under building bricks, smashed into the ground by the Potato Beast with blood squirting from under his fist, and picked up by the Buzzard with the top hat that tears its head off and crushes it under its talons with blood spraying everywhere from the victim's headless body. Feelies : Lemmings 2 (the Amiga version at least) included a prologue in the form of an honest-to-god, colour-illustrated children's book about the somewhat inept Jimmy B. McLemming's mission to warn the other tribes to bring their talismans. McLemming's exploits continued in the manual for the sequel, Lemmings Chronicles, before the entire storyline was dropped from the franchise. Fighting for a Homeland : After their own homeland is destroyed in Lemmings 2, the Lemming tribes have to colonize an island chain in Lemmings Chronicles and free said islands from roaming monsters. Genre-Busting : Games of this style are still relatively rare. (They're most commonly called "save-'em-ups.") Getting Crap Past the Radar : The level titled "What a load of old blocks!" Gimmick Level : Oh No! More Lemmings has a couple of notable ones: Wicked 2, Introducing SUPERLEMMING. The lone lemming moves twice as fast - the last part of the level requires a lot of quick-fire skill setting as a result. Havoc 10, Flow Control. Only one lemming is actually assigned a skill (a Builder), but to achieve the required percentage saved, you have to constantly turn the release rate up and down to control the flow of lemmings from the trapdoor. Hard Mode Filler : The first game was particularly bad about making you replay early levels, only with the challenge made more difficult in some way, usually by either shortening the amount of time you have to complete the level or giving you a more limited set of skills to work with (or both). Sort of an inversion, in fact, as the hard versions were created first. However, the designers realized they needed a lot more easy levels than what they had, so they took a lot of the hard ones they had created and reduced the difficulty, then placed the easy levels first in the game. Idiosyncratic Episode Naming : Each level designer had a different theme for the names they gave their levels. Mike Dailly's titles were hints to what the player needed to do, while Gary Timmons made titles based on pop culture references. Luck-Based Mission : Mayhem Level 24, "All or Nothing", which is a one in eight chance of victory on certain platforms. In versions which allow you to assign skills to Lemmings walking in a specific direction, this level can be solved with no effort at all. There's also a trick to make the level easy on any version: Move the cursor to the side opposite of which you want to bash, and click as far to that side as possible. Notable Original Music : Track " Lemming 2 " Number of the Beast : The infamous Tricky Level 21, "All the 6's......", removed or renamed in several versions. The level takes the shape of three giant 6s, the Lemmings have 66 of each skill, 66% of 66 Lemmings must be saved, and the player has, you guessed it, 6 minutes to save them. The title is a reference to Bingo. One-Hit-Point Wonder : Lemmings cannot survive anything. Except for walking. And some falls. And explosions caused by other lemmings. Obviously Evil : The iconic spinning shredder traps that first appear on Fun 9 are very clearly something you should not walk near. from the PC version features a chord progression that's often mistaken for Pachelbel's Canon, but in fact is somewhat different. Parasol Parachute : The Floater lemmings, who can survive long drops by using their umbrellas as parachutes. Pause Scumming : In Revolution, when you blow up a lemming with the "bomber" command, just before exploding, the lemming in question crouches. If you pause while he's crouching, you can give him another command (like "build") and thus save him from exploding. Naturally, this helps a lot on levels that require every lemming to be saved, though in fact no level absolutely requires the trick. Pixel Hunt : Two forms. One, one of the ways to avoid the problem mentioned in Luck-Based Mission was to find perfect placement for the crosshairs such that it would only let you select a lemming going the correct direction. Two, choosing where, exactly, to initiate a given job (most notably, builders and miners, although any other than climbers and floaters could run into this) could be the difference between success and failure in later levels, so finding the perfect pixel to use a job could be maddening on harder levels. Public Domain Soundtrack : Each version has this. Some examples from the first game: " The Cancan Song " (Offenbach), "Dance of the Little Swans" (Tchaikovsky), "Dance of the Reed Flutes" (Tchaikovsky), "Alla Turca" (Mozart), "London Bridge Is Falling Down" (traditional), and "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" (traditional). ("Dance of the Reed Flutes" (aka "Dance of the Toy Flutes", aka "Dance of the Mirlitons") is probably best known in Britain as "Everyone's a Fruit and Nut Case". That may be why DMA included it.) Lemmings 2: The Tribes used "Entry of the Gladiators" (Fucik), "Sobre las Olas" (Rosas), "Loch Lomond" (traditional), "English Country Garden" (traditional), and "Frosty the Snowman" (Rollins, Nelson). Schizophrenic Difficulty : For the Genesis version, the Present difficulty sits between Mayhem and SUNSOFT, and is much easier than either of them - more on par with Taxing. In the vanilla version, this makes a slight appearance in that some of the later Tricky levels are harder than the early Taxing levels. The Taxing level "Take a running jump..." is far easier than most Tricky levels if one knows how. The "official" solution (as featured in most walkthroughs) is to sacrifice the leading lemming to plug the tiny gap at the right, thereby preventing the rest from climbing onto a ledge and falling from there to their deaths; but it's much easier to build a landing ramp going under the ledge, which makes the drop non-fatal and incidentally makes it possible to save all lemmings, rather than all but one. Schmuck Bait : Any level that requires you to save 100% and still gives you the Bomber skill. Although you can save bombers in Revolutions, as mentioned under Pause Scumming . Sequel Difficulty Spike : Oh No! More Lemmings Sequence Breaking : Some of the harder levels have quite intricate solutions that give you just enough tools to carry through, but fall victim to Good Bad Bugs (like being able to partially penetrate steel plates), plain ingenuity or a designer oversight that allows quicker completion with tools left over. Fan-made level designers coined the term 'backroute' for any solution to a level that they did not intend, the metaphor being that a house owner tries to make it as difficult as possible to get in through the front, but leaves a back door open. A nice showcase would be this playthrough of SUNSOFT 19 of the Genesis version . Shout-Out Four levels in the original Amiga release (and its various direct ports) use graphics from and are named after other Psygnosis games of the time, including Shadow of the Beast , Menace, Awesome, and Shadow of the Beast II. In addition, many of the level names contain pop culture references, especially in ONML. And the Sega Mega Drive version, developed by Sunsoft, includes an exclusive level based on Sunsoft's NES game Ufouria . Lemmings 2: The Tribes: In most versions of the game, the Space Tribe has a rendition of "Blue Danube" as its background music, in reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey . A number of the level names are references to films, literature or common catchphrases (often replacing an object or creature with "Lemming"); examples include: "We all fall down" - the last line of "Ring-a-ring-a-roses". "Origins and lemmings" - a play on "oranges and lemons". "Luvly Jubly"- the catchphrase of Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses . Evidently, SUNSOFT did not get this chiefly British reference when they ported the game, as the level was renamed to "Lovely jubilee". "The Steel Mines of Kessel" - Star Wars . "Welcome to the party, pal" - Die Hard . Slippy-Slidey Ice World : In 3D Lemmings. Additionally, the Polar levels in Lemmings 2, which featured slippery ice that would cause the lemmings to fall without the Skater skill. Soundtrack Dissonance : There are songs both light and intense in the soundtrack and they get reused all over the place, but there's a noticeable tendency for some of the more frustrating levels to have something warm and poppy playing in the background. Super Drowning Skills : Sure, some of the water looks like it could be acid, lava, or a mass of writhing weeds, but there's plain and simple blue water as well. Lemmings 2 gives you the Swimmer ability. The Theme Park Version : It's a game about suicidal lemmings. That's all you need to know. Timed Mission : All levels have a time limit. Most of the time it's long enough not to be an issue, although on some levels the difficulty derives from completing an otherwise-straightforward puzzle in a very short time. Too Dumb to Live : The Lemmings, all of them. The whole point of the game is to keep them alive despite this. Trial-and-Error Gameplay : Death traps without any indication to their existence? How nice. Bonus points for putting it a few pixels before the exit. Unwinnable by Mistake : One of the levels in Lemmings Revolution is unwinnable; the platform the Lemmings start on is too high for them to survive the fall from, and you need to save all of them to complete the level. Do the math. It's fixable via a fanmade patch, although thankfully the nonlinear structure of the game means you never have to play the offending level in the first place. Video Game Cruelty Potential : "Oh no!" pop pop pop pop pop! In theory, the Nuke button is there to quickly shortcut to the results screen if the final result is known (either a guaranteed success or failure ). From almost the beginning, players have enjoyed instead using it because they enjoy watching every lemming pop in an explosion of confetti. The chorus of "Oh no!" heard when activating this is just the satisfying icing on the cake. It's surprisingly fun to watch them get mangled in the various traps... or fall from a great height and go SPLAT. Or to time a bomber so that they explode while falling and produce a comet. One level from Holiday Lemmings 94 requires the nuke button in order to emulate the bombers, which are not provided on that level. It's also worth noting that almost all later versions of the game after the original Amiga version include a shortcut to skip to the results (Escape on the PC, Start+A on the Genesis, Cmd-A on the Mac, etc), making the nuke button purely for unadulterated cruelty. Walk Like an Egyptian : The Egyptian tribe from Lemmings 2 and Chronicles does this. :: Indexes ::	Green (disambiguation)
In the painting ‘Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy’ by David Hockney, who or what is Percy?	Lemmings for Amiga (1991) - MobyGames Not an American user? Description Your task is to rescue the Lemmings across 120 levels of fast-paced puzzling. These creatures simply walk blindly through the world in the hope of reaching safety at the end of the level - unfortunately these levels include steep drops, gaps in the ground, barriers and rivers amongst other hazards. You are in control not of any individual Lemming, but of a cross-hair, which can be moved over any of the Lemmings. Along the bottom are a selection of functions which can be assigned to a Lemming, including climbing, floating and bashing. You must click to select the appropriate function, then click on the Lemming to activate it. Each level has a different range of skills on offer, a different amount of Lemmings, and a different percentage target in order to progress. Trivia 666 level The original Lemmings had a strong edge of macabre imagery in it, perhaps to offset the excessively "cutesy" look and feel of the lemmings themselves. This is particularly prevalent on the "Hell" levels on which the exit portal is a horned pig's head, and especially on level 14 of the "Tricky" difficulty rating (the level title is "MENACING!!") which contains several skeleton limbs hanging from what appears to be dripping blood, and a large skull with a snake crawling through its eye sockets. Probably most (in)famous of all, however, is level 21 on the "Tricky" difficulty rating, entitled "All the 6's........" and consisting entirely of a playfield which is shaped like the number 666. It also contains a total of 66 lemmings, requires 66% to be saved, provides 66 of each skill, and provides 6 minutes in which to finish. Like many pop culture references to the number 666, this was meant as a joke and wasn't intended as an overt reference to Satanism or anything else of that nature, but the matter was sensitive enough that the "Menacing" and 666 levels were removed from several versions of the game that were released for family-friendly consoles. Another level cut from some versions was "A beast of a level" which may have been removed simply for fear that it was referencing the "Beast" associated with the number 666, although the level title actually references Psygnosis' earlier title Shadow of the Beast . A webpage by Mike Dailly (founder of DMA Design ) documenting the history of DMA explains that the 666 level originated when Mike wanted to make a 5-themed level, but he couldn't get the level to require 55% of the lemmings to be saved without changing the number of lemmings. Then, thinking of the other Hell levels in the game, he thought of 666 and opted to go with that. He also expresses surprise at how strong a reaction the level got, particularly since from his perspective, players are actually rescuing the lemmings from Hell into a better place. 1001 Video Games Lemmings appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott. Amiga Power survey This was the most popular choice when Amiga Power magazine asked a number of famous programmers which Amiga game they wish they'd written and why. Archer MacLean was impressed by its cuteness and attention to detail, while Andy Beveridge said "It's refreshingly different, and fun too... and it's going to make lots of money, I'm sure" - other programmers echoed this final point. Apple IIGS version French programming team calling themselves, "Brutal Deluxe" did a 'unofficial' conversion for Apple IIGS computer in 1997, formally known as "Brutal Deluxe's LemminGS". Mainly based on Atari ST version and contains 10 of 92 levels are in the playable demo. Minimum 700Kb free RAM and System 6. Tool 35 (Midi Synth) part of System 6, 4Mb RAM, Accelerator card and hard drive is recommended. Arcade version An arcade coin-op version of Lemmings was prototyped by Data East (which mainly makes pinball equipment) in 1991, never to be released. It uses the same levels (occasionally edited to remove various things, more on that later), but has fewer levels. It is played with one trackball, one select button, and one start button for each of 2 players. Some differences in this version include: The music is slower, the music quality is lower, there are some new songs, and the songs are apparently not finished (in most of the songs, some of the instruments do not play their parts of the song, and in a very few songs only the background rhythm is there and the other instruments do nothing) The game does not tell you what skills a lemming has when you point at it like most other versions. Lemmings with skills that are not instantly visible (floaters, climbers, etc.) have flashing clothes to set them apart. A high-pitched Lemming voice gives you hints and comments on your performance. This is apparently not entirely implemented, because it frequently tells you to blow Lemmings up for no good reason. The time limit in some levels is completely impossible, due to the slow walking speed of the Lemmings. However, if you run out of time, you can put in more quarters to buy more. Exploding lemmings just sit down and blow up, rather than walking around with a countdown. Therefore, in many levels (notably "Now Use Blockers and Bombers"), the Blockers are available, and the Hint Voice tells you to use them, but they are not needed. Various references to "heaven" and "hell" were replaced with different things. The slight goriness of the game has been toned down a bit, and exploding Lemmings do not "splatter". The button animations are changed so that the debris and bricks in the Basher, Builder, Miner, and Digger match the color of the debris and bricks in the level you are on. Some level names are changed, including a level now named "The Steel Mines of Kessel" in an apparent reference to the planet Kessel in Star Wars. The lemmings occasionally go behind the exit when they should go in front. They still "jump" as if they are going in it, and they can be seen through parts of the exit. The "666" level is not playable, but it is in the game's data ROM. Stored in a location in memory near it is an interesting bunch of text about a conversation between someone at Psygnosis and the VP of Data East relating to the 666 level, the hell references, the "Menacing" level, and an obstacle that appears to pull the skin off the Lemmings. Don't ask me why this is here. Silly programmers. There are a few levels on difficulty level "Mystery" that are completely new. They're incredibly buggy. Atari ST version The software controllable LED of the Atari ST disk drive was used in-game. It blinks when the three last building bricks are used by the bridge builder lemming. Copy protection At least one of the U.S. 3.5" floppy disk releases contained an interesting form of copy protection. In addition to the game randomly asking you on game start-up to insert the 3.5" floppy install disk to verify you have a legitimate copy, the install disk itself was "defective by design". Portions of the disk have an invalid file and/or cluster structure. Running the disk through a disk checking program such as Windows Scandisk will show these errors, but they're all "by design", so it's important that you don't correct them using such a program. Even if you copied the disk using specialized disk copying programs, more often than not, the copy will not be accepted by the game when it asks you to insert the install disk. Heart attack In Watertown, New York, during the spring of 1997, a 78-year old man was hospitalized (in critical condition) due to a heart attack, which he suffered when he entered the basement for the first time of the furniture store he owned and was surprised to find hundreds and hundreds of 5-foot Lemmings cardboard cutouts staring at him. The creepy green-haired critters gave him such a shock that he keeled over and went into cardiac arrest. After hearing of this and recognizing the cutouts (referred to as "lifesize zombie cutouts" by the TV news) as Lemmings, Tony Gies asked both Psygnosis and DMA Design about the cutouts. Neither of them had any records or memory of making the cutouts, and nobody knew how they got into the base ment of the store -- which this man had owned and used as a furniture store for about 20 years. Spooky. References The level 22 in the Fun difficulty setting, which is named as "A Beast of a Forest" was designed as a tribute to the Psygnosis' big action hit on the Amiga (where Lemmings was original created) - Shadow of the Beast. The graphics used in the level resemble the graphics of the first level of the Beast. This level is different from other levels in Lemmings in its use of music as well -- a MOD track taken directly from the "Shadow of the Beast" is played throughout the level while all other levels in Lemmings use FM music. As well as level 22 of Fun difficulty setting there are also Psygnosis tribute levels in the other three difficulty categories. Tricky 14 is a tribute to Menace , Taxing 15 is for Awesome and Mayhem 22 is for Shadow of the Beast II . Terry Pratchett The author Terry Pratchett claimed that he was so addicted to the game that he forced himself to delete it from his hard drive and even wipe the original disks, as he was so worried about missing deadlines due to playing it too much. Version differences All ports contain the 120 standard levels from the Amiga version, with the following exceptions: The Amiga, Atari ST, SNES and Sega Genesis versions contain additional 20 2-player levels. The SNES version contains 5 extra levels. The Genesis version contains 60 of the standard levels and an additional 120 unique levels The Macintosh version of Lemmings contains a different Tricky 21 level, called "Going their separate ways". This level is much harder than the original "All the 6's". The Windows 95, Playstation and Gameboy versions all contain less levels than the original Amiga version. Commodore 64 version contains no 2-player levels and there are only 100 of original levels. There is also no level map in the bottom right corner of the screen and specific for "Lemmings" spoken expressions like "Let's go" and "Oh, no". Awards May 1991 (Issue #00) - #2 in the "All Time Top 100 Amiga Games" Commodore Force December 1993 (Issue 13) – #79 “Readers' Top 100” Commodore Format March 1994 (Issue 42) Heaven – The Path to Righteousness: 20 Essential Games November 1994 (Issue 50) – #2 The All-Time Top 50 C64 Games Computer Gaming World November 1992 (Issue #100) – Action Game of the Year October 1994 (Issue #123) – Introduced into the Hall of Fame November 1996 (15th Anniversary Issue) - #12 in the “150 Best Games of All Time” list November 1996 (15th anniversary issue) –#14 Funniest Computer Game GameStar (Germany) Issue 12/1999 - #35 in the "100 Most Important PC Games of the Nineties" ranking Power Play Issue 02/1992 - Best Computer Game in 1991 Issue 02/1992 - Best Dexterity Game in 1991 Issue 02/1992 - Best Game Idea in 1991 Retro Gamer October 2004 (Issue #9) – #21 Best Game Of All Time (Readers' Vote) ST Format August 1991 (Issue #8) – #9 Top Atari ST Classic Games (Editorial staff vote) January 1993 (issue #42) – #3 in '50 finest Atari ST games of all time' list	i don't know
At which celebrated German art school did the painters Kandinsky, Klee and Albers all lecture?	Josef Albers Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works \| The Art Story Web Services & Hosting by The Computer Studio \| Designed by DesArtLab Bauhaus Bauhaus Bauhaus is a style associated with the Bauhaus school, an extremely influential art and design school in Weimar Germany that emphasized functionality and efficiency of design. Its famous faculty - including Joseph Albers and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - generally rejected distinctions between the fine and applied arts, and encouraged major advances in industrial design. Color Field Painting Color Field Painting A tendency within Abstract Expressionism, distinct from gestural abstraction, Color Field painting was developed by Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, and Clyfford Still in the late 1940s, and developed further by Helen Frankenthaler and others. It is characterized by large fields of color and an absence of any figurative motifs, and often expresses a yearning for transcendence and the infinite. Minimalism Minimalism Minimalism emerged as a movement in New York in the 1960s, its leading figures creating objects which blurred the boundaries between painting and sculpture, and were characterized by unitary, geometric forms and industrial materials. Emphasizing cool anonymity over the passionate expression of the previous generation of painters, the Minimalists attempted to avoid metaphorical associations, symbolism, and suggestions of spiritual transcendence. Abstract Expressionism Abstract Expressionism A tendency among New York painters of the late 1940s and '50s, all of whom were committed to an expressive art of profound emotion and universal themes. The movement embraced the gestural abstraction of Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, and the color field painting of Mark Rothko and others. It blended elements of Surrealism and abstract art in an effort to create a new style fitted to the postwar mood of anxiety and trauma. Paul Klee Paul Klee The Swiss-born painter Paul Klee worked in a variety of styles, including Expressionism, geometric abstraction, and collage. His most famous works have a mystical quality and make use of linear and pictorial symbols. Wassily Kandinsky Wassily Kandinsky A member of the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter, and later a teacher at the Bauhaus, Kandinsky is best known for his pioneering breakthrough into expressive abstraction in 1913. His work prefigures that of the American Abstract Expressionists. Anni Albers Anni Albers German designer and textile artist Anni Albers was the wife of Josef Albers and an influential artist in her own right. Her work reflects the Bauhaus design ethos, where she studied before moving to the United States. Richard Anuszkiewicz Richard Anuszkiewicz American artist Richard Anuszkiewicz developed the geometric investigations of his teacher Josef Albers in new directions. He was a primary leader of the Op Art movement. Eva Hesse Eva Hesse Eva Hesse was a major New York artist whose sculpture, assemblage, and installation brought issues of feminism and the body into Minimalism's formal vocabulary. She is heralded as one of the quintessential Post-Minimalist artists. Walter Gropius Walter Gropius The German architect Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus school of art and design in Weimar Germany. Along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, he is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern architecture. Robert Rauschenberg Robert Rauschenberg Robert Rauschenberg, a key figure in early Pop art, admired the textural quality of Abstract Expressionism but scorned its emotional pathos. His famous "Combines" are part sculpture, part painting, and part installation. Cy Twombly Cy Twombly Cy Twombly is an American artist whose large-scale paintings incorporate writing, scrawls, and graffiti on their surfaces. He combines the gestural quality of Abstract Expressionism with a contemporary interest in language and registers of meaning. Donald Judd Donald Judd Donald Judd was an early and influential Minimalist artist who made large-scale geometric objects, often of industrial materials and serially arranged on the floor or wall. He helped found the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, where many key works of Minimalism are installed. Ray Johnson Ray Johnson Ray Johnson was an American collagist, performance and conceptual artist who is commonly associated with the Pop art movement. Johnson worked closely with other Pop pioneers such as Warhol, Twombly and Rauschenberg, and famously created many collages that incorporated text. John Chamberlain John Chamberlain John Chamberlain is best known for his sculptures made of crushed and twisted automobile parts, works that bring the formal qualities of Abstract Expressionist painting into three dimensions. Geometric Abstraction Geometric Abstraction Geometric abstraction refers to nonobjective art that is based on reductive and geometric principles. At its purest, it seeks to strip art down to its most fundamental shapes and lines. Artists in many different movements and time periods have worked in this mode. Piet Mondrian Piet Mondrian Piet Mondrian, a founding member of the De Stijl movement, was a modern Dutch artist who used grids, perpendicular lines, and the three primary colors in what he deemed Neo-plasticism. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was one of the founding fathers of architectural Modernism. Utilizing modern materials and mass production strategies, his buildings rejected surface ornament in favor of a sleek and imposing geometry. Kazimir Malevich Kazimir Malevich Kazimir Malevich was a Russian modernist painter and theorist who founded Suprematism. Along with his painting Black Square, his mature works feature simple geometric shapes on blank backgrounds. Johannes Itten Johannes Itten Swiss expressionist painter and color theorist Johannes Itten was an influential teacher at the Bauhaus in Weimar Germany. Suprematism Suprematism Suprematism, the invention of Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was one of the earliest and most radical developments in abstract art. Inspired by a desire to experiment with the language of abstract form, and to isolate art's barest essentials, its artists produced austere abstractions that seemed almost mystical. It was an important influence on Constructivism. Futurism Futurism Futurism was the most influential Italian avant-garde movement of the twentieth century. Dedicated to the modern age, it celebrated speed, movement, machinery and violence. At first influenced by Neo-Impressionism, and later by Cubism, some of its members were also drawn to mass culture and nontraditional forms of art. Constructivism Constructivism Russian Constructivism emerged with the Revolution of 1917 and sought a new approach to making objects, one which abolished the traditional concern with composition and replaced it with 'construction,' which called for a new attention to the technical character of materials. It was hoped that these inquiries would yield ideas for mass production. The movement was an important influence on geometric abstraction. Expressionism Expressionism Expressionism is a broad term for a host of movements in early twentieth-century Germany and beyond, from Die Brücke (1905) and Der Blaue Reiter (1911) to the early Neue Sachlichkeit painters in the 1920s and '30s. Many Expressionists used vivid colors and abstracted forms to create spiritually or psychologically intense works, while others focused on depictions of war, alienation, and the modern city. Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning, a Dutch immigrant to New York, was one of the foremost Abstract Expressionist painters. His abstract compositions drew on Surrealist and figurative traditions, and typified the expressionistic 'gestural' style of the New York School. Elaine de Kooning Elaine de Kooning Elaine de Kooning was an important Abstract Expressionist painter and collagist whose work combines gestural energy with formalist investigations. She was married to the famous New York painter Willem de Kooning. Pop Art Pop Art British artists of the 1950s were the first to make popular culture the dominant subject of their art, and this idea became an international phenomenon in the 1960s. But the Pop art movement is most associated with New York, and artists such as Andy Warhol, who broke with the private concerns of the Abstract Expressionists, and turned to themes which touched on public life and mass society.	Bauhaus
Which popular British artist was noted for her affectionate, lyrical paintings of fat people?	More than Parallel Lines: Thoughts on Gestalt, Albers, and the Bauhaus \| Intersecting Colors: Josef Albers and His Contemporaries Intersecting Colors: Josef Albers and His Contemporaries Thoughts on Gestalt, Albers, and the Bauhaus Karen Koehler An undated sketch in the collection of the Anni and Josef Albers Foundation bears a striking resemblance to the well-known Gestalt diagram about the nature of human perception (figs. 13 and 14). First published by Edgar Rubin in 1914, the Gestalt illustration asks the basic question: Do you see a vase or two faces? The point is that there is no absolute answer—what we see depends on what our brains decide is true at a given moment. This simple exercise has been used to demonstrate that we need to interrogate the concrete actualities of images and objects. There are, in fact, different realities—one based on materiality and one based in perception. The drawing by Albers, although perhaps more complex because of the irregularity of the curving lines, suggests that he, too, was working out ideas about how humans perceive figure-ground relationships. Figure 13: Josef Albers, Untitled sketch, n.d. Drawing on paper. The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation (1976.3.547). Figure 14: Figure and Ground Study, after Edgar Rubin, Synsoplevede Figurer: Studier i psykologisk Analyse (Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1915). Taken broadly, these images raise what is perhaps the most essential philosophical question: What is real? And, by extension: Where is meaning located—in materiality, or in our brains? This complex exchange between our cognitive perceptions and the physical substance of objects or images was at the core of the phenomenological problems that interested not only the Gestalt psychologists, but also many Bauhaus teachers as they sought to radicalize the teaching and making of art. As Albers wrote in an essay for Bauhaus 2/3, in 1928, two separate elements are able to form “at least one interesting relation that is more than just the sum of those elements.” [1] Similar to the oft-cited phrase that the “whole is more than the sum of its parts,” the Bauhaus teacher aligned his analysis of formal relationships with the language of Gestalt psychology concurrently evolving in Germany. Or did he? Connections between Gestalt psychology and the pedagogies and artistic practices of the famous art school, the Bauhaus, have been debated for years—most recently in a series of published emails between a group of Bauhaus scholars and the descendants of the original Gestalt psychologists that were published in the journal Gestalt Theory. [2] We do know that there were at least a couple of definite interfaces. In the 1930–31 school year, Karlfried Graf von Dürkheim came from Leipzig to hold a series of lectures on Gestalt at the Bauhaus. Detlef Mertins suggested that it was Hannes Meyer, director of the Bauhaus from 1928 to 1930, who wanted to expose students to connections between “the psychic and the social,” although the invitation to Dürkheim may have come from the student council. [3] According to Hannes Beckmann, who was then a student: “Up until this time design problems were more or less solved on the feeling level. It looked as if the artist asked the scientists for reassurance that they were on the right track. The Gestalt psychologists had, after all, for years investigated how we perceive and interpret form and color in the mind.” [4] Another possible connection, although one based on anecdotal recollection, is a lecture in 1929 at the Bauhaus reportedly given by Karl Duncker, the assistant to the one of the leading figures of the Berlin School of Gestalt psychology, Wolfgang Köhler. Duncker had extended the study of induced motion, central to Gestalt theory, into questions of memory function and environmental perception, and Marianne Teuber wrote in 1973 of the influence of this lecture on the work of Paul Klee. [5] Others have written about similar points of contact, influences, common concepts, and parallel interests. For example, there has been some focus on connections between Gestalt theory and the pedagogies of both Klee and Wassily Kandinsky who contributed to the Vorkurs, the foundations courses at the Bauhaus—the cornerstone of the reformation of art education at the school. In the Vorkurs, instead of mimetic copying, students were taught to focus on the abstract properties of color, form, and material. [6] Yet, outside of a few suggestions of formal comparisons, or second hand stories of the artists mentioning Gestalt, documents that give evidence of precise exchanges between the Bauhaus and the psychologists remain elusive. Inaccurate narratives about the anti-historical nature of the Bauhaus have confused the situation, and the reliance on memoirs or recollections have led to a weak analysis of what any connections between the institutions might have meant. In the 1919 Bauhaus Manifesto, Walter Gropius (the founder and first director of the Bauhaus) spoke of the vielgliedrige Gestalt, or “composite character,” of the work of architecture. In the Manifesto—a proclamation attached to the first official Bauhaus program of study—Gropius wrote of the need for architects, painters and sculptors to come together in the revolutionary aftermath of World War I to create the total work of art. [7] Gropius’s idealized concept of the work of architecture as a Gesamtkunstwerk could be seen as generally Gestalt-like in its holistic vision. In a collection of Bauhaus reminiscences from 1970, T. Lux Feininger wrote of the connections between the Bauhaus and ideas of Gestaltung, or totalities, in Gropius’s early thinking, and in the designation of the Bauhaus as a Hochschule für Gestaltung. [8] In a largely ignored passage of the founding program, Gropius also wrote of his intention to bring to the Bauhaus “training in science and theory.” This included not only the science of materials and of color, but also “art history—not presented in the sense of a history of styles, but rather to further active understanding of historical working methods and techniques.” [9] Gropius linked scientific and art historical theory in the very first publication outlining the directions of his radical new art school, suggesting that he was aware of current debates in the discipline of art history, between Kunstgeschichte (art history) and Kunstwissenschaft (the scientific study of art). [10] In an interview recorded in 1968, nearly five decades later, Albers mentioned an exchange he had in Dessau, with the Gestalt psychologists about his ideas on form. According to Albers, the scientists only confirmed his conclusions that in early childhood we have clearer recognition of three dimensions over two dimensions. [11] Hearing Albers speak these words makes them seem more factual, but there is still a problem here. Does it matter that we are reconstructing this history based on reminiscences? Are we missing the relational aesthetic—what might be seen as a requisite for any Gestaltish-art history of the Bauhaus? I’d like to take a somewhat different approach, and accept for a moment that we are looking at parallel institutions; think of the Bauhaus as one straight line and the Berlin School of Gestalt psychology as another. What would it take to see them as separate but relational, as two parts of a linked historical cluster? What are the connections between these tandem histories and the work of Josef Albers—that is, how might we in fact find the Gestalt in some of his art? • • • The Berlin School began in the first decade of the twentieth century and was firmly established in the immediate postwar period with the appointment of Wolfgang Köhler and Max Wertheimer to posts at the University of Berlin. [12] The Bauhaus was established in 1919 with the appointment of Gropius, although the school was in many ways an outgrowth of prewar developments in the teaching of the applied arts, as well as institutions like the Deutscher Werkbund. [13] In Germany at the time, the relatively new field of psychology—which combined elements of the human and natural sciences—was housed in departments of philosophy. The need to establish experimental laboratories was a continual challenge. The conservatism of the German university system also made it difficult to operate as a laboratory science within the humanistic discipline of philosophy and to introduce the new concepts of Gestalt, which studied human and natural phenomena with the goal of integrating the inanimate object with what was perceived in the mind into a single scientific structure. The Bauhaus was an institution that merged the study of aesthetics with the making of objects, combining theories of form with requisite work in one of the craft studios. Gropius also challenged conservative academic structures when he combined the Weimar School of Arts and Crafts with the Academy of Fine Arts. Each studio at the Bauhaus was led by a craft master and a form master, in order to bring together instruction in the applied arts and the aesthetics of form. Thus, both the Berlin School and the Bauhaus were committed to “role hybridization”; the psychologists were to be philosophers and experimental practitioners, while the Bauhäusler were studying to be both artists and craftsmen (and women) or designers. [14] Both the Gestalt psychologists and the Bauhaus artists lost their positions when the National Socialists came to power; many were forced into exile in the United States and elsewhere. Some of the scientists and artists remained in Germany, and despite the reputation of the Bauhaus and the Berlin School as standing in opposition to fascism, continued to work under the Third Reich. Tools of Weimar psychology were used by the Nazis to determine the suitability of individuals to join the SS, and the plans of Auschwitz were drawn by a Bauhaus-trained architect. [15] After World War II, and during much of the Cold War, both Gestalt psychology and the Bauhaus were historically over-simplified, frequently misunderstood, and eventually fell out of favor—replaced by behaviorism and post-modernism, respectively. Over two decades of new scholarship has transformed the scholarly position of the Bauhaus, including two comprehensive exhibitions in 2009. Rigorous and meticulous books, articles and essay collections began to emerge after German reunification, and these complex analyses of individual artists, mediums, and practices have exposed a different and more diverse Bauhaus, with a complicated historical path. [16] Yet, the “Bauhaus” is still used as a stylistic term, which can somehow stand in for modernism around the globe. The term “Gestalt” was appropriated by what came to be called “Gestalt therapy,” a psychotherapeutic practice that emerged in the 1940s, became especially popular for its “holistic approach” during the 1960s and 70s, and continues as a clinical practice today. Although there is some shared lineage, Gestalt therapy bears almost no resemblance to the rigorous experimental science of the Berlin School. [17] But the question remains: Are these sample elements of their parallel histories simply the result of the same historical and political trajectories? Are they really commonalities or are they rather coincidences? In other words, do the similarities have any meaning? • • • The principal scientists to come out of the Berlin Gestalt group—Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler, as well as Kurt Koffka—rejected previous psychological theories about the role of sensations in the mitigation of materiality and perception. Sensations, according to the Gestalt school, are physical things; they exist in actuality. Perceptions, by contrast, are classified as mental events, and while we may regard them as faithful representations of objective reality, they are not. Frederic Schwartz explains this idea succinctly: “Gestalt psychology represents a theory about the way sensations are ordered by the mind, how sensations (which are external) are turned into perceptions (which define the juncture of living being and world, subject and object.)” [18] Or as Mitchell Ash insists, Wertheimer, Köhler and Koffka never actually claimed “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.” For the Gestaltists, when we experience objects—and relationships between objects—these are “fundamentally different from collections of sensations, parts, or pieces.” [19] What we perceive is based upon structures, upon expected or found patterns of relationships. They were studying the aesthetics of what we recognize as an inherent order to things. Gestalt is not so much about the whole, as it is about relationality—about seeing patterns and forming connections. We know that Josef Albers was intensely interested in the ways in which we perceive colors, separate from their physical realities—in this way, he was concerned with the Gestalt of colors. As other essays in this volume show, the origins of his approach to color was complex, multi-causal, and principally the result of his experimentations in his post-Bauhaus years. [20] Instead, this essay will turn to examples of Albers’s Bauhaus designs in order to demonstrate his interest in what the Gestalt psychologists identified as our inherent cognitive tendency to constellate—that is, we perceive separate shapes in terms of patterns rather than individually. We conceptually group together forms due to their proximation, and we see elements that look alike as belonging together. I believe that the best evidence of Gestalt at the Bauhaus is in the way that Albers anticipated and manipulated this perceptual phenomenon. Figure 15: Josef Albers, Bei Haus 2 (At Home 2), 1928-1929. Two gelatin silver prints mounted on paperboard. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, gift of the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation (96.4502.4). For example, in a work called Bei Haus 2 (At Home 2) from 1928-1929, Albers mounted two photographs, stacked, of trees and their shadows (fig. 15). There are two sets of patterns working simultaneously—the bare trees create a constellated pattern of vertical lines, while the shadows create a second set of horizontal lines that operate as a separate pattern. Which shadow comes from which tree is indistinguishable—and irrelevant. Furthermore, when seen together, the trees (or shadows) in each of the two photographs combine to create a shared relational structure that jumps from one image to the next. Significantly, these are photographs, not paintings. These relationships occurred in nature (botanical and atmospheric) and were made by nature (the mechanical and chemical properties of photography and the synapses of the brain). Albers saw them, captured them with his camera, and produced two gelatin silver prints. At first we see the phenomenon as simply objective—something that occurred in the physical world. However, the doubling effect of the two photographs demonstrates that they are, in fact, not something that simply occurred in the material world, or something that is sensed as natural phenomena. As the patterns move from one picture to the next, and create a structure of pure lines and shapes, it is clear that this abstracting phenomenon is a matter of perception. This kind of patterning is precisely what Albers constructed in his “Skyscraper” series from 1929 (fig. 16). In these sandblasted glass paintings, Albers used a series of stacked horizontal shapes to create his forms. Yet, because of their repetition and their proximity, we read them first as a series of vertical shapes. It is only at the moment of the second, analytical look that we become aware that the “skyscraper” forms are made of identical horizontal forms. Figure 16: Josef Albers, Hochbauten [Skyscrapers], ca. 1929. Sandblasted glass with black paint, 13 3/8 x 13 1/8 in. (34 x 33.5 cm). The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation (1976.6.9). This perceptual tendency to constellate shapes was demonstrated in illustrations for Wertheimer’s article on “Gestalt laws” in an issue of Psychologische Forschung published as a Festschrift for Carl Stumpf in 1923. One example presents rows of circles and dots to reveal the organizing tendencies in vision, specifically the effects of proximity and similarity (fig. 17). Figure 17: Excerpts from Max Wertheimer, “Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt” (“Investigations on Gestalt Principles”), Psychologische Forschung, special issue (Festschrift: Carl Stumpf), 1923, 308–309. A translation of the text in this figure is given at note 21. Two other works by Albers from 1923—Fruit Bowl, or his Tea Glass with Saucer and Stirrer—show that he was also well aware of the relational, clustering properties of circles and spheres (figs. 18 and 19). Figure 18: Josef Albers, Fruit Bowl, 1924. Silver-plated metal, glass, and wood, 3 5/8 x 16 3/4 in. (9.2 x 42.5 cm). Manufactured by Bauhaus Metal Workshop, Germany. Gift of Walter Gropius. The Museum of Modern Art (190.1958). Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. Figure 19: Josef Albers, Tea glass with saucer and stirrer, 1925. Heat resistant glass, chrome-plated steel, ebony, porcelain; glass: 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 in. (5.7 x 8.9 cm); saucer diameter: 4 1/4 in. (10.5 cm); stirrer: 4 x 1/2 in. (10.3 x 1.1 cm). The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation (2006.17.1). We are drawn to see the black spheres in relationship to each other, despite their separation on either side of the glass forms, just as in the Wertheimer illustration where we concentrate on the circles of the same size, despite the sections between them, which are made of circles of a different size. [21] Another example that expands the workings of these relational structures, and the foundational principals of perceptual organization, is one of Albers’s best-known works, his Stacking Tables from 1927 (fig. 20). Figure 20: Josef Albers, Stacking Tables, ca. 1927. Ash veneer, black lacquer, and painted glass, 15 5/8 x 16 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. (39.2 x 41.9 x 40 cm); 18 5/8 x 18 7/8 x 15 3/4 in. (47.3 x 48 x 40 cm); 24 5/8 x 23 5/8 x 15 7/8 in. (62.6 x 60.1 x 40.3 cm). The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation (2000.5.3a–d). Both functional and playful, these tables not only have the same constellated characteristics of horizontal and vertical groupings, they are also dynamic—we can arrange (and perceive) the groupings according to proximities that we control. The “Gestalt switch” is thrown not only through pictorial experimentation, but also in a purposefully designed functional set of objects. Albers’s tables make up a constantly shifting set of groupings, and because of the descending/ascending colored surfaces create a subtle perception of movement even when they are still. This perceptual phenomenon bares some resemblance to Max Wertheimer’s groundbreaking 1912 experiments (fig. 21). Figure 21: Diagram for motion experiments, Max Werthemer, “Experimentelle Studien über das Sehen von Bewegen,” Zeitscrift für Psychologie 61 (1912): 262, 264. A translation of the text in this figure is given at note 22. Based on a complicated series of experiments with an apparatus known as the tachistoscope, Wertheimer proved that apparent (as opposed to real) motion is a particular kind of visual illusion in which the subjects experience shapes in motion even though the stimuli are stationary. [22] Some of the chairs designed by Albers, such as his armchair for Hans Ludwig and Margarete Oesler, Berlin, 1928, seem to play precisely with these ideas about perceived motion—enhanced in this case by the difference between the light and dark woods (fig. 22). Figure 22: Josef Albers, Armchair for Dr. Oeser, Berlin, 1928. Facsimile reproduction by Jeff Jamieson (2007). Walnut and maplewood veneer, upholstered in Anni Albers’s Chenille Stripe fabric by Maharam, 29 1/8 × 24 1/4 × 26 1/2 in. (74 × 61.5 × 67.4 cm). The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. According to Wertheimer, our brains perceive motion where there is none, and surely there is also a connection to this kind of perceived motion in the imagined weightlessness of many Bauhaus chair designs—not only those designed by Albers, but also by Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. To be clear, in Gestalt terms, we experience the forms of these photographs, paintings, glassware, tables, and chairs, not only because they have structures, but because they are structures. We don’t just mentally absorb the rhyming forms; they become visual wholes at the moment when we perceive them, and it is our perception that activates them. The shapes that exist in the works of art also exist in our perception. They are not established by a binary of images and a representation of those images, but by structural principals that are similar in both the objects and our mental processes. Certainly this kind of “Gestalt seeing” was not the only theoretical resource that influenced Albers’s work at the Bauhaus. For example, Kandinsky’s book, Point and Line to Plane—published as a Bauhausbücher in 1926—also explored in some detail the properties of repeating lines and shapes. Indeed, many provocative comparisons can be drawn between the illustrations in Kandinsky’s treatise and Albers’s art from approximately this time. Furthermore, like the Gestaltists, Kandinsky wrote of the need for a desired unison, or harmony, between what he called the “inner” and “outer” and encouraged an understanding of composition as: the internally purposive subordination 1. of individual elements 2. of the structure [construction] to a concrete pictorial goal. [23] Yet, Kandinsky always maintained a distinction between the image and the viewer, and relied on sensations to link the object and subject—precisely what the Gestaltists disavowed as too exclusively of the physical world. Whether or not we accept Gestalt theory as convincing—or Bauhaus theory for that matter—an important takeaway is that by collapsing perception into form, the Gestaltist implied that objects have meanings as well as qualities. In other words, because we cognitively activate form, we give abstract shapes conceptual content. In fact, seeing the Gestalt in art exposes the multiplicities of meaning that are possible in any given perceived object or image. Albers, then, created his designs with an implicit understanding that humans operate with innate mental formulas that determined the way we perceive objects. These are not just abstract shapes and forms. They are, in fact, all content—a fusion of mind and matter. • • • If we think back to our two parallel institutions—our two parallel lines of the Bauhaus and the Berlin School—and see a correlation there, then it follows that this historical relationality should mean something. These institutions both were complex organizations born of, yet challenging to, the culture of the Weimar Republic. The search for new ways to describe the phenomena of parts and wholes, things and ideas, was surely linked to the traumas and catastrophic changes of the first part of the twentieth century, culminating in World War I and the German Revolution: Rapid industrialization and mechanization; drastic changes to the organization of labor; new forms of communication such as the radio and cinema and the consequent growth of mass audiences. The “crisis in science” that helped propel the Gestalt psychologists was part of the same social and economic equation that caused an upheaval in the realms of art, architecture, photography, and applied design, and which therefore contributed to the creation of institutions like the Bauhaus. As Ash writes, the German psychologists had become immersed in the debates “over matters of the soul in a modernizing society” and this comment could apply just as easily to the artists of the Bauhaus. [24] Gropius’s call for a vielgliedrige Gestalt in art and architecture, and the Gestaltists’s call for unity of mind and matter, were surely both part of a desire for wholeness that stretched across classes, parties, and professions in Weimar Germany, as individuals and institutions searched for a way to make sense of a disrupted world and to redefine what it meant to be human in a country that had been so deeply fractured by violence and upheaval. Is a Gestalt-inspired history of the Bauhaus possible to construct? If we accept the importance of connected structures, such a history would require a methodology in which everything becomes part of the reconstruction—past, present, evidentiary, archived, recorded and remembered. As we have seen, much of the history of Gestalt at the Bauhaus is based on the unscientific data of anecdote and recollection. Furthermore, the premise of Gestalt theory is that the way in which humans perceive material structures must be universal. If all human beings possess innate neural mechanisms that reduce complex images to simpler, more concise forms and consistently see the same patterns and groupings, perceptions are not subjective and cannot be individually or contextually determined. Variations in human perception brought about by ethnicity, geography or chronology—in other words, historical contexts—have no place in those relations between thing and thinking, or between shape and recognition, that characterize Berlin Gestalt at its core. Gestalt theory, therefore, seems to reject its use as a methodology based in temporal analysis, and the Bauhaus as an institution reflective of its moment in time is uneasily examined by Gestalt’s universalist eye. However, some experimental psychologists insisted on the inclusion of time in the process. In his critique of the overly objective findings of the Berlin group, Felix Krueger emphasized the importance of feeling and will in our desire to create “cultured wholes.” [25] The insistence on generalized characteristics was also complicated by Wertheimer’s later studies, in which he explored how perception is influenced by memory practices, and recognized that memory is individualized as well as culturally determined. [26] Regardless, the abstract, formal properties explored in Bauhaus designs and the psychological universalisms revealed in Gestalt experiments did not change the historical circumstances of the artists and scientists. Both groups were seen as part of a dangerous leftist intelligentsia, and the work of the Bauhaus artists and Gestalt psychologists were viewed with derision as the Weimar Republic moved further and further to the right. The Bauhaus was closed for good shortly after a raid of their temporary quarters in Berlin in 1933, having been shut down by the Nazi party in Dessau the year before. Although it continued to operate under Nazi supervision until 1942, by 1935 Köhler and his associates had been forced out. The Jewish backgrounds of many of the scientists, such as Wertheimer, affected their ability to gain academic posts, publish, and ultimately led to their dismissal and in many cases, emigration. This was also true for Bauhäuslers like Anni Albers, who left Germany for the U.S. in 1933 with her husband Josef. • • • It is worth looking here at one more documented contact between a Gestaltist and the Bauhaus. In 1927 Rudolf Arnheim visited Dessau to write a review of the Bauhaus building for the journal Weltbühne, where he worked as a cultural critic and editor. Trained in Berlin by Köhler and Wertheimer, Arnheim did not go on to practice experimental psychology. Rather, he developed a unique, Gestalt-inspired cultural criticism. Arnheim is mostly known today for his writings on film and art theory, composed after his emigration to the U.S., including two influential texts, Toward a Psychology of Art (1949) and Art and Visual Perception (1954). In a letter to Roy Behrens many years later, Arnheim dismissed his visit to the Bauhaus as insignificant—“it was summer and nobody, either famous or infamous, was around that I recall.” [27] Yet, his essay can offer rich insights into the institutional exchanges that we have been considering. Arnheim began by setting the Bauhaus building apart from its territory: “Separated by the railway from the thick nest of dusty, peak-roofed, small-town houses and so already isolated in their exterior setting, sit two gigantic, blindingly white blocks…” He went on: The will to cleanliness, clarity, and boldness in design has won a victory here…. Every single thing shows its design: no screw is hidden, no decorative carved work to conceal which raw material has been processed there. One is solely tempted to evaluate this honesty also in moral terms. [28] Arnheim referred to the Bauhaus as a “house of pure function” and described the building in strikingly Gestaltish terms: “a house containing a thousand different things that can be perceived as a structured totality…. Everything depends on how one thing relates to another.” The Bauhaus, he wrote, represents a “generally valid psychological phenomenon that leads to very similar results from different people.” And, although he did not hesitate to add that the building is perhaps guilty of pretension, he affirms that it is “so good that, for the moment, nothing else is important…. The point is made here more clearly than ever that the practical is really at the same time the beautiful.” [29] Arnheim found exactly those kinds of relationships between structures and cognition that emerged from Gestalt experiments in perception: Patterns and structures in the physical substance of the building are perceived by the viewer as a similarly structured totality. At the same time, two concepts, the moral and the beautiful, distinguish Arnheim’s analysis and seem to underscore a different kind of result, one that links these formal properties to something beyond the building itself—to what are surely subjective notions of beauty, while perhaps also signaling the relationship of the Bauhaus to the moral values of his time. Moreover, in one of his first essays published in English, in 1943, Arnheim claimed that the Gestalt approach was simply a scientific “style,” analogous to styles in art. He placed the scientific movement in the past, as part of a wave of “romanticism” in Germany—with a “kinship to poets and thinkers of the past, the nearest in time being Goethe.” [30] Writing now against the backdrop of yet another world war, Arnheim saw Gestalt psychology as a project of the past—a movement to save the study of perception from rationalism and restore to it a vitality of the human spirit. The reference to Goethe, as a pinnacle of poetic German culture, was surely meant to set him and others like him apart from the brutal repressions of the Nazi regime. • • • As discussed above, Albers wrote in 1928: Adding one element to another element should yield at least one interesting relation that is more than just the sum of those elements. The more variable and intensive the relations that arise, the more valuable the result, the more productive the work. [31] Not only was Albers describing his own teaching method at the Bauhaus, he was clearly echoing the ideas of Gestalt as he understood them. He was also giving us a prescription for how we might think about these artists, scientists, and thinkers, seen against the backdrop of a troubled moment in history. Precise conclusions might remain elusive—the relationships might be variable—but we learn much about art, history, and science through our comparative efforts. Josef Albers, “Werklicher Formunterricht,” cited in Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, “Interacting with Albers,” AA Files 67 (2013), 120. There are two different versions of this essay, translated as “Teaching Form Through Practice.” The first, published in Bauhaus 2/3 (1928) can be seen in facsimile on the Albers Foundation website, along with a translation by Frederick Amrine, Frederick Horowitz, and Nathan Horowitz, http://albersfoundation.org/teaching/josef-albers/texts/#tab0 . Albers published another version three years later in VI Internationaler Kongress für Zeichne, Kunstunterricht und Angewandte Kunst in Prague, 1928 (Prague, 1931). This later version was included in a special issue on Albers, AA Files 67 (2013): 129–131. According to the endnotes, this was a revised version of a translation first published in Hans M. Wingler, Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1969). Pelkonen references the 1928 original in her essay, and offers some of the sharpest insights into Albers’ philosophy; I am deeply indebted not only to the material in her essay, but also its approach. See also: Crétien van Campen, “Early Abstract Art and Experimental Gestalt Psychology” Leonardo 30:2 (1997); 133–136; Roy Behrens, “Art Design and Gestalt Theory” Leonardo 31:4 (1998); 299–303; Julia Moszkowicz, “Gestalt and Graphic Design: An Exploration of the Humanistic and Therapeutic Effects of Visual Organization,” Design Issues, 27:4 (Autumn 2011); 56–67; Frederick A. Horowitz and Brenda Danilowitz, Josef Albers: To Open Eyes: The Bauhaus Black Mountain and Yale (London: Phaidon, 2006). ↵ “Gestalt Theory and Bauhaus—A Correspondence Between Roy Behrens, Brenda Danilowitz, William S. Huff, Lothar Spillmann, Gerhard Temberger and Michael Wertheimer in the Summer of 2011,” Introduction and Summary by Geert-Jan Boudewignse, Gestalt Theory 34:1 (2012), 81–98. ↵ Detlef Mertins, “Hannes Meyer, German Trade Unions School, Bernau 1928–30,” in Bauhaus: Workshops for Modernity, 1919–1933, eds. Barry Bergdoll and Leah Dickerman (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2009), 260. Distinctions between the Leipzig group of experimental psychologists and the Berlin group are many. The Leipzig scientists were the first to establish an experimental lab, and their ideas about Ganzheitspsychologie (holistic psychology) were closely aligned to that of the Berlin Gestaltists with some important differences. Some Leipzig psychologists, such as Felix Krüger, claimed that their theories of perception predated that of Wertheimer and Köhler—although evidence offered then by the Berlin group and now by historians seems to indicate that the precise workings of Gestalt were clearly established in Berlin, and that the Leipzig group was creating a new mix of their original findings with Gestalt conclusions. See Mitchell G. Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 1890–1967: Holism and the Quest for Objectivity (Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1995), esp. chap. 18. ↵ Hannes Beckmann, “Formative Years,” in Bauhaus and Bauhaus People, ed. Eckhard Neumann, 2nd ed. (New York: Van Nostrand Rheinhold, 1993 [1970]), 209. ↵ Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, esp. 245, 260; Marianne Teuber, “Blue Knight by Paul Klee” in Vision and Artifact: Essays in Honor of Rudolf Arnheim, ed. M. Henle (New York: Springer, 1976), 149; Marianne Teuber, Paul Klee: Paintings and Watercolors from the Bauhaus Years, 1921–1931 (Des Moines, IA: Art Center, 1973), 6–17. See also D. Brett King and Michael Wertheimer, Max Wertheimer and Gestalt Theory (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 2005), 157–58. ↵ See, for example, Rainer Wick, Teaching at the Bauhaus (Ostvildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2000), 200, 220, 240; Paul Overy, Kandinsky: The Language of the Eye (New York: Praeger, 1970). ↵ “Architekten, Maler und Bildhauser müssen die vielgliedrige Gestalt des Baues in seiner Gesamtheit und in seinen Teilen wieder kennen lernen….” Walter Gropius, “Program of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar,” in Hans Wingler, Bauhaus: Weimar Dessau Berlin Chicago (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1984), 31. The Wingler collection of primary documents, translated by Wolfgang Jabs and Bail Gilbert, uses the phrase “composite character,” as does Frank Whitford in The Bauhaus: Masters and Students by Themselves (New York: Overlook, 1993), 38. Peter Gay, however, translates this important phase as “the multiform shape” in Weimar Culture: The Outsider as Insider (New York: Harper and Rowe, 1980), 98; quoted in Wertheimer, 158. ↵ T. Lux Feininger, “The Bauhaus: Evolution of an Idea,” in Bauhaus and Bauhaus People, 183. ↵ Wingler, Bauhaus: Weimar Dessau Berlin Chicago, 32–33. ↵ For a recent discussion of this debate, see German Art History and Scientific Thought: Beyond Formalism, ed. Mitchell B. Frank and Daniel Adler (Surrey: Ashgate, 2012). ↵ Bauhaus Reviewed 1919–1933 (sound recording) (London: LTM, 2007); Albers was recorded in 1968 by George Baird. Albers refers to an exchange with a psychologist named “Krueger,” perhaps in reference to Felix Krueger of the Leipzig experimental psychology laboratory. This would offer further evidence of a connection between the Dessau Bauhaus and Karlfried Graf von Dürkheim from the Leipzig group who visited in 1930–31. For a non-specialist discussion of the Berlin group, and its differentiation from the Leipzig psychologists, see Johan Wagemans, James H. Elder, Michael Kobovy, Stephen E. Palmer, Mary A. Peterson, Manish Singh, and Rüdiger von der Heydt, “A Century of Gestalt Psychology in Visual Perception,” in Psychology Bulletin 139:6 (November 2012), 1172–1217. Published online July 30, 2012 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482144/ , accessed May 1, 2015. ↵ For this essay I have drawn principally upon the exceptional social and intellectual history of Gestalt in Mitchell G. Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 1890–1967: Holism and the Quest for Objectivity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995). ↵ See John V. Maciuika, Before the Bauhaus: Architecture, Politics and the German State, 1890-1920 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008). ↵ Joseph Ben David and Randall Collins, “Social Factors in the Origins of a New Science: The Case of Psychology,” American Sociological Review 31 (1966): 45. Although he mentions that the study is oft-cited, Ash gives evidence that this hybridization was institutionally problematic, and does not support the conclusion that this mixing of disciplines led to explosive growth, as do David and Collins. See Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 17. ↵ See Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, Introduction and Chapter 20. For a recent discussion of the complicated history of the Bauhaus and National Socialism, see Paul Jaskot, “The Nazi Party’s Strategic use of the Bauhaus” in Renew Marxist Art History, ed. Warren Carter, Barnaby Haran and Frederic Schwartz (London: Art Books, 2013), 382–399. ↵ Among the earliest revisionist histories are Magdalena Droste’s Bauhaus: 1919–1933 (Köln: Taschen, 1990); Bauhaus Weimar: Designs for the Future, ed. by Michael Siebenbrodt and Elisabeth Reissinger (Ostfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz Publishers, 2000); and Bauhaus, ed. by Jeanine Fiedler and Peter Feierabend (Cologne: Könemann, 1999). Winfred Nerdinger’s Bauhaus Moderne im Nationalsozialismus (Munich: Prestel, 1993), and Barbara Miller Lane’s Architecture and Politics in Germany, 1918–1945 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985), attested to the complicated political history of the Bauhaus. More recently, the catalogues from the exhibitions in Berlin and New York, Bauhaus: A Conceptual Model (Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2009), and Bauhaus: Workshops for Modernity, ed. by Barry Bergdoll and Leah Dickerman (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2009), presented exhaustive analyses of the work of the school, and should be consulted for a full list of sources on the Bauhaus, including the work of Josef Albers. The catalogue of the London exhibition, Bauhaus: Art as Life, by Kathleen James-Chakraborty, Eva Forgacs, Ayna Baumhoff and Klaus Weber, contributed to these expanded views. Other important essay collections include: Bauhaus Construct: Fashioning Identity, Discourse and Modernism, ed. by Jeffrey Saletnik and Robin Schuldenfrei (London: Routledge, 2009); Bauhaus Conflicts 1919-2009: Controversies and Counterparts, ed. by Phillipp Oswalt (Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2010); and Bauhaus Culture: From Weimar to the Cold War, ed. by Kathleen James-Chakraborty (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006). It has always been the contention of this author that there was not one, but many “Bauhauses”; see Karen Koehler, “Which Bauhaus?” in Centropa, 3:1 (January 2003); 79–80; “The Bauhaus: A Conceptual Model,” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 69:1 (March 2010); 434–436; Bauhaus Modern (Northampton, MA: Smith College Museum of Art, 2008); and “The Bauhaus Manifesto Postwar to Postwar” in Bauhaus Constructs, 2009, op. cit. ↵ See, for example, Gestalt Therapy: History, Theory and Practice, ed. by Ansel Woldt and Sarah M. Toman (London: Sage Publishers, 2005). ↵ For a brilliant and detailed discussion of how Gestalt fits into the complex web of German art historiography, see Frederic J. Schwartz, Blind Spots: Critical Theory and the History of Art in Twentieth Century Germany (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005), 161–162. ↵ Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 1 (italics his). ↵ We also know that Albers had books on psychology in his personal library in Connecticut in the 1950s (including, for example, Bruno Petermann, Das Gestaltproblem in der Psychologie (Leipzig: Verlag von Johann Abrosius Barth, 1931)—although exactly when and how he came to own these books is unknown. ↵ The German text in this excerpt from Wertheimer’s article reads as follows: 6. In all cases under discussion, a first simple principle can be seen: Dots separated by small distances group naturally. Perceptual grouping of dots with large separations does not arise, or does so only with great effort, and is less stable. In a provisional formulation: All else being equal, perceptual grouping tends to form more easily across smaller separations. (Factor of proximity.) This is a most general and ubiquitous principle of perceptual grouping, and is not confined to visual grouping, nor even spatial experience. Continuous tapping of rhythms, for instance in the pattern of series 1 (etc.), or in the pattern of series 2d (etc.) show the effect in a most definite way.... 8. Present a configuration of equidistant dots in pairs of different color on a homogeneous field: for instance, white and black in a gray field, in the schema: (8a). Or, better, fill a surface with this schema: (8b, 8c). Or 8d... One generally sees the grouping in which similar elements group with each other: in 8a, ab/cd...; in 8b, the verticals; in 8c, the horizontals; in 8d, abc/def.... It is generally impossible to get the alternative grouping to appear simultaneously and clearly across the whole pattern: in 8a, .../bc/de/...; in 8b, the horizontals; in 8c, the verticals; in 8d, any of the groupings cde/fgh...or the like. For this, and translations and discussion of the both the 1923 and 1912 studies (below at note 22), see Max Wertheimer, On Perceived Motion and Figural Organization, ed. Lothar Spillmann with contributions by Michael Wertheimer, K.W. Watkins, Steven Lehar, Robert Sekuler, Viktor Sarris, and Lothar Spillman (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2012). ↵ The German text in this excerpt from Wertheimer’s article reads as follows: In the visual field (within the motion field or outside it), a third object c is presented in one of the two exposure fields, or identically in both. For variations, see §10. Wertheimer, On Perceived Motion and Figural Organization, 90. ↵ Wassily Kandinsky, “Point and Line to Plane” in Kandinsky: Complete Works on Art, Vol. 2, eds. Kenneth Lindsay and Peter Vergo (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1982), 552, 614, passim. ↵ Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 205. ↵ Felix Krueger, Über Entwickungspsychologie (Jena, 1915), discussed in Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 311–312, and mentioned by Albers in 1968 (see note 11). ↵ Max Wertheimer left Berlin in 1929 to establish a Gestalt program at the University of Frankfurt, and his proximity to Karl Manheim at the University and Max Horkheimer at the Frankfurt School for Social Research brought students and faculty together in both courses and shared facilities. Although outside of the scope of this essay, further explorations of tripartite connections among the Frankfurtschule theories of culture and social relations, Gestalt theories of perception, and Bauhaus theories of art and architecture will surely expand the way this history can be told; see Ash, Gestalt Psychology in German Culture, 215; and, more generally, Schwarz, Blind Spots. ↵ “Gestalt Theory and Bauhaus—A Correspondence” in Gestalt Theory 34:1 (2012), 90. ↵ Rudolf Arnheim, “The Bauhaus in Dessau” in Weimar Republic Sourcebook, ed. by Anton Kaes, Martin Jay, and Edward Dimendberg (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994), 450 (originally published as “Das Bauhaus in Dessau,” Die Weltbuhne 23:22 (May 31, 1927), 920–921). For a discussion of Arnheim’s role as a cultural critic in Weimar Germany—as well as the political position of the journal, see Dirk Grathoff, “Rudolf Arnheim at the Weltbuhne” in Rudolf Arnheim: Revealing Vision, ed. by Kent Kleinman and Leslie Van Duzer (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press), 1997; 18–25. ↵ Arnheim, “The Bauhaus in Dessau,” 451. ↵ Rudolf Arnheim, “Gestalt and Art,” Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 2:8 (Fall 1943), 70. ↵ Josef Albers, “Teaching Form Through Practice,” AA Files 67 (2013), 129. ↵	i don't know
Which fruit is the title of an Estonian-Georgian nominee in the Best Foreign Language category?	Foreign Language Oscar Nominations: Nominees For Best Foreign Language Film \| Deadline Leviathan The Academy started with a record 83 submissions for the Foreign Language Oscar this year, whittling that down to a shortlist of nine in December. Today we are left with five nominees: Damián Szifrón’s Wild Tales (Argentina); Zaza Urushadze’s Tangerines (Estonia) Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu (Mauritania); Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida (Poland); and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Leviathan (Russia). And, as is the case every year, there is a major surprise in the bunch. There’s also an interesting twist thanks to another major category. Oscars: Deadline's Pete Hammond & Gold Derby's Tom O'Neil Predict Final Best Picture Nominees In Latest Smackdown (Watch) Of the four shortlisted foreign language films which were omitted from the nominees today, the biggest shock is Force Majeure . Ruben Ostlund’s Swedish comedy/drama that poses existential questions about manhood in an Alpine ski resort was the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner in Cannes and was understood to have played well with the Academy. It also had a Golden Globe nomination and has been one of the most warmly received foreign films of the year, with good box office and great word of mouth. I sense the team surrounding the film is feeling like it was left out of the running by an actual act of force majeure today. The film appeared to have a higher profile than Estonia’s Tangerines, which did make the cut. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe, but has not taken any major festival prizes. It’s set in 1992 during the war in the Estonian village of Abkhazia where one man stays behind to tend his crop of the titular fruit and takes in wounded soldiers from opposite sides of the conflict. This is Estonia’s first Oscar nomination. The other four nominees were highly anticipated. Before moving on to those, there was a twist of fate worth noting for one of the movies that didn’t even make the shortlist in December. At the time, there was consternation that the Dardenne brothers’ Two Days, One Night was not in the nine-strong field. It had been praised in Cannes and brought Marion Cotillard the New York Film Critics Circle’s Best Actress prize. The Sundance Selects title didn’t magically reappear in the Foreign Language race today, but star Cotillard did nab her second Best Actress Oscar nomination. Perhaps that will provide some salve to the Belgian frères many consider among the greatest living filmmakers. Back in the Foreign Language race, Golden Globe winner Leviathan also has a Cannes Best Screenplay award under its belt as well as a BAFTA nomination. As modern-day corruption in Russia meets the Book of Job, the film is the story of a man who is forced to fight his town’s corrupt mayor when told that his house is to be demolished. Sony Pictures Classics released it in December in the U.S. The last Russian film nominated was Nikita Mikhalkov’s 12 in 2007 — his 1994 Burnt By The Sun is the only Russian movie ever to win. Sony Classics sealed a deal on the movie within six hours of Co-Presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker seeing it in Cannes. Bernard suggests Leviathan may get a leg up in this race from the constant headlines about Russia these days. “Russia happens to be very prominent in the news and issues that are going on in Ukraine and with the economy. That is also going to get people interested in watching the film.” Pawlikowski’s lauded black and white 60s-set Polish drama Ida, which Music Box released Stateside, doubled up on nominations today with a mention in the Foreign Film and the Cinematography races. That’s a repeat of Ida‘s standing with BAFTA whose noms were announced last week. Ida, about a novitiate nun who goes on a journey of discovery after learning she is Jewish, won Best Picture at the European Film Awards, but was overtaken by Leviathan last Sunday at the Globes. The EFAs have a strong track record of predicting the Oscar winner, but the Globes have also been spot on in the past four years. Before that, not so much. A Polish film has never won the Oscar, although several have been nominated; the last one was Agnieszka Holland’s In Darkness in 2011. The nod for Wild Tales was also expected, although its inclusion points to a sort of loosening of the category’s rigid ways of yore. A runaway success at home, it swept the Argentine Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards in 2014 and is the highest-grossing local film of all time. This is Sony Pictures Classics’ second horse in the race along with Leviathan (in fact, the company had its best ever nominations day today with 18 total). Wild Tales releases domestically in February. The film has an interesting pedigree having been produced by Pedro and Augustin Almodovar and championed by Warner Bros’ International EVP of Europe & Latin America Distribution, Monique Esclavissat. Argentina has won two Foreign Language Oscars before, most recently for Juan José Campanella’s 2009 thriller The Secret In Their Eyes. Bernard calls the nod today “a tribute to the new system.” A few years ago, voting rules were tweaked so that the final five titles to advance in this category are chosen by a sort of blue ribbon panel of 30 higher-profile members after they have viewed each of the shortlist titles over the course of a long weekend. The entire membership votes on the winner. While this race once skewed to traditional filmmaking, Bernard believes the Academy is now ready to embrace fresh and contemporary voices like Szifron’s. Meanwhile, although Timbuktu director Sissako is well-known to festival goers and art-house aficionados through films like 2006’s Bamako and 2002’s Waiting For Happiness, this movie’s nomination puts it in true newcomer territory. Timbuktu is not only the first nomination for Mauritania, it’s the first time a film has ever been submitted from the African nation. Inspired by the 2012 death by stoning of a man and a woman in a small town in Mali, Timbuktu was a favorite in Cannes and has had positively glowing reviews since. Sissako said today that he was “overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling, it is an honor for me and a great sign for Mauritania and Africa. It is the acknowledgement of work accomplished through the passion and commitment of women and men of different countries, united to defend our universal values of love, peace, and justice. I am extremely touched that the Academy in the United States of America has opened the way for Timbuktu to receive the greatest recognition in world cinema, I thank all those who made this possible from the bottom of my heart.” Last month, the director told me that if the film were to advance to the nominations, the entire African continent would be watching the Oscars . Cohen Media Group is releasing later this month.	Tangerine
Which freckled, red-headed actress has now had five nominations, this time around for 'Still Alice'?	Film Independent Spirit Nom Predictions - Hollywood Elsewhere Hollywood Elsewhere Film Independent Spirit Nom Predictions Congrats to all the 2016 Spirit Award nominees , particularly Carol and Beasts of No Nation for having landed six each. Spotlight landed four noms plus a pre-determined Robert Altman award for ensemble acting. Best feature noms were handed to Carol, Spotlight, Beasts of No Nation, Anomalisa and Sean Baker’s Tangerine. And no Best Feature nom for Love & Mercy, which is 15 or 20 times the movie Tangerine is? Fuck is that about? Be honest: If Tangerine had been shot on a bigger budget with an Alexa HD instead of an iPhone 5, would it have even been nominated? It seems to me that Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara snagging Best Actress noms is a pushback to the Weinstein Co. narrative of Blanchett being lead and Mara supporting. Here are the 2016 Spirit Awards noms with a few HE favorite and Likeliest To Win distinctions on a per-category, whenever-I’m-into-it basis: Best Feature: Anomalisa (not a wisp of a chance), Beasts of No Nation, Carol, Spotlight (HE Favorite, Likeliest To Win), Tangerine (double forget it). Best Director: Sean Baker, Tangerine; Cary Joji Fukunaga, Beasts of No Nation (2nd Most Likely Winner); Todd Haynes, Carol; Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, Anomalisa; Tom McCarthy, Spotlight (HE favorite, Likeliest To Win); David Robert Mitchell, It Follows. Best Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa; Donald Margulies, The End of the Tour; Phyllis Nagy, Carol (HE favorite); Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, Spotlight (Likeliest To Win), S. Craig Zahler, Bone Tomahawk. Best First Feature: The Diary of a Teenage Girl, James White (hated it), Manos Sucias, Mediterranea, Songs My Brothers Taught Me. Best First Screenplay: Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl; Joseph Carpignano, Mediterranea; Emma Donoghue, Room; Marielle Heller, The Diary of a Teenage Girl; John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, Myna Joseph, The Mend. Best Male Lead: Christopher Abbott, James White; Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation; Ben Mendelsohn, Mississippi Grind; Jason Segel, The End of the Tour (Likeliest To Win); Koudous Seihon, Mediterranea. Best Female Lead: Cate Blanchett, Carol; Brie Larson, Room (Likeliest To Win); Rooney Mara, Carol; Bel Powley, The Diary of A Teenage Girl; Kitana Kiki Rodriquez, Tangerine. Best Supporting Male: Kevin Corrigan, Results; Paul Dano, Love & Mercy (HE Favorite, Most Likely To Win); Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation; Richard Jenkins, Bone Tomahawk; Michael Shannon, 99 Homes. Best Supporting Female: Robin Bartlett, H.; Marin Ireland, Glass Chin; Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anomalisa; Cynthia Nixon, James White; Mya Taylor, Tangerine. Best Documentary: (T)error, Best of Enemies, Heart of Dog, The Look of Silence, Meru (Most Likely To Win), The Russian Woodpecker. Best International Film: Embrace the Serpent, Girlhood, Mustang, Son of Saul (Most Likely To Win) Best Cinematography: Beasts of No Nation (Most Likely To Win), Carol, It Follows, Meadlowland, Songs My Brothers Taught Me. Mara’s absolutely a lead. Tremendous work from both, regardless… LeSamourai Yes, true on both counts. LeSamourai ‘Tangerine’ being shot on an iPhone surely helped its cause, but for ‘Love & Mercy’ to take its spot, Cusack-as-Wilson would have needed to not only ditch his evil manager, but to also transition to a woman, verisimilitude be damned. Also nice to see Kevin Corrigan get some love for “Results” – enjoyable little movie, and he’s really good in it. Mind you, I might be biased because it was on the ‘On Demand’ channel – barely had to move to watch it, which I appreciated. JoeS That Best Actor category?! Wow, I can easily see none of those actors getting Oscar Nominations – very rare these days since there is usually so much overlap. Best Actress on the other hand, could see 4 of the women getting Oscar nods (Mara will likely be supporting). And, TANGERINE? Yeah, it seems to be the ‘pet’ indie this year. Enjoyable enough, but, it wasn’t even the best movie with that fruit in the title released in L.A. this year – that would be the Best Foreign Language nominee, the Estonian TANGERINES. flosh Two nominations for Bone Tomahawk! That’s fantastic. NephewOfAnarchy Pity there’s no “Best on-screen death” category 😉 AstralWeeks666 Or best beard category. Bob Strauss Or best racist demonization of Native Americans that struggles mightily to convince us it isn’t category. m_00_m “Best Feature: Anomalisa (not a wisp of a chance), Beasts of No Nation, Carol, Spotlight (HE Favorite, Likeliest To Win), Tangerine (double forget it).” Even though the “Independent” “”Spirit”” Awards have been a Oscar-chasing joke for years, this statement still rankles. Yeah, forget about “Anomalisa”! It’s not like an R-rated stop-motion animated movie that took 3 years to make shows some kind of ‘independent spirit’ or anything. Let’s award the glorified “Law & Order” episode instead! JoeS Calling the brilliant SPOTLIGHT a TV episode betrays your own prejudices. Not every movie has to be dazzling and knock your socks off showy. Form matching content is never a bad thing when done so well. I’ll take a SPOTLIGHT over any showy and utterly empty Wes Anderson or Tarantino movie any day of the week, and twice on Tuesday. m_00_m You can like “Spotlight” all you want, but what you can’t do is point out anything creatively unique or even different about it. Don’t go calling your awards “Independent Spirit” if you’re then going to proceed to nominate and award 100% conventional movies. JoeS Spirit awards aside, SPOTLIGHT isn’t any less “creatively unique or different” from ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN – often cited as one of the greatest movies of all time. NOT, comparing SPOTLIGHT to that movie (we’ll see how it plays over the years), just in terms of style. Again Form matching Content. Perfect Tommy I haven’t seen Spotlight yet, but its one of my most anticipated films (after Anomalsia and the Coen’s next). But I appreciate m_00_m’s point that I wish the IS awards owned the name. Spotlight may be a truly great film, but it is most certainly a “studio” film. JoeS I’m not arguing that point, just the “TV show” analogy pedant LOL — a “studio” film that no studio was willing to make, so ultimately it ended up having to be financed entirely by Participant and sold to Open Road. It may not be guerrilla filmmaking but it was put together independently and fell apart plenty of times before coming together as a terrific movie. Cynthia Figueroa .❝my neighbor’s mom is making $98 HOURLY on the internet❞….A few days ago new McLaren F1 subsequent after earning 18,512$,,,this was my previous month’s paycheck ,and-a little over, $17k Last month ..3-5 h/r of work a day ..with extra open doors & weekly paychecks.. it’s realy the easiest work I have ever Do.. I Joined This 7 months ago and now making over $87, p/h..Learn More right Here…. ld…………. ➤➤➤ http://Global SuperEmploymentVacanciesReportTree/GetPaid/$97hourly… ❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦.❦ AstralWeeks666 Interesting to note that Brooklyn was not nominated. I suppose that it is not an American production and is therefore not eligible. Plus it’s not edgy enough for the ISA regardless. MikeSchaeferSF Only 2 noms for “Room”? Seems odd considering how beloved it’s supposed to be (and I say that as someone who liked it). JR BEL POWLEY POWER Eric Take the blinders off Love & Mercy. Idris Elba is taking this one home as the sole Beasts of No Nation winner. Doesn’t Netflix sponsor this? They aren’t going home empty-handed. Raygo If Mara and Blanchett are co-leads, they should just take their lumps and submit to the same category. I’m tired of quasi-lead performers being bumped down to increase the odds of a nomination or win. It’s cheating. Can you imagine either Anne Bancroft or Shirley MacLaine doing the rock paper scissors to see who goes supporting? It wouldn’t happen. And both got lead nominations for The Turning Point. Ann Baxter lobbied to be nominated as lead alongside Bette Davis in All About Eve when they wanted her to go supporting. TheAngryInternet The pushback against Harvey’s Mara-for-supporting drive has already gone beyond this—the HFPA ruled a few weeks ago that Mara could only be nominated for a Golden Globe in the lead category. The odds of the Academy not following suit are pretty close to nil at this point. Mechanical Shark It’s silly you claim it was the filming style that got Tangerine in. lol, you know why it got in, and that wasn’t it. also Idris Elba gonna win. Jeff Spotlight is not an Indie movie. I sort of loathe whenever the Spirit awards include these types of films. This years list looks better than usual. Love the inclusion of It Follows in Best Director.	i don't know
"Spoken by J.K. Simmons, ""not quite my tempo"" is a noted line from which jazz-themed movie?"	Pure M Magazine #4 by Pure M Magazine - issuu issuu Selma - Birdman - Babadook - Ex Machina + More.... Music, Art & Culture Magazine Read the full exclusive interview! turn to page 26... Exclusive.... The Beat PictureHouse Tania Notaro Colby Crain Plus much more inside... Over 30 pages of Music Reviews! 2 INSIDE ISSUE #4 Staff ISSUE #4 Mannequin Sex Drive pg18 Dave Browne/ PictureHouse pg 20 Colby Crain pg 22 Dave Simpson Lauren O'Halleron Bláithín Duggan James Lindsay David Kelly Sarah Swinburne Harry Moore Julie Bell Tipsyonturtlesoup Ciara Walsh Ailish Ryan Sarah Swinburne Sean Coyle Craig Moran Emily Belton Darren Cahill Ronan Glennon Lauren Smith Stacy Walsh Darragh J. Mullooly Brian Langan Jason Coulter El Boocho Shane Hennessy El Boocho Colm Quinn Issue #4 front cover photo by Joe Gardner T.Halpin - Editor-n-Chief Contact: [email protected] Facebook: PureMofficial Twitter: @PureMzine Vicki Cody art pg 16 The Beat pg 24 PURE M Magazine 2015: Who to watch, Who to listen to by Darren Cahill 2014 was another big year in music with lot’s of breakthrough acts, including; Sam Smith, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Young Fathers etc. 2015 has the potential to be equivalently prosperous. Here I take a look at some of the acts who could potentially have a huge year ahead. CHILDCARE is London-based musician Ed Cares. His gritty punk-pop sound should be erupting from your speakers as soon as possible. A fan of the Ramones and the Clash, Cares released his debut EP under the moniker CHILDCARE in 2014, entitled Flush. Hopefully there is plenty of great music still to come from him. 18 year old, Atlanta born musician, Raury, released his debut mixtape last year, Indigo Child, to critical acclaim. While being hard to pin down his sound is a blend of electro, rap, hip hop, funk and folk music blended together to create a smooth and relaxing sound. Plenty of big things are expected from Raury and I’m sure 2015 will be pivota. Saint Raymond has already created small waves in 2014. With three EP’s already under his name, and a supporting spot on Ed Sheerans tour, 19 year old, Callum Burrows has gathered pace coming into 2014 and with his debut album set to be released early June, 2015 could be the year he really makes his voice heard. Låpsley, in keeping with the trend, is a teenage musician who goes under a moniker. Holly Lapsley Fletcher, from Southport, electronic infused soulful music is fresh and hauntingly beautiful at times. New EP, Understudy, continues where previous efforts left off and showcases her enormous talent and potential. RHODES’s two EP’s released in 2014 showcased his folk and soul infused music off for everybody to hear. Hertfordshire’s David Rhodes will be hoping he can make a big impact in 2015. Amber Run are a Nottingham based band who have had a good 2014 releasing some killer songs, but 2015 sees the release of their premier album and they will be hoping to leave their mark on the year. Having already won the BBC Sound of 2015 Poll, big things are expected from Years & Years. Despite having already made an impact on the chart with single ‘Desire’, they will be hoping to improve upon that success over the next twelve months. Nico Cara is making music that is almost genre defying, with a number of influences and a genuinely great soulful voice. His dark and unique sound juxtaposed with his almost uplifting lyrics are joyful. Expect a big 2015 from him. 5 by Dave Simpson “Clouds”; the new single and video from Dublin based band Kingdom of Crows. For the uninitiated among you, the four piece ensemble featuring Lucy Earley on vocals, Stephen Kelly on guitars and keys, Robert Stanley on bass and Ken McGrath on drums – are an alternative rock act who differentiate themselves from the crowd through their music’s transcendent ambience. The new track, which is taken from upcoming album The Truth Is The Trip, sails off gently with a mellow, relaxing riff and drum beat. The instruments continue to glide along with a slick and smooth rhythm in conjunction with a haunting melody for the first two minutes or so. The tempo and the pace then begin to pick up as striking guitars and ethereal vocals set in, before eventually slowing back down again. As it drifts towards its conclusion, the vocals and instrumentation retain a hypnotic air, culminating in a reverberating chant that fades out and lingers. “Clouds” is a very natural progression of the band’s previously released material and a suitable companion piece to previous single, “Dreamless Sleep.” Be sure to check out the video below and while you’re at it, why not head over to the Kingdom of Crows Youtube channel to sample what else they have on offer. You can also keep up to date with news surrounding the release of The Truth Is The Trap and upcoming live performances by liking and following the band on Facebook and Twitter. 6 Birdman Michael Keaton plays Birdman alongside Edward Norton by Colm Quinn It is brilliant! There’s no way of getting around that and it deserves to be said. The characters all seem to be somewhere in between cycles of nervous breakdowns. Michael Keaton stars as Reggan Thompson, a former comic book hero actor, who’s shunned Hollywood and put all his money into adapting a 60-year-old short story into play on Broadway. Keaton is plagued by a mean voice in his head who keeps telling him what he’s doing is a massive mistake. Everything is at risk for him as he tries to make a play which he hopes will get him respected as a real artist. The pure pace of it and the intensity is something you won’t find in any other film. It’s better than almost anything else going for Oscars this year without the exception of Boyhood. But they’re completely different films. Boyhood is a nice and relaxing film whereas Birdman is like spending a couple of hours in a mental asylum. The camera almost never stops moving the entire film. Even when the characters are sitting down it’ll be spinning around them or gently hovering. There is no discernible breaks between the scenes. The camera moves on from one place down hallways, upstairs or down streets and then time has moved on. Keaton is brilliant in it and the supporting cast all play their parts well. But the only one to match Keaton is Edward Norton. He plays Mike Shiner, a purely theatre actor who questions and destroys Thompson’s beliefs, motives and ideas with unmerciful tirades. And when the two of them are put in the same scene with each other it is just brilliant. They argue and rip into one another, one time they end up actually coming to blows. The dialogue is funny and fiercely opinionated at times. Like when Norton’s character says, “Popularity is the slutty little cousin of prestige.” Reggan’s daughter played by Emma Stone at one point calls his play, “Weird, but kinda cool.” This could be said about the film as well but it would be an understatement. It’s more totally fucked up and absolutely brilliant. In three words: Go see it. o by El Boocho A ustralian director Jennifer Kent’s debut film takes age an old idea of a child’s fear of the Bogeyman and turns it into one of the most engagingly fresh horror movies in recent years. The extremity here is that not only does the fear disturb the child but lays its claws into the parents as well. After the tragic death of her husband, Amelia struggles to raise her six-year-old son Samuel when he becomes terrified of imaginary demons. In order to calm him down one night, Amelia finds a children’s book called The Babadook. After reading it to Samuel, Amelia quickly realizes her son’s demons are not imaginary as The Babadook soon begins to terrify them both. Samuel, played by Noah Wiseman, commands the attention on screen as he goes from painfully annoying to eerily vulnerable within seconds. As an audience, you sometimes feel the fear expressed on the mother’s face. As good as Wiseman is however, this is Essie Davis’s film. Her character undergoes such manic ingredients of emotion; from empathetic to chaotic to demented to placid with a pinch of humor squeezed in to make the insanity of her performance exhaustingly powerful. Numerous movies in the past deal with the idea of the child as the focal point of horror. The Babadook evolves this idea, very much like The Shining, when the narrative is taken away from Samuel and focuses on Amelia. The Babadook itself is a vicious and disturbing popup book found by Amelia that threatens to kill her son; triggering a course of events that will surely make you jump from your seat. The sinister looking demon, colored all in black with hunchback and black hat will no doubt in the future become a figure of Halloween parties and The Babadook book given to horror movie buffs at Christmas. Although it goes over familiar horror movie territory, The Babadook is fresh, original and genuinely terrifying. The performance of Essie Davis deserves any accolade she receives. A movie that, in the future, is destined to become cult classic. 9 I by Jason Coulter t’s time to get the philosophy degrees out again as we ponder over Alex Garland’s directorial debut, Ex Machina. Domhnall Gleeson plays Caleb, the lucky employee of Bluebook who wins the prize of staying with the company’s owner and founder, reclusive billionaire Nathan Bateman for a week. It turns out Nathan has been creating a robot with the most advanced artificial intelligence technology, and has named her Ava. The job falls on Caleb to test just how ‘human’ Ava is. Ex Machina takes a fresh step on some familiar ground. Love, or to be more precise, attractiveness, plays a key part as we see Caleb and Ava converse, and sometimes even flirt with each other. The ‘sessions’ as they are called, have an unsettling voyeuristic feel as the pair explore their feelings and desires. It makes for compelling viewing and Alicia Vikander does a splendid job with a tricky role. She gives Ava a childlike innocence, making it impossible not to care for the lonely A.I., forced to live a life of solitude. When Caleb first meets Nathan, he offhandedly compares him to a god, and the film feels like it’s going to take a deep breath and explore this weighty topic. Instead, it lets the viewer make up their own mind. It’s obvious that Garland wants the audience to think about, and take sides in this debate, while also keeping the film clear and concise. Ex Machina does a brilliant job of staying outside of the discussion, residing in a morally grey area. One of the reasons this works, is the intriguing character of Nathan played by Oscar Isaac. In a film of great performances, Isaac manages to stand-out with a strong portrayal of the paranoid genius. When we first meet him, Nathan leaves you feeling quite unnerved as even in the first few minutes we see wildly contrasting sides to his well-being. The character also offers some comic relief and at times it’s hard not to feel sympathetic despite some glaring flaws, which is a great achievement by Isaac. Coupled with last year’s magnificent Her, it makes for very interesting viewing. Where Her questioned whether we could love a massproduced, fully emotional operating system, Ex Machina takes a more physical approach and wonders can we love an A.I. that is presented to us as human. Perhaps the concept isn’t an original one, but there is definitely enough new ideas here to warrant a watch. It’s a stylish, tense affair that needs to be seen. 10 by Shane Hennessy D espite a relatively short life which ended in his assassination at 39 years of age, there are too many important events in the life of Martin Luther King for one film to reasonably cover. To achieve this would be to take from the exploration of the man himself which, as important as his accomplishments were, is every bit as fascinating. To put it simply, the Selma March though perhaps not the most talked about of his demonstrations lends itself to drama and action the best. Short of telling the story of Rev. Luther Kings grizzly demise, that is. Cynicism aside however, this film triumphs at just about everything it sets out to do. As with all films with such a historic and influential figure as the main character, it’s only going to be as good as it’s central performance. In this case, David Oyelowo is transcendent (a word I swore I’d never use for acting) as Martin Luther King. Everything from his charisma to his cadence is right on point throughout the film, equally convincing when he’s delivering those stirring and rousing speeches to his followers as he is sharing sombre and uncertain moments with his wife. The film opens with Luther King and his wife, Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) getting ready surrounded by the opulence their prominence has awarded them. All the while Luther King can’t help but voice his guilt for those that are less fortunate than him. But no sooner are we introduced to the man and his work, then are we witness to the murder of four small girls by a controlled explosion in a church. The imagery of these atrocities is dealt with skillfully, never lingering too long to glorify but just long enough to horrify. From here it could easily have veered off into your regular didactic race-relations fare, yet for a movie released at a time when deadly racial tensions are still very much the topic of the day in America, it’s measured and sanguine execution becomes all the more timely. Martin Luther King is painted as a man wise beyond his generation, a privy manipulator of the media, rallying his troops to areas where there was as much room for cameras and journalists as there was for peaceful protest. He was content to send his message to the masses though the disgraceful actions of those against him. Even with headlines and video footage being ever more far-reaching and ubiquitous today, it’s difficult to envisage it being put to more effective use. It even delves deeper into the fractious relationships he had with people attempting to fight the same cause as him but through different means, Malcolm X makes a brief (albeit very very convincing) appearance. It also goes into the crude acts of slander he had to endure as his influence began to permeate, that affected his marriage. (Although it has to be said there was more truth in these allegation than the film tries to let on). That it’s directed by a relatively unknown only adds the movies success, Ava DuVernay is rightly the first black female director to be nominated for the Academy Award for best picture. Selma will do well to win, but it’s relevance will remain long after films like American Sniper become disregarded for they are. The End Samuel Beckett Play at the New Theatre Dublin by Shane Hennessy T he End is one of Samuel Beckett’s curiously less celebrated pieces despite it’s reputation as one of his most compelling. It’s a one hour, one-man play chronicling the destitution of a man from his expulsion from a caring facility to laying down as his life reaches a quiet conclusion. Marcus Lamb (that’s Des O’ Malley from the excellent Charlie episodic in case you were wondering) delivers the only type of performance that can do a Beckett undertaking any justice. The compelling text demands a sure-hand to deliver it, and Lamb demonstrates an effusive respect with a stoic and unyielding delivery. The production itself is a contradiction, the verbosity of Beckett as we know him presented in the guise of how he saw himself torn, ragged and in terminal consideration of his own mortality. Cursed by circumstance and left without hope, he’s left with the less celebrated things in life to amuse himself e.g. a finger up the arse. Only Beckett can make such an act seem poetic, but it’s up to the man on stage to get the reaction. The more obvious comic relief often takes care of itself, but Lamb adeptly delivers the tricky subtleties of Becketts humour to audible titters a noteworthy achievement. There are also sudden oscillations between vulnerability and rage with absolutely no warning but it’s packed with resonance. Referring to kids cycling by on their paper-round.. “Kids screaming the names of the paper, headlines too…” sends him into a fit of anger, so detached from reality he’s no longer capable of accepting it. He speaks about being unable to tell the difference between a religious fanatic and an escaped lunatic, an assertion that’s perhaps more timely today than ever before. As with any one-man show, Lamb is tasked with interpreting many characters, from a helpful old woman to a brutish Dub, it’s a testament to the performance that this is never distracting. The show is aided by accomplished direction from Cathal Quinn, the lighting is well orchestrated and the text is nurtured with a simple but fittingly dark stage design. “In the end, I made a noise with my mouth” says Lamb, but nothing comes out. He is alone. It can be seen as a microcosm of Becketts entire body of work, so cherished and yet so tormented. It takes skill to pull off a Beckett work of this magnitude, and this production succeeds. 12 I Review by Jason Coulter t’s hard to tell whether Mark Wahlberg gives a good performance in The Gambler, a remake of the 1974 film of the same name. He plays Jim Bennett, an English literature professor with a penchant for selfdestruction and a serious gambling problem. The main problem being that he’s downright rubbish at gambling. With his life spiralling out of control, Jim decides that borrowing money from various criminals is his only way out. It doesn’t go very well of course, and eventually Jim owes a lot of money to some very scary people. Jim’s answer to this, is to borrow more money and sink further into debt. Thus the circle of gambling life goes on. There are a lot of problems with The Gambler. It has a very strange tone that sometimes gets very… well, quirky. There are a few scenes that are simply jarring and out of pace with the whole film, not least an absurd appearance from Pulp’s Common People and some pantomime basketball commentary from Michael Kenneth William’s character, Neville Baraka. When I said Jim Bennett is rubbish at gambling, I meant it. In a sense, he is crying out for someone to grab him by the shoulders and tell him just how bad he is, but no one ever does. Instead they just let him go on with his addiction. In fact he’s rubbish at a lot of other things too. Conversing, caring for and generally being around, other people being one such problem. This isn’t a big deal for one of his students however, who bizarrely takes a real shine to our nihilistic, walking disaster. Brie Larson plays Amy, the token love interest. How on earth she feels anything for Jim is beyond comprehension, especially after the first time we see Jim at his day job. Because Jim is one of those lecturers. A lecturer who would be thrown out of any university in the real world, for being a shouty, hateful, mess. A far more interesting relationship is between Jim and his mother. At times it feels that her motherly love is damaging both of them, and this brings an emotional touch that the main storyline doesn’t have. The film glosses over this family affair rather poorly, despite being one of The Gambler’s few bright spots. Because the film isn’t all bad, and there are some good moments. The gambling scenes are tense, nervous affairs and are the only time Wahlberg’s permanent nonplussed expression serves him well. In a sense, you are watching a man struggling with his desire to win big. As his prize gets further and further away, desperation take hold. Despite prominent billing, Jon Goodman’s character is limited to only a few scenes, delivering an alarmingly topless performance. A couple of economical rants and in inexplicable urge to help Jim aside, his role is scant in every sense of the word. The Gambler just isn’t a very good film. It doesn’t pack any punch, and you often find yourself simply not caring what happens to our protagonist. It’s a slog to get through and with an array of great films in the cinema at the moment, this isn’t worth anyone’s time. 13 Review by El Boocho N ick Cave, who has recently lent his writing talents to the movie business with scripts for The Proposition and Lawless, takes centre stage here in a semi-fictionalized account of a day in his life. Often insightful and sometimes humorous the film is split between performance, open heart therapy sessions and long drives with past collaborators. He openly discusses his relationship with his father and how in the past he would go to church on the same days he would inject himself with heroin. He attempts to define himself both as a person and a musician; the conclusion of which is both are a work in progress. He emphasizes how he is never more alive than when he is on stage. The powerful energy from an audience transcends his performance to where he becomes almost like an unapologetic diva. He intimates that every performance becomes a therapeutic release and celebration of the creative spirit. In a humorous conversation with frequent collaborator Warren Ellis, he remembers the pre-show eccentricity of Nina Simone and her demands of wanting some ‘ some champagne, some cocaine and some sausages!’. Then, on stage commanding the audience’s attention to a dictatorial degree; much to Cave’s astonishment and envy. His car journeys with Ray Winstone and Kylie Minogue bring Cave’s egotism to the fore. Often ignoring the replies of his passenger and wallowing in his own mythical meanderings of his own existence. His soulful performance of Higgs-Boson Blues is a joy for the purists and in many ways gives the audience confirmation of Cave’s creative process and undoubted ability as a songwriter. 20 000 Days on Earth is, like his music, deeply philosophical. He allows us for a brief period into a world steeped in imagery born through language. A must see for any Nick Cave fan and for those who are not; tough. 14 A Review by Brian Langan ristotle noted that “Excellence is never an accident”, a mantra that Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), the ambitious protagonist of Whiplash, and his brutal tutelage, Fletcher (J.K Simmons) adopt unequivocally. Excellence, he continues, “is always the result of high intention, sincere effort and intelligent execution” which, when assumed, leads Neiman to Shaffer Conservatory to be subject to emotional, verbal and physical abuse on his path to perfection. Although Whiplash, directed by Damien Chazelle, initially appears to place music at its very core; it is a film that could have easily been about anything as structurally it appears closer to films regarding sport, like Aronofsky’s Black Swan, than typical films about music and demonstrates this by showing Neiman’s passion in long, gruelling montages as he practices till his own skin is torn and his drums are painted with the red of blood. Neiman is wholly competitive and the audience is made understand that normal activities, such as dating, are far beyond the anxious and isolated mind of a character who wishes to be remembered amongst the giants of the art form. This isolation, coupled with his own passion for perfection, spirals Neiman towards obsession while granting Fletcher an opportunity to become even more fearful as the tyrant of symphony. Simmon’s role as Fletcher is definitely the most compelling element of Whiplash. He brandishes his own form of psychological punishment that, in his opinion, the hypercompetitive jazz environment requires. The eager student is at first put to ease by the kindly admonishment the sentence “not quite my tempo” is delivered with only to be punished by it seconds later as it seeks to humiliate and torment. Simmons, in a powerful display, shouts “I will gut you like a pig” while also sprinkling doubt in the audience, who can often be seen commending his efforts, by telling us he was to “…push people beyond what’s expected of them”. “I believe that’s an absolute necessity”, he suggests. His role transforms Whiplash from a hollow tale of ambition into a hand-to-the-throat thriller. The plot, though often lacking and familiar, is inviting and inventive and makes for an enjoyable, if uncomfortable, watch. 15 Vicki Cody V icki Cody graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design with a BA in Fine Art Printmaking in 2009. Vicky is a member of Blackstack Print Studio, she has exhibited and been a resident artist in Ireland and abroad. She was awarded the Travel and Training award in 2012. Vicki works in the medium Printmaking and Collage. Her work is made up of a collaboration of sources although individually in congruent as Victorian illustrations are teamed with magazine cut outs, together they create a harmony that allows the viewer to look again at the beauty of nature and its infinite truths where you least expect to find it. www.blackstackstudio.com/v1/artists/vicki-cody PURE M Magazine M Interview by Stacy Walsh annequin Sex Drive formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 2013. MSD describes themselves as “the world’s first (and only) electricousticrockinfolkpop band”. The band has a vast mix of exciting genres in there. So far, the band has digitally released two singles “Hollow Heart Boy” and “I’ve Got a Message”. In December, Mannequin Sex Drive won the Northern Lights Competition ran by Twelve Bar Productions. The band is certainly a band to watch. Mannequin Sex Drive are: Benz Kristopher - Lead vocals & guitarAndre Carvalho - Lead guitarUtku Sarper - BassDamien Hickey - Percussion & vocals I caught up with Benz and we chatted about how things kicked off for MSD, recording plans and the story behind their crazy band name! First off, congratulations on winning the Northern Lights Competition last month. How was that for you? Thanks! It was great because we went into it with the hope of maybe playing to a few new people and we ended up taking first prize so it was pretty cool and a great way to finish off the year. So how did it all begin for Mannequin Sex Drive? On a bus journey back from Limerick. I had just kind of had enough of what I was doing up until that point. I had been playing in bands that I really didn’t see making any kind of progress or making any real impact and I just felt like doing something different. I came up with the idea of using electric and acoustic instruments together to create an edgy but organic, original sound. I got Andre and Utku on board (we were playing together in another band) and added Daymz as the final piece. It took a while but when we got the sound right, we all kind of musically jizzed ourselves! (Is it jizzed ourselves or jazz ourselves? Doesn’t matter… it sounded nice). And every gig we play just seems to get better and better. I like the two tracks you have released so far. Are there any upcoming releases for Mannequin Sex Drive? Perhaps an EP? Thanks again. There will be new music coming in the next couple of months. We’re in the process of recording as we speak but I doubt we’ll do an EP. The way the industry is going, there doesn’t seem to be a big call for EP’s as much as before. With digital music (and we will be releasing all our music for the foreseeable future through digital media only) there would seem, to us anyway, to be more of a call for singles; as in individual stand-alone tracks. We want to let people download the songs, listen to them and want to hear more. Then duly hit them with more. It’s going to be tough but we want to try create a steady stream of music, to be released over the period of a year so you build up your MSD music collection as we do. After all, the music is for the audience… We just write the stuff. Where did you record “Hollow Heart Boy” and “I’ve Got a Message”? Who produced and mastered the tracks? Did you like recording? The two tracks were recorded in Andre’s old flat. (I miss that old flat!) I produced the tracks on a seriously beat up laptop hooked into a mixer, hooked into a monitor and then mastered them at home. The process itself is good craic when it goes right (beer) but there’s always a couple of meltdown moments (no beer). We try to record in the most live way possible, trying to avoid overdubs and so on. We want the music to sound like we’re playing it to you right there in your living room, bedroom, car or boudoir. Yes… boudoir. I write words I would never say. So you call yourselves “the world’s first (and only) electricousticrockinfolkpop band” can you give me a bit of insight into your song writing process and your sound? We ARE the world’s first (and only)! Probably because nobody else has time to spell it. I’ll write some songs myself but the bulk of the songs are cowritten by Andre and I. (Hmm… sounds like a French sitcom!) One of us will have an idea for a riff and we’ll get together and develop the idea, coming up with new riffs and a structure. I’ll add the lyrics later on and then record the idea and send it off to the rest of the band to get their input. Then we get together for a jam and bash out the song a few times. So far, I don’t think it’s failed us. You know, we don’t like to get bogged down with complicated nonsense and unnecessary, self-indulgent, showboating shite. We’ve all agreed that the melody is key, and we all say our prayers to the melody god every night, before bed. It’s a real turn off for the ladies though. How did you come up with the band name? It definitely stands out! It’s one of those names that came out of a really daft conversation that Benz and Daymz had, and it seemed to pop up every time the idea of a new band came about. But until now, no band ever suited it. We used to take ourselves far too seriously! But when we were pondering what name to use, Daymz Mannequin Sex Drive 19 “You know, we don’t like to get bogged down with complicated nonsense and unnecessary, self-indulgent, showboating shite.” Photo by Elaine Doyle pulled out a list and that name just grabbed everybody by the nuts. Plus… come on… the bald head is the Mannequin, our Brazilian lead guitarist is the Sex and Utku’s clockwork hat is the Drive! You know it makes sense. What bands/artists do you consider to be the band’s biggest influences? Hmmm…. That’s a toughie. We come from such varied musical backgrounds; it’s really hard to say. Personally, I’d take a lot of influence from Dave Grohl, Chris Cornell and Pete Yorn. Then again, being from the west of Ireland, I think I’ve a bit of folk music in my blood. With Daymz also being from the west, I imagine he’s bringing that folksy or tribal beat to the table. Andre is big into his Punk Rock bands, like Green Day and Charlie Brown Jr but also brings a strange rock-a-billy country sound to the affair. And Utku is big into his grooves. I don’t know who the hell he listens to but we love what he does. Do you have any upcoming gigs? Do you enjoy playing live? We do. We’re playing a show in Gypsy Rose on the 6th Feb. We also have a gig on the horizon in Abner Browns Barbershop. We love to play live. It’s really where we want to be as a band. The recording process is great but we do all this for the feeling we get on stage. It’s what this band is all about. What’s your favourite venue that you have played so far? We’d probably have to go for upstairs in Sweeney’s. The sound on the night was great and the crowd were well up for it. We played a kick ass show and loved every second of it. Sin E is a great spot to play and The Workman’s Club is cool too, the sound is brilliant there. But Sweeney’s… just because of the night that was in it. If you could collaborate with any band/artist in the world – who would you chose? I’d love to play a show with Ryan Sheridan. In fact, I’d love to tour with the guy and show the crowds just what Irish (and Brazilian and Cypriot) artists are capable of. I realise you asked “collaborate” but I just had to get that off my chest. If we could collaborate with anyone, I’d love it to be Foo Fighters. I know, it’s a boring answer. Where can fans listen to your tracks? You can download our music from most, if not all the online music mediums. If in doubt, just pop onto our Facebook page and download from there for absolutely nothing. Just ‘like’ us! We’re in the privileged position at this moment in time of recording our music for free. So we don’t want to charge people to listen. It’s the way the industry is going anyway. You can keep up with all Mannequin Sex Drives’ latest news and upcoming events by logging on to their Facebook page www.facebook.com/mannequinsexdrive 20 Interview by Stacy Walsh P ictureHouse, formed in Dublin in the early 90’s, are fronted by Dave Browne. PictureHouse are known for their hits such as “Sunburst”, “Everybody Loves My Girl” and “Heavenly Day”. The success of their 1998 hit album Karmarama ensured that PictureHouse became an Irish household name. After a ten year hiatus, PictureHouse returned in 2013 with a studio release, Evolution. The band are now set to play a string of shows based around Karmarama. They will perform the album in its entirety at these gigs. PictureHouse are certainly back and they seem to be unstoppable. I caught up with Dave, who’s over in Dubai at the moment, ahead of a few PictureHouse dates they have lined up over there. So Dave, you’re in Dubai at the moment – how’s that going? The band is playing out there at the end of the month I believe? Yes indeed! We have three concerts in the Mcgettigan's venues here in Dubai. They're fantastic places to play and always have a great crowd. We love bringing that taste of home to all the ex pats here. There’s a lot of buzz around the Karmarama gigs you have planned for Ireland and the UK how did the idea of doing these shows come about? We just love the songs on that record and some of which we've never played live before. So we just wanted to recreate them in a concert environment. So a perfect mix of old and new. Some things are better and some are worse. I love playing with the guys but have found Irish radio support for Irish bands very poor. For example, Today FM refused to play any of the seven singles that we sent them even though BBC Radio 2 in London played us? Go figure? Too few people with too much power. Where was your favourite venue to play in Ireland over the years? Any anecdotes about any of the gigs? Loved The Olympia and Vicar Street. Both of which we've sold out. I remember looking out the window of The Olympia wondering what the huge crowd queuing up the road was! Guess what? PictureHouse toured with some massive names like Meatloaf and Bon Jovi Who was your favourite band/artist to tour alongside? We had a ball with them all. What do you feel has been PictureHouse’s greatest success? Our songs. Anything else you would like to say? I’m looking forward to having a good year with the lads and the music. Karmarama is such a classic Irish album, I’m excited that there is going to be a re-issue of the album. Can you give me some info about the re-issue? Is there a date set? The album will be reissued via a Czech label and is out at the end of February. People can buy it at PictureHouse.ie What is PictureHouse’s current line up? Some old some new! New people always bring a fresh perspective to the music. So I suppose our "A-team" would be: Myself, Geoff Woods, John Boyle, Esa Taponan, Keith Farrell and Yann O' Brien. I’d love a bit of insight in to your song writing process It’s definitely not the first time you’ve been told this but your style reminds me of Neil Finn’s song writing. I’m a huge Crowded House fan. PictureHouse always reminded me of Crowded House. “Sunburst” was Ireland’s “Weather With You”. I’d love to see a Dave Browne/Neil Finn collaboration I think you two would harmonise beautifully. Well wouldn't that be a dream come true! I mostly have the tunes first and then the lyrics follow, I love co-writing and I have really enjoyed writing with Yann, Geoff and Lasse. Who were your biggest influences over the years? Is there any new music catching your attention at the moment? Peter Gabriel, Billy Joel, The Blue Nile and Crowded House. I really like Ed Sheeran and Adele, my daughter keeps me current also. I suppose I like songs more than artists. So Evolution is the most recent studio release from PictureHouse. I love that you had the fans name the album. Are there plans for PictureHouse to get back in the studio and belt out another album? We are going to start on a new EP next month! How did you find coming back into the music scene with PictureHouse in 2013, after a ten year hiatus? The Karmarama shows: February 13th – Monroes, Galway February 26th – Surya, London February 28th – Oran Mor, Glasgow March 8th – Utarian Church, Dublin More dates to be confirmed and further information can be found at www.picturehouse.ie 21 Colby Crain Interview by Darragh J. Mullooly Okay, quick pop-quiz PureM readers, who imparted the following little gem of wisdom? “I have always believed passion and drive can mask time. When there is something the heart thrives and lives for, making time for it is never a question it is more of a necessity for the soul.” Was it Oprah? The Dalai Lama perhaps? Eckhart Tolle? Nope! It was the stunning and of course, incredibly talented Texas gal, Colby Crain. From a very young age this bombshell displayed signs of creative flair. Before she could recite the alphabet she was tapping, brushing and sliding all over Austin, Texas. Who knew that she would, one day, stamp her mark (and feet) right into the international spotlight? “I don’t know if it was always my dream to be in “the public eye” per se. I started dancing tap and ballet at two years old, along with acting in church plays. I loved performing, and I knew I wanted to be an actress. When I was five years old, I started getting involved in local musical theatre productions.” The Texan tot also had the (hilarious) aspiration of one day, starring alongside a very well-know Texas Ranger! “My grandmother in Austin told me that Walker the Texas Ranger was filmed in Texas (I know, you can laugh with me here), and I announced to my family and first grade class that I would be performing alongside Chuck Norris in the series someday. Now, we all know that didn't happen, and my idea of who I would like to star with in a film or episodic has indeed changed, but hey, a little girl can dream, right?” Wait! Her abilities don’t end there. Crain recently starred in the acclaimed ‘The Bag Lady’ alongside luminaries, Ray Sr and Director/Writer extraordinaire, Ericka Marsalis-LaManna. Based on true events, ‘The Bag Lady’ chronicles the earlier years of Ray Sr through his struggles as a homeless teenager, to one who finds himself imprisoned following a robbery (and we won’t give away the ending!) Colby stars alongside Ray as his jilted lover, Felicia Mays, a woman, who Colby cites as being full of “darkness and sadness.” “I feel so honored to have been able to work with the director and writer, Ericka Marsalis-LaManna, and talented lead actor Ray Sr… I’ve always been attracted to the more dramatic and darker characters, but because the character is based on someone in Ray’s life, I was able to ask as many questions as needed to fully grasp the journey of this beautiful soul.” So that’s acting…dancing…did we forget anything? Oh yeah, she’s a singer/songwriter too who finds inspiration in the old reliable; love, heartbreak and family. “I started singing in church as early as two with the kids program. From there, I got into musical theatre, and continued with choir in school. Professionally, I began singing at 19 when I moved out to Nashville. Soon after, I picked up the guitar and began to play.” Over here in Ireland, we would call the lovely Ms Crain a Ride! But, how does she stay (as they say in Texas) so gosh darn hawt? “I could tell you how I am obsessed with hot yoga and that running makes me feel “free”, but that would be a lie. Though not as exciting, the truth is this, I love my electric drill, rearranging furniture, and building things. That’s really the closest thing to exercise that I partake in. Singing and performing can be a good workout, too. I have really been meaning to get into a kickboxing class." Colby left us with another pearl of wisdom, with more depth than Oprah could shake a stick at: “I would say, no matter how miserable or happy you are with your life at the moment, take a look back at all the pieces of your past. You will see a pattern, each piece of your life is part of a puzzle. Wherever you are at in this moment, whether it be the best moment of your life or the worst moment, you are there for a purpose to be molded into exactly who you are supposed to be.” Colby Crain’s Cuick Cuestions Corner.. 1. Favourite fragrance - Angel by Thierry Mugler 2. Time of day- hmm, it depends, but I would say morning or evening. Morning because it’s a new day, and evening because my mind seems to be a bit more creative in the early evening. 3. Taste- Salty 4. Song on your i-pod- Meghan Trainor: Title 5. Person- I have been blessed to have many favorite people. 6. Item of clothing- Anything soft and cozy 7. Season-Fall 8. Desert island item- That soon to be released fancy water purifier thing 9. Quote-“Everything happens for a reason.” 10. Book/Poem- I have a few of both…one that has stuck with me since I was a child, and will always remain relevant in my life, is Dr. Seuss’, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”. If you would like to check out more of Colby Crain, head over to Spotify, Soundcloud or get The Bag Lady on DVD now. â€œI would say, no matter how miserable or happy you are with your life at the moment, take a look back at all the pieces of your past. You will see a pattern, each piece of your life is part of a puzzle.â€? Colby Crain 23 Interview by Stacy Walsh T he Beat, formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978, are one of the biggest bands of the 2tone movement. The band is known for their string of hits – “Mirror in the Bathroom”, “Can’t Get Used to Losing You”, “Hands Off, She’s Mine” and their rendition of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”. The Beat has toured alongside the likes of The Clash, The Police, Talking Heads, The Pretenders and The Specials. The Beat played an important role in the British music scene during the 1980’s, in having a British audience adapt to a genre. Back on the scene for 12 years now, The Beat are stronger than ever. They are one of the most popular recording and live acts in the UK. The current line up features Ranking Roger and Ranking Junior on vocals, Fuzz Townshend on drums, and Andy Pearson, Matt Godwin, Steve Harper and Bobby Bird on bass, saxophone and guitars. I chatted with the legendary Ranking Roger about their release of “Rock The Casbah” for Strummerville, a little bit of Beat history and their upcoming show in The Academy, Dublin. 25 How did it all begin with The Beat? I was in a band called The Dum Dum Boys. I was a drummer for that band, a punk band. Basically, we were just a bunch of punks who played loud, fast music. We did a bunch of gigs like Rock Against Racism. We had loads of bands that played alongside each other reggae and punk bands. Then we started our own gigs when people started to get to know us. One day we got a phone call from a band called The Beat who wanted to open up for us. When we met them, we had already heard of each other’s music and we liked them. They opened up for us and blew us off stage. Obviously, they were really good musicians with really great ideas. I ended up going on stage with them and MCing. I then joined them within about 3 weeks and I kind of never looked back. How did it come about to have the two versions The Beat (Wakeling in the US and Ranking Roger in the UK)? Well, we were always the UK version of The Beat. Dave Wakeling and I had a band called General Public after The Beat split the first time. About four years later, that band split up. Then ten years later that band got back together and tried to do another General Public album. We had worked with each other many times on different projects. All of a sudden, Mojo Magazine (about 12 years ago) wanted to try and get The Beat back together. Basically, we got most of the band together to do this one gig in London in front of about 5,000 people and it sold out. We got everybody together, except for three people. After that finished; Dave went back to America and did The English Beat. Everett (the drummer at the time) and I decided we were going to be The Beat in England and the rest of the world. The whole twist about that is when we originally were a band and were in the charts we found out there was a rock band called The Beat already over in the US so we changed our name to The English Beat. We were always known in America as The English Beat. How was 2014 for The Beat? It seemed like it was a very busy year for you. Oh very. I can’t really complain. I’m really privileged and lucky to be in this situation. I know the life of a musician is a life time; but the life of a band is usually about four years. I’ve managed to keep this version of The Beat going for twelve years. We’ve slowly built and built; and the quality of the music and the shows is better all the time. You can’t tell the difference between the old and the new stuff that we play. It’s like the new stuff sounds like the old stuff. I’m very pleased with that. The Beat has toured with some huge names like The Clash and R.E.M. – who was your favourite band to tour alongside? So many... Yeah we’ve toured with R.E.M. but people wouldn’t believe that R.E.M. actually opened for us. They did about 3 tours with us. We made our record company sign them to IRS Records. As soon as they left IRS they got massive. How did your son, Ranking Junior, end up joining the band? I guess he’s always heard my music from the time he was in his mum’s womb so he knows it inside out. When he was about 15, Ranking Junior and I started doing stuff together. We went on tour with somebody for instance, and we worked together then. When The Beat started happening again, he came on stage with us. It started with him doing three songs, then it became five and then we decided he should stay on and do the whole set. We kind of found our ground then – he’s always been there. Are you excited to be playing in The Academy in Dublin next month? Yes, we’ve played there before, it’s great. One thing I can say about Dublin is we always have a rowdy audience. The crowds are always shouting and screaming, a real excited crowd. We never have trouble at a Beat gig, people know what they’re going to get. People who have seen us before are going to be surprised, there’s more new numbers in there. So you will be playing tracks from your recent projects at the show? Yes, we’ll be playing at least six tunes that we’ve recently worked on when we come to Ireland. Ranking Junior has his tunes, I’ve got mine and we’ve got some we’ve written together. There’s all that. So we’re experimenting and trying out new stuff. What do you feel has been The Beat’s greatest success? I think in a weird, profound way The Beat’s biggest mistake but biggest success was releasing “Stand Down Margaret”. When it came out, it got classed as political. It got banned. It became the national anthem for the women of Greenham Common, and for the miners who were on strike and loads of other people. Years and years later, people come up to me and say “you guys were heroes, because what you did then, nobody would do that, it was brave”. All we were doing was taking a risk, but we were saying exactly what was happening in the county at the time and people responded to it. As long as you are singing the truth then people should hear it. That’s what you call freedom of speech. We’ve lost it today I’m afraid. Can you tell me about your version of “Rock The Casbah” for Joe Strummer’s charity, Strummerville. I love the version! That has just come out as an EP and all the proceeds go to Strummerville. Our version of it is our interpretation of one of my favourite songs. I knew The Clash as well. If I’m going to do a cover it’s going to be a cover by one of my heroes. Our version is just a compliment really. We MC through it, it gives The Clash a lot of praise and respect. People who didn’t know The Clash might go back and listen to the original. The first time when The Clash had “Rock The Casbah” out, they had me come in the studio and do an MC version to it. The version never came out so this is kind of fulfilling that as far as I’m concerned. I never wanted to make a penny out of this; I made it because of the people in The Clash. I loved working with them and I loved everything they were about. They didn’t care what big promoters, hierarchies, or anybody cared about. They did it their way. They were the hardest working people in the industry at that time. I learned a lot from that. You must remain grounded no matter how big you are. Keep your feet on the ground. They passed on things to The Beat. The whole thing of “Rock The Casbah” is giving it all to Strummerville. Any money that’s raised will go to buying instruments for young kids. I think it’s great. Any final words? Make sure you come to the show because it’s going to be different. I think my daughter will be making an appearance. She will be on stage with us. She sings so that might be something. The Beat returns to play The Academy (Dublin) 6th of February 2015. Tickets are available now from usual outlets and online at www.ticketmaster.ie for €20 (including booking fee). This is a show that is not to be missed! FLAGGS F Interview by Stacy Walsh laggs, fronted by Lindsay Matheson, hail from San Diego, California. Flaggs combine 60’s rock, surf rock and punk in their latest release “Beach in Her Hair”. The band has been together only a little while, but Flaggs are already attracting a lot of attention in the US, especially on the West Coast. With an EP under their belt, Flaggs infectious tunes need to spread around the world. The band has filmed a video for their track “Got You Down” which can be viewed on Flaggs Youtube page. I caught up with Lindsay Matheson and we discussed all things California and Flaggs. Tell me how it all started with Flaggs? I know you have only been together a short amount of time. What is the current Flaggs line up? Another project I was in at the time was on hold due to another member being gone for a 2 month tour. Within those 2 months I built up the courage to start my own band. I just started calling my friends and sending them my home demos, seeing who was interested. I then met Matt Franco (drummer), Dagart Allison (Guitar/Keys) and our most recent addition, Diana Death (bass). So the latest EP, “Beach in Her Hair”, was released in November. Where did you record the EP and could you tell me a bit about the tracks? The EP was recorded at Earthling Studios and Audio Design Recording Studio in San Diego. “Got You Down” was the very first song written for Flaggs. I guess you could say it was the song that started the band and laid down the foundation for our sound. “Beach in Her Hair” (the title track) was inspired by my grandfather. He was one of the original surfers of San Diego and would always take me to the beach with him when I was a little girl. I never wanted to get out of the ocean so he would always tell me “you’ve got the beach in your hair” since my brunette locks would get so bleached from being out in the sun so much. The lyrics then took on another life form and became more of a beach party theme in relation to my obsession with the movie “Blue Hawaii” (Elvis). “Crash and Burn” was inspired by my drummer, Matt Franco. A mutual friend of ours shot a video of him taking a really bad fall on his skateboard. I think he laid on the ground in pure silence for at least a full minute. And for an awful reason that I can’t explain why, I couldn’t stop laughing. I think videos of people falling down is one of the those guilty pleasures that we can’t help but laugh about. Who produced and mastered the EP? “Got You Down” & “Beach In Her Hair” was produced by Flaggs & Brian Karscig (Louis XIV). “Crash & Burn” was produced by Flaggs. I absolutely love the artwork on the EP cover – it’s really eye catching. Who came up with the cover art? An artist from San Diego named Moistrix came up with the Artist of the nth artwork. He sent a few ideas of some concepts and the one chosen seemed to resonate the best with the vibe we are trying to create. It also tied in nicely with our pool party music video we released for one of the tracks – “Got You Down”. Could you give me some insight in to your songwriting process? It usually starts off with either a guitar hook or a vocal melody, a good buzz and isolation. How did you come up with the band name ‘Flaggs’? The concept was to create a gang of inseperable members who rolled as a gang visually and sonically. Our own “lord of the flies” type of nation where we make up our own rules and fly our own custom flag. California had some of the best music scenes throughout the years. When I think of California I think of The Byrds, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Mazzy Star and The Beach Boys. Your music is clearly influenced by California living. What music scene influenced you the most? What bands/artsists do you consider to be your biggest influences? How would you describe Flaggs sound? The music is definitely moulded by the environment I grew up in San Diego, CA. Our influence styles range from Motown, 50’s rock, 60’s rock & punk. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact sound but I would definitely classify it as California Rock. For our upcoming album a lot of inspiration was taken from The Strokes, Roy Orbison & Gram Parsons. Do you have plans for an upcoming tour? Any chance of Flaggs hitting Europe for a tour? We’d love to see a Dublin date in the future! Yes we are planning a California West Coast tour this spring and play SD/LA frequently. We’d love to visit Dublin, can we stay with you? How was it filming the music video for “Got You Down”? We didn’t really have a set plan for the music video which was a curse and a blessing at the same time. We basically invited some friends over and just filmed us doing what we normally do on a sunny weekend. Are you currently working on any projects? Do Flaggs have any plans to get back in the studio? Is there an album on the horizon? Yes we are back in the studio working on a sophomore EP to release this year. I don’t have many other details to say about it other than it has some of my favourite songs we’ve ever written so far on it. Flaggs current EP “Beach in Her Hair” can be purchased on iTunes. You can log on to www.flaggsmusic.com to keep track of upcoming events. 28 PURE M Magazine “Music is not only enjoyed by a couple of people, everybody enjoys it and needs it.” Tania Notaro Tania Notaro 29 We caught up with Dublin singer-songwriter Tania Notaro to have a chat about her EP Blind and Bound, and her journey so far in the music business. You've had some acting parts in productions like Love Hate & the feature film Frank, You also have done modeling on a professional level, you've also studied & worked in theatre, dance and starred in the 2013 Dirty Epics video Midnight Missing. Impressive artistic background for someone involved in music, how has that journey been so far? I started off really young dancing in theatre productions and I loved it, I studied traditional world music in college, while doing that I just kind of fell into the modelling, I was asked by friends and it grew from that. Modelling was not something I wanted to pursue myself it just kind of happened. The acting I am doing a little bit more of that, it is kind of fun, I'm keeping busy. You done an encore with Richie Sambora, at Dublin's Olympia Theatre as a winning finalist in the Dublin Opening Act contest, what was that experience like? I got a phone call on the Sunday before the show by Pat Courtney, I was put in a competition with 100 other acts from Dublin. He shortlisted the acts down to about 20 and sent them off to Richie Sambora and he listened to them and picked 5, I was one of the 5. It was great, I was buzzing. I was actually more excited about seen Orianthi because she is a great guitar player. Even seen how a big stage production works was great, funny enough I actually worked with Bon Jovi before with their production team with Aiken. Your Debut EP Blind & Bound was written and produced by you, your influences in Jazz, blues and rock music really projects across in the EP's sound, is there anything you would change on the EP and what is the meaning of the title? There is a lot I would change because at the time I was under an immense pressure, it was part of my media project for my degree. So I had deadlines with it, and I think having the deadlines was good. Production wise, for the album it is going to be a lot bigger. On Blackened Trees which kind of has a real swinging jazz feel to it, I'd love to put some brass section on that. Always Wanting More, has a reggae feel, so more keyboards, there is a lot more I can add to it. The EP is basically just the bones of the sound. The meaning of the title, my Grandad actually said to me Somebody Has To Come would be a great candidate for the fifty shades of grey soundtrack. Everyone does be saying oh are you into S&M, but the title is about, Blind to certain situations your in and bound to them as well, and I think the lyrics in the songs portray that. Are you going down the DIY route with your music or would you sign to a major or Indie label? What's your thoughts on music labels? Are there any plans to release an official video this year? I do, I am teaming up with good friends of mine The Crooked Gentlemen, I think they are absolutely amazing, they're directing and kind of a production team. Blackened Trees is going to be released as a video. How do you go about writing your songs? What I do is, I write the music and whatever mood that music puts me in or makes me feel, I write the lyrics to it. I've written poetry and lyrics for years but I never can put music to them, I just find it easier to put lyrics to the sound. Growing up did you have any particular singer or band that you looked up to and do they have any influence over your music today? When I was about 4, I started to listen to The Doors, Since a really young age I had this obsession with Jim Morrison. When people ask who inspires your music, for me it's not just one person its so many people. I don't just look to one person and get inspired , so many great artists out there like Kate Bush, Janis Joplin and male artists like Prince and Chet Baker, there so many it is hard to kind of pinpoint who exactly inspires me. I think all these artists have molded my sound to what it is and from listening to such a vast genre in music. Do you think musicians should be paid properly by corporate companies like Sound Cloud, YouTube or Spotify for streaming artists music on their sites, or what is your take, on the whole, streaming online business? I'm of two minds about this topic because you have artists like Tom Yorke and Brian Johnston that are so against it and then you have U2 promoting it. For something that people write themselves music wise, is such a big deal. You have artists that paint and they get thousands for one painting, why is it different when it comes to music, when everybody has music in their life. Music is not only enjoyed by a couple of people, everybody enjoys it and needs it. When you give your music to a website to share it with millions of people, there should be some kind of compensation. You do a lot of acoustic gigs with Robson Rocha, is he a key member of your act? I would be lost without Robson, he is just absolutely fantastic. He is from Brazil and living here 11 years if ask him to play something he can just play it. We both do a lot of acoustic sets around and when I play with my full band he is part of that too. Where do see your music in 12 months time? Hopefully not in the bin, (Laughs) I actually haven't thought about that myself, what I'm doing now is working on exposure and getting the name out there and trying to build up my fanbase. I manage myself and doing everything myself, I think setting up a label would be tough. I haven't really thought about it but signed to a major label would be great. It would mean more exposure and working with different people. What do you think about the Dublin gigging scene at the moment and do you find it difficult getting gigs as an original act? I think Dublin could be a lot more supportive to original acts, there are absolutely amazing artists out there. With the likes of Hozier blaze up now and there are so many acts like that around Dublin now, like Odd Socks Revival, Salvitro, all these amazing bands around. What I see a lot in Dublin venues is most places only take cover bands, I think they should be more supportive of our artists. Being a musician is tough, it's not easy if you're living on gigs and it's not a secure job. www.facebook.com/tanianotaromusic Sea Creatures Review by Lauren Smith T Review by Ronan Glennon here’s just not one shred of doubt when I begin to declare that there are some of us who just cannot express their set of emotions easily to other sentient beings. You’ve met these creatures before, I’m sure. Perhaps it’s a difficult task for most of us, but not for Mr. Russ Poole. This singer/songwriter from Gloucester, has undergone this feat in his third EP entitled ‘Face To Face’. A fitting title for such an honestly portrayed record. By blending a sort of baroque-pop sound with some strong indiefolk guitar rhythms, Russ has created a sonicatmosphere that gives the listener the impression of an artist in a truly self-reflective state. As a listener I can appreciate music that comes straight from the core. In this neatly packed collection of some intelligently-structured songs, you’ll hear melodic electric guitars overlapping delicately plucked strings of a warm sounding acoustic guitar. The first track ‘Take your time’ ascends slowly with this effect that follows the artist’s low registered-baritone voice. Throughout the EP, Pianos and backing vocals are cleverly used for ranging dynamics for some pretty hard-hitting chorus’s. ‘Better’ standing at track no. 3 demonstrates this factor perfectly along with another element that seemed to impress me. The use of falsetto vocals for the chorus. Sang with a precise emphasis on each note that lacerated out a sound that lightly touched on what Bon Iver has experimented with, which is by no means an easy way to sing. The outstanding pin-sized thorn that dug into my side throughout this EP would have to be the drum track to blame. At certain times during low-fi stages of verses it sounded like a metronome was simply left on by a forgetful producer. This could have bothered me a whole lot more if it wasn’t for the final composition of Mr. Poole’s efforts. ‘Face To Face’ appropriately represents this musical venture in a number of ways. Musically and lyrically it sets the bar in relation to the rest of the songs. Words written so bluntly and delivered from the edge of the throat sends a few questions into the midst. Is this written for someone significant? Is this a message? These are the little mystery’s left for us to unravel. Given you’re in the right mood and your eyes are sealed shut, the startling impact of the electric guitars soloing in a glossy symmetry, wrapping around each other with some interesting overdubbed effects, will surely send some squirming vibrations throughout your waking body. At first, it was hard for me to swallow some of my inhibitions on first-glance at this record. Inhibitions simply stemming from not listening to this in the right atmospheric setting or even the right mood. So go find your turtle-shell domain and listen with a clear, childlike mindset and you’ll certainly find yourself liking what you hear. I can conclude that these sounds are not for those of whom that are de-void of all feeling in the pits of their soul’s, but if you’re one of those ‘deep’ individuals who likes to hear a haunting, striking voice discharging its emotional content for four minutes, then you should start following this guy around. Russ Poole’s ‘Face To Face’ hits us online 1st February 2015. As the day draws to a close and the static hum of a white noise that buzzes through this frosted city fades to a pacifying silence, I settle at my laptop, tea in hand to cleanse my senses in music. I’m in the mood for some SOAK an up-and-coming outstanding artist whose talent and insight far exceeds her 18 years. Bridie Monds-Watson is the voice behind one of the most captivating EP’S I’ve listened to. Sea Creatures, a single following B a Nobody is the first official release from her debut album produced with Villagers’ Tommy McLoughlin which is due to be available for purchase later this year. Sea Creatures is a truly decadent piece of music. Bridie Mond-Watson’s slight and delicate vocals dance over a caressed acoustic guitar and sombre piano. Her voice is light and wafts through my headphones and I’m immediately slipping out of one world and into another more romanticised and luxurious one. “You don’t know what love is.” “I don’t get this town, neither do you, we should run away.” She channels a more indulgent and broody Lisa Hannigan with an easy tempo that brings all outside thoughts to a halt. The singer-song writer and part-time skater earned her place on BBC Radio 1 list, In New Music We Trust and has been nominated for the BBC Sound of 2015 poll. With a mood and atmosphere comparable to Damian Rice, Sea Creatures seems to send time swirling into obscurity for a few meditative moments. Her music videos are modest and shot in black and white in real towns with real people, further enforcing her rawness and vulnerability as each note is obviously pulled directly from the core. SOAK’s sound is careful and inviting. B a Nobody had the same stand-still affect for me and Sea Creatures is a wonderful follow-up as the track boasts more intensity and authenticity. This is an artist whom I think will be sending the same shock waves across the globe as Ed Sheeran once her album is dropped. She is not only the ‘one to watch’ but the one to marvel at. I sense it won’t be long until this lady will be soothing the hearts and minds of those universally experiencing uncertainty about who they are and what this thing called life is really all about. Sea Creatures is available for online download now. HANA An Introduction Review by Craig Moran A t just fourteen years old Hana Evans or just HANA, is already making a name for herself on British airwaves. The young singer/songwriter comes from the small seaside town of Penarth in South Wales. Her music outlines the complications of teenage life and the desperate search for an individual identity. Although for the moment HANA remains unsigned, it won’t be long until she begins making waves in the industry, she’s one of the youngest artists to be featured on BBC Radio 1’s ‘Introducing Artist of The Week’. HANA also came out on top in the teen category of the global ‘Unsigned Only’ competition. With a strikingly wonderful voice and the confidence of someone twice her age HANA has been hotly tipped as one of the UK’s ones to watch according to Buzzfeed’s ‘34 Brilliant British Singer Songwriters To Discover’. HANA’s song writing skills are impressive, her lyrics are cleverly written and she is definitely more substantial than your average teen pop star. HANA’s tremulous voice and the vibrato tones in her sound is something special, her voice at times is evocative of that of Ellie Goulding. Arguably ‘I Don’t Want To’ is her stand out track (So far). Again it has to be said this song is very different from any other teen popstar break up song out there. HANA rejects the idea she needs to be sad post breakup and she does it with an impressive pop song littered with hooks and memorable lines. ‘L.O.V.E’ is another intoxicatingly catchy song by HANA which will have everyone scrambling to Shazam it wherever they might hear it. It is quite evident that HANA has already mastered writing sensational pop music at such a young age. Ellie Goulding should start to worry! HANA’s song ‘Wanna B’ has a Scandi pop sound, almost reminiscent of an Icona Pop track or Say Lou Lou. ‘Wanna B’ is a more playful sounding track than HANA’s other works, this song wouldn’t feel out of place in a Summer setting with its sweet tempered guitar riffs. This song is not only thoroughly enjoyable to listen to but pretty damn catchy too. ‘Runaway’ is another stand out track, the powerful instrumentals coupled with her writing skills in this song are positively brilliant. Her candour in this track is refreshing; this song encapsulates growing up and screams for a yearning of freedom. Growing up and the search of an identity are at the centre of HANA’s sound, it would be safe to say this song will help put HANA on the map along with the aforementioned ‘I Don’t Want To’. Another talent among HANA’s myriad of talents is that she is bilingual, this allows her to cross pollinate her singing and song writing talents to create another wonderful piece. ‘Cer a fi nol’ is sung entirely in Welsh, while it can be somewhat alienating to non-Welsh speakers ‘Cer a fi nol’ is unquestionably enchanting to listen to. HANA has cited Foxes, St Vincent, Bastille and Imogen Heap as some of her influences, this mixture of alternative influences are the impetus for HANA’s unique sound. HANA has a promising future in the music industry; her brand of alternative pop is refreshing. Undoubtedly HANA’s sound would fit in well with almost any radio station. 31 L Review by Darren Cahill upe is back. That is the chorus that has been echoing around from Lupe Fiasco fans since the release of his fifth album Tetsuo & Youth. The album (his final to be released through Atlantic Records) was released to critical acclaim last week and it is easy to see why. It is full of deep meaning with epic verses that see Lupe at his very best lyrically creatively mixing his excellent wordplay, witty jokes and deep metaphors to create songs that carry quite a punch lyrically. The songs don’t fall down too much on production either, with the albums production solid throughout. Lupe enjoyed great success and acclaim with his debut and sophomore efforts but after a large amount of controversy surrounding his third release “Lasers” fans had felt he had gone mainstream and lost his distinct sound (Personally I enjoyed “Lasers” though). If “Food and Liquor II” didn’t convince fans that Lupe is back to his best then “Tetsuo & Youth” will have, I’m sure. The album contains many songs over the six-minute mark as Lupe takes every chance he gets and doesn’t hold any punches. On “Blur My Hands” sees Lupe confronting his haters and, like I said, pulling no punches. Another highlight of the album is “Deliver”. On this track he spits about a place of real danger. Within he shows that he has lots to say about modern society and he knows how to coherently get his point across without losing his trademark wit. A deep song reminiscent of “Around My Way” from his previous album. Overall it is hard to narrow down the high points of the album because there are so many, another personal favourite being “Mural”. Not many Lupe Fiasco fans, or indeed hip hop fans will be disappointed by Tetsuo & Youth, and it will be blared all over the world for years to come surely. Our Man in the Field Self-titled EP Review by Dave Simpson Our Man in the Field is the enigmatic alter ego of London-based musician Alexander Ellis. It’s under this guise that he shares his variety of captivating folk arrangements with the world. When it comes to composing his material, Ellis draws inspiration from all that surrounds him, ranging from monumental matters to everyday occurrences. This is readily apparent on his new EP, which features a collection of compositions that are both thought-provoking and contemplative. The bracing acoustic riff of “L’Etranger” immediately incites chills that are heightened by its haunting harmony. The vocals echo and linger, creating a celestial ambience as they relay the pensive lyrics. “It Was Ever So” is just as stirring, beginning with light guitar work that adds in a harmonica to convey a sentimental tune. The vocals and melody are forlorn and affecting, bestowing a reflective energy upon the piece. “Long Forgotten” has a more buoyant rhythm but maintains a solemn undertone. The lyrics play out like a letter, recounting an introspective tale voicing fears and ruminations. “I Remember You” is a warmer assemblage with an embracing riff and gentle vocals. It becomes rather ambivalent as it progresses, seemingly struggling between feelings of hope and torment. Latest single “Pockets” has a more optimistic sound than its peers. Its riff is fast paced and rousing, combining with a melody that dashes along, giving rise to an infectious beat. The end result is a song whose tone is reassuring and enthusiastic. Our Man in the Field has crafted a poignant selection of acoustic folk songs whose content is deep and meaningful. The vocal and instrumental execution is passionate and accomplished, producing a sound that rests on the ears. His EP should find favour with a wide audience, regardless of their musical tastes. 33 D Review by Sean Coyle oes popular music need a more eclectic sound in an effort to shake things up? One candidate to elevate this problem to the above question is Swedish artist Cajsa Siik. Deserting the predictable pounding dance sound of contemporary pop Siik has unleashed her album Contra to critical acclaim. Exuding the same haunting appeal as Kate Bush/Florence Welsh/Tori Amos and even a small bit of Madonna, Contra is a good example of modern art pop as a “commercial vehicle” its not trying to be overly artsy for the sake of it. The lead single Higher is a good choice to reel the new listener in, then unveiling the rest of the album with all of its masterful sonic moments. Birds is a beautiful song it is a very mellow ballad, it’s a sad song lamenting lost love but not in a predicable way. If you were expecting Caijsa to follow in the footsteps of fellow country women Robyn and Neneah Cherry with there dance/hip hop sound or even the bubble gum factory pop of Sweden of the past fifteen years or so – forget it! This album is a breath of fresh air in a very subtle way, yet the album has a very sombre overtone the dance beats don’t pulsate and the guitars don’t soar making it a nice mix. Relentless Delight is a jaunty number that shakes the album up a bit, the drums are dramatic and the song has a xylophone element to it which switches it up a bit leaving the sombre tone behind and adds more aggression to it. Cold and Clear is back to a slower mood her voice is clear and precise and is quite pleasant to listen to. Highlights of this collection are – Higer, Birds and Relentless Delight The U.K edition of this collection has an extra song Follow You Down – and more songs will be released over the Spring that are not on this album. Cajsa Siik is playing gigs in the forthcoming future and Contra is released via Sing for you/ XS music group. It is definitely worth a listen. 34 Say Yes To Everything Review by Dave Simpson D eclaring their style as “Rock/Funk/Ska with a dash of gypsy”, The TreeSleepers are a five piece musical troupe native to West Cork. Following four years of playing live shows and a 2011 debut EP, the band’s first full album, Say Yes To Everything, dropped in October 2014. It’s a record that adopts a somewhat unconventional approach to making music and makes for an entertaining listen. Opening track, “Darker Fate”, commences with a funky beat, containing some trad hints buried in its fabric. The vocals are expressive and smooth, with an overall vibe that’s cool and collected. A more serious and complex riff gets “Cold Blooded” off the ground. Its jazzy melody is delivered amid exotic instrumentation. This is followed by an anticipatory bass line to introduce “21 Hookers and an Ounce of Coke.” A subtle riff and reserved vocals soon join in to guide things towards a bouncy beat that trucks along at a steady pace. “Where Have You Gone” is a laid back, relaxed effort. Its mellow score and vocals remain solemn throughout. “True Fiction” turns in a different direction, with an exceution about which there is something very tongue-incheek. Its offbeat sound is conveyed with a sense of lightheartedness. “Breaking Tunes” is another quirky addition, featuring heavy guitars that burn consistently in the background without being overpowering. The upbeat vibe continues into “Shadows”. A more ominous air briefly sets in for the verse but is quickly defeated again by a buoyancy that persists to the end. “Preacher” is an atomspheric and distinctive composition. Its infectious introductory riff unfolds nicely behind a lively melody that speeds up when the chorus hits. It’s followed by the flashy “Getting Stupid”, which has quite a gaudy feel. The irreverency endures into “Delirium Trembles”, while “Can’t Stop the Rot” closes things out with a slow burning riff and verses that are heavy on the bass. There can be no doubt that The TreeSleepers have a genuinely good time making their music. You can feel their enjoyment throughout this album, which only works to its advantage. Say Yes To Everything is a sometimes eccentric, always unorthodox, ethnic rock album that’s worth sampling, particularly if you’re looking for a departure from the norm. Sandra Coffey Morning Zoo Review by Sarah Swinburne Galway born Sandra Coffey’s career has slowly been gaining momentum in the last few years. A powerful voice made even more robust due to classical training as a soprano is the defining feature of Coffey’s debut album; Morning Zoo. Far from being a classical singer in the taut uncompromising sense of the word, Coffey instead dedicates this album to blending sixties era soul with her larger than life operatic voice. While this attempt isn’t entirely successful, it certainly singles out Coffey as a unique artist in Ireland’s music scene. Coming in at a brisk 33 minutes, Morning Zoo is an album that does not need a multitude of songs to put across its themes and ideas. ‘Baby Leave a Light on For Me’ is one of the standout tracks on the album. Dylanesque and a definite toe-tapper, Coffey’s voice takes on a Buffy Sainte-Marie quality which marries well with the sixties feel in the bones of the song. The song builds up to a rollicking climax with perfect cohesion between string section and vocals. The resulting sing-a-long effect makes this song a good addition to any driving playlist. The other standout track on the record is ‘Hot Water Bottle’. Despite the slightly cringe-worthy lyrics (admittedly in keeping with the 60’s mood), this is the track which allows the true power of Coffey’s voice to shine through. Slower in pace from the rest of the album, ‘Hot Water Bottle’ is simple, elegant and uncomplicated. The listener gets the full unrushed and uninterrupted quality of Coffey’s frequent vibratos during this song; the measured and unhurried tempo gives the necessary space to her expansive voice. With sparse piano accompaniment and a classic, unfussy vocal line, this is Coffey at her best. At other times during the album, the classical voice has difficulty blending in to the 60’s alt-rock thrust of the record. Leaving Coffey’s voice aside for one moment, due attention must be given to her accompanying band. Unfailingly brilliant, the background musicians are versatile, diverse and deserving of more room to shine. Between highly polished string sections and raw harmonica solos (also, the guitar solo in ‘Silhouette’ definitely deserves a mention), this group of musicians are easily capable of handling any and all styles and genres. Overall, Morning Zoo is quite a disappointing and unassured debut. Coffey is clearly a gifted vocalist with a real flair for the slower and more theatrical songs. Her accompanying band is truly excellent with some exceptionally talented musicians in the mix, the cellist and guitarist especially. However, her stylistic choices in blending soul, alternative rock and a classically trained voice results in a bewildering album which, at times, is more jarring than enjoyable. However, given Coffey’s obvious talent, and the confidence with which she approached this record, it won’t be long before she finds her feet creatively speaking. All in all, a dissatisfying but promising debut; Sandra Coffey is still one to watch. Gar Tiernan Took Someone New Review by Dave Simpson D ublin based singer/songwriter, Gar Tiernan, has spent the past two years working on his debut album. He finally intends to share it with the world later this year. As a musician, he prefers not to limit himself to any particular style. Instead, he defines himself as an artist who is unafraid to embrace a multitude of genres. This extends to everything from pop to R & B to folk and even as far afield as acoustic hip-hop. Aside from working on his debut record, Tiernan can often be found making a name for himself performing live around Ireland. Most recently, however, he recorded a music video for Coffee Hill Sessions on Youtube. The song showcased is named “Took Someone New” and should serve to build anticipation for his upcoming album. After Tiernan briefly introduces himself at the video’s beginning, his performance takes off through moving piano keys. Emphatic vocals set in, resonating and lingering as they narrate the heartfelt lyrics. The overall tone is somber and affecting, yet very enthusiastic. Enthralling piano work and an expressive harmony cut deep as they unfold. The whole thing may be made up of just one man and his piano but it sounds immense. You can tell that he is extrememly passionate about what he does. The fact that this song is delivered so well here through a live session bodes most favourably for the forthcoming release. There can be no doubt that he has the talent and he knows how to use it. If you’re from Dublin or Ireland, keep an eye out for further Gar Tiernan shows on the local scene. Otherwise, you’ll be able to experience his album in its entirety in the coming months. 36 PURE M Magazine Review by Dave Simpson or those unfamiliar, The Dirty Youth are a five piece alt-rock ensemble from South Wales who first hit the scene in 2007. Since their formation, the band made whole by vocalist Danni Monroe, guitarist/key player Matt Bond, bassist Leon Watkins, guitarist Luke Padfield and drummer Freddie Green have toured extensively and played alongside some titans of the music industry. They’re also no strangers to the stage at major music festivals, such as Download. Their debut album, Red Light Fix, hit in late 2011. And now following a successful Kickstarter campaign the Welsh rockers have finally unleashed its follow-up, Gold Dust, just in time for 2015. Through months of teasing new material and a landmark headlining UK tour in October, they certainly have done a fine job of building up anticipation for its release. This begs the question then, was it worth the wait? The answer is a resounding yes and then some. Fast paced and exciting, Gold Dust has a sound that is fresh and original yet distinctly Dirty Youth. “I’m Not Listening To You” blasts off with a booming drum beat and striking synths that lead into a robust riff and absorbing vocals. Its energy and enthusiasm makes the whole thing feel like a declaration that the band are back and that they mean business. Lead single, “Alive”, is already a definitive Dirty Youth anthem. Its compelling synths and heavy riffs combine for an arrangement that’s extremely grand in scale. This is topped off wonderfully by motivational choruses to which it is next to impossible to listen without belting the lyrics back. “Just Move On” fades in gradually before exploding with an infectious, dancy beat. The memorable melody is brought to life by lively, fetching vocals. It’s a very accessible and captivating track that’s sure to have audiences singing and dancing their hearts out at shows. “The One” takes over with a darker tone. Heavy, penetrating guitar blasts build continuously as it unfolds. It carries a hard rock vibe with a refreshing contemporary spin, concluding with a great electronic breakdown. “Darkest Wedding” is more of a straightforward pop/rock number. Its riffs have a mellow quality yet generate a great deal of vigour. There’s a remorseful edge to the sound, while emotion and passion are rife within the execution. “Invincible” follows up with dire piano keys before guitars erupt and build. It blends a somber ambience with a classic rock spirit and heartfelt vocals. Fast and furious riffs and synths get “Bury Me Next To Elvis” off to a rousing start. A thumping drum beat is met with an enthralling melody in the verse, while the chorus is fast and endearing. Its successor, “Don’t Feel Right”, is one of The Dirty Youth’s most powerful efforts to date. Resonating guitars and synths draw you in through their zealous delivery, while the spirited vocals keep you hooked. “Who I Am” runs fast through its verse before slowing the pace for a chorus in which the music and vocals increase to epic levels. The seriousness of the tune and content is conveyed in a self-assured manner that gives the song a lot of weight. “Bedroom Karate”, on the other hand, is a fantastically fun affair that puts its foot on the gas and doesn’t ease up. Bursting into an uproarious riff, its lyrics and tune are relentlessly catchy. This track has to be the band’s ultimate sing-along anthem. It’s guaranteed to stick in your head and certain to become a crowd pleaser at gigs. Final track, “Holding On”, is a gorgeous ballad-like composition, made up of chilling vocals and instrumentation. It sounds huge. The melancholy music grows beautifully as it progresses, while the haunting harmony washes over you for a deeply affecting listen. Gold Dust is a compilation of eleven damn near perfect rock anthems with which The Dirty Youth have truly outdone themselves. Carrying a lot more accessibility than their previous work and swelling with character, this should win the fivesome a plethora of new fans and leave their current ones feeling more than satisfied. Whether you’re familiar with the band or not, you need to check this out. For those who weren’t lucky enough to get their hands on a copy of the album through Kickstarter, it has been announced for general release on March 30th. You can pre-order it online at their official merch store. In the meantime, watch out for the guys live on tour with Fozzy this spring. Aoife Doyle This Time the Dream’s on Me A Review by Sarah Swinburne oife Doyle is a Dublin based singer on an upward swing in her career. Her 2013 album This Time the Dream’s on Me is an excellent showcase of her talents both as a singer and a bandleader. Nestled somewhere between jazz and folk, Doyle has received critical acclaim both for her recorded output and her highly polished live gigs. Her debut album consists of ten covers of well-known folk, jazz and country songs which have been given the Doyle treatment. Doyle’s choice of songs to cover is interesting. An eclectic mix, including songs made famous by Alison Krauss and Patsy Cline (‘Oh, Atlanta’, and ‘She’s Got You’), two Bob Dylan songs and a Cole Porter standard, Doyle clearly has quite a diverse taste in music. Diverse too, is the talents of her backing band. While the band has had several different incarnations since 2010, its current form appears to be a winning combination. With Dominic Mullan on drums, Andrew Csibi on double bass and Johnny Taylor on piano, it seems like a typical jazz ensemble. However, coupled with Doyle’s stark, clear and robust vocal quality, makes this album an instant favourite. After earning a diploma from the London Guildhall School of Music and a BA in Jazz Performance from Newpark, Doyle has been performing around Ireland to ever-increasing critical acclaim. Like Doyle, all members of the band are particularly accomplished in terms of their musical qualifications. Pianist Johnny Taylor hails from London originally and has studied at Trinity College and Berklee College of Music in Boston (the latter has Quincy Jones as a former alumnus). Andrew Csibi is a regular performer in the National Concert Hall and is a dedicated teacher. Drummer Dominic Mullan is also a graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and has performed all over Europe. With highly educated and qualified performers such as these, it is not surprising that together they produce an exceedingly polished sound which marries well with Doyle’s expressive voice. The album has a strong start with Mick Ralphs’ ‘Oh Atlanta’. As previously mentioned, this song is synonymous with Alison Krauss and indeed, Doyle seems to be channelling her spirit. The clear, melismatic melody with a decidedly folksy twang demonstrates Doyle’s vocal ability, while the sparse accompaniment allows space for each musician to shine. A lengthy scat solo at the climax of the song however, proves to be the low point. While impressive in technical terms, it perhaps went on a little too long. Other highlights include ‘She’s Got You’. A Hank Cochran song popularised by Patsy Cline is another example of Doyle’s particular talent: turning country and folk songs into jazz standards. This is especially noteworthy during Bob Dylan’s ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’. Here, the tempo is kicked up a notch and steadily builds to a rollicking height before sliding to a simmering close. This is also the track in which Johnny Taylor is given free rein to spectacular effect. Overall, This Time the Dream’s on Me is a very confident and assured debut album from Aoife Doyle. While it would have been nice to hear more original work amidst all the covers, Doyle’s masterful control of her voice, and her daring and effortless improvisations of well-known melodies makes this album an incredibly memorable start to what looks to be a very promising career. 37 Amanda Agnew Think of You EP Review by James Lindsay A manda Agnew is a singer/songwriter from Bangor, Northern Ireland. Her latest E.P. ‘Think of You’, was released in March 2014 and recorded in Sony Studios Nashville, Tennessee. Agnew’s style can be described as Folk/Alt Country. She has a smooth and very sincere voice that sits comfortably in the Country style. The lead track of her E.P. is ‘Think of You’, which has a carefree feel and cruises along nicely. The subject is light and sincere, and Agnew’s voice is the main feature in the track by a long shot. I guess the arrangements of Country tracks are pretty formulaic, which is still doing the trick so if it ain’t broke… As a whole it’s a perfect introduction to her style, is earnest in nature and makes for good listening while showcasing Agnew’s enviable voice front and centre. Moving on to the next track ‘The Key to Success’ has a more melancholic tone and expands the emotional range of the E.P. This is the track where the young lovers aren’t getting on so well but there’s life in the old relationship yet judging by the optimistic lift of the song’s main hook. There’s room here for more instrument variety so it’s a good bit more interesting than ‘Think of You,’ by my ears. These tracks are a joy to listen to due to their clear quality and not-so-oddly remind me of The Corrs’ debut album ‘Forgiven Not Forgotten’… I wonder is Agnew’s soft northern voice the link there as the sound works well! The final track, we received is called ‘The Fortune Rooms.’ There are some nods to Nashville in Agnew’s accent here and the track drives along similar to Think of You. This is a more mature sounding track lyrically and jumps out a bit more boldly than the preceding tracks. I think this song has the most universal appeal and should receive some favourable attention with the right airplay. Agnew’s songs and voice have an earnest quality and a broad appeal which should be reason enough for success. I suppose like any big industry, the Country Music scene has a large pool of talent and the difficulty lies in standing out from the crowd. Grit will be required as the talent is already there. Les Gadjos Mademoiselle James EP Review by Dave Simpson French natives Les Gadjos are a modern day swing act whose approach to making music mixes a retro style with a dash of the contemporary. Playing together since 2004, the Parisian ensemble are a regular presence on their home town’s live scene and have also been known to venture out to festivals and venues across both their motherland and the UK. While they use swing as their base genre, the band also cite jazz and rock – as well as Oriental motifs and movie scores – as influencing their sound; all of which is abundantly evident on their latest EP, Mademoiselle James. “Elephant Blues” begins the compilation by fusing very ethnic sounding musical elements with a touch of retro-pop that establishes a slow and steady rhythm. Vivid vocals develop at an equally relaxed pace, resulting in a cool and composed piece that saunters along with a carefree attitude. “Sometimes” feels like a very natural extension of its predecessor, commencing with subtle, exotic instrumentation. The smooth French vocals of the verse make a seamless transition to English in the chorus, blurring the barriers between languages. The momentum accelerates towards the end, culminating in a jazzy and jovial conclusion. A fun vibe continues into “DeadEnd Street” as it bounces off with a lively beat. The melody and saxophone cues are playful and audacious, lending quite a cheeky sound to the whole affair. Finale, “Clap Hands”, starts with a breezy intro, sailing into vocals that keep things aloof, yet exude enthusiasm and energy. Mellow saxophone work unfolds over unperturbed guitars and percussion. When combined, it all creates a rather nonchalant ambience. Les Gadjos deserve to be commended for adopting a genre that was at the height of its popularity over half a century ago and making it feel relevant in the here and now. The personal touch they add by incorporating elements from several other similar yet distinct styles ensures their material has a unique quality. It’s worth investigating if you’re looking for some easy listening that’s a bit of a departure from the norm. 39 Moriaty “Bones” Review by Emily Belton T he bold new single ‘Bones’, from dirty indie blues duo, Moriaty is their latest slice of rock ‘n’ roll. The band’s bluesy hard rock format is similar to the likes of Royal Blood, Queens of the Stone Age and The Black Keys. The edgy single opens with a pulsating bassline and snappy guitar chops that instantly seizes the listener’s attention. The heavy drums with crashing cymbals help fuel the songs relentless energy. The power of this track also lies within the lead singer and natural frontman, Jordan West whose anguished vocals and lyrics are loosely based on the novel ‘Candide’ by Voltaire, viewed from 21st Century eyes. The single’s official music video captures the band’s galvanic playing while two boxers fight head to head in the ring. The nasty combat highlights the amount of vigour that comes from this song and extends the songs appeal which already has skyrocketing views, gaining an impressive 10,000 views over the weekend. The UK duo hailing from Devon have been lucky enough to work alongside fellow Devonian and bassist of stadium selling Muse, Chris Wolstenholme who features on bass in “Bones”. Moriaty are unconfined by the two piece phenomenon are known to collaborate with other musicians including rappers, singers, bass players and string sections. The duos philosophy seems to be all about enjoying the music and having fun doing so.Jordan West According to guitarist/lead singer, Jordan West. “Music is about escape, people sing songs because they want, for a few minutes to be in a different world” – Jordan Their previous single ‘Esperanza’ which was featured on Huw Stephens’ Radio One show, is a blistering rock ‘n’ roll track with dirty blues riffs. Another stimulating track is “Dahmer blues” with its gritty rock tones that cross over into the White Stripes territory whilst managing to retain that sodden blues quality that sounds utterly authentic and completely natural. ‘Bones’ is set to premier the unveiling of the bands extraordinary new material, which will be showcased next month when they hit the road on a UK tour run. Promising to bring a wide variety of new music, I think Moriaty are definitely a band to watch out for in 2015. Tell No Foxx PURE M Magazine Review by Craig Moran L W hat is about Wicklow lately? How can one county foster so much original home grown talent? Tell No Foxx is the latest act to begin making waves in the industry. With rave reviews from the likes of BBC Radio Ulster, commenting on the group’s work as ‘Beautify presented dark and moody production, incredible for a first EP very adventurous’. These lads are definitely the ones to watch in 2015. The trio released their debut EP back in July of 2014 and are set to release their Double A side in late spring. Their sound has been dubbed as ‘Gloom Pop’ by Hot Press, with beautifully crafted lyrics and haunting synths Tell No Foxx will no doubt become a regular fixture on Ireland’s gig circuit over the coming months. As ‘’Boulevard’’ opens it feels almost reminiscent of an Alt J or Foals track, however it offers much more substance. ‘’Boulevard’’ has a chorus that is poetic in language with a sprinkling of intoxicating hooks that will no doubt have the listener nodding in approval. ‘’Boulevard’’ is arguably the standout track on the EP. ‘’Pure’’ is a more sombre number, with melancholic undercurrent mixed with an ominous synth. However, this track isn’t hopelessly depressing, but rather reflective and like ‘’Boulevard’’ it is quite catchy. ‘’Obsolete’’ a gripping track with striking nostalgic tendencies, not so much a break up song, instead focusing on the sheer anguish of a relationship decaying. Its opening sounds almost as if it could be a summer folk song, however it is much honest, don’t let the gentle plucking of guitar strings fool you. ‘Obsolete’ is beautifully orchestrated and painfully honest lyrically. With its arguably wide appeal, this track wouldn’t feel out of place being featured on a breakup scene on the likes of Made in Chelsea. The final song, ‘’Silence’’ is another melancholic laden track from the Wicklow trio. ‘’Silence’’ focuses on a post break up malaise, the inner turmoil manifesting in a desire to get back at the ex. With lyrics like ‘I will haunt you, I will break you’ it truly hones in on the innate nature of this ‘Gloom Pop’ track. The four songs appear to work in a narrative structure, with the first two tracks concentrating on a crumbling relationship, then the third track centralized on a break up and finally track four explores the general discontent of post break up blues. Tell No Foxx is a trio consisting of Luke Lacey, Johnny Flood and Brian Sillery, these lads have created a sound that harks back to Depeche Mode and to a lesser extent The Smiths and Joy Division. However, these guys have something special, these guys have formulated a sobering plethora of gritty hard hitting sounds, Tell No Foxx are antithesis of a boy band. Tell No Foxx have two music videos to accompany their tracks; ‘’Boulevard’’ and ‘’Pure’’. Both videos are not heavily stylized, but rather effortlessly breathe artistic merit. The video for ‘’Pure’’ might not be safe for some workplaces, but it is perfectly fitting with the melancholic lyrics. A simple, yet stunningly shot clip is a must see. It would also be highly recommended to watch the music video for ‘’Boulevard’’, the harsh realism of each scene gives an insight into Tell No Foxx’s sound. Again, the video might not be suitable for some places of work. It would be foolish to say that Tell No Foxx are courting controversy with their videos, but rather they subvert normative ideas of those in power. ‘’Boulevard’’ is another wonderfully shot piece that will surely spark debate once it reaches a wider audience after their EP release. The twist at the end of the video and its shock value is evocative of that of The Prodigy’s infamous video ‘’Smack My Bitch Up’’. L The Pale Emperor Review by Dave Simpson T he Pale Emperor heralds the triumphant return of legendary alt-rock act Marilyn Manson. Considering it’s been three whole years since the band’s last record dropped, – not to mention the fact that production began on this latest venture way back in 2013 – many may say it’s been a long time coming. Fortunately for those expectant masses, the band’s ninth studio album is quite a treat. “Killing Strangers” is a slow burning, atmospheric opener. Bass and drums creep into characteristically demented vocals from the eponymous lead singer. The riff and melody escalate, becoming particularly fiery towards the end. “Deep Six” emerges ominously out of this with fast paced drums and coarse vocals. Raw, penetrating guitars follow on, charging into an aggressive chorus. “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge” begins reservedly, growing as it develops. A combination of musical elements unfold in the background throughout, adding an unsettling ambience. “The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles” changes things up with a deceptively light introduction that is soon supplanted by a more weighty, infectious rhythm. The chorus injects an engrossing melody into proceedings, that’s kept afloat by biting instrumentation. Its successor, “Warship My Wreck”, fades in gradually, establishing a foreboding tone. It eventually kicks off with frantic vocals and fearful music. A laboured, technical beat and strained vocals expand out of “Slave Only Dreams to be King”’s intro. The chorus is heavy and bracing, combining with a lot of electronic elements to set a tormented vibe. “The Devil Beneath My Feet” goes in a different direction, starting with relatively upbeat drums and a bassy, electronic riff. This is more mellow than previous entries, featuring hushed vocals and reticent yet striking guitars. Otherwordly synths recur throughout “Birds of Hell Awaiting”. They’re combined with subtle riffs and menacing vocals for a haunting number that has a strong dream like quality. Fading out, it gives way to the invigorating percussion and melody of “Cupid Carries a Gun”. These are mixed with a classic touch, lending an elegance to the sound that’s quite stirring. “Odds of Even”, on the other hand, arrives with a solemn, fatigued attitude, rife with uneasiness. It serves as an epic and immense closer. There should be plenty within The Pale Emperor’s 52 minute run time to keep fans happy. Its execution is stylish and sinister, while its sound is melodic and absorbing. Overall, this is a strong and solid addition to Marilyn Manson’s discography. 42 T Review by Sarah Swinburne he Black Lamps are on an upward trajectory in their musical career. Yorkshire born, the quartet have been gigging around the UK since 2006. They remain stoically and stubbornly unambitious. An early reviewer once quipped ‘They could be massive, if only they gave a shit!’ This laid back manner is present throughout their eponymous debut album. With a penchant for atmospheric, anthemic instrumental tracks, intermittently interspersed with unobtrusive vocals, The Black Lamps sound like the love child of The Cure and The Stone Roses (perhaps with Morrissey as a stepfather). How the four members came into being in their current formation is very interesting. Although hailing from different backgrounds musically and creatively speaking, they do harbour a shared love of decidedly early nineties style alternative post-rock; along with some deftly subdued elements of jazz and punk. The members of The Black Lamps are not merely cogs in a musical machine, but rather four separate and distinct machines speaking a common language. It makes sense then, to examine each machine independently. Lyndon Scarfe plays guitar and keyboards and describes his day job as doing ‘something vaguely tedious in IT’, (in that case he is to be commended for the bands beautifully accessible and informative website). Greg Firth, the bassist, moonlights as an engineer and singles out bands such as Sigur Ros and Mogwai as chief influences. It seems the dreamy, shimmering soundscapes are his inspiration, particularly in songs like ‘Scissors, Paper, Stone’ (incidentally their new single). Finally, Dean Ormston on drums has had noted success as a graphic artist for DC Comics. His energetic percussive style, frequently interspersed with military snare is oddly suited to a more painterly and aesthetically grounded sound: a remarkable feat for a drummer. Liam Stewart, guitarist and singer, runs a t-shirt company when he’s not playing music. He has also released two solo albums. Stewarts love of singersongwriters is evident throughout the album. Even in sparsely worded songs, the melodic cadences and rhythmic syntax seem to be in keeping with lyrical timing, giving the impression that words are being spoken when they are not. The most apparent example of this is in ‘Awkward’. A highlight of the album, ‘Awkward’ features a guitar riff written almost twenty years ago. One other notable song on the album is ‘The Smoking Party’. This track builds beautifully and could easily be imagined on the soundtrack of an indie coming-of-age film. The Black Lamps seem to primarily dwell on the instrumental side of things. Stewarts vocals, when heard, is highly reminiscent of a young Ian Brown. Although the songs have a tendency to get samey after a while, the overall sound and ambience of the album is so enjoyable that it’s easily forgiven. If there is such a thing as responsible hedonism or youthful maturity, the Black Lamps are precisely that. For all their outspoken lack of ambition or desire for commercial success, if they continue producing albums of such quality as this one, they might not have a choice. Liu Bei: Goodness EP Review by Sean Coyle O ne good thing about the impact of the internet and its relationship with music is that there has never been a greater time for independent music to shine. Enter London based five piece band Liu Bei (pronounced Lou Bay). They are about to release their brand new E.P. called Goodness following hot on the heels of their debut single Infatuation which was released last year to positive acclaim. The E.P. kicks off with the melodic title track which is an eclectic rock-tinged ballad; the songs mellow mood is fuelled by lead singer Richard Walters’s haunting voice and the songs lyrics are romantic and poetic. The sound of the EP is trance fuelled and is very reminiscent of The Killers or even 90’s house masters Massive Attack, these comparisons do not diminish the sound of this group with Lou Bei being ones to watch for 2015.The distinctive sound is propelled by the next two songs Fields featuring Rachel Goswell and Knotweed, these two songs provide a stimulating, cool trance laden vibe with Fields eerie sound and Knotweed’s pulsing drum and bass rhythms. Liu Bei are a breath of fresh air as it has been while since we have encountered an alternative David Knowles The Alchemist Review by Ailish Ryan David Knowles is a singer-songwriter based in Edinburgh. Having recently released a four song taster EP entitled ‘The Alchemist’, his musical style has been compared to that of Ray Lamontagne and Damien Rice to name but a few. He takes lyrical inspiration from some of the classically torn and misunderstood men of literature, such as Jack Kerouac, Oscar Wilde and Hunter Thompson. Constantly inspired by his unrelenting need to travel and explore, his use of instrumentation and the subject of his songs are almost documenting his path of discovery. I know what you’re thinking this can’t be anything but good. group without the overbearing heavy rock sound or a style that isn’t out of synch with a pop sensibility which in turn doesn’t alienate listeners who have a tendency to appreciate a more commercial sound or listeners with a more Indie appeal, it’s an appeal that radio programmers love and hopefully we will hear Liu Bei in heavy rotation soon (BBC Radio 6 have added Goodness to their playlist). The band is playing gigs across the UK in February and the E.P. is available from 2 February 2015 and it’s definitely worth a listen and music video for Fields can be viewed on YouTube. The first song on the EP, ‘The Alchemist’ (of the same name) is trying to be something it isn’t. The addition of overwhelming strings and etching digital percussion take away from Knowles natural storytelling ability, captured in his quiet worn voice. Unless of course, he is trying to move away from the lyrical subject, which after reading his online profile, I am nearly sure he isn’t. ‘On the Road’ has a fabulously loose guitar intro, which continues throughout giving it a Jeff Buckley feel. Knowles voices takes over laced in a nineties rock ballad beat. There is even a little Cobain style drone in his voice near the end. This should be the headliner. Simplified, lyrical contemplation, with an easy listening guitar riff that would placate any nineties baby. The next song on the EP is called ‘Satisfy My Soul’. Knowles stays true to his acoustic abilities and plays out solo this extremely blues-inspired song, evident in the down tuned guitar and bass heavy chords. This is a brilliant showcase of his range and playing abilities. Finally after listening to ‘The Air You Breathe’ you can see how he has been compared to the likes of Damien Rice. This song is subtly sad. A brilliantly building escapade. Which perfectly describes this EP. The soft tones of the live session put the EP perfectly to bed. David Knowles certainly has the bones of a great album. I am looking forward to having a listen to the finished product and hearing more of his own sound. You can experience Mr. Knowles for yourself as he embarks on some “Live in your Living Room” shows for fans and taking in Lanark, Liverpool and London as well as Wexford in Ireland and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Knowles is also due to perform at the Bedford in Balham, south-west London on 30th March. 44 C Postcards Review by Julie Bell ry Monster Cry have been on an upward climb since releasing their début EP ‘The Fallen’ in 2012 which was written and recorded within two short months at a studio in the quaintness of Malahide. Impressively, it shot straight to the top of the iTunes charts. Dublin born, brothers Richie and Jamie Martin attribute an appreciation of music to their parents eclectic taste – the iconic noise of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison resonating from the radio whilst on fond trips around the wild Atlantic seaboard (their mother boasts roots in Fanad, Co. Donegal) many moons ago. Far from those childhood memories, Cry Monster Cry have played gigs with some highly recommended artists namely Hudson Taylor and Sea of Bees in recent times. ‘Postcards’ is the first single being taken from their much-anticipated first album entitled ‘Rhythm of Dawn’ and has encountered fine company in the singer/songwriter iTunes chart – sitting in the top five with none other than Hozier and George Ezra. The upbeat tempo produced by a mix of muted acoustic guitar riffs, drums and alluring melodies at the outset of ‘Postcards’ provides an effective backbone for the bands established style of storytelling. Sweet and meaningful lyrics add a positive note to proceedings. The brothers have a lengthy background in English language studies and this merged with their blatant musical upbringing has created an intriguing combination. To introduce brass instruments near the close of the recording makes it all a bit more lively and when coupled with the well-balanced vocals of the double act it hits all the right spots musically and lyrically. The video for the track features ‘Love/Hate’ and recent ‘Game of Thrones’ actor Ian Llyod Anderson who does a fine task of portraying a postman who is unhappy with the constant regime in his life and whose circumstance changes upon finding a mysterious postcard. It was filmed on location in Dublin City and is in keeping with the vibrant, winsome theme of the track itself with rich colours and energy abounding. Savvy to say the least. It would seem the time out which the guys took last year to hone their songwriting capabilities has had a positive and worthy effect on the material they are producing. When hearing their music you are happy to sit back and watch it all unfold. They are exciting, talented and a joy to listen to. ‘Rhythm of Dawn’ is due for release on 6th March, in the meantime check out the superb single and video. Highly recommended. An introduction to Rebecca Clements F Review by Dave Simpson or up and coming Indie artist Rebecca Clements, the future looks very bright. This exceptionally talented singer/songwriter from Bristol in the UK may have only recently shown up on the radar, but already her prodigious style of folk-rock has heads turning and understandably so. Making a name for herself on the live scene, Clements has taken to the stage at the well renowned Reading Festival and has also been garnering a lot of attention from British radio stations. The material she has released so far is extraordinarily affective, stirring up a lot of emotion through its mesmerising execution. “Love Child” is a true force to be reckoned with. Beginning with piercing vocals and subtle instrumentation, it immediately captivates and builds anticipation. A powerful melody ensures the chorus sounds monumental. The articulately sung lyrics consistently wash over the senses, while the music gradually unfolds, building constantly. It’s very theatrical and grand in scale. A foreboding riff introduces “Coma Boy” before a heavy harmony takes off. The lyrics are vividly sung, combining with the music to create a portentous tune replete with folk motifs. There’s an incredibly deep and emotional ambience, conveying a sentiment that feels raw and honest. The result is a track that’s strikingly poignant. “Wildlife” is a hauntingly beautiful composition, once again featuring lyrics that are sincere and expressive. A subtle, mellow musical rhythm echoes in the background, creating a rather reflective air. Vocals that penetrate and linger develop an enthralling melody, giving rise to quite a spiritual atmosphere. Even at this early juncture, Rebecca Clements has proven herself to be an accomplished composer who can write music that doesn’t just sound good, it sounds like it matters. The work she has released so far is rich with depth, accentuated by an astonishing singing voice. This is an artist who undoubtedly has what it takes to go the distance. The Dark Plains Come On and Get Some T Review by Bláithín Duggan his rock or new era grunge trio hailing from Plymouth, England released their debut EP entitled: Come On and Get Some in 2014. Andy Heath narrates the album with a distinctive and enticing vocal timbre alongside the guitar, Ben Diffey cleverly supports the lead guitar and drums on bass guitar with colourful displays of manual dexterity, and Darren Worrall maintains the distinct rhythmic roll of the group on the drums. This innovative grunge album consists of the following five songs: ‘Get Some’, ‘I See You’, ‘Look Around’, ‘Dirty She’, and ‘Wise Fool’. ‘Get Some’ opens with a catchy syncopated guitar line accompanied by an emphatic drum beat. The quirky sounds created in this song are softened by Heath’s vocals, and the lyrics are cleverly combined to support the music. The cleverly composed drum riff creates a momentous effect of a heart beat and breaks up the lyrical locomotion. The album then takes a softer turn in ‘I See You’, the acute guitar playing creates a delicate tone and a lyrical ambiance in the introduction, and this is followed by a contrasting rhythmic guitar section. ‘Look Around’ is a more musical song and the music is extremely fluid and concise. The opening broken passages in ‘Dirty She’ make this song strong and emphatic. Finally, the cleverly named ‘Wise Fool’ concludes The Dark Plains’ album ‘Come on and Get Some’, this song is a personal favourite and its delicate description of a wise man resonates alongside the gentle guitar accompaniment. Not too heavy, not too frivolous, The Dark Plains have managed to obtain the rare sound of thought-provoking enjoyable, and harmonically concise music. This group will feature on Radio KC’s Indie Show (5-7 pm) on February 1st, and can be streamed live here: http://rkc.noip.me/ More information, and a download of this EP is available at: http://thedarkplains.weebly.com/ 45 Paper Deer Fabled Album Review I By Tipsyonturtlesoup suppose reviewing something in many cases forces you to overcome your own pre-conceptions, or it didn’t it would be a rather fruitless enterprise. To be honest when I initially skim read the brief on this article I was expecting (hoping) for something bleak and desolate. It would have suited the low pace of this snowy week. When I initially gave Paper Deer a listen it was while freezing to death on my bike and I almost denounced the whole lot as Europop in disgust…… I apologize. Paper Deer are from Copenhagen and Budapest, I believe they began as a two piece later joining with a female vocalist. They describe their music as experimental, which is certainly demonstrated in the range of styles covered throughout the composition as a whole. I suppose the variety explored by the outfit leads to a rather fractured album, although do not take this as a negative point. Almost all, but a select few, gems remain clean of this taint; and the nostalgic ones that you hold onto most definitely deserve an honest re-listen. Paper Deer do push it out there and it is experimentation and the work of other DJs altering these compositions which leads to the evolution of the movement as a whole. I suppose now that my insane rant is over I should perhaps turn to the music itself. It begins in an almost Balearic fashion with a touch of sparseness which is abruptly, and unfortunately, cut short. The track is primarily focused on the vocal which fits well and adds an almost ethereal edge at points. Track two is a surprise, grimey vocal with a funky bouncy bassline. My only criticism is the complete reliance on the MC. I mean sometimes an MC can own a tune, take it to another level. Here however an extended instrumental break would have been welcome. It does, still, almost remind me of Kraak and Smaak’s bouncy moments, definitely had fun washing the dishes listening to this. I’m not a big fan of the MC work in the next track at all although; it is certainly a personal preference and could envisage it raising many rafters pretty soon (It does have the banging tunes buzz by numbers thing down, it just rings a bit hollow to me, particularly when compared to the track which proceeded it) The following tracks, although containing promising elements, fail to expand on them really. Both in essence beginning to build rather pleasantly only to go nowhere, much like walking up a steep hill only to find an Aldi which had closed a half hour before. ‘Dawn ‘: This one really sounded promising, I was rather disappointed. I think perhaps as a thirty year old fella I find it hard to connect to vocal led house, unless of course it is particularly amazing. I’m sure many will find plenty to love in this one I just couldn’t despite my many attempts. Paper Planes opens with some minimal almost hallucinatory house/tehno. It unfortunately falls rather flaccid just prior to the emergence of the vocal which at points seems to jar unpleasantly discordantly with the rest of the piece. The second from last track lifts things, although in a rather unexpected manner, it feels almost like you do at the cozy after party you nearly went home and missed. The warm 80s stylee synths make you feel warm and cozy and you could almost imagine what it would feel like to be a giant marsh mellow. In summary I believe there is much to commend this album, there were some elements that didn’t appeal to me personally but I hope will delight others. And if you do anything mad sick with that second track will you guys let me know, that should be a banger. 47 E Harlequins Review by Dave Simpson ast London singer/songwriter Russell Joslin first started playing live shows across his home city all the way back in 2005. He quickly began to make a name for himself, being called upon to act as support for a plethora of different bands and musicians, as well as headlining his own events. More recently, he has been hard at work on completing his third solo album, Harlequins. Set to be released on February 23rd, it’s an accessible soft rock venture that makes for an easy listen. “Up with the Birds” is a colourful opener, arriving with a raw acoustic riff and expressive vocals. Further string elements are thrown into the mix as it develops, adding a lot of character. The combination of the various factors at play forges a bustling and eventful musical narrative. “Our Queen” is more of a straightforward rock number, transitioning into electric guitars and upbeat vocals. The music builds expectantly throughout, creating a lively ambience. The electric guitars stick around for new single, “What a Waste”, but the air shifts in the opposite direction. Its ominous riff unfolds gradually and purposefully amid lamentable lyrics. “Pittsburgh It Is” returns to an acoustic riff, while maintaining a foreboding sound that’s enhanced by background violins. The vocals are sobering, joining the instruments in setting a dark and fearful tone. “Doves May Fly” is another solemn effort, made up of reserved guitar work and an emotional harmony. “The Weight of This Room” changes things up, opting for a more positive approach than its immediate predecessors. Pounding percussion teams up with a cheery riff and breezy vocals, resulting in a fervent rock anthem. “Robin in Black” is a warm and relaxing piece. Its reassuring riff and contented melody encourages one to sit back and unwind. An optimistic atmosphere is also prevalent in “The Chosen Few”. The lyrics are full of intent and certainty, complementing the bright instrumentation nicely. The unconcerned vibe persists through “Good Fear”, despite taking on a mellow facade. “Victory Parade” recovers a more overt cheerfulness, sailing along nonchalantly atop catchy hooks and pleasant vocals. “Pale Mary” does a complete one-eighty on the other hand, slowing the pace for a sombre and contemplative finale. Russell Joslin has crafted a work here that encompasses an admirably diverse variety of moods and feelings. As a whole, Harlequins is a harmless and inoffensive pop/rock album characterised by an amiable and hospitable sound. PURE M Magazine Chapter and Verse Self Titled Debut EP Welsh post-hardcore veterans Funeral for a Friend are back with their seventh studio album, Chapter and Verse. Renowned for their raw, emotional brand of alternative rock, the band’s latest offering proves that they haven’t lost their edge. Featuring eleven vigorous tracks swelling with passion and ferocity, this record is guaranteed to get heads banging. An energetic riff steers “Stand By Me for the Millionth Time” into howling vocals, then erupts to Earth shattering levels. The sound is coarse and liberating, acting as an aggressive introduction. “You’ve Got a Bad Case of the Religions” explodes out of its outro with anarchic instrumentation and vocals. The relentlessly heavy and exhilarating verse bounds into a bracing and melodic chorus. “Pencil Pusher” refuses to ease up, beginning with a sprightly drum beat that joins forces with reverberating guitars that persist throughout. A chaotic melody tops things off, ensuring an absorbingly hectic atmosphere. Its aftermath sees the emergence of a heavy bass line that heralds the coming of “You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself”. Smashing cymbals form a bridge into penetrating guitars that are irresistibly immersive. They proceed to grind along at a steady pace before bursting to epic proportions towards the end. “1%” begins with a mellow riff that continues through the verse. The vocals are more reserved but no less forceful. The overall vibe is somewhat solemn The new debut album “Lore” by Lore that is set to hit shelves this year is definitely worth a listen. The three piece group consisting of Carolann Carlile on vocals, Raymond O’Kane on piano and Luke McCloskey on guitar from Dungiven County Derry recently released their debut self titled EP “Lore” in October last year and are set to play in Botton Yorkshire this May. The word Lore is taken from folklore and refers to the traditional art of storytelling which is exactly what this trio are all about. The album takes us on a journey through the struggles and hardships of life, love, loss and fate as we step into the lives and music of the newly welcomed singer and band members Lore. This musical trio not only make listeners feel as if they are living within the music themselves they also tell gripping stories with well written music and lyrics. Carlile embodies a powerful yet angelic voice that truly brings the music to life and shows us what Irish singing is all about. In the first track of the album Lost, Carlile is accompanied by piano as she sings the almost romanticised lyrics with a hauntingly beautiful feel that will send shivers down your spine. In the fourth track of the glorious album Only You Carlile belts out powerful lyrics followed by excellent harmonising from guitarist and pianist O’Kane and McCkloskey which help bring the song to life and represent the song for just how powerful and emotional it is. Lore is an album set to be very popular audience among many but particularly among a highly populated female audience as the music resembles a melancholy, powerful group with many hopes and dreams. The music of Lore resembles many artists ranging from Regina Spektor, Natalia Imbruglia, Alanis Morissette among many more. This is an album that you don’t want to miss. Review by Dave Simpson Review by Ciara Walsh until the instrumentation breaks into a thunderous finale. This gives way to the mayhem of “After All These Years…Like a Lightbulb Going Off in My Head”; a frantic number that will shake you to your core through its earsplitting execution. “Modern Excuse of a Man” is just as rabid, made up of hysterical vocals and furious instrumentation. The intensity then stretches into “Inequality”, which rushes off with turbulent riffs and rollicking vocals. “Brother” follows as a complete departure. Given life by just an acoustic guitar and crisp, clear vocals, its delivery is simple and sincere. “Donny” isn’t content to uphold its predecessor’s modesty though, instead opting for rapturous guitars and percussion amid a contentious melody. Its successor, “The Jade Tree Years Were My Best”, decides to go for the best of both worlds, incorporating slow and composed verses whose content feels quite burdensome. These hand the reigns over to choruses that are characteristically boisterous. It serves as an arduous finale. Even after all these years, Funeral for a Friend still know how to instill their music with the same invigorating spirit that made it stand out in the first place. Chapter and Verse is ample evidence of that. This album is a zealous compilation of loud and emphatic anthems that are ideal for letting go and losing yourself to. For fans of both the band and the post-hardcore genre in general, this is essential listening. 49 Review by Julie Bell Following on from their debut single ‘Headstoned’ which was released on 5th December 2014, the Dublin trio are back with their follow-up single ‘Colony of Ants’ which is due for release via digital download on February 6th. The band is headed up by Kieran O’Reilly of ‘Love/Hate�� fame, who is no stranger to the music scene having previously been involved with Alt-Rock bands Doris and White McKenzie, the latter producing the remaining two members of Hail the Ghost, Ian Corr (Piano) and Eamon Young (Guitar). The front man has proved himself as a master of all trades as such, he plays drums and guitar as well as co-producing recordings. O’Reilly’s voice has echos of The Editors front man Tom Smith, bringing the captivating lyrics of this edgy, haunting indie track alive. From the outset there is a steady mix of drum and guitar riffs intensifying only during the lead up and throughout each chorus, thus allowing for the incredibly controlled, almost undeviating vocals of O’Reilly to remain the focus. The welcoming sound of the piano attempts to lift the mood on an otherwise evocative melody halfway through the track, the backing vocals adding a delicate boost in contrast to the vocals of the mysterious lead. Albeit the lyrics being quite repetitive throughout the chorus, they prove quite catchy and with every listen it kind of grows on you that bit more – the mixture of subtle guitar and synthetics an easy listen. A small criticism on perhaps a relatively favorable effort. The band’s style of music has alternative written all over it, but what could be the rule breaker is the detachment from your typical indie stereotype of late and instead delving back into the heydays of Interpol and The Editors, with that little bit of added Irish charm of course! If it is one thing the Irish music scene is lacking it is the absence of a real consistent alternative indie group who can bring something to the table with every release. Recently, Walking on Cars are up there, maybe these guys will be another exception – they certainly have the potential. With the threesome due to drop their first album entitled ‘Forsaken’ on March 6th it can only be assumed that this offering is only a small slice of what they have to give. 50 Spotlight on upcoming artist Jessica Rhodes By Tipsyonturtlesoup H Review by Julie Bell Dear all, Please bear with me, this will be my first post for Pure M and I fully expect it to be atrocious. I have rather been thrown into the deep end by our lovely Editor, I am more familiar with electronic music, however I will attempt to provide a clear and distinct outline of Miss Rhodes’ work. Perhaps viewing the whole experience as a baptism of fire of sorts would be the best course of action in my current situation. Jessica is an accomplished singer and pianist (It is always rather risky writing that word on the off chance that the unfortunate type-o will slip in). She has been rather prolific this year, enchanting audiences with her band both at home and abroad. She has recently supported Ocean Colour Scene, Labrinth and Iggy Azalea and will be opening for Maroon 5 at LG Forum Birmingham on the 31st of May. Her much anticipated EP is set to be released in March and I urge you all not only to give it a listen but to also rush to the shops to buy numerous copies. I was lucky enough to have a listen to an advance copy of the EP and was pleasantly surprised. The first ‘Eyes On the Streets’ is a lovely upbeat little number, it even had me tapping my feet in spite of being absolutely soaked to the skin on the bus to Dublin. It looses its initial happy go luck character somewhat over the course of the composition which is not necessarily a negative point. The vocals however, remain impressive and invoke memories of half-remembered Tracy Chapman lyrics. ‘Addicted Hand’ presents a funkier feel, Jessica’s lyrics are, once again, the primary focus of the track. Although here perhaps less may have been more, allowing the the groove developed by the band to shine with the vocals enhancing, rather than dominating proceedings. In ‘Somebody to Blame’ Jessica returns to more soulful territory, which I suspect is where her talents truly lie. It certainly has crossover appeal and is a beautiful uplifting track performed with real emotion, which is a welcome relief from the rubbish we are so often subjected to on a daily basis. My favorite tune is a live recording of a Sweet Dreams/Seven Nation Army mash up available on youtube. It certainly hits the funky upbeat buzz, and I did nearly seriously injure myself having a little dance to it in my front room. I don’t really think it needs any higher praise than that. I urge you to check out Jessica Rhodes, even if, like myself, its not really your usual cup of tea, I challenge you not to be pleasantly surprised, and the Seven Nation/Sweet Dreams mashup will bring a smile to your face unless you are a carrot or a robot. ailing from Galway, singer/songwriter and Trinity College graduate Emma O’Reilly is like a part of the furniture on the gig scene in Dublin having spent the last seven years entertaining the masses in iconic venues such as Whelan’s, Bewley’s Café Theatre and The Village to note a few. After releasing a mini album in 2012 in which she wrote and produced on Garageband for iPad entitled ‘ICEBERG’, Emma had the pleasure of collaborating with producer Donal Sweeney, ultimately resulting in a song entitled ‘Mad’. Her first studio EP ‘PURGE’ was launched to a sold out crowd in Bello Bar in November 2014. The EP itself includes three tracks, each of which are equally powerful and contrasting both lyrically and musically. ‘Winter’ is a lively acoustic affair that, when coupled with O’Reilly’s sincere voice, produces a powerful combination. The lyrics portray the clichéd torment of a failed relationship, appearing to go through the motions and stages from denial, anger and finally acceptance. A carefully played out story focusing on a topic everyone can relate to condensed into a three-minute and fifty second track , songwriting masterclass would seem to be O’Reilly’s specialty. A strong opening arouses the curiosity about what the rest of the EP will bring. ‘Little Boy Blue’ in contrast is hauntingly like a lullaby. Soft piano and stringed instruments produce a sound which wouldn’t be out of place in a theatre production. It must be said that O’Reilly hasn’t got an overly distinctive voice, however the emotion and power she places in getting her musical stories across has to be commended. The last track on the EP ‘Wolf (Part 1)’ has all the elements of a Kate Bush classic – loud, powerful high-octane vocals, string quartets, minor piano chords and the welcoming sound of the drum. Coupled with dark lyrics, this one is by far the most interesting listen, strange even – but in a positive sense. It must be noted that although there would seem a lack of catchiness exists in relation to each track, there is a willingness to hear more. O’Reilly’s songwriting skills are nothing short of genius, even if her voice doesn’t offer something original. The EP itself undeniably expresses versatility, a divergent sound is clear on each track. The experience she has gained in songwriting shines through and will no doubt continue to flourish. Having recently offered support for Stu Daly and Steady Hands in The Mercantile and performing as part of the Irish Youth Chamber Choir, Emma O’Reilly looks set to stay a firm fixture on the gig scene for a long time to come, get yourself out and catch the show! Beef Supreme Live at the Waffle Lodge EP 51 Dokter Nomi Je Ne Sais Pas Review by Dave Simpson Review by Bláithín Duggan R ecorded live at WL studios Co. Kildare, Beef Supreme, a folk acoustic rock band from the south east of Ireland create a unique folk musical sound that is a pleasurable listen. This group was formed in 2008 by Niall O’Connor and Jimmy O’Rourke, and was later joined by Shane Glover, Shane (The Sink) O’Rourke, Gavin Glover, Darragh O’Connor, and Micheal Bolton with an eclectic array of instrumentation, including: bouzouki, banjo, melodica, harmonica, jaw harp, mandolin, and fiddle to name a few. Beef Supreme are reminiscent of the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young foursome, and they generate a fresh and creative sound with thought inducing lyrics. Live at the Waffle Lodge consists of five contrasting songs entitled: ‘Where Life’s Liars Riot’, ‘Four Filthy Lakes’, ‘Local Politics Month’, ‘El Shapo’, and concludes with ‘Six Rusty Nails’. The overall musical sound created in this album is complex, concise, and aurally diverse. It is also worth noting that it is a live recording which deserves considerable merit. ‘Where Life’s Liars Rot’ is a soothing serenading song that gently introduces the colourful array of instrumentation to the album. ‘Four Filthy Lakes’, opens with a clear rhythmic structure that is elaborated to create a dynamic poly-rhythm. The husky vocal timbre is supported by harmonic passages of chorus sung by a number of members. The song is built upon the momentous rhythmic patterns and utilises creative dynamics to enhance the overall aural quality and energy in the song. The husky vocal timbre of these songs resonates with the listener especially in ‘Local Politics Month’, and ‘El Shapo’. The final of this five song bluegrass album is ‘Six Rusty Nails’, the swing like style of the instrumentation and strong vocals is cleverly articulated throughout with talented vocal accompaniment and instrumentation. With notable headlining performances such as Abbeyfest 2009, Stradbally Festival of art 2009, The Red Line Roots festival 2009, Justice thumbs 2009 and finalists of the Busker 2009 competition these Carlow based musicians are proving their exceptional command of an array of instrumentation and challenging conventions of the folk music genre in Ireland. Originating in Ontario’s provincial capital of Toronto, Dokter Nomi is a relatively new indie artist on the scene. While he may not yet be a household name, he’s already managed to build up quite a fanbase; boasting over 33,000 followers on Twitter. The Canadian musician specialises in a lively brand of electro-pop, priding himself on writing and performing his own material. His new single, “Je Ne Sais Pas”, begins with a buoyant electronic beat that bounces merrily into bright and cheery vocals. The lyrics form catchy hooks that utilise a mixture of English and French to draw attention to themselves. The funky melody with which they play out coasts along over a dancy rhythm, loaded with pulsating synth effects. A lighthearted vibe is emphasized through a tongue-in-cheek execution; all adding up to a fun and simple pop anthem that doesn’t take itself too seriously. You can sample “Je Ne Sais Pas” for yourself on Dokter Nomi’s Soundcloud page, along with several remixes and companion track, “Spell”. The latter offering takes off with a harder beat than the former. The emphasis is placed on the synths and electronic rhythm, as opposed to the melody and lyrics. The vocals are distorted by an auto-tune effect that melds them into the fabric of the music. It’s a lot more technical overall, standing as more of a straight up dance track. Dokter Nomi’s basic but characterful electro-pop compositions are well suited to the club scene. Their colourful, upbeat nature is ideal for encouraging people out of their seats and onto the dance floor. “Je Ne Sais Pas” is available for purchase now from iTunes. PURE M Magazine Daveit Ferris Sparks 365 Project: The Lowdown 52 By Dave Simpson A llow me to introduce you to Daveit Ferris; an astonishingly innovative singer, songwriter, poet and producer from Derry in Northern Ireland. His revolutionary “365 Sparks” project is a musical undertaking unlike any other. Its goal is to release a song every single day in 2015. That’s an incredible 365 songs in total between January and December of this year. The feat is made even more impressive by the fact that Ferris composes and arranges each track himself, carrying out guitar, bass, drum, piano and vocal duties all alone. Each day when the clock hits 5pm GMT, a new offering is released on the artist’s superbly detailed website. Every song is free to stream and every Saturday’s contribution can be downloaded without charge. Ferris’s intention is to keep things fresh and exciting by dabbling in various genres and catering to a wide range of musical tastes. The material that has hit so far is a captivating mixture of pop and rock, all of which exudes passion and personality. Now you may wonder as to the quality of the work, given its frequency, and I can honestly say that of the 26 tracks available at the time of this article’s publication, there exists not one that I could critique as being even mediocre. Ferris’s talent and execution is awesome, in the truest sense of the word. The project thus far has produced some of the best new music I’ve heard in recent times, to the extent that I could ramble on about it for pages and pages. Instead though, I’ll put the spotlight on ten of my personal favourites. The appropriately titled “Keep Your Resolutions” premiered on New Year’s Day, kicking off “365 Sparks” in fine form. Its upbeat pop punk riff is complemented by an infectious melody that generates a bright and cheerful atmosphere. It commences the project with a lot of accessibility, instantly making one believe that this whole endeavour really is going to be something special. “I’m the Bull/You’re the China Shop” immediately steals attention with an extraordinarily enthralling bass effect laced with expressive lyrics and vocals. It’s a lighter pop/rock composition swelling with character. Blasting off with hectic, riotous vocals, “Kill the Chords” is an irresistibly absorbing rock anthem. The coarse and raw melody unfolds over instrumentation that’s heavy but happy. Piercing guitars slice through you as “This Is Your Captain Speaking” begins. It invades your senses as it darts along on pressing riffs and frantic vocals. The rebellious energy of the sound makes for a delightfully liberating listen. “Nail in the Coffin” is one of the more mellow entries, featuring relaxing acoustic guitars and a pleasant harmony. The vocals echo and resonate in the chorus, while an inexplicable warmth radiates from the background piano keys, resulting in an easy listening piece rich with emotion. Pounding percussion and blaring guitars race through “I Just Don’t Give a Fuck”, along with aggressive vocals and lyrics that howl out during a relentlessly catchy melody. It all works together to craft a wonderfully obscene punk rock classic that’s a whole of fun. “Freight Train” features an exhilaratingly fierce acoustic riff. The fractious vocals and tune are spectacular. It sounds so busy and bustling that it’s easy to forget that the only musical element at play is a guitar. It recalls the glory days of Britpop in the best way. Palpitating drums lead “Animal Liberation” into a rapid riff that barges along with purpose. Hypnotically high-pitched vocals dominate the verse before becoming uproariously obstinate for the chorus. All in all, this is a marvelous electronically infused hard rock effort that succeeds absolutely. “Words Cut Me” starts with chimes that preface tormented vocals, rife with pain and anguish. The pervading chorus is flooded with agony and expression. It’s a solemn acoustic ballad that hits hard and cuts deep. Suitably enough, my final selection is also the latest upload as this is being written; “Year of You”. Guitars and drums build consistently, stomping along through its melodic chorus. It’s an immense and weighty rock extravaganza with which to start the week. Daveit Ferris’s devotion to this project and the amount of effort that is being put into every aspect of it is truly spellbinding. “Sparks 365” has yet to take a single misstep and I highly recommend checking it out. You can experience all of the above tracks as well as 16 further additions (and counting) that are no less accomplished on Ferris’s official website www.daveitferris.com. There you will also find artwork, lyrics and articles about each song, among many other features worth exploring. Voes: Giants & Hidden Sins Review by Harry Moore V oes are a three piece outfit from South Wales who have released two tracks from their forthcoming debut EP via Soundcloud. Having only being together for 18 months, their sound is both definite and confident. The first track released from the EP in November 2014 is the powerful ‘Giants’. The track begins with a delicate piano piece, which gradually builds with the help of a pad string section to a dramatic and upbeat chorus. The use of both live and electronic drums helps to add a delightful intensity to the track. The same can be said for the use of the glitzy arpeggiated synthesizers which are used throughout the songs most energetic moments. The vocals stand strong during the entire track helped by the lush harmonies in both the build up to the chorus as well as the chorus itself. ‘Giants’ bares resemblances to the likes of dream pop duo Broods as well as previous work of Ellie Goulding. The second track to be released by the three piece is the much softer and less dramatic ‘Hidden Sins’. With the absence of drums and synthesizers, the track is built around the sweetness of Harriet Whitehead’s vocals and Abby Williams’ building piano phrases. The vocal line has a sound reminiscent of some of Imogen Heap’s work due to the use of various harmonies. The final fifty seconds of the track stand out as the most absorbing as a result of the two separate vocal lines that appear at the same time. ‘Hidden Sins’ nods towards the work of London Grammar, a resemblance that is most definitely heard throughout both tracks. From the two songs that have been released thus far, Voes should prove popular with fans of the outfits which they bare resemblance to. Both tracks follow a structured formula a formula that has worked for previous ‘dreampop’ artists. I struggle to believe that Voes will draw in a new audience, but they could easily attract the attention of those who are already fans of the genre. 53 T Review by Dave Simpson hee Deadtime Philharmonic originally materialised in the South Derby town of Swadlincote. Made up of five principal members, as well as crediting another five additional musicians, the band have been tirelessly playing live shows around the UK since their formation. In doing so, they’ve managed to build up their own loyal fanbase. This includes Mick Jones, formerly of The Clash, with whom they have played live. They’ve also made an appearance on Channel 4’s Strummerville Sessions. In terms of genre, they are very difficult to define. With a rebellious mentality and a combination of electronics, acoustics, percussion and woodwinds, they’re probably best described as belonging to their own unique sub-genre of punk. You can find several examples of their work on the band’s Soundcloud page. “Protected” gets off the ground with a hectic introduction generated by a convocation of instruments. These are toned back as the verse begins with some very British sounding vocals amid the occasional saxophone blast. The melody and lyrics convey an alienated, fed up attitude. The chorus then shifts gears into a riotous cavalcade. Things take a different turn again for the second verse, with reggae-esque vocals. The whole thing is certainly extremely nonconformist in both sound and subject. The title of “Maggie’s Babies” is a not so subtle reference to Britain’s Prime Minister of the eighties. It’s a reserved, disaffected track with honest, biographical lyrics. The beat picks up somewhat towards the end, but it carries a strong sense of fatigue surrounding life and circumstance all the way through. “Spine” lands somewhere between the two aforementioned tracks sound wise. It has a lot of instrumental and vocal elements at play, making it convoluted at times. It’s executed with a feeling of aloofness though, maintaining the restless quality of previous efforts. “Bad Lad” commences with a happier riff and melody than its predecessors. It almost feels like the light emerging from the dark in terms of sound. There’s nothing light about the content though, with an aggressiveness being attached to the lyrics. It is literally about a bad lad. Thee Deadtime Philharmonic are certainly a law unto themselves within the music industry. Their mentality and attitude are undeniably punky, with lyrics that are ripe with disillusionment. However, their sound is not particularly characteristic of the genre’s norms. The musical approach they’ve adopted isn’t going to appeal to everyone, not always being very easy on the ears. But to their credit, that seems to be exactly what they’re going for. East Coast Defector The Loneliness of the Lightspeed Astronaut Review by Sarah Swinburne The new single by East Coast Defector is the latest release in a lengthening campaign to raise the profile of the Glasgow born band. After the release of a charity EP for the Nicola Murray Foundation at the end of last year, their latest single ‘The Loneliness of the Lightspeed Astronaut’ is the precursor for the full release of the album later this year. The rumbling, twangy bass line is highly reminiscent of early Bad Seeds or The Birthday Party, while the muffled and reverbed vocals could easily have come off a Strokes record. The chorus then, surprises you by being unexpectedly tuneful and addictive. The single takes a slightly different direction from their EP, which is of a decidedly more upbeat disposition, as is to be expected for a charity release. The EP consists of a curious mixture of tracks. From the country style festive song ‘Xmas at Home’ (which includes a harmonica solo), to the infinitely catchy ‘Jess in a Flap’ and finally to ‘The Refection (From the East) Beach: Only Love’. The latter is a synth pop song with classic nineties drum and bass elements (or ‘synth-noodle’ as it is rather charmingly described). While being a fine piece of music in its own right, it does seem somewhat at odds with the rest of East Coast Defector’s output. The Glaswegian accent, when it comes through, adds a much-needed grassroots flavour to an otherwise placeless, nationless sound. It gives the pertinent songs a strong foundation and a sense of groundedness amidst the experimental and highconcept quality of the other tracks. East Coast Defector tends to rely heavily on extensive intros and outros, as well as on non-musical interludes. While these are certainly interesting during the first listen, it is exactly the sort of thing that tends to grate on the ear over the course of an album. ‘Lightspeed Astronaut’ is the type of song that grows on you with each repeat. If their album follows the same vein as the single, it will be well worth a listen. Echo Sparks ‘Ghost Town Girl’ Review by Lauren O'Halleron Echo Sparks is a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Don’t believe me? Have a look at their website! Reared in Orange County, California, the band describes its sound as “mexifolkabillyjazzbluesrock”, so make of that what you will. Its members consist of D.A. Voldez on vocals, guitar and drums, C.C. Kinnick on vocals, guitar, banjo, “gitanjo, autoharp and shakin’ it’., and Cindy Ballreich on “doghouse” bass (occasionally “cathouse” bass) and mandolin. Like I said! The band is [allegedly] signed with Lleaping Llama Records and considers its influences to be crazy people. Enough said! The band’s independent, full-length album ‘Ghost Town Girl’ was released on January 20th of this year. Given the creative biography of the band and its kooky humour, one would expect the album to reflect it, but this is not the case. Ghost Town Girl is a mixture of mellow and upbeat country tunes, something to clap along to or to just sit and relax by the fire. Many of the songs combine the vocals of both Voldez and Kinnick, with just a few solos in between. Voldez’s vocals are deep and mellow in comparison to Kinnick’s, and I often found myself wondering if I was listening to Phil Collins because they are very similar. Kinnick, on the other hand, has a more high-pitched voice, but not in the screeching sense. Her voice is often heard above Voldez’s, with Voldez providing the undertones. In songs such as ‘End of the Line’ and ‘Torch Song’, Kinnick is given a chance to show off her vocals with long solos. Her potential is demonstrated when she is not trying to match the pitch of Voldez. In ‘Torch Song’ especially, her voice reaches its full potential as she raises it up in a song that reminds me a little of Rupert Everett. I can safely say that this is my favourite song off the album. The album is filled with clap-along tunes, and as such, ‘Shallow Water’ actually does end with applause. The band haven’t made their influences clear, but I could hear a strong hint of the Everly Brothers in ‘Princess of Fresno’, but whether they were considered “crazy people” in their heyday is unknown to me. Overall the album is that of the country genre: mellow tunes mixed with upbeat, clap-along beats. The combined vocals do work and complement each other, but it would be nice to see a few more solos, especially with Kinnick, whose voice is almost restrained when she is forced to match up with Voldez. 56 Jasper Rua Debut Album Circles Review by James Lindsay J asper Rua, an Irish based guitarist/instrumentalist released his debut album ‘Circles’ on 17th September 2014. I suppose by track count, of there being 5 on the album you could call it an E.P. but these pieces average around the 8 minute mark so there’s no lack of running time as albums go. Rua does illuminate the fact that Circles is evolving into a two volume album so it seems part two is currently in the making. Jasper Rua is a mysterious fellow with a website covered mostly in short parables of his experiences with people and music and how he came to playing his instrument. The vibe is more of a journey man with his psychedelically painted guitar thanks to an artist named Martyna. While his website is not a wealth of information on gig dates and biographical setting it serves as a preface to his exploratory approach to music. So let’s begin with the first track ‘Circles’ itself. I was surprised by Circles as I expected something a little more folk-y but ambient was a more fitting description for a good portion of the album. The track ‘Circles’ is a slow starter but you immediately get the idea once the main theme is established. Rua’s guitar playing is tight and controlled initially but develops into more lavish technique nearing the end of the track. Although one guitar, there is a good deal of rhythmic content to keep up the momentum and it really is an exploration and celebration of a solo instrument standing alone on its own merits. I’m sure this style of playing works as many a great opener for headliner bands. Although different in genre, the Circles piece harks back to some of Joe Satriani’s more mellow instrumentals and of course Eddie Van Halen’s synonymous ‘Eruption.’ The ocean ambience at the end segue ways to ‘Ocean Notion’ – If only mp3 playlist players could transition smoothly from one track to the next like all other former media – The track skip kind of ruins the mood… Ocean Notion is more ambient and experimental in nature than Circles and there’s a sense the player is getting lost in the piece – in the good way. For me the echo gets a bit much and sounds more and more like an effect for the sake of it after a while. I think it just grew old for me more quickly than it should have and while there was a theme you could latch onto the stop/start nature of the playing made it difficult to stay tuned in. There are plenty of great phrases achieved from Rua’s playing here but just as they feel like they’re about to kick off they just fall back and something new comes in. As the third track ‘Dot’ comes in, the ambience control is turned up to full and we melt into a deep and vast space exploring what I could only describe as dream music – Vangelis’s Blade Runner soundtrack comes to mind. It’s quite a beautiful piece as it develops and certainly a worthy contender as a soundtrack to Movies/TV. ‘A Song for a Butterfly’ serves as an excellent transition piece bringing us back up from the dream world of ‘Dot’ and the guitar we heard in ‘Circles’ returns with vibrancy. It is a joyful sounding reel and picks up pace throughout. It was just the ticket after the previous tracks and provides an additional colour to the album. We then fade out into a night scene called ‘Night Owl’ and revisit the ambient side of Circle’s musical range but only briefly. The sounds are a bit more industrial in Night Owl and have an appropriately dark tone. The thing I noticed about the album was all of the modes Rua used were usually a mixture of technique, rhythm and effects but there was enough range in his approach to really paint the scenes he was going for without going over the same ground. For a guitar instrumental album, of which I have bought many, Jasper Rua has produced a worthwhile collection here. He has shown the range of his instrument and technique within an enjoyable and none too shabby 40 minute recording. Jessica Pritzel Everybody Needs a Little Love Review by Dave Simpson Music has long been the passion of Dublin born artist Jessica Pritzel. Exercising her love of performing both solo and as part of various ensembles since her early years, the singer has partaken in live shows all around Ireland. More recently, Pritzel has been steadily building up her profile, appearing on RTE’s The Voice of Ireland and working on recording her own material for release. Her new single, “Everybody Needs a Little Love”, hit the digital market on January 2nd. It’s a gentle and emotional piano piece that serves as a perfect showcase for Pritzel’s powerful voice. As the track’s pleasant melody develops, she impresses by hitting some strikingly high notes and demonstrating a wide vocal range. The piano keys are somber and affecting, combining classical motifs with a contemporary pop harmony. The result is a poignant ballad that remains easy on the ears from start to finish. You can find the video for the single on Pritzel’s Youtube 57 An introduction: Urso Polar Review by Dave Simpson channel, along with the previously released “Bad World”. The latter is another soft and solemn ballad with more of a conventional pop execution. It’s a busier composition musically, featuring a greater amount of instrumental elements at play. Once again, the vocal work is eloquent, encompassing a broad spectrum. Jessica Pritzel certainly has the The Quarantined Point the Finger Review by Lauren O'Halleron The Quarantined are an American alternative rock/rap/grunge band based in Los Angeles, California. The members of the band consist of Sean Martin on guitar/vocals, Kaspars Grinbergs on drums and Alex Diaz on bass. They are currently signed with Lucent Records. ‘Point the Finger’ is the first song to be released off the band’s upcoming commercial EP ‘Life on the Corner of the End’, due to be released on March 23rd of this year. The video for ‘Point the Finger’ was potential to make a mark on the music industry. Her expressive and innocuous sound should find favour with a vast audience and set her in the direction of chart success. “Everybody Needs a Little Love” is available for purchase on iTunes now. For further news and updates, check out jessicapritzel.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter. filmed in September 2014, and it shows the band rocking their instruments under a graffiti-laden bridge and other derelict locations, with a beautiful sunset thrown in for good measure. Martin takes up most of the camera time and quickly becomes so enamoured with the camera and creating a devilish look about himself that he fails to keep up with the song. At times his lips are clearly not matching the lyrics we’re hearing and during one particularly high vocal verse, his calm demeanour doesn’t match the aggression of his pre-recorded vocals. It can be easily excused, as it is the band’s first music video. The song itself immediately gives off a Rage Against The Machine vibe, which is no accident considering that the band consider RATM one of their musical influences. The mixture of rap and rock work nicely, as we have seen with other rock bands, such as Papa Roach, and there is no shortage of variety in the way the band nicely combine the two genres throughout the song, which runs for over seven minutes. Martin and Diaz complement each other on the guitar and bass, despite at times getting so loud that it drowns out Martin’s vocals, and considering that Martin’s vocals are screechingly loud (in the good sense), that is saying something. Drummer Grinbergs overdoes the symbols at certain intervals, which becomes a little distracting. However, when he’s pounding out the heavy thumps, he does so with an aggression that matches the overall theme of the song, and of the video itself. This band has potential. They show all the signs of growing pains but that is where every reputable band must start. The first four tracks of their upcoming EP can be sampled on Bandcamp, including ‘Point the Finger’. Female fronted five piece indie rock act, Urso Polar, first sprang into existence in the Brazilian town of Gramado last year. In addition to playing live shows, the band have also released two singles since their inception. While they’re still newcomers to the scene, the talent demonstrated on these initial releases demonstrates a whole lot of potential. “Oh My God I’m So Happy Right Now” gets off to a rousing start, placing an emphasis on distorted guitars and cymbals to begin with. It’s not long before a fun and cheerful riff takes over and paves the way for pleasant vocals that are very easy on the ears. A happy, gentle melody breathes life and character into the fast paced chorus. At the same time, a feel good beat unfolds in the background. It’s an innocuous and optimistic affair, all but guaranteed to place a smile upon the listener’s lips. Another bright and fun riff introduces “Mostly Harmless.” The relaxed and airy instrumentation soon joins forces with warm, upbeat vocals to form a nonchalant, carefree tune. The music builds to a bit of a crescendo in the middle, causing one to nod along almost involuntarily. Drifting by at steady pace, a musical breakdown just before the end puts a stirring cap on the proceedings. The overall vibe is open and friendly, making the song’s title extremely apt. As a band, Urso Polar are still in their infancy. However, if they can maintain the charming, amiable sound they’ve established with these two tracks, it could lead to big things in their future. The only negative here is that there is not yet more of their music to enjoy. I, for one, am very keen to hear more of their material. These guys are an act to keep an eye on and I definitely recommend giving their first two singles a go. Robb Murphy Sleep Tonight Review by Dave Simpson D ue for release on February 28, Sleep Tonight is the second album from Belfast based singer/songwriter, Robb Murphy. Featuring an intimate blend of acoustic pop and folk across twelve tracks, its simple and well arranged structure makes for a moving aural experience. “The Darker Side” is a gentle and relaxing introduction, infused with a cool acoustic riff and soft vocals. The beat picks up when piano work and drums set in, yet it maintains a sense of reservation throughout. “To Be A Fool” takes over with a sound that washes over you, evoking emotion. The pleasant melody becomes particularly rousing during the chorus. There’s a cheery hopefulness to “The Mysteries of the Heart”, as it glides along at a fast pace. The optimistic vocals have a reassuring quality that emphasizes the inspirational lyrics. “When Love Is Tangled Between Friends” is another touching addition, striking a nice balance between enthusiastic harmonica sessions and slow, acoustic verses. It seems impossible to listen to “Headstrong” without smiling and nodding along. The irresistibly infectious melody that’s delivered amid beautiful string work is entirely absorbing. “Stars” follows on as a more solemn, contemplative ballad, while “The Best Decision” adopts an urgent, pressing beat that builds all the way through without relenting. This leads to “A Good Place For Us”; a mellow composition characterised by placid vocals sung over acoustic guitars and a subtle drum beat. “Bound For Your Arms” begins in almost total silence before a reticent acoustic riff leads into a hushed harmony. Things gradually pick up as it unfolds, but it remains reserved, becoming quite haunting as a result. Its successor on the other hand, “Coffee and Tea”, is a carefree, upbeat musical number with vocals to match. This gives way to an ominous tone for “Sunny Mountain”, which carries an overall regretful vibe and features some stirring strings that grow to a large climax. “Sleep Tonight” closes things out with a more buoyant, but no less affecting sound. Sailing along through a steady rhythm, it’s made up of a thoughtful melody and reflective instrumentation. As a whole, what Robb Murphy has put together here is a relaxing, congenial album that’s easy on the ears and rich with emotion. Sleep Tonight is a compilation of twelve accessible and introspective acoustic folk songs that are ideal for sitting back and unwinding. It’s a record that’s worth investigating. Aces 59 T Review by David Kelly he Half Light are a four piece unsigned Indie band hailing from South London. They have been playing together since the summer of 2011 and have since then released two records. One of which was the Friday Night EP and more recently the Clapham EP in 2012. The Half Light are following up these two EP’s with their latest record entitled Moscow and the main track from this record also entitled Moscow will be available for pre-order on iTunes from the 19th January while it is launched on the 16th of February later this year. ‘Moscow’ has been produced by Darren Lawson who has previously worked with bands such as My Bloody Valentine and promises to be one of the more up and coming EP’s of this year. The group have played at well known venues around London as well as recently playing in Dublin Castle. Their music has been featured on BBC 6 Music and BBC London. They were introduced by Tom Robinson with a glowing recommendation by stating that they are a ‘band I adored within 10 seconds of hitting play’. While this group are relatively unknown it seems that with their productivity and own desire to push themselves forward and play as often as possible that they will very soon be thrust into the limelight. Their track ‘Moscow’ opens up with the familiar vibes of bands such as The Smiths with a rather light hearted Brit Indie vibe which progresses into lead vocalist James Rogers emulating an odd hybrid between The Wombats and The Hoosiers which ultimately leads to a rather relaxed tone that suits the melodies behind it. The melody itself, while at times can feel rather monotonous due to its lack of progression, lends itself heavily to an easy listening mood while lounging around the house rather than sure fire Indie anthem. Overall, the track itself is well produced and finishes strongly. The sound is not in itself unique but rises above the generic Indie tracks that are permeating the airwaves these days and has genuine quality attached to it. The Half Light are a very tight knit unit who have produced some very strong tracks. Moscow is another of these and they will be ones to keep an eye on in the future. They draw parallels with The Smiths, The Cure and The Strokes. They are one of the more promising Indie bands to emerge from the United Kingdom. The unique sound and vocal timbre produced in ‘Headin’ West’ is signature to The Ponderosa Aces. This five song EP transports one to a beaten out, smoky, community filled, honky tonk bar in Southern Texas. Nonetheless, The Ponderosa Aces hail from Long Beach, California and generate a short, snappy, and subtly sentimental set of songs that are a pleasure to listen to. Mike Maddux creates a chilling, yet lulling diaphragmatic tone that resonates alongside the sound of the steel guitar. These low lulling sounds are shadowed by Bigshed’s vocals and Bass guitar. Rodriguez adds a modern twist to the Real Country sounds with a subtly sustained drum beat alongside Alex Griggs on guitar. These real country sounds are not void of meaning and each song is deeply thought provoking. The music deals with the issues of heartbreak in ‘Night of a Couple of Heartaches’, working class social experience in ‘Play the Game’, sense of place in ‘Southbound Train’, and the general troubles faced in everyday working life. The meaning in these songs is felt through the music, and that deserves merit in itself. The guitar intro in ‘Death Row’ is a carefully constructed guitar riff that carries the vocals of this song addressing our existence. This song is followed by an upbeat song called ‘Headin’ West’ which concludes the palpable shiver of emotion running through this album. The honky tonk sounds produced by the Ponderosa Aces are a soothing listen for all, the lulling tonal sounds of artistic anguish are an exemplary example of working class blue-collar art. Hopefully it will inspire more people to “head west” for their aural fix. 60 Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Medicine album review D Review by Dave Simpson rew Holcomb and the Neighbors are a four piece ensemble from Nashville, Tennessee, whose brand of light, acoustic rock comes infused with a country and western flare. Active since 2005, the band have churned out an impressive eight studios albums in less than a decade, making them true veterans of the music industry. And if that’s not enough, album number nine, Medicine, is due for release on January 26th. Beginning with “American Beauty”, delicate acoustic instrumentation and soft, simple vocals characterise the band’s overall approach to their work on Medicine. “Tightrope” continues this acoustic vibe with a more upbeat rhythm. The music picks up as it unfolds alongside a pleasant melody, becoming louder and more energetic towards the end. “Here We Go” remains easy on the ears while adopting a faster harmony and a more complex musical execution. The band’s penchant for country and western can really be felt here. “Shine Like Lightning” follows on with a larger sound. The music becomes more epic, combining with passionate vocals for a rousing auditory experience. Things slow back down for “Avalanche”, a ballad like composition with a slower, cooler beat. “Heartbreak” arrives next with a hushed acoustic riff that teams up with contemplative vocals. It’s a rather reflective entry. The reserved technique endures into “You’ll Always Be My Girl,” a quiet, emotional piece, accompanied by expressive vocals and lyrics. “Sisters Brothers” serves as a departure from the first seven tracks, with a fun and funky musical intro and melody. Its catchy, resonating tune allows it to stand apart and grab your attention. “The Last Thing We Do” is another airy number, beginning with optimistic piano keys that lead into quick and enthusiastic guitars and vocals. “Ain’t Nobody Got It Easy” marks a return to a mellow, acoustic sound, coming with solemn vocals. This vibe certainly doesn’t persist into “I’ve Got You”, however. Instead we are met by a carefree, whistling intro that heralds the beginning of a relaxed and contented musical effort. Finally then, “When It’s All Said And Done” makes for a fitting bookend to “American Beauty”, recalling the latter’s acoustics and soft vocals. Although it does still manage to differentiate itself by building and becoming busier as it progresses. Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors have opted for an articulate style of music here, endowed with more than a few country and western mannerisms. Medicine is an album that slips neatly into the easy listening category of the rock genre, brandishing an affable and inoffensive sound that should appeal to a large audience. Midnight Union Band Debut Album ‘Of Life and Lesser Evils’ Review by James Lindsay Midnight Union Band is a five piece band from Kilkenny, Ireland describing their music as a blend of Americana folk, Rhythm and Roots and Blues nestled with an alt-country twist and a sprinkling of old school rock n’ roll [That’s quite the mouthful but all relevant!]. They released their Debut album ‘Of Life and Lesser Evils’ in September this year and from what I gather it was quite a triumph for the group with their lead single ‘I’m Your Leader’ grabbing most of the attention. It’s a soulful, joyous meld of brass and rich vocals with a firm anti-war and corruption message. The style harks back to early Van Morrison albums and has a very honest sound which should be easy to like for most of us. Delving deeper into the album the folk element remains anchored by an ever-present mandolin and acoustic guitar duo. The vocalist of the group, Shane Joyce is featured front and centre throughout the album and the songs are lyric-laden with a consistent storyteller formula. This is quite an emotional album with plenty of reflective social commentary and a melancholic vibe at times. The mood is always picked up by the brass section and songs like ‘Stormy Thoughts’ where you sense an extra dimension to the group. I did however feel the consistency in quality wavered a little further into the album in terms of production, or for whatever reasons it is that the average listener tunes out from an album half the way through. I can’t fault the album per se but I did feel a sense of repetition in texture and arrangement nearing the latter side of the album and my taste would generally be looking for new territory 25 minutes in. Maybe this band’s style just isn’t for me or there wasn’t enough ear candy but if you listen to Neil Young, The Band, Bob Dylan I think you’ll be quite pleased with what Midnight Union Band have produced a soulful, ambitious twelve track album with enough depth to sit comfortably beside it’s modern counterparts. Finally, I suppose a question is in order, is the group working as hard at marketing their debut album as they were when producing it and will they venture toward the difficult follow-up and better it? I really hope so but if they are for god’s sakes update that website! Little Sparrow Debut Album ‘Wishing Tree’ Review by Lauren O'Halleron The Thrash Blues: Misfits single Review Review by Dave Simpson L ittle Sparrow, real name: Katie Ware is an English singer/songwriter based in Manchester. Her backing band consists of Sarah Dale on cello and vocals, Graham Clark on violin, Johnny Lexus on electric guitar and vocals, and Mitch Oldham on percussion. Ware herself also plays guitar for her songs. Elbow frontman Guy Garvey affectionately referred to Ware as ‘Cockney Sparrow’, and it was three years ago when Ware felt ‘Little Sparrow’ seemed more fitting. She also claimed it characterised the sound she was going for. Her debut album ‘Wishing Tree’ was released on May 6th, 2014, with the first single ‘Struck Gold’ released on December 5th, 2014. A sparrow does seem fitting for the first half of Wishing Tree, as Ware keeps her vocals at a high pitched volume, but not so high that you’ll be covering your ears. The first song ‘Polly’ introduces the album with a catchy beat and a nicely blended mix of acoustic guitar and violin. The album then dips with mellow tracks ‘By My Side’ and ‘The Flame’, before uplifting the listener again with the album’s title track ‘Wishing Tree’. A similar pattern occurs throughout the album. They say every album needs at least one song that jumps out at the listener, and ideally, this is the song you release to the public. ‘Struck Gold’, the sixth track on the album, was a good choice for release. The main reason is that Ware finally rests her high-pitched signature vocals and adopts a better fitting low-pitched chord. The song doesn’t stray from the old reliable theme of finding love, and the video, despite being filmed using one shot, portrays that of a short film dedicated to this love. Ware takes the camera in her stride and doesn’t falter when the musical interval kicks in. This girl knows how to perform to an audience. Ware keeps up with the low-pitched vocals throughout the second half of the album, occasionally mixing it with her ‘sparrow’ pitch in songs like ‘Sending the Message’ and ‘Heart’. It is an overall mellow album, something to relax to after a long day. It starts and ends with an upbeat track, exploring themes that have been used by almost all musicians such as love and struggle, and exploring rare themes (in music, anyway) in songs like ‘The Hunted (A Bear’s Tale)’. Ware’s music is said to be inspired by that of Kate Bush, PJ Harvey and All About Eve, and definitely falls into the country genre. In fact, ‘Little Sparrow’ is also the name of an album by Dolly Parton, a country favourite, though whether or not this was in part an inspiration for Ware’s stage name is unknown. There is great potential with Little Sparrow. While Wishing Tree is an enjoyable album with a hint of originality, it seems that Ware almost holds back a little, or perhaps that was the intention. This could just be a taste of what’s coming next. 61 The Thrash Blues are a singing/songwriting duo from Dublin who favour an extremely back to basics approach to creating music. Describing themselves as “A strippeddown, acoustic roll band perhaps”, their goal is to not trap themselves within the confines of any particular genre, while crafting songs that are simple and straightforward. New single, “Misfits”, rolls outs with a calm and cool acoustic riff and drum beat that are soon joined by heavier, mellow guitar work. The latter relents as the verse hits and hushed, reverberating vocals begin. The pace glides along at the same steady speed throughout without slowing or accelerating, while the beat and tune remain consistent. The band’s site allows for the opportunity to listen to three further pieces, each of which come with their own unique characteristics. “Planes” runs barely longer than a minute and has a rather Country and Western flavour to it. It’s made up of a single acoustic riff with minimal additional effects, along with light vocals akin to those of “Misfits”. “Made to Fade” bounces along with a much busier and more energetic rhythm. This is the duo’s most upbeat effort, forged from a catchy tune and harmony. The website’s final offering, “George Jones Stole My Baby”, serves as a raw, punky number. Running at a brisk forty two seconds, it plays like an incredibly bare bones sample from an early Ramones track. It’s fast, hectic and features frantic vocals. The brand of music that The Thrash Blues have adopted is an interesting one. It certainly is simple, straightforward and not genre specific. What it showcases is basically two individuals utilising their voices and instruments for a sound that is purposely unrefined and raw. PURE M Magazine Saints Podracer: Parking Cars and ‘Ghost Story’ Pumping Gas 62 Review by Bláithín Duggan R aging, Rolling, Rocking, Raiding, and Resonating. Dundalk trio Podracer released a twelve track Irish Punk Rock album in September 2012 entitled ‘Parking Cars and Pumping Gas’. This tightly bound album is an impressive combination of punk, rock, and alternative music. ‘Runes’ opens the album in a strong and assertive manner with some impressive lead guitar techniques by Alan Anderson demonstrating acute manual dexterity, and similarly with the sounds produced by Damien Carroll on Bass. Podracer have managed to encapsulate the essence of late 80s and early 90s Punk in the striking sounds within this album. This is strong, yet delicate music that navigates its way through a plethora of docile and dominant tones, and chord progressions, with poetic and thought provoking lyrics. Nonetheless, this isn’t poetry, and the vocals are violently executed, yet contrasted with passages of gentle whispers. Such as track 2 ‘Vulpes’ where the vocals are used in a playful manner. Furthermore, intersections of vocal samples in one or two of these tracks, demonstrates this groups modern and new take on Punk Rock music. The opening of ‘Californian Boys’ takes a cynical approach to the early 60s Pop Sounds. Another clear and concise guitar riff opens this song in a playful 60s Pop Sound which then transcends into the signature sound created by Podracer. The drummer Colin Berrill carries the rhythmic formations of the album, and these rhythmic patterns are diverse, and deserve credit as they are played consistently throughout the album to create the signature Rock rhythm of ‘Parking Cars and Pumping Gas’. Podracer have received numerous airplay and not surprisingly this album is no exception. This album is creative and demonstrates their talent as musicians, and these guys are definitely worth an eye, regardless of your preferred genre, the execution of such acute musical technique and speedy vocal projections are definitely worth merit. Review by Lauren O'Halleron The Grazing Saints is an English “swamp rock, doom-pop, psychedelic-soul shuffle” band based in Norfolk. The members include: Joe Quinn on guitar and vocals, Paul Taylor on bass, and Michele Amato on drums. The band started in 2012 and place themselves in several music genre categories such as rock n’ roll, psychedelic soul, fuzz blues and doom pop. ‘Ghost Story’ is the latest single released from the band’s upcoming album ‘Selene’, which launches on January 9th, 2015. The entire album was recorded live in Thurton Church in July, 2014, keeping with the theme of being “saints”, perhaps? From the get-go, it is obvious that ‘Ghost Story’ was not recorded in a studio. The vocals and the instruments provide an echo throughout the track, something which works well only with the latter. While Quinn offers the listener good, strong vocals, they are sometimes impeded by the static when raised to a high volume, something which would have been avoided if the album had been recorded in a studio. Maybe this was the band’s intention, but I would not recommend listening to this song with headphones. The song itself is interesting, but again, the lyrics are difficult to decipher through the static. It is a mellow tune, with a strong musical interval near the end, taking full advantage of the church ambience. It is a good song, but it could make a bigger impact if it was given the studio treatment. Having said that, another sample of ‘Selene’ is ‘Bright Beacon’, a slower song, which better allows Quinn’s vocals to be heard and deciphered, with little to no static interference. Live albums should generally be released when the fans have heard the studio versions and don’t need to put effort into hearing the lyrics through static. It is a risk, and one can only hope that it pays off. Les Paul’s: Holy Land Revisited & P.O.P. album reviews 63	Whiplash
Almost unrecognisable with a prosthetic nose, who plays John E. du Pont in 'Foxcatcher'?	featured \| Oblation: Liturgy and Life \| Page 22 Oblation: Liturgy and Life Contact Author With the 87th Academy Awards ceremony taking place this Sunday evening, we here at Oblation wanted to provide our readers with a convenient recap of our recent series reviewing each of the eight Best Picture nominees from a theological perspective. Excerpts appear below, and the title links will take you to the full reviews. (Reminder: spoilers pretty much abound throughout.) American Sniper (by Lenny DeLorenzo) American Sniper is a tragedy from start to finish: it is tragic that there was—or was deemed to be—cause for war in Iraq; it is tragic that the duty of “overwatch” was necessary in case of ambush; it is tragic that insurgents had cause to fight; it is tragic that civilians were caught in the crossfire; it is tragic that violence like this exists at all. Most of all, it is a tragedy because it operates on the presumption that war is inevitable—that the wolves always lurk in the darkness and the sheepdog’s heroism is predicated upon this threat. What the attention to the complex paradoxical relationship between distance and intimacy in this film allows, however, is for the consideration of how what happens in and around the distant figure of Kyle is relevant to how remoteness roots out intimacy for anyone. Birdman (by Carolyn Pirtle) Riggan is ignorant of the things that truly matter. He is motivated solely by ambition—the desire for fame, critical praise, and most of all relevance, no matter what their cost may be to himself or those closest to him. . . . Riggan’s hero’s quest—to feel himself beloved—is fed by his interior dialogue with Birdman, his ego and shadow self. Yet this hero’s quest is revealed to be a fool’s errand as Riggan continuously seeks love, not from the friends and family who know him as he truly is, but from the anonymous masses who are ignorant of his true identity, recognizing him only in the role he once played. Boyhood (by Jessica Keating) In short, we see the “small moments and the life they add up to,” the overlooked, the precarious. The film could have been moving, even beautiful. Life, the film strives to demonstrate, is not a series of momentous events, but it is lived out in the ordinary, in the hidden. In the end, however, Boyhood is bereft of vision. The ordinary is not only not transfigured, but the film asserts that it is untransfigurable. The Grand Budapest Hotel (by Timothy O’Malley) The conclusion of the film elicits in the viewer a kind of sadness, a longing for a world that has passed. But perhaps, it is incorrect to call it “nostalgic yearning.” Perhaps what Anderson is really doing in all his films, is showing us a reality that is far more enchanted than we realize. There is a glorious mystery to ordinary existence, a beauty that gives itself to us around every corner. Yet what is almost salvific about The Grand Budapest Hotel is that Anderson does not let us pass too quickly over the darkness. It is not a Pollyannaish whimsy. The darkness of history intervenes but even it cannot entirely stifle this vision. Stories continue to be told, inviting us to re-imagine our world once again, to see colors even where there is only gray. The Imitation Game (by Renée Roden) …what the film suggests is the troubling lie that we are all very susceptible to swallowing: that having superior knowledge and superior intellect gives those in possession of them the ability to make right moral judgments. There is very little questioning of the moral system set up by the film that ‘because this person knows more than I,’ he cannot be wrong. Selma (by Susan Reynolds) Selma urges us to recognize that racial injustice is not a vestige of some distant, ignorant past but rather a shameful reality that continues to be reflected in the majority of our parishes, schools, and communities. . . . Such a realization is indeed cause for lament. But Selma’s vision, like that of all laments, is ultimately a hopeful one—it is a vision that urges us to be propelled forward in prayer and action by what King termed the “fierce urgency of now.” As we contemplate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ throughout the next forty days [of Lent], may we have the courage to see, name, and stand against systems of social sin complicit in sanctioning the crucifying forces of racial oppression. The Theory of Everything (by Carolyn Pirtle) Hawking’s quest to explain the cosmos and his insistence that this can be done on the basis of scientific reason, through “human endeavor” alone, leaves no room for mystery, and it is mystery that lies at the heart of every human person and (though Hawking would argue otherwise) at the heart of the universe. Indeed, it is this search for a theory which, for Hawking, necessitates putting the possibility of a Creator God on the shelf in favor of a completely rational approach, that renders him incapable of seeing the truth: that the one theory isn’t a theory at all, but a reality, and that this reality isn’t expressed in an equation, but in a communion of Persons—a relationship of love. Whiplash (by Sam Bellafiore) …what Fletcher sells and Andrew buys is art that’s lost its goal and context. Art is an inherent good, but humans alone make and experience it. That means it’s a good in itself for humans to pursue. Its goodness is not regardless of, separate from, or outside its relation to human beings. This doesn’t mean art is a means to the end of human flourishing. Instead, art is part of becoming human. “Art for its own sake” — ars gratia artis — is a lie. Whiplash shows what happens when art forgets its humanity. It becomes a beast. Fletcher has made art a greater good than human life. For the sake of creating art, Fletcher is willing to destroy people. In his world, the human is subsumed in sacrifice to the life of art. It is a greater crime to deprive the world of real art than to deprive it of a real person. Allison D’Ambrosia St. Mary’s College, Class of 2016 For strength in the spiritual combat, that he may bravely confess the Faith of Christ even in face of the enemies of that Faith . . . he is signed with the sign of the cross, as a soldier with the sign of his leader, which should be evident and manifest. Now, the forehead, which is hardly ever covered, is the most conspicuous part of the human body. . . . [He is anointed] on the forehead, that he may show publicly that he is a Christian. (Summa Theologiae III, Q 72, Art. 9, i.a.) Even though the above quote from St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae is on being anointed with chrism at Confirmation, I think it is more than applicable to Ash Wednesday. I kept reminding myself yesterday that the sign of the cross on my forehead was one of strength, a reminder that I was to be a soldier. Yesterday was the first Ash Wednesday when I was among the minority, the first time I wasn’t surrounded by Catholics. I felt like I was a bit outside my normal Catholic Bubble. From kindergarten through college I have gone to a Catholic school. Not only is Oxford not Catholic, but it’s incredibly secular. That being said, I am still at a Catholic college within Oxford, called Blackfriars Hall, which is run by the Dominican Friars—so in a sense, I haven’t totally burst out of the bubble. However, this Ash Wednesday felt very different from the rest. I decided to jot down my thoughts about once an hour yesterday, then reflect on the day as a whole, and this post is the result: 9:00 AM: I woke up late after not listening to my alarm and missed the 8:30 AM service I was planning on attending. However, I was a bit relieved that I wouldn’t have to wear my ashes around longer than necessary. The next service was at 12:05 PM. Lenten Promise: wake up to my first alarm, no snooze buttons! I then went to the library and read until noon. 12:00 PM: Went to the JCR (Junior Common Room) and made conversation about how many cookies there were in the cookie jar. Made a joke about how the Catholics must be the ones eating all the “biscuits” because they’d usually be gone by now, but since we were fasting, they were still there. I then got asked about why Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday, if I was fasting every day during Lent, how many meals I could eat, what I could eat, etc. I didn’t really have an answer to all those questions. I told my friend I ate one meal and then a snack when I was fasting and didn’t drink anything other than water. I think told her I wasn’t sure of the exact reason why Catholics fasted on Ash Wednesday, other than as a reminder of our weak humanity, a remembrance that “we are dust, and to dust we shall return.” 12:05 PM: Arrived for Mass. Overwhelmed with how few people my age were in attendance (probably only around 10 in total). Going to daily Mass, I usually see the same faces every day, yet I was taken aback by how many new faces there were in the congregation. There were young parents with their children, college students, all mixed in with the frequenting older gray-haired crowd. 1:00 PM: At lunch I got asked if Catholics could eat meat on Ash Wednesday, and why we didn’t eat meat? (I really need to work on my apologetics!) Then was asked what I was giving up for Lent. On my way back to the library I ran into a friend who stopped me to tell me I had something on my head. When I told her it was ashes she then jokingly told me it was a good look; I should make it a trend. Upon entering the library another friend of mine asked, “What the hell is on your head? What have you done to yourself? You look ridiculous!” Upon explaining to her they were ashes as it was Ash Wednesday, and again quoting the blessing from the Priest, we then had a lovely conversation about Northern Lights and the use of the phrase “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” As I turned to go to my usual spot, I saw the other two people at her table lean over and point to their foreheads, asking what I was doing. I then had another friend come up to me and ask if I had to wear them “Alllllll day long?! But what if you have to wash your face?” 2:00 PM: I was walking to get some water and someone came up to me and asked what that “black stuff” was because they had never seen that before. A bystander replied, “It’s ashes. to show you’re Catholic.” 3:00 PM: A friend came back from a meeting and looked at me shocked, asking, “What did you do to your head?” I told him they were ashes for Ash Wednesday; he then responded, “Oh! That makes sense, the guy sitting across from me in the meeting had that too, but I didn’t want to ask what it was.” By around 4:00 PM the ashes had mostly worn off and only a very faint mark remained, probably just looking like I got some dirt on my forehead or went a little crazy with putting on my mascara. I didn’t receive many other questions or comments, except one. A friend of mine, who is not Catholic, came over and said, “OH! I would have loved to have gone to Mass with you!” This is the crux. In general, my day seemed rather contradictory to the Gospel reading: “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” All day long I was wearing my ashes, and all day long people were looking at me wondering what I was doing, what was on my head. I was by no means flying under the radar. Is the Gospel saying I should have secluded myself to my room so as not to have to show off what I was doing? Is this contradictory to what Aquinas writes about being soldiers of God and bearing his mark as a sign of strength? After quite a bit of reflection I’d say no, these are not contradictory, but complementary. We wear ashes as a sign of solidarity with all the world. We wear ashes as a sign that we are taking responsibility for our own sin and all the sin in the world, even those we have not committed personally. We look to deny harmful satisfaction, and we strive to face the difficult questions (quite literally) head on. Not only did I find the questions, the confused glances, or the concerns difficult, but I also found them difficult to face alone. Ash Wednesday, for me, had always been something I’d observed with other people. Yet, being the only one in view bearing ashes made me feel like I was bearing them for other people, not just myself. The homily I heard yesterday was all about how we need to be in solidarity as members of a fallen humanity, to truly accept that we are dust, yet to understand also that through that dust comes our salvation. It is easy to give things up for Lent and to feel as if you have changed, and after 40 days of penance to go right back to where you were 41 days earlier. Yet, I now feel I understand the role of the disciples, and thus I understand the role of all those in the Church as we are all called to a priestly mission as baptized members in Christ’s Body. We must all take responsibility, we must all be in solidarity at all times, and we must not rely on the reminders of others. Pope Francis writes in his Lenten address for 2015 , Usually, when we are healthy and comfortable, we forget about others (something God the Father never does): we are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure. . . Our heart grows cold. As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off. Today, this selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference. It is a problem which we, as Christians, need to confront. We must be able to fast on our own without expecting everyone we eat with to fast as well; we must be able to give money away not just because we are following in the footsteps of a Starbucks-pay-it-forward line; and we must also retreat into our rooms and remember to pray on our own, not just when there is a congregation next to us kneeling down as well. In the way I was singled out today by wearing my ashes, we must all stand alone in order to stand together as a Church, in true solidarity with the poor and suffering in order to act as the Body of Christ, “that neither fear nor shame may hinder [us] from confessing the name of Christ.” Human Dignity and Life Initiatives University of Notre Dame Contact Author Today Catholics around the world will hear (or already have heard) the words, “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return,” as a priest or lay minister traces the sign of the cross onto their foreheads with the ashes of last year’s blessed palms. So begins the yearly observance of Lent—for the next 40 days (46 including Sundays) we take up the practices of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. There is a tendency, I suspect, for many of us to approach the triptych of Lenten disciplines as a kind of “Catholic New Year’s.” Indeed, this is typically the time when peoples’ commitment to the resolutions they made with confident gusto on January 1 begins to wane. It becomes a temptation to enter into the Lenten disciplines as a kind of New Year’s reboot. In such a mindset, Lent can easily be reduced to a series of self-referential activities—an exercise in the ambit of self-improvement, which has numerous more and less subtle inflections, ranging from the retrospective assessment that my Lent was “successful” (in other words, I achieved my goals or I did not stumble in my resolve) to the hope that I might shed a couple of pounds by giving up sweets. This reduction also has the effect of flattening time. Initially robust and full of possibility, self-referencing time becomes a mere quantitative burden—something to be endured on the way to a particular goal. Though we might discern traces of Christian logic here, this logic is substantively redirected. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with practices of self-improvement—and indeed, Lenten disciplines often have the effect of “improving” the person who practices them—yet such “improvement,” better called growth in holiness, occurs in ways that elide categories of “success.” In fact, we might consider our present grammar of success and all that attends it as a frustrated approximation of the mystery of holiness. Lent is not in the first instance a regime of self-improvement, and approaching it on these grounds subtly deflects the meaning of time and of the Lenten practices of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. In volume 1 of the Theo-Drama, Hans Urs von Balthasar suggests that time is not merely the neutral, quantitative ticking of hours slipping into days, weeks turning over into months, years fading centuries. Rather, time is decidedly qualitative. Time, and each human person as a time and space-bound creature, participates in the “events of salvation even after Christ”; it now belongs “within the eschatological saving event and is determined by it” and yet does not “simply coincide with it” (28). The “vertical event-time” has unfolded in “a series of times of salvation . . . [and] refashions horizontal time using it so that the event may spread itself out in dramatic form” (28). We live in the reality of refashioned time, of time saturated with the Cross, and thus with the entire Christ-event. It is the same Christ who sleeps in the manger who hangs on the Cross. It is the same Christ who teaches the parables, gives the new commandment, whose anguished sweat becomes as blood in the Garden. It is the same Christ whose Spirit “plays the whole piece right through the with the individual human being and the human race” (28). God plays the piece right through with each of us. Ours is the work of attunement. It is the work of whole person and of the whole human race. Lent, properly understood, is a gift of time, of time which is already and time which groans toward fulfillment. Perhaps no one distills the reality of refashioned time quite as perceptively (or poetically) as Dante. The three-part movement of his masterpiece, the (Divine) Comedy, is (among other things) a movement of time. The following is a very general sketch of how time functions in the Commedia that cannot do justice to Dante’s genius, yet it is broadly sufficient for our purposes. In Inferno, time is an eternal burden, torturing the residents in each ring of hell. In Paradiso, time (and space) is no more, it is transcended. In Purgatorio, time is a gift of healing. We see this in Purgatorio 23. Here, Dante encounters his friend Forese on the terrace of gluttony, where men and women, already saved, experience the medicinal effects of time. Dante inquires after his friend’s residence in purgatory, and Forese replies: There falls, . . . from the Eternal Mind a virtue in that after and that tree— back there—which sharpens me and pares me down. All these people, weeping as they sing, Because their gullets led them past all norms, Are here remade as holy, thirsting, hungering. Cravings to eat and drink are fired in us By perfumes from that fruit and from the spray that spreads in fans above the greenery Nor once alone, in circling round this space, is agony and pain refreshed in us. I call it pain. Rightly, I should say solace. For that same yearning leads us to the tree That led Christ, in his joy, to say “Eli”, When through his open veins he made us free. Forese is learning how to speak rightly, to speak truthfully. Indeed, he revises his speech: “I call it pain. Rightly, I should say solace.” Forese’s correction is made in light of the Cross, from where Christ “in his joy” cried “Eli”. Time works on him, it refashions him, it redirects his desire, it remakes him holy. Purgatory thus functions a kind of school where one learns how participate in the life of God. Of course, we must not be too quick to compare Purgatory and Lent. They are constitutively distinct from one another, yet Dante does offer us an insight into the ameliorative effects of time. He offers us a way to participate in the gift of time that we embark on today. In taking up discrete bodily practices, Lent functions as a school of love, a school which, to quote St. Benedict, “may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend faults and to safeguard love” (Rule of St. Benedict, 18). It trains the body, it directs the eyes and makes keen the ears, it sharpens the mind and purifies the heart. Lent offers us the gift of time. The particular embodied disciplines we take up have the capacity to tune our minds, hearts, and wills to the piece God plays with each of us. As we enter Lent, we take up practices which we might be tempted to call pain, or perhaps simply a pain, but we rightly should call them solace. Because in taking up the three Lenten practices of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer—bodily practices—we are tutored in the logic of Love crucified and risen. Timothy P. O’Malley, Ph.D. Director, Notre Dame Center for Liturgy Contact Author This weekend, I traveled down to St. Meinrad Archabbey with eighteen undergraduates and a colleague from Notre Dame Vision. Staying with the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, IN, we rose early in the morning on Saturday to pray with the monks at 5:15 AM. As we entered into prayer that morning, we quickly found ourselves adopting the practices of the monks (liturgical practices very different than those engaged in at Notre Dame). Rather than measure the quality of participation by the volume of our voices, we prayed sotto voce with the monks. We did not sing with full heart and voice (as we are exhorted to at the Basilica) but instead let our voice blend together with our brother and sister next to us. We rose and bowed during the doxology (Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…). As it turns out, we did not simply pray with the monks but entered into their practice of prayer. As we paid attention to the embodied liturgical practice of these monks, we began to notice how much of their life is formed by such practices. The daily praying of the psalms, never louder than your neighbor, is part of a life of unity that is to be practiced throughout the monastery. The welcoming of the pilgrim into prayer is embodied in a hospitality that infuses how they greet the stranger. The constant marking of time through prayer, interrupting work, leads to a life that has become an offering to God. For the monks, this way of life is not taught through a series of intellectual propositions. Rather, it is lived out together. One learns this way of life, learns to practice monasticism. Over the coming weeks at Oblation, we are going to focus on the celebration of Lent as a series of practices, which slowly transform our identities. In the Church today, there are often theories of discipleship that first require a radical change of life before Christian practice becomes meaningful. First (they argue), you have to really love Jesus before you go to Mass, or pray the rosary, or fast, or give alms. But, it is our contention (as those who have learned to be with the monks) that such embodied practices can actually form us toward love of Christ. Through praying the Scriptures and the Angelus, going to daily Mass and performing corporal works of mercy, sitting in silence before the blessed Sacrament and fasting on Fridays, we can start to live as a Christian might live. We practice what it means to be a disciple, and in the midst of this practice, we actually become one. We will be attending to all sorts of practices. Praying the Scriptures and sitting before the blessed Sacrament. Fasting from technology and the rosary. Listening to music and burying the dead. Through attending to these practices, we hope to inspire a vision of Catholic identity and culture, which is not simply ideological. But one that enables each of us to become practicing Catholics. Considering joining us in practicing Lent. Editors’ Note: In anticipation of the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, we present a series exploring the philosophical and theological elements in each of the eight films nominated for Best Picture. (Caveat: spoilers ahead.) Blood-Soaked Calculus “Are you paying attention?” After a bout of regular movie-going preview fare: poor Paddington bear being subjected to idiotic stunts and buffoonish mishaps; some robot threatening all of civilization and Hugh Jackman; and several hundred explosions caused by unidentified killing machines and American movie-going audiences’ incessant desire for brainless spectacle, Morten Tyldum’s moving, yet ultimately unsatisfying, The Imitation Game begins with the refreshing command for all of us to pay attention. After the barrage upon our senses of crass explosions and relentless moronic activity, the opening of the film is a palate-cleansing dose of subtlety, promising more mental activity than physical, and nary a single killer robot to be seen. Yet, like a gangly teenager trying to Lindy Hop, the film’s footing falls askew from the very beginning. In a move that feels a little heavy-handed, we, the audience are put in the place of the sympathetic police investigator (Rory Kinnear), and commanded to listen carefully, and not to judge until the end. It’s over-used rhetoric, and registers as a little pompous and stilted. From the very beginning, there is a ring of self-importance to the film. Already, a division has been set up: we are to watch, observe, listen, and not interrupt. We stand outside of the story, outside of—to borrow the title phrase from an essay by C.S. Lewis—this “Inner Ring.” In this essay, Lewis discusses mankind’s fascination with the small group of people who are really calling the shots; really making the decisions; sending out life or death sentences. We are fascinated with the idea of a secret, hidden few who are really in charge, and more than Cumberbatch’s fascinating (when is Benedict Cumberbatch not fascinating to watch?), but (dare I say it?) rather hackneyed portrayal of a socially maladroit genius, it is this air of falsity, this sense of secrecy that was, I found, the facet of The Imitation Game that captured me the most. In the film, we see this inner ring most poignantly depicted in the scenes in which the our little troupe of code-crackers decides which messages from Enigma to act upon, and which to ignore. In reality, these decisions were made by higher authorities in the British army, and thank God for that. What person would want their fate in the hands of a high-functioning mathematical genius and his merry men: the womanizer, the spy, and the boyish-silent-one with all the authoritative presence of a summer intern? But what the film suggests is the troubling lie that we are all very susceptible to swallowing: that having superior knowledge and superior intellect gives those in possession of them the ability to make right moral judgments. There is very little questioning of the moral system set up by the film that ‘because this person knows more than I,’ he cannot be wrong. The two moments in the film that were most deeply moving were, firstly, of course, the ending, in which Turing’s body has been reduced to a shaking shell by his court-mandated hormone treatment. His mental acumen is hidden inside a chemically castrated walking corpse, and any human with a shred of empathy will be moved by the film’s short, tragic coda. The second was when poor Peter (Matthew Beard, oozing incompetent, doe-eyed chutzpah as the token boyish protégé in our motley code-cracking crew) learns that his brother is on a ship about to be taken down by a team of German U-Boats. Having just cracked Enigma, the Hut 8 team could, if acting in the next few minutes, save the lives of everyone on the ship. But just when they are about to dial up whichever commanding officer has the power to save these poor unfortunate souls. . . Stop! commands Benedict Cumberbatch, authoritatively. He’s right, chirps up Keira Knightley, with a glimmer of understanding in her eye. They cannot save this convoy of ships, as the Germans would then know that they had cracked Enigma (excellent cinematography covers up a multitude of leaps of logic). They must bide their time, and let the people on board perish, for the sake of the greater good—for the sake of winning the war. Peter naturally tries to reach the phone to dial an authority who could save his brother, and he has to be physically restrained by the others. It is a rather violent moment, as though the violence they inflict on Peter is a physical manifestation of the violence being inflicted on innocent people a thousand miles away. As I watched Peter cry over the inevitable loss of his beloved older brother, I found myself somewhat alienated from the film, which glosses over his loss with a noble shrug. Peter is (quite understandably and justifiably) angry at Alan for several scenes afterwards. In response to these snubs and cold-shoulders, Alan assumes a pained, sympathetic, “oh my dear lad, you’ll understand when you’re older” expression in reaction to Peter’s angered hurt. Peter’s loss, the loss of those lives, is simply the collateral damage of a Greater Mission to be carried out by the few who Truly Know. What troubled me most about this moment is that the film decidedly and unquestioningly sides with Alan. Yet, the majority of human beings would naturally, instinctively, act as Peter would, throwing all concern for a theoretical, vague, long-term plan out the window in the momentary demand for action. While maybe not technically the smartest or best-calculated course of action, in moments when a person’s life is in danger, our hearts usually trump the “wisdom” of our heads. The pressing need of the moment to save lives in danger—and a family member’s life, no less—outweighs a yet non-existent goal to be achieved. But the film does not even cast a critical glance at the Turing’s decision in that moment. This trial of Peter’s mirrors the ending scene of the film. It was, like that final scene, one of the most human moments of the entire biopic: a human in pain, wrestling with the fact that he is quite helpless under the unjust lot dealt to him by those in authority. It is a moment full of pathos, and it ought to break your heart. But, because Peter is not extraordinary, his input does not carry as much weight as Alan’s. Because Peter is not brilliant, but (comparatively) simple, because he feels ordinary human emotions, because he is the rule, not the exception, because he is not a part of the brilliant inner ring, his desired course of action must somehow be wrong. On the other hand, because Alan is the smartest one amongst us, he must be the wisest. He can do no wrong. Of course his actions must be the right course of action, because he is smarter than you are. Are you paying attention? This leap of logic is one that we make every single day. Often, we struggle to believe that someone we think of as honorable or good could ever do something wrong, based solely on the fact that we have known them to be honorable or good. In our desire for consistency, we are loathe to acknowledge that human beings act inconsistently. It is more pleasant to imagine that all geniuses are benevolent than to acknowledge that many times human beings who have the most power and the most knowledge can truly act the most selfishly. Or, an even more subtle distinction: a person can be a truly unselfish person, but can act in a selfish manner. None of us are immune from character flaws, and even those of us with sterling characters and golden pedigrees can make wrong decisions. Despite the excellent acting, the beautiful production values, and the well-paced action, what I found to be ultimately frustrating and unsatisfying about the story is that many of the historical facts—which are (like most of real life) more nuanced, more complicated, and more interesting than slick Hollywood clichés—are eschewed for the sake of a rather well-trodden plot structure: Solitary Outsider Has Knowledge No One Else Has. Uses It To Save World. World Turns on Him. Nobody Understands Him. It seems as though, perhaps, the producers and writers were dumbing things down for us—the audience—those of us outsiders who will just never understand. Thus, the movie was, I found, ultimately somewhat alienating. Instead of wrestling with the humanity of an eccentric, lively, and witty mathematical genius—an ordinary man, who happened to be equipped with an extraordinary mind—Benedict Cumberbatch re-creates his Sherlock schtick of a man rendered incapable of feeling and thinking like the rest of humanity by virtue of his god-like mental ability, thereby creating an impassable divide between Turing and anyone watching the film, between the enlightened few and the rest of us left outside in the darkness. Yet, in reading more about the man who inspired this film, I have discovered that Alan Turing was not Sherlock-in-wartime-tweeds, but rather a unique, undefinable individual: sexual, witty, personable, alive, and very, very human. Perhaps The Imitation Game could have listened to its own mantra and hold up these more human qualities in Turing, thus creating a more relatable protagonist: Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine. The people who no one imagines anything of. In other words, ordinary people; people who are not necessarily part of “the inner ring”; people like the suburban mother, like the math nerd who doesn’t play sports, like the put-upon office secretary, like the schoolboy in love with his best friend, like you, like me. Ph.D. Student, Theology and Education, Boston College Editors’ Note: In anticipation of the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, we present a series exploring the philosophical and theological elements in each of the eight films nominated for Best Picture. (Caveat: spoilers ahead.) In the first of five appearances on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” on April 17, 1960 , Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., remarked, “I think it is one of the tragedies of our nation, one of the shameful tragedies, that 11:00 on Sunday morning is one of the most segregated hours, if not the most segregated hour, in Christian America.” King continued: “Any church that stands against integration and that has a segregated body is standing against the spirit and the teachings of Jesus Christ and it fails to be a true witness.” Five years later, King and other leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference arrived in Selma, Alabama to raise public consciousness surrounding the widespread and systematic disenfranchisement of black citizens throughout the South. The passions, deaths, and resurrections that followed are the subject of Selma, arguably the most theologically rich and spiritually rousing Best Picture nominee of the year. As Lent approaches, I want to suggest that one might view the film as a lament that invites an examination of conscience surrounding issues of racial injustice that persist in ways both obvious and insidious within church and society. Theologically speaking, a lament can be understood as an act of truth-telling that evokes public moral consciousness and opens a space for compassionate, transformative action. To lament is to name—and in naming protest—conditions of suffering and injustice and to envision a future of justice and restored relationship in light of a hope-filled vision of the Kingdom of God. Mourning in its least sanitized, most visceral and honest forms occasions sustained presence to that which should not be—it allows us, perhaps even forces us, to be interrupted by reality. Selma interrupts us. We are interrupted by the murder of 26-year-old Jimmie Lee Jackson (Keith Stanfield), who is shot at close range by a state trooper while participating in a peaceful night march and dies in the arms of his mother. In one of the film’s most powerful scenes, King (depicted brilliantly by David Oyelowo) approaches Cager Lee (Henry G. Sanders), Jimmie’s grandfather, and with tears in his eyes tells him, “There are no words to soothe you, Mr. Lee… But I can tell you one thing for certain: God was the first to cry for your boy.” As marchers make their first attempt to walk from Selma to Montgomery, we are interrupted, as they are, by state troopers. Mounted on horseback and armed with billy clubs and tear gas, police brutalize marchers as they attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge; crowds of white onlookers cheer on the troopers as though watching a football game. The bruised and bleeding marchers retreat to Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which serves as the staging ground for the protests. The makeshift triage unit assembled outside the church calls to mind comparisons to Pope Francis’ evocative image of the Church as a field hospital in a wounded world. In response to the massacre that would become known as Bloody Sunday, King issues a nationwide call for supporters to travel to Selma to join the march. Clergy and laypersons from around the country, including many non-blacks, heed the call—acts of solidarity which cost several, including Boston minister James Reeb (Jeremy Strong) and Detroit wife and mother Viola Luizzo (Tara Ochs), their lives at the hands of the KKK. In the second march, King—to the astonishment of the thousands who have gathered to join him—abruptly turns around after kneeling down to pray. The literal about-face is a jarring, disorienting moment, a seeming interruption of the momentum occasioned by such a powerful show of solidarity. But King discerns that the march would likely end in disaster without a court order of protection. After receiving such an order, and following on the heels of President Lyndon Johnson’s speech to a joint session of Congress introducing the Voting Rights Act, King and roughly 8,000 fellow marchers finally, joyfully complete the five-day journey from Selma to Montgomery. The film concludes as King delivers his now-famous speech on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol. The speech, rewritten in the screenplay, does not include the iconic “How long? Not long!” line from the original. Instead, Selma’s King cites another eschatological refrain: “When will we be free? Soon and very soon. Because no lie can live forever.” Selma offers us many things, not the least of which is the opportunity to be interrupted by a more nuanced and arguably more authentic portrayal of King than the benign, storybook characterizations to which we have become accustomed. Much of this good work must be credited to director Ava DuVernay, with regard to whom I would join the chorus of critics and viewers dismayed by her lack of nomination in the Best Director category. DuVernay has been critiqued for her arguably unfair portrayal of President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson). In Selma, Johnson is an advocate for the cause of racial justice but an initial adversary to the proposal of the Voting Rights Act based on its politically inconvenient timing. In reality, those once close to Johnson have countered , Johnson pushed hard for the bill and ultimately considered it the greatest legislative achievement of his administration. If Selma were a documentary, such factual tensions might present themselves as more of an issue (not to mention the fact that, as Caroline Siede points out in this AV Club review , virtually all historical dramas—including others lauded this awards season—take degrees of liberty with historical events without inciting the kind of vitriol DuVernay has). But like all such dramas, Selma is a work of interpretation. And in this case, the film can be viewed as a challenge to a largely-white entertainment industry uncomfortable with and unaccustomed to stories about race that do not require the well-intentioned intervention of a proverbial white savior in order for black subjects to triumph. How can we as Catholics and Americans invite Selma to interrupt us this Lenten season? Fourteen years after the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery and passage of the Voting Rights Act, the U.S. Catholic Bishops published Brothers and Sisters to Us (1979), its most developed (and most recent) pastoral letter on racism and Catholic teaching. In it, the Bishops denounced racism as “not merely one sin among many; it is a radical evil that divides the human family and denies the new creation of a redeemed world” (387). Though the document offers a thorough and self-critical examination of racism in the Church and society, the relatively little attention it received at the time of its publication and its meager legacy today testify to the appallingly low priority placed upon racism as a social justice issue. Only a decade after its publication, the Bishops’ Committee on Black Catholics lamented diocesan responses to the letter’s call to action as “pathetic” and “anemic.” Today, the document and the teaching it represents remain virtually unknown amongst Catholics. Indeed, as theologian Fr. Bryan Massingale observes, despite the Bishops’ forceful condemnation of racism as a radical evil, “perhaps the most remarkable thing to note concerning U.S. Catholic social teaching on racism is how little there is to note.” [1] A half-century after protesters marched from Selma to Montgomery, Selma urges us to recognize that racial injustice is not a vestige of some distant, ignorant past but rather a shameful reality that continues to be reflected in the majority of our parishes, schools, and communities. (For a powerful expression of this connection, listen to “ Glory ,” the Oscar-nominated original song from the film performed by John Legend and Common). The terrible irony persists that the hour in which we gather to celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ in liturgy remains for many of us, just as King observed in 1960, the hour in which we least image the diversity of Christ’s Body. Such a realization is indeed cause for lament. But Selma’s vision, like that of all laments, is ultimately a hopeful one—it is a vision that urges us to be propelled forward in prayer and action by what King termed the “fierce urgency of now.” As we contemplate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ throughout the next forty days, may we have the courage to see, name, and stand against systems of social sin complicit in sanctioning the crucifying forces of racial oppression. Recommended Lenten Reading: James H. Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree (2013) Shawn Copeland, Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being (2009) Bryan N. Massingale, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church (2012) USCCB, Brothers and Sisters to Us (1979) [1] Bryan N. Massingale, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2010), 43. McGrath-Cavadini Director, Institute for Church Life Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame Editorial Note: This article first appeared in Commonweal on October 11, 2013. Why does Notre Dame require all undergraduate students to complete theology courses and why do other Catholic universities and colleges sometimes have similar requirements? What is theology, anyway? How does it benefit students? How does the university benefit from having a faculty of theology? What benefit, in turn, does such a university offer the world of higher education? The presence of a theology department is unique to religiously affiliated colleges and universities, though certainly far from ubiquitous there, and even at Catholic schools theology requirements have dwindled over the years, and are often challenged to justify their existence. What does it mean to accept a faculty of theology as an academic unit in a university community? Its presence implies something about the whole academic community because other academic communities exclude such departments. Secular universities and colleges do not even recognize theology as an academic discipline. What, then, does the fact that a Catholic university welcomes theology tell us? “By its very nature, each Catholic University makes an important contribution to the church’s work of evangelization. It is a living institutional witness to Christ and his message, so vitally important in cultures marked by secularism.” This passage from John Paul II’s apostolic constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae provides a characterization of the distinctiveness of a Catholic university. It is, he says, a kind of “witness.” This term can sound somewhat strange in an academic context, and I draw attention to it, in part, for that reason. Witness is not a category that one finds applied to secular universities very often, if ever, though I imagine that even secular universities would count themselves as bearing witness in some way to values such as social justice, equality, and inclusiveness. According to Ex corde, however, the witness of a Catholic university is connected to the church’s work of evangelization, and that seems to up the ante. A Catholic university, though proceeding “from the heart of the church,” is still not the same as the church itself, and its witness can’t take exactly the same form as the witness of a parish or a diocese. So what would that witness be—”so vitally important,” as the pope says, “in cultures,” such as our own, “marked by secularism”? Of course, this witness may take many forms in various campus activities, but here I am looking for the “institutional” witness, the witness that must be encoded into the very thing that makes a university a university—namely, its intellectual life, its mode of intellectual inquiry. Here, we find a crucial connection to theology as a discipline. Theology is the “study of God” (Theos-logos). That sounds weird and pretty subjective. After all, God seems rather reclusive, not normally offering the divine self as an object of study. How could God be studied? How could one ever control such study? How could one keep it from becoming hopelessly subjective and fanciful? The study of God (as opposed to the study of religion) might sound like the study of an illusion of our own making. Unless, of course, one believes that God has in fact presented the divine self to us. It is God’s self-presentation, God’s “revelation,” that is the subject of theological study. Theology begins from faith in God’s self-revelation and moves toward “understanding” what God has revealed. It is in that way the study of God—or, as St. Anselm famously put it, “faith seeking understanding.” Theology is the only discipline that has as its proper object God’s revelation. One might wonder whether there’s really a need for a special discipline to study God’s revelation. Can’t we just read it in the Bible and leave it at that? For Catholics, though, “revelation” is not only what is in Scripture; it is also contained in the apostolic tradition of the church. There was no New Testament around when Jesus lived, died, and rose. The church preceded the New Testament and only gradually accepted its writings as Scripture, just as Israel preceded the Hebrew Bible, and only gradually ratified it as Scripture. The church’s struggle over how and (even) whether to accept the Hebrew Bible as Scripture was itself complex. There is no book that dropped out of heaven with a self-verifying label reading “FROM: GOD; TO: WORLD; CONTENTS: CERTIFIED INSPIRED SCRIPTURE.” Whether the Book of Revelation is Scripture was contested until the fifth century in some churches, and in fact Christians still disagree about what constitutes inspired Scripture. The Bible is “the church’s book,” and Catholics have always valued the oral traditions and the living liturgical practices in which it was used. Not every practice or homily is as valuable as every other, and the magisterium of the church—its teaching authority—is there to clarify what is and what isn’t authentic tradition, as well as what is and what isn’t an acceptable interpretation of Scripture. Studying God’s self-revelation is therefore not equivalent to studying Scripture. But even if it were, one encounters problems in the scriptural texts—what St. Augustine called quaestiones in his sermons. Many of these problems or questions are posed by the learned disciplines, the arts and sciences, which one finds at any university. To take a simple example, if according to science the earth seems much older than the six thousand years or so the Bible reports, then we have a problem. Do we give up faith in revelation, or do we “seek understanding”? Are we so sure we understand what Scripture is saying, or how it is saying it? Nor are these questions limited to the modern period. Sophisticated intellectuals both Jewish and Christian have for the past two millennia wondered about difficulties in the Book of Genesis: What kind of God creates supposedly precious human creatures and then loses track of them in the garden, having to walk around calling out and asking where they are? For that matter, what kind of a God walks around in a garden at all? One doesn’t have to be a Scripture scholar to notice that, in the first few verses of Genesis, God divides the light from the darkness and calls the light day and the darkness night, but the sun and the moon are not created until a few verses later. Where was the light coming from? We moderns think we are the only ones burdened with such questions, but learned Jews and Christians of the first, second, and third centuries were possibly more troubled than we are by these passages, and yet they pressed on, “seeking understanding.” What was the “day” created before the sun and the moon that define our days, and what was the “light” that preceded these heavenly bodies? Was it the light of created intelligence (the rational incorporeal spirit, not mentioned anywhere else in the narrative)? Was it the light of understanding, which pervades the text as a whole? Is God’s creation of the first “day” a way of saying that God created time and that time is older than the sun and the moon? No matter how they answered these particular questions, theologians of the early centuries agreed that the most important truths contained in these scriptural texts were that the origin of the world is God’s creative act and that creation is not simply a matter of mechanical origin but of God’s “speaking.” God doesn’t just create the world as the first in a series of mechanical causes. Rather, he creates it in his “word,” or intention, which continues to sustain the world ever after. Another crucial truth: Everything God created is good—indeed, the whole of creation is “very good.” And one more truth: Human beings have the special dignity of being created in the “image and likeness” of God. Have we fully understood the “goodness” of the cosmos and all that is in it? Or what it means to be in the “image and likeness of God?” Of course not, but the “seeking” never stops because, for one thing, the questions never stop. Today we have, in addition to biblical texts, the benefit of this tradition of consensus, built up from the earliest centuries, about the central meaning of these texts, and we can study that consensus, along with the texts themselves, as we attempt to further our “understanding” in light of modern versions of the ancient questions. How, then, can we square the texts of Genesis with what science tells us? We can do so primarily by noticing that the elements that the traditional consensus finds central—the dependence of the world on God, the goodness of the world, and the dignity of human beings as God’s “image and likeness”—are none of them measurable or empirically observable. In other words, Genesis is not a scientific text at all, primitive or otherwise, and cannot in principle be replaced by one. Science cannot determine or measure the goodness of anything, no matter how sophisticated the instruments of detection. These are not statements proposed for scientific verification, but truths proclaimed unto faith, in the context of the rest of revelation. One responds to them by faith and by seeking, in turn, to understand what one has come to believe, not by observing and testing and verifying the hypothesis of goodness, as would be appropriate for a scientific theory. Faith in the goodness of creation proceeding from God’s love is precisely that—faith. And if our faith is challenged by the obvious presence of evil in the world, that is grounds for working to understand further what is meant by the “goodness” we believe in and how the doctrine of creation fits into the broader revelation of God’s love. Once we stop thinking of the text as some kind of primitive science, we might glimpse how self-consciously it proclaims that its subject is a mystery too great for words. The six-day creation scheme is obviously a construct intended to underscore that very fact. No one can have observed the creative “speech” of God. Isn’t that the point of reserving the creation of the only possible observer until the sixth “day,” after all the speaking is done? The fact that the framework of “days” precedes the creation of the sun and moon is the text’s way of telling us that the six-day scheme is a construct, used to direct our attention past the text to the ineffable mystery it proclaims. The text makes itself a vessel containing the great light of a mystery that can shine through it, casting the very words of the text as its shadow. The six-day scheme, oriented toward the seventh day of rest, is of course a liturgical construct, which proclaims that creation itself is oriented toward rest—that is, toward the praise of God’s goodness. No science can prove, disprove, or even observe this mystery. It transcends scientific questions without denying their validity. It is important to observe that science is affirmed in this example, even as its results inspire questions pointing to something beyond science. In this way, science itself becomes oriented toward an integration of knowledge transcending science. One learns to recognize that some concepts, such as “creation,” are irreducibly theological: they can’t be reduced or translated into scientific categories because they arise from mysteries, such as the goodness of the cosmos, that are proclaimed to, and apprehended only by, faith. Language of “transcending” science is not meant as an insult to science, but only as a way of affirming it in its own methodology. A culture of “faith seeking understanding” is not a culture that holds that there is a Catholic or Christian science or that faith alone offers a sufficient answer to all questions. The very point of theology is to engage the truths of faith in a “dialogue with reason”—that is, with all the other disciplines that arise from the questioning human spirit and our observation of the world. Theology affirms the truths of other disciplines even as it integrates them into a discourse that transcends their methodologies. This discourse generates a kind of thick intellectual culture, in which faith generates new questions about what we learn through scientific research rather than replacing or preempting such research. Nor does this apply only to the natural sciences. If research into other cultures of the world discovers religious teachings of undeniable and exquisite beauty, these results are left standing, but they also occasion new questions. How can we understand their truth relative to revelation? “Faith seeking understanding” can afford to acknowledge truth wherever it may be found without fearing that the universal significance of God’s self-revelation in Christ is somehow threatened. Truth cannot be threatened by truth. Seeking in this case means deepening our own understanding of revelation even as we deepen our own thinking about other religions. Now we can see why a university community that accepts in its midst a theology department is not different simply because it accepts one more discipline than secular universities do. In accepting that discipline, a university isn’t just adding another element to the paradigm already in place at secular universities; it is accepting an altogether different paradigm of the intellectual life—a paradigm of intellectual culture as a dialectic between faith and reason, to use the traditional expression. Having a theology department means accepting a commitment to the intellectual life as oriented toward an “understanding” of something that integrates and transcends all the disciplines. Such an understanding keeps each discipline from closing in on itself and proceeding as if the truths it discovers were incommensurable with the truths discovered by other disciplines. It means openness to a conversation that necessarily transcends each discipline but is not merely “interdisciplinary.” If the disciplines converge at some point, it must be at a point “above” them all, in a discipline that has as its explicit object of study the mystery that transcends all other objects of study. Otherwise one must either force nondisciplinary solutions of questions onto the disciplines (e.g., claiming that faith is an adequate answer to scientific questions), or declare that knowledge is hopelessly fragmented into incommensurate disciplinary truths. The task of seeking an integration of knowledge has been called a “sapiential task”— sapiential because it is a search for the ultimate and overarching meaning of life. The Catholic intellectual life is never finished or settled. It is, as John Paul II put it, a quest: “Integration of knowledge is a process, one which will always remain incomplete.” This quest tends toward wisdom, and so the Catholic intellectual life, in its open-endedness, can be thought of as a wisdom tradition. It is inescapably theological because it grows out of faith in the God of revelation, and because theology performs the essential integrative function. Philosophy is a partner to theology in the integration of the intellectual life, since it, too, asks questions that transcend the disciplines—questions about the nature of knowledge itself, for instance, or of language, or of meaning, or even, as St. Thomas Aquinas points out, of God. Still, philosophy does not in the end have as its defining object of study God’s self-revelation and everything as seen in the light of God’s self-revelation, as Thomas also points out in the first article of the Summa Theologiae. Philosophy can remain philosophy without asking the question of the relation of its own results to revelation; and if that question is asked, it cannot be answered without theology. Further, much contemporary philosophy does not even concern itself with questions of transcendence or ultimate meaning, and yet it remains philosophy. But if theology ceases to address itself to God’s self-revelation, it ceases to be theology. Yet theology achieves no understanding apart from the other disciplines (because, as John Paul II puts it, “reason discovers new and unsuspected horizons,” because “faith and reason mutually support each other; each influences the other, as they offer to each other a purifying critique and a stimulus to pursue the search for deeper understanding”). Thus, the Catholic intellectual life, as a theologically integrated wisdom tradition, provides a middle ground between secularism and sectarianism. This is the “witness,” specific to a university, that a Catholic university can—and does—provide in our culture. What benefit does this witness offer to the American academy in general? Without this witness, the intellectual culture in our country will remain dominated by, and limited to, the increasingly sterile polarity between aggressive secularization and aggressive anti-intellectual fideisms. These two poles are equally unattractive, and they tend to perpetuate each other. Seven years ago, Stephen Pinker famously observed that “universities are about reason, pure and simple,” and that “faith—believing something without good reasons to do so—has no place in anything but a religious institution” (Harvard Crimson, October 27, 2006), by which he meant a church, synagogue, mosque, or the like. Such a caricature of faith is itself anti-intellectual, but persons of faith may be tempted to respond to such hostility by turning to a self-isolating fundamentalist position that finds in faith an intellectual world sufficient unto itself. But that position is so narrow and anti-intellectual that it prompts a kind of intellectual revulsion, and so feeds the growth of the opposite position—secularization, which at least seems open to all questions (if not all answers). Part of the Catholic university’s mission is to provide an alternative to these two extremes, to heal an intellectual imagination wounded by the antagonism between secularism and sectarianism, where these are understood as the only two options. The “witness” of a Catholic university involves offering another option. It should be noted that this witness may appear to “pinch” both faith and reason. It will appear to pinch reason because of its commitment to faith in God’s self-revelation as entrusted to the church. This requires links to the church. Without these links, the intellectual culture of the university will, beyond any doubt, be secularized. Apart from the community of believers, no one will care whether faith seeks understanding or not. In a way, the church protects this intellectual environment. On the other hand, the dialectic between faith and reason has to be free enough that real thinking is possible, and so to some this freedom will seem to pinch faith. Academic credibility is a sine qua non of any witness appropriate to a university, while fidelity is a sine qua non of any real witness to the church’s distinctive intellectual culture. The question for a Catholic university is: Are its connections to the church accidental and occasional or programmatic and consistent? Is its project rooted in the church, linked to ecclesial persons, and accountable in some way to authority in the church? Is dissent the default mode of its theological culture? Or is refusal to tolerate critical reflection in the public domain on various magisterial positions the default mode? If the answer to either of these last two questions is yes, then the appropriate balance has not been struck. Now we are in a position to answer the other questions this article began with. Why should undergraduates be required to take courses in theology? An undergraduate course in theology is essentially different from, say, an undergraduate course in history. Even if both courses use some of the same texts, they will use them in different ways. The history course will examine the circumstances of their production, the culture behind them, the social situation for which they provide evidence. But the point of a theology course is to find out about God, in and through the properly disciplined study of these texts. If a student asks a question about God in a history class, the instructor is free to answer, “That’s not a relevant question in this class” (or, as it was put to me somewhat indecorously in a class at the non-Catholic institution where I studied as an undergraduate, “Please leave your theological baggage at the door”). But for a theology instructor to reply in the same way would be to violate the very identity of one’s discipline. Students are right to ask about God, and all matters related to God, in a theology class, where the question is not finally “What influences were operating in Julian of Norwich’s social setting that caused her to have visions?” or “What did Thomas Aquinas think about God?”—though such questions are certainly and necessarily involved—but rather “How has this study helped me think about God and God’s self-revelation?” From theology classes, students can also learn that faith in revelation isn’t something that has to remain purely private, a matter of individualistic piety without reference to the intellectual life. Rather, faith—the very faith that connects them to all believers, learned and unlearned—can acquire a level of “understanding” as sophisticated as that of any other discipline of study in the university. I find that this is the single most important benefit of the study of theology for undergraduates: the discovery of the sophistication of the “science of God,” of the perspective of faith. It comes to many of them almost as a shock. If anything is likely to bind them more fully to their faith—or, if they are not believers, to make them take the faith of others more seriously—it is this discovery, and not unchallenging courses that seem to replace teaching with preaching. I intend here no devaluation of preaching, but the special witness of the university takes place in the context of a classroom. The witness of a university is not the same as that of a parish or a diocese, where preaching is the proper modus operandi. Through required courses in theology, students are exposed to a mode of inquiry that belies the false dichotomy between secularization and sectarianism, a mode of inquiry in which faith is not excluded as irrelevant to reason but is itself the opening to a rich intellectual world. What Augustine calls the initium fidei, the starting point of faith, drives this inquiry rather than cutting it short. Nor are we talking about faith in the abstract, but a specific faith: the basic doctrines or mysteries of the Catholic faith, considered as part of a living tradition and not an artifact of the past. Basic knowledge of these teachings, and exposure to a mode of inquiry that neither opposes faith to reason, nor reduces faith to reason, is a benefit to any student no matter what his or her own particular “starting point” may be. As students come to understand the sophistication of the Catholic theological tradition, I find that their sympathy for it increases. They see riches where before they saw only old, irrelevant texts. They come to appreciate that there were difficult challenges in the church long before our own time, controversies much more heated than some of those we observe today. They discover a beauty they had not expected, a variety where previously they had assumed there would be only uniformity. They find out that Scripture is not as “primitive” as they had thought. They learn that, while not reducible to reason, faith has its own logic. They learn to distinguish between what is reasonable and what is provable. They learn some of the basic doctrines of the Catholic faith, not as doors that close off all questioning, but as openings to lifelong reflection on the ultimately ineffable mystery of God’s love, which is the ultimate referent of all doctrine. It is the formation of an intellectual life continually engaged with this mystery that is the principle benefit of theology as a field of study. Thus a Catholic university that welcomes a theology department and requires theology courses for its undergraduates endorses an academic approach that is essentially integrative. Even without any specific integrating programming, the university thereby identifies its whole intellectual project as distinctive. In such a university, the other disciplines remain themselves; their different disciplinary methodologies are not erased or homogenized. But each disciplinary conversation is experienced as part of a larger whole. Since one part of the curriculum is explicitly oriented toward understanding the mystery of God’s self-revelation, the whole is thereby implicitly oriented toward such understanding. The kind of integration such an approach makes possible is never complete, always a work in progress. It is the character of a conversation, rather than a settled intellectual accomplishment or system. Let me offer a small example of how the integrative potential of the conversation might be actualized in a specific way. Contrary to popular belief, the “preferential option for the poor” is first and foremost a doctrine about God, and not about the poor. In his book On Job, Gustavo Gutiérrez writes, “The ultimate basis of God’s preference for the poor is to be found in God’s own goodness and not in any analysis of society or in human compassion, however pertinent these reasons may be.” If the poor and the “little ones” are “the privileged addressees of revelation,” this is “the result not primarily of moral or spiritual dispositions, but of a human situation in which God undertakes self-revelation by acting and overturning values and criteria. The scorned of this world are those whom the God of love prefers.” All good universities want to be committed to social service of some kind, and the Catholic university most of all. But it is important to note here that, from a Catholic point of view, the reason for such service is first and foremost found in God’s manner of self-revelation. We are, in the first place, confronted with a mystery of God’s transcendent love that cannot be reduced to human reason, because it is a “preference” based in God’s “goodness.” It cannot be derived from any notion of justice based on human reason alone, on the supposed merits exhibited by the poor (or lack thereof). Theology is a contemplative discourse that is defined by its attempt to understand this goodness as well as it can be understood, and to arrive at a notion of justice that flows from it. The language appropriate to theology, according to Gutierrez, is the union of the contemplative and prophetic, of the contemplation of God’s love and the “overturning” it implies in its very mode of revelation. Isn’t this language—which could only arise in a department oriented by definition to the mystery of God’s self-revelation—itself an example of the integration required of a Catholic university? Other disciplines can then contribute to an understanding of this language of contemplation and of justice, spoken as it must be in a world of science, technology, law, literature, social studies, and art. A Catholic university might even offer clusters of linked courses, each speaking its own disciplinary language, but all integrated theologically into the language of contemplation and prophecy. Thus does the mere presence of a theology department orient a university, quietly and almost imperceptibly, toward the transcendent mystery of God’s solidarity with the “little ones,” the mystery of the Cross. Is there a better way to prepare students for a lifetime of active, conscious immersion in the mystery of God’s love? Human Dignity and Life Initiatives University of Notre Dame Editors’ Note: In anticipation of the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, we present a series exploring the philosophical and theological elements in each of the eight films nominated for Best Picture. (Caveat: spoilers ahead.) As Time Goes By Few, if any, of this year’s Oscar nominees have received such an enthusiastic reception as Boyhood. The film, shot in 4-5 day sequences over course of 12 years, has earned its director Richard Linklater accolades for his daring innovation, the blending of genres, and the beauty of capturing life’s hidden arcs and curves. New York Times film critic, Manohla Dargis , raved that Boyhood “exists at the juncture of classical cinema and the modern art film without being slavishly indebted to either tradition. It’s a model of cinematic realism.” Declaring the film a “masterpiece,” Dargis wrote that it embraced time “in all its glorious and agonizingly fleeting beauty.” A.O. Scott gave the film the number one ranking in his review of the top 10 movies of 2014, lauding “the ingenuity of Richard Linklater’s idea and the artistry of his methods.” Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday gushed, “As a film that dares to honor small moments and the life they add up to, Boyhood isn’t just a masterpiece. It’s a miracle.” You get the picture. In short, the film has garnered near-perfect reviews. A very few critics have complained that nothing happens in Boyhood. On a very practical level, this assertion is clearly false. The film threads together a myriad of scenes throughout Mason’s childhood and adolescence. We see his father, Mason Sr., and his mother, Olivia, pursue other relationships. She pursues a master’s degree and teaching career. He pursues a bohemian existence. We see Mason Sr. swoop in and out of his kids’ lives. We hear Olivia curse at her children. We hear her read them bedtime stories and tell them she loves them. We hear her ask her daughter, “Do you want to be a cooperative person, who is compassionate and helps people out? Or do you want to be a self-centered narcissist?” We see domestic violence. We see Mason, his sister Samantha, and their father at a Houston Astros game. We see Olivia and her children move. We see the children fight in the back of the car. We see underage drinking. We see the paying of bills, the fights, the laughter, the trudging of this family through life, but there isn’t any more than this. It is the film’s mere materiality that has caused some to observe that nothing happens in the film or that it lacks a plot. But things do happen, and the film does have a plot, a plot which is both irreducibly simple and most complex: the unfolding of a life. The problem isn’t a lack of action; rather, it is the soft nihilism that pervades the film. Personally, I can only compare watching this film to enduring the interminable South Bend winter—the perpetual greyness, the hope for a snow day that never comes, the slogging through blackened slush, passing hundreds of people bundled up against the wind, but unable to quite make out their faces, the crushing feeling in mid-March (or two hours into the film) that this really may never end. In short, we see the “small moments and the life they add up to,” the overlooked, the precarious. The film could have been moving, even beautiful. Life, the film strives to demonstrate, is not a series of momentous events, but it is lived out in the ordinary, in the hidden. In the end, however, Boyhood is bereft of vision. The ordinary is not only not transfigured, but the film asserts that it is untransfigurable. To continue the image of a South Bend winter, making out the characters in the film was for me akin to trying to decipher whether the person hidden under the layers of coats, scarves, and hats is someone you know or a total stranger. In Boyhood, Linklater and his actors never quite allow us to encounter the mystery of the human person, the person who becomes all the more mysterious the more keenly we see him. Instead, we encounter layers of obfuscation, which deflect meaning and obscure mystery. This is the “progress report on our spiritual condition,” as A.O. Scott remarks in his praise of the film. Neither its characters, nor the dozens of “small moments and the life,” nor the arc of the film, offer anything more than existential immediacy. In the end, Boyhood struck me as an incurving of St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Little Way” – all of the littleness and none of the horizon, none of the “way.” The film opens with a six-year-old Mason lying on his back, his left arm tucked under his head, gazing up to the sky, watching clouds drift overhead. Even as a child, Mason’s gaze expresses something less than wonder. Instead, he seems to stare up at the sky in lonely resignation. The film’s logic lies concealed in this opening scene, and is only fully manifested in the final dialogue. The child, who in the opening scene watches the clouds float past, becomes a young adult gazing out over a gorgeous sunset, content to watch life’s moments seize him and drift past. His last words in the film observe the fleeting banality of life: “Yeah. Yeah, I know. It’s constant, the moments, it’s just…it’s like always right now, you know?” “Yeah,” says the girl sitting next to him. They smile at each other, and the screen fades. Thus, Boyhood concludes with a kind of immature hubris. Indeed, the eighteen-year-old Mason is a kind of cipher for the entire film. He grasps at profundity but comes up empty. Bookended by these listless, and in some sense solitary, scenes of resignation, Mason’s final exchange with each of his parents lay bare the film as a project in unsaying meaning. In the final scene with his father, Mason finds himself precariously wedged between the crushing failure of his first relationship and the moderate success of placing in a state-wide photography contest. He asks his father, “So what’s the point?” In a response that shows he’s entirely missed the depth of the question, Mason Sr. asks, “Of what?” “I don’t know, any of this. Everything,” his son replies. The film cavalierly registers its claim as Mason Sr. answers, “Everything? What’s the point? I mean I sure as st don’t know. I mean, but, neither does anybody else. Okay, we’re all just winging it, you know? I mean the good news is you’re feeling stuff. You know? And you got to hold onto that. You do.” In another final scene and in another valence, Olivia presents the film’s logic. Tearfully packing Mason up for college, she confesses to her 18-year-old son: “You know what I’m realizing? My life is just gonna go, like that! This series of milestones. Getting married, having kids, getting divorced, the time that we thought you were dyslexic, when I taught you how to ride a bike, getting divorced AGAIN, getting my master’s degree, finally getting the job I wanted, sending Samantha off to college, sending YOU off the college… You know what’s next? Huh? It’s my fkin’ funeral! [She pauses for a beat.] I just thought there would be more.” Olivia’s disappointed conclusion (these are the last words she speaks in the film), registers the characters’ inability to see meaning, to see life as anything more than a series of events. In the end, the film refuses to allow that life is anything other than the irreducibly pedestrian and the mundane. B.A. 2015 Philosophy, Vocal Performance Editors’ Note: In anticipation of the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, we present a series exploring the philosophical and theological elements in each of the eight films nominated for Best Picture. (Caveat: spoilers ahead.) Harmed in the Making: Whiplash and the Ethics of Art Whiplash is a story about choices. Andrew (Miles Teller) enrolls as a freshman in fictional Shaffer Conservatory in New York City to study jazz drumming. The movie opens with the lights on Andrew, practicing in an otherwise dark room at the end of a hallway. Faculty conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) covertly listens to Andrew, emerges from the dark hallway and chooses him to join his advanced ensemble. When Andrew comes for the first rehearsal, Fletcher replaces the upperclassmen lead drummer with Andrew. Fletcher encourages him, “The key is — relax. Don’t worry about the numbers or what the other players think. You’re here for a reason. You believe that, don’t you?” Not for long. Within minutes, Fletcher has thrown a chair at Andrew and violently slapped him. He abuses his band, curses them out, makes them weep, sweat and bleed. Because of Fletcher, a former student commits suicide. As the movie continues, it becomes clear why he does what he does. The one thing he wants is to make someone into a “great.” Throughout the movie he and Andrew cite how conductor Jo Jones motivated saxophonist Charlie Parker by hurling a cymbal at him. Fletcher explains to Andrew: Young kid, pretty good on the sax, goes up to play his solo in a cutting session, f*s up — and Jones comes this close to slicing his head off for it. He’s laughed off-stage. Cries himself to sleep that night. But the next morning, what does he do? He practices. And practices and practices. With one goal in mind: that he never ever be laughed off-stage again. A year later he goes back . . . and he plays the best motherf*ing solo the world had ever heard. In the same scene Fletcher articulates his philosophy, a moral imperative about talent: Any idiot can move his hands and keep people in tempo. No, it’s about pushing people beyond what’s expected of them. And I believe that is an absolute necessity. Because without it you’re depriving the world of its next [Louis] Armstrong. Its next Parker. Fletcher’s violent pedagogy points out a dilemma. You can have healthy humans, ones whose hands aren’t bleeding from hours of practice, or you can have really good art. Can we blame Fletcher for implicitly raising this thorny issue? Fletcher’s position shows that human goods often conflict and compete. Practicing the amount it takes to become an expert means giving things up. At the beginning of college, Andrew still attends the movies weekly with his loyal father, a struggling writer. Not long after he starts in the new band, he ends the practice. Andrew then forsakes his relationship with Nicole (Melissa Benoist), a sweet Fordham freshman who works at the movie theater. After barely a date or two Andrew explains to Nicole why they can’t stay together. He wants to be great. He will keep practicing more, she’ll be upset with him for not spending time with her, so he’ll start resenting her. It’ll become a ball of hate and fall apart. So he ends it. Nicole is one the film ’s few images of tenderness. She presents a hope that Andrew might hold back from subsuming his humanity in his art. She represents human-ness, a light in which Andrew could see himself first as a person, then an artist. But he can’t see this. She’s standing in front of his greatness. As the movie continues, Andrew’s pride and obsession with drumming grow together. Fletcher continues his verbal, physical and emotional abuse, eventually gaining a psychological hold on Andrew. Andrew wants Fletcher’s favor, for which it turns out he is willing almost to die. But what Fletcher sells and Andrew buys is art that’s lost its goal and context. Art is an inherent good, but humans alone make and experience it. That means it’s a good in itself for humans to pursue. Its goodness is not regardless of, separate from, or outside its relation to human beings. This doesn’t mean art is a means to the end of human flourishing. Instead, art is part of becoming human. “Art for its own sake” — ars gratia artis — is a lie. Whiplash s hows what happens when art forgets its humanity. It becomes a beast. Fletcher has made art a greater good than human life. For the sake of creating art, Fletcher is willing to destroy people. In his world, the human is subsumed in sacrifice to the life of art. It is a greater crime to deprive the world of real art than to deprive it of a real person. Why does Fletcher think this is his duty? The viewer learns little about him, except for a hint that he is estranged from his wife and daughter. Even without this estrangement, it’s not hard to imagine how art could overtake his worldview. Beauty’s power, sensibly more immediate than truth or goodness, charms the susceptible heart. This heart can easily go astray. Beauty can soothe the savage breast or incite a new one. Art away from its human context won’t destroy people. But if people accept contextless art, they can destroy themselves with it. This is, at least by my lights, what continues happening to Andrew. What is Whiplash‘s position on the problem of art and human life? Despite director Damien Chazelle’s remarks that the movie is a condemnation of abusive art training, Whiplash seems at best ambivalent about the apparent conflict: Fletcher is fired from Shaffer for abuse, in part because of a report by Andrew’s father. In the scene where Fletcher explains his philosophy he also tricks Andrew into joining a new band for a major gig. It’s a retaliatory setup. He gives Andrew the wrong music so Andrew can make a fool of himself in front of New York. Andrew doesn’t take this quietly, but turns it into an opportunity to show up Fletcher. He interrupts his conductor and begins a solo. Fletcher in turn doesn’t take this lightly, but begins to play Andrew’s game. Fletcher approaches the drum set and uses his prowess, knowledge, and psychological power over Andrew to elicit a remarkable solo, giving Andrew specific verbal and physical cues about how to perform. The result is exhilarating. The screen blacks at the end of the solo. As at the beginning, the lights are focused on Andrew. But in the last shot, he’s now soaked in brilliant stage light and applauded by all the New Yorkers whose opinions matter. The light radiates on him. It’s glory. But it’s sickening glory, won only because Fletcher used his power to wrench greatness from Andrew. The film doesn’t seem to mind that cost. The soundtrack — crisp, blazing, big band jazz — is one of Whiplash’s major highlights. Hours and years of hard practice produced that skill musicianship. In light of the movie’s questions, this music should make us wonder. A great soundtrack. At what cost? Editors’ Note: In anticipation of the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, we present a series exploring the philosophical and theological elements in each of the eight films nominated for Best Picture. (Caveat: spoilers ahead.) Every year, similarities among the Best Picture nominees seem to emerge. This year, no less than HALF of the nominated films are biopics: Selma, American Sniper, The Imitation Game, and The Theory of Everything. Reviewing a biopic poses an interesting challenge—the temptation arises to review the person and not the film. In the case of The Theory of Everything, a biopic portraying the life of world-famous physicist Stephen Hawking, this temptation becomes all the more significant, given the project of this series to review these films through a theological lens. As a theological subject, Stephen Hawking is, shall we say, problematic. In an interview following the release of his most recent book, The Grand Design (2010), he stated that, while “science can’t prove that God doesn’t exist,” it does “[make] God unnecessary.” While Hawking’s atheism is not the central subject of The Theory of Everything, within the film’s context, it serves as the undercurrent that carries him through his initial research, and it grows stronger as his career progresses. Hawking’s belief that there is no God, no eternal horizon beyond the temporal universe, fuels his search for the one elegant theory that will explain absolutely everything in the known world. If there is no God, if everything is just physics, then everything can be known, and Hawking is determined to “know everything.” The seeming boundlessness of such a pursuit—the desire to know everything—is in reality a limited vision that does not allow for mystery. Such a vision enables a person to marvel at the created world, but not to stand in wonder before it as a great mystery unto itself. Such a vision enables a person to look at the stars and the planets with a penetrating gaze and see into the heart of their movements and mechanics, but not to gaze lovingly into the soul of another human person and see the mystery that resides within them. Again, Hawking’s atheism only comes to the surface in key moments of the film, but it is always operative in the background, filtering his every experience and interaction. Nowhere is this more readily apparent than in his relationship with his wife, Jane, and it is this relationship that provides the central subject of the film. We see in these two people two distinct ways of seeing which inform the way they each encounter the world, one another, and all of the challenges that confront them as a result of Stephen’s illness. Stephen’s vision is informed by that which he can empirically know and grasp; Jane’s vision is informed by that which she believes, knows to be true as a person of faith. From their awkwardly endearing first meeting (Stephen: “Science?” Jane: “Arts.”), it is clear that Stephen and Jane have about as much compatibility as oil and water. Stephen immediately identifies himself as an “intelligent atheist,” and Jane reveals that she belongs to the “C. of E. — Church of England.” As they get to know one another, Stephen first views Jane’s religious beliefs not with disdain but with bemusement; later on, there is a moment where he is visibly moved by her deeply-rooted faith when she recites the beginning of the book of Genesis as they stare up at a brilliantly starry sky. Despite their differences, a mutual fascination grows into a deep love: Jane is in awe of Stephen’s view of the natural, scientific world, and Stephen is drawn to Jane’s wide-eyed joy, her thirst for life. It is Jane’s thirst for life and her unbounded love for Stephen that sustains him when he receives a devastating diagnosis of motor-neuron (Lou Gehrig’s) disease. Confronted with a mystery he cannot explain away, a disease that has no treatment or cure, Stephen withdraws into a deep depression, and initially pushes Jane away. Even his father tries to get her to move on. Undeterred, Jane replies as resolve wells up within her, “I know—I know what you must all think. That I don’t look like a terribly strong person. But I love him. And he loves me.” Heedless of the doctor’s two-year prognosis and undaunted by the Hawking family’s defeatism, Jane is carried along by the undercurrent of the mysterious love for Stephen that has grown within her heart, and she convinces him that the mystery of love is stronger than any incurable illness. Moved by this love to seize whatever time they have left together, the two wed, and Stephen soon surpasses the two-year prognosis. A child is born, and another, and a third. Stephen continues working, developing paradigm-shifting theories of black holes with enormous implications for the scientific community’s understanding of spacetime. Yet, while his mind remains sharp as ever, his body begins to betray him as his illness progresses. First he must use one walking stick. Then two. Then he reluctantly gives in to the inevitable wheelchair. His speech devolves from a crisp British lilt to the slur of someone who has had too much to drink, until only those who know him well can interpret his words for others. Eventually, an emergency tracheotomy renders Stephen voiceless—trapped inside his own body—with only a letter-filled board to allow him to communicate with others, one painstaking letter at a time. Although Stephen is later able to “speak” with the assistance of a computer program, it’s not his voice. It’s not even a British voice, as Jane disappointedly observes upon first hearing it, “It’s American! . . . Are there any other voices?” (Because if Love, Actually taught us anything, it’s that most British accents > all American accents.) Throughout this deterioration, Stephen’s body appears to collapse inward on itself, like a dying star. Yet the love of his wife, family, and friends, and his insatiable desire to know prevent him from disappearing completely into the proverbial black hole of despair. For Jane, however, Stephen’s atheism—particularly its growing prominence in his research—becomes a greater source of unspoken tension between them, and although she finds solace in her faith, Jane is human nevertheless, struggling with the daily demands of caring for her immobile husband and their all-too-mobile children. She finds help and support in Jonathan, her church choir director, and although their friendship begins as platonic, a deep intimacy grows between them, and they eventually have an affair. Jane’s fidelity to her faith manifests itself in her decision to stay with Stephen and end her relationship with Jonathan. Jane suffers a great deal as a result of this decision; without Jonathan, her life seems lonelier than ever, and her relationship with Stephen seems to become more strained with each passing day. The tension grows yet more with the arrival of Elaine Mason, Stephen’s new nurse, with whom he shares a budding emotional connection. As Jane looks with sadness and resentment on at the growing intimacy between her husband and his nurse, it looks as though she, too, might collapse inward on herself from the weight of her physical and emotional burdens; after all, she has been caring for Stephen for nearly twenty years. Yet, even in the midst of these complications, it is clear that Jane’s faith continues to inform her approach to the daily duties of life, as evidenced by a key scene toward the end of the film. Jane discovers a draft of Stephen’s seminal work, A Brief History of Time, in which he states that the discovery of humanity’s identity and reason for being would be the “ultimate triumph of human reason, for then we would know the mind of God.” She initially mistakes this as Stephen “acknowledging” God, and in that brief moment—when she believes that she and her husband might finally see the world with a vision informed by faith—she is happier than she has been for quite some time. The moment fades when Stephen reveals that he has not had an actual change of heart as far as God is concerned, but he has had one as far as Jane herself is concerned. As Stephen announces his plan to travel to America with Elaine Mason to receive an award, Jane’s fleeting happiness proves to be but the residual brilliance of the explosion caused by the death of their marriage, which is finally collapsing in on itself. By the end of this visually lovely, exquisitely acted, yet poignantly sad film, it seems as though the complexities of quantum theory, thermodynamics, and relativity are nothing compared to the complexities of human relationships. On the one hand, Stephen’s leaving Jane could be interpreted as a selfless action on his part—he frees her from having to continue to care for him and even opens up the possibility that she herself will find love elsewhere (ultimately, she reunited with Jonathan and the two eventually married). On the other hand, Stephen’s actions may have been motivated by the same wonderless search for answers that characterized his quest to “know everything” by discovering the one equation to rule them all. Yet, Hawking’s quest to explain the cosmos and his insistence that this can be done on the basis of scientific reason, through “human endeavor” alone, leaves no room for mystery, and it is mystery that lies at the heart of every human person and (though Hawking would argue otherwise) at the heart of the universe. Indeed, it is this search for a theory which, for Hawking, necessitates putting the possibility of a Creator God on the shelf in favor of a completely rational approach, that renders him incapable of seeing the truth: that the one theory isn’t a theory at all, but a reality, and that this reality isn’t expressed in an equation, but in a communion of Persons—a relationship of love.	i don't know
A former ‘Bond Girl’, which UK actress is nominated for her leading role in 'Gone Girl'?	Rosamund Pike 'lands female lead in Gone Girl movie' - BBC News BBC News Rosamund Pike 'lands female lead in Gone Girl movie' 26 July 2013 Close share panel Image caption Pike will reportedly star opposite Ben Affleck in David Fincher's film Former Bond girl Rosamund Pike has won the coveted female lead role in the film version of hit novel Gone Girl, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Pike will reportedly star opposite Ben Affleck in David Fincher's film of Gillian Flynn's best-selling thriller. The Die Another Day actress is said to have beaten a host of stars to the role of Amy, a wife who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary. The 34-year-old can currently be seen in British comedy The World's End. Pike previously appeared opposite Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher, with Carey Mulligan in An Education and with Keira Knightley in the 2005 film of Pride and Prejudice. Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman and Charlize Theron were among other leading actresses to have been linked to the role of Amy. Readers across the world have been gripped by Flynn's third novel, which uses alternating first-person narration to pick apart a toxic marriage. Media captionGillian Flynn speaks to Jon Sopel about writing the script for the upcoming Gone Girl movie Affleck will reportedly play Nick, a journalist turned bar-owner who is suspected of killing his wife following her unexplained disappearance. Flynn sold the film rights to her novel to 20th Century Fox for a reported $1.5 million (£975,000) and has written the script for the big-screen version. Fincher previously directed the US film adaptation of hit Swedish crime thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. According to reports last week , the script for proposed follow-up The Girl who Played with Fire is currently being rewritten by Seven scribe Andrew Kevin Walker.	Rosamund Pike
Which Best Picture nominated movie tells the story of US soldier, 'Chris' Kyle?	'Gone Girl' powers up with formidable women taking lead - LA Times 'Gone Girl' powers up with formidable women taking lead Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times “To me, so much of the movie is about marriage, but it’s also about gender,” says writer Gillian Flynn, second from right, of “Gone Girl.” The cast features, from left, Kim Dickens as Det. Boney, Rosamund Pike as the missing Amy and Carrie Coon as Nick’s twin sister, Go. “To me, so much of the movie is about marriage, but it’s also about gender,” says writer Gillian Flynn, second from right, of “Gone Girl.” The cast features, from left, Kim Dickens as Det. Boney, Rosamund Pike as the missing Amy and Carrie Coon as Nick’s twin sister, Go. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Rebecca Keegan Via @latimes: Complicated, demanding, intelligent women are at the center of new film 'Gone Girl' There was one line Ben Affleck didn't want to deliver in the new movie "Gone Girl," according to director David Fincher: "I'm so sick and tired of being picked apart by women." In the scene a woman is, in fact, filleting Affleck's character, weary husband Nick Dunne: A devilish Nancy Grace knockoff ( Missi Pyle ) is implying on her TV show that Nick has murdered his perfect, blond, missing wife, Amy ( Rosamund Pike ). "I think that was the only take we shot," Fincher said. "Ben thought it was a little on the nose. He felt, 'Am I just being teed up to be a misogynist?'" Affleck's apprehension about the line is understandable; as public figures like "Girls" creator Lena Dunham and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can attest, the rules about how men and women relate to and talk about each other are changing, and upending generations of accepted behavior has a way of making people flinchy. These women have very strong female brain chemistry, which adds value to the story. — Gillian Flynn, author "Gone Girl" is apt to inspire a slew of spirited date-night debates, as the surprisingly subversive popcorn movie, adapted by Gillian Flynn from her bestselling novel of the same name, slides down a razor's edge of sexual politics. Many critics have already reviewed the highly anticipated movie, which opens Friday, finding in it the seemingly contradictory qualities of chauvinism and feminism. "To me, so much of the movie is about marriage, but it's also about gender," Flynn said. "The different discriminations we take to each other. I think it plays a nice game with the audience, because obviously [Amy's potential killer] has to be the guy; it's always the guy. But that would be too easy, so it can't be the guy. ... We're playing with the tropes that we're all supposed to know." 'Gone Girl' trailer See more videos "Gone Girl" is stocked with complicated, demanding, intelligent women. Keen-eyed Det. Rhonda Boney ( Kim Dickens ) is investigating Amy's disappearance; Nick's wise-alecky twin sister, Go (Carrie Coon), is both his staunchest supporter and toughest interrogator; Amy herself is a Gordian knot of a character whom Nick and the audience struggle together to disentangle. The feeling that these formidable women inspire may be best communicated by a T-shirt Go wears with a picture of a squirrel on it that says, "Protect Your Nuts." In an interview hours before the premiere at the New York Film Festival last week, Fincher, Flynn, Pike, Coon and Dickens gathered to discuss their movie's spiky portrait of the sexes. The conversation was sharp and funny and ventured beyond the movie into the sexist professional terrain actresses must navigate. "All these women could not have been men," Pike said of the film's many female characters. "And I think that is quite rare. These women have very strong female brain chemistry, which adds value to the story." The movie is the child of two creative parents, Fincher and Flynn, who share a knack for embedding potentially inflammatory ideas about gender in entertaining stories. Fincher's "Fight Club" tackled the emasculating power of modern consumerism; his "The Social Network" depicted Facebook's sexist creation story as a website founded to rank women by their attractiveness; and his "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" centers on a feminist fantasy heroine who can hack, both digitally and with knives. The most radical idea in "Gone Girl" belongs to Flynn, a former Entertainment Weekly writer who has penned two other novels with dark female characters, "Sharp Objects" and "Dark Places." "Gone Girl" became a zeitgeist-capturing must-read in 2012, and sold more than 2 million copies. Flynn's $60-million idea — to borrow a figure from the film's budget — is the concept of the "cool girl." She's a beer-commercial ideal of a woman who likes football, poker and threesomes, whose figure and handbag are equally and impossibly compact. She has no baggage or saggage. "The cool girl piece is this idea of how we're supposed to conduct ourselves in the world, which nobody talks about," Coon said. "Kim [Dickens] and I talk all the time about scripts where, once again you're playing the long-suffering wife, who's being mildly patient with her man-boy husband, and she's really bitchy. "The whole movie is set out to prove how he's not that bad a guy, basically undermining her entire purpose in the film. We read that script seven times a week, and I'm over it. The women in my life are not like that. The women in my life are deeply complicated beings with a lot of wants and desires and thwarted dreams. ... God bless Gillian for giving us some real … women to play." When Nick and Amy meet in a flashback sequence in "Gone Girl," Amy has internalized the cool-girl archetype and is scanning the room at a party to find her cool guy. To inhabit the character of Amy, Fincher suggested Pike look to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s wife, who died along with her husband in a plane crash in 1999. "I saw Carolyn Bessette in my head, the sort of ultimate trophy wife, but also looked at photos of her as a teenager and what she became," Fincher said. "I needed somebody who could morph and legitimately lay claim to that idea of, 'This is how I want to be seen. This is my projection of myself.'" Fincher said he cast Pike, an English actress who has played a Bond Girl ("Die Another Day"), an Austen heroine ("Pride & Prejudice") and a 1960s swell ( "An Education" ) in part for her opacity. "There was something about her that was so Amy-like, and I didn't know what it was," Fincher said. "I asked her about her upbringing, and she told me she was an only child, and it was like, 'That's it. That's that thing.' You can't hide it. My daughter's the same way. She's an only child and she's socialized around adults. Those people are just different.They don't know what a noogie is." Go is Coon's first film role; nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Honey in the 2013 revival of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and currently appearing in the HBO series "The Leftovers," the Ohio native recorded her audition on an iPad. The Alabama-born Dickens is perhaps best known for playing a struggling chef in HBO's New Orleans-set "Treme." "I come from the South, that small town, matter-of-fact kind of mentality, and I think that's who Boney is," Dickens said. "There's no ego. She's there to do her job, and she's good at it." It is both Fincher's and Flynn's opinion that Coon's and Dickens' characters had to be female, or the story really would have been misogynist. "Nick gets vetted by the two sides, the woman who knows him better than himself, his twin sister, and the woman who's finding out about him and still has a hunch that something's hinky," Fincher said. "They have to be women. You need someone to say, 'Look, he's not the brightest bulb in the tree ...'" "... But he's my bulb,'" Flynn said, finishing Fincher's sentence. "Nick has all these whiffs of chauvinism about him, certainly with his wife. I knew he had to have a close woman in his life because she would vouch for him in a way with the audience. ... The fact that someone as cool and sensible and likable as Go loves her brother so much and can also make fun of him ... makes it OK for you to like Nick. Nick doesn't give you a lot of reasons to like him." While mostly praising the movie's execution, film critics have been grappling with its gender dynamics. Vanity Fair's Richard Lawson called "Gone Girl" a "resonant success" but compared Amy to "a parody of the most persistent of MRAs' [Mens Rights Activists'] fears." New York magazine's David Edelstein called the film "gripping" but worried about the "male gaze," saying, "and this particular male — the director of 'Se7en' and 'The Social Network' — doesn't have much faith in appearances, particularly women's." Speaking of the male gaze, one of the more amusing discussions about sex in the film surrounds a fleeting frontal nude shot of Affleck, a glimpse so brief that many early viewers haven't noticed it. Kyle Buchanan of New York magazine's Vulture penned a step-by-step guide to spotting the shot. "There will come a time near the very end of the movie when one character suggests that Ben Affleck take a shower," Buchanan writes. "This is your cue!" Amid the hubbub, 20th Century Fox is marketing "Gone Girl" as a date-night film — in one TV spot the studio excerpted a line from Rolling Stone's Peter Travers calling it "The date-night movie of the decade" but left out the rest of Travers' sentence: "for couples who dream of destroying one another." Fincher is aware of how his movie might provoke strong reactions. Told that a reporter was taking her husband to see "Gone Girl," the director said, archly, "Let us know how that goes." Follow me on Twitter: @ThatRebecca	i don't know
What was nominated for its song, 'Everything Is Awesome', but not in the best animation category?	Everything is Awesome nominated for original song Oscar, but The Lego Movie gets snubbed - The Verge Everything is Awesome nominated for original song Oscar, but The Lego Movie gets snubbed Linkedin The nominees for the 2015 Oscars were just announced , and while The Lego Movie picked up an original song nomination for the catchy and subversive " Everything is Awesome ," the movie was conspicuously left off the list for animated feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named five films as nominees for the award: Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The first three were also nominated for the Golden Globes' best animated feature film category (which Dragon won), but this time around Song of the Sea and Kaguya got the nods from the Academy instead of Lego and the Guillermo del Toro-produced The Book of Life. The song was written by Mark Mothersbaugh, Tegan and Sara, and The Lonely Island. It's nominated alongside "Glory" (Selma), "Grateful" (Beyond the Lights), "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" (Glen Campbell: I'll be Me), and "Lost Stars" (Begin Again). The animated feature film snub has already sparked enough of a reaction on Twitter that Lego writer and director Phil Lord has already tried to stamp the outrage while praising his team: This is not a tragedy. Congrats to incredible crew and cast of The Lego Movie, who made a classic. — philip lord (@philiplord) January 15, 2015 More From The Verge	The Lego Movie
Who became the first socialist President of France in 1981, being re-elected in 1988?	Everything is awful: Lego Movie snubbed by the Oscars - Telegraph Oscars Everything is awful: Lego Movie snubbed by the Oscars The Lego Movie, the most successful and critically acclaimed animation of 2014, has inexplicably missed out on a nomination for Best Animated Feature Not awesome: The Lego Movie missed out on a nomination for Best Animated Feature in the 2015 Oscars Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures By Telegraph reporters 3:26PM GMT 15 Jan 2015 It took almost half a billion dollars at the global box office, won the hearts of critics and is the favourite to take the Bafta for Best Animated Film when the awards are handed out in February. But The Lego Movie - which was the highest grossing film in the UK last year - has been frozen out by voters for the 87th Academy Awards, failing to pick up a nomination for either Best Animated Feature or Best Picture. (Its title tune, 'Everything is Awesome!!!', was nominated in the category for Best Original Song.) There is speculation that the film's relatively distant release date (it came out on February 7 2014 in the US and February 14 2014 in the UK) may have been a factor in its absence from the list of nominees, with ageing Oscars voters - whose median age is 62 - unable to recall the merits of a film that came out at the beginning of last year. Perhaps there was a split in the vote between those who thought it deserved a Best Animated Feature nod and those who saw it as a potential Best Picture - although winning a place in both categories has not proven impossible in the past, with Toy Story 3 achieving a double nomination in 2011. Some have suggested that a roughly 10-minute-long live-action sequence at the end of the film may have cost it a nomination in Best Animated Feature; however the Academy's guidelines state that animation only needs to feature in 75 per cent of a film's running time to make it eligible. Aside from its stellar box-office success, The Lego Movie won praise from critics around the world; the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes currently lists it as having 96 per cent positive reviews. There is a sequel planned for 2018, and a spin-off film featuring the character of Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) is to be released in 2017. The snub has provoked a strong reaction on social media, with scores of Twitter users expressing their dissatisfaction with the decision. Related Articles	i don't know
Who was the President of Argentina when it invaded the Falklands in 1982?	Argentina invades Falklands - Apr 02, 1982 - HISTORY.com Argentina invades Falklands Publisher A+E Networks On April 2, 1982, Argentina invades the Falklands Islands, a British colony since 1892 and British possession since 1833. Argentine amphibious forces rapidly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland and the next day seized the dependent territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich group. The 1,800 Falkland Islanders, mostly English-speaking sheep farmers, awaited a British response. The Falkland Islands, located about 300 miles off the southern tip of Argentina, had long been claimed by the British. British navigator John Davis may have sighted the islands in 1592, and in 1690 British Navy Captain John Strong made the first recorded landing on the islands. He named them after Viscount Falkland, who was the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time. In 1764, French navigator Louis-Antoine de Bougainville founded the islands’ first human settlement, on East Falkland, which was taken over by the Spanish in 1767. In 1765, the British settled West Falkland but left in 1774 for economic reasons. Spain abandoned its settlement in 1811. In 1816 Argentina declared its independence from Spain and in 1820 proclaimed its sovereignty over the Falklands. The Argentines built a fort on East Falkland, but in 1832 it was destroyed by the USS Lexington in retaliation for the seizure of U.S. seal ships in the area. In 1833, a British force expelled the remaining Argentine officials and began a military occupation. In 1841, a British lieutenant governor was appointed, and by the 1880s a British community of some 1,800 people on the islands was self-supporting. In 1892, the wind-blown Falkland Islands were collectively granted colonial status. For the next 90 years, life on the Falklands remained much unchanged, despite persistent diplomatic efforts by Argentina to regain control of the islands. In 1981, the Falkland Islanders voted in a referendum to remain British, and it seemed unlikely that the Falklands would ever revert to Argentine rule. Meanwhile, in Argentina, the military junta led by Lieutenant General Leopoldo Galtieri was suffering criticism for its oppressive rule and economic management, and planned the Falklands invasion as a means of promoting patriotic feeling and propping up its regime. In March 1982, Argentine salvage workers occupied South Georgia Island, and a full-scale invasion of the Falklands began on April 2. Under orders from their commanders, the Argentine troops inflicted no British casualties, despite suffering losses to their own units. Nevertheless, Britain was outraged, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher assembled a naval task force of 30 warships to retake the islands. As Britain is 8,000 miles from the Falklands, it took several weeks for the British warships to arrive. On April 25, South Georgia Island was retaken, and after several intensive naval battles fought around the Falklands, British troops landed on East Falkland on May 21. After several weeks of fighting, the large Argentine garrison at Stanley surrendered on June 14, effectively ending the conflict. Britain lost five ships and 256 lives in the fight to regain the Falklands, and Argentina lost its only cruiser and 750 lives. Humiliated in the Falklands War, the Argentine military was swept from power in 1983, and civilian rule was restored. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher’s popularity soared after the conflict, and her Conservative Party won a landslide victory in 1983 parliamentary elections. Related Videos	Leopoldo Galtieri
What is the name of the strait linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman?	The Falklands War Updated August 02, 2016. Falkland War - Overview: Fought in 1982, the Falklands War was the result of the Argentine invasion of the British-owned Falkland Islands. Located in the South Atlantic, Argentina had long claimed these islands as part of its territory. On April 2, 1982, Argentine forces landed in the Falklands, capturing the islands two days later. In response, the British dispatched a naval and amphibious task force to the area. The initial phases of the conflict occurred mainly at sea between elements of the Royal Navy and the Argentine Air Force. On May 21, British troops landed and by June 14 had compelled the Argentine occupiers to surrender. Falklands War - Dates: The Falklands War began on April 2, 1982, when Argentine troops landed in the Falkland Islands . Fighting ended on June 14, following the British liberation of the islands' capital, Port Stanley, and the surrender of Argentine forces in the Falklands. The British declared a formal end to military activity on June 20. Falklands War: Prelude and Invasion: In early 1982, President Leopoldo Galtieri, the head of the Argentina's ruling military junta, authorized the invasion of the British Falkland Islands. The operation was designed to draw attention away from human rights and economic issues at home by bolstering national pride and giving teeth to the nation's long-held claim on the islands. After an incident between British and Argentine forces on nearby South Georgia Island, Argentine forces landed in the Falklands on April 2. The small garrison of Royal Marines resisted, however by April 4 the Argentines had captured the capital at Port Stanley. Argentine troops also landed on South Georgia and quickly secured the island. Falklands War: British Response: After organizing diplomatic pressure against Argentina, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered the assembly of a naval task force to retake the islands. After the House of Commons voted to approve Thatcher's actions on April 3, she formed a War Cabinet which first met three days later. Commanded by Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse , the task force consisted of several groups, the largest of which was centered on the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. Led by Rear Admiral "Sandy" Woodward, this group contained the Sea Harrier fighters that would provide air cover for the fleet. In mid-April, Fieldhouse began moving south, with a large fleet of tankers and cargo ships to supply the fleet while it operated more than 8,000 miles from home. All told, 127 ships served in the task force including 43 warships, 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, and 62 merchant vessels. Falklands War: First Shots: As the fleet sailed south to its staging area at Ascension Island, it was shadowed by Boeing 707s from the Argentine Air Force. On April 25, British forces sank the submarine ARA Santa Fe near South Georgia shortly before troops led by Major Guy Sheridan of the Royal Marines liberated the island. Five days later, operations against the Falklands began with the " Black Buck " raids by RAF Vulcan bombers flying from Ascension. These saw the bombers strike the runaway at Port Stanley and radar facilities in the area. That same day Harriers attacked various targets, as well as shot down three Argentine aircraft. As the runway at Port Stanley was too short for modern fighters, the Argentine Air Force was forced to fly from the mainland, which placed them at a disadvantage throughout the conflict ( Map ). Falklands War: Fighting at Sea: While cruising west of the Falklands on May 2, the submarine HMS Conqueror spotted the light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. Conqueror fired three torpedoes, hitting hitting the World War II -vintage Belgrano twice and sinking it. This attack led to the Argentine fleet, including the carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, remaining in port for the rest of the war. Two days later, they had their revenge when an Exocet anti-ship missile , launched from an Argentine Super Étendard fighter, struck HMS Sheffield setting it ablaze. Having been ordered forward to serve as a radar picket, the destroyer was hit amidships and the resulting explosion severed its high-pressure fire main. After attempts to stop the fire failed, the ship was abandoned. The sinking of Belgrano cost 323 Argentines killed, while the attack on Sheffield resulted in 20 British dead. Falklands War: Landing at San Carlos Water: On the night of May 21, the British Amphibious Task Group under the command of Commodore Michael Clapp moved into Falkland Sound and began landing British forces at San Carlos Water on the northwest coast of East Falkland. The landings had been preceded by a Special Air Service (SAS) raid on nearby Pebble Island's airfield. When the landings had finished, approximately 4,000 men, commanded by Brigadier Julian Thompson, had been put ashore. Over the next week, the ships supporting the landings were hit hard by low-flying Argentine aircraft. The sound was soon dubbed "Bomb Alley" as HMS Ardent (May 22), HMS Antelope (May 24), and HMS Coventry (May 25) all sustained hits and were sunk, as was MV Atlantic Conveyor (May 25) with a cargo of helicopters and supplies. Falklands War: Goose Green, Mount Kent, & Bluff Cove/Fitzroy: Thompson began pushing his men south, planning to secure the western side of the island before moving east to Port Stanley. On May 27/28, 600 men under Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones outfought over 1,000 Argentines around Darwin and Goose Green, ultimately forcing them to surrender. Leading a critical charge, Jones was killed later received the Victoria Cross posthumously. A few days later, British commandos defeated Argentine commandos on Mount Kent. In early June, an additional 5,000 British troops arrived and command shifted to Major General Jeremy Moore. While some of these troops were disembarking at Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, their transports, RFA Sir Tristram and RFA Sir Galahad, were attacked killing 56 ( Map ). Falklands War: Fall of Port Stanley: After consolidating his position, Moore began the assault on Port Stanley. British troops launched simultaneous assaults on the high ground surrounding the town on the night of June 11. After heavy fighting, they succeeded in capturing their objectives. The attacks continued two nights later, and British units took the town's last natural lines of defense at Wireless Ridge and Mount Tumbledown. Encircled on land and blockaded at sea, the Argentine commander, General Mario Menéndez, realized his situation was hopeless and surrendered his 9,800 men on June 14, effectively ending the conflict. Falklands War: Aftermath & Casualties: In Argentina, the defeat led to the removal of Galtieri three days after the fall of Port Stanley. His downfall spelled the end for the military junta that had been ruling the country and paved the way for the restoration of democracy. For Britain, the victory provided a much needed boost to its national confidence, reaffirmed its international position, and assured victory for the Thatcher Government in the 1983 elections. The settlement that ended the conflict called for a return to status quo ante bellum. Despite its defeat, Argentina still claims the Falklands and South Georgia. During the war, Britain suffered 258 killed and 777 wounded. In addition, 2 destroyers, 2 frigates, and 2 auxiliary vessels were sunk. For Argentina, the Falklands War cost 649 killed, 1,068 wounded, and 11,313 captured. In addition, the Argentine Navy lost a submarine, a light cruiser, and 75 fixed-wing aircraft.	i don't know
Joab slew him as he was fleeing a battle, who was the rebellious third son of King David?	2 Samuel 18: David's Grief for Abalom 2 Samuel 18: David's Grief for Abalom The Story Primary Absalom was David's son who was trying to make himself king. He gathered an army and followed David into the country east of Jordan. So David prepared for the battle. David himself would have taken chief command, but they urged him to stay in the city where he would be safe, and to give help from there if needed. He stood by the city gate as the army passed out, and all the soldiers heard him earnestly charge the captains to deal gently with Absalom. The battle was in a wood. It is a country of hills and brooks and many trees. The thickets made it hard for Absalom's men who were beaten to get away, so that more were killed in trying to escape than in the battle. The wood also caused Absalom's death. He rode upon a mule, as kings and judges used to ride. The mule carried him under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught in the branches. Perhaps his heavy hair helped to entangle him. David's soldiers remembered the charge to deal gently with Absalom, but Joab disobeyed. He thrust him through and he died. Joab must send tidings to the king. There was a young man there who wished to run to David with the news of the victory. It was Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok the priest, who before had come with a message to David from Jerusalem. Now Ahimaaz was anxious to serve again as a messenger, but Joab knew that David would not be glad to hear of Absalom's death, and he would not let Ahimaaz take the news. He sent instead a Cushite, an Ethiopian and probably a slave. Afterward Joab let Ahimaaz go, and running by a way which was more level, he reached Mahanaim, the town where David was, before the Cushite. David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city, anxiously waiting to hear news of the battle. The watchman went up to the top of the wall over the gate to watch for a messenger. He saw a man running alone. It must be a messenger of victory, for if the army had been beaten many would be fleeing. Then the watchman saw a second runner. The first was now near, and he knew by his running that it was Ahimaaz. He reached the king first and told him of the victory, but he dared not tell, or possibly did not know, about Absalom. The Cushite came. Of each messenger the king anxiously asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The Cushite told the king that he was dead. David's grief made the victory like a defeat, and the people stole silently into the city. "The king went up to the chamber over the gate and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son." Junior Absalom had come with his army into the country beyond Jordan. (2 Sam. 17:26) The battle with David's army would be there. We know Joab and Abishai, David's nephews, who were two of his captains; Abishai was with David when he took the spear and cruse of water from the camp of Saul. Joab was the first to climb up to the citadel of Zion. The third captain, Ittai the Gittite (of Gath) you can read of in 2 Sam. 15:19-22. Did David himself go with the army? Where was he during the battle? What charge did he give to all the captains about Absalom? What consequences came from the fact that the battle was in the woods? Someone read carefully verses 9-17, and tell us about the death of Absalom. As we read in verse 18 about Absalom's monument in the king's dale, we may remember pictures of a little stone building with a pointed top called "Absalom's tomb," in the Kidron valley near Jerusalem. It is not very old, but it reminds us of this monument of which the Bible speaks. "The king's dale" was an old name for the Kidron valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. (Gen. 14:17) "Then said Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok." (Verse 19) We remember Ahimaaz, one of the young men, sons of the priests, who had brought David important word from Jerusalem. (Chapter 17) Now he wished to serve again as a runner to take David news of the battle. Why did Joab at first not wish to send him, but sent instead another messenger? We must all listen to the story. How plainly we see the picture: David waiting anxiously for news of the battle; the watchman on the wall over the gate, straining his eyes to catch sight of a messenger with news; one runner, and then a second; the telling to David news of the victory, but to him sad news, for Absalom was dead. David's grief for Absalom made the day of victory a day of mourning. Joab urged David, for the sake of the men who had gained the victory for him, to put away his grief, and soon David was welcomed back to Jerusalem, a company coming down to meet him at the Jordan. Do not fail to listen to this story of David receiving news of the battle and of his grief for Absalom. You should read the first verses of chapter 23; they tell what David said about the Psalms which he had sung and written. They were not his own songs, and he knew that they were not, but they were Divine songs which the Lord had given him to sing. "The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue." 1. Where did David go when he fled from Jerusalem? Where was the battle with Absalom? 2. How was Absalom killed? 3. How did David before the battle show his tenderness toward Absalom? How did he show it again when news came of Absalom's death? 4. What is David's own testimony in regard to the Psalms? Spiritual Study Intermediate Recall the things said of Absalom that show that he is a type of a superficial understanding of the Lord's Word and a superficial piety: his association with the beyond-Jordan country, his physical beauty and abundant hair, and his flattering and seductive ways. Another indication of the same sort is the mule which carried Absalom to his death. The animals of work and travel represent powers of mental labor, which are powers of thought and understanding, the horse representing a higher spiritual understanding and the ass and mule an understanding natural and often perverse. This quality of mind is seen in Ishmael, "the wild ass man." (A. 1949, 2781) Still another indication is the oak in which Absalom was caught. Trees represent growing intelligence. The oak (and if it was a terebinth. the meaning is nearly the same) represents not a well-ordered spiritual intelligence, but a natural, superficial intelligence, disordered and confused. Such intelligence may be sturdy and loyal in children who hold faithfully to what they have been taught, or it may be led by attractive appearances and by intellectual pride to superficial judgments. (A. 1443, 1616, 4552; E. 514) See the very interesting explanation of the ram caught in the thicket by his horns, in Gen. 22:13. (A.2831) Absalom's monument "in the king's dale" suggests that the literal understanding of the Lord's Word and the interest in heaven for its outward pleasantness, have a right and permanent place in the life, but it must be a humble place. (A. 1723) The most beautiful lesson of the chapter is seen in David's tenderness toward his rebellious son, his gentleness toward him, his solicitude for his safety, and his grief at his death. It is a picture of the Lord's tenderness toward those who are unfaithful to Him, especially toward those who misunderstand Him, or who prefer to take His words only literally, and to think of heaven and of Christian life and worship only in an external and superficial way. He loves even those who are rebellious and tries to lead them to a truer understanding of His Word and to a spiritual life. How infinitely tender David's words of lament for Absalom are, when we see that they express the Lord's pity for us when we choose a superficial life, and His willingness to do everything, even to die for us, to save us.	Absalom
Who many lines are there on a single, standard musical staff or stave?	ABSALOM’S REBELLION \| Apostolic Faith, West & Central Africa Notes: A Handsome Prince David ruled all the kingdom of Israel with great success for many years, but there were times of sadness during his reign. One great tragedy in his life happened when his own son, Absalom, revolted against him and tried to take the kingdom for himself. The handsome crown prince had always been admired by the Israelites, so it was not hard for him to will their hearts. He would ride through the streets of Jerusalem with his followers in chariots drawn by fine horses, and many servants running ahead to clear the way and to announce his coming. No doubt great crowds would gather to watch him pass, and would wave their arms and shout to him: “Long live the prince!” But this popularity was not enough for Absalom. He wanted to be king and to receive all the glory that went with such an office. He was the eldest of David’s living children, and next in line of succession to the throne, but he may have felt that God was going to appoint someone else to be the next king, or he may have been impatient while waiting for his father to die. So Absalom began to plan to take the throne from King David. The Plot In the early days it had been the custom for the judges and elders of Israel to sit in the gates of their cities and towns to hear all the troubles and problems of their people. In this way they could get acquainted with their subjects, and settle the differences so there would be harmony among them. It was this position that Absalom now took for himself. Whenever people would come to the city to see the king, Absalom would meet them at the gate and ask them to tell him their troubles. He would be very sympathetic, and agree that the complainer was in the right. Absalom was a real politician and knew how to work on the emotions of the people. He made the Israelites feel that they were being neglected by the king, and he almost wept when he said: “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!” Those who would bow to him, he would even kiss. People love attention, and in this way Absalom won the hearts of the people away from his father to himself. Revolt Years went by until the day came that Absalom felt he was strong enough to overthrow his father’s government. One day he went to David and told him he must go to Hebron to pay a vow. His father did not suspect his treachery, and told him to go in peace. When Absalom left Jerusalem he took with him 200 men, and also sent spies throughout all the land of Israel to tell them that the time had come for a revolution. When they would hear the sound of the trumpet they would know that Absalom was ruler in Israel. As an added precaution, Absalom had taken with him Ahi-thophel, King David’s chief adviser. Ahithophel had been a man of God, and the words he spoke were God-directed. In spite of Absalom’s sinful heart he still wanted God’s help in his rebellion. Absalom’s plans all seemed to work out just right for him, and a great army gathered to him at Hebron, and prepared to fight against David in Jerusalem. David’s Flight David was heartbroken when he learned what his beloved son had done. One of his own family had deceived him and turned against him! David knew he would not be safe in Jerusalem, so he gathered his many servants about him, and prepared to evacuate. And who do you suppose went with him? Not the Israelites for whom he had done so much, but the Pelethites and Cherethites, men of the Philistines, and the Gittites who had but recently come to Jerusalem. David told their leader, Ittai that he and his people should not risk their lives to help him but Ittai answered, “As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.” His words remind us of what Ruth, the Mosbitess told her mother-in-law: “Whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodges”, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” [Ruth:1:16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ]). The Jews’ Rejection God had called the nation of Israel to be His own peculiar people. But they refused to serve Him, and the Gentiles found that salvation was open also to them. Many of them appreciated it and came to the Lord. Ruth had been a Gentile; so were these Philistines who stood by David. They received the blessing of God for standing by His people. When the Jews rejected Christ, He wept over Jerusalem. Why had they not accepted the message of salvation He came to bring? If they could only understand the judgment that awaited them, surely they would cry unto Him to be saved! But instead, they crucified Him. It was at the foot of that same mountain, where David now walked that Jesus later poured out His soul in agony on that last night, for His faithless people. David and his followers walked barefooted, with heads bowed, weeping as they went. They had been rejected by their own people! David’s Friend As the exiles continued their journey into the wilderness they found along the way, here and there, a few who had not followed Absalom. Among them was Hushai, who was also a friend and adviser to David. David sent Hushai to the court of Absalom to act as a spy, and also to give false advice to Absalom. The news was to be brought to David by way of the priests who had remained in Jerusalem. The Levites had wanted to follow David out of the city, and take along the Ark of God. But David had told them to return to the Tabernacle and remain there, for surely God would keep His Ark safe. And if this uprising was not David’s fault, God would bring him back in safety, too. But if David had sinned, and this trouble had come as punishment, he did not want the Ark of God to suffer with him. David’s Trust Through all these trying times, David kept his faith in God. It was at this time that he wrote Psalm 3. He was not afraid of the thousands who were going to battle against him; and in the midst of all the turmoil, treachery, and intrigue, he could say, “I laid me down and slept, I awaked for the LORD sustained me” [Psalms:3:5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. ]). Absalom in Jerusalem As soon as Absalom heard that David had left the city, he and his armies moved into Jerusalem. There he made ready to follow his father into battle. Ahithophel advised that David and his men would be tired from the move, and now would be the time to strike and defeat them quickly. Absalom also asked advice of Hushai. Here was Hushai’s opportunity to help his friend David. He reasoned that David and his men would be greatly aroused because of the mischief done them, and they would be fierce as a mother bear whose babies have been taken from her. And Absalom must surely know that his father was still a mighty warrior, and would not easily be defeated. Hushai advised Absalom to wait until David’s feelings had cooled, and in the meantime assemble a vast army from all the tribes of Israel to make the battle sure of victory. God had sent this advice to defeat Absalom’s armies, but Absalom took it, and did not immediately start out to fight David. Ahithophel was so angry that his advice had been turned down, that he went home and set his house in order, and then committed suicide. He had been a man who had once listened to the wisdom of God, but after he turned his back upon the righteous cause and sold himself to sin, he became hopeless and went to a suicide’s grave. What a warning we should see in that: never to turn from God and backslide. We might never have another opportunity to repent. What a tragedy it would be to have once known the love of God, and then to be forever lost! The Clash David was still a skilful warrior, and he soon had his army organised into three companies, and they were ready for Absalom when he came. The field of battle was rugged country with dense forests. In the first day of battle 20,000 men perished, “and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.” In the midst of battle Absalom became separated from his army, and as he rode along on his mule his head caught fast in the branches of a tree. The mule went on without him. There was poor Absalom hanging in a tree, and one of the soldiers from David’s army saw him. He carried the news to his commander, Joab, and Joab asked why he had not killed Absalom. The soldier said that he had heard David plead with his men to be kind to Absalom, so he would not think of hurting him. Joab, however, was not so thoughtful. He considered Absalom a revolter against the true government; and whether or not he was the king’s son, he should be destroyed. He took three darts and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, and he and his men cut him down and buried him in a pit. They piled a great heap of stones over the body. Thus ended the revolution against David’s government, and the armies went home. David’s Grief News of the victory was carried to David by two runners. The first thing David asked was about the safety of Absalom. One of the runners answered: “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.” David understood that his son was dead, and he went to his room alone to mourn over him: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” The people of Israel who had followed David felt very sad. They thought they were serving David faithfully by defending him against the traitor, and now it seemed they had done the wrong thing. Joab boldly went to David and warned him to show appreciation to the Israelites who had defended him, or they would all turn against him. David realised his responsibility to his people, and he put aside his personal feelings and went to sit in the gate of the city to comfort the people. Absalom had been the son of the king, with every advantage in life. He had been rich and good-looking. He had known about God, and had had the favour of the people. But rather than use these gracious favours to help others, he selfishly thought only of himself. He dishonoured his father, disregarded God, and as a result went to the grave in shame, to be forever lost. “The wages of sin is death” [Romans:6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ]). Questions:	i don't know
"To be precise, which musical term of Italian origin translates into English as ""pinched""?"	American Italian: Dictionary \| American Italian American Italian aduzipach!/aduzipazz! – you’re crazy! (ma tu sei pazzo!) [aa-DOO-zee-PAACH]/[aa-DOO-zee-PAATS] afanabola!/vafanabola!/a fa napule! – go to hell! (a fa Napoli!) [aa-faa-NAA-boe-laa] agita – heartburn/indigestion (aciditá) [AA-jih-tuh] ammonini! – let’s go! (andiamo!) [aa-moe-NEE-nee] andosh!/andosc’ – let’s go! (andiamo) [aan-DOESH] aunda/awunda? – where? (awundi?) [aa-WOON-duh] aunda ciunca/awunda chunka? – where does it hurt? (awundi ciunca?) [aa-WOON-duh CHOON-kuh?] assai – a lot (molto) [aah-SYE] bacous’/bacouz – bathroom (backhouse) [buh-KOWZ] basanagol/basanicol’ – basil (basilico) [baa-zaa-naa-GOAL] bada bing! – bam!; Note: Popularized in the 1970s by The Godfather character Santino Corleone biangolin’ – bleach (bianco lino) [byaan-GO-leen] bicciuridu – my little boy/my little baby (piccolo bambino) [BEECH-oo-REE-doo] bisgott’ – cookie (biscotti) [beesh-GAWT] boombots – nickname for an idiot (u’ pazzo); Note: As in “Vinnie Boombots” [boom-BAATS] boxugeddu – box (box per oggetti) [baax-oo-JED-oo] braggiol’ – meat and sauce/male anatomy (bracciole) [BRAAJH-oel] brosciutt’/prosciutt’ – italian ham (prosciutto) [BRAAJH-oot]/[PRAAJH-oot] buttagots/butta’ gazz’ – annoying idiot (buttana u’ cazzo) [boo-taa-GAATS] buttann’/puttann’ – b_tch/whore (putanna); Note: more mild than “sciaquadell” [boo-TAAN] calabres’ – Calabrian (calabrese); Note: can refer to people, objects, customs, etc. [caal-uh-BRAYZ] calamad – fried squid (calamari) [caal-uh-MAAD] capidan/capitan’ – captain (capitano/capitan) [caap-ee-DAAN] cendann’/cent’ ann’ – a hundred years (cento anni); Note: said before a toast [chen-DAAN] che cozz’? – what the f— are you doing? (che cazzo fai?) [KAY-kaatz] chefai? – what are you doing? (che cosa fai?) [ke-FYE] chepreca! – what a shame! (che peccato!) [kay-preh-KAA] chiove – raining (fa piove) [KYOH-vay] chiove tropp’assai – it’s raining very hard (fa piove molto) [KYOH-vay-TROAP-aa-SAI] chooch – jackass (ciuccio) [CHOOCH] cing-u-bezz/cing’ u’ bezz’ – five dollars apiece (cinque un pezzo) [cheeng-oo-BETZ] ciuri – flowers (fiori) [CHOO-ree] colghioni/cogliones/gulgliones – male anatomy (colghioni) [coal-YOANZ]/[gool-YOANZ] cornuto – husband whose wife is unfaithful (cornuto) [coar-NOO-toe] cuore stuppau – heart stopped (cuore stopped) [KWOAW-ray-staa-POW] ddojefacc/duyavatch – two faced (due facce) [doo-ya-FAATCH] disgraziat’ – dirtball (disgraziato) [dees-graats-ee-AAT] dzapp’ – gardening hoe (zappa) [DZAAP] edi-conosc’? – do you know me?/do you know who I am? (e mi conosci?) [EE-dee-GAA-noesh] facciabrutt’ – ugly face (faccia brutta) [FA-chuh-broot] faccia di katzo – ball face (faccia di cazzo) [FAA-chaa-dee-KAA-tsoe] facciadu/faccia du’ – two faced (facce due) [faatch-aa-DOO] facciu fridda – it’s cold (fa freddo) [FAA-choo-FREE-daa] fugeddaboudit – forget about it (forget about it) fanabola!/vanabola! – shit! (a fa Napoli) [faa-NAA-boe-laa] fatti gatti due!/vatoli vatoli due! – mind your own f—ing business! (fa ti cazzi tuoi) [FAA-tee-GAA-tee-doo-yay] fattu napiridu – I farted [FAA-too-naa-pee-REE-doo] (ho fatto napiridu) ‘ffangul’! – go f— yourself! (vai a fare in culo) – [faan-GOOL] fraggiol’ – beans (fraggiole) [FRAA-joal] frittat’/fritad – fried egg dish (frittata) [frə-TAAD] fugazi – fake (falso OR fake) fuidi dogu! – get down from there! [FWEE-dee-DOW-goo] gab’ – head (capo) [GAAB] gabbadost’/gab’ a’ tost’ – hardhead (capa dura/capa tosta) gabbagul/gabbagool – type of meat/food/idiot/fool (capicola/capocollo/capacolla) [gaa-baa-GOOL] gabbaruss’/gab’ a’ russ’ – redhead (capo rosso) [gaa-baa-ROOS] gabbadeegats/capa di cazz’ – ball face (capo di cazzo) [gaa-baa-dee-GATS] gabish?/capish?/gabisc’? – (do you) understand? (capisci?) [gaa-PEESH] gaguzz’ – muscles/idiot/money/squash (cucuzza) [gaa-GOOTS] gaguzzalonga – big muscles (cucuzza lunga) [ga-GOOTS-aa-LOWN-gaa] gambarell’/gambanell’ – (door)bell (campanello) [GAMBA-rell] gandin’ – basement (cantina) [gaan-DEEN] gavadeel’ – italian pasta (cavatelli) [gaa-vaa-DEEL] gavone – gluttonous eater (cafone) [gaa-VOAN] gettuzang/gett’ u’ sang’ – work hard/bleed (gettare il sangue) [get-oo-ZAANG] ghiacchieron’ – blabbermouth (chiacchierone) [gyaa-kyaa-ROAN] giambott’ – Italian stew (giambotta) [jaam-BAUWT] giamoke/giamocc’/jamoke – idiot (giamope) [jaam-OAK] gibude – onion (cipolla) [jaa-BOOD] gomesegiam’?/comesegiam’?/gome se chiam’ – how do you say?/whatchamacallit? (come si chiama?) [go-maa-say-GYAM] goopalin’ – snow hat (goobalini) [goo-paa-LEEN] goombah – countryman/fellow comrade/godfather (compare) [goom-BAA] gopp’ – up/top (coppa/capo) [gaap] gul’/cul’ – ass (culo) [GOOL] gumad – mistress/girlfriend (cumare/comare) [goo-MAAD] guyasabbu? – who knows? (chissa?) [goo-yaa-ZAA-boo] gidrul’ – stupid person (cetriolo) [jih-DROOL] haicapid – do you understand? (hai capito) [eye-kaa-PEED] how ya doin’? – how’s it going? (how are you doing?) ‘iamo – let’s go! (andiamo) [YAA-moe] idu – he (lui) [EE-doo] i-malano-miau! – I can’t believe it! (che malanova mi hai) [EE-maa-laa-no-mee-auw] issu – she (lei) [EE-soo] lascialui! – leave him alone! (lascilo!) [laa-shaa-LOO-ee] lasordida!/asodida! – your sister!/your sister’s a _____! (la sorella!/tua sorella (è una putana)!) [laa-SA-dih-daa] la vesa gazi – swear word [laa-VAY-zaa-gaa-ZEE] ma che cozz’u fai?! – what the heck are you doing?! (ma che cozzo fai?!) [maa-KAY-kauwtz-oo-fai] ma che bell’! – why, how beautiful! (ma che bella) [maa-KAY-bell] ma che quest’? – what is this? (ma che cosa è questo?) [maa-KAY-quest] maddiul’/mariul’ – fool/rascal (mariolo) [maa-dee-OOL] maliocch’ – the evil eye (malocchio) [maal-YOAK] mamaluke – idiot/fool (mamalucco) [maa-maa-LOUK] mannaggia – damn/cursing (male ne aggia/male ne abbia) [MAA-NAA-juh] mannaggia dial – curse the devil (male ne aggia il diavolo) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl] mannaggia la mort’ – cursing death (male ne aggia la morta) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl] mannaggia la miseria – cursing misery (male ne aggia la miseria) [MAA-NAA-juh-MEE-seh-ree-uh] manigott’ – italian pasta (manicotti) [maa-NEE-gauwt] mapeen/mopeen/mappin’ – napkin/towel (moppina) [maa-PEEN] maranad – marinara sauce (marinara) [maa-raa-NAAD] maron’! – damnit (madonna) [maa-ROAN] maronna mia! – oh my God! (madonna mia!) [maa-ROAWN-aa-MEE-uh] menzamenz – half and half (mezza mezza) [mehnz-AA-mehnz] mezzamort’ – half-dead (mezzo morto) [METZA-moart] minch’ – wow! (minchia) [meenk] mortadell’ – Italian sausage/loser (mortadella) [moart-aa-DELL] mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame) [moart-aa-daa-faam] muccatori – tissue (fazzoletto) [moo-kaa-TOE-ree] murudda – without a brain [moo-ROO-daa] musciad – mushy (musciata/ammosciato) [moo-SHYAAD] moosh-miauw – very mushy (musciata miau) [moosh-meow] muzzarell’/muzzadell’ – Italian cheese (mozzarella) [mootz-aa-DELL] medigan’ – non-Italian american/Italian who has lost his roots (americano) [meh-dee-GAAN] napoleedan/napuletan’ – Neapolitan (napolitano) [naa-paa-lee-DAAN] numu fai shcumbari! – don’t embarass me!/stop embarrasing me! (non fai scumbari) [NOO-moo fai shkoom-baa-REE] oobatz’/patz’ – crazy person (un pazzo/u’ pazzu) [oo-BAATZ] paesan’ – fellow Italian countryman (paesano) [pai-ZAAN] panzagin’! – I’m full! [paan-zaa-GEEN] pasta vasul’ – Italian soup (pasta fagioli) [pasta-faa-ZOOL] pastin’ – small, star-shaped pasta (pastina) [paa-STEEN] pizzagain’ – Italian meat pie (pizzagaina) [pizza-GAIN] pizzolino – afternoon nap (pisolino) [peetz-o-LEE-no] provalon’ – type of cheese (provalone) [pro-və-LOAN] pucchiach’/bucchiach’ – b–ch (pucchiacha) [poo-KYAAK] rigott’ – Italian cheese (ricotta) [ree-GAUWT] salud’/salut’ – be in good health (salute) [zaa-LOOD] shape-la-tass’ – shape of a cup (shape of la tazza) [shape-aa-laa-taatz] scharol’/scarol – escarole/money (scarola) [shkaa-ROAL] schif’/shkeeve – to be disgusted by something (schifo) [shkeef] schifozz’ – disgusting thing (schifosa) [shkee-VOATZ] scorchamend’/scocciament’ – a pain in the ass (scocciamento) [scorch-aa-MEND] scooch – pest/move over [SKOOCH] scoochi-di-bandanz – a real pain [scooch-ee-dee-baan-DANZ] scustumad’ – stupid person (scostumato) [skoo-stoo-MAAD] sciumara – river (fiumara) [shoo-MAA-raa] scobendo – to sweep the floor (scopare) [sko-BEN-doe] scubata/scupata – get laid (scopato) [SKOO-baa-taa] sculabast’ – pasta strainer (scola la pasta) [skoo-laa-BAAST] scungill’/scongigl’ – cooked snail (sconciglio) [skoon-JEEL] sedeti/sededi – sit down (sedeteti) [SEH-daa-dee] sesenta fame? – do you feel hungry?/are you hungry? (sei senti fame?) [seh-SEHN-taa-FAA-may] sfacimm’ – bad person (sfacimma) [SVAH-CHEEM] [svaa-CHEEM] sfogliadell’ – italian pastry (sfogliatella) [SHVOHL-ya-dell] sciaquadell’ – whore (sciacquata) [shock-wa-DELL] spasciad’/scasciad’ – not talking (to someone) (spacciato/spasciau) [spaa-SHAAD] spustad/spostat’ – spaced out (spostato) [spoo-STAAD] strunz’ – sh_t (stronzo) [STROONZ] stanna mabaych – son of a b—- (mispronounced “son of a b—-“) [STAA-naa-maam-BAYCH] statagitt’!/stagitt’!/staizitt’!/staizii! –be quiet! (stai zitto) [stah-tuh-JEET] stendinz – intestines/guts (inglese: intestines) [stehn-DEENZ] stugots/stugats – f___ it (questo cazzo/questu cazzu/’stu cazzu) [stoo-GAATS] stunad – moron (stonato) [stoo-NAAD] struppiau – extremely dimwitted (stupido) [stroo-pee-YAOW] stuppiau – very dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-pee-YAOW] stuppiad – dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-PEE-yaad] suprasa/suprasad – type of salami (soppressata) [soo-praa-SAAD] suscia – blow (soffia) [SOOSH-yaa] te fugo! – f— you! [tay-FOO-go] ti voglio ben’assai – I love you so much (ti voglio bene) [tee-VOAL-yo-TROAP-aa-SAI] un ada oda – another time (un altra volta/un altra ora) [oon-AA-daa-O-daa] ue, goombah! – hey, man! (ue, compare!) [way-goom-BAH] ufratu – your brother (il fratello/tuo fratello) [oo-FRAA-too] umbriag’/umbriacc’/umbriago – intoxicated (ubriaco) [oom-bree-YAAG] usorda – your sister (la sorella/tua sorella) [oo-SOAR-daa] vaffangul’!/baffangul’!/ – f— you! (vai a fare in culo) [VAA-faan-GOOL] vagaboom/vagabuma – vagabond (vagabonda) [vaa-gaa-BOOM] vangopp’ – go up/go upstairs (fa in coppa) [vaan-GOAP] veni ca/vieni qua – come (over) here (vieni qui) [veh-nee-KAA] vedi caciunca/vidi cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (vedi la ciunca?) [vee-dee-kaa-CHOON-kaa] walyun/wayo/guaglion’/guaglio’ – young man (guaglione) [waal-YOON] ‘uarda/warda – look! (guarda!) [WAAR-daa] ‘uarda la ciunca! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (guarda la ciunca!) (WAAR-daa-laa-CHOON-kaa] zoot/zutt’ – down/downstairs (sotto) [zoot] zutt’ u’ basciament’ – down to the basement (sotto u’ basement) [zoot-oo-baa-shaa-MENT] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ American Italian is an Italian-American pidgin language developed in the early 20th century by Italian immigrants settling in American cities and metropolitan areas, especially in New York and New Jersey. It is based on the Italian language, but it contains a mixture of Sicilian- and Neapolitan-inspired dialect words and phrases as well as English words. The language was prominent in United States cities on the East Coast, such as Newark, Paterson, New York City (especially Manhattan and Brooklyn), the cities of Long Island, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Boston, but I am finding that it was spoken very similarly in the other regions of the US as well as pockets of Canada. It was developed and spoken in tightly-knit Italian communities and neighborhoods. Linguistically, a language is a complete form of communication, but American Italian is actually an incomplete language (a pidgin language) that needs to be supplemented with Italian (or English or both) in order to function. Many Gabbagool words are taken from Italian dialects, and different Italians in different areas spoke their dialects differently. Without a repository for these words, they will likely be lost, as pidgin languages are difficult to sustain. See the following definitions: Language: a complete, independent form of verbal communication (example: modern Italian or American English) Dialect: a complete language derived from another complete language (example: Sicilian) Pidgin: an incomplete, secondary language formed impromptu by people in an area who do not speak the main language (example: Gabbagool) The spellings in this dictionary are somewhat arbitrary because these words do not truly belong to English or Italian; they are hybrid creations. I try to always utilize the Tuscan Italian (the official dialect on which the modern Italian language is based) as a guide to spelling, using commas for dropped vowels. If a word has an English origin, I will reflect its English spelling. If a word has unknown origins or a pronunciation that is difficult to spell in the Italian language, I will spell it phonetically using English as a guide. This is the official dictionary and hub of American Italian (containing the approximate spellings, meanings, etymology, and pronunciations), so it is not lost forever. Much of this comes from memory and familial recollection. Putting this together in one succinct place was very fun, and I hope it is helpful. This dictionary will be updated, as it is an ongoing process. In this dictionary, you will find tons of American Italian words and their Italian linguistic origins. This will be the official hub of everything related to American Italian. Please feel free to add to our ongoing comments section to share your words and stories! They will always be saved in the comments section, which itself is a living document of the culture. Like this: Like Loading... This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 10:02 PM and is filed under Italian and Italian American Slang . Tagged: agita , bensonhurst , brooklyn , butann , calabrese , capish , corleone , dialect , gabagul , gabbagul , godfather , goodfellas , goomba , goombah , guido , Italian , italian dialect , italiano , italy , made man , manhattan , neapolitan , pesci , sicilian , siciliano , slang , sopranos . You can feed this entry. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. 419 Responses nice job on maing this web site. i totally agree with you that they should bring some of the old shows back. the new shows that are on today do not compare to the old shows….not even close. also i like the italian words there really cool. al of them are correct and all italian families talk like that. im trying to memorize some of the italian slang words on your list. once again nice job. your a true italian! matt - May 27, 2009 at 8:00 PM I remember these words from while growing up (Italian neighborhood in Jersey). Thank you for reminding me. J. Cerullo - August 7, 2009 at 10:54 PM Reply This was great. I was sitting here with my 16 year old looking up some of the words that I could remember my italian grandmother saying through the years. I was so excited to see scola la pasta on here. We were discussing this word this morning while cooking pasta. Donna - August 23, 2009 at 9:43 PM I use scola a pasta all the time. I am 2nd generation Italian born in America. Now my grandchildren use this work instead of colandar. Barbara - January 18, 2012 at 3:03 PM Reply I am just reading this now and it is brining back lots of memoires of my grandparents. When they used to watch me when i was little, i didn’t alwyas understnad them. One time grandma Jennie wanted the scolapasta and i didnt know what she wanted..She said you know “macaroni stop, water go!”. Linda Posta - January 19, 2013 at 10:57 AM My mom, first gen American, said she was married before she knew the English word for colander. Fun to see scola pasta here. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 9:32 PM Hahaha, my grandma lived for a long time in the west new york/north bergen area in NJ, and says “oh maron” all the time. Best part … we’re not Italian at all! Michelle - September 4, 2009 at 12:29 PM you mean “madonna”.. mother of god, is what that saying is used to mean, pronounced (mah-down, with “down” like “own”). Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 5:08 PM no, she meant maron’! – damnit (madonna) [maa-ROAN] it’s up in the list. we said it too. brockpowers - August 6, 2014 at 6:55 PM Please state clearly that this is the language spoken by Italian immigrants, not Italian. Most of these terms wouldn’t be understood in Italy, but I suppose only in Brooklin (or Broccolino as they said) 😀 Ciao da Roma Reply Just a couple hours ago my Irish nephew called me from upstate New York to ask “Uncle Joe, how do you spell ‘Gomba’?” We both turned on the computers and found HERE that the correct spelling is GOOMBA. Thank you for all the fractured Italian words. A great read! Joe Palmieri - September 15, 2009 at 9:54 PM And understood in Newark NJ MaryAnn - February 26, 2012 at 7:41 PM g - June 11, 2012 at 9:06 AM 🙂 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 7:49 AM Downneck!! Cat - June 1, 2014 at 10:34 AM No if you going to parts of southern Italy, 90% of the wording would be still be understood by the older generation. It would not be understood by the new generation(schooling) which teach the Fiorentine dialect or offical Italian Domenico - January 27, 2013 at 6:41 AM Sometimes known as “Book Italian.” David Hollingsworth - November 16, 2013 at 3:08 PM Most of this is Napolitano or Siciliano dialect, and would most certainly be understood in the south. pleathafif - April 1, 2014 at 10:34 PM Oh, thank you for this! All my life my grandmother would shake her wooden spoon at me and call me scooch or scocciamente and I never knew how to spell them. MissMeliss - November 3, 2009 at 1:33 AM Reply I grew up in South Philly and was 1st generation American. My mom, dad, and friends rarely spoke proper Italian, but spoke a combination of slang, dialect, corrupted Italian words, and made up words with Italian origins. One word was “baccahous” which meant bathroom or toilet. I was told many early Italian immigrants worked as laborers for contractors. Very few people at the time had indoor plumbing and homes had outhouses in the back. (They used pee pots inside for when it was too cold at night in the winter to go outside). When they asked to use the toilet facilities, they were told it was in the “back of the house.” This phrase was Italianized and became the word, “baccahous”. If you remember there was a song by Lou Monte, Pepino the Mouse. The entire song is made up of corrupted Italian words. In it he uses baniarol (banyarol) and scaciata (scashata), which mean bathtub and smash or squish. Don’t ask me where those words came from, but we used them all the time. There was another group of words that were interchangeable. They were “a facia tu/te, a fesse tu/te, or a fessa/facia da sorida.” (Facia was pronounced facchia). These meant your face or your sister’s face. These were used primarily amongst friends to insult each other. So, let’s say someone cut loose a really gross fart. They would say to their friend, a faccia tu, or a fessa da sorida, which meant your face or your sister’s face. Your faces were compared to a fart. Sometimes an adult would use it as a mild oath. One time my mom dropped a big bowl of spaghetti all over the floor and she cursed, a fessa da sorida. She cursed the spaghetti’s “sister’s face”. Sometimes when we wanted to go tell someone to go fuck himself, we wouldn’t just say vafagul. We would say the proper Italian, “va fa culo.” Except it was pronounced very articulately as if given a few exclamation points at the end. The va, fa, and culo were drawn out with the “cu” in culo given an extra emphasis. It would come out, vaa faa cuuulo!!! There are more words, but I hope these bring back memories. Jeets - November 26, 2009 at 1:50 PM Reply Hey, this totally sounds like my relatives in Canada, who are italian immigrants! Only i have to say that “a fess e soreta” doesn’t mean “in your sister’s face”… it is a bit more offensive (it means “your sister’s vagina” to say it politely!) I’m telling you because if you ever come to Italy and say that, it is really really unpolite 🙂 Also, to the writer of the post, “cornuto” is not the unfaithful husband but the husband whose wife is unfaithful 🙂 teresa - March 30, 2010 at 8:11 AM actually fessa means fool. so when they say “a fess e soreta” they are saying to the fool that is your sister… which is still cold. did anyone ever hear “alle murte tue”? where i guess they curse the dead? pia - October 22, 2010 at 10:41 PM I forgot to mention fesse meant fool, also. It was like the word cafone. Jeets - November 27, 2009 at 1:41 PM Reply Hey a great fun to read. I’m Polish and I’m writing my thesis on family values and culture of Italian-Americans based on The Sopranos, and this mini-dictionary happened to be really interesting, so thanks a lot for Your effort. Maciej - November 29, 2009 at 4:26 PM Reply Very nice job! Funny thing: I am from Pittsburgh, PA and understood and remember the vast majority of these words and phrases being used (though some of the consonant sounds are a bit harder i.e. gavone to cavone, statagitt’ to statazitt’, etc.) I am twenty-four and I, myself, remember using the word baccaus’ for “bathroom” in school. Of course, none of my ‘medigan teachers knew what I was saying! Another popular phrase that I grew up with was to say when seeing someone, “Wai-i-o?” (Literally pronounce, Y-E-O). I was told it was a standard Italian greeting; my aunt went so far as to have her license plate changed to read Y-E-O! Boy, weren’t we surprised when we found out that it wasn’t Italian at all, but Italians trying to pronounce the English “How are you?”! Send an e-mail my way! I’d like to talk. Visit my page on i-Italy. As a matter of fact, everyone here should create there own page! It is an awesome Italian/Italian-American networking site. Chris - December 1, 2009 at 8:52 AM “‘medigan” .. love it! hahaha I translation for those not familiar = “American” I remember my Italian grandmother always grumbling that word at my father, who was of Scottish decent, when she was not pleased with him or when referring to his side of the family! Joy - October 24, 2011 at 11:23 AM Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 5:05 PM Means dog shit, literally ;/ Jami - November 8, 2016 at 2:57 AM What’s your email, Chris? Phil Barbieri - November 6, 2011 at 9:19 PM Reply I believe that /Y-E-O/, as you said they pronounced, wasn’t the italians trying to pronounce “hoe are you”. I think it was the word from dialect of Neaples “Guagliò, or Uagliò – this second is exactly pronounced like the capital letters Y E O) and means “boy, kid” . It is used like “Hey man!” as greeting between mates. btw: “Goompa” is the slightly altered “Cumpà”(dialect of Neaples), in italian “compare”. It means “mate”. Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:24 PM Reply I can remember my father’s people saying “Hey! Y O” exactly as the two letters Y and O (not “yo”). I have a cousin who when we get together still says “Hey! Y O!” and it cracks me up every time. My grandfather said it all the time. Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:36 PM In my house,(and being a 3rd generation Napolidan/Sicilian-American) I had always understood the word Y E O as pronounced like while-yo. That there was a distinctive “L” sound in there. Hey, maybe it was the Bronx/Yonkers version LOL!!! Paul - April 26, 2014 at 7:36 AM Love this!!!Thanks to Tony Soprano, my 16 year old thinks it’s so cool to say gabbagul…to my mother’s dismay. Her family is from Northern Italy and insists that Tuscano is proper Italian. My father, god rest his soul, would say “gabbagul” and “supra sa”…but he was “Naballidon”. My parents teased me when I was little by saying the biangolin man left me at the wrong house. And if you were being a little too demanding you were dubbed…paduna de buccahaus…boss of the buck (out) house. Good work! Michele - December 3, 2009 at 12:34 AM Reply Wow, great job. Im from South Jersey, third generation, my whole family came from south Philly. You are right on the money with those definitions. The pronunciations were dead on. Especially the food, “calamad, managot”, etc. I know there is a ton that you dont have in there yet but I always waondered why my father and grand father would say “Putiga” when suprised or as if to say oh my god. I know the real translation is bottle (bottiglia). Just never made sense why one would say bottle when surprised…. Good luck on the dictionary. I would deffinately buy it when its ready Paulie D - December 13, 2009 at 7:19 PM Reply Growing up in central Long Island during the 1970’s, I heard many of these expressions and although I’m not Italian-American I incorporated them into my daily tongue. I have long since left Long Island and after my son asked me for the umpteenth time what ‘maron’ meant, I had to confess it was just an expression I picked up. He said, “what if you are saying something bad.” I set out to prove him wrong and your website has left me corrected! I enjoyed the read and the trip down memory lane. Jim - December 22, 2009 at 7:58 PM Reply “Maronn’ or Maronna” is simply the southern Italy’s dialects form for “Madonna”. That is the italian name for jesus’ mother Mary (or at least that’s what I’m told), so… when americans say “Oh God!” ,”Oh my God!”. “Jesus!” italians say “Oh mio Dio” or “Dio mio” “Gesù” or ” Madonna!” and sometimes even “mamma mia!” 😉 Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:33 PM Reply Actually, my mother would say “Madonna Mia” – My Mother. But not like the rock star Madonna – sounded more like “ma doan a mi a” – How it ever got the “r” in it must be because “Amiddicans” knew that Rs were pronounced like Ds. Silly Amiddicans. lol Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:39 PM Brooklin, really? Some of my grandmother’s favorite phrases — I am guessing at the spellings (her people came from Venice, but be different and don’t be hatin’ just ’cause we come from the north-lol): Colo roto sczifoso — comparable to “son-of-a-bitch,” literally “dirty, stinking, broken, smelly ass.” Vrgone! — “shame on you!” usually shouted as she waved a wooden spoon at us. Quanto costa? — What the hell did you pay for that? You paid too much! Vecha Strega — my aunt’s crazy mean mother-in-law, or “old witch.” Dana - March 19, 2010 at 10:10 AM lots of these are non-sense for me and im italian 😀 ROb - March 30, 2010 at 1:58 PM Reply sorry, correction on that translation. fanabola te parida angula sord’ — bascially “to hell with your father and your sisters ass also”. litterall translation is ( “go to naples your father and your sisters ass.”) Vito Quattrocchi - April 17, 2010 at 9:43 PM looking for spelling for a phrase that was said to wish someone another hundred years. ex: i would say, I’m 52 and they would come back with something like “per cent’anni” any ideas? maria - May 9, 2010 at 9:20 PM incorrect spelling but the word is pronounced ‘gen-don’. The spelling looks nothing like the pronounceation.. Frankie The Toe - February 16, 2011 at 7:58 PM Reply the spelling is correct italian 100%. Per cent’anni – for one hundres years. The meaning is that if you say so during.. let’s say a toast in a birthday party, you wish for one other hundred years to live a day like that (birthdays parties). Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:42 PM That’s because the immigrants all spoke dialect, mostly from the Italian Southern regions. Cent’anni is the right spelling in Italian and it means”hundred years” . The dialects already distorted the Italian pronunciation. The way Americans heard it and reproduced it furtherly distorted the Italian dialect pronunciation. Ferdinando - January 7, 2013 at 11:32 PM for one hundred years cent anni means a Hundred Years. Bella - May 11, 2013 at 4:28 PM Maria sounds like they were giving you a good wish to live “for a hundred years” which is what per cent anni means in Italian. (with cent sound like “chent”). Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:42 PM Reply I agree with the comment that this is intended to be a wish for someone to live a long time – 100 years. Per cent’ anni is the correct spelling. The translation to English would be equivalent to “may you live to be a hundred years old”. (in good health) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 3:03 PM I’ve just come from a nice long visit with my parents, both first generation American, their parents born in Sicily and Calabria. Whenever they toast, they say, “Salute per cent anni.” (Pronounced, salutee per chento anni.) Lisa - August 3, 2014 at 4:40 PM Although I appreciate your attempt to spread knowledge of (Southern) Italian-American terminology, a lot of it is misspelled and not accurate. Good work though Vin - May 21, 2010 at 10:18 PM Reply Hey Vin, I grew up in central NJ with my Sicilian family in the 50’s and 60’s and all the words in this dictionary are what I heard around my house. Everything started with a “G” instead of a “C”, like gavatel instead of cavatelli. And all the word’s endings were cut-off. Reading these words and most everyone’s was awesome! Thanks. Antonia - June 12, 2012 at 6:37 PM Reply Thanks for letting me know how mean spirited and foul mouthed my dad really was. (It was still funny though). Have you ever heard the phrases, “Mangiese la canne” (May you be eaten by dogs) or “Mangiese la zudicce” (May you be eaten by rats). Michael Volpi - July 11, 2010 at 3:27 PM Reply My other used to say something that was supposed to mean “may you be eaten by rats” or “I hope the rats eat you” and it sounded like “get the mongenay zuddicci” but I could never find it anywhere to know the real translation because her italian pronunciation left a lot to be desired since she was born in the US but we lived in Rockland County in NY and her dad and mom were Italian. I guess it was the “Mangiese la zudiccie” that she was trying to say. Joyce Reply get the mongenay = che ti mangino (I wish that… eat you) “i zuddicci” I have no idea, possibly “i sudici” (the dirty ones), a way to call rats? I am an Italian living in the US and this is truly fascinating! Rebecca - August 26, 2013 at 6:51 PM zudiccie? mmm maybe li surici (Italian i sorci. The rats) sapodilla - April 27, 2014 at 8:44 AM A real treat to see in print again (after many years) expressions I heard growing up in West New York, Hudson Co. How about ‘engood-a-sorda’ – your sisters ass. Spoken at the end of an argument. Peter - August 18, 2010 at 2:44 PM Love the site. Brings me back to my childhood. Anyone know what “mastandone” means? Colleen Rooney - August 23, 2010 at 3:52 PM I believe it’s “mascalzone” – rascal, rogue, but not in a malicious way. DOn Sordillo - February 13, 2011 at 2:22 PM It’s a bit strange the way you wrote italian slang words and you catched very different dialects from different regions, but it’s a funny idea. Thanks paesaggiocritico - September 22, 2010 at 4:48 PM In Italy a thousand tongues melandroweb - November 28, 2010 at 3:43 PM Reply Grazi Tant’ I was reared in Wildwood, N.J. and my family used almost every slang you mentioned. I know my grandparents, aunts and uncles did know proper Italian because they were very proud to say they went to school in Italy like it was a big deal. I still use these dialect words all the time without thinking about it!! I can’t believe how much influence the old people had on me. I would love to have them all and their slangs with me today!! Tom Melchiorre - December 4, 2010 at 6:49 PM Reply Very Good. It is true. You will hear these words in areas where southern Italian immigrants settled. You will particularly hear these slang words in areas such as Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx, NY as well as Boston and Philly. Most people who come from a southern italian american background have probably grown up hearing and using these words. These words are still used today in italian american homes and communities. Jeff - December 11, 2010 at 1:29 AM Reply I’m glad you mentioned Staten Island. I was told by someone from Staten Island that “two-faced” was “faccia dos” or “fascia dos” (I’m not sure of the spelling. A fact that embarasses me since I grew up in Italian neighborhoods in northern NJ.). When I looked up two-faced though, I found many translations, but that one wasn’t there. Have you ever heard this? If so, do you know what dialect it is? Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:00 AM Does anyone know the phrase ” ghet toe zong” that is how it sounds, bleed from the tongue or something, my parents use to say that to me in brooklyn. Jim - December 20, 2010 at 12:33 AM That would mean, spit or throw up blood. That would be used in arguments. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM It could also refer to someone who works very hard and is “sweating blood”, in reference to hard manual labor. [email protected] - June 16, 2012 at 7:26 PM Apparently, much of this has to do with the dialect for certain parts of the country. Many of these words and phrases are pronounced quite differently, and many also take on a completely different meaning. This one stands out: mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame) [moart-aa-daa-faam] Used in anger, it translated, Death to your family! Dee - January 14, 2011 at 10:49 PM if you yell to someone “morto di fame” you are insulting him, more or less telling him is a tramp, a loser, someone who cannot even provide food for himself (morire di fame – starve to death) Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:55 PM Reply My understanding of this expression is not quite the same as you have described. As I understand it, a person describing another as a “morto di fame” is not wishing for that person to die from hunger. Instead, it is a phrase used to describe a person who is so unfortunate as to be out of work, and can’t afford to feed himself – hence “morto di fame”. By extension calling someone a “morto di fame” also has the connotation of someone who is starving to death because he is unable or unwilling to find meaningful employment, perhaps a “loser”. Compared to the English expression “starving artist” I think the two convey a similar sentiment. So rather than a death wish (as you have suggested), it is an observation or commentary on an existing state of affairs. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 7:29 PM Reply The term “i morti di fame” (“those who die from hunger”) is very interesting in the context of understanding our 19th and early 20th century Italian immigrant ancestors concept of social welfare. Indisputably they were hard workers as a rule and the vast majority usually looked to no one to pick up the burden of feeding themselves and their families. The men were often uncomplaining hard laborers….the women if not entirely at home tending large families often also worked in the sewing or confectionary industries…Acquainted with many when I finally did encounter such an individual who was obviously “lazy”, “good for nothing” and looking for handouts I was genuinely amazed. He was clearly an exception to the vast majority of his fellows. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 6:11 AM From my understanding, “morti fame”, someone who is pennyless, worthless, poor, and not so much that the person is actually starving, but looking to get and save any penny he can. The person has almost nothing. Davide - November 10, 2015 at 6:22 PM Hi Davide I am in full agreement with you. Morto di fame does not have to mean someone who is literally starving. It could simply refer to someone who is not well off. I believe the post that I was responding to originally suggested that it was a death wish, something which I believe is not correct. As I have always understood it, the phrase is meant as a description of a person’s status, and does not have anything to do with wishing anybody to starve himself to death. veritasmba - November 16, 2015 at 12:01 PM There is a rich and less than sympathetic socio-political connotation attached to this expression sometimes that this is someone who is dead or dying of hunger….because they won’t work….If there is one thing that can be accurately said about the overwhelming majority of Southern Italian immigrants to America, usually admitted even by their most rabid detectors…it that they were hard workers…very hard workers…..to work was usually the reason they came to America in the first place…the anomaly among them…the small minority who chose to be shiftless and not look for work..choosing instead to look for handouts all the time….were sometimes scornfully labeled by the rest…i morti di fama….the dead from hunger…. Mike - November 18, 2015 at 5:05 AM Does anyone else remember using the term “pizza fritt” for the fried dough everyone else calls zeppoli? Gaetano - January 20, 2011 at 3:18 PM Yes. My aunt in Schenectady, NY still makes it! Pattie - April 5, 2012 at 2:45 PM Yes, Pizza Frizza. My mom made it whenever she made pizza. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 9:48 PM My grandmother and mother made the fried dough in the shape of a donut and called them “belly busters” Joyce - September 16, 2012 at 3:37 PM Yes we did! We are Marchegiani, Siciliani, and ‘Basiligaga’ :). Dina - May 11, 2013 at 9:41 AM My family always used pizza frit for fried dough or zeppoli or st joe’s cake marie rosato - May 11, 2013 at 1:29 PM YES! I thought my family was the only ones that called them pizza fritt!!!!! We are from Schenectady, NY. Ilene - October 6, 2015 at 12:26 PM http://www.localsyr.com/news/new-york-state-fair/pizze-fritte-54-year-old-new-york-state-fair-tradition Ilene - October 6, 2015 at 12:27 PM For us -“pizza fritta” was fried dough…bread dough works fine…fried preferably in a cast iron skillet….probably in olive oil or a combination olive and vegetable oil (“La Spagnola”) sugared…then eaten for Saturday morning breakfast….”Zeppole” on the other hand were of two different types…there were the Neapolitan “zeppole” of Christmas Eve… basically dumplings of a rather runny dough in consistency somewhat lighter and more elastic than bread or pizza dough…though the ingredients are the same….then deep fried in a pot of oil that is the right temperature when a piece of bread tossed in floats to the top…sometimes fried with a piece a soaked salted cod tucked inside…Then for St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th) there were the “Zeppole di San Giuseppe”…a sweet dough made into a pastry puff…then stuffed with boiled yellow cream and cherries…sometimes an excused Lenten fast breaker….better bought at an Italian bakery than for an amateur to try….worth the trip! Mike - October 15, 2015 at 3:37 PM I realize that this isn’t about recipes, but I have not been able to find the recipe for a dish my family called “moo-en-zahn”, or pickled eggplant. My grandmother, great-grandmother, and mother would put sliced, raw eggplant up in clay jars with olive oil, spices, and other veggies and we would put them on sandwiches. It was a little vinegary, but delicious! Everyone is passed away and I have no idea how to do this. Anyone help? BTW, it seems that even within the same Italian heritages, there are differences in language from New York, Philly, and Chicago. My grandparents were Napolitan and Calabrese. sisterteresepeter - October 15, 2015 at 3:51 PM We had two kinds of fried pizza. One with salami pepperoni and cheese inside (like calzone) and one with no filling, just fried with tomato sauce on top. Karen - October 16, 2015 at 5:23 AM To sisterteresepeter I don’t know how close this is to the recipe you grew up with, but here’s one my Mom and Aunt used to make (Sicilian): Aunt Connie’s Pickled Eggplant I peal but you do as you like: slice eggplant very thin In a small pot boil vinegar (3 parts vinegar plus 1 part water) drop 2 or 3 slices at a time into the vinegar for about 5 seconds place in drainer layer in jar with sliced garlic, hot pepper flakes, olives, green or red peppers, olive oil to cover, or anything else you want. If you add peppers drop them in the boiling vinegar. May add any seasoning you wish. No need to process as the pickling is sufficient! Save the olive oil to reuse when you make more! Lisa Bernardi Wolf - October 16, 2015 at 9:00 PM Mom would serve pizza frite on our birthdays. It remains the default birthday dish in my family. regina - August 28, 2016 at 2:06 AM Reply In our house “pizza fritta” meant flat pieces of bread or pizza dough fried in hot oil in a skillet and then dusted with sugar as breakfast treat anytime. “Zeppoli” were (and still are) a lighter dough dropped and deep fried in a pot of hot oil and only on Christmas Eve. Some are fried with a piece of salt cod (baccala) inside, sort of a dumpling and served in place of bread at the traditional meatless meal of the pre-Vatican II Christmas Vigil. There are also the “zeppoli” di San Giuseppe traditionally made for St Joseph’s Day (March 19th) which are a pastry puff filled with yellow cream and cherries Mike - October 3, 2016 at 5:17 PM I was trying to find the spelling for “cool-couli” (cold ass) plainjane31 - February 2, 2011 at 11:49 PM Reply Great stuff One that also comes to mind is “Brishca brolia” meaing a meal made from leftovers usually bound by eggs (sort of a garbage omlette) or to mean anythingb that was all mixed up. Example “Clean your room, it’s all Brishca brolia” Cosmo - February 15, 2011 at 5:52 PM Reply Back to “cornuto”, although it could mean unfaithful husband, in English it is “Cuckhold” or a man who watches his wife have sex with other men either by his own or the wife’s demands. In these days of sharing and swapping it may not be considered the actual true insult it is, one of the highest magnitude. In Italy no man with honor would pimp out his wife so calling someone a cornuto or cornude is like calling a man a cunt. Ed Ozram - February 16, 2011 at 8:40 AM Or in the words of Joe Pesce in Goodfellas, “contento e cornuto.”- Content to be a jerk. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:23 AM Reply Jim, “Gette u sangue”, or variations in dialects for “gette il sangue” would mean to spit or let (throw) out the blood. I think it was meant as ” te gette u sangue ” which would mean I’m gonna make you bleed, or more like I’ll beat the blood out of you! Frank - February 22, 2011 at 8:31 PM I grew up hearing this all the time. It can refer to someone who is a hard working person, such as “Father is working so hard that he is sweating blood (“getta lo sangue”) to support the family. [email protected] - June 16, 2012 at 7:32 PM Reply Ok.. I’m a real Italian ( I mean I was born in Italy, grew up there and still live here). My parents are from calabria, so I understand a lot of this terms. Because the main thing that all of you have to know is that all this expressions come from varius dialects of southern Italy (Napoletano-from Naples, Calabrese-frommCalabria, and Siciliano-from Sicily). These three dialects are quite similar among them, most of the time there are only slight fonetic differences in these idiomatic expressions from one dialect to another, while the differences with standard italian are more relevant. In this example, (iett’ u sang’ – as a calabrese would pronouce it), litterally is “to throw away the blood”, in the meaning of “to have one’s blood suck it away from oneself. It simply means “go to work”. Where the work, of course, is intended extremely hard physically (like working in a farm, in mines ecc..) Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 9:43 PM does anyone remember “gloves” being called “wans” or something similar to that. i grew up in cicero, il n most italians in my neighborhood were calabrese as i am. barb - February 22, 2011 at 10:50 PM Gloves in Italian are guanti. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:24 AM Reply This is fantastic! It’s like having my grandmother here with me. You have everything she used to say on your list. This is the Italian I grew up with! I have looked everywhere for something like this. Thank you!!! Just fyi — My grandmother’s family was from southern Sicily. They moved to Jersey City, and then upstate, NY. My grandfather, who was from Palermo, even spoke differently, and told my grandmother her Italian was “wrong.” 😉 Shayna Lee Thums - March 12, 2011 at 10:43 AM “Ghet tu zong” literally means “bleed”. Some more of my favorites, growing up in th Bronx and Queens were: ” Shcafadeel un gool ” which means ‘ shove it up your _ss ‘ ” Goocutz or googats” lterally meaning small cucumber also moron. ” Fanobola, tu e tre quatro de vostro baez ” meaning ‘go to hell, you and three quarters of your ancestors’ Other favorites: Oofah!, Meenchia!, Strunz, Frankiebaby - March 27, 2011 at 11:36 AM Do you have a good translation for Oofah!, Meenchia! I’ve heard these alot in my childhood and know when to use them but I can’t put my finger on what they mean. TonydaProcida - January 21, 2012 at 1:44 PM Reply Growing up in “Little Italy in the Bronx”, the Belmont/Arthur Ave section, I am familiar with most of these phrases. Many of them were told to me by my maternal grandmother, Marguerite Barbarotto from Palermo and the Bronx. Thank you for these wonderful memories, some of which I still use today. Gregory (mezzo Siciliano) Brown - July 13, 2011 at 5:58 PM Top 5 sayings, I heard so much of from my ‘angry all the time’ dad. Calabrese dialect: 1. “Tido un cowchoe’lintu cooloh” Standard Italian: Ti do un calcio in tuo culo. I’ll kick your ass! 2.”PieryallahmeeZzeryia” or “Manayeeaha LA Mizeria” Per la Miseria. Oh hell no!!! 3. “inculoAHmamate” in culo a tua mama. MotherF–ker!!! more I can write a book. 4. Kecazzu fahyee duohKew? Che cazzo ci fai? What the f–k are you doing over there? 5. Fanu ‘ShKaffu eentuol’ Fachew, Se’nonDiBasta! Ti do uno schiaffa in tua faccia, se non ti smettila. I’ll smack your face if you don’t stop it! mike - July 15, 2011 at 3:45 AM What’s the word for pasta strainer that’s something like: scewda macaron George Holdorf - July 15, 2011 at 1:02 PM Reply Hi George, I know exactly what you are talking about. Not sure of the exact spelling, but I’ll put it down as I think and then phonetically shcallamacaroon shhka-la-mok-a-roon Hope this helps gene peters - December 7, 2011 at 9:34 PM Reply A woman on Story Corps remembered going shopping for a colander with her Italian grandmother (who spoke no English) as a little girl. The old woman circled and circled the store looking before she finally went to the man behind the counter. Frustrated, she said, “macaroni stoppa, water gawhead.” The owner knew exactly what she meant and got her one. This list is terrific. My parents were laughing at how many they used to hear. I’m sad that that older generation is dying off, but some of these phrases will never die. Amanda - February 23, 2012 at 10:37 AM I love this story. my mom and i were laughing about it… macaroni stoppa water gawahead. LOL! that’s great ❤ roxyismycat - August 26, 2013 at 8:02 PM In my house it was scula pasta, and the pasta sounded more like basta. Rosalie - January 13, 2012 at 8:27 PM we used to say … scolapasta, drain pasta. we are from Bari in Puglia. pia - July 21, 2011 at 8:39 PM Reply Every Saturday morning in Bensonhurst in the 1950s, a truck would come around loaded with gallon bottles of (apparently) home made bleach. Ther guy had some lungs — He would call out, LOUD — something that sounded like “cha-velle,” or shavelle, or something like that. Is anyone familiar with this term? Any suggestions at how to spell it phonetically? Michael Cala - July 22, 2011 at 6:37 PM Reply Yo Michael, That guy you speak of [that sold “ga-vell”] don’t forget, in dialect ‘cha’ is pronounced as a ‘G’, & they usually dropped the last letter(s) of the word too. Anyway, he must’ve worked his way all the way over to So. Jamaica, Queens because you got it 152% right!! Don’t forget, the bottles had CORK stoppers in ’em & he would leave ’em @ the side door if my Grandmother would miss him. I thought that was the word for bleach ’cause I used the word in class once (ONLY) & everyone (teacher too) thought I was ‘Oobatz!!!’ P.S. I also remember the coal man w/ the chain drive truck, the junk man w/ the horse (w/ the bells around his belly) cart, the ice man, the eggman (w/ the push cart), all were Italian… Buddy Longo - January 10, 2014 at 11:59 AM Reply We had the same in North Jersey…but I thought he was saying “jabell” water. The correct name is “Javel” and it was used as laundry bleach, pretty much the same as “Chlorox” back in the day. Bryan Sammartino - March 8, 2014 at 2:51 PM I’m also from No. Jersey, and we had the guy who brought the bleach, too. Only he called it Biangoline [pronounced Beeahn-go-leen] … Len - January 31, 2015 at 12:51 AM In my town, Dunmore, pa, it was referred to as LUNA. My mom said because it made the whites as bright as the moon. Lol Frank - June 27, 2015 at 4:58 AM Reply Thank you from the bottom of my Heart for writing this Dictionary, Mille Grazie !!! I stand Proud when I say that The Real italian Family way is and will always be very very Strong in my Tight Knit Family, We eat sleep and breathe Our culture still to this very day. I grew up this Italian Way and I sing it from my Italian Heart everytime i perform at my Shows. Ciao, sincerely, Moe BellaGloria The italian Singer ” King of the 1 Hour Shows ” !! YouTube.com/MoeBellaGloria Whoever made this dictionary–thank you very much. I laughed like crazy! Phil Barbieri - October 29, 2011 at 12:29 AM Reply One thing I didn’t see (but hear all the time, especially from older women, like my mother-in-law) is “Oo-di!” It’s used in a moment of panic, like when the “mopeen” (also “mopeena”, ie “dishtowel”) catches on fire because you’ve been waving it around the gas stove as you talk, while you’re cooking. Another one I hear is “shah-quad” (phonetic spelling), which means (or so I’m told) “all crooked” or “messy”. For example, my niece–a teacher in Texas–once told her students as they walked through the corridor to an assembly, “Straighten up this line. It’s all shaquad!” (At which point, one of her students–a recent transfer from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina–said, “Hey! Shaquad! That’s my sister’s name!” (I love that story…) Honestly, when I first met my husband and his family, I thought the words they used were made up. I’m still not convinced that some of them aren’t. (Jalapida momida?) But this site has given some credibility to the musical and sometimes comical utterances I hear from day to day. I’ve bookmarked it for reference. (WHAT did you call me?) Cynthia D'Attilio - November 4, 2011 at 6:41 AM Reply “Oo-di!” would mean “Oh, God!” “O Dio!” Mopeen is a made up word for a dishtowel. Kind of Americanized. “Shah-quad.” would stand for d’aquato- which is something like watered down or watered. So, when you say that to someone, it would mean their brain is full of water or watered down. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:31 AM Reply I’m wondering if sha-quad is the same as (this is phonetic) shaquat. This is what my mom said, “Italian men like their women to be bella shaquat. You know bella shaquat? Like a tomato so ripe the skin has split.” Her parents were from Sicily. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 10:03 PM Lol bella shaquat that is great. mike - August 13, 2014 at 9:41 PM I grew up in my grandmothers house hearing a lot of these words.to see them in one place brings back so many memories of growing up.she passed away on august 27 2011 and I will miss her everyday but I will keep her memory alive by teaching my children these words so that when I’m gone they can teach there children.the warmth that I feel every time I hear one of these words or hear somebody speak in napolitan or broken English is indescribable.I hope to visit my grandmothers hometown in avellino sometime in the near future.anyway thank you for this website Ronnie - November 6, 2011 at 12:40 PM Reply My grandmother came here at age 13 in 1887 from a small town not far from Potenza. They lived at first in St. Anthony’s parish below Greenwich Village, then in the west 30’s around 9th ave. My mother, born 1907, was the ninth of eleven children and didn’t speak much Italian but words she did sometimes use were Neopolitan dialect. She occasionally made a kind of stuffed bread she called what sounded like figuatz. Standard Italian would have been fogasse or foccacia. And the simple meal of macaroni and beans sounded something like basta vasool rather than pasta e fagioli. Bill - November 15, 2011 at 5:59 PM Reply There is no J in Italian thus the G can be either hard or soft. Napiltons (Neopolitans from Naples) are criticized even in Italy for dropping all the endings of words. Fagioli becomes Fagool and in America, Fasool. So you’re right and all the menus in America are wrong. Hope this helped. Joe - January 22, 2012 at 12:38 AM Reply I grew up in East Boston and heard many of the words listed. Did I miss cedemonia (ceremony)to describe someone , usually a woman, making too big a deal about something. A complaint. Fa la cerimonia. Or, mezza stunard’; scumbari; gatzee (maybe from Yiddish) and chiaccheressa (chatterbox)… something I was often accused of being. I’ve studied language corruption. Sometimes regional differences, Boston vs. NYC, might be also be due to effect of other immigrant languages. In Boston there were Polish and Yiddish words in the mix. It all made for a very rich “gravy”. I do a one-woman show on two Italian-American women. It’s rich in language; mostly cultural difference and problems of assimilation. And often very comical. Thanks. Reply Hi Laura, I am Sicilian and grew up in the SF Bay Area. All four grandparents from Lentini/Catania area. Some settled in Boston, some in Omaha (?), and the bravest ones came out here. After much research, I found we also had a lot of Yiddish in our daily language. I am interested in your one-woman show. Where do you perform? I’d love to take my family! Thanks, Geralyn Giese We used (still use) gatzee/gatzees, meaning little decorative but useless things… anyone else? Also, scasciad (ska-shaad) meant messy, disorganized, shitty, screwed up. Spacone meaning flashy person (guido/mob wife type). Dina - May 11, 2013 at 9:51 AM NYC and northern NJ do the same with mixing slang from various countries. Mostly Italian, Irish, Yiddish, and Spanish. Polish sometimes. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:09 AM Reply I grew up in Lorain, Ohio during the ’50s and ’60s, the product of a Sicilian-Polish marriage. We lived in my Sicilian grandfather’s home and I heard lots of these expressions from him and my numerous relatives. Reading this has brought back a lot of memories, especially of the holiday celebrations we had at this time of year. Does anyone recall hearing a children’s song or rhyme with words that sound like this? (Pardon my spelling — I’m doing this phonetically). Calencita, Rege mangia l’ove (“The king eats eggs”?!) i bebe mangia chicche chicchie (chicky chicky?) . . . and I don’t remember the rest. My mom used to sing this to me when I was very little. Anyone know the rest or the correct words? Thanks so much and buon natale! Jeannine S. Mary Paparella Halley-Streeter - April 30, 2012 at 6:08 PM As a child while eating I would be asked “did you eat your chicche?” Or “eat your chicche!”. It was the meat on my plate which I did not like to eat. Where does this come from? Elizabeth - August 12, 2013 at 4:15 PM Reply Ah the cheche, I never heard this outside of my family . My grandmother would say ” your mother don’t want macaroni she wants the cheche”.at family gatherings when looking for the meat we say where’s the cheche.the cheche was a once a year treat for my grandmother growing up in avellino. Ronnie - October 25, 2014 at 7:34 AM My dad was calabrese and mom was aviglanese. She referred to EAT THE CHECHE, eat the meat. Probably because they didn’t get very much meat. Frank - June 27, 2015 at 5:11 AM Love love love this dictionary- helped me to remember some of the terms that were forgotten once my grandparents had gone! I also remember the oh -de!! My family immigrated to Boston and Providence!! Still use some of these to teach my own kids now I have more! Missy - January 11, 2012 at 8:45 PM My Napoletane grandmother grandmother had a good response when I asked her what’s for dinner. o’cazze ‘e ciuccio cu cucuzzille e l’ove u gazza di chooch cu googoozeel e loave (phonetics) donkey dicks (literally) with squash & eggs Dave Carl - January 14, 2012 at 6:59 PM My father still says that, we live in Toronto, Canada o’cazze ‘e ciuccio cu cucuzzille e l’ove Claudio - August 8, 2012 at 4:10 PM I remember hearing, “Ha perduto la giobba,” meaning, of course, “He lost his job.” Robert Ventre - February 26, 2012 at 10:12 PM WOW…I didn’t hear a lot of those word in a long time..My mother and father used to use all the words above Ben Bonafede - February 26, 2012 at 10:22 PM Anyone ever hear of the word yachetone (spelling??) It means someone who talks too much, or at least that’s how we use it in our family! Rachel - March 1, 2012 at 11:59 AM pronounced “kee-ak-ya-done” (“done” like “own”) means someone who talks too much. Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 4:56 PM The word my mother always used was chiacchierone. I guess yachetone is midway between english and italian! Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:09 AM Yes. Southern Italians leave of the initial hard-g or hard-k sound, so English ice is modern Italian ghiaccio but is pronounced yaccio. So Southern Italian you mentoned “yachetone” is modern Italian chiachierione (pronounced something like kyakyerone, meaning “chatterbox.” Vincenzo Alessi - April 21, 2013 at 2:30 PM Reply I found this very interesting because I am studying Italian, but it was mostly unfamiliar to me because all my Italian ancestors came from northern Italy, mostly in the early to mid 1800s, and their descendants whom I knew (unfortunately) only spoke English. Michele Mandrioli - March 5, 2012 at 9:14 AM alot of the spelling is wrong. You pretty much summed it up but correct some of those spellings. You have words using the letter K in it. Where Italians not russians. Lol Vinny Carbone - March 7, 2012 at 4:01 PM Reply You meant to say, “We’re (we are) Italians not Russians.” See how easy it is for words to get misspelled. Imagine how it was for our grandparents and great-grandparents when they first came here not knowing a word of English. I believe the dictionary is meant to give all possible spellings, whether correct or incorrect, that were commonly used, especially since many words were “made-up” or combined English and Italian. Just Enjoy! Antonia - June 12, 2012 at 7:19 PM Do you know this one ? : Shuncad – meaning in a real bum or low life, worse than a gavon. Lorraine - March 8, 2012 at 5:18 PM Shuncad lol! That’s Abruzzese dialect also means lazy, sloppy Claudio - August 8, 2012 at 4:18 PM Reply My mother would point out “shang-gad” (or as you say, “shuncad”) when describing outfits on various women, or cheap Christmas decorations that fell apart. She meant sloppy and cheap. Also “sha-woo-dad” meant all messed up and sloppy or falling apart. She would tell us we were all sha-woo-dad and then straighted our clothing. regina - August 28, 2016 at 2:27 AM Reply Thanks! Lots of fun reading this dictionary and seeing so much from the East coast. This sure reminds me of our experience. In California’s 1970’s San Francisco Bay Area, a lot of us, who grew up with Sicilian in the home and among our family and friends, did not know until our high school Italian class teacher informed us, that what we knew, was not Italian: for example, idda and iddu were not Italian for he (Lui) and she (Lei); piccirriddu and piccirridda were not Italian for little boy (Ragazzino) and little girl (Ragazzina); and, areri was not Italian for again (di nuovo). Many, believing they’d get an easy A, were in for a rude awakening! And, in everyday life, for example, it was especially enlightening for us to discover that a scula pasta is a collander and a cupino is a ladle! Then, after high school and college Italian, I learned about Professor Cipolla, of New York’s John Hopkins University, who leads Arba Sicula, a world-wide organization dedicated to the preservation of Sicilian culture and language. For those who are interested, this organization has plenty of interesting books available through LEGAS that may be of interest. I have enjoyed all of them, and I refer to Bonner’s Sicilian Grammar book often. Thanks again! Reply I had the same problem with Spanish. I know Puerto Rican, Cuban, and South American dialects. At school they taught us Castillan Spanish, which my teacher informed us nobody in Spain even uses anymore. My friends could never understand why I didn’t know Italian because it was “just like Spanish”. Not to me! Lol. The same reason I can’t follow Portugese. If someone from Spain tries to talk to me, I say: “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Portugese” and they ask me if I speak Spanish because they are speaking Spanish and not Portugese. I know this thread is about Italian slang and I’m getting off topic here, but I’m interested to know about these terms as although my family is unsure about its heritage, we’re pretty sure we’re Italian for a variety of reasons. I’m also finally learning what some of the words I’ve heard for much of my life mean or at least how they are spelled. It’s interesting to hear about ones different from the dialects I’m used to from various areas of Italy. Everyone I’ve ever known was either Neopalitan (I always thought the spelling was Napolitan, and yes, I do know how to pronounce it. 🙂 ) or Sicilan or half and half. The only thing I remember their parents yelling was: “My mother told me never to marry a Neopalitan!” “MY mother told me never to marry a Sicilian!” Unfortunately much of what I know in Italian is just curse words, lol. I also wonder if someone can tell me if I am spelling “butan” or “butana” right. Yes, I know what that means, lol. Also, can someone please tell me how to spell the word that is pronounced “badjagaloop”? I have always been curious to know that. I’ve never been quite sure of the definition either. I was pretty sure it meant idiot or something like that, but I’m startng to suspect it’s something worse. I almost took Italian in school. I was taking Spanish and French and told my guidance counselor I wanted to take Italian as well. His reaction was “What? Do you want to work for the United Nations or something?” I did get into the class, but decided to drop it because my class was full of Snookis and I didn’t want to have to deal with that. However, from what I am reading here, high school Italian would not have done me much good in talking to real people. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:32 AM Reply I grew up with a different word for fart. My grandmother was from Sicily and we called it beetadul. I am sure I spelled it wrong but I thought that was the word for fart until I was older.I grew with a lot of slang Italian words. like umbriago which means no good drunker. and spinata which means all messed up.Probably spelled wrong too. Darlene Anderson - March 17, 2012 at 8:50 PM Reply Darlene, I knew how to phonetically say fart in middle class italian [scoreggio] and in sicilian it is [pirito]. We pronounced it: [pee di too]. So there you have it, now you can call someone a fart in two italian dialects. I feel like I did this site a favor. Vinnie from Buffalo & now in Cincinnati. VINNIE - March 2, 2014 at 10:15 AM what is the slang word for toilet or bathroom? I keep hearing what sounds like “pichadu” on the Sopranos…molto grazi! brian - March 18, 2012 at 12:48 PM Wow, over a year ago, no matter. Anyway, the slang word for bathroom is “beckausu” (bec-cow-sue) which is literally the American term “back house”. Before there was indoor plumbing and toilets, there was the back or out house” Vinny - May 20, 2013 at 8:32 PM Reply You are correct with pichadu. I have heard that word countless times growing up. In fact, when one of us kids would pour a big glass of water or milk ot whatever, my Dad would say, “look at the pichadua”, meaning like a big piss pot. Has anyone ever heard a spanking referred to as a “scupalone”? Or the curse “Che te potz e shcattar”? Pardon the spellings. Patrick - March 5, 2014 at 4:44 PM here’s some others i say/know of which i didn’t see here or reply to. i am in Rhode Island, we come from between Rome and Naples. Places like Fondi, Itri, Montecalvo, Raviscanina. – pouton (whore) “poo-tahn” – bombaleeth (drunk) (with the “th” like the, a dead stop.) – spah-cone, shpa-cone (american guido, flashy man, showoff) – scoom-bah-dee (ashamed, embarrased) – scoos-tha-mahd (eating too much, like a pig) – ma-nej or ma-nejja (darn it, frustration) – doo-ya-vach (two-faced person) – ah-speth (wait !) -ah-speth-a-mee-notes (wait a minute) – moo-thon-thees (longjohns, thermal underpants) – skee-votes (eww, something gross, a verb) – fritatta (free-todd) egg sandwich I had absolutely no idea there was Italian slang for american guido. I know I can say that here. Every time I meet people from Italy they tell me it is an ethnic insult. Not in my neighborhood. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:53 AM skee-votes…I wonder if that’s where the term: “it skeeves me” comes from. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:54 AM I grew up in Pittsburgh, and now live in Chicago, me and my amicci and familigia in both places still talk this way amongst ourselves. RSC - April 6, 2012 at 10:50 AM maronn! semplicemente bellissimo. bravi! keep going! nino biccari - April 8, 2012 at 5:31 PM Reply Trying to get a spelling and meaning for “ga gatz” or just “gatz”. I thought it meant “nothing”, as in, “that particular credit card doesn’t give you points or any kind of rewards. They give you “gatz”, or “ga gatz”.” meaning “nothing”. Implied sarcastically or with disdain, or disgust. Can you help me with this? Couldn’t find it in your glossary which by the way is quite extensive and brings back memories of my “yoot”, to quote Joe Pesci in “My cousin, Vinny”! My grandmother used to say ungatz for nothing and eegatz when something sounded ridiculous and cagatz when she was frustrated if you or anybody can figure that out let me know. She was napolitano Ronnie - June 8, 2013 at 2:24 PM my family said ewe-Gatz. Naples dialect. James - June 10, 2013 at 5:41 PM Ronnie- as for the word, “eegatz”- I wonder if that’s where Americans get our expression, “eegads!” I have no idea, just thinking. Karen - June 11, 2013 at 3:09 AM @Karen @Ronnie: “Eegats” is possibly English-to-Italian, like “baccausa.” “Ye gods and little fishes” is the English expression. “Eegats” may derive from this, picked up because it sounded vaguely like a euphemism for the Italian, “e cazzo?”, as in, “WTF?” (Although, it sounds like Nonna was saying more like “GTFOH!”) Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 12:50 AM what great help this has been, i`m semi retired and attempting to write a book about Italian Americans in New York. Why i`ve chosen this subject i just dont know,but how fascinating and how useful is this. Mitch John, Cyprus. April 24 April 2012. Mr.M G John - April 23, 2012 at 10:58 PM Reply One thing to keep in mind is that there are at least three origins of the “Italian” language; the “proper” Italian, dialect specific to each region/municipality, and the bastardization of dialect we usually call Italian-American; which is the subject of this thread. Italy began as a loose collection of city states that grew to regions and has only been considered a unified country for a century or so. Thus the customs, food preparation, and language vary widely. The “proper” Italian is probably most connected to Roma and from my experience growing up in Central New York and in the culture of Abbruzza di Molise, I would say that the dialect above is most closely associated with “Nabbalatan,” or the bastardized dialect of those from Naples. Bob - April 24, 2012 at 10:28 AM Reply oh goodness thank you for this. I’m third generation italian american and we still used some of these words growing up. I remember when I was 15 being over a friend’s house with my brother making maccaroni. the time came to strain the maccaroni and I asked my friend where her sculabast was… I spent probably a good four minutes,desprately trying to remember the english word for it… i even called my brother over to help, but we couldn’t figure it out. finally my friend said ohhh you mean a sieve… this might be a litle silly,but that memory has stuck with me because it reminded me that as americanized as my family had become, our heritage, our customs were still part of our upbringing, even if it was just in a word or two Elena - April 30, 2012 at 11:02 PM Love this list! Thank you! But “maronna mia” is not “My God” but “my blessed mother” or “Our Lady” – it is “madonna mia” where “madonna” refers to the Madonna, the Blessed Virgin Mary, not the singer! 🙂 S. Quinn - May 2, 2012 at 11:55 AM I remember a word my father would say for linoleum , not sure but he used to say ,,, time to lay the Shidodd Tony - June 3, 2012 at 5:49 AM That sounds kind of Yiddish. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:50 AM Reply Very good to read. My father’s family originates from Siciliy and immigrated to Birmingham, AL through New Orleans. Funny to see how similar the “American Italian” I heard growing up is to the Northeast version! The biggest diffrerence I see is that the people here add an ‘ah’ sound at the end of the words. I appreciate your work, my wife now has a better understanding of some of the things my Dad says! Mike - August 2, 2012 at 8:55 AM Reply My mom always said, “Company’s coming,” whenever someone dropped a spoon on the floor. I’ve always wondered if that was a Sicilian superstition, or just a thing in my own family–I’ve never heard anyone else saying that. I was called testaduda, hard headed, as a stubborn child. One of my great aunts, after a meal, always said, “Per la bocca,” meaning she wanted just a little taste of something sweet to finish, “For the mouth.” When we were little and asked to be picked up, grownups would say no, “You’re a big baccala.” I felt a bit insulted when, years later, I learned baccala means codfish. Hmmph. I would REALLY love to know more about this next word. I’ve never heard anyone else say it: My great uncle was getting out of his car when my brother Steve and boisterous cousin David stuck their heads out the upstairs window and called down, “Hey, Uncle Gerry!” Uncle Gerry shouted back up, “Hey, hey, hey musutu (moo-SOO-too). When the boys came downstairs, my cousin asked, “Grandma, what’s musutu mean?” She started laughing, saying, “Who calla you musutu, Davey?” David replied, “Uncle Gerry, but he could have been calling me, he could have been calling Steve, I don’t know.” She said, “Oh, no, Davey–He calla YOU. Musutu mean bigga mouth.” Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 10:51 PM I’ve heard that belief before, but I think a lot of ethnicities believe it. Also, if it is a fork, it means it will be a woman. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:49 AM Reply “testaduda, hard headed” = my Northern Italian mom used to say “capa tosta,” which, in the Southern dialects, comes out as “gabbadost’.” She also used another “capa” expression–“capa fresca,” a “cool head,” only she meant it more as “fresh (as in “impudent”) head.” I heard Tony Soprano refer to someone on that show as being a “gabbavrischia” inma situation where my mother would have said her version of the expression, and so I assume that’s a Southern pronunciation. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:11 AM I believe “hard-headed” is “testa dura”. That’s what my grandfather used to describe the Calabrese and he was quite proud to acknowledge the phrase because, being from Calabria, it was a compliment. Lois (Luisella) Turchioe - May 12, 2016 at 2:52 PM I used to get called ma-jah-gul-loop. Or at least something to that effect… lol. Does anybody here know what I’m referring to? ‘What are you doing? You ma-jah-gul-loop.’ B - August 19, 2012 at 11:41 PM Reply I asked that too, lol. I’m pretty sure it is “ba” and not “ma” though. Unless it depends on the region. Hopefully someone will answer us, but since most of these posts seem to be at least a year old, Idk if they will even see these. 😦 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:47 AM Reply Bacigalupo is an Italian surname, and it was the name of a character on the old Abbott & Costello TV show who was a clownish sort of Chico Marx stereotype, although he was much shrewder than Chico. Maybe you were being compared to Bacigalupo. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:17 AM Reply Dear Fellows, I really don’t believe my eyes..i’ve been looking around for ages , for someone to share the dictionary of..my Granma who used to speak the Sicilian-American dialect. and i know all of those words plus others..it’s wonderful knowing that all those words are not getting lost.. Carru -Car parkari lu carru – park the car begghicella – the bag iettasangu- a person who makes you spit blood.. and many more.. And a favorite VA’FRITT’-go fry! I love that you mention gagutz. Its a fave. I grew up in Rhode Island…. Jersey and Brooklyn are pretty Italian, but Rhode Island is actually where the Italian plurality is in the USA. Literally EVERYONE in my hometown was at least part Italian. Imagine a whole state where everyone appreciates pasta vazool in gravy 😉 and the joys of ravioli night, where bakeries dont close Sundays but on Mondays, where most people understand these words even with Lois Griffin accents… And the office assistants pronounced your name right when you get called to the office in high school. Even if it had more vowels and syllables than folks in like Idaho would assume possible 🙂 baz - October 27, 2012 at 12:41 AM Omg, it’s been forever since I’ve heard anyone use gravy in that context. I’d almost forgotten it. 😦 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:45 AM My mother uses the Naples pronunciation for grandfather — thathone. Does anyone know what it means and the possible spelling? Patricia Haddad - November 15, 2012 at 12:53 PM What is the word for being treated like a don…gabaditch?? many thanks. David - December 23, 2012 at 1:08 PM Reply Has anyone ever heard the word ‘smozza tudda’ – (pronounced smoe -tsah -TOO- dah) used for ‘broccoli? Everyone I know of Italian descent uses this word instead of the standard Italian ‘broccoli’. There were so many English words incorporated into not only the Italian language of early immigrants but into the dialects as well. I read a short article a long time ago about this phenomenon. I found a link to it once on the web but forgot to save it. Hysterical stuff, as entire sentences are mixed in with the dialects, such as ‘sti sciusi allucunnu naisi’ for ‘these/those shoes look nice’. If I locate it I’ll post the link here – that is, if people still read these replies. I would ask my dad how to say something in Italian and he would do one of four things: come out with the proper word, come out with a Sicilian dialect pronunciation of the standard Italian word, come out with an entirely different word (such as the above mentioned ‘smozzatudda’), or come out with the English-Italian- Sicilian gumbo mixture. I remember a lot of them, and if interest is still here, I can post them. Great website. Reply Love the list! It brings back a lot of memories. We live in Toronto, and my folks are from Molise. I believe our dialect is fairly close to the Neapolitan. My sister & I have always gotten a kick out of the familiar words that show up on the Sopranos. I think the spelling of many of the words is up for debate, because they really are primarily spoken. Forgive me if I’m missing these in the list or comments above: -gualio’ (pronounced “waleeo” = gualione = guy, boy Tony uses this is one episode, when he’s watching a Mickey Rooney movie. My sister and I found it hilarious -mangana’un = not even one It was only after I studied Italian in University that I realized this is properly “neanche uno”. -this I have no clue how to spell, but it’s pronounced, “sherot” = jerk Does anyone know this word and how it should be spelled? Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:27 AM I should add my mom lived in Jersey City for three years, when she was a teenager. & we still have relatives there. Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:41 AM has anyone head the phrase pitchada pepe? (not sure if im spelling it right) meaning when someone starts up about something Rose - February 8, 2013 at 5:33 PM I’m gonna make a guess on this one. Sounds like somebody is ‘pitching pepper’. Which makes sense, sending something irritating in to the mix. Mindy - June 14, 2014 at 4:36 PM Oops, that should be “pisciare”! Lidia - April 21, 2015 at 2:01 AM The slang / dialect word for toilet is ( pisciaturo ) I was born in Argentina to Neapolitan parents , the same phenomenon happen there with the Spanish language , the Italian influence created a new idiom called LUNFARDO, SALVADOR BERLINGIERI - February 9, 2013 at 10:42 AM Reply What about moo-nates? This was a word my family (Newark) used for a mess, or when something was in pieces. Like, “You put that cookie (bish-gawt) in your pocket and now it’s all in moo-nates. Also, what about un-gwike-ya? This was used for a meal that was just thrown together by a ‘medigan. Like, “I ordered the zupa-da-pashe at that new restaurant on the avenue and it was nothing but un-gwike-ya.” Lastly, what about coo-baad?, the feeling of being cramped or in a tight space. “We went over to their house for cake and coffee and their living room was so small I felt so coo-baad the whole time.” Joe - February 10, 2013 at 3:24 PM Aha! These I know. Must be Newark words. 🙂 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:42 AM Trash/garbage= immondizia or in Rome monnezza. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:42 AM Also, coo-pa-LEEN, for a wool hat (ski hat). Your mother would say, “It’s cold out, make sure you wear your coo-pa-LEEN today.” joe - February 10, 2013 at 3:39 PM […] “salut” (salute), “bacouz” (bagno), e la lista continua, se volete, qui. Come potete vedere, molte sono parole vicine al napoletano o comunque ai dialetti del sud. Di […] Italoamericani - March 15, 2013 at 12:43 PM Reply Thank you for a delightful trip down the memory lane of Brooklyn 60s-70s. I was a French Canadian married into a Brooklyn/LI family. 7 years in Brooklyn was an education for which I should have gotten 2 years of college credits, that is after the first year of shock and acclimating. Brooklyn folks are nice people…I liked it/them better than LI. I have met Italians visiting this country who have had snobby attitudes toward the Italian-American vernacular. And, my son, after going to college and living in Manhattan for a few years picked on me for my use of the Italian-American forms of everyday Italian words. I have respect for language that is local to a geographical area any where in the world. It comes with maturing and a growing sense of wonder about people and the world. (I have heard French mocking French Canadian speech. And, hey, the British make fun of us..along with the Welch, Irish, Scottish) Oh, and everyone corrected the Hebrew I was learning. Language seems to be part of people’s religion, though they don’t acknowledge it. My opinion is that it is all beautiful!! 🙂 J LaLone - April 8, 2013 at 4:07 PM Reply Just wish to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is just great and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work. Gerardo - April 21, 2013 at 10:59 AM Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and everything. But think about if you added some great visuals or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips, this website could definitely be one of the greatest in its field. Fantastic blog! Clicking Here - May 13, 2013 at 4:34 AM Congratulations ! “As we said in the Tenements in “da BRONX,” “YA DONE GOOD !” The Street Italian was, Napuletana, Siciliana, Baresa, Calabresa dialects and slang. Ya gotta know dat we wuz all First generation,not like the WANNABE ITALIANO’S who tried but could never make it with their ‘Merican interpretation of a Beautiful Language which blends itself in dialectical differences but still melodic. NO, I’m not a snob, just a Bronx street guy who grew up with it and takes great pride in our Heritage. Keep up the good work. I’m anxious to see any and all updates. TUTTO A POSTO.! Angelo It’s nice to hear someone speak New York again as well as Italian slang! I live in the South now and half the time I have no idea wth these people are talking about. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:40 AM Reply I grew up with my grandmother and grandfather- she was from Sorrento and he was from Naples. They seemed to speak the same or similar dialects. Can someone tell me what “mouse” would be in Napolitan? it sounds phonetically like, “Zutagil” or sootagil. And snail- which they pronounced as “marruttz”. They had a saying which only makes sense in Napolitan, but means nothing in English- it was, “Manage o zutagil”, which they said meant, “Gosh darn, the mouse”. Anybody ever hear that expression? Karen - June 7, 2013 at 8:43 AM Literally Mouse = TOPO or TOPOLINO NAPULETANO= SURACILLA (SU RA CHEELLA) Go to YouTube and pull up Pepino The Italian Mouse by Lou Monte and learn the NAPULETANO EXPRESSIONS. CIAO e. TUTTO POSTO. Thank you, Angelo, now I see! Karen - June 11, 2013 at 3:03 AM Karen, You got it 100+% right, “Manage a zutagil” = “Darn the mouse”. Very common phrase. (It may not be right, but remember, we’re talkin’ “dialect” here.) Buddy Longo - January 10, 2014 at 12:38 PM Reply I grew up in Queens second generation Italian, my father grew up in Brooklyn with his parents that imigrated from Avellino and this reminded me of them soooo much. This is 90% of the things they said. I actually say alot of these curses and never knew what they ment. Thanks for reminiding me of the good old days when they were here. Theresa - June 9, 2013 at 4:31 PM Reply My mother taught me to say “sca shod” when something was screwed up or a mess. Most of the words on here are familiar to me also. We grew up in Jersey, Italian American. Is this familiar to anyone? I see a similar one above, but not exact. Tracey - July 3, 2013 at 1:43 AM Scasciato/a = ruined, busted, messed-up. My husband says it all the time. Born in La Spezia but grew up in Rome… Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:50 AM Greetings! Very useful advice within this article! It is the little changes that will make the largest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing! Reply Hello I am a Canadian, born in north western Quebec, in 1954. We are all living in Ontario now since 1965. My parents came from Calabria, Italy. We learned to speak their dialect. I recognize a lot of the words on your list. But I want to know if anyone ever says ” fuocu mio”. It’s used when something bad has happened. Or if you cannot stand something. I used to hear as well: e chimu ti jett u sangu. When someone was upset with someone they said this. Also: malanova mu ti vene. if you were bad. We use our dialect like we our own language using the language from their town, Gerocarne. I can say so many things. It is like I want to preserve this language. Just like your list. I studied French, Italian and Spanish. So I know how words should be spelled in Italian. For example: Amu din da iamu means: We must leave. In italian you write: Ce ne dobbiama andare. Another one: A duva jisti? Means: Where did you go? In Italian: Dove sei andato? Another: Cumu ti chiami? What is your name? Italian: Come ti chiami? Another: Cin dai iru. : means: They left. In Italian: Se ne sono andati. A duva ijiru? Where did they go? Dove sono andati? Oo vidi?. Do you see? Hai visto? Cin daiu. He went away. Se n’e andato. Cu vinne? Who came? Che e venuto? I have many more. Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 2:41 PM fuocu mio means = my fire! is like = chimu ti jett u sangu = we are going to suck your blood malanova mu ti vene = bad things will happen to you! maurizio - April 18, 2014 at 1:09 PM I should have written: Ce ne dobbiamo andare. Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 2:46 PM Sorry, It should be; Chi e venuto? Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 4:25 PM Reply Really nice job! 🙂 I’m italian and I think there are no chance to lost this “language” because in italy dialect is spoken by the most of people nowadays and most of them/us still have the american dream. So maybe you’re serach never stop 🙂 Mari - August 31, 2013 at 2:40 AM Reply I love this so much! I tried learning Italian and I realized that the pronunciations didn’t seem correct. Turns out all of these words were Brooklyn-ized. Spoken and understood here in Kearny, NJ and our roots in Brooklyn. Grazie for this! Nick Policano - September 1, 2013 at 10:43 PM Reply Thank you so much for this. I grew up in Brooklyn in the 70’s and 80’s and am half Italian: Napolitano and Calabrese. I heard many of these growing up. It makes me so homesick to read them now- my father is gone and I live on the West Coast. Also, reading this had made me inexplicably hungry. 🙂 DP - September 28, 2013 at 8:01 PM I feel your pain. I live in South Carolina atm and boy are you guys making me homesick! These people are so…vanilla..it’s so boring! And they know nothing about food. (They also know nothing about loyalty. Ugh.) My friend from Brooklyn tells me you don’t get much real food on the West Coast either as he’s currently living in San Francisco. -Trina O. These words are certainly used in Cleveland, Ohio too. Thanks for the site! Luciana - October 15, 2013 at 8:22 PM Reply I went to high school in Westbury Long Island which was pretty much wall to wall Italians. Using a lot of these phrases was prevalent not only among those of Italian descent but amongst all of us. Some of the words I did not find here – Abeetz for pizza; lacho bijok eat c–t; possibly from lancia bigiocco(?) lick the jewel. gibone – possibly from the French gibbon( monkey ) – meaning a jerk. another was Facheen a med – possibly from va tine a media get lost at noon. Most were just used as expletives and the majority of us didn’t really know what we were saying.Etymology is sort of a hobby with me. Another observation – kez a deech Whaddya say as a greeting. Originally in Italy no one would have known what that meant, but a lady whom I know here in Germany says they use that in parts of Italy as a greeting as well. Interesting some of this stuff is now being adopted in the old country. By the way I told a young teenage girl here in Germany whose family came from Calabria to click on Lou Monte. Her family got a kick out of it. Itz getting late, gotta sign off. As I get more ideas, I’ll check back in. Ciao( Germans use this quite frequently as a goodbye ) HOLLY, Giessen, Germany Yeah, my grandmother also used to say, “A-pizz” for pizza. Why did they put “A” in front of so many things? Anybody know? She also said, “A-boka-di-lay” for a cup or glass of milk. “ Karen - June 30, 2014 at 6:58 AM Karen, in southern Italy a lot of the dialects omit the “l” in a word e.g. “a pietz” would be “la pizza” – in this restaurant I go to here in Giessen, Germany they feature “spaghetti a matriciana” a dish from Matricia. It would be “la matriciana” but– They also drop the last vowel in a word – thus “a Beetz” They also drop the g in a word with “gu” guaglione is waglio – guapo becomes – wapo – thus the slur “Wop” Don’t know why but it is. David Hollingsworth - June 30, 2014 at 2:20 PM possibly because the standard Italian “una” (“a” or “an” in English) is spoken as “na” in Neapolitan…which is not by the way necessarily always a corruption of so called “standard Italian” by any means. It is simply how the vernacular language came to be spoken in that area on account of the surrounding influences. What you heard is probably ” a pizza “… as in “would you like a pizza ?”The other phrase in standard Italian likely translates into “un poco di latto” or in English…”a little bit of milk”. The letter “P” can sometimes sound like “B” when spoken in American Southern Italian dialect which is perhaps more of a corruption of a “legitimate” language (if any can be termed that !) often incorporating the vernacular languages of the entire southern half of the Italian boot and some “Americanisms” as well. Mike - July 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM spusada=sposata >married JG Sapodilla - July 25, 2014 at 1:55 PM Just found your site. What a treat! Thanks you for all the work you put into it. Tom Fusia What about “Liava Pinsirea” my grandma always told me it meant get it off your head and I don’t know how accurate it is but maybe someone else knows it Kat - November 3, 2013 at 3:42 PM In Italian I would say, “levati il pensiero” ..lift the thought off of yourself.. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:57 AM Love it ! I grew up in that ny nj area and speaka da gabagool italian! Thanks so much! blackie sansone - December 11, 2013 at 2:52 PM Anyone know how to spell the Italian word spoken before a dead person’s name? Also, it’s exact translation? Phonetically spelled “abunonama”? It’s Napolitano dialect. Thanks! Marc - December 24, 2013 at 9:41 PM I believe what you are hearing is the Neapolitan vernacular of la buon’ anima pronounced as (a)bonanima or (a)bunamina. In many southern Italian dialects the traditional vowel “o” has been replaced by “u”, and the consonant sounds [p] [t] and [k] are frequently replaced by [b] [d] and [g] in dialect. Italian spelling does not use certain letters such as “k” and “j” and “w” and “x”. example: official Italian scopa (broom) becomes scupa official Italian capicollo becomes gabigullu or gabigull’ Many individuals among the older generations did not have the opportunity to go to school, so the language that was passed on to them in their region was handed down orally (not from text books). It is easy to see how “compare” in official Italian gets repeated as goomba’, the [k] sound becomes [g] and the vowel [o] becomes prounced as a [u] (written here as ‘oo”). The immigrants who came to America did not “corrupt” the official Italian. After all, the Florentine language itself was only a dialect until it became elevated to official national status. Immigrants to North America were forced to invent new words for things which simply did not exist in their old country. The result is a colourful blend of Italian dialect, English, and local vernacular. A living language is one that constantly changes to reflect its new environment. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 3:42 PM This word was used a lot in my Sicilian household, miss-keen-ah or mischina…..basically a pathetic person. Also, poo-peed-ah-me-ah or puppida Mia, basically a term of endearment 🙂 Tammy - January 4, 2014 at 11:10 PM Don’t forget…basnigol which is Italian slang for basil! Linda - January 6, 2014 at 12:00 AM Reply I remember my dad saying basnagol for basil. When my wife and I were first married we lived in a Ponte neighborhood and we all had vegetable gardens. I said to my neighbor “That’s great basnigol” and he looked at me like I had three heads. He was from Rome.. Cipster - June 29, 2014 at 4:51 PM My grandma used to say fazzaneegol ,I spelled it out how it sounded when she said it) for basil.she was from avellino . She was nabolitan(again spelled out how it sounded) not neopolitan. Ronnie - July 26, 2014 at 10:45 PM My grandfather from Cefalu, Sicily, used to call basil “basalico” with the accent on the last syllable. Jeannine Sedlacek - July 27, 2014 at 2:16 PM I too recall two versions of the plant we all call Sweet Basil in North American English. Growing up my ears heard “Basa Nicol” from a Calabrese dialect (with the very last syllable stressed). In university I learned the official Italian word was “basilico” (with the second syllable stressed). My own theory is that previous generations of Calabrese speakers did not learn the word from the written form “basilico”. Instead it was passed down orally. It is not a stretch for someone with limited reading ability to hear Basa Nicol from the intended utterance “basilico” especially when there is universal familiarity with San Nicola (good old St Nick) and Basare (which is a variation of official Italian “baciare” (to kiss). If you close your eyes and attempt to say the official word “basilico” (with the second vowel stressed) and then repeat this time with the final vowel stressed, it sounds very much like Basa Nicol (unaccented final vowel “a” is frequently omitted in spoken Calabrese) (reinforced perhaps by the semantic meaning associated with basa (kiss) and Nicol (shortened form of Nicola (“Nicholas”). Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 2:35 PM My Northern Italian mother used to say, in a situation where in English we might say, “”Well, he made a real pig’s ear/dog’s dinner/unholy mess outta that!” she’d say “a pasticcia,” to mean a jumble, which word I discovered later literally means “pie filling,” as in the word “pastry”(“dough with a filling”). As it happens, as a young kid I came across a description of a work of art as being a “pastiche,” and guessed, from knowing the word from Mom, that it meant a “mash-up” of sorts, and to my surprise, I found I was right; while it’s a French word which moved into English, it’s one of those cognate words which ends up NOT being a “false friend.” You know what they say in Italian– “traditore-traduttore” (“the translator-betrayer”) so you always have to watch out. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:47 AM Reply This is great, very comprehensive! I put together several videos of my family explaining the meaning of various Italian-American slang words (all my Grandparents born in Sicily and now families mainly based in NY/NJ area), and it is good to see some cross-referencing here! If anyone is interested… Rick Costantino - January 20, 2014 at 11:12 AM I can’t tell you how much I LOVE these! Grazie Maria Ponto - October 27, 2016 at 6:46 PM Great job. I recognize many words my parents use to say. So funny. Thanks. rosepernice - February 25, 2014 at 1:12 PM You omitted “FART” which I believe is: scoreggia: f. (pl. -ge) (vulgar) fart. Upper class italian Pirito: fart in the Sicilian dialect You are all welcome. It is a language that should not be forgotten. I was raised on the west side of Buffalo, NY. My aunt once told me that when the Sicilian Italians moved into the west side of Buffalo [1920’s] she said that the Irish moved to south Buffalo LOL, it is true. Vinnie Reply This was a walk down memory lane for me! when I was a kid, I used to joke that there must be something about living closer to the Equator making you drop the endings off words. Southerners in the USA drop the “g” off anything ending in “ing”, and Southern Italians just drop the last letter off nearly anything. As others have pointed out, the letter “C” at the beginning of a word turns into a “G”. T’s and D’s seem to get interchanged often too. Makes it hard to learn proper Italian, because the voice recognition programs keep correcting me! Nice to know I am remembering it the way my grandparents said it. Anina Salerno - March 8, 2014 at 7:27 PM My mom used to call my boyfriend “scualiabeep”. Any ideas of what that could mean????? Wanda - March 14, 2014 at 8:46 AM My grandma used to call me that . She would say mr. Shpillabeek. That’s how it sounded when she said it you probably have the spelling right.she would say it playfully not really sure what it means Ronnie - April 10, 2014 at 8:31 PM Can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to have found this site. I’m 1st generation from Brooklyn NY, I grew up hearing these words and phrases every day. I still use them quite regularly 🙂 Wouldn’t know any other way…. As Carol Burnett sang, “thanks for the memories ” Ralphie…. Reply I am a 1st. & 2nd. generation Italian, depending on which parent I refer too. My mother wanted her children to be American first, so she would ask her brothers and sisters to please only speak English around the children. Of course my Grandfather who had to spend at least one month a year in America in order to keep his holdings, could not speak any English, so he got a pass. I thought my mother was cool at the time, but now as I look back a realize how much I missed not being able to speak Italian so I especially appreciate your work on these interpretations. I think I can tell you I recognize 95% of them. I worked for two Italian Gentlemen who owned a riding stable in Brooklyn. They use a phrase “Mannagia get tu zong as I remember it. When I would ask what that meant they would say, since I was just a 10 year old kid, It means “Your toast is in the oven”. I’m still looking for the real meaning of that phrase. Thank you again. I recently ran across an Italian whose last name is “Stucatz”. Does it mean something (other than a last name). It sounds familiar- like calling someone a “stucatz” would be something bad, but I may be thinking of another word. Karen - April 18, 2014 at 6:46 AM OMG! I’d hate to have a last name like that. I’d definitely change it. It reminds me of the actor who played Frank Pentangeli in “The Godfather 2”, whose name was Michael V. Gazzo. gammetta - April 18, 2014 at 10:02 AM I have since found out what it means:-( Sorry, I really wasn’t trying to be vulgar. Karen - June 30, 2014 at 3:23 AM Reply LOL, my mother used to say that all the time too as well as ti potza schiatta la vasheeg( vescica – may your bladder burst) and potz yetta la cheed ( la aceto – may you vomit vinegar). They really had the most colorful curses. We were in Philadelphia. Christine - April 2, 2016 at 11:35 AM Reply I’m from Chicago and my mother’s family came from Naples. They used to use a word that I can’t find anywhere. I don’t know how to spell it properly in Italian, but it sounded like “meen-gya-roll”. If I remember correctly, it was used when someone did something stupid. And, my mother used to say, “fangool thea-de-mommeda”. I know what fangool means, but not the rest of it. Anyone hear these words? Teri - April 30, 2014 at 7:08 PM Reply Hi 🙂 I am Roman but my family is from the south. I am pretty sure that the second sentence is “fanculo mammeta” or “fanculo te e mammeta”, where “mammeta” means “your mother”. The first part of “meen-gya-roll” sounds like “minchione” (“minchia” means dick in Sicily), which is basically the same as “coglione”. Hope this is helpful! 😛 Reply Very interesting page. I got here via Google as I’m trying to find out the meaning of some Sicilian/Italian slang or colloquial terms, which I assume are varying degrees of offensiveness. I heard these a lot from my adoptive mom, actually my paternal grandmother, while I was growing up in the 1950’s-1960s. She passed away in 1975. I think she was born in the US but her folks/siblings came over from Sicily late 1800’s-early 1900’s. They lived on the East Side of Cleveland, the “Woodland” area I think. She’d use these when she’d get mad at me or my brother, or at her husband. I still pretty much remember how she said them. I know d and t sounds can overlap, as well as b and p, and c and g. When I was young, I thought pasta was BOSS-ta! So where I have a G, may be a C, etc. Everyone I could ask is deceased, I’m gonna be 61 myself. So I’ll present them the way I remember them. She would voice this all in one complete long senetnce: Go VAH-go vah-GAH, SCUDdy vah DAY-stah, BRUCE-t-cahDOANia, miz-diablo, voo-TAHN-noo-SHAKE-oo (might be “scutty”, day-stah = testa = head? Nuts in the head or dick head? I know diablo = devil, but not what the “miz” refers to. Shake-oo – shekoo? donkey? ass? I have a hunch go-vah-go-vah-gah may be a variant of vaffanculo?) I got called a “horse’s KNOCK-you” plenty of times (prolly ass or penis?) Lock-ah day VAIN-trah. (first part crazy, like in loco? I also seen laca (?) refer to milk and also maybe shellac or varnish? day is de? ventra? air? Also I think I seen it referring to stomach/belly/abdomen/lungs?) If I asked where we are going and she was pissed, she’d say Buzzle la GAHNT. (Plaza or place of something?) She has also said “rome-bo-TONE-oh” a couple of times, but if I’d repeat that one especially, she’s get mad and say “shut up, that is a really bad word”, so seems she didn’t use sexual terms, or did she? Another she used to say sounded like “grah-NOOD-oo”, but I think I found “cornuto” on that one. That’s another she said was really bad, but I don’t see it being that bad since I found out, means more or less “bastard” in this sense? But then back then, guess “bastard” was bad. I think I found GREASE-toe, Christ? I remember sometimes she’s refer to the bathroom as the “buckhouse” which I found out meamt “back house/out house”. She did use to word “culu” and I remember it pronounced as cool-oo, not cool-oh. Crazy was POT-see. I don’t have cable, so I don’t know if any of these were used on the Sopranos, LOL. Thanks for any help! Reply So cool; a little jewel of a resource for Little Italy’s ‘Spanglish’. So awesome when people get down to brass tacks and get this on the Internet. It keeps these languages living. I took enough Italian in college to know the base of some of these phrases from “High” Italian, but the trench linguistics morphology you provide for the street Neapolitanese is both entertaining and invaluable. I needed just the right word in not quite mobspeak, just the right slang rendering of something Sicilian but not so sinister, for a certain type of idiot, and here I found it, the exact right word in no language but the one we collectively share. Fascinating stuff for anybody like me who just can’t get enough fun out of the words I already know. I think first gen’s (Italian, German, Mexican, any and all) keep English such a powerful living language because its the ragazzi, the ones who don’t speak either language so good (they don’t talk either so great neither), who create these pidgeon portmonteaus that fill in the crevices of precision in creating the exact word over time that no single language would have on its own. Gil Matz - May 7, 2014 at 10:25 AM Reply My grandfather was from Naples and he would sing to his grandchildren the following song: Chickery chick, chala chala, checkalaromi in the bananica, pollicowolica can’t you see, chickerchick is me” I supplied the punctuation and excuse my phonics. Has anyone else heard this tune or did my grandfather just make up some words just to entertain his grandchildren?. Angie Leo - May 25, 2014 at 11:29 AM My mom used to sing this to us as kids and then we used to sing it too. Christine - April 2, 2016 at 11:55 AM CHECK OUT YOU TUBE FOR “TOP 40 HITS OF 1945 BY SAMMY KAYE…WORDS AND MUSIC…….HAVE FUN SINGING IT WITH YOUR KIDS ETC……….CIAO ANGELO STREET BRAT FROM THE BRONX NOW IS BOSTON. ANGELO NARGI - April 14, 2016 at 7:36 AM “American Italian” perhaps is often even more apt than “Italian American” in describing this wonderful language of the immigrants and their children that we will do well to hold on to as an American cultural treasure. Our ancestors did not lack for colorful expressive phrases that squarely and succinctly hit their intended mark. Try “vedova bianca” (white widow) meaning a woman whose husband was alive but nowhere to be found so she was not entitled to wear a widow’s black. Although often unlettered yet still as a people how truly “civilized” by any fair measure they equally as often really were. It remains for us to preserve the sacred memory of this chapter of the American experience and not in the frequently misleading and exaggerated terms of television and film. Sites such as this can and will do just that. Mike - May 27, 2014 at 6:31 PM My grandfather always said something like “male di cuah” when something was broken or not working. “It’s male di cuah.” Anyone else remember this or know what the last word was (I know “male di”)? Joanne - June 8, 2014 at 11:32 AM I learned the answer to my question: my Calabresi grandpa was saying (phonetic) “mal educad'” – badly educated – but he used it to mean something just didn’t work right, or was broken. Joanne - July 17, 2015 at 7:07 PM I just found this site. It’s an amazing compilation of words and phrases I grew up with. Robert Iulo - June 13, 2014 at 10:14 AM Reply I wish I could remember all the words my mother said to me in Italian the phrases were a little different then used here! To her I was lazy and alot of words you use here thank you for the translations I used to think what she was telling me in Italian that she would not repeat in English was just what SOME of the words are here you do not have them all but I get the picture! To me being a female I never lived up to her standards but ya know you cant even please family all the time! I am happily married retired these days and my husband has soothed and smoothed out my worriies and my emotions now about my Mother for over 43 years God Bless Him! No he is not full blood Italian American 2nd generation like me he is Scotch Irish! Just as much fun but a little more understanding! lol! btw my Italian Father (God Bless My Parents stayed and argued and yelled at each other for over 50 years!) would never say as much in Italian he always told me in English lol but a little more picturesque that I could understand ! Yes I dont think to them I was the best child but the more I tried to please them the bigger the hole I dug! Oh Well Whatcha Gonna Do? Or as Grandma would say “Whatcha want eggs in your beer?- lol sweetheart she was! Sorry to write so much but the phrases still echo in my head after all these years ! ! jeanne (can you belive they named me french instead of Italian lol) - June 16, 2014 at 1:22 AM Reply oh btw thanks again for this site I have been wondering over 60 years what the words were that Mother used now at least I know some! This site I would rate excelllent! You have done a fabulous job in translation of all the Italian Slang ! I do appreciate it thank you so very much! I give you a 10 plus and more then excellent rating! sincerely yours jeanne (can you belive they named me french instead of Italian lol) - June 16, 2014 at 1:27 AM Jeanne-are you my long-lost cousin from Waterbury,ct?? paul nap. paul napolitano - July 6, 2014 at 4:53 PM Reply A lot of thought and heart have gone into this website congratulations . When I hear southern dialect spoken I feel it in the heart and in my memory. Unfortunately when I hear proper Italian spoken I feel nothing. I am 50 and I am first generation Australian from calabrese migrants parents which there is loads of in Australia especially in Sydney . Maria Comito xxx Maria Comito - June 17, 2014 at 9:12 AM I get emails from this site to my inbox, but when I click on it, it takes me to the beginning of this page. Is there any way to go directly to the reply? Karen - June 30, 2014 at 6:59 AM Reply Grazie !!! I have spent many hours thru the years trying to find the words and phrases I heard as a kid . You filled in some blanks … and the comments filled in some more !!! I have sent this to many of my goombas that will love it !!! Frengie Macaluso - July 8, 2014 at 2:06 AM Reply May I suggest that an alternate pronunciation for provolone (especially auricchio) would be ‘Bruva lune’. That’s the way my Dad (Elmont, LI by way of Lower Manhattan) pronounced it and the only way my brother and I know how to say it Paul Venezia - July 13, 2014 at 10:13 AM Reply There are many instances where southern Italian dialects substitute the sound [b] for [p] and [d] for [t], in addition to the vowel [u] for [o]. So your phonetic perception is quite accurate. My own perception of what my Calabrese parents were saying was something akin to ‘pruvulun(e)’ (official Italian ‘provolone’). I recently visited Italy and it warmed my heart to hear some southern Italians speaking to each other in my parents’ tongue. They tell me that the dialects are dying out, and that everyone studies official Italian today, and that it is inappropriate to use a dialect with a total stranger. But I found it delightful to hear Calabrese spoken in Italy among family and friends. Due to local influences, the dialects spoken by immigrants to North America have evolved quite differently from the original Calabrese dialects in southern Italy. My relatives always got a good laugh when I repeated words my own parents used to say in southern Ontario –words that never caught on in southern Italy. For example – “gar-bi-che” (for “garbage”) yard-a (for “yard”) and “bassa-men-to” for “basement”) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 6:34 PM Reply Even though your relatives were Calabrese, it seems the pronunciations are the same as my family from Naples & Sorrento. Provolone was Pruvalone , basil Basanicol. I hope this dialect doesn’t die out. IF I ever get to go to Italy, it’s probably all I would relate to. Karen - August 4, 2014 at 1:42 PM Anyone ever hear the word “spusada”? Just spelling it how it sounds. Sal - July 17, 2014 at 1:42 PM Reply My best guess is that this is a variation of the official Italian “sposata” which refers to the marital status of a female. For a male that would be “sposato”. It is common in southern Italy for the vowel “o” to be replaced by “u” and for the consonant “t” to be replaced by a “d”. Mark DeMarco - July 25, 2014 at 4:44 PM Reply “Spusdada” however spelled and whatever its literal translation is not usually intended or meant as a descriptive compliment by any means. “Half asleep”…”out of it”…”undone”…”confused”…”totally unaware of what is going on around him/her”…”not all together”……..perhaps begin to approach in American English how that term is sometimes used in describing a particular person. Mike - August 3, 2014 at 2:39 PM The original post mentioned “spusada” whereas you are referring to the phonetic pronunciation “spusdada” (variation of official Italian “spostata”). The two words are different in pronuncation and meaning in both official Italian and in southern Italian dialects. It is common in southern Italian dialects to replace the vowel [o] with [u] and the consonant [t] with [d]. Hence the word which you are referring to is most likely a variation of the official Italian ‘spostata’ which means exactly what you said in your post. However, the absence of a [d] or a [t] after the first poster’s second [s] (check his spelling of “spusada” versus your “spusdada”) leads to me to believe that the corresponding word in official Italian is in fact “sposata” (married status of a female, for example on an Italian passport.) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 6:55 PM Maybe the Latin root for the English word, “spouse”? Karen - August 3, 2014 at 9:25 PM After a little research in Garzanti’s Italian Thesarus and commensurate with Mark’s explanation of “o” sometimes becoming “u” and “t” becoming “d” south of Rome I believe that in “spusada” we are likely dealing with a variant of the Italian ” spossato” indicating a now weak or spent person….lacking in vigor..In the context I have heard what sounds something like that used that would be about right….”all worn out” might be another way to state the case in American English. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 7:51 PM My grandmother was from a village near Naples……..she used to say ,when ever one of us spoke too loud with the Windows open ” basteched” And other one she used to say was ” gi de mort” ??????? joeyc09 - August 2, 2014 at 8:20 PM Reply This is just a guess, but your comment reminds me of two words I heard frequently as a kid in Southern Ontario from my Calabrese parents. “Basta” means “enough (already)”, and your phonetic writing “ched” reminds me of “cheet-o’ meaning “be quiet already”. So basta and chitto (a variation of “zitto” in official Italian are logically combined into one expression. “Basta e “Chito” – “Enough chatter already – and be quiet”. Remember that [t] in official Italian is often replaced by the sound [d]. Hence your recollection of “ched” which I think represents ‘zitto’ in Italian with the final vowel omiited (zitto > chitto > chid(o), which you have represented as ‘ched’. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 7:11 PM When we got too loud, my dad would say, with a rising inflection (and some frustration), “Stai zitto!” Lisa - August 3, 2014 at 8:57 PM “Spusdada” however spelled and whatever its literal translation is not usually intended or meant as a descriptive compliment by any means. “Half asleep”…”out of it”…”undone”…”confused”…”totally unaware of what is going on around him/her”…”not all together”……..perhaps begin to approach in American English how that term is sometimes used in describing a particular person. Mike – August 3, 2014 at 2:39 PM Are you sure you’re not confusing this with, “stunad”, meaning out of it, dazed? Karen - August 3, 2014 at 9:30 PM Reply I am inclined to agree with both of your posts. I haven’t researched it but clearly there is some connection between the English “spouse” (probably from Latin at some point) and the Italian word “sposata” (“married female”). In many southern Italian dialects the vowel [o] is replaced by [u], so it makes perfect sense for there to be a connection between “sposata” and “spusada”. Another post comments on the Italian dialect word “spusdada”, but other than sounding similar has no connection at all that I can see with the term “spusada”. On the other hand “spusdada” does look like it has a connection with another Italian word “spostata” (Remember [t] frequently becomes [d] and the vowel sound [o] frequently becomes [u] in dialect). This leads me to believe that the case for making a connection between “spusdada” and “spostata” is much stronger than assuming that “spusdada” and ‘spusada’ are referring to the same thing. Official Italian spostata > spustata > spusdada (southern Ital. dialect). However, spusada, which is what the first post was all about, evolves from official Italian “sposata” > spusata > spusada (Ital. dialect). Just the thoughts of someone who grew up speaking dialect first, and later learned the official Italian (Florentine) at university. Mark DeMarco - August 4, 2014 at 9:35 AM Reply I am inclined to agree with Karen. The poster’s description is more appropriately linked to the official Italian word “stonato’ which has probably evolved into Italian dialect along the line of stonato > stunatu > stunadu > stunad (Ital. dialect). There is no connection at all that I can see with “spostata” (Ital.) or its variation in Ital. dialect “spusdada”. Mark DeMarco - August 4, 2014 at 9:56 AM Reply “Stunad”…or “stonato is still heard very very frequently and is used as the equivalent of our American English term “stoned”..meaning as you correctly indicate “out of it”…or “dazed”. The other term “spusdada” or “spustato” encountered much less frequently and in the context spoken (referring to a spouse) seemed to mean as indicated…basically “out of it”…The term sounds phonetically something like “scustamata” (“itch”…”pestlike” but that was not the meaning intended to be conveyed. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 5:52 AM My grandma used to say shacod (written how it sounded) for something that was a mess.she was napolitan from avellino.yours is very similar I guess the sound changes slightly from town to town. Ronnie - August 6, 2014 at 12:11 PM Reply Thank you for this. I remember a lot of these. It’s fun to compare these with my knowledge of book italian. I’m looking for one other phrase, something my grandfather said when he was given food that he thought lacked salt or was too bland. It’s something like “scia bid'” or maybe “scia vid” (b’s and v’s tend to sound similar). Maybe something slang about “the wake of life?” Belle cose 🙂 Reply This is just a hunch, but I believe the word you heard was most likely a version of the official Italian word “dissapita” (something bland and unappealing). My late father (who liked salt more than the rest of us) would complain by labelling something “dissapita” (not enough salt). Based on the context you described, the possible omission of the first and last unaccented syllables, and the tendency to replace [p] with [b], and [t] with [d], it is quite possible that your grandfather was saying “dissapita” in his own tongue. dissapita> sapit(a) > sabida > sabid. Mark DeMarco - August 9, 2014 at 6:20 PM Sciabo/sciaba = bland.. In particular without salt. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 2:09 AM Reply Anyone know what the word “camma-nooch” means in “The Godfather”? It was when Sonny was in his father’s study and all the rest came in and he greeted them with that word. Also, in “Godfather II”, the young Tessio when bringing the young Vito to the fancy house and couldn’t find the key says to Vito, “Ming-ya” and that is something that was said in my home many times only it sounded more like “ming-ya-roll”. Anyone have a clue? sisterteresepeter - October 25, 2014 at 6:30 PM Reply “”Camma-nooch” could be a diminutive of the male form of the name ” Carmen” or “Carmine” used in familiar friendly expression upon greeting especially. My barber is named “Carmine” and upon entering his shop many customers (those of Italian origin and otherwise, so well established it is as an “Italian-Americanism”) hail him as “Camma-nooch” (“good little Carmine” perhaps) rather than “Carmine”. Your “mingya” could well be “minchia” or “Wow !”, an expression of surprise and impression, with all that implies. Somehow in any case, rightly or wrongly, it became my own belief that this was not a expression usually used in polite speech. Mike Laurano - November 29, 2014 at 8:06 AM Yes, It’s probably Carminuccio, which is a diminutive or nickname for Carmine. albatromana - December 12, 2014 at 12:39 AM […] American Italian: Dictionary \| American Italian – I grew up in South Philly and was 1st generation American. My mom, dad, and friends rarely spoke proper Italian, but spoke a combination of slang, dialect, corrupted …… […] Reply I love this list for the pleasure it gives my Bronx-Italian husband out here in the Wild West. And I have a candidate for entry into the list: “frudalooms.” Turns out that this was the kind of underwear they all bought back in the day–Fruit of the Loom. Beverly Colgan - December 23, 2014 at 7:47 PM Reply This is a wonderful forum, thank you. My mother’s parents were from Salemi in Trapani, Sicilia, and we grew up (in Boston) hearing many of these words. I haven’t yet read every word in the comments but I will, when I have time. We grew up hearing “bedda matri mia,” not “mamma mia.” I know now that this was a leftover from Arabic, a Sicilian dialect thing. Anyone else grow up hearing this? I have a few questions: the only word I heard for female genitals was “culi”–I assume they were just saying “the holes down there,” like “culo.” Anyone else grew up with that? Also, Nonnie used to say a little prayer or rhyme when there was a big thunderstorm. Anyone know what that was? And her daughters would say a prayer for lost things to St. Anthony, a rhyme in English that I assume was a translation of some similar prayer in Sicilian. Anyone know anything about that? Lastly, is there a Sicilian word for “bastard”? I don’t mean “bastardo”–I mean something more literal, something to describe an illegitimate child whose parents are unknown. And is there a word for “adopted” or “adoption”? Thank you for anything you can tell me–I am writing a chapter of a book, thinking about these things. Will credit this site for the help. Linda (Cammarata) Norton - January 10, 2015 at 2:15 PM Ciao Linda: I’m originally for East Boston. My family was Avellinese. See my website, mrsdrinkwater.com; also my article in wetheitalians.com. I also write travel stories. Best wishes, My grandparents settled in the North Bronx. I grew up in North Jersey This was the “Italian” I heard on the street. Thanks for putting this together. Paul Soltero - February 4, 2015 at 5:33 PM Reply One thing I was hoping to find on the list but didn’t, was something that my grandmother always used to say when she was fed up with something and I guess it would be the equivalent of “for Pete”s sake” or “for crying out loud” in English and that was “Machidente” or if she was really mad just “MA(h)” anyone know how to spell it correctly? I can’t find it anyone on the web. Vince Marinelli - February 20, 2015 at 9:16 AM My MIL used to say “Accipicchia!”, which was retained to be a milder, more genteel, exclamation. 🙂 Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 2:22 AM how do you say uncle frank in the neapolitan dialect????? nick squeglia - March 13, 2015 at 12:32 PM I would think ” Zi Francesc” leaving off the o in zio (uncle) and the o in Francesco Mike - March 14, 2015 at 1:38 PM Reply In the Napolidan language they dislike using word endings to denote gender. When I was a boy we had an old lady relative all the adults called Ozzi. I thought her name was the American Ozzi. But it was “a Zi” they were saying “the Aunt”. In Italian: la Zia. Also they never put the gender in both words, they just use the article. They never say la it’s always just a. Similarly for the uncle they say “u Zi”. U instead of il. So uncle Frank would be u Zi Franc without the o Tony - March 14, 2015 at 2:05 PM For a deeper Neapolitan dialect, I’d say Zi France’…hard accent on the “e”. Laura Bellusci Reply Yes, probably Zi Francesc. I have another question- know this isn’t the right place to post it, but how and where on this page do I start a new comment or question? This site starts at the very beginning of the dictionary, and makes me scroll down through the entire comments section. What am I doing wrong? Thanks. Daraks1 - March 16, 2015 at 2:38 AM Reply I have another question- know this isn’t the right place to post it, but how and where on this page do I start a new comment or question? This site starts at the very beginning of the dictionary, and makes me scroll down through the entire comments section. What am I doing wrong? Thanks. Daraks1 - March 16, 2015 at 2:39 AM Reply My aunt who lived in Staten Island ny was named michelina .we would call her aunt zizi margie .the older generation in my family would call her just zizi. “Where’s zizi today”.i always thought growing up that zizi Margie was her name. Ronnie - March 23, 2015 at 9:16 AM Reply I’m writing a paper for a linguistic anthropology class about my family’s linguistic features and the lexicon on this page is helping me tremendously! There are two words I can’t seem to find anywhere in the depths of the mighty internet. Of course I do not know the “true” spellings so I will try my best. First is something like “ahge” [AHJH] use to describe the feeling of being full (especially in your chest and throat) after eating greasy food. The second is something like “metsagetha!” (maybe “medsagetha”) used to express disbelief (usually as a listeners response to hearing a wild story). Anyone recognize either one?! 1. ACIDO–AH-CHEE-DOE=ACID STOMACH 2. MEZZA VERITA–MEH-ZA–VEH-REE-TA=HALF TRUTH HOPE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. CIAO-CHEE-OW=GOODBY-HELLO—SHORT FOR CE VEDIAMO=CHE-VEH-DEE-AHMO angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 12:59 PM AGITA (n): common usage for upset/stressful stomach problem.. AGITARE means to agitate. To say: I’ve got the AGITA means all the troubles are hitting the gut. Ci vediamo (see you later…) Laura dasolaitalia - April 11, 2015 at 2:09 PM I offer another possibility to your question about disbelief which is “HALF TRUTH” =META DI DETTA–MEHTAH-DEE-DEHTAH, which sounds similar to what you heard CIAO! angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 2:15 PM Correct my second possibility which would be “HALF SAID” = META DI DETTA. Sorry about that goof. CIAO! angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 2:21 PM My family said ah jh na. To mean stomic pains and food coming back up Donna - August 28, 2015 at 11:20 PM My family moved from Philly around 1900 to CT. They used to pronounce it ag ah da. Cipster - September 1, 2015 at 4:26 PM I was recommended this web site through my cousin. I’m no longer certain whether this post is written by way of him as nobody else realize such distinct about my trouble. You’re wonderful! Thank you! The list and comments just made my day! Thanks to each of you who contributed. I too miss all the sounds, aromas, tastes, hugs and love when growing up near an Italian kitchen. 1st Gen Italian from Providence, RI Craig C - May 22, 2015 at 3:33 PM Reply My great-grandmother and grandmother used to say something right before a sentence. It sounded sort of like “em-bah” or “bah”. Sort of like, “Em-Bah. What do you want for dinner?” In the movie “The Godfather”, when Sollozzo meets with Don Corleone the first time, he makes the same sound. Anyone know what that means? Teri - May 23, 2015 at 6:50 PM Please update to my new address: [email protected] Grazie, Laura AND WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR DINNER? = E BENE, CHE COSA VUOI PER CENA? ANGELO NARGI - May 26, 2015 at 3:17 PM I need some help, please! There’s a funny poem my dad used to say, but I’m missing part of it: “Una volta c’era una che mangavi pane pruna, e una volta” (can’t remember – but it ended with) “e cacava.” I need the missing part, and also a translation. Also, he used to say, “The big fish eats the little fish.” I can find lots of translations online, but not in dialect. His mom was Calabrese. Ok, got it! Big thanks to Aunt Connie and nephew Zach. Una volta cherre uno Once upon a time there was one che mangava pane e prune who was eating bread and prunes le ose se cudava. and he would swallow the pits. E i calzi ce cacave. He shit his pants. Che si dici? Hey, what’s up? E sardi se mangiano i licci. Well, the big fish eat the little fish. Lisa B. - November 9, 2015 at 8:40 AM Words I heard my bruzese father say: Tuto fa-shad…… all messed up Shun-gad ….. a real low life Mort de da fam…. my ex brother in law ! Gumba….. like family bas a na gol….. basil scadol……. escarole From my Calabress grandmother….. she said “a bizz” for pizza Lorraine - June 10, 2015 at 8:36 PM Reply I didn’t hear all of the words that you did, but some of them like “gumba”, “basanagol”, “scadol”, and “statazeet”. One word that no one here seems to be familiar was “jumba-lone”. In my grandmother’s tongue, it meant huge. sisterteresepeter - June 11, 2015 at 9:37 AM Reply I married into a Sicilian family in CT and recognize lots of words on the list. It’s funny that I now use fugazi rather than any English equivalent – it just works better. One thing my husband and I say that we don’t know the true meaning of is “fungi kanoobalees” (phoentic). I always thought it meant “nothing” like the Italian word for mushrooms. We use it a lot because it’s fun to say. But I said it in front of my mother in law once and she laughed so hard she couldn’t even tell me what it really meant. She just said my husband used it wrong all these years. Hmm… Deb Lagana - July 1, 2015 at 10:03 PM Reply If you find mistakes in the spelling it is because every city in Southern Italy has its own dialect, so each person would bring a different dialect on their way to the US. There are no ‘standard’ or unique ways to spell, etc. Second, each person had a different influence from English, and that also makes it different, with the result that the dialect spoken in the US obviously differs in some things with the same dialect spoken in Southern Italy. Pia (@Digitalys) - July 30, 2015 at 6:02 AM Reply My Dad used to have a saying and im trying to get spelling. He said it was blood of my blood which is Sangue Del Mio Sangue. But the words he used (Forgive Spelling) was Sanguemi sanutsumi sanguemi. does anyone know what the sayingis and how it is really spelled?? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Barbara Tarr - August 11, 2015 at 12:52 PM Reply Yo, this is the best. Me and my buddies here in South Philly are always talkin bout these here things and this lines up all kinds of stuff. My Mother, Father and Grandparents, uncles and aunts allsaid these here things. It was a real blast from the past. Thanks a lot. Dave - August 26, 2015 at 1:11 PM My family was Calabrezz. They used to say. Im gonna try to spell it out like you did. “Ar jun a” stomic pain like in GERD time to take tums lol Rhode island. Reply Very cool. My mom is 2nd generation Italian. She uses a lot of these words and Yiddish since she is from Brooklyn. She didn’t know that many of them weren’t standard English until she moved. I could see that as many of the words don’t have a precise translation like scooch or stunad (the later erupts out my Midwestern mouth driving). Frank Byrnes - August 30, 2015 at 9:05 PM Reply I work with a gal whose family is Italian-American (makes a great Feast of the Seven Fishes, but I digress). Anyway, we’ll be at work and something will fall for no reason, or we’ll be looking for something that the previous shift misplaced and the gal will blame the (phonetic spelling) “marangeen”. (Sounds like “madangeen”). She says her grandma told her it means, “the man who was not there”, like maybe a poltergeist. Anybody ever hear that word, maybe know the dialect, I’m intrigued. Claudia McCall - September 13, 2015 at 12:06 PM Alot of Gabbagul was taken from American and italianized. Possible from “man done gone” One possibility. David Hollingsworth - September 17, 2015 at 1:42 AM Reply Just a guess – your word could possible be a variation of the Italian “malandrino” which translates in English to wicked…scoundrel…evil-one…etc. It is more or less the same in Spanish and French. American Italian expressions sometimes are not always true to an Italian original- not even to an original dialectical Italian root…sometimes it is in the hearer rather than the words and then it gets repeated to take on a new life of its own…. The very well known “baccaous” illustrates…indicating “back house” or “out house”….not any Continental Italian root to that….purely a creative American Italian expression born of necessity. “Malandrin…” seems to fit the situations you describe. Mike - September 17, 2015 at 4:53 AM you’re correct Mike, TWO WORDS = MAL (evil) LADRINO (thief) EVIL THIEF………..Check out Lou Monte’s “Pepino the Italian Mouse” La Mal Ladrino who steals the cheese. “Vivere Bene, Ridere Spesso, e l’Ammore Con Tutto Il Cuore” Live Well, Laugh Often, and Love with all your heart” angelo nargi - September 26, 2015 at 5:08 PM Mike, I think you nailed it — thanks! Claudia McCall - October 21, 2015 at 12:35 AM Firsr looked up poltergeist – presenza demonica – no correlarion there. Then I saw “gandeen” – in the basement.Possible “but/hand in the basement”? David Hollingsworth - September 17, 2015 at 5:45 AM Reply This is awesome, like a blast from the past… miss my italian relatives, all long gone now. Just the memory of laughter & Italian/American phrases like these. I know there’s so much more, please continue to add to this page. I’ve shared it with my sisters, they love it!!!!m Elisa Pogue - October 8, 2015 at 6:36 PM My grandparents from bari, pronounced biscotti as vishcooth?.I’m trying to spell it the way it sounds..lol Gina - October 27, 2015 at 10:57 AM Reply I was raised in an Italian family (Naples & Sorrento) and my grandmother made them. I never heard the word “biscotti” til I was in my 40’s!!! Grandma called them, “Anisette Cookies”, even though some were almond flavor and some were Anisette. Other relatives of mine (Sicily) pronounce it, “bishcoati”. Karen - November 9, 2015 at 5:50 AM Reply My grandmothers were from Sicily and Calabria. I never heard the word biscotti. It was homemade, and it was called Almond Toast or Anise Toast. Interestingly, my husband, Russian Jew, grew up with the same treat, and it was called Mandelbrot—Almond Bread. Lisa B. - November 9, 2015 at 8:10 AM I really enjoyed this list. My mother was 100% Sicilian and she used many of these words. I wonder how many of the Sicilian words are influenced by the ethnic history of Sicily. Being an American, I had always referred to myself as “Italian” until an Italian from Northern Italy told me Sicily had a very different history than Italy. He made an analogy to Puerto Rico becoming part of America, but had a distinct history. I took a DNA test and was surprised to learn that most Sicilians (including myself) have significant Middle Eastern, Spanish, Greek & N African DNA. It makes sense as Sicily is closer to Tunisia than Rome, 3 hours via boat.The Sicilian language is considered an actual language, not dialect, by linguists. Lisa - November 26, 2015 at 10:54 AM That’s strange- because my Sicilian relatives are real light- with blue -green eyes. My relatives from Naples are dark. Was your DNA test done through Ancestry.com? Karen - November 26, 2015 at 11:16 PM Reply Hi Karen– Sorry did not see your message until now a year later in 2016! Yes, did an ancestry and family tree test. My DNA mix is actually the norm for sicily and I also have blue eyes! My mother (both parents sicilian) had brown eyes, fair skin & dark hair. Her mother had red hair and brown eyes. Her grandmother was even blond and blue eyed. I am told that is from the norman influence. Read about the history of Sicily. It is very distinct from Italy. Italy was unified and sicily incorporated in 1860. It is autonomous but a territory of Italy. Ruled by many rulers due to being on the trade route and so close to Europe, African & the Middle East. laura - October 21, 2016 at 12:22 PM Sicilian and other languages in Southern Italy are indeed languages. They are partly of Catalan origin and in Spain I.e. Catalonia called Alt Catalan. Normans and other Nordic types also spent time in that neck of the woods – ergo blonde hair, blue eyes David Hollingsworth - November 27, 2015 at 2:29 AM Reply Loved reading these definitions and comments, as they reminded me so much of my Italian (Naples) family when I was growing up in Rhode Island! My grandmother used to tease me with a phrase that sounded like “la giamberatta e bet” which she said was “I’m going to teach you then I will lose you” (get married, move away?) Does anyone know the Italian phrase? Lori - November 29, 2015 at 10:36 AM Reply Thank you soooo much for this. Many of these words were used by my mother. However, some, I never knew exactly what they meant. My grandparents were Calabrese. My mother used to say one that I still cannot find. I sounded like (fah -vote) If anyone can please tell me what the real word(s) are and what it means I would really appreciate it. Thanks. Joe - December 5, 2015 at 1:07 AM Reply Well…”fa vota” literally would be “go vote” which is a relatively polite way of saying …”blow off..get lost or just go away”…something like ” va Napoli”…go to Naples” rather than go to H-. These are relatively polite terms because there is another phrase of the street that comes very close in sound to “fa vota” and is meant to be much less polite. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:33 AM Thanks Mike!! Joe - January 1, 2016 at 5:04 PM Chao’ This is great. Growing up in Bensonhurst, 2nd generation Italian this was correct Italian dialect to us. I still use all these words and they have been passed to my adult children. I really never knew it was slang until I was questioned on spelling of certain words. Thank you for your list and for all the Italian-American people who continue to utilize this way of speaking. saluta. Reply My grandmother (Brooklyn from Caserta, near Naples) used to refer to children as ‘quierdooday’ (phonetically) and not the standard Italian ‘bambino’. A reference on another Italian dialect site that says one word used in the Naples are for children is ‘quartaro’ which might be morphed to ‘quierdooday’. Does anyone know? Ro - December 21, 2015 at 7:40 AM your Grandmother was almost certainly making reference to “kids” (i.e. young goats) just as children are sometimes so called in English. What you heard is likely derived from the Italian or Neapolitan word for the same. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:18 AM My grandmother used the word ‘ashpeta’ (phonetic) for ‘wait’. It doesn’t match the standard translation – Does anyone know what Italian word it comes from? Ro - December 21, 2015 at 8:31 AM That is an easy one- the root word is “aspettare”…the Italian verb “to wait”. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:24 AM Reply Hi Ro– My mother whose parents came from Sicily in the 1920’s used to say aspetta (could sound like ashpeta) minuta. It meant wait a minute in Sicilian. She also used to say ammunini (among many other Sicilian words) which meant come with me or let’s go. The Italian verb would be Andare and Andiamo for Let’s go. laura - December 31, 2015 at 2:21 PM Ashpeta comes from aspettare which among other things also means wait or expect. David Hollingsworth - January 3, 2016 at 3:46 PM Baccalà – Salted Cod Fish Reply My grandfather born in 1903 in a mountain village of Campania/Naples, came to America when he was 9 years old. He had blue eyes and blonde hair. His mother, who died soon after his birth, also had blue eyes and blonde hair. Many Italians from the mainland did not consider Sicilians as real Italians. I think it might have been because Sicily was, at one time, almost like a penal colony. I may be mistaken about that, but that is what my grandfather used to tell me. sisterteresepeter - January 1, 2016 at 9:28 PM Reply My family still uses many of these words, mostly because there aren’t English equivalents. My grandmother used to say (phonetically): Due sonno so betch, a tre non ghareeve: It meant two is too much and three won’t reach, which was her way of saying something didn’t make sense. Anyone ever hear of Schreetz? That’s the spatter that happens when you’re frying bacon. tom, cleveland - January 24, 2016 at 2:29 PM My grandmother was 2nd generation Sicilian-American. She used to say a word I can’t find anywhere – I’m beginning to think it was made up or wrong! She would call people who drank too much gigatoon. Any thoughts? Christina - February 24, 2016 at 7:57 PM She didn’t make it up. My grandparents were from Calabria, and they called a drunk a “chi-ca-toon.” I’m sure it’s the same word, but what it stems from, I have no idea. Joanne - March 14, 2016 at 2:30 PM Reply I so enjoyed reading through this! My grandparents were all legal immigrants of Sicily and Bari, Italy. What a fantastic, colorful and memorable childhood I had! I remember almost all the words and phrases on your list and occasionally use some of them still! By the way, thank you for your pronunciation of them as well. It’s like nails on a chalk board when I hear people say man-i-cot-i, or bis-cot-i, rick-cotta, or pros-cute-oh. I can go on but you obviously understand what I’m saying. Ca-peesh?! Kathleen Monachino - March 6, 2016 at 4:00 AM Does anyone know the Gabbagul term for “behind”? Or “butt”? Is “Culo” the accepted (not Gabbagul) word? And also the color “pink”? Thanks. Karen - March 12, 2016 at 8:29 PM Reply My grandma used to say when I was little and going to the bathroom “did you wipe your ghoulee” or if I was being a pain in the ass she would call me “pain in ghoul “. Ghoul,culo ,Cooley all mean ass to me. She was from Naples. Avellino to be more precise. Miss her every minute of every day. Ronnie - March 14, 2016 at 3:09 PM Reply My grandma and mother used to call it “cooley”, too. My grandmother was Calabrezzi and my grandfather was Neopolitan. My grandfather used to call me a big “jumbalone” when I was a little kid. Never knew what that meant. When my mother used to get really po’d, she’d say something like this: “Fungool tha-ya de momeda”. I know what the first part means, but never figured out the last part. Anyone have any clue? sisterteresepeter - April 14, 2016 at 8:26 AM My grandpa always pronounces it “cooloo.” I have no idea if this is a standard Gabbagul word or if it’s just because he never learned to speak Italian. alexelogsdonAlex - March 18, 2016 at 9:31 AM Culo means butt Jami - November 8, 2016 at 2:55 AM I too can confirm that in the southern or Calabrian dialect I heard the pronunciation that you described as “cooloo”. That was not a mistake, but a pattern found in many southern Italian dialects, where over time, the pronunciation of the vowel shifted one degree. So we can observe frequent vowel shifting over time from [o] to [u] example: Edoardo became Eduardo or culo became culu. Other examples of this vowel shifting: [e] to [i] trecento became tricintu; It is important to remember that the dialects were typically handed down orally from one generation to another, as they have been since Roman times. As a result they were dynamic languages more subject to changes over time. The classical latin which was spoken by the elites and the educated, evolved less slowly. Today the official language of Italian republic was once the dialect of Florentine raised to national status. So many of the comparisons here to standard Italian are really comparisons between two different dialects. Each word has a history and there is no reason why a word in 2017 should have a counterpart in two dialects, especially if those words evolved from a different source. For example, in the Florentine dialect the word for mouse is “topo”. In some southern Italian dialects it is pronounced “sudice”. In the Florentine dialect (now official Italian), the word for table is “tavola”. In parts of southern Italy we find the word “buffetta”. (kind of similar to our English word buffet, likely of French origin). Recall that French domination of southern Italy lasted a long time and resulted in the introduction of new words that were not part of the lexicon of the Florentine dialect. Mark DeMarco - January 2, 2017 at 2:17 PM We always called it a “cooloo.” My mom’s parents were born in Sicily, and my dad’s mother in Calabria (his father from the north, near Treviso). Lisa B. - January 8, 2017 at 4:18 PM What about BEE-shi or the long form BEE-sho-LEEN? Lol I didn’t even know the real name till i was way too old. Jimmy - March 19, 2016 at 7:54 PM Might you be referring to the chamber pot that was standard night time household equipment in the days before indoor bathrooms ? Mike - March 22, 2016 at 8:10 PM Yes I remember grandma told us about the pissa pot.when we had no money she used to say we don’t have a pot to piss in….still dont Ronnie - March 25, 2016 at 11:40 AM Reply I have been trying to find out for years how to spell the Italian (most likely Italian-American slang) word that sounds phonetically like “Badjagaloop” and what the English translation is. It’s usually used in the context of calling someone an idiot or something similar and was in common usage in Northern New Jersey in the 1970s-1990s (probably still is, but I don’t live there anymore so I couldn’t really say. ) There was even a restaurant by that name, but of course it was spelled phonetically “Bajagaloops” and was not a real Italian restaurant. I think it was a fast food place. I don’t know if this thread/site is still active or open, but if so, can anyone shed some light on this for me? Valentina R - June 6, 2016 at 1:56 PM Reply Ok, here’s one for the books. What does (phonetically spelled) “ming-ya-roll” mean? I heard it on Godfather II when a young Clemenza took a young Vito to a house to get a rug. When Clemenza discovered there wasn’t a key under the rung, he said, “Ming-ya”. Anyone have a clue what this means? BTW, my Italian roots are from Chicago. Terese Tompkins - June 19, 2016 at 11:46 AM Reply meeng ya, not exactly sure but when ever I heard it used it was like saying “I don’t believe it” or “what the heck”. Never heard “ming-ya-roll” but a phrase we still use in my family is “meeng-ya-moda”, this refers to someone who tends to do things in a sloppy, lazy way. eg. She’s a mingya moda I don’t speak Italian so I don’t know what the words really mean but I have always assumed that the “moda” (pronounced mode-uh} is from the word “mode”, a way or method of doing somethong. So , meeng ya moda, a lazy way, might indicate that meengya suggests laziness or perhaps something unbelievably foolish. Vincent - June 23, 2016 at 11:24 AM I guess some of these words and phrases are just ways that Italian Americans used to hang on to their heritage. My grandmother’s family came from Calabria and my grandfather’s family came from Naples. Plus, you have the Chicago influence of other Italians so I think a lot of these words and phrases were influenced by the city in which these people lived. There are lots of recipes that are common to all Italians, yet my family made them very differently. In Chicago, you would never find a pizza with the cheese at the bottom of the pizza with the extras on top of the cheese. Pastafazool was made very differently in my family than some of the recipes I’ve seen. But, I do enjoy learning more and more about Italian people and their languages and traditions. sisterteresepeter - June 23, 2016 at 3:28 PM Ming ya is Managgia in Napolidans – something akin to GD it!!! or Doggone!!!! David Hollingsworth - August 14, 2016 at 10:18 AM Thanks, David! Yes, My mother and her family used to use that word a lot whenever they were frustrated. Sometimes, my Italian uncles would call me a “jumba-lone” when I was a kid. I’m not sure what it meant, but I know it was not a compliment! sisterteresepeter - August 14, 2016 at 10:54 AM Omg…these words are words I grew up with!!!!!! I love seeing these..i actually taught my kids and my relative from Italy said I wasn’t teaching him the right way!!!!!! Gloria DeStefano- - June 11, 2016 at 9:15 AM woodza woo dza means a hole or place to keep extra money bitacuse = cheapskate manga tadia = one who eats too much beva tadia = one who drinks too much engora = oh no not again coom asti you = how are you, half English Thanks for this site, very cool Vincent - June 13, 2016 at 4:39 PM I’m a native Italian speaker. I find this very entertaining. I have heard many of these words used by Italian Americans. There are some words that are not literal translations. Grazie Rose - July 16, 2016 at 8:49 PM Just wondering id anyone knew what guanda moss meant? I know this is not how it’s spelled. John Anastasi - July 20, 2016 at 10:23 AM Reply “quante mosse”…literally translates to “how or so many movements ?” indicating a probable dramatic exaggeration of some sort either in response or reaction to some stimulus. In music the term “con tante mosse” is employed when it is time to play the music dramatically. Mike - July 29, 2016 at 5:47 AM My Father used to say it to my Mother when she was arguing with him……….kind of makes sense now, LOL. Thanks.. johnnyboy1823 - July 29, 2016 at 6:02 AM My grandmother used to say (phonetic spelling) “Guanda belle!” Meaning “beautiful one” I think. It was beautiful something, for sure! sisterteresepeter - July 29, 2016 at 12:33 PM I remember that too……seems like my Father was saying, “How Dramatic” LOL johnnyboy1823 - July 29, 2016 at 12:44 PM Anyone ever heard the term “ska-sha-BONG” to mean a jalopie or crappy car? My godfather in South Philadelphia used to say it. Amanda Colianni - August 4, 2016 at 3:38 PM “scasciata” I believe translates to “ruined” or “destroyed” or “broken down”… “scasciabanga” applied as you say to a “jalopie” could be an “American-Italian” word. Have also heard it unkindly applied to people…not nice ! Mike - August 12, 2016 at 5:44 AM My Dad used that too……….ruined, destroyed, messed up, etc. johnnyboy1823 - August 12, 2016 at 12:27 PM English words for the Italian word schiacciare SCHIACCIARE = cave crush jam mash overwhelm pinch press push down smash squash squeeze squelch swat THE SLANG EXPRESSION “SCASHADE”COMES FROM THE VERB SCHIACCIARE…………….. ANGELO NARGI - August 12, 2016 at 1:49 PM I have discussed this scacciabong with the owners of the restaurant we visit. They come from Campania. They say means a bonecrusher – schiacciare to press or crush and bong probably bones. In other words the car is a bone crusher cuz it bounces around so much. David Hollingsworth - August 14, 2016 at 10:15 AM Yep! And if you can get a hold of a copy of Fatso!. A movie with Dom Delouise you will hear it mentioned in there by Anne Bancroft “Ain’t these the keys to your schiash! Joe - August 13, 2016 at 7:32 PM This is great, my Papa came from Sicily & and Mama’s family from Italy. “You will learna to speaka English” Papa said: ” becausa you wasa borna here ” ! Never learned Proper Italian cause of the dialect speaking. Now I am laughing over the memories of la Familia expressiones & there spelling too. Graci ! Reply Love the Dictionary,brought a tear in the eye because my parents who are deceased are from R.I. and Ma.spoke this style of Italian. Reminds me of growing up in Italian house hold where are grandparents immigrated from southern Italy, Town called San Sossio in region Avelino. Have yet to make the trip,but on my bucket list. Also love reading all comments. Great job. Fred Demartino,ma. Fred DeMarinis - November 10, 2016 at 11:53 PM Does anybody know why Italians leave the last syllable off of every word? Karen - November 14, 2016 at 5:50 PM Reply Hello Karen, As I got older I discovered that the vowels at the end of the Italian words I heard when I was growing are not silent but should actually be pronounced. So, manicotti was just manicot, ravioli was just raviol and calamari just calimad. My theory is that immigrant Italians would drop the vowel in an attempt to Americanize the words. Does anyone know if this is correct? Vince - November 14, 2016 at 8:27 PM That’s an easy one, to save time!!!! Lol. Victoria Marinello - December 10, 2016 at 6:39 PM Reply In linguistics it is taught that unstressed vowels are frequently weakened or eliminated. Your questions relate to a spoken Italian dialect. However, I can assure you that (1) no, this is not an attempt to Americanize the words and (2) this tendency to truncate an unstressed vowel at the end of the word is not unique to any dialect. Also, you are comparing the written Italian (which is a static graphic representation) to a spoken dialect (which is a living dynamic language). Numerous examples exist across many languages and dialects of this tendency to truncate unstressed vowels, especially at the end of a word or syllable. veritasmba - January 2, 2017 at 7:13 AM Thank you. Vince - January 2, 2017 at 9:24 AM Thank you all.	Pizzicato
Which company made The Comet, the world’s first passenger jet airliner?	American Italian: Dictionary \| American Italian American Italian aduzipach!/aduzipazz! – you’re crazy! (ma tu sei pazzo!) [aa-DOO-zee-PAACH]/[aa-DOO-zee-PAATS] afanabola!/vafanabola!/a fa napule! – go to hell! (a fa Napoli!) [aa-faa-NAA-boe-laa] agita – heartburn/indigestion (aciditá) [AA-jih-tuh] ammonini! – let’s go! (andiamo!) [aa-moe-NEE-nee] andosh!/andosc’ – let’s go! (andiamo) [aan-DOESH] aunda/awunda? – where? (awundi?) [aa-WOON-duh] aunda ciunca/awunda chunka? – where does it hurt? (awundi ciunca?) [aa-WOON-duh CHOON-kuh?] assai – a lot (molto) [aah-SYE] bacous’/bacouz – bathroom (backhouse) [buh-KOWZ] basanagol/basanicol’ – basil (basilico) [baa-zaa-naa-GOAL] bada bing! – bam!; Note: Popularized in the 1970s by The Godfather character Santino Corleone biangolin’ – bleach (bianco lino) [byaan-GO-leen] bicciuridu – my little boy/my little baby (piccolo bambino) [BEECH-oo-REE-doo] bisgott’ – cookie (biscotti) [beesh-GAWT] boombots – nickname for an idiot (u’ pazzo); Note: As in “Vinnie Boombots” [boom-BAATS] boxugeddu – box (box per oggetti) [baax-oo-JED-oo] braggiol’ – meat and sauce/male anatomy (bracciole) [BRAAJH-oel] brosciutt’/prosciutt’ – italian ham (prosciutto) [BRAAJH-oot]/[PRAAJH-oot] buttagots/butta’ gazz’ – annoying idiot (buttana u’ cazzo) [boo-taa-GAATS] buttann’/puttann’ – b_tch/whore (putanna); Note: more mild than “sciaquadell” [boo-TAAN] calabres’ – Calabrian (calabrese); Note: can refer to people, objects, customs, etc. [caal-uh-BRAYZ] calamad – fried squid (calamari) [caal-uh-MAAD] capidan/capitan’ – captain (capitano/capitan) [caap-ee-DAAN] cendann’/cent’ ann’ – a hundred years (cento anni); Note: said before a toast [chen-DAAN] che cozz’? – what the f— are you doing? (che cazzo fai?) [KAY-kaatz] chefai? – what are you doing? (che cosa fai?) [ke-FYE] chepreca! – what a shame! (che peccato!) [kay-preh-KAA] chiove – raining (fa piove) [KYOH-vay] chiove tropp’assai – it’s raining very hard (fa piove molto) [KYOH-vay-TROAP-aa-SAI] chooch – jackass (ciuccio) [CHOOCH] cing-u-bezz/cing’ u’ bezz’ – five dollars apiece (cinque un pezzo) [cheeng-oo-BETZ] ciuri – flowers (fiori) [CHOO-ree] colghioni/cogliones/gulgliones – male anatomy (colghioni) [coal-YOANZ]/[gool-YOANZ] cornuto – husband whose wife is unfaithful (cornuto) [coar-NOO-toe] cuore stuppau – heart stopped (cuore stopped) [KWOAW-ray-staa-POW] ddojefacc/duyavatch – two faced (due facce) [doo-ya-FAATCH] disgraziat’ – dirtball (disgraziato) [dees-graats-ee-AAT] dzapp’ – gardening hoe (zappa) [DZAAP] edi-conosc’? – do you know me?/do you know who I am? (e mi conosci?) [EE-dee-GAA-noesh] facciabrutt’ – ugly face (faccia brutta) [FA-chuh-broot] faccia di katzo – ball face (faccia di cazzo) [FAA-chaa-dee-KAA-tsoe] facciadu/faccia du’ – two faced (facce due) [faatch-aa-DOO] facciu fridda – it’s cold (fa freddo) [FAA-choo-FREE-daa] fugeddaboudit – forget about it (forget about it) fanabola!/vanabola! – shit! (a fa Napoli) [faa-NAA-boe-laa] fatti gatti due!/vatoli vatoli due! – mind your own f—ing business! (fa ti cazzi tuoi) [FAA-tee-GAA-tee-doo-yay] fattu napiridu – I farted [FAA-too-naa-pee-REE-doo] (ho fatto napiridu) ‘ffangul’! – go f— yourself! (vai a fare in culo) – [faan-GOOL] fraggiol’ – beans (fraggiole) [FRAA-joal] frittat’/fritad – fried egg dish (frittata) [frə-TAAD] fugazi – fake (falso OR fake) fuidi dogu! – get down from there! [FWEE-dee-DOW-goo] gab’ – head (capo) [GAAB] gabbadost’/gab’ a’ tost’ – hardhead (capa dura/capa tosta) gabbagul/gabbagool – type of meat/food/idiot/fool (capicola/capocollo/capacolla) [gaa-baa-GOOL] gabbaruss’/gab’ a’ russ’ – redhead (capo rosso) [gaa-baa-ROOS] gabbadeegats/capa di cazz’ – ball face (capo di cazzo) [gaa-baa-dee-GATS] gabish?/capish?/gabisc’? – (do you) understand? (capisci?) [gaa-PEESH] gaguzz’ – muscles/idiot/money/squash (cucuzza) [gaa-GOOTS] gaguzzalonga – big muscles (cucuzza lunga) [ga-GOOTS-aa-LOWN-gaa] gambarell’/gambanell’ – (door)bell (campanello) [GAMBA-rell] gandin’ – basement (cantina) [gaan-DEEN] gavadeel’ – italian pasta (cavatelli) [gaa-vaa-DEEL] gavone – gluttonous eater (cafone) [gaa-VOAN] gettuzang/gett’ u’ sang’ – work hard/bleed (gettare il sangue) [get-oo-ZAANG] ghiacchieron’ – blabbermouth (chiacchierone) [gyaa-kyaa-ROAN] giambott’ – Italian stew (giambotta) [jaam-BAUWT] giamoke/giamocc’/jamoke – idiot (giamope) [jaam-OAK] gibude – onion (cipolla) [jaa-BOOD] gomesegiam’?/comesegiam’?/gome se chiam’ – how do you say?/whatchamacallit? (come si chiama?) [go-maa-say-GYAM] goopalin’ – snow hat (goobalini) [goo-paa-LEEN] goombah – countryman/fellow comrade/godfather (compare) [goom-BAA] gopp’ – up/top (coppa/capo) [gaap] gul’/cul’ – ass (culo) [GOOL] gumad – mistress/girlfriend (cumare/comare) [goo-MAAD] guyasabbu? – who knows? (chissa?) [goo-yaa-ZAA-boo] gidrul’ – stupid person (cetriolo) [jih-DROOL] haicapid – do you understand? (hai capito) [eye-kaa-PEED] how ya doin’? – how’s it going? (how are you doing?) ‘iamo – let’s go! (andiamo) [YAA-moe] idu – he (lui) [EE-doo] i-malano-miau! – I can’t believe it! (che malanova mi hai) [EE-maa-laa-no-mee-auw] issu – she (lei) [EE-soo] lascialui! – leave him alone! (lascilo!) [laa-shaa-LOO-ee] lasordida!/asodida! – your sister!/your sister’s a _____! (la sorella!/tua sorella (è una putana)!) [laa-SA-dih-daa] la vesa gazi – swear word [laa-VAY-zaa-gaa-ZEE] ma che cozz’u fai?! – what the heck are you doing?! (ma che cozzo fai?!) [maa-KAY-kauwtz-oo-fai] ma che bell’! – why, how beautiful! (ma che bella) [maa-KAY-bell] ma che quest’? – what is this? (ma che cosa è questo?) [maa-KAY-quest] maddiul’/mariul’ – fool/rascal (mariolo) [maa-dee-OOL] maliocch’ – the evil eye (malocchio) [maal-YOAK] mamaluke – idiot/fool (mamalucco) [maa-maa-LOUK] mannaggia – damn/cursing (male ne aggia/male ne abbia) [MAA-NAA-juh] mannaggia dial – curse the devil (male ne aggia il diavolo) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl] mannaggia la mort’ – cursing death (male ne aggia la morta) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl] mannaggia la miseria – cursing misery (male ne aggia la miseria) [MAA-NAA-juh-MEE-seh-ree-uh] manigott’ – italian pasta (manicotti) [maa-NEE-gauwt] mapeen/mopeen/mappin’ – napkin/towel (moppina) [maa-PEEN] maranad – marinara sauce (marinara) [maa-raa-NAAD] maron’! – damnit (madonna) [maa-ROAN] maronna mia! – oh my God! (madonna mia!) [maa-ROAWN-aa-MEE-uh] menzamenz – half and half (mezza mezza) [mehnz-AA-mehnz] mezzamort’ – half-dead (mezzo morto) [METZA-moart] minch’ – wow! (minchia) [meenk] mortadell’ – Italian sausage/loser (mortadella) [moart-aa-DELL] mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame) [moart-aa-daa-faam] muccatori – tissue (fazzoletto) [moo-kaa-TOE-ree] murudda – without a brain [moo-ROO-daa] musciad – mushy (musciata/ammosciato) [moo-SHYAAD] moosh-miauw – very mushy (musciata miau) [moosh-meow] muzzarell’/muzzadell’ – Italian cheese (mozzarella) [mootz-aa-DELL] medigan’ – non-Italian american/Italian who has lost his roots (americano) [meh-dee-GAAN] napoleedan/napuletan’ – Neapolitan (napolitano) [naa-paa-lee-DAAN] numu fai shcumbari! – don’t embarass me!/stop embarrasing me! (non fai scumbari) [NOO-moo fai shkoom-baa-REE] oobatz’/patz’ – crazy person (un pazzo/u’ pazzu) [oo-BAATZ] paesan’ – fellow Italian countryman (paesano) [pai-ZAAN] panzagin’! – I’m full! [paan-zaa-GEEN] pasta vasul’ – Italian soup (pasta fagioli) [pasta-faa-ZOOL] pastin’ – small, star-shaped pasta (pastina) [paa-STEEN] pizzagain’ – Italian meat pie (pizzagaina) [pizza-GAIN] pizzolino – afternoon nap (pisolino) [peetz-o-LEE-no] provalon’ – type of cheese (provalone) [pro-və-LOAN] pucchiach’/bucchiach’ – b–ch (pucchiacha) [poo-KYAAK] rigott’ – Italian cheese (ricotta) [ree-GAUWT] salud’/salut’ – be in good health (salute) [zaa-LOOD] shape-la-tass’ – shape of a cup (shape of la tazza) [shape-aa-laa-taatz] scharol’/scarol – escarole/money (scarola) [shkaa-ROAL] schif’/shkeeve – to be disgusted by something (schifo) [shkeef] schifozz’ – disgusting thing (schifosa) [shkee-VOATZ] scorchamend’/scocciament’ – a pain in the ass (scocciamento) [scorch-aa-MEND] scooch – pest/move over [SKOOCH] scoochi-di-bandanz – a real pain [scooch-ee-dee-baan-DANZ] scustumad’ – stupid person (scostumato) [skoo-stoo-MAAD] sciumara – river (fiumara) [shoo-MAA-raa] scobendo – to sweep the floor (scopare) [sko-BEN-doe] scubata/scupata – get laid (scopato) [SKOO-baa-taa] sculabast’ – pasta strainer (scola la pasta) [skoo-laa-BAAST] scungill’/scongigl’ – cooked snail (sconciglio) [skoon-JEEL] sedeti/sededi – sit down (sedeteti) [SEH-daa-dee] sesenta fame? – do you feel hungry?/are you hungry? (sei senti fame?) [seh-SEHN-taa-FAA-may] sfacimm’ – bad person (sfacimma) [SVAH-CHEEM] [svaa-CHEEM] sfogliadell’ – italian pastry (sfogliatella) [SHVOHL-ya-dell] sciaquadell’ – whore (sciacquata) [shock-wa-DELL] spasciad’/scasciad’ – not talking (to someone) (spacciato/spasciau) [spaa-SHAAD] spustad/spostat’ – spaced out (spostato) [spoo-STAAD] strunz’ – sh_t (stronzo) [STROONZ] stanna mabaych – son of a b—- (mispronounced “son of a b—-“) [STAA-naa-maam-BAYCH] statagitt’!/stagitt’!/staizitt’!/staizii! –be quiet! (stai zitto) [stah-tuh-JEET] stendinz – intestines/guts (inglese: intestines) [stehn-DEENZ] stugots/stugats – f___ it (questo cazzo/questu cazzu/’stu cazzu) [stoo-GAATS] stunad – moron (stonato) [stoo-NAAD] struppiau – extremely dimwitted (stupido) [stroo-pee-YAOW] stuppiau – very dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-pee-YAOW] stuppiad – dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-PEE-yaad] suprasa/suprasad – type of salami (soppressata) [soo-praa-SAAD] suscia – blow (soffia) [SOOSH-yaa] te fugo! – f— you! [tay-FOO-go] ti voglio ben’assai – I love you so much (ti voglio bene) [tee-VOAL-yo-TROAP-aa-SAI] un ada oda – another time (un altra volta/un altra ora) [oon-AA-daa-O-daa] ue, goombah! – hey, man! (ue, compare!) [way-goom-BAH] ufratu – your brother (il fratello/tuo fratello) [oo-FRAA-too] umbriag’/umbriacc’/umbriago – intoxicated (ubriaco) [oom-bree-YAAG] usorda – your sister (la sorella/tua sorella) [oo-SOAR-daa] vaffangul’!/baffangul’!/ – f— you! (vai a fare in culo) [VAA-faan-GOOL] vagaboom/vagabuma – vagabond (vagabonda) [vaa-gaa-BOOM] vangopp’ – go up/go upstairs (fa in coppa) [vaan-GOAP] veni ca/vieni qua – come (over) here (vieni qui) [veh-nee-KAA] vedi caciunca/vidi cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (vedi la ciunca?) [vee-dee-kaa-CHOON-kaa] walyun/wayo/guaglion’/guaglio’ – young man (guaglione) [waal-YOON] ‘uarda/warda – look! (guarda!) [WAAR-daa] ‘uarda la ciunca! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (guarda la ciunca!) (WAAR-daa-laa-CHOON-kaa] zoot/zutt’ – down/downstairs (sotto) [zoot] zutt’ u’ basciament’ – down to the basement (sotto u’ basement) [zoot-oo-baa-shaa-MENT] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ American Italian is an Italian-American pidgin language developed in the early 20th century by Italian immigrants settling in American cities and metropolitan areas, especially in New York and New Jersey. It is based on the Italian language, but it contains a mixture of Sicilian- and Neapolitan-inspired dialect words and phrases as well as English words. The language was prominent in United States cities on the East Coast, such as Newark, Paterson, New York City (especially Manhattan and Brooklyn), the cities of Long Island, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Boston, but I am finding that it was spoken very similarly in the other regions of the US as well as pockets of Canada. It was developed and spoken in tightly-knit Italian communities and neighborhoods. Linguistically, a language is a complete form of communication, but American Italian is actually an incomplete language (a pidgin language) that needs to be supplemented with Italian (or English or both) in order to function. Many Gabbagool words are taken from Italian dialects, and different Italians in different areas spoke their dialects differently. Without a repository for these words, they will likely be lost, as pidgin languages are difficult to sustain. See the following definitions: Language: a complete, independent form of verbal communication (example: modern Italian or American English) Dialect: a complete language derived from another complete language (example: Sicilian) Pidgin: an incomplete, secondary language formed impromptu by people in an area who do not speak the main language (example: Gabbagool) The spellings in this dictionary are somewhat arbitrary because these words do not truly belong to English or Italian; they are hybrid creations. I try to always utilize the Tuscan Italian (the official dialect on which the modern Italian language is based) as a guide to spelling, using commas for dropped vowels. If a word has an English origin, I will reflect its English spelling. If a word has unknown origins or a pronunciation that is difficult to spell in the Italian language, I will spell it phonetically using English as a guide. This is the official dictionary and hub of American Italian (containing the approximate spellings, meanings, etymology, and pronunciations), so it is not lost forever. Much of this comes from memory and familial recollection. Putting this together in one succinct place was very fun, and I hope it is helpful. This dictionary will be updated, as it is an ongoing process. In this dictionary, you will find tons of American Italian words and their Italian linguistic origins. This will be the official hub of everything related to American Italian. Please feel free to add to our ongoing comments section to share your words and stories! They will always be saved in the comments section, which itself is a living document of the culture. Like this: Like Loading... This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 10:02 PM and is filed under Italian and Italian American Slang . Tagged: agita , bensonhurst , brooklyn , butann , calabrese , capish , corleone , dialect , gabagul , gabbagul , godfather , goodfellas , goomba , goombah , guido , Italian , italian dialect , italiano , italy , made man , manhattan , neapolitan , pesci , sicilian , siciliano , slang , sopranos . You can feed this entry. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. 419 Responses nice job on maing this web site. i totally agree with you that they should bring some of the old shows back. the new shows that are on today do not compare to the old shows….not even close. also i like the italian words there really cool. al of them are correct and all italian families talk like that. im trying to memorize some of the italian slang words on your list. once again nice job. your a true italian! matt - May 27, 2009 at 8:00 PM I remember these words from while growing up (Italian neighborhood in Jersey). Thank you for reminding me. J. Cerullo - August 7, 2009 at 10:54 PM Reply This was great. I was sitting here with my 16 year old looking up some of the words that I could remember my italian grandmother saying through the years. I was so excited to see scola la pasta on here. We were discussing this word this morning while cooking pasta. Donna - August 23, 2009 at 9:43 PM I use scola a pasta all the time. I am 2nd generation Italian born in America. Now my grandchildren use this work instead of colandar. Barbara - January 18, 2012 at 3:03 PM Reply I am just reading this now and it is brining back lots of memoires of my grandparents. When they used to watch me when i was little, i didn’t alwyas understnad them. One time grandma Jennie wanted the scolapasta and i didnt know what she wanted..She said you know “macaroni stop, water go!”. Linda Posta - January 19, 2013 at 10:57 AM My mom, first gen American, said she was married before she knew the English word for colander. Fun to see scola pasta here. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 9:32 PM Hahaha, my grandma lived for a long time in the west new york/north bergen area in NJ, and says “oh maron” all the time. Best part … we’re not Italian at all! Michelle - September 4, 2009 at 12:29 PM you mean “madonna”.. mother of god, is what that saying is used to mean, pronounced (mah-down, with “down” like “own”). Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 5:08 PM no, she meant maron’! – damnit (madonna) [maa-ROAN] it’s up in the list. we said it too. brockpowers - August 6, 2014 at 6:55 PM Please state clearly that this is the language spoken by Italian immigrants, not Italian. Most of these terms wouldn’t be understood in Italy, but I suppose only in Brooklin (or Broccolino as they said) 😀 Ciao da Roma Reply Just a couple hours ago my Irish nephew called me from upstate New York to ask “Uncle Joe, how do you spell ‘Gomba’?” We both turned on the computers and found HERE that the correct spelling is GOOMBA. Thank you for all the fractured Italian words. A great read! Joe Palmieri - September 15, 2009 at 9:54 PM And understood in Newark NJ MaryAnn - February 26, 2012 at 7:41 PM g - June 11, 2012 at 9:06 AM 🙂 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 7:49 AM Downneck!! Cat - June 1, 2014 at 10:34 AM No if you going to parts of southern Italy, 90% of the wording would be still be understood by the older generation. It would not be understood by the new generation(schooling) which teach the Fiorentine dialect or offical Italian Domenico - January 27, 2013 at 6:41 AM Sometimes known as “Book Italian.” David Hollingsworth - November 16, 2013 at 3:08 PM Most of this is Napolitano or Siciliano dialect, and would most certainly be understood in the south. pleathafif - April 1, 2014 at 10:34 PM Oh, thank you for this! All my life my grandmother would shake her wooden spoon at me and call me scooch or scocciamente and I never knew how to spell them. MissMeliss - November 3, 2009 at 1:33 AM Reply I grew up in South Philly and was 1st generation American. My mom, dad, and friends rarely spoke proper Italian, but spoke a combination of slang, dialect, corrupted Italian words, and made up words with Italian origins. One word was “baccahous” which meant bathroom or toilet. I was told many early Italian immigrants worked as laborers for contractors. Very few people at the time had indoor plumbing and homes had outhouses in the back. (They used pee pots inside for when it was too cold at night in the winter to go outside). When they asked to use the toilet facilities, they were told it was in the “back of the house.” This phrase was Italianized and became the word, “baccahous”. If you remember there was a song by Lou Monte, Pepino the Mouse. The entire song is made up of corrupted Italian words. In it he uses baniarol (banyarol) and scaciata (scashata), which mean bathtub and smash or squish. Don’t ask me where those words came from, but we used them all the time. There was another group of words that were interchangeable. They were “a facia tu/te, a fesse tu/te, or a fessa/facia da sorida.” (Facia was pronounced facchia). These meant your face or your sister’s face. These were used primarily amongst friends to insult each other. So, let’s say someone cut loose a really gross fart. They would say to their friend, a faccia tu, or a fessa da sorida, which meant your face or your sister’s face. Your faces were compared to a fart. Sometimes an adult would use it as a mild oath. One time my mom dropped a big bowl of spaghetti all over the floor and she cursed, a fessa da sorida. She cursed the spaghetti’s “sister’s face”. Sometimes when we wanted to go tell someone to go fuck himself, we wouldn’t just say vafagul. We would say the proper Italian, “va fa culo.” Except it was pronounced very articulately as if given a few exclamation points at the end. The va, fa, and culo were drawn out with the “cu” in culo given an extra emphasis. It would come out, vaa faa cuuulo!!! There are more words, but I hope these bring back memories. Jeets - November 26, 2009 at 1:50 PM Reply Hey, this totally sounds like my relatives in Canada, who are italian immigrants! Only i have to say that “a fess e soreta” doesn’t mean “in your sister’s face”… it is a bit more offensive (it means “your sister’s vagina” to say it politely!) I’m telling you because if you ever come to Italy and say that, it is really really unpolite 🙂 Also, to the writer of the post, “cornuto” is not the unfaithful husband but the husband whose wife is unfaithful 🙂 teresa - March 30, 2010 at 8:11 AM actually fessa means fool. so when they say “a fess e soreta” they are saying to the fool that is your sister… which is still cold. did anyone ever hear “alle murte tue”? where i guess they curse the dead? pia - October 22, 2010 at 10:41 PM I forgot to mention fesse meant fool, also. It was like the word cafone. Jeets - November 27, 2009 at 1:41 PM Reply Hey a great fun to read. I’m Polish and I’m writing my thesis on family values and culture of Italian-Americans based on The Sopranos, and this mini-dictionary happened to be really interesting, so thanks a lot for Your effort. Maciej - November 29, 2009 at 4:26 PM Reply Very nice job! Funny thing: I am from Pittsburgh, PA and understood and remember the vast majority of these words and phrases being used (though some of the consonant sounds are a bit harder i.e. gavone to cavone, statagitt’ to statazitt’, etc.) I am twenty-four and I, myself, remember using the word baccaus’ for “bathroom” in school. Of course, none of my ‘medigan teachers knew what I was saying! Another popular phrase that I grew up with was to say when seeing someone, “Wai-i-o?” (Literally pronounce, Y-E-O). I was told it was a standard Italian greeting; my aunt went so far as to have her license plate changed to read Y-E-O! Boy, weren’t we surprised when we found out that it wasn’t Italian at all, but Italians trying to pronounce the English “How are you?”! Send an e-mail my way! I’d like to talk. Visit my page on i-Italy. As a matter of fact, everyone here should create there own page! It is an awesome Italian/Italian-American networking site. Chris - December 1, 2009 at 8:52 AM “‘medigan” .. love it! hahaha I translation for those not familiar = “American” I remember my Italian grandmother always grumbling that word at my father, who was of Scottish decent, when she was not pleased with him or when referring to his side of the family! Joy - October 24, 2011 at 11:23 AM Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 5:05 PM Means dog shit, literally ;/ Jami - November 8, 2016 at 2:57 AM What’s your email, Chris? Phil Barbieri - November 6, 2011 at 9:19 PM Reply I believe that /Y-E-O/, as you said they pronounced, wasn’t the italians trying to pronounce “hoe are you”. I think it was the word from dialect of Neaples “Guagliò, or Uagliò – this second is exactly pronounced like the capital letters Y E O) and means “boy, kid” . It is used like “Hey man!” as greeting between mates. btw: “Goompa” is the slightly altered “Cumpà”(dialect of Neaples), in italian “compare”. It means “mate”. Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:24 PM Reply I can remember my father’s people saying “Hey! Y O” exactly as the two letters Y and O (not “yo”). I have a cousin who when we get together still says “Hey! Y O!” and it cracks me up every time. My grandfather said it all the time. Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:36 PM In my house,(and being a 3rd generation Napolidan/Sicilian-American) I had always understood the word Y E O as pronounced like while-yo. That there was a distinctive “L” sound in there. Hey, maybe it was the Bronx/Yonkers version LOL!!! Paul - April 26, 2014 at 7:36 AM Love this!!!Thanks to Tony Soprano, my 16 year old thinks it’s so cool to say gabbagul…to my mother’s dismay. Her family is from Northern Italy and insists that Tuscano is proper Italian. My father, god rest his soul, would say “gabbagul” and “supra sa”…but he was “Naballidon”. My parents teased me when I was little by saying the biangolin man left me at the wrong house. And if you were being a little too demanding you were dubbed…paduna de buccahaus…boss of the buck (out) house. Good work! Michele - December 3, 2009 at 12:34 AM Reply Wow, great job. Im from South Jersey, third generation, my whole family came from south Philly. You are right on the money with those definitions. The pronunciations were dead on. Especially the food, “calamad, managot”, etc. I know there is a ton that you dont have in there yet but I always waondered why my father and grand father would say “Putiga” when suprised or as if to say oh my god. I know the real translation is bottle (bottiglia). Just never made sense why one would say bottle when surprised…. Good luck on the dictionary. I would deffinately buy it when its ready Paulie D - December 13, 2009 at 7:19 PM Reply Growing up in central Long Island during the 1970’s, I heard many of these expressions and although I’m not Italian-American I incorporated them into my daily tongue. I have long since left Long Island and after my son asked me for the umpteenth time what ‘maron’ meant, I had to confess it was just an expression I picked up. He said, “what if you are saying something bad.” I set out to prove him wrong and your website has left me corrected! I enjoyed the read and the trip down memory lane. Jim - December 22, 2009 at 7:58 PM Reply “Maronn’ or Maronna” is simply the southern Italy’s dialects form for “Madonna”. That is the italian name for jesus’ mother Mary (or at least that’s what I’m told), so… when americans say “Oh God!” ,”Oh my God!”. “Jesus!” italians say “Oh mio Dio” or “Dio mio” “Gesù” or ” Madonna!” and sometimes even “mamma mia!” 😉 Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:33 PM Reply Actually, my mother would say “Madonna Mia” – My Mother. But not like the rock star Madonna – sounded more like “ma doan a mi a” – How it ever got the “r” in it must be because “Amiddicans” knew that Rs were pronounced like Ds. Silly Amiddicans. lol Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:39 PM Brooklin, really? Some of my grandmother’s favorite phrases — I am guessing at the spellings (her people came from Venice, but be different and don’t be hatin’ just ’cause we come from the north-lol): Colo roto sczifoso — comparable to “son-of-a-bitch,” literally “dirty, stinking, broken, smelly ass.” Vrgone! — “shame on you!” usually shouted as she waved a wooden spoon at us. Quanto costa? — What the hell did you pay for that? You paid too much! Vecha Strega — my aunt’s crazy mean mother-in-law, or “old witch.” Dana - March 19, 2010 at 10:10 AM lots of these are non-sense for me and im italian 😀 ROb - March 30, 2010 at 1:58 PM Reply sorry, correction on that translation. fanabola te parida angula sord’ — bascially “to hell with your father and your sisters ass also”. litterall translation is ( “go to naples your father and your sisters ass.”) Vito Quattrocchi - April 17, 2010 at 9:43 PM looking for spelling for a phrase that was said to wish someone another hundred years. ex: i would say, I’m 52 and they would come back with something like “per cent’anni” any ideas? maria - May 9, 2010 at 9:20 PM incorrect spelling but the word is pronounced ‘gen-don’. The spelling looks nothing like the pronounceation.. Frankie The Toe - February 16, 2011 at 7:58 PM Reply the spelling is correct italian 100%. Per cent’anni – for one hundres years. The meaning is that if you say so during.. let’s say a toast in a birthday party, you wish for one other hundred years to live a day like that (birthdays parties). Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:42 PM That’s because the immigrants all spoke dialect, mostly from the Italian Southern regions. Cent’anni is the right spelling in Italian and it means”hundred years” . The dialects already distorted the Italian pronunciation. The way Americans heard it and reproduced it furtherly distorted the Italian dialect pronunciation. Ferdinando - January 7, 2013 at 11:32 PM for one hundred years cent anni means a Hundred Years. Bella - May 11, 2013 at 4:28 PM Maria sounds like they were giving you a good wish to live “for a hundred years” which is what per cent anni means in Italian. (with cent sound like “chent”). Lor - March 16, 2014 at 8:42 PM Reply I agree with the comment that this is intended to be a wish for someone to live a long time – 100 years. Per cent’ anni is the correct spelling. The translation to English would be equivalent to “may you live to be a hundred years old”. (in good health) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 3:03 PM I’ve just come from a nice long visit with my parents, both first generation American, their parents born in Sicily and Calabria. Whenever they toast, they say, “Salute per cent anni.” (Pronounced, salutee per chento anni.) Lisa - August 3, 2014 at 4:40 PM Although I appreciate your attempt to spread knowledge of (Southern) Italian-American terminology, a lot of it is misspelled and not accurate. Good work though Vin - May 21, 2010 at 10:18 PM Reply Hey Vin, I grew up in central NJ with my Sicilian family in the 50’s and 60’s and all the words in this dictionary are what I heard around my house. Everything started with a “G” instead of a “C”, like gavatel instead of cavatelli. And all the word’s endings were cut-off. Reading these words and most everyone’s was awesome! Thanks. Antonia - June 12, 2012 at 6:37 PM Reply Thanks for letting me know how mean spirited and foul mouthed my dad really was. (It was still funny though). Have you ever heard the phrases, “Mangiese la canne” (May you be eaten by dogs) or “Mangiese la zudicce” (May you be eaten by rats). Michael Volpi - July 11, 2010 at 3:27 PM Reply My other used to say something that was supposed to mean “may you be eaten by rats” or “I hope the rats eat you” and it sounded like “get the mongenay zuddicci” but I could never find it anywhere to know the real translation because her italian pronunciation left a lot to be desired since she was born in the US but we lived in Rockland County in NY and her dad and mom were Italian. I guess it was the “Mangiese la zudiccie” that she was trying to say. Joyce Reply get the mongenay = che ti mangino (I wish that… eat you) “i zuddicci” I have no idea, possibly “i sudici” (the dirty ones), a way to call rats? I am an Italian living in the US and this is truly fascinating! Rebecca - August 26, 2013 at 6:51 PM zudiccie? mmm maybe li surici (Italian i sorci. The rats) sapodilla - April 27, 2014 at 8:44 AM A real treat to see in print again (after many years) expressions I heard growing up in West New York, Hudson Co. How about ‘engood-a-sorda’ – your sisters ass. Spoken at the end of an argument. Peter - August 18, 2010 at 2:44 PM Love the site. Brings me back to my childhood. Anyone know what “mastandone” means? Colleen Rooney - August 23, 2010 at 3:52 PM I believe it’s “mascalzone” – rascal, rogue, but not in a malicious way. DOn Sordillo - February 13, 2011 at 2:22 PM It’s a bit strange the way you wrote italian slang words and you catched very different dialects from different regions, but it’s a funny idea. Thanks paesaggiocritico - September 22, 2010 at 4:48 PM In Italy a thousand tongues melandroweb - November 28, 2010 at 3:43 PM Reply Grazi Tant’ I was reared in Wildwood, N.J. and my family used almost every slang you mentioned. I know my grandparents, aunts and uncles did know proper Italian because they were very proud to say they went to school in Italy like it was a big deal. I still use these dialect words all the time without thinking about it!! I can’t believe how much influence the old people had on me. I would love to have them all and their slangs with me today!! Tom Melchiorre - December 4, 2010 at 6:49 PM Reply Very Good. It is true. You will hear these words in areas where southern Italian immigrants settled. You will particularly hear these slang words in areas such as Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx, NY as well as Boston and Philly. Most people who come from a southern italian american background have probably grown up hearing and using these words. These words are still used today in italian american homes and communities. Jeff - December 11, 2010 at 1:29 AM Reply I’m glad you mentioned Staten Island. I was told by someone from Staten Island that “two-faced” was “faccia dos” or “fascia dos” (I’m not sure of the spelling. A fact that embarasses me since I grew up in Italian neighborhoods in northern NJ.). When I looked up two-faced though, I found many translations, but that one wasn’t there. Have you ever heard this? If so, do you know what dialect it is? Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:00 AM Does anyone know the phrase ” ghet toe zong” that is how it sounds, bleed from the tongue or something, my parents use to say that to me in brooklyn. Jim - December 20, 2010 at 12:33 AM That would mean, spit or throw up blood. That would be used in arguments. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:20 AM It could also refer to someone who works very hard and is “sweating blood”, in reference to hard manual labor. [email protected] - June 16, 2012 at 7:26 PM Apparently, much of this has to do with the dialect for certain parts of the country. Many of these words and phrases are pronounced quite differently, and many also take on a completely different meaning. This one stands out: mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame) [moart-aa-daa-faam] Used in anger, it translated, Death to your family! Dee - January 14, 2011 at 10:49 PM if you yell to someone “morto di fame” you are insulting him, more or less telling him is a tramp, a loser, someone who cannot even provide food for himself (morire di fame – starve to death) Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 10:55 PM Reply My understanding of this expression is not quite the same as you have described. As I understand it, a person describing another as a “morto di fame” is not wishing for that person to die from hunger. Instead, it is a phrase used to describe a person who is so unfortunate as to be out of work, and can’t afford to feed himself – hence “morto di fame”. By extension calling someone a “morto di fame” also has the connotation of someone who is starving to death because he is unable or unwilling to find meaningful employment, perhaps a “loser”. Compared to the English expression “starving artist” I think the two convey a similar sentiment. So rather than a death wish (as you have suggested), it is an observation or commentary on an existing state of affairs. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 7:29 PM Reply The term “i morti di fame” (“those who die from hunger”) is very interesting in the context of understanding our 19th and early 20th century Italian immigrant ancestors concept of social welfare. Indisputably they were hard workers as a rule and the vast majority usually looked to no one to pick up the burden of feeding themselves and their families. The men were often uncomplaining hard laborers….the women if not entirely at home tending large families often also worked in the sewing or confectionary industries…Acquainted with many when I finally did encounter such an individual who was obviously “lazy”, “good for nothing” and looking for handouts I was genuinely amazed. He was clearly an exception to the vast majority of his fellows. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 6:11 AM From my understanding, “morti fame”, someone who is pennyless, worthless, poor, and not so much that the person is actually starving, but looking to get and save any penny he can. The person has almost nothing. Davide - November 10, 2015 at 6:22 PM Hi Davide I am in full agreement with you. Morto di fame does not have to mean someone who is literally starving. It could simply refer to someone who is not well off. I believe the post that I was responding to originally suggested that it was a death wish, something which I believe is not correct. As I have always understood it, the phrase is meant as a description of a person’s status, and does not have anything to do with wishing anybody to starve himself to death. veritasmba - November 16, 2015 at 12:01 PM There is a rich and less than sympathetic socio-political connotation attached to this expression sometimes that this is someone who is dead or dying of hunger….because they won’t work….If there is one thing that can be accurately said about the overwhelming majority of Southern Italian immigrants to America, usually admitted even by their most rabid detectors…it that they were hard workers…very hard workers…..to work was usually the reason they came to America in the first place…the anomaly among them…the small minority who chose to be shiftless and not look for work..choosing instead to look for handouts all the time….were sometimes scornfully labeled by the rest…i morti di fama….the dead from hunger…. Mike - November 18, 2015 at 5:05 AM Does anyone else remember using the term “pizza fritt” for the fried dough everyone else calls zeppoli? Gaetano - January 20, 2011 at 3:18 PM Yes. My aunt in Schenectady, NY still makes it! Pattie - April 5, 2012 at 2:45 PM Yes, Pizza Frizza. My mom made it whenever she made pizza. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 9:48 PM My grandmother and mother made the fried dough in the shape of a donut and called them “belly busters” Joyce - September 16, 2012 at 3:37 PM Yes we did! We are Marchegiani, Siciliani, and ‘Basiligaga’ :). Dina - May 11, 2013 at 9:41 AM My family always used pizza frit for fried dough or zeppoli or st joe’s cake marie rosato - May 11, 2013 at 1:29 PM YES! I thought my family was the only ones that called them pizza fritt!!!!! We are from Schenectady, NY. Ilene - October 6, 2015 at 12:26 PM http://www.localsyr.com/news/new-york-state-fair/pizze-fritte-54-year-old-new-york-state-fair-tradition Ilene - October 6, 2015 at 12:27 PM For us -“pizza fritta” was fried dough…bread dough works fine…fried preferably in a cast iron skillet….probably in olive oil or a combination olive and vegetable oil (“La Spagnola”) sugared…then eaten for Saturday morning breakfast….”Zeppole” on the other hand were of two different types…there were the Neapolitan “zeppole” of Christmas Eve… basically dumplings of a rather runny dough in consistency somewhat lighter and more elastic than bread or pizza dough…though the ingredients are the same….then deep fried in a pot of oil that is the right temperature when a piece of bread tossed in floats to the top…sometimes fried with a piece a soaked salted cod tucked inside…Then for St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th) there were the “Zeppole di San Giuseppe”…a sweet dough made into a pastry puff…then stuffed with boiled yellow cream and cherries…sometimes an excused Lenten fast breaker….better bought at an Italian bakery than for an amateur to try….worth the trip! Mike - October 15, 2015 at 3:37 PM I realize that this isn’t about recipes, but I have not been able to find the recipe for a dish my family called “moo-en-zahn”, or pickled eggplant. My grandmother, great-grandmother, and mother would put sliced, raw eggplant up in clay jars with olive oil, spices, and other veggies and we would put them on sandwiches. It was a little vinegary, but delicious! Everyone is passed away and I have no idea how to do this. Anyone help? BTW, it seems that even within the same Italian heritages, there are differences in language from New York, Philly, and Chicago. My grandparents were Napolitan and Calabrese. sisterteresepeter - October 15, 2015 at 3:51 PM We had two kinds of fried pizza. One with salami pepperoni and cheese inside (like calzone) and one with no filling, just fried with tomato sauce on top. Karen - October 16, 2015 at 5:23 AM To sisterteresepeter I don’t know how close this is to the recipe you grew up with, but here’s one my Mom and Aunt used to make (Sicilian): Aunt Connie’s Pickled Eggplant I peal but you do as you like: slice eggplant very thin In a small pot boil vinegar (3 parts vinegar plus 1 part water) drop 2 or 3 slices at a time into the vinegar for about 5 seconds place in drainer layer in jar with sliced garlic, hot pepper flakes, olives, green or red peppers, olive oil to cover, or anything else you want. If you add peppers drop them in the boiling vinegar. May add any seasoning you wish. No need to process as the pickling is sufficient! Save the olive oil to reuse when you make more! Lisa Bernardi Wolf - October 16, 2015 at 9:00 PM Mom would serve pizza frite on our birthdays. It remains the default birthday dish in my family. regina - August 28, 2016 at 2:06 AM Reply In our house “pizza fritta” meant flat pieces of bread or pizza dough fried in hot oil in a skillet and then dusted with sugar as breakfast treat anytime. “Zeppoli” were (and still are) a lighter dough dropped and deep fried in a pot of hot oil and only on Christmas Eve. Some are fried with a piece of salt cod (baccala) inside, sort of a dumpling and served in place of bread at the traditional meatless meal of the pre-Vatican II Christmas Vigil. There are also the “zeppoli” di San Giuseppe traditionally made for St Joseph’s Day (March 19th) which are a pastry puff filled with yellow cream and cherries Mike - October 3, 2016 at 5:17 PM I was trying to find the spelling for “cool-couli” (cold ass) plainjane31 - February 2, 2011 at 11:49 PM Reply Great stuff One that also comes to mind is “Brishca brolia” meaing a meal made from leftovers usually bound by eggs (sort of a garbage omlette) or to mean anythingb that was all mixed up. Example “Clean your room, it’s all Brishca brolia” Cosmo - February 15, 2011 at 5:52 PM Reply Back to “cornuto”, although it could mean unfaithful husband, in English it is “Cuckhold” or a man who watches his wife have sex with other men either by his own or the wife’s demands. In these days of sharing and swapping it may not be considered the actual true insult it is, one of the highest magnitude. In Italy no man with honor would pimp out his wife so calling someone a cornuto or cornude is like calling a man a cunt. Ed Ozram - February 16, 2011 at 8:40 AM Or in the words of Joe Pesce in Goodfellas, “contento e cornuto.”- Content to be a jerk. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:23 AM Reply Jim, “Gette u sangue”, or variations in dialects for “gette il sangue” would mean to spit or let (throw) out the blood. I think it was meant as ” te gette u sangue ” which would mean I’m gonna make you bleed, or more like I’ll beat the blood out of you! Frank - February 22, 2011 at 8:31 PM I grew up hearing this all the time. It can refer to someone who is a hard working person, such as “Father is working so hard that he is sweating blood (“getta lo sangue”) to support the family. [email protected] - June 16, 2012 at 7:32 PM Reply Ok.. I’m a real Italian ( I mean I was born in Italy, grew up there and still live here). My parents are from calabria, so I understand a lot of this terms. Because the main thing that all of you have to know is that all this expressions come from varius dialects of southern Italy (Napoletano-from Naples, Calabrese-frommCalabria, and Siciliano-from Sicily). These three dialects are quite similar among them, most of the time there are only slight fonetic differences in these idiomatic expressions from one dialect to another, while the differences with standard italian are more relevant. In this example, (iett’ u sang’ – as a calabrese would pronouce it), litterally is “to throw away the blood”, in the meaning of “to have one’s blood suck it away from oneself. It simply means “go to work”. Where the work, of course, is intended extremely hard physically (like working in a farm, in mines ecc..) Andy (Andrea) U. - October 20, 2012 at 9:43 PM does anyone remember “gloves” being called “wans” or something similar to that. i grew up in cicero, il n most italians in my neighborhood were calabrese as i am. barb - February 22, 2011 at 10:50 PM Gloves in Italian are guanti. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:24 AM Reply This is fantastic! It’s like having my grandmother here with me. You have everything she used to say on your list. This is the Italian I grew up with! I have looked everywhere for something like this. Thank you!!! Just fyi — My grandmother’s family was from southern Sicily. They moved to Jersey City, and then upstate, NY. My grandfather, who was from Palermo, even spoke differently, and told my grandmother her Italian was “wrong.” 😉 Shayna Lee Thums - March 12, 2011 at 10:43 AM “Ghet tu zong” literally means “bleed”. Some more of my favorites, growing up in th Bronx and Queens were: ” Shcafadeel un gool ” which means ‘ shove it up your _ss ‘ ” Goocutz or googats” lterally meaning small cucumber also moron. ” Fanobola, tu e tre quatro de vostro baez ” meaning ‘go to hell, you and three quarters of your ancestors’ Other favorites: Oofah!, Meenchia!, Strunz, Frankiebaby - March 27, 2011 at 11:36 AM Do you have a good translation for Oofah!, Meenchia! I’ve heard these alot in my childhood and know when to use them but I can’t put my finger on what they mean. TonydaProcida - January 21, 2012 at 1:44 PM Reply Growing up in “Little Italy in the Bronx”, the Belmont/Arthur Ave section, I am familiar with most of these phrases. Many of them were told to me by my maternal grandmother, Marguerite Barbarotto from Palermo and the Bronx. Thank you for these wonderful memories, some of which I still use today. Gregory (mezzo Siciliano) Brown - July 13, 2011 at 5:58 PM Top 5 sayings, I heard so much of from my ‘angry all the time’ dad. Calabrese dialect: 1. “Tido un cowchoe’lintu cooloh” Standard Italian: Ti do un calcio in tuo culo. I’ll kick your ass! 2.”PieryallahmeeZzeryia” or “Manayeeaha LA Mizeria” Per la Miseria. Oh hell no!!! 3. “inculoAHmamate” in culo a tua mama. MotherF–ker!!! more I can write a book. 4. Kecazzu fahyee duohKew? Che cazzo ci fai? What the f–k are you doing over there? 5. Fanu ‘ShKaffu eentuol’ Fachew, Se’nonDiBasta! Ti do uno schiaffa in tua faccia, se non ti smettila. I’ll smack your face if you don’t stop it! mike - July 15, 2011 at 3:45 AM What’s the word for pasta strainer that’s something like: scewda macaron George Holdorf - July 15, 2011 at 1:02 PM Reply Hi George, I know exactly what you are talking about. Not sure of the exact spelling, but I’ll put it down as I think and then phonetically shcallamacaroon shhka-la-mok-a-roon Hope this helps gene peters - December 7, 2011 at 9:34 PM Reply A woman on Story Corps remembered going shopping for a colander with her Italian grandmother (who spoke no English) as a little girl. The old woman circled and circled the store looking before she finally went to the man behind the counter. Frustrated, she said, “macaroni stoppa, water gawhead.” The owner knew exactly what she meant and got her one. This list is terrific. My parents were laughing at how many they used to hear. I’m sad that that older generation is dying off, but some of these phrases will never die. Amanda - February 23, 2012 at 10:37 AM I love this story. my mom and i were laughing about it… macaroni stoppa water gawahead. LOL! that’s great ❤ roxyismycat - August 26, 2013 at 8:02 PM In my house it was scula pasta, and the pasta sounded more like basta. Rosalie - January 13, 2012 at 8:27 PM we used to say … scolapasta, drain pasta. we are from Bari in Puglia. pia - July 21, 2011 at 8:39 PM Reply Every Saturday morning in Bensonhurst in the 1950s, a truck would come around loaded with gallon bottles of (apparently) home made bleach. Ther guy had some lungs — He would call out, LOUD — something that sounded like “cha-velle,” or shavelle, or something like that. Is anyone familiar with this term? Any suggestions at how to spell it phonetically? Michael Cala - July 22, 2011 at 6:37 PM Reply Yo Michael, That guy you speak of [that sold “ga-vell”] don’t forget, in dialect ‘cha’ is pronounced as a ‘G’, & they usually dropped the last letter(s) of the word too. Anyway, he must’ve worked his way all the way over to So. Jamaica, Queens because you got it 152% right!! Don’t forget, the bottles had CORK stoppers in ’em & he would leave ’em @ the side door if my Grandmother would miss him. I thought that was the word for bleach ’cause I used the word in class once (ONLY) & everyone (teacher too) thought I was ‘Oobatz!!!’ P.S. I also remember the coal man w/ the chain drive truck, the junk man w/ the horse (w/ the bells around his belly) cart, the ice man, the eggman (w/ the push cart), all were Italian… Buddy Longo - January 10, 2014 at 11:59 AM Reply We had the same in North Jersey…but I thought he was saying “jabell” water. The correct name is “Javel” and it was used as laundry bleach, pretty much the same as “Chlorox” back in the day. Bryan Sammartino - March 8, 2014 at 2:51 PM I’m also from No. Jersey, and we had the guy who brought the bleach, too. Only he called it Biangoline [pronounced Beeahn-go-leen] … Len - January 31, 2015 at 12:51 AM In my town, Dunmore, pa, it was referred to as LUNA. My mom said because it made the whites as bright as the moon. Lol Frank - June 27, 2015 at 4:58 AM Reply Thank you from the bottom of my Heart for writing this Dictionary, Mille Grazie !!! I stand Proud when I say that The Real italian Family way is and will always be very very Strong in my Tight Knit Family, We eat sleep and breathe Our culture still to this very day. I grew up this Italian Way and I sing it from my Italian Heart everytime i perform at my Shows. Ciao, sincerely, Moe BellaGloria The italian Singer ” King of the 1 Hour Shows ” !! YouTube.com/MoeBellaGloria Whoever made this dictionary–thank you very much. I laughed like crazy! Phil Barbieri - October 29, 2011 at 12:29 AM Reply One thing I didn’t see (but hear all the time, especially from older women, like my mother-in-law) is “Oo-di!” It’s used in a moment of panic, like when the “mopeen” (also “mopeena”, ie “dishtowel”) catches on fire because you’ve been waving it around the gas stove as you talk, while you’re cooking. Another one I hear is “shah-quad” (phonetic spelling), which means (or so I’m told) “all crooked” or “messy”. For example, my niece–a teacher in Texas–once told her students as they walked through the corridor to an assembly, “Straighten up this line. It’s all shaquad!” (At which point, one of her students–a recent transfer from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina–said, “Hey! Shaquad! That’s my sister’s name!” (I love that story…) Honestly, when I first met my husband and his family, I thought the words they used were made up. I’m still not convinced that some of them aren’t. (Jalapida momida?) But this site has given some credibility to the musical and sometimes comical utterances I hear from day to day. I’ve bookmarked it for reference. (WHAT did you call me?) Cynthia D'Attilio - November 4, 2011 at 6:41 AM Reply “Oo-di!” would mean “Oh, God!” “O Dio!” Mopeen is a made up word for a dishtowel. Kind of Americanized. “Shah-quad.” would stand for d’aquato- which is something like watered down or watered. So, when you say that to someone, it would mean their brain is full of water or watered down. Domenic - February 27, 2012 at 7:31 AM Reply I’m wondering if sha-quad is the same as (this is phonetic) shaquat. This is what my mom said, “Italian men like their women to be bella shaquat. You know bella shaquat? Like a tomato so ripe the skin has split.” Her parents were from Sicily. Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 10:03 PM Lol bella shaquat that is great. mike - August 13, 2014 at 9:41 PM I grew up in my grandmothers house hearing a lot of these words.to see them in one place brings back so many memories of growing up.she passed away on august 27 2011 and I will miss her everyday but I will keep her memory alive by teaching my children these words so that when I’m gone they can teach there children.the warmth that I feel every time I hear one of these words or hear somebody speak in napolitan or broken English is indescribable.I hope to visit my grandmothers hometown in avellino sometime in the near future.anyway thank you for this website Ronnie - November 6, 2011 at 12:40 PM Reply My grandmother came here at age 13 in 1887 from a small town not far from Potenza. They lived at first in St. Anthony’s parish below Greenwich Village, then in the west 30’s around 9th ave. My mother, born 1907, was the ninth of eleven children and didn’t speak much Italian but words she did sometimes use were Neopolitan dialect. She occasionally made a kind of stuffed bread she called what sounded like figuatz. Standard Italian would have been fogasse or foccacia. And the simple meal of macaroni and beans sounded something like basta vasool rather than pasta e fagioli. Bill - November 15, 2011 at 5:59 PM Reply There is no J in Italian thus the G can be either hard or soft. Napiltons (Neopolitans from Naples) are criticized even in Italy for dropping all the endings of words. Fagioli becomes Fagool and in America, Fasool. So you’re right and all the menus in America are wrong. Hope this helped. Joe - January 22, 2012 at 12:38 AM Reply I grew up in East Boston and heard many of the words listed. Did I miss cedemonia (ceremony)to describe someone , usually a woman, making too big a deal about something. A complaint. Fa la cerimonia. Or, mezza stunard’; scumbari; gatzee (maybe from Yiddish) and chiaccheressa (chatterbox)… something I was often accused of being. I’ve studied language corruption. Sometimes regional differences, Boston vs. NYC, might be also be due to effect of other immigrant languages. In Boston there were Polish and Yiddish words in the mix. It all made for a very rich “gravy”. I do a one-woman show on two Italian-American women. It’s rich in language; mostly cultural difference and problems of assimilation. And often very comical. Thanks. Reply Hi Laura, I am Sicilian and grew up in the SF Bay Area. All four grandparents from Lentini/Catania area. Some settled in Boston, some in Omaha (?), and the bravest ones came out here. After much research, I found we also had a lot of Yiddish in our daily language. I am interested in your one-woman show. Where do you perform? I’d love to take my family! Thanks, Geralyn Giese We used (still use) gatzee/gatzees, meaning little decorative but useless things… anyone else? Also, scasciad (ska-shaad) meant messy, disorganized, shitty, screwed up. Spacone meaning flashy person (guido/mob wife type). Dina - May 11, 2013 at 9:51 AM NYC and northern NJ do the same with mixing slang from various countries. Mostly Italian, Irish, Yiddish, and Spanish. Polish sometimes. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:09 AM Reply I grew up in Lorain, Ohio during the ’50s and ’60s, the product of a Sicilian-Polish marriage. We lived in my Sicilian grandfather’s home and I heard lots of these expressions from him and my numerous relatives. Reading this has brought back a lot of memories, especially of the holiday celebrations we had at this time of year. Does anyone recall hearing a children’s song or rhyme with words that sound like this? (Pardon my spelling — I’m doing this phonetically). Calencita, Rege mangia l’ove (“The king eats eggs”?!) i bebe mangia chicche chicchie (chicky chicky?) . . . and I don’t remember the rest. My mom used to sing this to me when I was very little. Anyone know the rest or the correct words? Thanks so much and buon natale! Jeannine S. Mary Paparella Halley-Streeter - April 30, 2012 at 6:08 PM As a child while eating I would be asked “did you eat your chicche?” Or “eat your chicche!”. It was the meat on my plate which I did not like to eat. Where does this come from? Elizabeth - August 12, 2013 at 4:15 PM Reply Ah the cheche, I never heard this outside of my family . My grandmother would say ” your mother don’t want macaroni she wants the cheche”.at family gatherings when looking for the meat we say where’s the cheche.the cheche was a once a year treat for my grandmother growing up in avellino. Ronnie - October 25, 2014 at 7:34 AM My dad was calabrese and mom was aviglanese. She referred to EAT THE CHECHE, eat the meat. Probably because they didn’t get very much meat. Frank - June 27, 2015 at 5:11 AM Love love love this dictionary- helped me to remember some of the terms that were forgotten once my grandparents had gone! I also remember the oh -de!! My family immigrated to Boston and Providence!! Still use some of these to teach my own kids now I have more! Missy - January 11, 2012 at 8:45 PM My Napoletane grandmother grandmother had a good response when I asked her what’s for dinner. o’cazze ‘e ciuccio cu cucuzzille e l’ove u gazza di chooch cu googoozeel e loave (phonetics) donkey dicks (literally) with squash & eggs Dave Carl - January 14, 2012 at 6:59 PM My father still says that, we live in Toronto, Canada o’cazze ‘e ciuccio cu cucuzzille e l’ove Claudio - August 8, 2012 at 4:10 PM I remember hearing, “Ha perduto la giobba,” meaning, of course, “He lost his job.” Robert Ventre - February 26, 2012 at 10:12 PM WOW…I didn’t hear a lot of those word in a long time..My mother and father used to use all the words above Ben Bonafede - February 26, 2012 at 10:22 PM Anyone ever hear of the word yachetone (spelling??) It means someone who talks too much, or at least that’s how we use it in our family! Rachel - March 1, 2012 at 11:59 AM pronounced “kee-ak-ya-done” (“done” like “own”) means someone who talks too much. Ronnie - March 26, 2012 at 4:56 PM The word my mother always used was chiacchierone. I guess yachetone is midway between english and italian! Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:09 AM Yes. Southern Italians leave of the initial hard-g or hard-k sound, so English ice is modern Italian ghiaccio but is pronounced yaccio. So Southern Italian you mentoned “yachetone” is modern Italian chiachierione (pronounced something like kyakyerone, meaning “chatterbox.” Vincenzo Alessi - April 21, 2013 at 2:30 PM Reply I found this very interesting because I am studying Italian, but it was mostly unfamiliar to me because all my Italian ancestors came from northern Italy, mostly in the early to mid 1800s, and their descendants whom I knew (unfortunately) only spoke English. Michele Mandrioli - March 5, 2012 at 9:14 AM alot of the spelling is wrong. You pretty much summed it up but correct some of those spellings. You have words using the letter K in it. Where Italians not russians. Lol Vinny Carbone - March 7, 2012 at 4:01 PM Reply You meant to say, “We’re (we are) Italians not Russians.” See how easy it is for words to get misspelled. Imagine how it was for our grandparents and great-grandparents when they first came here not knowing a word of English. I believe the dictionary is meant to give all possible spellings, whether correct or incorrect, that were commonly used, especially since many words were “made-up” or combined English and Italian. Just Enjoy! Antonia - June 12, 2012 at 7:19 PM Do you know this one ? : Shuncad – meaning in a real bum or low life, worse than a gavon. Lorraine - March 8, 2012 at 5:18 PM Shuncad lol! That’s Abruzzese dialect also means lazy, sloppy Claudio - August 8, 2012 at 4:18 PM Reply My mother would point out “shang-gad” (or as you say, “shuncad”) when describing outfits on various women, or cheap Christmas decorations that fell apart. She meant sloppy and cheap. Also “sha-woo-dad” meant all messed up and sloppy or falling apart. She would tell us we were all sha-woo-dad and then straighted our clothing. regina - August 28, 2016 at 2:27 AM Reply Thanks! Lots of fun reading this dictionary and seeing so much from the East coast. This sure reminds me of our experience. In California’s 1970’s San Francisco Bay Area, a lot of us, who grew up with Sicilian in the home and among our family and friends, did not know until our high school Italian class teacher informed us, that what we knew, was not Italian: for example, idda and iddu were not Italian for he (Lui) and she (Lei); piccirriddu and piccirridda were not Italian for little boy (Ragazzino) and little girl (Ragazzina); and, areri was not Italian for again (di nuovo). Many, believing they’d get an easy A, were in for a rude awakening! And, in everyday life, for example, it was especially enlightening for us to discover that a scula pasta is a collander and a cupino is a ladle! Then, after high school and college Italian, I learned about Professor Cipolla, of New York’s John Hopkins University, who leads Arba Sicula, a world-wide organization dedicated to the preservation of Sicilian culture and language. For those who are interested, this organization has plenty of interesting books available through LEGAS that may be of interest. I have enjoyed all of them, and I refer to Bonner’s Sicilian Grammar book often. Thanks again! Reply I had the same problem with Spanish. I know Puerto Rican, Cuban, and South American dialects. At school they taught us Castillan Spanish, which my teacher informed us nobody in Spain even uses anymore. My friends could never understand why I didn’t know Italian because it was “just like Spanish”. Not to me! Lol. The same reason I can’t follow Portugese. If someone from Spain tries to talk to me, I say: “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Portugese” and they ask me if I speak Spanish because they are speaking Spanish and not Portugese. I know this thread is about Italian slang and I’m getting off topic here, but I’m interested to know about these terms as although my family is unsure about its heritage, we’re pretty sure we’re Italian for a variety of reasons. I’m also finally learning what some of the words I’ve heard for much of my life mean or at least how they are spelled. It’s interesting to hear about ones different from the dialects I’m used to from various areas of Italy. Everyone I’ve ever known was either Neopalitan (I always thought the spelling was Napolitan, and yes, I do know how to pronounce it. 🙂 ) or Sicilan or half and half. The only thing I remember their parents yelling was: “My mother told me never to marry a Neopalitan!” “MY mother told me never to marry a Sicilian!” Unfortunately much of what I know in Italian is just curse words, lol. I also wonder if someone can tell me if I am spelling “butan” or “butana” right. Yes, I know what that means, lol. Also, can someone please tell me how to spell the word that is pronounced “badjagaloop”? I have always been curious to know that. I’ve never been quite sure of the definition either. I was pretty sure it meant idiot or something like that, but I’m startng to suspect it’s something worse. I almost took Italian in school. I was taking Spanish and French and told my guidance counselor I wanted to take Italian as well. His reaction was “What? Do you want to work for the United Nations or something?” I did get into the class, but decided to drop it because my class was full of Snookis and I didn’t want to have to deal with that. However, from what I am reading here, high school Italian would not have done me much good in talking to real people. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:32 AM Reply I grew up with a different word for fart. My grandmother was from Sicily and we called it beetadul. I am sure I spelled it wrong but I thought that was the word for fart until I was older.I grew with a lot of slang Italian words. like umbriago which means no good drunker. and spinata which means all messed up.Probably spelled wrong too. Darlene Anderson - March 17, 2012 at 8:50 PM Reply Darlene, I knew how to phonetically say fart in middle class italian [scoreggio] and in sicilian it is [pirito]. We pronounced it: [pee di too]. So there you have it, now you can call someone a fart in two italian dialects. I feel like I did this site a favor. Vinnie from Buffalo & now in Cincinnati. VINNIE - March 2, 2014 at 10:15 AM what is the slang word for toilet or bathroom? I keep hearing what sounds like “pichadu” on the Sopranos…molto grazi! brian - March 18, 2012 at 12:48 PM Wow, over a year ago, no matter. Anyway, the slang word for bathroom is “beckausu” (bec-cow-sue) which is literally the American term “back house”. Before there was indoor plumbing and toilets, there was the back or out house” Vinny - May 20, 2013 at 8:32 PM Reply You are correct with pichadu. I have heard that word countless times growing up. In fact, when one of us kids would pour a big glass of water or milk ot whatever, my Dad would say, “look at the pichadua”, meaning like a big piss pot. Has anyone ever heard a spanking referred to as a “scupalone”? Or the curse “Che te potz e shcattar”? Pardon the spellings. Patrick - March 5, 2014 at 4:44 PM here’s some others i say/know of which i didn’t see here or reply to. i am in Rhode Island, we come from between Rome and Naples. Places like Fondi, Itri, Montecalvo, Raviscanina. – pouton (whore) “poo-tahn” – bombaleeth (drunk) (with the “th” like the, a dead stop.) – spah-cone, shpa-cone (american guido, flashy man, showoff) – scoom-bah-dee (ashamed, embarrased) – scoos-tha-mahd (eating too much, like a pig) – ma-nej or ma-nejja (darn it, frustration) – doo-ya-vach (two-faced person) – ah-speth (wait !) -ah-speth-a-mee-notes (wait a minute) – moo-thon-thees (longjohns, thermal underpants) – skee-votes (eww, something gross, a verb) – fritatta (free-todd) egg sandwich I had absolutely no idea there was Italian slang for american guido. I know I can say that here. Every time I meet people from Italy they tell me it is an ethnic insult. Not in my neighborhood. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:53 AM skee-votes…I wonder if that’s where the term: “it skeeves me” comes from. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:54 AM I grew up in Pittsburgh, and now live in Chicago, me and my amicci and familigia in both places still talk this way amongst ourselves. RSC - April 6, 2012 at 10:50 AM maronn! semplicemente bellissimo. bravi! keep going! nino biccari - April 8, 2012 at 5:31 PM Reply Trying to get a spelling and meaning for “ga gatz” or just “gatz”. I thought it meant “nothing”, as in, “that particular credit card doesn’t give you points or any kind of rewards. They give you “gatz”, or “ga gatz”.” meaning “nothing”. Implied sarcastically or with disdain, or disgust. Can you help me with this? Couldn’t find it in your glossary which by the way is quite extensive and brings back memories of my “yoot”, to quote Joe Pesci in “My cousin, Vinny”! My grandmother used to say ungatz for nothing and eegatz when something sounded ridiculous and cagatz when she was frustrated if you or anybody can figure that out let me know. She was napolitano Ronnie - June 8, 2013 at 2:24 PM my family said ewe-Gatz. Naples dialect. James - June 10, 2013 at 5:41 PM Ronnie- as for the word, “eegatz”- I wonder if that’s where Americans get our expression, “eegads!” I have no idea, just thinking. Karen - June 11, 2013 at 3:09 AM @Karen @Ronnie: “Eegats” is possibly English-to-Italian, like “baccausa.” “Ye gods and little fishes” is the English expression. “Eegats” may derive from this, picked up because it sounded vaguely like a euphemism for the Italian, “e cazzo?”, as in, “WTF?” (Although, it sounds like Nonna was saying more like “GTFOH!”) Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 12:50 AM what great help this has been, i`m semi retired and attempting to write a book about Italian Americans in New York. Why i`ve chosen this subject i just dont know,but how fascinating and how useful is this. Mitch John, Cyprus. April 24 April 2012. Mr.M G John - April 23, 2012 at 10:58 PM Reply One thing to keep in mind is that there are at least three origins of the “Italian” language; the “proper” Italian, dialect specific to each region/municipality, and the bastardization of dialect we usually call Italian-American; which is the subject of this thread. Italy began as a loose collection of city states that grew to regions and has only been considered a unified country for a century or so. Thus the customs, food preparation, and language vary widely. The “proper” Italian is probably most connected to Roma and from my experience growing up in Central New York and in the culture of Abbruzza di Molise, I would say that the dialect above is most closely associated with “Nabbalatan,” or the bastardized dialect of those from Naples. Bob - April 24, 2012 at 10:28 AM Reply oh goodness thank you for this. I’m third generation italian american and we still used some of these words growing up. I remember when I was 15 being over a friend’s house with my brother making maccaroni. the time came to strain the maccaroni and I asked my friend where her sculabast was… I spent probably a good four minutes,desprately trying to remember the english word for it… i even called my brother over to help, but we couldn’t figure it out. finally my friend said ohhh you mean a sieve… this might be a litle silly,but that memory has stuck with me because it reminded me that as americanized as my family had become, our heritage, our customs were still part of our upbringing, even if it was just in a word or two Elena - April 30, 2012 at 11:02 PM Love this list! Thank you! But “maronna mia” is not “My God” but “my blessed mother” or “Our Lady” – it is “madonna mia” where “madonna” refers to the Madonna, the Blessed Virgin Mary, not the singer! 🙂 S. Quinn - May 2, 2012 at 11:55 AM I remember a word my father would say for linoleum , not sure but he used to say ,,, time to lay the Shidodd Tony - June 3, 2012 at 5:49 AM That sounds kind of Yiddish. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:50 AM Reply Very good to read. My father’s family originates from Siciliy and immigrated to Birmingham, AL through New Orleans. Funny to see how similar the “American Italian” I heard growing up is to the Northeast version! The biggest diffrerence I see is that the people here add an ‘ah’ sound at the end of the words. I appreciate your work, my wife now has a better understanding of some of the things my Dad says! Mike - August 2, 2012 at 8:55 AM Reply My mom always said, “Company’s coming,” whenever someone dropped a spoon on the floor. I’ve always wondered if that was a Sicilian superstition, or just a thing in my own family–I’ve never heard anyone else saying that. I was called testaduda, hard headed, as a stubborn child. One of my great aunts, after a meal, always said, “Per la bocca,” meaning she wanted just a little taste of something sweet to finish, “For the mouth.” When we were little and asked to be picked up, grownups would say no, “You’re a big baccala.” I felt a bit insulted when, years later, I learned baccala means codfish. Hmmph. I would REALLY love to know more about this next word. I’ve never heard anyone else say it: My great uncle was getting out of his car when my brother Steve and boisterous cousin David stuck their heads out the upstairs window and called down, “Hey, Uncle Gerry!” Uncle Gerry shouted back up, “Hey, hey, hey musutu (moo-SOO-too). When the boys came downstairs, my cousin asked, “Grandma, what’s musutu mean?” She started laughing, saying, “Who calla you musutu, Davey?” David replied, “Uncle Gerry, but he could have been calling me, he could have been calling Steve, I don’t know.” She said, “Oh, no, Davey–He calla YOU. Musutu mean bigga mouth.” Lisa Bernardi Wolf - August 11, 2012 at 10:51 PM I’ve heard that belief before, but I think a lot of ethnicities believe it. Also, if it is a fork, it means it will be a woman. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:49 AM Reply “testaduda, hard headed” = my Northern Italian mom used to say “capa tosta,” which, in the Southern dialects, comes out as “gabbadost’.” She also used another “capa” expression–“capa fresca,” a “cool head,” only she meant it more as “fresh (as in “impudent”) head.” I heard Tony Soprano refer to someone on that show as being a “gabbavrischia” inma situation where my mother would have said her version of the expression, and so I assume that’s a Southern pronunciation. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:11 AM I believe “hard-headed” is “testa dura”. That’s what my grandfather used to describe the Calabrese and he was quite proud to acknowledge the phrase because, being from Calabria, it was a compliment. Lois (Luisella) Turchioe - May 12, 2016 at 2:52 PM I used to get called ma-jah-gul-loop. Or at least something to that effect… lol. Does anybody here know what I’m referring to? ‘What are you doing? You ma-jah-gul-loop.’ B - August 19, 2012 at 11:41 PM Reply I asked that too, lol. I’m pretty sure it is “ba” and not “ma” though. Unless it depends on the region. Hopefully someone will answer us, but since most of these posts seem to be at least a year old, Idk if they will even see these. 😦 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:47 AM Reply Bacigalupo is an Italian surname, and it was the name of a character on the old Abbott & Costello TV show who was a clownish sort of Chico Marx stereotype, although he was much shrewder than Chico. Maybe you were being compared to Bacigalupo. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:17 AM Reply Dear Fellows, I really don’t believe my eyes..i’ve been looking around for ages , for someone to share the dictionary of..my Granma who used to speak the Sicilian-American dialect. and i know all of those words plus others..it’s wonderful knowing that all those words are not getting lost.. Carru -Car parkari lu carru – park the car begghicella – the bag iettasangu- a person who makes you spit blood.. and many more.. And a favorite VA’FRITT’-go fry! I love that you mention gagutz. Its a fave. I grew up in Rhode Island…. Jersey and Brooklyn are pretty Italian, but Rhode Island is actually where the Italian plurality is in the USA. Literally EVERYONE in my hometown was at least part Italian. Imagine a whole state where everyone appreciates pasta vazool in gravy 😉 and the joys of ravioli night, where bakeries dont close Sundays but on Mondays, where most people understand these words even with Lois Griffin accents… And the office assistants pronounced your name right when you get called to the office in high school. Even if it had more vowels and syllables than folks in like Idaho would assume possible 🙂 baz - October 27, 2012 at 12:41 AM Omg, it’s been forever since I’ve heard anyone use gravy in that context. I’d almost forgotten it. 😦 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:45 AM My mother uses the Naples pronunciation for grandfather — thathone. Does anyone know what it means and the possible spelling? Patricia Haddad - November 15, 2012 at 12:53 PM What is the word for being treated like a don…gabaditch?? many thanks. David - December 23, 2012 at 1:08 PM Reply Has anyone ever heard the word ‘smozza tudda’ – (pronounced smoe -tsah -TOO- dah) used for ‘broccoli? Everyone I know of Italian descent uses this word instead of the standard Italian ‘broccoli’. There were so many English words incorporated into not only the Italian language of early immigrants but into the dialects as well. I read a short article a long time ago about this phenomenon. I found a link to it once on the web but forgot to save it. Hysterical stuff, as entire sentences are mixed in with the dialects, such as ‘sti sciusi allucunnu naisi’ for ‘these/those shoes look nice’. If I locate it I’ll post the link here – that is, if people still read these replies. I would ask my dad how to say something in Italian and he would do one of four things: come out with the proper word, come out with a Sicilian dialect pronunciation of the standard Italian word, come out with an entirely different word (such as the above mentioned ‘smozzatudda’), or come out with the English-Italian- Sicilian gumbo mixture. I remember a lot of them, and if interest is still here, I can post them. Great website. Reply Love the list! It brings back a lot of memories. We live in Toronto, and my folks are from Molise. I believe our dialect is fairly close to the Neapolitan. My sister & I have always gotten a kick out of the familiar words that show up on the Sopranos. I think the spelling of many of the words is up for debate, because they really are primarily spoken. Forgive me if I’m missing these in the list or comments above: -gualio’ (pronounced “waleeo” = gualione = guy, boy Tony uses this is one episode, when he’s watching a Mickey Rooney movie. My sister and I found it hilarious -mangana’un = not even one It was only after I studied Italian in University that I realized this is properly “neanche uno”. -this I have no clue how to spell, but it’s pronounced, “sherot” = jerk Does anyone know this word and how it should be spelled? Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:27 AM I should add my mom lived in Jersey City for three years, when she was a teenager. & we still have relatives there. Bernice - January 21, 2013 at 9:41 AM has anyone head the phrase pitchada pepe? (not sure if im spelling it right) meaning when someone starts up about something Rose - February 8, 2013 at 5:33 PM I’m gonna make a guess on this one. Sounds like somebody is ‘pitching pepper’. Which makes sense, sending something irritating in to the mix. Mindy - June 14, 2014 at 4:36 PM Oops, that should be “pisciare”! Lidia - April 21, 2015 at 2:01 AM The slang / dialect word for toilet is ( pisciaturo ) I was born in Argentina to Neapolitan parents , the same phenomenon happen there with the Spanish language , the Italian influence created a new idiom called LUNFARDO, SALVADOR BERLINGIERI - February 9, 2013 at 10:42 AM Reply What about moo-nates? This was a word my family (Newark) used for a mess, or when something was in pieces. Like, “You put that cookie (bish-gawt) in your pocket and now it’s all in moo-nates. Also, what about un-gwike-ya? This was used for a meal that was just thrown together by a ‘medigan. Like, “I ordered the zupa-da-pashe at that new restaurant on the avenue and it was nothing but un-gwike-ya.” Lastly, what about coo-baad?, the feeling of being cramped or in a tight space. “We went over to their house for cake and coffee and their living room was so small I felt so coo-baad the whole time.” Joe - February 10, 2013 at 3:24 PM Aha! These I know. Must be Newark words. 🙂 Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:42 AM Trash/garbage= immondizia or in Rome monnezza. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:42 AM Also, coo-pa-LEEN, for a wool hat (ski hat). Your mother would say, “It’s cold out, make sure you wear your coo-pa-LEEN today.” joe - February 10, 2013 at 3:39 PM […] “salut” (salute), “bacouz” (bagno), e la lista continua, se volete, qui. Come potete vedere, molte sono parole vicine al napoletano o comunque ai dialetti del sud. Di […] Italoamericani - March 15, 2013 at 12:43 PM Reply Thank you for a delightful trip down the memory lane of Brooklyn 60s-70s. I was a French Canadian married into a Brooklyn/LI family. 7 years in Brooklyn was an education for which I should have gotten 2 years of college credits, that is after the first year of shock and acclimating. Brooklyn folks are nice people…I liked it/them better than LI. I have met Italians visiting this country who have had snobby attitudes toward the Italian-American vernacular. And, my son, after going to college and living in Manhattan for a few years picked on me for my use of the Italian-American forms of everyday Italian words. I have respect for language that is local to a geographical area any where in the world. It comes with maturing and a growing sense of wonder about people and the world. (I have heard French mocking French Canadian speech. And, hey, the British make fun of us..along with the Welch, Irish, Scottish) Oh, and everyone corrected the Hebrew I was learning. Language seems to be part of people’s religion, though they don’t acknowledge it. My opinion is that it is all beautiful!! 🙂 J LaLone - April 8, 2013 at 4:07 PM Reply Just wish to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is just great and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work. Gerardo - April 21, 2013 at 10:59 AM Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and everything. But think about if you added some great visuals or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips, this website could definitely be one of the greatest in its field. Fantastic blog! Clicking Here - May 13, 2013 at 4:34 AM Congratulations ! “As we said in the Tenements in “da BRONX,” “YA DONE GOOD !” The Street Italian was, Napuletana, Siciliana, Baresa, Calabresa dialects and slang. Ya gotta know dat we wuz all First generation,not like the WANNABE ITALIANO’S who tried but could never make it with their ‘Merican interpretation of a Beautiful Language which blends itself in dialectical differences but still melodic. NO, I’m not a snob, just a Bronx street guy who grew up with it and takes great pride in our Heritage. Keep up the good work. I’m anxious to see any and all updates. TUTTO A POSTO.! Angelo It’s nice to hear someone speak New York again as well as Italian slang! I live in the South now and half the time I have no idea wth these people are talking about. Trina - October 21, 2013 at 8:40 AM Reply I grew up with my grandmother and grandfather- she was from Sorrento and he was from Naples. They seemed to speak the same or similar dialects. Can someone tell me what “mouse” would be in Napolitan? it sounds phonetically like, “Zutagil” or sootagil. And snail- which they pronounced as “marruttz”. They had a saying which only makes sense in Napolitan, but means nothing in English- it was, “Manage o zutagil”, which they said meant, “Gosh darn, the mouse”. Anybody ever hear that expression? Karen - June 7, 2013 at 8:43 AM Literally Mouse = TOPO or TOPOLINO NAPULETANO= SURACILLA (SU RA CHEELLA) Go to YouTube and pull up Pepino The Italian Mouse by Lou Monte and learn the NAPULETANO EXPRESSIONS. CIAO e. TUTTO POSTO. Thank you, Angelo, now I see! Karen - June 11, 2013 at 3:03 AM Karen, You got it 100+% right, “Manage a zutagil” = “Darn the mouse”. Very common phrase. (It may not be right, but remember, we’re talkin’ “dialect” here.) Buddy Longo - January 10, 2014 at 12:38 PM Reply I grew up in Queens second generation Italian, my father grew up in Brooklyn with his parents that imigrated from Avellino and this reminded me of them soooo much. This is 90% of the things they said. I actually say alot of these curses and never knew what they ment. Thanks for reminiding me of the good old days when they were here. Theresa - June 9, 2013 at 4:31 PM Reply My mother taught me to say “sca shod” when something was screwed up or a mess. Most of the words on here are familiar to me also. We grew up in Jersey, Italian American. Is this familiar to anyone? I see a similar one above, but not exact. Tracey - July 3, 2013 at 1:43 AM Scasciato/a = ruined, busted, messed-up. My husband says it all the time. Born in La Spezia but grew up in Rome… Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:50 AM Greetings! Very useful advice within this article! It is the little changes that will make the largest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing! Reply Hello I am a Canadian, born in north western Quebec, in 1954. We are all living in Ontario now since 1965. My parents came from Calabria, Italy. We learned to speak their dialect. I recognize a lot of the words on your list. But I want to know if anyone ever says ” fuocu mio”. It’s used when something bad has happened. Or if you cannot stand something. I used to hear as well: e chimu ti jett u sangu. When someone was upset with someone they said this. Also: malanova mu ti vene. if you were bad. We use our dialect like we our own language using the language from their town, Gerocarne. I can say so many things. It is like I want to preserve this language. Just like your list. I studied French, Italian and Spanish. So I know how words should be spelled in Italian. For example: Amu din da iamu means: We must leave. In italian you write: Ce ne dobbiama andare. Another one: A duva jisti? Means: Where did you go? In Italian: Dove sei andato? Another: Cumu ti chiami? What is your name? Italian: Come ti chiami? Another: Cin dai iru. : means: They left. In Italian: Se ne sono andati. A duva ijiru? Where did they go? Dove sono andati? Oo vidi?. Do you see? Hai visto? Cin daiu. He went away. Se n’e andato. Cu vinne? Who came? Che e venuto? I have many more. Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 2:41 PM fuocu mio means = my fire! is like = chimu ti jett u sangu = we are going to suck your blood malanova mu ti vene = bad things will happen to you! maurizio - April 18, 2014 at 1:09 PM I should have written: Ce ne dobbiamo andare. Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 2:46 PM Sorry, It should be; Chi e venuto? Theresa Aloisio - August 27, 2013 at 4:25 PM Reply Really nice job! 🙂 I’m italian and I think there are no chance to lost this “language” because in italy dialect is spoken by the most of people nowadays and most of them/us still have the american dream. So maybe you’re serach never stop 🙂 Mari - August 31, 2013 at 2:40 AM Reply I love this so much! I tried learning Italian and I realized that the pronunciations didn’t seem correct. Turns out all of these words were Brooklyn-ized. Spoken and understood here in Kearny, NJ and our roots in Brooklyn. Grazie for this! Nick Policano - September 1, 2013 at 10:43 PM Reply Thank you so much for this. I grew up in Brooklyn in the 70’s and 80’s and am half Italian: Napolitano and Calabrese. I heard many of these growing up. It makes me so homesick to read them now- my father is gone and I live on the West Coast. Also, reading this had made me inexplicably hungry. 🙂 DP - September 28, 2013 at 8:01 PM I feel your pain. I live in South Carolina atm and boy are you guys making me homesick! These people are so…vanilla..it’s so boring! And they know nothing about food. (They also know nothing about loyalty. Ugh.) My friend from Brooklyn tells me you don’t get much real food on the West Coast either as he’s currently living in San Francisco. -Trina O. These words are certainly used in Cleveland, Ohio too. Thanks for the site! Luciana - October 15, 2013 at 8:22 PM Reply I went to high school in Westbury Long Island which was pretty much wall to wall Italians. Using a lot of these phrases was prevalent not only among those of Italian descent but amongst all of us. Some of the words I did not find here – Abeetz for pizza; lacho bijok eat c–t; possibly from lancia bigiocco(?) lick the jewel. gibone – possibly from the French gibbon( monkey ) – meaning a jerk. another was Facheen a med – possibly from va tine a media get lost at noon. Most were just used as expletives and the majority of us didn’t really know what we were saying.Etymology is sort of a hobby with me. Another observation – kez a deech Whaddya say as a greeting. Originally in Italy no one would have known what that meant, but a lady whom I know here in Germany says they use that in parts of Italy as a greeting as well. Interesting some of this stuff is now being adopted in the old country. By the way I told a young teenage girl here in Germany whose family came from Calabria to click on Lou Monte. Her family got a kick out of it. Itz getting late, gotta sign off. As I get more ideas, I’ll check back in. Ciao( Germans use this quite frequently as a goodbye ) HOLLY, Giessen, Germany Yeah, my grandmother also used to say, “A-pizz” for pizza. Why did they put “A” in front of so many things? Anybody know? She also said, “A-boka-di-lay” for a cup or glass of milk. “ Karen - June 30, 2014 at 6:58 AM Karen, in southern Italy a lot of the dialects omit the “l” in a word e.g. “a pietz” would be “la pizza” – in this restaurant I go to here in Giessen, Germany they feature “spaghetti a matriciana” a dish from Matricia. It would be “la matriciana” but– They also drop the last vowel in a word – thus “a Beetz” They also drop the g in a word with “gu” guaglione is waglio – guapo becomes – wapo – thus the slur “Wop” Don’t know why but it is. David Hollingsworth - June 30, 2014 at 2:20 PM possibly because the standard Italian “una” (“a” or “an” in English) is spoken as “na” in Neapolitan…which is not by the way necessarily always a corruption of so called “standard Italian” by any means. It is simply how the vernacular language came to be spoken in that area on account of the surrounding influences. What you heard is probably ” a pizza “… as in “would you like a pizza ?”The other phrase in standard Italian likely translates into “un poco di latto” or in English…”a little bit of milk”. The letter “P” can sometimes sound like “B” when spoken in American Southern Italian dialect which is perhaps more of a corruption of a “legitimate” language (if any can be termed that !) often incorporating the vernacular languages of the entire southern half of the Italian boot and some “Americanisms” as well. Mike - July 25, 2014 at 1:40 PM spusada=sposata >married JG Sapodilla - July 25, 2014 at 1:55 PM Just found your site. What a treat! Thanks you for all the work you put into it. Tom Fusia What about “Liava Pinsirea” my grandma always told me it meant get it off your head and I don’t know how accurate it is but maybe someone else knows it Kat - November 3, 2013 at 3:42 PM In Italian I would say, “levati il pensiero” ..lift the thought off of yourself.. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 1:57 AM Love it ! I grew up in that ny nj area and speaka da gabagool italian! Thanks so much! blackie sansone - December 11, 2013 at 2:52 PM Anyone know how to spell the Italian word spoken before a dead person’s name? Also, it’s exact translation? Phonetically spelled “abunonama”? It’s Napolitano dialect. Thanks! Marc - December 24, 2013 at 9:41 PM I believe what you are hearing is the Neapolitan vernacular of la buon’ anima pronounced as (a)bonanima or (a)bunamina. In many southern Italian dialects the traditional vowel “o” has been replaced by “u”, and the consonant sounds [p] [t] and [k] are frequently replaced by [b] [d] and [g] in dialect. Italian spelling does not use certain letters such as “k” and “j” and “w” and “x”. example: official Italian scopa (broom) becomes scupa official Italian capicollo becomes gabigullu or gabigull’ Many individuals among the older generations did not have the opportunity to go to school, so the language that was passed on to them in their region was handed down orally (not from text books). It is easy to see how “compare” in official Italian gets repeated as goomba’, the [k] sound becomes [g] and the vowel [o] becomes prounced as a [u] (written here as ‘oo”). The immigrants who came to America did not “corrupt” the official Italian. After all, the Florentine language itself was only a dialect until it became elevated to official national status. Immigrants to North America were forced to invent new words for things which simply did not exist in their old country. The result is a colourful blend of Italian dialect, English, and local vernacular. A living language is one that constantly changes to reflect its new environment. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 3:42 PM This word was used a lot in my Sicilian household, miss-keen-ah or mischina…..basically a pathetic person. Also, poo-peed-ah-me-ah or puppida Mia, basically a term of endearment 🙂 Tammy - January 4, 2014 at 11:10 PM Don’t forget…basnigol which is Italian slang for basil! Linda - January 6, 2014 at 12:00 AM Reply I remember my dad saying basnagol for basil. When my wife and I were first married we lived in a Ponte neighborhood and we all had vegetable gardens. I said to my neighbor “That’s great basnigol” and he looked at me like I had three heads. He was from Rome.. Cipster - June 29, 2014 at 4:51 PM My grandma used to say fazzaneegol ,I spelled it out how it sounded when she said it) for basil.she was from avellino . She was nabolitan(again spelled out how it sounded) not neopolitan. Ronnie - July 26, 2014 at 10:45 PM My grandfather from Cefalu, Sicily, used to call basil “basalico” with the accent on the last syllable. Jeannine Sedlacek - July 27, 2014 at 2:16 PM I too recall two versions of the plant we all call Sweet Basil in North American English. Growing up my ears heard “Basa Nicol” from a Calabrese dialect (with the very last syllable stressed). In university I learned the official Italian word was “basilico” (with the second syllable stressed). My own theory is that previous generations of Calabrese speakers did not learn the word from the written form “basilico”. Instead it was passed down orally. It is not a stretch for someone with limited reading ability to hear Basa Nicol from the intended utterance “basilico” especially when there is universal familiarity with San Nicola (good old St Nick) and Basare (which is a variation of official Italian “baciare” (to kiss). If you close your eyes and attempt to say the official word “basilico” (with the second vowel stressed) and then repeat this time with the final vowel stressed, it sounds very much like Basa Nicol (unaccented final vowel “a” is frequently omitted in spoken Calabrese) (reinforced perhaps by the semantic meaning associated with basa (kiss) and Nicol (shortened form of Nicola (“Nicholas”). Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 2:35 PM My Northern Italian mother used to say, in a situation where in English we might say, “”Well, he made a real pig’s ear/dog’s dinner/unholy mess outta that!” she’d say “a pasticcia,” to mean a jumble, which word I discovered later literally means “pie filling,” as in the word “pastry”(“dough with a filling”). As it happens, as a young kid I came across a description of a work of art as being a “pastiche,” and guessed, from knowing the word from Mom, that it meant a “mash-up” of sorts, and to my surprise, I found I was right; while it’s a French word which moved into English, it’s one of those cognate words which ends up NOT being a “false friend.” You know what they say in Italian– “traditore-traduttore” (“the translator-betrayer”) so you always have to watch out. Vinny - January 6, 2014 at 1:47 AM Reply This is great, very comprehensive! I put together several videos of my family explaining the meaning of various Italian-American slang words (all my Grandparents born in Sicily and now families mainly based in NY/NJ area), and it is good to see some cross-referencing here! If anyone is interested… Rick Costantino - January 20, 2014 at 11:12 AM I can’t tell you how much I LOVE these! Grazie Maria Ponto - October 27, 2016 at 6:46 PM Great job. I recognize many words my parents use to say. So funny. Thanks. rosepernice - February 25, 2014 at 1:12 PM You omitted “FART” which I believe is: scoreggia: f. (pl. -ge) (vulgar) fart. Upper class italian Pirito: fart in the Sicilian dialect You are all welcome. It is a language that should not be forgotten. I was raised on the west side of Buffalo, NY. My aunt once told me that when the Sicilian Italians moved into the west side of Buffalo [1920’s] she said that the Irish moved to south Buffalo LOL, it is true. Vinnie Reply This was a walk down memory lane for me! when I was a kid, I used to joke that there must be something about living closer to the Equator making you drop the endings off words. Southerners in the USA drop the “g” off anything ending in “ing”, and Southern Italians just drop the last letter off nearly anything. As others have pointed out, the letter “C” at the beginning of a word turns into a “G”. T’s and D’s seem to get interchanged often too. Makes it hard to learn proper Italian, because the voice recognition programs keep correcting me! Nice to know I am remembering it the way my grandparents said it. Anina Salerno - March 8, 2014 at 7:27 PM My mom used to call my boyfriend “scualiabeep”. Any ideas of what that could mean????? Wanda - March 14, 2014 at 8:46 AM My grandma used to call me that . She would say mr. Shpillabeek. That’s how it sounded when she said it you probably have the spelling right.she would say it playfully not really sure what it means Ronnie - April 10, 2014 at 8:31 PM Can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to have found this site. I’m 1st generation from Brooklyn NY, I grew up hearing these words and phrases every day. I still use them quite regularly 🙂 Wouldn’t know any other way…. As Carol Burnett sang, “thanks for the memories ” Ralphie…. Reply I am a 1st. & 2nd. generation Italian, depending on which parent I refer too. My mother wanted her children to be American first, so she would ask her brothers and sisters to please only speak English around the children. Of course my Grandfather who had to spend at least one month a year in America in order to keep his holdings, could not speak any English, so he got a pass. I thought my mother was cool at the time, but now as I look back a realize how much I missed not being able to speak Italian so I especially appreciate your work on these interpretations. I think I can tell you I recognize 95% of them. I worked for two Italian Gentlemen who owned a riding stable in Brooklyn. They use a phrase “Mannagia get tu zong as I remember it. When I would ask what that meant they would say, since I was just a 10 year old kid, It means “Your toast is in the oven”. I’m still looking for the real meaning of that phrase. Thank you again. I recently ran across an Italian whose last name is “Stucatz”. Does it mean something (other than a last name). It sounds familiar- like calling someone a “stucatz” would be something bad, but I may be thinking of another word. Karen - April 18, 2014 at 6:46 AM OMG! I’d hate to have a last name like that. I’d definitely change it. It reminds me of the actor who played Frank Pentangeli in “The Godfather 2”, whose name was Michael V. Gazzo. gammetta - April 18, 2014 at 10:02 AM I have since found out what it means:-( Sorry, I really wasn’t trying to be vulgar. Karen - June 30, 2014 at 3:23 AM Reply LOL, my mother used to say that all the time too as well as ti potza schiatta la vasheeg( vescica – may your bladder burst) and potz yetta la cheed ( la aceto – may you vomit vinegar). They really had the most colorful curses. We were in Philadelphia. Christine - April 2, 2016 at 11:35 AM Reply I’m from Chicago and my mother’s family came from Naples. They used to use a word that I can’t find anywhere. I don’t know how to spell it properly in Italian, but it sounded like “meen-gya-roll”. If I remember correctly, it was used when someone did something stupid. And, my mother used to say, “fangool thea-de-mommeda”. I know what fangool means, but not the rest of it. Anyone hear these words? Teri - April 30, 2014 at 7:08 PM Reply Hi 🙂 I am Roman but my family is from the south. I am pretty sure that the second sentence is “fanculo mammeta” or “fanculo te e mammeta”, where “mammeta” means “your mother”. The first part of “meen-gya-roll” sounds like “minchione” (“minchia” means dick in Sicily), which is basically the same as “coglione”. Hope this is helpful! 😛 Reply Very interesting page. I got here via Google as I’m trying to find out the meaning of some Sicilian/Italian slang or colloquial terms, which I assume are varying degrees of offensiveness. I heard these a lot from my adoptive mom, actually my paternal grandmother, while I was growing up in the 1950’s-1960s. She passed away in 1975. I think she was born in the US but her folks/siblings came over from Sicily late 1800’s-early 1900’s. They lived on the East Side of Cleveland, the “Woodland” area I think. She’d use these when she’d get mad at me or my brother, or at her husband. I still pretty much remember how she said them. I know d and t sounds can overlap, as well as b and p, and c and g. When I was young, I thought pasta was BOSS-ta! So where I have a G, may be a C, etc. Everyone I could ask is deceased, I’m gonna be 61 myself. So I’ll present them the way I remember them. She would voice this all in one complete long senetnce: Go VAH-go vah-GAH, SCUDdy vah DAY-stah, BRUCE-t-cahDOANia, miz-diablo, voo-TAHN-noo-SHAKE-oo (might be “scutty”, day-stah = testa = head? Nuts in the head or dick head? I know diablo = devil, but not what the “miz” refers to. Shake-oo – shekoo? donkey? ass? I have a hunch go-vah-go-vah-gah may be a variant of vaffanculo?) I got called a “horse’s KNOCK-you” plenty of times (prolly ass or penis?) Lock-ah day VAIN-trah. (first part crazy, like in loco? I also seen laca (?) refer to milk and also maybe shellac or varnish? day is de? ventra? air? Also I think I seen it referring to stomach/belly/abdomen/lungs?) If I asked where we are going and she was pissed, she’d say Buzzle la GAHNT. (Plaza or place of something?) She has also said “rome-bo-TONE-oh” a couple of times, but if I’d repeat that one especially, she’s get mad and say “shut up, that is a really bad word”, so seems she didn’t use sexual terms, or did she? Another she used to say sounded like “grah-NOOD-oo”, but I think I found “cornuto” on that one. That’s another she said was really bad, but I don’t see it being that bad since I found out, means more or less “bastard” in this sense? But then back then, guess “bastard” was bad. I think I found GREASE-toe, Christ? I remember sometimes she’s refer to the bathroom as the “buckhouse” which I found out meamt “back house/out house”. She did use to word “culu” and I remember it pronounced as cool-oo, not cool-oh. Crazy was POT-see. I don’t have cable, so I don’t know if any of these were used on the Sopranos, LOL. Thanks for any help! Reply So cool; a little jewel of a resource for Little Italy’s ‘Spanglish’. So awesome when people get down to brass tacks and get this on the Internet. It keeps these languages living. I took enough Italian in college to know the base of some of these phrases from “High” Italian, but the trench linguistics morphology you provide for the street Neapolitanese is both entertaining and invaluable. I needed just the right word in not quite mobspeak, just the right slang rendering of something Sicilian but not so sinister, for a certain type of idiot, and here I found it, the exact right word in no language but the one we collectively share. Fascinating stuff for anybody like me who just can’t get enough fun out of the words I already know. I think first gen’s (Italian, German, Mexican, any and all) keep English such a powerful living language because its the ragazzi, the ones who don’t speak either language so good (they don’t talk either so great neither), who create these pidgeon portmonteaus that fill in the crevices of precision in creating the exact word over time that no single language would have on its own. Gil Matz - May 7, 2014 at 10:25 AM Reply My grandfather was from Naples and he would sing to his grandchildren the following song: Chickery chick, chala chala, checkalaromi in the bananica, pollicowolica can’t you see, chickerchick is me” I supplied the punctuation and excuse my phonics. Has anyone else heard this tune or did my grandfather just make up some words just to entertain his grandchildren?. Angie Leo - May 25, 2014 at 11:29 AM My mom used to sing this to us as kids and then we used to sing it too. Christine - April 2, 2016 at 11:55 AM CHECK OUT YOU TUBE FOR “TOP 40 HITS OF 1945 BY SAMMY KAYE…WORDS AND MUSIC…….HAVE FUN SINGING IT WITH YOUR KIDS ETC……….CIAO ANGELO STREET BRAT FROM THE BRONX NOW IS BOSTON. ANGELO NARGI - April 14, 2016 at 7:36 AM “American Italian” perhaps is often even more apt than “Italian American” in describing this wonderful language of the immigrants and their children that we will do well to hold on to as an American cultural treasure. Our ancestors did not lack for colorful expressive phrases that squarely and succinctly hit their intended mark. Try “vedova bianca” (white widow) meaning a woman whose husband was alive but nowhere to be found so she was not entitled to wear a widow’s black. Although often unlettered yet still as a people how truly “civilized” by any fair measure they equally as often really were. It remains for us to preserve the sacred memory of this chapter of the American experience and not in the frequently misleading and exaggerated terms of television and film. Sites such as this can and will do just that. Mike - May 27, 2014 at 6:31 PM My grandfather always said something like “male di cuah” when something was broken or not working. “It’s male di cuah.” Anyone else remember this or know what the last word was (I know “male di”)? Joanne - June 8, 2014 at 11:32 AM I learned the answer to my question: my Calabresi grandpa was saying (phonetic) “mal educad'” – badly educated – but he used it to mean something just didn’t work right, or was broken. Joanne - July 17, 2015 at 7:07 PM I just found this site. It’s an amazing compilation of words and phrases I grew up with. Robert Iulo - June 13, 2014 at 10:14 AM Reply I wish I could remember all the words my mother said to me in Italian the phrases were a little different then used here! To her I was lazy and alot of words you use here thank you for the translations I used to think what she was telling me in Italian that she would not repeat in English was just what SOME of the words are here you do not have them all but I get the picture! To me being a female I never lived up to her standards but ya know you cant even please family all the time! I am happily married retired these days and my husband has soothed and smoothed out my worriies and my emotions now about my Mother for over 43 years God Bless Him! No he is not full blood Italian American 2nd generation like me he is Scotch Irish! Just as much fun but a little more understanding! lol! btw my Italian Father (God Bless My Parents stayed and argued and yelled at each other for over 50 years!) would never say as much in Italian he always told me in English lol but a little more picturesque that I could understand ! Yes I dont think to them I was the best child but the more I tried to please them the bigger the hole I dug! Oh Well Whatcha Gonna Do? Or as Grandma would say “Whatcha want eggs in your beer?- lol sweetheart she was! Sorry to write so much but the phrases still echo in my head after all these years ! ! jeanne (can you belive they named me french instead of Italian lol) - June 16, 2014 at 1:22 AM Reply oh btw thanks again for this site I have been wondering over 60 years what the words were that Mother used now at least I know some! This site I would rate excelllent! You have done a fabulous job in translation of all the Italian Slang ! I do appreciate it thank you so very much! I give you a 10 plus and more then excellent rating! sincerely yours jeanne (can you belive they named me french instead of Italian lol) - June 16, 2014 at 1:27 AM Jeanne-are you my long-lost cousin from Waterbury,ct?? paul nap. paul napolitano - July 6, 2014 at 4:53 PM Reply A lot of thought and heart have gone into this website congratulations . When I hear southern dialect spoken I feel it in the heart and in my memory. Unfortunately when I hear proper Italian spoken I feel nothing. I am 50 and I am first generation Australian from calabrese migrants parents which there is loads of in Australia especially in Sydney . Maria Comito xxx Maria Comito - June 17, 2014 at 9:12 AM I get emails from this site to my inbox, but when I click on it, it takes me to the beginning of this page. Is there any way to go directly to the reply? Karen - June 30, 2014 at 6:59 AM Reply Grazie !!! I have spent many hours thru the years trying to find the words and phrases I heard as a kid . You filled in some blanks … and the comments filled in some more !!! I have sent this to many of my goombas that will love it !!! Frengie Macaluso - July 8, 2014 at 2:06 AM Reply May I suggest that an alternate pronunciation for provolone (especially auricchio) would be ‘Bruva lune’. That’s the way my Dad (Elmont, LI by way of Lower Manhattan) pronounced it and the only way my brother and I know how to say it Paul Venezia - July 13, 2014 at 10:13 AM Reply There are many instances where southern Italian dialects substitute the sound [b] for [p] and [d] for [t], in addition to the vowel [u] for [o]. So your phonetic perception is quite accurate. My own perception of what my Calabrese parents were saying was something akin to ‘pruvulun(e)’ (official Italian ‘provolone’). I recently visited Italy and it warmed my heart to hear some southern Italians speaking to each other in my parents’ tongue. They tell me that the dialects are dying out, and that everyone studies official Italian today, and that it is inappropriate to use a dialect with a total stranger. But I found it delightful to hear Calabrese spoken in Italy among family and friends. Due to local influences, the dialects spoken by immigrants to North America have evolved quite differently from the original Calabrese dialects in southern Italy. My relatives always got a good laugh when I repeated words my own parents used to say in southern Ontario –words that never caught on in southern Italy. For example – “gar-bi-che” (for “garbage”) yard-a (for “yard”) and “bassa-men-to” for “basement”) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 6:34 PM Reply Even though your relatives were Calabrese, it seems the pronunciations are the same as my family from Naples & Sorrento. Provolone was Pruvalone , basil Basanicol. I hope this dialect doesn’t die out. IF I ever get to go to Italy, it’s probably all I would relate to. Karen - August 4, 2014 at 1:42 PM Anyone ever hear the word “spusada”? Just spelling it how it sounds. Sal - July 17, 2014 at 1:42 PM Reply My best guess is that this is a variation of the official Italian “sposata” which refers to the marital status of a female. For a male that would be “sposato”. It is common in southern Italy for the vowel “o” to be replaced by “u” and for the consonant “t” to be replaced by a “d”. Mark DeMarco - July 25, 2014 at 4:44 PM Reply “Spusdada” however spelled and whatever its literal translation is not usually intended or meant as a descriptive compliment by any means. “Half asleep”…”out of it”…”undone”…”confused”…”totally unaware of what is going on around him/her”…”not all together”……..perhaps begin to approach in American English how that term is sometimes used in describing a particular person. Mike - August 3, 2014 at 2:39 PM The original post mentioned “spusada” whereas you are referring to the phonetic pronunciation “spusdada” (variation of official Italian “spostata”). The two words are different in pronuncation and meaning in both official Italian and in southern Italian dialects. It is common in southern Italian dialects to replace the vowel [o] with [u] and the consonant [t] with [d]. Hence the word which you are referring to is most likely a variation of the official Italian ‘spostata’ which means exactly what you said in your post. However, the absence of a [d] or a [t] after the first poster’s second [s] (check his spelling of “spusada” versus your “spusdada”) leads to me to believe that the corresponding word in official Italian is in fact “sposata” (married status of a female, for example on an Italian passport.) Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 6:55 PM Maybe the Latin root for the English word, “spouse”? Karen - August 3, 2014 at 9:25 PM After a little research in Garzanti’s Italian Thesarus and commensurate with Mark’s explanation of “o” sometimes becoming “u” and “t” becoming “d” south of Rome I believe that in “spusada” we are likely dealing with a variant of the Italian ” spossato” indicating a now weak or spent person….lacking in vigor..In the context I have heard what sounds something like that used that would be about right….”all worn out” might be another way to state the case in American English. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 7:51 PM My grandmother was from a village near Naples……..she used to say ,when ever one of us spoke too loud with the Windows open ” basteched” And other one she used to say was ” gi de mort” ??????? joeyc09 - August 2, 2014 at 8:20 PM Reply This is just a guess, but your comment reminds me of two words I heard frequently as a kid in Southern Ontario from my Calabrese parents. “Basta” means “enough (already)”, and your phonetic writing “ched” reminds me of “cheet-o’ meaning “be quiet already”. So basta and chitto (a variation of “zitto” in official Italian are logically combined into one expression. “Basta e “Chito” – “Enough chatter already – and be quiet”. Remember that [t] in official Italian is often replaced by the sound [d]. Hence your recollection of “ched” which I think represents ‘zitto’ in Italian with the final vowel omiited (zitto > chitto > chid(o), which you have represented as ‘ched’. Mark DeMarco - August 3, 2014 at 7:11 PM When we got too loud, my dad would say, with a rising inflection (and some frustration), “Stai zitto!” Lisa - August 3, 2014 at 8:57 PM “Spusdada” however spelled and whatever its literal translation is not usually intended or meant as a descriptive compliment by any means. “Half asleep”…”out of it”…”undone”…”confused”…”totally unaware of what is going on around him/her”…”not all together”……..perhaps begin to approach in American English how that term is sometimes used in describing a particular person. Mike – August 3, 2014 at 2:39 PM Are you sure you’re not confusing this with, “stunad”, meaning out of it, dazed? Karen - August 3, 2014 at 9:30 PM Reply I am inclined to agree with both of your posts. I haven’t researched it but clearly there is some connection between the English “spouse” (probably from Latin at some point) and the Italian word “sposata” (“married female”). In many southern Italian dialects the vowel [o] is replaced by [u], so it makes perfect sense for there to be a connection between “sposata” and “spusada”. Another post comments on the Italian dialect word “spusdada”, but other than sounding similar has no connection at all that I can see with the term “spusada”. On the other hand “spusdada” does look like it has a connection with another Italian word “spostata” (Remember [t] frequently becomes [d] and the vowel sound [o] frequently becomes [u] in dialect). This leads me to believe that the case for making a connection between “spusdada” and “spostata” is much stronger than assuming that “spusdada” and ‘spusada’ are referring to the same thing. Official Italian spostata > spustata > spusdada (southern Ital. dialect). However, spusada, which is what the first post was all about, evolves from official Italian “sposata” > spusata > spusada (Ital. dialect). Just the thoughts of someone who grew up speaking dialect first, and later learned the official Italian (Florentine) at university. Mark DeMarco - August 4, 2014 at 9:35 AM Reply I am inclined to agree with Karen. The poster’s description is more appropriately linked to the official Italian word “stonato’ which has probably evolved into Italian dialect along the line of stonato > stunatu > stunadu > stunad (Ital. dialect). There is no connection at all that I can see with “spostata” (Ital.) or its variation in Ital. dialect “spusdada”. Mark DeMarco - August 4, 2014 at 9:56 AM Reply “Stunad”…or “stonato is still heard very very frequently and is used as the equivalent of our American English term “stoned”..meaning as you correctly indicate “out of it”…or “dazed”. The other term “spusdada” or “spustato” encountered much less frequently and in the context spoken (referring to a spouse) seemed to mean as indicated…basically “out of it”…The term sounds phonetically something like “scustamata” (“itch”…”pestlike” but that was not the meaning intended to be conveyed. Mike - August 4, 2014 at 5:52 AM My grandma used to say shacod (written how it sounded) for something that was a mess.she was napolitan from avellino.yours is very similar I guess the sound changes slightly from town to town. Ronnie - August 6, 2014 at 12:11 PM Reply Thank you for this. I remember a lot of these. It’s fun to compare these with my knowledge of book italian. I’m looking for one other phrase, something my grandfather said when he was given food that he thought lacked salt or was too bland. It’s something like “scia bid'” or maybe “scia vid” (b’s and v’s tend to sound similar). Maybe something slang about “the wake of life?” Belle cose 🙂 Reply This is just a hunch, but I believe the word you heard was most likely a version of the official Italian word “dissapita” (something bland and unappealing). My late father (who liked salt more than the rest of us) would complain by labelling something “dissapita” (not enough salt). Based on the context you described, the possible omission of the first and last unaccented syllables, and the tendency to replace [p] with [b], and [t] with [d], it is quite possible that your grandfather was saying “dissapita” in his own tongue. dissapita> sapit(a) > sabida > sabid. Mark DeMarco - August 9, 2014 at 6:20 PM Sciabo/sciaba = bland.. In particular without salt. Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 2:09 AM Reply Anyone know what the word “camma-nooch” means in “The Godfather”? It was when Sonny was in his father’s study and all the rest came in and he greeted them with that word. Also, in “Godfather II”, the young Tessio when bringing the young Vito to the fancy house and couldn’t find the key says to Vito, “Ming-ya” and that is something that was said in my home many times only it sounded more like “ming-ya-roll”. Anyone have a clue? sisterteresepeter - October 25, 2014 at 6:30 PM Reply “”Camma-nooch” could be a diminutive of the male form of the name ” Carmen” or “Carmine” used in familiar friendly expression upon greeting especially. My barber is named “Carmine” and upon entering his shop many customers (those of Italian origin and otherwise, so well established it is as an “Italian-Americanism”) hail him as “Camma-nooch” (“good little Carmine” perhaps) rather than “Carmine”. Your “mingya” could well be “minchia” or “Wow !”, an expression of surprise and impression, with all that implies. Somehow in any case, rightly or wrongly, it became my own belief that this was not a expression usually used in polite speech. Mike Laurano - November 29, 2014 at 8:06 AM Yes, It’s probably Carminuccio, which is a diminutive or nickname for Carmine. albatromana - December 12, 2014 at 12:39 AM […] American Italian: Dictionary \| American Italian – I grew up in South Philly and was 1st generation American. My mom, dad, and friends rarely spoke proper Italian, but spoke a combination of slang, dialect, corrupted …… […] Reply I love this list for the pleasure it gives my Bronx-Italian husband out here in the Wild West. And I have a candidate for entry into the list: “frudalooms.” Turns out that this was the kind of underwear they all bought back in the day–Fruit of the Loom. Beverly Colgan - December 23, 2014 at 7:47 PM Reply This is a wonderful forum, thank you. My mother’s parents were from Salemi in Trapani, Sicilia, and we grew up (in Boston) hearing many of these words. I haven’t yet read every word in the comments but I will, when I have time. We grew up hearing “bedda matri mia,” not “mamma mia.” I know now that this was a leftover from Arabic, a Sicilian dialect thing. Anyone else grow up hearing this? I have a few questions: the only word I heard for female genitals was “culi”–I assume they were just saying “the holes down there,” like “culo.” Anyone else grew up with that? Also, Nonnie used to say a little prayer or rhyme when there was a big thunderstorm. Anyone know what that was? And her daughters would say a prayer for lost things to St. Anthony, a rhyme in English that I assume was a translation of some similar prayer in Sicilian. Anyone know anything about that? Lastly, is there a Sicilian word for “bastard”? I don’t mean “bastardo”–I mean something more literal, something to describe an illegitimate child whose parents are unknown. And is there a word for “adopted” or “adoption”? Thank you for anything you can tell me–I am writing a chapter of a book, thinking about these things. Will credit this site for the help. Linda (Cammarata) Norton - January 10, 2015 at 2:15 PM Ciao Linda: I’m originally for East Boston. My family was Avellinese. See my website, mrsdrinkwater.com; also my article in wetheitalians.com. I also write travel stories. Best wishes, My grandparents settled in the North Bronx. I grew up in North Jersey This was the “Italian” I heard on the street. Thanks for putting this together. Paul Soltero - February 4, 2015 at 5:33 PM Reply One thing I was hoping to find on the list but didn’t, was something that my grandmother always used to say when she was fed up with something and I guess it would be the equivalent of “for Pete”s sake” or “for crying out loud” in English and that was “Machidente” or if she was really mad just “MA(h)” anyone know how to spell it correctly? I can’t find it anyone on the web. Vince Marinelli - February 20, 2015 at 9:16 AM My MIL used to say “Accipicchia!”, which was retained to be a milder, more genteel, exclamation. 🙂 Lidia - April 20, 2015 at 2:22 AM how do you say uncle frank in the neapolitan dialect????? nick squeglia - March 13, 2015 at 12:32 PM I would think ” Zi Francesc” leaving off the o in zio (uncle) and the o in Francesco Mike - March 14, 2015 at 1:38 PM Reply In the Napolidan language they dislike using word endings to denote gender. When I was a boy we had an old lady relative all the adults called Ozzi. I thought her name was the American Ozzi. But it was “a Zi” they were saying “the Aunt”. In Italian: la Zia. Also they never put the gender in both words, they just use the article. They never say la it’s always just a. Similarly for the uncle they say “u Zi”. U instead of il. So uncle Frank would be u Zi Franc without the o Tony - March 14, 2015 at 2:05 PM For a deeper Neapolitan dialect, I’d say Zi France’…hard accent on the “e”. Laura Bellusci Reply Yes, probably Zi Francesc. I have another question- know this isn’t the right place to post it, but how and where on this page do I start a new comment or question? This site starts at the very beginning of the dictionary, and makes me scroll down through the entire comments section. What am I doing wrong? Thanks. Daraks1 - March 16, 2015 at 2:38 AM Reply I have another question- know this isn’t the right place to post it, but how and where on this page do I start a new comment or question? This site starts at the very beginning of the dictionary, and makes me scroll down through the entire comments section. What am I doing wrong? Thanks. Daraks1 - March 16, 2015 at 2:39 AM Reply My aunt who lived in Staten Island ny was named michelina .we would call her aunt zizi margie .the older generation in my family would call her just zizi. “Where’s zizi today”.i always thought growing up that zizi Margie was her name. Ronnie - March 23, 2015 at 9:16 AM Reply I’m writing a paper for a linguistic anthropology class about my family’s linguistic features and the lexicon on this page is helping me tremendously! There are two words I can’t seem to find anywhere in the depths of the mighty internet. Of course I do not know the “true” spellings so I will try my best. First is something like “ahge” [AHJH] use to describe the feeling of being full (especially in your chest and throat) after eating greasy food. The second is something like “metsagetha!” (maybe “medsagetha”) used to express disbelief (usually as a listeners response to hearing a wild story). Anyone recognize either one?! 1. ACIDO–AH-CHEE-DOE=ACID STOMACH 2. MEZZA VERITA–MEH-ZA–VEH-REE-TA=HALF TRUTH HOPE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. CIAO-CHEE-OW=GOODBY-HELLO—SHORT FOR CE VEDIAMO=CHE-VEH-DEE-AHMO angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 12:59 PM AGITA (n): common usage for upset/stressful stomach problem.. AGITARE means to agitate. To say: I’ve got the AGITA means all the troubles are hitting the gut. Ci vediamo (see you later…) Laura dasolaitalia - April 11, 2015 at 2:09 PM I offer another possibility to your question about disbelief which is “HALF TRUTH” =META DI DETTA–MEHTAH-DEE-DEHTAH, which sounds similar to what you heard CIAO! angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 2:15 PM Correct my second possibility which would be “HALF SAID” = META DI DETTA. Sorry about that goof. CIAO! angelo nargi - April 11, 2015 at 2:21 PM My family said ah jh na. To mean stomic pains and food coming back up Donna - August 28, 2015 at 11:20 PM My family moved from Philly around 1900 to CT. They used to pronounce it ag ah da. Cipster - September 1, 2015 at 4:26 PM I was recommended this web site through my cousin. I’m no longer certain whether this post is written by way of him as nobody else realize such distinct about my trouble. You’re wonderful! Thank you! The list and comments just made my day! Thanks to each of you who contributed. I too miss all the sounds, aromas, tastes, hugs and love when growing up near an Italian kitchen. 1st Gen Italian from Providence, RI Craig C - May 22, 2015 at 3:33 PM Reply My great-grandmother and grandmother used to say something right before a sentence. It sounded sort of like “em-bah” or “bah”. Sort of like, “Em-Bah. What do you want for dinner?” In the movie “The Godfather”, when Sollozzo meets with Don Corleone the first time, he makes the same sound. Anyone know what that means? Teri - May 23, 2015 at 6:50 PM Please update to my new address: [email protected] Grazie, Laura AND WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR DINNER? = E BENE, CHE COSA VUOI PER CENA? ANGELO NARGI - May 26, 2015 at 3:17 PM I need some help, please! There’s a funny poem my dad used to say, but I’m missing part of it: “Una volta c’era una che mangavi pane pruna, e una volta” (can’t remember – but it ended with) “e cacava.” I need the missing part, and also a translation. Also, he used to say, “The big fish eats the little fish.” I can find lots of translations online, but not in dialect. His mom was Calabrese. Ok, got it! Big thanks to Aunt Connie and nephew Zach. Una volta cherre uno Once upon a time there was one che mangava pane e prune who was eating bread and prunes le ose se cudava. and he would swallow the pits. E i calzi ce cacave. He shit his pants. Che si dici? Hey, what’s up? E sardi se mangiano i licci. Well, the big fish eat the little fish. Lisa B. - November 9, 2015 at 8:40 AM Words I heard my bruzese father say: Tuto fa-shad…… all messed up Shun-gad ….. a real low life Mort de da fam…. my ex brother in law ! Gumba….. like family bas a na gol….. basil scadol……. escarole From my Calabress grandmother….. she said “a bizz” for pizza Lorraine - June 10, 2015 at 8:36 PM Reply I didn’t hear all of the words that you did, but some of them like “gumba”, “basanagol”, “scadol”, and “statazeet”. One word that no one here seems to be familiar was “jumba-lone”. In my grandmother’s tongue, it meant huge. sisterteresepeter - June 11, 2015 at 9:37 AM Reply I married into a Sicilian family in CT and recognize lots of words on the list. It’s funny that I now use fugazi rather than any English equivalent – it just works better. One thing my husband and I say that we don’t know the true meaning of is “fungi kanoobalees” (phoentic). I always thought it meant “nothing” like the Italian word for mushrooms. We use it a lot because it’s fun to say. But I said it in front of my mother in law once and she laughed so hard she couldn’t even tell me what it really meant. She just said my husband used it wrong all these years. Hmm… Deb Lagana - July 1, 2015 at 10:03 PM Reply If you find mistakes in the spelling it is because every city in Southern Italy has its own dialect, so each person would bring a different dialect on their way to the US. There are no ‘standard’ or unique ways to spell, etc. Second, each person had a different influence from English, and that also makes it different, with the result that the dialect spoken in the US obviously differs in some things with the same dialect spoken in Southern Italy. Pia (@Digitalys) - July 30, 2015 at 6:02 AM Reply My Dad used to have a saying and im trying to get spelling. He said it was blood of my blood which is Sangue Del Mio Sangue. But the words he used (Forgive Spelling) was Sanguemi sanutsumi sanguemi. does anyone know what the sayingis and how it is really spelled?? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Barbara Tarr - August 11, 2015 at 12:52 PM Reply Yo, this is the best. Me and my buddies here in South Philly are always talkin bout these here things and this lines up all kinds of stuff. My Mother, Father and Grandparents, uncles and aunts allsaid these here things. It was a real blast from the past. Thanks a lot. Dave - August 26, 2015 at 1:11 PM My family was Calabrezz. They used to say. Im gonna try to spell it out like you did. “Ar jun a” stomic pain like in GERD time to take tums lol Rhode island. Reply Very cool. My mom is 2nd generation Italian. She uses a lot of these words and Yiddish since she is from Brooklyn. She didn’t know that many of them weren’t standard English until she moved. I could see that as many of the words don’t have a precise translation like scooch or stunad (the later erupts out my Midwestern mouth driving). Frank Byrnes - August 30, 2015 at 9:05 PM Reply I work with a gal whose family is Italian-American (makes a great Feast of the Seven Fishes, but I digress). Anyway, we’ll be at work and something will fall for no reason, or we’ll be looking for something that the previous shift misplaced and the gal will blame the (phonetic spelling) “marangeen”. (Sounds like “madangeen”). She says her grandma told her it means, “the man who was not there”, like maybe a poltergeist. Anybody ever hear that word, maybe know the dialect, I’m intrigued. Claudia McCall - September 13, 2015 at 12:06 PM Alot of Gabbagul was taken from American and italianized. Possible from “man done gone” One possibility. David Hollingsworth - September 17, 2015 at 1:42 AM Reply Just a guess – your word could possible be a variation of the Italian “malandrino” which translates in English to wicked…scoundrel…evil-one…etc. It is more or less the same in Spanish and French. American Italian expressions sometimes are not always true to an Italian original- not even to an original dialectical Italian root…sometimes it is in the hearer rather than the words and then it gets repeated to take on a new life of its own…. The very well known “baccaous” illustrates…indicating “back house” or “out house”….not any Continental Italian root to that….purely a creative American Italian expression born of necessity. “Malandrin…” seems to fit the situations you describe. Mike - September 17, 2015 at 4:53 AM you’re correct Mike, TWO WORDS = MAL (evil) LADRINO (thief) EVIL THIEF………..Check out Lou Monte’s “Pepino the Italian Mouse” La Mal Ladrino who steals the cheese. “Vivere Bene, Ridere Spesso, e l’Ammore Con Tutto Il Cuore” Live Well, Laugh Often, and Love with all your heart” angelo nargi - September 26, 2015 at 5:08 PM Mike, I think you nailed it — thanks! Claudia McCall - October 21, 2015 at 12:35 AM Firsr looked up poltergeist – presenza demonica – no correlarion there. Then I saw “gandeen” – in the basement.Possible “but/hand in the basement”? David Hollingsworth - September 17, 2015 at 5:45 AM Reply This is awesome, like a blast from the past… miss my italian relatives, all long gone now. Just the memory of laughter & Italian/American phrases like these. I know there’s so much more, please continue to add to this page. I’ve shared it with my sisters, they love it!!!!m Elisa Pogue - October 8, 2015 at 6:36 PM My grandparents from bari, pronounced biscotti as vishcooth?.I’m trying to spell it the way it sounds..lol Gina - October 27, 2015 at 10:57 AM Reply I was raised in an Italian family (Naples & Sorrento) and my grandmother made them. I never heard the word “biscotti” til I was in my 40’s!!! Grandma called them, “Anisette Cookies”, even though some were almond flavor and some were Anisette. Other relatives of mine (Sicily) pronounce it, “bishcoati”. Karen - November 9, 2015 at 5:50 AM Reply My grandmothers were from Sicily and Calabria. I never heard the word biscotti. It was homemade, and it was called Almond Toast or Anise Toast. Interestingly, my husband, Russian Jew, grew up with the same treat, and it was called Mandelbrot—Almond Bread. Lisa B. - November 9, 2015 at 8:10 AM I really enjoyed this list. My mother was 100% Sicilian and she used many of these words. I wonder how many of the Sicilian words are influenced by the ethnic history of Sicily. Being an American, I had always referred to myself as “Italian” until an Italian from Northern Italy told me Sicily had a very different history than Italy. He made an analogy to Puerto Rico becoming part of America, but had a distinct history. I took a DNA test and was surprised to learn that most Sicilians (including myself) have significant Middle Eastern, Spanish, Greek & N African DNA. It makes sense as Sicily is closer to Tunisia than Rome, 3 hours via boat.The Sicilian language is considered an actual language, not dialect, by linguists. Lisa - November 26, 2015 at 10:54 AM That’s strange- because my Sicilian relatives are real light- with blue -green eyes. My relatives from Naples are dark. Was your DNA test done through Ancestry.com? Karen - November 26, 2015 at 11:16 PM Reply Hi Karen– Sorry did not see your message until now a year later in 2016! Yes, did an ancestry and family tree test. My DNA mix is actually the norm for sicily and I also have blue eyes! My mother (both parents sicilian) had brown eyes, fair skin & dark hair. Her mother had red hair and brown eyes. Her grandmother was even blond and blue eyed. I am told that is from the norman influence. Read about the history of Sicily. It is very distinct from Italy. Italy was unified and sicily incorporated in 1860. It is autonomous but a territory of Italy. Ruled by many rulers due to being on the trade route and so close to Europe, African & the Middle East. laura - October 21, 2016 at 12:22 PM Sicilian and other languages in Southern Italy are indeed languages. They are partly of Catalan origin and in Spain I.e. Catalonia called Alt Catalan. Normans and other Nordic types also spent time in that neck of the woods – ergo blonde hair, blue eyes David Hollingsworth - November 27, 2015 at 2:29 AM Reply Loved reading these definitions and comments, as they reminded me so much of my Italian (Naples) family when I was growing up in Rhode Island! My grandmother used to tease me with a phrase that sounded like “la giamberatta e bet” which she said was “I’m going to teach you then I will lose you” (get married, move away?) Does anyone know the Italian phrase? Lori - November 29, 2015 at 10:36 AM Reply Thank you soooo much for this. Many of these words were used by my mother. However, some, I never knew exactly what they meant. My grandparents were Calabrese. My mother used to say one that I still cannot find. I sounded like (fah -vote) If anyone can please tell me what the real word(s) are and what it means I would really appreciate it. Thanks. Joe - December 5, 2015 at 1:07 AM Reply Well…”fa vota” literally would be “go vote” which is a relatively polite way of saying …”blow off..get lost or just go away”…something like ” va Napoli”…go to Naples” rather than go to H-. These are relatively polite terms because there is another phrase of the street that comes very close in sound to “fa vota” and is meant to be much less polite. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:33 AM Thanks Mike!! Joe - January 1, 2016 at 5:04 PM Chao’ This is great. Growing up in Bensonhurst, 2nd generation Italian this was correct Italian dialect to us. I still use all these words and they have been passed to my adult children. I really never knew it was slang until I was questioned on spelling of certain words. Thank you for your list and for all the Italian-American people who continue to utilize this way of speaking. saluta. Reply My grandmother (Brooklyn from Caserta, near Naples) used to refer to children as ‘quierdooday’ (phonetically) and not the standard Italian ‘bambino’. A reference on another Italian dialect site that says one word used in the Naples are for children is ‘quartaro’ which might be morphed to ‘quierdooday’. Does anyone know? Ro - December 21, 2015 at 7:40 AM your Grandmother was almost certainly making reference to “kids” (i.e. young goats) just as children are sometimes so called in English. What you heard is likely derived from the Italian or Neapolitan word for the same. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:18 AM My grandmother used the word ‘ashpeta’ (phonetic) for ‘wait’. It doesn’t match the standard translation – Does anyone know what Italian word it comes from? Ro - December 21, 2015 at 8:31 AM That is an easy one- the root word is “aspettare”…the Italian verb “to wait”. Mike - December 31, 2015 at 6:24 AM Reply Hi Ro– My mother whose parents came from Sicily in the 1920’s used to say aspetta (could sound like ashpeta) minuta. It meant wait a minute in Sicilian. She also used to say ammunini (among many other Sicilian words) which meant come with me or let’s go. The Italian verb would be Andare and Andiamo for Let’s go. laura - December 31, 2015 at 2:21 PM Ashpeta comes from aspettare which among other things also means wait or expect. David Hollingsworth - January 3, 2016 at 3:46 PM Baccalà – Salted Cod Fish Reply My grandfather born in 1903 in a mountain village of Campania/Naples, came to America when he was 9 years old. He had blue eyes and blonde hair. His mother, who died soon after his birth, also had blue eyes and blonde hair. Many Italians from the mainland did not consider Sicilians as real Italians. I think it might have been because Sicily was, at one time, almost like a penal colony. I may be mistaken about that, but that is what my grandfather used to tell me. sisterteresepeter - January 1, 2016 at 9:28 PM Reply My family still uses many of these words, mostly because there aren’t English equivalents. My grandmother used to say (phonetically): Due sonno so betch, a tre non ghareeve: It meant two is too much and three won’t reach, which was her way of saying something didn’t make sense. Anyone ever hear of Schreetz? That’s the spatter that happens when you’re frying bacon. tom, cleveland - January 24, 2016 at 2:29 PM My grandmother was 2nd generation Sicilian-American. She used to say a word I can’t find anywhere – I’m beginning to think it was made up or wrong! She would call people who drank too much gigatoon. Any thoughts? Christina - February 24, 2016 at 7:57 PM She didn’t make it up. My grandparents were from Calabria, and they called a drunk a “chi-ca-toon.” I’m sure it’s the same word, but what it stems from, I have no idea. Joanne - March 14, 2016 at 2:30 PM Reply I so enjoyed reading through this! My grandparents were all legal immigrants of Sicily and Bari, Italy. What a fantastic, colorful and memorable childhood I had! I remember almost all the words and phrases on your list and occasionally use some of them still! By the way, thank you for your pronunciation of them as well. It’s like nails on a chalk board when I hear people say man-i-cot-i, or bis-cot-i, rick-cotta, or pros-cute-oh. I can go on but you obviously understand what I’m saying. Ca-peesh?! Kathleen Monachino - March 6, 2016 at 4:00 AM Does anyone know the Gabbagul term for “behind”? Or “butt”? Is “Culo” the accepted (not Gabbagul) word? And also the color “pink”? Thanks. Karen - March 12, 2016 at 8:29 PM Reply My grandma used to say when I was little and going to the bathroom “did you wipe your ghoulee” or if I was being a pain in the ass she would call me “pain in ghoul “. Ghoul,culo ,Cooley all mean ass to me. She was from Naples. Avellino to be more precise. Miss her every minute of every day. Ronnie - March 14, 2016 at 3:09 PM Reply My grandma and mother used to call it “cooley”, too. My grandmother was Calabrezzi and my grandfather was Neopolitan. My grandfather used to call me a big “jumbalone” when I was a little kid. Never knew what that meant. When my mother used to get really po’d, she’d say something like this: “Fungool tha-ya de momeda”. I know what the first part means, but never figured out the last part. Anyone have any clue? sisterteresepeter - April 14, 2016 at 8:26 AM My grandpa always pronounces it “cooloo.” I have no idea if this is a standard Gabbagul word or if it’s just because he never learned to speak Italian. alexelogsdonAlex - March 18, 2016 at 9:31 AM Culo means butt Jami - November 8, 2016 at 2:55 AM I too can confirm that in the southern or Calabrian dialect I heard the pronunciation that you described as “cooloo”. That was not a mistake, but a pattern found in many southern Italian dialects, where over time, the pronunciation of the vowel shifted one degree. So we can observe frequent vowel shifting over time from [o] to [u] example: Edoardo became Eduardo or culo became culu. Other examples of this vowel shifting: [e] to [i] trecento became tricintu; It is important to remember that the dialects were typically handed down orally from one generation to another, as they have been since Roman times. As a result they were dynamic languages more subject to changes over time. The classical latin which was spoken by the elites and the educated, evolved less slowly. Today the official language of Italian republic was once the dialect of Florentine raised to national status. So many of the comparisons here to standard Italian are really comparisons between two different dialects. Each word has a history and there is no reason why a word in 2017 should have a counterpart in two dialects, especially if those words evolved from a different source. For example, in the Florentine dialect the word for mouse is “topo”. In some southern Italian dialects it is pronounced “sudice”. In the Florentine dialect (now official Italian), the word for table is “tavola”. In parts of southern Italy we find the word “buffetta”. (kind of similar to our English word buffet, likely of French origin). Recall that French domination of southern Italy lasted a long time and resulted in the introduction of new words that were not part of the lexicon of the Florentine dialect. Mark DeMarco - January 2, 2017 at 2:17 PM We always called it a “cooloo.” My mom’s parents were born in Sicily, and my dad’s mother in Calabria (his father from the north, near Treviso). Lisa B. - January 8, 2017 at 4:18 PM What about BEE-shi or the long form BEE-sho-LEEN? Lol I didn’t even know the real name till i was way too old. Jimmy - March 19, 2016 at 7:54 PM Might you be referring to the chamber pot that was standard night time household equipment in the days before indoor bathrooms ? Mike - March 22, 2016 at 8:10 PM Yes I remember grandma told us about the pissa pot.when we had no money she used to say we don’t have a pot to piss in….still dont Ronnie - March 25, 2016 at 11:40 AM Reply I have been trying to find out for years how to spell the Italian (most likely Italian-American slang) word that sounds phonetically like “Badjagaloop” and what the English translation is. It’s usually used in the context of calling someone an idiot or something similar and was in common usage in Northern New Jersey in the 1970s-1990s (probably still is, but I don’t live there anymore so I couldn’t really say. ) There was even a restaurant by that name, but of course it was spelled phonetically “Bajagaloops” and was not a real Italian restaurant. I think it was a fast food place. I don’t know if this thread/site is still active or open, but if so, can anyone shed some light on this for me? Valentina R - June 6, 2016 at 1:56 PM Reply Ok, here’s one for the books. What does (phonetically spelled) “ming-ya-roll” mean? I heard it on Godfather II when a young Clemenza took a young Vito to a house to get a rug. When Clemenza discovered there wasn’t a key under the rung, he said, “Ming-ya”. Anyone have a clue what this means? BTW, my Italian roots are from Chicago. Terese Tompkins - June 19, 2016 at 11:46 AM Reply meeng ya, not exactly sure but when ever I heard it used it was like saying “I don’t believe it” or “what the heck”. Never heard “ming-ya-roll” but a phrase we still use in my family is “meeng-ya-moda”, this refers to someone who tends to do things in a sloppy, lazy way. eg. She’s a mingya moda I don’t speak Italian so I don’t know what the words really mean but I have always assumed that the “moda” (pronounced mode-uh} is from the word “mode”, a way or method of doing somethong. So , meeng ya moda, a lazy way, might indicate that meengya suggests laziness or perhaps something unbelievably foolish. Vincent - June 23, 2016 at 11:24 AM I guess some of these words and phrases are just ways that Italian Americans used to hang on to their heritage. My grandmother’s family came from Calabria and my grandfather’s family came from Naples. Plus, you have the Chicago influence of other Italians so I think a lot of these words and phrases were influenced by the city in which these people lived. There are lots of recipes that are common to all Italians, yet my family made them very differently. In Chicago, you would never find a pizza with the cheese at the bottom of the pizza with the extras on top of the cheese. Pastafazool was made very differently in my family than some of the recipes I’ve seen. But, I do enjoy learning more and more about Italian people and their languages and traditions. sisterteresepeter - June 23, 2016 at 3:28 PM Ming ya is Managgia in Napolidans – something akin to GD it!!! or Doggone!!!! David Hollingsworth - August 14, 2016 at 10:18 AM Thanks, David! Yes, My mother and her family used to use that word a lot whenever they were frustrated. Sometimes, my Italian uncles would call me a “jumba-lone” when I was a kid. I’m not sure what it meant, but I know it was not a compliment! sisterteresepeter - August 14, 2016 at 10:54 AM Omg…these words are words I grew up with!!!!!! I love seeing these..i actually taught my kids and my relative from Italy said I wasn’t teaching him the right way!!!!!! Gloria DeStefano- - June 11, 2016 at 9:15 AM woodza woo dza means a hole or place to keep extra money bitacuse = cheapskate manga tadia = one who eats too much beva tadia = one who drinks too much engora = oh no not again coom asti you = how are you, half English Thanks for this site, very cool Vincent - June 13, 2016 at 4:39 PM I’m a native Italian speaker. I find this very entertaining. I have heard many of these words used by Italian Americans. There are some words that are not literal translations. Grazie Rose - July 16, 2016 at 8:49 PM Just wondering id anyone knew what guanda moss meant? I know this is not how it’s spelled. John Anastasi - July 20, 2016 at 10:23 AM Reply “quante mosse”…literally translates to “how or so many movements ?” indicating a probable dramatic exaggeration of some sort either in response or reaction to some stimulus. In music the term “con tante mosse” is employed when it is time to play the music dramatically. Mike - July 29, 2016 at 5:47 AM My Father used to say it to my Mother when she was arguing with him……….kind of makes sense now, LOL. Thanks.. johnnyboy1823 - July 29, 2016 at 6:02 AM My grandmother used to say (phonetic spelling) “Guanda belle!” Meaning “beautiful one” I think. It was beautiful something, for sure! sisterteresepeter - July 29, 2016 at 12:33 PM I remember that too……seems like my Father was saying, “How Dramatic” LOL johnnyboy1823 - July 29, 2016 at 12:44 PM Anyone ever heard the term “ska-sha-BONG” to mean a jalopie or crappy car? My godfather in South Philadelphia used to say it. Amanda Colianni - August 4, 2016 at 3:38 PM “scasciata” I believe translates to “ruined” or “destroyed” or “broken down”… “scasciabanga” applied as you say to a “jalopie” could be an “American-Italian” word. Have also heard it unkindly applied to people…not nice ! Mike - August 12, 2016 at 5:44 AM My Dad used that too……….ruined, destroyed, messed up, etc. johnnyboy1823 - August 12, 2016 at 12:27 PM English words for the Italian word schiacciare SCHIACCIARE = cave crush jam mash overwhelm pinch press push down smash squash squeeze squelch swat THE SLANG EXPRESSION “SCASHADE”COMES FROM THE VERB SCHIACCIARE…………….. ANGELO NARGI - August 12, 2016 at 1:49 PM I have discussed this scacciabong with the owners of the restaurant we visit. They come from Campania. They say means a bonecrusher – schiacciare to press or crush and bong probably bones. In other words the car is a bone crusher cuz it bounces around so much. David Hollingsworth - August 14, 2016 at 10:15 AM Yep! And if you can get a hold of a copy of Fatso!. A movie with Dom Delouise you will hear it mentioned in there by Anne Bancroft “Ain’t these the keys to your schiash! Joe - August 13, 2016 at 7:32 PM This is great, my Papa came from Sicily & and Mama’s family from Italy. “You will learna to speaka English” Papa said: ” becausa you wasa borna here ” ! Never learned Proper Italian cause of the dialect speaking. Now I am laughing over the memories of la Familia expressiones & there spelling too. Graci ! Reply Love the Dictionary,brought a tear in the eye because my parents who are deceased are from R.I. and Ma.spoke this style of Italian. Reminds me of growing up in Italian house hold where are grandparents immigrated from southern Italy, Town called San Sossio in region Avelino. Have yet to make the trip,but on my bucket list. Also love reading all comments. Great job. Fred Demartino,ma. Fred DeMarinis - November 10, 2016 at 11:53 PM Does anybody know why Italians leave the last syllable off of every word? Karen - November 14, 2016 at 5:50 PM Reply Hello Karen, As I got older I discovered that the vowels at the end of the Italian words I heard when I was growing are not silent but should actually be pronounced. So, manicotti was just manicot, ravioli was just raviol and calamari just calimad. My theory is that immigrant Italians would drop the vowel in an attempt to Americanize the words. Does anyone know if this is correct? Vince - November 14, 2016 at 8:27 PM That’s an easy one, to save time!!!! Lol. Victoria Marinello - December 10, 2016 at 6:39 PM Reply In linguistics it is taught that unstressed vowels are frequently weakened or eliminated. Your questions relate to a spoken Italian dialect. However, I can assure you that (1) no, this is not an attempt to Americanize the words and (2) this tendency to truncate an unstressed vowel at the end of the word is not unique to any dialect. Also, you are comparing the written Italian (which is a static graphic representation) to a spoken dialect (which is a living dynamic language). Numerous examples exist across many languages and dialects of this tendency to truncate unstressed vowels, especially at the end of a word or syllable. veritasmba - January 2, 2017 at 7:13 AM Thank you. Vince - January 2, 2017 at 9:24 AM Thank you all.	i don't know
The famous ‘Route 66’ in America connected Los Angeles to which other city?	Route 66 History Page \| Route 66 World Share U.S. Route 66 (also known as the Will Rogers Highway, “Main Street of America” or the “Mother Road”) was a highway in the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 (US Highway 66), was established on November 11, 1926. However, road signs did not go up until the following year. The famous highway originally started from Chicago, Illinois, and ran through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, encompassing a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was recognized in popular culture by both a hit song (written by Bobby Troup and performed by the Nat King Cole Trio and The Rolling Stones, among others) and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s. Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, changing its path and overall length. Many of the realignments gave travelers faster and safer routes, or detoured around city congestion. One realignment moved the western endpoint farther west from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. Route 66 was a major path of the migrants who went west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed through. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive even with the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System. US 66 (Route 66) was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985 after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designated a National Scenic Byway of the name “Historic Route 66”. It has begun to return to maps in this form. Some portions of the road in southern California have been redesignated “State Route 66” and others bear “Historic Route 66” signs and relevant historic information. Route description Over the years, U.S. Route 66 received many nicknames. Right after Route 66 was commissioned, it was known as “The Great Diagonal Way” because the Chicago-to-Oklahoma City stretch ran northeast to southwest. Later, Route 66 was advertised by the U.S. Highway 66 Association as “The Main Street of America”. The title had also been claimed by supporters of U.S. Route 40, but the Route 66 group was more successful. In the John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath, the highway is called “The Mother Road”, its prevailing title today. Lastly, Route 66 was unofficially named “The Will Rogers Highway” by the U.S. Highway 66 Association in 1952, although a sign along the road with that name appeared in the John Ford film, The Grapes of Wrath, which was released in 1940, twelve years before the association gave the road that name. A plaque dedicating the highway to Will Rogers is still located in Santa Monica, California. There are more plaques like this; one can be found in Galena, Kansas. It was originally located on the Kansas-Missouri state line, but moved to the Howard Litch Memorial Park in 2001. Before the U.S. Highway system In 1857, Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a Naval officer in the service of the U.S. Army Topographical Corps, was ordered by the War Department to build a government-funded wagon road across the 35th Parallel. His secondary orders were to test the feasibility of the use of camels as pack animals in the southwestern desert. This road became part of U.S. Route 66. Before a nationwide network of numbered highways was adopted by the states, named auto trails were marked by private organizations. The route that would become Route 66 was covered by three highways. The Lone Star Route passed through St. Louis on its way from Chicago to Cameron, Louisiana, though US 66 would take a shorter route through Bloomington rather than Peoria. The transcontinental National Old Trails Road led via St. Louis to Los Angeles, but was not followed until New Mexico; instead US 66 used one of the main routes of the Ozark Trails system, which ended at the National Old Trails Road just south of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Again, a shorter route was taken, here following the Postal Highway between Oklahoma City and Amarillo. Finally, the National Old Trails Road became the rest of the route to Los Angeles. Although entrepreneurs Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri deserve most of the credit for promoting the idea of an interregional link between Chicago and Los Angeles, their lobbying efforts were not realized until their dreams merged with the national program of highway and road development. While legislation for public highways first appeared in 1916, with revisions in 1921, it was not until Congress enacted an even more comprehensive version of the act in 1925 that the government executed its plan for national highway construction. Officially, the numerical designation 66 was assigned to the Chicago-to-Los Angeles route in the summer of 1926. With that designation came its acknowledgment as one of the nation’s principal east–west arteries. From the outset, public road planners intended U.S. 66 to connect the main streets of rural and urban communities along its course for the most practical of reasons: most small towns had no prior access to a major national thoroughfare. Birthplace and Rise of Route 66 Officially recognized as the birthplace of US Route 66, it was in Springfield Missouri on April 30, 1926 that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway. A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the “Mother Road” are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown. Championed by Tulsa, Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery when the first talks about a national highway system began, US 66 was first signed into law in 1927 as one of the original U.S. Highways, although it was not completely paved until 1938. Avery was adamant that the highway have a round number and had proposed number 60 to identify it. A controversy erupted over the number 60, largely from delegates from Kentucky which wanted a Virginia Beach–Los Angeles highway to be US 60 and US 62 between Chicago and Springfield, Missouri. Arguments and counter-arguments continued and the final conclusion was to have US 60 run between Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Springfield, Missouri, and the Chicago–L.A. route be US 62. Avery settled on “66” (which was unassigned) because he thought the double-digit number would be easy to remember as well as pleasant to say and hear. The state of Missouri released its 1926 state highway map with the highway labeled as U.S. Route 60. After the new federal highway system was officially created, Clayton Avery called for the establishment of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to promote the complete paving of the highway from end to end and to promote travel down the highway. In 1927, in Tulsa, the association was officially established with John T. Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri elected the first president. In 1928, the association made its first attempt at publicity, the “Bunion Derby”, a footrace from Los Angeles to New York City, of which the path from Los Angeles to Chicago would be on Route 66. The publicity worked: several dignitaries, including Will Rogers, greeted the runners at certain points on the route. The race ended in Madison Square Garden, where the $25,000 first prize was awarded to Andy Hartley Payne, a Cherokee runner from Oklahoma. The association went on to serve as a voice for businesses along the highway until it disbanded in 1976. Traffic grew on the highway because of the geography through which it passed. Much of the highway was essentially flat and this made the highway a popular truck route. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s saw many farming families (mainly from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas) heading west for agricultural jobs in California. Route 66 became the main road of travel for these people, often derogatorily called “Okies” or “Arkies”. And during the Depression, it gave some relief to communities located on the highway. The route passed through numerous small towns, and with the growing traffic on the highway, helped create the rise of mom-and-pop businesses, such as service stations, restaurants, and motor courts, all readily accessible to passing motorists. Much of the early highway, like all the other early highways, was gravel or graded dirt. Due to the efforts of the US Highway 66 Association, Route 66 became the first highway to be completely paved in 1938. Several places were dangerous: more than one part of the highway was nicknamed “Bloody 66” and gradually work was done to realign these segments to remove dangerous curves. However, one section just outside Oatman, Arizona (through the Black Mountains) was fraught with hairpin turns and was the steepest along the entire route, so much so that some early travelers, too frightened at the prospect of driving such a potentially dangerous road, hired locals to navigate the winding grade. The section remained as Route 66 until 1953, and is still open to traffic today as the Oatman Highway. Despite such hazards in some areas, Route 66 continued to be a popular route. Notable buildings include the art deco-styled U-Drop Inn, constructed in 1936 in Shamrock, Texas and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During World War II, more migration west occurred because of war-related industries in California. Route 66, already popular and fully paved, became one of the main routes and also served for moving military equipment. Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri was located near the highway, which was locally upgraded quickly to a divided highway to help with military traffic. When Richard Feynman was working on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, he used to travel the nearly 100 miles (160 km) to visit his wife, who was dying of tuberculosis, in a sanatorium located on Route 66 in Albuquerque. In the 1950s, Route 66 became the main highway for vacationers heading to Los Angeles. The road passed through the Painted Desert and near the Grand Canyon. Meteor Crater in Arizona was another popular stop. This sharp increase in tourism in turn gave rise to a burgeoning trade in all manner of roadside attractions, including teepee-shaped motels, frozen custard stands, Indian curio shops, and reptile farms. Meramec Caverns near St. Louis began advertising on barns, billing itself as the “Jesse James hideout”. The Big Texan advertised a free 72-ounce (2 kg) steak dinner to anyone who could consume the entire meal in one hour. It also marked the birth of the fast-food industry: Red’s Giant Hamburgs in Springfield, Missouri, site of the first drive-through restaurant, and the first McDonald’s in San Bernardino, California. Changes like these to the landscape further cemented 66’s reputation as a near-perfect microcosm of the culture of America, now linked by the automobile. Changes in routing Many sections of US 66 underwent major realignments. In 1930, between Springfield and East St. Louis, Illinois, US 66 was shifted further east to what is now roughly I-55. The original alignment followed the current Illinois Route 4. From downtown St. Louis to Gray Summit, Missouri, US 66 originally went down Market Street and Manchester Road (now, largely, Route 100). In 1932, this route was changed, the original alignment never being viewed as anything more than temporary. The planned route was down Watson Road (now Route 366), but Watson Road had not yet been completed. From west of El Reno, Oklahoma, to Bridgeport, Oklahoma, US 66 turned north to Calumet, Oklahoma, and then west to Geary, Oklahoma, then southwest across the South Canadian River over a suspension toll bridge into Bridgeport, Oklahoma. In 1933, a straighter cut-off route was completed from west of El Reno directly to a point one mile (1.6 km) south of Bridgeport, crossing over a 38-span steel pony truss bridge over the South Canadian River and bypassing both Calumet and Geary by several miles. From west of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, to north of Los Lunas, New Mexico, the road originally turned north from current I-40 along much of what is now US 84 to near Las Vegas, New Mexico, followed (roughly) I-25 — then the decertified US 85 through Santa Fe and Albuquerque to Los Lunas and then turned northwest along the present State Highway 6 alignment to a point near Laguna. In 1937, a straight-line route was completed from west of Santa Rosa through Moriarty and east–west through Albuquerque and west to Laguna. This newer routing saved travelers as much as four hours of travel through New Mexico. According to legend the rerouting was done at the behest of Democratic Governor Arthur T. Hannett to punish the Republican Santa Fe Ring which had long dominated New Mexico out of Santa Fe. In 1940, the first freeway in Los Angeles was incorporated into Route 66: The Arroyo Seco Parkway, later known as the Pasadena Freeway. Since the 1950s, as interstates were constructed, sections of Route 66 not only saw the traffic drain to those interstates, but often the name itself was moved to the faster means of travel. In some cases such as to the east of St. Louis this was done as soon as the interstate was finished to the next exit. In 1936, Route 66 was extended from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica, terminating at US 101 ALT, today the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard (a segment of State Route 1). Even though there is a plaque dedicating Route 66 as the Will Rogers Highway placed at the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, the highway never terminated there. US 66 was rerouted around several larger cities via bypass or beltline routes to permit travelers to avoid city traffic congestion. Some of those cities included Springfield, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Rolla, Missouri; Springfield, Missouri; Joplin, Missouri; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Decline The beginning of the end for Route 66 came in 1956 with the signing of the Interstate Highway Act by President Dwight Eisenhower who was influenced by his experiences in 1919 as a young Army officer crossing the country in a truck convoy (following the route of the Lincoln Highway), and his appreciation of the German Autobahn network as a necessary component of a national defense system. During its nearly 60-year existence, Route 66 was under constant change. As highway engineering became more sophisticated, engineers constantly sought more direct routes between cities and towns. Increased traffic led to a number of major and minor realignments of US 66 through the years, particularly in the years immediately following World War II when Illinois began widening US 66 to four lanes through virtually the entire state from Chicago to the Mississippi River just east of St. Louis, Missouri, and included bypasses around virtually all of the towns. By the early-to-mid 1950s, Missouri also upgraded its sections of US 66 to four lanes complete with bypasses. Most of the newer four-lane 66 paving in both states was upgraded to freeway status in later years. One of the remnants of Route 66 is the highway now known as Veterans Parkway, east and south of Normal, Illinois, and Bloomington, Illinois. The two sweeping curves on the southeast and southwest of the cities originally were intended to easily handle traffic at speeds up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), as part of an effort to make Illinois 66 an Autobahn equivalent for military transport. In 1953, the first major bypassing of US 66 occurred in Oklahoma with the opening of the Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The new 88-mile (142 km) toll road paralleled US 66 for its entire length and bypassed each of the towns along 66. The Turner Turnpike was joined in 1957 by the new Will Rogers Turnpike, which connected Tulsa with the Oklahoma-Missouri border west of Joplin, Missouri, again paralleling US 66 and bypassing the towns in northeastern Oklahoma in addition to the entire state of Kansas. Both Oklahoma turnpikes were soon designated as Interstate 44, along with the US 66 bypass at Tulsa that connected the city with both turnpikes. In some cases, such as many areas in Illinois, the new interstate highway not only paralleled the old Route 66, it actually incorporated much of it. A typical approach was to build one new set of lanes, then move one direction of traffic to it, while retaining the original road for traffic flowing in the opposite direction. Then a second set of lanes for traffic flowing in the other direction would be constructed, finally followed by abandoning the other old set of lanes or converting them into a frontage road. The same scenario was used in western Oklahoma when US 66 was initially upgraded to a four-lane highway such as from Sayre through Erick to the Texas border at Texola in 1957 and 1958 where the old paving was retained for westbound traffic and a new parallel lane built for eastbound traffic (much of this section was entirely bypassed by I-40 in 1975), and on two other sections; from Canute to Elk City in 1959 and Hydro to Weatherford in 1960, both of which were upgraded with the construction of a new westbound lane in 1966 to bring the highway up to full interstate standards and demoting the old US 66 paving to frontage road status. In the initial process of constructing I-40 across western Oklahoma, the state also included projects to upgrade the through routes in El Reno, Weatherford, Clinton, Canute, Elk City, Sayre, Erick, and Texola to four-lane highways not only to provide seamless transitions from the rural sections of I-40 from both ends of town but also to provide easy access to those cities in later years after the I-40 bypasses were completed. In New Mexico, as in most other states, rural sections of I-40 were to be constructed first with bypasses around cities to come later. However, some business and civic leaders in cities along US 66 were completely opposed to bypassing fearing loss of business and tax revenues. In 1963, the New Mexico Legislature enacted legislation that banned the construction of interstate bypasses around cities by local request. This legislation was short-lived, however, due to pressures from Washington and threat of loss of federal highway funds so it was rescinded by 1965. In 1964, Tucumcari and San Jon became the first cities in New Mexico to work out an agreement with state and federal officials in determining the locations of their I-40 bypasses as close to their business areas as possible in order to permit easy access for highway travelers to their localities. Other cities soon fell in line including Santa Rosa, Moriarty, Grants and Gallup although it wasn’t until well into the 1970s that most of those cities would be bypassed by I-40. By the late 1960s, most of the rural sections of US 66 had been replaced by I-40 across New Mexico with the most notable exception being the 40-mile (64 km) strip from the Texas border at Glenrio west through San Jon to Tucumcari, which was becoming increasingly treacherous due to heavier and heavier traffic on the narrow two-lane highway. During 1968 and 1969, this section of US 66 was often referred to by locals and travelers as “Slaughter Lane” due to numerous injury and fatal accidents on this stretch. Local and area business and civic leaders and news media called upon state and federal highway officials to get I-40 built through the area; however, disputes over proposed highway routing in the vicinity of San Jon held up construction plans for several years as federal officials proposed that I-40 run some five to six miles (10 km) north of that city while local and state officials insisted on following a proposed route that touched the northern city limits of San Jon. In November of 1969, a truce was reached when federal highway officials agreed to build the I-40 route just outside of the city, therefore providing local businesses dependent on highway traffic easy access to and from the expressway via the north–south highway that crossed old US 66 in San Jon. Interstate 40 was completed from Glenrio to the east side of San Jon in 1976 and extended west to Tucumcari in 1981, including the bypasses around both cities. Originally, highway officials planned for the last section of US 66 to be bypassed by interstates in Texas, but as was the case in many places, lawsuits held up construction of the new interstates. The US Highway 66 Association had become a voice for the people who feared the loss of their businesses. Since the interstates only provided access via ramps at intersections, travelers could not pull directly off a highway into a business. At first, plans were laid out to allow (mainly national chains) to be placed in interstate medians. Such lawsuits effectively prevented this on all but toll roads. Some towns in Missouri threatened to sue the state if the US 66 designation was removed from the road, though lawsuits never materialized. Several businesses were well known to be on US 66, and fear of losing the number resulted in the state of Missouri officially requesting the designation “Interstate 66” for the St. Louis to Oklahoma City section of the route, but it was denied. In 1984, Arizona also saw its final stretch of highway decommissioned with the completion of Interstate 40 just north of Williams, Arizona. Finally, with decertification of the highway by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials the following year, U.S. Route 66 officially ceased to exist. With the decommissioning of US 66, no single interstate route was designated to replace it. Interstate 55 covered the section from Chicago to St. Louis; Interstate 44 carried the traffic on to Oklahoma City; Interstate 40 took the largest chunk, replacing 66 to Barstow, California; Interstate 15 took over for the route to San Bernardino; and Interstate 210 and State Route 2 or Interstate 10 carried the traffic of Route 66 across the Los Angeles metropolitan area to Santa Monica, and the seashore. After decertification When the highway was decommissioned, sections of the road were disposed of in various ways. Within many cities, the route became a “business loop” for the interstate. Some sections became state roads, local roads, private drives, or were abandoned completely. Although it is no longer possible to drive Route 66 uninterrupted all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles, much of the original route and alternate alignments are still drivable with careful planning. Some stretches are quite well preserved, including one between Springfield, Missouri, and Tulsa. Some sections of Route 66 still retain their historic eight-foot-wide “sidewalk highway” form, never having been resurfaced to make them into full-width highways. Some states have kept the 66 designation for parts of the highway, albeit as state roads. In Missouri, Routes 366, 266, and 66 are all original sections of the highway. State Highway 66 in Oklahoma remains as the alternate “free” route near its turnpikes. “Historic Route 66” runs for a significant distance in and near Flagstaff, Arizona. Farther west, a long segment of Route 66 in Arizona runs significantly north of Interstate 40, and it is designated as State Route 66. This runs from Seligman to Kingman, Arizona, via Peach Springs. A surface street stretch between San Bernardino and La Verne (known as Foothill Boulevard) to the east of Los Angeles retains its number as State Route 66. Several county roads and city streets at various places along the old route have also retained the “66” number. Revival First Route 66 associations were founded in Arizona in 1987, New Mexico incorporated on August 23rd of 1989. and Missouri in 1989 (incorporated in 1990). Other groups in the other Route 66 states soon followed. In 1990, the state of Missouri declared Route 66 in that state a “State Historic Route”. The first “Historic Route 66” marker in Missouri was erected on Kearney Street at Glenstone Avenue in Springfield, Missouri (now replaced — the original sign has been placed at Route 66 State Park near Eureka). Other historic markers now line—at times sporadically—the entire 2,400 mile (3,860 km) length of road. There are instances in California, Illinois, Kansas, and Oklahoma where the road surface itself has been painted with one of a number of similar symbols. Some of those symbols include: An outline of a federal highway shield with the number “66” and the state name, painted entirely in white. A black outline of the shield with the state also painted in black, but with the “66” painted in white. A solid white square with a shield outline, state name, and “66” painted in black over it. A solid white shield with patches of the pavement exposed to depict a horizontal line and the number “66” (and no other words). A section of the road in Arizona was placed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Arroyo Seco Parkway in the Los Angeles Area and Route 66 in New Mexico have been made into National Scenic Byways; and in 2005, the State of Missouri made the road a state scenic byway from Illinois to Kansas. In the cities of Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, and San Bernardino in California, there are US 66 signs erected along Foothill Boulevard, and also on Huntington Drive in the city of Arcadia. “Historic Route 66” signs may be found along the old route in Pasadena (on Colorado Boulevard), San Dimas, LaVerne, and Claremont, California (along Foothill Boulevard). The city of Glendora, California renamed Alosta Avenue, its section of Route 66, by calling it Route 66. Flagstaff, Arizona renamed all but a few blocks of Sante Fe Avenue as Route 66. Many preservation groups have also tried to save and even tried to landmark the old motels and neon signs along the road in different states. In 1999 the National Route 66 Preservation Bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, which provided for $10 million in matching fund grants for preserving and restoring the historic features along the route. Modern-day sign in New Mexico, along a section of Route 66 named a National Scenic Byway In 2008, The World Monuments Fund added Route 66 to its World Monuments Watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Sites along the route, such as gas stations, motels, cafes, trading posts, and drive-in movie theaters are threatened by development in urban areas, and by abandonment and decay in rural areas. As the popularity and mythical stature of Route 66 has continued to grow, demands have begun to mount to improve signage, return Route 66 to road atlases and revive its status as a continuous routing. Along these lines Route 66 has been established as a National Scenic Byway in Illinois, Arizona and New Mexico with National Scenic Byway status pending in Oklahoma and Missouri as of 2007. Another move is also afoot that aims to reinstate Route 66 as an official U.S. Route. Today, many domestic and international travelers are on Route 66 driving it, experiencing it, and saving it. Not only do state and national Route 66 associations exist, but many from countries like Japan, Germany, Australia, Italy and so on. 80% of the original Route 66 is still driveable and many older original sections still exist next to the newer ones. Businesses are being reopened, buildings being renovated, signs being restored and now there are several websites (like this one) and social media groups about Route 66. Campaigns to save bridges, to hold festivals (both local, state, national and now international) as well as dedicated ‘roadies’ who are the new gatekeepers and guardians of Route 66. National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. has a section on U.S. Route 66 in its “America on the Move” exhibition. In the exhibit is a portion of pavement of the route taken from Bridgeport, Oklahoma and a restored car and truck of the type that would have been driven on the road in the 1930s. Also on display is a “Hamons Court” neon sign that hung at a gas station and tourist cabins near Hydro, Oklahoma, a “CABINS” neon sign that pointed to Ring’s Rest tourist cabins in Muirkirk, Maryland, as well as several post cards a traveler sent back to his future wife while touring the route. Route 66: ‘once you drive part of it – you’ll want to drive all of it!’ Posted by edklein69 at 8:39 am	Chicago
Which Irish band provided the music for Harry’s Game and Robin of Sherwood?	Route 66 and the Trans-Canada Highway: iconic roads, very different adventures \| Toronto Star Autos Route 66 and the Trans-Canada Highway: iconic roads, very different adventures How does one of the most famous roads in America compare with Canada’s mother road? Wheels contributor Mark Richardson takes two epic journeys across two of the world’s remarkable highways to find out. The Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo, Texas, is an ever-changing Route 66 landmark. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) Mark Richardson, shown here somewhere in Texas, knows a photo op when he sees one. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) A stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway in Nova Scotia. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) Writer Mark Richardson's son Tristan takes in the Prairies from a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway, en route across the country. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) The highway on the drive west to Oatman, Az., is the most serpentine stretch of Route 66. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) A Route 66 motel near Springfield, Mo., put out of business by the modern hotel chains. (Mark Richardson for the Toronto Star) By Mark RichardsonSpecial to the Star Fri., Jan. 2, 2015 Recently, I drove the length of America’s most famous road, Route 66 — 3,900 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles. Two years ago, I drove the length of this country’s most famous road, the Trans-Canada Highway — 7,600 kilometres from St. John’s to Victoria. Do the two compare? Is one just a different national version of the other? No; their principles are the same, but their identities are as different as our two countries. Most important, the Trans-Canada is a working highway and often the most important road link for the communities it passes through. In some provinces — New Brunswick, Quebec and across the Prairies — it’s a four-lane divided highway as swift and efficient as any American interstate. Article Continued Below Route 66, however, is no longer an official highway in the U.S. and was removed from the books in 1985. Its concrete and cement was bypassed by the mammoth interstate system, sometimes paved over in the name of progress by the wide and smooth asphalt. America’s Mother Road is much older than Canada’s, although we had the idea first. It was in 1912 that 500 motorists gathered in Alberni, on Vancouver Island, and called for the creation of a highway to link Canada, by road and not just rail. There were only 50,000 cars in the country at the time but that number was growing exponentially and those drivers could see the future. They wanted a national highway to help forge a national identity — to link the west to the east, from ocean to ocean. A medal was even announced, to be awarded to the first person to drive from Atlantic to Pacific. They expected it would all happen before the end of the decade but it took another 30 years for the medal to be presented, and 20 more after that for the Trans-Canada Highway to be opened. There were two major reasons for this: the two world wars delayed any large national construction projects, and the Canadian government gave most of the responsibility to the provinces. Although the feds were willing to pay half the costs, the individual provinces were expected to pay the other half and there was much argument about which routes to take. The province of Newfoundland, which wasn’t even part of Canada when the highway was first imagined, signed on but did very little until 1964. That’s when canny premier Joey Smallwood accepted a desperate offer from the feds to cover 90 per cent of the costs if the road could be completed. Smallwood took the money and completed the drive by ’65. It was all different south of the border. The first car crossed America in 1903, though its two drivers often resorted to fields and dry river beds in the west. The first military convoy crossed the country entirely by road in 1919, led by Lt.-Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower. As with Canada and the provinces, all roads were the responsibility of the individual states and they often just ended at the state line. In 1925, however, a U.S. department was created to plan a system of federal highways and one of the most important was the road linking Chicago and St. Louis to Los Angeles. That road was Route 66. It was begun in 1926, completed the following year, and was the first to be fully paved, in 1938. Although the eight states it ran through had a say in what route was taken, the feds paid the entire bill and so it didn’t take long to materialize. There were other highways, of course, but it was Route 66 that caught the public’s imagination. It was the road west for immigrants to California and emigrants from the Dust Bowl. It was the Mother Road, which gave birth to motels and diners for long-distance drivers. And it was America’s Main Street, with tall-finned sedans pausing for full-service fill-ups from friendly cap-toting gas attendants. The Trans-Canada also caught the public’s imagination, but not in the same way. There are no famous songs about the highway, and few souvenirs of it to be found along the way. The difference is that our Trans-Canada is still alive and well and often maligned, but it threads across the south of the country regardless. It links more than just commerce, and provides a physical connection between every province. It stretches almost twice as far as Route 66, which now exists only as a series of roads that used to be the main highway. Even then, it was only temporary. Back in 1919, when that military convoy crossed the country, its lieutenant-colonel envisioned a better system. Three years after he became president in 1951, Eisenhower signed into law the creation of the massive U.S. Interstate Highway System, which eventually made Route 66 redundant. There’s no danger of the Trans-Canada becoming redundant. We need it too much, and besides, it’s already following the best route. That’s the Canadian way, and it’s also the best way. Mark Richardson writes regularly for Toronto Star Wheels. For more Toronto Star Wheels stories, go to thestar.com/autos . To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: [email protected] .	i don't know
Which anti-arthritis drug was withdrawn in Britain in 1982 because of its side effects?	7 Drugs That Big Pharma Withdrew and Hopes You’ve Forgotten About \| Alternet Personal Health 7 Drugs That Big Pharma Withdrew and Hopes You’ve Forgotten About The cozy relationship between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies is resulting in fast-track approval of some dangerous meds. Comments Photo Credit: Crystal Home / Shutterstock Do you remember the drugs Vioxx, Bextra, Baycol, Trovan, Meridia, Seldane, Hismanal, Darvon, Raxar and Redux? Pharma hopes not. How about Mylotarg, Lotronex, Propulsid, phenylpropanolamine (PPA), Prexige, phenacetin, Oraflex, Omniflox, Posicor, Serzone and Duract? After deaths and serious side effects surfaced, these meds went from wonder drugs to wonder-why-they-were-approved drugs and were withdrawn. In some cases, there is little evidence the drugs were ever used or widely marketed or that anyone was injured. In certain cases, the withdrawn drugs were on the market for less than a year before things went “terribly wrong.” In other cases, the drugs were in wide use for decades despite well-recognized risks and pleas from public health figures to pull them. In almost all cases, Pharma companies maintained the drugs were safe and stuck to their story for as long as they could—not just to protect the company image and stock price but also to avoid adding fuel to injury lawsuits. ("The drug was so unsafe it was pulled” does not look great in court.) When it comes to drug approvals, there is a basic tension between Pharma and regulators. The quicker a drug is approved, the more dangerous a drug potentially is but also the more quickly Pharma makes money. Since passage of the 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), which lets Pharma pay the cash-strapped and underfunded FDA to “expedite” drug approvals, the scales have tipped toward Pharma and the time to get a new drug to market has decreased. While Pharma and the FDA have always been too collegial (and, with 23 industry links, the new FDA Commissioner Robert Califf essentially works for Pharma), PDUFA allowed drug companies to pay for approval and for safety to be “bought.” It should be noted that drugs expedited under PDUFA are not intended for serious and fatal conditions—separate FDA programs cover those. PDUFA is not the only reason for quicker approvals. Clinical trials, which have to be approved by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) to ensure ethical treatment of human subjects, used to occur in hospital and academic settings and take years. Now trials are conducted by for-profit groups called contract research organizations (CROs), which are owned and operated by Pharma. The trials themselves are increasingly conducted overseas . The IRBs themselves have also become for-profit. “The problem is that commercial IRBs are paid in full by the very companies conducting the research,” said a Public Library of Science (PLOS) article. “Anyone who can bring together five people, including a community representative, a physician, a lawyer and an ‘ethicist,’ can set up” an IRB. Because of for-profit CROs and IRBs and the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, drugs are rushed to market with “post-marketing surveillance” replacing the lengthy human trials that used to be the norm—meaning a drug is literally presumed safe until it’s proved otherwise so Pharma can start making money. Why should patients have to wait for another “treatment option,” says Pharma, pretending to be selfless. Needless to say, the “market first/assess safety second” approach results in many deaths and injuries and Pharma simply builds injury settlements into its high costs. For example, Merck set aside $950 million to pay for Vioxx injuries—a mere fraction of the $3.4 billion a quarter it was earning. Most people remember the withdrawal of Vioxx and the Bayer statin Baycol, but here are other drug withdrawals Pharma hopes you have forgotten about. This list of seven is far from complete... and it continues to grow. 1. Oraflex Eli Lilly’s new pain reliever Oraflex (an NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) introduced in 1982 might have had the shortest life span of any approved drug: after only 10 weeks on the U.S. market, there was bad news from the U.K. where the drug was already in use. The British Committee on the Safety of Medicines told the FDA it knew of 3,500 adverse side effects from the drug including 61 deaths. The FDA then admitted it also had reports of 11 U.S. Oraflex deaths from associated kidney and liver damage and the drug was withdrawn. Even in 1982, too-rapid drug approvals were becoming a safety factor. ''Oraflex shows that the FDA has already begun speeding up the review process,'' said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, former director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group. ''It demonstrates that the process should be made more thorough instead of less so.'' Then, like now, Pharma defended its dangerous drugs and called the FDA overcautious. Lilly said the decision to withdraw Oraflex from the market “resulted from overwrought, unsubstantiated criticism of the drug,” wrote the New York Times. “The drug had not been on the market long enough to gain widespread, politically powerful support among doctors and arthritis patients,” whined Lilly. 2. Omniflox Like Oraflex, Abbott’s antibiotic Omniflox was only on the market for a few weeks before serious adverse reports surfaced in 1992. More than 100 patients experienced adverse reactions like allergic events and hemolytic anemia during the first four months of use. There were also "several cases of severe low blood sugar, especially in very elderly patients with decreased kidney function," said the FDA. Half of the patients who incurred kidney dysfunction on Omniflox needed dialysis, said the FDA, and others suffered liver dysfunction. Omniflox is part of a class of antibiotic drugs called fluoroquinolones, which continue to force Pharma withdrawals. The Pfizer antibiotic Trovan was linked to 14 acute liver failure cases and six deaths during its first year of use, 1997; the next year it was withdrawn. (During a 1996 Nigerian meningitis epidemic, Trovan was linked to the death of 11 children before it was approved for U.S. use.) During the same time period, Raxar, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic from Glaxo Wellcome, was also withdrawn from the market after links to heart rhythm problems and sudden death. Four patients had died during clinical trials, two likely from heart rhythm disturbances, but approval went ahead. This spring, 24 years after Omniflox’s withdrawal, the FDA no longer recommends the drug class. The serious side effects “generally outweigh the benefits for patients with acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections who have other treatment options,” it wrote. 3. Duract Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories’ Duract, marketed in 1997, was also an NSAID painkiller. While NSAIDs are considered so safe they are sold over the counter, there was evidence of liver risks with Duract. Patients in long-term studies had showed dangerously elevated liver enzymes and an FDA medical officer said that in his judgment, Duract caused more liver cell damage than any other similar medication available. "We have seen a 'liver flag,’” he warned. Before any patient deaths were reported, the FDA told Wyeth-Ayerst to put a black box on Duract packages warning against using the drug beyond 10 days, but reports of liver injuries kept surfacing. In fact, it was estimated that one of every 20,000 patients who took Duract suffered serious injury. After four patients died and eight required liver transplants, the drug was taken off the market. 4. Meridia There was a safety cloud over this widely marketed diet drug immediately after its 1997 approval. According to FDA records, 30 people died of cardiovascular problems from 1997 to 2003, and 224 others experienced nonfatal strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular ailments. Instead of pulling Meridia from the market, the FDA relied on warnings on Meridia’s label to protect patients as it does with so many dangerous drugs. Meridia was only recommended for people with 30 pounds or more to lose, said the FDA, with no poorly controlled hypertension and no history of heart disease, stroke or severe liver or kidney disease. How many overweight people are free from such conditions, which are so often linked to obesity? FDA reviewer and highly respected safety advocate Dr. David Graham in congressional testimony in 2004 listed Meridia among drugs that were so dangerous their sales should be limited or stopped. The drug was not withdrawn until 2010. 5. Fen-Phen Meridia was not the only diet drug linked to heart problems and deaths. Who remembers Fen-Phen—the combo of fenfluramine and phentermine? Even as millions of Americans were finally losing their saddlebags and muffin tops because the drug actions of Fen-Phen actually worked, “Fen,” marketed by a company that later became Wyeth and then became Pfizer, was linked to potentially fatal pulmonary hypertension and heart valve problems and withdrawn . Like so many withdrawn drugs, the serious side effects could have been predicted. A similar drug to Fen had already been linked to lung damage, and the book Dispensing with the Truth: The Victims, the Drug Companies, and the Dramatic Story behind the Battle over Fen-Phen claims that one of Wyeth’s own reports listed cases of pulmonary hypertension connected to Fen-Phen including 101 deaths. The book also says a company memo condemned the idea of an FDA heart and lung warning on the drug’s label because it would cost the company $800 million in revenue. 6. Darvon and Darvocet The public watchdog group Public Citizen first called on the FDA to ban or severely restrict the painkillers Darvon and Darvocet in 1978 , but they were not banned until 2010. According to Public Citizen, the drugs are “toxic at doses not much higher than the recommend dose because a heart-toxic metabolite accumulates in the body” and the drugs have been “linked to many thousands of U.S. deaths since 1981, a large proportion of which were likely caused by cardiac toxicity, including the interruption of electrical conduction in the heart.” While the U.K. banned the drugs in 2005, the FDA waited until 2010 to ban them, likely causing 1,000 to 2,000 or more deaths, said Public Citizen. In four years in Florida alone, 395 deaths were "caused" by the drug, Public Citizen charged. 7. Lotronex Like Omniflox and Oraflex, GlaxoSmithKline’s Lotronex, a drug for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), was on the market for less than a year before reports of deaths and serious injuries surfaced. Within a few months of release, there were five deaths from inflammation and injury of the small intestine, 49 cases of inflammation and injury of the large intestine and 21 cases of severe constipation, 10 of which required surgery. Hospitalizations and more serious injuries followed. The drug was withdrawn. Still, Lotronex was brought back with restricted conditions and an awareness campaign about IBS from actress Lynda Carter, who had played Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series. "IBS has been so shrouded in darkness," said Carter. "I know the truth about how people suffer. It is just one more closeted condition that we need to shine some light on." "While IBS is not a life-threatening disorder, it does impact the individual's quality of life,” agreed an article promoting Lotronex in USA Today. That assurance could be said about most of Pharma’s withdrawn drugs: they treated non-life-threatening disorders... until life-threatening side effects developed.	Benoxaprofen
The murder of which paperboy in September sparked a massive Police manhunt?	Dangerous Medicine: Examples of Animal-Based Safety Tests Gone Wrong \| The Physicians Committee Dangerous Medicine: Examples of Animal-Based Safety Tests Gone Wrong Search Dangerous Medicine: Examples of Animal-Based “Safety” Tests Gone Wrong By John J. Pippin, M.D., and Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H. Biological differences between and within species require scientists to proceed with caution when interpreting the results of any experiment. Animals of different ages, sexes, developmental stages, and of different health status can all respond differently to experimental treatments. It is no surprise, then, that humans respond differently to administered pharmaceuticals than other animals. The surprise comes when scientists, physicians, and regulatory officials are willing to risk the health of patients by relying on animal experiments to predict the effects of drugs in humans—sometimes with grave results. According to some estimates, adverse drug reactions are responsible for 2.2 million hospitalizations and 106,000 deaths annually.1 Furthermore, as many as 50 percent of FDA-approved drugs are withdrawn or relabeled due to unanticipated side effects in humans.2 A shockingly low 56 percent of known human teratogens are positive in one of six species surveyed.3 Below are a few selected examples to illustrate the dire need for better, more human-specific drug safety tests. Thalidomide Perhaps the most famous teratogen, this drug was given to pregnant women in the 1950’s to control nausea, causing more than 10,000 births with limb-reduction defects.4,5 After thalidomide was withdrawn from the market, tests in pregnant mice, rats, and guinea pigs were negative; finally, one strain of rabbit (the New Zealand white rabbit) was found to be susceptible. Cats, hamsters, rats, and mice were later found to be sensitive only to extremely high doses.3 Oraflex, Opren (Benoxaprofen) Even though year-long tests in rhesus monkeys6 gave no indication of risk, months after this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) was released onto the market in 1982, patients began experiencing severe liver toxicity and phototoxicity,7,8 eventually resulting in withdrawl of the drug, but only after more than 3,500 serious adverse events and 60 deaths occurred in Britain alone.9 Flenac (Fenclofenac) This NSAID, despite passing animal toxicity tests in 10 animal species (mice, rats, guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs, horses, and monkeys), produced severe liver toxicity in humans.10 Butazolidin (Phenylbutazone) This NSAID is commonly used in equine medicine to reduce pain and inflammation, but in humans can produce serious phototoxicity,11 as well as serious or fatal liver12 or bone marrow13 disease. Bone marrow toxicity was demonstrated in human cell cultures after the drug was released and produced more than 10,000 fatal cases of aplastic anemia.14-16 Cylert (Pemoline) Fifteen children suffered acute liver failure after taking this attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment, and 12 of those cases resulted in liver transplant or death.17 No animal tests that showed an indication of hepatic toxicity could be found. Rezulin (Troglitazone) This drug, intended to treat type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, was approved by the FDA in 1997. Rezulin lowered the blood sugar in rats without producing adverse effects, but reports of severe and even fatal liver failure appeared immediately after approval. Due largely to an aggressive investigation by the Los Angeles Times and after four label changes, Rezulin was withdrawn in 2000 after 391 deaths were attributed to the drug.18 Propulsid (Cisapride) Propulsid was approved by the FDA in 1993 and was used primarily to treat gastric reflux in children. Heart rhythm disturbances had appeared in clinical trials, but not in animal studies. By 1995, heart rhythm deaths in children became evident through adverse events reports. The drug remained on the market with five label changes, until being withdrawn in 2000 after causing over 300 deaths.18 Inocor (Amrinone) This short-term therapy option for patients with severe heart failure produced severe and sometimes fatal thrombocytopenia (decreased blood clotting ability) in humans, despite no evidence of this effect in 2-year-long animal tests. Only after approval, and only in marmosets and a very specific, metabolically compromised strain of rat, were similar effects found.7 Baycol (Cerivastatin) Baycol was a popular drug approved in 1997 for the treatment of dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol levels), but it was withdrawn after substantial risk for severe or fatal rhabdomyolysis (muscle wasting) was revealed in patients. Muscle wasting was not seen in pre-clinical animal tests, including rats, mice, minipigs, dogs, or monkeys; only at very high doses were indications of effects on muscle tissue seen.19 The authors concluded that cerivastatin was well tolerated in all species. Post-withdrawal tests using rat and human muscle cells in vitro revealed that rat cells are 200 times more resistant to the drug’s effects.20 Eventually more than 100 deaths were linked to cerivastatin. Such a high error rate begs the question: How many possibly life-saving therapies have clinicians never investigated because of toxicities in other animal species? Penicillin, which was originally discovered in 1929, wasn’t used until 1939 because of its ineffectiveness in curing infected rabbits. If it had been “safety” tested in cats, guinea pigs, or hamsters, it would have been abandoned as toxic.21 Furosemide (Lasix) is one of our most important diuretics, used to reduce fluid retention during heart failure and other diseases. Though experiments in mice show extensive liver damage, decades of clinical use have proven its safety for humans.22,23 One of our most relied-upon pain relievers, Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic acid), causes teratogenic malformations in mice, rats, dogs, cats, rabbits, and monkeys.3 What You Can Do More funding must be dedicated to the development of better, human-based drug safety tests. Write your federal legislators to explain this urgent need. Encourage the National Institutes of Health to fund studies using nonanimal methods. Contact NIH here: Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director National Institutes of Health	i don't know
Which pioneering British photographer famously recorded the Crimean War?	War photographers, where it all began - the Crimean War SHARE: Facebook Twitter Roger Fenton was a pioneering British photographer, one of the first war photographers.It is likely that in autumn 1854, as the Crimean War grabbed the attention of the British public, that some powerful friends and patrons – among them Prince Albert and Duke of Newcastle,Secretary of State for War – urged Fenton to go the Crimea to record the happenings. He set off aboard HMS Hecla in February, landed at Balaklava on 8 March and remained there until 22 June. The resulting photographs may have been intended to offset the general unpopularity of the war among the British people, and to counteract the occasionally critical reporting of correspondent William Howard Russell of The Times. The photographs were to be converted into woodblocks and published in the less critical Illustrated London News. Fenton took Marcus Sparling as his photographic assistant, a servant known as William and a large horse-drawn van of equipment. A merchant seaman riding a camel in the port of Balaklava. A view of Balaklava and the harbor from an encampment on Guard’s Hill. A view of the lines of Balaclava from Guard’s Hill, with Canrobert’s Hill in the distance. Allied encampments on the plateau before Sevastopol. British Commander Henry Fitzhardinge Berkeley Maxse. British Lieutenant General Sir Colin Campbell. British Lieutenant General Sir George de Lacy Evans. Captain Charles August Drake Halford of the 5th Dragoon Guards. Captain Thomas Longworth Dames of the British Royal Artillery. French general Maréchal Pélissier. Hungarian general György Kmety, serving in the Ottoman Army under the name Ismail Pacha, is handed his pipe by a servant. Due to the size and cumbersome nature of his photographic equipment, Fenton was limited in his choice of motifs. Because the photographic material of his time needed long exposures, he was only able to produce pictures of stationary objects, mostly posed pictures; he avoided making pictures of dead, injured or mutilated soldiers. But he also photographed the landscape, including an area near to where the Charge of the Light Brigade – made famous in Tennyson’s poem – took place. In letters home soldiers had called the original valley “The Valley of Death”, and Tennyson’s poem used the same phrase, so when in September 1855 Thomas Agnew put the picture on show, as one of a series of eleven collectively titled Panorama of the Plateau of Sebastopol in Eleven Parts in a London exhibition, he took the troops’—and Tennyson’s—epithet, expanded it as The Valley of the Shadow of Death with its deliberate evocation of Psalm 23, and assigned it to the piece; it is not the location of the famous charge, which took place in a long, broad valley several miles to the south-east. Continue to page 2	Roger Fenton
Where is the largest tropical forest in Africa?	Roger Fenton (1819–1869) \| Essay \| Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History \| The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art Works of Art (9) Essay Roger Fenton is a towering figure in the history of photography, the most celebrated and influential photographer in England during the medium’s “golden age” of the 1850s. Before taking up the camera, he studied law in London and painting in Paris. He traveled to Russia in 1852 and photographed the landmarks of Kiev and Moscow; founded the Photographic Society (later designated the Royal Photographic Society) in 1853; was appointed the first official photographer of the British Museum in 1854; achieved widespread recognition for his photographs of the Crimean War in 1855; and excelled throughout the decade as a photographer in all the medium’s genres—architecture, landscape, portraiture, still life, reportage, and tableau-vivant. As a photographer of architecture, Fenton was without equal in England. He assigned himself the task of photographing the major churches and abbeys of Great Britain and, working most often in a format as large as 14 x 18 inches, wedded perfect technique with an unerring ability to choose the precise vantage point and lighting conditions that would best render the smallest details of architecture, convey a sense of monumentality, and imbue his pictures with a Romantic spirit . His subjects include the Gothic cathedrals of Salisbury, Wells, Lincoln, and Lichfield; Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and the British Museum; Windsor and Balmoral Castles; and the ruined abbeys of Rievaulx, Fountains, Rosslyn, and Lindisfarne. In landscape photography, too, Fenton was without parallel among his countrymen. The most compelling of his views of the English, Welsh, and Scottish countryside call to mind the paintings of Constable and Turner as well as Romantic poems by William Wordsworth that celebrate man’s ties to nature. Fenton possessed a particular sensitivity for the play of light and atmosphere in the natural world, a subject he explored throughout the decade of his career with as much determination and success as he did architecture. “No one can touch Fenton in landscape,” wrote the critic for the Journal of the Photographic Society in a review of the annual exhibition in 1858. “…There is such an artistic feeling about the whole of these pictures … that they cannot fail to strike the beholder as being something more than mere photographs.” Fenton’s most widespread acclaim came in 1855, with photographs of the Crimean War, a conflict in which British, French, Sardinian, and Turkish troops battled Russia’s attempt to expand its influence into European territory of the Ottoman empire . Fenton was commissioned by the Manchester publisher Thomas Agnew & Sons to travel to the Crimea and document the war, and his mission was encouraged by the government, which hoped that his photographs would reassure a worried public. Fenton’s extensive documentation of the war—the first such use of photography—included pictures of the port of Balaklava, the camps, the terrain of battle, and portraits of officers, soldiers, and support staff of the various allied armies. Perhaps inspired by the experience of traveling through Constantinople en route to Balaklava, or perhaps simply sharing the mid-nineteenth-century vogue for all things exotic, Fenton produced a theatrical suite of Orientalist compositions during the summer of 1858—costume pieces that strove for high art rather than documentation and that were, in a sense, an antidote to the harsh realities he had recorded in the Crimea. They owed as much to the paintings of Delacroix and Ingres as to Fenton’s own experience in the East. In 1862, after a final series of photographs—a remarkable group of lush still lifes—Fenton sold his equipment and negatives, resigned from the Royal Photographic Society, and returned to the bar. In the course of a single decade, Fenton had played a pivotal role—by advocacy and example—in demonstrating that photography could rival drawing and painting not only as a means of conveying information, but also as a medium of visual delight and powerful expression. Malcolm Daniel Department of Photographs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art October 2004 Citation Daniel, Malcolm. “Roger Fenton (1819–1869).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rfen/hd_rfen.htm (October 2004) Further Reading Baldwin, Gordon, Malcolm Daniel, and Sarah Greenough. All the Mighty World: The Photographs of Roger Fenton, 1852–1860. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2004. See on MetPublications Additional Essays by Malcolm Daniel	i don't know
In 1975, which British band became the first to receive royalties for record sales in the USSR?	Band Facts Band Facts 3 DOORS DOWN's video for "Krytonite" didnt go all to good when the neon sign behind drummer Richard Liles started an electrical fire and almost burned down the bar. AALIYAH'S name in Swahili means 'most exalted one'. AALIYAH was only 14 when she released her first album, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number, in 1994. She married singer R. Kelly and released a second record in 1996. She released her third record in 2001, and she was starting an acting career, having co-starred in "Romeo Must Die", and nabbing parts in the two "Matrix" sequels. On August 26, 2001, on a return trip from shooting a music video, the plane she was on crashed, killing her at the age of 22. ACE FREHLEY The first lead guitarist with KISS. KISS auditioned over 60 lead players. Ace quit KISS after making the "I Love It Loud" video. His face appears on the "Creatures of the Night" album cover, but he did not play on it. Ace rejoined KISS in February of 1996. ALICE COOPER was the master of shock-rock. Nowadays he spends his time working on his golf game and raising money for his favourite charities. Has recorded with Eric Singer from KISS. AMERICAN HI-FI'S Stacy Jones was the drummer for Veruca Salt. AXL ROSE also once known by the name of Bill Bailey. Bailey being his stepfathers name. He took the name of Rose when he found out when he found out it was his real father's name. He is the charasmatic and unpredictable lead singer with heavy metal band Guns'N Roses. Married to Erin Everly, the inspiration for "Sweet Child O' Mine", but they divorced after less than a year. He has also dated model Stephanie Seymour, his bride in "November Rain". BABYFACE was responsible for the success of Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton and TLC due to his ability to pen memorable melodies that suit the artist's styles. BARBARA STREISAND, One of the biggest stars of our time. Multi talented Ms Streisand is well known for her aversion to performing in public. Probably better known for her singing. Refused to have the nose job studio bosses thought would further her career, it seems that her decision may have paid off. Starred with Kris Kristofferson in "A Star is Born". Previously married to Elliot Gould, now married to actor James Brolin. BBMAK first met in northwest England, When Mark was in college working his way to become a firefighter. BBMAK's Mark Berry has been playing bag pipes since the age of 10 and was a 4-time English Champion. BIG BOPPER was most frequently remembered for his untimely death with Richie Valens and Buddy Holly in a plane crash. It was his creative energy that drove the early days of rock and roll. BIG PUNISHER weighed in at 450 - 700 pounds, and died of a heart attack at the age of 28. BLINK 182'S Tom Delonge's first instrument was the trumpet. BLINK 182'S first drummer was Scott Raynor BLACK CROWES' Chris Robinson and his wife both have a facination with skulls. BOB DYLAN -No other single music artist has had a more profound impact on popular music, and yet over the last 20 years he has only made two quality albums. His album "Time Out of Mind" won a fistful of Grammys. He also appears on a soundtrack to the TV show "The Sopranos". BON SCOTT briefly became a member of The Spektors, and recorded an album with pop group The Valentines and another with rock band Fraternity. He became AC/DC's second lead vocalist (after Dave Evans) in September of 1974. He went on to record and co-write six albums with AC/DC, including the huge international hit "Highway to Hell" in 1979 with producer Mutt Lange. Bon Scott died on February 19, 1980 in London from choking on his own vomit, left unconscious in a friend's car after drinking heavily. BOOBONIC AND MR MAN from the rap duo, PHILLY'S MOST WANTED, have been best friends since they were 8 years old. BRIAN From BSB has 2 chihuahuas named Tyke and Litty BRITNEY SPEARS is and excellent dart player. BRITNEY SPEARS' song "Dont let me be the last to know" was written by Shania Twain. BSB's Howie Dorough and NSYNC'S Chris Kirkpatrick sang in the Valencia Community College Chior Together BUSH's singer Gavin Rossdale wrote and recorded demos of most of the songs for Bush's album, The Science Of Things, at a mysterious seaside house in Ireland. CAPTAIN SENSIBLE was the founding bass player, and later the guitar player, for groundbreaking UK punk band the Damned, the first punks to record, to chart, and to tour the US. He played with the band, often wearing a tutu, a nurse's uniform, or nothing, from 1976 until 1984, when he started his solo career. CARLOS SANTANA composed the score to the 1986 Feature film "La Bamba". THE CALLING's Aaron, owns an italian racing motorcycle. THE CALLING's Alex's first TV crush was Punky Brewster. CARSON DALY recieved a golf scholarship to LA's Loyola Marymount University. CAT STEVENS, Originally began recording under the name of Steve Adams, became one of the world's greatest stars in the 70s. Abandoned his musical career, and turned his life to the Muslim religion, and is now called Yusuf Islam. When CELINE DION's manager/husband Renee Angelil first heard her voice, he mortgaged his house to finance the recording of her first album. CHER - Singer and actress of great worldwide acclaim who has stood the test of time. Times may change, but Cher remains. Was married to Sonny Bono, the other half of "The Sonny and Cher Show". Once had a very well publicised romance with Gene Simmons of KISS, and once married to Greg Allman. CHRIS From NSYNC has 2 pugs named Busta and Korea. CHRISTINA AGUILERA is the oldest sister of 5 siblings CHRONIC FUTURE, the Arizonan band, recorded their last album when some of the members were only 13. CHUCK BERRYS music influenced The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan and many others. COBY DICK from PAPA ROACH played Clarinet in band. COURTNEY LOVE, tired of being a 'slave' to the record company, announced that, in the future, her band, Hole, will release albums only via the internet. COURTNEY LOVE sued boyfriend Jim barber's Ex-wife for driving over her foot. Love said the spurned woman is 'on a mission to destroy me' for busting up the marriage. CRAZY TOWN'S Epics dad, Irwin, is a music publishing exec who once managed Billy Joel. CREED'S frontman Scott Stapp was raised by devoutly religious parents. He was forbidden to listen to rock music. CREED was the first band in history to have four number-one rock singles from a debut album. DAVID BOWIE - Artsy rock star who was Ziggy Stardust. Hit with "Space Oddity" in 1969. Frequent style changes in music and fashion. Married to fashion model Iman. Changed his name as not to be confused with Davy Jones of "The Monkees" fame. DEFAULT used to be called "The Fallout" which in turn, became the title of their album. DEF LEPPARD's bass player was designing and selling fuzzy animal feat slippers on the side. DESTINYS CHILD lost on Star Search. DESTINYS CHILD went through 3 members in 5 months. DICK DALE was a pioneer of surf music and along with Buddy Holle was one of the first prominent users of the Strat (Fender Stratocaster) in the world. DIDO doesnt eat before she performs because eating makes her lazy. DIDO's favorite movie is "Star Wars" DMX spent 15 days in jail in upstate NY for driving without a license. DREAM got together by answering an add for a girl group DREW LACHEY was and emergency med technician. DUKE ELLINGTON was best known for his orchestras most famous number, Billy Strayhorn's "Take the A Train". One of the finest figures of American jazz. DURAN DURAN got their name from the movie "Barbarella". ELVIS COSTELLO was best known for album "My Aim is True", which now has a new wave punk classic, including the hit singles "Alison" and "Watching the Detectives". EMINEM's mother, Debbie, strikes back on Em's hateful lyrics by recording 3 rap songs for an album called 'Set the Record Straight'. EMINEM's groupies threaten to torch Warren, Michigan (his hometown), unless all charges against their hero are dropped. ENRIQUE IGLESIUS donates all stuffed animals he gets to hospitals. ENRIQUE IGLESIUS used psudonym Enrique Martinez while pursuing a record deal. ERIC CARR played drums and some vocals with KISS, replacing Peter Criss on drums in May of 1980. KISS liked Eric so much that on joining the band they bought him a Porsche. He was left-handed at everything he did except playing the drums. FALCO got his stage name after an East German skier, Falko Weisspflog. Falco was Austria's most popular musical export, on the merits of two bizzare singles, 1983's "Der Kommissar," rapped in German, and 1986's "Rock Me Amadeus," who's video showed him strutting around as a punk Mozart. "Der Kommissar" found huge success on US radio after being re-recorded by "After The Fire" in 1983. Falco died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on February 6, 1998. FLOOD is one of the best and most popular record producers and mixers of the last two decades. Has produced, engineered, and/or mixed records for (alphabetically): Barry Adamson, The Associates, Boo Radleys, Book of Love, Cabaret Voltaire, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Charlatans UK, Crime and the City Solution, The Cure, Curve, Depeche Mode, Elastica, Erasure, Gavin Friday, PJ Harvey, James, Jesus and Mary Chain, Tom Jones, Massive Attack, Ministry, New Order, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Pop Will Eat Itself, Psychic TV, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith, Sneaker Pimps, Soft Cell, Wolfgang Press, U2, and others. He reportedly acquired the name Flood as a result of his habit of spilling tea in the studio. FOO FIGHTERS' Dave Grohl was fined and had his Australian driving priveleges revoked for drinking and driving...on a scooter. FOO FIGHTERS have covered Micheal Jackson's "Beat It", Madonna's "Borderline", and Backstreet Boys' "Larger Than Life" in thier concerts. FRANK SINATRA Chairman of the Board, Ol' Blue Eyes, and mega-star. Thought to be stillbon at birth until his grandmother doused him with cold water. Left his wife and three children to marry Ava Gardner, he romanced Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland and later married to Mia Farrow, 30 years his junior. His mob connections and member of the exclusive "rat pack" that included Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin and many other "hangers on" ensured that Sinatra was never far from the media's attention. GARTH BROOKS' album "No Fences" sold more than 13 million copies, his third album "Ropin' The Wind" became the first album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Country and Pop charts. GARY GLITTER - The late 90s saw the end of his career, following his conviction for sexual offences, but there is no doubt that his contribution to rock for 25 years ranked Glitter among Britain's best-loved performers. He used a number of pseudonyms, including "Paul Raven" GENE SIMMONS, Vampiresque bassist of the band KISS, who he formed in 1972 with Paul Stanley. Gene has a Bachelors Degree in Education and speaks four languages fluently. His childhood plan was to become a Rabbi. His hordes of groupies rival those of anyone on the planet, he has reportedly slept with a number approaching four thousand women. He had a widely publicised relationship with Cher and Diana Ross. GG ALLIN was a self-described rock n' roll terrorist, he was as much an extreme performance artist as he was a punk rocker. He was famous for his violent shows that often found him in a jockstrap, bloody and injured, and flinging his urine, feces, or vomit. Walking after his last show in New York, he attacked passers-by while naked, before dying of a cocaine and heroin overdose on June 27, 1995. GOO GOO DOLLS' singer John Rzeznik was gonna be a plumber. GREEN DAY'S Billie Joe Armstrong wore Jersey #8 one his high school football team. GUNS 'N ROSES' guitarist Slash was kicked off the British childrens TV show CD:UK after blurting out a string of curse words...live. HIDDEN BEACH RECORD COMPANY is owned by Michael Jordan. HOOBASTANK's Doug Robb says he never wanted to be a rap-rocker. "I love Hip/Hop, but I cant rap" HOOBASTANK's Dougs favorite singers are Mike Patton from Faith No More and David Lee Roth (Van Halens Original Singer) INSANE CLOWN POSSE'S album 'The Great Milenko' holds Billboards record for longest running hip-hop/rap album in Billboards history. JANET JACKSON gets coffee enemas JANET JACKSON'S album "All For You" went gold its first week of release. JAY-Z's dad left him when he was 12 and he lived with his mom, brother, and 2 sisters growing up. JENNIFER LOPEZ has a surprise! United Talent Agency announces that J.Lo will happily come to your party-for a low, low price of $750,000 per hour. JENNIFER LOPEZ demands sweet smelling air at all times. One of the handlers generously sprays the rooms and hallways with Rue De The Purfume. She insists her path be sprayed with it. JESSICA SIMPSON's sister ashlee is one of her dancers JOE STRUMMER was the guitarist and principal songwriter for the Clash, arguably the most significant British punk rockers, from 1976 to 1986. In 1986 he wrote songs with Clash singer Mick Jones on Jones' new band, Big Audio Dynamite. Later, Strummer worked on soundtracks, did some acting, and released a solo record in 1989. He briefly joined the Pogues as a touring guitarist, In 1999, he released a record with his band, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. JOEL AND BENJI from GOOD CHARLOTTE are twins. JOHN RZEZNIK from the Goo Goo Doll's was in kindergarten and accidently swallowed a piece of plastic from a pez dispenser and had to be rushed to the ER. JOHNNY MARR, Guitarist and co-founder for the Smiths, the most important and critically acclaimed British band of the 1980s. When the band broke up in 1987, Marr played on records from Talking Heads, Billy Bragg, and Brian Ferry. He toured with the Pretenders, and played on two albums by the The. He then co-founded the band Electronic with Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order). JON BON JOVI turned down the lead role in the film version of "Footloose" in order to concentrate on the band and his music. JULIO IGLESIAS had aspirations of being a professional football (soccer) goalkeeper until a near-fatal car accident. He spent his recovery learning guitar and writing songs. He was studying law when he won first prize at the 1968 Festival de la Canci�n when he sang his original "La Vida Sigue Igual" ("Life Continues All The Same"). He was soon signed by Discos Columbia, and represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1978 he signed to CBS International, adding to his global distribution. He has recorded many of his songs in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portugese, and English, adding to his worldwide record sales, which now amount to over 220 million. He is also the father of singer Enrique Iglesias. K-CI & JO JO grew up in North Carolina K-CI of K-CI AND JO JO was sued by a family who happily went to see the bands Los Angeles concert-only to witness the singer unzipping his pants and fully exposing himself onstage. KID ROCK has a son named Robert Ritchie Jr. and Kid Rock calls him Junior or June Bug. LANCE BASS of NSYNC was in a children's tv show and played a dog named 'Poo Fu'. LENNY KRAVITZ was handcuffed by Miami police as he walked home from the gym because they thought he fit the discription of an on-the-loose band robber. LENNY KRAVITZ is half Jewish. LIFEHOUSE'S video for 'Hanging by the Moment' was shot in a bowling alley. At age 16, LINDA LUNCH became one of first in New York's "no wave" scene with her band Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. After a brief period heading another band, Beirut Slump, in 1980 Lunch moved away from "no wave", recording the solo "Queen of Siam". At the same time, she started the blues/R&B band 8 Eyed Spy. That band ended soon after bassist Jack Ruby died of a heroin O.D. She then started the Devil Dogs, which had a revolving lineup, so she quit and started 13:13. She collaborated on recordings with the Birthday Party, Exene Cervenka (X), Jim Thirwell (Foetus), Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), and Thurston Moore (also Sonic Youth). She started her own label, Widowspeak Productions, and is now focused more on spoken word recordings. Lunch has also starred in movies like "The Right Side of My Brain" and "Fingered" MADONNA used to work the counter at Dunkin Donuts. MANDY MOORE sang the anthem at 8 sporting events in 1 week before becoming a star. MANDY MOORE's first movie was The Princess Diaries. MARC BOLAN was a British pop musician, lead singer of Tyrannosaurus Rex (later T-Rex). Killed when Mini-Minor ran off the road. MARK ST JOHN, Lead guitar with KISS, replacing Vinnie Vincent after he was fired. Mark developed a form of arthritis makding it impossible to play guitar, Mark was replaced by Bruce Kulick. MARILYN MANSON went to Junior High School in Canton Ohio. MARILYN MANSON'S original drummer was Sarah Lee Lucas who was accidently set on fire at the end of one show. Also, Marilyn Manson's first guitarist was Gidget Gein. MARIAH CAREY's sister Alison revealed that she became a prostitute in order to bankroll Mariah's fledgling singing career back in the day. MARILYN MANSON broke his drummer, Ginger Fish's, collorbone as they destroy the drum set at the end of a concert. Poor Ginger-Marilyn once smashed him over the head with his microphone stand too. MARVIN GAYE was one of the most gifted, influential, and popular R&B/Soul singers of all time. Gaye started recording in 1957, and made an indelible imprint on popular music soon after. In his later years he was plagued by demons, including drugs and depression. On April 1, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, he was killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., by a shot to the head at point-blank range. MASE made a comeback-as a preacher! He retired from rapping to found Saving A National Endagered Ministeries (SAVE) in Atlanta. before MATCHBOX TWENTY go onstage, they get in a huddle and sing the 1978 heat wave hit "Always and Forever". METALLICA'S James Hetfields senior quote was "Play Music Get Rich". MICHAEL JACKSON's favorite candy is skittles. MICHELLE BRANCH first played guitar at age 14. MICHELLE BRANCH'S first concert was The New Kids On The Block. One of MICHELLE BRANCH'S favorite movies is "Joe Dirt" MICK MARS, Motley Crue guitarist. It was Mick who came up with the band's name. He changed his name because he thought his initials B.A.D were a bad omen. He liked the name Mick and chose Mars because he was a god of war. MYSTICAL's favorite website is www.like.com NELLY was in a group called St. Lunatics. NICK LACHEY & JUSTIN JEFFRE of 98 degrees was once in a barbershop quartet. NIKKI SIXX, Bass guitarist with Motley Crue. Officially died of heroin overdose (but was revived). All the band members lived a life of excess, the Baywatch cast have turned up in the band's marriages and relationships, Nikki Sixx married Donna D'Erico (now split), Tommy Lee married Pamela Anderson and Vince Neil had a fling with Pamela Anderson. NSYNC'S "No Strings Attached" sold 2.4 million copies in its first week. NSYNC considers themselves southpark characters. JOEY is 'Kenny', JUSTIN is 'Mr. Mackie', J.C. is 'Stan', LANCE is 'Mr. Hankie' & Chris is 'Eric Cartman'. PAPA ROACH'S first show was a talent show in 1993. PETER CRISS answered an ad in Rolling Stone Magazine that said, "Drummer with 11 years experience willing to do anything to make it". After a try out, he was into the band KISS. Friction between Peter Criss and KISS came to a head in 1980, and Peter was let go, he rejoined KISS in February 1996. PINK loves madonna. When she was younger, she jokes, she believed that Madonna was her mom. PINK was in an all-girl group before she went solo and struck gold. PRINCE, best known as eccentric pop star. Top sellers "1999" and "When Doves Cry". On many songs Prince played all the instruments himself. In the 1990s he changed his name to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, then to an unpronouncable symbol, in 2000 he changed his name back to Prince. P. DIDDY's Sean John clothing linke made $100 million in 2000. P. DIDDY, LIL'KIM, & LIL'CEASE was sued for $200 million fro invasion of privacy after a sexy phone conversation with a Brooklyn teenager showed up on Lil'Cease's hit "Play Around"- without permission. RAT SCABIES, Founding drummer for groundbreaking UK punks the Damned, the first punk band to record, to chart, and to tour the USA. Rat Scabies played with the London SS, then played with the Damned from 1976-1977. He then rejoined with his old bandmates (without guitarist Brian James) as the Doomed in 1979 until James relinquished the old band's name. He earned his name as a result of suffering from a skin complaint. RAY CHARLES had hits such as "Hit the Road Jack" 1961 and "Georgia on my Mind" 1960, for which he won a Grammy. He lost his sight at age 7 due to glaucoma that went untreated. He appeared in the movie "The Blues Brothers" in 1980, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. RAY STEVENS, Novelty/country/pop/writer/singer of "Misty", "Gitarzman" (a spoof on the Tarzan movies) and "I Need Your Help, Barry Manilow". Was the first artist to record Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down". "Everything is Beautiful" was his first #1 hit and won him a Grammy as Male Vocalist of the Year. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' bassist Flea, produced an early album for No Doubt RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' lead singer Anthony Kiedis carries a lucky charm with him everywhere he goes. Its a stone that was given to him by a random fan on a golf course in Germany. RINGO STARR, Drummer with "The Beatles". First drummed in the band "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes". It was Rory who suggested that he change his name to a flashier stage moniker. Because of his penchant for wearing rings on his fingers, his name evolved into "Rings" which quickly morphed into "Ringo", Starkey became shortened to Starr. He played with "The Beatles" for the first time ever on 18 August 1962... and the rest as they say, is history! ROBBIE WILLIAMS' video is banned in Europe and the Dominican Republic because it features him stripping to his bare bones-litterally-and throwing flesh at girls. SAMANTHA MUMBA played a futuristic character named Mara in the sci-fi flick "The Time Machine". SCORPIANS' singer Klaus formed the band in his native Germany in 1971 and to prove that Germans can rock. SCREAMIN'' JAY HAWKINS - Cleveland, Ohio Screamin' Jay Hawkins began a long recording career which spanned several record companies in 1952. Although he had very little in the way of charting hits, his song "I Put A Spell On You" sold over a million, largely because of controversy over the song's "suggestive and cannabalistic" tone which earned it a ban from radio. Although he had great talent, and many say an near-operatic voice, he instead worked a stage with shrunken heads, skulls, and snakes, and often started his concerts in a coffin, which limited his credibility. He continued to record and tour into the late 1990s, until his death from an aneurysm following intestine surgery on February 12 2000 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. SEAL initially lent his vocals to UK house/techno musician Adamski in 1990, on the dance hit "Killer". After this, Seal was signed to ZTT, Trevor Horn's record label. In '91, Seal put out his first album, titled Seal, which featured the huge song "Crazy". In 1994, he put out his second album, also titled Seal, which garnered him 3 Grammy awards and featured his biggest hit to date, "Kiss From a Rose", which spent 12 weeks at #1. His third album, Human Being, came out in 1998. SHAKIRA went to her 1st dance at age 14. SHAKIRA refuses to paint her nails. SILVERCHAIR's Daniel Johns doesn't eat or wear anything of animal origin. SLASH from GUNS 'N ROSES and LENNY KRAVITZ both went to Beverly Hills High School. SLIM DUSTY has 32 Golden Guitars and more gold and platinum albums than any other Australian artist. Awarded an MBE and Order of Australia for his services to entertainment. SLIPKNOT members: #0=Sid (DJ), #1=Joey (drums), #2=Paul (bass), #3=Chris (percussion), #4=Jim (guitar), #5=Craig (Sampling), #6=Shawn (percussion), #7=Mick (guitar), #8=Corey (vocals) SMASHING PUMPKINS, Billy Corgan, showed up at an Extreme Championship wrestling match in Peoria, Illinois. While there, he belted out the national anthem and then gleefully smashed his guitar over Lou E. Dangerously's head. SNOOP DOGG was 18 when he was sentenced to 4 years in jail by selling drugs to an undercover cop. SOUNDGARDEN's Chris Cornell married their manager, Susan Silver. SOULDECISION met while competing for the same girl THE SOURCE magazine's music awards was shut down when a riot broke down backsatage after a fight between rival rappers E-40 and Andre Dow. STING sired 6 kids since 1976. His most recent was born in 1995. STING is partially deaf. STING played bass and sang lead for "The Police" in the 1970s. After the band split Sting became a superstar in his own right. He has also acted in the movies "Dune" and "Storm Monday". He has written sound tracks for many movies, most famously "Leaving Las Vagas" (1996). Had a guest role on the hit TV show "Ally McBeal" in 2001. SUGAR RAY's Mark McGrath's commercial for Candies shoes was banned on MTV because the obviously butt naked singer frolics in the shower with Nash Bridges actress Jodi Lyn O'Keefe. SUM 41'S first video was "Makes No Difference" SUM 41'S first album came out July 2000. SUM 41'S Steve-O's favorite song from "All Killer No Filler is "Motivation" TINA ARENA was featured on the Australian TV show "Young Talent Time" in the late 1970s until she grew too old for the group and was replaced. She sang in clubs and acted in musicals until she recieved a recording contract at the age of 21. Her "Don't Ask", featuring the worldwide hit "Chains", was the biggest-selling album in Australia in 1995, and also the biggest-selling album by any Australian woman ever. She followed with the 1999 album "In Deep", which went triple platinum in Australia. TORI AMOS has been compared early in her career with everyone from Kate Bush to Joni Mitchell. She began playing the piano at age two-and-a-half, and at age five was enrolled as a prodigy in Baltimore's Peabody Institute. Best known for her album "Under the Pink", the single "Cornflake Girl" and the follow-up "Pretty Good Year", and also "Professional Widow". WHITNEY HOUSTON was caught with 15.2 grams of Marijuana at a Hawaiian airport Classic Rock Facts In 1978, ABBA was Sweden's most profitable export. Car maker Volvo was number two. George Young, who co-founded AC/DC along with his brothers Angus and Malcolm, was the lead guitarist for a band called The Easybeats, who scored a Top Twenty hit in 1967 with "Friday On My Mind". "ALICE COOPER" was originally the name of the entire band, before lead singer Vince Furnier assumed the name for himself. In 1972, Berry Oakley, bass player for the The ALLMAN BROTHERS band, was killed in a motorcycle accident, just three blocks away from the site of Duane's Allman's fatal crash. ANNE MURRAY's hit, "Danny's Song" was written by Kenny Loggins for his brother Danny Loggins. Dave Loggins, whos "Please Come To Boston" was a 1974 hit, is their cousin. ANNE MURRAY was the first solo Canadian female to be awarded a Gold Record in the United States. (for Snowbird). By the time his song "Tighten Up" entered the Hot 100 in 1968, ARCHIE BELL was in the U.S. Army, recovering from a leg wound. BARRY MANILOW's hit, "I Write The Songs" was actually written by Bruce Johnson of The BEACH BOYS. BARRY MANILOW was once a page boy at CBS and was later Bette Midler's musical director. Before having his first hit record, Barry earned a living writing commercials, including the jingles for State Farm Insurance , Band Aids, Stridex, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dr. Peper, Pepsi, and McDonalds. BARRY MANILOW's first hit, "Mandy", was written as "Brandy", but was changed when a band named "Looking Glass" had a chart hit with that name. Scotland's BAY CITY ROLLERS chose their name by sticking a pin in a map of the United States. The pin landed near Bay City, Michigan. The lead vocal of the BEACH BOYS hit, "Barbara Ann" was actually sung by Dean Torrence of JAN AND DEAN. Among those who sang the chorus of the BEATLES' "All You Need Is Love" were Marianne Faithful, Graham Nash, Jane Asher, Patti Boyd, Keith Moon and Mick Jagger. B.J. Thomas' "Rock and Roll Lullaby" featured members of The BEACH BOYS, and The Chiffons on background vocals and Duane Eddy on guitar. Former BEATLES drummer Pete Best appeared on TV's "I've Got A Secret" in 1964. The BEE GEES' Robin Gibb survived one of England's worst train wrecks. More than fifty people were killed and over a hundred injured, while Robin escaped unharmed. On July 18, 1966, just five months after "I Fought The Law" had entered the charts, BOBBY FULLER was found dead on the front seat of his mother's Oldsmobile, parked outside of a Los Angeles apartment building. BOBBY GENTRY, who scored a huge hit in 1967 with "Ode To Billy Joe", married Jim Stafford, who recorded "Spiders and Snakes". BOBBY RYDELL landed a three year stint on a Philadelphia television show at the age of nine. Rita Coolidge's sister Priscilla married BOOKER T. Jones of BOOKER T. and the MGs BOZ SCAGGS real name is William Royce Scaggs. The handle is shortened from a highschool nickname, "Bosley" BILL HALEY and the Comets first hit record, "Rock Around The Clock" had initial sales of just 75,000, until it was used as the title track of "The Blackboard Jungle", 12 months later. It would eventually sell over 25 million copies. England's "The Hollies" took their name in honor of BUDDY HOLLY. Country singer Waylon Jennings was a guitar player in BUDDY HOLLY's backup band. He gave up his plane seat to J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) just moments before it took off. The plane crashed, killing all on board, including Holly. Dick Clark's wife suggested that Ernest Evans change his name to "CHUBBY CHECKER" as a parody of "Fats Domino". Even though he has recorded some of the most memorable rock and roll classics, the only gold record that CHUCK BERRY ever received was for "My Ding-a-ling". CHUCK BERRY has spent time in prison on two different occasions. First, he served a two year sentence between 1962 and 1964 for violation of the Mann Act, then a four month term in 1979 for income tax evasion. On June 7, 1979, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service charged CHUCK BERRY with 3 counts of tax evasion. Just hours later, he performed at a concert for President Jimmy Carter on the front lawn of the White House. British singer CILLA BLACK, best remembered for her number one U.K hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart", had her stage name changed by accident. A reporter for the local paper remembered the wrong color as her surname. Her real name is Cilla White. Before he became a rock star, DAVE CLARK of The DAVE CLARK FIVE worked as a stuntman in over 40 films. DODIE STEVENS had a hit record called "Pink Shoelaces" in 1959. She would later go on to sing with Sergio Mendez and Brazil '66 and later still with Mac Davis. Len Barry, who scored a 1963 hit with 1-2-3 was the lead singer of THE DOVELLS, who had a 1961 hit with "Bristol Stomp". The original EAGLES, Glen Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon first met when they were members of Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Glen Frey of the EAGLES played rhythm guitar on Bob Seger's "Ramblin', Gamblin' Man". The cover of the EAGLES' "Hotel California" was taken at The Beverly Hills Hotel. As Reginald Dwight, ELTON JOHN was once a member of Long John Baldry's supporting band, Bluesology. ELVIS PRESLEY had a twin brother named Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn. ELVIS PRESLEY's father, Vernon, served eight months in prison for altering a check. Tom Jones, ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK and Gilbert O'Sullivan all had the same manager, Gordon Mills. Arnold George Dorsey uses the stage name "ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK", the name of the Austrian composer who wrote "Hansel and Gretel". Dan Seals of "ENGLAND DAN AND JOHN FORD COLEY", earned the nickname, "England Dan" from his family, because as a youngster, Dan had fixated on the BEATLES and briefly affected an English accent. Dan is the brother of Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts. ELTON JOHN played piano on the Hollies hit, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". ELVIS PRESLEY offered the press a chance to interview him in June of 1972 for a fee of $120,000. There were no takers. Bobby Vinton had more #1 hits than any other male vocalist of his time, including ELVIS PRESLEY and Frank Sinatra. ERIC CLAPTON was born to an unwed mother and to shield him from the shame, Eric grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister. THE EVERLY BROTHERS "Bye Bye Love," was rejected by 30 labels before Cadence Records picked it up. The song went to #2 on the pop chart and #1 on the Country & Western chart. MIKE STOLLER, the co-writer of ELVIS PRESLEY's "Hound Dog", survived the sinking of the ship "Andrea Doria" in the Atlantic Ocean on July 25th 1956. Fifty one others died The BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD was a band that lasted 19 months. "Surf City", a 1963 number one hit by JAN AND DEAN was recorded in a converted garage underneath their apartment in Bel Air, California. TOM JONES lost a paternity suit in July of 1989 and was ordered to pay $200 a week in child support to 27 year old, Katherine Berkery, of New York. The judge in the case was "Judge Judy" Sheindlin, who was still serving in her 15 year tenure as a New York Family Court judge before appearing in her court TV show, "Judge Judy". PAUL REVERE of THE RAIDERS, was married on the fourth of July, 1976, on America's Bicentennial at King's Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati. Three members of the YOUNG RASCALS, Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish and Eddie Brigati were once members of Joey Dee and The Starlighters, who scored a number one hit in 1961 with "The Pepperming Twist". JAMES BROWN's wife tried to get her traffic tickets dismissed because of "diplomatic immunity" in June of 1988. She claimed her husband is the official "ambassador of soul". She lost the case In 1975, THE ROLLING STONES became the first rock group ever to receive royalties from record sales in Russia. While playing in front of a large lake at the Crystal Palace Bowl in London in 1970, PINK FLOYD played so loud, a number of fish were killed. During a 1969 performance at the White House for a ball given by President Richard Nixon's daughter, Tricia. Mark Volman of THE TURTLES was reported to have fallen off the stage five times. Former Animals bassist, Chas Chandler discovered and managed JIMI HENDRIX. HARRY CHAPIN's hit song "I Wanna Learn A Love Song" is actually the true story of how he met his wife, Sandy. JOHNNIE TAYLOR's "Disco Lady" became the first single to ever sell over 2 million copies in April, 1976. Singer Axl Rose of GUNS N' ROSES married Erin Everly, Don Everly's daughter. The marriage lasted 27 days. Telma Hopkins of TONY ORLANDO and Dawn is the voice you hear on Issac Hayes' song "Shaft", that tells him, "Shut your mouth". TONY ORLANDO recorded his first two hits in separate studios from backup singers Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson. By the time they met, "Candida" and "Knock Three Times" had sold a total of nine million records. Jan Berry of JAN AND DEAN has an I.Q. of 185, which puts him in the genius catagory. JOHN DENVER was killed when his light plane crashed because it simply ran out of fuel. Ray Sawyer, lead singer of DR. HOOK, wears an eye patch because he lost an eye in an auto accident. GARY LEWIS of GARY LEWIS and the Playboys was supposed to be named "Carey" at birth, after actor Cary Grant, but the hospital made a mistake and recorded his name as "Gary". MARVIN GAYE Sr. was convicted of killing his son Marvin, but was sentenced to only six years probation after a judge ruled the case "self defence". Bobby Goldsboro once played in ROY ORBISON's backup band. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD , took their name from a Michigan landmark, "The Grand Trunk Railroad". CHUCK BERRY holds a degree in cosmetology. During a 6-year period (1967-1972) THE GRASS ROOTS set a record for being on the Billboard charts an unbelievable 307 straight weeks. JIMI HENDRIX was thrown out of high school for holding the hand of a white girl in class. Peter Noone, lead singer of HERMAN'S HERMITS, got his nickname after the guys in the band remarked on Peter's resemblance to the character Sherman in the TV cartoon 'The Bullwinkle Show'. Peter misheard the name as Herman. On December 12, 1957, 22 year old JERRY LEE LEWIS married 14 year old Myra Gale Brown, his second cousin. Gene Simmons of KISS is a former elementary school teacher . ROGER MILLER won 5 Grammy Awards in 1965 and followed in 1966 with six more. "Walk Away Renee" by the LEFT BANKE was rejected by ten major labels before Smash Records took it on. Soon after it's release in Feb. 1966, it shot up the charts and peaked at #5. British singer "LULU", best remembered for her hit "To Sir With Love", was married to Maurice Gibb of The BEE GEES from 1969 untill early 1973. The rock band "LYNYRD SKYNYRD" took their name from their Physical Education teacher, Leonard Skinner, whom had given some of the guys a hard time in school. Martha Reeves of THE VANDELLAS worked at Motown Records as a secretary. Her duties included supervising a very young STEVIE WONDER. Over 400 musicians applied for a part in THE MONKEES, including Stephen Stills, John Sebastian and Harry Nilsson. RICK NELSON's first wife, Kris Harmon, is the sister of Kelly Harmon, the pretty blonde girl in the Tic-Tac commercials. Their brother is actor Mark Harmon. JOHN LENNON and Harry Nilsson were ejected from L.A.'s Troubadour club for disrupting The Smother's Brothers act in the mid 1970's. Just hours before murdering JOHN LENNON, Mark David Chapman got Lennon's autograph. ROY ORBISON's trademark look came about when he misplaced his regular glasses and had to rely on a pair of prescription sun-glasses. His management liked the mysterious look it gave him and soon, they were the only ones he wore. THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, took their name when an appreciative fan said about their music, "that's righteous, brothers". KENNY ROGERS was once a member of the New Christy Minstrels, and can be heard singing the chorus of their hit record, "Green, Green", behind the lead vocal of Barry McGuire, who would later have a solo smash himself with, "Eve Of Destruction". SONNY AND CHER were initially known as Caesar and Cleo. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of STEELY DAN, were once a part of Jay and the Americans' touring band in the late 1960's. STEPPENWOLF's lead singer, John Kay , made a perilous midnight escape from post-war East Germany when he was a child. The lead vocal of "Incense and Peppermints," by STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK is actually that of a friend of the band, 16 year old Greg Munford, who was just hanging around during the session and decided to try his hand at singing. The name, "THREE DOG NIGHT" was inspired by a magazine article about Austrailian aborigines, who on cold nights, would sleep beside their dogs for warmth. The very coldest weather was called a "three dog night". TOMMY JAMES named his very first band, "The Shondells" when he was just twelve years old. Dionne Warwick and WHITNEY HOUSTON are cousins. Motown singer, MARY WELLS suffered a bout of spinal meningitis as a small child, which left her temporarily paralyzed. STEVIE WONDER was placed in an incubator when he was born and given too much oxygen, causing permanent sight loss. THE YARDBIRDS are noted for giving rise to three of Britain's greatest guitarists: ERIC CLAPTON, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons of ZZ TOP sport two of the longest beards in all of show business, while drummer Frank Beard is clean shaven. FRANK ZAPPA named his daughter, Moon Unit Zappa. SAM COOKE's 1960 hit, "Wonderful World" was co-written by trumpeter Herb Alpert. Johnny Caron's Tonight Show Theme was written by PAUL ANKA, who received $30,000 a year in royalties. After the British Invasion duo of PETER AND GORDON had run their course, Peter Asher went on to become the manager of Linda Rondstadt and James Taylor. Hoyt Axton wrote THREE DOG NIGHT's "Joy To The World". His mother, Mae Axton wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" for ELVIS PRESLEY. An album called "The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan" was released by Stiff Records.The entire disc contained 40 minutes of silence. Florence Ballard, one of the original SUPREMES died of a heart attack in 1975. She was on welfare at the time. In 1972, LED ZEPPELIN was forced to cancel a concert in Singapore when officials wouldn't let them off the plane because of their long hair. Members of The BEACH BOYS sang background vocals for Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here". TINY TIM declared himself a New York City mayoral candidate in 1989. The piano player on Art Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" is Larry Knechtel of the group "BREAD". Rocker TED NUGENT autographed a man's arm with a bowie knife after the fan had requested it. JAMES BROWN spent three years in a Georgia reform school when he was a boy. FLEETWOOD MAC's former guitarist, Lindsay Buckingham has a brother named Greg who won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. GLEN CAMPBELL played lead guitar on the BEACH BOYS "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "Good Vibrations". Singer JESSI COLTER, best remembered for her 1975 hit, "I'm not Lisa", was married to both Duane Eddy and Waylon Jennings. After they were no longer backing BUDDY HOLLY, The Crickets played on The Everly Brother's "'Till I Kissed You" in 1959. JAMES BROWN peformed at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1997. Bobby Hatfield of THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS once had a tryout with the Los Angeles Dodgers. BILLY JOEL wrote "Just the Way You Are" for his first wife, Elizabeth. Gene Simmons of KISS has a tongue that is seven inches long, two inches longer than most men. When she was just four years old, GLADYS KNIGHT won first prize on TV's Ted Mack's Amature Hour. "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" was a number one hit in 1973 for Vicki Lawrence. The song was written by her then husband Leon Russel, who also wrote "This Diamond Ring" by GARY LEWIS and the Playboys. Cher was offered the song first, but turned it down. There is no one named Marshall Tucker in the MARSHALL TUCKER BAND. The group named themselves after the owner of their rehearsal hall. STEVE MILLER got his first guitar as a gift from the legendary Les Paul. David Gates of the soft rock band "BREAD" was one of the musicians on Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash". Millie Small's 1964 hit, "My Boy Lollipop" features a very young ROD STEWART on harmonica. THE NEW CHRISTIE MINSTRELS, who had a mid sixties hit with "Green Green" have had several members who went on to find other fame. These include, country star KENNY ROGERS, Barry McGuire (Eve Of Destruction), Gene Clark of The Byrds as well as Kim Carnes ("Bette Davis Eyes"). An instumental called "No Matter What Shape" that was used in Alka Seltzer commercials in 1965, was performed by a band called The T-BONES. The group contained Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tom Reynolds, who would have a smash hit in the seventies called "Don't Pull Your Love" as Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. THE STARLAND VOCAL BAND, who charted with "Afternoon Delight" in 1977, sang background vocals for JOHN DENVER's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" while they were still known as Fat City" in 1971. Sly Stone, leader of SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE, was the producer of the Beau Brummels hits "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just A Little". FREDDIE CANNON's first chart hit, 1959's "Tallahassee Lassie" was written by his mother. In 1954, BILL HALEY married his pregnant girlfriend, just four days after he divorced his first wife. USELESS MUSIC FACTS: The Motown female group The Supremes, which dominated the pop charts in the 1960's, was originally called The Primettes. According to Margaret Jones, author of a Patsy Cline biography, there are a dozen places in Virginia that could claim to be the hometown of the nomadic Cline. Her family moved 19 times before she was 15. When the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, Jimmy Page was left to honor the band's commitments, performing as The New Yardbirds. The group eventually evolved into Led Zeppelin. At age 47, the Rolling Stones' bassist, Bill Wyman, began a relationship with 13-year old Mandy Smith, with her mother's blessing. Six years later, they were married, but the marriage only lasted a year. Not long after, Bill's 30-year-old son Stephen married Mandy's mother, age 46. That made Stephen a stepfather to his former stepmother. If Bill and Mandy had remained married, Stephen would have been his father's father-in-law and his own grandpa. The brass family of instruments include the trumpet, trombone, tuba, cornet, fl�gelhorn, French horn, saxhorn, and sousaphone. While they are usually made of brass today, in the past they were made of wood, horn, and glass. Most toilets flush in E flat. The rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd took their name from a high school teacher named Leonard Skinner who had suspended several students for having long hair. According to Beatles producer George Martin, Neal Hefti's catchy composition of the 1960's "Batman" Emmy-winning theme song inspired George Harrison to write the hit song "Taxman." At the tender age of 7, the multi-award-winning composer and pianist Marvin Hamlisch ("The Way We Were," "The Sting") was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York City. In the band KISS, Gene Simmons was "The Demon", Paul Stanley was "Star Child", Ace Frehley was "Space Man", and Peter Criss was "The Cat. The song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" was written by George Graff, who was German, and was never in Ireland in his life. The famous Russian composer Aleksandr Borodin was also a respected chemistry professor in St. Petersburg. In 1992, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, better known to country music fans as singer/comedienne Minnie Pearl, was awarded a National Medal of Arts by President George Bush. In 1994, Minnie became the first woman to be inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame. She was too frail and sick to attend the ceremony, and so good friend and comedian George Lindsey ("Goober") accepted the award for her. She died in 1996 at age 83. Bill Haley and the Comets, one of rock and roll's pioneer groups actually began their career's as Bill Haley's Saddle Pals - a country music act. The voice of Tony the Tiger is Thurl Ravenscroft, who also sang the "Rotten Mr. Grinch" song in the movie, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". He was also narrator for Disney's "A Spooky Night in Disney's Haunted Mansion" album. He performed for many Disney attractions including: voice of Fritz the parrot in "The Enchanted Tiki Room, " lead singer in "Grim Grinning Ghosts" in the Haunted Mansion, narrator on Monorail. He was the voice for the Disneyland LP based on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. The flip side of this LP contained a number of sea chanties he sang. In 1939 Irving Berlin composed a Christmas song but thought so little of it that he never showed it to anybody. He just tossed it into a trunk and didn't see fit to retrieve it until he needed it for a Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire movie, HOLIDAY INN 10 years later. Bing Crosby was a staunch Catholic and at first refused to sing the song because he felt it tended to commercialize Christmas. He finally agreed, took eighteen minutes to make the recording, and then the "throw-away" song become an all-time hit. Crosby's version has sold over 40 million copies. All together, this song has appeared in 750 versions, selling 6 million copies of sheet music and 90,000,000 recordings ,just in the United States and Canada. You might not recognize the song from the movie HOLIDAY INN...or from the composer's name of Irving Berlin. But you're bound to know it because it's on everyone's list of Christmas favorites: WHITE CHRISTMAS. Dark Side of The Moon (a Pink Floyd album) stayed on the top 200 Billboard charts for 741 weeks! That is 14 years. Brian Setzer, of the Brian Setzer Orchestra, started out in a garage band called Merengue. "Mr. Mojo Risin" is an anagram for Jim Morrison. The horse's name in the song Jingle Bells is Bobtail. No one knows where Mozart is buried. The Beatles featured two left handed members, Paul, whom everyone saw holding his Hoffner bass left handed, and Ringo, whose left handedness is at least partially to blame for his 'original' drumming style. Tommy James was in a New York hotel looking at the Mutual of New York building's neon sign flashing repeatedly: M-O-N-Y. He suddenly got the inspiration to write his #1 hit, 'Mony Mony' Tickets for Frank Sinatra's first solo performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York City in 1942, sold for 35 cents each. Jim Morrison found the name "The Doors" for his rock band in the title of Aldous Huxley's book "The Doors of Perception", which extolls the use of hallucinogenic drugs. The Granny Smith apple was used as the symbol for the Beatles' Apple Records label. Verdi wrote the opera Aida at the request of the khedive of Egypt to commemorate the opening of the Suez canal. Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song "Happy Birthday". John Lennon named his band the Beatles after Buddy Holly's 'Crickets.' The Beatles played the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1964. Some 8,500 fans paid just $4 each for tickets. Jonathan Houseman Davis, lead singer of Korn, was born a Presbyterian, but converted to Catholic because his mother wanted to marry his stepfather in a Catholic church. He was also a member of his high school's bagpipe band. (For those of you who have been to Hume Lake's Christian Camps, if you know Cliff, the guy in charge, he was the guy who taught Jonathan Davis to play the bagpipe.) "When I'm Sixty Four" was the first song to be recorded for the Sgt. Pepper album. "Within You Without You" was the last. Jazz began in the 20th century, when bands in New Orleans began to apply the syncopated rhythms of ragtime to a variety of other tunes. In the first days of jazz, ensemble playing was emphasized. Only gradually did jazz come to be based on improvised solos. The song with the longest title is 'I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues' written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1943. He later claimed the song title ended with "Yank" and the rest was a joke. Nick Mason is the only member of Pink Floyd to appear on all of the band's albums. The Beatles appear at the end of "The Yellow Submarine" in a short live action epilogue. Their voices for the cartoon movie were done by Paul Angelis (Ringo), Peter Batten (George), John Clive (John), and Geoffrey Hughes (Paul). When the producers approached the Beatles about this film, the group, which hated the TV cartoon show of them, agreed to it only as a easy way of completing their movie contract. As such, they contributed only a few old songs and four quickly produced numbers, Only a Northern Song, Hey Bulldog, All Together Now, and It's All Too Much. However, when they saw the finished film, they were so impressed by it that they decided to appear in a short live action epilogue to the film. Peter Batten was a deserter from the British Army at the time of the creation of the film. In the final weeks of production, he was arrested for desertion, and Paul Angelis had to finish voicing the part of George. In every show that Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks) did there was at least one song about rain. The Beatles song 'A day in the life' ends with a note sustained for 40 seconds. "Memory," has become a contemporary classic. It's been recorded more than 600 times, including as international hit recordings for such artists as Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and Judy Collins, among many others. It's most recent incarnations underline its diverse and universal appeal: as a #1 dance smash by European chanteuse Natalie Grant, and as a duet for Placido Domingo and Natalie Cole during a live telecast of the tenor's world tour. Elvis Presley's hit recording of "Love Me Tender" entered Billboard's pop charts in October 1956. It stayed on the charts for 19 weeks, and was in the Number 1 spot for five of those weeks. The song, from Presley's debut film with the same title, was adapted from the tune "Aura Lee," which had been written back in 1861. An eighteenth-century German named Matthew Birchinger, known as the little man of Nuremberg, played four musical instruments including the bagpipes, was an expert calligrapher, and was the most famous stage magician of his day. He performed tricks with the cup and balls that have never been explained. Yet Birchinger had no hands, legs, or thighs, and was less than 29 inches tall. Montgomery is the birthplace of music great Nat King Cole, pop singers Clarence Carter and Toni Tenille, Metropolitan Opera singer Nell Rankin, and blues legend Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton. Beethoven's Fifth, was the first symphony to include trombones. EMI stands for ' Electrical and Musical Instruments'. The only musical instrument you play without touching it is called the theremin. The technology is simple: when activated, the theremin generates a sonic field around a small antenna that sticks out vertically from the top. When you put your hand closer to the antenna, the sound field is broken and the unit emits a high-pitched, electronic wail-that's the music. Different varieties of pitch are achieved by placing your hand closer to the antenna and moving it away. When your hand approaches the antenna, a low pitch will be created. As your hand gets nearer the antenna, the pitch becomes higher. (It's easily recognized for its spooky "ooo-eee-ooo" sound. You know it if you've heard the Beach Boys song "Good Vibrations.") Brian Epstein, a record store owner in London, was asked by a customer for a copy of the record, "My Bonnie", by a group known as The Silver Beatles. He didn't have it in stock so he went to the Cavern Club to check out the group. He signed to manage them in a matter of days and renamed them The Beatles. In 1976 Rodrigo's 'Guitar Concierto de Aranjuez' was No 1 in the UK for only three hours because of a computer error. George Anthiel composed film scores, but earlier in his life he had been an avant garde composer. In 1924 his "Ballet mecanique" was performed at Carnegie Hall. The work was scored for a fire siren, automobile horns, and an airplane propeller. After only a few minutes of this racket, an aging gentleman in the orchestra seats tied his handkerchief to his cane and began waving a white flag. The Beach Boys formed in 1961. The Beatles performed their first U.S. concert in Carnegie Hall. Brian Epstein managed The Beatles to superstardom. The leading female singer in an opera is called the prima donna. Elvis Presley received his U.S. army discharge on March 5, 1960. Mass murderer Charles Manson recorded an album called "Lie." Vaudevillian Jack Norworth wrote "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in 1908 after seeing a sign on a bus advertising BASEBALL TODAY - POLO GROUNDS. Norworth and his friend Albert von Tilzer (who write the music) had never been to a baseball game before his song became a hit sing-along. The Japanese national anthem is expressed in only four lines. The Greek anthem runs 158 verses. John Philip Sousa enlisted in the Marines at age 13. He worked as an apprentice in the band. At age 14, George Harrison joined his friend Paul McCartney's band, the Quarry Men, led by John Lennon. Dances with twisting motions accompanied jazz as far back as Jelly Roll Morton. The Paul Williams Saxtet - a sax-intensive jazz combo - recorded a two-sided 78 called "The Twister." Chubby Checker wasn't even the first man to record the song "The Twist." Hank Ballard was, in 1959. At age 15, Jerry Garcia swapped his birthday accordion for an electric guitar. At age 4, Mozart composed a concerto for the clavier. At age 22, Jerry Lee Lewis married for the third time. His bride? His thirteen year old cousin. In 1764 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played for the Royal Family at Versailles in France. He was even given the honor of standing behind the Queen at dinner - Mozart was only eight years old. Through the mid-1500s in France, the lute was still the favorite instrument, but in 1555, Balthazar de Beujoyeux, the first famous violinist in history, brought a band of violinists to Catherine's de M�dicis court and made violin music popular. Paul McCartney's younger brother, Michael, formed a group of his own, known as "The Scaffold" and goes by the name "Mike McGear". He is mentioned in the lyric of "Let 'Em In" as "Brother Michael" (available on McCartney's "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" album). The Beatles held the Top Five spots on the April 4th, 1964 Billboard singles chart. They're the only band that has ever done that. The most recorded song of all time - with more than 2,000 versions - is 'Yesterday'. Included on the 'Help!' soundtrack, it was number one for four weeks in 1965. CELEB PETS: AARON AND NICK CARTER - cats named Pepper, Salty, and Zimba ANTHONY KIEDIS - Mastiff	The Rolling Stones
Who had a 1974 UK No 1 hit with Ms Grace?	Band Facts Band Facts Web www.courtneysmusicsite.net 3 DOORS DOWN's video for "Kryptonite" didnt go all to good when the neon sign behind drummer Richard Liles started an electrical fire and almost burned down the bar. -- AALIYAH'S name is Arabic.. -- AALIYAH was only 14 when she released her first album, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number, in 1994. She married singer R. Kelly and released a second record in 1996. She released her third record in 2001, and she was starting an acting career, having co-starred in "Romeo Must Die", and nabbing parts in the two "Matrix" sequels. On August 26, 2001, on a return trip from shooting a music video, the plane she was on crashed, killing her at the age of 22. -- ACE FREHLEY The first lead guitarist with KISS. KISS auditioned over 60 lead players. Ace quit KISS after making the "I Love It Loud" video. His face appears on the "Creatures of the Night" album cover, but he did not play on it. Ace rejoined KISS in February of 1996. -- ALICE COOPER was the master of shock-rock. Nowadays he spends his time working on his golf game and raising money for his favourite charities. Has recorded with Eric Singer from KISS. -- AMERICAN HI-FI'S Stacy Jones was the drummer for Veruca Salt. -- ANNIE LENNOX delivered a stillborn baby in 1988. -- A PERFECT CIRCLE's album 'Mer De Noms' is loosly translated to 'Sea Of Names'. -- AXL ROSE also once known by the name of Bill Bailey. Bailey being his stepfathers name. He took the name of Rose when he found out when he found out it was his real father's name. He is the charasmatic and unpredictable lead singer with heavy metal band Guns'N Roses. Married to Erin Everly, the inspiration for "Sweet Child O' Mine", but they divorced after less than a year. He has also dated model Stephanie Seymour, his bride in "November Rain". -- AUDIOSLAVE planned to call themselve's Citizen before they found out there was other band by that name. -- BABYFACE was responsible for the success of Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton and TLC due to his ability to pen memorable melodies that suit the artist's styles. -- BARBRA STREISAND, One of the biggest stars of our time. Multi talented Ms Streisand is well known for her aversion to performing in public. Probably better known for her singing. Refused to have the nose job studio bosses thought would further her career, it seems that her decision may have paid off. Starred with Kris Kristofferson in "A Star is Born". Previously married to Elliot Gould, now married to actor James Brolin. -- BARRY MANILOW got his start playing piano for Bette Midler. -- BBMAK first met in northwest England, When Mark was in college working his way to become a firefighter. -- BBMAK's Mark Berry has been playing bag pipes since the age of 10 and was a 4-time English Champion. -- BECK's grandfather was a pioneer of the Fluxes Artistic Movement of the '60's. -- BECK moved to NYC during the East Village anti-folk scene. -- BIG BOPPER was most frequently remembered for his untimely death with Richie Valens and Buddy Holly in a plane crash. It was his creative energy that drove the early days of rock and roll. -- BIG PUNISHER weighed in at 450 - 700 pounds, and died of a heart attack at the age of 28. -- BILLY IDOL's son Will is in a band called Lucas. -- BJORK's pet goldfish appears in the video "Epic" by Faith No More. -- BLINK 182'S Tom Delonge's first instrument was the trumpet. -- BLINK 182'S first drummer was Scott Raynor -- BLACK CROWES' Chris Robinson and his wife both have a facination with skulls. -- BOB DYLAN -No other single music artist has had a more profound impact on popular music, and yet over the last 20 years he has only made two quality albums. His album "Time Out of Mind" won a fistful of Grammys. He also appears on a soundtrack to the TV show "The Sopranos". -- BON SCOTT briefly became a member of The Spektors, and recorded an album with pop group The Valentines and another with rock band Fraternity. He became AC/DC's second lead vocalist (after Dave Evans) in September of 1974. He went on to record and co-write six albums with AC/DC, including the huge international hit "Highway to Hell" in 1979 with producer Mutt Lange. Bon Scott died on February 19, 1980 in London from choking on his own vomit, left unconscious in a friend's car after drinking heavily. -- BOOBONIC AND MR MAN from the rap duo, PHILLY'S MOST WANTED, have been best friends since they were 8 years old. -- BRIAN From BSB has 2 chihuahuas named Tyke and Litty -- BRITNEY SPEARS is and excellent dart player. -- BRITNEY SPEARS' song "Dont let me be the last to know" was written by Shania Twain. -- BSB's Howie Dorough and NSYNC'S Chris Kirkpatrick sang in the Valencia Community College Chior Together -- BUSH's singer Gavin Rossdale wrote and recorded demos of most of the songs for Bush's album, The Science Of Things, at a mysterious seaside house in Ireland. -- CARTEL's Kevin and Nic has known each other since third grade. -- COUNT SENSIBLE was the founding bass player, and later the guitar player, for groundbreaking UK punk band the Damned, the first punks to record, to chart, and to tour the US. He played with the band, often wearing a tutu, a nurse's uniform, or nothing, from 1976 until 1984, when he started his solo career. -- CARLOS SANTANA composed the score to the 1986 Feature film "La Bamba". -- THE CALLING's Aaron, owns an italian racing motorcycle. -- THE CALLING's Alex's first TV crush was Punky Brewster. -- CARSON DALY recieved a golf scholarship to LA's Loyola Marymount University. -- The term "Bling Bling" was originally coined by the rap amily CASH MONEY MILLIONAIRES. -- CAT STEVENS, Originally began recording under the name of Steve Adams, became one of the world's greatest stars in the 70s. Abandoned his musical career, and turned his life to the Muslim religion, and is now called Yusuf Islam. -- When CELINE DION's manager/husband Renee Angelil first heard her voice, he mortgaged his house to finance the recording of her first album. -- Writer Cintra Wilson called CELINE DION as being "one of the most freakishly mutated creatures the Streisand Machine has ever coughed out". -- CHER - Singer and actress of great worldwide acclaim who has stood the test of time. Times may change, but Cher remains. Was married to Sonny Bono, the other half of "The Sonny and Cher Show". Once had a very well publicised romance with Gene Simmons of KISS, and once married to Greg Allman. -- CHRIS From NSYNC has 2 pugs named Busta and Korea. -- CHRIS CORNELL has 5 brothers and sisters. -- CHRISTINA AGUILERA is the oldest sister of 5 siblings -- CHRONIC FUTURE, the Arizonan band, recorded their last album when some of the members were only 13. -- CHUCK BERRYS music influenced The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan and many others. -- COBY DICK from PAPA ROACH played Clarinet in band. -- COLD was originally knowns as Grundig. -- COURTNEY LOVE, tired of being a 'slave' to the record company, announced that, in the future, her band, Hole, will release albums only via the internet. -- COURTNEY LOVE sued boyfriend Jim barber's Ex-wife for driving over her foot. Love said the spurned woman is 'on a mission to destroy me' for busting up the marriage. -- CRAZY TOWN'S Epics dad, Irwin, is a music publishing exec who once managed Billy Joel. -- CREED'S frontman Scott Stapp was raised by devoutly religious parents. He was forbidden to listen to rock music. -- CREED was the first band in history to have four number-one rock singles from a debut album. -- DAFT PUNK was originally known as "Darling". -- DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL's Chris Carrabba played in a band called Vacant Andy's -- DAVID BOWIE - Artsy rock star who was Ziggy Stardust. Hit with "Space Oddity" in 1969. Frequent style changes in music and fashion. Married to fashion model Iman. Changed his name as not to be confused with Davy Jones of "The Monkees" fame. -- DEFAULT used to be called "The Fallout" which in turn, became the title of their album. -- DEF LEPPARD's bass player was designing and selling fuzzy animal feat slippers on the side. -- DESTINYS CHILD lost on Star Search. -- DESTINYS CHILD went through 3 members in 5 months. -- DICK DALE was a pioneer of surf music and along with Buddy Holle was one of the first prominent users of the Strat (Fender Stratocaster) in the world. -- DIDO doesnt eat before she performs because eating makes her lazy. -- DIDO's favorite movie is "Star Wars" -- DMX spent 15 days in jail in upstate NY for driving without a license. -- DOLLY PARTON was the 4th of 12 children. -- DREAM got together by answering an add for a girl group -- DREW LACHEY was an emergency med technician. -- DUKE ELLINGTON was best known for his orchestras most famous number, Billy Strayhorn's "Take the A Train". One of the finest figures of American jazz. -- DURAN DURAN got their name from the movie "Barbarella". -- ELVIS COSTELLO was best known for album "My Aim is True", which now has a new wave punk classic, including the hit singles "Alison" and "Watching the Detectives". -- EMINEM's mother, Debbie, strikes back on Em's hateful lyrics by recording 3 rap songs for an album called 'Set the Record Straight'. -- EMINEM's groupies threaten to torch Warren, Michigan (his hometown), unless all charges against their hero are dropped. -- ENRIQUE IGLESIUS donates all stuffed animals he gets to hospitals. -- ENRIQUE IGLESIUS used psudonym Enrique Martinez while pursuing a record deal. -- ENYA's music has appeared in many hit films, including L.A. Story, Green Card, Far and Away and Lord of The Rings. -- ERIC CARR played drums and some vocals with KISS, replacing Peter Criss on drums in May of 1980. KISS liked Eric so much that on joining the band they bought him a Porsche. He was left-handed at everything he did except playing the drums. -- FALCO got his stage name after an East German skier, Falko Weisspflog. Falco was Austria's most popular musical export, on the merits of two bizzare singles, 1983's "Der Kommissar," rapped in German, and 1986's "Rock Me Amadeus," who's video showed him strutting around as a punk Mozart. "Der Kommissar" found huge success on US radio after being re-recorded by "After The Fire" in 1983. Falco died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on February 6, 1998. -- FLOOD is one of the best and most popular record producers and mixers of the last two decades. Has produced, engineered, and/or mixed records for (alphabetically): Barry Adamson, The Associates, Boo Radleys, Book of Love, Cabaret Voltaire, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Charlatans UK, Crime and the City Solution, The Cure, Curve, Depeche Mode, Elastica, Erasure, Gavin Friday, PJ Harvey, James, Jesus and Mary Chain, Tom Jones, Massive Attack, Ministry, New Order, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Pop Will Eat Itself, Psychic TV, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith, Sneaker Pimps, Soft Cell, Wolfgang Press, U2, and others. He reportedly acquired the name Flood as a result of his habit of spilling tea in the studio. -- FOO FIGHTERS' Dave Grohl was fined and had his Australian driving priveleges revoked for drinking and driving.on a scooter. -- FOO FIGHTERS have covered Micheal Jackson's "Beat It", Madonna's "Borderline", and Backstreet Boys' "Larger Than Life" in thier concerts. -- FOO FIGHTERS' named came from the UFO's that U.S. pilots reported seeing while patroling Germany in WWII -- FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE was once known as You My Mother?. -- FRANK SINATRA Chairman of the Board, Ol' Blue Eyes, and mega-star. Thought to be stillbon at birth until his grandmother doused him with cold water. Left his wife and three children to marry Ava Gardner, he romanced Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland and later married to Mia Farrow, 30 years his junior. His mob connections and member of the exclusive "rat pack" that included Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin and many other "hangers on" ensured that Sinatra was never far from the media's attention. -- FREE's record company originally wanted the band to be called Heavy Metal Kids. They actually got "Free" from Alexis Korner, The Father Of White Blues, who named them after his own trio from the '60s, Free At Last. -- GARTH BROOKS' album "No Fences" sold more than 13 million copies, his third album "Ropin' The Wind" became the first album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Country and Pop charts. -- GARTH BROOKS proposed to Trisha Yearwood at Buck Owens Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, CA in May 2005 -- GARY GLITTER - The late 90s saw the end of his career, following his conviction for sexual offences, but there is no doubt that his contribution to rock for 25 years ranked Glitter among Britain's best-loved performers. He used a number of pseudonyms, including "Paul Raven" -- GENE SIMMONS, Vampiresque bassist of the band KISS, who he formed in 1972 with Paul Stanley. Gene has a Bachelors Degree in Education and speaks four languages fluently. His childhood plan was to become a Rabbi. His hordes of groupies rival those of anyone on the planet, he has reportedly slept with a number approaching four thousand women. He had a widely publicised relationship with Cher and Diana Ross. -- GET UP KIDS formed in 1995 -- GG Allin was the most violent man in music. He was found dead at 9:20am at 29 Avenue B on June 28, 1993. During his career, he smashed himself through a french door, was thrown through a drum set, he defacated onstage and threw his feces to the audience & had been arrested 52 times for his onstage activities. -- GOO GOO DOLLS' singer John Rzeznik was gonna be a plumber. -- GRAND FUNK RAILROAD got it's name from the landmark Grand Trunk Railroad in Michigan. The members dropped "Railroad" in 1973, only to add it back again in 1976 -- GREEN DAY'S Billie Joe Armstrong wore Jersey #8 on his high school football team. -- GUNS 'N ROSES' guitarist Slash was kicked off the British childrens TV show CD:UK after blurting out a string of curse words. Live. -- HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS formed under the name 'A Day In The Life' -- HIDDEN BEACH RECORD COMPANY is owned by Michael Jordan. -- HIDDEN CAMERAS' Joel Gibb learned guitar restringing left-handed. -- HOOBASTANK's Doug Robb says he never wanted to be a rap-rocker. "I love Hip/Hop, but I cant rap" -- HOOBASTANK's Dougs favorite singers are Mike Patton from Faith No More and David Lee Roth (Van Halens Original Singer) -- INSANE CLOWN POSSE'S album 'The Great Milenko' once held Billboards record for longest running hip-hop/rap album in Billboards history. -- JANET JACKSON'S album "All For You" went gold its first week of release. -- JAY-Z's dad left him when he was 12 and he lived with his mom, brother, and 2 sisters growing up. -- JENNIFER LOPEZ has a surprise! United Talent Agency announces that J.Lo will happily come to your party-for a low, low price of $750,000 per hour. -- JENNIFER LOPEZ demands sweet smelling air at all times. One of the handlers generously sprays the rooms and hallways with Rue De The Purfume. She insists her path be sprayed with it. -- JERRY GARCIA's death was marked by a tie-dyed flag flying at half-mast in front of San Francisco's City Hall. -- JESSICA SIMPSON's sister ashlee was one of her dancers -- Jamica once tried to shoot down a private plane carrying JIMMY BUFFETT and BONO, mistaking them for drug traffickers. -- JOE STRUMMER was the guitarist and principal songwriter for the Clash, arguably the most significant British punk rockers, from 1976 to 1986. In 1986 he wrote songs with Clash singer Mick Jones on Jones' new band, Big Audio Dynamite. Later, Strummer worked on soundtracks, did some acting, and released a solo record in 1989. He briefly joined the Pogues as a touring guitarist, In 1999, he released a record with his band, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. -- JOEL AND BENJI from GOOD CHARLOTTE are twins. -- JOHN RZEZNIK from the Goo Goo Doll's was in kindergarten and accidently swallowed a piece of plastic from a pez dispenser and had to be rushed to the ER. -- JOHNNY MARR, Guitarist and co-founder for the Smiths, the most important and critically acclaimed British band of the 1980s. When the band broke up in 1987, Marr played on records from Talking Heads, Billy Bragg, and Brian Ferry. He toured with the Pretenders, and played on two albums by the The. He then co-founded the band Electronic with Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order). -- JOHNNY MARR was named one of the greatest guitarists in 2001. -- JON BON JOVI turned down the lead role in the film version of "Footloose" in order to concentrate on the band and his music. -- JOSEPH HAYDN's 'London Symphonies' were written at the age of 60. -- JULIO IGLESIAS had aspirations of being a professional football (soccer) goalkeeper until a near-fatal car accident. He spent his recovery learning guitar and writing songs. He was studying law when he won first prize at the 1968 Festival de la Canci�n when he sang his original "La Vida Sigue Igual" ("Life Continues All The Same"). He was soon signed by Discos Columbia, and represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1978 he signed to CBS International, adding to his global distribution. He has recorded many of his songs in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portugese, and English, adding to his worldwide record sales, which now amount to over 220 million. He is also the father of singer Enrique Iglesias. -- K-CI & JO JO grew up in North Carolina -- K-CI of K-CI AND JO JO was sued by a family who happily went to see the bands Los Angeles concert-only to witness the singer unzipping his pants and fully exposing himself onstage. -- KID ROCK has a son named Robert Ritchie Jr. and Kid Rock calls him Junior or June Bug. -- KMFDM headlined their first US tour in 1991 -- KMFDM formed February 29, 1984 -- LAMB OF GOD was formerly known as Burn The Priest. -- LANCE BASS of NSYNC was in a children's tv show and played a dog named 'Poo Fu'. -- LAURA BRANIGAN was briefly a lead singer in a band named "Meadow". -- LENNY KRAVITZ was handcuffed by Miami police as he walked home from the gym because they thought he fit the discription of an on-the-loose band robber. -- LENNY KRAVITZ is half Jewish. -- LIFEHOUSE'S video for 'Hanging by the Moment' was shot in a bowling alley. -- At age 16, LINDA LUNCH became one of first in New York's "no wave" scene with her band Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. After a brief period heading another band, Beirut Slump, in 1980 Lunch moved away from "no wave", recording the solo "Queen of Siam". At the same time, she started the blues/R&B band 8 Eyed Spy. That band ended soon after bassist Jack Ruby died of a heroin O.D. She then started the Devil Dogs, which had a revolving lineup, so she quit and started 13:13. She collaborated on recordings with the Birthday Party, Exene Cervenka (X), Jim Thirwell (Foetus), Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), and Thurston Moore (also Sonic Youth). She started her own label, Widowspeak Productions, and is now focused more on spoken word recordings. Lunch has also starred in movies like "The Right Side of My Brain" and "Fingered" -- LIVE performed together in middle school under the name First Aid. -- LOU REED underwent electroshock therapy as a teenager in an unsuccessful bid to control his mood swings. -- MADONNA used to work the counter at Dunkin Donuts. -- MANDY MOORE sang the anthem at 8 sporting events in 1 week before becoming a star. -- MANDY MOORE's first movie was The Princess Diaries. -- MARC BOLAN was a British pop musician, lead singer of Tyrannosaurus Rex (later T-Rex). Killed when Mini-Minor ran off the road. -- MARK ST JOHN, Lead guitar with KISS, replacing Vinnie Vincent after he was fired. Mark developed a form of arthritis makding it impossible to play guitar, Mark was replaced by Bruce Kulick. -- MARILYN MANSON went to Junior High School in Canton Ohio. -- MARILYN MANSON'S original drummer was Sarah Lee Lucas who was accidently set on fire at the end of one show. Also, Marilyn Manson's first guitarist was Gidget Gein. -- MARIAH CAREY's sister Alison revealed that she became a prostitute in order to bankroll Mariah's fledgling singing career back in the day. -- MARILYN MANSON broke his drummer, Ginger Fish's, collorbone as they destroy the drum set at the end of a concert. Poor Ginger-Marilyn once smashed him over the head with his microphone stand too. -- MARVIN GAYE was one of the most gifted, influential, and popular R&B/Soul singers of all time. Gaye started recording in 1957, and made an indelible imprint on popular music soon after. In his later years he was plagued by demons, including drugs and depression. On April 1, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, he was killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., by a shot to the head at point-blank range. -- MASE made a comeback-as a preacher! He retired from rapping to found Saving A National Endagered Ministeries (SAVE) in Atlanta. -- Before MATCHBOX TWENTY was due to go onstage, they would get in a huddle and sing the 1978 heat wave hit "Always and Forever". -- MATERIAL ISSUE's Jim Ellison committed suicide in June 1996 METALLICA'S James Hetfields senior quote was "Play Music Get Rich". -- MEATLOAF got his name after he stepped on his football coach's foot. -- MICHAEL BOLTON was Paula Abdul's babysitter when she was a child -- MICHAEL JACKSON's favorite candy is skittles. -- MICHELLE BRANCH first played guitar at age 14. -- MICHELLE BRANCH'S first concert was The New Kids On The Block. -- One of MICHELLE BRANCH'S favorite movies is "Joe Dirt" -- MICK JAGGER, citing "Incomplete paperwork," had his Hindu wedding annulled after nine years and four kids. -- MICK MARS, Motley Crue guitarist. It was Mick who came up with the band's name. He changed his name because he thought his initials B.A.D were a bad omen. He liked the name Mick and chose Mars because he was a god of war. -- MYSTICAL's favorite website is www.like.com -- NANCY SINATRA took everything off but her boots for a Playboy cover. -- NELLY was in a group called St. Lunatics. -- The NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC was founded in 1842 and is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. -- NICK LACHEY & JUSTIN JEFFRE of 98 degrees was once in a barbershop quartet. -- NIKKI SIXX, Bass guitarist with Motley Crue. Officially died of heroin overdose (but was revived). All the band members lived a life of excess, the Baywatch cast have turned up in the band's marriages and relationships, Nikki Sixx married Donna D'Erico (now split), Tommy Lee married Pamela Anderson and Vince Neil had a fling with Pamela Anderson. -- NSYNC'S "No Strings Attached" sold 2.4 million copies in its first week. -- NSYNC considers themselves southpark characters. JOEY is 'Kenny', JUSTIN is 'Mr. Mackie', J.C. is 'Stan', LANCE is 'Mr. Hankie' & Chris is 'Eric Cartman'. -- OUTFIELD began recording in the early 1980s as The Baseball Boys. -- PANIC! AT THE DISCO's name originated from a song written by Name Taken, titled Panic. -- PAPA ROACH'S first show was a talent show in 1993. -- PAT BENETAR - married her guitarist Neil Geraldo -- PEARL JAM's Stone Gossard was in the band Mother Love Bone. -- PETE YORN graduated from Syracuse University -- PETER CRISS answered an ad in Rolling Stone Magazine that said, "Drummer with 11 years experience willing to do anything to make it". After a try out, he was into the band KISS. Friction between Peter Criss and KISS came to a head in 1980, and Peter was let go, he rejoined KISS in February 1996. -- PHIL VASER was influenced by The Verve. -- PINK loves madonna. When she was younger, she jokes, she believed that Madonna was her mom. -- PINK was in an all-girl group before she went solo and struck gold. -- PRINCE, best known as eccentric pop star. Top sellers "1999" and "When Doves Cry". On many songs Prince played all the instruments himself. In the 1990s he changed his name to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, then to an unpronouncable symbol, in 2000 he changed his name back to Prince. -- P. DIDDY's Sean John clothing linke made $100 million in 2000. -- P. DIDDY, LIL'KIM, & LIL'CEASE was sued for $200 million fro invasion of privacy after a sexy phone conversation with a Brooklyn teenager showed up on Lil'Cease's hit "Play Around"- without permission. -- RAT SCABIES, Founding drummer for groundbreaking UK punks the Damned, the first punk band to record, to chart, and to tour the USA. Rat Scabies played with the London SS, then played with the Damned from 1976-1977. He then rejoined with his old bandmates (without guitarist Brian James) as the Doomed in 1979 until James relinquished the old band's name. He earned his name as a result of suffering from a skin complaint. -- RAVEONETTES' Sharin is 1/4 chinese. -- RAVEONETTES' debut album was written using a 4-track and a drum machine -- RAY CHARLES had hits such as "Hit the Road Jack" 1961 and "Georgia on my Mind" 1960, for which he won a Grammy. He lost his sight at age 7 due to glaucoma that went untreated. He appeared in the movie "The Blues Brothers" in 1980, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. -- RAY STEVENS, Novelty/country/pop/writer/singer of "Misty", "Gitarzman" (a spoof on the Tarzan movies) and "I Need Your Help, Barry Manilow". Was the first artist to record Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down". "Everything is Beautiful" was his first #1 hit and won him a Grammy as Male Vocalist of the Year. -- RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' bassist Flea, produced an early album for No Doubt -- RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' lead singer Anthony Kiedis carries a lucky charm with him everywhere he goes. Its a stone that was given to him by a random fan on a golf course in Germany. -- RINGO STARR, Drummer with "The Beatles". First drummed in the band "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes". It was Rory who suggested that he change his name to a flashier stage moniker. Because of his penchant for wearing rings on his fingers, his name evolved into "Rings" which quickly morphed into "Ringo", Starkey became shortened to Starr. He played with "The Beatles" for the first time ever on 18 August 1962. and the rest as they say, is history! -- ROBBIE WILLIAMS' video is banned in Europe and the Dominican Republic because it features him stripping to his bare bones-litterally-and throwing flesh at girls. -- ROBERTA FLACK's No. 1 hit song "Killing Me Softly With His Song" was written about attending a Don McLean Performance. -- SAMANTHA MUMBA played a futuristic character named Mara in the sci-fi flick "The Time Machine". -- SCORPIANS' singer Klaus formed the band in his native Germany in 1971 and to prove that Germans can rock. -- SCREAMIN'' JAY HAWKINS - Cleveland, Ohio Screamin' Jay Hawkins began a long recording career which spanned several record companies in 1952. Although he had very little in the way of charting hits, his song "I Put A Spell On You" sold over a million, largely because of controversy over the song's "suggestive and cannabalistic" tone which earned it a ban from radio. Although he had great talent, and many say an near-operatic voice, he instead worked a stage with shrunken heads, skulls, and snakes, and often started his concerts in a coffin, which limited his credibility. He continued to record and tour into the late 1990s, until his death from an aneurysm following intestine surgery on February 12 2000 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. -- SEAL initially lent his vocals to UK house/techno musician Adamski in 1990, on the dance hit "Killer". After this, Seal was signed to ZTT, Trevor Horn's record label. In '91, Seal put out his first album, titled Seal, which featured the huge song "Crazy". In 1994, he put out his second album, also titled Seal, which garnered him 3 Grammy awards and featured his biggest hit to date, "Kiss From a Rose", which spent 12 weeks at #1. His third album, Human Being, came out in 1998. -- SEAN "P. DIDDY" COMBS once flattened a rival record exec with a chair and a champagne bottle. -- SHAKIRA went to her 1st dance at age 14. -- SHAKIRA refuses to paint her nails. -- SHOUT OUT LOUDS was once known as Luca Brasi -- SILVERCHAIR's Daniel Johns doesn't eat or wear anything of animal origin. -- SLASH from GUNS 'N ROSES and LENNY KRAVITZ both went to Beverly Hills High School. -- SLIM DUSTY has 32 Golden Guitars and more gold and platinum albums than any other Australian artist. Awarded an MBE and Order of Australia for his services to entertainment. -- SLIPKNOT members: #0=Sid (DJ), #1=Joey (drums), #2=Paul (bass), #3=Chris (percussion), #4=Jim (guitar), #5=Craig (Sampling), #6=Shawn (percussion), #7=Mick (guitar), #8=Corey (vocals) -- SMASHING PUMPKINS, Billy Corgan, showed up at an Extreme Championship wrestling match in Peoria, Illinois. While there, he belted out the national anthem and then gleefully smashed his guitar over Lou E. Dangerously's head. -- SMASHING PUMPKINS' Billy Corgan once formed a band called Hexen. -- SNOOP DOGG was 18 when he was sentenced to 4 years in jail by selling drugs to an undercover cop. -- SOUNDGARDEN's Chris Cornell married their manager, Susan Silver. -- SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES won 2003 best Alternative Music Album at the grammy's. -- SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES played their first gig together in March of 95 in Sweden. -- SOULDECISION met while competing for the same girl -- THE SOURCE magazine's music awards was shut down when a riot broke down backsatage after a fight between rival rappers E-40 and Andre Dow. -- SPENCER DAVIS from the Spencer Davis Group was a college lecturer by day and guitarist by night and formed his band in 1963 -- THE SPICE GIRLS was the first British popstars since the Beatles to be cast by Madame Tussaud's. -- STING sired 6 kids since 1976. His most recent was born in 1995. -- STING is partially deaf. -- STING played bass and sang lead for "The Police" in the 1970s. After the band split Sting became a superstar in his own right. He has also acted in the movies "Dune" and "Storm Monday". He has written sound tracks for many movies, most famously "Leaving Las Vagas" (1996). Had a guest role on the hit TV show "Ally McBeal" in 2001. -- SUGAR RAY's Mark McGrath's commercial for Candies shoes was banned on MTV because the obviously butt naked singer frolics in the shower with Nash Bridges actress Jodi Lyn O'Keefe. -- SUM 41'S first video was "Makes No Difference" -- SUM 41'S first album came out July 2000. -- SUM 41'S Steve-O's favorite song from 'All Killer No Filler' is "Motivation" -- SUM 41 played over 300 shows in 2001 -- SWEET was originally known as Sweetshop, a four-piece, guitar-oriented band based on the Beatles model. -- TINA ARENA was featured on the Australian TV show "Young Talent Time" in the late 1970s until she grew too old for the group and was replaced. She sang in clubs and acted in musicals until she recieved a recording contract at the age of 21. Her "Don't Ask", featuring the worldwide hit "Chains", was the biggest-selling album in Australia in 1995, and also the biggest-selling album by any Australian woman ever. She followed with the 1999 album "In Deep", which went triple platinum in Australia. -- TOADIES met at Sound Warehouse record store in Fort Worth, TX -- TOM SCHOLZ from the band Boston was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- TORI AMOS has been compared early in her career with everyone from Kate Bush to Joni -- Mitchell. She began playing the piano at age two-and-a-half, and at age five was enrolled as a prodigy in Baltimore's Peabody Institute. Best known for her album "Under the Pink", the single "Cornflake Girl" and the follow-up "Pretty Good Year", and also "Professional Widow". -- TOTAL was often called the female Jodeci. -- TOTAL's Keisha had a child with actor Omar Epps in 2004. -- TRAVIS won Brit awards for Best Album and Best British Group in 2000 -- USHER is/was part owner (10%) of NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. -- WHITNEY HOUSTON was caught with 15.2 grams of Marijuana at a Hawaiian airport Classic Rock Facts In 1978, ABBA was Sweden's most profitable export. Car maker Volvo was number two. -- George Young, who co-founded AC/DC along with his brothers Angus and Malcolm, was the lead guitarist for a band called The Easybeats, who scored a Top Twenty hit in 1967 with "Friday On My Mind". -- "ALICE COOPER" was originally the name of the entire band, before lead singer Vince Furnier assumed the name for himself. -- In 1972, Berry Oakley, bass player for the The ALLMAN BROTHERS band, was killed in a motorcycle accident, just three blocks away from the site of Duane's Allman's fatal crash. -- ANNE MURRAY's hit, "Danny's Song" was written by Kenny Loggins for his brother Danny Loggins. Dave Loggins, whos "Please Come To Boston" was a 1974 hit, is their cousin. -- ANNE MURRAY was the first solo Canadian female to be awarded a Gold Record in the United States. (for Snowbird). -- By the time his song "Tighten Up" entered the Hot 100 in 1968, ARCHIE BELL was in the U.S. Army, recovering from a leg wound. -- BARRY MANILOW's hit, "I Write The Songs" was actually written by Bruce Johnson of The BEACH BOYS. -- BARRY MANILOW was once a page boy at CBS and was later Bette Midler's musical director. Before having his first hit record, Barry earned a living writing commercials, including the jingles for State Farm Insurance , Band Aids, Stridex, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dr. Peper, Pepsi, and McDonalds. -- BARRY MANILOW's first hit, "Mandy", was written as "Brandy", but was changed when a band named "Looking Glass" had a chart hit with that name. -- Scotland's BAY CITY ROLLERS chose their name by sticking a pin in a map of the United States. The pin landed near Bay City, Michigan. -- The lead vocal of the BEACH BOYS hit, "Barbara Ann" was actually sung by Dean Torrence of JAN AND DEAN. -- Among those who sang the chorus of the BEATLES' "All You Need Is Love" were Marianne Faithful, Graham Nash, Jane Asher, Patti Boyd, Keith Moon and Mick Jagger. -- B.J. Thomas' "Rock and Roll Lullaby" featured members of The BEACH BOYS, and The Chiffons on background vocals and Duane Eddy on guitar. -- Former BEATLES drummer Pete Best appeared on TV's "I've Got A Secret" in 1964. -- The BEE GEES' Robin Gibb survived one of England's worst train wrecks. More than fifty people were killed and over a hundred injured, while Robin escaped unharmed. -- On July 18, 1966, just five months after "I Fought The Law" had entered the charts, BOBBY FULLER was found dead on the front seat of his mother's Oldsmobile, parked outside of a Los Angeles apartment building. -- BOBBY GENTRY, who scored a huge hit in 1967 with "Ode To Billy Joe", married Jim Stafford, who recorded "Spiders and Snakes". -- BOBBY RYDELL landed a three year stint on a Philadelphia television show at the age of nine. -- Rita Coolidge's sister Priscilla married BOOKER T. Jones of BOOKER T. and the MGs -- BOZ SCAGGS real name is William Royce Scaggs. The handle is shortened from a highschool nickname, "Bosley" -- BILL HALEY and the Comets first hit record, "Rock Around The Clock" had initial sales of just 75,000, until it was used as the title track of "The Blackboard Jungle", 12 months later. It would eventually sell over 25 million copies. -- England's "The Hollies" took their name in honor of BUDDY HOLLY. -- Country singer Waylon Jennings was a guitar player in BUDDY HOLLY's backup band. He gave up his plane seat to J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) just moments before it took off. The plane crashed, killing all on board, including Holly. -- Dick Clark's wife suggested that Ernest Evans change his name to "CHUBBY CHECKER" as a parody of "Fats Domino". -- Even though he has recorded some of the most memorable rock and roll classics, the only gold record that CHUCK BERRY ever received was for "My Ding-a-ling". -- CHUCK BERRY has spent time in prison on two different occasions. First, he served a two year sentence between 1962 and 1964 for violation of the Mann Act, then a four month term in 1979 for income tax evasion. -- On June 7, 1979, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service charged CHUCK BERRY with 3 counts of tax evasion. Just hours later, he performed at a concert for President Jimmy Carter on the front lawn of the White House. -- British singer CILLA BLACK, best remembered for her number one U.K hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart", had her stage name changed by accident. A reporter for the local paper remembered the wrong color as her surname. Her real name is Cilla White. -- Before he became a rock star, DAVE CLARK of The DAVE CLARK FIVE worked as a stuntman in over 40 films. -- DODIE STEVENS had a hit record called "Pink Shoelaces" in 1959. She would later go on to sing with Sergio Mendez and Brazil '66 and later still with Mac Davis. -- Len Barry, who scored a 1963 hit with 1-2-3 was the lead singer of THE DOVELLS, who had a 1961 hit with "Bristol Stomp". -- The original EAGLES, Glen Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon first met when they were members of Linda Ronstadt's backup band. -- Glen Frey of the EAGLES played rhythm guitar on Bob Seger's "Ramblin', Gamblin' Man". -- The cover of the EAGLES' "Hotel California" was taken at The Beverly Hills Hotel. -- As Reginald Dwight, ELTON JOHN was once a member of Long John Baldry's supporting band, Bluesology. -- ELVIS PRESLEY had a twin brother named Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn. -- ELVIS PRESLEY's father, Vernon, served eight months in prison for altering a check. -- Tom Jones, ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK and Gilbert O'Sullivan all had the same manager, Gordon Mills. -- Arnold George Dorsey uses the stage name "ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK", the name of the Austrian composer who wrote "Hansel and Gretel". -- Dan Seals of "ENGLAND DAN AND JOHN FORD COLEY", earned the nickname, "England Dan" from his family, because as a youngster, Dan had fixated on the BEATLES and briefly affected an English accent. Dan is the brother of Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts. -- ELTON JOHN played piano on the Hollies hit, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". -- ELVIS PRESLEY offered the press a chance to interview him in June of 1972 for a fee of $120,000. There were no takers. -- Bobby Vinton had more #1 hits than any other male vocalist of his time, including ELVIS PRESLEY and Frank Sinatra. -- ERIC CLAPTON was born to an unwed mother and to shield him from the shame, Eric grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister. -- THE EVERLY BROTHERS "Bye Bye Love," was rejected by 30 labels before Cadence Records picked it up. The song went to #2 on the pop chart and #1 on the Country & Western chart. -- MIKE STOLLER, the co-writer of ELVIS PRESLEY's "Hound Dog", survived the sinking of the ship "Andrea Doria" in the Atlantic Ocean on July 25th 1956. Fifty one others died -- The BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD was a band that lasted 19 months. -- "Surf City", a 1963 number one hit by JAN AND DEAN was recorded in a converted garage underneath their apartment in Bel Air, California. -- TOM JONES lost a paternity suit in July of 1989 and was ordered to pay $200 a week in child support to 27 year old, Katherine Berkery, of New York. The judge in the case was "Judge Judy" Sheindlin, who was still serving in her 15 year tenure as a New York Family Court judge before appearing in her court TV show, "Judge Judy". -- PAUL REVERE of THE RAIDERS, was married on the fourth of July, 1976, on America's Bicentennial at King's Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati. -- Three members of the YOUNG RASCALS, Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish and Eddie Brigati were once members of Joey Dee and The Starlighters, who scored a number one hit in 1961 with "The Pepperming Twist". -- JAMES BROWN's wife tried to get her traffic tickets dismissed because of "diplomatic immunity" in June of 1988. She claimed her husband is the official "ambassador of soul". She lost the case -- In 1975, THE ROLLING STONES became the first rock group ever to receive royalties from record sales in Russia. -- While playing in front of a large lake at the Crystal Palace Bowl in London in 1970, PINK FLOYD played so loud, a number of fish were killed. -- During a 1969 performance at the White House for a ball given by President Richard Nixon's daughter, Tricia. Mark Volman of THE TURTLES was reported to have fallen off the stage five times. -- Former Animals bassist, Chas Chandler discovered and managed JIMI HENDRIX. -- HARRY CHAPIN's hit song "I Wanna Learn A Love Song" is actually the true story of how he met his wife, Sandy. -- JOHNNIE TAYLOR's "Disco Lady" became the first single to ever sell over 2 million copies in April, 1976. -- Singer Axl Rose of GUNS N' ROSES married Erin Everly, Don Everly's daughter. The marriage lasted 27 days. -- Telma Hopkins of TONY ORLANDO and Dawn is the voice you hear on Issac Hayes' song "Shaft", that tells him, "Shut your mouth". -- TONY ORLANDO recorded his first two hits in separate studios from backup singers Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson. By the time they met, "Candida" and "Knock Three Times" had sold a total of nine million records. -- Jan Berry of JAN AND DEAN has an I.Q. of 185, which puts him in the genius catagory. -- JOHN DENVER was killed when his light plane crashed because it simply ran out of fuel. -- Ray Sawyer, lead singer of DR. HOOK, wears an eye patch because he lost an eye in an auto accident. -- GARY LEWIS of GARY LEWIS and the Playboys was supposed to be named "Carey" at birth, after actor Cary Grant, but the hospital made a mistake and recorded his name as "Gary". -- MARVIN GAYE Sr. was convicted of killing his son Marvin, but was sentenced to only six years probation after a judge ruled the case "self defence". -- Bobby Goldsboro once played in ROY ORBISON's backup band. -- GRAND FUNK RAILROAD , took their name from a Michigan landmark, "The Grand Trunk Railroad". -- CHUCK BERRY holds a degree in cosmetology. -- During a 6-year period (1967-1972) THE GRASS ROOTS set a record for being on the Billboard charts an unbelievable 307 straight weeks. -- JIMI HENDRIX was thrown out of high school for holding the hand of a white girl in class. -- Peter Noone, lead singer of HERMAN'S HERMITS, got his nickname after the guys in the band remarked on Peter's resemblance to the character Sherman in the TV cartoon 'The Bullwinkle Show'. Peter misheard the name as Herman. -- On December 12, 1957, 22 year old JERRY LEE LEWIS married 14 year old Myra Gale Brown, his second cousin. -- Gene Simmons of KISS is a former elementary school teacher . -- ROGER MILLER won 5 Grammy Awards in 1965 and followed in 1966 with six more. -- "Walk Away Renee" by the LEFT BANKE was rejected by ten major labels before Smash Records took it on. Soon after it's release in Feb. 1966, it shot up the charts and peaked at #5. -- British singer "LULU", best remembered for her hit "To Sir With Love", was married to Maurice Gibb of The BEE GEES from 1969 untill early 1973. -- The rock band "LYNYRD SKYNYRD" took their name from their Physical Education teacher, Leonard Skinner, whom had given some of the guys a hard time in school. -- Martha Reeves of THE VANDELLAS worked at Motown Records as a secretary. Her duties included supervising a very young STEVIE WONDER. -- Over 400 musicians applied for a part in THE MONKEES, including Stephen Stills, John Sebastian and Harry Nilsson. -- RICK NELSON's first wife, Kris Harmon, is the sister of Kelly Harmon, the pretty blonde girl in the Tic-Tac commercials. Their brother is actor Mark Harmon. -- JOHN LENNON and Harry Nilsson were ejected from L.A.'s Troubadour club for disrupting The Smother's Brothers act in the mid 1970's. -- Just hours before murdering JOHN LENNON, Mark David Chapman got Lennon's autograph. -- ROY ORBISON's trademark look came about when he misplaced his regular glasses and had to rely on a pair of prescription sun-glasses. His management liked the mysterious look it gave him and soon, they were the only ones he wore. -- THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, took their name when an appreciative fan said about their music, "that's righteous, brothers". -- KENNY ROGERS was once a member of the New Christy Minstrels, and can be heard singing the chorus of their hit record, "Green, Green", behind the lead vocal of Barry McGuire, who would later have a solo smash himself with, "Eve Of Destruction". -- SONNY AND CHER were initially known as Caesar and Cleo. -- Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of STEELY DAN, were once a part of Jay and the Americans' touring band in the late 1960's. -- STEPPENWOLF's lead singer, John Kay , made a perilous midnight escape from post-war East Germany when he was a child. -- The lead vocal of "Incense and Peppermints," by STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK is actually that of a friend of the band, 16 year old Greg Munford, who was just hanging around during the session and decided to try his hand at singing. -- The name, "THREE DOG NIGHT" was inspired by a magazine article about Austrailian aborigines, who on cold nights, would sleep beside their dogs for warmth. The very coldest weather was called a "three dog night". -- TOMMY JAMES named his very first band, "The Shondells" when he was just twelve years old. -- Dionne Warwick and WHITNEY HOUSTON are cousins. -- Motown singer, MARY WELLS suffered a bout of spinal meningitis as a small child, which left her temporarily paralyzed. -- STEVIE WONDER was placed in an incubator when he was born and given too much oxygen, causing permanent sight loss. -- THE YARDBIRDS are noted for giving rise to three of Britain's greatest guitarists: ERIC CLAPTON, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. -- Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons of ZZ TOP sport two of the longest beards in all of show business, while drummer Frank Beard is clean shaven. -- FRANK ZAPPA named his daughter, Moon Unit Zappa. -- SAM COOKE's 1960 hit, "Wonderful World" was co-written by trumpeter Herb Alpert. -- Johnny Caron's Tonight Show Theme was written by PAUL ANKA, who received $30,000 a year in royalties. -- After the British Invasion duo of PETER AND GORDON had run their course, Peter Asher went on to become the manager of Linda Rondstadt and James Taylor. -- Hoyt Axton wrote THREE DOG NIGHT's "Joy To The World". His mother, Mae Axton wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" for ELVIS PRESLEY. -- An album called "The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan" was released by Stiff Records.The entire disc contained 40 minutes of silence. -- Florence Ballard, one of the original SUPREMES died of a heart attack in 1975. She was on welfare at the time. -- In 1972, LED ZEPPELIN was forced to cancel a concert in Singapore when officials wouldn't let them off the plane because of their long hair. -- Members of The BEACH BOYS sang background vocals for Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here". -- TINY TIM declared himself a New York City mayoral candidate in 1989. -- The piano player on Art Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" is Larry Knechtel of the group "BREAD". -- Rocker TED NUGENT autographed a man's arm with a bowie knife after the fan had requested it. -- JAMES BROWN spent three years in a Georgia reform school when he was a boy. -- FLEETWOOD MAC's former guitarist, Lindsay Buckingham has a brother named Greg who won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. -- GLEN CAMPBELL played lead guitar on the BEACH BOYS "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "Good Vibrations". -- Singer JESSI COLTER, best remembered for her 1975 hit, "I'm not Lisa", was married to both Duane Eddy and Waylon Jennings. -- After they were no longer backing BUDDY HOLLY, The Crickets played on The Everly Brother's "'Till I Kissed You" in 1959. -- JAMES BROWN peformed at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1997. -- Bobby Hatfield of THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS once had a tryout with the Los Angeles Dodgers. -- BILLY JOEL wrote "Just the Way You Are" for his first wife, Elizabeth. -- Gene Simmons of KISS has a tongue that is seven inches long, two inches longer than most men. -- When she was just four years old, GLADYS KNIGHT won first prize on TV's Ted Mack's Amature Hour. -- "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" was a number one hit in 1973 for Vicki Lawrence. The song was written by her then husband Leon Russel, who also wrote "This Diamond Ring" by GARY LEWIS and the Playboys. Cher was offered the song first, but turned it down. -- There is no one named Marshall Tucker in the MARSHALL TUCKER BAND. The group named themselves after the owner of their rehearsal hall. -- STEVE MILLER got his first guitar as a gift from the legendary Les Paul. -- David Gates of the soft rock band "BREAD" was one of the musicians on Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash". -- Millie Small's 1964 hit, "My Boy Lollipop" features a very young ROD STEWART on harmonica. -- THE NEW CHRISTIE MINSTRELS, who had a mid sixties hit with "Green Green" have had several members who went on to find other fame. These include, country star KENNY ROGERS, Barry McGuire (Eve Of Destruction), Gene Clark of The Byrds as well as Kim Carnes ("Bette Davis Eyes"). -- An instumental called "No Matter What Shape" that was used in Alka Seltzer commercials in 1965, was performed by a band called The T-BONES. The group contained Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tom Reynolds, who would have a smash hit in the seventies called "Don't Pull Your Love" as Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. -- THE STARLAND VOCAL BAND, who charted with "Afternoon Delight" in 1977, sang background vocals for JOHN DENVER's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" while they were still known as Fat City" in 1971. -- Sly Stone, leader of SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE, was the producer of the Beau Brummels hits "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just A Little". -- FREDDIE CANNON's first chart hit, 1959's "Tallahassee Lassie" was written by his mother. -- In 1954, BILL HALEY married his pregnant girlfriend, just four days after he divorced his first wife. Useless Music Facts The Motown female group The Supremes, which dominated the pop charts in the 1960's, was originally called The Primettes. -- According to Margaret Jones, author of a Patsy Cline biography, there are a dozen places in Virginia that could claim to be the hometown of the nomadic Cline. Her family moved 19 times before she was 15. -- When the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, Jimmy Page was left to honor the band's commitments, performing as The New Yardbirds. The group eventually evolved into Led Zeppelin. -- At age 47, the Rolling Stones' bassist, Bill Wyman, began a relationship with 13-year old Mandy Smith, with her mother's blessing. Six years later, they were married, but the marriage only lasted a year. Not long after, Bill's 30-year-old son Stephen married Mandy's mother, age 46. That made Stephen a stepfather to his former stepmother. If Bill and Mandy had remained married, Stephen would have been his father's father-in-law and his own grandpa. -- The brass family of instruments include the trumpet, trombone, tuba, cornet, fl�gelhorn, French horn, saxhorn, and sousaphone. While they are usually made of brass today, in the past they were made of wood, horn, and glass. -- Most toilets flush in E flat. -- The rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd took their name from a high school teacher named Leonard Skinner who had suspended several students for having long hair. -- According to Beatles producer George Martin, Neal Hefti's catchy composition of the 1960's "Batman" Emmy-winning theme song inspired George Harrison to write the hit song "Taxman." -- At the tender age of 7, the multi-award-winning composer and pianist Marvin Hamlisch ("The Way We Were," "The Sting") was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York City. -- In the band KISS, Gene Simmons was "The Demon", Paul Stanley was "Star Child", Ace Frehley was "Space Man", and Peter Criss was "The Cat. -- The song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" was written by George Graff, who was German, and was never in Ireland in his life. -- The famous Russian composer Aleksandr Borodin was also a respected chemistry professor in St. Petersburg. -- In 1992, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, better known to country music fans as singer/comedienne Minnie Pearl, was awarded a National Medal of Arts by President George Bush. In 1994, Minnie became the first woman to be inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame. She was too frail and sick to attend the ceremony, and so good friend and comedian George Lindsey ("Goober") accepted the award for her. She died in 1996 at age 83. -- Bill Haley and the Comets, one of rock and roll's pioneer groups actually began their career's as Bill Haley's Saddle Pals - a country music act. -- The voice of Tony the Tiger is Thurl Ravenscroft, who also sang the "Rotten Mr. Grinch" song in the movie, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". -- He was also narrator for Disney's "A Spooky Night in Disney's Haunted Mansion" album. He performed for many Disney attractions including: voice of Fritz the parrot in "The Enchanted Tiki Room, " lead singer in "Grim Grinning Ghosts" in the Haunted Mansion, narrator on Monorail. He was the voice for the Disneyland LP based on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. The flip side of this LP contained a number of sea chanties he sang. -- In 1939 Irving Berlin composed a Christmas song but thought so little of it that he never showed it to anybody. He just tossed it into a trunk and didn't see fit to retrieve it until he needed it for a Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire movie, HOLIDAY INN 10 years later. Bing Crosby was a staunch Catholic and at first refused to sing the song because he felt it tended to commercialize Christmas. He finally agreed, took eighteen minutes to make the recording, and then the "throw-away" song become an all-time hit. Crosby's version has sold over 40 million copies. All together, this song has appeared in 750 versions, selling 6 million copies of sheet music and 90,000,000 recordings ,just in the United States and Canada. You might not recognize the song from the movie HOLIDAY INN. Or from the composer's name of Irving Berlin. But you're bound to know it because it's on everyone's list of Christmas favorites: WHITE CHRISTMAS. -- Dark Side of The Moon (a Pink Floyd album) stayed on the top 200 Billboard charts for 741 weeks! That is 14 years. -- Brian Setzer, of the Brian Setzer Orchestra, started out in a garage band called Merengue. -- "Mr. Mojo Risin" is an anagram for Jim Morrison. -- The horse's name in the song Jingle Bells is Bobtail. -- No one knows where Mozart is buried. -- The Beatles featured two left handed members, Paul, whom everyone saw holding his Hoffner bass left handed, and Ringo, whose left handedness is at least partially to blame for his 'original' drumming style. -- Tommy James was in a New York hotel looking at the Mutual of New York building's neon sign flashing repeatedly: M-O-N-Y. He suddenly got the inspiration to write his #1 hit, 'Mony Mony' -- Tickets for Frank Sinatra's first solo performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York City in 1942, sold for 35 cents each. -- Jim Morrison found the name "The Doors" for his rock band in the title of Aldous Huxley's book "The Doors of Perception", which extolls the use of hallucinogenic drugs. -- The Granny Smith apple was used as the symbol for the Beatles' Apple Records label. -- Verdi wrote the opera Aida at the request of the khedive of Egypt to commemorate the opening of the Suez canal. -- Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song "Happy Birthday". -- John Lennon named his band the Beatles after Buddy Holly's 'Crickets.' The Beatles played the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1964. Some 8,500 fans paid just $4 each for tickets. -- Jonathan Houseman Davis, lead singer of Korn, was born a Presbyterian, but converted to Catholic because his mother wanted to marry his stepfather in a Catholic church. He was also a member of his high school's bagpipe band. (For those of you who have been to Hume Lake's Christian Camps, if you know Cliff, the guy in charge, he was the guy who taught Jonathan Davis to play the bagpipe.) -- "When I'm Sixty Four" was the first song to be recorded for the Sgt. Pepper album. "Within You Without You" was the last. -- Jazz began in the 20th century, when bands in New Orleans began to apply the syncopated rhythms of ragtime to a variety of other tunes. In the first days of jazz, ensemble playing was emphasized. Only gradually did jazz come to be based on improvised solos. -- The song with the longest title is 'I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues' written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1943. He later claimed the song title ended with "Yank" and the rest was a joke. -- Nick Mason is the only member of Pink Floyd to appear on all of the band's albums. -- The Beatles appear at the end of "The Yellow Submarine" in a short live action epilogue. Their voices for the cartoon movie were done by Paul Angelis (Ringo), Peter Batten (George), John Clive (John), and Geoffrey Hughes (Paul). When the producers approached the Beatles about this film, the group, which hated the TV cartoon show of them, agreed to it only as a easy way of completing their movie contract. As such, they contributed only a few old songs and four quickly produced numbers, Only a Northern Song, Hey Bulldog, All Together Now, and It's All Too Much. However, when they saw the finished film, they were so impressed by it that they decided to appear in a short live action epilogue to the film. -- In every show that Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks) did there was at least one song about rain. -- The Beatles song 'A day in the life' ends with a note sustained for 40 seconds. -- "Memory," has become a contemporary classic. It's been recorded more than 600 times, including as international hit recordings for such artists as Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and Judy Collins, among many others. It's most recent incarnations underline its diverse and universal appeal: as a #1 dance smash by European chanteuse Natalie Grant, and as a duet for Placido Domingo and Natalie Cole during a live telecast of the tenor's world tour. -- Elvis Presley's hit recording of "Love Me Tender" entered Billboard's pop charts in October 1956. It stayed on the charts for 19 weeks, and was in the Number 1 spot for five of those weeks. The song, from Presley's debut film with the same title, was adapted from the tune "Aura Lee," which had been written back in 1861. -- An eighteenth-century German named Matthew Birchinger, known as the little man of Nuremberg, played four musical instruments including the bagpipes, was an expert calligrapher, and was the most famous stage magician of his day. He performed tricks with the cup and balls that have never been explained. Yet Birchinger had no hands, legs, or thighs, and was less than 29 inches tall. -- Montgomery is the birthplace of music great Nat King Cole, pop singers Clarence Carter and Toni Tenille, Metropolitan Opera singer Nell Rankin, and blues legend Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton. -- Beethoven's Fifth, was the first symphony to include trombones. -- EMI stands for ' Electrical and Musical Instruments'. -- The only musical instrument you play without touching it is called the theremin. The technology is simple: when activated, the theremin generates a sonic field around a small antenna that sticks out vertically from the top. When you put your hand closer to the antenna, the sound field is broken and the unit emits a high-pitched, electronic wail-that's the music. Different varieties of pitch are achieved by placing your hand closer to the antenna and moving it away. When your hand approaches the antenna, a low pitch will be created. As your hand gets nearer the antenna, the pitch becomes higher. (It's easily recognized for its spooky "ooo-eee-ooo" sound. You know it if you've heard the Beach Boys song "Good Vibrations.") -- Brian Epstein, a record store owner in London, was asked by a customer for a copy of the record, "My Bonnie", by a group known as The Silver Beatles. He didn't have it in stock so he went to the Cavern Club to check out the group. He signed to manage them in a matter of days and renamed them The Beatles. -- In 1976 Rodrigo's 'Guitar Concierto de Aranjuez' was No 1 in the UK for only three hours because of a computer error. -- George Anthiel composed film scores, but earlier in his life he had been an avant garde composer. In 1924 his "Ballet mecanique" was performed at Carnegie Hall. The work was scored for a fire siren, automobile horns, and an airplane propeller. After only a few minutes of this racket, an aging gentleman in the orchestra seats tied his handkerchief to his cane and began waving a white flag. -- The Beach Boys formed in 1961. -- The Beatles performed their first U.S. concert in Carnegie Hall. -- Brian Epstein managed The Beatles to superstardom. -- The leading female singer in an opera is called the prima donna. -- Elvis Presley received his U.S. army discharge on March 5, 1960. -- Mass murderer Charles Manson recorded an album called "Lie." -- Vaudevillian Jack Norworth wrote "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in 1908 after seeing a sign on a bus advertising BASEBALL TODAY - POLO GROUNDS. Norworth and his friend Albert von Tilzer (who write the music) had never been to a baseball game before his song became a hit sing-along. -- The Japanese national anthem is expressed in only four lines. The Greek anthem runs 158 verses. -- John Philip Sousa enlisted in the Marines at age 13. He worked as an apprentice in the band. -- At age 14, George Harrison joined his friend Paul McCartney's band, the Quarry Men, led by John Lennon. -- Dances with twisting motions accompanied jazz as far back as Jelly Roll Morton. The Paul Williams Saxtet - a sax-intensive jazz combo - recorded a two-sided 78 called "The Twister." Chubby Checker wasn't even the first man to record the song "The Twist." Hank Ballard was, in 1959. -- At age 15, Jerry Garcia swapped his birthday accordion for an electric guitar. -- At age 4, Mozart composed a concerto for the clavier. -- At age 22, Jerry Lee Lewis married for the third time. His bride? His thirteen year old cousin. -- In 1764 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played for the Royal Family at Versailles in France. He was even given the honor of standing behind the Queen at dinner - Mozart was only eight years old. -- Through the mid-1500s in France, the lute was still the favorite instrument, but in 1555, Balthazar de Beujoyeux, the first famous violinist in history, brought a band of violinists to Catherine's de M�dicis court and made violin music popular. -- Paul McCartney's younger brother, Michael, formed a group of his own, known as "The Scaffold" and goes by the name "Mike McGear". He is mentioned in the lyric of "Let 'Em In" as "Brother Michael" (available on McCartney's "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" album). -- The Beatles held the Top Five spots on the April 4th, 1964 Billboard singles chart. They're the only band that has ever done that. -- The most recorded song of all time - with more than 2,000 versions - is 'Yesterday'. Included on the 'Help!' soundtrack, it was number one for four weeks in 1965. Celeb Pets Of Past & Present AARON AND NICK CARTER - cats named Pepper, Salty, and Zimba ANTHONY KIEDIS - Mastiff BRIAN (BSB) - Chihuahuas named Tyke and Litty BRITNEY SPEARS - she had dogs named Mitzy, Lady, Baby, and Lucky CHRIS (NSYNC) - 2 pugs named Busta and Korea HILARY DUFF - Pomeranian named Bentley, Chihuahua named Lola JESSICA SIMPSON - Maltipoo named Daisy JOE SALTO (231) - 2 cats and a killer fish JOJO - 1 Dog named Sugarpie LANCE BASS (NSYNC) - Ferret named Dirk NICK CARTER (BSB) - Dog (BooBoo) Cat (Pinkey) PAULA ABDUL - Chihuahuas named Tinkerbell, Tulip & Thumbelina PETER KRAUSS (231) - a dog named Dink PIERRE BOUVIER (Simple Plan) - 4 dogs: Zack, Sunny, Zoe, Misha & 1 fish: Fishy RICKY MARTIN - 2 dogs (golden retriever and chihuahua) SAMANTHA MUMBA - dog named Bailey WHITNEY HOUSTON - Yorkie named Doogie Musician Clothing Lines Beyonce Knowles - House Of Dereon Britney Spears - Britney Jeans	i don't know
"From the Greek for ""lazy"", what property is an object’s resistance to change in its state of motion?"	Galileo, Aristotle, and Inertia \| Gary Garber's Blog Gary Garber's Blog z Galileo, Aristotle, and Inertia If you ask an elementary school student what Galileo discovered, they might tell you that Galileo discovered gravity. In truth, gravity was discovered by a gentleman by the name of Ug, who lived in a cave in northern Europe approximately 30,000 years ago. Common legend also has it that Galileo proved that gravity pulls on all objects equally. He proved this by dropping two objects of the same size but different weights, such as a lead ball and a wooden ball. Most historical records indicate that Galileo himself probably never performed this experiment, although he discussed the ideas. Of course, actually performing this experiment with accuracy in the year 1600 would have been difficult due to air resistance and the technology of the times. Simon Stevinus is reported to have actually performed this experiment among others. In modern times, to eliminate air resistance, David Scott performed this experiment during the Apollo 15 mission to the moon. Another great myth is that Galileo invented the Scientific Method. The Scientific Method is taught widely in science classroom and is often used from local science fairs to NASA educational demonstration. The idea of the Scientific Method is that a student develops a hypothesis, designs an experiment, gathers data, analyzes the data and make conclusions. Although a nice idea in theory, scientists do NOT actually use the Scientific Method. In fact, it should be noted that the National Academy of Science in their Next Generation Science Standards clearly states that there is not one method for doing science. Scientists use a combination of planned experimentation, modeling, trial and error, and pure exploratory research. There is a nice article of further reading in Student Science (for which I was interviewed). To emphasize this myth I quote Harmon Craig, the 1998 winner of Balzan prize (equivalent of Nobel in natural science). “I’m being damned by reviewers who write that I don’t use the scientific method – that is, going in with some nice, carefully outlined hypothesis in which you pretty much know in advance what you’re going to find out and what you’re going to do with the information after you find it. Well, the scientific method is what you learned in My Weekly Reader when you were in grammar school, but no first-rate scientist uses it. I say, if I knew what I was going to find out, I wouldn’t do that study: I would do something else.” So where did this idea come from? The Scientific Method was developed in 1934 by Karl Popper. Another interesting myth is that Galileo invented experimentation. Again, he was beaten to the punch by Ug the Caveman, who invented the wheel. Galileo did promote the use of experimentation, and popularized the used of experimentation in developing arguments. Instead of tall towers, most of Galileo’s experiments were with inclined planes. If a ball rolls down a hill, when it reaches the level part of the hill, eventually the ball will come to a stop. Galileo’s explanation of what is happening to the ball revolutionized our ideas of how objects move. In his great text, Physica, Aristotle provides an explanation of motion. Objects have a natural place which they seek. For instance, objects made of wood, rock, and metal tend to seek out the Earth as that is their natural place to be. Objects made from air seek out the heavens and will tend to rise. This is natural motion. Violent motion would be something we do against an objects nature. So an exerted force will cause an object to move. Thus consider a ball rolling across the ground. It eventually comes to rest. Aristotle would have said since we are no longer rolling the ball, we are no longer exerting a violent action on it. Thus its natural place is to come to rest. Given this logic, one might expect the world to behave in the same way awhen a coyote runs off a cliff , and once he is self-aware of his situation, he suddenly plummets to the canyon below. However, that is not the case. First, the coyote is a genius and would not fall for such a stupid trick by that foul fowl. Secondly, the observations of projectiles showed this not to be true. As an arrow flies through the air, it does not plummet straight to the ground the second it leaves the archers bow. Instead, it keeps going through the air. The classical explanation is that as the arrow pushes through the air it creates an empty space behind it. As the air rushes in to fill this void it pushes the arrow forward (thus a violent action). This concept is the origins of the expression that Nature abhors a vacuum. This is related to the great debate between Democritus and Aristotle. Democritus believed in the existence of atoms. Between the atoms there was nothing, the void, a vacuum. Aristotle did not believe in the void and thought the universe was a continuum. Galileo refined the concept of inertia. Galileo did not believe the ball came to a rest because it desired to be in its natural state. The theory of inertia says that an objects inertia will maintain its state of motion. So the ball should roll on forever. The ball only stops rolling because an external force (friction) causes the ball to stop. The more inertia an object has, the harder it is to change its state of motion. The proof of this idea was that if a ball rolled down one ramp, its inertia would cause it to roll up an opposite ramp of equal height. If the ramps are placed close to each other, the effects of friction are minimized. If we lower the slope of the second ramp, the ball will actually travel farther up the ramp, but to the same height. Using this logic, as the ramp approaches a level surface, the ball will roll forever. Law of Inertia In popular culture we often see this Law written as: An object at rest will tend to remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. An object in a constant state of motion will tend to remain in that state of motion unless acted upon by an outside force. In popular culture, this is now known as Newton’s First Law of Motion. Obviously, Newton did not invent the Law of Inertia, but presented three important “Axioms” which were central to his great text, the Principia.The first axiom as written in the original Latin is: Corpus omne perseverare in statu suo quiescendi vel movendi uniformiter in directum, nisi quatenus a viribus impressis cogitur statum illum mutare Every body persists in its state of being at rest or of moving uniformly straight forward, except insofar as it is compelled to change its state by force impressed So just what is the point of the story of Galileo and the tower of Pisa? According to Aristilean logic, a heavier object has a greater desire to be in its natural place. Thus it will fall faster than a less massive object. Galileo accounted for the inertia of falling objects. So although the lead ball would be heavier than a wooden ball of the same size, it would also have more inertia. Since it has more inertia, it resists changes in its state of motion. It just so happens that this increase in inertia exactly cancels out the increase in weight, or the force of gravity. One argument against Galileo was what one could plainly see when one drops a hammer and a feather. However, this does not account for air resistance. As we can see, when David Scott performed this experiment on the Apollo 15 mission to the moon, indeed a hammer and a feather will fall at the same rate. This is a common physics demonstration where we evacuate the air from a tube which contains a coin and a feather. Of course, measuring falling objects precisely from a falling tower would be difficult because the objects would be moving so fast. This is another reason for Galileo’s experimentation with inclined planes. The balls rolling down the inclined planes were only pulled by the portion of gravity which is parallel to the plane of the ramp. One might consider this a trick to performing the falling tower experiment in slow motion. Mass is how we define the amount of inertia an object has. In the SI metric system, the unit of mass is the kilogram. In the cgs metric system, the gram is often used as the primary unit of mass. Mass should not be confused with weight or the force of gravity. Another property of matter is that objects which have mass also will experience gravitational attractions. Weight is the amount of gravitation attraction an object has and is a type of force. The metric unit for force is the Newton (after Isaac Newton). The pound is NOT a unit of mass. It is actually the Standard Imperial unit for force, akin to the Newton. In the Standard Imperial Units the slug is the unit of mass. In fact, a pound can be defined as a slug-foot/sec^2.	Inertia
Who won the Australian Open Men’s Tennis Championship?	Physics Study Guide/Print version - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Physics Study Guide/Print version This is the print version of Physics Study Guide You won't see this message or any elements not part of the book's content when you print or preview this page. About this guide Dedication 'I have a friend who's an artist and he's some times taken a view which I don't agree with very well. He'll hold up a flower and say, "look how beautiful it is," and I'll agree, I think. And he says, "you see, I as an artist can see how beautiful this is, but you as a scientist, oh, take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing." And I think he's kind of nutty. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me, too, I believe, although I might not be quite as refined aesthetically as he is. But I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower that he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside which also have a beauty. I mean, it's not just beauty at this dimension of one centimeter: there is also beauty at a smaller dimension, the inner structure...also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower are evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting -- it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question -- does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms that are...why is it aesthetic, all kinds of interesting questions which a science knowledge only adds to the excitement and mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don't understand how it subtracts.' ... Richard Feynman Physics Study Guide This guide is meant as a supplement to a year long freshman level physics course with a trigonometry prerequisite. Some ideas from calculus are included in the book but are not necessary to understand the content. The overview of equations and definitions and eventually sample problem solutions are pertinent to an introductory, college-level physics course suitable for pre-meds. This is not a stand alone textbook rather the intent is to help the student and any other interested person quickly familiarize themselves with concepts and terminology so as to use the appropriate equations to get the desired answers to physics problems. Contributing Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the guide. Be bold in your edits! If you have a question about how we do things here look at the Style Guide or post your question on the talk page . The SI System of Measurement Fundamental units These are several basic units upon which most units depend. Time Time is defined as the duration between two events. In the international system of measurement (S.I.) the second (s) is the basic unit of time and it is defined as the time it takes a cesium (Cs) atom to perform 9,192,631,770 complete oscillations. The Earth revolves around its own axis in 86400 seconds with respect to the Sun; this is known as 1 day, and the 86400th part of one day is known as a second. Length In the international system of measurement (S.I.) the metre (m) ('meter' in the US) is the basic unit of length and is defined as the distance travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 second. This definition establishes that the speed of light in a vacuum is precisely 299,792,458 miles per second. Mass In the international system of measurement (S.I.) the kilogram (kg) is the basic unit of mass and is defined as the mass of a specific platinum-iridium alloy cylinder kept at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Sèvres, France. A duplicate of the Sèvres cylinder is kept at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. See Wikipedia article . Current In the international system of measurement (S.I.) the ampere (A) is the basic measure of electrical current. It is defined as the constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section, and placed 1 metre (m) apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2×10-7 newton (N) per metre of length. Unit of Thermodynamic Temperature The kelvin (K), unit of thermodynamic temperature, is the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water. Unit of Amount of Substance 1. The mole (mol) is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon 12. 2. When the mole is used, the elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or specified groups of such particles. Luminous Intensity The candela (cd) is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1012 hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian. (A steradian (sr) is the SI unit of solid angle, equal to the angle at the centre of a sphere subtended by a part of the surface equal in area to the square of the radius.) Derived Units These are units obtained by combining two or more fundamental units. Charge The SI unit of charge is the coulomb (C). It is equal to ampere times second: 1 1000-8 Astronomical Measurements The SI units are not always convenient to use, even with the larger (and smaller) prefixes. For astronomy, the following units are prevalent: Julian Year The Julian year is defined by the IAU as exactly 365.25 days, a day being exactly 606024 = 86,400 SI seconds. The Julian year is therefore equal to 31,557,600 seconds. Astronomical Unit The Astronomical Unit (au or ua), often used for measuring distances in the Solar system, is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun. It is 149,597,870,691 m, ± 30 m, as currently defined. Light Year The light year (ly) is defined as the distance light travels in a homogeneous isotopic non-attenuating medium (a vacuum) in one Julian year. Due to the word "year", the light year is often mistaken for a unit of time in popular culture. It is, however, a unit of length (distance), and is equal to exactly 9,460,730,472,580,800 m. Parsec The parsec (pc), or "parallax second", is the distance of an object that appears to move two arc-seconds against the background stars as the Earth moves around the sun, or by definition one arc-second of parallax angle. This angle is measured in reference to a line connecting the object and the Sun, and thus the apparent motion is one arc-second on either side of this "central" position. The parsec is approximately 3.26156 ly. Other Topics Kinematics is the description of motion. The motion of a point particle is fully described using three terms - position, velocity, and acceleration. For real objects (which are not mathematical points), translational kinematics describes the motion of an object's center of mass through space, while angular kinematics describes how an object rotates about its centre of mass. In this section, we focus only on translational kinematics. Position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration are defined as follows. Position "Position" is a relative term that describes the location of an object RELATIVE to some chosen stationary point that is usually described as the "origin". A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction, typically written as a column of scalars. That is, a number that has a direction assigned to it. In physics, a vector often describes the motion of an object. For example, Warty the Woodchuck goes 10 meters towards a hole in the ground. We can divide vectors into parts called "components", of which the vector is a sum. For example, a two-dimensional vector is divided into x and y components. One dimensional coordinate system {\displaystyle {\vec {x}}_{f}-{\vec {x}}_{i}} gives a step by step procedure for determining displacement. Namely: Measure where the object is initially. Measure where the object is at some later time. Determine the difference between these two position values. Be sure to note that displacement is not the same as distance travelled. For example, imagine travelling one time along the circumference of a circle. If you end where you started, your displacement is zero, even though you have clearly travelled some distance. In fact, displacement is an average distance travelled. On your trip along the circle, your north and south motion averaged out, as did your east and west motion. Clearly we are losing some important information. The key to regaining this information is to use smaller displacement intervals. For example, instead of calculating your displacement for your trip along the circle in one large step, consider dividing the circle into 16 equal segments. Calculate the distance you travelled along each of these segments, and then add all your results together. Now your total travelled distance is not zero, but something approximating the circumference of the circle. Is your approximation good enough? Ultimately, that depends on the level of accuracy you need in a particular application, but luckily you can always use finer resolution. For example, we could break your trip into 32 equal segments for a better approximation. Returning to your trip around the circle, you know the true distance is simply the circumference of the circle. The problem is that we often face a practical limitation for determining the true distance travelled. (The travelled path may have too many twists and turns, for example.) Luckily, we can always determine displacement, and by carefully choosing small enough displacement steps, we can use displacement to obtain a pretty good approximation for the true distance travelled. (The mathematics of calculus provides a formal methodology for estimating a "true value" through the use of successively better approximations.) In the rest of this discussion, I will replace Δ Δ t {\displaystyle {\vec {v}}_{av}\equiv {\frac {{\vec {x_{f}}}-{\vec {x_{i}}}}{t_{f}-t_{i}}}\equiv {\frac {\Delta {\vec {x}}}{\Delta t}}} [Δ, delta, upper-case Greek D, is a prefix conventionally used to denote a difference.] Velocity answers the question "Is the object moving now, and if so - how quickly?" Once again we have an operational definition: we are told what steps to follow to calculate velocity. Note that this is a definition for average velocity. The displacement Δx is the vector sum of the smaller displacements which it contains, and some of these may subtract out. By contrast, the distance travelled is the scalar sum of the smaller distances, all of which are non-negative (they are the magnitudes of the displacements). Thus the distance travelled can be larger than the magnitude of the displacement, as in the example of travel on a circle, above. Consequently, the average velocity may be small (or zero, or negative) while the speed is positive. If we are careful to use very small displacement steps, so that they come pretty close to approximating the true distance travelled, then we can write the definition for instantaneous velocity as v t 2 {\displaystyle {\vec {a}}_{inst}\equiv {\frac {d{\vec {v}}}{dt}}={\frac {d^{2}{\vec {x}}}{dt^{2}}}} Vectors Notice that the definitions given above for displacement, velocity and acceleration included little arrows over many of the terms. The little arrow reminds us that direction is an important part of displacement, velocity, and acceleration. These quantities are vectors. By convention, the little arrow always points right when placed over a letter. So for example, v → {\displaystyle {\vec {v}}} just reminds us that velocity is a vector, and does not imply that this particular velocity is rightward. Why do we need vectors? As a simple example, consider velocity. It is not enough to know how fast one is moving. We also need to know which direction we are moving. Less trivially, consider how many different ways an object could be experiencing an acceleration (a change in its velocity). Ultimately, there are three distinct ways an object could accelerate: The object could be speeding up. The object could be slowing down. The object could be traveling at constant speed, while changing its direction of motion. More general accelerations are simply combinations of 1 and 3 or 2 and 3. Importantly, a change in the direction of motion is just as much an acceleration as is speeding up or slowing down. In classical mechanics, no direction is associated with time (you cannot point to next Tuesday). So the definition of a {\displaystyle {\vec {a}}} leads to three non-mathematical but very powerful rules of thumb: If the velocity and acceleration of an object point in the same direction, the object's speed is increasing. If the velocity and acceleration of an object point in opposite directions, the object's speed is decreasing. If the velocity and acceleration of an object are perpendicular to each other, the object's initial speed stays constant (in that initial direction), while the speed of the object in the direction of the acceleration increases. Think of a bullet fired horizontally in a vertical gravitational field. Since velocity in the one direction remains constant, and the velocity in the other direction increases, the overall velocity (absolute velocity) also increases. Again, more general motion is simply a combination of 1 and 3 or 2 and 3. Using these three simple rules will dramatically help your intuition of what is happening in a particular problem. In fact, much of the first semester of college physics is simply the application of these three rules in different formats. Equations of motion (constant acceleration) A particle is said to move with constant acceleration if its velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time, no matter how small the intervals may be d A Wikibookian suggests that this book or chapter be merged into Physics Study Guide because: This is because the module itself describes a small chapter already made in another module. Please discuss whether or not this merge should happen on the discussion page . What does force in motion mean? Force means strength and power. Motion means movement. That’s why we need forces and motions in our life. We need calculation when we want to know how fast things go, travel and other things which have force and motion. ... How do we calculate the speed? If you want to calculate the average speed, distance travelled or time taken you need to use this formula and remember it: s n {\displaystyle {speed}={\frac {distance}{time\ taken}}} This is an easy formula to use, you can find the distance travelled, time taken or average speed, you need at least 2 values to find the whole answer. Is velocity the same thing as speed? Velocity is a vector quantity that refers to "the rate at which an object changes its position", whereas speed is a scalar quantity, which cannot be negative. Imagine a kid moving rapidly, one step forward and one step back, always returning to the original starting position. While this might result in a frenzy activity, it would result in a zero velocity, because the kid always returns to the original position, the motion would never result in a change in position, in other words Δ {\displaystyle \Delta {\vec {x}}} would be zero. Speed is measured in the same physical units of measurement as velocity, but does not contain an element of direction. Speed is thus the magnitude component of velocity. Velocity contains both the magnitude and direction components. You can think of velocity as the displacement/duration, whereas speed can be though as distance/duration. Acceleration When a car is speeding up we say that it is accelerating, when it slows down we say it is decelerating. How do we calculate it? When we want to calculate it, the method goes like that: A lorry driver brakes hard, and slows from 25 m/s to 5 m/s in 5 seconds. What was the vehicle's acceleration? a − 2 {\displaystyle {acceleration}={\frac {change\ in\ velocity}{time\ taken}}={\frac {5-25}{5}}={\frac {-20}{5}}=-4\ ms^{-2}} What is initial velocity and final velocity? Initial velocity is the beginning before motion starts or in the middle of the motion, final velocity is when the motion stops. There is another way to calculate it and it is like that This equations which are written is the primary ones, which means that when you don’t have lets say final velocity, how will you calculate the equation? This is the way you are going to calculate. Observing motion When you want to know how fast an athletic person is running, what you need is a stopwatch in your hand, then when the person starts to run, you start the stopwatch and when the person who is sprinting stops at the end point, you stop the watch and see how fast he ran, and if you want to see if the athlete is wasting his energy, while he is running look at his movement, and you will know by that if he is wasting his energy or not. This athletic person is running, and while he is running the scientist could know if he was wasting his energy if they want by the stop watch and looking at his momentum. Measuring acceleration Take a slope, a trolley, some tapes and a stop watch, then put the tapes on the slope and take the trolley on the slope, and the stopwatch in your hand, as soon as you release the trolley, start timing the trolley at how fast it will move, when the trolley stops at the end then stop the timing. After wards, after seeing the timing , record it, then you let the slope a little bit high, and you will see, how little by little it will decelerate. Newton Isaac Newton was an English physicist, mathematician (described in his own day as a "natural philosopher") , astronomer and alchemist. Newton is one of the most influential scientists of all time, and he is known, among other things, for contributing to development of classical mechanics and for inventing, independently from Gottfried Leibniz, calculus. Newton's laws of motion Newton is also known by his three laws of motion, which describe the relationship between a body and the forces acting upon it, and its motion in response to said forces. First Law (also known as the law of inertia) states that every body continues in its state of rest or state of uniform motion unless compelled to change that state by being subject to an external force. The moment of inertia is defined as the tendency of matter to resist any change in its state of motion or state of rest. Second Law The vector sum of the external forces F {\displaystyle W} Force A force is any interaction that tends to change the motion of an object. In other words, a force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity. Force can also be described by intuitive concepts such as a push or a pull. A force has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity. It is measured in the SI unit of newtons and represented by the symbol F . How to calculate the force? When we want to calculate the force, and we have the mass and acceleration, we can simply use the simple formula stated in the Newton's second law above, that is F is the mass (or the amount of matter in a body), and a {\displaystyle a} is the acceleration. Note that the Newton’s second law is defined as a numerical measure of inertia. What is inertia? Inertia is the tendency of a body to maintain its state of rest or uniform motion, unless acted upon by an external force. Robert Hooke Robert Hooke was an English polymath who played an important role in the scientific revolution, through both experimental and theoretical work. Hooke's law Hooke's law is a principle of physics that states that the force F needed to extend or compress a spring by some distance X is proportional to that distance, or algebraically F Other Topics Force A net force on a body causes a body to accelerate. The amount of that acceleration depends on the body's inertia (or its tendency to resist changes in motion), which is measured as its mass. When Isaac Newton formulated Newtonian mechanics, he discovered three fundamental laws of motion. Later, Albert Einstein proved that these laws are just a convenient approximation. These laws, however, greatly simplify calculations and are used when studying objects at velocities that are small compared with the speed of light. Friction It is the force that opposes relative motion or tendency of relative motion between two surfaces in contact represented by f. When two surfaces move relative to each other or they have a tendency to move relative to each other, at the point (or surface) of contact, there appears a force which opposes this relative motion or tendency of relative motion between two surfaces in contact. It acts on both the surfaces in contact with equal magnitude and opposite directions (Newton's 3rd law). Friction force tries to stop relative motion between two surfaces in contact, if it is there, and when two surfaces in contact are at rest relative to each other, the friction force tries to maintain this relative rest. Friction force can assume the magnitude (below a certain maximum magnitude called limiting static friction) required to maintain relative rest between two surfaces in contact. Because of this friction force is called a self adjusting force. Earlier, it was believed that friction was caused due to the roughness of the two surfaces in contact with each other. However, modern theory stipulates that the cause of friction is the Coulombic force between the atoms present in the surface of the regions in contact with each other. Formula: Limiting Friction = (Friction Coefficient)(Normal reaction) Static Friction = the friction force that keeps an object at relative rest. Kinetic Friction = sliding friction Newton's First Law of Motion (The Law of Inertia) A static object with no net force acting on it remains at rest or if in movement it will maintain a constant velocity This means, essentially, that acceleration does not occur without the presence of a force. The object tends to maintain its state of motion. If it is at rest, it remains at rest and if it is moving with a velocity then it keeps moving with the same velocity. This tendency of the object to maintain its state of motion is greater for larger mass. The "mass" is, therefore, a measure of the inertia of the object. In a state of equilibrium, where the object is at rest or proceeding at a constant velocity, the net force in every direction must be equal to 0. At a constant velocity (including zero velocity), the sum of forces is 0. If the sum of forces does not equal zero, the object will accelerate (change velocity over time). It is important to note, that this law is applicable only in non-accelerated coordinate systems. It is so, because the perception of force in accelerated systems are different. A body under balanced force system in one frame of reference, for example a person standing in an accelerating lift, is acted upon by a net force in the earth's frame of reference. Inertia is the tendency of an object to maintain its velocity i.e. to resist acceleration. Inertia is not a force. Inertia varies directly with mass. Newton's Second Law of Motion The time rate of change in momentum is proportional to the applied force and takes place in the direction of the force. 'The acceleration of an object is proportional to the force acting upon it. These two statements mean the same thing, and is represented in the following basic form (the system of measurement is chosen such that constant of proportionality is 1) : F → {\displaystyle {\vec {F}}=m{\frac {\mathrm {d} }{\mathrm {d} t}}({\vec {v}})=m{\vec {a}}} Force is equal to mass times acceleration. This version of Newton's Second Law of Motion assumes that the mass of the body does not change with time, and as such, does not represent a general mathematical form of the Law. Consequently, this equation cannot, for example, be applied to the motion of a rocket, which loses its mass (the lost mass is ejected at the rear of the rocket) with the passage of time. An example: If we want to find out the downward force of gravity on an object on Earth, we can use the following formula: ∥ ∥ {\displaystyle \\|{\vec {F}}\\|=m\\|{\vec {g}}\\|} Hence, if we replace m with whatever mass is appropriate, and multiply it by 9.806 65 m/s2, it will give the force in newtons that the earth's gravity has on the object in question(in other words, the body's weight). Newton's Third Law of Motion Forces occur in pairs equal in magnitude and opposite in direction This means that for every force applied on a body A by a body B, body B receives an equal force in the exact opposite direction. This is because forces can only be applied by a body on another body. It is important to note here that the pair of forces act on two different bodies, affecting their state of motion. This is to emphasize that pair of equal forces do not cancel out. There are no spontaneous forces. It is very important to note that the forces in a "Newton 3 pair", described above, can never act on the same body. One acts on A, the other on B. A common error is to imagine that the force of gravity on a stationary object and the "contact force" upwards of the table supporting the object are equal by Newton's third law. This is not true. They may be equal - but because of the second law (their sum must be zero because the object is not accelerating), not because of the third. The "Newton 3 pair" of the force of gravity (= earth's pull) on the object is the force of the object attracting the earth, pulling it upwards. The "Newton 3 pair" of the table pushing it up is that it, in its turn, pushes the table down. Equations Bold denotes a vector quantity. Italics denotes a scalar quantity. Definition of terms Momentum (p): Mass times velocity. (kg·m/s) Mass (m) : A quantity that describes how much material exists, or how the material responds in a gravitational field. Mass is a measure of inertia. (kg) Velocity (v): Displacement divided by time (m/s) Angular momentum (L): A vector quantity that represents the tendency of an object in circular or rotational motion to remain in this motion. (kg·m2/s) Moment of inertia (I): A scalar property of a rotating object. This quantity depends on the mass of the object and how it is distributed. The equation that defines this is different for differently shaped objects. (kg·m2) Angular speed (ω): A scalar measure of the rotation of an object. Instantaneous velocity divided by radius of motion (rad/s) Angular velocity (ω): A vector measure of the rotation of an object. Instantaneous velocity divided by radius of motion, in the direction of the axis of rotation. (rad/s) Force (F): mass times acceleration, a vector. Units: newtons (N) Time (t) : (s) Isolated system: A system in which there are no external forces acting on the system. Position vector (r): a vector from a specific origin with a magnitude of the distance from the origin to the position being measured in the direction of that position. (m) Calculus-based Momentum Other Topics The Normal Force Why is it that we stay steady in our chairs when we sit down? According to the first law of motion, if an object is translationally in equilibrium (velocity is constant), the sum of all the forces acting on the object must be equal to zero. For a person sitting on a chair, it can thus be postulated that a normal force is present balancing the gravitational force that pulls the sitting person down. However, it should be noted that only some of the normal force can cancel the other forces to zero like in the case of a sitting person. In Physics, the term normal as a modifier of the force implies that this force is acting perpendicular to the surface at the point of contact of the two objects in question. Imagine a person leaning on a vertical wall. Since the person does not stumble or fall, he/she must be in equilibrium. Thus, the component of his/her weight along the horizontal is balanced or countered (opposite direction) by an equal amount of force -- this force is the normal force on the wall. So, on a slope, the normal force would not point upwards as on a horizontal surface but rather perpendicular to the slope surface. The normal force can be provided by any one of the four fundamental forces, but is typically provided by electromagnetism since microscopically, it is the repulsion of electrons that enables interaction between surfaces of matter. There is no easy way to calculate the normal force, other than by assuming first that there is a normal force acting on a body in contact with a surface (direction perpendicular to the surface). If the object is not accelerating (for the case of uniform circular motion, the object is accelerating) then somehow, the magnitude of the normal force can be solved. In most cases, the magnitude of the normal force can be solved together with other unknowns in a given problem. Sometimes, the problem does not warrant the knowledge of the normal force(s). It is in this regard that other formalisms (e.g. Lagrange method of undertermined coefficients) can be used to eventually solve the physical problem. Friction When there is relative motion between two surfaces, there is a resistance to the motion. This force is called friction. Friction is the reason why people could not accept Newton's first law of Motion, that an object tends to keep its state of motion. Friction acts opposite to the direction of the original force. The frictional force is equal to the frictional coefficient times the normal force. Friction is caused due to attractive forces between the molecules near the surfaces of the objects. If two steel plates are made really flat and polished and cleaned and made to touch in a vacuum, it bonds together. It would look as if the steel was just one piece. The bonds are formed as in a normal steel piece. This is called cold welding. And this is the main cause of friction. The above equation is an empirical one--in general, the frictional coefficient is not constant. However, for a large variety of contact surfaces, there is a well characterized value. This kind of friction is called Coulomb friction. There is a separate coefficient for both static and kinetic friction. This is because once an object is pushed on, it will suddenly jerk once you apply enough force and it begins to move. Also, the frictional coefficient varies greatly depending on what two substances are in contact, and the temperature and smoothness of the two substances. For example, the frictional coefficients of glass on glass are very high. When you have similar materials, in most cases you don't have Coulomb friction. For static friction, the force of friction actually increases proportionally to the force applied, keeping the body immobile. Once, however, the force exceeds the maximum frictional force, the body will begin to move. The maximum frictional force is calculated as follows: \| Coefficient of friction Definition of Terms Normal force (N): The force on an object perpendicular to the surface it rests on utilized in order to account for the body's lack of movement. Units: newtons (N) Force of friction (Ff): The force placed on a moving object opposite its direction of motion due to the inherent roughness of all surfaces. Units: newtons (N) Coefficient of friction (μ): The coefficient that determines the amount of friction. This varies tremendously based on the surfaces in contact. There are no units for the coefficient of either static or kinetic friction It's important to note, that in real life we often have to deal with viscose and turbulent friction - they appear when you move the body through the matter. Viscose friction is proportional to velocity and takes place at approximately low speeds. Turbulent friction is proportional to V l → {\displaystyle W_{1,2}=\int _{{\vec {x}}_{1}}^{{\vec {x}}_{2}}{\vec {F}}\cdot d{\vec {l}}} Work is in fact just a transfer of energy. When we 'do work' on an object, we transfer some of our energy to it. This means that the work done on an object is its increase in energy. Actually, the kinetic energy and potential energy is measured by calculating the amount of work done on an object. The gravitational potential energy (there are many types of potential energies) is measured as 'mgh'. mg is the weight/force and h is the distance. The product is nothing but the work done. Even kinetic energy is a simple deduction from the laws of linear motion. Try substituing for v^2 in the formula for kinetic energy. Variables 2 {\displaystyle \mathrm {KE} _{R}={\frac {1}{2}}I\omega ^{2}} Total kinetic energy is simply the sum of the translational and rotational kinetic energies. In most cases, these energies are separately dealt with. It is easy to remember the rotational kinetic energy if you think of the moment of inertia I as the rotational mass. However, you should note that this substitution is not universal but rather a rule of thumb. Potential energy is simply the capacity to do work by virtue of position (or arrangement) relative to some zero-energy reference position (or arrangement). Potential energy due to gravity is equal to the product of mass, acceleration due to gravity, and height (elevation) of the object. P , it is instructive to need a "correction factor" during integration. Definition of terms Energy: a theoretically indefinable quantity that describes potential to do work. SI unit for energy is the joule (J). Also common is the calorie (cal). The joule: defined as the energy needed to push with the force of one newton over the distance of one meter. Equivalent to one newton-meter (N·m) or one watt-second (W·s). 1 joule = 1 J = 1 newton • 1 meter = 1 watt • 1 second Energy comes in many varieties, including Kinetic energy, Potential energy, and Heat energy. Kinetic energy (K): The energy that an object has due to its motion. Half of velocity squared times mass. Units: joules (J) Potential energy due to gravity (UG): The energy that an object has stored in it by elevation from a mass, such as raised above the surface of the earth. This energy is released when the object becomes free to move. Mass times height time acceleration due to gravity. Units: joules (J) Potential energy due to spring compression (UE): Energy stored in spring when it is compressed. Units: joules (J) Heat energy (Q): Units: joules (J) Spring compression (Dx): The difference in length between the spring at rest and the spring when stretched or compressed. Units: meters (m) Spring constant (k): a constant specific to each spring, which describes its “springiness”, or how much work is needed to compress the spring. Units: newtons per meter (N/m) Change in spring length (Δx): The distance between the at-rest length of the spring minus the compressed or extended length of the spring. Units: meters (m) Moment of inertia (I): Describes mass and its distribution. (kg•m2) Angular momentum (ω): Angular velocity times mass (inertia). (rad/s) Uniform Circular Motion Speed and frequency Other Topics Torque and Circular Motion Circular motion is the motion of a particle at a set distance (called radius) from a point. For circular motion, there needs to be a force that makes the particle turn. This force is called the 'centripetal force.' Please note that the centripetal force is not a new type of force-it is just a force causing rotational motion. To make this clearer, let us study the following examples: If Stone ties a piece of thread to a small pebble and rotates it in a horizontal circle above his head, the circular motion of the pebble is caused by the tension force in the thread. In the case of the motion of the planets around the sun (which is roughly circular), the force is provided by the gravitational force exerted by the sun on the planets. Thus, we see that the centripetal force acting on a body is always provided by some other type of force -- centripetal force, thus, is simply a name to indicate the force that provides this circular motion. This centripetal force is always acting inward toward the center. You will know this if you swing an object in a circular motion. If you notice carefully, you will see that you have to continuously pull inward. We know that an opposite force should exist for this centripetal force(by Newton's 3rd Law of Motion). This is the centrifugal force, which exists only if we study the body from a non-inertial frame of reference(an accelerating frame of reference, such as in circular motion). This is a so-called 'pseudo-force', which is used to make the Newton's law applicable to the person who is inside a non-inertial frame. e.g. If a driver suddenly turns the car to the left, you go towards the right side of the car because of centrifugal force. The centrifugal force is equal and opposite to the centripetal force. It is caused due to inertia of a body. ω Other Topics Buoyancy Buoyancy is the force due to pressure differences on the top and bottom of an object under a fluid (gas or liquid). Net force = buoyant force - force due to gravity on the object Bernoulli's Principle Fluid flow is a complex phenomenon. An ideal fluid may be described as: The fluid flow is steady i.e its velocity at each point is constant with time. The fluid is incompressible. This condition applies well to liquids and in certain circumstances to gases. The fluid flow is non-viscous. Internal friction is neglected. An object moving through this fluid does not experience a retarding force. We relax this condition in the discussion of Stokes' Law . The fluid flow is irrotational. There is no angular momentum of the fluid about any point. A very small wheel placed at an arbitary point in the fluid does not rotate about its center. Note that if turbulence is present, the wheel would most likely rotate and its flow is then not irrotational. As the fluid moves through a pipe of varying cross-section and elevation, the pressure will change along the pipe. The Swiss physicist Daniel Bernoulli ( 1700 - 1782 ) first derived an expression relating the pressure to fluid speed and height. This result is a consequence of conservation of energy and applies to ideal fluids as described above. Consider an ideal fluid flowing in a pipe of varying cross-section. A fluid in a section of length Δx1 moves to the section of length Δx2 in time Δt. The relation given by Bernoulli is: P Other Topics Fields A field is one of the more difficult concepts to grasp in physics. A field is an area or region in which an influence or force is effective regardless of the presence or absence of a material medium. Simply put, a field is a collection of vectors often representing the force an object would feel if it were placed at any particular point in space. With gravity, the field is measured in newtons, as it depends solely on the mass of an object, but with electricity, it is measured in newtons per coulomb, as the force on an electrical charge depends on the amount of that charge. Typically these fields are calculated based on canceling out the effect of a body in the point in space that the field is desired. As a result, a field is a vector, and as such, it can (and should) be added when calculating the field created by TWO objects at one point in space. Fields are typically illustrated through the use of what are called field lines or lines of force. Given a source that exerts a force on points around it, sample lines are drawn representing the direction of the field at points in space around the force-exerting source. There are three major categories of fields: Uniform fields are fields that have the same value at any point in space. As a result, the lines of force are parallel. Spherical fields are fields that have an origin at a particular point in space and vary at varying distances from that point. Complex fields are fields that are difficult to work with mathematically (except under simple cases, such as fields created by two point object), but field lines can still typically be drawn. Dipoles are a specific kind of complex field. Magnetism also has a field, measured in Tesla, and it also has field lines, but its use is more complicated than simple "force" fields. Secondly, it also only appears in a two-pole form, and as such, is difficult to calculate easily. The particles that form these magnetic fields and lines of force are called electrons and not magnetons. A magneton is a quantity in magnetism. Definition of terms Field: A collection of vectors that often represents the force that an object would feel if it were placed in any point in space. Field Lines: A method of diagramming fields by drawing several sample lines showing direction of the field through several points in space. {\displaystyle {v}_{esc}={\sqrt {\frac {2GM}{r}}}} Variables G: universal constant of gravitation, (6.67x10-11 N•m2/kg2) m1: mass of the first body m2: mass of the second body r: the distance between the point at which the force or field is being taken, and the center of mass of the first body g: acceleration due to gravity (on the earth’s surface, this is 9.8 m/s2) U: potential energy from the location of the center of mass to infinity (J) ΔUg: Change in potential energy (J) m and M: mass (kg) h: height of elevation (m) vesc: escape velocity (m/s) Definition of terms Universal constant of gravitation (G): This is a constant that is the same everywhere in the known universe and can be used to calculate gravitational attraction and acceleration due to gravity. 6.67x10-11 N·m2/kg2 Mass one (m1): One of two masses that are experiencing a mutual gravitational attraction. We can use this for the mass of the Earth (1023 kg). Mass two (m2): One of two masses that are experiencing a mutual gravitational attraction. This symbol can represent the mass of an object on or close to earth. Units: kilograms (kg) Acceleration due to gravity (g): This is nearly constant near the earth's surface because the mass and radius of the earth are essentially constant. At extreme altitudes the value can vary slightly, but it varies more significantly with latitude. This is also equal to the value of the gravitational field caused by a body at a particular point in space (9.8 m/s2) Escape velocity (vesc): The velocity necessary to completely escape the gravitational effects of a body. A black hole is a geometrically defined region of space time exhibiting such large centripetal gravitational effects that nothing such as particles and electromagnetic radiation such as light may escape from inside of it. That is the escape velocity upon the event horizon is equivalent to the speed of light. General relativity is a metric theory of gravitation generalizing space time and Newton's law of universal gravitational attraction as a geometric property of space time. Waves Wave is defined as the movement of any periodic motion like a spring, a pendulum, a water wave, an electric wave, a sound wave, a light wave, etc. A wave with constant amplitude. Any periodic wave that has amplitude varied with time, phase sinusoidally can be expressed mathematically as R(t , θ) = R Sin (ωt + θ) Minimum wave height (trough) at angle 0, π, 2π, ... F(R,t,θ) = 0 at θ = nπ Maximum wave height (peak or crest) at π/2, 3π/2, ... F(R,t,θ) = R at θ = (2n+1)π/2 Wavelength (distance between two crests) λ = 2π. λ = 2π - A circle or a wave 2λ = 2(2π) - Two circles or two waves kλ = k2π - Circle k or k amount of waves Wave Number, T: period (s) Definition of terms Wavelength (λ): The length of one wave, or the distance from a point on one wave to the same point on the next wave. Units: meters (m). In light, λ tells us the color. Wave speed (v): the speed at which the wave pattern moves. Units: meters per second, (m/s) Frequency of oscillation (f) (or just frequency): the number of times the wave pattern repeats itself in one second. Units: seconds-1 = (1/s) = hertz (Hz) In sound, f tells us the pitch. The inverse of frequecy is the period of oscillation. Period of oscillation (T) (or just period): duration of time between one wave and the next one passing the same spot. Units: seconds (s). The inverse of the period is frequency. Use a capital, italic T and not a lowercase one, which is used for time. Amplitude (A): the maximum height of the wave measured from the average height of the wave (the wave’s center). Unit: meters (m) Image here The wave’s extremes, its peaks and valleys, are called antinodes. At the middle of the wave are points that do not move, called nodes. Examples of waves: Water waves, sound waves, light waves, seismic waves, shock waves, electromagnetic waves … Oscillation A wave is said to oscillate, which means to move back and forth in a regular, repeating way. This fluctuation can be between extremes of position, force, or quantity. Different types of waves have different types of oscillations. Longitudinal waves: Oscillation is parallel to the direction of the wave. Examples: sound waves, waves in a spring. Transverse waves: Oscillation is perpendicular to direction of the wave. Example: light Interference When waves overlap each other it is called interference. This is divided into constructive and destructive interference. Constructive interference: the waves line up perfectly and add to each others’ strength. Destructive interference: the two waves cancel each other out, resulting in no wave. Resonance In real life, waves usually give a mishmash of constructive and destructive interference and quickly die out. However, at certain wavelengths standing waves form, resulting in resonance. These are waves that bounce back into themselves in a strengthening way, reaching maximum amplitude. Resonance is a special case of forced vibration when the frequency of the impressed periodic force is equal to the natural frequency of the body so that it vibrates with increased amplitude, spontaneously. Other Topics Wave overtones For resonance in a taut string, the first harmonic is determined for a wave form with one antinode and two nodes. That is, the two ends of the string are nodes because they do not vibrate while the middle of the string is an antinode because it experiences the greatest change in amplitude. This means that one half of a full wavelength is represented by the length of the resonating structure. The frequency of the first harmonic is equal to wave speed divided by twice the length of the string. (Recall that wave speed is equal to wavelength times frequency.) F1 = v/2L The wavelength of the first harmonic is equal to double the length of the string. λ1 = 2L The "nth" wavelength is equal to the fundamental wavelength divided by n. λn = λ1/n Harmonics for a taut string* Fn = nF1 λn = λ1/n * or any wave system with two identical ends, such as a pipe with two open or closed ends. In the case of a pipe with two open ends, there are two antinodes at the ends of the pipe and a single node in the middle of the pipe, but the mathematics work out identically. Definition of terms Frequency (F): Units: (1/s), hertz (Hz) Fundamental frequency, first harmonic (F)1: The lowest frequency (longest wavelength) allowed for the system. Length of string (L): (or pipe, etc.) Units: meters (m). Wavelength (λ): Units: meters (m). The first overtone is the first allowed harmonic above the fundamental frequency (F1). In the case of a system with two different ends (as in the case of a tube open at one end), the closed end is a node and the open end is an antinode. The first resonant frequency has only a quarter of a wave in the tube. This means that the first harmonic is characterized by a wavelength four times the length of the tube. F1 = v/4L The wavelength of the first harmonic is equal to four times thelength of the string. λ1 = 4L The "nth" wavelength is equal to the fundamental wavelength divided by n. λn = λ1/n Note that "n" must be odd in this case as only odd harmonics will resonate in this situation. Harmonics for a system with two different ends* * such as a pipe with one end open and one end closed †In this case only the odd harmonics resonate, so n is an odd integer. Vs: velocity of sound dependant on qualities of the medium transmitting the sound, (the air) such as its density, temperature, and “springiness.” A complicated equation, we concentrate only on temperature. increases as temperature increases (molecules move faster.) is higher for liquids and solids than for gasses (molecules are closer together.) for “room air” is 340 meters per second (m/s). Speed of sound is 343 meters per second at 20 degrees C. Based on the material sound is passing through and the temperature, the speed of sound changes. L: length of the string (m) l: meters (m) Definition of terms Tension (F): (not frequency) in the string (t is used for time in these equations). Units: newtons (N) Linear density (μ): of the string, Greek mu. Units: grams per meter (g/m) Velocity (v) of the wave (m/s) Mass (m): Units: grams (g). (We would use kilograms but they are too big for most strings). Length of the string (L): Units: meters (m) Fundamental frequency: the frequency when the wavelength is the longest allowed, this gives us the lowest sound that we can get from the system. In a string, the length of the string is half of the largest wavelength that can create a standing wave, called its fundamental wavelength. Other Topics Sound is defined as mechanical sinosodial vibratory longitudinal impulse waves which oscillate the pressure of a transmitting medium by means of adiabatic compression and decompression consequently resulting in the increase in the angular momentum and hence rotational kinetic energy of the particles present within the transmitting medium producing frequencies audible within hearing range, that is between the threshold of audibility and the threshold of pain on a Fletchford Munson equal loudness contour diagram. Intro When two glasses collide we hear a Sound, when we pluck guitar string we hear a Sound Different Sound generated from different sources. Generally speaking when two objects collides will result in a Sound Sound does not exist in Vacuum. Sound needs medium's materials to travel. it is a longitudinal wave in which the mechanical vibration constituting the wave occurs along the direction of propagation of the wave. Velocity of Sound wave depends on Temperature and the Pressure of the Medium . Sound travels at different speed in air, through water We can therefore define sound as a mechanical disturbance produced by the collision of two or more physical quantities from a state of equilibrium that propagates through an elastic material medium. Sound {\displaystyle decibel(\mathrm {dB} )=10\cdot \log \left({\frac {I_{1}}{I_{0}}}\right)} Fig. 1: The Fletcher-Munson equal-loudness contours. Phons are labelled in blue. The amplitude is the magnitude of sound pressure change within a sound wave. Sound amplitude can be measured in pascals (Pa), though its more common to refer to the sound (pressure) level as Sound intensity (dB,dBSPL,dB(SPL)), and the percieved sound level as Loudness (dBA, dB(A)). Sound intensity is flow of sound energy per unit time through a fixed area. It has units of watts per square meter. The reference Intensity is defined as the minimum Intensity that is audible to the human ear, it is equal to 10-12 W/m2, or one picowatt per square meter. When the intensity is quoted in decibels this reference value is used. Loudness is sound intensity altered according to the frequency response of the human ear and is measured in a unit called the A-weighted decibel ( dB(A) , also used to be called phon ). The Decibel The decibel is not, as is commonly believed, the unit of sound. Sound is measured in terms of pressure. However, the decibel is used to express the pressure as very large variations of pressure are commonly encountered. The decibel is a dimensionless quantity and is used to express the ratio of one power quantity to another. The definition of the decibel is 10 is the speed of the observer, and v s {\displaystyle v_{s}} is the speed of the source. If the observer is approaching the source, use the top operator (the +) in the numerator, and if the source is approaching the observer, use the top operator (the -) in the denominator. If the observer is moving away from the source, use the bottom operator (the -) in the numerator, and if the source is moving away from the observer, use the bottom operator (the +) in the denominator. Example problems A. An ambulance, which is emitting a 400 Hz siren, is moving at a speed of 30 m/s towards a stationary observer. The speed of sound in this case is 339 m/s. f The First Law can be expressed as the change in internal energy of a system ( Δ U {\displaystyle \Delta U} ) equals the amount of energy added to a system (Q), such as heat, minus the work expended by the system on its surroundings (W). If Q is positive, the system has gained energy (by heating). If W is positive, the system has lost energy from doing work on its surroundings. As written the equations have a problem in that neither Q or W are state functions or quantities which can be known by direct measurement without knowing the history of the system. In a gas, the first law can be written in terms of state functions as d {\displaystyle dU=Tds-pdV} Zero-th Law After the first law of Thermodynamics had been named, physicists realised that there was another more fundamental law, which they termed the 'zero-th'. This is that: If two bodies are at the same temperature, there is no resultant heat flow between them. An alternate form of the 'zero-th' law can be described: If two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with a third, all are in thermal equilibrium with each other. This second statement, in turn, gives rise to a definition of Temperature (T): Temperature is the only thing that is the same between two otherwise unlike bodies that are in thermal equilibrium with each other. Second Law This law states that heat will never of itself flow from a cold object to a hot object. S {\displaystyle S=\int {\frac {\mathrm {d} Q}{T}}} where T is the temperature and dQ is the increment in energy of the system. Third Law The third law states that a temperature of absolute zero cannot be reached. Temperature Scales There are several different scales used to measure temperature. Those you will most often come across in physics are degrees Celsius and kelvins. Celsius temperatures use the symbol Θ. The symbol for degrees Celsius is °C. Kelvin temperatures use the symbol T. The symbol for kelvins is K. The Celsius Scale The Celsius scale is based on the melting and boiling points of water. The temperature for freezing water is 0 °C. This is called the freezing point The temperature of boiling water is 100 °C. This is called the steam point. The Celsius scale is sometimes known as 'Centigrade', but the CGPM chose degrees Celsius from among the three names then in use way back in 1948, and centesimal and centigrade should no longer be used. See Wikipedia for more details. The Kelvin Scale The Kelvin scale is based on a more fundamental temperature than the melting point of ice. This is absolute zero (equivalent to −273.15 °C), the lowest possible temperature anything could be cooled to—where the kinetic energy of any system is at its minimum. The Kelvin scale was developed from an observation on how the pressure and volume of a sample of gas changes with temperature- PV/T is a constant. If the temperature ( T)was reduced, then the pressure ( P) exerted by Volume (V) the Gas would also reduce, in direct proportion. This is a simple experiment and can be carried out in most school labs. Gases were assumed to exert no pressure at -273 degree Celsius. ( In fact all gases will have condensed into liquids or solids at a somewhat higher temperature) Although the Kelvin scale starts at a different point to Celsius, its units are of exactly the same size. Therefore: Temperature in kelvins (K) = Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) + 273.15 Specific Latent Heat Energy is needed to break bonds when a substance changes state. This energy is sometimes called the latent heat. Temperature remains constant during changes of state. To calculate the energy needed for a change of state, the following equation is used: Heat transferred, ΔQ (J) = Mass, m (kg) x specific latent heat capacity, L (J/kg) The specific latent heat, L, is the energy needed to change the state of 1 kg of the substance without changing the temperature. The latent heat of fusion refers to melting. The latent heat of vapourisation refers to boiling. Specific Heat Capacity The specific heat capacity is the energy needed to raise the temperature of a given mass by a certain temperature. The change in temperature of a substance being heated or cooled depends on the mass of the substance and on how much energy is put in. However, it also depends on the properties of that given substance. How this affects temperature variation is expressed by the substance's specific heat capacity (c). This is measured in J/(kg·K) in SI units. Change in internal energy, ΔU (J) = mass, m (kg) x specific heat capacity, c (J/(kg·K)) x temperature change, ΔT (K) r: distance between the two charges, (m) Electricity acts as if all matter were divided into four categories: Superconductors, which allow current to flow with no resistance. (However these have only been produced in relatively extreme laboratory conditions, such as at temperatures approaching absolute zero) Conductors, which allow electric current to flow with little resistance. Semiconductors, which allow some electric current to flow but with significant resistance. Insulators, which do not allow electric current to flow. Charges are positive (+) or negative (-). Any two like charges repel each other, and opposite charges attract each other. Electric fields A charge in an electrical field feels a force. The charge is not a vector, but force is a vector, and so is the electric field. If a charge is positive, then force and the electric field point in the same direction. If the charge is negative, then the electric field and force vectors point in opposite directions. A point charge in space causes an electric field. The field is stronger closer to the point and weaker farther away. Electricity is made of subatomic particles called Electrons and so are Electric Fields and Magnetic Fields. One must also note that electrical fields come under the category of spherical fields as the inverse square law may be applied to the electrical field. This means that the electrical force, exhibited by the electrical field emitted by the subatomic electron charge (-), acting upon a body is inversely proportional to the distance between the center point of the electric field (subatomic electron) and the body on which the electric force is acting upon. An electric circuit is composed of conducting wires (through which an electric current flows through), a key or switch which is utilized to open and close the circuit, components which transfer electrical energy to a form of energy required by the component and an electromotive source (such as a voltaic cell). A voltaic cell is an electromotive source in which are present two plates, zinc and copper, placed in dilute sulphuric acid. Whence the circuit is closed the zinc reacts with the sulphuric acid to produce zinc sulphate. The electromotive force which discharges the electrical energy in the electric current is considered to be originated on the surface of the zinc plate in the voltaic cell. However, depending upon the cell, closing the circuit gives rise to polarization, accumulation of hydrogen bubbles on the surface of the copper plate which seriously interferes with the movement of electricity and reduces the magnitude of the electromotive force. For this reason Leclanché cells are utilized. Consisting of similar characteristics as that of the voltaic cell however a Mage difference is present. Instead of the use of copper plates, a carbon plate is used. For this reason, magneze dioxide may be placed on the carbon to react to form a compound which whence in contact with hydrogen bubbles will turn the hydrogen into water, hence increasing the size of the electromotive force produced by the cell. The resistance encountered in conducting wires: Inversely proportional to the diameter of the conducting wire. Directly proportional to the length of the conducting wire. Varies with different substances. Varies with temperature of the conducting wire. In order to maintain a constant flow of an electric current a constant expenditure of chemical or mechanical energy is required. An electric current is accompanied by an electric field and a magnetic field. A device employed into determining the presence of an electric current is known as a galvanoscope. The conducting wire hriugh which the electric current flows through is he led over and parallel to the galvanoscope the magnetoscope preset inside of the galvanoscope being deflected in the opposite direction to which the electric current flows in. So with the aid of a galvanoscope one may not only deduce the magnetic properties of an electric current, the exhibition of a magnetic field, but the direction in which the current flows through. An electromotive force may also be generators by a dynamo. A rotating magnet present inside of a helix. The magnetic properties of electric currents may be used to construct magnets. An electomagnet is commonly described as a mass of iron on which is placed a helix/solenoid through which flows an electric current. The magnetic field emitted by the electric current is increased if the solenoid is placed around a magnetic mass of iron or any other substance possessing magnetic properties, that is the magnetic field of the iron is added to that of the electic current producing a more powerful magnetic field. Conductors may be arranged in two variants. Series and parallel circuits. In series, the current passes through each conductor in turn, where Ohm's law changes to I = nE/(nr + R), where I is the current intensity, n is the number of cells arranged in series in the circuit, E is the electromotive force applied to the circuit, r is the internal resistance ( the resistance the current that is produced in the cell experiences whence passing from the zinc plate to the copper or carbon plate through the sulphuric acid ) and R is the external resistance. For a good introduction to Gauss' Law and Ampere's Law, check out this website Electronics is the application of electromagnetic (and quantum) theory to construct devices that can perform useful tasks, from as simple as electrical heaters or light bulbs to as complex as the Large Hadron Collider. Print version;component of electronics Electronics Introduction To discuss electronics we need the basic concepts from electricity: charge, current which is flow of charge, and potential which is the potential energy difference between two places. Please make sure these concepts are familiar before continuing. Circuits The interest of electronics is circuits. A circuit consists of wires' that connect components. Typical components are resistors, voltage sources. In order to maintain a constant electrical current a continued exhaustion of chemical or mechanical energy is required. A voltaic cell is a common electromotive power source for a circuit. It consists primarily of two plates, a positive copper plate and a negative zinc plate. One must note that the plates are placed in dilute sulfuric acid. Whence a key is switched or the circuit is closed the zinc reacts with the sulfuric in which it is placed in. One may discern that the electromotive force which is then applied to the circuit is believed to be converted from chemical to electrical energy upon the surface of the zinc cell. Whence the E.M.F is converted from chemical to electrical energy the electromotive force travels through the sulfuric acid. However disadvantages occur whence utilizing a voltaic or galvanic cell. Whence the circuit is closed, simultaneously hydrogen bubbles accumulate upon the copper plate surface hence decreasing the total electromotive power source applied to the circuit in question. The resistance with which the electromotive source encounters as it flows form the zinc plate to the copper plate through the dilute sulfuric acid is distinguished as internal resistance. Hence the voltaic cell uses diluted rather than concentrated sulfuric acid so as to reduce the internal resistance present inside of the component which applies the electromotive force to the circuit. A circuit can be open, when there is a break so that no current can flow, or it can be closed, so that current can flow. These definitions allow us to discuss electronics efficiently. Direct current and alternating current Basic components Ohm's law IF 'V' IS POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE APPLIED AT TWO ENDS OF CONDUCTOR AND 'I' IS CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH THE CONDUCTOR THEN 'I' IS DIRECTLY PROPORTION TO ITS 'V' V = I x R Kirchoff's laws Kirchoff's laws generally hold for direct current (DC) circuits, but fail when dealing with changing electric current and voltage such as alternating current (AC) or signal processing in combination with capacitors , inductors , and antennas . Kirchoff's current law The sum of all the currents entering and leaving any point in a circuit is equal to zero. ∑ Other Topics Light Light is that range of electromagnetic energy that is visible to the human eye, the visible colors. The optical radiation includes not only the visible range, but a broader range of invisible electromagnetic radiation that could be influenced in its radiation behavior in a similar way as the visible radiation, but needs often other transmitters or receivers for this radiation. Dependant on the kind of experimental question light - optical radiation behaves as a wave or a particle named lightwave or photon. The birth or death of photons needs electrons - electromagnetic charges, that change their energy. The speed of light is fastest in the vacuum. c 1 {\displaystyle c\approx 3\cdot 10^{8}{\mbox{ m s}}^{-1}} In a wave we have to distinguish between the speed of transport of energy or the speed of the transport of on phase state of a wave of a defined frequency. In vacuum the speed of waves of any photon energy - wavelength is the same, but the transmission speed through material is dependent on wavelength - photon energy. At the time the measurement of the speed of light in vacuum reached the uncertainty of the unit of length, the meter, this basic unit got in 1960 a new definition, based on the unit of time. Taking the best known measurement values it was defined without any uncertainties of length, that the speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second. For this reason the only uncertainty in the speed of light is the uncertainty of the realization of the unit of time, the second. (If you like to get the standard of length, cooperate with the watchmaker). However, when electromagnetic radiation enters a medium with refractive index, n, its speed would become c is the speed of light in the medium. Refraction Refraction occurs when light travels from one medium into another (i.e. from air into water). Refraction is the changing of direction of light due to the changing speed of light. Refraction occurs toward the normal when light travels from a medium into a denser medium. Example when light travels from air into a block of glass, light is refracted towards the normal. The ratio between the sine of the angle of the incident ray and sine of the angle of the refracted ray is the same as the ratios of the indexes of refraction. sin {\displaystyle d_{i}} is the distance from the image to the mirror or lens For a mirror, it is positive if the image appears in front of the mirror. It is negative if the image appears behind. For a lens, it is positive if the image appears on the opposite side of the lens as the light source. It is negative if the image appears on the same side of the lens as the light source. d o {\displaystyle d_{o}} is the distance from the object to the mirror or the lens (always positive). The only case, when it is negative, is the case, when you don't have a real object, but you do have an imaginary object - a converging set of rays from another optical system. an easy way to remember the formula is to memorize "if I Do I Die", which stands for 1/f = 1/d_0 + 1/d_i Magnification logA – logB = log(A/B) log(AB) = B log(A) Adding the log of A to the log of B will give the same result as taking the log of the product A times B. Subtracting the log of B from the log of A will give the same result as taking the log of the quotient A divided by B. The log of (A to the Bth power) is equal to the product (B times the log of A). A few examples: log(2) + log(3) = log(6) log(30) – log(2) = log(15) log(8) = log(23) = 3log(2) Vectors are quantities that are characterized by having both a numerical quantity (called the "magnitude" and denoted as \|v\|) and a direction. Velocity is an example of a vector; it describes the time rated change in position with a numerical quantity (meters per second) as well as indicating the direction of movement. The definition of a vector is any quantity that adds according to the parallelogram law (there are some physical quantities that have magnitude and direction that are not vectors). Scalars are quantities in physics that have no direction. Mass is a scalar; it can describe the quantity of matter with units (kilograms) but does not describe any direction. Multiplying vectors and scalars A scalar times a scalar gives a scalar result. A vector scalar-multiplied by a vector gives a scalar result (called the dot-product). A vector cross-multiplied by a vector gives a vector result (called the cross-product). A vector times a scalar gives a vector result. Frequently Asked Questions about Vectors When are scalar and vector compositions essentially the same? Answer: when multiple vectors are in same direction then we can just add the magnitudes.so, the scalar and vector composition will be same as we do not add the directions. What is a "dot-product"? (work when force not parallel to displacement) A Man walking up a hill Answer: Let's take gravity as our force. If you jump out of an airplane and fall you will pick up speed. (for simplicity's sake, let's ignore air drag). To work out the kinetic energy at any point you simply multiply the value of the force caused by gravity by the distance moved in the direction of the force. For example, a 180 N boy falling a distance of 10 m will have 1800 J of extra kinetic energy. We say that the man has had 1800 J of work done on him by the force of gravity. Notice that energy is not a vector. It has a value but no direction. Gravity and displacement are vectors. They have a value plus a direction. (In this case, their directions are down and down respectively) The reason we can get a scalar energy from vectors gravity and displacement is because, in this case, they happen to point in the same direction. Gravity acts downwards and displacement is also downwards. When two vectors point in the same direction, you can get the scalar product by just multiplying the value of the two vectors together and ignoring the direction. But what happens if they don't point in the same direction? Consider a man walking up a hill. Obviously it takes energy to do this because you are going against the force of gravity. The steeper the hill, the more energy it takes every step to climb it. This is something we all know unless we live on a salt lake. In a situation like this we can still work out the work done. In the diagram, the green lines represent the displacement. To find out how much work against gravity the man does, we work out the projection of the displacement along the line of action of the force of gravity. In this case it's just the y component of the man's displacement. This is where the cos θ comes in. θ is merely the angle between the velocity vector and the force vector. If the two forces do not point in the same direction, you can still get the scalar product by multiplying the projection of one force in the direction of the other force. Thus: a b z {\displaystyle {\vec {a}}\cdot {\vec {b}}\equiv a_{x}b_{x}+a_{y}b_{y}+a_{z}b_{z}} What is a "cross-product"? (Force on a charged particle in a magnetic field) Answer: Suppose there is a charged particle moving in a constant magnetic field. According to the laws of electromagnetism, the particle is acted upon by a force called the Lorentz force. If this particle is moving from left to right at 30 m/s and the field is 30 Tesla pointing straight down perpendicular to the particle, the particle will actually curve in a circle spiraling out of the plane of the two with an acceleration of its charge in coulombs times 900 newtons per coulomb! This is because the calculation of the Lorentz force involves a cross-product.when cross product can replace the sin0 can take place during multiplication. A cross product can be calculated simply using the angle between the two vectors and your right hand. If the forces point parallel or 180° from each other, it's simple: the cross-product does not exist. If they are exactly perpendicular, the cross-product has a magnitude of the product of the two magnitudes. For all others in between however, the following formula is used: ∥ ⁡ θ {\displaystyle \left\\|{\vec {a}}\times {\vec {b}}\right\\|=\left\\|{\vec {a}}\right\\|\ \left\\|{\vec {b}}\right\\|\sin \theta } The right-hand rule: point your index finger along the first vector and your middle finger across the second; your thumb will point in the direction of the resulting vector But if the result is a vector, then what is the direction? That too is fairly simple, utilizing a method called the "right-hand rule". The right-hand rule works as follows: Place your right-hand flat along the first of the two vectors with the palm facing the second vector and your thumb sticking out perpendicular to your hand. Then proceed to curl your hand towards the second vector. The direction that your thumb points is the direction that cross-product vector points! Though this definition is easy to explain visually it is slightly more complicated to calculate than the dot product. ( x ) {\displaystyle (a_{x},\ a_{y},\ a_{z})\times (b_{x},\ b_{y},\ b_{z})=(a_{y}b_{z}-a_{z}b_{y}\ ,a_{x}b_{z}-a_{z}b_{x}\ ,a_{x}b_{y}-a_{y}b_{x})} How to draw vectors that are in or out of the plane of the page (or board) How to draw vectors in the plane of the paper Standard symbols of a vector going into or out of a page Answer: Vectors in the plane of the page are drawn as arrows on the page. A vector that goes into the plane of the screen is typically drawn as circles with an inscribed X. A vector that comes out of the plane of the screen is typically drawn as circles with dots at their centers. The X is meant to represent the fletching on the back of an arrow or dart while the dot is meant to represent the tip of the arrow. GNU Free Documentation License As of July 15, 2009 Wikibooks has moved to a dual-licensing system that supersedes the previous GFDL only licensing. In short, this means that text licensed under the GFDL only can no longer be imported to Wikibooks, retroactive to 1 November 2008. Additionally, Wikibooks text might or might not now be exportable under the GFDL depending on whether or not any content was added and not removed since July 15. Version 1.3, 3 November 2008 Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc. < http://fsf.org/ > Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. 0. PREAMBLE The purpose of this License is to make a manual, textbook, or other functional and useful document "free" in the sense of freedom: to assure everyone the effective freedom to copy and redistribute it, with or without modifying it, either commercially or noncommercially. Secondarily, this License preserves for the author and publisher a way to get credit for their work, while not being considered responsible for modifications made by others. This License is a kind of "copyleft", which means that derivative works of the document must themselves be free in the same sense. It complements the GNU General Public License, which is a copyleft license designed for free software. We have designed this License in order to use it for manuals for free software, because free software needs free documentation: a free program should come with manuals providing the same freedoms that the software does. But this License is not limited to software manuals; it can be used for any textual work, regardless of subject matter or whether it is published as a printed book. We recommend this License principally for works whose purpose is instruction or reference. 1. APPLICABILITY AND DEFINITIONS This License applies to any manual or other work, in any medium, that contains a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it can be distributed under the terms of this License. Such a notice grants a world-wide, royalty-free license, unlimited in duration, to use that work under the conditions stated herein. The "Document", below, refers to any such manual or work. Any member of the public is a licensee, and is addressed as "you". You accept the license if you copy, modify or distribute the work in a way requiring permission under copyright law. A "Modified Version" of the Document means any work containing the Document or a portion of it, either copied verbatim, or with modifications and/or translated into another language. A "Secondary Section" is a named appendix or a front-matter section of the Document that deals exclusively with the relationship of the publishers or authors of the Document to the Document's overall subject (or to related matters) and contains nothing that could fall directly within that overall subject. (Thus, if the Document is in part a textbook of mathematics, a Secondary Section may not explain any mathematics.) The relationship could be a matter of historical connection with the subject or with related matters, or of legal, commercial, philosophical, ethical or political position regarding them. The "Invariant Sections" are certain Secondary Sections whose titles are designated, as being those of Invariant Sections, in the notice that says that the Document is released under this License. If a section does not fit the above definition of Secondary then it is not allowed to be designated as Invariant. The Document may contain zero Invariant Sections. If the Document does not identify any Invariant Sections then there are none. The "Cover Texts" are certain short passages of text that are listed, as Front-Cover Texts or Back-Cover Texts, in the notice that says that the Document is released under this License. A Front-Cover Text may be at most 5 words, and a Back-Cover Text may be at most 25 words. A "Transparent" copy of the Document means a machine-readable copy, represented in a format whose specification is available to the general public, that is suitable for revising the document straightforwardly with generic text editors or (for images composed of pixels) generic paint programs or (for drawings) some widely available drawing editor, and that is suitable for input to text formatters or for automatic translation to a variety of formats suitable for input to text formatters. A copy made in an otherwise Transparent file format whose markup, or absence of markup, has been arranged to thwart or discourage subsequent modification by readers is not Transparent. An image format is not Transparent if used for any substantial amount of text. A copy that is not "Transparent" is called "Opaque". Examples of suitable formats for Transparent copies include plain ASCII without markup, Texinfo input format, LaTeX input format, SGML or XML using a publicly available DTD, and standard-conforming simple HTML, PostScript or PDF designed for human modification. Examples of transparent image formats include PNG, XCF and JPG. Opaque formats include proprietary formats that can be read and edited only by proprietary word processors, SGML or XML for which the DTD and/or processing tools are not generally available, and the machine-generated HTML, PostScript or PDF produced by some word processors for output purposes only. The "Title Page" means, for a printed book, the title page itself, plus such following pages as are needed to hold, legibly, the material this License requires to appear in the title page. For works in formats which do not have any title page as such, "Title Page" means the text near the most prominent appearance of the work's title, preceding the beginning of the body of the text. The "publisher" means any person or entity that distributes copies of the Document to the public. A section "Entitled XYZ" means a named subunit of the Document whose title either is precisely XYZ or contains XYZ in parentheses following text that translates XYZ in another language. (Here XYZ stands for a specific section name mentioned below, such as "Acknowledgements", "Dedications", "Endorsements", or "History".) To "Preserve the Title" of such a section when you modify the Document means that it remains a section "Entitled XYZ" according to this definition. The Document may include Warranty Disclaimers next to the notice which states that this License applies to the Document. These Warranty Disclaimers are considered to be included by reference in this License, but only as regards disclaiming warranties: any other implication that these Warranty Disclaimers may have is void and has no effect on the meaning of this License. 2. VERBATIM COPYING You may copy and distribute the Document in any medium, either commercially or noncommercially, provided that this License, the copyright notices, and the license notice saying this License applies to the Document are reproduced in all copies, and that you add no other conditions whatsoever to those of this License. You may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further copying of the copies you make or distribute. However, you may accept compensation in exchange for copies. If you distribute a large enough number of copies you must also follow the conditions in section 3. You may also lend copies, under the same conditions stated above, and you may publicly display copies. 3. COPYING IN QUANTITY If you publish printed copies (or copies in media that commonly have printed covers) of the Document, numbering more than 100, and the Document's license notice requires Cover Texts, you must enclose the copies in covers that carry, clearly and legibly, all these Cover Texts: Front-Cover Texts on the front cover, and Back-Cover Texts on the back cover. Both covers must also clearly and legibly identify you as the publisher of these copies. The front cover must present the full title with all words of the title equally prominent and visible. You may add other material on the covers in addition. Copying with changes limited to the covers, as long as they preserve the title of the Document and satisfy these conditions, can be treated as verbatim copying in other respects. If the required texts for either cover are too voluminous to fit legibly, you should put the first ones listed (as many as fit reasonably) on the actual cover, and continue the rest onto adjacent pages. If you publish or distribute Opaque copies of the Document numbering more than 100, you must either include a machine-readable Transparent copy along with each Opaque copy, or state in or with each Opaque copy a computer-network location from which the general network-using public has access to download using public-standard network protocols a complete Transparent copy of the Document, free of added material. If you use the latter option, you must take reasonably prudent steps, when you begin distribution of Opaque copies in quantity, to ensure that this Transparent copy will remain thus accessible at the stated location until at least one year after the last time you distribute an Opaque copy (directly or through your agents or retailers) of that edition to the public. It is requested, but not required, that you contact the authors of the Document well before redistributing any large number of copies, to give them a chance to provide you with an updated version of the Document. 4. MODIFICATIONS You may copy and distribute a Modified Version of the Document under the conditions of sections 2 and 3 above, provided that you release the Modified Version under precisely this License, with the Modified Version filling the role of the Document, thus licensing distribution and modification of the Modified Version to whoever possesses a copy of it. In addition, you must do these things in the Modified Version: Use in the Title Page (and on the covers, if any) a title distinct from that of the Document, and from those of previous versions (which should, if there were any, be listed in the History section of the Document). You may use the same title as a previous version if the original publisher of that version gives permission. List on the Title Page, as authors, one or more persons or entities responsible for authorship of the modifications in the Modified Version, together with at least five of the principal authors of the Document (all of its principal authors, if it has fewer than five), unless they release you from this requirement. State on the Title page the name of the publisher of the Modified Version, as the publisher. Preserve all the copyright notices of the Document. Add an appropriate copyright notice for your modifications adjacent to the other copyright notices. Include, immediately after the copyright notices, a license notice giving the public permission to use the Modified Version under the terms of this License, in the form shown in the Addendum below. Preserve in that license notice the full lists of Invariant Sections and required Cover Texts given in the Document's license notice. Include an unaltered copy of this License. Preserve the section Entitled "History", Preserve its Title, and add to it an item stating at least the title, year, new authors, and publisher of the Modified Version as given on the Title Page. If there is no section Entitled "History" in the Document, create one stating the title, year, authors, and publisher of the Document as given on its Title Page, then add an item describing the Modified Version as stated in the previous sentence. Preserve the network location, if any, given in the Document for public access to a Transparent copy of the Document, and likewise the network locations given in the Document for previous versions it was based on. These may be placed in the "History" section. You may omit a network location for a work that was published at least four years before the Document itself, or if the original publisher of the version it refers to gives permission. For any section Entitled "Acknowledgements" or "Dedications", Preserve the Title of the section, and preserve in the section all the substance and tone of each of the contributor acknowledgements and/or dedications given therein. Preserve all the Invariant Sections of the Document, unaltered in their text and in their titles. Section numbers or the equivalent are not considered part of the section titles. Delete any section Entitled "Endorsements". Such a section may not be included in the Modified version. Do not retitle any existing section to be Entitled "Endorsements" or to conflict in title with any Invariant Section. Preserve any Warranty Disclaimers. If the Modified Version includes new front-matter sections or appendices that qualify as Secondary Sections and contain no material copied from the Document, you may at your option designate some or all of these sections as invariant. To do this, add their titles to the list of Invariant Sections in the Modified Version's license notice. These titles must be distinct from any other section titles. You may add a section Entitled "Endorsements", provided it contains nothing but endorsements of your Modified Version by various parties—for example, statements of peer review or that the text has been approved by an organization as the authoritative definition of a standard. You may add a passage of up to five words as a Front-Cover Text, and a passage of up to 25 words as a Back-Cover Text, to the end of the list of Cover Texts in the Modified Version. Only one passage of Front-Cover Text and one of Back-Cover Text may be added by (or through arrangements made by) any one entity. If the Document already includes a cover text for the same cover, previously added by you or by arrangement made by the same entity you are acting on behalf of, you may not add another; but you may replace the old one, on explicit permission from the previous publisher that added the old one. The author(s) and publisher(s) of the Document do not by this License give permission to use their names for publicity for or to assert or imply endorsement of any Modified Version. 5. COMBINING DOCUMENTS You may combine the Document with other documents released under this License, under the terms defined in section 4 above for modified versions, provided that you include in the combination all of the Invariant Sections of all of the original documents, unmodified, and list them all as Invariant Sections of your combined work in its license notice, and that you preserve all their Warranty Disclaimers. The combined work need only contain one copy of this License, and multiple identical Invariant Sections may be replaced with a single copy. If there are multiple Invariant Sections with the same name but different contents, make the title of each such section unique by adding at the end of it, in parentheses, the name of the original author or publisher of that section if known, or else a unique number. Make the same adjustment to the section titles in the list of Invariant Sections in the license notice of the combined work. In the combination, you must combine any sections Entitled "History" in the various original documents, forming one section Entitled "History"; likewise combine any sections Entitled "Acknowledgements", and any sections Entitled "Dedications". You must delete all sections Entitled "Endorsements". 6. COLLECTIONS OF DOCUMENTS You may make a collection consisting of the Document and other documents released under this License, and replace the individual copies of this License in the various documents with a single copy that is included in the collection, provided that you follow the rules of this License for verbatim copying of each of the documents in all other respects. You may extract a single document from such a collection, and distribute it individually under this License, provided you insert a copy of this License into the extracted document, and follow this License in all other respects regarding verbatim copying of that document. 7. AGGREGATION WITH INDEPENDENT WORKS A compilation of the Document or its derivatives with other separate and independent documents or works, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an "aggregate" if the copyright resulting from the compilation is not used to limit the legal rights of the compilation's users beyond what the individual works permit. When the Document is included in an aggregate, this License does not apply to the other works in the aggregate which are not themselves derivative works of the Document. If the Cover Text requirement of section 3 is applicable to these copies of the Document, then if the Document is less than one half of the entire aggregate, the Document's Cover Texts may be placed on covers that bracket the Document within the aggregate, or the electronic equivalent of covers if the Document is in electronic form. Otherwise they must appear on printed covers that bracket the whole aggregate. 8. TRANSLATION Translation is considered a kind of modification, so you may distribute translations of the Document under the terms of section 4. Replacing Invariant Sections with translations requires special permission from their copyright holders, but you may include translations of some or all Invariant Sections in addition to the original versions of these Invariant Sections. You may include a translation of this License, and all the license notices in the Document, and any Warranty Disclaimers, provided that you also include the original English version of this License and the original versions of those notices and disclaimers. In case of a disagreement between the translation and the original version of this License or a notice or disclaimer, the original version will prevail. If a section in the Document is Entitled "Acknowledgements", "Dedications", or "History", the requirement (section 4) to Preserve its Title (section 1) will typically require changing the actual title. 9. TERMINATION You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Document except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute it is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License. However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation. Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of violation of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice. Termination of your rights under this section does not terminate the licenses of parties who have received copies or rights from you under this License. If your rights have been terminated and not permanently reinstated, receipt of a copy of some or all of the same material does not give you any rights to use it. 10. FUTURE REVISIONS OF THIS LICENSE The Free Software Foundation may publish new, revised versions of the GNU Free Documentation License from time to time. Such new versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to address new problems or concerns. See http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/ . Each version of the License is given a distinguishing version number. If the Document specifies that a particular numbered version of this License "or any later version" applies to it, you have the option of following the terms and conditions either of that specified version or of any later version that has been published (not as a draft) by the Free Software Foundation. If the Document does not specify a version number of this License, you may choose any version ever published (not as a draft) by the Free Software Foundation. If the Document specifies that a proxy can decide which future versions of this License can be used, that proxy's public statement of acceptance of a version permanently authorizes you to choose that version for the Document. 11. RELICENSING "Massive Multiauthor Collaboration Site" (or "MMC Site") means any World Wide Web server that publishes copyrightable works and also provides prominent facilities for anybody to edit those works. A public wiki that anybody can edit is an example of such a server. A "Massive Multiauthor Collaboration" (or "MMC") contained in the site means any set of copyrightable works thus published on the MMC site. "CC-BY-SA" means the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license published by Creative Commons Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation with a principal place of business in San Francisco, California, as well as future copyleft versions of that license published by that same organization. "Incorporate" means to publish or republish a Document, in whole or in part, as part of another Document. An MMC is "eligible for relicensing" if it is licensed under this License, and if all works that were first published under this License somewhere other than this MMC, and subsequently incorporated in whole or in part into the MMC, (1) had no cover texts or invariant sections, and (2) were thus incorporated prior to November 1, 2008. The operator of an MMC Site may republish an MMC contained in the site under CC-BY-SA on the same site at any time before August 1, 2009, provided the MMC is eligible for relicensing. How to use this License for your documents To use this License in a document you have written, include a copy of the License in the document and put the following copyright and license notices just after the title page: Copyright (c) YEAR YOUR NAME. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License". If you have Invariant Sections, Front-Cover Texts and Back-Cover Texts, replace the "with...Texts." line with this: with the Invariant Sections being LIST THEIR TITLES, with the Front-Cover Texts being LIST, and with the Back-Cover Texts being LIST. If you have Invariant Sections without Cover Texts, or some other combination of the three, merge those two alternatives to suit the situation. If your document contains nontrivial examples of program code, we recommend releasing these examples in parallel under your choice of free software license, such as the GNU General Public License, to permit their use in free software.	i don't know
Which metal with an atomic number of 31, melts at 30 degrees Centigrade?	melting point Archives - Awesci - Science Everyday Atomic number: 31 Symbol: Ga At first what seems like an uninteresting material, Gallium, in truth has, much more to it than meets the eye. Gallium’s melting point Like most other metals, Gallium is solid at room temperature (or liquid if it is too hot in your room). But, if it is held [in hands] for long enough, it melts in your hands, and doesn’t poison you like Mercury would. This is because of its unusually low melting point of (~29 degree Centigrade). It can melt by drawing heat from a human body which is normally at around 37 degrees. Buy Gallium: This property, and the affordable price of $24 for 15 grams , probably makes it an appropriate gift for science geeks. They will love making mirrors at home by sticking it onto plain glass sheets. Talking about a classic prank, it is advised to beware of the scientists who would offer spoons made out of Gallium to unsuspecting guests at a tea party. These spoons melt in hot tea and make it a potentially harmful concoction to ingest. Since it isn’t poisonous like Mercury, Gallium is often mixed with Indium to further lower its melting point to -19 degrees. This makes it a safer option for us to use in thermometers instead of Mercury. Interesting uses and compounds Dilute sulphuric acid changes the surface properties of Gallium due to the formation of Gallium Sulfide on the surface. It no longer sticks that badly to glass, gets pulled up into a ball and starts beating like a heart when dichromate is added. 98% of the world’s Gallium metal is used as Gallium Arsenide and Gallium Nitride, used in the electronic industry for making semiconductors, LEDs and high-speed circuits. In fact the laser in your Blu-Ray player is also made using Gallium. Probably the most amount of Gallium used in a single place is at a Neutrino observatory in Russia . It houses around 57 tons of liquid Gallium. With Silicon, Graphite and Molybdenum, Gallium is also used in ski wax to make skis more slippery. Finally, nothing beats a metal that melts in your hands.	Gallium
In which town in Ceredigion will you find the world's biggest Camera Obscura?	Gallium - Elements Database Gallium Gallium Atomic Weight: 69.72 What is Gallium? Gallium is a metal with the symbol Ga, listed under number 31 in the periodic table. It does not occur naturally on its own, but can be found as a salt in zinc and bauxite ores. It is a poor metal, meaning that its melting and boiling points are relatively low, its electro-negativity is relatively high, and it is softer. It differs from metalloids in this regard. Brittle at low temperatures, gallium becomes a liquid when the temperature rises to around 25 degrees Celsius. It can melt in your hand at room temperature. A compound of Ga, gallium arsenide, is used in semiconductors. Other two compounds of this element, gallium nitride and indium gallium nitride, are used to produce diode lasers. Almost all of the gallium in the world is used in semiconductors at the present time, but new uses are constantly being found. One emerging use is in medicine as a way to treat inflammation. The use of certain gallium salts is believed to be important for treatment. Production and use of the metal in semiconductors are relatively cheap. Some compounds of the element are used in electronic components, optoelectronics, and infrared applications. Other compounds of gallium are used in light-emitting diodes, multi-junction photo-voltaic cells, satellites, solar panels, and more. The compounds of gallium also have medical uses. For example, Gallium nitrate (better known as Ganite) has been known to treat hypercalcemia in the wake of tumor metastasis. Forms of gallium ions are used to treat certain types of cancer, inflammation and infections. It may potentially help treat cystic fibrosis and malaria. Liquid gallium is used to wet glass and porcelain surfaces, forming a reflective, and bright surface when it is coated on glass. Brilliant mirrors can be created using it. Low-melting alloys are formed by using gallium because it alloys with most metals. An alloy of gallium is used in nuclear weapons� plutonium pits as to stabilize the allotropes of plutonium. The production of high temperature thermometers and analog integrated circuits also involves the use of gallium. The element does not occur naturally, but can easily be derived by smelting. In completely pure form, it can break like glass. When it becomes solid, it expands by 3.1 percent. This is why, it should not be kept in metal or glass containers. Its density is very high in liquid form, comparable only to the density of germanium, antimony, silicon, water, and bismuth. The ultra pure form of gallium is silvery in color and has a beautiful appearance. The conchoidal fracture characteristic of the solid metal is similar to glass. Gallium was discovered by use of a spectroscope in 1875. That same year it was derived as a free metal by means of electrolysis. Today, the element is frequently obtained as a by-product of zinc and aluminum. The amount of 184 tons of gallium was produced in 2007, mostly from mining. A number of processes are required for the production of pure gallium, which end with zone refining. It is used to produce pure gallium metal. Gallium is not considered toxic, but this does not mean you shouldn�t be careful. When divided, gallium loses its shimmer and appears gray in color. As a result, when it is handled with bare hands, you may get gray skin stains. You can link to this page, using the code below: <a href="http://www.elementsdatabase.com/Gallium-Ga-31-element/" title="Gallium - Periodic Table">Gallium - Periodic Table</a>	i don't know
Masai, Reticulated, and Angolan are all species of which African mammal?	Reticulated Giraffe - Safari WestSafari West Reticulated Giraffe Species G. camelopardalis Species status: Least Concern * Safari West has two sub-species of giraffe; Masai giraffe, G. c. tippelschircki and reticulated giraffe,G. c. reticulata. Key Facts Height: 14-20 ft (~4.3-6 m) Weight: 1800-3500 lb (~815-1590 kg) Physical Description Giraffe are the world’s tallest mammal. At birth calves are up to about 6.5 ft (2 m) tall and weigh 110-200 lb (50-90 kg). Both males and female have a spotted coat with varying patterns and colors depending on the sub-species. The pattern for an individual giraffe is constant throughout their life but the coat color may change depending on age and health. The giraffe’s incredibly long neck contains seven elongated vertebrae, the same number as in a human neck. An adult will have on average an 18 in (45 cm) black to purple prehensile tongue that grasps prickly food from the very tops of trees. Being very tall animals, giraffe have incredibley high blood pressure, averaging 260/160, which aids in the circulation of blood. One-way valves and elastic blood vessels in the neck control blood pressure in the head when the giraffe is bent over, without these the giraffe would lose consciousness. Giraffe have long, sturdy legs, with their front legs longer than their back legs, and horn structures, called ossicones. Female ossicones are thin and tufted; male giraffe ossicones are thick but the hair is often missing on the top due to sparring. Social Life Giraffe are social animals, but do not form stable, long term herds. Herds can include all female, all male, female with young calves, or mixed gender and usually contain 10-20 individuals, although herds of up to 70 have been observed. Individual giraffes join and leave the herd at will. Female giraffes, with their young, are often found together while immature males form bachelor herds, and then become more solitary as they mature. Adult male giraffes establish dominance by “necking”, when two giraffes stand next to each other and swing their heads at the other giraffe. Giraffe feed and drink during the morning and evening and rest at night while standing up. Habitat and Range Giraffe inhabit arid, dry land with Acacia trees and are found in savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands. Because they only occasionally drink, giraffes can be found away from a water source. Giraffes have disappeared from most of western Africa, except a residual population in Niger and have been reintroduced in South Africa to game reserves. Masai giraffe are found in Tanzania and Kenya in East Africa Reticulated giraffe are found in Ethiopia and Somalia in North Africa Diet Giraffe are browsers that feed on leaves, flowers, seed pods, and fruit, with the majority of their diet composed of the leaves of the Acacia trees. In areas where the savannah is salty or full of minerals, they eat soil as well. Giraffes browse by taking the branches in their mouths and pulling away their head to tear away the leaves. Female giraffe are more selective when feeding and choose foliage with the highest nutritional value. Lifespan In the wild giraffe live for 15-20 years and 25-30 years in captivity. Predators Adult giraffe are well able to defend themselves and thus have few predators. They run up to 35 mph (56 kph) and can deliver deadly blows with their hooves. Most predators, such as lions, crocodiles, leopards and hyenas target young, sick, or elderly giraffe. Reproduction Sexual maturity: Male, 4-5 years, Female: 3-4 years Mating Season: May to August Birth Season: June to November, typically giving birth every 20-30 months Gestation: 400-468 days (13-15 months) No. of Young: 1 Conservation The IUCN Red List describes Giraffa camelopardalis as a species of Least Concern, with a total population of 80-100,000 individuals. Some sub-species in east and southern Africa remain stable but others in north and west Africa are declining and may well be threatened. Main threats to giraffe are habitat loss and poaching. There are believed to be nine sub-species of giraffe: Masai giraffe, G. c. tippelschircki: population < 40,000 Angolan giraffe, G. c. angolensis: population < 20,000 South African giraffe, G. c. giraffa: population < 12,000 Reticulated giraffe, G. c. reticulata: population < 5,000 Kordofan giraffe G. c. antiquorum, population < 3,000 Thornicroft’s giraffe, G c. thornicrofti: population < 1,500 Rothschild’s giraffe, G. c. rothschildi: population < 670 West African giraffe, G. c. peralta: population < 250 Nubian giraffe, G. c. camelopardalis: population < 250 * Safari West currently has Masai and reticulated giraffe Did You Know? • The giraffe is one of the few animals born with horns. These horns are different from antelope horns and are called ossicones. A baby giraffe’s horns lie flat against its head when it is born, and pop upright during the first week of life. • The giraffe heart can weigh up to 25 lb (11 kg) and pump up to 20 gallons (76 L) of blood per minute. • The Swahili name for a giraffe is “Twiga”. Photo © Katie Desmond	GIRAFFE Radar
Which US author wrote the books on which The Hunger Games series of films are based?	Giraffe Facts For Kids: Giraffe, Giraffe Facts, Giraffe Pictures \| San Diego Zoo - Kids \| San Diego Zoo - Kids Calves are 6 feet tall at birth! A giraffe's feet are the size of a dinner plate—12 inches across. Hello Up There! Giraffes are the tallest land animals. A giraffe could look into a second-story window without even having to stand on its tiptoes! A giraffe's 6-foot-long neck weighs about 600 pounds. The legs of a giraffe are also 6 feet long. The back legs look shorter than the front legs, but they are about the same length. There is only one speciesA group of individuals that have many of the same characteristics, and are different from all other animals in some important way. Hamsters and mice are two different species of rodent. of giraffe. The recognized subspeciesA subdivision of a plant or animal species that shows differences from others of the same species. For example, there is a species of animal called lion; there are two subspecies of lion, the African lion and the Asian lion. include reticulatedThis word means looks like a net, and is used to describe the pattern on the skin of some animals. For example, there are reticulated giraffes and reticulated pythons., Nubian, Uganda or Baringo, Masai, Angolan, and southern. The different kinds can be recognized by their spots and also by where they live in Africa. Masai giraffes, from Kenya, have spots that look like oak leaves. Other kinds have a square-shaped pattern that looks like the giraffe is covered by a net. Some zoologists think that the giraffe's pattern is for camouflageThe color or pattern of an animal's covering that is similar to the animal's surroundings, and therefore helps hide it. May also be related to smell, as in lions rolling in elephant dung to camouflage their scent.. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered hornsGrowths on the head of an antelope, cow, sheep, or goat that are never shed. called ossiconesHair-covered horns found on the heads of giraffes. Ossicones are made of bone and are part of the skull.. Male giraffes use their hornsGrowths on the head of an antelope, cow, sheep, or goat that are never shed. to playfully fight with one another.	i don't know
An island group in the Pacific; which country administers the Chonos Archipelago?	The Pacific Islands Figure 13.2 The Region of Melanesia Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea is the largest country in the Pacific realm and therefore the largest in Melanesia. It is diverse in both physical terrain and human geography. The high mountains of the interior reach 14,793 feet. Snow has been known to fall in the higher elevations even though they are located near the equator. Many local groups inhabit the island, and more than seven hundred separate languages are spoken, more than in any other country in the world. Indigenous traditions create strong centripetal forces. Many islands of Melanesia are recently independent of their European controllers; Papua New Guinea received independence in 1975 and is working toward fitting into the global community. Papua New Guinea is a diverse country that still has many mysteries to be revealed in its little-explored interior. The country’s large physical area provides greater opportunities for the exploitation of natural resources for economic gain. The interior of the island has large areas that have not been exploited by large-scale development projects. In the past few decades, oil was discovered and makes up its largest export item. Gold, copper, silver, and other minerals are being extracted in extensive mining operations, often by outside multinational corporations. Subsistence agriculture is the main economic activity of most of the people. Coffee and cocoa are examples of agricultural exports. A number of islands off Papua New Guinea’s eastern coast—including Bougainville—have valuable mineral deposits. Bougainville and the islands under its jurisdiction are physically a part of the Solomon Island archipelago but are politically an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. Volcanic vents deep under the sea continue to bring hot magma and minerals to the surface of the ocean floor, creating valuable exploitable resources. Papua New Guinea has laid claim to these islands and the underwater resources within their maritime boundaries. Rebel movements have pushed for the independence of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville but have been unsuccessful. The islands remain under the government of Papua New Guinea. Solomon Islands To the east of the island of Guinea are the Solomon Islands, a group of more than one thousand islands. About eighty of them hold most of the population of more than a half a million. The island of Guadalcanal was the site of some of the fiercest fighting in World War II between Japan and the United States. Honiara, the capital city, is on Guadalcanal. The Solomon Islands were a colony of Great Britain but gained independence in 1978. Colonialism, World War II, and ethnic conflict on the islands created serious centrifugal cultural forces, divisions, and political tensions over the past few decades. In 2003, military and police troops from other islands and Australia intervened to restore order after ethnic tension erupted into civil unrest. Figure 13.3 Malaitan Chief on the Solomon Islands The heritage and history of these islands includes local cultures complete with isolated traditions and ethnic organization. Source: Photo courtesy of Jim Lounsbury, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Malaitan_Chief.jpg . Shifting tectonic plates are the source of environmental problems. Active seismic activity has created earthquakes and tsunami conditions that have brought devastation to the region. An earthquake of 8.1 magnitude hit the Solomon Islands in 2007, bringing high waves and many aftershocks. The tsunami killed at least fifty-two people, and as many as one thousand homes were destroyed. The islands contain several active and dormant volcanoes. Tropical rain forests cover a number of the islands and are home to rare orchids and other organisms. There is concern that these resources might be harmed by deforestation and the exploitation of resources for economic gain. Vanuatu Figure 13.4 Saint Joseph’s Bay on the Isles of Pines, New Caledonia These remote islands have moderate climates and beautiful coastal settings. Many have been unduly romanticized by works of fiction. These islands are isolated and can lack resources; life can be more difficult than it is often portrayed. Tuamotu Islands Hawaii At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Polynesia only had four independent island groups: Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. The rest of the many islands and island groups in Polynesia are claimed by or under the control or jurisdiction of other countries: mainly the United States, France, Great Britain, or New Zealand. Hawaii was a sovereign and independent kingdom from 1810 to 1893, when the monarchy was overthrown and the islands became a republic that was annexed as a US territory. Hawaii became the fiftieth US state in 1959. Hawaii’s development pattern is modern, based on tourism from the continental United States and the US military base on Pearl Harbor. According to the US Census, Hawaii had a population of 1.3 million in 2010. More than one-third of the people are of Asian descent, and at least 10 percent are native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders. The United States has a number of additional possessions in Polynesia that include various small islands, atolls, or uninhabited reefs. The Hawaiian Islands include more islands than the few usually listed in tourist brochures. Approximately 137 islands and atolls are in the Hawaiian chain, which extends about 1,500 miles. Hawaii is one of the most remote island groups in the Pacific. The islands of the Hawaiian archipelago are a product of volcanic activity from an undersea magma source called a hotspot, which remains stationary as the tectonic plate over it continues to shift creating new volcanoes. Mt. Kilauea, an active volcano on Hawaii, the largest island in the Hawaiian chain, is considered by geologists to be one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The active volcano of Mauna Loa and two dormant volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Hualālai, are on the same island. Mauna Kea is Hawaii’s tallest mountain at 13,796 feet above sea level, which is taller than Mt. Everest if measured from its base on the ocean floor. Hawaii, like most islands of the Pacific realm, has a tropical type A climate, but snow can be found on the tops of its highest mountains during the winter months. The island of Kauai receives more than 460 inches of rain per year and is one of the wettest places on Earth. The rain shadow effect created by Mt. Wai’ale’ale is the reason for the high level of precipitation. All the rain falls on the windward side of the mountain, creating a rain shadow on the leeward side of the mountain, which is a semidesert. Kiribati Kiribati includes three sets of islands located in both Micronesia and Polynesia. The main component of Kiribati is the Gilbert Island chain in Micronesia, where the capital city and most of the population are located. The other two minor island chains are the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands in Polynesia. Both island chains were US possessions before being annexed with the Gilbert Islands to become Kiribati. The Line Islands were used for testing of British hydrogen bombs starting in 1957. Three atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted by the British on Malden Island, and six were conducted on Christmas Island. There is concern about how radiation affected people present during the tests and thereafter. The Phoenix Islands have few inhabitants. In 2008, Kiribati declared the entire island group a protected environmental area, which made it the largest protected marine habitat in the world. Kiribati is the only country with land in all four hemispheres: north and south of the equator and on both sides of the 180° meridian. Samoa After the colonial era, Samoa was divided into Western Samoa and Eastern Samoa. The United States controlled the eastern islands, which are referred to as American Samoa. Before World War I, Germany gained control of the larger, more extensive western islands only to lose them to New Zealand after the war. Western Samoa was under the New Zealand government until 1962, when it gained independence. The name was officially changed from Western Samoa to Samoa in 1997. The Samoan Islands are volcanic, and the most active volcano last erupted in 1906. In Samoa, three-quarters of the nearly two hundred thousand people live on the larger of the two main islands. Colonialism has had a major impact on the culture, especially in the case of religion. Christianity became widespread once it was introduced and is now the religion of about 99 percent of the population. American music and societal trends are also a major influence on the islands because of migration between Hawaii and the US mainland. Many Samoans have moved to the United States and established communities. Cultural traditions have been preserved and are often integrated into modern society. Samoa has some of the oldest history and traditions of Polynesia. For many years, the United States has held an extensive naval station in the bay of Pago Pago on American Samoa. During World War II, there were more US military personnel on the islands than Samoans. American Samoa became a key military post for the United States. American Samoa remains a US possession; however, Samoans are not US citizens unless one of their parents is a US citizen. Tonga South of Samoa is an archipelago that is home to the Kingdom of Tonga. Only about 36 of the 169 islands are inhabited by a total population of about one hundred twenty thousand people. Tonga is ruled by a monarchy that never lost its governance powers throughout the colonial era. Tonga is the only monarchy in the Pacific. The two main methods of gaining wealth are by remittances from citizens working abroad and tourism. Tuvalu The island nation of Tuvalu comprises four reef islands and five atolls for a total land area of about ten square miles. In 2008, it had a population of about twelve thousand people. These statistics indicate that Tuvalu is one of the four smallest countries in the world. Nauru is only about eight square miles in area. Only the Vatican and Monaco are smaller. The low elevation of the islands of Tuvalu make them susceptible to damage from rising sea levels. The highest point is only fifteen feet in elevation. Any increase in ocean levels as a result of climate change could threaten the existence of this country. French Polynesia The South Pacific is home to many islands and island groups that are not independent countries. The biggest and most significant group in the southern region is French Polynesia. France colonized a large number of islands in the South Pacific and has continued to hold them in its control or possession as external departments or colonies. In western Polynesia, the French maintain control over the islands of Wallis and Futuna. French Polynesia consists of four main island groups: the Society Islands, the Austral Islands, the Tuamotu Islands, and the Marquesas. There are around 130 islands in French Polynesia, and many are too small or lack resources to be inhabited. Figure 13.8 The Moorea Ferry in Papeete Harbor, Tahiti The only ways to get to the islands are by aircraft or by ship. Transportation costs can be high for imported goods or for tourism development. Source: Photo courtesy of Evil Monkey, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moorea_Ferry_in_Papeete_harbour.JPG . Tahiti, located in the Society Islands, is the central hub of French Polynesia. Papeete is the capital and main city with a population of almost thirty thousand. Tahiti is a major tourist destination with a mild climate that stays at 75 °F to 85 °F year-round and receives adequate rainfall to sustain tropical forests. Most of the people live along the coastal areas; the interior is almost uninhabited. The Society Islands include the island of Bora Bora, which is considered by many to be a tropical paradise and one of the most exotic tourist destinations in the world. Figure 13.9 Bora Bora in the Society Islands in French Polynesia with Mount Otemanu in the Background Bora Bora is a world-class tourist destination catering to the international traveler. Source: Photo courtesy of tensaibuta, http://www.flickr.com/photos/97657657@N00/2092792187 . The volcanic Marquesas Islands to the northeast are the second-most remote islands in the world after the Hawaiian Islands. The weather pattern in the Pacific does not bring enormous amounts of precipitation to the Marquesas, a reality that restricts human expansion in the archipelago. The higher elevations in the mountains—the highest is 4,035 feet—draw some precipitation from the rain shadow effect, giving rise to lush rain forests on portions of the islands. With less than ten thousand people, the Marquesas do not have a large population to support and rely on financial support from outside to sustain them. French painter Paul Gauguin is buried there, and the islands are remembered as his home during the last years of his life. The Austral Islands are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia and are home to only about 6,500 people. French Polynesia also includes the Tuamotu Archipelago, between the Society Islands and the Marquesas, which comprises about 75 atolls and an uncounted number of coral reefs that extend for about nine hundred miles. The islands have a population of fewer than twenty thousand people, and the main economic activity is the cultivation of black pearls and coconuts. The French government used islands in the Tuamotu Archipelago as test sites for nuclear weapons. From 1966 to 1974, the French tested 41 atomic devices above ground in the atmosphere, and from 1974 to 1996, they tested 137 atomic devices below ground. Radiation concerns are the same here as they are on the Marshall Islands, where the United States tested atomic weapons. Scientific testing monitored by the World Health Organization has determined the humans living closest to the atolls are not presently in danger of radioactive materials either in the environment or in their food supply. The long-term effects of the underground tests continue to be monitored. The Pitcairn Islands, Easter Island, and the Cook Islands To the east of French Polynesia are the four Pitcairn Islands, controlled by Great Britain. The main island, Pitcairn, is the only inhabited island in this chain and is one of the least inhabited islands in the world; the total population is fewer than fifty people. Mutineers from the HMS Bounty escaped to Pitcairn in 1790 after taking various Tahitians with them. Even farther east than Pitcairn, on the edge of Polynesia, is Easter Island. Now under the government of Chile, Easter Island was historically inhabited by Polynesians who built large stone heads that remain somewhat of a mystery. At the center of Polynesia are the fifteen small Cook Islands, which are controlled by New Zealand and are home to about twenty thousand people, many of whom claim Maori ethnicity. Key Takeaways Melanesia includes the islands from Papua New Guinea to Fiji. Micronesia includes small islands located north of Melanesia. Polynesia includes island groups from the Hawaiian Islands to the Pitcairn Islands. Papua New Guinea is the largest country in the Pacific, approximately seven hundred languages are spoken by the many local groups that live there. Low islands in this region are usually composed of coral and low in elevation. High islands are usually volcanic in origin and mountainous with high elevations. Micronesia consists mainly of low islands, while Polynesia consists of many high islands, such as Hawaii. Tourism is the main economic activity in the Pacific, but minerals and fossil fuels provide some islands with additional wealth. Fishing and subsistence agriculture have been the traditional livelihoods. Offshore banking has also been established in the region. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France used various islands for nuclear testing. Radiation fallout continues to be an environmental concern. Typhoons, tsunamis, volcanic activity, earthquakes, and flooding create devastation on the islands. Fresh water can be a valuable resource, as it is in short supply on many islands. Discussion and Study Questions What are the three main regions of islands in the Pacific? What island nations belong to each? What are the traditional methods of making a living on the Pacific islands? What is the difference between a low island and a high island? Give examples of each. Why are so many islands in the Pacific governed by the United States? Name three major environmental concerns of these islands. What has been a growing sector of the economy for many of the Pacific islands? Which island group is the largest protected environmental marine habitat in the world? What islands did the United States, Great Britain, and France use for testing nuclear weapons? On which island are more than seven hundred separate languages spoken? Why are so many languages spoken? What main factors have determined the economic activities of the Pacific? Geography Exercise Identify the following key places on a map: American Samoa	Chile
The poisonous toadstool fly agaric usually has a cap of red and what other colour?	LON-CAPA Botany online: PUBLIC DOMAIN - Charles Darwin - The Voyage of the Beagle - Chapter 13 CHAPTER XIII CHILOE AND CHONOS ISLANDS Chiloe -- General Aspect -- Boat Excursion -- Native Indians -- Castro -- Tame Fox -- Ascend San Pedro -- Chonos Archipelago -- Peninsula of Tres Montes -- Granitic Range -- Boat-wrecked Sailors -- Low's Harbour -- Wild Potato -- Formation of Peat -- Myopotamus, Otter and Mice -- Cheucau and Barking-bird -- Opetiorhynchus -- Singular Character of Ornithology -- Petrels. NOVEMBER 10th. -- The Beagle sailed from Valparaiso to the south, for the purpose of surveying the southern part of Chile, the island of Chiloe, and the broken land called the Chonos Archipelago, as far south as the Peninsula of Tres Montes. On the 21st we anchored in the bay of S. Carlos, the capital of Chiloe. This island is about ninety miles long, with a breadth of rather less than thirty. The land is hilly, but not mountainous, and is covered by one great forest, except where a few green patches have been cleared round the thatched cottages. From a distance the view somewhat resembles that of Tierra del Fuego; but the woods, when seen nearer, are incomparably more beautiful. Many kinds of fine evergreen trees, and plants with a tropical character, here take the place of the gloomy beech of the southern shores. In winter the climate is detestable, and in summer it is only a little better. I should think there are few parts of the world, within the temperate regions, where so much rain falls. The winds are very boisterous, and the sky almost always clouded: to have a week of fine weather is something wonderful. It is even difficult to get a single glimpse of the Cordillera: during our first visit, once only the volcano of Osorno stood out in bold relief, and that was before sunrise; it was curious to watch, as the sun rose, the outline gradually fading away in the glare of the eastern sky. The inhabitants, from their complexion and low stature; appear to have three-fourths of Indian blood in their veins. They are an humble, quiet, industrious set of men. Although the fertile soil, resulting from the decomposition of the volcanic rocks, supports a rank vegetation, yet the climate is not favourable to any production which requires much sunshine to ripen it. There is very little pasture for the larger quadrupeds; and in consequence, the staple articles of food are pigs, potatoes, and fish. The people all dress in strong woollen garments, which each family makes for itself, and dyes with indigo of a dark blue colour. The arts, however, are in the rudest state; -- as may be seen in their strange fashion of ploughing, their method of spinning, grinding corn, and in the construction of their boats. The forests are so impenetrable, that the land is nowhere cultivated except near the coast and on the adjoining islets. Even where paths exist, they are scarcely passable from the soft and swampy state of the soil. The inhabitants, like those of Tierra del Fuego, move about chiefly on the beach or in boats. Although with plenty to eat, the people are very poor: there is no demand for labour, and consequently the lower orders cannot scrape together money sufficient to purchase even the smallest luxuries. There is also a great deficiency of a circulating medium. I have seen a man bringing on his back a bag of charcoal, with which to buy some trifle, and another carrying a plank to exchange for a bottle of wine. Hence every tradesman must also be a merchant, and again sell the goods which he takes in exchange. November 24th. -- The yawl and whale-boat were sent under the command of Mr. (now Captain) Sulivan, to survey the eastern or inland coast of Chiloe; and with orders to meet the Beagle at the southern extremity of the island; to which point she would proceed by the outside, so as thus to circumnavigate the whole. I accompanied this expedition, but instead of going in the boats the first day, I hired horses to take me to Chacao, at the northern extremity of the island. The road followed the coast; every now and then crossing promontories covered by fine forests. In these shaded paths it is absolutely necessary that the whole road should be made of logs of wood, which are squared and placed by the side of each other. From the rays of the sun never penetrating the evergreen foliage, the ground is so damp and soft, that except by this means neither man nor horse would be able to pass along. I arrived at the village of Chacao shortly after the tents belonging to the boats were pitched for the night. The land in this neighbourhood has been extensively cleared, and there were many quiet and most picturesque nooks in the forest. Chacao was formerly the principal port in the island; but many vessels having been lost, owing to the dangerous currents and rocks in the straits, the Spanish government burnt the church, and thus arbitrarily compelled the greater number of inhabitants to migrate to S. Carlos. We had not long bivouacked, before the barefooted son of the governor came down to reconnoitre us. Seeing the English flag hoisted at the yawl's mast-head, he asked with the utmost indifference, whether it was always to fly at Chacao. In several places the inhabitants were much astonished at the appearance of men-of-war's boats, and hoped and believed it was the forerunner of a Spanish fleet, coming to recover the island from the patriot government of Chile. All the men in power, however, had been informed of our intended visit, and were exceedingly civil. While we were eating our supper, the governor paid us a visit. He had been a lieutenant- colonel in the Spanish service, but now was miserably poor. He gave us two sheep, and accepted in return two cotton handkerchiefs, some brass trinkets, and a little tobacco. 25th. -- Torrents of rain: we managed, however, to run down the coast as far as Huapi-lenou. The whole of this eastern side of Chiloe has one aspect; it is a plain, broken by valleys and divided into little islands, and the whole thickly covered with one impervious blackish-green forest. On the margins there are some cleared spaces, surrounding the high- roofed cottages. 26th -- The day rose splendidly clear. The volcano of Orsono was spouting out volumes of smoke. This most beautiful mountain, formed like a perfect cone, and white with snow, stands out in front of the Cordillera. Another great volcano, with a saddle-shaped summit, also emitted from its immense crater little jets of steam. Subsequently we saw the lofty-peaked Corcovado -- well deserving the name of "el famoso Corcovado." Thus we beheld, from one point of view, three great active volcanoes, each about seven thousand feet high. In addition to this, far to the south, there were other lofty cones covered with snow, which, although not known to be active, must be in their origin volcanic. The line of the Andes is not, in this neighbourhood, nearly so elevated as in Chile; neither does it appear to form so perfect a barrier between the regions of the earth. This great range, although running in a straight north and south line, owing to an optical deception, always appeared more or less curved; for the lines drawn from each peak to the beholder's eye, necessarily converged like the radii of a semicircle, and as it was not possible (owing to the clearness of the atmosphere and the absence of all intermediate objects) to judge how far distant the farthest peaks were off, they appeared to stand in a flattish semicircle. Landing at midday, we saw a family of pure Indian extraction. The father was singularly like York Minster; and some of the younger boys, with their ruddy complexions, might have been mistaken for Pampas Indians. Everything I have seen, convinces me of the close connexion of the different American tribes, who nevertheless speak distinct languages. This party could muster but little Spanish, and talked to each other in their own tongue. It is a pleasant thing to see the aborigines advanced to the same degree of civilization, however low that may be, which their white conquerors have attained. More to the south we saw many pure Indians: indeed, all the inhabitants of some of the islets retain their Indian surnames. In the census of 1832, there were in Chiloe and its dependencies forty-two thousand souls; the greater number of these appear to be of mixed blood. Eleven thousand retain their Indian surnames, but it is probable that not nearly all of these are of a pure breed. Their manner of life is the same with that of the other poor inhabitants, and they are all Christians; but it is said that they yet retain some strange superstitious ceremonies, and that they pretend to hold communication with the devil in certain caves. Formerly, every one convicted of this offence was sent to the Inquisition at Lima. Many of the inhabitants who are not included in the eleven thousand with Indian surnames, cannot be distinguished by their appearance from Indians. Gomez, the governor of Lemuy, is descended from noblemen of Spain on both sides; but by constant intermarriages with the natives the present man is an Indian. On the other hand the governor of Quinchao boasts much of his purely kept Spanish blood. We reached at night a beautiful little cove, north of the island of Caucahue. The people here complained of want of land. This is partly owing to their own negligence in not clearing the woods, and partly to restrictions by the government, which makes it necessary, before buying ever so small a piece, to pay two shillings to the surveyor for measuring each quadra (150 yards square), together with whatever price he fixes for the value of the land. After his valuation the land must be put up three times to auction, and if no one bids more, the purchaser can have it at that rate. All these exactions must be a serious check to clearing the ground, where the inhabitants are so extremely poor. In most countries, forests are removed without much difficulty by the aid of fire; but in Chiloe, from the damp nature of the climate, and the sort of trees, it is necessary first to cut them down. This is a heavy drawback to the prosperity of Chiloe. In the time of the Spaniards the Indians could not hold land; and a family, after having cleared a piece of ground, might be driven away, and the property seized by the government. The Chilian authorities are now performing an act of justice by making retribution to these poor Indians, giving to each man, according to his grade of life, a certain portion of land. The value of uncleared ground is very little. The government gave Mr. Douglas (the present surveyor, who informed me of these circumstances) eight and a half square miles of forest near S. Carlos, in lieu of a debt; and this he sold for 350 dollars, or about 70 pounds sterling. The two succeeding days were fine, and at night we reached the island of Quinchao. This neighbourhood is the most cultivated part of the Archipelago; for a broad strip of land on the coast of the main island, as well as on many of the smaller adjoining ones, is almost completely cleared. Some of the farmhouses seemed very comfortable. I was curious to ascertain how rich any of these people might be, but Mr. Douglas says that no one can be considered as possessing a regular income. One of the richest land-owners might possibly accumulate, in a long industrious life, as much as 1000 pounds sterling; but should this happen, it would all be stowed away in some secret corner, for it is the custom of almost every family to have a jar or treasure-chest buried in the ground. November 30th. -- Early on Sunday morning we reached Castro, the ancient capital of Chiloe, but now a most forlorn and deserted place. The usual quadrangular arrangement of Spanish towns could be traced, but the streets and plaza were coated with fine green turf, on which sheep were browsing. The church, which stands in the middle, is entirely built of plank, and has a picturesque and venerable appearance. The poverty of the place may be conceived from the fact, that although containing some hundreds of inhabitants, one of our party was unable anywhere to purchase either a pound of sugar or an ordinary knife. No individual possessed either a watch or a clock; and an old man, who was supposed to have a good idea of time, was employed to strike the church bell by guess. The arrival of our boats was a rare event in this quiet retired corner of the world; and nearly all the inhabitants came down to the beach to see us pitch our tents. They were very civil, and offered us a house; and one man even sent us a cask of cider as a present. In the afternoon we paid our respects to the governor -- a quiet old man, who, in his appearance and manner of life, was scarcely superior to an English cottager. At night heavy rain set in, which was hardly sufficient to drive away from our tents the large circle of lookers-on. An Indian family, who had come to trade in a canoe from Caylen, bivouacked near us. They had no shelter during the rain. In the morning I asked a young Indian, who was wet to the skin, how he had passed the night. He seemed perfectly content, and answered, "Muy bien, senor." December 1st. - We steered for the island of Lemuy. I was anxious to examine a reported coal-mine which turned out to be lignite of little value, in the sandstone (probably of an ancient tertiary epoch) of which these islands are composed. When we reached Lemuy we had much difficulty in finding any place to pitch our tents, for it was spring-tide, and the land was wooded down to the water's edge. In a short time we were surrounded by a large group of the nearly pure Indian inhabitants. They were much surprised at our arrival, and said one to the other, "This is the reason we have seen so many parrots lately; the cheucau (an odd red- breasted little bird, which inhabits the thick forest, and utters very peculiar noises) has not cried 'beware' for nothing." They were soon anxious for barter. Money was scarcely worth anything, but their eagerness for tobacco was something quite extraordinary. After tobacco, indigo came next in value; then capsicum, old clothes, and gunpowder. The latter article was required for a very innocent purpose: each parish has a public musket, and the gunpowder was wanted for making a noise on their saint or feast days The people here live chiefly on shell-fish and potatoes. At certain seasons they catch also, in "corrales," or hedges under water, many fish which are left on the mud-banks as the tide falls. They occasionally possess fowls, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and cattle; the order in which they are here mentioned, expressing their respective numbers. I never saw anything more obliging and humble than the manners of these people. They generally began with stating that they were poor natives of the place, and not Spaniards and that they were in sad want of tobacco and other comforts. At Caylen, the most southern island, the sailors bought with a stick of tobacco, of the value of three-halfpence, two fowls, one of which, the Indian stated, had skin between its toes, and turned out to be a fine duck; and with some cotton handkerchiefs, worth three shillings, three sheep and a large bunch of onions were procured. The yawl at this place was anchored some way from the shore, and we had fears for her safety from robbers during the night. Our pilot, Mr. Douglas, accordingly told the constable of the district that we always placed sentinels with loaded arms and not understanding Spanish, if we saw any person in the dark, we should assuredly shoot him. The constable, with much humility, agreed to the perfect propriety of this arrangement, and promised us that no one should stir out of his house during that night. During the four succeeding days we continued sailing southward. The general features of the country remained the same, but it was much less thickly inhabited. On the large island of Tanqui there was scarcely one cleared spot, the trees on every side extending their branches over the sea-beach. I one day noticed, growing on the sandstone cliffs, some very fine plants of the panke (Gunnera scabra), which somewhat resembles the rhubarb on a gigantic scale. The inhabitants eat the stalks, which are subacid, and tan leather with the roots, and prepare a black dye from them. The leaf is nearly circular, but deeply indented on its margin. I measured one which was nearly eight feet in diameter, and therefore no less than twenty-four in circumference! The stalk is rather more than a yard high, and each plant sends out four or five of these enormous leaves, presenting together a very noble appearance. December 6th. -- We reached Caylen, called "el fin del Cristiandad." In the morning we stopped for a few minutes at a house on the northern end of Laylec, which was the extreme point of South American Christendom, and a miserable hovel it was. The latitude is 43 degs. 10', which is two degrees farther south than the Rio Negro on the Atlantic coast. These extreme Christians were very poor, and, under the plea of their situation, begged for some tobacco. As a proof of the poverty of these Indians, I may mention that shortly before this, we had met a man, who had travelled three days and a half on foot, and had as many to return, for the sake of recovering the value of a small axe and a few fish. How very difficult it must be to buy the smallest article, when such trouble is taken to recover so small a debt. In the evening we reached the island of San Pedro, where we found the Beagle at anchor. In doubling the point, two of the officers landed to take a round of angles with the theodolite. A fox (Canis fulvipes), of a kind said to be peculiar to the island, and very rare in it, and which is a new species, was sitting on the rocks. He was so intently absorbed in watching the work of the officers, that I was able, by quietly walking up behind, to knock him on the head with my geological hammer. This fox, more curious or more scientific, but less wise, than the generality of his brethren, is now mounted in the museum of the Zoological Society. We stayed three days in this harbour, on one of which Captain Fitz Roy, with a party, attempted to ascend to the summit of San Pedro. The woods here had rather a different appearance from those on the northern part of the island. The rock, also, being micaceous slate, there was no beach, but the steep sides dipped directly beneath the water. The general aspect in consequence was more like that of Tierra del Fuego than of Chiloe. In vain we tried to gain the summit: the forest was so impenetrable, that no one who has not beheld it can imagine so entangled a mass of dying and dead trunks. I am sure that often, for more than ten minutes together, our feet never touched the ground, and we were frequently ten or fifteen feet above it, so that the seamen as a joke called out the soundings. At other times we crept one after another on our hands and knees, under the rotten trunks. In the lower part of the mountain, noble trees of the Winter's Bark, and a laurel like the sassafras with fragrant leaves, and others, the names of which I do not know, were matted together by a trailing bamboo or cane. Here we were more like fishes struggling in a net than any other animal. On the higher parts, brushwood takes the place of larger trees, with here and there a red cedar or an alerce pine. I was also pleased to see, at an elevation of a little less than 1000 feet, our old friend the southern beech. They were, however, poor stunted trees, and I should think that this must be nearly their northern limit. We ultimately gave up the attempt in despair. December 10th. -- The yawl and whale-boat, with Mr. Sulivan, proceeded on their survey, but I remained on board the Beagle, which the next day left San Pedro for the southward. On the 13th we ran into an opening in the southern part of Guayatecas, or the Chonos Archipelago; and it was fortunate we did so, for on the following day a storm, worthy of Tierra del Fuego, raged with great fury. White massive clouds were piled up against a dark blue sky, and across them black ragged sheets of vapour were rapidly driven. The successive mountain ranges appeared like dim shadows, and the setting sun cast on the woodland a yellow gleam, much like that produced by the flame of spirits of wine. The water was white with the flying spray, and the wind lulled and roared again through the rigging: it was an ominous, sublime scene. During a few minutes there was a bright rainbow, and it was curious to observe the effect of the spray, which being carried along the surface of the water, changed the ordinary semicircle into a circle -- a band of prismatic colours being continued, from both feet of the common arch across the bay, close to the vessel's side: thus forming a distorted, but very nearly entire ring. We stayed here three days. The weather continued bad: but this did not much signify, for the surface of the land in all these islands is all but impassable. The coast is so very rugged that to attempt to walk in that direction requires continued scrambling up and down over the sharp rocks of mica-slate; and as for the woods, our faces, hands, and shin-bones all bore witness to the maltreatment we received, in merely attempting to penetrate their forbidden recesses. December 18th. -- We stood out to sea. On the 20th we bade farewell to the south, and with a fair wind turned the ship's head northward. From Cape Tres Montes we sailed pleasantly along the lofty weather-beaten coast, which is remarkable for the bold outline of its hills, and the thick covering of forest even on the almost precipitous flanks. The next day a harbour was discovered, which on this dangerous coast might be of great service to a distressed vessel. It can easily be recognized by a hill 1600 feet high, which is even more perfectly conical than the famous sugar-loaf at Rio de Janeiro. The next day, after anchoring, I succeeded in reaching the summit of this hill. It was a laborious undertaking, for the sides were so steep that in some parts it was necessary to use the trees as ladders. There were also several extensive brakes of the Fuchsia, covered with its beautiful drooping flowers, but very difficult to crawl through. In these wild countries it gives much delight to gain the summit of any mountain. There is an indefinite expectation of seeing something very strange, which, however often it may be balked, never failed with me to recur on each successive attempt. Every one must know the feeling of triumph and pride which a grand view from a height communicates to the mind. In these little frequented countries there is also joined to it some vanity, that you perhaps are the first man who ever stood on this pinnacle or admired this view. A strong desire is always felt to ascertain whether any human being has previously visited an unfrequented spot. A bit of wood with a nail in it, is picked up and studied as if it were covered with hieroglyphics. Possessed with this feeling, I was much interested by finding, on a wild part of the coast, a bed made of grass beneath a ledge of rock. Close by it there had been a fire, and the man had used an axe. The fire, bed, and situation showed the dexterity of an Indian; but he could scarcely have been an Indian, for the race is in this part extinct, owing to the Catholic desire of making at one blow Christians and Slaves. I had at the time some misgivings that the solitary man who had made his bed on this wild spot, must have been some poor shipwrecked sailor, who, in trying to travel up the coast, had here laid himself down for his dreary night. December 28th. -- The weather continued very bad, but it at last permitted us to proceed with the survey. The time hung heavy on our hands, as it always did when we were delayed from day to day by successive gales of wind. In the evening another harbour was discovered, where we anchored. Directly afterwards a man was seen waving a shirt, and a boat was sent which brought back two seamen. A party of six had run away from an American whaling vessel, and had landed a little to the southward in a boat, which was shortly afterwards knocked to pieces by the surf. They had now been wandering up and down the coast for fifteen months, without knowing which way to go, or where they were. What a singular piece of good fortune it was that this harbour was now discovered! Had it not been for this one chance, they might have wandered till they had grown old men, and at last have perished on this wild coast. Their sufferings had been very great, and one of their party had lost his life by falling from the cliffs. They were sometimes obliged to separate in search of food, and this explained the bed of the solitary man. Considering what they had undergone, I think they had kept a very good reckoning of time, for they had lost only four days. December 30th. -- We anchored in a snug little cove at the foot of some high hills, near the northern extremity of Tres Montes. After breakfast the next morning, a party ascended one of these mountains, which was 2400 feet high. The scenery was remarkable The chief part of the range was composed of grand, solid, abrupt masses of granite, which appeared as if they had been coeval with the beginning of the world. The granite was capped with mica-slate, and this in the lapse of ages had been worn into strange finger- shaped points. These two formations, thus differing in their outlines, agree in being almost destitute of vegetation. This barrenness had to our eyes a strange appearance, from having been so long accustomed to the sight of an almost universal forest of dark-green trees. I took much delight in examining the structure of these mountains. The complicated and lofty ranges bore a noble aspect of durability -- equally profitless, however, to man and to all other animals. Granite to the geologist is classic ground: from its widespread limits, and its beautiful and compact texture, few rocks have been more anciently recognised. Granite has given rise, perhaps, to more discussion concerning its origin than any other formation. We generally see it constituting the fundamental rock, and, however formed, we know it is the deepest layer in the crust of this globe to which man has penetrated. The limit of man's knowledge in any subject possesses a high interest, which is perhaps increased by its close neighbourhood to the realms of imagination. January 1st 1835. -- The new year is ushered in with the ceremonies proper to it in these regions. She lays out no false hopes: a heavy north-western gale, with steady rain, bespeaks the rising year. Thank God, we are not destined here to see the end of it, but hope then to be in the Pacific Ocean, where a blue sky tells one there is a heaven, -- a something beyond the clouds above our heads. The north-west winds prevailing for the next four days, we only managed to cross a great bay, and then anchored in another secure harbour. I accompanied the Captain in a boat to the head of a deep creek. On the way the number of seals which we saw was quite astonishing: every bit of flat rock, and parts of the beach, were covered with them. There appeared to be of a loving disposition, and lay huddled together, fast asleep, like so many pigs; but even pigs would have been ashamed of their dirt, and of the foul smell which came from them. Each herd was watched by the patient but inauspicious eyes of the turkey-buzzard. This disgusting bird, with its bald scarlet head, formed to wallow in putridity, is very common on the west coast, and their attendance on the seals shows on what they rely for their food. We found the water (probably only that of the surface) nearly fresh: this was caused by the number of torrents which, in the form of cascades, came tumbling over the bold granite mountains into the sea. The fresh water attracts the fish, and these bring many terns, gulls, and two kinds of cormorant. We saw also a pair of the beautiful black-necked swans, and several small sea-otters, the fur of which is held in such high estimation. In returning, we were again amused by the impetuous manner in which the heap of seals, old and young, tumbled into the water as the boat passed. They did not remain long under water, but rising, followed us with outstretched necks, expressing great wonder and curiosity. 7th. -- Having run up the coast, we anchored near the northern end of the Chonos Archipelago, in Low's Harbour, where we remained a week. The islands were here, as in Chiloe, composed of a stratified, soft, littoral deposit; and the vegetation in consequence was beautifully luxuriant. The woods came down to the sea-beach, just in the manner of an evergreen shrubbery over a gravel walk. We also enjoyed from the anchorage a splendid view of four great snowy cones of the Cordillera, including "el famoso Corcovado;" the range itself had in this latitude so little height, that few parts of it appeared above the tops of the neighbouring islets. We found here a party of five men from Caylen, "el fin del Cristiandad," who had most adventurously crossed in their miserable boat-canoe, for the purpose of fishing, the open space of sea which separates Chonos from Chiloe. These islands will, in all probability, in a short time become peopled like those adjoining the coast of Chiloe. The wild potato grows on these islands in great abundance, on the sandy, shelly soil near the sea-beach. The tallest plant was four feet in height. The tubers were generally small, but I found one, of an oval shape, two inches in diameter: they resembled in every respect, and had the same smell as English potatoes; but when boiled they shrunk much, and were watery and insipid, without any bitter taste. They are undoubtedly here indigenous: they grow as far south, according to Mr. Low, as lat. 50 degs., and are called Aquinas by the wild Indians of that part: the Chilotan Indians have a different name for them. Professor Henslow, who has examined the dried specimens which I brought home, says that they are the same with those described by Mr. Sabine [1] from Valparaiso, but that they form a variety which by some botanists has been considered as specifically distinct. It is remarkable that the same plant should be found on the sterile mountains of central Chile, where a drop of rain does not fall for more than six months, and within the damp forests of these southern islands. In the central parts of the Chonos Archipelago (lat. 45 degs.), the forest has very much the same character with that along the whole west coast, for 600 miles southward to Cape Horn. The arborescent grass of Chiloe is not found here; while the beech of Tierra del Fuego grows to a good size, and forms a considerable proportion of the wood; not, however, in the same exclusive manner as it does farther southward. Cryptogamic plants here find a most congenial climate. In the Strait of Magellan, as I have before remarked, the country appears too cold and wet to allow of their arriving at perfection; but in these islands, within the forest, the number of species and great abundance of mosses, lichens, and small ferns, is quite extraordinary. [2] In Tierra del Fuego trees grow only on the hillsides; every level piece of land being invariably covered by a thick bed of peat; but in Chiloe flat land supports the most luxuriant forests. Here, within the Chonos Archipelago, the nature of the climate more closely approaches that of Tierra del Fuego than that of northern Chiloe; for every patch of level ground is covered by two species of plants (Astelia pumila and Donatia magellanica), which by their joint decay compose a thick bed of elastic peat. In Tierra del Fuego, above the region of woodland, the former of these eminently sociable plants is the chief agent in the production of peat. Fresh leaves are always succeeding one to the other round the central tap-root, the lower ones soon decay, and in tracing a root downwards in the peat, the leaves, yet holding their place, can be observed passing through every stage of decomposition, till the whole becomes blended in one confused mass. The Astelia is assisted by a few other plants, -- here and there a small creeping Myrtus (M. nummularia), with a woody stem like our cranberry and with a sweet berry, -- an Empetrum (E. rubrum), like our heath, -- a rush (Juncus grandiflorus), are nearly the only ones that grow on the swampy surface. These plants, though possessing a very close general resemblance to the English species of the same genera, are different. In the more level parts of the country, the surface of the peat is broken up into little pools of water, which stand at different heights, and appear as if artificially excavated. Small streams of water, flowing underground, complete the disorganization of the vegetable matter, and consolidate the whole. The climate of the southern part of America appears particularly favourable to the production of peat. In the Falkland Islands almost every kind of plant, even the coarse grass which covers the whole surface of the land, becomes converted into this substance: scarcely any situation checks its growth; some of the beds are as much as twelve feet thick, and the lower part becomes so solid when dry, that it will hardly burn. Although every plant lends its aid, yet in most parts the Astelia is the most efficient. It is rather a singular circumstance, as being so very different from what occurs in Europe, that I nowhere saw moss forming by its decay any portion of the peat in South America. With respect to the northern limit, at which the climate allows of that peculiar kind of slow decomposition which is necessary for its production, I believe that in Chiloe (lat. 41 to 42 degs.), although there is much swampy ground, no well-characterized peat occurs: but in the Chonos Islands, three degrees farther southward, we have seen that it is abundant. On the eastern coast in La Plata (lat. 35 degs.) I was told by a Spanish resident who had visited Ireland, that he had often sought for this substance, but had never been able to find any. He showed me, as the nearest approach to it which he had discovered, a black peaty soil, so penetrated with roots as to allow of an extremely slow and imperfect combustion. The zoology of these broken islets of the Chonos Archipelago is, as might have been expected, very poor. Of quadrupeds two aquatic kinds are common. The Myopotamus Coypus (like a beaver, but with a round tail) is well known from its fine fur, which is an object of trade throughout the tributaries of La Plata. It here, however, exclusively frequents salt water; which same circumstance has been mentioned as sometimes occurring with the great rodent, the Capybara. A small sea-otter is very numerous; this animal does not feed exclusively on fish, but, like the seals, draws a large supply from a small red crab, which swims in shoals near the surface of the water. Mr. Bynoe saw one in Tierra del Fuego eating a cuttle-fish; and at Low's Harbour, another was killed in the act of carrying to its hole a large volute shell. At one place I caught in a trap a singular little mouse (M. brachiotis); it appeared common on several of the islets, but the Chilotans at Low's Harbour said that it was not found in all. What a succession of chances, [3] or what changes of level must have been brought into play, thus to spread these small animals throughout this broken archipelago! In all parts of Chiloe and Chonos, two very strange birds occur, which are allied to, and replace, the Turco and Tapacolo of central Chile. One is called by the inhabitants "Cheucau" (Pteroptochos rubecula): it frequents the most gloomy and retired spots within the damp forests. Sometimes, although its cry may be heard close at hand, let a person watch ever so attentively he will not see the cheucau; at other times, let him stand motionless and the red-breasted little bird will approach within a few feet in the most familiar manner. It then busily hops about the entangled mass of rotting cones and branches, with its little tail cocked upwards. The cheucau is held in superstitious fear by the Chilotans, on account of its strange and varied cries. There are three very distinct cries: One is called "chiduco," and is an omen of good; another, "huitreu," which is extremely unfavourable; and a third, which I have forgotten. These words are given in imitation of the noises; and the natives are in some things absolutely governed by them. The Chilotans assuredly have chosen a most comical little creature for their prophet. An allied species, but rather larger, is called by the natives "Guid-guid" (Pteroptochos Tarnii), and by the English the barking-bird. This latter name is well given; for I defy any one at first to feel certain that a small dog is not yelping somewhere in the forest. Just as with the cheucau, a person will sometimes hear the bark close by, but in vain many endeavour by watching, and with still less chance by beating the bushes, to see the bird; yet at other times the guid-guid fearlessly comes near. Its manner of feeding and its general habits are very similar to those of the cheucau. On the coast, [4] a small dusky-coloured bird (Opetiorhynchus Patagonicus) is very common. It is remarkable from its quiet habits; it lives entirely on the sea-beach, like a sandpiper. Besides these birds only few others inhabit this broken land. In my rough notes I describe the strange noises, which, although frequently heard within these gloomy forests, yet scarcely disturb the general silence. The yelping of the guid-guid, and the sudden whew-whew of the cheucau, sometimes come from afar off, and sometimes from close at hand; the little black wren of Tierra del Fuego occasionally adds its cry; the creeper (Oxyurus) follows the intruder screaming and twittering; the humming-bird may be seen every now and then darting from side to side, and emitting, like an insect, its shrill chirp; lastly, from the top of some lofty tree the indistinct but plaintive note of the white-tufted tyrant-flycatcher (Myiobius) may be noticed. From the great preponderance in most countries of certain common genera of birds, such as the finches, one feels at first surprised at meeting with the peculiar forms above enumerated, as the commonest birds in any district. In central Chile two of them, namely, the Oxyurus and Scytalopus, occur, although most rarely. When finding, as in this case, animals which seem to play so insignificant a part in the great scheme of nature, one is apt to wonder why they were created. But it should always be recollected, that in some other country perhaps they are essential members of society, or at some former period may have been so. If America south of 37 degs. were sunk beneath the waters of the ocean, these two birds might continue to exist in central Chile for a long period, but it is very improbable that their numbers would increase. We should then see a case which must inevitably have happened with very many animals. These southern seas are frequented by several species of Petrels: the largest kind, Procellaria gigantea, or nelly (quebrantahuesos, or break-bones, of the Spaniards), is a common bird, both in the inland channels and on the open sea. In its habits and manner of flight, there is a very close resemblance with the albatross; and as with the albatross, a person may watch it for hours together without seeing on what it feeds. The "break-bones" is, however, a rapacious bird, for it was observed by some of the officers at Port St. Antonio chasing a diver, which tried to escape by diving and flying, but was continually struck down, and at last killed by a blow on its head. At Port St. Julian these great petrels were seen killing and devouring young gulls. A second species (Puffinus cinereus), which is common to Europe, Cape Horn, and the coast of Peru, is of much smaller size than the P. gigantea, but, like it, of a dirty black colour. It generally frequents the inland sounds in very large flocks: I do not think I ever saw so many birds of any other sort together, as I once saw of these behind the island of Chiloe. Hundreds of thousands flew in an irregular line for several hours in one direction. When part of the flock settled on the water the surface was blackened, and a noise proceeded from them as of human beings talking in the distance. There are several other species of petrels, but I will only mention one other kind, the Pelacanoides Berardi which offers an example of those extraordinary cases, of a bird evidently belonging to one well-marked family, yet both in its habits and structure allied to a very distinct tribe. This bird never leaves the quiet inland sounds. When disturbed it dives to a distance, and on coming to the surface, with the same movement takes flight. After flying by a rapid movement of its short wings for a space in a straight line, it drops, as if struck dead, and dives again. The form of its beak and nostrils, length of foot, and even the colouring of its plumage, show that this bird is a petrel: on the other hand, its short wings and consequent little power of flight, its form of body and shape of tail, the absence of a hind toe to its foot, its habit of diving, and its choice of situation, make it at first doubtful whether its relationship is not equally close with the auks. It would undoubtedly be mistaken for an auk, when seen from a distance, either on the wing, or when diving and quietly swimming about the retired channels of Tierra del Fuego. [1] Horticultural Transact., vol. v. p. 249. Mr. Caldeleugh sent home two tubers, which, being well manured, even the first season produced numerous potatoes and an abundance of leaves. See Humboldt's interesting discussion on this plant, which it appears was unknown in Mexico, -- in Polit. Essay on New Spain, book iv. chap. ix. [2] By sweeping with my insect-net, I procured from these situations a considerable number of minute insects, of the family of Staphylinidae, and others allied to Pselaphus, and minute Hymenoptera. But the most characteristic family in number, both of individuals and species, throughout the more open parts of Chiloe and Chonos is that of Telephoridae. [3] It is said that some rapacious birds bring their prey alive to their nests. If so, in the course of centuries, every now and then, one might escape from the young birds. Some such agency is necessary, to account for the distribution of the smaller gnawing animals on islands not very near each other. [4] I may mention, as a proof of how great a difference there is between the seasons of the wooded and the open parts of this coast, that on September 20th, in lat. 34 degs., these birds had young ones in the nest, while among the Chonos Islands, three months later in the summer, they were only laying, the difference in latitude between these two places being about 700 miles. Peter v. Sengbusch - [email protected]	i don't know
Three Scottish kings, three Russian tsars and eight popes have all shared what name?	Famous Kings in History - A Knowledge Archive You are here: Home Famous Famous Kings in History Famous Kings in History Posted on May 22, 2012 by DE \| 0 Comments Both kings and dictators are autocrats- the domineering persons invested with absolute authority, but there is a subtle difference between them. Dictators usually snatch power by force without legal, social, religious or moral backing, whereas kings have a strong backing in all these factors. Therefore, kings are generally bound to behave and act in the best interest of their people. Some of the great historical empires are the Roman, Mongol, Russian, British, Hans, Byzantine, Umayyad and Ottoman Empires. The British Empire was probably the greatest as it covered more than a 13,000,000 square mile area, which is almost a quarter of the planet Earth. 1. Hammurabi Hammurabi Hammurabi was born in Babylon in 1792 BC and died in Babylon in 1750. After the abandonment of his father Sin-Muballit, Hammurabi became the 6th king of the first dynasty of Babylonia which prevailed from 1792 BC to 1750 BC. He reigned over 42 years from 1792-1750 BC. He fought and won many wars with neighboring countries and extended Babylonian control all over Mesopotamia, but his successors could not retain it. He is best known for the set of laws, known as Hammurabi’s Code. They are one of the first written laws in recorded history. These laws were written on stelae or the stone tablets standing 2.4 meters or about eight feet. They were discovered in Persia in 1901 and have gained renown all over the world during recent times. The code consists of 282 laws relating to inheritance, divorce, paternity, matters of contract. It also deals with the wages of for example, of an ox driver or a surgeon and the liability of builder for a house that collapses or a property that is damaged when left in someone’s custody. 2. Tutankhamen Tutankhamen Tutankhamen was born to Akhenaton and his wife ‘The younger Lady’ in 1341 BC and died 1323 BC at the age of 18 years. The younger Lady is an informal name given to the mummy discovered in the valley of Kings by the archaeologist Victor Loret in 1898. It has been identified as the mother of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, through recent DNA tests and has been designated as KV35YL; YL standing for ‘Young Lady’. Commonly known as ‘King Tut’ this Pharaoh (King) of Egypt inherited the kingdom from his predecessor Smenkhare and was succeeded by Ay. He belonged to the 18th dynasty and became the king at the age of 9. He reigned from 1332 to 1323 BC. Howard Carter and 5th Earl of Carnaryon; George Herbert discovered the almost intact tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. The king’s burial mask is a popular symbol present in the Egyptian museum and the artifacts from his tomb has been exhibited all over the world. 3. James VI and I James VI and I James VI and I was born to Henry Stuart; Lord Darnley and Mary; Queen of Scots in Edinburgh Castle, Scotland on June 19, 1566. He died in Theobalds House, England on March 27, 1625 at the age of 58. ‘James VI and I’ was King of Scots from July24, 1567 and King of England and Ireland from March 24, 1603 until his death. England and Scotland were separate sovereign states but both were ruled by James. He became the king at the age of 13. During his minority till 1578 four regents governed the state. In 1603 he succeeded the last Tudor Monarch of England and in Ireland; Queen Elizabeth ÃŽâ„¢, who died without leaving any issue. He reigned from March 24, 1603 to March 27, 1625. This period of 22 years is known a Jacobean era which was an extension of the Golden Age of Elizabethan literature. Great writers like William Shakespeare, John Donne, Ben Johnson and Sir Francis Bacon contributed to a flourishing literary culture. 4. Alexander the Great Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great was born in Pella, Macedon and died in Babylon on June 11,323 BC at the age of 32.He reigned from 336 to 323 BC. He was tutored by Aristotle until 16 years old. Alexander succeeded his Father King Philip II of Macedon. As King of Macedon, he developed one of the largest ancient empires, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. He fought many wars and remained undefeated. He had many titles including; Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, Hegemon of the Hellenic League, Shahanshah of Persia, Pharaoh of Egypt and Lord of Asia. He built more than 20 cities bearing his name, Alexandria of Egypt being one of them. 5. Genghis Khan Genghis Khan Genghis Khan was born in Khientij Mountains, Mongolia in 1162 and died on August 1227 at the age of 65. His titles include; Dali Khaqan of the Great Mongol State, Khaqan of Khamaq Mongols, Lord of Four Colors and Five Tongues, and Son of Khan Tengri. After founding the Mongol Empire, he started invading Kara-Khitan Khanate, Caucasus, Khawarezmid Empire, Western Xia and Jin Dynasties. These invasions caused large scale massacres of civil populations notably in Khawarezmia.He accuquired vast lands of China and central Asia. He is known as brutal, successful and the most powerful leader in his time. He united many nomadic tribes. 6. Ashoka the Great Ashoka Chakra Ashoka the Great was born in Pataliputra, Patna, India in 304 BC and died in 232 BC at the age of 72 in Pataliputra, Patna, India. Ashoka was an Indian Emperor belonging to the Maurya Dynasty. From 269 BC to 232 BC he ruled whole the present day subcontinent. His empire, headquartered in Magadha (currently Bihar, India), included present Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangla Desh, Assam and Kalinga. 7. Joseph II Joseph II Joseph II was born to Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Theresa of Austria in Schonbrunn Palace on March 13, 1741. He died in Vienna on February 20, 1790 at the age of 48. He was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of Habsburg from 1780 to 1790. He was the first ruler of Austrian Dominions, belonging to the House of Loraine. Like Catherine II of Russia and Fredrick II of Prussia, he has been considered as one of the high ranking enlightenment monarchs. He was educated by writings of Voltaire, Encyclopedistes and examples of King Fredrick II of Prussia. He reformed the legal system by abolishing brutal punishments, and the death penalty, imposing equal treatment for all offenders and by ending censorship of the press and theatre. 8. Hirohito Hirohito Belonging to ‘Imperial House of Japan’ Hiro Hito was born to Taisho and Teimei in Aoyama Palace, Tokyo, Japan. He died in Fulkiage palace, Tokyo on January7, 1989.Although more known as ‘Hirohito’ in the outside world, he was exclusively known by the name of his era as ‘Showa’ in Japan after his death. He was the 124th Emperor of Japan, which was a prosperous state when he took over. It was 9th biggest economy, 3rd most powerful naval force, and one of the five permanent members of the council of the League of Nations. 9. Jahangir Jahangir Nur-ud-din-Jahangir was born to the Moghul King Akber and Jodhabai in Fatehpur Sikri, India on September 20, 1569 and died in chingarhsiri, India on November 8, 1627 at the age of 58. He was one of the greatest Mughal Emperors and ruled from 1605 until his death. Jahangir is famous for the ‘Chain of Justice’ with 60 bells, hanging outside the palace. Anyone who pulled the chain was given person hearing by the emperor. He was a great king and an art lover too. 10. Haile Selassie I Haile Selassie I Belonging to House of Solomon, Ras Tafari Makonnen, better known as Haile Selassie I was born to Ras Makonnen Woldemikael Gudessa and Weyziro, Yeshimebert Ali Abajifarin Ejersa Goro, Ethiopia on July12, 1892 and died in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on August 27, 1975 at the age of 83. He was Regent of Ethiopia from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Haile Selassie I is one of the most important figures in the history of Africa and Ethiopia. He condemned the use of chemical weapons by Italy against its own people. It was by the dint of his positive and humane views that Ethiopia became a chartered member of UN. He is revered as an embodiment of Messiah among the members of the Rastafari Movement with an estimated following of 600,000 members. Conclusion: Whereas a king is the most powerful person of his kingdom, he is simultaneously the most vulnerable person too. Kings are entitled to do anything but nothing is found worthy of being done by kings. Consequently it is almost always that the others do things for him and these ‘others’ include traitors, hypocrites and power thirsty people. Slightest deviation of the kings from the right track is taken by the courtiers as license to do wrong at the cost of the king’s repute and health of the kingdom in general. Share this:	Alexander
Which Radio 4 programme calls itself ‘the antidote to panel games’?	Alexander - Meaning And Origin Of The Name Alexander \| NAMEANING.NET FakeName Alexander Meaning : Derived from the Old Greek meaning 'defender of men', the name was first borne by Paris the prince of Troy, who was given the nickname by herdsmen whom he had defended., Defender Of The People, Defender of the People, To defend; man warrior, Name Number: 3 Meaning: Communication, Interaction, Friendship, Joy, Lightness, Humor, Art, Positivity, Optimism Additional information Alexander: Alexander Hamilton, American statesman. From the Latin form of Greek name Alexandros, comprised of 'to defend' and 'man warrior', Alexander became very popular in the post-classical period. Usage is largely derived from the fame of Alexander the Great, King of Macedon. Swedish Meaning: The name Alexander is a Swedish baby name. In Swedish the meaning of the name Alexander is: Defender of man. American Meaning: The name Alexander is an American baby name. In American the meaning of the name Alexander is: Defender of man. Greek Meaning: The name Alexander is a Greek baby name. In Greek the meaning of the name Alexander is: Defender of men. Alexander the Great was a 4th century Macedonian king for whom the Egyptian city of Alexandria is named. Eight popes and three Russian emperors have been named Alexander. Biblical Meaning: The name Alexander is a Biblical baby name. In Biblical the meaning of the name Alexander is: One who assists men. Shakespearean Meaning: The name Alexander is a Shakespearean baby name. In Shakespearean the meaning of the name Alexander is: Henry VI, Part 2' Alexander Iden, a Kentish gentleman. 'The History of Troilus and Cressida' Servant to Cressida. Both classic and trendy, Alexander comes from the Latin form of the Greek Alexandros, which breaks down into “to defend” (alexo) and “man/warrior” (ander). The meaning is pretty perfect for the name’s most famous bearer -- Alexander the Great, the fourth century B.C. king and conqueror from Macedonia who spread his Greek empire from Asia Minor to Egypt and India. Since then, the name’s been pretty popular -- it’s been used by tons of popes, emperors, kings, and other rulers and has variations in just about every language. In the US, it was mildly popular at the end of the nineteenth century, then took a dip until the ’70s and has been in the top 25 since ’92. Right now, it’s as popular as ever. There are tons of nickname options beyond the obvious Alex -- Xander, Sasha, Alek, and so on -- though you can’t really go wrong with the original. Despite its popularity, Alex has retained its classic but slightly edgy appeal, thanks in part to the trendy “x” ending. Not a bad choice at all. Latinized form of the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, King of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe. The name has been used by kings of Scotland, Poland and Yugoslavia, emperors of Russia, and eight popes. Other notable bearers include English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744), American statesman Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), Scottish-Canadian explorer Sir Alexander MacKenzie (1764-1820), Russian poet Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), and Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor of the telephone. Definition funny of Alexander: Usually a very very very goodlooking straight gentleman that has great taste in women. He has a crazy side to him but only shows it infront of true friends. Has great style, is hilarious, amazing, caring, sweet and will make you smile. You will always have a good time with an Alexander, so if you got a friend named Alexander count yourself one of the luckiest people in the world! Why you smiling like that? I hung out with Alexander NO WAY! The name for a true gentleman Wow, your boyfriend sure is an alexander! the name of a gentleman Wow, your boyfriend sure is an alexander! the most outstanding person in the world! This name indicates success, cleverness, sensitivity and helpfulness! Alexander is the name for an emperor Expression information Alexander: People with this name tend to be creative and excellent at expressing themselves. They are drawn to the arts, and often enjoy life immensely. They are often the center of attention, and enjoy careers that put them in the limelight. They tend to become involved in many different activities, and are sometimes reckless with both their energies and with money. Soul information Alexander: People with this name have a deep inner desire to create and express themselves, often in public speaking, acting, writing or singing. They also yearn to have beauty around them in their home and work environment. Songs about Alexander: Alexander Graham Bell - Brian Connolly Alexander the Great - Iron Maiden Joseph and Alexander - Of Montreal Workin' (feat. Alexander King) by Big Smo from the Album Kuntry Livin' Anything Goes (feat. Alexander King) by Big Smo from the Album Kuntry Livin' Saturday Love- Featuring Alexander O'Neal by Cherrelle from the Album The Right time Everything I Miss At Home [feat. Alexander O'Neal] by Cherrelle with Alexander O'Neal from the Album Best Of Goldsmith: The Caravan [The Mummy - Orchestrated by Alexander Courage] by Orchestra from the Album The Mummy - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Explicit] Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) by Iron Maiden from the Album Somewhere In Time Alexander's Ragtime Band (Studio) by Bessie Smith from the Album Alexander's Ragtime Band Books about Alexander: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz (Jul 15, 1987) Alexander by Harold Littledale and Tom Vroman (Jun 1964) New Regime (Rune Alexander Book 5) by Laken Cane (Oct 18, 2014) Alexander the Great: The Macedonian Who Conquered the World by Sean Patrick (May 13, 2013) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Classic Board Books) by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz (Jan 7, 2014) Alexander, Who's Trying His Best to Be the Best Boy Ever by Judith Viorst and Isidre Mones (Aug 26, 2014) Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by SILVER BURDETT (Aug 30, 1987) Movies about Alexander: Alexander 2014 NR CC - Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins Starring: Anton Pampushnyy, Bogdan Stupka, et al. Directed by: Igor Kalyonov Alexander the Great 2010 NR CC - Runtime: 1 hr 5 mins Directed by: CreateSpace Alexander (Theatrical Cut) (2004) 2008 R CC - Runtime: 2 hrs 56 mins Starring: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, et al. Directed by: Oliver Stone Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 2020 PG - Starring: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, et al. Directed by: Miguel Arteta Moondance Alexander 2008 G CC - Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins Starring: Don Johnson, Lori Loughlin, et al. Directed by: Michael Damian The Alexander Revisited: (Unrated) Final Cut (2004) 2008 R CC - Runtime: 3 hrs 34 mins Starring: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, et al. Directed by: Oliver Stone Alexander The Great 2007 NR - Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins Starring: Richard Burton, Fredric March, et al. Directed by: Michael Furlong and Robert Rossen Famous about Alexander: Alexander “A-Rod” Rodriguez - baseball player Wiki information Alexander: Alexander the Great Military Commander, Exhibition subject, Noble person, Influence Node, Name source, Military Person, Person Or Being In Fiction, Deceased Person, Literature Subject, Person Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a King of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, member of the Argead dynasty. Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II, to the throne at the age of twenty.... Alexander II of Russia Monarch, Organization founder, Literature Subject, Chivalric Order Member, Person or entity appearing in film, Person, Noble person, Person Or Being In Fiction, Family member, Deceased Person Alexander II was the Emperor of Russia from 2 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881. He was also the King of Poland and the Grand Prince of Finland. Alexander was the most successful Russian reformer since Peter the Great. His most important... Name Meaning	i don't know
Which 80s sitcom starred Penelope Wilton as Ann Bryce and Peter Egan as Paul Ryman?	Ever Decreasing Circles (TV Series 1984–1989) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Martin is a committee man. He has numerous schemes and committees organised around the neighbourhood. He is so obsessive about every detail of everything he does he is driving his long ... See full summary » Stars: Everything looks rosy, despite the big changes. 9.1 The friends rent a country cottage. Martin shines with his practical knowledge. But then he gets a bit stuck. 9.1 Ann is in hospital leaving martin to manage at home by himself. He plans everything down to the finest detail, but the best laid plans. 8.9 a list of 65 titles created 09 Jun 2014 a list of 23 titles created 31 Jul 2014 a list of 22 titles created 8 months ago a list of 42 titles created 7 months ago a list of 46 titles created 5 months ago Title: Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–1989) 7.4/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Ria, a happily married suburban housewife, reaches the age where she feels as if life is passing her by. Being taken for granted by her butterfly collecting dentist husband doesn't help. So... See full summary » Stars: Wendy Craig, Geoffrey Palmer, Bruce Montague The series followed the wavering relationship between two ex-lovers, Penny Warrender, a secretary for an advertising firm, and Vincent Pinner, an ex ice cream salesman turned turf ... See full summary » Stars: Paul Nicholas, Jan Francis, Sylvia Kay A rather naive, middle-class man is admitted to a hospital ward and finds that he is sharing it with a working-class layabout and an upper-class hypochondriac. All three of them cause headaches for the hospital staff. Stars: James Bolam, Peter Bowles, Christopher Strauli Wolfie Smith is an unemployed dreamer from Tooting London, a self proclaimed Urban Guerilla who aspires to be like his hero Che Guevara. Leading a small group called the Tooting Popular ... See full summary » Stars: Robert Lindsay, Mike Grady, Hilda Braid The perils of "escaping the rat race" and dropping out of society - to start a farm in Surbiton (and to drive Margo nuts). Stars: Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith Audrey fforbes-Hamilton is sad when her husband dies but is shocked when she realises that she has to leave Grantleigh Manor where her family has lived forever. The new owner is Richard De ... See full summary » Stars: Penelope Keith, Peter Bowles, Angela Thorne Comic goings on in this series set in an English holiday camp called Maplins. The title comes from the camp's greeting, which the staff are meant to say with enthusiasm but all too often ... See full summary » Stars: Paul Shane, Ruth Madoc, Jeffrey Holland Bless This House centres on life in Birch Avenue, Putney, where travelling stationery salesman Sid Abbott (Sidney James) and his wife Jean (Diana Coupland) live with their teenagers: Mike (... See full summary » Stars: Sidney James, Diana Coupland, Sally Geeson The Liverpool-based Boswell family are experts at exploiting the system to get by in life. Despite the fact that none of the Boswells are officially employed, they manage to live a fairly ... See full summary » Stars: Jean Boht, Nick Conway, Jonathon Morris BBC Television comedy detailing the fortunes of Reginald Iolanthe Perrin. Disillusioned after a long career at Sunshine Desserts, Perrin goes through a mid-life crisis and fakes his own ... See full summary » Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Pauline Yates, John Barron Jacko is a house painter who "appreciates" women, he sees the best in each one of them and they in turn, like him. Will he find true love ? Will he settle down as he gets older ? Stars: Karl Howman, Mike Walling, Jackie Lye The comic adventures of a group of misfits who form an extremely bad concert party touring the hot and steamy jungles of Burma entertaining the troops during World War II. Stars: Windsor Davies, Melvyn Hayes, Donald Hewlett Edit Storyline Martin is a committee man. He has numerous schemes and committees organised around the neighbourhood. He is so obsessive about every detail of everything he does he is driving his long suffering wife, Anne, slowly crazy. Then the new neighbour Paul arrives. He has a more worldly outlook than those who live under Martin's organisational spell. There is an immediate clash of personalities because Martin treats everything so seriously, but to Paul, life is for enjoying and not to be taken so seriously. Written by Steve Crook <[email protected]> 29 January 1984 (UK) See more » Also Known As: The role of Martin was written with Richard Briers in mind. See more » Quotes Martin Bryce : [describing the road in which he lives, giving a laugh like he's pleased with his joke] We're a very close close. (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews Apart from Only Fools and Horses there is no better mainstream 80s comedy than this, on the surface it's the usual middle class suburban fare with clichéd characters but is a whole lot deeper, cleverer and funnier than that. Richard Bryers gives his best comedy performance, quality support from Penelope Wilton and Peter Egan is well cast as his foil Paul. Then of course the shows light relief in the form of 'his and hers' outfits, Howard and Hilda. The show exists in very ordinary unspectacular surroundings of a London suburb but no shame there, as thats pretty much the situation most of us live in. Much of the comedy derives from Martin Bryce's (Byrers) insecurity as he see's Paul as the threat to his quiet little corner of England. 3 of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes	Ever Decreasing Circles
What corrosive liquid makes up about 38% of the electrolyte in a car battery?	'80s Actual: Ever Decreasing Circles Ever Decreasing Circles Martin - an officious little man... His wife, Ann, introduced him to suave new neighbour Paul Ryman in 1984... Martin's friends and neighbours, Hilda and Howard Hughes (!), often liked to wear matching outfits, and made a wickerwork donkey called "Neddy". Actor Richard Briers had worked with writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey before - most notably on the highly popular BBC TV comedy The Good Life. The premise of The Good Life had been that middle aged, middle class Tom Good, stuck in a boring nine-to-five office job and living in suburbia, was suddenly galvanised by a notion born of the 1960s: he would leave the rat race - give up his wretched job and try self sufficiency! The Good Life was a huge success. In 1984, Richard Briers set to work with John Esmonde and Bob Larbey again - to produce a sitcom I enjoyed even more than The Good Life, and one which turned the premise of that worthy show completely on its head. The leading character of this new show, Martin Bryce, was a pain in the neck. He loved routine; loved to organise; loved detail. He was in charge of a mass of local committees and clubs and generally got up a lot of people's noses. Courtesy of his unhappy childhood, he was a real control freak. Esmonde and Larbey wanted a funny man for the role, somebody who would prevent the character from being completely hateful, and offered it to Briers. In my view this role was more demanding than that of Tom Good - Martin was far more intricate. Briers managed to make the character extremely funny, but also so irritating at times that many viewers wanted to strangle him - and so vulnerable and boyish-looking in defeat that many of the would-be stranglers then wanted to hug him. Underneath it all, Martin was a thoroughly decent man, willing to sacrifice his own wellbeing for the sake of the happiness of the woman he loved, as one episode proved. A terrific performance - and Richard Briers's favourite sitcom role. Martin's wife, Ann, was played by Penelope Wilton. Ann had been proposed to by Martin whilst she was at a low ebb, her life at a difficult and disorganised juncture. "Let me do the organising," Martin had said. And that was it. Ann was a faithful wife but she was strongly attracted to suave new neighbour Paul Ryman, who moved into Martin's beloved suburban Close in 1984. Paul, played by Peter Egan, owned a hairdressing salon and was a success. Everything he touched turned to gold. He was attracted to Ann too and initially amused by the humourless and detail-obsessed Martin. But gradually the amusement became mingled with fondness and, having witnessed a couple of Martin's selfless deeds (yes, he was capable of them!), some respect. Also living in The Close were Martin's friends, Howard and Hilda Hughes (Geraldine Newman and Stanley Lebor). Howard and Hilda were twee to the max, with their matching outfits, wickerwork Neddy and addiction to rosehip syrup, but they adored each other. Whilst very happy with her lot in life, and usually hard to ruffle, Hilda was sometimes troubled by strange thoughts: had she attracted a poltergeist? And what was that strange buzzing in her ear? "It's her time of life!" said an auntie of mine, very significantly. A title for the show had proved elusive, and Ever Decreasing Circles was dreamt up at the last moment, out of desperation. Not everybody enjoyed Every Decreasing Circles, but for those of us who were in tune (and the show was tremendously popular) each episode was a great pleasure. The series was rounded off with a special feature length episode in 1989. Ann became pregnant and the couple were forced to up sticks and leave Martin's adored Close as his employers relocated. Richard Briers' performance as Martin was positively inspired throughout the show's run - indeed, it was this role that convinced me Mr B was a great actor - but the rest of the cast could not be faulted either. From Penelope Wilton as long-suffering-but-never-wimpish Ann, to Peter Egan as suave-but-not-smug Paul, and across the road to Geraldine Newman and Stanley Lebor as the slightly surreal Howard and Hilda, the entire cast was terrific, painting a vivid picture of life in The Close. The place where, according to Martin, "England lives". Poor England! All together now: "Three hundred and seventy five men went to mow, went to mow a meadow..." Oh, and you'd better put the telephone receiver right. Posted by	i don't know
In which British city can you find the Roman temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva?	Sulis Minerva - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Sulis Minerva Wikis Sulis Minerva: Wikis Advertisements Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Sul" redirects here. For other uses, see SUL . Gilt bronze head from the cult statue of Sulis Minerva from the Temple at Bath, found in Stall Street in 1727 and now displayed at the Roman Baths (Bath) . In localised Celtic polytheism practiced in Britain, Sul or Sulis [1] was a deity worshipped at the thermal spring of Bath (now in Somerset ). She was worshipped by the Romano-British as Sulis Minerva , whose votive objects and inscribed lead tablets suggest that she was conceived of both as a nourishing, life-giving mother goddess and as an effective agent of curses wished by her votaries. [2] The tablets were often written in code, by means of letters or words being written backwards; word order may be reversed and lines may be written in alternating directions, from left to right and then right to left. While most texts from Roman Britain are in Latin, occasional texts may be in a Celtic language. Typically, the text on the tablets offered to Sulis relates to theft; for example, of small amounts of money or clothing from the bath-house. In formulaic, often legalistic, language tablets appeal to the deity, Sulis, to punish the known or unknown perpetrators of the crime until reparation be made. Sulis is typically requested to impair the physical and mental well being of the perpetrator, by the denial of sleep, by causing normal bodily functions to cease or even by death. These afflictions are to cease only when the property is returned to the owner or disposed of as the owner wishes, often by its being dedicated to the deity. [3] One message found on a tablet in the Temple at Bath (once decoded) reads: "Dodimedis has lost two gloves. He asks that the person who has stolen them should lose his mind and eyes in the temple where she appoint." [4] Contents 4 References Etymology Suil in Old Irish is 'eye' or 'gap'. Did her name "Sulis" suggest, in Brittonic , the 'orifice or gap' through which the healing waters ran? At Delphi the omphalos or navel was an opening into the other world. The usual etymology is that Sulis means 'sun', however, as this is the original form of Welsh haul 'sun' and Old Irish suil (from Indo-European *sawel-); cf. Latin sol 'sun'. Cult at Bath The Roman baths at Bath. Sulis was the local goddess of the thermal springs that still feed the spa baths at Bath , which the Romans called Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis"). [5] Her name appears on inscriptions at Bath, but nowhere else. This is not surprising, as Celtic deities often preserved their archaic localisation. They remained to the end associated with a specific place, often a cleft in the earth, a spring, pool or well. The Greeks referred to the similarly local pre-Hellenic deities in the local epithets that they assigned, associated with the cult of their Olympian pantheon at certain places (Zeus Molossos only at Dodona , for example). The Romans tended to lose sight of these specific locations, except in a few Etruscan cult inheritances and ideas like the genius loci , the guardian spirit of a place. The gilt bronze cult statue of Sulis Minerva "appears to have been deliberately damaged" sometime in later Antiquity, perhaps by barbarian raiders, Christian zealots, or some other forces. [6] ‘Minerva’ At Bath, the Roman temple is dedicated to Sulis Minerva, as the primary deity of the temple spa. Through the Roman Minerva syncresis , later mythographers have inferred that Sulis was also a goddess of wisdom and decisions. Sulis was not the only goddess exhibiting syncretism with Minerva . Senua 's name appears on votive plaques bearing Minerva's image, while Brigantia also shares many traits associated with Minerva. The identification of multiple Celtic gods with the same Roman god is not unusual (both Mars and Mercury were paired with a multiplicity of Celtic names). On the other hand, Celtic goddesses tended to resist syncretism; Sulis Minerva is one of the few attested pairings of a Celtic goddess with her Roman counterpart. Dedications to “ Minerva ” are common in both Great Britain and continental Europe, normally without any Celtic epithet or interpretation. (Cf. Belisama for one exception.) A similar name, Suleviae , frequently identified as a plural form of Sulis, has been attested in the epigraphic record from sites at Bath and elsewhere. The aspect of plurality links the Suleviae to a good many widely-revered divine mothers , who frequently appear with two or three primary aspects to their character. On the other hand, the identification of the Suleviae with Sulis has been dismissed by some researchers who suggest that the similarity of the names is coincidental. [7] References ^ Also found as Sulevis: see Suleviae . ^ Joyce Reynolds and Terence Volk, "Review: Gifts, Curses, Cult and Society at Bath", reviewing The Temple of Sulis Minerva at Bath: vol. 2 The Finds from the Sacred Spring, in Britannia 21 (1990:379-391).	Baath
Ace of Base, The Cardigans and Roxette are all bands from which country?	Minerva \| Order of Bards and Druids Minerva by Bill Blank There is a Romano-Celtic solid bronze votive in the form of the helmeted head of Minerva (1st century CE, 1.5", 3.8 cm tall). Intensely stylized, she wears a high crested helmet decorated on either side with dolphins. Her hair falls in locks at the perimeter of her helmet. Her facial detail, including her wide eyes, broad nose and tightly closed lips, is strongly preserved. She wears an ornamental breastplate that ironically mirrors her own expression. This figure is an example of bronze votive Roman art as influenced by the native Celts of Britain. The eyes, and particularly the breastplate, are predominately Celtic in design. One of the unique features of this example is the breastplate which mirrors the goddess’ serious facial expression. Also, the sculpting of the helmet is zoomorphically styled with the dolphin heads. There are three similarly-sized bronze Minerva busts on display in the British Museum. This particular example is in my own collection. Minerva was the Roman goddess of war, wisdom and the crafts. In Britain at the turn of the 1st millennium CE, Minerva was depicted throughout Celtic Britain in both purely Roman fashion and in the more abstract Celtic style as illustrated above. But in Bath, at the temple of Aquae Sulis she becomes ‘fully equated with a Celtic goddess, Sulis’. (1) Sulis was a local goddess of healing who ruled over the remarkable hot spring beside the river Avon near Bath (Aquae Sulis). She was not only a water deity, but her name Sulis is obviously linked with the sun, probably related to the heat of the waters. Thus she represents two of the elements, water and fire. Her association with Minerva may have related with the craft of healing. Miranda Green says, The shrine of Sulis Minerva at Bath provides a superb example of the conflation and hybridization of Roman and Celtic religious beliefs and practices. On epigraphic dedications to the goddess where both Celtic and Roman names are mentioned, that of the indigenous goddess, Sulis, is always put first, thereby emphasizing that she was the patroness of the spring and that her cult was long standing. (2) Perhaps the most famous image from Aqua Sulis is the masculine Medusa head on the main temple pediment. This is a most remarkable image relating the classical Greek myth of Perseus and the Gorgon with the Celtic goddess Sulis and, by inference, the Roman goddess Minerva. The Celtic influence in this image has transformed the female gorgon into a male, bearded face. The locks of hair can represent not only waves of the sea, but also rays of the sun, again linking both fire and water to the sacred spring. Snakes in the beard leave little doubt of the Medusa relationship. Wings on each side of the head suggest a relation with air and the stone of the figure with earth. Thus this single Celtic image combines the four elements - earth, air, fire and water - in a composite whole which hearkens from the Celts through the Romans to the Greeks and, as a predecessor to the future Greenman. The Legend of Catumandus The Greek colony, Massilia (now Marseilles) was founded in the early 6th century BCE near to what was to become the Celtic heartland. The Celts, as they developed, had generally good trading relationships with the Massalians with minor skirmishes won by the Massalians. However, in the early 1st century BCE, one Catumandus, meaning 'general' or 'he who directs battle' (cf. Irish cath and Welsh cad , battle), chieftain of the Saluvii centered on what in now Entremont, attacked Massilia. As reported by Pompeius Trogus, he saw ‘a vision of a menacing women who told him that she was a goddess' whom Catumandus took to be one of the Celtic triple goddesses of death and war (cf. the later Irish Morrigu, The Morrigan). She warned him against continuing the attack. Catumandus broke off his attack, sued for peace with the Massialians and asked if he could enter the city and worship their gods: According to Trogus, he recognized a statue of a goddess at the portico of the temple of Minerva and claimed it was the very woman he had seen in his vision. He therefore presented his gold torque, his necklace symbolizing his rank, as a sacrifice to the goddess and swore a treaty of perpetual friendship with the city. (3) Although Trogus reports this story, it certainly has the feel of legend or myth. It also suggests, however, that the Celts had encountered Minerva long before the Romans invaded the Celtic world and had probably incorporated here into their pantheon by whatever name. References: 1. The Gods of Roman Britain, Miranda Jane Green, Shire Archaeology, 1993, ISBN: 0852636342, pp.29-31 2. Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend, Miranda J. Green, Thames & Hudson, 1992, ISBN: 0-500-01516-3, pp.200-202 3. Celt and Greek: Celts in the Hellenic World, Peter B. Ellis, Constable, 1997, ISBN#: 0-09-475580-9, p. 50	i don't know
A smooth hill shaped by moving ice made up of glacial drift is known as a what?	Glacial Landforms and Features - The shape of the land, Forces and changes, Spotlight on famous forms, For More Information Glacial Landforms and Features Glacial landforms and features Photo by: pablo_hernan During the last Ice Age, which ended approximately 10,000 years ago, 32 percent of Earth's land area was covered with glaciers. At present, glaciers cover roughly 10 percent of the land area. A vast majority of that glacial ice overlies much of the continent of Antarctica. Most of the rest covers a great portion of Greenland; a small percentage is found in places such as Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Patagonia, New Zealand, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Alps. Glaciers are not landforms. The action of glaciers, however, creates landforms. It is a process known as glaciation. Glacial ice is an active agent of erosion, which is the gradual wearing away of Earth surfaces through the action of wind and water. Glaciers move, and as they do, they scour the landscape, "carving" out landforms. They also deposit rocky material they have picked up, creating even more features. The work of present-day glaciers, however, is slow and confined to certain areas of the planet. Less obvious but far more reaching has been the work of Ice Age glaciers. Many of the distinctive features of the northern landscapes of North America and Europe were formed by glaciers that once covered almost one-third of the planet's land surface. The shape of the land A glacier is a large body of ice that formed on land from the compaction and recrystallization of snow, survives year to year, and shows some sign of movement downhill due to gravity. Two types of glaciers exist: relatively small glaciers that form in high elevations near the tops of mountains are called alpine or mountain glaciers; glaciers that form over large areas of continents close to the poles (the North and South Poles; the extreme northernmost and southernmost points on the globe) are called continental glaciers or ice sheets. Two continental glaciers are found on Earth: one covers 85 percent of Greenland in the Northern Hemisphere and the other covers more than 95 percent of Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere. Glacial landforms and features: Words to Know Ablation zone: The area of a glacier where mass is lost through melting or evaporation at a greater rate than snow and ice accumulate. Accumulation zone: The area of a glacier where mass is increased through snowfall at a greater rate than snow and ice is lost through ablation. Alpine glacier: A random mixture of finely crushed rock, sand, pebbles, and boulders deposited by a glacier. Valley glacier: An alpine glacier flowing downward through a preexisting stream valley. Both types of glaciers create landforms through erosion. These erosional features may be as large as the Great Lakes of North America or as small as scratches left in pebbles. As a glacier moves, it scours away material underneath it, plucking up rocks, some of which may be house-sized boulders. This material then becomes embedded in the ice at the base of a glacier. As the glacier continues to move, the embedded material abrades or scrapes the rock underneath. The slow scraping and grinding produces a fine-grained material known as rock flour. It also produces long parallel scratches and grooves known as striations in the underlying rocks. Because they are aligned parallel to the direction of ice flow, glacial striations help geologists determine the flow path of former glaciers. Another small-scale erosional feature is glacial polish. This is a smooth and shiny surface produced on rocks underneath a glacier when material encased in the ice abrades the rocks like fine sandpaper. Moving ice sculpts a variety of landforms out of the landscape. Larger-scale erosional features include bowl-shaped, steep-walled depressions carved out of the side of mountains. These depressions are called cirques (pronounced SIRKS), and the relatively small alpine glaciers that fill them are called cirque glaciers. If the glacier melts and a small lake fills the central depression in a cirque, that lake is known as a tarn. Two or more glacial cirques may form on a mountainside, eroding away the rock between them to create a steep-sided, sharp-edged ridge known as an arête (pronounced ah-RHET). When the walls of three or more glacial cirques meet, they may form a high mountain peak known as a horn. When a cirque glacier expands outward and flows downward through a stream valley that already exists, it becomes a valley glacier. Through erosion, valley glaciers turn V-shaped stream valleys into U-shaped glacial troughs. Smaller valley glaciers, known as tributary glaciers, may form alongside a main valley glacier and eventually flow into it. The shallower glacial troughs created by these glaciers are known as hanging valleys. A valley glacier that flows out of a mountainous area onto a gentle slope or plain and spreads out over the surrounding terrain is a piedmont glacier. A valley glacier may flow all the way to a coastline, carving out a narrow glacial trough. If the glacier melts and the valley fills with seawater, it is known as a fjord (pronounced fee-ORD). Although prominent along the west coast of Norway, fjords are also found along the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, Chile, Greenland, New Zealand, and Scotland. Glaciers leave their mark on the landscape not only through erosion, but also through deposition. Deposition involves carrying loose materials from one area and leaving, or depositing, these materials in another area. Depositional features are created by the release of rocky material from a glacier. They vary widely in scale and form. All sediment (rock debris ranging from clay to boulders) deposited as a result of glacial erosion is called glacial drift. Like a stream, a glacier picks up and carries sediment particles of various sizes. Unlike a stream, a glacier can carry part of that sediment load on its bottom, its sides, or its top (sediment on top has fallen onto the glacier from the valley walls). Another difference between the two is that when a stream deposits its load of sediment, it does so in order of size and weight: large, heavy particles are deposited first, followed by particles that are increasingly smaller and lighter. When a glacier deposits sediment, there is no such order. The particles are unsorted, with large and small particles mixed together. This random mixture of finely crushed rock, sand, pebbles, and boulders deposited by a glacier is referred to as till. Since a glacier can carry rocks for great distances before depositing them, those rocks generally differ from the surrounding native rocks in that area. In fact, because they are derived from a very large area eroded by a glacier, glacial deposits contain the widest variety of rock types. A glacially deposited large boulder that differs in composition from the rocks around it is called an erratic. A deposit of till that forms a ridge or mound is called a moraine (meh-RAIN). Moraines deposited along the sides of alpine glaciers are called lateral moraines. When two valley glaciers converge to create a single larger glacier, their opposing lateral moraines merge to form a ridge that Major features of glaciation, or the action of glaciers on a landscape . runs down the middle of the new glacier. This is a medial moraine. A moraine deposited at the leading edge of a glacier, marking its farthest advance, is a terminal or end moraine. Finally, a continuous layer of till deposited beneath a steadily retreating glacier is a ground moraine. Another common glacial landform is the drumlin. This tear-drop-shaped hill forms underneath a glacier. The tail of the drumlin points in the direction of the ice movement. Geologists are unsure exactly how drumlins form, whether a glacier scrapes up material beneath it or deposits material it already carries or a combination of both. Drumlins may be quite large, measuring up to 200 feet (60 meters) in height and 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) in length. As a glacier melts, it produces meltwater that flows on top, within, and underneath the glacier through channels. This meltwater moves large quantities of sediment from the glacier. At the leading edge of the glacier, also known as the terminus or glacier snout, the meltwater emerges in large streams that carry it away from the glacier. The sediment in the meltwater is then deposited, forming a broad, sweeping plain called an outwash plain. Since the sediment was carried in water, it is deposited in a sorted manner, with the largest particles first and the smallest particles last. If a glacier melts and retreats, curving, snakelike ridges of sediment may mark the former locations of streams that existed under the glacier. These long, twisting ridges are called eskers. Two other features that result from the melting of glaciers are kames and kettles. As a glacier begins to melt, a depression may form on its top surface, filling with water and sediment. When the glacier finally melts away, the sediment is set down on the surface of the ground, forming a steep-sided, conical mound or hill known as a kame. A kettle forms when a large chunk of ice separates from the main glacier. Buried by glacial till, the ice then melts, leaving a depression in the landscape. This eventually becomes filled with water, forming a kettle lake. Forces and changes: Construction and destruction Glaciers are moving ice. They can range in size from small patches to ice sheets covering millions of square miles. The world's largest alpine glacier is the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan. Measuring 47 miles (75 kilometers) in length, it contains more than 13.6 cubic miles (56.7 cubic kilometers) of ice. The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. It covers an area of almost 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers) and contains over 7 million cubic miles (29 million cubic kilometers) of ice. Loess Loess (pronounced LUSS; a German word meaning "loose") is a deposit of fine, yellowish-gray, silty sediment. Composed of mineral particles finer than sand but coarser than dust or clay, loess forms fertile topsoils. Areas with large loess deposits are found in the central and northwestern United States, in central and eastern Europe, and in eastern China. The majority of loess was formed by the action of glaciers and wind (some loess comes from the transport of sediment from desert areas). After the last ice age, meltwater streams from the retreating continental glaciers transported vast amounts of rock flour and other fine sediment away from the glaciers. Strong winds blowing off the glaciers (because glacial ice cools the air and cold air moves to lower elevations at the front of the glacier) picked up the fine sediment and carried it far beyond the outwash plains before it was deposited. Since loess is transported in the air, it is very well sorted, and is mostly silt combined with a small amount of clay. Loess is generally deposited as a blanket over everything, both hills and valleys. It is often removed by wind and water to fill up basins and depressions. Glacial formation A glacier does not start out as a glacier. All that ice began to form when snow—delicate, feathery crystals of ice—fell in areas above the snow line, the elevation above which snow can form and remain all year. It takes snow on top of snow on top of more snow to create a glacier; it also takes a long time. On average, 10 feet (3 meters) of snow will turn into 1 foot (0.3 meter) of ice. In polar regions, where annual snowfall is Glacial effects and features . generally very low because the air is too cold to hold much moisture, it may take snow about 1,000 years to turn into ice. In time, if snow does not melt but is buried beneath additional layers of snow, it will begin to compress. This forces the snow crystals to recrystallize, forming grains similar in size and shape to cane sugar. As new snow piles on top and the snow below becomes further compressed, the grains grow larger and the air spaces between them become smaller. Over a short period of time, perhaps the span of two winters, the compressed snow turns into a granular material known as firn or névé (pronounced nay-VAY). The density (amount of mass in a given volume) of regular snow is about 10 percent that of water. The density of firn is about 50 percent that of water. Once the thickness of the overlying snow exceeds about 165 feet (50 meters), the firn turns into a solid mass of glacial ice. Additions to a glacier's mass are called accumulation; losses through melting, erosion, or evaporation are called ablation (pronounced ah-BLAY-shun). A glacier may be divided into two distinct zones. Where snow and ice accumulate faster than they melt away or evaporate is the accumulation zone; where melting and evaporation occur faster than accumulation is the ablation zone. The upper part of a glacier is its accumulation zone, while the lower part is its ablation zone. The boundary between the two zones is called the firn limit. Over a period of years, depending on the amount of snowfall and seasonal temperatures, a glacier may gain more mass than it loses. If this occurs, the terminus of the glacier will likely advance. If the opposite happens, with the glacier losing more mass than it gains, its terminus will likely retreat. Thus, depending on the balance between accumulation and ablation, a glacier may grow or shrink. Ice flow A glacier always moves in the same direction whether it is advancing or retreating. It moves to lower elevations under the force of gravity by two different processes: internal flow and basal sliding. The glacial ice beneath the firn in a glacier is so dense and under such pressure that it begins to behave like thick tar or what geologists term "plastic." The individual ice crystals in this area respond to pressure and the force of gravity by deforming yet again. They are forced into the same orientation or direction, all realigning parallel to the direction of flow. Like cards in a deck of playing cards, they then slide over and past one another. Glacial movement through internal flow, also known as creep, is very slow: on average, it measures only an inch or two (a few centimeters) a day. In a valley glacier, ice in the upper central part moves faster than ice at the sides, where it is in contact with the valley walls. Confined by high pressures, ice deep in a glacier does not crack during internal flow. However, near the surface of the glacier where there is less pressure, the ice is brittle. When the lower portion of a glacier moves by internal flow, especially over abrupt changes in slope, large cracks may develop in the upper 150 feet (45 meters) or so of ice. These deep, nearly vertical cracks are called crevasses (pronounced kri-VASS-ez). Glaciers in polar regions are frozen to the ground and move only through internal flow. Glaciers elsewhere are normally warm enough at their bases to have a layer of water form between their ice and the ground. The water reduces friction by lubricating the ground and allowing the glacier to slide on its bed in what is called basal sliding. This second type of glacial movement occurs because high pressure reduces the temperature at which ice will melt. Ice underneath a 7,220-foot (2,200-meter) glacier will melt at roughly 29°F (–1.6°C), rather than at 32°F (0°C). The thicker the glacier, the greater the pressure at its base, and the lower the temperature at which its ice will melt. Ice Ages Ice ages were periods in Earth's history when vast glaciers covered large portions of the planet's surface. Earth's average annual temperature varies constantly from year to year, from decade to decade, and from century to century. During some periods, that average annual temperature has dropped low enough to allow fields of ice to grow and cover large areas of Earth. Annual variations of only a few degrees can result in the formation of extensive continental glaciers. Over the last 2.5 million years, about twenty-four ice ages have occurred. This means that Earth's average annual temperature shifted upwards and downwards about two dozen times during that period. In each case, an episode of significant cooling was followed by an episode of significant warming, called an interglacial period, after which cooling took place once more. At present, Earth is in an interglacial period. The exact causes for ice ages have not been proven. Scientists believe that ice ages are the result of a complicated interaction between such things as variations in the Sun's energy output, the varying distance of Earth from the Sun, variations in the tilt of Earth's axis, the changing position and height of the continents, changing oceanic circulation, and changes in the composition of the atmosphere. Other factors may also contribute to basal sliding. Because ice acts like a blanket, a glacier traps heat that escapes from the surface of Earth. Although not much, this heat may be enough to raise the temperature of ice at the base of a glacier to a little above the pressure-melting point. Meltwater from the top or inside a glacier may also make its way down through cracks and channels to the glacier's base, contributing to the layer of water formed there. Glacial movement due to basal sliding may be ten times faster than that due to internal flow. Because of this, basal sliding plays an important role in how much a glacier erodes a landscape and creates landforms. On rare occasions, an alpine glacier may unexpectedly surge downslope, moving at a rate of 165 to 330 feet (50 to 100 meters) per day. This results in a jumbled mass of ice along the terminus of the glacier and many crevasses along its top. Although geologists do not completely understand the reasons for glacial surging, they believe it may be caused by a buildup of meltwater at the base of a glacier that reduces the normal friction and allows unusually fast basal sliding. The fastest-recorded glacial surge was that of the Kutiah Glacier in northern Pakistan. Over a three-month period in 1953, the glacier slid more than 7.5 miles (12 kilometers), averaging about 367 feet (112 meters) per day. Through the combination of internal flow and basal sliding, glaciers move over a landscape, scraping and plucking the rock surfaces over which they move. They transport unsorted sediment both internally and on their surfaces. During warmer periods, a glacier may lose part of its mass, its ice turning to meltwater, which carries sediment away from the terminus of the glacier. Even as a glacier's terminus retreats, the flow of ice in the glacier continues to move downward under the influence of gravity. Scientific measurements at the beginning of the twenty-first century showed that most glaciers worldwide were retreating. Glaciers in the Himalayan Mountains were wasting away the quickest. Scientists who conducted the research found a connection between increasing temperatures around the world and the glacial retreat. It is known that over the last 100 years, global sea levels have risen 4 to 10 inches (10 to 25 centimeters). Scientists estimate that the melting of glaciers has contributed 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) to that rise. The Literary Landscape "These islands of ice and black basalt, now and then tinged russet or blue by oozings of iron or copper, rise over 600 meters. Their hearts are locked under deep glaciers, a crystal desert forever frozen in terms of our short life spans, but transient in their own time scale. Sometimes one sees only the cloud-marbled glacial fields, high in the sun above hidden mountain slopes and sea fog, Elysian plains that seem as insubstantial as vapor. The interiors of the glaciers, glimpsed through crevasses, are neon blue. Sliding imperceptibly on their bellies, the glaciers carve their own valleys through the rock, and when they pass over rough terrain they have the appearance of frozen rapids, which is in fact what they are, cascading at a rate of a centimeter a day." —David C. Campbell, The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica , 1992. Spotlight on famous forms Glacier National Park, Montana Located in northwestern Montana on the border between the United States and Canada are 1,013,572 acres (410,497 hectares) of pristine Map of glaciers around the world. Glaciers cover roughly 10 percent of Earth's land area. A vast majority of that, 90 percent, overlies the continent of Antarctica . wilderness. Glacier National Park, established in 1910 as the country's tenth national park, contains some fifty glaciers and more than two hundred glacier-fed lakes. The valleys and other geologic features of the park were all eroded and carved by the action of glaciers over the last two billion years. Several times over the past two million years, huge glaciers carved the mountains and valleys and then retreated, leaving a newly sculpted landscape. The most recent continental glacier that covered the upper section of North America retreated over ten thousand years ago. The fifty alpine glaciers in the park formed during the last few thousand years. The park is filled with many glacial features: arêtes, cirques, hanging valleys, horns, and moraines. Among the more famous ones are Mount Reynolds, a glacial horn; Garden Wall, a towering arête that extends for miles; and the U-shaped St. Mary Valley. Matterhorn, Switzerland One of the most recognizable mountains in the world, the Matterhorn in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy rises some 14,700 feet (4,480 meters). First successfully climbed in 1865, it is celebrated for its distinctive shape. The mountain is a classic example of a horn. Eroded by cirques, its steep sides meet in arêtes that lead to the hornlike, pointed peak. The Alps mountain system in southern-central Europe curves in a great arc for approximately 500 miles (800 kilometers). It runs from the Mediterranean Sea up along the borders and adjacent regions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, before ending in Slovenia. The Alps was the first mountain system to be studied extensively by geologists. Many of the geologic terms associated with mountains and glaciers originated in those studies. Walden Pond, Massachusetts Walden Pond, the deepest lake in Massachusetts, lies in the northeast part of the state near the city of Concord. It is a kettle lake, created about ten thousand years ago when continental ice from the last ice age began to retreat. A huge block of that glacial ice broke off and remained behind, surrounded at it base by sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams. The block melted over a period of about two hundred years, forming a steep-sided basin that filled with water. The current shape of the pond, with its steep sides, coves along its margins, and two deep areas, reflects the shape of the original block of ice. The current maximum depth of the pond is 103 feet (31 meters). The clear water that fills the lake comes from precipitation and groundwater (freshwater lying within the uppermost parts of Earth's crust, filling the pore spaces in soil and fractured rock). The lake is famous because American writer Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) lived along its shores between 1845 and 1847. While there, he wrote Walden, or Life in the Woods (published in 1854). In this work, a series of essays, Thoreau combined writing on transcendental philosophy with observations of aquatic ecology and aspects of limnology, the study of lakes. He also championed the value of living close to nature. Because of this highly influential work, many people consider Walden Pond and the area around it to be the birthplace of the American conservation movement. In 1965, the U.S. National Park Service designated Walden Pond as a National Historic Landmark. For More Information Books Benn, Douglas I., and David J. A. Evans. Glaciers and Glaciation . London, England: Edward Arnold, 1998. Bennett, Matthew R., and Neil F. Glasser. Glacial Geology: Ice Sheets and Landforms . New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1996. Erickson, Jon. Glacial Geology: How Ice Shapes the Land . New York: Facts on File, 1996. Llewellyn, Claire. Glaciers . Barrington, IL: Heinemann Library, 2000. Post, Austin, and Edward R. Lachapelle. Glacier Ice . Revised ed. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2000. Web Sites	Drumlin
Under what pseudonym did Theodor Geisel write over sixty books for children?	Glacier Glossary In glaciers, refers to melting, erosion and evaporation which reduces the area of the ice. ablation area or zone The region of a glacier where more mass is lost by melting or evaporation than is gained. accretion Snow accretion is the growth of precipitation particles by collision of ice crystals with supercooled liquid droplets which freeze on impact. accretion-gley(see gley) Where snow falls on a glacier, commonly on a snowfield or cirque. albedo The percent reflectivity of a surface. Ice may reflect up to 90 percent of incoming solar radiation (albedo = 90), while blacktop asphalt may absorb up to 95 percent (albedo = 5). alluvium Sediment eroded from adjacent areas and deposited by running water in and along rivers and streams. alpine glaciers (see mountain glaciers) altithermal A period of time in the mid-Holocene when climate was generally warmer. Also called the hypsithermal and/or climatic optimum. arête A knife-edged rock divide between two glacial cirques. atm One unit of atmospheric pressure is equal to the total weight of the air on the earth's surface at sea level (14.70 pounds per square inch). avalanche A large mass of snow, ice or rock moving down a steep part of the glacier under the influence of gravity. The first sound of an avalanche is often a hissing like sand falling through a small hole. The Snow and Avalanche Center, reports that "Avalanches equal snowpack + terrain + weather." When the bottom of a glacier slides directly over subglacial bedrock. basal slip also basal sliding Subglacial meltwater lubricates and separates the ice and the subsurface which results in the glacier sliding over the subglacial surface. basal thermal regime Due to their different basal thermal characteristics, cold-glaciers and warm-glaciers have different basal effects and behaviors. bastion A large or massive rock outcrop which projects forward from a valley wall or icefield. Bergschrund The ice wall commonly found at the head of a glacier which has separated slightly from the rock wall of its cirque. bergy bit A large chunk of glacial ice (or a very small iceberg) which floats in the sea. blue ice Water molecules reflect blue wavelengths of light. bottom bergs Icebergs which originate from near the base of a glacier. They are usually black from trapped rock material or dark blue because of old, coarse, bubble-free ice and sit low in the water due to the weight of embedded rocks. breccia, ice calorie The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1° Celsius. calving Ice sheets calve by breaking off flat pieces when the walls of crevasses give way or chunks fall off the front of an ice sheet. The results are called ice bergs, bergy bits and crevasse wall breakaways. capillary action A function of hydrogen bonding in the water molecule results in the movement of water into small openings due to the attraction between the liquid and the walls of the opening. Water can be drawn upwards by capillary action. Celsius or Centigrade The international unit of measure which uses standard (1 atm) melting/evaporation points of water to divide the scale into units. Freezing occurs at 0° C; evaporation occurs at 100° C. Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit by ° F = [(1.8)° C] + 32 212° F = [(1.8) 100° C] + 32 chattermarks Striations or marks left on the postglacial exposed bedrock caused by the striking of englacial debris against the bedrock surface during glacial movement. cirque (corrie or cwm) A steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain caused by glacial erosion. After glaciation, the depression may contain a lake. col A connection across the rock arête dividing two cirques. compression One of the three forces (see tension and shear), compression applied to an object causes deformation parallel and perpendicular to the constricting force. compressive flow The body of the glacier is shortened and thickened (not elastically compressed) in reaches where velocity is decreasing. condensation Exothermic physical process by which water vapor becomes liquid water (100C at 1atm). Releases 540 calories per gram. conduction The transfer of energy due to actual contact of two materials, not their movement relative to each other. convergence Where two ice streams or glaciers flow together, convergence occurs. continental glaciers and ice sheets Glaciers which cover continent size masses, for example, Greenland and Antarctica. In the Pleistocene, vast portions of the Americas and Eurasia were covered by continental glaciers. convection The process of heat transfer through gas or liquid due to its own movement. corrie (cirque or cwm) A steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain caused by glacial erosion. After glaciation, the depression may contain a lake. corrie glaciers Larger than niche glaciers, smaller than valley glaciers, they occupy hollows on bedrock faces in mountain regions. corrie glaciation The development of ice fields between peaks, the growth and coalescence of mountain ice caps into regional ice caps, and the growth of these regional caps into ice sheets. crevasse Elongated open cracks in glacial ice, usually nearly vertical, and subject to change at any moment. Crevasses form due to extensional changes in velocity or gradient. They can be oriented to the glacier transverse, longitudinal or oblique and occur in marginal, central or terminal positions on the ice. A crevasse which causes an ice block to displace has caused calving. Crevasses cannot exceed 50 meters (165 feet) deep because they are closed by plastic flow below that depth. cryosphere The perennially frozen regions of the planet, including land-ice, sea-ice, permanent snow cover and permafrost. Another definition suggests it is the frozen water part of the hydrosphere (all the water on Earth) and includes continental and sea ice. crystal lattice The definite arrangement of atoms in a solid crystalline substance. Ice is hexagonal. cubic centimeter The space occupied by one milliliter of water at 20° C and 1 atm; also a cube one centimeter on each side. crustal rebound The earth's crust slowly expands, after the removal of intense confining pressure from the mass of continental ice sheets. Some rebound movements may cause earthquakes. crustal subsidence The downwarping of Earth's crust due to the immense mass of continental ice sheets. cuesta A ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other, often resulting from the movement of a glacier over a rock outcrop. Cuestas are large scale features analogous to rock knobs (roche moutonnée). cwm (cirque or corrie) A steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain caused by glacial erosion. After glaciation, the depression may contain a lake. Snow dendrites are hexagonal ice crystals with complex and often fernlike branches. density Mass divided by the same unit system in volume stated as "pounds per cubic inch," "pounds per cubic foot," or "grams per cubic centimeter (cc)". Water at 20° is 1 gram/cc so DH2O is equal to 1. Densities less than one are lighter than water. Ice is less dense than water because it floats; but it is more dense than air because it does not float away. Average rock density on Earth is approximately 2.54 grams/cc or stated as density = 2.54. depth hoar In snow, relatively large (1 to several mm diameter), cohesionless, coarse, faceted snow crystals resulting from the presence of steep temperature gradients within the snowpack. deposition An exothermic physical process whereby water vapor passes directly to the frozen state. Releases 680 calories/gram of latent heat. On snowfields and glaciers, if the relative humidity (moisture content) of a packet of air is high enough that the air reaches the dew point as it cools in contact with the snow or ice, condensation occurs, releasing nearly 600 calories/gram of latent heat. Deposition can therefore be thought of as a contributor to melting under these conditions. diamicton Unsorted, unstratified rock debris composed of a wide range of particle sizes. No process of formation is implied by the use of this term. (see till) discharge In glaciers, the total volume of ice passing through a specified cross section of the glacier during a particular unit of time. dome The high, central stable portion of an ice sheet with low rates of accumulation and slow ice movement. draft The depth below the water level, usually sea level, to whichthe base (or keel) of an iceberg penetrates is called its draft. drift (see glacial drift) Early writers assumed that glacial deposits had drifted in with the Great Flood. dropstones Rock pieces trapped in icebergs and released (dropped) when the iceberg melts. drumlins Poorly understood, streamlined, symmetric hills of drift which may have been formed by reworking of older glacial sediments, or cut from sediments confined by floating ice. All the glacial environments which occur within the ice itself are called englacial environments. equilibrium line The boundary between the accumulation area and the ablation area. erode Wind, water, and movement of glaciers remove material from (erode) the surface of the earth. erratic A boulder or other rock fragment transported by glacial ice from their place of origin (or a previous glacial resting point) to an area which has a different type of bedrock. esker A narrow, sinuous ridge of sorted sands and gravels deposited by a supraglacial, englacial or subglacial stream. esker fan A small plain of sand and gravel built at the mouth of a subglacial stream and associated with an esker formed simultaneously. evaporation Endothermic physical process in which liquid water changes into water vapor (100C at 1 atm). Absorbs 540 calories/gram latent heat. Ice evaporating directly to water vapor is called sublimation. An older form of temperature measurement. See Celsius. false ogives Light and dark bands on the glacier formed by rock avalanching. fast ice Sea ice permanently attached to its coastal glacier. Felsenmeers A large area blanketed with angular debris from outcrops which have suffered repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. fissure A deep, long and narrow opening such as a crevasse in a glacier. firn A permeable aggregate of small ice grains with densities greater than 0.55 up to 0.82 where begins glacial ice. firn limit The dividing line between old ice and new snow at the end of the melting season. fjords (fiords) Steep-sided inlets of the sea which occur in flooded glacial troughs. flow Glacial ice flows in two ways. (a) Ice behaves as a brittle solid until the pressure is equal to the weight of 50 meters (165 feet) of ice; then it becomes plastic and flow begins. (b) The whole mass of ice can slip along the ground, or along shear planes in the ice. flutes Long grooves gouged by englacial debris on subglacial pavement parallel to the direction of glacial movement. Forbes bands Alternating bands of light and dark ice on a glacier usually found down glacier from steep narrow icefalls and considered to be the result of different flow and ablation rates in summer and winter. Also called band ogives. foredeepening topography The ground below an ice sheet may be bowl-shaped with the inner part being deeper than the ground around the edges because glaciers erode preglacial material and subsidence due to the weight of the ice. frazil ice Disorganized, slushy ice crystals in the water column, usually near the water surface. Frazil ice is the first stage in the formation of sea ice. freezing An exothermic physical process in which liquid water changes into solid ice (0C at 1 atm). Releases 80 calories/gram latent heat. furrow Ice towers such as seracs and penitantes. glacial (glaciation) (1) Period of time during an ice age when glaciers advance because of colder temperatures. (2) Involving glaciers and moving ice. Usually pertaining to processes associated with glaciers. glacial budget The annual relationship between accumulation and wastage. Not equivalent to fluctuations in terminus position. glacial drift (also see outwash) A general term for all material transported and deposited directly by or from the ice, or by water running off the glacier. glacial ice Consolidated, relatively impermeable ice crystal aggregates with a density greater than 0.84. glacial lake Proglacial lakes form the angle of the land and the angle of the glacier are opposite or in the superglacial/englacial environment. Enormous quantities of fine particles are transported by glacial meltwater, leading to the milky or cloudy appearance of many glacial lakes. After glacial melting, tarn lakes, kettle lakes and Pater Noster lakes remain. glacial milk Term used to describe glacial meltwater which has a light colored or cloudy appearance because of clay-sized sediment held in suspension. glacial outburst flood A sudden release of melt water from a glacier or glacier-dammed lake sometimes resulting in a catastrophic flood, formed by melting of a channel or by subglacial volcanic activity. glacial polish The abrasion of bedrock surfaces by materials carried on the bottom of a glacier. This process leaves these surfaces smooth and shiny. glacial portal Cavernous openings in subglacial ice and debris above meltwater streams. glacial retreat The backwards movement of the snout of a glacier. glacial surge A rapid forward movement of the snout of a glacier. Others describe it as rapid, wavelike downglacial ice movements which cause sudden advances of the ice margin. glacial trough Glaciers transform v-shaped stream valleys to u-shaped glacial troughs by erosion. glacial uplift Upward movement of the Earth's crust following isostatic depression from the weight of the continental glaciers. glacier A large long lasting accumulation of snow and ice that develops on land. Most glaciers flow along topographic gradients because of their weight and gravity. Also defined as: A mass of snow and ice flowing mostly down gradient due to gravity. glacial deposit Sedimentary material carried by the glacier and left behind when the ice melts. glacier karst Stagnant ice covered by debris with surficial lakes, lakes in buried caverns or tunnels, typically found at the ice/soil or ice/water interface of a retreating glacier. glacier table A rock sitting on top of a pillar of ice shielded from insolation by the rock's mass. glacier terminus Where the glacier ends, the leading edge of the glacier, also called the glacier nose. glacier trough Steep U-shaped valley with a flat bottom caused by glacial scour and erosion. glaciofluvial Geomorphic feature whose origin is related to the processes associated with glacial meltwater. glaciology The study of the physical and chemical propeties of snow and ice. glaze A smooth, clear coat of ice on older ice, rock or any other surface. gleization A soil formation process that occurs in poorly drained environments. Results in the development of extensive soil organic layer over a layer of chemically reduced clay that takes on a blue color. gley Dark gray to black, massive and dense sediment which accumulated slowly in low, wet, poorly drained areas. grease ice Thin plates of organized ice crystals on the surface of water. gumbotill Highly weathered till which becomes sticky and plastic when wet. gradient Elevation divided by ground distance, for example, a fall of one kilometer over two kilometers on the ground would result in a 50% gradient. Any units may be used; many American publications give gradients in feet per mile. gram In metric units the weight of one cubic centimeter of water at 20° Celsius and 1 atm. graupel Variations in temperature, migration of liquid and vapor water, and pressure of snow cover may result in rounded snow pellets from 2 to 5 mm diameter. Graupel is visually similar to hail, but lacks the banded outward growth pattern of hail. grooves/grooving As the glacier moves forward, rocks imbedded in the ice scratch the underlying materials. If small, these linear features are called striations. Grooves are larger features which may be regular or irregular and may be helpful in establishing direction of glacial flow. ground moraine A gently rolling ground surface underlain by till deposited beneath a glacier and usually bordered by terminal moraines. grounding line The place where a glacier extending into the sea or a lake loses contact with the seafloor and begins to float as an ice shelf. The grounding line may be a place with high sediment accumulation. Gunz The solid form of water is called ice. ice age Reoccuring periods in Earth history when the climate was colder and glaciers expanded to cover larger areas of the Earth's surface. icebergs Floating chunks of ice which calved off the glacier 5/6th underwater 1/6th above. Northern hemisphere bergs are fractured off the glacial edge and tend to have jagged tops, while Southern hemisphere bergs have about 60 to 90 meters above the sea and are flat on top because they fractured from the flat topped ice shelves which project out over the Southern oceans. Icebergs can occur in fresh or salt water. ice blocks Chunks of the glacier remain as ice blocks after glacial outburst floods which may remain as kettle lakes. ice breccia Large angular ice fragments embedded in finer ice or snow record abrupt changes. ice caps Smaller ice sheets which cap many islands in the Arctic Ocean and in and near Iceland. ice cliff Walls of ice where glaciers meet the sea, such as at the edge of land or the edge of an ice shelf. ice contact deposit The multiple types of accumulated stratified sediment left behind when meltwater flows over, within, and at the base of a motionless, melting terminus. See kame, kame terraces and eskers. ice crystals Ice crystals are hexagonal in internal structure. The basal plane is weak and permits slip. ice density Pure ice density is rarely attained except in individual crystals but is assigned the value of 0.917. ice fall The reaction of glacial snow and ice to subglacial changes in gradient. The icefall is broken by crevasses and moves constantly when conditions are favorable. Downglacier from icefalls are ogives. ice floes Areas of broken pack ice, chaotically fractured and floating on the near-frozen sea. A great hazard to Arctic explorers is getting stranded or isolated on a floe. The open water gaps between floes are called leads. Where floes jam together, jagged sutures appear due to compression. ice islands Bodies of land ice calved from sheet or shelf. ice quakes The beginning of the formation of a crevasse or moulin is often accompanied by shaking ice and a hissing or cracking sound. ice rafted debris Material carried by floating ice that eventually melts and is deposited on the floor of the sea or a lake. ice sheets (see continental glaciers) ice shelf A large flat-topped sheet of ice that is attached to land along one side and floats in an ocean or lake. More ice is added from the flow of ice from land and is removed by calving and/or melting. ice sizzle Sounds made by glaciers which sound like carbonated soda. ice streams In glaciers, ice flows in lineaments which, if they encounter other ice streams, do not mix. River inflow streams eventually mix, although they may remain discrete in their early encounter. Ice streams gouge their bases and carry till. The sides of ice streams may be marked by lateral moraines and where two streams flow, there may be medial moraines of till dividing the ice streams. Ice streams may reach terminus; or may melt away before then leaving lobate terminal moraines. ice tongue A long, narrow projection of ice which points out for the coastline where a valley glacier flows rapidly into the sea or a lake. ice-wedge casts A vertical structure that results from cracks in frozen ground (by means of ice wedging) which are later filled by sediment. They are similar to infilled mudcracks in drying lakes, but usually larger. Illinoian North American glaciation related to European Riss glaciation. imbrication (see fabric) insolation The amount of solar radiation received in a specific area. Equatorial areas receive 2.4 times as much as polar areas. interglacial periods Times between recognized advances of the ice. Sea level can be hundreds of feet higher in interglacials than in glacial periods. The present time is the latest interglacial period. internal deformation One of the ways glaciers flow is by movement across the faces of the ice crystals that make the glacier. Isostatic rebound adjustment (see glacial rebound) Up or down warping of the Earth's lithosphere to accommodate for mass being added or removed. Northern Ontario, Canada is rebounding in adjustment to the last glacial retreat 10,000 years ago. North American glaciation related to European Mindel glaciation. katabatic wind A wind that flows from a glacier, caused by air cooled by the ice becoming heavier than surrounding air, then draining down-valley. kettle A shallow basin or bowl shaped depression formed when a large block of ice is buried in outwash or diamicton during ablation. Upon melting and dewatering of the sediment the hole left by the block may become a kettle-lake or a kettle-depression. kinematic waves These ice waves move downglacier and are propagated by increasing glacial thickness. Kinematic waves may move two to six times the velocity of surrounding, thinner ice. A large mass of ice with its base grounded below sea level. mass balance The balance of glacial input (accumulation), throughput (transport), and output (ablation) of snow and ice. medial moraines Concentrations of till in septa dividing ice streams deposits as medial moraines after complete ablation. Also described as: Where two mountain glacier lateral moraines unite, a dark band of rock forms along the centerline. meltwater Water from melted snow or ice. melting An endothermic physical process in which solid ice changes into liquid water (0° C at 1 atm). Absorbs 80 calories/gram latent heat. Mindel European glaciation related to North American Kansan glaciation. moraine Unsorted till (diamicton) deposited either along the sides (lateral moraine) or the ends of an ablating glacier (end or terminal moraine); or the material below a retreating glacier (ground moraine). moulin A vertical shaft at the downslope end of a transverse fissure. Hence the erotic appeal of "Moulin Rouge," of Paris in the 1890s. Water flowing down moulins often makes load roaring sounds. mountain glaciers pack ice (see sea ice and ice floes) paleosol An ancient or buried soil, often used as a stratigraphic marker for interglacial periods. pancake ice Coherent plates of ice that can reach a few meters across and grow from thickened grease ice and resembles pancakes or lily pads. Pater Noster lakes A string of glacial lakes along the path of a mountain glacier. After the glacier melts, erosional topographic depressions fill with water. The name comes from the similarity to a string of Catholic Christian prayer beads; the first prayer of which begins "Pater Noster..." patterned ground Polygonal or circular ground patterns which develop from contrasting size/color soils in poorly drained areas subject to intensive frost action. pavement A rock surface, often eroded or striated, which underlies glacial till and is exposed in sufficient quantity to resemble a sidewalk or open plaza. periglacial The area around a glacier often characterized by harsh climate. permafrost Soil or rock at or near the ground in Arctic or subarctic regions that has been continuously frozen for a long time. phase Physical matter is defined to occur in three phases; solid, liquid and gas. piedmont glacier A glacier occurring on the piedmont, the gradually sloping area leading down from a mountain to the plains or to the sea. The Malaspina Glacier is a piedmont glacier. Piedmont glaciers are fed by one or more valley glaciers. pingo Large mounds of earth-covered ice which form in a permafrost environment which are found in Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica. Pingos may be up to 70 meters tall and 600 meters diameter. The word was borrowed from the Inuit in 1938 by A.E. Porsild after whom Porsild Pingo in Tuktoyaktuk was named. Pingos have an average life-time of about 1,000 years. pitch In climbing, a unit of measure approximately equal to the length of your rope, or the distance between fixed anchor positions. To go secured from pitch 3 to pitch 4 of a glacier means that you would be protected by a rope and safety gear during that part of the ascent. "Unprotected pitches" include many icefalls and crevasse fields. pitch Used to refer to angle or gradient. "A steep pitch" would therefore mean a high gradient or high angle. plastic flow In glaciers, plastic flow in ice begins at 50 meters (165 feet) from the top of the ice surface. plastic solid A perfectly plastic solid yields after a critical threshold of stress has been exceeded. Theoretically, the material yields at an infinite rate after that. plucking The process of loosening and lifting pieces of rock by a flowing glacier. Meltwater intrudes joints and cracks in the underlying material. The freeze/thaw contraction/expansion series provides the leverage to release large blocks of rock. Polar plateau The relatively flat, elevated central region of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. polynya The open seawater between pack-ice and the land or the edge of a glacier. portal Cavernous openings in subglacial ice and debris above meltwater streams. precipitation The process by which crystals form from saturated solutions. In meteorology "precipitation" means rain, drizzle, snow, hail and other solid forms. proglacial The area in front of, or just at the outer edge of a glacier. proglacial ground angle If the proglacial ground angle and the ice are similar, meltwater flows away. Conversely if the proglacial ground angle and the ice angle are opposite, meltwater fills the resulting topographic low spot. proglacial lakes (see glacial lakes) The upwarping of Earth's crust after additional weight is removed from it. (see subsidence) recessional moraines End moraines created during occasionally stabilization of the ice front during retreat. regelation The process of localized melting and refreezing of ice, involving no overall change in glacier mass. relative humidity Relative humidity is actual humidity of a packet of air divided by maximum possible humidity that air can hold. In glaciers, if the relative humidity of a packet of air is high enough that the air reaches the dew point as it cools in contact with the snow or ice, condensation occurs, releasing +AH4- 680 calories/gram of latent heat. relief The vertical difference between the surface in valleys and hilltops or the vertical between the base of a glacier and its top. rheology The study of flow behavior and characteristics. rime Ice deposits formed when supercooled water droplets freeze on contact with an object (deposition). Riss European glaciation related to North American Illinoian glaciation. roches moutonnée An Alpine term for a rock knob with one smooth side and one steep side, produced by glacial plucking. They are named "fleecy rocks" in French because they often look like a field of giant stone sheep. Roche moutonnee formations are sometimes called "sheepbacks" in English. rock knob Carved by the forward advance of the glacier, these knobs have a smooth side and a plucked side. The glacier flowed from the smooth side over the top and plucked out the rock on the down flow side. Central Park, New York City is full of mica-schist rock knobs. Rock knobs and the associated intra-knob depressions may result in the string of lakes known as Pater Noster lakes after the glacier has melted. rock flour Pulverized rock of the smaller size sediment classes (silts and clays) produced by glacial milling can give outwash streams a milky appearance. rock glaciers A depression or sag on the ice sheet between domes. sandar * Flat outwash plains caused by glacial melting feature braided streams and sinous sand and gravel bars. saturation vapor pressure of water The maximum amount of water vapor needed to keep moist air in equilibrium with a surface of pure water. This is the maximum water vapor the air can hold for any given combination of temperature and pressure. (see relative humidity) scour To remove or sweep away material. sea ice At temperatures of -2° C (28.5° F), freezes directly from ocean water to a thickness of five meters (15 feet). Loosely packed groups of thin floating ice are called ice floes. septum/septa Dividing lines between chambers or compartments (such as nasal sinus). In glaciers, vertical partitions between two ice streams or currents within the ice. seracs Unstable ice pinnacles formed by intersecting crevasse planes, usually in areas of fast glacier movement. sheepback See roche moutonnée. sheet flow Unrestricted glaciers including ice caps and ice sheets flow independently of underlying topography. Friction is greatest between the glacier and its base in this form of flow. slush limit The highest point from which runoff occurs. stratified drift Sediments laid down by glacial meltwater show unconfined sorting. streaming flow Where glaciers are constricted, such as in a valley, the flow may or may not be controlled by underlying topography. Friction is greatest at the center and less towards the margins. snow density New fallen snow density is near or less than 0.1. Old snow (corn snow) is up to 0.55. Firn density is 0.55 up to 0.82 where begins glacial ice. snowfall The amount of snow which has accumulated since the last observation. Intervals of observation may be measured in any unit of time. snowfield The zone of accumulation sometimes a cirque, cwm or corrie; or a large open collecting point between mountains. snowflake A six-pointed cluster of ice crystals which fall from a cloud is called a snowflake. snow line The lower limit of permanent snow cover, below which snow doesn't accumulate. snowpack The total ice and snow on the ground, including fresh and older snow and ice. solifluction A slow, viscous, downslope flow of saturated sediment and rock debris especially in areas underlain by frozen ground. strain The result of a physical material to stress. stratified drift Layered and sorted sediments deposited by meltwater streams or bodies of water adjacent to the ice. stress Force applied to an object per its unit area. Subglacial forces on rock are sufficient to fracture it, and are considered to exceed 60,000 pounds per square inch in some places. striations/stria Gouges in bedrock or on glacial sediments which record abrasion by the moving glacier. If on pavement, stria may reveal direction of glacial movement. subglacial The area below the glacier. Subglacial features include deformed sediments, ice caves, and eskers. sublimation An endothermic physical process whereby ice passes directly into the vapor state. Absorbs 720 calories/gram of latent heat. Occasionally meterologists use sublimation for both sublimation and its opposite process, deposition. Sublimation is far more costly in energy than proceeding stepwise through melting then evaporation (80 + 100 + 540 = 720 calories/gram); so it is less effective as an agent of ablation than is melting. subsidence The downwarping of Earth's crust due to additional weight (such as a glacier or a transgressing sea) being applied to it. suncup A melted bowl-shaped depression in ice due to insolation. supercooled Supercooled water remains in the liquid state even though the its temperature is below its freezing point. supraglacial The area on top of the glacier which may be snow, ice, rock fragments or covered with soil, plants or forests. supersaturation In water, the condition which occurs in the atmosphere when the relative humidity is greater than 100 percent. surges Periods of extremely rapid movements in glacial flow. surface hoar Deposition of ice crystals on a surface which occurs when the temperature of the surface is colder than the air above and colder than the frost point of that air. A flat-topped iceberg, usually formed by breaking off an ice shelf. tarn lake After melting, the central depression of a former cirque may hold a tarn lake. temperature-gradient metamorphism Process of firnification when large temperature gradients exist within the snowpack, such as within adjacent layers of snow. When all snow is fully converted to ice, the density is about 830-840 kg/cubic meter. tension One of the three forces (see compression and shear); in ice, tension creates crevasses. terminal moraine A ridge formed by the accumulation of glacial deposits at the point marking the furthest advance of an ablating glacier. terminus The end of the glacier. Also called a glacial snout. terrestrial The geological time period before the Quaternary composed of Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene. till Many writers use till for any glacial deposit. However some (including ISGS) define till to mean only sediments composed of a mixture of grain sizes which were deposited directly onto the subglacial landscape during basal melting. (see diamicton) till plain A gently irregular plain of till deposited by an actively retreating glacier. topography The shape of a landscape, composed of its relief and position of natural and man-made features. transient snowline The line separating transient accumulation and ablation areas, also a transient equilibrium line. transverse fissure A vertical crevasse in a glacier which runs in an upslope-downslope direction (see moulin) trimlines Sharp boundaries in vegetation abundance or community type showing the upper margin of a former glaciation. For example, ferns colonize recently deglaciated areas and conifers show that the area has been deglaciated longer. truncate In glaciers, truncated surfaces occur along the sides of valley glaciers, beneath mountain and continental glaciers, and across the tops of sediments previously laid down. truncated spurs Triangular hillside features due to glacial erosion of the headlands between two former streams. tundra A level to undulating treeless plain characteristic of Arctic and subarctic regions. Depressed by glaciation, the knobby surface has many marshes. It is underlain by dark, mucky soil (gley) and permafrost. tuya * Volcanos which erupted beneath glaciers, melts through the ice above and finishes with a subaerial lava flow are called "tuyas" after the type locality, Tuya Butte, Stikine Belt, Northwest British Columbia, Canada. Also called "table mountains," the typical flat-top is created by the explosive interaction of hot magmas and lavas with water and ice. Tuyas reveal the height of the ice at the time of eruption and may be used as part of correlative dating. Similar volcanic structures, called "guyots" or "sea mounts," are created under the oceans when magma hits ocean water. wastage area On a glacier, the terminal end where ablation results in deposition of till and removal of water. weathering The process of physical and chemical decomposition which changes earth and rock materials in color, texture, composition, firmness or form. These changes are accomplished by the effects of energy and exposure to water, other fluids and the atmosphere. whalebacks Elongated mounds or hills shaped by glacier movement may indicate direction of ice flow. white-out A weather condition in which the horizon cannot be identified and there are no shadows. White snow blends everywhere. All you see is white. (I've been there before, it's scary. Michaelene Cutro) Wisconsinan North American glaciation related to European Wurm glaciation. Wurm	i don't know
The Frasch process is used to extract what chemical element from underground deposits?	Learn More About Sulphur - Introduction \| The Sulphur Institute Learn More About Sulphur Member Benefits Left Navigation Link #4 An Introduction to Sulphur Sulphur is a non-metallic chemical element identified by the letter S. For a list of sulphur's chemical properties, please click here . Sulphur is a valuable commodity and integral component of the world economy used to manufacture numerous products including fertilizers and other chemicals. For a list of sulphur uses click here . Sulphur also is a vital nutrient for crops, animals and people. Sulphur occurs naturally in the environment and is the thirteenth most abundant element in the earth's crust. It can be mined in its elemental form, though this production has reduced significantly in recent years. Since early in the 20th Century, the Frasch process has been used as a method to extract sulphur from underground deposits, when it displaced traditional mining principally in Sicily. Most of the world's sulphur was obtained this way until the late 20th century, when sulphur's recovery from petroleum and gas sources (recovered sulphur) became more commonplace. As of 2011, the only operating Frasch mines worldwide are in Poland and since 2010 in Mexico. The last mine operating in the United States closed in 2000. A Frasch mine in Iraq closed in 2003. Sulphur that is mined or recovered from oil and gas production is known as brimstone, or elemental sulphur. Sulphur produced as a by-product of ferrous and non-ferrous metal smelting is produced in the form of sulphuric acid . A smaller volume is produced as sulphur dioxide , which is also emitted from petroleum products used in vehicles and at some power plants. Plants absorb sulphur from the soil in sulphate form. Elemental sulphur is produced all over the world. Largest production occurs where sour (meaning sulphur-rich) gas and oil is processed and refined: United States, Canada, the Former Soviet Union, and West Asia. Over half of elemental sulphur production is traded internationally. China is the world's largest importer, followed by Morocco and the United States. Canada is the largest exporter, followed by Russia and Saudi Arabia. Well over half of global sulphuric acid production comes from burning elemental sulphur at points of consumption, with most of the remainder produced at non-ferrous metals smelters and pyrites mines. East Asia, led by China, is the largest overall acid producer, stemming largely from rapid growth. It is followed by North America, Africa, and Latin America. Practically all traded acid is from smelters. Western Europe is the largest acid trading region, followed by East Asia and North America. Sulphur is the primary source to produce sulphuric acid, the world's most used chemical and a versatile mineral acid used as an essential intermediate in many processes in the chemical and manufacturing industries. Sulphuric acid is used by the fertilizer industry to manufacture primarily phosphates, and also nitrogen, potassium, and sulphate fertilizers. Sulphur is also used in many other industries including non-ferrous metals, pigments, fibers, hydrofluoric acid, carbon disulphide, pharmaceuticals, agricultural pesticides, personal care products, cosmetics, synthetic rubber vulcanization, water treatment, and steel pickling. Like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, sulphur is one of the essential plant nutrients . It contributes to an increase in crop yields in three different ways: 1) it provides a direct nutritive value, 2) it provides indirect nutritive value as soil amendment, especially for calcareous and saline alkali soils, and 3) it improves the use efficiency of other essential plant nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. In general, sulphur has similar functions in plant growth and nutrition as nitrogen. The incidence of soil sulphur deficiency has rapidly increased in recent years. Three major factors are responsible for increased sulphur deficiency: a) intensified cropping systems worldwide demand higher sulphur nutrient availability; b) increased use of high-analysis, sulphur-free fertilizers, and c) reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions, particularly in developed regions, reduces atmospheric sulphur deposition, a "natural" sulphur source. For more information on sulphur fertilizers, please see TSI's Publications . Sulphur asphalt (SA), sometimes referred to as sulphur bitumen, sulphur extended asphalt or SEA, is a viable alternative for asphalt road binder. Sulphur's unique properties to improve the characteristics of asphalt have been known for more than a century. For more information on sulphur asphalt, please see TSI's Publications . Sulphur an advantaged element® Sulphur is present wherever you look, from the food we eat to the medicine we take. Click here to learn why TSI calls it "an advantaged element". Copyright 2017 The Sulphur Institute 1020 19th Street NW, Suite 520, Washington, DC 20036 USA P: +1 202 331 9660 F: +1 202 293 2940 E-mail: [email protected]	Sulfur
With what type of transport would you associate the term ‘bow collector’?	sulfur (S) \| chemical element \| Britannica.com chemical element Alternative Titles: brimstone, S, sulphur Related Topics matter Sulfur (S), also spelled sulphur, nonmetallic chemical element belonging to the oxygen group (Group 16 [VIa] of the periodic table), one of the most reactive of the elements. Pure sulfur is a tasteless, odourless, brittle solid that is pale yellow in colour, a poor conductor of electricity, and insoluble in water. It reacts with all metals except gold and platinum , forming sulfides ; it also forms compounds with several nonmetallic elements. Millions of tons of sulfur are produced each year, mostly for the manufacture of sulfuric acid, which is widely used in industry. Sulfur crystals from Sicily (greatly enlarged) Courtesy of the Illinois State Museum; photograph, John H. Gerard/EB Inc. In cosmic abundance, sulfur ranks ninth among the elements, accounting for only one atom of every 20,000–30,000. Sulfur occurs in the uncombined state as well as in combination with other elements in rocks and minerals that are widely distributed, although it is classified among the minor constituents of Earth ’s crust, in which its proportion is estimated to be between 0.03 and 0.06 percent. On the basis of the finding that certain meteorites contain about 12 percent sulfur, it has been suggested that deeper layers of Earth contain a much larger proportion. Seawater contains about 0.09 percent sulfur in the form of sulfate. In underground deposits of very pure sulfur that are present in domelike geologic structures, the sulfur is believed to have been formed by the action of bacteria upon the mineral anhydrite , in which sulfur is combined with oxygen and calcium . Deposits of sulfur in volcanic regions probably originated from gaseous hydrogen sulfide generated below the surface of Earth and transformed into sulfur by reaction with the oxygen in the air. Boiling pots of molten sulfur on the slope of the Nikko volcano near the Mariana Islands. Major funding for this expedition was provided by NOAA Ocean Exploration Program and NOAA Vents Program; video clips edited by Bill Chadwick, Oregon State University/NOAA One arm of the Jason remotely operated vehicle breaking through the thin crust on a deposit of … Major funding for this expedition was provided by NOAA Ocean Exploration Program and NOAA Vents Program; video clips edited by Bill Chadwick, Oregon State University/NOAA History boron (B) The history of sulfur is part of antiquity. The name itself probably found its way into Latin from the language of the Oscans, an ancient people who inhabited the region including Vesuvius, where sulfur deposits are widespread. Prehistoric humans used sulfur as a pigment for cave painting; one of the first recorded instances of the art of medication is in the use of sulfur as a tonic. organosulfur compound: The sulfur atom The combustion of sulfur had a role in Egyptian religious ceremonials as early as 4,000 years ago. “Fire and brimstone” references in the Bible are related to sulfur, suggesting that “hell’s fires” are fuelled by sulfur. The beginnings of practical and industrial uses of sulfur are credited to the Egyptians, who used sulfur dioxide for bleaching cotton as early as 1600 bce. Greek mythology includes sulfur chemistry: Homer tells of Odysseus’ use of sulfur dioxide to fumigate a chamber in which he had slain his wife’s suitors. The use of sulfur in explosives and fire displays dates to about 500 bc in China, and flame-producing agents used in warfare (Greek fire) were prepared with sulfur in the Middle Ages. Pliny the Elder in 50 ce reported a number of individual uses of sulfur and ironically was himself killed, in all probability by sulfur fumes, at the time of the great Vesuvius eruption (79 ce). Sulfur was regarded by the alchemists as the principle of combustibility. Lavoisier recognized it as an element in 1777, although it was considered by some to be a compound of hydrogen and oxygen; its elemental nature was established by the French chemists Joseph Gay-Lussac and Louis Thenard. Natural occurrence and distribution Periodic Table of the Elements Many important metal ores are compounds of sulfur, either sulfides or sulfates. Some important examples are galena (lead sulfide, PbS), blende (zinc sulfide, ZnS), pyrite (iron disulfide, FeS2), chalcopyrite (copper iron sulfide, CuFeS2), gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO4∙2H2O) and barite (barium sulfate, BaSO4). The sulfide ores are valued chiefly for their metal content, although a process developed in the 18th century for making sulfuric acid utilized sulfur dioxide obtained by burning pyrite. Coal, petroleum , and natural gas contain sulfur compounds. Allotropy Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent In sulfur, allotropy arises from two sources: (1) the different modes of bonding atoms into a single molecule and (2) packing of polyatomic sulfur molecules into different crystalline and amorphous forms. Some 30 allotropic forms of sulfur have been reported, but some of these probably represent mixtures. Only eight of the 30 seem to be unique; five contain rings of sulfur atoms and the others contain chains. In the rhombohedral allotrope, designated ρ-sulfur, the molecules are composed of rings of six sulfur atoms. This form is prepared by treating sodium thiosulfate with cold, concentrated hydrochloric acid , extracting the residue with toluene , and evaporating the solution to give hexagonal crystals. ρ-sulfur is unstable, eventually reverting to orthorhombic sulfur (α-sulfur). A second general allotropic class of sulfur is that of the eight-membered ring molecules, three crystalline forms of which have been well characterized. One is the orthorhombic (often improperly called rhombic) form, α-sulfur. It is stable at temperatures below 96 °C. Another of the crystalline S8 ring allotropes is the monoclinic or β-form, in which two of the axes of the crystal are perpendicular, but the third forms an oblique angle with the first two. There are still some uncertainties concerning its structure; this modification is stable from 96 °C to the melting point , 118.9 °C. A second monoclinic cyclooctasulfur allotrope is the γ-form, unstable at all temperatures, quickly transforming to α-sulfur. An orthorhombic modification, S12 ring molecules, and still another unstable S10 ring allotrope are reported. The latter reverts to polymeric sulfur and S8. At temperatures above 96 °C, the α-allotrope changes into the β-allotrope. If enough time is allowed for this transition to occur completely, further heating causes melting to occur at 118.9 °C; but if the α-form is heated so rapidly that the transformation to β-form does not have time to occur, the α-form melts at 112.8 °C. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Just above its melting point, sulfur is a yellow, transparent, mobile liquid. Upon further heating, the viscosity of the liquid decreases gradually to a minimum at about 157 °C, but then rapidly increases, reaching a maximum value at about 187 °C; between this temperature and the boiling point of 444.6 °C, the viscosity decreases. The colour also changes, deepening from yellow through dark red, and, finally, to black at about 250 °C. The variations in both colour and viscosity are considered to result from changes in the molecular structure. A decrease in viscosity as temperature increases is typical of liquids, but the increase in the viscosity of sulfur above 157 °C probably is caused by rupturing of the eight-membered rings of sulfur atoms to form reactive S8 units that join together in long chains containing many thousands of atoms. The liquid then assumes the high viscosity characteristic of such structures. At a sufficiently high temperature, all of the cyclic molecules are broken, and the length of the chains reaches a maximum. Beyond that temperature, the chains break down into small fragments. Upon vaporization, cyclic molecules (S8 and S6) are formed again; at about 900 °C, S2 is the predominant form; finally, monatomic sulfur is formed at temperatures above 1,800 °C. Commercial production Elemental sulfur is found in volcanic regions as a deposit formed by the emission of hydrogen sulfide, followed by aerial oxidation to the element. Underground deposits of sulfur associated with salt domes in limestone rock provide a substantial portion of the world’s supply of the element. These domes are located in the Louisiana swamplands of the United States and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico . Where deposits of sulfur are located in salt domes, as they are along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the element was recovered by the Frasch process , named after German-born U.S. chemist Herman Frasch . Ordinary underground mining procedures were inapplicable since highly poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas accompanies the element in the domes. Beginning in 1894, the Frasch process, which takes advantage of the low melting point of sulfur (112 °C), made sulfur of a high purity (up to 99.9 percent pure) available in large quantities and helped establish sulfur as an important basic chemical commodity. Wells were drilled from 60 to 600 m (200 to 2,000 feet) into the sulfur formation and then lined with a 15-cm (6-inch) pipe in which an air pipe and a water pipe of smaller diameter were concentrically placed. Superheated water, injected into the circular space between the three- and six-inch pipes, penetrated the cap rock through holes on the bottom of the pipe. As the sulfur melted, it settled to the bottom of the deposit. From there it was pumped to the surface by applying air pressure through the central pipe. Several such wells operated under the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico. The sulfur was collected in reservoirs, or sumps, and from there transferred to vats or bins to solidify for storage and stockpiling. Vats contained as much as 300,000 tons of sulfur. Frasch-process sulfur produced at the Gulf Coast salt domes constituted the major source of U.S. sulfur production and dominated the world market until approximately 1970. Thereafter, non-Frasch sources such as the purification of sour (high sulfur-content) petroleum, the refining of natural gas, and improved methods for obtaining sulfur from metal sulfides gained a greater share of the market. The Frasch process is still used today in Poland and Russia. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies About 9,000,000 tons of sulfur are recovered in the United States each year from natural gas, petroleum refinery gases, pyrites, and smelter gases from the processing of copper , zinc , and lead ores. In most cases sulfur is separated from other gases as hydrogen sulfide and then converted to elemental sulfur by the Claus process, which involves the partial burning of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide, with subsequent reaction between the two to yield sulfur. Another important source is the sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by coal-fired steam power plants. In the early 1970s techniques to collect this sulfur dioxide and convert it into usable sulfur were developed. Trending Topics Opium Wars A few of the non-Frasch processes for sulfur production may be mentioned. Sulfur-bearing rock is piled into mounds. Shafts are bored vertically and fires set at the top of the shafts. The burning sulfur provides sufficient heat to melt the elemental sulfur in the rock layers below, and it flows out at the bottom of the pile. This is an old process, still used to some extent in Sicily . The product is of low purity and must be refined by distillation. The air pollution in the area of the process is so great that its operation is limited to certain times of the year when prevailing winds will carry the fumes away from populated areas. Rock bearing sulfur is treated with superheated water in retorts, melting the sulfur, which flows out. This process is a modification of the Frasch method. Sulfates (such as gypsum or barite) may be treated with carbon at high temperatures, forming the metal sulfides CaS or BaS (the Chance-Claus process). The metal sulfides can be treated with acid, generating hydrogen sulfide, which in turn can be burned to give elemental sulfur. Tremendous tonnages of sulfur are available from smelter operations and from power production by combustion of fossil and sour petroleum fuels, some of which contain as much as 4 percent sulfur. Thus, generation of electrical power and heat represent a major source of atmospheric pollution by sulfur dioxide. Unfortunately, recovery and purification of sulfur dioxide from stack gases are expensive operations. Wherever such metals as lead, zinc, copper, cadmium , or nickel (among others) are processed, much of the sulfuric acid needed in the metallurgical operations may be obtained on the site by converting sulfur dioxide, produced by roasting the ores, to sulfur trioxide, SO3, and thence to sulfuric acid. Sulfur available in bulk from commercial production usually is more than 99 percent pure, and some grades contain 99.9 percent sulfur. For research purposes, the proportion of impurities has been reduced to as little as one part in 10,000,000 by the application of procedures such as zone melting, column chromatography, electrolysis, or fractional distillation. China, Canada, Germany and Japan led the world in sulfur production in the early 21st century. Uses of sulfur Sulfur is so widely used in industrial processes that its consumption often is regarded as a reliable indicator of industrial activity and the state of the national economy. Approximately six-sevenths of all the sulfur produced is converted into sulfuric acid , for which the largest single use is in the manufacture of fertilizers (phosphates and ammonium sulfate). Other important uses include the production of pigments, detergents, fibres, petroleum products, sheet metal, explosives, and storage batteries; hundreds of other applications are known. Sulfur not converted to sulfuric acid is used in making paper , insecticides, fungicides, dyestuffs, and numerous other products. Compounds Sulfur forms compounds in oxidation states −2 (sulfide, S2−), +4 (sulfite, SO32−), and +6 (sulfate, SO42−). It combines with nearly all elements. An unusual feature of some sulfur compounds results from the fact that sulfur is second only to carbon in exhibiting catenation—i.e., the bonding of an atom to another identical atom. This allows sulfur atoms to form ring systems and chain structures. The more significant sulfur compounds and compound groups are as follows. One of the most familiar sulfur compounds is hydrogen sulfide , also known as sulfureted hydrogen, or stinkdamp, H2S, the colourless, extremely poisonous gas responsible for the characteristic odour of rotten eggs. It is produced naturally by the decay of organic substances containing sulfur and is often present in vapours from volcanoes and mineral waters. Large amounts of hydrogen sulfide are obtained in the removal of sulfur from petroleum. It was formerly used extensively in chemical laboratories as an analytical reagent. All the metals except gold and platinum combine with sulfur to form inorganic sulfides. Such sulfides are ionic compounds containing the negatively charged sulfide ion S2−; these compounds may be considered as salts of hydrogen sulfide. Some inorganic sulfides are important ores of such metals as iron, nickel, copper, cobalt , zinc, and lead. Several oxides are formed by sulfur and oxygen; the most important is the heavy, colourless, poisonous gas sulfur dioxide , SO2. It is used primarily as a precursor of sulfur trioxide, SO3, and thence sulfuric acid, H2SO4. It is also utilized as a bleach and an industrial reducing agent. Other noteworthy applications include its use in food preservation and for fruit ripening. (See also sulfur oxide .) Sulfur forms a wide variety of compounds with halogen elements. In combination with chlorine it yields sulfur chlorides such as disulfur dichloride, S2Cl2, a corrosive, golden-yellow liquid used in the manufacture of chemical products. It reacts with ethylene to produce mustard gas, and with unsaturated acids derived from fats it forms oily products that are basic components of lubricants. With fluorine , sulfur forms sulfur fluorides, the most useful of which is sulfur hexafluoride , SF6, a gas employed as an insulator in various electrical devices. Sulfur also forms oxyhalides, in which the sulfur atom is bonded to both oxygen and halogen atoms. When such compounds are named, the term thionyl is used to designate those containing the SO unit and the term sulfuryl for those with SO2. Thionyl chloride , SOCl2, is a dense, toxic, volatile liquid used in organic chemistry to convert carboxylic acids and alcohols into chlorine-containing compounds. Sulfuryl chloride, SO2Cl2, is a liquid of similar physical properties utilized in the preparation of certain compounds that contain sulfur, chlorine, or both. Sulfur forms some 16 oxygen-bearing acids. Only four or five of them, however, have been prepared in the pure state. These acids, particularly sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid, are of considerable importance to the chemical industry. Sulfurous acid, H2SO3, is produced when sulfur dioxide is added to water. Its most important salt is sodium sulfite, Na2SO3, a reducing agent employed in the manufacture of paper pulp, in photography, and in the removal of oxygen from boiler feedwater. Sulfuric acid is one of the most valuable of all chemicals. Prepared commercially by the reaction of water with sulfur trioxide, the compound is used in manufacturing fertilizers, pigments, dyes, drugs, explosives, detergents, and inorganic salts and esters. The organic compounds of sulfur constitute a diverse and important subdivision of organic substances. Some examples include the sulfur-containing amino acids (e.g., cysteine , methionine , and taurine), which are key components of hormones, enzymes, and coenzymes. Significant, too, are the synthetic organic sulfur compounds, among them numerous pharmaceuticals (sulfa drugs, dermatological agents), insecticides, solvents, and agents such as those used in preparing rubber and rayon .	i don't know
Half the island of Timor belongs to East Timor. Which country owns the other half?	EAST TIMOR: general data population according to the latest census (1990): 747,750 total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 750,000 // - ; 2002: 949,000 population density: 51 per sq.km = 133 per sq.mi population growth: 1,7% //; - doubling time: ca 40 years birth rate: 32 - 36 per 1000 death rate: 15 - 17 per 1000 fertility rate: ? children per female maternal mortality: per 100,000 infant mortality (1-4 years): per 1000 life expectancy: 45 years (male: 44; female: 46) age breakdown: 0-14 years: % //; - 15-59 years: % //; - 60+ years: % urbanisation: % //; - urbanisation growth: % percentage of urban population in the greatest city: % Ethnic composition, language, religion languages: Portuguese, Tetum, Bahasa Indonesia, English religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 86%; Muslim and other 14% Health daily food intake: calories per capita population with access to safe water: % people per physician: Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy land use: arable land: % //; - grass land: % //; - wooded area: % //; - arid land and desert: % agriculture: labour force: % //; - part of agriculture in GDP: % agricultural products: rice, maize, cassava, (sweet) potatoes, soybeans, cabbages, mangoes, bananas livestock (1000's): buffaloes: 69 / cattle: 137 / ducks: 28 / goats: 187 / horses: 32 / pigs: 378 / poultry: 1021 / sheep: 32 fish catch: 513 metric tonnes industry: labour force: % //; - part of industry in GDP: % industrial products: food processing, construction materials, petroleum products mining products: of no importance CO2 emission per capita: services: labour force: % //; - part of services in GDP: % energy use (kg per capita): electricity use (per capita): annual water use (per capita): Traffic, communication road network: km //; - of which paved: % //; - of which are motorways: km vehicles: per 1000 railways: 0 km //; - railways passenger/km: - navigable inland waterways: km ownership radio receivers: per 1000 ownership tv-sets: per 1000	Indonesia
What was the name of the half-bird, half-woman creature of Greek mythology?	Timor-Leste Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Fact Sheet October 27, 2015 More information about Timor-Leste is available on the Timor-Leste Country Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-TIMOR-LESTE RELATIONS Timor-Leste became an independent nation in 2002, following over four hundred years of Portuguese colonization, twenty-four years of Indonesian occupation, and three years of United Nations transitional administration. The country faces the challenge of building a strong democracy and vibrant economy against a background of still-fragile institutions and limited human capital. The United States and Timor-Leste enjoy excellent bilateral relations based on shared interests and values, and the United States is committed to strengthening and deepening this partnership. U.S. Assistance to Timor-Leste The United States has a large bilateral development assistance program and is also a major donor member to a number of multilateral agencies active in Timor-Leste such as the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, and World Bank. U.S. assistance focuses on bolstering stability by strengthening the foundations of good governance, accelerating economic growth thus creating jobs for the rapidly growing population, improving the health of the Timorese people, and supporting the professionalization of the Timorese security forces. Bilateral Economic Relations Timor-Leste is one of the least developed countries in the world and there is little direct trade with the United States. The economy is dependent on government spending (financed by petroleum revenues) and, to a lesser extent, assistance from international donors including the United States. Private sector development has lagged due to human capital shortages, infrastructure weakness, an incomplete legal system, and an inefficient regulatory environment. The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Government of Timor-Leste have signed an Investment Incentive Agreement. The major U.S. investor in Timor-Leste is ConocoPhillips; its Bayu-Undan gas condensate development is located in the Timor Sea joint petroleum development area between Timor-Leste and Australia. The second largest export is coffee, which generates about $16 million a year. Starbucks Coffee Company is a major purchaser of Timorese coffee. Timor-Leste's Membership in International Organizations Timor-Leste's foreign policy places high priority on its relationships with Indonesia, Australia, other neighbors, and friendly countries and donors, most notably the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Timor-Leste began its two year presidency of the CPLP in 2014 by prioritizing economic integration between member states, as well as joint exploration and production of oil and gas. One of its top foreign policy objectives is to join ASEAN. Timor-Leste applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, but an ASEAN decision to admit the nation is still pending. Timor-Leste and the United States belong to many of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Bilateral Representation The U.S. is represented in country by Ambassador Karen Stanton ; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List. Timor-Leste maintains an embassy in the United States at 4201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (telephone: 202-966-3202). More information about Timor-Leste is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:	i don't know
In nuclear science, what word used to follow ‘half-life’, before the term was shortened in the early 1950s?	Half-life Half-life 1/2n 100/(2n) Half-life (abbreviated t1⁄2) is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo, or how long stable atoms survive, radioactive decay . The term is also used more generally to characterize any type of exponential or non-exponential decay. For example, the medical sciences refer to the biological half-life of drugs and other chemicals in the body. The converse of half-life is doubling time . The original term, half-life period, dating to Ernest Rutherford ‘s discovery of the principle in 1907, was shortened to half-life in the early 1950s. [1] Rutherford applied the principle of a radioactive element’s half-life to studies of age determination of rocks by measuring the decay period of radium to lead-206 . Half-life is constant over the lifetime of an exponentially decaying quantity, and it is a characteristic unit for the exponential decay equation. The accompanying table shows the reduction of a quantity as a function of the number of half-lives elapsed. Contents 7 External links Probabilistic nature of half-life Simulation of many identical atoms undergoing radioactive decay, starting with either 4 atoms per box (left) or 400 (right). The number at the top is how many half-lives have elapsed. Note the consequence of the law of large numbers : with more atoms, the overall decay is more regular and more predictable. A half-life usually describes the decay of discrete entities, such as radioactive atoms. In that case, it does not work to use the definition that states “half-life is the time required for exactly half of the entities to decay”. For example, if there are 3 radioactive atoms with a half-life of one second, there will not be “1.5 atoms” left after one second. Instead, the half-life is defined in terms of probability : “Half-life is the time required for exactly half of the entities to decay on average “. In other words, the probability of a radioactive atom decaying within its half-life is 50%. For example, the image on the right is a simulation of many identical atoms undergoing radioactive decay. Note that after one half-life there are not exactly one-half of the atoms remaining, only approximately, because of the random variation in the process. Nevertheless, when there are many identical atoms decaying (right boxes), the law of large numbers suggests that it is a very good approximation to say that half of the atoms remain after one half-life. There are various simple exercises that demonstrate probabilistic decay, for example involving flipping coins or running a statistical computer program . [2] [3] [4] Formulas for half-life in exponential decay An exponential decay can be described by any of the following three equivalent formulas: N λ t {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}N(t)&=N_{0}\left({\frac {1}{2}}\right)^{\frac {t}{t_{1/2}}}\\N(t)&=N_{0}e^{-{\frac {t}{\tau }}}\\N(t)&=N_{0}e^{-\lambda t}\end{aligned}}} where N0 is the initial quantity of the substance that will decay (this quantity may be measured in grams, moles, number of atoms, etc.), N(t) is the quantity that still remains and has not yet decayed after a time t, t1⁄2 is the half-life of the decaying quantity, τ is a positive number called the mean lifetime of the decaying quantity, λ is a positive number called the decay constant of the decaying quantity. The three parameters t1⁄2, τ, and λ are all directly related in the following way: t For a proof of these formulas, see Exponential decay § Decay by two or more processes . Examples Half life demonstrated using dice in a classroom experiment There is a half-life describing any exponential-decay process. For example: The current flowing through an RC circuit or RL circuit decays with a half-life of RCln(2) or ln(2)L/R, respectively. For this example, the term half time might be used instead of “half life”, but they mean the same thing. In a first-order chemical reaction , the half-life of the reactant is ln(2)/λ, where λ is the reaction rate constant . In radioactive decay , the half-life is the length of time after which there is a 50% chance that an atom will have undergone nuclear decay. It varies depending on the atom type and isotope , and is usually determined experimentally. See List of nuclides . The half life of a species is the time it takes for the concentration of the substance to fall to half of its initial value. Half-life in non-exponential decay The decay of many physical quantities is not exponential—for example, the evaporation of water from a puddle, or (often) the chemical reaction of a molecule. In such cases, the half-life is defined the same way as before: as the time elapsed before half of the original quantity has decayed. However, unlike in an exponential decay, the half-life depends on the initial quantity, and the prospective half-life will change over time as the quantity decays. As an example, the radioactive decay of carbon-14 is exponential with a half-life of 5,730 years. A quantity of carbon-14 will decay to half of its original amount ( on average ) after 5,730 years, regardless of how big or small the original quantity was. After another 5,730 years, one-quarter of the original will remain. On the other hand, the time it will take a puddle to half-evaporate depends on how deep the puddle is. Perhaps a puddle of a certain size will evaporate down to half its original volume in one day. But on the second day, there is no reason to expect that one-quarter of the puddle will remain; in fact, it will probably be much less than that. This is an example where the half-life reduces as time goes on. (In other non-exponential decays, it can increase instead.) The decay of a mixture of two or more materials which each decay exponentially, but with different half-lives, is not exponential. Mathematically, the sum of two exponential functions is not a single exponential function. A common example of such a situation is the waste of nuclear power stations, which is a mix of substances with vastly different half-lives. Consider a mixture of a rapidly decaying element A, with a half-life of 1 second, and a slowly decaying element B, with a half-life of 1 year. In a couple of minutes, almost all atoms of element A will have decayed after repeated halving of the initial number of atoms, but very few of the atoms of element B will have done so as only a tiny fraction of its half-life has elapsed. Thus, the mixture taken as a whole will not decay by halves. Half-life in biology and pharmacology A biological half-life or elimination half-life is the time it takes for a substance (drug, radioactive nuclide, or other) to lose one-half of its pharmacologic, physiologic, or radiological activity. In a medical context, the half-life may also describe the time that it takes for the concentration of a substance in blood plasma to reach one-half of its steady-state value (the “plasma half-life”). The relationship between the biological and plasma half-lives of a substance can be complex, due to factors including accumulation in tissues , active metabolites , and receptor interactions. [5] While a radioactive isotope decays almost perfectly according to so-called “first order kinetics” where the rate constant is a fixed number, the elimination of a substance from a living organism usually follows more complex chemical kinetics. For example, the biological half-life of water in a human being is about 9 to 10 days, though this can be altered by behavior and various other conditions. The biological half-life of cesium in human beings is between one and four months. See also ^ John Ayto, “20th Century Words” (1989), Cambridge University Press. ^	Period
“ .. he'll grow to be an angry young man some day” comes from the lyrics of which 1969 no.2 hit?	The Maralinga Chronology, THE ATOMIC WEAPONS TESTS IN AUSTRALIA AND THEIR RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT Researched, written and created by Paul Langley ISBN 0-646-42490-4 \| Paul Langley's Nuclear History Blog Paul Langley's Nuclear History Blog Maralinga Chronolgy Part 2 » The Maralinga Chronology, THE ATOMIC WEAPONS TESTS IN AUSTRALIA AND THEIR RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT Researched, written and created by Paul Langley ISBN 0-646-42490-4 The following extracts from my html ebook are shortened, lack the active links and the illustrations, charts, maps and graphs. 1994. Mr Bolt needs to say sorry. Part 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Click here to return to top of page “The Lucky country?” Since the 1950s the Australian people have been told by government that the Atomic tests in Australia were safe. Past actions were excused on the basis of ignorance. Yet a chronological study of scientific findings from the 1940s, legal findings from the 50s and timeless moral imperatives give credence to an alternative view. Historical technical information derived from sources of high integrity, provide a contrast to comments made and attitudes held by successive Australian and British governments in relation to the British Atomic Tests conducted in Australia. In this e book I compare many of the conclusions of the Australian Atomic Weapons Tests Safety Committee in the light of scientific knowledge available in the era of atmospheric atomic weapons testing. This is a ready means of establishing the accuracy of the claims of Australia’s Atomic Veterans. Strontium 90, present as fallout from Global atomic weapons testing during the period of the 1950’s to the 1980’s, has ceased accumulating in the environment. The cessation of Southern Hemisphere atmospheric tests ended the build up of long lived radio-isotopes in Australia. These substances continue to decay world wide. While research in Florida indicates a health risk from large power reactors, (source: Florida Baby Tooth Strontium survey website), Australia has no such large scale power reactors. Openly confronting this emissions issue is a route to providing the will to improve the emissions performance of reactor design. This may lead to improved nuclear emissions regulations and enforcement. During the period of atomic weapons testing, the entry of Strontium 90 and other radio isotopes into the human food chain was clearly documented. As fallout landed on farm land, from the 50’s to the 80’s, dairy products in particular became a direct source of Strontium 90 in the human diet. Other foods provided a vector for the entry of Strontium 90 into the “white” diet, but these were comparatively dilute sources. (Source: Professor Sir Ernest Titterton et al., “Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee Report Number 2, Commonwealth of Australia, Strontium 90 and Cesium 137 in the Australian Environment During 1969 and some results for 1970, May 1971”) “The Indigenous Contrast” The impact of nuclear fallout and nuclear industry pollution on Indigenous diet and exposures is complex. It is complicated by the lower concentration of calcium in the diet and shielding considerations including processing of food, lifestyle intimacy with the land, dwelling type, daily activities and location in relation to areas of high radiological contamination. Thus many of the safety assumptions pertaining to those living a White or Euro-centric lifestyle do not pertain to Indigenous cultures. The issue is also one of contrast. In the “White Diet” or “English Diet” (Comar 1962) enjoyed by these populations in the US, UK Australia, etc, calcium boosted diets had the effect of minimizing radio Strontium uptake. Thus these issues will be discussed in a section of the e book dedicated to the Indigenous Diet. The populations which most closely approximate the radio strontium uptake of the population of the USSR during the Cold War are the Indigenous Peoples of the world. The question has to be asked: were such populations knowingly exposed to risks above the those faced by the “White” or “Euro” or “Anglo” populations in order to provide a baseline of harm per kiloton to the Soviet Union? Such questions are not answered by declassified documents such as “Report on Project Gabriel”, US AEC, 1954. Rather, such publications cause the question to asked by extension rather than by inclusion. Australian dairy products have not been a source of Radio Strontium since the cessation of atmospheric atomic weapons testing. The health effects of this intake on people world wide caused global scientific debate. It was the fear of possible health effects which finally resulted in the cessation of atmospheric atomic weapons testing. These are historical facts, publicly confirmed by Dr Michael Wooldridge, then Minister for Health and Aged Care, in a Media Release dated September 2001. “The Permitted Hot Spots and Multiple Insults” The evidence regarding the Maralinga test site clearly shows that Australian authorities did not act on accurate testimony. The historical record shows what authorities did know and when they knew it. The Uranium series (Uranium and its daughters) and those chemicals capable of inducing radiation type insults to living tissue create a synergistic assault upon the cell. Where this occurs, the effects may be considered to be “reverse Oncology”. That is, insult a healthy cell with certain chemicals and then insult that cell with ionising radiation and that cell may well become far more likely to suffer disease causing damage than by either single insult alone. Models allowing for the enhanced vulnerability of living tissue to ionising radiation where chemical exposures have occurred have yet to be devised. However, current knowledge in the field of Oncology may be a route by which such a model may be devised. Such vulnerability is utilised in medical treatments using both chemo-therapy and radiation treatment. It seems at least prudent not to subject healthy populations to doses of chemo/radiation via economic and military uses of agro chemicals, petro chemicals, the uranium series and fission products. If such a model is devised, it may be shown that substances which are currently considered harmless may present as initiators for disease in situations of cellular insult from multiple sources. The usefulness of single-agent health studies are increasingly meaningless in the modern world. A total and Holistic approach to the problem of environmental health and toxic exposure needs to be developed. Over a period of many years, people who served in the environments of the British atomic tests in Australia have stated that chemical warfare agents were used in conjunction with the atomic tests. The substance mentioned in this regard is Mustard Gas. Most recently, Mr Colin James of the Adelaide Advertiser reported on this issue. The information I present here shows that Mustard Gas, and related substances, do indeed increase the vulnerability to the effects of ionising radiation. Mustard Gas was found to mimic the effects of radiation as a consequence of an escape of the substance in the Italian port of Bari during World War 2. As Allied possession of this substance in a war zone breached the rules of war, the incident was suppressed for many years. After the War, the first trials in chemotherapy used that group of chemicals called the “mustards”. The chemical formula for mustard gas is : CH2CH2CL CH2CH2CL (Source: “Atomic Radiation and Life”, Peter Alexander, Pelican, 1957, page 221.) “The Atomic Test Era or Proxy Nuclear Exchange?” Some strongly and sincerely believe the era of widespread atomic weapons testing – 1950s to 1980s – prevented World War 3. Others believe that the era of atomic weapons testing was World War 3 by stealth. The point of view is that the 2,044 atomic and thermo nuclear bombs detonated in this period represent a great burden to humanity and the world and resolved little if anything at all. In the final analysis, we bombed ourselves. Any other perspectives are, I believe, attempts to ideological viewpoints. Hence, atomic veterans and civilian victims are indeed veterans. They deserve honest acknowledgment. “Accumulating Exposures from many Sources” The people of the Southern Hemisphere experienced less than half of the Strontium 90 exposure suffered by the people of the Northern Hemisphere. We also escaped the exposures caused by the Chernobyl disaster. However, if the atomic bombs dropped on Australia were converted into “Chernobyl Equivalents”, then modern Australians would have some appreciation of the effects of the atomic tests. The most likely exposures to radioactive substances modern Australians can be expected to encounter are cigarette smoke (which contains the radioisotopes Lead 210 and Polonium 210 -the tobacco plant has a talent for concentrating these daughter products of naturally occurring Uranium. Concentrations of the gas Radon and its decay products – all solids – occur in poorly ventilated and poorly cleaned buildings. Again, these are naturally occurring daughter products of naturally occurring Uranium. Uranium comprises 2% of the earth’s crust. (Source: “NCRP Report No. 77, Exposures from the Uranium Series with Emphasis on Radon and its Daughters” March 15, 1984, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 7910 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.) On October 18, 1953, “dust clouds” arrived over Canberra and were “not dangerous according to the Australian National University”. Three days earlier, the UK had exploded “Totem 1” a ten kiloton atomic bomb in South Australia. (Source: The Chronicle of the Twentieth Century, ISBN 1872031 80 3, Chronicle of Australia Pty Ltd, 487 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, Victoria, 3134 and Chronicle Communications, London. 1990 Jacques International Publishing, Paris) In response to the “dust clouds”, Sir Robert Menzies was reputed to have exclaimed “What the Bloody Hell is going on?”. Later, when similar “dust clouds” arrived over Adelaide, and delivered a dose of 1,500 times greater than (but in addition to) natural background radiation, CSIRO scientists were silenced by threats and insults by Menzies’ official delegates – mainly Prof Titterton and the Australian Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee. The fallout cloud arrived via the northern suburbs. (Source: Fallout, Hedley Marston and the British Bomb Tests in Australia, Dr Roger Cross, Wakefield Press, 2001, ISBN 1 86254 523 5. Dr Cross states “The people of Adelaide were not told that a radioactive cloud from the third bomb explosion passed over the city, nor that some of the state’s northern communities received several dressings of radioactive debris from the tests. Indeed, they have never been told.” Page 71, ibid., quoted with permission.) The fallout cloud left Adelaide by going out to sea via the then market gardening suburbs to Adelaide’s West. Vegetables are normally washed before use, and so rendered safe. The people at most risk in Adelaide Western suburbs were market gardening families. These people were unknowingly exposed to both radioactive fallout and the agro-chemicals then being introduced and used with innocent abandon. Many of those then new chemicals were “radio-mimetic”, that is, they acted on living tissue in the same manner as radioactive fallout. (Source: Atomic Radiation and Life, Peter Alexander, Pelican Books, 1957, page 220 – 228.) Many such chemical substances are far more powerful than ionising radiation in their biological effects. (e.g. 2,4,5 T, Dioxin, Agent Orange, various insecticides, volatile hydrocarbons, benzene….) Oncologists may choose to discuss why it is that a combination of chemotherapy and radiation often forms the most effective treatment for some types of cancer. It seems that such cancer cells are rendered more than twice as vulnerable when both chemotherapy and radiation are applied. Likewise, healthy cells are rendered much more susceptible to damage and disease if both radio-mimetic chemicals and ionising radiation are present. Of the Western suburbs population, it appears to me that those most vulnerable were females and children who lived among the market gardens. It is a tragic that in Australia, no cancer registry existed until the 1970s. Fossil fuels are carcinogenic, mutagenic, filthy and unsafe. They are also mildly radioactive – due to the presence of decay products of Uranium which collect in the same geological features as the fossil fuel. This is why the build up of radioactive deposits on oil rig piping and valves is an issue. (Source: “NCRP Report No. 77, Exposures from the Uranium Series with Emphasis on Radon and its Daughters” March 15, 1984, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 7910 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.. A Scientific Paper entitled “A straightforward method for determining the surface contamination level on oil and gas production equipment” was presented at the ARPS 2003 Scientific Committee Conference, Hobart Function and Conference Centre, Tasmania, Australia at 11.10am on Monday 27 October 2003. The Paper will be presented by Carolyn Thomas of ESSO. The authors of the Paper are J.G. Young, C.Y. Thomas V. Ibbestson, D. Hamilton & D. Billingsley. It can be shown that any mechanism which concentrates Uranium and its progeny elements presents a health physics concern. Depleted Uranium ammunition is a potent concentrator of these elements of concern. The experience of atomic veterans and adjacent civilian populations is a warning to us. Experiments in the early 1950s show that radio-mimetic chemicals “…at doses when they are not generally toxic,…have a selective action on tissue containing rapidly dividing cells; …and the first tissues to be affected are the blood forming centres such as the bone-marrow…” (Source: “Atom Radiation and Life”, 1957 page 221.) Certain people – veterans and other exposed populations – have crossed an exposure threshold. At what point in the future will their experiences become a norm for Western industrialised populations? Finding the truth about the health impacts on Australians veterans is crucial, for the knowledge can be used to protect present communities. Authorities must take responsibility for the elevated health effects produced by radio-isotopes introduced into a multi stressor environment. Sadly, the situation is one which is used to deny responsibility. “The Search Begins” In 1994 I began to research the impact of British Atomic testing on South Australian water supplies. As time passed, what I found led to the conclusion that the people responsible for the safety of the tests knew that specific risks and harms were being inflicted on Australians. Of the people involved three stand out: Dr Edward Teller of the USA, Prof. Penney of Britain and Prof. Ernest Titterton, a major influence on the conduct of the atomic tests in Australia He was the Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee’s second Chairman. Various members of the Safety Committee, especially Wise and Moroney, authored reports in the late 1970s that continued the point of view known as the “Titterton line”. Titterton held that the tests were safe. Reports written under his Chairmanship acknowledge that Radio Strontium is in the food chain due to atomic testing. However, the followers of Prof Titterton maintain, even to this day, that Radio Strontium resides solely in bone and is harmless. Ample evidence exists which strongly contests the Titterton Line. Many years of propaganda and suppression have denied this alternate viewpoint a free hearing before the Australian public. “Military Secrecy and the Roots of the Civilian Radiological Star Chamber” The secrecy which surrounds the military use of nuclear technology in Australia has helped form a culture of secrecy in other areas of nuclear activity. The events of the 50s and 60s are still very relevant. They form the backbone to an oral history at logger heads with official views. As a result, the oral history of Veterans and other affected groups is still considered to be “gossip” by many in power. In South Australia nuclear secrecy is facilitated by the Radiation Protection Act. Sophisticated nuclear technology demands an aware public. For at the heart of the civilian nuclear undertakings lie the contradictions born in earlier times. At its core is a disagreement among experts in which the Australian public was not permitted to fully participate. Originally, in Britain people such as Bertrand Russell and later Alice M. Stewart (of the Cancer Epidemiology Research Unit, Dept. of Social Medicine, University of Birmingham Edgbaston), and in the USA Linus Pauling, Rosalie Bertell and others led mass protests against atomic testing. In Australia however, government influence over the media, the pervasive influence of Prof. Titterton and the imposition of secrecy attenuated the protests. Dr Marston had to work quietly and even now some of his work remains unavailable. So who was right? “President Clinton’s Openness Executive Order” In 2002 a US funded research project was commenced by researchers at Flinders University of South Australia to determine the effects of low level Gamma radiation. Ironically, President Clinton commissioned this study in order to answer concerns raised by Nevada residents and US Atomic Veterans. The study considered only external gamma exposure. It did not include internalised alpha and beta emitting particles. The results of this study were unsurprising as the study ignored Hot Particle internal contamination. The United States of America is much more open in relation to information pertaining to the health of its Atomic test era veterans. As a response to an Executive Order authorised by President Clinton, an apparently full accounting of its atomic weapons tests and their consequences is found on the Internet. The US Department of Energy has placed a wealth of knowledge regarding its Human Radiation Experiment programs on the net. ( http://tis.eh.doe.gov/ohre/roadmap/achre/index.html ). Although President Bush has severely curtailed the web contents of this Openness Project – Post 9/11, it remains a resource for researchers. I’d like to know when the British and Australian governments intend to establish their own Offices of Human Radiation Experiments (OHRE’s). We need to find what was known, when it was known and how knowledge was used in relation to the Atomic Weapon Tests in Australia. If this can be learnt, then we can move some way toward concluding why it was that the Australian public was placed in harm’s way. Rapid social and technological change sometimes has the effect of separating history from current events. Nuclear physics is not a new science. Nuclear scientists throughout the twentieth century created a cutting edge of knowledge. “Control Scientific Knowledge and Control Populations” By the 1940s a vast amount of knowledge regarding ionising radiation, its hazards and safe use had been amassed. Prof. Titterton when alive claimed to know all that was useful about Nuclear Safety. Since his death apologists have maintained his ignorance of consequence was appropriate for his time – while at the same time arguing his position was correct. I have found that Prof. Titterton knew exactly what he was doing. From the evidence presented, I conclude the atomic tests went ahead despite knowledge that harm would be inflicted in such a way as to create credible denial. The strongest evidence for this is found in an open examination of the assumptions at the heart of the Human Bone Survey (Both UK/Australian surveys and also the US global Survey named “Operation Sunshine”). Early in the atomic test program, Dr. Marston came forward with information which indicated harm was certain to be caused. Prof. Titterton and the rest of the Atomic Weapons Safety Committee suppressed it and denigrated Marston. ASIO created case file on Marston and opened his mail. What Marston found in relation to Radio Iodine 131 in animal thyroids from Fallout was evidence that Titterton should have known and did. From this Marston extrapolated a Radio Strontium hazard to the Australian population. But Marston’s work was suppressed by delay and censorship. Earlier, by 1945 enough had been learnt to enable the successful use of atomic weapons. By 1943 scientists involved in the Manhattan Project had calculated the fission product inventory (the radioactive constituents of fallout) created by the atomic bombs they were working on. Seaborg (aware as he was of the radium dial painter health disaster of the post WW 1 period) was so concerned about plutonium &endash; a substance he jointly discovered &endash; that he wrote a memo urging in depth health studies. So the now infamous Human Plutonium Injection Experiments came to be. Note that injection studies were undertaken as alpha and beta emitting substances pose a far greater hazard inside the body than they do when present on the skin. It is indeed ironic that the current definition of a Hot Particle includes the premise that HP’s pose a “skin dose” risk only in the USA. “The Blue Danube” All of the atomic bombs exploded in Australia were of a series designated the “Blue Danube”. This series of bombs used Plutonium as the fuel. Though detonated from 1952 to 1957 in Australia, they were obsolete by 1962 and taken out of service. The name reflects the area of the world the UK expected to use them against the massed tanks of the Soviet Union. It is past time that Australians should automatically associate “Fatman”, “Little Boy” and “Blue Danube”. I dispute the claim that leaders and atomic test proponents could not conceive of the risks inherent in the undertaking. I have found that foresight existed and the tests went ahead anyway. Scientific findings dating from the 1940’s undercuts Prof Titterton’s assertion that radio-active isotopes of Strontium remain “locked harmlessly to bone when ingested.” Propaganda was used to quell opposition. In later years, the aftermath was blamed on ignorance. The effect of this compounded the suffering of victims because they became socially isolated and politically de-powered. And that social suffering was foreseen. Many victims believe with good reason that the government is waiting for them to die so that the matter can be forgotten. As Australians we will recognise the bravery and sacrifice in a military/civilian action with consequences as profound as any found in any of the “hot” wars fought by Australians. We won’t forget and as time passes the deception foisted upon us by the “Titterton Line” will become common knowledge. The people who suffered as a result of the tests are truly ANZACs. “What was known and when – Turning Back Time”. “The postwar years have witnessed a historic broadening, at least in the courts, of the procedural and substantive rights of the injured and the duties of manufacturers to produce a safe product. Judicial decisions throughout the fifty states (of the USA) have given meaning to Walt Whitman’s dictum, “If anything is sacred, the human body is sacred.” Mr Justice Jackson in 1953 defined the duty of the manufacturers by saying, “Where experiment or research is necessary to determine the presence or the degree of danger, the product must not be tried out on the public, nor must the public be expected to possess the facilities or the technical knowledge to learn for itself of inherent but latent dangers. The claim that a hazard was not foreseen is not available to one who did not use foresight appropriate to his enterprise.” ” – Ralph Nader, “Unsafe at Any Speed”, preface, Grossman Publishers, New York, 1965 These concepts, cited by Nader in relation to automobile design, are generic. The atomic bombs tests were claimed by manufacturers (governments) to be safe but were coupled with long term experiment and study involving the general public (eg Project Sunshine). Just how much foresight was possible and how was it used? The long and difficult journey of Atomic Veterans and other victims has been partly a process of uncovering knowledge possessed prior to the first Atomic bomb and into the 1950s, and understanding the methods of concealment so that the truth can be unraveled. “The relationship between dose and effect is being studied at lower and lower doses for a number of radiation effects. …..The possibility of detecting effects at the lowest levels has therefore practical limitations determined by the size of the experiment that would be necessary to reveal them…..Radiation induced lysogenesis is detectable at doses as low as .3 rad.” – The Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, General Assembly Official Records: Seventh Session, Supplement No.16 (A/5216), United Nations, New York, 1962, Chapter 11, “Physical and biological aspects of the interaction of ionising radiation with matter”. The atomic tests in Australia commenced in the 1952, but in the 1940s experiments with dairy cows and smaller mammals gave scientists the knowledge that Radio Strontium from fallout would present risks not only to bone but to soft tissue. Particularly in the case of pregnant and lactating females. The tests went ahead and soft tissue exposure was ignored as a risk. “In April 1958 Mark Oliphant sent Hedley Marston glad tidings from the second Pugwash Conference at Manoir St Castin, Quebec. The great American chemist Linus Pauling had lent him a manuscript that would, Pauling claimed, expose the falsehoods of a blatantly pro-nuclear book, “Our Nuclear Future” (by Edward Teller and Albert Latter), that had recently been published. Oliphant recommended that as soon as Paulings book was published Marston should immediately send a copy to the CSIRO executive. It would, he said, “vindicate you completely”. Pauling’s book was published later in the year with the emotive title: “No More War!” It cast serious doubts over the estimation of the risks of radioactive fallout by Teller who, according to Pauling, deliberately distorted the facts. For Marston this was splendid news. To his mind, distorting the facts was exactly what the (Australian Atomic Weapons Test ) Safety Committee were about.”(Dr Roger Cross, “Fallout – Hedley Marston and the British Bomb Tests in Australia”, Page 155, Wakefield Press, ISBN 1 86254 523 5, quoted with permission.) Did Pauling, Oliphant and Marston base their views, as world leading scientists, on the facts or were they mere “Conspiracy Theorists”? Why did the UK government prevent Sir Mark Oliphant from having even an observer role in the tests? To what extent then did Australian Members of Parliament submit Australians to harms in compliance with a Foreign Power? “The Dose Fudge” Official documents list radiation doses from artificial sources in fractions of background dose (ie “less than 1/10th of background”). When you see this in the texts quoted here, don’t forget to ADD the background dose to the artificially imposed dose. For example, if the background is 1, if the dose added by humans is .1 then the total dose is 1.1 of background. (The official documents use language which encourages the reader to do subtraction instead of addition.) The background dose varies from place to place. Everyone is different. Every life’s total dose is different. Each dose is cumulative throughout a person’s life. Balance the benefits of nuclear technology with the personal costs. The dose levels for many illnesses remain unknown. Individuals are not protected by statistics, for if we fall ill, we have to prove we are the “1 in 1,000” in order to be taken seriously. Step 1, who were the other 999, and how are they doing? Given the lead time of radiogenic illness and the mobility of Australian populations, statistics aren’t a guarantee of individual safety over time. Long odds are used to discredit victims. However, just as every horse race has a winner, every undertaking has its losers. Apparently by showing Moscow that the UK was tough enough and cunning enough to bomb Australia with 12 nukes and get away with it, some geo-political and social advantage was gained. Had the USSR dropped the same bombs however, the victims would have been identified, not hidden, and held as heroes. The USSR would have revealed itself to be the twisted monster that it was. However, it was the British and Australian authorities who bombed Australia. “The early Radiological Knowledge Base” “Recently Pecher has demonstrated a marked similarity in the metabolism of radio-calcium and radio-strontium of mice and rats……much of the calcium found in milk may be derived from that present in the diet, and Pecher has shown, in mice, that some is derived from that most recently deposited in the trabecular portion of bone..” – “Secretion of Radio-Strontium in Milk of Two Cows Following Intravenous Administration”, L.A. Erf and Charles Pecher, page 762, “Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine” Volume 45, October- December 1940 (Nineteen Forty), New York. (This work was received by Adelaide University at the time of publication and is held in the South Australian Universities Joint Research Repository at Flinders University today. As a world leading biologist, Hedley Marston thus had access to this text as a possible basis for his concerns) Pecher’s work demonstrated that upon absorbing radio strontium, mammals pass it to the fetus and the nursing infant. This includes humans. Clearly, leading edge research in 1940 indicated that radio-strontium is mobile in the body and similar to calcium in its biochemistry. 12 years before the first atomic bombs detonated in Australia dispersed Radio Strontium into the food chain, Erf and Pecher had found that Strontium moved through the body, and even when deposited in bone, was mobilised and secreted in milk. Yet the following lie remains the official line: “Any effect of Strontium 90 on individuals in the population results from the radiation doses it delivers to bone tissue, after ingestion in foodstuffs.”- Professor Sir Ernest Titterton et al., “Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee Report Number 2, Commonwealth of Australia, Strontium 90 and Cesium 137 in the Australian Environment During 1969 and some results for 1970, May 1971”. Note that the two radio isotopes of Strontium &endash; 89 and 90 are bio-chemically identical. Atomic bomb fallout is a form of chemical warfare. Chemical warfare is illegal. Prof Titterton was a brilliant Scientist. He considered he knew all there was to know during the relevant period, and he considered he had a command of his area of expertise far in excess of his critics. He was the man who pushed the button to detonate the Trinity Device in New Mexico. The Australian and British Governments appointed Prof Titterton to the AWTSC in order to ensure the safety of the tests. During his tenure at the Australian National University, Canberra, Prof Titterton advised successive governments and maintained great influence over the field of radiological safety in Australia well into the 1970s. It is reasonable to equate him as Teller of Australia, while Oliphant might be seen as the Australian equivalent of Pauling) Ignoring the soft tissue impacts of Radio Strontium on the health of Australians and ignoring findings relating to the mobility of Strontium in mammals which date to 1940, as Titterton appears to do as late as 1971, is a strong indicator that Pauling, Marston and Oliphant had strong grounds to question the safety of the tests. “The institutional control period is 200 years. This is adequate only for isotopes with half-lives of about 30 years or less.” – “Exposing the Federal Government’s Nuclear Dump” by the Nuclear Information Centre, April 2003, The Conservation Centre, 120 Wakefield St, Adelaide, SA, 5000 Phone: (08) 82235155 fax: (08) 82324782 http://www.ccsa.asn.au The Federal Government knows the effects of an isotope with a 30 year half life requires secure isolation for 200 years – and the knowledge of half life impacts dates back many, many years. Why were Australia’s 3 major test sites (Monte Bello Island, Emu Field and Maralinga) left to erode in a “hot” condition for so long? Monte Bello Island is completely unrestored. If you are asking “What about Hiroshima and Nagasaki?”, the answer is the stability and shielding provided by bitumen and concrete and the fact those 2 bombs exploded high. Many studies made of fallout in Japan have found fission products present in those environs in the current era. Australia’s 12 bombs were either exploded at ground level or at low altitude and finally, the minor trials created a large amount of locally dispersed radioactive material, much of it in the form of fine particles. In addition, Titterton iced the cake by demanding that Cobalt 90 pellets be randomly scattered. Appatently he ordered this in order to test the abilities of the Radiac survey teams. (Source: Doug Rickard.). Radiological warfare is not new. (Source: US Dept of Defence publication “Report on Search for Human Radiation Experiment Records, 1944 – 1994, Volume 1, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defence Programs, June 1997”, United States of America, Chapter 6, Radiological Warfare, page 59.) The concept of using the risk of harms posed by discrete particles of radio-isotopes as a weapon as a weapon introduces the concept of the Hot Particle. Once taken into the body a Hot Particle may become trapped in tissue. The surrounding tissue is as a consequence subject to constant irradiation from that particle. Hot Particles exist within a 3 D environment. Normal 2D surface monitoring will fail to adequately record their presence in volume. An environment deemed “clean” may still present a Hot Particle hazard. “…the problem that highly active particles may be present in the air although the external dose rate is below the recommended operative action level is notonly theoretical.” (Source: Pollanen, R. “Nuclear FuelParticles in the Environment &endash; Characteristics, Atmospheric Transport and Skin Doses”, STUK &endash; Radiation and NuclearSafety Authority, University of Helsinki, Department of Physics, Academic Dissertation, presented May 28, 2002.ISBN 951-712-528-3). See also “Radioactive Particles in the Environment &endash; Occurence , Characterisation , AppropriateAnalytical Techniques Review ” , prepared by Nora Vajda,Budapest, 2001, IEAE. The concept of the Hot Particle confirms the information provided by Dr Doug Rokke on the hazards of Depleted Uranium shells. Such radiological weapons constitute risks now and will do so into the future. “The Perpetual Battle for Open Information” With the formation of the Manhattan Project in War World 2, a deliberate attempt to separate physics from biochemistry was made. The pre war work conducted by biologists and doctors trained in nuclear physics in Allied countries was seen as a security threat. (Oliphant, letter to Marston, cited by Cross, ibid, above.) This compartmentalisation of knowledge created a disconnect between nuclear science and medicine which continues to this day. (the DOE Openness Project website provides oral histories of those involved which confirm this. Those willing to take a contrary view such as Drs Gofman and Sternglass were excluded and hounded in the US. Gofman describes threats against him.) “Science and Society” Many attempts to force the responsible and verifiably safe use of nuclear technology have been made over many years by many people. Many people have suffered at the hands of self-proclaimed “democratic” governments in supposed “open” societies. For example, the father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenhiemer himself was suspected of being a Communist and was denied a renewal of his Security rating. This was due to his opposition to the construction and use of the Hydrogen bomb. Karen Silkwood was probably murdered while trying to blow the whistle on unsafe practices taking place at the Kerr-McGee nuclear processing plant. In the event, her family was awarded millions of dollars for her death. Victims and opponents of the tests became socially isolated by a process which excluded their knowledge and experience from full public awareness. Their testimony is treated as gossip and their suffering hidden. What is the information Veterans seek and want to share? It is four fold: 1. Service and dose rate data 2. Scientific data relating to the effects of exposure doses and sources of secondary exposure. 3. What that information means in terms of individual health impacts. 4.Justice for themselves and their families. In the absence of the provision of this information as it relates to individuals, it is a logical step to seek out non-governmental sources of information relating to general exposure doses. This leads to studies of the environmental and biological impacts of nuclear fallout and the fission products that comprise it. Most authorities rate Strontium 90 as the main isotope of concern, although it is not the only one. Strontium 90 is chemically similar to Calcium. The body incorporates Strontium 90 in similar ways to that of Calcium. Atom bombs also generate Strontium 89. This is biologically identical to Strontium 90. However, Strontium 89 is much more radioactive and has a short half life. In an open society, dedicated to the removal of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their effects, the installation of the Rule of Law and Free Societies globally, one would think that the open seeking of information and the sharing of that information would be encouraged. Experience has proven that the opposite is the case in respect to Australia’s Atomic Veterans. “My Personal Experiences” During the period 1971-1973 I was trained as a Radiological Safety NCO at the Radiac Calibration Centre, Royal Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (RAEME), 4 Base Workshop, Bandiana, Victoria. This establishment calibrated and repaired military and Civil Defence instruments used to detect radiation. This introduction to radiological safety marked the start of my interest in the subject. Prior to this I studied agricultural science and biology at an Agricultural High School, Urrbrae. Ironically this school is located across the road from the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, an Institute where Marston carried out world leading research. Among the training aids used at Radiac were films relating to the British Atomic Weapons Tests in Australia. These were classified secret at that time, but are now available, at a high price, from the British Imperial War Museum for public viewing. I even was shown official US film footage of the SL-1 reactor meltdown, Idaho. These films were classified secret at the time, but are now available publically. As a civilian, in 2002, after a request to Central Army Records Office (CARO), I received my military radiation dose information. Veterans of the Atomic Tests in Australia have not had such a straight forward experience. In many cases they and their children are currently being denied access to their health records. This is in contravention of the mandate of CARO (Central Army Records Office) and its successor organsations. It is a further breach of Duty of Care. I was subject to dose rates many orders of magnitude lower than those inflicted upon Veterans of the British Atomic Weapons Tests in Australia. In fact I was probably better off at work than I was off duty. (At that time fallout from French atomic tests was arriving in Australia. I was in a filtered monitored building.) “Does the Government have a case to answer in respect to its Atomic Test Veterans and affected civilians?” I left the Army in 1973 and in 1975, triggered by a media article on the risks of ionising radiation, I rang the Army Censor at Keswick Barracks, Adelaide. I asked for permission to speak publicly about radiological safety issues. The Army Censor angrily told me to “keep my mouth shut or face the consequences”. Since then, various Ministers, facing periodic rising tides of voter discontent, has repeatedly stated exService personnel are free to rise concerns. And once a topic enters the public domain, as a citizen of this country, ex service personnel has as much right to participate in public debate as anyone else. After all politicians are bound by oath to serve. So who is failing who here? The intimidation and stonewalling many Atomic Veterans claim to have experienced is highly credible. “Suppression and stonewalling still exist” There is still an organisation wide culture of secrecy and suppression throughout all levels of government in Australia in regards to radiological safety issues. There remains a great reluctance on the part of government to provide information which would promote rational and accurate public contemplation of radiological safety issues. Current governments excuse past actions by saying that the dangers were not known. It is interesting to seek out research findings which predate or were concurrent with the Atomic Weapons Tests. I believe the work of Pecher et al in immediate post war era put paid to such pleas of innocence. Charles Pecher died in 1941 by way of gunshot to the head, officially recorded as suicide. John Lawrence wrote an obituary to Pecher published in “Science” vol 94 of that year. In 1959 the UN found genetic damage posed a risk to future generations. The threshold dose for some cancers remain unknown or controversial to this day. The dangers of combinations of nuclear weapons effects and chemical exposure where known earlier than 1957. “History Shows Knowledge is Ignored, so Leaving it to the Experts is not Enough” In 1962 a major conference finding (“The Movement of Calcium and Strontium Across Biological Membranes – Proceedings from a Conference held at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, May 13-16, 1962”, Academic Press, New York, 1963) was that Strontium 90, a fission fallout product, not only collected in bone, but was able to cross the placenta and become incorporated in the tissue of the growing baby. Further, the mechanism which resulted in the transport of Strontium 90 into the breast and into breast milk was examined. These findings rested on research conducted over the decades of the 1940s and 1950s. The conference was told Strontium 90 uptake was increased in those people exposed to “whole body Radiation”. Some findings were the result of deliberately injecting radioactive isotopes into living people, others relied on Human bone samples obtained globally, including Australian specimens. Yet still the government’s position is that the Atomic Weapons tests were harmless to specific individuals, and current ARPANSA held documents continue to toe the Titterton line that Strontium 90 intake is safe because it is a soley a bone seeker. (Source: Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee Report Number 2, Strontium 90 and Cesium 137 in the Australian Environment during 1969 and some results for 1970.) The Cornell findings postulate the existence of a “Calcium pool” to account for experimental results relating to Strontium 90 movement in and secretion from the Bovine mammary gland. Initial experiments in this area date from the 1940s. (Erf and Pecher – Intravenous Strontium 89 tracer doses to two cows results in 11.00% and 7.88% of dose secreted to milk up to 102 hours after dose administration Source: “The Transfer of Calcium and Strontium Across Biological Membranes – Proceedings of a Conference held at Cornell University Ithaca, New York, May 13-16, 1962, Page 329 ). Despite these findings from the 40s being re-republished in 1962, the AWTSC states: “Any effect on individuals ..results from the radiation doses it delivers to bone tissue, after ingestion in foodstuffs…and are not a hazard to health” Yet in the same publication the AWTSC state that Strontium 90 was present in the bones of stillborn babies (Source: Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee Report Number 2, Strontium 90 and Cesium 137 in the Australian Environment during 1969 and some results for 1970. table 11 page 30). If the Australian Government is correct in that Strontium remains locked in bone, how is it that the tissue taken from still-born babies during Project Sunshine show a radio-strontium reading? How did it get there but via the mothers’ soft tissue transport? It is a nonsense to claim ingested Radio Strontium delivers radiation to bone alone when the AWTSC evidence itself admits Strontium 90 is mobile enough to cross the placental barrier and nourish the growing baby. If it is present in the fetus, Strontium 90 must be mobile within the soft tissue and intercellular fluid of the mother. Why did authorities choose bone as the only tissue to monitor? Why go to the bother of concealing bone sample removal if easily extracted soft tissue samples could readily be obtained? Adult bone is one of the least radio-sensitive tissues of the human body. (Source Radiac Radiological Safety Notes, 1972, RAEME, Australian Army) Human soft tissue sample Strontium 90 results have never been mentioned by government. The only sampling results released have been exclusively bone. Interestingly, bone marrow is among the most radio-sensitive tissues. (Source: ibid.) Only ashed bone was used in the sampling results and the total Strontium 90 residue attributed to bone only. (Source: ARPANSA). The use of bone as the sole monitoring tissue enabled higher REM figures (measured radiation exposure) to be translated in lower RAD figures (biological equivalent dose) (Source: A discussion of the units of radiological measurement is contained in Radiac Radiological Safety Notes, 1972, RAEME, Australian Army. This is a non-classified text of precised information which staff were permitted to retain upon the authority of the Officer in Command.) But the bone marrow exposure dose is never mentioned. Neither is the dose to lymph or soft tissue, including breast tissue. From the bone sample results, governments peddle the average exposure dose received by the “Average Man”. This mythical creature is endowed with both genders. The problem posed in 1962 remains unanswered. What is the impact of Radio Strontium on female soft tissue? Can the animal test results be transferred to human females? Is there a “Calcium pool” in human females which allows for rapid movement of Calcium and Strontium between tissue types? Why is it that when gender based studies of Strontium 90 storages have been made, females show less storage of Strontium 90? Where did it go? Into her babies via placental exchange and via breast milk? In the case of chronic Radio Strontium intake – during the period of atomic testing and for the decay periods* – is there a constancy in Radio Strontium movement between tissues in women that is not present in males? Project Sunshine admits the uptake of Radio Strontium was similar in the genders. (29.1 years per half life for Strontium 90, (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radio nuclides/strontium.htm) various half lives for the resultant decay (“progeny”) elements. Were the Radio Strontium present in the Australian environment “nuclear waste” instead nuclear fallout, under the government waste management policy, it would be required to have an institutional control period of 200 years. ARL documents give a combined Cesium137 / Strontium 90 half life period of concern as 30 years. As the NIC information states, the effect of radiation from the daughter products of Sr 90 decay produces a 200 year period of control. The transient soft tissue dose rate as distinct from bone resident dose rates is not mentioned in government accounting of human Strontium 90 uptakes. In men, the Radio Strontium route from intake to bone is relatively easy to count. Intake minus discrimination* at gut, minus discrimination at kidneys. In women, the story is radically different and more complex. Is there a human “Calcium pool”? Does Radio Strontium move from bone to Calcium pool and so on? What is the soft tissue exposure difference between men and women? Were any human soft tissue samples taken? If not, how can it be stated by government that Strontium 90 “remains locked in bone”? Should the soft tissue dose ascribed to Cesium be added to the Radio Strontium dose as a result? If so why have governments been at pains to keep the internal doses of these two fission products separate and assigned to two different tissue types? To artificially and misleadingly comply with safety concepts and to deflect arguments presented by the likes of Pauling, Oliphant and Marston? (**discrimination – in this context, the ability of the body to discriminate between Calcium and Radio Strontium at membrane walls (the gut, the kidney, the breast etc). This discrimination results in a ratio of Calcium and Strontium being metabolised which favours Calcium. Various individual factors influence this ratio. As this relatively simple example shows, as far as radiation dose goes, contrary to what governments would have us believe, the composite “Average Man’s” exposure dose is not applicable to half the human race and to no individual. Everyone’s exposure is individual. “The Fallacy of Single Stressor Health Surveys” Increasingly in the modern world sources of challenge to health come from multiple sources. Whether chemical or radiological, multiple challenges produce effects ignored in single item health effects studies. (A case study of this problem is found in the case of the Fallon Nevada childhood cancer cluster, as conducted by the US CDC.) Using dose models which assume bone seeking radioisotopes present no hazard, the original ARL documents originally estimated the number of cancer deaths in Australia due to atomic testing as being 7. This was later increased to 35. The names of these people are unknown. They are definitely civilians, and non-aboriginal, because service personnel and Indigenous Australians were deliberately excluded from the stats. The calculations are wrong. The number of casualties from Atomic testing will probably be never known, at least by the general public. In the USA, private radiological health surveys have been undertaken in areas such as Rocky Flats and the area down wind of the Nevada nuclear test site. The results of these surveys are disquieting in their applicability to Australia. No private radiological health survey has ever been carried out on the Australian population generally. Health surveys of veterans have been seriously open to question (and questioned with skill by Sue Rabbitt Roff of the University of Dundee) and the only health survey of an Aboriginal population was found to be seriously flawed by the McClelland Royal Commission. “The 1996-2007 Australia Cancer Mortality Study” The health survey undertaken by government (as impelled by Sue Rabbitt Roff’s findings) from 1996 and completed in 2007 was a foregone conclusion – prior to its commencement, a government expert stated “it would not find anything”. This survey is now complete, and its “findings” are as expected. The Government again claims that the excess cancer deaths were due to factors other than radiation. Indigenous Populations and Pastoralists were excluded from the study. It is in my opinion a national disgrace of grave affront to Australians. If the weapons’ use in Australia was safe, why is so much data being hidden? “The Hidden Data” I know that data is certainly being hidden. I have been assured by the previous State government and by SA Water Corp that radiological monitoring data on SA drinking water for the period 1953 to 1964 does not exist. So on that basis only the data from 1965 to the time of my request was supplied. I sought the assistance of a Melbourne academic, Dr Roger Cross. This academic lodged a Freedom of Information request for this information at his own expense. The result was a refusal based not on the unavailability of information, but on the then current secrecy provisions of the SA Radiation Protection Act. These provisions remained in force until April 2003 when they were changed by the Rann government. While not a proof that the records exist, it is logical to conclude that an invocation of the Act has some purpose. An appeal lodged (again at personal cost to Dr Cross) after the time of the legislative change occurred likewise failed. Yet an article written and published by Titterton regarding the short lived radio isotope Iodine 131 in drinking water as a result of the British bomb tests gathers dust in a 1962 scientific journal. In response to my letter to the Minister for Environment again seeking the water information, I was advised by Mr Hill to reapply for the refused information by way of another FOI request. I was advised that this was because the State has limited resources and such requests cost money. The original request and appeal was costly for the academic who undertook the excersize. I asked the Minister (Hill) for the documents and have not received them. This is despite at the time I wrote to Mr Hill, his government was fighting the Federal government over the citing of a Federal Nuclear Waste dump in the South Australian land occupied by Indigenous people among the most affected by radioactive fallout from the British Atomic bombing of Australia, and despite the fact that the Federal government had by then announced its new health survey of those affected by the atomic bombings. It was clearly in the interests of both justice and public knowledge to release the information, but this did not happen. The section of the Act under which the information was refused in 2002 is paragraph 19, which then read: “Secrecy. A person who is engaged or has been engaged in any office or position connected with the administration of this Act shall not, otherwise than in the course of the duties or functions appertaining to that office or position, divulge or communicate any information obtained by virtue of that office or position.” On the face of it, another costly FOI would fail. The South Australian government is pro uranium mining and has permitted acid leach mining of uranium from rock within the South Australian artesian basin. An examination of water contamination is in my opinion not in the interests of the South Australian government. There are other matters for which I asked information and they relate to the deaths of Indigenous people as a result of atomic testing. These requests received first blanket refusals from government and then cursory and careless responses. Do mass graves exist up North as claimed by journalists citing a specialist doctor treating Indigenous people at the time? (Adelaide Advertiser 1980, McClelland Royal Commission, Hansard record Sen Chaney cited as asking the South Australian to investigate; these documents refused for release.) “Officialdom selectively Cites” In defence of its position that the atomic tests were safe, the Atomic Weapons Tests Safety Committee itself quotes select reports from 1950’s era water monitoring data. (Source: “Public Health Impact of Fallout from British Nuclear Weapons Tests in Australia, 1952-1957” by Keith N. Wise and John R. Moroney, Australian Radiation Laboratory, reprint, Department of Health, Housing and Community Services, via ARPANSA., page 40, some stated extracts from the data for the atomic tests known as “Mosaic” and “Buffalo”). In 2001 I wrote to the British Consulate asking for the same information. The Consulate promised that I would receive a response from the UK authorities. I am still waiting. In July 2002 I asked the National Archives of Australia to supply me with a copy of a file created by Radiac at the time I served there. This covered the period 1971 – 1975. National Archives advised me that I could not have a copy “because the file is empty”. The file had arrived at the National Archives in that condition. My subsequent emails to the Research Assistant at the National Archives went unacknowledged. “Redifining “Open Government”” Government in Australia tell us that it is open, honest and sovereign, and that it acts within the parameters of Westminster concepts of accountability and stewardship, both for individuals and the nation. As subjects of the Crown, we are protected by the provisions of the Constitution. Apparently, if the Crown moves to place radio-strontium in our bones, we have no say in the matter. What’s the difference between being a “subject” under the Constitution and being a “target” under the atomic weapons test protocols? None really I guess. Though targets are usually openly admitted and victims of hostile acts are generally honoured. The most likely victims of British atomic weapons were British subjects. To save us from the consequences of atomic bombs, the Australian government had an obvious course to follow. (At the time of the tests Indigenous Australians were not allowed Australian citizenship. However, the Crown had and has a sovereign duty to these people. Indigenous Australians became citizens by Constitutional Change via Referendum in 1967). Until information is freely provided, until people are provided with the means to achieve justice, government radiological safety statements regarding the atomic tests lie in the domain of propaganda and are impediments to the safe use of civil nuclear technology. Nuclear technology is in daily use. Open public scrutiny of safety data gathered by impartial experts is the best guarantee of safety. The present situation of suppressing history corrodes public confidence in government, encourages a secret “star chamber” mentality within government and industry and breeds a deep public distrust of a critical activity and area of research. If nuclear realities are withheld from the public, how long will it take us to become informed about them? “Signs of the Times” The era of atomic testing came about due to a confluence of technological, political and sociological threads. The sociological threads include the sociology of knowledge – manifest as a power relationship between the governed and the power elite. When Robert Menzies instructed the Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee to ensure the tests were safe, they used the best algebra at their disposal to fulfill their brief. When public opinion began to threaten the tests, the Committee became increasingly reliant on compliant journalists, social strata, organisational hierarchy, the Official Secrets Act, bullying and exclusion. It wasn’t long ago that letters to editors of Australian publications from the public regarding nuclear issues were vetted by government authorities. The scientific establishment of the era created a totalitarian domain to ensure that the tests and their consequences were safe from the enemy. Who were the enemy in the eyes of the elected governments? Those deemed so by a Foreign Power, not the Soviet Union, but Her Majesty’s British Government. “A Failure of Duty of Care” Australians were not told of any technique to lower their exposure dose from British atomic weapons. Many techniques exist and these were known prior to August 1945. 50’s era US Civil Defence films show some use of these techniques in response to the threat posed by Communist atomic bomb detonations. The Cornell Conference of 1962 discusses dietary protective (“displacement”) measures and Peter Alexander, writing in “Atomic Radiation and Life” (Pelican, 1957), discusses protective measures based on the use of chemical substances. Linus Pauling investigated such methods on behalf of the US Army. The research upon which Peter Alexander bases his work predates his publication date by many years. Titterton held enormous sway over the field of Radiological safety in Australia from the early 1950’s, up to and beyond the 1970 publication “Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee Report Number 2, Strontium 90 and Cesium 137 in the Australian Environment during 1969 and some results for 1970.” Neither is it plausible that he was unaware of the findings of the “The Movement of Calcium and Strontium Across Biological Membranes – Proceedings from a Conference held at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, May 13-16, 1962” So why did he maintain his stance? Was it because he was aware of statements such as Mr Justice Jackson’s in 1953? Did Titterton and the Australian government: “.. experiment to determine danger” ? Or did they do it to measure comparative harms between target populations: Westerners and the Soviet population? In fact by boosting the calcium intake of those sections of Australian society able to benefit without giving the reasons why (ie the school milk program, calcium fortified bread), the government admitted its foresight. But its actions in secret resulted in the exclusion of minority groups from these protective measures. Such groups included the rural/ remote, the traditional Indigenous and those who suffered lactose intolerance. “What really motivates continued Secrecy – 50 year old Bomb technology, Fear of Legal Liability, or that Atomic bombs and their fallout are safe and that there is nothing more to tell?” Is the secrecy surrounding the consequences of the Atomic Weapons Tests in Australia an attempt to conceal “blind eye” foresight and knowledge of actual harms? Given that the design and construction of atomic weapons is a common engineering and scientific knowledge, security of 1950s era British bomb design in the year 2007 is not a plausible reason. Until all the information is made public, what information there is enables a logically consistent conclusion. But of itself logical consistency is not legal proof. All it does is damage government credibility and corrode confidence. In an era when terrorists in Thailand are arrested for apparently carrying sacks of Soviet Cesium, surely the Teller-Titterton deception Pauling claimed to have uncovered needs to be examined in an open and honest light. “Sunshine Supermen” Throughout the period of Atomic bomb testing, a military code-word for atomic fallout was “Sunshine”. Indeed, the global human bone sampling survey took this name. (Source: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Report “Australian Strontium 90 Testing Program 1957-1978” page 12 Attachment A, which states “The Rand report noted that atmospheric testing had as an unintended side effect, introduced tracers into the world’s eco system. The group recommended that there be a worldwide study of the distribution of strontium 90 from the nuclear detonations that had occurred. The project was called “Project Sunshine”….the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (set up by US president Bill Clinton) detailed the secrecy surrounding the collection of human bones….” verbatim. Myriad civilian books note the use by NATO and allied military forces of the word “Sunshine” as a code name for atomic fallout. e.g. “Men Who Play God.”) “Sunshine” plus sunlight = Increased Radio Strontium absorption and mobility due to the action of increased levels of Vitamin D. To calculate group risks based on location is one thing. To be able to guarantee each Australian was safe is another. We are a highly mobile people. Yet assumptions of dose only relate to specific population centres. Group exposure is not a predictor of individual life events and consequences. The nonmilitary people most at risk at the time of the tests were in my opinion pregnant women and their babies and especially Indigenous Australian pregnant women and children who lived traditional lives and relied on local traditional foods which were eaten totally unprocessed. This group of people were deliberately omitted from ALL AWTSC, ARL and ARPANSA surveys. (Source: ARPANSA supplied documents), and also the 2007 Health Survey. Why were they omitted? Were they really omitted or has their data been separated. The US global bone survey Operation Sunshine was supplied by the Australian government with human bones from all states and territories, including New Guinea. The origins of the bone samples were recorded. How likely is it that Indigenous Australian Radio Strontium absorption data was not compiled? If so there is no basis for the repeated exclusion of Indigenous Australians from the repeated health surveys. Did the Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee act on appropriate foresight? No. The atomic tests went ahead and pregnant women were not told that Calcium and Strontium delivery to their babies would increase with increasing sun shine exposure and in proportion to increasing food chain radio strontium. The foresight existed but was not excersized. Carlsson’s findings contradict Titterton’s assertions and Carlsson’s findings predate Titterton’s 1970 assertions by 18 years. Pecher’s findings contradict Titterton by 30 years. If competent, Australian Government experts should have known of Carlsson’s findings before the first British Atomic bomb produced Radio Strontium in Australian local fallout. Yet no pregnant women were warned that their and their babies’ Strontium 90 soft tissue exposure could be reduced if they minimised exposure to the sun. There is a case to answer. Australian experts at the time were competent. The population was treated instead to calcium boosted bread, free milk for white/urban school children and the promotion of Iodine enriched salt. My heart breaks when I read that the deaths of babies and children at Woomera were medically ascribed to the intensity of solar radiation, leaving the false impression that the deaths were heat related. (The Adelaide Advertiser, May 10 2003, Page 1, 12 & 13 “Tell us how our children died” by Colin James). The poor people on the receiving end had no hope of hearing of Carlsson’s findings. They had a right to expect to be protected from the dangers of a product manufactured and used by and on instructions from their own government. The “Titterton Line” regarding the safety of Radio Strontium exposure to Australians contains a contradiction that any proficient Year 10 science student would spot once the propaganda of the tests is stripped away. But the chances of the AWTSC documents relating to Radio Strontium ever being used as instructional material in schools is remote. What Colin James and the Advertiser may have found is the nature of a monumental fudge in the radiological safety assumptions of the “Titterton Line”. That is, mobility of Radio Strontium is determined by biochemical status, reproductive cycle placement and external environmental factors. Two people therefore can be identically exposed, one can be taken and the other one remain. The Government calls it an Act of God. It wasn’t, it is multi-factorial biochemical reality which may go some way to providing data relevant to the low dose effect debate. It was an act of Government. But, one way or another, every individual dies. Government is a legal perpetual legal entity, comprised of individuals who deny past wrongs and illegal conduct. We can begin to see why fallout was given the name “Sunshine” by NATO. In April 1962 “The Australian Journal of Science, Vol. 24, No 10, P. 397” (Source: ARPANSA reprint) published an article by Bryant, Dwyer, Moroney, Stevens and Titterton, entitled “Strontium 90 in the Australian Environment, 1957 to 1960”. It reached the scientific audience one month before the May 1962 Strontium 90 – Calcium conference at Cornell University. In the article the AWTSC states: “Early in 1957 the Australian Atomic Weapons Tests Safety Committee extended its fallout monitoring program to include measurements of global fallout and, in particular, Strontium 90, in materials from the Australian Environment. Comparatively little was known then of the sources from which Strontium in man is normally derived, but it was expected that the element would be closely associated with calcium in the food chain and in the skeleton.” This opening statement seems to be at one and the same time a plea of ignorance, a professional anticipation of the pending Cornell Conference and a stamp of continuing scientific leadership. In fact, natural Strontium was discovered in 1790 by Adair Crawford and William Cruikshank in the of the mineral strontianite in Scotland. Metallic strontium was isolated in 1808 by Sir Humphrey Davy. No form of naturally occurring Strontium is radioactive. Discovered in the 1940’s, radioactive isotopes of Strontium are created by the fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors. It was Charles Pecher, working at the University of California, Berkeley’s Crocker Labs in the immediate pre war era who defined Strontium as a Calicum analog. Thus Titterton and the Australian Government, by quoting his findings, admit to prior knowledge of his experiments. Seen in this light, the AWTSC position that comparatively little was known about food chain sources of natural Strontium is clearly open to dispute. The scientific impartiality of the Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee in Australia is further open to question in the light of the following statements made at the Cornell Conference of 1962: “There are now data from measurements of fallout Strontium 90 in thousands of human bone samples collected from most areas of the world.” (page 394) “Results from the Southern Hemisphere indicate a level of Strontium 90 in bone which, while lower than that in the Northern Temperate Zone, is not lower by a factor which one could expect in view of the differences in fallout. Thus, while fallout levels are lower by perhaps a factor of five, bone levels are lower by no more than a factor of two. (Kulp and Schullert, (1961). The retention of Ingested strontium in beagles, U.S.A.E.C. Document UCD-104, page 61). This relatively greater human accumulation of Strontium 90 in the Southern Hemisphere may simply be due to a diet consisting of foods naturally high in Strontium 90…..” (page 397) Roy, C. Thompson, Biology Laboratory, Hanford Laboratories, General Electric Company, Richland Washington. So the bone survey analysis of the Southern Hemisphere shows much more strontium 90 than the stated atom bomb fallout would indicate. The only explanation for the discrepancy offered by the nuclear industry spokesman Thompson is that of a diet containing “foods naturally high in Strontium 90”. As we have seen, Strontium 90 does not occur naturally. The riddle of the higher Sr90 absorption rates in the Southern Hemisphere has to do with diets lacking bovine dairy milk among Indigenous and poor populations of the southern continents. For while dairy is cited as a source of Sr90, a diet lacking the benefits of dairy’s high concentration of calcium induces a far greater uptake of radio strontium. The fallout from British bombs quickly fell upon Australia, New Zealand and the Island nations to Australia’s north. This fallout was comparatively concentrated. In contrast, the US thermo-nuclear weapons produced fusion products which reached the stratosphere and troposphere. Much of the Fallout took months and years to reach the earth’s surface and was diluted over the entire Southern Hemisphere. Exploding lower yield atomic bombs close to ground has the effect of greatly increasing the amount of radioactive fallout, as tonnes of dirt and debris are sucked into the mushroom cloud. There are no craters at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Crating did occur during the British Atomic Tests in Australia. A number of bombs were dropped on target by British Bombers. Even these were exploded at low heights. Its seems the British interest was served by this. Fallout would have been greatly reduced if the bombs had exploded high. But doing this may not have enabled the military study of radiological and blast effects of battlefield atomic weapons. The Nuclear industry via General Electric and its employee Roy Thompson state that all Southern bone samples show Strontium 90 levels several times higher than expected. This increased figure is an average of all southern bone samples. It is reasonable to ask whether Australian bone samples contained even higher levels of fallout Strontium 90 than the southern average due to the rapid deposition of fallout from British bombs in Australia, coupled with White Australia’s US style dairy consumption and Aboriginal Australia’s special vulnerability to the effects of fallout. Experts such as Dr Roger Cross (“Fallout”, Wakefield Press) have shown that data such as fallout cloud trajectories and fallout deposition data were misreported by the Atomic Weapons Test Safety Committee. Dr Cross documents the suppression of the findings of Dr Marston by the AWTSC. What is the most likely reason for the higher than expected Strontium 90 contamination of people living in the Southern Hemisphere? It is an important matter to consider how we can best prevent such a massive error from ever happening again in regard to Radiological Safety in Australia. Individual responses to low dose exposures are not fixed and immutable. The dose response is a function of ionisation insult, individual biochemistry, biological and reproductive status and external environmental potentiators. The assumption that a safe dose limit can be applied community and nation wide is false. “The Legacy” For many years, Australia’s atomic veterans stated that the atomic test sites were unsafe. These sites were probably regularly monitored. Yet in the 1980’s, after continual Federal assurances that Maralinga was safe, the then South Australian Premier, Mr Bannon, visited Maralinga. He and his party wore no protective clothing. Scientists were appalled at the radiation their instruments detected during this visit. However, it is safe to assume that the Australian Military had been monitoring the test sites for a period of time equivalent to the half life of the long lived fission products. How likely is it that the military and government would have no interest in the “area denial” provided by the fallout at the bomb sites? Such information is crucial in battle planning. The constant pressure from indigenous Australians, atomic veterans, the findings of a Royal Commission and later, the government’s own scientists caused the Australian Government to negotiate with Britain. This resulted in an amount of money being given by Britain for the purposes of cleaning up Maralinga. There have been earlier cleanups of Maralinga and Emu Field. These were failures and the evidence, according to scientists indicates that Britain deliberately misled Australia as to the extent of the radioactive contamination it left here. For example, refer to New Scientist Magazine of 12 June 1993, and the article “BRITAIN’S DIRTY DEEDS AT MARALINGA” I an Anderson of Melbourne: “Fresh evidence suggests that Britain knew in the 1960s that radioactivity at its former nuclear test site in Australia was worse than first thought. But it did not tell the Australians” The recent cleanup of Maralinga cost over $100 million. A small area remains fenced off and is clearly marked. The State Government is unwilling to accept a Federal Government hand over of the land until it can verify that it is in a suitable condition to hand back to its Aboriginal owners. A former project manager, Dr Parkinson, is of the view that the cleanup was not satisfactory. The Federal Minister responsible for the clean up maintains that it is. The important thing for me is that had Australia and Australians listened to atomic veterans, the Menzies government in the 1950s would not have been allowed to be lied to so completely by the British Government and Her Majesty’s Scientists. And scientists acting for Australia, such as Titterton, would not have been so free to act against the individual interests of so many in so many populations. “The Present and the Future” Nuclear weapons development has enjoyed a process of continual improvement since World War 2. The scientific record shows that health impacts and risks to public safety have been ignored despite clear knowledge of the risks. In the current era the nuclear weapons of choice are radiological weapons. These devices do not use nuclear explosions to spread harmful fallout. Rather, these weapons spread radioactive particles over battlefields after firing by conventional weapons. No nuclear detonations are involved in the use of radiological weapons. Generally, the radioactive particles spread by these weapons are harmless to humans unless ingested, inhaled or otherwise internalised into the body (e.g. through cuts on the skin). The particles usually emit alpha and/or beta radiation, which is much more difficult to detect than gamma radiation. Specialised detectors which require close proximity monitoring (the detector must be placed against the suspect material) are used. In contrast gamma radiation can be detected by Geiger instruments placed in aircraft flying over a suspect area. The main countries currently using these weapons are the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The weapons currently in use are antitank shells made from processed Uranium known as Depleted Uranium. This is Uranium isotope 238. The fissionable Uranium isotope, 235, which makes up 2% of the contents of Uranium has been removed. Hence it is called “Depleted”. It remains a potent emitter of Alpha radiation. (By contrast, Uranium ore, commercially viable at concentrations of 1% Uranium, emit corresponding less radiation than purified 100% Depleted Uranium. Depleted Uranium dust is therefore a greater internal hazard than dust from Uranium ore. Uranium and its daughters are all bio-chemically active and toxic heavy metals. As well as being radioactive, if ingested their toxicity compromises the body’s ability to repair damage and fight infection. Depleted Uranium munitions were used in Kosovo and in both Gulf Wars. A10-Warthog antitank aircraft fired these munitions at an attack rate of fire of 4,000 rounds per minute during these conflicts. US and British tanks fired thousands of these munitions in the Gulf conflicts. Dr Doug Rokke, a Gulf War veteran, had the duty of leading a team to inspect the radiological hazard caused by the use of DU munitions in the Gulf. He and his team had to crawl inside damage tanks and monitor the area around them for radiation. His reports and recommendations were ignored. He is now seriously ill. Uranium excreted via his urine is currently hundreds of times over the “safe” level. The dangers posed to life by depleted uranium dust on battlefields lasts for thousands of years. It is more of an internal hazard than uranium ore. The atomic test sites in Australia posed a radiological hazard. We have seen above that the state of Maralinga was subject to British Government deception. Even though the site is now clean to the satisfaction of the Australian Government, some people question the standards of the cleanup. The fact remains that from the 1950’s until very recently, the radioactive contaminants at Maralinga were allowed probable local food chain entry and were allowed to remain subject to wind and water erosion for many, many years. In the 1960s the United Kingdom carried out “trigger mechanism safety tests” – the so-called “minor trials” – on atomic warheads at Maralinga. This involved blowing up the war heads with conventional explosives. There were six series of “trigger mechanism safety tests” conducted at Maralinga. The warheads were destroyed by conventional explosives. The explosions produced plumes of smoke which carried, as fine smoke particles, the radioactive material contained in the warheads. This spread radioactive material in a wide area of the Maralinga Test Site. The intense contamination of the test site caused by the minor trials consisted of the following radioisotopes being reduced to wind blown fine dust. 8,105 Kg of Uranium, 24.4 Kg of Plutonium and 101 Kg of Beryllium. (Source: ARPANSA) Dr Rokke’s information can be found at the Traprock Peace Centre web site. Is there really a continuous process of development of atomic and radiological weapons which involved deliberately contaminating areas of land and then leaving the filth to blow about for half a century for experimental purposes? Why? A 1943 memo outlining the development of radiological weapons is included in the Traprock Centre Web site. “The Lesson” A major lesson of the atomic tests in Australia is this: Radioactive hazards are tasteless, odourless and silent. On the basis of our verified history, think twice before trusting the Government on matters of radiological safety. Successive Australian governments have been shown repeatedly to be very naive and easily led in these matters, to the detriment of Australians. Throughout this e book, my comments about the safety of Australia’s atomic test sites relate to their situation prior to the recent cleanup of Maralinga, and the impact the occupation of those sites had on the health of the Atomic Veterans who served at them. I wonder when it will be deemed appropriate to rehabilitate Monte Bello Island. “They all knew of the hazards: the Americans, British, French and the Russians. For sure, history will tell that the Cold War cost millions of lives. And, like you, I made the analogy of seriously injuring yourself to show how mean you are to your enemy.” – Email to me from Keith Whittle, editor Portland Oregon Atomic Veterans, USA. “These people, like your friend Dr Caldicott, are trying to destroy this country. This is exactly what the Soviet Union wants – to undermine us, to destroy from within” President Reagan, talking to his daughter, Patti Davis after meeting with her friend, Dr Helen Caldicott. (“The Way I See It”, Patti Davis, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1992, ISBN 0-399-13748-3 “…humans were being adversely affected by radioactive fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons……….” Dr Michael Wooldridge, then Minister for Health and Aged Care, Media Release Sept 2001. The complete html based data cd is available from me or, in a basic pdf form, from The University of California Library (actually mac and ibm compatible.) Catalogue entry: Adobe Acrobat software required to view files. Version included on CD-ROM. Description: 1 CD-ROM ; 4 3/4 in. Details: System requirements: For IBM compatibles, Windows 95 or better; Internet Explorer 5 or higher; Acrobat reader; CD-ROM drive. Contents: The Government monitoring of South Australian water supplies. (Water.pdf) — Governments maintain that their use of nuclear technology is safe and economic. Is it? (Propaganda.pdf) — The Black Mist Incident which resulted from the Totem 1 Nuclear Test. (Black.pdf) — The link page to images of Operation Totem 1. (Bitmaps.pdf) — Atomic Fallout magazine, Dec 1994. The journal of the Atomic ExServicemens’ Association. (Atomag.pdf) — Chronology of 20th Century Nuclear development and events surrounding them. (History.pdf) — Bitmap images of nuclear weapons detonated on Australia (Bombs folder) — Bitmap images of Operation Totem 1. (Blackmist folder). Responsibility: written by Paul Langley for the Atomic ExServicemens Association. Share this:	i don't know
What nationality is tennis star Novak Djokovic?	Novak Djokovic Biography (Tennis Player) Birthplace: Belgrade, Yugoslavia(now Serbia) Best known as: The Serbian tennis star who has won the Australian Open five times Novak Djokovic is the Serbian tennis pro whose brilliant undefeated streak to start the 2011 season propelled him into a years-long run at the top of the men's professional game. He has won 12 major singles titles. Novak Djokovic was born in Belgrade just a few years before the breakup of Yugoslavia and the tumult of the Bosnian War. At age eight he began training with Jelena Gencic, the celebrated Yugoslavian coach. From 2001 to 2003 he tore his way through the junior circuits, and he played his first professional match, in Belgrade, in 2003. He won his first pro title at the 2006 Dutch Open. That year he reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and then finished the year ranked #16 in the world. Novak Djokovic won his first major, the Australian Open, in 2008. Still, he had a reputation as a jovial goof (his funny impersonations of other competitors earned him the nickname "Djoker") and as a streaky player who was easily injured. That all changed in 2011, when he began the season by winning 40 straight matches and the Australian Open before losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open. Counting his last two matches in 2010, his total winning streak was 42 straight match wins -- just shy of the modern record of 46 set by Guillermo Vilas in 1977. He then won Wimbledon 2011 (beating rival Rafael Nadal ), which made him the #1 ranked player in the world. Djokovic won an impressive three majors in 2011 -- the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open -- and then continued the string by winning the Australian Open in 2012 (defeating Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in an epic match that lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes) and in 2013 (defeating Andy Murray 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2). The latter victory made him the first man in the Open era to win three straight Australian Open singles titles. He completed a career Grand Slam in 2016, winning the French Open by defeating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. At that moment he was also the reigning holder of the four major titles, having won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2015 and the Australian and French Opens in 2016. Overall, Novak Djokovic's major tournament singles championships are: the Australian Open (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016); Wimbledon (2011, 2014 and 2015); the U.S. Open (2011 and 2015); and the French Open (2016). Extra credit: Novak Djokovic is 187 centimeters (6′ 1.5″) tall, according to his official site. The site also notes that his idol growing up was 1990s tennis star Pete Sampras … His nickname is “Nole”… He is the oldest of three sons; his brothers Marko Djokovic (b. 1991) and Djordje Djokovic (b. 1995) both play tennis as well… Novak Djokovic began dating Jelena Ristic in 2005. The couple married in July of 2014. Their first child, a son named Stefan, was born in October of that year… Novak Djokovic discovered in 2010 that he was allergic to gluten, and attributed his improved form in 2011 to eliminating it from his diet… Other men who have won all four Grand Slam titles: Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi , Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.	Serbian
In the 90s, who starred in the tv series ‘The Manageress’ and several Kenco adverts? (She	Jelena Ristic Jelena Ristic Age: 30, born 17 June 1986 Country of origin: Published 9 months, 3 weeks ago 7 votes View all Jelena Ristic pictures Description: Djokovic Girlfriend, Jelena Ristic was born in 1986 in Belgrade As the current number-one ranked tennis player in the world, Serbian star Novak Djokovic has been off the market since his career took off in 2005, dating girlfriend Jelena Ristic. Ristic and Djokovic, who have been dating for more than five years, met through, you guessed it, tennis. The couple reportedly met through mutual friends in Serbia, according to the Wide World of Sports. While not much is known about her aside from her studies in finance in Milan, Ristic seems to be Djokovic’s biggest fan, attending all of his games, including his win in the Wimbledo Djokovic Girlfriend, Jelena Ristic was born in 1986 in Belgrade As the current number-one ranked tennis player in the world, Serbian star Novak Djokovic has been off the market since his career took off in 2005, dating girlfriend Jelena Ristic. Ristic and Djokovic, who have been dating for more than five years, met through, you guessed it, tennis. The couple reportedly met through mutual friends in Serbia, according to the Wide World of Sports. While not much is known about her aside from her studies in finance in Milan, Ristic seems to be Djokovic’s biggest fan, attending all of his games, including his win in the Wimbledon 2011 final. In a video clip for the ATP World Tour, Jelena Ristic was photographed with Djokovic and paused to comment on her boyfriend’s success. “I’m really proud. It’s his dream to be so successful and I’m really happy for him that he managed to, you know, accomplish at least part of his dream,” Ristic said. “Hopefully I’ll be there to help him and to see him achieving the biggest one, the top.” It is in fact Jelena Ristic, 22, who is just finishing her final year studying economics at Bocconi University in Milan. Now that he has four Grand Slam singles titles and a World No. 1 ranking secured, budding tennis star Novak Djokovic is a marriage proposal away from sports immortality. With three majors in 2011, the start of the new year seems like the perfect time for the Serbian athlete to tie the knot with his sexy girlfriend. As she continues to grace tournament stands and hog our thoughts, Jelena Ristic is quickly becoming a top-flight WAG. The World No.1 tennis player, Novak Djokovic, is all set to marry his long-time girlfriend Jelena Ristic. The couple is likely to tie knot sometime soon in 2012. They have been dating since 2006 and their six-year long relationship has been absolutely fantastic so far. The five-time Gland Slam winner opened up on his wedding plans after crushing his rival Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open Sunday. The 24-year-old tennis star plans to get hitched at a traditional church in his home town Monaco in Serbia, amid family and close friends, Live Tennis Guide reported. The pair has always been open about their relationship and their very genuine chemistry is pretty must evident. Apparently, girlfriend Ristic is quite encouraging, supportive and travels everywhere with Djokovic for his tournaments. She is also spotted cheering beau during his matches. “Jelena is the love of my life. We have been together for a few years and her honesty is what I love about her and what keeps us happy and in love,” Djokovic said on a television show on NBC. she is quite a good tennis player, but an excellent athlete. She is very smart, much smarter than me. She points things out to me and helps to improve me as a person. I like that. Jeca & Nole I, who said he studied finance in Milan and now works in Monaco enjoys watching and playing tennis as a good thing, because it was the ever-present figure in the life of Djokovic in the last few years. And some even speculated wedding bells may be in the future. Jelelna Ristic Biography :	i don't know
On the original 1939 posters, what were the two last words?	History - Keep Calm and Carry On Poster HISTORY HISTORY So what is this Keep Calm and Carry On thing all about then? The Ministry of Information was formed by the British Government as the department responsible for publicity and propaganda during the Second World War. In late 1939 after the outbreak of the war, the MOI was appointed by the British Government to design a number of morale boosting posters that would be displayed across the British Isles during the testing times that lay ahead. With a bold coloured background, the posters were required to be similar in style and feature the symbolic crown of King George VI along with a simple yet effective font. The first two posters , ‘Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution will Bring Us Victory’ and ‘Freedom is in Peril’ were produced by His Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO). These two were posted on public transport, in shop windows, upon notice boards and hoardings across Britain. The third and final poster of the set was again very straightforward and to the point - it simply read ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. The plan in place for this poster was to issue it only upon the invasion of Britain by Germany. As this never happened, the poster was never officially seen by the public. It is believed that most of the Keep Calm posters were destroyed and reduced to a pulp at the end of the war in 1945. However, nearly 60 years later, a bookseller from Barter Books stumbled across a copy hidden amongst a pile of dusty old books bought from an auction. A small number also remain in the National Archives and the Imperial War Museum in London, and a further 15 were discovered in the BBC's Antiques Roadshow to have been given to Moragh Turnbull, from Cupar, Fife, by her father William, who served as a member of the Royal Observer Corps. We too own one of a handful of the original posters that remains in existence. It was purchased at an auction of wartime memorabilia and which our products are a replication of. You can read more about the auction by clicking here. Sadly no record remains of the unknown Civil Servant who originally came up with the simple and quintessential Britishness of the Keep Calm and Carry On message. However, it is wonderful to think that all these years later people still find it so appealing and reassuring in our modern times.	Carry On
In 2012, which London pop-rock band took part in ‘The Keep Calm and Play Louder Tour’?	Adolf Hitler - Wikiquote Adolf Hitler See also: Religious views of Adolf Hitler I want war. To me all means will be right. My motto is not 'Don't, whatever you do, annoy the enemy'. My motto is 'Destroy him by all and any means.' I am the one who will wage the war! Adolf Hitler ( 20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945 ) was a German politician who led the Nazi party from 1921 to 1945. He served as Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 , and as dictatorial leader of the Third Reich from 1934 to 1945. Contents 6.1 Videos Quotes Benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual... The state should retain supervision and each property owner should consider himself appointed by the state. It is his duty not to use his property against the interests of others among his own people. This is the crucial matter. The Third Reich will always retain its right to control the owners of property... A policy of laissez faire in this sphere is not only cruelty to the individual guiltless victims but also to the nation as a whole. The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing. You see, it's been our misfortune to have the wrong religion. Why didn't we have the religion of the Japanese , who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mohammedan religion too would have been more compatible to us than Christianity . Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness? The god of war has gone over to the other side. Statement to Alfred Jodl , after losses in the Battle of Stalingrad , as quoted in The Second World War: An Illustrated History (1979) by A. J. P. Taylor I only acknowledge one nobility—that of labour. Quoted in the Nazi Party official newspaper Völkischer Beobachter (Nov. 21, 1936), Richard Grunberger , The 12-year Reich: A Social History of Nazi Germany 1933–1945 (1971) p. 47. It is already war history how the German Armies defeated the legions of capitalism and plutocracy. After forty-five days this campaign in the West was equally and emphatically terminated. Berlin: Hitler’s Order of the Day Calling for Invasion of Yugoslovia and Greece (April 6, 1941) You will never learn what I am thinking. And those who boast most loudly that they know my thought, to such people I lie even more. Statement to Franz Halder , as quoted in The Psychopathic God : Adolf Hitler (1993) by Robert George Leeson Waite , p. xi. In socialism of the future…what counts is the whole, the community of the Volk. The individual and his life play only a subsidiary role. He can be sacrificed—he is prepared to sacrifice himself should the whole demand it. As quoted in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, Otto Wagener editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) p. 16 We do not want any other god than Germany itself. It is essential to have fanatical faith and hope and love in and for Germany. As quoted in A History of National Socialism, Konrad Heiden , A. A. Knopf (1935) p. 100 You see, it's been our misfortune to have the wrong religion . Why didn't we have the religion of the Japanese , who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mohammedan religion too would have been more compatible to us than Christianity . Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness? As quoted in Inside the Third Reich: Memoirs, by Albert Speer , p. 115. It is not Germany that will turn Bolshevist, but Bolshevism that will become a sort of National Socialism. Besides, there is more that binds us to Bolshevism than separate us from it… The petit bourgeois Social-Democrat and the trade-union boss will never make a National Socialist, but the Communist always will. As quoted in Hermann Rauschning , The Voice of Destruction, New York: NY, G.P. Putnam’s Sons (1940) p. 131. Aren’t these liberals, those reprobate defenders of individualism, ashamed to see the tears of the mothers and wives, or don’t these cold-blooded accountants even notice? Have they already grown so inhuman that they are no longer capable of feeling? It is understandable why bolshevism simply removed such creatures. They were worthless to humanity, nothing but an encumbrance to their Volk. Even the bees get rid of the drones when they can no longer be of service to the hive. The Bolshevik procedures are thus quite natural. Quote from Hitler according to Otto Wagener , in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) pp.16-17 The party is all-embracing. It rules our lives in all their breadth and depth… There will be no license, no free space, in which the individual belongs to himself. This is Socialism… Let them then own land or factories as much as they please. The decisive factor is that the State, through the party, is supreme over them, regardless whether they are owners or workers. As quoted in The Voice of Destruction, Hermann Rauschning , New York: NY, Putnam, 1940, p. 191. But first, there will have to be national socialism. Otherwise the people and their governments are not ready for the socialism of nations. It is not possible to be liberal to one’s own country and demand socialism among nations. Quote from Hitler according to Otto Wagener , in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) p. 170 What Marxism, Leninism and Stalinism failed to accomplish, we shall be in a position to achieve. Quote from Hitler according to Otto Wagener in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) p. 149 I know that some Man capable of giving our problems a final solution must appear. I have sought such a Man. I could nowhere discover Him. And that is why I have set myself to do the preparatory work; only the most urgent preparatory work, for I know that I am myself not, the One. And I know also what is missing in me. But the other One still remains aloof, and nobody comes forward, and there is no more time to be lost. As quoted in Warum? Woher? Aber Wohin? by Hans Grimm, p. 14. After all, that’s exactly why we call ourselves National Socialists! We want to start by implementing socialism in our nation among our Volk! It is not until the individual nations are socialist that they can address themselves to international socialism. As quoted by Otto Wagener in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) p. 288 In a hundred years time, perhaps, a great man will appear who may offer them (the Germans) a chance at salvation. He'll take me as a model, use my ideas, and follow the course I have charted. As quoted in “Der Führer als Redner,” Adolf Hitler. Bilder aus dem Leben des Führers" (The Fuherer as a speaker) by Joseph Goebbels . But we National Socialists wish precisely to attract all socialists, even the Communists; we wish to win them over from their international camp to the national one. Otto Wagener , in Hitler—Memoirs of a Confidant, editor, Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Yale University Press (1985) p. 26 The National Socialist State recognizes no ‘classes’. But, under the political aspect, it recognizes only citizens with absolutely equal rights and equal obligations corresponding thereto. As quoted in Mein Kampf ', Volume Two: The National Socialist Movement, chap. 12, (1926) Writing Wenn deine Mutter alt geworden, und älter du geworden bist, wenn ihr, was früher leicht und mühlos, nunmehr zur Last geworden ist, wenn ihre lieben, treuen Augen, nicht mehr wie einst ins Leben seh'n, wenn ihre Füße, kraftgebrochen, sie nicht mehr tragen woll'n mein Geh'n, dann reich ihr deinen Arm zur Stütze, geleite sie mit froher Lust, die Stunde kommt, da du sie weinend zum letzten Gang begleiten musst. Und fragt sie dich, so gib ihr Antwort, und fragt sie wieder, - sprich auch du, und fragt sie nochmals, - steh' ihr Rede, nicht ungestüm, in sanfter Ruh! Und kann sie dich nicht recht verstehen, erklär ihr alles frohbewegt, die Stunde kommt, die bitt're Stunde, da dich ihr Mund nach nichts mehr frägt. When your mother has grown old and with her so have you, When that which once came easy has at last become a burden, When her loving, true eyes no longer see life as once they did When her weary feet no longer want to wear her as she stands, then reach an arm to her shoulder, escort her gently, with happiness and passion The hour will come, when you, crying, must take her on her final walk. And if she asks you, then give her an answer And if she asks you again, listen! And if she asks you again, take in her words not impetuously, but gently and in peace! And if she cannot quite understand you, explain all to her gladly For the hour will come, the bitter hour when her mouth will ask for nothing more. Adolf Hitler, "Denk' es!" (Be Reminded!) 1923, first published in Sonntag-Morgenpost (14 May 1933). Speeches 1920s Socialism as the final concept of duty, the ethical duty of work, not just for oneself but also for one’s fellow man’s sake, and above all the principle: Common good before own good, a struggle against all parasitism and especially against easy and unearned income. And we were aware that in this fight we can rely on no one but our own people. We are convinced that socialism in the right sense will only be possible in nations and races that are Aryan, and there in the first place we hope for our own people and are convinced that socialism is inseparable from nationalism. "Why We Are Anti-Semites," August 15, 1920 speech in Munich at the Hofbräuhaus. Speech also known as "Why Are We Anti-Semites?" Translated from Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, 16. Jahrg., 4. H. (Oct., 1968), pp. 390-420. Edited by Carolyn Yeager. [1] The common good before the individual good. (Gemeinnutz geht vor Eigennutz) “The Nazi 25-point Programme,” Hitler’s speech on party's program (February 24, 1920) in Munich, Germany. Nazi Ideology Before 1933: A Documentation, Barbara Miller Lane, ‎Leila J. Rupp, introduction and translation, Manchester University Press (1978) p. 43. Since we are socialists, we must necessarily also be antisemites because we want to fight against the very opposite: materialism and mammonism… How can you not be an antisemite, being a socialist! "Why We Are Anti-Semites," August 15, 1920 speech in Munich at the Hofbräuhaus. Translated from Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, 16. Jahrg., 4. H. (Oct., 1968), pp. 390-420. Edited by Carolyn Yeager. [2] Because it seems inseparable from the social idea and we do not believe that there could ever exist a state with lasting inner health if it is not built on internal social justice, and so we have joined forces with this knowledge. "Why We Are Anti-Semites," August 15, 1920 speech in Munich at the Hofbräuhaus. Translated from Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, 16. Jahrg., 4. H. (Oct., 1968), pp. 390-420. Edited by Carolyn Yeager. [3] 1922 Capitalism as a whole will now be destroyed, the whole people will now be free. We are not fighting Jewish or Christian capitalism, we are fighting very capitalism: we are making the people completely free. April 12, 1922 Hitler Speech, Munich There are no such things as classes: they cannot be. April 12, 1922 Hitler Speech, Munich 1923 In the life of nations, what in the last resort decides questions is a kind of Judgment Court of God... Always before god and the world the stronger has the right to carry through what he wills. Speech in Munich (13 April 1923).[ specific citation needed ] 1925 speech in Landsberg, 5 November 1925.[ specific citation needed ] 1927 1930s 1930 Then will come a National Socialist State tribunal; then will November 1918, be expiated; then the heads will roll. Testimony at a trial of German officers, Leipzig, in 1930.[ specific citation needed ] 1931 What matters is to emphasize the fundamental idea in my party's economic program clearly; the idea of authority. I want the authority; I want everyone to keep the property he has acquired for himself according to the principle: ‍'‍Benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual.‍'‍ But the state should retain supervision and each property owner should consider himself appointed by the state. It is his duty not to use his property against the interests of others among his own people. This is the crucial matter. The Third Reich will always retain its right to control the owners of property. In 1931, as quoted in Nazi Economics: Ideology, Theory, and Policy (1990), by Avraham Barkai, pp. 26–27 1933 Fourteen years ago I began the fight, not because at the time I had any enthusiasm for German capitalism which wanted to be rescued. What then was the reason for my action? I myself was and still am a child of the people. It was not for the capitalists that I undertook this struggle, it was for the German working man that I took my stand. Sportpalast, Berlin, (March 2, 1933) 1934 It would have been more to the point, more honest and more Christian, in past decades not to support those who intentionally destroyed healthy life than to rebel against those who have no other wish than to avoid disease. Moreover, a policy of ' laissez faire in this sphere is not only cruelty to the individual guiltless victims but also to the nation as a whole... If the Churches were to declare themselves ready to take over the treatment and care of those suffering from hereditary diseases, we should be quite ready to refrain from sterilizing them. Speech (30 January 1934)[ specific citation needed ] Es wird stets nur ein Teil eines Volkes aus wirklich aktiven Kämpfern bestehen, und von ihnen wird mehr gefordert, als von den Millionen der übrigen Volksgenossen. Für sie genügt nicht die blosse Ablegung des Bekenntnisses: «Ich glaube»; sondern der Schwur: «Ich kämpfe!» It shall always be only a fraction of the people who stand out as truly active fighters, and more is expected from them than from the millions of their fellow countrymen. For them, the mere pledge of "I believe" is not enough, but rather the oath: "I fight!" Speech from the Sixth Nazi Party Congress, Nuremberg; September 8th, 1934 [4] . Video footage of this quotation can be found in the film Triumph of the Will 1935 We want this people to be faithful, and you must learn fidelity. We want this people to be obedient, and you must practice obedience. We want this people to be peace-loving but also courageous, and you must therefore be peace-loving and at the same time courageous. We do not want this people to grow soft, but we want it to be hard so that it will be able to withstand the hardships of life. And for this you have to harden yourselves in your youth. You must learn to be hard, to stand privations without breaking down. We want this people to love honor and you already in the days of your youth must live up to this concept of honor. Speech 14 September 1935; from Gordon W. Prange (1945). Hitler's Words. New York: American Council on Public Affairs, p. 124. 1936 Sporting chivalrous contest helps knit the bonds of peace between nations. Therefore may the Olympic flame never expire. at the first Olympic torchlighting ceremony, Berlin, 1936.[ specific citation needed ] Whenever I stand up for the German peasant, it is for the sake of the Volk. I have neither ancestral estate nor manor… I believe I am the only statesman in the world who does not have a bank account. I hold no stock, I have no shares in any companies. I do not draw any dividends. As quoted in The Third Reich: A New History, Michael Burleigh , Hill and Wang, 2001, p. 246. Speech to the Krupp Locomotive factory workers in Essen, March 27, 1936. I say that they can be solved; there is no problem that cannot be, but faith is necessary. Think of the faith I had to have eighteen years ago, a single man on a lonely path. Yet I have come to leadership of the German people... Life is hard for many, but it is hardest if you are unhappy and have no faith. Have faith. Nothing can make me change my own belief. speech in Nuremberg, 12 September 1936.[ specific citation needed ] 1937 [T]here is a difference between the theoretical knowledge of socialism and the practical life of socialism. People are not born socialists, but must first be taught how to become them. “German Volksgenossen!” Hitler’s opening speech at the new Winterhilfswerk, Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, (October 5, 1937) The main plank in the National Socialist program is to abolish the liberalistic concept of the individual and the Marxist concept of humanity and to substitute therefore the folk community, rooted in the soil and bound together by the bond of its common blood. “On National Socialism and World Relations,” speech delivered by Hitler in the German Reichstag, (January 30, 1937). German translation published by H. Müller & Sohn in Berlin. This is probably the first time and this is the first country in which people are being taught to realize that, of all the tasks which we have to face, the noblest and most sacred for mankind is that each racial species must preserve the purity of the blood which God has given it... The greatest revolution which National Socialism has brought about is that it has rent asunder the veil which hid from us the knowledge that all human failures and mistakes are due to the conditions of the time and therefore can be remedied, but that there is one error which cannot be remedied once men have made it, namely the failure to recognize the importance of conserving the blood and the race free from intermixture and thereby the racial aspect and character which are God's gift and God's handiwork. It is not for men to discuss the question of why Providence created different races, but rather to recognize the fact that it punishes those who disregard its work of creation... As I look back on the great work that has been done during the past four years you will understand quite well that my first feeling is simply one of thankfulness to our Almighty God for having allowed me to bring this work to success. He has blessed our labors and has enabled our people to come through all the obstacles which encompassed them on their way... Today I must humbly thank Providence, whose grace has enabled me, who was once an unknown soldier in the War, to bring to a successful issue the struggle for the restoration of our honor and rights as a nation. speech before the Reichstag, 30 January 1937.[ specific citation needed ] Is there a nobler or more excellent kind of Socialism and is there a truer form of Democracy than this National Socialism which is so organized that through it each one among the millions of German boys is given the possibility of finding his way to the highest office in the nation, should it please Providence to come to his aid. “On National Socialism and World Relations,” delivered in the German Reichstag, January 30, 1937. German translation published by H. Müller & Sohn in Berlin. And numerous people whose families belong to the peasantry and working classes are now filling prominent positions in this National Socialist State. Some of them actually hold the highest offices in the leadership of the nation, as Cabinet Ministers, Reichsstatthalter and Gauleiter. But National Socialism always bears in mind the interests of the people as a whole and not the interests of one class or another. The National Socialist Revolution has not aimed at turning a privileged class into a class which will have no rights in the future. Its aim has been to grant equal rights to those social strata that hitherto were denied such rights. Speech by Adolf Hitler, “On National Socialism and World Relations,” delivered in the German Reichstag, January 30, 1937. German translation published by H. Müller & Sohn in Berlin. Remain strong in your faith, as you were in former years. In this faith, in its close-knit unity our people to-day goes straight forward on its way and no power on earth will avail to stop it. speech at Coburg, 15 October 1937.[ specific citation needed ] 1938 National Socialism is not a cult-movement—a movement for worship; it is exclusively a 'volkic' political doctrine based upon racial principles. In its purpose there is no mystic cult, only the care and leadership of a people defined by a common blood-relationship. Therefore we have no rooms for worship, but only halls for the people — no open spaces for worship, but spaces for assemblies and parades. We have no religious retreats, but arenas for sports and playing-fields, and the characteristic feature of our places of assembly is not the mystical gloom of a cathedral, but the brightness and light of a room or hall which combines beauty with fitness for its purpose.... We will not allow mystically-minded occult folk with a passion for exploring the secrets of the world beyond to steal into our Movement. Such folk are not National Socialists, but something else—in any case something which has nothing to do with us. At the head of our programme there stand no secret surmisings but clear-cut perception and straightforward profession of belief. But since we set as the central point of this perception and of this profession of belief the maintenance and hence the security for the future of a being formed by God, we thus serve the maintenance of a divine work and fulfill a divine will—not in the secret twilight of a new house of worship, but openly before the face of the Lord... Our worship is exclusively the cultivation of the natural, and for that reason, because natural, therefore God-willed. Our humility is the unconditional submission before the divine laws of existence so far as they are known to us men. speech in Nuremberg on 6 September 1938.[ specific citation needed ] Thus one of Europe's most serious crises will be ended, and all of us, not only in Germany but those far beyond our frontiers, will then in this year for the first time really rejoice at the Christmas festival. It should for us all be a true Festival of Peace. speech in Berlin, 5 October 1938.[ specific citation needed ] 1939 I have not come into this world to make men better, but to make use of their weaknesses. In the course of my life I have very often been a prophet, and have usually been ridiculed for it. During the time of my struggle for power it was in the first instance only the Jewish race that received my prophecies with laughter when I said that I would one day take over the leadership of the State, and with it that of the whole nation, and that I would then among other things settle the Jewish problem. Their laughter was uproarious, but I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face. Today I will once more be a prophet: if the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the Bolshevizing of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe! speech to the Reichstag, 30 January 1939, as quoted at The History Place . What is important is that our Volk overcomes the aggressor and hence wins a future for itself. In a few weeks, the National Socialist combat readiness must have transformed itself into a unity sworn unto life and death. And then the capitalist war agitators in England and its satellite states shall shortly realize what it means to have attacked Europe’s greatest Volk state without proper cause. Speech in Berlin, (September 3, 1939} “Appeal to the N.S.D.A.P.!” I can give vent to my inmost feelings only in the form of humble thanks to Providence which called upon me and vouchsafed it to me, once an unknown soldier of the Great War, to rise to be the Leader of my people, so dear to me. Providence showed me the way to free our people from the depths of its misery without bloodshed and to lead it upward once again. Providence granted that I might fulfill my life's task-to raise my German people out of the depths of defeat and to liberate it from the bonds of the most outrageous dictate of all times... I have regarded myself as called upon by Providence to serve my own people alone and to deliver them from their frightful misery. speech before the Reichstag, 28 April 1939.[ specific citation needed ] As Fuehrer of the German people and Chancellor of the Reich, I can thank God at this moment that he has so wonderfully blessed us in our hard struggle for what is our right, and beg Him that we and all other nations may find the right way, so that not only the German people but all Europe may once more be granted the blessing of peace. speech before the Reichstag, 6 October 1939.[ specific citation needed ] [I] never lost my belief, in the midst of setbacks which were not spared me during my period of struggle. Providence has had the last word and brought me success. Speech (23 November 1939).[ specific citation needed ] Life never forgives weaknesses. 1940s 1940 No way! Spaniards and ruled a time the world, are the only truly brave Mediterranean people and immediately would organize guerrillas in our rear. It can not enter Spain without permission from the Spaniards. Answer Hitler gave his generals after invading France and they proposing then invade Spain, 1940.[ citation needed ] It would be easier for the Devil to go to church and cross himself with holy water than for these people to comprehend the ideas which are accepted facts to us today. speech in Berlin, 10 December 1940.[ specific citation needed ] We want to build up a new state! That is why the others hate us so much today…. They are, after all, plutocracies in which a tiny clique of capitalists dominate the masses, and this, naturally, in close cooperation with international Jews and Freemasons. Speech at the Berlin Sportpalast on the opening of the Kriegswinterhilfswerk, September 4, 1940 After mastering its internal divisions, National Socialist Germany has proceeded step by step to cast off its enslavement…. Nevertheless, the Jewish-internationalist capitalists in connection with socially reactionary classes in the Western States have successfully roused the world democracies against Germany. “New Year’s Proclamation to the National Socialists and Party Comrades,” January 1, 1940 [T]he creation of a socially just state, a model society that would continue to eradicate all social barriers. Speech to workers at Berlin’s Rheinmetall-Borsig factory, Oct. 10, 1940. As quoted in, Hitler’s Beneficiaries: Plunder, Racial War, and the Nazi Welfare State, Götz Aly , New York: NY, Metropolitan Books (2007) p. 13. Truly, this earth is a trophy cup for the industrious man. And this rightly so, in the service of natural selection. He who does not possess the force to secure his Lebensraum in this world, and, if necessary, to enlarge it, does not deserve to possess the necessities of life. He must step aside and allow stronger peoples to pass him by. Speech to officer cadets at the Berlin Sportpalast , 18 December 1940. Domarus, Max (1997). Hitler: Speeches and Proclamations, 1932-1945 (English Volume III: 1939-1940). Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. p. 2162. ISBN 0865166277 . 1941 I, on the other hand, have tried for two decades to build a new socialist order in Germany, with a minimum of interference and without harming our productive capacity. Hitler's “Barbarossa” Proclamation, (June 22, 1941) The conception of the new Movement, whose fundamentals can be expressed in a single sentence: "The Lord helps those who help themselves," opposed this. That is not only a very pious phrase, but a very just one. For one cannot assume that God exists to help people who are too cowardly and too lazy to help themselves and think that God exists only to make up for the weakness of mankind. He does not exist for that purpose. He has always, at all times, blessed only those who were prepared to fight their own battles... Providence has not led us along these amazing paths in vain. On the day that the party was founded I recalled that our nation once gained immense victories. Then it became ungrateful, disunited, sinned against itself. Thereupon it was punished by Providence. We deserved our defeat. If a nation forgets itself as completely as the German nation did at that time, if it thinks that it can shake off all honor and all good faith, Providence can do nothing but teach it a hard and bitter lesson. But even at that time we were convinced that once our nation found itself again, once it again became industrious and honorable, once each individual German stood up for his nation first and not for himself, once he placed the interests of the community above his own personal interests, once the whole nation again pursued a great ideal, once it was prepared to stake everything for this ideal, the hour would come when the Lord would declare our trials at an end. If fate should once more call us to the battlefield, the blessing of Providence will be with those who have merited it by years of hard work. When I compare myself and my opponents in other countries in the light of history, I do not fear the verdict on our respective mentalities. Who are these egoists? Each one of them merely defends the interests of his class. Behind them all stands either the Jew or their own moneybags. They are all nothing but money-grubbers, living on the profits of this war. No blessing can come of that. I oppose these people merely as the 0 champion of my country. I am convinced that our struggle will in the future be blessed by Providence, as it has been blessed up to now. speech in Munich, 24 February 1941.[ specific citation needed ] The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful, and unrelenting harshness. All officers will have to rid themselves of obsolete ideologies. I know that the necessity for such means of waging war is beyond the comprehension of you generals but . . . I insist absolutely that my orders be executed without contradiction. Speaking about the invasion of Russia [5] . National-Socialism came to power in Germany in the same year as Roosevelt was elected President. . . Roosevelt comes from a rich family and belongs to the class whose path is smoothed in the Democracies. I am only the child of a small, poor family and had to fight my way by work and industry. When the Great War came, Roosevelt occupied a position where he got to know only its pleasant consequences, enjoyed by those who do business while others bleed. . . I shared the fate of millions, and Franklin Roosevelt only the fate of the so-called Upper Ten Thousand. . . he made profits out of the inflation, out of the misery of others, while I, together with many hundreds of thousands more, lay in hospital. “Speech Declaring War Against the United States" (December 11, 1941) When Churchill and Roosevelt state that they want to build up a new social order, later on, it is like a hairdresser with a bald head recommending an unfortunate hair-restorer. These men, who live in the most socially backward states, have misery and distress enough in their own countries to occupy themselves with the distribution of foodstuffs…. We are allied with strong peoples, who in the same need are faced with the same enemies. The American President and his Plutocratic clique have mocked us as the Have-nots-that is true, but the Have-nots will see to it that they are not robbed of the little they have. “Speech Declaring War Against the United States" (December 11, 1941) For over five years this man has been chasing around Europe like a madman in search of something he could set on fire. Unfortunately he again and again finds hirelings who open the gates of their country to this international incendiary. speaking about Winston Churchill at the Reichstag , 4 May 1941 [6] . For the sake of historical truth I must verify that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us, fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death. speech before the Reichstag, 4 May 1941.[ specific citation needed ] I did not want this struggle. Since January, 1933, when Providence entrusted me with the leadership of the German Reich, I had an aim before my eyes which was essentially incorporated in the program of our National Socialist party. I have never been disloyal to this aim and have never abandoned my program... Only when the entire German people become a single community of sacrifice can we expect and hope that Almighty God will help us. The Almighty has never helped a lazy man. He does not help the coward. He does not help a people that cannot help itself. The principle applies here, help yourselves and Almighty God will not deny you his assistance. radio broadcast from Berlin, 3 October 1941.[ specific citation needed ] If the Providence has so willed that the German people cannot be spared this fight, then I can only be grateful that it entrusted me with the leadership in this historic struggle which, for the next 500 or 1,000 years, will be described as decisive, not only for the history of Germany, but for the whole of Europe and indeed the whole world. The German people and their soldiers are working and fighting today, not only for the present, but for the coming, nay the most distant, generations. A historical revision on a unique scale has been imposed on us by the Creator... The next incursion against this homestead of European culture was carried out from the distant East. A terrible stream of barbarous, uncultured hordes sallied forth from the interior of Asia deep into the hearts of the European Continent, burning, looting, murdering—a true scourge of the Lord... From the time when the Movement I consisted of seven men, until we took over power in January 1933, the path was so miraculous that only Providence itself with its blessing could have made this possible... Our enemies must not deceive themselves—in the 2,000 years of German history known to us, our people have never been more united than today. The Lord of the Universe has treated us so well in the past years that we bow in gratitude to a providence which has allowed us to be members of such a great nation. We thank Him that we also can be entered with honor into the ever-lasting book of German history! Speech before the Reichstag (11 December 1941).[ specific citation needed ] 1942 My fame, if Providence preserves my life, will consist in ... works of peace, which I still intend to create. But I think that if Providence has already disposed that I can do what must be done according to the inscrutable will of the Providence, then I can at least just ask Providence to entrust to me the burden of this war, to load it on me. I will beat it! I will shrink from no responsibility; in every hour which ... I will take this burden upon me. I will bear every responsibility, just as I have always borne them... Thus the home-front need not be warned, and the prayer of this priest of the devil, the wish that Europe may be punished with Bolshevism, will not be fulfilled, but rather that the prayer may be fulfilled: "Lord God, give us the strength that we may retain our liberty for our children and our children's children, not only for ourselves but also for the other peoples of Europe, for this is a war which we all wage, this time, not for our German people alone, it is a war for all of Europe and with it, in the long run, for all of mankind." speech in Berlin, 30 January 1942.[ specific citation needed ] I, for my part, acknowledge another precept which says that man must deal the final blow to those whose downfall is destined by God. address to the Reichstag, 6 April 1942.[ specific citation needed ] In my eyes, the year 1942 already has behind it the most fateful trial of our people. That was the winter of '41 to '42. I may be permitted to say that in that winter the German people, and in particular its Wehrmacht, were weighed in the balance by Providence. Nothing worse can or will happen. That we conquered that winter, that "General Winter," that at last the German fronts stood, and that this spring, that is, early this summer, we were able to proceed again, that, I believe, is the proof that Providence was content with the German people... You do not realize what is hidden beneath these words in the way of human heroism, and also of human pain, and suffering, and we may say, often anxiety too, naturally, deathly anxiety on the part of all those who, especially for the first time, are placed before the trial of God in this highest court. speech in Berlin, 30 September 1942.[ specific citation needed ] And today I stand by this same view. Fate, or Providence, will give the victory to those who most deserve it... And when now, after 10 years, I again survey this period, I can say that upon no people has Providence ever bestowed more successes than upon us. The miracles we have achieved in the last three years in the face of a whole world of enemies are unique in history, especially the crises we very naturally often had in these years. speech in Munich, 8 November 1942.[ specific citation needed ] 1943 Not long ago, an American magazine wrote that what was worst about National Socialism was its women. They said that National Socialism did more for women than any other nation. It improved their social position. It began to bring them together in tremendous organizations. It sent the women of the educated classes into the factories so that female workers could go on vacation, and so on. The paper concluded that the democracies could not imitate this. Speech in the Löwenbräukeller, Munich, (November 8, 1943), “My Party Comrades! German Volksgenossen!” It is difficult to imagine bravest soldiers. Hardly they take cover, death-defying. I know, in any case, that our men are happy when they have the Spaniards for neighbors, 1943.[ citation needed ] [The Spaniards] are fearless fighters who defy death, 1943.[ citation needed ] 1944 The god of war has gone over to the other side. The bomb which was planted by Colonel von Stauffenberg exploded two meters to my right. It seriously injured a number of my colleagues who are very dear to me; one has died. I myself am completely unhurt apart from a few minor skin abrasions, bruises and burns. I interpret this as confirmation that Providence wishes me to continue my life's mission as I have in the past. Few people can begin to imagine the fate which would have overtaken Germany had the assassination attempt succeeded. I myself thank Providence and my Creator not for preserving me—my life consists only of worry and work for my People—I thank him only for allowing me to continue to bear this burden of worry, and to carry on my work to the best of my ability. Once again I take this opportunity, my old comrades in arms, to greet you, joyful that I have once again been spared a fate which, while it held no terror for me personally, would have had terrible consequences for the German People. I interpret this as a sign from Providence that I must continue my work, and therefore I shall continue it. Speaking about the attempt to kill him, in a radio broadcast (20 July 1944).[ specific citation needed ] 1945 God the Almighty has made our nation. By defending its existence we are defending His work... Only He can relieve me of this duty Who called me to it. It was in the hand of Providence to snuff me out by the bomb that exploded only one and a half meters from me on July 20, and thus to terminate my life's work. That the Almighty protected me on that day I consider a renewed affirmation of the task entrusted to me... Therefore, it is all the more necessary on this twelfth anniversary of the rise to power to strengthen the heart more than ever before and to steel ourselves in the holy determination to wield the sword, no-matter where and under what circumstances, until final victory crowns our efforts... In the years to come I shall continue on this road, uncompromisingly safeguarding my people's interests, oblivious to all misery and danger, and filled with the holy conviction that God the Almighty will not abandon him who, during all his life, had no desire but to save his people from a fate it had never deserved, neither by virtue of its number nor by way of its importance... In vowing ourselves to one another, we are entitled to stand before the Almighty and ask Him for His grace and His blessing. No people can do more than that everybody who can fight, fights, and that everybody who can work, works, and that they all sacrifice in common, filled with but one thought: to safeguard freedom and national honor and thus the future of life. Radio address (30 January 1945).[ specific citation needed ] Providence shows no mercy to weak nations, but recognizes the right of existence-only of sound and strong nations... This Jewish bolshevist annihilation of nations and its western European and American procurers can be met only in one way: by using every ounce of strength with the extreme fanaticism and stubborn steadfastness that merciful God gives to men in hard times for the defense of their own lives... We have suffered so much that it only steels us to fanatical resolve to hate Our enemies a thousand times more and to regard them for what they are destroyers of an eternal culture and annihilators of humanity. Out of this hate a holy will is born to oppose these destroyers of our existence with all the strength that God has given us and to crush them in the end. During its 2,000-year history our people has survived so many terrible times that we have no doubt that we will also master our present plight. Recorded radio address (24 February 1945).[ specific citation needed ] If the war is lost, the nation will also perish. This fate is inevitable. There is no necessity to take into consideration the basis which the people will need to continue even a most primitive existence. On the contrary, it will be better to destroy these things ourselves, because this nation will have proved to be the weaker one and the future will belong solely to the stronger eastern nation (Russia) [1] . Besides, those who will remain after the battle are only the inferior ones, for the good ones have all been killed. To Albert Speer (1945), as quoted in "Defeat of Hitler: Enter the Bunker" (2010), The History Place. The war is lost! Regarding the fate of World War II (1945), as quoted in "Defeat of Hitler: Enter the Bunker" (2010), The History Place. Other remarks I want war. To me all means will be right. My motto is not "Don't, whatever you do, annoy the enemy." My motto is "Destroy him by all and any means." I am the one who will wage the war! quoted by Louis Leo Snyder in Hitler and Nazism , Franklin Watts, Inc., NY, (1961). p. 66. I have not come into this world to make men better, but to make use of their weaknesses. Quoted in the essay "The Mind of Hitler" by H. R. Trevor-Roper I intend to set up a thousand-year Reich and anyone who supports me in this battle is a fellow-fighter for a unique spiritual—I would say divine—creation... Rudolf Hess, my assistant of many years standing, would tell you: If we have such a leader, God is with us. quoted by Richard Breiting in Secret Conversations with Hitler: The Two Newly-Discovered 1931 Interviews, p. 68 (1971). We have to put a stop to the idea that it is a part of everybody's civil rights to say whatever he pleases. transcript of a conversation (22 February 1942)[ specific citation needed ] this was not a public speech, and might be from Hitler's Table Talks (see below). Genius is a will-o'-the-wisp if it lacks a solid foundation of perseverence and fanatical tenacity. This is the most important thing in all of human life... quoted by Richard Overy in How the Allies Won (1995) citing P.E. Schramm, Hitler: The Man and the Military Leader (1972). I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social inequalities ... my feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance ... everything about the behaviour of American society reveals that it's half Judaised, and the other half negrified. How can one expect a State like that to hold together? Statement in conversation, 7 January 1942, as quoted in Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer p. 895, from transcripts published as Hitler's Secret Conversations, 1941–1944 (1953). These should not be confused with later publications such as "Hitler's Secret Book" (1961) from transcripts of 1928, nor the widely known hoax of the Hitler Diaries . You know my opinion of Franco... We ought to keep these Red Spaniards on the back burner... They're lost to democracy, and to that reactionary crew round Franco too... I believe you to the letter, Speer, that they were impressive people. I must say, in general, that during the civil war the idealism was not on Franco's side; it was to be found among the Reds ... one of these days we'll be able to make use of them... The whole thing will start all over again. But with us on the opposite side. Quoted in Albert Speer 's diary entry for 26 December 1950 recalling a conversation with Hitler in January 1943 (Albert Speer, Spandau: The Secret Diary (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2000), p. 167). "I have sympathy for Mr. Roosevelt, because he marches straight toward his objectives over Congress, lobbies and bureaucracy." Hitler went on to note that he was the sole leader in Europe who expressed "understanding of the methods and motives of President Roosevelt." [7] New York Times 1934, quoted from John Toland: Adolf Hitler: The Definitive Biography. National socialism is the determination to create a new man. There will no longer exist any individual arbitrary will, nor realms in which the individual belongs to himself. The time of happiness as a private matter is over. As quoted in Joachim C. Fest (1974), Hitler. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, p. 533. My Struggle (1925) Mother Mary with the Holy Child Jesus Christ, Adolf Hitler (1913). "And the founder of Christianity made no secret indeed of his estimation of the Jewish people. When He found it necessary, He drove those enemies of the human race out of the Temple of God." ~ Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (1925), Volume 1, p. 174 Online at the Internet Archive The National Socialist Movement, on the contrary, will always let its foreign policy be determined by the necessity to secure the space necessary to the life of our Folk. It knows no Germanising or Teutonising, as in the case of the national bourgeoisie, but only the spread of its own Folk. It will never see in the subjugated, so called Germanised, Czechs or Poles a national, let alone Folkish, strengthening, but only the racial weakening of our Folk. The Folkish State, conversely, must under no conditions annex Poles with the intention of wanting to make Germans out of them some day. On the contrary, it must muster the determination either to seal off these alien racial elements, so that the blood of its own Folk will not be corrupted again, or it must without further ado remove them and hand over the vacated territory to its own National Comrades. Jewry is a Folk with a racial core that is not wholly unitary. Nevertheless, as a Folk, it has special intrinsic characteristics which separate it from all other Folks living on the globe. Jewry is not a religious community, but the religious bond between Jews; rather is in reality the momentary governmental system of the Jewish Folk. The Jew has never had a territorially bounded State of his own in the manner of Aryan States. Nevertheless, his religious community is a real State, since it guarantees the preservation, the increase and the future of the Jewish Folk. But this is solely the task of the State. That the Jewish State is subject to no territorial limitation, as is the case with Aryan States, is connected with the character of the Jewish Folk, which is lacking in the productive forces for the construction and preservation of its own territorial State. Because of the lack of productive capacities of its own, the Jewish Folk cannot carry out the construction of a State, viewed in a territorial sense, but as a support of its own existence it needs the work and creative activities of other nations. Thus the existence of the Jew himself becomes a parasitical one within the lives of other Folks. Hence the ultimate goal of the Jewish struggle for existence is the enslavement of productively active Folks. In order to achieve this goal, which in reality has represented Jewry's struggle for existence at all times, the Jew makes use of all weapons that are in keeping with the whole complex of his character. Therefore in domestic politics within the individual nations he fights first for equal rights and later for superior rights. The characteristics of cunning, intelligence, astuteness, knavery, dissimulation, and so on, rooted in the character of his Folkdom, serve him as weapons thereto. They are as much stratagems in his war of survival as those of other Folks in combat. In foreign policy, he tries to bring nations into a state of unrest, to divert them from their true interests, and to plunge them into reciprocal wars, and in this way gradually rise to mastery over them with the help of the power of money and propaganda. His ultimate goal is the denationalisation, the promiscuous bastardisation of other Folks, the lowering of the racial levy of the highest Folks, as well as the domination of this racial mishmash through the extirpation of the Folkish intelligentsia and its replacement by the members of his own Folk. Politics is history in the making. Zu einer solchen weisen Maßnahme waren einst Spart[j]aken [sie] fähig, aber nicht unser heutiges, verlogen sentimentales, bürgerlich-patriotisches Zeug. Die Herrschaft der 6000 Spartaner über 3 1/2 Hunderttausend Heloten war nur denkbar infolge des rassischen Hochwertes der Spartaner. Dieser aber war das Ergebnis einer planmäßigen Rasseerhaltung, so daß wir im spartanischen Staat den ersten völkischen zu sehen haben. Die Aussetzung kranker, schwächlicher, mißgestalteter Kinder, d. h. also deren Vernichtung, war menschenwürdiger und in Wirklichkeit tausendmal humaner als der erbärmliche Irrsinn unserer heutigen Zeit, die krankhaftesten Subjekte zu erhalten, und zwar um jeden Preis zu erhalten, und hunderttausend gesunden Kindern infolge der Geburtenbeschränkung oder durch Abtreibungsmittel das Leben zu nehmen, in der Folgezeit aber ein Geschlecht von mit Krankheiten belasteten Degeneraten heranzuzüchten. [8] At one time the Spartans were capable of such a wise measure, but not our present, mendaciously sentimental , bourgeois patriotic nonsense. The rule of six thousand Spartans over three hundred and fifty thousand Helots was only thinkable in consequence of the high racial value of the Spartans. But this was the result of a systematic race preservation; thus Sparta must be regarded as the first Völkisch State. The exposure of sick , weak, deformed children, in short their destruction, was more decent and in truth a thousand times more humane than the wretched insanity of our day which preserves the most pathological subject, and indeed at any price, and yet takes the life of a hundred thousand healthy children in consequence of birth control or through abortions , in order subsequently to breed a race of degenerates burdened with illnesses. As translated in Hitler's Secret Book (1961) Grove Press edition, pp. 8-9, 17-18 From the film Triumph of the Will (1935) It is our will that this state shall endure for a thousand years. We are happy to know that the future is ours entirely! We want this people to be hard, not soft, and you must steel yourselves for it in your youth! We want a society with neither castes nor ranks and you must not allow these ideals to grow within you! Our party remains as firm as this rock and will not be divided by any force in Germany. When our party had only seven men, it already had two principles. First, it wanted to be a party with a true ideology. And second, it wanted to be the one and only power in Germany. All upright Germans will be National Socialists, but only the best National Socialists will be party members! It is not the State that orders us; but it is we who order the State! Hitler's Table Talks (1941–1944) (1953) Die Bormann Vermerke: Transcripts of Hitler's conversations (5 July 1941 - 30 November 1944), made under the supervision of Martin Bormann, published in the UK as Hitler's Table Talks (1953). Stalin is one of the most extraordinary figures in world history. He began as a small clerk, and he has never stopped being a clerk. Stalin owes nothing to rhetoric. He governs from his office, thanks to a bureaucracy that obeys his every nod and gesture. It's striking that Russian propaganda, in the criticisms it makes of us, always holds itself within certain limits. Stalin, that cunning Caucasian, is apparently quite ready to abandon European Russia, if he thinks that a failure to solve her problems would cause him to lose everything. Let nobody think Stalin might reconquer Europe from the Urals! It is as if I were installed in Slovakia, and could set out from there to reconquer the Reich. This is the catastrophe that will cause the loss of the Soviet Empire. night of 18-19 July 1941. I'm sure that Nero didn't set fire to Rome. It was the Christian-Bolsheviks who did that, just as the Commune set fire to Paris in 1871 and the Communists set fire to the Reichstag in 1932. 25 October 1941. The Jew can take the credit for having corrupted the Graeco-Roman world. Previously words were used to express thoughts; he used words to invent the art of disguising thoughts. Lies are his strength, his weapon in the struggle. The Jew is said to be gifted. His only gift is that of juggling with other people's property and swindling each and everyone. Suppose I find by chance a picture that I believe to be a Titian. I tell the owner what I think of it, and I offer him a price. In a similar case, the Jew begins by declaring that the picture is valueless, he buys it for a song and sells it at a profit of 5000 per cent. To persuade people that a thing which has value, has none, and vice versa—that's not a sign of intelligence. They can't even overcome the smallest economic crisis! 5 November 1941. It goes without saying that we have no affinities with the Japanese. They're too foreign to us, by their way of living, by their culture. But my feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance. I feel myself more akin to any European country, no matter which. Everything about the behaviour of American society reveals that it's half Judaised, and the other half negrified. How can one expect a State like that to hold together—a State where 80 per cent of the revenue is drained away for the public purse—a country where everything is built on the dollar? From this point of view, I consider the British State very much superiour. 7 January 1942. We shall regain our health only by eliminating the Jew. 22 February 1942. The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing. 11 April 1942. The American statesmen, by subjecting the Church to the same regulations governing all other associations and institutions, have limited its field of activity to reasonable proportions; and, as the State does not contribute from State Funds one single cent to the church, the whole clergy cringes and sings hymns in praise of Government. This is not to be wondered at! The parson, like everyone else, has got to live; what he makes out of the public offertory doesn't amount to much, and so he is more or less dependent on State charity. As he has no legal claim whatever on the State, he therefore takes very good care that his demeanour is always pleasing in the eyes of the State and therefore deserving of the crumbs it cares to toss to him. 4 July 1942. The development of relations between State and Church affords a very instructive example of how the carelessness of a single statesman can have after-effects which last for centuries. When Charlemagne was kneeling at prayer in St. Peter's, Rome, at Christmas in the year 800, the Pope, giving him no time to work out the possible effects of so symbolic an action, suddenly bent down and presto! popped a golden crown on his head! By permitting it, the Emperor delivered himself and his successors into the hands of a power which subjected the German Government and the German people to five hundred years of martyrdom. 4 July 1942. One of our most important tasks will be to save future generations from a similar political fate and to maintain for ever watchful in them a knowledge of the menace of Jewry. For this reason alone it is vital that the Passion play be continued at Oberammergau; for never has the menace of Jewry been so convincingly portrayed as in this presentation of what happened in the times of the Romans. There one sees in Pontius Pilate a Roman racially and intellectually so superior, that he stands like a firm, clean rock in the middle of the whole muck and mire of Jewry. on the Passion Play at Oberammergau , 5 July 1942. In the Spanish people there is a mixture of Gothic, Frankish and Moorish blood. One can speak of the Spaniard as one would speak of a brave anarchist. The Arabian epoch—the Arabs look down on the Turks as they do on dogs—was the most cultured, the most intellectual and in every way best and happiest epoch in Spanish history. It was followed by the period of the persecutions with its unceasing atrocities. 1 August 1942. As for the ridiculous hundred million Slavs, we will mould the best of them as we see fit, and we will isolate the rest of them in their own pig-styes; and anyone who talks about cherishing the local inhabitants and civilising them, goes straight off into a concentration camp! 6 August 1942. Disputed I have placed my death's-head formation in readiness, for the present only in the east, with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians? This is the last disgusting death-rattle of a corrupt and outworn system which is a blot on the history of this people. Since the civil war , in which the southern states were conquered, against all historical logic and sound sense, the American people have been in a condition of political and popular decay. In that war, it was not the Southern States, but the American people themselves who were conquered. In this spurious blossoming of economic progress and power politics, America has ever since been drawn deeper into the mire of progressive self-destruction. The beginnings of a great new social order based on the principle of slavery and inequality were destroyed by that war , and with them also the embryo of a future truly great America that would not have been ruled by a corrupt caste of tradesmen, but by a real Herren-class that would have swept away all the falsities of liberty and equality. Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter, with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It's a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me. I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad, that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death's-head formation in readiness, for the present only in the East, with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians? Allegedly included in a speech at Obersalzberg , 22 August 1939. We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike. "I cannot speak to the authenticity of the quotation ... attributed to Hitler in the very many Web postings at which it is found, and without devoting far more research time than it warrants." - Ken Leford . How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think. Attributed to Hitler, without source, in a 1992 book of quotations . The Testament of Adolf Hitler (1945) Genoud, François, ed. (1961). The Testament of Adolf Hitler: the Hitler-Bormann documents, February-April 1945. London: Cassell. Historian Ian Kershaw cautions "This English version contains a very loose and untrustworthy translation of the German text—itself not guaranteed to be identical with any long-lost original or the lost copy of that original—which was eventually published only in 1981... The available German text is, therefore, at best a construct; neither the original nor the copy of that original exists. [Eduard] Baumgarten tended, since the content was consonant with Hitler's thinking and expression, to accept the authenticity of the text. There is, however, no proof and, therefore, no reliable German text whose authenticity can be placed beyond question." (Hitler, 1936-45: Nemesis, 2001, p. 1025. ) This is the last disgusting death-rattle of a corrupt and outworn system which is a blot on the history of this people. Since the civil war , in which the southern states were conquered, against all historical logic and sound sense, the American people have been in a condition of political and popular decay. In that war , it was not the Southern States, but the American people themselves who were conquered. In this spurious blossoming of economic progress and power politics, America has ever since been drawn deeper into the mire of progressive self-destruction. The beginnings of a great new social order based on the principle of slavery and inequality were destroyed by that war , and with them also the embryo of a future truly great America that would not have been ruled by a corrupt caste of tradesmen, but by a real Herren-class that would have swept away all the falsities of liberty and equality. During an after-dinner discussion in Munich (1933), regarding the American Civil War Under the guidance of the Reich, Europe would speedily have become unified. Once the Jewish poison had been eradicated, unification would have been an easy matter. France and Italy, each defeated in turn at an interval of a few months by the two Germanic Powers, would have been well out of it. Both would have had to renounce their inappropriate aspirations to greatness. At the same time they would have had to renounce their pretensions in North Africa and the Near East; and that would have allowed Europe to pursue a bold policy of friendship towards Islam. 4 February 1945. We can safely make one prophecy: whatever the outcome of this war, the British Empire is at an end. It has been mortally wounded. The future of the British people is to die of hunger and tuberculosis in their cursed island. **4 February 1945. It is eastwards, only and always eastwards, that the veins of our race must expand. It is the direction which Nature herself has decreed for the expansion of the German peoples. 7 February 1945. The white races did, of course, give some things to the natives, and they were the worst gifts that they could possibly have made, those plagues of our own modern world-materialism, fanaticism, alcoholism and syphilis. For the rest, since these peoples possessed qualities of their own which were superior to anything we could offer them, they have remained essentially unchanged. Where imposition by force was attempted, the results were even more disastrous, and common sense, realizing the futility of such measures, should preclude any recourse to their introduction. One solitary success must be conceded to the colonizers: everywhere they have succeeded in arousing hatred, a hatred that urges these peoples, awakened from their slumbers by us, to rise and drive us out. Indeed, it looks almost as though they had awakened solely and simply for that purpose! Can anyone assert that colonization has increased the number of Christians in the world? Where are those conversions en masse which mark the success of Islam? Here and there one finds isolated islets of Christians, Christians in name, that is, rather than by conviction; and that is the sum total of the successes of this magnificent Christian religion, the guardian of supreme Truth! Taking everything into consideration, Europe's policy of colonization has ended in a complete failure. 7 February 1945. I am quite sure that very few of the so-called Reds in Spain were really Communists. We were badly deceived, for, had I known the real state of affairs, I would never have allowed our aircraft to bombard and destroy a starving population and at the same time re-establish the Spanish clergy in all their horrible privileges. 10 February 1945. There is, then, no danger in the circumstances that anti-semitism will disappear, for it is the Jews themselves who add fuel to its flames and see that it is kept well stoked. Before the opposition to it can disappear, the malady itself must disappear. And from that point of view, you can rely on the Jews: as long as they survive, anti-semitism will never fade. 13 February 1945. In saying this, I promise you I am quite free of all racial hatred. It is, in any case, undesirable that one race should mix with other races. Except for a few gratuitous successes, which I am prepared to admit, systematic cross-breeding has never produced good results. Its desire to remain racially pure is a proof of the vitality and good health of a race. Pride in one's own race—and that does not imply contempt for other races—is also a normal and healthy sentiment. I have never regarded the Chinese or the Japanese as being inferior to ourselves. They belong to ancient civilisations, and I admit freely that their past history is superior to our own. They have the right to be proud of their past, just as we have the right to be proud of the civilisation to which we belong. Indeed, I believe the more steadfast the Chinese and the Japanese remain in their pride of race, the easier I shall find it to get on with them. 13 February 1945. This pride of race is a quality which the German, fundamentally, does not possess. The reason for this is that for these last three centuries the country has been torn by internal dissension and religious wars and has been subjected to a variety of foreign influences, to the influence, for example, of Christianity—for Christianity is not a natural religion for the Germans, but a religion that has been imported and which strikes no responsive chord in their hearts and is foreign to the inherent genius of the race. 13 February 1945. Our racial pride is not aggressive except in so far as the Jewish race is concerned. We use the term Jewish race as a matter of convenience, for in reality and from the genetic point of view there is no such thing as the Jewish race. There does, however, exist a community, to which, in fact, the term can be applied and the existence of which is admitted by the Jews themselves. It is the spiritually homogeneous group, to membership of which all Jews throughout the world deliberately adhere, regardless of their whereabouts and of their country of domicile; and it to this group of human beings to which we give the title Jewish race. 13 February 1945. I ought to have seized the initiative in 1938 instead of allowing myself to be forced into war in 1939; for war was, in any case, unavoidable. However, you can hardly blame me if the British and the French accepted at Munich every demand I made of them! 14 February 1945. Never, at any price, should we have put our money on France and against the peoples subjected to her yoke. On the contrary, we should have helped them to achieve their liberty and, if necessary, should have goaded them into doing so. There was nothing to stop us in 1940 from making a gesture of this sort in the Near East and in North Africa. In actual fact our diplomats instead set about the task of consolidating French power, not only in Syria, but in Tunis, in Algeria and Morocco as well. Our 'gentlemen' obviously preferred to maintain cordial relations with distinguished Frenchmen, rather than with a lot of hirsute revolutionaries, with a chorus of musical comedy officers, whose one idea was to cheat us, rather than with the Arabs, who would have been loyal partners for us. 14 February 1945. In order to persuade Britain to pack up, to compel her to make peace, it was essential to rob her of her hope of being able still to confront us, on the continent itself, with an adversary of a stature equal to our own. 15 February 1945 — discussing the reasons for the invasion of the Soviet Union. I have never liked France or the French, and I have never stopped saying so. 15 February 1945. Our Italian ally has been a source of embarrassment to us everywhere. It was this alliance, for instance, which prevented us from pursuing a revolutionary policy in North Africa. In the nature of things, this territory was becoming an Italian preserve and it was as such that the Duce laid claim to it. Had we been on our own, we could have emancipated the Moslem countries dominated by France; and that would have had enormous repercussions in the Near East, dominated by Britain, and in Egypt. But with our fortunes linked to those of the Italians, the pursuit of such a policy was not possible. All Islam vibrated at the news of our victories. The Egyptians, the Irakis and the whole of the Near East were all ready to rise in revolt. Just think what we could have done to help them, even to incite them, as would have been both our duty and in our own interest! But the presence of the Italians at our side paralysed us; it created a feeling of malaise among our Islamic friends, who inevitably saw in us accomplices, willing or unwilling, of their oppressors. For the Italians in these parts of the world are more bitterly hated, of course, than either the British or the French. The memories of the barbarous, reprisals taken against the Senussi are still vivid. Then again the ridiculous pretensions of the Duce to be regarded as The Sword of Islam evokes the same sneering chuckle now as it did before the war. This title, which is fitting for Mahomed and a great conqueror like Omar, Mussolini caused to be conferred on himself by a few wretched brutes whom he had either bribed or terrorized into doing so. We had a great chance of pursuing a splendid policy with regard to Islam. But we missed the bus, as we missed it on several other occasions, thanks to our loyalty to the Italian alliance! In this theatre of operations, then, the Italians prevented us from playing our best card, the emancipation of the French subjects and the raising of the standard of revolt in the countries oppressed by the British. Such a policy would have aroused the enthusiasm of the whole of Islam. It is a characteristic of the Moslem world, from the shores of the Atlantic to those of the Pacific, that what affects one, for good or for evil, affects all. 17 February 1945. Life does not forgive weakness. 17 February 1945. The universalists, the idealists, the Utopians all aim too high. They give promises of an unattainable paradise, and by doing so they deceive mankind. Whatever label they wear, whether they call themselves Christians, Communists, humanitarians, whether they are merely sincere but stupid or wire-pullers and cynics, they are all makers of slaves. I myself have always kept my eye fixed on a paradise which, in the nature of things, lies well within our reach. I mean an improvement in the lot of the German people. 21 February 1945. Furthermore, thanks to the Marxist religion, they (the Russians) have everything required to make them patient. They have been promised happiness on earth (a feature which distinguishes Marxism from the Christian religion)—but in the future. The Jew, Mardochee Marx, like the good Jew that he was, was awaiting the coming of the Messiah. He has placed the Messiah conception in a setting of historic materialism by asserting that terrestrial happiness is a factor in an almost endless process of evolution. "Happiness is within your reach," he says, "that I promise you. But you must let evolution take its course and not try to hurry matters." Mankind always falls for a specious trick of that sort... Lenin did not have the time, but Stalin will carry on the good work, and so on and so on... Marxism is a very powerful force. But how shall we assess Christianity, that other child of Judaism, which will not commit itself further than to promise the faithful happiness in another world? Believe me, it is incomparably stronger! 25 February 1945. I have been Europe's last hope. She proved incapable of refashioning herself by means of voluntary reform. She showed herself impervious to charm and persuasion. To take her I had to use violence. 26 February. The peoples of Islam will always be closer to us than, for example, France. 2 April 1945. With the defeat of the Reich and pending the emergence of the Asiatic, the African and, perhaps, the South American nationalisms, there will remain in the world only two Great Powers capable of confronting each other—the United States and Soviet Russia. The laws of both history and geography will compel these two Powers to a trial of strength, either military or in the fields of economics and ideology. 2 April 1945. Misattributed The great masses of people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one. Especially if it is repeated again and again. Variant: The bigger/more blatant a lie, the more people will believe it. This misquote could possibly have two possible sources: an abridged version of a paragraph in Mein Kampf regarding the Big Lie , or a report by the United States Office of Strategic Services about Hitler's psychological profile [9] . The second version is very close to an actual quote by Joseph Goebbels . We are socialists, we are enemies of today's capitalistic economic system for the exploitation of the economically weak, with its unfair salaries, with its unseemly evaluation of a human being according to wealth and property instead of responsibility and performance, and we are all determined to destroy this system under all conditions. This misattribution is sourced from John Toland. In Adolf Hitler: The Definitive Biography (1976), it is attributed to Hitler in a speech of May 1, 1927. It is recorded in Thoughts about the Tasks of the Future by Gregor Strasser on June 15, 1926. The streets of our country are in turmoil. The universities are filled with students rebelling and rioting. Communists are seeking to destroy our country. Russia is threatening us with her might and the Republic is in danger. Yes, danger from within and from without. We need law and order. Yes, without law and order our nation cannot survive. Elect us and we shall restore law and order. Reported as refuted in the Congressional Record: Lou Hiner, Jr., "Hitler's Phony Quotation on Law and Order", May 21, 1970, vol. 116, pp. 1676–77, reprinted from the Indianapolis News; and M. Stanton Evans, "The Hitler Quote", August 11, 1970, vol. 116, p. 28349, reprinted from the National Review Bulletin (August 18, 1970). This year will go down in history! For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future! Bernard Harcourt of the University of Chicago Law School said this is "probably a fraud and was likely never uttered" in Bernard E. Harcourt: "On gun registration, the NRA, Adolf Hitler, and Nazi gun laws: Exploding the gun culture wars", June 2004, University of Chicago Public Law and Legal Theory Working Paper No. 67, pp. 9–10. I am beginning with the young. We older ones are used up. Yes, we are old already. We are rotten to the marrow. We have no unrestrained instincts left. We are cowardly and sentimental. We are bearing the burden of a humiliating past, and have in our blood the dull recollection of serfdom and servility. But my magnificent youngsters! Are there finer ones anywhere in the world? Look at these young men and boys! What material! With them, I can make a new world. Adolf Hitler c. 1933; as quoted in Hitler Speaks (1939), by Hermann Rauschning, London: Thornton Butterworth, p. 247. The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode their rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which those changes can be reversed. Fake quote, according to snopes.com (11 Jan 2016) The only religion I respect is Islam. The only prophet I admire is the Prophet Muhammad. Found in George Michael's 2006 book, The Enemy of My Enemy, [2] and also in Jake Neuman's 2015 book, Islam Sharia Law and Jihad are Treason. [3] Quotes about Hitler The test of greatness as applied to a political leader is the success of his plans and his enterprises, which means his ability to reach the goal for which he sets out. Quotes before the end of World War II (Note: many of the worst atrocities of Hitler's regime did not start to become widely known until the final months of this war) Sorted chronologically He is credibly credited with being actuated by lofty, unselfish patriotism. He probably does not know himself just what he wants to accomplish. The keynote of his propaganda in speaking and writing is violent anti-Semitism. His followers are nicknamed the "Hakenkreuzler." So violent are Hitler's fulminations against the Jews that a number of prominent Jewish citizens are reported to have sought safe asylums in the Bavarian highlands, easily reached by fast motor cars, whence they could hurry their women and children when forewarned of an anti-Semitic St. Bartholomew's night. But several reliable, well-informed sources confirmed the idea that Hitler's anti-Semitism was not so genuine or violent as it sounded, and that he was merely using anti-Semitic propaganda as a bait to catch masses of followers and keep them aroused, enthusiastic, and in line for the time when his organization is perfected and sufficiently powerful to be employed effectively for political purposes. A sophisticated politician credited Hitler with peculiar political cleverness for laying emphasis and over-emphasis on anti-Semitism, saying: "You can't expect the masses to understand or appreciate your finer real aims. You must feed the masses with cruder morsels and ideas like anti-Semitism. It would be politically all wrong to tell them the truth about where you really are leading them." Cyril Brown writing in New York Times (November 21, 1922) [10] [Hitler] was profoundly imbued with German paganism, more so, perhaps, than Ludendorff or Rosenberg himself. Otto Strasser , Hitler and I, Boston: MA, Houthton Miffin Company (1940) p. 59. For Hitler first hatred was not Communism, but Austria-Hungry. . . And he loathed it for what? For its tolerance! He wanted eighty million Germans to rule with an iron hand an empire of eighty million ‘inferiors’—Czechs, Slovaks, Magyars, Jews, Serbs, Poles and Croats. Dorothy Thompson , "Let the Record Speak", Boston: MA, Houghton Mifflin Company (1939) p. 136 (newspaper column: “Write it Down,” February 18, 1938) Lenin is the greatest man, second only to Hitler, and that the difference between Communism and the Hitler faith is very slight. Joseph Goebbels , The New York Times, “Hitlerite Riot in Berlin: Beer Glasses Fly When Speaker Compares Hitler to Lenin,” November 28, 1925 (Goebbels' speech Nov. 27, 1925) Herr Hitler är en förolämpning. Mr. Hitler is an insult. Torgny Segerstedt in Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning (3 February 1933). The article spurred Hermann Göring to send a protest telegram where he condemned the newspaper for its publication. Among the higher leadership [in the Nazi Party], while there is still a certain unity, personalities are beginning to play a constantly greater part. Hitler is perhaps more powerful than before, but he becomes more and more a figure separated from actualities. He depends a great deal on Hess , who is really his confidential man now and whom it is likely he may make Foreign Minister. Goering and Goebbels still remain good comrades of Hitler and are undoubtedly attached to him, but the difference between Goering and Goebbels are becoming more evident. Goering is more moderate, while Goebbels, sensing the feeling of the masses and being above all an opportunist is becoming more radical. If It would come to a show-down between the radical and moderate elements, Goering would, however, undoubtedly be likely to be on the radical side as the one having the more chances. [...] If this Government remains in power for another year and carries on in the same measure in this direction, it will go far towards making Germany a danger to world peace for years to come. This is a very disjointed and incoherent letter. I am dictating it under pressure as I wish to catch the courier pouch. What I do want to say really is that for the present this country is headed in directions which can only carry ruin to it and will create a situation here dangerous to world peace. With few exceptions, the men who are running this Government are of a mentality that you and I cannot understand. Some of them are psychopathic cases and would ordinarily be receiving treatment somewhere. Others are exalted and in a frame of mind that knows no reason. The majority are woefully ignorant and unprepared for the tasks which they have to carry through every day. Those men in the party and in responsible positions who are really worth-while, and there are quite a number of these, are powerless because they have to follow the orders of superiors who are suffering from the abnormal psychology prevailing in the country. George S. Messersmith , U.S. Consul General at Berlin to the Under Secretary of State, William Phillips, letter dated 26 June 1933 For what is healthy and what is sick, every people and age gives itself its own law, according to the inner greatness and extension of its existence. Now the German people are in the process of rediscovering their own essence and making themselves worthy of their great destiny. Adolf Hitler, our great Führer and chancellor, created, through the National Socialist revolution, a new state by which the people will assure itself anew of the duration and continuity of its history.... For every people, the first warranty of is authenticity and greatness is in its blood, its soil, and its physical growth. If it loses this good or even only allows it to become considerably weakened, all effort at state politics, all economic and technical ability, all spiritual action will remain in the end null and void. Martin Heidegger , lecture at Frieberg University, August 1933; as quoted by Emmanuel Faye (2009), Heidegger, The Introduction of Nazism into Philosophy in Light of the Unpublished Seminars of 1933-1935, Yale University Press, transl. Michael B. Smith, p. 68. You will be interested to know that your work has played a powerful part in shaping the opinions of the group of intellectuals who are behind Hitler in this epoch-making program. Everywhere I sensed that their opinions have been tremendously stimulated by American thought... Charles Goethe , writing to a colleague about American eugenics inspiring Hitler and other Nazi officials (1934), as quoted by Edwin Black, " Eugenics and the Nazis: The California Connection ", The San Francisco Gate, Nov. 9, 2003 You [Hitler] may successfully resist any and all men, but you cannot successfully resist Jehovah God. . . . In the name of Jehovah God and His anointed King, Christ Jesus, I demand that you give order to all officials and servants of your government that Jehovah’s witnesses in Germany be permitted to peaceably assemble and without hindrance worship God. Joseph Franklin Rutherford , cited in Awake! magazine, 1995, 8/22, article: The Evils of Nazism Exposed On February 9, 1934, J. F. Rutherford, the president of the Watch Tower Society, sent a letter of protest to Hitler stating these words. As the Nazi rage against Jehovah’s Witnesses reached new heights, the Witnesses’ denunciations became ever more scathing. The May 15, 1940, issue of Consolation stated: “Hitler is such a perfect child of the Devil that these speeches and decisions flow through him like water through a well-built sewer”. One may dislike Hitler's system and yet admire his patriotic achievement. If our country were defeated, I hope we should find a champion as indomitable to restore our courage and lead us back to our place among the nations. Winston Churchill , "Hitler and His Choice" in The Strand Magazine (November 1935). We cannot tell whether Hitler will be the man who will once again let loose upon the world another war in which civilisation will irretrievably succumb, or whether he will go down in history as the man who restored honour and peace of mind to the Great Germanic nation. Winston Churchill , "Hitler and His Choice" in The Strand Magazine (November 1935). [W]hen Hitler says that “the State dominates the nation because it alone represents it,” he is only putting into loose popular language the formula of Hegel , that “the State is the general substance, whereof individuals are but accidents.” Albert Jay Nock , Our Enemy, The State, Caldwell, ID, The Caxton Printers (1950) pp. 21-22, first published in 1935 He [Hitler] is a very great man. "Fuhrer" is the proper name for him, for he is a born leader, yes, and statesman. David Lloyd George , A. J. Sylvester's diary entry (4 September 1936), Colin Cross (ed.), Life with Lloyd George. The Diary of A. J. Sylvester 1931-45 (London: Macmillan, 1975), p. 148. I have never met a happier people than the Germans and Hitler is one of the greatest men. The old trust him; the young idolise him. It is the worship of a national hero who has saved his country. David Lloyd George , Daily Express, September 17, 1936. I have just returned from a visit to Germany. … I have now seen the famous German leader and also something of the great change he has effected. Whatever one may think of his methods — and they are certainly not those of a Parliamentary country — there can be no doubt that he has achieved a marvellous transformation in the spirit of the people, in their attitude towards each other, and in their social and economic outlook. One man has accomplished this miracle. He is a born leader of men. A magnetic dynamic personality with a single-minded purpose, a resolute will, and a dauntless heart. He is the national Leader. He is also securing them against that constant dread of starvation which is one of the most poignant memories of the last years of the war and the first years of the Peace. The establishment of a German hegemony in Europe which was the aim and dream of the old prewar militarism, is not even on the horizon of Nazism. David Lloyd George As quoted in The Daily Express (17 November 1936). Hitler is a prodigious genius. David Lloyd George , A. J. Sylvester's diary entry (7 July 1940), Colin Cross (ed.), Life with Lloyd George. The Diary of A. J. Sylvester 1931-45 (London: Macmillan, 1975), p. 275. You have delivered up our holy German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I solemnly prophesy that this accursed man will cast our Reich into the abyss and bring inconceivable misery upon our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for your action. Erich Ludendorff to Paul von Hindenburg after he appointed Hitler to Chancellor as quoted in Hitler 1889–1936: Hubris by Ian Kershaw (page 427). You protest, and with justice, each time Hitler jails an opponent; but you forget that Stalin and company have jailed and murdered a thousand times as many. It seems to me, and indeed the evidence is plain, that compared to the Moscow brigands and assassins, Hitler is hardly more than a common Ku Kluxer and Mussolini almost a philanthropist. H. L. Mencken , in an open letter to Upton Sinclair , printed in The American Mercury, June 1936. I have always said that if Great Britain were defeated in war I hoped we should find a Hitler to lead us back to our rightful position among the nations. I am sorry, however, that he has not been mellowed by the great success that has attended him. The whole world would rejoice to see the Hitler of peace and tolerance, and nothing would adorn his name in world history so much as acts of magnanimity and of mercy and of pity to the forlorn and friendless, to the weak and poor... Let this great man search his own heart and conscience before he accuses anyone of being a warmonger. Winston Churchill , "Mr. Churchill's Reply" in The Times (7 November 1938) This was in response to Hitler denouncing Churchill as a "warmonger". Hitler was right in one thing. He calls the Jewish people a race and we are a race. Rabbi Stephen S. Wise , (1938). “Dr. Wise Urges Jews To Declare Selves As Such.” New York Herald Tribune, 13 June 1938. p. 12. In Germany the common people are peace-loving, ... The Devil has put his representative Hitler in control, a man who is of unsound mind, cruel, malicious and ruthless . . . He cruelly persecutes the Jews because they were once Jehovah’s covenant people and bore the name of Jehovah , and because Christ Jesus was a Jew. Joseph Franklin Rutherford , cited in Awake! magazine, 1995, 8/22, article: The Evils of Nazism Exposed On October 2, 1938, he delivered the address “Fascism or Freedom,” in which he denounced Hitler in no uncertain terms. Rutherford regularly took to the airwaves, delivering powerful lectures on the satanic nature of Nazism. The lectures were rebroadcast globally and were printed for distribution by the millions. There is no question but that Hitler belongs in the category of the truly mystic medicine man. As somebody commented about him at the last Nürnberg party congress, since the time of Mohammed nothing like it has been seen in this world. His body does not suggest strength. The outstanding characteristic of his physiognomy is its dreamy look. I was especially struck by that when I saw pictures taken of him in the Czechoslovakian crisis; there was in his eyes the look of a seer. This markedly mystic characteristic of Hitler's is what makes him do things which seem to us illogical, inexplicable, and unreasonable. … So you see, Hitler is a medicine man, a spiritual vessel, a demi-deity or, even better, a myth. Carl Jung , During an interview with H. R. Knickerbocker, first published in Hearst's International Cosmopolitan (January 1939), in which Jung was asked to diagnose Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini , and Joseph Stalin , later published in Is Tomorrow Hitler's? (1941), by H. R. Knickerbocker, also published in The Seduction of Unreason : The Intellectual Romance with Fascism (2004) by Richard Wolin, Ch. 2 : Prometheus Unhinged : C. G. Jung and the Temptations of Aryan Religion, p. 75. No nation keeps its word. A nation is a big, blind worm, following what? Fate perhaps. A nation has no honour, it has no word to keep. … Hitler is himself the nation. That incidentally is why Hitler always has to talk so loud, even in private conversation — because he is speaking with 78 million voices. Carl Jung , During an interview with H. R. Knickerbocker (1939), quoted in A Life of Jung (2002) by Ronald Hayman, p. 360 We cannot tell whether Hitler will be the man who will once again let loose upon the world another war in which civilisation will irretrievably succumb, or whether he will go down in history as the man who restored honour and peace of mind to the Great Germanic nation . ~ Winston Churchill We do not know whether Hitler is going to found a new Islam. He is already on the way; he is like Mohammad. The emotion in Germany is Islamic; warlike and Islamic. They are all drunk with wild god. That can be the historic future. Carl Jung , The Symbolic Life, 1939. Most cruel joke of all, however, has been played by Hitler & Co. on those German capitalists and small businessmen who once backed National Socialism as a means of saving Germany's bourgeois economic structure from radicalism. The Nazi credo that the individual belongs to the state also applies to business. Some businesses have been confiscated outright, on others what amounts to a capital tax has been levied. Profits have been strictly controlled. Some idea of the increasing Governmental control and interference in business could be deduced from the fact that 80% of all building and 50% of all industrial orders in Germany originated last year with the Government. Hard-pressed for foodstuffs as well as funds, the Nazi regime has taken over large estates and in many instances collectivized agriculture, a procedure fundamentally similar to Russian Communism. Adolf Hitler: Man of the Year, 1938, Time ; January 2, 1939. The “Conqueror from Berlin,” as he has named himself, has completely conquered Germany. And not only that. Unfortunately, many, all too many Germans living abroad, also have fallen for the cunning propaganda. Friedrich Kellner , My Opposition , Diary entry of 24 October 1939. Hitler could not have succeeded against his many rivals if it had not been for the attraction of his own personality, which one can feel even in the clumsy writing of Mein Kampf, and which is no doubt overwhelming when one hears his speeches. I should like to put it on record that I have never been able to dislike Hitler. Ever since he came to power—till then, like nearly everyone, I had been deceived into thinking that he did not matter—I have reflected that I would certainly kill him if I could get within reach of him, but that I could feel no personal animosity. The fact is that there is something deeply appealing about him. One feels it again when one sees his photographs—and I recommend especially the photograph at the beginning of Hurst and Blackett's edition, which shows Hitler in his early Brownshirt days. It is a pathetic, dog-like face, the face of a man suffering under intolerable wrongs. In a rather more manly way it reproduces the expression of innumerable pictures of Christ crucified, and there is little doubt that that is how Hitler sees himself. The initial, personal cause of his grievance against the universe can only be guessed at; but at any rate the grievance is there. He is the martyr, the victim, Prometheus chained to the rock, the self-sacrificing hero who fights single-handed against impossible odds. If he were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon. One feels, as with Napoleon, that he is fighting against destiny, that he can't win, and yet that he somehow deserves to. The attraction of such a pose is of course enormous; half the films that one sees turn upon some such theme. Also he has grasped the falsity of the hedonistic attitude to life. Nearly all western thought since the last war, certainly all "progressive" thought, has assumed tacitly that human beings desire nothing beyond ease, security and avoidance of pain. In such a view of life there is no room, for instance, for patriotism and military virtues. The Socialist who finds his children playing with soldiers is usually upset, but he is never able to think of a substitute for the tin soldiers; tin pacifists somehow won't do. Hitler, because in his own joyless mind he feels it with exceptional strength, knows that human beings don't only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene, birth-control and, in general, common sense; they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flags and loyalty-parades. However they may be as economic theories, Fascism and Nazism are psychologically far sounder than any hedonistic conception of life. The same is probably true of Stalin's militarised version of Socialism. All three of the great dictators have enhanced their power by imposing intolerable burdens on their peoples. Whereas Socialism, and even capitalism in a more grudging way, have said to people "I offer you a good time," Hitler has said to them "I offer you struggle, danger and death," and as a result a whole nation flings itself at his feet. Perhaps later on they will get sick of it and change their minds, as at the end of the last war. After a few years of slaughter and starvation "Greatest happiness of the greatest number" is a good slogan, but at this moment "Better an end with horror than a horror without end" is a winner. Now that we are fighting against the man who coined it, we ought not to underrate its emotional appeal. George Orwell , Review of Mein Kampf (March, 1940). Hitler didn't snub me; it was our president who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram. Jesse Owens , as quoted in Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics (2007), by Jeremy Schaap, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, p. 211. Both anti-fascism and anti-communism have utterly lost their meaning since Hitler and Stalin have ceased to conceal their alliance from the world. […] I predicted the cooperation between the Nazis and Bolsheviks as early as 1925 in my article "Anti-Marxism." Ludwig von Mises ([1940], 1998). Interventionism: An Economic Analysis, trans. Thomas Francis McManus and Heinrich Bund, ed. Bettina Bien Greaves. Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. ISBN 1-57246-071-7 p. xiv. Hitler does not have a new secret weapon at his disposal. He does not owe his victory to an excellent intelligence service which informs him of the plans of his opponents. Even the much-talked-of "fifth column" was not decisive. He won because the supposed opponents were already quite sympathetic to the ideas for which he stood. […] An ideological struggle cannot be fought successfully with constant concessions to the principles of the enemy. Those who refute capitalism because it supposedly is inimical to the interest of the masses, those who proclaim "as a matter of course" that after the victory over Hitler the market economy will have to be replaced by a better system and, therefore, everything should be done now to make the government control of business as complete as possible, are actually fighting for totalitarianism. The "progressives" who today masquerade as "liberals" may rant against "fascism"; yet it is their policy that paves the way for Hitlerism. Nothing could have been more helpful to the success of the National-Socialist (Nazi) movement than the methods used by the "progressives," denouncing Nazism as a party serving the interests of "capital." Ludwig von Mises ([1940], 1998). Interventionism: An Economic Analysis, trans. Thomas Francis McManus and Heinrich Bund, ed. Bettina Bien Greaves. Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. ISBN 1-57246-071-7 p. 88. German workers are the most reliable supporters of the Hitler regime. Nazism has won them over completely by eliminating unemployment and by reducing the entrepreneurs to the status of shop managers (Befriebsführer). Big business, shopkeepers, and peasants are disappointed. Labor is well satisfied and will stand by Hitler, unless the war takes a turn which would destroy their hope for a better life after the peace treaty. Only military reverses can deprive Hitler of the backing of the German workers. The fact that the capitalists and entrepreneurs, faced with the alternative of Communism or Nazism, chose the latter, does not require any further explanation. They preferred to live as shop managers under Hitler than to be "liquidated" as "bourgeois" by Stalin. Capitalists don't like to be killed any more than other people do. What pernicious effects may be produced by believing that the German workers are opposed to Hitler was proved by the English tactics during the first year of the war. The government of Neville Chamberlain firmly believed that the war would be brought to an end by a revolution of the German workers. Instead of concentrating on vigorous arming and fighting, they had their planes drop leaflets over Germany telling the German workers that England was not fighting this war against them, but against their oppressor, Hitler. The English government knew very well, they said, that the German people, particularly labor, were against war and were only forced into it by their self-imposed dictator. Ludwig von Mises ([1940], 1998). Interventionism: An Economic Analysis, trans. Thomas Francis McManus and Heinrich Bund, ed. Bettina Bien Greaves. Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. ISBN 1-57246-071-7 p. 89. At the outset of the German Government's movement against the Jews, an American visitor asked Herr Hitler why he was making it so ruthless. The Reichskanzler replied that he had got the idea from us. Americans, he said, are the great rope and lamppost artists [i.e., lynching] of the world, known of all men as such. He was using the same methods against the Jews that we used against the loyalists of ‘76, the Indians, the Chinese on the Western coast, the Negroes, the Mexicans, the Filipinos — every helpless people in fact whom we had ever chanced to find underfoot. Albert Jay Nock , "The Jewish Problem in America," Atlantic Monthly, June, 1941. If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons. Winston Churchill , To his personal secretary John Colville the evening before Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union (June 1941). As quoted by Andrew Nagorski in The Greatest Battle (2007), Simon & Schuster, pp. 150-151 ISBN 0743281101 . Hitler’s socialism was his own and subordinate to his secret aims. His concept of organized economy was close to genuine socialism but he would be a socialist only so long as it served the greater goal. John Tolan Adolf Hitler: The Definitive Biography New York: NY, Anchor Books—Doubleday (1976) p. 314 Hitler is a monster of wickedness, insatiable in his lust for blood and plunder. Not content with having all Europe under his heel, or else terrorised into various forms of abject submission, he must now carry his work of butchery and desolation among the vast multitudes of Russia and of Asia. The terrible military machine - which we and the rest of the civilised world so foolishly, so supinely, so insensately allowed the Nazi gangsters to build up year by year from almost nothing - cannot stand idle lest it rust or fall to pieces. … So now this bloodthirsty guttersnipe must launch his mechanized armies upon new fields of slaughter, pillage and devastation. Winston Churchill , Radio broadcast on the German invasion of Russia, June 22, 1941. In The Churchill War Papers : 1941 (1993), W.W. Norton, pp. 835-836 ISBN 0393019594 . I have in this War a burning private grudge—which would probably make me a better soldier at 49 than I was at 22: against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler (for the odd thing about demonic inspiration and impetus is that it in no way enhances the purely intellectual stature: it chiefly affects the mere will). Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light. J. R. R. Tolkien The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien No. 45: To his son Michael Tolkien (1941-06-09). "Progress" is for the convinced ochlocrats a consoling Utopia of madly increased comfort and technicism. This charming but dull vision was always the pseudoreligious consolation of millions of ecstatic believers in ochlocracy and in the relative perfection and wisdom of Mr. and Mrs. Averageman. Utopias in general are surrogates for heaven; they give a meager solace to the individual that his sufferings and endeavors may enable future generations to enter the chiliastic paradise. Communism works in a similar way. Its millennium is almost the same as that of ochlocracy. The Millennium of Lenin , the Millennium of Bellamy , the Millennium as represented in H. G. Wells's, "Of Things to Come," the Millennium of Adolf Hitler and Henry Ford — they are all basically the same; they often differ in their means to attain it but they all agree in the point of technical perfection and the classless or at least totally homogeneous society without grudge or envy. Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn , writing under the pen name Francis Stewart Campbell (1943), Menace of the Herd, or, Procrustes at Large, Milwaukee, WI: The Bruce Publishing Company, pp. 35-36. [Hitler is] a veritable reductio ad absurdum of "progressive" thought. Francis Stuart Campbell, pen name of Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn (1943), Menace of the Herd, or, Procrustes at Large, Milwaukee, WI: The Bruce Publishing Company, p. 159. It must be emphasized that an intensive study of national socialistic "prehistory" reveals a curious lack of original thought in Hitler's concepts; Hitler's strength consists solely in the clever use of already existing trends, ideas, and situations. It lies in the very nature of mass leaders that they cannot be "original"; the mass leader is necessarily a virtuoso of commonplaces which he may or may not repeat in the guise of a "new discovery." The modern dictator is not out to contradict but to confirm already existing views (and prejudices). Francis Stuart Campbell, pen name of Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn (1943), Menace of the Herd, or, Procrustes at Large, Milwaukee, WI: The Bruce Publishing Company, p. 201. So the bastard's dead? Too bad we didn't capture him alive! Joseph Stalin , Said in April 1945 — On hearing of Hitler's suicide, as quoted in The Memoirs of Georgy Zhukov . Adolf Hitler I'm not worthy to speak up for Adolf Hitler, and to any sentimental rousing his life and deeds do not invite. Hitler was a warrior, a warrior for humankind and a preacher of the gospel of justice for all nations. He was a reforming character of the highest order, and his historical fate was that he functioned in a time of exampleless [i.e., unequalled] brutality, which in the end felled him. Thus may the ordinary Western European look at Adolf Hitler. And we, his close followers, bow our heads at his death. Knut Hamsun , Norwegian author and Nobel Prize-winner, obituary of Hitler published in the May 7, 1945 evening edition of Aftenposten [4] Adolf Hitler was a Jeanne d'Arc , a saint. He was a martyr. Like many martyrs, he held extreme views. Ezra Pound , in an interview with Edd Johnson, published in The Chicago Sun (9 May 1945) [11] Every word that comes from Hitler's mouth is a lie. When he says peace, he means war, and when he blasphemously uses the name of the Almighty, he means the power of evil, the fallen angel, Satan. His mouth is the foul-smelling maw of Hell, and his might is at bottom accursed. True, we must conduct a struggle against the National Socialist terrorist state with rational means; but whoever today still doubts the reality, the existence of demonic powers, has failed by a wide margin to understand the metaphysical background of this war. The White Rose , Fourth Leaflet. Freedom and honour! For ten long years Hitler and his coadjutor have manhandled, squeezed, twisted, and debased these two splendid German words to the point of nausea, as only dilettantes can, casting the highest values of a nation before swine. They have sufficiently demonstrated in the ten years of destruction of all material and intellectual freedom, of all moral substance among the German people, what they understand by freedom and honour. The frightful bloodbath has opened the eyes of even the stupidest German—it is a slaughter which they arranged in the name of "freedom and honour of the German nation" throughout Europe, and which they daily start anew. The White Rose , Sixth leaflet. Shaken and broken, our people behold the loss of the men of Stalingrad. Three hundred and thirty thousand German men have been senselessly and irresponsibly driven to death and destruction by the inspired strategy of our World War I Private First Class. Führer, we thank you! The White Rose , Sixth leaflet. He was a warrior, a warrior for mankind, and a prophet of the gospel of justice for all nations. Cabell and Hitler did not inhabit the same universe . ~ Alfred Kazin Although some people felt Adolf Hitler was bad, he was a great man and a real conqueror whose name would never be forgotten. Idi Amin , as quoted in The Evil 100 (2004) by Martin Gilman Wolcott, p. 78. Hitler did a better job than Stalin of accomplishing Lenin’s totalitarian promises—better, too, than Mussolini,… François Furet , The Passing of an Illusion, The Idea of Communism in the Twentieth Century, University of Chicago Press (1999) p. 205 Spiegel: Can you also get your revenge on him by using comedy? Brooks: Yes, absolutely. Of course it is impossible to take revenge for 6 million murdered Jews. But by using the medium of comedy, we can try to rob Hitler of his posthumous power and myths. In doing so, we should remember that Hitler did have some talents. He was able to fool an entire population into letting him be their leader. However, this role was basically a few numbers too great for him –- but he simply covered over this deficiency. Spiegel: Was he a good actor? Brooks: Yes, as he convinced many millions of Germans. It’s not without good reason that comedies about Hitler often concern actors who should play him. Just think about Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” (1940) or Ernst Lubitsch’s “To Be or not To Be” (1942). There’s no doubt about it, Hitler worked in the same branch as we do: he created illusions. Spiegel: In a documentary film about the downfall of the German battleship the Bismarck, US director James Cameron referred to Hitler as the “greatest pop star of his time." Brooks: There's something in that. Hitler must have had a magnetic attractive force, like a rock star he used his voice to spellbind umpteen thousands of listeners. So it’s only fitting when comic actors make him the limelight hog of world history. We take away from him the holy seriousness that always surrounded him and protected him like a cordon. Mel Brooks Spiegel interview What was new about Hitler and Stalin was what Friedrich Meinecke, in an attempt shortly after World War II to express his horror at Hitler’s moral nihilism, called a ‘Machiavellianism of the masses’. François Furet , The Passing of an Illusion, The Idea of Communism in the Twentieth Century, University of Chicago Press (1999) p. 191 In Hitler's eyes, Christianity was a religion fit only for slaves; he detested its ethics in particular. Its teaching, he declared, was a rebellion against the natural law of selection by struggle and the survival of the fittest. Alan Bullock , Hitler: A Study in Tyranny; Harper Perennial Edition (1991) p. 218. First published 1952 Though Hitler was indeed racist and anti-Semitic to the core, a man who without compunction could commit murder and genocide, he was also an individual of great courage, a soldier's soldier in the Great War, a political organizer of the first rank, a leader steeped in the history of Europe, who possessed oratorical powers that could awe even those who despised him... Hitler's success was not based on his extraordinary gifts alone. His genius was an intuitive sense of the mushiness, the character flaws, the weakness masquerading as morality that was in the hearts of the statesmen who stood in his path. Pat Buchanan , column discussing John Toland's biography of Hitler (1977). [Hitler] himself saw Christianity as a temporary ally, for in his opinion 'one is either a Christian or a German'. To be both was impossible. Nazism itself was a religion, a pagan religion, and Hitler was its high priest... Its high altar [was] Germany itself and the German people, their soil and forests and language and traditions. Geoffrey Blainey , A Short History of Christianity, Viking (2011) pp. 495–6 "Everybody thinks Hitler got to power because of his armies , because they were willing to kill , and that's partially true, because in the real world power is always built on the threat of death and dishonor. But mostly he got to power on words , on the right words at the right time." "I was just thinking of of comparing you to him." George Carlin , from Brain Droppings. But if you can breed cattle for milk yield, horses for running speed, and dogs for herding skill, why on Earth should it be impossible to breed humans for mathematical, musical or athletic ability? Objections such as "these are not one-dimensional abilities" apply equally to cows, horses and dogs and never stopped anybody in practice. I wonder whether, some 60 years after Hitler's death, we might at least venture to ask what the moral difference is between breeding for musical ability and forcing a child to take music lessons. Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and they are good ones, which would probably end up persuading me. But hasn't the time come when we should stop being frightened even to put the question? Richard Dawkins, From the Afterword, The Herald Scotland, (November 20, 2006) What's to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn't right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question. Richard Dawkins "Richard Dawkins, the Atheist Evangelist", by Larry Taunton, byFaith (18 December 2007) Adolf Hitler may have been wrong all down the line, but one thing is beyond dispute: the man was able to work his way up from lance corporal in the German Army to Führer of a people of almost 80 million. … His success alone proved that I should subordinate myself to this man. Adolf Eichmann , As quoted in "The Eichmann Memoir" in The Personalist Volume XLII (1961). Had Hitler died in middle of the 1930's, Nazism would probably have shown, under the leadership of a Goering , a fundamental change in its course, and the Second World War might have been averted. Yet the sepulcher of Hitler, the founder of a Nazi religion, might perhaps have been a greater evil than all the atrocities, bloodshed and destruction of Hitler's war. Eric Hoffer , The True Believer (1951) Ch.18 Good and Bad Mass Movements, §122 The names of Lenin , Stalin , and Hitler will forever be linked to the tragic course of European history in the first half of the twentieth century. Only weeks after the Russian Revolution the Bolsheviks created secret police forces far more brutal than any that had existed under the tsar. The Nazis followed suit and were no sooner in power than they instituted the dreaded Gestapo . Under both regimes millions of people were incarcerated in concentration camps where they were tortured and frequently worked to death. Robert Gellately , Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler : The Age of Social Catastrophe (2007). If all Hitler had done was kill people in vast numbers more efficiently than anyone else ever did, the debate over his lasting importance might end there. But Hitler's impact went beyond his willingness to kill without mercy. He did something civilization had not seen before. Genghis Khan operated in the context of the nomadic steppe, where pillaging villages was the norm. Hitler came out of the most civilized society on Earth, the land of Beethoven and Goethe and Schiller . He set out to kill people not for what they did but for who they were. Even Mao and Stalin were killing their "class enemies." Hitler killed a million Jewish babies just for existing. Nancy Gibbs, as quoted in TIME magazine (3 January 2000). Lister: Ignore him, he's a complete and total nutter, and he's only got one testicle. Red Dwarf Timeslides, written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (1989) Adolf Hitler is likely to have been descended from both Jews and Africans, according to DNA tests. Samples taken from relatives of the Nazi leader show that he is biologically linked to the 'sub-human' races he sought to exterminate. Journalist Jean-Paul Mulders and historian Marc Vermeeren used DNA to track down 39 of the Fuhrer's relatives earlier this year. (...) A Belgian news magazine has reported that samples of saliva taken from these people strongly suggest Hitler had antecedents he certainly would not have cared for. A chromosome called Haplopgroup E1b1b (Y-DNA) in their samples is rare in Germany and indeed Western Europe. 'It is most commonly found in the Berbers of Morocco, in Algeria, Libya and Tunisia as well as among Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews,' Mr Vermeeren said. 'One can from this postulate that Hitler was related to people whom he despised,' adds Mr. Mulders in the magazine, Knack. Haplogroup E1b1b1, which accounts for approximately 18 to 20 per cent of Ashkenazi and 8.6 per cent to 30 per cent of Sephardic Y-chromosomes, appears to be one of the major founding lineages of the Jewish population. 'This is a surprising result,' said Ronny Decorte a genetic specialist who agreed that Hitler probably did have some roots in North Africa. Haaretz Service, DNA tests reveal Hitler's Jewish and African roots in Haaretz, August 24, 2010. I would have preferred it if he'd followed his original ambition and become an architect. Paula Hitler his much younger sister, during an interview with a U.S. intelligence operative in late 1945. I admit, I was fascinated by Adolf Hitler. He was a pleasant boss and a fatherly friend. Traudl Junge , Hitler's secretary. Of course, the terrible things I heard from the Nuremberg Trials , about the six million Jews and the people from other races who were killed, were facts that shocked me deeply. But I wasn't able to see the connection with my own past. I was satisfied that I wasn't personally to blame and that I hadn't known about those things. I wasn't aware of the extent. But one day I went past the memorial plaque which had been put up for Sophie Scholl in Franz Josef Strasse, and I saw that she was born the same year as me, and she was executed the same year I started working for Hitler. And at that moment I actually sensed that it was no excuse to be young, and that it would have been possible to find things out. Cabell and Hitler did not inhabit the same universe . Alfred Kazin , On Native Grounds : An Interpretation of Modern American Prose Literature (1941), p. 231. After visiting these two places you can easily see how that within a few years Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived. He had boundless ambition for his country, which rendered him a menace to the peace of the world, but he had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him. He had in him the stuff of which legends are made. The Post-War diary of John F. Kennedy , as quoted in Prelude to Leadership (pages 73–74, last two paragraphs). As far as Hitler is concerned, we regarded him as a true man. He was only a corporal when he earned the Iron Cross First Class in World War I. In those days that was quite an achievement. When he spoke at meetings or rallies he managed to captivate his audience. He was able to get us in a mood where we believed everything he said and we left fired with enthusiasms. Everyone I met respected and trusted Hitler and I myself shared these feelings and opinions. Standartenoberjunker Jan Munk - SS Five hundred years from now, it won't be Hitler we remember. Hitler may have set the century's agenda; he was a sort of vortex of negative energy that sucked everything else in. But I think God takes fallible human beings like Roosevelt or Churchill and carves them for his purposes. In five centuries, we'll look back and say the story of the century was not Hitler or Stalin; it was the survival of the human spirit in the face of genocide. Doctor Who , Let's Kill Hitler written by Steven Moffat People ask me who my heroes are. I admire Hitler because he pulled his country together when it was in a terrible state in the early thirties. But the situation here [Vietnam] is so desperate now that one man would not be enough. We need four or five Hitlers in Vietnam. Nguyen Cao Ky , July, 1965 interview with the Daily Mirror. When I came back to my native country , after all the stories about Hitler, I couldn't ride in the front of the bus. I had to go to the back door. I couldn't live where I wanted. I wasn't invited to shake hands with Hitler, but I wasn't invited to the White House to shake hands with the president , either. Jesse Owens , as quoted in "Owens Pierced a Myth" (2005), by Larry Schwartz, ESPN SportsCentury. When I passed the chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad taste in criticizing the man of the hour in Germany. Jesse Owens , as quoted in The Jesse Owens Story (1970). Nazism and Fascism are thoroughly beaten, but I must admit that their defeat does not mean that barbarism and brutality have been defeated. On the contrary, it is no use closing our eyes to the fact that these hateful ideas achieved something like a victory in defeat. I have to admit that Hitler succeeded in degrading the moral standards of our Western world, and that in the world of today there is more violence and brutal force than would have been tolerated even in the decade after the first World war. And we must face the possibility that our civilization may ultimately be destroyed by those new weapons which Hitlerism wished upon us, perhaps even within the first decade after the second World war; for no doubt the spirit of Hitlerism won its greatest victory over us when, after its defeat, we used the weapons which the threat of Nazism had induced us to develop. Karl Popper in "Utopia and Violence" (1947) Out of the mud and slime of lies, your holy red, white and black Swastika has been flung back into the skies in Virginia , United States of America , and we pledge you our lives, Adolf Hitler, that we shall not flag or fail until we have utterly destroyed the forces of Marxism and darkness. George Lincoln Rockwell , founder of the American Nazi Party , dedication in his book This Time the World (1960). What people don't remember is that Hitlerism was about more than just militarism, nationalism, and consolidation of identity politics. It also involved a substantial shift in German domestic politics away from free enterprise, or what remained of it under Weimar, toward collectivist economic planning. Lew Rockwell , Headed to National Socialism , July 10, 2009. Before Hitler, we thought we had sounded the depths of human nature. He showed how much lower we could go, and that's what was so horrifying. It gets us wondering not just at the depths he showed us but whether there is worse to come. Ron Rosenbaum in TIME magazine (3 January 2000) . I am a great admirer of Hitler, and I am not ashamed to say so! I do not say that I agree with all the methods he employed, but he was a wonderful organizer and orator, and I feel that he and I have several things in common.... What India really needs is a dictator who will rule benevolently, but with an iron hand. Bal Thackeray http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/95/0922/nat5.html . By exploiting material wealth confiscated and plundered in a racial war, Hitler’s National Socialism achieved an unprecedented level of economic equality and created vast new opportunities for upward mobility for the German people. Götz Aly , Hitler’s Beneficiaries: Plunder, Racial War, and the Nazi Welfare State, New York: NY, Metropolitan Books (2007) pp. 7-8 Hitler is an outcome of Rousseau . Bertrand Russell , A History of Western Philosophy, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1945, p. 685. At the beginning of the twentieth century, few people would have suspected that a nation considered by many to be the most cultured, advanced and civilized would elect to power a homicidal maniac and allow him to seize total control of every institution in the country and every facet of the community. A man who maltreated, gassed and otherwise murdered millions of people based on their racial and ethnic background. Stefan B. Tahmassebi , as quoted in "Gun Control and Racism" (1991), by S.B. Tahmassebi, George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal , Virginia: George Mason University, p. 67. It seems likely that more will be written about Adolf Hitler than about anyone else in history with the exception of Jesus Christ . … As long as people are fascinated by the range and depth of evil, Hitler will find readers, for he was the Molech who devoured human beings in a regime that was "the negation of God erected into a system of Government." Robert George Leeson Waite , The Psychopathic God : Adolf Hitler (1993), p. xi. Was there no resistance to his disastrous projects? There was. But it was too feeble, too weak and too late to succeed... The fact is that Hitler was beloved by his people—not the military, at least not in the beginning, but by the average Germans who pledged to him an affection, a tenderness and a fidelity that bordered on the irrational... Winston Churchill was the only man of state who unmasked Hitler immediately and refused to let himself be duped by Hitler's repeated promises that this time he was making his "last territorial demand." … In his own "logic," Hitler was persuaded for a fairly long time that the German and British people had every reason to get along and divide up spheres of influence throughout the world. He did not understand British obstinacy in its resistance to his racial philosophy and to the practical ends it engendered... After Rommel 's defeat in North Africa, after the debacle at Stalingrad and even when the landings in Normandy were imminent, Hitler and his entourage still had the mind to come up with the Final Solution. In his testament, drafted in a underground bunker just hours before his suicide in Berlin, Hitler returns again to this hatred of the Jewish people that had never left him. But in the same testament, he settles his score with the German people. He wants them to be sacked, destroyed, reduced to misery and shame for having failed him by denying him his glory. The former corporal become commander in chief of all his armies and convinced of his strategic and political genius was not prepared to recognize his own responsibility for the defeat of his Reich. Elie Wiesel in TIME (13 April 1998) . Unlike Mussolini [Hitler] spurned the 'proletariat' and its Marxism, which was as bad as Christianity in his eyes, for it, too, was the faith of the downtrodden and the weak. In Vienna perhaps, certainly later in Munich, Hitler picked up, with a smattering of Nietzsche , the opposite religion of the strong. Elizabeth Wiskemann in The Rome-Berlin Axis (page 13). ...crazy, tasteless even, as it may sound, the problem with Hitler was that he was not violent enough, that his violence was not 'essential' enough... Slavoj Žižek , In Defense of Lost Causes (2008), as quoted by Adam Kirsch, "The Deadly Jester", The New Republic, December 2, 2008 Hitler ... was a hero, the hero-as-monster, embodying what had become the monstrous fantasy of a people, but the horror upon which the radical mind and liberal temperament foundered was that he gave outlet to the energies of the Germans and so presented the twentieth century with an index of how horrible had become the secret heart of its desire.	i don't know
Who starred as Dan Matthews in ‘Highway Patrol’?	Classic TV: Highway Patrol \| Nostalgia and Now Nostalgia and Now Broderick Crawford as seen on Highway Patrol. Highway Patrol was a syndicated television program produced by Ziv TV. It starred Broderick Crawford as Dan Matthews the commander of a highway patrol unit in an unidentified state. I can still remember Matthews saying 10-4 into his radio-telephone. One show I have in a collection of classic television videos shows a criminal takings a school bus driver and some kids as hostages. The excitement builds as the story culminates in an exciting conclusion. I haven’t seen the show on any channel for many years. Crawford was perfect in the role of Matthews since he looked the part of a gruff plainclothes policeman who was all business and totally focused on his job of getting criminals off the streets and highways. The show debuted on October 3, 1955 and the last episode was shown on September 1, 1959. 156 shows were shown during its four-year run on television. Back in those days 39 shows were produced for a years run on television but nowadays 24 or fewer new shows are made of a series Highway Patrol may not compare well with the police shows of today but for me it was the kind of show that I always looked forward to the next episode as soon as that night’s episode had ended. Crawford may have been better known for his role as Willie Stark in All The King’s Men which was released in 1949. However I remember him better for Highway Patrol since I watched this show regularly week after week. This is the opening of Highway Patrol which will bring back memories to those that watched it till it went off the air 50 years ago. Broderick Crawford was born December 9, 1911 and died April 26, 1986 at the age of 74. Rate this: Posted by Andrew Godfrey on September 15, 2009 in Classic TV Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out / Change ) You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out / Change ) You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out / Change ) You are commenting using your Google+ account. ( Log Out / Change ) Notify me of new comments via email. September 2009 Fox Network Has American Idol Final Season on Fast Track February 22, 2016 Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban The Fox Network is ending the 15 season run of American Idol, and they seem to be in a rush to get the show off the air, since the last show will be April 7. The season finale was on May 13 for Season […] Andrew Godfrey Nancy Wilson – 59 Years of Singing Easy Listening Music December 4, 2015 Nancy Wilson Nancy Wilson was born on February 20, 1937 in Chillicothe, Ohio. She is now 78, and knew she would be a singer at the age of four. Wilson recorded Like in Love in 1959, which was her first album. She recorded her last album Turned to Blue in 2006. That album won […] Andrew Godfrey What We Didn’t Have in 1950 September 1, 2015 1954 Admiral Television I was 10 years old in 1954, when we bought our first television. We didn’t even buy the television to watch television. If I remember correctly my sister had a lazy eye, and prescribed a television (talk about an expensive prescription) so she would use her lazy eye more. We fixed a […] Andrew Godfrey One Million Hits July 15, 2015 I want to thank the readers of Nostalgia Now for reaching the 1,000,000 hits mark. The blog started in April of 2009 and was not active, when internet was out for long periods of time plus was out for several months, when I had cancer surgery and chemotherapy in late 2012 and early 2013. Thank […] Andrew Godfrey Five Innocent People Convicted of Murder July 15, 2015 Eric Glisson released after 17 years in prison for crime he didn’t commit. We all have heard prisoners say they didn’t do the crime, that they are imprisoned for, but in the case of Eric Glisson he was telling the truth. It took 17 years before his innocence was proved, but he is a free […] Andrew Godfrey Jim Ed Brown Dies at 81 June 12, 2015 Jim Ed Brown 1934-2015 Jim Ed Brown has died from lung cancer at the age of 81 in Franklin, Tennessee on June 11, 2015. He was born James Edward Brown in Sparkman, Arkansas on April 1, 1934. The Browns and Elvis Presley Brown and his sisters Maxine and Bonnie formed the group The Browns and […] Andrew Godfrey Frankie Valli: 81 Years Old And Still Entertaining May 22, 2015 I was watching Frankie Valli being interviewed on The Big Interview by Dan Rather, and was saddened to know, that he had lost two children in a short time period. He lost his daughter Celia, when she fell off a fire escape, then six months later his daughter Francine died from a drug overdose. Their […] Andrew Godfrey The Voice Clobbering American Idol in TV Ratings Battle May 4, 2015 American Idol Season 14 Judges – Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. If there was ever any doubt, about which singing competition show is more popular it has been removed. The Voice Season 8 has attracted less than 10 million viewers only 4 times this season, while American Idol attracted less […] Andrew Godfrey Classic Television – Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet April 14, 2015 Ozzie Nelson, David Nelson, Harriet Hilliard and Ricky Nelson The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was first broadcast on radio in 1944 and could be heard on radio, until 1954 when the radio show ended on June 18. 1954. Only 83 of the shows can be bought today for listening to, out of the hundreds […] Andrew Godfrey Vince Foster – The Man Who Knew Too Much March 13, 2015 Hillary Clinton with the late Vince Foster 22 years have passed since Vince Foster allegedly ended his life, by shooting himself in the head on July 20, 1993. Foster was said to have been depressed, at the time of his suicide, but don’t know whether to take those reports at face value. There have been […] Andrew Godfrey Email Subscription Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 901 other followers	Broderick Crawford
What was the name of the cow in ‘The Woodentops’?	Broderick Crawford, Oscar Winner in 1949, Dies at 74 - latimes YOU ARE HERE: LAT Home → Collections Broderick Crawford, Oscar Winner in 1949, Dies at 74 April 27, 1986 \|JERRY COHEN \| Times Staff Writer Broderick Crawford, who won an Academy Award as best actor of 1949 for his role as a ruthless, scheming Southern political boss in "All the King's Men" but was better-known to recent generations as the beefy chief of television's "Highway Patrol," died Saturday at Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs. Crawford, 74, had suffered a series of strokes after one at a 1984 New Year's Eve party. He had been hospitalized at the medical center since earlier this month. The gravel-voiced Crawford was comparatively unknown to film audiences at the time that he was chosen to portray the uncouth but guileful Willie Stark in the film version of Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. He attracted rave reviews for his performance in what Life magazine called the "most exciting film to come out of Hollywood" that year. The movie, too, won an Academy Award as the best film of 1949. Crawford had made numerous films before "King's Men" and continued to make countless others afterwards, but he never again matched the critical acclaim he achieved in that movie, based loosely on the life of Huey Long, the populist governor of Louisiana and briefly a U.S. senator who was assassinated in 1935 in Baton Rouge. However, Crawford's greatest popularity came not as a film actor but as a television performer. From 1957 to 1967, he played the fast-talking Sgt. Dan Matthews in "Highway Patrol." He later made two other television series, neither of which had the impact of the one in which his trademark was the expression "Ten-Four, Ten-Four," which in police talk means, "I understand." He was born William Broderick Crawford in Philadelphia, heir to an impressive theatrical tradition. His mother was the comedienne Helen Broderick, who first starred on the Broadway stage and later in films. His father, Lester Crawford, had a long career in vaudeville and sometimes toured with his wife as Broderick and Crawford. His maternal grandparents were singers. His parents did not raise their husky son to be an actor, even though he had a desultory grammar school education because he toured with one or the other--or both. Sent to Prep School Rather, the Crawfords sent the boy to a New England prep school, where he won letters in football and baseball and captained the swimming team. But upon his graduation, he joined his parents on a vaudeville tour and played minor parts in various sketches. They insisted, however, that he resume his education. He enrolled at Harvard--where he remained for three weeks until he decided that he was not suited to the academic life. He moved to New York City, where he worked for a time as a stevedore, then spent about seven months as an able-bodied seaman aboard a tanker before obtaining occasional parts in radio dramas. After that he turned to the stage, where he had some minor successes before obtaining a role that presaged the film celebrity that he would enjoy a dozen years later after the filming of "All the King's Men." He created the role of the dimwitted Lennie in the 1937 theatrical version of John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice and Men." The role in the film version of that drama went to Lon Chaney Jr., but Crawford moved to Hollywood anyway and played tough-guy roles in a series of B pictures and Westerns before joining the Army in 1942 and serving overseas as a sergeant for 18 months, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. After World War II, he returned to Hollywood and was active in much the same kind of films that he had made before joining the Army. When director-producer Robert Rosen was looking for an actor to play Willie Stark, he did not want a big box office star. He opted for the powerfully built, raspy-voiced Crawford, who helped prepare for the part by studying newsreels and still photographs of Huey Long. "All the King's Men" and its principals received more than 30 awards, including the Academy Awards. Mercedes McCambridge, a radio actress in her first movie role, won an Oscar as best supporting actress. Appeared in 'Born Yesterday' Crawford followed that performance with a radical change of pace as the corrupt junk dealer opposite Judy Holliday in the 1950 comedy "Born Yesterday," reverting to type as a tough in "The Mob" in 1951. His film career drifted, and he was out of the spotlight until "Highway Patrol," one of TV's most popular syndicated programs. Crawford was the only regular character in those 156 episodes in which an array of crooks were captured, usually after a long chase. He also starred in two other series, "King of Diamonds" and "The Interns." For most of the 1960s Crawford worked in Europe in a succession of low-budget Western and adventure pictures. Crawford married singer Kay Griffith in 1940. They were divorced in 1958, and she was granted custody of their two sons, Chris and Kelly. Crawford married twice after that. Medical center officials said Chris and Kelly were with their father when he died. They said Kay Crawford and his current wife, Mary, were at the hospital. Funeral services were pending. MORE:	i don't know
What was the original, slightly controversial title of the Monkees’ hit ‘Alternate Title’?	The Monkees: Music Downloads, Album Info & More – artistxite.com The Monkees Show me Biography The Monkees are an American pop rock band originally active between 1965 and 1971, with subsequent reunion albums and tours in the decades that followed. They were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz , Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork and British actor and singer Davy Jones. The band's music was initially supervised by producer Don Kirshner. Dolenz described the Monkees as initially being "a TV show about an imaginary band ... that wanted to be The Beatles , that was never successful". The actor-musicians, however, soon became a real band. For the first few months of their initial five-year career as "The Monkees", the four actor-musicians were allowed only limited roles in the recording studio. This was due in part to the amount of time required to film the television series. Nonetheless, Nesmith did compose and produce some songs from the beginning, and Peter Tork contributed limited guitar work on the sessions produced by Nesmith. They eventually fought for and earned the right to collectively supervise all musical output under the band's name. The sitcom was canceled in 1968, but the band continued to record music through 1971. A revival of interest in the television show came in 1986, which led to a series of reunion tours and new records. Up until 2011 the group had reunited and toured several times, with varying degrees of success. Despite the sudden death of Davy Jones on February 29, 2012, the surviving members reunited for a tour in November–December 2012 and again in 2013 for a 24-date tour. The Monkees have sold more than 75 million records worldwide and had international hits, including "Last Train to Clarksville", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Daydream Believer" and "I'm a Believer". At their peak in 1967, the band outsold The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined. Aspiring filmmaker Bob Rafelson developed the initial idea for The Monkees in 1962, but was unsuccessful in selling the series. He had tried selling it to Revue, the television division of Universal Pictures. In May 1964, while working at Screen Gems, Rafelson teamed up with Bert Schneider, whose father, Abraham Schneider, headed the Colpix Television and Screen Gems Television units of Columbia Pictures. Rafelson and Schneider ultimately formed Raybert Productions. The Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night inspired Rafelson and Schneider to revive Rafelson's idea for The Monkees. As "The Raybert Producers", they sold the show to Screen Gems Television on April 16, 1965. Rafelson and Schneider's original idea was to cast an existing New York folk rock group, The Lovin' Spoonful , who were not widely known at the time. However, John Sebastian had already signed the band to a record contract, which would have denied Screen Gems the right to market music from the show. On July 14, 1965, The Hollywood Reporter stated that future band member Davy Jones was expected to return to the United States in September 1965 after a trip to England "to prepare for TV pilot for Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson". Jones had previously starred as the Artful Dodger in the Broadway show Oliver!, which debuted on December 17, 1962, and his performance was later seen on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night as the Beatles' first appearance on that show, February 9, 1964. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in 1963. In September 1964 he was signed to a long-term contract to appear in TV programs for Screen Gems, make feature films for Columbia Pictures and to record music for the Colpix label. Rafelson and Schneider already had him in mind for their project after their plans for The Lovin' Spoonful fell through; when they chose him, he was essentially a proto-star looking for his lucky break. On September 8–10, 1965, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter ran an ad to cast the remainder of the band/cast members for the TV show: Madness!! Auditions. Folk & Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in new TV series. Running Parts for 4 insane boys, age 17-21. Want spirited Ben Frank's types. Have courage to work. Must come down for interview. Out of 437 applicants, the other three chosen for the cast of the TV show were Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz. Nesmith had been working as a musician since early 1963 and had been recording and releasing music under various names, including Michael Blessing and "Mike & John & Bill" and had studied drama in college. Of the final four, Nesmith was the only one who actually saw the ad in Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Tork, the last to be chosen, had been working the Greenwich Village scene as a musician, and had shared the stage with Pete Seeger ; he learned of The Monkees from Stephen Stills , whom Rafelson and Schneider had rejected as a song writer. Dolenz was an actor (his father was veteran character actor George Dolenz) who had starred in the TV series Circus Boy as a child, using the stage name Mickey Braddock, and he had also played guitar and sung in a band called the Missing Links before the Monkees, which had recorded and released a very minor single, "Don't Do It". By that time he was using his real name; he found out about The Monkees through his agent. During the casting process Don Kirshner, Screen Gems' head of music, was contacted to secure music for the pilot that would become The Monkees. Not getting much interest from his usual stable of Brill Building writers, Kirshner assigned Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to the project. The duo contributed four demo recordings for the pilot. One of these recordings was "(Theme From) The Monkees" which helped get the series the green light. When The Monkees was picked up as a series, development of the musical side of the project accelerated. Columbia-Screen Gems and RCA Victor entered into a joint venture called Colgems Records primarily to distribute Monkees records. Raybert set up a rehearsal space and rented instruments for the group to practice playing in April 1966, but it quickly became apparent they would not be in shape in time for the series debut. The producers called upon Kirshner to recruit a producer for the Monkees sessions. Kirshner called on Snuff Garrett, composer of several hits by Gary Lewis & the Playboys , to produce the initial musical cuts for the show. Garrett, upon meeting the four Monkees in June 1966, decided that Jones would sing lead, a choice that was unpopular with the group. This cool reception led Kirshner to drop Garrett and buy out his contract. Kirshner next allowed Nesmith to produce sessions, provided he did not play on any tracks he produced. Nesmith did, however, start using the other Monkees on his sessions, particularly Tork as a guitarist. Kirshner came back to the enthusiastic Boyce and Hart to be the regular producers, but he brought in one of his top East Coast associates, Jack Keller, to lend some production experience to the sessions. Boyce and Hart observed quickly that when brought into the studio together, the four actors would fool around and try to crack each other up. Because of this, they would often bring in each singer individually. According to Nesmith, it was Dolenz's voice that made the Monkees' sound distinctive, and even during tension-filled times Nesmith and Tork sometimes turned over lead vocal duties to Dolenz on their own compositions, such as Tork's "For Pete's Sake," which became the closing title theme for the second season of the television show. The Monkees' debut and second albums were meant to be a soundtrack to the first season of the TV show, to cash in on the audience. In the 2006 Rhino Deluxe Edition re-issue of their second album, More of the Monkees, Mike Nesmith stated, "The first album shows up and I look at it with horror because it makes appear as if we are a rock 'n' roll band. There's no credit for the other musicians. I go completely ballistic, and I say, 'What are you people thinking?' , 'Well, you know, it's the fantasy.' I say, 'It's not the fantasy. You've crossed the line here! You are now duping the public. They know when they look at the television series that we're not a rock 'n' roll band; it's a show about a rock 'n' roll band. ... nobody for a minute believes that we are somehow this accomplished rock 'n' roll band that got their own television show. ... you putting the record out like this is just beyond the pale." Within a few months of their debut album, Music Supervisor Don Kirshner would be forcibly dismissed and the Monkees would take control as a real band. The Monkees' first single, "Last Train to Clarksville" b/w "Take a Giant Step", was released in August 1966, just weeks prior to the TV broadcast debut. In conjunction with the first broadcast of the television show on September 12, 1966, on the NBC television network, NBC and Columbia had a major hit on their hands. The first long-playing album, The Monkees, was released a month later, spent 13 weeks at #1 and stayed on the Billboard charts for 78 weeks. Twenty years later, during their reunion, it would spend another 24 weeks on the Billboard charts. This first album is also notable, in addition to containing their debut single, for containing band member Nesmith's first foray into country-rock, "Papa Gene's Blues," which mixed country, rock and Latin flavors. In assigning instruments for purposes of the television show, a dilemma arose as to which of the four would be the drummer. Both Nesmith (a skilled guitarist and bassist) and Tork (who could play several stringed and keyboard instruments) were peripherally familiar with the instrument but both declined to give the drum set a try. Jones knew how to play the drums and tested well enough initially on the instrument, but the producers felt that, behind a drum kit, the camera would exaggerate his short stature and make him virtually hidden from view. Thus, Dolenz (who only knew how to play the guitar) was assigned to become the drummer. Tork taught Dolenz his first few beats on the drums, enough for him to fake his way through filming the pilot, but he was soon taught how to play properly. Thus, the lineup for the TV show most frequently featured Nesmith on guitar, Tork on bass, Dolenz on drums and Jones as a frontman, singer and percussionist. This, however, is in opposition to the lineup which would have made the most sense based upon the members' musical strengths. For example, Tork is actually a better guitar player than Nesmith, while Nesmith had at one time specifically trained on the bass. While Jones certainly had a strong lead voice and sings lead on several Monkees recordings, Dolenz's voice is regarded, particularly by Nesmith, as one of the most distinctive in popular music history and a hallmark of the Monkees' sound. This theoretical lineup was actually depicted once, in the music video for the band's song "Words", which shows Jones on drums, Tork playing lead guitar, Nesmith on bass and Dolenz fronting the group. In concert appearances Tork also took much of the guitar duties, even in appearances with Nesmith, and Dolenz often plays rhythm guitar on stage. Unlike most television shows of the time, The Monkees episodes were written with many setups, requiring frequent breaks to prepare the set and cameras for short bursts of filming. Some of the "bursts" are considered proto-music videos, inasmuch as they were produced to sell the records. The Monkees Tale author Eric Lefcowitz noted that the Monkees were—first and foremost—a video group. The four actors would spend 12-hour days on the set, many of them waiting for the production crew to do their jobs. Noticing that their instruments were left on the set unplugged, the four decided to turn them on and start playing. After working on the set all day, the Monkees (usually Dolenz or Jones) would be called into the recording studio to cut vocal tracks. As the band was essential to this aspect of the recording process, there were few limits on how long they could spend in the recording studio, and the result was an extensive catalogue of unreleased recordings. Pleased with their initial efforts, Columbia (over Kirshner's objections) planned to send the Monkees out to play live concerts. The massive success of the series—and its spin-off records—created intense pressure to mount a touring version of the group. Against the initial wishes of the producers, the band went out on the road and made their debut live performance in December 1966 in Hawaii. They had no time to rehearse a live performance except between takes on set. They worked on the TV series all day, recorded in the studio at night and slept very little. The weekends were usually filled with special appearances or filming of special sequences. These performances were sometimes used during the actual series. The episode "Too Many Girls (Fern and Davy)" opens with a live version of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" being performed as the scene was shot. One entire episode was filmed featuring live music. The last show of the premiere season, "Monkees on Tour", was shot in a documentary style by filming a concert in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 21, 1967. Bob Rafelson wrote and directed the episode. In DVD commentary tracks included in the Season One release, Nesmith admitted that Tork was better at playing guitar than bass. In Tork's commentary he stated that Jones was a good drummer, and had the live performance lineups been based solely on playing ability, it should have been Tork on guitar, Nesmith on bass and Jones on drums, with Dolenz taking the fronting role. The four Monkees performed all the instruments and vocals for most of the live set. The most notable exceptions were during each member's solo sections where, during the December 1966 – May 1967 tour, they were backed by the Candy Store Prophets. During the summer 1967 tour of the United States and the UK (from which the Live 1967 recordings are taken), they were backed by a band called The Sundowners. In 1968 the Monkees toured Australia and Japan. The results were far better than expected. Wherever they went, the group was greeted by scenes of fan adulation reminiscent of Beatlemania. This gave the singers increased confidence in their fight for control over the musical material chosen for the series. With Jones sticking primarily to vocals and tambourine (except when filling in on the drums when Dolenz came forward to sing a lead vocal), the Monkees' live act constituted a classic power trio of electric guitar, electric bass and drums (except when Tork passed the bass part to Jones or one of The Sundowners in order to take up the banjo or electric keyboards). Andrew Sandoval noted in Rhino's 2006 Deluxe Edition CD reissue of More of the Monkees that album sales were outstripping Nielsen ratings, meaning that more people were buying the music than watching the television show, which meant that the producers decided that more attention needed to be paid to the music and that more music needed to be produced for more albums. Sandoval also noted that their second album, More of the Monkees, propelled by their second single, "I'm a Believer" b/w "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone", became the biggest selling LP of their career, spending 70 weeks on the Billboard charts, staying No. 1 for 18 weeks, becoming the third biggest selling album of the 1960s and also returning to the charts in 1986 for another 26 weeks. At the time songwriters Boyce and Hart considered the Monkees to be their project, with Tommy Boyce stating in the 2006 Rhino reissue of More of the Monkees that he considered the Monkees to be actors in the television show, while Boyce and Hart were the songwriters and producers doing the records. They wanted Micky to sing the faster songs and have Davy sing the ballads. He also stated in the liner notes that he felt that Michael's country leanings didn't fit in with the Monkees' image, and although he thought that Peter was a great musician, he had a different process of thinking about songs that wasn't right for the Monkees. Music Coordinator Kirshner, though, realizing how important the music was, wanted to move the music in a newer direction than Boyce and Hart to get the best record, and so he decided to move the production to New York where his A-list of writers/producers resided. However, the Monkees had been complaining that the music publishing company would not allow them to play their own instruments on their records, or to use more of their own material. These complaints intensified when Kirshner moved track recording from California to New York, leaving the band out of the musical process until they were called upon to add their vocals to the completed tracks. This campaign eventually forced Kirshner to let the group have more participation in the recording process. Dolenz's initial reaction, mentioned in the 2006 Rhino CD reissue of More of the Monkees, was "To me, these were the soundtrack albums to the show, and it wasn't my job. My job was to be an actor and to come in and to sing the stuff when I was asked to do so. I had no problem with that . . . It wasn't until Mike and Peter started getting so upset that Davy and I started defending them . . . they were upset because it wasn't the way they were used to making music. The artist is the bottom line. The artist decides what songs are gonna go on and in what order and who writes 'em and who produces 'em." Nesmith, when asked about the situation, in Rolling Stone magazine, said, ". . . We were confused, especially me. But all of us shared the desire to play the songs we were singing. Everyone was accomplished--the notion I was the only musician is one of those rumors that got started and won't stop--but it was not true . . . We were also kids with our own taste in music and were happier performing songs we liked--and/or wrote--than songs that were handed to us . . . The producers backed us and David went along. None of us could have fought the battles we did without the explicit support of the show's producers." Four months after their debut single was released in September 1966, on January 16, 1967, the Monkees held their first recording session as a fully functioning, self-contained band, recording an early version of Nesmith's self-composed top 40 hit single "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", along with "All of Your Toys" and "She's So Far Out, She's In". Four days later, on January 20, 1967, their debut self-titled album made its belated release in the U.K. (it was released in October '66 in the U.S.). This same month Kirshner released their second album of songs that used session musicians, More of the Monkees, without the band's knowledge. Nesmith and Tork were particularly upset when they were on tour in January 1967 and discovered this second album. The Monkees were annoyed at not having even been told of the release in advance, at having their opinions on the track selection ignored, at Kirshner's self-congratulatory liner notes and also because of the amateurish-looking cover art, which was merely a composite of pictures of the four taken for a J.C. Penney clothing advertisement. Indeed, the Monkees had not even been given a copy of the album; they had to buy it from a record store. The climax of the rivalry between Kirshner and the band was an intense argument among Nesmith, Kirshner and Colgems lawyer Herb Moelis, which took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel in January 1967. Kirshner had presented the group with royalty checks and gold records. Nesmith had responded with an ultimatum, demanding a change in the way the Monkees' music was chosen and recorded. Moelis reminded Nesmith that he was under contract. The confrontation ended with Nesmith punching a hole in a wall and saying, "That could have been your face!" However, each of the members, including Nesmith, accepted the $250,000 royalty checks (equivalent to approximately $1,800,000 in today's funds). Kirshner's dismissal came in early February 1967, when he violated an agreement between Colgems and the Monkees not to release material directly created by the group together with unrelated Kirshner-produced material. Kirshner violated this agreement when he released "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You", composed and written by Neil Diamond , as a single with an early version of "She Hangs Out", a song recorded in New York with Davy Jones' vocals, as the B-side. This single was only released in Canada and was withdrawn after a couple of weeks. Kirshner was reported to have been incensed by the group's unexpected rebellion, especially when he felt they had "modicum talent" when compared to the superstars of the day like John Lennon and Paul McCartney . In the liner notes for Rhino's 2006 Deluxe Edition CD reissue of More of the Monkees, Kirshner stated, " because I had a contract. I kicked them out of the studio because I had a TV show that I had to put songs in, and to me it was a business and I had to knock off the songs." This experience led directly to Kirshner's later venture, The Archies , which was an animated series—the "stars" existed only on animation cels, with music done by studio musicians, and obviously could not seize creative control over the records issued under their name. Screen Gems held the publishing rights to a wealth of material, with the Monkees being offered the first choice of many new songs. Due to the abundance of material numerous tracks were recorded but left unreleased, until Rhino Records started releasing them through the Missing Links series of albums, starting in the late 1980s. A rumor persists that the Monkees were offered "Sugar, Sugar" in 1967, but declined to record it. Producer and songwriter Jeff Barry, joint writer and composer of "Sugar, Sugar" with Andy Kim , has denied this, saying that the song had not even been written at the time. The Monkees wanted to pick the songs they sang and play on the songs they recorded, and be the Monkees. With Kirshner dismissed as Musical Supervisor, in late February 1967 Nesmith hired former Turtles bassist Douglas Farthing Hatlelid, who was better known by his stage name Chip Douglas, to produce the next Monkees album, which was to be the first Monkees album where they were the only musicians, outside of most of the bass, and the horns. Douglas was responsible for both music presentation—actually leading the band and engineering recordings—and playing bass on most of Headquarters. This album, along with their next, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., would serve as the soundtrack to the second season of the television show. In March 1967 "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", composed by Nesmith and performed by Dolenz, Nesmith, Tork and bassist John London, was issued as the B-side to the Monkees' third single, "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You", and it rose to No. 39 on the charts. The A-side rose to No. 2. Issued in May 1967, Headquarters had no songs released as singles in the United States, but it would still be their third No. 1 album in a row, with many of its songs played on the second season of the television show. Having a more country-folk-rock sound than the pop outings under Kirshner, Sandoval notes in the 2007 Deluxe Edition reissue from Rhino that the album rose to No. 1 on May 24, 1967, with the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper released the following week, which would knock Headquarters to the #2 spot on the charts for the next 11 weeks, the same weeks which would become known by the counterculture as the "Summer of Love". A selection that Dolenz wrote and composed, "Randy Scouse Git," was issued under the title "Alternate Title" (due to the controversial title of the song) as a single internationally, where it rose to No. 2 on the charts in the UK and Norway, and in the top 10 in other parts of the world. Tork's "For Pete's Sake" would be used as the closing theme for the television show. Nesmith would continue in his country-rock leanings, adding the pedal steel guitar to three of the songs, along with contributing his self-composed countrified-rock song "Sunny Girlfriend". Tork added the banjo to the Nesmith-composed rocker "You Told Me", a song whose introduction was satirical of the Beatles' "Taxman". Other notable songs are the Nesmith-composed straightforward pop-rock song "You Just May Be the One", used on the television series during both seasons, along with "Shades of Gray" (with piano introduction written by Tork ), "Forget that Girl" and "No Time", used in the television show. The Monkees wrote five of the 12 songs on the album, plus the two tracks "Band 6" and "Zilch". The Los Angeles Times, when reviewing Headquarters, stated that "The Monkees Upgrade Album Quality" and that "The Monkees are getting better. Headquarters has more interesting songs and a better quality level . . . None of the tracks is a throwaway . . . The improvement trend is laudable." The high of Headquarters was short-lived, however. Recording and producing as a group was Tork's major interest and he hoped that the four would continue working together as a band on future recordings, according to the liner notes of the 2007 Rhino reissue of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.. "Cuddly Toy" on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. would mark the last time Dolenz, who originally played guitar before the Monkees, would make a solo stand as a studio drummer. In commentary for the DVD release of the second season of the show, Tork said that Dolenz was "incapable of repeating a triumph." Having been a drummer for one album, Dolenz lost interest in being a drummer and indeed, he largely gave up playing instruments on Monkees recordings (producer Chip Douglas also had identified Dolenz's drumming as the weak point in the collective musicianship of the quartet, having to splice together multiple takes of Dolenz's "shaky" drumming for final use). By this point the four did not have a common vision regarding their musical interests, with Nesmith and Jones also moving in different directions—Nesmith following his country/folk instincts and Jones reaching for Broadway-style numbers. The next three albums featured a diverse mixture of musical style influences, including country-rock, folk-rock, psychedelic rock, soul/R&B, guitar rock, Broadway and English music hall sensibilities. At the height of their fame in 1967, they also suffered from a media backlash. Nesmith states in the 2007 Rhino reissue of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., "Everybody in the press and in the hippie movement had got us into their target window as being illegitimate and not worthy of consideration as a musical force certainly any kind of cultural force. We were under siege; wherever we went there was such resentment for us. We were constantly mocked and humiliated by the press. We were really gettin' beat up pretty good. We all knew what was going on inside. Kirshner had been purged. We'd gone to try to make Headquarters and found out that it was only marginally okay and that our better move was to just go back to the original songwriting and song-making strategy of the first albums except with a clear indication of how came to be . . . The rabid element and the hatred that was engendered is almost impossible to describe. It lingers to this day among people my own age." Tork disagreed with Nesmith's assessment of Headquarters, stating, "I don't think the Pisces album was as groovy to listen to as Headquarters. Technically it was much better, but I think it suffers for that reason." With Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., the Monkees fourth album, they went back to making music for the television show, except that they had control over the music and which songs would be chosen. They used a mixture of themselves and session musicians on the album. They would use this strategy of themselves playing, plus adding session musicians (including the Wrecking Crew, Louie Shelton, Glen Campbell , members of the Byrds and the Association , drummer "Fast" Eddie Hoh, Lowell George , Stephen Stills , Buddy Miles , and Neil Young ) throughout their recording career, relying more on session musicians when the group became temporarily estranged after Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. and recorded some of their songs separately. Using Chip Douglas again to produce, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., released in November 1967 was the Monkees' fourth No. 1 album in a row, staying at No. 1 for 5 weeks, and was also their last No. 1 album. It featured the hit single "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (#3 on charts) b/w "Words" (#11 on charts), the A-side had Nesmith on electric guitar/backing vocals, Tork on piano/backing vocals, Dolenz on lead vocals and possibly guitar and Jones on backing vocals; the B-side had Micky and Peter alternating lead vocals, Peter played organ, Mike played guitar, percussion, and provided backing vocals, and Davy provided percussion and backing vocals. Other notable items about this album is that it features an early use of the Moog Synthesizer on two tracks, the Nesmith-penned "Daily Nightly", along with "Star Collector". All of its songs, except for two, were featured on the Monkees' television show during the second season. The song "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?", recorded in June 1967 and featured on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., is seen as a landmark in the fusion of country and rock despite Nesmith's prior country-flavored rock songs for the Monkees. Nesmith stated, "One of the things that I really felt was honest was country-rock. I wanted to move the Monkees more into that because ... if we get closer to country music, we'll get closer to blues, and country blues, and so forth. ... It had a lot of un-country things in it: a familiar change from a I major to a VI minor — those kinds of things. So it was a little kind of a new wave country song. It didn't sound like the country songs of the time, which was Buck Owens." Their next single, "Daydream Believer" (with a piano intro written by Tork), would shoot to No. 1 on the charts, letting the Monkees hold the No. 1 position in the singles chart and the album chart with Pisces simultaneously. "Daydream Believer" used the non-album track "Goin' Down" as its B-side, which featured Nesmith and Tork on guitar with Micky on lead vocals. During their 1986 reunion, both Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. would return to the charts for 17 weeks. The Monkees decided that they no longer needed Chip Douglas as a producer, and starting in November 1967, they largely produced their own sessions. Although the Monkees albums after this date will state "Produced by The Monkees", they would mostly be recording as solo artists. In a couple of cases, Boyce and Hart had returned from the first two albums to produce, but credit was given to the Monkees. It was also during this time that Michael Nesmith recorded his first solo album, The Wichita Train Whistle Sings, a big band jazz instrumental collection of interpretations of Nesmith's compositions, arranged by the jazz musician Shorty Rogers. Praised in The Los Angeles Times by the author of The Encyclopedia of Jazz, jazz critic Leonard Feather wrote "Verbally and musically, Mike Nesmith is one of the most articulate spokesmen for the new and literate breed of pop musicians who have spring from the loins of primitive rock. with its carriage trade of symphony, rock, country, western, and swing, and with jazz riding in the caboose, may well indicate where contemporary popular music will be situated in the early 1970s." Considered by some to be the Monkees' "White Album" period (for example, Sandoval mentions this in the liner notes of Rhino Handmade's 2010 Deluxe reissue of the album), each of the Monkee's contributions reflected his own musical tastes, which resulted in an eclectic album. Micky sang the pop songs (e.g., "I'll Be Back Upon My Feet"), and performed a double-vocal with Mike on the Nesmith/Allison composed "Auntie's Municipal Court". Davy sang the ballads (e.g., "Daydream Believer" and "We Were Made for Each Other") and Nesmith contributed some experimental songs, like the progressive "Writing Wrongs", the unusual hit song "Tapioca Tundra", and the lo-fi 1920s sound of "Magnolia Simms". This last song is notable for added effects to make it sound like an old record (even including a "record skipping" simulation) made before the Beatles "Honey Pie", which used a similar effect. Propelled by the hit singles "Daydream Believer" and "Valleri", along with Nesmith's self-penned top 40 hit "Tapioca Tundra", The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts shortly after it was released in April 1968. It was the first album released after NBC announced they were not renewing The Monkees for a third season. The album cover—a quaint collage of items looking like a display in a jumble shop or toy store—was chosen over the Monkees' objections. It was the last Monkees' album to be released in separate, dedicated mono and stereo mixes. During the 1986 reunion, it would return to the Billboard charts for 11 weeks. During the filming of the second season, the band became tired of scripts which they deemed monotonous and stale. They had already succeeded in eliminating the laugh track (a then-standard on American sitcoms), with the bulk of Season 2 episodes airing minus the canned chuckles. They proposed switching the format of the series to become more like a variety show, with musical guests and live performances. This desire was partially fulfilled within some second-season episodes, with guest stars like musicians Frank Zappa , Tim Buckley and Charlie Smalls (composer of The Wiz) performing on the show. However, NBC was not interested in eliminating the existing format, and the group (except for Peter) had little desire to continue for a third season. Tork said in DVD commentary that everyone had developed such difficult personalities that the big-name stars invited as guests on the show would invariably leave the experience "hating everybody". Screen Gems and NBC went ahead with the existing format anyway, commissioning Monkees writers Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso to create a straight-comedy, no-music half-hour in the Monkees mold; a pilot episode was filmed with the then-popular nightclub act The Pickle Brothers. The pilot had the same energy and pace of The Monkees, but never became a series. In June 1968, Music Supervisor Lester Sill chose to release the two non-album tracks "D.W. Washburn" b/w "It's Nice To Be With You" as the Monkees' next single. The Leiber/Stoller-penned A-side would break into the Top 20, peaking at No. 19 on the charts. After The Monkees was canceled in February 1968, Rafelson directed the four Monkees in a feature film, Head. Schneider was executive producer, and the project was co-written and co-produced by Bob Rafelson with a then relatively unknown Jack Nicholson. The film, conceived and edited in a stream of consciousness style, featured oddball cameo appearances by movie stars Victor Mature, Annette Funicello, a young Teri Garr, boxer Sonny Liston, famous stripper Carol Doda, Green Bay Packer linebacker Ray Nitschke, and musician Frank Zappa . It was filmed at Columbia Pictures' Screen Gems studios and on location in California, Utah, and The Bahamas between February 19 and May 17, 1968 and premiered in New York City on November 6 of that year (the film later debuted in Hollywood on November 20). The film was not a commercial success, in part because it was the antithesis of The Monkees television show, intended to comprehensively demolish the group's carefully groomed public image. Rafelson and Nicholson's "Ditty Diego-War Chant" (recited at the start of the film by the group), ruthlessly parodies Boyce and Hart 's "Monkees Theme". A sparse advertising campaign (with no mention of the Monkees) squelched any chances of the film doing well, and it played in briefly in half-filled movie theaters. In the DVD commentary, Nesmith said that by this time, everyone associated with the Monkees "had gone crazy". They were each using the platform of the Monkees to push their own disparate career goals, to the detriment of the Monkees project. Indeed, Nesmith said, Head was Rafelson and Nicholson's intentional effort to "kill" the Monkees, so that they would no longer be bothered with the matter. Indeed, Rafelson and Schneider severed all ties to the band amid the bitterness that ensued over the commercial failure of Head. At the time, Rafelson told the press, "I grooved on those four in very special ways while at the same time thinking they had absolutely no talent." Released in October 1968, the single from the album, "The Porpoise Song", is a psychedelic pop song written by Goffin/King, with lead vocals from Micky Dolenz and backing vocals from Davy Jones, and it reached number 62 on the Billboard charts. The soundtrack album to the movie, Head, reached No. 45 on the Billboard charts. Jack Nicholson assembled the film's soundtrack album, weaving dialogue and sound effects from the film in between the songs from the film. The six (plus "Ditty Diego") Monkees songs on the album range from psychedelic pop to straight ahead rockers to Broadway rock to eastern-influenced pop to a folk-rock ballad. Although the Monkees performed "Circle Sky" live in the film, the studio version is chosen for the soundtrack album. The live version would later be released on various compilations, including Rhino's Missing Links series of Monkees albums. The soundtrack album also includes a song from the film's composer, Ken Thorne. The album had a mylar cover, to give it a mirror-like appearance, so that the person looking at the cover would see his own head, a play on the album title Head. Peter Tork said, "That was something special ... Nicholson coordinated the record, made it up from the soundtrack. He made it different from the movie. There's a line in the movie where Zappa says, 'That's pretty white.' Then there's another line in the movie that was not juxtaposed in the movie, but Nicholson put them together in the , when Mike says, 'And the same thing goes for Christmas.' ... that's funny, ... very different from the movie ...that was very important and wonderful that he assembled the record differently from the movie. ... It was a different artistic experience." The soundtrack album is a cult favorite among the Monkees' fans. Over the intervening years Head has developed a cult following for its innovative style and anarchic humor. Members of the Monkees, Nesmith in particular, cite the soundtrack album as one of the crowning achievements of the band. Tensions within the group were increasing. Peter Tork, citing exhaustion, quit by buying out the last four years of his Monkees contract at $150,000 per year, equal to about $970,000 per year today. This was shortly after the band's Far East tour in December 1968, after completing work on their 1969 NBC television special, 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee, which rehashed many of the ideas from Head, only with the Monkees playing a strangely second-string role. In the DVD commentary for the television special, Dolenz noted that after filming was complete, Nesmith gave Tork a gold watch as a going-away present, engraved "From the guys down at work." (Tork kept the back, but replaced the watch several times in later years.) Most of the songs from the 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee TV Special would not be officially released until over 40 years later, on the 2010 and 2011 Rhino Handmade Deluxe boxed sets of Head and Instant Replay. Since the Monkees at this point were producing their own songs with very little of the other band members involvement, they planned a future double album (eventually to be reduced to The Monkees Present) on which each Monkee would separately produce one side of a disc. In February 1969, the Monkees' seventh album, Instant Replay, without Tork's involvement beyond playing guitar on "I Won't Be the Same Without Her", was released, which reached No. 32 on the charts. The single from the album was "Tear Drop City", which peaked at No. 56 on the U.S. Billboard chart and No. 34 on the Australian chart. According to Rhino Handmade's 2011 Deluxe Edition reissue of this album, Davy Jones told Melody Maker, "Half of the songs were recorded over the last three years, but there are also about six new ones." The Monkees wanted to please the original 1966 fans by offering up new recordings of some previously unreleased older styled songs, as well as gain a new audience with what they considered a more mature sound. Nesmith continued in his country-rock vein after offering straight ahead rock and experimental songs on the two prior albums. Nesmith stated in Rhino Handmade's 2011 Deluxe Edition reissue, "I guess it was the same embryo beating in me that was somewhere in Don Henley and Glenn Frey and Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young. Everybody who was hanging out in those times. I could just feel this happening that there was this thing. So, I headed off to Nashville to see if I couldn't get some of the Nashville country thing into the rock 'n' roll or vice versa. What I found was that Nashville country was not the country that was going to be the basis of country-rock and that it was Western, Southwest country. It was coming much more out of the Southern California scene. I ended up with a lot of Dobro, mandolin, banjo, and things that were hard-core mountain music stuff ... the Nashville cats were so blown out by playin' this kind of music. They loved it, for one thing." Dolenz contributed the biggest and longest Monkees' production, "Shorty Blackwell", a song inspired by his cat of the same name. Dolenz called it his "feeble attempt at something to do with Sgt. Pepper." Jones contributed an electric guitar rocker, "You and I." Both Jones and Dolenz continued their role of singing on the pop songs. Lyrically, it has a theme of being one of the Monkees' most melancholy albums. Throughout 1969 the trio appeared as guests on television programs such as The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Johnny Cash Show, Hollywood Squares, and Laugh-In. The Monkees also had a contractual obligation to appear in several television commercials with Bugs Bunny for Kool-Aid drink mix as well as Post cereal box singles. In April 1969, the single "Someday Man" b/w "Listen to the Band" was released, which had the unique distinction of the B-side, a Nesmith composed country-rock song, charting higher (#63) than the Jones-sung A-side (#81). The final album with Michael Nesmith from the Monkees original incarnation would be their eighth album, The Monkees Present, released in October 1969, which peaked at No. 100 on the Billboard charts. It would include the Nesmith composed country-rock singles "Listen to the Band" and "Good Clean Fun" (released in September 1969). Other notable songs include the Dolenz composition "Little Girl", which featured Louie Shelton on electric guitar, joining Micky on acoustic guitar, along with "Mommy and Daddy" (B-side to the "Good Clean Fun single) in which he sang about America's treatment of the Native Americans and drug abuse, and in an earlier take, released on Rhino Handmade's 2011 Deluxe Edition of Instant Replay, sang about JFK's assassination and the Vietnam war. Jones collaborated with Bill Chadwick on some slower ballads, along with releasing a couple of older upbeat songs from 1966. In the summer of 1969 the three Monkees embarked on a tour with the backing of the soul band "Sam and the Good-Timers". The concerts for this tour were longer sets than their earlier concert tours, many shows running over two hours. Although the tour was met with some positive critical reception (Billboard in particular praised it), other critics were not favorable of the mixing of the Monkees' pop music with the Goodtimers' R&B approach. Toward the end of the tour, some dates were canceled due to poor ticket sales, and the tour failed to re-establish the band commercially, with no single entering the Top 40 in 1969. Dolenz remarked that the tour "was like kicking a dead horse. The phenomenon had peaked." On April 14, 1970, Nesmith joined Dolenz and Jones for the last time as part of the original incarnation of the Monkees to film a Kool-Aid commercial (with the then-newly introduced Nerf balls, thrown around a mock living room by the trio, available as a premium for Kool-Aid labels), with Nesmith leaving the group to continue recording songs with his own country-rock group called Michael Nesmith & The First National Band, which he had started recording with on February 10, 1970. His first album with his own band was called Magnetic South, and at the time he left the Monkees in April, he was recording songs for his second album with The First National Band, called Loose Salute. This left Dolenz and Jones to record the bubblegum pop album Changes as the ninth and final album by the Monkees released during its original incarnation. By this time, Colgems was hardly putting any effort into the project, and they sent Dolenz and Jones to New York for the Changes sessions, to be produced by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim . In comments for the liner notes of the 1994 re-release of Changes, Jones said that he felt they had been tricked into recording an "Andy Kim album" under the Monkees name. Except for the two singers' vocal performances, Changes is the only album that fails to win any significant praise from critics looking back 40 years to the Monkees' recording output. The album spawned the single "Oh My My", which was accompanied by a music film promo (produced/directed by Dolenz). Dolenz contributed one of his own compositions, "Midnight Train", which was used in the re-runs of the Monkees TV series. The "Oh My My" b/w "I Love You Better" single from the Changes album would be the last single issued under the Monkees name in the United States, until 1986. Originally released in June 1970, Changes would first chart in Billboard's Top 200 during the Monkees' 1986 reunion, staying on the charts for 4 weeks. September 22, 1970 marked the final recording session by the Monkees in their original incarnation, when Jones and Dolenz recorded "Do It in the Name of Love" and "Lady Jane". Not mixed until February 19, 1971, and released later that year as a single ("Do It in the Name Of Love" b/w "Lady Jane"), the two remaining Monkees then lost the rights to use the name in several countries, the U.S. included. The single was not credited to the Monkees in the U.S., but to a misspelled "Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones", although in Japan it was issued under the Monkees' name. Jones released a solo album in 1971, titled Davy Jones, featuring the single "Rainy Jane" / "Welcome to My Love". Both Jones and Dolenz released multiple singles as solo artists in the years following the original break-up of the Monkees. The duo continued to tour throughout most of the 1970s. Partly because of repeats of the television series The Monkees on Saturday mornings and in syndication, The Monkees Greatest Hits charted in 1976. The LP, issued by Arista , who by this time had custody of the Monkees' master tapes, courtesy of their corporate owner, Screen Gems, was actually a re-packaging of an earlier (1972) compilation LP called Refocus that had been issued by Arista's previous label imprint, Bell Records, also owned by Screen Gems. Dolenz and Jones took advantage of this, joining ex-Monkees songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to tour the United States. From 1975 to 1977, as the "Golden Hits of The Monkees" show ("The Guys who Wrote 'Em and the Guys who Sang 'Em!"), they successfully performed in smaller venues such as state fairs and amusement parks, as well as making stops in Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. They also released an album of new material as Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. Nesmith had not been interested in a reunion. Tork claimed later that he had not been asked, although a Christmas single (credited to Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork due to legal reasons) was produced by Chip Douglas and released on his own label in 1976. The single featured Douglas' and Howard Kaylan's "Christmas Is My Time Of Year" (originally recorded by a 1960s group Christmas Spirit), with a B-side of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (Douglas released a remixed version of the single, with additional overdubbed instruments, in 1986). This was the first (albeit unofficial) Monkees single since 1971. Tork also joined Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart on stage at Disneyland on July 4, 1976, and also joined Dolenz and Jones on stage at the Starwood in Hollywood in 1977. Other semi-reunions occurred between 1970 and 1986. Tork helped arrange a Dolenz single, "Easy on You"/"Oh Someone" in 1971. Tork also recorded some unreleased tracks for Nesmith's Countryside label during the 1970s, and Dolenz (by then a successful television director in the United Kingdom) directed a segment of Nesmith's NBC-TV series Television Parts, although the segment in question was not included when the series' six episodes aired during the summer of 1985. Brushed off by critics during their heyday as manufactured and lacking talent, the Monkees experienced a critical and commercial rehabilitation two decades later. A Monkees TV show marathon ("Pleasant Valley Sunday") was broadcast on February 23, 1986, on the then five-year-old MTV video music channel. In February and March, Tork and Jones played together in Australia. Then in May, Dolenz, Jones, and Tork announced a "20th Anniversary Tour" produced by David Fishof and they began playing North America in June. Their original albums began selling again as Nickelodeon began to run their old series daily. MTV promotion also helped to resurrect a smaller version of Monkeemania, and tour dates grew from smaller to larger venues and became one of the biggest live acts of 1986 and 1987. A new greatest hits collection was issued, reaching platinum status. By now, Nesmith was amenable to a reunion, but forced to sit out most projects because of prior commitments to his Pacific Arts video production company. However, he did appear with the band in a 1986 Christmas medley music video for MTV, and appeared on stage with Dolenz, Jones, and Tork at the Greek Theatre, in Los Angeles, on September 7, 1986. In September 1988, the three rejoined to play Australia again, Europe and then North America, with that string of tours ending in September 1989. Nesmith again returned at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, show on July 10, 1989 and took part in a dedication ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, when the Monkees received a TV star there in 1989. The sudden revival of the Monkees in 1986 helped move the first official Monkees single since 1971, "That Was Then, This Is Now", to the No. 20 position in Billboard Magazine. The success, however, was not without controversy. Jones had declined to sing on the track, recorded along with two other new songs included in a compilation album, Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees. Some copies of the single and album credit the new songs to "The Monkees", others as "Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (of the Monkees)". Reportedly, these recordings were the source of some personal friction between Jones and the others during the 1986 tour; Jones would typically leave the stage when the new songs were performed. The 1980s reunion tours were the most lucrative venture the three had ever seen in their days as the Monkees, far surpassing the monies they had made in the 1960s. Nesmith had little financial need to join in Monkees-related projects, mostly as his mother Bette Nesmith Graham was the inventor of Liquid Paper, leaving Nesmith over $25 million upon her death in 1980. A new album by the touring trio, Pool It! (the Monkees' tenth), appeared the following year and was a moderate success. From 1986 to 1989, the Monkees would conduct major concert tours in the United States, Australia, Japan, and Europe. In 1987, a new television series called New Monkees appeared. Four young musicians were placed in a similar series based on the original show, but "updated" for the 1980s. The New Monkees left the air after 13 episodes. (Neither Bob Rafelson nor Bert Schneider were involved in the development or production of the series, although it was produced by "Straybert Productions" headed by Steve Blauner, Rafelson and Schneider's partner in BBS Productions.) In the 1990s, the Monkees continued to record new material. In 1993, Dolenz and Jones worked together on a television commercial, and another reunion tour was launched with the two of them in 1994. Rhino Records (which in 1994 acquired the complete Monkees back audio and video catalog, as well as the rights to the Monkees name and official logo, under an agreement with Rafelson and Schneider) re-issued all the original LPs on CD, each of which included between three and six bonus tracks of previously unreleased or alternate takes; the first editions came with collectible trading cards. Their eleventh album Justus was released in 1996. It was the first since 1968 on which all four original members performed and produced. Justus was produced by the Monkees, all songs were written by one of the four Monkees, and it was recorded using only the four Monkees for all instruments and vocals, which was the inspiration for the album title and spelling (Justus = Just Us). The trio of Dolenz, Jones, and Tork reunited again for a successful 30th anniversary tour of American amphitheaters in 1996, while Nesmith joined them onstage in Los Angeles to promote the new songs from Justus. For the first time since the brief 1986 reunion, Nesmith returned to the concert stage for a tour of the United Kingdom in 1997, highlighted by two sold-out concerts at Wembley Arena in Wembley Park, London. This was a very fitting venue, as from 30 June to 2 July 1967 the Monkees had been the first group to headline on their own at the Empire Pool, as the Arena was then called. The full quartet also appeared in an ABC television special titled Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees, which was written and directed by Nesmith and spoofed the original series that had made them famous. Following the UK tour, Nesmith declined to continue future performances with the Monkees, having faced harsh criticism from the British music press for his deteriorating musicianship. Tork noted in DVD commentary that "In 1966, Nesmith had learned a reasonably good version of the famous 'Last Train to Clarksville' guitar lick, but in 1996, Mike was no longer able to play it" and so Tork took over the lead guitar parts. Nesmith's departure from the tour was acrimonious. Jones was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as complaining that Nesmith "made a new album with us. He toured Great Britain with us. Then all of a sudden, he's not here. Later, I hear rumors he's writing a script for our next movie. Oh, really? That's bloody news to me. He's always been this aloof, inaccessible person... the fourth part of the jigsaw puzzle that never quite fit in." Tork, Jones, and Dolenz toured the United States in 1997, after which the group took another hiatus until 2001 when they once again reunited to tour the United States. However, this tour was also accompanied by public sniping. Dolenz and Jones had announced that they had "fired" Tork for his constant complaining and threatening to quit. Tork was quoted as saying that, as well as the fact he wanted to tour with his own band, "Shoe Suede Blues." Tork told WENN News he was troubled by the overindulgence in alcohol by other members of the tour crew: Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones fired me just before the last two shows of our 35th anniversary tour. I'm both happy and sad over the whole thing. I always loved the work onstage—but I just couldn't handle the backstage problems. I'd given them 30 days notice that I was leaving so my position is that I resigned first and then they dropped me. Thank God I don't need the Monkees anymore...I'm a recovering alcoholic and haven't had a drink in several years. I'm not against people drinking—just when they get mean and abusive. I went on the anniversary tour with the agreement that I didn't have to put up with drinking and difficult behavior offstage. When things weren't getting better, I gave the guys notice that I was leaving in 30 days for good. Tork later stated in 2011 that the alcohol played only a small role and Tork then said, "I take full responsibility for the backstage problems on the 2001 tour. We were getting along pretty well until I had a meltdown. I ticked the other guys off good and proper and it was a serious mistake on my part. I was not in charge of myself to the best of my ability – the way I hope I have become since. I really just behaved inappropriately, honestly. I apologized to them." Jones and Dolenz went on to tour the United Kingdom in 2002, but Tork declined to participate. Jones and Dolenz toured the United States one more time as a duo in 2002, and then split to concentrate on their own individual projects. With different Monkees citing different reasons, the group chose not to mark their 40th anniversary in 2006. In October, Jones stated that a reunion marking the band's 45th anniversary was a possibility. Noted Monkees biographer Andrew Sandoval commented in The Hollywood Reporter that he "spent three years cajoling them to look beyond their recent differences (which included putting aside solo projects to fully commit to The Monkees)." An Evening with The Monkees: The 45th Anniversary Tour commenced on May 12, 2011 in Liverpool, England, before moving to North America in June and July for a total of 43 performances. Sandoval noted, "Their mixed feelings on the music business and their long and winding relationship weighed heavily, but once they hit the stage, the old magic was apparent. For the next three months... the music and memories to fans in the band's grandest stage show in decades. Images from their series and films flashed on a huge screen behind them; even Rolling Stone, whose owner, Jann Wenner, has vowed to keep them out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, gushed." Nesmith did not take part in the tour, which grossed approximately $4 million. On August 8, 2011, the band cancelled ten last-minute shows due to what was initially reported as "internal group issues and conflicts", though Tork later confirmed "there were some business affairs that couldn't be coordinated correctly. We hit a glitch and there was just this weird dislocation at one point." Jones clarified that "the (45th Anniversary) tour was only supposed to go until July. And it was great, the best time we've had because we're all on the same page now. We gelled onstage and off. But then more dates were being added. And more. And then the next thing we knew, they were talking about Japan, Australia, Brazil, and we were like, 'Wait a second. This is turning into something more than a tour.' We were doing 40 songs a night, plus other material. Some of these shows were 2 1⁄2 hours long. Then there was the travel, getting to the next venue with no time to revive. The audiences were great. But, let's face it, we're not kids." The 45th anniversary tour would be the last with Jones, who died of a heart attack due to atherosclerosis on February 29, 2012. Soon thereafter, rumors began to circulate that Nesmith would reunite with Dolenz and Tork in the wake of Jones' death. This was confirmed on August 8, 2012, when the surviving trio announced a series of U.S. shows for November and December, commencing in Escondido, California and concluding in New York City. The brief tour marked the first time Nesmith performed with the Monkees since 1997, as well as the first without Jones. Jones' memory was honored throughout the shows via recordings and video. During one point, the band went quiet and a recording of Jones singing "I Wanna Be Free" played while footage of him was screening behind the band. For Jones' signature song, "Daydream Believer", Dolenz said that the band had discussed who should sing the song and had concluded that it should be the fans, saying "It doesn't belong to us anymore. It belongs to you." The Fall 2012 tour was very well received by both fans and critics, resulting in the band scheduling a 24-date summer tour for 2013. Dubbed "A Midsummer’s Night With the Monkees", concerts also featured Nesmith, Dolenz, and Tork. "The reaction to the last tour was euphoric", Dolenz told Rolling Stone magazine. "It was pretty apparent there was a demand for another one." A third tour with Nesmith would follow in 2014. In 2014, the Monkees were inducted into the Pop Music Hall of Fame at the 2014 Monkees Convention. At the convention the band announced a 2014 tour of the Eastern and Midwestern US. Dolenz and Tork toured as the Monkees in 2015 without Nesmith's participation. Nesmith stated that he was busy with other ventures, although Dolenz stated "He's always invited." In February 2016, Dolenz announced that the Monkees would be releasing a new album, entitled Good Times!, as a celebration of their 50th Anniversary. Good Times!, produced by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne . The album featured contributions by all three surviving members, as well as a posthumous contribution from Jones. The album was released in May 2016 to considerable success, reaching #14 on the Billboard 200 and generally favorable reviews. With the release of the album, the band, featuring Dolenz and Tork, commenced their 50th Anniversary Tour. Nesmith did not participate in most of the tour, again citing other commitments. He did, however, make a few appearances throughout the summer of 2016, appearing virtually via Skype to perform "Papa Gene's Blues" at one concert and in person for a four-song encore at another. In September, he replaced Tork on the tour for two dates while Tork attended to the family emergency. After Tork returned to the tour, Nesmith performed with the band for a concert at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on September 16, which he stated would likely be his final concert appearance with the Monkees. Dolenz and Tork's tour has announced dates continuing to the end of the year, including concerts in Australia and New Zealand. Controversy over the Monkees' studio abilities hit early in 1967. Dolenz told a reporter that the Wrecking Crew provided the backing tracks for the first two Monkees albums, and that his origin as a drummer was simply that a Monkee had to be tasked with learning the drums since he knew how to play only the guitar. A January 28, 1967 Saturday Evening Post article quoted Nesmith railing against the music creation process. "Do you know how debilitating it is to sit up and have to duplicate somebody else’s records?" he asked. "Tell the world we don’t record our own music... Our records are not our forté," he added. The whistle blowing on themselves worked in forcing producer Don Kirshner out of the project and the band taking creative control for its third album. But when the Monkees toured the U.K. in 1967, the story that the band was recording their own music for its current album and playing their own instruments on stage was not the headline. Making the front pages of several U.K. and international music papers was that the group members did not always play all of their own instruments or sing all of the backing vocals in the studio during their tour of England. The group was derisively dubbed the "Pre-Fab Four", and the London Sunday Mirror called them a "Disgrace to the Pop World." Piling on later that year was tour opener Jimi Hendrix who before he left the tour told Melody Maker magazine, "Oh God, I hate them! Dishwater....You can't knock anybody for making it, but people like the Monkees?" Dealing with the controversy on the television series proved challenging. An interview tag at the end of episode No. 31 of their TV show, "Monkees at the Movies", which first aired April 1967, where Bob Rafelson asked the group about accusations that they did not play their instruments in concert, to which Nesmith responded, "I'm fixin' to walk out there in front of fifteen thousand people, man! If I don't play my own instrument, I'm in a lot of trouble!" But in the "Devil and Peter Tork" episode, the episode serves as a parable as a Kirshner-like producer has Tork sign over his soul to be a success as a musician. In November 1967, the wave of anti-Monkee sentiment was reaching its peak while the Monkees released their fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones Ltd. In liner notes for the 1995 re-release of this album, Nesmith was quoted as saying that after Headquarters, "The press went into a full-scale war against us, talking about how 'The Monkees are four guys who have no credits, no credibility whatsoever and have been trying to trick us into believing they are a rock band.' Number 1, not only was this not the case; the reverse was true. Number 2, for the press to report with genuine alarm that the Monkees were not a real rock band was looney tunes! It was one of the great goofball moments of the media, but it stuck." Davy Jones stated in 1969 to Tiger Beat, "I get so angry when musicians say, 'Oh, your music is so bad,' because it's not bad to the kids. Those people who talk about 'doing their own thing' are groups that go and play in the clubs that hold 50 people, while we're playing to 10,000 kids. You know, it hurts me to think that anybody thinks we're phony, because we're not. We're only doing what we think is our own thing." It was reported in Rolling Stone on October 11, 2011 that Tork still feels that the Monkees do not get the respect that they deserve. "With all due modesty, since I had little to do with it, the Monkees' songbook is one of the better songbooks in pop history," he says. "Certainly in the top five in terms of breadth and depth. It was revealed that we didn't play our own instruments on the records much at the very moment when the idealism of early Beatlemania in rock was at its peak. So we became the ultimate betrayers. The origins of the group were obvious and everyone understood that, but suddenly some little switch was flipped and all that stuff came crashing down around our ears." After Headquarters, the Monkees started using a mixture of themselves playing along with other musicians, including members of the Wrecking Crew and Candy Store Prophets along with other musicians such as Stephen Stills , Neil Young , and Harry Nilsson ; but they still wrote, sang, produced, and played on their remaining albums, except for their final offering from the original incarnation in 1970, Changes, which was recorded after Nesmith and Tork had left the group and featured Dolenz and Jones singing to the backing tracks of what Jones referred to in the liner notes of the 1994 reissue that album as "a rejected Andy Kim album". In the same liner notes, Jones stated that he was unhappy about that recording and claimed that it was not a real album. The final album featured one Dolenz composition. Tork commented on some of the controversy when writing about Jones's death: "When we first met, I was confronted with a slick, accomplished, young performer, vastly more experienced than I in the ways of show biz, and yes, I was intimidated. Englishness was at a high premium in my world, and his experience dwarfed my entertainer's life as a hippie, basket-passing folk singer on the Greenwich Village coffee house circuit. If anything, I suppose I was selected for the cast of 'The Monkees' TV show partly as a rough-hewn counterpart to David's sophistication. the Monkees—the group now, not the TV series—took a lot of flack for being 'manufactured,' by which our critics meant that we hadn't grown up together, paying our dues, sleeping five to a room, trying to make it as had the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Furthermore, critics said, the Monkees' first albums—remember albums?—were almost entirely recorded by professional studio musicians, with hardly any input from any of us beyond lead vocals. I felt this criticism keenly, coming as I did from the world of the ethical folk singer, basically honoring the standards of the naysayers. We did play as a group live on tour." Critics of the Monkees observed that they were simply the "Pre-Fab four", a made-for-TV knockoff of the Beatles ; the Beatles, however, took it in their stride and hosted a party for the Monkees when they visited England. The party occurred during the time when the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; as such, the party inspired the line in the Monkees' tune "Randy Scouse Git", written by Dolenz, which read, "the four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor." George Harrison praised their self-produced musical attempts, saying, "It's obvious what's happening, there's talent there. They're doing a TV show, it's a difficult chore and I wouldn't be in their shoes for the world. When they get it all sorted out, they might turn out to be the best." (Tork was later one of the musicians on Harrison's Wonderwall Music, playing Paul McCartney 's five-string banjo.) Nesmith attended the "A Day in the Life" sessions at Abbey Road Studios; he can be seen in the Beatles' home movies, including one scene where he is talking with John Lennon . During the conversation, Nesmith had reportedly asked Lennon "Do you think we're a cheap imitation of the Beatles, your movies and your records?" to which Lennon assuredly replied, "I think you're the greatest comic talent since the Marx Brothers . I've never missed one of your programs." Nesmith wrote about this encounter on Facebook: When The Beatles were recording Sgt. Peppers, Phyllis and I spent a few days with John and Cynthia at their home, and one in the studio with "the boys." That's where those pictures of John and I come from—the "Day in the Life" session. The minute I had the wherewithal—cachet and money—I raced to London and looked up John. During the '60s it seemed to me London was the center of the World and The Beatles were the center of London and the Sgt Pepper session was the center of The Beatles. It was an extraordinary time, I thought, and I wanted to get as close as I could to the heart of it. But like a hurricane the center was not stormy or tumultuous. It was exciting, but it was calm, and to an extent peaceful. The confidence of the art permeated the atmosphere. Serene—and really, really fun. Then I discovered the reason for this. During that time in one of our longer, more reflective, talks I realized that John was not aware of who The Beatles were. Of course he could not be. He was clueless in this regard. He had never seen or experienced them. In the strange paradox of fame, none of The Beatles ever saw The Beatles the way we did. Certainly not the way I did. I loved them beyond my ability to express it. As the years passed and I met more and more exceptional people sitting in the center of their own hurricane I saw they all shared this same sensibility. None of them could actually know the force of their own work. Dolenz was also in the studio during a Sgt. Pepper session, which he mentioned while broadcasting for WCBS-FM in New York (incidentally, he interviewed Ringo Starr on his program). On February 21, 1967, he attended the overdub and mixing session for the Beatles' "Fixing a Hole" at EMI's Abbey Road studio 2. During the 1970s, during Lennon's infamous "lost weekend", John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Micky Dolenz, Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon often hung out together, and were collectively known in the press as "The Hollywood Vampires". Paul McCartney can be seen in the 2002 concert film Back in the U.S. singing "Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees", the theme from The Monkees show, while backstage. The Monkees "Cuddly Toy" and "Daddy's Song" were written by songwriter Harry Nilsson . "Cuddly Toy" would be recorded several months before Nilsson's own debut in October 1967. At the press conference announcing the formation of Apple, the Beatles named Harry Nilsson as both their favorite American artist and as their favorite American group. Derek Taylor, the Beatles's press officer, had introduced them to Harry's music. In 1995, Ringo Starr joined Davy, Peter, Micky to film a Pizza Hut commercial. Julian Lennon was a fan, stating at the time of Davy Jones' passing, "You did some Great work!" In June 2007, Tork complained to the New York Post that Jann Wenner had blackballed the Monkees from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Tork stated: doesn't care what the rules are and just operates how he sees fit. It is an abuse of power. I don't know whether the Monkees belong in the Hall of Fame, but it's pretty clear that we're not in there because of a personal whim. Jann seems to have taken it harder than everyone else, and now, 40 years later, everybody says, 'What's the big deal? Everybody else does it.' Nobody cares now except him. He feels his moral judgment in 1967 and 1968 is supposed to serve in 2007. In a Facebook post, Nesmith stated that he does not know if the Monkees belong in the Hall of Fame because he can only see the impact of the Monkees from the inside, and further stated: "I can see the HOF (Hall of Fame) is a private enterprise. It seems to operate as a business, and the inductees are there by some action of the owners of the Enterprise. The inductees appear to be chosen at the owner's pleasure. This seems proper to me. It is their business in any case. It does not seem to me that the HOF carries a public mandate, nor should it be compelled to conform to one." In 1992, Davy Jones spoke to People magazine, stating "I'm not as wealthy as some entertainers, but I work hard, and I think the best is yet to come. I know I'm never going to make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but maybe there's something else for me in show business. I've been given a talent—however big or little—that has given me many opportunities. I've got to try to use it the best way I can. A lot of people go days without having someone hug them or shake their hand. I get that all the time." In 2015, Micky Dolenz said, "As far as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame I’ve never been one to chase awards or anything like that; it’s never been very important to me. I was very proud to win an Emmy for The Monkees, having come out of television as a kid. When we won the Emmy for best TV show in ’66 or ‘67 that was a huge feather in my cap. But I’ve never chased that kind of stuff. I’ve never done a project and thought, “What do I do here to win an award?” Specifically as far as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame I’ve been very flattered that the fans and people have championed the Monkees. Very flattered and honored that they do. If you know anything about the organization, and I’ve done charity work for the foundation, the Hall of Fame is a private club. It’s like a country club and they have the right to do that; that’s their prerogative. That’s their private club. That’s kind of how I feel about it." Various magazines and news outlets, such as Time, NPR radio, The Christian Science Monitor, Goldmine magazine, Yahoo Music and MSNBC have argued that the Monkees belong in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. Beginning in 1987, Rhino Records started to make available previously unreleased Monkees recordings on a series of albums called Missing Links. Having numerous quality songwriters, musicians, producers and arrangers—along with high budgets—at their hands while making albums during the 1960s, the band was able to record as many songs as the Beatles in half the time. The three volumes of this initial series contained 59 songs. These include the group's first recordings as a self-contained band, including the intended single "All Of Your Toys," Nesmith's Nashville sessions, and alternate versions of songs featured only on the television series. The Listen to the Band box set also contained previously unreleased recordings, as did the 1994-95 series CD album reissues. Rhino/Rhino Handmade's Deluxe Edition reissue series has also included alternate mixes, unreleased songs, and the soundtrack to 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee. The Monkees, selected specifically to appeal to the youth market as American television's response to the Beatles with their manufactured personae and carefully produced singles, are seen as an original precursor to the modern proliferation of studio and corporation-created bands. But this critical reputation has softened somewhat, with the recognition that the Monkees were neither the first manufactured group nor unusual in this respect. The Monkees also frequently contributed their own songwriting efforts on their albums and saw their musical skills improve. They ultimately became a self-directed group, playing their own instruments and writing many of their own songs. Noted Monkees and 1960s music historian Andrew Sandoval noted, in The Hollywood Reporter, that the Monkees "pioneered the music video format and paved the way for every boy band that followed in their wake, from New Kids on the Block to 'N Sync to Jonas Brothers , while Davy set the stage for future teen idols David Cassidy and Justin Bieber . As pop stars go, you would be hard pressed to find a successful artist who didn't take a page from the Monkees' playbook, even generations later. Monkee money also enabled Rafelson and Schneider to finance Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces, which made Jack Nicholson a star. In fact, the Monkees series was the opening salvo in a revolution that brought on the New Hollywood cinema, an influence rarely acknowledged but no less impactful." The Chicago Tribune interviewed Davy Jones, who said, "We touched a lot of musicians, you know. I can't tell you the amount of people that have come up and said, 'I wouldn't have been a musician if it hadn't been for the Monkees.' It baffles me even now," Jones added. "I met a guy from Guns N' Roses , and he was overwhelmed by the meeting, and was just so complimentary." The Monkees found unlikely fans among musicians of the punk rock period of the mid-1970s. Many of these punk performers had grown up on TV reruns of the series, and sympathized with the anti-industry, anti-Establishment trend of their career. Sex Pistols and Minor Threat both recorded versions of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and it was often played live by Toy Love . The Japanese new wave pop group The Plastics recorded a synthesizer and drum-machine version of "Last Train to Clarksville" for their 1979 album Welcome Plastics. Glenn A. Baker, author of Monkeemania: The True Story of the Monkees, described the Monkees as "rock's first great embarrassment" in 1986: Like an illegitimate child in a respectable family, the Monkees are destined to be regarded forever as rock's first great embarrassment; misunderstood and maligned like a mongrel at a ritzy dog show, or a test tube baby at the Vatican. The rise of the pre-fab four coincided with rock's desperate desire to cloak itself with the trappings of respectability, credibility and irreproachable heritage. The fact was ignored that session players were being heavily employed by the Beach Boys , the Beatles , the Mamas and the Papas , the Byrds and other titans of the age. However, what could not be ignored, as rock disdained its pubescent past, was a group of middle-aged Hollywood businessmen had actually assembled their concept of a profitable rock group and foisted it upon the world. What mattered was that the Monkees had success handed to them on a silver plate. Indeed, it was not so much righteous indignation but thinly disguised jealousy which motivated the scornful dismissal of what must, in retrospect, be seen as entertaining, imaginative and highly memorable exercise in pop culture. Mediaite columnist Paul Levinson noted that "The Monkees were the first example of something created in a medium—in this case, a rock group on television—that jumped off the screen to have big impact in the real world." When commenting on the death of Jones on February 29, 2012, Time magazine contributor James Poniewozik praised the television show, saying that "even if the show never meant to be more than entertainment and a hit-single generator, we shouldn't sell The Monkees short. It was far better TV than it had to be; during an era of formulaic domestic sitcoms and wacky comedies, it was a stylistically ambitious show, with a distinctive visual style, absurdist sense of humor and unusual story structure. Whatever Jones and the Monkees were meant to be, they became creative artists in their own right, and Jones' chipper Brit-pop presence was a big reason they were able to produce work that was commercial, wholesome and yet impressively weird. Both the style and substance of the Monkees were imitated by American boy band Big Time Rush (BTR), who performed in their own television series which -- by admission of series creator Scott Fellows -- was heavily influenced by the Monkees. Similar to the Monkees, Big Time Rush featured a "made-for-tv" boy band often caught in a series of misadventures, hijinks, and somewhat slapstick comedy. The show, now in reruns but still hugely popular on Teen Nick, is highly stylized and patterned after the Monkees, even capped with similar cartoonish sound effects. Like the Monkees, BTR has also seen critical and commercial success in America and worldwide through album, singles and high TV ratings worldwide." The band's legacy was strengthened by Rhino Entertainment 's acquisition of the Monkees' franchise from Columbia Pictures in the early 1990s. The label has released several Monkees-related projects, including remastered editions of both the original television series and their complete music library, as well as their motion picture Head. The highly respected Criterion Collection, whose stated goal is to release "a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements" recognized The Monkees film Head as meeting their criteria when they fully restored and released it on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010. They stated that Head was "way, way ahead of its time" and "arguably the most authentically psychedelic film made in 1960s Hollywood", Head dodged commercial success on its release but has since been reclaimed as one of the great cult objects of its era." In the book, Hey, Hey We're The Monkees, Rafelson explains, " explored techniques on film that hadn't been used before. The first shot of Micky under water is a perfect example. Now you see it on MTV all the time, but it was invented for the movie I got two long-haired kids out of UCLA who created the effects that the established laboratory guys said couldn't be done. We invented double-matted experiences. Polarization hadn't been used in movies before. When it was shown in France, the head of the Cinematheque overly praised the movie as a cinematic masterpiece, and from that point on, this movie began to acquire an underground reputation." Other examples of the Monkees impact: There was also "The Monkees" comic published in the United States by Dell Comics, which ran for seventeen issues from 1967 to 1969. In the United Kingdom, a Daily Mirror "Crazy Cartoon Book" featured four comic stories as well as four photos of The Monkees, all in black and white; it was published in 1967. In 2000, VH-1 produced the television biopic Daydream Believers: The Monkees' Story. In 2002, the movie was released on DVD, and featured both commentaries and interviews with Dolenz, Jones and Tork. The aired version did differ from the DVD release as the TV version had an extended scene with all four Monkees meeting the Beatles but with a shortened Cleveland concert segment. It was also available on VHS. A stage musical opened in the UK at the Manchester Opera House on Friday March 30, 2012, and was dedicated to Davy Jones (the Jones family attended the official opening on April 3). The production is a Jukebox musical and starred Stephen Kirwan, Ben Evans, Tom Parsons and Oliver Savile as actors playing the parts of the Monkees (respectively Dolenz, Jones, Nesmith, Tork) who are hired by an unscrupulous businessman to go on a world tour pretending to be the real band. The show includes 18 Monkees songs plus numbers by other 60s artists. It ran in Manchester as part of the "Manchester Gets it First" program until April 14, 2012 before a UK tour. Following its Manchester run, the show appeared in the Glasgow King's Theatre and the Sunderland Empire Theatre. Timeline Also known as:The Pre-Fab Four Associated acts:Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart, First National Band Origin:Los Angeles, California, United States Past members:Davy Jones Years active:1965–1971, 1986–1989, 1996–1997, 2001–2002, 2011–present Similar artists	Randy Scouse Git
Mythology. Who was said to be the husband of Helen of Troy?	The Monkees Still Giving Fans Good Times 50 Years Later \| The American Spectator The Monkees Still Giving Fans Good Times 50 Years Later June 1, 2016, 6:00 am Many a believer still enjoys them with not a trace of doubt. Total: 0 Email “We’re outselling Beyoncé on Amazon. Who woulda thunk?” asked the Monkees’ lead vocalist Micky Dolenz during a concert at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre this past Friday night. Earlier that day, The Monkees had released Good Times!, their first album in 20 years. As I write this, The Monkees are not outselling Beyoncé whose controversial Lemonade is at number one at Amazon’s list of downloadable LPs. However, Good Times! ranks a respectable eighth, just ahead of Adele’s 25 . When you consider that buying tickets to an Adele concert is only slightly less difficult than having an audience with the Pope, it’s quite a remarkable feat. Who would have thought in 2016 that the Monkees would find themselves in the company of Beyoncé, Adele, Radiohead, Drake, Justin Timberlake, and Blake Shelton? Indeed, it has been 50 years since the Monkees were unleashed on American and the world. Who in 1966 could have imagined that their music would endure for generations? After all, they were a fictional band constructed for TV. It could be said the Monkees were the original Spinal Tap. But Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork found a way to transcend that medium and become a genuine rock ’n’ roll band. Songs like “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Daydream Believer,” “I’m a Believer,” “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” and “(I’m Not) Your Steppin’ Stone” would become part of the pantheon of rock music. In 2016, the Monkees are now two — Dolenz, 71 and Tork, 74. Sadly, Davy Jones died of a sudden heart attack in 2012 at the age of 66. Jones’ death prompted Nesmith, 73, to rejoin a band he had distanced himself from since the end of the ’60s to participate in several tours between 2012-2014 before retreating once again. However, this did not prevent the Monkees from beginning the night’s set with the Nesmith-penned, rockabilly-inspired “Listen To The Band.” From there, the Monkees went straight to “Last Train” followed by their surprise 1986 hit “That Was Then, This Is Now.” We would also be treated to some lesser known Monkees’ songs such as Tork’s “Your Auntie Grizelda” and “She,” which showed Dolenz in fine vocal form. Despite its high sales, the Monkees only saw fit to perform one song from Good Times! — “She Makes Me Laugh” written by Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo. I was disappointed not to hear the title track as it was written by the late Harry Nilsson and derived from a demo he recorded in 1967 . Nearly half a century later, it is now a duet between Dolenz and Nilsson. All things considered, Monkees fans were more than happy to hear another voice from beyond the grave. Davy Jones’ vocals would be featured on both “Daydream Believer” and “Shades of Grey.” The sound of Jones’ voice was the highlight of the show. I should mention that the Monkees concert was quite the multi-media extravaganza. Clips from old Monkees episodes would accompany the songs. Perhaps the most interesting accompaniment occurred with the Nesmith-penned “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” in which they showed the clip from the episode featuring Julie Newmar in which all four Monkees fell madly in love with her. Who wouldn’t have competed for Catwoman’s affections in the late ’60s? The video presentation continued during the intermission featuring several of their TV performances. I particularly enjoyed “Tear Drop City,” which they performed on The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour. Seeing that was special given that I saw Glen Campbell in that very same theater four years ago . Believe it or not, Dolenz still has the shawl he wore when he first performed “Randy Scouse Git” (the first Monkees song for which he got a songwriting credit) and performed on stage with it along with the drums he played. Dolenz wrote the song following a party with the Beatles about which he quipped, “I’m told I had a great time.” Both Dolenz and Tork would have the spotlight to themselves with their interpretation of classic rock ’n’ roll songs. Dolenz performed Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” the song he performed at his audition for the Monkees TV show, changing his life forever. Meanwhile, Tork performed Jackie Wilson’s “Higher & Higher” on banjo, which he described as “Motown meets the Appalachians.” Tork recorded this song in his only solo album Stranger Things Have Happened, which was released in 1994. A great deal of the Monkees’ success owes to the songwriters with whom they worked — Neil Diamond, Nilsson, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, John Stewart, as well as Carole King and Gerry Goffin. I particularly enjoyed their performances of Goffin & King’s “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “The Porpoise Song” from the ill-fated, but now cult classic movie Head, which featured Jack Nicholson shortly before he attained superstardom in Easy Rider. “The Porpoise Song” gave Dolenz yet another opportunity to show off his ageless vocal chops. It is the Monkees at their most melancholy and at their finest. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it is also my favorite Monkees song. “Valleri” comes a very close second with its great lead guitar by session player Louis Shelton of Wrecking Crew fame. Unfortunately, “Valleri” was omitted from the set. Given that it was a song with a lead vocal by Jones, perhaps neither Dolenz nor Tork felt they could do it justice either alone or together. But they couldn’t get away without playing “I’m a Believer.” As Micky Dolenz put it to the youngsters in the crowd, “I was singing this song long before Shrek.” It’s now been 50 years. But the Monkees are still giving fans good times. And there’s a good chance there will be more to come. Total: 0	i don't know
The Bible. Who was the royal person who questioned the wisdom of Solomon?	Solomon \| king of Israel \| Britannica.com king of Israel c. 975 BCE - c. 926 BCE Related Biographies Solomon, Hebrew Shlomo , biblical Israelite king who built the first Temple of Jerusalem and who is revered in Judaism and Christianity for his wisdom and in Islam as a prophet. The judgement of Solomon, engraving by Gustave Doré, 19th century. Photos.com/Jupiterimages Background and sources Nearly all evidence for Solomon’s life and reign comes from the Bible (especially the first 11 chapters of the First Book of Kings and the first nine chapters of the Second Book of Chronicles ). According to those sources, his father was David (flourished c. 1000 bce), the poet and king who, against great odds, founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under one monarch. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba , formerly the wife of David’s Hittite general, Uriah. She proved to be adept at court intrigue, and through her efforts, in concert with the prophet Nathan, Solomon was anointed king while David was still alive, despite the fact that he was younger than his brothers. Material evidence for Solomon’s reign, as for that of his father, is scant. Although some scholars claim to have discovered artifacts that corroborate the biblical account of his reign in the early 10th century bce, others claim that the archaeological record strongly suggests that the fortified cities and even the Temple of Jerusalem actually emerged more than a century later. In the latter view, the kingdom of Solomon was far from the vast empire that the biblical narrative describes. Reign The Bible says that Solomon consolidated his position by liquidating his opponents ruthlessly as soon as he acceded to the throne. Once rid of his foes, he established his friends in the key posts of the military, governmental, and religious institutions. Solomon also reinforced his position through military strength. In addition to infantry, he had at his disposal impressive chariotry and cavalry. The eighth chapter of 2 Chronicles recounts Solomon’s successful military operations in Syria . His aim was the control of a great overland trading route. To consolidate his interests in the province, he planted Israelite colonies to look after military, administrative, and commercial matters. Such colonies, often including cities in which chariots and provisions were kept, were in the long tradition of combining mercantile and military personnel to take care of their sovereign’s trading interests far from home. Megiddo , a town located at the pass through the Carmel range connecting the coastal plain with the Plain of Esdraelon , is the best-preserved example of one of the cities that Solomon is said to have established. Britannica Stories Cheetahs Face Extinction Risk Palestine was destined to be an important centre because of its strategic location for trade by land and sea. It alone connects Asia and Africa by land, and, along with Egypt , it is the only area with ports on the Atlantic-Mediterranean and Red Sea–Indian Ocean waterways. Solomon is said to have fulfilled the commercial destiny of Palestine and brought it to its greatest heights. The nature of his empire was predominantly commercial, and it served him and friendly rulers to increase trade by land and sea. One particularly celebrated episode in the reign of Solomon is the visit of the Queen of Sheba , whose wealthy southern Arabian kingdom lay along the Red Sea route into the Indian Ocean . Solomon needed her products and her trade routes for maintaining his commercial network, and she needed Solomon’s cooperation for marketing her goods in the Mediterranean via his Palestinian ports. Biblical legend makes much of a romance between the Queen and Solomon, and his granting her “all that she desired, whatever she asked” (1 Kings 10:13) has been interpreted to include a child. Tradition recognizes Solomon as an ambitious builder of public works. The demand for fortresses and garrison cities throughout his homeland and empire made it necessary for Solomon to embark on a vast building program, and the prosperity of the nation made such a program possible. He was especially lavish with his capital, Jerusalem , where he erected a city wall, the royal palace, and the first famous Temple. Around Jerusalem (but not in the Holy City itself), he built facilities, including shrines, for the main groups of foreigners on trading missions in Israel. Solomon’s Temple was to assume an importance far beyond what its dimensions might suggest, for its site became the site of the Second Temple (c. 5th century bce–70 ce). Legendary wisdom Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction? Solomon was renowned as a sage. When two women each claimed to be the mother of the same baby, he determined the real mother by observing each woman’s reaction to the prospect of dividing the child into two halves; he acknowledged the woman who protested as the mother. Solomon was deemed wiser than all the sages of Egypt and the Middle East—even wiser than some ancient paragons of wisdom. The biblical Book of Proverbs contains collections of aphorisms and other wise teachings attributed to him. Like his father, Solomon was also revered as a poet. The biblical Song of Solomon is attributed to him—albeit spuriously and likely because of his posthumous fame—in the opening verse. His reputation as a great lover, reflected in the size of his harem , is appropriately a major theme in the Song of Solomon. Postbiblical tradition attributed later works to him: the apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon , on the one hand, and the Odes of Solomon and Psalms of Solomon, on the other, are tributes to him as sage and poet. Death and decline Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies The biblical account of his reign states that Solomon’s personal prestige and genius were required to perpetuate the powerful nation he had acquired from his father and then further strengthened. It is suspected that the increase in Israel’s wealth was matched by an increase in extravagance and that the wealth was not diffused to the people. It is also considered possible that Solomon’s treatment of the northern tribes showed favouritism to his own tribe of Judah . Solomon’s son and successor, Rehoboam , ill-advisedly adopted a harsh policy toward the northern tribes, which seceded and formed their own kingdom of Israel. This left the descendants of Solomon with the southern kingdom of Judah. Thus, Solomon’s empire was lost beyond recall, and even the homeland was split into two often-hostile kingdoms.	Queen of Sheba
What name is shared by a violet-coloured flower and a gastropod mollusc?	Solomon \| king of Israel \| Britannica.com king of Israel c. 975 BCE - c. 926 BCE Related Biographies Solomon, Hebrew Shlomo , biblical Israelite king who built the first Temple of Jerusalem and who is revered in Judaism and Christianity for his wisdom and in Islam as a prophet. The judgement of Solomon, engraving by Gustave Doré, 19th century. Photos.com/Jupiterimages Background and sources Nearly all evidence for Solomon’s life and reign comes from the Bible (especially the first 11 chapters of the First Book of Kings and the first nine chapters of the Second Book of Chronicles ). According to those sources, his father was David (flourished c. 1000 bce), the poet and king who, against great odds, founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under one monarch. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba , formerly the wife of David’s Hittite general, Uriah. She proved to be adept at court intrigue, and through her efforts, in concert with the prophet Nathan, Solomon was anointed king while David was still alive, despite the fact that he was younger than his brothers. Material evidence for Solomon’s reign, as for that of his father, is scant. Although some scholars claim to have discovered artifacts that corroborate the biblical account of his reign in the early 10th century bce, others claim that the archaeological record strongly suggests that the fortified cities and even the Temple of Jerusalem actually emerged more than a century later. In the latter view, the kingdom of Solomon was far from the vast empire that the biblical narrative describes. Reign The Bible says that Solomon consolidated his position by liquidating his opponents ruthlessly as soon as he acceded to the throne. Once rid of his foes, he established his friends in the key posts of the military, governmental, and religious institutions. Solomon also reinforced his position through military strength. In addition to infantry, he had at his disposal impressive chariotry and cavalry. The eighth chapter of 2 Chronicles recounts Solomon’s successful military operations in Syria . His aim was the control of a great overland trading route. To consolidate his interests in the province, he planted Israelite colonies to look after military, administrative, and commercial matters. Such colonies, often including cities in which chariots and provisions were kept, were in the long tradition of combining mercantile and military personnel to take care of their sovereign’s trading interests far from home. Megiddo , a town located at the pass through the Carmel range connecting the coastal plain with the Plain of Esdraelon , is the best-preserved example of one of the cities that Solomon is said to have established. Britannica Stories Cheetahs Face Extinction Risk Palestine was destined to be an important centre because of its strategic location for trade by land and sea. It alone connects Asia and Africa by land, and, along with Egypt , it is the only area with ports on the Atlantic-Mediterranean and Red Sea–Indian Ocean waterways. Solomon is said to have fulfilled the commercial destiny of Palestine and brought it to its greatest heights. The nature of his empire was predominantly commercial, and it served him and friendly rulers to increase trade by land and sea. One particularly celebrated episode in the reign of Solomon is the visit of the Queen of Sheba , whose wealthy southern Arabian kingdom lay along the Red Sea route into the Indian Ocean . Solomon needed her products and her trade routes for maintaining his commercial network, and she needed Solomon’s cooperation for marketing her goods in the Mediterranean via his Palestinian ports. Biblical legend makes much of a romance between the Queen and Solomon, and his granting her “all that she desired, whatever she asked” (1 Kings 10:13) has been interpreted to include a child. Tradition recognizes Solomon as an ambitious builder of public works. The demand for fortresses and garrison cities throughout his homeland and empire made it necessary for Solomon to embark on a vast building program, and the prosperity of the nation made such a program possible. He was especially lavish with his capital, Jerusalem , where he erected a city wall, the royal palace, and the first famous Temple. Around Jerusalem (but not in the Holy City itself), he built facilities, including shrines, for the main groups of foreigners on trading missions in Israel. Solomon’s Temple was to assume an importance far beyond what its dimensions might suggest, for its site became the site of the Second Temple (c. 5th century bce–70 ce). Legendary wisdom Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction? Solomon was renowned as a sage. When two women each claimed to be the mother of the same baby, he determined the real mother by observing each woman’s reaction to the prospect of dividing the child into two halves; he acknowledged the woman who protested as the mother. Solomon was deemed wiser than all the sages of Egypt and the Middle East—even wiser than some ancient paragons of wisdom. The biblical Book of Proverbs contains collections of aphorisms and other wise teachings attributed to him. Like his father, Solomon was also revered as a poet. The biblical Song of Solomon is attributed to him—albeit spuriously and likely because of his posthumous fame—in the opening verse. His reputation as a great lover, reflected in the size of his harem , is appropriately a major theme in the Song of Solomon. Postbiblical tradition attributed later works to him: the apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon , on the one hand, and the Odes of Solomon and Psalms of Solomon, on the other, are tributes to him as sage and poet. Death and decline Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies The biblical account of his reign states that Solomon’s personal prestige and genius were required to perpetuate the powerful nation he had acquired from his father and then further strengthened. It is suspected that the increase in Israel’s wealth was matched by an increase in extravagance and that the wealth was not diffused to the people. It is also considered possible that Solomon’s treatment of the northern tribes showed favouritism to his own tribe of Judah . Solomon’s son and successor, Rehoboam , ill-advisedly adopted a harsh policy toward the northern tribes, which seceded and formed their own kingdom of Israel. This left the descendants of Solomon with the southern kingdom of Judah. Thus, Solomon’s empire was lost beyond recall, and even the homeland was split into two often-hostile kingdoms.	i don't know
According to the proverb, ‘None but the brave deserve …’ what?	None but the brave deserve the fair - Idioms by The Free Dictionary None but the brave deserve the fair - Idioms by The Free Dictionary http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/None+but+the+brave+deserve+the+fair None but the brave deserve the fair None but the brave deserve the fair. Prov. Only a courageous and gallant man deserves a beautiful woman.; Only the best deserves the best. Stop making excuses and just call Gina. None but the brave deserve the fair. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/None+but+the+brave+deserve+the+fair">None but the brave deserve the fair</a>	Fair (disambiguation)
Whose painting, ‘Benefits Supervisor Resting’, sold for £35.8million at auction?	Brave - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Brave - Idioms by The Free Dictionary http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/brave Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Medical , Legal , Acronyms , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . brave the elements To go out into and endure bad or stormy weather. Usually used hyperbolically. Thank you for braving the elements to come pick me up. I know there's a slight drizzle, but if you can brave the elements, then you may go play outside for a while. See also: brave , element put on a brave front 1. To appear or make oneself seem more courageous, resolute, or dauntless than one really feels. I could feel my knees shaking with terror before my commencement speech, but I put on a brave front and stepped out onto the stage to deliver it. This girl I'm dating has a big dog that I'm really scared of, but I'm trying to put on a brave front when it's around. 2. To react to or face difficulties, setbacks, or adversity with high spirits or good cheer. John's been putting on a brave front ever since his wife left him, but I can tell that he is devastated on the inside. I really didn't want to spend Thanksgiving with my wife's parents, but I put on a brave front and suffered through it with a smile. See also: brave , front , on , put brave something out to endure something; to put up with something courageously. I don't know if all the men can brave the attack out. The soldiers braved out the attack. Fortune favors the brave. and Fortune favors the bold. Prov. You will have good luck if you carry out your plans boldly. (Used to encourage people to have the courage to carry out their plans.) Fortune favors the bold, Bob. Quit your day job and work on your novel full-time. Jill: Let's wait till next year before trying to start our own business. Jane: No. We'll do it this year. Fortune favors the brave. See also: brave , favor , fortune None but the brave deserve the fair. Prov. Only a courageous and gallant man deserves a beautiful woman.; Only the best deserves the best. Stop making excuses and just call Gina. None but the brave deserve the fair. See also: brave , but , deserve , fair , none put on a brave face to act confident in a difficult situation put up a brave front The engineers have put on a brave face, saying the telescope can easily be repaired. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form put a brave face on something: She puts a brave face on everything, but you know that she is worried. See also: brave , front , put , up put a brave face/front on something to behave in a way that makes people think you are happy when you are not They've had some bad luck, but they've put a brave face on their problems. She's very ill but she's putting a brave front on it. (= making people believe her illness does not worry her) brave face, put on a Also, put up a brave front. 1. Face adversity cheerfully. For example, Even though she had been passed over for promotion, she put on a brave face. 2. Try to appear brave even though very frightened. For example, Harry was terrified of animals, but his boss was a dog lover, so he put up a brave front . [Second half of 1800s] See also: brave , on , put brave it out 1. Face danger or a difficult situation with courage. For example, They had far fewer votes than the opposition, but they decided to brave it out. [Late 1500s] 2. Also, brazen it out. Boast or swagger, act with impudent bravado. For example, They hadn't been invited but decided to stay and brazen it out. [Mid-1500s] See also: brave , out brave the elements Go out in stormy weather, as in We've just about run out of food; I'll brave the elements and walk to the store. The use of elements for atmospheric agencies dates from the early 16th century but is rare today except in this expression, which is often used hyperbolically. brave out v. To endure something with great courage: The explorers braved out the hot weather and dangerous animals during their journey. It will be a tough game against such strong players, but you should brave it out and play as well as you can.	i don't know
Which politician was described as “a snarling, thin-skinned, obsessive man”?	Nigel Farage is a 'snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive' man, says campaign chief \| Politics \| The Guardian Nigel Farage Nigel Farage is a 'snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive' man, says campaign chief MEP Patrick O’Flynn says re-elected leader is turning Ukip into a personality cult hours after sole MP told Farage party should refuse £650,000 from public purse Owen Bennett, the author of Following Farage, says Patrick O’Flynn had the support of Ukip members Nigel Farage Nigel Farage is a 'snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive' man, says campaign chief MEP Patrick O’Flynn says re-elected leader is turning Ukip into a personality cult hours after sole MP told Farage party should refuse £650,000 from public purse Thursday 14 May 2015 02.58 EDT First published on Wednesday 13 May 2015 19.38 EDT Close This article is 1 year old Nigel Farage has been described by his own general election campaign director as a “snarling, thin-skinned, aggressive” man who is turning Ukip into a personality cult. Patrick O’Flynn, Ukip MEP for the East of England, made his devastating comments in an interview with the Times. The blunt statements appear to be the latest sign of Ukip’s descent into civil war following Farage’s failure to win the parliamentary seat of South Thanet, and his U-turn on standing down as party leader. Pinterest Nigel Farage’s resignation as Ukip leader was rejected and he remains in the post. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP O’Flynn also hit out at Farage’s “inexperienced” aides, who he said needed to be cleared out. He called for a more consultative and consensual style of leadership to avoid the appearance of the party being an “absolute monarchy”. But late on Wednesday night, a senior Ukip source questioned whether O’Flynn was “behaving in a manner befitting a professional political party”. O’Flynn is not the only senior Ukip figure to reveal tensions at the heart of the party in recent days following its failure to win more than a single seat. Farage has clashed with the party’s only remaining MP, Douglas Carswell , over whether to accept £650,000 in public funding as a party of opposition. Carswell, the MP for Clacton – who defected from the Tories last year – had dismissed suggestions from Ukip aides that he used the money to hire 15 members of staff for his parliamentary office, calling the idea “completely inappropriate”. Farage and Carswell failed to resolve their standoff at a meeting on Wednesday. Amid speculation that Carswell could leave the party over the issue, a Ukip spokesman said: “Nigel Farage met with Douglas Carswell this afternoon and there’s ongoing discussion about how best to represent four million Ukip voters in a way that is sensible and correct.” Carswell has denied suggestions that he could attempt to rejoin the Conservatives; the bookmaker William Hill now has him at evens not to be a Ukip MP by the next election. Should Carswell resign from Ukip, the party would lose the £650,000 a year in so-called “short money” to which it is entitled after getting 3.9m votes overall. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, Carswell said: “There are one or two rather excitable staffers in Ukip who came up with a proposal that involved hiring 15 extra people. “I mean, I’m not an American senator. I doubt that even Ed Miliband when he was leader of the opposition would have had 15 staff in his office. “Ukip is meant to be different and Ukip is going to be different. And I think we need to make it absolutely clear that when we spend money, we are doing it because it is the right thing to do, not just simply because the money’s there.” A senior party staffer told the BBC that it was up to the party how it spent the money, which would go to Ukip regardless of Carswell’s views. “This is him throwing his toys out of the pram because he thought Nigel wouldn’t be leader any more,” the staffer said. This week Carswell declined to comment to reporters about Farage’s decision to withdraw his resignation as leader of Ukip four days after standing down. However, on Wednesday he said he was “very pleased indeed” that Farage was returning as leader. Farage had said for weeks that he would step down if he did not become an MP, arguing that it was not credible to lead the party without being in the Commons.	Nigel Farage
The Fitzroy shipping area, named after him, was previously known as what?	Ukip politician Suzanne Evans sacked by Nigel Farage over 'divisive' comment \| Politics \| The Guardian UK Independence party (Ukip) Ukip politician Suzanne Evans sacked by Nigel Farage over 'divisive' comment Party’s most prominent female member incurred boss’s displeasure after giving interview saying he would not front EU exit campaign Ukip’s Nigel Farage and Suzanne Evans with the party’s election manifesto in April. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA Thursday 18 June 2015 13.01 EDT Last modified on Friday 7 October 2016 05.15 EDT Close This article is 1 year old Ukip’s most prominent female politician Suzanne Evans has been sacked as a media spokesman after she gave a television interview saying Nigel Farage was seen by voters as a “very divisive character”. Evans, who was formerly an ally of Farage and was at one point anointed by him as acting leader, incurred the displeasure of her boss after she made the comments on the BBC’s Daily Politics. “I think Nigel is a very divisive character in terms of the way he is perceived,” she said. “He’s not divisive as a person but the way he is perceived is as having very strong views that divide people. So in that sense I think he is right. I think it will be someone else who actually fronts [the EU exit campaign].” On Thursday afternoon, the Ukip press office then issued a “directive” to sever contact with Evans and refused to offer her up as a media spokesman on any issue. She was not to be briefed or advised on any subject. A senior source at Ukip’s HQ said on Thursday afternoon that Evans’s position had become untenable, that her comments were “surprising and disappointing”, and that Farage was “pretty angry and perplexed”. The source said: “I think that, speaking to a number of people, Suzanne’s position is now untenable. I would suspect she probably thinks that as well. In no other party would you have such a situation. It would be akin to Theresa May going on television and saying she thought the prime minister was a deeply divisive figure. “Theresa May wouldn’t expect to be in her job three hours later. That would be tantamount to a resignation speech … Everybody needs to understand that that sort of behaviour and comment in public and on the television is just unacceptable.” An email was then leaked to the BBC showing the directive to the Ukip press office not to contact Evans again. Raheem Kassam: 'rag-tag, unprofessional, embarrassing people' spoilt Ukip's election Read more Evans is one of Ukip’s best-known female politicians and was named by Farage as his preferred choice to succeed him as acting leader after the election, before he reversed his decision four days later. The order to bar Evans from appearing in the media is yet another twist in the Ukip wars that have been engulfing the party since the election. The infighting started after Farage went back on a promise to resign as leader, annoying some within the party who feared he would be too toxic to persuade half of the voting public to leave the EU. During the battle that followed, Evans, Douglas Carswell – Ukip’s only MP – and MEP Patrick O’Flynn were accused by Farage’s former senior adviser Raheem Kassam of being among those working to undermine his leadership. At one point, O’Flynn even claimed Farage had become “snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive” because he was being influenced by “poisonous advisers”. All denied being part of an attempt to oust Farage but Evans was stripped of her policy role and O’Flynn resigned as economics spokesman. Nigel Farage says he is prepared to lead no campaign in EU referendum Read more During the BBC interview on Thursday, Evans also suggested Farage was badly advised when he brought up the policy of excluding foreigners with HIV from Britain during a TV election debate. Carswell has previously described Farage’s comments as “plain wrong” . Evans said: “I think he probably could have put it in a slightly more collegiate way, a way that perhaps could have brought more people on board. “It was perhaps a very stark, stark way of putting it, but it is an issue that is important and I absolutely would defend him on it ... Those of us who feel he is being badly advised simply have to perhaps be braver in saying as and when we think he is being badly advised. But I think Nigel himself has certainly learnt from this.”	i don't know
In 1831 he was re-appointed commander of which famous vessel?	HMS BEAGLE AND CHARLES DARWIN HMS Beagle was a Cherokee class 10-gun brig of the Royal Navy , named after the beagle, a breed of dog. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames , at a cost of ï¿½7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which she was the first ship to sail under the new London Bridge . After that there was no immediate need for Beagle so she was kept in reserve for five years and "lay in ordinary", moored afloat but unmanned. She was then adapted as a survey barque and took part in three expeditions. On the second survey voyage the young naturalist Charles Darwin was on board, and his work would eventually make the Beagle one of the most famous ships in history. First Voyage On 27 September 1825 Beagle docked at Woolwich for repairs and fitted out for her new duties at a total cost of ï¿½5,913. Her guns were reduced from ten cannons to six and a mizzenmast was added to improve her maneuverability, thereby changing her from a brig to a bark (or barque). Beagle set sail on 22 May 1826 for her first voyage, under the command of Captain Pringle Stokes. The mission was to accompany the larger ship HMS Adventure (380 tons) on a hydrographic survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, under the overall command of the Australian Captain Philip Parker King. Faced with the more difficult part of the survey in the desolate waters of Tierra del Fuego, Captain Pringle Stokes fell into a deep depression. At Port Famine on the Strait of Magellan he locked himself in his cabin for 14 days, then on 2 August 1828 shot himself and died in delirium 12 days later. Captain Parker King then replaced Stokes with the Executive Officer of the Beagle, Lieutenant W.G. Skyring. They sailed to Rio de Janeiro where on 15 December 1828 Rear Admiral Sir Robert Otway, commander in chief of the South American station aboard HMS Ganges, named as (temporary) Captain of the Beagle his aide, Flag Lieutenant Robert FitzRoy. The 23 year old aristocrat FitzRoy proved an able commander and meticulous surveyor. In one incident a group of Fuegians stole a ships boat, and FitzRoy took their families on board as hostages. Eventually he held two men, a girl and a boy who was given the name of Jemmy Button, and these four native Fuegians were taken back with them when the Beagle returned to Plymouth, England on 14 October 1830. Second voyage It was originally intended that Chanticleer would make the second South American Survey, but due to her poor condition Beagle was substituted for the voyage. FitzRoy had been considering how to return the Fuegians who had trained as missionaries, and on 25 June 1831 he was re-appointed as commander. The Beagle was commissioned on 4 July 1831 under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy. She was immediately taken into dock for extensive rebuilding and refitting. As she required a new deck, FitzRoy had the upper-deck raised considerably, by 8 inches (200 mm) aft and 12 inches (300 mm) forward. The Cherokee class ships had the reputation of being "coffin brigs", which handled badly and were prone to sinking. By helping the decks to drain more quickly with less water collecting in the gunnels, the raised deck gave the Beagle better handling and made her less liable to become top-heavy and capsize. Additional sheathing added to the hull added about 7 tons to her displacement. FitzRoy spared no expense in her fitting out, which included 22 chronometers and five examples of the Sympiesometer, a kind of mercury-free barometer patented by Alexander Adie and favoured by FitzRoy as giving the accurate readings required by the Admiralty. Particularly in the light of the fate of Stokes and the suicide of his own uncle, FitzRoy was concerned about the lonely position of a captain at that time. His attempts to get a friend to accompany him fell through, and he asked his friend and superior, Captain Francis Beaufort, to seek a gentleman passenger who would act as a companion as well as having opportunities as a naturalist. This led to Charles Darwin joining the voyage. Beagle was originally scheduled to leave on October 24, 1831 but because of delays in her preparations the departure was delayed until December. She attempted to depart on 10 December but ran into bad weather. Finally, on December 27 at 2:00 pm, the Beagle left Plymouth harbour on what was to become a groundbreaking scientific expedition. After completing extensive surveys in South America she returned via New Zealand to Falmouth, Cornwall, England on 2 October 1836. Third voyage Six months later, Beagle set off in 1837 to survey large parts of the coast of Australia under the command of Commander John Clements Wickham, with assistant surveyor Lieutenant John Lort Stokes who had been a Midshipman on the first voyage of the Beagle, then mate and assistant surveyor on the second voyage (no relation to Pringle Stokes). They started with the western coast between the Swan River (modern Perth, Australia) and the Fitzroy River, Western Australia, then surveyed both shores of the Bass Strait at the southeast corner of the continent. In May 1839 they sailed north to survey the shores of the Arafura Sea opposite Timor. Wickham named the Beagle Gulf and Port Darwin, which was first sighted by Stokes and which later gave its name to the city of Darwin , Australia . When Wickham fell ill and resigned, the command was taken over in March 1841 by Lieutenant John Lort Stokes who continued the survey. The third voyage was completed in 1843. Final years In 1845 the Beagle was refitted as a static coastguard watch vessel and transferred to Customs and Excise to control smuggling on the Essex coast to the north bank of the Thames estuary. She was moored mid-river on the River Roach which forms part of a maze of waterways in the marshes south of Burnham-on-Crouch. In 1851 oyster companies and traders petitioned for her to be removed as she was obstructing the river, and the 1851 Navy List dated 25 May showed her renamed as Southend "W.V. No. 7" at Paglesham. In 1870, she was sold to local scrap merchants "Murray and Trainer" for breaking up. Investigations started in 2000 by a team led by Dr Robert Prescott of the University of St Andrews found documents confirming that "W.V. 7" was the Beagle, and noted a vessel matching her size shown midstream on the 1847 hydrographic survey chart. A later chart showed a nearby indentation to the north bank which could have been a dock for the Beagle. Site investigations found an area of marshy ground some 15 ft (5 m) deep matching this chart position, with many fragments of pottery of the correct period. An atomic dielectric resonance survey carried out in November 2003 found traces of timbers forming the size and shape of the lower hull, indicating a substantial amount of timbers from below the waterline still in place. An old anchor of 1841 pattern was excavated. It was also found that the 1871 census recorded a new farmhouse in the name of William Murray and Thomas Rainer, leading to speculation that the merchant's name was a misprint for T. Rainer. The farmhouse was demolished in the 1940s, but a nearby boathouse incorporated timbers matching knee timbers used in the Beagle. Further investigations are proposed. Their investigations featured in a BBC Television programme which showed how each watch ship would have accommodated 7 coastguard officers, drawn from other areas to minimise collusion with the locals. Each officer had about 3 rooms to house their family, forming a small community. They would use small boats to intercept smugglers, and the investigators found a causeway giving access at low tide across the soft mud of the river bank. Apparently the next coastguard station along was the Kangaroo, a sister ship of the Beagle.	HMS Beagle
What is the name of SpongeBob SquarePants’ (sic) pet snail?	Beagle Ship Model. Beagle Tall Ship Model, Beagle Model Ship, Model Sailboat Overview Reviews Tell a Friend HMS Beagle Tall Ship Model HMS Beagle Limited 32" measures 32" Long x 9" Wide x 29" High (1:36 scale). Amazing details on our HMS Beagle Limited model ship replica include: nail holes on the planked deck, oars in the lifeboats, cannon ball racks on the deck, tied down cannons, rudder chains and more. We only use the finest and highest quality parts on our quality handcrafted wooden model ships with no plastic parts. Perfectly taught rigging with varied thread color and thickness. Our HMS Beagle ship model is built with rare, high quality woods such as cherry, birch, maple and rosewood. Thick canvas sails that hold their shape and do not wrinkle Meticulously painted to the actual HMS Beagle wood model ship Masterfully stitched real canvass sails (not cloth that has wrinkles) Our HMS Beagle wooden tall ship rests perfectly on a large Wood Base Exhaustively researched and historically accurate to the actual ship Requires hundreds of hours to build from scratch (not from a model kit) by our master artisans. To build this model ship, extensive research was done using various sources such as museums, drawings and copies of the original plans. Historic Past: Cherokee class 10-gun brig of the Royal Navy, named after the beagle, a breed of dog. She was launched on May 11, 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which she was the first ship to sail under the new London Bridge. After that there was no immediate need for Beagle so she was kept in reserve for five years and "lay in ordinary", moored afloat but without masts or rigging. She was then adapted as a survey barque and took part in three expeditions. On the second survey voyage the young naturalist Charles Darwin was on board, and his work would eventually make the Beagle one of the most famous ships in history. First Voyage On September 27, 1825 Beagle docked at Woolwich for repairs and fitted out for her new duties at a total cost of £5,913. Her guns were reduced from ten cannons to six and a mizzenmast was added to improve her maneuverability, thereby changing her from a brig to a bark (or barque). Beagle set sail on May 22, 1826 for her first voyage, under the command of Captain Pringle Stokes. The mission was to accompany the larger ship HMS Adventure (380 tons) on a hydro graphic survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, under the overall command of the Australian Captain Philip Parker King, Commander and Surveyor. Faced with the more difficult part of the survey in the desolate waters of Tierra del Fuego, Captain Pringle Stokes fell into a deep depression. At Port Famine on the Strait of Magellan he locked himself in his cabin for 14 days, then on 2 August 1828 shot himself and died in delirium 12 days later. Captain Parker King then replaced Stokes with the Executive Officer of Beagle, Lieutenant W.G. Skyring. They sailed to Rio de Janeiro where on 15 December 1828 Rear Admiral Sir Robert Otway, commander in chief of the South American station aboard HMS Ganges, named as (temporary) Captain of the Beagle his aide, Flag Lieutenant Robert FitzRoy. The 23 year old aristocrat FitzRoy proved an able commander and meticulous surveyor. In one incident a group of Fuegians stole a ship's boat, and FitzRoy took their families on board as hostages. Eventually he held two men, a girl and a boy who was given the name of Jemmy Button, and these four native Fuegians were taken back with them when the Beagle returned to Plymouth, England on October 14, 1830. Second voyage It was originally intended that Chanticleer would make the second South American Survey, but due to her poor condition Beagle was substituted for the voyage. FitzRoy had been considering how to return the Fuegians who had trained as missionaries, and on June 25, 1831 he was re-appointed as commander. The Beagle was commissioned on July 4, 1831 under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, with Lieutenants John Clements Wickham and Bartholomew James Sulivan. She was immediately taken into dock for extensive rebuilding and refitting. As she required a new deck, FitzRoy had the upper-deck raised considerably, by 8 inches (200 mm) aft and 12 inches (300 mm) forward. The Cherokee class ships had the reputation of being "coffin brigs", which handled badly and were prone to sinking. By helping the decks to drain more quickly with less water collecting in the gunnels, the raised deck gave the Beagle better handling and made her less liable to become top-heavy and capsize. Additional sheathing added to the hull added about 7 tons to her displacement. FitzRoy spared no expense in her fitting out, which included 22 chronometers and five examples of the Sympiesometer, a kind of mercury-free barometer patented by Alexander Adie and favoured by FitzRoy as giving the accurate readings required by the Admiralty. Particularly in the light of the fate of Stokes and the suicide of his own uncle, FitzRoy was concerned about the lonely position of a captain at that time. His attempts to get a friend to accompany him fell through, and he asked his friend and superior, Captain Francis Beaufort, to seek a gentleman passenger who would act as a companion as well as having opportunities as a naturalist. This led to Charles Darwin joining the voyage. Beagle was originally scheduled to leave on October 24, 1831 but because of delays in her preparations the departure was delayed until December. She attempted to depart on December 10th but ran into bad weather. Finally, on December 27th at 2:00 pm, the Beagle left Plymouth harbour on what was to become a ground breaking scientific expedition. After completing extensive surveys in South America she returned via New Zealand to Falmouth, Cornwall, England on October 2, 1836. Third voyage Six months later, Beagle set off in 1837 to survey large parts of the coast of Australia under the command of Commander John Clements Wickham, who had been a Lieutenant on the second voyage, with assistant surveyor Lieutenant John Lort Stokes who had been a Midshipman on the first voyage of the Beagle, then mate and assistant surveyor on the second voyage (no relation to Pringle Stokes). They started with the western coast between the Swan River (modern Perth, Australia) and the Fitzroy River, Western Australia, then surveyed both shores of the Bass Strait at the southeast corner of the continent. In May 1839 they sailed north to survey the shores of the Arafura Sea opposite Timor. Wickham named the Beagle Gulf and Port Darwin, which was first sighted by Stokes and which later gave its name to the city of Darwin, Australia. When Wickham fell ill and resigned, the command was taken over in March 1841 by Lieutenant John Lort Stokes who continued the survey. The third voyage was completed in 1843. Final years In 1845 the Beagle was refitted as a static coastguard watch vessel and transferred to Customs and Excise to control smuggling on the Essex coast to the north bank of the Thames estuary. She was moored mid-river on the River Roach which forms part of a maze of waterways in the marshes south of Burnham-on-Crouch. In 1851 oyster companies and traders petitioned for her to be removed as she was obstructing the river, and the 1851 Navy List dated 25 May showed her renamed as Southend "W.V. No. 7" at Paglesham. In 1870, she was sold to local scrap merchants "Murray and Trainer" for breaking up. Investigations started in 2000 by a team led by Dr Robert Prescott of the University of St Andrews found documents confirming that "W.V. 7" was the Beagle, and noted a vessel matching her size shown midstream on the 1847 hydrographic survey chart. A later chart showed a nearby indentation to the north bank which could have been a dock for the Beagle. Site investigations found an area of marshy ground some 15 ft (5 m) deep matching this chart position, with many fragments of pottery of the correct period. An atomic dielectric resonance survey carried out in November 2003 found traces of timbers forming the size and shape of the lower hull, indicating a substantial amount of timbers from below the waterline still in place. An old anchor of 1841 pattern was excavated. It was also found that the 1871 census recorded a new farmhouse in the name of William Murray and Thomas Rainer, leading to speculation that the merchant's name was a misprint for T. Rainer. The farmhouse was demolished in the 1940s, but a nearby boathouse incorporated timbers matching knee timbers used in the Beagle. Further investigations are proposed. Their investigations featured in a BBC Television programme which showed how each watch ship would have accommodated 7 coastguard officers, drawn from other areas to minimize collusion with the locals. Each officer had about 3 rooms to house their family, forming a small community. They would use small boats to intercept smugglers, and the investigators found a causeway giving access at low tide across the soft mud of the river bank. Apparently the next coastguard station along was the Kangaroo, a sister ship of the Beagle. Carry C on 03/04/2013 01:10pm Thanks	i don't know
What name did Manuel give to his pet rat in ‘Fawlty Towers’?	"Fawlty Towers" Basil the Rat (TV Episode 1979) - Quotes - IMDb Share this: Facebook \| Twitter \| Permalink Hide options Mr. Carnegie : I think these premises do not come up to the standard required by this authority. Unless appropriate steps are taken instantly, I shall have no alternative but to prosecute or recommend closure to the appropriate committee of the council, uh, specifically: The lack of proper cleaning routines, dirty and greasy filters, greasy and encrusted deep fat fryer, dirty, cracked and stained food preparation surfaces, dirty, cracked and missing wall and floor tiles, dirty, marked and stained utensils, dirty and greasy interior surfaces of the ventilator hood... Basil Fawlty : Yes, about the deep fat fryer... Mr. Carnegie : ...inadequate temperature control and storage of dangerous foodstuffs, storage of cooked and raw meat in same trays, storage of raw meat above confectionery with consequent dripping of meat juices onto cream products, refrigerator seals loose and cracked, ice box undefrosted, and refrigerator overstocked...	Basil
Who wrote the play ‘Barefoot in the Park’, which premiered on Broadway in 1963?	Manuel the Spanish waiter played by Andrew Sachs in Fawlty Towers The Cast of Fawlty Towers Manuel Poor Manuel! Forever bullied and harassed by Basil, Manuel the Spanish waiter didn't even let Basil hitting him in the forehead with a spoon prevent him from naming his pet "hamster" in Basil's honour! My personal favourite Manuel scene was when he was crouched down behind the reception desk proudly announcing “My English is very good! I learn it from a book!” just as the Major walks through and sees only the moose head sitting on the counter and thinks the moose head is speaking! Manuel's poor command of the English language and his perfectly acted dim-witted nature were often the downfall of Basil's carefully-crafted schemes as well as infuriating the guests of course. When Fawlty Towers was broadcast in Spain, the nationality of the character of Manuel was changed to an Italian. I have been asked a few times of the name given to the Italian "Manuel", apparently it was Paolo. Update! Mariona from Catalonia e-mailled me in May 2004 with this: "I live in Catalonia where we have another language. I watched Fawlty Towers as a child and we had the version in Catalan. I've never heard of a Spanish version. However, as you know the original Manuel was born in Barcelona, and, because of the silly behaviour he performs, his nationality was changed to Mexican, not Italian, in the Catalan version. His name was also Manuel but with the Catalan accent, which is very funny. The title of the serial was "Hotel Fawlty". Official iManuel App The App gives your phone its very own virtual waiter in the form of the classic comedy favourite Manuel from Fawlty Towers. The App allows you to watch Manuel get to work polishing your screen, keeping you updated on how much battery life you have left and allowing you to set a Manuel alarm. The app also includes original Manual sound clips from the show itself. Visit the iTunes store for more info and to purchase the app. Carte D'or television advert In the early 1980s, Andrew Sachs appeared in a television advert for Carte D'or wine. Played by: Andrew Sachs Born: Andreas Siegfried Sachs Date of Birth: 07 April, 1930 — Andrew Sachs shares a birthday with Jackie Chan, Francis Ford Coppola and James Garner. Place of Birth: Berlin, Germany Andrew Sachs fled to England from Germany with his family when he was aged eight. His family had been planning to emigrate anyway when his father was arrested one night shortly before Kristallnacht . He was later released but the threats to a Jewish family in a Germany under the Nazis were too much so they fled to England. A stage career soon beckoned — Andrew looked at Lassie and thought “If a dog can do it, so can I”! His career has encompassed many comedies and classical dramas in all media including TV, radio and theatre. He has also written and produced a number of works for radio and the stage. He is also well known for countless voiceovers for television documentaries. Andrew Sachs is married to Melody Lang, presumably the same one who played Mrs Taylor in Basil the Rat. Andrew Sachs/Manuel Lookalikes! Great lookalike and impersonator of both Manuel and HRH Prince Charles! Reception	i don't know
What was the first name of the English painter Gainsborough, 1727-1788?	Thomas Gainsborough, the painter (1727 - 1788) - Genealogy Thomas Gainsborough, the painter Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love Build your family tree online Share photos and videos in London, Greater London, UK Place of Burial: May 14 1727 - Suffolk, England Death: July 15 1746 - Saint George Mayfair, Westminster, London, England Wife: Cause of death: Cancer - Aug 2 1788 - London Brother: John Gainsborough, Mary Gainsborough (born Burrough) Wife: John Gainsborough, Mary Gainsborough (born Burrough) Wife: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (christened 14 May 1727 – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter. He was born the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver in Suffolk, and, in 1740, left home to study art in London with Hubert Gravelot, Francis Hayman, and William Hogarth. In 1746, he married Margaret Burr, and the couple became the parents of two daughters. He moved to Bath in 1759 where fashionable society patronised him, and he began exhibiting in London. In 1769, he became a founding member of the Royal Academy, but his relationship with the organization was thorny and he sometimes withdrew his work from exhibition. Gainsborough moved to London in 1774, and painted portraits of the King and Queen, but the King was obliged to name as royal painter Gainsborough's rival Joshua Reynolds. In his last years, Gainsborough painted relatively simple landscapes and is credited (with Richard Wilson) as the originator of the 18th century British landscape school. Gainsborough died of cancer in 1788 and is interred at St. Anne's Church, Kew, Surrey. He painted quickly and his later pictures are characterised by a light palette and easy strokes. He preferred landscapes to portraits. Cecil Kellaway portrayed Gainsborough in the 1945 film Kitty.	THOMAS
Which musical features the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?	Art Museum Thomas Gainsborough 1 Thomas Gainsborough 1727-1788 British Thomas Gainsborough Locations English painter, draughtsman and printmaker. He was the contemporary and rival of Joshua Reynolds, who honoured him on 10 December 1788 with a valedictory Discourse (pubd London, 1789), in which he stated: If ever this nation should produce genius sufficient to acquire to us the honourable distinction of an English School, the name of Gainsborough will be transmitted to posterity, in the history of Art, among the very first of that rising name. He went on to consider Gainsborough portraits, landscapes and fancy pictures within the Old Master tradition, against which, in his view, modern painting had always to match itself. Reynolds was acknowledging a general opinion that Gainsborough was one of the most significant painters of their generation. Less ambitious than Reynolds in his portraits, he nevertheless painted with elegance and virtuosity. He founded his landscape manner largely on the study of northern European artists and developed a very beautiful and often poignant imagery of the British countryside. By the mid-1760s he was making formal allusions to a wide range of previous art, from Rubens and Watteau to, eventually, Claude and Titian. He was as various in his drawings and was among the first to take up the new printmaking techniques of aquatint and soft-ground etching. Because his friend, the musician and painter William Jackson (1730-1803), claimed that Gainsborough detested reading, there has been a tendency to deny him any literacy. He was, nevertheless, as his surviving letters show, verbally adept, extremely witty and highly cultured. He loved music and performed well. He was a person of rapidly changing moods, humorous, brilliant and witty. At the time of his death he was expanding the range of his art, having lived through one of the more complex and creative phases in the history of British painting. He painted with unmatched skill and bravura; while giving the impression of a kind of holy innocence, he was among the most artistically learned and sophisticated painters of his generation. It has been usual to consider his career in terms of the rivalry with Reynolds that was acknowledged by their contemporaries; while Reynolds maintained an intellectual and academic ideal of art, Gainsborough grounded his imagery on contemporary life, maintaining an aesthetic outlook previously given its most powerful expression by William Hogarth. His portraits, landscapes and subject pictures are only now coming to be studied in all their complexity; having previously been viewed as being isolated from the social, philosophical and ideological currents of their time, they have yet to be fully related to them. It is clear, however, that his landscapes and rural pieces, and some of his portraits, were as significant as Reynolds acknowledged them to be in 1788. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next Thomas Gainsborough 1727-1788 British Thomas Gainsborough Locations English painter, draughtsman and printmaker. He was the contemporary and rival of Joshua Reynolds, who honoured him on 10 December 1788 with a valedictory Discourse (pubd London, 1789), in which he stated: If ever this nation should produce genius sufficient to acquire to us the honourable distinction of an English School, the name of Gainsborough will be transmitted to posterity, in the history of Art, among the very first of that rising name. He went on to consider Gainsborough portraits, landscapes and fancy pictures within the Old Master tradition, against which, in his view, modern painting had always to match itself. Reynolds was acknowledging a general opinion that Gainsborough was one of the most significant painters of their generation. Less ambitious than Reynolds in his portraits, he nevertheless painted with elegance and virtuosity. He founded his landscape manner largely on the study of northern European artists and developed a very beautiful and often poignant imagery of the British countryside. By the mid-1760s he was making formal allusions to a wide range of previous art, from Rubens and Watteau to, eventually, Claude and Titian. He was as various in his drawings and was among the first to take up the new printmaking techniques of aquatint and soft-ground etching. Because his friend, the musician and painter William Jackson (1730-1803), claimed that Gainsborough detested reading, there has been a tendency to deny him any literacy. He was, nevertheless, as his surviving letters show, verbally adept, extremely witty and highly cultured. He loved music and performed well. He was a person of rapidly changing moods, humorous, brilliant and witty. At the time of his death he was expanding the range of his art, having lived through one of the more complex and creative phases in the history of British painting. He painted with unmatched skill and bravura; while giving the impression of a kind of holy innocence, he was among the most artistically learned and sophisticated painters of his generation. It has been usual to consider his career in terms of the rivalry with Reynolds that was acknowledged by their contemporaries; while Reynolds maintained an intellectual and academic ideal of art, Gainsborough grounded his imagery on contemporary life, maintaining an aesthetic outlook previously given its most powerful expression by William Hogarth. His portraits, landscapes and subject pictures are only now coming to be studied in all their complexity; having previously been viewed as being isolated from the social, philosophical and ideological currents of their time, they have yet to be fully related to them. It is clear, however, that his landscapes and rural pieces, and some of his portraits, were as significant as Reynolds acknowledged them to be in 1788.	i don't know
One of John Lennon’s sons is named Julian. What is the other son’s name?	John Lennon's son Julian fears Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney are trying to obliterate him from history \| Daily Mail Online comments Julian Lennon has fought to be part of the Beatles story since his birth in 1963 Peace was said to have broken out in the extended Lennon family last year. After a lifetime scarred by a bitter feud with his stepmother Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon arranged a most unlikely reunion. Not only was his mother, Cynthia Lennon, in attendance at Julian’s first photographic show at a New York gallery, but he was also publicly reconciled with Yoko and her son — his half-brother — Sean Lennon. In an accompanying television interview, he insisted that, while he still believed Yoko to be ‘manipulative’, he was determined to be friends with her for the sake of her son. ‘The key point is Sean,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to hurt him.’ It had taken Julian a lifetime of therapy to get to this point. And yet, earlier this week, his calm attitude appeared to come crashing down. After a series of perceived snubs, Julian wrote on his Facebook page: ‘Wow . . . Snubbed at Macca’s Wedding, Snubbed at the Anniversary of ‘LOVE’ in Vegas! (A Beatles Cirque de Soleil-themed show) Snubbed at Macca’s wedding reception in NYC, last night Snubbed at George Harrison’s Film Premiere . . . What have I done to be ignored in such a way? I was not invited to ANY of these events . . . I thought WE had a relationship . . . Obviously not . . . Gimme some truth . . . Maybe now it’s time to tell the Truth . . . I & My Mother will NOT be eradicated from History . . . How dare they.’ Yoko was present at almost all the events while Sean, 36, was at two of them; Sir Paul’s New York wedding reception and the Love anniversary. George Harrison’s widow, Olivia, and their son Dhani attended the London premiere of the documentary about Harrison’s life and the London wedding reception; as did Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach. Sources close to Paul McCartney claim Julian's lack of invitation to his two wedding parties was an 'oversight' Sources close to Paul McCartney claim Julian’s lack of invitation to his two wedding parties was an ‘oversight’ — for, certainly, McCartney has always been closer to Julian than his own father was. ‘Julian is regarded as part of the family, but everyone just assumed he was in Italy (where Julian lives),’ insisted a McCartney source. As for Beatles activities, such as the Love anniversary in Vegas, they were organised by the Beatles’ holding company Apple — and Yoko, who Julian once accused of wanting to ‘deny Dad’s English family’, serves as the sole Lennon representative for it. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share But it is little wonder that John’s Lennon’s 48-year-old oldest son sees darker forces behind the snub. The truth is, Julian has fought to be part of the Beatles story since his birth in 1963. He and his mother were the band’s dirty little secret; manager Brian Epstein was so determined to make the foursome appear single and available that — even as reporters knocked on the door of Liverpool home where Julian was being nursed by Cynthia — he ordered flunkies to deny their existence. Julian's mother, Cynthia Lennon, was in attendance at his first photographic show - and so was Yoko Ono and her son - his half-brother - Sean Lennon Once the story was out, Julian remained out of sight; his father was either on tour or carousing with other women. And when Yoko Ono came onto the scene in 1967, precipitating the break-up of his parents’ marriage when Julian was just five, he was firmly ousted from his father’s life. They didn’t see one another for months, even years, at a time. Ever since, Julian has been fighting to be acknowledged. He is asked about his father wherever he goes and his own musical talent — he is a songwriter, guitarist and singer — has been overshadowed by the awe in which John is held. Little wonder he occasionally struggles to maintain his composure: ‘I have a short temper. However, getting angry, negative and aggressive; it does no good. Dad used to shout in your face and scream. I recognised traits I had that were the same as his, so I stopped.’ Or, at least, he’s attempting to improve his temper. Shortly after venting his fury on the internet this week, he took the message off Facebook and replaced it with another, which said: ‘Rising above . . . Always have, Always will . . . And better for it . . . I Luv you Mum . . . Thank You.’ Manager Brian Epstein was so determined to make the Beatles appear single and available that - he ordered flunkies to deny Cynthia and Julian's existence Cynthia, who married three times after John but kept the Lennon name as it helped her find work as an artist, has had to pick up the pieces. Even before he left Liverpool for New York with Yoko in 1968, John was never much of a father. It took him three days to meet his son and then he immediately went back on tour. Often, postcards were his only communication for weeks on end. Paul McCartney felt so sorry for the young boy that he wrote Hey Jude to cheer him up soon after Cynthia and John divorced. From then on, despite the millions John was making, he kept Cynthia and Julian on a financially-tight leash — they got an allowance of £2,400 a year in maintenance until his death. Things got worse when John was murdered and Julian was just 17. After John divorced Cynthia he kept her and Julian on a financially-tight leash For Julian wasn’t named in John’s will and it took him 16 years — and the threat of a prolonged court case — to persuade Yoko to hand over any of the Beatles’s millions. So, while Sean and Yoko enjoy an inheritance of £200 million, Julian is believed to have received £20 million in 1996. But he has always said the thing that hurt most was Yoko did not allow him to keep any of his father’s possessions. He has since bought back items from auction houses, including the postcards his father sent him from around the world. ‘The irony isn’t lost on me that I am using his money to buy back his things,’ he said, when he exhibited some of the memorabilia he collected. ‘The postcards meant the most to me, as they showed he was thinking about me when he wasn’t around.’ Julian has even admitted the way his father treated him made him decide against becoming a dad. ‘The reason I decided not to have kids in the past was because I didn’t want to fall into the same pattern.’ He would like to have children now, but while he has been engaged twice — to socialite Lucy Bayliss and actress Olivia d’Abo — he has never married and is currently single. Home is a small house near Lake Como in Italy, which he once dreamed he would share with a wife and family. Although he has lived in many places — Wales, Majorca, Monte Carlo, and New York — Italy has always felt most like home, as it was where he would spend summers with the only man who ever acted like a father, his mother’s second husband, restaurateur Roberto Bassanini. Yoko, John and Julian in 1968 One former friend says he wonders whether Julian will ever find happiness. ‘He loves his mum, but that is the only relationship he has ever had that sticks,’ says the friend. ‘He can never relax and open up; he thinks everyone’s out to use him because his dad was John Lennon the legend. One of the few people who can understand him is his half-brother, Sean. The son of Yoko Ono and John, Sean had everything Julian didn’t. John announced he was retiring from the music industry while Yoko was pregnant with Sean, quitting work to look after his ‘beautiful boy’. Sean, subsequently, grew up in a New York apartment worth millions. ‘Sean had it all,’ Julian later recalled. ‘And I just thought: “Hmmm, I see. I see where the love’s going with this.” And there are Mum and I scraping by.’ Yet, just as John deserted Julian when he was five years old, Sean was also just five when the Beatle was brutally shot down by Mark Chapman. And, despite their mutual animosity, Yoko turned to Julian to help Sean in the aftermath. She did not know how to tell him his father had died and asked for his advice. She encouraged a friendship of sorts between the two; just as John had given Julian his first guitar, Julian bought one for Sean and taught him how to play it. There was a brief time in the Nineties when the two did not talk, mainly because of the ongoing court case over Julian’s financial settlement. But Julian forged some kind of private reconciliation in 2007 when he turned up unannounced on his brother’s tour of Eastern Europe and ended up staying for two weeks. Julian has even admitted the way his father treated him made him decide against becoming a dad Some of the photographs he took on that tour formed the centrepieces of his New York exhibition, which both his mother and his stepmother attended last September. Although he has been seen with Yoko and Sean before at Beatles events (usually scowling from separate sides of the room), it was the first time they have appeared to be supportive of him. As Julian launched the show, he announced he was finally comfortable with himself. ‘I have turned everything around,’ he said. ‘I am starting to have a winning streak.’ Paul wrote Hey Jude to cheer Julian up soon after Cynthia and John divorced To that end, last month he brought out his first album in 13 years. He had some success as a solo musician in the late Eighties, but quit the music business when, immediately after writing one album, his record label demanded another. The latest album, perhaps aptly titled Everything Changes, has garnered some positive reviews — although it’s failed to make it into the top 20 in Britain. He is still hoping to release it in America next month. ‘Julian is a perfectionist and that is partly because he wants to live up to his father’s talent,’ says a record source who has worked with Julian. ‘Although he constantly talks about what a terrible father John was, Julian is still the archetypal child who was deprived of his father’s love and still wants to win his approval.’ Tellingly, he often carries a white feather in memory of his father and he has named his charity — which funds everything from environmental projects to spiritual healers in London cancer wards — The White Feather Foundation. It’s a habit that stems from a rather eccentric story his father once told him; that when John died he would return to Julian as a white feather. ‘I realise that hate wastes a lot of time and energy and I would rather re-direct any energy I have to good and positive use,’ he insisted when he launched his charity. ‘It’s a connection. It’s a bloodline. It’s a love line — you can’t just ignore that.’ And who can blame him for still desperately wanting that bloodline to be acknowledged — after all the pain it has caused him?	Seán
In what decade were driving tests first introduced into Britain?	Julian Lennon blames father John for his lack of children - Telegraph Julian Lennon blames father John for his lack of children John Lennon was such a bad father that he put his own son, Julian, off having children. British rock singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lennon (1940 - 1980), of Beatles fame, with his son Julian, at their home in Weybridge Photo: GETTY By Richard Eden, Mandrake, and Adam Lusher 7:32AM GMT 04 Dec 2011 Julian Lennon, 48, John Lennon's son by his first wife, Cynthia, has revealed that his difficult relationship with his famous father has discouraged him from starting a family. Julian, who has never married, said that – unlike his father – he wanted to be mature enough to cope with fatherhood. “He was young and didn’t know what the hell he was doing," Julian said. "That’s the reason I haven’t had children yet. I didn’t want to do the same thing. No, I’m not ready. I want to know who I am first.” Lennon’s comments, made in an interview with Record Collector magazine, are perhaps his most forthright yet about his relationship with his father. Julian, himself a musician, was five when John left Cynthia for Yoko Ono in 1968. When Julian was born at the start of Beatlemania in 1963, John Lennon was away on tour. Brian Epstein, the Beatles' manager, initially covered up the fact that John was married with a child to make him more appealing to female fans. Related Articles Julian Lennon on John and Cynthia 01 Apr 2015 After Lennon and Ono moved to New York in 1971, Julian did not see his father again for two years. The pair were later reconciled, but Julian was still hurt when John gave an interview shortly before he was killed by Mark Chapman in 1980, in which he implied that Julian was an unplanned child who “came from a bottle of whiskey”. Julian told an interviewer in September: “Mum was more about love than Dad. He sang about it, he spoke about, but he never really gave it, at least not to me as his son." He added that he had to control the aggression he inherited from his father: “The darker side definitely comes from Dad. Whenever I get too aggressive, which comes from Dad's side, I try to calm myself down, be more positive." Julian has, however, also shown understanding of his father’s situation – in particular the fact that he was a young parent who had himself endured a difficult childhood. John Lennon went 20 years without seeing his father Alfred and grew up living with his aunt Mimi, not his mother Julia. Julian Lennon has also had difficult relationships with Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon, Yoko and John’s son. In 2009, he admitted he once “unleashed hell” on Yoko over her control of the Lennon estate, but insisted the pair had since reconciled. He has also admitted jealousy of Sean, 36, saying: “I remember thinking, when Dad gave up music for a couple of years to be with Sean, "Why couldn't he do that with me?" Those thoughts haunted me for a time.” By 2007, however, relations between Sean and Julian had improved so much that Julian accompanied Sean, also a musician, on a tour of Croatia and Slovenia. Julian’s childhood difficulties did, however, produce one of the Beatles’ most famous songs. Paul McCartney wrote Hey Jude as a message to Julian when he was on his way to see Cynthia as the marriage was ending. The song was originally "Hey Jules", but McCartney decided Jude scanned better before recording it.	i don't know
Who became the deputy leader of the Labour party in September 2015?	Labour leadership: At-a-glance guide to the contenders - BBC News Labour leadership: At-a-glance guide to the contenders 12 September 2015 Image copyright Getty Images The candidates: Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Kendall Key dates: Ballot papers will be sent out on 14 August; voting can take place by post or online. They must be returned by 10 September. The result is on 12 September Who can vote? All party members, registered supporters and affiliated supporters - including those joining via a union The voting system? The Alternative Vote system is being used so voters are asked to rank candidates in order of preference How does it work? If no candidate gets 50% of all votes cast, the candidate in fourth place is eliminated. Their second preference votes are then redistributed among the remaining three. If there is still no winner, the third place candidate is eliminated with their preferences redistributed. It is then a head-to-head between the last two candidates Andy Burnham Image copyright Getty Images The Labour MP for Leigh since 2001, Andy Burnham has plenty of government experience. He served as health secretary under Gordon Brown and previously as culture secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury. He stood for the leadership in 2010 but lost out to Ed Miliband, going on to hold the shadow health brief under Mr Miliband's leadership. Declaring his intention to stand, he said Labour must support the "aspirations of everyone". Mr Burnham says he'll widen Labour's appeal by taking the party out of the "Westminster bubble", with a vision to helping "everyone get on in life". Media captionAndy Burnham: Modern Labour 'couldn't have created NHS' He has also pledged to take a tougher line on opposition to the government's welfare reforms, following a split within the party over its stance not to oppose the welfare bill. Mr Burnham is married with three children. Before he entered politics he worked for a newspaper and a publishing company. Yvette Cooper Image copyright HoP Another former chief secretary to the Treasury - as well as a work and pensions minister under Gordon Brown - Yvette Cooper has been shadow home secretary for the past four years. A strong Commons performer, she has given Home Secretary Theresa May a hard time over matters including passport delays, border controls and extremism. She did not stand to succeed Mr Brown in 2010 - her husband Ed Balls did. Announcing her bid this time around, she said: "Our promise of hope wasn't strong enough to drown out the Tory and UKIP voices of fear. That's what we need to change." She says she has the "strength, experience and progressive ideas" that Labour needs to win again, promising a "stronger" economy and "fairer, less divided society". Media captionYvette Cooper rejects claims her campaign is "boring" She says she wants to combat child poverty, has pledged to campaign against government plans to limit future child tax credit to two children and to bring about a childcare and digital "revolution". Ms Cooper is married to former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls, and the couple have three children. She worked as a journalist prior to her political career. Jeremy Corbyn Image copyright Labour The veteran left-wing MP for Islington North entered the contest to get an "anti-austerity" voice into the debate on Labour's future. The 66-year-old told his local newspaper, the Islington Gazette, he had decided to stand in response to an "overwhelming" desire among Labour members for a "broader" range of candidates. After a last-minute scramble for nominations, he made it on to the ballot paper just before the deadline thanks to a number of MPs who did not want him to be leader "lending" him their nominations "to broaden the debate". Mr Corbyn, who is promising to protect public services and increase taxes on the wealthy, was seen as a rank outsider, but support for his candidacy has risen significantly - with one poll putting him in the lead. His campaign has received trade union backing, with Unite and Unison - Britain's two biggest unions - among those endorsing his candidacy. Media captionJeremy Corbyn criticises MPs' 'faux drama' in Parliament A vice-chair of CND and a columnist for the Morning Star, Mr Corbyn has frequently been at odds with his party over the past 20 years, opposing the Iraq war and other foreign interventions and backing public ownership of the banks. He also wants to scrap Britain's nuclear weapons programme, and tuition fees in England. Mr Corbyn has been married three times and has three children with his second wife. He used to be a trade union organiser and a Haringey councillor, in London. Liz Kendall Image copyright Getty Images Shadow health minister Liz Kendall was the first Labour MP to say they wanted a crack at the party's top job, saying a "fundamentally new approach" was needed. First elected to Parliament in 2010 as MP for Leicester West and appointed to the shadow front bench the same year, Ms Kendall is seen as a Blairite contender. She is a former special adviser to Harriet Harman and then Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt who has argued for reform of public services. Ms Kendall has acknowledged she is the "outside candidate" but says the party needs "a fresh start". She rejected calls to stand down from the contest and back another candidate to beat Mr Corbyn. She says she'll regain the public's trust in Labour on the economy, promising sound public finances and protection of the poor and vulnerable. Her pitch stresses the need to make the party electable, saying that the party won't be able to help people if it is in opposition. Media captionLiz Kendall on the perceived sexism she says she's received on her campaign Ms Kendall is not married and does not have children. She worked for two think-tanks: the Institute for Public Policy Research and the King's Fund, and was also a political adviser to Harriet Harman in the 1990s. Liz Kendall's vision for government Deputy leadership contenders At the same time, a election is taking place for deputy leader, with five candidates in the frame. Ben Bradshaw Image copyright Getty Images A former journalist and Labour cabinet minister, Ben Bradshaw has been the MP for Exeter since 1997. He plans a "big tent" approach to ensure Labour does not miss out on votes in the south of England, saying the party has to "broaden its appeal". Reflecting on who should replace Ed Miliband, he said: "I would prefer to see one of the new generation come forward rather than someone associated with the Blair and Brown era. "If we really want to win in 2020 - and I think we need to for the country's sake - I would like to see someone from the new generation without that baggage from the past." Stella Creasy Image copyright PA The Walthamstow MP has a growing reputation as a hard-working campaigning MP. Another from the 2010 intake, she was praised for campaign against payday loans companies, and has a strong following on social media. She told the Sunday Mirror : "Too many voters think Labour is no longer a movement for social justice but a machine that only kicks in to gear at election time." Angela Eagle Image copyright labour party Shadow Commons Leader Angela Eagle plans to travel the country to speak to people who did the "hard graft" in the election campaign. The MP for Wallasey said Labour could not be "complacent" if it was to reverse its general election defeat. Ms Eagle, an MP since 1992, held a number of ministerial jobs during the last Labour government and in 2013 became chair of the Labour Party. She is arguably best-known for having a twin sister, Maria, who is also a Labour MP. Caroline Flint Image copyright PA The MP for Don Valley has been Labour's shadow energy and climate change secretary since 2011, after a stint heading up the Department for Communities and Local Government. Ms Flint held on to her current position in the latest shadow cabinet reshuffle. She also held various ministerial positions during Gordon Brown's premiership, but famously resigned as Europe minister after accusing him of treating her and her female colleagues as "window dressing". Tom Watson Image copyright Getty Images The MP for West Bromwich since 2001. He has made a name for himself as a prominent backbench campaigner against phone hacking and child sex abuse. He also played a minor role in the toppling of Tony Blair after resigning as a defence minister and calling for the-then PM to quit in the interest of party and country. Watson became Labour's campaign chief under Ed Miliband but he quit after a he became embroiled in a row about the role of the Unite union in the candidate selection in Falkirk. Setting out his pitch for the job, he said: "I'm seeking the deputy leadership to do one thing: write and execute the election battle plan so that our new leader will be prime minister." Labour candidate for London Mayor Sadiq Khan was selected as Labour's candidate in next year's London mayoral race. He won 48,152 votes - a 58.9% share - in the fifth round of voting beating five other candidates. Sadiq Khan - selected Image copyright PA Sadiq Khan launched his bid to be London mayor with an attack on incumbent Boris Johnson, describing him as a "red carpet mayor, somebody who is fantastic going to openings, great with a flute of champagne in his hands". The son of a bus driver, Mr Khan worked as a human rights solicitor before becoming an MP in 2005. He is shadow London minister. A close ally of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, Mr Khan served in junior ministerial roles in Gordon Brown's government. Mr Khan, the MP for Tooting, said his top priority if elected would be to tackle London's "housing crisis", ensuring "genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy". Mr Khan said he would also focus on affordable public transport and confirmed he had changed his mind on the issue of a third runway at Heathrow Airport over air pollution fears, and would be campaigning against expansion. Tessa Jowell - runner up Image copyright Getty Images Ex-minister Dame Tessa Jowell was regarded as the frontrunner going into the contest, but ultimately came second with 41.1% of the vote in the fifth round of voting. The former Dulwich and West Norwood MP, who stood down at the general election after 20 years in Parliament, earned widespread plaudits for the role she played in London's bid for the 2012 Olympics and her subsequent performance as Olympics minister. The former culture secretary, who was a psychiatric social worker before entering politics, was a key figure at the heart of New Labour - she once said she would "jump under a bus" for Tony Blair. Diane Abbott - eliminated A familiar face to viewers of BBC One's This Week, Diane Abbott is a veteran left winger who first entered the Commons in 1987, as one of Britain's first black MPs. She came third in the vote. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP was shadow public health spokesman under Ed Miliband, after losing out to him in the 2010 Labour leadership contest. Launching her mayoral bid, she had said she would bring London's communities together and be the "genuinely independently minded Mayor that London needs". David Lammy - eliminated The MP for Tottenham, who placed fourth in the vote, was the first person to publicly weigh up a Labour leadership bid, telling the BBC that he would consider standing if colleagues wanted him to. But he later ruled himself out of the top job, saying his principal aim was to become Labour's candidate for Mayor of London in 2016, saying "my strengths are in London and the south". One of the most prominent black MPs in the party, the former barrister is regarded as being on the right of the party, having served as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. His national profile rose during the 2011 riots in London, when he appealed for calm and reconciliation in the wake of the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan in his north London constituency. Christian Wolmar - eliminated A journalist and railway historian, Christian Wolmar is one of Britain's most in-demand transport pundits, and was the only non-politician in the race. He came in fifth place, after David Lammy. He said he would be an "ideas driven mayor", avoiding "partisan and personality politics" - and promised during his campaign to tackle London's "housing crisis", improve the transport network and revitalise public spaces. The 65-year-old cycles to campaign meeting and claims to have clocked up more than 2,000 miles already. Gareth Thomas - eliminated Image copyright Labour Party The MP for Harrow West came in last place after being eliminated in the first round of voting with 1.2% of the vote. He had campaigned on a promise of more affordable homes, a better transport system and a living wage "that reflects the reality of living in our great city". Mr Thomas is a former international development minister and chairman of the Co-operative Party. The non-runners: Mary Creagh - withdrew Image copyright Getty Images The shadow international development secretary announced her intention to join the race for the Labour leadership, via an article in the Daily Mail. However, with fewer nominations than anyone else in the field - and short of the 35 MP nomination target - she pulled out of the contest on 12 June. The Wakefield MP said she was "proud to have played my part" in the race but had decided to withdraw so her supporters could nominate another candidate. Chuka Umunna - withdrew Chuka Umunna was the second candidate to declare he would stand for election as leader of the Labour Party. A rising star of the party, the Streatham MP was first elected to Parliament in 2010 and appointed shadow business secretary the following year. He announced his intention to stand via a post on his Facebook page . He said he had spoken to half the Labour 80 candidates standing in Tory seats targeted by the party and other MPs before making his announcement. However, three days later Mr Umunna withdrew from the leadership contest. He said in a statement posted on his Twitter feed that had been uncomfortable with the level of "sheer pressure" and scrutiny that came with being a candidate. The 36-year-old added that it had perhaps been "too soon" for him to launch a leadership bid. Rachel Reeves - ruled out Image copyright AFP Another rising star of the 2010 intake, the MP for Leeds West was appointed shadow chief secretary to the Treasury in 2011 and shadow work and pensions secretary in 2013. She told BBC News Labour needs "to be in the centre ground to win a general election" but ruled herself out of a leadership bid. Alan Johnson - ruled out A former home secretary and shadow chancellor, Alan Johnson is the Labour leadership candidate who never quite was. The popular MP declined to stand in 2010 and stepped down from his shadow cabinet role in 2011 for personal reasons. Earlier this year it was reported that senior New Labour figures Lord Mandelson and Alistair Campbell approached Mr Johnson over a leadership bid, although all three later distanced themselves from the story. But the former postman, who has been MP for Hull West and Hessle since 1997, had seemingly ruled himself out again, saying it is a "10-year job" and he does not have the "right qualities". Dan Jarvis - ruled out Image copyright Other Former army officer Dan Jarvis was elected MP for Barnsley Central in a by-election in 2011, having resigned his commission as a major in the Parachute Regiment to contest the seat. After entering Parliament in 2010, he quickly became a shadow culture, media and sport minister and later a shadow justice minister. In 2011, Mr Jarvis became the first serving politician in more than 60 years to be awarded a military honour, when he was made an MBE for his services to the armed forces. He has been touted by some colleagues as a future Labour leader but Mr Jarvis, who was widowed in 2010 and has a young family, ruled himself out, saying it is not the "right time" for him and his family. Tristram Hunt - ruled out Historian and journalist Tristram Hunt entered Parliament in 2010 as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central and he became shadow education secretary in 2013. Speaking in the aftermath of the election results, he called on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee "not to rush our election", saying there was time for a "brutal post-mortem" about Labour's "underlying philosophy and thinking". As for his own ambitions, he said "it's about the lyrics as much as the lead singer I think". He later said he was not confident of getting enough nominations to stand, and would support Liz Kendall. Rushanara Ali - withdrew Rushanara Ali withdrew from the deputy leadership campaign shortly before the deadline for nominations after it became clear she would not garner enough support. Her exit allowed her supporters to transfer their backing to other candidates to enable them to get onto the ballot paper. She was praised by fellow candidate Ben Bradshaw for her "incredibly selfless" decision. John Healey - withdrew Image copyright PA John Healey has pulled out of the race to be Labour's next deputy leader despite gaining the backing of 20 MPs, putting him within striking distance of the 35 needed to get on the ballot paper. When he entered the deputy race he said he was concerned about how "narrow and shallow" the debate about Labour's future direction has been so far. He now says he wants to give other candidates, from different wings of the party, a chance to be deputy. The 55-year old is backing Yvette Cooper for leader. Gloria de Piero - withdrew Image copyright Getty Images A former GMTV presenter, Gloria de Piero joined Parliament as the MP for Ashfield in 2010. She immediately rose to shadow ministerial ranks, taking on a culture, media and sport brief and then home affairs. She expressed an interest in becoming deputy leader but withdrew early in the contest, instead backing Tom Watson. Simon Danczuk - ruled out Image copyright Getty Images The MP for Rochdale says the deputy leader vacancy has "come a bit too soon" for him. He previously said a number of colleagues had asked him to put his name forward for the role. Mr Danczuk is well known for his prominent campaigning against child sex abuse and leading calls for an inquiry into allegations of historical child sex abuse by senior figures at Westminster. He was a vocal critic of Ed Miliband and in an article for the Daily Telegraph on Thursday he said Labour needed to "step out if its Metropolitan comfort zone" and "reach out to the country once more." Keir Starmer - ruled out Image copyright Reuters The former director of public prosecutions has only just become an MP after being elected in Frank Dobson's old seat of Holborn and St Pancras, in North London at the general election. He was forced to rule himself out of the race to be Labour leader following a social media campaign urging him to stand. He said he was "flattered" by the campaign but the party needed someone with "more political experience". David Miliband - cannot stand in election The older brother of ex-leader Ed, David Miliband was frontrunner to replace Gordon Brown in 2010, until his sibling beat him by a whisker. A former foreign secretary and MP for South Shields, he was the Blairite choice for leader but eventually quit Parliament to become head of the International Rescue Committee charity in New York in 2013. Speaking to the BBC from the US on the Monday after the general election, Mr Miliband criticised his brother's campaign in the 2015 general election, saying he and Mr Brown had "allowed themselves to be portrayed as moving backwards from the principles of aspiration and inclusion that are the absolute heart of any successful progressive political project". While he acknowledged the two men were "brothers for life", he also confirmed he was not eligible to stand for the party leadership as he is not an MP. Labour's election rules Image copyright AFP MPs wishing to stand as leader and deputy leader have to be nominated by 15% of their colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party to be eligible to stand. As Labour now has 232 MPs, this means prospective candidates had to get at least 34 signatures. That means the maximum size of any field is six contenders. Under rules agreed last year, all Labour Party members, registered supporters and affiliated supporters - including union members - will be allowed a maximum of one vote each on a one member, one vote system. When the election is held, they will be asked to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate gets 50% of all votes cast, the votes will be added up and the candidate with the fewest votes eliminated. Their 2nd preference votes will then be redistributed until one candidate has 50% of all votes cast.	Thomas Watson
Umnak, Unimak and Unalaska are islands in which group, belonging to the USA?	Results of the Labour Leadership elections – The Labour Party Share with your friends Tweet this story The Labour Party has elected our new Leader and Deputy Leader. Jeremy Corbyn is the new Leader and Tom Watson is the new Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. The results are as follows: Labour Party Leadership	i don't know
In the news in Somerset in April, what is a Hudsonian Godwit?	Twitchers gather for rare sighting: Hudsonian Godwit is spotted in the UK for only the third time after making a 4,000 mile detour to Somerset \| Daily Mail Online Twitchers gather for rare sighting: Hudsonian Godwit is spotted in the UK for only the third time after making a 4,000 mile detour to Somerset Rare bird was heading from South America to breeding grounds in Alaska Large shorebird - with long beak and spindly legs - last seen in UK in 1988 Over the weekend, more than 1,000 twitchers had lined the water's edge comments More than a thousand twitchers travelled to Somerset this weekend after a rare bird was spotted for only the third time in the UK. They descended on the West Country when a Hudsonian Godwit made a 4,000 mile detour from South America. It is believed the large shorebird - that was heading to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska - was last seen in the UK in 1988. The Hudsonian Godwit was spotted at the Shapwick Heath in Somerset and drew scores of bird watchers More than a thousand bird watchers and photographers lined the water's edge to catch a glimpse of the bird The wader - with a long beak and spindly legs - is now inhabiting the same space as its English counterparts, the Black Tailed Godwit at the Shapwick Heath, in Somerset. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share The commotion started when a birdwatcher identified one of the rare birds on the Somerset Levels and word got around. Over the weekend, more than 1,000 twitchers had lined the water's edge. The wader is now inhabiting the same space as its English counterparts, the Black Tailed Godwit Photographers line the water's shore to take the perfect shot of the rare bird, only in the UK for the third time BIRD LAST SEEN IN THE UK IN 1988 Each spring the Hudsonian Godwit heads from South America to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska. In good weather, many birds make the trip south without stopping. A small number migrate in the wrong direction. These birds forage by probing in shallow water. They mainly eat insects and crustaceans. Both parents look after the young birds, who find their own food and are able to fly within a month of hatching. Their numbers were reduced by hunting at the end of the 19th century. One birdwatcher Michael Trew, 70, said word spread about the bird via an online forum at 7.30am yesterday. The retired quantity surveyor said: 'By the time I got there at about 9.30am there was the best part of 200 people there, but about 1,000 had turned up by the time I left. 'I think the last time anyone saw one of these it was about 30 years ago. 'It's not a migrating bird - it's not supposed to be here at all - and we can only assume it is one that has got lost. 'We only think that it has got mixed up in a flock of migrating birds and made its way here. It is quite a strange affair. We don't know how long it has even been here. 'It was spotted by someone who thought 'that one looks a bit different' but these things have to be verified before you get people driving from all over the place to see it. 'Someone came and checked and the word went out about 7.30am. 'I have only been bird watching for five years so it is quite good to have seen one - some people will have waited 30 years. 'They have just built a new car park down there which is just as well because it was filled and then double parked. 'It was a really nice day with everyone down there.'	Bird (disambiguation)
A mendacious person is prone to doing what?	Wild Wings and Wanderings: Hudsonian Godwit Twitch Wild Wings and Wanderings Tuesday, 5 May 2015 Hudsonian Godwit Twitch Sunday was the first opportunity for me to go and see the Hudsonian Godwit on the somerset Levels being the first day that it was present and I wasn't at work. Bun had already seen it on its first day obviously, but I asked him if he'd like to go again, I mean, who wouldn't?! He told me that Tim W. was looking to get a lift because he hadn't got a car at the moment, so late morning after hearing the news that it was still present the three of us set off. I must say the relatively short drive up to the Somerset levels seemed to take a lot less time than usual as we were entertained by Tim's tales of his recent holiday to Lesvos and by the time we arrived at the massive new car park at Ashcott corner I was well and truly gripped off! I really must go to Greece some day. It was lovely and sunny when we arrived at the scrape, where the bird was in view but fast asleep in amongst the large Blackwit flock. Apparently it had been like this for most of the morning, but not to worry because no sooner had the sky turned a lovely shade of black and began tipping it down the whole flock woke up and began to feed. I didn't see much of this because I'd retreated to hide in the bushes until the shower had passed. When the rained eventually stopped some great views were had although the light was often poor so digiscoping proved quite difficult. The flock also had a couple of short fly-abouts and I managed to get a few flight shots too. As always at large twitches it was nice to catch up with a few familiar faces as well. We stayed for around three hours and as well as the Hudwit we also saw a Cuckoo, a drake Garganey, several Hobbies, Great White Egrets and Marsh Harriers and heard a Bittern too. It was quite unusual at this excellent reserve to have not seen one though. For a Sunday there weren't that many people but it was the bird's 6th (and last it seems) day. The large scrape behind the ditch is where the Godwit flock was and as you can see it's pretty distant but scope views were excellent. The sky was this colour for most of the time but fortunately it only rained heavily the once. For a long time the view was like this but eventually the birds spread out and gave some great views. It really stands out from the crowd in flight both from below... ...And above.	i don't know

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.