Monday 27 August 2007

Great Bells of the British Isles

Here are 10 of the 36 "existing and former great bells of the British Isles". For the remaining 26, and details including the pitch and maker of each bell, see the The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America's page here

1. "Great Paul", St.Paul's Cathedral, London, England, 1881, 37483 lbs

2. "Big Ben" (original) Westminster, London, England, 1856, 35666 lbs

3. "Great George" Cathedral Church of Christ Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1940, 33098 lbs

4. "Big Ben" (present) Westminster, London, England, 1858, 30339 lbs

5. "Great Peter" (present) Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St. Peter, York, Yorkshire, England, 1927, 24270 lbs

6. "Great Peter" (original) Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St. Peter, York, Yorkshire, England, 1845, 24080(+/-56) lbs

7. "Little John" Nottingham Council House, Nottingham, Notts, England, 1928, 23211 lbs

8. "Great George" Wills Tower (main building), Bristol University Bristol, Avon, England, 1925, 21439 lbs

9. "Joe o'Highmoor" Highmoor Bell Tower, Wigton, Cumbria, 1884, England, 19712(+/-56) lbs

10. "Great Abel" (present) Town Hall, Manchester, Gtr.Man., England, 1882, 18231 lbs

Tuesday 21 August 2007

Famous cheerleaders

A list of famous people who were once cheerleaders. For more famous cheerleaders visit the about.com page here

George W. Bush
President George W. Bush was a Cheerleader at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA

Steve Martin
This famous comedian can add Cheerleading to his many talents.

Halle Berry
This model turned actress was a Cheerleader, an honor society member, editor of the school paper, and class president in high school.

Katie Couric
Katie is Co-anchor of NBC's Today show and an Emmy Award winner.

Franklin D Roosevelt
Among his many other activities, our thirty-second President, was a football Cheerleader at Harvard.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg
A Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a Cheerleader at James Madison High School in Brooklyn, NY

Meryl Streep
Meryl was nominated for her first Academy Award for her role in her first film "The Deer Hunter". She is also a graduate of Vassar and Yale.

Wednesday 15 August 2007

Extremely Expensive Desserts

Forbestraveler.com has released a list of the world's most expensive desserts. For more info see the website here

The Fortress Aquamarine ($14,500)
Brownie Extraordinaire with Saint Louis ($1,000)
Golden Opulence Sundae ($1,000)
The Sultan’s Golden Cake ($1,000)
The Dome’s Truffle Ice ($200)
The Madeleine Truffle ($250 per truffle, or $6,000 per pound)
“Entre” ($176)
King-size Imperial Torte ($57)
Valrhona Chocolate Sphere ($48)
Warm Golden Plum Soufflé ($48)

Wednesday 8 August 2007

19th century American patent medicines

A list of colourful concoctions advertised in Melbourne’s Lorngnette (28 August 1878), via The Vapour Trail

Dr Merritt’s Scientific Ozone Inhaler
Dr Wistan’s Balsam of Wild Cherry
Dr Pierce’s Purgative Pellets
Hagan’s Magnolia Balm
Ozone or Active Oxygen
Pond’s Extract
Glen’s Sulphur Soap
American Bay Rum
Patey’s Cold Cream
Laid’s Bloom of Youth.

Islands and Lakes, Lakes and Islands

From "Some Interesting Islands and Lakes" Elbruz Publication 190567 here

Largest Island - Greenland (DEN)

Largest lake - Caspian Sea (RUS/KAZ/AZE/TKM/IRN)

Largest lake on an island - Nettilling Lake on Baffin Island (CAN)

Largest island in a lake - Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron (CAN)

Largest island in a lake on an island - Pulau Samosir in Danau Toba on
Sumatera (INA)

Largest lake on an island in a lake - Lake Manitou on Manitoulin Island
in Lake Huron (CAN)

Largest lake on an island in a lake on an island - Crater Lake on
Vulcano Island in Lake Taal on Luzon (PHI)

Largest island in a lake on an island in a lake - Island in Mindemoya
Lake on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron (CAN)

Largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island - Vulcan
point in Crater Lake on Vulcano Island in Lake Taal on Luzon (PHI)

Sunday 5 August 2007

Wikipedian riddle

Wikipedia's disambiguation pages list "articles associated with the same title" within Wikipedia. Here is the list for the title word "riddle".

Riddle may refer to:

Riddle, a form of a word puzzle
Riddling, a process in the production of sparkling wine
The Riddle (album), a 1984 album by Nik Kershaw
The Riddle, a title song from that album
The Riddle family/The House of Gaunt, in the Harry Potter series, of which the main antagonist, Lord Voldemort, is a descendant.
Jeremy Riddle, musician
Johnny Riddle (1905-1998), American baseball player
Nelson Riddle (1921-1985), band leader
Riddle, a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States.
Riddle, Idaho
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a private, 4-year college.
Riddle family, a family in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books.