title: Luke Skywalker

paragraphs: Luke Skywalker is a character from the "Star Wars" universe. He is the main hero of the "Star Wars" movies and book series. Luke was in three "Star Wars" movies, "", "" and "". He was also in most of the books that took place after these movies. Luke Skywalker was played by actor Mark Hamill in all three movies. The character was also shown briefly at his birth in "".

paragraphs: Luke Skywalker was the main character during the original three movies. These movies follow his life from being a farmer on the planet Tatooine to becoming an important part of the Rebel Alliance and a Jedi Knight.

paragraphs: In "" (2017), Skywalker dies in Ahch-To as Luke's body vanishes, having made peace with his legacy.

paragraphs: The adult Luke Skywalker is first seen in this movie. He was raised on the planet Tatooine. Tatooine is a desert planet. He lives with his uncle, Owen and his aunt, Beru. After he bought two droids, named C-3PO and R2-D2, stormtroopers sent by the Empire start to look for them. R2-D2 runs away one night. In the next morning, Luke and C-3PO look for him. Luke is attacked by Tusken Raiders, but is rescued by Obi-Wan Kenobi. R2-D2 plays a message from Princess Leia asking for help from Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan then says that Luke must come with him to Alderaan to learn about the Force. Luke learns that his father, Anakin Skywalker, was a Jedi. Luke also gets his father's old lightsaber. Luke says that he can not go with him and returns home. When he does, he sees that his home was destroyed (broken down). He goes back to Obi-Wan and agrees to go with him and learn about the Force. Luke, Obi-Wan and the droids go to Mos Eisley to find a pilot to take them to Alderaan. They get Han Solo and Chewbacca to take them to Alderaan. When they get there, they see that the planet is gone and there is a small moon close to where it was. This small moon is the Death Star. On board the Death Star, Luke, Han, and Chewbacca save Princess Leia. As they are about to leave they see Obi-Wan fighting Darth Vader. Obi-Wan gives his life so that the group can escape. Luke and the others go to Yavin 4 so that the secret plans to the Death Star in R2-D2 can be used to destroy the Death Star. Luke then pilots an X-wing to fight against the big space station. Luke uses the Force and fires the missile that destroys the Death Star.

paragraphs: Luke Skywalker has joined the Rebel Alliance and is on the ice planet of Hoth. While outside the base, Luke is attacked by a wampa. After escaping the wampa, Luke is weak and hurt. He sees the image of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He tells him to go to the planet Dagobah to be taught by the Jedi master Yoda. Luke is saved by Han Solo. Shortly after, the Empire attacks the Rebel base on Hoth. The Rebels leave the base. Luke takes R2-D2 in his X-wing and the two travel to Dagobah. They make a crash landing on the swamp planet and go looking for Yoda. Luke soon finds Yoda, but Yoda does not think Luke should be a Jedi. Luke convinces Yoda, and the old master starts to teach Luke. Luke faces difficult things to do. Before he completes his training he has a vision of the future. In it his friends were being tortured. Although Yoda, and the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan warn him not to leave, Luke goes to Cloud City. When he gets there he sees that it was a trap set by Darth Vader. The two then get into a lightsaber battle. Vader cuts off Luke's hand and then tells Luke that he is actually his father, Anakin Skywalker. Vader gives Luke the choice to join him but Luke says no and jumps off the platform. He is rescued by Leia and taken to a medical spaceship, where his hand is replaced.

paragraphs: In "Return of the Jedi", Luke alongside Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-3PO and Lando Calrissian attempt to rescue Han Solo from Jabba The Hutt but fail and end up captured and condemned to the Sarlacc Pit. However, Luke, using R2-D2's help, devises a plan and is able to escape the Pit and save his friends, killing Boba Fett and Jabba The Hutt in the process.

paragraphs: After this, Luke returns to Dagobah to conclude his training with Yoda, but learns he's dying. In his dying breath, Yoda confirms that Darth Vader/Anakin is Luke's father and tells the young hero he must confront Vader once more to complete his Jedi training.

paragraphs: Luke then encounters the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who also confirms Luke's origins and states he told the truth, from a certain point of view. Obi-Wan assures Luke he must kill Vader but Luke refuses, believing he can still save his father.

paragraphs: After this, Luke learns that Leia is also his sister.

paragraphs: Luke, Han and Leia go to the moon of Endor to stop the Empire once and for all in their newly constructed Death Star II.

paragraphs: Luke handles himself over to Vader, attempting to save his father, who claims Anakin Skywalker is dead and that the Emperor will soon be Luke's new master.

paragraphs: Upon reaching the Emperor's Throne Room, Luke learns his rebel friends are going into a trap and tries to kill the Emperor but is stopped by Vader.

paragraphs: Father and son duel once more, with Luke using the Dark Side to overpower Vader. Realizing he's becoming the thing he swore to destroy, Luke denies his father's wishes of continuing the fight, but angrily lashes out at his father when the latter threatens to turn Leia to the Dark Side.

paragraphs: Luke brutally overpowers and defeats his father, but stops attacking after being goaded by the Emperor. Luke stands down, triumphantly claiming to be a Jedi like his father before him. Annoyed, the Emperor tries to kill Luke with his Force Lightning, but is killed himself by Anakin who has redeemed himself.

paragraphs: Luke carries his father's fatally wounded body to one of the shuttles as the Death Star II is about to be destroyed by the Rebel Alliance. Luke removes Vader helmet and father and son share one last moment before Anakin succumbs to his wounds. Unwillingly to let his father's body to rot in the explosion, Luke takes it with him.

paragraphs: While the rebels celebrate their victory on Endor, Luke cremates his father's body.

paragraphs: Joining his friends in the celebration, Luke sees the Force Ghosts of Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda watching him in pride.


title: Witchcraft

paragraphs: Witchcraft is the use of magical powers. This might be for healing, seeing into the future, causing harm, or for religion. A person practicing witchcraft is called a witch, although a man practicing witchcraft is often mistakenly called a wizard (a word from Northern Europe), a warlock (a word from 14th century England), a sorcerer, or shaman (a term for people who practice magic in Siberia). Such people are said to have a knowledge of the chemical (or pharmaceutical) effects of certain herbs or shrubs. Witches can use this knowledge to help people who are sick or to hurt them.

paragraphs: Witchcraft is different throughout the world and can be seen as good or bad depending on where you are. Today, many people practice a peaceful kind of witchcraft, called Wicca. However, there are still many other people who are scared of witchcraft and think that it is bad. Throughout history, there have been stories about good and bad witches. In European history, witches were accused of physically making and preforming spells to harm people. They could also harm people by using their mind. However, this belief was not real and was often used to explain why bad things happened sometimes. In Africa, witches don't use physical tools or actions to curse. They can cause harm by just thinking about it. In fact, one may be unaware of being a witch, or may have been convinced of their witch nature by the suggestion of others. This understanding was described by anthropologist E.E. Evans-Pritchard, who studied African magical beliefs.

paragraphs: Éva Pócs (a scholar and folklorist) states that there are four reasons a person is accused of witchcraft:

paragraphs: She identifies three kinds of witches in popular belief:

paragraphs: "Neighbourhood witches" are the product of neighbourhood arguments, and are found only in rural village communities where the inhabitants largely rely on each other. Such accusations follow the breaking of some social norm, such as the failure to return a borrowed item, and any person part of the normal exchange could potentially be accused. Claims of "sorcerer" witches and "supernatural" witches could arise out of social tensions, but not exclusively; the supernatural witch in particular often had nothing to do with community conflict, but expressed tensions between the human and supernatural worlds; and in Eastern and Southeastern Europe such supernatural witches became an ideology explaining calamities that befell entire communities.

paragraphs: It is believed that witches can perform magic by using plants, casting spells, or using their mind. The use of plants is often called herbalism and this involves collecting or growing herbs to use in potions or medicines to help or hurt people, animals, or things.

paragraphs: In popular artwork, witches can be seen using big metal cooking bowls called cauldrons to mix their spell ingredients. Witches also use wands, brooms, sticks, candles, swords, and fire to perform spells.

paragraphs: In some cultures, witches can harm people just by using their mind and thinking bad thoughts about a person. In these cultures, witches do not need any items and can potentially be anyone in the community.

paragraphs: In Southern African traditions, there are three classifications of somebody who uses magic.

paragraphs: Of these three categories the "tagati" is almost exclusively female, the "sangoma" is usually female, and the "inyanga" is almost exclusively male. Much of what witchcraft represents in Africa has been misunderstood and mistaken for European witchcraft. African scholar Uchenna Okeja argues that witchcraft in Africa today plays a very different social role than in Europe of the past—or present—and should be understood through an African, rather than Western view.

paragraphs: When the first Europeans came to the New World, they brought with them the Christian religion and their fear of supernatural witches. Native Americans had their own religion and beliefs. Since the Christian European settlers were living with these Native Americans and also African slaves (who had their own non-Christian religions and beliefs), this scared them. The Europeans were already scared, far away from their home in the New World with different plants and animals. This fear lead to violent crimes such as accusing and murdering people who they thought were witches and were hurting them with supernatural powers.

paragraphs: The most famous witch accusations were the 1692-1693 Salem Witch trials. During these trials, 150 people were accused of being witches, and 19 people were killed by hanging. Every Halloween season, Salem, Massachusetts hosts a Halloween festival in which they highlight their towns notorious history with the 1692 Salem Witch trials. This festival often involves live music, parties, and vendors selling witch-themed items.

paragraphs: Throughout the world there are many people who claim to have supernatural powers such as; psychics, mediums, palm readers and New Age healers. These people are sometimes members of witchcraft religions like Wicca. These people perform tricks to entertain and heal people such as tarot card reading, astrology, crystal healing, Reiki healing, talking to dead family members, or seeing the future.

paragraphs: The belief in witchcraft and its practice seem to have been widespread in the Ancient Near East and Nile Valley. It played a clear role in the cultures of ancient Egypt and in Babylonia. Later tradition included an Akkadian anti-witchcraft ritual, the Maqlû. A section from the Code of Hammurabi (about 2000 B.C.) prescribes:If a man has put a spell upon another man and it is not justified, he upon whom the spell is laid shall go to the holy river; into the holy river shall he plunge. If the holy river overcome him and he is drowned, the man who put the spell upon him shall take possession of his house. If the holy river declares him innocent and he remains unharmed the man who laid the spell shall be put to death. He that plunged into the river shall take possession of the house of him who laid the spell upon him.

paragraphs: There are many examples of witches in Greek mythology, such as Circe, who was a sorcerer in Homers’ Odyssey. Circe used potions to put spells on visitors to her house, and she could turn people into pigs.

paragraphs: Druids were members of the high-ranking professional class in ancient Celtic cultures. They were religious leaders, legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals, and political advisors

paragraphs: The earliest record of the druids comes from two Greek texts from circa 300 BCE: one, a history of philosophy written by Sotion of Alexandria, and the other a study of magic widely attributed to Aristotle. Both texts are now lost, but were quoted in the 2nd century CE work "Vitae" by Diogenes Laërtius.Some say that the study of philosophy originated with the barbarians. In that among the Persians there existed the Magi, and among the Babylonians or Assyrians the Chaldaei, among the Indians the Gymnosophistae, and among the Celts and Gauls men who were called druids and semnothei, as Aristotle relates in his book on magic, and Sotion in the twenty-third book of his Succession of Philosophers.

paragraphs: - Diogenes Laërtius,  Vitae, Introduction, Section 1Later Greek and Roman texts from the third century BCE refer to "barbarian philosophers", possibly in reference to the Gaulish druids.

paragraphs: In Medieval times, witchcraft gradually became an enemy of Christianity. Christians thought that witchcraft was the work of the devil, and the Bible was used as evidence against witchcraft. Verses such as Deuteronomy 18:11–12 and Exodus 22:18 ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live") were very influential.

paragraphs: In Europe in the Late Medieval/Early Modern period, Catholics, Protestants, and state leaders became very afraid of the power of witches. There were large witch-hunts in many places. People believed that the devil was using witches to try to overthrow Christianity, so tens or hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and others were put in prison, tortured, and had lands and possessions taken away from them. Most of these witches were women, because people believed women were more likely to be witches.

paragraphs: Witch-trials looked for evidence to prove that a person was a witch. Evidence included such things as signs of plant medicine, or images of non-Christian gods. One way to physically test if a person was a witch was to 'swim a witch'. This meant they would throw them in a river with their hands tied. If they sank, they were innocent. If they floated, they were guilty of witchcraft and were hanged. This violent practice was not based on any actual evidence. Instead, it allowed the witch-hunter to look right and powerful for the scared people who were watching.

paragraphs: In South America, people continue to practice a form of witchcraft which started before the arrival of European Christianity. Throughout the Andes, there are many places called witch markets, such as the Mercado de las Brujas in La Paz, Bolivia. These markets sell items such as plant medicines

paragraphs: Witches are often seen in art and cinema such as; "Bewitched", "Harry Potter", "Wizard of Oz", "Hocus Pocus", "Rosemary's Baby", etc.


title: Heteronym

paragraphs: A Heteronym is a word, or rather several words, with different meanings. However the words are spelt the same way. Usually they are pronounced differently.


title: Potassium permanganate

paragraphs: Potassium permanganate is an inorganic chemical compound. Its chemical formula is KMnO. It contains potassium and permanganate ions. The manganese is in the +7 oxidation state. It is also known as permanganate of potash and Condy's crystals. Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent, which means it has a tendency to take electrons from other chemicals. It dissolves in water to give purple solutions. If it is evaporated, it makes purple-black shiny crystals. It has a sweet taste and is odorless.

paragraphs: In 1659, a German chemist, Johann Rudolf Glauber, melted a mixture of the mineral pyrolusite and potassium carbonate to obtain a material that made a green solution (potassium manganate) when dissolved in water. It slowly changed colour to violet (potassium permanganate) and then finally red. This report is the first description of the production of potassium permanganate.

paragraphs: Just under 200 years later a Londoner named Henry Bollmann Condy was a chemist. He had an interest in disinfectants and made some things like "ozonised water". He found that when he melted pyrolusite with sodium hydroxide and dissolved it in water, it made a solution that had good disinfectant properties. He patented this solution, and sold it as "Condy's Fluid". The problem was that the solution was not very stable. This was fixed by using potassium hydroxide rather than sodium hydroxide. This gave a more stable material. It also was able to be dried to the just as good potassium permanganate powder. This powder was called "Condy’s crystals" or "Condy’s powder". Potassium permanganate was easy to make so Condy tried to stop other people from making it and selling it themselves.

paragraphs: Early photographers used it in flash powder.

paragraphs: Potassium permanganate is used as an oxidizing agent. It also is used in disinfectants and in deodorizers. It can be used to make many different kinds of chemicals. In waste water treatment, it is used to get rid of hydrogen sulfide, a stinky toxic gas. In analytical chemistry, an accurate concentration of KMnO is sometimes used to see how much of a certain reducing agent is in the titration. In a related way, it is used as a reagent for wood pulp. Mixing potassium permanganate and formaldehyde makes a mild tear gas.

paragraphs: Dilute solutions of KMnO convert alkenes into diols (glycols). This behaviour is also used as a qualitative test for the presence of double or triple bonds in a molecule, since the reaction makes the permanganate solution colorless. It is sometimes referred to as Baeyer's reagent.

paragraphs: Concentrated solutions oxidize a methyl group on an aromatic ring, e.g. toluene to benzoic acid.

paragraphs: KMnO oxidizes pseudoephedrine hydrochloride to produce methcathinone, a Schedule I drug in the United States. Consequently, the DEA has restricted its use and sale by classifying it as a List I controlled precursor. Potassium permanganate is listed as a Table I precursor under the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

paragraphs: Concentrated sulfuric acid reacts with potassium permanganate to give manganese(VII) oxide, which can be explosive. . This reaction also makes ozone. The ozone can ignite paper soaked in alcohol. This reaction is very dangerous.

paragraphs: The Mn-containing products from redox reactions depend on the pH. Acidic solutions of permanganate are reduced to the faintly pink Mn ion, as in manganese(II) chloride. In neutral solution, permanganate is reduced to brown manganese(IV) oxide, where Mn is in a +4 oxidation state. Manganese(IV) oxide is the stuff that stains skin when potassium permanganate is put on it. Potassium permanganate spontaneously reduces in an basic solution to green-coloured potassium manganate, where manganese is in the +6 oxidation state.

paragraphs: Solid potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizer and in general it should be kept separated from reducing agents. Some reactions need a bit of water. For example, powdered potassium permanganate and powdered sugar will ignite (but not explode) a few seconds after a drop of water is added. Dilute solutions of KMnO are not dangerous. KMnO forms dangerous products when mixed with concentrated acids.

paragraphs: Potassium permanganate stains skin and clothing and should be handled with care. Clothing stains may be washed away using acetic acid. Skin stains disappear within 48 hours.


title: Silkworm

paragraphs: The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of the Bombyx mori moth. Silk has been made for at least 5000 years in China. The moth is important because it makes silk. It is entirely dependent on humans, and it no longer lives in the wild. Silkworms eat mulberry leaves, and are native to northern China.

paragraphs: The domesticated "B. mori" and the wild "Bombyx mandarina" can still breed and sometimes produce hybrids.

paragraphs: The female silkworm lays about 300 eggs at a time. She lays eggs on the leaves of mulberry trees. The eggs are covered with gelatinous secretion by which they stick to the leaves. The female moth (silkworm) lays eggs and dies after laying eggs as she does not eat anything. The eggs are kept in a cool place so that they can be stored for a long time. In a favorable condition, they hatch into larvae. Larvae are produced in about 2 weeks from eggs at a temperature of 18 to 25 degree Celsius.

paragraphs: The cocoon is made of one thread of raw silk from 300 to 900 meters (1000 to 3000 feet) long. The fibers are very thin. About 2,000 to 5,000 cocoons are needed to make a pound of silk.

paragraphs: If the animal is allowed to survive after spinning its cocoon, it will make a hole in the cocoon when it exits as a moth. This would cut the threads and ruin the silk. Instead, silkworm cocoons are thrown into boiling water, which kills the silkworms and also makes the cocoons easier to unravel. Often, the silkworm itself is eaten.

paragraphs: The adult silkworms (moths) cannot fly. The silkworm-moths have wings about 2 inches wide and a white hairy body. Females and males are similarly colored. Adult silkworms have small mouths and do not eat.

paragraphs: In China, there is a legend that the discovery of the silkworm's silk was first invented by the wife of the Yellow Emperor, Leizu around the year 2696 BC. According to the book written in the 13th century, she was drinking tea under a tree when a cocoon fell into her tea. She picked it out and as it started to wrap around her finger, she slowly felt something warm. When the milk ran out, she saw a small cocoon. In an instant, she realized that this cocoon was the source of the silk. She taught this to the people and it became common. There are many more legends about the silkworm.

paragraphs: Khotan is an oasis, located on the southern edge of Taklamakan Desert, and was one of the first places outside of inland China to begin cultivating silk. In the far past, the Chinese guarded their knowledge of silk. It is said that a Chinese princess smuggled eggs to Khotan, hidden in her hair. After this, the way to cultivate silk was transmitted to the Western Asia, and also Europe.

paragraphs: The Japanese also love silk and started cultivating and weaving silk in the earlier age than the western countries. According to the "Records of the Three Kingdoms", a history book published in the 3rd century, Japan exported silk to "Wei", a kingdom in the northern part of the China mainland, in the 2nd century. It takes 5000 silkworms to make a single kimono.

paragraphs: In Korea, silkworm pupae are boiled and seasoned, then eaten as a popular snack food known as "beondegi".

paragraphs: In China, street vendors sell roasted silkworm pupae. The pupae are a delicacy in the Northern Area of China. They are baked with Satay sauces and rice to add extra flavor.

paragraphs: In Japan, silkworm pupae are usually used as bait to catch fish, and sometimes served as "tsukudani". It can be made by dipping and boiling Silkworm Pupae in a sweet-sour sauce with soy sauce and sugar.


title: Death Valley

paragraphs: Death Valley is a National Park in the U.S. state of California. It is the hottest, driest, and lowest place in North America. It is a desert southeast of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Death Valley is a part of the Mojave Desert. It is the most important part of Death Valley National Park. It is an endorheic basin, which means that the rivers in it do not flow to the sea.

paragraphs: Death Valley has many famous and unusual geographical features in iurethrat. Some of these features include sand dunes, salt flats, colorful rocks, and tall mountains. Large parts of Death Valley are below sea level. One feature, named Badwater Basin, is the lowest place in North America. It is below sea level. The salt flats are another famous feature in Death Valley. Salt flats are very unusual. They are large, flattened areas where the surface of the ground is covered by salt instead of dirt. The salt that makes up a salt flat can be many inches or centimeters deep. The salt flats were created because thousands of years ago, Death Valley was underwater. Death Valley was covered by a lake that was named Lake Manly by geologists (scientists who study the Earth). Lake Manly used to be very large, but changes in the weather caused the rivers that brought water into the lake to dry up. After a long time, the water in Lake Manly began to dry up too. As the water dried, it left behind all the minerals that the rivers had brought to it along with their water. As these minerals dried, they created a crust (a brittle outer layer) of salt and other minerals on top of the dirt. Many lakes and seas in other parts of the world dried up in the same way.

paragraphs: All across Death Valley, rocks and stones leave small paths behind them in curved, zigzagged (with twists and turns), or straight patterns. The rocks are not alive, of course, but they still travel across the lake bed.

paragraphs: Dr. Robert Sharp, a geology professor, decided to find out about these rocks. He put tags on 30 stones of different sizes and shapes, hammered spikes into the ground where the rocks were sitting, and then he studied what happened for the next seven years. Twenty eight of the stones did indeed move, sometimes more than . Dr. Sharp matched the movements with the weather and found that the rocks moved because of wind and rain. Even though Death Valley gets less than two inches of rain a year, the raindrops make the smooth clay in the dry lake bed very smooth and slippery. The wind then blows the rocks across the slippery surface, sometimes as fast as every second.

paragraphs: The changes in the weather that made the rivers dry up have not gone away. Death Valley is still very dry. There are less than of rain in Death Valley every year. Because Death Valley is so dry all the time, even the dirt that is not covered in salt has become very hard. This means that even though it does not rain often, when it does rain, the dirt cannot absorb all the water quickly enough, and the water can turn into a flash flood (a flood that happens very fast and very violently). In August 2004 there was a very bad flood. The flood damaged many buildings and cars, and killed several people. The flood also destroyed many roads, so nobody could go in or out of Death Valley. Death Valley National Park had to be closed for a long time while the park rangers fixed everything.

paragraphs: Death Valley has extremely hot summers; the temperature can be 130 °F (54 °C). On July 10, 1913, it was 134 °F (57 °C), which is the hottest recorded temperature in the world. In winter, days are warm and nights are cool; snow is very rare.

paragraphs: Death Valley was named in 1849. Miners and settlers tried to travel across the valley during the California Gold Rush. Many people died because it was so hot and dry. It has very little water because the water evaporates, or disappears in the clouds, before it can touch the ground. Of the few people who lived in Death Valley, most were miners, especially of borax.

paragraphs: Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. It includes Death Valley. The park was designated as a national monument in 1933 and a national park in 1994. It contains in California and Nevada. Death Valley National Park is the largest wilderness area in the United States.

paragraphs: The park is east of the Sierra Nevada, between the arid Great Basin and Mojave deserts. It has a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes, badlands, valleys, canyons, and mountains.

paragraphs: This is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and is an International Biosphere Reserve. About 95% of the park is a wilderness area. It is the hottest and driest of the national parks in the United States. The second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere is in Badwater Basin, which is below sea level. The park is home to many species of plants and animals that have adapted to this harsh desert environment. Some examples include creosote bush, bighorn sheep, coyote, and the Death Valley pupfish, a survivor of much wetter times.


title: Mulberry

paragraphs: Mulberry ("Morus") is a genus of 10–16 species of trees. They are native to warm regions of Asia, Africa and the Americas, with most of the species native to Asia.

paragraphs: Mulberries are fast-growing when young, but soon become slow-growing and rarely grow over 10-15 meters tall. The leaves are simple, often lobed, and ridged. The fruit grows in bunches, 2-3 centimeters long, is red to dark purple in color, edible, and sweet with a good flavor in several species.

paragraphs: The fruit is used in pies, tarts, and wines. The fruit of the Black Mulberry, native to southwest Asia, and the Red Mulberry, native to eastern North America, have the strongest flavor. The fruit of the White Mulberry, an east Asian species, has a very weak flavor.

paragraphs: Mulberries can be grown from seeds, and this is the best idea as seedling-grown trees are generally healthier. However, they are most often planted from large pieces cut from other Mulberry trees, which easily take root.

paragraphs: Mulberry leaves, particularly those of the White Mulberry, "Morus alba", are important as food of the silkworm, the cocoon of which is used to make silk. "Morus alba" is also notable for the rapid release of its pollen, which is launched at over half the speed of sound. "This is the fastest motion yet observed in biology, and approaches the theoretical physical limits for movements in plants."


title: Procaine

paragraphs: Procaine is a analgesic drug. It is used primarily to reduce the pain of getting certain shots, and is also used by dentists. The drug is usually sold under the name Novocaine, or Novacaine.

paragraphs: Procaine was first made in 1905, and was the first man-made pain-killer that could be taken as a shot. It was created by the German scientist Alfred Einhorn (1857-1917) who gave the chemical the name Novacaine, from the Latin word "novus" (which means new) and caine, as in "cocaine."

paragraphs: Procaine is not often used today because other safer and better working pain-killing drugs now exist. Prior to the discovery of procaine, cocaine was the most commonly used pain-killer. Procaine (like cocaine) has the advantage of reducing bleeding, unlike other pain-killers and without the dangerous qualities of cocaine.


title: Leizu

paragraphs: Leizu was a legendary Chinese queen. According to tradition, she discovered silk and invented the silk loom in the 28th century BC.

paragraphs: Leizu discovered silkworms while on a walk near the king's mulberry trees. However, there are different stories of exactly how she discovered that silkworms make silk.

paragraphs: One story says that she used her finger to touch a worm, causing a strand of silk to come out. As the silk continued to come out, she wrapped it around her finger. When the silk ran out, she saw a small cocoon, and realized that this cocoon was the source of the silk.

paragraphs: Another story says that she found silkworms eating the mulberry leaves and spinning cocoons. She collected some cocoons, and then sat down to have some tea. While she was sipping a cup of tea, she dropped a cocoon into the steaming water. A fine thread started to separate itself from the cocoon. Leizu found that she could unwind this soft and lovely thread around her finger.

paragraphs: She asked her husband to give her a grove of mulberry trees, where she could keep the worms that made these cocoons. She is credited with inventing the silk reel, which joins thin silk threads into a thicker thread strong enough for weaving. She is also credited with inventing the first silk loom. It is not known how much, if any, of this story is true, but historians do know that silk was first made in China. Leizu shared what she found out with others and the knowledge became common.


title: Reforesting

paragraphs: Reforesting is the process of replacing plants in an area where they have been cut down or destroyed. It usually refers to trees, but could include other types of plant life.

paragraphs: Reforestation is often needed after deforestation, when trees are cut down to make lumber.

paragraphs: Reforestation also regains back the homes of animals.


title: Moth

paragraphs: Moths are insects of the order Lepidoptera. They are closely related to butterflies, which evolved from them. They also have wings, just like butterflies. Most species of moths are active only at night. They can be told apart from butterflies in several ways. Moth antenna look like little feathers, and their wings are held flat on their backs when they are not flying.

paragraphs: Most Lepidoptera are moths. There are thought to be about 160,000 species of moths (nearly ten times the number of species of butterflies). Thousands of species are still to be described. Most moths are tiny: they are called micromoths or microlepidoptera. The large moths are much better known, but fewer. Most species of moths are nocturnal, but not all. There are crepuscular and diurnal species.

paragraphs: Moths, usually their caterpillars, are a major farm pest in many parts of the world. Caterpillars eat the plants that farmers grow and sometimes kill them. The caterpillar of the gypsy moth ("Lymantria dispar") causes great harm to forests in the northeast United States. In warm climates, the diamondback moth ("Plutella xylostella") is perhaps the most serious pest of cabbage crops.

paragraphs: Several moths in the family Tineidae have larvae which eat clothes and blankets made from natural fibres, such as wool or silk. They are less likely to eat materials containing some artificial fibres. They may be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar, by lavender, or by other natural oils.

paragraphs: Chemicals are the most effective way to keep moths away, but there are concerns about the chemicals being dangerous to people.

paragraphs: Some moths are farmed. The most important of these is the silkworm. It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon. The silk industry produces over 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars, each year. Not all silk is produced by "Bombyx mori". There are several species of Saturniidae that also are farmed for their silk, such as the Ailanthus moth ("Samia cynthia" group of species), the Chinese oak silkmoth ("Antheraea pernyi"), the Assam silkmoth ("Antheraea assamensis"), and the Japanese silk moth ("Antheraea yamamai").

paragraphs: Moths will fly around bright objects, and appear to be attracted to light. Most scientists think that this is because moths use the light of the moon to help them fly in a straight line. The light from lamps confuses the moths.

paragraphs: Night-blooming flowers usually depend on moths (or bats) to pollinate them, and artificial lighting can draw moths away from the flowers, hurting the plant's ability to reproduce.

paragraphs: Moths usually pollinate night-blooming flowers because they are "nocturnal" (they rest during the day and come out at night). A moth uses its proboscis to collect nectar just like a butterfly does. However, moths do not always land on the flower to get the nectar: they often hover near the flower and flap their wings hard while they sip the nectar. Because of this, moth-pollinated flowers do not need a landing pad. In fact, some moth-pollinated flowers point downward, like the yucca flowers.

paragraphs: Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths. Many bats, and some species of owls and some other birds eat moths. Moths are also a minor part of the diet of some lizards, cats, dogs, rodents, and some bears. Moth larvae are eaten by many birds, and are also vulnerable to parasitism by ichneumon wasps.

paragraphs: Many adult moths and larvae are protected by noxious substances eaten by the caterpillars. They advertise their foul taste in various ways. Warning colouration is visible by day, and some adult moths emit clicks which bats learn are warning signals.

paragraphs: Baculoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses which parasitize insects. They are often used as biological control agents. They are members of the Baculoviridae, a family that is restricted to insects.

paragraphs: There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive manoeuvers because bats eat moths. Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that cause it to drop a few inches in its flight to evade attack. Tiger moths also emit clicks which foil bats' echolocation.

paragraphs: Large and dramatic Moth species include:

paragraphs: Moths that are of economic significance include:


title: Cocoon

paragraphs: A cocoon is a shell made of silk by most kinds of moth caterpillars and other insect larvae. Some butterfly larvae (in the family Hesperiidae and subfamilies Parnassiinae and Satyrinae) do spin cocoons. However, most butterfly pupae are called chrysalids. Some caterpillars attach small twigs or pieces of vegetation to the outside of their cocoon to hide it from predators. Others spin their cocoon in a hidden place. Examples would be on the underside of a leaf, in a crevice, or down near the base of a tree trunk.

paragraphs: Silkworm cocoons are processed and used to produce natural silk for clothing.


title: Proctor Silex

paragraphs: Proctor Silex Co. was created in 1960 with the merger of Proctor Electric and Silex Corporation. The company made household appliances such as toasters, irons, and coffee makers. In 1990 Proctor Silex merged with Hamilton Beach.


title: Columbine High School massacre

paragraphs: The Columbine High School massacre was a school shooting and attempted bombing at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, near Denver, that happened on April 20, 1999. Eighteen-year-old Eric Harris and 17-year-old Dylan Klebold carried out the massacre and were both students at the school. They murdered 12 students and one teacher using guns. Ten of the murders happened in the school's library, where they then killed themselves with their guns. Before the shootings, they had planted two large propane bombs in the school's cafeteria. They could have killed many people in there, but did not explode. They also planted two car bombs in the school's parking lot, which were supposed to kill first responders and news reporters. They also didn't explode. They also carried pipe bombs and molotov cocktails, which they lit and threw. Most of them exploded but nobody was injured or killed by any of the bombs used during the massacre.

paragraphs: It was one of the first well-known massacres at a school in the United States, and the one with the most deaths until the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007.

paragraphs: After the shooting, many people wanted to know why it had happened. Many people thought that Klebold and Harris had done it because they were bullied, and schools in the United States began talking about how to stop bullying. However, it is now thought that Klebold and Harris were bullies themselves. Other people blamed parts of the media, saying that the lyrics of bands and singers like Marilyn Manson and violent video games that the shooters played might have caused it.

paragraphs: In 2002, filmmaker Michael Moore released a documentary movie called "Bowling for Columbine" that was about why the shooting happened and about the role guns have in American culture. In the movie, Moore interviewed Marilyn Manson.

paragraphs: Many impromptu memorials were created after the shooting. Memorials included victims Rachel Scott's car and John Tomlin's truck.

paragraphs: In 2000, youth advocate Melissa Helmbrecht organized a remembrance event in Denver. It featured two surviving students. It was called "A Call to Hope." The library (where most of the shooting happened) was removed and replaced with an atrium. In 2001, a new library, the HOPE memorial library, was built next to the west entrance.

paragraphs: On February 26, 2004, thousands of pieces of evidence from the shooting were shown at the Jeffco fairgrounds in Golden.


title: Jose Rizal

paragraphs: José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda is the national hero of the Philippines. He was a writer and a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement which advocated for changes in the colony under the Spanish occupation. He was born on June 19, 1861 in the town of Calamba, Laguna.

paragraphs: He was the seventh child in a family of 11 children (2 boys and 9 girls). His parents went to school and were well known. His father, Francisco Rizal Mercado, worked hard as a farmer in Biñan, Laguna. Rizal looked up to him. His mother, Teodora Alonso Realonda y Quintos, was born in Meisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila. She read a lot and knew about art and many other things. Rizal said she was loving and very smart. He learned the alphabet from his mother when he was three years old. At age five, while learning to read and write, he also showed that he could draw and paint. He surprised his family and relatives with his pencil drawings and sketches and with his moldings of clay.

paragraphs: In 1877, at the age of 16, he finished school (Bachelor of Arts) from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he went to another school to study Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas. At the same time, he took classes to become a surveyor and assessor at the Ateneo. In 1878, he went to the University of Santo Tomas to become a doctor. He stopped in his studies when he felt that the Filipino students were not being treated right by the priests who were also their teachers. On May 3, 1882, he went by boat to Spain. In Spain, he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid. On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he got his degree and became a doctor. On June 19,1885, at the age of 24, he got another degree in Philosophy and Letters.

paragraphs: Having traveled throughout Europe, America and Asia, he spoke 22 languages. These include:

paragraphs: A very smart man, he was good at many other jobs besides being a doctor:

paragraphs: He hoped to make political changes in his country and to make the Filipinos go to school. Rizal wrote many poems and books that show his love for his country. In March 1887, his book, "Noli Me Tangere" was published. It shows the bad habits of the Spanish priests. "El Filibusterismo", his second novel was published on September 18, 1891. It is sadder than his first book.

paragraphs: Rizal was not liked by those in power. He told people about the bad things that were done by the priests and the people working for the government, and this caused trouble for him and his relatives. Because of this, he and those who he knew were watched by the government. They made up bad things about him. When he arrived from Hong Kong with his sister Lucia, they said that in Lucia's luggage they found letters Rizal wrote that spoke about the priests in a bad way. Because of this he was put to jail in Fort Santiago from July 6 to July 15, 1892. He was made to stay in Dapitan and there he did farming, fishing and business. He also worked in a hospital. He taught others English and Spanish and the arts.

paragraphs: When the Philippine Revolution (the war of Filipinos against the Spaniards) started on August 26, 1896, his enemies went after him fast. They were able to get people to say bad things against him and connected him with the war. He was never allowed to talk to these people. Because the Spanish authorities thought he was responsible for the activities of the rebels, he was exiled to the city of Dapitan in Zamboanga, in the Southern Philippines.

paragraphs: From November 3, 1896 until his death, he was imprisoned at Fort Santiago. During his last days in prison, he wrote a poem which is now known as the "Mi Ultimo Adios." The poem contains Rizal's final farewell.

paragraphs: After a trial by the military, he was convicted of rebellion (going against the government), sedition (making trouble) and of illegal association (having meetings that are not allowed by the government). He was sentenced to death and was executed by firing squad in the early morning hours of December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan Field. His body was initially buried in an unmarked grave in the Paco Cemetery. His bones were then exhumed and are now located in their final resting place at the Rizal Monument.


title: Idiot

paragraphs: Idiot is a word used to describe someone who is stupid. The adjective is idiotic. The noun idiocy describes the state of being idiotic. The word can be used in different ways.

paragraphs: Today "idiot" is often used to show that someone has done something which was not very clever:

paragraphs: The word "fool" is similar to "idiot", but it is not as strong. In the history of drama a "fool" was a jester: someone who made people laugh. Kings often had jesters in real life. A court jester had the job of making the king feel happy when he was sad. Jesters often pretended to be stupid, but were actually very clever. There are jesters and fools in a lot of Shakespeare’s plays.

paragraphs: The word simple can also be similar to "idiot". Someone who is simple is a person who is not very clever or "streetwise". They are naïve and can easily be made to believe things because they are kind and expect everyone else to be kind as well. Such people are often called simpletons.

paragraphs: Idiots or simpletons are commonly used in literature. In German literature (and in Wagner’s opera), Parsifal is described as "perfect fool" because he does not understand the evil ways of the world and is therefore completely good. That is why he can break the magic spell cast by Klingsor. The idiot often appears in Russian literature. Because the idiot is so simple he (it is always a male) is often able to express the truth which other people cannot see. Dostoevsky wrote a novel called "The Idiot". It is about a man who is simple and trusting. At the end of the opera "Boris Godunov" by Mussorgsky the crowd of poor people gather round the simpleton who is the last person to sing in the whole opera. His moans express the fact that Russia will continue to be ruled by cruel dictators and the people will remain poor.


title: Developmental psychology

paragraphs: Developmental psychology, also called human development, is the emotional study of how a person changes psychologically (mind and behavior) as they get older. Developmental psychologists first studied infants and children, and later they also studied teenagers (or adolescents) and adults. Developmental psychology studies human change in a lot of areas, including motor skills (and other processes that are both physical and psychological), problem solving abilities, understanding of concepts, learning language, moral understanding, and identity.


title: Kosovo

paragraphs: Kosova is recognised as an independent country by 97 out of 193 (50%) of the countries of the United Nations.

paragraphs: Kosovo was part of the Dardani lands in ancient times. The Dardani were conquered by the Roman Empire. After the fall of Rome, it became part of the Byzantine Empire. It was taken over by them and the Bulgarian Empire. The Servian Empire also defeated then. Soon after the Servian defeat in the Battle of Kosovo, it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

paragraphs: When the Turks left the Balkans, it became part of the Kingdom of Serbia. In World War I, it briefly became a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Then in World War II, after Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria invaded, it was taken by the Italian EmpireKingdom of Albania. After the war, it became part of Yugoslavia in the 20th century. After NATO bombed Yugoslavia in 1999, it was under the administration of the United Nations (UNMIK).

paragraphs: To the north and east of Kosovo is the Republic of Serbia. To the south of Kosovo is North Macedonia. To the northwest is Montenegro and to the southwest is Albania. The capital is Pristina. Prishtina is also Kosovo's largest city. About 1.8 million people live in Kosovo.

paragraphs: The official results of the censuses in Kosovo about ethnic groups and nationality from after World War II to 1991 are below. The numbers of Albanians in the 1991 census were only guesses based on censuses in the past. Most Albanians did not do the 1991 census. Today, Kosovo is mainly Albanian.

paragraphs: Kosovo is divided into 7 districts. These districts include 38 municipalities:


title: Lip

paragraphs: The lips are a body part around the mouth. There is a (usually larger) lower lip, and a smaller upper lip. They help us to eat, touch and speak.

paragraphs: There are diseases that can affect the lips, for example herpes simplex. Someone can get this disease by kissing or having oral sex.


title: Allergy

paragraphs: An allergy is something which triggers an allergic reaction. This is the immune system defending the body against attack by bacteria and viruses.

paragraphs: Sometimes the systems goes wrong, and is triggered by some quite normal food, or flares up when the family pet comes into the room. That is what the ordinary person calls an 'allergy'.

paragraphs: When people come in contact with something they are allergic to, there can be many different reactions. Their eyes may become very itchy, and their noses may become drippy or stuffy. They may cough and sneeze. They may develop a rash called hives. Their faces may swell up. If it is a food allergy, the person may get an upset stomach.

paragraphs: Sometimes a person's oesophagus, or throat, may swell up so much that the person can no longer breathe. This is called anaphylaxis. When this happens, a doctor must give the person a medicine called epinephrine to make the swelling go down. Some people with allergies to very common things, like bee stings or fish, carry this medicine with them so it can be used quickly in an emergency. The device they use to inject the medicine is called an epinephrine autoinjector.

paragraphs: Some common environmental allergies are:


title: Alfred Dreyfus

paragraphs: Alfred Dreyfus (1859 - 1935) was a French officer of Jewish descent.

paragraphs: He was wrongly accused of treason against the French military. This scandal was known as the Dreyfus affair.

paragraphs: He was imprisoned on Devil's Island in French Guiana.

paragraphs: His highest rank was lieutenant colonel.

paragraphs: Dreyfus was born in Mulhouse and died in Paris.


title: Nucleic acid

paragraphs: Nucleic acids are large molecules where genetic information is stored. There are two types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA and ribonucleic acid, better known as RNA.

paragraphs: The nucleic acids are made of nucleotides. A nucleotide is made of a nitrogenous base, sugar with five carbon atoms and a phosphate group.

paragraphs: Nucleic acids allow organisms to transfer genetic information from one generation to the next. When a cell divides, its DNA is copied and passed from one cell generation to the next generation.

paragraphs: DNA is organized into chromosomes and found within the nucleus of our cells. Its function in any cell is to carry the sequence of bases which will be transcribed into RNA. The function of RNA is much more difficult to explain. One well-known function is for messenger RNA to be translated into proteins, mainly enzymes. But there are other types of RNA, and these are called non-coding RNAs.


title: Adam Elliot

paragraphs: Adam Elliot (born January 2, 1972) is an Australian animator. He is from Melbourne, Australia. His short movie called "Harvey Krumpet" won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. He uses claymation and has won five Australian Film Institute Awards because of his work.

paragraphs: Elliot was brought up on a prawn farm run by his father who had once been a circus clown, and his mother who had been a hairdresser. The family later moved to Melbourne, where Elliot made money selling hand painted T-shirts at local markets. After finishing school he went to the Victorian College of the Arts to study animation.


title: Phenylketonuria

paragraphs: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic disorder (a disease a person is born with) where a person's body cannot break down an amino acid called phenylalanine. Amino acids are necessary to make proteins, an important part of the human body. Phenylalanine only comes from the food we eat; our bodies do not make any by themselves.

paragraphs: Average people produce an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase in their bodies. When they ingest phenylalanine, the body cannot use it, so this enzyme changes phenylalanine into tyrosine, which the body can use. In people with PKU, very little or no enzyme is made. Since the phenylalanine they eat is not being changed into tyrosine, it builds up in their bodies. This can cause problems with the way their bodies work.

paragraphs: Symptoms vary from person to person. Because of the rarity of PKU, many symptoms go undiagnosed or unrecognized. In addition, there are variations in the categories of PKU individuals. There are untreated, early treated, late treated, those returning to diet, Hyperphe, Classical PKU, uncontrolled, and highly controlled. For your average infant a doctor will diagnose PKU with a quick blood test. Their symptom will be high PHE levels. If that infant goes undiagnosed for weeks or months, he/she may start to exhibit some or all of the following symptoms for uncontrolled PKU. The symptoms include:

paragraphs: Today, scientists know what foods have phenylalanine in them, and they have created a special diet for people with PKU. Since they cannot use it, people with PKU cannot eat foods that have a lot of phenylalanine, like eggs, meat and milk. An artificial sweetener called aspartame is also a source of phenylalanine. People with PKU take a lot of vitamins to make up for the foods they cannot eat, especially vitamins B6 and B12.

paragraphs: Babies with PKU are fed a special formula. It has everything babies need to stay healthy, but with very little phenylalanine. There are also low protein foods like breads and flour (Made from corn and starch instead of regular wheat).

paragraphs: Women with PKU who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant have to be especially careful to follow this diet. If they do not follow the diet, their babies could be born with severe birth defects and mental retardation. Babies born to women with PKU who have followed the PKU diet throughout their pregnancy are usually healthy and do not necessarily but may develop PKU. Whether or not they have PKU themselves depends on the mother and father's genes. In fact there are people who are Carriers (Dormant Genes) that can be passed on until they resurface in the future generations. These are so far undetectable, However, since PKU is genetically recessive it takes PKU genes from both parents to cause PKU.

paragraphs: PKU kids usually have light hair and eyes due to the effect of phenylalanine in the production of melanin. They also tend to have very fair skin which can cause them to burn easily. Solar protection is a must for those who wish to work, play, or engage in activities outdoors.

paragraphs: Most people with PKU can live as long and healthy as anyone else if the low-phenylalanine diet is started when they are babies and continued for the rest of their lives. The symptoms will usually disappear after the diet is started.


title: Group home

paragraphs: A group home is a private house that serves as a home for people who are not in the same family but have a common characteristic. In the United States, this would mean a home for people who need social assistance or who are not able to live alone or without proper care for safety reasons. Before the 1970s, these people lived in psychiatric hospitals, homes for the poor and orphanages.

paragraphs: People who live in a group home may be recovering drug addicts, developmentally disabled, abused or neglected youths, and/or young people with a criminal record. A group home is different from a halfway house because it is not restricted to recovering addicts or convicted criminals, and also because the people who live there usually have to help maintain the household by doing chores or helping to manage a budget. In most countries, people can still vote and attend university while in a group home.

paragraphs: There are typically from 3 to 16 residents, as well as a resident manager or service staff. Residents may have their own room or share rooms, and share facilities such as laundry, bathroom, kitchen and common living areas. The opening of group homes is occasionally fought against by neighbours who fear that it will lead to a rise in crime and/or a drop in property values.

paragraphs: A group home can also refer to family homes in which children and youth of the foster care system are placed until foster families are found for them.


title: Anfield

paragraphs: Anfield is a football stadium in Liverpool, England. The Football team Liverpool FC plays there. The stadium has just seen an expansion of the Main Stand increasing the capacity to 54,167.

paragraphs: Anfield is famous for the sign that is in the players' tunnel, which reads: "This is Anfield". One of their most famous rivals are Manchester United as well as Everton FC. Liverpool v Everton is known as the Merseyside Derby. Anfield used to be owned by Everton F.C and Everton created Liverpool to use the stadium. They have won 6 European cups.


title: Blood pressure

paragraphs: Blood pressure is a measurement used in medicine. In the body, the arteries carry blood away from the heart. As blood travels through the arteries, it presses against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure measures how hard the blood is pushing against the walls of the arteries.

paragraphs: Usually, "blood pressure" measures the pressure in larger arteries delivering blood to body parts other than the lungs, like the brachial artery in the arm. Blood pressure is usually measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

paragraphs: There are two numbers in a blood pressure. The first is the systolic pressure. It measures how hard the blood pushes against the walls of the arteries when the heart is in systole (beating and pushing out blood). This is when the pressure against the walls of the arteries is highest. The second number is the diastolic blood pressure. It measures how hard the blood pushes against the walls of the arteries when the heart is in diastole (resting between beats and not pushing out any blood). For example, in the picture on this page, the pressure on the walls of the arteries is 122 mmHg when the heart is beating, and 65 mmHg when the heart is resting. This blood pressure would be written as "122/65" and read as "122 over 65."

paragraphs: Mean arterial pressure is a person's average blood pressure. Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressures.

paragraphs: To measure blood pressure, doctors use a device called a sphygmomanometer.

paragraphs: Blood pressure is usually lower for children and gets higher as a person gets older.

paragraphs: For healthy adult humans, the systolic blood pressure should be below 120, and the diastolic blood pressure should be below 80. However, blood pressure can be very different for each person. Blood pressure also changes naturally during the day (in a circadian rhythm). It gets lower during sleep and gets higher when a person gets up. It is lower when a person is resting and higher during activity. Many other things - like stress, disease, drugs, and what a person eats - can change blood pressure. Even the stress of having blood pressure taken can make it higher. This is called "white coat hypertension."

paragraphs: People can have health problems if their blood pressure is too high or too low.

paragraphs: High blood pressure is called hypertension. A person has hypertension if their blood pressure is high and stays high over time. Hypertension is very common. About one in every three adults in the United States has high blood pressure. Hypertension is sometimes called "the silent killer" because it often causes no symptoms, so many people have high blood pressure without realizing that anything is wrong. However, hypertension can hurt the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of the body. It can cause serious health problems like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

paragraphs: Low blood pressure is called hypotension. If the blood pressure is too low, the heart, brain, and other parts of the body do not get enough blood and oxygen. Low blood pressure can cause problems like dizziness and fainting. If a person's blood pressure is low enough, they can have seizures, lose consciousness, and even die.


title: Crawford, Texas

paragraphs: Crawford is a town in Texas, in the United States. It is former President George W. Bush's hometown. George W. Bush and the First Lady Laura Bush own a 1600-acre ranch in Crawford. They bought the ranch in 1999. The first family's presence in Crawford, Texas, has helped the small town's economy to grow. The once nearly deserted streets are now busy with tourists.


title: Royal Navy

paragraphs: The Royal Navy is the navy of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest part of the British fighting forces. Because it is the oldest, it is called the "Senior Service". From the 18th century until World War II, it was the largest and strongest navy in the world. The Royal Navy was very important in making Britain the superpower of that time. The Naval Service is made up of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Fleet Air Arm and reserve forces. The Naval Service had 57,000 personnel (people) as of November 2011 including part-time reserve sailors, airmen and marines.

paragraphs: The Royal Navy is one of the largest navies in the world in terms of gross tonnage (weight and size of all their ships). The Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary have 98 ships including aircraft carriers, submarines, minesweepers and patrol vessels as well as the ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. All ships in the Royal Navy are called "Her Majesty's ships" (Or HMS for short), because by constitution the Queen owns them and has command over them. Ships in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are called "Royal Fleet Auxiliaries" (Or RFA for short) and are also technically owned by the Queen. In times of a male monarch the "Her" is replaced with "His".

paragraphs: The strength of the fleets of the united Kingdom of England was an important element in the kingdom's power in the 10th century. At one point Aethelred II had an especially large fleet built by a national levy of one ship for every 310 hides of land, but it is uncertain whether this was a standard or exceptional model for raising fleets. During the period of Danish rule in the 11th century a standing fleet was maintained by taxation, and this continued for a time under the restored English regime of Edward the Confessor, who frequently commanded fleets in person.

paragraphs: A permanent Royal Navy, with its own staff, dockyards and a group of purpose-built warships, was created in the 16th century in the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I, England was at war with Spain. Privately-owned ships combined with the Royal Navy raided Spanish commerce and colonies. In 1588, Philip II of Spain sent the Spanish Armada against England to stop English support for the Dutch rebels, to stop English pirate activity, and to depose Elizabeth. The Spaniards sailed from Lisbon, planning to escort an invasion force from the Spanish Netherlands. The plan failed due to poor planning, English tactics, blocking action by the Dutch, and bad weather.

paragraphs: In law, the head of the Royal Navy is the monarch or her consort, holding the ceremonial title of Lord High Admiral. The present Lord High Admiral is Prince Phillip who served in the Royal Navy during World War II. The professional head of the naval service is the First Sea Lord. He is a member of the Defence Council and the Admiralty Board. The Navy Board is below Admiralty Board and is responsible for running the Navy. Their offices are in the Ministry of Defence, London.

paragraphs: Full command of the Royal Navy is the job of Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET). The purpose of CINCFLEET is to provide ships, submarines and commando forces for military and diplomatic jobs as needed by the Government.

paragraphs: CINCFLEET command headquarters are in Portsmouth; operational headquarters are at Northwood, Middlesex. This is the Permanent Joint Headquarters and a NATO Regional Command.

paragraphs: During the Cold War, the Royal Navy mainly focused on hunting for Soviet submarines. These submarines were most active in the North Atlantic Ocean, the ocean near Britain. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the Royal Navy focuses of deep sea exploration.

paragraphs: As of 1st November 2011, the Royal Navy numbered 36,640 personnel and 2,300 Royal Naval Reserve (Volunteer Reserve). Both of these figures include the Royal Marines and Royal Marines Reserve. In addition there were 19,600 Regular Reserves.

paragraphs: Women have been in the Royal Navy since 1917. From 1939 to 1993 they were part of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and were called "Wrens". Since 1993 they have been a part of the regular Navy. The Royal Navy is an equal rights employer, with women having the same opportunities as their male counterparts. In 2012 for the first time a female officer, Commander Sarah West commanded a major warship, HMS Portland.

paragraphs: "This is not a complete list of all Royal Navy vessels. It is a simplified version of only the major units for simplicity. "

paragraphs: HMS Illustrious (R06) is the navy’s last aircraft carrier. It was once part of a set of three, HMS Invincible has been scrapped and HMS Ark Royal was decommissioned (Taken out of service). Previously she operated the Harrier Jump-Jet fighter however they were decommissioned in 2011. She now only operates helicopters and serves as a helicopter carrier. Her nickname is “Lusty”. Recently, there has been HMS Queen Elizabeth 2 which is now considered to be the largest aircraft carrier of her kind. October 21st was actually named HMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Day by the Americans.

paragraphs: HMS Ocean (L12) is the navy’s biggest ship and main helicopter carrier. She played a big role in the Invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was the British flagship during the Libyan Civil War, during 2012 she will be deployed at the London 2012 Olympics. Over Christmas 2011 her crew became famous for making a music video of “All I want for Christmas is you”. This was filmed when they were at war in Libya. Her nickname is “The Mighty-O”.

paragraphs: HMS Albion (L14) is the rotating flagship of the Royal Navy with HMS Bulwark. She is named "Albion" after the ancient name of Britain. She is presently in "extended readiness" and can be recalled to the main fleet when needed.

paragraphs: HMS Bulwark (L15) is the rotating flagship of the Royal Navy with HMS Albion. She has been on major deployments to Lebanon and led a training mission to Asia. She is presently the Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy and is on call to respond as needed.

paragraphs: HMS Daring (D32) is one of a new group of Destroyers. She is designed for anti-air warfare. She can also conduct patrol missions and carry a boarding party from the Royal Marines. She and her sisters will be the main warships for the next decade at least.

paragraphs: "The other Type 45 Destroyers are HMS Dauntless and HMS Diamond. Three others are under construction."

paragraphs: HMS Sutherland (F81) is one of the Duke class Frigates. She is designed for anti-submarine warfare. She can also conduct a variety of other missions. She is the first ship to have this name in over 200 years. She was deployed to Libya during 2011 to support operations there. The Duke class Frigates are the main combatant of the Royal Navy.

paragraphs: "The other Type 23 Frigates are HMS Argyll, HMS Lancaster, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Monmouth, HMS Montrose, HMS Westminster, HMS Northumberland, HMS Richmond, HMS Somerset, HMS Kent, HMS Portland and HMS St Albans. Three others used to serve in the Royal Navy but were sold to Chile. "

paragraphs: HMS Protector (A173) is one of two Icebreaking patrol vessels in the Royal Navy. She has been loaned for three years whilst HMS Endurance is fixed. She primarily patrols the British Antarctic Territory but also serves in the nearby Falklands and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

paragraphs: HMS Vanguard (S28) is one of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). She can fire the Trident II nuclear missile around the globe. At any time at least one boat is at sea with nuclear weapons to defend Britain. Their operations are highly secretive. They are based at HMNB Clyde in Scotland.

paragraphs: "The other Vanguard class submarines are HMS Vigilant, HMS Vengeance and HMS Victorious."

paragraphs: HMS Astute (S119) is the first of a new type of fleet submarine (SSN). Her type is nuclear powered. They can fire the Tomahawk missile at ground targets and torpedoes at surface ships. She is one of the most capable submarines in the world.

paragraphs: "Six other Astute class vessels are under construction."


title: Mafia

paragraphs: The Mafia is a crime group working in many parts of the world that was created in Italy more than 200 years ago. The mafia makes money from crime. They make billions of dollars a year from such crimes as making and selling illegal drugs, money laundering, from stealing, gambling and prostitution.

paragraphs: The first written use of the word mafia has it being said on a list of rebels against the catholic church. It meant "boldness, ambition, pride", and since none of these were considered appropriate for a woman it is the name of a witch. Many people also believe that Arabic affected the word 'mafia' during the period of Arab control of Sicily, after the fall of the Roman Empire in 846 AD. 'Mahias' is an Arab word meaning 'bold man', and this is believed to be incorporated into the modern term mafia, which also suggests the bold and argumentative nature of its constituents.

paragraphs: A boss in the Sicilian mafia had a list of ten rules. These rules have been called the mafia's Ten Commandments.

paragraphs: The mafia in Italy have been around for hundreds of years. They work in the areas of Calabria, Sicily, Naples and Apulia which are all areas in the South of Italy.

paragraphs: This group was founded by Felice Maniero, but has now been dismantled.

paragraphs: The Italian-American mafia began at the time when many Italians moved to the United States in the 1800s. The first Italian mafia was in New Orleans in Louisiana but soon they were in many cities across the country. The Italian mafia in the United States is actually called "La Cosa Nostra" which in Italian language means "This thing of ours" or "Our thing". The American mafia is divided into different groups or "families". Many large cities have only one Italian-American mafia family, but some larger cities like New York City have more.

paragraphs: New York City has five Italian mafia families. They are called:

paragraphs: Many other American cities have Italian mafia families. These include Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Los Angeles

paragraphs: There are many other groups like the Italian mafia all over the world. Here are some:

paragraphs: There are others as well, like the mafia groups in Russia that make money from drugs and weapons. All these groups operate in the United States, Canada, Australia, England and other Western countries and cause many problems in those countries and the countries they are from.

paragraphs: Just like in a company, where people have a boss and workers, the Italian-American mafia, or La Cosa Nostra (LCN), has a hierarchy. Everyone has a job to do. Some people are bosses and some are workers. However you can always work your way up the ladder of power, and respect. Below is the hierarchy of an American mafia family.

paragraphs: Each family will have a number of associates. These are people that work with them or for them but are not official members. ("see below; Becoming a member")

paragraphs: The mafia in New York began when thousands of Italians moved there in the late 1800s and early 1900s to find a better life. At this time many Irish and Germans also moved to the US for the same reasons. Many of these people set up businesses or worked for businesses that were already there. Most earned very little money and some, who were tired of being poor, decided to earn money from crime, which was easier than earning money by working. There were many Irish and Italian criminal groups in the city who would steal, extort and murder for money. These groups were known all-together as "the Black Hand" but they did not actually work as one group called "the Black Hand"; there were many groups and they each worked on their own and the term "Black Hand" actually was the name of what these gangs did (extortion), not their names.

paragraphs: In 1920 alcohol (or liquor) was made illegal in the US and the gangs had a new way to make money. They brought in illegal liquor from Canada and sold it in clubs. They bribed police into letting them sell liquor (which is also illegal) and made millions of dollars from this because they were the only ones who had liquor and so could sell it at extremely high prices. Around this time the gangs in New York became one large gang (the Mafia) as leaders of the gangs realized that more money could be made if all the gangs worked together. A man named Giuseppe Masseria and a man named Salvatore Maranzano both wanted to become the boss of the newly made New York mafia. Fighting, known as the "Castellammarese War", broke out between the two men and many of their soldiers were killed. Giuseppe Masseria's underboss was a man named Lucky Luciano who also wanted to control the New York mafia. He met with Masseria's enemy Salvatore Maranzano and plotted to kill Masseria, his own boss. Masseria was shot to death in a restaurant in New York by Maranzano's soldiers; one of them was Vito Genovese - a man who would later become boss - this was also the end of the "Castellammarese War". With the death of Masseria, Maranzano appointed himself the boss of the New York Mafia, in Italian language called the "Capo di tutti Capi" meaning "Boss of all Bosses". He called a meeting with the other "mafiosi" (plural: Italian language for Mafia members) from all over the US and made the rules that are still used today.

paragraphs: The bosses of the five families, particularly Luciano, began to grow tired of Maranzano's arrogance and the way he ran the mafia. Maranzano realized this and planned to have Luciano and his "consigliere" and "underboss", Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, as well as others, killed. Maranzano did not act quickly enough and was killed by men dressed as police officers, on the orders of Luciano and his friend, a Jewish gangster from Florida named Meyer Lansky. Luciano then became the head of the New York mafia, but not in the way Maranzano was; he helped the five families run their business but he did not control them or call himself the "boss of bosses". The five families were kept.

paragraphs: The Profaci family (named after the first boss Joseph Profaci) went on to become named the Colombo crime family after a later boss, Joseph Colombo. The Mangano family (named after the first boss Vincent Mangano) went on to become named the Gambino crime family after a later boss, Carlo Gambino. The Gagliano family (named after the first boss Thomas Gagliano) went on to become named the Lucchese crime family after a later boss, Gaetano Lucchese. Frank Costello became the boss of Luciano's old family which later went on to become named the Genovese crime family after Vito Genovese became the boss and tried to kill Frank Costello. The Bonanno family (named after the first boss Joseph Bonanno) kept its name as Joseph Bonanno was the boss for a very long time.

paragraphs: A chart of the bosses of the five families of New York since the "Castellammarese War" would look like this:

paragraphs: (Note: In more recent years the leaders of the Colombo crime family have been Carmine Persico, Andrew Russo, Alphonse Persico, Jr., Joel Cacace, Thomas Gioeli, John Franzese, Vincent Aloi and Paul Bevacqua - though not necessarily as bosses.)

paragraphs: (Note: In more recent years the leaders of the Gambino crime family have been Peter Gotti, Arnold Squitieri, Anthony Megale, John D'Amico, Domenico Cefalu, Joseph Corozzo and Nicholas Corozzo - though not necessarily as bosses.)

paragraphs: (Note: In more recent years the leaders of the Genovese crime family have been Liborio Bellomo, Dominick Cirillo, Matthew Ianiello, Frank Serpico, Ernest Muscarella, Mario Gigante and Daniel Leo - though not necessarily as bosses.)

paragraphs: (Note: During the 1990s the leaders of the Lucchese crime family were Vittorio Amuso, Anthony Casso, Alphonse D'Arco, Salvatore Avellino, Anthony Baratta, Domenico Cutaia, Frank Lasterino and Joseph Defede - though not necessarily as bosses. More recently the leaders of the family have been Louis Diadone, Aniello Migliore, Nick Beale and Leo Madden - Leo and Nick were bosses.)

paragraphs: Many movies have been made about the mafia, particularly the American Mafia. Here are some of the most popular movies about American gangsters.

paragraphs: The television series The Sopranos is about the mafia in New Jersey and stars James Gandolfini, Steve Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, David Proval and Joe Pantoliano among others.


title: Metalocalypse

paragraphs: Metalocalypse is an animated comedy television series directed by Jon Schnepp. It is a part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. It is about a heavy metal group called Dethklok, who are the most famous and richest band in the world. The band is a very dangerous force to the people who like it and to world governments. Even though their fans often die or are hurt in the series, they still remain very popular. There is also a secret group of people who work for the U.S. Government who secretly spy on the band and plan to kill them.

paragraphs: Cartoon Network released a DVD of the first season of "Metalocalypse" and an album of Dethklok's songs in the summer of 2007. The album has songs that are played during the series.


title: St. Lucia Day

paragraphs: [ girl with electric candles on her head]]

paragraphs: St. Lucia Day is a holiday that is held on December 13 in several countries in Europe. Those countries include Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The holiday is in honor of Saint Lucy. On this day, young girls (mostly the oldest daughter of the house) dress like Saint Lucia in a white robe and a crown of candles. There are parades, pageants, and the girl playing Lucia serves cakes. They also sing special songs. Here is one of the songs:

paragraphs: The Lucia celebrations also include ginger snaps and sweet, saffron-flavoured buns ("lussekatter") shaped like curled-up cats and with raisin eyes. People eat them with "glögg" or coffee.


title: Pride

paragraphs: Pride means having a feeling of being good and worthy. The adjective is proud.

paragraphs: The word "pride" can be used in a good sense as well as in a bad sense.

paragraphs: In a good sense it means having a feeling of self-respect. People can be satisfied with their achievements. They can be proud of something good that they have done. They can be proud of (or "take pride in") their work. They might be proud of their son or daughter or husband or wife or anyone else who is close to them and who has done something good. People can be proud of their country (patriotism). The opposite would be "to be ashamed" of someone or something.

paragraphs: In a bad sense, "pride" can mean that someone has an exaggerated sense of feeling good. This might mean that someone has no respect for what other people do, only respect for what he or she does. Someone who is described as "proud" may be arrogant. The word is used in this sense in the saying: “Pride comes before a fall” or “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov.16:18 (meaning that someone is so overconfident that he or she might soon have a disaster).


title: Symmetry

paragraphs: Reflectional Symmetry is a property of certain geometrical objects that appears the same when mirrored or reflected along an axis. This axis has to cross the shape through the middle of that object dividing into equal halves.

paragraphs: In rotational symmetry, the object is identical when it is rotated by a certain amount.

paragraphs: The precise notions of symmetry have various measures and operational definitions. For example, symmetry may be observed

paragraphs: Asymmetry is the absence of symmetry. It is best defined like that because symmetry is relatively rare, and all other objects are asymmetric.


title: Mount Ruapehu

paragraphs: Mount Ruapehu is an active volcano on North Island, New Zealand. It is located in Taupo, New Zealand. It last erupted in September 2007.

paragraphs: In 1948, an airplane crashed into the volcano. All the people in the airplane died.


title: Klang

paragraphs: Klang (also known as Kelang) is the royal capital of Selangor, Malaysia. A popular harbour called Port Klang is located there. It is one of the busiest ports in the world.

paragraphs: In Klang, it rains all year round. The monthly rainfall is slightly higher here in April and November. It might be because of the monsoon season.

paragraphs: The average temperature in Klang is around 25°C to 36°C (77°F to 96.8°F). There is no distinct seasonal difference in temperature in the town. Klang is hot and humid throughout the year.

paragraphs: There are two districts in Klang, Klang North and Klang South. Both are divided by a river called the Klang River.

paragraphs: Klang is famous for its Bak Kut Teh, a herbal soup which contains pork. Klang is also famous for its "Rojak Klang".

paragraphs: Another popular delicacy here is the "Cendol Klang". The stall was opened in 1972.


title: Moscow Metro

paragraphs: The Moscow Metro is a metro system which reaches nearly every part of the city of Moscow in Russia. It is one of the most heavily used metro systems in the world. It is also famous for its stations, which are heavily decorated with paintings.

paragraphs: In total the metro is 314 kilometres long and has 214 stations (including 1 temporarily closed). During the day about 7.2 million passengers use the metro. As in many subway systems every line has its own colour, name and number. In total there are 14 lines.

paragraphs: The metro runs from 5:30 AM to 1:00 AM. In peak hours trains run every 90 seconds, in the rest of the day every 3–4 minutes and in the evening every 6–10 minutes. The metro does not publish a timetable, because the trains run at short intervals. Part of Filevskaya line (4) has a timetable because there are two lines there - new line to Mezhdunarodnaya and old line to Fili.

paragraphs: The Moscow Metro has 16 lines, consisting of 14 normal lines and one light line and one U-railway. Here is a short overview of the lines:

paragraphs: There are tickets for a certain number of rides and tickets for a certain time.

paragraphs: The moscow metro uses magnetic cards for tickets with a certain number of rides: 1,2,5,10,20 and 60. These tickets were first sold in 1993 as a test. All other tickets are Transport Cards (Smartcards). There are two kinds of smartcards, 'unlimited' and 'social'. Both kinds of cards can be used for 30, 90 or 1 year. Social cards are free for senior citizens and reduced for students.

paragraphs: The metro has a gauge of 1520 mm, like most Russian railways. It gets the electricity from a third rail. The metro is run on a voltage of 825V AC. The average distance between stations is 1800 m. The shortest is 300m between the stations Alexandrovskiy Sad and Arbatskaya. The longest distance between stations is 6627 m between Krylatskoe and Strogino. The long distance helps trains travelling faster and more efficient.

paragraphs: Most platforms are at least 155 m long. They can take trains which have 8 cars. The only exceptions are some stations on Filyovskaya Line which can only take 6-car trains. These stations are:

paragraphs: Trains on lines 2, 6, 7 and 9 have eight cars, on lines 3, 8, 10 seven cars and on lines 4, 5 and 11 six cars.

paragraphs: Line 12 is different from all other lines. Its platforms are much shorter than the normal platforms. They are only 96 m longs. It has newer trains than the other line.

paragraphs: The metro has 214 stations. 71 of them are deep under the ground, 87 are just under the ground. There are also 10 stations above the ground and 3 on bridges.

paragraphs: On trains to the city there is a male announcer, on trains from the city there is a female announcer. (The boss calls you to work, the wife calls you home).

paragraphs: One of the stations - Vorobievy Gory is situated at the bridge and has a great view at the Moscow river. Also this station is the longest at Moscow.

paragraphs: Although this has not been officially said, many independent studies say that there is a second, deeper metro system designed for emergency evacuation of important city personnel in case of attack. It is believed that it consists of a single track and connects the Kremlin, chief HQ (Genshtab), Lubyanka (FSB Headquarters) and the Ministry of Defence, as well as numerous other secret installations. There are also entrances to the system from several civilian buildings such as the Russian State Library, Moscow State University (MSU) and at least two stations of the regular metro.[citation needed] It is speculated that these would allow for the evacuation of a small number of randomly chosen civilians, in addition to most of the elite military personnel. The only known junction between the secret system and normal Metro is behind the station Sportivnaya of the Sokolnicheskaya Line.


title: Kissing, Germany

paragraphs: Kissing is a municipality in Aichach-Friedberg district Bavaria, Germany. It is 10 km south of Augsburg and has about 11.500 inhabitants (as of the year 2003).

paragraphs: Kissing was first mentioned in 1050 as "Chissingin". In even earlier times, around 500, there was a thing hill nearby, which was later swept away by the floods of the river Lech.

paragraphs: The surname Kissinger (as in Henry Kissinger) means inhabitant of Bad Kissingen.


title: Anchorage

paragraphs: Anchorage is where a ship lies at anchor.


title: Jessica Simpson

paragraphs: Jessica Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer and actress. She is known for her reality television show, Nick and Jessica: Newlyweds. In the late 2000s, she was married to Nick Lachey. In 2008, she filed for divorce and she married Eric Johnson. She is the daughter of Tina and Joe Simpson and older sister of singer and actress Ashlee Simpson.

paragraphs: She has starred in the movies "The Dukes of Hazzard" (2005) and "Employee of the Month" (2006)

paragraphs: Jessica Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas. She is the daughter of Tina Ann and Joseph Truett. She has a sister whose name is Ashlee Simpson who is also a singer.

paragraphs: At first, Simpson sang at a local church. At age twelve, she auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club, but was not selected.

paragraphs: Simpson was married to musician Nick Lachey from 2002 until they divorced in 2006.

paragraphs: Simpson began dating NFL tight end Eric Johnson in 2010. The couple has 2 children together—daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson (born May 1, 2012) and son Ace Simpson Johnson (born February 22, 2013).


title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

paragraphs: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the second movie made by Monty Python. It was made in 1974 and was very successful. It is still very popular. It was also made into a musical called "Spamalot".

paragraphs: This is a comedy about King Arthur's search for the Holy Grail. He gathers a group of knights around him. They do not ride horses - instead, they clap coconut halves together, to make the sound of a horse galloping. They search for the grail, but keep on getting distracted by peasants (poor farmers) who want to talk about politics, or French knights insulting them.


title: Yen

paragraphs: The Japanese yen or en is the currency used in Japan. It is usually written with the romanised symbol ¥, but in Japanese it is written with the kanji 円. The coins are very light and range from ¥1 up to ¥500. The highest paper note value is ¥10000. The Japanese currency is the third most traded currency in the world.


title: West Forsyth High School

paragraphs: West Forsyth High School is a high school in North Carolina. It has 1611 students. It is the third largest school in Forsyth County and the 53rd largest school in North Carolina. Its principal is Kurt Telford. It is under the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools' district.


title: If and only if

paragraphs: In logic and mathematics, if and only if (sometimes abbreviated as iff) is a logical operator denoting a logical biconditional (often symbolized by formula_1 orformula_2). It is often used to conjoin two statements which are logically equivalent.

paragraphs: In general, given two statement A and B, the statement "A if and only if B" is true precisely when both A and B are true or both A and B are false. In which case, A can be thought of as the logical substitute of B (and vice versa).

paragraphs: An "if and only if" statement is also called a "necessary and sufficient condition". For example:

paragraphs: This makes it clear that Madison will eat all and only those fruits that are apples. She will not leave any apple uneaten, and she will not eat any other type of fruit. That a given fruit is an apple is both a "necessary" and a "sufficient" condition for Madison to eat the fruit.

paragraphs: Note that the truth table shown is also equivalent to the XNOR gate.


title: Appletalk

paragraphs: Appletalk is a suite of protocols for computer networking. It allowed Apple Macintosh computers to connect one another. It also allowed a computer to use a printer connected to the network. Apple has switched from Appletalk to TCP/IP.


title: Miramax Films

paragraphs: Miramax Films is an American motion picture distribution and production company. It was headquartered in New York, New York before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company.

paragraphs: It was created by the brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein in Buffalo, New York in 1979. The name comes from combining the first names of their parents "Max" and "Miriam". The company was created to distribute independent films which the major movie studio did not think were worth distributing.

paragraphs: The company's first success came when the Weinsteins teamed up with British producer Martin Lewis. They got the US rights to two concert movies of benefit shows for human rights organization Amnesty International. The Weinsteins worked with Lewis to combine the two movies into one movie. The movie "The Secret Policeman's Other Ball" was a successful release for Miramax in the summer of 1982.

paragraphs: Among the company's most well known movies as distributors were "The Crying Game", "sex, lies, and videotape", "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" and "Scandal". The company also made movies such as "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare In Love"

paragraphs: Miramax also produced many movies which made a lot of money. The company became one of the leaders of the independent film revolution of the 1990s. It produced or distributed seven movies that made more than $100 million at the box office. Its most successful movie, "Chicago", earned more than $300 million.

paragraphs: In 1993, The Walt Disney Company bought Miramax for $80 million. Harvey and Bob Weinstein ran Miramax until they left the company on September 30, 2005. The Weinstein brothers ran Miramax separately of other Disney companies. However, Disney had the final say on what Miramax could release.

paragraphs: Miramax also has a family films division, Miramax Family Films.

paragraphs: Miramax is one of the Big Ten movie studios.

paragraphs: In 2011, Disney sold the Miramax library of movies to Filmyard Holdings for $663 million. Home video rights for Miramax's movies also changed. In the United States, Echo Bridge holds the video rights to 250 of Miramax's movies, while Lions Gate Entertainment controls Miramax's 550 other films. Studio Canal holds all home video rights outside of the United States.


title: Western States 100

paragraphs: The Western States 100 is a 100 mile race that is held each July in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is the oldest regularly run ultramarathons. It is considered by some to be the most difficult. Some of the best runners ever to compete in the Western States 100 race are Scott Jurek and Tim Twietmeyer.


title: Scott Jurek

paragraphs: Scott Jurek (b. October 26, 1973) is an famous runner who lives in Seattle, California. He is perhaps best known for running the difficult Western States 100 Mile Race seven years in a row. He has also won the Badwater Ultramarathon the past two years.


title: Badwater Ultramarathon

paragraphs: The Badwater Ultramarathon is a race run from the lowest point in North America to the trail head of Mt. Whitney. It is 135 miles in very high heat.


title: Austria-Hungary

paragraphs: Austria-Hungary or the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a state in Central Europe from 1867 to 1918. It was the countries of Austria and Hungary ruled by a single monarch. The full name of the empire was "The Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen".

paragraphs: The dual monarchy replaced the Austrian Empire (1804–1867). It started with the compromise between the ruling Habsburg dynasty and the Hungarians. It was an empire made up of many different peoples and great power. It found its political life full of arguments between the eleven main national groups. It had great economic growth through the age of industrialization. It also saw social changes with many liberal and democratic reforms.

paragraphs: The Habsburg dynasty ruled as emperors of Austria over the western and northern half of the country and as kings of Hungary over the Kingdom of Hungary. The Kingdom of Hungary had some ability to govern itself. It also had a say in things that affected both it and the rest of the empire. This was mainly foreign relations and defense.

paragraphs: The empire's capital was Vienna. Austria-Hungary was the second largest country in Europe (after the Russian Empire). It had the third most people (after Russia and the German Empire).

paragraphs: The "Ausgleich" or compromise of February 1867 created the Empire's dualist structure. The Austrian Empire (1804–67) had lessened in strength and in power. This was because of the Austro–Sardinian War of 1859 and the Austro–Prussian War of 1866. Also, the Hungarian people were not happy with how Vienna treated them. This had been going on for many years and it led to Hungarian separation. This included the Hungarian liberal revolution of 1848–49.

paragraphs: Emperor Franz Joseph tried to reach an agreement with the Hungarian nobility. He needed their support to keep the empire together. The Hungarian nobility would not accept anything less than equality between themselves and the Austrian elites.

paragraphs: Hungary and Austria had different parliaments. Each had its own prime minister. The monarch kept the two working together. He had absolute power in theory but very little in reality. The monarch’s central government had charge of the army, navy, foreign policy, and the customs union.

paragraphs: The deaths of Franz Joseph's brother, Maximilian I of Mexico (1867), and his only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, made the Emperor's nephew, Franz Ferdinand, next in line to the crown. On June 28 1914, the heir visited the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. Bosnian Serb militants of the group Mlada Bosna attacked Franz Ferdinand's motorcade and assassinated him.

paragraphs: Some members of the government, such as Conrad von Hötzendorf had wanted to fight the Serbian nation for many years. The leaders of Austria-Hungary decided to attack Serbia before it could start a revolt. They used the assassination as an excuse. They gave Serbia a list of ten demands called the July Ultimatum. They expected Serbia would not accept. Serbia accepted nine of the ten demands but only partially accepted the other one. Austria-Hungary declared war.

paragraphs: These events brought the Empire into conflict with Serbia. Russia moved its army to help Serbia. This set off troop movements on both sides and started World War I.

paragraphs: Near the end of the war, it was understood that the allied powers would win. Part of the empire started declaring independence from the monarch. They formed their own countries.

paragraphs: The following countries were formed from the former Habsburg lands:

paragraphs: Some Austro-Hungarian lands were also given to Romania and Italy.


title: Wisdom

paragraphs: Wisdom is knowing things that help a person to live sensibly and make good decisions. Wisdom is defined differently by many cultures. Some say that wisdom is something a person learns as they grow older. Other cultures expect people to complete certain rituals in order to get wisdom.

paragraphs: If someone has wisdom we say he is wise.

paragraphs: Most cultures from the past have had special people who were supposed to be wise. People asked them for advice when they had problems because they knew things that ordinary people did not know or could not know. They were often called "sages".

paragraphs: There are many stories in Western culture in which the owl is supposed to be a wise bird.