On September 13, 1814, as British warships pounded away at Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor with their rockets and mortars, a prisoner on one of the ships changed America’s history. He did it with a poem written on the back of a letter. When he was released from custody, Francis Scott Key set the words to a traditional melody and gave the fledgling United States its triumphant national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Like many great moments in art that are revealed in the times of greatest struggle, The Star-Spangled Banner is a supreme example of art appearing from the darkest of times. The Americans at Fort McHenry were able to repel a vicious British Naval bombardment with few casualties because of their preparedness and swift actions. The sight of a specially-commissioned, oversized American flag rising from the smoke the morning after the attack was the inspiration Key needed as he watched from the ship where he was held prisoner. The poem was originally titled “Defence of Fort McHenry.”
The words that Key wrote for The Star-Spangled Banner just happened to match the rhythm of a popular British song, “The Anacreontic Song.” The title refers to the Greek court poet Anacreon whose ****** paeans to wine, women, and song are reflected in the lyrics of the original British tune. John Stafford Smith, a member of the Anacreontic Society, which was a group of amateur musicians, is commonly credited with writing the tune. Perhaps because it was commonly known as a raucous drinking song, though, the claim of composition in still up in the air.
Two newspapers printed The Star-Spangled Banner with its original title on September 20, containing a reference to the Anacreontic song as the tune. Other papers soon caught on, and before long a music store in Baltimore published the song with lyrics and music together, changing the name to The Star-Spangled Banner. Its first public performance was by an actor in a Baltimore tavern.
Though it was made the official song to be performed at the raising of the flag, it was a long time before The Star-Spangled Banner became the National Anthem. Many other songs competed for this honor, but in 1931 a Congressional resolution named it as the official theme song for the United States. Maybe this was a response to a Ripley’s Believe It or Not cartoon that let people know that the United States had no National Anthem.
Since then The Star-Spangled-Banner has gone on to be performed at military, sporting, and musical events from coast to coast. Jimi Hendrix’s groundbreaking performance at Woodstock, when his guitar seemed to ooze with bombs bursting in air, was a major step forward for the reinterpretation of the tune. It was a Puerto Rican singer named Jose Feliciano, however, whose bluesy version of the song shocked audiences, who paved the way for pop versions of the song.
So the next time you’re at a big game, getting ready to watch your home team rise from the ashes in victory and The Star-Spangled Banner is sung, think of Francis Scott Key as he watched the symbol of the United States rise up from certain defeat on that distant day in September 1814.
2009 will be the third time this annual basketball game will be taking place in Arizona which will feature the East vs. West Championship; the first 2 years being 1975 and 1995. The NBA All-Star Game is part of the NBA All-Star Weekend scheduled to be held from February 13 to 15 February 2009, which includes the ever popular Slam Dunk Contest and Three Point Shoot Out Contest. The best and brightest stars from NBA’s Eastern Conference will play against their rivals from the Western Conference at the All Star Game which is the highlight of this basketball weekend.
The All Star Game was first staged in 1951 and has been played every year since then. The game has seen some of the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best basketball players from the Western Conference. The participants of this basketball event are chosen in two ways, via fan ballot and the other method is by voting among the head coaches of each squad. Of course the coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Each year, NBA All Star Game brings new excitement and thrill among thousands of basketball fans all over the world. The event highlights twelve players, which consist of five starters and seven reserves from each conference, who are chosen from a pool of 120 players using the two methods already mentioned. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the only player who has been selected for a record 19 times in this annual event. Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Shaquille O’Neal along with Jerry West are players who have been selected for this major event 14 times during their sports career.
The NBA All-Star Game is recognized by the league in every way. It has seen major events and thrills too. NBA All Star Game basketball 2008 results were East 134, West 128, and the event was held at New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA. This year will be NBA’s 58th game, and the second round of voting results has also been announced, with Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers leading the Eastern Conference, with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets leading the Western Conference. Dwight Howard is by far the overall leader with 1,421,882 votes. LeBorn James from the Eastern Conference leads with the second highest votes so far counting 1,259,764 followed by Kevin Garnett from Boston with 905,506 votes. Dwayne Wade from Miami, Allen Iverson from Detroit and Samuel Dalembert from Philadelphia and several other leading NBA scorers follow them.
You wouldn’t want to miss this exciting spectacle of the NBA season where the best basketball players will show their spectacular trick plays at the NBA All Star Game.
A career in hotel and restaurant management might be for you if you like to make important decisions, hire staff and run the day to the day operations of your business. It might sound like fun stuff but it is hard work. As a manager, you will be the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. All responsibility will fall on you. The perks of being in hotel and restaurant management business, however, can be great.
As a manager, you are responsible for everything that goes on in your hotel or restaurant. You need to have food orders in on time, make sure guests are accommodated for and ensure that your staff respects and listens to you. You must be a great communicator and leader to succeed in hotel and restaurant management.
Whether it is a high profile hotel, a glamorous restaurant or a small deli, a manager must indulge himself in the business. If one thing goes wrong it falls on the manager’s shoulders. The service industry is the biggest industry in the United States today. It garners more attention and customers than any other business in the country. Don’t expect this trend to stop.
Small businesses are currently thriving in the U.S. More and more of these offices are popping up everywhere. Combine that with the stature of the service industry and a small hotel or restaurant can prove to be quite profitable. Being involved in hotel and restaurant management is becoming a common experience for many people today. People with little to no experience are getting into the business. But those who do the best have a degree specializing in management.
It’s a great time to become restaurant manager. The U.S. Department of Labor cites the field of restaurant management as an emerging industry, and predicts it will continue to do so. As a restaurant manager, you are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the restaurant. Not only must you have a love of food, you must also have a background in management.
A restaurant manager needs to ensure food deliveries. Manage personnel, and enhance the customer experience. But of course that’s also part of the reward - you get to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that a successful restaurant was the result of your service skills. And not only will you have to fare well with your customers, you’ll have to fare well with your staff. Managers must communicate well with the employees, motivate the staff, and lead by example.
In restaurants that change their menu items, manager often select new dishes. They consider what items have been popular in the past, and what foods on hand must be used. Then they analyze recipes to decide costs for food and labor. Based on this analysis, they assign menu prices.
Managers are often responsible for recruiting and hiring new kitchen and serving staff. They organize and direct worker training programs. In addition, they schedule staff work hours and assign duties. They may also evaluate employee performance.
Large restaurants often have bookkeepers. However, managers of small facilities often have administrative duties. For example, they keep records of employee hours and wages. They prepare payroll and tax report paperwork. They keep records of purchases and pay suppliers. They also evaluate the success of new dishes and remove them from the menu if they are not profitable. Some managers use computer software to help them with these record-keeping duties.
Almost three-fourths of all food service managers were previously restaurant managers, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most restaurant management professionals receive a two- or four-year degree in restaurant or food service management.
Nine out of ten restaurant operators raise money for charities, or donate food or space.
Restaurants fight hunger, support health-related causes, mentor youth, and improve their communities. If you’re just starting out or your restaurant wants to increase its philanthropic efforts, you may donate money to support a children’s hospital, United Way, local non-profit, museum, library, school, zoo, military support group or homeless shelter.
High standards need to be maintained, and health and hygiene safety regulations need to be met at all times. This includes the quality of raw ingredients and prepared food, food storage, and customer service. The maintenance of equipment, stock and the budget is also controlled by the restaurant/catering manager.
Many independent hotels, and most hotel chains, run management trainee schemes that can lead into restaurant or catering management. Fast-food chains, catering companies and large restaurants are also likely to run restaurant management trainee schemes. Some employers may take on candidates with A levels, BTEC National awards, or Scottish Highers. However, it is more usual for entry requirements to include a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND, or degree. Relevant subjects you can study at this level include hospitality management with business, culinary arts or marketing, and international hotel and restaurant management.
The entry requirements for a degree are likely to include five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) and a minimum of two A levels/three H grades. For a HNC/D or foundation degree, you are likely to need four GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) and one A level/two H grades.
An Access to Higher Education qualification may also be accepted for entry to certain courses. If experienced in a related field, you may be able to gain recognition of skills through Accredited Prior Learning (APL). Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.
There is no maximum age limit to become a restaurant or catering manager.
Training is usually provided on the job. In addition, you can work towards a qualification such as an NVQ/SVQ Level 3 or BTEC National Certificate in Hospitality Supervision.
If you are a graduate with a degree not related to hospitality, you can take a one year BA (Hons) conversion degree course in Hotel and Catering Management, or Hospitality Management.
Restaurant or catering managers can take a number of routes into different careers. Hotel management is an option. In a large chain of hotels or restaurants, it may be possible to progress to regional or area management.
Kids Idol Music announced today a store-wide promotion of 10% on all products to assist parents during tough economic times. Two of the items are; the Disney Princess Personalized Music CD, where the actual Disney Princesses sing the childs name in the song, and the Mickey Mouse personalized CD where Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy sing the childs name in the songs. Visit Kids Idol Music at : www.kidsidolmusic.com for the special promotion today.
Parents are always concerned whether the toys they purchase anytime are safe for their children. There’s even more concern during the holiday season when kids see all the latest toys advertised everywhere they look. Kids Idol Music, has always provided safe, educational toys for children. Kids Idol Music is the leading re-seller of personalized products for children, with thousands of sales around the world.
Children love hearing their name, so why not create products with your child’s name in it? Kids Idol has personalized music and video products for children. They market personalized music CD albums and personalized videos. The Kids Idol product line includes personalized music CD’s — CDs where your child’s name is actually sung into the audio and video — and are available for all ages. They range from a Barney Personalized Music CD, a Disney Princess Personalized CD, a Mickey Mouse Personalized Music CD, Veggie Tales Personalized Music CD, and a Wiggles Personalized Music CD. It also has a great line of non-licensed, character-personalized music including, a beautiful personalized lullaby album and personalized Christian music.
In 2008, Kids Idol introduced the “You Can Do Anything” personalized DVD. The personalized video contains the child’s name in 8 original songs more than 105 times.
“When my daughter Allie heard her name in the song, she couldn’t believe it. She had the biggest smile on her face!” says customer Patty Cox. “It was a great value for what I paid and the on-line transaction was really easy.” Patty adds that the personalized DVD has a permanent home inside the family minivan. She plays it for her daughter whenever they are out for a drive.
Visit Kids Idol Music at : www.kidsidolmusic.com for the special promotion today.
Many parrots of the world have become popular as house pets. To some new owners, their particular parrot is the most beautiful. To other new owners, all the parrots of the world are gorgeous, with flashing colors of red, blue, green, and yellow.
Most of the parrots of the world come from warm climates such as West Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Australasia, South and Central America.
Parrot Families
All parrots of the world belong to the order Psittaciformes. In that order there are two different families: Cacatuidas and Psittacidae. Cockatoos belong in the first family, while the second includes all the true parrots of the world.
Each family of parrots has subfamilies within it, and subspecies within that. Macaws, for example, belong to the Psittacidae family. Macaws are a subfamily group. Among macaws, there are at least 17 members:
* Hyacinth
* Glaucous Macaw
* Lear’s Macaw
* Spix’s Macaw
* Blue and Yellow Macaw, or Blue and Gold Macaw
* Caninde Macaw
* Military Macaw
* Buffon’s Macaw
* Scarlet Macaw
* Green-winged Macaw
* Red-fronted Macaw
* Yellow-collared Macaw
* Chestnut-fronted Macaw, or Severe Macaw
* Red-bellied Macaw
* Illiger’s Macaw
* Blue-headed Macaw
* Red-shouldered Macaw
Most Popular
People differ in their opinions of which parrots are more well-liked. Some look at the trendy parrots. Others consider the most prevalent in the pet stores. Some speak of which is more popular in this country or that, but of all the parrots of the world, the 5 most often dubbed popular are these.
1. Parakeets: The common Parakeet, Budgerigar to be more precise, is from Australia, and is often chosen as a pet for children or those who are beginners at bird care, partly due to its low price. Colorful little “Budgies” are hardy, require little space, and are much lower maintenance than larger birds. They are very intelligent, and although content to whistle or sing quietly, some do learn a few words. The name “Budgerigar” comes from the Australian Aboriginal name for the parrot. It means “good eating” but most “Budgie” owners would be horrified to hear you say so. Among the many parrots of the world, this is probably the least expensive in both initial and upkeep costs.
2. Cockatiels: Another Australian species, these medium sized parrots are known for sophisticated whistling and singing. While they can be taught to speak, many people find that the birds would rather whistle, and mimic random sounds, such as a ringing cell phone. A disadvantage to the cockatiel is that it uses a powdery substance to keep its wings water-proof, so owners often find their fingers dusty after handling the bird.
3. Sun Conures: Among the parrots of the world, Sun Conures are one of the brightest. Their plumage is red, orange, yellow, blue, and green. Sun Conures have been known to talk well, but beware! These parrots often screech and scream rather than talk. Their 12 inch length means they will require a smaller cage than larger parrots, but you and your family may require earplugs. If you train your Sunnie to lower its voice, you will enjoy its antics, as these parrots tend to be playful.
4. Parrotlets: Parrotlets, especially Pacific Parrotlets, are one of the smallest known parrots of the world - about 4 inches in length! They are also one of the most pernicious and spunky of all the parrots of the world. These tiny parrots learn to talk in a voice that sounds like that of a robot. This tiny voice, their size, and the fact that they do not scream, make them ideal for those who need a quiet companion.
5. African Greys: African Grey Parrots are probably the most intelligent of the parrots of the world, and indeed, of all birds. These parrots are not as colorful as some. They are mainly grey, as the name implies. They do have a bright red or maroon tail, though, depending on the subspecies. African Greys excel at mimicry, sometimes learning as many as 1-2000 words. They learn other sounds, too, and may quickly learn to imitate a jet engine if you walk through an airport with them. Among the many parrots of the world, these may be the most demanding. Just like your toddler, these birds get bored and want their owners to provide entertainment. If you are looking for an intellectual, loyal, and affectionate parrot, the African Grey is probably a good choice.
How Many Different Parrots Are There?
All told, parrots of the world number more than 350 different species and subspecies! Due to loss of habitat, climate changes, hunting, and the trade in live birds as pets, some parrots have become extinct. Others are listed as threatened, or are on the “endangered species” list.
Life Expectancy
People who purchase a parrot, purchase a commitment that is likely to continue throughout their lives and beyond. Most parrot owners are already 20 years old or more, and parrots themselves often have a life expectancy of more than 50 years. Some live to be nearly 100 years old. Added to that long life expectancy, many parrots of the world tend to bond with a single person. If that person breaks the bond in some way, the parrot may die.
Before you ask a parrot to be your companion, think it through carefully. The bird may outlive you.
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