title: The Titan's Curse

paragraphs: The Titan's Curse is fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology. It was written by Rick Riordan and was published in 2007. "The Titan's Curse" is the third novel in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series. It is the next book after "The Sea of Monsters". The book tells the story of the adventures of the fourteen-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends go on a dangerous adventure. In this quest, they have to rescue his friend Annabeth and the Greek goddess Artemis, who have both been kidnapped.

paragraphs: "The Titan's Curse" received good reviews. It was nominated for many awards. The book was also the number one "The New York Times" children's series best seller and "Book Sense" Top Ten Summer Pick for 2007. It was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 1, 2007. The novel was also released in audiobook format. Actor Jesse Bernstein read the audiobook. It is followed by "The Battle of the Labyrinth", which is the fourth book in the series.

paragraphs: Like the other books in the series, "The Titan's Curse" is of the fantasy genre. It uses the ancient Greek mythology in a modern setting as background. Reviewers have called its plot "fast-paced", meaning that the story moves very quickly. It has humor as well as themes such as love and loyalty.

paragraphs: Annabeth Chase and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, are kidnapped and Percy and his friends must find Artemis before the winter solstice. This is because at the winter solstice, her influence on the Olympian Council could change an important vote. The vote was on the war with the Titans. Thalia Grace, Zoë Nightshade, Bianca Di Angelo, and Grover go on this dangerous quest. They also are searching for a rare monster that Artemis was trying to hunt down when she went missing. This monster is so powerful that it can destroy Olympus. Percy is called by a hippocampus (which is a mythological sea-horse) to rescue a cow-like creature called the Ophiotaurus which lives in the sea. Percy names the Ophiotaurus "Bessie". He did not know that it is a male.

paragraphs: With help from Apollo, they reach a small town in New Mexico. Grover feels the presence of Pan, the Greek god of nature. Soon, a wild gift from Pan, the giant Erymanthian Boar, comes to carry them to San Francisco. It takes them to the junkyard of the gods. Here, Percy meets Ares and talks to Aphrodite. Aphrodite hints that Annabeth and Percy will fall in love in future. The group then enters the junkyard. There, Bianca tries to steal an action figure for her younger brother. However, she awakens a prototype of Talos, a giant man of bronze. She destroys it, but dies after this. The demigods then go to Hoover Dam. Percy is attacked by skeleton warriors there. He meets Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a girl who can see through the Mist (which prevents common people from seeing monsters and magical things). She saves Percy by confusing the skeletons. This allows Percy and his friends to escape.

paragraphs: In San Francisco, they learn that Bessie the Ophiotaurus is the monster Artemis was searching. This is because sacrificing it and burning its entrails will give a person the power to destroy Olympus. They ask for the help of Annabeth's father who gives them a car. They travel to the Garden of Hesperides, where Zoë meets her sisters. She is poisoned by a dragon called Ladon. They continue to the Mountain of Despair on California's Mount Tamalpais, where Mt. Othrys, the Titan capital, is now present. From the top of the mountain where Atlas held up the sky, they see Artemis holding the sky. Annabeth is held captive by Luke. Percy takes the burden—the Titan's curse—from Artemis. After this, a fight breaks out. Atlas (the General of the Titans) kills his daughter Zoë by throwing her against rocks. Artemis tricks Atlas into taking his burden from Percy. Luke falls from a cliff during a battle with Thalia, and Percy thinks that he is dead. They go to Olympus and they keep Ophiotaurus there and at that party Percy is told by Annabeth that Luke has survived.

paragraphs: "The Titan's Curse" received positive reviews from critics. The reviewers praised the humor and action in the story. "Children's Literature" called the book fast-paced. They said it "is full of adventure and humour" and that "[r]eaders will relate to good natured Percy, the protagonist." "Kirkus" said that the book made Greek myths come alive in a way classrooms cannot. They said the book will have "readers wondering how literature can be this fun." "School Library Journal" wrote that "Intricate prophecies and relationships" are "neatly" woven into the plot which they said had a lot of adventure. They added: "Teachers will cheer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians" as they would help students to learn about Greek mythology and also to read. They said that the book was a "winner" in "Olympic" (large) proportions. "Booklist's" starred review said, "The Percy Jackson & the Olympians series is built around a terrific idea" and said Riordan added more depth to the characters, but the books are still as funny as the previous ones. "KidsReads" also praised the book and said that the books are popular because they combine "humor, adventure and a winning hero" and said readers who have read the previous books would like Riordan's style.

paragraphs: "The Titan's Curse" received some awards and nominations. It was a Quill Award nominee. It was also the number one "The New York Times" children's series best seller and "Book Sense" Top Ten Summer Pick for 2007.

paragraphs: An eight hour and forty-eight minute audiobook read by the actor Jesse Bernstein was released on April 24, 2007. It was published by Listening Library.

paragraphs: "AudioFile Magazine" praised the audiobook. They wrote that it sounded "young, or old, or really scary" in different parts. They added that Jesse Bernstein "[...] effectively voices the confusion and loss the team experiences."

paragraphs: "The Battle of the Labyrinth" is the fourth book in the series. Annabeth and Percy find entrance into the Labyrinth during a game of capture the flag. Percy soon learns that Luke had used the entrance. He will lead the Titan army through the Labyrinth straight into the camp. To get into the Labyrinth, Percy has to find the Delta Symbol (Δ) and touch it. Using the Labyrinth, Percy tries to find Daedalus so Luke cannot get Ariadne's string. This would prevent Luke from attacking the camp.


title: The Battle of the Labyrinth

paragraphs: The Battle of the Labyrinth is a 2008 fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology and the fourth book in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series by Rick Riordan. Demigod Percy Jackson, who is almost fifteen years old, tries to stop Luke and his army from invading Camp Half-Blood by navigating Daedalus's labyrinth. It was released on May 6, 2008 in the US and Canada.

paragraphs: After being attacked by Empousai cheerleaders at his new school, Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood and learns about "The Labyrinth", part of the palace of King Minos in Crete that, according to Greek mythology, was designed by Daedalus. During a battle game at the camp, Annabeth and Percy find an entrance into the Labyrinth. Percy soon learns that Luke had used the entrance and will lead his army through the Labyrinth straight in to the heart of Camp Half-Blood. To get into the Labyrinth, Percy has to find the Delta Symbol (Δ) on a passageway, touch it, and then enter the Labyrinth.

paragraphs: Using the Labyrinth, Percy has to try to find Daedalus so Luke cannot get Ariadne's string, thereby foiling Luke's invasion. Ariadne's string is used to find all the exits of the Labyrinth. Grover comes to the rescue and causes a Panic to scare away the enemy. After the battle, Daedalus sacrifices himself to close the labyrinth, which is tied to his life.

paragraphs: "The Battle of the Labyrinth" received generally positive reviews. "Publishers Weekly" praised Riordan saying, "One of Riordan's strengths is the wry interplay between the real and the surreal." and adding that "The wit, rousing swordplay and breakneck pace will once again keep kids hooked." "Children's Literature" said, "Riordan creates a masterful weaving of Greek mythology and traditional fantasy in this latest book in "The Olympians" series. Fans will enjoy the latest adventures of their favorite characters, and those picking the book up for the first time will have no trouble falling into this magical world." However "School Library Journal" wrote "Like many series, the "Percy Jackson" books are beginning to show the strain of familiarity and repetition." before adding: "However, the overarching story line remains compelling, and the cliff-hanger ending will leave readers breathless in anticipation of the fifth and final volume." "Kirkus" adjudged the book to be the best in the series and said, "The often-philosophical tale zips along with snappy dialogue, humor and thrilling action, culminating in a climactic battle between gods and Titans.

paragraphs: "Kirkus Reviews" gave "The Battle of the Labyrinth" a starred review as well as "Publishers Weekly."

paragraphs: "The Battle of the Labyrinth" was adapted to a 10 hours and 32 minutes audiobook read by actor Jesse Bernstein and published by Listening Library. The release date for the audiobook was May 13, 2008.

paragraphs: AudioFile Magazine was generally positive about the audiobook. They commended Bernstein, saying that he was "just as skillful at wringing humor from the witty dialogue and from the contrasts between the modern and ancient worlds."

paragraphs: In "The Last Olympian" there is a final battle for Olympus, with Percy and his friends defending it against Kronos and his forces. Percy rallies the demigods and many of his allies take part in the war, including The Hunters of Artemis and the Party Ponies. Rachel becomes the new Oracle and spouts another Great Prophecy. Percy and Annabeth start going out.

paragraphs: "The Last Olympian" was released May 5, 2009. It is the last book of the series.


title: The Demigod Files

paragraphs: The Demigod Files is a collection of stories by Rick Riordan published on February 10, 2009. It is a companion book to the main series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". It contains three short stories, titled "Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot", "Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon", and "Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades". It also contains a preview of "The Last Olympian". Additional contents include interviews with some of the campers, a picture of Annabeth's trunk, a map of Camp Half-Blood, and various crossword puzzles and other activities. It is set between the fourth book, "The Battle of the Labyrinth", and the fifth book, "The Last Olympian".

paragraphs: Clarisse La Rue is given the chore of taking care of Ares's war chariot. It is stolen by her immortal brothers as a prank, Deimos and Phobos (gods of terror and fear respectively). Percy and Clarisse find it at a zoo. They face the two gods, whom without their powers of fear and terror are extremely weak in battle, (unlike the nature of Ares), and are easily defeated. They bring the chariot to Ares' Temple on the Intrepid, a battle cruiser.

paragraphs: Percy Jackson and Charles Beckendorf are on the same team for capture the flag. Beckendorf, a son of Hephaestus, has a somewhat awkward conversation about girls, and thinks Percy should ask Annabeth to the Fourth of July fireworks, the biggest dating event of the summer at Camp Half-Blood, that night. They set off into the woods and stumble on a huge anthill. Silena Beauregard and Annabeth capture Percy. Meanwhile, Charles Beckendorf charges straight ahead into the ant swarm as he tries to take back a huge bronze dragon's head, but immediately is pinched in the leg and has acid spit on his face. Percy, Annabeth and Silena try to find the rest of the body of the bronze dragon which was once one of the camp's defenses against monsters before Thalia's Pine Tree took its place so it can rescue Beckendorf from the ants. They finally get the monster started (a bronze dragon with no wings) and get it to help Beckendorf. It blasts open the ants' nest and all the ants attack the dragon. Meanwhile, Percy, Annabeth and Silena dart into the ant hill and get Beckendorf back out. When they come out and flee, the dragon spots them and goes berserk. Percy distracts the dragon so Beckendorf can jump on the dragon's back and unplug him. Silena is so relieved that Beckendorf is alive that when he asks her to the fireworks, she gladly accepts the invitation. Once they get back to camp, it turns out the capture the flag game has not ended yet, and Annabeth puts them in jail. Percy and Charles protest to no avail. Before Annabeth leaves to go back to the front line to fight for her team, she asks Percy out to the Fourth of July Fireworks, but she quickly leaves before Percy can answer.

paragraphs: Rick Riordan wrote this short story for World Book Day 2009. It takes place between "The Battle of the Labyrinth" and "The Last Olympian".

paragraphs: Persephone calls Percy, Thalia and Nico, all the children of the Big Three, into the Underworld to retrieve Hades's new sword from a demigod spy who stole it. The problem is that Hades' keys, which let anyone out of or into the Underworld, are in it. Persephone gives them a flower to track the half-blood. When all of the petals fall off, the sword thief has made it out of the Underworld. Percy, Nico and Thalia must retrieve the sword before time runs out. They catch the thief, Ethan Nakamura, but all the petals fall off because Ethan has raised the Titan Iapetus. Percy flings Iapetus into the river Lethe, a river that makes one forget their identity, during a fight. Although Percy also falls in, he stays dry because of his powers, being the son of Poseidon. Percy tells Iapetus that he is Bob and Iapetus believes him and is now harmless. When they return to Hades and Persephone with the sword, Hades is very unhappy about the sword and leaves in anger, threatening Persephone never to disobey him again. They later find out that Persephone requested the sword against Hades's orders.

paragraphs: An audiobook read by actor Jesse Bernstein was released the same day as the book.

paragraphs: The book received mixed reviews. Publishers Weekly criticized, "Bland illustrations depicting the contents of Annabeth's trunk, a map of Camp Half-Blood and a short "sneak peek" at "The Last Olympian" pad the contents (barely) to book length; the inclusion of a crossword puzzle and a word search makes the book difficult to share. Not a must-read-but try telling that to rabid fans." School Library Journal reviewer Tim Wadham commended the writing, saying, "Despite the fact that this is more of a marketing package than anything else, the quality of and interest in the three stories likely justifies its purchase."


paragraphs: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (known as Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief in the UK and Australia) is a fantasy-adventure movie directed by Chris Columbus. The movie is based on "The Lightning Thief", the first novel in the "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" series by Rick Riordan. It stars Logan Lerman as the main character, Percy Jackson, alongside an ensemble cast which includes Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Uma Thurman, Catherine Keener, Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan. It was released to theaters on February 12, 2010.

paragraphs: In its opening weekend the movie ranked #2; and in its first week the movie grossed $40 million, comprising 40% of its "$95 million budget". Critical reception was mixed. The movie made a worldwide total of $191,143,508 after 28 days of release.

paragraphs: At the top of the Empire State Building, Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) meets with Zeus (Sean Bean), who comments that the storm clouds have no lightning and that his master bolt has been stolen. He blames Poseidon's son for the theft. Despite Poseidon's claims of his son's innocence, Zeus gives Poseidon 14 days to return it, lest war break out.

paragraphs: During a field trip to a display of Greek and Roman art, teenager Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), is lured away from the crowd by a Fury disguised as his substitute English teacher, who then attacks him, questioning him about the lightning bolt. Percy, who has no knowledge of this, is rescued by his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan). After getting rid of the Fury, Brunner gives Percy a magical pen. On Brunner's instruction, Percy's best friend, Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), takes Percy to a training camp for demigods (half-human, half-gods), Camp Half-Blood. They are driven by Percy's mother, Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener). During their trip to the camp, Percy tries to learn about his father from Sally, but they are attacked by a Minotaur. Percy and Grover, who is revealed to be a satyr (half-goat, half-human), make it to the camp. Its defenses keep Sally from entering, she is captured by the Minotaur, and disappears before Percy. Percy engages the Minotaur with the magical pen, which turns into a sword named Riptide. He finally kills the creature with one of its horns.

paragraphs: In touring Camp Half-Blood, Percy learns that Brunner is the camp's trainer and the mythological centaur (half-horse, half-human) Chiron. He also finds out that his father is the god Poseidon. He meets Luke Castellan (Jake Abel), the son of Hermes, and Annabeth Chase (Alexandra Daddario), the daughter of Athena. While at the camp, Percy learns that water has the power to heal his injuries, and allows him to use his magical abilities.

paragraphs: Hades later appears and reveals that Sally Jackson is his prisoner, and proposes she be traded for the master bolt. Chiron instructs Percy not to bargain with the god, but to go to Olympus to convince Zeus that he did not take the bolt. Percy sneaks away from the camp to travel to the Underworld along with Grover and Annabeth, who secure for him a portable shield from Luke, flying shoes and a map to Persephone's (Rosario Dawson) pearls, one of which will reveal the exit from the Underworld.

paragraphs: At Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, they are attacked by Medusa (Uma Thurman), but manage to kill her, and take the pearl from her bracelet. They also take her head, which they later successfully use against a hydra that attacks them during their gaining of another pearl from the crown of a giant statue of Athena at the Parthenon replica in Nashville, Tennessee. They acquire the third and final pearl from a roulette wheel at a hotel casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, in part with help from Poseidon. The map reveals an entrance to the Underworld in Hollywood, California, beneath the Hollywood Sign.

paragraphs: The trio enter the Underworld and cross the River Styx. Persephone takes them to Hades. Percy tries to explain to Hades that he did not steal the bolt. During an resulting chaos, Percy drops his shield, whose handle conceals the missing master bolt, which Hades takes. However, the trio manage to get it back before escaping the Underworld with the rescued Sally, forced to leave Grover behind, in Persephone's "care", as they only had three pearls. They are transported to the top of the Empire State Building, which they learn is the entrance to Olympus. They are confronted by Luke, who reveals himself to have been the real lightning thief. Explaining his hope for new rulers to take over Olympus, he explains that he had hoped that the trio would not escape the Underworld alive. He steals the bolt from Percy and the two fight. After using his water powers to get rid of Luke, Percy arrives in Olympus, where he presents the retrieved bolt, and reveals the truth about Luke. Poseidon explains to Percy the reason why they could not know each other during Percy's childhood, but expresses his love for his son. Percy also requests that Zeus retrieve Grover from the Underworld, to which the god agrees. Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood, where he continues his training, ending the movie in the midst of a clash with Annabeth. After the end credits, a scene shows Sally forcing Gabe out of their apartment and he reads a note on the fridge from Percy that says not to open the fridge. Gabe destroys the lock on the refrigerator and as he opens it, Medusa stares right back at him, and the scene goes black while a crackling noise is heard, showing that Gabe has been turned to stone.

paragraphs: In June 2004, 20th Century Fox bought the movie rights to the book. In April 2007, director Chris Columbus was hired to helm the project. Filming began in April 2009 in Vancouver. Sections of the movie were shot at the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Filming wrapped up on the morning of July 25, 2009 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Digital intermediate work began in San Francisco in November 2009. Christophe Beck composed the score.

paragraphs: Columbus has stated that the cast were chosen specifically with sequels in mind. " I think with Percy Jackson it was a matter of finding the right cast to fit into these roles, sort of the perfect cast for these roles, because hopefully, God willing, we will go on to do other Percy Jackson movies and you want the cast to grow with their characters."

paragraphs: The movie opened on February 12, 2010 in 3,356 theaters; its opening weekend box-office results totaled $31,236,067 in the U.S., finishing at #3 behind "The Wolfman", which opened at #2 with $31,479,235 and "Valentine's Day", which opened at #1 with $56,260,707. The movie had a strong opening weekend for its genre, posting the highest opening weekend for a fantasy movie not from the "Harry Potter", "Narnia", or "The Lord of the Rings" series. As of March 9, 2010, it grossed a total of $78,886,633, with $111,950,508 elsewhere in the world, bringing it to $190,837,141. It is the second highest grossing movie worldwide in 2010 after "Alice in Wonderland".

paragraphs: Critical reception of the movie has been mixed, as indicated by a weighted average score of 48 out of 100 from Metacritic. The movie currently holds a 50% 'Rotten' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 120 reviews; the site's consensus being that although the movie "may seem like just another Harry Potter knockoff, the movie benefits from a strong supporting cast, a speedy plot, and plenty of fun with Greek mythology". Kenneth Turan of "Los Angeles Times" described the movie as "standard Hollywood product... unadventurous and uninteresting." "The Washington Post" reviewer thought "the movie suffers by taking itself a little too seriously. It's not just that it's a lot less funny than the book. It's also a lot less fun."

paragraphs: On BBC Radio 5 Mark Kermode criticized the similarity of the movie to director Chris Columbus' "Harry Potter" films.

paragraphs: A Percy Jackson video game based on "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" was released on the Nintendo DS on February 11, 2010.

paragraphs: GameZone's Michael Splechta gave it a 6/10, saying "Percy Jackson might not make a splash when it comes to movie tie-in games, but fans of turn-based combat might find some redeeming qualities in this otherwise bare-bones game."


title: The Last Olympian

paragraphs: The Last Olympian is a fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology by Rick Riordan published on May 5, 2009. It is the fifth and final installment in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series and serves as the direct sequel to "The Battle of the Labyrinth". There is a statement at the end of the book referencing the close of "the first Camp Half-Blood series," indicating that there might be more to follow. "The Last Olympian" revolves around the demigod Perseus Jackson as he leads his friends in a last stand to protect Mount Olympus. The book received many positive reviews.

paragraphs: Percy Jackson, his friends, and the Olympians fight in a war resembling the original war between the Greek gods and the Titans and in a final battle with the powerful Titan, Kronos. Many fight for Olympus, including the Hunters of Artemis, dryads, satyrs, naiads, and tree nymphs, Chiron's centaur cousins the Party Ponies, and the hellhound Mrs. O'Leary. They must defend Mt. Olympus from Kronos' huge army consisting of rogue half-bloods, dracaenae, Hyperboreans, Laestrygonians, drakon, Hyperion, telekhines, Typhon, and hellhounds.

paragraphs: It is revealed that Luke had bathed in the River Styx, thus becoming nearly invincible (much like Achilles). Seeking to defeat Kronos, Percy does the same, with some encouragement from Nico. It is also revealed how Nico's mother died, and that the Oracle's foretelling of her death led to Hades cursing the Oracle. Due to this, when Luke's mother attempts to become the Oracle, she loses her mind and is given glimpses of Luke's future. Rachel, a mortal who can see through the Mist, tells Percy that he is not the hero of the Great Prophecy, and that it will influence his choice when he turns 16.

paragraphs: Percy and Luke (who is possessed by Kronos) battle at the top of Mount Olympus in the throne room. Luke is shocked back into his normal self when Annabeth reminds him of his promise that he would never harm her. The 'cursed blade' of the prophecy was the knife that Luke gave to Annabeth when he promises to her that they are family. The Great Prophecy hinges on Percy's decision to give Luke the dagger rather than kill him. Luke commits suicide by stabbing himself in his mortal point when Kronos takes over his body, becoming the hero of the prophecy and ending the war on Percy's 16th birthday.

paragraphs: The gods grant Percy, Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson rewards at the conclusion of their quest. Tyson becomes the General of the Cyclops army and is gifted a new weapon, a "stick." Grover is granted a place on the Council of Cloven Elders and becomes a new Lord of the Wild. Annabeth's wish to become an architect is fulfilled as she is tasked to design and rebuild Olympus. Percy, refusing godhood for himself, forces the gods to swear on the River Styx that they will recognize all of their children by the time they turn 13 and that they will end the pact of the Big Three, in which Zeus, Poseidon and Hades were barred from fathering demigod offspring. He also requires cabins for Hades and the minor gods to be built at Camp Half-Blood, and that they set Calypso free of her curse. Rachel becomes the new Oracle of Delphi and speaks the next Great Prophecy. Percy and Annabeth share a kiss, after which Clarisse La Rue and their other surviving friends dunk them in the lake, where they share another kiss, this time underwater.

paragraphs: "The Last Olympian" received overwhelmingly positive reviews. "Publishers Weekly" wrote "...fans will not be disappointed" and remarked "As the capstone to this beloved series, this story satisfies." They praised Percy's "brave leadership" and said that "the final clash would keep a Hollywood special effects team busy for years." "Booklist"'s starred review commented that "...Riordan’s imagination soars in the climactic battle scenes" but said that he manages to "bring the whole series to a satisfying close in the down-to-earth conclusion." It also received starred reviews from "Kirkus".

paragraphs: The unabridged audiobook version of "The Last Olympian" is read by Jesse Bernstein. It was released on May 12, 2009 by Random House/Listening Library. It is 10 hours and 50 minutes long.


title: Vineyard

paragraphs: A vineyard is a place where grapes are grown. Some vineyards belong to wineries. The grapes grown in those are used to make wine.


title: Tyson (Percy Jackson)

paragraphs: Tyson is a fictional character in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. He is a cyclops. Percy Jackson, the main character of the series, is his half-brother. They have the same father, the Greek god Poseidon. He first appears as a homeless boy in the second book of the series, "The Sea of Monsters the second book"

paragraphs: Tyson is played by Douglas Smith in , the film adaption of The Sea of Monsters.

paragraphs: Tyson is the son of the Greek god of the sea Poseidon and a nature spirit. He is a young cyclops who tries to be "the best little brother possible" and "make his family proud." He meets Percy at Meriwether College Prep school; Tyson is the subject of a program at the school which seeks to take in a homeless kid and help him while also taking in some information about him. The Mist obscures everybody's view of Tyson's one eye, making most think he has two eyes . Tyson has severe scars on his back that were caused by a sphinx in the substation where he used to live. Tyson finds Annabeth Chase pretty. He uses his bare strength and metalworking ability to his avail in many situations. For example, while fighting different monsters in "The Sea of Monsters", his immunity to fire protected him from magical flaming spheres that would have killed anbody else that stepped in it's path of fire. During his first summer at Camp-Half Blood, Tyson makes Percy a shield with depictions of all their adventures engraved on it; it retracts into a watch when not deployed.

paragraphs: Thalia's tree, the tree which serves as the magical border of Camp Half-Blood, is mysteriously poisoned. Chiron is blamed for poisoning the tree and dismissed from camp; Tantalus takes his job. The only thing able to cure the tree is the Golden Fleece, which has healing powers for plants, animals, and humans. It is located on Polyphemus's Island in the Sea of Monsters (the Bermuda Triangle).

paragraphs: Clarisse La Rue, the daughter of Ares and longtime enemy of Percy, is given the quest to go into the Sea of Monsters to find the Golden Fleece. Percy and Annabeth decide to go also, not just for the Golden Fleece, but for their friend Grover, who is trapped in Polyphemus's cave. Tyson, Percy, and Annabeth, after saving Camp Half-Blood from two fire-breathing bulls, set out to find Polyphemus, who believes that Grover is a female cyclops and not a satyr.

paragraphs: As they enter the Sea of Monsters, they have to get past Scylla and Charybdis. Instead of trying to sail in between, Clarisse goes for Charybidis. Clarisse's ship is destroyed. Tyson, who did not escape the ship in time, is presumed dead the until it is learned that he was saved by a hippocampus named Rainbow. They all meet up on Polyphemus's Island and ultimately leave with the Golden Fleece.

paragraphs: When they return to the mortal world, Clarisse returns to camp on a plane. Percy, Annabeth and Tyson are kidnapped by Luke. He almost kills Percy in a duel, but Percy reveals that Chiron is innocent. Chiron comes to rescue them with his strangely dressed relatives, the Party Ponies. When they return to camp, the Fleece is put on the tree, reviving both it and Thalia.

paragraphs: Tyson plays a minor role in "The Titan's Curse". Once, while he is in Poseidon's underwater court making various items at the forge, he appears in an Iris message between him and Percy.

paragraphs: Percy comes back to Camp Half-Blood to find Tyson already there cleaning their room for inspection. Tyson has also fixed Percy's shield, which has been broken by a manticore, Dr. Thorn in the third book. The shield retracts into a watch when not in use.

paragraphs: Annabeth leads the quest into Daedalus' Labyrinth. She breaks the rule of having only two companions on a quest by choosing Percy, Grover, and Tyson. Annabeth descends into the Labyrinth with them to find a way to stop Kronos's evil forces from entering the borders of Camp Half-Blood by searching for its inventor, Daedalus. They run into many obstacles. Annabeth faces a Sphinx and finds the riddles (which are actually factual questions) not challenging and an insult to her intellect. They escape the claws of the Sphinx and continue on to find Hephaestus so he can tell them about where to find Daedalus. Tyson then finds Briares, the Hundred-Handed One, but is disappointed to find out he is afraid of Kampe and refuses to fight. They split up, and Tyson follows Grover, who goes a different direction in search of Pan. They all reunite and flee the Labyrinth after the help of Daedalus (Quintus).

paragraphs: After jumping off the exploding "Princess Andromeda" (a cruise ship that Kronos had made his headquarters), Percy finds himself in Poseidon's palace where Tyson is waiting for him. Percy is in a grim state, so Tyson takes him to Poseidon. Poseidon looks very aged due to all of the stress from the war going on. Poseidon is not letting Tyson fight, for fear of losing him. To Tyson's disappointment, he sends him back to the armory to make weapons. The next time he is seen is through the mist of the hearth on Mount Olympus. Percy gives Poseidon the idea to send Tyson and all the other Cyclopes to take down Typhon. They do, and Typhon lands in the Hudson River. Tyson is last seen on Mount Olympus where he is awarded a new "stick"; he is also given the role of general of Olympus' army.


title: Bowhead whale

paragraphs: The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is an Arctic baleen whale, a right whale with a large, bow-shaped head that is up to 40% of its body length. The arched mouth is up to 10 feet (3 m) wide and 20 feet (6 m) deep. The eyes are very small and lips are huge. Bowheads live in pods, are rich in blubber (a subcutaneous layer 20-inch (50 cm) thick in places), and have 2 blowholes.


title: Marcos Senna

paragraphs: Marcos Senna (born 17 July 1976) is a Spanish football player. He plays for Villarreal and Spain national team.


title: Coupe de France

paragraphs: Coupe de France is a French football competition. It is the premier knockout cup competition.


title: Boris Gelfand

paragraphs: Boris Abramovich Gelfand (born 24 June 1968 in Minsk) is a Belarusian-Israeli chess grandmaster. He won the 2009 World Chess Cup. In 1998, Gelfand emigrated to Israel, where he is their top ranking chess player.

paragraphs: Gelfand was Junior Champion of the Soviet Union at 17, and European Junior Champion two years later. In 1988 he tied for first in the World Junior Championship, the title going to Joel Lautier. He earned the GM title the following year. He has won about 30 tournaments in his career, including tournaments at Wijk aan Zee (in 1992 and 1994) and first places in Biel (1993), Dos Hermanas (1994), Belgrade (1995), Tilburg (1996), Malmo (1999) and Pamplona (2004).

paragraphs: Gelfand has several times qualified for Candidates tournaments for the World Chess Championship. In 1993, he qualified for the Candidates via the Interzonal, and was knocked out in the quarter-final by England's Nigel Short. In the FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 he won the Interzonal, then won his first two Candidates matches, before being eliminated in the semi-final by Anatoly Karpov. He had numerous strong results in the knockout tournaments for the FIDE Championships 1998–2004, with his best result being a semi-finalist in 1997. He played in the 8-player 2002 Dortmund Tournament, which was the Candidates for the Classical World Chess Championship 2004, but failed to reach the semi-finals.

paragraphs: He qualified for the tournament for the World Chess Championship 2007, and surprised most observers by finishing joint second with reigning world champion Vladimir Kramnik (third after tie breaks). The tournament and the world championship was won by Viswanathan Anand.

paragraphs: Gelfand won the Chess World Cup 2009, and was automatically seeded into the Candidates tournament for the World Chess Championship 2012.

paragraphs: The 2012 Candidates match series was held in Kazan, Russia. In game three of the quarterfinals he played the Sicilian defense to defeat Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2.5–1.5. In the semifinals he faced American Gata Kamsky. After splitting the first four games 2–2, the match went into a rapid playoff. Kamsky won game three in the playoff to go ahead 2–1. This meant Gelfand had to win with black in the final game to avoid elimination. Gelfand was up to the task, and then won the blitz playoff 2–0 to advance to the final.

paragraphs: In the final, he faced Alexander Grischuk. After drawing the first five games, Gelfand won the sixth and final game on the white side of a Grünfeld defence to win the match 3.5–2.5. As winner of the Candidates series, Gelfand face Anand for the 2012 World Championship. In this match Gelfand tied 6–6, but he lost the four-game rapid play tie-breaker.


title: Yue Wang

paragraphs: Yue Wang is China's highest ever rated chess grandmaster, and the first to reach the elite top 10 in the world.

paragraphs: In 2004, he became China's 18th Grandmaster at the age of 17. In October 2007, Wang became the first Chinese player, and third Asian player, to cross the 2700 rating mark.

paragraphs: Wang is currently ranked 2nd in Asia; #1 is World Champion Viswanathan Anand of India.

paragraphs: Wang Yue was to play on 1st board at the World Team Chess Championship in January 2010, until China dropped out of the event at the last minute.


title: Winchester College football

paragraphs: Winchester College football, also known as Wincofo or winkies, is a style of football, the game also called soccer, that is played at Winchester College in England during the spring term. The Winchester students call this period ""common time."" It was originally played during the autumn term, or ""short half."" It is very similar to games played at other public schools such as Eton's wall game and Harrow game. The school is located in the city of Winchester in Hampshire, England.

paragraphs: This game was originally played down Kingsgate Street, a long street that runs parallel to the college. However, there were very few rules. The only thing that has not changed is that the canvas (the pitch or field the game is played on) has the same measurements as the part of the street the original version of the game was played on.

paragraphs: Nobody knows when the game was moved. It was moved away from the town to the grassland at the top of St. Catherine's Hill. To stop the ball from going into the canal below, the players used junior men from the college to go fetch it when it was not caught by the players. In the current version of the game, there are still classmates used as watchers who catch stray balls. However, there were problems with this. The biggest is the lines of watchers were depleted due to players being too enthusiastic and colliding with each other, causing injuries. So they introduced ropes to mark out the border of the playing field. These are now a core part of the game.


title: Nona Gaprindashvili

paragraphs: Nona Gaprindashvili (; born 3 May 1941) is a Georgian chess player. She was the strongest female player of the 1960s and 70s, and became the sixth Women's World Chess Champion (1962–1978). She was the first woman to achieve the Grandmaster title.

paragraphs: In 1961, aged 20, Gaprindashvili won the fourth women's Candidates Tournament, setting up a title match against Russian world champion Elisabeth Bykova. She won the match easily, with a final score of 9−2 (+7−0=4), and went on to defend her title successfully four times. She finally lost her crown in 1978 to another Georgian, Maia Chiburdanidze, by a score of 6½–8½ (+2−4=9).

paragraphs: Gaprindashvili played for Soviet Union in the women's chess Olympiads of 1963, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, and for Georgia in 1992. She won as many as 25 medals, among which 11 team gold medals and 9 individual gold medals At the Dubai Olympiad 1986 she won all the ten games she played.

paragraphs: She was a five-times winner of the Soviet women's chess championship: in 1964, 1973, 1981, 1983, and 1985. During her career Gaprindashvili successfully competed in men's tournaments, tying for first place at Lone Pine, California in 1977.

paragraphs: In 1978 Gaprindashvili became the first woman to be awarded the Grandmaster title. She was awarded the title partly as a result of winning Lone Pine 1977 against a field of 45 players, mostly grandmasters. Although she did not meet the technical requirements for the GM Title, this result was so spectacular that FIDE found it sufficient.

paragraphs: Pal Benko wrote in "Chess Life & Review" (January 1979):

paragraphs: Nona was the first President of the National Olympic Committee of Georgia. In 2009 she won in Condino, Italy the World Senior Championship for women.


title: Laffy Taffy

paragraphs: Laffy Taffy is a type of taffy that comes in many fruit flavours. It is made by Nestlé and the Willy Wonka Candy Company. Laffy Taffy also comes with jokes written on the wrapper. A piece of Laffy Taffy has 160 calories.


title: Giorgio de Chirico

paragraphs: Giorgio de Chirico (10 July 1888 – 20 November 1978) was an Italian painter and writer. In the years before World War I, he founded the "Scuola metafisica" art movement. The name means "Metaphysical school". The "Scuola metafisica" was a big influence on the surrealist painters. After 1919, he became interested in more traditional ways of painting. He began to paint in a neoclassical style.

paragraphs: De Chirico was born in Volos, Greece. His parents were Italian. He studied art first in Athens and then in Florence. In 1906 he went to Munich in Germany where he studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.


title: Chris Bonington

paragraphs: Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CBE (born 6 August 1934 in Hampstead, London) is a British mountaineer, someone who climbs mountains.

paragraphs: His has been to the Himalayas nineteen times. Four of those times, he climbed Mount Everest. He was the first to climb of the south part of the mountain Annapurna.


title: Jersey Telecom

paragraphs: Jersey Telecom is the former monopoly incumbent operator in the Bailiwick of Jersey. Jersey is incorporated into the UK National Telephone Numbering Plan Ofcom | The National Numbering Scheme - Telephone Numbers administered by Ofcom area codes of +44 1534 for landlines and +44 7797 for Jersey Telecom mobiles, +44 7700 for Cable and Wireless mobiles and +44 7829 for Jersey Airtel mobiles. It is not connected to Jersey Post, the island's postal service.


title: The Cable Guy

paragraphs: The Cable Guy is an 1996 American black comedy thriller movie that was produced by Judd Apatow and Bernie Brillstein and was directed by Ben Stiller.

paragraphs: Jim Carrey plays a man with borderline personality disorder who installs cable television in people's homes. He is obsessed with one of his customers, played by Matthew Broderick.

paragraphs: The Cable Guy was released on June 14, 1996 in North America. The movie received mixed reviews with a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 out of 100 from Metacritic.


title: Annabeth

paragraphs: Annabeth is a female English given name. People and fictional characters with the name include:


title: Lucy Beale

paragraphs: Lucy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", and is currently being played by Hetti Bywater. She is the daughter of Cindy and Ian Beale. Her stepmother is Jane Beale.


title: Camilla and Rebecca Rosso

paragraphs: Camilla Rosso and Rebecca Rosso (born 6 July 1994 in Wimbledon, London, England) are identical twin actresses. They had a role on "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody", where they were the twins Janice (Camilla) and Jessica (Rebecca). They also had the principal roles in the third movie in the series of "Legally Blonde", "Legally Blondes", which appeared on ABC Family and Disney Channel.

paragraphs: Camilla and Rebecca were discovered when they were selected in an audience by one of the executive producers of "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" at a live taping of the show. They then auditioned, and they started to perform the roles of twins Janice (Camilla) and Jessica (Rebecca). They appeared in 7 episodes of the show.

paragraphs: They appeared in the film "Legally Blondes", which was released direct-to-DVD on April 28, 2009 as a sequel to "Legally Blonde". Reese Witherspoon, star of the original "Legally Blonde", presented and produced the film.

paragraphs: They currently live in Los Angeles with their mother, father, Aika (their dog), and three sisters Georgina (also an actress), Lola, and Bianca Rosso.


title: Alexander Karelin

paragraphs: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin (born September 19, 1967 in Novosibirsk, Russian SFSR) is an athlete from the Russian Federation. He is considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time and one of the best wrestlers of his time. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games.


title: Sunday school

paragraphs: Sunday School is a kind of schooling found in many churches or other Christian communities. Classes are done on Sundays. Before or after the main part of worship, a class is held to learn more about that church's teachings and about the Bible. Sometimes the class is only for children, sometimes adults go there as well and sometimes there are different classes for adults and for children.

paragraphs: Sunday schools were first set up in the 1780s to provide education to working children on their one day off from the factory. Robert Raikes contributed to their development. Raikes was the editor of "The Glouchestor Journal", and he wanted to stop children from becoming bad. In 1805, Stockport Sunday School made a school for 5000 students. In the late 19th century this was the largest in the world.

paragraphs: The first Sunday school in London opened at Surrey Chapel by a pastor named Rowland Hill. By 1831, 1,250,000 children went every week to Sunday School in Great Britain. This was bout 25 percent of the people.

paragraphs: The American Sunday School system was first begun by Samuel Slater in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the 1790's.

paragraphs: Some Roman Catholic churches do Sunday schools, though Catholics commonly refer to Sunday school as "Catechism class".

paragraphs: Priests or pastors sometimes teach Sunday schools.


title: Grimké sisters

paragraphs: Sarah Grimké (1792-1873) and Angelina Grimké Weld (1805–1879), known as the Grimké sisters, were 19th-century American Quakers, educators and writers who supported abolitionism and women's rights.

paragraphs: The Grimké sisters were born in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Sarah Moore Grimke was born on November 26, 1792 and Angelina Emily Grimke was born on November 26, 1805. They traveled in the North, talking about their experiences with slavery on their father's plantation. They were often mocked and laughed at. They both saw that women needed more freedom to help change society. They began helping the women's rights movement.

paragraphs: In 1838, the sisters became the first women to speak at a meeting of the Massachusetts state legislature. They spoke about slavery and abolitionism. People were very shocked. They helped attract thousands of women in New England to the movement. Many came to hear Sarah and Angelina speak at public lectures.

paragraphs: In 1838, Sarah wrote a paper called "Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Women." It answered many questions which were asked in a letter by a group of ministers who did not like the sisters because they had stepped out of their "woman's proper sphere".

paragraphs: They lived to see the end to slavery, and the beginning of women's rights.


title: DjVu

paragraphs: DjVu (pronounced like French "déjà vu") is a open computer file format. It is made mostly to store scanned documents. It is especially used for things with a mix of words, line drawings, and photographs inside. DjVu has been sold as an alternative to PDF, as it gives smaller files than PDF for most scanned documents. The DjVu developers report that color magazine pages make smaller to 40–70 kB. Black and white technical papers make it smaller to 15–40 kB. Old manuscripts make smaller to around 100 kB; a satisfactory JPEG image usually needs 500 kB. Like PDF, DjVu can have a OCR text layer. This makes it easy to cut and paste, and search for text.


title: People For the American Way

paragraphs: People for the American Way (PFAW) is a progressive organization that is involved in political activism. Issues that it involves itself in are judicial nominations, church/state separation, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC in the U.S. Congress and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people and promotion of civic participation.

paragraphs: PFAW says about its purpose on its website


title: Vladislav Listyev

paragraphs: Vladislav Listyev (, 10 May 1956 - 1 March 1995) was a Russian businessman, television presenter and journalist, the first Director-General of the Russian ORT television.


title: Mac Pro

paragraphs: The Mac Pro is a workstation computer made by Apple Inc. It is part of the company's Apple Macintosh group of computers. Also, it is the fastest computer Apple sells. It runs on Intel Xeon microprocessors. It is like the Power Mac G5, which is the computer it replaced. The Mac Pro looks the same and the parts inside the computer can be changed the same, too. There are two other computers sold by Apple that are also called "desktop" computers. They are the iMac and Mac mini.

paragraphs: The first Mac Pro was announced at the 2006 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. The computer used the Intel Woodcrest microprocessor.


title: Mac Mini

paragraphs: The Mac Mini is a personal computer made by Apple Inc. It is small for a desktop computer, at 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) square and 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall. It was introduced on January 22, 2005. The newest model came out on October 20, 2009. It weighs 2.9 pounds (1.31 kg). The Mac Mini's power supply is outside of the machine. It is about one third of the size of the computer itself.

paragraphs: The Mac Mini is the first Macintosh desktop to not ship with a keyboard or mouse. Also, it does not come with a display. The Mac Mini is mainly intended for buyers who are "switchers" (users moving from PC/Windows to Mac) who already own a display, USB keyboard and a mouse. Others could easily buy these if needed.

paragraphs: A special version of the computer is also intended for use as a server in a smaller system (like a home network). It comes with Snow Leopard Server and two 500GB hard drives. The server does not have a built-in optical disc drive like other Mac Minis.


title: Xserve

paragraphs: The Xserve is a server made by Apple Inc. which started in 2002. It was Apple's first server since the Apple Network Servers that they made in 1996. It first came with one or two PowerPC G4 processors. Later, new PowerPC G5 were added. Now, the server runs on two quad-core Intel Nehalem CPUs.

paragraphs: The Xserve can be used for many things, such as a file server and web server. It can even be used for high-performance computing applications using clustering—a dedicated cluster Xserve, the Xserve Cluster Node. This means there are many Xserves linked together so they can combine their power. For this, it was available without a video card or optical drive.


title: AirPort

paragraphs: AirPort and AirPort Extreme are local area wireless networking products that are made by the company Apple Inc.

paragraphs: Both the AirPort and the AirPort Extreme can both mean the protocol, the expansion card or the base station.

paragraphs: In Japan, AirPort is called the AirMacAirMac because the name AirPort was taken by I-O DATA.


title: Mackerel

paragraphs: Mackerel is a common name given to a number of species of fish. Most mackerel are from the Scombridae family.

paragraphs: They are pelagic fish, found in both temperate and tropical seas. Most live along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.

paragraphs: Mackerel typically have vertical stripes on their backs and deeply forked tails. They are superb swimmers, but are often eaten by larger predators such as cod, sharks and dolphins.

paragraphs: Mackerel is an oily fish with rich of omega-3. The flesh of mackerel spoils easily, especially in the tropics, and can cause food poisoning. So, it should be eaten on the day of capture, unless pickled in salt, or refrigerated.


title: Theravada

paragraphs: Theravada is the oldest-surviving denomination of Buddhism.

paragraphs: Theravada was founded in Nepal. It is relatively conservative, and generally closest to early Buddhist practice. For many centuries it has been the main religion of Sri Lanka (now about 70% of the population) and most of continental Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand). Theravada is also practiced by minorities in parts of southwest China (by the Shan and Tai ethnic groups), Vietnam (by the Khmer Krom), Bangladesh (by the ethnic groups of Baruas, Chakma, and Magh), Malaysia and Indonesia.

paragraphs: Recently this oldest-surviving denomination of Buddhism gaining popularity in Singapore and the Western world. Today Theravada Buddhists, who are also known as Theravadins, number over 100 million worldwide; in recent decades Theravada has begun to take root in the West and in the Buddhist revival in Nepal.

paragraphs: International Buddhist Meditation Center operates in Kathmandu.


title: Poverty line

paragraphs: The poverty line, which is also sometimes called the poverty threshold, is the smallest amount of money a person or a family needs to live on; to buy what is needed and is a line which is a gulf between the rich and the poor. It is the imaginary line drawn by the experts which has a particular amount if anybody earn income which is lower than this amount is known as poor and other who earn more than this amount is known as non-poor. People who are below this line are classified as poor. This line is used to decide who can get extra help with things like food, shelter or medical care. There is a poverty line based on the income and another based on consumption levels.

paragraphs: The poverty line is not the same in all countries. It can be decided by the economy. In the United States, the poverty line is different depending on how many people there are in a family. This is because it costs more to buy food and supplies for more people. So, for example, it is higher in a family with eight people than in a family with three people. The poverty line also makes sure the poor and rich are separated immensely. If there were not a poverty line, the distribution of goods to those of whom are actually poor, would decrease.


title: Taquería

paragraphs: Taquería (sometimes misspelled as "taquiria") is a Spanish word meaning "taco shop". In some places, means a restaurant specializing in burritos, although tacos and other Mexican dishes are often served as well. The first "taquerías" were people in stalls on the streets, but now many "taquerías" have moved into buildings and become restaurants.


title: Second Fleet (Australia)

paragraphs: The Second Fleet is the name of the second group of ships sent with settlers, convicts and supplies to colony at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, Australia. There were six ships in the fleet: one Royal Navy Escort, four convict ships, and a supply ship.

paragraphs: The ships were meant to sail to Australia together, and get to Sydney Cove in 1789. However the escort ship was wrecked on the way and did not arrive, and one convict ship was delayed and arrived two months after the other ships.

paragraphs: Unlike the First Fleet, where great efforts were taken to keep the convicts healthy, the Second Fleet was run by private businesses who kept the convicts in horrific conditions. When they got to Sydney, the sick convicts were a drain on the already struggling colony.

paragraphs: The "Lady Juliana" sailed before the other convict ships and is not always counted as part of the Second Fleet. The supply ship "Justinian" did not sail with the convict ships and arrived before them. "HMS Guardian" set out before the convict ships but struck ice after leaving the Cape of Good Hope, went back to southern Africa and was wrecked on the coast.

paragraphs: The "Surprize", "Neptune" and "Scarborough" were sent by the firm "Camden, Calvert & King". They had agreed to transport, clothe and feed the convicts for a fee of £17 7s. 6d per head This fee was paid whether the convicts landed dead or alive. This firm had previously been in the business of taking slaves to North America. The only government people on the ship were the naval agent, Lieutenant John Shapcote, and the Captain of the Guard; all other crew were supplied by the firm.

paragraphs: The Second Fleet left England on 19 January 1790, with 1,006 convicts (928 male and 78 female). They made only one stop on the way, at the Cape of Good Hope. Here 20 male convicts, survivors from "Guardian", were taken on board. The three ships made a faster trip than the First Fleet, arriving at Port Jackson in the last week of June 1790. This was three weeks after "Lady Juliana", and one week after the supply ship "Justinian".

paragraphs: The trip was fast, but the rate of people dying was the highest in the history of transportation to Australia. Of the 1,026 convicts who left, 267 (256 men and 11 women) died during the voyage (26%).

paragraphs: On "Neptune" the convicts were not given enough food, they were kept tied up with chains, and rarely let up onto the deck. Many of them got scurvy. On "Scarborough", they were fed, but a reported mutiny attempt led to the convicts being kept locked up below the deck.

paragraphs: Captain William Hill, Captain of the guard, later wrote that the ships' captains did not feed the convicts so that they could sell the food in another country. They wanted the convicts to die quickly so that they did not have to waste the food on them and could keep it for sale later.

paragraphs: When they got to Sydney, the half naked convicts were lying without bedding, too ill to move. Those unable to walk were thrown over the side. All were covered with lice. At least 486 of the convicts were sick, 47% of those who had left England. The others were described as “lean and emaciated” and showing “more horrid spectacles than had ever been witnessed in this country”.

paragraphs: Among the people on the Second Fleet were D'Arcy Wentworth and his convict mistress Catherine Crowley, on "Neptune", and John Macarthur, then a young lieutenant in the New South Wales Corps, and his wife Elizabeth, on "Scarborough". Macarthur's eldest son, Edward Macarthur, who came with his parents on the "Neptune" and "Scarborough", is believed to be the only person who sailed in the Second Fleet of whom we have a photograph. He was also the last survivor of the voyage.

paragraphs: When news of the horrors of the Second Fleet reached England, both the public and government were shocked. An enquiry was held but no attempt was made to arrest Donald Traill, captain of "Neptune". He had been described as an insane sadist. The government did not charge him, the other captains, or the firm of contractors. They had already been contracted by the government to prepare the Third Fleet for sailing to Port Jackson in 1791.

paragraphs: Traill and his Chief Mate, William Ellerington, were privately put in court for the murder of an unnamed convict, seaman Andrew Anderson, and John Joseph, cook. But, after a trial lasting three hours before Sir James Marriott in the Admiralty Court, the jury set both men free "without troubling the Judge to sum up the evidence".


title: Erin (color)

paragraphs: Erin is the color halfway between green and spring green on the color wheel. The color "erin" is named after the word "Erin", a poetic name for Ireland.

paragraphs: The first written use of "erin" as a color name in English was in 1922.


title: Culture of ancient Rome

paragraphs: Ancient Roman culture grew through the almost 1200 years of Rome's civilization. The Romans conquered many peoples and brought back from their wars many things from each land. Their way of life was a mix of many cultures, influences, and religions. Starting in the 2nd century BC, Greek influence became very important. Architecture, painting, sculpture, laws, and literature grew to a high level. Slaves, and Christians were treated differently by different rulers. Rome was a trading nation which kept military control over a wide range of peoples, mostly around the Mediterranean.

paragraphs: There were four classes of people in Rome: the aristocrats, the equestrians, the common citizens, and the slaves. The aristocrat class had about 300 families, mostly senators. The aristocrat class was very powerful. The equestrians or “equites” were merchants, government builders, and bankers who were usually less rich. The common citizens were farmers, industrial workers, and the city mob. Slaves had to work hard and were usually released when they became old. Some slaves were trained to be gladiators for people to watch. Other slaves worked in rich homes as doorkeepers, litter-bearers, messengers, or servants. Some Greek slaves were teachers who taught their language, or doctors.

paragraphs: The original Roman religion had many gods, with stories called Roman mythology.

paragraphs: At the time of the birth of Jesus, the Roman Empire ruled the entire Mediterranean area. Jesus taught to worship God only. Because Christians worshiped only God and did not join in the festivals to other gods, Romans thought they were unpatriotic. Many Christians were crucified. Romans persecuted them for many years. Sometimes they were killed by animals for a show.

paragraphs: However, Christianity still spread in the Roman Empire. A great change took place when Constantine I became emperor. He moved the capital of the empire to Byzantium, converted to Christianity, and protected Christians from harm. Many Romans continued to worship the old gods.

paragraphs: In the Imperial Age, the poorer Roman houses were built of sun-dried brick. These houses only had one room. In this one room the family slept, ate, and had visitors. Richer people had mansions. Statues and paintings were shown. Small rooms were used as living and dining places. In the center there was a court with a garden. It was decorated with fountains, plants, and flowers. Floors were often made of mosaics, tiles, or marble with lots of different colors. Some walls were painted. Dishes were made of pottery or glass. There was plumbing in some houses and in the public baths, and a sewer system was used. Hot air warmed the house from a heating system. Many rich Romans had two houses, one in the town and one in the country.

paragraphs: Poor people lived in buildings where the top floors were for the poorest. Sometimes they could have as many as 200 steps to reach them. Many fires happened. Buckets of water were used to put out fires, though many times it did not work.

paragraphs: Poor people ate vegetables, fish, salt, cheese, fruits, nuts, and olive oil. Meat, especially beef, was usually not eaten. Breakfast was usually not eaten and, for lunch, leftovers were used. Rich people ate dinner before four in the afternoon. They usually ate from three to ten hours. Hands were washed between the courses. One emperor served 22 courses at his dinner parties. If visitors were invited to dinner, slaves were sent to bring them on time, because water clocks did not always work the same. People enjoyed eating grapes for dessert. At first, cold clams and oysters were eaten for dessert, but later people ate them at the beginning of a meal instead.

paragraphs: The public baths were used not only for bathing. Besides the hot water rooms and cold water rooms, there were gardens, stadiums, art galleries, libraries, and places to eat. There were even underground passageways to get to places more easily. Aqueducts fed water for the baths. They were so well built that some are still used.

paragraphs: The Romans were very proud of their aqueducts. They thought they were better than the "useless" Egyptian pyramids. They also used these for drinking water.

paragraphs: Big ships called "quinqueremes" had 300 people to row with oars. They could travel 100 miles (160 km) a day. Trade paths were protected from pirates. Many ships carried food; others carried pearls, pepper, cotton, cinnamon, and silk. A pound of silk, at that time, cost a pound of gold.

paragraphs: The native language of the Romans was Latin. Its alphabet was based on the Etruscan alphabet, which was in turn based on the Greek alphabet.

paragraphs: The surviving Latin literature is in Classical Latin from the 1st century BC. The spoken language of the Roman Empire was Vulgar Latin, which differed from Classical Latin in grammar and vocabulary, and eventually in pronunciation.

paragraphs: Out of Latin came Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian. Latin was used for medicine and science words.

paragraphs: Latin remained the main written language of the Roman Empire. Greek became the language spoken by the well-educated elite, because most of the literature studied by Romans was written in Greek. Roman literature was much influenced by Greek literature. Some of the best known examples are the "Aeneid" by Virgil, Plutarch's "Lives of Famous Men", and "Odes" by Horace.

paragraphs: In the eastern half of the Roman Empire, which later became the Byzantine Empire, Latin did not replace Greek at all. After the death of Justinian, Greek became the official language of the Byzantine government. The expansion of the Roman Empire spread Latin throughout Europe. Vulgar Latin evolved into dialects in different locations, gradually changing into the distinct Romance languages.

paragraphs: The Romans built great roads and bridges. They wrote plays and kept the Phoenician alphabet. The Romans were usually practical, and kept the Grecian culture alive. Many of the aqueducts they made are still there and used. Rome also had the first hospitals in the Western World. They also had the first system of state medicine for poor people.

paragraphs: Their buildings were decorated by mosaics on the floors, and paintings done directly on the walls.

paragraphs: The Romans' music was an important part of their lives. Song (known as "carmen") was part of almost every social occasion. Music accompanied spectacles and events in the arena. It was part of the performing arts form called "pantomimus", an early form of story ballet that combined expressive dancing, instrumental music and a sung libretto.

paragraphs: They were influenced by Etruscan and Greek music. What the Romans sang simply followed the natural melody of the song.


title: Lagerstätte

paragraphs: Lagerstätte (plural: "Lagerstätten") is a German word for places (sites) of exceptional fossil preservation. Adolf Seilacher coined the term in 1970 to describe sites, like Solnhofen, which yielded the most exceptional fossils.

paragraphs: Extra-special sites are called "Konservat-Lagerstätten" (conservation Lagerstätten). These are deposits known for the exceptional preservation of fine details. There skeletons are mostly articulated (bones together in life form), and the soft parts are preserved as impressions or casts.

paragraphs: In Lagerstätten the normal processses of decay after death were less active or halted as sediment was deposited. This allowed the preservation of soft parts and exceptional detail.

paragraphs: There are several possible causes which allow this to happen:

paragraphs: In these conditions, which are exceptional, scavengers, burrowers and bacteria are eliminated or reduced. Then the normal processes of deposition and fossilisation produces strata containing exceptional fossils.

paragraphs: Most of what we know about the details of extinct life comes from these exceptional sites. The soft-bodied Ediacaran biota, the fins of ichthyosaurs, the fur and wing structure of pterosaurs, the feathers on Mesozoic dinosaurs and birds, are all discoveries made on fossils from Lagerstätten. These sites preserve much of the fauna and flora of the time and place. That permits reconstruction of its ecology.

paragraphs: There are about 50 sites which have been described as Lagerstätten.


Hellenism


title: Post-impressionism

paragraphs: Post-impressionism (or Post-Impressionism) is a term used to describe the development of French art after Manet (1832–1883). The British artist and art critic Roger Fry used the term in 1910, and it is now a standard art term. Fry organized the 1910 exhibition "Manet and the Post-Impressionists".

paragraphs: The post-impressionists were artists of the late 19th century who saw the work of the French Impressionist painters and were influenced by them. Their art styles grew out of the style called Impressionism. The word "Post-" means "after", so "post-impressionist" painting came after "impressionist" painting. These artists developed impressionism but rejected its limitations. They continued using the real-life subject matter, with vivid colours, often with thick paint. However, they added other ideas. Using geometric forms, to distorting form for effect, and using unnatural colours are some of their ways. The critic Rewald said "the term 'post-impressionism' is not a very precise one, though a very convenient one".

paragraphs: The main post-impressionist painters were Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Henri Rousseau ('Le Douanier'). Picasso and Braque were certainly post-impressionists, but we describe them as Cubists.

paragraphs: The post-impressionist painters lived in France and knew each other, but they did not work together as a group, in the way that some of the impressionists did. They painted in ways that were different from each other. The post-impressionists led the way for other artists to experiment and develop all the different styles of Modern art in the 20th century.

paragraphs: The Post-Impressionist painters all experimented in different ways with the ideas of the Impressionists. Most of the important art movements (styles) of the twentieth century developed out of their work. Even though the Post-Impressionist painters were not well known in their lifetimes, they became so famous that in the 21st century their paintings sell for millions of dollars.

paragraphs: Click on each image to enlarge it, to see the way each artist has used brush-strokes and colour.


title: Sunshine Skyway Bridge

paragraphs: Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a highway bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida, that crosses 29,040 feet (5.5 miles or about 8.85 km). Every day, about 50,500 vehicles (cars and trucks) cross over the bridge. The bridge is considered Florida's ""flag bridge"" (Florida's most important bridge). On May 9, 1980, a freighter ship, called the MV "Summit Venture", ran into one of the bridge's supporting columns. 1200 feet (366 meters) of the bridge fell into the water, and 35 people were killed. The bridge was reconstructed to its current version in 1987.


title: Handbook

paragraphs: A handbook (sometimes called a "vade mecum" which is Latin for "go with me") is a pocket book that can be carried at all times. Now however, this term is thought to be very old and is not in normal use any more.

paragraphs: Handbooks may have information about any topic, and are mostly guides of information in a special field or about a special method. They are not made for reading through from end to end. They are made to have fast answers in their area. For example, the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is a style guide for how to cite works in the MLA way, among other things.


title: Yasuhiro Yamashita

paragraphs: Yamashita was in the 1984 Summer Olympics. He tore a right calf muscle early on. Even so he made it to the final. He played the final match against Mohamed Ali Rashwan of Egypt. Yamashita won the final and the gold medal despite his injury. Rashwan did not aim for Yamashita's right leg. Rashwan was given an award from the International Fairplay Committee.


title: Mia Hamm

paragraphs: Mariel Margaret Hamm-Garciaparra (born on March 17, 1972, in Selma, Alabama), best known as Mia Hamm, is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played as a Striker for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004.


title: Frankenstadion

paragraphs: The Max-Morlock-Stadion is a football stadium in the southeast of Nuremberg, Germany. Since the 1963/1964 season, the stadium has been the home ground of 1. FC Nürnberg. The stadium has 48,553 seats. During the soccer World Cup 2006, the stadium was called "Frankenstadion".


title: Texas Christian University

paragraphs: Texas Christian University is a private co-ed university in Fort Worth, Texas in the United States. The school had 8,647 students in 2015. Their athletics teams are called the Horned Frogs.


title: Atlantic Giant

paragraphs: Atlantic Giant is the name of a very large type of pumpkin. Fruit can grow to be larger than in diameter. The biggest Atlantic Giant ever grown weighed 2,624 pounds.


title: Predator X

paragraphs: Predator X is a giant species of pliosaur discovered in 2006 by Norwegian scientist, Jorn Hurum. The skull was dug up in 2008 and told a lot about this animal. As far as scientists are concerned this animal had a bite force that was 4 times more powerful than that of a Tyrannosaurus and had a bite force 10 times more powerful than any modern giant predators today like the saltwater crocodile and the great white shark. From what scientists could gather this animal could lift a car in its mouth and crush it completely. This creature measured 49 feet long and weighed 99,000 pounds (49.5 tons). It lived about 147 million years ago and its remains were discovered in the Arctic.


title: Emanuel Lasker

paragraphs: Emanuel Lasker (24 December 1868 – 11 January 1941) was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years.

paragraphs: In his prime Lasker was one of the most dominant champions, and he is generally regarded as one of the strongest players ever. He finally lost the title to Capablanca in 1921.

paragraphs: Lasker demanded high fees for playing matches and tournaments, which aroused some criticism. He had seen how Steinitz's life had ended in poverty, and was determined to avoid this fate.

paragraphs: The conditions which Lasker demanded for World Championship matches in the last ten years of his reign were controversial, and prompted attempts to define rules for championship matches.

paragraphs: Lasker was also a talented mathematician, and his Ph.D. thesis is regarded as one of the foundations of modern algebra. He was a first-class contract bridge player and wrote about this and other games, including Go and his own invention, "Lasca".

paragraphs: Emanuel Lasker was the son of a Jewish cantor. At the age of eleven he was sent to Berlin to study mathematics, where he lived with his brother Berthold, eight years his senior, who taught him how to play chess. To supplement their income Emanuel Lasker played chess and card games for small stakes, especially at the Café Kaiserhof.

paragraphs: In 1890 he finished third in Graz, then shared first prize with his brother Berthold in a tournament in Berlin. In spring 1892, he won two tournaments in London, the second and stronger of these without losing a game. At New York 1893, he won all thirteen games, one of the few times in chess history that a player has achieved a perfect score in a significant tournament.

paragraphs: His record in matches was equally impressive: at Berlin in 1890 he drew a short play-off match against his brother Berthold; and won all his other matches from 1889 to 1893, mostly against top-class opponents: Curt von Bardeleben 1889; Jacques Mieses 1889; Henry Edward Bird 1890; Berthold Englisch 1890; Joseph Henry Blackburne 1892, without losing a game; Jackson Showalter 1892–1893; and Celso Golmayo Zúpide 1893.

paragraphs: In 1892 Lasker founded the first of his chess magazines, "The London Chess Fortnightly", which was published from August 15, 1892 to July 30, 1893. In the second quarter of 1893 there was a gap of ten weeks between issues, allegedly because of problems with the printer. Shortly after its last issue Lasker traveled to the USA, where he spent the next two years.

paragraphs: Lasker challenged Siegbert Tarrasch, who had won three consecutive international tournaments, to a match. Tarrasch haughtily declined, stating that Lasker should first prove his mettle by attempting to win one or two major international events.

paragraphs: Rebuffed by Tarrasch, Lasker challenged the reigning World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz to a match for the title. Initially Lasker wanted to play for US $5,000 a side, but the final figure was $2,000. The final combined stake of $4,000 would be worth over $495,000 at 2006 values.

paragraphs: The match was played in 1894, at venues in New York, Philadelphia, and Montreal. Steinitz had previously declared he would win without doubt, so it came as a shock when Lasker won the first game. Steinitz responded by winning the second, and was able to maintain the balance through the sixth. However, Lasker won all the games from the seventh to the eleventh, and Steinitz asked for a week's rest. When the match resumed, Steinitz looked in better shape and won the 13th and 14th games. Lasker struck back in the 15th and 16th, and Steinitz was unable to compensate for his losses in the middle of the match. Hence Lasker won convincingly with ten wins, five losses and four draws. Lasker thus became the second recognized World Chess Champion, and confirmed his title by beating Steinitz even more convincingly in their re-match in 1896–1897 (ten wins, five draws, and two losses).

paragraphs: Lasker won first prizes at very strong tournaments in St. Petersburg 1895–1896, Nuremberg 1896, London 1899, Paris 1900. As time passed, there arose two great players, Akiba Rubinstein and Capablanca. Both deserved a match for the world championship, but as it turned out, the chance came to another fine player, Carl Schlechter.

paragraphs: Lasker arranged the World Chess Championship match against Schlechter in January–February 1910. Schlechter was a modest man, who was generally unlikely to win the major chess tournaments by his peaceful inclination, his lack of aggressiveness and his willingness to accept most draw offers from his opponents (about 80% of his games finished by a draw).

paragraphs: The conditions of the match are still debatable, because they were never published. Some claim that Schlechter accepted especially unfavourable conditions. Giffard says he would need to finish two points ahead of Lasker to be declared the winner of the match, and he would need to win a revenge match to be declared World Champion. This opinion is not proven.

paragraphs: The match was originally meant to consist of 30 games, but when it became obvious that there were insufficient funds (Lasker demanded a fee of 1,000 marks per game played), the number of games was reduced to ten.

paragraphs: In the fifth game Lasker had a big advantage, but made a mistake which cost him the game. Schlechter was now a point ahead. The score before the last game was 5–4 for Schlechter. In the tenth game Schlechter tried to win and took a clear advantage, but he missed a win on his 35th move, and finished by losing. Hence the match was a draw and Lasker remained World Champion.

paragraphs: At St. Petersburg 1914 he overcame a 1½ point deficit to finish ahead of the rising stars Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine.

paragraphs: In January 1920 Lasker and José Raúl Capablanca signed an agreement to play a World Championship match in 1921, noting that Capablanca was not free to play in 1920.

paragraphs: The match was played in March–April 1921. After four draws, the fifth game saw Lasker blunder with Black in an equal ending. Capablanca's solid style allowed him to easily draw the next four games, without taking any risks. In the tenth game, Lasker as White failed to create the necessary activity and Capablanca reached a superior ending, which he duly won. The eleventh and fourteenth games were also won by Capablanca, and Lasker resigned the match.

paragraphs: Some commentators attributed the result to Lasker's being in mysteriously poor form. On the other hand Vladimir Kramnik thought that Lasker played quite well and the match was an "even and fascinating fight" until Lasker blundered in the last game, and explained that Capablanca was twenty years younger, a slightly stronger player, and had more recent competitive practice.

paragraphs: After winning the New York 1924 chess tournament (1½ points ahead of Capablanca) and finishing second at Moscow in 1925 (1½ points behind Efim Bogoljubow, ½ point ahead of Capablanca), he effectively retired from serious chess.

paragraphs: In 1926 Lasker wrote "Lehrbuch des Schachspiels", which he re-wrote in English in 1927 as "Lasker's Manual of Chess". He also wrote books on other games of mental skill: "Encyclopedia of games" (1929) and "Das verständige Kartenspiel" (1929); English translation in the same year. Both these books posed a problem in the mathematical analysis of card games. "Brettspiele der Völker" ("Board games of the nations" 1931) had 30 pages about Go and a section about a game he had invented in 1911, "Lasca". "Das Bridgespiel" "The Game of Bridge" was published in 1931. Lasker became an expert bridge player, representing Germany at international events in the early 1930s, and a registered teacher of the Culbertson system.

paragraphs: In October 1928 Emanuel Lasker's brother Berthold died.

paragraphs: In spring 1933 Adolf Hitler started a campaign of discrimination and intimidation against Jews, depriving them of their property and citizenship. Lasker and his wife Martha, who were both Jewish, left Germany the same year. After a stay in England, in 1935 they were invited to live in the USSR by Nikolai Krylenko, the Commissar of Justice responsible for the Moscow show trials and also Sports Minister. Krylenko was an enthusiastic supporter of chess. In the USSR, Lasker renounced his German citizenship and received Soviet citizenship. He took up residence in Moscow, and was given a post at Moscow's Institute for Mathematics, and a post of trainer of the USSR national team.

paragraphs: Lasker returned to competitive chess to make some money, finishing fifth in Zürich 1934; third in Moscow 1935 behind Mikhail Botvinnik and Salo Flohr and ahead of Capablanca and other masters; sixth in Moscow 1936 and seventh equal in Nottingham 1936. His performance in Moscow 1935 at age 66 was hailed as "a biological miracle".

paragraphs: Stalin's Great Purge started at about the same time the Laskers arrived in the USSR. In August 1937, Martha and Emanuel Lasker decided to leave the Soviet Union, and they moved, via the Netherlands, to the United States (first Chicago, next New York) in October 1937.

paragraphs: In the following year Emanuel Lasker's patron, Krylenko, was purged by Stalin. Lasker tried to support himself by giving chess and bridge lectures and exhibitions, as he was now too old for serious competition. In 1940 he published his last book, "The community of the future", in which he proposed solutions for serious political problems, including anti-Semitism and unemployment. Lasker died of a kidney infection in New York on 11 January 1941, at the age of 72.


title: Viral hemorrhagic fever

paragraphs: Viral hemorrhagic fever is the name for a number of diseases. They often include fever and bleeding. They are caused by viruses. These fevers are one of the possible causes of the Black Death (most people think it is the bubonic plague).


title: Computer Algebra System

paragraphs: A computer algebra system (CAS) is a large computer program that helps people with mathematics and algebra. It changes and moves around (manipulates) mathematical equations and expressions containing numbers and symbols called variables. Variables can stand for known or unknown values that can be solved for, or can be replaced with any value. It always keeps the formula exactly the same mathematically as the original equation or expression, unless it is being transformed, by a transformation algorithm.

paragraphs: A CAS might be used for integration or differentiation (and other calculus transformations), simplification of an expression (making it smaller and/or simpler), optimizing and finding the minimum and maximum values of results or variables, etc. Most have the ability to plot functions and expressions for visualization, which can be helpful and educational too.

paragraphs: Computer algebra systems can be special purpose, focusing on only a few types of symbolic math, to very large, general purpose programs that do almost everything (for example, the free CAS Maxima, which is the oldest CAS that is still under development). The results output by a good computer algebra system are often exact, simple, and generalized to work in all possible cases. Computer programs do have bugs, so important results should always be verified for correctness.

paragraphs: Modern computer algebra systems often include extensive numeric capabilities for convenience and which fit together with its symbolic abilities.

paragraphs: Numeric domains supported often include real, complex, interval, rational, and algebraic numbers.

paragraphs: Usually floating point arithmetic is available to use if desired, because the arithmetic is done by most computer hardware very quickly. The down-side of floating point arithmetic is that it is not always exact, and is mostly useless for rocket science, because of only 14 decimal digits of accuracy (with double precision floats), and because of a growing round-off error with each calculation, sometimes even less digits are accurate. Rational number arithmetic is exact if all numbers are rational. Interval arithmetic can be used to easily calculate the total possible error of an inexact arithmetic system. Complex number arithmetic is generally supported by allowing the imaginary unit (formula_1) in expressions and following all of its algebraic rules.


title: Pi Day

paragraphs: Pi Day or Pie Approximation Day is a day when people around the world celebrate the number pi. They also eat pie to celebrate the pun as both words sound the same. Pi Day is held on March 14.

paragraphs: On Pi Day 2004, Daniel Tammet 22,514 decimal digits of π.

paragraphs: On March 14, 2010, Google made a sign celebrating Pi Day, with the word "Google" laid over images of circles and nothing else but pi symbols


title: Rick Hendrick

paragraphs: Joseph Riddick Hendrick III (born July 12, 1949) is the owner of the NASCAR race team Hendrick Motorsports. In the time that he has owned the team, he and his team have won ten Sprint Cup series championships.


title: A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin

paragraphs: A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin is a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the writer of "Uncle Tom's Cabin". She was trying to show that the stories she wrote about slaves in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" were true. However, later studies showed that Stowe had actually read lots of the books she wrote about in "A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin" after she had published her novel. It was first published in 1853 by Jewett, Proctor & Worthington.


title: Maru the cat

paragraphs: Maru the cat is a famous cat on the internet. He is from Japan and he is famous for sliding on his belly. A lot of people like to watch videos of Maru and look at pictures of him on his website. Maru also has a friend named Harry, who is a hedgehog.


title: Epistaxis

paragraphs: Epistaxis is when blood comes out of the nose. It is more commonly known as a nosebleed. Even though nosebleeds can seem scary, they are usually not serious or life threatening. Most nosebleeds happen in the front of the nose, and these are called "anterior nosebleeds". Sometimes, people get nosebleeds in the back of their noses, called "posterior nosebleeds". These are more serious, and somebody who has one may have to go to the hospital.

paragraphs: Nosebleeds are more frequent during the winter months. During this time, more upper respiratory infections occur and changes in temperature and humidity are larger.

paragraphs: Most nosebleeds are caused by one of the following:

paragraphs: They can also be caused by a reaction to something in the environment.

paragraphs: Many people tilt their heads back during a nosebleed, but this is actually not safe because it can make blood go down their throats and make them choke or get sick. Instead, the best way to deal with a nosebleed is to tilt one's head forward and pinch the bottom of their nose between one's nostrils with a wet piece of tissue paper.


title: Jeong Yak-yong

paragraphs: Jeong Yak-yong, also called Jeong Yag-yong, was a Korean philosopher in the Joseon Dynasty. He was also a thinker in the "Practical Learning", (silhak). Jeong Yak-yong was also one of the earliest Korean Catholic people.

paragraphs: Jeong was born, and died in Namyangju, Gyeonggi province.

paragraphs: Jeong served the government most of his whole life. He watched over the building of "Hwaseong Fortress" in Suwon in the 1790s. In 1794, he was the secret royal inspector (암행어사) of Gyeonggi province, and he checked and looked for the bad behaving officials. This later inspired his writings.

paragraphs: At different times in his life, Jeong had many kinds of "ho", or pen names. The most famous name was Dasan, which meant "tea mountain." Jeong used it while in his exile near a mountain of the same name, in Gangjin County, on the coast of South Jeolla province. Other pen names of his include Sammi (삼미/三眉), Yeoyudang (여유당/與猶堂), Saam (사암/俟菴), Jahadoin (자하도인/紫霞道人), Tagong (탁옹/籜翁), Taesu (태수/苔叟), Munamirin (문암일인/門巖逸人), and Cheolmasancho (철마산초/鐵馬山樵).

paragraphs: At birth, his father gave Jeong the name Gwinong, (귀농/歸農). Gwinong meant "returning to the land." As a Roman Catholic, Jeong had the baptized name John, or 요한 (Yohan), in Korean.

paragraphs: After his death, the King gave Jeong the special name Mundo (문도/文度). "Mun" meant writing or literature, and "do" meant law.


title: Silhak

paragraphs: Silhak (실학) was a teaching that was once very famous in the Joseun Dynasty, in Korea. "Sil" means "actual" or "practical," and "hak" means "studies" or "learning". It also meant "practical learning", like teaching how to farm and about economy.

paragraphs: Silhak was first made when the Joseon Dynasty was having a hard time, and after Japan had made war with them. The people of Korea were very poor, and their economical situation was not good. Also, all the farmland had grown and it was very hard to farm. To prevent all of this trouble, instead of learning neo-Confucianism, some philosophers decided that a new education should be made to help the poor, and they named it Silhak.


title: Southern corroboree frog

paragraphs: There are two species of corroboree frog, the southern corroboree frog, "Pseudophryne corroboree", and the northern corroboree frog, "Pseudophryne pengilleyi". The southern corroboree frog is a very small frog with warning colouration. It has black and yellow stripes, sometimes with a greenish tinge. It is one of the brightest frogs in the world.

paragraphs: It only lives in an area of about in the Kosciusko National Park in south east Australia. Scientists believe that the total population of corroboree frogs is less than 250. Numbers of the frog have reduced by 80% in the last ten years, and so the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) have listed the southern corroboree frog as being a critically endangered species.

paragraphs: The southern corroboree frog live in a small area in the Kosciusko National Park. It usually lives in Snow Gum forest, and Sphagnum swamps. These places are very cold, because the Corroboree Frog only lives in areas higher than 1000m above sea level. The corroboree frogs breed in small ponds and wetlands during the summer months.

paragraphs: The southern corroboree frog has a very distinctive pattern of black with bright yellow stripes. They are very small, only around long when fully grown. The female frog is usually larger than the male and can be as big as They mainly eat bugs, like ants, beetles and mites. They have a very different breeding cycle to most other frogs. Most frogs breed in spring, but these frogs only breed in summer during January and February. They use the wet areas to dig small holes for their mating and nesting. They lay between 16-40 eggs. The eggs hatch 4–6 months later when water levels rise and flood the nests. The frogs live as tadpoles for another 6–8 months. They change into frogs at the start of summer in December. They become sexually active after another two years. The frogs are not known to survive a second breeding season.

paragraphs: Corroboree frogs are the first vertebrates discovered that are able to make their own poisonous alkaloid, pseudo-phrynamine. Most other frogs get it from their diet. The alkaloid is secreted from the skin as a defence against predators, and perhaps against skin infections by microbes.

paragraphs: The southern corroboree frog is Australia’s most endangered frog. Scientists have not discovered a reason for the reduction in frog numbers. There are a range of problems that affect the area that they live in. Increased access by people with four-wheel drive vehicles and the development of ski resorts are destroying their habitat. Global warming is also a big problem for them, because they are used to the cold. Global warming may shorten the frog's breeding time during winter, and also destroy their snowy habitat. Holes in the ozone layer may also be a problem, because when there are holes in the ozone it means that more sun rays hit the ground, and so there is less snow. Disease from funguses can kill lots of the frogs. Erosion and pollution of waterways in which they breed can kill the frogs' eggs. They are also affected by wild pigs which destroy the wetlands.

paragraphs: The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service are now breeding the frogs in laboratories, and then releasing them into the wild when they are fully grown. After the bushfires in the summer of 2002 and 2003 all the eggs in the wild were collected and taken to the Melbourne Zoo for hatching.


title: State Library of Victoria

paragraphs: The State Library of Victoria is the main library of the state of Victoria, Australia. The library is in the capital city of Victoria, Melbourne. It is on Swanston Street, in the northern centre of the central business district. The library holds over 1.5 million books and 16,000 serials. Special books in the library include the diaries of the city's founders, John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner, and Captain James Cook.

paragraphs: In 1853 the decision to build a state library was the idea of the Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe and Sir Redmond Barry. A competition was held to choose a person to design the new building; local architect Joseph Reed, who later designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the Royal Exhibition Building, won the competition.

paragraphs: On 3 July 1854, the new Governor, Sir Charles Hotham, laid the foundation stone of both the new library and the University of Melbourne. The library opened in 1856, with a collection of 3,800 books chosen by Sir Redmond, the President of Trustees. Augustus H. Tulk, the first librarian, was started work three months after the opening.

paragraphs: The first reading room was the Queen's Reading Room, now called Queen's Hall, which opened in 1859. Temporary buildings built in 1866 for the Intercolonial Exhibition were used until 1909, when work began on a new building to mark the library's Jubilee. This new building was the famous Domed Reading Room, which opened in 1913, designed by Norman G. Peebles.

paragraphs: Plans for the rebuilding were cut back as there was not enough money for the original design. A new building for the museum was built after World War 1, in a plain classical style.

paragraphs: The reading dome's original high windows were changed and covered in copper sheets in 1959 because water was getting into the building.

paragraphs: The library was also home to the State's Art Gallery and Museum until the National Gallery of Victoria moved to St Kilda Road in the late 1960s. The new Melbourne Museum was built in the Carlton Gardens in the 1990s.

paragraphs: The library underwent a lot of rebuilding between 1990 and 2004, designed by architects Ancher Mortlock & Woolley. The project cost about AU$200 million. The reading room closed in 1999 to allow for renovation, during which dome's windows were put back. The renamed La Trobe Reading Room reopened in 2003.

paragraphs: The rebuilt library includes a number of exhibition spaces which are used for the permanent exhibitions; "The Mirror of the World: Books and Ideas " and "The Changing Face of Victoria". there is also a display from the Pictures Collection in the Cowen Gallery. The State Library of Victoria is one of the largest exhibiting libraries in the world.

paragraphs: The grassy lawn in front of the library's grand entrance on Swanston Street is a popular lunch-spot for the city's workers and students at the nearby RMIT University. When the library was built, there was a wooden picket fence around the building. In the 1870's a new wrought iron fence and gates were built. The space was opened when this fence was taken away in 1939.

paragraphs: A number of statues are in the entrance area:

paragraphs: On Sundays between 2.30pm and 5.30pm a speakers' forum takes place in front of the library, where people take turns in speaking on various subjects.

paragraphs: The landmark Domed Reading Room, which opened in 1913 and was designed by Norman G. Peebles. Its octagonal space was designed to hold over a million books and up to 500 readers. It is 34.75 m in both diameter and height, and its oculus is nearly 5 m wide. The dome was the largest of its type in the world on completion.

paragraphs: In 1965, the La Trobe Building was opened to hold the Library's collection of Australian items. This has now been moved into the La Trobe Reading Room.

paragraphs: The library has a large, world-class collection of books, periodicals, recordings and other materials about art, music and the performing arts.

paragraphs: The library has a chess room that houses a wide range of materials on the history, study and practice of chess. It contains a collection of items from the Anderson Chess Collection, one of the three largest public chess collections in the world. In addition to bookshelves containing a large range of books and magazines about chess, the room has game tables with chessboards and pieces. There are also glass cabinets with historical chess items. The room is meant for both reading, playing and studying.

paragraphs: Many of the library's electronic databases can be used from home to any Victorian who is a State Library User. Databases include the full Encyclopaedia Britannica; Oxford Reference dictionaries and encyclopaedias; multi-subject magazine and journal article databases; newspaper collections of most major Australian and international papers from 2000 onwards; and specialist subject databases.