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Murdered by a bomb in asmall fishing boat off County Sligo, in which year did Lord Louis Mountbattendie?	BBC ON THIS DAY \| 27 \| 1979: IRA bomb kills Lord Mountbatten About This Site \| Text Only 1979: IRA bomb kills Lord Mountbatten The Queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, has been killed by a bomb blast on his boat in Ireland. One of the earl's twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14, and Paul Maxwell, 15, a local employed as a boat boy, also died in the explosion. The attack was followed only hours later by the massacre of 18 soldiers, killed in two booby-trap bomb explosions near Warrenpoint close to the border with the Irish Republic. The IRA has already admitted carrying out the attack on Lord Mountbatten. A statement from the organisation said: "This operation is one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country." Lord Mountbatten, aged 79, and his family had traditionally spent their summer holiday at their castle in County Sligo, north west of Ireland. They were aboard his boat, Shadow V, which had just set off from the fishing village of Mullaghmore, when the bomb detonated around 1130 BST. A witness said the blast blew the boat "to smithereens" and hurled all seven occupants into the water. Nearby fishermen raced to the rescue and pulled Lord Mountbatten out of the water. Security arrangements	one thousand nine hundred and seventy nine
Who was the recipient of the 1981 Booker Prize for their novel 'Midnight's Children'?	Lord Mountbatten profile - BBC News BBC News By Henrietta McMicking BBC News 20 May 2015 Close share panel Image copyright BBC Sport During a trip to Ireland, the Prince of Wales has paid tribute to his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten and visited the place where he was killed. But who was the man Charles has described as "the grandfather I never had"? Lord Louis Mountbatten was murdered on 27 August 1979 when the IRA detonated a bomb on his family's fishing boat in the harbour of Mullaghmore, north west Ireland. Earl Mountbatten of Burma was not only second cousin to the Queen but his remarkable life was inextricably linked to some of the key moments of the 20th Century. He served in two world wars, was involved in the partition of India and the Suez Crisis and died in one of the bloodiest days in Northern Ireland's Troubles. Royal upbringing Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas, Prince of Battenberg, was born in Windsor in 1900 while his great grandmother, Queen Victoria, was still on the throne. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Prince Louis of Battenberg was known to family and close friends as Dickie. His sister was Princess Alice of Battenberg, mother to the Duke of Edinburgh, making him Prince Charles's great uncle. During WW1 their father changed the family name from Battenberg to Mountbatten, and he became known as Lord Louis Mountbatten. Public life Mountbatten joined the Royal Navy in 1916 and served at sea in World War One. This was the start of a long and illustrious naval career, which ended when he retired in 1965. In World War Two, he commanded the destroyer HMS Kelly when it was sunk by German dive bombers off the coast of Crete with the loss of more than half the crew. The Kelly and her captain were later immortalised in Noel Coward's film In Which We Serve. Mountbatten was appointed chief of combined operations, preparing for the eventual invasion of occupied Europe, and was responsible for the disastrous Dieppe raid of August 1942. It was in this role, according to historians John Keegan and Andrew Wheatcroft, that Mountbatten revealed his great talent: "He was a fixer, using diplomacy, flattery, threats and cajoling to achieve his ends." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption From left Jawaharlal Nehru, Lord Ismay, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the New Delhi conference on the partition of India In October 1943, Mountbatten became the supreme allied commander, South East Asia Command, with responsibilities which stretched from India and Sri Lanka to Burma, Malaya and Indo-China. In September 1945, he received the Japanese surrender at Singapore. Once the war ended, decisions were political as much as military as local forces were reluctant to return to military rule. In 1947 Clement Attlee persuaded Mountbatten to serve as the last viceroy of India, overseeing the British withdrawal. The newly created Earl Mountbatten of Burma had hoped for the creation of an independent united India but on 15 August 1947 British India was partitioned into the new states of India and Pakistan, resulting in widespread inter-communal violence. In 1950s Mountbatten returned to the navy. He was appointed first sea lord - a position his father held 40 years before - and in 1959 he became chief of the defence staff. Image copyright PA Image caption Prince Charles and Lord Mountbatten meet driver Jackie Stewart before the 1968 British Grand Prix 'Uncle Dickie' Mountbatten had a strong influence in the upbringing of his great-nephew, the Prince of Wales. He has been described as his godfather, but it was Mountbatten's mother - also the Prince Charles's great grandmother - who was one of the Prince's godparents. Speaking in Ireland on Wednesday, Prince Charles described Lord Mountbatten as "the grandfather I never had." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Lord Mountbatten married the heiress Edwina Ashley in 1922 Mountbatten and his family would spend summers at Classiebawn Castle in County Sligo. On August bank holiday Monday 1979 the family had just set off aboard Mountbatten's boat, Shadow V, from the village of Mullaghmore, when the bomb detonated around 1130. A witness said the blast blew the boat "to smithereens" and hurled all seven occupants into the water. Nearby fishermen raced to the rescue and pulled Mountbatten out of the water but his legs had been almost severed by the explosion and he died shortly afterwards. Three others died in the attack, Mountbatten's 14-year-old grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, the Dowager Lady Brabourne and 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, who was working as a boat boy. Other survivors were pulled out of the water and rushed to hospital. Image copyright PA Image caption Classiebawn castle, in the north west of Ireland, had been inherited by Lord Mountbatten's wife Edwina Mountbatten's funeral took place in Westminster Abbey and he was buried at Romsey Abbey, near his home at Broadlands, in Hampshire. Since he had no sons, Mountbatten's eldest daughter, Patricia, inherited his title.	i don't know
Tomas de Torquemada born 1420 died 1498, was a prominent leader of what?	Tomás de Torquemada (1420 - 1498) - Genealogy Tomás de Torquemada Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love Build your family tree online Share photos and videos Valladolid, Valladolid, Castille and Leon, Spain Death: Between Jan 10 1420 and Jan 9 1421 - Valladolid,Spain Death: father About Tomás de Torquemada Tomás de Torquemada, O.P. (1420 – September 16, 1498) was a 15th-century Spanish Dominican friar and the first Grand Inquisitor in Spain's movement to restore Christianity among its populace in the late 15th century. As well as being the Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada was also the confessor to Isabella I of Castile. He is notorious for his zealous campaign against the crypto-Jews and crypto-Muslims of Spain. He was one of the chief supporters of the Alhambra Decree, which expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492. About 2,000 people were burned at the stake by the Spanish Inquisition between 1480 and 1530. In modern times, his name has become synonymous with the Christian Inquisition’s horror, religious bigotry, and cruel fanaticism. Tomás de Torquemada was born in Valladolid, Castile-León, Spain.[citation needed] He was the nephew of a celebrated theologian and cardinal, Juan de Torquemada, who himself was a descendant of a converso (someone who had converted to Christianity from Islam or Judaism). Tomás de Torquemada entered the local Dominican monastery of San Pablo at a very young age. As a zealous advocate of church orthodoxy, Torquemada earned a solid reputation for the triple virtues of learning, piety, and austerity. As a result, he was chosen to be prior of the monastery of Santa Cruz at Segovia. During this time, Torquemada met the young Princess Isabella I and the two immediately established good relations. For a number of years, Torquemada served as her regular confessor and personal advisor. He was present at Isabella’s coronation in 1474, and remained her closest ally and supporter. Torquemada even advised her to marry King Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 in order to consolidate their kingdoms and form a power base that he could draw upon for his own purposes. In 1492, he was one of the chief supporters of the Alhambra Decree, which resulted in the mass expulsion of Jews from Spain. Establishment of the Holy Office of the Inquisition Torquemada's concern towards the Spanish Jews grew as he perceived them gaining increasing religious influence on and economic domination of Spain; he firmly believed that the Jews were undermining the Sovereigns’ power and, even more important, the Catholic religion. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed, and so implored Pope Sixtus IV to grant their request for a Holy Office to administer an inquisition in Spain. The pope having granted their request, the Holy Office was established late in 1478. The pope appointed a number of inquisitors for the Spanish Kingdoms early in the year of 1482, and Torquemada was one of them. A year later, he was named Grand Inquisitor of Spain, which he remained to his death in 1498, leaving to posterity an extraordinary picture of absolute devotion and apostolic implacability. In the fifteen years of his direction, the Spanish Inquisition grew from the single tribunal at Seville to a network of two dozen 'Holy Offices'. As the Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada reorganized the Spanish Inquisition, which had been set up in Castile in 1478, establishing tribunals at Sevilla (Seville), Jaén, Córdoba, Ciudad Real, and, later, Zaragoza. Torquemada’s quest was to rid Spain of all heresy. Jewish conversos and Marranos (Jews who converted to Christianity, but continued practicing their religion in secret) all fell prey to his fanatical hunt for heretics. Torquemada and his followers accused the marranos of proselytizing to Christian communities. Consequently, Torquemada urged all Catholics to spy on the marranos. Torquemada was described by the Spanish chronicler Sebastián de Olmedo as "the hammer of heretics, the light of Spain, the saviour of his country, the honour of his order". In 1484, he promulgated 28 articles for the guidance of inquisitors, whose competence was extended to include not only crimes of heresy and apostasy, but also sorcery, sodomy, polygamy, blasphemy, usury, and other offenses; torture was authorized in order to obtain evidence. These articles were supplemented by others promulgated between 1484 and 1498. Known for an extreme devotion to his cause, and loyalty to his patrons, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Torquemada headed an organization of ecclesiastical courts which imprisoned, tortured, and burned suspected nonbelievers at the stake. The number of burnings at the stake during Torquemada’s tenure is estimated at about 2,000. Torquemada’s implacable hostility to the Jews probably exercised an influence on the decision of Ferdinand and Isabella to expel from their dominions all Jews who had not embraced Christianity. Under the edict of March 31, 1492, known as the Alhambra Decree, more than 40,000 Jews left Spain. Accusations of excess regarding the Spanish Inquisition can be supported by reference to a papal bull by Pope Sixtus IV dating from early 1482 (before Torquemada's appointment as Grand Inquisitor), affirming that, many true and faithful Christians, because of the testimony of enemies, rivals, slaves and other low people—and still less appropriate—without tests of any kind, have been locked up in secular prisons, tortured and condemned like relapsed heretics, deprived of their goods and properties, and given over to the secular arm to be executed, at great danger to their souls, giving a pernicious example and causing scandal to many. Torquemada, for the first while, improved the procedures of previous inquisitions by moderating the (then widespread) use of torture. Torture was to be used only against those accused who were denounced by two or more people of good nature. The use of torture was intensified only if the accused refused to confess. However, Torquemada showed no mercy to those who refused to repent. Many people were thrown into prison and remained there until death. Many others were either publicly beheaded or burned at the stake. Those condemned to death were forced to wear a sambenito, a black cloak that had designs of hell’s flames or sometimes demons, dragons and snakes engraved on it. Every Spanish Christian over the age of twelve (for girls) and fourteen (for boys) was accountable to the Inquisition. The Inquisition only held jurisdiction over those who had converted to Christianity from Judaism or Islam but who were suspected of secretly practising their old rites, as this corrupted the pure doctrine and faithful practice of the Christian faith. Forced conversions by large numbers, as ordered by cardinal fray Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, took place under significant government pressure. The Treaty of Granada (1491), as negotiated at the final surrender of the Muslim state of Al-Andalus, issued clear protection of religious rights, but with the Alhambra Decree (1492) the reversal began. Anyone who spoke against the Inquisition could fall under suspicion – as with the saints Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. Although the Inquisition is often viewed as being directed against Jews, it actually had no jurisdiction or authority over unconverted Jews or Muslims, and never claimed to have any; only baptised Christians—in other words, persons who claimed to be Catholics—faced possible investigation. Furthermore, of those called to appear before the Holy Office, most were released after their first hearing without any further incident. There is slight disagreement as to the number of victims of the Spanish Inquisition during Torquemada's reign as its Grand Inquisitor. Some scholars believe that he was responsible for the death of 2,000 people. Hernando del Pulgar, Queen Isabella’s secretary, wrote that 2,000 executions took place throughout the entirety of her reign which extended well beyond the death of Torquemada. During his final years, Torquemada’s failing health and advancing age, coupled with widespread complaints, caused Pope Alexander VI to appoint four assistant inquisitors in June 1494 to restrain the Spanish Inquisition. After 15 years as Spain's Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada died in the monastery of St. Thomas in Ávila in 1498. In 1832, Torquemada's tomb was ransacked, his bones stolen and burnt to ashes. For his role in the Spanish Inquisition, Torquemada's name has become synonymous with fanaticism in the service of the Catholic religion. Within his own order, Torquemada was influential as visitator of the reformed Dominican priories of Aragon (1481–88), and his interest in the arts is evidenced in the monastery of St. Thomas at Ávila, where he died. In his private life, Torquemada seems to have been pious and austere, but his official career as an inquisitor was marked by a harsh intransigence, which nevertheless was generally supported by public opinion, at least in the early years. Eventually, Torquemada garnered so much hatred that he traveled with a bodyguard of 50 mounted guards and 250 armed men.[citation needed] Secrecy being one of the keys to the workings of the Inquisition, Torquemada's manual of instructions to the Inquisition (Copilacion de las Instruciones del Offico de la Sancta Inquisicion) did not appear in print publicly until 1576, when it was published in Madrid. Jewish Ancestry Torquemada appears to have had Jewish ancestry: the contemporary historian Hernando del Pulgar (himself a converso) recorded that Torquemada's uncle, Juan de Torquemada, had an ancestor Alvar Fernández de Torquemada married to a first-generation Jewish conversa: "sus abuelos fueron de linage de los convertidos a nuestra santa fe católica" (translates as "his grandparents were amongst those converted to our Holy Catholic Faith"). According to biographer Thomas Hope's book, Torquemada, too, Torquemada's grandmother was a conversa. Torquemada in fiction ▪ Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov features a famous parable involving Christ coming back to Seville in the days of the Spanish Inquisition, and being confronted by Torquemada as the Grand Inquisitor. ▪ Torquemada, a play by Victor Hugo. ▪ Torquemada, an opera by Zoltan Demme based on the above play by Victor Hugo. ▪ Torquemada, an opera by Nino Rota based on a libretto by Ernesto Trucchi. ▪ "Torquemada", The Theologian's Tale from Part One of Tales of a Wayside Inn, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. ▪ In Stuart Gordon's 1990 film adaptation of The Pit and the Pendulum, Lance Henriksen portrays Torquemada. ▪ Marlon Brando portrayed Torquemada in the 1992 film Christopher Columbus: The Discovery. ▪ Tomás de Torquemada is one of the main protagonists of Jerzy Andrzejewski's novel And Darkness Covered the Earth (also translated as The Inquisitors). ▪ Tomás de Torquemada is one of the main characters of Gilbert Sinoué's novel Le livre de saphir. ▪ Mel Brooks portrayed Torquemada in the musical song "The Inquisition" in the 1981 comedy movie History of the World, Part I. During the scene about the Spanish Inquisition, an inquisitor introduces Torquemada by saying, "Torquemada – do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada – do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada – do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada ('talk him out of') anything!" 1. ^ Henry Kamen,Inkwizycja Hiszpańska, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 2005, p. 62; Helen Rawlings, The Spanish Inquisition, 2004, p. 15; William Monter, Anticlericalism and the early Spanish Inquisition, [in:] Anticlericalism in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe, BRILL, 1993, p. 238 2. ^ see Longhurst 3. ^ Cited in Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision, p. 49. [edit] References ▪ Rafael Sabatini, Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition, (Bretano's 1913; reprinted BiblioLife, 2009). # Paperback: 304 pages, Publisher: House of Stratus; New edition edition (31 May 2001) # Language English # ISBN 1-84232-834-4 # ISBN 978-1-84232-834-7 ▪ William Thomas Walsh, Characters of the Inquisition, (Tan Books and Publishers, 1987). ISBN 0-89555-326-0 . ▪ Henry Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision, (Yale University Press, 1999). ISBN 0-300-07880-3. ▪ Alphonsus Maria Duran, Why Apologize for the Spanish Inquisition?, (Eric Gladkowski,Ed., 2000). ISBN 0-9702235-0-1. ▪ Enid A. Goldberg & Norman Itzkowitz, "Tomas de Torquemada" (A Wicked History), (Scholastic Books, 2008) ISBN 1-4351-0322-X . Norman Itzkowitz (1931 - ), ▪ Thomas Torquemada, article in 1911 Britannica. ▪ Tomás de Torquemada. ▪ The Age of Torquemada, by John Edward Longhurst (1962). ▪ Henry Charles Lea, The history of the Inquisition of Spain, (Macmillan, 1906–07) Wikisource:A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages/Volume I ▪ Letters on the Spanish Inquisition by Joseph de Maistre. ▪ The Scales of Good and Evil by Cliff Pickover.	Spanish Inquisition
What is the name given to seven performing musicians?	Tomás de Torquemada - Encyclopedia Volume - Catholic Encyclopedia - Catholic Online Catholic Encyclopedia Encyclopedia Volume Tomás de Torquemada First Grand Inquisitor of Spain, born at Valladolid in 1420; died at Avila, 16 September, 1498. He was a nephew of the celebrated theologian and cardinal, Juan de Torquemada. In his early youth he entered the Dominican monastery at Valladolid, and later was appointed prior of the Monastery of Santa Cruz at Segovia, an office which he held for twenty-two years. The Infanta Isabella chose him as her confessor while at Segovia, and when she succeeded to the throne of Castile in 1474 he became one of her most trusted and influential councillors, but refused all high ecclesiastical preferments, choosing to remain a simple friar. At that time the purity of the Catholic Faith in Spain was in great danger from the numerous Marranos and Moriscos, who, for material considerations, became sham converts from Judaism and Mohammedanism to Christianity. The Marranos committed serious outrages against Christianity and endeavoured to judaize the whole of Spain. The Inquisition, which the Catholic sovereigns had been empowered to establish by Sixtus IV in 1478, had, despite unjustifiable cruelties, failed of its purpose, chiefly for want of centralisation. In 1483 the pope appointed Torquemada, who had been an assistant inquisitor since 11 February 1482, Grand Inquisitor of Castile, and on 17 October extended his jurisdiction over Aragon. As papal representative and the highest official of the inquisitorial court, Torquemada directed the entire business of the Inquisition in Spain, was empowered to delegate his inquisitorial faculties to other Inquisitors of his own choosing, who remained accountable to him, and settled the appeals made to the Holy See. He immediately established tribunals at Valladolid, Seville, Jaén, Avila, Cordova, and Villa-real, and, in 1484, at Saragossa for the Kingdom of Aragon . He also instituted a High Council, consisting of five members, whose chief duty was to assist him in the hearing of appeals (see INQUISITION -- The Inquisition in Spain ). He convened a general assembly of Spanish inquisitors at Seville, 29 November, 1484, and presented an outline of twenty-eight articles for their guidance. To these he added several new statutes in 1485, 1488, and 1498 (Reuss, "Sammlungen der Instructionen des spanischen Inquisitionsgerichts", Hanover, 1788). The Marranos found a powerful means of evading the tribunals in the Jews of Spain, whose riches had made them very influential and over whom the Inquisition had no jurisdiction. On this account Torquemada urged the sovereigns to compel all the Jews either to become Christians or to leave Spain. To frustrate his designs the Jews agreed to pay the Spanish government 30,000 ducats if left unmolested. There is a tradition that when Ferdinand was about to yield to the enticing offer, Torquemada appeared before him, bearing a crucifix aloft, and exclaiming: " Judas Iscariot sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver; Your Highness is about to sell him for 30,000 ducats. Here He is; take Him and sell Him." Leaving the crucifix on the table he left the room. Chiefly through his instrumentality the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492. Much has been written of the inhuman cruelty of Torquemada. Llorente computes that during Torquemada's office (1483-98) 8800 suffered death by fire and 9,654 were punished in other ways (Histoire de l' Inquisition, IV, 252). These figures are highly exaggerated, as has been conclusively proved by Hefele (Cardinal Ximenes, ch. xviii), Gams (Kirchengeschichte von Spanien, III, II, 68-76), and many others. Even the Jewish historian Graetz contents himself with stating that "under the first Inquisitor Torquemada, in the course of fourteen years (1485-1498) at least 2000 Jews were burnt as impenitent sinners " ("History of the Jews ", Philadelphia, 1897, IV, 356). Most historians hold with the Protestant Peschel (Das Zeitalter der Entdeckungen, Stuttgart, 1877, pp. 119 sq.) that the number of persons burnt from 1481 to 1504, when Isabella died, was about 2000. Whether Torquemada's ways of ferreting out and punishing heretics were justifiable is a matter that has to be decided not only by comparison with the penal standard of the fifteenth century, but also, and chiefly, by an inquiry into their necessity for the preservation of Christian Spain. The contemporary Spanish chronicler, Sebastian de Olmedo (Chronicon magistrorum generalium Ordinis Prædicatorum, fol. 80-81) calls Torquemada "the hammer of heretics, the light of Spain, the saviour of his country, the honour of his order".	i don't know
What did Nelson lose at Tenerife?	Horatio Nelson \| Uncyclopedia \| Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] edit The Young Sea Stud Horatio Nelson was born with a full compliment of arms, legs and eyes in Norfolk, England in 1758 to the Reverend Edmund Nelson and wife Catherine. His father - taking the Christian maxim about going forth and multiplying - kept his wife in almost constant labour as he wanted to breed a ' Cricket eleven'. Horatio came in to 'bat' as number six which usually means he was a bit of an 'all rounder' [2] . In British naval terms this also suggested sexual ambiguity but Nelson was definitely keener on frocks and kept a chest of contemporary fashions in his cabin when he became an officer. Young Horatio loses patience with a polar bear in an argument about the impact of Global Warming . The future war hero got the sea bug early and skipped off school to join a local fishing fleet in Lowestoft. There Nelson learnt all the available ropes like how to stay drunk standing up and partaking of rollicking sea adventures involving killing a sexy polar bear and not paying for beer in the French seaport of Calais. It is there apparently Nelson first learned to hate the French when one of their Ladies of Leisure laughed at the size of his 'mainmast [3] . Nelson later on mentioned in his diaries that this experience was 'worse that taking a musket ball in the arm' and later led him to try out the vacuum pump to increase the size and circumference of his personal block and tackle. It is believed that this is where the term 'The Nelson Method Touch' was first coined and would copied by all future British seamen [4] in the wars that followed [5] . With the outbreak of the American War of Insufferable Independence , Nelson volunteered his services to the Royal Navy. He fully signed up to the British motto Rum, Sodomy and The Lash which had made the Royal Navy so feared by other fleets. Nelson got his 'oar' well and truly stuck in and denounced the American Revolution , as 'contrary to His Majesty's wishes' and hoped to see ' George Washington , Benjamin Franklin , John Adams , Thomas Jefferson and Old Tom Cobley hung without their wigs on the yard arm of his ship HMS Incontinent. When the Americans were joined by their new allies the French, Spanish and Dutch , Nelson said this was all in the good and 'would enjoy' to watch all their ships burn on the oceans'. So when peace was finally signed in 1783 after the Americans had ratted on their allies, Nelson suffered a huge personal loss. Always a man of action, Nelson couldn't abide all the mooching around at sea, pretending to like people so he returned to Norfolk to bore the pants off the locals with his naval yarns. Whilst back on land and to stop rumours about his sexual preferences, Nelson went on a Caribbean cruise for Single Sailors where he met and married Frances 'Fanny' Nisbet. It wasn't a love match, Nisbet was heir to a lot of money but duller than a wet day in Glasgow . It was a very unhappy marriage and Nelson felt his future had passed him like ' a 'Ship in the night'. Then came the news in 1793 that France had declared war on Britain. Nelson was very, very happy and left home for Portsmouth to find a ship. edit War and Giving Bits Of My Body Up For The Victory Nelson loses his no claims bonus when he deliberately collides with a Spanish ship. 'He was on the wrong side of the shipping lane' Nelson is reported to have said in his defence. A safely anchored Nelson taunts the enemy to shoot off his other arm. The outbreak of war with France saw Nelson right in the thick of the action. He was still looked down upon by other naval captains as a bit uncouth and possibly , aggressively homosexual. They were also suspicious of his 'touch' and insisted shaking his hand with gloves on. By then Nelson didn't care , as he had lost the sight of his right eye in bar brawl in Corsica over the affections of a woman (so it was said) . That she was actually Napoleon 's scandal happy sister Pauline on a night out looking for some below decks fun just increased Nelson's hatred of anything (and anyone) French. In a change of enemy , Nelson next made his name in command of the HMS Captain in the Battle of Cape St.Vincent in 1797. Eager to enhance his reputation , Nelson ordered that his ship be steered directly into two Spanish galleons [6] .The Spanish were so astounded, they let Nelson crash his ship into their vessels. He lost his No Claims Bonus but won praise and glory from the British who saw this bit of reckless seamanship as a sterling example of British brio. His naval superiors were outwardly pleased and promoted Nelson to the post of Rear Admiral in the British Navy, a well regarded position in a fleet which, amongst its other duties, instructed that the last ship in line required its captain to pull down his breeches and moon at the opposing fleet. Nelson's next command would be on board a worm eaten ship posted off the Spanish sea port of Cadiz. He was there to stop ships reaching or leaving the harbour but it was all pretty dreary and unexciting. In an attempt to spice up his duties, Nelson would look through his telescope at Spanish villas over looking the sea and watch aristocratic couples undressing and doing other unspeakable [7] things to each other before it was 'candles out'. Nelson was at first disgusted but it was probably here that he realised all the kinky stuff had a great erotic pull on him. Damn the Spanish he would often say in private but saluted their prowess in bed - if not at sea. All Nelson now needed was to find a willing partner to blow wind up his main mast and set course for the land of Hanky-Panky. [8] . It was whilst he was in Spanish waters that Nelson got the order to go the Canary Islands to get a welcome holiday break from staying on-board with a ship full of hand shandying sailors. Once again the hot tempered Nelson got involved in a bar fight - this time when he tried to play a game of Football in the local bull fighting ring. In the ensuing punch-up , a Spaniard chewed Nelson's right arm off [9] . Nelson was dragged away, though once again the British Press said the English naval hero had lost his arm trying to storm Tenerife to cover up the scandal. [10] . Napoleon's firework collection goes up in flames at the Battle of the Nile. edit The Nile Campaign By now the British Admiralty recognised that they had better preserve 'this Nelson chap' before he lost any more extremities. Nelson was recalled and given the command of the home fleet when news reached London that Napoleon Bonaparte had sailed to Egypt to improve on his sun tan and bank balance with some off-season looting. Nelson was told to find the French adventurer scoured the Mediterranean to 'scrub clean' the area of Francophiles for "the hell of it" in his search for Napoleon. A few days after reaching the Egyptian coast near Alexandria, Nelson got word that the French fleet were anchored in Aboukir Bay a few miles along the coast. Nelson reportedly claimed to be able to beat anyone with his right hand tied behind his back. This would have been an amazing feat for a normal man but everyone knew Nelson's right hand was sitting in a surgeon's bucket hundreds of miles away in the Canary Islands. It was a good jibe and his crew laughed until the slowest of them were finally able to understand the joke and given 100 lashes to increase morale. Then Nelson ordered his fleet to sail into attack just as the day was turning into night as he thought it would make a more dramatic painting. As Nelson relates in his own journal..I Am Sailing: Emma Hamilton shows where Nelson kissed her first. His second kiss cannot be shown on a family wiki. We arrived in the early evening in the bay. The Frenchies were completely unaware we were there , I could hear them having wild parties on their ships and that there were women on board too. I had smiled to myself - we had caught those randy revolutionaries with their republican bell bottom trousers down. I signalled to the other ships in the fleet that Gentlemen! We have Bonaparte's Fate and His Balls In Our Hands. If Boney's fleet was destroyed , the little Corsican adventurer would have to stay out here and fry his bottom in the desert. Inspired by their leader, the British ships pounded the helpless French vessels with so more hot iron than at a Heavy Metal gig. Eventually, the French flagship, the Leyton Orient , blew up, scattering footballs, empty beer bottles, goal posts and rancid meat pies across the bay. Before the explosion, observers on other ships saw French Vice Admiral François-Paul 'Stumpy' Brueys d'Aigalliers [11] still on board, waving his arms and urging his 'boys on the burning decks' to keep firing their cannons at Nelson's fleet. The British crews cheered and taunted the French 'You're Not Singing Anymore' and continued the battle until most of the French ships had surrendered or sank by their own crews [12] . On hearing the news, the British parliament gave Nelson the title , Baron Nelson of the Nile and the keys to a pub of his choosing [13] . Nelson decided to celebrate his victory in Egypt by heading off to Sicily for some urgent infidelity where he heard the wife of the British ambassador had acquired the reputation as The Hottest English Totty This Side Of The Mediterranean. Nelson was about to meet Emma Hamilton [14] . edit Lady Hamilton and A Danish Mermaid Emma Hamilton wearing a necklace with the letter 'N' on it. N for Nelson or N for Napoleon? Despite Nelson's war-battered looks, Emma Hamilton fell for Britain's naval hero hook, line and anchor. Remarkably, she persuaded her husband Sir William Hamilton to stay in his library or greenhouse whilst she right royally entertained Nelson. Emma wrote confidentially to her friend Lady Jersey, an ex-girlfriend of the king's son Prince George: He arrived in my bedroom wearing just his admiral's hat. Nelson looked magnificent , all five foot of him as he stood to attention at the edge of my bed like a proud 100 gun Ship-of-The-Line. I beckoned him in and asked him to show his legendary Nelson touch as he caressed my bare body. When that moment came of mutual happiness , it was like a broadside aimed at the centre of my heart. We got some fresh sheets afterwards. [15] Stories about Nelson's sex drive got back to London where some wondered if it was wise to leave him in command of the British Mediterranean Fleet. But no dared to move against a national hero so Nelson and Emma were left in peace and happy fornication. Midshipman and Gunnar Nelson:Claimed to be Nelson's love twins by a woman with an atrocious taste in hair styles and clothing. Eventually Nelson (with Emma and her cuckolded husband) returned to London. Nelson was once again given the heroic treatment but when he was asked to take out the Danish in Copenhagen, he was made only second in command to Admiral 'Pen' Parker. The action didn't get off to a good start. Some of the English sailors who hadn't seen a woman in years jumped overboard and swam towards the naked statue of the Little Mermaid, [16] basking shamelessly nude in the harbour. Nor did the fighting go well when more British ships ran aground trying stop their sailors from joining their sex-starved colleagues. At the hight of the battle , Admiral Parker signalled Nelson to retire from the battle but by chance , Nelson was once again peering at people in their bedrooms doing some 'dirty Danish things' and so missed the message. Officially it was said Nelson had exclaimed 'I See No Signal'. What he actually said was 'I See No Corsets' and was pointing his telescope at Copenhagen's red light quarter at the time. In the end, the Danes surrendered, throwing down their pastries and surrendering their ships. Nelson had won again. edit The Nelson Family Nelson says goodbye to his little Fanny. Nelson once again returned to Britain. This time he gained a Viscountcy but his wife Fanny objected to having to share what was physically left of Nelson with 'that brazen floozy Emma Hamilton' [17] . He left Fanny on Christmas Day 1801 when she unwisely gave him a knitted jumper made for a man with two full functioning arms. Upset and hysterical , Nelson told his wife that it was all over and that he had met and fallen in love with a 'new Fanny'. He added that if she complained, as a serving British admiral, Nelson could have her shot out of a cannon [18] but left without saying another word. Nelson's war hopes were dashed when Britain and France signed a peace treaty in 1802. Nelson said it was a betrayal of his ambitions and moved to a public house in Surrey to live with Emma and William Hamilton. Hamilton died suddenly in 1803 , leaving his antique collection to the British Museum and Emma (and the pub) to Nelson. It was an odd arrangement but by now , Nelson the war hero was exempt from petty public morality and that included being the father of a remarkable nursery of little Nelsons: Nelson Mandela , Nelson Piquet, Nelson 'F1 Carsmasher' Piquet, The Nelson Brothers..etc [19] - though all of this was later vehemently denied by the British who wanted to keep Nelson's reputation free of scandal. edit Trafalgar War with France (and Spain) broke out once more in 1804 and this time Nelson was given HMS Victory to command the fleet. He was now a full Admiral and had a comprehensive ship-of-the-line insurance cover in case of serious naval battles. Now for the first time he could fight against his best enemies (the French) and his second best enemies (the Spanish) in a joint battle. The French admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve was told by Napoleon to 'keep running away' everytime he saw the British whilst the French Emperor got on with task of slipping across the English Channel with a flotilla of soldiers disguised as 'Bogus Asylum Seekers'. The British once again forget to sail on the right and crash straight into the Franco-Spanish navy. Villeneuve followed the plan to the letter , leaving Nelson to fulminate against the 'Yellow Admiral' [20] as he criss-crossed the Atlantic looking for the Franco-Spanish fleet. Eventually on the 21st October 1805, Nelson received news that the enemy fleet was spotted off the coast of Spain. Waiting to attack them at a place that would be easy for the British not to linguistically mangle themselves over, he gave the orders to sail straight at them off Cape Trafalgar. Nelson decided fly this famous flag signal:- '...now listen Hardy. Don't mix the colour fast clothes with my white breeches again..' Nelson's last words before he is shot. England Expects Our Boys To Give Those Cowardly French and Sneaky Spanish A Damned Good Trashing. What Ho!, ships ahoy!! go for it my sailor boys! [21] Leading from the front, Nelson's flagship crossed the line of the fleeing Franco-Spanish fleet . His ship was soon hotly engaged by the enemy but Victory cheered as the emptied a broadside into the French flagship Foie Gras , blowing out Admiral Villeneuve's cabin to expose him hiding in the toilet, chain smoking a packet of Gauloise and finishing off a bottle of brandy. However the battle continued as the Victory became entangled in a forest of French and Spanish rigging. Nelson took the opportunity to sort out his dry cleaning with Captain Thomas Hardy and showed off his latest uniform [22] . As Nelson strutted his fancy stuff on the deck of the British flagship for Hardy, a French marksman in the rigging of the nearby (and very whiffy) L'escargot d'ail [23] , spied Nelson and fired his musket with deadly accuracy. Nelson fell over and whispered to Hardy:- Don't forget there is a deposit on these clothes..I think they have got me this time Tommy. Damn the French. There was nothing wrong with my mainmast I tell you... Nelson was brought below where a huge crowd of idle sailors watched him die. It took ages, about three hours by which time he got the news that the French and Spanish were surrendering as quickly as they could find any white rags to fly from their masts. By now Nelson was close to death and probably delirious. Perhaps mistaking Thomas Hardy for his beloved Emma he said: Kiss me Emma..Kiss me everywhere that is still on one piece. A sad Thomas Hardy then tried to correct Nelson's mistake (it was a death scene in poor light after all). Admiral. I am Hardy , Thomas Hardy sir. You know, the writer and my books 'Mayor of Casterbridge', 'Jude the Obscure'.. Nelson is said to have looked at Hardy and then let one rip from his backside. Oh..those..boring bloody books Hardy [24] . Anyway, you will have to do. Kiss me Hardy [25] and make sure it isn't a filthy French tongue job either.. Hardy gave Nelson a quick little pucker and with that , the heroic Nelson died. His body wasn't chucked over the side like other casualties from the battle. Instead (despite some protests) , Nelson's corpse was dropped into a barrel of confiscated French brandy and then it was lashed to the mast with the label Nelson's Brandy: Vieille Reserve.1805. edit Death and Glory Nelson insists in wearing one of Emma Hamilton's old night dresses before he dies. News of Nelson's victory and death was greeted with sadness back in Britain. His preserved body was ceremonially eaten by the Royal Family [26] and his bones were given full military honours and buried in St.Paul's Cathedral. The cask of brandy that had contained his body was then given out to the sailors who had carried the coffin. His estranged wife Fanny sent her condolences and a letter to the admiralty confirming all monies owed to Nelson would go to her and not Emma 'Slut-Hamilton'. The British authorities agreed and the luckless Emma was given the empty barrel which had contained Nelson's body plus some of the clothes her lover had worn on the fatal day. It took many years to agree what sort of monument suited Nelson's memory. Eventually it was decided that a tall Corinthian style column [27] with two large domes at the base would be erected near Whitehall in London. In 1840 the area was cleared and renamed Trafalgar Square but the semi-spheroids were never constructed. Eventually four bronze lions cast were from the captured fancy bedsteads of French and Spanish sailors and placed around the column instead. Apparently Queen Victoria hadn't been amused by the crude symbolism (though if it had been a column in praise of Prince Albert , that would have been different). [28] Once it was finished , a statue of Nelson was placed on top. Once again there was a dispute about which pose best summed up the great man. A popular poll at the time suggested Nelson should be shown looking through his telescope . However in light of Nelson's well known habit of being something of a peeping Tom , the telescope was left out when the statue was eventually finished . Despite this , Nelson stills looks in the direction of France which had been the source of his initial humiliation but also , the land that had given him a run of crap admirals to beat up in battle. It is just a shame Nelson now has to deal with a different type of manure everyday: From runny bum pigeons perching on his hat. edit Why the French Lost Nelson on top of his column without his telescope. This was to stop him from peeping through people's bedrooms across London. Well firstly: They're French but also the French battle cry was : "To the water, it is the hour!" "A L'eau, c'est l'heure!" According to French writer Victor Hugo , Nelson just got lucky in his many battles and that it was the sporting French who had given the English admiral so many chances. Napoleon had wanted to know if this 'man who beats me on water' would come across the channel and join the winning side. So the story goes Emma Hamilton was Napoleon's secret agent but that she had spoiled French plans by falling for the old sea dog. edit Historical Legacy Officially Nelson died childless so his empty brandy bottles and war trophies went to his younger brother. However Nelson and Emma Hamilton did have two daughters of which one, Horatia, survived long enough to get her first Royal Navy Romper suit. The British government insisted this all be hushed up to avoid any hint that Nelson wasn't a perfect hero so one the British admiral's old drinking buddies Vice Admiral Charles Thompson said officially he was the father of Emma's children and that he had named the girl Horatia in 'admiration of Nelson'. The British press bought the story and Nelson was left alone to play happy families with Emma Hamilton and his daughter until his death in 1805. Why this cover up was ordered was never made clear (this was at a time before the Victorians got all prudish about sex after all) and left Horatia a bit confused about who her real parents were and believed Emma Hamilton wasn't her mother, preferring to imagine that she was the daughter of a European princess. But there was no doubt who her father was as Horatia grew up to look just like her famous dad - except with breasts of course. Many years later when Britain wanted to join the European Union , France, Spain and Denmark all asked for an official apology from the British for employing Nelson as a pirate. They even wanted Nelson's descendants to make a public grovel but in the end nothing came of this. For the last time, a British Government stood up from the floor and defended Nelson's reputation. They also said it was 'just too much of a bother' to look up Horatia's descendants and then made a few late night, drunken phone calls to the 'right people'. The matter was eventually dropped. edit Some Little Known Facts About Nelson He was a little bit famous in his own time, being God and everything. After losing his arm at Santa Cruz de Tenerife , he invented the "half-Nelson" wrestling move as a matter of necessity for survival when up against hairy arsed sailors. To this day, one can escape speeding tickets in England by claiming to be a descendant of Horatio Nelson. He was the first person to invent 'The Ratio'. The mathematical concept usedu work out a circle's area, circumference, etc. In memory of Nelson's death, all sailors were required to wear black underpants for 18 years as a sign of mourning. Lord Nelson's favourite pub - in Italy.	his arm
With regard to food and drink, what is Port salut?	Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the French Revolution Lieutenant General Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero y Santayana 1,700 men Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Background: In the wake of his victory at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent , Admiral Sir John Jervis , was instructed to attack the port of Cádiz with the goal of destroying the remnants of the Spanish fleet. Moving forward, the assault was a costly failure as the Spanish mounted a spirited defense. With morale in the fleet low due to the defeat and having been at sea for a long period, Jervis shifted his attention to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. A stopping point for Spanish treasure ships from the Americas, Tenerife offered a tempting target. Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Nelson Dispatched: Dispatching two frigates to scout the area around the island, Jervis was pleased when they captured two enemy ships and reported on Tenerife's defenses. Seeing an opportunity, Jervis detached newly-promoted Rear Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson with a small squadron and tasked him to capture the island. Flying his flag from HMS Theseus (74 guns), Nelson's squadron also included HMS Culloden (74), HMS Zealous (74), as well as the frigates HMS Seahorse (38), HMS Emerald, (36), and HMS Terpsichore (32). Also accompanying Nelson were the cutter Fox and the gunboat Ray. Arriving off Tenerife on July 17, Nelson was later reinforced by the arrival of Captain Thomas Thompson with HMS Leander (50). Ashore, the Spanish defenses were led by Lieutenant General Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero y Santaya. A veteran commander, Gutiérrez had spent the weeks since Jervis' initial raid raising additional troops from the island's population and reinforcing the defenses around its capital of Santa Cruz. Leading a force of around 1,700 men, Gutiérrez was prepared to meet any attack. Aboard his flagship, Nelson readied his assault plan. Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Nelson Attacks: This called for Captain Thomas Troubridge of Culloden to conduct a nighttime landing northeast of Santa Cruz with the goal of capturing the coastal batteries on that side of the city. This was to be followed by Ray opening fire on the town as Nelson entered the harbor with the fleet to capture Spanish shipping. Meeting with Troubridge on July 20, Nelson finalized the plans and instructed his subordinate to land at Valle Seco beach, approximately two miles northeast of Santa Cruz, and capture nearby Fort Paso Alto. If the city did not surrender, Troubridge was to advance with around 1,000 men to take the port. Embarking in small boats on the night of July 22, Troubridge's force met adverse currents which slowed their advance. Alerted to the British approach, the Spanish gunners opened fire inflicting some damage. Unable to defeat the current, Troubridge turned back. A second attempt was then made with the frigates towing the boats as close to shore as possible. Battling through the current and Spanish fire, Troubridge succeeded in landing his men but was unable bring ashore any artillery or animals. Moving to block the threat, Gutiérrez brought forces to Paso Alto and compelled the British to retire to their boats. Angered by this failure, Nelson decided to personally oversee the next attack which would be against the city itself. Anticipating this move, Gutiérrez concentrated his forces in the port defenses which were centered on San Cristóbal castle. Instructing his men to move against the castle, Nelson and his attack force set out at 10:30 PM on July 24. Muffling the oars to reduce noise, the boats neared the shore. The attackers were soon spotted by the Spanish frigate San Jose and the harbor batteries opened fire around 11:00 PM. Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Nelson Wounded: Taking heavy fire the British boats struggled to reach the shore. In the bombardment, Fox was hit and sunk, killing over half its crew. Reaching the beach, Nelson was hit in the right arm as he stepped ashore. Bleeding badly, he was taken back to Theseus where the ship's surgeon amputated the injured limb. Within thirty minutes of the operation, Nelson was again issuing orders to his men. At the beaches, Troubridge and Captain Samuel Hood of Zealous succeeded in capturing La Consolación convent with 350 men. Other British forces failed in their attempt to take the castle. Increasingly isolated, Troubridge demanded that Gutiérrez surrender San Jose or he would burn the town. Disregarding this threat, Gutiérrez moved troops to cut off Troubridge's retreat. Seeking to aid his subordinates, Nelson dispatched reinforcements, but these were repulsed by the Spanish guns around 1:00 AM on July 25. Trapped, Troubridge requested honorable terms for a withdrawal from the Spanish commander. Gutiérrez agreed and a truce was signed early the next morning which allowed the British to return to their ships with their arms and honors. Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Aftermath: The failed attack on Santa Cruz cost Nelson 250 killed and 128 wounded, while the Spanish suffered around 30 killed and 40 wounded. Departing Tenerife, Nelson rejoined Jervis' fleet on August 16. Saddened by the defeat and the loss of his arm, Nelson wrote to Jervis stating, "A left-handed Admiral will never again be considered as useful, therefore the sooner I get to a very humble cottage the better, and make room for a better man to serve the state..." Returning to England aboard Seahorse, Nelson was met with a hero's welcome for his accomplishments at Cape St. Vincent and the loss of his arm. Among the public, the defeat at Tenerife was attributed to the government and to poor planning on the part of Jervis. Recovering quickly, Nelson returned to sea that December and set off on the campaign that would culminate with his victory at the Battle of the Nile . Selected Sources	i don't know
Whose first volume of war memoirs was called 'Adolf Hitler, My Part In His Downfall'?	Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973) - 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 Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall ( 1973 ) 1h 42min London, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins ... See full summary » Director: Spike Milligan (based on the novel by), Johnny Byrne (screenplay) \| 1 more credit » Stars: 29 July 2012 3:05 PM, -08:00 \| The Guardian - TV News Around The Web a list of 372 titles created 10 Sep 2012 a list of 1620 titles created 25 Dec 2012 a list of 110 titles created 12 Dec 2015 a list of 104 titles created 4 months ago a list of 535 titles created 3 weeks ago Title: Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973) 5.9/10 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. Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. See more awards » Photos The British National Health System is skewered in this comedy set in a rundown London hospital. The hospital is filled with wacky staff members and patients, and the film strives to get all... See full summary » Director: Jack Gold Lady Booby alias 'Belle', the lively wife of the fat landed squire Sir Thomas Booby, has a lusty eye on the attractive, intelligent villager Joseph Andrews, a Latin pupil and protégé of ... See full summary » Director: Tony Richardson 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.1/10 X The Queen of England gives birth to twins. In order to protect the blood line one is kept and the other hidden in a pig sty and is raised to think it's mother is the pig. Lurkalot is the ... See full summary » Director: Bob Kellett A trio of randy sailors go looking for girl-friends in 18th-century London. Director: Peter Coe Adolf Hitler, born in Braunau, one man who will change the history of the world forever. It follows his childhood to the death of his mother and his broken ambition to become an artist, ... See full summary » Director: Dennis Wise Edit Storyline London, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins training to take part in the War. But along the way Spike and his friends get involved in many amusing - and some not-so amusing - scrapes. Based on the first volume of Milligan's war memoirs. Written by Anonymous After Young Winston - Young Milligan! Genres: 27 April 1973 (Ireland) See more » Also Known As: Két Balláb az ezredben - avagy hogyan járultam hozzá Hitler bukásához See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia Spike Milligan was 21 when called up to serve in WW2, however Jim Dale was 38 when he portrayed Milligan in the film. See more » Goofs The red and blue teams are driving Willys MB Jeeps in 1940. The Willys MB was not manufactured until 1941 and was not used by the British Army until 1942. See more » Quotes Spike Milligan : [Having spent all night on sentry duty, Spike hears footsteps] Halt! Who goes there? Unseen soldier: [In a broad Yorkshire accent] Adolf Bloody 'itler! (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews Young musician Spike Milligan is playing a gig when WW2 is announced. Spike is drafted into army and goes about training prior to joining action. On the way he and his squad experience plenty of amusing antics but also see the futility and losses of wartime. Based on the first volume of Spike's wartime memoirs. Spike Milligan was the last goon to go and his unique sense of humour will be greatly missed, although it does live on in many of today's comedians. This is a film version of his memoirs of his time in the second world war. The plot sticks close to the book, focusing on the training rather than later in the war. However the film can't completely bring out the absolute madness inherent in Spike's writing. The film does occasionally have touches of him but mostly this feels a little like a carry on film without the smut. The comments on the futility of war are OK but they feel like they're heavily thrown into the mix and don't sit well alongside the comedy. MASH did better than this later. This film is more like something between a Carry On film and MASH. It neither manages to do the satire well nor do the laughs as well as you'd hope. It does average with both but never feels comfortable with either. The characters are quite well drawn. Dale does well as Spike and manages to do a good job without doing an impression but Spike himself is given little to do as his own father. The support cast are all good but don't manage to shine as much as one would have hoped. Maynard, Lowe, Davis and Hughes are all nice surprises but all the best stuff is kept for Dale to use. Overall Spike fans will feel a little let down by the losses made in transition from page to screen. The comedy aspires to be Milliganesque but only occasionally does his hand shine through. The end result is still entertaining but never as funny as it should be. I suggest you all read the book rather than watching this. RIP Spike happily your legacy is with us everyday and not just in this film. 9 of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes	Spike Milligan
In the Elvis song, what was the name of his 'latest flame'?	Spike Milligan \| The Great Hairy Goondex \| Fandom powered by Wikia The Great Hairy Goondex Spike loves this article! This is Spike Milligan's biography. Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan KBE (16 April 1918–27 February 2002), known as Spike Milligan, was a comedian, writer, musician (he played the piano, trumpet, guitar and saxophone), poet and playwright. Milligan was the co-creator and the principal writer of The Goon Show in which he also performed. Contents Edit Milligan was born in Ahmednagar, India, on 16 April 1918, the son of an Irish-born father, Captain Leo Alphonso Milligan, MSM, RA, who was serving in the British Indian Army. His mother, Florence Mary Winifred Kettleband, was born in England. He spent most of his childhood in Rangoon (Yangon), capital of Burma (Myanmar). He was educated at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Poona, and St Paul's Christian Brothers, de la Salle, Rangoon. He lived most of his life in England and served in the British Army. Second World War Edit During most of the late 1930s and early 1940s Milligan performed as an amateur jazz vocalist and trumpeter before, during and after being called up for military service, but even then he wrote and performed comedy sketches as part of concerts to entertain troops. After his call-up, but before being sent abroad, he and fellow musician Harry Edgington (nicknamed Edge-ying-Tong which gave birth to one of Milligan's most memorable musical creations, the Ying Tong Song) would compose surreal stories, filled with puns and skewed logic, as a way of staving off the boredom of life in barracks. During World War II he served as a signaller in the 56th Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery, D Battery, as Gunner Milligan, 954024 with the First Army in North Africa and then in Italy. He rose to the rank of Lance-Bombardier and was about to be promoted to Bombardier when he was wounded in action in Italy. Subsequently hospitalised for a mortar wound to the right leg and shell shock , he was demoted by an unsympathetic commanding officer (identified in his war diaries as Major Evan 'Jumbo' Jenkins) back to Gunner. It was Milligan's opinion that Major Jenkins did not like him due to the fact that Milligan constantly kept the morale of his fellow soldiers up, whereas Major Jenkins' approach was to take an attitude towards the troops similar to that of Lord Kitchener. An incident also mentioned was when Major Jenkins had invited Gunners Milligan and Edgington to his bivouac to play some jazz with him, only to discover that the musicianship of the aforementioned gunners was far superior to his own ability to play the military tune 'Whistling Rufus' (albeit rather badly). After his hospitalisation, Milligan drifted through a number of rear-echelon military jobs in Italy, eventually becoming a full-time entertainer. He played the guitar with a jazz/comedy group called The Bill Hall Trio in concert parties for the troops. After being demobilised, Milligan remained in Italy playing with the Trio but returned to England soon after. While he was with the Central Pool of Artists (a group he described as composed "of bomb-happy squaddies") he began to write parodies of their mainstream plays, that displayed many of the key elements of what would later become The Goon Show with Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Michael Bentine. Radio Edit Milligan returned to jazz in the late 1940s and made a precarious living with the Hall trio and other musical comedy acts. He was also trying to break into the world of radio, as either a performer or as a script writer. His first success in radio was as writer for comedian Derek Roy's show. Milligan soon became involved with a relatively radical comedy project, The Goon Show. Known during its first season as Crazy People, or in full, "The Junior Crazy Gang featuring those Crazy People, the Goons!", the name was an attempt to make the programme palatable to BBC officials by connecting it with the popular group of comedians known as The Crazy Gang.[citation needed] Milligan was the primary author of The Goon Show scripts (though many were written jointly with Larry Stephens, Eric Sykes and others) as well as a star performer. Ad-libbing Edit Milligan also had a number of acting parts in theatre, film and television series; one of his last screen appearances was in the BBC dramatisation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, and he was (almost inevitably) noted as an ad-libber. One of Milligan's most famous ad-lib incidents occurred during a visit to Australia in the late 1960s. He was interviewed live on air and remained in the studio for the news broadcast that followed (read by Rod McNeil), during which Milligan constantly interjected, adding his own name to news items. As a result, he was banned from making any further live appearances on the ABC. The ABC also changed its national policy so that talent had to leave the studio after interviews were complete. A tape of the bulletin survives and has been included in an ABC Radio audio compilation, also on the BBC tribute CD, Vivat Milligna [sic]. Poetry Edit Milligan also wrote verse, considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense. His poetry has been described by comedian Stephen Fry as "absolutely immortal - greatly in the tradition of Lear"[2]. His most famous poem, On the Ning Nang Nong, was voted the UK's favourite comic poem in 1998 in a nationwide poll, ahead of other nonsense poets including Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear[3]. This nonsense verse, set to music, became a favourite Australia-wide, performed week after week by the ABC children's programme Playschool. Milligan included it on his album No One's Gonna Change Our World in 1969 to aid the World Wildlife Fund. In December 2007 it was reported that, according to OFSTED, it is amongst the ten most commonly taught poems in primary schools in the UK.[4] While depressed, Milligan wrote serious poetry. He also wrote a novel Puckoon, parodying the style of Dylan Thomas, and a very successful series of war memoirs, including Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall (book) (1971), Rommel: Gunner Who? A Confrontation in the Desert (1974), Monty: His part in my victory (1976)and Mussolini: His Part in my Downfall (1978). Milligan's seven volumes of memoirs cover the years from 1939 to 1950 (essentially his call-up, war service, first breakdown, time spent entertaining in Italy, and return to the UK). He wrote comedy songs, including "Purple Aeroplane", which was a parody of The Beatles' song "Yellow Submarine". Glimpses of his bouts with depression which led to the nervous breakdowns, can be found in his serious poetry, which is compiled in Open Heart University. Plays Spike Milligan also wrote the one-act play The Bed-Sitting Room, which premiered at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. It was adapted to a longer play, which made its debut at the Mermaid Theatre, London. Cartoons Milligan contributed occasional cartoons to the satirical magazine Private Eye. Most were visualizations of one-line jokes. For example, a young boy sees the Concorde and asks his father "What's that?". The reply is "That's a flying groundnut scheme, son." Personal life Edit After their retirement, Milligan's parents and his younger brother Desmond moved to Australia. His mother lived the rest of her life in the coastal village of Woy Woy on the New South Wales Central Coast, just north of Sydney; as a result, Milligan became a regular visitor to Australia and made a number of radio and TV programmes there, including The Idiot Weekly with Bobby Limb. In July 2007, it was proposed that the suspension bridge on the cyclepath from Woy Woy to Gosford be named after him.[5][6] From the 1960s onwards Milligan was a regular correspondent with Robert Graves. Milligan's letters to Graves usually addressed a question to do with classical studies. The letters form part of Graves' bequest to St. John's College, Oxford. Health Edit He suffered from bipolar disorder for most of his life, having at least ten major mental breakdowns, several lasting over a year. He spoke candidly about his condition and its effect on his life: I have got so low that I have asked to be hospitalised and for deep narcosis (sleep). I cannot stand being awake. The pain is too much... Something has happened to me, this vital spark has stopped burning - I go to a dinner table now and I don't say a word, just sit there like a dodo. Normally I am the centre of attention, keep the conversation going - so that is depressing in itself. It's like another person taking over, very strange. The most important thing I say is 'good evening' and then I go quiet.[7] Prince of Wales Edit The Prince of Wales was a noted fan, and Milligan caused a stir by calling him a "little grovelling bastard" on live television in 1994.[8] He later faxed the prince, saying "I suppose a knighthood is out of the question?" In reality he and the Prince were very close friends,[7] and he was finally made a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE) (honorary because of his Irish citizenship) in 2000. He had been made an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992. Campaigning Edit He was a strident campaigner on environmental matters, particularly arguing against unnecessary noise, such as the use of muzak. In 1971, Milligan caused controversy by attacking an art exhibition at the Hayward Gallery with a hammer.[9] The exhibit consisted of catfish, oysters and shrimp that were to be electrocuted as part of the exhibition. He was a strong opponent of cruelty against animals and, during an appearance on Room 101, chose fox hunting as a pet hate, and succeeded in banishing it to the eponymous room. In 1996, he successfully campaigned for the restoration of London's Elfin Oak. He was also a public opponent of domestic violence, dedicating one of his books to Erin Pizzey. Family Edit Milligan had three children with his first wife June Marlow: Laura, Seán and Síle. They were married in 1952 and divorced in 1960 during the Goon Show. He had one daughter with his second wife, Patricia Ridgeway: the actress Jane Milligan (b. 1964). Milligan and Patricia were married in June of 1962 with George Martin as best man. The marriage ended in 1978 with Patricia's death. In 1975 Milligan fathered a son, James, in an affair with Margaret Maughan. Another child, a daughter Romany, is suspected to have been born at the same time by a Canadian journalist named Roberta Watt. His last wife was Shelagh Sinclair, to whom he was married from 1983 to his death on 27 February 2002. Four of his children have recently collaborated with documentary makers on a new multi-platform programme called I Told You I Was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan (2005) and accompanying website.[10] Death Edit Even late in life, Milligan's black humour had not deserted him. After the death of friend Harry Secombe from cancer, he said, "I'm glad he died before me, because I didn't want him to sing at my funeral." A recording of Secombe singing was played at Milligan's memorial service. He also wrote his own obituary, in which he stated repeatedly that he "wrote the Goon show and died". Milligan died from liver disease, at the age of 83, on 27 February 2002, at his home in Rye, East Sussex. On the day of his funeral, 8 March 2002, his coffin was carried to St Thomas's Church in Winchelsea, Sussex, and was draped in the flag of the Republic of Ireland.[11] He had once quipped that he wanted his headstone to bear the words "I told you I was ill." He was buried at St Thomas's Church cemetery in Winchelsea, East Sussex, but the Chichester Diocese refused to allow this epitaph.[12] A compromise was reached with the Irish translation, "Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite", and additionally in English, "Love, light, peace". Legacy Edit The film of Puckoon, starring his daughter, the actress Jane Milligan, was released after his death. Milligan lived for several years in Holden Road, Woodside Park and at The Crescent, Barnet, and was a strong supporter of the Finchley Society. His old house in Woodside Park is now demolished, but there is a blue plaque in his memory on the new house on the site. The Finchley Society is trying to get a statue of him erected in Finchley. There is also a campaign to erect a statue in the London Borough of Lewisham where he grew up (see Honor Oak). After coming to the UK from India in the 1930s he lived at 50 Riseldine Road, Brockley and attended Brownhill Boys' school (later to become Catford Boys' School which was demolished in 1994). Lynsey De Paul is a patron of the Spike Milligan Statue Memorial Fund. There is also a plaque and bench located at the Wadestown Library, Wellington New Zealand in an area called Spike Milligan corner. In a BBC poll in August 1999, Spike Milligan was voted the "funniest person of the last 1000 years". Also, in a 2005 poll to find The Comedians' Comedian, he was voted among the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. Milligan has been portrayed twice in films. In the adaptation of his novel Adolf Hiltler: My Part in His Downfall, he was played by Jim Dale, while Milligan himself played his own father. He was also portrayed by Edward Tudor-Pole in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004). A 2008 stage play, 'Surviving Spike', sees Milligan portrayed by the entertainer Michael Barrymore. On 9 June 2006 it was reported that Professor Richard Wiseman had identified Milligan as the writer of the world's funniest joke as decided by the Laughlab project. Professor Wiseman said the joke contained all three elements of what makes a good gag: anxiety, a feeling of superiority, and an element of surprise.[13] Members of Monty Python greatly admired him, and gave Milligan a cameo role in their 1979 film, Monty Python's Life of Brian when Milligan happened to be holidaying in Tunisia, near where the Pythons were filming. Radio comedy shows The Goon Show (1951–1960) The Idiot Weekly (1958–1962) The Omar Khayyam Show (1963–1964) Milligna (or Your Favourite Spike) (1972) (The title is based on Milligan's introduction in The Last Goon Show of All as "Spike Milligna, the well-known typing error".) The Milligan Papers (1987) Milligan contributed his recollections of his childhood in India for the acclaimed 1970s BBC audio history series Plain Tales From The Raj. The series was published in book form in 1975 by Andre Deutsch, edited by Charles Allen. TV comedy shows The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d A Show Called Fred Son of Fred The World of Beachcomber The Q series: Q5, Q6, Q7, Kuwait (Q8), Q9, and There's a Lot of It About Curry & Chips Other notable TV involvement Edit Six-Five Special, first aired on 31 August 1957. Spike Milligan plays an inventor, Mr. Pym, and acts as a butcher in a sketch. In 1975 Milligan co-wrote (with Neil Shand) and co-starred in a BBC TV sitcom called The Melting Pot. Its cast of characters included two illegal Indian immigrants, an Irish landlord, a Chinese Cockney, a Scottish Arab and virtually every other racial stereotype possible. After screening the pilot, the series was deemed to be too offensive for transmission. Five episodes remain unseen. Some of the characters and situations were reused in Milligan's novel The Looney. Tiswas 1981 edition Narrator of The Ratties (1987), a children's cartoon series written by Mike Wallis and Laura Milligan, Spike's daughter. The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town ran as a serial in The Two Ronnies in the 1970s. Special guest star of the 18 January 1979 edition of The Muppet Show Guest star in the 3rd episode of the award-winning BBC Scotland drama series Takin' Over the Asylum (1994) Narrated the 1995 TV showWolves, Witches and Giants. A cartoon based on the book of the same name, it retold classic tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Only five episodes were made. Theatre Edit Treasure Island (1961, 1973–1975) The Bed-Sitting Room (1963, 1967) written by Milligan and John Antrobus Oblomov opened at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in 1964. It was based on the Russian classic by Ivan Goncharov, and gave Milligan the opportunity to play most of the title role in bed. Unsure of his material, on the opening night he improvised a great deal, treating the audience as part of the plot almost, and he continued in this manner for the rest of the run, and on tour as 'Son Of Oblomov'. Films Edit The Bed-Sitting Room (1969), post-apocalyptic comedy with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and also Arthur Lowe; written by John Antrobus based on the Milligan/Antrobus play. Milligan had a small role as a postman named "Mate", which was also the name of a Goon Show character. The Great McGonagall, untalented Scottish poet (based on William Topaz McGonagall) angles to become laureate, with Peter Sellers as Queen Victoria. Down Among the Z Men (1952), played Eccles in a detective/military black and white film with all The Goons including early member Michael Bentine and original announcer Andrew Timothy. The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn, a Goon-like 2-reel comedy ("Mukkinese" = "mucky knees"). The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Film, a silent comedy, Richard Lester's debut film. Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall, a film adaption of the first volume of his autobiography. Spike played the part of his father. The role of the young Spike Milligan was played by Jim Dale. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) as Gryphon. The decrepit manager of a seedy London hotel in Bruce Beresford's The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972). Monsieur Bonacieux, husband of Madame Bonacieux (Raquel Welch) in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers (1973). The prophet abandoned by his flock in Life of Brian. The traffic warden who eats the ticket in The Magic Christian. The decrepit Geste family retainer Crumpet in The Last Remake of Beau Geste, with Marty Feldman. Monsieur Rimbaud in History of the World, Part I. Country postman Harold Petts in Postman's Knock (1962). A royal herald who accidentally blows a spy's cover in Yellowbeard. A policeman who briefly talks to Dr. Watson and Stapleton when they first arrive on the moors in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World 1973 children's comedy Books Edit Silly Verse for Kids (1959); the 1968 paperback edition omits one poem and adds some from the next two books A Dustbin of Milligan (1961) Goblins The Little Pot Boiler (1963) Puckoon (1963) A Book of Bits, or A Bit of a Book (1965) A Book of Milliganimals (1968) Badjelly the Witch (1973) The Looney: An Irish Fantasy (1987) The Bedside Milligan "The War (and Peace) Memoirs" The seven memoirs were also recorded as talking books with Spike reciting them in his own inimitable style. Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1971) Rommel? Gunner Who? A Confrontation in the Desert (1974) Monty: His Part in My Victory (1976) This and the previous two books were released and publicised as the first, second and third part respectively of a trilogy. Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall (1978) This was announced as the fourth part of his "increasingly misnamed" trilogy. Where Have All the Bullets Gone? (1985) Goodbye Soldier (1986) Peace Work (1992) Small Dreams of a Scorpion Hidden Words: Collected Poems Open Heart University Startling Verse for All the Family Sir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty Dragon A Mad Medley of Milligan Transports of Delight More Transports of Delight Depression and How to Survive It (with Professor Anthony Clare), medical biography. It Ends with Magic The Murphy Milligan's Ark The "According to" Books The Bible—the Old Testament According to Spike Milligan Black Beauty According to Spike Milligan D.H.Lawrence's John Thomas and Lady Jane: According to Spike Milligan—Part II of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" Frankenstein According to Spike Milligan The Hound of the Baskervilles According to Spike Milligan Lady Chatterley's Lover According to Spike Milligan Robin Hood According to Spike Milligan Treasure Island According to Spike Milligan Wuthering Heights According to Spike Milligan Quotations Edit Spike Milligan "When I look back, the fondest memory I have is not really of the Goons. It is of a girl called Julia with enormous breasts." Of his honorary CBE — "I can't see the sense in it really. It makes me a Commander of the British Empire. They might as well make me a Commander of Milton Keynes — at least that exists." On his bouts of clinical depression — "It's the nature of who you are. You will see sunsets in a special way, you will see life in a special way. The Milligans are like Arab racehorses. We'll kick the stable to pieces, but we'll always win the race." Of heaven — "I'd like to go there. But if Jeffrey Archer is there, I want to go to Lewisham." -- Muppetstudios 20:08, 29 July 2008 (UTC)	i don't know
What is the English termfor the dish the Italians call 'Zuppa Inglese'?	Zuppa inglese (Italian Trifle) \| Memorie di Angelina Memorie di Angelina In dessert , Emilia-Romagna , Toscana by Frank 11 March 2012 35 Comments Zuppa inglese, literally “English soup”, is actually neither English nor a soup. It is a classic Italian dessert, but the name is apt nevertheless. Its texture is very reminiscent of the bread-thickened soups so typical of the cookery of central Italy , only sweet and cool rather than savory and hot—a kind of cousin to the more familiar tiramisù and an even closer cousin to the much less known Tuscan zuccotto. And while the origins of this dish are disputed, it bears a strong resemblance to the English trifle . It is actually quite simple to make, but makes a great impression, especially when served in a large glass trifle bowl. In its classic incarnation, it consists of layers of pan di Spagna ( sponge cake ) moistened with a red liqueur called Alchermes (also spelled Alkermes ) alternating with crema pasticcera, pastry cream. It can be served just as is or topped with fruit or sliced almonds or other decorative foods (see Notes). Let it chill for a few hours and serve. It is sure to be a big hit—I love it and I don’t even care that much for sweets—perfect for a dinner party for a crowd. Ingredients Makes enough for a crowd For the crema pasticcera: Sliced almonds Directions Step 1: Make the crema pasticcera: In a standing mixer bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth and the mixture forms ‘ribbons’ as the whisk rotates. Then add the flour slowly, bit by bit, into the mixture until fully incorporated. Meanwhile, heat the milk over moderate heat until hot, almost but not quite at the boil—you will see little bubbles just beginning to form around the edge of the pot. Take the milk off the heat and drizzle it, little by little, into the mixer bowl. Now pour the whole thing from the bowl into the pot and put it over very gentle heat, mixing continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon. After a while, it should begin to thicken. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens to the point where it coats a spoon nicely. Remove from the heat, stir in the grated lemon zest, and let the mixture cool. Step 2: Melt the chocolate: Add the cocoa to a small pot with the sugar. Over the moderate flame, add milk, bit by bit, until the mixture turns to a thick but pourable paste. Step 3: Mise en place: It is now time to arrange all the elements of the dish so you can assemble your dessert. Pour the crema pasticcera into two bowls, with a bit more in one of the bowls. In the bowl containing the lesser half of the crema, whisk in the chocolate paste until fully incorporated. In a small bowl, pour a good bit of your liqueur(s). Now take your sponge cake or pound cake and slice it into 1 cm (1/2 inch) slices. Now you are ready to put things all together. Prepare whatever topping you have it mind. Step 4: Assemble the dish: Take trifle bowl or other serving container large enough to hold all the ingredients and cover the bottom with a thin layer of the plain crema. Make a layer of cake slices, breaking them up as needed to make a complete layer, like so: Now drizzle over a bit of the liqueur. No need to drown it. In fact, it helps to use a pastry brush so the slices don’t get too soaked. Then add a layer of the chocolate crema. Repeat making layers in this way until you have run out of ingredients or filled your bowl. End with a layer of the plain crema. Arrange your topping if you want one: sliced strawberries, as pictured above, or sliced almonds or sour cherries or other sorts of berries are all very nice. Step 5: Rest: Place the bowl in the fridge and let the zuppa inglese rest for a good few hours. Some recipes call for as little as an hour and as much as a whole day. To my mind, 2-3 hours is probably the minimum to allow the flavors to meld and the crema and cake layers to adhere properly. Like a tiramisù, the dish will change in texture the longer it rests, getting softer over time. It’s a matter of taste, really, at what point it is at its best. Step 6: Serving: It is best not to serve this dish right out of the fridge. Take it about 30-60 minutes before you want to serve it, to let it return almost to room temperature so you can better appreciate its flavors. Notes As mentioned, zuppa inglese is a pretty simple dessert anyone can make, assuming you use store-bought sponge cake or pound cake. The only tricky part really is thickening the crema; you need to heat it slowly enough that you cook the flour, while making sure that the eggs don’t curdle. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pot all over, and keep the mixture below the boil. If at any point you sense that things might be getting out of hand, remove the pot from the heat and add a bit of cold milk or cream to cool things off. Alchermes is a liqueur prepared by infusing neutral spirits with sugar, spices, herbs and flavoring agents. Its most striking characteristic is its scarlet color, obtained by the addition of a small parasitic insect called “kermes” (aka cochineal) from which the drink derives its name. It gives this dish its characteristic color and a special flavor, but it is rarely found outside Italy, as far as I know, but it can apparently be ordered from this online site . Recipes vary on the substitutes they recommend. If color does not matter to you, I rather like amaretto mixed with a bit of rum. Rum alone would also do well. La cucina italiana website calls for vin santo, a typical Tuscan sweet fortified wine. I imagine sweet Marsala, while not typical, would also be nice. Mario Batali recommends sassolino or mandorla amara liqueurs, while Marcella Hazan recommends a mixture of rum, cognac, Drambuie and Cherry Herring. Kyle Philips of About Italian Food recommends any aromatic liqueur such as Strega or amaretto. And for the ambitious, in his classic The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, Giuliano Bugialli provides a recipe to make your own Alchermes. In some versions, the zuppa inglese in made in bowl that you line entirely with liqueur-laced cake. To serve, the bowl is inverted onto a serving plate, creating a ‘dome’ that is very similar in appearance to the Tuscan zuccotto. Personally, I prefer this version, which is much easier—no risk of accidents!—and, to my mind, even prettier if you use a glass trifle bowl as pictured above. And for an even more elegant presentation, you can also prepare individual portions of zuppa inglese in fluted ice cream tulip bowls. The origins of zuppa inglese , as mentioned, are in some dispute but according to both of the most common stories it is a recreation of the English trifle. One story has it that the dish originated in 19th century Tuscany which, perhaps not by coincidence, was the period when the “Grand Tour” was at its height. (Think Room With A View.) It was the attempt by the Italian cook of one English ex pat family living in Fiesole, outside Florence, at recreating the English trifle. Another story has it that the 16th century Duke of Este, having visited the Elizabethan court, had his cooks recreate the English trifle he had tasted there. Giuliano Bugialli contests both accounts and says that the name is a reference to the red color of Alchermes, which reminded people of the red in the English flag. I tend to believe the first story—or something like it—is the most likely to be true, in part because the trifle did not come to have its current form until at least the 17th century .	Trifle
Which singer had two hits about boxer Muhammad Ali?	Sponge Cake with Custard and Liqueur (Zuppa inglese) \| Williams Sonoma Recipes Desserts Puddings and Custards Sponge Cake with Custard and Liqueur (Zuppa inglese) Sponge Cake with Custard and Liqueur (Zuppa inglese) Prep Time: 75 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 Most connoissuers of Italian food know that the name of this popular dessert means “English soup,” which it was supposedly given for its resemblance to British trifle. However, few know that one of the ingredients, alchermes, a bright red, herb-and-spice-flavored liqueur invented by Florentine monks, derives its name from the Arabic qirmiz, which is also the source of the English word crimson. The composition of zuppa inglese may vary, the only constants being cake, custard, and alcohol, preferably some of it red. To save time and labor, use a store-bought sponge cake. 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar Pinch of salt 1⁄3 cup cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 large lemon zest strip 1 large whole egg 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon Sambuca 1⁄4 cup rum, or more to taste 1⁄4 cup alchermes (see note) or framboise 1⁄2 cup heavy (double) cream 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar About 2 teaspoons grated bittersweet chocolate Directions: To make the sponge cake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, dust with flour, and tap out the excess. In a bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should fall from them in a ribbon that slowly dissolves on the surface. In a large bowl, using the mixer with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the salt and beat until firm peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Using a rubber spatula, gradually fold the flour mixture into the yolk mixture. Stir about one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, and then gently fold in the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool for about 10 minutes, and then turn the cake out onto the rack. While the cake is baking, make the custard. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and lemon zest strip and heat until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and then remove and discard the lemon zest. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, and granulated sugar until well blended. Whisk in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and then continue whisking the mixture until it is thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while stirring constantly. Then pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan, place over low heat, and heat gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the Sambuca. Let cool to room temperature, stirring from time to time to prevent a skin from forming. To assemble, using a serrated knife, cut the cake into slices about 2-by-3 inches and 1⁄4 inch thick. Line the bottom of four 1-cup bowls, preferably clear glass, with some of the cake slices. Sprinkle the cake with some of the rum. Spread one-fourth of the custard (about 1⁄2 cup) over the cake slices. Top with another layer of cake slices, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the alchermes. Spread one-third of the remaining custard over the top. Repeat to make 2 more layers of cake, liqueur, and custard, and then end with a cake layer. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or preferably overnight, before serving. In a bowl, using a balloon whisk, combine the cream and confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium-stiff peaks form. Spoon the cream on top of each bowl and sprinkle with the chocolate. Serves 4.	i don't know
"Which sibling asked""Am I my brothers keeper?""?"	Am I my brother’s keeper? Am I my brother’s keeper? Subscribe to our Question of the Week : Question: "Am I my brother’s keeper?" Answer: The phrase “my brother’s keeper” occurs in the context of the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:1-9. After the Lord God had expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience, Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy that God had found Abel’s sacrifice acceptable, but He had rejected Cain’s. After the murder, the Lord, knowing full well what had happened, asked Cain where Abel was. Cain’s response was "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" There is a grain of truth in this brazen lie, despite the surly response Cain offers to the God who created him. While no one is the absolute “keeper” of others in that we are not responsible for everyone’s safety when we are not present, every man is his brother’s keeper in that we are not to commit violent acts against them or allow others to do so if we can prevent it. This sort of “keeping” is something God rightfully demands of everyone, on the grounds of both justice and love. But Cain’s reply indicates a total lack of any kind of feeling for another human being—not to mention the absence of brotherly love—and the overriding presence of the kind of selfishness which kills affection and gives rise to hatred. So are Christians to be the keepers of other Christians? Yes, in two ways. First we are not to commit acts of violence against one another. This includes violence of the tongue in the form of gossip and “quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” (1 Corinthians 12:20). Second, we are to exhibit brotherly love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ with a tender heart and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8). In this way, we “keep” those for whom Christ gave His life. One of the golden chapters of the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. In this magnificent portion of the Scriptures, we are reminded that love is even greater than faith and hope. Chapter 13 comes on the heels of Paul’s explanation of how the Body of Christ (the Church) is like the human body and is made up of many members, all of whom are important to the function and well-being of the Body. We are continually encouraged throughout the New Testament to love one another (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9). Sometimes love must correct, admonish or reprove (2 Thessalonians 3:13-15; Matthew 18:15). However, correction is always to be done in the spirit of love with the goal of reconciliation. Paul the apostle wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15). So, as Christians, we are to be our brother’s keeper. As Paul wrote, “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify (build up) another” (Romans 14:19).	Conflict Archive on the Internet
Which demonic name means'Lord Of The Flies'?	My Brother’s Keeper - Thomas S. Monson Thomas S. Monson April 1990 \| My Brother’s Keeper Your browser does not support the audio element. Email The Holy Bible is an inspiration to me. This sacred book has inspired the minds of men and has motivated readers to live the commandments of God and to love one another. It is printed in greater quantities, is translated into more languages, and has touched more human hearts than any other volume. Particularly do I enjoy reading from the book of Genesis the account describing the creation of the world. Ponder the power of that culminating declaration: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them.” ( Gen. 1:27–28 .) Joy turns to sadness as we learn of Abel’s tragic death at the hands of his brother Cain. Chapters of counsel, lessons for living, guidance from God are found in one brief verse: “And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” ( Gen. 4:9 .) These two significant questions are asked, then answered, in themes taught throughout the scriptures. One such example is found in the life of Joseph and his brothers. We will recall that Joseph was especially loved by his father, Jacob, which occasioned bitterness and jealousy on the part of his brothers. There followed the plot to slay him, which eventually placed Joseph in a pit without food and without water to sustain life. Upon the arrival of a passing caravan of merchants, Joseph’s brothers determined to sell him rather than to leave him to die. Twenty pieces of silver extricated Joseph from the pit and placed him eventually in the house of Potiphar in the land of Egypt. There Joseph prospered, for “the Lord was with Joseph.” ( Gen. 39:2 .) After the years of plenty, there followed the years of famine. In the midst of this latter period, when the brothers of Joseph came to Egypt to buy corn, they were blessed by this favored man in Egypt—even their own brother. Joseph could have dealt harshly with his brethren for the callous and cruel treatment he had earlier received from them. However, he was kind and gracious to his brethren and won their favor and support with these words and actions: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. … “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. … “Moreover [Joseph] kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.” ( Gen. 45:5, 7–8, 15 .) They had found their brother. Joseph in very deed was his brothers’ keeper. In the touching account of the good Samaritan, Jesus teaches vividly the interpretation of the lesson, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” ( Matt. 19:19 .) Answered effectively is the haunting question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” An entire vista of opportunity is unfolded to our view when we contemplate the magnitude of King Benjamin’s admonition, recorded in the Book of Mormon: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” ( Mosiah 2:17 .) Just last week the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve were provided the opportunity to view the new Church-history exhibit situated in the museum just west of Temple Square. I loved the replica of the entry to the Fourth Ward—one of the original wards in the valley. I noted with keen interest the lighted map which plotted the pioneer trek from Nauvoo. However, my heart was truly touched when I gazed at an actual handcart displayed in a place of honor. The handcart communicated to me a silent yet eloquent account of its long and momentous journey. Let us for a moment join Captain Edward Martin and the handcart company he led. While we will not feel the pangs of hunger which they felt or experience the bitter cold that penetrated their weary bodies, we will emerge from our visit with a better appreciation of hardship borne, courage demonstrated, and faith fulfilled. We will witness with tear-filled eyes a dramatic answer to the question “Am I my brother’s keeper?” “The handcarts moved on November 3 and reached the river, filled with floating ice. To cross would require more courage and fortitude, it seemed, than human nature could muster. Women shrank back and men wept. Some pushed through, but others were unequal to the ordeal. “‘Three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue; and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of that ill-fated handcart company across the snow-bound stream. The strain was so terrible, the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, “That act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.”’” (LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen, Handcarts to Zion, Glendale, Calif.: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1960, pp. 132–33.) Our service to others may not be so dramatic, but we can bolster human spirits, clothe cold bodies, feed hungry people, comfort grieving hearts, and lift to new heights precious souls. Junius Burt of Salt Lake City, a longtime worker in the Streets Department, related a touching and inspirational experience. He declared that on a cold winter morning, the street cleaning-crew of which he was a member was removing large chunks of ice from the street gutters. The regular crew was assisted by temporary laborers who desperately needed the work. One such wore only a lightweight sweater and was suffering from the cold. A slender man with a well-groomed beard stopped by the crew and asked the worker, “You need more than that sweater on a morning like this. Where is your coat?” The man replied that he had no coat to wear. The visitor then removed his own overcoat, handed it to the man and said, “This coat is yours. It is heavy wool and will keep you warm. I just work across the street.” The street was South Temple. The Good Samaritan who walked into the Church Administration Building to his daily work and without his coat was President George Albert Smith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His selfless act of generosity revealed his tender heart. Surely he was his brother’s keeper. In December of 1989, the beautiful and long-awaited Las Vegas temple was dedicated in inspiring sessions, which continued for three days. The messages and music in the dedicatory sessions lifted each heart heavenward and prompted the listener to keep the commandments of God and to emulate the example of righteous living taught by Jesus of Nazareth. Thoughts of self yielded to consideration for others. One sermon stressed the injunction of the Lord as recorded in Matthew: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” ( Matt. 6:19–21 .) After the session during which this passage of scripture had been presented, a handwritten letter, carefully tucked away in a sealed envelope, was handed to me by an usher. May I share with you the contents of this touching letter: “Dear President Monson: “My husband and I feel the completion and dedication of this beautiful Las Vegas Nevada Temple is the finest gift we could receive during this sacred season. Temples are such a sweet gift to all the world; and as you spoke of righteous Saints who are worthy to obtain the blessings of the Lord’s house but lack the financial means to attend a temple, our hearts were so touched. “President Monson, there must be a family somewhere who needs to attend the temple, because as my dear companion and I spoke of our great joy during this special Christmas season, we both commented as to how any store-bought gift would pale in comparison to what we have received in these dedicatory services. Instead of spending our budgeted Christmas funds for some gift from a local store, we would like to give you this $500 to help some family waiting to be endowed and sealed for all eternity. We appreciate your assisting us in our gifts to each other this year.” The letter was unsigned. The givers remain anonymous. Perhaps today this brother may be viewing this session of general conference. If so, he may be pleased to learn that this gift has made it possible for a worthy family from the Villa Real District of the Portugal Porto Mission to journey to the temple and receive their precious temple blessings. To the unknown givers of this priceless gift I extend my thanks for being your brother’s keeper. I have the inner feeling that your Christmas season was marked by joy and filled with peace. We have no way of knowing when our privilege to extend a helping hand will unfold before us. The road to Jericho each of us travels bears no name, and the weary traveler who needs our help may be one unknown. Altogether too frequently, the recipient of kindness shown fails to express his feelings, and we are deprived of a glimpse of greatness and a touch of tenderness that motivates us to go and do likewise. Genuine gratitude was expressed by the writer of a letter received recently at Church headquarters. No return address was shown, but the postmark was from Portland, Oregon: “To the Office of the First Presidency: “Salt Lake City showed me Christian hospitality once during my wandering years. “On a cross-country journey by bus to California, I stepped down in the terminal in Salt Lake City, sick and trembling from aggravated loss of sleep caused by a lack of necessary medication. In my headlong flight from a bad situation in Boston, I had completely forgotten my supply. “In the Temple Square Hotel restaurant, I sat dejectedly, cheekbones propped on fists, staring at a cup of coffee I really didn’t want. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a couple approach my table. ‘Are you all right, young man?’ the woman asked. I raised up, crying and a bit shaken, and related my story and the predicament I was in then. They listened carefully and patiently to my nearly incoherent ramblings, and then they took charge. They must have been prominent citizens. They spoke with the restaurant manager, then told me I could have all I wanted to eat there for five days. They took me next door to the hotel desk and got me a room for five days. Then they drove me to a clinic and saw that I was provided with the medications I needed—truly my basic lifeline to sanity and comfort. “While I was recuperating and building my strength, I made it a point to attend the daily Tabernacle organ recitals. The celestial voicing of that instrument from the faintest intonation to the mighty full organ is the most sublime sonority of my acquaintance. I have acquired albums and tapes of the Tabernacle organ and the choir which I can rely upon any time to soothe and buttress a sagging spirit. “On my last day at the hotel, before I resumed my journey, I turned in my key; and there was a message for me from that couple: ‘Repay us by showing gentle kindness to some other troubled soul along your road.’ That was my habit, but I determined to be more keenly on the lookout for someone who needed a lift in life. “I wish you well. I don’t know if these are indeed the ‘latter days’ spoken of in the scriptures, but I do know that two members of your church were saints to me in my desperate hours of need. I just thought you might like to know.” What a touching account. There comes to mind the experience of Jesus, when ten lepers were cleansed. “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, “And fell down on his face at his feet. … “And [Jesus] said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” ( Luke 17:15–16, 19 .) The desire to help another, the quest for the lost sheep, may not always yield success at once. On occasion progress is slow—even indiscernible. Such was the experience of my longtime friend Gil Warner. He was serving as a newly called bishop when “Douglas,” a member of his ward, transgressed and was deprived of his Church membership. Father was saddened; Mother was totally devastated. Douglas soon thereafter moved from the state. The years hurried by, but Bishop Warner, now a member of a high council, never ceased to wonder what had become of Douglas. In 1975, I attended the stake conference of the Parleys stake and held a priesthood leadership meeting early on the Sunday morning. I spoke of the Church discipline system and the need to labor earnestly and lovingly to rescue any who had strayed. Gil Warner asked to speak and then outlined the story of Douglas. He concluded with the question, “Who has the responsibility to work with Douglas and bring him back to Church membership?” Gil advised me later that my response to his question was direct and given without hesitation: “It is your responsibility, Gil, for you were his bishop, and he knew you cared.” Unbeknownst to Gil Warner, Douglas’s mother had, the previous week, fasted and prayed that a man would be raised up to help save her son. Gil discovered this when he felt prompted to call her to report his determination to be of help. Gil began his odyssey of redemption. Douglas was contacted by him. Old times, happy times, were remembered. Testimony was expressed, love was conveyed, and confidence instilled. The pace was excruciatingly slow. Discouragement frequently entered the scene; but, step by step, Douglas made headway. At long last prayers were answered, efforts rewarded, and victory attained. Douglas was approved for baptism. The baptismal date was set, family members gathered, and former bishop Gil Warner flew to Seattle for the occasion. Can we appreciate the supreme joy felt by Bishop Warner as he, dressed in white, stood with Douglas in water waist-deep and, raising his right arm to the square, repeated those sacred words, “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” ( D&C 20:73 .) He that was lost was found. A 26-year mission, marked by love and pursued with determination, had been successfully completed. Gil Warner said to me, “This was one of the greatest days of my life. I know the joy promised by the Lord when He declared, ‘And if it so be that you should labor all your days … and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!’” ( D&C 18:15 .) Were the Lord to say to Gil Warner today, as He said to Adam’s son long years ago, “Where is Douglas, thy brother?” Bishop Warner could reply, “I am my brother’s keeper, Lord. Behold Douglas, thy son.” May all of us who hold the priesthood of God demonstrate by our lives that we are our brothers’ keepers, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.	i don't know
Which notorious couple lived at 25, Cromwell Street, Gloucester?	25 Cromwell Street Fred and Rose West Posted in Weird People > Serial Killers and Murderers > Fred and Rose West A policeman stands guard outside 25 Cromwell Street. Before much longer, sensationalist media interest meant that the site needed much greater protection. In 1972, Fred and Rosemary West moved to this property in Gloucester. It was here that their murderous appetites were given full rein, as a succession of lodgers and prostitutes came, went and met grisly demises according to whims of the Wests. The top floor included a room from which Rose carried out her part time occupation as prostitute. Her door was marked by a hand-made metal sign reading simply: "cunt." Holes drilled in the walls meant that Fred could watch goings-on as she had sex with a unending stream of men attracted by her advertisements in the local press. The pair were fascinated by West Indian men in particular and following the couple's arrest, hours of film footage was found of Rose having sex with black men. The most notorious spot in the house was, of course, the cellar. Heavily soundproofed, it was here that Fred and Rose lived out the darkest parts of their perverted desires. Their victims were kept here for up to a week, often bound - sometimes with their heads taped up, with just plastic tubes in their nostrils to allow them to breathe. Thus restricted, they were suspended from the ceiling joists for the sadistic enjoyment of their captors. When they finally died or were killed, Fred would dutifully dismember their corpses and dig a fresh hole through the concrete floor to keep them. At this stage, he would remove 'mementoes' of his victims - normally finger or toe joints, and sometimes knee caps. At Rose's trial, much was made of the size of the house - and the prosecution argued that its narrow confines would make it impossible for Rose to be unaware of the murders, as her defence claimed. While the jury were presented with a scale model of the house, they demanded to be taken to visit the house to see its size for themselves. It is thought that experience of the house's relatively small dimensions played a significant role in their rejection of Rose's claims that she simply didn't know about the murders. Following the conclusion of the trial in 1996, the house was demolished and replaced with a simple pathway to deter sightseers.	fred and rose west
Who wrote the three novels featuring 'Gormenghast'?	A victim of infamous couple Fred and Rose West discusses her ordeal \| Daily Star Published 5th November 2014 TRAUMATIC: Caroline Roberts discusses her ordeal at the hands of Fred and Rosemary West [Nine Lives Media] But she soon fled their infamous address, 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, when her twisted employers tried to get her to participate in group sex. In revenge for shunning their advances and leaving their home the evil couple proceeded to track Caroline down. They then abducted and raped her. Now, in a brand new Channel 5 series, Caroline, reveals just how the Wests - responsible for the deaths of at least 12 young women - lured her into their web of depravity. In her most in depth TV interview to date she even recalls how at one point she thought the Wests were going to operate on her genitalia. Caroline Owens - as she was then called - first arrived at Cromwell Street back in the Autumn of 1972 long before the serial killer couple’s hideous string of murders came to light in the early 1990s. The 17-year-old had been offered the job of nanny to the three children in the house after she’d been picked up by the Wests whilst hitch-hiking. Moving in the next day it wasn’t long before Caroline felt uncomfortable as Rose West - herself a teenager - mistreated the children and Fred, then 31, talked obsessively about sex. Caroline, now 59, says that the couple had a ‘bawdy sense of humour’ and toyed with her psychologically: “It was a total headf***.” She adds: “You want to believe that they are going to let you go, because no-one can be that bad.” Creepily Fred told Caroline that if she ever wanted an abortion he knew how to perform it. “You want to believe that they are going to let you go, because no-one can be that bad.” Caroline Roberts She remembers him saying: “Yeah I’ve performed these abortions on girls before and they turn around and they’re so grateful they just have sex with me straight after. “I thought - that’s not right that’s weird.” And on another occasion he gleefully informed her that eight-year-old Anne Marie, his daughter by Rena Costello, wasn’t a virgin – implying he’d sexually abused her - before backtracking. Says Caroline: “I think it was almost like a test to see if I was curious. I think Fred felt like he could groom me.” Unknown to Caroline, Fred had already murdered Rena in 1971 when it looked as if she might find out about the murder of her other daughter Charmaine, at the hands of Rose. A horrified Caroline left Cromwell Street after the Wests invited her into their sex circle and says: “I knew that was something I didn’t want to be a part of.” But that December, as Caroline was walking home in the freezing cold, Fred and Rose pulled up next to her in their car. They apologised for their behaviour and offered Caroline a lift which she accepted. Related articles Avon, Argos and the Archers: Why Rose West will never leave the comfort of prison It was a ploy. A few minutes later Fred began hitting her around the head. She says: “I blacked out. When I came back round my hands were already tied behind my back and there was Fred wrapping tape around my mouth.” Caroline was taken back to 25 Cromwell Street – the address that would become infamous as the ‘House of Horrors’ for a 12 hour ordeal where they tormented and sexually abused her. She stripped and Fred told her he was going to ‘sort’ a physical problem he’d found with her. Caroline remembers: “It was embarrassing because I’d never actually been naked in front of any of my boyfriends. “With all the talk of abortions I thought I was going to be operated on. I was petrified – I thought I was going to be operated on while I was still conscious. “Rose held my legs apart and then Fred must have taken his belt off... I was just more relieved that it was that than a knife.” When Caroline tried to call for help Rose smothered Caroline’s face with a pillow. She told her: “We are going to keep you in the cellar and let our friends use you and, when they have finished with you, we will kill you and bury you under the paving stones of Gloucester. There are hundreds of girls there... the police haven’t found them and they won’t find you!” Adds Caroline: “It was then that I thought I might die.” The next morning Fred raped Caroline and only let her go after she promised not to tell Rose and that she would come back to work for the couple as a nanny. But Caroline managed to escape when she went to a local laundrette with Rose, fleeing after telling her captor that she was going to buy some cigarettes. HOUSE OF HORRORS: Caroline Roberts (left) when she went to work for Fred and Rosemary West (right) [SWNS/PA] Running home to her mother Caroline confessed what had happened and Caroline’s mum convinced her to go to the police. She claims an officer questioned her aggressively about what had happened with the Wests. Caroline decided she couldn’t face a grilling in court over the rape, and Fred and Rose West were only charged with indecent assault. In January 1973 they received only a £100 fine. Undettered they went on with their campaign of torture and rape and, learning from their lesson with Caroline, decided to kill their young female victims so that they couldn’t talk burying the corpses underneath the cellar and garden of 25 Cromwell Street. Caroline, a mum of three, now says she wishes she had the courage to help put the Wests in prison when she had the chance. She explains: “There was so much guilt about all that, it just made everything worse.” At the height of their killing spree the Wests murdered a girl every three months. Lynda Gough, Lucy Partington, Juanita Mott, Therese Siegenthaler, Alison Chambers, Shirley Robinson, Carol Ann Cooper and Shirley Hubbard all died at their hands. Fred almost certainly murdered his mistress Anne McFall, 18, back in 1967 too. The Wests own daughter Heather was abused and raped before she was also despatched, aged 16, in June 1987. In the Channel 5 series Kathryn Halliday, a former lesbian lover of Rose West, says she believes Rose was the driving force in the Wests relationship. She says: “Nothing prepared me for what I met with Rose…she was very domineering.” Kathryn, who recently died of liver cancer, believes she narrowly escaped death, deciding that she wanted nothing more to do with the Wests when the sex got brutal and they showed her a suitcase full of instruments of sexual torture and rubber gimp suits. Also featured in the series is Doug West, who denies his brother Fred’s claim that their own parents indulged in sexual abuse, dismissing his sibling as a ‘fantasist’ while he says he believed Rose was ‘possessed’ by the devil. Fred West committed suicide while awaiting trial in 1995, while Rose West was found guilty of 10 murders and is still in prison. When Fred met Rose is on Channel 5 tomorrow at 10pm.	i don't know
What was the name of Muhammad's flight from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD?	Muhammad completes Hegira - Sep 24, 622 - HISTORY.com Muhammad completes Hegira Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 622, the prophet Muhammad completes his Hegira, or “flight,” from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution. In Medina, Muhammad set about building the followers of his religion–Islam–into an organized community and Arabian power. The Hegira would later mark the beginning (year 1) of the Muslim calendar. Muhammad, one of the most influential religious and political leaders in history, was born in Mecca around 570. His father died before he was born, and Muhammad was put under the care of his grandfather, head of the prestigious Hashim clan. His mother died when he was six, and his grandfather when he was eight, leaving him under the care of his uncle Abu Talib, the new head of the clan. When he was 25, Muhammad married a wealthy widow 15 years his senior. He lived the next 15 years as a merchant, and his wife gave birth to six children: two sons, who died in childhood, and four daughters. From time to time, Muhammad spent nights in a cave in Mount Hira north of Mecca, ruminating on the social ills of the city. Around 610, he had a vision in the cave in which he heard the voice of a majestic being, later identified as the angel Gabriel, say to him, “You are the Messenger of God.” Thus began a lifetime of religious revelations, which he and others collected as the Qur’an, or Koran. Muhammad regarded himself as the last prophet of the Judaic-Christian tradition, and he adopted aspects of these older religions’ theologies while introducing new doctrines. Muhammad’s monotheistic religion came to be called Islam, meaning “surrender [to God],” and its followers were Muslims, meaning “those who have surrendered.” His inspired teachings would bring unity to the Arabian peninsula, an event that had sweeping consequences for the rest of the world. By 615, Muhammad had gained about 100 converts in Mecca. He spoke out against rich merchants, who he criticized as immoral in their greed, and he denounced the worshipping of idols and multiple gods, saying, “There is no god but God.” City leaders became hostile to him, and in 619 his uncle Abu Talib died and was succeeded as head of the Hashim clan by another one of Muhammad’s uncles, Abu Lahib. Abu Lahib refused to protect Muhammad, and persecution of the prophet and his Muslims increased. In the summer of 621, an entourage of 12 men came to Mecca from Medina, an oasis community 200 miles to the north. They were ostensibly making a pilgrimage to Mecca’s pagan shrines, but they had actually come to meet with Muhammad and profess themselves as Muslims. In 622, a larger group of converts from Medina came to Mecca and took an oath to Muhammad to defend him as their own kin. Muhammad immediately encouraged his Meccan followers to make their way to Medina in small groups. When city authorities learned that the Muslims had begun an exodus, they plotted to have the prophet killed. Under this threat, Muhammad slipped away unnoticed with a chief disciple and made his way to Medina, using unfrequented paths. He completed the celebrated Hegira (Hijrah in uncorrupted Arabic) on September 24, 622. The history of Islam had begun. At Medina, Muhammad built a theocratic state and led raids on trading caravans from Mecca. Attempts by Meccan armies to defeat the Muslim forces failed, and several leading Meccans immigrated to Medina and became Muslims. Muhammad later become more conciliatory to Mecca, and in 629 he was allowed to lead a pilgrimage there in exchange for a peace treaty. Shortly after, he was attacked by allies of the Meccans, and Muhammad denounced the treaty. In January 630, he returned to his birthplace with 10,000 men, and the Meccans swore allegiance to its Muslim conquerors. He was now the strongest man in Arabia. During the next few years, most of the peninsula’s disparate Arab tribes came to him to ask for alliance and to convert to his religion. By his death, on June 8, 632, Muhammad was the effective ruler of most of Arabia, and his rapidly growing empire was poised for expansion into Syria and Iraq. Within 20 years, the Byzantine and Persian empires had fallen to the prophet’s successors, and during the next two centuries vast Arab conquests continued. The Islamic empire grew into one of the largest the world has ever seen, stretching from India, across the Middle East and Africa, and up through Western Europe’s Iberian peninsula. The spread of Islam continued after the fragmentation of the Arab empire, and many societies in Africa and Asia voluntarily adopted Muhammad’s religion. Today, Islam is the world’s second-largest religion. Related Videos	Hijra (Islam)
What is the name of the 'theme park' near Windsor?	Life of Muhammad: 570-632 Return to "Islam" Chronology Not much is known about this man during the first forty years of his life other than the fact that he married a rich widow and later they had a daughter, Fatima, who became the wife of the great warrior, Ali (Ibid., p.186). However, around 610, Muhammad claimed that after meditating in the desert God had revealed many messages to him concerning life. These revelations came from the angel Gabriel, who Muhammad claimed God had used to call him to publish his religion (Guillaume, p.96). Muhammad's revelations were written shortly after his death and they are now called the Qur'an. After these experiences in the desert, Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God with the great desire to guide others by God's message. So, he began to preach to those around him in 617 (Ibid., p.100). The people of Mecca at this time were involved in a religion called Ka'aba meaning "black stone," in which they literally worshipped a black stone. Those following this religion believed that many objects, other than the black stone, possessed spirits and power. Therefore, Muhammad's message asserting the lordship of Allah was not well received at first. The people called him a sorcerer and false prophet and claimed that he was possessed (Watt, p.102) and in 622 Muhammad was forced to flee Mecca. He had been condemned by Meccan authorities who held to Ka'aba (Guillaume, p.124). This escape is now called the year of the Hegira ("Flight") and marks the first year on the Muslim calendar (Adler, p.185). Muhammad found refuge in the rival city of Medina where he was accepted and gathered a fairly large following. Even in Mecca he had some followers and people all over were accepting his message, but, from Medina, he issued a holy war against Mecca. After eight years, Muhammad captured Mecca and became the ruler. He implemented the divine orders he believed he was called to carry out and retained the pilgrimage to Mecca as part of his religious restoration (Watt, p.151). Muhammad was born poor, but he died known as the founder of the great religion of Islam, and was considered a "poet, an inspired prophet with a fearless heart (Dermenghem, p. 37)." Muhammad died in 632 with the majority of the Arabian Peninsula under Islam, a word which literally means "submission." However, he didn't claim to be a revolutionary or innovator -- but to complete the work of the Jewish Christian prophets (Ibid., p.70). Bibliography. Adler, Philip J., World Civilizations, (Minneapolis; West Publishing Company, 1996). Dermenghem, Emile, Men of Wisdom: Muhammad and the Islamic Tradition, (London; Harper and Bros., 1958). Guillaume, A., The Life of Muhammad, (London; Oxford University Press, 1955). Watt, Montgomery, Muhammad at Mecca, (London; Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1953). Edited by: Anthony J. Gapastione Researched by: Karah L. Grimes Written by: Janelle E. Carlsgaard December 13, 1996	i don't know
What product do the company Farrow and Ball make?	Our Paint \| Farrow & Ball The F&B Difference Farrow & Ball paints are born and bred in Dorset, England. We’ve resided here since John Farrow, and fellow paint pioneer, Richard Ball first founded the company in 1946. Their passion for making paint to original formulations, using only the finest ingredients and age-old methods, is matched by our craftsmen today. There is true alchemy to our paints. It’s the high levels of pigment, rich resin binders, and the high refractory nature of our key ingredients that produces our signature immersive depth of colour. And, to ensure our paint meets our obsessively high requirements, we scrupulously test every batch before it even reaches the tin. There’s a reason Stiffkey Blue is the precise colour of the extraordinary mud found at Stiffkey beach in Norfolk! With interior and exterior, modern and traditional finishes available in a carefully edited palette of 132 colours, our paints are created to shape homes around the world. Discover Our Range One of the more distinguishing attributes of Farrow & Ball is our paint names. Always distinct and rooted in the past, our names create a lot of conversation! Generally these names are inspired by nature and our Dorset surroundings, found in historic houses or named after friends of Farrow & Ball. Discover Nancy's Blushes St Giles Blue, for example, is named after a colour we found a few miles away from our Dorset home in the hallway at 17th century St Giles House, whereas colours such as, Charlotte’s Locks and Nancy’s Blushes are named after the fiery red hair and rosy cheeks of people we know and love.	Paint
Which is the main vitamin found in Liver Worts, butter-fat, green leaves etc.?	Paint and Paper Emporium \| Paint Search Paint Here at the Paint & Paper Emporium, we can mix over 15000 colours with our in-house mixing system. We always keep a wide variety of designer paints in stock. We mix the entire range of all the brands (except Farrow & Ball and Zoffany) while you wait. We do hold a large stock of Farrow & Ball paints ~ however please phone to check your requirements. If we do not have it, we order every Tuesday weekly from Farrow & Ball. We are able to mix all British Standard NCS and European RAL Colours into Little Greene paint on our mixing machine, at both our branches. Little Greene Most early paint manufacture was based on natural resins and pigments. The Little Greene Paint Company has incorporated many of these early materials and techniques into the preparation of their high quality, highly pigmented paints they make today. The quite extraordinary depth of colour subtly changes in different lights, and the amazing covering power of Little Greene paint is bringing ever growing awareness of the brand both in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world. Alongside this quality comes an astonishing spectrum of 7500 colours. At our stores we are able to offer all Little Greene products mixed on our mixing systems in all British Standard colours, RAL, NCS colour spectrum, The Nova 2024 colour offer and the 960 colours from the Big Book of Colours exclusive to Little Greene. Sample pots in matt emulsion are available in 60ml and 250ml across all 7500 colours. Oil Based Paints All Little Greene oil based paints have been reformulated as per EU directives and consequently have one of the lowest VOC ratings of any paint in the marketplace today. They are no constructed using sustainable vegetable oil rather than the previous white spirits. Little Greene Oil based products have established a remarkable following amongst both trade and retail users who consider it to be of exceptional quality. Water Based Paints There is certainly no better product in the marketplace than the Little Greene range of Water based emulsions. Absolute Matt has established itself as the product that produces amazing coverage with excellent depth of colour: coupled with one of the lowest VOC levels, now virtually zero. Since its entry into the marketplace, Intelligent Matt has also proved to be a runaway success: up to 15 times tougher than normal emulsions, this product can be used in any area of the house, particularly suitable to moisture areas and high traffic areas. It can also be applied to woodwork and radiators. In addition we also stock Satin Emulsion, Intelligent Water Based Eggshell, Intelligent Water Based Gloss, Masonry Paint, Distemper, Lime Wash, Floor Paint, Primers and Undercoat. All these products and more are available in store at Paint and Paper Emporium. Autentico Chalk Paint With a total of more than 140 handed picked colours, Autentico offer the most comprehensive colour palette in this remarkable range of Chalk and Lime Paints. This superb chalk paint is ideal for painting and distressing all kinds of furniture, no need for extensive priming, this chalk paint sticks to any surface. We at Paint and Paper Emporium are pleased to announce that we have in stock in our branches Sample Pots and 1ltr can sizes of the top selling colours in Autentico Vintage paint. Autentico Vintage Chalk Paint has been developed with only Old and tested recipes’, using natural resins instead of harmful additives, we also carry in stock Crack lure, Terrapino and Crackle glaze. Plus waxes. Autentico Velvet chalk paint for walls, Kitchen cupboards, table tops and much more available by special order . Pure Lime Paints for the creation of Stunning Walls is also available within a few days of ordering. Farrow and Ball Farrow and Ball are devoted to producing unparalleled paints and wallpaper that transforms homes around the world. They are paint perfectionists, creating unmatched paint colours using only the finest ingredients and old age methods that have withstood the test of time. They also make hand crafted wallpapers using their own paints to print designs through traditional block and trough printing methods: which give them their uniquely beautiful textures. 132 High Quality Colours Paint and Paper Emporium has been a major stockist of Farrow and Ball products for many years. Both our branches have stock of Estate Emulsion, Modern Emulsion and Estate Eggshell, plus a complete stock holding of all 132 colours in sample pots. A full and comprehensive range of Farrow and Ball Wallpaper pattern books are held at both stores. Any product you may require from the Farrow and Ball range can be quickly ordered for you, please visit our store or if more convenient, order by phone. In order to assist in your choice of colour, our stores have hand painted colour boards: easily the best way of choosing colour. Our Farrow and Ball range includes: Estate Emulsion, Modern Emulsion, Estate Eggshell, Masonry Paint, Floor Paint, Exterior Finish Paints, Lime wash and Distemper. Paint And Paper Library The fantastic Paint Library Architectural colours, a complementary colour-by-numbers system for ceilings, cornices, Walls and woodwork using chromatic colours of a similar tonal weight. The full range of 120 exciting, fresh colours of Paint and Paper Library was created by David Oliver one of the UKs top stylist and Paint Colourist who has for many years been at the forefront of the modern way to use colour to maximum effect in graduated and co-ordination of tones. 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These colours are at the forefront of current trends in interior decorating and have been selected to ensure they perfectly compliment Sanderson’s most recent fabric and Wallpaper collections, and those of other brands. We at Paint and paper Emporium have in stock the entire Sanderson Colour Spectrum of 1300 colours available in all finishes complete with sample pots. To complement the Sanderson Paints we have Sanderson Wallpapers and Fabrics from our pattern books, available within 2 -3 working days. Cambridge Shop:	i don't know
Which 'French Impressionist' painter, famed for his portrait, 'The Bar At The Folies Bergere', was born in Paris in 1832, and died of a gangrenous leg in 1883?	Edouard Manet facts, information, pictures \| Encyclopedia.com articles about Edouard Manet COPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. Édouard Manet The art of the French painter Édouard Manet (1832-1883) broke with 19th-century academic precepts and marks the beginning of modern painting. Edouard Manet was born in Paris on Jan. 23, 1832, to Auguste Manet, an official at the Ministry of Justice, and Eugénie Désirée Manet. The father, who had expected Édouard to study law, vigorously opposed his wish to become a painter. The career of naval officer was decided upon as a compromise, and at the age of 16 Édouard sailed to Rio de Janeiro on a training vessel. Upon his return he failed to pass the entrance examination of the naval academy. His father relented, and in 1850 Manet entered the studio of Thomas Couture, where, in spite of many disagreements with his teacher, he remained until 1856. During this period Manet traveled abroad and made numerous copies after the Old Masters in both foreign and French public collections. Early Works Manet's entry for the Salon of 1859, the Absinthe Drinker, a thematically romantic but conceptually already daring work, was rejected. At the Salon of 1861, his Spanish Singer, one of a number of works of Spanish character painted in this period, not only was admitted to the Salon but won an honorable mention and the acclaim of the poet Théophile Gautier. This was to be Manet's last success for many years. In 1863 Manet married Suzanne Leenhoff, a Dutch pianist. That year he showed 14 paintings at the Martinet Gallery; one of them, Music in the Tuileries, remarkable for its freshness in the handling of a contemporary scene, was greeted with considerable hostility. Also in 1863 the Salon rejected Manet's large painting Luncheon on the Grass, and the artist elected to have it shown at the now famous Salon des Refusés, created by the Emperor under the pressure of the exceptionally large number of painters whose work had been turned away. Here, Manet's picture attracted the most attention and brought forth a kind of abusive criticism which was to set a pattern for years to come. Although this painting is a paraphrase of Giorgione's Concert champêtre, the combination of clothed men and a nude woman in a modern context was found offensive. In 1865 Manet's Olympia produced a still more violent reaction at the official Salon, and his reputation as a renegade became widespread. Upset by the criticism, Manet made a brief trip to Spain, where he admired many works by Diego Velázquez, to whom he referred as "the painter of painters." Support of Baudelaire and Zola Manet's close friend and supporter during the early years was Charles Baudelaire, who, in 1862, had written a quatrain to accompany one of Manet's Spanish subjects, Lola de Valence, and the public, largely as a result of the strange atmosphere of the Olympia, linked the two men readily. In 1866, after the Salon jury had rejected two of Manet's works, Émile Zola came to his defense with a series of articles filled with strongly expressed, uncompromising praise. In 1867 he published a book which contains the prediction, "Manet's place is destined to be in the Louvre." This book appears on Zola's desk in Manet's portrait of the writer (1868). In May of that year the Paris World's Fair opened its doors, and Manet, at his own expense, exhibited 50 of his works in a temporary structure, not far from Gustave Courbet's private exhibition. This was in keeping with Manet's view, expressed years later to his friend Antonin Proust, that his paintings must be seen together in order to be fully understood. Although Manet insisted that a painter be "resolutely of his own time" and that he paint what he sees, he nevertheless produced two important religious works, the Dead Christ with Angels and Christ Mocked by the Soldiers, which were shown at the Salons of 1864 and 1865, respectively, and ridiculed. Only Zola could defend the former work on the grounds of its vigorous realism while playing down its alleged lack of piety. It is also true that although Manet despised the academic category of "history painting" he did paint the contemporary Naval Battle between the Kearsarge and the Alabama (1864) and the Execution of Maximilian (1867). The latter is based upon a careful gathering of the facts surrounding the incident and composed, largely, after Francisco Goya's Executions of the Third of May, resulting in a curious amalgam of the particular and the universal. Manet's use of older works of art in elaborating his own major compositions has long been, and continues to be, a problematic subject, since the old view that this procedure was needed to compensate for the artist's own inadequate imagination is rapidly being discarded. Late Works Although the impressionists were influenced by Manet during the 1860s, during the next decade it appears that it was he who learned from them. His palette became lighter; his stroke, without ever achieving the analytical intensity of Claude Monet's, was shorter and more rapid. Nevertheless, Manet never cultivated pleinairism seriously, and he remained essentially a figure and studio painter. Also, despite his sympathy for most of the impressionists with whom the public associated him, he never exhibited with them at their series of private exhibitions which began in 1874. Manet had his first resounding success since the Spanish Singer at the Salon of 1873 with his Bon Bock, which radiates a touch and joviality of expression reminiscent of Frans Hals, in contrast to Manet's usually austere figures. In spite of the popularity of this painting, his success was not to extend to the following season. About this time he met the poet Stéphane Mallarmé, with whom he remained on intimate terms for the remainder of his life. After Manet's rejection by the jury in 1876, Mallarmétook up his defense. Toward the end of the 1870s, although Manet retained the bright palette and the touch of his impressionist works, he returned to the figure problems of the early years. The undeniable sense of mystery is found again in several bar scenes, notably the Brasserie Reichshoffen, in which the relationships of the figures recall those of the Luncheon on the Grass. Perhaps the apotheosis of his lifelong endeavors is to be found in his last major work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. Here, in the expression of the barmaid, is all the starkness of the great confrontations of the 1860s, but bathed in a profusion of colors. While we are drawn to the brilliantly painted accessories, it is the girl, placed at the center before a mirror, who dominates the composition and ultimately demands our attention. Although her reflected image, showing her to be in conversation with a man, is absorbed into the brilliant atmosphere of the setting, she remains enigmatic and aloof. Manet produced two aspects of the same personality, combined the fleeting with the eternal, and, by "misplacing" the reflected image, took a step toward abstraction as a solution to certain lifelong philosophical and technical problems. In 1881 Manet was finally admitted to membership in the Legion of Honor, an award he had long coveted. By then he was seriously ill. Therapy at the sanatorium at Bellevue failed to improve his health, and walking became increasingly difficult for him. In his weakened condition he found it easier to handle pastels than oils, and he produced a great many flower pieces and portraits in that medium. In the spring of 1883 his left leg was amputated, but this did not prolong his life. He died peacefully in Paris on April 30. Manet was short, unusually handsome, and witty. His biographers stress his kindness and unaffected generosity toward his friends. The paradoxical elements in his art are an extension of the man: although a revolutionary in art, he craved official honors; while fashionably dressed, he affected a Parisian slang at odds with his appearance and impeccable manners; and although he espoused the style of life of the conservative classes, his political sentiments were those of the republican liberal. Further Reading Useful general works on Manet are Georges Bataille, Manet (trans. 1955), which has a good text and small color illustrations; and John Richardson, Édouard Manet: Paintings and Drawings (1958), with good, large color illustrations. Recommended catalogs are A. C. Hanson, Manet (1966), an excellent study but with poor color plates; Alain de Leiris, The Drawings of Édouard Manet (1969); and Jean C. Harris, Édouard Manet, Graphic Works: A Definitive Catalog (1970). For specialized studies see George Heard Hamilton, Manet and His Critics (1954); Nils Gösta Sandblad, Manet: Three Studies in Artistic Conception (1954); and George Mauner, Manet, Peintre-Philosophe: A Study of the Painter's Themes (1972). A great deal of useful historical information is in John Rewald, The History of Impressionism (1946; rev. ed. 1961). □ Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright The Columbia University Press Édouard Manet (ādwär´ mänā´), 1832–83, French painter, b. Paris. The son of a magistate, Manet went to sea rather than study law. On his return to Paris in 1850 he studied art with the French academic painter Thomas Couture . Manet was influenced by Velázquez and Goya and later by Japanese painters and printmakers and the objectivity of photography. In 1861 the Salon accepted his Chanteur espagnol. Two years later his Déjeuner sur l'herbe (Musée d'Orsay, Paris) was shown in the Salon des Refusés and was violently attacked; its depiction of a nude and a partially clad woman picnicking with two fully dressed men is enduringly strange and remarkably forthright, and has not quite lost its power to shock. Manet's masterpiece, Olympia (1863; Musée d'Orsay), a supposedly suggestive painting of a nude courtesan, was shown in 1865. It was met by outrage and abuse from critics and public alike. These paintings incorporated a number of technical innovations, which were themselves attacked by the academicians as heresy. The hostility of the critics attended Manet throughout his life, yet he never ceased to hope for acceptance from the art establishment. Fortunately he had some independent means, a strong following among his fellow painters, and companions in Zola , who lost his position on a newspaper because he defended the painter, and Mallarmé . Manet profoundly influenced the impressionist painters (see impressionism ). He is sometimes called an impressionist himself, although he declined to exhibit his work with the group, and except for a short time he did not employ impressionism's typical broken color or sketchy brushstrokes. Rather Manet worked in broad, flat areas, using almost no transitional tones, to show what the eye takes in at a glance. By 1900 his techniques and their results were widely understood and appreciated, and his works were hung in the Louvre. Today examples of Manet's paintings are represented in the most important European and American collections. Among his many celebrated paintings are The Fife Player (1866), a portrait of Zola (1868), and The Balcony (1869), all of which are in the Louvre; part of the Execution of Maximilian (1867; Tate Gall., London); and Les Courses à Longchamps (Art Inst., Chicago). Manet also made many pastels, watercolors, and etchings, including graphic portraits of Baudelaire and a series of illustrations based on Poe 's Raven. Bibliography See biographies by V. Perutz (1991) and B. A. Brombert (1995); catalog of his retrospective exhibition in Paris and New York (1982); catalogs of his pastels by J. Rewald (1947), graphic works by J. C. Harris (1970), and drawings by A. DeLeiris (1971); studies by G. Batailles (tr. 1955, 1983), P. Courthion (1962), G. H. Hamilton (1954, repr. 1969), J. Dufwa (1981), J. Richardson (1982), and K. Adler (1986). Cite this article	Édouard Manet
What is the name of the Highwayman featured in John Gay's musical play, 'The Beggar's Opera'?	Édouard Manet - BOOK OF DAYS TALES BOOK OF DAYS TALES Jan 232014 Today is the birthday (1832) of Édouard Manet, French painter, one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, and a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. His early masterworks, Le déjeuner sur l’herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), and Olympia, both 1863, caused great controversy and served as rallying points for the young painters who would be the prime movers in the Impressionist movement. Today, these are considered watershed paintings that mark the genesis of modern art. Manet was born in Paris in the ancestral hôtel particulier on the rue Bonaparte to an affluent and well-connected family. His mother, Eugénie-Desirée Fournier, was the daughter of a diplomat and goddaughter of the Swedish crown prince Charles Bernadotte, from whom the Swedish monarchs are descended. His father, Auguste Manet, was a French judge who expected Édouard to pursue a career in law. His uncle, Edmond Fournier, encouraged him to pursue painting and took young Manet to the Louvre. In 1841 he enrolled at secondary school, the Collège Rollin. In 1845, at the advice of his uncle, Manet enrolled in a special course of drawing where he met Antonin Proust, future Minister of Fine Arts and subsequent lifelong friend. At his father’s suggestion, in 1848 he sailed on a training vessel to Rio de Janeiro. After he twice failed the examination to join the Navy, his father acceded to his wishes to pursue an art education. From 1850 to 1856, Manet studied under the academic painter Thomas Couture. In his spare time, Manet copied the old masters in the Louvre. From 1853 to 1856 he visited Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, during which time he was influenced by the Dutch painter Frans Hals, and the Spanish artists Diego Velázquez and Francisco José de Goya. In 1856, Manet opened a studio. His style in this period was characterized by loose brush strokes, simplification of details and the suppression of transitional tones. Adopting the current style of realism initiated by Gustave Courbet, he painted The Absinthe Drinker (1858–59) and other contemporary subjects such as beggars, singers, gypsies, people in cafés, and bullfights. Manet had two canvases accepted at the Salon in 1861. A portrait of his mother and father, who at the time was paralyzed and robbed of speech by a stroke, was ill received by critics. The other, The Spanish Singer, was admired by Theophile Gautier, and placed in a more conspicuous location as a result of its popularity with Salon-goers. (Curiously, I had not noticed until I started writing this that the singer is playing the guitar left handed.) A pivotal early work is Le déjeuner sur l’herbe. The Paris Salon rejected it for exhibition in 1863 but Manet exhibited it at the Salon des Refusés (Salon of the Rejected) later in the year. Emperor Napoleon III had initiated The Salon des Refusés after the Paris Salon rejected more than 4,000 paintings in 1863. Manet employed model Victorine Meurent, his wife Suzanne, future brother-in-law Ferdinand Leenhoff, and one of his brothers to pose. Meurent also posed for several more of Manet’s important paintings including Olympia; and by the mid-1870s she had become an accomplished painter in her own right. The painting’s juxtaposition of fully dressed men and a nude woman was controversial, as was its abbreviated, sketch-like handling, an innovation that distinguished Manet from Courbet. At the same time, Manet’s composition reveals his study of the old masters, as the disposition of the main figures is derived from Marcantonio Raimondi’s engraving of the Judgment of Paris (c. 1515) based on a drawing by Raphael (lower right group). As he had in Le déjeuner sur l’herbe, Manet again played off a respected work by a Renaissance artist in the painting Olympia (1863), a nude portrayed in a style reminiscent of early studio photographs, but whose pose was based on Titian’s Venus of Urbino (1538). Manet started the work after being challenged to give the Salon a nude painting to display. His uniquely frank depiction of a self-assured prostitute was accepted by the Paris Salon in 1865, where it created a scandal. According to Antonin Proust, “only the precautions taken by the administration prevented the painting being punctured and torn” by offended viewers. The painting was controversial partly because the nude is wearing some small items of clothing such as an orchid in her hair, a bracelet, a ribbon around her neck, and mule slippers, all of which accentuated her nakedness, sexuality, and comfortable courtesan lifestyle. The orchid, upswept hair, black cat, and bouquet of flowers were all recognized symbols of sexuality at the time. This modern Venus’ body is thin, counter to prevailing standards; the painting’s lack of idealism rankled viewers. Olympia’s body, as well as her gaze, is unabashedly confrontational. She defiantly looks out as her servant offers flowers from one of her male suitors. Although her hand rests on her leg, hiding her pubic area, the reference to traditional female virtue is ironic; a notion of modesty is notoriously absent in this work. A contemporary critic denounced Olympia’s “shamelessly flexed” left hand, which seemed to him a mockery of the relaxed, shielding hand of Titian’s Venus. Likewise, the alert black cat at the foot of the bed strikes a sexually rebellious note in contrast to that of the sleeping dog in Titian’s portrayal of the goddess in his Venus of Urbino. Rather than go into a long song and dance concerning Manet’s illustrious oeuvre let me give you a gallery of a few images. The underlying theme in all these works is a portrayal of the modern world in general, including lighter subjects but not shying away from political activity and warfare. He completed painting his last major work, Un Bar aux Folies-Bergère, in 1882 and it hung in the Salon that year. In 1881, with pressure from his friend Antonin Proust, the French government awarded Manet the Légion d’honneur. In his forties Manet contracted syphilis, for which he received no treatment. He also suffered from rheumatism. In the years before his death, he developed locomotor ataxia, a known side-effect of syphilis, which caused him considerable pain. In April 1883, his left foot was amputated because of gangrene, and he died eleven days later in Paris. He is buried in the Passy Cemetery in the city. In honor of Le déjeuner sur l’herbe, I suggest a French pique-nique (I was surprised to learn that the English “picnic” is derived from the French, and not the other way around). Manet’s painting gives us only the rudiments – bread, grapes, and fruit, but it’s easy to flesh out. (Presumably they had already eaten the rest.) A classic French picnic of the 19th century would also have had some cheese, some cured meats, and pâté; perhaps also some vegetables, certainly cornichons (baby pickled cucumbers). Here’s my choice menu: Slices of Savoie ham	i don't know
Give a year in the life of novellist Henry Fielding?	Tragedy of Tragedies by Henry Fielding - AbeBooks Tragedy of Tragedies by Henry Fielding You Searched For: Results (1 - 30) of 370 1 ISBN 10: 1554811635 ISBN 13: 9781554811632 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 1554811635 ISBN 13: 9781554811632 Used Paperback Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Broadview Press, 2013. Paperback. Book Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Bookseller Inventory # CHL1603119 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 29 Lang:- English, Pages 29, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1730]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111003258787 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 33 Lang:- English, Pages 33, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1857]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111002404295 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 62 Lang:- eng, Pages 62, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1732]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005470691 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 82 Lang:- eng, Pages 82, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1737]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005479775 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111000587900 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005481173 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 33 Lang:- English, Pages 33, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1857]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # 1111002404295 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 29 Lang:- English, Pages 29, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1730]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # 1111003258787 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 62 Lang:- eng, Pages 62, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1732]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005470691 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1730 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, Printed, and sold by J. Roberts) 29 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452128798 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1857 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, Printed for Private Circulation) 33 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452133079 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 82 Lang:- eng, Pages 82, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1737]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005479775 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111000587900 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005481173 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1732 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, London, Printed for J. Watts, and sold by J. Roberts) 62 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452160545 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Dodo Press, United Kingdom, 2009. Paperback. Book Condition: New. 229 x 152 mm. Language: English . Brand New Book *** Print on Demand ***.Henry Fielding (1707-1754) was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. He was born in Sharpham near Glastonbury in Somerset in 1707, and was educated at Eton College. Later he went to London where his literary career began. In 1728, he travelled to Leiden to study. On his return, he began writing for the theatre, some of his work being savagely critical of the contemporary government under Sir Robert Walpole. He therefore retired from the theatre and resumed his career in law, becoming a Justice of the Peace in 1748 for Middlesex and Westminster. He never stopped writing political satire and satires of current arts and letters. Amongst his works are Rape upon Rape (1730), Shamela (1741), The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling (1749) and Amelia (1751). Bookseller Inventory # AAV9781409930853	1707 1754
"Which actor played the title role in the 1939 film ""Young Mr. Lincoln""?"	Tragedy of Tragedies by Henry Fielding - AbeBooks Tragedy of Tragedies by Henry Fielding You Searched For: Results (1 - 30) of 370 1 ISBN 10: 1554811635 ISBN 13: 9781554811632 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 0520016548 ISBN 13: 9780520016545 Used ISBN 10: 1554811635 ISBN 13: 9781554811632 Used Paperback Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Broadview Press, 2013. Paperback. Book Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Bookseller Inventory # CHL1603119 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 29 Lang:- English, Pages 29, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1730]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111003258787 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 33 Lang:- English, Pages 33, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1857]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111002404295 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 62 Lang:- eng, Pages 62, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1732]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005470691 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 82 Lang:- eng, Pages 82, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1737]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005479775 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111000587900 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Softcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is Printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Soft Cover {HARDCOVER EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE}, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # PB1111005481173 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 33 Lang:- English, Pages 33, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1857]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # 1111002404295 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 29 Lang:- English, Pages 29, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1730]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: English. Bookseller Inventory # 1111003258787 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 62 Lang:- eng, Pages 62, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1732]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005470691 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1730 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, Printed, and sold by J. Roberts) 29 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452128798 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1857 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, Printed for Private Circulation) 33 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452133079 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 82 Lang:- eng, Pages 82, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1737]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005479775 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111000587900 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: 2016. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. 84 Lang:- eng, Pages 84, Print on Demand. Reprinted in 2016 with the help of original edition published long back[1731]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Language: eng. Bookseller Inventory # 1111005481173 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: ReInk Books, 2015. Hardback. Book Condition: New. Reprinted from 1732 edition. Hardback. NO changes have been made to the original text. Illustrations, Index, if any, are included in black and white. Each page is checked manually before printing. Fold-outs, if any, are not part of the book. If the original book was published in multiple volumes than this reprint is of only one volume, not the whole set. This hardback book is SEWN perfect bound, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of hardback binding. It can also be open wide. The pages will not fall out and will be around for a lot longer than normal hardbacks. This book is printed on demand on acid-free paper. (Original publisher, London, Printed for J. Watts, and sold by J. Roberts) 62 pages. Bookseller Inventory # HB452160545 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Dodo Press, United Kingdom, 2009. Paperback. Book Condition: New. 229 x 152 mm. Language: English . Brand New Book *** Print on Demand ***.Henry Fielding (1707-1754) was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. He was born in Sharpham near Glastonbury in Somerset in 1707, and was educated at Eton College. Later he went to London where his literary career began. In 1728, he travelled to Leiden to study. On his return, he began writing for the theatre, some of his work being savagely critical of the contemporary government under Sir Robert Walpole. He therefore retired from the theatre and resumed his career in law, becoming a Justice of the Peace in 1748 for Middlesex and Westminster. He never stopped writing political satire and satires of current arts and letters. Amongst his works are Rape upon Rape (1730), Shamela (1741), The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling (1749) and Amelia (1751). Bookseller Inventory # AAV9781409930853	i don't know
What mechanism ensures that when a vehicle is cornering, the rear wheels can both be driven, yet turn at a different rate?	No-Slip Positraction Users Guide - Drivetrain No-Slip Positraction Users Guide We are one of a few web sites that publish prices. Prices listed may not be current, we do attempt to keep pricing current. Please ask your sales person at the time of the order to confirm price, including S&H charges. To stay competitive and offer you the best prices, all returns require prior authorization. Sorry, no returns after 14 days. No-Slip Positraction Users Guide INTRODUCTION Thank you for selecting a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to upgrade the performance of your vehicle. Our continuing success depends on satisfying our customers with exceptional products and service. We trust that you will find this finely engineered and manufactured product, and the support network which stands behind it, to be of the highest quality. Powertrax traction systems were born and raised in the world of extreme off-roading and performance racing. Used worldwide in the most demanding applications, Powertrax products have established a proven history of superior operation and excellent durability. Today, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System redefines power and performance yet again - for a whole new level of freedom, reliability, safety and fun. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gives your vehicle the ability to get you just about anywhere. It gives two-wheel drive vehicles the traction power of most 4x4's, and delivers maximum power to four-wheel drives. Designed to handle severe on-road and extreme off-road conditions, it also unleashes the power of performance vehicles by delivering ultimate traction for maximum acceleration. Unwanted tire spin is eliminated. Operation is smooth, quiet, and fully automatic. And it uses space age Zytanium construction for highest strength and durability. This manual contains important safety information, special instructions, and noteworthy recommendations intended to help provide trouble-free operation. Thoroughly read the manual before installation and be sure to understand all precautions. Traction output and resulting handling characteristics of your vehicle will be modified by installation. Install the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System only if you accept all the characteristics or this product; otherwise return it to your point of purchase for a refund. Always keep this manual with the vehicle and readily available to all drivers. Ensure that they read this manual before operating the vehicle. Drive carefully and use caution under all on-road and off-road conditions. Description The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System automatically distributes engine power to the drive wheels for maximum traction output while allowing full differentiation for turning. It eliminates the affliction of standard "open" differentials that direct all engine power to a slipping wheel. It also provides superior traction output over "limited-slip" types of traction adding differentials that still direct most of the engine power to a slipping wheel. When most of the power is delivered to a slipping wheel, the dreaded result of becoming stuck often occurs. For high performance applications that constantly strive to gain horsepower, losing precious power to a slipping wheel is unacceptable. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gets rid of unwanted tire spin and delivers optimum traction performance. The powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for rear axle installations in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicles, or in rear wheel drive cars and vans. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is not recommended for installation in front wheel (only) drive vehicles. Front axle installation in full time 4-wheel drive vehicles is also discouraged. See the Application section for more information. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System can be easily installed in your existing differential case without requiring special tools or setup equipment. Only basic mechanical skills are required. The Installation Guide accompanying this User Manual provides easy to follow, step-by-step, graphic instructions to help make the installation straightforward. Be sure to follow all instructions and heed all precautions. The ease of installation will vary depending on your differential type. The level of complexity is noted on the bottom of the box. Review the Installation Guide before starting to become comfortable with the procedure. Note: There are many different models of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and each model is designed to fit a particular make and type of differential. On the front of the box there is a label that identifies the specific type of differential it will fit. Because vehicles are manufactured using different differentials, it is important that you check to be sure you have the correct Powertrax No-Slip Traction System model before beginning the installation. If you are unsure, your dealership or independent mechanic should be able to help confirm the exact differential in your vehicle, or call Powertrax for application assistance. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to be compatible with your vehicle's systems including Anti lock Brake Systems (ABS). It works at all vehicle speeds and turning radii, is transparent to your differential's specific gear ratio, and uses standard differential lubricant recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle. No additives are necessary and no special maintenance is required. Gas mileage with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is also attractive. It improves when the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System upgrades a "limited slip" differential, and remains virtually unchanged upon upgrading an "open" differential. For those who install a Powertrax No-Slip Traction system in a 2-wheel drive vehicle to achieve the traction of a 4-wheel drive vehicle, they avoid the maintenance costs of a 4x4 ownership, save with lower insurance rates and enjoy significantly better gas mileage. How It Works Page 2 of the Installation Guide illustrates your type of existing differential and identifies its relevant parts. Page 3 of the Installation Guide shows as exploded view of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and identifies its components. It is designed to fit exactly into your existing differential without any machining of parts. If, for whatever reason, you wish to return the differential back to its original configuration, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System can be easily removed and the original parts reinstalled. Therefore, we recommend that you retain all original differential parts. Installation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System should proceed easily. If parts appear not to fit properly, do not force or modify them in any way. Check again that you have the right Powertrax No-Slip Traction System model for your differential and be sure that you are following the installation instructions correctly. If necessary, call Powertrax for assistance. Do not attempt to drive your vehicle if the entire installation process did not proceed as described. By replacing the existing parts in your "differential case" with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, your differential's power distribution characteristics will be upgraded for maximum traction output. The affliction caused by "spider" and "side gears" that direct power to a slipping wheel is totally eliminated. The "pinion gear" carries the engine power to the "ring gear" which is attached to the differential case. The rotating differential case transfers the power to the "axle shafts" through the components within the differential case. The existing "pinion shaft" is replaced with a high strength Zytanium pinion shaft. It transfers the power from the differential case to the "drivers". The drivers eliminate the existing "spider gears". Both drivers are connected to mating "couplers" which join onto the axle shaft spline's. The couplers replace the existing "side gears". The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System obsoletes any "Saddle springs" inserted in the driver saddles press upon the pinion shaft and give the drivers an outward pressure onto the couplers. "Active Spacers" snug the pinion shaft and communicate its position to the "synchro ring" mechanisms assembled within the couplers. The active spacers fit within the drivers and onto the couplers providing on-axis positioning. The saddle springs act to keep the driver saddles centered on the pinion shaft and provide damping as power is applied through the pinion shaft onto the drivers. As the differential case rotates, the pinion shaft advances with it, compressing the saddle springs until the pinion shaft contacts the drivers saddles at a positive power transfer angle. Power is then directed from the drivers to the couplers through positive engagement tooth profiles on the driver and coupler faces that mesh to transfer full power to the drive wheels. When the vehicle is driven straight, all the power is delivered to both wheels through both sets of drivers and couplers. In a turn, the outside wheel in effect "accelerates" ahead of the inside wheel to compensate for the difference in the turning radius distance of the inner versus the outer wheels. As the outer wheel rotates faster, because it must travel farther than the inner wheel, it advances the coupler from the driver and relaxes the power distributed to the outside wheel. As the coupler continues to advance, it ramps the driver to disengage from the coupler. The synchro ring continues to turn with the coupler until it is stopped by the active spacer "paddle". The synchro ring is then positioned to prevent re-engagement of the driver and coupler until the turn is complete. The outside wheel in the turn continues to rotate freely with power being delivered to the inside wheel. When turning concludes, the synchro mechanism is reset and power is reapplied to both driving wheels. Full wheel differentiation is thereby provided automatically and identically for right and left turns. Operation is precise smooth and quiet. When alternating from drive - to coast - to drive while turning, power is redirected from the inner wheel (drive) to the outer wheel (coast), and back again. When alternating from drive - to coast - to drive while driving straight, power remains directed to both wheels. Engine braking is provided through both wheels when the vehicle is proceeding straight, and through the engaged wheel when turning. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is bi-directional and operates identically while driving either forward or in reverse. Should a wheel lose traction, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System engages both sets of drivers and couplers to transfer power to both axles. This eliminates unwanted wheel spin and provides optimum traction performance. Performance The Powertrax Traction System will upgrade your vehicle for maximum traction output under all conditions. The exceptional traction performance you will enjoy does require adaptation to its overall characteristics. Be sure that you accept all operating and driving characteristics before installing this Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Should a wheel begin to slip due to poor tire-surface contact, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will immediately transfer more torque to the other wheel to maintain optimum traction. The drawings below illustrate the superior output of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System compared to typical "open" differentials and "limited-slip" types of traction adding differentials. As shown on the previous page, when a wheel loses traction, an "open" differential directs all engine power to the slipping wheel, and virtually no power is applied to the non-slipping wheel. The "limited-slip" differential also directs most of the engine power to the slipping wheel, but does apply a minimal amount of power to the non-slipping wheel. The amount of torque transferred decays as the friction clutches inside the "limited-slip" differentials burn up or wear out. Both the "open" and limited-slip" differentials can cause the slipping wheel to spin up wildly, worsening the vehicle's condition and making it more difficult to gain traction. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System directs engine power to the non-slipping wheel to provide the vehicle with the traction required. It transfers minimal power to the slipping wheel and eliminates unwanted wheel spin-up. Traction output is optimized. Wheel spin-up and abrupt stoppage can cause severe driveline trauma. This occurs easily with "open" and "limited-slip" differentials that rush power to a wheel that is slipping or becomes suspended in mid air, even momentarily. When abruptly stopped by the wheel re-connecting with a high traction surface, the driveline attempts to absorb the extreme shock. Damage to driveline components can occur. Axle shafts may flex, bend or break. It is not uncommon for vehicles with bent axles or damaged gears to continue to be operated by unknowing drivers. Breakage of axles, gears or other driveline components is extremely dangerous, and the vehicle should not be driven. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gets rid of troublesome wheel spin-up and improves driveline durability and reliability. Be aware that excessive power can break any driveline component. Vehicle owners that choose to increase engine horsepower, install larger diameter tires or make other vehicle modifications without increasing driveline capability are especially subject to driveline failure. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed for reliable and durable use within the specifications intended for the specific size and make of the vehicle's original differential. Vehicle modifications that tax the driveline may adversely affect the proper operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. This would determine that the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is not being operated under normal use and service, and it should not be utilized in this manner. Be sure to read the Warranty section of this User Manual. If an axle or associated component breaks in a vehicle equipped with a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, all torque will be transferred to the other wheel. This could cause the vehicle to quickly pull toward the side of the break. Should this occur, extreme caution should be exercised! DO NOT continue operation of the vehicle with any broken or damaged driveline components. As previously discussed in the How It Works section, either drive wheel or both wheels will be powered while driving. This depends on whether the vehicle is being driven straight, cornering or slightly turning. Small turning movements will cause the appropriate side of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to disengage and re-engage. Should you make sudden throttle changes or shift gears, you may feel a slight transfer of torque from one wheel to the other until the torque equalizes. Unequal tire diameters may cause the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to equate the resulting difference in wheel rotation to a slight turning condition. Be sure both tires are the same diameter and are properly inflated. Do not use any "mini-spare tires" With the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, even temporarily. As is also the case with other types of traction adding differentials, driving characteristics with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will differ from conventional differentials and will vary based on your specific vehicle type and driveline configuration. You may feel torque transfer from both rear wheels to one, and back again. Should you wish to minimize the effects of torque transfer, take turns under less throttle, and make throttle changes more gradually to allow for the smoothest possible operation. When you power a turn, you may feel a degree of "under-steer", the tendency to straighten the vehicle's path of travel due to torque transfer to the inner wheel. Sudden throttle changes during turns will accentuate "under-steer", especially on slippery or unstable surfaces. Be sure to maintain caution and drive carefully under all conditions. Should a slippery or unstable surface be encountered, it will help to decelerate by slowing the vehicle with the engine and only applying the brakes very carefully and only if necessary. Maintain driving at a slow and safe speed. Smoother throttle operation, especially while cornering, will help minimize any adverse handling characteristics. Avoid unnecessary sharp turns or other abrupt maneuvers that could cause loss of control. Operate in low gear when coasting under this condition. When parking, be sure to always use the emergency (parking) brake and lock the transmission in "Park" if an automatic or 1st gear in the case of manual standard shift. You may notice that your vehicle's driveline "backlash" may increase slightly with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. The minor delay you experience in your vehicle's response due to driveline "backlash", especially when coasting and quickly depressing the throttle, may also increase slightly. The additional "backlash" is softened by dampening springs within the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and the overall effect may be minimal. Applications Over one-hundred Powertrax No-Slip Traction System models are available or planned to be released to fit differentials used in a myriad of vehicles totaling several hundreds of makes and models. Powertrax Publishes an Application Guide to assist in the selection of the correct Powertrax No-Slip traction Systems for your vehicle. Powertrax offers telephone and on-line applications assistance. Contact Powertrax, an authorized sales distributor, or visit our web site www.powertrax.com for up to date applications, availability and ordering information. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for rear axle installations in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicles, or in rear-wheel drive cars and vans. It is not recommended that the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System be installed in front wheel (only) drive vehicles. Front axle installation in full-time 4-wheel drive vehicles is also discouraged. Front axle installation in user selectable "part-time" 4-wheel drive vehicles is fine, but special vehicle configurations and usage limitations must be adhered to without exception. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System must only be installed in the front axle of 4-wheel drive vehicles that are equipped with front axle disconnect or with unlocking hubs on the front axles. A Powertrax No-Slip Traction System installed in the front axle should not be operated on the highway with the front hubs locked and 4-wheel drive engaged. We recommend that a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System always be installed in the rear axle first before adding one to the front axle. To summarize, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for all rear axle installations for superior traction, and will deliver awesome traction when installed in the rear and front axles of 4-wheel drive vehicles equipped with front axle disconnect or unlocking hubs on the front axles. When considering the use of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System it is important to consider and apply key vehicle parameters such as loading, power requirements, and other factors. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System does not increase the load carrying capacity or payload rating of a vehicle. Any increase in the vehicle's engine, tire size, weight, customized suspension or other modifications may disallow use of a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Please read the Warranty section. For questions contact Powertrax for assistance. Applications not specifically listed in our published Application Guide of unmodified vehicles requires Powertrax to confirm and approve the application for installation. Properly installed in the correct application, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide superior traction performance with excellent durability and reliability. Considerations The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is an advanced, state-of-the-art multi-function traction system that provides continuous and automatic uninterrupted torque output, torque biasing and differentiation. Its ability to automatically respond to variable driving conditions not only provides better traction, it also enhances the general performance and safety of the vehicle. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide excellent traction output under all conditions. Traction, The friction between the driven tires and the road or terrain surface, converts the engine's horsepower into forward motion. Efficient use of traction is achieved when 100% of the engine's power is utilized to propel the vehicle. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System effectively manages the engine's output, throughout the power curve, to continuously deliver the most horsepower to the road, maintaining the ideal balance between power and traction. The system provides a marked improvement in total reactive effort as compared to "open" or conventional "limited-slip" differentials. If either wheel begins to slip, due to poor tire-surface contact, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will immediately transfer more torque to the other wheel, thereby maintaining optimum traction and providing better handling, increased acceleration and an improved margin of safety. Some items of special consideration: * Payload - The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System increases the effective reactive ability of the vehicle, but does not increase the load carrying capability or payload rating of the vehicle. Be sure to distribute the payload evenly side-to-side without exceeding the vehicle's rated payload capacity. * Steering - The affect on steering produced by a Powertrax No- Slip Traction System may contribute to a degree of "under-steer" when turning under power. Sudden throttle changes during turns will accentuate "under-steer" especially on slippery or unstable surfaces. Be sure to maintain caution and drive carefully under all conditions. * Tire Chirp _ During cornering, the faster outside wheel is freewheeling and the slower inside wheel is receiving engine power. The vehicle will tend to lean towards the outside of the turn thereby lessening the effective vehicle weight on the inner wheel. Under excessive throttle, the inside wheel may "Chirp" on the pavement if it momentarily loses traction and spins to catch up with the outside wheel to regain traction. This action may repeat in the course of a powered turn if excessive throttle is maintained. This condition does not result from tire scuffing, due to dragging, as with some traction adding differentials. Applying less throttle will reduce or eliminate this symptom. * Clunk - Most driveline's may produce a "clunk" due to the driveline's inherent backlash when stepping on and off the gas. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System may make this characteristic more prominent in some vehicles. Standard shift vehicles usually exhibit this condition more than automatic shift vehicles. * Side-Slip - Use extreme caution when accelerating or decelerating on slippery or unstable surfaces. Vehicles equipped with traction adding differentials are inherently more sensitive to sideslip than vehicles equipped with conventional differentials. Stability can be improved if sideslip occurs by decelerating. * CAUTION: Do not apply the brake or brake very carefully if necessary using extreme caution. Loss of vehicle control may result. * Driveline Windup - When a vehicle turns, each wheel follows a slightly different path causing each wheel to turn at a slightly different rate. In many "selectable" 4-wheel drive vehicles that have no compensating "center transfer cases", engaging the front axles will cause the wheels to try to "slip" a little as the vehicle is turning to equalize differences in wheel rotations. On poor traction surfaces, such as dirt, ect., this action occurs relatively unnoticed. However, hard traction surfaces fights the driveline's attempt to equalize. As a result, the driveline can become highly stressed and may bind up or even break. Manufactures of these type of vehicles require that the vehicle not be driven on hard surfaces in 4-wheel drive mode with the front axles engaged. Full-time 4-wheel drive vehicles and "selectable" 4-wheel drive vehicles with compensating "center differentials" mitigate this condition. Using the Powertrax No- Slip Traction System in these vehicles will not reduce driveline windup. The vehicle owner must conform to the operation recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer. * Off-road Operation - Should you operate your vehicle off-road, be sure to become familiar with the extreme traction capabilities of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Take it to an off-road area in which several types of terrain are present and try each one carefully to acquaint yourself with how well your vehicle performs. Drive slowly. Do not attempt to put it through its paces prior to becoming thoroughly familiar with its capabilities and overall characteristics. Be sure to exercise caution at all times. Safety in the automotive industry is paramount and of utmost focus and attention. You have purchased a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System that is state-of-the-art in design, engineering and manufacturing. If used properly, it will provide exceptional traction and added performance to you vehicle. All drivers of your vehicle should read this User Manual and be familiar with the characteristics of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System before operating the vehicle. The extra power delivery and improved acceleration can make an important difference in vehicle maneuvers, especially when excellent traction control and maximum horsepower are required. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide automatic response to increase the margin of safety under poor traction situations. It should provide a more stable and controllable driving platform under most conditions. Always be careful, use good judgment, and drive safely. Maintenance Note: Optimum operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System in achieved after a nominal 50-mile break in period. The engagement and disengagement characteristics of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System may exhibit slight roughness immediately after installation. Normal use of the vehicle is recommended during the break in period, after which operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will be even smoother and quieter. Your Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is engineered to provide you with trouble-free operation. Follow the lubrication, service and inspection procedures recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to operate with those lubricants recommended by the vehicle and/or axle manufacturer. No special lubricant is needed. Use the gear lubricant specified, either synthetic or non-synthetic, which is necessary for proper lubrication of all other differential components. As a general guideline, in warmer climates consider lubrication weights ranging from 85 to 140. In colder climates, consider lubrication weights ranging from 75 to 90. For very cold weather applications, use the lightest oil the axle manufacturer will allow. Lower viscosity's may slightly increase the audibility of operation. Very high viscosity's may slightly increase the audibility of operation. Very high viscosity lubricants or very cold lubricants can cause the parts to move more slowly than normal and result in sluggish engagement and disengagement. When the lubricant is very cold, we suggest that you drive the vehicle slowly for a few miles to warm up the oil, especially before subjecting it to difficult off-road maneuvers. Should you suspect any difficulty with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System or other driveline component, especially if any unusual noises or jerking motions begin to occur, do not continue to operate the vehicle. Refer to this user Manual and review the Troubleshooting section. It may be necessary to remove the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and inspect it for excessively worn, loose or broken components. Disassemble the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System for inspection by reversing the installation procedure in the Installation Guide. Be sure not to use heat to disassemble any axle components. To do so can adversely effect the properties of materials and weaken or distort components. Bent axles, more easily damaged prior to installation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, are not uncommon and may be difficult to visually detect. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is less forgiving of a bent axle. It is advisable to closely inspect the straightness of the axles during installation. A bent axle may cause excessive wear of the Powertrax No-slip Traction System components which could lead to a malfunction. During installation, be sure to inspect the "differential case" (sometimes referred to as the "carrier"), the "ring" and "pinion gears" and the "side gear" "thrust washers". It is unusual for these to be excessively worn or damaged, however, a thorough inspection is highly recommended to ensure the overall integrity of the differential. Any worn or damaged component should be replaced. Do not drive the vehicle with any damaged driveline components. Thoroughly test your new Powertrax No-Slip Traction System after installation by following the test procedures in the Installation Guide. Should you wish to periodically check for proper operation, test to verify that both wheels are driving properly and differentiating as required. Make this test under load, so that the engine torque is applied through the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System with the wheels on the ground. Select a flat surface with good traction and drive the vehicle in right and left circles making sure that the outside wheel is free to overrun and that the outside tire does not scuff. Drive safely! Perform this test in forward and reverse. You may wish to periodically repeat the test instructions in the Installation Guide. Any anomaly in the test should be thoroughly investigated and corrected prior to placing the vehicle back into service. After proper installation, your Powertrax No-Slip System should not require any special ongoing service, other than that which is normally performed on the differential as recommended by the manufacturer. Use the recommended lubricant and replace it at the proper intervals. The following comment involves the whole power train and we offer it to help assure excellent operation of your vehicle equipped with the Powertrax No-Slip traction System. * Sustained driving substantially increases the temperature of the axle housing, transmission, transfer case, and other driveline related components. If suddenly plunged into cold water, like when crossing a stream, rapid cooling can produce a vacuum. If the unit, such as the axle housing, remains submerged, water can be sucked in past the oil seals, and into the gear oil. To prevent rust and corrosion, it is important to drain the unit and remove the water as soon as possible. The water may separate from the oil and settle on the bottom. If the oil and water have emulsified (mixed on a microscopic level), high temperature may not drive the water out as readily as before mixing. Also, the oil-and-water mixture will not lubricate well, causing corrosion and accelerating wear. Replace with fresh lubricant as soon as possible. A similar high-temperature-then-vacuum situation can occur with u-joints. After submersion, purge out any water as soon as possible and re-grease. Adjustment or alterations are not needed and should not be made to the Powertrax No-Slip Traction Systems. Refer to the vehicles and/or axle manufacturer's instructions to make adjustments to other components. If making brake adjustments, both wheels connected to the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will need to be free to rotate. Note: Axles equipped with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System deliver power to both wheels, even when only one wheel is on the ground. A non-raised wheel will receive power and propel the vehicle. Do not apply power during servicing or changing tires. Before attempting to raise any wheels, be sure to safely block the vehicle first. Only then, and only when necessary, should the transmission be placed in neutral and the emergency brake released. Troubleshooting This section is intended to serve as a helpful guide to identify potential problem sources and possible causes. It may assist owners, if and when the need to troubleshoot arises. It is not a complete listing of all possibilities and should not be relied upon as such. 1. Incorrect or improper application. Check that Powertrax No- Slip Traction System model is correct. Review application guidelines. Verify that application conforms to all recommendations and precautions. If required, obtain assistance to confirm. Correct any application error before placing vehicle in service. 2. Improper installation; defective differential. Correctly follow installation and test procedures. Repair or replace any defective components as necessary. Do not operate your vehicle if the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System installation does not proceed as specified or fails the test procedures. 3. Broken axle shaft. Replace immediately! Although it may be possible to apply power to the wheel with the non-broken axle, this is absolutely not recommended. Driving conditions are unsafe and serious damage can occur. Do not drive your vehicle! 4. Axle centerlines miss aligned or axle housing bent. Replace or straighten bent axle housing; realign if off center. 5. Axle or driveline components worn or defective. Check the condition of all driveline or axle components, including seals, bearings, ring & pinion gears, axle shafts, and other components. Replace if worn or defective and repair any condition that may have contributed to premature component failure. 6. Ring & pinion adjustments incorrect. Ensure ring and pinion gears are adjusted properly. Note: Special calibration equipment and expertise is usually required for the precise adjustments of ring and pinion gears to be made correctly. Inspect and replace any worn components. 7. Break in period; operation synchronization. Minor "metallic" sounds due to driveline "backlash" factors and meshing alignments of power carrying components might be emitted occasionally, but should not be excessive. More noises may be experienced during the first 50-miles of use after installation of Powertrax No-Slip Traction System (break-in period). If frequent or excessive, a problem might exist that would require correction before operating the vehicle. 8. Short turning radius; large steering angle. During sharp turns, vehicles that have high turning angles may surge, causing steering difficulty and tire wear. Reduce turning angle and decelerate. 9. Drive wheel rolling-radii unequal. If the rolling-radii of the drive tires are unequal, the smaller rolling-radius tire will turn faster and will overrun the other tire, causing the other tire to be the primary driving wheel. Tires with equal rolling-radii will correct this condition. Either adjust tire pressures or replace tires as required. 10. Wheel alignment incorrect. Realign wheels to correct problem. 11. Poor traction surface; high crown in road. Vehicles have a tendency to "fishtail" or sideslip on slippery and icy roads, especially sloping towards curve. This condition is normally more pronounced with a traction adding differential than with a conventional "open" differential. Stability can be better retained, if sideslip occurs, by decelerating. * CAUTION: Do not apply the brake or brake very carefully only if necessary using extreme caution. Loss of vehicle control may result. 12. Steering cylinder undersized or inadequate pressure; angle of articulation excessive. Requires correction for safe driving. 13. Standard shift vehicle with "loose" driveline syndrome. Depressing clutch while making very narrow radius turns may, on occasion, induce an annoying driveline "cycling" condition in some standard shift vehicles that have driveline's with higher degrees of "play" (looseness). Slower turning speeds or clutching before the turn is made will reduce this symptom and shifting into neutral will usually stop this condition. 14. Improper assembly of axle components; foreign matter in axle housing. Check overall assembly of all axle components to be correct. Inspect for any contamination and determine cause. Correct any problems as required. 15. High viscosity lubricant. Gear lubricant can thicken and cause sluggish operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System in very low temperatures. For very cold weather applications, use the lightest oil the axle manufacturer will allow. For extremely cold climates, use "heat control" devices, or garaging, and carefully drive the vehicle for a few miles on-road to warm up the oil before using the vehicle in more demanding off-road conditions. 16. Improper weight distribution or overloading. Redistribute weight or remove excess weight. Follow vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and conform to vehicle specifications. Warranty Your Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is made in the USA of the highest quality materials under exacting manufacturing standards. However, because we are unable to control the installation or use of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, or the condition of the differential case, or the other vehicle components, our warranty can relate only to the design and performance of our own parts. The following replacement warranty is exclusive and in lieu of all other remedies, obligations, or warranties of Powertrax and/or sellers, express or implied, oral or written, and no person or dealer/distributor/reseller is authorized to make any representations to the contrary. SYMPTOM	Differential (mechanical device)
Which word, derived from the Latin for 'wild', describes an untamed or uncultivated animal?	No-Slip Positraction Users Guide - Drivetrain No-Slip Positraction Users Guide We are one of a few web sites that publish prices. Prices listed may not be current, we do attempt to keep pricing current. Please ask your sales person at the time of the order to confirm price, including S&H charges. To stay competitive and offer you the best prices, all returns require prior authorization. Sorry, no returns after 14 days. No-Slip Positraction Users Guide INTRODUCTION Thank you for selecting a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to upgrade the performance of your vehicle. Our continuing success depends on satisfying our customers with exceptional products and service. We trust that you will find this finely engineered and manufactured product, and the support network which stands behind it, to be of the highest quality. Powertrax traction systems were born and raised in the world of extreme off-roading and performance racing. Used worldwide in the most demanding applications, Powertrax products have established a proven history of superior operation and excellent durability. Today, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System redefines power and performance yet again - for a whole new level of freedom, reliability, safety and fun. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gives your vehicle the ability to get you just about anywhere. It gives two-wheel drive vehicles the traction power of most 4x4's, and delivers maximum power to four-wheel drives. Designed to handle severe on-road and extreme off-road conditions, it also unleashes the power of performance vehicles by delivering ultimate traction for maximum acceleration. Unwanted tire spin is eliminated. Operation is smooth, quiet, and fully automatic. And it uses space age Zytanium construction for highest strength and durability. This manual contains important safety information, special instructions, and noteworthy recommendations intended to help provide trouble-free operation. Thoroughly read the manual before installation and be sure to understand all precautions. Traction output and resulting handling characteristics of your vehicle will be modified by installation. Install the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System only if you accept all the characteristics or this product; otherwise return it to your point of purchase for a refund. Always keep this manual with the vehicle and readily available to all drivers. Ensure that they read this manual before operating the vehicle. Drive carefully and use caution under all on-road and off-road conditions. Description The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System automatically distributes engine power to the drive wheels for maximum traction output while allowing full differentiation for turning. It eliminates the affliction of standard "open" differentials that direct all engine power to a slipping wheel. It also provides superior traction output over "limited-slip" types of traction adding differentials that still direct most of the engine power to a slipping wheel. When most of the power is delivered to a slipping wheel, the dreaded result of becoming stuck often occurs. For high performance applications that constantly strive to gain horsepower, losing precious power to a slipping wheel is unacceptable. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gets rid of unwanted tire spin and delivers optimum traction performance. The powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for rear axle installations in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicles, or in rear wheel drive cars and vans. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is not recommended for installation in front wheel (only) drive vehicles. Front axle installation in full time 4-wheel drive vehicles is also discouraged. See the Application section for more information. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System can be easily installed in your existing differential case without requiring special tools or setup equipment. Only basic mechanical skills are required. The Installation Guide accompanying this User Manual provides easy to follow, step-by-step, graphic instructions to help make the installation straightforward. Be sure to follow all instructions and heed all precautions. The ease of installation will vary depending on your differential type. The level of complexity is noted on the bottom of the box. Review the Installation Guide before starting to become comfortable with the procedure. Note: There are many different models of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and each model is designed to fit a particular make and type of differential. On the front of the box there is a label that identifies the specific type of differential it will fit. Because vehicles are manufactured using different differentials, it is important that you check to be sure you have the correct Powertrax No-Slip Traction System model before beginning the installation. If you are unsure, your dealership or independent mechanic should be able to help confirm the exact differential in your vehicle, or call Powertrax for application assistance. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to be compatible with your vehicle's systems including Anti lock Brake Systems (ABS). It works at all vehicle speeds and turning radii, is transparent to your differential's specific gear ratio, and uses standard differential lubricant recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle. No additives are necessary and no special maintenance is required. Gas mileage with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is also attractive. It improves when the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System upgrades a "limited slip" differential, and remains virtually unchanged upon upgrading an "open" differential. For those who install a Powertrax No-Slip Traction system in a 2-wheel drive vehicle to achieve the traction of a 4-wheel drive vehicle, they avoid the maintenance costs of a 4x4 ownership, save with lower insurance rates and enjoy significantly better gas mileage. How It Works Page 2 of the Installation Guide illustrates your type of existing differential and identifies its relevant parts. Page 3 of the Installation Guide shows as exploded view of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and identifies its components. It is designed to fit exactly into your existing differential without any machining of parts. If, for whatever reason, you wish to return the differential back to its original configuration, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System can be easily removed and the original parts reinstalled. Therefore, we recommend that you retain all original differential parts. Installation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System should proceed easily. If parts appear not to fit properly, do not force or modify them in any way. Check again that you have the right Powertrax No-Slip Traction System model for your differential and be sure that you are following the installation instructions correctly. If necessary, call Powertrax for assistance. Do not attempt to drive your vehicle if the entire installation process did not proceed as described. By replacing the existing parts in your "differential case" with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, your differential's power distribution characteristics will be upgraded for maximum traction output. The affliction caused by "spider" and "side gears" that direct power to a slipping wheel is totally eliminated. The "pinion gear" carries the engine power to the "ring gear" which is attached to the differential case. The rotating differential case transfers the power to the "axle shafts" through the components within the differential case. The existing "pinion shaft" is replaced with a high strength Zytanium pinion shaft. It transfers the power from the differential case to the "drivers". The drivers eliminate the existing "spider gears". Both drivers are connected to mating "couplers" which join onto the axle shaft spline's. The couplers replace the existing "side gears". The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System obsoletes any "Saddle springs" inserted in the driver saddles press upon the pinion shaft and give the drivers an outward pressure onto the couplers. "Active Spacers" snug the pinion shaft and communicate its position to the "synchro ring" mechanisms assembled within the couplers. The active spacers fit within the drivers and onto the couplers providing on-axis positioning. The saddle springs act to keep the driver saddles centered on the pinion shaft and provide damping as power is applied through the pinion shaft onto the drivers. As the differential case rotates, the pinion shaft advances with it, compressing the saddle springs until the pinion shaft contacts the drivers saddles at a positive power transfer angle. Power is then directed from the drivers to the couplers through positive engagement tooth profiles on the driver and coupler faces that mesh to transfer full power to the drive wheels. When the vehicle is driven straight, all the power is delivered to both wheels through both sets of drivers and couplers. In a turn, the outside wheel in effect "accelerates" ahead of the inside wheel to compensate for the difference in the turning radius distance of the inner versus the outer wheels. As the outer wheel rotates faster, because it must travel farther than the inner wheel, it advances the coupler from the driver and relaxes the power distributed to the outside wheel. As the coupler continues to advance, it ramps the driver to disengage from the coupler. The synchro ring continues to turn with the coupler until it is stopped by the active spacer "paddle". The synchro ring is then positioned to prevent re-engagement of the driver and coupler until the turn is complete. The outside wheel in the turn continues to rotate freely with power being delivered to the inside wheel. When turning concludes, the synchro mechanism is reset and power is reapplied to both driving wheels. Full wheel differentiation is thereby provided automatically and identically for right and left turns. Operation is precise smooth and quiet. When alternating from drive - to coast - to drive while turning, power is redirected from the inner wheel (drive) to the outer wheel (coast), and back again. When alternating from drive - to coast - to drive while driving straight, power remains directed to both wheels. Engine braking is provided through both wheels when the vehicle is proceeding straight, and through the engaged wheel when turning. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is bi-directional and operates identically while driving either forward or in reverse. Should a wheel lose traction, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System engages both sets of drivers and couplers to transfer power to both axles. This eliminates unwanted wheel spin and provides optimum traction performance. Performance The Powertrax Traction System will upgrade your vehicle for maximum traction output under all conditions. The exceptional traction performance you will enjoy does require adaptation to its overall characteristics. Be sure that you accept all operating and driving characteristics before installing this Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Should a wheel begin to slip due to poor tire-surface contact, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will immediately transfer more torque to the other wheel to maintain optimum traction. The drawings below illustrate the superior output of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System compared to typical "open" differentials and "limited-slip" types of traction adding differentials. As shown on the previous page, when a wheel loses traction, an "open" differential directs all engine power to the slipping wheel, and virtually no power is applied to the non-slipping wheel. The "limited-slip" differential also directs most of the engine power to the slipping wheel, but does apply a minimal amount of power to the non-slipping wheel. The amount of torque transferred decays as the friction clutches inside the "limited-slip" differentials burn up or wear out. Both the "open" and limited-slip" differentials can cause the slipping wheel to spin up wildly, worsening the vehicle's condition and making it more difficult to gain traction. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System directs engine power to the non-slipping wheel to provide the vehicle with the traction required. It transfers minimal power to the slipping wheel and eliminates unwanted wheel spin-up. Traction output is optimized. Wheel spin-up and abrupt stoppage can cause severe driveline trauma. This occurs easily with "open" and "limited-slip" differentials that rush power to a wheel that is slipping or becomes suspended in mid air, even momentarily. When abruptly stopped by the wheel re-connecting with a high traction surface, the driveline attempts to absorb the extreme shock. Damage to driveline components can occur. Axle shafts may flex, bend or break. It is not uncommon for vehicles with bent axles or damaged gears to continue to be operated by unknowing drivers. Breakage of axles, gears or other driveline components is extremely dangerous, and the vehicle should not be driven. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System gets rid of troublesome wheel spin-up and improves driveline durability and reliability. Be aware that excessive power can break any driveline component. Vehicle owners that choose to increase engine horsepower, install larger diameter tires or make other vehicle modifications without increasing driveline capability are especially subject to driveline failure. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed for reliable and durable use within the specifications intended for the specific size and make of the vehicle's original differential. Vehicle modifications that tax the driveline may adversely affect the proper operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. This would determine that the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is not being operated under normal use and service, and it should not be utilized in this manner. Be sure to read the Warranty section of this User Manual. If an axle or associated component breaks in a vehicle equipped with a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, all torque will be transferred to the other wheel. This could cause the vehicle to quickly pull toward the side of the break. Should this occur, extreme caution should be exercised! DO NOT continue operation of the vehicle with any broken or damaged driveline components. As previously discussed in the How It Works section, either drive wheel or both wheels will be powered while driving. This depends on whether the vehicle is being driven straight, cornering or slightly turning. Small turning movements will cause the appropriate side of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to disengage and re-engage. Should you make sudden throttle changes or shift gears, you may feel a slight transfer of torque from one wheel to the other until the torque equalizes. Unequal tire diameters may cause the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System to equate the resulting difference in wheel rotation to a slight turning condition. Be sure both tires are the same diameter and are properly inflated. Do not use any "mini-spare tires" With the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, even temporarily. As is also the case with other types of traction adding differentials, driving characteristics with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will differ from conventional differentials and will vary based on your specific vehicle type and driveline configuration. You may feel torque transfer from both rear wheels to one, and back again. Should you wish to minimize the effects of torque transfer, take turns under less throttle, and make throttle changes more gradually to allow for the smoothest possible operation. When you power a turn, you may feel a degree of "under-steer", the tendency to straighten the vehicle's path of travel due to torque transfer to the inner wheel. Sudden throttle changes during turns will accentuate "under-steer", especially on slippery or unstable surfaces. Be sure to maintain caution and drive carefully under all conditions. Should a slippery or unstable surface be encountered, it will help to decelerate by slowing the vehicle with the engine and only applying the brakes very carefully and only if necessary. Maintain driving at a slow and safe speed. Smoother throttle operation, especially while cornering, will help minimize any adverse handling characteristics. Avoid unnecessary sharp turns or other abrupt maneuvers that could cause loss of control. Operate in low gear when coasting under this condition. When parking, be sure to always use the emergency (parking) brake and lock the transmission in "Park" if an automatic or 1st gear in the case of manual standard shift. You may notice that your vehicle's driveline "backlash" may increase slightly with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. The minor delay you experience in your vehicle's response due to driveline "backlash", especially when coasting and quickly depressing the throttle, may also increase slightly. The additional "backlash" is softened by dampening springs within the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and the overall effect may be minimal. Applications Over one-hundred Powertrax No-Slip Traction System models are available or planned to be released to fit differentials used in a myriad of vehicles totaling several hundreds of makes and models. Powertrax Publishes an Application Guide to assist in the selection of the correct Powertrax No-Slip traction Systems for your vehicle. Powertrax offers telephone and on-line applications assistance. Contact Powertrax, an authorized sales distributor, or visit our web site www.powertrax.com for up to date applications, availability and ordering information. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for rear axle installations in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicles, or in rear-wheel drive cars and vans. It is not recommended that the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System be installed in front wheel (only) drive vehicles. Front axle installation in full-time 4-wheel drive vehicles is also discouraged. Front axle installation in user selectable "part-time" 4-wheel drive vehicles is fine, but special vehicle configurations and usage limitations must be adhered to without exception. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System must only be installed in the front axle of 4-wheel drive vehicles that are equipped with front axle disconnect or with unlocking hubs on the front axles. A Powertrax No-Slip Traction System installed in the front axle should not be operated on the highway with the front hubs locked and 4-wheel drive engaged. We recommend that a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System always be installed in the rear axle first before adding one to the front axle. To summarize, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is ideal for all rear axle installations for superior traction, and will deliver awesome traction when installed in the rear and front axles of 4-wheel drive vehicles equipped with front axle disconnect or unlocking hubs on the front axles. When considering the use of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System it is important to consider and apply key vehicle parameters such as loading, power requirements, and other factors. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System does not increase the load carrying capacity or payload rating of a vehicle. Any increase in the vehicle's engine, tire size, weight, customized suspension or other modifications may disallow use of a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Please read the Warranty section. For questions contact Powertrax for assistance. Applications not specifically listed in our published Application Guide of unmodified vehicles requires Powertrax to confirm and approve the application for installation. Properly installed in the correct application, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide superior traction performance with excellent durability and reliability. Considerations The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is an advanced, state-of-the-art multi-function traction system that provides continuous and automatic uninterrupted torque output, torque biasing and differentiation. Its ability to automatically respond to variable driving conditions not only provides better traction, it also enhances the general performance and safety of the vehicle. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide excellent traction output under all conditions. Traction, The friction between the driven tires and the road or terrain surface, converts the engine's horsepower into forward motion. Efficient use of traction is achieved when 100% of the engine's power is utilized to propel the vehicle. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System effectively manages the engine's output, throughout the power curve, to continuously deliver the most horsepower to the road, maintaining the ideal balance between power and traction. The system provides a marked improvement in total reactive effort as compared to "open" or conventional "limited-slip" differentials. If either wheel begins to slip, due to poor tire-surface contact, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will immediately transfer more torque to the other wheel, thereby maintaining optimum traction and providing better handling, increased acceleration and an improved margin of safety. Some items of special consideration: * Payload - The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System increases the effective reactive ability of the vehicle, but does not increase the load carrying capability or payload rating of the vehicle. Be sure to distribute the payload evenly side-to-side without exceeding the vehicle's rated payload capacity. * Steering - The affect on steering produced by a Powertrax No- Slip Traction System may contribute to a degree of "under-steer" when turning under power. Sudden throttle changes during turns will accentuate "under-steer" especially on slippery or unstable surfaces. Be sure to maintain caution and drive carefully under all conditions. * Tire Chirp _ During cornering, the faster outside wheel is freewheeling and the slower inside wheel is receiving engine power. The vehicle will tend to lean towards the outside of the turn thereby lessening the effective vehicle weight on the inner wheel. Under excessive throttle, the inside wheel may "Chirp" on the pavement if it momentarily loses traction and spins to catch up with the outside wheel to regain traction. This action may repeat in the course of a powered turn if excessive throttle is maintained. This condition does not result from tire scuffing, due to dragging, as with some traction adding differentials. Applying less throttle will reduce or eliminate this symptom. * Clunk - Most driveline's may produce a "clunk" due to the driveline's inherent backlash when stepping on and off the gas. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System may make this characteristic more prominent in some vehicles. Standard shift vehicles usually exhibit this condition more than automatic shift vehicles. * Side-Slip - Use extreme caution when accelerating or decelerating on slippery or unstable surfaces. Vehicles equipped with traction adding differentials are inherently more sensitive to sideslip than vehicles equipped with conventional differentials. Stability can be improved if sideslip occurs by decelerating. * CAUTION: Do not apply the brake or brake very carefully if necessary using extreme caution. Loss of vehicle control may result. * Driveline Windup - When a vehicle turns, each wheel follows a slightly different path causing each wheel to turn at a slightly different rate. In many "selectable" 4-wheel drive vehicles that have no compensating "center transfer cases", engaging the front axles will cause the wheels to try to "slip" a little as the vehicle is turning to equalize differences in wheel rotations. On poor traction surfaces, such as dirt, ect., this action occurs relatively unnoticed. However, hard traction surfaces fights the driveline's attempt to equalize. As a result, the driveline can become highly stressed and may bind up or even break. Manufactures of these type of vehicles require that the vehicle not be driven on hard surfaces in 4-wheel drive mode with the front axles engaged. Full-time 4-wheel drive vehicles and "selectable" 4-wheel drive vehicles with compensating "center differentials" mitigate this condition. Using the Powertrax No- Slip Traction System in these vehicles will not reduce driveline windup. The vehicle owner must conform to the operation recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer. * Off-road Operation - Should you operate your vehicle off-road, be sure to become familiar with the extreme traction capabilities of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System. Take it to an off-road area in which several types of terrain are present and try each one carefully to acquaint yourself with how well your vehicle performs. Drive slowly. Do not attempt to put it through its paces prior to becoming thoroughly familiar with its capabilities and overall characteristics. Be sure to exercise caution at all times. Safety in the automotive industry is paramount and of utmost focus and attention. You have purchased a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System that is state-of-the-art in design, engineering and manufacturing. If used properly, it will provide exceptional traction and added performance to you vehicle. All drivers of your vehicle should read this User Manual and be familiar with the characteristics of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System before operating the vehicle. The extra power delivery and improved acceleration can make an important difference in vehicle maneuvers, especially when excellent traction control and maximum horsepower are required. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to provide automatic response to increase the margin of safety under poor traction situations. It should provide a more stable and controllable driving platform under most conditions. Always be careful, use good judgment, and drive safely. Maintenance Note: Optimum operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System in achieved after a nominal 50-mile break in period. The engagement and disengagement characteristics of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System may exhibit slight roughness immediately after installation. Normal use of the vehicle is recommended during the break in period, after which operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will be even smoother and quieter. Your Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is engineered to provide you with trouble-free operation. Follow the lubrication, service and inspection procedures recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is designed to operate with those lubricants recommended by the vehicle and/or axle manufacturer. No special lubricant is needed. Use the gear lubricant specified, either synthetic or non-synthetic, which is necessary for proper lubrication of all other differential components. As a general guideline, in warmer climates consider lubrication weights ranging from 85 to 140. In colder climates, consider lubrication weights ranging from 75 to 90. For very cold weather applications, use the lightest oil the axle manufacturer will allow. Lower viscosity's may slightly increase the audibility of operation. Very high viscosity's may slightly increase the audibility of operation. Very high viscosity lubricants or very cold lubricants can cause the parts to move more slowly than normal and result in sluggish engagement and disengagement. When the lubricant is very cold, we suggest that you drive the vehicle slowly for a few miles to warm up the oil, especially before subjecting it to difficult off-road maneuvers. Should you suspect any difficulty with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System or other driveline component, especially if any unusual noises or jerking motions begin to occur, do not continue to operate the vehicle. Refer to this user Manual and review the Troubleshooting section. It may be necessary to remove the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System and inspect it for excessively worn, loose or broken components. Disassemble the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System for inspection by reversing the installation procedure in the Installation Guide. Be sure not to use heat to disassemble any axle components. To do so can adversely effect the properties of materials and weaken or distort components. Bent axles, more easily damaged prior to installation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, are not uncommon and may be difficult to visually detect. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is less forgiving of a bent axle. It is advisable to closely inspect the straightness of the axles during installation. A bent axle may cause excessive wear of the Powertrax No-slip Traction System components which could lead to a malfunction. During installation, be sure to inspect the "differential case" (sometimes referred to as the "carrier"), the "ring" and "pinion gears" and the "side gear" "thrust washers". It is unusual for these to be excessively worn or damaged, however, a thorough inspection is highly recommended to ensure the overall integrity of the differential. Any worn or damaged component should be replaced. Do not drive the vehicle with any damaged driveline components. Thoroughly test your new Powertrax No-Slip Traction System after installation by following the test procedures in the Installation Guide. Should you wish to periodically check for proper operation, test to verify that both wheels are driving properly and differentiating as required. Make this test under load, so that the engine torque is applied through the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System with the wheels on the ground. Select a flat surface with good traction and drive the vehicle in right and left circles making sure that the outside wheel is free to overrun and that the outside tire does not scuff. Drive safely! Perform this test in forward and reverse. You may wish to periodically repeat the test instructions in the Installation Guide. Any anomaly in the test should be thoroughly investigated and corrected prior to placing the vehicle back into service. After proper installation, your Powertrax No-Slip System should not require any special ongoing service, other than that which is normally performed on the differential as recommended by the manufacturer. Use the recommended lubricant and replace it at the proper intervals. The following comment involves the whole power train and we offer it to help assure excellent operation of your vehicle equipped with the Powertrax No-Slip traction System. * Sustained driving substantially increases the temperature of the axle housing, transmission, transfer case, and other driveline related components. If suddenly plunged into cold water, like when crossing a stream, rapid cooling can produce a vacuum. If the unit, such as the axle housing, remains submerged, water can be sucked in past the oil seals, and into the gear oil. To prevent rust and corrosion, it is important to drain the unit and remove the water as soon as possible. The water may separate from the oil and settle on the bottom. If the oil and water have emulsified (mixed on a microscopic level), high temperature may not drive the water out as readily as before mixing. Also, the oil-and-water mixture will not lubricate well, causing corrosion and accelerating wear. Replace with fresh lubricant as soon as possible. A similar high-temperature-then-vacuum situation can occur with u-joints. After submersion, purge out any water as soon as possible and re-grease. Adjustment or alterations are not needed and should not be made to the Powertrax No-Slip Traction Systems. Refer to the vehicles and/or axle manufacturer's instructions to make adjustments to other components. If making brake adjustments, both wheels connected to the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System will need to be free to rotate. Note: Axles equipped with the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System deliver power to both wheels, even when only one wheel is on the ground. A non-raised wheel will receive power and propel the vehicle. Do not apply power during servicing or changing tires. Before attempting to raise any wheels, be sure to safely block the vehicle first. Only then, and only when necessary, should the transmission be placed in neutral and the emergency brake released. Troubleshooting This section is intended to serve as a helpful guide to identify potential problem sources and possible causes. It may assist owners, if and when the need to troubleshoot arises. It is not a complete listing of all possibilities and should not be relied upon as such. 1. Incorrect or improper application. Check that Powertrax No- Slip Traction System model is correct. Review application guidelines. Verify that application conforms to all recommendations and precautions. If required, obtain assistance to confirm. Correct any application error before placing vehicle in service. 2. Improper installation; defective differential. Correctly follow installation and test procedures. Repair or replace any defective components as necessary. Do not operate your vehicle if the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System installation does not proceed as specified or fails the test procedures. 3. Broken axle shaft. Replace immediately! Although it may be possible to apply power to the wheel with the non-broken axle, this is absolutely not recommended. Driving conditions are unsafe and serious damage can occur. Do not drive your vehicle! 4. Axle centerlines miss aligned or axle housing bent. Replace or straighten bent axle housing; realign if off center. 5. Axle or driveline components worn or defective. Check the condition of all driveline or axle components, including seals, bearings, ring & pinion gears, axle shafts, and other components. Replace if worn or defective and repair any condition that may have contributed to premature component failure. 6. Ring & pinion adjustments incorrect. Ensure ring and pinion gears are adjusted properly. Note: Special calibration equipment and expertise is usually required for the precise adjustments of ring and pinion gears to be made correctly. Inspect and replace any worn components. 7. Break in period; operation synchronization. Minor "metallic" sounds due to driveline "backlash" factors and meshing alignments of power carrying components might be emitted occasionally, but should not be excessive. More noises may be experienced during the first 50-miles of use after installation of Powertrax No-Slip Traction System (break-in period). If frequent or excessive, a problem might exist that would require correction before operating the vehicle. 8. Short turning radius; large steering angle. During sharp turns, vehicles that have high turning angles may surge, causing steering difficulty and tire wear. Reduce turning angle and decelerate. 9. Drive wheel rolling-radii unequal. If the rolling-radii of the drive tires are unequal, the smaller rolling-radius tire will turn faster and will overrun the other tire, causing the other tire to be the primary driving wheel. Tires with equal rolling-radii will correct this condition. Either adjust tire pressures or replace tires as required. 10. Wheel alignment incorrect. Realign wheels to correct problem. 11. Poor traction surface; high crown in road. Vehicles have a tendency to "fishtail" or sideslip on slippery and icy roads, especially sloping towards curve. This condition is normally more pronounced with a traction adding differential than with a conventional "open" differential. Stability can be better retained, if sideslip occurs, by decelerating. * CAUTION: Do not apply the brake or brake very carefully only if necessary using extreme caution. Loss of vehicle control may result. 12. Steering cylinder undersized or inadequate pressure; angle of articulation excessive. Requires correction for safe driving. 13. Standard shift vehicle with "loose" driveline syndrome. Depressing clutch while making very narrow radius turns may, on occasion, induce an annoying driveline "cycling" condition in some standard shift vehicles that have driveline's with higher degrees of "play" (looseness). Slower turning speeds or clutching before the turn is made will reduce this symptom and shifting into neutral will usually stop this condition. 14. Improper assembly of axle components; foreign matter in axle housing. Check overall assembly of all axle components to be correct. Inspect for any contamination and determine cause. Correct any problems as required. 15. High viscosity lubricant. Gear lubricant can thicken and cause sluggish operation of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System in very low temperatures. For very cold weather applications, use the lightest oil the axle manufacturer will allow. For extremely cold climates, use "heat control" devices, or garaging, and carefully drive the vehicle for a few miles on-road to warm up the oil before using the vehicle in more demanding off-road conditions. 16. Improper weight distribution or overloading. Redistribute weight or remove excess weight. Follow vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and conform to vehicle specifications. Warranty Your Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is made in the USA of the highest quality materials under exacting manufacturing standards. However, because we are unable to control the installation or use of the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System, or the condition of the differential case, or the other vehicle components, our warranty can relate only to the design and performance of our own parts. The following replacement warranty is exclusive and in lieu of all other remedies, obligations, or warranties of Powertrax and/or sellers, express or implied, oral or written, and no person or dealer/distributor/reseller is authorized to make any representations to the contrary. SYMPTOM	i don't know
In which city are the headquarters of Mercedes?	About Mercedes-Benz USA \| Mercedes-Benz CONTACT US In 2015, MBUSA achieved the highest annual sales volume in its history with 343,088 units sold for the Mercedes-Benz brand, representing a 3.8% increase over 2014 sales. Sprinter Vans achieved an annual sales total of 29,889 gaining 16.1%. Adding 7,484 units from smart, MBUSA's year-end-sales total hit an all-time record 380,461 vehicles, increasing 3.8% from the previous year. Although MBUSA was founded in 1965, importation of Mercedes-Benz vehicles actually began in 1952 under Max Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman was a driving force behind the car that cemented the identity of Mercedes-Benz in America: the iconic 300SL Gullwing. By 1957, Mercedes-Benz was in a position to expand its reach in the United States and entered into a distribution agreement with Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Eight years later, the company struck out on its own, forming Mercedes-Benz USA. Over the following years, MBUSA grew into a nationwide organization, now employing over 1,600 people. The company also has 368 associated dealerships that employ over 22,000 people themselves. Working at the Best Mercedes-Benz was founded by Karl Benz, Emil Jellinek (daughter Mercedes), Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach Daimler Corporate headquarters is located in Stuttgart, Germany 93 locations worldwide Production facilities in 17 countries on 5 continents Many pioneering technical innovations that are standard automotive features today were first seen in a Mercedes-Benz car, including the crumple zone (1959), ABS (1978), airbags (1980), belt pretensioners (1980), ESP (1995), PRE-SAFEÂ® (2002) and many other milestones in passenger vehicle technology. /mercedes aboutmb [ ] [C63, C63P, C63C, CLA45C4, CLS63, CLS63P, CLS63C4S, E63, E63P, E63SP, E63W4S, E63S4S, GLA45W4, GLE450C4, GLE63C4S, GLE63W4, GLE63W4S, G63, GTS, S63V4, S65V, S63C4, S65C, SL63, SL65, C450W4, C63W, C63WS, G63W4, G65W4, GLS63W4, C63C, C63CS, SLC43R, S63A4, SL63R, SL65R, GT, GLE43C4, S65A, C43C4, GLC43W4, C43W4, C63A, C63AS, C43A4, E43W4, GLE43W4] true	Stuttgart
In a mechanical clock or watch, what mechanism ensures that the hands are driven at an even rate?	About Mercedes-Benz USA \| Mercedes-Benz CONTACT US In 2015, MBUSA achieved the highest annual sales volume in its history with 343,088 units sold for the Mercedes-Benz brand, representing a 3.8% increase over 2014 sales. Sprinter Vans achieved an annual sales total of 29,889 gaining 16.1%. Adding 7,484 units from smart, MBUSA's year-end-sales total hit an all-time record 380,461 vehicles, increasing 3.8% from the previous year. Although MBUSA was founded in 1965, importation of Mercedes-Benz vehicles actually began in 1952 under Max Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman was a driving force behind the car that cemented the identity of Mercedes-Benz in America: the iconic 300SL Gullwing. By 1957, Mercedes-Benz was in a position to expand its reach in the United States and entered into a distribution agreement with Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Eight years later, the company struck out on its own, forming Mercedes-Benz USA. Over the following years, MBUSA grew into a nationwide organization, now employing over 1,600 people. The company also has 368 associated dealerships that employ over 22,000 people themselves. Working at the Best Mercedes-Benz was founded by Karl Benz, Emil Jellinek (daughter Mercedes), Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach Daimler Corporate headquarters is located in Stuttgart, Germany 93 locations worldwide Production facilities in 17 countries on 5 continents Many pioneering technical innovations that are standard automotive features today were first seen in a Mercedes-Benz car, including the crumple zone (1959), ABS (1978), airbags (1980), belt pretensioners (1980), ESP (1995), PRE-SAFEÂ® (2002) and many other milestones in passenger vehicle technology. /mercedes aboutmb [ ] [C63, C63P, C63C, CLA45C4, CLS63, CLS63P, CLS63C4S, E63, E63P, E63SP, E63W4S, E63S4S, GLA45W4, GLE450C4, GLE63C4S, GLE63W4, GLE63W4S, G63, GTS, S63V4, S65V, S63C4, S65C, SL63, SL65, C450W4, C63W, C63WS, G63W4, G65W4, GLS63W4, C63C, C63CS, SLC43R, S63A4, SL63R, SL65R, GT, GLE43C4, S65A, C43C4, GLC43W4, C43W4, C63A, C63AS, C43A4, E43W4, GLE43W4] true	i don't know
What was the capital of the ancient Assyrian civilisation?	Assyria - Ancient History Encyclopedia Assyria by Joshua J. Mark published on 12 June 2014 Assyria was the region in the Near East which, under the Neo-Assyrian Empire , reached from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) through Asia Minor (modern Turkey ) and down through Egypt . The empire began modestly at the city of Ashur (known as Subartu to the Sumerians ), located in Mesopotamia north-east of Babylon , where merchants who traded in Anatolia became increasingly wealthy, and that affluence allowed for the growth and prosperity of the city. According to one interpretation of passages in the biblical Book of Genesis, Ashur was founded by a man named Ashur son of Shem, son of Noah, after the Great Flood, who then went on to found the other important Assyrian cities . A more likely account is that the city was named Ashur after the deity of that name sometime in the 3rd millennium BCE; the same god's name is the origin for `Assyria'. The biblical version of the origin of Ashur appears later in the historical record after the Assyrians had accepted Christianity , and so it is thought to be a re-interpretation of their early history which was more in keeping with their belief system. The Assyrians were a Semitic people who originally spoke and wrote Akkadian before the easier to use Aramaic language became more popular. Historians have divided the rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire into three periods: The Old Kingdom , The Middle Empire, and The Late Empire (also known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire), although it should be noted that Assyrian history continued on past that point, and there are still Assyrians living in the regions of Iran and Iraq, and elsewhere, in the present day. The Assyrian Empire is considered the greatest of the Mesopotamian empires due to its expanse and the development of the bureaucracy and military strategies which allowed it to grow and flourish. The Old Kingdom Although the city of Ashur existed from the 3rd millennium BCE, the extant ruins of that city date to 1900 BCE which is now considered the date the city was founded. According to early inscriptions, the first king was Tudiya, and those who followed him were known as “kings who lived in tents” suggesting a pastoral, rather than urban, community. Ashur was certainly an important centre of commerce even at this time, however, even though its precise form and structure is unclear. The king Remove Ads Advertisement The destruction of the great Assyrian cities was so complete that, within two generations of the empire’s fall, no one knew where the cities had been. Erishum I built the temple of Ashur on the site in c. 1900/1905 BCE, and this has come to be the accepted date for the founding of an actual city on the site although, obviously, some form of city must have existed there prior to that date. The historian Wolfram von Soden writes, Because of a dearth of sources, very little is known of Assyria in the third millennium…Assyria did belong to the Empire of Akkad at times, as well as to the Third Dynasty of Ur . Our main sources for this period are the many thousand Assyrian letters and documents from the trade colonies in Cappadocia, foremost of which was Kanesh (modern Kultepe) (49-50). The trade colony of Karum Kanesh (the Port of Kanesh) was among the most lucrative centres for trade in the ancient Near East and definitely the most important for the city of Ashur. Merchants from Ashur traveled to Kanesh, set up businesses, and then, after placing trusted employees (usually family members) in charge, returned to Ashur and supervised their business dealings from there. The historian Paul Kriwaczek notes: For several generations the trading houses of Karum Kanesh flourished, and some became extremely wealthy – ancient millionaires. However not all business was kept within the family. Ashur had a sophisticated banking system and some of the capital that financed the Anatolian trade came from long-term investments made by independent speculators in return for a contractually specified proportion of the profits. There is not much about today’s commodity markets that an old Assyrian would not quickly recognize (214-215). The Rise of Ashur The wealth generated from trade in Karum Kanesh provided the people of Ashur with the stability and security necessary for the expansion of the city and so laid the foundation for the rise of the empire. Trade with Anatolia was equally important in providing the Assyrians with raw materials from which they were able to perfect the craft of iron working. The iron weapons of the Assyrian military would prove a decisive advantage in the campaigns which would conquer the entire region of the Near East. Before that could happen, however, the political landscape needed to change. The people known as the Hurrians and the Hatti held dominance in the region of Anatolia, and Ashur, to the north in Mesopotamia, remained in the shadow of these more powerful civilizations. In addition to the Hatti, there were the people known as the Amorites who were steadily settling in the area and acquiring more land and resources. The Assyrian king Shamashi Adad I (1813-1791 BCE) drove the Amorites out and secured the borders of Assyria, claiming Ashur as the capital of his kingdom. The Hatti continued to remain dominant in the region until they were invaded and assimilated by the Hittites in c. 1700. Long before that time, however, they ceased to prove as major a concern as the city to the southwest which was slowly gaining power: Babylon. The Amorites were a growing power in Babylon for at least 100 years when the Amorite king named Sin Muballit took the throne, and, in c. 1792 BCE, his son King Hammurabi ascended to rule and subjugated the lands of the Assyrians. It is around this same time that trade between Ashur and Karum Kanesh ended, as Babylon now rose to prominence in the region and took control of trade with Assyria. Remove Ads Advertisement Soon after Hammurabi’s death in 1750 BCE, the Babylonian Empire fell apart. Assyria again attempted to assert control over the region surrounding Ashur, but it seems as though the kings of this period were not up to the task. Civil war broke out in the region, and stability was not regained until the reign of the Assyrian king Adasi (c. 1726-1691 BCE). Adasi was able to secure the region and his successors continued his policies but were unable or unwilling to engage in expansion of the kingdom. The Middle Empire The vast Kingdom of Mitanni rose from the area of eastern Anatolia and now held power in the region of Mesopotamia; Assyria fell under their control. Invasions by the Hittites under King Suppiluliuma I broke Mitanni power and replaced the kings of Mitanni with Hittite rulers at the same time that the Assyrian king Eriba Adad I was able to gain influence at the Mitanni (now mainly Hittite) court. The Assyrians now saw an opportunity to assert their own autonomy and began to expand their kingdom outward from Ashur to the regions previously held by the Mitanni. The Hittites struck back and were able to hold the Assyrians at bay until the king Ashur-Uballit I (c.1353-1318 BCE) defeated the remaining Mitanni forces under the Hittite commanders and took significant portions of the region. He was succeeded by two kings who maintained what had been won, but no further expansion was achieved until the coming of King Adad Nirari I (c. 1307-1275 BCE) who expanded the Assyrian Empire to the north and south, driving out the Hittites and conquering their major strongholds. Adad Nirari I is the first Assyrian king about whom anything is known with certainty, because he left inscriptions of his achievements which have survived mostly intact. Further, letters between the Assyrian king and the Hittite rulers have also survived and make it clear that, initially, the Assyrian rulers were not taken seriously by those of other nations in the region until they proved themselves too powerful to resist. The historian Will Durant comments on the rise of the Assyrian Empire writing : Remove Ads Advertisement If we should admit the imperial principle – that it is good, for the sake of spreading law, security, commerce and peace, that many states should be brought, by persuasion or force, under the authority of one government – then we should have to concede to Assyria the distinction of having established in western Asia a larger measure and area of order and prosperity than that region of the earth had ever, to our knowledge, enjoyed before (270). The Assyrian Deportation Policy Adad Nirari I completely conquered the Mitanni and began what would become standard policy under the Assyrian Empire: the deportation of large segments of the population. With Mitanni under Assyrian control, Adad Nirari I decided the best way to prevent any future uprising was to remove the former occupants of the land and replace them with Assyrians. This should not be understood, however, as a cruel treatment of captives. Writing on this, the historian Karen Radner states, The deportees, their labour and their abilities were extremely valuable to the Assyrian state, and their relocation was carefully planned and organised. We must not imagine treks of destitute fugitives who were easy prey for famine and disease: the deportees were meant to travel as comfortably and safely as possible in order to reach their destination in good physical shape. Whenever deportations are depicted in Assyrian imperial art, men, women and children are shown travelling in groups, often riding on vehicles or animals and never in bonds. There is no reason to doubt these depictions as Assyrian narrative art does not otherwise shy away from the graphic display of extreme violence (1). Deportees were carefully chosen for their abilities and sent to regions which could make the most of their talents. Not everyone in the conquered populace was chosen for deportation and families were never separated. Those segments of the population that had actively resisted the Assyrians were killed or sold into slavery, but the general populaces became absorbed into the growing empire and were thought of as Assyrians. The historian Gwendolyn Leick writes of Adad Nirari I that, “the prosperity and stability of his reign allowed him to engage in ambitious building projects, building city walls and canals and restoring temples” (3). He also provided a foundation for empire upon which his successors would build. Assyrian Conquest of Mitanni & the Hittites His son and successor Shalmaneser I completed the destruction of the Mitanni and absorbed their culture. Shalmaneser I continued his father’s policies, including the relocation of populations, but his son, Tukulti-Ninurta I (c. 1244-1208 BCE), went even further. According to Leick, Tukulti-Ninurta I “was one of the most famous Assyrian soldier kings who campaigned incessantly to maintain Assyrian possessions and influence. He reacted with spectacular cruelty to any sign of revolt” (177). He was also very interested in acquiring and preserving the knowledge and cultures of the peoples he conquered and developed a more sophisticated method of choosing which sort of individual, or community, would be relocated and to which specific location. Scribes and scholars, for example, were chosen carefully and sent to urban centers where they could help catalogue written works and help with the bureaucracy of the empire. A literate man, he composed the epic poem chronicling his victory over the Kassite king of Babylon and subjugation of that city and the areas under its influence and wrote another on his victory over the Elamites. He defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Nihriya in c. 1245 BCE which effectively ended Hittite power in the region and began the decline of their civilization . When Babylon made incursions into Assyrian territory, Tukulti-Ninurta I punished the city severely by sacking it, plundering the sacred temples, and carrying the king and a portion of the populace back to Assur as slaves. With his plundered wealth, he renovated his grand palace in the city he had built across from Assur, which he named Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta, to which he seems to have retreated once the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His desecration of the temples of Babylon was seen as an offense against the gods (as the Assyrians and Babylonians shared many of the same deities) and his sons and court officials rebelled against him for putting his hand on the goods of the gods. He was assassinated in his palace, probably by one of his sons, Ashur-Nadin-Apli, who then took the throne. Tiglath Pileser I & Revitalization Following the death of Tukulti-Ninurta I, the Assyrian Empire fell into a period of stasis in which it neither expanded nor declined. While the whole of the Near East fell into a 'dark age' following the so-called Bronze Age Collapse of c. 1200 BCE, Ashur and its empire remained relatively intact. Unlike other civilizations in the region which suffered a complete collapse, the Assyrians seem to have experienced something closer to simply a loss of forward momentum. The empire certainly cannot be said to have 'stagnated', because the culture, including the emphasis on military campaign and the value of conquest, continued; however, there was no significant expansion of the empire and civilization as it was under Tukulti-Ninurta I. This all changed with the rise of Tiglath Pileser I to the throne (reigned c. 1115-1076 BCE). According to Leick: He was one of the most important Assyrian kings of this period, largely because of his wide-ranging military campaigns, his enthusiasm for building projects, and his interest in cuneiform tablet collections. He campaigned widely in Anatolia, where he subjugated numerous peoples, and ventured as far as the Mediterranean Sea. In the capital city, Assur, he built a new palace and established a library, which held numerous tablets on all kinds of scholarly subjects. He also issued a legal decree, the so-called Middle Assyrian Laws, and wrote the first royal annals. He was also one of the first Assyrian kings to commission parks and gardens stocked with foreign and native trees and plants (171). Tiglath Pileser I revitalized the economy and the military through his campaigns, adding more resources and skilled populations to the Assyrian Empire. Literacy and the arts flourished, and the preservation initiative the king took regarding cuneiform tablets would serve as the model for the later ruler, Ashurbanipal ’s, famous library at Nineveh . Upon Tiglath Pileser I’s death, his son, Asharid-apal-ekur, took the throne and reigned for two years during which time he continued his father’s policies without alteration. He was succeeded by his brother Ashur-bel-Kala who initially reigned successfully until challenged by a usurper who threw the empire into civil war. Although the rebellion was crushed and the participants executed, the turmoil allowed certain regions that had been tightly held by Assyria to break free and among these was the area known as Eber Nari (modern day Syria , Lebanon, and Israel ), which had been particularly important to the empire because of the well-established sea ports along the coast. The Aramaeans now held Eber Nari and began making incursions from there into the rest of the empire. At this same time, the Amorites of Babylon and the city of Mari asserted themselves and tried to break the hold of the empire. The kings who followed Ashur-bel-Kala (among them, Shalmaneser II and Tiglath Pileser II) managed to maintain the core of the empire around Ashur but were unsuccessful in re-taking Eber Nari or driving the Aramaeans and Amorites completely from the borders. The empire steadily shrank through repeated attacks from outside and rebellions from within and, with no king strong enough to revitalize the military, Assyria again entered a period of stasis in which they held what they could of the empire together but could do nothing else. The Neo-Assyrian Empire The Late Empire (also known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire) is the one most familiar to students of ancient history as it is the period of the largest expansion of the empire. It is also the era which most decisively gives the Assyrian Empire the reputation it has for ruthlessness and cruelty. The historian Kriwaczek writes: Assyria must surely have among the worst press notices of any state in history. Babylon may be a byname for corruption, decadence and sin but the Assyrians and their famous rulers, with terrifying names like Shalmaneser, Tiglath-Pileser , Sennacherib , Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal, rate in the popular imagination just below Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan for cruelty, violence, and sheer murderous savagery (208). This reputation is further noted by the historian Simon Anglim and others. Anglim writes: While historians tend to shy away from analogies, it is tempting to see the Assyrian Empire, which dominated the Middle East from 900-612 BC, as a historical forebear of Nazi Germany: an aggressive, murderously vindictive regime supported by a magnificent and successful war machine. As with the German army of World War II, the Assyrian army was the most technologically and doctrinally advanced of its day and was a model for others for generations afterwards. The Assyrians were the first to make extensive use of iron weaponry [and] not only were iron weapons superior to bronze, but could be mass-produced, allowing the equipping of very large armies indeed (12). While the reputation for decisive, ruthless, military tactics is understandable, the comparison with the Nazi regime is less so. Unlike the Nazis, the Assyrians treated the conquered people they relocated well (as already addressed above) and considered them Assyrians once they had submitted to central authority. There was no concept of a 'master race' in Assyrian policies; everyone was considered an asset to the empire whether they were born Assyrian or were assimilated into the culture. Kriwaczek notes, “In truth, Assyrian warfare was no more savage than that of other contemporary states. Nor, indeed, were the Assyrians notably crueler than the Romans, who made a point of lining their roads with thousands of victims of crucifixion dying in agony” (209). The only fair comparison between Germany in WWII and the Assyrians, then, is the efficiency of the military and the size of the army, and this same comparison could be made with ancient Rome . These massive armies still lay in the future, however, when the first king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire came to power. The rise of the king Adad Nirari II (c. 912-891 BCE) brought the kind of revival Assyria needed. Adad Nirari II re-conquered the lands which had been lost, including Eber Nari, and secured the borders. The defeated Aramaeans were executed or deported to regions within the heartland of Assyria. He also conquered Babylon but, learning from the mistakes of the past, refused to plunder the city and, instead, entered into a peace agreement with the king in which they married each other’s daughters and pledged mutual loyalty. Their treaty would secure Babylon as a powerful ally, instead of a perennial problem, for the next 80 years. Military Expansion & the New View of the God The kings who followed Adad Nirari II continued the same policies and military expansion. Tukulti Ninurta II (891-884 BCE) expanded the empire to the north and gained further territory toward the south in Anatolia, while Ashurnasirpal II (884-859 BCE) consolidated rule in the Levant and extended Assyrian rule through Canaan . Their most common method of conquest was through siege warfare which would begin with a brutal assault on the city. Anglim writes: More than anything else, the Assyrian army excelled at siege warfare, and was probably the first force to carry a separate corps of engineers…Assault was their principal tactic against the heavily fortified cities of the Near East. They developed a great variety of methods for breaching enemy walls: sappers were employed to undermine walls or to light fires underneath wooden gates, and ramps were thrown up to allow men to go over the ramparts or to attempt a breach on the upper section of wall where it was the least thick. Mobile ladders allowed attackers to cross moats and quickly assault any point in defences. These operations were covered by masses of archers, who were the core of the infantry. But the pride of the Assyrian siege train were their engines. These were multistoried wooden towers with four wheels and a turret on top and one, or at times two, battering rams at the base (186). Advancements in military technology were not the only, or even the primary, contribution of the Assyrians as, during this same time, they made significant progress in medicine, building on the foundation of the Sumerians and drawing on the knowledge and talents of those who had been conquered and assimilated. Ashurnasirpal II made the first systematic lists of plants and animals in the empire and brought scribes with him on campaign to record new finds. Schools were established throughout the empire but were only for the sons of the wealthy and nobility. Women were not allowed to attend school or hold positions of authority even though, earlier in Mesopotamia, women had enjoyed almost equal rights. The decline in women’s rights correlates to the rise of Assyrian monotheism. As the Assyrian armies campaigned throughout the land, their god Ashur went with them but, as Ashur was previously linked with the temple of that city and had only been worshipped there, a new way of imagining the god became necessary in order to continue that worship in other locales. Kriwaczek writes: One might pray to Ashur not only in his own temple in his own city, but anywhere. As the Assyrian empire expanded its borders, Ashur was encountered in even the most distant places. From faith in an omnipresent god to belief in a single god is not a long step. Since He was everywhere, people came to understand that, in some sense, local divinities were just different manifestations of the same Ashur (231). This unity of vision of a supreme deity helped to further unify the regions of the empire. The different gods of the conquered peoples, and their various religious practices, became absorbed into the worship of Ashur, who was recognized as the one true god who had been called different names by different people in the past but who now was clearly known and could be properly worshipped as the universal deity. Regarding this, Kriwaczek writes: Belief in the transcendence rather than immanence of the divine had important consequences. Nature came to be desacralized, deconsecrated. Since the gods were outside and above nature, humanity – according to Mesopotamian belief created in the likeness of the gods and as servant to the gods – must be outside and above nature too. Rather than an integral part of the natural earth, the human race was now her superior and her ruler. The new attitude was later summed up in Genesis 1:26: `And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth’ That is all very well for men, explicitly singled out in that passage. But for women it poses an insurmountable difficulty. While males can delude themselves and each other that they are outside, above, and superior to nature, women cannot so distance themselves, for their physiology makes them clearly and obviously part of the natural world…It is no accident that even today those religions that put most emphasis on God’s utter transcendence and the impossibility even to imagine His reality should relegate women to a lower rung of existence, their participation in public religious worship only grudgingly permitted, if at all (229-230). The Assyrian culture became increasingly cohesive with the expansion of the empire, the new understanding of the deity, and the assimilation of the people from the conquered regions. Shalmaneser III (859-824 BCE) expanded the empire up through the coast of the Mediterranean and received tribute from the wealthy Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon . He also defeated the Armenian kingdom of Urartu which had long proved a significant nuisance to the Assyrians. Following his reign, however, the empire erupted in civil war as the king Shamshi Adad V (824-811 BCE) fought with his brother for control. Although the rebellion was put down, expansion of the empire halted after Shalmaneser III. The regent Shammuramat (also famously known as Semiramis who became the mythical goddess-queen of the Assyrians in later tradition) held the throne for her young son Adad Nirari III from c. 811-806 BCE and, in that time, secured the borders of the empire and organized successful campaigns to put down the Medes and other troublesome populaces in the north. When her son came of age, she was able to hand him a stable and sizeable empire which Adad Nirari III then expanded further. Following his reign, however, his successors preferred to rest on the accomplishments of others and the empire entered another period of stagnation. This was especially detrimental to the military which languished under kings like Ashur Dan III and Ashur Nirari V. The Great Kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire The empire was revitalized by Tiglath Pileser III (745-727 BCE) who reorganized the military and restructured the bureaucracy of the government. According to Anglim, Tiglath Pileser III “carried out extensive reforms of the army, reasserted central control over the empire, reconquered the Mediterranean seaboard, and even subjugated Babylon. He replaced conscription [in the military] with a manpower levy imposed on each province and also demanded contingents from vassal states” (14). He defeated the kingdom of Uratu, which had long troubled Assyrian rulers, and subjugated the region of Syria. Under Tiglath Pileser III’s reign, the Assyrian army became the most effective military force in history up until that time and would provide a model for future armies in organization, tactics, training, and efficiency. Tiglath Pileser III was followed by Shalmaneser V (727-722 BCE) who continued the king’s policies, and his successor, Sargon II (722-705 BCE) improved upon them and expanded the empire further. Even though Sargon II's rule was contested by nobles, who claimed he had seized the throne illegally, he maintained the cohesion of the empire. Following Tiglath Pileser III’s lead, Sargon II was able to bring the empire to its greatest height. He was followed by Sennacherib (705-681 BCE) who campaigned widely and ruthlessly, conquering Israel, Judah, and the Greek provinces in Anatolia. His sack of Jerusalem is detailed on the 'Taylor Prism', a cuneiform block describing Sennacherib’s military exploits which was discovered in 1830 CE by Britain ’s Colonel Taylor, in which he claims to have captured 46 cities and trapped the people of Jerusalem inside the city until he overwhelmed them. His account is contested, however, by the version of events described in the biblical book of II Kings, chapters 18-19, where it is claimed that Jerusalem was saved by divine intervention and Sennacherib’s army was driven from the field. The biblical account does relate the Assyrian conquest of the region, however. Sennacherib’s military victories increased the wealth of the empire. He moved the capital to Nineveh and built what was known as “the Palace without a Rival”. He beautified and improved upon the city’s original structure, planting orchards and gardens. The historian Christopher Scarre writes, Sennacherib’s palace had all the usual accoutrements of a major Assyrian residence: colossal guardian figures and impressively carved stone reliefs (over 2,000 sculptured slabs in 71 rooms). Its gardens, too, were exceptional. Recent research by British Assyriologist Stephanie Dalley has suggested that these were the famous Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Later writers placed the Hanging Gardens at Babylon, but extensive research has failed to find any trace of them. Sennacherib’s proud account of the palace gardens he created at Nineveh fits that of the Hanging Gardens in several significant details (231). Ignoring the lessons of the past, however, and not content with his great wealth and the luxury of the city, Sennacherib drove his army against Babylon, sacked it, and looted the temples. As earlier in history, the looting and destruction of the temples of Babylon was seen as the height of sacrilege by the people of the region and also by Sennacherib’s sons who assassinated him in his palace at Nineveh in order to placate the wrath of the gods. Although they certainly would have been motivated to murder their father for the throne (after he chose his youngest son, Esarhaddon, as heir in 683 BCE, snubbing them) they would have needed a legitimate reason to do so; and the destruction of Babylon provided them with one. His son Esarhaddon (681-669 BCE) took the throne, and one of his first projects was to rebuild Babylon. He issued an official proclamation which claimed that Babylon had been destroyed by the will of the gods owing to the city’s wickedness and lack of respect for the divine. Nowhere in his proclamation does it mention Sennacherib or his role in the destruction of the city but makes clear that the gods chose Esarhaddon as the divine means for restoration: “Once during a previous ruler’s reign there were bad omens. The city insulted its gods and was destroyed at their command. They chose me, Esarhaddon, to restore everything to its rightful place, to calm their anger, and soothe their rage.” The empire flourished under his reign. He successfully conquered Egypt (which Sennacherib had tried and failed to do) and established the empire’s borders as far north as the Zagros Mountains (modern day Iran) and as far south as Nubia (modern Sudan) with a span from west to east of the Levant (modern day Lebanon to Israel) through Anatolia (Turkey). His successful campaigns, and careful maintenance of the government, provided the stability for advances in medicine, literacy, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and the arts. Durant writes: In the field of art, Assyria equaled her preceptor Babylonia and in bas-relief surpassed her. Stimulated by the influx of wealth into Ashur, Kalakh, and Nineveh, artists and artisans began to produce – for nobles and their ladies, for kings and palaces, for priests and temples – jewels of every description, cast metal as skilfully designed and finely wrought as on the great gates at Balawat, and luxurious furniture of richly carved and costly woods strengthened with metal and inlaid with gold , silver, bronze, or precious stones (278). In order to secure the peace, Esarhaddon's mother, Zakutu (also known as Naqia-Zakutu) entered into vassal treaties with the Persians and the Medes requiring them to submit in advance to his successor. This treaty, known as the Loyalty Treaty of Naqia-Zakutu, ensured the easy transition of power when Esarhaddon died preparing to campaign against the Nubians and rule passed to the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE). Ashurbanipal was the most literate of the Assyrian rulers and is probably best known in the modern day for the vast library he collected at his palace at Nineveh. Though a great patron of the arts and culture, Ashurbanipal could be just as ruthless as his predecessors in securing the empire and intimidating his enemies. Kriwaczek writes, “Which other imperialist would, like Ashurbanipal, have commissioned a sculpture for his palace with decoration showing him and his wife banqueting in their garden, with the struck-off head and severed hand of the King of Elam dangling from trees on either side, like ghastly Christmas baubles or strange fruit?” (208). He decisively defeated the Elamites and expanded the empire further to the east and north. Recognizing the importance of preserving the past, he then sent envoys to every point in the lands under his control and had them retrieve or copy the books of that city or town, bringing all back to Nineveh for the royal library. Ashurbanipal ruled over the empire for 42 years and, in that time, campaigned successfully and ruled efficiently. The empire had grown too large, however, and the regions were overtaxed. Further, the vastness of the Assyrian domain made it difficult to defend the borders. As great in number as the army remained, there were not enough men to keep garrisoned at every significant fort or outpost. When Ashurbanipal died in 627 BCE, the empire began to fall apart. His successors Ashur-etli-Ilani and Sin-Shar-Ishkun were unable to hold the territories together and regions began to break away. The rule of the Assyrian Empire was seen as overly harsh by its subjects, in spite of whatever advancements and luxuries being an Assyrian citizen may have provided, and former vassal states rose in revolt. In 612 BCE Nineveh was sacked and burned by a coalition of Babylonians, Persians, Medes, and Scythians, among others. The destruction of the palace brought the flaming walls down on the library of Ashurbanipal and, although it was far from the intention, preserved the great library, and the history of the Assyrians, by baking hard and burying the clay tablet books. Kriwaczek writes, “Thus did Assyria’s enemies ultimately fail to achieve their aim when they razed Ashur and Nineveh in 612 BCE, only fifteen years after Ashurbanipal’s death: the wiping out of Assyria’s place in history” (255). Still, the destruction of the great Assyrian cities was so complete that, within two generations of the empire’s fall, no one knew where the cities had been. The ruins of Nineveh were covered by the sands and lay buried for the next 2,000 years. Legacy of Assyria Thanks to the Greek historian Herodotus , who considered the whole of Mesopotamia 'Assyria', scholars have long known the culture existed (as compared to the Sumerians who were unknown to scholarship until the 19th century CE). Mesopotamian scholarship was traditionally known as Assyriology until relatively recently (though that term is certainly still in use), because the Assyrians were so well known through the primary sources of the Greek and Roman writers. Through the expanse of their empire, the Assyrians spread Mesopotamian culture to the other regions of the world, which have, in turn, impacted cultures world-wide up to the present day. Durant writes: Through Assyria’s conquest of Babylon, her appropriation of the ancient city’s culture, and her dissemination of that culture throughout her wide empire; through the long Captivity of the Jews, and the great influence upon them of Babylonian life and thought; through the Persian and Greek conquests which then opened with unprecedented fullness and freedom all the roads of communication and trade between Babylon and the rising cities of Ionia , Asia Minor, and Greece – through these and many other ways the civilization of the Land between the Rivers passed down into the cultural endowment of our race. In the end nothing is lost; for good or evil, every event has effects forever (264). Tiglath Pileser III had introduced Aramaic to replace Akkadian as the lingua franca of the empire and, as Aramaic survived as a written language, this allowed later scholars to decipher Akkadian writings and then Sumerian. The Assyrian conquest of Mesopotamia, and the expansion of the empire throughout the Near East, brought Aramaic to regions as near as Israel and as far as Greece and, in this way, Mesopotamian thought became infused with those cultures and a part of their literary and cultural heritage. Following the decline and rupture of the Assyrian empire, Babylon assumed supremacy in the region from 605-549 BCE. Babylon then fell to the Persians under Cyrus the Great who founded the Achaemenid Empire (549-330 BCE) which fell to Alexander the Great and, after his death, was part of the Seleucid Empire . The region of Mesopotamia corresponding to modern-day Iraq, Syria, and part of Turkey was the area at this time known as Assyria and, when the Seleucids were driven out by the Parthians, the western section of the region, formerly known as Eber Nari and then Aramea, retained the name Syria. The Parthians gained control of the region and held it until the coming of Rome in 115 CE, and then the Sassanid Empire held supremacy in the area from 226-650 CE until, with the rise of Islam and the Arabian conquests of the 7th century CE, Assyria ceased to exist as a national entity. Among the greatest of their achievements, however, was the Aramaic alphabet , imported into the Assyrian government by Tiglath Pileser III from the conquered region of Syria. Aramaean was easier to write than Akkadian and so older documents collected by kings such as Ashurbanipal were translated from Akkadian into Aramaic, while newer ones were written in Aramaic and ignored the Akkadian. The result was that thousands of years of history and culture were preserved for future generations, and this is the greatest of Assyria’s legacies. About the Author	Nineveh
In World War I, British soldiers were named 'Tommies', what name was given to French soldiers?	Inventions - Ancient Assyria Ancient Assyria Inventions Anti-Depressents The Assyrians were the first to create an anti-depressent. The fumes were inhaled by patients to dispel sorrow or grief. Courier System The Assyrians were the first to develop an effective postal system (or courier system). Letters were written in cuneiform on clay tablets that were three inches square enclosed in clay envelopes. Not all the letters written were about business. Masonry Dam The Assyrians were the first to develop a masonry dam. The dam was created on the Atrush River. The water was channeled into a canel that led to the Capital of Assyria. Library The Assyrians were the first to use a library. The library was established by Ashurbanipal, a king, in Ninevah. This library housed information of many southwest civilizations and the first dictionary. The librarians gathered knowlege of their ancestors while working here. Iron Weapons The Assyrians were the first to use iron weapons in war. They were extremely good leaders, and used very effective war tactics. They used terror to their advantage and conquered many. Create a free website	i don't know
What was made by the now defunct companies 'Delarge', 'Delahaye' and 'Hotchkiss'?	Buses GUY Wolverhampton England UK \| Myn Transport Blog Buses GUY Wolverhampton England UK Posted on 6 February 2014 by Jeroen GUY Guy Motors was a Wolverhampton -based vehicle manufacturer that produced cars, lorries, buses and trolleybuses . The company was founded by Sydney S. Guy (1885-1971) who was born in Kings Heath , Birmingham. Guy Motors operated out of its Fallings Park factory from 1914 to 1982, playing an important role in the development of the British motor industry. 1953 Guy GS bus built for London Transport History Foundation and the First World War Sydney S. Guy registered Guy Motors Limited on Saturday 30 May 1914, the same day he departed his position as Works Manager at the Wolverhampton company, Sunbeam . A factory was built on the site at Fallings Park, Wolverhampton . and by September 1914 production was underway on the newly designed 30 cwt lorry. This employed a much lighter form of pressed steel frame, unlike the more commonly used heavy rolled steel channel frames of the time. This made the vehicle able to cross difficult terrain and a 14 seat poster bus built based on the design was used for crossing the Scottish Highlands. 1914 Guy’s 14 seater bus designed for use in the highlands In 1915 Guy came under control of the Ministry of Munitions and production was focused on the war effort. The factory continued to produce 30cwt lorries which were supplied to Britain’s allies in the First World War . They also produced Wasp and Dragonfly radial aircraft engines, Tylor truck engines and Maudslay gearboxes as well as being the country’s largest maker of depth charge fuzes. For their efforts during the war Guy received a commendation from William Weir , Secretary of State for Air. Due to orders from the ministry Guy prospered during the war, expanding its factory and became an established name in British manufacturing. 1920s The post-war period was difficult for the motor industry as military contracts were cancelled and military vehicles no longer required for service were sold onto the market at low prices. Guy returned to the civilian market, deciding to make luxury cars with a design by RH Rose, also from Sunbeam. They produced the Guy 8-cylinder car, powered by the first British V8 engine and featuring horizontal side valves. Around 25 of these were made and it was joined by a smaller model in 1922 with the 2465 cc four-cylinder 16.9 hp. A cheaper model followed in 1924 with the 1954 cc 13/36 with an engine from Coventry Climax . About 110 of the 4-cylinder models are thought to have been made. Production also continued on vehicles based on the 30cwt chassis such as the Guy charabanc and their major success the 30 seater bus. In 1924 the company adopted the slogan ‘Feathers in our Cap’ which led to the addition of a Native American mascot to their vehicles. 1924 also saw Guy produce the first ever dropped frame chassis for passenger vehicles (the B-type). This design allowed passengers to enter buses in a single step and became extremely popular, Guy receiving an order for 170 from Rio de Janeiro. Guy Motors badge Growing populations in towns and cities meant larger capacity buses were a necessity, leading Guy to develop a 6-wheeled version of their dropped-frame chassis which allowed for the introduction of the first 6-wheeled double decker buses and 6 wheeled trolleybuses in 1926. Guy double decker buses and trolleybuses would prove popular with a fleet of double deckers sold to the London Public Omnibus Company and exports supplied all around the world. Exports served as a major source of income for Guy with sales to South Africa, Pakistan, India and the Netherlands, their armoured vehicles proving particularly popular for covering difficult terrain with 100 supplied to the Indian government in 1928. Guy’s first military vehicle produced in 1923 In 1928 Guy took control of fellow Wolverhampton manufacturer the Star Motor Company , who had seen declining sales throughout the decade, in an attempt to expand their luxury car manufacturing. Under Guy, Star Motors moved to a new factory in Bushbury and the range of vehicles was narrowed to prevent competition against itself. Despite this Star continued to struggle and a loss was made on every car sold. The Wall Street Crash had a crippling effect on industry and the subsequent recession meant Guy could no longer afford to fit out Star’s Bushbury plant and in 1932 the company entered receivership . Despite performing well throughout the decade, by the end of the 1920s Guy was facing an uncertain future due to the takeover of Star and the Wall Street Crash which had seen share prices fall from one pound to one shilling. 1930s Guy was able to endure the depression due to orders from the war office and by taking advantage of the 1930 Road Traffic Act which encouraged the development of lighter vehicles. In 1933 the Arab bus chassis, designed for use with diesel engines, was launched and would prove a mainstay of Guy’s success for the next twenty years. From the mid-1930s, the company became increasingly involved in the British rearmament programme, developing and producing military vehicles. In 1935 Guy submitted their new four wheel Ant armoured car to military trials where it impressed and 150 were ordered by the government. After this success Guy began to concentrate solely on the production of military vehicles and by 1938 Guy relied exclusively on Government contracts and had ended civilian productions. During this time Guy designed a new armoured car, the Quad Ant, which was welded rather than riveted together. This development made armoured vehicles much safer and is reported to have saved the British government £100 million, earning Guy a commendation from the Royal Commission. 1948 The Arab Mark IV, Guy’s most successful bus design World War Two Guy armoured vehicles were used throughout the war, featuring prominently in the North African campaign and at the evacuation of Dunkirk. Although production of the Ant and Quad Ant were moved to Karrier the factory was still involved in the war effort producing anti-aircraft guns. Passenger car sales in the UK virtually ceased during the war, which was accordingly a good time to be a UK bus manufacturer, and more than 2,000 Guy double-decker buses entered service between 1942 and 1945. The Ministry of Supply had ordered Guy to produce a chassis suitable for double decker buses, the blitz having resulted in a shortage of buses. In 1942 Guy launched the Arab utility deck bus based on their original 1933 design, but with a frame of identical shape to the Leyland Titan TD8 . It was immediately successful due to its reliability and low running costs. The company’s contribution to the war effort established them as a leading supplier for the government and meant they were financially stable heading into the post-war years. Post-War Years After the war Guy returned to civilian production with bus production remaining a mainstay and retaining a strong emphasis on export sales to their major markets including South Africa, Pakistan and the Netherlands. In 1948 Guy acquired Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles Limited and from then on all trolleybuses produced (except some for UK operators carrying Karrier badges) carried the Sunbeam name. Trolleybuses continued to sell well with the Sunbeam becoming the most popular model in South Africa. The Sunbeam Double-Decker Trolleybus Guy continued to update their old models, introducing a new version of the Otter chassis in 1950 for 30-seater vehicles and 84 were ordered by London Transport . By 1954 Guy passenger vehicles were operated by 150 companies in the UK and in 26 countries abroad. The company developed the first 30 ft two-axle double-deck trolleybus chassis in 1954, the Sunbeam F4A, which could seat 68 passengers. 1954 The Otter Tractor Vehicle In 1957 Sydney Guy retired after 43 years with the company. Guy continued to develop new models of chassis, introducing updated versions of the Otter and Warrior models and the high performance Victory chassis. However an ill-advised decision to take South African sales in house proved an extreme strain on the company’s finances. Combined with their attempt to develop a new double decker chassis this would prove highly damaging for Guy’s future. Launched in 1958 the Wulfrunian promised many innovations in its design but crucially lacked the reliability upon which Guy had built its name. The decline of the company Although new designs such as the Warrior Mark II were being produced and despite the fact their lorries were performing well by 1960 Guy faced seemingly insurmountable financial problems. The failure of the Wulfrunian was a commercial disaster and the operation in South Africa was losing them £300,000 a year. By 1961 Guy had no choice but to enter receivership. Sir William Lyons , managing director of Jaguar , acquired the company for £800,000, transferring its assets to a new company, Guy Motors (Europe) Limited which left all the liabilities with the now defunct Guy Motors Limited the name eventually reverting to “Guy Motors Ltd” in 1966. Jaguar immediately set about rationalisation , decreasing the number of employees and the range of vehicles in production. Guy continued to be successful throughout the 1960s with the development of the Victory trambus and the Big J series of trucks. The Big J was designed around a new Cummins V6 engine, and was intended for motorway operation. However a series of mergers by their parent company had left them in a precarious situation In 1966 Jaguar had merged with the British Motor Corporation to form British Motor Holdings. This company had then merged with Leyland in 1968 to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation . Leyland ceased the production of Guy badged buses in 1972 although Leyland badged versions of the Guy Victory were produced at Wolverhampton and Leyland until 1986. Despite the mergers the British motor industry continued on a generally downward trend and British Leyland looked for where it could make savings. Guy Motors was able to postpone closure due to the success of its Big J range which meant it was one of the few companies owned by British Leyland operating at a profit. Despite this in 1981 Leyland decided to close the Fallings Park plant as part of a rationalisation drive and in August 1982 the doors were shut at the cost of 740 jobs. On 5 October the factory was stripped clean and the contents auctioned. 1914 Guy Syzygies 1921 Guy coaches in Wolverhampton Market place 1922 Guy Promenade Runabout 1924 Guy six-wheelers in Rio de Janeiro 1925 Guy first six wheeled pneumatic Trolley Bus 1925 Guy Motors 1927 Guy 6 wheeled Londonbus 1927 Guy 26 seater 1927 Guy FBB (chassis number 22257) with a Hall Lewis B32R body 1927 Guy Star Flyer 1928 Guy 6 wheeled double deck long distance sleeper coach 1928 Guy BT Dodson DY 4965 in Hastings 1929 Guy php 1930 Guy FC of Newcastle Corporation 1930 Guy Motors 1931 Guy ‘BTX’ Zuid Africa 1931 Guy Trolleybus op weg naar Japan 1932 Guy Open coach 1934 Guy Wolf Guy GR-1157 1936 Guy Trolleybus adv 1937 Guy Wolf with Martin body 1938 Guy Wolf with 20 seat bodywork by Waveney 1943 Guy Arab I JUA762 Pickering H30 26R Re bodied ROE H31-25R 1943 Guy Arab I JUA762 Pickering H30 26R Re bodied ROE H31-25R 1943 Guy Arab II as a double decker, later an open top decker similar to 39 1946 Guy Arab III with Massey C35F body new to W. Alexander 1946 Guy Arab Massey TSB019 1946 Guy Arab Seamer Service 1946 Guy Arab with Brush B35F body 1946 Guy Vixen Hainje B-22878 NL 1946 Guy-Arab bus 84 met carrosserie van Verheul. Dienstbus Almelo-Glanerbrug op de weg Borne-Hengelo. Opname verm. 1949. NL 1947 Guy Arab (Seida) 1947 Guy Arab III with Duple C35F body 1947 Guy Arab Verheul NB-34-13 NL 1947 Guy first post war Trolley Bus Belfast Corporation 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr. Saunders GTW 30 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 32 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 33 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 34 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 35 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 36 NL 1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 37 NL 1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Individually built bus advert 1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Newport buses bus advert 1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Southampton Guy Arab bus advert 1947 Guy Saunders Tet 075 NL 1947 guy-arab 1947 Guy-Vixen. Carrosserie v d Bos(linker bus) NL 1947-52 Guy carr. Den Oudsten NB-21-69 NL 1947-52 Guy Vixen carr. Verheul NB-28-40 NL 1948 Guy Arab 16 Brian Shaw 1948 Guy Arab 16 1948 Guy Arab 21 Brian Shaw 1948 Guy Arab 37 1948 Guy Arab carr. Verheul NB-28-54 1948 Guy Arab Fleet LUT&PC 22 1948 Guy Arab Fleet of Maidstone Corporation Transport Department 26 1948 Guy Arab Fleet of Newport Corporation Transport 24 1948 Guy Arab Glasgow Corporation Transport Fleet 23 1948 Guy Arab I 136 1948 Guy Arab III with an MCW 35 seat body 1948 Guy Arab III with MCW 35 seat rear entrance body. 1948 Guy Arab IV African Transport Limited Kenya 30 1948 Guy Arab Mark IV Hong Kong China Bus Company Limeted 34 1948 Guy Arab Mark IV South Africa 35 Greyhound 1948 Guy Arab Mark IV Southdown Motor services Limited 32 1948 Guy Arab Mk III 19 6 1957 Verheul 1948 TET 88 E-45960 NL 1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 320 NL 1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 321 NL 1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 324 NL 1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 328 NL 1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW NL 1948 Guy Arab Single decker 2 1948 Guy Arab single decker vehicle 1948 Guy Arab Single Decker 1948 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Verheul GTW 39 NL 1948 Guy met Verheul carr. uit de serie 82 tm 84 uit 1948 werd in 1953 verbouwd . De achterkant is verheul NL 1948 Guy Otters were never common and ones with Alexander bodywork rarer still 1948 Guy Vixen coach 1948 Guy Wolf chassis carries a Barnard body 1948 Guy-Arab met carrosserie Saunders NL 1948 guy-arab dd 1948 guy-arab 440 1948 guy-arab dd 1948 Guy-bus 23 erachter Crossley- Scheldebus 20 (NS 1065) op 12 september 1948 vliegveld Beek en EBAD NL 1949 burlingham guy coach 1949 Guy Arab III 6LW with Park Royal H30-26R body 1949 Guy Arab III, fleet number 10 (KTC 615) 1949 Guy Arab IV 1949 Guy Arab MKIII Gardner 6 LW carr Hainje GTW 329 NL 1949 Guy ArabIII-Brislington Bus Works 1949 Guy Motors adv. 1949 Guy Vixen carrosserie Den Oudsten NL 1949 guy-arab 1949-53 Guy-carr. Jongman NB-56-18 NL 1950 Guy Arab III with Guy B33R bodywork 1950 Guy Arab III-Harkness Coachworks B31F (may be B30F now) 286, MZ7384 1950 Guy Arab III-Harkness 1950 Guy Arab Mark IV 1950 Guy Arab MK IV South Africa 37 1950 Guy Arab UF with Guy B40F body (using Park Royal framework) 1950 Guy Arab V double deck bus 1950 Guy Motors 1950 Guy Vixen Overland Firms 59 1950 Guy Vixen NL 1951 Guy Arab III with a Windover C33F body 1951 Guy Arab III with rare Roe coach body 1951 Guy Arab III with unusual Roe coach body 1951 Guy Arab UF fitted from new with a preselector gearbox and carried a Guy B40F body. 1951 Guy-Arab 76 met carrosserie van Hondebrink. Opname 1955 tijdens toerwagenral NL 1952 Guy Arab III with Roe B41C bodywork 1952 Guy Arab LUF with Weymann B44F body 1952 Guy Arab Underfloor engined single deck Huddersfield 43 seater bus 4 1952 Guy GS – MXX 342 1952 Guy Otters with rare Mulliner bodywork 1952 Guy Underfloor Verheul Jac. van Dijk nr 58 NB-06-72 NL 1952 Guy Vixen Wadham 1952 Guy-Arab 89 met carrosserie van Verheul. Met 45 zit en 10 staanplaatsen. Opname grens Glanerbrug in 1954 NL 1952 Guy-Arab nr. 86 met carrosserie van Verheul NL 1952 guy-otter 1953 Guy Arab 88 met carrosserie van Verheul. NL 1953 Guy Arab bus 60 1953 Guy Arab III with Roe B41C bodywork 1953 Guy GS MXX-343ECW B26F Kerel 1953 GUY Otter Diesel light vehicle12 1953 Guy Special NLLVP with ECW B26F body 1953 Guy Vixen Bus 1953 Guy Special with ECW B26F bodywork 1953 Guy Special NLLVP with ECW B26F bodywork 1953 Guy Vixen 30 seater vehicle 4 1953 Guy Vixen London Transport GS84 and GS76 1953 Guys with ECW B26F bodies for use on low traffic country area routes 1953 Guys with ECW B26F bodies 1954 Guy Arab Lighteight heavy duty underfloor engined coach 1954 Guy Arab LUF with a Guy B43F body 1954 Guy Arab LUF with Picktree C35F body 1954 Guy Arab LUF with rare Picktree Continental C35F body 1954 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton advert 1954 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton advert 1954 Guy Otter with a Roe B25F body 1954 Guy Sunbeam Trolley Double Deck Bus Walsall Corporation 1954 Guy Warrior 43 seater Trambus with AEC 6cyl 135 bhp engine 1954 Guy-bus 8 van de EBAD met Den Oudsten carrosserie NL 1955 Guy Arab LUF with Alexander C41F bodywork 1955 Guy Arab LUF 1955 Guy Arab LUFs, fitted with Roe B34C+24 bodies 1955 Guy Arab Mark IV East kent Road car Company Limited 31 1955 Guy Warrior LUF Coach 3 1955 Guy Warrior with Burlingham C41F body 1955 guy-s ad 1956 Guy Arab LUFs with Willowbrook C37C bodies 1956 Guy Arab Mark IV Belgium 36 1956 Guy Arab, with Park Royal body 1956 Guy Kusters-bus, de EBAD 91 1956 Guy Raghano België 1956 Guy Seal Small capacity tourist coach 1 1956 Guy Warrior, XUK768, with Mulliner C37C body 1957 Guy Arab LUF with Roe B41R body 1957 GUY Jonckheere België 1957 Guy Otter P6 with Mulliner B26F bodywork 1957 Guy Vixen 1958 Guy Arab LUFs with Longwell Green B44F bodies, XNY419 1958 Guy LUF with Longwell Green B44F body 1958 Guy UF with Burlingham Seagull C41F body 1958 Guy Victory Trambus 1958 Guy Victory UF 44 till 65 seater Luxery Touring Coach Victory 2 1958 Guy Victory 1958 Guy Warrior Gardner 5HLW oil engine 2 1958 Guy Wulfrunian 1958 Guy-Arab nr. 89 met carrosserie van Verheul. De bus had 45 zit en 10 staanplaatsen 1958 guy-victory Twitter About Jeroen In Dutch, my homelanguage: Ik ben Jeroen, tot januari 2015 was ik al dik 26 jaar werkzaam in een psychiatrisch ziekenhuis in een stad vlakbij Werelds grootste havenstad Rotterdam. Eerst als verpleegkundige/begeleider op high care, later op afdeling dubbeldiagnose (verslavingen) en ook nog een tijdje als administratief medewerker. Ik heb een spierziekte "Poli Myositis" (alle spieren zijn ontstoken) daardoor weinig energie. Sinds augustus 2015 is daarbij de diagnose Kanker gesteld, en ben ik helemaal arbeidsongeschikt geworden en zit middenin de behandelfase. Gelukkig ben ik daarnaast getrouwd, vader, en opa, en heb de nodige hobby's. Een daarvan is transportmiddelen verzamelen en daarmee een blog schrijven. Dit blog begon met bussen, maar nu komen ook sleepboten, auto's trucks en dergelijke aan bod. Kijk en geniet met me mee, reageer, en vul gerust aan. Fouten zal ik ook graag verbeteren. In English: I'm Jeroen, till januari 2015 I was already 26 years working as a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, near Rotterdam, Worlds biggest harbour with more than 98 nationalities living within it's borders. First I worked on closed high care ward and the last years on a ward with mainly addicted people. I liked my work very much. In 2007 I got ill. I got the diagnose Poli Myositis, a musscle dissease. Al my mussles are inflamed. And last august I got another diagnose. Cancer. It's plaveicelcel carcinoma and treated with Chemo and radioation. So I've even less energy than the last years. Still I try to make something of my life and the blog is helping with surviving with some pleasure.	Confederation of Asia Roller Sports
Which Prime Minister persuaded Queen Victoria to take the title 'Empress Of India'?	汽车, part two \| Ran When Parked Ran When Parked by Ronan Glon Leave a comment Earlier this week we published the first part of our series on Chinese cars. The second follows the same format but it also covers a couple of odds and ends, including some of the older cars we spotted. As a reminder, old cars are few and far between since most outside manufacturers were not present in China until the early 1990s and local manufacturers did not have much demand until the government democratized private car ownership. A third and final installment covering MG and Rover will come in the next few days. Honda (Dongfeng Honda Automobile, founded in 2003 & Guangzhou Honda Automobile, founded in 1998) Honda is one of the many manufacturers that has two joint-ventures in China, the maximum allowed by the government’s National Development and Reform Commission. The first joint-venture manufactures and sells the Accord, the Fit, and two models not offered in the United States, the City and the Odyssey. Both feature Honda’s latest design language that is found on most of their products worldwide. The City is a four-door sedan that slots beneath the Civic and that is mechanically very close to the Jazz/Fit hatchback. The Odyssey is a mix between a minivan and a station wagon. Unlike the Odyssey sold in the United States, it does not have rear sliding doors: Honda’s second joint-venture builds the CR-V, the Civic and its hybrid counterpart, and the Spirior, which is essentially the same as a Honda Accord in Europe and an Acura TSX in the United States. Jeep (Beijing Jeep Corporation, established in 1984) Jeep’s presence in China goes back to the AMC days, when the latter inked a deal to produce the XJ Cherokee in the Beijing area. The labor was obviously much cheaper than what was available in the United States, but workers generally had absolutely no experience assembling a car. The first Chinese-built Cherokees came out in 1985 and were fairly similar to the XJs sold in the United States: A version with a longer wheelbase and a higher roof was also built. When Chrysler purchased AMC, more models were gradually added to the Chinese lineup, including the Grand Cherokee. While most of the world switched to the KJ Liberty in the early 2000s, the XJ Cherokee stayed in production in China for several years longer. It was given a slight facelift and dubbed the Beijing Jeep 2500: The one pictured above is stock but 2500s are often fitted with lift kits, fog lights, roof racks and similar off-road equipment. Chrysler left the joint-venture in 2009 and tried to start one with Chery, but it failed to get off the ground. As mentioned earlier, Fiat and Guangzhou have started their own joint-venture, so Jeep production in China might start again in the next couple of years. Mercedes-Benz (Beijing Benz Automotive, founded in 2005): Chinese sales of German luxury cars have shot up in the last decade or so, but Mercedes has been the least-successful brand out of the three. Its cars carry the image of a bland old person’s car, almost like a German version of the now-defunct Lincoln Town Car. In China Mercedes builds the C-Class and a long wheelbase version of the E-Class. The German brand is trying to improve its image by putting an emphasis on its more sporty products like the CLS, the SLK and the SL. It’s rather complicated to find any data on what cars were imported into China, but judging from what we saw, numerous Mercedes were imported (likely by diplomats) in the 1980s. It is worth noting that Daimler inexplicably has two other joint-ventures in China (more than allowed), including one with BYD that is focused on developing an electric car for the Chinese market. The first electric prototype is scheduled to bow in 2012. Peugeot (Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, founded in 1992): Peugeot’s history in China started in 1987 when it formed Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Company to assemble 504s and 505s as CKD kits. There are conflicting reports as to how many of each were built, but there are almost none left of either today. The joint-venture with Guangzhou failed in 1997 and Peugeot later tagged on to Citroën’s joint-venture with Dongfeng. For the most part Peugeot’s Chinese lineup resembles its French lineup, but there are some exceptions. One is the 207, which is essentially Europe’s 206+ with a conventional trunk borrowed from the four-door version of the 206: Peugeot sells three mid-size four-door sedans, the 307, the 308, and the 408. All are priced sufficiently far apart that they do not overlap. The 308 is a very recent addition and we did not manage to photograph one, but 307s and 408s are plentiful. It is worth noting that the 408 is heavily based on the 307 and shares no components with the old 407: Peugeot imported the 607 but stopped offering it when the model was phased out in Europe. The lack of a flagship sedan is something the French automaker suffers from, both in China and in Europe. Shuanghuan Automobile Company: Shuanghuan was established in 1998 and is present in certain countries outside of China, notably north Africa and eastern Europe. In recent years the brand has been criticized for copying existing designs. It has done its best to defend itself along those allegations but a sample of its product lineup speaks volumes. First up is the Shuanghuan CEO: BMW has sued Shuanghuan over the CEO’s design but the only settlement it has managed to obtain is to ban the automaker from selling its cars in Germany. Next we have the Noble: A rarther blatant copy of a smart fortwo, though it seats four and has a front-mounted engine. The yellow one pictured had a special touch on the back: Last but not least is the S-RV, a visual mix between a 1990s 4Runner, a CR-V, and possibly a dachshund: Volkswagen (FAW – Volkswagen, founded in 1990 & Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive, founded in 1984) China is one of Volkswagen’s biggest markets and it contributes a lot to the automaker’s goal of becoming the world’s largest car company in 2018. Most brands in the Volkswagen group are present in China, with the latest being SEAT, and the Volkswagen brand sells about thirty different models there. We already covered an aspect of Volkswagen’s presence in China in a 2008 article that mostly focused on the Jetta. The article is now outdated as several new versions of the Jetta have since come out. The most intriguing one is a facelifted version of the second-generation Jetta. It seems to be popular as a delivery vehicle or as a cheap company car. Unfortunately, we only saw them on buses or in taxis and couldn’t get the camera out in time, so press photos will have to do: The last generation Passat is still being produced in China, but it has undergone several aesthetic changes: Volkswagen also builds a new Passat which shares the same platform as the north American Passat but whose body is specific to the Chinese market. This new Passat is a popular police car and is seen by some as a baby Phaeton: One of the most common Volkswagens in China is the Santana, available as both a sedan and a wagon. There are several versions of the Santana running around and all trace their roots back to the second generation Passat, introduced in 1981. The first generation Santana looks very similar to the B2 Passat: This version of the Santana stayed in production until earlier this year. In 1991, a more modern-looking version called Santana 2000 was introduced and it was replaced in 2004 by the Santana 3000. The 3000 did not stay in production very long and passed the torch to the Santana Vista in 2008: The differences between the 3000 and the Vista are very minor. The photo below shows a Vista (left) and a 3000 (right) side by side. Seen from the back, the biggest changes are the location of the license plate and the bumper: The Santana’s roomy interior makes it a favorite among taxi drivers: The Lavida was mostly designed by FAW with the Chinese market in mind. It is based on an mk4 Golf/Jetta platform: Odds and ends. Importing a car into China is nearly impossible unless it qualifies as a collector car, or unless it is imported by a diplomat. The diplomat guidelines are fairly straightforward, but what is considered a “collector car” in the eyes of the Chinese government is anyone’s guess. Nevertheless, some have managed to make it in, like this Polski-Fiat 126, built in Poland: A Jaguar 420, a noteworthy sight just about anywhere in the world: It is tough for foreign companies to compete in the commercial van market because there are countless local alternatives that generally cost much less. Nevertheless, both Ford and Iveco have taken a stab at the market. Iveco’s offering is the second generation Daily/Turbo Daily, updated with new headlights and taillights: Ford revamped the Transit it released in 1985: Lastly, some will undoubtedly notice that we left out Volvo and Saab. Volvo is now part of Geely and Saab’s best-case scenario also involves a change in nationality. As far as we were able to tell, Volvos are uncommon at best and Saabs are downright rare. Share this:	i don't know
In Greek mythology, name the ship in which Jason sailed, in search of the 'Golden Fleece'?	Argonauts - definition of Argonauts by The Free Dictionary Argonauts - definition of Argonauts by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Argonauts Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Ar·go·naut (är′gə-nôt′) n. 1. Greek Mythology One who sailed with Jason on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. 2. also argonaut A person who is engaged in a dangerous but rewarding quest; an adventurer. [From Latin Argonautae, Argonauts, from Greek Argonautēs, Argonaut : Argō, the ship Argo + nautēs, sailor (from naus, ship; see nāu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] ar·go·naut [New Latin Argonauta, genus name, from Latin Argonautae, Argonauts; see Argonaut.] Argonaut (ˈɑːɡəˌnɔːt) n 1. (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth one of the heroes who sailed with Jason in quest of the Golden Fleece 2. (Historical Terms) a person who took part in the Californian gold rush of 1849 3. (Animals) another name for the paper nautilus [C16: from Greek Argonautēs, from Argō the name of Jason's ship + nautēs sailor] ˌArgoˈnautic adj (ˈɑr gəˌnɔt, -ˌnɒt) n. 1. a member of the band of men who sailed to Colchis with Jason in the ship Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. 2. (sometimes l.c.) a person in quest of something dangerous but rewarding; adventurer. [< Latin Argonauta < Greek Argonaútēs crewman of the ship Argo ; see nautical ] ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:	Argo (disambiguation)
Queen Alia Airport serves which Middle East city?	Greek Mythogy JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS Athamas was a child of Aeolus, god of the winds. Athamas was married to the nymph Nephele, and had two children by her: Helle, a girl, and Phrixus, a boy. However, when he saw the mortal Ino, he was smitten by her, and left Nephele. With Ino, he had two more children, Learches and Melicertes. Ino, however, was always jealous of the two children Athamas had had by Nephele, and conspired to have them eliminated. She roasted all of the seed corn in the kingdom so that it would not sprout, and, when famine struck, she bribed the messengers who went to the oracle to say that the gods demanded that the two children, Helle and Phrixus, be sacrificed. The people prepared to kill Helle and Phrixus. But Nephele tried to save her children. As they were about to be killed, she sent a flying golden ram into the crowd. The ram knocked the priests away, put Helle and Phrixus on its back, and flew away. But they were not yet safe. As they were flying over a narrow body of water, Helle fell from the ram into the water and drowned. Now called the Dardanelles, for centuries this strait was called the Hellespont, for Helle who fell there. Phrixus, however, was still safe on the back of the ram. The ram took him to Colchis, to the court of King AEtes. AEtes did not like visitors but when he saw the fine, golden ram that Phrixus had ridden on, he allowed Phrixus to stay. AEtes sacrificed the ram, and saved its fleece, which he nailed to a tree. He set a dragon to guard the fleece, so that it might never be taken from him. Now, Jason was born prince of Thessaly, but the kingdom was stolen by his uncle, Pelias. In order to prove that he was capable of ruling the kingdom (and thus, to win back the throne), Jason was to get the golden fleece from AEtes, a king of another land, who had it nailed to a tree, and protected by a dragon. Jason had built, a ship, the Argo, on which he and his crew sailed. Jason came to the kingdom of Salmydessos, ruled by Phineas. Now, Phineas had a problem with the Harpies. These creatures were half-bird, half women. They had razor-sharp claws and beaks, strident calls, and the worst table manners - they would steal the food that was set out for Phineas and his family, and defecate over the rest of it, and, as a result, the king was starving to death. But two of Jason's crew were children of the North Wind, who had given them the ability to fly. They took swords and armor, and chased the Harpies so far away that they never came back. In gratitude, Phineas told Jason the secret of the Symplegades, the crashing rocks. These rocks hid in the Euxine sea, and would wait for something to come between them then they would crash together, destroying whatever was in their way. Jason, on the advice of Phineas, sent a dove to fly between the rocks, which crashed together in an attempt to crush the dove; however, oit escaped, losing only a single tailfeather. Then, when the rocks were sliding apart, the ship had just enough time to slip between the rocks before they crashed together again but for the rest of its voyage, it had a scrape on the stern when the rocks had almost crushed it. Jason finally found the kingdom of Colchis, and went to AEtes, the king, to ask for the golden fleece. AEtes hated Jason on sight, for considered the fleece his rightful property. In order to make Jason go away, he told Jason to do a simple task: plow a small field with two oxen, and sow it with the seeds in a bag AEtes would give to Jason. But these were no ordinary oxen. They breathed fire and the seeds Jason had to sow were dragon's teeth, which would immediately grow up into an army that would destroy him! Jason had a stroke of luck, however, and that was that AEtes's daughter, Medea, fell in love with him on sight. Out of the hearing of her father, they promised to marry each other, and Medea gave Jason a magic salve that would save him from the oxen. But what to do about the army? The next day, Jason covered himself with the salve, and plowed the field. He sowed the dragon's teeth, and, when the army sprang up, he fought them as best he could, until he was almost exhausted. Then he had an idea. Unseen, he threw a rock at one of the soldiers fighting against him. The soldier thought one of the other soldiers had thrown it, and began to fight him instead of Jason. Soon, all the soldiers were fighting among themselves and Jason easily took on the few who did not kill each other! That night, Jason and Medea went to the tree where the dragon guarded the fleece. Jason wanted to kill the dragon with his sword, but Medea told him how he would never survive if he tried. Instead, she used a sleeping potion on the dragon, and, while it was asleep, they stole the fleece and went back to Jason's kingdom in Thessaly. There, he left Medea for another woman but that's another story. PRONUNCIATION:	i don't know
Who was US Secretary of State during the 'war' against Afghanistan?	US planned war in Afghanistan long before September 11 - World Socialist Web Site World Socialist Web Site Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) US planned war in Afghanistan long before September 11 By Patrick Martin 20 November 2001 Insider accounts published in the British, French and Indian media have revealed that US officials threatened war against Afghanistan during the summer of 2001. These reports include the prediction, made in July, that “if the military action went ahead, it would take place before the snows started falling in Afghanistan, by the middle of October at the latest.” The Bush administration began its bombing strikes on the hapless, poverty-stricken country October 7, and ground attacks by US Special Forces began October 19. It is not an accident that these revelations have appeared overseas, rather than in the US. The ruling classes in these countries have their own economic and political interests to look after, which do not coincide, and in some cases directly clash, with the drive by the American ruling elite to seize control of oil-rich territory in Central Asia. The American media has conducted a systematic cover-up of the real economic and strategic interests that underlie the war against Afghanistan, in order to sustain the pretense that the war emerged overnight, full-blown, in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. The pundits for the American television networks and major daily newspapers celebrate the rapid military defeat of the Taliban regime as an unexpected stroke of good fortune. They distract public attention from the conclusion that any serious observer would be compelled to draw from the events of the past two weeks: that the speedy victory of the US-backed forces reveals careful planning and preparation by the American military, which must have begun well before the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The official American myth is that “everything changed” on the day four airliners were hijacked and nearly 5,000 people murdered. The US military intervention in Afghanistan, by this account, was hastily improvised in less than a month. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, in a television interview November 18, actually claimed that only three weeks went into planning the military onslaught. This is only one of countless lies emanating from the Pentagon and White House about the war against Afghanistan. The truth is that the US intervention was planned in detail and carefully prepared long before the terrorist attacks provided the pretext for setting it in motion. If history had skipped over September 11, and the events of that day had never happened, it is very likely that the United States would have gone to war in Afghanistan anyway, and on much the same schedule. Afghanistan and the scramble for oil The United States ruling elite has been contemplating war in Central Asia for at least a decade. As long ago as 1991, following the defeat of Iraq in the Persian Gulf War, Newsweek magazine published an article headlined “Operation Steppe Shield?” It reported that the US military was preparing an operation in Kazakhstan modeled on the Operation Desert Shield deployment in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. American oil companies have acquired rights to as much as 75 percent of the output of these new fields, and US government officials have hailed the Caspian and Central Asia as a potential alternative to dependence on oil from the unstable Persian Gulf region. American troops have followed in the wake of these contracts. US Special Forces began joint operations with Kazakhstan in 1997 and with Uzbekistan a year later, training for intervention especially in the mountainous southern region that includes Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and northern Afghanistan. The major problem in exploiting the energy riches of Central Asia is how to get the oil and gas from the landlocked region to the world market. US officials have opposed using either the Russian pipeline system or the easiest available land route, across Iran to the Persian Gulf. Instead, over the past decade, US oil companies and government officials have explored a series of alternative pipeline routes—west through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to the Mediterranean; east through Kazakhstan and China to the Pacific; and, most relevant to the current crisis, south from Turkmenistan across western Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Indian Ocean. The Afghanistan pipeline route was pushed by the US-based Unocal oil company, which engaged in intensive negotiations with the Taliban regime. These talks, however, ended in disarray in 1998, as US relations with Afghanistan were inflamed by the bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, for which Osama bin Laden was held responsible. In August 1998, the Clinton administration launched cruise missile attacks on alleged bin Laden training camps in eastern Afghanistan. The US government demanded that the Taliban hand over bin Laden and imposed economic sanctions. The pipeline talks languished. Subverting the Taliban Throughout 1999 the US pressure on Afghanistan increased. On February 3 of that year, Assistant Secretary of State Karl E. Inderfurth and State Department counterterrorism chief Michael Sheehan traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister, Abdul Jalil. They warned him that the US would hold the government of Afghanistan responsible for any further terrorist acts by bin Laden. According to a report in the Washington Post (October 3, 2001), the Clinton administration and Nawaz Sharif, then prime minister of Pakistan, agreed on a joint covert operation to kill Osama bin Laden in 1999. The US would supply satellite intelligence, air support and financing, while Pakistan supplied the Pushtun-speaking operatives who would penetrate southern Afghanistan and carry out the actual killing. The Pakistani commando team was up and running and ready to strike by October 1999, the Post reported. One former official told the newspaper, “It was an enterprise. It was proceeding.” Clinton aides were delighted at the prospect of a successful assassination, with one declaring, “It was like Christmas.” The attack was aborted on October 12, 1999, when Sharif was overthrown in a military coup by General Pervez Musharraf, who halted the proposed covert operation. The Clinton administration had to settle for a UN Security Council resolution that demanded the Taliban turn over bin Laden to “appropriate authorities,” but did not require he be handed over to the United States. McFarlane and Abdul Haq US subversion against the Taliban continued in 2000, according to an account published November 2 in the Wall Street Journal, written by Robert McFarlane, former national security adviser in the Reagan administration. McFarlane was hired by two wealthy Chicago commodity speculators, Joseph and James Ritchie, to assist them in recruiting and organizing anti-Taliban guerrillas among Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Their principal Afghan contact was Abdul Haq, the former mujahedin leader who was executed by the Taliban last month after an unsuccessful attempt to spark a revolt in his home province. McFarlane held meetings with Abdul Haq and other former mujahedin in the course of the fall and winter of 2000. After the Bush administration took office, McFarlane parlayed his Republican connections into a series of meetings with State Department, Pentagon and even White House officials. All encouraged the preparation of an anti-Taliban military campaign. During the summer, long before the United States launched airstrikes on the Taliban, James Ritchie traveled to Tajikistan with Abdul Haq and Peter Tomsen, who had been the US special envoy to the Afghan opposition during the first Bush administration. There they met with Ahmed Shah Massoud, the leader of the Northern Alliance, with the goal of coordinating their Pakistan-based attacks with the only military force still offering resistance to the Taliban. Finally, according to McFarlane, Abdul Haq “decided in mid-August to go ahead and launch operations in Afghanistan. He returned to Peshawar, Pakistan, to make final preparations.” In other words, this phase of the anti-Taliban war was under way well before September 11. While the Ritchies have been portrayed in the American media as freelance operators motivated by emotional ties to Afghanistan, a country they lived in briefly while their father worked as a civil engineer in the 1950s, at least one report suggests a link to the oil pipeline discussions with the Taliban. In 1998 James Ritchie visited Afghanistan to discuss with the Taliban a plan to sponsor small businesses there. He was accompanied by an official from Delta Oil of Saudi Arabia, which was seeking to build a gas pipeline across Afghanistan in partnership with an Argentine firm. A CIA secret war McFarlane’s revelations come in the course of a bitter diatribe against the CIA for “betraying” Abdul Haq, failing to back his operations in Afghanistan, and leaving him to die at the hands of the Taliban. The CIA evidently regarded both McFarlane and Abdul Haq as less than reliable—and it had its own secret war going on in the same region, the southern half of Afghanistan where the population is predominantly Pushtun-speaking. According to a front-page article in the Washington Post November 18, the CIA has been mounting paramilitary operations in southern Afghanistan since 1997. The article carries the byline of Bob Woodward, the Post writer made famous by Watergate, who is a frequent conduit for leaks from top-level military and intelligence officials. Woodward provides details about the CIA’s role in the current military conflict, which includes the deployment of a secret paramilitary unit, the Special Activities Division. This force began combat on September 27, using both operatives on the ground and Predator surveillance drones equipped with missiles that could be launched by remote control. The Special Activities Division, Woodward reports, “consists of teams of about half a dozen men who do not wear military uniforms. The division has about 150 fighters, pilots and specialists, and is made up mostly of hardened veterans who have retired from the US military. “For the last 18 months, the CIA has been working with tribes and warlords in southern Afghanistan, and the division’s units have helped create a significant new network in the region of the Taliban’s greatest strength.” This means that the US spy agency was engaged in attacks against the Afghan regime—what under other circumstances the American government would call terrorism—from the spring of 2000, more than a year before the suicide hijackings that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon. War plans take shape With the installation of George Bush in the White House, the focus of American policy in Afghanistan shifted from a limited incursion to kill or capture bin Laden to preparing a more robust military intervention directed at the Taliban regime as a whole. The British-based Jane’s International Security reported March 15, 2001 that the new American administration was working with India, Iran and Russia “in a concerted front against Afghanistan’s Taliban regime.” India was supplying the Northern Alliance with military equipment, advisers and helicopter technicians, the magazine said, and both India and Russia were using bases in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for their operations. The magazine added: “Several recent meetings between the newly instituted Indo-US and Indo-Russian joint working groups on terrorism led to this effort to tactically and logistically counter the Taliban. Intelligence sources in Delhi said that while India, Russia and Iran were leading the anti-Taliban campaign on the ground, Washington was giving the Northern Alliance information and logistic support.” On May 23, the White House announced the appointment of Zalmay Khalilzad to a position on the National Security Council as special assistant to the president and senior director for Gulf, Southwest Asia and Other Regional Issues. Khalilzad is a former official in the Reagan and the first Bush administrations. After leaving the government, he went to work for Unocal. On June 26 of this year, the magazine IndiaReacts reported more details of the cooperative efforts of the US, India, Russia and Iran against the Taliban regime. “India and Iran will ‘facilitate’ US and Russian plans for ‘limited military action’ against the Taliban if the contemplated tough new economic sanctions don’t bend Afghanistan’s fundamentalist regime,” the magazine said. At this stage of military planning, the US and Russia were to supply direct military assistance to the Northern Alliance, working through Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, in order to roll back the Taliban lines toward the city of Mazar-e-Sharif—a scenario strikingly similar to what actually took place over the past two weeks. An unnamed third country supplied the Northern Alliance with anti-tank rockets that had already been put to use against the Taliban in early June. “Diplomats say that the anti-Taliban move followed a meeting between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and later between Powell and Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh in Washington,” the magazine added. “Russia, Iran and India have also held a series of discussions and more diplomatic activity is expected.” Unlike the current campaign, the original plan involved the use of military forces from both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as Russia itself. IndiaReacts said that in early June Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of the Confederation of Independent States, which includes many of the former Soviet republics, that military action against the Taliban was in the offing. One effect of September 11 was to create the conditions for the United States to intervene on its own, without any direct participation by the military forces of the Soviet successor states, and thus claim an undisputed American right to dictate the shape of a settlement in Afghanistan. The US threatens war—before September 11 In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, two reports appeared in the British media indicating that the US government had threatened military action against Afghanistan several months before September 11. The BBC’s George Arney reported September 18 that American officials had told former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Niaz Naik in mid-July of plans for military action against the Taliban regime: “Mr. Naik said US officials told him of the plan at a UN-sponsored international contact group on Afghanistan which took place in Berlin. “Mr. Naik told the BBC that at the meeting the US representatives told him that unless Bin Laden was handed over swiftly America would take military action to kill or capture both Bin Laden and the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar. “The wider objective, according to Mr. Naik, would be to topple the Taliban regime and install a transitional government of moderate Afghans in its place—possibly under the leadership of the former Afghan King Zahir Shah. “Mr. Naik was told that Washington would launch its operation from bases in Tajikistan, where American advisers were already in place. “He was told that Uzbekistan would also participate in the operation and that 17,000 Russian troops were on standby. “Mr. Naik was told that if the military action went ahead it would take place before the snows started falling in Afghanistan, by the middle of October at the latest.” Four days later, on September 22, the Guardian newspaper confirmed this account. The warnings to Afghanistan came out of a four-day meeting of senior US, Russian, Iranian and Pakistani officials at a hotel in Berlin in mid-July, the third in a series of back-channel conferences dubbed “brainstorming on Afghanistan.” The participants included Naik, together with three Pakistani generals; former Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Saeed Rajai Khorassani; Abdullah Abdullah, foreign minister of the Northern Alliance; Nikolai Kozyrev, former Russian special envoy to Afghanistan, and several other Russian officials; and three Americans: Tom Simons, a former US ambassador to Pakistan; Karl Inderfurth, a former assistant secretary of state for south Asian affairs; and Lee Coldren, who headed the office of Pakistan, Afghan and Bangladesh affairs in the State Department until 1997. The meeting was convened by Francesc Vendrell, then and now the deputy chief UN representative for Afghanistan. While the nominal purpose of the conference was to discuss the possible outline of a political settlement in Afghanistan, the Taliban refused to attend. The Americans discussed the shift in policy toward Afghanistan from Clinton to Bush, and strongly suggested that military action was an option. While all three American former officials denied making any specific threats, Coldren told the Guardian, “there was some discussion of the fact that the United States was so disgusted with the Taliban that they might be considering some military action.” Naik, however, cited one American declaring that action against bin Laden was imminent: “This time they were very sure. They had all the intelligence and would not miss him this time. It would be aerial action, maybe helicopter gunships, and not only overt, but from very close proximity to Afghanistan.” The Guardian summarized: “The threats of war unless the Taliban surrendered Osama bin Laden were passed to the regime in Afghanistan by the Pakistani government, senior diplomatic sources revealed yesterday. The Taliban refused to comply but the serious nature of what they were told raises the possibility that Bin Laden, far from launching the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon out of the blue 10 days ago, was launching a pre-emptive strike in response to what he saw as US threats.” Bush, oil and Taliban Further light on secret contacts between the Bush administration and the Taliban regime is shed by a book released November 15 in France, entitled Bin Laden, the Forbidden Truth, written by Jean-Charles Brisard and Guillaume Dasquie. Brisard is a former French secret service agent, author of a previous report on bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network, and former director of strategy for the French corporation Vivendi, while Dasquie is an investigative journalist. The two French authors write that the Bush administration was willing to accept the Taliban regime, despite the charges of sponsoring terrorism, if it cooperated with plans for the development of the oil resources of Central Asia. Until August, they claim, the US government saw the Taliban “as a source of stability in Central Asia that would enable the construction of an oil pipeline across Central Asia.” It was only when the Taliban refused to accept US conditions that “this rationale of energy security changed into a military one.” By way of corroboration, one should note the curious fact that neither the Clinton administration nor the Bush administration ever placed Afghanistan on the official State Department list of states charged with sponsoring terrorism, despite the acknowledged presence of Osama bin Laden as a guest of the Taliban regime. Such a designation would have made it impossible for an American oil or construction company to sign a deal with Kabul for a pipeline to the Central Asian oil and gas fields. Talks between the Bush administration and the Taliban began in February 2001, shortly after Bush’s inauguration. A Taliban emissary arrived in Washington in March with presents for the new chief executive, including an expensive Afghan carpet. But the talks themselves were less than cordial. Brisard said, “At one moment during the negotiations, the US representatives told the Taliban, ‘either you accept our offer of a carpet of gold, or we bury you under a carpet of bombs’.” As long as the possibility of a pipeline deal remained, the White House stalled any further investigation into the activities of Osama bin Laden, Brisard and Dasquie write. They report that John O’Neill, deputy director of the FBI, resigned in July in protest over this obstruction. O’Neill told them in an interview, “the main obstacles to investigate Islamic terrorism were US oil corporate interests and the role played by Saudi Arabia in it.” In a strange coincidence, O’Neill accepted a position as security chief of the World Trade Center after leaving the FBI, and was killed on September 11. Confirming Naiz Naik’s account of the secret Berlin meeting, the two French authors add that there was open discussion of the need for the Taliban to facilitate a pipeline from Kazakhstan in order to insure US and international recognition. The increasingly acrimonious US-Taliban talks were broken off August 2, after a final meeting between US envoy Christina Rocca and a Taliban representative in Islamabad. Two months later the United States was bombing Kabul. The politics of provocation This account of the preparations for war against Afghanistan brings us to September 11 itself. The terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon was an important link in the chain of causality that produced the US attack on Afghanistan. The US government had planned the war well in advance, but the shock of September 11 made it politically feasible, by stupefying public opinion at home and giving Washington essential leverage on reluctant allies abroad. Both the American public and dozens of foreign governments were stampeded into supporting military action against Afghanistan, in the name of the fight against terrorism. The Bush administration targeted Kabul without presenting any evidence that either bin Laden or the Taliban regime was responsible for the World Trade Center atrocity. It seized on September 11 as the occasion for advancing longstanding ambitions to assert American power in Central Asia. There is no reason to think that September 11 was merely a fortuitous occurrence. Every other detail of the war in Afghanistan was carefully prepared. It is unlikely that the American government left to chance the question of providing a suitable pretext for military action. In the immediate aftermath of September 11, there were press reports—again, largely overseas—that US intelligence agencies had received specific warnings about large-scale terrorist attacks, including the use of hijacked airplanes. It is quite possible that a decision was made at the highest levels of the American state to allow such an attack to proceed, perhaps without imagining the actual scale of the damage, in order to provide the necessary spark for war in Afghanistan. How otherwise to explain such well-established facts as the decision of top officials at the FBI to block an investigation into Zaccarias Massaoui, the Franco-Moroccan immigrant who came under suspicion after he allegedly sought training from a US flight school on how to steer a commercial airliner, but not to take off or land? The Minneapolis field office had Massaoui arrested in early August, and asked FBI headquarters for permission to conduct further inquiries, including a search of the hard drive of his computer. The FBI tops refused, on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence of criminal intent on Massaoui’s part—an astonishing decision for an agency not known for its tenderness on the subject of civil liberties. This is not to say that the American government deliberately planned every detail of the terrorist attacks or anticipated that nearly 5,000 people would be killed. But the least likely explanation of September 11 is the official one: that dozens of Islamic fundamentalists, many with known ties to Osama bin Laden, were able to carry out a wide-ranging conspiracy on three continents, targeting the most prominent symbols of American power, without any US intelligence agency having the slightest idea of what they were doing.	Colin Powell
What is the main vitamin found in fish liver oils, egg- yolks, etc.?	Why Did the United States Invade Afghanistan? - The Future of Freedom Foundation The Future of Freedom Foundation Explore Freedom » Why Did the United States Invade Afghanistan? FFF Articles by Tim Kelly October 12, 2011 The tenth anniversary of the U.S. led war in Afghanistan came and went with very little attention from the mainstream media. U.S. policymakers are nevertheless confronted with many questions regarding that conflict, such as its affordability, the effectiveness of various strategies, and even whether U.S. forces should remain in that country at all. Those are all important issues, but the one question I believe to be the most important and fundamental regarding the war probably won’t be discussed: Was the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan necessary? President Obama, who had campaigned as an opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq as a war of choice said of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, “This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity.” Obama’s words might have made for a good sound bite, but the evidence shows that, like the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan is, indeed, a war of choice. Many supporters of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan argue that even if the military campaign has turned into a quagmire, the initial attack was a just and necessary response to 9/11. Perhaps President Obama provided the best summary of this position in a speech at West Point. Obama said: We did not ask for this fight. On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women and children without regard to their faith or race or station.… As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam.… After the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden — we sent our troops into Afghanistan Here we have the conventional view: The 9/11 attacks were carried out by 19 fanatical Muslims acting on the orders of Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of al-Qaeda, who was being given sanctuary by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan; and the invasion became necessary when they stubbornly refused to turn him over to U.S. authorities. The Bush administration then commenced a bombing campaign and invasion of Afghanistan, asserting the need to capture or kill bin Laden and crush his terrorist organization so that they could not launch another deadly attack on the American homeland. The problem with this narrative is that the claim that the Taliban had stubbornly refused to turn over bin Laden is not true. CNN reported on September 21, 2001, The Taliban … refused to hand over bin Laden without proof or evidence that he was involved in last week’s attacks on the United States. … The Taliban ambassador to Pakistan … said Friday that deporting him without proof would amount to an “insult to Islam.” (emphasis added) CNN also provided an explanation for the Taliban’s “refusal,” reporting: “Bin Laden himself has already denied he had anything to do with the attacks, and Taliban officials repeatedly said he could not have been involved in the attacks.” So the Taliban were not really refusing to turn him over but rather were demanding certain conditions be satisfied before they did so. That is not unusual. Governments routinely have evidentiary standards that must be met before they grant an extradition request. Bush, however, was not in a diplomatic mood, and he told the Taliban “the demands were not open to negotiation or discussion.” The refusal by the Bush administration to put any evidence on the table made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Taliban to turn bin Laden over. The Washington Post ran a story in October 2001 that quoted Milton Bearden, a former CIA official, who said the Taliban needed a “face-saving formula.” While the Bush administration was saying, “Give up bin Laden,” the Taliban were saying, “Do something to help us give him up.” Even after the U.S. bombs began falling in October, the Taliban tried to negotiate by offering to turn bin Laden over to a third country if the United States would cease hostilities and provide evidence of his guilt. But Bush remained adamant, saying, “There’s no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he’s guilty.” London’s Guardian, reporting on this story, printed an article entitled “Bush Rejects Taliban Offer To Hand Bin Laden Over.” Why was the Bush administration so stubbornly opposed to meeting the Taliban’s reasonable demand that they release at least some of the copious evidence they claimed to have gathered against bin Laden? After all, such a gesture might have spared the United States and her NATO allies, and the people of Afghanistan, the costs and consequences of a war that is now entering its eleventh year. Well, the answer to that question could be that U.S. officials might well have lacked solid evidence of bin Laden’s complicity notwithstanding their certainty that he was behind the attacks. Certainly, the U.S. government has never shown such evidence to the American people. Let’s review how the Bush administration presented its case against Osama bin Laden after 9/11. Here is what Secretary of State Colin Powell said during a September 23, 2001, appearance on Meet the Press: QUESTION: Are you absolutely convinced that Usama bin Laden was responsible for this attack? SECRETARY POWELL: I am absolutely convinced that the al-Qaida network, which he heads, was responsible for this attack. You know, it’s sort of al-Qaida — the Arab name for it is “the base” — it’s something like a holding company of terrorist organizations that are located in dozens of countries around the world, sometimes tightly controlled, sometimes loosely controlled. And at the head of that organization is Usama bin Laden. So what we have to do in the first phase of this campaign is to go after al-Qaida and go after Usama bin Laden. But it is not just a problem in Afghanistan; it’s a problem throughout the world. That’s why we are attacking it with a worldwide coalition. QUESTION: Will you release publicly a white paper, which links him and his organization to this attack, to put people at ease? SECRETARY POWELL: We are hard at work bringing all the information together, intelligence information, law enforcement information. And I think, in the near future, we will be able to put out a paper, a document, that will describe quite clearly the evidence that we have linking him to this attack. And also, remember, he has been linked to earlier attacks against US interests and he was already indicated for earlier attacks against the United States. The next day there were banner headlines appearing in newspapers across the country telling Americans of the Bush administration’s imminent report on bin Laden’s guilt. The New York Times ran a story citing a government official who claimed evidence “reaches from the southern tip of Manhattan to the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan.” But by the following day, the Bush administration was backpedaling. The White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer, said there were no plans to produce a report and that Powell’s remarks had been “misinterpreted.” At a joint press conference with President Bush, Secretary Powell withdrew his pledge, saying that “most of the evidence” is classified. Within days, all mention of the promised “white paper” had disappeared from the news media, which continued to credulously repeat the U.S. government’s narrative of events. Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh , citing officials from the Department of Justice and the CIA, said the real reason the Bush administration reneged on its pledge to release the evidence was a “lack of solid information.” Further questions were raised regarding the U.S. government’s charges against Osama bin Laden by the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists webpage. While the page mentioned bombings in Kenya and Tanzania as terrorist acts for which bin Laden was wanted, it made no mention of the 9/11 attacks. When the FBI was asked about this conspicuous omission, Rex Tomb , the Bureau’s chief of investigative publicity replied: “The reason why 9/11 is not mentioned on Osama bin Laden’s Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting bin Laden to 9/11.” So, the U.S. government’s case against Osama bin Laden was not good enough to take to court, but it was good enough to take the country to war, a war that has killed or maimed countless people who had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. The anger arising from the invasion and occupation of the country has created a perpetual supply of terrorist recruits, enabling U.S. officials to use the never-ending “war on terror” to eviscerate the Bill of Rights. And we now have a president who asserts the authority to kill off any person he deems a “threat.” I submit that this claim of unaccountable power represents a far greater threat to the peace and security of the country than any terrorist or group of terrorists could ever pose. Surveying the evidence, it is clear the Bush administration did not even come close to exhausting its diplomatic options in the fall of 2001 and that some other route could have been chosen to respond to the 9/11 attacks. Moreover, the invasion of Afghanistan did not even succeed in its principal goal: the capturing or killing of Osama bin Laden. According to the U.S. government, that mission was accomplished almost ten years later by a team of Navy Seals in an operation lasting only a few hours … in neighboring Pakistan. Categories Share This Article This post was written by: Tim Kelly Tim Kelly is a columnist and policy advisor at The Future of Freedom Foundation in Fairfax, Virginia, a correspondent for Radio America’s Special Investigator, and a political cartoonist. FIND FREEDOM ON FFF	i don't know
Which cartoon character lived on 'Sweetwater Island' and was the son of 'Poopdeck Pappy'?	Poopdeck Pappy \| Popeye the Sailorpedia \| Fandom powered by Wikia Jack Mercer (voice, 1938-1984) Poopdeck Pappy is a character created by E.C. Segar in 1936 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre . He is the surly and tough as nails father of Popeye who disappeared at sea shortly after Popeye's birth, a disappearance which would effect Popeye's life greatly. Popeye's reunion with his Pappy is the most-filmed event of Popeye's life, having been adapted for theatrical cartoons, comics, television cartoons, films and even parodies. Contents Character history Creation and development in Thimble Theatre Poopdeck Pappy was created by newspaper cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar in 1936 comic strip " The Search for Popeye's Poppa ". In said strip, Popeye would gather a crew to search for his long lost Pappy who would then go on to become a permanent character in the Popeye franchise. After his appearance in Thimble Theatre, Poopdeck Pappy would return as a major supporting character in the 1948 comic book series by E. C. Segar's assistant Bud Sagendorf , where he would eventually be joined by his own mother . His comic book appearances would continue for decades until the title's end in 1984. Fleischer Studios As Popeye's popularity greatly grew, he would be given his own animated adaptation by Fleischer Studios . Poopdeck Pappy made his first animated appearance in the short Goonland (1938). In this short film, it is revealed that Popeye has a long-lost father, not seen since infancy, who is being held captive in the bizarre realm of Goon Island . When he goes to rescue the "ol' goat" from the Goon prison, his father refuses to acknowledge Popeye as his son, but when Popeye himself is captured by the Goons, he eats Popeye's mislaid can of spinach to rescue his only child. In the mêlée that ensues, the filmstrip is broken and the animator staples it back together to finish the cartoon. In the animated shorts, Poopdeck Pappy and Popeye share the same voice actor: Jack Mercer . Famous Studios Famous Studios' re-design of Poopdeck. Following the takeover of the Popeye animated franchise by Paramount Studios in 1942, Famous Studios made drastic changes which abandoned almost all traces of Thimble Theatre and focused largely on plots involving Popeye, Olive, Bluto in something resembling a love triangle, without many other characters appearing and with very few shorts deviating from that setup. As such, Poopdeck Pappy was largely absent, but would end up being the only other Thimble Theatre character besides Wimpy and Swee'Pea to appear in these shorts, however his appearances were limited to only a handful of shorts out of the 122 that were produced, and most of his appearances were only in flashback scenes of Fleischer, with only three cartoons ever having him be drawn by the Famous Studios staff. His first appearance was in the 1952 cartoon Popeye's Pappy , a remake of Popeye finding his long-lost father as previously featured in Goonland. In it Popeye's mother reveals more about Poopdeck's disappearance, saying that he went to buy his son some spinach years ago, but never returned. Rather than being a prisoner on Goon Island , he was instead the chief of a tribe of cannibals (which may be seen as racial caricatures). Popeye's first TV series Poopdeck returned to regular appearances in animation in the 1960s Popeye television series , where he was once again a recurring character. His first appearance in this cartoon was a slightly more faithful adaptation of his Thimble Theatre introduction. The All-New Popeye Hour In 1978, Hanna-Barbera Productions , with King Features Syndicate , would produce a new Popeye television series, The All-New Popeye Hour . Unlike the previous show, this series had higher-quality animation and was more akin to Segar's work and Fleischer cartoons than other Popeye animations. Poopdeck Pappy remained largely unchanged and would make semi-regular appearances. Popeye's first movie In Robert Altman 's Popeye , Poopdeck Pappy is played by Ray Walston . He is revealed to be the mysterious 'Commodore' of Sweethaven , is then held hostage by Bluto and needs to be saved by Popeye. When Popeye sees his "squinky" eye and his pipe , he recognizes his long-lost father. Popeye and Son In 1987, the latest animated series focusing on Popeye was produced, entitled Popeye and Son . The series was unique in the Popeye franchise for taking place later in characters' lives (a notable change considering the rarity of having well-known cartoon characters actually move on with their lives). Poopdeck made an appearance in the episode "Poopdeck Pappy And The Family Tree", where he came to visit his grandson Popeye Junior and tell him about the Popeye family's history. In this series, his fullname is stated to be Poopdeck "Pappy" Popeye, suggesting that Popeye is actually the family's last name. Revivals In 2004, a CGI-animated TV movie titled Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy was produced by Mainframe Entertainment for Lions Gate Entertainment and King Features Entertainment which was somewhat based on Popeye's search for Poopdeck in Thimble Theatre. In this tale it is stated that it was The Sea Hag who took Poopdeck's eye in battle. Poopdeck Pappy would re-appear in IDW Publishing 's revival of the Popeye comics in 2012 as a recurring character, once again being Popeye's irresponsible poppa. He has been featured regularly in issues and had a major role in issue eight where he gained a mysterious new sweetheart who wasn't entirely what she seemed. Character designs A model sheet of Poopdeck Pappy. Popeye is the spitting image of Poopdeck Pappy, though Pappy has a white beard and wrinkles near his eyes. His attire is also identical to his son's, except his color is duller and he doesn't wear a belt which makes his pants appear loose and baggy. Like his son, he also has a signature pipe which he toots as well, but unlike his son, he uses it for smoking as well. Since his debut, Poopdeck's design has remained unchanged, with the only exception being during his few appearances in Famous Studios' shorts, where his facial hair was more "pointy" and it did not cover his upper lip. Personality Despite he and his son being physically identical, Poopdeck is far less principled, noble and honest than his son, doing such underhanded things as stealing from Popeye's bank account, picking on kids, being a heavy drinker and party animal, avoiding work, and trying to sell water for $5,000 in Death Valley. There is no love lost between him and Olive Oyl, whom he calls a "lath-legged bean pole". After Segar's death, Poopdeck's mother was introduced into the strip who tried to offer some moral discipline to her son. She refuses to treat her son as an "eighty-five year-old adult" and often disciplines him after his raucous "nights on the town". Despite his many nasty habits, Poopdeck does have some good in him (as small as it may be) which occasionally shows itself when it really matters. Like Popeye, Poopdeck also loves spinach which also grants him superhuman strength. Another notable trait about Poopdeck is that he is quite the ladies man, and will not pass up the chance to date and party with any dame. Biography Past Many years ago, Poopdeck Pappy was a sailor who fell for an unnamed woman and the two would conceive a son who was eventually born during a typhoon in Santa Monica. They then named their newborn offspring Popeye . Shortly after his son's birth, Poopdeck set sail from his home and was never seen again, having become shipwrecked on a Barnacle Island where he would spend his days flirting with mermaids. His disappearance left the young Popeye without a father and Poopdeck's child would then devote his life to that of the sailor's way, and sailed the seas looking for fights and adventure as well as any clue to the whereabouts of his long lost Pappy. The Search for Popeye's Poppa Popeye and his pappy in the latter's first appearance. After Popeye acquired the mysterious Eugene the Jeep , he decided to use the creature's supernatural knowledge to find his father. An expedition was set up to go to Poopdeck's home on Barnacle Island, which included Toar the caveman, Alice the Goon , Wimpy , Rough House and Olive Oyl . The ungrateful father answered Popeye's greeting with, "You look like something the cat dragged in... I don't like relatives." He came to Popeye's home anyway, followed by some mermaids whom he had flirted with. Gallery Poopdeck's gallery can be viewed here Trivia According to Thimble Theatre, Poopdeck is 85 years old. In the cartoons they refer to him as being 99 years old. The DC Comics parody of Popeye ( Captain Strong ) has him reuniting with his long lost father "Pappy Strong".	Popeye
In Greek mythology, who gave 'Theseus' the ball of thread with which he found his way out of the 'Labyrinth'?	Popeye \| Disney Wiki \| Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] Plot Popeye ( Robin Williams ), a sailor, arrives at the small coastal town of Sweethaven ("Sweethaven - An Anthem") while searching for his long-lost father. He is immediately feared by the townsfolk simply because he is a stranger ("Blow Me Down"), and is accosted by a greedy taxman (Donald Moffat). He rents a room at the Oyl family's boarding house, whose daughter, Olive ( Shelley Duvall ), is preparing for her engagement party. Her hand is promised to Captain Bluto (Paul L. Smith), a powerful, perpetually angry bully who runs the town in the name of the mysterious Commodore. In the morning, Popeye visits the local diner for breakfast ("Everything Is Food") and demonstrates his strength as he brawls with a gang of provocative ruffians. On the night of the engagement party, Bluto and the townsfolk arrive at the Oyls' home. Olive, however, sneaks out of the house, after discovering that the only attribute she can report for her bullying fiance is size ("He's Large"). She encounters Popeye, who failed to fit in with the townsfolk at the party. The two eventually come across an abandoned baby in a basket (Wesley Ivan Hurt). Popeye adopts the child, naming him Swee'Pea, and the two return to the Oyls' home. Bluto, however, has grown increasingly furious with Olive's absence, eventually flying into a rage and destroying the house ("I'm Mean"). When he sees Popeye and Olive with Swee'Pea, Bluto beats Popeye into submission and declares heavy taxation for the Oyls. The taxman repossesses the remains of the Oyls' home and all their possessions. The Oyls' son, Castor, decides to compete against the local heavyweight boxer, Oxblood Oxheart (Peter Bray) in the hopes of winning a hefty prize for his family. However, Castor is no match for Oxheart and is savagely beaten and knocked out of the ring. Popeye takes the ring in Castor's place and defeats Oxheart, putting on a show for the townsfolk and finally earning their respect. Back at home, Popeye and Olive sing Swee'Pea to sleep ("Swee' Pea's Lullaby"). The next day, Olive tells Popeye that during his match with Oxheart, she discovered that Swee'Pea can predict the future by whistling when he hears the correct answer to a question. Wimpy ( Paul Dooley ) overhears and asks to take Swee'Pea out for a walk, though he actually takes him to the "horse races" (actually a form of carnival game as depicted in the movie) and wins two games. Popeye, however, is outraged, and vents his frustrations to the racing parlor's customers ("I Yam What I Yam"). Fearing further exploitation of his child, Popeye moves out of the Oyls' home and onto the docks; when the taxman harasses him, Popeye pushes him into the water, prompting a celebration by the townspeople. In the chaos, Wimpy, who has been intimidated by Bluto, kidnaps Swee'Pea for him. That night, Olive remarks to herself about her budding relationship with Popeye ("He Needs Me"), while Popeye writes a message in a bottle for Swee'Pea ("Sailin'"). Wimpy sees Bluto taking Swee'Pea into the Commodore's ship; he and Olive inform Popeye. Inside, Bluto presents the boy to the curmudgeonly Commodore, promising that he is worth a fortune; however, the Commodore refuses to listen, reminding Bluto that his buried treasure is all the fortune he needs. His patience with the Commodore exhausted, Bluto ties him up and takes Swee'Pea himself ("It's Not Easy Being Me"). Popeye storms the ship and meets the Commodore, realizing that he is his father, Poopdeck Pappy (Ray Walston). However, Pappy initially denies that Popeye is his son; to prove it, Pappy tries to feed Popeye spinach, which he claims is his family's source of great strength. However, Popeye hates spinach and refuses to eat it. Bluto kidnaps Olive as well and sets sail to find Pappy's treasure. Popeye, Pappy, and the Oyl family board Pappy's ship to give pursuit. Bluto sails to Scab Island, a desolate island in the middle of the ocean, while Pappy argues with his son and rants about children ("Kids"). Popeye catches Bluto and fights him, but despite his determination, Popeye is overpowered. During the duel, Pappy recovers his treasure and opens the chest to reveal a collection of personal sentimental items from Popeye's infancy, including a few cans of spinach. A giant octopus awakens and attacks Swee'Pea and Olive from underwater. With Popeye in a choke hold, Pappy throws him a can of spinach; Bluto, recognizing Popeye's dislike for spinach, force-feeds him the can before throwing him into the water. The spinach revitalizes Popeye and boosts his strength; he knocks Bluto down in one punch, then swiftly deals with the giant octopus, sending it flying hundreds of feet into the air. Bluto's clothing turns yellow and he swims away as Popeye celebrates his victory ("Popeye The Sailor Man"). Cast Dennis Franz as Spike (a bully) Alan Autry (credited as Carlos Brown) as Slug (a bully) Jack Mercer as Popeye the Sailor ( Animated prologue only) Production According to James Robert Parish, in his book Fiasco: A History of Hollywood's Iconic Flops, the idea for the Popeye musical had its basis in the bidding war for the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Annie between the two major studios vying for the rights, Columbia and Paramount. When Robert Evans found out that Paramount had lost the bidding for Annie, he held an executive meeting in which he asked about comic strip characters that they had the rights to, that could also be used in order to create a movie musical, and one attendee said "Popeye". At that time, although King Features Syndicate retained the television rights to Popeye and related characters, (Hanna-Barbera was producing the series The All-New Popeye Hour at the time under license from King Features), Paramount still held all theatrical rights to the Popeye character, due to the studio releasing cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios, respectively, that lasted from 1932-57. Evans commissioned Jules Feiffer to write a script. In 1977 , he said he wanted Dustin Hoffman to play Popeye opposite Lily Tomlin as Olive Oyl, with John Schlesinger directing. In December 1979 , Disney joined the film as part of a two-picture co-production deal with Paramount which also included Dragonslayer. Disney acquired the foreign rights through its Buena Vista unit; the deal was motivated by the drawing power that the studio's films had in Europe. The film was shot in Malta. The film set that was built still exists, and it is now a tourist attraction known as Popeye Village. According to Parish, Robin Williams referred to this set as "Stalag Altman". Release Popeye premiered at the Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles on December 6, 1980 (just two days before what would have been E.C. Segar's 86th birthday). Reception The film grossed US$6,000,000 on its opening weekend in the U.S., and made US$32,000,000 after 32 days. The film earned $49,823,037 at the United States box office — more than double the film's budget — and a worldwide total of US$60,000,000. Although the film's gross was decent, it was nowhere near the blockbuster that Paramount and Disney had expected, and was thus written off as a flop. It received overall mixed reviews: some favorable, from critics such as Roger Ebert ; others unfavorable, from critics such as Leonard Maltin , who described the picture as a bomb: "E.C. Segar's beloved sailorman boards a sinking ship with this astonishingly boring musical. A game cast does its best with an unfunny script, cluttered staging and some alleged songs. Tune in a few hours' worth of Max Fleischer cartoons instead; you'll be much better off." Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 57% "Rotten" rating with the critical consensus stating [that] "Altman's take on the iconic cartoon is messy and wildly uneven, but its robust humor and manic charm are hard to resist." Soundtrack The soundtrack was composed by Harry Nilsson, who took a break from producing his album Flash Harry to write the score for the film. He wrote all the original songs and co-produced the music with producer Bruce Robb at Cherokee Studios. The soundtrack was unusual in that the actors sang some of the songs "live". For that reason, the studio album did not quite match the tracks heard in the film. Van Dyke Parks is credited as music arranger. "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man" was composed by Sammy Lerner for the original Max Fleischer cartoon. "I Yam What I Yam" – (2:16) "He Needs Me" – (3:33)	i don't know
In which TV quiz show were contestants invited to 'Beat The Bong'?	The People Versus - UKGameshows The People Versus Broadcast Celador for ITV, 15 August 2000 to 18 June 2002 (115 episodes in 2 series + 2 unaired) Synopsis The Briggs/Whitehill/Knight threesome invented the format of the decade in the 90s with Millionaire . The BBC were very grateful for their follow-up, Winning Lines , for - despite a few illogical aspects - it quite nicely propped up their otherwise lukewarm Autumn schedule on Saturday nights. So it was interesting to see how The People Versus... affected their batting average. Bizarrely, and probably for the first time in British TV history, The People Versus actually turned out to be two very different shows made out of the same premise (a practice that's not uncommon in past US formats). We'll take each version in chronological order. The original set of The People Versus VERSION 1 Here's the key twist for the original show - ITV were paying for the public's incompetence (like the Licence Fee in reverse) because it was the People who set the questions. Yes, this was The People's Game Show comrade, and for every question our resident contestants got correct they won £5,000. That's eight-and-a-quarter questions on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The programme marked an interesting shift in that the programme was piloted by the production company using their own dosh, so the whole thing was put together much more on their terms rather than those of the broadcaster (the side of the equation than normally provides the bulk of the equity for the pilot show). Host for incarnation number 1, Kirsty Young Viewer interactivity was at the fore, and Kirsty "don't laugh at my name when I'm a pensioner" Young made it very clear that it was The People who set the questions and yes, it really could be you sitting there trying not to make a fool of yourself. Surprisingly, it wasn't a £5 a minute phone number being used for players to give questions. In fact they could do it free over the internet if they wished. But what of the contestants? For the first show, 100 people were auditioned, and of those three people were picked to play against the world by nominating five specialist subjects which the population could pitch questions thereat. We're gonna git you, sucka And so, to the rules The rules were like this: In each round the players were shown five questions from one of their specialist subjects. In Round One, each contestant HAD to attempt and answer correctly one of those five questions - "one of five to stay alive". In Round Two, on a different subject they had to answer two correctly to stay in, Round Three three, Round Four four and finally in Round Five they had to answer (yes, Einstein, you've guessed it) all five. In each round, the player could, if they wanted, earn more cash by answering more questions than the quota required, again for £5,000 a piece. The one Q in the bottom-left means only one question needed to be answered correctly in this round To help, each player was shown all five questions at the start. Each player was also given three 'flips'. If a player wanted to use a flip, they could substitute any of the five given questions for another one. Also, if they had the cash, they could elect to 'buy' answers to questions at £10,000 a pop. Costly, but it kept them in the game. Sadly, they elected to call this feature "Cash for Questions", which even then was several years out of date to be topical, neither was it an original idea for a game show (see Noel's House Party , of all things). This graphic recaps on the round number, the cash banked to date, the number of flips and the number of answers that could be "bought" If they went for a question and they got it wrong, not only did they lose all the cash they earned in that round, but their game would be over and their seat would have to be re-assigned at the beginning of the next programme. But it didn't go to just anybody - oh no - the person who took the failed contestant's place was the person who set the question. Excellently, sometimes that player was hanging on the end of the telephone line, hopefully (for our studio contestant) to say "unfortunately, that's the right answer." Yah boo sucks! Should a player manage to make it through to level 5 and win, they had the opportunity to rearrange their topics. And that was it. Personally, we'd have preferred something a bit more sophisticated - maybe changing one of the subjects, perhaps. Values are everything - aren't they? As you'd expect, the production values were excellent. Special mention went to the very Terminator 2 metallic computer graphics (which nearly worked on Raise the Roof , but here they ran with the motif much more) that popped up bearing the questions and the various player stats. We weren't sure the 'shape' of the graphics was meant to be in the shape of anything in particular, perhaps an elongated squashed tomato. A metallic elongated squashed tomato. The typeface was just the italic version of the Millionaire font. Also special mention went to the set - it was very stylish with an excellent rotating host desk (technical term: pod) so it pointed towards whoever the questions were being fired at. The lights also made a path towards the contestant in play too, blacking out the other two. Kirsty revolves around to the next contestant However, there were some ways in which the lighting just grabbed too much of the attention. For some reason, when a player started their game the camera insisted on spinning round the audience really slowly. The idea, we think, was to show off the fact that they could do a 360 pan around the studio and yet - da, da, daaaa - you couldn't actually see any cameras. (They were actually hidden behind some one-way glass between the contestants). However, this just didn't work from a viewer's point of view - we just wanted to get on with the questions. Why did we want to look at the audience, pray tell? That oh-so-necessary reverse angle The futurogoth mood music wasn't loud enough, but this is more of a compliment to the Strachans' excellent musical talent than it was an actual criticism of the show. And now, the opinion bit So, all the above said, you'd expect this to be a glowing review? Sadly, no. Cardinal sin #1 - Introduction of false tension. This was attempted to be added by Kirsty making sure, in the Tarrant style, that they definitely want to 'light the question' when it was picked, which committed them to answering that question. Presumably this was meant to mirror the "going orange" effect in Millionaire. Instead, it just added yet another step in the process of actually getting to the point of answering the question and it was very very annoying. In fact, in general we were annoyed because of the overall lack of tension the show induced. Despite offering the chance to win unlimited cash, the most anyone could jeopardise in one round was £20,000 by answering four correct and blowing the fifth. Clever strategists could have also put their strongest categories for Rounds Four and Five which they were going to be the bees knees at. This did mean a general lack of shock value. We all like to see someone win the Million on Millionaire, but how many of us also want to see someone get to £500,000 and blow it? If you were being honest, quite a lot of you. The only sort of shock we were likely to see is if someone was really cocky trying to answer a question only to get it wrong. And let's not forget that they had flips and buy-outs at their disposal too. Maybe it would have been better if they'd just stuck with one of these elements - if it were us, we'd have probably allowed players to buy answers but for an increasingly larger sum each time. That would be really nasty... Cardinal sin #2 - Not giving all the answers. In a feat of jaw-dropping callousness, the answers to the questions that weren't used were originally not revealed. This was just bad, bad, bad. We guess that they originally thought that it would have just slowed things down even more, but you couldn't get away with teasing the British Public with some (it must be said) interesting questions and then not tell them the answer. Even if there wasn't enough time to go through them on the show, you'd have thought someone would have had the bright idea of at least putting the answers on the web site?!? But no. (At the time we thought that if they did this for future shows, we'd gladly take the credit. They did, so we will.) An unanswered question from the 2000 series. It's John Major, by the way. You can get some sleep now. One other thing that wasn't clear is who was choosing the questions? As it stood, it appeared there was nothing to stop the producers from choosing easier or harder questions to please their whim (and their ratings). When we first heard of the show, we wondered what would stop anyone from asking a really obscure question. We kind of hoped that they would have found a clever way of getting around this, but sadly it seemed not to be the case. Cardinal sin #3 - Poor pacing. But all the above criticisms were mere trifles compared to this real entertainment killer. If we were to describe the show in one word, that word would be 'slow'. You could be forgiven for thinking that by effectively reducing the cash per programme compared to Millionaire, you could in turn increase the pace. We were hoping that maybe as many as 45 questions could be asked per programme. Well, in the opening episode nobody got a question wrong and the total amount of cash given away was £35,000. Now, that wasn't bad going but consider this: that was seven questions answered in the entire 30 minutes of programme. (And there were 13 questions that were asked but not answered at all - see point #2). Now, with Chris Tarrant and the amount of prize money being played for we don't mind - we know he's being a git but it's entertaining gitness. With Kirsty Young we were just annoyed because thanks to the nature of the questions it really should have been a lot faster. Summing up On balance, the show looked really nice and it had potential interactivity and prize money. However, we criticised it because it was s-o-o-o-o-o s-l-o-w. Even accounting for this being a new show at the time where all the rules had to be explained, we were hoping for something five times the pace that we actually saw. VERSION 1.1 As the original series went along, a number of common sense changes were made (partially thanks to this review, so rumour has it). Things had certainly improved - at least a bit. The answers were now appearing on the web site - hooray! They even give the answers out during the programme - hooray! We got to see the same contestant two or three times a show - hooray! They didn't play up the "lighting the question" aspect any more - hooray! It was even edited slightly quicker - hooray! Even the "spinny" lighting effect had been ditched - hooray! However, the reading out of all the categories still took far too long, especially when only a couple of them were ever used per show - maybe they should have just have a graphic with them on and just get Kirsty to read out the one that's coming next? There was also still far too little audience reaction - there were no oohs or aahs from what we could hear, and getting a question wrong was proving a bit of an anticlimax. Oh, and the music was still too quiet. So, what started as a teeth-clenching half-hour wasn't transformed into a nail-biting half-hour but it was starting to get somewhere. VERSION 2 The reasons for recommissioning The People Versus were not altogether clear to us, given that it was a bit of a PR disaster even if the ratings weren't half as bad as they potentially could have been. In 2001, ITV gave it another shot, but this time it was an early-evening 25-minute format during the Summer with lower cash prizes, no audience and much less pre-publicity. And once Wimbledon finished it was in the The Weakest Link time slot! No two ways about it, you had to look at that as a bit of a Premiership to Third Division-style demotion. But was the new show any better? "Yes, but..." is the answer. A few motifs remained constant from the original version of the show. The five round structure with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 questions required was the same, although the questions were now basic general knowledge. These were still sent in by the public, bless 'em. The three flips were still here, more of which in a moment. The excellent graphics package returned from the first version, as did about one third of the set plus "The Egg" - a kind of see-thru ovoid tube that they didn't use in the original set. It was rather nice, particularly the edges which appeared to strobe in an interesting way. They also kept about half the opening sequence (losing the lovely, dramatic close-up towards the contestant's eye, Interceptor -style) and most of the sound package. The Egg. A very nice egg too. The host was still Scottish and still a woman. This time around it was Kaye ( Public Property ) Adams. The one key skill she seemed to have that Young didn't was a sense of building a warm rapport with the contestant, and it did make a heck of a difference to the feel of the show. Another new feature was a string of puntastic couplets that were thrown in occasionally ("The further the rounds, the greater the pounds"). Thankfully, Adams cracked on with the job with remarkably little preamble ("Quiz me quick is my motto," she said). Kaye Adams Contestants now faced a time limit of four minutes to cover all five rounds of the game. While a round was in progress, the contestant was offered up to five questions in their attempt to reach their target. They were shown a question and offered the chance to answer it, pass it or flip it. Correct answers progressed the contestant towards their quota. Passed questions cost only time, but the five-question limit meant that contestants could only afford to pass a limited number of questions in later rounds before being forced to guess or flip. If the contestant elected to flip, the question offered was thrown out of the game and replaced by a question in the contestant's pre-selected specialist subject. Upon completing each round, the contestant was given a chance to quit with the money they'd earned so far, or to face the next round. The money tree went £100 for round 1, then £250, £500, £1,000 and finally £3,000. There's nothing like a screen grab to ram home the point of the previous paragraph If the contestant completed round five, they banked that £3,000 and the game began all over again: four new minutes, three new flips, no difference whatsoever. This seemed to be a shame as there was nothing to stop a particularly dominating contestant answering question after question, racking up three thousand nicker each time, with no limit and very little variation in the run. Round 4 in progress: three questions need to be answered but there are two flips remaining Apart from this, the quiz was reasonably well-designed, interesting and a lot more exciting than Version 1.1. It also looked and sounded good. It must be emphasised that many of the previous pitfalls had been avoided: they showed all the answers, they didn't waste time messing around with pointless camera pans and they got through lots of questions. There were as many questions answered in the first three minutes episode one of this version as there were in the entire first episode of the original. So far, so good... but the "fun" started when the contestant got a question wrong... Top comedy moment: a contestant gets his very first question wrong First of all, the member of the public who sent the question in earned £100. Second, the game ended immediately. Third, the contestant had to play what was not a Bonus Game but, instead, a Penalty Game. In other words, they had to defend the money they had won so far (up until the start of that round). They did this by playing The Bong Game (or Beat the Bong as it was sometimes called). Houston, we have a problem. This made no sense whatsoever. Contestants went from playing a reasonably serious and entertaining quiz to playing one of the hoariest, most luck-based and least logical RADIO stunts of all time. As soon as this element was revealed, well... let's just say there weren't many dry eyes around the office. As completely illogical and badly-fitting game elements go, it truly ranked up there with the likes of Chain Letters ' Tie the Leader and the scoring in Keynotes . Do we have to explain The Bong Game? Oh, alright then... A monotonic, disembodied voice read out erratically increasing sums of money, starting just above zero and going up to the amount that the contestant was trying to defend (£100 if they failed in Round 2, £250 if they failed in Round 3, £500 if they failed in Round 4 and £1,000 if they failed in Round 5). At some point during this series, there might be a mighty Bong. If the contestant stopped the voice before the arrival of the Bong, the contestant took home the last sum of money mentioned, and any money left over was given to the home player who set the question. If the Bong beat the contestant, the studio contestant did not win any money (save for any £3,000 lumps banked) and the member of the public won all the money in play for that round. To add to the jollity, contestants had a choice of three different Bong games, one of which was a Bong-free zone, and so offered a sufficiently brave contestant the chance to win back all the money that they had successfully earned in the last round. Let's play The Bong Game now (to defend £1,000). Choose a game: Take the money! Take the money! BONG! Sorry, you lose There is no objection to The Bong Game as such. It would be a fine bonus game for, say, a hypothetical new version of Beat The Clock. But it was sorely, painfully misplaced here. Quiz show players didn't look happy playing it. Kaye Adams didn't look happy hosting it. There are only three vaguely credible ideas why the powers that be decided to include The Bong Game into a quiz. Theory #1: "They did it for a bet" Theory #2: "They're making so much profit from Millionaire they used People Versus as a means of getting into a lower tax bracket" Theory #3: "A version of the Millionaire principle started as a game on Chris Tarrant 's Capital FM radio show, so if that worked well why wouldn't another such stunt - The Bong Game?" Stunts such as the Bong game worked marvellously well on Tarrant's radio show because it was driven by Chris's rapport with the contestants which helped heighten the tension. Here you had a competent quizmaster and a disembodied voice. Not gonna happen. The first few shows proved that the rebalancing of the main game mechanics was largely successful, but many other people we spoke to similarly questioned why The Bong Game was welded on for no good reason whatsoever. This was particularly the case when they were playing to keep hold of £100. Big deal. The show either needed a bit more work or rejecting as a bad job. The much-vaunted "interactivity", supposedly so desirable in game shows these days, is a surprisingly hard thing to capture in a world where pre-recorded programmes are the norm. Never mind, third time lucky, eh? Catchphrases "One of five to stay alive" "The further the rounds, the higher the pounds" "The more you know, the further you go" "Why flop when you can flip?" Trivia One of the contestants in the daily version of the show was Michael Cule who won £1,000. Who he? He played Brother Mace in the legendary Knightmare . The set cost a staggering half a million quid - and to put that in perspective, spending fifty grand on a set would normally be considered rather extravagant. It was and is the most expensive set ever designed for a quiz show and is rated by designer Andy Walmsley ( Millionaire , Pop Idol , Ice Warriors ) as his favourite of the many sets he's created. The last remaining 2 episodes from the Kaye Adams version aired on game show channel Challenge TV when it was airing the all of the Kaye Adams version episodes. Inventor David Briggs, Steve Knight and Michael Whitehill Bong Game devised by 95.8 Capital FM Theme music	The People Versus
Name the address at which the murderer Christie lived, and which was later the title of a film about his crimes?.	The People Versus - UKGameshows The People Versus Broadcast Celador for ITV, 15 August 2000 to 18 June 2002 (115 episodes in 2 series + 2 unaired) Synopsis The Briggs/Whitehill/Knight threesome invented the format of the decade in the 90s with Millionaire . The BBC were very grateful for their follow-up, Winning Lines , for - despite a few illogical aspects - it quite nicely propped up their otherwise lukewarm Autumn schedule on Saturday nights. So it was interesting to see how The People Versus... affected their batting average. Bizarrely, and probably for the first time in British TV history, The People Versus actually turned out to be two very different shows made out of the same premise (a practice that's not uncommon in past US formats). We'll take each version in chronological order. The original set of The People Versus VERSION 1 Here's the key twist for the original show - ITV were paying for the public's incompetence (like the Licence Fee in reverse) because it was the People who set the questions. Yes, this was The People's Game Show comrade, and for every question our resident contestants got correct they won £5,000. That's eight-and-a-quarter questions on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The programme marked an interesting shift in that the programme was piloted by the production company using their own dosh, so the whole thing was put together much more on their terms rather than those of the broadcaster (the side of the equation than normally provides the bulk of the equity for the pilot show). Host for incarnation number 1, Kirsty Young Viewer interactivity was at the fore, and Kirsty "don't laugh at my name when I'm a pensioner" Young made it very clear that it was The People who set the questions and yes, it really could be you sitting there trying not to make a fool of yourself. Surprisingly, it wasn't a £5 a minute phone number being used for players to give questions. In fact they could do it free over the internet if they wished. But what of the contestants? For the first show, 100 people were auditioned, and of those three people were picked to play against the world by nominating five specialist subjects which the population could pitch questions thereat. We're gonna git you, sucka And so, to the rules The rules were like this: In each round the players were shown five questions from one of their specialist subjects. In Round One, each contestant HAD to attempt and answer correctly one of those five questions - "one of five to stay alive". In Round Two, on a different subject they had to answer two correctly to stay in, Round Three three, Round Four four and finally in Round Five they had to answer (yes, Einstein, you've guessed it) all five. In each round, the player could, if they wanted, earn more cash by answering more questions than the quota required, again for £5,000 a piece. The one Q in the bottom-left means only one question needed to be answered correctly in this round To help, each player was shown all five questions at the start. Each player was also given three 'flips'. If a player wanted to use a flip, they could substitute any of the five given questions for another one. Also, if they had the cash, they could elect to 'buy' answers to questions at £10,000 a pop. Costly, but it kept them in the game. Sadly, they elected to call this feature "Cash for Questions", which even then was several years out of date to be topical, neither was it an original idea for a game show (see Noel's House Party , of all things). This graphic recaps on the round number, the cash banked to date, the number of flips and the number of answers that could be "bought" If they went for a question and they got it wrong, not only did they lose all the cash they earned in that round, but their game would be over and their seat would have to be re-assigned at the beginning of the next programme. But it didn't go to just anybody - oh no - the person who took the failed contestant's place was the person who set the question. Excellently, sometimes that player was hanging on the end of the telephone line, hopefully (for our studio contestant) to say "unfortunately, that's the right answer." Yah boo sucks! Should a player manage to make it through to level 5 and win, they had the opportunity to rearrange their topics. And that was it. Personally, we'd have preferred something a bit more sophisticated - maybe changing one of the subjects, perhaps. Values are everything - aren't they? As you'd expect, the production values were excellent. Special mention went to the very Terminator 2 metallic computer graphics (which nearly worked on Raise the Roof , but here they ran with the motif much more) that popped up bearing the questions and the various player stats. We weren't sure the 'shape' of the graphics was meant to be in the shape of anything in particular, perhaps an elongated squashed tomato. A metallic elongated squashed tomato. The typeface was just the italic version of the Millionaire font. Also special mention went to the set - it was very stylish with an excellent rotating host desk (technical term: pod) so it pointed towards whoever the questions were being fired at. The lights also made a path towards the contestant in play too, blacking out the other two. Kirsty revolves around to the next contestant However, there were some ways in which the lighting just grabbed too much of the attention. For some reason, when a player started their game the camera insisted on spinning round the audience really slowly. The idea, we think, was to show off the fact that they could do a 360 pan around the studio and yet - da, da, daaaa - you couldn't actually see any cameras. (They were actually hidden behind some one-way glass between the contestants). However, this just didn't work from a viewer's point of view - we just wanted to get on with the questions. Why did we want to look at the audience, pray tell? That oh-so-necessary reverse angle The futurogoth mood music wasn't loud enough, but this is more of a compliment to the Strachans' excellent musical talent than it was an actual criticism of the show. And now, the opinion bit So, all the above said, you'd expect this to be a glowing review? Sadly, no. Cardinal sin #1 - Introduction of false tension. This was attempted to be added by Kirsty making sure, in the Tarrant style, that they definitely want to 'light the question' when it was picked, which committed them to answering that question. Presumably this was meant to mirror the "going orange" effect in Millionaire. Instead, it just added yet another step in the process of actually getting to the point of answering the question and it was very very annoying. In fact, in general we were annoyed because of the overall lack of tension the show induced. Despite offering the chance to win unlimited cash, the most anyone could jeopardise in one round was £20,000 by answering four correct and blowing the fifth. Clever strategists could have also put their strongest categories for Rounds Four and Five which they were going to be the bees knees at. This did mean a general lack of shock value. We all like to see someone win the Million on Millionaire, but how many of us also want to see someone get to £500,000 and blow it? If you were being honest, quite a lot of you. The only sort of shock we were likely to see is if someone was really cocky trying to answer a question only to get it wrong. And let's not forget that they had flips and buy-outs at their disposal too. Maybe it would have been better if they'd just stuck with one of these elements - if it were us, we'd have probably allowed players to buy answers but for an increasingly larger sum each time. That would be really nasty... Cardinal sin #2 - Not giving all the answers. In a feat of jaw-dropping callousness, the answers to the questions that weren't used were originally not revealed. This was just bad, bad, bad. We guess that they originally thought that it would have just slowed things down even more, but you couldn't get away with teasing the British Public with some (it must be said) interesting questions and then not tell them the answer. Even if there wasn't enough time to go through them on the show, you'd have thought someone would have had the bright idea of at least putting the answers on the web site?!? But no. (At the time we thought that if they did this for future shows, we'd gladly take the credit. They did, so we will.) An unanswered question from the 2000 series. It's John Major, by the way. You can get some sleep now. One other thing that wasn't clear is who was choosing the questions? As it stood, it appeared there was nothing to stop the producers from choosing easier or harder questions to please their whim (and their ratings). When we first heard of the show, we wondered what would stop anyone from asking a really obscure question. We kind of hoped that they would have found a clever way of getting around this, but sadly it seemed not to be the case. Cardinal sin #3 - Poor pacing. But all the above criticisms were mere trifles compared to this real entertainment killer. If we were to describe the show in one word, that word would be 'slow'. You could be forgiven for thinking that by effectively reducing the cash per programme compared to Millionaire, you could in turn increase the pace. We were hoping that maybe as many as 45 questions could be asked per programme. Well, in the opening episode nobody got a question wrong and the total amount of cash given away was £35,000. Now, that wasn't bad going but consider this: that was seven questions answered in the entire 30 minutes of programme. (And there were 13 questions that were asked but not answered at all - see point #2). Now, with Chris Tarrant and the amount of prize money being played for we don't mind - we know he's being a git but it's entertaining gitness. With Kirsty Young we were just annoyed because thanks to the nature of the questions it really should have been a lot faster. Summing up On balance, the show looked really nice and it had potential interactivity and prize money. However, we criticised it because it was s-o-o-o-o-o s-l-o-w. Even accounting for this being a new show at the time where all the rules had to be explained, we were hoping for something five times the pace that we actually saw. VERSION 1.1 As the original series went along, a number of common sense changes were made (partially thanks to this review, so rumour has it). Things had certainly improved - at least a bit. The answers were now appearing on the web site - hooray! They even give the answers out during the programme - hooray! We got to see the same contestant two or three times a show - hooray! They didn't play up the "lighting the question" aspect any more - hooray! It was even edited slightly quicker - hooray! Even the "spinny" lighting effect had been ditched - hooray! However, the reading out of all the categories still took far too long, especially when only a couple of them were ever used per show - maybe they should have just have a graphic with them on and just get Kirsty to read out the one that's coming next? There was also still far too little audience reaction - there were no oohs or aahs from what we could hear, and getting a question wrong was proving a bit of an anticlimax. Oh, and the music was still too quiet. So, what started as a teeth-clenching half-hour wasn't transformed into a nail-biting half-hour but it was starting to get somewhere. VERSION 2 The reasons for recommissioning The People Versus were not altogether clear to us, given that it was a bit of a PR disaster even if the ratings weren't half as bad as they potentially could have been. In 2001, ITV gave it another shot, but this time it was an early-evening 25-minute format during the Summer with lower cash prizes, no audience and much less pre-publicity. And once Wimbledon finished it was in the The Weakest Link time slot! No two ways about it, you had to look at that as a bit of a Premiership to Third Division-style demotion. But was the new show any better? "Yes, but..." is the answer. A few motifs remained constant from the original version of the show. The five round structure with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 questions required was the same, although the questions were now basic general knowledge. These were still sent in by the public, bless 'em. The three flips were still here, more of which in a moment. The excellent graphics package returned from the first version, as did about one third of the set plus "The Egg" - a kind of see-thru ovoid tube that they didn't use in the original set. It was rather nice, particularly the edges which appeared to strobe in an interesting way. They also kept about half the opening sequence (losing the lovely, dramatic close-up towards the contestant's eye, Interceptor -style) and most of the sound package. The Egg. A very nice egg too. The host was still Scottish and still a woman. This time around it was Kaye ( Public Property ) Adams. The one key skill she seemed to have that Young didn't was a sense of building a warm rapport with the contestant, and it did make a heck of a difference to the feel of the show. Another new feature was a string of puntastic couplets that were thrown in occasionally ("The further the rounds, the greater the pounds"). Thankfully, Adams cracked on with the job with remarkably little preamble ("Quiz me quick is my motto," she said). Kaye Adams Contestants now faced a time limit of four minutes to cover all five rounds of the game. While a round was in progress, the contestant was offered up to five questions in their attempt to reach their target. They were shown a question and offered the chance to answer it, pass it or flip it. Correct answers progressed the contestant towards their quota. Passed questions cost only time, but the five-question limit meant that contestants could only afford to pass a limited number of questions in later rounds before being forced to guess or flip. If the contestant elected to flip, the question offered was thrown out of the game and replaced by a question in the contestant's pre-selected specialist subject. Upon completing each round, the contestant was given a chance to quit with the money they'd earned so far, or to face the next round. The money tree went £100 for round 1, then £250, £500, £1,000 and finally £3,000. There's nothing like a screen grab to ram home the point of the previous paragraph If the contestant completed round five, they banked that £3,000 and the game began all over again: four new minutes, three new flips, no difference whatsoever. This seemed to be a shame as there was nothing to stop a particularly dominating contestant answering question after question, racking up three thousand nicker each time, with no limit and very little variation in the run. Round 4 in progress: three questions need to be answered but there are two flips remaining Apart from this, the quiz was reasonably well-designed, interesting and a lot more exciting than Version 1.1. It also looked and sounded good. It must be emphasised that many of the previous pitfalls had been avoided: they showed all the answers, they didn't waste time messing around with pointless camera pans and they got through lots of questions. There were as many questions answered in the first three minutes episode one of this version as there were in the entire first episode of the original. So far, so good... but the "fun" started when the contestant got a question wrong... Top comedy moment: a contestant gets his very first question wrong First of all, the member of the public who sent the question in earned £100. Second, the game ended immediately. Third, the contestant had to play what was not a Bonus Game but, instead, a Penalty Game. In other words, they had to defend the money they had won so far (up until the start of that round). They did this by playing The Bong Game (or Beat the Bong as it was sometimes called). Houston, we have a problem. This made no sense whatsoever. Contestants went from playing a reasonably serious and entertaining quiz to playing one of the hoariest, most luck-based and least logical RADIO stunts of all time. As soon as this element was revealed, well... let's just say there weren't many dry eyes around the office. As completely illogical and badly-fitting game elements go, it truly ranked up there with the likes of Chain Letters ' Tie the Leader and the scoring in Keynotes . Do we have to explain The Bong Game? Oh, alright then... A monotonic, disembodied voice read out erratically increasing sums of money, starting just above zero and going up to the amount that the contestant was trying to defend (£100 if they failed in Round 2, £250 if they failed in Round 3, £500 if they failed in Round 4 and £1,000 if they failed in Round 5). At some point during this series, there might be a mighty Bong. If the contestant stopped the voice before the arrival of the Bong, the contestant took home the last sum of money mentioned, and any money left over was given to the home player who set the question. If the Bong beat the contestant, the studio contestant did not win any money (save for any £3,000 lumps banked) and the member of the public won all the money in play for that round. To add to the jollity, contestants had a choice of three different Bong games, one of which was a Bong-free zone, and so offered a sufficiently brave contestant the chance to win back all the money that they had successfully earned in the last round. Let's play The Bong Game now (to defend £1,000). Choose a game: Take the money! Take the money! BONG! Sorry, you lose There is no objection to The Bong Game as such. It would be a fine bonus game for, say, a hypothetical new version of Beat The Clock. But it was sorely, painfully misplaced here. Quiz show players didn't look happy playing it. Kaye Adams didn't look happy hosting it. There are only three vaguely credible ideas why the powers that be decided to include The Bong Game into a quiz. Theory #1: "They did it for a bet" Theory #2: "They're making so much profit from Millionaire they used People Versus as a means of getting into a lower tax bracket" Theory #3: "A version of the Millionaire principle started as a game on Chris Tarrant 's Capital FM radio show, so if that worked well why wouldn't another such stunt - The Bong Game?" Stunts such as the Bong game worked marvellously well on Tarrant's radio show because it was driven by Chris's rapport with the contestants which helped heighten the tension. Here you had a competent quizmaster and a disembodied voice. Not gonna happen. The first few shows proved that the rebalancing of the main game mechanics was largely successful, but many other people we spoke to similarly questioned why The Bong Game was welded on for no good reason whatsoever. This was particularly the case when they were playing to keep hold of £100. Big deal. The show either needed a bit more work or rejecting as a bad job. The much-vaunted "interactivity", supposedly so desirable in game shows these days, is a surprisingly hard thing to capture in a world where pre-recorded programmes are the norm. Never mind, third time lucky, eh? Catchphrases "One of five to stay alive" "The further the rounds, the higher the pounds" "The more you know, the further you go" "Why flop when you can flip?" Trivia One of the contestants in the daily version of the show was Michael Cule who won £1,000. Who he? He played Brother Mace in the legendary Knightmare . The set cost a staggering half a million quid - and to put that in perspective, spending fifty grand on a set would normally be considered rather extravagant. It was and is the most expensive set ever designed for a quiz show and is rated by designer Andy Walmsley ( Millionaire , Pop Idol , Ice Warriors ) as his favourite of the many sets he's created. The last remaining 2 episodes from the Kaye Adams version aired on game show channel Challenge TV when it was airing the all of the Kaye Adams version episodes. Inventor David Briggs, Steve Knight and Michael Whitehill Bong Game devised by 95.8 Capital FM Theme music	i don't know
In which city are the headquarters of Fiat?	Guess Which City Fiat-Chrysler Has Chosen As Its New HQ Guess Which City Fiat-Chrysler Has Chosen As Its New HQ by Jay Traugott Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Nope, it isn't in America or even Italy. Fiat-Chrysler is in a good place these days. Only a week ago did it release its aggressive and exciting five-year plan that’ll see many new models, and even the demise of a few. But still, anything is better than outright bankruptcy. Now that Fiat has fully completed its buyout of Chrysler and changed its corporate name, it’s time to designate a new company headquarters. Fiat and Chrysler are based in Turin, Italy and Auburn Hills, Michigan, respectively. However, neither of those two locales will be the new HQ. Instead, CEO Sergio Marchionne has chosen London, England. Yes, that choice might piss off some die-hard Fiat loyalists who believe the HQ should be in Italy. So why London? It's clear that group executive functions, the board, my office, some of my functions, need to operate out of London, but that doesn't mean that I'm giving up my operational responsibilities of the U.S. We will be multi-faceted...we will do stuff everywhere," Marchionne stated. The Turin and Auburn Hills offices will still very much be kept open and active, but London will be where all the big decision making will happen.	The Turin
What is the name of the 'theme park' near Ripon in Yorkshire?	Fiat History \| Italy Fiat History Submitted by admin on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 00:00 The logo of FIAT, one of Italy's best known companies Fiat has held a leading role in the automotive industry since its inception in 1899, at the dawn of Italian industrialization. From the moment they first appeared on the market, Fiat products, today ranging well beyond automobiles, have been extensively developed and recognized worldwide. Its logo has become a great status symbol due to a history of superior cars, prestige, history and tradition. Fiat 1899 to 1911 The charter of Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino or Fiat, was signed on July 11, 1899. Giovanni Agnelli was on the Board of Directors, but quickly distinguished himself as the Company's innovator. He was determined Fiat would be highly successful and had great strategic vision. Because of these qualities, he became Managing Director of Fiat in 1902. Fiat's First Factories and Races In 1900, the first Fiat factory opened in corso Dante, in Turin, with a workforce of 150 people. Fiat saw 24 cars roll off the assembly line that first year, including the company's first model, the 3 ½ CV. By 1904, a Fiat logo had been designed as an oval with a blue background. When Italy hosted the first Car Tour of the country, nine Fiats crossed the finish line. By 1902, driver Vincenzo Lancia won the Sassi-Superga uphill race, in the famous Fiat 24 hp model. Giovanni Agnelli, President of Fiat, represented the company on the racetrack, driving an 8 hp Fiat in the second Italian Car Tour and set a record in that race. In 1908, Fiat opened the Fiat Automobile Company in the US. The Company grew in leaps and bounds: at that time, a Fiat was a luxury item in America, costing thousands more than the average domestic car of the period. Fiat continued to grow at a swift rate and it wasn't long before the company expanded its product line with trucks, trams, marine engines and commercial vehicles. Towards the end of Fiat's early production period, the company was to undergo some changes, and overhaul its production. Fiat began fitting its cars with electrical accumulators, and also patented the cardan transmission. The Lingotto is a cornerstone of Fiat's history (by Alessadro at flickr.com) Under the new leadership of Giacomo Malle Trucco, construction of the famous Lingotto factory began in 1916. It was to be the largest factory in Europe, with a unique five floors assembly line that finished with a futuristic test track constructed on the building's roof. The factory was completed in 1922 and became the symbol of the automotive industry in Italy for decades to come. During WWI Fiat devoted itself to supplying the Allied Forces with weapons, aircraft and vehicles. New Sectors Fiat began to explore new sectors before and after WWI, becoming active in electricity, public transportation lines, railways and the steel industry. A subsidiary was established in Russia and Fiat Lubrificanti was founded. Crisis and Recovery When the war ended, a time of crisis hit Fiat and the company's factories were briefly held by workers of the Italian Socialist Party in 1921. Fortunately recovery came quickly and, by 1923, Fiat was already showing signs of growth, due in part to some very effective cost-cutting policies. At this time, Giovanni Agnelli was promoted to the position of CEO of Fiat. Several new car models were released, including the four-seat 509. Fiat set a goal to create industrial mass production in order to decrease the cost of their cars. A holding company was established to enable purchasers to pay for Fiats through installments. As the company grew worldwide, Fiat also grew internally between 1912 and 1925. They were quick to recognize their employees' needs and established a health care plan, sports clubs and specialized schools. Fiat Topolino: a piece of Fiat History (by argentum nitricum at flickr.com) When Mussolini's come to power in Italy, Fiat had to abandon many of its plans for an international presence. Fiat would now concentrate on producing the needed equipment for the domestic market. The company responded with new technology and designs in commercial vehicles, trucks, as well as railways and aircrafts. Two new Fiat cars were introduced between 1934 and 1936. The Topolino was the smallest utilitarian car in the world, and continued to be produced until 1955. The Tariffa Minima, better known as the Balilla, was very popular because of excellent gas mileage. Fiat Balilla: still beautiful, almost 100 years later (by Werner Wittersheim at flickr.com) The Mirafiori Plant The Mirafiori Plant was a brand new factory that introduced advanced principals for industrial organization in 1937. The factory's focus was directed toward mass production and greatly increased Fiat's output capacity. Fiat 1939 to 1964 When WWII broke out, the production of cars nearly ceased, as Fiat manufactured commercial and military vehicles, aircraft, weapons and machinery for the war effort. By the end of the war, Giovanni Agnelli, the President of Fiat, died in 1945. Vittorio Valletta was to lead the company in post-war Italy. During WWII, many of Fiat's factories were destroyed, but by 1948 reconstruction had begun. Fiat's profits increased considerably and more employees were hired to fulfill the company's commitment to innovation and research after the war. b(255, 255, 255);"> Fiat 500, one of the most popular models in Fiat history (by eek the cat at flickr.com) Two new cars, the 500 and 1400 were introduced and mass production included the installation of heating and ventilation systems for the first time. Fiat continued its research on aircraft and marine engines and in 1951, the G830 jet aircraft was born: the first for Italy. The 1400 diesel was introduced in 1953. By 1958, Fiat had grown in the production of both cars and farm machinery and established plants abroad while doubling the Mirafiori complex. Italy was in the middle of an economic boom and its automobile sector was the driving force behind it, fueled by Fiat innovation. New Fiat Models The Fiat 600 was introduced in 1955 and was a big utilitarian automobile with the engine mounted in the rear. The New 500 was released in 1957 and by 1960, the Giardinetta version was produced - a precursor of the Station Wagon. This was also the time when well-known models like the Fiat 1300, 1500 and 1800 were released. A Fiat 127 commercial from 1976 (by John Lloyd, at flickr.com) Fiat continued to experience growth of production into the mid 1960s, in both exports and domestic sales. Car ownership in Italy changed from one car for every 96 Italians to one in 28. Fiat was poised to take advantage of the increase and established several factories in southern Italy. However, this was also the beginning of the infamous trade union conflicts and so, by 1969, millions of man hours were lost to strikes all over Italy. Changing Fiat Presidency and New Models The grandson of founder Giovanni Agnelli, Gianni Agnelli, became President of Fiat in 1966. Like his grandfather, he ensured the company followed a trend of innovation with increased automation in the production process. The first new Fiat to be released during these years was the 850 , followed in 1971 by the 127 , which was a great success. The 127 was the first Fiat to have front wheel drive and was named Car of the Year 1971. Fiat 1978 to 1990 To keep Fiat on the path to automation of production, Robogate, a flexible robotic system for assembling bodywork was introduced to factories in 1978. Fiat was also becoming an economic, as well as industrial powerhouse, as it began to acquire other well-known Italian brands such as Lancia, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati: Fiat became Fiat Auto S.p.A. Between 1978 and 1990 Fiat also setup numerous operations as independent companies. These included Fiat Avio, Fiat Engineering, Comau, Fiat Ferraviaria, Magneti Marelli and Teksid. New Models The no-frills, affordable Fiat Panda hatchback was styled by Giugiaro for the company in 1980, which was followed up with the Uno, in 1982. The Uno replaced the 127 and became the emblem of Fiat Auto's renewal and featured radical changes in its electronics and choice of the material used to build it. Fiat's 1000 Fire engine was also introduced at this time. In 1989, the Tipo was released as a small family hatchback. It had cutting edge technical solutions and marked a conquest for Fiat technology. It was very popular on the international market and was named 1989 Car of the Year. Fiat Tipo, 1990 (by Niels de Wit, at flickr.com) Fiat 1991 to 2003 In 1990, the Fiat Tempra made its debut into the family car market. One year later, the latest version of the 500 or Cinquecento was released. The Fiat Punto and the Fiat Coupé rolled off the assembly line during this time, with the supermini Punto being named Car of the Year in 1995. Fiat made its debut into SUVs in 1994, with the introduction of the Fiat Ulysse. In 1995, the Bravo , Brava and the Barchetta were released with the Bravo/Brava bringing Fiat yet another European Car of the Year award for 1996. Administration Changes 1996 saw changes at the top of Fiat as Cesare Romiti took over as CEO, making Gianni Agnelli Honorary President of Fiat Group. By 1997, Fiat had outgrown its old corporate headquarters on Turin's Corso Marconi and moved to the Palazzina Fiat at the Lingotto. By this time, The Palazzina Fiat of Lingotto had been transformed from the famous factory into Europe's largest convention and trade show complex. Crisis During the 1990s, Fiat was once again facing a crisis in the form of market competition. In order to cope, the company expanded further into the international market, making Fiat one of the most recognized worldwide producers of affordable vehicles. It has since successfully achieved this global presence with more than 60% of sales outside of Italy. To commemorate the 100 Year Anniversary of Fiat, the company logo was revised from the oval to a round version. In 1998, Fiat released the Seicento as a replacement for the 500. The car became known as a great compact car, perfect for city driving. The innovative design of the Multipla was once featured in a modern art exhibit at New York City's MOMA. This compact MPV was introduced the same year as the Seicento. A New Century of Fiat In 2000, Fiat Doblò was introduced at the Paris Motor Show as both an informal car and a commercial vehicle. It was named 2006 International Van of the Year. The Fiat Stilo was released in 2001 to replace the Bravo/Brava. The Stilo had numerous options and highly sophisticated technology, as well as a new design. 2002 saw the New Fiat Ulysse, the Fiat Multipla and the Fiat Stilo MW restyled. Although 2003 saw the death of Gianni Agnelli after nearly 50 years of service, the year also saw the new Punto launched with an innovative 1.3 Multijet 16v. Later that fall, the new Panda was released and was almost immediately named Car of the Year for 2004. Fiat 2004 to Today In January 2004, the Fiat Idea made its debut: it was the first full-sized MPV built by Fiat and the design was truly unique. The Idea was made taller to improve visibility and its interior was enhanced for flexibility, including sliding rear seats. 2007 saw the Fiat 500 have stiffer suspension, wider fenders and a 150 hp turbo 4-cylinder engine that runs from zero to 60 in eight seconds. The Fiat Sedici is a smart looking mini SUV at home in the city or country introduced in 2006. Fiat Idea (by RL GNZLZ at flickr.com) Fiat continues on the path of innovation and superior technology into the 21st century with a line of new engines and new models. Men of the reform have been Sergio Marchionne and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo , who have also lead Fiat into the acquisition of Chrysler in 2009. Thanks to the acquisition and Marchionne's will, Fiat enters again the north American market, after 10 years of absence. In spite of the crisis, Fiat introduced new models: the Alfa 159, the Fiat Nuova 500 and La Grande Punto, which was the most popular car in Italy in 2006. In 2010, John Ellkan is nominated president of Fiat and a 5 year plan for the development of the company is created: between 2010 and 2014, Fiat has restructered its sectors' organization through the creation of Fiat Industrial, where all activities related to the production of industrial machineries have converged. Fiat Industrial passed under the presidence of Marchionne, whereas Fiat S.p.a. (which regulates the production of cars, parts, systems production) and the editorial sector have remained under the presidency of Elkann. Marchionne remains Fiat S.p.a's CEO.	i don't know
What is the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland?	Origin of the names of Canada’s provincial and territorial capitals \| Natural Resources Canada Origin of the names of Canada’s provincial and territorial capitals Origin of the names of Canada’s provincial and territorial capitals Whitehorse, Yukon Ottawa, Canada The name Ottawa is derived from the Algonquin word “adawe”, which means “to trade”. The settlement was originally incorporated as Bytown in 1850. The name was changed to Ottawa in 1855. (Sources: Canadian Geographical Names Data Base, Geographical Names Board 18th Report) Find out more: Geographical name search results: Ottawa St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador There is some disagreement regarding the history behind how St. John’s acquired its name. The most widely accepted explanation comes from the Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real, who recorded the area as Rio de San Johem in 1519. The earliest recording of the modern day spelling came from an English merchant who travelled to Newfoundland in the 1570’s. Geographical name search results: Toronto Winnipeg, Manitoba The Cree named the lake to the north “Win” (muddy) and “nipee” (water). In 1873, Winnipeg was incorporated as a city. (Source: City of Winnipeg ) Find out more: Geographical name search results: Winnipeg Regina, Saskatchewan Cree hunters stacked buffalo bones in the area of Regina, and named it Oskana-Ka-asateki or "the place where bones are piled." Early explorers, fur traders and settlers called the area “Pile of Bones.” It was decided in 1882 when the town began to grow that it required a more regal name. Princess Louise suggested that the town be named Regina in honour of her mother and the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria. Geographical name search results: Iqaluit Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Yellowknife acquired its name from the aboriginal group known as the “T'atsaot'ine”, or “Yellowknives”. It became the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967. Known for its valuable minerals, it has the traditional name of Smbak'è, which means money place. (Source: Canadian Geographical Names Data Base) Find out more: Geographical name search results: Yellowknife Whitehorse, Yukon Originally called White Horse, the name came from the foam in nearby rapids on the Yukon River which looked similar to the manes on white horses. Whitehorse was incorporated as a city in 1950, and replaced Dawson as the capital of the Yukon in 1953. (Sources: Canadian Geographical Names Data Base) Find out more:	Saint John's
In which year was the 'Mini' motor car introduced, and the first photographs were taken of the far side of the moon?	Newfoundland and Labrador \| history - geography - province, Canada \| Britannica.com Newfoundland and Labrador Seal of Newfoundland and Labrador Capital Paul Davis (Progressive Conservative Party) Date of admission "Quaerite prime Regnum Dei (Seek ye first the Kingdom of God)" Provincial flower Atlantic (GMT − 4 hours) Newfoundland (GMT − 3.5 hours) Newfoundland and Labrador, province of Canada composed of the island of Newfoundland and a larger mainland sector, Labrador , to the northwest. It is the newest of Canada’s 10 provinces, having joined the confederation only in 1949; its name was officially changed to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001. The island, which was named the “newfoundelande,” or New Found Land, by late 15th-century explorers, lies athwart the Gulf of St. Lawrence . It is separated from Labrador by the narrow Strait of Belle Isle and from Nova Scotia , to the southwest, by Cabot Strait . The French territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon lies off the coast of the Burin Peninsula in southeastern Newfoundland. Labrador is bordered to the north and east by the Labrador Sea (northwestern arm of the Atlantic Ocean ) and to the south and west by the province of Quebec . Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. A fishing village on Conception Bay, Newfoundland island, Canada. George Hunter Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly part of North America , and its position on the Atlantic has given it a strategic importance in defense, transportation, and communications. Its capital city, St. John’s (on Newfoundland), for instance, is closer to the coast of Ireland than it is to Winnipeg , Man. Of perhaps greater significance have been the great fish stocks that inhabited the Grand Banks and other fishing grounds to the east and south of Newfoundland, spurring the development of numerous communities stretched along some 14,400 miles (23,200 km) of deeply indented, wave-battered seacoast. These fisheries have been the single most important factor in shaping the history and character of the land and its people. Area 156,453 square miles (405,212 square km). Pop. (2011) 514,536. Land Relief, drainage, and soils The province’s two main components—Newfoundland island and Labrador—must be treated as separate physiographic regions. The island, roughly triangular in shape and with an area (excluding associated islands) of 42,031 square miles (108,860 square km), is part of the Appalachian geologic province of North America, in which the landforms run from southwest to northeast and are characterized by continental drift, volcanic action, crustal deformation, ice erosion, and deposition . These forces have produced a highly complex geologic structure, with ancient rocks of Europe and Africa on the east, newer Appalachian rocks on the west, and the bed of the ancient ocean squeezed up between them. On the west coast the land rises abruptly from a narrow coastal plain to the Long Range Mountains , which reach a maximum height of 2,670 feet (814 metres). The mountains give way to a plateau that slopes gently downward to the northeastern coast, with its many headlands, islands, and bays. The plateau is undulating and dotted with thousands of lakes and ponds, numerous streams, and rivers, including the Exploits, Gander, and Humber . The coastal terrain is hilly and rugged; the coast itself is marked by numerous bays and fjords, and there are many offshore islands. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.	i don't know
Apart from sugar and eggs, what is marzipan made from?	Easy Homemade Marzipan or Almond Paste - The Daring Gourmet The Daring Gourmet Grappling Each Dish By The Horns Sign up for our newsletter! Email* Easy Homemade Marzipan or Almond Paste Written on 23 June, 2014 Easy homemade marzipan/almond paste. So easy, so quick, so versatile, so addictively delicious! And now you can make it anytime, anywhere. Your life is forever changed. I grew up on marzipan. It’s everywhere in Germany. Just a few hours north of where I grew up in Stuttgart is the historic town of Lübeck, world famous for its marzipan. It’s also a beautiful, scenic port town. The Holstentor is Lübeck’s most famous feature, a Brick Gothic construction from Medieval times. It has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1987. Images courtesy creative commons, Giam and SteFou Lübeck is also the home of Niederegger Marzipan , probably the most famous marzipan in the world. If I were to weigh how much of that marzipan I ate during my 23 years in Europe it would probably come close to 893 pounds. Niederegger has been around since 1806 producing the highest quality marzipan, including a class that is made from 100% almonds (no sugar), and it uses only the finest almonds from around the Mediterranean. A Brief History Lesson (very brief) Though marzipan has long been associated with Germany and Italy in particular, its roots are in the Orient. As far back as 850, a Persian doctor by the name of Rhazes praised the curative properties of almond and sugar paste. (See, now why can’t our doctors today be equally so inspired?) When the Crusaders returned to Europe from the Orient they brought this delicacy back with them. Initially only enjoyed by kings and the very wealthy, by the 19th century when sugar was being extracted from sugar beets, making it cheaper, marzipan became widely accessible. It has been a prized and popular treat ever since. (history lesson over. see, I told you it was brief) At the Niederegger Marzipan factory in Lübeck you can see a life-sized display of statues made from marzipan. It’s stunning! I can’t remember, but I would imagine its roped off to keep visitors, and their teeth, from getting too close. Images courtesy Niederegger Aside from being dipped in chocolate, wrapped and sold, marzipan is also often shaped into various figures, including fruits and vegetables that look real-life. If you’re crafty, marzipan is a fun medium to work with. Images courtesy wikipedia And of course marzipan is incorporated into deliciously decadent cakes and baked goods. Here are just a couple of baked goods on our site featuring marzipan and if you type “marzipan” into the search box at the top right of the screen you’ll find several more. Traditional German Bethmännchen (Marzipan Cookies) (click on the links for the recipes) So yes, marzipan is a wonderful, wonderful thing. But it’s also an expensive thing. When you buy almond paste it usually comes in very small quantities with a pretty hefty price tag for what you get. That’s why I’m sharing this recipe with you. So that you can make it at a tiny fraction of the cost and have it on hand whenever you need it. And it’s SO quick and easy to make! Marzipan vs. Almond Paste – What’s the Difference? In part it comes down to where you live. In Europe it’s widely referred to as marzipan whereas here in North American the term almond paste is more common. But there’s also a difference in the ratio of almonds to sugar as well as consistency. Almond paste is softer and is used in baked goods. Marzipan is firmer and is used in making candies/chocolates or as fondant for cakes. Marzipan also uses rose water. To adjust this recipe according to what you’re using it for, follow this recipe as instructed for almond paste (I still include the rose water because it tastes amazing), or add an extra 1/4 cup or more of ground almonds until you reach a firmer consistency (one that you can roll out with a rolling pin without it sticking). LIKE THIS RECIPE? Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my blog to receive email updates of our latest recipes (no spam, ever). Let’s get started! You can either blanch and grind your own almonds or buy almond meal/flour, which is quicker and more convenient and will yield a more consistent product. The almond meal needs to be completely dried and grinding your own will produce an almond meal that is “wet” because it still has a lot of oil in it. Many large grocery stores carry almond meal. I use and like Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Meal/Flour. Be sure to get almond meal that’s made from blanched almonds (skins removed). If you can’t find it locally, you can also conveniently purchase almond meal online (this particular one is “super finely” ground which is recommended for marzipan. Add the almond meal to a food processor. I like to use my little Cuisinart food processor for jobs like this. Over 10 years old and still going strong! Add the powdered sugar to the almond meal and pulse to combine and break up any lumps. *Diabetics or those looking for a sugar-free marzipan / almond paste option, you can use Swerve Confectioner Sweetener . Almond paste uses almond extract only. Marzipan also uses rose water for a positively delightful flavor. There are varying degrees of quality when you buy rose water. Some are inexpensive, some are very expensive (and some of those aren’t even necessarily better). A brand that I’m happy with is Cortas and it is very reasonably priced with good reviews. You can purchase it online here. A bottle of it will last you forever. Whichever brand you buy, make absolutely sure it is food grade rose water. You also want to use good quality almond extract. You can find it in many grocery stores or purchase almond extract online here . Add the rose water and almond extract and pulse to combine. Add the egg white. Egg white is the traditional moistener. If that worries you, keep in mind that eggs are pasteurized. If you’re still concerned about that, read the “Note” in the recipe box. Process the ingredients until it comes together in a firm mass. If it’s too wet, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. Keep in mind though that it will become firmer after it’s been refrigerated. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it a few times just to make sure all the ingredients are fully combined. Form the dough into a log, ball or disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. The marzipan will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks (provided you used very fresh egg white). Warm the marzipan to room temperature before using. 4.9 from 28 reviews	ground almonds
Who was the female star of the Rome-set film, 'La Dolce Vita'?	Almond Icing (Marzipan) \| Recipes \| Delia Online Login + Sign up Almond Icing (Marzipan) Homemade almond icing is superior to the ready-made, so I’ve included it here if you have time to make it. A one-egg mix makes 375g, so you will probably have too much, in which case use the surplus to stuff dates or make some Stollen - see recipe below Ingredients Method Begin by sifting the icing sugar and caster sugar into a large bowl, then stir in the egg. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fluffy. Then remove the bowl from the heat and sit the base in about 5cm of cold water. Whisk in the almond extract and brandy and continue to whisk until the mixture is cool. At this point stir in the ground almonds and knead to form a firm paste on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Then roll out the amount needed on a clean surface dusted with icing sugar, and keep giving it quarter turns (to keep it round) between each roll. Once it is rolled to the right size, cover the top of the cake. Ingredients	i don't know
Pulex irritans is the Latin name for which creature?	Pulex irritans Pulex irritans Genus: Pulex irritans (human flea) There are over 1,600 species and subspecies of fleas that inhabit the earthï¿½s diverse environment.ï¿½ Many of these fleas are parasites in the insect order Siphonaptera.ï¿½ Pulex irritans, also called the human flea, is not often seen in contemporary living quarters, but in the past this flea came in contact with all classes of people.ï¿½ Human blood is the preferred food of Pulex irritans, but it will feed on other mammals. Today, this species is most often found on pigs.ï¿½ Individuals that work with swine are some of the most likely people to become infested. In societies where personal hygiene is important, infestations by human fleas are not as common.ï¿½ Human fleas were extremely common before the development of modern standards in both hygiene and laundering.ï¿½ Most fleas, during that time, were found in a personï¿½s bedding .ï¿½ In an attempt to decrease infestation, the Chinese placed warmed flea traps made of ivory or bamboo between the sheets before going to bed at night.ï¿½ During the Renaissance period, ladies frequently wore fur collars, called cravats , to catch the pestering fleas.ï¿½ The cravat could then be removed and shaken out to decrease the chance of coming in contact with any fleas.ï¿½ Pulex irritans is mainly a nuisance to humans.ï¿½ The flea's saliva contains enzymes and histamine-like substances, which may cause an allergic reaction in some of their victims.ï¿½ These allergic reactions may involve an intense itching sensation. The parasite can also be a vector of a variety of diseases. Even though Pulex irritans was not the primary species responsible for spreading the bubonic plague throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, it is capable of transmitting it.ï¿½ Pulex irritans may also transmit murine typhus, tularemia, and tapeworm, but the chances of this are relatively rare.ï¿½ One disease, in particular, that Pulex irritans is known to transmit is murine typhus.ï¿½ Murine typhus is a mild form of typhus caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi.ï¿½ï¿½ The fleas become infected with the bacterium by feeding on a human who has the disease.ï¿½ The bacteria grow in the epithelial cells lining the flea's gut wall and are excreted in the insect's feces.ï¿½ After approximately twelve to eighteen days, the infection will kill the flea.ï¿½ï¿½ Scratching of a fleabite will infect a person.ï¿½ Rubbing of the bitten area will spread the flea's infected feces into the wound. An infected person will experience headaches, marked prostration, malaise, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, and a rapid rise in temperature with fever after an incubation period of one to two weeks. Within four to six days after the initial symptoms appear a rash will form over most of the body. Humans, canids, felids, pigs, badgers, and rats may all become infested. ï¿½Pulex irritans is found worldwide. Morphology Adults ï¿½The adults are approximately 1.5 to 4 mm in length and are laterally flattened.ï¿½ï¿½ They are dark brown in color, are wingless, and have mouthparts that aid in both the piercing of the skin and sucking of the hostï¿½s blood.ï¿½ Neither genal nor pronotal combs are present.ï¿½ ï¿½The adult flea may have either a curved or rounded head.ï¿½ Only five percent of living fleas are in adult form at any given time.ï¿½ Most fleas are distributed in the egg, larva, or pupa stages. Eggs ï¿½ The flea eggs are about 0.5 mm in length.ï¿½ They are oval shaped and pearly white in color.ï¿½ Nonfertile females will produce eggs just as fertile females do, however, the eggs will be nonviable.ï¿½ Eggs are often laid on the body of the host, but since they are not sticky or cemented down, they can fall off in many different places. Larvae ï¿½ The larvae are approximately 6 mm in length. They are maggot-like, creamy/yellow in color, and have thirteen segments with bristles on each segment.ï¿½ The larva resembles a small legless caterpillar.ï¿½ The larvae will feed on a variety of debris, including dried excrement, dried blood, dead mites, dried bits of skin, and other organic remains.ï¿½ In some cases, the successful metamorphosis of a few species of flea larvae depends on the presence of fecal matter from the parent flea.ï¿½ In order to provide nutrition for the larvae during development, the parent flea will consume large amounts of blood.ï¿½ During this larval development period the parent flea consumes a great deal of blood (up to thirty times its own weight).ï¿½ The intake of blood will be used to produce a large quantity of feces to feed the larvae. Pupae ï¿½ The pupa, with a loosely woven debris-collecting cocoon, is approximately 4 x 2 mm. After undergoing three separate molts, the larvae will begin to spin silk cocoons.ï¿½ After days, weeks, or even months, the pupae will emerge from the cocoons as adults.ï¿½ If conditions are unfavorable, a cocooned flea can remain dormant for up to a year, waiting for the proper prey to become available. ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Life cycle (stages) Eggs may be either laid in the host's place of rest, often called environmental hot spots, or directly on the host.ï¿½ If the eggs are laid on the host, they will easily fall off due to their lack of stickiness.ï¿½ Larvae will hatch from the eggs and begin to feed.ï¿½ The larvae may remain in this stage for up to two hundred days.ï¿½ The pupae are the most tolerant and can last in this form anywhere from ten days to fifty weeks.ï¿½ The time span is dependant on various environmental conditions.ï¿½ The pre-emergent adults (pupae) may be stimulated to emerge by heat, carbon dioxide, or movement (both human and/or pet activity).ï¿½ If these specific stimuli are absent, the emergence of the flea will be delayed.ï¿½ The life span of adult fleas can range from only a few weeks to over an entire year. ï¿½ Pulex irritans will attach to and begin feeding on the skin. Pathogenesis/clinical signs Pulex irritans can lead to restlessness, and both irritation and scratching of the skin.ï¿½ Pulex irritans is also a vector of Yersinia pestis (plague). Diagnosis of Pulex irritans is accomplished by finding the fleas on the host. Treatment All animals in the household, especially cats and dogs, should be treated for Pulex irritans.ï¿½ In addition to flea removal, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics for secondary pyoderma should be used.ï¿½ The environment should also be treated.ï¿½ Due to the development of new flea-control products, this is not always necessary except with cases of heavy infestations.ï¿½ Carpets should be shampooed and vacuum frequently.ï¿½ After vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of immediately.ï¿½ Room foggers may also be used in the house.ï¿½ The bedding or ï¿½environmental hot spotï¿½ should be washed in hot water, dusted, and sprayed, or have half a No Pest R Strip placed on the underside of the petï¿½s housing quarters.ï¿½ In the case of heavy infestations, a professional exterminator should be contacted.ï¿½ Pigs should be treated with pyrethroids or organophosphates and pet rats should have a No Pest R Strip placed above their cage. ï¿½ Remember to treat both the environment and the host. Pulex irritans can become a human parasite.	Human flea
Which ballerina, born in Ireland, was the founder of the Sadler's Wells Ballet?	ADW: Pulex irritans: CLASSIFICATION Pulex irritans: information (1) To cite this page: Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2017. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org. Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.	i don't know
Which common sal\d ingredient is a member of the same family as 'Deadly Nightshade'?	Atropa belladonna Photo courtesy of Flickr user peganum All week on Wild Things, we’ll be presenting our favorite dangerous, horrifying, and monstrous plants, excerpted from The Big, Bad Book of Botany: The World’s Most Fascinating Flora by Michael Largo. Out now from William Morrow. Atropa belladonna is a Eurasian perennial with reddish, bell-shaped flowers that bear glossy-coated, black berries. Other names for the plant include belladonna, deadly nightshade, devil’s berries, naughty man’s cherries, death cherries, beautiful death, and devil’s herb. The plant earns its sinister nicknames, as its foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing potent dosages of tropane alkaloids. Its most common name, belladonna, derives from Italian, meaning “beautiful woman.” Historically, women have used the herb’s oil to dilate and enlarge the pupils for seductive effect. But it’s best known as the plant of choice for assassins through history. Advertisement A native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, the herb grows wildly in many parts of the United States, mostly in dumps, quarries, near old ruins, under shade trees, or atop wooded hills. Belladonna is a branching plant that often grows to resemble a shrub of about 4 feet in height within a single growing season. Its leaves are long, extending 7 inches, and its bell-shaped flowers are purple with green tinges, about an inch long. The fruit and berries appear green when growing, but, as the toxins get stronger in the ripening stage, turn a shiny black color. Belladonna blooms in midsummer through early fall, and its roots are thick, fleshy, and white, growing to about 6 inches or more in length. Deadly nightshade is one of the most toxic plants in the Eastern Hemisphere. While the roots are the most deadly part, the poisonous alkaloids run through the entirety of the plant. Scopolamine and hyoscyamine are among these toxins, both of which cause delirium and hallucinations. Deadly nightshade berries pose the greatest danger to children, as they are attractive and are deceptively sweet at first bite. Yet just two berries can kill a child who eats them, and it takes only 10 or 20 to kill an adult. Likewise, consuming even a single leaf can prove fatal to humans. Cattle, horses, rabbits, goats, and sheep can eat deadly nightshade without ill effect, though many pets are vulnerable to its lethal effects. Symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning present quickly, so if medical aid is far off, drink a large glass of warm vinegar or a mixture of mustard and water, which may dilute and neutralize its toxicity. Though today we understand the risks involved in using deadly nightshade outweigh any potential benefits, it has a long history in medicine and cosmetics, and as a weapon. Ancient Romans harnessed the effects of the plant to make poison-tipped arrows guaranteed to kill, and still others found it an effective anesthesia for surgery, as numbness and drowsiness are side effects of its toxic mix. If you wish to grow your own crop of the herb, soak the seeds in refrigerated water for two weeks, replacing the water daily. Plant the seeds immediately after two weeks—the young seeds will need sufficient moisture if they’re to germinate successfully, so choose a plot outdoors in May, when there is no fear of frost, and after a strong rain, when the soil is fairly moist. Place the seeds 18 inches apart from one another, and make sure to keep the soil free of weeds or other plants. First-year plants should be thinned out to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet to avoid overcrowding in the next year. Advertisement Because it’s so difficult to grow, belladonna rarely appears in gardens. Though it’s cultivated for medicinal purposes in England, France, and North America, the herb has no major value as food. Some home gardeners plant it for its large, colorful display of berries, but remember: This beauty blooms with no printed warning signs, and it’s a risky and deadly choice to grow it haphazardly. Top Comment The Nightshade family includes potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant. Is the genus described in the article the very same deadly nightshade? You know, you can graft a tomato stem onto a nightshade. More... -EricNelson745	Tomato
Astrakhan is a port in the delta of which major river?	Tomato Characteristics Pronounced: tuh-MAY-toh; tuh-MAH-toh The tomato and the chile are the most common used ingredients in salsas. The tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant, a member of the nightshade family, which includes Tomatillo , Eggplant, and Chayote. The nightshade family also includes many species that produce poisonous alkaloids including tobacco (produces nicotine), deadly nightshade (produces atropine), and mandrake (produces hyoscymine, used for motion sickness and as a preoperative anesthetic). It is thought that the tomato originated in South America (probably Peru). It was domesticated by the Incas was introduced to Mexico where it was given the indian name, xicotomatl, now known in Mexico as jitomate. Spanish explorers introduced the tomato to Europe, but most Europeans were relucant to eat the tomato -- Since the tomato is a member of the nightshade family, it was commonly thought to be poisonous. On the contrary, today the tomato is known as the primary source of Lycopene, an antioxidant carotenoid in the same family as beta carotene, which gives the tomato its red color. Lycopene may help protect against diseases such as cancer and heart disease. A tomato has high levels of vitamin C, folate, lycopene, and is low in calories with an average tomato having about 30 calories. The original wild, Incan tomato was a small cherry-sized berry with many ruffles and ridges. In the late 1800's, a horticulturist named Alexander W. Livingston spent many years attempting to develop a commercial tomato with a smooth contour, larger uniform size and better flavor. He suceeded in 1870 with a variety of tomato called the Paragon, and tomato culture began at once to be a great enterprise of the county. Today, tens of millions of tons of tomatos are havested in the US and Mr. Livingston's home town of Reynoldsburg, Ohio is generally recognized as the birthplace of the tomato. Incredibly, each man, woman and child in America consumes almost 80 pounds of tomatoes every year. Many people don't realize the tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant. By definition, a fruit is the fleshy, seed-bearing part of a plant. A vegetable is part of various types of plants eaten as food. In 1893, however, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Nix v. Hedden that because the tomato was used as a vegetable - eaten with the main part of the meal instead of at the end - it should be legally classified as such, and therefore be subject to the same tariffs as other vegetables when imported. When a tomato ripens, the fruit changes color, and develops flavor. The color changes is caused by loss of green chlorophyll and conversion of carotenoids into red lycopene pigments. The tomato naturally produces ethylene, a colorless gas with a sweet ether-like odor. Ethylene is a ripening hormone for several fruits, including apples, avocados, bananas, melons, peaches, and pears (NOTE: these ethylene producing fruits should never be stored with ethylene-sensitive vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens like cabbage and lettuce). Commercial tomatoes are often picked prior to a ripe maturity and ripened later by "gassing" with ethylene. Ethylene, however, can not change the color of the tomato. This produces the light reddish-pink, tasteless tomatoes commonly found in grocery stores. Personally, I have no use for these tomatoes. Use fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes when available. Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used within a few days. They should never be refrigerated -- Refrigerating kills the flavor, the nutrients, the texture. Tomatoes ripen from inside out with the center of the tomato always riper than the skin. The ideal temperature for tomatoes is somewhere between 55�-70�. At this temperature the tomato will ripen inside and out. The tomato will have a full flavor and stay moist and plump. Varieties	i don't know
Who was the author of 'Moll Flanders'?	Moll Flanders - Daniel Defoe - Google Books Moll Flanders 0 Reviews https://books.google.com/books/about/Moll_Flanders.html?id=hHXAoq3h9FQC Moll Flanders is, according to Virginia Woolf, one of the "few English novels which we can call indisputably great." Written by Defoe in 1722 under a pseudonym so his readers would think it an actual journal of the ribald fortunes and misfortunes of a woman in eighteenth-century London, the book remains a picaresque novel of astonishing vitality. From her birth in Newgate Prison to her ascent to a position of wealth and stature, Moll Flanders demonstrates both a mercantile spirit and an indomitable will. This vivid saga of an irresistible and notorious heroine--her high misdemeanors and delinquencies, her varied careers as a prostitute, a charming and faithful wife, a thief, and a convict--endures today as one of the liveliest, most candid records of a woman's progress through the hypocritical labyrinth of society ever recorded. "Defoe seems to have taken his characters so deeply into his mind that he lived them without exactly knowing how," wrote Virginia Woolf. "Like all unconscious artists, he leaves more gold in his work than his own generation was able to bring to the surface." What people are saying - Write a review We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. Selected pages View all » Common terms and phrases afterwards answer asked assured Bank of England Barnet began believe better Betty boatswain Brickhill brother brought called captain carried child circumstances coach Colchester consent constable creature cried DANIEL DEFOE dear desired discourse door Dunstable England expected father fellow fortune fright gave gentleman gentlewoman give gold watch gone governess guineas hand handsome Harwich heard highwaymen honest husband Ireland justice justice of peace kind knew lady lived lodged London looked madam maid marriage married mercer midwife mistress Moll Flanders mother never Newgate night obliged occasion offered Old Bailey pawnbroker pickpocket plantation poor repentance resolved says Robin sent servants shilling ship short sincere sister soon story sure surprised taken talk tankard tell there’s things thither thought told took whore wife woman word York River About the author (2000) Daniel Defoe--arguably the most prolific writer in the English language and considered by many the father of the novel and the founder of modern journalism--was born at St. Giles, Cripplegate, in the heart of the City of London, probably in the fall of 1660. He was the third child and only son of James Foe, a prosperous tallow chandler of Flemish ancestry, and his wife, Alice. (The author assumed the more genteel name of Defoe when he reached the age of thirty-five.) Two years later, in 1662, the family left the Church of England to become Presbyterian Dissenters, who were barred from universities and from civil and military service. Consequently, young Defoe studied for the Presbyterian ministry at the Reverend Charles Morton's highly respected Academy for Dissenters at Newington Green north of London. In 1682, however, Defoe decided against a career in the Nonconformist church and soon established himself as a merchant in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. In 1684, he married Mary Tuffley, who brought with her a sizable dowry. During their lifetime together she bore him eight children, six of whom lived to adulthood. After serving briefly in the Duke of Monmouth's ill-fated rebellion against the soon-to-be-deposed James II, Defoe bought a pardon from the government, became a successful tradesman in various commodities, traveled extensively in England and on the Continent, and published several political tracts. Yet by 1692, reckless investments forced him to declare bankruptcy for �17,000, then the equivalent of a small fortune. He eventually paid his creditors but was never entirely free from debt again. It was perhaps inevitable that Defoe--an outspoken "freeman" of the City of London as well as a Puritan with a mission to print the truth even if it often meant satirizing the hypocrisies of church and state--would eventually find his calling as a prodigious pamphleteer during one of the most tumultuous periods in English history. His first significant publication was An Essay upon Projects (1697); the book (which exerted a lasting influence on Benjamin Franklin) advocated a number of imaginative economic and social reforms, including a system of national relief for the poor and education for women. But it was not until the appearance in 1701 of The True-Born Englishman, a bestselling satirical poem ridiculing the opponents of William III, whom Defoe served as a propagandist, that he achieved fame. Notoriety soon followed, however, with "The Shortest Way with the Dissenters" (1702), an ill-timed mock-sermon lampooning High Church intolerance, which resulted in his arrest for seditious libel in 1703. Imprisoned and sentenced to stand in the pillory, the author won over the mob by distributing copies of "A Hymn to the Pillory" (1703), a poem declaring the inability of such a punishment to injure an honest man. As Defoe later wrote: "I have seen the rough side of the world as well as the smooth, and have in less than half a year tasted the difference between the closet of a king and the dungeon of Newgate." Released through the intervention of Robert Harley, a moderate Tory minister, Defoe was soon pressed into service as a spy (he traveled throughout England and Scotland, actively promoting their union) and political journalist. From 1704 to 1713 he nearly single-handedly wrote the Review, a pro-government newspaper that was, nevertheless, the liveliest tabloid to appear in England up to that time. Eventually published thrice weekly, it even featured a modern "advice" column, and many of the articles still make entertaining reading. A prolific and versatile writer, Defoe produced hundreds of works on every conceivable subject: politics, geography, crime, religion, economics, marriage, psychology, and even superstition. In 1715 he brought out The Family Instructor, the first of his bestselling books on personal conduct. After the accession of George I to the English throne in 1714 (and the fall of Harley), Defoe was once again arrested for debt, and his satirical pamphlets were judged treasonable. However, he was released through official influence and soon began editing the journal Mercurius Politicus from 1716 to 1720 on behalf of the Whig ministry. Afterward, in perhaps his most famous "collaboration," Defoe wrote for the Weekly Journal, or Saturday's Post, which enjoyed a circulation of some 10,000 copies a week, and later contributed to Applebee's Original Weekly Journal. Then, in 1719 at the age of fifty-nine, Defoe turned to fiction, writing Robinson Crusoe. Partly based on the memoirs of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, and others, the landmark book was published as autobiography, with the intention of preaching a sound moral and shaping public opinion. Likewise, his subsequent novels--Captain Singleton (1720), Moll Flanders (1722), A Journal of the Plague Year (1722), Colonel Jack (1722), and Roxana (1724)--were brought out as diaries or autobiographies of supposedly real people. Nevertheless, as Virginia Woolf noted, Defoe had indeed "shaped the novel and launched it on its way." And James Joyce observed, "Defoe was the first English author to write without imitating or adapting foreign works, to create without literary models and to infuse into the creatures of his pen a truly national spirit, to devise for himself an artistic form which is perhaps without precedent." In his final years, Defoe's writing focused on the direct treatment of subjects that had always interested him--travel, economics, geography, and the social problems of England. His works during this period included the three-volume guide A Tour Thro' the whole Island of Great Britain (1724-26), The Complete English Tradesman (1726), The Political History of the Devil (1726), "Augusta Triumphans: Or, The Way to Make London the Most Flourishing City in the Universe" (1728), A Plan Of The English Commerce (1728), An Effectual Scheme for the Immediate Preventing of Street Robberies, and Suppressing All Other Disorders of the Night (1731), and The Complete English Gentleman (not published until 1890). Daniel Defoe was still dodging creditors when he died of a stroke on April 24, 1731, at his lodgings in Rope Makers' Alley, not far from the area of London where he had lived as a child. He was buried two days later in the Dissenters cemetery at Bunhill Fields. Bibliographic information	Daniel Defoe
Who wrote the children's book 'National Velvet'?	Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe - AbeBooks Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe You Searched For: Results (1 - 30) of 3919 1 ISBN 10: 0451526333 ISBN 13: 9780451526335 Used ISBN 10: 0140620257 ISBN 13: 9780140620252 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 1853260738 ISBN 13: 9781853260735 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 1853260738 ISBN 13: 9781853260735 Used PAPERBACK ISBN 10: 0451526333 ISBN 13: 9780451526335 Used ISBN 10: 0451526333 ISBN 13: 9780451526335 Used ISBN 10: 0307291545 ISBN 13: 9780307291547 Used ISBN 10: 0140253815 ISBN 13: 9780140253818 Used Published by Signet Classics (1981) Used ISBN 10: 0394605306 ISBN 13: 9780394605302 Used Published by Houghton Mifflin Company (1959) Used ISBN 10: 0613173791 ISBN 13: 9780613173797 Used ISBN 10: 1908533226 ISBN 13: 9781908533227 Used Published by Signet Classics (1981) Used ISBN 10: 0460870955 ISBN 13: 9780460870955 Used Published by Hogarth Press (1931) Used First Edition ISBN 10: 0451529855 ISBN 13: 9780451529855 Used ISBN 10: 0199556075 ISBN 13: 9780199556076 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 1853260738 ISBN 13: 9781853260735 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 1426477333 ISBN 13: 9781426477331 Used ISBN 10: 0140433139 ISBN 13: 9780140433135 Used ISBN 10: 039304291X ISBN 13: 9780393042917 Used First Edition ISBN 10: 039309412X ISBN 13: 9780393094121 Used ISBN 10: 0394605306 ISBN 13: 9780394605302 Used ISBN 10: 0451529855 ISBN 13: 9780451529855 Used ISBN 10: 0679405488 ISBN 13: 9780679405481 Used ISBN 10: 1853260738 ISBN 13: 9781853260735 Used Paperback ISBN 10: 0451529855 ISBN 13: 9780451529855 Used ISBN 10: 0451529855 ISBN 13: 9780451529855 Used ISBN 10: 0451529855 ISBN 13: 9780451529855 Used Results (1 - 30) of 3919 1 Sort By Create a Want Tell us what you're looking for and once a match is found, we'll inform you by e-mail. BookSleuth Can't remember the title or the author of a book? Our BookSleuth is specially designed for you. Mobile View: Available Not Available × FillZ.com Inventory, Repricing and Order Management By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions . © 1996 - 2017 AbeBooks Inc. All Rights Reserved. AbeBooks, the AbeBooks logo, AbeBooks.com, "Passion for books." and "Passion for books. Books for your passion." are registered trademarks with the Registered US Patent & Trademark Office.	i don't know
Who, born in Gloucestershire, composed 'On Wedlock Edge' in 1909?	Born: October 12, 1872, Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, Eng Died: August 26, 1958, London The son of a clergyman, Ralph Vaughan Williams attended the Royal College of Music and then took music degrees at Trinity College, Cambridge University. He also studied in Berlin with Max Bruch and in Paris with Maurice Ravel. On his return to England, Vaughan Williams served as organist and choirmaster in several churches and was a teacher of composition at the Royal College of Music. In 1904 Vaughan Williams joined the English Folk Song Society, and for several years he was active in collecting and arranging old English melodies. He also became familiar with the music of William Byrd and Henry Purcell, English composers of the 16th and 17th centuries. The modal melodies of the folk songs and the free rhythms and smooth counterpoint of the early composers became important elements of Vaughan Williams's compositions. The Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis for string quartet and double string orchestra (1908, revised 1913) is one of Vaughan Williams's most important early compositions. With this piece English music shook off 2 centuries of German domination and tapped a rich source of indigenous music. The cool modal harmonies and antiphonal string writing contrast strongly with the lush, feverish music that was being composed in France and Germany at this time. The London Symphony (1914) is another important piece in Vaughan Williams's development. Its sprightly rhythms and street tunes, the impressionist evocation of autumn mist on the Thames in the second movement, the chimes of Big Ben at the end - all this was new in 20th-century English music. Vaughan Williams continued to write symphonies throughout his life; the last, his Ninth, was written shortly before his death when he was 86. In these works one can follow the composer's steady development. The Fourth (1935) and Sixth (1948) symphonies are perhaps his strongest, and most dissonant, statements. Vocal music, both solo and choral, also played an important role in Vaughan William's output. Early in his career he edited and contributed to the English Hymnal (1906). His setting of A. E. Housman's poems, On Wenlock Edge, for tenor and string quartet (1909) is frequently performed, as is his Mass in G Minor for double a cappella chorus (1923). His operas include Hugh the Drover (1911-1914), which incorporates folk songs, and Sir John in Love (1929), based on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor. In the latter work Vaughan Williams used the Elizabethan song "Greensleeves," which helped to make it one of the most familiar "folk" tunes of the 20th century. Although he did not follow the newer trends and musical fashions of his day, Vaughan Williams created a thoroughly original style based on English folk music, 16th-and 17th-century polyphony, and informal music of his own times, including jazz. He stated his credo as a composer in his book National Music (1934): "Music is above all things the art of the common man--the art of the humble--What the ordinary man will expect from the composer is not cleverness, or persiflage, or an assumed vulgarity--he will want something that will open to him the 'magic casements.'-- The art of music above all other arts is the expression of the soul of a nation-- any community of people who are spiritually bound together by language, environment, history and common ideals, and, above all, a continuity with the past."	Ralph Vaughan Williams
Name the Roman equivalent to the Greek goddess, Pallas Athena?	Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams A statue of Ralph Vaughan Williams in Dorking.Ralph Vaughan Williams, OM (October 12, 1872 – August 26, 1958) was an influential English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also an important collector of English folk music and song. Biography Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, where his father, the Rev. Arthur Vaughan Williams, was vicar . Following his father's death in 1875 he was taken by his mother, Margaret Susan Wedgwood (1843–1937), the great grand daughter of the potter Josiah Wedgwood, to live with her family at Leith Hill Place, the Wedgwood family home in the North Downs. He was also related to the Darwins, Charles Darwin being a great-uncle. Ralph (pronounced "Rafe"[1]) was therefore born into the privileged intellectual upper middle class, but never took it for granted and worked tirelessly all his life for the democratic and egalitarian ideals he believed in. The Darwin-Wedgwood-Galton family tree, showing Vaughan Williams's relationship to Charles DarwinAs a student he had studied piano, "which I never could play, and the violin, which was my musical salvation." After Charterhouse School he attended the Royal College of Music (RCM) under Charles Villiers Stanford. He read history and music at Trinity College, Cambridge where his friends and contemporaries included the philosophers G. E. Moore and Bertrand Russell. He then returned to the RCM and studied composition with Hubert Parry, who became a close friend. His composing developed slowly and it was not until he was 30 that the song "Linden Lea" became his first publication. He mixed composition with conducting, lecturing and editing other music, notably that of Henry Purcell and the English Hymnal. He had further lessons with Max Bruch in Berlin in 1897 and later a big step forward in his orchestral style occurred when he studied in Paris with Maurice Ravel. In 1904 he discovered English folk songs, which were fast becoming extinct owing to the increase of literacy and printed music in rural areas. He travelled the countryside, transcribing and preserving many himself. Later he incorporated some songs and melodies into his own music, being fascinated by the beauty of the music and its anonymous history in the working lives of ordinary people. His efforts did much to raise appreciation of traditional English folk song and melody. Later in his life he served as president of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) which in recognition of his early and important work in this field, named its Vaughan Williams Memorial Library after him. In 1905 RVW conducted the first concert of the newly founded Leith Hill Music Festival at Dorking and thereafter held that conductorship until 1953 when he passed the baton to his successor. In 1909, he composed incidental music for a stage production at Cambridge University of Aristophanes' The Wasps, and the next year, he had his first big public successes conducting the premieres of the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis (at The Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral) and A Sea Symphony (Symphony No. 1), and a greater success with A London Symphony (Symphony No. 2) in 1914, conducted by Geoffrey Toye. Being 40, he could have avoided war service. Having had a public school education he could have tried for a commission. He chose to enlist as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps and had a gruelling time as a stretcher bearer before being commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery. On one occasion he was too ill to stand but continued to direct his battery lying on the ground. Prolonged exposure to gunfire began a process of loss of hearing which was eventually to cause deafness in old age. In 1918 he was appointed Director of Music, First Army and this helped him adjust back into musical life. After the war he adopted for a while a profoundly mystical style in the Pastoral Symphony (Symphony No. 3) and Flos Campi, a work for viola solo, small orchestra, and wordless chorus. From 1924 a new phase in his music began, characterised by lively cross-rhythms and clashing harmonies. Key works from this period are Toccata marziale, the ballet Old King Cole, the Piano Concerto, the oratorio Sancta Civitas (his favourite of his choral works) and the ballet Job (described as "A Masque for Dancing") which is drawn not from the Bible but from William Blake's Illustrations to the Book of Job. He also composed a Te deum in G for the enthronement of Cosmo Gordon Lang as Archbishop of Canterbury. This period in his music culminated in the Symphony No. 4 in F minor, first played by the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1935. This symphony contrasts dramatically with the frequent "pastoral" orchestral works he composed; indeed, its almost unrelieved tension, drama, and dissonance has startled listeners since it was premiered. Acknowledging that the fourth symphony was different, the composer said, "I don't know if I like it, but it's what I mean." Two years later Vaughan Williams made a historic recording of the work with the same orchestra for HMV (His Master's Voice), one of his very rare commercial recordings. During this period he lectured in America and England, and conducted the Bach Choir. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1935, having previously declined a knighthood. His music now entered a mature lyrical phase, as in the Five Tudor Portraits; the "morality" The Pilgrim's Progress; the Serenade to Music (a setting of a scene from act five of The Merchant of Venice, for orchestra and sixteen vocal soloists and composed as a tribute to the conductor Sir Henry Wood); and the Symphony No. 5 in D, which he conducted at the Proms in 1943. As he was now 70, many people considered it a swan song, but he renewed himself again and entered yet another period of exploratory harmony and instrumentation. Before his death in 1958 he completed four more symphonies, including No. 7 Sinfonia Antartica, based on his 1948 film score for Scott of the Antarctic. He also completed a range of instrumental and choral works, including a tuba concerto, An Oxford Elegy on texts of Matthew Arnold, and the Christmas cantata Hodie. At his death he left an unfinished Cello Concerto, an opera Thomas the Rhymer and music for a Christmas play, The First Nowell, which was completed by his amanuensis Roy Douglas (b. 1907). He also wrote an arrangement of The Old One Hundredth Psalm Tune for the Coronation Service of Queen Elizabeth II. Despite his substantial involvement in church music, and the religious subject-matter of many of his works, he was described by his second wife as "an atheist … [who] later drifted into a cheerful agnosticism." It's noteworthy that in his opera The Pilgrim's Progress he changed the name of the hero from Bunyan's Christian to Pilgrim. He also set Bunyan's hymn Who would true valour see to music using the traditional Sussex melody "Monk's Gate. For many church-goers, his most familiar composition may be the tune Sine Nomine for the hymn "For All the Saints". During his life he also worked as a tutor for Birkbeck College. Vaughan Williams late in life (EMI)In the 1950s, the composer supervised recordings of all but his ninth symphony by Sir Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Decca. At the end of the sessions for the mysterious sixth symphony, Vaughan Williams gave a short speech, thanking Boult and the orchestra for their performance, "most heartily," and Decca later included this on the LP. He was to supervise the first recording of the ninth symphony (for Everest Records) with Boult; his death the night before the recording sessions were to begin resulted in Boult announcing to the musicians that their performance would be a memorial to the composer. He died in 1958 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. Vaughan Williams is a central figure in British music because of his long career as teacher, lecturer and friend to so many younger composers and conductors. His writings on music remain thought-provoking, particularly his oft-repeated call for everyone to make their own music, however simple, as long as it is truly their own. He was married twice. His first wife, Adeline Fisher (daughter of the historian Herbert William Fisher), died in 1951 after many years of suffering from crippling arthritis. In 1953 he married the poet Ursula Wood (b. 1911), whom he had known since the late 1930s and with whom he collaborated on a number of vocal works. Ursula later wrote Vaughan Williams's biography RVW: A Biography of Ralph Vaughan Williams, which remains the standard work on his life. Vaughan Williams appears as a character in Robert Holdstock's novel Lavondyss. Style Vaughan Williams' music has often been said to be characteristically English, of the same genre as the works of Gustav Holst, Frederick Delius, George Butterworth, William Walton, and others. If that Englishness in music can be encapsulated in words at all, those words would probably be: ostensibly familiar and commonplace, yet deep and mystical as well as lyrical, melodic, melancholic, and nostalgic yet timeless. Ackroyd quotes Fuller Maitland, who noted that in Vaughan Williams's style "one is never quite sure whether one is listening to something very old or very new." There is in Vaughan Williams often a tangible flavour of Ravel (Vaughan Williams's mentor over a 3-month period spent in Paris in 1908), though not imitation. Ravel described Vaughan Williams as "the only one of my pupils who does not write my music." Vaughan Williams's music expresses a deep regard for and fascination with folk tunes, the variations upon which can convey the listener from the down-to-earth (which he always tried to remain in his daily life) to that which is ethereal. Simultaneously the music shows patriotism for England in the subtlest form, engendered by a feeling for ancient landscapes and a person's small yet not entirely insignificant place within them. Works	i don't know
In which Parliamentary constituency did Frank Field replace Edmund Dell as MP in 1979?	Frank Field Frank Field Follow @twitter.com/frankfieldmp Biography Frank Field was re-elected MP for Birkenhead on May 7th 2015 with 26468 votes, taking 67.6% of the vote. Born in London, he was educated at St Clement Danes Holborn Estate Boys Grammar School before studying economics at the University of Hull. In his youth, he was a member of the Conservative Party, but left due to his opposition to South Africa's apartheid system. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hounslow for four years from 1964 and in the same year became a further education teacher in Southwark and Hammersmith until he became the Director of the Child Poverty Action Group 1969-79, and of the Low Pay Unit 1974-1980. Field unsuccessfully contested Buckinghamshire South at the 1966 General Election where he was defeated soundly by the sitting Conservative veteran MP Ronald Bell. He was selected to contest the safe seat at Birkenhead at the 1979 General Election on the retirement of the sitting Labour MP Edmund Dell. Field held the seat safely with a majority of 5,909 and has remained the constituency MP since then. In Parliament Field was made a member of the Opposition frontbench by Michael Foot as a spokesman on education in 1980 but was dropped a year later. Following the appointment of Neil Kinnock as the Leader of the Opposition in 1983 he was appointed as a spokesman on health and social security for a year. He was appointed the chairman of the social services select committee in 1987, becoming the chairman of the new social security select committee in 1990, a position he held until the 1997 election. Following the 1997 election, with Labour in power, Field joined the government of Tony Blair as the Minister of Welfare Reform at the Department of Social Security with the rank of Minister of State. After Labour's defeat in the 2010 election, he was given the role of "poverty czar" in David Cameron's coalition government. On 18th June 2015 he became chairman of the Work and Pension Select Committeee. Constituency	Birkenhead
When Muhammad received the word of god at Hira, near Mecca. Where exactly was he?	Frankly Speaking. . . \| This blog is also available on Frank’s website www.frankfield.co.uk Frankly Speaking. . . July 14, 2009 Dear All, Many thanks for following Frank Field’s Blog. The RSS feed will now be generated directly from Frank’s site at http://www.frankfield.co.uk/~ff-resources/rss.php . This will be the last post on this WordPress version of the blog. If you have any problems connecting to the new feed, it would be useful if you could let me know on 0207 219 0276 or [email protected] . With best wishes, Post-Expenses Politics May 28, 2009 Part of the great political reform programme to be generated from the Commons will entail a head-to-head with Government. The aim, as I have said before, is not the Romantic one of trying to move back to the 1860s when MPs made and unmade Governments and were seen as great initiators of legislation. That was the age when only 3% of males had the vote. Responsible government – in the sense of governments being held to account by voters – necessarily entails party Government. Trying to go back to a pre-party age will drive the reform programme into a cul-de-sac. The aim of the Commons must be to ensure that the Government’s programme is better prepared and, to use that horrible phrase, “fit for purpose”. There will always be emergencies to which a Government must react. But outside this narrow area all legislative proposals should start with the publication of a green paper which: • Explains why the measure is necessary. • Justifies why the new measures cannot be achieved under existing legislation. • Sets out the reasons why Ministers believe the option they are proposing is the right one. • Analyses the costs, benefits and risks of the different options that have been considered. • Lists the discussions that have already taken place and the timetable for further discussion. • Invites the relevant select committee to help shape the main parts of the Bill. • Gives a timetable when the Commons might expect a Bill. There is nothing revolutionary here. Much of this was agreed by the House in 1997 following the Scott report, but never implemented The House also needs to establish a Committee of equal weight to the Public Accounts Committee which would be concerned exclusively with the Government budget, its size and the main headings of expenditure. This new Committee is urgently needed for reasons I have explained elsewhere. This reform is urgent if the Commons is to play its role in helping the Government shift, over the short to medium term, the record levels of debt it needs to market. One of the other necessary reforms I have already mentioned in the establishment of a Business Committee which sanctions the Commons’ timetable. This Committee would be responsible for ensuring that all Government measures are properly debated and amended by the weight of argument. But it would also be responsible for delivering back to Government its Bills on an agreed timetable. The Business Committee would also be responsible for ensuring that Select Committee reports are properly debated soon after publication. It would also timetable space for Select Committees to introduce legislation resulting from their reports. But the overall aim of the Committee should not be more, but less legislation, and of course better legislation. Equal Votes for Whom? May 26, 2009 One wag reported, on hearing the news of the death of Metternich, “Now what did he mean by that?” The actions and sayings of Alan Johnson will likewise be analysed. So what did he mean by raising the question of electoral reform? Here was a cry for traditional British politics to re-emerge. What Cabinet Government was like is still within living memory of older voters. It was not uncommon then for major figures in a political party to engage voters in a wider debate. Alan is right in insisting that the reform of Parliament has to go beyond electing a new Speaker. The new Speaker could have a key role in driving through a new contract between the Commons and the voter but also, as Alan suggests a new contract between the Commons and government. This is the central issue of the Speakership election. But is Alan right to back the Jenkins proposals? Again what is so good about Speaker Martin’s delayed resignation is that the country now has perhaps a unique opportunity to debate not that tired old phrase “constitutional reform” but to remake our democracy. We must move to a system where minority parties are better represented in Parliament. But is any reform which contains a list system, however modified, going to satisfy an electorate fed up to the teeth at what is sees as a conveyor belt of party hacks being thrown at it? For that is a key aspect of the Jenkins proposals. An element of proportionality will be brought into the system by “electing” members from a list system dominated – yes you’ve got it – by the party caucus. We surely do not want more of that. One of the tasks of reform is to lessen the grip parties have in a way which doesn’t destroy a party system delivering responsible government i.e. a Government that is able to be held to account. I have long advocated the French system. This keeps the constituency link so that every Member of Parliament knows that the buck stops with them. But it does ensure that every MP is elected by 50% plus one of the voters. On the first Sunday of an election those representatives passing that margin are declared elected. On the following Sunday French voters turn up to decide between the top two candidates from the previous week when neither had passed the 50% plus one barrier. This system is capable of delivering not only authority to the MP, but better representation for minority parties. Take my Birkenhead result in 1979. On our first part of the post system, I gained 49% of the poll, the Tories were second, the Liberals third. Under the French system I would have probably won with Liberal Votes switching to me. But suppose the Liberals had come a good second and I was still a good way from gaining the support of the majority of voters. I am not so sure in those circumstances that the Conservative voters, not to mention a whole chunk of Labour voters, would not have moved on the second ballot to elect a Liberal Member. The closer the parties are in votes, i.e. the further any candidate is from gaining 50% plus one of the votes, the greater the “upset” is likely to be. The other system I have advocated is open primaries. I believe in Birkenhead the law should allow the local Labour party to put me up with other Labour candidates in a primary and allow all voters, Tories and Liberals, to select the candidate who will in all likelihood the next Member of Parliament. Not only would such a system prevent the wasted vote syndrome that there is in the safest seats. But it would likely result in a large number of such seats seeing the successful candidate from the primary being elected in a General Election unopposed. The fight could have already taken place in the primary. Why not let parties hold such primaries should they want to? A small change in the electoral law would give a green light to greater voter choice of their representative. For more information please see my Policy Exchange pamphlet “ Life Support “. A Clean Sweep May 18, 2009 When the Speaker stands up today at 3:30, he has to deal with what might become a complete breakdown of trust in our Parliamentary system, by voters, as a result of the expenses fiasco. The question of expenses rightly angers the public, but the Speaker is now offered a unique opportunity to reform Parliament. His statement will hopefully cover five areas: 1. He should announce zero tolerance to fraudulent claims. Those in the outside world guilty of the worst abuses that have been uncovered would face prosecution. MPs should not be exempt from the criminal law. My guess is a lot of local parties will also begin the process of deselection. Failure to do so will see incumbents challenged by anti-sleaze candidates, who will probably win their seat. 2. The Speaker needs to announce immediate measures governing all allowances while awaiting the Kelly Commission on Standards in Public Life to report. All expenses from the beginning of this financial year should go online, the moment they have been agreed by the fees office. A slim-line Additional Cost Allowance should be announced with the clearest of guidelines outlining what can be claimed – not what cannot be claimed. The Communications Allowance should be abolished, no allowances should be used for supposed “services” received from local parties, and MPs should be forbidden to allow their local parties to use their offices in the constituencies. 3. The Speaker should announce that he has requested the Kelly Commission to report by mid-July. MPs can then debate the proposals before the summer, but they need to approve them without changing a dot or comma. The Fees Office would then have the summer recess to bring in the totally new system operating from the autumn. 4. The Commons must recognise that we live in an age of party governments, and that parties are crucial for delivering responsible government. Failure to get through their election programme would result in governments not being accountable for broken election promises. As a part of a new clear contract between the government and the Commons, while accepting the need for party government, the Speaker should announce today that it is up to the House of Commons to decide how the Government gets that programme through the House. He should set out that he intends to propose new machinery for managing House of Commons business, so that the Commons itself will in future organise its own timetable to consider Government measures, as well as its own measures. 5. The House of Commons must now better represent the views of voters. This should naturally follow from the Commons gaining control over its own timetable. The Government needs to be much more relaxed about the details of their programme so that MPs, better representing their constituents, can make measures contained in government Bills are more fit for purpose. Similarly, the Commons needs to elect the Chairmen and Members of each of its own Committees by secret ballot. The Select Committee system should also be enhanced not only in a pre-legislative role on Bills. It needs to extend its works so that serious issues raised by constituents are reported upon making it easier for those issues to be translated into future reform programmes. Further reading: No Expense Spared May 12, 2009 There is literally no obvious way out of the appalling mess in which MPs now find themselves over our allowances. The opportunities we have had – in deciding how to disclose information about our allowances – were squandered. Worse still we have given up any attempt to control events. Authority has been passed to the Kelly Committee on standards in public life. What we can therefore do now is limited. But we are not totally without influence. The leadership should come from the head man. The Prime Minister should act today. He should invite again the leaders of the other parties to join him in Downing Street. The purpose would be to agree an all party leadership recommendation to the Kelly Committee and they should not leave Downing Street until the outline of an agreement is made. If he doesn’t, one of the other party leaders should take the lead. They should then ask the Kelly Committee to speed up their enquiry. It should be asked to report on the second homes allowance within a month. Can the second home allowance live up to its name? Should Members who are required to have a second home not loose out financially compared to London MPs? If that is answered in the affirmative then some reforms fall immediately into place. The Kelly Committee should list what it believes it would be legitimate to expense. Parliament should accept without amendment the Kelly proposals. Naturally all expense claims each month must go online as soon as they are cleared. But how does the political class get some sense of authority and dignity back? Only the electorate can give this back. And it will not come back by simply holding a general election. We have to be much more radical. We will know from opinion polls whether what Kelly proposes is supported by the voters. If it is not so, then Kelly and MPs must sell the proposals to the country by way of debate, and, if needbe, by calling a referendum. The voters who pick up our bills must approve. And I don’t kid myself that that will be nice for MPs. Voters are pretty angry and may well be in vengeful mood. The only way we can make a new beginning is to submit our allowances to the electorate to decide. I don’t for one moment think the course of action will be an easy ride for MPs. But do we deserve one? May 11, 2009 I didn’t think I would feel so sad. How wrong can you get? Friday was my last day in Birkenhead Town Hall – the place where I have held surgeries throughout the past thirty years. The Council has kindly fixed me up with accommodation across the square in the Treasurer’s department. But I hadn’t realised what a wrench it would be. In those early days, I had a tiny boxroom on the ground floor which just held me, a constituent, two chairs and a very small table. People would come in to the Town Hall on a ground level and would sign in to see me. It was in this little room that I first met Edmund Dell after being selected in January 1979 as the prospective Labour candidate for the town. Edmund was a glorious person and part of his glory was in his shyness. The shyness prevented him from looking straight into my face. But, steadily directing his eyes towards to the wall I was facing, he gave me two pieces of advice. The first was not to rush in and increase the numbers of surgeries that he held. It is very easy, later, to make surgeries even more regular, but it is very unpopular to cut the number. That advice I have followed to the letter of the law and it is only been over the last five, or is it ten, years that I have held surgeries as he did on the second and fourth Friday in the month, but now include the fifth Friday as well. The other piece showed his optimistic nature. “One day”, he told me, “you will be famous. People will ask you to speak in their constituencies. You can only ever lose votes in an election. Accept every one of those invitations for it is better to lose votes in someone else’s constituency that your own”. I fear I have failed Edmund on his second prophesy, but all those memories came flooding back to me on Friday evening. These surgeries play a crucial part in my role as MP. I don’t mean here the traditional role that constituents should be able to go to their MP and, if possible, seek redress for any legitimate grievance. This role is crucial importance and becomes more so. Part of one’s job as an MP is to say there is no redress. But my role is to try and change the law. This has been a really valuable side of surgeries for me. The have been my constant tutorial over the past thirty years. All the good ideas I’ve had in proposing reform have had their genesis in that little room in the Town Hall. On another occasion I will list some of the best ideas and best reforms you, my constituents, have taught me. But now I leave the Town Hall. It is up for sale. Will anyone buy? More importantly, what will it do to Birkenhead not to have a Town Hall? Having a place to meet cheaply is another public service drastically cut back by this latest closure. Two glorious opportunities to give Birkenhead Town Hall new life have slipped through our fingers. It was the obvious site, being at the centre of the borough, for being the office of the new Wirral authority. The Labour group decided that was where the Central Office should be and Labour councillors in Bebbington, West Wirral and, of course, Birkenhead voted for it. But the Labour councillors in Wallasey voted with the Tories throughout the borough to have Wallasey. How stupid can you get? The other splendid opportunity was when the current council was looking for decent accommodation in Birkenhead for some of its staff. A Senior Officer (without authority) signed a contract to remodernise the Cheshire Lines building. How stupid can you get again? The £11M – or whatever the huge sum was that was spent on Cheshire Lines – a building we will never own and on which we pay rent – could have been used to make Birkenhead the second council centre in the borough. And guess what? That chief officer who acted in this way remains in post! Quantitative Unease May 7, 2009 The political economy of the crisis moved on significantly both yesterday and today. Yesterday the Commons debated the second reading of the Finance Bill – the Budget in other words. I had already tabled an Early Day Motion, backed by Vince Cable, calling for a rational debate about public expenditure cuts that are on the way, and for the Commons itself to setup a committee that would recommend how public expenditure – forecast yesterday by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research to come in at 48 per cent of GDP in 2012 – is brought into line with the Government’s optimistic projections for revenue coming in 10 per cent lower at 38 per cent in the same year. Supposing the market simply can’t digest all the debt the Government intends shovelling out this year, next year, and for many years to come. So in yesterday’s debate I made a plea that the Government and the House should have a plan B. £25bn in debt has been successfully sold this year – leaving about £200bn to be offloaded. What will happen if the Debt Office tells to the Treasury, then to the Prime Minister that the market is refusing to buy? The Treasury Select Committee has just reported that the cost of floating this debt will rise i.e. even more of future budgets will be ear marked for interest repayments. Please God the day will never come, but if the Government cannot shift its debt even at higher interest rates, it will have to act that evening before the markets open the next day. Failure to do so will see the value of Sterling plunge through the floor. In attempt to safeguard the currency the Government will be forced into a slash and burn policy with respect to public expenditure. It might also be forced into forming a national Government. It may even have to adopt both approaches. My plea has always been that in the run up to the election shifting the debt will prove much more difficult than the optimistic souls that run the Government believe and, that we should get a plan B in place now. Hence the plea for the House to act to start planning the new radical politics of achieving key goals while cutting severely the level of public expenditure. That was the theme of the amendment I tabled to the Finance Bill Second Reading yesterday and I again was joined by Vince Cable and his deputy Jeremy Browne. This topic is no longer confined to a no-go area of debate. There is now the beginning of movement on the Tory benches. What was noticeable, however, was the totally impassive way Treasury Ministers sat in the debate while MPs, now of all three parties are raising their concerns on whether it is simply possible to raise the levels of debt the Government believes is necessary to balance the book. . An equally important report was issued today by the shadow monetary policy committee run by the Times and the IEA. At long last this group has begun to expose one of the dangers with the Bank of England’s strategy for printing money, or as it is euphemistically called, ‘quantitative easing’. There might be a case for such a policy but, given the banks’ failure to lend adequately to businesses, surely this money should have been used to buy corporate bonds and debts, rather than Government gilts. The result of concentrating on gilts has meant that far from injecting money into the economy, quantitative easing has seen the money go abroad, as it is foreign holders of Government gilts who have been quickest to sell. Surely there must be a halt to this policy until a careful analysis has been done of the impact so far of a printing money policy. There may well be a case for this strategy if it is targeted on the corporate sector. But soon, surely, somebody is going to put their good brains to the question of how one withdraws the printed money from the economy. For unlike the bank, I don’t believe the inflation genie is safely secured inside the lamp. Can universities Russell up reform? April 30, 2009 To balance the national accounts, taxes will have to go up and public expenditure will have to come down. Both changes offer huge opportunities to radicals. The necessary tax increases should be used to move our tax system from being, at best, proportional, to become more progressive. Similarly, cuts in public expenditure should concentrate the mind on what key reforms would most significantly change our society for the better. I have outlined before how I believe a radical pension reform, guaranteeing all pensioners over time an income above mean-testing, would help to begin to transform the public accounts. The means test bill – £15bn and rising – would start to decline as more and more pensioners qualified for a decent minimum. The £15-16bn of tax subsidies to pension savings could be phased out over a fifteen year period and a closure put on any new entrants to public sector pensions. Higher education awaits similar radical proposals. At one time our great universities were independent of Government and great powers in the land – rather like medieval Barons. It was they who shaped higher education policy, not transient bureaucrats in Whitehall. In a letter in today’s Financial Times, I call on the Russell Group of universities – the best endowed – to declare independence before it is forced on them by the next radical Government. Their task should be to set out how many students they believe they should take and on what terms. They should cease taking orders from any Government. The objective of 50 per cent of the population going to university was always unsound educationally. It is now financially impossible. What the universities must not get into is a “game” with the Government whereby this absurd target is pursued when the size of individual undergraduate budgets being cut. Governments will continue to set the amount tax-payers will be asked to fund higher education. When naming their price per student the universities would determine the numbers going into higher education and what courses are offered. We are likely to see some universities close. But isn’t that better than duping successive generations of students to undertake courses which make them worse off in terms of salaries than if they didn’t go to university in the first place? The ground would then be set for a blooming of other forms of education (although they may not be so named) catering for those who have both been to university and those who have not. The one thing we can be sure of is that this new sector, paid for by consumers, will be stunted at birth while central Governments run a Stalinist-type command economy for higher education. Blood, Sweat, Toil and Tears Now April 30, 2009 The potential threat facing the country is as great as the actual one was in 1940. The country needs to be roused to the challenge that faces it. In 1940, Churchill did not offer the country ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’ to then postpone efforts until after an election. He asked for an immediate coming together of the best sides of the nation. Today the country cannot be roused to the huge financial challenge it faces if the two main parties duck and tell us that they’ll be back once the votes are counted. It is vital that politicians and the media move on from the bread and circus agenda of MPs’ expenses and get real. The big issue confronting the country is whether it can raise huge, unprecedented shedloads of debt. Vince Cable and I have tabled today an Early Day Motion calling for a serious debate now, and not after the next election, on how to balance the nation’s accounts. Both major parties are stringing the voters along, teasingly suggesting that big cuts in expenditure and tax hikes will be necessary, but neither has any intention of disclosing their plans to rational debate before the election. What both major parties overlook is that the money markets may not be compliant in a game of party politicking over the country’s future. Even on the Government’s own figures, Britain will proportionally be trying to borrow more money to balance its accounts over the medium to long term than any other G8 country. The markets are already showing some nervousness as the Government sets out to raise a record £220bn of loans this year. It costs more, for example, to insure against the Government defaulting on its gilts than it does, say, to insure against Cadbury’s being unable to redeem its company debt. If the Government has difficulty in finding the necessary borrowers there could be a swift collapse in our currency bringing economic chaos in its wake. If this scenario is allowed to develop the Government will be forced to slash and burn public expenditure projects. It is to prevent this scenario, and for the country to begin a rational debate on how tax and revenue streams are brought into balance in the medium term, that Vince and I have tabled today’s motion. The Government’s expenditure programmes currently come in at 48%, yet the Budget Red Book shows that in 2013/14 less than 38% of what we produce will be raised in revenue to meet this bill. These figures not only highlight the danger to which the country is now exposed – can the gap be filled by borrowing? – but they usher in a new political era. The size of the State or – what Governments can do – is going to change. If we don’t have an open and full debate the new politics will quickly take on a reactionary bent. The new politics offers a once in a generation opportunity for radical politics. The first concern in increasing taxation is to ensure that those on modest to low incomes do not bear once again the main brunt of tax rises. Similarly, the new politics offers the opportunity radically to rethink what the Government’s objectives should be. I have detailed elsewhere how the goal of eliminating pensioner poverty could be achieved while at the same time cutting back over a fifteen year period the tax subsidies to pension savings, the cost of public sector pensions and, because the single thrust of Government policy is to abolish pensioner poverty, a significant reduction and then elimination of the pensioner means-tested programme. It is reforms like this that have a single objective which can be achieved over the medium term that will transform the national accounts. We now have time to set out how the nation’s finances can be transformed. The stranglehold on this debate by the two main political parties must be broken. Failure to convince the money-lenders than the country is serious about balancing its books could lead to a failure to raise the shedloads of debt any government must raise in the short run, resulting in a further collapse in the currency (already down by 30%) and untold economic chaos and misery. If the two major parties fail to act, the House of Commons must seize the initiative to begin plotting a new safe course for the country.	i don't know
Which large marsh,once thought bottomless, lies between Liverpool and Manchester?	The Warehouse: The Quest for Crossrail's Missing Cores 00:36, 26 August 2015 John Bull — 53 Comments The squealing of machinery comes to a halt and the large red light on the operator’s panel turns green. A buzzer sounds and he steps forward, opening a salt-encrusted gate to reveal a small miner’s lift. On its floor more salt has formed into small drifts. It has walls on two sides, but apart from a safety bar the back is open, the rear wall of the shaft (and the gaps in it) clearly visible. “If you’re not good with that kind of thing then best face forward.” Says Graeme McDonald, Head of Operations for Deepstore. “Either that or we can just turn our helmet lamps off.” He says with a grin, gesturing up to the empty spot where, in a regular lift, the light fitting would be. The miners’ lift from a distance and then close up. The regular entrance to Deepstore’s facility is closed for maintenance. That this doesn’t stop us from entering is a rather effective demonstration of just what makes this facility so unique. For this is no run-of-the-mill secure storage facility, nor is it even in London. In fact we are at Winsford Rock Salt Mine in Cheshire, Britain’s oldest active rock salt mine. Deepstore inhabits some of its mined-out tunnels and thus with the main visitor lift out of action we are heading underground the same way the miners do. The fact that we are here at all might seem to be a spectacular case of scope creep on the part of the inhabitants here at LR Towers. Deepstore are underground, certainly, but they are not Underground. Nor, quite obviously, are they within the M25. 150 metres below us, however, lie literally kilometres of London in the form of thousands of broken-down core samples – all carefully collected, compared and catalogued by Crossrail over a fifteen year period. Intended primarily to ensure that no surprises awaited its Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) as they carved a path through the ground beneath the Capital, in the process they also expanded our geological understanding of what exactly lies beneath our feet. Down in the mine. Note the remains of an old narrow-gauge railway. The big question Before looking at the contents of Crossrail’s vault itself it is worth stepping back briefly and looking at the path which led to Cheshire. For the residents of LR Towers this journey began back in 2012 when we looked at the surveys Crossrail had to carry out to ensure the route was free of unexploded WW2 bombs . Whilst there was no need to retain the vast majority of the core samples taken as part of this particular process, it did prompt a question – core surveys to establish the geology of the route had been undertaken since the early nineties… …so where were they? We built this city on rock and loam In the world of geological engineering there is an old adage: “You pay for a quality ground investigation whether you procure one or not.” Karl von Terzaghi, father of soil mechanics The attribution in perhaps apocryphal, but the sentiment is certainly true. Any large scale construction project is at risk of failure if the ground on which it is built is not thoroughly surveyed. This is doubly true for tunnelling, where an unexpected change in the condition of the ground through which you are tunnelling can bring disaster. This was something Marc Brunel discovered to great cost during his efforts to build the Thames Tunnel , the world’s first tunnel beneath a tidal river. Although his efforts would eventually be successful, unexpected pockets of sand and silt contributed to the tunnel collapses and flooding that would bring the project to the edge of disaster and cost lives. More recently, a similar failure to understand an area’s geology would play a key part in the rampant delays and cost escalations that would plague Boston’s “Big Dig” . Travelling through the mine to the Deepstore facility. It is difficult to grasp the scale. More complex than you think The geology beneath London is frequently over-simplified. The general narrative is often reduced to one where north of the Thames, London is largely clay (which is easy to tunnel) whilst the ground to the south is more problematic. The reality, however, is that over hundreds of millions of years the London Basin has seen vast changes in its makeup. High water levels, flooding, glaciation and a wide variety of other factors have periodically affected the area, and the Thames itself has changed course several times. A conveyor belt stretches out into the distance, carrying salt towards the surface lifts. All of this has had a profound effect on the geology of the Capital, to the point where a description of what lies beneath Greater London and its surroundings reads like some sort of alternate Shipping Forecast: Lower Greensand, The Upnor Formation, Thanet Sands, Harwich Clay, Shepperton Gravels, Bullhead Beds, Upper Shelley Clays, and more. Though none of that geology is particularly unusual (or indeed unfriendly to tunnelling) it still needed to be charted. And just as similar surveys for the Jubilee Line extension had significantly expanded our geological understanding of the London Basin, so too did Crossrail. Most importantly, from an engineering perspective, it revealed the existence of at least eight more geological faults beneath the city than were previously known – something that, alongside the discovery of a number of geological scars, necessitated extra work at Farringdon station and some subtle changes to tunnel depth and cross passage location beneath the Thames. A salt bridge over lower works, lit only by the headlights of our minibus, on route to Deepstore Keeping the cores Given the geological tale they tell, keeping core data has long been an established part of tunnelling, especially with regards to the Underground. That information can be useful long after a core was drawn if ground conditions change. This may seem like an infrequent occurrence, but within the last few years London Underground have had reason to look at old ground data again not once but twice – when issues related to London’s rising water table (in part the consequence of changes in the level of heavy industry in the capital) affected both the Jubilee and Northern lines in different ways. In recent history this philosophy has expanded to include the retention, wherever possible, of the original cores as well as the data produced, and such was (and remains) the case for Crossrail. Which brings us back to our earlier question – where are the cores stored? Emerging into the light at the Deepstore facility. The vehicles gives a sudden sense of scale. In the short term, the location of those cores was relatively easy to trace – a large rented warehouse in Canning Town, East London. This would never serve as a permanent home, however, because the cores would need to be kept in a climate-controlled facility to prevent deterioration, a potentially costly exercise for an organisation critically aware of its need to be seen as constantly seeking value for money. At the time Crossrail were unable to confirm to us precisely where they intended to store them in the long term. Work underway to expand Deepstore’s storage areas. Getting by with a little help from a friend That this question continued to occasionally prey on our minds may seem strange, even for the residents of LR Towers. That it did was largely down to some basic back-of-the-envelope mathematics – Crossrail had dug some 300 boreholes. Generally these ranged from 40m – 60m in depth, but occasionally they reached over 100m. Broken down into sections small enough to be shipped and stored this translated to an awful lot of containers, and thus by definition a particularly impressive place to keep them. As is often the case with such things, in the end the answer ultimately emerged almost by accident. Whilst researching TfL’s move from 55 Broadway, it became clear that they would require additional space in which to store their own archive and other materials. Storage space waiting to be populated at Deepstore. Document storage in Deepstore. TfL’s archive (and its management) is a worthy topic in its own right and one to which we will return in a future article, but what mattered at the time was that TfL publish all expenditure over £5000 in their public accounts and thus their partner in this exercise was easy enough to determine – Deepstore. Crossrail have always enjoyed a close relationship with TfL, not least because the latter is one of the former’s project sponsors. This even extended in early years to secondment of staff and resources from TfL to Crossrail. It thus seemed logical that when looking for a place to store cores Crossrail’s first call would have been once again to their organisational friend and their supply chain. If TfL used Deepstore, we thought, then perhaps Crossrail did too. Floor to ceiling document storage. A vault like this can store approximately 150,000 boxes in this way. Discretion over secrecy It should be emphasised that Crossrail themselves were happy to confirm this was the case when asked, just as TfL were happy to confirm their own relationship with their out-of-London archive. Indeed both organisations are justly proud of their current setup. It was discretion, rather than secrecy on their part (as well as Deepstore’s respect for the privacy of their clients) and our own low level of interest in finally solving the mystery that had resulted in it lying unsolved for so long. Nonetheless, solution brought a sense of satisfaction. In Deepstore both TfL and Crossrail had found a perfect storage partner. Deepstore Part of Compass Minerals, Deepstore was set up in 1998 to take advantage of some unique attributes identified in its Winsford Mine. Located only 150m below the surface, the mine almost naturally maintained a temperature of 14°C. As a salt mine, it was also dry. Almost since it opened, salt has been excavated from here in a grid pattern, leaving large, regular, pillars to maintain the integrity of the mine. By 1998 this meant that Winsford was a near-natural climate-controlled environment blessed with wide open passages and easily configurable chambers. In other words, it was as close to a perfect place to store archival documents and other items as one was likely to find, and Deepstore was born. Engineering entry The same discretion that, until now, has kept both organisation’s presence in Cheshire generally out of the public eye also meant that engineering a visit was also something that required some effort – much of it on the part of the press offices at both organisations rather than ourselves. Finally, however, this week saw ourselves and fellow rail and London obsessive IanVisits make the trip up north. Moving through Deepstore. Outside Crossrail’s vault at Deepstore. This article ultimately represents the result of that exercise, with the photos hopefully providing as good an impression as one might get on screen of what we found. As a facility, Deepstore itself is impressive. The sight which greeted us on entering Crossrail’s vault, however, confirmed our mathematical suspicions: Crossrail had certainly required a very large area for their stored cores. First sight of the Crossrail vault. The scale of the vault is difficult to fully describe – at least not without resorting to comparisons with films such as Indiana Jones, or shows such as Warehouse 13. The vault is full of carefully stored and labelled pallets, each of which contains a selection of cores from a particular section of the Crossrail route. Rows upon rows of core sample boxes can be found in the vault. Having been lucky enough to secure the company of Crossrail Geotechnical Specialist John Davis for our expedition, we are able to open a number of crates to see the cores therein. Boxes open, wrapped core samples visible. Fascinatingly, in many cases once unwrapped the differences between the geology of differing cores is very obvious. Generally speaking they are also both intact and in good condition, thanks to the climate controlled environment. Some of the more brittle cores have cracked and split, but this is expected and not considered a problem. Something that’s hard to capture on film is the width of the vault as much as the depth. In part this is perhaps because it is an “L” shaped space, stretching well round the corner from the entrance. Crossrail assure us they have top men working on these cores. Top. Men. A certain sense of atmosphere is also added to the scene by the fact that many of the crates have off-white labels that have acquired a layer of dust. It gives an impression of age that isn’t entirely accurate, at least not yet. It’s a curious effect, which seems to add a sense of gravitas to the space. Visual dramatics aside, however, it does also repeatedly demonstrate how well Crossrail’s cores have been categorised and labelled. Something that will prove an enormous advantage to those engaging in future study. A closer look at the crate labelling, which is highly precise. That said, there’s no escaping the fact that despite the space, it is at least in some places closely packed with pallets. Something that really highlights the overall length of core samples taken. Crates of cores packed tightly together. Finally, tucked away in the corner, is evidence that TfL’s active cooperation with Crossrail is far from over. Clearly lacking a similarly configured space at Deepstore (TfL’s vault space is largely setup for documents), they have borrowed some space in which to store their own cores. These cores, produced for the Northern line extension, help highlight that construction work – and planning for it – never stops on the network. Less neatly packed but equally useful – TfL’s cores. Amongst these samples is a large box marked as being from “Battersea Dog & Cat House” containing a large number of closely packed cores. A small mystery solved Ultimately the resting place of the cores was merely a minor mystery, one without real effect beyond establishing that the cores themselves were preserved for current and future generations to study. Nonetheless it is somewhat gratifying to have an answer as to their location. And if nothing else that locations serves to highlight once again just how large a project Crossrail is, and how carefully it is being managed to ensure success. Our thanks to Deepstore, Tfl and in particular to Crossrail for successfully navigating the paperwork to enable a trip to vault. 26 August 2015 at 01:45 Interesting stuff. Minor corrections: the Big Dig was in Boston, not Chicago; and in the last sentence, sate-managed I think should be site-managed. RichardB 26 August 2015 at 08:02 The National Archives also use this facility to house the growing volume of records which cannot be housed at Kew. A lot of research was undertaken to confirm the stability and appropriateness of the environment before proceeding but the scale of the mine means there is colossal spare capacity which is a relief as whilst there are assumptions that the switch to digital media will mean less physical records will need to be added to the archive in the future there is still an awful lot of paper to come not least because the archive is still dealing with records created over 25 years ago. Anonymous 26 August 2015 at 08:44 @JB – for those of us with a squirrel-like interest in outre info (it’s called Positivism in more polite circles) , I thought this was a fascinating article. The saltmines need only the usual m******* and command centre to become Blofeld’s next seat of power. ngh 26 August 2015 at 10:00 Karl von Terzaghi did his key work on the maths of soil mechanics in the mid 1920s and this filtered through to structures in the UK in the mid 1930s onwards which is worth bearing in mind when there is talk of reuse or rebuilding structures in and around London… He also did a lot of key work on drainage and embankment stability. [Will there be an LR Christmas quiz question on which Tergaghi engineered buildings featured in Indiana Jones films?] John Bull 26 August 2015 at 10:03 A fascinating insight JB, thank you. I did wonder at first whether I was looking at pallets of hot-off-the-press LR Magazine! You joke, but I suspect there’ll be a brief period between them arriving here Thursday and us getting them all out to buyers where there’ll be a similar scene on a smaller scale. I fully intend to tweet a photo of our full print run before we unpack it. Greg Tingey AND a white Cat. That RBGK are using the place as well is fascinating. Of course salt is corrosive to metals in the presence of water, but it is dry down there, so just brush your shoes very carefully when you leave …. They have their own web site: HERE And here’s an old Grauniad article on the subject. Walthamstow Writer 26 August 2015 at 10:05 If nothing else this sort of article helps explain why big construction projects can cost money. There are all sorts of “odd” but essential activities like these which are required to ensure any future issues can be dealt with and commitments in the enabling legislation met. Having worked alongside a chap who was dealing with claims and issues arising out of the JLE and its construction years after the line was opened then I know that a similar set up exists for Crossrail and no doubt will for the NLE and Croxley Link. Snowy 26 August 2015 at 10:26 A fascinating article thanks, made more so by having read IanVisits twitter feed of the trip (sickness included, was the underground minibus trip bumpy per-chance?). It’s an incredible wealth of information in a geological sense, how do they intend on using it for future? Will they hire out the cores or allow visits for future project engineers (free or paid for to help support the facility costs) or will this mainly be for academic interest? Graham H 26 August 2015 at 10:40 @ngh – and it’s the lack of knowledge about soil mechanics pre-Terzaghi that causes so many problems with dealing with that 95% of the railway infrastructure built before WW2. In particular, the Victorians simply created embankments by tipping, not even consolidating, the substructure. @WW – I agree entirely with you about the hidden cost of maintaining all this “evidence” – another (and relatively recent) reason for doing so is for the purpose of handling future insurance and legal liability claims alas. timbeau I love the photos, as well as the article itself. It’s a fascinating read. But… “The geology beneath London is frequently over-simplified. The general narrative is often reduced to one where north of the Thames, London is largely clay (which is easy to tunnel) whilst the ground to the south is more problematic. “ In fairness, this was indeed true when most of the Underground network was being built. It’s only relatively recently that tunnelling technology has reached the point where we can dig them pretty much anywhere we choose. The development of the TBM has played a large part in this and is probably due an article on the technology and its history. (I can remember reading about the “drum diggers” employed on the Victoria Line, which were a direct ancestor of the modern TBM.) Even so, the geology beneath London varies sufficiently that there are different types of TBM being used on Crossrail: Some use the more conventional cutting heads, while others employ a slurry shield to help them chew through softer, water-bearing ground. Vince I see the same mine is about to feature on BBC London lunchtime news. LR beats the BBC! John Bull 26 August 2015 at 13:32 I see the same mine is about to feature on BBC London lunchtime news. LR beats the BBC! If you see me in the Rose & Crown some time, buy me a pint and I’ll give you my opinion on the story-finding abilities of 90% of broadcast journalists… Pedantic of Purley 26 August 2015 at 14:42 It is true that additional geological information necessitated extra work at Farringdon but it is also true that yet further information revealed that this was not as much as at first feared. Initially the fear was that, apart from anything else, the geological faults would mean that “lenses” – small pockets of waterlogged soil would be present. Further examination and analysis let to them being fairly confident that these would not be there so the tunnelling strategy did not need major modification for this reason. As stated by others, nowadays it is an awful lot more scientific and things are much better known and understood than the they were in the days of City & South London construction. As indicated in the article, we are starting to see the Northern Line Extension go through the same process of more detailed knowledge and already provision for compensation grouting at one site has been deemed no longer necessary as a result of better geological knowledge of the area. emmeagle [If there is something specific that adds to this article or the comments, by all means draw our attention to it. However LR is not a news posting service so this comment has been snipped. LBM] Fandroid 26 August 2015 at 17:04 It is a sobering thought for us engineers of a later (much more complicated ) age that the Victorian engineers achieved so much with only basic geological knowledge and just about zero soil mechanics analysis. The railway engineers followed close on the heels of the canal engineers, where getting it wrong could be very messy indeed. Then you have to think of some rather large dams, holding back humungous volumes of water (and they still do!). There were some fatal dam failures, but really not very many. The railway builders did not formally compact their embankments, but as the spoil delivery systems consisted of lots of small volumes dumped by people and horses walking over that which had already been dumped, the resulting compaction was probably just about ideal! ukmoose 26 August 2015 at 17:31 As a geologist I have been to many core stores around the world, I would have expected photographs more like the photo you included of the document storage than of core still sitting on pallets. I’m surprised that Crossrail and Tfl has chosen to store the core data themselves rather than outsource this to either a company that specialises in core storage or to store it within the National Archive at the British Geological Survey. There are several companies who do this in the UK storing hundreds of kilometres of core for the oil industry. What is more surprising is that it would appear that core collected for crossrail in the 1990’s is already being stored with the BGS as is data from the jubilee line extension ( http://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html search for Drill Core and Borehole Scans) In all licences for oil and gas exploration there is a clause that states that any core collected must be kept in usable condition in perpetuity. Core and other samples are kept confidential for a period of time, but they are then released (often in as little as 4 years) and are available for studies and research both by academia and other companies. There is also a central record kept of all oil and gas wells that are drilled in the UK, so it is a simple task to know what data exists and who to contact to gain access to it. The challenge of storing the geological data themselves is will Crossrail/Tfl have the expertise in managing the core 10 or 25 years time? How do others or future rail projects find out it exists and who to contact to gain access to it? Anonymous^2 26 August 2015 at 21:54 Regarding the apparent lack of soil compaction by Victorian constructors … I believe it was standard practice for newly constructed railway lines to offer only a freight service, normally coal trains, for six months or so while everything settled down. While this may have been to compact the ballast before tamping machines were invented, it could also have had some beneficial effects on the sub structure. Graham H 26 August 2015 at 22:24 @Anonymous 2 -I was surprised by this – the histories of virually all the railways I have read show the service commencing the moment the Inspectorate had certified the works to be complete (usually the next day) – can you cite some actual cases? {Many lines had very little coal traffic and many minor lines justified at best a short pickup freight each day.]. Jonathan Roberts 27 August 2015 at 05:14 @Graham H Try the Settle-Carlisle Line -freight from August 1875, passengers from April 1876. The Great Central’s London extension opened for coal trains in July 1898, passengers from March 1899 and other freight from April 1899. Of course, freight and especially coal was the primary earner for Victorian main line railway companies, so there was a commercial and shareholder reason for getting freight running as soon as possible, quite apart from any benefits of track or ground consolidation. On secondary and branch lines, it may have been less critical, but those companies would have been desperate to get every little bit of revenue from whatever source, at once! It wasn’t untypical for passenger revenue still to be in a minority on lines such as the Midland & South Western Junction – there, crudely, passengers were a quarter to a third of income, freight a half, and parcels mail etc the rest, along with a little from other ancillary income. Greg Tingey Compaction, opening dates & intervals etc. A line could be opened for freight only, with much fewer restrictions than for passengers. In some cases, I believe freight openings occurred without formal HMRI inspections, but, even so, the standards required, even then, for passenger operations was much stricter than for freight, so it is no surprise that one gets intervals as listed by Mr Roberts, notwithstanding the commercial imperatives of freight operation. Graham H 27 August 2015 at 09:14 @Jonathan Roberts/Greg T – the trouble with your argument is that for every case where there was a six month delay, you could find many where there was none. For example, to take three random examples off the Hewett bookshelf, the Wycombe – Thame- Oxford line, the Guildford New line, and that archetypal coal line – the Hull and Barnsley (where passenger followed freight within a week). In the examples you cite, JR, it would be necessary (to avoid the post hoc propter hoc argument) to show that consolidation – as opposed to stations not being ready, difficulties with access agreements and so on – was the point of the passenger delay. I agree that getting every penny of revenue in asap was a matter of life and death for much of the secondary railway system, but consolidating embankments before running a passenger service doesn’t seem to have figured as a critical issue – possibly, a “nice to have” at best. (And even that assumes that the Victorians actually understood the need for consolidation) Pedantic of Purley In other words believing there was a cause and an effect when in fact there was none. Jonathan Roberts 27 August 2015 at 10:21 @GH In London currently, so don’t have my copies of ‘North of Leeds’ by Peter Baughan or George Dow’s Great Central trilogy to hand, to check the ‘phph’ circumstances with those! Answers later tonight… Graham H 27 August 2015 at 10:52 @JR – Vol2 of Dow makes no comment on specific measures to consolidate embankments by running freight except on p336, where he states a propos the opening of the London extension “There had been heavy rains during the past three months and embankments which had been firm were now giving trouble with slips. He [Parry, the engineer] thought the service should begin with trains stopping at all or most stations”. No such nod to the engineering advice took place, in fact. Passenger services began on 15 March with freight following on 10 and 11 April. No sign of running-in the London extension – the freight receiving offices and depot at Marylebone were not ready until April. i don’t have North of Leeds [For those of us who were intimately involved in the closure decision, I thought it too depressing…] Jamesthegill Enjoyed the article, with just one minor correction – the link to IanVisits’, er, visit, points back to this very article. Malcolm 27 August 2015 at 14:30 PoP says “believing there was a cause and an effect when in fact there was none” If I could have a pedantic moment, it is really “believing there was a cause and effect when in fact there was no evidence of a cause and effect”. (It would still have been a fallacy even if it further evidence later showed that there was cause and effect.) I’ll go back to my bog now. Graham H 28 August 2015 at 08:03 @Graham H Settle-Carlisle Line: Basically the evidence is that the earlier running of goods trains was because the railway wasn’t yet ready for passenger traffic – indeed some station works weren’t taken in hand until quite late on. Consolidation of the formation was a secondary benefit. Getting the goods trains running was important commercially. Peter Baughan reports in ‘North of Leeds’ that goods trains started running on 3rd August 1875, “the opening of the line to goods traffic preceded the inspection by the Board of Trade by almost a month” although another inspector had by then checked the Settle Junction. In October the Midland Railway’s engineer, Crossley, was “pleased to say that heavy rains during September had not damaged the works in any way – in fact the combined attention of the rain and the goods trains was consolidating the formation in a very effective way”. Mineral trains from the Craven Lime sidings had already been using the southern end of the line for about two years. In February 1876 the BoT took a week to inspect the line, and reported that there was still a lot to do before the line and station facilities were ready for passengers. It was not until late April that the BoT said that the line might now be used for passenger trains. Those began on May Day 1876. GCR London extension: As you commented above, but also note that coal trains began much earlier, in July 1898 though with legal complexities arising with the Metropolitan Railway. George Dow writes (p.305 of Vol.2) that “with interest [on the extension] now amounting to £1,000 a day he [Pollitt, the General Manager] wanted to begin running coal trains at the earliest possible opportunity”. Overall, as I noted above, freight and especially coal was the primary earner for Victorian main line railway companies, so there was a commercial and shareholder reason for getting freight running as soon as possible, quite apart from any benefits of track or ground consolidation. The evidence from these two large scale schemes is that the commercial pressures were dominant, and that any consolidation outcomes were a secondary consideration at best. Graham H 28 August 2015 at 08:27 @JR -thanks for that – as I thought, it wasn’t standard practice, as Anonymous 2 believed, to run coal early to consolidate the earthworks, but something you did – if you had the traffic – to bring the cash in asap, with the consolidation as a side benefit. Incidentally, Parry’s comments (passim) imply that the GC’s coal trains didn’t do a very good consolidation job which further suggests that Fandroid’s plodding horses and navvies’ boots would have been even less effective! Kate Demonstration 28 August 2015 at 09:27 On the related topic of archiving geophysical data – seismic, ground radar, electro-magnetic, bore-hole logs, etc. This is an extremely valuable long-term resource, very expensive to generate, but a major problem is retrieving the data. The problem is not so much deterioration of the media – magnetic tape, discs, paper tape – but in maintaining the readers and associated software. I gather there are racks of archived seismic recordings that can never be used because the readers are no longer working. John Bull 28 August 2015 at 09:31 The problem is not so much deterioration of the media – magnetic tape, discs, paper tape – but in maintaining the readers and associated software. Not just a problem in this field either – so much digital history is at risk or almost gets lost because of this – the BBC’s 1986 Domesday project for example . Must admit it’s a topic that fascinates me. RayK 29 August 2015 at 10:29 Graham H ‘Parry’s comments (passim) imply that the GC’s coal trains didn’t do a very good consolidation job which further suggests that Fandroid’s plodding horses and navvies’ boots would have been even less effective!’ Given that hooves and boots would have consolidated individual layers it could potentially have been more effective than trains: which would have had most effect on the topmost layers. It would however have been very hit and miss, both because it was not deliberate and because the layers would have varied greatly in thickness. Indeed, some of the layers would have been anything but horizontal. To be sure we would have to conduct a variety of experiments which I suspect would just duplicate work already done. Graham H 29 August 2015 at 11:29 @RayK – I look forward to the practical recreation of this research! [Not nearly asmuch fun,tho’ as a Cambridge PhD thesis described in the calendar as a study of the movement of smooth water craft in confined spaces when the Reynolds number was less than X* – this turned out to be a study of barges in locks – no doubt conducted pint in hand] * This may be vaguely on topic as I believe the Reynolds number is a measure used in fluid mechanics,but others will tell me better,I’m sure. Greg Tingey 29 August 2015 at 21:05 GH Reynolds Number – is dimensionless, because it is a ratio of forces & is used to detremine if fluid flow is laminar, turbulent, or in-between. NOT to be confused with the really important equation(s) “Navier-Stokes” governing the flow of fluids – including things like steam in locomotive pipery &/or the movement of compressed gases in diesel engines [ See – it’s relevant! ] which are complete bastards to handle, & which have not been solved for all eventualities. One reason why it’s such an important engineering field. In another life, I used to try to play with some of the practical eventualities of such things: we wanted to see how fast we could lay down simultaneous layers of liquids, without turbulent mixing, & computers could not handle it. The last time I heard, they still couldn’t a lot of the time. See also Turbulent flow & “Karmann Straße” conditions. Greg Tingey 29 August 2015 at 21:10 Update. One of the Clay Prizes in Mathematics ( $1 million ) is up for a complete solution of the “N-S” equations. It’s that important. 30 August 2015 at 01:35 What might be of interest is that when the theory of Critical State Soil Mechanics was being developed at Cambridge in the 1970’s, the stress required for plastic deformation of saturated clay was similar to the stress exerted by a an Irish navvies boot heel. (Also used to ‘puddle’ canal lining.) CSS was important in understanding the behaviour of London Clay – see the construction of the Jubilee tube next to House of Commons, and of course Crossrail tunneling and the increased height of buildings in London. Foundation settlement is very much controlled by permeability – the rate water can flow through the structure. What I find amazing is that the Liverpool-Manchester line laid over over Chat Moss bog on a floating mattress is still in use. Anomnibus 30 August 2015 at 05:34 Re. track consolidation… During my research into SE London and Kent’s rail networks, I learned that shingle (from Dungeness) was originally used for ballast. At the time — the early-mid 1800s — this was fine, but by the time of the Southern Railway, trains had become both faster and heavier* and the shingle was causing problems. This is believed to have contributed to the fatal Sevenoaks derailment in 1927 . Re. the freight vs. passenger services debate: As is so often the case, the answer is: “It depends.” In the 19th Century, it was common practice for a new line to be promoted by a (not always) independent private company, each backed and led through the necessary Parliamentary Acts by a group of shareholders with their own vested interests and agendas, such as mines, industries, hotels, tourism, and the like. Hotels and spa towns (which were very popular at the time) would inevitably push for passengers first and foremost. Industrialists, like owners of mines, breweries, ports, etc., would tend to prioritise freight. If the line was built by a freight-centric company, chances are, it would have prioritised freight, while a passenger-centric company would not. But mistakes happen, and for more complex routes, the shareholder mix may be such as to make it a toss-up which type of service ‘wins’. * (So, despite the occasional moans about the increased weight of the shiny new trains that have entered service in recent years, this is hardly a new phenomenon.) ** (Captain Cock-up has had a very long and distinguished career that continues to this day, so even if passenger services were the primary objective, it’s quite possible that unexpected issues, such as problems with stations, or cruel and unusual geology discovered while digging tunnels, means freight services were first out of the starting gate.) RayK Kate Demonstration This sounds like the sort of experimentation that I had in mind. Whilst navies boots were deliberately used to puddle clay for canals, is there any evidence that they were as deliberately used to compact railway embankments? I suspect that, if they were, then that usage might well have been passed on by word of mouth rather than documented. Whilst Chat moss was traditionally referred to as bottomless, it is now know to be up to 9 m deep having been a lake in it’s origins about 10,000 years ago. I’m not convinced that the floating mattress idea is the whole story of the Chat Moss line. The mattress provided a coherent bed binding together as well as supporting the soil and stones which alone were inclined to disperse in the almost liquid bog. I suspect that the ‘floating’ is as apocryphal as the ‘bottomless’. Are there any similar features on lines more directly connected with London? timbeau 30 August 2015 at 19:55 The Little Woodcote area, near the northern edge of the North Downs, should drain freely, since there is chalk below the top soil layer. However, in fields around the Telegraph Track, rainwater will tend to puddle and lie. Apparently the area was used to dump the clay spoil from the Northern Line’s extension to Morden. The tunnelers of the other deep level tubes must have need to dump spoil. Where did they go? CdBrux 4 September 2015 at 15:00 There is now, unfortunately, a good example of the benefits of knowing as best as possible the geology of the ground you will be tunnelling through to aid project planning. The reboring of the Farnworth tunnel between Bolton & Manchester is proceeding at about half the planned pace as, despite having made a lot of ground sampling before starting, they have hit unforeseen poor conditions – basically a lot of sand falling into the tunnel – and are now injecting some sort of grout ahead of the tunnelling machine to stabilise it. What is not mentioned in that press release is that the tunnel was constructed as a cut and cover tunnel – it seems the cover filled back was any old rubbish they had to hand! ngh 4 September 2015 at 15:26 Re CdBrux, Looking at some of the photos on the NR page it looks like they also back filled with straw!!! Kate Demonstration	Chat Moss
Who was the first husband of film actress Marilyn Monroe?	The Warehouse: The Quest for Crossrail's Missing Cores 00:36, 26 August 2015 John Bull — 53 Comments The squealing of machinery comes to a halt and the large red light on the operator’s panel turns green. A buzzer sounds and he steps forward, opening a salt-encrusted gate to reveal a small miner’s lift. On its floor more salt has formed into small drifts. It has walls on two sides, but apart from a safety bar the back is open, the rear wall of the shaft (and the gaps in it) clearly visible. “If you’re not good with that kind of thing then best face forward.” Says Graeme McDonald, Head of Operations for Deepstore. “Either that or we can just turn our helmet lamps off.” He says with a grin, gesturing up to the empty spot where, in a regular lift, the light fitting would be. The miners’ lift from a distance and then close up. The regular entrance to Deepstore’s facility is closed for maintenance. That this doesn’t stop us from entering is a rather effective demonstration of just what makes this facility so unique. For this is no run-of-the-mill secure storage facility, nor is it even in London. In fact we are at Winsford Rock Salt Mine in Cheshire, Britain’s oldest active rock salt mine. Deepstore inhabits some of its mined-out tunnels and thus with the main visitor lift out of action we are heading underground the same way the miners do. The fact that we are here at all might seem to be a spectacular case of scope creep on the part of the inhabitants here at LR Towers. Deepstore are underground, certainly, but they are not Underground. Nor, quite obviously, are they within the M25. 150 metres below us, however, lie literally kilometres of London in the form of thousands of broken-down core samples – all carefully collected, compared and catalogued by Crossrail over a fifteen year period. Intended primarily to ensure that no surprises awaited its Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) as they carved a path through the ground beneath the Capital, in the process they also expanded our geological understanding of what exactly lies beneath our feet. Down in the mine. Note the remains of an old narrow-gauge railway. The big question Before looking at the contents of Crossrail’s vault itself it is worth stepping back briefly and looking at the path which led to Cheshire. For the residents of LR Towers this journey began back in 2012 when we looked at the surveys Crossrail had to carry out to ensure the route was free of unexploded WW2 bombs . Whilst there was no need to retain the vast majority of the core samples taken as part of this particular process, it did prompt a question – core surveys to establish the geology of the route had been undertaken since the early nineties… …so where were they? We built this city on rock and loam In the world of geological engineering there is an old adage: “You pay for a quality ground investigation whether you procure one or not.” Karl von Terzaghi, father of soil mechanics The attribution in perhaps apocryphal, but the sentiment is certainly true. Any large scale construction project is at risk of failure if the ground on which it is built is not thoroughly surveyed. This is doubly true for tunnelling, where an unexpected change in the condition of the ground through which you are tunnelling can bring disaster. This was something Marc Brunel discovered to great cost during his efforts to build the Thames Tunnel , the world’s first tunnel beneath a tidal river. Although his efforts would eventually be successful, unexpected pockets of sand and silt contributed to the tunnel collapses and flooding that would bring the project to the edge of disaster and cost lives. More recently, a similar failure to understand an area’s geology would play a key part in the rampant delays and cost escalations that would plague Boston’s “Big Dig” . Travelling through the mine to the Deepstore facility. It is difficult to grasp the scale. More complex than you think The geology beneath London is frequently over-simplified. The general narrative is often reduced to one where north of the Thames, London is largely clay (which is easy to tunnel) whilst the ground to the south is more problematic. The reality, however, is that over hundreds of millions of years the London Basin has seen vast changes in its makeup. High water levels, flooding, glaciation and a wide variety of other factors have periodically affected the area, and the Thames itself has changed course several times. A conveyor belt stretches out into the distance, carrying salt towards the surface lifts. All of this has had a profound effect on the geology of the Capital, to the point where a description of what lies beneath Greater London and its surroundings reads like some sort of alternate Shipping Forecast: Lower Greensand, The Upnor Formation, Thanet Sands, Harwich Clay, Shepperton Gravels, Bullhead Beds, Upper Shelley Clays, and more. Though none of that geology is particularly unusual (or indeed unfriendly to tunnelling) it still needed to be charted. And just as similar surveys for the Jubilee Line extension had significantly expanded our geological understanding of the London Basin, so too did Crossrail. Most importantly, from an engineering perspective, it revealed the existence of at least eight more geological faults beneath the city than were previously known – something that, alongside the discovery of a number of geological scars, necessitated extra work at Farringdon station and some subtle changes to tunnel depth and cross passage location beneath the Thames. A salt bridge over lower works, lit only by the headlights of our minibus, on route to Deepstore Keeping the cores Given the geological tale they tell, keeping core data has long been an established part of tunnelling, especially with regards to the Underground. That information can be useful long after a core was drawn if ground conditions change. This may seem like an infrequent occurrence, but within the last few years London Underground have had reason to look at old ground data again not once but twice – when issues related to London’s rising water table (in part the consequence of changes in the level of heavy industry in the capital) affected both the Jubilee and Northern lines in different ways. In recent history this philosophy has expanded to include the retention, wherever possible, of the original cores as well as the data produced, and such was (and remains) the case for Crossrail. Which brings us back to our earlier question – where are the cores stored? Emerging into the light at the Deepstore facility. The vehicles gives a sudden sense of scale. In the short term, the location of those cores was relatively easy to trace – a large rented warehouse in Canning Town, East London. This would never serve as a permanent home, however, because the cores would need to be kept in a climate-controlled facility to prevent deterioration, a potentially costly exercise for an organisation critically aware of its need to be seen as constantly seeking value for money. At the time Crossrail were unable to confirm to us precisely where they intended to store them in the long term. Work underway to expand Deepstore’s storage areas. Getting by with a little help from a friend That this question continued to occasionally prey on our minds may seem strange, even for the residents of LR Towers. That it did was largely down to some basic back-of-the-envelope mathematics – Crossrail had dug some 300 boreholes. Generally these ranged from 40m – 60m in depth, but occasionally they reached over 100m. Broken down into sections small enough to be shipped and stored this translated to an awful lot of containers, and thus by definition a particularly impressive place to keep them. As is often the case with such things, in the end the answer ultimately emerged almost by accident. Whilst researching TfL’s move from 55 Broadway, it became clear that they would require additional space in which to store their own archive and other materials. Storage space waiting to be populated at Deepstore. Document storage in Deepstore. TfL’s archive (and its management) is a worthy topic in its own right and one to which we will return in a future article, but what mattered at the time was that TfL publish all expenditure over £5000 in their public accounts and thus their partner in this exercise was easy enough to determine – Deepstore. Crossrail have always enjoyed a close relationship with TfL, not least because the latter is one of the former’s project sponsors. This even extended in early years to secondment of staff and resources from TfL to Crossrail. It thus seemed logical that when looking for a place to store cores Crossrail’s first call would have been once again to their organisational friend and their supply chain. If TfL used Deepstore, we thought, then perhaps Crossrail did too. Floor to ceiling document storage. A vault like this can store approximately 150,000 boxes in this way. Discretion over secrecy It should be emphasised that Crossrail themselves were happy to confirm this was the case when asked, just as TfL were happy to confirm their own relationship with their out-of-London archive. Indeed both organisations are justly proud of their current setup. It was discretion, rather than secrecy on their part (as well as Deepstore’s respect for the privacy of their clients) and our own low level of interest in finally solving the mystery that had resulted in it lying unsolved for so long. Nonetheless, solution brought a sense of satisfaction. In Deepstore both TfL and Crossrail had found a perfect storage partner. Deepstore Part of Compass Minerals, Deepstore was set up in 1998 to take advantage of some unique attributes identified in its Winsford Mine. Located only 150m below the surface, the mine almost naturally maintained a temperature of 14°C. As a salt mine, it was also dry. Almost since it opened, salt has been excavated from here in a grid pattern, leaving large, regular, pillars to maintain the integrity of the mine. By 1998 this meant that Winsford was a near-natural climate-controlled environment blessed with wide open passages and easily configurable chambers. In other words, it was as close to a perfect place to store archival documents and other items as one was likely to find, and Deepstore was born. Engineering entry The same discretion that, until now, has kept both organisation’s presence in Cheshire generally out of the public eye also meant that engineering a visit was also something that required some effort – much of it on the part of the press offices at both organisations rather than ourselves. Finally, however, this week saw ourselves and fellow rail and London obsessive IanVisits make the trip up north. Moving through Deepstore. Outside Crossrail’s vault at Deepstore. This article ultimately represents the result of that exercise, with the photos hopefully providing as good an impression as one might get on screen of what we found. As a facility, Deepstore itself is impressive. The sight which greeted us on entering Crossrail’s vault, however, confirmed our mathematical suspicions: Crossrail had certainly required a very large area for their stored cores. First sight of the Crossrail vault. The scale of the vault is difficult to fully describe – at least not without resorting to comparisons with films such as Indiana Jones, or shows such as Warehouse 13. The vault is full of carefully stored and labelled pallets, each of which contains a selection of cores from a particular section of the Crossrail route. Rows upon rows of core sample boxes can be found in the vault. Having been lucky enough to secure the company of Crossrail Geotechnical Specialist John Davis for our expedition, we are able to open a number of crates to see the cores therein. Boxes open, wrapped core samples visible. Fascinatingly, in many cases once unwrapped the differences between the geology of differing cores is very obvious. Generally speaking they are also both intact and in good condition, thanks to the climate controlled environment. Some of the more brittle cores have cracked and split, but this is expected and not considered a problem. Something that’s hard to capture on film is the width of the vault as much as the depth. In part this is perhaps because it is an “L” shaped space, stretching well round the corner from the entrance. Crossrail assure us they have top men working on these cores. Top. Men. A certain sense of atmosphere is also added to the scene by the fact that many of the crates have off-white labels that have acquired a layer of dust. It gives an impression of age that isn’t entirely accurate, at least not yet. It’s a curious effect, which seems to add a sense of gravitas to the space. Visual dramatics aside, however, it does also repeatedly demonstrate how well Crossrail’s cores have been categorised and labelled. Something that will prove an enormous advantage to those engaging in future study. A closer look at the crate labelling, which is highly precise. That said, there’s no escaping the fact that despite the space, it is at least in some places closely packed with pallets. Something that really highlights the overall length of core samples taken. Crates of cores packed tightly together. Finally, tucked away in the corner, is evidence that TfL’s active cooperation with Crossrail is far from over. Clearly lacking a similarly configured space at Deepstore (TfL’s vault space is largely setup for documents), they have borrowed some space in which to store their own cores. These cores, produced for the Northern line extension, help highlight that construction work – and planning for it – never stops on the network. Less neatly packed but equally useful – TfL’s cores. Amongst these samples is a large box marked as being from “Battersea Dog & Cat House” containing a large number of closely packed cores. A small mystery solved Ultimately the resting place of the cores was merely a minor mystery, one without real effect beyond establishing that the cores themselves were preserved for current and future generations to study. Nonetheless it is somewhat gratifying to have an answer as to their location. And if nothing else that locations serves to highlight once again just how large a project Crossrail is, and how carefully it is being managed to ensure success. Our thanks to Deepstore, Tfl and in particular to Crossrail for successfully navigating the paperwork to enable a trip to vault. 26 August 2015 at 01:45 Interesting stuff. Minor corrections: the Big Dig was in Boston, not Chicago; and in the last sentence, sate-managed I think should be site-managed. RichardB 26 August 2015 at 08:02 The National Archives also use this facility to house the growing volume of records which cannot be housed at Kew. A lot of research was undertaken to confirm the stability and appropriateness of the environment before proceeding but the scale of the mine means there is colossal spare capacity which is a relief as whilst there are assumptions that the switch to digital media will mean less physical records will need to be added to the archive in the future there is still an awful lot of paper to come not least because the archive is still dealing with records created over 25 years ago. Anonymous 26 August 2015 at 08:44 @JB – for those of us with a squirrel-like interest in outre info (it’s called Positivism in more polite circles) , I thought this was a fascinating article. The saltmines need only the usual m******* and command centre to become Blofeld’s next seat of power. ngh 26 August 2015 at 10:00 Karl von Terzaghi did his key work on the maths of soil mechanics in the mid 1920s and this filtered through to structures in the UK in the mid 1930s onwards which is worth bearing in mind when there is talk of reuse or rebuilding structures in and around London… He also did a lot of key work on drainage and embankment stability. [Will there be an LR Christmas quiz question on which Tergaghi engineered buildings featured in Indiana Jones films?] John Bull 26 August 2015 at 10:03 A fascinating insight JB, thank you. I did wonder at first whether I was looking at pallets of hot-off-the-press LR Magazine! You joke, but I suspect there’ll be a brief period between them arriving here Thursday and us getting them all out to buyers where there’ll be a similar scene on a smaller scale. I fully intend to tweet a photo of our full print run before we unpack it. Greg Tingey AND a white Cat. That RBGK are using the place as well is fascinating. Of course salt is corrosive to metals in the presence of water, but it is dry down there, so just brush your shoes very carefully when you leave …. They have their own web site: HERE And here’s an old Grauniad article on the subject. Walthamstow Writer 26 August 2015 at 10:05 If nothing else this sort of article helps explain why big construction projects can cost money. There are all sorts of “odd” but essential activities like these which are required to ensure any future issues can be dealt with and commitments in the enabling legislation met. Having worked alongside a chap who was dealing with claims and issues arising out of the JLE and its construction years after the line was opened then I know that a similar set up exists for Crossrail and no doubt will for the NLE and Croxley Link. Snowy 26 August 2015 at 10:26 A fascinating article thanks, made more so by having read IanVisits twitter feed of the trip (sickness included, was the underground minibus trip bumpy per-chance?). It’s an incredible wealth of information in a geological sense, how do they intend on using it for future? Will they hire out the cores or allow visits for future project engineers (free or paid for to help support the facility costs) or will this mainly be for academic interest? Graham H 26 August 2015 at 10:40 @ngh – and it’s the lack of knowledge about soil mechanics pre-Terzaghi that causes so many problems with dealing with that 95% of the railway infrastructure built before WW2. In particular, the Victorians simply created embankments by tipping, not even consolidating, the substructure. @WW – I agree entirely with you about the hidden cost of maintaining all this “evidence” – another (and relatively recent) reason for doing so is for the purpose of handling future insurance and legal liability claims alas. timbeau I love the photos, as well as the article itself. It’s a fascinating read. But… “The geology beneath London is frequently over-simplified. The general narrative is often reduced to one where north of the Thames, London is largely clay (which is easy to tunnel) whilst the ground to the south is more problematic. “ In fairness, this was indeed true when most of the Underground network was being built. It’s only relatively recently that tunnelling technology has reached the point where we can dig them pretty much anywhere we choose. The development of the TBM has played a large part in this and is probably due an article on the technology and its history. (I can remember reading about the “drum diggers” employed on the Victoria Line, which were a direct ancestor of the modern TBM.) Even so, the geology beneath London varies sufficiently that there are different types of TBM being used on Crossrail: Some use the more conventional cutting heads, while others employ a slurry shield to help them chew through softer, water-bearing ground. Vince I see the same mine is about to feature on BBC London lunchtime news. LR beats the BBC! John Bull 26 August 2015 at 13:32 I see the same mine is about to feature on BBC London lunchtime news. LR beats the BBC! If you see me in the Rose & Crown some time, buy me a pint and I’ll give you my opinion on the story-finding abilities of 90% of broadcast journalists… Pedantic of Purley 26 August 2015 at 14:42 It is true that additional geological information necessitated extra work at Farringdon but it is also true that yet further information revealed that this was not as much as at first feared. Initially the fear was that, apart from anything else, the geological faults would mean that “lenses” – small pockets of waterlogged soil would be present. Further examination and analysis let to them being fairly confident that these would not be there so the tunnelling strategy did not need major modification for this reason. As stated by others, nowadays it is an awful lot more scientific and things are much better known and understood than the they were in the days of City & South London construction. As indicated in the article, we are starting to see the Northern Line Extension go through the same process of more detailed knowledge and already provision for compensation grouting at one site has been deemed no longer necessary as a result of better geological knowledge of the area. emmeagle [If there is something specific that adds to this article or the comments, by all means draw our attention to it. However LR is not a news posting service so this comment has been snipped. LBM] Fandroid 26 August 2015 at 17:04 It is a sobering thought for us engineers of a later (much more complicated ) age that the Victorian engineers achieved so much with only basic geological knowledge and just about zero soil mechanics analysis. The railway engineers followed close on the heels of the canal engineers, where getting it wrong could be very messy indeed. Then you have to think of some rather large dams, holding back humungous volumes of water (and they still do!). There were some fatal dam failures, but really not very many. The railway builders did not formally compact their embankments, but as the spoil delivery systems consisted of lots of small volumes dumped by people and horses walking over that which had already been dumped, the resulting compaction was probably just about ideal! ukmoose 26 August 2015 at 17:31 As a geologist I have been to many core stores around the world, I would have expected photographs more like the photo you included of the document storage than of core still sitting on pallets. I’m surprised that Crossrail and Tfl has chosen to store the core data themselves rather than outsource this to either a company that specialises in core storage or to store it within the National Archive at the British Geological Survey. There are several companies who do this in the UK storing hundreds of kilometres of core for the oil industry. What is more surprising is that it would appear that core collected for crossrail in the 1990’s is already being stored with the BGS as is data from the jubilee line extension ( http://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html search for Drill Core and Borehole Scans) In all licences for oil and gas exploration there is a clause that states that any core collected must be kept in usable condition in perpetuity. Core and other samples are kept confidential for a period of time, but they are then released (often in as little as 4 years) and are available for studies and research both by academia and other companies. There is also a central record kept of all oil and gas wells that are drilled in the UK, so it is a simple task to know what data exists and who to contact to gain access to it. The challenge of storing the geological data themselves is will Crossrail/Tfl have the expertise in managing the core 10 or 25 years time? How do others or future rail projects find out it exists and who to contact to gain access to it? Anonymous^2 26 August 2015 at 21:54 Regarding the apparent lack of soil compaction by Victorian constructors … I believe it was standard practice for newly constructed railway lines to offer only a freight service, normally coal trains, for six months or so while everything settled down. While this may have been to compact the ballast before tamping machines were invented, it could also have had some beneficial effects on the sub structure. Graham H 26 August 2015 at 22:24 @Anonymous 2 -I was surprised by this – the histories of virually all the railways I have read show the service commencing the moment the Inspectorate had certified the works to be complete (usually the next day) – can you cite some actual cases? {Many lines had very little coal traffic and many minor lines justified at best a short pickup freight each day.]. Jonathan Roberts 27 August 2015 at 05:14 @Graham H Try the Settle-Carlisle Line -freight from August 1875, passengers from April 1876. The Great Central’s London extension opened for coal trains in July 1898, passengers from March 1899 and other freight from April 1899. Of course, freight and especially coal was the primary earner for Victorian main line railway companies, so there was a commercial and shareholder reason for getting freight running as soon as possible, quite apart from any benefits of track or ground consolidation. On secondary and branch lines, it may have been less critical, but those companies would have been desperate to get every little bit of revenue from whatever source, at once! It wasn’t untypical for passenger revenue still to be in a minority on lines such as the Midland & South Western Junction – there, crudely, passengers were a quarter to a third of income, freight a half, and parcels mail etc the rest, along with a little from other ancillary income. Greg Tingey Compaction, opening dates & intervals etc. A line could be opened for freight only, with much fewer restrictions than for passengers. In some cases, I believe freight openings occurred without formal HMRI inspections, but, even so, the standards required, even then, for passenger operations was much stricter than for freight, so it is no surprise that one gets intervals as listed by Mr Roberts, notwithstanding the commercial imperatives of freight operation. Graham H 27 August 2015 at 09:14 @Jonathan Roberts/Greg T – the trouble with your argument is that for every case where there was a six month delay, you could find many where there was none. For example, to take three random examples off the Hewett bookshelf, the Wycombe – Thame- Oxford line, the Guildford New line, and that archetypal coal line – the Hull and Barnsley (where passenger followed freight within a week). In the examples you cite, JR, it would be necessary (to avoid the post hoc propter hoc argument) to show that consolidation – as opposed to stations not being ready, difficulties with access agreements and so on – was the point of the passenger delay. I agree that getting every penny of revenue in asap was a matter of life and death for much of the secondary railway system, but consolidating embankments before running a passenger service doesn’t seem to have figured as a critical issue – possibly, a “nice to have” at best. (And even that assumes that the Victorians actually understood the need for consolidation) Pedantic of Purley In other words believing there was a cause and an effect when in fact there was none. Jonathan Roberts 27 August 2015 at 10:21 @GH In London currently, so don’t have my copies of ‘North of Leeds’ by Peter Baughan or George Dow’s Great Central trilogy to hand, to check the ‘phph’ circumstances with those! Answers later tonight… Graham H 27 August 2015 at 10:52 @JR – Vol2 of Dow makes no comment on specific measures to consolidate embankments by running freight except on p336, where he states a propos the opening of the London extension “There had been heavy rains during the past three months and embankments which had been firm were now giving trouble with slips. He [Parry, the engineer] thought the service should begin with trains stopping at all or most stations”. No such nod to the engineering advice took place, in fact. Passenger services began on 15 March with freight following on 10 and 11 April. No sign of running-in the London extension – the freight receiving offices and depot at Marylebone were not ready until April. i don’t have North of Leeds [For those of us who were intimately involved in the closure decision, I thought it too depressing…] Jamesthegill Enjoyed the article, with just one minor correction – the link to IanVisits’, er, visit, points back to this very article. Malcolm 27 August 2015 at 14:30 PoP says “believing there was a cause and an effect when in fact there was none” If I could have a pedantic moment, it is really “believing there was a cause and effect when in fact there was no evidence of a cause and effect”. (It would still have been a fallacy even if it further evidence later showed that there was cause and effect.) I’ll go back to my bog now. Graham H 28 August 2015 at 08:03 @Graham H Settle-Carlisle Line: Basically the evidence is that the earlier running of goods trains was because the railway wasn’t yet ready for passenger traffic – indeed some station works weren’t taken in hand until quite late on. Consolidation of the formation was a secondary benefit. Getting the goods trains running was important commercially. Peter Baughan reports in ‘North of Leeds’ that goods trains started running on 3rd August 1875, “the opening of the line to goods traffic preceded the inspection by the Board of Trade by almost a month” although another inspector had by then checked the Settle Junction. In October the Midland Railway’s engineer, Crossley, was “pleased to say that heavy rains during September had not damaged the works in any way – in fact the combined attention of the rain and the goods trains was consolidating the formation in a very effective way”. Mineral trains from the Craven Lime sidings had already been using the southern end of the line for about two years. In February 1876 the BoT took a week to inspect the line, and reported that there was still a lot to do before the line and station facilities were ready for passengers. It was not until late April that the BoT said that the line might now be used for passenger trains. Those began on May Day 1876. GCR London extension: As you commented above, but also note that coal trains began much earlier, in July 1898 though with legal complexities arising with the Metropolitan Railway. George Dow writes (p.305 of Vol.2) that “with interest [on the extension] now amounting to £1,000 a day he [Pollitt, the General Manager] wanted to begin running coal trains at the earliest possible opportunity”. Overall, as I noted above, freight and especially coal was the primary earner for Victorian main line railway companies, so there was a commercial and shareholder reason for getting freight running as soon as possible, quite apart from any benefits of track or ground consolidation. The evidence from these two large scale schemes is that the commercial pressures were dominant, and that any consolidation outcomes were a secondary consideration at best. Graham H 28 August 2015 at 08:27 @JR -thanks for that – as I thought, it wasn’t standard practice, as Anonymous 2 believed, to run coal early to consolidate the earthworks, but something you did – if you had the traffic – to bring the cash in asap, with the consolidation as a side benefit. Incidentally, Parry’s comments (passim) imply that the GC’s coal trains didn’t do a very good consolidation job which further suggests that Fandroid’s plodding horses and navvies’ boots would have been even less effective! Kate Demonstration 28 August 2015 at 09:27 On the related topic of archiving geophysical data – seismic, ground radar, electro-magnetic, bore-hole logs, etc. This is an extremely valuable long-term resource, very expensive to generate, but a major problem is retrieving the data. The problem is not so much deterioration of the media – magnetic tape, discs, paper tape – but in maintaining the readers and associated software. I gather there are racks of archived seismic recordings that can never be used because the readers are no longer working. John Bull 28 August 2015 at 09:31 The problem is not so much deterioration of the media – magnetic tape, discs, paper tape – but in maintaining the readers and associated software. Not just a problem in this field either – so much digital history is at risk or almost gets lost because of this – the BBC’s 1986 Domesday project for example . Must admit it’s a topic that fascinates me. RayK 29 August 2015 at 10:29 Graham H ‘Parry’s comments (passim) imply that the GC’s coal trains didn’t do a very good consolidation job which further suggests that Fandroid’s plodding horses and navvies’ boots would have been even less effective!’ Given that hooves and boots would have consolidated individual layers it could potentially have been more effective than trains: which would have had most effect on the topmost layers. It would however have been very hit and miss, both because it was not deliberate and because the layers would have varied greatly in thickness. Indeed, some of the layers would have been anything but horizontal. To be sure we would have to conduct a variety of experiments which I suspect would just duplicate work already done. Graham H 29 August 2015 at 11:29 @RayK – I look forward to the practical recreation of this research! [Not nearly asmuch fun,tho’ as a Cambridge PhD thesis described in the calendar as a study of the movement of smooth water craft in confined spaces when the Reynolds number was less than X* – this turned out to be a study of barges in locks – no doubt conducted pint in hand] * This may be vaguely on topic as I believe the Reynolds number is a measure used in fluid mechanics,but others will tell me better,I’m sure. Greg Tingey 29 August 2015 at 21:05 GH Reynolds Number – is dimensionless, because it is a ratio of forces & is used to detremine if fluid flow is laminar, turbulent, or in-between. NOT to be confused with the really important equation(s) “Navier-Stokes” governing the flow of fluids – including things like steam in locomotive pipery &/or the movement of compressed gases in diesel engines [ See – it’s relevant! ] which are complete bastards to handle, & which have not been solved for all eventualities. One reason why it’s such an important engineering field. In another life, I used to try to play with some of the practical eventualities of such things: we wanted to see how fast we could lay down simultaneous layers of liquids, without turbulent mixing, & computers could not handle it. The last time I heard, they still couldn’t a lot of the time. See also Turbulent flow & “Karmann Straße” conditions. Greg Tingey 29 August 2015 at 21:10 Update. One of the Clay Prizes in Mathematics ( $1 million ) is up for a complete solution of the “N-S” equations. It’s that important. 30 August 2015 at 01:35 What might be of interest is that when the theory of Critical State Soil Mechanics was being developed at Cambridge in the 1970’s, the stress required for plastic deformation of saturated clay was similar to the stress exerted by a an Irish navvies boot heel. (Also used to ‘puddle’ canal lining.) CSS was important in understanding the behaviour of London Clay – see the construction of the Jubilee tube next to House of Commons, and of course Crossrail tunneling and the increased height of buildings in London. Foundation settlement is very much controlled by permeability – the rate water can flow through the structure. What I find amazing is that the Liverpool-Manchester line laid over over Chat Moss bog on a floating mattress is still in use. Anomnibus 30 August 2015 at 05:34 Re. track consolidation… During my research into SE London and Kent’s rail networks, I learned that shingle (from Dungeness) was originally used for ballast. At the time — the early-mid 1800s — this was fine, but by the time of the Southern Railway, trains had become both faster and heavier* and the shingle was causing problems. This is believed to have contributed to the fatal Sevenoaks derailment in 1927 . Re. the freight vs. passenger services debate: As is so often the case, the answer is: “It depends.” In the 19th Century, it was common practice for a new line to be promoted by a (not always) independent private company, each backed and led through the necessary Parliamentary Acts by a group of shareholders with their own vested interests and agendas, such as mines, industries, hotels, tourism, and the like. Hotels and spa towns (which were very popular at the time) would inevitably push for passengers first and foremost. Industrialists, like owners of mines, breweries, ports, etc., would tend to prioritise freight. If the line was built by a freight-centric company, chances are, it would have prioritised freight, while a passenger-centric company would not. But mistakes happen, and for more complex routes, the shareholder mix may be such as to make it a toss-up which type of service ‘wins’. * (So, despite the occasional moans about the increased weight of the shiny new trains that have entered service in recent years, this is hardly a new phenomenon.) ** (Captain Cock-up has had a very long and distinguished career that continues to this day, so even if passenger services were the primary objective, it’s quite possible that unexpected issues, such as problems with stations, or cruel and unusual geology discovered while digging tunnels, means freight services were first out of the starting gate.) RayK Kate Demonstration This sounds like the sort of experimentation that I had in mind. Whilst navies boots were deliberately used to puddle clay for canals, is there any evidence that they were as deliberately used to compact railway embankments? I suspect that, if they were, then that usage might well have been passed on by word of mouth rather than documented. Whilst Chat moss was traditionally referred to as bottomless, it is now know to be up to 9 m deep having been a lake in it’s origins about 10,000 years ago. I’m not convinced that the floating mattress idea is the whole story of the Chat Moss line. The mattress provided a coherent bed binding together as well as supporting the soil and stones which alone were inclined to disperse in the almost liquid bog. I suspect that the ‘floating’ is as apocryphal as the ‘bottomless’. Are there any similar features on lines more directly connected with London? timbeau 30 August 2015 at 19:55 The Little Woodcote area, near the northern edge of the North Downs, should drain freely, since there is chalk below the top soil layer. However, in fields around the Telegraph Track, rainwater will tend to puddle and lie. Apparently the area was used to dump the clay spoil from the Northern Line’s extension to Morden. The tunnelers of the other deep level tubes must have need to dump spoil. Where did they go? CdBrux 4 September 2015 at 15:00 There is now, unfortunately, a good example of the benefits of knowing as best as possible the geology of the ground you will be tunnelling through to aid project planning. The reboring of the Farnworth tunnel between Bolton & Manchester is proceeding at about half the planned pace as, despite having made a lot of ground sampling before starting, they have hit unforeseen poor conditions – basically a lot of sand falling into the tunnel – and are now injecting some sort of grout ahead of the tunnelling machine to stabilise it. What is not mentioned in that press release is that the tunnel was constructed as a cut and cover tunnel – it seems the cover filled back was any old rubbish they had to hand! ngh 4 September 2015 at 15:26 Re CdBrux, Looking at some of the photos on the NR page it looks like they also back filled with straw!!! Kate Demonstration	i don't know
On TV and radio, which 'couple' were the inhabitants of the village of 'Stackton Tressell'?	Patrick Fyffe aka Dame Hilda Bracket Patrick Fyffe was born on 23 January 1942 in Stafford, Staffordshire and died on 11 May 2002 at Wellington, Somerset from spinal cancer. He is survived by his sister, the soprano Jane Fyffe, who was a performer with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the late 1950s. Many of Fyffe's immediate family had been active in musical theatre, but he initially trained as a hairdresser, and ran his own salon in Stafford before making a career on the stage. He was a regular star of local amateur productions, but a desire to turn professional took him to London. His early professional appearances included a 1964 production of the musical Robert and Elizabeth, at the Lyric Theatre (in which his sister played the lead for a period, and he played one of Elizabeth's brothers), and a 1971 production of the same show at the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow. With some experience of repertory and a couple of provincial tours behind him, Fyffe invented the character of glamorous soprano Perri St Claire. Played on stage as a sophisticated young lady with singing talent, the "Perri" character was sufficiently eye-catching to earn him some television slots, and Fyffe was asked to appear in character in a number of television series of the late sixties, notably Z Cars and the last programme of Doctor in the House Series 1 in 1969, when he appeared as a cabaret singer. Fyffe also appeared in the first Steptoe and Son film, as a drag artiste who becomes the mistaken object of Steptoe Senior's lust. Paul Dunford, Creator of This Site My Memory of the news on May 11th 2002 by Paul Dunford When I heard the sad news on the radio on May 11th 2002 that Patrick Fyffe had died, I was devastated. I remember exactly where I was at the time, as most of us do when we hear news of a famous person dying. I was driving along the M4 in my Tesco Lorry on the way to the Hammersmith Metro store and I was just coming up to Reading Services at the time. I finished my shift that morning and the first thing I did when I got home was switch on my computer and whilst the 'old girl' was starting up I made a cup of coffee. I looked around the internet to see if there was anything on Hinge & Bracket and was shocked to see hardly anything there apart from a few pictures. The only news I found was the clip on the BBC Website. That afternoon I woke up and started searching through websites again in the vain attempt to see what was out there. After a few days I decided to use my Free Webspace my ISP gave me and started up www.hingeandbracket.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk Over the next few weeks I had fans emailing me with Pictures and memories of Hinge & Bracket and decided to open up a Yahoo Group where fans could join in and chat. Over the coming months people started sending in CDs and Videos of shows, and another fan; Ged started making available DVDs of 'Dear Ladies' and I started to do the Radio Shows and Vinyl albums so people could again hear how great Hinge & Bracket were. It was with great excitement on a cold December morning in 2003 that my phone rang and I heard a familiar voice on the other end. Thanks to David Rumelle, George called to thank me for the website and we had a chat and I got invited to go to see him in Panto in Southend on sea, which I enjoyed on the 10th January 2004. That was the day he signed all of my albums and I asked if he would support the idea of an Official website. He agreed and www.hingeandbracket-official.co.uk was born a couple of months later. It went live on the 11th May 2004 in memory of Patrick Fyffe who had died 2 years earlier. Since then I petitioned the BBC to release ' Dear Ladies ' on DVD and finally they relented and released them in 2007. On the 26th July 2004. George Logan and myself were invited along to LBC 97.3 to do an interview with Steve Allen on life with Patrick Fyffe and Hinge & Bracket. We talked about the Official Website, The Buxton Weekend and our Memories. I have raised money on the site each year for flowers for Patrick's grave and travel to Taunton to pay our respects. Thanks to Kathy Duguid's idea, all monies that were originally raised to give to the Dame Hilda Bracket trust went towards getting the benc h fitted at the Crematorium Thanks to all of the fans that signed the petitions on the website as in March my dream came true... The BBC got in touch to thank me for the support of Hinge & Bracket and told me they are planning to release Dear Ladies on DVD for the first time. (Full details on the Blog) On the 8th October 2007, Series One of "Dear Ladies" was finally released officially by Acorn Media/BBC. There is also the Gala Evenings DVD which came out in February 2008 Series 2 of "Dear Ladies" is now also released, Series 3 followed 6th April 2009. There is also a box set of Series 1-3 and the Gala Evenings out now. May 11th 2012 marked ten years since Patrick Fyffe had passed away and we organised a wonderful event in which George Logan kindly joined us, as did Christopher Underwood. May 11th 2013 we held another Evening Do which went very well and I even joined in singing the Cat Duet with Paul Bishop & Mo Coulson. My work to keep the Hinge & Bracket dream alive will be ongoing. Every year I raise money and we travel to Taunton to pay our respects to Patrick and other fans that can travel down, join in the celebrations. Thank you to all of you for the support in helping remember Patrick Fyffe and the great act that was and always will be; HINGE & BRACKET The old website address changed on 13th October due to Madasafish (Plusnet) being awkward and not allowing me to transfer the name to the new website host. So the site became www.hingeandbracketofficial.co.uk Paul Dunford (November 2014)	Hinge and Bracket
Which British river is spanned by the Pulteney Bridge?	DVD Television 2 CLAYHANGER - COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 7953323 Arnold Bennettï¿½s series of novels about the Clayhanger Family are set in the ï¿½Five Townsï¿½, a thinly-disguised version of the ï¿½six townsï¿½ of Staffordshireï¿½s Potteries. First published between 1910 and 1918, the novels tell the Victorian era coming-of-age story of Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family printing business and falls in love with Hilda Lessways. The business was lovingly built up by Edwinï¿½s father, Darius, but his son dreams instead of becoming an architect. The novels were adapted for television by ATV and this acclaimed 26 part series, originally screened in 1976, is now available for the first time as an 8-DVD box set. The huge cast includes Peter McEnery as Edwin (Willian Relton plays young Edwin in the first three episodes), Harry Andrews - magnificent as the overbearing Darius, Denholm Elliott as the splendidly named Tertius Inkpen and Joyce Redman - brilliant as slightly batty Auntie Hamps, with Louise Purnell as the charming Janet Orgreave, Denis Quilley as a scheming lawyer, Renï¿½e Asherson as the mesmerisingly anguished Miss Gaily and Janet Suzman, formidable as headstrong, determined Hilda. Not to mention the erotically-charged power of the champion female clog-dancer of the Midlands. Dramatised by Douglas Livingstone and beautifully acted, this series fully captures the sepia-tinted world of the Five Towns, revealing both the brilliant storytelling and acute psychological insights of Arnold Bennett. Highly recommended. A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME ACORN AV9794 Inspired by a painting of the same name by Nicolas Poussin, Anthony Powellï¿½s twelve-volume cycle of novels, A Dance to the Music of Time, was published between 1951 and 1975. Time magazine included it among the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 and it was ranked 43rd greatest English-language novel of the twentieth century by the Modern Library. Itï¿½s an often comic examination of movements and manners, power and passivity in English political, cultural and military life during the mid 20th century as narrator Nick Jenkins reminiscences about the people he has met over the previous half a century. He starts out as one of a group of young men who have been raised to think they are destined to rule the world, when in fact the world may turn out to belong to someone called Widmerpool. One of the longest works of fiction ever written, it was heroically adapted by Hugh Whitemore into this epic television series, originally broadcast on Channel 4 in 1997. Simon Russell Beale gives a riveting, BAFTA-winning performance as the horrible Widmerpool and the strong cast also features James Purefoy as Jenkins and Miranda Richardson, superb as the enticing femme fatale Pamela Flitton. Others include Sir John Gielgud, Claire Skinner, Richard Pasco, Edward Fox, Sarah Badel, Alan Bennett as a left-wing Oxford don (ï¿½Behave yourself, and have a rock bunï¿½), Emma Fielding, Zoï¿½ Wanamaker and Michael Williams. This is sophisticated, engrossing television drama of a kind that rarely gets made any more. Special features with the two-disc DVD set include an Anthony Powell biography and bibliography. THE SIMPSONS SEASON 12 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Matt Groeningï¿½s fabulously successful animated sitcom is a brilliant satirical parody of Middle American lifestyle. Starring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie and set in the fictional town of Springfield, the show exuberantly lampoons the human condition, popular culture, society in general and television in particular. The family was conceived by Groening for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L. Brooks and named after members of Groeningï¿½s own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became part of The Tracey Ullman Show before being developed into a half-hour prime time show that launched in 1989 and became an instant hit. Since then well over 400 episodes have been broadcast and The Simpsons has won countless awards, including 25 Emmies. Time magazine named this the 20th centuryï¿½s best television series and it has become Americaï¿½s longest-running sitcom as well as its most durable animated show. This DVD set from Fox features the complete SEASON 12 released in limited edition packaging in the shape of Comic-book Guyï¿½s head. The 21 episodes include such classics as ï¿½The Computer Wore Menace Shoesï¿½ with guest voice Patrick McGoohan (Homer creates his own website and uses it to spread gossip, but gets sent to a weird island where people who know too much are imprisoned), ï¿½HOMRï¿½ (in which Homer becomes temporarily intelligent after doctors discover a crayon lodged in his brain), ï¿½Worst Episode Everï¿½ (Bart and Milhouse are hired as his replacements at the Androidï¿½s Dungeon when Comic-book Guy has a heart attack), ï¿½Hungry, Hungry Homerï¿½ with guest Stacy Keach (Homer goes on hunger strike after the owner of the Springfield Isotopes attempts to discredit him when he discovers a plot to move the team to Albuquerque, and ï¿½Simpsons Tall Talesï¿½ (the family meet a singing hobo who tells them three tall tales in which Homer is Paul Bunyan, Lisa becomes Connie Appleseed and Bart is Tom Sawyer to Nelsonï¿½s Huckleberry Finn). THE SIMPSONS: COMPLETE SEASON 11 (TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX 2251560) followed the success of The Simpsons Movie , featuring Americaï¿½s favourite dysfunctional family. The 22 episodes include guest stars such as Mel Gibson, Lucy Lawless, Kid Rock, Tim Robbins, John Goodman, Parker Posey, Willie Nelson and Britney Spears. Among many extras are an introduction from Matt Groening; audio commentaries on every episode with Groening and executive producers, writers, actors and directors; deleted scenes; animation showcases; original sketches; special language feature; featurettes, including footage of The Simpsons receiving their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Excellenttt... THE MIND OF MR. J.G. REEDER - COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 7953001 The prolific British crime writer Edgar Wallaceï¿½s collection of stories about the self-effacing Mr J. G. Reeder was first published in 1925. Reeder is a police officer working for the Public Prosecutorï¿½s office in 1920s London, though he has ï¿½the mind of a criminalï¿½ and often finds himself straying into shady areas of the underworld as he seeks to crack some of the departmentï¿½s most difficult cases. Mild-mannered, bespectacled and dressed in nondescript fashion, this unlikely sleuth invariably succeeds in his investigations of bank heists, jewel thefts, blackmail and murder, solving the crimes in his own remarkably unremarkable way. These quirky stories have been adapted several times, notably in this classic Thames Television drama originally screened as two series between 1969 and 1971. Hugh Burden is excellent and often very funny as the seemingly bumbling Reeder - an English precursor of the Columbo style of detection ï¿½ and he is well supported by Mona Bruce as his bossy housekeeper and Willoughby Goddard as the rotund, splendidly overbearing Sir Jason Toovey, the departmental head who seems to require a new secretary every week. THE INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES - SERIES 6 ACORN AV9705 This highly enjoyable BBC series features characters created by American author, Elizabeth George - Detective Inspector Thomas ï¿½Tommyï¿½ Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton, and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers. In between solving murder cases the two seemingly mismatched London detectives find time to bicker about the conflicts arising from clashes of personality, gender and class (Havers comes from a working-class background). Both naturally have troubled home lives but are dedicated to their jobs. In the Sixth Series, These two final episodes comprise the sixth and final series of this classy series. Lynley and Haversï¿½ friendship is pushed to its limits as class divisions are tested and overcome by the desperate and sometimes personal demands of detective work. In the first story, Limbo, when the body of a child is discovered in the grounds of an Italian country villa it seems for the English parents that the past has finally been laid to rest ï¿½ their child had been abducted 15 years ago but never found, until now. Lynley goes out to Italy to support the family but after he begins an affair with the familyï¿½s now grown-up daughter she is found dead in her Rome apartment. Is he guilty of her murder? In Know Thine Enemy, the body of a missing school girl is discovered in a lake wrapped in rubble sacks and chains. She has been raped and the bruising on her hands suggests she may have been held prisoner. Meanwhile another school girl is reported missing by her mother. Will Lynley and Havers be able to find enough leads to save her? Extras include cast filmographies, an Elizabeth George biography and bibliography, a picture gallery and subtitles. THE BENNY HILL ANNUAL 1982 NETWORK 7953253 Alfred Hill was born in Southampton in 1924 and worked as a milkman, bridge operator, driver and drummer before changing his first name to ï¿½Bennyï¿½ (in homage to his favourite comedian, Jack Benny) and starting out in show business. His first job as a professional entertainer was as Reg Varneyï¿½s straight man, beating a then unknown Peter Sellers to the job, and he went on to have a long and productive career in variety, radio, films, recordings (ï¿½Ernie - The Fastest Milkman In The Westï¿½) and especially television, first at the BBC and then with Thames. Combining high-speed farce, risquï¿½ jokes and gorgeous girls, Hillï¿½s many fans included Charlie Chaplin and Michael Jackson. This DVD includes two programmes first shown in 1982, featuring a close encounter with a female vampire, Bennyï¿½s version of the Monte Carlo Show, and all-out warfare between the traffic wardens and street-cleaners of Dimpton Town! Regulars include Henry McGee, Bob Todd and Jackie Wright, as well as the controversial Hillï¿½s Angels ï¿½ at their surreal best in the meter maidsï¿½ cancan routine. This award-winning show, combining music hall bravura with imaginative technique, became one of the most successful television programmes of all time, seen in more than a hundred countries throughout the world. Political correctness and fashion led to the its cancellation in 1989, but Benny Hillï¿½s unique talent as a comic writer and performer - original, inventive and bursting with energy - is surely due for rediscovery. HEARTLAND 4DIGITAL MEDIA DIG3807 The talented young Canadian actress Amber Marshall was born in London, Ontario, and grew up around horses, making her the ideal choice to play Amy Fleming in the CBC series, Heartland. Loosely based on the best-selling books by Lauren Brooke, this is a heartwarming drama about a 15-year-old girl living on a ranch called Heartland in the fictional town of Hudson, Alberta. Set against the gorgeous scenery of the Rocky Mountains, we follow the story of sisters Amy and 20-something Lou (Michelle Morgan) and their ex-rodeo cowboy grandfather Jack Bartlett (Shaun Johnston) as they encounter the highs and lows of life on the ranch. Amy and Louï¿½s mother was killed in a car accident but the sisters continue to keep their motherï¿½s dream alive, healing abused and neglected horses using psychologically based therapies instead of rough handling or force. Lou has reluctantly come home from a high-powered job in the New York City to take over the business of the ranch and Amy realises that she has inherited her motherï¿½s special gift with horses. Eventually they are faced with tough decisions that put Heartlandï¿½s future at risk. Also starring regulars Chris Potter, Graham Wardle, Jessica Amlee and Nathaniel Arcand, Heartland is intelligently written and sensitively acted - an attractive mix of adventure, drama, romance and comedy. This 4-DVD set contains all 13 episodes from the award-winning first series, as well as Behind-the-Scenes featurettes including interviews with the cast and crew. THE LITTLEST HOBO MEDIUMRARE FHED2685 For a generation of children, this iconic long-running television series with its memorable theme song was essential viewing. In 1979, Canadian Television revived the series, now shot on videotape rather than film, and over six seasons the New Littlest Hobo (as it was sometimes called) featured many big-name Hollywood guest stars including Alan Hale, Jr., DeForest Kelley (best known for playing Dr ï¿½Bonesï¿½ McCoy in Star Trek), Morey Amsterdam, Patrick Macnee, Vic Morrow, Henry Gibson, John Carradine, Leslie Nielsen and a young Mike Myers. London is a highly intelligent, wandering German shepherd dog who walks into a different place in each episode and invariably befriends people struggling, down on their luck or in trouble. Plotlines ranged from traditional ï¿½dog helps boyï¿½ stories to catching criminals and outlandish secret agent-type tales. When his job is done, London always declines to remain as a pet of those he has helped but instead leaves to continue his cross-country drifting. This is wholesome family entertainment from a more innocent era, making it all the more welcome in these cynical times. All 24 episodes from Season One of this heartwarming series are available here on DVD for the first time. Extras include a singalong version of the theme song, episode synopses and a short feature: ï¿½How to train a dog like Londonï¿½ by Chuck Eisenmann, who trained all the dogs for the show. KOJAK - COMPLETE SEASON THREE MEDIUMRARE ENTERTAINMENT FHED 2688 This glossy 1970s American television series starred Emmy and Golden Globe winner Telly Savalas as the famously bald Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak, a tough cop with a fondness for sharp dressing, snappy dialogue and lollipops. Created by Abby Mann, an Academy Award-winning film writer for Judgment at Nuremburg, the series is set in the New York City Police Departmentï¿½s Thirteenth Precinct and revolves around the efforts of the incorruptible Kojak to bring criminals to justice, sometimes by bending the rules. His squad includes a young plainclothes officer, Det. Bobby Crocker (Kevin Dobson) and Detectives Stavros (played by Savalasï¿½s real-life brother George). The show ended in 1978, after five seasons, but continues to be rerun regularly and Savalas reprised his role in a number of 1980s television movies. All 23 episodes of the third series (over 19 hours in all) are included here so this is a great chance to rediscover a gritty, iconic police procedural that was shot mostly on location at a particularly interesting time for New Yorkï¿½s finest. ï¿½Who Loves Ya, Baby?ï¿½ THE WORLD AT WAR - ON DVD & BLU-RAY Originally broadcast in 1973 and narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, this record-breaking 26-part documentary series interviewed important members of the Allied and Axis campaigns, civilian eyewitnesses, enlisted men, officers and politicians, and made use of the rare colour film footage to create a definitive history of the Second World War. In the years since its first broadcast, this award-winning series has had many imitators but remains one of the most revered documentaries ever made. Fremantle Media are undertaking a painstaking project in which each frame has been restored individually and the audio reconfigured and upgraded - more than 3.6 million fixes across the entire series. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, this outstanding series will be released in September as an 11 DVD box set release and on 9 Blu-Ray discs. Extras will include 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo sound, enhanced picture now in 16:9 aspect ratio, and ï¿½Restoring The World at Warï¿½ - a new feature detailing the process narrated by the original series producer, Sir Jeremy Isaacs. WESSEX TALES ACORN AV9706 Thomas Hardyï¿½s collection of short stories he called Wessex Tales was published in 1888. Many of the tales are set before Hardyï¿½s birth in 1840 and portray the hierarchy of shepherds and artisans, unlike the aristocratic literature of the Victorian era. To create these stories, Hardy studied Dorsetï¿½s old newspapers and parish records and spoke with older people of the town. They reveal the humorous and affectionate observations of rustic life that provided the foundation for Hardyï¿½s Wessex, which he further defined in his wonderful Dorset novels. Through them, Hardy talks about nineteenth century marriage, grammar, class status, how men and women were viewed, and much more. The 1888 collection of Wessex Tales contained five stories, all previously published in periodicals, and for subsequent reprints Hardy added several others. In the 1970s, the BBC commissioned six writers, six directors and an exceptional cast of actors to adapt six of the Wessex Tales for an impressive television series, produced by Irene Shubik and impeccably photographed mostly on location. The chosen tales were The Withered Arm (starring the great Billie Whitelaw), Fellow-Townsmen (Jane Asher), A Tragedy of Two Ambitions (adapted by Dennis Potter and starring John Hurt), An Imaginative Woman (Claire Bloom), The Melancholy Hussar (directed by Mike Newell, with Mary Larkin) and Barbara of the House of Grebe (adapted by David Mercer and starring Ben Kingsley). These stories of witchery, revenge, thwarted passion, costly ambition, buried desire, madness and betrayal find their participants entrapped repeatedly by fate - always at liberty to make choices, but inevitably confronted by their destiny. At the time, writer Dennis Potter described them as ï¿½the kind of stories that countrymen tell. Full of outlandish incident, of wild coincidences.ï¿½ Special features with this two-DVD release of the BAFTA nominated series include a Thomas Hardy biography and bibliography courtesy of the Thomas Hardy Society and Dorset County Museum, cast filmographies and a picture gallery. Highly recommended. ITï¿½S GARRY SHANDLINGï¿½S SHOW FABULOUS FILMS FHED2683 American comedian, actor and writer Garry Shandling began his career writing for sitcoms such as Sanford and Son, and became a frequent guest-host for Johnny Carson. In 1986, when he was poised to become a permanent guest host on The Tonight Show, he created Itï¿½s Garry Shandlingï¿½s Show for the cable channel Showtime. This innovative 30 minute sitcom was a sharp and surreal blend of reality set post-modernistically within the confines of a sitcom. Shandling would often break the ï¿½fourth wallï¿½ during the show to include the studio audience and the viewers at home in on the making of the show. Experimenting with the form meant inviting the audience onto the set, playing with the passage of time (ï¿½itï¿½s now two weeks laterï¿½), generally exploding the genre and making art out of the debris. Teaming up with Saturday Night Liveï¿½s Alan Zweibel, Shandling ï¿½put on a fourth grade playï¿½ every week for four seasons. With a crew of talented young writers including Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Al Jean, Michael Reiss, David Mirkin, (who would go on to Seinfield and The Simpsonï¿½s) and Ed Solomon, who wrote Men In Black, television history was made. Over the years, guest stars (playing themselves) included Tom Petty, Rob Reiner, Vanna White, Red Buttons, Dan Akroyd, Gilda Radner (in her last TV performance), Carl Reiner, Chevy Chase, Jeff Goldblum and The Turtles. From its infectious theme song to its closing credits, this joyous parody was a surprise success that has influenced many of the best TV comedies since, including Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Shandlingï¿½s own Larry Sanders Show. This four-DVD set includes all 16 episodes from the first series (with commentaries on five of them), as well as a documentary and extra sketches. Fabulous Films has also released a three-disc set with all 16 episodes from the first season of another American TV comedy series, SAVED BY THE BELL (FHED2670). Set in the fictional town of Palisades, California, this follows six teenagers through their fun-filled days at Bayside school as well as their antics at their favourite hangout, The Max. Heartthrobs Zack and A.C are forever vying for the attention of Kelly, the prettiest and most popular girl in school. Screech is the class clown and electronics genius, and fashion conscious Lisa is mostly occupied with expanding her wardrobe. THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES ï¿½ SECOND SERIES NETWORK The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes is an anthology series made by Thames television and based on the collected works of former BBC Director General Sir Hugh Carleton Greene, though Greene had no hand in the production of the series. The stories are prefaced with this explanation: ï¿½During the years 1891 to 1914, when the Sherlock Holmes series were serialised in ï¿½Strand Magazineï¿½, Conan Doyleï¿½s hero was not the only detective operating in London, he had rivals...ï¿½ Each one hour programme presented an adaptation of a short mystery, suspense or crime story featuring detectives who were literary contemporaries of the great Sherlock Holmes. The foggy, gas lit streets of the Victorian world are brought to atmospheric life in this intelligently written BAFTA-winning. The series begins with a Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway in which the lovely Judy Geeson stars as Polly Burton, with a young Richard Beckinsale and the irrepressible John Savident as an attorney with a sweet tooth. Other highlights include The Looting of the Specie Room (Ronald Fraser as Mr Horrocks investigates stolen gold on a steam-ship), The Secret of the Fox Hunter (Derek Jacobi as William Drew meets his most dangerous case to date) and Jaques Futrelleï¿½s Cell 13 (Douglas Wilmer, who played the great Holmes many times, enjoys himself hugely as the remarkable Professor Van Dusen. This generous 4-DVD set contains all 13 episodes from the second series of The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes. The first series, also available as a 4-DVD box set from Network, features stories by authors such as R. Austin Freeman, Arthur Morrison (in which crooked private detective Horace Dorrington, played with rascally relish by Peter Vaughan, investigates The Affair of the Avalanche Bicycle and Tyre Company Limited), Guy Boothby (ï¿½gentleman thiefï¿½ Simon Carne devises an ingenious scheme to obtain The Duchess of Wiltshireï¿½s Diamonds) and Max Pemberton. Other actors include John Neville, Robert Stephens, Roy Dotrice, Donald Pleasence and Donald Sinden. THE TURN OF THE SCREW ACORN AV9742 Henry Jamesï¿½s chilling ghost story, The Turn of the Screw, was first published as a novella in 1898. Due to its ambiguous content it has been interpreted in many ways and been adapted often around the world as radio, films (most memorably in The Innocents, starring Deborah Kerr), television, theatre, ballet, a graphic novel and an opera by Benjamin Britten. This re-working of the James classic is set in a 1920s when Britain was still grieving after the First World War. Michelle Dockery gives a strong performance as the young governess, Ann, with Sue Johnston as Mrs Grose and Mark Umbers as the Master. Ann is sent to a country house to take care of two orphans, Miles (Josef Lindsay) and Flora (Eva Sayer). Shortly after the governess begins her duties, Miles is expelled from boarding school for being ï¿½a threat to the other boysï¿½ and Ann fears that there is something else behind the expulsion. She is too charmed by the adorable boy to want to press the issue but then starts to see the figures of a man and woman around the grounds of the estate. They appear to be supernatural and Ann learns that her predecessor and her lover, the abusive Peter Quint (Edward MacLiam), both died under curious circumstances. Gradually, Ann becomes convinced that the two children are secretly aware of the presence of the ghosts and she becomes obsessed with the belief that malevolent forces are stalking them. The story is revealed in a series of flashbacks as Ann is held imprisoned in an insane asylum, refusing to tell her tale until one man finds the key that will unlock her dark secrets. Also starring Corin Redgrave, this is a haunting tale of sexual predators, suspense and murder, in which ghosts are relentless in pursuit of those who believe in them, and curse those who do not. DVD extras include cast filmographies, a picture gallery and subtitles. LADY CHATTERLEY ACORN AV9735 D. H. Lawrenceï¿½s novel Lady Chatterleyï¿½s Lover, first published in 1928 in Italy, could not be published openly in the United Kingdom until 1960. The book soon became notorious for its story of the physical relationship between a working-class man and an aristocratic woman, with its explicit descriptions of sex and its use of then unprintable words. The story is said to have originated from events in Lawrenceï¿½s own unhappy domestic life, and he took inspiration for the settings of the book from Eastwood in Nottinghamshire where he had lived. The novel has been adapted several times for film, and in it became this BBC television mini-series entitled Lady Chatterley, directed by the irrepressible Ken Russell. Acorn Media has released this acclaimed mini-series on DVD, marking the fifty years since the original scandalous UK publication which led to a momentous court case on obscenity and freedom of speech. Russellï¿½s powerful adaptation brings this vivid and extraordinary tale to life. Joely Richardson has the tricky role of Constance Chatterley, wife to the emotionally and physically paralysed Sir Clifford (James Wilby) in a post-war England which finds itself on the cusp of change. The old ways and class divisions have begun to crumble as the bulk of a nationï¿½s youth fell in the trenches leaving a downtrodden but emboldened few. As Lady Chatterley, bereft of her husbandï¿½s attention, finds a re-awakening in the arms of a working man (Sean Bean), more is at stake than honour and more is at risk than marriage, in this dramatic and passionate re-telling of Lawrenceï¿½s classic tale. The underrated Shirley Anne Field is superb as Mrs. Bolton, the nurse who understands everything. Hetty Baynes plays Hilda, Connieï¿½s spirited sister, and their father is Ken Russell, who was married to Baynes at the time. Special features include an interview with Ken Russell as well as text features on D.H. Lawrence and the famous Trial of Lady Chatterley. CRIMINAL JUSTICE II ACORN AV9739 This five-part BBC series, first broadcast in 2009, tells the story of Juliet Miller, the wife of a very successful barrister Joe Miller and mother of 13-year-old daughter Ella. When one night Juliet stabs Joe in their bed, she sets in motion a chain of events as hard and unbreakable as any the law can offer. As she travels through the criminal justice system under the constant scrutiny of police, prison officials and social services, her guilt isnï¿½t questioned, but her motives are. As the case passes through family court towards a tense and unpredictable finale in the Crown Court, the terrifying blunt force of criminal justice is felt from the moment it is called into play right through to its terrible execution. Powerfully written by former lawyer turned screenwriter and playwright Peter Moffat, this slowly-paced and occasionally implausible drama is always engrossing and has superb performances by Maxine Peake as the fragile Juliet, Matthew Macfadyen as Joe and Alice Sykes as Ella, with fine support from Sophie Okonedo, Denis Lawson, Steven MacKintosh, Eddie Marsan, Zoe Telford and Kate Hardie. DANGER MAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES 1 NETWORK 7953139 ï¿½Every government has its secret service branch: America, CIA; France, Deuxieme Bureau; England, MI5. NATO also has its own. A messy job? Well thatï¿½s when they usually call on me, or someone like me. Oh yes, my name is Drake, John Drake.ï¿½ Before Patrick McGoohan was incarcerated in The Village, he became famous as the smart, tenacious secret agent John Drake in Danger Man, a British television series first broadcast between 1960 and 1962. Created by Ralph Smart for Lew Gradeï¿½s ITC Entertainment, Danger Man was a more realistic version of James Bond (Ian Fleming had originally been involved in the project but dropped out to assist on the American series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.). The first series of 39 half-hour episodes showed the exemplary Drake working on tricky assignments, often at odds with his superiors as he goes about aiding democracy, solving murders and foiling criminals in exotic locations around the world. Patrick McGoohanï¿½s simmering, compelling performance catapulted him into movies and paved the way for his undeniable tour de force - The Prisoner . Showcasing Edwin Astleyï¿½s memorable music, Danger Man features intriguing storylines from excellent writers and guest performances by stars such as Donald Pleasence, Patrick Wymark, Robert Shaw, Patrick Troughton, Warren Mitchell and Honor Blackman. One episode - The Vacation - marked an early directorial credit for McGoohan. Special features with this DVD boxset include a commemorative booklet on the making of the series by Archive Television Historian Andrew Pixley; extensive image galleries, including many unseen stills; and several mute trailers. This exciting, intelligent series from a golden era of British television will delight all fans of the great McGoohan. Buy Danger Man now at Amazon. CHOICE OF COWARD: THE COMPLETE SERIES 1 NETWORK 7952793 ï¿½Would you care for a drink?ï¿½ ï¿½Passionately.ï¿½ For four weeks in 1964, ITVï¿½s prestigious Play of the Week slot was given over to a short series of plays by one of the most popular and best loved playwrights of the twentieth century, Nï¿½el Coward, each one featuring a short, typically waspish introduction by the author. The plays here are amongst the finest he wrote and feature an exceptional cast list that includes Peter Wyngarde, James Bolam, Barbara Murray, Hattie Jacques and Philip Bond. All the plays were produced and directed by the legendary Joan Kemp-Welch - one of the first women television directors, whose work stretched from Shakespeare and Pinter to Oscar Wilde. In Present Laughter, Garry Essendineï¿½s little indiscretions cause more than a slight upheaval in his household - particularly when everyone decides they are going to Africa with him. Blithe Spirit features Madame Arcati and a sï¿½ance that seems like a terrific lark, but for novelist Charles Condomine itï¿½s something rather more when the ghost of his first wife turns up to haunt him. In The Vortex, Florence Lancaster is a neurotic woman still living in the past. She was a great beauty and now finds pleasure in attracting younger men. Design for Living has Gilda, Otto and Leo carrying on a complicated three-way relationship. Entangled with first Otto and then Leo, Gilda finally marries Ernest, but cannot dismiss ï¿½the twoï¿½ from her mind. ARMCHAIR THEATRE: VOLUME 1 NETWORK 7953221 Armchair Theatre was ITVï¿½s flagship drama anthology series. Initially screened between 1956 and 1973, it was hugely popular, with viewing figures occasionally reaching twenty million, and became a byword for quality in televised drama. Pioneering, immensely influential and sometimes challenging in its content, the series consistently drew upon a wide range of talent. It became a showcase for the post-war generation of British writers who sought to place sensitive social topics, in particular the British class system, under the microscope. Throughout, the series featured a number of powerful, award-winning plays and its lasting influence was a testament to producer Sydney Newmanï¿½s passionate belief in bringing high-quality drama to the viewing public. For the first time, this collection brings together eight plays, broadcast between 1970 and 1973, featuring outstanding scripts by Colin Welland, Ian Kennedy-Martin, Fay Weldon, Donald Churchill, Roy Clarke and Dominic Behan. The plays feature outstanding performances by accomplished British actors such as Tom Bell, Billie Whitelaw (brilliant as the lonely divorcee Ruth in Brown Skin Gal, Stay Home and Mind Bay-Bee), Peter Barkworth, Rita Tushingham, Susan Jemeson (excellent in Wellandï¿½s Say Goodnight to Your Grandma), a young Richard Beckinsale and national treasure Beryl Reid. The sixties and seventies were a golden period for British drama and these committed, one-off plays show how much television is missing the format today. THE PRISONER 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION NETWORK 7952663 This British television allegorical science fiction series, created by and starring the charismatic Patrick McGoohan, tells the enigmatic story of a man who abruptly resigns from his position as a top-level government agent and is held captive in a small, colourful village by unknown people who are concerned about his resignation. Each episode typically features the imprisoned former agent - labelled ï¿½Number Sixï¿½ by his captors who refuse to use names - failing to escape ï¿½The Villageï¿½ (exteriors were filmed primarily on location at the Hotel Portmeirion resort village in North Wales) but resisting the interrogation and brainwashing attempts by his captors. This multilayered drama asks challenging questions about democracy and individual freedom, making its political commentary as relevant in todayï¿½s era of mass CTV surveillance and ID cards as it was when the series was first broadcast. Only seventeen episodes of The Prisoner were produced, with the first being shown on ITV on 1 October 1967 and the last airing on 4 February 1968. Network is now releasing a special edition DVD box set to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the most radical, thought-provoking dramas in the history of television. Newly restored from the programmeï¿½s original film elements, this is the only release of the show ever to be endorsed by Patrick McGoohan and is essential viewing for all fans of his surreal, mesmeric and enchanting masterpiece. The seven discs contain all 17 episodes digitally restored with Dolby 5.1 sound treatment, as well as an alternate version of first episode ï¿½Arrivalï¿½ with music only track. The generous array of extras include a 288 page book by television historian Andrew Pixley, original script PDFs including ones never filmed, seven audio commentaries by production members, a new 90 minute documentary titled Donï¿½t Knock Yourself Out with contributions from cast and crew (including McGoohan, Annette Andre, George Baker, Wanda Ventham, Fenella Fielding, Earl Cameron, Sheila Allen, Leo McKern and ITV chairman Michael Grade), behind-the-scenes footage, a stills gallery with many previously unseen pictures, production documentation, trailers and Easter Eggs (including Televisionï¿½s Greatest Hits clip with Patrick McGoohan and a McGoohan audio interview with Roger Goodman). An undisputed landmark in television history. GARROWï¿½S LAW ACORN AV9768 Set in the Old Bailey of Georgian London, Garrowï¿½s Law is a fascinating legal series created by Tony Marchant and inspired by the true story of young, idealistic barrister William Garrow. In a time when corruption was rife in the notoriously harsh legal system, where over-zealous bounty hunters who could earn rewards for hangings would often manufacture evidence against innocent people. Garrow fought against such injustice by pioneering the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution. Andrew Buchan stars as the ground-breaking legal maverick, with Alun Armstrong as his mentor John Southouse and Lyndsey Marshal as Lady Sarah Hill, his forbidden love interest. The lavish four-part series was made with remarkable attention to detail and uses real cases from the Old Bailey archives, including murder, assault, corruption and highway robbery, to ensure convincing authenticity and a gritty atmosphere to the stories. The pressures brought upon Garrow from the judgeï¿½s bench before him and the Kingï¿½s ministers behind make for an intriguing and gripping drama. Special features with this double disc DVD release include a behind the scenes documentary filmed on location with cast and crew. FRED DIBNAHï¿½S BUILDING COLLECTION ACORN AV9722 In this 3-DVD box set, which includes over five hours of unseen footage, Fred Dibnah explores his passion for great engineering and great building. He had enormous respect for those who really got to grips with the art and craft, the sweat and labour of building a brave new world from iron and steel, wood and stone. Here he brings history vividly to life, explaining how the builders and engineers of the past created great castles (from Roman and Iron Age fortifications to a medieval castle that became a Second World War command centre), houses (including visits to Bath, Winchester, York and a medieval tithe barn in Sussex), and churches, and developed a ship-building industry that was the envy of the world. FRED DIBNAHï¿½S RAILWAY & STEAM COLLECTION ACORN AV9928 This superb six DVD set brings together the great enthusiastï¿½s Railway Collection and Steam Collection, with previously unseen footage shot for the BBCï¿½s popular series Fred Dibnahï¿½s Industrial Age, Fred Dibnahï¿½s Victorian Heroes, Fred Dibnahï¿½s Age of Steam and Fred Dibnahï¿½s Made in Britain. Dibnah endeared him to the British public and itï¿½s a pleasure to share again his infectious passion for all things rail and steam. The collection includes The Story of Britainï¿½s Railways; Great Little Steam Railways; Made in Britain: Railway Yards and Workshops; The Story of the Traction Engine; Britainï¿½s Biggest Engines; and On the Road with Fred. Our hero travels the length and breadth of the country in search of the finest examples of anything and everything powered by steam - never missing an opportunity to pull a lever, open a valve and let off steam! FRED DIBNAHï¿½S INDUSTRIAL COLLECTION ACORN AV9723 This three-DVD collection features five hours of previously unseen footage shot for the BBC as the great enthusiast explores Britainï¿½s heritage, reminding us of the industrial genius that made this nation ï¿½the workshop of the world.ï¿½ THE INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE is a journey around the industrial Britain of yesterday, taking in Armley Mills in Leeds, North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish, Coldharbour Mill in Devon, Etruria Industrial Museum, Helmshore Textile Museum, Hook Norton Brewery, Quarry Bank Mill, Queen Street Mill in Burnley, Tees Cottage Pumping Station, Wetheriggs Country Pottery and Wigan Pier. RICHES BENEATH THE EARTH was filmed on location at Big Pit National Mining Museum, Geevor Tin Mine, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, National Coal Mining Museum, North of England Lead Mining Museum, Scottish Mining Museum, Welsh Slate Museum and Wet Earth Colliery. In IRON AND STEEL, Fred Dibnah visits Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, often described as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, as well as a modern forge in Sheffield, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, Finch Foundry in Devon and Workington Steel Works. This is a fine tribute to an endearing character who became a hugely popular television personality through his infectious enthusiasm, knowledge and unique view on life. TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY FABULOUS FILMS FHED2662 In a backwater corner of the South Pacific a young American adventurer, Jake Cutter, and his ragtag group of friends become involved in death-defying hi-jinx, transporting people-on-the-run in a picturesque though well-worn Grumman Goose seaplane and dealing with the assorted baddies who turn up. Set in 1938, just before the Second World War, this enjoyable adventure series captures the ambiance and character of a mysterious romantic era. Broadcast on the BBC in 1982, Tales of the Gold Monkey became a big hit following the success of Indiana Jonesï¿½s ï¿½Raiders of the Lost Arkï¿½ around that time. This six disc boxset set from Fabulous Films includes the complete series, including the two hour pilot movie and the 20 subsequent hour long episodes - uncut. Stephen Collins is excellent as the intrepid Jake Cutter and Caitlin Oï¿½Heaney plays the spirited Sarah Stickney White, a secret agent posing as a singer. There is fine support from, among others, Jeff MacKay as Corky, Ron Moody, Roddy McDowall and Leo the Dog as the intelligent one-eyed dog Jack. Special features include a new ï¿½Making ofï¿½ documentary with Stephen Collins, Caitlin Oï¿½Heaney, writer/producer Tom Greene and director Harvey Laidman; Audio commentaries on five episodes; Cast and character biographies; Episode and series synopses; Stills, costume and artefacts galleries; A 24 page collectors booklet. Great nostalgic fun. PEEP SHOW SERIES 6 4DVD This Golden Rose-winning British sitcom series stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb as sensible Mark Corrigan and lazy waster Jeremy ï¿½Jezï¿½ Osborne who met while at the fictional Dartmouth University together. Now in their early thirties and living in Croydon, the reluctant flatmates lead often sexually-frustrated lives. Mark is a loan manager and the more financially successful of the two, but is socially awkward and pessimistic about almost everything. Jeremy, who at the start of the first series had recently split up with his girlfriend ï¿½Big Suzeï¿½, now rents Markï¿½s spare room. He usually has a more optimistic and energetic outlook on the world than Mark, though his self-proclaimed talent as a musician has yet to be recognised and he is not as popular or attractive as he would like to think. The sixth series of Peep Show series finds ï¿½The El Dude Brothersï¿½ caught in the post-credit crunch and becoming increasingly desperate as they try in vain to find their place in the modern world, along with love and fulfillment. Having discovered that Sophie (Olivia Colman) is pregnant they have to face up to the possibility that either one of them might be a father. How will this effect Markï¿½s pursuit of Dobby (the excellent Isy Suttie)? And will it help or hinder Jeremy as he falls for his dream woman, dope-dealing-musician-activist Russian ï¿½migrï¿½ bisexual Elena (Vera Filatova) who lives in the same block of flats? Brilliantly written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, Peep Show is that rare thing - a modern sitcom that is original, intelligent and sharply observed, as well as laugh-out-loud funny. PRICELESS ANTIQUES ROADSHOW ACORN AV9738 Antiques Roadshow, now in its 31st year, is Britainï¿½s most popular long running factual TV programme. In the Sunday evening trawl through the attics and cupboards of the British public the Roadshowï¿½s panel of experts has seen everything from incredibly valuable Feuilles Fougï¿½res vases to Matchbox cars. The show has produced countless memorable television moments, including the revelation by Eric Knowles that a Lalique vase, bought for ï¿½1, was actually worth ï¿½25,000. In Priceless Antiques Roadshow, current presenter Fiona Bruce introduces many of these classic moments, with contributions from former presenters Michael Aspel and Hugh Scully and resident experts such as the wonderfully avuncular Henry Sandon. This three-disc set also contains biographies of many of Roadshow appraisers and experts as well as their tips for which collectables to look out for during the credit crunch. From ceramics to jewellery and silver, they give the inside track on whatï¿½s valuable and what can be safely sent to the charity shop. Often imitated, but never bettered, Priceless Antiques Roadshow represents 30 years of collectable magic that can be relived in this three DVD celebration of a national institution. BOOTSIE AND SNUDGE - THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES NETWORK This very successful British sitcom was a spin-off of another popular early television hit, The Army Game. Finally demobbed from the army, skiving Private ï¿½Excused Bootsï¿½ Bisley (played by Alfie Bass) and his blustering bully of a Sergeant, Claude Snudge (Bill Fraser), return to civilan life where they find themselves employed in the same Pall Mall gentlemanï¿½s club, The Imperial. The characters remain true to their original Army Game personalities with the eternal dreamer ï¿½Bootsieï¿½ (now employed - appropriately - as the ï¿½boot boyï¿½) and Snudge as the stuttering, apoplectic Major Domo who tries to keep Bisley on the straight and narrow. The series, originally written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman, of Round the Horne fame, also regularly featured Clive Dunn as bumbling old Johnson, effectively previewing his character as Corporal Jones in Dadï¿½s Army, and Robert Dorning as the tyrannical club secretary Hesketh Pendleton (The Hon. Sec.). With the eccentric main cast and engaging support from the elderly gentlemen who frequent the club, much hilarity ensues. Over a hundred half-hour episodes were broadcast between 1960 and 1974 and this box set five DVDs from Network includes all of the first series (a total of 975 minutes). Alfie Bass was born into a Jewish family in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest of ten children, and appeared in a wide variety of stage, film, television and radio productions throughout his career. Scottish actor Bill Fraser was a bank clerk before moving on to acting. He became friends with Eric Sykes while serving with the RAF during the Second World War and was subsequently a stalwart of the British screen. Together, Bass and Fraser revel in their very English mangled dialogue and the invariably farcical situations that arise at The Imperial. THE COMPLETE LORD PETER WIMSEY ACORN AV9925 Dorothy L. Sayers created the archetypal British gentleman detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, in a series of detective novels and short stories published between 1926 and 1934. The bon vivant sleuth, younger brother of the Duke of Denver, is an intellectual scholar with on time on his hands and a penchant for solving murder and other mysteries, helped his manservant by Bunter. Five of the novels were made into a very successful BBC television series that ran from 1972 to 1975, starring Ian Carmichael as the debonair detective and Glyn Houston as the impeccably unruffled Bunter. These five feature length tales are now available on DVD, either individually or in this opulent box set. Clouds of Witness finds Lord Peter grappling with a murder in the family; The Unpleasantness at The Bellona Club explores the mysterious death of an aged Colonel with an inheritance at stake; Murder Must Advertise sees Wimsey posing as a copywriter to investigate evil doings at an ad agency; The Nine Tailors finds an emerald necklace at the heart of a robbery with deadly implications; and Five Red Herrings allows the Lord a short vacation in Scotland before he becomes embroiled in the strange death of a local artist. Ian Carmichael brings great wit, charm and comic good humour to a character that he was born to play. Each DVD features an exclusive interview with him in this definitive collection of an enduringly popular series. JENNIE ï¿½ LADY RANDOLPH CHURCHILL NETWORK This acclaimed television series, stylishly directed Cellan Jones, stars Lee Remick as Jennie Jerome, the vivacious, intelligent and beautiful American who married the son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. One of her sons went on to become the most celebrated British politician of all time, Winston Churchill. Jennie Jerome - subsequently Lady Randolph Churchill - became immensely popular in Londonï¿½s high society upon her arrival from America. Her charm and social skills ensured that she remained a firm hit long after her marriage. It was at her much coveted dining table and saloon that the young Winston met and conversed with the most brilliant political figures of the time. Being a lady of sharp mind, Jennie not only recognised her sonï¿½s genius for politics, she nurtured and fostered it with great love, care and attention. Sir Winston would repeatedly pay homage to her energy, courage and dedication throughout his life. Lee Remickï¿½s spirited performance earned her a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for Best Actress. First screened in 1974 as part of ITVï¿½s commemoration of Churchillï¿½s centenary year, this lavish production charts all the major events in Jennieï¿½s life with much affection and truth. The award-winning costume designs and the gorgeous locations - including the family home, Blenheim Palace - lend a striking authenticity to this story of a remarkable woman. The cast also includes Barbara Parkins, Warren Clarke (as Winston Churchill), Ronald Pickup, Jeremy Brett and Patrick Troughton (as Benjamin Disraeli). PRISON BREAK: SEASON 4 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Prison Break is a glossy, fast-moving American television drama series with plenty of action and a high body count. Lincoln Burrows (played by Dominic Purcell) is on death-row for the murder of the vice presidentï¿½s brother, though he insists that he is innocent. His brother Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) is the only one believes him. As an engineer who helped design the prison where Lincoln is being held, Michael takes drastic measures to help his brother by robbing a bank so that he is caught and jailed. The first season received positive reviews and its original 13-episode run was extended to include an extra nine episodes due to its popularity. Subsequent series have acquired a devoted following around the world and this new DVD box set features the nail-biting climax. Following their daring escape from the hellish Panamanian prison, ï¿½brothers on the runï¿½ Michael and Lincoln discover a fresh determination as they seek retribution against The Company. This shadowy group was responsible for destroying their lives and supposedly killing the woman Michael loves, Dr. Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies). Michaelï¿½s quest for vengeance leads him to Los Angeles, where Sara makes a shocking comeback from the dead. As the two reunite Michael realises to be finally free he must destroy The Company and steal SCYLLA (the organisationï¿½s ï¿½black bookï¿½). With the initial backing of Homeland Security, Michael and his gang commence their ultimate mission as the time has come for justice to finally prevail. Breaking The Company is far from easy and all is not as it seems. This is your chance to catch the long-awaited, unsolved conclusions and dramatic climax to TVï¿½s greatest escape. Special features with the DVD box set include exclusive commentary from cast and crew, including Dominic Purcell and William Fichtner and acclaimed screen writer Seth Hoffman. Other featurettes that look at the making of the final series include Fade to Black: The Final Episode; The Plan, The Execution, and the Bullet and Directors World. With great cinematography, intriguing characters and a unique plot, Prison Break is a stylish treat. AMERICAN DAD, VOL. 4 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Satirical animated American comedy has been going through a golden age in recent years, with series such as Family Guy, South Park, King of the Hill and the all-conquering Simpsons. American Dad! is one of the sharpest and funniest, created by Emmy Award-winning Seth MacFarlane and two other former Family Guy writers, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. The series follows the outlandish misadventures of proud CIA agent Stan Smith as strives to protect his beloved America from harm. He also has to cope with a wacky family - his loyal but not-too-smart wife Francine, liberal 18-year-old hippie daughter Hayley, geeky 14-year-old son Steve, the selfish, sarcastic and alcoholic space alien Roger, and Klaus, a lascivious, attention-starved German speaking goldfish! This fourth season of American Dad sees this unlikely bunch of personalities try to find a way to love and trust each other during increasingly unpredictable times. Stand-out plots include Roger thinking that someone has stolen his identity after stealing his credit card and maxing it out, Steve plotting revenge against all of the popular girls at school who torment nerds and losers, and Stan suffering with depression and going on holiday back to Camp Refugee for three weeks. Special features with this three DVD set include an audio commentary for all of the episodes, deleted scenes, and two featurettes. The showï¿½s brilliant political and social commentary makes fun of liberals and republicans alike and includes some of the wittiest, laugh out loud lines in television history. SHAKESPEAREï¿½S ï¿½TWELFTH NIGHTï¿½ NETWORK William Shakespeareï¿½s much-loved comedy Twelfth Night, Or What You Will, was first performed 1602 but not published until the First Folio in 1623, seven years after the playwrightï¿½s death. The title suggests the mind games played out in the script as well as the darkness and loss of innocence. On the Twelfth Night of Christmas, the traditional festivities consist of drink, dance, and giving in to general self-indulgence as the author skillfully weaves a story of deception, disguise and frustrated love. The subtitle implies that the audience is interested in being provoked by the sexuality and merry spirit found in the play, which focuses on the aristocrats of society who are entitled to their pleasures while the only hard work being done is by the pompous and puritanical steward, Malvolio and the wise fool, Feste. Men dress as women, servants dress as their masters, and authority is usurped. The Vitagraph Studios released the silent short adaptation of Twelfth Night in 1910 and there have been many other versions since, including this 1969 television production directed for ITC by the critically acclaimed John Sichel. The illustrious cast features Joan Plowright as Viola, the shipwrecked young noblewoman, Alec Guinness as the vain Malvolio, Ralph Richardson as drunken Sir Toby Belch and Tommy Steele as an unusually prominent Feste. Network has also released two classic comedy series: PARDON THE EXPRESSION follows the mixed fortunes of former Coronation Street boutique owner Leonard Swindley (the great Arthur Lowe) in his new position as assistant manager at a Dobson and Hawks chain store. The punctilious but ambitious Mr. Swindley seizes every opportunity that might afford him the chance to scale the social heights - from organising strategic civic functions to securing lucrative new orders for the company. Arthur Lowe is perfect as the pompous, quietly floundering buffoon and Betty Driver - soon to be installed behind the bar of the Roverï¿½s Return - also stars as canteen manageress Mrs. Edgeley in this popular sitcom, originally screened in 1965. SURGICAL SPIRIT features the irrepressible Surgeon Sheila Sabatini, (Nichola McAucliffe, who rules her operating theatre with a sharp tongue and acerbic wit. Her larger-than-life nature and dedication to her work not only make her a force to be reckoned with, yet beneath the stern, intimidating surface beats a kind heart that only the privileged few who are fortunate enough to discover Nichola McAuliffeï¿½s memorable performance as the spiky Dr. Sabatini make this as unforgettable a creation as Basil Fawlty or Victor Meldrew. PUBLIC EYE NETWORK This critically acclaimed, long-running private detective drama stars Alfred Burke as the Marlowesque, world-weary and down-at-heel Inquiry Agent Frank Marker. Always working the lower end of the spectrum - divorces, missing persons, bankruptcies - the public found a great affinity with Marker, making Public Eye a huge success. The four-disc DVD set contains all 13 episodes of this 1972/3 series. Also released by Network is WATCHING, an offbeat ITV comedy that follows the on-again, off-again romance of a mismatched Merseyside couple: fun-loving extrovert Brenda (Emma Wray) and shy, retiring birdwatcher Malcolm (Paul Bown). Also starring Liza Tarbuck and Patsy Byrne, the DVD includes the whole of the third series as well as a Christmas Special. John Esmonde and Bob Larbeyï¿½s GET SOME IN ran from 1975-78 and this complete third series has Robert Lindsay and Tony Selby turning in wonderfully comedic performances. A four-disc set of the fourth series of HADLEIGH stars Gerald Harper as the debonair young landowner - a man of privilege and inheritor of the magnificent Melford Hall. Guest appearance come from Stephanie Beacham, Michael Elphick, Gordon Jackson and Peter Sallis. The 1980s BAFTA-nominated family sitcom AFTER HENRY features Prunella Scales as the widowed Sarah. Though her deceased husband left her well-cared for financially, he also left her alone to deal with a demanding mother and a prickly, adolescent daughter. Joan Sanderson is the devious Eleanor and Janine Wood is the angst-ridden teenage daughter desperate to leave home. MANHUNT is a tense drama about downed RAF Squadron leader Jimmy Porter, who together with Resistance agents ï¿½Ninaï¿½ and ï¿½Vincentï¿½ attempts to sabotage the activities of the Germans in wartime France and smuggle stranded airmen to safety. This addictive, fast-paced series vividly captures the fear and complex personal dilemmas experienced by those caught up in the tragedy of wartime occupation. BOON is a four-disc set of the second series with Michael Elphick as the former fireman with the heart of gold, a passion for adventures and his trademark motorbike. Humour, and heart-warming story lines made Boon a ratings success and attracted guest stars such as Amanda Burton and Ray Winstone. THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII established Alexander Kordaï¿½s reputation as a director and was the first British film to be a major success at the US box office. Opening with the execution of Anne Boleyn at the same time that Jane Seymour selects her bridal gown, a dark, tongue-in-cheek sense of humour sets the tone for the rest of the film. Charles Laughton won a well-deserved Oscar for his portrayal of Henry as flamboyant womaniser, henpecked glutton and king of an empire. STORMY WEATHER is a riotous 1936 classic starring and directed by Tom Walls, one of the most influential figures in British comedy. Written by the great Ben Travers, Stormy Weather tells the story of Polotski, a shady Russian who had been married to a French woman, Louise. Convinced that Polotski is dead, Louise remarries and is now the wife of a prominent social figure. Polotski sees the situation as an opportunity he can manipulate to his own advantage. Many Aldwych farce regulars feature in this high energy Gainsborough film, packed with physical comedy and drama. Bernard Manning, Mike Reid, Frank Carson and many others star in the THE COMEDIANS, featuring performers who honed their jokes to perfection in gritty Northern working menï¿½s clubs. Featuring the unmistakable David Frost, FROST ON SUNDAY concentrated on light entertainment with sketches from Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker, with guests such as Rolf Harris, Matt Monro, Michael Bentine, Ted Ray, Kenneth Williams, Vincent Price and Michael Palin as Julie Andrews. This set includes the first ever show from 1968 and an edition from the London Palladium presenting 1970ï¿½s British Film and Television Awards. The complete drama series based on Howard Springï¿½s best-selling novel, SHABBY TIGER, stars John Nolan as Nick Faunt, the heir of a millionaire in 1930s Manchester. Rather than embracing the comfortable life that his family is able to provide, he leaves home to be an artist and immerse himself in bohemian life. He encounters Irish serving girl Anna (Prunella Gee) and a strange love story begins. Depression era Manchester is convincingly reconstructed, providing an authentic backdrop for the unfolding drama. THE COLLECTION stars Alan Bates, Helen Mirren, Malcolm McDowell and Laurence Olivier in a play by Harold Pinter Directed by multi-award winning Michael Apted and set in the exclusive world of West End boutique owners and fashion designers, the story opens as the lives of four people are shaken by the slight whiff of infidelity. A sinister phone call foreshadows an ominously deepening mystery which threatens to get out of control. Special features include a South Bank Show interview in which Harold Pinter speaks frankly to Melvyn Bragg. See the Network website for more details of these and other new releases. BRITAINï¿½S BEST DRIVES - RICHARD WILSON ACORN AV9709 Presented by Richard Wilson and timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the first motorway, this BBC series saw the classic comedy actor steer six classic cars round the twists and turns of six of the best drives of the 1950s, as described in various motoring guide books of the period. Driving in those days wasnï¿½t just a stressful means to an end, it was a pastime and a Sunday drive was often looked forward to as a highlight of the week. This all changed with the introduction of the motorway in 1958, when getting from A to B as quickly and efficiently as possible became the priority. Richard Wilson puts his modern automatic in the garage - having only driven automatic cars since passing his test in 1981 - and gets behind the wheels of six classic cars - Morris Traveller, Mini, Austin A30, VW Camper Van, Austin Cambridge and Bentley - all with manual gear boxes. Along the way he meets colourful characters who have valuable insights into how each route has changed, and how Britain has changed with it. The six drives cover most regions of the UK, including the English Lake District, the Cornish Coast, the Scottish Highlands, the North Yorkshire Moors, the Wye Valley and Snowdonia. Stopping off at famous historical sites such as Tintern Abbey, sites of natural beauty like The Duddon Valley in Cumbria and The Pass of Llanberis, Wilson takes the scenic route in this entertaining and educational series, which debuted to great acclaim on BBC Two on 19 February 2009. The entire series is now available on this double DVD set. Richard Wilson makes an agreeably quirky companion on these nostalgic jaunts, though the vehiclesï¿½ owners may want hide behind the sofa as he crunches the occasional gear. LIFE ON MARS ï¿½ COMPLETE SERIES 2 CONTENDER CTD10517 The much-acclaimed Life on Mars series, mixing time travel with police drama, was a huge hit when was shown on BBC One between 2006 and 2007, winning BAFTA and International Emmy awards. The central character is DCI Sam Tyler of Greater Manchester Police (John Simm), who, after being hit by a car in 2006, finds himself in the year 1973, the era of ï¿½Sweeneyï¿½ type policing, Mark III Cortinas, sheep-skin jackets and flared trousers. In his new situation Tyler works for Manchester and Salford Police CID as a DI under DCI Gene Hunt (a rumbustious performance by Philip Glenister) and faces various culture clashes, often regarding differences in his approach to policing compared to that of his colleagues. The series also features a strong ambiguity concerning Tylerï¿½s predicament: it is unclear whether he really has travelled back in time, is in a coma in 2006 and imagining his experiences, or if he is from 1973 but mentally unstable. The final episode of series two gained the largest audience figure for the second run, with an average of seven million people despite competition from Champions League football on ITV. This splendid four-DVD box set features every episode from series two as well as more than two hours of extras. The cast is first-class and the Seventies setting is designed to perfection - although part of the fun is looking for the occasional anachronism. With great scripts, knowing humour and intriguing mystery, Life on Mars is essential viewing. JUST WILLIAM - THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES NETWORK The writer Richmal Crompton Lamburn was born in Bury, Lancashire, in 1890, and is best known for her books of stories about the irrepressible William Brown, a mischievous 11-year-old schoolboy, his dog Jumble and his friends Ginger, Henry and Douglas - collectively called the Outlaws. Cromptonï¿½s first published short story featuring William was ï¿½Rice Mouldï¿½, which appeared in Home Magazine in 1919. The first collection, titled Just William and memorably illustrated by Thomas Henry, came out in 1922 and the author went on to write 38 more. The last one - William the Lawless - was published posthumously a year after her death in 1969. The wonderfully funny and beautifully written William books remain extremely popular and have sold over twelve million copies in the UK alone as well as being translated into many languages around the world. They have also been adapted for films and plays as well as for radio and television. The most popular television version of Richmal Cromptonï¿½s high-spirited tearaway was this Sunday series from LWT (1977-78). Scruffy, crafty but utterly likeable, William lives his life as an endless series of adventures. He cannot help but be wholly engaging despite his mischief and escapades. His liveliness is made all the more compelling set against the stultifying, self-satisfied dullness of his middle-England family - his banker father, terribly reasonable mother, desperately inspirational older sister Ethel and pompous ladiesï¿½ man brother Robert. The series features Adrian Dannatt as the eponymous William - fearless, ingenious and the bane of parents everywhere. The only one that would dull the spring in Williamï¿½s steps is Violet Elizabeth Bott, the ghastly daughter of the nouveau riche family Mr. and Mrs. Bott, who has a fail-safe master plan for whenever William should fail to give in to her demands. Bonnie Langford plays the appalling Violet Elizabeth and featured guest stars include Diana Dors (an exuberant Mrs. Bott), Julian Fellowes and Ronald Lacey. THE HARD WAY NETWORK Acting heavyweights Patrick McGoohan and Lee Van Cleef star in this pulsating thriller, executive produced by John Boorman. The life of the mercenary is transitory and violent. They roam the world in packs, feeding off obscure political upsets, war and the general shabby consequences of manï¿½s appetite for destruction and power. Some, though, are loners. Patrick McGoohan is Irish hit-man John Connor, who has grown weary of watching men die. The anonymous hotel rooms, wet streets and ever-present fear of a tap on the door in the dead of night have led him to retire and settle down in Ireland. But ï¿½The Co-ordinatorï¿½, played by the Hollywood legend Lee Van Cleef, has other ideas. This is a taught thriller with a typically brooding performance by McGoohan and fans of Prisoner will find intriguing parallels with that legendary series. The film makes full use of Brian Enoï¿½s innovative readymade ï¿½soundtrackï¿½ from his Music for Films CD and has a poignant narration by the gunmanï¿½s estranged wife, played by Irish author Edna Oï¿½Brien in her only screen role. DVD extras include a trailer and a stills gallery. Atmospherically shot in and around Dublin and in the wild west of Ireland, this underrated film transcends its humble television origin to provide an existential study of violence and what it means to men who live the hard way. ESPIONAGE NETWORK This acclaimed 1960s drama series of plays, produced by George Justin and Herbert Hirschman, was one of Lew Gradeï¿½s earliest successes. With a transatlantic production team, Espionage featured both British and American writers and directors (including three plays by Oscar-nominated director Michael Powell (The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death). The stories cover everything from the then-current Cold War to 19th century China. One play ï¿½ The Whistling Shrimp ï¿½ was actually shot in New York. The series attracted the cream of the acting fraternity, including Roger Livesey, Stanley Baxter, Anthony Quayle, Sian Phillips, Donald Pleasence, Bradford Dillman, John Gregson, Dennis Hopper, Patrick Troughton, Barry Foster plus many more. This six-disc box set of the complete series includes extras such as script PDFs for Castles in Spain and Snow on Mount Kama, and extensive image galleries - many in colour. FIRST AMONG EQUALS NETWORK This BAFTA-nominated adaptation of Jeffrey Archerï¿½s best-selling novel delves into the world of power, public life and private scandal. In 1964, four newly elected MPs take their seats at Westminster: grammar school boy Raymond Gould (Tom Wilkinson), born above a Leeds butcherï¿½s shop; Andrew Fraser (David Robb), the son of a Conservative Lord Provost who joins the Labour Party; Simon Kerslake (James Faulkner), a career Conservative and Charles Seymour (Jeremy Child), a ruthless Tory landowner. Each man has his sights on Number Ten ï¿½ but who will succeed? Drawing upon real situations encountered by Jeffrey Archer early in his career, the portrayal of key contemporary figures (Margaret Thatcher and Colonel Gadaffi among them) lends the series an air of authenticity that is further enhanced by the celebrated replica of the House of Commons specially constructed for the 1986 series. This three-disc DVD set includes the complete and uncut series as well as an alternate ending never been shown in the UK before. HARDWARE - THE COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK The Officeï¿½s Martin Freeman plays Mike, who works at Hamwayï¿½s, perhaps the most over-staffed and incompetent hardware store in London - or anywhere else. Alongside Mike are Kenny, student trainee Steve and their boss Rex, who is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Mikeï¿½s girlfriend Anne works in a nearby cafï¿½, run by Julie, where refreshment is provided and the motley crew congregate. Amidst the cheerful havoc and hilarity, Mike and Anneï¿½s relationship is often tested by outbreaks of laddish behaviour, dangerous DIY and the occasional unwanted house guests. Written by Simon Nye, creator of Men Behaving Badly, Hardware has the same wry sense of humour, realistic and less than glamorous settings, sharp dialogue, quirky plots and flair for physical comedy. No one does hapless better than Martin Freeman and there are fine comic performances also by the excellent Susan Earl as Anne (see her wrestle with a recalcitrant ironing board), the droll Peter Serafinowicz as Kenny, Ryan Cartwright as put-upon Steve, Ella Kenion as Julie and Ken Morley (Coronation Streetï¿½s Reg Holdsworth) as the irrepressible Rex, who gets most of the best lines and delivers them with relish. This double DVD features all twelve episodes from both series One and Two of this quintessential modern British sitcom, complete and uncut. 7-49 UP - APTED NETWORK Director Michael Aptedï¿½s unique series is arguably the best and most thought-provoking sequence ever made for British television. The longest running factual programme in the history of UK TV follows the lives of wide range of people from different social backgrounds, showing how they evolve between 1964 and 2005. The first captivating instalment was broadcast as a one-off World in Action special, featuring children talking about their hopes and dreams for the future. As members of the generation who would be running the country by the year 2000, what did they think they would become? Inspired by World In Action editor Tim Hewatï¿½s passionate interest in both the Jesuit saying: ï¿½Give me the child until he is seven and I will show you the man,ï¿½ and the rigid class system of 1960s Britain, Seven Up set out to discover whether or not the childrenï¿½s lives were pre-determined by their background. ï¿½If I canï¿½t be an astronaut Iï¿½ll be a coach driver.ï¿½ This forward thinking television show and the longer follow-up documentaries have won an array of accolades and awards. Director Michael Apted, who also directed Hollywood films such as Gorillas in the Mist and The World Is Not Enough, returned every seven years to chart the childrenï¿½s progress. Over the past five decades, the series documented the group as they became adults and entered middle-age, dealing with whatever life throws at them. The result is an inspired, engrossing series that shows how life developed for a group of ordinary people and how the world changed around them. Watching lives unfold this way is a moving and revelatory experience. The entire series so far is now available on DVD for the first time in this splendid six-disc box set. Special features include an interview with the director about making the series, a featurette with Michael Apted on his career, and audio commentary with producer Claire Lewis, film editor Kim Horton and cameraman George Jesse Turner on segments of 28 Up. ï¿½An inspired, almost noble, use of the film mediumï¿½ - Roger Ebert. GET SMART - THE COMPLETE SERIES HBO VIDEO Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart is a satirical American television comedy show that ran from for a total of 138 episodes between 1965 and 1970. A send-up of the James Bond movies, it starred Don Adams as the incorrigibly inept secret agent Maxwell Smart (otherwise known as Agent 86) and the delightful Barbara Feldon as his devoted Agent 99. Edward Platt played it commendably straight as ï¿½Chiefï¿½, the long-suffering head of a secret U.S. government spy agency, CONTROL, based in Washington, D.C. Constantly threatened by an international organization of evil called KAOS (pronounced chaos), Smart and Agent 99 are called into action to save the world on a regular basis and somehow always succeed. Other characters include Hymie the Robot (an android built originally by KAOS but now working for CONTROL), put-upon agents 13 and 44, and Fang (Agent K-13), a poorly-trained dog. Despite its intrusive laghter track, the series won seven Emmy Awards and was nominated for an additional fourteen, as well as two Golden Globe Awards. Its iconic credit sequence, absurd gadgetry and inspired silliness helped Get Smart become a cult that has produced four feature-length versions. This splendid 25 disc box set contains every digitally remastered episode of the shows five series as well as eight hours of special features that include the Museum of Television and Radio Get Smart reunion seminar, footage from Don Adamsï¿½ 75th birthday roast at the Playboy Mansion, audio commentaries by Mel Brooks, Buck Henry and Barbara Feldon, behind the scenes footage, and interviews with creators and cast. Get Smart is a witty and engaging time capsule that captures the essence of a colourful decade. MRS MERTON AND MALCOLM NETWORK Mrs Merton first appeared on The Mrs Merton Show in 1994. Wonderfully played by Caroline Aherne, she poked outrageous barbed fun at the likes of Debbie McGee (ï¿½So, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?ï¿½) and Bernard Manning. The character was given a spin-off series, Mrs Merton and Malcolm, an underrated and inky black comedy featuring the elderly but feisty chat show hostess in her domestic setting. She is the oppressively doting mother of 37 year old Malcolm (played by co-writer Craig Cash), who appears to be stuck in a time capsule. Apart from his physical maturity, everything else about him (mentality, intelligence, attitude etc.) seems to have frozen at the age of about nine. Also present is the neglected and bedridden, cruelly neglected Mr Merton - never seen or heard although Mrs Merton invariably carries out a one-sided conversation with him after tucking Malcolm into bed at the end of each day. Brian Murphy gives a scene-stealing performance as the wondrously forgetful family friend Arthur Capstick and Steve Coogan is a smug disc jokey on the radio, the voice of Malcolmï¿½s motivational tapes and a vicar with Bugs Bunny teeth. All six episodes of this unique and darkly comic series are included on the DVD, complete and uncut. Marvel at Mrs Merton river-dancing, see Malcolm almost get a girlfriend and prepare to be moved by Arthur Capstickï¿½s rendition of The Drugs Donï¿½t Work. Champion! HINGE AND BRACKET ï¿½ DEAR LADIES 2 ACORN AV9678 Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket inhabit a genteel English inter-war world of cucumber sandwiches, bell-ringing, church fetes and old-fashioned values, affectionately recalled through an act that was frequently decorated with double entendres. Hinge and Bracket were the stage names of George Logan and Patrick Fyffe respectively. The characters of Hinge (somewhat brittle and acerbic) and Bracket (more flamboyant) were elderly, intellectual, female musicians; in these personae the male Logan and Fyffe played and sang songs to comic effect. The ladies shared a house (The Old Manse) in the small English village of Stackton Tressel in Suffolk, where they employed an eccentric housekeeper called Maud and amused themselves with recitals of Gilbert & Sullivan, Noel Coward and Ivor Novello. This DVD features all six half hour episodes of the hugely popular Dear Ladies, series two, written by George Logan and Patrick Fyffe, as well as the hilarious Dear Ladies Masterclass. This was one of the most successful drag acts ever in the saucy British variety tradition of Old Mother Riley (Arthur Lucan) and Mrs Shufflewick (Rex Jameson), and this series reveals the ladies in their delightful prime. THE RONNIE BARKER COLLECTION NETWORK The much-loved actor and comedian Ronald William George Barker was best known for his roles as Fletcher in the television series Porridge, as a wide range of characters in The Two Ronnies, and as Arkwright in Open All Hours. His skills as a character actor, his sublime facility with the English language, and his gift for comedy made him one of the countryï¿½s most highly regarded performers. Network has now released three DVD titles showcasing the versatility and talent of this fine comedian. In Hark at Barker, written by Alun Owen, Alan Ayckbourn and others, he stars as the doddering, decrepit Lord Rustless - hereditary owner of Chrome Hall and professional pontificator on whatever takes his fancy. Barker plays several roles in each show and is ably supported by David Jason as shambling gardener Dithers, the excellent Josephine Tewson as his Lordshipï¿½s secretary Bates, Frank Gatliff as the butler, and the statuesque Moira Foot as maid Effie. Pauline Yates also appears as a beautiful childrenï¿½s TV presenter harassed by glove puppets. Six Dates with Barker was made in 1971 and had scripts by such luminaries as John Cleese, Spike Milligan and Barker himself (writing as Gerald Wiley). Each show featured a different story, ranging from the Phantom Raspberry Blower terrorising Victorian London to a far future where laughter is compulsory. Hark at Barker and Six Dates with Barker are available separately, or together as part of The Ronnie Barker Collection (three disc set). STAR FLEET - NAGAI FABULOUS FILMS FHED2474 Originally known as Ekkusu bonbï¿½ (X-Bomber) this classic marionette TV series was created by manga master Go Nagai and first aired in Japan in 1980, billed as being filmed in Sūpāmariorama similar to Gerry Andersonï¿½s Supermarionation works. The series was renamed Star Fleet and dubbed by English speaking actors for broadcast by LWT in the UK in 1982. The action and story line are more reminiscent of anime than Andersons Thunderbirds and Stingray, with puppets controlled from below by rods to avoid difficulties with strings. As the year 3000 approaches and people on Earth begin to enjoy peace following the end of space war 111, the imperial alliance under its imperial master launch a new assault. Powerless to defend itself, the Earth Defense Forces Pluto base is destroyed and the evil Commander Makara reveals that the same fate awaits the Earth unless the mysterious F-Zero-One is handed over to her. Earthï¿½s defending forces are ill-prepared for another war and pin their hopes on Dr Benn Robinson and his new X-Bomber programme. Now released for the first time on DVD, this collectors edition features all 24 episodes of the series fully restored. The box set also includes a cornucopia of extras and collectables including stills galleries, character and machine profiles, Brians Mays Star Fleet promo video, a 56 page comic book, postcards, a double sided poster, and an excellent Making Of documentary featuring interviews with creator Go Nagai, director Louis Elman, the voice of Dr Benn (Peter Marinker), composer Paul Bliss and the great Gerry Anderson. THE MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD FABULOUS FILMS FHED2048 The Mysterious Cities of Gold is a Franco-Japanese animated television series first shown in 1982. The series comprises 39 episodes told in a single continuous narrative and is a mix of ancient South American history, archaeology, and science fiction. It tells the story a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage in 1532 to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold. He hopes to find his father, from whom he was separated on being rescued from a sinking ship by Magellanï¿½s expedition. On arrival in South America, Esteban and his companions begin uncovering evidence relating to the Cities of Gold and various ancient technologies, and also become deeply embroiled in a conflict between the Spanish, the various native populations and later, a strange race called the Olmecs. The travellers encounter the Mayans and Inca, and the wonders of the Mu Empire, including a solar powered ship (the Solaris) and The Golden Condor, a huge solar-powered ornithopter (mechanical bird), capable of travelling considerable distances under solar power. They are constantly pursued by antagonists Gomez and Gaspard, who are also in search of the Cities of Gold. The story was written by Jean Chalopin and Bernard Deyriï¿½s, and is loosely based on the childrenï¿½s novel The Kingï¿½s Fifth by Scott Oï¿½Dell. The series was directed by Bernard Deyriï¿½s, Edouard David, Kenichi Murakami and Kenichi Maruyama, with a musical score composed by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy. Colourful and sophisticated animation is allied to a stirring, fantastical story that appeals to imaginations of all ages. As well as all 39 fully restored episodes, this long-awaited box set includes a vast range of extras, including documentaries, deleted scenes, character biographies, two booklets and a poster. HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, SERIES 3 FREMANTLE FHED2059 The highly acclaimed American television police procedural series Homicide: Life on the Street chronicled the work of a fictional Baltimore Police Department homicide unit. Based on David Simonï¿½s nonfiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, the series ran for seven seasons between 1993 and 1999. Many of the characters and stories were based on individuals and events depicted in the book, and Simon would also later use them in his own series, The Wire. Homicide was developed by Paul Attanasio, with Oscar-winning film director Barry Levinson as executive producer and writer-director Tom Fontana as the main guiding hand behind the series, which provided viewers with a gritty, no-nonsense glimpse into the lives of of inner-city detectives, opting for a bleak sort of realism that showed the repetitive, spiritually draining, existential essence of the job. Homicide developed a trademark feel and look that distinguished itself from its contemporaries. Filmed with hand-held 16mm cameras almost entirely on location in the Fells Point area of Baltimore the show was notable for its use of music montages, jump-cut editing and occasional audacious repetitions of crucial shots. Great writing and a brilliant ensemble cast also helped Homicide win an Emmy and become the first drama ever to win three prestigious Peabody Awards for best drama. The complete third series is now available from Fremantle as a six disc-set featuring all 22 episodes, with guest stars such as Chris Rock and Lily Tomlin. As well as the surprise marriage of Meldrick Lewis, the series includes the unpopular promotion of Howard to Sergeant, a gripping final episode with Det. Frank Pembleton in mortal danger, and a new character named Mike Kellerman, played by Reed Diamond, who joins Homicide from the ï¿½barbecue squadï¿½. The outstanding cast also includes charismatic Andre Braugher as Frank Pembleton, Richard Belzer as the droll John Munch, Kyle Secor as Tim Bayliss, the brilliant Clark Johnson as Lewis, the pre-Raphaelite Melissa Leo, Isabella Hoffman as Capt. Megan Russert and Yaphet Kotto as the formidable Lt. Al ï¿½Geeï¿½ Giardello. HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, SERIES 2 (FREMANTLE FHED2058) is available as a five disc-set featuring all 20 episodes, including a dramatic trilogy in which three detectives are seriously wounded as a result of a gunmanï¿½s ambush. Meanwhile, the rest of the unit grapples with this reminder of their own mortality as they hunt for the perpetrator. The team also mixes their personal and professional lives, with several affairs among the departmentï¿½s officers and two of them deciding to buy their own bar. These superb box sets are an ideal way to appreciate televisionï¿½s most compelling, authentic and hard-hitting detective series. JASON KING ï¿½ THE COMPLETE SERIES SPECIAL EDITION NETWORK The Jason King television series first ran from 1971 to 1972 and featured the further adventures of a strange character who originally appeared in Department S , where he was a happy dandy working as part of a team of investigators. In Jason King he had left that service and was concentrating on writing adventure novels following the adventures of the fictional Mark Caine, who closely resembled Jason King in looks, manner, style, and personality. In the course of visiting international locations as part of his research, or through being summoned by people needing assistance, King would find himself embroiled in adventure stories featuring glamorous women, exotic locations, menacing villains, political turmoil or espionage intrigue. Peter Wyngarde reprises his starring role with flamboyant relish as Jason King, despite being continually harassed by British Intelligence and his publisher, continues to enjoy his playboy lifestyle to the full, from good food to beautiful women. This splendid seven-disc set includes all 26 episodes complete and uncut ï¿½ more than 21 hours of entertaining frivolity. Special features include a television play called The Cross Fire, also starring Peter Wyngarde and set in Algeria during French colonial rule. ï¿½A bit too early for coffee; Iï¿½ll have a Scotchï¿½ - Jason King. THE VERY BEST OF FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE NETWORK The innovative television comedy and music show Saturday Live was broadcast in the UK by Channel 4. Heavily influenced by the American show Saturday Night Live, it made stars of Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, and featured appearances (in some cases debut television appearances) by Patrick Marber, Morwenna Banks, Chris Barrie, Emo Philips and many others, including Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall as The Dangerous Brothers. The show was succeeded by Friday Night Live, a shorter and slightly more tightly-formatted version with Elton as the permanent host, which ran for a single series in 1988. Network has now released a double DVD set featuring highlights of this successful show, which stars some of Britainï¿½s brightest comedians. Impeccably held together by Ben Elton in his prome, Friday Night Live has the first ever appearance of Harry Enfieldï¿½s now iconic, loud-mouthed ï¿½Loadsamoneyï¿½ character, as well as turns by Stephen Fry, Lee Evans, Moray Hunter, Jack Docherty (who co-wrote the series with Ben Elton), Josie Lawrence, Hugh Laurie, Jo Brand (in her television debut), Josie Lawrence, the outrageous Dame Edna Everage, Robbie Coltrane and many others. Highlights include Harry Enfieldï¿½s immortal Stavros (ï¿½Power to the Peepsï¿½), Julian Claryï¿½s Leader of the Pack and Ben Elton on ï¿½Hateful Advertsï¿½. The producers of Friday Night Live had an unerring instinct for finding the best new comedy talent around at the time and most of it stands up remarkably well. SAPPHIRE & STEEL - THE COMPLETE SERIES SPECIAL EDITION NETWORK Set in a world in which the future and past collide and time overturns reality, Sapphire and Steel will capture your consciousness and transport you to altered states. Eerie, frightening forces are at work and only two superhuman agents, Sapphire and Steel (Joanna Lumley and David McCallum), can stop the strange events and restore natural order to the universe with their uncanny powers. Produced by ATV as its answer to the BBCï¿½s Doctor Who, Sapphire & Steel was created by Peter J. Hammond, who conceived the programme after a stay in a haunted castle. The stories are often cryptic, raising more questions than answers, and have an eerie atmosphere, being as much ghost stories as they are science fiction. Time is like a corridor that surrounds everything, but there are weak spots where Time ï¿½ implied to be a potentially malignant force ï¿½ can break into the present and take things. This Special Edition 6-DVD set from Network features the complete series of this thought-provoking, unsettling and powerful drama, which built up a massive following when it was originally broadcast almost thirty years ago and remains much talked about to this day. Joanna Lumley and David McCallum are perfectly cast as the two agents, and despite modest budgets the sets look great and this much underrated series packs a wonderfully creepy punch. THE STRAUSS FAMILY ACORN AVNE5005 The Austrian composer Johann Strauss II is famous for his waltzes, such as The Blue Danube, and the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century is due in large part to him. Son of the composer Johann Strauss I and brother of composers Josef and Eduard Strauss, Johann II ï¿½ ï¿½the waltz kingï¿½ - revolutionised the waltz, elevating it from a lowly peasant dance to entertainment fit for the royal Habsburg court. He also wrote many polkas and as as well as the evergree operetta, Die Fledermaus. This triple DVD set features this most famous of musical families as portrayed in a lavish eight part drama series first broadcast by ITV in 1972, when it was the yearï¿½s thirteenth most most popular programme. The saga spans 85 years and brings to life Johann Strauss and his sons, his marriage, mistresses, public adulation and humiliation ï¿½ a story of music, passion, jealousy, tragedy and the lives and loves of two generations. The talented cast includes Eric Woofe as Strauss senior, Stuart Wilson as young Johann and the excellent Anne Stallybrass as long suffering, devoted wife and mother Anna Strauss. The music was provided by the London Symphony Orchestra. The eventful lives of the Strauss family lend themselves splendidly to the soap-opera treatment and the costumes, sets and music enjoyably capture the spirit of the era. THE SHIELD - SERIES FOUR SONY CDRP2197 The Shield is an award-winning American police series created by Shawn Ryan and The Barn Productions for Fox Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television. Shown on Five in the UK and currently in its sixth season, the show features an experimental division of the Los Angeles Police Department located in the fictional Farmington district (ï¿½the Farmï¿½) of Los Angeles, using a converted church (ï¿½the Barnï¿½) as a police station. Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) is leader of the Strike Team, a four-man anti-gang unit that adopts a variety of often illegal and unethical methods to bring justice to the streets, while making a profit through drug protection schemes and robbery. The cops are shown to be not above planting drugs on and coercing confessions out of gang members. Common themes are the citizensï¿½ distrust of police, the social impact of drugs and gang warfare, and the conflict between ethics and political expediency. Controversial for its portrayal of corrupt police officers, The Shield has won critical praise for its realism, particularly in its portrayal of gang violence. Season Four saw the first appearance of the formidable Glenn Close as Farmingtonï¿½s new Captain and deals with the fallout from the Strike Team disbandment. Michael Chiklis still has top billing as Mackey and the ensemble cast also includes Walton Goggins, (Michael Peï¿½a, Kenneth Johnson, David Rees Snell and the excellent CCH Pounder, who together with Close was nominated for an Emmy. Extras with this four-DVD include commentaries from the entire cast (including Glenn Close) and a documentary showing day-to-day production with behind-the-scenes footage. Close and Chiklis might seem an unlikely duo but their screen partnership is riveting and the rest of the cast are in fine form. Gritty, fast-paced and often gory, The Shield may sometimes be confusing but is never boring. NEW STREET LAW ACORN AV9488 Set in Manchester, this gritty British television series features two rival barristers chambers, one headed by the principled Jack Roper (John Hannah), which deals with defending clients, the other by Laurence Scammel Q.C. (Paul Freeman), Roperï¿½s former mentor, which deals with prosecuting them. Professional rivalry becomes personal when Scammelï¿½s beautiful and talented daughter, Laura (played by Lisa Faulkner) becomes more deeply embroiled in the two menï¿½s struggle, forcing her to choose between family loyalty and her conscience. Encouraged by his glamorous wife, the ruthlessly ambitious Honor Scammell (Penny Downie), Laurence resolves to crush the opposition for good, no matter what it takes. With both sides drawn into ever fiercer conflict, there can only be one winner. Other regular characters include Jackï¿½s old friend Al Ware (Chris Gascoyne), lovable chancer Charlie Darling (John Thomson), no-nonsense Annie Quick (Lara Cazalet) and cocky Joe Stevens (Lee Williams). This first series was shown on BBC1 in 2006 and features guest stars such as Diane Keen, Mark Womack, Les Dennis and Nikki Sanderson. Intelligently written by the award winning G.F Newman, who also created Judge John Deed, this gripping, contemporary legal drama makes compelling viewing. The triple DVD set contains all the episodes from the first series of New Street Law together with extras such as an introduction by the excellent John Hannah, cast filmographies and interviews, and a behind-the-scenes picture gallery. LONESOME DOVE ï¿½ SIMON WINCER ACORN AV9200 Based on Larry McMurtryï¿½s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set in the late 19th century, this acclaimed television mini-series stars Academy Award winners Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. In an epic tale of the Old West, two aging cowboys and former Texas Rangers leave the small town of Lonesome Dove and head out on an adventurous 2500-mile cattle drive to the lush ranch country of Montana. They steal a herd from a gang of Mexican cattle rustlers and battle horse thieves, Indian tribes and a renegade half-breed killer named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest) along the way. The exceptional cast also includes Robert Urich as a cardsharp, Anjelica Huston as an old flame, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Chris Cooper, D.B. Sweeney, Steve Buscemi, and a cameo role for Larry McMurtry. The Australian director Simon Wincer cleverly balances sweeping drama and intimacy against the stunning landscape of the American Southwest while creating a host of memorable characters. Duvall and Jones are superb in the main roles. The production is extremely faithful to Larry McMurtryï¿½s great novel and this is the kind of film that can be watched over and over again with undiminished pleasure. If you enjoy classic Westerns such as Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Shane, you will find this grand and touching epic is a film to relish. As well as a stirring story, glorious scenery and great performances (especially by Duvall, Jones and two scene-stealing pigs) there is a fine Emmy-winning musical score by Basil Poledouris. Extras include interviews with writer Larry McMurtry and producer Suzanne De Passe. TOMMY COOPER: THE VERY BEST OF & MISSING PIECES FREMANTLE MEDIA FHED1977 The great British comedian and magician Tommy Cooper was born in Caerphilly, Wales, in 1921. He entered show business on Christmas Eve, 1947, after seven years in the army and rapidly became a top of the bill variety act before television brought him to national recognition. After his debut on the BBC talent show New To You in March 1948, he started starring in his own shows, most notably for Thames Television from 1968 to 1980, and was hugely popular for four decades. Despite being an accomplished magician and member of the Magic Circle, he made an art form of getting magic tricks wrong, becoming one of the most recognisable and inventive British comedians since Charlie Chaplin. Sample Joke: Two Cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other, ï¿½Does this taste funny to you?ï¿½ Famed for his red fez and much imitated catchphrases such as ï¿½Just like that!ï¿½ he continued to perform despite health problems and died in 1984 after collapsing from a heart attack in front of millions of television viewers, midway through his act on a popular variety show, Live from Her Majestyï¿½s. Most of the audience thought it was part of his act and continued laughing until it became apparent that he was seriously ill. These two specially compiled collections of timeless clips selected from the Thames Television archives show the ï¿½comedianï¿½s comedianï¿½ at his best, featuring all his classic routines. DVD extras include a biography and a book of gags. This is essential viewing for all classic comedy fans. ï¿½No other comic would work with him, he was too good. If you didnï¿½t like Tommy Cooper the comic, you didnï¿½t like comedyï¿½ - Eric Morecambe. THE KING OF QUEENS: SEASON 1 PARAMOUNT This clever situation comedy series debuted in 1998 and is currently in its ninth and final season, making it the longest-running American live-action sitcom on the air. Blue-collar couple Doug Heffernan and Carrie Heffernan (Kevin James and Leah Remini) share their home in Rego Park, Queens, New York with Carrieï¿½s idiosyncratic dad, Arthur Spooner (brilliantly played by veteran Jerry Stiller, who was Frank Costanza in Seinfeld). Burly Doug, who makes a living as a parcel deliveryman often has to scheme to find time alone with Carrie, who works as a legal secretary at a large law firm. This is complicated by Arthur, who can be quite a handful - so much so that they hire a dog-walker, Holly (Nicole Sullivan), to look after him. When heï¿½s not working, clashing with Arthur, or spending time with the sexy Carrie, Doug hangs out with his advice-giving buddies Deacon Palmer (Victor Williams), Spence Olchin (Patton Oswalt), and his cousin Danny Heffernan (Gary Valentine). This deceptively simple yet smartly scripted comedy bounces along because Doug, though completely a guyï¿½s guy, constantly struggles to keep the world around him in a delicate emotional balance. Meanwhile, his wife Carrie, though utterly feminine, uses the kind of no-nonsense rational approach thatï¿½s usually a manï¿½s province. Add to this mix Carrieï¿½s fussy, self-absorbed father and youï¿½ve got the building blocks for an excellent and durable show. The King of Queens: Season 1 will delight audiences with storylines firmly rooted in the everyday world, with much of the humour centring around Doug and Carrieï¿½s petty neuroses, ill-advised scheming and much juggling of obligations to friends and family. In one classic moment, Doug and Carrie have a furious argument in absolute silence at a cello concert - a scene typical of this hit comedy that fuses deft physicality and well-developed characters with delightful silliness. ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL UNIVERSAL 8244001 All Creatures Great and Small was the title given to a U.S. book first published in 1972 comprising James Herriotï¿½s first two publications, If Only They Could Talk and It Shouldnï¿½t Happen to a Vet. The name was borrowed from the second line of the hymn All Things Bright and beautiful, and derived from a suggestion by Herriotï¿½s daughter, who thought the book should be titled Ill Creatures Great and Small. The books were part autobiography and part fiction, based on Herriotï¿½s life as a young veterinary surgeon working in and around Thirsk, Yorkshire just before and during the Second World War. They became hugely successful, inspiring two feature films and this popular television series as well as a lucrative James Herriot tourism industry around Thirsk. For television, Christopher Timothy played James Herriot, the novice vet who joins the practice of Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy) and his easygoing brother Tristan (Peter Davison). Set in the fictional Yorkshire Dales town of Darrowby, initially in the 1930s, the programme reflected a much gentler time when life moved at a slower pace. The shows ended in 1980 after three series, with Herriot and Tristan Farnon heading off to World War Two, but public pressure brought about a return for the series in 1988. First rate performances and production values helped ensure that All Creatures Great and Small stand out as a shining example of British television at its best, and this excellent four DVD set from Universal features all 14 episodes from the third series, which finds the vets concerned about the coming war and how life will change in the Dales. The usual characters are featured such as Mrs Pumphrey with Tricky, her hypochondriac poodle, and Dr Bennett who never misses a chance to get the ï¿½vitï¿½neryï¿½ drunk. This is the most emotional of the three original seasons, with both Siegfried and James eventually called into service and Tristan passing his tests to run the practice on his own merit. Well-crafted scripts, great characters and period details combine with memorable performances (especially by Robert Hardy) to produce one of the most enjoyable television series of all time. THE BIG BOTTOM COLLECTION UNIVERSAL 8246909 The early 1990s British television sitcom Bottom was written by and starred Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as Richard Richard (Richie) and Edward Elizabeth Hitler (Eddie), who share a flat in Hammersmith, West London. The idea for the show came about when, in 1991, Mayall and Edmondson co-starred in a West End production of Samuel Beckettï¿½s Waiting for Godot and decided to create a cruder cousin to this classic play about the pointlessness of life. Bottom went on to ran for three series, and is famous for its extravagantly violent slapstick style. The programme also led to five live theatre shows, in which the performers often (apparently) ad lib and are able to be far cruder than in the television incarnation. This DVD brings together all five live shows plus Best of Bottom Live, a celebration of what were some of the most anarchic, squalid, violent and hilarious comedy tours ever seen, with all the best bits as well as interviews with Rik and Adeï¿½s unlucky neighbours and a ï¿½making ofï¿½ documentary revealing how they managed to sink to such depths of depravity. As an added bonus, the collection also includes the duoï¿½s riotous feature film, Guest House Paradiso, made following the ï¿½Hooliganï¿½s Islandï¿½ tour. Mayall and Edmondson wrote the filmï¿½s script and it was directed by Edmondson in 1999. The characters, based on Richie and Eddie, run a filthy hotel next to a nuclear power plant, with guests that include the ubiquitous Bill Nighy and outrageous ï¿½Mrs Foxfurï¿½ (Fenella Fielding). This anarchic blend of slapstick, farce and abuse is quintessentially British, so itï¿½s no surprise that the public has taken these two head-banging morons to its bosom. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN & THE BIONIC WOMAN UNIVERSAL The Six Million Dollar Man was an American television series about a cyborg working for a U.S. secret service called OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence). Based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, the show first aired between 1973 and 1978, with Steve Austin ruggedly played by Lee Majors. The background story is the crash of former astronaut Austin in an M2-F2, shown in the opening credits. Severely injured, he is ï¿½rebuiltï¿½ in an operation that costs six million dollars. His right arm, both legs and left eye are replaced by experimental bionic (cybernetic) implants that enhance his strength, speed and vision far above the human norm. He uses these enhanced abilities to work as a secret agent and as a guinea pig for bionics, investigating foreign spies, mad scientists, bombers and even space aliens. The second season of Six Million Dollar Man has now been released for the first time on DVD in this six DVD set (Universal Cat No: 8243285), including all 21 episodes and with a total running time of 17hrs 42mins. Steve meets a glamorous blonde (played by his then real-life wife and Charlieï¿½s Angel Farrah Fawcett) and also becomes engaged to former girlfriend, Jaime Sommers (the delightful Lindsay Wagner), who has a near fatal accident when skydiving. She too is cybernetically modified and starred in several successful television series of her own as The Bionic Woman, the second of which is also now released on DVD. These six discs (Universal Cat No: 8243291) contain complete second season of 22 episodes with a running time of 17hrs 32mins. After fully recovering from her near fatal bout of bionic rejection, Jaime is assigned to spy missions of her own. Outfitted with bionic legs, a bionic arm and a bionic ear, she leads a double life as a schoolteacher and an undercover OSI operative. The second season finds her involved in many weird and wonderful missions in which she is forced to become a female wrestler, don a nunï¿½s habit and become the private tutor to a young prince. With their charmingly dated special effects, cold war paranoia and entertaining 1970s clothes, both series provide many hours of slick entertainment and enjoyable nostalgia. THE COMPLETE RUMBLING HEARTS REVELATION FILMS FUN72400 Originally a computer adventure game, Rumbling Hearts was later adapted as an anime that first aired in Japan between 2003 and 2004. Regularly voted one of top ten anime films, the complete series is now available first time in this box set of three DVDs. Volume One introduces four high school friends, Haruka, Takayuki, Mitsuki and Shinji. Lifeï¿½s promise shines brightly on them until an accident leaves Haruka in a coma and her boyfriend, Takayuki, canï¿½t forgive himself. Mitsuki dedicates her life to helping this tragic young man and the pair fall into a guilt-ridden relationship. When Haruka awakens after three years, Takayuki is torn between his unhappy real-life relationship and daydream high school romance. In Rumbling Hearts Volume Two, Harukaï¿½s condition has everyone living out a warped high school daydream, as they are forced to act as if the three years since the accident simply have not occurred. Sworn to uphold the faï¿½ade for the young girlï¿½s sake, Takayuki spends more and more time at the hospital and his old feelings for first true love begin to resurface and he begins to neglect the reality for the fantasy. In Volume Three, the entire world has gone crazy, with Haruka collapsing back into a coma and Mitsuki leaving Takayuki for good. When Haruka wakes up for the second time, she realises that three years have passed and wants to know why she lost three years. Faced with unpleasant reality, the young girl must have courage enough for them all. Dealing sensitively with big themes such as guilt, friendship and faith, love and betrayal, Rumbling Hearts tells of the silent sufferings of real life. The amazing art work is fluid and smooth and the music helps draw you in the story takes that takes time to show how such a dramatic event can make everyone involved into a victim. DEPARTMENT S - COMPLETE SERIES SPECIAL EDITION NETWORK 7952234 The cult espionage/science fiction adventure series Department S was first shown on British television in 1969-70 and starred Peter Wyngarde as flamboyant crime writer Jason King (who later had in his own spin-off series), Joel Fabiani as straight laced action man Stewart Sullivan and Rosemary Nicols as glamorous computer expert Annabelle Hurst. The trio were agents for a fictional special department of Interpol, headed by Sir Curtis Seretse (Dennis Alaba Peters), and attempt to unravel bizarre and inexplicable mysteries which have other police forces beaten. ï¿½When a case proves too baffling for the minds of Interpol, they turn to the talents of Department S.ï¿½ The series was created by the prolific writer Dennis Spooner and producer Monty Berman for ITC, which also produced other 1970s classics such as The Prisoner . Department S is typically quirky and sophisticated, with witty dialogue, unexpected plot twists and excellent performances from a talented cast. The plots are highly inventive ï¿½ often enjoyably absurd ï¿½ and invariably feature beautiful women, nostalgic glimpses of 1960s cars and technology such as reel-to-reel tape recorders. This splendid box set from Network includes all 28 episodes (almost 24 hours in all) of this lavishly photographed series. The stories have intriguing titles such as One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty, The Man In The Elegant Room, The Double Death Of Charlie Crippen, A Cellar Full Of Silence and The Bones Of Byrom Blaine. Extras include a new documentary on the making of Department S, with contributions from Joel Fabiani, Rosemary Nicols, Peter Wyngarde, Cyril Frankel and others, plus an extensive image gallery (more than 1300 images, including many behind the scenes) accompanied by a suite of incidental music from the series. Effortlessly entertaining. THE MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOW NETWORK 7952274 Morecambe and Wise were Britainï¿½s most famous and successful comic double act, lasting for 43 years until Eric Morecambeï¿½s death in 1984. Morecambe (the tall one with glasses) and Ernie Wise (he of the ï¿½short, fat, hairy legsï¿½) perfected their characters in the 1970s at the BBC, where their Christmas Day shows became a national institution watched by up to 28 million people, a record that will probably never be broken. Morecambe and Wise subsequently moved back to ITV under contract to Thames Television and made The Morecambe & Wise Show with scripts by themselves, Barry Cryer and John Junkin, and later Eddie Braben. Unseen for many years and available for the first time on this double DVD, The Morecambe & Wise Show - The Thames Years comprises not only their first series for Thames Television in 1980 but also the first four Thames Specials - including three Christmas Shows. Dreadful puns, botched song and dance routines, and a little bit of magic are brought together into hilarious entertainment with the help of showbiz stalwarts such as Hannah Gordon, Hugh Paddick, Deryck Guyler, Gemma Craven, David Frost, Glenda Jackson, Donald Sinden, Judi Dench, Leonard Rossiter and Alec Guinness. Great script writing combined with the comic timing of Eric and Ernie to ensure that The Morecambe & Wise Show stands up to repeated viewing and this DVD is one for all fans of televisionï¿½s golden age. In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, The Morecambe & Wise Show was placed 14th. In 2006, they were voted number two in a poll of TVï¿½s greatest stars. AGATHA CHRISTIEï¿½S SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY ACORN AVNE5013 Dame Agatha Christie has been called the best-selling writer of books of all time, and the best-selling writer of any kind together with William Shakespeare. Only the Bible sold more with about 6 billion copies. An estimated four billion copies of her novels have been sold and she is the most translated individual author in the world. Altough she also wrote romance novels under the name Mary Westmacott, she is best remembered for her 80 detective novels and her successful West End theatre plays, including the perennial Mousetrap. Her works, particularly those featuring Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple, earned her the title the ï¿½Queen of Crimeï¿½ and made her one of the most influential writers in the genre. The Seven Dials Mystery was first published in 1929 and brings back the characters from an earlier Christie novel, The Secret of Chimneys. Two mysterious deaths mar an otherwise pleasant weekend in the English countryside, unflappable flapper Lady Eileen Brent teams up with the dashing Jimmy Thesinger to solve the dastardly deeds. Their sleuthing leads them into a world of espionage and international intrigue as they discover a secret society known as The Seven Dials and the attempted theft of top-secret government documents. The typical Christie plot involves a mysterious formula, shots in the night, a sumptuous country house, vintage cars, and people called Pongo and Bundle. Following the success of their version of Why Didnï¿½t They Ask Evans the previous year, The Seven Dials Mystery was adapted by London Weekend Television as a drama and transmitted in 1981. The large cat enjoy themselves immensely and there are splendid performances by Cheryl Campbell as the delightfully sparky Lady Eileen Brent, Harry Andrews as wily Supt. Battle, Terence Alexander, Joyce Redman (a hoot as Lady Coote), Leslie Sands, James Warwick, Brian Wilde as a wonderfully dubious butler Tredwell, and Sir John Gielgud, all too briefly, as the Marquis of Caterhan. DVD extras include filmographies of the main actors and an Agatha Christie biography. HETTY WAINTHROPP INVESTIGATES - SERIES IV ACORN AV9619 Gently amusing, occasionally dramatic, quirky English television series starred national treasure Patricia Routledge as the sprightly Hetty Wainthropp, a retired working-class woman who has a knack for jumping to conclusions and solving crimes of varying bafflement which are often too minor to concern the police. was First broadcast in 1996 by the BBC, the series was based on characters from the novel Missing Persons by David Cook, who co-wrote the series with John Bowen. The incidents in the book were inspired by his own motherï¿½s real-life experiences. Hetty Wainthropp, a sprightly, intelligent pensioner looking for a new challenge, decides to become a private investigator much to the disapproval of her husband Robert. Once she has made up her mind she becomes an unstoppable force as she gads about the Lancashire countryside with local teenager Geoffrey in search of resolution and justice, armed with little more than her pocketbook and undaunted common-sense. This double DVD contains all six episodes of the fourth series, with the Wainthropp Detective Agency busier than ever as Hetty and Geoffrey help a minerï¿½s widow search for a book her husband was working on at the time of his death and then when a friendï¿½s husband is brutally attacked in a pub washroom, Hetty tries to deduce whether it was a random attack or whether the man provoked it. Our sleuth is reunited with her long-lost cousin, but their happy reunion is short-lived when she stumbles across a criminal plot. Patricia Routledge, best known for her work with Alan Bennett and as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, is in determined form as Hetty and receives sturdy support from Derek Benfield as her patient husband and Dominic Monaghan as Robert. Nigel Hess composed the music, which in 1997 was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for best television theme. DARK KNIGHT, 1 BLUE DOLPHIN BDVD2005 Sir Walter Scottï¿½s historical novel Ivanhoe, written in 1819 and set in 12th century England, tells the story of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, son of a Saxon family. He falls out of favour with his father due to his unsuitable courting of a Saxon Princess named Rowena and his allegiance to the Norman king Richard I of England. There have been many subsequent adaptations of the Ivanhoe legend and Dark Knight is a radical re-imagining that adds fantastical, supernatural elements to an already captivating story. Ancient evil is about to be unleashed on the land and the only hope is the sharp sword, the pure heart and the mysterious force that protects the ï¿½Chosen Oneï¿½, Ivanhoe. Set in the dark ages, a time of fear, magic and mystery, Dark Knight shows its hero battling tyranny, oppression and a legion of terrifying, magical and hellish creatures as he attempts to restore King Richard to the throne and bring peace to England. This spectacular sword and sorcery television adventure series of was made in New Zealand, using extensive CGI to create a magical world filled with elves and goblins, as well as monsters from the underworld. Ben Pullen stars as Sir Ivanhoe of Rotherwood, with the beautiful Charlotte Comer as Rebecca, Peter Oï¿½Farrell as the ex-sorcererï¿½s comical apprentice Odo, Cameron Rhodes as the despicable Prince John and Jeffrey Thomas as evil necromancer Mordour. With brisk storytelling, exotic locations, stunning costumes and fine action sequences, Dark Knight has become cult viewing and this three-DVD set brings all twelve episodes of the first series together for the first time. Brilliantly filmed, this is a highly enjoyable romp through the dark ages will delight fans of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Xena: Warrior Princess. TIME TEAM DIGS - A HISTORY OF BRITAIN D D HOME ENTERTAINMENT DD21502 In the hugely popular Time Team history programme on Channel 4, Tony Robinson and his team investigate archaeological sites around the UK. Each dig has three days to uncover to piece together as much evidence as possible in order to build a picture of the people living in Britain through the last 6000 years. Even the most mundane digs are given an entertaining slant by this accessible format and in thr right hands even a few pottery fragments can reveal a fascinating picture of a pre-historic culture. Time Team Digs - A History of Britain shows a complete chronological history of life in the the British Isels, from the Bronze and Neolithic age up to Medieval times. Each of the eight episodes describes a different epoch and uses the finds of Time Team digs to produce an outline of life at the time. Ten hours of content ensures that most of the best bits from the series are included, along with extras that havenï¿½t previously been seen. Anyone who enjoys Time Team on TV, as millions have done every week, will find this an entertaining release and excellent value. GREAT AUTHORS - CHARLES DICKENS OPUS ARTE OA 0876 D This comprehensive DVD set devotes over eight hours to an enjoyable exploration of the phenomenal life, times and work of Charles Dickens. Much about the great Victorian authorï¿½s amazing life remains unknown but what we have is a fascinating rags to riches story; complete with bankruptcy, prison, forced child labour, followed by fame and fortune, always overshadowed by guilt and secrecy. On the first disc, ï¿½Uncovering the Real Dickensï¿½, Peter Ackroyd presents a mix of documentary and dramatic reconstruction, vividly recreating the authorï¿½s life. Disc two features a brilliant 1999 BBC three-hour televised version of David Copperfield. The third disc includes ï¿½A Christmas Carolï¿½, where at Dickensï¿½ house a group of his friends and relatives attend a private performance of the classic Christmas story, with an authentic dramatisation by Anton Lesser as the novelist. In ï¿½Songs from Grope Laneï¿½, 12-year old Dickens escapes his miserable daily life in a brief spell of raucous tavern entertainment. The making of ï¿½Uncovering the Real Dickensï¿½ is a revealing look behind the scenes of this production. ï¿½Anton Lesser made an emotionally charged, almost tremulous, Dickens, especially recreating the writer's inspirational public readingsï¿½ - The Times. JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH - 500 BUS STOPS CHIC KEN DVD010 John Shuttleworth is an aspiring singer/songwriter in his late 50s from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with a quiet manner and slightly nerdish tendencies. His musical talents are usually expressed through his Yamaha PSS portable keyboard, and include such greats as the classic ballad, Pigeons in Flight ï¿½ a song which he attempted to have selected for the Eurovision Song Contest. Supporting characters in Johnï¿½s world include his waspish wife Mary (a professional dinner lady whose hobbies include Step Class) and Malibu-drinking next-door neighbour Ken Worthington, who is Johnï¿½s sole agent as well as an impresario. He was also TVï¿½s Clarinet Man, traumatised by coming last on New Faces in 1973. John and Maryï¿½s daughter, Karen, plays the recorder and their son, Darren, works for Victoria Wine (Augustus Barnett having failed to poach him from his employers). Not to mention Joan Chitty (work colleague and on/off friend of Mary, qualified as a physio some years ago), Doreen Melody (owner of the camper van which John and Mary borrow for their holidays), Julie Satan (Leeds based personality singer and client of Ken), Alan the Opera Singer (another of Kenï¿½s clients, who sang on ï¿½Up And Down like A Brideï¿½s Nightieï¿½), Joyce (widow from Hope - keen on gardening but doesnï¿½t have a garden) and Rhiannon (Kenï¿½s ex-wife, who left him for a builder, taking everything but two wicker chairs). All these quintessentially English characters and more are the inspiration of comic genius Graham Fellows, who first came to fame as ï¿½Jilted Johnï¿½ with a novelty hit single in 1978. John Shuttleworth and his hilariously mundane crew have featured in television and radio shows such as The Shuttleworths and Radio Shuttleworth, with Fellows supplying all the voices and performing his own compositions on the Yamaha organ. This four-part television series, 500 Bus Stops (a reference to Frank Zappaï¿½s 200 Motels), is a no holds barred ï¿½rockumentaryï¿½ about Johnï¿½s ill-fated UK national tour, filmed by the incompetent Ken. The early demise of Johnï¿½s revered Y-Reg Austin Ambassador meant that the tour mostly took place by means of public transport, and the venues visited often fail to inspire. This is beautifully observed humour, gently poking fun at its lovable main character yet always aware of his tragi-comic predicament. John Shuttleworthï¿½s other memorable adventures on DVD include EUROPIGEON (YREG1DVD), which documents his quest to enter the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest. This has a long list of extras, such as appearances on Saturday Zoo, ï¿½Catch The Foxï¿½ on Packing ï¿½Em In, John Does The Riverdance (remarkably well, as it happens), ï¿½I Donï¿½t Want To Danceï¿½ with Richard Whiteley, Later With Jools, The Paradise Club and ï¿½5 Essential Donï¿½ts For Aspiring Artistesï¿½. In ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVY (LAFFDVD0176), filmed live on stage at the Shepherdï¿½s Bush Empire during his 2001 tour, John performs many favourite songs, old and new, and takes a serious look at such important issues as flooding, earthquakes, fleeces, Richard E. Grant and the little cardboard trays no longer found in Bounty bars. Brian Appleton, a rock musicologist and media studies lecturer from a college of further education in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area, makes a welcome guest appearance. In his acclaimed debut feature film, ITï¿½S NICE UP NORTH (CHIC KEN DVD011), John travels to the Shetland Islands to test his theory that the further north you go the nicer people get - Shetland being the most northern part of the United Kingdom. He meets various real Shetland people en route, including a ubiquitous local tour guide, Elma Johnson. DVD extras include deleted scenes and a poignant animated short, Unaccompanied Lady. THE GREAT INDIAN WARS 1540-1890 DELTA 86240 The indigenous Native American peoples of what is now the United States comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states and ethnic groups, many of which still endure as political communities. The year 1540 was a crucial turning point in American history, when the Great Indian Wars were incited by Francisco Vï¿½zquez de Coronado when his expedition to the Great Plains launched the inevitable 350 year struggle between the white man and the American Indians. From that point forward, the series of battles between the United States and the Native American Indians began where blood was shed and ultimately tens of thousands of lives were lost on both sides. The Battle of Tippecanoe, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, all three Seminole Wars and the Battle of Little Big Horn were some of the most important conflicts that led up to the last massacre, the Battle of Wounded Knee, where Americaï¿½s landscape would be forever changed. This comprehensive three DVD set documents the true and often heartbreaking story of Americaï¿½s Indian Wars in the bad old days of the wild west, when there were atrocities as well as heroes on both sides. The bloody struggle between the white man and the American Indians is told in an informative, entertaining and balanced way that reveals the depth of this sad strand in the countryï¿½s history. Extras include a gallery of rare photographs and maps as well as biographies of notable participants such as Tecumseh, Colonel Custer, Black Kettle, Wild Bill Hickock, Crazy Horse, Kit Carson, Geronimo and Sitting Bull. THE COMMANDER ACORN AV9671 Amanda Burton first came to the attention of British television in early episodes of Brookside and she has subsequently gained an even bigger following by starring in highly successful series such as Peak Practice and Silent Witness. Most recently, she has been Commander Clare Blake in Lynda La Planteï¿½s gritty and well-crafted crime drama, The Commander. Clare Blake is a strong and capable police officer who has fought her way to the top of the male dominated Metropolitan Police Service. Hard nosed and in control, she investigates tragic deaths and mysterious murders while struggling to stay on top. The Devil You Know deals with a distressing case that arises when the body of a two-year old girl is found sealed inside an oil drum in a derelict mental hospital. As the search for the main suspect intensifies, Commander Blake is forced to make tough decisions while struggling to assert her authority. In Fraudster, a millionaire businessman comes to a suspicious end in his swimming pool days after being arrested by the Serious Fraud Office. The investigation reveals his hidden life, riddled with affairs, lies and deceit. Windows of The Soul sees the brutal murder of a priest on a grim and volatile East London estate. Suspicion falls on a talented fighter from the local boxing club but Blake and DCI James, excellently played by Mark Lewis Jones, find themselves at odds over the boxerï¿½s innocence. DVD extras include: a biography of writer Lynda La Plante, cast filmographies and picture galleriesTONY HANCOCK - THE COMPLETE COLLECTION BBCDVD2168 ï¿½Stone me, what a life!ï¿½ Anthony John Hancock was born in 1924 in Hall Green, Birmingham, but from the age of three was brought up in Bournemouth, where his father ran the Railway Hotel and worked as a comedian and entertainer. Tony left school at the age of fifteen and after failing his audition for ENSA ended up with The Ralph Reader Gang Show, which led to work in radio programmes such as Workersï¿½ Playtime and Educating Archie. In 1954 he was given his own BBC radio show, Hancockï¿½s Half Hour, scripted by the great Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. This became a huge hit as the lugubrious, misunderstood genius Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock spent five years and over a hundred episodes living in East Cheamï¿½s shabby Railway Cuttings. The show transferred triumphantly to television in 1957, making Hancock an even bigger star. Experienced film actor Sid James became increasingly important in the show, with his down to earth approach always ready to puncture Hancockï¿½s pretensions. Tony Hancock began to feel that his work with the incomparable James was turning them into a double act, so his last BBC series in 1961 was made without him. Despite this, the series included many of Hancockï¿½s most memorable shows, such as The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham, where Hancock enters the world of the amateur wireless buff only to find he has to deal with a mayday call from a ship in distress. Sadly, his highly strung personality and alcoholism caused increasing difficulties in his private and professional lives and brought about his death aged only 45. This definitive DVD collection features all 39 surviving episodes of the Hancockï¿½s Half-Hour and Hancock television shows. The boxset also includes many extras, such as John Freemanï¿½s revealing in-depth ï¿½Face To Faceï¿½ interview with Hancock, audio commentaries featuring Ray Galton, Alan Simpson and Paul Merton on three episodes, and missing scripts from several Half-Hours. Essential viewing and a splendid tribute to the lad himself. BRITAINï¿½S LOST ROUTES ACORN AV3011 This excellent four-part BBC documentary series sees Griff Rhys Jones setting out on an epic adventure to uncover the lost routes across Britain that have shaped the countryï¿½s landscape and history. Britain was once a difficult country to travel, with few roads and obscure paths. Yet for pleasure, profit and piety our ancestors travelled from one end of the country to the other along a vast network of routes spread throughout the nation. Jones follows four routes; each one associated with the historic movement of people, trade or commodities, and along the way he provides his own perspective on contemporary British life. By walking a Welsh pilgrimï¿½s route, transporting hay around the Essex coast, recreating a Tudor Royal Progression and driving cattle across Scotland he explores the landscapes and meets the people who inhabit them today. From the luxury of a Rolls Royce to the more basic surroundings of a barge, from transporting a bus-load of contemporary pilgrims to the perils of moving a cow, Griff Rhys Jones gets to grips with exactly how our ancestors journeyed from place to place - and how they amused themselves en-route. With his unending curiosity and inherent wit, he investigates the stories of those who travelled these now forgotten paths and considers the cultural as well as environmental impact they have had on the history of Britain. Jones is an engaging and often intrepid guide and this beautifully photographed series brings history painlessly to life. The journey through Wales with an odd and endearing bunch of modern pilgrims is a particular delight. Highly recommended. THE GOLDEN BOWL ACORN AV3020 Henry Jamesï¿½s complex 1904 novel, The Golden Bowl, is set in England and Italy during the first decade of the twentieth century and explores the tangle of relationships between a father, his pretty daughter and their respective spouses. Impoverished Italian aristocrat Prince Amerigo is to marry Maggie, devoted daughter of American tycoon and art collector Adam Verver. The Prince has a lover, Charlotte Stant, who by a strange twist of fate marries Adam Verver, so that the lives of the four people become almost incestuously entwined into one family. This acclaimed BBC television adaptation by Jack Pulman shows how a damaged golden bowl reflects the truth in a hidden relationship and redirects the lives of all the characters into whose hands it has been placed. Daniel Massey is the charismatic Prince, Jill Townsend is the attractive Charlotte, and the fine cast also includes Barry Morse, Gayle Hunnicutt and the wonderful Cyril Cusack as a beguiling storyteller. The Golden Bowl joins The Portrait of a Lady and The Spoils of Poynton in The Henry James Collection from Acorn Media. THE SIMPSONS SEASON 12 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Matt Groeningï¿½s fabulously successful animated sitcom is a brilliant satirical parody of Middle American lifestyle. Starring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie and set in the fictional town of Springfield, the show exuberantly lampoons the human condition, popular culture, society in general and television in particular. The family was conceived by Groening for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L. Brooks and named after members of Groeningï¿½s own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became part of The Tracey Ullman Show before being developed into a half-hour prime time show that launched in 1989 and became an instant hit. Since then well over 400 episodes have been broadcast and The Simpsons has won countless awards, including 25 Emmies. Time magazine named this the 20th centuryï¿½s best television series and it has become Americaï¿½s longest-running sitcom as well as its most durable animated show. This DVD set from Fox features the complete SIMPSONS SEASON 12 released in limited edition packaging in the shape of Comic-book Guyï¿½s head. The 21 episodes include such classics as ï¿½The Computer Wore Menace Shoesï¿½ with guest voice Patrick McGoohan (Homer creates his own website and uses it to spread gossip, but gets sent to a weird island where people who know too much are imprisoned), ï¿½HOMRï¿½ (in which Homer becomes temporarily intelligent after doctors discover a crayon lodged in his brain), ï¿½Worst Episode Everï¿½ (Bart and Milhouse are hired as his replacements at the Androidï¿½s Dungeon when Comic-book Guy has a heart attack), ï¿½Hungry, Hungry Homerï¿½ with guest Stacy Keach (Homer goes on hunger strike after the owner of the Springfield Isotopes attempts to discredit him when he discovers a plot to move the team to Albuquerque, and ï¿½Simpsons Tall Talesï¿½ (the family meet a singing hobo who tells them three tall tales in which Homer is Paul Bunyan, Lisa becomes Connie Appleseed and Bart is Tom Sawyer to Nelsonï¿½s Huckleberry Finn). THE SIMPSONS: COMPLETE SEASON 11 (TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX 2251560) followed the success of The Simpsons Movie, featuring Americaï¿½s favourite dysfunctional family. The 22 episodes include guest stars such as Mel Gibson, Lucy Lawless, Kid Rock, Tim Robbins, John Goodman, Parker Posey, Willie Nelson and Britney Spears. Among many extras are an introduction from Matt Groening; audio commentaries on every episode with Groening and executive producers, writers, actors and directors; deleted scenes; animation showcases; original sketches; special language feature; featurettes, including footage of The Simpsons receiving their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Excellenttt... SMALLVILLE: THE FINAL SEASON WARNER HOME VIDEO Watch Clark Kent come of age as the tenth and final season of Smallville is released on DVD and Blu-ray alongside the Complete Season 1-10 Box Set. This intriguing and intelligent modern retelling of Supermanï¿½s legendary origin blends realism, action, heart and humour as Clark Kent (the excellent Tom Welling) soars toward claiming his birthright. Over the past ten years, Smallville has explored Clark Kentï¿½s teen years in a recognisable real-world setting, dealing with angst and conflict as he struggles to find his true identity. Season 10 opens with him awakening from a near-death experience, haunted by the ghosts of his past, both friend and foe. Given a new lease of life, he must find a way to rid himself of every last temptation and become the beacon of hope the world needs as he transforms into Superman. A real threat from his past challenges his ascent, causing him to question the nature of his crusade, and Lois Lane (Erica Durance) faces a crisis of her own as she tries to keep the mild-mannered reporter at armï¿½s length. In this final series, the outstanding regular cast are joined by Hollywood guest stars such as Teri Hatcher and Terence Stamp as the legendary DC Comics superhero says goodbye to Smallville in some of the showï¿½s most exciting episodes leading up to an amazing finale. Special features with this box set include a commentary from the writers, producers and directors of the series; Back in the Jacket: A Smallville Homecoming featurette; The Son Becomes the Father featurette; ï¿½How Do We Doï¿½ music video; deleted scenes. BILL BRAND - THE COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 7953605 Bill BrandThe BAFTA-nominated Bill Brand is an intelligent, groundbreaking political drama written by Oscar-nominated dramatist Trevor Griffiths and starring Jack Shepherd as a newly elected left-of-centre Labour MP. He struggles to reconcile his socialist principles with the realpolitik of Westminster but is determined to improve the lives of his textile-worker constituents. This inevitably brings him into conflict with the whips, his constituency party and his own conscience, in a world of oblique negotiations and hidden bargains. Brandï¿½s fundamental belief in the Party is assailed by doubts, while his troubled personal life further endangers his tenuous political career. Shepherd is superb in the title role of this challenging, epic British drama, giving a sensitive, thoughtful and engaging performance throughout. The series, produced by Thames Television in 1976, also stars Lynn Farleigh, Alan Badel, Arthur Lowe, Rosemary Martin, Cherie Lunghi and Colin Jeavons. BAR MITZVAH BOY ACORN AV9851 Bar Mitzvah BoyProlific author Jack Rosenthalï¿½s outstanding ï¿½Play for Todayï¿½, directed by Michael Tuchner, tells the story of a young Jewish boy, Eliott Green (played by Jeremy Steyn), in a lower middle class family living in Britain during the 1970s, and the apprehensions the boy feels over his forthcoming Bar Mitzvah, when a boy becomes a man and the party that celebrates it is the event of a lifetime. For his mother, Rita (Maria Charles in a spectacular hairdo), itï¿½s a grand stage on which to present the accomplishments of her family to a waiting world. To her husband Victor (Bernard Spear), itï¿½s an expensive party that gets more expensive every day. To Lesley, his sister (the excellent Adrienne Posta), it means endless responsibility and pouring oil like a troubled daughter. To Grandad Wax (Cyril Shaps) itï¿½s tradition, and to Rabbi Sherman (Jack Lynn) itï¿½s another Shabbat, another Bar Mitzvah over and time to put his feet up - or so he thinks... Warm, funny, insightful and beautifully observed, Bar Mitzvah Boy is rich in universal humour and created some of Jack Rosenthalï¿½s most memorable characters. This new DVD release comes with an introduction by his widow, Maureen Lipman. THE LAKES SECOND SIGHT 2NDVD3230 The LakesJohn Simm gives an electrifying lead performance as gambling addict Danny Kavanagh in one this complex, controversial and gripping series written by the great Jimmy McGovern. Leaving the dole queues and an unpromising home life of Liverpool behind him, Danny heads off to make a fresh start in the Lake District. He soon finds work in a hotel, falls in love with a local girl and settles into the off-duty booze and sex culture of his new life. This is rocked when a series of events shatter the close-knit local community and Danny find himself implicated in the tragedy and emotional turmoil that result. The Lakes is an intelligent, influential and superbly acted BBC drama from the 1990s that remains just as challenging and exhilarating today. The Complete Series One and Two are now available on this four-disc set with special features that include First Episode commentaries by John Simm and director David Blair. Essential viewing. WATERLOO ROAD - SERIES SEVEN ACORN AV9894 Waterloo RoadThis award-winning British television drama series is set in and around a fictional comprehensive school in Rochdale. The students, aged 11 to 18, are notorious for bad behaviour, and their teachers arenï¿½t much better, but each new head has strived to improve the schoolï¿½s reputation. In between the love affairs, friendships, rivalries, drinking and drug-taking, Waterloo Road has confronted social issues such as abortion, divorce, cancer, suicide, gang warfare and knife crime. Series Seven, Spring Term, finds new head teacher Michael Byrne arriving at the school having survived a brutal stabbing incident, possibly from a former pupil. Greeting him are Waterloo Roadï¿½s hardcore staff, Tom, Grantly and Chalky, along with new faces Jeremy ï¿½Jezzï¿½ Diamond (football star turned PE teacher) and his wife Sian as well as an old companion of Michaelï¿½s, English teacher Linda Radleigh. New students include Phoenix and Harly Taylor, twins Shona and Rhona Mansfield, and Tariq and his sister Trudi. All is set up for some unpredictable mayhem in the life of Waterloo Road, with Michael constantly at risk from his young attacker and an unfinished relationship with Sian, not to mention a one-night stand that finds him open to much greater risk. More trouble comes as Finn is attracted to young muslim Trudi and Vicki and Ronanï¿½s rocky relationship finally hits the rocks. With old boys becoming new threats, parent evenings, orchestras, student prize-givings and a live radio broadcast from the heart of the school, it seems thereï¿½s a ticking time-bomb at every turn. This enjoyable mix features a lively cast that includes Alec Newman as Michael Byrne, Philip Martin Brown, the ever reliable Mark Benton, Jason Done, Alec Newman, the excellent Sarah Hadland as brittle Linda Radleigh, Alex Walkinshaw as Jezz and Jaye Jacobs as beautiful Sian. Originally commissioned for the BBC in 2006, Waterloo Road has gone from strength to strength, pulling in excess of 6 million viewers per episode. Series Seven keeps the pace breathless and the energy at its peak. THE SPOILS OF POYNTON ACORN AV3022 Spoils of PoyntonHenry Jamesï¿½s classic novel, The Spoils of Poynton, was first published as a book in 1897. With subtly ironc humour it describes the struggle between the widowed Mrs Adela Gereth, a woman of impeccable taste and iron will, and her son Owen over the destiny of a houseful of precious antique furniture and art. The story is largely told from the viewpoint of the sensitive Fleda Vetch (James was never great at names), who is in love with Owen but sympathetic to Mrs Gerethï¿½s obsession over losing the antiques she lovingly collected. Mrs Gereth wishes to stop Owen from marrying the coarse Mona Brigstock and hopes that he will instead choose the seemingly innocent Fleda. Passions seethe beneath the icy politeness as valued possessions become playing pieces in a manipulative battle of wills that can only end badly. Following on from The Portrait of a Lady, this release in Acornï¿½s Henry James Collection features a compelling BBC Television adaptation from 1996 of The Spoils of Poynton. Gemma Jones is perfect as the not so innocent Fleda and Pauline Jameson is a formidable Mrs Gereth, reminiscent of Lady Bracknell. Diane Fletcher plays the tasteless Mona and Ian Ogilvy convinces as the ineffectual, wayward Owen. Highly recommended. THE PAUL TEMPLE - BLACK & WHITE COLLECTION ACORN AV9871 Paul TempleFrancis Durbridge created the character of amateur private detective and best selling crime fiction writer Paul Temple in 1938 for a BBC radio serial called Send for Paul Temple. Together with his journalist wife Louise Temple, affectionately known as ï¿½Steveï¿½, he deftly solves crimes using deductive reasoning, humorous dialogue and occasional fisticuffs when required. Between 1938 and 2011, the Temples appeared in more than 30 BBC radio dramas, 12 German radio serials, a BBC television series with memorable theme music by Ron Grainer, a German animated series, four feature films, several novels and a long-running comic strip in the London Evening News. Stylish, cool, incisive - and always protective of his loving wife - Paul Temple was a cross between Miss Marple and Poirot, with the slick cutting-edge style of The Saint. This two-disc DVD set features the final five episodes from the immensely popular BBC TV series starring suave Francis Matthews as Temple, with Ros Drinkwater as the sparky Steve and George Sewell as former villain Sammy Carson, perfectly encapsulating crime-busting sophistication 70s style. The skilfully plotted episodes included are The Guilty Must Die; Game, Set and Match; Long Ride to Red Gap; Winner Takes All; and Critics, Yes! But This is Ridiculous! - essential viewing for retro-detective and thriller fans everywhere. Extras include a Francis Durbridge biography and filmographies of the cast. INSPECTOR MONTALBANO ACORN AV9780 Inspector MontalbanoBased on the bestselling novels of Andrea Camilleri, this gripping Italian TV series features Luca Zingaretti as astute and unorthodox Commissario Salvo Montalbano. Operating within Italyï¿½s precarious justice system, irascible detective is immersed in a world of murder, betrayal, temptation and politics - the latter proving as dangerous as any of the former. As he solves crimes in the fictional town of Vigata, Sicily, Montalbano has to balance his relationships with girlfriend Livia and his family, often failing to resist the seductive qualities of fine Italian food. Sicilyï¿½s stunning landscapes and architecture, steeped in history and culture, look stunning in the brilliant Mediterranean light and this beautifully paced series will be welcomed by those who miss the sadly short-lived BBCï¿½s Zen stories, based on the books of Michael Didbin. This first collection of Inspector Montalbano features four feature-length episodes now available on a generous double DVD set. Extras include an Andrea Camilleri biography as well as introductory text by Dr Eric Haywood, head of Italian Studies at University College Dublin, a picture gallery and subtitles. THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY ACORN AV3021 Portrait of a LadyAdapted for the screen by Jack Pulman, this superb 1968 adaptation launches Acorn Mediaï¿½s Henry James Collection. The Portrait of a Lady is a powerful and dramatic classic starring Suzanne Neve as the spirited young heroine, Isabel Archer. On the death of her father, Isabel refuses the hand of Mr Goodwood and leaves her married sisters for Europe, stubborn, independent, and in the company of her rich eccentric Aunt Lydia (Beatrix Lehmann). Welcomed into the bosom of her auntï¿½s family, she is soon befriended by her elegant cousin Ralph (Richard Chamberlain) who respects and admires her spirit. Ralph persuades his father, on the aged manï¿½s deathbed, to divert half his fortune to Isabel, while he watches to see what she makes of her now fully-funded freedom. The choices she makes, both good and bad, have a deep and long-lasting impact on those around her, arousing much passion and weighted with much grief. In his book ï¿½The Realistsï¿½, author C P Snow described this gripping and compelling production as ï¿½a supreme television achievement, aesthetically and in all other ways.ï¿½ Richard Chamberlain is excellent as always and Pulmanï¿½s script brilliantly captures the Jamesian world. This adaptation also stars Edward Fox as the bored Lord Warburton, James Maxwell as villainous Gilbert Osmond, Rachel Gurney as the devious but charming Madame Merle, and Kathleen Byron as Countess Gemini. GARROWï¿½S LAW, SERIES 3 ACORN AV3031 Garrow's Law, series 3Set in the Old Bailey of Georgian London, Garrowï¿½s Law is a fascinating legal series created by Tony Marchant and inspired by the true story of young, idealistic barrister William Garrow. In a time when corruption was rife in the notoriously harsh legal system, where over-zealous bounty hunters who could earn rewards for hangings would often manufacture evidence against innocent people. Garrow fought against such injustice by pioneering the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution. Andrew Buchan stars as the ground-breaking legal maverick, with Alun Armstrong as his mentor John Southouse and Lyndsey Marshal as Lady Sarah Hill, his forbidden love interest. Following SERIES 1 & 2, Series Three starts as the French Revolution turns Europe upside down, new philosophies, new passions and new demands sweep through England. Attempted regicide, industrial sabotage, colonial brutality, police intimidation and election rigging are all on trial as the Establishment battles to retain their grip on the status quo. In his personal life - lived very much on the public stage - Garrow, caught up in an irregular relationship with Lady Sarah Hill, now finds himself ostracised and impoverished. It is a time when both British Law and William Garrow will be mercilessly tested. Special features include Garrowï¿½s law: From Dawn to Dusk (a documentary with cast and crew interviews), cast filmographies, and a picture gallery. ï¿½William Garrow is my new hero.ï¿½ - The Guardian. SECRET BRITAIN ACORN AV3036 Secret BritainThis BBC1 series is presented by the adventurous Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker (of Countryfile fame) and explores some of the UKï¿½s hidden corners, such as deserted beaches and tumbling waterfalls, showcasing the best of what the British countryside has to offer. This two disc set contains all four episodes from the series: The first episode, The Crowded South, starts in Cornwall and travels east as far as Dover. The Hidden Heart begins in the flatlands of East Anglia and ends at the wild, rugged Welsh coast. True North takes us north from Derbyshire to the coast of County Durham. The final episode, Borderlands and Beyond, sets off from the borders and reaches the North West point of Britain. From Pentire Point to Langdon Bay; from Heigham Holmes to Castlemartin Range; from Fin Cop Hillfort to Castle Eden Dene; and from College Valley to Cape Wrath. Local experts and members of the public add their often poignant comments as the presenters take in an extraordinary range of pikes and fells, coves and commons. Secret Britain offers a rich visual smorgasbord that lets you see these fascinating and stunning landscapes afresh. CITIZEN JAMES ACORN AV9880 Citizen JamesWhen Tony Hancock decided for artistic reasons to stop working with his close friend comedy sparring partner he let the BBC tell Sid James the news. James, who had always been supportive and heled Hancock make the transition from radio to television, was understandably hurt. As compensation, the BBC offered him his own sitcom series, Citizen James, written by Alan Simpson and Ray Galton and also starring another former Hancock cohort, Bill Kerr. The first series was set around ï¿½Charlieï¿½s Nosh Barï¿½, a cafe in Soho, and concerned Sidï¿½s get-rich-quick schemes. He is helped by ï¿½Billy the Kerrï¿½ and frequently frustrated by the local bookmaker Albert Welshman (the excellent Sydney Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sidï¿½s long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for him to set the date for their wedding. Changes were made to the format after the first series as James became something of a peopleï¿½s champion, campaigning for social justice, and Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser left. Tafler played a different character, Charlie Davenport, who together with Sid takes on teenagers, watch dogs, trial by jury and a very crusty loaf. The second and third series were written by Morecambe & Wise scriptwriters Sid Green and Dick Hills, who often gave the characters Johnny Speight-like dialogue. This double DVD set features the only known surviving episodes and comprise the complete Series One, along with two episodes each from Series Two and Three. Extras include an entertaining interview with Liz Fraser, cast filmographies, and Galton and Simpsonï¿½s comments on the series. LOST KINGDOMS OF AFRICA ACORN AV9870 Lost Kingdoms of AfricaThis eye-opening, four-part series became the highest-rated factual show ever when it first aired on BBC Four and then on BBC Two. The series reaches back in time to explore extraordinary realms that rivalled Egypt, buildings as inspiring as medieval cathedrals, and art that speaks across the centuries. Lost Kingdoms of Africa casts new light on a long-neglected area of the worldï¿½s cultural heritage. In the first programme, presenter Gus Casely-Hayford explores Nubia, starting in the desert north of Khartoum and journeying to the ancient sites of Kerma, Jebel Barkal and Meroï¿½, parts of a long-lost kingdom that may have fallen victim to climate change. In Ethiopia, he asks whether the emperors of Ethiopia really did descend from the Biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba as he surveys Judeo-Christian influences in the landï¿½s art, language and architecture which date back centuries. Shrouded in mystery, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe rise from an unlikely spot in Africaï¿½s interior and we trace an ancient gold-trading route inland from the eastern coast, exploring the city that served as its source. a we see how the magnificent Benin bronzes in the British Museum inspire a quest for their origin in modern-day Nigeria and Mali, where the art of fine metalworking has thrived for generations. Special features with this double DVD set include picture galleries shot on location and a biography of Gus Casely-Hayford, a PhD in African history from London Universityï¿½s School of Oriental and African Studies. RED LETTER DAY - THE COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 793538 Red Letter DayThis television series from 1976 focuses on days of unusual significance, perhaps a turning point in career, romance or fortune. Each play and film is as individual as the people and events portrayed, and features outstanding writing by the likes of Jack Rosenthal and Donald Churchill. In the brilliant Ready When You Are, Mr McGill, directed by Mike Newell, a film extra has a chance for the big break in his career with two crucial lines in a television film, but nothing goes according to plan. ï¿½Iï¿½ve never seen that young Lady in my life before, and Iï¿½ve lived here fifty yearsï¿½. Jack Shepherd is hilarious as the stressed director, Mark Wing-Davey cleverly underplays his assistant and Marty Cruickshank is wonderful as the leading lady, shivering bravely in the rain as comical mishaps accumulate and mounting chaos ensues. The Five Pound Orange, features terrific performances by Peter Barkworth as middle-aged Gilbertï¿½s fantasy of a mistress turns from wistful pipe-dream into reality, though he becomes uncomfortable when his mistress (the wickedly persuasive Sara Badel) forces him to burgle his wifeï¿½s flat. In Well Thank You, Thursday, registrar Miss Shepherd (Judy Parfitt) gets a new desk but things donï¿½t go entirely as expected. The cast also includes Andrew Ray, Richard Griffiths in a minor role and Frank Crompton, funny and touching as the recently bereaved Mr Crabtree. Amazing Stories is a weird sci-fi tale of a family who are apparently being taken over by vegetables, disguising a message for mankind. In Matchfit, written by Willis Hall and based on a story by Brian Glanville, a grumpy Scottish soccer boss with a grudge (Roddy McMillan) meets a young fan in a TB sanatorium and juggles two women, his wife and his mistress (an early role for national treasure Anne Reid). For Services to Myself stars Alan Dobie as a man torn between staying true to his socialist beliefs and accepting an honour from the Queen. Bag of Yeast, written by and starring Neville Smith, tells the story of a teacher who leaves his job to become a priest. The film also stars Liverpool stalwarts Bill Dean and Peter Kerrigan and features an early role for Alison Steadman. The complete series of Red Letter Day is now available on this excellent two-disc set. THE ARTHUR HAYNES SHOW, VOLUME 2 NETWORK 7953442 Arthur Haynes ShowThe Arthur Haynes Show has been the subject of a Paul Merton documentary on BBC4 and Haynes is held in high esteem by many old school and new wave comedians. Reigning supreme for almost a decade on ITV, he was as popular as Tony Hancock and his show ran to over 150 editions. His robust working-class delivery, often with a wickedly mischievous glint in his eye, was inspired, especially in the roguish character of Hobo Haynes - a belligerent, heavily decorated tramp fond of recounting tales of patriotic bravery whilst being ï¿½up to me neck in muck and bulletsï¿½. Invariably tormenting Nicholas Parsons, who would frequently break up with laughter, Arthur Haynes became one of televisionï¿½s best loved and highest paid stars. The brilliant scripts are by the Johnny Speight and there are exuberant musical interludes by droll pianist Ken Morris and his vivacious wife, Joan Savage, a soubrette who could sing, dance, pull comedy faces, wink and put out her tongue all at the same time. These shows remained firmly in the top ten until Haynesï¿½s untimely death in 1966 robbed the world of a comedy genius. Lack of repeats ensured that subsequent generations were scandalously denied his brilliance until Network released Volume 1 of the Arthur Haynes Show on DVD earlier this year. Volume 2 is a two-disc set featuring more hilarious episodes of this influential comedy show from televisionï¿½s Golden Age, all digitally restored and available for the first time in over fifty years. ï¿½Arthur Haynes is a forgotten King of comedy.ï¿½ - Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy. MORECAMBE & WISE: TWO OF A KIND NETWORK 7953259 Morecambe & WiseMorecambe and Wise were Britainï¿½s most famous and successful comic double act, lasting for 43 years until Eric Morecambeï¿½s death in 1984. Eric (the tall one with glasses) and Ernie (he of the ï¿½short, fat, hairy legsï¿½). Britainï¿½s best-loved comedy double act first achieved television success with this hit series for ATV, written by Sid Green and Dick Hills with additional material by Morecambe and Wise. Their mildly anarchic humour, impeccable sense of timing and keen eye for the absurd are all evident here in thirteen classic shows, released complete and uncut. Originally broadcast in 1962, each half-hour show features fast-moving skits and musical parodies, with Eric and Ernie giving us their very own Telstar and inimitable versions of television favourites Supercar, Face to Face and Candid Camera - turning to crime with a satirical take on every police series ever screened. They also reveal their keen appreciation of Shakespeare by enacting Brutus and Cassiusï¿½ quarrel in Julius Caesar, and, in a nod to contemporary theatrical trends, Cleopatraï¿½s death scene is played in modern dress. To clear up any possible confusion, thereï¿½s even a sketch to help viewers remember which one is which. The duo would later perfect their characters in the 1970s at the BBC, where their Christmas Day shows became a national institution watched by up to 28 million people, a record that will probably never be broken. They subsequently moved back to ITV under contract to Thames Television and made The Morecambe & Wise Show, also now available on DVD from Network. ï¿½Two of a Kindï¿½ captures Eric and Ernie at a time when they were fizzing with ideas and confidence, clearly enjoying themselves before the burden of fame and expectations brought their inevitable pressures. Musical guests include the Beverley Sisters and some of the finest bands from the 1950s British trad jazz boom. Extras with this double DVD set include a photo gallery. THE EBONY TOWER NETWORK 7953581 The Ebony TowerFeaturing a larger than life lead performance by Laurence Olivier, the 1984 BAFTA-nominated television play The Ebony Tower was adapted by John Mortimer from the 1974 novel by John Fowles. The wily Henry Breasley (Olivier) is an venerable painter whose secluded retirement in an idyllic country house is invaded by David Williams (Roger Rees), a brash young artist commissioned to produce a biographical study of the great man. Breasley shares his home in the South of France with two young English girls, both former art students, Diana, ï¿½The Mouseï¿½ Greta Scacchi and Anne ï¿½The Freakï¿½ (Toyah Willcox). In this strange mï¿½nage, David is left in no doubt about his hostï¿½s views on modern abstract art. However, he is puzzled by the old manï¿½s relationship with the girls, especially when he also finds himself strongly attracted to Diana. Filmed in Limoges, Haute-Vienne in France, The Ebony Tower is a classy production directed by Robert Knights, who memorably captures the painterï¿½s bohemian lifestyle and the quartetï¿½s attitudes towards life and art. This is one of three excellent new releases by Network starring Laurence Olivier. In LONG DAYï¿½S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (NETWORK 7953580) the worldï¿½s most celebrated actor and one of Americaï¿½s greatest playwrights, Eugene Oï¿½Neill, are brought together in an acclaimed stage production by the National Theatre Company of Oï¿½Neillï¿½s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (NETWORK 7953582) is a lavish production in which Olivier takes on one of literary historyï¿½s most enigmatic and challenging characters: the vengeful moneylender of Venice, Shylock. Adapted from Jonathan Millerï¿½s brilliant London stage production, this updated interpretation of Shakespeareï¿½s masterpiece shifts the setting from Elizabethan times to the late 19th Century - allowing for a new relevance for contemporary audiences, and a deeper understanding of the central character. THE GOOD SOLDIER NETWORK 7953569 The Good SoldierFord Madox Ford was two-thirds an assumed name. The novelist, poet, critic and editor started life, in Surrey in 1873, as Ford Hermann Hueffer, changing his name to Ford Madox Ford (allegedly because it sounded too German) in honour of his grandfather, the Pre-Raphaelite painter Ford Madox Brown. The title of his best novel, The Good Soldier, was also changed after birth. Originally called The Saddest Story, it is frequently included among the great literature of the 20th century and is one of The Guardianï¿½s ï¿½1000 novels everyone must readï¿½. Subtitled ï¿½A Tale of Passion, it is set just before World War I and chronicles the tragedy of Edward Ashburnham, his seemingly perfect marriage and that of two American friends. In 1981, Jeremy Brett, Susan Fleetwood, Robin Ellis and Geoffrey Chater starred in this television adaptation by Julian Mitchell of Fordï¿½s classic Edwardian story of love and deception. Brett is outstanding in the title role and the film was subtly directed by Kevin Billington. The complex plot evolves around two outwardly ï¿½perfectï¿½ married couples who meet annually in the German spa town of Bad Nauheim, a resort favoured by those with heart conditions. But as the friendships deepen, the intricacies of the relationships are gradually laid bare, and the carefully concealed flaws, destructive passions and infidelities of the protagonists bring about a sequence of tragic events that will consume them all. THE GLUMS ï¿½ THE COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 7953545 The GlumsThe British radio comedy programme Take It From Here, broadcast by the BBC between 1948 and 1960, was written by incomparable Frank Muir and Denis Norden. Starring Jimmy Edwards, Dick Bentley, June Whitfield and Alma Cogan, the show is perhaps most famous for introducing The Glums and for influencing later radio comedy classics such as Round the Horne as well as many television programmes. The premise of The Glums was the long engagement between the resolutely dim Ron Glum (Bentley) and his aspirational fiancï¿½e, a plain girl called Eth. A typical episode would start in the pub, with Mr Glum (superbly played by Jimmy Edwards) talking to the barman and telling that weekï¿½s story as a ruse for obtaining another pint of or two of brown ale. The stories would be about some recent episode in the lives of Ron and Eth (Whitfield). One of the constant sources of delight in The Glums, apart from the brilliant dialogue and beautifully conceived comic situations, was the voice which June Whitfield found for Eth - sincere, affectionate and touchingly vulnerable. The Glums were a highlight of the radio week and remembered sufficiently for the format to be revived in 1978 as part of the unsuccessful Bruce Forsythï¿½s Big Night programme. Two series of The Glums were later made by London Weekend Television, mostly drawing on the original radio scripts. Ron was now played by Ian Lavender and Eth by Patricia Brake, while Edwards reprised the role as the bibulous, malapropism-prone Pa Glum, one of comedyï¿½s finest creations. This double DVD set consists of all eight episodes of the TV series complete and uncut along with the remaining short sketches that were used in Bruce Forsythï¿½s Big Night. THE STRANGE WORLD OF GURNEY SLADE NETWORK 7953388 Strange World of Gurney SladeThis pioneering British television series was made by ATV and first aired late in 1960. Devised by Anthony Newley, the six whimsical episodes were written with Dick Hills and Sid Green, later of Morecambe and Wise fame. Newley stars as an actor who walks off the set of a banal sit-com in disgust and ennui, and into a world of his own imagination. In this picaresque odyssey through his own personal alternative reality, he indulges in random conversations with both animals and inanimate. Characters step out of advertising posters and he can hear the most intimate thoughts of passers by! His Chaplinesque adventures take him into an Alice in Wonderland world where he meets Hugh paddick as an Italian-suited fairy, meets an upper class cow (voiced by Fenella Fielding) and is put on trial for having no sense of humour. Others involved in the shenanigans include Una Stubbs, Graham Stark and Bernie Winters. Newley explained at the time: ï¿½There is no rhyme or reason for what I do, I merely take life and turn it upside down. We hope to achieve humour without setting out to be deliberately funny.ï¿½ The surrealism of the cult series was undoubtedly ahead of its time and the first show proved unpopular with a bemused mainstream audience, resulting in further episodes being moved to a late-night timeslot and rarely seen again. This existential, quirky take on reality was an influence on the young David Bowie as well as comedies such as Monty Pythonï¿½s Flying Circus and Marty Feldmanï¿½s Marty, The Beatles/Dick Lester films, and the conspiracy drama The Prisoner. The complete series of this off-beat fantasy has been newly transferred from its original 35mm film elements specifically for this long-awaited DVD release. With its infectious Max Harris theme music and irrepressible invention, The Strange World of Gurney Slade is an absurdist delight. TALES OUT OF SCHOOL - FOUR FILMS BY DAVID LELAND NETWORK 7957040 Tales Out Of SchoolDavid Leland wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed thriller Mona Lisa and became internationally famous with his directorial debut, Wish You Were Here in 1987. He began his career as an actor before collaborating with the great British television director Alan Clarke on their film Made in Britain, which won the Prix Italia in 1984. This is one of four controversial, thought-provoking eighties dramas written by David Leland and now available in a 2-disc limited edition Blu Ray set as well as on DVD. Originally broadcast on ITV, then Channel 4 and commissioned by the producer of Scum (Margaret Matheson), these dramas paint a shocking picture of Thatcherï¿½s Britain and how individuals within society cope with social breakdown. Within the current socio-political climate and the ongoing debate about the British education system, Lelandï¿½s work is just as relevant to a contemporary audience. In Made in Britain, Tim Roth makes his debut as a hate-filled teenage skinhead on a self-destructive campaign destined to lead to permanent incarceration. Birth of a Nation, directed by Mike Newell, features Jim Broadbent and Robert Stephens in a drama about the conflict between old, authoritarian teaching methods and the more relaxed approach of progressive educationalists. The teachers are under extreme pressure as they try to deal with their provocative pupils and keep mayhem at bay. Flying into the Wind stars Graham Crowden in a play depicting the battle between parents who want to home-educate their children and the local education authority. R.H.I.N.O. tells the harrowing story of Angela, a disenfranchised young black girl living in 1980s London, and her encounters with a well-meaning but often ineffectual social system. David Lelandï¿½s brand of heightened naturalism clearly has its heart in the right place and generally has the ring of uncomfortable truth. Special features include ï¿½Digging for Britainï¿½ in which Leland and other cast and crew reflect on the making of Made in Britain; ï¿½Twice Told Talesï¿½ (Leland, producer Margaret Matheson and a group of high school pupils look back at Tales Out of School 30 years on); an image gallery; and a 36-page booklet by Alan Clarke biographer David Rolinson. TO THE MANOR BORN - SERIES THREE ACORN AV9884 To The Manor Born 3To Tha Manor Born 2National treasure Penelope Keith returns as superior upper class widow Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, alongside loveable cad and self-made grocery shop millionaire Peter Bowles in the last series of this classic British sitcom. Originally created as a radio series by Peter Spence, this hugely popular show was brought to on BBC1 TV with the help of comedy producer Christopher Bond and aired from 1979 to 1981. It received exceptionally high viewing figures and its final episode achieved the highest ever, a record it held for 15 years. The complete Series Three, featured on this elegant double DVD set, was first broadcast in 1981 and takes the relationship between Audrey and businessman Richard to new and unexpected levels. The once-successful businessman finds that he has everything to lose and the only thing that might save him is the selling of Grantleigh Manor. Quite how this new challenge resolves itself kept viewers of the series, when originally broadcast, gripped until the now famous closing episode. TO THE MANOR BORN - SERIES TWO (ACORN AV9883) was first broadcast in 1980. The war of words, wits and witticisms escalates as Richard De Vere attempts to bring his expertise to the running of Grantleigh Manor, often in direct opposition to the wishes of its previous owner. ï¿½Rationalisingï¿½ the estate and ploughing new fields are just two of Richardï¿½s plans, when heï¿½s not sniffing out poachers and disappearing vases or playing host to a friend of Marjoryï¿½s who once went by the name of ï¿½Podgeï¿½. But the frost between them may yet be melting as familiarity begins to breed the opposite of contempt. Penelope Keith is wonderfully stylish and both she and Peter Bowles deliver their witty dialogue with impeccable comic timing. This collection also includes the excellent Christmas Special that followed Series One of this comedy classic. FIRST OF THE SUMMER WINE - SERIES ONE ACORN AV9860 First of the Summer WineRoy Clarkeï¿½s phenomenally successful sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine, ran for 31 series from 1973 to 2010, making it the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world. It told the whimsical stories of three old men from Yorkshire who never grew up as they face the trials of everyday life and stay young by reminiscing about their youth and attempting feats not uncommon to the elderly. First of the Summer Wine, also created by Roy Clarke, is the equally gentle prequel series in which the principal characters explore their younger selves. Peter Sallis, aka the older Norman Clegg, appears, suitably cast in the role of his own father, Clegg Senior. He is joined by the scruffy and immature Compo Simmonite; the meek and deep-thinking Norman Clegg; the snobbish ladder-climber Seymour Utterthwaite; the eager soldier Foggy Dewhurst; the love-smitten Wally Batty and the object of his affections, the young Nora Renshaw. First of the Summer Wine takes place between May and September 1939, in the months leading up to World War II, and revolves around the diary entries of the young Norman Clegg as it follows the antics of the young men of a small Yorkshire village and their more level-headed female counterparts, all of whom are grappling with the world around them, their youth, and their experiences with the opposite sex. With rumblings of war on the European continent as Nazi Germany and Great Britain become increasingly poised for battle, the lives of the young men and women are equally on the cusp of great changes. Featuring alongside Peter Sallis are Paul Wyett as a convincing young Compo, David Fenwick as Norman Clegg, Gary Whitaker as Wally Batty and Helen Patrick as Nora, the object of his affections. The immediate pre-war era is lovingly recreated, the music and scenery are lovely, and the acting is excellent throughout, especially by the understated Peter Sallis and David Fenwick as his innocent son. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST FABULOUS FILMS FHED2833 Beauty and the BeastCreator Ron Koslowï¿½s updated version of the famous fairy tale tells the story of Vincent (Ron Perlman), a mythic, noble man-beast, and his relationship with Catherine Chandler (Linda Hamilton), a savvy assistant District attorney in New York. From the moment these two cross paths, they share a strong psychic bond, and though they live in separate worlds, their love continues to grow without measure. Vincent dwells among a secret Utopian community of social outcasts in a subterranean sanctuary beneath the city. Through gift for empathy, Vincent senses Catherineï¿½s emotions and becomes her guardian as their relationship develops and we learn more about the division between New York and a hidden world below. This Emmy Award-winning fantasy-crime drama makes its DVD debut on this excellent 6-disc set that includes all 22 first-season episodes. Extras include a Making Of documentary and an extensive stills gallery. Strange, romantic and often touching, the series was beautifully filmed in New York and features excellent performances, especially by the two leading actors. CANAL WALKS WITH JULIA BRADBURY ACORN AV9827 Julia Bradbury's Canal WalksFollowing the successful Wainwright Walks and Railway Walks series, Britainï¿½s favourite walker Julia Bradbury is back to explore Britainï¿½s canals in her latest enjoyable BBC series of Canal Walks. The charming and indefatigable Julia puts on her boots once again to explore some of this countryï¿½s treasured canals and their towpath trails, taking four walks that lead to a hidden network of locks, bridges, aqueducts and tunnels. We see some of Britainï¿½s most beautiful waterways and countryside as Julia explores the North Wales Llangollen Canal, Scotlandï¿½s Caledonian Canal, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and the Bath Kennet and Avon Canal, giving historical insights into this incredible industrial heritage as she meets up with experts and canal enthusiasts on her inspirational journeys. DVD extras include a Julia Bradbury biography and a breathtaking picture gallery. JEMIMA SHORE INVESTIGATES ï¿½ THE COMPLETE SERIES NETWORK 7953328 Jemima ShoreAntonia Fraser is an acclaimed writer of historical biographies, many of which have been international bestsellers. Formerly married to the playwright Harold Pinter, she was made CBE in 1999 and awarded the Norton Medlicott Medal by the Historical Association in 2000. Lady Antonia also has a sideline in crime fiction featuring her determined feminine protagonist, Jemima Shore, who made her first appearance in 1977 in the novel Quiet as a Nun. Fellow writer P D James described Shoreï¿½s character as ï¿½a contemporary heroine, a successful television investigator, liberated, prosperous, unencumbered with husband or child, and with all the fashionable accoutrements of success.ï¿½ Appropriately enough, TVï¿½s consummately professional investigative journalist became the basis of a Thames Television series, Jemima Shore Investigates, starring Patricia Hodge in the title role. First shown in in 1983, it also features wonderfully extravagant hair styles and guest appearances by Tom Baker, Don Henderson, Bill Nighy, Brian Cox and Lysette Anthony. This three-disc set includes all twelve episodes of this intelligent, enjoyable series with a coolly sexy performance by Patricia Hodge as the poised, determined and smart Jemima. Such fun! DANIEL DERONDA SECOND SIGHT 2NDVD3198 Daniel DerondaGeorge Eliotï¿½s final novel, published in 1876, was the only one of Eliotï¿½s novels set in the contemporary Victorian society of her day. Daniel Derondaï¿½s mixture of social satire and moral searching, together with its close examination of the position of Jews in British and European society, made it extremely controversial then and now. As Eliotï¿½s lover, George Henry Lewes, predicted: ï¿½The Jewish element seems to me likely to satisfy nobody.ï¿½ The eponymous hero is an idealistic young aristocrat who comes to the rescue of a young Jewish woman, Mirah Lapidoth. In his attempts to help her find her family he is drawn steadily deeper into the Jewish community and the ferment of early Zionist politics. This sumptuous, BAFTA award-winning BBC TV adaptation of George Eliotï¿½s late masterpiece was adapted by renowned writer Andrew Davies and directed by Tom Hooper, recent Oscar-winner for The Kingï¿½s Speech. This highly acclaimed production features stunning costumes, high drama and fine performances from a cast that includes Hugh Dancy as the hero, Romola Garai as the annoying and frivolous Gwendolen Harleth, Hugh Bonneville in dastardly form as sadistic Henleigh Grandcourt, with Celia Imrie, David Bamber, Edward Fox as the fruitily-voiced Sir Hugo Mallinger, Greta Scaachi trying unsuccessfully not to look beautiful, Barbara Hershey as Contessa Maria Alcharisi, and Jodhi May, outstanding as Mirah Lapidoth. ï¿½The very model of a BBC costume dramaï¿½ - Daily Telegraph. ALAN PLATER AT ITV NETWORK 7953547 Alan PlaterOne of Britainï¿½s most prolific and acclaimed screenwriters from the 1960s onwards, the late Alan Plater was born in Jarrow and originally trained as an architect. He made his debut as a scriptwriter with the ground-breaking Z-Cars and subsequent credits included the musical Close the Coalhouse Door (written with songwriter Alex Glasgow), The Beiderbecke Trilogy, a film adaptation of George Orwellï¿½s Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and the television version of Flambards. Famous for his integrity, dry humour and love of jazz, Plater excelled in the creation of credible, engagingly ordinary characters embroiled in drama and intrigue. His skilful dialogue, once described as combining ï¿½The voice of Coronation Street with the spirit of Chekhovï¿½, won him three BAFTA Awards, a CBE, and a Writersï¿½ Guild of Great Britain Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Witty, humane and proud to be ï¿½a naï¿½ve, old-fashioned socialistï¿½, Plater was an exceptional wordsmith. This double DVD anthology form Network brings together six hours of his work, including the first episode of The Beiderbecke Affair (an outstanding series starring James Bolam and Barbara Flynn as the sparring lovers, plus Sue Jenkins as the Platinum Blonde), The Party of the First Part (Michael Gambon and Jan Francis in a Marx Brothers inspired comedy), Dawsonï¿½s Complaint (Les Dawson explores the capitalist world seeking redress for a faulty pen), Coming Through (two related plays set in different eras examining polarised attitudes towards D H Lawrence, starring Kenneth Brannagh and Helen Mirren as Bert and Frieda, with Alison Steadman), an episode of Flambards (based on the novels of K M Peyton), and The Intercessor, starring John Duttine. Special features include a revealing ï¿½Calendar Peopleï¿½ interview with Alan Plater, Alan Ayckbourn and Colin Welland from 1976. This excellent collection is a well-deserved celebration of one of the cleverest, wittiest and most humane writers of the last fifty years. THE COMPLETE LARRY SANDERS SHOW MEDIUMRARE ENTERTAINMENT FHED2841 Larry SandersAmerican comedian, actor and writer Garry Shandling began his career writing for sitcoms such as Sanford and Son, and became a frequent guest-host for Johnny Carson. In 1986, when he was poised to become a permanent guest host on The Tonight Show, he created his innovative an highly influential This sharp and surreal post-modernist blend of reality and sitcom influenced many of the best TV comedies since, including Shandlings own Larry Sanders Show. Starring Shandling, the outrageous Rip Torn and Jeffrey Tambor, this ground-breaking show was first broadcast in the UK on BBC 2 throughout the 1990s and was a massive hit, considered by many to be one of the greatest comedy series of all time. The original meta-sitcom, its a wish fulfilling peak behind the chat show curtain into a hilarious world of egos, backstabbing and paranoia. Hey now, no flipping! The nastiest and funniest comedy of the 90s, it inspired the creators of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Alan Partridge and The Office. In 1999 the show won the prestigious BAFTA Award for Best International TV Programme and Garry Shandling received the American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Performer in a TV series. Funniest Male Guest Appearance went to David Duchovny for his cameo in the show. This magnificent box set brings together on 15 discs all 89 episodes of a series that is ï¿½The most important sitcom of a generationï¿½ - Ricky Gervais. LEXX: THE COMPLETE SERIES MEDIUMRARE ENTERTAINMENT FHED2831 LEXXFollow the adventures of a group of desperate fugitives aboard the Lexx, ï¿½the most powerful destructive force in the two universes.ï¿½ The Lexx is a massive living bio-engineered spacecraft that resembles a wingless dragonfly that is capable of destroying a planet with ease. The crew of the Lexx are motivated largely by fear, lust and hunger: factors that gradually come to dominate their lives more and more. Funny, philosophocal and darkly entertaining, this cult hit series, first broadcast in the UK on Channel 5, features startlingly graphic imagery, skimpily clad women, and quirky, sexually charged adult storylines that ï¿½boldlyï¿½ take Sci-Fi where others had not gone before! Sometimes described as ï¿½the American Red Dwarfï¿½, Lexx stars Brian Downey, Michael McManus and the gorgeous Xenia Seeburg, with guests such as Tim Curry, Rutger Hauer, Malcolm McDowell and Ralph Brown. This splendid 19 disc DVD set includes all 61 full length episodes, ï¿½making ofï¿½ featurettes, behind the scenes interviews, deleted scenes and on set interviews. JUST WILLIAM ACORN AV9861 Just WillamRichmal Cromptonï¿½s first book of short stories about mischievous eleven year old school boy William Brown was published in 1922. The charismatic William would eventually appear in thirty nine books written over a period of almost fifty years, though the protagonist remains the same eleven years throughout. There have been many television, film, theatre and radio adaptations and the books have a large and dedicated fan following. Following its acclaimed run on BBC One over the festive season, this most recent four part series based on Cromptonï¿½s immortal characters sees the stories updated to the 1950s and narrated by Martin Jarvis. The settings are lovingly recreated and there are vibrant performances by a cast that includes Daniel Roche (best known for Outnumbered) as William, Rebecca Front and Daniel Ryan as his long-suffering parents, and Lily James and Harry Melling as sister Ethel and brother Robert. The young actors playing the outlaws are excellent and best of all are the Bott family, played by Warren Clarke, Caroline Quentin and the brilliant Isabella Blake-Thomas, stealing the show as precocious daughter Violet Elizabeth. Others involved in a starry cast include John Sessions, Denis Lawson and Roy Hudd. William is outfoxed by Violet Elizabeth, gets involved with rival parrots, rescues Great Aunt Augusta (Judy Parfitt) and Traffikunconventionally attempts the role of Hamlet. A joyous treat for all the family. DVD Extras include an author biography & bibliography as well as cast filmographies. Also released by Acorn TRAFFIK (ACORN AV9822) - the original, BAFTA and Emmy award-winning drama which inspired the Oscar-winning film Traffic. Powerful, gripping and compelling viewing, Traffik explores the murderous business of the heroin trade from opium fields in Pakistan and Aghanistan to our own front door. This spiderlike tale of creeping intensity revolves around Jack Lithgow (Bill Paterson) a government minister, whose engagement in tempering the drug trade flowing from Pakistan is affected by the discovery that his young daughter (a brilliant performance by Julia Ormond) is a heroin addict ï¿½ and the realisation that his efforts are empty politics with little result. Parallel to this runs the story of Fazal, an opium farmer who, when his crop is destroyed, enslaves himself to a ruthless drug-dealer, crossing one line after another until everything he cares for is at risk. Meanwhile in Germany, two cops risk their lives to break the traffic of heroin into their country, imprisoning one importer, only to discover that his wife can be even more ruthless and more deadly. The series was directed by Alastair Reid, who skilfully weaves together the various story lines while maintaining the pace. Engrossing, shocking and Buccaneerssuperbly acted by a multi-national cast, this is British television drama at its best. The issues raised are as relevant today as when the grittily realsitic series was originally broadcast on Channel 4 in 1989. Edith Whartonï¿½s THE BUCCANEERS (ACORN AV9841) is a sweeping drama that lifts the heavy velvet curtains of the upper classes to reveal reveal how much scandal and debauchery lurk behind them. Based on the last novel by the great American author Edith Wharton this lavish series tells the story, seen through the eyes of a family governess, of four ambitious American girls - Virginia and her sister Nan, their friend Lizzy Elmsworth and their Brazilian friend Conchita - as they try to secure husbands and position in England in order to live happily ever after. But life bears little resemblance to the fairytales; and castles appear a lot less magical when you have to live in them. They soon find themselves trapped by wealth, and discover that beneath fine manners and social graces lie some very shabby vices. Originally broadcast on BBC One in 1995, the stunning scenery and costumes are matched by a superb cast that includes Michael Kitchen, Cherie Lunghi, Mira Sorvino, Dinsdale Landen, Rosemary Leach, Sheila Hancock, Greg Wise, Connie Booth and Jenny Agutter. ï¿½A Delight!ï¿½ ï¿½ The Times. SHADOW SQUAD NETWORK 7953497 Shadow SquadA highly successful late crime show from the late 1950s, Shadow Squad initially featured the adventures of ex-Flying Squad Detective Vic Steele (Rex Garner) who, tired of being boxed in by rules and regulations, resigned from the force to form his own detective agency with the help of crafty Cockney Ginger Smart (the excellent George Moon) and their stalwart cleaning lady, Mrs Moggs (Kathleen Boutall), who often noticed clues her employers had missed. Steele subsequently disappeared on a mission to Australia and running of the Squad was then taken up by ex-DI Don Carter (Peter Williams). Doris Speed worked on the series, partly written by her friend Tony Warren, who later created the soap opera Coronation Street, writing the character of Annie Walker specifically for her. Unfortunately none of his or her episodes survive and time has not treated Shadow Squad at all well. Only four shows now remain in the archives and these are included on this set alongside the sole remaining episode of Shadow Squad spinoff Skyport, featuring Ginger Smart as an airport security guard. In Race Against Time, an outsider wins a race which will make one man a great deal of money, so Carter becomes suspicious and investigates the shady word of horse racing. In The Missing Cheese, Don and Ginger investigate a string of unsolved robberies and a mysterious man on a bicycle. Despite its occasional glitches and enjoyably stereotyped characters, what remains of Shadow Squad is an entertaining glimpse into the past. GARROWï¿½S LAW, COMPLETE SERIES 1 & 2 ACORN AV9992 Garrow's LawThe lavish series was made with remarkable attention to detail and uses real cases from the Old Bailey archives, including murder, assault, corruption and highway robbery, to ensure convincing authenticity and a gritty atmosphere to the stories. The pressures brought upon Garrow from the judgeï¿½s bench before him and the Kingï¿½s ministers behind make for an intriguing and gripping drama. In Series Two, Garrow makes powerful enemies as he challenges a brutal trade that regards slaves as cargo not human beings, and defends a man accused of sodomy, a capital offence in Georgian England. His work becomes entwined with his personal life when he takes on the case of a British sailor out to expose the abuse of sailors in Greenwich Hospital and finds himself on trial for ï¿½Criminal Conversationï¿½. Garrow must give the performance of a lifetime if he is to survive. Special features with this comprehensive four disc DVD set include a behind the scenes documentary filmed on location with cast and crew. EDWARDIAN FARM ACORN AV9786 Edwardian FarmFollowing the success of highly acclaimed Victorian Farm, the same team returns to experience what a difference the decades make on an Edwardian Farm. This time they have set up home at Morwellham Quay in Devon, where the intrepid trio get to grips with the trials and tribulations of life at the turn of the 20th century. Morwellham Quay was once one of the busiest ports in Britain, but has long since come to a standstill. Itï¿½s now down to Alex, Peter and Ruth to bring it back to life as it would have been in its hey-day during the reign of King Edward VII. They have to learn new period skills and crafts, using only the tools and materials that would have been available at the time. From investigating the impact of water-powered machines and the worldï¿½s first tractor, the team engage in a host of challenging activities, delving into Britainï¿½s rural heritage to unearth how Edwardian farmers recovered from the agricultural depression leaner, fitter and more diverse than ever before. This series of twelve one-hour episodes is an intelligent, entertaining and perceptive examination of rural life as it was lived around a hundred years ago. The key to its success, as with the previous series, rests largely with the knowledge, charm and admirable good humour of the presenters - archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn and domestic historian Ruth Goodman. Together with other experts they show life on an Edwardian Farm in fascinating detail, revealing the immense skill and resilience required for survival.	i don't know
The airport in Orange County, California is named after which famous film star?	Cheap Flights to John Wayne/Orange County - Find John Wayne/Orange County Flights - Cheapflights.com.au Cheap flights to Santa Ana, John Wayne/Orange County, USA Cheap Flights to John Wayne/Orange County John Wayne/Orange County overview John Wayne Airport (SNA) is located in Orange County in California, 23km (14 miles) from Disneyland Resort. It was the first airport in the United States to be named after an entertainer – the film star John Wayne. The airport has one main terminal, the Thomas F Riley Terminal, which houses both Terminal A and Terminal B. With two airline lounges, a fair amount of shopping opportunities and a range of food and drink options to suit all wallets, John Wayne Airport is a comfortable airport to use when travelling to California. A number of airlines operate at John Wayne Airport. Some of the popular destinations served from the airport are Atlanta, Houston, Newark, Oakland and Honolulu. Terminal B’s concourse is currently under construction, but passengers using the airport will find that the airport offers convenience and a welcoming attitude. Airlines that fly to John Wayne/Orange County United Airlines	John Wayne
Which London Underground line connects Euston and Waterloo?	Orange County: Which Orange County beach to visit? - TripAdvisor Want the lowest hotel prices? You're in the right place. We check 200+ sites for you. Orange County: Which Orange County beach to visit? Review a place you’ve visited JOIN Free Newsletter Interested in Orange County? We'll send you updates with the latest deals, reviews and articles for Orange County each week. Orange County Traveler Article: Orange County: Which Orange County beach to visit? Save Article Read more about Orange County Topics include Transportation, Dining Scene, United States: For Foreign Visitors & more! Comments (1) Which Orange County beach should a visitor choose? Orange County has 42 miles of coastline and numerous beaches of all varieties from broad sand beaches to smaller cove beaches to tide pool areas. Which beach you choose depends on how long you are coming for, the type of accommodation you want and is this a beach vacation, a sightseeing vacation, a theme park vacation or just a day trip? There are six beach cities in Orange County, north to south they are Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente. Each city has its highlights, pluses and minuses. Seal Beach: Seal Beach is the northernmost beach city in Orange County and is separated from Long Beach and LA County by the San Gabriel River. The beach at Seal Beach is in the Downtown area of SB and is divided in two by the SB Pier. The beach is broad, a white sand beach with a large grassy area and a children’s play area. There is a large parking lot, but it fills up quickly in summer. Leading to the SB Pier is Main Street that is a nice street of restaurants and shops. There are also many along Ocean Ave. There are no hotels at the beach, but many vacation rental homes. For a mostly beach vacation with side trips to Disneyland, Hollywood and Long Beach, Seal Beach with be a nice, relaxing spot. Also nearby is the city of Long Beach with many popular tourist attractions like the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary and Boat Tours. Also home of the Long Beach Airport for easy access to the area. Huntington Beach: Huntington Beach is one of Orange County’s most vibrant beach cities. It has more than 8 miles of unbroken sand beaches with very large parking lots and is one of the more popular beaches for locals and visitors alike. The Huntington Beach Pier – Main Street is a very lively area of restaurants, bars and shopping. Unlike Seal Beach, HB has several hotels right at the beach from higher end luxury resorts to moderately priced hotels. HB is the home of the U.S. Open of Surfing championships, usually the last week of July. HB is well located in Orange County for beach vacations and as a base for day tours. In addition to the hotels, there are numerous options for vacation homes and condominiums. Alsoplenty of daily rental options for beach gear. Also the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is an amazing place to visit and enjoy nature. Newport Beach: Newport Beach’s beaches are split into four distinct areas, the long unbroken Newport/Balboa beach, the large Corona del Mar Beach, the smaller cove beach of Little Corona Beach that includes some of Orange County’s best tide pools and Crystal Cove State Beach, a large undeveloped beach area with good parking options, but you do have to walk down cliffs to the beach. They are well developed trails, but might not be the best option for those with mobility issues. The Balboa Peninsula beach has two pier areas, the Newport Pier and the Balboa Pier; each pier has a variety of shops and dining in close proximity and parking lots that fill quickly at peak times. The Balboa Pier, constructed in 1906, was the terminus of the Pacific Electric Railway Red Car that brought weekend visitors from Los Angeles at the turn of the last century. Close by the pier is the iconic Balboa Pavilion, also built in 1906, and a small amusement area, the Balboa Fun Zone and the Balboa Ferry that shuttles cars and pedestrians to Balboa Island. By the beach Newport Beach has smaller hotels, but many vacation rentals. The larger hotels in Newport Beach are inland on the bay or in the Newport Center area. NB has good access to John Wayne Airport (SNA) and freeways and is a good location for other day trips in Orange County. Also home to the large Fashion Island Shoping Center. Laguna Beach: Laguna Beach is an Orange County picturesque beach city, said to resemble the French Riviera. There is a beach in the Downtown area and many cove beaches as the city stretches south. LB has hotel accommodations in all price ranges. LB came to fame as an artist’s colony in the 1920s and remains the home of numerous art galleries, museums and art festivals including the annual Sawdust Festival. It also has the famous Pageant of the Masters every summer where actors recreate classic pictures. Downtown Laguna Beach has many restaurants and shops, but north or south of Downtown access is more limited and you have to factor in that travel time if you select LB for a vacation spot. It is well known for traffic tie ups and delays on the Pacific Coast Highway or even outer roads inland. Dana Point: Dana Point the city was named after prominent headland of “Dana Point” described by the author Richard Henry Dana, Jr. in his Two Years Before the Mast novel of the CA coast in the 1830s. Dana Point has many famous beaches, a yacht harbor and hotel accommodations from 5 star luxury accommodations to more budget friendly hotels. The beaches are a mix of city run and state run beaches and have very options for parking, especially at the long Capistrano Beach area of DP. The central area of Dana Point has good options for dining and is in close proximity to the famous Mission San Juan Capistrano, established in 1776. Being in South Orange County Dana Point is a good location for limited day trips to the theme park area of North Orange County and Los Angeles and even limited day trips to San Diego County attractions, but not central if your vacation is more focused on theme parks than the beach. Dana Point is accessible by train using the nearby San Juan Capistrano Station. San Clemente: San Clemente is the southernmost beach city in Orange County and came to world notoriety in the 1960’s as the site of Richard Nixon’s Western White House. There are several beaches in San Clemente with good parking options, Ole Hanson Beach, T Street Beach at the San Clemente Pier, Calafia State Park and SC State Beach. San Clemente does have a more limited hotel selection than some of its neighbors to the north, but there is a cluster of hotels at the SC Pier where there is also a train station making it more convenient for the carless traveler. San Clemente’s Downtown area starts about a walkable 1/2 mile to the east up Avenida Del Mar. Limited day trips to San Diego, Anaheim and even Los Angeles are possible, but San Clemente is probably not where you would stay to visit the Disneyland resort four days of a six night trip. San Clemente is a great option for a beach vacation and is a surfers paradise with easy access to the famous Trestles and San Onofre surfing beaches. Use this guide to get an overview of Orange County’s beaches and their surrounding communities and then enquire in the county or specific city forums for greater detail on hotels, vacation homes, shopping, dining and attractions.	i don't know
In which northern city is the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television?	NMPFT - The National Museum of Photography Film and Television, Bradford, West Yorkshire Follow Bronte Country on Twitter The National Museum of Photography Film and Television In 2006 the National Museum of Photography Film and Television in Bradford was renamed the National Media Museum .	Bradford
John Wayne turned down the role of which Marshall, James Arness eventually playing the role for 20 years?	Floatation Suite 09 05 2016 Joachim Trier Joachim Trier's earlier films made in his native Norwegian, Reprise and Oslo August 31st, are both soaked through with hurt and depression and this, his first foray into English language is no different. Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) is a celebrated war photographer, already dead when the film begins, but appearing in dreams and flashbacks as a haunting and haunted presence in the lives of her husband and sons. Three years after her death a memoir by her journalist colleague is about to be published, and the prospect of this and the truths that will come out with it brings the unresolved feelings of her family to the surface. Requiem for a Film Festival Written by Sheila Seacroft 22 02 2016 A statue of JB Priestley, author and champion of the North, stands on a slope above the centre of Bradford, looking out over his city, coat tails flapping in the brisk Yorkshire wind. At his back is the still impressive purpose-built National Media Museum. Well, purpose-built as the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, which was its original designation. Mission creep turned those words and concepts into ï¿½Media' in 2006, and chances are that it will now eventually become the National Museum of Science, North. Priestley's statue, conventionally-clad though it is, oozes the purposeful oomph and creativity that made Bradford, like other northern towns, full of that energy and enquiry that fired development and innovation in the past. If the great man looked behind him now, he'd be more than sad. 20 02 2016 Directed by Luca Guadagnino Like his previous film I Am Love, Guadagnino's latest runs you through with sensual pleasure. However grey and soggy the weather outside, whatever emotional torpor sits on your soul, however much your ageing bones creak and complain and your old eyes water in the wind, you step out from the cinema with a new delight in life and a grin almost as big and shiny as Ralph Fiennes' ear-wide gleaming choppers. At least I do. Not that it's an uncomplicated, sunny film, not at all. I Am Love was just that, a portrait of love so powerful that you were immersed in it, experiencing rather than observing. Here there are more complicated emotions and serious issues at work.	i don't know
Who was Eisenhower's Democratic opponent in the 1952 and 1956 US Presidential campaigns?	United States presidential election of 1952 \| United States government \| Britannica.com United States presidential election of 1952 United States government United States presidential election of 1952, American presidential election held on November 4, 1952, in which Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower easily defeated Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson . Results of the American presidential election, 1952… Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. "I Like Ike" animated television commercial for Republican presidential candidate Dwight D. … Archival footage supplied by the Internet Moving Images Archive (at archive.org) in association with Prelinger Archives Primaries and conventions Without an incumbent candidate in the White House , there was intense interest in who would win the nomination of each of the two major parties. There was also speculation as to whether a serious third-party candidacy, like Strom Thumond ’s Dixiecrat bid in 1948 , would materialize, particularly for Douglas MacArthur , the general who led United Nations forces in Korea until he was relieved of his duties in 1951 for insubordination by Pres. Harry S. Truman . Party primaries for convention delegates were held between March 11 and June 3 in the following order: New Hampshire , Minnesota , Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois , New Jersey, Pennsylvania , New York , Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio , West Virginia , Oregon, Florida, California , and South Dakota . Primary elections were optional in three other states—Alabama, Arkansas , and Georgia—and were set by state committees. As the campaign of 1952 had neared, Eisenhower let it be known that he was a Republican, and the eastern wing of that party, headed by Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York, the party’s unsuccessful nominee in 1948, made an intensive effort to persuade Eisenhower to seek the Republican presidential nomination. His name was entered in several state primaries against the more conservative Sen. Robert A. Taft of Ohio. Although the results were mixed, Eisenhower decided to run. In June 1952 the five-star general retired from the army after 37 years of service, returned to the United States , and began to campaign actively. Similar Topics United States presidential election of 1988 The Republican National Convention was held in Chicago , July 7–11. After a bitter fight with Taft supporters, Eisenhower won the nomination on the first ballot. Eisenhower selected as his running mate Sen. Richard M. Nixon of California, who had strong anticommunist credentials. Among the pledges of the Republicans was to end the Korean War and to support the Taft-Hartley Act , which restricted the activities of labour unions. Scenes from the 1952 Republican National Convention, in which Senator Robert A. Taft and General … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Democrats held their convention in Chicago two weeks later. The Democratic National Convention was marked by disarray, particularly between delegates who supported civil rights (largely from Northern states) and those opposed (primarily from Southern states). A requirement was adopted that the delegations pledge to support the eventual nominee and the party platform. A number of candidates vied for the nomination, including Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennessee and Sen. Richard Russell of Georgia . Adlai E. Stevenson, the governor of Illinois, had refused to seek the nomination, but he was drafted by the convention as a compromise choice and was nominated on the third ballot. He chose as his running mate a Southerner, Sen. John Sparkman of Alabama . In contrast to the Republicans, the Democrats pledged to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act and called for the continuation of policies pursued by Truman and his predecessor as president, Franklin D. Roosevelt . There was also support for continuing the Korean War. Adlai E. Stevenson waving to supporters before speaking at Madison Square Garden, New York City, … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. General election campaign Attempts to organize would-be supporters of MacArthur failed to secure any recognition from him. Although workers on his behalf had formal organization in seven states (Missouri, Arkansas, Texas , North Dakota , Washington, California, and Tennessee) under various designations (including America First, Christian Nationalist, and Constitution) and although it was expected that votes would be “written in” in 13 states, the outcome proved that such MacArthur support had no effect upon the final election result in any state. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent The election was conducted against the backdrop of a “ Red Scare ” in which many Americans feared that foreign communist agents were attempting to infiltrate the government. Two years earlier Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin, who held that the Roosevelt and Truman administrations amounted to “20 years of treason,” claimed that he had a list of State Department employees who were loyal only to the Soviet Union . Though McCarthy offered no evidence to support his charges and revealed only a single name, he won a large personal following. The Red Scare, the stalemated Korean War, and a renewal of inflation gravely handicapped Stevenson, who fought a vigorous campaign. U.S. Presidential Elections Eisenhower, despite his age (61), campaigned tirelessly, impressing millions with his warmth and sincerity. His wide, friendly grin, wartime heroics, and middle-class pastimes—he was an avid golfer and bridge player and a fan not of highbrow literature but of the American western—endeared him to the public and garnered him vast support. Mamie Eisenhower , like her husband, projected a down-to-earth image. One of the most dramatic incidents of the campaign was associated with Nixon. The New York Post reported that Nixon had a secret “slush fund.” Eisenhower was willing to give Nixon a chance to clear himself but emphasized that Nixon needed to emerge from the crisis “as clean as a hound’s tooth.” On September 23, 1952, Nixon took to television and delivered what has been dubbed the “ Checkers ” speech, in which he acknowledged the existence of the fund but denied that any of it had been used improperly. The speech is perhaps best remembered for its maudlin conclusion, in which Nixon admitted accepting one political gift—a cocker spaniel that his six-year-old daughter, Tricia, had named Checkers. “Regardless of what they say about it,” he declared, “we are going to keep it.” Although Nixon initially thought that the speech had been a failure, the public responded favourably, and a reassured Eisenhower told him, “You’re my boy.” Richard Nixon, then the Republican vice presidential candidate, went on television in September … Stock footage courtesy The WPA Film Library Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest On the eve of the election there was a general opinion that the presidential race was close. The final tally, however, was anything but. Eisenhower won by more than six million votes, capturing 39 states and 442 electoral votes to Stevenson’s 9 states and 89 electoral votes. Eisenhower even won Florida, Texas, and Virginia—three reliably Democratic states. The election was considered a great personal triumph for Eisenhower and a repudiation of the Truman administration. For the results of the previous election, see United States presidential election of 1948 . For the results of the subsequent election, see United States presidential election of 1956 . Results of the 1952 election The results of the 1952 U.S. presidential election are provided in the table. American presidential election, 1952	Adlai Stevenson
Who was Allied commander in Palestine at the end of World War I?	United States presidential election of 1956 \| United States government \| Britannica.com United States presidential election of 1956 United States government United States presidential election of 1956, American presidential election held on Nov. 6, 1956, in which incumbent Republican Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson . It was the second consecutive election in which Stevenson lost to Eisenhower. Results of the American presidential election, 1956… Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Eisenhower’s health and the vice presidency In the winter of 1955–56 there was some speculation that Eisenhower would not seek a second term. Republican leaders urged him to run, but he was attacked as a “part-time” president by opponents—a charge resulting from his coronary thrombosis of Sept. 24, 1955, and subsequent period of rest. All speculation ended on February 29 when he announced an affirmative decision. As a “recovered heart patient,” he said, doctors felt that he could “continue to carry the burdens of the presidency,” although a regime of ordered work activity would have to be mixed with regular amounts of exercise, recreation, and rest. Interest in the future of Vice Pres. Richard M. Nixon thereupon became intense. Nixon was a controversial figure, but he had proved particularly effective at campaigning in 1952 and 1954; he had also been energetic in office, visiting many countries, making policy speeches, and participating fully in cabinet and National Security Council meetings. On April 26 he informed Eisenhower that he would welcome running again as the president’s running mate, to which Eisenhower replied that he was “delighted to hear of the Vice President’s decision.” The president passed a physical examination on May 12, but in June he was suddenly stricken with ileitis . After a nearly two-hour operation on June 9, full details were given—an unusually complete reporting—in the press. Convalescence was normal, but the fact of two such dangerous illnesses in nine months and the vigorous Democratic attacks on Nixon guaranteed that the health of the president would be a campaign issue. Democratic nomination United States presidential election of 1988 On the Democratic side, Stevenson and Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennessee were engaged in a struggle in the state primaries. Victory by the latter in Minnesota made it look bad for the 1952 standard bearer. Both candidates aggressively wooed party leaders and voters and both offered alternative solutions to national problems, but increasingly bitter personal references marred their campaigning. Stevenson accused his opponent of a policy of “destroy if you can’t win” and of “wanting to win too much.” Stevenson then won three major state primaries and thus carried some momentum heading into the Democratic National Convention . At the convention, held August 13–17 in Chicago , former president Harry S. Truman —proclaiming himself no elder statesman, since “a statesman is just a dead politician, and I’m a very lively politician”—announced himself for Gov. W. Averell Harriman of New York . Stevenson could not carry more than nine states in the general election, Truman said. Nevertheless, Stevenson handily won the nomination. In a dramatic announcement the victor told the delegates that the “free processes” of the convention should decide on his running mate. The first ballot pitted Kefauver against Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts , Sen. Albert A. Gore of Tennessee, Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota, and Mayor John F. Wagner of New York City. Kefauver finished on top in the first ballot but without enough delegates to win outright. In the second ballot, Kennedy finished first but also without the requisite number of delegates. Following Gore’s withdrawal in favour of Kefauver, Kefauver was able to secure the vice presidential nomination. The Democratic platform contained a compromise plank on civil rights . The national government, it promised, would be returned “to its rightful owners, the people of the United States.” In general, it declared, the administration had “confused timidity with courage and blindness with enlightenment.” Paucity of ideas, impaired unity of the free world, and “resentment rising against U.S. leadership everywhere” were the platform’s attempted indictment against the incumbent leadership. Yet the Democratic Party was not fundamentally opposed to many major U.S. policies. It favoured participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , opposed admission of the People’s Republic of China into the United Nations , and was concerned over the plight of countries dominated by the Soviet Union even though it was not in favour of liberation by force. The platform agreed with earlier Stevenson-Kefauver pleas for supplying or selling arms to Israel. It also called for the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act (anti-union legislation that had been passed in 1947 over Truman’s veto) and for enactment of new Social Security legislation. Republican convention Listen: Eisenhower, Dwight D. U.S. Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower addressing the Republican National Convention, Aug. 23, 1956. Meeting August 20–23 in San Francisco , Calif., the Republicans heard an inspirational address from former president Herbert Hoover . Although some Republicans sought to have Nixon replaced on the ticket, audible opposition on the convention floor proved nonexistent, and the Eisenhower-Nixon ticket was easily renominated. In his acceptance speech Eisenhower warned that taking “the centralization short-cut every time something is to be done” would result in “a swollen, bureaucratic , monster Government in Washington, in whose shadow our state and local governments will ultimately wither and die.” Both nominees admitted that there were still injustices in the United States. Nixon stated, “We believe in human welfare but not the welfare state”; still, “pockets of poverty” would have to be rooted out. Dwight D. Eisenhower (left) and Richard M. Nixon after being renominated at the 1956 Republican … Courtesy of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library/U.S. Army General election campaign U.S. Presidential Elections In the ensuing campaign, television was relied on by both parties. All four candidates campaigned in people’s living rooms as never before, striving for a new “homey” touch. Both Democratic candidates as well as Nixon stumped around the country. Stevenson led the attack on the administration and called for “a New America,” but he found himself often engaged in front-page debate with the vice president rather than with the president. Dwight D. Eisenhower reelection bumper sticker, 1956. Collection of David J. and Janice L. Frent Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The issue of communist infiltration in the government had been prominent in 1952, following Sen. Joseph McCarthy ’s unsubstantiated charge in February 1950 that communists had infiltrated the State Department , but it had receded from public consciousness by 1956, particularly after McCarthy’s condemnation by the Senate . Not having to respond to that issue in the campaign, Stevenson instead focused his attention elsewhere. He outlined a major federal program on behalf of the country’s aging citizens. He criticized the military draft as fast becoming an obsolete way of maintaining the armed forces, but he encountered quick opposition from both his opponents and found little support elsewhere. Urging an end to H-bomb testing, and contending that such tests could not really be kept secret from the world’s scientists, Stevenson found the president unyielding, and former president Truman had “no comment” on the matter. On Oct. 17 Soviet Premier Nikolay Aleksandrovich Bulganin wrote to President Eisenhower, “We fully share the opinion recently expressed by certain prominent figures in the United States concerning the necessity and the possibility of concluding an agreement on the matter of prohibiting atomic weapon tests.” The statement embarrassed the Democrats, and Eisenhower bluntly termed it an interference by a foreign government in U.S. internal affairs. Much campaign oratory was devoted to such issues as inflation, price supports for farm crops, the Soil Bank Program, the influence of big business on government, federal aid to education, assignment of credit for the Social Security Act amendments , and ending the war in Korea (see Korean War ). Republicans argued that the cost of living had been “remarkably stabilized,” while Democrats claimed that it was at “the highest point in history.” Despite partisanship in the campaign, on vital matters the parties stood together: for peace, for a strong and secure country, for considerable reliance on the UN, for taking measures to diminish Soviet influence, and for continuing close and friendly relations with the United Kingdom , France, and Japan, as well as with the peoples of the Southern Hemisphere. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Eisenhower enjoyed a huge advantage politically. More than three-fifths of the country’s newspapers endorsed the president, while only about one in six backed Stevenson. The repudiation of the two Democratic candidates at the polls was equally overwhelming. They won only seven states (six Southern states plus Missouri), with 73 electoral votes , while the Eisenhower-Nixon ticket won 457 electoral votes. Eisenhower won 57.4 percent of the popular vote, bettering his 1952 total by 2.5 percent and defeating Stevenson by nearly 10 million votes. Democrats, however, maintained the House of Representatives and the Senate; only once before in American history (1848) had the presidential office been won by a party that did not achieve a majority in either house of Congress. The postelection statements and conduct of both the victorious and the defeated candidates for offices throughout the land particularly heartened Americans. After his second defeat for the presidency, Stevenson, still much admired by many, wryly termed himself “the foremost authority on unsuccessful presidential campaigns.” He said that he would not run again. Stevenson had tried “to set forth a philosophy, a faith and even suggest a program for modern liberalism,” he said, continuing, “I think that I have done that…and…I have no doubt at all that many of the views and ideas I have tried to express will ultimately prevail.” The augmented stature of Nixon was evident when he made a major foreign policy address in December. For the results of the previous election, see United States presidential election of 1952 . For the results of the subsequent election, see United States presidential election of 1960 . Results of the 1956 election The results of the 1956 U.S. presidential election are provided in the table. American presidential election, 1956	i don't know
In which country is Mozart's opera 'The Magic Flute' set?	Synopsis of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) Setting of The Magic Flute: Mozart's The Magic Flute takes place in ancient Egypt. The Magic Flute, ACT 1 Prince Tamino is being chased by an evil serpent. Tamino faints from exhaustion, and just when the serpent is about to deliver its deadly attack, it is killed by three ladies in the service of the Queen of the Night. The three ladies find Tamino extremely handsome and return to the Queen to tell her what happened. When Tamino recovers, he is greeted by Papageno, a bird catcher. Papageno tells Tamino that it was he who killed the evil serpent. When the three ladies return to Tamino, they catch Papageno in his lie. They place a padlock over his mouth as punishment, and show Tamino a portrait of the queen's daughter, Pamina, telling him that she has been imprisoned by Sarastro. continue reading below our video Top 5 Longest Running TV Shows He instantly falls in love with her. Suddenly, the Queen of the Night appears and tells Tamino that he may marry her daughter, but only if he saves her from her enemy. Tamino, without hesitation, agrees. When the queen departs, the three ladies give Tamino a magic flute that will change the hearts of men. They remove the padlock from Papageno's mouth and give him three silver bells that will protect him. The two men begin their rescue mission with the aid of three spirits sent by the ladies. Within Sarastro's palace, Pamina is brought into a room by Monostatos, Sarastro's slave. Moments later, Papageno, who was sent ahead of Tamino, arrives. The two men, frightened by each other's appearance, flee from the room in opposite directions. When Papageno returns, he tells Pamina that he and Tamino have been sent by her mother to rescue her. Pamina rejoices and cannot wait to meet the man who loves her. She tells Papageno that he will find love one day too. The three spirits lead Tamino to Sarastro's temple. Within the temple gates, Tamino is convinced by a high priest that Sarastro is not the evil one - it is actually the Queen of the Night who is evil. When the priest leaves, Tamino plays his magic flute in hopes to summon Papageno and Pamina. Tamino then hear's Papageno play his pipes and he leaves while following their sound. Meanwhile, Papageno and Pamina are working their way towards the sound of Tamino's flute. Suddenly, they are captured by Monostatos and his men. Papageno rings his magic bells and the two escape capture. Moment's later, Sarastro himself enters the room. Sarastro tells Pamina that she will eventually find her freedom. When Monostatos returns, he brings with him Tamino. Tamino and Pamina see each other for the first time and they embrace. Sarastro then leads Tamino and Papageno into the Temple of Ordeals where they will face several challenges. The Magic Flute, ACT 2 When Tamino and Papageno enter the temple, they are told that Tamino will be giving Pamina for marriage as well as succession to Sarastro's throne if he successfully completes the trials. Tamino agrees, though Papageno remains timid. Finally, Papageno is told that upon his completion of the trials, he will be rewarded with a woman of his own, to which he agrees. Their first trial is to remain silent when confronted by women. Three ladies appear before them, but Tamino remains quiet. Papageno opens his mouth without hesitation, but Tamino orders him keep quiet. The three ladies then leave. In Pamina's room, Monostatos kneels down to steel a kiss from the sleeping Pamina. In a flash, the Queen of the Night appears and commands Monostatos to leave. The Queen hands Pamina a dagger and sings her famous aria, " Der Holle Rache ," instructing her to kill Sarastro. When the queen leaves, Monostatos reenters and threatens to reveal their murder plot if she does not give into his advances. Sarastro comes in and dismisses Monostatos. He forgives and consoles Pamina. Back in the temple, Tamino and Papageno face their second trial. Again, they must remain silent. They are approached by an old woman who offers them water. Tamino remains silent, but Papageno accepts the water and strikes up a conversation with her. The old woman vanishes before Papageno can learn her name. The three spirits appear to lead the men forward and tell them that they must remain silent. Pamina appears to speak with Tamino, but Tamino refuses to speak. He is determined to pass the trials in order to save her. Unaware of the challenge he faces, she leaves feeling he no longer loves her. The priests celebrate Tamino's accomplishments so far, encouraging him that he will be just as successful in the two remaining trials. Papageno, alone, is confronted again by the old woman. She tells him that his must commit his love to her or he will otherwise live alone for the rest of his life. Wanting nothing more than a woman to spend his life with, he agrees to marry the old woman. Instantly, she transforms into a beautiful young woman named Papagena, but is rushed off by the priests. In another room, Pamina attempts to kill herself, but is stopped by the three spirits. Tamino is about to walking through fire and water as part of his last two trials when Pamina stops him. They agree to complete the trials together. Protected by the magic flute, they walk through the fire and water unscathed. The priests celebrate their success. Papageno, however, is sad he cannot find his beautiful Papagena. He, too, is and is about to kill himself when the three spirits appear to him and remind him to ring his bells. When he does, Papagena reappears and the two sing about their happy future. The Queen of the Night, Monostatos, who is now a traitor, and her forces arrive to destroy Sarastro's palace. They are quickly defeated and banished forever. Sarastro joins Tamino and Pamina in the temple hall and they give thanks to the gods.	Egypt
Singer Jiles Perry (JP) Richardson was better known as who?	Synopsis of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) Setting of The Magic Flute: Mozart's The Magic Flute takes place in ancient Egypt. The Magic Flute, ACT 1 Prince Tamino is being chased by an evil serpent. Tamino faints from exhaustion, and just when the serpent is about to deliver its deadly attack, it is killed by three ladies in the service of the Queen of the Night. The three ladies find Tamino extremely handsome and return to the Queen to tell her what happened. When Tamino recovers, he is greeted by Papageno, a bird catcher. Papageno tells Tamino that it was he who killed the evil serpent. When the three ladies return to Tamino, they catch Papageno in his lie. They place a padlock over his mouth as punishment, and show Tamino a portrait of the queen's daughter, Pamina, telling him that she has been imprisoned by Sarastro. continue reading below our video Top 5 Longest Running TV Shows He instantly falls in love with her. Suddenly, the Queen of the Night appears and tells Tamino that he may marry her daughter, but only if he saves her from her enemy. Tamino, without hesitation, agrees. When the queen departs, the three ladies give Tamino a magic flute that will change the hearts of men. They remove the padlock from Papageno's mouth and give him three silver bells that will protect him. The two men begin their rescue mission with the aid of three spirits sent by the ladies. Within Sarastro's palace, Pamina is brought into a room by Monostatos, Sarastro's slave. Moments later, Papageno, who was sent ahead of Tamino, arrives. The two men, frightened by each other's appearance, flee from the room in opposite directions. When Papageno returns, he tells Pamina that he and Tamino have been sent by her mother to rescue her. Pamina rejoices and cannot wait to meet the man who loves her. She tells Papageno that he will find love one day too. The three spirits lead Tamino to Sarastro's temple. Within the temple gates, Tamino is convinced by a high priest that Sarastro is not the evil one - it is actually the Queen of the Night who is evil. When the priest leaves, Tamino plays his magic flute in hopes to summon Papageno and Pamina. Tamino then hear's Papageno play his pipes and he leaves while following their sound. Meanwhile, Papageno and Pamina are working their way towards the sound of Tamino's flute. Suddenly, they are captured by Monostatos and his men. Papageno rings his magic bells and the two escape capture. Moment's later, Sarastro himself enters the room. Sarastro tells Pamina that she will eventually find her freedom. When Monostatos returns, he brings with him Tamino. Tamino and Pamina see each other for the first time and they embrace. Sarastro then leads Tamino and Papageno into the Temple of Ordeals where they will face several challenges. The Magic Flute, ACT 2 When Tamino and Papageno enter the temple, they are told that Tamino will be giving Pamina for marriage as well as succession to Sarastro's throne if he successfully completes the trials. Tamino agrees, though Papageno remains timid. Finally, Papageno is told that upon his completion of the trials, he will be rewarded with a woman of his own, to which he agrees. Their first trial is to remain silent when confronted by women. Three ladies appear before them, but Tamino remains quiet. Papageno opens his mouth without hesitation, but Tamino orders him keep quiet. The three ladies then leave. In Pamina's room, Monostatos kneels down to steel a kiss from the sleeping Pamina. In a flash, the Queen of the Night appears and commands Monostatos to leave. The Queen hands Pamina a dagger and sings her famous aria, " Der Holle Rache ," instructing her to kill Sarastro. When the queen leaves, Monostatos reenters and threatens to reveal their murder plot if she does not give into his advances. Sarastro comes in and dismisses Monostatos. He forgives and consoles Pamina. Back in the temple, Tamino and Papageno face their second trial. Again, they must remain silent. They are approached by an old woman who offers them water. Tamino remains silent, but Papageno accepts the water and strikes up a conversation with her. The old woman vanishes before Papageno can learn her name. The three spirits appear to lead the men forward and tell them that they must remain silent. Pamina appears to speak with Tamino, but Tamino refuses to speak. He is determined to pass the trials in order to save her. Unaware of the challenge he faces, she leaves feeling he no longer loves her. The priests celebrate Tamino's accomplishments so far, encouraging him that he will be just as successful in the two remaining trials. Papageno, alone, is confronted again by the old woman. She tells him that his must commit his love to her or he will otherwise live alone for the rest of his life. Wanting nothing more than a woman to spend his life with, he agrees to marry the old woman. Instantly, she transforms into a beautiful young woman named Papagena, but is rushed off by the priests. In another room, Pamina attempts to kill herself, but is stopped by the three spirits. Tamino is about to walking through fire and water as part of his last two trials when Pamina stops him. They agree to complete the trials together. Protected by the magic flute, they walk through the fire and water unscathed. The priests celebrate their success. Papageno, however, is sad he cannot find his beautiful Papagena. He, too, is and is about to kill himself when the three spirits appear to him and remind him to ring his bells. When he does, Papagena reappears and the two sing about their happy future. The Queen of the Night, Monostatos, who is now a traitor, and her forces arrive to destroy Sarastro's palace. They are quickly defeated and banished forever. Sarastro joins Tamino and Pamina in the temple hall and they give thanks to the gods.	i don't know
Who was Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces at the end of World War I?	First World War.com - Primary Documents - John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander, 1 September 1919 What's New Primary Documents - John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander, 1 September 1919 Reproduced below is the official reaction - from his despatch of September 1919 - of U.S. Commander-in-Chief General John Pershing , to news of the decision to transfer supreme military command of Allied forces on the Western Front to Ferdinand Foch . Sponsored Links The decision to transfer overall command to Foch was taken by Allied government representatives at Doullens on 26 March in the wake of the onset of the powerful German Spring Offensive which was launched five days earlier and which inflicted serious reverses upon the British Army. It was thus in a period of crisis that Foch was handed his (ultimately highly successful) leading role. Pershing's reaction to the news was, in spite of the potential for subsequent disagreements (which actually transpired), positive. He recognised the need for a unified Allied strategy in the face of the current concerted German offensive. Click here to read the text of his address to Foch on the matter on 28 March. Click here to read British Prime Minister David Lloyd George's official statement on the subject. Click here to read a follow-up statement by Lloyd George on the same subject dated 9 April 1918. John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander In the latter part of January, 1918, joint note No. 12, presented by the military representatives with the supreme war council, was approved by the council. This note concluded that France would be safe during 1918 only under certain conditions, namely: (a) That the strength of the British and French troops in France are continuously kept up to their present total strength and that they receive the expected reinforcements of not less than two American divisions per month. The first German offensive of 1918, beginning March 21st, overran all resistance during the initial period of the attack. Within eight days the enemy had completely crossed the old Somme battlefield and had swept everything before him to a depth of some fifty-six kilometres. For a few days the loss of the railroad centre of Amiens appeared imminent. The offensive made such inroads upon French and British reserves that defeat stared them in the face unless the new American troops should prove more immediately available than even the most optimistic had dared to hope. On March 27th the military representatives with the supreme war council prepared their joint note No. 18. This note repeated the previously quoted statement from joint note No. 12, and continued: The battle which is developing at the present moment in France, and which can extend to the other theatres of operations, may very quickly place the Allied armies in a serious situation from the point of view of effectives, and the military representatives are from this moment of opinion that the above-detailed condition can no longer be maintained, and they consider as a general proposition that the new situation requires new decisions. The military representatives are of opinion that it is highly desirable that the American Government should assist the allied armies as soon as possible by permitting in principle the temporary service of American units in allied army corps and divisions. Such reinforcements must, however, be obtained from other units than those American divisions which are now operating with the French, and the units so temporarily employed must eventually be returned to the American army. The military representatives are of the opinion that from the present time, in execution of the foregoing, and until otherwise directed by the supreme war council, only American infantry and machine-gun units, organized as that government may decide, be brought to France, and that all agreements or conventions hitherto made in conflict with this decision be modified accordingly. The Secretary of War, who was in France at this time, General Bliss, the American military representative with the supreme war council, and I at once conferred on the terms of this note, with the result that the secretary recommended to the President that joint note No. 18 be approved in the following sense: The purpose of the American Government is to render the fullest cooperation and aid, and therefore the recommendation of the military representatives with regard to the preferential transportation of American infantry and machine-gun units in the present emergency is approved. Such units, when transported, will be under the direction of the commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, and will be assigned for training and use by him in his discretion. He will use these and all other military forces of the United States under his command in such manner as to render the greatest military assistance, keeping in mind always the determination of this government to have its various military forces collected, as speedily as their training and the military situation permit, into an independent American army, acting in concert with the armies of Great Britain and France, and all arrangements made by him for their temporary training and service will be made with that end in view. When, on March 21, 1918, the German army on the western front began its series of offensives, it was by far the most formidable force the world had ever seen. In fighting men and guns it had a great superiority, but this was of less importance than the advantage in morale, in experience, in training for mobile warfare, and in unity of command. Ever since the collapse of the Russian armies and the crisis on the Italian front in the fall of 1917, German armies were being assembled and trained for the great campaign which was to end the war before America's effort could be brought to bear. Germany's best troops, her most successful generals, and all the experience gained in three years of war were mobilized for the supreme effort. The first blow fell on the right of the British armies, including the junction of the British and French forces. Only the prompt cooperation of the French and British general headquarters stemmed the tide. The reason for this objective was obvious and strikingly illustrated the necessity for having someone with sufficient authority over all the Allied armies to meet such an emergency. The lack of complete cooperation among the Allies on the western front had been appreciated and the question of preparation to meet a crisis had already received attention by the supreme war council. A plan had been adopted by which each of the Allies would furnish a certain number of divisions for a general reserve to be under the direction of the military representatives of the supreme war council of which General Foch was then the senior member. But when the time came to meet the German offensive in March these reserves were not found available and the plan failed. This situation resulted in a conference for the immediate consideration of the question of having an Allied commander-in-chief. After much discussion during which my view favouring such action was clearly stated, an agreement was reached and General Foch was selected. His appointment as such was made April 3rd and was approved for the United States by the President on April 16th. The terms of the agreement under which General Foch exercised his authority were as follows: Beauvais, April 3, 1918 General Foch is charged by the British, French, and American Governments with the coordination of the action of the allied armies on the western front; to this end there is conferred on him all the powers necessary for its effective realization. To the same end, the British, French, and American Governments confide in General Foch the strategic direction of military operations. The commander-in-chief of the British, French, and American armies will exercise to the fullest extent the tactical direction of their armies. Each commander-in-chief will have the right to appeal to his government, if in his opinion his army is placed in danger by the instructions received from General Foch. The grave crisis precipitated by the first German offensive caused me to make a hurried visit to General Foch's head-quarters at Bombon, during which all our combatant forces were placed at his disposal. The acceptance of this offer meant the dispersion of our troops along the Allied front and a consequent delay in building up a distinctive American force in Lorraine, but the serious situation of the Allies demanded this divergence from our plans. Source: Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923 Sponsored Links Saturday, 22 August, 2009 Michael Duffy A Runner was a soldier who carried messages by hand. - Did you know?	Ferdinand Foch
'Stag' and 'Carib' beers are made in which country?	First World War.com - Primary Documents - John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander, 1 September 1919 What's New Primary Documents - John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander, 1 September 1919 Reproduced below is the official reaction - from his despatch of September 1919 - of U.S. Commander-in-Chief General John Pershing , to news of the decision to transfer supreme military command of Allied forces on the Western Front to Ferdinand Foch . Sponsored Links The decision to transfer overall command to Foch was taken by Allied government representatives at Doullens on 26 March in the wake of the onset of the powerful German Spring Offensive which was launched five days earlier and which inflicted serious reverses upon the British Army. It was thus in a period of crisis that Foch was handed his (ultimately highly successful) leading role. Pershing's reaction to the news was, in spite of the potential for subsequent disagreements (which actually transpired), positive. He recognised the need for a unified Allied strategy in the face of the current concerted German offensive. Click here to read the text of his address to Foch on the matter on 28 March. Click here to read British Prime Minister David Lloyd George's official statement on the subject. Click here to read a follow-up statement by Lloyd George on the same subject dated 9 April 1918. John Pershing on Foch's Appointment as Allied Supreme Commander In the latter part of January, 1918, joint note No. 12, presented by the military representatives with the supreme war council, was approved by the council. This note concluded that France would be safe during 1918 only under certain conditions, namely: (a) That the strength of the British and French troops in France are continuously kept up to their present total strength and that they receive the expected reinforcements of not less than two American divisions per month. The first German offensive of 1918, beginning March 21st, overran all resistance during the initial period of the attack. Within eight days the enemy had completely crossed the old Somme battlefield and had swept everything before him to a depth of some fifty-six kilometres. For a few days the loss of the railroad centre of Amiens appeared imminent. The offensive made such inroads upon French and British reserves that defeat stared them in the face unless the new American troops should prove more immediately available than even the most optimistic had dared to hope. On March 27th the military representatives with the supreme war council prepared their joint note No. 18. This note repeated the previously quoted statement from joint note No. 12, and continued: The battle which is developing at the present moment in France, and which can extend to the other theatres of operations, may very quickly place the Allied armies in a serious situation from the point of view of effectives, and the military representatives are from this moment of opinion that the above-detailed condition can no longer be maintained, and they consider as a general proposition that the new situation requires new decisions. The military representatives are of opinion that it is highly desirable that the American Government should assist the allied armies as soon as possible by permitting in principle the temporary service of American units in allied army corps and divisions. Such reinforcements must, however, be obtained from other units than those American divisions which are now operating with the French, and the units so temporarily employed must eventually be returned to the American army. The military representatives are of the opinion that from the present time, in execution of the foregoing, and until otherwise directed by the supreme war council, only American infantry and machine-gun units, organized as that government may decide, be brought to France, and that all agreements or conventions hitherto made in conflict with this decision be modified accordingly. The Secretary of War, who was in France at this time, General Bliss, the American military representative with the supreme war council, and I at once conferred on the terms of this note, with the result that the secretary recommended to the President that joint note No. 18 be approved in the following sense: The purpose of the American Government is to render the fullest cooperation and aid, and therefore the recommendation of the military representatives with regard to the preferential transportation of American infantry and machine-gun units in the present emergency is approved. Such units, when transported, will be under the direction of the commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, and will be assigned for training and use by him in his discretion. He will use these and all other military forces of the United States under his command in such manner as to render the greatest military assistance, keeping in mind always the determination of this government to have its various military forces collected, as speedily as their training and the military situation permit, into an independent American army, acting in concert with the armies of Great Britain and France, and all arrangements made by him for their temporary training and service will be made with that end in view. When, on March 21, 1918, the German army on the western front began its series of offensives, it was by far the most formidable force the world had ever seen. In fighting men and guns it had a great superiority, but this was of less importance than the advantage in morale, in experience, in training for mobile warfare, and in unity of command. Ever since the collapse of the Russian armies and the crisis on the Italian front in the fall of 1917, German armies were being assembled and trained for the great campaign which was to end the war before America's effort could be brought to bear. Germany's best troops, her most successful generals, and all the experience gained in three years of war were mobilized for the supreme effort. The first blow fell on the right of the British armies, including the junction of the British and French forces. Only the prompt cooperation of the French and British general headquarters stemmed the tide. The reason for this objective was obvious and strikingly illustrated the necessity for having someone with sufficient authority over all the Allied armies to meet such an emergency. The lack of complete cooperation among the Allies on the western front had been appreciated and the question of preparation to meet a crisis had already received attention by the supreme war council. A plan had been adopted by which each of the Allies would furnish a certain number of divisions for a general reserve to be under the direction of the military representatives of the supreme war council of which General Foch was then the senior member. But when the time came to meet the German offensive in March these reserves were not found available and the plan failed. This situation resulted in a conference for the immediate consideration of the question of having an Allied commander-in-chief. After much discussion during which my view favouring such action was clearly stated, an agreement was reached and General Foch was selected. His appointment as such was made April 3rd and was approved for the United States by the President on April 16th. The terms of the agreement under which General Foch exercised his authority were as follows: Beauvais, April 3, 1918 General Foch is charged by the British, French, and American Governments with the coordination of the action of the allied armies on the western front; to this end there is conferred on him all the powers necessary for its effective realization. To the same end, the British, French, and American Governments confide in General Foch the strategic direction of military operations. The commander-in-chief of the British, French, and American armies will exercise to the fullest extent the tactical direction of their armies. Each commander-in-chief will have the right to appeal to his government, if in his opinion his army is placed in danger by the instructions received from General Foch. The grave crisis precipitated by the first German offensive caused me to make a hurried visit to General Foch's head-quarters at Bombon, during which all our combatant forces were placed at his disposal. The acceptance of this offer meant the dispersion of our troops along the Allied front and a consequent delay in building up a distinctive American force in Lorraine, but the serious situation of the Allies demanded this divergence from our plans. Source: Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923 Sponsored Links Saturday, 22 August, 2009 Michael Duffy A Runner was a soldier who carried messages by hand. - Did you know?	i don't know
Which Cricket county's 'Twenty/20' team are known as 'The Crusaders'?	Middlesex County Cricket Club,Recent Performance of Middlesex County Cricket Club,History of Middlesex County Cricket Club,More about Middlesex County Cricket Club Home » Types of Cricket » County Cricket » Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club Apart from being known for producing a bunch of talented cricketers, Middlesex is known for the historic Lords Cricket Ground. Middlesex County Cricket Club call themselves the Middlesex Crusaders in limited over matches. Some of the famous Middlesex players of the past are- Jack Hearne, Denis Compton, Jack Robertson, Mike Brearley. As far as the present team is concerned, Middlesex's only contribution to England side is Andrew Strauss. The others Jamie Dalrymple, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce are in contention for a place in the national side. Middlesex County Cricket Club has won the County Championship twelve times since 1890. Custom Search	Middlesex
Who was the author of 'Fanny Hill'?	Cricket team told it can't call itself 'the Crusaders'...in case it offends Muslims and Jews \| Daily Mail Online Cricket team told it can't call itself 'the Crusaders'...in case it offends Muslims and Jews comments A cricket team has been forced to change its name after angry complaints from Muslims and Jews. The Middlesex Crusaders, who have played under the name for almost 10 years, will play next season as The Panthers. Bosses at the county club acted after protests about the name from Jewish and Muslim communities, who said they felt it was a reference to the religious wars waged by Christians in Europe against other faiths. Middlesex Crusaders celebrate their victory over Kent Spitfires during the Twenty20 Cup Final last year (file pic). The team has been forced to change its name to The Panthers But Middlesex members condemned the decision to change the team’s name and described the move as “batty”. “The world really has gone mad,” one said. “It’s a real kick in the teeth and is bound to upset a lot of fans.” Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington said his club “had one or two complaints from our Muslim community and our Jewish community”. “The name was nothing whatsoever to do with the Crusades in the 11th and 12th century,” Mr Codrington said. Middlesex, which plays most of its home games at Lord’s in St John’s Wood, won the 2008 Twenty20 Cup.	i don't know
Of which group of Greek islands is Naxos the largest?	Naxos: Lush Greek island delivers the good life - CNN.com Naxos: Lush Greek island delivers the good life By Marissa Tejada, for CNN Updated 1:25 PM ET, Thu November 17, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Aegean refuge – Clearly, there's no shortage of pleasant aquatic pursuits on Naxos. It's the largest of the Cyclades, a group of about 30 islands in the Aegean Sea. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Ancient treasures – The island is dotted with ancient sites such as this marble quarry near Apollonas strewn with colossal unfinished statues. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Visual seduction – The village of Kaloxylos fits right into the brilliant sun-drenched aesthetic the Greek islands are so famous for. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Lush and lovely – Villages like Koronos stand out on terrain that's greener than the rest of the Cyclades. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Tasty, too – With bountiful harvests, the island has a reputation for being able to feed itself, and it eats well. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: No-rush ethos – The slower pace on the Greek islands attracts visitors from Athens, and around the world, in droves. Hide Caption Simple discovery – Narrow streets in villages like Chalki hold their own clues to island life. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Castle culture – The Zevgoli Tower is a Venetian-era structure in Apiranthos. Medieval Venetian architecture and ancient sites comingle on Naxos. Hide Caption Some places are better than others at fulfilling the powerful human desire to live well. The Greek island of Naxos delivers. The largest and lushest of the otherwise rocky Cyclades, Naxos is sometimes referred to as the "green leaf" of the Aegean Sea. Its diverse natural setting satisfies the active traveler's appetite for outdoor adventure, and the fertile land feeds those who seek homegrown culinary experiences. There's rich mythology and medieval architecture. From land to sea, the island is long on allure. Read More Getting the lay of the land On foot: Naxos Hiking tours traverse marble walkways, fertile plains, vineyards and olive groves and wind along paths connecting village to village. "My grandparents were walking these beautiful paths, it was a way of life," says leader Stella Korre, who likes to intertwine the rich history and mythology of Naxos with routes that touch all five senses. On horseback: Naxos Horse Riding expeditions lead riders through the Naxian farmlands, onto long stretches of beach and to hidden spots where the views are a textured blend of mountain and sea. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Living the good life in Greece 01:10 Families working in the fields, inland villages and ancient sites give riders a sense of the island's past and present. On wheels: Mount Zas, the highest peak in the Cyclades region, rises in the core of the island with an elevation of 1,003 meters. According to Greek mythology, the king of the Greek gods, Zeus, was raised in a cave on Mount Zas, the highest peak in the Cyclades. It's also the background for some of the most scenic bike routes in the Cyclades. While excursions with Naxos Bikes don't climb the mountain, it's never far away as riders glide past villages and archaeological sites. Catching the wind By kite: The Cyclades are known for their summer winds called meltemi, guaranteeing ideal conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing. Kitesurfers head to Mikri Vigla beach, an expansive stretch of sand where kites are launched with ease. Flisvos Kitecentre Naxos operates there year round. Owner Michele Gasbarro says the beach is one of the windiest places in Europe thanks to the Venturi effect between Naxos and Paros. On a board: Laguna beach is off-limits to kitesurfers due to its proximity to the airport, but it offers great conditions for windsurfers. Protected by a reef, the calm water is ideal for beginners who don't want to venture too far away from the coast. More advanced riders can head farther out to sea. Gear and instruction is available through Laguna Beach Park windsurfing center. Running the Greek islands On a boat: Sailing around Naxos incorporates the island's ancient sites and mysterious sea caves. "Dolphins come out to play. We sail past towers, temples and water sea caves filled with stalactites," says captain George Fragiskos of Naxos Sailing , who has been sailing around Naxos for more than 40 years. With wings: Bird watchers understand just how diverse the Naxian landscape is. Naxos' wetlands belong to the list of the 380 protected biotopes of the Natura 2000 network. Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) and the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) live on the island year round, according to Ioannis Gavalas, a local bird watcher and author of "Flying Over the Aegean." Seasonal birds like Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) can be seen between June and October. With some of Greece's best diving, there's a lot to see underwater in Naxos. Taking the waters From the deep: Panagiotis Niflis is convinced Naxos is one of the best diving destinations in Greece. A diver and instructor running Blue Fin Divers , Niflis takes groups down to a diverse array of sites including the spectacular Marianna wreck, a 91-meter-long cargo ship that sank in the 1980s between Paros and Naxos. "The dive is unique because of the shallow depth, condition of the vessel and great visibility of about 30 meters. The wreck is covered with colorful sponges," says Niflis. Caves and reefs also draw divers of varying levels. From the shore: While blessed with mountains, valleys and lagoons, the beach is never far off on Naxos. With its impressive stretch of white sand beach, Agios Prokopis is a favorite, a Blue Flag-accredited stunner with spectacular waters. There's also great swimming at nearby islands of the small Cyclades like Iraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonissia and Donoussa. Digging into the culture Links to the gods: At the tip of Naxos' harbor on the Palatia islet, a massive and majestic marble doorframe called the Portara has stood since 530 B.C., the 80-ton entrance to an unfinished temple of Apollo. According to Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine, found his future wife, the Cretan princess Ariadne, on the islet. She had been deserted by Theseus, the king of Athens. The islet hosted the first ancient Dionysian festivities. The Portara is an arresting sight, especially at sunset and easily accessible via a stone promenade. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Anthony Bourdain goes Greek 01:09 Evidence of the Venetians: Further in Naxos Town, also known as Chora, the Venetians left their architectural influence when they established Naxos as the Duchy of the Aegean, the headquarters for a long line of dukes following Marco Sanudo's rule of the region in 1207. Today, Naxos' well-maintained medieval castle, which once protected Naxians from pirate invasions, stands in the historic Kastro (castle) district. One well-preserved tower belonging to Nikos Karavias' family is now a museum and the atmospheric venue for the Domus Festival, a cultural event Karavias organizes every summer. Taste of the land: According to Greek mythology, god of wine Dionysus found his wife Ariadne on Naxos. He loved the island so much, he gave it the gift of fertility. Today, Naxos is a lush and bountiful exception in the typically rocky and barren Cycladic islands. Farm-to-table tours prove Naxos is an island that can feed itself. Naxos Sun Holidays arranges authentic Naxian cooking classes taught by locals. Island specialties such as a delicious chard savory pie made from wild greens, herbs and rice called sefoukloti make the most of local ingredients. Another popular dish is kokoras me makaronia, a baked rooster dish with pasta and a rich tomato sauce. Marissa Tejada is an author, travel writer and freelance journalist based in Athens, Greece. She tweets at @tejadamarissa	CYCLADES
Which 1960's American group originally comprised Neil Young, Steven Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer?	Naxos: Holidays to Naxos Greece Naxos Naxos Holidays Greece - Naxos Holiday Packages Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades group, a green, mountainous jewel of an island amongst many barren places. It is a wonderful isle to spend a couple of days exploring as it’s full of history, beauty and culture. Naxos's history is long and detailed. In mythology, the island was the site where Theseus abandoned Ariadne, who then went on to meet Dionysus, the protector of the island. There are two stories as to how this meeting ended; one stating that Ariadne fell in love with the vivacious god, the other claiming that she threw herself off the cliffs behind the Portara. Historically, the island has been an important trading island, the green hills producing many crops. The Venetians invaded Naxos in the 13th century, who built much of the old town and the Kastro, the island having its own seat in the Venetian court. Unlike many of the other islands in the group, the Ottoman empire had little influence on Naxian life as few Turks settled there. It became part of Independent Greece in 1821. The first wonder tourists will notice is the Temple of Apollo, the ancient site that greets visitors as they come into the port. The temple, also known at Portara or the Church of Ariadne is instantly recognisable as it frames the Naxos Town. The shape of a large picture frame, or gateway, the dimensions of the temple are recognisable as the icon for National Geographic magazine, and it is one of the most photographed ancient sites in the world. Naxos Town is a mix of restaurants, shops and amazing sites. The waterfront bustles with tourists and locals during the day, taking on a life of its own in the evening. Behind the waterfront is the Old Town and the Kastro, a spectacular area build by the Venetians, still inhabited by people of the town. The old town is a myriad of narrow streets and underpasses, a reminder of another time. It is a place to wander about during the siesta, when in the heat of the afternoon; the full impact of the atmosphere can be felt. It is stunningly preserved and a must for all tourists to the island. Monasteries, churches and ruins are a forte of Naxos. As the island has been continuously inhabited since Mycenaean times, these historic sites are well documented. The Venetian invasion has left a number of castles still in good condition. Being such a large island, there are many places to visit. There are numerous sandy beaches dotted about the Naxos coastline, indeed, there are over 40 kilometres of beaches to be explored, many with their own towns nearby. The nearest beach to the town is Grotta, to the north of the town, which is by no means the best nor the quietest beach on Naxos. A car or moped is often the best way to get to these out of the way beaches, though many of the local buses service the beaches nearest to Naxos Town. On the Inland, there are many quaint towns to visit, such as Apiranthos, to the east in the mountains. Settled by Cretan refugees nearly two hundred years ago, the marble lined streets are beautiful. Getting off the main roads of Apiranthos, the back streets are a maze of laneways. Apollonas, to the North East, is a traditional fishing village, where lunch in the taverna and a walk along the beach can be had in the quieter atmosphere. Halki used to be the trade centre of the island, and the architecture of the town, with its towers encapsulating the sky. Koronos appears to be spring out of a crevice in the mountains. There are plenty of other villages to visit, and the public transport on the island means that you can get to other parts of the island and back to the main towns in a day. Naxos has so much to offer all tourists, and is a place that should not be missed on a trip to the Cyclades islands. NAXOS BEACHES THE ENDLESS SANDY BEACHES OF THE SOUTHWEST SIDE From the bay of St. George, south of Chora up until the bay of Agiassos, there is one magical beach after another; Agios Prokopios (St. Prokopis), Agia Anna (St. Anna), Plaka, Orkos, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki, Aliko, Pirgaki and Agiassos. St. Prokopis and St. Anna beaches are well organized for tourism with shops of every kind. The rest of the beaches offer facilities for the tourist but they are not so crowded. Agios Georgios (St. George) This is the popular and busy beach south of Hora and is large and sandy with crystal, clear sallow water, protected from the wind and ideal for children. There are shops of every kind and organized water sports. Agios Prokopios (St Prokopis) St. Prokopis beach (4 klm. from Chora) with its wide stretch of sand and crystal clear sea, like a huge swimming pool, is very popular. There are many facilities for tourists on the beach and organized sea sports. Agia Anna (St.Anna) The beach of Agia Anna (5 klm. from Chora) is a continuation of the beach of Agios Prokopis. Agia Anna beach offers many facilities for the tourist and there are organized sea sports. There is a rare kind of cedar tree, which grows along the beach, which is like the Lebanese cedar and thrives in hot sand. Plaka Further on from the beach at Agia Anna, is Plaka, a sandy beach several kilometres long. A dirt road separates the beach from some tavernas and bars, which are spread out along the beach. MIKRIVIGLA The rock of Mikri Vigla (16 klm. from Chora), separates the sandy beaches of Parthenos and Mikri Vigla. Because of the perfect weather conditions the beach of Parthenos has become a meeting place for surfers from all over the world. Mikri Vigla beach with its crystal clear water stretches as far as the eye can see. There are few tavernas. Kastraki Carrying on from Mikri Vigla is Kastraki beach (15 klm.from Hora) with it's white sand and clear water. In this area there are some ancient remains and the Tower of Oskelos. There are few tavernas. Aliko Aliko is a sandy beach with sand dunes, cedar trees and exotic atmosphere. It is not a well-known beach and it is quiet. In the area there are few tavernas. Pyrgaki The circular road, which starts from Hora, ends up in the south at Pyrgaki, a magical sandy beach with cedar trees. There are tavernas. Agiasos Agiassos is a sandy isolated beach with sallow clear water. There are two dirty roads leading to Agiassos. One of them starts just outside Sangri and the other just before Pyrgaki. There is a taverna next to the sea. THE EAST COAST On the eastern side of Naxos there are also magical beaches, far away from the tourist development and the tourist crowds. Apollonas is the exception. On the east coach you can find a peaceful place just for you and your company even the summer months. Apollonas Apollonas (54 klm from Chora) is a beautiful, green, seaside settlement on the northeast side of the island, with picturesque tavernas and cafes. There is a large beach made up of small white marble pebbles and an area of sand. Just outside the settlement, you will see a half finished "Êouros" (male statue) lying on the ground, which has never been moved from this spot. Lionas Just outside the village of Koronos there is a road, which leads to the beach of Lionas (40 klm. from Hora). It is a small quiet, beautiful pebble beach, perfect for those who want to get away from the crowds. There is a settlement and few tavernas next to the sea. Moutsouna Outside Apiranthos there is a road which leads to Moutsouna (39 klm. from Chora) a beautiful little seaside settlement with picturesque tavernas situated right on the edge of the beautiful beach. Moutsouna is the port from where emery was shipped during the period of thriving commercial activity. Psili Ammos From Moutsouna starts a seaside road, which leads south to the wonderful beach of Psili Ammos. It is a fine sandy beach with sand dunes, cedar trees and idyllic atmosphere. Kalados On the southern tip of Naxos is the bay of Calados, a magical place sheltered from the wind, where the land meets the sea. Calados is reachable only by boat (there is a very rough dirt road, which starts from Filoti and leads to Calados but we do not recommend it unless you have a suitable vehicle. It's necessary to take supplies if you decide to visit the beach. THE BEACHES OF THE NORTHWEST SIDE On the northwestern coast of Naxos there are some quiet beaches, ideal for swimming, but exposed to northerly winds. Ambram Ambram beach (25 klm. from Chora) is a wonderful beach for swimming, with crystal clear water. There is a taverna next to the sea. Close to the bay is the monastery of Phaneromeni (17th century), with rare icons. Amitis From Galini starts the road, which leads to Amitis, a long sandy quiet beach. On the road stands a monastery - tower dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Image Gallery	i don't know
Which Russian naval officer composed 'Capriccio Espagnole' in 1887?	Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov \| Russian composer \| Britannica.com Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov Alternative Title: Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov Sergey Rachmaninoff Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, in full Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (born March 6 [March 18, New Style], 1844, Tikhvin, near Novgorod , Russia —died June 8 [June 21], 1908, Lyubensk), Russian composer, teacher, and editor who was at his best in descriptive orchestrations suggesting a mood or a place. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, detail of a portrait by V.A. Serov; in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. H. Roger-Viollet Early life and naval career Rimsky-Korsakov was the product of many influences. His father was a government official of liberal views, and his mother was well educated and could play the piano. His uncle was an admiral in the Russian navy, and his elder brother was a marine officer. From them Rimsky-Korsakov acquired his interest in music and his abiding love for the sea. When he was 12 years old the family moved to St. Petersburg , where he entered the naval academy. At age 15 he began taking piano lessons and learned the rudiments of composition . In 1861 he met the composer Mily Balakirev , a man of great musical culture , and under the older man’s guidance he began to compose a symphony . In 1862 he graduated from the naval academy. Soon afterward he sailed on the clipper ship Almaz on a long voyage, the vessel anchoring in New York City; Baltimore, Maryland; and Washington, D.C., at the height of the American Civil War . Since Russia was politically sympathetic toward the North, the sailors were cordially welcomed there. Subsequent ports of call were Brazil (where he was promoted to the rank of midshipman), Spain, Italy, France, England, and Norway. The ship returned to its home port of Kronstadt (Kronshtadt) in May 1865. For young Rimsky-Korsakov the voyage confirmed a fascination with the sea. Aquatic scenes abound in his operas and symphonic works: the ocean in Scheherazade (1888), Sadko (1898), and The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1900), and the lake in The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia (1907). On his return to St. Petersburg, Rimsky-Korsakov completed the symphony begun before his voyage, and it was performed with gratifying success in St. Petersburg on December 31, 1865, when the composer was only 21 years old. His next important work was Fantasy on Serbian Themes for orchestra , first performed at a concert of Slavonic music conducted by Balakirev in St. Petersburg, on May 24, 1867. The occasion was of historic significance, for, in reviewing the concert, the critic Vladimir Stasov proudly proclaimed that henceforth Russia, too, had its own “mighty little heap” (moguchaya kuchka) of native composers. The name caught on quickly and found its way into music history books, with specific reference to Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev, Aleksandr Borodin, César Cui , and Modest Mussorgsky. The composers became known collectively as The Five , and their purpose was seen to be to assert the musical independence of Russia from the West. Of the five, Rimsky-Korsakov was the most learned and the most productive; he composed works in all genres , but he most excelled in the field of opera . Teacher, conductor, and editor EU Considers Rules For Robots So high was Rimsky-Korsakov’s reputation that in 1871, when he was still a very young man, he was engaged to teach composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In his autobiographical Chronicle of My Musical Life (1972, originally published in Russian, 1909) he frankly admitted his lack of qualifications for this important position; he himself had never taken a systematic academic course in musical theory, even though he had profited from Balakirev’s desultory instruction and by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ’s professional advice. Eager to complete his own musical education, he undertook in 1873 an ambitious program of study, concentrating mainly on counterpoint and the fugue . He ended his studies in 1875 by sending 10 fugues to Tchaikovsky, who declared them impeccable . Music: Fact or Fiction? In 1873 he left the naval service and assumed charge of military bands as inspector and conductor. Although he lacked brilliance as an orchestral leader, he attained excellent results in training inexperienced instrumentalists. His first professional appearance on the podium took place in St. Petersburg on March 2, 1874, when he conducted the first performance of his Symphony No. 3. In the same year he was appointed director of the Free Music School in St. Petersburg, a post that he held until 1881. He served as conductor of concerts at the court chapel from 1883 to 1894 and was chief conductor of the Russian symphony concerts between 1886 and 1900. In 1889 he led concerts of Russian music at the Paris World Exposition, and in the spring of 1907 he conducted in Paris two Russian historic concerts in connection with Serge Diaghilev ’s Ballets Russes . Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Rimsky-Korsakov rendered an inestimable service to Russian music as the de facto editor and head of a unique publishing enterprise financed by the Russian industrialist M.P. Belyayev and dedicated exclusively to the publication of music by Russian composers. After Mussorgsky ’s death, Rimsky-Korsakov edited his scores for publication, making radical changes in what he considered Mussorgsky’s awkward melodic and harmonic progressions, and he practically rewrote Mussorgsky’s opera Khovanshchina . His edited and altered version of Boris Godunov evoked sharp criticism from modernists who venerated Mussorgsky’s originality; but Rimsky-Korsakov’s intervention vouchsafed the opera’s survival. Mussorgsky’s score was later published in 1928 and had several performances in Russia and abroad, but ultimately the more effective Rimsky-Korsakov version prevailed in opera houses. Rimsky-Korsakov also edited (with the composer Aleksandr Glazunov ) the posthumous works of Borodin . Assessment A strict disciplinarian in artistic matters, Rimsky-Korsakov was also a severe critic of his own music. He made constant revisions of his early compositions , in which he found technical imperfections. As a result, double dates, indicating early and revised versions, frequently occur in his catalog of works. He was at his best and most typical in his descriptive works. With two exceptions (Servilia [1902] and Mozart and Salieri [1898]), the subjects of Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas are taken from Russian or other Slavic fairy tales, literature, and history. These include Snow Maiden (1882), Sadko, The Tsar’s Bride (1899), The Tale of Tsar Saltan, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia, and Le Coq d’or (1909). Although these operas are part of the regular repertory in Russian opera houses, they are rarely heard abroad; only Le Coq d’or enjoys occasional production in western Europe and the United States . Of the composer’s orchestral works, the best known are Capriccio espagnol (1887), the symphonic suite Scheherazade , and Russian Easter Festival (1888) overture. “The Flight of the Bumble Bee” from The Tale of Tsar Saltan and the “Song of India” from Sadko are perennial favourites in a variety of arrangements. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Rimsky-Korsakov’s songs are distinguished by simple elegance and fine Russian prosody; his chamber music is of less importance. He also wrote a piano concerto . As a professor of composition and orchestration at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1871 until the end of his life (with the exception of a brief period in 1905 when he was dismissed by the reactionary directorate for his defense of students on strike), he taught two generations of Russian composers, and his influence, therefore, was pervasive . Igor Stravinsky studied privately with him for several years. His Practical Manual of Harmony (1884) and Fundamentals of Orchestration (posthumous, 1913) are still used as basic musical textbooks in Russia.	Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Which large marsh, once a haunt for smugglers, lies between Hythe and Rye on the south coast?	Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov \| LA Phil Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Died: 1908, Lyubensk, Russia "To orchestrate is to create, and this is something that cannot be taught." One of the "Mighty Five" composers who dominated much of Russian musical life in the latter 19th century - Tchaikovsky aside, and often opposed - Rimsky-Korsakov basically taught himself music theory while teaching others, at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, no less. Among his students were Glazunov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, and Stravinsky. A naval officer, he learned all there was to know about wind instruments as inspector of navy bands, a knowledge that he put to highly colored use as one of the period's great orchestrators. Further listening: Israel Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta (Decca) Russian Easter Overture (1888) Cleveland Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (Decca) 10/06	i don't know
On TV, who are the inhabitants of the village of 'Royston Vasey'?	BBC - Comedy - The League Of Gentlemen The League Of Gentlemen The League Of Gentlemen We all need to be jealous of something. The League of Gentlemen must be near the top of the tree of ideas other comedians wish they'd had first. But Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith and Jeremy Dyson thought of it -so to them, the glory. The story of a simple Northern village where everyone keeps themselves to themselves and people like to keep things 'local', The League of Gentlemen is one of the most powerful comic formats ever created. Along with The Fast Show, it made the sketch format 'cool' after the genre spending years in the wilderness. Without The League, there would have been - almost without a doubt - no Little Britain. At times genuinely moving, at others so profoundly disturbing and shocking that it transcends traditional comedy, most of the time TLOG is just extremely funny, biting and brilliantly, dramatically written - the classiest sketch-based format written in recent broadcasting history. Starting as a revue format at Edinburgh and then vaulting onto radio, The League of Gentlemen is a sketch show, although it is also a sitcom - particularly in its television guise. In the village of Royston Vasey, various characters mostly played by Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith inhabit a dark world of secrets and offhand depravity. The local butcher, Hilary Briss, serves a particular kind of 'special stuff' the nature of which is never discovered. German scoutleader Herr Lipp has questionable relations with his charges. Theatre troupe Legz Akimbo are led by the thoroughly inadequate Olly, whilst sadistic restart officer Pauline rules her charges with a mixture of cruelty and contempt. The Dentons worship toads and condemn self-abuse. Cab driver Barbara is never seen but is always saving up for her/his/its 'operation'. Most appalling and most famous, however, are characters such as Papa Lazarou, the owner of a traveling circus whose catchphrase 'Hello Dave?' looks innocent on paper but which sounds utterly disgusting, and Tubbs and Edward, who run the 'Local Shop for Local People', fiercely hate outsiders, and at least in the TV version of the show, both show pronounced inbred, piglike noses. Most formats that travel from radio to television, especially dark, imaginative formats such as The League, suffer because the mind tends to be able to 'do' things with the characters which reality can't match. But the imaginations of the League, as well as Producer Gemma Rogers and Director Steve Bendelack, gave visual life to the League's monsters in far more horrifying, though comic, form than virtually anyone could have pictured on radio. On radio, too, the series was more obviously 'sketches' - mainly owing to being performed live. Most of the TV series was made, however, on location and then screened for the audience. The result is that although there's a laughter track, it's hardly noticeable, and doesn't interfere with the scenes - allowing The League to become its own world much more effectively. Three series of The League were produced, with the BBC not closing the door on a fourth. The first series saw the inhabitants reacting badly to a road being built through the town; the second saw plenty of deaths owing to a rash of nosebleeds. The first two series were both massively popular and cultish at the same time, winning a BAFTA, a Royal Television Society Award and a Golden Rose at Montreux. The third series, however, took a different turn, with the characters all involved in a skein of stories which all interlinked into a larger narrative. The creators were getting frustrated with their characters and situations, and imprisoned within them - and this was made even plainer in the film version of the series, The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, in which Royston Vasey is destroyed after a series of adventures between our world and that of the series. Debates about the slightly less popular third series and the film remain rife - with diehard fans of the 'proper' League wishing that the creators had simply stuck to their original idea. This, however, misses the point - which is that it was that need to create truly original characters that drove the League in the first place, and you can't stuff that genie back in the bottle. Whether they do another series or something completely new, it will be startling, and different - not just the old stuff redone.	The League of Gentlemen (disambiguation)
In the nursery rhyme, what description is given to 'Wednesday's Child'?	The League of Gentlemen - stream online Comedy, Horror Synopsis The League of Gentlemen is a quartet of British dark comedy writers/performers, formed in 1995 by Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. The television programme for which they are best known, although officially labelled a sitcom, was initially more sketch-based, linked together by their common setting: the fictional village of Royston Vasey, based on the town of Alston, Cumbria and set somewhere in the north of England. The show contains elements of horror. The first series aired on BBC Two in 1999, and follows the lives of dozens of the town's bizarre inhabitants, played by Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith in a number of different guises and make-up. The television series was filmed mainly in Hadfield, but also features Glossop, Gamesley, Marsden, Mottram, Hope Valley, and Todmorden. The series ended in 2002 although a movie version of the show was released in 2005. Rumours have circulated since 2007 that the show would return for a full length series or special but nothing has ever been confirmed or denied. However, Shearsmith and Pemberton did reunite in 2009 to create a similarly dark BBC sitcom, Psychoville, which featured an episode guest-starring Gatiss. The three reunited again in 2012 to film a series of sketches for the fourth series of CBBC show Horrible Histories. The League of Gentlemen - watch online: stream, buy or rent We try to add new providers constantly but we couldn't find an offer for "The League of Gentlemen" online. Please come back again soon to check if there's something new.	i don't know
Singer-songwriter Carole Klein was better known by what name?	Carole Klein Date Of Birth - Carole King Net Worth Carole Klein Date Of Birth Read more... Carole King Carole King Net Worth is $15 Million. Carole King is a well known singer/songwriter of pop, folk and jazz, and has a net worth of $15 million. Carole King accomplished her net worth through her singing career, her success as a songwriter and her tale. Carole King (born February 9... Carole King Net Worth is $15 Million. Carole King Net Worth is $15 Million. Carole King is a well known singer/songwriter of pop, folk and jazz, and has a net worth of $15 million. Carole King accomplished her net worth through her singing career, her success as a songwriter and her tale Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, her Tapestry album topped the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971, and remained on the charts for more than six years. She was most successful as a performer in the first half of the 1970s, although she was a successful songwriter long before and long after. She had her first number 1 hit as a songwriter in 1961 at age 18, with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", which she wrote with Goffin. In 1997, she co-wrote "The Reason" for Aerosmith, but instead it was sung by Celine Dion. In 2000, Joel Whitburn, a Billboard Magazine pop music researcher, named her the most successful female songwriter of 1955-99, because she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100. King has made 25 solo albums, the most successful being Tapestry...	Carole King
Which is the third largest Greek island?	Eugenia Gingold, mother of Carole King, dies in Delray Beach at 94 - tribunedigital-sunsentinel Eugenia Gingold, mother of Carole King, dies in Delray Beach at 94 January 1, 2011\|By Christine Dolen, The Miami Herald Eugenia Gingold and her famous daughter, singer-songwriter Carole King, have spent much of their lives surrounded by applause. King's has come from adoring crowds at her concerts, including the recent tour, with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member James Taylor, that brought her to South Florida last summer. Mrs. Gingold's came in smaller venues, the New York and South Florida theaters where she performed and directed — and finally from fellow audience members during her late-life job as a theater critic for Florida Stage and Screen News. Mrs. Gingold, a South Florida resident since the mid-1970s and an Actor's Equity member, died of congestive heart failure on Dec. 22 in the Hospice Care unit at Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach , her daughter said. She was 94. Born Eugenia Cammer in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 31, 1916, Mrs. Gingold acted in high school plays and won awards for excellence in speech. Known as Genie, she graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in English and drama, then worked as a speech therapist in New York City public schools. Married to Sidney Klein, Gingold gave birth in 1942 to daughter Carol (who later added the "e" to her first name) then to son Richard, in 1948. Her daughter recalls that, as a housewife and young mother in Brooklyn, Mrs. Gingold produced and directed school and neighborhood plays and musicals. "She brought out the best in all the neighborhood actors, including me as a bratty little 8-year-old," King said. King, who had a chart-topping hit (the Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow") at 19 with husband/songwriting partner Gerry Goffin, said from her home in Idaho that her mother was her first music teacher and later, her acting coach. "She had a lovely voice. She exposed me to music from the time I was in the womb," King said. "And when I made my Broadway debut in Blood Brothers in 1994, she was my coach. Later, she came to Dublin to coach me when I played Kate [the character based on playwright Neil Simon's mother] in "Brighton Beach Memoirs." I channeled all my ancestors in that." In the 1960s, Mrs. Gingold ran what her granddaughter Louise Goffin describes as "her own little shoestring theater in Greenwich Village," the inspiration for Mrs. Gingold's play-with-music "Nine Years on O.O.B." (Off-Off Broadway), which King and Goffin are hoping to get produced. But like so many cold-weary New Yorkers, Mrs. Gingold — who kept her second husband, David Gingold's last name — moved to Florida, settling in Boca Raton . In the 1980s, she directed and acted in plays presented by theater pioneer Ruth Foreman. Joseph Adler, the award-winning artistic director at GableStage in Coral Gables, directed Mrs. Gingold in Foreman's productions of "Social Security" and "Crossing Delancey." "You could see where Carole got that charismatic presence when you knew Eugenia," Adler recalled. "As an actress, she was a joy, so sweet. And she was a wonderful person to have in your audience as well. She had a really effervescent, bubbly personality." In the late 1980s, Mrs. Gingold shifted to theater criticism, writing reviews, becoming a voter in the region's Carbonell Awards program and joining the American Theater Critics Association. Bunny Yeager, publisher of the defunct Florida Stage and Screen, said of Mrs. Gingold: "I was so lucky to have her write for my little newspaper ... She was so gifted. And classy." Goffin, like her mother a successful singer-songwriter, was close to her grandmother, whom she said was spiritual and able to lose herself in a child's world. She wished to be seen as "an equal citizen and not face prejudice because she was 'elderly.'" When King and Taylor's Troubadour Reunion Tour came to the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise in June, Mrs. Gingold was there, decked out in a silver suit as she sat close to the stage. King introduced her, and Mrs. Gingold waved to the audience when the spotlight hit her. "Every time," King remembered, "she took her star turn with pride and pleasure, as the mother of me." In addition to her son and daughter, Mrs. Gingold is survived by sister Gladys Lipton. She was buried in Los Angeles' Hollywood Forever Cemetery, final resting place of many stars. MORE:	i don't know
Marble Arch and Lancaster Gate are stations on which London Undeground line?	Lancaster Gate Underground Station has reported access issues LANCASTER GATE STATION: Lancaster Gate Tube station will be closed from Wednesday 4 January until July 2017 while we replace both lifts, as part of our plan to modernise the Tube. Please walk or use local buses to nearby Marble Arch or Queensway stations for the Central line. LANCASTER TERRACE, / WESTBOURNE TERRACE, W2: From 0800 Tuesday 10 January until 1800 Monday 30 January, route 46 is cut short to Bishops Bridge Road, Paddington. Please board at Bishops Bridge Road / Westbourne Terrace stop M.	Central line
The island of Trinidad lies opposite the delta of which major river?	Location and Direction \| The Metropolis London Hyde Park Located on top of Edgware Road & within a walking distance from Marble Arch Rail From Paddington and Marylebone Railway Station are situated approximately 1 mile away from The Metropolis London Hyde Park Underground Paddington (Bakerloo Line, Main Station) and Lancaster Gate (Central Line) are only a few minutes walk away Air Phone + 44 (0) 870 0000213 By Car North on M4 six miles and continue on (A4) and left at Exhibition Road, turn left at Cumberland Gate and continue onto Bayswater Road, turn left at Portman Street , turn right at Portman Square , right again at James Street and slightly left on Gilbert Street The Metropolis London Hyde Park will be on your left. By Railway Take the Heathrow Express train (every 15 minutes) to Paddington Station. A taxi ride or walk from Paddington will take less than 5 minutes to get to the hotel. By Bus The Heathrow Airport Bus Service that stops on Oxford Street. When you are on Oxford Street, you may take the bus 94 or 390 to Lancaster Gate Station and walk a few minutes London/Gatwick - LGW Phone: +44 (0) 870 000 2468 By Car From Gatwick A23 Northbound and then M25 in the direction of Heathrow Airport and Central London to the M4. Take M4 for six miles and take the second exit onto Fulham Road, at the roundabout take first exit onto Park Lane , continue onto Grosnover Square and right on St James Street and then slightly left on Gilbert Street, The Metropolis London Hyde Park will be on your left. By Railway The Gatwick express service to Victoria station is available every 30 minutes and takes approximately 40-45 minutes. On arriving at Victoria station, take the Victoria Line to Oxford Street and change there to the Central Line to Lancaster Gate Station. and walk a few minutes. London/Stansted - STN Phone: +44 (0) 870 000 0303 By Car M11 Southbound to Junction 4, A406 West for 15 miles, left onto A41 to Central London, leading on to Baker Street. Head east Marylebone Road , turn left at Marylebone High Street , continue onto Thayer Street which continues on Gilbert street and The Metropolis London Hyde Park will be on your left. By Railway The Stansted express runs a frequent service between the airport and Victoria Station, and takes approximately 30 minutes. On arriving at Victoria station, take the Victoria Line to Oxford Street and change there to the Central Line to Lancaster Gate Station. and walk a few minutes. London/City Airport - LCY Phone: +44 (0) 20 7647 0088 By Car Follow the sign for The Docklands. Pass the Docks and following the river drive West towards Westminster. At the Tower of London, turn left which leads onto Embankment. Continue straight until you reach Big Ben. Turn right onto Great George Street and follow the signs to Hyde Park Corner head west towards Wilton, then turn right at Brooke Street continue onto Grosnover Square and right on St James Street and then slightly left on Gilbert Street, The Metropolis London Hyde Park will be on your left. By Train Take the shuttle bus to Canning Town DLR station. From there take the Jubilee line Bond Street and change for the Central Line to Lancaster Gate Station. Connect with us Company Name: Shaftesbury London Notting Hill Ltd Registered Office Address: 78-84 Sussex Garden, London, W2 1UH. Company Registration 6304726 Vat No: 930 3035 67 © 2017 The Metropolis London Hyde Park	i don't know
What happened to 'Solomon Grundy' on a Saturday?	Solomon Grundy (Character) - Comic Vine Solomon Grundy The Solomon Grundy wiki last edited by chrisburgess99 on 08/28/16 12:46PM View full history Current Events Appearing as a new enemy upon Earth 2 , Solomon Grundy is the avatar of the Grey who seeks to kill the avatar of the Green . He spreads rot about the world and attacks the capitol of the United States to gather the avatar's attention, but he was first confronted by Hawkgirl and the Flash . Alec enters into the fight, but then the Atom appears, squashing Grundy. From Tragic Beginnings to a Horrific End...Or So We Think.. As a child, Cyrus Gold lived a life of misery and hopelessness. His father, Gold Sr., had moved to Gotham City before Cyrus was born to gain fame and fortune, changing his last name to "Gold" as a sign of things to come. However, this dream of a powerful future very soon diminished, leaving the Gold family in ruin. The elder Gold was reduced to working on the docks on the city, being forced to work in horrible, unregulated working conditions. To add insult to injury, he was regularly mugged by his boss, who forced him to hand over all the gold he had, leaving the Gold family with nothing but crumbs. Hatred filled his heart, and the elder Gold began to use his family as a way to vent off the hate he felt towards his superiors. He regularly beat his wife, Cyrus' mother, and would abuse his son. The cruelest form of torture he implemented on the young boy was to bury him alive on his birthday; every year the boy would be buried alive in a grave, a way of teaching him that he was less than the dirt that covered him. For years the young Cyrus Gold was maltreated, coming to a head when his mother packed her belongings, kissed him goodbye and abandoned him, caring more about herself than what the monster she married might do to her son. Not long after that, Cyrus sneaked down to the docks to watch his father work. A crate hovered above his father, its weight breaking the chains and rope holding it in place. With a sickening crunch, the crate fell on top of Cyrus Gold's father, killing him instantly. The man who ran the pier merely scoffed at the incident, kicking the broken body of the older Gold into the waters below the pier. Now Cyrus Gold, young and helpless, was all alone. Forced to survive on nothing. It was then that he swore to himself to make his own riches and power. He wouldn't die a pauper like his father did. Growing up, Cyrus was beaten up by many people and treated with as much hate as his father had given him in his youth. One day, bleeding in a slump after an encounter with a gang of savage bullies and thieves in an area known as Dugan's Alley, a girl named Pearl, whom Cyrus was close to, found him and prayed for his safety. But the curmudgeon Gold brushed her aside; he had no time or place for a God, let alone believe in the existence of one. Bleeding, in pain, and near the end of his ropes, a mysterious stranger went up to him and offered Cyrus the deal of a lifetime; he could become rich and powerful....if only he serve him until the day he died. Cyrus Gold shook the stranger's hand, sealing his fate forever just for the mere chance of gaining the riches his father slaved for for so long. Cyrus Gold soon became wealthy and powerful, by ways not very honest. He killed the men who abused him and his family when he was young, stealing their riches and becoming a veritable mobster. In an act of rage and wrath, he tracked down his long-departed mother and stabbed her to death. He then dumped her body in the waters of Slaughter Swamp, where many victims would end up as time went on, culminating with the death of Cyrus Gold himself. During this period, Cyrus wed the girl Pearl (although there are clues that suggested that Gold killed her previous husband to be with her) and the two had a little boy and little girl. Initially a happy family, Cyrus became as brash as his father, staying out late, drinking and being verbally abusive, oftentimes in front of the children. After a while of anger and abuse in the marriage, in a fit of rage, Cyrus Gold drowned Pearl. But Cyrus' sins would come back to haunt him. A mob formed and chased him into the swamps, ready to avenge their broken families with his slaughter. Gold didn't want to die by their hands and subsequently stabbed himself through the heart, sinking into the cursed waters of Slaughter Swamp, the very place where he laid to rest a lifetime of victims and killers. But Cyrus was not yet finished with life. The deal he had made for life long servitude was shattered, and so was the little humanity he had left. The swamp, filled with unknown acids and chemicals, bonded to the preserving corpse of Cyrus Gold, fusing his body through time with wood, stone and anything else that was unlucky enough to fall into the morbid soup. 50 years after his death, something happened.....something....evil.... In the dead of night, a moaning was heard. The waters rippled and parted as a hideously decayed white hand reached out. That night, from the remains of a selfish and evil man, came a hulking behemoth....one who could never remember himself. Stumbling through the marshes on newly reborn legs, the zombified creature found two criminals hiding in his swamp...his home...his mother.... In a inhuman rage, it slowly and methodically killed the trespassers, then squeezed its huge frame in their clothing as best as it could. Snarling, the beast walked to a derelict homeless shelter, where, his curiosity piking, he managed to speak a few words to the vagrants staying there. He was asked about who he was and where he came from. The newly reborn monster didn't remember...in fact, he didn't remember anything from his past human life. But there was one thing he did remember....he was born on a Monday. The vagrants laughed a bit, and told him that his birthday reminded them of a famous poem. The life and death of a certain Solomon Grundy. Solomon Grundy, That was the end of Solomon Grundy. The monster took a fancy to the name and adopted it as his own. No longer was he Cyrus Gold, the mere human. Now he was an unstoppable monster....one with a hunger for death, chaos and occasional mutilated corpse. His name now was....Solomon Grundy. For years since the day he walked out of the rotting waters of Slaughter Swamp, Solomon Grundy has plagued both heroes and villains alike, sometimes in a vendetta. Other times simply because he feels threatened or wants to be left to his own devices. Initially the arch-enemy of the first Green Lantern Alan Scott, Grundy has since been an enemy of all parts of the DC Universe, most famously with the Dynamic Duo (Batman and Robin) and has even traded blows with the Green Arrow. For a while, Grundy was able to overpower the might of Alan Scott, simply due to the heavy amount of wood pulp and fiber that has molded into his body over the decades of being submerged in the waters of Slaughter Swamp. He has also immense super strength that seems to grow with each resurrection and evolution of his character. While often working alone, Grundy has sometimes been bribed or convinced to join gangs of other super-villains who need extra muscle and has several times been recruited to join the Injustice Society. His last group before the New 52 universal reboot was the Black Lanterns, with the Black Lantern Corps having resurrected his husk of a body to be used against forces on Earth. Differing Personalities A side effect of his resurrections is that each time he is reborn, he has a different personality than before. An early Grundy of the modern era lived in the sewers of Gotham and shared a Thanksgiving turkey with Batman during a crime spree. He later befriends a newly disfigured Harvey Dent . Late in the career of the team Infinity Inc ., Grundy befriended Jade , daughter of the original Green Lantern. In the end, he was manipulated by the illusionist Marcie Cooper Harlequin, who tricked Grundy into killing Skyman by pressing an unconscious Mr. Bones' hand against him- Mr. Bones' touch is deadly. When he found out Cooper had deceived him, he beat her severely. After another fight with Alan Scott that left him petrified into wood, Grundy came into conflict with Batman again, killing a descendant of one of the killers of Cyrus Gold. Not too long after this, Jade contacted Jack Knight to help Grundy, who was in the sewers of Opal City . Grundy had been resurrected once again, this time as a lanky, child-like creature. Jack and his father Ted took Grundy, now called Solly, in. Unfortunately, the Solly persona is short lived- when a mad bomber called Dr. Pip beings bombing Opal, Solly sacrifices himself to save Jack from being crushed by a falling building. Jack, alongside Alan Scott, Batman and the Floronic Man dive into Solly's mind to attempt to save him, only to run afoul of an infinite number of differing Grundies and the original Cyrus Gold persona. Solly is lost for good during this. Later, when Ollie Queen was scouring the country for artifacts of his life, he runs afoul of Grundy in the Arrowcave .This version of Grundy was significantly more violent than past incarnations, and is killed when Ollie strangles him with a bowstring. During the Infinite Crisis , Grundy appears twice. When the Secret Society sieges the House of Secrets that the Secret Six was held up up in, Grundy is one of the members besieging. However, when Ragdoll shows him his scarred face, Grundy teams up with Ragdoll, saying Ragdoll is "A monster like me." During the Battle of Metropolis, Grundy is shown fighting the Blood Pack when all are incinerated by Superboy-Prime's heat vision. Grundy was resurrected this time as an intelligent being that was "...sick and tired of dying." He contacted Professor Ivo and hired him to make an Amazo android to house his conscience, made of parts of the Red Tornado and using the Tantu Totem . The Red Tornado didn't take kindly to this, and killed the intelligent Grundy with F5 force winds, tearing him asunder. Grundy was once again resurrected following this. This time, he was captured and sent to the planet Salvation and sided with Joker , where he was killed by Parademons . From Darkest Grave, to Blackest Night Sometime after his previous death, a strange thing began to happen in the swamp that sprouted the monstrous Solomon Grundy. But instead of a monstrous zombie, what came out of the murky waters was a lanky, frightened man. Cyrus Gold lived again. Stumbling, incoherent, Cyrus grabbed a fish and tore it apart, hunger griping him after decades of being trapped inside the hull of a monstrous creature. Opening his eyes, he scanned the horizon and was shocked at how different Gotham City was from when he was alive....but he knew it wasn't different at all. Despite the glamor it now had, it still had a decayed stench to it.....the smell of death and hopelessness. Breaking into a house fringing the great swamp, he callously killed the owner and drank some milk, getting spooked over a ringing telephone and the TV. Still craving sustenance, he stole some clothing and wandered into the streets of Gotham, desperate to keep himself as a human, vowing to stay alive...and to keep the creature inside him from bursting out. In a flash of weakness, his past came hurtling back to him, and Cyrus reacted. A woman, trying to help the homeless at a nearby shelter, tried to reach out to the newly re-animated with kind words. She tried to tell him that through God's words anybody can find help in this world. The vicious Gold snapped at her and attacked, screaming that there is no such thing as God. As he beats her senseless, police arrive and warned him, trying to get him to stop. Frightened by the lights, he attacked an officer, his thoughts a mile a minute. In fear that the light would mean death, and that death would mean being trapped forever in the body of Solomon Grundy. One of the officers shot the raving Cyrus Gold and, bleeding and dazed, he leaped out into oncoming traffic. A truck then hit the desperate man, spreading his re-animated remains all over the street. Cyrus Gold was dead again. His remains wrapped in several body bags, he was listed off as being unknown and unnamed, his mangled remains put aside to be later dealt with. Slowly, minute by minute, the clock ticked away....closing in on midnight. A janitor, preparing for his late shift, came into the autopsy room, readying himself a mug of coffee and liquor, humming a pleasant tune. Too bad it was the last song he'd ever sing. Deep inside the body bags, the dead Cyrus Gold's body began to pale, the torn limbs re-assembling. The bags tore apart....and glowing eyes opened. The janitor turned to see a massive white figure, eyes flaring red and chipped teeth gnashing. Snarling, the beast grabbed the worker and rammed his head through a wall, murmuring to himself..."Solomon Grundy....Born on a Monday..." Solomon Grundy reverting back into Cyrus Gold after his fight with Killer Croc Solomon Grundy was back, and ready for action. For a full week, the monster destroyed everything in his path, demolishing cars, breaking into the Gotham Zoo and even chowing down in the Gotham City cemetery on the bodies of those on the opposite side of life. On the last day, Solomon Grundy was hiding out in the sewers, lying on the cold concrete. A voice called him from the shadows, and, with eyes heavy with supernatural sleep, he turned. Killer Croc, enraged at Grundy's intrusion to his home, tried to kill the zombie, but Grundy quickly overpowered the reptile, punching him through the sewer roof and spilling him out on the lawn of a graveyard. Enraged, Grundy then grabbed Croc's jaws and tore them apart, leaving the attacker gargling and writhing in pain on the rocky ground. The clock hit mid-night, and, in a daze, Grundy reverted back into his human form.....right in front of his own gravestone. The Phantom Stranger, who had been spying on Gold, went to him, telling Cyrus that he had a chance to break his curse forever....if he could find out who was responsible for his death and forgive him. This was because an evil force was headed to Earth, and it would be best if Solomon Grundy wasn't around to take part in it. Initially Gold was angry and suspicious, running from both the Phantom Stranger and original green lantern Alan Scott (during this time he accidentally hurt a young man by bumping him into a gravestone) before being trapped in a pit. Alan Scott was angry at both of them; the Stranger for making him help Gold and for Gold because of his crimes as Solomon Grundy. Bitter about helping his long time enemy, Alan Scott chained up Gold and flew him to the swamp where he was killed in, all the while Cyrus demanding to know when the lantern was going to kill him. The Green Lantern landed in the pool that had spawned Grundy and left his at the water's edge, trying to locate the weapon of his enemy's demise. Scott was engulfed in the evil of the lake and the ring's power failed....leaving Cyrus vulnerable and exposed. As a demonic voice mocked him, several alligators cruising the waters close to Cyrus Gold turned, their sharp teeth bared and glistening. With a sickening crunch, Cyrus was pulled apart and swallowed whole, lunch for the ruling reptiles. Come Monday, the gators where snoozing on the beach, digesting their human meal. Suddenly, the reptiles began to twitch and squirm in extreme pain. A rotten hand shot through the belly of one of the beasts, crawling towards a re-assembling body. The headless body then pulled its head out of the gut of another gator, attaching it back onto its shoulders. Solomon Grundy was alive again, but even he was soon about to feel the force of death. The demon Etrigan, working alongside the mysterious stranger that had first convinced Cyrus Gold to make a contract on his soul, attacked Solomon Grundy, mercilessly slicing him with claws and fire. His reason? To make Cyrus Gold/Solomon Grundy fail in his quest for redemption and serve all eternity in he chains of Hell. In the battle, Grundy managed to beat back the demon by crushing his with a massive log, only to have the incessant voice of Cyrus Gold yell at him to stop, angering the giant even more. Etrigan, laughing, grabbed Grundy by the collar of his torn coat and flew him to the Gotham City bridge....just when there was hundreds of commuters driving past over the choppy waters of Gotham Bay. On the bridge, Etrigan blasted the zombie with hellfire, burning his body severely. The two, grappled in battle and flames, plummeted into the waters, tearing apart the bridge and causing some vehicles to fall. Luckily, Alan Scott, who the Phantom Stranger had managed to help escape the darkness of Slaughter Swamp, flew to the bridge and, using his ring, grabbed the falling passengers and vehicles, saving everybody from the treacherous fall. Meanwhile, under the waves, Etrigan attempted to tear out his enemy's heart...only to find that Grundy didn't really have a heart. Just a mass of vines and tree pulp. The zombie garbled a laugh and punched through the demon, only to be nailed with a direct hit from a blast of hellfire, cooking him thoroughly into a blackened charcoal crisp. Etrigan then attempted to pull Grundy's head off, to take as his trophy. Alan Scott descended into the waters and trapped the demon in his light, allowing the dying Grundy to float off away from danger. Etrigan, furious at loosing his prize, dissipated and retreated for a future fight, leaving the Green Lantern to panic and fret over where his charge was. Unbeknownst to him, Grundy had washed up on shore, slowly reverting back into his human form... Cyrus Gold awoke and and stumbled to a junk yard. There, he attacked the workers with a knife before coming to his senses. Upon closer look....he realized that the knife was the very own that had been plunged into his heart! Feeling the screams and pain of his victims, he ran outside, desperate to get away. And most importantly...stay alive. But fate is a cruel, cruel thing. While running underneath a compactor, the heavy magnet swung and fell, smashing Cyrus into a pulp. As his blood leaked onto the ground, his broken bones began to reset themselves. Nearby, a LexCorp transport truck had stopped for a break. Solomon Grundy grabbed the two technicians from behind and crushed their skulls, before attacking the car's engine in an attempt to shut off the radio. As he turned, the car exploded...and an abruptly awakened Bizarro stumbled out, his red eyes adjusting to the bright light that had evaded him for so long. Bizarro's Way of Making Friends Bizarro was curious about the huge figure towering in front of him. Grabbing Solomon Grundy's arm, he scanned him with his sight, wondering why the zombie was built like a tree. He then remember the trees he drew while in captivity and how he liked their beauty. Smiling as warmly as a desiccated Superman clone can smile, he hugged Grundy. This intrusion of space enraged Grundy and he punched Bizarro into an overpass. Bizarro pulled himself out and flew back into Grundy, pushing him high into the air. The zombie then punched Bizarro's head, making lose his flight balance. The two then fell into an electrical transformer, shocking both until they where cooked through. Bizarro liked Grundy, despite the fight, so he asked him for his name. Grundy, not understanding Bizarro's strange backwards speech, launched himself at him. The both fought in the air until they crashed through a seemingly abandoned Gotham penthouse that was chocked full of various plants and vines. Landing on the tile ground, a flower plot landed on Bizarro's head and he and Grundy started laughing, forgetting quickly their fight. Bizarro then found a hot dog cart and brought it up to the building, where he and Grundy had hot dogs. As the sun began to climb, the zombie started spasming. Teetering, he retracted, reverting back into an unconscious Cyrus Gold. Bizarro, confused as to what happened, flew off in search of his new friend. Meanwhile, vines stretched over Gold, covering him in a thick blanket of leaves. In turned out that the penthouse belonged to Poison Ivy...and she was blistering angry about the intrusion of her home by a lowly human male. Wanting him to suffer, she thought of feeding Gold to her Venus Fly Trap, but he was too scrawny to really fill up her precious "baby". Instead, she kissed him. Her lips had a toxin that forced people she touched to follow her demands. Giving the possessed Cyrus Gold a bomb in a bag, he was ordered to go to a chemical factory and to drop off the bag, destroying the plant and the toxic chemicals they produced. As Cyrus turned to leave, his inner monster didn't like being bossed around. Taking over his mind, Solomon Grundy, still trapped in his human form, attacked Poison Ivy, whom he had always thought was his friend. Attacking her, he was held back by her plants. However, the evil that powered Grundy quickly rotted and killed all the plants. Grabbing Poison Ivy, he then kissed her, infecting her with his evil. His influence was too great and she collapsed in shock. Grundy, still operating Gold, carried Ivy to the stairwell and left her there, saving her from the explosion of the bomb that had been left behind. Meanwhile, while Cyrus Gold ventured into the sewers, Alan Scott heard the news about the explosion. Recharging his ring and kissing his beloved Molly, he left to pick up the trail of the monster. Cyrus Gold lamented about himself in the murky sewer waters, the screams of Grundy reciting his never ending poem driving him nuts. A nearby homeless person, frightened by his seeming insanity, clubbed gold in the back of the head with a bat. Gold grabbed the attacker and drowned them, only to be drowned himself when the room he was in suddenly flooded with water from the streets. Shortly afterwards, Grundy killed a dog and was eating it in the street when a car almost barreled into him. Tearing off the roof of the small car, he almost killed the drivers when he saw the Green Lantern's light following overhead. Snarling in hate, he followed it all the way back to Alan Scott's house. He then proceeded to smash into the house, attacking Scott's wife Molly in his drive to destroy the green light. Molly shoots at Grundy, hitting him in the chest. This only infuriates the zombie more and he bats her away. The green lantern tries to scare away the attacker by engulfing itself and Grundy in its power. But the zombie wasn't easily fooled. Using his immense super strength, Solomon Grundy managed to crush the lantern, exploding the house. Alan Scott, with the little remaining power in his ring, managed to arrive in time to save Molly and place a containment shield around Grundy...only to fall soon after. The power of the ring was gone...and so was the shield holding back the undead monster. Meanwhile, high above the Earth, Professor Ivo wanted payback on Solomon Grundy. He then launched a space orb....one that slowly floated towards Slaughter Swamp as it waited for his enemy to appear. Solomon Grundy managed to escape the wreckage, but he didn't have much time left. His body was mangled, his head split almost in half and one of his eyes bleeding red toxic blood. Moaning, he glimpsed through a fence and saw the swamp, Cyrus' curse...but Grundy's home. The zombie broke through the fence and swam back to the swamp, where he then latched onto the vines and began to heal. However, the sun broke through during his process and, screaming in pain, the injured Grundy reverted back into a bleeding Cyrus Gold. Gold, surprised at being back in the swamp pulled from the depth the knife that killed him, making him remember the pain all over again. Trying to remember who killed him, Gold looked up into a pair of red eyes. The last thing he saw was the cyborg Amazo scorching him and the swamp to ruin with high functioning lasers. Alan Scott, unable to know fully what was occurring, concentrated in collecting back the green light into a new lantern. Grundy erupted from the waves of his home, enraged that something would dare attack him AND his swamp. Amazo sliced Grundy apart, but before he could finish him off, the zombie's arm jumped and tore off Amazo's head, infecting the robot with his dark energy. Amazo rebuilt its head, but mutated into an Amazo-Grundy, which then attacked Solomon Grundy, who was less than thrilled with a robot that he felt was mocking him. Trapping him in his arms, Professor Ivo spoke through Grundy, reminding him of when they worked together to build the (then) hyper-intelligent Solomon Grundy a body to live forever. Grundy tore out of Amazo's arms, only to be hit with an explosive and vaporized. Meanwhile, Bizarro, still saddened at the loss of his friend, was ambushed by SHADE agents, who trapped him under an electrical wire. Alan Scott at the same time succeeded in re-assembling his Green Lantern. And just in time too, because he heard the explosion at Slaughter Swamp. The Amazo-"Grundy" lurked, waiting for his counterpart to re-animate. Suddenly, vines in the swamp grabbed him from below, dragging him to a watery grave.Tracking the fight, SHADE agents then sent teams out; one to catch the guaranteed re-animated Cyrus Gold. The other to arrest Professor Ivo. During this turmoil, the Phantom Stranger looked to divine intervention to assist his quest. Going to Valhalla Cemetery, the graveyard of heroes, he contacted the Spectre for assistance. Meanwhile, Cyrus Gold emerged, desperate to remember the events to his death. AS the swamp moved around him, he tried to run, only to encounter the apparition of Solomon Grundy. A dart hit him and he passed out...into Frankenstein's waiting arms. The SHADE agents placed Gold in a helicopter and attempted to fly him back to headquarters. The madman awoke though and killed the crew in his paranoia, then tried to jump to safety....only to land in the jagged spike of a dead tree. Spearing him, Frankenstein and team could only watch as Solomon Grundy emerged, tearing himself out of the tree and crushing it like twigs in his grip. As Grundy attacked the SHADE agents, Alan Scott prepared to return to the swamp to set things right. Etrigan and his "boss", the mysterious stranger that plagued Gold, saw this and the demon knight vanished to intercept the lantern and drive him away from his goal. Back at the swamp, Grundy attacked the officers against him, pulling them out with a log and attempting to smash a few, only to be shot at by the Bride of Frankenstein. Enraged, Grundy grabbed her, only to be shot through the head by Frankenstein. As the stitched up "cousin" to the swamp monster prepared to finish the job, Bizarro arrived, ready to help his zombie friend. Alan Scott arrived as well and contained the mutated Kryptonian clone, only to be attacked by a re-assembled Grundy. As he tried to break though the Green Lantern's shield, Frankenstein rammed his Sword of Michael through the remnants of his heart, impaling him. The power of the sword ignited the zombie, engulfing him in holy flame. When the light died down, Solomon Grundy tried to stand, whimpering and bleeding, begging for help. Bizarro broke free from Scott and tended to his friend, who gasped his last and disintegrated into dust, leaving behind his friend to mourn. The SHADE agents gathered their dead and wounded and left, while Bizarro floated away in his grief. The Phantom Stranger and Alan Scott remained behind to wait for Cyrus Gold to re-animate. Gold re-animated, but in an alternate plane of existence, hidden from the Stranger and Green Lantern. There, he was smacked around by Solomon Grundy, who viciously tied to make his human half remember the events of his death. All the while implicating Gold. As Gold was remembering, Etrigan arrived to brutally torture the human even more, burning his head off, healing it, tearing his arms apart and attempting to chew his head in his giant mouth....all the while just to pass the time until the last light rose and trapped Solomon Grundy and Cyrus Gold together...forever. Alan Scott managed to break the veil separating him from Cyrus and he blinded Etrigan, trapping him in his green light. Etrigan thought his mission was a success...until the Green Lantern told him that his prey was now free to make his own choice. Cyrus, in his last moments, remembered that it was he himself who killed himself and negated his deal with demons, cursing himself forever. But he didn't forgive himself, and in his stupid stubbornness, was dragged into Hell. Alan Scott was visibly upset, knowing his monstrous enemy was never going to stop, even when trapped in Hell. But unable to do anything, the Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger left the toxic evil Slaughter Swamp. Monday night....a dark light arrived, searching for a vessel. Landing in the waters of the swamp, it found Grundy's body and resurrected it as a slave. The husk of Solomon Grundy was now an unthinking Black Lantern, and he would attack his old friends and enemies in the name of death...before Bizarro, to save himself from Grundy's wrath, was forced to shove him into the sun, vaporizing Grundy and his black lantern ring. Post-Flashpoint: Earth-2 Origins Solomon Grundy was a simple man in 1898 living in the Slaughter Swamp with his child and wife, Pinney. Due to the low harvest, Pinney had to sleep with Boss Henry to try and bring in a profit for her family.However, it became too much and Solomon had to watch as she stabbed herself in the throat. After pulling Pinney's body out of the water, Solomon killed Boss Henry and everybody he worked with. After that, he stabbed himself in the stomach and fell into the swamp which is were he established his connection to the Grey. The Gathering Solomon Grundy's awakening was heralded by the Green choosing Alan Scott as it's champion. Before he fully arose he caused widespread decay across the world even decaying building like the Washington Monument, the White House and the United States Capitol to draw Alan Scott's attention, so he could kill him. Grundy then went on rampage killing hundreds of people while he was looking for Alan. His power reached so far that his effect's were seen Poland while in he was in North America which caused Jay Garrick and Hawkgirl to look for the source of the decay. Alan Scott due to his connection to Earth felt Grundy effect's and was able to home in on his location. Jay Garrick and Hawkgirl finally arrived at Grundy's location, as he was about to be attacked by Jay Garrick, Grundy was able to swat him away causing him to fly into a wall. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl shot Grundy in the head with her cross-bow which destroyed portion of his skull, however, Grundy was able to regenerate the wound right before there eyes. Hawkgirl told Jay Garrick to help people get away from Grundy, she then went to face him shooting him in the head and chest respectively, this however as all attempt before did not faze him and regenerate and catch Hawkgirl.However, before he could do something substantial, Grundy finally felt Alan Scott's presence close to him. Before, Grundy could approach Scott, he was punched with so much force by Scott that his upper body split in half. Thinking he'd defeated Grundy, Alan Scott turned around to talk to Hawkgirl. however, Grundy healed from his injury and attacked Alan Scott. As Grundy was battling Alan Scott, Al Pratt jumped from a plane on Grundy crushing his body instantly. Al Pratt then thinking he'd killed Grundy fought the other hero who'd come to stop Grundy. However, Grundy was not out of the battle and reformed over Al's body with hiss lower body comprised of decayed vines to restrain Al and punched him in the jaw to allow him to cover Al's body with vines. However, before he could kill Al Pratt, he was slammed into by Alan Scott disrupting the connection he had over over Al Pratt. As he was battling Alan Scott, Hawkgirl and Jay found out that Al had shrunk to his normal form to escape death from Grundy. Alan knowing he had no way to defeat Grundy on his own decided to abandon his body and bond with the internal matrix of the Earth wherein the Gray resides, leaving the rest of the Wonders to hold off Grundy until he returned. As Alan Scott was being seduced by The Grey with the promise of returning Sam, his dead lover,Solomon Grundy defeated the rest of the Wonders. Alan Scott however, was able to prevail at the Grey's attempt to stop him and returned to his body.Grundy was then flown into upper orbit by Alan, as he'd figured out a way to stop him. However, due to his connection to Earth and him being in space, Scott's power began to weaken. Before he finally ran out of power, he was able to blast and exile Grundy to the moon where the Grey couldn't be a threat anymore. Powers Solomon Grundy is arguable one of the strongest villains in the DC Universe, if not one of the heaviest hitters regardless of evil or good intentions. He is also incredibly invulnerable, able to take massive amounts of damage with little injury. When injuries do occur, his body rapidly in a matter of seconds heals up the wounds, sometimes enabling himself to re-attach severed limbs right after they are hacked off. He can also continue fighting for days straight, making him incredible resilient in addition to his huge strength. Because he is artificially animated, Solomon Grundy isn't affected by disease and ailments like standard humans. He doesn't need to eat, breath, sleep or drink, although occasionally he has fallen asleep in the sewers and attempted to feed on intruding humans to the swamps he calls home. Most likely this is a side effect of his re-animation that, over time and when near to transforming into Cyrus Gold, his body, in preparation, begins to systematically shut down in preparedness for the transformation, rendering him lethargic. The hunger is similar to movie zombies, but isn't as intense, suggesting that to fuel his body he needs to intake living flesh to sustain his own semblance of life. But unlike Romero zombies, he isn't biased and will eat anything from rodents to even attempting to eat Killer Croc during a territorial squabble. Solomon Grundy, despite being undead, can and has died multitudes of times. However, with each death, he re-animates soon after, acquiring even more strength than before and sometimes a personality with average to high intelligence (although this is incredibly rare). Grundy for a time was able to control plant and wood energy due to the amounts of tree product that had formed inside his decayed body. This proved useful in defeating Alan Scott the Green Lantern several times before eventually losing this ability. In the recent Brightest Day/Blackest Night cross-over event, Grundy was given a Black Lantern ring. Alongside his super strength and invulnerability, he was given access to the ring's dark capabilities. Related Characters The Grundymen of Limbo Town appear similar to Grundy. Given that their origins involve the Cauldron of Rebirth, which was later found in Slaughter Swamp, this could point towards the Cauldron being involved in Grundy's origin. Recently, a non-powered human gang called the Grundies have surfaced in Gotham City. They were first seen robbing an electronics store, only to be stopped by Manhunter . They seem to dress identically to Solomon Grundy, though any true relation between the two are unknown. Alternate Versions Pre-Crisis, Earth-One had its own Solomon Grundy distinct from the more familiar Earth-Two Grundy. This version was created by the Parasite , who used a special crystal to metabolically enhance the growth of cells the Earth-Two Grundy left on Earth-One during a previous crossover. The cells grow into a much more feral Grundy, who attacks Superman. Superman is able to defeat Grundy when he takes him to a planet with lowered gravity that is almost uninhabited. Superman appeases Grundy by giving him his cape, which Grundy wears and pretends to be Superman as he leaps through the air, thanks to the lowered gravity. This version of Grundy menaced Superman several more times. Later, during a team-up between Superman and Swamp Thing, multiple Grundies are spawned. Superman is able to destroy the clones using a special compound devised by STAR Labs to render them inert. Swamp Thing attempted to ask Superman not too, as he felt Grundy met the definition of life, but could not, due to his difficulty speaking. When the Joker warped reality using Mr. Mxyzptlk's powers , Warden Grundy is the warden of Arkham Asylum , in which Superman is kept prisoner. His officer is Officer Day . Earth-One's Grundy appeared on final time, in Gotham City leading a gang. Batman kills the monster by luring it into a blast furnace, and then burning it to death. On the Anti-Matter Earth, there is a heroic version of Grundy named Sir Solomon Grundy. Rather than being reborn in a swamp, Sir Solomon was blasted out of the White Cliffs of Dover. He is a member of the Quizmaster 's Justice Underground until Ultraman renders him inert. In the Reverse Flash altered world of Flashpoint, Solomon Grundy was a member of Lt. Matthew Shrieve 's second Creature Commandos , formed to spring the first Creature Commandos from stasis after being replaced by GI Robot . The new commandos went rogue, killing Shrieve's family. A Brainiac influenced Solomon Grundy from Alex Ross' Justice series, here seen attacking a disguised Superman/Clark Kent In the story Justice, a more violent version of Grundy appears. This version is a tall, gaunt zombie riddled with bullet holes and wears a torn mechanic's outfit, rather than the standard black suit. He appears as a member of the Legion of Doom, being controlled by Brainiac 's mind controlling worms . When the worms are destroyed, Grundy regains control of himself and punches through one of the walls of the city he is in, causing it to flood. This version of Grundy is based on the character The Juggernaut from the film Thirteen Ghosts. Earth 2: Avatar of the Grey As previously mentioned, Grundy appears in post-Flashpoint Earth 2. Here he is an avatar of the Grey -Earth 2's version of the Rot, akin to Alan Scott's Green Lantern version of the Green- and controls forces of decay. Here he wears a seemingly "Hellraiser" influenced leather costume and his appearance is much more similar to a stereotypical, emaciated zombie, rather than a hulking giant. He also displays a much greater intellect than the typical Grundy depiction. Appearances in Other Media Super Friends Grundy appears as a consistent character throughout the "Challenge of the Super Friends" season of Super Friends as a member of the " Legion of Doom ". This version speaks with a distinct Southern accent. The Solomon Grundy seen on the show can be arguably stated as being one of the smarter re-incarnations of the zombie villain, with the ability to calculate and create plans and strategies, although at the habit of repeating his name similarly to Marvel's The Hulk. He is well known for an advert for Cartoon Network that aired in the 90s, wherein he yelled "Solomon Grundy wants pants too!" at Brainiac's request for a decent pair of pants. DCAU In the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Terror Beyond", Grundy is forced to team up with Dr. Fate , Hawkgirl and Aquaman to fight an ancient Thanagarian demon named Ichthultu. Grundy attacks Ichthultu, thinking the demon is in possession of his soul. He is fatally poisoned by it, but Grundy's efforts allow Hawkgirl to kill the demon. Grundy is buried with a tombstone that reads "Solomon Grundy: Born on a Monday." The team in this episode is based on Marvel's Defenders , with Grundy filling in for the Hulk , Aquaman for Namor , Dr. Fate for Dr. Strange and Hawkgirl for both the Valkyrie and Nighthawk . Grundy calls Hawkgirl "Bird-Nose" through out the episode, which was Hulk's nickname for Nighthawk. Grundy was later resurrected in the episode "Wake the Dead", where he is resurrected by a group of kids who accidentally bind him with a demon. In the end, Hawkgirl is forced to kill Grundy to put him out of his misery. The Batman Another version of Grundy appears in the Batman episode "Grundy's Night". In this version, Grundy was created by the working class citizens of Gotham to wreck havoc on the rich landowners who polluted the land. According to legend, Grundy rises from the dead on Halloween night to kill the descendants of the landowners. In the end of the episode, Grundy is revealed to be Clayface , although something is shown rising from the swamp whilst a moan is heard. Batman: Brave and the Bold A different version of Grundy is seen throughout this series as an antagonist of Batman. In the episode "Night of the Huntress!", he is fought by Batman and the Black Canary. In "The Color of Revenge!" he appears robbing a bank in Bludhaven, while he is shown in "Chill of the Night!" bidding on a weapon at an auction held by Joe Chill . This version is still a zombie, but is also a crime lord. His mouth is sewn shut, so he communicates through grunts and growls, though one of his henchmen understands him. He also appears in " Night of the Batmen" where he, Bane , Blockbuster , and Killer Croc try to steal " Lady Liberty" but are beaten by Captain Marvel dressed like Batman. Smallville Solomon Grundy is seen sitting around a circular table with established Smallville villains Roulette and Metallo , with Captain Cold , Black Manta , and Dark Archer are also members. Batman: Arkham City Solomon Grundy appeared in the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City. When Batman confronts The Penguin over a group of kidnapped police officers taken hostage in the Iceberg Lounge in the now cornered off section of Gotham City known as Arkham City. The Penguin drops Batman through an ice sculpture and into a sub basement, where an enraged Grundy awaits. While battling Batman, this Grundy, seemingly through experimentation on him indicated by severe stitching on his body, is able to generate small electric charges as well as use ball and chains as melee weapons. It is shown in tie-in comics that The Penguin had used the chained up Grundy as a way of disposing enemies; effectively feeding the zombie officers and threats as a way of gaining compliance with the others. Solomon Grundy as seen in Batman: Arkham City It is later revealed that Solomon Grundy's human form was thrown into a Lazarus Pool, where, in combination with a freak electrical storm, helped re-animate the monster as well as possibly giving him his powers. The villain Ra's Al Ghul eventually discovers him in a circus side show and takes him away for torture and experiments, in which the monster is killed systematically and re-animated in order to learn about the Lazarus chemical Grundy had absorbed in his initial re-animation. It is unknown if Grundy has truly "died", despite Batman defeating him by punching out his heart. Since his body isn't found on the return to Penguin's Lounge, it is possible he re-animated and escaped, although confirmation of this has not been discovered. DC Universe Online Solomon Grundy appears in DC Universe Online, in Gotham City where he acts as bounty for the hero players. He shows an avid hatred for people, and yet also a certain fondness for Poison Ivy, going so far as saying he "loves Ivy" despite claiming to hate her as well. Injustice: Gods Among Us - Solomon Grundy appears as one of the playable fighters in the game voiced by Fred Tatasciore. Solomon Grundy is seen early on fighting Cyborg on the JL Watchtower alongside Lex Luthor , Catwoman , and Bane . Grundy is defeated off screen and presumably arrested. Once the heroes travel to the alternate Earth another version of Grundy is seen where is is a member of Superman 's Regime. He attacks Green Arrow at Wayne Manor and is defeated by him. When Grundy tries to get back up Hal Jordan fights Grundy outside the Manor and sends him into orbit. In his arcade ending Grundy escapes the chaos of Superman's failing Regime and retreats to his swamp where he gains access to both " The Red " and "The Grey". With this power Grundy remakes the world as he sees fit and ends up ruling a dead planet. Solomon Grundy appears in CW TV show "Arrow" Season 2 Latest Images Thanks, we're checking your submission. Whoah, whoah... slow down there. Thanks! Your changes are live! 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After which famous man (known as 'Oklahoma's favourite son') is Oklahoma City's airport named?	Solomon Grundy (Character) - Comic Vine Solomon Grundy The Solomon Grundy wiki last edited by chrisburgess99 on 08/28/16 12:46PM View full history Current Events Appearing as a new enemy upon Earth 2 , Solomon Grundy is the avatar of the Grey who seeks to kill the avatar of the Green . He spreads rot about the world and attacks the capitol of the United States to gather the avatar's attention, but he was first confronted by Hawkgirl and the Flash . Alec enters into the fight, but then the Atom appears, squashing Grundy. From Tragic Beginnings to a Horrific End...Or So We Think.. As a child, Cyrus Gold lived a life of misery and hopelessness. His father, Gold Sr., had moved to Gotham City before Cyrus was born to gain fame and fortune, changing his last name to "Gold" as a sign of things to come. However, this dream of a powerful future very soon diminished, leaving the Gold family in ruin. The elder Gold was reduced to working on the docks on the city, being forced to work in horrible, unregulated working conditions. To add insult to injury, he was regularly mugged by his boss, who forced him to hand over all the gold he had, leaving the Gold family with nothing but crumbs. Hatred filled his heart, and the elder Gold began to use his family as a way to vent off the hate he felt towards his superiors. He regularly beat his wife, Cyrus' mother, and would abuse his son. The cruelest form of torture he implemented on the young boy was to bury him alive on his birthday; every year the boy would be buried alive in a grave, a way of teaching him that he was less than the dirt that covered him. For years the young Cyrus Gold was maltreated, coming to a head when his mother packed her belongings, kissed him goodbye and abandoned him, caring more about herself than what the monster she married might do to her son. Not long after that, Cyrus sneaked down to the docks to watch his father work. A crate hovered above his father, its weight breaking the chains and rope holding it in place. With a sickening crunch, the crate fell on top of Cyrus Gold's father, killing him instantly. The man who ran the pier merely scoffed at the incident, kicking the broken body of the older Gold into the waters below the pier. Now Cyrus Gold, young and helpless, was all alone. Forced to survive on nothing. It was then that he swore to himself to make his own riches and power. He wouldn't die a pauper like his father did. Growing up, Cyrus was beaten up by many people and treated with as much hate as his father had given him in his youth. One day, bleeding in a slump after an encounter with a gang of savage bullies and thieves in an area known as Dugan's Alley, a girl named Pearl, whom Cyrus was close to, found him and prayed for his safety. But the curmudgeon Gold brushed her aside; he had no time or place for a God, let alone believe in the existence of one. Bleeding, in pain, and near the end of his ropes, a mysterious stranger went up to him and offered Cyrus the deal of a lifetime; he could become rich and powerful....if only he serve him until the day he died. Cyrus Gold shook the stranger's hand, sealing his fate forever just for the mere chance of gaining the riches his father slaved for for so long. Cyrus Gold soon became wealthy and powerful, by ways not very honest. He killed the men who abused him and his family when he was young, stealing their riches and becoming a veritable mobster. In an act of rage and wrath, he tracked down his long-departed mother and stabbed her to death. He then dumped her body in the waters of Slaughter Swamp, where many victims would end up as time went on, culminating with the death of Cyrus Gold himself. During this period, Cyrus wed the girl Pearl (although there are clues that suggested that Gold killed her previous husband to be with her) and the two had a little boy and little girl. Initially a happy family, Cyrus became as brash as his father, staying out late, drinking and being verbally abusive, oftentimes in front of the children. After a while of anger and abuse in the marriage, in a fit of rage, Cyrus Gold drowned Pearl. But Cyrus' sins would come back to haunt him. A mob formed and chased him into the swamps, ready to avenge their broken families with his slaughter. Gold didn't want to die by their hands and subsequently stabbed himself through the heart, sinking into the cursed waters of Slaughter Swamp, the very place where he laid to rest a lifetime of victims and killers. But Cyrus was not yet finished with life. The deal he had made for life long servitude was shattered, and so was the little humanity he had left. The swamp, filled with unknown acids and chemicals, bonded to the preserving corpse of Cyrus Gold, fusing his body through time with wood, stone and anything else that was unlucky enough to fall into the morbid soup. 50 years after his death, something happened.....something....evil.... In the dead of night, a moaning was heard. The waters rippled and parted as a hideously decayed white hand reached out. That night, from the remains of a selfish and evil man, came a hulking behemoth....one who could never remember himself. Stumbling through the marshes on newly reborn legs, the zombified creature found two criminals hiding in his swamp...his home...his mother.... In a inhuman rage, it slowly and methodically killed the trespassers, then squeezed its huge frame in their clothing as best as it could. Snarling, the beast walked to a derelict homeless shelter, where, his curiosity piking, he managed to speak a few words to the vagrants staying there. He was asked about who he was and where he came from. The newly reborn monster didn't remember...in fact, he didn't remember anything from his past human life. But there was one thing he did remember....he was born on a Monday. The vagrants laughed a bit, and told him that his birthday reminded them of a famous poem. The life and death of a certain Solomon Grundy. Solomon Grundy, That was the end of Solomon Grundy. The monster took a fancy to the name and adopted it as his own. No longer was he Cyrus Gold, the mere human. Now he was an unstoppable monster....one with a hunger for death, chaos and occasional mutilated corpse. His name now was....Solomon Grundy. For years since the day he walked out of the rotting waters of Slaughter Swamp, Solomon Grundy has plagued both heroes and villains alike, sometimes in a vendetta. Other times simply because he feels threatened or wants to be left to his own devices. Initially the arch-enemy of the first Green Lantern Alan Scott, Grundy has since been an enemy of all parts of the DC Universe, most famously with the Dynamic Duo (Batman and Robin) and has even traded blows with the Green Arrow. For a while, Grundy was able to overpower the might of Alan Scott, simply due to the heavy amount of wood pulp and fiber that has molded into his body over the decades of being submerged in the waters of Slaughter Swamp. He has also immense super strength that seems to grow with each resurrection and evolution of his character. While often working alone, Grundy has sometimes been bribed or convinced to join gangs of other super-villains who need extra muscle and has several times been recruited to join the Injustice Society. His last group before the New 52 universal reboot was the Black Lanterns, with the Black Lantern Corps having resurrected his husk of a body to be used against forces on Earth. Differing Personalities A side effect of his resurrections is that each time he is reborn, he has a different personality than before. An early Grundy of the modern era lived in the sewers of Gotham and shared a Thanksgiving turkey with Batman during a crime spree. He later befriends a newly disfigured Harvey Dent . Late in the career of the team Infinity Inc ., Grundy befriended Jade , daughter of the original Green Lantern. In the end, he was manipulated by the illusionist Marcie Cooper Harlequin, who tricked Grundy into killing Skyman by pressing an unconscious Mr. Bones' hand against him- Mr. Bones' touch is deadly. When he found out Cooper had deceived him, he beat her severely. After another fight with Alan Scott that left him petrified into wood, Grundy came into conflict with Batman again, killing a descendant of one of the killers of Cyrus Gold. Not too long after this, Jade contacted Jack Knight to help Grundy, who was in the sewers of Opal City . Grundy had been resurrected once again, this time as a lanky, child-like creature. Jack and his father Ted took Grundy, now called Solly, in. Unfortunately, the Solly persona is short lived- when a mad bomber called Dr. Pip beings bombing Opal, Solly sacrifices himself to save Jack from being crushed by a falling building. Jack, alongside Alan Scott, Batman and the Floronic Man dive into Solly's mind to attempt to save him, only to run afoul of an infinite number of differing Grundies and the original Cyrus Gold persona. Solly is lost for good during this. Later, when Ollie Queen was scouring the country for artifacts of his life, he runs afoul of Grundy in the Arrowcave .This version of Grundy was significantly more violent than past incarnations, and is killed when Ollie strangles him with a bowstring. During the Infinite Crisis , Grundy appears twice. When the Secret Society sieges the House of Secrets that the Secret Six was held up up in, Grundy is one of the members besieging. However, when Ragdoll shows him his scarred face, Grundy teams up with Ragdoll, saying Ragdoll is "A monster like me." During the Battle of Metropolis, Grundy is shown fighting the Blood Pack when all are incinerated by Superboy-Prime's heat vision. Grundy was resurrected this time as an intelligent being that was "...sick and tired of dying." He contacted Professor Ivo and hired him to make an Amazo android to house his conscience, made of parts of the Red Tornado and using the Tantu Totem . The Red Tornado didn't take kindly to this, and killed the intelligent Grundy with F5 force winds, tearing him asunder. Grundy was once again resurrected following this. This time, he was captured and sent to the planet Salvation and sided with Joker , where he was killed by Parademons . From Darkest Grave, to Blackest Night Sometime after his previous death, a strange thing began to happen in the swamp that sprouted the monstrous Solomon Grundy. But instead of a monstrous zombie, what came out of the murky waters was a lanky, frightened man. Cyrus Gold lived again. Stumbling, incoherent, Cyrus grabbed a fish and tore it apart, hunger griping him after decades of being trapped inside the hull of a monstrous creature. Opening his eyes, he scanned the horizon and was shocked at how different Gotham City was from when he was alive....but he knew it wasn't different at all. Despite the glamor it now had, it still had a decayed stench to it.....the smell of death and hopelessness. Breaking into a house fringing the great swamp, he callously killed the owner and drank some milk, getting spooked over a ringing telephone and the TV. Still craving sustenance, he stole some clothing and wandered into the streets of Gotham, desperate to keep himself as a human, vowing to stay alive...and to keep the creature inside him from bursting out. In a flash of weakness, his past came hurtling back to him, and Cyrus reacted. A woman, trying to help the homeless at a nearby shelter, tried to reach out to the newly re-animated with kind words. She tried to tell him that through God's words anybody can find help in this world. The vicious Gold snapped at her and attacked, screaming that there is no such thing as God. As he beats her senseless, police arrive and warned him, trying to get him to stop. Frightened by the lights, he attacked an officer, his thoughts a mile a minute. In fear that the light would mean death, and that death would mean being trapped forever in the body of Solomon Grundy. One of the officers shot the raving Cyrus Gold and, bleeding and dazed, he leaped out into oncoming traffic. A truck then hit the desperate man, spreading his re-animated remains all over the street. Cyrus Gold was dead again. His remains wrapped in several body bags, he was listed off as being unknown and unnamed, his mangled remains put aside to be later dealt with. Slowly, minute by minute, the clock ticked away....closing in on midnight. A janitor, preparing for his late shift, came into the autopsy room, readying himself a mug of coffee and liquor, humming a pleasant tune. Too bad it was the last song he'd ever sing. Deep inside the body bags, the dead Cyrus Gold's body began to pale, the torn limbs re-assembling. The bags tore apart....and glowing eyes opened. The janitor turned to see a massive white figure, eyes flaring red and chipped teeth gnashing. Snarling, the beast grabbed the worker and rammed his head through a wall, murmuring to himself..."Solomon Grundy....Born on a Monday..." Solomon Grundy reverting back into Cyrus Gold after his fight with Killer Croc Solomon Grundy was back, and ready for action. For a full week, the monster destroyed everything in his path, demolishing cars, breaking into the Gotham Zoo and even chowing down in the Gotham City cemetery on the bodies of those on the opposite side of life. On the last day, Solomon Grundy was hiding out in the sewers, lying on the cold concrete. A voice called him from the shadows, and, with eyes heavy with supernatural sleep, he turned. Killer Croc, enraged at Grundy's intrusion to his home, tried to kill the zombie, but Grundy quickly overpowered the reptile, punching him through the sewer roof and spilling him out on the lawn of a graveyard. Enraged, Grundy then grabbed Croc's jaws and tore them apart, leaving the attacker gargling and writhing in pain on the rocky ground. The clock hit mid-night, and, in a daze, Grundy reverted back into his human form.....right in front of his own gravestone. The Phantom Stranger, who had been spying on Gold, went to him, telling Cyrus that he had a chance to break his curse forever....if he could find out who was responsible for his death and forgive him. This was because an evil force was headed to Earth, and it would be best if Solomon Grundy wasn't around to take part in it. Initially Gold was angry and suspicious, running from both the Phantom Stranger and original green lantern Alan Scott (during this time he accidentally hurt a young man by bumping him into a gravestone) before being trapped in a pit. Alan Scott was angry at both of them; the Stranger for making him help Gold and for Gold because of his crimes as Solomon Grundy. Bitter about helping his long time enemy, Alan Scott chained up Gold and flew him to the swamp where he was killed in, all the while Cyrus demanding to know when the lantern was going to kill him. The Green Lantern landed in the pool that had spawned Grundy and left his at the water's edge, trying to locate the weapon of his enemy's demise. Scott was engulfed in the evil of the lake and the ring's power failed....leaving Cyrus vulnerable and exposed. As a demonic voice mocked him, several alligators cruising the waters close to Cyrus Gold turned, their sharp teeth bared and glistening. With a sickening crunch, Cyrus was pulled apart and swallowed whole, lunch for the ruling reptiles. Come Monday, the gators where snoozing on the beach, digesting their human meal. Suddenly, the reptiles began to twitch and squirm in extreme pain. A rotten hand shot through the belly of one of the beasts, crawling towards a re-assembling body. The headless body then pulled its head out of the gut of another gator, attaching it back onto its shoulders. Solomon Grundy was alive again, but even he was soon about to feel the force of death. The demon Etrigan, working alongside the mysterious stranger that had first convinced Cyrus Gold to make a contract on his soul, attacked Solomon Grundy, mercilessly slicing him with claws and fire. His reason? To make Cyrus Gold/Solomon Grundy fail in his quest for redemption and serve all eternity in he chains of Hell. In the battle, Grundy managed to beat back the demon by crushing his with a massive log, only to have the incessant voice of Cyrus Gold yell at him to stop, angering the giant even more. Etrigan, laughing, grabbed Grundy by the collar of his torn coat and flew him to the Gotham City bridge....just when there was hundreds of commuters driving past over the choppy waters of Gotham Bay. On the bridge, Etrigan blasted the zombie with hellfire, burning his body severely. The two, grappled in battle and flames, plummeted into the waters, tearing apart the bridge and causing some vehicles to fall. Luckily, Alan Scott, who the Phantom Stranger had managed to help escape the darkness of Slaughter Swamp, flew to the bridge and, using his ring, grabbed the falling passengers and vehicles, saving everybody from the treacherous fall. Meanwhile, under the waves, Etrigan attempted to tear out his enemy's heart...only to find that Grundy didn't really have a heart. Just a mass of vines and tree pulp. The zombie garbled a laugh and punched through the demon, only to be nailed with a direct hit from a blast of hellfire, cooking him thoroughly into a blackened charcoal crisp. Etrigan then attempted to pull Grundy's head off, to take as his trophy. Alan Scott descended into the waters and trapped the demon in his light, allowing the dying Grundy to float off away from danger. Etrigan, furious at loosing his prize, dissipated and retreated for a future fight, leaving the Green Lantern to panic and fret over where his charge was. Unbeknownst to him, Grundy had washed up on shore, slowly reverting back into his human form... Cyrus Gold awoke and and stumbled to a junk yard. There, he attacked the workers with a knife before coming to his senses. Upon closer look....he realized that the knife was the very own that had been plunged into his heart! Feeling the screams and pain of his victims, he ran outside, desperate to get away. And most importantly...stay alive. But fate is a cruel, cruel thing. While running underneath a compactor, the heavy magnet swung and fell, smashing Cyrus into a pulp. As his blood leaked onto the ground, his broken bones began to reset themselves. Nearby, a LexCorp transport truck had stopped for a break. Solomon Grundy grabbed the two technicians from behind and crushed their skulls, before attacking the car's engine in an attempt to shut off the radio. As he turned, the car exploded...and an abruptly awakened Bizarro stumbled out, his red eyes adjusting to the bright light that had evaded him for so long. Bizarro's Way of Making Friends Bizarro was curious about the huge figure towering in front of him. Grabbing Solomon Grundy's arm, he scanned him with his sight, wondering why the zombie was built like a tree. He then remember the trees he drew while in captivity and how he liked their beauty. Smiling as warmly as a desiccated Superman clone can smile, he hugged Grundy. This intrusion of space enraged Grundy and he punched Bizarro into an overpass. Bizarro pulled himself out and flew back into Grundy, pushing him high into the air. The zombie then punched Bizarro's head, making lose his flight balance. The two then fell into an electrical transformer, shocking both until they where cooked through. Bizarro liked Grundy, despite the fight, so he asked him for his name. Grundy, not understanding Bizarro's strange backwards speech, launched himself at him. The both fought in the air until they crashed through a seemingly abandoned Gotham penthouse that was chocked full of various plants and vines. Landing on the tile ground, a flower plot landed on Bizarro's head and he and Grundy started laughing, forgetting quickly their fight. Bizarro then found a hot dog cart and brought it up to the building, where he and Grundy had hot dogs. As the sun began to climb, the zombie started spasming. Teetering, he retracted, reverting back into an unconscious Cyrus Gold. Bizarro, confused as to what happened, flew off in search of his new friend. Meanwhile, vines stretched over Gold, covering him in a thick blanket of leaves. In turned out that the penthouse belonged to Poison Ivy...and she was blistering angry about the intrusion of her home by a lowly human male. Wanting him to suffer, she thought of feeding Gold to her Venus Fly Trap, but he was too scrawny to really fill up her precious "baby". Instead, she kissed him. Her lips had a toxin that forced people she touched to follow her demands. Giving the possessed Cyrus Gold a bomb in a bag, he was ordered to go to a chemical factory and to drop off the bag, destroying the plant and the toxic chemicals they produced. As Cyrus turned to leave, his inner monster didn't like being bossed around. Taking over his mind, Solomon Grundy, still trapped in his human form, attacked Poison Ivy, whom he had always thought was his friend. Attacking her, he was held back by her plants. However, the evil that powered Grundy quickly rotted and killed all the plants. Grabbing Poison Ivy, he then kissed her, infecting her with his evil. His influence was too great and she collapsed in shock. Grundy, still operating Gold, carried Ivy to the stairwell and left her there, saving her from the explosion of the bomb that had been left behind. Meanwhile, while Cyrus Gold ventured into the sewers, Alan Scott heard the news about the explosion. Recharging his ring and kissing his beloved Molly, he left to pick up the trail of the monster. Cyrus Gold lamented about himself in the murky sewer waters, the screams of Grundy reciting his never ending poem driving him nuts. A nearby homeless person, frightened by his seeming insanity, clubbed gold in the back of the head with a bat. Gold grabbed the attacker and drowned them, only to be drowned himself when the room he was in suddenly flooded with water from the streets. Shortly afterwards, Grundy killed a dog and was eating it in the street when a car almost barreled into him. Tearing off the roof of the small car, he almost killed the drivers when he saw the Green Lantern's light following overhead. Snarling in hate, he followed it all the way back to Alan Scott's house. He then proceeded to smash into the house, attacking Scott's wife Molly in his drive to destroy the green light. Molly shoots at Grundy, hitting him in the chest. This only infuriates the zombie more and he bats her away. The green lantern tries to scare away the attacker by engulfing itself and Grundy in its power. But the zombie wasn't easily fooled. Using his immense super strength, Solomon Grundy managed to crush the lantern, exploding the house. Alan Scott, with the little remaining power in his ring, managed to arrive in time to save Molly and place a containment shield around Grundy...only to fall soon after. The power of the ring was gone...and so was the shield holding back the undead monster. Meanwhile, high above the Earth, Professor Ivo wanted payback on Solomon Grundy. He then launched a space orb....one that slowly floated towards Slaughter Swamp as it waited for his enemy to appear. Solomon Grundy managed to escape the wreckage, but he didn't have much time left. His body was mangled, his head split almost in half and one of his eyes bleeding red toxic blood. Moaning, he glimpsed through a fence and saw the swamp, Cyrus' curse...but Grundy's home. The zombie broke through the fence and swam back to the swamp, where he then latched onto the vines and began to heal. However, the sun broke through during his process and, screaming in pain, the injured Grundy reverted back into a bleeding Cyrus Gold. Gold, surprised at being back in the swamp pulled from the depth the knife that killed him, making him remember the pain all over again. Trying to remember who killed him, Gold looked up into a pair of red eyes. The last thing he saw was the cyborg Amazo scorching him and the swamp to ruin with high functioning lasers. Alan Scott, unable to know fully what was occurring, concentrated in collecting back the green light into a new lantern. Grundy erupted from the waves of his home, enraged that something would dare attack him AND his swamp. Amazo sliced Grundy apart, but before he could finish him off, the zombie's arm jumped and tore off Amazo's head, infecting the robot with his dark energy. Amazo rebuilt its head, but mutated into an Amazo-Grundy, which then attacked Solomon Grundy, who was less than thrilled with a robot that he felt was mocking him. Trapping him in his arms, Professor Ivo spoke through Grundy, reminding him of when they worked together to build the (then) hyper-intelligent Solomon Grundy a body to live forever. Grundy tore out of Amazo's arms, only to be hit with an explosive and vaporized. Meanwhile, Bizarro, still saddened at the loss of his friend, was ambushed by SHADE agents, who trapped him under an electrical wire. Alan Scott at the same time succeeded in re-assembling his Green Lantern. And just in time too, because he heard the explosion at Slaughter Swamp. The Amazo-"Grundy" lurked, waiting for his counterpart to re-animate. Suddenly, vines in the swamp grabbed him from below, dragging him to a watery grave.Tracking the fight, SHADE agents then sent teams out; one to catch the guaranteed re-animated Cyrus Gold. The other to arrest Professor Ivo. During this turmoil, the Phantom Stranger looked to divine intervention to assist his quest. Going to Valhalla Cemetery, the graveyard of heroes, he contacted the Spectre for assistance. Meanwhile, Cyrus Gold emerged, desperate to remember the events to his death. AS the swamp moved around him, he tried to run, only to encounter the apparition of Solomon Grundy. A dart hit him and he passed out...into Frankenstein's waiting arms. The SHADE agents placed Gold in a helicopter and attempted to fly him back to headquarters. The madman awoke though and killed the crew in his paranoia, then tried to jump to safety....only to land in the jagged spike of a dead tree. Spearing him, Frankenstein and team could only watch as Solomon Grundy emerged, tearing himself out of the tree and crushing it like twigs in his grip. As Grundy attacked the SHADE agents, Alan Scott prepared to return to the swamp to set things right. Etrigan and his "boss", the mysterious stranger that plagued Gold, saw this and the demon knight vanished to intercept the lantern and drive him away from his goal. Back at the swamp, Grundy attacked the officers against him, pulling them out with a log and attempting to smash a few, only to be shot at by the Bride of Frankenstein. Enraged, Grundy grabbed her, only to be shot through the head by Frankenstein. As the stitched up "cousin" to the swamp monster prepared to finish the job, Bizarro arrived, ready to help his zombie friend. Alan Scott arrived as well and contained the mutated Kryptonian clone, only to be attacked by a re-assembled Grundy. As he tried to break though the Green Lantern's shield, Frankenstein rammed his Sword of Michael through the remnants of his heart, impaling him. The power of the sword ignited the zombie, engulfing him in holy flame. When the light died down, Solomon Grundy tried to stand, whimpering and bleeding, begging for help. Bizarro broke free from Scott and tended to his friend, who gasped his last and disintegrated into dust, leaving behind his friend to mourn. The SHADE agents gathered their dead and wounded and left, while Bizarro floated away in his grief. The Phantom Stranger and Alan Scott remained behind to wait for Cyrus Gold to re-animate. Gold re-animated, but in an alternate plane of existence, hidden from the Stranger and Green Lantern. There, he was smacked around by Solomon Grundy, who viciously tied to make his human half remember the events of his death. All the while implicating Gold. As Gold was remembering, Etrigan arrived to brutally torture the human even more, burning his head off, healing it, tearing his arms apart and attempting to chew his head in his giant mouth....all the while just to pass the time until the last light rose and trapped Solomon Grundy and Cyrus Gold together...forever. Alan Scott managed to break the veil separating him from Cyrus and he blinded Etrigan, trapping him in his green light. Etrigan thought his mission was a success...until the Green Lantern told him that his prey was now free to make his own choice. Cyrus, in his last moments, remembered that it was he himself who killed himself and negated his deal with demons, cursing himself forever. But he didn't forgive himself, and in his stupid stubbornness, was dragged into Hell. Alan Scott was visibly upset, knowing his monstrous enemy was never going to stop, even when trapped in Hell. But unable to do anything, the Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger left the toxic evil Slaughter Swamp. Monday night....a dark light arrived, searching for a vessel. Landing in the waters of the swamp, it found Grundy's body and resurrected it as a slave. The husk of Solomon Grundy was now an unthinking Black Lantern, and he would attack his old friends and enemies in the name of death...before Bizarro, to save himself from Grundy's wrath, was forced to shove him into the sun, vaporizing Grundy and his black lantern ring. Post-Flashpoint: Earth-2 Origins Solomon Grundy was a simple man in 1898 living in the Slaughter Swamp with his child and wife, Pinney. Due to the low harvest, Pinney had to sleep with Boss Henry to try and bring in a profit for her family.However, it became too much and Solomon had to watch as she stabbed herself in the throat. After pulling Pinney's body out of the water, Solomon killed Boss Henry and everybody he worked with. After that, he stabbed himself in the stomach and fell into the swamp which is were he established his connection to the Grey. The Gathering Solomon Grundy's awakening was heralded by the Green choosing Alan Scott as it's champion. Before he fully arose he caused widespread decay across the world even decaying building like the Washington Monument, the White House and the United States Capitol to draw Alan Scott's attention, so he could kill him. Grundy then went on rampage killing hundreds of people while he was looking for Alan. His power reached so far that his effect's were seen Poland while in he was in North America which caused Jay Garrick and Hawkgirl to look for the source of the decay. Alan Scott due to his connection to Earth felt Grundy effect's and was able to home in on his location. Jay Garrick and Hawkgirl finally arrived at Grundy's location, as he was about to be attacked by Jay Garrick, Grundy was able to swat him away causing him to fly into a wall. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl shot Grundy in the head with her cross-bow which destroyed portion of his skull, however, Grundy was able to regenerate the wound right before there eyes. Hawkgirl told Jay Garrick to help people get away from Grundy, she then went to face him shooting him in the head and chest respectively, this however as all attempt before did not faze him and regenerate and catch Hawkgirl.However, before he could do something substantial, Grundy finally felt Alan Scott's presence close to him. Before, Grundy could approach Scott, he was punched with so much force by Scott that his upper body split in half. Thinking he'd defeated Grundy, Alan Scott turned around to talk to Hawkgirl. however, Grundy healed from his injury and attacked Alan Scott. As Grundy was battling Alan Scott, Al Pratt jumped from a plane on Grundy crushing his body instantly. Al Pratt then thinking he'd killed Grundy fought the other hero who'd come to stop Grundy. However, Grundy was not out of the battle and reformed over Al's body with hiss lower body comprised of decayed vines to restrain Al and punched him in the jaw to allow him to cover Al's body with vines. However, before he could kill Al Pratt, he was slammed into by Alan Scott disrupting the connection he had over over Al Pratt. As he was battling Alan Scott, Hawkgirl and Jay found out that Al had shrunk to his normal form to escape death from Grundy. Alan knowing he had no way to defeat Grundy on his own decided to abandon his body and bond with the internal matrix of the Earth wherein the Gray resides, leaving the rest of the Wonders to hold off Grundy until he returned. As Alan Scott was being seduced by The Grey with the promise of returning Sam, his dead lover,Solomon Grundy defeated the rest of the Wonders. Alan Scott however, was able to prevail at the Grey's attempt to stop him and returned to his body.Grundy was then flown into upper orbit by Alan, as he'd figured out a way to stop him. However, due to his connection to Earth and him being in space, Scott's power began to weaken. Before he finally ran out of power, he was able to blast and exile Grundy to the moon where the Grey couldn't be a threat anymore. Powers Solomon Grundy is arguable one of the strongest villains in the DC Universe, if not one of the heaviest hitters regardless of evil or good intentions. He is also incredibly invulnerable, able to take massive amounts of damage with little injury. When injuries do occur, his body rapidly in a matter of seconds heals up the wounds, sometimes enabling himself to re-attach severed limbs right after they are hacked off. He can also continue fighting for days straight, making him incredible resilient in addition to his huge strength. Because he is artificially animated, Solomon Grundy isn't affected by disease and ailments like standard humans. He doesn't need to eat, breath, sleep or drink, although occasionally he has fallen asleep in the sewers and attempted to feed on intruding humans to the swamps he calls home. Most likely this is a side effect of his re-animation that, over time and when near to transforming into Cyrus Gold, his body, in preparation, begins to systematically shut down in preparedness for the transformation, rendering him lethargic. The hunger is similar to movie zombies, but isn't as intense, suggesting that to fuel his body he needs to intake living flesh to sustain his own semblance of life. But unlike Romero zombies, he isn't biased and will eat anything from rodents to even attempting to eat Killer Croc during a territorial squabble. Solomon Grundy, despite being undead, can and has died multitudes of times. However, with each death, he re-animates soon after, acquiring even more strength than before and sometimes a personality with average to high intelligence (although this is incredibly rare). Grundy for a time was able to control plant and wood energy due to the amounts of tree product that had formed inside his decayed body. This proved useful in defeating Alan Scott the Green Lantern several times before eventually losing this ability. In the recent Brightest Day/Blackest Night cross-over event, Grundy was given a Black Lantern ring. Alongside his super strength and invulnerability, he was given access to the ring's dark capabilities. Related Characters The Grundymen of Limbo Town appear similar to Grundy. Given that their origins involve the Cauldron of Rebirth, which was later found in Slaughter Swamp, this could point towards the Cauldron being involved in Grundy's origin. Recently, a non-powered human gang called the Grundies have surfaced in Gotham City. They were first seen robbing an electronics store, only to be stopped by Manhunter . They seem to dress identically to Solomon Grundy, though any true relation between the two are unknown. Alternate Versions Pre-Crisis, Earth-One had its own Solomon Grundy distinct from the more familiar Earth-Two Grundy. This version was created by the Parasite , who used a special crystal to metabolically enhance the growth of cells the Earth-Two Grundy left on Earth-One during a previous crossover. The cells grow into a much more feral Grundy, who attacks Superman. Superman is able to defeat Grundy when he takes him to a planet with lowered gravity that is almost uninhabited. Superman appeases Grundy by giving him his cape, which Grundy wears and pretends to be Superman as he leaps through the air, thanks to the lowered gravity. This version of Grundy menaced Superman several more times. Later, during a team-up between Superman and Swamp Thing, multiple Grundies are spawned. Superman is able to destroy the clones using a special compound devised by STAR Labs to render them inert. Swamp Thing attempted to ask Superman not too, as he felt Grundy met the definition of life, but could not, due to his difficulty speaking. When the Joker warped reality using Mr. Mxyzptlk's powers , Warden Grundy is the warden of Arkham Asylum , in which Superman is kept prisoner. His officer is Officer Day . Earth-One's Grundy appeared on final time, in Gotham City leading a gang. Batman kills the monster by luring it into a blast furnace, and then burning it to death. On the Anti-Matter Earth, there is a heroic version of Grundy named Sir Solomon Grundy. Rather than being reborn in a swamp, Sir Solomon was blasted out of the White Cliffs of Dover. He is a member of the Quizmaster 's Justice Underground until Ultraman renders him inert. In the Reverse Flash altered world of Flashpoint, Solomon Grundy was a member of Lt. Matthew Shrieve 's second Creature Commandos , formed to spring the first Creature Commandos from stasis after being replaced by GI Robot . The new commandos went rogue, killing Shrieve's family. A Brainiac influenced Solomon Grundy from Alex Ross' Justice series, here seen attacking a disguised Superman/Clark Kent In the story Justice, a more violent version of Grundy appears. This version is a tall, gaunt zombie riddled with bullet holes and wears a torn mechanic's outfit, rather than the standard black suit. He appears as a member of the Legion of Doom, being controlled by Brainiac 's mind controlling worms . When the worms are destroyed, Grundy regains control of himself and punches through one of the walls of the city he is in, causing it to flood. This version of Grundy is based on the character The Juggernaut from the film Thirteen Ghosts. Earth 2: Avatar of the Grey As previously mentioned, Grundy appears in post-Flashpoint Earth 2. Here he is an avatar of the Grey -Earth 2's version of the Rot, akin to Alan Scott's Green Lantern version of the Green- and controls forces of decay. Here he wears a seemingly "Hellraiser" influenced leather costume and his appearance is much more similar to a stereotypical, emaciated zombie, rather than a hulking giant. He also displays a much greater intellect than the typical Grundy depiction. Appearances in Other Media Super Friends Grundy appears as a consistent character throughout the "Challenge of the Super Friends" season of Super Friends as a member of the " Legion of Doom ". This version speaks with a distinct Southern accent. The Solomon Grundy seen on the show can be arguably stated as being one of the smarter re-incarnations of the zombie villain, with the ability to calculate and create plans and strategies, although at the habit of repeating his name similarly to Marvel's The Hulk. He is well known for an advert for Cartoon Network that aired in the 90s, wherein he yelled "Solomon Grundy wants pants too!" at Brainiac's request for a decent pair of pants. DCAU In the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Terror Beyond", Grundy is forced to team up with Dr. Fate , Hawkgirl and Aquaman to fight an ancient Thanagarian demon named Ichthultu. Grundy attacks Ichthultu, thinking the demon is in possession of his soul. He is fatally poisoned by it, but Grundy's efforts allow Hawkgirl to kill the demon. Grundy is buried with a tombstone that reads "Solomon Grundy: Born on a Monday." The team in this episode is based on Marvel's Defenders , with Grundy filling in for the Hulk , Aquaman for Namor , Dr. Fate for Dr. Strange and Hawkgirl for both the Valkyrie and Nighthawk . Grundy calls Hawkgirl "Bird-Nose" through out the episode, which was Hulk's nickname for Nighthawk. Grundy was later resurrected in the episode "Wake the Dead", where he is resurrected by a group of kids who accidentally bind him with a demon. In the end, Hawkgirl is forced to kill Grundy to put him out of his misery. The Batman Another version of Grundy appears in the Batman episode "Grundy's Night". In this version, Grundy was created by the working class citizens of Gotham to wreck havoc on the rich landowners who polluted the land. According to legend, Grundy rises from the dead on Halloween night to kill the descendants of the landowners. In the end of the episode, Grundy is revealed to be Clayface , although something is shown rising from the swamp whilst a moan is heard. Batman: Brave and the Bold A different version of Grundy is seen throughout this series as an antagonist of Batman. In the episode "Night of the Huntress!", he is fought by Batman and the Black Canary. In "The Color of Revenge!" he appears robbing a bank in Bludhaven, while he is shown in "Chill of the Night!" bidding on a weapon at an auction held by Joe Chill . This version is still a zombie, but is also a crime lord. His mouth is sewn shut, so he communicates through grunts and growls, though one of his henchmen understands him. He also appears in " Night of the Batmen" where he, Bane , Blockbuster , and Killer Croc try to steal " Lady Liberty" but are beaten by Captain Marvel dressed like Batman. Smallville Solomon Grundy is seen sitting around a circular table with established Smallville villains Roulette and Metallo , with Captain Cold , Black Manta , and Dark Archer are also members. Batman: Arkham City Solomon Grundy appeared in the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City. When Batman confronts The Penguin over a group of kidnapped police officers taken hostage in the Iceberg Lounge in the now cornered off section of Gotham City known as Arkham City. The Penguin drops Batman through an ice sculpture and into a sub basement, where an enraged Grundy awaits. While battling Batman, this Grundy, seemingly through experimentation on him indicated by severe stitching on his body, is able to generate small electric charges as well as use ball and chains as melee weapons. It is shown in tie-in comics that The Penguin had used the chained up Grundy as a way of disposing enemies; effectively feeding the zombie officers and threats as a way of gaining compliance with the others. Solomon Grundy as seen in Batman: Arkham City It is later revealed that Solomon Grundy's human form was thrown into a Lazarus Pool, where, in combination with a freak electrical storm, helped re-animate the monster as well as possibly giving him his powers. The villain Ra's Al Ghul eventually discovers him in a circus side show and takes him away for torture and experiments, in which the monster is killed systematically and re-animated in order to learn about the Lazarus chemical Grundy had absorbed in his initial re-animation. It is unknown if Grundy has truly "died", despite Batman defeating him by punching out his heart. Since his body isn't found on the return to Penguin's Lounge, it is possible he re-animated and escaped, although confirmation of this has not been discovered. DC Universe Online Solomon Grundy appears in DC Universe Online, in Gotham City where he acts as bounty for the hero players. He shows an avid hatred for people, and yet also a certain fondness for Poison Ivy, going so far as saying he "loves Ivy" despite claiming to hate her as well. Injustice: Gods Among Us - Solomon Grundy appears as one of the playable fighters in the game voiced by Fred Tatasciore. Solomon Grundy is seen early on fighting Cyborg on the JL Watchtower alongside Lex Luthor , Catwoman , and Bane . Grundy is defeated off screen and presumably arrested. Once the heroes travel to the alternate Earth another version of Grundy is seen where is is a member of Superman 's Regime. He attacks Green Arrow at Wayne Manor and is defeated by him. When Grundy tries to get back up Hal Jordan fights Grundy outside the Manor and sends him into orbit. In his arcade ending Grundy escapes the chaos of Superman's failing Regime and retreats to his swamp where he gains access to both " The Red " and "The Grey". With this power Grundy remakes the world as he sees fit and ends up ruling a dead planet. Solomon Grundy appears in CW TV show "Arrow" Season 2 Latest Images Thanks, we're checking your submission. Whoah, whoah... slow down there. Thanks! Your changes are live! 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In which country is Puccini's opera 'Turandot' set?	Puccini’s final opera “Turandot” Live in HD from the Met Jan. 30 in a spectacular production \| BERKSHIRE ON STAGE and SCREEN BERKSHIRE ON STAGE and SCREEN From the Berkshires to Broadway and Beyond Menu Larry Murray / January 21, 2016 Marco Berti as Calaf, Alexander Tsymbalyuk as Timur, and Anita Hartig as Liù in Puccini’s Turandot. Photo by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. Marco Berti as Calaf with Ping, Pang and Pong in Puccini’s “Turandot.” Photographed by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. Nina Stemme in the title role of Puccini’s Turandot. Photo by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. A scene from Puccini’s Turandot. Photo by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. A scene from Act I of Puccinis Turandot. Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. Turandot, the grandest of grand operas by Larry Murray For those who love Puccini as I do, his high water mark was Turandot, an opera which demands both spectacular resources for staging and almost impossible vocal dexterity and passion from its singers. Many a great tenor made their reputation singing Calàf in that opera, eminences such as Franco Corelli , Placido Domingo and more recently Joseph Calleja . Their singing electrified audiences even before the popular “Nessun Dorma” in the third act. The goosebumps often began from the moment the Met’s chandeliers rose into the ceiling. If that is a high water mark for contemporary tenors to live up to, then imagine the constant comparisons people make with the Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli versions that has made an indelible imprint on listeners who don’t know Aida from Lucia. One of the great tenors of our time, Marco Berti, takes on the role in this Live in HD telecast, and comparisons are inevitable. The New York critics think he does a solid job. It is arguable that from both a music and spectacle viewpoint, there is no grander opera in the whole repertoire, not even Verdi’s Aida with its grand march can measure up to the sustained tension of the story of a princess who did not want to get married off to some stranger. In any case, you will be able to listen and decide for yourself in the comfort of a local theatre on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 12:55 p.m. EST ( check your times and local theatres here ) when The Met:Live in HD transmits Turandot by Giacomo Puccini to our local screens. In the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the opera can be viewed at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington and the Beacon Cinemas in Pittsfield. The host for this opera is Renée Fleming. The running time will be approximately 3 hours, 30 minutes. Puccini’s final opera is one of the most spectacular productions in the Met repertory, and returns to the Live in HD series on Saturday, January 30 at 12:55pm ET. Swedish dramatic soprano Nina Stemme sings her first Met performances of the demanding title role of Puccini’s Chinese ice princess, with Anita Hartig in her company role debut as the angelic slave girl Liù. Marco Berti sings Calàf, the suitor who risks his head for Turandot’s hand, and Alexander Tsymbalyuk sings Timur. Paolo Carignani conducts Franco Zeffirelli’s visually stunning 1987 production. The Critical Reception “[Nina Stemme] managed to render the grisly ice maiden surprisingly vulnerable… Her powerful, luxuriant voice retained its warmth throughout the evening, with blazing high notes that were never forced or shrill, even when projected over the massed ensembles of orchestra and chorus… The soprano Anita Hartig sang beautifully as the self-sacrificing Liu, her alluring voice plaintive and expressive; the rich-voiced bass-baritone Alexander Tsymbalyuk rendered Timur with dignity. Paolo Carignani conducted a lithe and detailed reading of Puccini’s sumptuous score.” —The New York Times “[Nina Stemme] commands the power, sensitivity, verbal acuity and authority to make the essentially unsympathetic princess of legendary Peking magnetic…[Marco Berti] exudes dignity, rises nicely to mighty climaxes and even manages to sing softly once in a while.” —Financial Times “The Emperor’s palace is one of the most blindingly opulent scenes the Met has to offer… From[Anita Hartig’s] very first moments, it was clear that she had crafted a complete vocal and dramatic character, communicating the urgency of her tormented love through ravishing singing. Hers is a voice of color and body, essentially light-lyric. The supporting cast was excellent, particularly Alexander Tsymbalyuk as the old king Timur. He showed a spacious, rich, mahogany-colored bass-baritone, and conveyed extraordinary pathos in his portrayal.” —New York Classical Review World premiere: Teatro alla Scala, Milan, April 1926. Met and U.S. premiere: November 16, 1926. Puccini’s final opera is an epic fairy tale set in a China of legend, loosely based on a play by 18th-century Italian dramatist Carlo Gozzi. Featuring a most unusual score with an astounding and innovative use of chorus and orchestra, it is still recognizably Puccini, bursting with instantly appealing melody. The unenviable task of completing the opera’s final scene upon Puccini’s sudden death was left to the composer Franco Alfano. Conductor Arturo Toscanini oversaw Alfano’s contribution and led the world premiere. ACT I China, in ancient times. Outside the Imperial Palace a mandarin reads an edict to the crowd: any prince seeking to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles. If he fails, he will die. The most recent suitor, the Prince of Persia, is to be executed at the moon’s rising. Among the onlookers are the slave girl Liù, her aged master, and the young Calàf, who recognizes the old man as his long-lost father, Timur, vanquished King of Tartary. Only Liù has remained faithful to him, and when Calàf asks her why she replies that once, long ago, Calàf smiled at her. The mob cries for blood but greets the rising moon with a sudden fearful silence. When the Prince of Persia is led to his execution, the crowd calls upon the princess to spare him. Turandot appears and wordlessly orders the execution to proceed. Transfixed by the beauty of the unattainable princess, Calàf decides to win her, to the horror of Liù and Timur. Turandot’s three ministers, Ping, Pang, and Pong, also try to discourage him, but Calàf is unmoved. He comforts Liù, then strikes the gong that announces a new suitor. ACT II Inside the palace, Ping, Pang, and Pong lament Turandot’s bloody reign, hoping that love will conquer her and restore peace. Their thoughts wander to their peaceful country homes, but the noise of the crowd gathering to witness the riddle challenge calls them back to reality. Before the assembled court, the old emperor asks Calàf to reconsider, but he will not be dissuaded. Turandot appears. She recounts the story of her beautiful ancestor, Princess Lou-Ling, who was abducted and killed by a conquering prince. In revenge, she has turned against men and determined that none shall ever possess her. She poses her first question to Calàf: What is born each night and dies each dawn? “Hope,” Calàf answers, correctly. Turandot continues: What flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not a flame? “Blood,” Calàf replies after a moment’s thought. Shaken, Turandot delivers the third riddle: What is like ice but burns? Tense silence prevails until Calàf triumphantly cries, “Turandot!” The crowd erupts in joy, and the princess vainly begs her father not to give her to the stranger. Hoping to win her love, Calàf offers Turandot a challenge of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life. ACT III At night in the Imperial Gardens, Calàf hears a proclamation: on pain of death no one in Peking shall sleep until Turandot learns the stranger’s name. Calàf is certain of his victory, but Ping, Pang, and Pong try to bribe him to leave the city. As the fearful mob threatens him to learn his name, soldiers drag in Liù and Timur. Calàf tries to convince the crowd that neither of them knows his secret. When Turandot appears, commanding Timur to speak, Liù replies that she alone knows the stranger’s identity and will never reveal it. She is tortured but remains silent. Impressed by her fortitude, Turandot asks Liù’s secret. It is love, she replies. When the soldiers intensify the torture, Liù tells Turandot that she, too, will know the joys of love. Then she snatches a dagger and kills herself. The crowd forms a funeral procession and the body is taken away. Turandot remains alone to confront Calàf, who impetuously kisses her. Knowing emotion for the first time, Turandot weeps. Calàf, now sure of winning her, reveals his identity. Once again before the emperor’s throne, Turandot declares she knows the stranger’s name: it is Love. Share this:	China
Who was the firstwife of US President Ronald Reagan?	Turandot - San Diego Opera Turandot Libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni Based on the play Turandotte by Carlo Gozzi First performance at La Scala, Milan, Italy on April 25, 1926 Sung in Italian with English Supertitles Time and Place: China in legendary times THE CAST Timur, banished Tartar king, bass Liù, a slave girl, soprano Ai-Lan Zhu (China) Unknown Prince (Calàf), Timur's son, tenor Dario Volonté (Argentina)* Princess Turandot of China, soprano Ping, Grand Chancellor of China, baritone Scott Hendricks(USA)* Pang, Supreme lord of provisions, tenor Beau Palmer (USA) + Pong, Lord of the Imperial Kitchen, tenor Joseph Hu (Taiwan)+ The Prince of Persia, actor tba Director Lotfi Mansouri (Iran) Turandot's ladies, Imperial guards, executioner and henchmen, children, priests, mandarins, dignitaries, eight wise men, servants, soldiers, flag bearers, musicians, ghosts of the dead, crowds * San Diego Opera debut + San Diego Opera Ensemble alumnus Production from San Francisco Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Set Designer: David Hockney, Costumes: Ian Falconer Estimated running time approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes with two intermissions PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Edoardo Müller = ed-WARH-doh MEOOL-ler Giacomo Puccini = JAH-koh-moh pooch-CHEE-nee While these names are usually written without accent marks, the music clearly indicates that, in each case, the accent is on the final syllable. Puccini and Turandot The Beginning In 1920 Puccini was searching for a new topic for an opera. He had seen Oliver Twist in London and was considering both it and a story involving one of the characters in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Adami and Simoni started a libretto for the Dickens piece to be called Fanny. (Dickens’s Nancy would not sound right in Italian). However, Puccini was not pleased with what they produced; he wanted something new, perhaps based on a fairy tale. As Adami tells it, one day, at a lunch with Puccini, Simoni and himself, Gozzi’s plays were mentioned and Puccini suggested Turandot which he had either seen or been told of in Germany in a translation by Karl Vollmoeller with incidental music by Busoni (Busoni’s complete opera was later.) Puccini would also have known Bazzini’s Turanda, and he had a copy of Andrea Maffei’s Italian translation of Schiller’s German version of Gozzi’s play. He gave it to Puccini to read on a train ride to Rome, and it was not until some time later that Gozzi’s original was consulted.. This story is apocryphal. In fact, Simoni had already adapted Gozzi’s play for the stage, and Puccini and Simoni had discussed the idea a year earlier, including the changes they would make when adapting the play as an opera. Puccini said: “To exalt the passion of Turandot, who for so long has suffered in the sashes of her great pride...when all is said, I cling to the feeling that Turandot is the least bizarre and most human of Gozzi’s theatre pieces”. He also told Simoni it would be: “a Turandot through the modern mind, yours, Adami’s, and mine”. Composition Puccini spent the last four years of his life on the composition of Turandot, years of delays and frustrations. His reaction to an early version of the first act libretto was not good. There were too many details of Chinese life; it was more like a scholarly lecture on China. Eventually the first act took shape but there many delays after that. Should there be two or three acts? Should Liù die and, if so, how? How could all of Gozzi’s complications be adapted for the shorter operatic version? Many letters were exchanged discussing these questions and because of long delays in finishing the libretto. Adami and Simoni had separate careers and other responsibilities, and because of his health, Puccini found it more and more difficult to work. At times he despaired and considered giving up the project altogether. Nevertheless, he showed his usual thoroughness in researching the background, especially the Chinese music and instruments. He visited the villa of Baron Fassini-Camossi in Bagni di Lucca where he heard authentic Chinese instruments and got detailed descriptions so they could be duplicated as props. The orchestra is the largest Puccini ever used and Toscanini was a frequent consultant on the orchestration. At a meeting of the two near the end, Toscanini was very disturbed by Puccini’s appearance. The Ending The final duet had been a problem from the beginning. What should it be like after the death of Liù? Puccini wrote that “[it should be] the key — but it should have something about it of the grand, the bold, the unexpected, and not leave things where they began”. It had to represent the triumph of love over everything. “These two beings, who stand...outside the world, are transformed into humans through love, and this love must take possession of everybody on the stage in an orchestral peroration”. He also directed that Calàf should kiss Turandot “with a passion which would melt her”. Although it is frequently stated that the end of the opera was unfinished at Puccini’s death, he had finished detailed sketches. The text of the love duet was done with some notes on the music and with six pages of vocal score. Only the orchestration was unfinished when he left for Brussels. He took the score with him but had a premonition and said, “My opera will be given incomplete, and then someone will come on the stage and say to the public: ’At this point, the composer died!&lrquo;. Toscanini was given the responsibility for overseeing the finishing of the work. He wanted the composer Zandonai to finish the orchestration but Puccini’s son insisted on someone less famous. The task went to Franco Alfano. He had Puccini’s sketches and vocal score to work from but was not able to see Puccini’s orchestration for the rest of the opera. He spent six months on the task only to have his work severely criticized by Toscanini. A bitter Alfano said he might as well resign as director of the Turin conservatory and take composition lessons from Toscanini, but he shaved his original 377 measures down to 268. (After the initial production he cut an additional 100 measures.) Première Turandot finally opened on April 25, 1926, seventeen months after the composer’s death. Rehearsals had been stormy and the singers were all different from those Puccini had wanted. Giovacchino Forzano, who stage the première was the Franco Zeffirelli of his time, used to directing operatic and cinematic extravaganzas. The detailed production book still exists so we know many details about it. Mussolini was invited by La Scala to attend the première, and he accepted on the condition that the Fascist hymn Giovinezza be played at the beginning. Toscanini was a staunch anti-Fascist and gave La Scala an ultimatum. He would quit if the hymn was played! It was not played, and Il Duce did not attend! Music overcame politics! One of the papers told its readers the dictator did not attend because he did not want to distract attention from the music of Puccini! After the death of Liù and the exit of her cortège, Toscanini laid down his baton saying, “Qui finische l’opera, perchè a questo punto il Maestro è morto.” (The opera ends here because at this point the Maestro died). That night the opera did end there, the orchestra and singers having been warned beforehand. Puccini’s prophecy was fulfilled. On subsequent nights Alfano’s ending was given, as it had been during the dress rehearsal. After the initial run, Toscanini never conducted Turandot again. Critics reacted positively but they were confused because they had not heard the ending and thought it was a tragedy. Later Productions The Rome première occurred four days later, and the first performance outside of Italy was in Buenos Aires on June 25, 1926. Turandot reached Germany in September, Austria in October and the Metropolitan Opera in November where the reception was cool. It was not given there again until 1950. In 1982 two scenes and a finale by Alfano were discovered in the publisher’s archives. Although it had been published in a vocal score and it was sometimes used in early recordings, the original was not again played in its entirety until 1982. When staged by the New York City Opera in 1983 and later by other companies, it was well received. In recent years there have been many elaborate productions including the 1998 one at the Forbidden City in Beijing. Recently a new ending was created by Luciano Berio. He was the founder of the Juilliard Ensemble, had studied at the Milan Conservatory, and wrote many vocal works including operas, the first of which was named “Opera”. Puccini’s estate has sanctioned this ending. It is 307 bars long, and Turandot’s transformation is more gradual and therefore more believable. It ends softly rather than triumphantly, because Berio felt the latter betrays death of Liù. This ending was tried in concert in the Canary Islands and in performances by Los Angeles Opera, the Salzburg Festival, and in Amsterdam. Berio died on May 27, 2003. Turandot has been called , “the end of the Great Tradition” of Italian opera, that is of nineteenth century Italian opera. It is a “number opera” with big arias and ensembles, more fabulous than verismo and typical of the “grand opera” genre. Yet Puccini was correct when he said it would be a, “Turandot through the modern mind”. While the subject was from a fable, Puccini did give it many realistic touches. In many ways, it truly is a twentieth century opera. Ancient China The Dynasties \| Early Legend and History \| "Ancient" China \| Epilogue INTRODUCTION Present-day China covers a vast area and is protected on the south by the jungles of Indo-China, on the east by the ocean, and on the west by the mountains of Tibet. Only on the north was ancient China vulnerable to invaders, such as the Mongols, or to visitors and traders who, like Marco Polo followed the Silk Road from Europe. However, until the eighteenth century, to most Europeans it was an unknown and enigmatic country,. The setting of the opera Turandot are given simply as "Ancient China", but that covers an enormous time-span. Traces of humans dating back almost 600,000 BC have been found, possible ancestors of the 400,000-year-old "Peking Man". Some scholars think that man originated separately in China, others that he migrated there from an ultimate source in Africa. Remains of Old Stone Age (Paleolithic) humans, dating from 50,000-35,000 BC, have been found which would have been contemporary with the Cro-Magnon of Europe. THE DYNASTIES Those in red are described in more detail below. Each of these can be accessed directly by clicking on its name. Many are also referred to in other articles which have links to the pertinent information here. Just as Peking is now Beijing, the transliteration of most of the names has changed. Variations are indicated in parentheses. The list is somewhat simplified; China was not always unified and some of the dynasties overlapped. Dates are approximate. People's Republic 1949- EARLY LEGEND AND HISTORY The civilization we know as Chinese began on the Northern Great Plain in the valley of the Yellow River. Like all peoples, the Chinese have their own creation story. In the beginning was an egg, from which hatched a man named Pangu (P'an Ku). The half of the shell above him became the sky, the one below, the earth. For 18,000 years he grew until the two were as far apart as they are today. Then he collapsed and broke into pieces which became mountains, rivers, etc. His two eyes became the sun and the moon. The lice on his body became men who lived as wild beasts. This happened about 2,229,000 BC. He was followed by three (or twelve) emperors, each of whom also lived 18,000 years; the Celestial Emperors of Heaven, of Earth, and of Mankind. Then came sixteen sovereigns of whom nothing is known but their names. They were followed by the Five Emperors, the first who were human: Huang Di (Ti), Chuan Hsiu, H'u, Yao and Shun. (Other than Huang Di the names vary in different accounts.) They introduced many things of benefit to mankind: agriculture, law, rules of morality and proper religious rituals, music, medicine, weights and measures, silk, etc. The most revered of all, was Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, regarded as the founder of Chinese civilization. All subsequent kings and princes claimed descent from him. XIA The last of the Five Emperors was followed by Yü, the founder of the legendary Xia (Hsia) Dynasty He built ravines through mountains so the rivers could run to the sea. During his reign, rice wine was discovered, and when he prohibited its use, the Chinese made it the national beverage. While the man and his exploits are legends, archaeology has found urban sites from the period which had bronze implements. SHANG The Xia Dynasty is said to have ended when a degenerate descendant of Yü amused himself by forcing 3,000 Chinese to jump to their death in a lake of wine. He was followed by another descendant of Huang Di who founded the Shang (Yin) Dynasty (ca. 1520-1030 BC). For many years this was also thought to be legendary, but in the 1920s, a discovery was made of inscribed bones, which not only verified the existence of the Shang Dynasty but also gave archaeologists information about it. The characters on the bones were the ancestors of modern Chinese script and form the missing link between the early representational characters and the modern abstractions. They also wrote on tortoise shells. At that time, only the nobility had family names so only they could trace their ancestors. Without ancestors, a family could not have a shrine to worship them. In their cosmology, the Shang capital was the center of the universe. They called their land "Chung-kuo The Middle Kingdom". There was a well-developed social system with king, nobles, commoners, slaves and an army with horse-drawn chariots. Their jade and bronze work was of a very high level. Apparently the Shang culture employed human sacrifice, not only to accompany a king in death but in the foundation of a new building where they could serve as its spirit guardians. One structure had several hundred people, with war-chariots and weapons, buried in front of it. As with the Aztecs, most of those sacrificed may have been prisoners of war, with expeditions sent to capture people from more primitive peoples for this purpose. "ANCIENT CHINA" ZHOU About 1000 BC, the Shang were overthrown by a revolt, aided by the neighboring Zhou (Ch'ou) under the leadership of Wu. Their capital, Chi, was the first one associated with the site of the present-day Beijing. The Zhou leaders called themselves "Sons of Heaven" a title used by all subsequent Chinese rulers. (In prehistoric times the idea arose that all power in sky was conferred on one superman and his successors, giving them the right to rule all men. These were the 'sons of heaven'. In Turandot the Prince addresses the emperor as Figlio del cielo or Son of Heaven). The Zhou Dynasty lasted until 221 BC, about 800 years. The exact date of its establishment is disputed, for the Chinese had no absolute chronological reference such as dates BC and AD. Events were dated from the start of each reign, and started again with each new ruler. It was during the Zhou Dynasty that Chinese philosophy, based on Confucius and others, was born. At one time there were over 1,700 small principalities, very like the Greek city-states. The small units were particularly vulnerable to attacks from the North and they built walls to protect themselves. Under the Zhou, many of these were amalgamated, and the central government assumed more and more control. However, the kingdom later fell apart and the years from 480-221 BC are known as the "Warring States" period. During this period the theories of yin-yang and the theory of the five elements developed. QIN The first real unification of the empire occurred under the Qin (Ch'in). These people learned the art of fighting on horseback from the nomads of the north, and from the third century BC on, they fought and defeated the Zhou in a series of battles. The Qin Dynasty gave the country its name and its "First Emperor", Qin Shih Huangdi. This is the first time that the title "emperor" (di or ti) was used. The emperor ordered the building of a wall of "ten thousand li" by connecting earlier walls. (2.8 li = 1 mile). This was the first version of what is now the Great Wall, although it really only stretches about 1,500 miles or about 4350 li. Shih Huangdi went about reorganizing China, replacing the feudal societies with a centralized government. The most powerful families were forced to move to his capital, where they were encouraged to build exact replicas of their other palaces. All weapons were collected and melted down. Standardized systems of weights and measures and of writing were introduced. (The emperor introduced a standard width for the axles of all carts. It has been claimed that this was so all would fit the existing ruts in the road, but this is not likely. If all followed the same ruts, these would soon be so deep the axles would touch the ground.) All peasants were made to work on public projects for a month at a time, and the records which had to be kept to enforce this requirement led to the proletariat finally gaining surnames. On the negative side, Shih Huangdi is notorious for burning the books of all the Confucian scholars. (Exceptions were made for those on medicine, agriculture and divination.) Those who did not destroy their own books were subject to branding and forced labor, often on the Great Wall. (Because thousands and thousands died, crushed beneath the stones, the wall has been called "the longest cemetery in the world".) Many books escaped confiscation, some because scholars memorized the complete works of Confucian teachers and passed them on orally, but some scholars were rounded up and sentenced to death or exile. In his last years, the emperor feared attacks on his life. He constructed a vast complex of palaces joined by covered passageways, so no one would know where he was, and he tried to find an elixir which would give him eternal life. When he heard of three fairy islands where, because its inhabitants had discovered such an elixir old age and death were unknown, he sent an expedition bearing precious gifts to find these islands. The leader of the expedition returned empty handed. He had found the islands, but the inhabitants didn't want costly gifts, they requested young men and women. The ships sailed again with 3,000 of China's finest young people and was never heard from again. Legend says it was they who colonized Japan. Like the Egyptian pharaohs, Shih Huangdi started to build his tomb the moment he became king and some 700,000 conscripts worked for 36 years to complete it. It was said that several hundred maidens were buried alive to keep him company, and the workmen who brought the coffin into his tomb were also buried alive to prevent them from revealing its location within the tomb complex. After his death, the empire crumbled, and the dynasty lasted only fourteen more years. His tomb did not stay hidden for long. A century after his death, the Han Dynasty historian Sima-Quan (Ssu-ma-Chi'en) described its desecration in 206 BC and wrote descriptions of the burial complex. They had dug through three subterranean streams and poured molten copper for the outer coffin, and the tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions, and offices, as well as fine vessels, precious stones, and rarities. Artisans were ordered to fix up crossbows so that any thief breaking in would be shot. The Yellow River and the Yangtze were reproduced in quicksilver and by some mechanical means made to flow into a miniature ocean. The location of the tomb has long been known as a mound called Mount Li on the outskirts of the city of Xian. In 1974 a remarkable discovery was made. Workers in the fields to the east of the mound found interesting artifacts, and when archaeologists dug they found an army! An army of over 8,000 clay soldiers and horses as well as the cemetery for the laborers who had built the tomb. So far there has been no report of the several hundred maidens. The soldiers were arrayed, four abreast, in battalion order, and over 1,000 have been restored and can be seen by visitors. Each is about six feet tall and has a different face. It is thought they were copied from live models. HAN The Han Dynasty which lasted from 207 BC to AD 265, with a short intermission was one of the most productive in the history of China. The Chinese are so proud of it they still call themselves "Han people". The ban on philosophical and historical writings was lifted and men of talent were called upon to restore the lost works and to serve in the government. The Chinese Empire was governed by officials selected on merit, an unusual practice at any time. Their capital, Ch'ang-an, has been called the first great city in Chinese history. The Imperial Library had over 11,000 books on classics, philosophy, poetry, mathematics, and medicine. Note: Starting with the Han, the reigning emperor was always referred to by a term meaning Emperor. When he attained the crown, his personal name became taboo. When he died he was given a posthumous name and it is by that he is known today. This name ended in ti (di), like Wu-ti. Since Ti means Emperor, it is redundant to refer to the Emperor Wu-ti. From the T'ang on, with the exception of the Mongols, the suffix used is tsu or tsung. China was often subject to invasions by the Hsiung-nu (probably the Huns). THey waged and won repeated wars against them, thus expanding the Empire to include parts of what are now Korea, Manchuria, Turkestan and Indo-China. The Great Wall was extended to the west. One of the most important men of the Han period was not an emperor but a historian, Sima-Qian, the author of the "Historical Records". Taking him ten years to complete, it is his account of the history of the known world. It includes not only the history of the dynasties, but treatises on topics such as the calendar and economics, and biographies of influential people. His granddaughter wrote a work on the education of women, "Lessons for Women", which emphasized the virtues of women and the proper restriction of their activities. After he died, the Records were continued until 1911. It was during the Han period that the lunar calendar was developed which lasted until 1912. Paper and porcelain also date from this time. With the expansion to the west, caravans could now travel in relative safety from the Middle East to China. This route became known as the Silk Road. Stations along this Silk Road, were fortified, and trade with the West intensified. Oases on the western end were cultivated by people who were not Chinese but related to the Iranians (Persians). (The original Turandot story was from Persia, not China!) The Silk Road started in Antioch and ended at Ch'ang-an. By the first century AD, Chinese silk could be bought in the markets of Rome. Arabian horses were imported from the Near East and their stock soon proved superior to that of the Mongols. For more on the Silk Road and the cities along it see: http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/index.shtml . There was also a sea route by which an emissary of the Roman Emperor reached China in AD 166 AD, and it was during the Han Dynasty that the Chinese first made contact with India. Men were appointed to oversee markets, and prices were fixed. Official bankers lent money at a rate of interest of three per cent per month. Income was taxed. Like our returns to the IRS, everyone had to turn in a report on his earning and pay the required tax of about ten percent. Like Egypt, China has its "Valley of the Kings", north of Xian and near the ruins of Ch'ang-an. In it are buried 12 Han rulers. Only the one of Jing Di, the fifth emperor, has been excavated. He was also buried with an army to protect him, but it was less impressive than that of Shih Huang, There are fewer men and they are only two feet tall. Toward the end of the Han period, there were destructive power struggles between the eunuchs, who had gained considerable importance, and the court officials. Floods alternated with droughts, and peasant rebellions led to the rise of generals who massacred over 2,000 eunuchs and destroyed the capital. The Great Wall could not keep out hordes of "Tatars", or Mongols, who conquered large areas of the north. Soon the Empire was divided into The Three Kingdoms. T'ANG After four hundred years of disunion and weak ruler after weak ruler, a new Dynasty, the T'ang, emerged in AD 618 and formed a government in which the emperor was supreme and officials were once more chosen on the basis of merit. A census, needed to implement a system in which people were drafted to do labor, was taken every three years. Society was organized into a strict hierarchy. At the top of the social scale were nobles; the othere were divided into nine ranks each of which was supported by the taxes of those below it. The highest received the taxes of 10,000 families, the lowest of only 300. The first T'ang emperor started the Grand Canal to join the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. Now barges from the south could bring rice to the north, which had previously existed on wheat and millet. The T'ang capital of Ch'ang-an became one of the largest cities of the world. It covered 30 square miles in a grid layout typical of the Chinese. It had two main markets and several parks. A broad avenue, the Street of Heaven, led from the main gate in the south to the Imperial City. This avenue was almost five times as wide as New York's Fifth Avenue. Each of the blocks created by the grid was surrounded by a wall forming a ward. Even the highest officials were expected to dismount at a gateway into a ward. The Emperor's home, the Great Luminous Palace, was set among the hill on the northeast. There was an Imperial College for the training of civil servants, and there were over 10,000 scholars attached to it, all of whom were exempt from taxes. Tourists from India and Europe came to admire it. Buddhist monks came from India to teach, and Chinese Buddhists travelled to India to study their religion at its source. LIAO The T'ang Dynasty lasted almost three hundred years, but the unfairly burdened common people rose in rebellion after rebellion. By the tenth century China was again divided, with five dynasties in the north and ten kingdoms in the south. The Peking region came under the control of a Mongol people called the Khitan. They set themselves up as a dynasty with the name Liao and called one of their five capitals Yenching, still the literary name for Beijing. Jurchen chieftains from outside united to overthrow the Liao and set up the Jin (Chin) Dynasty. Yenching became their capital SUNG The kingdoms coalesced once more into the Northern (960-1126) and Southern Sung (1126-1279) Dynasties. When the Northern Empire was overrun by people from Manchuria, one son of the emperor escaped and set up the Southern Dynasty. It was during this period that women lost status and, treated as playthings, had their feet bound to make them smaller. This cruel practice was not banned until the twentieth century. YÜAN (References in Gozzi's Turandot make this the most likely time in which it is set.) Giving themselves up to art and luxurious living, the Sung became easy prey to the powerful Mongols of the northern steppes, led by the formidable Genghis Khan. His grandson, Kublai Khan, moved the Mongol capital to the site of Peking and declared himself emperor of the new Yüan Dynasty. The Mongols replaced the Chinese nobles in the government with their own men and with foreigners such as Marco Polo. After Kublai Khan died, he was succeeded by his grandson Timur, whom Marco Polo described as "a valiant man full of kindness, wise, and prudent". (The name Timur is Middle Eastern.) With Timur's death, the Mongol Empire broke apart. The name of the deposed emperor in Turandot is Timur. One of the most famous of all Timurs was Timur-i-leng or Tamerlane. EPILOGUE MING AND MANCHU Once more the unhappy Chinese revolted. Under the leadership of Chu Yüan-chang, a peasant army reconquered China from the Mongols. In 1368 Peking fell, Chu Yüan-chang became the first Ming emperor, and China went back to being Chinese. The government was modelled on that of the T'ang, the Forbidden City took its present form, and the Great Wall was strengthened. The Mings were despots, keeping all the power in their own hands. The mandarins had little influence and became cautious and conforming. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, contact with the West had increased. Jesuit missionaries arrived who served the emperors as map makers, calendar reformers and astronomers. Contacts were peaceful and in 200 years the Jesuits attracted 300,000 converts to Christianity. On June 3, 1644 Ch'ing, or Manchu, forces entered Peking and the final Chinese Dynasty began its almost 300 year reign. This dynasty lasted until the 1911 revolution when the last emperor, the boy P'u-yi, was deposed . Although he continued to occupy the Forbidden City for thirteen years, the era of Chinese Dynasties had come to an end. The movie, The Last Emperor, tells his story. Note: There are many excellent sites on the web on which more can be found about any of the above history. Libretto & Source Introduction \| Gozzi’s Play \| Other Versions of the Story \| Turandot with Music \| Other Adaptations Introduction The play which was the source for Puccini’s Turandot, Schiller’s adaptation of Carlo Gozzi’s Turandot or Turandotte, has an even older genealogy (although there are several versions of the actual origin). According to some, it was based on a story by the Persian poet Nizemi, who had traced its origins back to very old Iranian or Arabian legends. It is NOT (as is often reported) from the collection we know as The Arabian Nights or the Thousand and One Nights. It may come from a Persian source called The Persian Tales or The Thousand and one Days, which was well-known in France. How did a Persian fable come to be set in China? Very early, a people who called themselves Irani (Aryans) came from Babylonia and Assyria and settled in what is now Iran. Others called them Persians because early kings had their capital at Persis. When in the seventh century AD, they were conquered by Moslems, they changed their religion but not their culture. The new rulers took Baghdad (then in Persian territory) as their capital. The Turks conquered Persia in the eleventh century, but in the thirteenth century, it fell once more to Genghis Khan’s Mongols. Then, near the end of the fourteenth century, it fell to Tamerlane. In Puccini’s Turandot, the victim in Act I is the Prince of Persia. Gozzi’s Play Act I At the gates of Peking which are decorated with the sculls of failed suitors The Prince, Calàf, and his aged parents have escaped from the conquered kingdom of Astrakan. (Astrakan is at the mouth of the Volga River.) Living as beggars, they have crossed high snow-covered mountains and burning deserts on foot. For a while the Prince worked as a gardener for Cheicobad, king of the Caranzani, where he was noticed and helped by the Princess Adelma. Cheicobad started a war with Altoum, the Grand Khan, and was defeated; Adelma was thought to be dead. Another King took pity on the Prince’s family and arranged for the parents to be cared for in the poor house, leaving Calàf free to come to Peking, some 4,000 miles from his home. There he wished to join army of the Chinese Khan. At the gates of Peking he is recognized by his former tutor, Barach, who is living under an alias (Assan) and claiming to be from Persia. A dead march signals the beheading of the Prince of Samarkand. When Barach tells the Calàf of Turandot, the Prince remembers that the son of Cheicobad came to Peking and disappeared, probably another of Turandot’s victims. He is horrified by the stories he hears and castigates Turandot. Then he sees her portrait, falls in love with her, and becomes determined to answer the riddles himself. Act II Great Hall of royal council chamber Truffaldino, master of the eunuchs, and Brighella, master of the pages discuss several topics while they rearrange the hall for the next test. There is a procession of guards; eight sages; Pantelone, the Emperor’s secretary; Tartaglia, the Chief Chancellor; and finally the Emperor Altoum. Pantelone says that where they come from (Venice) they don’t have such laws, nor are there men who fall in love with portraits and girls who hate marriage; they would laugh at such things. Calàf appears, saying he is a prince but refusing to give his name. All try to dissuade him from trying the riddles. A group of female slaves includes Adelma who was actually captured during her father’s war, and Zelima the stepdaughter of Barach. Adelma recognizes the Prince as her former gardener. Turandot admits that this prince stirs her to pity. As he answers the questions, Zelima prays God to help him. Adelma also prays but for a different reason; she wants him for herself. Turandot advises the Prince to leave, but he insists on trying to answer the riddles and succeeds. Although the answers vary in different translations and adaptations, one set includes the sun, the year and the lion of St. Mark (symbol of Venice). Turandot wants to asks three more riddles but Altoum insists she stick to her vow. The Prince offers to die if she can find out his name by dawn. Note The rest of play is very complicated and cost Puccini, Adami and Simoni considerable trouble in transforming it into an opera… Act III A seraglio or harem Adelma laments her fate as a captive slave. Turandot describes her scorn for all men and their fickleness where women are concerned. Adelma proposes they trick the Prince into revealing his name, hoping to win him for herself. While the Prince and Barach are talking, guards come to fetch the Prince who just then is recognized by an old man in tattered clothing. It is his father Timur, who cries out Calàf’s name and tells him his mother is dead. Act IV The prison Turandot tells Barach, his wife and Timur they can save their lives by revealing the Prince’s name. Barach refuses; but Timur agrees to be tortured and give the names on the condition that Barach and his wife are spared. Adelma has her own plan to corrupt the Prince’s guards. Turandot is torn: she would like to learn his name but is tormented by thoughts of his death. The Emperor tells Turandot he has learned the names of the Prince and his father, but she will never discover them; she should give up and marry "the worthiest man alive". She refuses. Calàf is visited in turn by Schirina, Zulima, and Adelma each trying unsuccessfully to learn the names. Finally Adelma tricks him into calling them out, but when she offers to save him if he will leave China with her, he refuses. Act V Second riddle scene Turandot arrives and speaks the names of Calàf and Timur. Calàf tries to kill himself but Turandot stops him, saying he must live for her sake. When Adelma tries to kill herself if she can not have the Prince, Calàf stops her. Turandot realizes he loves her and announces her own love for him. Altoum announces Calàf will succeed him. He has received news that the usurper in Astrakhan has been overthrown, and Timur can return to his kingdom. Adelma is also allowed to go home. A happy Turandot announces that her previous hatred for the male sex has disappeared and asks pardon for her previous actions. Notes 1. Keikobad and Barak are named in Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow) indicating its source might also have been Persia. The name Keikobad belonged to several historical rulers of Persia and also to a thirteenth century Seljuk Turkish king. Barak was the name of one of the Tatar rulers. In Gozzi’s play we learn more of Turandot’s character. She scorns men for their faithlessness in moving from woman to woman with little regard to social status. An early exponent of women’s liberation she, like the mythical Amazons, sees men as useful only for the fathering of children. She wants the freedom men enjoy and is proud of her intellect. However, at the end, she addresses the audience and tells them she was wrong about men--she really loves them. Until near the end, Puccini’s Turandot is only interested in revenging an ancient ancestress and in protecting her own purity. Other Versions of the Story There are many other versions of the same story. There is a tale called Wisdom under the Severed Heads in which there are as many riddles as can be asked between morning and evening. The Prince answers them all and asks the Princess his own riddle — not his name — which she fails to answer. They live happily ever after. There is a Turandot story in which Calàf is the son of Tamerlane. In that one the answers to the riddles are the sun, the sea and the year. Giuseppe Giacosa, one of Puccini’s librettists for earlier operas wrote Il trionfo d’amore, in which the story is moved to the Val d’Aosta in Italy during medieval times. Not all versions involve riddles. Marco Polo tells of a king of Samarkand who had a daughter who was able to defeat any man in the kingdom in battle. She swore never to take a husband until she found one who could defeat her. Her father gave her permission to marry anyone who bested her, but if a man tried and failed, he had to give her 100 horses. While no one dies, she has received 10,000 horses. Turandot with Music About 1800, all spoken plays in German had incidental music. At least five different composers, including Weber, wrote incidental music for a serious drama based on Gozzi’s Turandot by the German poet Schiller, and at least seven operas predated Puccini’s. Puccini’s source was Andrea Maffei’s Italian translation of Schiller’s play adapted from Gozzi. Gazzoletti-Bazzini: Turanda. 1867, La Scala Only a few fragments of this were published and, although he was probably aware of the opera, it is doubtful that Puccini knew it. The setting is on the Tigris in Persia before AD 650 at the time of the last Sassinad kings. There is a seraglio and no masks. The characters include Turanda the daughter of the king of Persia and Adelma her confidant. Calàf becomes Nadir, an Indian prince. Timur is dropped. Acts I and II are basically the same as in Gozzi. Turanda tries to learn the secret name by magic but the spirits refuse to give it to her. Adelma puts a sleeping potion in Nadir’s drink. While Turanda and Adelma observe him, he mentions his name in his sleep. In Act IV Turanda confesses her feelings for Nadir. Later she tells him she knows his name and orders him away. When he tries to stab himself, Turanda confesses her love and asks her father to bless their marriage. *Bazzini taught Puccini at the Milan conservatory. Busoni’s Turandot Busoni’s Turandot (1917) started as an orchestral suite. In 1913 he got the idea to turn it into an opera. He wrote his own libretto, following Gozzi rather than Schiller, and retained Truffaldino, Pantalone and Tartaglia. His Act I is a compression of Gozzi’s first act. Truffaldino directs the arrangements for the coming test. The Emperor Altoum is a major character. Adelma recognizes the Prince immediately and knows his name so all the complications are avoided. ACT II starts with a chorus set to Greensleeves! Turandot examines her feelings, and her Father urges her to yield, "he is too good for you". Adelma tells Turandot the name of the Prince in return for her freedom. When Turandot announces Calàf’s name, he starts to leave but Turandot asks him to stay; he has awakened her heart. The final ensemble asks, Was ist das alle Menschen bindet? (What is it that binds all mankind?) The answer is Love. It was the practice, especially when Goethe directed Schilller’s play, to keep changing the riddles. Some of the answers are: Puccini	i don't know
Which Cricket county's 'Twenty/20' team are known asthe 'Gladiators'?	Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, County Cricket Club of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, County, Cricket, Players in Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Achievements of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Statistics, cricketscorelive.com Gloucestershire County Cricket Club History The Gloucestershire County Cricket Club was established in 1871. The team's home ground is the County Cricket Ground, Bristol. The Gloucestershire one day squad is known as the Gloucestershire Gladiators. Performance Though Gloucestershire have never won the County Championships, they have finished runners up in 1930, 1931, 1947, 1959, 1969, and 1986. They have, however been more successful in the shorter version of the game, winning the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1977, 1999 and 2000. They were also victorious in the 2000 National League. Players While looking at the greats who represented the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club over the years, one has to sit back and take notice of the sheer line up of masters that played for this county. The man who leads it is WG Grace, the grand legend of cricket. Grace is one of the most successful cricketers of all times and it is in Gloucestershire that he first played cricket. Apart from WG Grace, Gloucestershire also had some other internationally renowned cricketers play for the county. Some of them are: Gilbert Jessop	Gloucestershire
Which wedding anniversary is symbolised by tin?	Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, County Cricket Club of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, County, Cricket, Players in Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Achievements of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Statistics, cricketscorelive.com Gloucestershire County Cricket Club History The Gloucestershire County Cricket Club was established in 1871. The team's home ground is the County Cricket Ground, Bristol. The Gloucestershire one day squad is known as the Gloucestershire Gladiators. Performance Though Gloucestershire have never won the County Championships, they have finished runners up in 1930, 1931, 1947, 1959, 1969, and 1986. They have, however been more successful in the shorter version of the game, winning the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1977, 1999 and 2000. They were also victorious in the 2000 National League. Players While looking at the greats who represented the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club over the years, one has to sit back and take notice of the sheer line up of masters that played for this county. The man who leads it is WG Grace, the grand legend of cricket. Grace is one of the most successful cricketers of all times and it is in Gloucestershire that he first played cricket. Apart from WG Grace, Gloucestershire also had some other internationally renowned cricketers play for the county. Some of them are: Gilbert Jessop	i don't know
Which Dublin born writer won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925?	George Bernard Shaw - Biographical George Bernard Shaw The Nobel Prize in Literature 1925 George Bernard Shaw Share this: George Bernard Shaw - Biographical George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was born in Dublin, the son of a civil servant. His education was irregular, due to his dislike of any organized training. After working in an estate agent's office for a while he moved to London as a young man (1876), where he established himself as a leading music and theatre critic in the eighties and nineties and became a prominent member of the Fabian Society, for which he composed many pamphlets. He began his literary career as a novelist; as a fervent advocate of the new theatre of Ibsen (The Quintessence of Ibsenism, 1891) he decided to write plays in order to illustrate his criticism of the English stage. His earliest dramas were called appropriately Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant (1898). Among these, Widower's Houses and Mrs. Warren's Profession savagely attack social hypocrisy, while in plays such as Arms and the Man and The Man of Destiny the criticism is less fierce. Shaw's radical rationalism, his utter disregard of conventions, his keen dialectic interest and verbal wit often turn the stage into a forum of ideas, and nowhere more openly than in the famous discourses on the Life Force, «Don Juan in Hell», the third act of the dramatization of woman's love chase of man, Man and Superman (1903). In the plays of his later period discussion sometimes drowns the drama, in Back to Methuselah (1921), although in the same period he worked on his masterpiece Saint Joan (1923), in which he rewrites the well-known story of the French maiden and extends it from the Middle Ages to the present. Other important plays by Shaw are Caesar and Cleopatra (1901), a historical play filled with allusions to modern times, and Androcles and the Lion (1912), in which he exercised a kind of retrospective history and from modern movements drew deductions for the Christian era. In Major Barbara (1905), one of Shaw's most successful «discussion» plays, the audience's attention is held by the power of the witty argumentation that man can achieve aesthetic salvation only through political activity, not as an individual. The Doctor's Dilemma (1906), facetiously classified as a tragedy by Shaw, is really a comedy the humour of which is directed at the medical profession. Candida (1898), with social attitudes toward sex relations as objects of his satire, and Pygmalion (1912), a witty study of phonetics as well as a clever treatment of middle-class morality and class distinction, proved some of Shaw's greatest successes on the stage. It is a combination of the dramatic, the comic, and the social corrective that gives Shaw's comedies their special flavour. Shaw's complete works appeared in thirty-six volumes between 1930 and 1950, the year of his death. From Nobel Lectures , Literature 1901-1967, Editor Horst Frenz, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1969 This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel . It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures . To cite this document, always state the source as shown above. George Bernard Shaw died on November 2, 1950.	George Bernard Shaw
What form did Zeus take when he seduced Gannymede?	George Bernard Shaw biography \| birthday, trivia \| Irish Critic \| Who2 George Bernard Shaw Biography Writer George Bernard Shaw was a superstar playwright and tart-tongued literary personality of the early 20th century. Among his most famous plays are Arms and the Man (1894), Major Barbara (1905), Pygmalion (1914) and Saint Joan (1923). George Bernard Shaw first gained fame as a music critic under the pen name ‘Corno di Bassetto,’ but by then had already begun writing essays, political pamphlets, books and (eventually) plays. Today he may be best known for the hit stage play Pygmalion, thanks to its adaption 50 years later into the Broadway musical My Fair Lady. (Shaw also won an Oscar in 1938 for his screenplay for a non-musical movie version of Pygmalion.) For all these successes, George Bernard Shaw may be even better remembered for his famously large ego and sometimes prickly personality: He was a vegetarian and teetotaler, a radical socialist and social reformer, and a noted caustic wit who remained active until his death at age 94. Extra credit George Bernard Shaw won the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature. He remains the only person to win both an Oscar and a Nobel Prize. (American politician Al Gore won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and also starred in the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, but was not himself awarded an Oscar for the film)… Shaw’s ascerbic style is sometimes described with the adjective Shavian.	i don't know
What is the common name for the fruit Fragaria vesca?	Fragaria vesca - Plant Finder Plant Finder Tried and Trouble-free Recommended by 1 Professionals Species Native to Missouri Native Range: Temperate northern Hemisphere Zone: 5 to 9 Height: 0.25 to 0.75 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet Bloom Time: May to August Bloom Description: White with yellow center Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize Flower: Showy Garden locations Culture Best grown in humusy, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers full sun. Plant will spread by runners and may self-seed if fruit is not harvested. Noteworthy Characteristics Fragaria vesca, commonly called woodland strawberry, is a small-fruited, everbearing wild strawberry that is native to Europe and Asia. Varieties of the species are found in North America both naturally and as introduced. This is a compact, stemless, 4-8” tall plant that spreads indefinitely by runners that root as they go. Numerous, small, 5-petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear throughout summer. Tri-foliate, coarsely-toothed, green leaves. Flowers are followed by edible, bright red strawberries (1/2” long) that may be harvested throughout summer. Flowers and fruit are usually simultaneously present on plants in summer. Although Steyermark finds F. vesca var. americana to be present in Missouri, the common wild strawberry of Missouri is a similar species, F. virginiana var. illinoensis. Genus name comes from the Latin word fraga meaning strawberry presumably from fragrans meaning fragrant in reference to the perfume of the fruit. Specific epithet means edible. Problems Strawberries are susceptible to a number of fungal diseases including anthracnose, leaf spots, rots, wilts, powdery mildew and blights. Insect visitors include spider mites and aphids. Leaf scorch may occur in hot summer climates. This species has good resistance to the aforementioned diseases and insects. Garden Uses Woodland strawberry is generally grown for its ornamental features because the fruits are so small. Native plant gardens. Edger or groundcover. Rock gardens. Open woodland areas. Also may be grown in containers or pots.	Wild Strawberries
Which astronomer is credited with discovering that the Universe is expanding?	Fragaria vesca 'Alexandra' - Plant Finder Plant Finder Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet Bloom Time: April to October Bloom Description: White with yellow center Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Garden locations Culture Best grown in humusy, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers full sun. Plant will spread by runners and may self-seed if fruit is not harvested. Noteworthy Characteristics Fragaria vesca, commonly called woodland strawberry, is a small-fruited, everbearing wild strawberry that is native to Europe and Asia. Varieties of the species are found in North America both naturally and as introduced. This is a compact, stemless, 4-8” tall plant that spreads indefinitely by runners that root as they go. Numerous, small, 5-petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear throughout summer. Tri-foliate, coarsely-toothed, green leaves. Flowers are followed by edible, bright red strawberries (1/2” long) that may be harvested throughout summer. Flowers and fruit are usually simultaneously present on plants in summer. Although Steyermark finds F. vesca var. americana to be present in Missouri, the common wild strawberry of Missouri is a similar species, F. virginiana var. illinoensis. Genus name comes from the Latin word fraga meaning strawberry presumably from fragrans meaning fragrant in reference to the perfume of the fruit. Specific epithet means edible. ‘Alexandra’ is a small-fruited, woodland strawberry cultivar that is grown both for its ornamental value and its tasty berries. It features compact, 6-10” tall runnerless plants which make good edgers. Dense foliage mounds discourage many weeds. Numerous, small, 5-petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear throughout summer. Typical tri-foliate strawberry foliage. Flowers are followed by small bright red strawberries (1/2” long) which may also be harvested throughout summer. Berries are slightly larger than most other alpine/woodland types. Flowers and fruit are usually simultaneously present on plants in summer. Problems Strawberries are susceptible to a number of fungal diseases including anthracnose, leaf spots, rots, wilts, powdery mildew and blights. Insect visitors include spider mites and aphids. Leaf scorch may occur in hot summer climates. This species has good resistance to the aforementioned diseases and insects. Garden Uses Woodland strawberry is generally grown for its ornamental features because the fruits are so small. Native plant gardens. Edger or groundcover. Rock gardens. Open woodland areas. Also may be grown in containers or pots.	i don't know
Which London Underground line has a terminus at West Ruislip?	1906 - Elephant & Castle station opens 1915 - The line is extended from Baker Street to Queen's Park 1939 - The Bakerloo line takes over the Stanmore branch of the Metropolitan line 1979 - The Jubilee line opens and, after 40 years, the Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo line closes 1982 - The four peak period trains between Queen's Park and Watford Junction are withdrawn 1989 - Services between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone restart Central Line The Central Line, originally called the Central London Railway, opened on 30 July 1900 as a cross-London route from Bank to Shepherd's Bush. Popular from the start, part of its success stemmed from the cost: a flat fare of two old pence to travel. This inspired the press to call it the 'Tuppenny Tube.' In 1908, London hosted the Franco-British exhibition, the largest fair of its kind, which attracted 8 million visitors. At the time, the exhibition site was little more than a cluster of white buildings with no official name but when the Central line extended to the site, it officially became known as White City. In the 1990s, the Central line was upgraded to automatic operation, making it the second Underground line, after the Victoria line in the 1960s, to use this technology. Key Central line dates 1900 - Central London Railway opens 1908 - The line extends west to Wood Lane to support the White City Exhibition 1912 - The line extends east from Bank to Liverpool Street 1920 - The line extends west to Ealing Broadway 1945 - After the war, new tracks next to to the main line railway start to be used. They run from North Acton to West Ruislip and include new tunnels from Liverpool Street to Leyton 1994 - The Epping to Ongar shuttle service closes, due to low passenger numbers Circle line Although the first circular service started in 1884, the Circle line as we know it didn't really begin until the 1930s. The 'Circle line' name first appeared on a poster in 1936 but took another 13 years for it to get its own, separate line on the Tube map. The tracks used by the Circle line were run by the Metropolitan Railway and District Railway, two companies who couldn't agree on how to run the line. Their differences initially meant that District Railway ran the clockwise trains and Metropolitan Railway, the anti-clockwise trains. In December 2009, the Circle line was broken and replaced by an end-to-end service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road, via Aldgate. Key Circle line dates 1884 - The first circular service begins 1868 - The Paddington to Farringdon (Metropolitan Railway) line extends to South Kensington. The District Railway opens its new line from South Kensington to Westminster at the same time 1884 - The District Railway line finally extends to Mark Lane (now Tower Hill). It meets the Metropolitan Railway line to create a full circle 1905 - The line is electrified 1933 - Metropolitan Railway and District Railway become part of the London Passenger Transport Board 1936 - The 'Circle line' name appears on a poster for the first time 1949 - The Circle line gets its own line on the Tube map 2009 - The Circle line is broken and replaced by and end-to-end service District line The District line first opened on Christmas Eve 1868, between South Kensington and Westminster. In the years following, it extended both east and west, even going as far as Windsor. In 1883, the line was extended from Ealing Broadway to Windsor and has run services as far as Southend, during its time. Uxbridge and Hounslow were part of the District line until they were transferred to the Piccadilly line in 1933 and 1964. Key District line dates 1868 - The first section of what is now the District line begins. It runs between South Kensington and Westminster 1869 - New tracks open between Gloucester Road and West Brompton 1874 - The line extends to Hammersmith, Richmond in 1877 and Ealing Broadway in 1879 1885 - The two-year old Ealing to Windsor service ends 1884 - The line extends to Mark Lane (now Tower Hill) 1910 - The line extends to Uxbridge, following an earlier extension to Hounslow (in 1884) Hammersmith & City line Intended as a feeder to the Metropolitan line, with the extension running through fields on the fringes of suburbia to Hammersmith, The Hammersmith and City Railway opened on 13 June 1864. It wasn't until 1988, however, that it gained independence to become the Hammersmith & City line in its own right. Jointly run by the Great Western Railway (GWR) and Metropolitan Railway (MR), when it opened, the only stations on the two-mile long track were Notting Hill (now Ladbroke Grove) and Shepherd's Bush. Since the Circle line began running trains on the 'loop' in 2009, the Hammersmith & City line no longer has any unique stations. Every one of its 29 stations is shared with another tube line. Key Hammersmith & City line dates 1863 - The Metropolitan Railway opens between Farringdon and Paddington 1864 - Together with Great Western Railways, Metropolitan Railway extends the line to Hammersmith 1864 - Services to Addison Road (now Kensington Olympia), via the curve at Latimer Road, begin. Following bomb damage in 1940, this service is suspended and doesn't restart after the war 1869 - A new London and South Western line opens between north of Addison Road and Richmond, via Ravenscourt Park. The new Hammersmith station (at Grove Road) means the old terminus is re-sited 1884 - The line extends east to Whitechapel 1906 - The line is electrified 1936 - Trains are extended over the former District Railway line to Barking 1988 - The line becomes the Hammersmith & City line in its own right Jubilee line Although a number of Jubilee line stations are among the Underground's newest, the line also serves some stations that originally opened over 100 years ago. Inaugurated on 1 May 1979, the Jubilee line linked new tunnels across central London (stretching for 4 kilometres between Baker Street and Charing Cross with the former Bakerloo line branch north of Baker Street to Stanmore). The northern end of the line had previously been part of the Metropolitan Railway, before transferring to the Bakerloo line in 1939 when a new section of twin tube tunnels between Baker Street and Finchley Road (including stations at St John's Wood and Swiss Cottage) also opened. From 1979 Charing Cross was the line's southern terminus for two decades, but further extension to the Jubilee line was recommended in the East London Rail Study in 1989 with Royal Assent to the Bill obtained in March 1992. Work started on the £3.5bn project to extend the Jubilee line in 1993. The Prime Minister at the time, John Major drove the first pile of the extension at a start-of-work ceremony at Canary Wharf on 8 December 1993. The extension from Green Park to Stratford was opened in three phases during 1999. The extended Jubilee line was finally joined to the existing line on 20 November 1999, although Westminster was the last station on the line to be opened on 22 December 1999. Since its opening, the Jubilee line extension has facilitated and contributed to the significant growth of London's Docklands as a centre for business, residential and leisure activity. Metropolitan line Opened in 1863, The Metropolitan Railway between Paddington and Farringdon was the first, urban, underground railway in the world. An extension from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage in 1868, however, put an end to this claim to fame. With the growth of suburban areas in the north west of London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex (dubbed 'Metroland'), in the 20th century, Metropolitan Railway spotted a marketing opportunity: by promoting dream homes in the countryside, they could also highlight their own fast, rail services to get people there. As the owners of surplus land, Metropolitan Railway were in a position to branch out into real estate, and by 1919 they were developing housing under the name of Metropolitan Railway Country Estates Limited. Metroland was immortalised in the 1973 BBC TV documentary, narrated by the then Poet Laureate, Sir John Betjeman. Key Metropolitan line dates 1863 - The line opens between Paddington and Farringdon 1868 - The line extends from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage 1892 - Line extensions reaches Aylesbury 1904 - The Uxbridge branch opens 1905 - The first electric trains appear and are gradually introduced across the whole line, apart from the line beyond Rickmansworth 1925 - The Watford branch opens 1932 - Another branch, to Stanmore opens, but this becomes part of the Bakerloo line in 1939 1961 - The steam trains operating north of Rickmansworth stop as the line is electrified to Amersham and Chesham. Services beyond Amersham are taken over by British Rail (now Chiltern Railways) 2012 - A new fleet of electric trains are introduced, the first on the Underground to feature air conditioning and full-length, walk-through interiors Northern line The Northern line, opened in 1937, was created out of two separate railways: the City and South London Railway, and the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway. It expanded a little but WWII slowed the expansions down. Scheduled plans to extend to Mill Hill, Brockley Hill, Elstree and Bushey Heath (known as the Northern Heights plan), suffered post-war restrictions and never recovered. These plans were finally dismissed in 1954. Key Northern line dates 1890 - City & South London Railway opens - it runs from King William Street (near Bank) to Stockwell 1907 - Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (Hampstead Railway, as it's called) opens. It runs from the Strand (Charing Cross) to Golders Green, with a branch from Camden Town to Highgate 1921 - Hampstead Railway extends to Edgware 1922 - City and South London Railway links to the Hampstead Railway at Camden Town 1926 - City and South London/Hampstead Railway extends south to Morden and Kennington 1933 - City and South London/Hampstead Railway become the Northern line 1939 - 1941 The new Northern line extends between Archway and East Finchley, High Barnet and Mill Hill East 1975 - The tunnelled link between Finsbury Park and Moorgate, via Essex Road, is transferred to British Rail (now First Capital Connect) Piccadilly line The Piccadilly line opened as the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway on 15 December 1906 and it ran between Finsbury Park and Hammersmith. The line remained much the same until the 1930s when it expanded rapidly, incorporating stations which are now regarded as classic examples of period architecture. Arnos Grove, Southgate and Sudbury Town, for example, are listed buildings. The development of Heathrow Airport has also been a reason for expansion, with Heathrow Terminals 1-5 opening between 1977 and 2008. When Terminal 5 opened in 2008, it became the first stretch of new Underground railway in London since the Jubilee line extension in 1999. Key Piccadilly line dates 1906 - The line opens between Finsbury Park and Hammersmith 1907 - A branch line from Holborn to Aldwych opens 1932 to 1933 - The line extends to South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Hounslow West, Uxbridge and Cockfosters 1977 - Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 open 1986 - The Heathrow service becomes a loop with the opening of Terminal 4 1994 - The Aldwych branch of the Piccadilly line closes down because of too few passengers and high costs 2008 - Heathrow Terminal 5 opens Victoria line Built at the end of the 1960s, the main aim of the Victoria line was to connect four, main line terminals: Euston, St. Pancras, King's Cross and Victoria, although its origins go back to 1943. Future hopes for the Victoria line were included in a document called the County of London Plan, but war and post-war constraints mean that the plans continued to be put on hold. Parliamentary Powers to build the line were obtained in 1955 but difficulties with funding meant that actual construction work didn't start until 1962. The Victoria line opened in stages between 1968 and 1971, and reached areas of north and south London that had never had an Underground station before. The line was the first automatic passenger railway in the world, fully equipped with an Automatic Train Operation system (ATO). Such technology meant that at the touch of a button, the train doors would close and drive automatically to the next station, guided by coded impulses transmitted through the track. The original 1968 line received a complete upgrade in 2012. Waterloo & City line In 1898, the Waterloo & City line (or 'Drain' as it was known), became London's second, deep-level Tube railway. Initially, it was promoted by the London and South Western Railway company, whose trains terminated at Waterloo. The new line's selling point was that it could offer commuters a direct rail link to and from the City of London. Wooden-built trains ran on the line until 1940 but were replaced by specially-designed, Tube-sized cars based on the technology of the Southern Railway's trains, but these too were eventually replaced in 1994. In the post-war years, the Waterloo & City line became part of British Railways but it transferred to London Underground in 1994, when it became (at that time), the Underground's 12th line.	Central
Which economic doctrine, popular in the 1980's, was propounded by Milton Friedman?	09. Return from Woodford to West Ruislip - Central Line 09. Return from Woodford to West Ruislip - Central Line Product Code [LTR09] Central Line A return cab ride journey aboard “1992” Stock on The Central Line from Woodford to West Ruislip travelling via Chigwell, Notting Hill Gate & Greenford. Calling at the following locations. Roding Valley, Chigwell, Grange Hill, Hainault, Fairlop, Barkingside, Newbury Park, Gants Hill, Redbridge, Wanstead, Leytonstone, Leyton, Stratford, Mile End, Bethnal Green, Liverpool Street, Bank, St.Pauls, Chancery Lane, Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate, Queensway, Notting Hill Gate, Holland Park, Shepherds Bush, White City, East Acton, North Acton, Hangar Lane, Perivale, Greenford, Northolt, South Ruislip & Ruislip Gardens terminating at West Ruislip. Then the return journey. Note: Beneath the streets of London some tunnel distances have been shortened but all the underground stations are featured. Running Time: 114 minutes (1hr 51mins) Related Products Write an online review and share your thoughts with other shoppers! Reviewer: Dan from UK This is a drivers eye view of the London Underground Central line in its glory years of an enhanced service. Beginning at Woodford we are privy to seeing a train enter service from the reversing siding, before beginning our journey to and from West Ruislip. It is interesting to note that these cab rides are clearly filmed on more than one different train, this is made obvious by the trains differing destination announcements. Both routes are pretty much the same, except that on the return to Woodford you get to see the train enter the reversing siding, in between Notting Hill Gate and Shepherd's Bush we get to see a train ahead due to line congestion, some of the driving is in coded manual, and most annoying of all is this rather loud air conditioning that gets switched on after leaving Leytonstone Westbound. I understand a driver has a right to switch the air con on, but as a viewer this sound does get annoying. Thankfully this is only on the westbound route. One of the things that makes this dvd unique is that due to it being filmed around 2002ish, the 1992 stock trains travel at their full 100kph speed due to the unrestricted atp at the time. Since 2003 this has been restricted to 85 and to this day lul have never restored it. As this was also filmed before 2003 the trains communications equipment was still using the pleasant dulcet tones of the original train's announcer Janet Mayo. Sadly this dvd is one of the few pieces of media available to feature this. At this time the central line's west end stations are still in their unrefurbished classic look, remember the wrapping paper, and snakes and ladders? With the likes of Wood lane station still also in situ as there was no Westfields. The tunnel sections have been largely cut due to Paul thinking it wouldn't sell very well with large sections of dark tunnel. However I disagree, I think you can actually see the tunnel to an extent thanks to the trains headlights. It is however interesting to see the train passing through closed stations due to a fire department strike. This dvd doesn't really have any extra features, and I think you should only order this if you are interested in the London Underground, or if you wish to see the Central line with it's classic looking west end stations full speed running, and the original digital announcements. Because of the picture quality I give this a 4 out of 5, however it is a good drivers eye view, and I have even used it as reference material for a personal project. Mini Cart	i don't know
Which pop star called one of her children 'Chudney'?	Diana Ross wows in white dress at daughter Chudney's wedding in Hawaii \| Daily Mail Online comments She certainly made for a very sexy mother of the bride. On Sunday, Diana Ross, 71, looked flawless as she attended the wedding of her youngest daughter Chudney in Hawaii. Chudney - Diana's second daughter from her first married to music exec Robert Silberstein - tied the knot with her longterm partner Joshua Faulkner at the family ceremony in Maui, and looked stunning in a traditional white gown. Scroll down for video Love Supreme! Diana Ross, 71, shows off cleavage in white gown at her youngest daughter Chudney's wedding to Josua Faulkner in Hawaii on Sunday However, all eyes were on Diana, who also wore white, in a stunning low-cut dress that showed off her cleavage. Chudney and Joshua welcomed their first child, daughter Callaway Lane together back in September 2012, who is now two-years-old and acted as their flower girl on the big day. The pair got engaged in January earlier this year. Mother of the bride: Diana looked extremely proud as she stood beside her newly married daughter Stunning bride: Chudney is Diana's second daughter from her first married to music exec Robert Silberstein A beautiful bride: Chudney looked gorgeous in her detailed dress as she prepared to walk down the aisle with her flower girl - daughter Callaway Lane A family affair: The diva held hands with son Evan (who is married to Ashlee Simpson) as they made their way to the reception We're all here: Tracee Ellis Ross chatted with mother Diana as they awaited the bride and groom's arrival Sources told NY Daily News that the wedding event was a four-day affair with activies during the day and night. They revealed: 'It's one of those weddings where there's activities day and night and meals planned for every single meal. Very luxurious.' 'It'll be a full-on food, drink and music celebration. Everything's going to be taken care of for the guests.' Maid of honour?: While Traccee wore an elegant bronze gown, several bridesmaids were seen in pale pink The perfect day: The sun was shining down on the happy couple as they exchanged vows Fairytale gown: Chudney went for a classic look in a strapless gown with lots of tulle, and wedges underneath Getting set up: The bride and her mother spoke to the photographer about getting set up for the pictures Congratulations: Diana shared a hug with a friend after the ceremony According to the report, there was also a rehearsal dinner and a party on a yacht hosted by Diana. Chudney Ross is said to own a bookstore in Santa Monica called Books and Cookies. Siblings Tracee Ellis Ross, Rhonda Ross and Ross Naess were also in attendance. However, it was unclear if Evan Ross' new wife Ashlee Simpson attended the big day, but Evan was pictured in a family photo. Hostess with the mostest: Diana happily mingled with guests during the celebration You may now kiss the bride: Chudney and new husband Joshua puckered up for the photographer Where's Ashlee?: While Evan's heavily pregnant wife appeared to be missing, he shared a hug with sister Rhonda Party time: It looked like the guests were having a wonderful time celebrating the couple's union Heading down the aisle: Chudney had a veil on top of her half up, half down hair and carried a bouquet of pink flowers Getting the wedding album started: The family were on-hand for photos after the couple posed together	Diana Ross
Which film was nominated for 13 'Oscars' in 2009, but won only three?	Diana Ross wows in white dress at daughter Chudney's wedding in Hawaii \| Daily Mail Online comments She certainly made for a very sexy mother of the bride. On Sunday, Diana Ross, 71, looked flawless as she attended the wedding of her youngest daughter Chudney in Hawaii. Chudney - Diana's second daughter from her first married to music exec Robert Silberstein - tied the knot with her longterm partner Joshua Faulkner at the family ceremony in Maui, and looked stunning in a traditional white gown. Scroll down for video Love Supreme! Diana Ross, 71, shows off cleavage in white gown at her youngest daughter Chudney's wedding to Josua Faulkner in Hawaii on Sunday However, all eyes were on Diana, who also wore white, in a stunning low-cut dress that showed off her cleavage. Chudney and Joshua welcomed their first child, daughter Callaway Lane together back in September 2012, who is now two-years-old and acted as their flower girl on the big day. The pair got engaged in January earlier this year. Mother of the bride: Diana looked extremely proud as she stood beside her newly married daughter Stunning bride: Chudney is Diana's second daughter from her first married to music exec Robert Silberstein A beautiful bride: Chudney looked gorgeous in her detailed dress as she prepared to walk down the aisle with her flower girl - daughter Callaway Lane A family affair: The diva held hands with son Evan (who is married to Ashlee Simpson) as they made their way to the reception We're all here: Tracee Ellis Ross chatted with mother Diana as they awaited the bride and groom's arrival Sources told NY Daily News that the wedding event was a four-day affair with activies during the day and night. They revealed: 'It's one of those weddings where there's activities day and night and meals planned for every single meal. Very luxurious.' 'It'll be a full-on food, drink and music celebration. Everything's going to be taken care of for the guests.' Maid of honour?: While Traccee wore an elegant bronze gown, several bridesmaids were seen in pale pink The perfect day: The sun was shining down on the happy couple as they exchanged vows Fairytale gown: Chudney went for a classic look in a strapless gown with lots of tulle, and wedges underneath Getting set up: The bride and her mother spoke to the photographer about getting set up for the pictures Congratulations: Diana shared a hug with a friend after the ceremony According to the report, there was also a rehearsal dinner and a party on a yacht hosted by Diana. Chudney Ross is said to own a bookstore in Santa Monica called Books and Cookies. Siblings Tracee Ellis Ross, Rhonda Ross and Ross Naess were also in attendance. However, it was unclear if Evan Ross' new wife Ashlee Simpson attended the big day, but Evan was pictured in a family photo. Hostess with the mostest: Diana happily mingled with guests during the celebration You may now kiss the bride: Chudney and new husband Joshua puckered up for the photographer Where's Ashlee?: While Evan's heavily pregnant wife appeared to be missing, he shared a hug with sister Rhonda Party time: It looked like the guests were having a wonderful time celebrating the couple's union Heading down the aisle: Chudney had a veil on top of her half up, half down hair and carried a bouquet of pink flowers Getting the wedding album started: The family were on-hand for photos after the couple posed together	i don't know
Which London Underground line has a terminus at Bermondsey Station?	Jubilee to 307 Stratford Approaching Bermondsey Due Jubilee to 137 Stratford Between Southwark and London Bridge 3 mins Jubilee to 301 North Greenwich Left Westminster 6 mins Jubilee to 357 Stratford Between Green Park and Westminster 8 mins Jubilee to 323 Stratford Between Bond Street and Green Park 9 mins Jubilee to 367 West Ham At Bond Street Platform 4 11 mins Jubilee to 313 Stratford Approaching St. John's Wood 18 mins Jubilee to 321 Stratford At Swiss Cottage Platform 2 19 mins Jubilee to 134 North Greenwich Approaching Finchley Road 21 mins Jubilee to 131 Stratford Approaching West Hampstead 23 mins Jubilee to 340 Stratford At Kilburn Platform 2 24 mins Jubilee to 345 Stratford At Willesden Green Platform 3 27 mins	The Jubilee
How many American states were there at the beginning of the nineteenth century?	London Underground Jubilee Line London Bridge To Bermondsey 2014 - YouTube London Underground Jubilee Line London Bridge To Bermondsey 2014 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. Published on Nov 16, 2014 Stations:	i don't know
Which is the largest species of the turtle family?	Types of Turtles: Lots of Pictures and Clear Info Loggerhead Sea turtle Land Tortoise Many people seem to be confused with the apt usages of the terms “turtle” and” tortoise “. To put it in a simple manner, the term “turtle” applies to the members of the reptilian family that reside in Oceans and fresh water, while they call those thriving on land as “tortoises.” However, the main reason for the confusion is due to language interpretations. In British English, the term 'turtle' refers to those reptiles residing mainly in the sea, and 'tortoise' refers to the ones inhabiting in the land, while in American English, 'turtle' is a general term coined for all the species belonging to this family; and the species thriving in the sea are more specifically mentioned as 'sea turtles'. Classification of Turtles Two suborders Turtles are the reptiles coming from the Testudines order, which you can further divide into fourteen families, altogether about 97 genera of the species reptiles. The fourteen families can be further subdivided into two suborders: Testudines order Podocnemididae Cryptodira (consisting 11 families) Those turtles belonging to the Cryptodira sub-order have the characteristic ability to retract their head into the shell. Here is a description of each of the 11 families with a brief representative description of one sample turtle from each family. 1. Carettochelyidae Carettochelys insculpta or pig-nosed turtle, Fly River turtle or pitted-shelled turtle is the only living species of the family Carettochelyidae, subfamily Carettochelyinae. You find these turtles in south of New Guinea and Northern Australia. Description of Pig-Nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) Carettochelys insculpta or the pig-nosed turtle live mainly in the Southern part of New Guinea and Northern Australia. These turtles are not aquatic and there is not much information on them. 2. Cheloniidae Belonging to the Chelonioidea super family, the Cheloniidae are a family of sea turtles including: Caretta Caretta or Loggerhead sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea or the Olive Ridley Lepidochelys-kempii or Ridleys sea turtles (Kemp’s) Chelonia mydas or Green sea faring turtle Description of Lepidochelys Olivacea or the Olive Ridley Sea-Turtle Amongst the smallest sea turtles existing, the Olive Ridley got its name from the Olive color of its shell. These adult turtles reach a length of between 2 to 2 and 2ï¿½ feet and can way between 80 to 110 pounds. The very high number of vertebral costal scutes (6 to 9 pairs) identifies this species. Some people call this turtle as a Pacific version of the Sea Turtle. You can find these turtles in the typically warm tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans Description of the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) The Green Sea Turtles are distinct because they have only a single pair of prefrontal scales unlike other sea turtles that have two pairs in front of their eyes. These Turtles also go by name Black Sea Turtle and have a serrated jaw in a small blunt head. Its body is flat and oval. The plastron varies from between white and yellow and has pale yellow, deep yellow to green and brown colors that accentuate the stripes on the body. 3. Chelydridae This includes a family of sea turtles with only two living genera that are widespread in the Western Hemisphere and include: Chelydra, the snapping turtle Found in Southern China and Southeast Asia, this includes big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) Description of TheBig-Headed Turtle (Platysternon Megacephalum) Peculiarly, this big-headed turtle uses its tail to enhance the reach of its claws to climb over obstacles in fast streams and rivers. Its beak assists in climbing bushes and trees. They occasionally use the tail like a scorpion’s arch. Because it cannot pull its head into the shell, it defends itself by using its powerful jaws. For food it eats fish and snails. 10. Testudinidae This is a family of land reptiles and includes the Aldabrachelys gigantean or the Aldabra giant tortoise Description of Aldabrachelys gigantean or the Aldabra giant tortoise These are giant land tortoises living in the Seychelles in the Aldabra Atoll. They are about the bigger world tortoises, for which reason people refer to them as gigantic Aldabrachelys. They have a high domed carapace with a tan or brown color, heavily scaled stout and strong limbs to support its weight and a very long neck that can eat leaves from the branches of trees at one meter from the ground surface. Their size averages around 4 feet (120 cm) and a male will weigh about 550 pounds or (250kg), with the females slightly smaller with a carapace size of 35 inches of 90 cm and weighing about 330 pounds or (150 kg) 11.Trionychidae The Softshells or Pancake turtles belong to this taxonomicfamily. The soft shells are some of the largest fresh water turtles in the world, but they can adapt to highly brackish areas and belong mainly to Asia, Africa and North America Description of the Florida Softshell turtle ((Apalone ferox) ) is a type of a soft shell turtle The Florida Softshell turtle (Apalone ferox) is a type of a soft shell turtle whose habitat is the Southeastern United Sates. The typical characteristic of the Florida Softshell turtle is that its carapace color is deep brown fading to olive green. The color of its belly is cream or white. The carapace conceals and shields the juvenile turtles from their predators. They have stout tails. Their tails, legs and head are more or less of the same color. Running through from the rear of the eye all along their neck is an orange or cream line with a black border. Both the male and female have on their shell blotches, streaks or dark spots. The infant smooth Softshell turtles have olive, black or brown colored shells, with many stains. In appearance, they are like spiny Softshell turtles. The habitat of the smooth Softshell turtles is South-central and central parts of the United States. They spread over from Pennsylvania to New Mexico and south of the Florida panhandle. Simply put, their habitat is North America. Peurodira (consisting of 3 families) 1. Chelidae Belonging to the suborder of Pleurodira, the Chelidae live throughout South America, parts of Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Most people refer to these turtles as the Austro-South American side-neck turtles. A famous example of these turtles is Chelus fimbriatus or the Mata mata freshwater turtle endemic to the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. It is the only living species belonging to the genus Chelus. Description of Chelus Fimbriatus or the Mata Mataa freshwater turtle The full-grown mata mata turtle weighs 15kg (33lb), and has a life span of 40-75 years. These sedentary turtles are large. The head with many flaps of skin and tubercles is flat and triangular. The snout tubular and manifests in a long form with a “horn”. A mature Mata Malta has an oblong carapace that is either brown or black. 2. Pelomedusidae These are a family of round shaped fresh water turtles that inhabit Southern and Eastern Africa, and have a size range of 12 to 45 cm (4.7 to 17.7 inches). These turtles cannot withdraw their heads into their shells, and instead, have to fold them beneath the upper edge of their shells, for which reason people refer to them as African Side-Necked Turtles, an example of which is African Helmeted Turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa) Description of African Helmeted Turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa) This omnivorous side-necked turtle goes also by the name of Crocodile turtle or marsh turtle. You can find them mostly in stagnant and freshwater bodies. They inhabit most of Africa and southern Yemen. These are rather small turtles with a carapace length of up to 20 cm. They have a yellowish under side while the tops of the limbs and tail have a grayish brown color. 3. Podocnemididae These side necked turtles belonging to the suborder Peurodira inhabit northern South America and Madagascar. They are all aquactic and inhabit flowing water and streams. Their streamlined shells aid in swimming. A classic example of this family is Podocnemis unifilis or the Yellow-spotted River Turtle Description of the Yellow-spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) The Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) represents the largest of the river turtles inhabiting South America. It can attain a length 45 cm and an eight kg weight. The brown or black upper shell (carapace) and the yellow spots on the lateral sides of the head (that account for its “spotted” name), distinguish this turtle. You will find these side-necked-turtles in the Amazon Basins of South American lakes and tributaries. They feed mainly on small invertebrates, fish weeds and fruits during the flood season. Various Turtle Types Sea Turtles Sea turtles belong to the families Dermochelyidae and Cheloniidae that account for 7 living species of these marine reptilian animals. You can find sea turtles in all the World oceans except the Arctic Ocean. When you think “turtles” these are the species that come to mind. Their division is as given under: Dermochelyidae family-One monotypic genera only (non family member- leatherback sea turtle Cheloniidae family- polytypic genera (1) + monotypic genera (4) True Tortoises True Tortoises belong to the family Testudinidae and covers all the land based species of these reptiles. They undergo a further sub-division into 2 subfamilies is as follows Testudininae - 38 species Xerobatinae - 6 species Aldabra Giant Tortoise These 44 living species represent the entirety of the true tortoise population on the earth, showing the great diversity of this family of turtles. An extremely popular associate of the turtle family is the Aldabra giant tortoise that many acknowledge as the largest of the species in the world. Snapping Turtles Alligator Snapping Turtle Belonging to the Chelydridae family, snapping turtles, in the monotypic-genera consist of two species-the “Common” and the “alligator” types. These turtles spread abundantly across South and North America and partly in Asia Mud Turtles and Musk Turtles Mud Turtle Mud and Musk turtles belong to family Kinosternidae and are small animals. Though consensus on the classification is not available in the case of these turtles, most expert group them as 25 living species under four genera. These species of turtles live in the muddy bottoms of stagnant or slow moving water bodies and release a found smelling odor that gives them the tile, “Musk Turtles.” Softshell Turtles The Trionychidae family includes what the experts call Softshells or the Softshell turtles. Their distinct characteristics include a carapace with a hard center and leathery edges without the customary horny scales, the sole exception being the spiny Softshell, exhibiting scaly projections on its carapace. These turtles are endemic to South America, Africa and Asia and consist of 2 sub-families (Trionychinae and Cyclanorbinae) that include 13 living turtle genera. Central American River Turtles The family Dermatemydidae has only one survivor and that is the Central American river turtle that inhabits the Central American rivers. IUCN or the International Union for Conservation of Nature that is the largest and oldest world environmental organization has included this turtle in the list of endangered species. Similar to the impending extinction of the pig nosed turtle, when the Central American river turtles cease to exist, it will result in the total extinction of the entire family Dermatemydidae forever. Side-necked Turtles Side-necked turtles, have this special distinction of turning their neck towards the side and tucking their head into a hollow close to their anterior legs, and do not retract it inside the shell. These turtles normally inhabit the earth’s southern hemisphere. The geographical range of these turtles classifies them into 2 families- “Chelidae,” that includes the side-necked turtles of extant side-necked turtle species are further classified into two families based on their geographical range - family Chelidae, which comprises side-necked turtles (Austro-American), and the Pelomedusidae family, comprising: The American side-neck river turtles The Madagascan big-headed turtles	Leatherback sea turtle
Where in the body would you find the 'Canal of Schlemm'?	Scientific Classification Class - Reptilia Reptiles are a class of cold-blooded vertebrates - their body temperature varies with their environment. Reptiles include snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles. Reptiles have scaly skin, breathe air with lungs, and have a three-chambered heart. Most reptiles lay eggs, although some produce eggs that hatch internally. Order - Testudines This order includes all turtles and tortoises. It is divided into three suborders: Pleurodira (side-necked turtles), Cryptodira (freshwater turtles, snapping turtles, tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, and sea turtles), and Amphichelydia (a suborder of turtles that is now extinct). Families Most scientists recognize two families of sea turtles: Family Cheloniidae includes all sea turtles with scutes (horny plates) covering their shells. Family Dermochelyidae are scuteless turtles with only one modern species; the leatherback turtle. A leatherback turtle is covered with leathery skin. It is the only marine turtle whose backbone is not attached to the inside of its shell. Genus, Species Most scientists recognize seven species and one subspecies of sea turtles: green (Chelonia mydas); two subspecies the green (Chelonia mydas mydas) and the black or Eastern Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) green sea turtle Fossil Record The first turtles appeared during the Triassic period, 245 to 209 million years ago. The earliest known sea turtles appear in the fossil record in the Late Jurassic period, 208 to 144 million years ago. Scientists believe that modern sea turtles are derived from marsh-inhabiting ancestors that lived during the Late Triassic period. Fossil records show that the now-extinct sea turtle Archelon ischyros, which lived 144 to 65 million years ago, was one of the largest turtles that ever lived. It reached a length of 3 to 4 m (9.8-13 ft.). Sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles, sea snakes, and marine iguanas are the only surviving reptiles that depend on the sea. Sea turtle species are among a small group of reptiles that depend on the sea for survival.	i don't know
Which 1954 Gene Kelly musical film featured the song 'Almost Like Being In Love'?	Almost Like Being in Love - from "Brigadoon" (1954) - Gene Kelly - YouTube Almost Like Being in Love - from "Brigadoon" (1954) - Gene Kelly 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. Published on Jul 9, 2011 Category When autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Up next Play now Mix - Almost Like Being in Love - from "Brigadoon" (1954) - Gene KellyYouTube Christopher Walken on Gene Kelly - Duration: 6:45. midnighttiptoes 220,148 views 6:45 Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr perform "Shall We Dance" - Duration: 4:45. Rodgers and Hammerstein 988,629 views 4:45 Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra - If you knew Susie - Duration: 3:16. TheGonzo97 124,722 views 3:16 Singing In The Rain - You Were Meant For Me (Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds) [HD Widescreen] - Duration: 4:28. lbarnard86 726,596 views 4:28	Brigadoon
What does the musical term 'Largo' mean?	Brigadoon - WarnerBros.com - Movies Brigadoon Original Theatrical Date: September 08, 1954 Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse recapture the charm and beauty of the 18th-Century Scottish Highlands in this enchanting fantasy of music, dance and romance about a powerful love and the magical town Brigadoon. When two Americans, Tommy Albright (Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Johnson), happen upon the innocent and magical town nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Tommy falls in love with Brigadoon's Fiona Campbell (Charisse). But this wondrous town appears only one day every 100 years--never long enough to be corrupted by the outside world--and Tommy can only stay with Fiona if loves her enough to forever leave the life he knows. Featuring the songs "Almost Like Being in Love," "Heather on the Hill" and "Come to Me Bend to Me." Based on the Broadway musical Brigadoon. Genre: RomanceMusic/Musicals	i don't know

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