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Charles Dickens

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Charles Dickens

Ever heard of Charles Dickens?

  • Charles Dickens was an English writer and became famous in 1836 from  his Pickwick Papers, which was first published as a serial.
  • The full name of Charles Dickens was Charles John Huffam Dickens, and early on in his career he used the pseudonymn Boz, a family nickname.
  • Charles Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 in Portsmouth, England and died on 9 June, 1870 in Kent, England.
  • Charles Dickens first started to write in 1832, when he was 20 years of age.
  • Charles Dickens was initially married to Catherine Thomson Hogarth, and had ten children.
    Charles Dickens, Books, Novel, Author, Popular, Penn State Special Collections, University Park, Mason & Co. (British), Flickr, Ten Random Facts, 1865
Charles Dickens
Image courtesy of Penn State Special Collections Library/Flickr
  • Charles Dickens’ novels have been made into at least 200 films and adaptations.
  • Charles Dickens was also a political journalist and a social critic.
  • Charles Dickens survived the major Staplehurst rail crash in 1865, and eventually died due to stroke exactly five years later, “on the ground” being his last words.
  • In 2003 in BBC’s Big Read, Charles Dickens had five books starring in the top 100; Great Expectations (no. 17), David Copperfield (no. 34), A Christmas Carol (no. 47), A Tale of Two Cities (no. 63) and Bleak House (no. 79).
  • Charles Dickens toured the United Kingdom and United States a number of times, for the purpose of undertaking a series of public readings, which were very popular.
Bibliography:
Charles Dickens 1 February 2013 , Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens>

Big Ben

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Big Ben

Listen to the bells ringing…

  • Big Ben is the nick name of the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, London, and specifically the bell of the clock.  The origin of the nick name is uncertain.
  • Big Ben’s official name is the Elizabeth Tower, only recently renamed from “Clock Tower” in 2012.
  • The Big Ben, a free-standing clock tower, is the third tallest in the world, and holds the largest four faced clock that chimes.
  • Big Ben was completed in 1858 and has become the symbol of London and England.
  • Big Ben is named after Queen Elizabeth II, as a tribute to her in her Diamond Jubilee year.
Big Ben, Elizabeth Tower, London Palace of Westminister, Clock Tower, Ten Random Facts, Free Digital Photos, England Big Ben
Image courtesy of  Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee/ Free Digital Photos
  • Big Ben measures 96 meters (315 feet) in height, around the size of a 16 story building.
  • Although Big Ben is a popular tourist attraction, it is only open for those who are residents of the United Kingdom.
  • The Big Ben has a tilt that can be seen by the naked eye, and it currently tilts a further 0.9 mm each year due to nearby tunnels.
  • On 27 May, 2005, Big Ben’s clock mysteriously stopped at the time of 10:07 pm and again at 10:20 pm, stopping for 90 minutes.
  • Big Ben consists of one main bell, and four quarter bells which play play G#, F#, E and B notes.
Bibliography:
Big Ben 4 February 2013, Wikipedia,  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben>

Fencing

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Fencing

Concentrate now…

  • Fencing is a sport that includes striking your opponent with a bladed weapon.
  • Fencing was one of the few sports to be included in the first modern Olympic Games, and one of five sports that has been included in every Olympic Games since.
  • Spanish fencing was being practised in the 13th and 14th centuries, and it is from this that modern fencing is derived.
  • There are three main types of fencing weapons: the foil, sabreo or the épée.  The blades are flexible and blunt or flattened so they do not harm the opponent.
  • The fencing uniform includes a jacket, a plastron (an underarm protector), a glove, breeches and a mask.

Fencing, Lady, Girl, Striking, Duel, Sport Action, Flickr, Qrodo Photos, Ten Random Facts

Fencing
Image courtesy of Qrodo Photos/Flickr
  • The fencing uniform typically is made from cotton or nylon mixed with polyethylene, so that it is resistant to sword penetration.
  • In the United States and European countries, fencing is a popular sport in some schools and universities and students have the opportunity to compete in the World University Games.
  • In fencing competitions, weapons with electronic sensors are used to make scoring more accurate.
  • Fencing is regarded as a sport safer than golf, and people are at the most risk when a weapon breaks.
  • In fencing competitions, two people generally move back and fourth on a 1.4 by 13 meter(6 by 44 feet) strip, attempting to strike one another.
Bibliography:
Fencing 2 February 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing>

Alyssum

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Alyssum

Sweet small flowers.

  • Alyssum is also known as sweet alyssum or sweet alison.
  • Alyssum is an annual flowering, small, bushy plant that grows to about 5 – 30 cm (2-12 inches) in height.
  • Alyssum’s scientific name is Lobularia maritima or Alyssum maritimum, which comes from the Greek words meaning ‘small pod’ and ‘marine’.
  • Alyssum has clusters of small flowers, approximately 5 mm in diameter, with four petals.
  • Alyssum has flowers that are white, pink, rosey red, violet or lilac in colour.

Alyssum, White, Flower, Plant, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Alyssum flowers have a sweet smell and are pollinated by insects.
  • In its natural environment, alyssum is commonly found growing on beaches or sand dunes.
  • In civilisation, alyssum is commonly found growing in cracks or walls.
  • Alyssum often self seeds in the garden and is commonly found popping up in unexpected places.
  • Alyssum is native to coastal areas and islands in and surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the European islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Bibliography:
Lobularia Maritima 3 February 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobularia_maritima>

Cement Truck

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Cement Truck

A cement mixer… on wheels!

  • Cement trucks are also known as concrete trucks.  They have a drum on the top of the truck which holds concrete.
  • Cement trucks mix concrete in the drum with sharp blades to prevent the concrete from turning hard.
  • Cement trucks typically pour concrete down long chutes to the site where it is needed.
  • The drum on cement trucks turn in one direction to mix the concrete, and the opposite direction to pour concrete out of the drum.
  • Long pipes and concrete pumps are used if the cement truck’s chute can’t reach the area that needs to be concreted.

Cement Truck, Mixer, Concrete, Yellow, white, Boral, Australia, Green, Ten Random Facts

  • The first patent application for a cement truck was filed by Stephan Stepanian in 1916.
  • Cement trucks generally weigh between 9,070 – 13, 600 kg (20,000 – 30,000 pounds).
  • Cement trucks carry approximately 18,100 kg (40,200 pounds) of concrete.
  • Most of the time, concrete needs to be delivered from a cement truck 90 minutes after been loaded in the truck.
  • Cement trucks typically have a steel barrel, but some new trucks use fibreglass.
Bibliography:
Concrete Mixer 4 January 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_mixer>
Graham, 2006, On the Building Site , QED Publishing, United Kingdom

Avocado

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Avocado

The pear shaped fruit and trees.

  • Avocados are native to Central Mexico and are also known as alligator pear or avocado pear..
  • Avocado trees are flowering plants from the family Lauraceae, the same family of cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel.
  • Avocado fruit have black or green, smooth or bumpy skin, depending on the variety, a large seed inside, and soft, creamy yellow to green flesh.
  • Avocado trees grow up to 20 meters (66 feet) in height and are often started from a pit, initially grown indoors.
  • Avocado fruit can grow from 7 cm (2.8 inches) to 20 cm (7.9 inches) long.

Avocado, Green, Vegetable, Fruit, Lots, Ripe, Ten Random Facts

  • Avocado fruit mature on the tree and then drop to the ground and ripen.  Once the avocado is cut, the flesh quickly turns brown.
  • Mexico grows more than one billion kilograms of avocado fruit per year, the most in the world.
  • Avocado fruit are rich in vitamins B, E and K, and potassium, and are high in fibre.
  • Avocado fruit and parts of the plant are toxic to many animals, including some birds.
  • Avocados are normally eaten raw in salad and on sandwiches, and in some countries combined to make juice, desserts, drinks, and dips.  Sometimes it is served cooked in certain dishes.
Bibliography:
Avocado 31 January 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado>
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