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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who composed the opera 'Hänsel und Gretel'?"
] | Hansel and Gretel HANSEL AND GRETEL Based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm The Cast 1899 illustration of Hansel and Gretel asleep in the forest, after a painting by William de Leftwich Dodge (1867-1935) Hansel, a boy Peter, their father, a broom-maker Baritone Angels, gingerbread children, chorus of echoes. The Story About Engelbert Humperdinck and Hansel and Gretel No, the famous British pop singer from the 1960s — real name Arnold Dorsey — did not compose this opera. The Engelbert Humperdinck who wrote Hansel and Gretel was born in Germany in 1854. In the 1890s, his sister, Adelheid Wette, had written a libretto based on the Grimm fairy tale, and asked her brother to set it to music as a Christmas entertainment for her children. Later, Engelbert and Adelheid decided to turn this modest family project into a full-scale opera. Hansel and Gretel premiered on December 23, 1893 at Weimar. It was an instant hit and remains an everlasting masterpiece. The young composer Richard Strauss, who was the assistant conductor for the premiere, called it “a masterwork of the first rank.” Act I Scene 1. A poor cottage at the edge of a forest. Once upon a time... ... a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel lived with their father and mother, Peter and Gertrude, at the edge of a huge forest. When our story opens, they are alone in their poor cottage, hard at work at their chores, and very very hungry. Gretel teases Hansel for being a grump, and promises to tell him a secret if he will cheer up — there’s milk in the jug, and their mother will make them a nice pudding when she comes home. Hansel sneaks a taste of the milk, but Gretel warns him that their mother will be angry if they don’t get back to work. Hansel refuses; he prefers to dance. Gretel thinks that’s a wonderful idea, and they begin to dance (“Brother, come and dance with me”). In the middle of all the fun, Gertrude comes home in a very bad mood, angry at them for not having finished their work. She gets a stick to hit them, and, as they escape, she accidentally knocks over the jug, spilling all the milk. She angrily orders them out of the house to pick strawberries. Then she despairs, and begs God for help in feeding her children. Exhausted, she falls asleep. Peter is heard singing in the distance. He reels into the house and gives Gertrude a big smacking kiss. She is not amused, and accuses him of being drunk. He ignores her nagging and playfully asks for supper. She tells him that there’s nothing to eat, but, to her surprise, he pulls out a sackful of food. It seems that he had gone to town to sell his brooms, and there was a festival going on, so he managed to make a huge profit. Gertrude toasts his success, and, as they begin to dig into the food, he realizes that the children aren’t there. Gertrude tells him how Hansel and Gretel were misbehaving, and how she broke the milk jug trying to get at them. Peter laughs heartily at this, and Gertrude can’t help joining in. He asks again where they are, and she replies, “For all I know, at the Ilsenstein.” Peter is struck with horror, for the Ilsenstein is the mountain abode of a horrible witch who rides on a broomstick, lures children to her gingerbread house, and — bakes them into gingerbread! They rush out of the house in search of the children. Scene 2. The Forest. It is now sunset. Hansel is roaming about in the forest picking strawberries, while Gretel makes a crown of flowers and sings a little song. They begin snacking on the berries as they listen to a cuckoo singing on the distance. Soon they begin fighting over the strawberries, but Hansel grabs the basket away from Gretel and eats them all. Gretel is horrified; now they’ll have to pick twice as many as before. It’s getting dark, and they realize that they are lost in the woods. Hansel tries to reassure her, but they begin to see strange shapes and lights. When Hansel calls out, “Who’s there?” only an echo replies. Gretel thinks she sees ghostly figures coming for them and cries out for her parents. Out of the mist, a little man appears with a |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which country is the largest producer of saffron?"
] | SAFFRON: An Anti-Depressant Herb by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon BACKGROUND Saffron is an herb most people are unlikely to utilize, either for medicinal or culinary purposes, primarily because the material has a justified reputation for being extraordinarily expensive. Bulk quantities of relatively low-grade saffron can reach upwards of $500/pound, while retail costs for small amounts may exceed 10 times that rate. But, avoiding this valuable spice might be unnecessary because of the small quantity needed: in medicinal use, 1–3 grams in decoction, 0.5–1.5 grams ingested as powder, or 30 mg of its dried extract per day is considered adequate in standard applications (described below). For culinary use, just a few strands are sufficient to flavor food (about 2–4 strands per person; there are about 70,000–200,000 strands per pound). In some countries, such as Spain, Iran, and India, people know that saffron is worth its price and make good use of it. To meet the demand, world annual production is about 265 tons per year, which is grown on about 90,000 acres of land (if efficiently cultivated, each acre produces about 6 pounds of saffron a year). It takes about 170–200 hours of work to collect the flowers and remove the stamens for drying in order to produce just 1 pound of saffron, which is a large part of the expense for the spice. Saffron mainly grows in arid territory with sandy soil, under hot and dry summers, often requiring irrigation. Saffron’s high cost has become an attractive factor for one potential use: as a substitute crop for opium cultivation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the world’s second largest supplier of opium poppies used in the drug trade (the largest is the “golden triangle” and surrounding regions in Southeast Asia); opium is one of the major sources of income for Afghanistan. In 2002, about 3,400 tons of opium was produced there, most of it ultimately going to heroin addicts in Europe. Since Afghanistan is in the saffron growing region, there is some potential for this crop as an economic substitute; still, saffron is estimated to bring in only about 3/4 the income of opium farming. Iran, the world’s largest producer of saffron, and a neighbor to Afghanistan, has been investing in research into saffron’s potential medicinal uses. Much of the work surrounds its traditional application for alleviating depression. One of the Iranian groups carrying out saffron research is headed by Shahin Akhondzadeh (pictured right), at the Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital in the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, who has studied the use of several drugs and herbs for mental disorders, such as depression, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, opiate dependence, and epilepsy. The clinical findings suggest that saffron is a safe and effective antidepressant. For example, in a randomized, double-blind study, 30 mg of saffron extract (in capsules) given for 6 weeks resulted in significant alleviation of depression compared to those on placebo, and did so without evident side effects (1). This study was a follow-up to a preliminary trial in which the same saffron preparation performed as well as imipramine for treating depression in a double-blind trial (2). In further preliminary work, saffron was compared to the drug fluoxetine (often known by the brand product Prozac); it was found that saffron performed as well as the drug in treatment of both depression and epilepsy (3). Pharmacology studies done in Iran (4) and Japan (5, 6) have confirmed an anticonvulsant activity in the extract of saffron. A pot |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In which American state is Area 51 located?"
] | Area 51 'Uncensored': Was It UFOs Or The USSR? : NPR List price: $27.99 Prologue: The Secret City This book is a work of nonfiction. The stories I tell in this narrative are real. None of the people are invented. Of the seventy-four individuals interviewed for this book with rare firsthand knowledge of the secret base, thirty-two of them lived and worked at Area 51. Area 51 is the nation's most secret domestic military facility. It is located in the high desert of southern Nevada, seventy-five Miles north of Las Vegas. Its facilities have been constructed over the past sixty years around a flat, dry lake bed called Groom Lake. The U.S. government has never admitted it exists. Key to understanding Area 51 is knowing that it sits inside the largest government-controlled land parcel in the United States, the Nevada Test and Training Range. Encompassing 4,687 square miles, this area is just a little smaller than the state of Connecticut — three times the size of Rhode Island, and more than twice as big as Delaware. Set inside this enormous expanse is a smaller parcel of land, 1,350 square miles, called the Nevada Test Site, the only facility like it in the continental United States. Beginning in 1951, on the orders of President Harry Truman, 105 nuclear weapons were exploded aboveground at the site and another 828 were exploded underground in tunnel chambers and deep, vertical shafts. The last nuclear weapons test on American soil occurred at the Nevada Test Site on September 23, 1992. The facility contains the largest amount of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium in the United States not secured inside a nuclear laboratory. Area 51 sits just outside the Nevada Test Site, approximately five miles to the northeast of the northernmost corner, which places it inside the Nevada Test and Training Range. Because everything that goes on at Area 51, and most of what goes on at the Nevada Test and Training Range, is classified when it is happening, this is a book about secrets. Two early projects at Groom Lake have been declassified by the Central Intelligence Agency: the U‑2 spy plane, declassified in 1998, and the A‑12 Oxcart spy plane, declassified in 2007. And yet in thousands of pages of declassified memos and reports, the name Area 51 is always redacted, or blacked out. There are only two known exceptions, most likely mistakes. This is a book about government projects and operations that have been hidden for decades, some for good reasons, others for arguably terrible ones, and one that should never have happened at all. These operations took place in the name of national security and they all involved cutting-edge science. The last published words of Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, were "Science is not everything. But science is very beautiful." After reading this book, readers can decide what they think about what Oppenheimer said. This is a book about black operations, government projects that are secret from Congress and secret from the people who make up the United States. To understand how black projects began, and how they continue to function today, one must start with the creation of the atomic bomb. The men who ran the Manhattan Project wrote the rules about black operations. The atomic bomb was the mother of all black projects and it is the parent from which all black operations have sprung. Building the bomb was the single most expensive engineering project in the history of the United States. It began in 1942, and by the time the bomb was tested, inside the White Sands Proving Ground in the New Mexico high desert on July 16, 1945, the bomb's price tag, adjusted for inflation, was $28,000,000,000. The degree of secrecy maintained while building the bomb is almost inconceivable. When the world learned that America had dropped an atomic weapon on Hiroshima, no one was more surprised than the U.S. Congress, none of whose members had had any idea it was being developed. Vice President Harry Truman had been equally stunned to learn about the bomb when he became president of the United States, on Apri |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What now stands on the site of the place of execution at Tyburn?"
] | A Final Journey, Revisited: Newgate To Tyburn | Londonist A Final Journey, Revisited: Newgate To Tyburn By Londonist Last edited 31 months ago Londonist A Final Journey, Revisited: Newgate To Tyburn St Andrew's Holborn, one of the few remaining buildings the condemned would have seen on their final journey. Looking along Oxford Street towards Tyburn, the final stretch in the journey. It is the evening of 23 October 1783, and in a secluded spot on the King’s highway John Austin and an accomplice are mercilessly beating and robbing a stranger. This act of brutality marked the beginning of the end, not only for Austin, but for an ancient ritual that had been enacted since the 16th century. Having been sentenced to death, he became the last man to be taken in procession from Newgate Prison to the gallows at Tyburn. For 300 years, doomed convicts had made the journey from where the Old Bailey now stands to the place of their demise, near the site of Marble Arch. These processions, which occurred only eight times a year, were held to be among the capital’s most exciting events. Raucous crowds gathered on the roads and in the windows of houses with a view; a clergyman accompanied the condemned; cheering and shouting vied with preaching and jeering, and during the three hours it took to cover the two miles, the spectacle of impending death would unite the metropolis in an outpouring of heightened emotion. The spectators themselves are dead and buried, and the buildings that lined the way long since leveled. But beneath the stratum of 18th century bricks and bones, millions still trace the same path today, albeit for different reasons. For between St Paul’s station and Marble Arch, the Central Line follows the last journey of John Austin and his innumerable doomed predecessors almost exactly. For those hoping to evoke the procession, the modern topography of London is wonderfully supportive. Despite the devastating zeal of the Victorians, who laid waste to many of the capital’s ancient streets, the conduit that flowed from Newgate to Tyburn remains largely intact. Newgate itself is gone, replaced by the Old Bailey, but the Church of St Sepulchre remains. From here a clergyman would make his way through a tunnel connecting the two buildings, and ring the bell that signalled the beginning of the great event. A visit to the church reveals that the artefact itself survives, silently encased in glass. It is perhaps the most evocative remaining fragment of a ritual characterised by its cacophony of sounds as much as its spectacle. From Newgate the route covered Snow Hill. This section of the modern journey is the least faithful to the original. Here London descends into a shallow valley (' London’s most dynamic ditch '), through which the subterranean river Fleet flows towards the Thames. In the 18th century this geographical feature was reflected in the names of the streets themselves, notably Holbourn Bridge and Holbourne Hill (neither of which exist today). Walking down Snow Hill takes you the short journey to the bottom of the valley, and a set of steps on the west side of Farringdon Road gives you access to that monumental ligament constructed by the Victorians to join its two sides: Holborn Viaduct. Traversing this engineering marvel, we pass St Andrew Holborn, one of the few remaining significant structures that would have flanked John Austin’s journey to the gallows. The exterior walls and tower are all that remain of the original structure. The rest was destroyed in the Second World War, but later restored to the design of its builder, Christopher Wren. Moving on, down High Holborn, few of the buildings Austin passed remain. Staple Inn, however, is an exception, its history dates back roughly as far as that of Tyburn itself. But with its heavily restored timber frame receding into the distance, a long stretch of architectural hotchpotch must be covered before the next, and last, major surviving building from the time presents itself. St Giles in the Fields is the third and final church that lines the route of the Tyburn proces |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What now stands on the site of the notorious Newgate prison?"
] | Newgate Prison Wall Newgate Prison Wall Rent a Castle Whether it's a folly for 2 or a fort for 20, try our castles for rent page. By Ben Johnson | Comments ‘Tis impossible to describe the terror of my mind, when I was first brought in, and when I looked around upon all the horrors of that dismal place... : the hellish noise, the roaring, swearing, and clamour, the stench and nastiness… joined together to make the place seem an emblem of hell itself, and a kind of entrance to it.' Newgate Prison was once the most notorious prison in London. Commissioned in the 12th century by King Henry II , Newgate Prison remained in use all the way through to 1902. The prison itself was originally built into a gate on the old Roman wall (hence the name “Newgate”) although it was rebuilt numerous times during its lifespan. For over 600 years the prison was renowned for its appalling conditions. It was said that the prison was so dirty and squalid that the floors crunched as you walked due to all of the lice and bedbugs. The women’s area was equally as appalling, crowded with half naked women, drunk, sometimes deranged, in leg irons and often with their children in tow. After its final rebuild in 1782 the prison was divided into two sections; a common area for the general public as well as a State area for those who could afford more comfortable accommodation. At the same time as the prison rebuild, the site for London’s public gallows moved from Tyburn (in the modern day West End) over to Newgate Prison. This meant that the public executions were now held in the heart of the City of London, drawing large audiences all the way up until the public executions were abandoned in 1868. To understand the scale of capital punishment at Newgate Prison, it is said that between 1790 and 1902 over one thousand people were put to death there alone. During the period of public executions, these were carried out outside of Newgate Prison on the Old Bailey Road. The church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate also has a rather ghoulish part to play in the executions. At midnight on the eve of an execution, a bellman would walk along the prison tunnels ringing ‘twelve solemn towels with double strokes’ on his handbell whist chanting "All you that in the condemned hold do lie, Prepare you, for tomorrow you shall die; Watch all and pray, the hour is drawing near That you before the Almighty must appear; Examine well yourselves, in time repent, That you may not to eternal flames be sent: And when St. Sepulchre's bell tomorrow tolls, The Lord above have mercy on your souls.” Although Newgate Prison has long gone, the Newgate Execution Bell still exists and is housed in the Church of St Sepulchre. The Central Criminal Court (a.k.a. the Old Bailey) now stands on the site of the old Newgate Prison. However, if you venture around the back of Amen Court (see map below) you will find something quite spectacular; the only surviving wall of Newgate Prison! |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which London river, now flowing underground, rises at Finsbury Circus, flows through the City of London and enters the Thames by Cannon Street railway station?"
] | 285 - London's Lost Rivers | Big Think 285 - London's Lost Rivers by Frank Jacobs The easiest pub quiz question in the world: name a river that flows through London. Answer: the Thames. A somewhat more difficult question: name another river that flows through London. A few might know of the river Lee (or Lea) that springs near Leagrave in Bedfordshire and joins the Thames at Leamouth in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. But how about: name a third river that flows through London? And a fourth, a fifth, a sixth? We’d lose all but the more phenomenal pub quiz contestants here, even though there are in actual fact over a dozen natural water courses flowing through Britain’s capital. Many of them played important role in the development of the city, as the location of mills, the source of drinking water and as open sewers. Most of them have been pushed totally underground, forced into culverts, out of sight and out of mind – even if some of them have left their mark on the city’s topology. This map shows and names some of those lost rivers of London, all tributaries to the Thames. Starting on the rive gauche of the Thames (which in this case means the north bank of the river), those are, west to east: · Stamford Brook: the confluence of three smaller streams arising in West London, Stamford Brook flows into Hammersmith Creek before discharging into the Thames. Its name comes from ‘stoney ford’, and is remembered in Stamford Brook tube station. The stream was covered by 1900 and is now a sewer. · Parr’s Ditch: also called Black Bull Ditch, this stream arose north of present-day King Street in Hammersmith, flowing under a bridge at Hammersmith Road and crossing what is now the St Paul’s Court estate to flow into the Thames where now Riverside Studios are. · Counter’s Creek: arising in Kensal Green and flowing south through Little Wormwood Scrubs, Olympia and Earls Court to Sands End, where it flows into the Thames, Counter’s Creek can still sometimes be spotted by commuters on the westbound platform of West Brompton tube station, but only after heavy rainfall. Its tidal mouth is known as Chelsea Creek. Chelsea FC’s football grounds is known erroneously as Stamford Bridge because of confusion between Counter’s Creek and Stamford Brook. · Westbourne: flowing from Hampstead through Hyde Park onto Sloane Square and thence into the Thames, the River Westbourne has left its mark on London toponymy, mainly by the other names it has been called through the centuries: Kilburn, Bayswater, Serpentine, Bourne, Westburn Brook, Ranelagh and Ranelagh Sewer. Kilburn and Bayswater nowadays are well-known areas in London. The Serpentine, formed in 1730 to beautify Hyde Park, was fed with the Westbourne’s waters until 1834, by which time it had become too polluted. Another area owing its name to this stream is Knightsbridge – named after a bridge over the Westbourne. It has been driven underground since the 1850s, when the area it flows through was gobbled up by an expanding London. An original part of the pipes it still runs through can be seen above the platform of Sloane Square tube station. At low tide, its mouth can still be seen some 300 yards west of Chelsea Bridge. · Tyburn: originating in South Hampstead, flowing through St James’s Park and flowing into the Thames near Vauxhall Bridge in Pimlico, the Tyburn once branched to form the island of Thorney, the site of Westminster Abbey. ·Fleet: two springs on Hampstead Heath, directed into two 18th century reservoirs (Highgate and Hampstead Ponds) thereafter combine to form London’s largest underground river. The upper reaches were known as the hollow stream (‘Holborn’ in Anglo-Saxon, hence the name of that London area), its lower reaches as the Fleet (from Anglo-Saxon for ‘estuary’). The Fleet flows under King’s Cross, which was originally known as Battle Bridge, after a place where Queen Boudicca is reputed to have fought the Romans. It ends in the Thames under Blackfriars Bridge. The river gave its name to Fleet Street, which in turn became a collective term for the British press, as m |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What was the name of the first prefabricated building that was erected on the medieval London Bridge in 1577?"
] | London Bridge | London Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia London Bridge is a bridge between the City of London and Southwark in London , England, over the River Thames . Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge , it forms the western end of the Pool of London . On the south side of the bridge are Southwark Cathedral and London Bridge Station ; on the north side are the Monument to the Great Fire of London and Monument tube station . It was the only bridge over the Thames downstream from Kingston until Westminster Bridge opened in 1750. The bridge carries part of the A3 road, which is maintained by the Greater London Authority; the bridge itself is owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates (see City Bridge Trust), an independent charity overseen by the City of London Corporation. Tower Bridge is often mistakenly referred to as London Bridge. The area between London Bridge and Tower Bridge on the south side of the Thames is managed by the London Bridge Business Improvement District (BID) Company. Contents Edit A bridge has existed at or near the present site over the period from the Roman occupation of the area, nearly 2,000 years ago. The first bridge across the Thames in the London area, probably a military pontoon bridge, was built of wood by the Romans on the present site around 50 AD. Around 55 AD, a piled bridge was constructed, and the local Britons built a small trading settlement next to it—the town of Londinium. The settlement and the bridge were destroyed in a revolt led by Queen Boudicca in 60 AD. The victory was short-lived, and soon afterwards the Romans defeated the rebels and set about building a new walled town. Some of the 2nd century Roman wall has survived to this day. The new town and bridge were built around the position of the present bridge, providing access to the south-coast ports via Stane Street (the A3 route) and Watling Street (the A2). The bridge fell into disrepair after the Romans left. As Londinium was also abandoned, there was little need for a bridge at this point and in the Saxon period the river was a political boundary between the hostile kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex. With the impact of the Viking invasions, the reconquest of the Roman city by the kings of Wessex and its re-occupation by Alfred the Great, the political conditions arose for a Saxon bridge crossing to be placed here. However, there is no archaeological evidence for a bridge before Aethelred's reign and his attempts to stem the Sweinian invasions of the 990s. In 1014, according to a much later skaldic tradition, the bridge was pulled down by the Norwegian prince Olaf, as he was aiding King Aethelred in what, if true, was a successful bid to divide the defending forces of the Danes who held the walled City of London plus Southwark, thereby regaining London for the Anglo-Saxon king. This episode might have inspired the well-known nursery rhyme "London Bridge is Falling Down", although the version of the song known today refers to the many bridges that were destroyed and rebuilt, and the trading done on the shops over it ("Silver and Gold") in the 14th century, so the song's origin is presumably of a much later date. The earliest contemporary written reference to a Saxon bridge is in 1016, when it was by-passed by King Cnut's ships in his war to regain the throne from Edmund II "Ironside". The rebuilt Norman London Bridge was destroyed in 1091 by a storm that spawned a T8/F4 tornado, which also struck St Mary-le-Bow, and is known as the London Tornado of 1091. The repair or replacement of this was carried out by William II "Rufus" through forced labour, along with the works at the new St Paul's Cathedral and the development of the Tower of London . It was destroyed yet again, this time by fire, in 1136. "Old" (Medieval) London Bridge Edit An engraving by Claes Van Visscher showing Old London Bridge in 1616, with Southwark Cathedral in the foreground. The spiked heads of executed criminals can be seen above the Southwark gatehouse. Following the 1136 destruction, some rebuilding was carried out duri |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What was the second bridge to be built over the Thames in London in 1750?"
] | The Bridges of Old London | Spitalfields Life The Bridges of Old London January 5, 2013 by the gentle author Traffic from Covent Garden Market crosses Waterloo Bridge, c. 1924 London owes its very existence to bridges, since the location of the capital upon the banks of the Thames was defined by the lowest crossing point of the river. No wonder that the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society collected this edifying series of pictures of bridges on glass plates to use in their magic lantern shows at the Bishopsgate Institute . Yet until the eighteenth century, the story of London’s bridges was solely that of London Bridge. The Romans created the first wooden crossing of Thames close to the current site of London Bridge and the settlement upon the northern shore grew to become the City of London. When the Saxons tried to regain the City from the Danes in the eleventh century, they attached ropes to London Bridge and used their boats to dislodge the piers, thus originating the myth celebrated in the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down.” The first stone London Bridge was built by Peter de Colechurch in 1209 and lasted over six hundred years, surviving the Great Fire and numerous rebuildings of the houses and shops that clustered upon its structure. When traffic upon grew too crowded in 1722, a “keep left” rule was instated that later became the pattern for all roads in this country and, by 1763, all the houses were removed to provide extra clearance. Then, in 1831, John Rennie’s famous bridge of Dartmoor granite replaced old London Bridge until it was shipped off to Arizona in the nineteen-sixties to make way for the current concrete bridge, with its centrally heated pavements and hollow structure that permits essential pipes and cables to cross the Thames easily. After London Bridge, next came Putney Bridge in 1726 and then Westminster Bridge in 1738 – until today we have a line of bridges, holding the north and south banks of London together tightly like laces on a boot. The hero of London’s bridges was unquestionably John Rennie (1761-1821) who pioneered the combination or iron and stone in bridge building and designed London Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Southwark Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge, although only the Serpentine Bridge remains today as his memorial. Even to the seasoned Londoner, there is something unfailingly exhilarating about sitting on top of a bus, erupting from the narrow city streets onto one of the bridges and discovering yourself suspended high above the vast River Thames, it is one of the definitive experiences of our city. Tower Bridge took eight year to construct, 1886 -1894 Tower Bridge with barges, c. 1910 St. Paul’s Cathedral from Southwark Bridge, c. 1925 Southwark Bridge, c. 1925 Old wooden bridge at Putney, 1880. The second bridge to be built after London Bridge, constructed in 1726 and replaced by the current stone structure in 1886. On Tower Bridge, 1905. Tower Bridge, c. 1910 John Rennie’s London Bridge of 1831 viewed from the waterside, c. 1910 London Bridge, c. 1930. Sold to Robert Mc Culloch in 1968 and re-assembled in Arizona in 1971. The former bridgekeeper’s house on Tower Bridge, c. 1900 Wandsworth Bridge by Julian Tolme, c. 1910 (demolished in 1937) Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910. The increased river flow created by the demolition of old London Bridge required temporary reinforcements to Waterloo Bridge from 1884. Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910 Under an arch of Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910 View under Waterloo Bridge towards Hungerford Bridge, Westminster Bridge, & Palace of Westminster, c. 1910 Westminster Bridge, c. 1910. The third bridge, built over the Thames after London and Putney Bridges, in 1739-1750. The current bridge by Thomas Page of 1862 is painted green to match the leather seats in the House of Commons. Westminster Bridge, c. 1910 Westminster Bridge, c. 1910 Hammersmith Bridge with Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race, 1928. Dixon, Appleby & Thorne’s bridge was built in 1887. Battersea Bridge, c. 1910 Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s bridge was built in 1879. Battersea Bridge from waterside, c. 1 |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Crystal Palace was re-erected on which hill in South London after the Great Exhibition of 1851?"
] | The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, 1851 | Archexpo The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, 1851 « Tourism and Culture Historical background The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations in 1851 was the first universal exhibition. It took place from May 1 to October 15, 1851 in London. The official opening of the exhibition took place in Hyde Park, in the Crystal Palace, a huge building glass (400 tons) and metal (4,000 tons), designed for the occasion by landscape designer Joseph Paxton (1801 1865). An area of 7.5 ha, about 14 000 exhibitors from half over forty foreign countries, half of the British Empire, were divided into four sections that were taken during the post World Fairs: raw materials, machines, manufactures, works of art. It was later expanded and moved to the top of Sydenham Hill, south London in 1854, when Queen Victoria inaugurated for the second time.Just like in 1866, when a fire destroyed the north transept, the Palace blazed within hours November 30, 1936, visible 10 miles away. The Crystal Palace Foundation was established in 1979 to defend and respect the memory of this place, a symbol of a glorious period in English history. A Chinese conglomerate Zhongrong, established in 1992 in Shanghai by the current billionaire president Ni Zhaoxing, proposed a project of construction of an exact replica of the Victorian Crystal Palace by the end of 2018. View 1 : The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, 1851, Add. MS 35255 © The British Library Board View 2 : Crystal Palace. Lithograph by George Baxter The front of the Crystal Palace. Gravure, 1852 View 3 : Crystal Palace. Lithograph by T. Picken, after a painting by Philip Brannan from the North-East from Dickinson's Comprehensive Pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851, published 1854 View 4 : The Crystal Palace in its original location; the South-Eastern corner of Hyde Park View 5 : Crystal Palace. Coloured lithograph by Augustus Butler © Science & Society Picture Library/Getty ImagesThe Crystal Palace View 6 : The Great Exhibition 1851. Lithograh by Ackerman View 7 : Joseph Paxton's first sketch for the Crystal Palace, june 1850. Première esquisse de Crystal Palace par Joseph Baxton, juin 1850 View 8 : Inside the Crystal Palace by Joseph Nash View 9 : Queen Victoria opens the Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London in 1851. Colour lithograph by Louis Haghe © Victoria & Albert Museum. View 10 : Nave looking to the 'foreign' exhibits View 11 : Crystal Palace. Interior transept by Joseph Nash and Haghe Roberts, 1854. British Library View 12 : Interior view of the Crystal Palace, 1851 © Victoria & Albert Museum View 13 : Crystal Palace. Visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Estampe, 1855 © BNF Palais de Cristal. Visite de l'empereur et de l'impératrice des Français: Napoléon III et Eugénie avec la reine Victoria et le prince Albert. Estampe, 1855 © BNF View 14 : Crystal Palace. Opening by Queen Victoria, 10 June 1854. Watercolour by Joseph Nash View 15 : Crystal Palace in Sydenham, 1870 © Crystal Palace Museum View 16 : Crystal Palace in Sydenham. General view from Water Temple, 1854. Photograph by Philip Henry Delamotte. View 17 : Crystal Palace in Sydenham. From Italian terrace. Postcard. View 18 : Remains of the north end after 1866 fire © Crystal Palace Museum View 19 : Crystal Palace destruction after 1866 fire © Crystal Palace Museum View 20 : Crystal Palace in fire. November 30th 1936 © London Illustrated News View 21 : Crystal Palace's awful aftermath after 1936 fire © London Illustrated News These six images are the only colour photographs ever taken of the Crystal Palace before the fire destroyed the building. Photographed in Dufay coulour by Arthur Talbot, August 1936 © Crystal Palace Museum : |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Outside of which building in Whitehall was King Charles I executed?"
] | View The Spot Outside Banqueting House Where Charles I Was Executed | Historic Royal Palaces Charles I’s execution site Stand in the spot where Charles I was executed, outside the front of the Banqueting House The place where a king was killed Outside the Banqueting House, on the pavement of Whitehall, is the site of Charles I's execution on 30 January 1649. Though the wooden staging erected for the execution has long been dismantled you can imagine the scene on that cold winter's day... Charles I had lost the Civil War. His enemies convicted him of high treason and decided that execution would be the best fate for him. On the day of the execution Charles said goodbye to his children at St James's Palace before being escorted to the Banqueting House. It was bitterly cold. Charles wore a second shirt so not to shiver from the cold, in case it was misunderstood as trembling from fear. He was also persuaded to drink a glass of claret so that he would not faint before he reached the execution block. Charles was led out of an upper window onto a temporary scaffold stage especially erected on Whitehall. He was composed on the scaffold and died with dignity. Charles I's famous last words Charles I’s famous last words contributed to the later cult of the king as royal martyr: 'I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where no disturbance can be’. Remembrance The execution of King Charles I is remembered each year on 30 January with a service in the Banqueting House. You may also be interested in... |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Panzer MK V in WWII was better known as?"
] | Panzer V Panther Panzer V Panther Medium tank – 6,334 built One of the best tanks of WW2 Military historians still debate about which was the best tank of the Second World War, but for all the polls and spec comparisons, the Panzer V Panther is always one of the contenders. Given its speed and off-road capabilities, tremendous firepower, protection, sophisticated targeting sights, use of equipment far ahead of its time (like infrared vision) and, last but not least, the more than 6000 machines built, the Panther can be compared to a main battle tank, years before the British Centurion appeared. Being one the best-balanced designs of WWII, it performed accordingly, with a fear capital almost rivaling that of the Tiger . The Eastern Front as a catharsis In June 1941, during a seemingly unstoppable advance, the first encounters with T-34s really shook the General Staff, as more and more reports signaled that a Russian tank was found superior to both the upgraded Panzer III and the Panzer IV . After many had been captured in relatively good order, Heinz Guderian ordered a full report to be drawn by a Panzerkommision, dispatched to assess the T-34 . It was noted that the combination of thick, well-sloped armor, a very effective 76.2 mm (3 in) gun and good power-to-weight ratio combined with large tracks meant that the Russian tank almost reached the “impossible triangle” that characterized a perfect medium tank. This was unmatched in the German arsenal, raising concerns, which in turn needed prompt reactions. As soon as April 1942, both Daimler Benz and MAN AG were charged to design the VK 30.02, a 30-35 ton tank incorporating all the aspects underlined by the report. DB and MAN designs Daimler-Benz’s design sported a well-sloped low hull, permitted by a well-proven, although “old school” solution with leaf spring suspensions combined with large doubled roadwheels and no return rollers. This gave the tank a low silhouette and narrow hull, and thus kept the weight under the allocated limit. At the same time, this restricted the turret ring diameter, which in turn limited the turret size. Like on the T-34 , the drive sprockets were at the rear and the turret was placed forward. The engine was a diesel. Even with a three-man turret, the internal space was cramped, and mounting the planned high velocity L/70 75 mm (2.95 in) gun proved very difficult. On the other hand, MAN presented a much larger vehicle, with the transmission and drive sprockets at the front, a larger, roomier turret moved backwards and a gasoline engine. The torsion bar suspension required more internal space, a larger hull and tracks. For the suspension, MAN took inspiration from Henschel’s Tiger design, with pairs of large interleaved wheels, which gave a lower ground pressure, better traction and mobility. This configuration also provided extra protection to the weaker lower hull sides. Versucht Panther V2 (Fgst nr.V2), pre-production prototype, fall 1942. From January until March 1942, these two prototypes were tested. Fritz Todt and, later, Albert Speer, replacing the former, both warmly recommended the DB design to Adolf Hitler. In the meantime, DB had reviewed its design in order to match the MAN proposal, and added the already existing Rheinmetall-Borsig turret, which allowed immediate production. MAN produced a mild steel prototype in September 1942, which started a new series of trials at Kummersdorf. These showed far superior mobility, even compared to the Panzer IV . The engine, for the sake of standardization, was shared with the Tiger , but the Panther weighed 20 tons less. Two final pre-production prototypes were also delivered in November (V1 and V2). Production swiftly followed, at MAN and DB (hull and assembly), Rheinmetall-Borsig (turret), later extended to Maschinenfabrik Niedersachsen-Hannover (MNH) and Henschel & Sohn in Kassel. Production of the Panzer V The delivery orders were rushed, asking for a first batch by December. However, the specialized tooling for this new model was far from ready and designed in haste. The order for 1000 to |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"During the English Civil War the Parliamentarians held London. In which city did the Royalists establish their rival capital?"
] | First Battle of Newbury - English Civil War English Civil War English Civil War: First Battle of Newbury King Charles I of England. Photograph Source: Public Domain Updated November 16, 2015. First Battle of Newbury - Conflict & Date: The First Battle of Newbury was fought September 20, 1643, during the English Civil War (1642-1651). Armies & Commanders Prince Rupert of the Rhine Sir John Byron 14,500 men First Battle of Newbury - Background: In the wake of the 1642 Battle of Edgehill , Royalist forces under King Charles I advanced towards London. En route, they captured Banbury, Oxford, and Reading before being halted by the Earl of Essex at the Battle of Turnham Green. In April 1643, Parliamentarian forces re-captured Reading while Charles' army was in winter quarters at Oxford. Despite this success, Essex's army suffered from widespread disease and proved unable to attack Charles directly. With the situation stalemated near London, Royalist forces in the west won a string of victories during the summer which culminated with Prince Rupert of the Rhine storming Bristol in late July. Having united his western and Oxford armies for the operations against Bristol, Charles met with his commanders to decide their next move. After extensive discussions, he determined to allow the Western Army to operate independently against remaining Parliamentarian outposts in Dorset and Cornwall while the Oxford Army advanced on Gloucester. First Battle of Newbury - Siege of Gloucester: Moving against Gloucester, the Royalists believed that the city could be taken without a fight. This was due to intelligence that suggested its commander, Sir Edward Massie, might be willing to change allegiances. In early August, Charles' army reached Gloucester and promptly had its demands for surrender rebuffed by Massie. As a result, the Royalists were forced to begin siege operations. Despite active raiding by the city's garrison, the Royalists completed their siege lines and began bombarding Gloucester's defenses on August 12. With Charles working to reduce Gloucester's defenses, Essex, now leading the only Parliamentarian army in the field, frantically worked to bolster his numbers so that he could move to the city's aid. Reinforced by the London Trained Bands, he began moving west in late August. Battling heavy rains, the Parliamentarian army reached Gloucester on September 5 and encamped at Prestbury Hill. First Battle of Newbury - Essex Retreats: Alerted to Essex's arrival, Charles raised the siege and withdrew to the south. Though he relieved Gloucester's garrison, Essex's situation was precarious as he was unable to maintain his supply lines east. As a result, he began making preparations to retreat back towards London. Aware of Essex's predicament, Charles sought to block the Parliamentarian's route to the capital and inflict a decisive defeat. On September 10, Essex crossed the River Severn with the goal of convincing the Royalists that he was making for Worcester. The ruse worked as Charles moved his army north to Evesham. Four nights later, Essex conducted a forced march south from Tewkesbury with the intention of reaching London via Swindon, Newbury, and Reading. Passing through Cirencester the next day, the Parliamentarians surprised two Royalist cavalry regiments and captured supplies intended for Charles' army. Learning of Essex's change of course, Charles raced south. Advancing with Rupert's cavalry in the lead, the Royalists closed the distance quickly as Essex's men battled poor weather and muddy roads. Reaching Aldbourne Chase on September 18, Rupert engaged the Parliamentarian rear guard. The battle led to Essex crossing to the southern bank of the River Kennet which caused further delays. As a result, Charles was able to reach Newbury ahead of the Parliamentarians and establish a blocking position across the route to London. Arriving at Enborne, two miles west of Newbury, on September 19, Essex paused to rest and assess the situation. Bounded by the Rivers Kennet and Enborne, the terrain between the armies consisted of hedged and |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which ancient, fierce warrior nation, upon attacking ancient Israel,
. came down like a wolf on the fold'?"
] | ISM Military History Quiz - Page 16 - International Scale Modeller International Scale Modeller Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 1:13 pm Location: Surrey,England,UK. Post by privatepete » Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:05 am Questions & Answers For 23-11-2016 Q: What is the senior service of the UK armed forces? A: Royal Navy. Q: Who commands the Army according to the Bill Of Rights of 1869? A: Parliament (Government). Q: Who is commander in chief for the UK's Armed Forces? A: The reigning Monarch (at present Queen Elizabeth II). Q: What is the highest military rank in the army, the navy and the Royal Air Force? A: Army - Field Marshall, RAF - Marshall of the Royal Air Force, RN - Admiral of the Fleet. Q: The Royal Air Force's ground defence unit is called what? A: RAF Regiment. Post by privatepete » Fri Nov 25, 2016 6:06 am Questions & Answers For 24-11-2016 Q:What type of aircraft was used to drop bombs in the first German air raids on London in 1915? A: A Zeppelin. Q:What was the name of the Japanese destroyer that sank PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, on August 2, 1943? A: Amigiri. Q:In what war was the color khaki first used for uniforms? A: The Afghan War in 1880--the color was considered good camouflage. Q:Who was issued ID number 01 when the U.S. military started issuing dog tags in 1918? A: General John J. Pershing. Good Luck. Post by privatepete » Sat Nov 26, 2016 6:22 am Questions& Answers For 25-11-2016 Q:At which naval battle in WWII did the Americans decisively defeat the Japanese Carrier Task Force? A:Battle of Midway Q:In 1944 what was the name of the operation to take key bridges over major rivers in Holland by airborne and land force assaults? Q:Market-Garden Q:After which battle did the British Life Guards first obtain their breast-plates? A:Waterloo - from Napoleon's defeated Cuirassier's breast-plates. Q:Which WWI battle occurred on a peninsular south of Istanbul in Turkey? A: Gallipoli Q:Which ancient, fierce warrior nation, upon attacking ancient Israel, ‘…. came down like a wolf on the fold’? A:The Assyrians. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"At which naval battle in WWII did the Americans decisively defeat the Japanese Carrier Task Force?"
] | Battle of Midway - World War II - HISTORY.com Battle of Midway A+E Networks Introduction Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. Thanks in part to major advances in code breaking, the United States was able to preempt and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position. Google This fleet engagement between U.S. and Japanese navies in the north-central Pacific Ocean resulted from Japan’s desire to sink the American aircraft carriers that had escaped destruction at Pearl Harbor . Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, Japanese fleet commander, chose to invade a target relatively close to Pearl Harbor to draw out the American fleet, calculating that when the United States began its counterattack, the Japanese would be prepared to crush them. Instead, an American intelligence breakthrough–the solving of the Japanese fleet codes–enabled Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to understand the exact Japanese plans. Nimitz placed available U.S. carriers in position to surprise the Japanese moving up for their preparatory air strikes on Midway Island itself. Did You Know? Six months before the Battle of Midway, the islands were attacked on December 7, 1941, less than two hours after Pearl Harbor. The intelligence interplay would be critical to the outcome of the battle and began many weeks before the clash of arms. American radio nets in the Pacific picked up various orders Yamamoto had dispatched to prepare his forces for the operation. As early as May 2, messages that were intercepted began to indicate some forthcoming operation, and a key fact, the planned day-of-battle position of the Japanese carriers, would be divulged in a notice sent on May 16. By the time Nimitz had to make final decisions, the Japanese plans and order of battle had been reconstructed in considerable detail. American combat forces took over where intelligence efforts left off. Scouts found the Japanese early in the morning of June 4. Although initial strikes by Midway-based planes were not successful, American carrier-based planes turned the tide. Torpedo bombers became separated from the American dive-bombers and were slaughtered (36 of 42 shot down), but they diverted Japanese defenses just in time for the dive-bombers to arrive; some of them had become lost, and now by luck they found the Japanese. The Japanese carriers were caught while refueling and rearming their planes, making them especially vulnerable. The Americans sank four fleet carriers–the entire strength of the task force–Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu, with 322 aircraft and over five thousand sailors. The Japanese also lost the heavy cruiser Mikuma. American losses included 147 aircraft and more than three hundred seamen. Analysts often point to Japanese aircraft losses at Midway as eliminating the power of the Imperial Navy’s air arm, but in fact about two-thirds of air crews survived. More devastating was the loss of trained mechanics and aircraft ground crews who went down with the ships. Some historians see Midway as the turning point in the Pacific theater of the war, after which Americans rode straight to Tokyo; others view it as a cusp in the war, after which initiative hung in the balance, to swing toward the Allies in the Guadalcanal campaign. Either way, Midway ranks as a truly decisive battle. JOHN PRADOS The Reader’s Companion to Military History. Edited by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Tags |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In 1944 what was the name of the operation to take key bridges over major rivers in Holland by airborne and land force assaults?"
] | World War 2 Events of 1944 World War 2 Events of 1944 World War 2 Events of 1944 1944 proved the critical year for the war, the offensives of 1943 finally beginning to show their fruits throughout both theaters of war. There are a total of (266) entries in the World War 2 Events of 1944. Entries are listed below by earliest date to latest date. January 1st 1944 A message to subordinates by US Army Air Force commanding general General H.H. Hap Arnold calls for the destruction of the German Luftwaffe before Allied landings can begin. January 11th The first major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. January 11th French Expeditionary Corps assail the outer defences at Cassino, achieving modest gains. January 14th 1944 Soviet armies from the 2nd Baltic, Volkov and Leningrad fronts overtake German Army Group North in a massive two-week offensive. January 16th The US IC Corps and the French Expeditionary Corps arrive at Rapido River. January 17th The US is involved in their first major assault on Cassino. January 18th - February 9th US forces begin making headway through the Liri Valley, capturing ground at Monte Calvario. January 21st 1944 In the afternoon hours, an Allied convoy of 243 ships sets sail from the Bay of Naples for the beaches at Anzio and nearby Nettuno. January 22nd By 12AM midnight, some 45,000 Allied troops and 3,000 vehicles are on the beaches. January 22nd American forces hold the line at Mussolini Canal. January 22nd British forces hold the line at River Moletta. January 22nd 1944 Operation Shingle, the amphibious landings at Anzio, is enacted by the Allied. In lead is the US VI Corps under Major-General John Lucas. January 23rd The German Luftwaffe begins heavy strafing attacks and bombardment of Allied forces. January 23rd 1944 German Colonel-General von Mackensen takes control of the new 14th Army headquartered 30 miles west of Rome. January 23rd The Anzio beachhead is consolidated into a concentrated pocket on the orders of Lucas. January 25th 1944 The Anzio beachhead continues to grow with Allied troops and equipment, making it a prime target for the regrouping Germans. January 27th The siege of Leningrad is declared by Soviet leader Stalin as over. January 27th The Moscow-Leningrad railway route is reopened in favor of the Soviets. January 28th The Germans are driven back at Cisterna. January 28th 1944 By this date, some 70,000 men, 27,000 tons of goods, 508 artillery guns and 237 tanks are ashore on the beachhead. January 28th 1944 Hitler delivers an ultimatum to supreme commander-in-chief over Italy operations, Field Marshall Kesselring, to fight to the death and drive the invading Allied forces into the sea. January 28th Von Mackensen moves six divisions to Anzio, some ten miles of the Allied beachhead. January 28th The US 1st Armored Division captures the town of Aprilia. January 28th German Army Group North is pushed away from the city of Leningrad. January 30th The Allies suffer some 5,000 casualties in the Anzio action by this date. January 31st Von Mackensen's forces now number some eight divisions in strength. February 10th 1944 In a counter offensive, crack German paratroopers repel US forces and previous Allied gains are lost. February 11th 1944 US and Indian losses mount in the offensives against German positions in Calvario, the town of Cassino and Monte Cassino itself. February 11th The entire US 142nd Regiment is destroyed. February 11th 1944 The 4th Indian Division reports unacceptably high casualties when coming up against the stout German defenders. February 11th 1944 The 34th and 36th US Divisions both report a high number of casualties from the ensuing offensives. February 11th 1944 A blanket retreat is enacted by the Allies in an attempt to regroup and plan a new strategy to take Cassino. February 12th 1944 Winston Churchill pens a critical letter to supreme commander-in-chief of Allied operations in Italy. In his writings he claims he expected to see "a wild cat roaring" and has seen nothing but a "whale wallowing on the beaches". February 14th The offensive is detailed |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"After which battle did the British Life Guards first obtain their breast-plates?"
] | ISM Military History Quiz - Page 16 - International Scale Modeller International Scale Modeller Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 1:13 pm Location: Surrey,England,UK. Post by privatepete » Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:05 am Questions & Answers For 23-11-2016 Q: What is the senior service of the UK armed forces? A: Royal Navy. Q: Who commands the Army according to the Bill Of Rights of 1869? A: Parliament (Government). Q: Who is commander in chief for the UK's Armed Forces? A: The reigning Monarch (at present Queen Elizabeth II). Q: What is the highest military rank in the army, the navy and the Royal Air Force? A: Army - Field Marshall, RAF - Marshall of the Royal Air Force, RN - Admiral of the Fleet. Q: The Royal Air Force's ground defence unit is called what? A: RAF Regiment. Post by privatepete » Fri Nov 25, 2016 6:06 am Questions & Answers For 24-11-2016 Q:What type of aircraft was used to drop bombs in the first German air raids on London in 1915? A: A Zeppelin. Q:What was the name of the Japanese destroyer that sank PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, on August 2, 1943? A: Amigiri. Q:In what war was the color khaki first used for uniforms? A: The Afghan War in 1880--the color was considered good camouflage. Q:Who was issued ID number 01 when the U.S. military started issuing dog tags in 1918? A: General John J. Pershing. Good Luck. Post by privatepete » Sat Nov 26, 2016 6:22 am Questions& Answers For 25-11-2016 Q:At which naval battle in WWII did the Americans decisively defeat the Japanese Carrier Task Force? A:Battle of Midway Q:In 1944 what was the name of the operation to take key bridges over major rivers in Holland by airborne and land force assaults? Q:Market-Garden Q:After which battle did the British Life Guards first obtain their breast-plates? A:Waterloo - from Napoleon's defeated Cuirassier's breast-plates. Q:Which WWI battle occurred on a peninsular south of Istanbul in Turkey? A: Gallipoli Q:Which ancient, fierce warrior nation, upon attacking ancient Israel, ‘…. came down like a wolf on the fold’? A:The Assyrians. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The bombardment of which fort was the act which started the American Civil War?"
] | Fort Sumter - American Civil War - HISTORY.com Google Fort Sumter: Construction and Design Fort Sumter was first built in the wake of the War of 1812 (1812-1815), which had highlighted the United States’ lack of strong coastal defenses. Named for Revolutionary War general and South Carolina native Thomas Sumter, Fort Sumter was one of nearly 50 forts built as part of the so-called Third System, a coastal defense program implemented by Congress in 1817. The three-tiered, five-sided fort’s coastal placement was designed to allow it to control access to the vital Charleston Harbor. While the island itself was only 2.4 acres in size, the fort was built to accommodate a garrison of 650 soldiers and 135 artillery pieces. Did You Know? There were no casualties during the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter at the start of the American Civil War. The only Union deaths came during the evacuation: One soldier was killed and another mortally wounded in an accidental explosion during a planned 100-gun salute. Construction of Fort Sumter first began in 1829 in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, on a manmade island built from thousands of tons of granite. Building ground to a halt in the 1830s amid a dispute over ownership of the stretch of the harbor, and did not resume until 1841. Like many Third System fortifications, Fort Sumter proved a costly endeavor, and construction slowed again in 1859 due to lack of funding. By 1860 the island and the outer fortifications were complete, but the fort’s interior and armaments remained unfinished. Fort Sumter: The First Battle of Fort Sumter Construction of Fort Sumter was still underway when South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860. Despite Charleston’s position as a major port, at the time only two companies of federal troops guarded the harbor. Commanded by Major Robert Anderson (1805-1871), these companies were stationed at Fort Moultrie, a dilapidated fortification facing the coastline. Recognizing that Fort Moultrie was vulnerable to a land assault, Anderson elected to abandon it for the more easily defensible Fort Sumter on December 26, 1860. South Carolina militia forces would seize the city’s other forts shortly thereafter, leaving Fort Sumter as the lone federal outpost in Charleston. A standoff ensued until January 9, 1861, when a ship called the Star of the West arrived in Charleston with over 200 U.S. troops and supplies intended for Fort Sumter. South Carolina militia batteries fired upon the vessel as it neared Charleston Harbor, forcing it to turn back to sea. Major Anderson refused repeated calls to abandon Fort Sumter, and by March 1861 there were over 3,000 militia troops besieging his garrison. A number of other U.S. military facilities in the Deep South had already been seized, and Fort Sumter was viewed by many as one of the South’s few remaining hurdles to overcome before achieving sovereignty. With the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) in March 1861, the situation soon escalated. Knowing that Anderson and his men were running out of supplies, Lincoln announced his intention to send three unarmed ships to relieve Fort Sumter. Having already declared that any attempt to resupply the fort would be seen as an act of aggression, South Carolina militia forces soon scrambled to respond. On April 11, militia commander P.G.T. Beauregard (1818-1893) demanded that Anderson surrender the fort, but Anderson again refused. In response Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter shortly after 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861. U.S. Captain Abner Doubleday (1819-1893)—later famous for the myth that he invented baseball—ordered the first shots in defense of the fort a few hours later. Beauregard’s 19 coastal batteries unleashed a punishing barrage on Fort Sumter, eventually firing an estimated 3,000 shots at the citadel in 34 hours. By Saturday, April 13, cannon fire had broken through the fortress’s five-foot-thick brick walls, causing fires inside the post. With his stores of ammunition depleted, Anderson was forced to surrender the fort shortly after 2 p. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which WWI battle occurred on a peninsular south of Istanbul in Turkey?"
] | Tour the WW1 battle sites of Turkey's Gallipoli peninsula near Istanbul | Daily Mail Online comments There's something life-changing about a trip that's half-pilgrimage, half-holiday - as I found when I went on the trail of my ancestor, killed in 1915 at Gallipoli. My great-grandfather, the 5th Earl of Longford - father of the late Lord Longford, the prisons and anti-pornography campaigner - was one of the 34,000 Allied soldiers who died in the eight-month-long, disastrously bloody campaign. This year marks the 95th anniversary of the battle - and of my great grandfather's death. I set out thinking it would be a worthy but mournful pilgrimage. I ended up stumbling upon an unspoilt chunk of heart-stoppingly pretty Turkish coastline, free from the tourist developments that have scarred so many resorts further east. Safe harbour: Kilibahir port, near Gallipoli. Churchill's plan involved sending a flotilla of ships up the Dardanelles in World War I The Gallipoli peninsula is around 150 miles south-west of Istanbul, with the Aegean on one side, and a thin channel of water, the Dardanelles, on the other, leading down from the Black Sea. The fatal campaign had been dreamt up by Winston Churchill. His idea was to send a flotilla of ships up the Dardanelles, take Istanbul and bring victory in World War I. Ironically, those eight terrible months in 1915 ensured the area was made a national park, meaning Gallipoli's gently rolling hills and fields will remain unspoilt for ever. The air is rich with sweet-smelling rosemary, juniper and wild thyme. Nightingales roost here, sending out their liquid songs across the vineyards. In spring, rich patches of wildflowers are strewn across the cliffs the Allies fought so hard to take. The 5th Earl of Longford was one of the 34,000 Allied soldiers who died at Gallipoli The beaches where they landed are deserted and sheltered, the water warm. You pretty much get the place to yourself, but for the gardeners of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, cropping the graveyards with military precision, and farmers tending their vines. Turkish wine, by the way, is underrated. On the first evening, I took the edge off my tiredness with a bottle of Kavaklidere Anatolian, a dryish white wine. Look out, too, for Narbag, Turasan and Doluca wines. There are two ways to visit Gallipoli. Holts Tours, the battlefield specialist, takes a six-day tour around all the major battle sites. I preferred to go alone, flying to Istanbul, followed by a leisurely day's journey south to Gallipoli. As you drive on the empty, well-kept road that weaves down the peninsula, on the right lies the Aegean Sea and, beyond, Greece. Far in the distance lies Skyros, the island, where the poet Rupert Brooke died from a mosquito bite on his way to Gallipoli. To your left you have the Dardanelles and can see clearly across the blue-green water to the hazy, beige hills of Asia, only three miles away. This stretch of the Dardanelles - also called the Hellespont - was swum by Lord Byron two centuries ago, in homage to the ancient Greek lovers, Hero and Leander. Every night, Leander would swim across the treacherous water, flowing fast and cold, south from the Black Sea, to see his lover, Hero, guided there by the flame she lit in her tower house. One wintry night, the wind blew out Hero's flame, and Leander, lost in the swirling waters, drowned. I stopped for lunch in Gelibolu - or Gallipoli, the town that gave the campaign its name, although it is some way north of the battlefields. The seafood is cheap and fresh here, much of it plucked straight from the Dardanelles; and the thin trickle of tourists hasn't diluted standards. Restaurants and cafes are strung all around the harbour, clustering round a handsome Byzantine tower. A domed plateful of sardalya (fresh, grilled sardines) at the Gelibolu Restaurant, followed by baklava (flaky, honey-soaked, pistachio nut-pastry), went well with a bottle of Efes beer. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share After lunch, I headed further south. It's easy to find your way along the em |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the highest mountain in England?"
] | What is the highest mountain in England? What is the highest mountain in England? Updated on September 4, 2009 What is the highest mountain in England? If you are looking for the answer to that very question you are in the right place. This page contains the details of the highest mountain in England, as well as a list of the top 10 highest mountain's in England should you ever want to answer the question ' What are the top 10 highest mountains in England?'. A picture of Scafell Pike which is the highest mountain in England. This is the highest peak in the distance, second peak in from the left of the shot. Also included in the picture is the second highest mountain in England, Scafell, at the centre o What is the highest mountain in England? The short answer to the question 'What is the highest mountain in England?' is Scafell Pike. The height of this, the highest mountain in England, is 978 metres (3210 feet). Scafell Pike is found within the Lake District National Park. The Lake District is an area of great beauty, located in north west of England, in the county of Cumbria. As can be guessed from the name, the Lake District is made up of many lakes. These have been formed in amongst the large mountains which can be found throughout the Lake District, the highest of which is Scafell Pike. Scafell Pike itself is formed from igneous rock. Igneous rock is rock which has formed from the cooling of magma/lava. The rock from Scafell Pike probably formed during the Ordovician Period which occurred approximately 450 million years ago. As such the rocks are very old. Over the years Scafell Pike has been weathered and eroded by a large number of different actions. This has led to it having it's present day shape. In addition, Scafell Pike has the highest boulder field in England, which again was probably formed through weathering. Since Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England it is very popular with walkers and mountain climbers and so on days with good weather the paths can be very busy. However, as with all mountaineering, the weather can change quickly and so safety precautions need to be taken. Scafell Pike is also popular with people who attempt to collect highest mountains. This means that they have managed to climb the highest mountain in a given country. There are many people who attempt to climb Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in Scotland), Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales) and Scafell Pike (the highest mountain in England). Scafell Pike is also popular since it's location. It is relatively close to many large population centres, such as Manchester and Liverpool. Most people travel to Scafell Pike by car, along the M6 from Manchester and then the A595. What are the ten highest mountains in England? Mountain |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which city is known as the Granite City'?"
] | Aberdeen Quest - Granite City Granite City Art Factsheets Granite City The planet we live on is made of rock. There are different kinds of rock that have been formed in different ways. Different types of rock are found in different places. Aberdeen is well known as a Granite City. Many of the buildings in Aberdeen are made out of granite. Granite is a hard rock that is often used as a building material. There was once a huge granite quarry in Aberdeen called Rubislaw Quarry. Aberdeen Town Council owned the land with the quarry. In 1788 the Council thought it was no good and sold the land. But Rubislaw Quarry turned out to be very good. Hundreds of thousands of tons of granite were quarried. By the time the quarry closed, almost 200 years later in 1971 it was about 137 meters deep. The grey granite from Rubislaw was used in many of Aberdeen's buildings. Granite from Aberdeen was also used to pave roads in London. Working with granite required a lot of skill. In the early days of Aberdeen's granite industry, all cutting was done by hand using hammers and chisels. Skilled men could make square blocks with flat surfaces using picks. Pneumatic tools started to be used in the 1890s. Pneumatic tools are tools powered by compressed air. High-pressure air is forced into the holder which holds a chisel. The chisel is forced up and down. This cuts the granite. The tools came from the USA. Air powered tools needed less strength to work, but still required a lot of skill. Working with granite could be very dangerous, especially in quarries where explosives were used. When granite dust was breathed in it damaged workers' lungs. Breathing in granite dust causes a disease called silicosis. It makes breathing very difficult. Many masons died from this disease. |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Aquae Sulis is the Roman name for which modern city?"
] | Aquae Sulis | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo Sue Vincent's Daily Echo Posted on February 17, 2016 by Sue Vincent Aquae Sulis… the waters of the Sulis… that was the Roman name for the city of Bath. It is easy to understand why when, since time immemorial, a hot and mineral-rich spring has welled from the ground; the only hot spring in Britain. We didn’t visit properly this time, though I have in the past, but we did see the King’s Pool with its statue of Bladud and the strange stone chair that juts out from the wall over the steaming pool, that was the designated seat of the Master of the Baths. You can no longer bathe in the waters here as was once the custom, largely because the water is still chanelled through the old Roman pipework made of lead. That is something of a marvel in itself, as the Romans first stared building the temple here, with the sacrd spring at its heart, around 60AD and added to the complex over the nest 300 years. Even so, what remains is over seventeen hundred years old and a fine indication of the glories of a Roman bath house. Close by, however, there are facilities to both drink and bathe in the waters, long considered therapeutic, with the water now flowing through modern plumbing. The spring and baths are hidden behind and below the elegant facade of a later era. Bath rose to popularity many times over the centuries, becoming a fashionable watering place or spa town and each era has left its mark. Yet the spring is older by far than those whose stones and mortar now enclose it. There was already a shrine to the Celtic goddess Sulis at the spring, long before the Romans came. From the many offerings and inscribed tablets found here, it would seem that she was seen as a healing and nurturing mother-goddess, while her name suggests some connection with the eye or the sun. Perhaps there was something of both… the two go together, and perhaps too we can imagine that there might have been seers at the Sacred Spring… those who see by a different light than that of the physical sun. Sulis-Minerva. Image: Rodw Instead of ousting Sulis when they came and replacing her with a Roman deity, the Romans saw her as Sulis-Minerva and added wisdom to her gifts… or recognised, perhaps, that her nature was similar to that of their own goddess. A beautiful gilded bronze bust was found in 1727 depicting the the Romano-British deity. On the front of the Roman temple was the huge plaque now described as a Gorgon because of the entwined snakes of his hair and beard. I am no scholar, but all the Gorgons I know about were female… and they didn’t look quite so solar…or have wings in their hair…He looks solar to me, or perhaps combines all the elements of earth, air, fire and water in the symbol. In fact, if I wasn’t going to opt for a solar deity, then rather than a Gorgon, I’d say he looks more like our Green Man. The dubious Gorgon. Image: Rodw Or maybe he is at least partly responsible for the legends surrounding Bladud, the legendary King of the Britons. Bladud, whose name may come from the Welsh for ‘wolf-lord’, has left no trace in history and may never have existed before Geoffrey of Monmouth’s truly fabulous Historia Regum Britanniae, where he is named as the father of King Lear. Amongst other feats, he is said to have been the founder of Bath and, by magical arts, raised the temple, dedicating the healing waters of the spring to Minerva and supplying it with an ever-burning flame because of his pigs. The legend tells that Bladud had contracted leprosy whilst studying in Athens and was exiled from the court on his return home. He took up a position as a swineherd and noticed that the pigs who rolled in the warm, black mud suffered no skin diseases. Doing likewise, he was cured of the leprosy and restored to his position as future king. He died when the wings he had made for himself with his arcane arts failed… Earth, air fire and water…and wings… Sounds awfully like the Gorgon. While Bladud may be no more than a myth, there is plenty of real and tangible history here, from the Roman structure itself, to the statuary |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which range of hills in the west country has Cheddar Gorge and it's caves as well as Wookey Hole caves?"
] | Outdoor Places to Visit near Wookey Hole, Nr. Wells, Somerset Outdoor Places to Visit near Wookey Hole, Nr. Wells, Somerset Wookey House the Luxury Self Catering & Dog Friendly Accommodation the WOOKEY House 3 School Mews School Hill Wookey Hole Somerset BA5 1BZ T: 01458 259577 M: 07981 438988 www.tripadvisor.co.uk Places to Visit - Countryside THE MENDIP HILLS – for walking, climbing, caving, cycling or just for lunch – The Mendip Hills (commonly called the Mendips) is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north. The hills give their name to the local government district of Mendip, which administers most of the area. The hills are largely formed from Carboniferous Limestone, which is quarried at several sites. The higher, western part of the hills has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which gives it a level of protection comparable to a national park. The AONB is 198 km² (76 sq mi). The Mendip Hills AONB and Somerset County Council's outdoor education centre is at the Charterhouse Centre near Blagdon. A wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities take place in the Mendips, many based on the particular geology of the area. The hills are recognised as a national centre for caving and cave diving, as well as being popular with climbers, hillwalkers and natural historians. The Mendip Hills Visit Somerset Ebbor Gorge Craggy limestone outcrops, Limestone scree slopes and lush wooded valleys are on offer in this Mendip reserve. Some 200,000 years ago the huge cavern that formed Ebbor Gorge collapsed and left behind a number of small caves where reindeer, cave bear and wolf remains have been discovered. Artefacts and bones from Neolithic people who sheltered in these caves 5000 years ago are on show at Wells museum. Three trails are available. The 2km red route takes about 1 hour and includes a strenuous scramble up the gorge. Robust footwear is recommended. The 1km black route takes you along a woodland ramble lush with ferns, mosses and fungi. It takes about half an hour. The easy access blue route takes about 15 minutes and is ideal for wheel chairs and pushchairs GeoTimes CHEDDAR GORGE is a limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills, near the village of Cheddar. The gorge is the site of the Cheddar show caves, where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, estimated to be 9,000 years old, was found in 1903. Older remains from the Upper Late Palaeolithic era (12,000–13,000 years ago) have been found. The caves, produced by the activity of an underground river, contain stalactites and stalagmites. Cheddar Gorge, including the caves and other attractions, has become a tourist destination. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, following its appearance on the 2005 television programme Seven Natural Wonders, Cheddar Gorge was named as the second greatest natural wonder in Britain, surpassed only by Dan yr Ogof caves. The gorge attracts about 500,000 visitors per year The Somerset Levels THE SOMERSET LEVELS – these wonderful wetalnds barely reach 8m above sea level and the land was permanently under water just 6,500 years ago. it is thought that the summer grazing land on the levels and moors may have given rise to the name Summerseata –‘land of the summer people’ from which Somerset gets its name. The great flat expanses of land which stretch inland from Bridgwater bay to the Mendip hills in the north and the Quantock hills in the west are often overlooked by visitors but form a vast wildlife haven teeming with rare and endangered species. Otters are best seen at Shapwick heath or Westhay moor but all the watercourses are rich in water voles, fish and insects while lush flower meadows are home to many wild orchids and butterflies. To the north of the polden hills, the rivers Axe, Sheppey and Brue cross the peat moors and Avalon Marshes while the southern levels including Sedgemoor are crossed by the Parrett (which is |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name of the extensive area of marshland on the south-east coast of Kent?"
] | Coastal Kent - South East England | Luxury Holiday Rentals In Kent, UK Search by one of the criteria. Coastal Kent Coastal Kent Holiday Cottages… See Coastal Kent Attractions … Kent boasts some of the most vibrant, historical and diverse coastlines in the UK, from award winning ‘Blue Flag’ beaches and nature reserves to bustling seaside towns and the Port of Dover. Starting off with the famous marshes packed with wildlife in the south working up through the sandy dunes of New Romney to the White Cliffs of Dover in the east and finally around the quaint towns of Ramsgate, Margate, Whitstable and Chatham along the northerly stretch of the coastline. Historically the Kent coast is highlighted throughout the history books, being the main portal to the continent for millennia – hosting the scenes of many fearsome battles and being one of England’s main landmarks for traders and visitors from all over the globe. Wherever you go up the coast you will never be too far from one of the magnificent castles that imprint themselves in the land whether it be Dover, Lympne, Walmer or Deal these vast structures still feature heavily in the local geography and demonstrate the lavish palatial residences and defenses of our ancestral royalty. There are a great deal of attractions in the coastal regions of Kent and you can really explore the local lifestyle well in the seaside towns. Deal has a fantastic market (every Wednesday) as does Whitstable (every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each Month) selling fresh produce from the around the area. A little further inland are two world renowned animal parks as a part of The Aspinal Foundation, Port Lympne (Located in Lympne) and Howletts (located just outside of Canterbury) where you can see animal conservation in action. They provide a fantastic day out for the family and support a great cause in protecting endangered species from around the world. A stone’s-throw over the border is the amazing town of Rye in East Sussex with its ancient cobbled streets and landmarks winding their way up the hill dominating the skyline for miles around. Also encompassed in this area is the medieval city of Canterbury which has a great variety of shopping, restaurants and culture – including the newly renovated Marlowe Theatre and the stunning Cathedral as the centerpiece of this vibrant city. Hythe is also great for eating out and has a quaint boutique high street for shoppers, the Chocolate Deli is a must! The best beaches in the area include Bottany Bay in Broadstairs, Camber Sands and Winchelsea Beach on the south coastline. Some of the best wildlife can be found on the Romney Marsh which has been noted for it’s diverse population of different plants and animals as well as being draped in history. The famous church of Thomas Becket can be found isolated in the marshland and is a very picturesque place to visit. Traveling to this area of Kent, the UK even, is made so accessible by the fast links to continental Europe and London. The Eurostar provides services which run from London stopping off on the way through Kent and taking passengers right into Europe. Equally high speed rail links from many stations across the county can take you to London in no time at all. Ferries coming in and out of Dover or Eurotunnel in Folkestone can be a great and very cheap way of transporting the whole family across the channel. Kent also has very good access not only to as a base between the UK and the continent but to the rest of the world with major airports within easy reach, a great central location where you can explore another side of England. |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name of the World Heritage Site on the coastline of Dorset and East Devon?"
] | The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site It was a nightmare scenario – a huge container ship heading down the English Channel is severely damaged in a Read More… © 2017 - Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Partnership |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which word, common in the South of England, describes a steep-sided river valley where the water flows through coastal cliffs to the sea?"
] | Chewton Bunny Nature Reserve, Highcliffe on Sea, Christchurch, Dorset. England. ( 4 ) - YouTube Chewton Bunny Nature Reserve, Highcliffe on Sea, Christchurch, Dorset. England. ( 4 ) 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 Sep 8, 2012 Highcliffe-on-Sea ( usually abbreviated to Highcliffe ) is a small town in the borough of Christchurch, Dorset in southern England. It forms part of the South East Dorset conurbation along the English Channel coast. The town lies on a picturesque stretch of Solent coastline with views of the Isle of Wight and its Needles rock formation. In 1838 a large ship the Herman Julius 336 tons, was wrecked at Chuton ( Chewton ) Bunny. The crew of 11 were saved, one was lost overboard before she struck. Bemister and Holloway purchased the wreck. In 1999 The Highcliffe Stables Community Trust tried to save the 100 year old stable block at The Globe as an exhibition centre for the community but poor construction and lack of funds made it impossible. Christchurch Council applied and obtained a licence to hold wedding ceremonies at the Castle. In 1999 there were six weddings. In 2003 the number was 120 weddings. In 1994 Major restoration of Highcliffe Castle was assured with a grant of £2.6 million from the Lottery Fund Highcliffe lies close to the historic town of Christchurch, the resort town of Bournemouth, and the New Forest National Park. Highcliffe's position on the middle of England's south coast gives it a climate with milder winters than inland areas and less rainfall than locations further west. This helped establish the town as a popular health and leisure resort during the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras. What is now regarded as Highcliffe has developed over the last several hundred years from the hamlet of Slop Pond, the Chewton Estate, and Chewton Common. The latter two also contained large farmsteads. Slop Pond was a collection of thatched cottages, named from the large pond on its common. The cottages were said[by whom?] to be occupied by farm workers and fishermen, who engaged in the smuggling and poaching trade now notorious in local history. When the area became a more popular tourist destination in the Victorian era, Slop Pond was renamed Newtown. It was later then changed to Highcliff, after the first High Cliff house, and soon became known as Highcliffe-on-Sea. Between 1831 and 1835, Lord Stuart de Rothesay built a Gothic Revival home Highcliffe Castle on the site of High Cliff house, his father's Georgian estate. The design, by William Donthorne, a founder member of RIBA, incorporated large quantities of carved Medieval stonework salvaged from the Norman Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumieges and the Grande Maison des Andelys. Highcliffe Castle is now a Grade 1 listed building described as the most important remaining example of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture, and now holds events throughout the year open to the public. It is also a popular venue for weddings and other private events. The area also has a strong literary connection and was once a centre for Wicca with Gerald Gardner living in Highlands Avenue. Captain Frederick Marryat, author of The Children of The New Forest, was a regular visitor to the house on the Chewton estate (now the Chewton Glen Hotel, Spa and Country Club); and the adventure story author Colonel R.W. Campbell, veteran of the Boer and Great wars, was also a local resident. Highcliffe was annexed by Christchurch in 1932. Chewton Bunny Nature Reserve is an ancient wooded river valley which forms the county boundary between Dorset and Hampshire. The Walkford Brook flows through the site, entering a culvert and eventually flowing out to sea. A chine is a steep-sided river valley where the river flows to the sea through, typically, soft eroding coastal cliffs of sandstone or clays. The word chine originate |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What was the UK's earliest National Park?"
] | Savour the wilds of the UK’s first national park | VisitEngland Savour the wilds of the UK’s first national park Peak District, Derbyshire Read more … Close × The Peak District National Park became Britain's first national park in 1951 and offers some of the most dramatic natural landscapes in the country. The rugged gritsone uplands, undulating limestone dales and heather-clad vistas provide an ever-changing natural spectacle throughout the year; whether cycling, horse riding, climbing or simply on foot, there are endless ways to take in the breathtaking scenery. Walkers can retrace the footsteps of the pioneering ramblers who, in 1932, defied landowners by walking from Hayfield up on to Kinder Scout – the highest, and one of the most spectacular parts of the park. The Mass Trespass of 1932 is considered to be behind the right to roam enjoyed in Britain today. The park is around 3 hours by car and train from London, and half an hour from Manchester. Sheffield in South Yorkshire is just 15 minute’s drive, and makes an excellent base for explorers Content provided by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who played the title role in the movie Billy Elliot."
] | Billy Elliot (2000) - 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 A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 30 titles created 22 Jul 2012 a list of 40 titles created 08 Aug 2013 a list of 42 titles created 09 Mar 2014 a list of 40 titles created 30 Aug 2014 a list of 49 titles created 9 months ago Search for " Billy Elliot " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb 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 3 Oscars. Another 54 wins & 63 nominations. See more awards » Videos Six unemployed steel workers form a male striptease act. The women cheer them on to go for "the full monty" - total nudity. Director: Peter Cattaneo The daughter of orthodox Sikh rebels against her parents' traditionalism and joins a football team. Director: Gurinder Chadha A talented young dancer has to learn to fight for his dream despite social and parental disapproval. Directors: Stephen Daldry, Brett Sullivan Stars: Elliott Hanna, Ollie Jochim, Bradley Perret The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives. Director: Stephen Daldry A cynical, immature young man is taught how to act like a grown-up by a little boy. Directors: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz Stars: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette Edit Storyline County Durham, during the endless, violent 1984 strike against the Thatcher closure of British coal mines. Widower Jackie Elliot and his firstborn, fellow miner Tony, take a dim view of 11 year-old second son Billy's poor record in boxing class, which worsens when they discover he sneakily transferred to the neighboring, otherwise girls-only-attended ballet class. Only one schoolmate, closet-gay Michael Caffrey, encourages Billy's desire, aroused by the teacher, who judged him talented enough for private lesson, to train and try out for the world-renowned Royal Ballet audition. Only the prospect of a fancy career unimagined in the pauper quarter may twist pa and big brother's opposition to indispensable support. Written by KGF Vissers See All (248) » Taglines: Inside every one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it. Genres: Rated R for language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 10 November 2000 (USA) See more » Also Known As: £1,541,109 (UK) (29 September 2000) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia Julie Walters admittedly went through the menopause during the production and considered the filming of the dance sequences to be painful. She needed several breaks because she experienced hot flashes. See more » Goofs When Jackie is inside the bus leading to the mine, an egg hits his window (at around 1h 14 mins), but when the bus is viewed from outside, the window is clean (01:14:44). See more » Quotes (Odessa, Ukraine) – See all my reviews I have been looking for Billy Elliot for more than two years. I heard that it should be very good or even excellent film and another reason for watching it was that I have seen several Working Title films before (About a Boy, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and I found all of them much more sincere and emotional than average Hollywood products. Also these British films have something to offer that you rarely can find in Hollywood movies: a charming heartwarming mixture of sweet and funny comedy and inspiring and touching drama. Last month, finally, I found the tape. From very first moments of the movie my eyes were riveted to the screen and when the movie ended feelings and emotions overflowed me. Billy Elliot in my opinion Billy Elliot is a brilliant movie, easily one of the best movies of the year a |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which actress danced the twist with John Travolta in Pulp Fiction"
] | The Twist in 'Pulp Fiction' | Top 10 Movie Dance Scenes | TIME.com Top 10 Movie Dance Scenes By Claire Suddath Dec. 02, 2010 Everett Get This Movie We already knew John Travolta could dance. He discoed and hand-jived his way to stardom in Saturday Night Fever and Grease. But in the 1980s Travolta’s career fizzled and we sort of forgot about him because — let’s be honest, here — we have pretty short attention spans. But in 1994, Travolta made his comeback in Quentin Tarantino’s stylized crime film Pulp Fiction. His smooth, understated twists to Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” were so cool, we hardly noticed his weight gain and thinning hair. If we were coked up Uma Thurman, we’d let our Mob-boss boyfriend set us up with John Travolta any day. |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Babs Lord (the tall blonde one in Pan's People) has been married to which English actor since 1975."
] | Pain's People: Former TV dancer Babs Powell suffers from a debilitating arthritic condition caused in part by her strenuous career | Daily Mail Online Pain's People: Former TV dancer Babs Powell suffers from a debilitating arthritic condition caused in part by her strenuous career Updated: 17:30 EST, 4 December 2010 comments Three years ago, at the age of 61, former Pan's People dancer Babs Powell awoke with an unusual feeling of stiffness in her hips and strange flu-like symptoms. For a woman who only six years before had sailed around the world and was just about to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, this was not an ailment she anticipated. Seventies heyday: Babs Powell, pictured with actor husband Robert, suffers from PMR 'At first I put it down to doing too much exercise and I tried to ignore it,' says Babs, who is married to the actor Robert Powell. The couple have two grown-up children, Kate and Barney, and live in West London. 'But the symptoms would not go away and I started to panic, wondering how on earth I was going to manage the climb.' After a month, the symptoms spread and she began to experience headaches and a pain behind the eyes. 'My GP said he thought I might have a condition called polymyalgia rheumatica - which I had never heard of - and referred me immediately to a specialist at the Royal Free Hospital in London.' The diagnosis was confirmed, and Babs joined the one in 1,000 people aged over 50 in this country who suffer from the syndrome, known commonly as PMR. Women are three times more likely to get PMR than men and it is believed to have, in part, a genetic origin. Although little is known about the condition, an astonishing number of people suffer from PMR. Many go undiagnosed until the symptoms become acute. 'There's very little research being done into the causes and as yet there is little treatment beyond the prescription of steroids,' says Babs. 'It really can make your life a misery.' Professor Bhasrar Dasgupta from Southend Hospital, patron of the national PMR association, is leading research into the condition. He says: 'The most common symptoms are an inability to perform the activities of daily living, such as getting up, dressing, reaching and grooming. It is a very serious condition because of the pain and disability it causes and the severe effect it has on patients' quality of life. 'There can also be serious side effects associated with the steroid treatment, such as fractures, diabetes, cataracts, weight gain and bruising to the skin.' PMR is the leading arthritic condition among people over 50 in the UK. Women are three times more likely to get PMR than men and it is believed to have, in part, a genetic origin. Those who are very active in their youth, such as sportsmen and women and dancers, are thought to be more highly predisposed because of the pressure they have put on their joints. Seventies heyday: Babs Powell, second right, dancing with Pan's people is one of every 1000 people to suffer from PMR In Babs' case, the endless rehearsals and performances in Pan's People will have paved the way for the condition, which causes severe inflammation around the joints. 'My mother also had it,' she says, 'although even less was known about it then - I think it was just put down to an old person's aches and pains.' Many sufferers simply live with the pain and stiffness, even though steroids can alleviate symptoms, because they 'do not want to complain'. Yet there is a more sinister side to PMR. It can, in three out of ten cases, lead to a condition called temporal arteritis, which causes inflammation of the blood vessels running across the temples. If untreated, it can lead to blindness. Babs says: 'As I had pain in my face I was very concerned, and I was immediately put on to a course of steroids, after having blood tests. 'They took away the worst of the stiffness and face pain and I went on to take part in the Kilimanjaro climb with my daughter and daughterinlaw.' She adds: 'When I returned, I was backwards and forwards to hospital being tested. By now, I was concerned about the sid |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Dame Marie Rambert founded her own dancing school in the 1920s, In which country was she born."
] | Dance | Jewish Virtual Library Tweet In Ancient Israel In the Bible, Mishnah, and Talmud, dance is referred to in various contexts as an important ritualized activity and as an expression of joy. None of these references, however, contain descriptions of how the dancers actually moved. Dancing is mentioned in connection with celebrations of military victories and in rituals such as the golden calf dance and the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The Bible contains many Hebrew verb roots employed to describe dancing activity, four of which were used in the description of the popular but religious event of the bringing of the Ark, which inspired King David and his subjects to dance before God. David not only danced in the ordinary sense of the word saḥek (שׂחק) but also rotated with all his might, karker (כרכר); and jumped, pazez (פזז) ( II Sam. 6:5, 14, 16); a slightly different version appears in I Chronicles 15:29, mentioning that he skipped, rakad (רקד). The other verb roots used for describing dance are daleg (דלג), leap or jump; kafotz (קפץ), jump with both feet; savav (סבב), go around; paseʿaḥ (פסח), skip; ẓalaʿ (צלע), limp; ḥagag (חגג), dance in circle. It is noteworthy that in addition to the textual descriptions we have some tangible evidence. This includes newly discovered iconographic features found in *Megiddo , *Lachish , the Negev, and other sites. For example, a number of cylinder seals from the second millennium B.C.E. show lines of dancers standing with their hands on one another's shoulders (Near Eastern Archeology, 66:3 (2003)). Figures on a late Bronze Age cylinder seal from Lachish have been interpreted as participants in a ritual or battle dance similar to the Arab folk "debka" still in use in our days. A. Mazar adds that "this posture is typical of seals showing dancers from various sites in Israel" (ibid.). T. Ilan in his study "Dance and Gender" (see Bibliography) describes dance represented in ancient iconography as an activity in which the two genders have specific defined roles. Victory Dances Dancing to the accompaniment of drums is associated with the celebrations of military victories and welcoming home heroes who have routed an enemy. The women's role was to receive and extol the fighters. After the triumphant crossing of the Red Sea, "Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances" (Ex. 15:20, 21). On his triumphant return from battle to Mizpah, Jephthah was greeted by his daughter with timbrels and dancing (Judg. 11:34). When David and Saul returned from the battle with the Philistines, "the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with rattles" ( I Sam. 18:6). There is a detailed description of a victory parade, where Judith leads the women in the dance, to the accompaniment of a special thanksgiving song: "And all the women of Israel hurried to see her, and they praised her and made a dance for her… And she went out in the dance before all the people, leading all the women" (Judith 15:12, 13). Ecstatic Dances The most telling biblical evidence of the power of music inspiring ecstasy and prophetic vision is connected with King Saul. A passage from Samuel tells that Saul goes to the hill of God where he meets a group prophesizing while in motion, accompanied by several instruments. The text adds: "And the spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophecy with them, and shalt be turned into another man" ( I Sam. 10:5–6). There is no mention of dancing, which typically accompanies ecstatic practices, but the movement that is an inherent part of the situation described may well allude to its ritual nature. David's dance before the Ark was an example of the religious ecstatic dance performed by men. The Psalms exhorted people to "praise God's name in the dance" – "praise Him with timbrels and dance" (Ps. 149:3; 150:4). Folk Dances Detailed descriptions have been handed down to us from the peri |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"James Arness played Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. Who was his actor brother."
] | James Arness - Biography - IMDb James Arness Biography Showing all 63 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (3) | Trivia (48) | Personal Quotes (4) Overview (5) 6' 7" (2.01 m) Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). Born of Norwegian heritage (the family name, Aurness, had formerly been Aursness) in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Rolf and Ruth Duesler Aurness. His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother later became a newspaper columnist. James attended West High School in Minneapolis. Although he appeared in school plays, he had no interest in performing, and dreamed instead of going to sea. After high school, he attended one semester at Beloit College before receiving his draft notice in 1943. He entered the army and trained at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, before shipping out for North Africa. After landing at Casablanca, Arness joined the 3rd Infantry Division in time for the invasion of Anzio. Ten days after the invasion, Arness was severely wounded in the leg and foot by German machine-gun fire. His wounds, which plagued him the rest of his life, resulted in his medical discharge from the army. While recuperating in a Clinton, Iowa hospital, he was visited by his younger brother Peter (later to gain fame as actor Peter Graves ), who suggested he take a radio course at the University of Minnesota. James did so, and a teacher recommended him for a job as an announcer at a Minneapolis radio station. Though seemingly headed for success in radio, he followed a boyhood friend's suggestion and went with the friend to Hollywood in hopes of getting work as film extras. He studied at the Bliss-Hayden Theatre School under actor Harry Hayden , and while appearing in a play there was spotted by agent Leon Lance. Lance got the actor a role as Loretta Young 's brother in The Farmer's Daughter (1947). The director of that film, H.C. Potter , recommended that he drop the "u" from his last name and soon thereafter the actor was officially known as James Arness. Little work followed this break, and Arness became something of a beach bum, living on the shore at San Onofre and spending his days surfing. He began taking his acting career more seriously when he began to receive fan mail following the release of the Young picture. He appeared in a production of "Candida" at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, and married his leading lady, Virginia Chapman . She pressed him to study acting and to work harder in pursuit of a career, but Arness has been consistent in ascribing his success to luck. He began to get small roles with frequency, often, due to his size, villainous characters. Most notable among these was that of the space alien in The Thing from Another World (1951). While playing a Greek warrior in a play, Arness was spotted by agent Charles K. Feldman , who represented John Wayne . Feldman introduced Arness to Wayne, who put the self-described 6' 6" actor under personal contract. Arness played several roles over the next few years for and with Wayne, whom he considered a mentor. In 1955, Wayne recommended Arness for the lead role of Matt Dillon in the TV series Gunsmoke (1955). (Contrary to urban legend, Wayne himself was never offered the role.) Arness at first declined, thinking a TV series could derail his growing film career, but Wayne argued for the show, and Arness accepted. His portrayal of stalwart marshal Dillon became an iconic figure in American television and the series, on the air for twenty seasons, is, as of 2008, the longest-running dramatic series in U.S. television history. Arness became world-famous and years later reprised the character in a series of TV movies. After the surprising cancellation of "Gunsmoke" in 1975, Arness jumped immediately into another successful (though much shorter-lived) Western project, a TV-movie-miniseries-series combination known as "How The West Was Won." A brief modern police drama, McClain's Law (1981), followed, and Arness played his men |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the surname of the Chuckle brothers?"
] | The Chuckle Brothers: The Return of the Pirates of the River Rother 2 – Pavilion Theatre, Worthing Home / Comedy / The Chuckle Brothers: The Return of the Pirates of the River Rother 2 – Pavilion Theatre, Worthing The Chuckle Brothers: The Return of the Pirates of the River Rother 2 – Pavilion Theatre, Worthing Posted by: The Reviews Hub in Comedy , Family 20/05/2012 Comments Off on The Chuckle Brothers: The Return of the Pirates of the River Rother 2 – Pavilion Theatre, Worthing Written, Produced and Directed by The Chuckle Brothers Reviewer: Jenni Dixon [Rating: 3] Paul and Barry Chuckle (real surname Elliott) are best known from their TV show ChuckleVision which hit our screens in 1987. Their comedy derives from slap stick, visual gags and catch phrases; “to me, to you” and “oh dear, oh dear”! This theatre sequel follows on from their last show where the “Jolly Roger” ship ran aground off a remote island. Paul and Barry have to find a way to survive on the island without being eaten by the cannibalistic natives! The show has a very weak plot line, vaguely followed with some scripted dialogue but mainly missed placed adlibbing – which might have worked had both brothers and fellow actors not have all been speaking at the same time. The jokes were as you’d expect from the Chuckle Brothers and for the most part well timed, however there was A LOT more innuendo than you might have expected. This did mean that some of the younger audience members possibly became lost during (at times excessive) dialogue but it kept the adult members entertained. The slap stick humour was of course a big pulling point for the children, plenty of cream pies and water shooters to keep them feeling involved and amused. This is perhaps what kept the balance of the show and gave it its pantomime feel. There were some very old school children’s entertainer “magic” tricks performed by the island natives (Stuart and Jayne Loughland, Richard Morgan and Steven Bloor) which were painfully slow and were completely unlinked to anything Pirate show related to the point where you could hear the faint sound of Simon Cowell’s big red buzzer going off in the distance. These four were extras to the rest of the performance with little or no dialogue and disputable stage presence. The music and lights couldn’t be faulted. They gave the whole show a very professional feel. All the songs and music were up to date (dancey and loud enough with lyrics you could hear), catchy and likeable. Jimmy and Brian Patton (Paul and Barry’s older brothers) played Admiral Slacking and the Witch Doctor/Black Eye Pirate respectively. The 4 brothers have an amazing rapport that cannot be questioned. They all just fit together nicely and all intuitively know what the other brothers are thinking, about to say and help each other keep pace (or crack up laughing). Whether this is because they all have a genuine love for each other or they’ve seen and done it all before is for personal judgement. The entire show is full of gags, slapstick comedy, catchy songs, dance music, magic tricks and well-timed catchphrases. Tis not for I to judge such a British institution but to merely warn you that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and fond memories of the brothers might be best off left in the past. However, you’ll know if you still like that sort of thing and you can’t argue that the boys don’t still love doing what they are doing. Runs until 20th May at Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, then touring. |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who is the TV personality brother of radio presenter Janice Long?"
] | Janice Long - Bio, Facts, Family | Famous Birthdays Famous Birthdays Aries ABOUT Radio and television personality who gained fame as the host of radio shows like The Janice Long Show and After Midnight. On television, she served as a regular presenter of Top of the Pops from 1982 and 1988. BEFORE FAME She worked for Laker Airways before landing a job as an assistant for BBC Radio Merseyside. TRIVIA She provided voiceover narration for the BBC Three documentary Desperate Midwives. FAMILY LIFE Her older brother is actor and TV presenter Keith Chegwin . ASSOCIATED WITH |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which of the Marx brothers never spoke on screen after his first appearance in 1925?"
] | Harpo Marx (Adolph/Arthur) - The Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers Support this site, shop here: Search: Born: November 23, 1888 in New York City, NY Died: September 28, 1964 in Los Angeles Drawing by Salvador Dali from an article in Theatre Arts Monthly, October 1939 Harpo was the second oldest and the one who never spoke. Not entirely true. He spoke quite regularly on stage until the production of "Home Again". Les Marsden had some more information about Harpo's 'speaking career': "He still had a about six lines in "Home Again", but uncle Al Shean simply didn't think he delivered lines all that well. Harpo was so upset that after they had toured the show in vaudeville for awhile and were playing (according to Harpo) the theatre in Champaign, Illinois, Harpo decided to ad-lib all through the performance. A critic in the local newspaper described the show by saying, in part, "Adolph Marx performed beautiful pantomime which was ruined whenever he spoke." Harpo then decided he could do a better job of stealing focus by not speaking. And he really did continue to speak on stage regularly - just whenever he felt like it. For example, on opening night of 'Animal Crackers' he tackled Margaret Irving and proceeded to tell her a well....let's just say a questionable joke. Groucho, Chico and Zeppo came out onstage and did a running commentary. But he did speak extemporaneously onstage on occasion. Just not from a script and not often. Steve Allen has told me (and has also recounted the tale in various books, etc) all about the evening Harpo left show business during Allen Sherman's show in Pasadena, during which he spoke for several minutes to a stunned audience." Harpo was given the name Adolph, but changed it to Arthur during World War I because it was too 'German'. Through Alexander Woollcott the theater critic, who was responsible for their first big success in New York, Harpo became a member of the Algonquin Round Table. In 1936 he married actress Susan Fleming. They adopted four children Bill, Alex, Jimmy and Minnie. Harpo on I Love Lucy Harpo speaks Harpo never spoke in a movie, but his voice has been recorded, as you can hear here. "Harpo's harps" by Les Marsden "Harpo rarely played the same harp twice in a movie, and in some movies didn't play a harp at all (Go West harp is actually a loom, At the Races is the dismantled frame of a grand piano, and Duck Soup....well, we all know about that one.) They were usually his own harps but he changed models a lot, particularly in the early years. Eventually, he owned two Lyon & Healy Gold-Gilt Concert Grands, model #24. He had those two harps for years and shortly after his death, Susan was asked to judge a harp competition in Israel. She insisted that Bill come along as well because she knew nothing about the mechanics of harpistry. They both decided to take the two harps along and donate them to two university harp departments in Israel, with the only proviso being that they were not to go in glass cases, but instead were to be used. Upon arrival in Israel, the customs agents demanded a 100% duty payment from Susan and she said 'what? I'm trying to donate these harps to you!' and was ready (as she told me) to get back on the plane and take the damn harps back home when a governmental official broke through and announced that they'd be happy to take the harps for free! I've heard from other sources that the harps were marked as Harpo's with small plaques but that they indeed were (and hopefully still are) used as Susan intended." © Les Marsden, 1998 Susan Marx Susan Marx died in December 2002. Here is a news item about her: Susan Marx died shortly before midnight Sunday [22 Dec 2002] at Eisenhower Medical Center after suffering a massive heart attack. She was 94. Her son, pianist Bill Marx, was at her bedside just hours after concluding a talk about his father in a benefit for the Jewish Community School with a rendition of "Sunrise Sunset." Bill Marx said there were three phases of his mother's life: her early show biz life as Susan Fleming, her personal life as Mrs. Harpo Marx, |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Cricketing brothers Ian & Greg Chappell have both captained Australia. A third Chappell brother has also played for his country, what is his name."
] | Ian Chappell: Charismatic, candid and controversial — one of the greatest captains in history - Cricket Country › Ian Chappell: Charismatic, candid and controversial — one of the greatest captains in history Ian Chappell, born September 26, 1943, was one of the most charismatic captains of Australia and one of the most controversial characters in the game. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of the man who was the architect behind the image of the Ugly Australians. | Updated : September 2, 2015 9:15 PM IST Ian Chappell © Getty Images Ian Chappell, born September 26, 1943, was one of the most charismatic captains of Australia and one of the most controversial characters in the game. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of the man who was the architect behind the image of the Ugly Australians. The triumph at The Oval “I think we are the better team. And if we go home two-all, we will have been seen as one,” Ian Chappell ’s simple words rang loud and clear around the dressing room, sparking resolve and lighting the fire. The team was young. Ross Edwards at 30 was the eldest. Besides, Australia had been going through a harrowing period. They had won just one of the last 15 Tests, when Bob Massie’s magical swing had turned the game their way at Lord’s in the current series. But, as they went into The Oval, Ray Illingworth’s hardened men led the series 2-1 aided by the fusarium Test at Headingley . Now the team wanted to drag Australia out of the trough. They wanted to be a champion side. They wanted to be a part of the celebrations that were encouraged by their captain whenever they won. They wanted it for themselves and their captain. Dennis Lillee charged in to take 5 for 58. The Chappell brothers Ian and Greg hit hundreds, securing a 115-run lead. This was the first time in the history of Test cricket that a pair of brothers had scored centuries in the same innings, and parents Jeanne and Martin watched from the stands. England fought back, scoring 356, but Lillee captured five more. At 137 for 4 the target of 242 looked dicey. But, Paul Sheahan held firm and Rod Marsh walked in at the fall of the fifth wicket to smack 43 from just 51 balls. The young brigade had squared the series. Marsh and Sheahan ran off the field, swinging their bats around their heads, having scripted the most significant win in Australian cricket since 1948. And on reaching the dressing room, the wicketkeeper leapt onto the table, giving a full-throated rendition of the song that has become part of the folklore of the baggy green: “Under the Southern Cross I stand A sprig of wattle in my hand, A native of my native land, Australia, you f***ing beauty.” It marked the advent of the new Australian side, the best in the world, a bunch of tough, competitive individuals of brimming talent, led by one of the most charismatic captains of all time. The win even led Arthur Gilligan, the old England captain, rival turned greatest friend of former Australian skipper Vic Richardson, to pen a letter to Jeanne Chappell — daughter of Richardson and the mother of the Chappell brothers. Heaping glorious praise on the young team, Gilligan wrote, “Ian has led his team magnificently during the whole of the 1972 tour — a very great credit to him and all the boys. I am sure you are both very pleased to have had two sons who have achieved greatness over here.” Amidst all the celebration, the young captain was both gracious and honest enough to observe that Australia may well have won the Ashes if Bill Lawry had toured instead of the New South Wales opener Bruce Francis. This was both a touching and a gutsy tribute, especially given the story behind Chappell’s ascension to the top job. The road to the top Chappell had replaced Lawry during the 1970-71 series against England , when the great Australian opener paid the price for standing up for his players. In late 1969, Australians had slogged their way through the hardships of the Indian tour, roughing it out in shabby, dingy hotels. In spite of |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In which city did IOC president Jacques Rogge announce London as the host of the 2012 Olympic Games?"
] | London to host 2012 Olympic Games - Wikinews, the free news source London to host 2012 Olympic Games From Wikinews, the free news source you can write! Wednesday, July 6, 2005 London is to host the 2012 Olympic Games . The announcement was made today by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge following four rounds of voting, penultimately shortlisting London and Paris. 116 members of the IOC in Singapore voted throughout the rounds from a pool of cities comprising of Paris , Madrid , London , New York , and Moscow . The final tally was 54 votes for London, and 50 for Paris. The voting came after all five cities made their final presentations to the assembled members. The news was met with screams of joy from the 15,000 people who had gathered in Trafalgar Square in London, while jeers and boos rang out across Paris, as rain began to fall in the French capital. Former Olympic runner Sebastian Coe , who led the British bid, told BBC Radio Five Live afterwards: "I'm in a state of shock. The whole team has made a fantastic effort. This shows that the United Kingdom is a special place for sport, passionate about sport." This is the first time the Games will be staged in London since 1948, while this marks the third failure by Paris to host the Olympics. London has hosted the Games twice before, making it the first city ever to host them three times. The official announcement was given by the IOC at 12:46 BST today, after much speculation. The 2012 London Olympics are widely anticipated to bring about a revival of both sporting culture in England, and the much maligned Docklands area of London, where most main sporting venues will be constructed. Dignitaries Present, physically or by video link, were several dignitaries of the participating countries, including the British Prime Minister Tony Blair , French President Jacques Chirac , Queen Sofía of Spain, and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov . Tony Blair is quoted to have said via a recorded video message "Our vision is to see millions of young people participate in sport and improve their lives. London has the power to make this happen." Also present with the British campaign team were world famous soccer player David Beckham , athletes Denise Lewis and Sir Steven Redgrave , and Her Royal Highness Princess Anne , who brought with her a message from Queen Elizabeth II : "I've been impressed by the way everyone has united behind London's bid. As a country we share a passion for sport." French President Jacques Chriac was also present, along with actress Catherine Deneuve and singer Johnny Hallyday , both French. "The heart of Paris and the heart of France are beating in unison in the hope of becoming Olympic host in 2012...you can put your trust and faith in France, you can trust the French, you can trust us," he said. America's assembly consisted of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton and bid leader Dan Doctoroff , focusing on New York's multicultural make up and readiness. Mr. Bloomberg chose to remind the Committee of New York's recovery after the September 11 attacks . "In our city's darkest hour, we asked ourselves, can we recover? ...New Yorkers stood up then and said, 'Yes, we can recover, we will rebuild and we must continue to welcome everyone.' That spirit will be given to your Games." U.S. President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton spoke in a recorded video message. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his case in a live video clip, urging the Committee to take advantage of a "unique and truly historic opportunity", and to select Moscow for the games in 2012. "Moscow is a meeting place of cultures. Moscow is perfectly suited to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games," he said. Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero from Spain and Queen Sofía argued in favour of Madrid. "The whole Spanish royal family is convinced that Madrid fully meets the conditions to offer to the world the best Olympic Games," said Queen Sofía. Questions from the IOC regarding threats from the Basque extremist grou |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which is the only position on a netball field designated with a single letter on the bib worn by each player?"
] | Netball | Women Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Add Image Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball , began in England in the 1890s. By 1960, international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball (later renamed the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA)) was formed. As of 2011, IFNA comprises more than 60 national teams organized into five global regions. Games are played on a rectangular court with raised goal rings at each end. Each team attempts to score goals by passing a ball down the court and shooting it through its goal ring. Players are assigned specific positions, which define their roles within the team and restrict their movement to certain areas of the court. During general play, a player with the ball can hold onto it for only three seconds before shooting for a goal or passing to another player. The winning team is the one that scores the most goals. Netball games are 60 minutes long. Variations have been developed to increase the game's pace and appeal to a wider audience. Netball is most popular in Commonwealth nations , specifically in schools, and is predominantly played by women. According to the IFNA, netball is played by more than 20 million people in more than 80 countries. Major transnational competitions take place, including the Netball Superleague in Great Britain and the ANZ Championship in Australia and New Zealand. Three major competitions take place internationally: the quadrennial World Netball Championships , the Commonwealth Games , and the yearly World Netball Series . In 1995, netball became an International Olympic Committee recognised sport . History Edit Netball emerged from early versions of basketball and evolved into its own sport as the number of women participating in sports increased. Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith in the United States. The game was initially played indoors between two teams of nine players, using an association football ball that was thrown into closed-end peach baskets. Naismith's game spread quickly across the United States and variations of the rules soon emerged. Physical Education instructor Senda Berenson developed modified rules for women in 1892; these eventually gave rise to women's basketball . Around this time separate intercollegiate rules were developed for men and women. The various basketball rules converged into a universal set in the United States. Martina Bergman-Österberg introduced a version of basketball in 1893 to her female students at the Physical Training College in Hampstead , London. The rules of the game were modified at the college over several years: the game moved outdoors and was played on grass; the baskets were replaced by rings that had nets; and in 1897 and 1899, rules from women's basketball in the United States were incorporated. Madame Österberg's new sport acquired the name "net ball". The first codified rules of netball were published in 1901 by the Ling Association, later the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom . From England, netball spread to other countries in the British Empire . Variations of the rules and even names for the sport arose in different areas: "women's (outdoor) basketball" arrived in Australia around 1900 and in New Zealand from 1906, while "netball" was being played in Jamaican schools by 1909. In Australia, the term women's basketball was used to refer to both netball and basketball. During the 1950s and 1960s, a movement arose to change the Australian name of the game from women's basketball to netball in order to avoid confusion between the two sports. The Australian Basketball Union offered to pay the costs involved to alter the name, but the netball organisation rejected the change. In 1970, the Council of the All Australia Netball Association officially changed the name to "netball" in Australia. Representatives from England, Australia, New Zealand |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"On a cricket field which principal position is between Mid-on and Square leg?"
] | Glossary of cricket terms & sayings GLOSSARY OF CRICKET TERMS & SAYINGS A Across the line -- (of batting shot) in which the bat swings across the path of the ball, rather than along it. Risky, since it requires expert timing to make good contact. AGM -- See Annual General Meeting. Agricultural shot -- See Cow shot. All out -- The batting team is said to be all out when ten of its eleven batsmen are dismissed. The eleventh batsman cannot continue without a partner, and is recorded as 'not out' in the scorebook. All-rounder -- A player who can both bat and bowl, or occasionally, both bat and keep wicket. (Bowler-wicketkeeper all-rounders are a rare breed.) Strictly speaking, a true all-rounder would be worth his place as a specialist in either role, although such players at Test level come along very infrequently. As a guide, an all-rounder's batting average ought to be at least equal to his bowling average. A true all-rounder can bat at number 6 (See Batting order), thus giving the side the 'ideal' balance of five bowlers, six batsmen and a specialist wicketkeeper. Wanderers' very own Andrew Symonds fills this role for the Australian ODI team. Annual General Meeting -- A requirement under Australian law of any incorporated club, at which accounts are presented, officers elected and the club's policy decided for the year to come. Appeal -- The fielding side's invitation to the umpire to give a batsman out, answered with an upraised finger or a call of 'not out'. Any member of the side may make an appeal, but if the fielding captain feels a batsman has been given out wrongly - for example, a catch not taken cleanly - he may withdraw the appeal and reinstate the batsman. Arm ball -- A finger-spinner's delivery bowled without spin, in the hope of deceiving the batsman into allowing for turn that does not come. Ashes -- Test series between England and Australia are played for The Ashes. In 1883, Australia beat England at The Oval for the first time in England. This led an English sporting paper, The Sporting Times, to publish a mock obituary of English cricket, which concluded with the words, "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia." Accounts vary, but the 'body' was in fact a bail (or two, or a stump) which had been burned by "certain ladies." The ashes were placed in a tiny, goblet-shaped urn only four inches high and the urn was presented to the Honorable Ivo Bligh (later Lord Darnley). In his will, Lord Darnley bequeathed the urn to the M.C.C. Nowadays, the urn itself is kept permanently in the Long Room at Lord's, but the side that last won a Test series between the two countries is said to hold The Ashes. In the event of a tied series, the holding country retains The Ashes. After the present series, The Ashes will next be contested in the Australian summer of 1998-99. Average, batting -- The total of a batsman's runs during the period for which the average is calculated, divided by the number of his completed innings, i.e. the number of times he was out in that period. An average of 40 is considered proficient, 50 outstanding. D.G.Bradman (Australia) averaged 99.6 in Tests. Average, bowling -- The total of runs scored off a bowler in the period to which the average refers, divided by the number of wickets he took in that period. A proficient bowler will aim for an average of less than 30. B Backing up -- Backing up: (1) Non-striker's action in walking up the pitch as the bowler bowls, in order to be ready for a quick run (similar to 'taking a lead' in baseball.) As the ball is in play at this point, he risks being run out if the bowler spots him out of his ground, although some batsmen seem to regard such a dismissal as unsporting conduct on the bowler's part, rather than sloppy cricket on their own. (2) Fielder's action in taking a position on the opposite side of the wicket from the fielder throwing the ball, in order to prevent overthrows. Its absence is the principal cause of recrimination within club second XIs. Backward -- Fielding position prefix indicating 'slightly behind square' - us |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"If you box in a left handed stance is described as southpaw. How is the stance of a right handed boxer usually described?"
] | The Boxing Stance – Do it Right! The Boxing Stance – Do it Right! by Fran on January 26, 2010 About the Boxing Stance There is a very good reason why the very first ‘skill’ article that I post is about the boxing stance and on-guard position. If we don’t get the basics of the stance and on-guard right, then any boxing skill that we try to learn will not be as good as it can be. The need for balance, mobility and a sound body shape in boxing cannot be emphasised enough. If you understand the boxing stance, and understand why it is so important, then you will be able to more easily develop the footwork, punches and defensive actions necessary to constitute an effective boxing style. There are two types of boxing stance; orthodox and southpaw. An orthodox boxer is someone who is naturally right-handed and holds the left hand and left leg in front, closer to the opponent. Conversely, a southpaw boxer is someone who is naturally left-handed and leads with the right hand and right leg. If you are a beginner, don’t get caught up in the notion that it feels more comfortable as a right-hander using the southpaw boxing stance. As a rule of thumb, if you’re right-handed you are orthodox, if you’re left-handed you’re southpaw. Here’s the boxing training video, then check out the mechanics and common faults below: The Mechanics of the Boxing Stance In order to reinforce the points made on the video I’ll outline them here: The feet should be a little more than shoulder width apart, with the front foot being at an angle of 45 degrees to the imaginary line drawn from the toe on the front foot to the heel on the back foot (the line is not so imaginary on the video, but you get the point). By ensuring that the feet are slightly offset and a comfortable distance apart, you provide the best possible base upon which to develop the full boxing stance. Remain on the balls of both feet. Never allow the back foot to go flat, otherwise you’ll have the mobility of an anvil. Ensure the knees are bent slightly and relaxed, again maximising the ability to be mobile; As an orthodox boxer, the right shoulder and left shoulder should align to point in the general direction of the opponent. This minimises the target area to the opponent and also offers more leverage when throwing punches. Bring the hands up to cheek level, turning the palms of the hands very slightly toward you. This will have the effect of drawing your elbows in to provide protection for your body. Make a fist with your hands, but don’t ‘clench’ that fist, stay relaxed. Rest your chin on your chest, without tensing up. Effectively, you look ‘through’ the eyebrows. By doing this, your chin will remain as well protected as it can be (punches on the chin often have a very undesirable effect!) Ensure that your body weight remains central or on the back leg. Don’t fall into the habit of allowing your bodyweight to ‘lean’ onto your front leg. A simple way to nail this is to not allow your nose to go past the line of your front knee. Common Faults with the Boxing Stance Common faults with the boxing stance include: Turning the shoulders ‘square on’, thereby offering the opponent a much greater target to hit. Losing the imaginary line from the toe on the front foot to the heel on the back foot, thereby messing up your balance. Going flat-footed, thereby messing up your ability to be mobile. Allowing your chin to raise above the height of the raised hands, thereby increasing the chances of being smacked in the mouth. Allowing your body weight to transfer onto your front leg, thereby being “front-heavy” and vulnerable to attack. And there you have it. Every other boxing training video that I post will be demonstrated from the static boxing stance. It will become second nature to you as a boxer. I will work in the orthodox position, but this can be easily transposed to the southpaw stance (to those southpaws out there, statistically about 1 in 10 of you, please don’t take offence! I appreciate the wondrous mysteries of all things southpaw and fully intend to cater for you guys |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which US city is host to teams called the Penguins in Ice Hockey and the Pirates in Baseball?"
] | Pittsburgh Hockey History Timeline Pittsburgh Hockey History Timeline FAST FACTS • Hockey was played at four  rinks through the first 75 years:  The Schenley Park Casino, Duquesne Garde, The Winter Garden and the Civic Arena. Pittsburgh is quickly becoming a hockey hotbed. MONTREAL GAZETTE, from an article in December 1904. Pittsburgh hockey thriving for more than a century BOB GROVE Pittsburghhockey.net Contributer An excerpt from Pittsburgh Penguins: The Official History of the First 30 Years When Pittsburgh’s dark streets were populated by electric trolleys in the 1890’s, a former newspaperman named Andrew McSwigan struck upon an idea that would enrich the city’s cultural heritage for decades to come and provide a foundation for the hockey legacy inherited by the Penguins. Andrew McSwigan As the sprawling building where the Consolidated Traction Co. stored its horse-drawn cars was being abandoned, McSwigan imagined it as the city’s only indoor ice rink and something of a showplace. A press agent for one of the companies leaving the site, he sold the idea to his boss, Christopher Magee, and the Duquesne Gardens Company was formed. The building was purchased for $200,000 and lavishly refurbished with another $250,000, and when Duquesne Garden opened for public skating on Jan. 23, 1899, some 10,000 people came to visit. It preceded Canada’s first indoor rink by 13 years. The Garden was more than simply a replacement for the ice surface at the Casino, an amusement center near the entrance to Schenley Park that had burned down in December, 1896 , and the place where manager James Conant introduced ice hockey to the city. Over the next 57 years, the Garden on Craig Street near Fifth Avenue in Oakland served as the site of public meetings, performances by the Metropolitan Opera, dancing marathons and an eclectic mix of sporting events. These included bicycle races, boxing, tennis exhibitions with Don Budge, winter sports shows that included ski jumping, bowling, rodeos with Roy Rogers and college basketball. And it was home to the world’s first semi-professional hockey league. The night after its public opening, the Garden’s ice surface at 26,000 square feet the largest in the world hosted its first hockey game. The Pittsburgh Athletic Club defeated Western University of Pennsylvania (now Pitt), 4-0. Along with the Bankers Athletic Club and the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, these teams constituted the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League, which lured Canadian players with the promise of big-city jobs. And they recruited some incredible talents. Hod Stuart, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Wanderers in 1907, captained the Bankers; Alf Smith, a Hall of Famer who won four straight Cups as a player and coach with the legendary Ottawa Silver Seven from 1903 to 1906, captained Pittsburgh AC in 1909. The game at this time was played seven aside in 30-minute halves, and players got quite a workout laboring up and down the Gardens’ huge ice surface. The extra skating benefited the Pittsburgh pros, who formed some of the best teams the United States could produce. Pittsburgh was among the five teams in the International Hockey League, which was formed in 1904 and lasted three years, and its scholastic ranks produced Ray Robinson, a Fifth Avenue graduate who was good enough by 1907 to become a real hockey rarity an American paid to play in Canada. The West Penn League was briefly revived in 1907, but by 1910 it, too, was history. The Garden hosted no hockey games from 1910 to 1915, catering instead to the nation’s roller skating craze. In 1912, the game was played again at the Winter Gardens in the old exposition buildings at the Point . The Winter Gardens had its own team, managed by Arthur Sixsmith, and by 1915 Duquesne Garden had revived hockey under the auspices of former hockey referee Roy Schooley. Schooley’s amateur team, the Yellow Jackets , was the first to bring an official national title to Pittsburgh, taking the U.S. Amateur Hockey Association’s championship in 1924 a |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In which sport do you score 6 points for a goal and 1 point for a behind?"
] | Australian Rules Football Information | GLoBALL PROGRAM Help Australian Rules Football Information To help you enjoy and understand the game of Australian Rules football here is some basic information, but if you do have any questions please do not hesitate to ask one of our friendly GLoBALL ambassadors at the game! Australian Rules football… Australian Rules football is a home-grown Australian game that is affectionately known as Aussie Rules or Footy. It originated in Australia and is a unique Australian sporting experience as it is not played professionally in any other country! Different countries are however gaining interest in the sport and teams can be found in East Timor, The United States of America, Japan and New Zealand. The game… Essentially, it’s about two opposing teams attempting to kick goals and finish the match with the biggest points tally. A goal is scored when the football is kicked through the taller posts (the goalposts) and is worth 6 points. If the football goes between either of the shorter outside posts (the behind posts), a behind is scored and 1 point is added to that team’s tally. The action continues through four quarters and for close to two hours. Enjoy the spectacle! Understanding the action… TEAMS: Games involve two teams of 22 players with 18 from each team on the field at any one time with an additional 4 players that it can rotate on and off during the game. There is no limit on how many changes teams can make. DURATION: Games are divided into 4 quarters of 20 minutes. Extra time is added for stops in play so most quarters run for about 30 minutes. Teams swap ends after each quarter. Total game time is about 2 hours. STARTING THE GAME: The game starts when a siren sounds. An umpire then bounces the ball high into the air inthe centre of the ground. One player from each team- ‘ruck men’ then tries to tap the ball to their team mates. The ball is also bounced in the centre to start each quarter and after a goal has been scored. MOVING THE FOOTBALL: Teams try to get the football and then run, kick and handball it towards their goals. If a player marks the ball (catches it), they are entitled to a set kick and the opposition is not allowed to touch him until he plays on. Players can also run with the ball. TACKLING: A player can win the ball by tackling an opponent. A legal tackle is performed by grabbing an opponent with the ball, below the shoulders and above the knees. Players are not allowed to push an opponent in the back while making a tackle and tackled players must correctly dispose of (pass) the ball within a reasonable time (1 to 2 seconds). A free kick is awarded against a player caught in possession of the ball with a legal (good) tackle. If the tackle is illegal (inappropriate) a free kick will be awarded to the player with the ball. SCORING: The aim of the game is to kick goals. Kicking the ball through the taller middle posts (the goalposts) = 6 points. If the ball goes between a goalpost and the smaller outside posts (the behind posts), a behind (1 point) is scored. The score is written with the goals first, the behinds second, and the total points last. 14 Goals – 9 Behinds – 93 points in total The team that finishes with the highest total of goals and behinds is the winner. POSITIONS: Teams line – up in ‘lines’ of 3 players across the ground. They are: Backline There are also 3 other players who rove around the ground. UMPIRES: There are 3 field umpires who control the game. There are also umpires in each goal and boundary umpires who decide when the ball has gone out and then throw it back in. Extra information… BOUNCING - A player running with the ball must bounce or touch the ball on the ground every 15m. HANDBALL - A handball involves holding the football in one hand and hitting it with the clenched fist of the other hand. MARK- Awarded when a player catches a kick that has travelled at least 15m on the full and has not been touched by any player. As for a free kick the player may go back and dispose of the ball unimpeded by the opposition. HOLDING THE BALL - |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which town or city has a rugby league team called the Rams?"
] | Challenge Cup: Dewsbury Rams 4-54 Wigan Warriors - BBC Sport Challenge Cup: Dewsbury Rams 4-54 Wigan Warriors 8 May From the section Rugby League Share this page Josh Charnley played in both Wigan's Challenge Cup final wins at Wembley in 2011 and 2013 Dewsbury (4) 4 Wigan Warriors (36) 54 Tries: Charnley 2, Gildart 2, Bateman 2, Williams, Sarginson, Sutton, Tierney Goals: Charnley 7 Wigan ran in 10 tries at the Tetley's Stadium to comfortably dispose of Dewsbury Rams and reach the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup. Josh Charnley, Oliver Gildart and John Bateman scored two tries each for the record 19-times Challenge Cup winners. George Williams, Dan Sarginson, Ryan Sutton and Lewis Tierney also crossed, with Charnley adding seven conversions for a 22-point individual haul. The Rams' only points came from a first-half try by stand-off Paul Sykes. A year on from going out at the same sixth-round stage 16-12 at home to Hull KR, Wigan made sure there were no such mistakes this time. Against a Dewsbury side currently ninth in the Championship, they were back a lot nearer full strength with the return of skipper Sean O'Loughlin, Dom Crosby and winger Dom Manfredi, although returning full-back Sam Tomkins was still at least a week away from being considered for selection. Dewsbury coach Glenn Morrison: "They showed respect by putting out probably their strongest side this year and were just too good in the first half. "We got some line breaks and came close to scoring a couple of times and we have some things to work on next week." Wigan coach Shaun Wane: "This is not the easiest place to come. I'm happy with that score. "We protected a lot of players in the second half with Friday's game against Hull in mind. "We went a bit sloppy in the last quarter and could have been a bit smarter." Dewsbury: Guzdek; Kudangirana, Crookes, Grady, Grant; Sykes, Kain; L Adamson, Speakman, Teanby, Hale, Trout, Farrell. Replacements: Conroy, Brown, Muranka, Walker. Wigan: Sarginson; Manfredi, Gelling, Gildart, Charnley; Williams, Smith; Crosby, Powell, Mossop, Bateman, Isa, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Tautai, Sutton, Tierney, Burke. Referee: Chris Campbell |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which 60s fashion icon gave it all up to run a hotel in Cornwall?"
] | Jean Shrimpton made a major contribution to fashion | 9 Dec The BBC4 drama ‘We’ll Take Manhattan’ shows a young photographer David Bailey in 1962, who got commissioned (by fashion editor Lady Clare Rendlesham) to create a 14 page story for British Vogue in New York and the style had to be ‘young and fresh’. Bailey , as Jean always called David, insisted on using his girlfriend Jean Shrimpton as the model. Jean had a very clean, fresh look to her and was different to all other models working for Vogue. At the time almost everything was shot in a studio and all followed a classic guideline of poses and looks. David Bailey, being passionate and stubborn about his work, changed all this by breaking the rules. He took offbeat, realistic poses against gritty backgrounds. This changed fashion forever and made David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton fashion icons. Trailer ‘We’ll Take Manhattan’ . Jean Rosemary Shrimpton (born 7 November 1942) was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and brought up on a farm. She enrolled at Langham Secretarial College in London when she was 17. Director Cy Endfield suggested she attend the Lucy Clayton Charm Academy’s model course. In 1960, aged 17, she began modelling and later appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair. During her career Jean Shrimpton was widely reported as ‘the world highest paid model’ and ‘the most famous model’. She was described as having ‘world’s most beautiful face’, was dubbed ‘The It Girl’ and ‘The Face of the ’60s’. Jean contrasted with the aristocratic-looking models of the 1950s by representing the fresh, cute coltish look of the 1960s Swinging London. Breaking the popular mould of voluptuous figures with her long legs and slim figure. Jean (nicknamed ‘The Shrimp’, a name she hated. ‘Shrimps are horrible pink things that get their heads pulled off! ) was also known for her long hair with fringe, wide doe-eyes, long wispy eyelashes, arched brows and pouty lips. Jean was once engaged to David Bailey. They met in 1960 at a photo shoot that Jean, who was still an unknown model, was working on with photographer Brian Duffy. Duffy told Bailey she was too posh for him, but Bailey was not discouraged. Jean Shrimpton:”‘Bailey’ was how he introduced himself and that was all I ever called him.” Aged 18, Jean rapidly found herself entwined with the East End boy on the up, who was five years her elder. “We were instantly attracted to each other.” She broke off a relationship and Bailey ended his marriage so they could be together. “He was a larger-than-life character, and still is. There’s a force about him. He doesn’t give a damn about anything. But he’s shrewd, too. He made a lot of money out of me. I’m not bitter, but I’m irked. That’s all. Bailey was very important to me. I’m sure today’s models are a lot more switched-on than we were. Image rights didn’t exist back then. What happened – the creation of the fashion industry – just happened.” Jean started to become known in the modelling world around the time she was dating Bailey. She has stated she owed Bailey her career. In turn she was Bailey’s muse and his photographs of her helped him rise to prominence in his early career. Yet she was never comfortable with the trappings of their success-when Bailey took her to trendy nightclubs, Jean would take her knitting along… Bailey ones said of Jean: “She was magic. In a way she was the cheapest model in the world-you only needed to shoot half a roll of film and then you had it.” Jean’s romance with Bailey did not last long, only 4 years. It was the heady, early days of the swinging 60s and the couple worked tirelessly together, but Jean left Bailey to begin a relationship with Terence Stamp. “Our paths first crossed when Bailey photographed us together for Vogue and then we met again at a wedding. I was aware of him because he was so good-looking. But it was Bailey who accidentally brought us together. Terry seemed ill at ease, self-conscious and standoffish, but Bailey talked to him, as he always does with people, and ended up inviting him to come with us |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who kept her face in a jar by the door?"
] | Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles Songfacts Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles Songfacts Songfacts Paul McCartney wrote most of this song. He got "Rigby" from the name of a store (Rigby and Evens Ltd Wine and Spirit Shippers) and "Eleanor" from actress Eleanor Bron. He liked the name "Eleanor Rigby" because it sounded natural. McCartney explained at the time that his songs came mostly from his imagination. Regarding this song, he said, "It just came. When I started doing the melody I developed the lyric. It all came from the first line. I wonder if there are girls called Eleanor Rigby?" McCartney wasn't sure what the song was going to be about until he came up with the line, "Picks up the rice in a church where a wedding has been." That's when he came up with the story an old, lonely woman. The lyrics, "Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door" are a reference to the cold-cream she wears in an effort to look younger. The song tells the story of two lonely people. First, we meet a churchgoing woman named Eleanor Rigby, who is seen cleaning up rice after a wedding. The second verse introduces the pastor, Father McKenzie, whose sermons "no one will hear." This could indicate that nobody in coming to his church, or that his sermons aren't getting through to the congregation on a spiritual level. In the third verse, Eleanor dies in the church and Father McKenzie buries her. "Father Mackenzie" was originally "Father McCartney." Paul decided he didn't want to freak out his dad and picked a name out of the phone book instead. After Eleanor Rigby is buried, we learn that "No one was saved," indicating that her soul did not elevate to heaven as promised by the church. This could be seen as a swipe at Christianity and the concept of being saved by Jesus. The song was released in August 1966 just weeks after the furor over John Lennon's remarks, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now." For the most part, the song eluded controversy, possibly because the lilting string section made it easier to handle. A string section scored by Beatles producer George Martin consisting of four violins, two violas and two cellos were used in recording. Paul may have been inspired by the classic composer Vivaldi. The Beatles didn't play any of the instruments on this track. All the music came from the string players, who were hired as session musicians. Paul McCartney (from Observer Music Monthly November 2008): "When I was a kid I was very lucky to have a real cool dad, a working-class gent, who always encouraged us to give up our seat on the bus for old people. This led me into going round to pensioners' houses. It sounds a bit goody-goody, so I don't normally tell too many people. There were a couple of old ladies and I used to go round and say, 'Do you need any shopping done?' These lonely old ladies were something I knew about growing up, and that was what 'Eleanor Rigby' was about - the fact that she died and nobody really noticed. I knew this went on." There is a gravestone for an Eleanor Rigby in St. Peter's Churchyard in Woolton, England. Woolton is a suburb of Liverpool and Lennon first met McCartney at a fete at St Peter's Church. The gravestone bearing the name Eleanor Rigby shows that she died in October 1939, aged 44. However Eleanor was not like the lonely people in McCartney's song, as she was married. Another of the gravestones there has the word "McKenzie" written on it. McCartney has denied that that is the source of the names, though he has agreed that they may have registered subconsciously. This was originally written as "Miss Daisy Hawkins." According to Rolling Stone magazine, when McCartney first played the song for his neighbor Donovan Leitch, the words were "Ola Na Tungee, blowing his mind in the dark with a pipe full of clay." >> Suggestion credit: Bertrand - Paris, France The lyrics were brainstormed among The Beatles. In later years, Lennon and McCartney gave different accounts of who contributed more of the wor |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who was the first artistic director of the National Theatre, started at the Old Vic in 1963?"
] | Everything Kevin Spacey - The Old Vic Theatre Company Current Productions » In February 2003, Kevin Spacey announced that he was returning to London to become the artistic director of The Old Vic Theatre Company . While appearing at a press conference with Dame Judi Dench and Sir Elton John, Spacey made the commitment to remain in the post for at least ten years. He promised to both appear on stage and to bring in big-name talent. More recently Kevin has said that he plans to remain at the helm of The Old Vic until 2015. Spacey's first season started in September 2004, and opened with the British premiere of the play Cloaca by Maria Goos, which Kevin Spacey directed. In 2005, Spacey made his UK Shakespearean debut to good notices in the title role of Richard II , which was directed by Trevor Nunn. In mid-2006, Spacey performed in productions of National Anthems by Dennis McIntyre, and The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry, in which he played C. K. Dexter Haven, which was the Cary Grant role in the film version. In the 2006 season, Spacey suffered a setback with a production of Arthur Miller's Resurrection Blues , directed by Robert Altman. Despite an all-star cast and the pedigree of Miller's script, the play opened to a critical panning, and closed after only a few weeks. Later in the year, Spacey starred in Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten along with Colm Meaney and Eve Best. The play received excellent reviews for Spacey and Best and was transferred to Broadway in 2007. During the 2008 season, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Michelle Kelly joined Spacey as the three characters in David Mamet's 1988 play Speed-the-Plow . In January 2009, Kevin directed the premiere of Joe Sutton's Complicit with Richard Dreyfuss, David Suchet and Elizabeth McGovern. From September through December 2009, Trevor Nunn directed Kevin Spacey in a revival of Inherit The Wind , a play based on a true story of a teacher arrested for teaching his students evolution, also known as the "Scopes Monkey Trial". Kevin Spacey was cast as defense lawyer Henry Drummond, a role that was made famous by actor Spencer Tracy in the 1960 film of the same name. Kevin Spacey and British director Sam Mendes teamed up again for a transatlantic stage production of Shakespeare's Richard III , the final production of Sam Mendes' Bridge Project . The Bridge Project was a unique three-year series of co-productions by BAM, The Old Vic, and Neal Street, devoted to producing large-scale, classical theater for international audiences with casts featuring actors from both the US and the UK. Richard III ran at The Old Vic in London from June until September 2011, and then toured Greece, Hong Kong, Spain, Istanbul, Naples, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Doha prior to a U.S. engagement at the Brooklyn Academy of Music from January 10 through March 4, 2012. Kevin Spacey can remember the exact night he decided to become the artistic director of the Old Vic. It was in November 1999, and American Beauty for which the actor would go on to win a second Academy Award had premiered the day before at the London Film Festival. The following evening, there was Spacey, chairing an industry pow-wow in a rehearsal room above the Old Vic, discussing the future of the venerable theatre on whose board he sat. "What is the Old Vic?" says the actor, recalling the meeting's topics of conversation nearly five years later. "Why is it held in such affection? Why has it gone into the period it's gone into?" Which is to say, into decline. Later that same evening, Spacey, back in his hotel, found himself unable to sleep. Heading downstairs at 2:30 a.m. to go for a walk, he instead hailed a cab in the rain and asked the driver to take him to the National. I walked to the South Bank and just sat and looked at that building, and was thinking about Laurence Olivier and about what he did when he started a national theatre," he says. "Then I walked down the four or five blocks to this theatre and sat in the cement park acros |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Beatles had an unbroken run of number one British singles from 1963 until, in March 1967, they were pushed into second place. By which singer?"
] | The Beatles - Albums - US Singles [Both songs with Tony Sheridan] (Decca 31382 MONO) Released 23rd April 1962 One interesting little fact about this disc is the label - Decca. Remember them? The Beatles were famously turned down by Dick Rowe in January 1962, and here they are releasing their record! American Decca were probably unaware that the backing band was the same group that had been turned down in London three months before, because the label lists them as The Beat Brothers. The songs were eventually sold to MGM and re-released (see below ). Highest chart position: Billboard) didn't enter; Cashbox) didn't enter; Record World) didn't enter (front cover) (back same as the front) Side A: Please Please Me Side B: Ask Me Why (Vee-Jay VJ 498 MONO) Released 7th February 1963 The first official release in America was 'Please Please Me' - a copy of their second British single. Bagging the top-spot in the UK was easy enough - but impressing their label in the States was something else entirely. When Capitol turned their noses up at Mersey Beat Brian had to farm it out to Transglobal - the company that marketed the Beatles' records in the States. They originally tried to place it on the Atlantic label but Jerry Wexler turned it down. (Ironically, Atlantic would later buy up the Tony Sheridan session from Germany Polydor and release it on their subsidiary - Atco.) Transglobal eventually placed it with a small Chicago label - Vee-Jay, a poor little company with no budget. They didn't market it right and it sank without trace. The early pressings even had a misspelling on the label, crediting the band as 'THE BEATTLES'. They eventually realised their mistake and changed the labels but, being a piss-poor company, they couldn't afford to scrap their existing stock. So some of them ended up with 'BEATTLES' on the A-side, and 'BEATLES' on the back! All-in-all, not a very good start to their Stateside career. Highest chart position: Billboard) didn't enter; Cashbox) didn't enter; Record World) didn't enter US sales figures: 7,310 (back same as the front) Side A: From Me To You Side B: Thank You Girl (Vee-Jay VJ 522 MONO) Released 6th May 1963 Under the terms of their agreement on 10th Jan 1963 , Vee-Jay had first refusal on every Beatles disc for the next five years - so Capitol weren't even offered 'From Me To You'. They'd blown it! But Vee-Jay didn't do much better... initial expectations were high when it earned Cash Box's 'Pick of the week', but a severe lack of promotion and airplay meant that it went the way of Please Please Me - absolutely nowhere. The American singer Del Shannon jumped on board with a cover-version two months later, and seeing as he was already a big star in the States, his version got played and peaked at #77. He thus became the first person to get a Lennon/McCartney song inside the Top 100. Vee-Jay then started pushing the original with ads in the trade papers, but it was too little too late. The Beatles had suffered another dud. Highest chart position: Billboard) #116; Cashbox) didn't enter; Record World) didn't enter Weeks in chart: 3 (from 3rd August 1963) US sales figures: 21,126 Side A: She Loves You Side B: I'll Get You (Swan 4152 MONO) Released 16th September 1963 The Beatles label in the States, Vee-Jay, started having money troubles in the summer and failed to pay their royalties on time. So Transglobal (who licensed the Beatles product in the States) pulled the plug and ordered them to �cease manufacture and distribution of any and all records containing performances by The Beatles.� That left Brian in a bit of a bind, because Capitol still w |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which British film from 1963 won four Oscars and was based on a novel first published in 1749?"
] | Tom Jones (1963) directed by Tony Richardson • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd 5 **Part of the Best Picture Project** I'll cut around the bullshit. Tom Jones is pretty awful and one of the worst films to ever win Best Picture. The writing features the plot of an Adam Sandler film with none of the wit. The direction of the film is smug and hateful despite its lighthearted face (a farce without grace if you will). The social commentary is shallow and misplaced. But worst of all is that it's just not really funny for a comedy, and is only vaguely amusing in the film's closing minutes at which point the film is in a rush to get nowhere and doesn't even attempt to mine for some comedy out of the situation. So why… 4 This is one of those Best Picture winners that hardly is ever brought up in conversations not mainly because it was undeserving of its win but because overall it's just not a very good film. While it may be common for the Academy to award costume dramas, Tom Jones is a peculiar choice mostly because it's notably more comedic than the usual costume drama that they would aim for, but with that distinction there's not so much else that makes Tom Jones stand apart. Although I've seen worse Best Picture winners than this, Tom Jones is indeed a bad film, but it also holds the distinction of being what might arguably be the most misogynistic film I've seen to win… #10 of 12 films in my Adapted Screenplay Challenge English author Henry Fielding (1707~1754) has been credited as "instrumental in the emergence of the novel as a respected literary form." This particular work, "The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling," was published in 1749, a quarter century before America's founding. It allegedly helped pave the way for the fictional works of Charles Dickens, George Eliot and William Makepeace Thackeray, among others. The edition I read was part of the Encyclopedia Britannica's "Great Books" collection of 1952, with 405 pages printed in a double column format. I'd be willing to wager that few, if any, of the AMPAS jurors who nominated the film version "Tom Jones" for Best Adapted Screenplay… Review by Jacob Olsen ★★ «To those who find our hero's behavior startling, the answer is simple: Tom had always thought that any woman was better than none. While Molly felt that one man wasn't quite as good as two.» Now, let's take a look at some of what was British film in the Year of the Lord 1963. Lord of the Flies Review by Tom ★★★★½ I quite surprised that Tony Richardson, infamous for such superbly down beat kitchen sink dramas as Look Back in Anger and A Taste of Honey, can still in opposite make such a laugh out load comedy as this. The film is clearly soaked in French New Wave and used to masterful affect. I think it goes without saying Richardson is one of the best British directors there's ever been! The hunting scene is definitely a stand out, with some brilliant shots and a subtle critique on the gluttony & excess of the rich. Whilst the first hour of the film is probably Richardson's finest work if you ask me, however sadly in the second hour the film wavers slightly as the… Film #14 of Scavenger Hunt Mini #1 Task #13: The newest Best Picture winner you have not yet seen. ORIGINAL: letterboxd.com/kalo23/list/scavenger-hunt-mini-1-november-2016/ I've seen a lot of the Best Picture winners. Every one that came after this and the majority of the ones prior to it. And while I almost always disagree that the Best Picture winner for a year is actually the best film that came out in those 365 days, I usually see the merit of that film, think it's a great film in its own right, or recognize that it's simply not for me. After watching 1929's Best Picture, The Broadway Melody, I saw for the first time a Best Picture winner that I actually thought was a… |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Profumo affair is frequently blamed for bringing down the Conservative government in 1964. Who created the scandal by introducing John Profumo to Christine Keeler?"
] | Harvey and Lee: John Armstrong - Page 75 - JFK Assassination Debate - The Education Forum JFK Assassination Debate Not recommended on shared computers Sign In (edited) Again Tracy, you are entitled to conclude whatever you like from the evidence offered... People with that mentality decided in 1964 that Oswald did it alone based on the evidence, their interpretation skills and the need not to buck the system. What amazes me is you all would rather spend all this time critiquing and so very little time coming up with explanations on your own to account for all these conflicts... Voebal says, Myra says, Smith Says, Murret says... The man in the grave was the man who Ruby killed... so what? Why do you have such a hard time with the DoD and USMC records... of course they could be wrong... prove them wrong. simple. Oswald is on the ship BACK from Taiwan on the 6th of Oct.... is the USMC so lost that they place a man left behind and receiving medical attention in Japan on a ship back from Taiwan? along with witnesses who worked with him in Taiwan and stated so, along with CE1961 which puts him in Taiwan... Which records are the mistaken ones? Amazingly convenient that the records which show Lee and Harvey conflicts are wrong - based on your say so... Felde was just wrong too? and everyone else witnessing the duality of the situation... wrong, wrong wrong... So you tell us boys, what did they get right? anywhere, in any record? You've read the book Mr. LeDoux ? followed up on the sources yourself as you call Steve out? I have... and sourced every single one... took 2 years and I compiled a side by side timeline to illustrate the conflicts... I know exactly when and where the problems occurred and what the WCR and HSCA did to try and cover them up. What have you done? edit: as for Steve's posts.. quite whining already. If you dont have the attention span to read for 15 whole minutes in a row WTF are you doing here? Hoping for fortune cookie one liners to explain the complexity of our history is a lazy, simple and unimaginative way to go about things boys.... is it really so tough for you to read an essay? or you simply dont want to be bothered trying to learn anything new from someone you disagree with for the simply joy of disagreeing? It's one thing to present rebuttals and evidence and discuss where interpretation may be right or wrong... it's another to pull these "Bernie" posts out after asking idiotic rhetorical questions about what a twin is... grow up already and stop whining about long posts... If they are too much for ya start a "explanations of the JFK situation in 10 words or less" thread and have at it... for the rest of us, we understand it takes a little time, effort and work to study this case... grow up already little boys... or find another sandbox to sit and cry in while the adults use the big words and write more than 3 rhetorical stupid lines of tautology and non-sequitur... Edited David Josephs wrote, The man in the grave was the man who Ruby killed... so what? The man in the grave is supposed to be "Harvey" but "Lee" had a mastoid operation as did the man in the grave. I don't have to prove anything-you have to prove the H&L theory and you have not done that to the satisfaction of other conspiracy researchers up to this point. I don't need to explain the discrepancies in the evidence. I understand that there will be witnesses who will say all kinds of things for whatever reason. I understand that there will be records that don't match up, regardless of whether they are military or others. The H&L team need to prove all of these things to the satisfaction of Jefferson Morley or whoever you expect to eventually take the evidence to for verification and presentation before the media or Congress. And if you do not intend to do that, I would ask what is the point of H&L? Share this post David Josephs wrote, The man in the grave was the man who Ruby killed... so what? The man in the grave is supposed to be "Harvey" but "Lee" had a mastoid operation as did the man in the grave. // Parnell = |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which famous piece of music was commissioned for the reconsecration of Coventry Cathedral in 1962?"
] | Music in the Time of War | Exploring Music 3:42 Program 2 The second show picks up where the first one left off, this time looking from a Russian perspective. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s famous 1812 Overture tells the tale of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in a way suggestive of Beethoven’s Wellington’s Victory, but in a matter that is fair to both sides…and of course, features cannons. We continue looking at Russian music of war by examining Sergei Prokofiev’s Battle on the Ice, written for the film score to Alexander Nevsky. The scene depicts Nevsky’s battle against the Teutonic Knights and how they are overcome by their own weight on a thawing frozen lake. This segment then concludes with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, subtitled Babi Yar after a location in Ukraine where thousands of Jews and gypsies were rounded up and massacred by the Nazis. 19:41 Program 3 The third segment travels to America, and features a great wealth of tunes regarding warfare relating to our own country. We begin with a William Billings New England minutemen tune that almost became the national anthem. Another William Billings song, “Chester”, is examined next in a version set for orchestra by William Schumann. Again from New England is the first of Charles Ives’ Three Places in New England, a monument to the first African-American regiment to march in the civil war, located in Boston. Morton Gould is next, with a popular patriotic piece called American Salute that can often be heard during patriotic holidays. It was composed during the Civil War to the sad tune of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home." Another piece from the Civil War days is Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, which utilizes a couple of texts written by poet Walt Whitman for inspiration. We hear two: “Beat! Beat! Drums!” and “Reconciliation." Staying in the Civil War, we hear the Confederate 26th Regiment Quick-step, a popular Southern brass band tune. It was intended to keep soldiers’ spirits up while marching, something both sides utilized. Martial music would continue to be utilized into the days of the Second World War, an era when Samuel Barber wrote the Commando March for the US Army Air Corps marching band (before the days of an Air Force). The legacy of the Second World War lived on in documentary footage and in this piece by Richard Rogers, who was called on by NBC TV to write an opening theme for the television show Victory at Sea. Next is Aaron Jay Kernis’ second symphony, written in reaction to the Persian Gulf War of 1991. This segment closes with an oddly lighthearted piece; the opening to the TV show M*A*S*H. 6:13 Program 4 The fourth and fifth segments are dominated by Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. It was written in 1962 for the reconsecration of Coventry Cathedral, destroyed during the Battle of Britain in the Second World War, and was intended to make as much use of the new space as possible. Before each section of War Requiem are two somewhat related pieces. First is the second and third movements of Vaughn Williams’ Pastoral Symphony, his third, written in memory of the friends he lost during the First World War. Second is Lovliest of Trees, a short, beautiful song written by George Butterworth. After Britten’s massive, piece closes, the show closes with another Butterworth piece, the song Lads of a Hundred. Purchase Program 5 The fourth and fifth segments are dominated by Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. It was written in 1962 for the reconsecration of Coventry Cathedral, destroyed during the Battle of Britain in the Second World War, and was intended to make as much use of the new space as possible. Before each section of War Requiem are two somewhat related pieces. First is the second and third movements of Vaughn Williams’ Pastoral Symphony, his third, written in memory of the friends he lost during the First World War. Second is Lovliest of Trees, a short, beautiful song written by George Butterworth. After Britten’s massive, piece closes, the show closes with another Butterworth piece, the song Lads of a Hundred. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Biba boutiques were at the heart of swinging London and at one time had the highest turnover of any British retail company. Who founded and ran Biba?"
] | ATOM RETRO CLOTHING - Mens & Womens Retro Clothing, Mod Clothing, Indie Clothes The Knack And How To Get It: The Roots Of Mod Clothing And Style In the beginning Mod created Heaven on Earth... oh wait that's just a form of plagiarism from some other quite famous works, but where did it all start? The Prequel to Mod! It's story is a kin to the greatest of dramas, with twists and turns, romance and tragedy, good times and bad. After the end of WWII, Britain emerged still very much conforming to well served, yet age old traditional values - but this time with an added despair. A country that had lost a whole lot in the ravages of war had also conjured up a loss in direction for many of it's young people. A sense that outmoded traditions and overly strict moral conscience were stifling creativity and the ability to express ones self in turn generated a subversive reaction amongst many of Britain's youth. This creative rebellion manifested itself in the form of fashion, music and the arts. The affluent youth began pushing the boundaries, with previously conservative fashion trends slowly being replaced with a more flamboyant and individual style - The first sub culture to emerge amongst Britain's more expressionistic youth was the Teddy Boy. The Edwardian look defined a new generation and Drape coats, quiffs, bolo (shoestring) ties, sideburns and creepers became the order of the day. By 1953, Teddy Boys had become a recognised and rapidly growing phenomenon and when the Daily Express printed the words Teddy Boy (Teddy being short for Edward?ian) in it's September 23rd edition, the movement was gaining momentum. Heavily influenced by American Rock and Roll with the likes of Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Eddie Cochran and the film Blackboard Jungle all coming to prominence - The archetypal Hero's and icons of the Teddy Boy era were born - Themselves, a reflection of this new rebellious attitude. To grasp an insight into the extrovert fashions of the Teddy Boy, it's advantageous firstly to create a snap shot in the mind of the typical member. The average Teddy Boy adorned the classic drape jacket, often with the authentic velvet collar feature. It's Edwardian inspiration was also practical for the time. Hanging out on cold street corners (always was and will be a typical teenage past time) meant that the woollen fabric was an ideal solution for beating the cold. Style and substance - a drape jacket also had many concealed pockets, not just for protecting hands from the bitter cold, but also for concealing weapons and contraband such as alcohol. The more elegant, sophisticated and sought after a persons drape jacket, the more being in possession of such a garment became a symbol of status within the group - a badge of honour if you like. The Teddy Boy's would also wear drainpipe jeans, often short length to leave a portion of the sock on show and to act as a stark contrast between the dark black trousers and the striking footwear. Classic gibson shoes with thick crepe soles or the famous brothel creepers became the shoes of choice for many a Teddy Boy. The outfit would be finished off with a smart shirt, often with wide collars (a traditional Americana influence) and the classic bootlace (bolo) tie. Hair was lovingly and time consumingly quiffed, sometimes in an audacious overblown manner, tapering out in to the iconic duck arse (also referred to as duck tail or DA) at the back. ... and so what of the Teddy Girl? As with their male companions, the Teddy Girls dressed out of a need to shock the older generations. Once again, the American Rock & Roll influence featured heavily on the agenda - toreador pants (close fitting trousers that extend to or slightly above the calf) and the classic circle skirt became an instantly recognisable trait of the typical Teddy Girl. In order to create a true identity, away from the excessively respectable, prim and proper look of previous generation, the Teddy Girl opted for low cut tops, experimenting with different styles and looks in order to achieve a new and outrageous appearance and ultimately |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth?"
] | What Causes the Tides? What Causes the Tides? By Lauren Cox, Live Science Contributor | August 5, 2010 08:56am ET MORE Tides may seem simple on the surface, but the ins and outs of tides confounded great scientific thinkers for centuries they even led Galileo astray into a bunk theory. Today people know that the gravitational pulls between the earth, moon and sun dictate the tides. The moon, however, influences tides the most. The moon's gravitational pull on the earth is strong enough to tug the oceans into bulge. If no other forces were at play, shores would experience one high tide a day as the earth rotated on its axis and coasts ran into the oceans' bulge facing the moon . However, inertia -- the tendency of a moving object to keep moving -- affects the earth's oceans too. As the moon circles the earth, the earth moves in a very slight circle too, and this movement is enough to cause a centrifugal force on the oceans. (It's centrifugal force that holds water in a bucket when you swing the bucket in an overhead arc.) This inertia, or centrifugal force, causes the oceans to bulge on the opposite side facing the moon. While the moon's gravitational pull is strong enough to attract oceans into a bulge on the side of the earth facing the moon, it is not strong enough to overcome the inertia on the opposite side of the earth. As a result, the world's oceans bulge twice once when they are on the side of Earth closest to the moon , and once when they are on the side farthest from the moon, according to the Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institution in Wood's Hole, Mass. Geography complicates the tides, but many places on Earth experience just two high and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes. (The extra 50 minutes is caused by the distance the moon moves each day as it orbits Earth). The sun and the tides "Solar tides" are caused by the sun's gravitational pull and are weaker than lunar tides. The sun is 27 million times more massive than the moon, but it is also 390 times farther away. As a result, the sun has 46 percent of the tide-generating forces (TGFs) that the moon has, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Solar tides are therefore often considered just variations on lunar tides. Local geography can vary tide strength as well. Just north of the coast of Maine in Canada, the Bay of Fundy has a unique funnel shape at just the right position to creates the largest tides in the world. Water in the bay can rise more than 49 feet (15 meters) or about as high as a 4-story house. FORCE, the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy, estimates the Bay of Fundy pushes110 billion tons (100 billion metric tons) of water with every tide. Recently, local leaders have moved to take advantage of the tides. In July, Maine's Governor John Baldacci and Nova Scotia's Premier Darrell Dexter signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share research and ideas in tidal and offshore wind sources of renewable energy, according to Business Weekly. Understanding tides: then and now When Galileo Galilei attempted to explain tides in 1595, he left the moon out of this theory and focused on the inertia of the oceans and his correct idea that the earth orbited the sun, according to a NOVA documentary. It wasn't until 1687, that Sir Isaac Newton explained that ocean tides result from the gravitational attraction, according to NOAA. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In geology what is the term used for the layer between the Earth's crust and the core?"
] | Earth's crust | geology | Britannica.com A cross section of Earth’s outer layers, from the crust through the lower mantle. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Crustal abundances of elements of atomic numbers 1 to 93. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Figure 22: The topographic expressions of eroded anticlines and synclines. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Figure 21: Three basic fault types: (top) normal fault, (middle) reverse fault, and (bottom) strike-slip fault. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Figure 20: The forms of three types of folds. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Figure 23: Two transform faults offsetting a mid-oceanic ridge. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Volcanic activity and the Earth’s tectonic plates Stratovolcanoes tend to form at subduction zones, or convergent plate margins, where an oceanic plate slides beneath a continental plate and contributes to the rise of magma to the surface. At rift zones, or divergent margins, shield volcanoes tend to form as two oceanic plates pull slowly apart and magma effuses upward through the gap. Volcanoes are not generally found at strike-slip zones, where two plates slide laterally past each other. “Hot spot” volcanoes may form where plumes of lava rise from deep within the mantle to the Earth’s crust far from any plate margins. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Earth is composed of three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core. Created and produced by QA International. © QA International, 2010. All rights reserved. www.qa-international.com Geologic materials cycle through various forms. Sediments composed of weathered rock lithify to form sedimentary rock, which then becomes metamorphic rock under the pressure of Earth’s crust. When tectonic forces thrust sedimentary and metamorphic rocks into the hot mantle, they may melt and be ejected as magma, which cools to form igneous, or magmatic, rock. Created and produced by QA International. © QA International, 2010. All rights reserved. www.qa-international.com John P. Rafferty, biological and earth science editor of Encyclopædia Britannica, discussing the connection between Earth’s tectonic plates and earthquake development. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. At the margins of Earth’s plates, where two plates pull apart or one plate dives beneath another, magma (molten underground rock) frequently rises to the surface through volcanic vents. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which gas forms about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere?"
] | atmosphere - National Geographic Society atmosphere Our atmosphere—the thin blue line. Photograph courtesy NASA Atmospheric Orbit Although the International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere, most satellites orbit the Earth outside its atmosphere. GPS satellites, for instance, are in orbit more than 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles) above the Earth. Magnetosphere Earths magnetosphere is not considered part of the atmosphere. The magnetosphere, formed by the Earths magnetic fields, protects the atmosphere by preventing it from being blown away by powerful solar wind. Ingredients for Life Scientists have gathered enough information about other planets in our solar system to know that none can support life as we know it. Life is not possible without a stable atmosphere containing the right chemical ingredients for living organisms: hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. These ingredients must be balanced—not too thick or too thin. Life also depends on the presence of water. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have atmospheres made mostly of hydrogen and helium. These planets are called gas giants, because they are mostly made of gas and do not have a solid outer crust. Mercury and Mars have some of the right ingredients, but their atmospheres are far too thin to support life. The atmosphere of Venus is too thick—the planet's surface temperature is more than 460 degrees Celsius (860 degrees Fahrenheit). Jupiter's moon Europa has a thin atmosphere rich with oxygen. It is likely covered by a huge ocean of liquid water. Some astrobiologists think that if life will develop elsewhere in the solar system, it will be near vents at the bottom of Europa's ocean. We live at the bottom of an invisible ocean called the atmosphere , a layer of gases surrounding our planet . Nitrogen and oxygen account for 99 percent of the gases in dry air , with argon , carbon dioxide , helium , neon , and other gases making up minute portions. Water vapor and dust are also part of Earth ’s atmosphere. Other planets and moons have very different atmospheres, and some have no atmospheres at all. The atmosphere is so spread out that we barely notice it, yet its weight is equal to a layer of water more than 10 meters (34 feet) deep covering the entire planet. The bottom 30 kilometers (19 miles) of the atmosphere contains about 98 percent of its mass . The atmosphere—air—is much thinner at high altitudes. There is no atmosphere in space. Scientists say many of the gases in our atmosphere were ejected into the air by early volcanoes. At that time, there would have been little or no free oxygen surrounding the Earth. Free oxygen consists of oxygen molecules not attached to another element , like carbon (to form carbon dioxide) or hydrogen (to form water). Free oxygen may have been added to the atmosphere by primitive organisms, probably bacteria , during photosynthesis . Photosynthesis is the process a plant or other autotroph uses to make food and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. Later, more complex forms of plant life added more oxygen to the atmosphere. The oxygen in today’s atmosphere probably took millions of years to accumulate . The atmosphere acts as a gigantic filter , keeping out most ultraviolet radiation while letting in the sun’s warming rays. Ultraviolet radiation is harmful to living things, and is what causes sunburns. Solar heat, on the other hand, is necessary for all life on Earth. Earth’s atmosphere has a layered structure. From the ground toward the sky, the layers are the troposphere , stratosphere , mesosphere , thermosphere , and exosphere . Another layer, called the ionosphere , extends from the mesosphere to the exosphere. Beyond the exosphere is outer space . The boundaries between atmospheric layers are not clearly defined, and change depending on latitude and season . Troposphere The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer. On average, the troposphere extends from the ground to about 10 kilometers (6 miles) high, ranging from about 6 kilometers (4 miles) at the poles to more than 16 kilometers (10 miles) at th |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The lowest part of the Earth's atmosphere, where we live, is called what?"
] | Layers of the atmosphere | NIWA Layers of the atmosphere Post-Doctoral Fellowships Layers of the atmosphere The atmosphere is comprised of layers based on temperature. These layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. A further region at about 500 km above the Earth's surface is called the exosphere. The different layers of the atmosphere The atmosphere can be divided into layers based on its temperature, as shown in the figure below. These layers are the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere and the thermosphere. A further region, beginning about 500 km above the Earth's surface, is called the exosphere. The red line on the figure below shows how temperature varies with height (the temperature scale is given along the bottom of the diagram). The scale on the right shows the pressure. For example, at a height of 50 km, the pressure is only about one thousandth of the pressure at the ground. The Troposphere This is the lowest part of the atmosphere - the part we live in. It contains most of our weather - clouds, rain, snow. In this part of the atmosphere the temperature gets colder as the distance above the earth increases, by about 6.5°C per kilometre. The actual change of temperature with height varies from day to day, depending on the weather. The troposphere contains about 75% of all of the air in the atmosphere, and almost all of the water vapour (which forms clouds and rain). The decrease in temperature with height is a result of the decreasing pressure. If a parcel of air moves upwards it expands (because of the lower pressure). When air expands it cools. So air higher up is cooler than air lower down. The lowest part of the troposphere is called the boundary layer. This is where the air motion is determined by the properties of the Earth's surface. Turbulence is generated as the wind blows over the Earth's surface, and by thermals rising from the land as it is heated by the sun. This turbulence redistributes heat and moisture within the boundary layer, as well as pollutants and other constituents of the atmosphere. The top of the troposphere is called the tropopause. This is lowest at the poles, where it is about 7 - 10 km above the Earth's surface. It is highest (about 17 - 18 km) near the equator. The Stratosphere This extends upwards from the tropopause to about 50 km. It contains much of the ozone in the atmosphere. The increase in temperature with height occurs because of absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun by this ozone. Temperatures in the stratosphere are highest over the summer pole, and lowest over the winter pole. By absorbing dangerous UV radiation, the ozone in the stratosphere protects us from skin cancer and other health damage. However chemicals (called CFCs or freons, and halons) which were once used in refrigerators, spray cans and fire extinguishers have reduced the amount of ozone in the stratosphere, particularly at polar latitudes, leading to the so-called "Antarctic ozone hole". Now humans have stopped making most of the harmful CFCs we expect the ozone hole will eventually recover over the 21st century, but this is a slow process. The Mesosphere The region above the stratosphere is called the mesosphere. Here the temperature again decreases with height, reaching a minimum of about -90°C at the "mesopause". The Thermosphere and Ionosphere The thermosphere lies above the mesopause, and is a region in which temperatures again increase with height. This temperature increase is caused by the absorption of energetic ultraviolet and X-Ray radiation from the sun. The region of the atmosphere above about 80 km is also caused the "ionosphere", since the energetic solar radiation knocks electrons off molecules and atoms, turning them into "ions" with a positive charge. The temperature of the thermosphere varies between night and day and between the seasons, as do the numbers of ions and electrons which are present. The ionosphere reflects and absorbs radio waves, allowing us to receive shortwave radio broadcasts in New Zealand from other parts |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name of the effect that deflects winds and currents as a result of the Earth's rotation?"
] | Professional Development - Tides and Currents: NOAA's National Ocean Service Education Professional Development Home Education Professional Development Tides and Currents Currents Currents Currents are the motion in the ocean! While tides involve water moving up and down; currents are the back-and-forth movement of water. Two main components of currents are their speed and direction. A simple way to measure a current is to toss an object into the water and time how long it takes the object to travel a fixed distance. Technology allows us to be a little more accurate and sophisticated in our measurements. For example, the object in the water might be a buoy that is equipped with Global Positioning System technology and satellite communications to relay data and information about its change in position over time in the water. Physics of Currents Links for Teachers | Links for Students Water is constantly moving. The engines driving surface and sub surface currents throughout the world ocean are wind and water density. To understand the dynamics of the global system of ocean currents, you must understand the effect that wind, air and water temperature, salinity, and Earth's rotation have on ocean currents. Wind is the flow of air between areas of high and low pressure. If Earth did not rotate, air in the atmosphere would basically circulate in a simple back-and-forth pattern between the poles (high pressure areas) and the equator (a low pressure area). The direction of surface currents would then align with this general wind pattern. But because Earth rotates, circulating air is deflected toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere, resulting in curved paths. This deflection is called the Coriolis Effect. Global winds drag on the water’s surface. Just as Coriolis deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, it also results in the deflection of major surface ocean currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere (in a clockwise spiral) and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere (in a counter-clockwise spiral). These major spirals of ocean-circling currents are called gyres and occur north and south of the equator. One particularly powerful western boundary current is the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream, paired with the eastern boundary Canary Current, flanks the North Atlantic gyre. The Gulf Stream originates in the Gulf of Mexico, exits through the Strait of Florida, and follows the eastern coastline of the United States and Newfoundland. It influences the climate of the east coast of Florida, keeping temperatures warmer in the winter. Since it also extends toward Europe, it warms western European countries as well. The location of modern-day currents exist because of the shape of the ocean basins. This has not always been the case. The long-term positions of currents have changed over millennia due to plate tectonics, climate, and periodic astronomical events such as asteroid impacts. Winds drive ocean currents in the upper 100 meters of the ocean’s surface. However, ocean currents also flow thousands of meters below the surface. These deep-ocean currents are driven by differences in the water’s density, which is controlled by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline). This process is known as thermohaline circulation. In Earth's polar regions, ocean water gets very cold, forming sea ice. As a consequence the surrounding seawater gets saltier, This happens because salt is left behind when sea ice forms. As the seawater gets saltier, its density increases, and it starts to sink. Surface water is pulled in to replace the sinking water, which in turn eventually becomes cold and salty enough to sink. This initiates the deep-ocean currents driving the global conveyer belt. The Global Conveyer Belt is the main avenue by which high temperatures are distributed around the globe moderating extremes and giving Earth more even air surface temperature. Coast |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In the distant past what was the name given to the Super-Continent that made up the majority land mass of Earth?"
] | Climate during the Carboniferous Period Similarities with our Present World Average global temperatures in the Early Carboniferous Period were hot- approximately 20° C (68° F). However, cooling during the Middle Carboniferous reduced average global temperatures to about 12° C (54° F). As shown on the chart below, this is comparable to the average global temperature on Earth today! Similarly, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Early Carboniferous Period were approximately 1500 ppm (parts per million), but by the Middle Carboniferous had declined to about 350 ppm -- comparable to average CO2 concentrations today! Earth's atmosphere today contains about 380 ppm CO2 (0.038%). Compared to former geologic times, our present atmosphere, like the Late Carboniferous atmosphere, is CO2- impoverished! In the last 600 million years of Earth's history only the Carboniferous Period and our present age, the Quaternary Period, have witnessed CO2 levels less than 400 ppm. Global Temperature and Atmospheric CO2 over Geologic Time Late Carboniferous to Early Permian time (315 mya -- 270 mya) is the only time period in the last 600 million years when both atmospheric CO2 and temperatures were as low as they are today (Quaternary Period ). Temperature after C.R. Scotese http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm CO2 after R.A. Berner, 2001 (GEOCARB III) See an estimate of CO2 concentrations over the past 15,000 years , based on plant stomata. There has historically been much more CO2 in our atmosphere than exists today. For example, during the Jurassic Period (200 mya), average CO2 concentrations were about 1800 ppm or about 4.7 times higher than today. The highest concentrations of CO2 during all of the Paleozoic Era occurred during the Cambrian Period, nearly 7000 ppm -- about 18 times higher than today. The Carboniferous Period and the Ordovician Period were the only geological periods during the Paleozoic Era when global temperatures were as low as they are today. To the consternation of global warming proponents, the Late Ordovician Period was also an Ice Age while at the same time CO2 concentrations then were nearly 12 times higher than today-- 4400 ppm. According to greenhouse theory, Earth should have been exceedingly hot. Instead, global temperatures were no warmer than today. Clearly, other factors besides atmospheric carbon influence earth temperatures and global warming. The Carboniferous Ice Age Two special conditions of terrestrial landmass distribution, when they exist concurrently, appear as a sort of common denominator for the occurrence of very long-term simultaneous declines in both global temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2): 1) the existence of a continuous continental landmass stretching from pole to pole, restricting free circulation of polar and tropical waters, and 2) the existence of a large (south) polar landmass capable of supporting thick glacial ice accumulations. These special conditions existed during the Carboniferous Period, as they do today in our present Quaternary Period. Climate change during the Carboniferous Period was dominated by the great Carboniferous Ice Age. As the Earth alternately cooled then warmed, great sheets of glacial ice thousands of feet thick accumulated, then melted, then reaccumulated in synchronous cycles. Vast glaciers up to 8,000 feet thick existed at the south pole then, moving from higher elevations to lower, driven by gravity and their tremendous weight. These colossal slow-motion tidal waves of ice destroyed and pulverized everything in their path, scraping the landscape to bare bedrock-- altering mountains, valleys, and river courses. Ancient bedrock in Africa, Australia, India and South America show scratches and gouges from this glaciation. Image credit: Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, UK Earth's continents during the Carboniferous Period were arranged differently than they are today. South America, Africa, India, Australia, Antarctica |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name for the study of Continental Drift?"
] | continental drift - National Geographic Society continental drift The way some continents fit together like puzzle pieces inspired the theory of continental drift. Map by USGS Urkontinent Alfred Wegener’s original name for his proposed, ancient continent was “Urkontinent”—ur meaning “first or original,” and kontinent meaning “continent” in Wegener’s native language, German. A more popular name for this huge ancient landmass is Pangaea, which means “all lands” in Greek. Colliding Skyward The collision of the Indian subcontinent and Asian continent created the Himalayan mountain range, home to the world's highest mountain peaks, including 30 that exceed 7300 meters (24,000 feet). Because continental drift is still pushing India into Asia, the Himalayas are still growing. Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologist s thought continent s moved over time. Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics . The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener . In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmass es were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other. He called this movement continental drift. Pangaea Wegener was convinced that all of Earth’s continents were once part of an enormous , single landmass called Pangaea . Wegener, trained as an astronomer , used biology , botany , and geology describe Pangaea and continental drift. For example, fossil s of the ancient reptile mesosaurus are only found in southern Africa and South America. Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile only one meter (3.3 feet) long, could not have swum the Atlantic Ocean. The presence of mesosaurus suggests a single habitat with many lakes and rivers. Wegener also studied plant fossils from the frigid Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. These plants were not the hardy specimen s adapt ed to survive in the Arctic climate . These fossils were of tropical plants, which are adapted to a much warmer, more humid environment. The presence of these fossils suggests Svalbard once had a tropical climate . Finally, Wegener studied the stratigraphy of different rocks and mountain range s. The east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa seem to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle , and Wegener discovered their rock layers “fit” just as clearly. South America and Africa were not the only continents with similar geology. Wegener discovered that the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, for instance, were geologically related to the Caledonian Mountains of Scotland. Pangaea existed about 240 million years ago. By about 200 million years ago, this supercontinent began breaking up. Over millions of years, Pangaea separated into pieces that moved away from one another. These pieces slowly assumed their positions as the continent we recognize today. Today, scientists think that several supercontinents like Pangaea have formed and broken up over the course of the Earth’s lifespan. These include Pannotia, which formed about 600 million years ago, and Rodinia, which existed more than a billion years ago. Tectonic Activity Scientists did not accept Wegener’s theory of continental drift. One of the elements lacking in the theory was the mechanism for how it works—why did the continents drift and what patterns did they follow? Wegener suggested that perhaps the rotation of the Earth caused the continents to shift towards and apart from each other. (It doesn't.) Today, we know that the continents rest on massive slab s of rock called tectonic plate s. The plates are always moving and interacting in a process called plate tectonics. The continents are still moving today. Some of the most dynamic sites of tectonic activity are seafloor spreading zones and giant rift valleys. In the process of seafloor spreading , molten rock rises from within the Earth and adds new seafloor ( oceanic crust ) to the edges of the old. Seafloor spr |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Cullen Skink is a hearty soup made with potatoes, onion and which fish?"
] | How to cook perfect cullen skink | Life and style | The Guardian How to cook perfect cullen skink Full-flavoured, hearty, and comfortingly creamy, is cullen skink the world's finest fish soup? Felicity's perfect cullen skink. Photograph: Felicity Cloake Wednesday 4 January 2012 19.10 EST First published on Wednesday 4 January 2012 19.10 EST Share on Messenger Close Cullen skink. Not a promising name for a soup, in all honesty – I think Dickens missed a trick by not borrowing it for one of his villains – but one sniff and you'll be won over. Stuffed full of warming wintery ingredients like smoked fish and starchy potatoes, made rich and comforting with milk or cream, it never fails to cheer, even in the darkest days of January. (Unless, I admit, you're sitting upwind of someone else's helping, in a badly ventilated office, with only a meanly filled, heavily chilled turkey sandwich for company. Then you might feel, with some justification, that cullen skink is as malevolent as it sounds.) About that name: Cullen is, of course, a fishing town on the Moray Firth, an inlet popular with haddock, while "skink" has a more puzzling history. The New York Times claims it comes from the Middle High German word for a weak beer , which seems to make some of sense for a thin soup, but the Oxford Companion to Food counters that it's a variation of the German "schinke", or ham, denoting a shin specifically: "so the archetypal skink is a soup made from shin of beef". Cattle perhaps being more valuable than fish in coastal regions, the locals adapted the idea to suit their own ingredients – and I'm very glad they did. Smokier and more assertive than American chowder, heartier than classical French bisque, it's one of the world's finest seafood soups. The fish River Cottage recipe cullen skink. Photograph: Felicity Cloake The overwhelming flavour of cullen skin is smoked fish – haddock traditionally, but, as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Nick Fisher point out in the River Cottage Fish Book , just about any smoked white fish will do – so it's important to make sure that flavour is a good one. Most recipes simply call for smoked haddock, with some adding "preferably undyed" – the taste is generally exactly the same, though obviously all that yellow colouring adds nothing positive to the nutritional content – but Stirling-born Nick Nairn specifies Arbroath smokies in his Great British Menu recipe . Smokies are headless, gutted haddock, hot smoked over wood in the traditional fashion, and they're not easy to track down, but the smell when I finally get my mitts on a couple of pairs is enough to convince me they're probably worth the shoe leather. While I love their distinctive wood-smoked flavour and creamy texture, they overpower the soup, giving it an unpalatable acrid character. Save your precious smokies for somewhere they'll be better appreciated. The soup base Mark Hix recipe cullen skink. Photograph: Felicity Cloake Although cullen skink relies upon a certain amount of milk or cream to give it richness, when and how much to add varies wildly. Mark Hix , for example, gives a recipe in British Regional Food which involves cooking the ingredients in fish stock, and stirring in a couple of tablespoons of cream at the end. Although the stock cube I've used is rather overpoweringly fishy, the result is nice enough but lacks the comforting creamy sweetness I associate with this kind of soup. I also think the haddock, which has been simmered for 15 minutes, has gone a bit rubbery, which is a shame. Nick Nairn also uses stock as a base, but this time it's homemade using Arbroath smokies (which, at £8 a pair, is no mean investment) along with white wine, leeks, fennel and onion. He adds this to softened onions, leeks and some boiled potatoes plus another couple of fish, simmers for 10 minutes, then blends with milk and cream before serving. A third smokie, flaked, become a garnish. This means the soup has the distinctive, smoky flavour of the fish, while the garnish shows off their delicate texture – but, as previously mentioned, the finished re |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which common kitchen herb is used in a Mojito?"
] | Making Cocktails with herbs Cocktails with Herbs Making Cocktails with Herbs Herbs can be used for a variety of reasons, whether you are using them for medicinal purposes or for culinary enhancements. Most people may not have given enough thought to adding certain herbs to a refreshing summer cocktail, but each herb can provide your favorite beverage with an interesting twist. Of all the herbs that can be used in a cocktail, perhaps the most popular is the mint herb. In addition to using mint in your refreshing beverages, you can also add the green and spicy flavors of a variety of herbs that you may already have in your backyard or kitchen. This is one additional reason to consider creating your own herb garden. Not only can you create fantastic meals, you can relax with a flavorful drink. Mint Mint is a type of perennial plant that is relatively easy to grow in your own home. It is considered to be one of the more popular herbs that are used in alcohol beverages. There are a variety of types of mint, some of which include spearmint, peppermint, apple mint, and pineapple mint. Peppermint has lavender flowers and dark green leaves. Spearmint has pink flowers and lighter green leaves that are pointy. Apple mint has light green leaves and pineapple mint has white-banded green leaves. This herb can add a cool and slightly sweet flavor to your cocktails whether you want to enjoy a mojito, margarita or other type of beverage. Watermelon Mint Margaritas Thyme Thyme is an herb that is widely used in the culinary world. It is used across the world such as in Mediterranean, Indian, French, Levantine and Spanish cuisines. It is most often used to add flavor to meats, stews and soups, but can also add a slightly bitter note to cocktails. It also adds green flavors and can give the impression of gin minus the overpowering flavor of juniper. It is used to counterpart flavors that include lemons, pears and apples. Lemon Thyme Martinis Basil Basil is another herb that can easily be grown in the comfort of your own home. It is considered to be the king of herbs by most gardeners. It is a fragrant herb that has more than 50 different species. Basil has a strong and distinct flavor that gives off a peppery edge with a savory and sweet note. It adds a rich and spicy flavor to your cocktails. Drinks Containing Basil Oregano Oregano is a part of the mint family and is a low-growing type of perennial plant. It is native to the Mediterranean and Western Europe. It is closely related to and sometimes called wild marjoram. The Greek, or Italian oregano is the most widely used type in the culinary and cocktail worlds. The flavor that oregano adds to cocktails is similar to that of sage and basil. It adds a note to the cocktail that is warm, green and spicy. Bloody Mariana Sage Sage is an herb that is native to the Mediterranean. It is another type of low-growing perennial and is an evergreen shrub that has lavender flowers. It has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, but is even more widely known in the culinary world for flavoring bread stuffings, pork and poultry. Sage has an enticing aroma and a strong flavor that can overpower food or cocktails if too much is used. The flavor is fern-like, woody and musky and has notes of warm decay, white pepper, and menthol. You can help release some of the essential oils by gently rolling a leaf in your fingers before adding it to the cocktail. Vanilla, Pear and Sage Chamomile Chamomile is one of the oldest herbs that is known for its medicinal properties. It was used by the Egyptians as a cure for ague and the Egyptians offered it to their gods. The aroma of the fresh flowers of chamomile can be compared to that of certain apples. The flavor of chamomile is mild and relaxing. Many drink a chamomile tea as part of a nighttime ritual to help them relax better and fall asleep easier. Add the earthy and floral flavor of this ‘ground apple” to your favorite cocktail, or make a creation of your own. bulk flaxseed - organic tea bulk - black walnut leaf - poke root - kelp iodine - damian |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which fruit goes into the liqueur Kirsch?"
] | DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Cherry Liqueur | Serious Eats DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Cherry Liqueur DIY Cherry Liqueur The first time I tried cherry liqueur, I thought it tasted like cough syrup. For years, I avoided anything made with the stuff because I don't want my cocktails to remind me of sick children. Then one day I ordered a Singapore Sling without really knowing what was in it. When I found out that cherry liqueur played a big part in making this drink so good, I realized that maybe I had stereotyped all cherry liqueurs because of one that was particularly bad (and probably cheap). Prejudice erased, I soon started splashing a little cherry liqueur in everything from Manhattans to Sangria. I went a little nuts at the roadside cherry stands this summer, so once I saw I had more cherries than my freezer and I knew what to do with, I knew it was time to experiment with my own cherry liqueur. What's Available to Buy? When you're buying cherry liqueur, you have to pay attention or you may end up with the wrong thing. Cherry liqueur is sweetened and can be made with any type of spirit base. Brandy is the most common, so cherry liqueur is often called cherry brandy. Then there's kirsch or kirschwasser, which is an unsweetened eau de vie distilled from cherries. But sometimes kirsch is called cherry brandy. You can't use kirsch and cherry liqueur interchangeably, since one is sweet and the other isn't. Despite the somewhat confusing name game, it's actually not difficult to know if you have the right bottle in your hand. Kirsch, the unsweetened eau de vie, is clear in color, while liqueurs will be dark. Cherry Heering is my favorite cherry liqueur, and it's not hard to find for about $25 or $30 a bottle. It's made with real cherries and it actually tastes like cherries. There are also more affordable options from Bols and Hiram Walker, but now that I make my own, I haven't been tempted. Why DIY? Cherry Heering tastes great and is made with real fruit, so the reason to DIY isn't because good commercial cherry liqueur doesn't exist. But it's fun to turn a basket of local fruit into something delicious that you can drink for months to come. While I'm certainly not going to age my liqueur in oak casks in the garage, I can make a complex and fruity liqueur using my trusty steeping jar. Making your own cherry liqueur is a simple and inexpensive way to expand your home cocktail repertoire. Cherry liqueur wasn't one of my home bar staples, so once I decided to make my own I was surprised by all the recipes I had previously missed out on trying. Get the Recipe DIY Cherry Liqueur » Use It! You can sip your cherry liqueur on the rocks, or splash it in some sparkling wine or seltzer. Add it to some cola for a delicious and slightly alcoholic version of Cherry Coke, or use it to add depth to a sangria. With a little tasting and adjusting, you can use homemade cherry liqueur in recipes that call for Cherry Heering or cherry brandy. The Singapore Sling is the drink that won me over—it's fun and fruity without being syrupy sweet or unbalanced. Another delightful drink is the Buck's Fizz , which is like a Mimosa with a little cherry liqueur and gin added in to make it even better. Like cherries themselves, cherry liqueur goes really well with the brown liquors. So try a Blood and Sand made with Scotch or a Whitfield Takes Manhattan , which is a fun twist on the classic Manhattan. Another Manhattan-inspired option is Remember the Maine , which adds a little absinthe to spice things up. |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the main ingredient of Guacamole?"
] | Simple secrets to making excellent guacamole By Will Brokaw Quality avocados are the key component of excellent guacamole. Few things are as addictive as perfectly-made guacamole. I can think of nothing that disappears faster at a party, ballgame, or dinner. Due to my occupation as an avocado extraordinaire, many people ask me what the secret is to making great guacamole. Believe it or not, it is not hard to make excellent guacamole, but there are a few simple guidelines to follow. (1) Start with excellent, high-quality avocados. First, since avocados are the main ingredient in guacamole, the most critical factor is to start with excellent, high-quality avocados. For most purposes, the Hass variety of avocado is usually the most popular option, due to it’s buttery taste and smooth texture. From September-February, however, try Gwen avocados, as their buttery flavor exceeds that of the Hass variety during this period. Many of the avocados you see in supermarkets are either old or of inferior quality, due to the fact that the supply chain is so long. Choose a size such that you will be able to eat the whole fruit in one sitting. This way you will not have to store an avocado half in the refrigerator. Left-over half avocados will likely discolor within a few hours (unless, of course, they happen to be extremely fresh.) You can choose hard avocados, but you will have to wait for them to ripen on their own schedule! (Of course, if you really want the highest-quality RIPE avocados, you can always order directly from WillsAvocados.com.) (2) Start simple, go slow. Get ready! The basic ingredients of guacamole are: salt & pepper! The secret with these basic ingredients is to add them to taste. Don’t add too many ingredients or too much at once, or you will risk making your guacamole too powerful in one area or another. Again, the main ingredient of guacamole is the avocado, and that’s the main thing that you should be able to taste. You should constantly be tasting your guacamole as you add to it! These basic ingredients alone should generate consistent complements from those you serve. (3) Special ingredients often improve even a perfect guacamole. Everyone has a special ingredient they like to add to the guacamole mix. Here are some ingredients that you can experiment with. Again – go slow and add them to taste! Freshly Diced Garlic. Pre-crushed garlic (sold in a jar) or garlic powder is simply no substitute for the punch of fresh, finely-chopped garlic. Again, this should be added to taste, and the garlic should not overpower the avocado itself. Lime (or lemon) juice. Freshly-squeezed. Not only does lime add flavor and punch to your basic guacamole, but it may also help preserve it longer from browning! Cilantro. Fresh, finely-chopped cilantro is one thing that can improve a guacamole by adding a distinct flavor and a slight crunch. But you run a risk here, as some people do not like cilantro. Consider your audience before adding it. Hot Sauce. Try Tapatio , or other hot-pepper sauces. These are also ingredients that are just as easy to add in later by the individual. Fresh Bulb Onion: Chopped Small. If you're into onion, you'll love the flavor and crunchy yet succulent texture it gives to guacamole. Canned Peppers/Chiles. As someone who loves food, I normally do not stray from fresh, whole ingredients when preparing it. However, I make an exception when it comes to canned chiles and peppers. For some reason, these ingredients add a wonderful character that even the finest quality fresh chiles and peppers aren't capable of. Fresh tomato. If you want to add fresh tomato, be sure to use only the most potently flavored heirloom or dry-farmed tomatoes. Otherwise their flavor will be overpowered and unnoticeable by the other ingredients. Specific Guacamole Recipes For specific ideas and guidance, I have gathered a few guacamole recipes from our family and friends. If you need advice on superb tortilla chips and other excellent quality Mexican style foods, Steve at Rancho Gordo is an excellent source. Enjoy. Larry Rose’s Guacamole |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Rigatoni is what type of Italian food?"
] | Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Sausage recipe | Epicurious.com This was yummy, I had with Rao's Marinara. Easy, but very good graham66 / Flag if Inappropriate This is easy and impressive. Next time I'd like to scale up on quality of ingredients, but even with purchased marinara, it was a keeper. I used local Boulder brand hot Italian sausage and Bertolli marinara. I don't think you can mess up with the proportions either -- I used 1 lb. of pasta and 1 lb. of sausage and 1 jar of sauce. I'd use more sauce next time and make my own, maybe with big chunks of tomatoes. It's a beautiful dish! jendi51 from Denver, CO / Flag if Inappropriate Made this with shells as well - used only mild italian sausage (family preference) and added basil/oregano/thyme. Used extra garlic. Had Wesleydale not Mozza - was even better! Family inhaled this - will make again A Cook from Milton, ON / Flag if Inappropriate This was a total hit at my house. I made it family style and so added more sausage and cheese. Also, I didn't have rigatoni and so I used shells instead. It reheated well. A definite keeper! jsd517 from Redwood City, CA / Flag if Inappropriate |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name of the special Indian clay oven?"
] | Types of Tandoori Clay Oven for use in Restaurant and Home Resources Types of Tandoor In a layman�s parlance tandoor is clay oven with a hole in the bottom. The hole is used for adding and removing fuel .Typically, a special type of clay along with shredded coir rope is used to prepare the oven. To solidify the oven a special paste of mustard oil, jaggery, yoghurt and ground spinach is rubbed inside the oven. The history of tandoor indeed goes back to Arab countries from where it has spread to India and finally to western countries. The word tandoor has been derived from Babylonian word �tinuru� from the Semitic word �nar� meaning fire. Arabic then made it tannur and then Turkey and Central Asia made it tandoor. In ancient times there were only clay tandoor but now a days, there are different types of tandoor as discussed below. Square Tandoor: Square tandoor is commonly used by all restaurants across the world in their kitchen. To make square tandoor, first Stainless Steel Square Box is made and given smooth finish around edges. After box is made, clay pot is installed inside the box and remaining space is covered with Fiber Blanket and Thermal Insulation to keep heat inside the clay pot. Till 2004 most of the restaurants were using tandoors with charcoal as fuel. All cooks prefer charcoal due to unique combination of clay and charcoal in Tandoori cooking as charcoal burns slowly and keep clay pot hot for longer time. But charcoal has its own issues like irregular supply from vendors and requires special exhaust hood in kitchen. Due to these factors, most restaurant users stopped using Charcoal as fuel and shifted to Gas Tandoors. Gas tandoors are similar to Square tandoors and only difference is fuel which can be Natural Gas or Propane (L.P.G). Gas tandoors are fitted with burners and unique Baffle plate which sits on burners, to deflect flame of the burner, to heat up clay pot. Gas Tandoors are as good as charcoal tandoors though some Tandoori lovers may disagree. Gas tandoors are more users friendly, easy to operate clean fuel and offer economical operating cost. Before buying Gas Tandoors, please make sure about kind of burners used, whether burner comes with Pilot Safety System and Igniter as unsafe Gas Burner installation can be dangerous. Therefore buy Gas Tandoors which are certified by recognized agencies and come with �CE �or �NSF� or �ETL� labels. A Regular size Square tandoor is good for 60 seats Restaurant for Bread and Kebab use. If you have more seats, it is suggested to buy 2 tandoors and use 1 for Bread and other for Kebabs. Clay Pots Clay pots for tandoors are prepared by hand with great care. The clay for the tandoor is available freely but cautious approach should be taken when selecting the best clay for this purpose. In Asian countries like India, clay is sourced from special locations and is cleaned and refined for making clay pot. Various additives like hay and hairs of goats & sheep�s hair are added in the clay mixture in order to give special strength as temperatures ranging upto 1000 degrees centigrade can be seen in clay pots. In recent years, makers of tandoors in United Kingdom are making clay pot with special clay only available in few mines across the world. Though this clay is different from Indian clay, it is more pure and strong when fired. Due to these features, you will find most restaurants in UK are not using Indian clay pots and sourcing their tandoors locally. The same quality tandoors are sold in USA also for past 2 years. Catering/Drum Tandoor In Catering/Drum Tandoor, clay pot is fitted in Steel or Stainless Steel Barrel, in a plain design with S. S. Straps tied round its top, centre and bottom for reinforcement. The pot inside the barrel is duly insulated with thermal Insulations, glass wool, rock salt and ceramic powders. A hole is there at the bottom of the drum to remove ashes .A wheel can also be attached at the bottom to move the drum from one place to another. Generally handles are provided for Lifting, Pushing and Pulling. Most of the time, cate |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Harvey Wall Banger cocktail contain Vodka, orange juice and what else?"
] | Harvey Wallbanger recipe | Epicurious.com 1 orange slice for garnish Advertisements Preparation In a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes, combine the vodka and orange juice. Stir well. Float the Galliano on top and garnish with orange slice Nutritional Info |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which chef presents 'Saturday Morning Kitchen' on TV?"
] | James Martin quits Saturday Kitchen after 10 years fronting the BBC weekend show | Daily Mail Online Hanging up the apron: James Martin faces outpouring of grief from fans as he quits Saturday Kitchen after 10 years fronting the popular BBC weekend show Chef has announced decision to leave popular cooking show after a decade at its helm TV personality explained he wanted to pursue other ventures Fans have taken to social media in their droves to share their disappointment James is expected to make final appearance on BBC One show in March Range of guest presenters are set to fill in for the culinary favourite |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which food dish is named after one of Napoleons famous victories?"
] | Famous Food Dishes and How they Got Their Names Famous Food Dishes and How they Got Their Names The origins of Beef Stroganoff and Peach Melba by David Johnson 1/4 cup seedless grapes, halved 1/2 cup plain yogurt Directions 1. In a bowl, toss together the apples, lemon juice, celery, walnuts, raisins, and grapes. 2. In another bowl, fold together the yogurt and mayonnaise. Add to salad and mix well. Related Links Restaurant People often ask what is in a particular dish they are about to eat, but seldom do they ask how that particular meal got its name. The origins of a dish are often as interesting as the food itself, as the following guide indicates. Beef Stroganoff A combination of beef, mushrooms, and sour cream, Beef Stroganoff was the prize-winning recipe created for a cooking competition held in the 1890s in St. Petersburg , Russia . The chef who devised the recipe worked for the Russian diplomat Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov, a member of one of Russia's grandest noble families. Beef Wellington A national hero for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, Arthur Wellesley was made the first Duke of Wellington . He loved a dish of beef, mushrooms, truffles, Madeira wine, and paté cooked in pastry, which has been named in his honor. Caesar Salad In the 1920s, Caesar Cardini, owner of an Italian restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico , and his brother, Alex, invented a salad of romaine lettuce, anchovies, coddled egg, lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic-flavored croutons tossed with a garlic vinaigrette flavored with Worcestershire sauce . At first it was called Aviator's Salad, but later Cardini named the dish after himself. Chicken Marengo A French dish of chicken braised with garlic, tomatoes, olives, white wine or brandy, and garnished with crayfish and sometimes fried eggs, Chicken Marengo was born on the battlefield. On June 14, 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Austro-Hungarian army at the village of Marengo, in northern Italy. After a ferocious battle in which 5,800 French and 9,400 Austrians were killed, the victorious French were ravenous. Chicken Marengo was made from whatever ingredients they were able to take from the village. Delmonico Steak (and Delmonico Potatoes) Swiss immigrants, the Delmonico family created New York City's first real luxury restaurant, which they ran from 1835 to 1881. With a menu printed in French and English, Delmonico's featured French and American cuisine. Under the direction of French chef Charles Ranhofer, Delmonico's set the standard for gourmet food. Delmonico Steak, a tender strip of usually boneless top loin, has become an American classic. It is also known as Kansas City strip steak or New York steak. Delmonico Potatoes are boiled, buttered potatoes sprinkled with parsley and lemon juice. Eggs Benedict and Lobster Newburg were also created at the restaurant. Eggs Benedict Eggs Benedict was most likely created at Delmonico's Restaurant, in New York City, in response to a complaint that the menu never changed. Regulars at the fancy restaurant, Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand Benedict asked for something new. To oblige, the chef served up eggs on ham served on a muffin and covered in Hollandaise sauce . Once called Lobster Wenberg, the name of the dish was changed after Ben Wenberg participated in a brawl at the originating restaurant. Lobster Newburg In the mid-1800s, shipping magnate Ben Wenberg asked Charles Ranhofer, chef at Delmonico's Restaurant, to prepare a meal he had discovered in South America —chunks of lobster sautéed in butter and served in a sauce of cream and egg flavored with paprika and sherry. The meal was such a success that it was added to the Delmonico's menu as Lobster Wenberg. However, some time later, Wenberg consumed too much wine from Delmonico's renowned cellars and got into a brawl. He was banished from Delmonico's forever and his name stricken from the menu. "Wenberg" became "Newburg." Peach Melba Sometimes called the greatest chef who ever lived, Auguste Escoffier created a dessert of poached peach halves, vanilla ice cream, and raspberry sa |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What alcoholic drink is made from molasses?"
] | Historical liquor made from molasses, sugar | The Triangle Historical liquor made from molasses, sugar September 23, 2011 by Matthew.Hartshorne Rum has lately become a staple of college parties, but many people do not appreciate its long and varied history. First, though, it’s helpful to understand a little bit about what rum is, and how it is made. Rum is defined as liquor made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane juice or, more commonly, the tailings from sugar production, such as molasses. The distillation process is generally done in a column still to provide a cleaner, more consistent product; however, a number of distillers still utilize pot stills for small batches. After distillation, rum is aged in oak barrels for a period of time. Rum is classified by its color as light, gold or dark, with darker rum having more flavor or spice based upon other additives. The particular rum in question is Cruzan Rum’s Cruzan Black Strap. This rum is part of a subset of dark rum called Naval Rum. Cruzan Rum was founded in 1760 on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ownership of the distillery has passed through a number of corporations over the years, currently residing with Beam Global Spirits Inc., but distillery operations have been managed by the Nelthropp family for eight generations. Naval Rum is the darkest of the rums, ranging from dark amber to opaque black in color. The color comes from the retention of a larger percentage of the molasses components, which results in a far, far stronger flavor than in any other type of rum. Cruzan Black Strap rum is intended as a slightly smoother version of Naval Rum, especially low in hot fusel alcohols, providing an accessible version of the style to the general public. The rum pours a jet black, but reveals a beautiful deep ruby red color with golden red highlights right at the edge of the glass. When served in a snifter, a surprising amount of spicy alcohol character is present, which almost covered the sweet vanilla and molasses notes. The taste is very sweet for liquor, far sweeter than even most bourbons, but not cloying. The taste is of very smooth and sweet molasses, or perhaps even a very dark brown sugar with hints of caramel. The rums have a very smooth, warming nature to them without giving the impression of being spiced at all. The best description I’ve heard of this rum is that it’s “dessert in a bottle,” and I have used it that way on several occasions. Though I love to drink this rum straight, I also find that it provides a wonderful, caramel molasses character to mixed drinks. I decided to mix up three cocktails, although all three are debatably highballs, which is a name for the category of drinks made by cutting a portion of liquor with a larger portion of mixer. The first is the reliable standby of the college house party, the rum and coke. This particular drink was vastly improved by the substitution of the Black Strap. My main objection to the usual rum and coke is that the soda overshadows the rum; however, there is not a chance of this happening if a reasonable portion of Black Strap is used. The vanilla character of the rum really penetrates, reminding me of Vanilla Coke, and the molasses flavor provides a nice, sweet caramel depth. This drink is improved even more by a twist of lemon, and I found myself enjoying it far more than I thought I would. For my second drink I mixed the Rum Swizzle. Shake two ounces of rum, a half ounce each of triple sec and lemon juice, then strain into a tall, ice-filled glass. Top off with ginger ale and a lemon wheel. This drink was much sweeter than the base rum, thanks to the triple sec, and the lemon provided a very bright citrus highlight. The sweetness really brought out the molasses character in this rum, and the ginger ale provided a nice contrast of spice. Overall, this drink was very, very smooth and went down quite easily. The third drink I mixed was the Dark and Stormy; this drink is the big, bad cousin to the Rum Swizzle that I mixed. The key to this drink is the ginger beer; I would stay away from |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In Greek cuisine a vine or cabbage leaf with a savoury stuffing is called what?"
] | Puzzles - Food and Drink 1. What is the main ingredient of Guacamole? 2. Rigatoni is what? 3. What is the name of the special Indian clay oven? 4. In which Cornish seaside town does Rick Stein have his seafood restaurant? 5. Name one (or more!) of the spices used to infuse Mulled Wine 6. What flavour is the drink Ouzo? 7. What is the first name of Greg's fearsome female) sidekick, sous-chef to Michel Roux, in Celebrity Mastechef? 8. Which food dish is named after one of Napoleon's famous victories? 9. What alcoholic drink is made from molasses? 10. In Greek cuisine vine or cabbage leaves with a savoury stuffing are called what? 6. What flavour is the drink Ouzo? Liquorice 9. What alcoholic drink is made from molasses? Rum 1. What is the main ingredient of Guacamole? avocados 5. Name one (or more!) of the spices used to infuse Mulled Wine cinnamon, allspice, clove ...? 10. In Greek cuisine vine or cabbage leaves with a savoury stuffing are called what? um, dolmades???? 4. In which Cornish seaside town does Rick Stein have his seafood restaurant? Padstow 6. What flavour is the drink Ouzo? Aniseed 7. What is the first name of Greg's fearsome female sidekick, sous-chef to Michel Roux Jnr, in Celebrity Masterchef? Celebrity? She in the chef Masterchef is our Monica. 8. Which food dish is named after one of Napoleon's famous victories? Chicken Marengo 3. What is the name of the special Indian clay oven? the Tandoor we could add 'Nutmeg' to the mulled wine spices. Though I always use a sachet.... I have a bit of a girl-crush on Monica, even though she is terrifyingly stern. I think Monica is all dolled up for one of the Masterchef progs this week, I is sure I saw her in a very smart silver grey outfit in one of the trailers. I must set my digirecorder |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What was the name of the cavalry regiment raised and trained by Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War?"
] | Military Units of the Civil Wars, Commonwealth & Protectorate Top of Page The Horse (Cavalry) Cavalrymen were organised in troops like infantry companies. Each troop was commanded by a captain and consisted of between thirty and one hundred men. Although some cavalry troops operated independently, they were usually brigaded together into a regiment of around six troops under the command of a colonel. Cuirassiers Cuirassiers were the lineal descendants of the fully-armoured men-at-arms of the Middle Ages. They rode into battle encased in a suit of articulated armour, with the exception of the lower leg (which was protected by a long boot) and the back of the thigh. The invention of the wheel-lock firing mechanism made it practical to use firearms on horseback, so cuirassiers discarded the heavy lance in favour of pistols, carbines and swords. Mounted and armoured pistoleers, called reiters, dominated European battlefields during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Although it was fashionable for officers and noblemen to sit for portraits in full armour, very few cuirassier units served during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Not only were cuirassiers expensive to equip and maintain, it was also difficult to find horses strong enough to bear their weight. Their cumbersome armour became steadily less effective as firearms improved, which is consistent with the general decline in the use of protective armour during the 17th century. Individual commanders on both sides sometimes went into battle equipped as cuirassiers but the only regular cuirassier units were Parliamentarian. The cuirassier lifeguard troops of the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Balfour played an important role at the battle of Edgehill in 1642. The most famous cuirassier unit of the civil wars was Sir Arthur Hesilrige's regiment, the "Lobsters", which was active during 1643 as the heavy cavalry of Sir William Waller's army but was reformed as a harquebusier regiment after Waller's defeat at Roundway Down. Harquebusiers Most civil war cavalry were equipped as "harquebusiers". Originally, harquebusiers were foot soldiers who had exchanged the crossbow for the arquebus (or harquebus), an early form of matchlock firearm. During the French religious wars of the 16th century, harquebusiers were mounted on horseback. By the early 17th century, they had evolved into the light cavalrymen of western Europe. Ideally, harquebusiers were armed with a carbine or harquebus, a pair of pistols and a sword. During the civil wars, the carbine or harquebus was likely to be carried by officers only. The carbine is distinguished from the harquebus by being of larger bore and firing a larger, heavier bullet. Both types had a barrel length of around three feet and were carried suspended from a shoulder belt. The pistols, carried in saddle holsters, had a barrel length of around twenty inches. Cavalry firearms were of the firelock pattern, either flintlocks or the more expensive and less popular wheel-lock. Harquebusier defensive armour consisted of a light breast- and back-plate and pot helmet, sometimes with a "gorget" to protect the throat. A thick leather buff-coat was usually worn underneath the armour, and often replaced it altogether. A distinctive feature of English harquebusier arms was the three-bar pot helmet with articulated neck-guard. Harquebusiers were classified as light cavalry, in contrast to cuirassiers who were regarded as heavy cavalry. In practice, however, cavalry tactics developed during the civil wars so that harquebusier regiments such as Prince Rupert's horse and Cromwell's Ironsides fought as shock troops, the role usually associated with cuirassiers. Dragoons Dragoons were mounted infantrymen who rode small horses or cobs to move into position and then fought on foot. They wore no armour and usually carried a musket or carbine and sword. The practice of mounting musketeers for greater mobility probably originated during the late 16th century in the French Huguenot armies of Henri of Navarre. Dragoons were used in the Dutch armies |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"William Howard Russell became famous as what during the Crimean War?"
] | William Howard Russell | British journalist | Britannica.com William Howard Russell THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic. Learn about this topic in these articles: in history of publishing: Foundations of modern journalism ...go and get the news, were recruited, and they replaced many occasional correspondents, although there was always room for the stringer, a part-time reporter based in a small town or a remote region. William Howard Russell, a reporter for the London Times during the Crimean War (1853–56), became famous as one of the first war correspondents, and his writings... |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Bourbon dynasty began to rule which country from 1700 and still do?"
] | French History of the Bourbon Dynasty Louis-Phillippe, King of the French 1830-1848 With the advent of the Second Republic in 1848, Bourbon monarchy in France ended. The Bourbon pretender to the throne of France, the Comte de Chambord, was offered a restored throne following the collapse of the empire of Emperor Napoleon III in 1870. However the stubborn Chambord refused to accept the throne unless France abandoned the revolution-inspired tricolore and accepted what he regarded as the true Bourbon flag of France, something the French National Assembly could not possibly agree to. (The tricolour, having been associated with the First Republic, had been used by the July Monarchy, Second Republic and Empire.) A temporary Third Republic was established, while monarchists waited for Chambord to die and for the succession to pass to the Comte de Paris, who was willing to accept the tricolour. However Chambord did not die for over a decade, by which public opinion switched to support the republic as the 'form of government that divides us least.' Henry IV of France Henry IV (December 13, 1553 - May 14, 1610) was King of France from 1589-1610, the first of the Bourbon kings of France. He was the son of Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendome and Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre. Henry was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the southwest of France. On August 18 1572 Henry married Marguerite de Valois, sister of the then King Charles IX. In the same year he became king Henry III of Navarre, succeeding his mother Jeanne d'Albret, who had brought him up as a Huguenot. Jeanne herself was also a Protestant, and had declared Calvinism the religion of Navarre. Henry's marriage was part of a plan to help quell the French Wars of Religion. As part of this plan, he was forced to convert to Roman Catholicism on February 5, 1576, and kept in confinement, but later that year he gained his freedom and resumed Protestantism. He became the legal heir to the French throne upon the death in 1584 of François, Duke of Alençon, brother and heir to King Henri III, who had succeeded Charles IX in 1574. Since Henry of Navarre was a descendant of King Louis IX, King Henry III had no choice but to recognize him as the legitimate successor. (Salic law disinherited the king's sisters and all others who could claim descent by distaff line.) In December 1588 King Henry III had the Duke of Guise and that man's brother the Cardinal, murdered. Henry had to flee Paris and joined forces with Henri of Navarre, but died shortly thereafter. On the death of the king in 1589, Henri of Navarre became nominally the king of France. But the Catholic League, strengthened by support from outside, especially from Spain, was strong enough to force him to the south, and he had to set about winning his kingdom by military conquest. He was victorious at Ivry and Arques, but failed to take Paris. With the encouragement of the great love of his life, Gabrielle d'Estrée, on July 25, 1593 he declared that Paris vaut bien une messe (Paris was worth a Mass) and permanently renounced Protestantism. His entrance into the Roman Catholic Church secured for him the allegiance of the vast majority of his subjects and he was crowned King of France at the Cathedral of Chartres on February 27, 1594. In 1598, however, he declared the Edict of Nantes, which gave circumscribed toleration to the Huguenots. Henry's first marriage was not a happy one, and the couple remained childless. Even before Henry had succeeded to the throne in August, 1589 the two had separated, and Marguerite de Valois lived for many years in the chateau of Usson in Auvergne. After Henry had become king various advisers impressed upon him the desirability of providing an heir to the French Crown in order to avoid the problem of a disputed succession. Henry himself favored the idea of obtaining an annulment of his first marriage and taking Gabrielle d'Estrée as a bride, who had already borne him three children. Henry's councillors strongly opposed this idea, but the matter was resolved unexpectedly by Gabrielle |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What was abolished in Russia in 1861?"
] | The Emancipation of the Russian Serfs, 1861: A Charter of Freedom or an Act of Betrayal? | History Today The Emancipation of the Russian Serfs, 1861: A Charter of Freedom or an Act of Betrayal? Russia Civil Rights , Social Michael Lynch takes a fresh look at the key reform of 19th-century Russia. In 1861 serfdom, the system which tied the Russian peasants irrevocably to their landlords, was abolished at the Tsar’s imperial command. Four years later, slavery in the USA was similarly declared unlawful by presidential order. Tsar Alexander II (1855-81) shared with his father, Nicholas I, a conviction that American slavery was inhumane. This is not as hypocritical as it might first appear. The serfdom that had operated in Russia since the middle of the seventeenth century was technically not slavery. The landowner did not own the serf. This contrasted with the system in the USA where the negro slaves were chattels; that is, they were regarded in law as the disposable property of their masters. In Russia the traditional relationship between lord and serf was based on land. It was because he lived on his land that the serf was bound to the lord. The Russian system dated back to 1649 and the introduction of a legal code which had granted total authority to the landowner to control the life and work of the peasant serfs who lived on his land. Since this included the power to deny the serf the right to move elsewhere, the difference between slavery and serfdom in practice was so fine as to be indistinguishable. The purpose behind the granting of such powers to the Russian dvoriane (nobility of landowners) in 1649 had been to make the nobles dependent on, and therefore loyal to, the tsar. They were to express that loyalty in practical form by serving the tsar as military officers or public officials. In this way the Romanov emperors built up Russia’s civil bureaucracy and the armed services as bodies of public servants who had a vested interest in maintaining the tsarist state. The serfs made up just over a third of the population and formed half of the peasantry. They were most heavily concentrated in the central and western provinces of Russia. Why was it necessary to end Serfdom? In a number of respects serfdom was not dissimilar to the feudalism that had operated in many parts of pre-modern Europe. However, long before the 19th century, the feudal system had been abandoned in western Europe as it moved into the commercial and industrial age. Imperial Russia underwent no such transition. It remained economically and socially backward. Nearly all Russians acknowledged this. Some, known as slavophiles, rejoiced, claiming that holy Russia was a unique God-inspired nation that had nothing to learn from the corrupt nations to the west. But many Russians, of all ranks and classes, had come to accept that reform of some kind was unavoidable if their nation was to progress. It became convenient to use serfdom to explain all Russia’s current weaknesses: it was responsible for military incompetence, food shortages, over population, civil disorder, industrial backwardness. These were oversimplified explanations but there some truth in all of them: serfdom was symptomatic of the underlying difficulties that held Russia back from progress.It was, therefore, a particularly easy target for the intelligentsia, those intellectuals who in their writings argued for the liberalising of Russian society, beginning with the emancipation of the exploited peasants. As often happened in Russian history, it was war that forced the issue. The Russian state had entered the Crimean War in 1854 with high hopes of victory. Two years later it suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Allied armies of France, Britain and Turkey. The shock to Russia was profound. The nation had always prided itself on its martial strength. Now it had been humiliated. Alexander II’s Role By an odd twist of fate, defeat in the war proved of value to the new Tsar. Although he had been trained for government from an early age, foreign observers had remarked on how diffident and un |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Near which city in Russia did the greatest tank battle of World War II take place in July 1943?"
] | 1943: Battle of Kursk Today in WW II: 14 Jan 1943 Churchill and Roosevelt begin the Casablanca conference . Battle of Kursk: 5�19 July 1943 Battery of Red Army 152mm howitzers preparing to fire during the Battle of Kursk. 3,000 guns and aircraft severely disrupted the German deployment at the outset of Operation Citadel. The German push into Russia had been stopped at the gates of Moscow in the winter of 1941-42 and again at Stalingrad on the Volga a year later. In February 1943, the Battle of Stalingrad ended with over 300,000 German soldiers dead or captured. Soviet forces moved on Kharkov but a German counterattack stopped that Winter Offensive. To bolster morale in Germany and hold his allies in line, Hitler needed a clear cut victory in Russia. To erase the pain of Stalingrad, Hitler decided to order a massive force to regain the initiative against the Red Army. Hitler and his generals looked for a place where a decisive victory could be purchased relatively cheaply. They chose to cut off a 90 mile bulge in the Eastern Front between the cities of Orel and Kharkov that included the small city of Kursk at its pivot, using a gigantic pincer movement. Hitler's key military leaders wanted to stage this offensive (Operation Citadel) in May 1943, but bickering and interference by Hitler delayed it until early July. Months of preparation under the eyes of the Soviet army eliminated any surprise when Operation Citadel launched on 5 July. The Germans failed in their objective to pinch off the Kursk salient and suffered irreplacable losses of men and materiel in the process. Now that both German and Soviet records are available, it is clear that the German plan was based on faulty assumptions. After two years of fighting inside Soviet territory, the Germans assumed that a well-prepared offensive would be able to penetrate the Soviet defense and that superior German tactics, staff work, and weaponry would compensate for greater Soviet numbers. Furthermore, they thought that adverse weather would hamper any Soviet offensive, and that if such an offensive occurred, the mobile German counterattack could halt it. The Germans were badly mistaken. The Soviet army of mid-1943 had evolved far from the Soviet army of 1941. They had learned from their mistakes, more than the Germans had learned about the Reds. The Kursk salient contained Soviet forces that were hardened and ready, strong and complete units that would be difficult to encircle and erase even under the best of circumstances. For the German army of 1943, Operation Citadel was far too ambitious to succeed. The Soviet's plan was much more realistic and actionable. They anticipated the German lines of attack and prepared the battlefield with dense mine fields, trenches, and camouflaged gun positions. An enormous reserve force was assembled with plans to absorb the German attack and exhaust them, then counterattack with overwhelming force when the Germans were weakened and without reserves. The Battle at Kursk Unfolds The Germans massed tanks, guns and tens of thousands of troops on the front. From the north, the Wehrmacht's Ninth Army was poised to move from the south of Orel toward Olkhovatka. In the south, the Fourth Panzer Army would move from east of a line joining Kharkov and Belgorod toward Prokhorovka. At dawn on 5 July German guns opened up a huge bombardment, and masses of German tanks moved into the battle supported by Stuka fighters overhead. Soviet artillery, T-34 tanks and Katyusha rockets answered. German Tigers did well, but the lighter Mark IV and Panthers were decimated. Guns tanks and infantry fought for more than a week in vicious battles of total war. More than 2.2 million men were engaged on both sides, along with 5,000 airplanes and 6,000 armored vehicles. Soviet minefields channeled German tanks into prepared fields of artillery fire. Panzers would make progress in one area but be immediately challanged and attacked by Soviet planes or by infantry with explosives. The Soviet defenses held. Tank Battle at Prokhorovka, 12 July 1943 The |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"At the battle of Ashdown, in A.D 871, the Danes were defeated by forces under which famous king?"
] | Battle of Ashdown – January 8, 871 | The American Legion's BurnPit Battle of Ashdown – January 8, 871 January 8th, 2010 by Siggurdsson Next story » Alfred the Great Defeats Vikings Only one king of England earned the sobriquet “the Great;” that was Alfred, who ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. He managed to preserve his southwestern English kingdom from Viking takeover, and was a great scholar, highly religious man and apparently a reluctant but competent warrior. He was the youngest of four brothers, all sons of King Æthelwulf of Wessex. His father sent him to Rome when he was 4 years old, where even then his piety impressed Pope Leo IV. A year later, Æthelwulf made a pilgrimage to Rome, giving lavish gifts of money and Anglo-Saxon objects to the clergy. Being the youngest son and with little apparent chance at the throne, many of the West Saxon nobility thought that Alfred would become a priest or monk. This perception was reinforced by the fact that Alfred was a somewhat delicate young man, suffering from some gastro-intestinal problem that caused him intermittent pain throughout his life (recently speculated to be Crohn’s disease). Alfred virtually disappears from the historical records (mainly the well-known Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) until the year 866. In that year his biographer, Bishop Asser, records that Alfred was essentially made “king in waiting” by his brother King Æthelred. For the next four years, Wessex is spared any major depredations by the raiding Vikings (or Norsemen, or Northmen, or Danes, or heathens, or whatever you wish to call them), who had been launching incessant raids throughout the whole of England, Scotland, Ireland and coastal areas of western Europe for nearly 75 years. It is speculated by modern historians that Alfred’s brother paid protection money to keep the Vikings away, but the contemporary chronicles are silent on that matter. Other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England – Northumbria, Kent, East Anglia, Mercia -- were overrun by the “Great Heathen Army” between 865 and 870. However, the end of the year 870 saw the first incursion of Danes into Wessex. A large force of Vikings (probably an offshoot of the Great Heathen Army) occupied the town of Reading in late December, using it as a base for further raids and possible conquest. It was a strong position, with the rivers Thames and Kennet protecting two sides, the sea another, and a great wooden rampart protecting the only land approach. Reading was also likely chosen because it was the site of a royal estate, guaranteeing that King Æthelred would respond to the taking of his land. On December 31 of that year, the Danes sent out a raiding party, most likely mounted on stolen horses to increase their mobility. [It should be noted that this tactic of a winter campaign is highly unusual, as most pre-modern European warfare was confined to the late spring to very early autumn time frame, due to the weather, and to the difficulty in obtaining supplies.] It was met by local levies of Wessex at Englefield, where the Danes were driven back to their base at Reading. Five days later, King Æthelred and Prince Alfred led the Wessex army in an assault on the Reading fortifications. Though nearly breaking through, the Anglo-Saxons were routed. Growing bold after their victory at Reading, on January 8 the Viking leaders, King Basecg and Halfdan Ragnarsson, led a body of men to take out the remnants of the West Saxon forces. King Æthelred sought to assemble his scattered forces in the Berkshire Downs. There is a legend that Alfred used an ancient “Blowing Stone,” a perforated sandstone rock to alert the local militia to assemble to defend their homes. The West Saxon army is said to have contained between 800-1000 soldiers, with the Viking force numbering slightly less. The two forces were both arrayed in similar accoutrements: leather armor, leather or possibly iron helmets, round wooden shields with central metal bosses, and javelins, spears and swords, with a few bows and slings scattered here and there |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What did Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, die of?"
] | Prince Albert's death finally solved 150 years, he was suffering Crohn's disease | Daily Mail Online comments His sudden death 150 years ago this week propelled his adoring wife, Queen Victoria, into life-long mourning. And until now it had always been thought that Prince Albert’s unexpected passing on December 14, 1861 - at the age of just 42 - had been caused by a virulent bout of typhoid fever. Now an acclaimed historian, who has spent the last three years researching the death of the Prince Consort, believes he actually succumbed to a very modern affliction – Crohn’s Disease. Mystery solved: Historian Helen Rappaport who has uncovered details about the death of Prince Albert Crohn’s is a serious – and sometimes fatal - form of inflammatory bowel disease that today affects one in 500 people. While the exact cause is unknown, the condition is linked to a problem with the body’s immune system response. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share A person’s genes and environmental factors seem to play a role in the development of Crohn’s disease, but it usually occurs in people between ages 15 - 35. Symptoms can come in waves and include debilitating and crampy abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, chronic diarrhoea, liver inflammation and weight loss. So were the Royal Family simply mistaken about Albert’s death or was there a cover up? According to author Helen Rappaport - who has been given unrivalled access to contemporary records including both Albert and Victoria’s private letters, the Royal Archives and records of the Royal Household – the Queen’s husband had been chronically sick on and off all his adult life and suffered from long-standing gastric problems. Deep bond: Queen Victoria was distraught after Prince Albert's death at the age of 42 This was never verified by doctors after his death, however, as grieving Victoria refused to allow a post-mortem to be carried out on her beloved husband. So Rappaport took her findings, contained in a detailed 14-page medical dossier, to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where Dr Chris Conlon, consultant in infectious diseases including typhoid, and Dr Simon Travis, consultant in gastroenterology, examined them in detail. Having looked at the evidence, both doctors dismissed typhoid fever and cancer as possible causes of death and concluded the evidence for Crohn’s looked very strong. They pointed out that there are a number of similarities between the symptoms displayed by those suffering from typhoid fever and Crohn’s disease, including fever and severe abdominal pain, which may have accounted for confusion at the time. QUEEN VICTORIA'S GRIEF Her grief over the loss of her husband, Prince Albert, came to define her entire reign. The extent of Queen Victoria’s despair has been laid bare in a previously unseen letter, in which she expresses the hope that she will go to an early grave. The remarkably candid letter, which has been acquired by London auctioneers Argyll Etkin, is thought to be the first in the public domain in which the Queen yearns for her own death, so she can be reunited with her husband. Victoria wrote the ‘astonishing’ letter in March 1863, some 15 months after Albert’s death, to 82-year-old Viscount Gough. The hospital will be holding a seminar into the issue entitled ‘What Killed Prince Albert?”’ next month. The author then went to a Crohn’s specialist in Belgium, Philippe van Hootegem of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Leuven. In his written reply, he says: ‘You were able to collect from letters and diaries a lot of details concerning the health problems of the Prince. These data clearly demonstrate the presence of a chronic condition with several years of intermittent episodes of symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal cramps, inability to eat for several days, attacks of diarrhoea etc… leading eventually to a more serious situation of acute illness with rapid deterioration and death at the age of 42. ‘A chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease could certainly explain a |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who was the first monarch of the House of Tudor?"
] | House of Tudor | Tudor Penny Post From: TBD (Year) The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh and English origin, descended in the male line from the Tudors of Penmynydd. Tudor monarchs ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including their ancestral Wales and the Lordship of Ireland (later the Kingdom of Ireland) from 1485 until 1603. The first monarch, Henry VII, descended through his mother from a legitimized branch of the English royal House of Lancaster. The Tudor family rose to power in the wake of the “Wars of the Roses”, which left the House of Lancaster, to which the Tudors were aligned, extinct. In total, five Tudor monarchs ruled their domains for just over a Century: Henry VII (before accession known as Henry Tudor, 28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509), the first monarch of the House of Tudor, was King of England from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509. After a reign of nearly 24 years he was peacefully succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. Henry VIII of England was the only male-line male heir of Henry VII to live to the age of maturity. Henry VIII was succeeded by his son Edward VI. Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England’s first monarch raised as a Protestant. Edward VI was followed by his half-sister, Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558) was the Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death. Her executions of Protestants led to the posthumous sobriquet “Bloody Mary”. As the fourth crowned monarch of the Tudor dynasty, Mary is remembered for her restoration of Roman Catholicism after the short-lived Protestant reign of her half-brother. Her re-establishment of Roman Catholicism was reversed after her death in 1558 by her younger half-sister and successor Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, the childless Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The House of Stuart came to power in 1603 when the Tudor line failed, as Elizabeth I died without a legitimate heir. Tudor Penny Post – 5 Sheets of 24 stamps each 5 different sheets of 24 stamps each showing the five Tudor monarchs (Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I & Elizabeth I). The sheets are known both perforate and imperforate. Below are the perforated sheets shown. All 5 sheets are signed. The Henry VII sheet was printed by William Caxton at Westminster, London, and the 4 subsequent sheets were printed by Messrs Wynkyn de Worde at St Bride’s, Fleet Street, London. Each stamp was priced One penny or A groat for a row or A Florin for the sheet. A legend at each side of the sheets gives the instruction “Place ye label above ye addresse & towards ye ryghte of ye lettrre. Applye ye small mixture of cowe dunge & syrruppe to back of ye label and affyxe” Henry VII: Gerald King – The Tudor House – Sheets of 24 stamps – Henry VII (First monarch). Henry VIII: Gerald King – The Tudor House – Sheets of 24 stamps – Henry VIII (Second monarch). Edward VI: Gerald King – The Tudor House – Sheets of 24 stamps – Edward VI (Third monarch). Mary I: Gerald King – The Tudor House – Sheets of 24 stamps – Mary I (Fourth monarch). Elizabeth I: Gerald King – The Tudor House – Sheets of 24 stamps – Elizabeth I (Fifth monarch). Matrimonial Cause From: TBD (Year) A sheet of 8 stamps showing King Henry VIII (Reign from 21 April 1509 to 28 January 1547, Coronation on 24 June 1509) and his 6 wives. The values (One shilling to six shillings) for the wives reflect the order of marriage (1 to 6) while the two Henry VIII stamps are valued at one sovereign each. The six wives 1 Shilling stamp: Catherine of Aragon (married in 1509, marriage annulled |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who crowned Napoleon as Emperor?"
] | Napoleon Bonaparte - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Google Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Career Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. He was the second of eight surviving children born to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), a lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836). Although his parents were members of the minor Corsican nobility, the family was not wealthy. The year before Napoleon’s birth, France acquired Corsica from the city-state of Genoa, Italy. Napoleon later adopted a French spelling of his last name. Did You Know? In 1799, during Napoleon’s military campaign in Egypt, a French soldier named Pierre Francois Bouchard (1772-1832) discovered the Rosetta Stone. This artifact provided the key to cracking the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics, a written language that had been dead for almost 2,000 years. As a boy, Napoleon attended school in mainland France, where he learned the French language, and went on to graduate from a French military academy in 1785. He then became a second lieutenant in an artillery regiment of the French army. The French Revolution began in 1789, and within three years revolutionaries had overthrown the monarchy and proclaimed a French republic. During the early years of the revolution, Napoleon was largely on leave from the military and home in Corsica, where he became affiliated with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group. In 1793, following a clash with the nationalist Corsican governor, Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), the Bonaparte family fled their native island for mainland France, where Napoleon returned to military duty. In France, Napoleon became associated with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), the brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force behind the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence against enemies of the revolution. During this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. However, after Robespierre fell from power and was guillotined (along with Augustin) in July 1794, Napoleon was briefly put under house arrest for his ties to the brothers. In 1795, Napoleon helped suppress a royalist insurrection against the revolutionary government in Paris and was promoted to major general. Napoleon’s Rise to Power Since 1792, France’s revolutionary government had been engaged in military conflicts with various European nations. In 1796, Napoleon commanded a French army that defeated the larger armies of Austria, one of his country’s primary rivals, in a series of battles in Italy. In 1797, France and Austria signed the Treaty of Campo Formio, resulting in territorial gains for the French. The following year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed France since 1795, offered to let Napoleon lead an invasion of England. Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not yet ready to go up against the superior British Royal Navy. Instead, he proposed an invasion of Egypt in an effort to wipe out British trade routes with India. Napoleon’s troops scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, at the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, however, his forces were stranded after his naval fleet was nearly decimated by the British at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798. In early 1799, Napoleon’s army launched an invasion of Ottoman-ruled Syria, which ended with the failed siege of Acre, located in modern-day Israel. That summer, with the political situation in France marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted to abandon his army in Egypt and return to France. The Coup of 18 Brumaire In November 1799, in an event known as the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon was part of a group that successfully overthrew the French Directory. The Directory was replaced with a three-member Consulate, and Napoleon became first consul, making him France’s leading political figure. In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one of France’s perennial enemies, |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which World War II General was nicknamed The Desert Fox?"
] | “The Desert Fox” commits suicide - Oct 14, 1944 - HISTORY.com “The Desert Fox” commits suicide Share this: “The Desert Fox” commits suicide Author “The Desert Fox” commits suicide URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1944, German Gen. Erwin Rommel, nicknamed “the Desert Fox,” is given the option of facing a public trial for treason, as a co-conspirator in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, or taking cyanide. He chooses the latter. Rommel was born in 1891 in Wurttenberg, Germany, the son of a teacher. Although not descended from military men, the newly unified German empire made it fashionable to choose a military career, which young Rommel did, becoming an officer cadet. During World War I, he showed himself to be a natural leader with unnatural courage, fighting in France, Romania, and Italy. Following the war, he pursued a teaching career in German military academies, writing a textbook, Infantry Attacks, that was well regarded. At the outbreak of World War II, Rommel was given command of the troops that guarded Hitler’s headquarters, a disappointment for a man used to fighting on the front lines with the infantry. But in early 1940, he was given his chance to put to use his gifts, when he was given command of the 7th Panzer Division. Although a novice as far as mechanized forces were concerned, he soon mastered the advantages and proved his leadership abilities again in the German offensive against the French channel coast in May. In early 1941, Rommel was given control of the troops sent to North Africa to aid Germany’s ailing ally, Italy, in maintaining its position in Libya. It is here, in the deserts of North Africa, that Rommel earned his vaunted reputation, as well as his nickname (he became known for his “fox-like” sneak attacks). Winning significant victories against the British, whom he begrudgingly admired, Rommel nevertheless became weary of this theater of operations; he wanted to go back to Europe. It wasn’t until a second battle to take el-Alamein in Egypt went against him that the “invincible” general was finally called home back to Europe. Hitler put Rommel back in northern France, to guard against an Allied invasion. Rommel’s suggestions for the precautions necessary to repel an enemy invasion were not heeded, and he began to lose confidence in Hitler and Germany’s ability to win the war. When Rommel was approached by friends to agree to head the German government in the event of Hitler’s overthrow, he agreed-although there was no explicit talk of assassination, which he found abhorrent. D-Day was launched, and Rommel’s prediction of disaster for Germany’s position played itself out. Still, Hitler would not consider negotiations with the Allies. Rommel ended up in the hospital after his car was attacked by British bombers and he was forced off the road. Meanwhile, details of the failed assassination plot had come to Hitler’s attention, including Rommel’s contact with the conspirators. As Rommel was convalescing in his home at Herrlingen, two generals visited and offered him his choice-trial or suicide. Rommel told his wife and son what had transpired, and that he had chosen to take the cyanide capsules the generals had provided. The German government gave Rommel a state funeral. His death was attributed to war wounds. Related Videos |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which military battle saw eleven Victoria Crosses awarded, the most for any single action?"
] | Rorke's Drift, 1879 - The highest number of Victoria Crosses awarded in a single action You have visited rorkesdriftvc.com times. This action was at Rorke's Drift, Wednesday 22- Thursday 23 January, 1879, when some 150 soldiers defended a supply station against some 4000 Zulus, aided by the Martini-Henry rifle 'with some guts behind it'. Since the Victoria Cross was instigated by Queen Victoria in 1856, only 1358 have been awarded (the double awards for Arthur Martin-Leake , Charles Hazlitt Upham and Noel Godfrey Chavasse are included in the total). UPDATE: RDVC.com supports the forces charity Help for Heroes - you can donate online here: more details : At Rorke's Drift , eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded. Seven to the 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, one to the Army Medical Department, one to the Royal Engineers, one to the Commissariat and Transport Department and one to the Natal Native Contingent. (click here to find out more...) There may possibly have been more VC's awarded but the posthumous VC was only started in 1905, among the first recipients in 1907 were Lts Melvill and Coghill who were killed whilst saving the colours from Isandhlwana on the 22nd. of January. One other VC winner on the 22nd. of January was a Private Samuel Wassall from Birmingham. He rescued a comrade who was drowning in the Buffalo River during the retreat from Isandhlwana. He went on to live until he was 70. He is buried in The Barrow-in-Furness cemetery, section 3.B. plot 1952. There was another VC winner who died at Isandhlwana. He was Private William Griffiths, born in Ireland. He won his VC in 1867 at Little Andaman Island. His grave is unmarked on the battlefield at Isandhlwana. The action at Rorke's Drift is well covered by the numerous publications and web sites which are devoted to the subject as well as the details of the lives of the VC recipients and their action in the defence. These are well worth exploring for the information which they give, and there is an extensive list of links available. My only aim, as an amateur enthusiast, is to offer the chance to bring tangible reality to those who have an interest in the subject. To visit the graves of the VC recipients allows one to make some contact with the participants of this historic event. My interest with the individuals involved led me to visit the graves of all the VC winners of Rorke's Drift who are buried in this country, as well as the grave of Dalton in South Africa whilst on our visit to Rorke's Drift . You will also see that there are sections for other interesting aspects of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, as it is very difficult to remain specialised! My next project is to visit the grave of Bromhead in Allahabad, in India. One, (Cpl. Schiess NNC) , was buried at sea off the coast of Angola. The links on the left form as accurate a guide as I can give to anyone who is interested in visiting the graves of the VC Defenders of Rorke's Drift, along with information about the events leading up to the "immortal defence". |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who was the English King at the Battle of Agincourt?"
] | Battle of Agincourt - British History - HISTORY.com Battle of Agincourt A+E Networks Introduction On October 25, 1415, during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between England and France, Henry V (1386-1422), the young king of England, led his forces to victory at the Battle of Agincourt in northern France. After further conquests in France, Henry V was recognized in 1420 as heir to the French throne and the regent of France. Google Battle of Agincourt: Background Two months before the Battle of Agincourt began, King Henry V crossed the English Channel with some 11,000 men and laid siege to Harfleur in Normandy. After five weeks the town surrendered, but Henry lost half his men to disease and battle casualties. He decided to march his army northeast to Calais, where he would meet the English fleet and return to England. However, at Agincourt a vast French army of some 20,000 men stood in his path, greatly outnumbering the exhausted English archers, knights and men-at-arms. Did You Know? The Battle of Agincourt served as the focal point of William Shakespeare’s play “Henry V.” Battle of Agincourt: October 25, 1415 The battlefield lay on 1,000 yards of open ground between two woods, which prevented large-scale maneuvers and thus worked to Henry’s advantage. On the morning of October 25, the battle commenced. The English stood their ground as French knights, weighed down by their heavy armor, began a slow advance across the muddy battlefield. The French were met by a furious bombardment of artillery from the English archers, who wielded innovative longbows with a range of 250 yards. French cavalrymen tried and failed to overwhelm the English positions, but the archers were protected by a line of pointed stakes. As more and more French knights made their way onto the crowded battlefield, their mobility decreased further, and some lacked even the room to raise their arms and strike a blow. At this point, Henry ordered his lightly equipped archers to rush forward with swords and axes, and the unencumbered Englishmen massacred the French. Almost 6,000 Frenchmen lost their lives during the Battle of Agincourt, while English casualties stood around several hundred. Despite the odds against him, Henry had won one of the great victories in military history. Battle of Agincourt: Aftermath After further conquests in France, Henry V was recognized in 1420 as heir to the French throne and the regent of France. He was at the height of his powers but died just two years later of camp fever near Paris. Tags |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who were allied with the French Naval forces during The Battle of Trafalgar?"
] | Battle of Trafalgar | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement fought by the Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies , during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). The battle was the most decisive naval victory of the war. Twenty-seven British ships of the line led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve off the southwest coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost. The British victory spectacularly confirmed the naval supremacy that Britain had established during the previous century and was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from the prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy , which involved engaging an enemy fleet in a single line of battle parallel to the enemy to facilitate signalling in battle and disengagement, and to maximise fields of fire and target areas. Nelson instead divided his smaller force into two columns directed perpendicularly against the larger enemy fleet, with decisive results. Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle, becoming one of Britain's greatest war heroes. The commander of the joint French and Spanish forces, Admiral Villeneuve, was captured along with his ship Bucentaure . Spanish Admiral Federico Gravina escaped with the remnant of the fleet and succumbed months later to wounds sustained during the battle. Contents Main article: Trafalgar Campaign In 1805, the First French Empire , under Napoleon Bonaparte , was the dominant military land power on the European continent, while the Royal Navy controlled the seas. During the course of the war, the British imposed a naval blockade on France, which affected trade and kept the French from fully mobilising their own naval resources. Despite several successful evasions of the blockade by the French navy, it failed to inflict a major defeat upon the British. They were able to attack French interests at home and abroad with relative ease. When the Third Coalition declared war on France, after the short-lived Peace of Amiens , Napoleon was determined to invade Britain. To do so, he needed to ensure that the Royal Navy would be unable to disrupt the invasion flotilla , which would require control of the English Channel. The main French fleets were at Brest in Brittany and at Toulon on the Mediterranean coast. Other ports on the French Atlantic coast harboured smaller squadrons . France and Spain were allied, so the Spanish fleet based in Cádiz and Ferrol was also available. The British possessed an experienced and well-trained corps of naval officers. [3] By contrast, most of the best officers in the French navy had either been executed or dismissed from the service during the early part of the French Revolution . As a result, Vice-Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve was the most competent senior officer available to command Napoleon's Mediterranean fleet. However, Villeneuve had shown a distinct lack of enthusiasm for facing Nelson and the Royal Navy after the French defeat at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Napoleon's naval plan in 1805 was for the French and Spanish fleets in the Mediterranean and Cádiz to break through the blockade and join forces in the Caribbean. They would then return, assist the fleet in Brest to emerge from the blockade, and together clear the English Channel of Royal Navy ships, ensuring a safe passage for the invasion barges. The Caribbean Edit Early in 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson commanded the British fleet blockading Toulon. Unlike William Cornwallis , who maintained a tight grip off Brest with the Channel Fleet, Nelson adopted a loose blockade in the hope of luring the French out for a major battle. However, Villeneuve's fleet successfully evaded Nelson's when the British were blown off station by storms. While Nelson was searching the Mediterranean for him, erroneously s |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who was the Supreme Allied Commander during the D Day landings of 1944?"
] | D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy - World War II History Field Marshal Erwin Rommel D-Day - A Second Front: In 1942, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt issued a statement that the western allies would work as quickly as possible to open a second front to relieve pressure on the Soviets. Though united in this goal, issues soon arose with the British who favored a thrust north from the Mediterranean, through Italy and into southern Germany. Against this, the Americans advocated a cross-Channel assault which would move through Western Europe along the shortest route to Germany. As American strength grew, they made it clear that this was the only approach they would support. Codenamed Operation Overlord, planning for the invasion began in 1943. In November of that year, planning passed to General Dwight D. Eisenhower who was promoted to Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) and given command of all Allied forces in Europe. Moving forward, Eisenhower adopted a plan begun by the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC). The COSSAC plan called for landings by three divisions and two airborne brigades in Normandy. This area was chosen by COSSAC due to its proximity to England, which facilitated air support and transport, as well as its favorable geography. D-Day - The Allied Plan: Adopting the COSSAC plan, Eisenhower appointed General Sir Bernard Montgomery to command the invasion's ground forces. Expanding the COSSAC plan, Montgomery called for landing five divisions, preceded by three airborne divisions. These changes were approved and planning and training moved forward. In the final plan, the American 4th Infantry Division was to land at Utah Beach in the west, while the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions landed to the east on Omaha Beach. These were separated by a headland known as Pointe du Hoc . Topped by German guns, capture of this position was tasked to the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Separate and to the east of Omaha were Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches which were assigned to the British 50th, Canadian 3rd, and British 3rd Infantry Divisions respectively. These units were supported by armored formations as well as commandoes. Inland, the British 6th Airborne Division was to drop to the east of the landing beaches to secure the flank and destroy several bridges to prevent the Germans from bringing up reinforcements. The US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were to drop to the west with the goal of opening routes from the beaches and destroying artillery that could fire on the landings ( Map ). D-Day - The Atlantic Wall: Confronting the Allies was the Atlantic Wall which consisted of a series of heavy fortifications. In late 1943, the German commander in France, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, was reinforced and given noted commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. After touring the defenses, Rommel found them wanting and ordered that they be greatly expanded. Having assessed the situation, the Germans believed that the invasion would come at the Pas de Calais, the closest point between Britain and France. This belief was encouraged by an elaborate Allied deception scheme, Operation Fortitude, which suggested that Calais was the target. D-Day - Moving Forward: As the Allies required a full moon and a spring tide, possible dates for the invasion were limited. Eisenhower first planned to move forward on June 5, but was forced to delay due to poor weather and high seas. Faced with the possibility of recalling the invasion force to port, he received a favorable weather report for June 6 from Group Captain James M. Stagg. After some debate, orders were issued to launch the invasion on June 6. Due to the poor conditions, the Germans believed that no invasion would occur in early June. As a result, Rommel returned to Germany and many officers left their units to attend war games. The Night of Nights: Departing from airbases around southern Britain, the Allied airborne forces began arriving over Normandy. Landing, the British 6th Airborne successfully secured the Orne River crossings and accomplished |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What RAF squardron number was nicknamed The Dambusters?"
] | RAF - Operation Chastise_new Operation Chastise Attack on Ruhr Dams by aircraft of 617 Squadron on the night of 16-17 May 1943 Concept: The Air Ministry originally considered the Ruhr dams as a possible target early as 1937. A number of proposals and studies were undertaken between 1938 and 1941, though none produced a proper plan with all the necessary components of a viable weapon and feasible means of delivery. Command: Wing Commander Guy Gibson The Squadron: A new squadron was formed at Scampton on 21st March 1943, initially known as “X” Squadron and latterly as 617 Squadron, and the 24 year old Wing Commander Guy Gibson was personally selected to lead it by none other than Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, the Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command. Gibson had flown 71 bomber sorties and an entire tour of 99 sorties on night fighters and was already the holder of four gallantry awards - the Distinguished Service Order and bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross and bar. Despite the “elite” tag and the presence of some very experienced airmen – e.g. the two flight commanders, Sqn Ldrs Dinghy’ Young and ‘Henry Maudslay, and experienced pilots such as Dave Shannon, ‘Hoppy’ Hopgood, Les Knight and Joe McCarthy - NOT all 617 Sqn air crew were veterans. Some had flown fewer than 10 missions and one less than 5 and some of the flight engineers on the raid were flying their first operational sortie. Not all had volunteered for 617, and not all were known to or selected by Gibson: one entire flight of 57 Squadron was simply posted en masse to 617 Squadron. The Weapon: Codenamed “Upkeep” The brainchild of Barnes Wallis of Vickers Armstrong, who had been working separately on some method of attacking dasince 1940 but probably did not conceive of the “bouncing bomb” idea until March 1942. He was given access and assistance by a variety of research bodies, including the National Physical Laboratories at Teddington, the Road Research Laboratory at Harmondsworth and the Building Research Station at Garston near Watford. Experiments which involved exploding charges against model dams at these sites, and the destruction of a real 180 foot disused dam in Wales, gave Wallis valuable data, but also showed that the task was far from easy and that any explosion preferably needed to take place in contact with the dam wall. He persisted with a series of experiments and meanwhile attempted to persuade the powers that be of the project’s viability in the face of various bureaucratic hurdles and military scepticism. Nevertheless, prior to final approval on February 26th 1943 a full-scale weapon was, in the words of one noted historian, “scarcely more than an inventor’s dream”. However, because the optimum time to attack the dams was in the spring, when the reservoirs were full, when approval did come it left very little time to design and produce the weapons themselves. On 26th February 1943 there were neither modified aircraft nor weapons, nor drawings of either. Wallis began to draw the first full-scale drawing of an Upkeep mine only on 27th February, just eleven weeks before the raid took place. “Upkeep “was effectively a 9250lb cylindrical mine or depth charge containing 6,600 lbs of Torpex underwater explosive and three hydrostatic pistols set to explode at 30ft below the surface. It was just under five feet long and just over four feet in diameter. The mine was held in the bomb-bay between twin sprung callipers, and a hydraulic motor imparted back spin at a rate of 500 rpm. The mine was intended to bounce across the water rather like a skipping stone, thus avoiding any torpedo nets. When it struck the dam wall the backspin would cause it to remain in contact with the face of the dam as it sank thus focusing the force of the explosion against the wall sufficient to rupture the massive stone structure. Aircraft: Modified Avro Lancaster B Mk III Special known as “Type 464 Provisioning”. The mid-upper gun turret along with the bomb-bay doors was removed and callipers along with a drive motor and belt fitted in th |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The Seiges of Ladysmith and Mafeking were military actions during which war?"
] | The Siege of Ladysmith - The Boer War The Boer War Date: 2nd November 1899 to 27th February 1900. Place: Ladysmith in northern Natal in South Africa. Combatants: British against the Boers. Generals: Lieutenant General Sir George White against Generals Joubert and Botha. Size of the armies: 5,500 British troops against a varying number of Boers. From the end of the year 1899 the garrison outnumbered the besieging Boers. Uniforms, arms and equipment: The Boer War was a serious jolt for the British Army. At the outbreak of the war British tactics were appropriate for the use of single shot firearms, fired in volleys controlled by company and battalion officers; the troops fighting in close order. The need for tight formations had been emphasised time and again in colonial fighting. In the Zulu and Sudan Wars overwhelming enemy numbers armed principally with stabbing weapons were easily kept at a distance by such tactics; but, as at Isandlwana, would overrun a loosely formed force. These tactics had to be entirely rethought in battle against the Boers armed with modern weapons. In the months before hostilities the Boer commandant general, General Joubert, bought 30,000 Mauser magazine rifles and a number of modern field guns and automatic weapons from the German armaments manufacturer Krupp and the French firm Creusot. The commandoes, without formal discipline, welded into a fighting force through a strong sense of community and dislike for the British. Field Cornets led burghers by personal influence not through any military code. The Boers did not adopt military formation in battle, instinctively fighting from whatever cover there might be. The preponderance were countrymen, running their farms from the back of a pony with a rifle in one hand. These rural Boers brought a life time of marksmanship to the war, an important edge, further exploited by Joubert’s consignment of magazine rifles. Viljoen is said to have coined the aphorism “Through God and the Mauser”. With strong fieldcraft skills and high mobility the Boers were natural mounted infantry. The urban burghers and foreign volunteers readily adopted the fighting methods of the rest of the army. Other than in the regular uniformed Staats Artillery and police units, the Boers wore their every day civilian clothes on campaign. After the first month the Boers lost their numerical superiority, spending the rest of the formal war on the defensive against British forces that regularly outnumbered them. British tactics, little changed from the Crimea, used at Modder River, Magersfontein, Colenso and Spion Kop were incapable of winning battles against entrenched troops armed with modern magazine rifles. Every British commander made the same mistake; Buller; Methuen, Roberts and Kitchener. When General Kelly-Kenny attempted to winkle Cronje’s commandoes out of their riverside entrenchments at Paardeburg using his artillery, Kitchener intervened and insisted on a battle of infantry assaults; with the same disastrous consequences as Colenso, Modder River, Magersfontein and Spion Kop. Some of the most successful British troops were the non-regular regiments; the City Imperial Volunteers, the South Africans, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, who more easily broke from the habit of traditional European warfare, using their horses for transport rather than the charge, advancing by fire and manouevre in loose formations and making use of cover, rather than the formal advance into a storm of Mauser bullets. Uniform: The British regiments made an uncertain change into khaki uniforms in the years preceding the Boer War, with the topee helmet as tropical headgear. Highland regiments in Natal devised aprons to conceal coloured kilts and sporrans. By the end of the war the uniform of choice was a slouch hat, drab tunic and trousers; the danger of shiny buttons and too ostentatious |
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"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the first name of the American professional tennis player with the surname Fish."
] | Mardy Fish | The Official Web Site BENEFITING: MARDY FISH FOUNDATION INC EVENT DATE: Nov 01, 2015 When former U.S. #1 Tennis Professional Mardy Fish picked up his first tennis racquet, his father Tom Fish was right by his side, using tennis as a means to show Mardy a way to accomplish great things. Now, as Mardy wraps up his career at this year’s US Open in NYC, Tom will be with him, honoring his son’s accomplishments, and setting the stage to accomplish even more important things in their future. And what better way to honor Mardy's accomplishments than to offer other children the opportunity to recognize their own potential to accomplish great things? MFCF uses health and fitness programs to teach the same important lesson Tom taught Mardy all those years ago when Mardy picked up that first racquet – that every child has potential for greatness. Mardy and Tom are honored to celebrate their accomplishments by helping children discover the greatness in themselves. You can help Tom honor Mardy by pledging your support to Tom’s NYC Marathon run. In doing so, you help Mardy and Tom make important and lasting differences in the lives of others. Discover your own potential to be great by helping another child discover their own. Visit mffkids.org to learn more. No donation is too small. Mardy wants to thank everyone for all their support and encouragement. It is greatly appreciated. Great story of courage, Congratulations Fish. Big respect for a huge talented player..... All the best to you Mardy! You're a great guy and we've missed seeing you play on the tour. Kudos for all it has taken you to return and enjoy tennis and life in general again. Great performance on your match after a long while, Mardy. Welcome back. Looking forward to your next tournament. Thank you, Mardy Fish for being a much-needed role model for those people dealing with mental/anxiety disorders! Bravo to your comeback! Nice, tough guy. No doubt. His personal win is more important than winning, say, 17 slams. You are the hero. You set a GREAT model to my two children. Good luck and have fun on courts. So very happy to see Mardy back on the court. He is by far my most favorite American tennis player. It was a joy to watch him. I wish him only the best for his life on and off the court. But hope it is on the court. Congratulations Mardy on your journey back. Wishing good health and many more matches to Mardy Fish! :) The best for Mardy Fish after struggling so hard !! He is a great player and person! Respect! |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In which country is Fishoek, a wine producing coastal area."
] | Western Cape province, South Africa Western Cape province, South Africa Western Cape province, South Africa 19 Nov 2012 Tweet on Twitter If three pyramids are the symbol of Africa’s far north, then a flat-topped mountain is the symbol of its far south. Cape Town nestles in the curve of Table Mountain at the start of the hook-shaped Cape Peninsula, which ends in the jagged cliffs of Cape Point. The province is one of the country’s most beautiful, attracting the lion’s share of foreign tourists. It is a region of majestic mountains, colourful patchworks of farmland set in lovely valleys, long beaches and, further inland, the wide-open landscape of the semidesert Karoo. Two oceans meet on the coast of the Western Cape: the cold Atlantic Ocean is in the west, while the warmer Indian Ocean lies on the southern coast. The plankton-rich cold Benguela current flows along the west coast and is considered to be one of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Western Cape: quick facts Languages: 49.7% Afrikaans, 24.7% isiXhosa, 20.2% English Population: 5 822 734 (2011) Share of South Africa’s population: 11.3% Area: 129 462 square kilometres Share of South Africa’s total land area: 10.6% The land and its people With a total area of 129 462 square kilometres, the Western Cape is roughly the size of Greece. It’s the country’s fourth-largest province, only slightly smaller than the Free State, taking up 10.6% of South Africa’s land area and with a population of 5.8-million people. A potpourri of diverse cultural backgrounds gives the province a cosmopolitan flavour, creating a demographic profile quite different from the national pattern. Centuries of trade and immigration have created a population with genetic and linguistic links to different parts of Europe, southeast Asia, India and Africa. Afrikaans is spoken by the majority, with isiXhosa and English being the other main languages. The Western Cape is topographically and climatically varied. It has a temperate southern coastline fringed with mountains; here the typical vegetation, especially in the western section, is the famed fynbos. To the north it stretches deep into the Karoo plateau, while the west coast is extremely dry. The Mediterranean climate of the peninsula and the mountainous region beyond it is ideal for grape cultivation, with a number of vineyards producing excellent wines. Other fruit and vegetables are also grown here, and wheat is an important crop to the north and east of Cape Town. The southern coastal area is also fertile, while fishing is the most important industry along the west coast. Sheep farming is the mainstay of the Karoo, and other forms of husbandry take place in the better watered parts of the province. Visitors to the Western Cape can disembark at international airports in Cape Town and the city of George, or at the ports of Cape Town, Mossel Bay or Saldanha. Saldanha, north of Cape Town, is South Africa’s only natural harbour, and notable harbour for iron exports and the fishing industry. Other towns include Worcester and Stellenbosch in the heart of the winelands, George, a centre for indigenous timber and vegetable production, Oudtshoorn, known for its ostrich products and the world-famous Cango caves, and Beaufort West on the dry, sheep-farming plains of the Great Karoo. Tourism The Western Cape’s unmatched natural beauty, famous hospitality, cultural diversity, excellent wine and rich cuisine make it one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions. Perched between the ocean and the mountain, and with a national park as its heart, Cape Town is wild and wonderful. Among its attractions are climbing, surfing and diving along with vibrant nightlife, excellent wine and endless shopping. The Western Cape is home to the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms, the Cape Floral Kingdom, which is characterised by fynbos and the protea family, and contains more plant species than the whole of Europe. The kingdom is one of the Western Cape’s two Unesco World Heritage Sites, places of “outstanding value to humanity”. The other is Robben Island in Tab |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"In Finding Nemo, what was the name of Nemo's father."
] | Nemo | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia — Marlin Nemo is a very energetic young clownfish. He's very eager to go to school at the beginning of the movie, but lazy at the end. He is also quite friendly with anyone he meets. His father's overprotectiveness leads to him being frustrated most of the time. He leads him into being captured by fishermen. Adventuring and exploring are some of his likes. He can also be very brave, as shown when he was willing to risk his life to jam the filter after hearing about all his father had done to come and save him and when he willingly entered a net that captured a school of fish to lead them to freedom. His relationship with his father is what defines the film. Although Nemo loves his father, initially, he felt suffocated and confined by his father's overprotectiveness, which led him to tell Marlin "I hate you." However, after being kidnapped by some scuba divers and placed in a fish tank, he felt sorry for what he did but did not believe his father would come to get him due to his paranoia and fear of danger. However, after learning of his father's bravery, he became braver and hopeful, wanting to quickly meet up with and reconcile with his father, which he managed to do at the end of the film. He also demonstrated remarkable leadership, as shown when he led a school of fish to direct them to swim downward to break the net that captured them. Appearances Finding Nemo Nemo is a young clownfish who lives with his father, Marlin in a sea anemone. Before he hatched from his egg, Nemo's mother, Coral , and the other eggs were killed in an attack by a barracuda . Only Nemo's egg survived, albeit slightly cracked. As a result of the crack, one of Nemo's fins is smaller than the others, thus Marlin worries about him. One day, Nemo heads off to his first day of school. At one point, he boldly leaves the reef to go to a boat on the open ocean. Marlin, who is watching (and also alerted by the student Kathy ), orders Nemo to come back, when Nemo is suddenly taken by a diver to a fish tank in a dentist's office in Sydney, Australia. In the tank, Nemo meets the Tank Gang, and their leader, Gill . The fish are horrified when they learn that Nemo, whom they have dubbed "Sharkbait," is to be a gift for the dentist's niece, Darla . Darla has a past history as a "fish-killer" and so the Tank Gang decides to help Nemo avoid that fate. The initial plan to make the tank dirty fails when the dentist installs a new cleaner. While the plan is being carried out, however, Nemo learns from Nigel the pelican that his father is looking for him, which lifts the young fish's spirits. When Darla arrives, Nemo is placed in a bag. Nemo is able to fool the dentist by playing dead, causing the dentist to flush Nemo into a drain. However, an observing Marlin believes that Nemo has really died and swims off. In the ocean, Nemo runs into Dory , who has earlier helped Marlin in his search for Nemo. Though Dory does not initially remember Marlin's goal, due to a short-term memory loss issue, she soon recalls it and leads Nemo to Marlin who is still brokenhearted. Marlin and Nemo are thrilled to see each other, but Dory is suddenly caught in a fisherman's net with a school of grouper. Nemo is able to use the skills he obtained from his time in the tank to save Dory. This gives Marlin a new-found respect for his son's abilities, and Marlin becomes less protective of him. He smiles as he watches Nemo going to school. Finding Dory Nemo reappears in the sequel where he is neighbors with Dory and actually tolerates her memory condition. After a field trip with his school, he hears an unconscious Dory talk about the Jewel of Morocco Bay, California and when this escalates to Dory remembering her parents, Nemo is willing to help in contrast to his more reluctant dad. When they arrive, they are attacked by a Giant Squid awoken by Dory, resulting in Nemo getting injured, causing Marlin to snap and insult her greatly, causing her to swim off in despondency. Needless to say, Nemo heard his dad and becomes quite upset with him for th |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which progressive rock band had a track called The Fish on their 1971 album Fragile, their 4th album, but the first to feature Rick Wakeman."
] | WE ARE YES - YES WE ARE YES WE ARE YES yesadmin 2016-11-30T16:16:48+00:00 CURRENT LINE UP YES Pioneers of progressive rock, YES have achieved worldwide success with a history spanning 47 years and 21 studio albums. The band’s current line-up consists of singer Jon Davison, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Geoff Downes and bassist Billy Sherwood. YES alumni are Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Bill Bruford, Trevor Horn, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye, Peter Banks, Patrick Moraz, Benoit David, Oliver Wakeman, Igor Khoroshev and Tom Brislin. The band is known for its expansive songs, esoteric lyrics, elaborate album art and live stage sets. STEVE HOWE Guitars Born in 1947, Steve began teaching himself to play the guitar aged 12, and lists Bill Haley, Les Paul, Barney Kessel and Chet Atkins among his influences. Steve first joined YES in 1970, and has also been a member of The Syndicats, Bodast, Tomorrow, Asia and GTR. A prolific performer, Steve released his 19th solo album in 2010 and Anthology in 2015. ALAN WHITE Drums Alan White was born in County Durham, England in 1949. With forty-plus years of performance experience and appearances on over fifty albums, Alan’s dossier reads like a who’s-who of rock legends, including John Lennon, George Harrison, Denny Laine and Ginger Baker. He joined YES in 1972 and has been with the band ever since. With his consummate professionalism and easy-going nature, Alan continues to be an inspiration to fellow musicians as well as fans. GEOFF DOWNES Keyboards Geoff was born into a musical family in Stockport, England, where his father had been organist and choirmaster at a church. He graduated from Leeds School of Music in 1975, making him the first member of YES to graduate with a degree in music. He is also known for his work in The Buggles and Asia. JON DAVISON Vocals Jon’s earliest involvement with music began when he sang in a church youth choir led by his mother, who, from an early age, had instilled in him an appreciation for music and love for singing. Prior to joining YES, Jon studied audio and video production at the Art Institute of Seattle, and toured with Sky Cries Mary. He currently also sings in Tennessee band Glass Hammer. BILLY SHERWOOD Guitars, Vocals, Keys & Production Billy Sherwood is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and record producer. He first worked with YES on 1991’s Union album, subsequently joining as a full-time member 1997-2000, and again in 2015. He continues to work with a wide range of artists, names as varied as Nik Turner, Steve Stevens and William Shatner, as well as a long-running collaboration with former YES keyboardist Tony Kaye. ALUMNI JON ANDERSON Vocals Jon Anderson was born 1944 in Accrington, Lancashire, England and has been making music since 1962. He formed YES with Chris Squire in 1968 and was the band’s lead singer through their classic years, leaving in 2008. He is also an accomplished solo artist and has collaborated with artists such as the Greek musician Vangelis, among others. He is currently playing in the Anderson Ponty Band with Jean-Luc Ponty. CHRIS SQUIRE Bass Chris was born in London, England in March 1948. He began his musical career as a choirboy, which gave Chris an insight into vocal arrangements and techniques that were to be of influence throughout his career. His melodic style of playing bass guitar has made him such an influential performer. Chris formed YES in 1968 with vocalist Jon Anderson, and has been the only member of YES to appear on every YES studio album. Chris sadly passed away in 2015. RICK WAKEMAN Keyboards Born 1949 in London, England, Rick Wakeman secured a place at the Royal College of Music, but dropped out to play rock music instead. After work with acts including The Strawbs, David Bowie and Cat Stevens, he joined YES in 1971, subsequently leaving and re-joining on several occasions. Also a very prolific solo artist, his 1974 solo album Journey to the Centre of the Earth made #1 in the UK and #3 in the US. More recently, he has also moved into presenting, being seen regularly on TV |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Who starred in the 1991 movie The Fisher King"
] | Super Reviewer ½ An intriguingly original mix of fantasy, drama, and comedy concerning a brash radio host (Jeff Bridges) who feels responsible once one of his listeners goes off the edge and goes on a shooting spree. One of those affected by this tragedy, now a crazed homeless man (Robin Williams), crosses paths with the now haunted DJ, and the radio host feels this is his chance at redemption, even though his girlfriend (Mercedes Ruehl) is not supportive of it at first. Director Terry Gilliam is well known for being fairly whimsical and goofy with his material, and this film is no exception. It feels a tad unnecessary at times, but the script itself is so strong, and the performances are all so, so good, that this film remains likeable throughout its running time. It balances a lot of heavy material such as loneliness, madness, and depression very well, and New York City proves to be the perfect backdrop for a story such as this one. Dan Schultz Super Reviewer ½ With the death of Robin Williams, in review this film may be one of his performances that leave you heartbroken. Williams plays Parry, a homeless vagrant who is still reeling from the murder of his wife three years prior, via an insane mass shooter. Bridges is a shock jock whose thoughtless antics leads said mass shooter to do the deed. Playing on this achingly pathetic set-up, director Gilliam leads us by the hand through his mystical world, created by the bitterness of grief, the terror of self-actualization, and the wonder of change. Bridges and Williams both engender the sympathy of the audience with their human performances, symbiotic and yet complete opposites. The symbolism of the Red Knight is mythological but also telling of the psychological trauma induced by his wife's death. It is both the driving fear of the unknown and also the self-hatred that lends itself to Parry's psychosis. This symbol can be regarded as everyone's true fear, anyone's anxiety inducing parallel, and that not only is very touching when regarded as a metaphor for mental illness, but for those running from something in general. Very beautiful in execution, and always heartbreaking, no matter the context, Gilliam created a vivid world, and an even wilder set of characters for us to fall in love with. Spencer S. Super Reviewer Leave it to Terry Gilliam to take a story about redemption and turn it into something quirky and off the wall. Jack Lucas is a radio shock jock whose rantings lead to a psychotic listener embarking on a mass shooting spree at a nightclub. Three years later, Jack is still detached , depressed, and suicidal. During a drunken attempt to end his life, Jack is saved by a crazed street person named Parry who styles himself as a medieval style night on the quest to claim the Holy Grail. When Jack discovers that he is inadvertently responsible for this man's nuttiness (the man's girlfriend was killed at the night club), he takes it upon himself to help him out and redeem himself. Like I said, leave it to Gilliam to bring you on a wild journey, one that, like a lot of his works, blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This actually might be Gilliam's most down to Earth film, but it's far from normal. Overall, I really liked it. It is overlong, sometimes incoherent, and maybe a bit too ambitious for its own good. However, the film is shot well, has a lot of neat ideas, and we get some great performances from Jeff Bridges as Jack, and Robin Williams as Parry. This is easily one of Bridges's strongest performances, and he really fits the bill perfectly. Williams gets a little too characteristically off the rails at times, but he and Bridges do have some strong moments together, and I have to give him props for being willing to run around Central Park completely naked on a very cold night. Amanda Plummer is good as Lydia- the object of Parry's desire, and Mercedes Ruehl is nice as Jack's girlfriend Anne. I also loved Michael Jeter as a homeless cabaret singer, and Tom Waits as a wheelchair-bound veteran. Give this one a look. It's wild, offbeat, and a good mix of c |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the currency name in Bulgaria?"
] | BGN - Bulgarian Lev rates, news, and tools BGN - Bulgarian Lev Bulgaria, Lev The Bulgarian Lev is the currency of Bulgaria. Our currency rankings show that the most popular Bulgaria Lev exchange rate is the BGN to GBP rate . The currency code for Leva is BGN, and the currency symbol is лв. Below, you'll find Bulgarian Lev rates and a currency converter. You can also subscribe to our currency newsletters with daily rates and analysis, read the XE Currency Blog , or take BGN rates on the go with our XE Currency Apps and website. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which comedian, writer & actor had the character Loadsamoney' which he played on his TV shows?"
] | Harry Enfield - IMDb IMDb Official Photos » Harry Enfield was born on May 30, 1961 in Horsham, Sussex [now West Sussex], England. He is an actor and writer, known for Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000), Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul (2007) and Churchill: The Hollywood Years (2004). He has been married to Lucy Lyster since February 1997. They have three children. See full bio » Born: |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which actress played Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films fourteen times, from Dr. No (1962) until her final performance of the character in A View to a Kill (1985)."
] | Miss Moneypenny - James Bond Characters Alive Summary While Miss Moneypenny isn't strictly a Bond girl , she is one of the most iconic characters within the James Bond series. Moneypenny works at MI6 as M's secretary, and throughout most of the films demonstrates an infatuation with James Bond. The Many Faces of Miss Moneypenny Moneypenny's first appearance in the James Bond universe is in the original book, Casino Royale. She has appeared throughout Ian Fleming's novels, although in a smaller role than in the movies, but the theme remains the same: Moneypenny is infatuated with Bond but never does anything to act upon her infatuation. Many people have been credited for being Ian Fleming's inspiration for the Moneypenny character. In Fleming's first draft Moneypenny was originally named Miss "Petty" Pettaval, who was a secretary to real-world MI6 Director, Stewart Menzies. The name was later changed to be less obvious. The character has also been rumored to be based upon Vera Atkins who was a secretary to "legendary spy master" Maurice Buckman who was Fleming's inspiration for M, among others. Throughout the films, upon Bond's arrival at M's office, he flirts with Miss Moneypenny. In the earlier movies these flirtatious moments included Bond kissing and caressing Moneypenny sensually, but in more recent films the flirtation is more lighthearted and marked by an exchange of witty banter and sexual innuendos. What doesn't change across most of the films is Moneypenny's devotion to Bond despite their relationship never being anything more than professional. Because of their professional, but flirty relationship, Moneypenny is often considered an anchor that adds a bit of additional realism to the Bond films. To date, Moneypenny has been portrayed by six actresses across twenty one Bond films. Fourteen times by Lois Maxwell, twice by Caroline Bliss, four times by Samantha Bond and once each by Barbara Bouchet, Pamela Salem and Naomie Harris. Lois Maxwell Lois Maxwell portrayed Miss Moneypenny more times than any actor portrayed Bond, appearing alongside Sean Connery, George Lazenby, and then Roger Moore. Maxwell appeared in fourteen Bond films between 1962 and 1985. Terence Young, who directed the first Bond film (Dr. No) originally turned her down for the role based on his opinion that she "looked like she smelled of soap." Maxwell fought to be cast for the role, as her husband was recovering from a heart attack at the time and she needed the money. Her role in the first film only paid £200 and Maxwell was required to provide her own clothes. Maxwell was nearly recast in 1967 after appearing in a spy spoof film alongside Sean Connery's brother Neil (aptly titled Operation Kid Brother) and then again in 1971 after demanding a pay raise. She managed to hold on to the role for several years afterwards, though. She remained in the role of Miss Moneypenny until Roger Moore's final appearance as Bond in 1985's A View to Kill. She continued using the name of her character for years after leaving the film series. Right up until 1994, Maxwell wrote a column about her on set experiences for a Canadian newspaper under the character's name. Caroline Bliss Appearing in two Bond films, The Living Daylights and License to Kill, Bliss portrayed the role of Miss Moneypenny alongside Timothy Dalton between 1987 and 1989. Over 30 years younger than Lois Maxwell, Bliss was only 26 when cast for the role. The role was recast to bring in a younger actress, allowing the films to maintain the realism of the flirty relationship with a younger Bond. In an attempt to distance herself from the iconic-at-the-time portrayal of Moneypenny by Lois Maxwell, Bliss opted to have her version of Moneypenny wear glasses. Shamefully enough, due to script limitations the flirty relationship was actually quite limited in these two films, with Bond typically ignoring Moneypenny's flirtations. Samantha Bond Following the trend of "One Moneypenny per Bond" that began in the Dalton era, Samantha Bond played the role alongside Pierce Brosnan throughout his four film r |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"The lyric I was born in the wagon of a travellin show, my mama used to dance for the money they'd throw' is from which song?"
] | CHER LYRICS - Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves "Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves" lyrics CHER LYRICS I was born in the wagon of a travellin' show My mama used to dance for the money they'd throw Papa would do whatever he could Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of Doctor Good We'd hear it from the people of the town They'd call us Gypsys, tramps, and thieves But every night all the men would come around And lay their money down Picked up a boy just south of Mobile Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal I was sixteen, he was twenty-one Rode with us to Memphis And papa woulda shot him if he knew what he'd done [CHORUS] I never had schoolin' but he taught me well With his smooth southern style Three months later I'm a gal in trouble And I haven't seen him for a while, uh-huh I haven't seen him for a while, uh-huh She was born in the wagon of a travellin' show Her mama had to dance for the money they'd throw Grandpa'd do whatever he could Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of Doctor Good |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"True Cashmere is a product of which kind of animal?"
] | Cashmere Shawls of Uncompromising Quality - Sunrise Pashmina What's a shawl? In recent decades, pashmina has become known internationally as a term applied to the wool, and products made from the wool, that is derived from the undercoat of the "Cashmere goat," any of various breeds sometimes referred to as Capra hircus laniger (wool-bearing domestic goat). These breeds are raised primarily at high elevations in Central Asia, particularly Mongolia. Due to the ongoing war in Kashmir, and with the die-off of goat herds in Ladakh due to blizzards, China has been able to dominate pashmina production in past couple of decades. There is a lot of misinformation (or disinformation) about pashmina online. This may be due to the lack of scientific research, and/or to the fact that most production is in out-of-the-way places that are never visited by the staff of pashmina shawl manufacturers or exporters. Claims made about the relative fineness of cashmere and pashmina are false. Claims made that pashmina (or, alternatively, the best pashmina) comes only from the throat and belly of the goat are also false. Shahtoosh (Persian for "King fabric") is a term used for a fiber and fabric derived from the undercoat of an endangered Tibetan antelope, the chiru, and is illegal in most Western countries, but easily obtainable in India. It is much more expensive than pashmina. And did we mention that it is illegal? 20 Myths about pashmina Myth #1: Pashmina is different from, and better than, cashmere. Briefly, pashmina is cashmere, which is the fiber or fabric woven from fiber deriving from the undercoat of certain high-elevation (and therefore long-haired) breeds of domestic goat. Myth #2: Pashmina is produced only by a special goat known as Capra hircus. Capra hircus is just the scientific name for domesticated goats in general. The caprids are those animals belonging to the goat and antelope genus. Wiktionary gives three meanings for hircus: 1) a buck, male goat; 2) (by extension) the rank smell of the armpits; 3) (figuratively) a filthy person. Cashmere goat breeds have been referred to as Capra hircus laniger (laniger means wool-bearing), but this is not an accepted scientific grouping. Myth #3: Pashmina is produced only in the high Himalayas. There are many goat breeds with fine undercoats, and they are raised in China, Mongolia, Australia, the United States, India (particularly Ladakh), and elsewhere. The huge preponderance of cashmere yarn fabric now comes from China. Myth #4: Pashmina wool is plucked only from the undercoat of the throat and chest of the animal. Just not true. The undercoat extends around the whole animal, more or less, and none of it is intentionally wasted. Myth #5: Real pashmina is produced only in Kashmir. Kashmir (in India) has prevailed in an epic trade dispute with the result that the word "pashmina" is considered to belong to Kashmiri cashmere producers. Nepal had to settle for "chyangra pashmina," which means "goat cashmere." Potato, potahto. Myth #6: A fullsize pashmina is too big for a petite woman. Pashmina shawls are customarily quite large. The usual fullsize is 95 X 203 cm (36" x 80"). But even Asian women, who are typically rather small, wear fullsize shawls quite comfortably; because of the light weight of the fabric, the shawls can easily be folded lengthwise and/or widthwise, so that the generous dimensions are never a liability. What we call "medium-size" is not much smaller: the same length, and only 20 cm (8") narrower. Myth #7: In pashmina, more plies is better. Threads can be twisted together to make thicker threads, which can then producer thicker fabrics. On the other hand, there is no need to twist threads together, when the individual thread can be made any desired thickness. Furthermore, fabrics can be made more dense by packing the threads closer together (i.e., using four paddles instead of two). These days very few shawl producers in Kathmandu are using true double-ply yarn. In fact, multiple-ply yarn is now used almost exclusively for knitted goods. One further remark: in pashmina |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which 1964 film, starring Stanley Baker and Jack Hawkins depicted the 1879 Battle of Rorke's Drift?"
] | Zulu (1964) - 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 Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift. Director: Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence. a list of 30 titles created 05 Oct 2010 a list of 47 titles created 09 Sep 2011 a list of 39 titles created 01 Jan 2013 a list of 28 titles created 03 Nov 2013 a list of 21 titles created 8 months ago Search for " Zulu " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb 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 A dramatization of the Battle of Isandlwana, where the British Army met its match against the Zulu nation. Director: Douglas Hickox Comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam. Director: Peter Collinson Operation Market Garden, September 1944: The Allies attempt to capture several strategically important bridges in the Netherlands in the hope of breaking the German lines. However, mismanagement and poor planning result in its failure. Director: Richard Attenborough In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the UK. Director: Guy Hamilton Facing the decline of everything he has worked to obtain, conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte and his army confront the British at the Battle of Waterloo. Director: Sergey Bondarchuk A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel. Director: J. Lee Thompson Directors: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and 3 more credits » Stars: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton Policemen Ali Sokhela and Brian Epkeen investigate the brutal murder of a young white woman, apparently provoked by the availability of a new illegal drug and somehow connected to the disappearance of black street children. Director: Jérôme Salle Allied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding an American General prisoner... but that's not all that's really going on. Director: Brian G. Hutton Two British soldiers in India decide to resign from the Army and set themselves up as deities in Kafiristan--a land where no white man has set foot since Alexander. Director: John Huston When his brother dies under mysterious circumstances in a car accident, London gangster Jack Carter travels to Newcastle to investigate. Director: Mike Hodges A German plot to kidnap Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II. Director: John Sturges Edit Storyline Two Lieutenants, Chard of Engineers and Bromhead find that their 140 man contingent in Natal has been isolated by the destruction of the main British Army column and that 4,000 Zulu warriors will descend on them in hours. Each has a different military background in tactics and they are immediatly in conflict on how to prepare for the attack. Nearly a third of the men are in the infirmary, as the welsh company tries to somehow survive with no help in sight. Based on a true story. See All (180) » Taglines: These are the days and nights of fury and honor and courage and cowardice that an entire century of empire-making and film-making can never surpass! See more » Genres: 17 June 1964 (USA) See more » Also Known As: 138 min Sound Mix: 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)| 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Mono (35 mm optical prints) Color: Did You Know? Trivia Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi , who came from a long |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"These were \"star-cross'd lovers\" whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. What were their names?"
] | History and Women: The Love Story of Romeo and Juliet Friday, January 21, 2011 The Love Story of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is an enduring tragic love story written by William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. Shakespeare borrowed his plot from an original Italian tale. It is believed Romeo and Juliette were based on actual characters from Verona. The Montague and Capulet families are feuding. The Prince of Verona intervenes and declares that any further fighting will be punishable by death. When the Count of Paris approaches Lord Capulet about marrying his daughter, Juliet, he is wary of the request because she is only thirteen. Capulet asks the Count of Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a ball. Lady Capulet and Juliet's nurse urge Juliet to accept Paris' courtship. In the Montague house, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo , Lord Montague's son, about Romeo's recent melancholy. Benvolio discovers Romeo's unrequited infatuation for a girl named Rosaline, a niece of Lord Capulet's nieces. Persuaded by Benvolio Romeo attends the ball at the Capulet house in hopes of meeting Rosaline. But it is not Rosaline who sweeps him off his feet - it is the fair Juliette. After the ball, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears Juliet on her balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred for his family. Romeo makes himself known to her and they agree to be married. Juliet's Balcony in Verona With the help of a friar, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are secretly married the next day. Juliet's cousin Tybalt, incensed that Romeo had crashed the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel. Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight. Romeo's friend, Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission" and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf. Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight. Grief-stricken and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt. Montague argues that Romeo has justly fought and killed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio. The Prince exiles Romeo from Verona and declares that if Romeo returns, he will be executed. Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they make love for the first and last time, consummating their marriage. In the morning, he prepares to leave and kisses her one last time. Lord Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses. Juliette pleads for the marriage to be delayed, but her mother rejects her. Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for forty-two hours. The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before her wedding to the Count, Juliet takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt. The messenger, however, failed to reach Romeo and, instead, he learned of Juliet's apparent demise from his servant. Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt. There, he encounters Count Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately. Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, Romeo drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens only to find her beloved Romeo dead. Unwilling to live without him, she stabs herself with his dagger. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead. The Friar recounts their story. The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud. |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"What is the name of the only Canadian province to have French as its sole official language?"
] | Canada is Bilingual but What Does this Really Mean? Canada's Provinces & Territories | Quebec Travel Overview Despite being an officially bilingual country, the most prominent language used in Canada is English. Just under a quarter of the country's population speaks French - most of whom live in Quebec . Aside from English and French, several other languages, including Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic and Aboriginal languages are the mother tongues of Canadians. Bottom Line for Visitors Unless you are travelling to less touristy and more remote parts of Quebec, understanding only English is good enough to navigate around Canada. Of course, if you are visiting Quebec, especially outside Montreal, knowing some key French travel phrases is helpful, not to mention courteous. Canadian Bilingualism in Depth Canada - as a country - has two official languages: English and French. This means that all federal services, policies and laws must be enacted and available in both French and English. Some common examples of Canadian bilingualism that visitors encounter are road signs, TV and radio, product packaging, and bus and tour groups. continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World However, the status of English and French as Canada's official languages does not mean that both languages are widely spoken across the country or that every Canadian is bilingual. Canadian bilingualism is more official designation than everyday reality. The fact is that most Canadians speak English. First of all, each of Canada's 10 provinces and three territories adopts its own official language policy. Only Quebec recognizes French as its sole official language and is the only place in Canada where this is the case. New Brunswick is the only bilingual province, recognizing both English and French as official languages. Other provinces and territories conduct affairs mostly in English but may also recognize or offer governmental services in French as well as Aboriginal languages. In Quebec, English is widely spoken in its largest city, Montreal , and other major tourist destinations. Non-French-speaking visitors to Quebec can also easily get by in Quebec City; however, once you get off the beaten track, French tends to be the language spoken, so study up or get a phrase book. Looking at Canada as a whole, about 22% of Canadians use French as their first language (Statistics Canada, 2006). The majority of the country's French-speaking population lives in Quebec, but other high concentrations of French speakers live in New Brunswick, northern Ontario and Manitoba. The mother tongue of about 60% of Canada's population is English (Statistics Canada, 2006). French is not required learning at school outside of Quebec. However French immersion is a popular choice of education - mostly in central and eastern Canada - where elementary students who are enrolled in French immersion schools use French at school either partially or exclusively. French/English Language Conflict The French and English were two of the earliest cultures to arrive in Canada and often went to battle over land. Finally, in the 1700's, with fewer French coming to Canada and in the aftermath of the Seven Year' War , the British gained full control of Canada. Though the new British - and of course, English-speaking - rulers vowed to protect much of the property, religious, political, and social culture of the French, an underlying conflict continues to this day. For example Francophones in Quebec have launched several initiatives to protect their rights, including holding two provincial referendums in which Quebeckers voted on seceding from the rest of Canada. The most recent one in 1995 failed only by a margin of 50.6 to 49.4. Other Languages The prominence of languages other than English and French varies across the country, mostly influenced by immigration. In western Canada, namely British Columbia and Alberta, Chinese is the second most common language spoken after English. Punjabi, Tagalog (Filipino), Cree, German and Polish are other languages heard in BC and the Pr |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"Which Christian name links Brown, Champagne and Aunt?"
] | Behind the Name: User Comments for the name Nevaeh -- cutemom 6/10/2005 Some people like to assign meanings to Nevaeh, like "heaven-sent" or "butterfly." However, parents considering naming their daughters Nevaeh should be advised that these meanings are completely fictional. Nevaeh has no meaning apart from "Heaven spelled backwards." Period. -- Cera 6/27/2005 I agree that Nevaeh doesn't truly mean anything, aside from "Heaven spelled backwards." I do not see the need to make up names - there are already many beautiful, real names to choose from. -- Anonymous User 7/9/2005 I don't think it matters if the name doesn't have "meaning." When you name your baby, he/she gives new meaning to the name anyway. -- tjs 8/19/2005 Nevaeh is the stupidest name I have ever come across. Why would you name your baby girl this? She would probably legally change it to Neva or something. How is it even pronounced? -- Anonymous User 8/22/2005 My daughter's name is Nevaeh. I have read many many many meanings for it, be them fictional or whatever. She is gorgeous and truly a blessing from heaven. We usually call her Vay, but not always. :-) Her father and I both have very everyday names, and we wanted her to have something special. :-) I really detest this name, I just can't help it. I detest it because: 1. No one knows how to pronounce it. It's na-VAY, ne-VYE, NEE-veh, ni-VAY-uh, etc. 2. It looks so ugly 3. People make up meanings for it, like "snowy", "butterfly", "heaven sent", etc. It's heaven backwards, nothing else. 4. Some people don't even spell it Nevaeh, they spell it Neveah or Naveah. What's that backwards, Haeven and Haevan!? 5. People try to convince people they are not trendy by saying: "Oh, we thought of it LOONG before it was popular!" Yeah, right. -- Anonymous User 10/4/2005 I don't care what you people think. This is a beautiful name. I could care less about its meaning. Horrid. Just plain horrid. Means hell. A fine name... FOR A PORN STAR! -- Anonymous User 10/19/2005 Actually, I think Nevaeh is a very beautiful name. The pronunciation is extremely obvious, although I have never met a Nevaeh. Nor do I watch porn so I would not worry about what porn watchers think of the name. I mean really, a name is what your personality makes it. No one else's business. It looks like some people need to find a better cause to get all worked up about. -- jdream79 10/21/2005 Though I don't personally care for Nevaeh, I do agree that the hostility it arouses is a bit over the top. It is not the first time a name has been created by back-spelling a word. The pronunciation seems to be settling into "neh-VAY-uh" as the standard, and personally I think that sound is just fine for a name. The spelling is awkward, and many people do have the feeling that spelling a word backwards should also reverse the meaning, but there is no law that says that must be so, so there's no reason to deny the parents who have given their daughters this name the meaning of "heaven"; that's obviously what they intend it to mean. As for the porn star connection, there is only one porn star listed as Nevaeh on the Internet Movie Data Base, and she usually is credited with the alternate spelling Neveah. Meanwhile there are at least nine different porn stars named Trinity, another newly popular name for girls, and nobody jumps on that one as being a "porn" name. Any name for girls which has been recently created and has become popular will end up being the name of a porn star, because porn stars of course all go by pseudonyms and tend, like most actresses, to choose stage names which are more common among babies being born nowadays than those popular among their own agemates. -- clevelandkentevans 10/24/2005 In a recent discussion about this name, I was informed that it doesnt mean snowy, it doesnt mean butterfly, it's as referred by a person, a made up word. The question then becomes who made it up? It had to have origin somewhere. I was telling my cousin about this and she said that in her 8 years in Iceland she had heard the name countless times. In Iceland, |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"According to Greek Mythology, what was the name of the mountain nymph who falls in love with Narcissus?"
] | NARCISSUS (Narkissos) - Thespian Youth of Greek Mythology Narcissus, Greco-Roman fresco from Pompeii C1st B.C., Naples National Archaeological Museum NARKISSOS (Narcissus) was a youth of the town of Thespiai (Thespiae) in Boiotia, a son of the river-god Kephisos (Cephisus) and the fountain-nymph Liriope. He was celebrated for his beauty and attracted many admirers but, in his arrogance, spurned them all. The suffering of two of these, however, would bring down a curse upon him. The nymphe Ekho (Echo) --a girl cursed by Hera to repeat only the last words of what was said before--was rejected by the boy and fading away in despair left behind nothing but an echoing voice. The other admirer was the youth Ameinias who became distraught when Narkissos cruelly spurned him. He killed himself before his beloved's door, calling on the goddess Nemesis to avenge him. His prayer was answered when Narkissos fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Gazing endlessly at the image, he slowly pined away and was transformed by the nymphs into a narcissus flower. Others say he was instead filled with remorse and killed himself beside the pool--and from his dying life's blood the flower was born. Narkissos' name was the ancient Greek word for the narcissus or daffodil flower. The boy's mother Leiriope was named after another species of daffodil--the leirion--and his spurned love Ameinias for the ameinasis. According to Hesychius s.v., ameinasis was another name for the sweet-smelling herb duosmon--either dill, anise or cummin. Presumably these two were also transformed into their namesake plants. Such a group of sympathetic metamorphoses is not uncommon in Greek myth. FAMILY OF NARCISSUS [1.1] KEPHISOS & LIRIOPE (Ovid Metamorphoses 3.340) [1.2] KEPHISOS (Hyginus Fabulae 271, Statius Thebaid 7.340, Claudian Proserpine 2.130) [2.1] ENDYMION & SELENE (Nonnus Dionysiaca 48.582) ENCYCLOPEDIA NARCISSUS (Narkissos), a son of Cephissus and the nymph Liriope of Thespiae. He was a very handsome youth, but wholly inaccessible to the feeling of love. The nymph Echo, who loved him, but in vain, died away with grief. One of his rejected lovers, however, prayed to Nemesis to punish him for his unfeeling heart. Nemesis accordingly caused Narcissus to see his own face reflected in a well, and to fall in love with his own image. As this shadow was unapproachable Narcissus gradually perished with love, and his corpse was metamorphosed into the flower called after him narcissus. This beautiful story is related at length by Ovid (Met. iii. 341, &c.). According to some traditions, Narcissus sent a sword to one of his lovers, Ameinias, who killed himself with it at the very door of Narcissus' house, and called upon the gods to avenge his death. Narcissus, tormented by love of himself and by repentance, put an end to his life, and from his blood there sprang up the flower narcissus (Conon, Narrat. 24). Other accounts again state that Narcissus melted away into the well in which he had beheld his own image (Paus. ix. 31. § 6); or that he had a beloved twin sister perfectly like him, who died, whereupon he looked at his own image reflected in a well, to satify his longing after his sister. Eustathius (ad Hom. p. 266) says that Narcissus was drowned in the well. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES Echo, Narcissus and Anteros, Greco-Roman mosaic from Daphne C3rd A.D., Hatay Archaeology Museum Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 31. 7 - 9 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "In the territory of the Thespians is a place called Donakon (Donacon, Reed-Bed). Here is the spring of Narkissos (Narcissus). They say that Narkissos looked into this water, and not understanding that he saw his own reflection, unconsciously fell in love with himself, and died of love at the spring. But it is utter stupidity to imagine that a man old enough to fall in love was incapable of distinguishing a man from a man's reflection. There is another story about Narkissos, less popular indeed than the other, but not with |
[
"Given a question, retrieve Wikipedia passages that answer the question",
"A discovery by Professor Wilhelm Roentgen in the 1890s led to which amazing medical invention?"
] | Roentgen's discovery of the x-ray Roentgen's discovery of the x-ray Enlarge Find more x-rays in the X-ray gallery . Try to imagine how different life would be without modern medical technology. In 1895, the invention of the x-ray created an amazing step forward in the history of medicine. For the first time ever, the inner workings of the body could be made visible without having to cut into the flesh. Wilhelm Roentgen, Professor of Physics in Worzburg, Bavaria, was the first person to discover the possibility of using electromagnetic radiation to create what we now know as the x-ray. The image below is the first x-ray Roentgen ever created. It is an image of his wife's hand - you can see her wedding ring. Roentgen was exploring the path of electrical rays passing from an induction coil through a partially evacuated glass tube. Although the tube was covered in black paper and the room was completely dark, he noticed that a screen covered in fluorescent material was illuminated by the rays. He later realised that a number of objects could be penetrated by these rays, and that the projected image of his own hand showed a contrast between the opaque bones and the translucent flesh. He later used a photographic plate instead of a screen, and an image was captured. In this way an extraordinary discovery had been made: that the internal structures of the body could be made visible without the necessity of surgery. By 1896 an x-ray department had been set up at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, one of the first radiology departments in the world. The head of the department, Dr John Macintyre, produced a number of remarkable x-rays: the first x-ray of a kidney stone; an x-ray showing a penny in the throat of a child, and an image of a frog's legs in motion. In the same year Dr Hall-Edwards became one of the first people to use an x-ray to make a diagnosis - he discovered a needle embedded in a woman's hand. In the first twenty years following Roentgen's discovery, x-rays were used to treat soldiers fighting in the Boer war and those fighting in WWI, finding bone fractures and imbedded bullets. Much excitement surrounded the new technology, and x-ray machines started to appear as a wondrous curiosity in theatrical shows. It was eventually recognised that frequent exposure to x-rays could be harmful, and today special measures are taken to protect the patient and doctor. By the early 1900s the damaging qualities of x-rays were shown to be very powerful in fighting cancers and skin diseases. |
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