Hollywood

Hollywood

World of film.

  • Hollywood is a suburb located in Los Angeles, California, United States and is also known as ‘Tinseltown’.
  • Hollywood is  famous for being the home of many celebrities and film studios, although much of the film industry has now been scattered throughout the region.
  • The name ‘Hollywood’ was named by land developer, Hobart Johnstone Whitley and his wife, whilst they were honeymooning in 1886, who is known as the “Father of Hollywood”.
  • As of 2012, Hollywood is a multicultural suburb, with a population of between 180,000 and 200,000 people, with nearly 50% of those born in a foreign country.
  • Hollywood was originally known as Cahuenga Valley to the agricultural community that lived in the area in the mid to late 19th century, and by 1900 the area had a post office, hotel, and a newspaper.

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Hollywood
Image courtesy of J Voves/Flickr
  • David Wark Griffith was the first person to make a film in Hollywood, a short film released in 1910, and the first studio in Hollywood was the Nestor Studio, which was established in 1911.
  • Hollywood has seven primary schools, two middle schools and three high schools.
  • The first Academy Awards in 1929, or Oscars as they are now known, were celebrated and presented in Hollywood at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and since then they have changed venues numerous times, but are now held annually in Hollywood.
  • Many famous landmarks are in Hollywood such as the Hollywood sign which is found on Mt Lee, the highest point in Los Angeles, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where over 2300 celebrity names can be found.
  • At one point, Hollywood was the home of nearly all of the Los Angeles radio stations, although most of them have now moved to different areas.
Bibliography:
Hollywood, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood>

Moses-in-the-Cradle

Moses-in-the-Cradle

It’s actually a flowering plant.

  • Moses-in-the-cradle is a plant from the family Commelinaceae, which is the family of day flowers, wandering jew and spiderworts.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle is a perennial clumping plant native to southern Mexico, and Central America, and grows to approximately 30 cm (11.8 inches).
  • Moses-in-the-cradle’s scientific name was originally Rhoeo discolour, then Rhoeo spathacea and it is now Tradescantia spathacea.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle’s scientific name is named after John Tradescant senior and junior who were plant importers and collectors in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle is also known by many other names, including ‘boat lily’; ‘cradle lily’, ‘oyster plant’ and other variations of ‘Moses-in-the-cradle’.

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  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants have attractive dark green leaves, with a purple underside, and are generally grown for their foliage.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants can be easily grown from cuttings, seeds or discarded or damaged plants, and are very hardy, although they don’t like frost.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants can self pollinate, and they develop small, white, three petalled flowers that open out of purple boat or cradle shaped bracts, at any time of the year, hence the name ‘Moses-in-the-cradle’.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants have been introduced in many parts of the world, and they have become an invasive pest in many areas, including Florida, United States and some parts of Australia, as they can grow almost anywhere and can even be found growing on walls.
  • The sap of Moses-in-the-cradle plants can cause stinging and will burn one’s mouth and throat if any of the plant is consumed.
Bibliography:
Tradescantia Spathacea, 2012, Some Magnetic Island Plants, <http://www.somemagneticislandplants.com.au/index.php/plants/374-tradescantia-spathacea>

Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup

Amber coloured syrup.

  • Maple syrup is a flavoured syrup from the sap of certain maple trees, tapped mainly during early spring over a 4-8 week period, when the stored winter starch in the roots and trunk rises in the tree and is converted to sugar.
  • Maple syrup was first collected, made and used by the indigenous North Americans.
  • Quebec, Canada, produces three quarters of the world’s maple syrup, with Canada exporting over US$141 million worth of maple syrup every year.
  • To collect maple syrup sap, holes are bored in the maple trees; special taps are inserted into the holes; and the sap drips into the bucket underneath or into tubes that go direct to the processing building.
  • To produce maple syrup, the sap is boiled to remove  most of the water content, the liquid is then filtered to remove any small sugar crystals, and what remains is maple syrup.

Maple syrup, gold, amber, flavour, food, canada, 100% brookdale real,

  • Although maple syrup is mostly sucrose and water, with its sugar content being over 60%, it contains a significant  amount of manganese and zinc.
  • Maple syrup is most often used on pancakes, waffles, and French toast, although it is also used as a sweetener and flavouring in baked goods, drinks and other food items.
  • Maple syrup was the main food sweetener in North America and the United States in the 1600s and 1700s, and remained so until after the American Civil War in the 1860s, when cane sugar became more cheaply, and readily available.
  • Approximately 40 litres (10.5 US gallons) of maple syrup sap, makes 1 litre (0.26 US gallons) of maple syrup.
  • Imitation maple syrup is also produced, and usually doesn’t contain any maple sap syrup, or very little, and is an inferior product and generally much cheaper than real maple syrup.
Bibliography:
Maple Syrup, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_syrup>

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, the liberty statue.

  • The Statue of Liberty is a neoclassical sculpture, depicting a woman or goddess with connotations of freedom, and can be found on Liberty Island, New York, in the United States of America.
  • The Statue of Liberty was designed by sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, and given as a gift to the United States by France as a symbol of liberty.
  • The exterior of the Statue of Liberty, known as its ‘skin’, is made from copper and was originally a copper colour, although after a number of years in the weather it gained a green patina, which is still present today.
  • The Statue of Liberty is 46 meters (151 feet) in height and weighs 204.1 tonnes (450,000 pounds).
  • The Statue of Liberty was originally built in France, and was dismantled into 350 pieces and then packed in 214 crates and carted by ship to America.
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Statue of Liberty
Image courtesy of Bill Longshaw/ Free Digital Photos
  • The official opening of the Statue of Liberty was on 28th October, 1886, and the statue has since become iconic of the United States.
  • The Statue of Liberty, originally known as ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
  • Gustave Eiffel, the designer and engineer of the Eiffel Tower, was one of the main engineers used by Bartholdi for the Statue of Liberty.
  • On the tablet in one of the hands of the Statue of Liberty, the date “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” is inscribed, a reference to the day of United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
  • At the Statue of Liberty’s feet is a broken chain, and is the most overlooked feature of the statue.
Bibliography:
Statue of Liberty, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty>

Chihuahua (Dog)

Chihuahua (Dog)

Chihuahua is pronounce chih-wow-wuh.

  • Chihuahuas are the smallest dog breed and are native to Mexico.
  • Chihuahuas come in many shapes and sizes and can grow up to 30-38 cm (12-15 inches) in height.
  • Chihuahuas are named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
  • Chihuahua puppies are often described as teacups, pocket size, tiny toy and miniature.
  • Chihuahua come in a variety of colours, most commonly fawn, red, cream, chocolate, white and black.

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  • Chihuahuas often don’t like being around other breeds of dogs.
  • Chihuahuas like to live in den-like, dark, secure spots such as under beds or in baskets.
  • Chihuahuas often tremble when stressed, excited or cold.
  • Chihuahuas are sometimes fussy eaters, but wet or fresh food are most appealing to the dogs.
  • Chihuahuas normally have litters of 1-5.
Bibliography:
Chihuahua (Dog) 20 March 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua_(dog)>

Empire State Building

Empire State Building

Big, big, big building.

  • The Empire State Building is a skyscraper with 103 floors, mainly consisting of offices.
  • The Empire State Building is located in Manhattan, New York, United States.
  • The Empire State Building is 443 meters (1453 feet) high, and was the first building to have over 100 floors.
  • The Empire State Building was constructed from 1930-1931, and with the property, cost $41 million.
  • The Empire State Building was named after New York’s nickname, the Empire State.
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Empire State Building
Image courtesy of Matti Mattila/Flickr
  • The Empire State Building is owned by 2800 people who have invested in the company, Empire State Building Associates L L C.
  • The Empire State Building is currently under renovation worth $550 million to make the building more ecological and to restore and enhance some of its original features.
  • The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for 40 years, from 1931 to 1972.
  • Over thirty people have committed suicide by jumping off the Empire State Building.
  • In 1945, an aeroplane crashed into the Empire State Building, due to foggy conditions, killing 14 people.
Bibliography:
Empire State Building 9 March 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building>
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