Ambitious parents

When Alexander the Great ascended the throne following the assassination of his father, Philip II, in 336 B.C., his mother Olympias, his fervent promoter, arranged to have his potential rivals killed. Some evidence suggests Olympias, one of several wives to Philip, arranged for Philip's murder when he began turning against his son. Alexander went on to conquer most of the known world, and is credited with spreading Greek civilization.


Leopold Mozart insisted that his children become musical virtuosi at a very early age. Leopold was the first teacher for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and Maria Anna, called Nanneri, and eventually gave up his own musical career to showcase their talent in European tours.


Though Edward Barrett Moulton encouraged the education of his daughter Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861),he "did his best to limit her private life." He forbade the renowned poet and her siblings from marrying, for unclear reasons, and never spoke with Elizabeth again after she eloped with Robert Browning, at the age of 40.


Mama Rose gained notoriety as the ultimate stage mother in the Broadway musical "Gypsy," based on the 1957 memoir of her daughter, Gypsy Rose Lee. In the play, Mama Rose pushes her daughters into the spotlight. After her daughter June runs away, Mama Rose transforms the mousy teenaged Louise (Gypsy Rose Lee) into a feted stripper.


Earl Woods started teaching his son Tiger (b. 1975), to play golf when he was 2 years old. Mr. Woods used to try to break his son's concentration by dripping a bag of clubs during his swing. By the time Tiger was a teenager, he'd been touring all over the country under his father's strict guidance. Mr. Woods has won 14 major tournaments and is expected to be the first athlete to earn more than $1billion in prize money and endorsements.

source Wall Street Journal October 4-5, 2008

DOBRO & OUD

The dobro is a resonating guitar with the "hubcap" top. It was introduced in the late 1920's for playing oozing Hawaiian music. The dobro is used in country and bluegrass music and has even moved into jazz.

source Wall Street Journal Oct. 9, 2008

The oud is a stringed Arab instrument that, after it was brought to Andalusian Spain in the eighth century spawned the European lute, guitar and mandolin.

Today's ouds are usually walnut or rosewood, and have a pear-shaped shell, a short neck with no frets - allowing the musician a broader tonal range - and typically one single bass and five double strings. When expertly plucked, the oud emits an earthy sound with a hint of melancholy, eliciting an emotional response similar to that of the cello. Played in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey for centuries, it continues to be integral to Arabic orchestras and ensembles.

source Wall Street Journal March 31, 2009

Do women still ride sidesaddle?

The interest in "riding aside" is actually growing, with the choice made for many reasons - such as a desire for style and elegance but also a result of religious beliefs, or injuries. In face, "Properly constructed and ridden, the aside seat is so secure that some therapeutic riding programs use them for disabled riders."

source The Columbus Dispatch Oct. 4, 2008 (International Side Saddle Organization,www.sidesaddle.com; http://www.equisearch.com/)

Why is the European country called both Holland and the Netherlands?

The Netherlands, a small nation on the North Sea, is often dubbed Holland, but the latter officially refers only to the western part. The people of the Netherlands call themselves Nederlanders. They are also known as the Dutch.

source The Columbus Dispatch oct. 4, 2008 (World Book Encyclopedia)

Who was the last serving senator to be elected president?

John F. Kennedy was the last senator to move directly from the Senate to the White House - in 1961.

source The Columbus Dispatch October 4, 2008 (http://www.senate.gov/)


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Do hummingbirds fly backwards?

They fly backward as well as up, down, forward and sideways. They flap their wings 60 to 70 times a second, making a humming sound. The smallest birds in the world , most reach 2 to 6 inches in length.

source The Columbus Dispatch Oct. 4, 2008 (World Book Encyclopedia)

Does the Internet run faster in some places?
A site called the Internet Traffic Report lists the response time and "packet loss" for specific locations by continent, assigning each a rating from zero to 100. As of midday yesterday (October 3, 2008), for example, various routers in North America showed scores ranging from 98 in Las Vegas and Los Angeles to a low of 71 in Cincinnati.

source The Columbus Dispatch Oct.4, 2008 (http://www.internettrafficreport.com/)

When did the naming of hurricanes begin?

Before 1950, hurricanes were usually given the names of women and of saints of both sexes - although a formal system hadn't been set. From 1950 to 1952, they had names from the military alphabet (Baker, Charlie, etc.) The World Meteorological Organization initiated the use of only female names in 1953, adding male names in 1979. Before they become hurricanes, tropical storms are christened - in alphabetical order each season - from lists of names popular in the nations affected.

source The Columbus Dispatch October 4, 2008 (World Book Encyclopedia)