Tag Archives: People

The Wiggles

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The Wiggles

Let’s ‘Hot Potato’ along with the Wiggles!

  • ‘The Wiggles’, named from the song ‘Get ready to wriggle’ by John Field, is a band that performs music and tours internationally, and has a target audience of preschool children, from ages 2 to 6.
  • The Wiggles originally wore colourful but ‘messy’ costumes, but soon turned to the simple coloured skivvies of yellow, red, purple and blue, the latter originally green.
  • In 2013, the members of the Wiggles were Anthony Field (Blue), Lachlan Gillespie (Purple), Simon Pryce (Red) and Emma Watkins (Yellow).
  • The original and main members of the Wiggles were Murray Cook (Red), Jeff Fatt (Purple), Greg Page (Yellow) and Anthony Field (Blue), as well as Phillip Wilcher, who featured only on the first album, and later, Sam Moran (Yellow), who eventually replaced Greg.
  • The Wiggles are well known for entertaining children around the world, having performed at more than 6,000 shows, and were the highest earning entertainers in Australia over four consecutive years, from 2004 to 2008, as well as earning AUD $45 million in 2009, and they continue to be among the top earning entertainers.

The Wiggles, Sam, Jeff, Anthony, Murry, Ten Random Facts, Big Red Car, Show, Peformance, Entertainment

(From left to right) Anthony, Jeff, Murry, Sam
Image courtesy of Meandertail/Flickr
  • The Wiggles were formed for the production of the first album in 1991, due to Anthony Field wanting a recorded album of children’s music, to present to his future employers to help him obtain a job as a preschool teacher.
  • The group produced a film called ‘The Wiggles Movie’ (in Australia) in 1997, and started a television series broadcasting in Australia and the United States, in 1998.
  • The Wiggles were featured in their first mini theme park in Dreamworld, Australia, in 2005, which increased the fun at theme parks for young children.
  • The Wiggles generally produce new music every year and by 2014, had released approximately 50 albums and videos, and sold over 30 million copies.
  • The Wiggles have won many awards, including eleven Best Children’s Album awards at the ARIAs, have been included in the ARIA Hall of Fame, and the original members were appointed Members in the Order of Australia in 2010.
Bibliography:
About us, 2013, The Wiggles, http://web.archive.org/web/20130924110739/http://www.thewiggles.com.au/au/about/
The Wiggles, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiggles

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Nelson Mandela

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Nelson Mandela

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

  • Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa and spent much of his life peacefully fighting against the racism of his people, that was rife in his country.
  • Nelson Mandela’s full name was ‘Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’; his English name (Nelson) was given to him by his school teacher on his first day of school, as customary at the time.
  • Nelson Mandela was born on 18 July, 1918, in Mvezo, Cape Province, South Africa, and died on 5 December, 2013, in his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of 95, due to a long-term lung infection.
  • Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life imprisoned, in three prisons, being arrested in 1964, for ‘sabotaging’ government buildings, and was released in 1990.
  • Nelson Mandela was often called the ‘Father of a Nation’ and was also known by his clan name, ‘Madiba’.

Nelson Mandela, Death, Award, Johannesburg, South Africa, Former Black President, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Mandela
Image courtesy of South Africa The Good News
  • Nelson Mandela was born into a state of royalty, but later ran away to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he spent much of his residential life, to avoid an arranged marriage.
  • While in prison, Nelson Mandela’s eyesight was damaged permanently due to the glare on the limestone in the quarry where he worked.
  • Nelson Mandela became president on 10 May, 1994, and retired in 1999, although he continued to express his opinions until he ‘retired from retirement’ in 2004.
  • Nelson Mandela had six children and married three times, and his most recent wife was Graça Machel, whom he married in 1998.
  • Nelson Mandela jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, and received over 250 awards and honours, including a number of statues erected.
Bibliography:
Nelson Mandela, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
Nelson Mandela’s life and times, 2013, BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12305154

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Talcum Powder

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Talcum Powder

Silky smooth talcum powder…

  • Talcum powder, also known as ‘talc’ or ‘talc powder’, is a personal hygiene item often used to prevent rashes, and the powder is typically used in baby powder and other cosmetic powders.
  • Talcum powder is typically ground talc, a mineral that has many uses, including use in some food products, chalks and lubricants, as well as some paper making processes.
  • The talc in talcum powder is found in soapstone and other rocks, and is the softest mineral ever.
  • To make talcum powder, talc is extracted from mines, ground, made pure and processed.
  • Talcum powder is used to absorb moisture on the body, so it is useful in infant care and in hot and humid climates to prevent chafing and rashes.

Talcum powder, white, cosmetics, talc, mineral, ground, baby powder, Ten Random Facts,

  • Talcum powder is generally soft, fine-grained, white, grey or pale green in colour, and has a pleasant smell often due to the perfume that is sometimes added.
  • With excessive exposure, it is said that talcum powder can cause cancer in some people, although this is strongly debated, and through inhalation of the powder, there is a small chance of lung damage.
  • Talcum powder can be substituted with cornstarch, which can be bought in the food section at retailers.
  • Talcum powder has been used to prevent the squeakiness of floorboards.
  • Talcum powder was first made into a baby powder to help with nappy rash in 1893, by Johnson & Johnson, and the powder was available to the public in 1894.
Bibliography:
Talcum Powder, 2013, The Facts About, http://www.thefactsabout.co.uk/content.asp?menuid=23&submenuid=100&pageid=100&menuname=Talcum+powder&menu=sub
What is Talcum Powder?, 2013, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-talcum-powder.htm

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Ludwig van Beethoven

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Ludwig van Beethoven

Have you heard Ludwig van Beethoven’s symphonies?

  • Ludwig van Beethoven has no recorded birth date, but was officially baptised on 17 December, 1770, and is believed to have been born the day before, on the 16th in the city of Bonn, in what is now known as Germany.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven was a German pianist and composer of many symphonies, concertos, sonatas and other musical pieces and first performed in 1778 at seven years of age.
  • In 1787, when Ludwig van Beethoven was 16, his mother died, leaving behind an alcoholic husband that became even more dependent on the substance, two younger boys and Ludwig, who became the main carer for his two siblings.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven began to lose his hearing in 1796, at 26 years of age, and became nearly totally deaf by 1814.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven died on 26 March, 1827, aged 56, and at the point of his death, a clap of thunder supposedly occurred.

Ludwig van Beethoven, Portrait, Painting, 1861 to 1897, L. Prang & Co, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Portrait of Beethoven
Image courtesy of Boston Public Library/Flickr
  • A statue of Ludwig van Beethoven was revealed in 1845 in Germany, as an acknowledgement of 75 years since he was born.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven loved a number of women during his life, but never married, although he fought for the custody of a nephew at one stage.
  • On the planet Mercury, there is a crater that has been named in honour of Ludwig van Beethoven.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous classical composers and musicians in history.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven’s father and grandfather were musicians, and Ludwig studied with the Austrian composer Joseph Hayden, often known as the ‘Father of Symphonies and String Quartets’ and was also influenced by the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Bibliography:
Ludwig van Beethoven, 2013, Naxos, http://www.naxos.com/person/Ludwig_van_Beethoven/25976.htm
Ludwig van Beethoven, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven

 

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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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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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