Category Archives: Celebrities and Entertainment

Kendama

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Kendama

Flick up the kendama ball and catch it on the stick.

  • A kendama is a traditional Japanese toy, typically made of wood.
  • Kendama are historically hammer-shaped with a spike, and have a ball attached with string.
  • Kendama have four main parts: ‘ken’ (stick or handle), ‘crosspiece’ (cup body), ‘string’, and ‘ball’ , and the toy usually has three different cup sizes to balance the ball on.
  • The aim of a kendama is to get the ball onto the spike or catch it on one of the sides of the hammer.
  • A ‘kendama’ is also known as ‘ring and pin’, and it is similar to the European cup-and-ball toy.

Kendama, Toy, Japanese, Traditional, Two, Mini, Wooden, Small, Anatomy, Ten Random Facts

  • Kendama are particularly common in Japan, where trick competitions are held.
  • While some people think that the kendama toy originated in Japan, it possibly came to the country by trade in the 1770s from the French, who had a similar toy named a ‘bilboquet’, to which the Japanese made some modifications.
  • The modern kendama was patented by Japanese Hamaji Egusa in 1920 and the official competition design came from the 1970s.
  • The string on a kendama is typically between 35 to 45 centimetres (1.1 to 1.5 feet) in length; a longer string makes it harder to complete the aim.
  • The grip and stance of kendama change the performance, with specific recognised standards of each.

 

Bibliography:
Kendama, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendama
Kendama, n.d, Kids Web Japan, http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/kendama/kendama01.html

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Neil Armstrong

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Neil Armstrong

“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong; spoken after the first step on the moon.

  • Neil Armstrong (born ‘Neil Alden Armstrong’) was born on 5 August, 1930 in Ohio, United States, and his parents were Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel.
  • Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut, who was famous for being the first person to set foot on the moon, where he moved around for approximately two and a half hours, on 21 July, 1969.
  • Neil Armstrong died at 82 years of age on 25 August, 2012, in Ohio, due to cardiovascular surgery complications; and his ashes were scattered at sea.
  • Neil Armstrong journeyed through many careers including engineering, aircraft, test piloting, university education and business.
  • Among other awards and honous, Neil Armstrong was awarded three significant medals: the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1969), Congressional Space Medal of Honour (1978), and Congressional Gold Medal (2009).

Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11, Space, Spacesuit, Moon, Astronaut, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, NASA

Armstrong in Apollo 11
Image courtesy of Recuerdos de Pandora/Flickr
  • Neil Armstrong married Janet Shearon in 1956, whom he met while she was studying, and subsequently had three children (one died at a young age), and then he married Carol Knight in 1994, after he divorced Janet.
  • Neil Armstrong was appointed to aircraft training in the navy, in 1949, performed 78 tasks in the Korean war, and retired in 1960.
  • Neil Armstrong participated in two major space projects of NASA’s: Project Gemini, for advancements in space travel, and Project Apollo, for the first person on the moon.
  • Neil Armstrong was involved in a few legal issues, which included Hallmark’s illegal use of his quotes and other information, and his barber selling his hair for $3,000.
  • In his whole life, Neil Armstrong spent only a little more than eight and a half days in space.
Bibliography:
Bibliography, 2012, NASA, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/neilabio.html
Neil Armstrong, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Armstrong

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The Hobbit

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The Hobbit

Always remember to return from your quest with The Hobbit, or There and back Again.

  • The Hobbit is a fantasy novel for children and precedes the famous sequel, The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
  • The full title of The Hobbit is ‘The Hobbit, or There and Back Again’.
  • The Hobbit was written by J.R.R Tolkien, who was a profound English author of the 1900s.
  • The Hobbit follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, who was on a quest to reclaim treasure from Smaug, a dragon.
  • The Hobbit was first published in 1937 illustrated with original art by Tolkien himself, and a number of editions were also produced.

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, Book, J.R.R Tolkien, Illustrated by the author, 1993, Paperback edition, Ten Random Facts, Lord of the Rings,

  • The Hobbit is often classified as fantasy in genre, but is officially a children’s novel.
  • The Hobbit is being adapted into a film production, a trilogy released in late 2012, late 2013 and 2014: ‘The Unexpected Journey’, ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ and ‘There and Back Again’ respectively.
  • Since it was first published, The Hobbit is loosely estimated to have sold 35 to 100 million copies, and been translated into more than 40 languages.
  • Original editions of The Hobbit are worth thousands of dollars, with signed first editions selling for US$120,000 (BS£60,000).
  • Tolkien came up with some initial ideas for the story of The Hobbit in 1914, starting with the realm of Middle Earth, although the realm was never mentioned in the novel.

 

Bibliography:
The Hobbit, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, 2013, Shmoop, http://www.shmoop.com/hobbit/

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have a dream…” – Martin Luther King.

  • Martin Luther King was an African-American humanitarian and activist, as well as the leader of the African-American civil rights movements.
  • Martin Luther King was born on 15 January, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and was the second child in a family of three children.
  • It was originally believed that Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, United States on 4 April, 1968, by a bullet shot by James Earl Ray, a criminal, however a jury, in 1999, gave the verdict that the government and others were involved in a conspiracy, that had King assassinated.
  • Martin Luther King had a strong belief in Jesus, particularly focusing on a verse from the Book of Matthew in the Bible: “love your neighbour as yourself”.
  • Martin Luther King married Coretta Scott on 18 June, 1953, and had four children, one of which was named Martin Luther King III.

Martin Luther King Jr, Black and White Photograph, Speaking, Speech, American Civil Rights, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

 

Martin L King
Image courtesy of Family MWR/Flickr
  • Martin Luther King’s speech “I have a dream” is a 17 minute speech, and the most famously known one of King’s, and one of the most significant in the history of America.
  • ‘Martin Luther King’ was also known as ‘MLK’, and was originally named Michael King on his birth certificate.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was first celebrated in 1986, and the public holiday is recognised throughout the United States on the 3rd Monday in January.
  • Martin Luther King was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in October 1964 for his involvement in civil rights, and at the time, he was the youngest to have received the prize.
  • Martin Luther King has had his house bombed in 1956, was arrested for his rebellion against racial unfairness in buses, and after his assassination, there were riots among much of the United States.
Bibliography:
Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr., 2013, Bio.com, http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086

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Mario Franchise

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Mario Franchise

“It’s-a me, Mario!” – Mario from the Mario franchise.

  • The Mario franchise is the most popular video game franchise ever, and is produced by Nintendo, featuring the main hero, Mario.
  • The main series from the Mario franchise is Super Mario (from 1985), which involves the player to venture through the setting, ‘Mushroom Kingdom’.
  • There are more than 200 games that are based or derived from the Mario franchise, and together the number of copies sold is over 865 million.
  • Spin-offs of the Mario franchise include Mario Party (from 1999) and Mario Kart (from 1992), which are some of the longest running series.
  • The first release in the Mario franchise was Donkey Kong in 1981, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, involving the player known as ‘Jumpman’ (later known as Mario) to jump over objects and save ‘Lady’.

Mario Franchise. Games, Nintendo 64, Wii, New Super Marios Bros Wii, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 OLympic Games, Mario Party 8, Mario Tennis, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64

  • Hudson Soft, another video game publisher, has been responsible for producing some of the Mario franchise games, including Mario Party until 2012.
  • The Mario franchise has released anime, comics, an unsuccessful film, and manga as well as general items such as shirts or pens.
  • The Mario franchise is mainly a platform genre, but other games in sport, racing, puzzle, party and role-play have also been published.
  • The common logo of the Mario franchise features a red ‘M’, on a white circle, which is in a red square, and is usually featured on the character Mario’s hat.
  • The first 3D game of the Mario franchise was Super Mario 64, featuring a camera that follows the path of Mario, for the Nintendo 64 console.
Bibliography:
Mario Franchise, 2013, Giant Bomb, http://www.giantbomb.com/mario/3025-1/
Mario (Franchise), 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_(franchise)

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                     Mario Franchise Games

Thomas Edison

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Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” – Thomas Edison

  • Thomas Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, United States on February 11, 1847, and his full name was ‘Thomas Alva Edison’ and was also known as the ‘Wizard of Menlo Park’.
  • Thomas Edison was an American inventor who invented the practical electrical light bulb, the phonograph and other communication items, including moving images, although these were only some of Edison’s 1000 inventions.
  • Many of Thomas Edison’s inventions shaped the way we live today which caused him to be dubbed ‘the greatest inventor ever’, and during his lifetime he was the most prolific inventor in known history, a position he held through the 1900s.
  • Thomas Edison became a telegraph operator as a young teenager, due to receiving the training as a reward for saving a young boy from death by a train, and he went on to become a successful businessman, founding 14 companies during his lifetime.
  • Thomas Edison caught scarlet fever when he was young, which contributed to poor hearing, and later, deafness.

Thomas Edison, Image, Portrait, Many, Inventor, Lightbulb, Ten Random Facts, Ohio, America, Flickr

Portraits
Image courtesy of Intel Free Press/Flickr
  • In 2013, Thomas Edison ranked 4th for ‘the most prolific inventor in the world’, with 1093 patents.
  • Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwell in 1871, who died later in 1884, and had three children, and after Mary’s death, married Mina Miller in 1886, and had three more children.
  • Thomas Edison constructed a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, named the ‘Menlo Park Laboratory’, which contained virtually every material available and he was the recipient of a number of various medals and awards during his lifetime.
  • Thomas Edison, the youngest of 7, was a very curious child, and ended up being schooled at home by his mother due to his wandering mind and many questions which weren’t welcome at the school he attended for 3 months.
  • Thomas Edison died aged 84, on 18 October 1931 from complications of diabetes, in the house that was his wedding gift to his wife Mina, in West Orange, New Jersey, United States.
Bibliography:
Beals G, The Bibliography of Thomas Edison, 1999, Thomas Edison.com, http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html
Thomas Edison, 2013, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

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