Code
library(tidyverse)
library(rvest)
library(stringr)Blog Post 2 - 100+ Famous People
Adithya Parupudi
blogpost2
Using the website <> to scrape daat of 126 famous people from all over the world. This website has the detailed information about their early life, academic achievements, and the impact created by them.
I wanted to find out :
- What is the most common profession? Which areas of work do most of them fall into?
- Where are they from? Whats their education background?
- Whats their cause of death?
- Which time period did most of them existed?
- Emotion behind their famous quotes
Reading the content of landing page, which has urls of all the famous people.
Code
all = read_html("https://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous-100.html")I’ve created three variables to capture the celebrity names, individual page urls and their content. Each page contains various excerpts from their life such as “Early Life”, “Notable Achievements”, “Famous Quotes” and so on. I further created a dataset with each variable name as its column, to structure the data for further text processing, which is yet to be done.
Code
people_names <- all %>% html_nodes("ol a") %>% html_text()
# people_names
#getting all the links
links <- all %>% html_nodes("ol a") %>%
html_attr("href") %>%
str_replace(.,"/women/ingrid-bergman.html", "../women/ingrid-bergman.html") %>%
str_replace(.,"https://www.biographyonline.net/", "../") %>%
str_replace(.,"../", "https://www.biographyonline.net/")
get_content = function(link){
data = read_html(link)
# data = read_html("https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/economics/paul-krugman.html")
content = data %>% html_nodes('.clearfix') %>% html_text() %>% paste(collapse = "!!!")
return(content)
}
content = sapply(links, FUN = get_content, USE.NAMES = FALSE)
dataset = data.frame(people_names, links, content, stringsAsFactors = FALSE)Arranging the data in alphabetical order.
Code
arrange(dataset, people_names) people_names
1 Abraham Lincoln
2 Adolf Hitler
3 Albert Einstein
4 Alfred Hitchcock
5 Amelia Earhart (
6 Angelina Jolie
7 Anne Frank
8 Audrey Hepburn
9 Aung San Suu Kyi
10 Babe Ruth
11 Barack Obama
12 Benazir Bhutto
13 Bill Gates
14 Billie Holiday
15 Billie Jean King
16 Bob Geldof
17 C.S. Lewis
18 Carl Lewis
19 Charles Darwin
20 Charles de Gaulle
21 Christopher Columbus
22 Cleopatra
23 Coco Chanel
24 Cristiano Ronaldo
25 Dalai Lama
26 David Beckham
27 Desmond Tutu
28 Donald Trump
29 Elvis Presley
30 Emile Zatopek
31 Emmeline Pankhurst
32 Ernest Hemingway
33 Eva Peron
34 Fidel Castro
35 Florence Nightingale
36 Franklin D. Roosevelt
37 George Orwell
38 Grace Kelly
39 Greta Thunberg
40 Haile Selassie
41 Henry Ford
42 Indira Gandhi
43 Ingrid Bergman
44 J.K.Rowling
45 J.R.R. Tolkien
46 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
47 Jawaharlal Nehru
48 Jesse Owens
49 John F. Kennedy
50 John Lennon
51 John M Keynes
52 Jon Stewart
53 Joseph Stalin
54 Julie Andrews
55 Katherine Hepburn
56 Lance Armstrong
57 Lech Walesa
58 Leo Tolstoy
59 Leonardo da Vinci (
60 Lionel Messi
61 Lord Baden Powell
62 Louis Pasteur
63 Ludwig Beethoven
64 Lyndon Johnson
65 Madonna
66 Mahatma Gandhi
67 Malala Yousafzai
68 Malcolm X
69 Mao Zedong
70 Margaret Thatcher
71 Marie Antoinette
72 Marie Curie
73 Marilyn Monroe
74 Martin Luther King
75 Mary Magdalene
76 Mata Hari
77 Michael Jackson
78 Michael Jordon
79 Mikhail Gorbachev
80 Mother Teresa
81 Muhammad Ali
82 Neil Armstrong
83 Nelson Mandela
84 Oprah Winfrey
85 Oscar Wilde
86 Pablo Picasso
87 Paul Krugman
88 Paul McCartney
89 Pele
90 Peter Sellers
91 Plato
92 Pope Francis
93 Pope John Paul II
94 Prince Charles
95 Queen Elizabeth
96 Queen Victoria (
97 Richard Branson
98 Roger Federer
99 Ronald Reagan
100 Rosa Parks
101 Shakira
102 Sigmund Freud
103 Simon Bolivar
104 Stephen Hawking
105 Steve Jobs
106 Sting
107 Thomas Edison (
108 Tim Berners Lee
109 Usain Bolt
110 Vincent Van Gogh
111 Vladimir Lenin
112 Vladimir Putin
113 Walt Disney
114 Winston Churchill
115 Woodrow Wilson
116 Wright Brothers
links
1 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/abraham-lincon.html
2 https://www.biographyonline.net/military/adolf-hitler.html
3 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/albert-einstein.html
4 https://www.biographyonline.net/actors/alfred-hitchcock.html
5 https://www.biographyonline.net/adventurers/amelia-earhart.html
6 https://www.biographyonline.net/actors/angelina-jolie-biography.html
7 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/anne-frank.html
8 https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/audrey_hepburn.html
9 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/aung-san-suu-kyi.html
10 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/babe-ruth-biography.html
11 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/barack-obama.html
12 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/asia/benazir-bhutto.html
13 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/bill-gates.html
14 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/billie-holiday.html
15 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/tennis/billie-jean-king.html
16 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/bob-geldorf.html
17 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/cs-lewis.html
18 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/athletics/carl-lewis.html
19 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/charles-darwin.html
20 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/charles_de_gaulle.html
21 https://www.biographyonline.net/adventurers/christopher-columbus.html
22 https://www.biographyonline.net/women/cleopatra.html
23 https://www.biographyonline.net/artists/coco-chanel.html
24 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/football/cristiano-ronaldo.html
25 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/dalai-lama-14th.html
26 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/david_beckham.html
27 https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/desmond-tutu.html
28 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/donald-trump.html
29 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/elvis-presley.html
30 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/athletics/emile-zatopek.html
31 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/uk/emily-pankhurst.html
32 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/ernst-hemmingway.html
33 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/eva-peron.html
34 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/fidel-castro-biography.html
35 https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/florence-nightingale-2.html
36 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/franklin-roosevelt.html
37 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/george-orwell.html
38 https://www.biographyonline.net/women/grace-kelly-biography.html
39 https://www.biographyonline.net/people/greta-thunberg.html
40 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/african/haile-selassie.html
41 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/henry-ford.html
42 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/indian/indira-gandhi.html
43 https://www.biographyonline.net/women/ingrid-bergman.html
44 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/j_k_rowling.html
45 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/tolkien_jrr.html
46 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/jaqueline-kennedy-onassis.html
47 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/indian/nehru.html
48 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/athletics/jesse-owens.html
49 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/j-f-kennedy.html
50 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/john-lennon.html
51 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/keynes.html
52 https://www.biographyonline.net/comics/jon-stewart.html
53 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/russian/joseph-stalin.html
54 https://www.biographyonline.net/actors/julie-andrews.html
55 https://www.biographyonline.net/actors/katherine-hepburn.html
56 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/cycling/lance-armstrong.html
57 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/lech-walesa.html
58 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/leo-tolstoy.html
59 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/leonardo_da_vinci.html
60 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/football/lionel-messi.html
61 https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/baden-powell.html
62 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/louis-pasteur.html
63 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/beethoven.html
64 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/lyndon-johnson.html
65 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/madonna.html
66 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/indian/gandhi.html
67 https://www.biographyonline.net/women/malala.html
68 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/malcom-x.html
69 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/asia/chairman-mao.html
70 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/uk/margaret-thatcher.html
71 https://www.biographyonline.net/royalty/marie-antoinette.html
72 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/marie-curie.html
73 https://www.biographyonline.net/actors/marilyn-monroe.html
74 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/martin-luther-king.html
75 https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/mary-magdalene.html
76 https://www.biographyonline.net/women/mata-hari.html
77 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/michael-jackson.html
78 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/michael-jordan.html
79 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/russian/mikhail-gorbachev.html
80 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/mother_teresa.html
81 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/muhammad-ali.html
82 https://www.biographyonline.net/adventurers/neil-armstrong-biography.html
83 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/nelson-mandela.html
84 https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/oprah-winfrey.html
85 https://www.biographyonline.net/poets/oscar_wilde.html
86 https://www.biographyonline.net/artists/pablo-picasso.html
87 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/economics/paul-krugman.html
88 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/paul-mccartney.html
89 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/football/pele.html
90 https://www.biographyonline.net/comics/peter-sellers.html
91 https://www.biographyonline.net/writers/plato.html
92 https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/pope-francis.html
93 https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/pope-john-paul.html
94 https://www.biographyonline.net/royalty/prince_charles.html
95 https://www.biographyonline.net/royalty/queen-elizabeth.html
96 https://www.biographyonline.net/royalty/queen-victoria.html
97 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/richard_branson.html
98 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/tennis/roger-federer.html
99 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/ronald-reagan-biography.html
100 https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/rosa-parks.html
101 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/shakira.html
102 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/sigmund-freud-biography.html
103 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/simon-bolivar.html
104 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/stephen-hawking.html
105 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/steve-jobs.html
106 https://www.biographyonline.net/music/sting.html
107 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/thomas-edison.html
108 https://www.biographyonline.net/business/tim-berners-lee.html
109 https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/athletics/usain-bolt.html
110 https://www.biographyonline.net/artists/vincent-van-gogh.html
111 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/russian/lenin.html
112 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/russian/putin.html
113 https://www.biographyonline.net/artists/walt-disney.html
114 https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/winston_churchill.html
115 https://www.biographyonline.net/nobelprize/woodrow-wilson.html
116 https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/inventors/wright-brothers.html
content
1 “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds…. ”– Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was born Feb 12, 1809, in a single-room log cabin, Hardin County, Kentucky. His family upbringing was modest; his parents from Virginia were neither wealthy or well known. At an early age, the young Abraham lost his mother, and his father moved away to Indiana. Abraham had to work hard splitting logs and other manual labour. But, he also had a thirst for knowledge and worked very hard to excel in his studies. This led him to become self-trained as a lawyer. He spent eight years working on the Illinois court circuit; his ambition, drive, and capacity for hard work were evident to all around him. Lincoln became respected on the legal circuit and he gained the nickname ‘Honest Abe.’ He often encouraged neighbours to mediate their own conflicts rather than pursue full legal litigation. Lincoln also had a good sense of humour and was deprecating about his looks.“If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” Work colleagues and friends noted that Lincoln had a capacity to defuse tense and argumentative situations, though the use of humour and his capacity to take an optimistic view of human nature. He loved to tell stories to illustrate a serious point through the use of humour and parables.Lincoln was shy around women but after a difficult courtship, he married Mary Todd in 1842. Mary Todd shared many of her husband’s political thinking but they also had different temperaments – with Mary more prone to swings in her emotions. They had four children, who Lincoln was devoted to. Although three died before reaching maturity – which caused much grief to both parents.As a lawyer, Abraham developed a capacity for quick thinking and oratory. His interest in public issues encouraged him to stand for public office. In 1847, he was elected to the House of Representatives for Illinois and served from 1847-49. During his period in Congress, Lincoln criticised President Folk’s handling of the American-Mexican War, arguing Polk used patriotism and military glory to defend the unjust action of taking Mexican territory. However, Lincoln’s stance was politically unpopular and he was not re-elected.LawyerAfter his political career appeared to be over, he returned to working as a lawyer in Illinois. However, the 1850s saw the slavery question re-emerge as a prominent divisive national issue. Lincoln abhorred slavery and from a political perspective wished to prevent slavery being extended and ultimately be phased out.He gave influential speeches, which drew on the Declaration of Independence to prove the Founding Fathers had intended to stop the spread of slavery. In particular, Lincoln used a novel argument that although society was a long way from equality, America should aspire towards the lofty statement in the Declaration of Independence.“We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal”Lincoln had a strong capacity for empathy. He would try to see problems from everyone’s point of view – including southern slaveholders. He used this concept of empathy to speak against slavery.“I have always thought that all men should be free; but if any should be slaves, it should be first those who desire it for themselves, and secondly, those who desire it for others. When I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”Lincoln’s speeches were notable because they drew on both legal precedents but also easy to understand parables, which struck a chord with the public.In 1858, Lincoln was nominated as Republican candidate for the Senate. He undertook a series of high-profile debates with the Democratic incumbent Stephen Douglass. Douglass was in favour of allowing the extension of slavery – if citizens voted for it. Lincoln opposed the extension of slavery. During this campaign, he gave one of his best-remembered speeches, which reflected on the divisive nature of America.“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. ” (House Divided)In this House Divided speech, Lincoln gave a prophetic utterance to the potential for slavery to divide the nation.Although he lost this 1858 Senate election, his debating skills and oratory caused him to become well known within the Republican party.On February 27, 1860. Lincoln was also invited to give a notable address at Cooper Union in New York. The East Coast was relatively new territory for Lincoln; many in the audience thought his appearance awkward and even ugly, but his calls for moral clarity over the wrongness of slavery struck a chord with his East coast audience.“Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” (Cooper Union address)The reputation he gained on the campaign trail and speeches on the East coast caused him to be put forward as a candidate for the Republican nominee for President in 1860. Lincoln was an outsider because he had much less experience than other leading candidates such as Steward, Bates and Chase, but after finishing second on the first ballot he went on to become unexpectedly nominated.After a hard-fought, divisive campaign of 1860, Lincoln was elected the first Republican President of the United States. Lincoln’s support came entirely from the North and West of the country. The south strongly disagreed with Lincoln’s position on slaveryThe election of Lincoln as President in 1861, sparked the South to secede from the North. Southern independence sentiment had been growing for many years, and the election of a president opposed to slavery was the final straw. However, Lincoln resolutely opposed the breakaway of the South, and this led to the American civil war with Lincoln committed to preserving the Union.Lincoln surprised many by including in his cabinet the main rivals from the 1860 Republican campaign. It demonstrated Lincoln’s willingness and ability to work with people of different political and personal approaches. This helped to keep the Republican party together.The Civil War was much more costly than many people anticipated and at times Lincoln appeared to be losing the support of the general population. But, Lincoln’s patient leadership, and willingness to work with unionist Democrats held the country together. Lincoln oversaw many of the military aspects of the war and promoted the general Ulysses S Grant to command the northern forces.Initially, the war was primarily about the secession of southern states and the survival of the Union, but as the war progressed, Lincoln increasingly made the issue of ending slavery paramount.On September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared the freedom of slaves within the Confederacy.“… all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free” (Emancipation Proclamation)The Proclamation came into force on January 1, 1863. Towards the end of the year, many black regiments were raised to help the Union army.Gettysburg addressAfter a difficult opening two years, by 1863, the tide of war started to swing towards the Union forces – helped by the victory at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Lincoln felt able to redefine the goals of the civil war to include the ending of slavery.Dedicating the ceremony at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863, Lincoln declared:“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address November 19, 1863Eventually, after four years of attrition, the Federal forces secured the surrender of the defeated south. The union had been saved and the issue of slavery had been brought to a head.After the Civil WarLincoln 1862In the aftermath of the civil war, Lincoln sought to reunite the country – offering a generous settlement to the south. When asked how to deal with the southern states, Lincoln replied. “Let ’em up easy.” Lincoln was opposed by more radical factions who wanted greater activism in the south to ensure civil rights for freed slaves.On January 31, 1865, Lincoln helped pass through Congress a bill to outlaw slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially signed into law on December 6, 1865.Some northern abolitionists and Republicans wanted Lincoln to go further and implement full racial equality on issues of education and voting rights. Lincoln was unwilling to do this (it was a minority political view for the time) Frederick Douglass, a leading black activist (who had escaped from slavery) didn’t always agree with the policies of Lincoln but after meeting Lincoln, he said enthusiastically of the President.“He treated me as a man; he did not let me feel for a moment that there was any difference in the color of our skins! The President is a most remarkable man. I am satisfied now that he is doing all that circumstances will permit him to do.”AssassinationFive days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while visiting Ford’s Theatre. Lincoln’s death was widely mourned across the country.PosterityLincoln is widely regarded as one of America’s most influential and important presidents. As well as saving the Union and promoting Republican values, Lincoln was viewed as embodying the ideals of honesty and integrity.“Posterity will call you the great emancipator, a more enviable title than any crown could be, and greater than any merely mundane treasure.”– Giuseppe Garibaldi, 6 August 1863.“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.”Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream” speech (28 August 1963), at the Lincoln MemorialCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan.“Abraham Lincoln Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2013. Updated 21st February 2018.Lincoln – by David Herbert Donald Lincoln – David Herbert Donald at AmazonA. Lincoln – a Biography I am Abraham Lincoln by Brad Meltzer at AmazonRelated pagesAbraham Lincoln Facts – Facts about the life of Abraham Lincoln from the humble surroundings of his birth through his career as lawyer, politician, President and orator.Lincoln Quotes – “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham LincolnFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Rosa Parks and Barack Obama.People who overcame difficult oddsSpeeches that changed the world100 People who changed the World External linksAbraham Lincoln at Congress GuideAbraham Lincoln bio
2 Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) was a charismatic leader of the Nazi party, gaining power in 1933 and become dictator of Germany until his death in 1945. He led Germany in an aggressive war of conquest invading Western Europe and then the Soviet Union. Initially successful, his army then suffered a series of reverses, before the eventual complete defeat of his Nazi Germany in 1945. Hitler has become infamous as a personification of human evil. His name is inexorably linked to the Holocaust and extermination of Jews and other ‘undesirables’. He is also seen as the principal cause of the Second World War in which over 70 million people died. Yet, in the midst of the Great Depression, he captivated a nation with his mixture of charm, xenophobia, and ability to persuade.Early lifeHitler was born in Austria in 1889 to relatively humble beginnings. His early life gave few hints as to his future destiny. He was a comparative failure and something of a loner. He was twice rejected from his application to study art, and after struggling to survive in Vienna, in 1913, he moved to Munich. In his early life, he imbibed the anti-semitic feelings which were common for the times but displayed little political interest. On the outbreak of the First WorldOn the outbreak of the First World War, he joined the German army and got promoted to Corporal. He survived the war and in 1918 – like many other German officers – was bitterly disappointed with the perceived ‘betrayal’ of the German surrender and the harsh retribution meted out by the Versailles Treaty.Against this backdrop of defeat and threat of turmoil within Germany, Hitler turned to politics and set up a fledgeling political party – the NSDAP (Nazi party) with its mixture of nationalistic and fascist policies.In 1923, Hitler led his small Nazi party in an attempted seizure of power – known as the Munich beer hall putsch. The putsch failed, and Hitler was sentenced to a lenient jail sentence. It was in prison that he wrote ‘Mein Kampf‘ a rambling exposition of his philosophy which included his growing anti-semitic ideology and ideas of an idealised Aryan race.“the personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew.”– Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Chapter 11.Hitler giving speechOn his release, Hitler then turned his attentions to gaining electoral support and contesting the elections of Weimar Germany. The onset of the Great Depression provided fertile ground for his radical and extremist policies. Against a backdrop of six million unemployed people – many in Germany – felt there was a clear choice between Communism and the Nationalism of Hitler’s Nazi party. With the help of his powerful rhetoric and his own private militia, Hitler led the Nazi party to victory in the 1933 elections. He was made Chancellor and in 1934, on the death of Hindenburg, he was made the President in 1934, Hitler declared himself the supreme leader and ended all pretence to democracy.His rise to power was swift and comprehensive. Many ordinary Germans were enthusiastic at the success Hitler’s Germany soon started to achieve. Hitler began an extensive programme of road building, rearmament, and this helped to radically solve the unemployment which crippled many economies at the time. At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Hitler tried to showcase his country as a model of dynamism and progress. But, in addition to the economic successes, Hitler began a systematic policy of discrimination and harassment of the German Jewish population and any other segments of society that did not fit in with the Aryan ideal. This became increasingly brutalised and vicious. No dissent to the regime was tolerated, and this totalitarian state was enforced through a ruthlessly efficient secret police – the Gestapo and SS.Hitler also sought to regain territory lost in the Treaty of Versailles. This was the justification for the Anschluss with Austria and later the reclamation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. But, Hitler’s ambitions did not merely rest on regaining lost territory. He also began eyeing new territories and, in 1938, successfully gained the whole of Czechoslovakia. Anxious to avoid war, Allied leaders, such as Neville Chamberlain pursued a policy of appeasement and gave into Hitler’s demands.“I want war. To me all means will be right. My motto is not “Don’t, whatever you do, annoy the enemy.” My motto is “Destroy him by all and any means.” I am the one who will wage the war!”– Adolf HitlerHowever, when it came to Poland, Britain and France decided to oppose Hitler’s intentions, and when Hitler invaded Poland, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. Yet, it soon became apparent that Germany had built one of the most powerful armies ever created and were technically and tactically superior to the Allied armies.Until the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942, Hitler’s war machine appeared unstoppable. A parade of stunning military victories led to one of the most successful military conquests in history. Yet, by invading the Soviet Union, combined with the entry of the US into the war, even Hitler’s Germany had overstretched itself. Slowly the tide of war turned, and in 1944, the Soviets in the East, and the Allies in the West began their long liberation through occupied Europe to eventually meet in Berlin. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Almost until the end, Hitler retained a fantasy of gaining a last minute victory through imaginary weapons and now imaginary armies. It was not until Soviet troops were within earshot of his Bunker, that Hitler finally admitted the inevitable and committed suicide.During the war, Hitler met with his other Nazi henchman to agree on a plan for the ‘final solution’ of the Jewish problem. This involved the systematic and complete elimination of the Jewish population. Over six million Jewish people died in various concentration and extermination camps. These camps also saw the deaths of millions of other undesirables, from Russian prisoners of war to Communists, homosexuals and Gipsies. It remains a crime of unprecedented scale and horror.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Adolf Hilter”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 1st March 2008. Last updated 17th March 2017.Hitler: A BiographyHitler: A Biography by Ian Kershaw at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Germans A list of famous Germans. Includes; Beethoven, Bach, Konrad Adenauer, Martin Luther, Sophie Scholl and Angela Merkel.People of the First World War (1914 to 1918) The principal figures involved in the First World War from Germany, Britain, US and the rest of the world. Includes David Lloyd George, Woodrow Wilson, the Kaiser and George Clemenceau.People of the Second World War (1939-45) Influential leaders, generals and civilians who caused, influenced and fought during the Second World War. Including; Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt, Truman, Emperor Hirohito, Eisenhower, Rommel and De Gaulle.Germans who resisted Hitler and the NazisPeople who changed the WorldExternal linksBiography of Adolf HitlerShort Bio of Hitler at BBCAdolf Hitler at Amazon.co.ukAdolf Hitler at Amazon.com
3 Born in Germany in 1879, Albert Einstein is one of the most celebrated scientists of the Twentieth Century. His theories on relativity laid the framework for a new branch of physics, and Einstein’s E = mc2 on mass-energy equivalence is one of the most famous formulas in the world. In 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to theoretical physics and the evolution of Quantum Theory.Einstein is also well known as an original free-thinker, speaking on a range of humanitarian and global issues. After contributing to the theoretical development of nuclear physics and encouraging F.D. Roosevelt to start the Manhattan Project, he later spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons.Born in Germany to Jewish parents, Einstein settled in Switzerland and then, after Hitler’s rise to power, the United States. Einstein was a truly global man and one of the undisputed genius’ of the Twentieth Century.Early life Albert EinsteinEinstein was born 14 March 1879, in Ulm the German Empire. His parents were working-class (salesman/engineer) and non-observant Jews. Aged 15, the family moved to Milan, Italy, where his father hoped Albert would become a mechanical engineer. However, despite Einstein’s intellect and thirst for knowledge, his early academic reports suggested anything but a glittering career in academia. His teachers found him dim and slow to learn. Part of the problem was that Albert expressed no interest in learning languages and the learning by rote that was popular at the time.“School failed me, and I failed the school. It bored me. The teachers behaved like Feldwebel (sergeants). I wanted to learn what I wanted to know, but they wanted me to learn for the exam.” Einstein and the Poet (1983)At the age of 12, Einstein picked up a book on geometry and read it cover to cover. – He would later refer to it as his ‘holy booklet’. He became fascinated by maths and taught himself – becoming acquainted with the great scientific discoveries of the age.Albert Einstein with wife ElsaDespite Albert’s independent learning, he languished at school. Eventually, he was asked to leave by the authorities because his indifference was setting a bad example to other students.He applied for admission to the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. His first attempt was a failure because he failed exams in botany, zoology and languages. However, he passed the next year and in 1900 became a Swiss citizen.At college, he met a fellow student Mileva Maric, and after a long friendship, they married in 1903; they had two sons before divorcing several years later.In 1896 Einstein renounced his German citizenship to avoid military conscription. For five years he was stateless, before successfully applying for Swiss citizenship in 1901. After graduating from Zurich college, he attempted to gain a teaching post but none was forthcoming; instead, he gained a job in the Swiss Patent Office.While working at the Patent Office, Einstein continued his own scientific discoveries and began radical experiments to consider the nature of light and space.Einstein in 1921He published his first scientific paper in 1900, and by 1905 had completed his PhD entitled “A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions. In addition to working on his PhD, Einstein also worked feverishly on other papers. In 1905, he published four pivotal scientific works, which would revolutionise modern physics. 1905 would later be referred to as his ‘annus mirabilis.’Einstein’s work started to gain recognition, and he was given a post at the University of Zurich (1909) and, in 1911, was offered the post of full-professor at the Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague (which was then part of Austria-Hungary Empire). He took Austrian-Hungary citizenship to accept the job. In 1914, he returned to Germany and was appointed a director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics. (1914–1932)Albert Einstein’s Scientific ContributionsQuantum TheoryEinstein suggested that light doesn’t just travel as waves but as electric currents. This photoelectric effect could force metals to release a tiny stream of particles known as ‘quanta’. From this Quantum Theory, other inventors were able to develop devices such as television and movies. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.Special Theory of RelativityThis theory was written in a simple style with no footnotes or academic references. The core of his theory of relativity is that:“Movement can only be detected and measured as relative movement; the change of position of one body in respect to another.”Thus there is no fixed absolute standard of comparison for judging the motion of the earth or plants. It was revolutionary because previously people had thought time and distance are absolutes. But, Einstein proved this not to be true.He also said that if electrons travelled at close to the speed of light, their weight would increase.This lead to Einstein’s famous equation:E = mc2Where E = energy m = mass and c = speed of light.General Theory of Relativity 1916Working from a basis of special relativity. Einstein sought to express all physical laws using equations based on mathematical equations.He devoted the last period of his life trying to formulate a final unified field theory which included a rational explanation for electromagnetism. However, he was to be frustrated in searching for this final breakthrough theory.Solar eclipse of 1919In 1911, Einstein predicted the sun’s gravity would bend the light of another star. He based this on his new general theory of relativity. On 29 May 1919, during a solar eclipse, British astronomer and physicist Sir Arthur Eddington was able to confirm Einstein’s prediction. The news was published in newspapers around the world, and it made Einstein internationally known as a leading physicist. It was also symbolic of international co-operation between British and German scientists after the horrors of the First World War.In the 1920s, Einstein travelled around the world – including the UK, US, Japan, Palestine and other countries. Einstein gave lectures to packed audiences and became an internationally recognised figure for his work on physics, but also his wider observations on world affairs.Bohr-Einstein debatesDuring the 1920s, other scientists started developing the work of Einstein and coming to different conclusions on Quantum Physics. In 1925 and 1926, Einstein took part in debates with Max Born about the nature of relativity and quantum physics. Although the two disagreed on physics, they shared a mutual admiration.ExileAs a German Jew, Einstein was threatened by the rise of the Nazi party. In 1933, when the Nazi’s seized power, they confiscated Einstein’s property, and later started burning his books. Einstein, then in England, took an offer to go to Princeton University in the US. He later wrote that he never had strong opinions about race and nationality but saw himself as a citizen of the world.“I do not believe in race as such. Race is a fraud. All modern people are the conglomeration of so many ethnic mixtures that no pure race remains.”Once in the US, Einstein dedicated himself to a strict discipline of academic study. He would spend no time on maintaining his dress and image. He considered these things ‘inessential’ and meant less time for his research. Einstein was notoriously absent-minded. In his youth, he once left his suitcase at a friends house. His friend’s parents told Einstein’s parents: “That young man will never amount to anything, because he can’t remember anything.”Although a bit of a loner, and happy in his own company, he had a good sense of humour. On January 3, 1943, Einstein received a letter from a girl who was having difficulties with mathematics in her studies. Einstein consoled her when he wrote in reply to her letter“Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you that mine are still greater.”Einstein professed belief in a God “Who reveals himself in the harmony of all being”. But, he followed no established religion. His view of God sought to establish a harmony between science and religion.“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”– Einstein, Science and Religion (1941)Politics of EinsteinEinstein described himself as a Zionist Socialist. He did support the state of Israel but became concerned about the narrow nationalism of the new state. In 1952, he was offered the position as President of Israel, but he declined saying he had:“neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings.” … “I am deeply moved by the offer from our State of Israel, and at once saddened and ashamed that I cannot accept it.”Einstein receiving US citizenship.Albert Einstein was involved in many civil rights movements such as the American campaign to end lynching. He joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and considered racism, America’s worst disease. But he also spoke highly of the meritocracy in American society and the value of being able to speak freely.On the outbreak of war in 1939, Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt about the prospect of Germany developing an atomic bomb. He warned Roosevelt that the Germans were working on a bomb with a devastating potential. Roosevelt headed his advice and started the Manhattan project to develop the US atom bomb. But, after the war ended, Einstein reverted to his pacifist views. Einstein said after the war.“Had I known that the Germans would not succeed in producing an atomic bomb, I would not have lifted a finger.” (Newsweek, 10 March 1947)In the post-war McCarthyite era, Einstein was scrutinised closely for potential Communist links. He wrote an article in favour of socialism, “Why Socialism” (1949) He criticised Capitalism and suggested a democratic socialist alternative. He was also a strong critic of the arms race. Einstein remarked:“I do not know how the third World War will be fought, but I can tell you what they will use in the Fourth—rocks!”Rabindranath Tagore and EinsteinEinstein was feted as a scientist, but he was a polymath with interests in many fields. In particular, he loved music. He wrote that if he had not been a scientist, he would have been a musician. Einstein played the violin to a high standard.“I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music… I get most joy in life out of music.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Einstein died in 1955, at his request his brain and vital organs were removed for scientific study.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Albert Einstein”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net 23 Feb. 2008. Updated 2nd March 2017.Albert Einstein – His Life and Universe Albert Einstein – His Life at Amazon Related pagesQuotes by Albert Einstein53 Interesting and unusual facts about Albert Einstein.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Famous pacifists – People who refused to fight and people who supported different forms of pacifism. Includes Leo Tolstoy, Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi.!!!People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Famous pacifists – People who refused to fight and people who supported different forms of pacifism. Includes Leo Tolstoy, Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi.
4 Sir Alfred Hitchcock was an English/American film director who pioneered significant developments in the movie industry of the mid 20th century. He is most famous for producing several classic films, especially of the thriller genre. Hitchcock is considered one of the greatest and most influential film producers of the Twentieth Century. Some of his most famous films include 39 Steps (1935), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), and Psycho (1960).“In the documentary the basic material has been created by God, whereas in the fiction film the director is a God: he must create life.”– Alfred Hitchcock – as quoted in Hitchcock (1984)Early life of Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock was born 13 August 1899 in Leytonstone, Essex, England where he studied at the Roman Catholic Salesian College and later St Ignatius College. His childhood was not particularly happy. He suffered from obesity, a result of a glandular condition, and his parents were strict and somewhat remote. When he was just five, his father sent him to a police station with a note that he should be locked up for 5 minutes, which left him with a life-long fear of authority and the police in particular. During his childhood, the young Alfred would often spend time by himself, inventing games and drawing maps.When he was 15, he left college to study at the London County Council School of Engineering and Navigation; this qualified him to be a draftsman. He gained his first job with a telegraph company, but it was around this time he developed a burgeoning interest in the cinema, which was a recent innovation. In the evenings after work, he would watch films and study the cinema trade newspapers.Towards the end of the First World War, he attempted to join the army but was rejected because of his weight, although he did later manage to sign up for a brief time as a cadet in the Royal Engineers.First Steps in FilmAfter the war, he began writing short stories, which were published in his company’s in-house magazine. Hitchcock also developed an interest in photography and the new art of film production. He gained employment in 1920 as a title card designer for a company which would later be known as Paramount Pictures. With hard work, Hitchcock progressed through the company and within five years was producing silent films. In later years he said silent films were the ‘purest form of cinema’.In the mid-1920s, he travelled to Germany where he picked up many of the emerging expressionist techniques used in modern filmmaking. After a few challenging early films, he gained his first commercial and critical success with The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927).By 1929, he had produced ten films; his 10th film Blackmail was a significant moment for him because it was one of the first ‘talkers’ – films with an audio track.Success in the 1930sBy the mid-1930s, Hitchcock was establishing his reputation as one of the leading film producers in Britain. Several films proved a great success, such as 39 Steps (1935), Sabotage (1936) and The Lady Vanishes (1938). Hitchcock proved a master at creating tension and a fast-moving plot line; he didn’t tie down the audience in detail but created scenes of dramatic tension. Hitchcock pioneered the use of famous backdrops, either famous landmarks in a city or the wilderness of the Scottish moors – 39 Steps (1935). Later in his career, he used many famous landmarks such as Mt Rushmore in North by Northwest (1959) and the Statue of Liberty in Saboteur (1942).Move to AmericaHitchcock’s critical success in England led him to be approached by David Selznick from Hollywood. In 1939, the Hitchcock family moved to California, where he began working on a new film. His first film Rebecca (1940) received an Academy Award for Best Picture. Hitchcock was not particularly enamoured of America, but he did enjoy the greater resources available to American studios – it was an improvement on the small budgets of the English film producers.Towards the end of the Second World War (1943), he returned to England, where he produced two films in French for the Free French forces. In 1945 he also served as film editor for a documentary about the concentration camps that were liberated by British troops (Bergen-Belsen). However, the images were so shocking; it was later shelved until being published in 1985 (Memory of the Camps); the film was also re-released in 2014.After the war, Hitchcock returned to America, where he resumed his long and successful American film career. In particular, he enjoyed developing his talents in creating psychologically intriguing films.“Fear isn’t so difficult to understand. After all, weren’t we all frightened as children? Nothing has changed since Little Red Riding Hood faced the big bad wolf. What frightens us today is exactly the same sort of thing that frightened us yesterday. It’s just a different wolf. This fright complex is rooted in every individual.”– Alfred Hitchcock.The Golden EraThe 1950s was Hitchcock’s golden era, producing classic films such as Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959) and Psycho (1960).Psycho was Hitchcock’s best known and most profitable film. It broke box office records as viewers flocked to view this pioneering new horror genre film.Hitchcock, (like Walt Disney) was also early to embrace the new medium of TV. He hosted a TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents from 1955 to 1965; his prominent role in hosting the show helped him become one of the most recognisable film directors and media celebrities of the day.During the next two decades, his output was less prolific as old age and failing health limited his work rate, but he continued to produce feature films up until his death. Hitchcock died of renal failure on 29 April 1980, while at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles. He had just recently received a knighthood from the Queen.Features of Hitchcock’s filmsHitchcock’s films often share similar elements. Responding to criticism of repeated ideas, he once retorted, “Self-plagiarism is style.”Hitchcock often portrayed the guilty party as quite a charming man. Often an innocent man was accused of being guilty in the first instance by authority, before being able to prove his innocence. His leading ladies were often ‘ice-cool blondes’, such as Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren. These women were often reserved and cold in his films, giving little emotion away. Hitchcock stated:“Blondes make the best victims. They’re like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.”– Alfred Hitchcock, Interview on CBS TV (20 February 1977)Hitchcock also enjoyed a gallows humour which is not always obvious to spot. Finally, Hitchcock developed a tradition of making short cameos in his films. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Hitchcock had a reputation for being unsympathetic to actors and a hard taskmaster. He was rumoured to have said that actors were ‘like cattle’, and this remark hung around Hitchcock (though he later said he had been misquoted). However, many actors gave memorable performances in his films and won Academy Awards for their performances. Hitchcock was nominated five times for an Academy Award for Best Director, but he never won.In 1956, he became a U.S. citizen, although he remained a British subject.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Alfred Hitchcock”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 10 January 2014. Last updated 20 February 2018.Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection at Amazon Related PagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.Famous Film Directors – Influential film directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Capra, Walt Disney and Orson Wells.Top 100 famous peopleRelated peopleWalt DisneyCharlie Chaplin
5 Amelia Earhart (July 24, 1897–1937)Amelia Mary Earhart was an aviation pioneer who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She set many solo flying records and wrote several successful books about her experiences. She was a supporter of equal rights for women and saw her role to inspire other women and give them confidence that they could achieve the same as men. In 1937, aged just 40 years old, Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on a solo flight attempting to circumnavigate the globe. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward. “– Amelia EarhartShort Biography Amelia EarhartAmelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. Her father was a lawyer and her grandfather a former federal judge, and leading citizen of Atchison.From an early age, Amelia displayed a great sense of adventure and was often referred to as a ‘tomboy’. She enjoyed pursuits not common for girls of her age – such as shooting rats with a rifle, climbing trees and keeping wildlife such as worms and a tree toad. Her mother encouraged a greater freedom for her children that wasn’t common for the time. Her mother once commented that she didn’t believe in bringing up her children to be ‘nice little girls’. This spirit of relative freedom and adventure was a common trait throughout her life.In 1909, Amelia and her sister joined her parents in Des Moines, Iowa, where her father was now working for the railroad company. Unfortunately, her father was diagnosed as an alcoholic, and later he lost his job. In 1915, the family moved to St Paul, Minnesota, before shortly having to move on again to Chicago.In her young years, Amelia was educated at home. She was a keen reader and kept a scrapbook of women who had made significant achievements in fields that were at the time, primarily the preserve of men.After moving to Chicago, Amelia tried to find a school with good science teaching, but she was disappointed by what was on offer, and her education proved a disappointment.In 1917, she trained as a nurse and began volunteer work in the Spadina Military Hospital for wounded soldiers from the Western Front. In 1918, she contracted the Spanish flu, while working as a nurse in Toronto. It took her a year to recover and left her with chronic sinusitis, which adversely affected her flying.Learning to flyAround 1919, she had her first major flying experience watching a display by a World War 1 ace. She commented that something captivated her about flying and she developed a deep-seated desire to fly.“I did not understand it at the time, but I believe that little red airplane said something to me as it swished by.”On December 28, 1920, she had her first flight with pilot Frank Hawks. She said.“By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground, I knew I had to fly.”Working in a variety of jobs, Amelia saved up money to be able to pay for flying lessons. In 1921, with help from her parents, she was able to receive flying lessons from Anita Snook, a pioneer female pilot. By 1923, Amelia was the 16th women to be issued a pilot’s license.By 1927, she had accumulated 500 solo hours flying. This was quite an achievement given the rudimentary state of early aviation. A pilot had to be good with manual controls but also adept at navigation and securing a safe flying route.Personal LifeIn 1931, she married George Putman, though she insisted on equal responsibilities in marriage and kept her own name. In a letter to her husband, she wrote:“I want you to understand I shall not hold you to any medieval code of faithfulness to me nor shall I consider myself bound to you similarly.”Together they had no children, though George had two children from a former marriage.1928 Transatlantic FlightIn 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly solo from New York to Paris and it created a global media sensation. Shortly after, Amy Phipps Guest offered to sponsor a female who might be willing to undertake the flight.In 1928, she accompanied pilot Wilmer Stultz on a 20-hour flight across the Atlantic to England. This flight received a significant deal of media attention and made Amelia a public figure. She was sometimes referred to as Lady Lindy; this led to profitable marketing opportunities with a cigarette company ‘Lucky Strike’. Her newfound image enabled her to become involved in the design of female fashion, focusing on simple, natural lines which were also practical to wear. Her image as a successful pilot also played a role in raising the profile of air travel for ordinary people. The 1930s was the real beginning of commercial air travel.First Solo Transatlantic Flight 1932Shortly after her first flight across the Atlantic, she set out to make several untarnished air flights on her own. She became the first woman to make a solo transatlantic flight on May 21, 1932; flying from Newfoundland to a field in Culmore, north of DerryShe also used her image to support women’s groups, especially women’s groups dedicated to flying such as the Ninety-Nines. She became friendly with Eleanor Roosevelt, who shared a similar outlook on human rights and female equality.1937 World FlightWith support from Purdue University, Earhart began plans to make a challenging 29,000-mile global flight around the equator. It would not be the first flight to transverse the globe, but it would be longest staying close to the equator. She had a Lockheed Electra 10E – built to her specifications. For part of the flight, she would be joined by Fred Noonan, an experienced navigator.DeathBy late June 1937, Earhart and Noonan had travelled from Miami to South East Asia and Lae, New Guinea. On July 2nd they took off from Lae intending to go to Howland Island. However, on their approach to Howland Island, there were radio messages that they were running low on fuel. Contact was lost, and the plane never made it to their destination. Despite an extensive search for the plane, they couldn’t be found, and they were presumed dead in absentia.In a letter to her husband shortly before the final fatal flight, she wrote:“Please know I am quite aware of the hazards, I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.”The most widely accepted theory is that they ran out of fuel and had to ditch the plane in the sea. Others claim they may have made it to Phoenix Island.Achievements of Amelia EarhartFirst female to fly solo from Hawaii to California. January 11, 1935First female to fly solo across Atlantic May 21, 1932Inspired a generation of female pilots to take up a domain primarily the reserve of men.Women’s Airforce Service Pilots who helped in World War II.Woman’s world altitude record: 14,000 ft (1922)First woman to fly the Atlantic (1928)Speed records for 100 km (1931)First woman to fly an autogyro (1931)Altitude record for autogyros: 15,000 ft (1931)First person to cross the U.S. in an autogyro (1932)First woman to fly the Atlantic solo (1932)First person to fly the Atlantic twice (1932)First woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross (1932)First woman to fly non-stop, coast-to-coast across the U.S. (1933)Woman’s speed transcontinental record (1933)First person to fly solo between Honolulu, Hawaii and Oakland, California (1935)First person to fly solo from Los Angeles, California to Mexico City, Mexico (1935)First person to fly solo nonstop from Mexico City, Mexico to Newark, New Jersey (1935) Speed record for east-to-west flight from Oakland, California to Honolulu,Hawaii (1937)President Herbert Hoover presented Earhart with a gold medal from the National Geographic Society.Congress awarded her the Distinguished Flying Cross – the first ever given to a woman.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Amelia Earhart Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2013. Last updated 1 March 2019.Who Was Amelia Earhart? Who Was Amelia Earhart? at Amazon Related peopleAmy Johnson British pilot who also took part in early pioneering flight adventures.Famous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.Adventurers – Famous adventurers and explorers, including Christopher Colombus, Marco Polo, Roald Amundsen and Neil Armstrong.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.
6 Angelina Jolie (b. 4 June 1975 – ) is an Oscar-winning actress, movie director, humanitarian and global celebrity. She rose to fame through her title role in the film “Lara Croft”. In recent years, Jolie has moved into film production, acting as director, writer and producer. She has six children, three of whom are adopted. She serves in a capacity as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR.Angelina was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand were actors, and this was a significant influence on her early life. When she was eleven, she enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and performed in several theatre productions. This early training was important to her philosophy of acting. A major component of this acting school is to stay in part for the duration of the filming – taking on the characteristics of her characters.She later studied film studies at New York University. Aged 16, she temporarily tried modelling and appeared in some music videos. However, this career did not take off. Ironically, for someone who would later be cited as the world’s ‘most beautiful women’, Angelina had difficult periods in her childhood. She recounts being picked on by other children for being very thin and wearing glasses.More seriously, she had a difficult relationship with her father, Jon Voight. In her late teens, and early 20s she also suffered from depression and periods of self-harm. Looking back, she observed that she was“just being a young girl who was experimental, bold and a bit nutty… I was absolutely self-destructive. I think a lot of young people in this business lose their way. You don’t know what is of value. You don’t know where you are. And you know something’s wrong, because it isn’t life as it actually is. It’s like living in some warped reality.” (Source: USA Today)Angelina credits her first adopted daughter for helping her to pull out of depression and a tendency to self-harm. Jolie recounts then when she saw her adopted daughter she knew she would have to live more responsibly for her benefit. “I knew once I committed to Maddox, I would never be self-destructive again.”In her teens, her acting career never really took off because her demeanour was often considered too ‘dark’ and ‘punkish.’In 1993, she began her professional film career with her first major part in the sci-fi film ‘Cyborg 2’. Several roles in smaller films followed with Jolie receiving critical praise, though the films did not go on to be major successes.In 1997, she received her first Golden Globe Award for her performance in ‘George Wallace’ (1997). She played the second wife of Alabama segregationist governor – George Wallace.In 1998, she starred in a biopic about Gia Carangi, a supermodel who struggled to deal with her fame and success – dying prematurely from AIDS as result of sharing drug needles. Jolie was praised for her performance; however, to perform the character she adopted ‘method acting’ and took on similar characteristics to the role she was playing. As a result, she became difficult to deal with, especially as there were some parallels with Jolie’s own struggles with depression.In 1999, she starred alongside Denzel Washington in the successful film ‘The Bone Collector’ (1999). Also in that year, she played a woman who spent time in a psychiatric hospital in ‘Girl Interrupted’ (1999). Her performance won her the triple crown of Golden Globe Award, the SAG and Academy Award for the best leading actress. Jolie was gaining a reputation for producing strong acting performances, and she became increasingly in demand. Her growing acting profile also led to increased media interest, especially because of her physical beauty and colourful life.In 2000, she was chosen to play the lead role in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. This was by far her most successful film commercially, becoming one of biggest grossing films of the year. The role involved considerable physical training to play the adventurous and athletic character. (often said to be a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones.Humanitarian workFilming ‘Lara Croft’ in Cambodia, caused Jolie to become more interested in humanitarian activities. She became an active participant in her role as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has travelled extensively to areas such as Darfur, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. In 2012, she was appointed Special Envoy to High Commissioner Antonia Guterres. Jolie says she puts a third of her salary into savings, a third for living expenses and gives the final third to charity.Speaking of her experience in visiting Afghanistan, she remarks:“Behind the labels — refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers — are people with the same hopes, fears, sorrow and happiness as anyone. Their life experiences are often deeply tragic but also uplifting. To survive what many Afghan families have experienced over three decades is testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. This shines through in their generosity, humour, and quiet determination to offer their children a better future.”Jolie has become an advocate for children’s education and protecting the interests of child immigrants and other vulnerable children. She has also worked with the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict and has helped to establish education policies. In January 2011, she established the Jolie Legal Fellowship a network of lawyers who are sponsored to advocate for human rights in developing countries. After she had devoted more time to humanitarian work, her public profile changed from an image of a ‘wild child’ to a more positive image.In 2004, Jolie began filming Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) with Brad Pitt. The film was noted for its on-screen chemistry between Jolie and Pitt (who was at the time married to Jennifer Aniston) Pitt later divorced Aniston and in 2014 the couple married. However, in 2016, the couple separated.Jolie has become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. Her films are regularly commercial and critical successes. With Jolie’s performances often being the stand out performance.Successful films include:Beowulf (2007) Jolie played shape-shifting seductress Grendel’s motherWanted (2008) – an internationally successful action filmKung Fu Panda (2008)Changelings – Clint Eastwood dramaSalt (2010)Maleficent (2014)In 2007, she began her directing career with a documentary ‘A Place in Time’ (2007). Her full feature debut was a film ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ (2011) a love story set in the Yugoslav civil war between a Serb soldier and a Bosniak prisoner of war. She used only actors from the former Yugoslavia, and the film was a critical success.In 2014, she produced her second film ‘Unbroken’ about a World War II hero Louis Zamperini. Jolie admits she has a great interest in war movies, but was also attracted to tell this remarkable story of heroism and personal strength because of the personal qualities of Zamperini.“I wanted them to be reminded of that thing inside of all of us, that rises up against these obstacles. That’s what Louie preached, to help in those dark hours to remember.” NY TimesIn 2013, she had a preventative double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer. She wrote about her experience and choices she made, which she wrote about in a New York op-ed. Her doctors told her that her genes left her an 87% chance of developing breast cancer. Her mother, Marcheline died from Ovarian cancer. Jolie explained her decision to take preventative action.“Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.”Jolie remains one of the highest paid film stars and is one of the best-known celebrities. This has led to highly paid endorsements, such as for a single Louis Vuitton production, which led to the payment of a reported $10 million.Personal lifeJonny Lee Miller (m. 1996; div. 2000)Billy Bob Thornton (m. 2000; div. 2003)Brad Pitt (m. 2014; separated 2016)ChildrenMaddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt – male, born August 5, 2001 – in Cambodia. Adopted March 10, 2002.Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt – male, born November 29, 2003 – (Vietnam) adopted March 15, 2007.Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt – female, born January 8, 2005 – (Ethiopia) adopted July 6, 2005.Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt – female, born May 27, 2006 – NamibiaKnox Léon Jolie-Pitt – male, born July 12, 2008 – FranceVivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt – female, born July 12, 2008 – France.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Angelina Jolie”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 23 January 2015. Updated 11th February 2017. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie – Notes from my travels at AmazonAngelina Jolie Changing The WorldAngelina Jolie Changing The World at Amazon Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Famous Actors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.Famous Humanitarians – Famous people who have offered charitable service to others, including Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale and Princess Diana.
7 Anne Frank (1929-45) was a young Jewish girl who perished in the Holocaust. During the Second World War her family were forced to hide from the Gestapo, and in the cramped conditions, she kept a diary of her experiences and thoughts. After the war, her father Otto Frank discovered her diary and, struck by her maturity and depth of feeling, published it – originally under the title ‘Diary of A Young Girl‘ – later as “Diary of Anne Frank”. Anne Frank’s diary has become one of the most famous records of the Holocaust and has helped to give a human story behind the statistics of the Holocaust.“It’s difficult in times like these; ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”– Anne Frank 21 July 1944Early lifeAnne Frank, 1940Anne Frank was born on 12 June 1929 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Her father Otto Frank was a German businessman. In 1933, at the height of the great depression, Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP (Nazi party) rose to power Germany and began instituting antisemitic legislation. Due to the hostility to the Jews, Otto Frank took his family to the Netherlands where he set up a new business that traded in pectin – an ingredient of jam.However, after the fall of Holland to the Nazi’s in 1940, the Jewish population experienced ever-increasingly repressive measures and she had to transfer from a public school to Jewish school. As Anne mentioned in her diary.“After May 1940…the trouble started for the Jews. Our freedom was severely restricted by a series of anti-Jewish decrees: Jews were required to wear a yellow star; Jews were required to turn-in their bicycles; Jews were forbidden to ride trams or in cars, even their own…Jews were forbidden to go to theatres, cinemas or any other forms of entertainment; Jews were forbidden to use swimming pools, tennis courts, hockey fields or any other athletic fields…You couldn’t do this and you couldn’t do that, but life went on…”– Anne Frank 20 June 1942Reconstruction of secret passagewayBy 1942, the situation for the Jewish population in Europe was deteriorating and with her sister under threat of deportation, Otto Frank took his family into forced hiding, behind one of his business premises in the heart of Amsterdam. Her family were later joined by the Van Pels family who were also trying to avoid arrest. The Jewish families were helped by non-Jewish friends, such as Miep Gies who smuggled in food and supplies into the cramped surroundings.Anne was thirteen when the family went into hiding and she began writing a diary about daily life in the secret annexe. She also used her diary to express her thoughts and emotions of growing up and living under the challenging circumstances. During the day, they had to be extremely quiet so as not to arouse any suspicion of those living below. It was an offence to hide Jewish people from the Gestapo and it was difficult to know who could be trusted to keep the secret.Diary of Anne FrankAnne’s diary tells of the difficulties of living in a confined space with so many people. The atmosphere was at times suffocating because small irritations could get on people’s nerves and not being able to go out, there was no release or escape from the environment. They eagerly followed news of the war and by 1944 were increasingly hopeful as they heard of the Allied landings in France and liberation of Paris.One striking feature of the diary is how she wrote about very ordinary, everyday life-experiences of a young teenager, against the backdrop of the frightening war situation. For example, she developed a short-lived romance with 16-year-old Peter van Pels, who was also hiding in the attic. With Peter, she experienced her first kiss, but also had the self-awareness to wonder whether her infatuation was genuine love or a result of the confined situation she was in. Anne wrote about all the different people and relationships within the hiding place – she was close to her father, but often felt distant from her motherDespite the hardships and challenges of her situation, she also expressed a natural joie de vivre and positive view of life, for example“I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I’m free, and yet I can’t let it show. Just imagine what would happen if all eight of us were to feel sorry for ourselves or walk around with the discontent clearly visible on our faces. Where would that get us?” (December 24, 1943) – Diary of Anne FrankArrest and transportation to AuschwitzHet Achterhuis (The Secret Annex)Unfortunately, on 4 August 1944 (with the Allies closing in on a retreating Germany army), an anonymous source gave a tip-off to the German secret police. The families were arrested along with two helpers and they were sent on the last convoy train to Auschwitz. After surviving the selection process (most people under 15 were sent straight to the gas chambers), Anne was sent a labour camp for women. They a few months later in November 1944, she was put on a train to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Belsen was notorious for having terrible conditions. The prisoners were starved and mistreated by sadistic guards. In the unsanitary, overcrowded conditions, disease was rife and the death rate very high. In the final months of the war, Anne contracted typhoid fever and she died – just one or two months before the camp was liberated by the advancing Allied armies.Except for her father Otto, all her family died in various concentration camps across Europe – a fate similar for many Jewish families. After the war, Otto returned to the place where they had hidden for two years. It was here that he found Anne’s diary and he was impressed by his daughter’s writings. Knowing she had expressed a wish to be a writer, and encouraged by friends, he decided to try and get it published. Initially, it was called Het Achterhuis (The Secret Annex) but when it was translated into England, the name was changed to “The Diary of Anne Frank”Her diary was published in 1947 and, in the first run, 3,000 copies were printed. Following a glowing article by Jan Romein in the newspaper Het Parool, it became a best seller and was translated into 60 languages. People were fascinated by her writing and what she managed to convey in the most difficult of situations.Her book has become an important symbol of how innocent people can suffer from intolerance and persecution.In 1960, the family’s secret hiding place was converted into the Anne Frank Museum and is visited by thousands of people every year.Impact of Anne Frank’s Diary“one voice speaks for six million—the voice not of a sage or a poet but of an ordinary little girl.”Ilya Ehrenburg (Soviet writer)In the aftermath of the Second World War and the discovery of Nazi concentration camps, the magnitude of the horrors were difficult to comprehend. Over six million Jews perished in the holocaust, but the scale of the killing was hard to put in context. Anne Frank’s Diary was important because it gave a very human connection to the people behind the statistics. Anne’s lively and engaging writing style made it easy for readers to empathize with her situation. It also helped that the diary was a very moving and human account of experiences we can all relate to. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote of Anne Frank’s diary as.“One of the wisest and most moving commentaries on war and its impact on human beings that I have ever read.”The tragic discovery of their hiding place towards the end of the war, giving an added poignancy to the loss of life and potential of Anne Frank cut away before she reached adulthood.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan “Diary of Anne Frank”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 2nd Feb 2017. Last updated 1 March 2020.The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl at AmazonRelatedWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes: Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.\nPeople of the Second World War (1939-45) Influential leaders, generals and civilians who caused, influenced and fought during the Second World War. Including; Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt, Truman, Emperor Hirohito, Eisenhower, Rommel and De Gaulle.Anne Frank – Time Line and FactsAnne Frank museumYoung people who changed the world
8 Audrey Hepburn (1929–1993) British actress and humanitarian. Hepburn was a major Hollywood star of the 1950s and 1960s, starring in classic films such as Roman Holiday (1956), The Nun’s Story (1956) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Audrey Hepburn later retired from acting and served as an ambassador for UNICEF.Short biography of Audrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was born to an English father and Dutch mother in Belgium, May 4th, 1929. Her father’s job as an insurance agent meant the family often moved between England, Holland and Belgium. In 1935, her parents divorced; one reason for this was that her father was a Nazi sympathiser. The divorce was very traumatic for six-year-old Audrey; she would later say it was the most traumatic incident of her life. After the war, despite suffering under the Nazi occupation, Audrey later tracked down her father to Dublin and supported him financially. From 1935–38, Audrey went to boarding school in Kent; in 1939 her mother moved the family to Arnhem in the Netherlands, where she thought it would be safe from Nazi invasion.However, in 1940, the Netherlands was overrun, and the country fell under Nazi occupation until liberation in 1945. During this time, Audrey went to school at the Arnhem conservatory where she also studied ballet. At one time she considered taking ballet as a career. During the occupation, it was said she would often dance in various locations, helping to raise money for the underground movement.Towards the end of the war, the occupation of Netherlands became increasingly brutal. After the D-Day landings of 1944, the Germans took most of the pitiable rations of the Dutch, leaving many to starve or freeze to death. Reprisals and shootings against the local population were common. As a young girl, Audrey saw her uncle and mother’s cousin shot in the street by the Germans. She also recalls seeing a trainload of Jewish children being herded into cattle trucks for deportation.“I have memories. More than once I was at the station seeing trainloads of Jews being transported, seeing all these faces over the top of the wagon.” (5)The harrowing experiences of war left a profound mark on Audrey; it was one reason for her later commitments to the UNICEF children’s charity.“I can testify to what UNICEF means to children, because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II” (4)She felt a natural empathy and sympathy for children who were the victims of war and starvation. During the war Audrey suffered anaemia, respiratory problems and oedema (swelling of the limbs) Audrey later noted a similarity between her wartime experience and that of Anne Frank. She read her diary in 1946, and said it “left her feeling devastated.” However, despite the ongoing horrors of the occupation, Audrey passed her time through drawing and practising ballet.After the war, Audrey went to London where she continued to practise ballet. She had great talent, but her height and malnutrition during the war meant that she was unable to become a really great ballerina, and so decided to seek work as an actor.Audrey Hepburn ActingAfter several minor roles in films such as The Lavender Hill Mob, Audrey was chosen to play Gigi, a hit West End play. She was given an award by the theatre world for the best debut performance. Her first film was Secret People in 1952; a film about a prodigy ballerina, which was a natural choice for Audrey to play. It was during the filming for this that she was spotted by director William Wyler. He was producing a film “Roman Holiday”, and he felt the innocence and elfin beauty of Audrey Hepburn would make a perfect choice for the English Princess, who spends a day in Rome in the company of Gregory Peck. The film was a great hit, and on the advertising, Audrey Hepburn was given the same billing as Gregory Peck. In many respects, Audrey outshone her more illustrious lead Gregory Peck; as Peck predicted, it was Audrey who would be given an Oscar for her performance.This film established her place in Hollywood’s elite and allowed her to play against many of the leading men of the time. For example, Sabrina with Humphrey Bogart and opposite Fred Astaire in Funny Face.Enduring Appeal of Audrey HepburnThe enduring popularity and appeal of Audrey Hepburn can be attributed to many factors. She had a natural beauty and elegance; she has often been voted the most beautiful woman of the century (2). However, she also had an aura of childlike innocence which portrayed a natural charm and humour. She was held in high regard by many in the film industry; she avoided conflict, and many of the top actors said how much they enjoyed working with Audrey. As Cary Grant once said,“…all I want for Christmas is another picture with Audrey Hepburn.” (5)Although she was one of Hollywood’s great stars of the 1950s and 1960s, she didn’t allow her fame to go to her head; often she would be quite happy to stay at home with her family. Her son wrote a moving tribute to his mother in his book Audrey Hepburn, an Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers (1999).In 1961, Audrey played one of her most demanding roles, the extrovert Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She said of her role that it was “one of the jazziest of my career,” contrary to her introverted nature and thus quite difficult to pull off. However, her performance was one of the most iconic roles of the 1960s. The film has retained an enduring popularity to this day. In 2006, the “little black dress” from the film was sold at auction for just under half a million pounds. (3) The proceeds were given to one of Audrey’s charities.In 1959, she stared in The Nun’s Story – quite different to her other roles, this was a challenging portrayal of a young nun, Sister Luke, who trained to be a novice nun before spending time as a missionary in the Congo. Sister Luke also faces a painful spiritual dilemma as she returns to Belgium and the Nazi occupation. With some parallels to her own life, the film showed the multifaceted acting talents of Audrey Hepburn.Audrey Hepburn UNICEF Charity WorkFrom 1967, after 15 years in film, Audrey acted only occasionally. She spent more time with her family and also working with UNICEF. She was appointed as a special ambassador to UNICEF and became actively involved in campaigns to improve conditions for children around the world.In 1988 she visited Ethiopia at a camp for children. On seeing the poverty and starvation she remarked:“I have a broken heart. I feel desperate. I can’t stand the idea that two million people are in imminent danger of starving to death, many of them children, and [sic] not because there isn’t tons of food sitting in the northern port of Shoa.”(1) – Audrey HepburnShe also visited street children in South America and was appalled to see children living in such conditions. She later reported to Congress how UNICEF had been able to make a difference:“I saw tiny mountain communities, slums, and shantytowns receive water systems for the first time by some miracle – and the miracle is UNICEF. I watched boys build their own schoolhouse with bricks and cement provided by UNICEF.”Death of Audrey HepburnAfter returning from Somalia in 1992, Audrey Hepburn developed cancer of the colon. The disease proved to be untreatable, and in January 1993 she died in Switzerland aged 63.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Audrey Hepburn”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 24th Mar. 2007. Updated 26 June 2019Recommended Books on Audrey Hepburn Audrey Style at Amazon Audrey Hepburn Treasures at Amazon. In this illustrated biography, Audrey’s own words are given centre stage to create a unique personal narrative. Highly RecommendedRelated (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Actors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Audrey Hepburn LinksAudrey Hepburn QuotesFacts Audrey HepburnReferences(1) Audrey Hepburn – UNICEF (2) Audrey Hepburn tops beauty poll(3) Audrey Hepburn dress (4) Audrey Hepburn Quotes (5) Audrey Hepburn – WikipediaOther Sources Audrey Hepburn.com Audrey Hepburn library Audrey Hepburn at UNICEF
9 Aung San Suu Kyi AC born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, is a pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma. During the military control of Myanmar, she was a noted prisoner of conscience and advocate of nonviolent resistance. For many years (1989-2010) she was held under house arrest. However, on her release, she led the National League for Democracy and serves as the first and incumbent State Counsellor, a position akin to a Prime Minister. From 2016, she has come under international criticism for failing to stem the persecution of the Rohingya people in Rakhine State on the border with Malaysia.Aung San Suu Kyi was born on 19 June 1945 in Rangoon (then British Burma). She is the third child in her family. Her name is derived from three relatives; “Aung San” from her father, “Kyi” from her mother and “Suu” from her grandmother. Her father, Aung San, was instrumental in negotiating independence from Britain in 1947. He also founded the Burmese army and was assassinated by political rivals in late 1947.Suu Kyi studied at primary schools in Rangoon, before studying in India (graduating from New Delhi University, 1964) and St Hugh’s College, Oxford University (1968). After Oxford University, she worked for the United Nations for three years. In 1972 she married Michael Aris who was living in Bhutan – they had two children.In 1988 she returned to Burma to visit her ailing mother but became caught up in the 1988 uprising as protests against the Burmese Junta sprang up around the country. Suu Kyi became active in supporting the League for Democracy and soon became promoted to a prominent position in the movement.“Revered monks and people. This public rally is aimed at informing the whole world of the will of the people… Our purpose is to show that the entire people entertain the keenest desire for a multiparty democratic system of government.”Suu Kyi, First public speech (26 August 1988).Around this time her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but he was not allowed an entry visa to the country, however, despite her husband’s ailing health Suu Kyi was reluctant to leave now she had a prominent position in the movement for democracy.In 1989, she was placed under house arrest by the military junta. She was told she could have freedom if she agreed to leave the country, but she preferred to stay. Under house arrest, she spent time studying Buddhism and political activism and remained popular with those who supported the ideals of democracy in Myanmar.For her principled, non-violent protest against the military and support for democratic principles, she was lauded by many human rights groups and influential bodies around the world. Suu Kyi won the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. In 1992, she was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru peace prize by the Government of India for her peaceful and non-violent struggle under a military dictatorship.For many years she was kept under house arrest, with the Burmese junta repeatedly extending her detention. According to the results of the 1990 general election, Suu Kyi earned the right to be Prime Minister, as leader of the winning National League for Democracy party, but her detention by the military junta prevented her from assuming that role.“We have faith in the power to change what needs to be changed but we are under no illusion that the transition from dictatorship to liberal democracy will be easy, or that democratic government will mean the end of all our problems.”She is frequently called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Daw is not part of her name, but an honorific similar to madam for older, revered women, literally meaning “aunt”. Strictly speaking, her given name is equivalent to her full name, but it is acceptable to refer to her as “Ms. Suu Kyi” or Dr. Suu Kyi, since those syllables serve to distinguish her from her father, General Aung San, who is considered to be the father of modern-day Burma. The U2 album All That You Can’t Leave Behind was banned in Burma because one of the songs (Walk On) was written about her struggle and how, even when the government threatened her, she “walked on” the other way.“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”– Aung San Suu Kyi (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 2010, she was released from house arrest and travelled around the world speaking up for democracy in Burma. In the summer of 2012, she received an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. (Aung San Suu Kyi studied PPE at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University)On 2 May 2012, she was elected to the National Parliament with other Democrat MPs. In 2015, her party, the National League for Democracy won a sweeping victory, although she was ineligible for the Presidency (due to provisions which prevented widows and mother of foreigners.) She claimed she would hold the real power in the new government. The president, Htin Kyaw, created a new role for her – the position of State Counsellor on 1 April 2016. This enabled her to assume the dominant position in the government.In December 2016, the United Nations strongly criticized the Myanmar government for its poor treatment of the Rohingya people, and called its approach “callous” and warned of possible crimes against humanity. The United Nations called on Aung San Suu Kyi to end her silence and stand up for the oppressed Rohingya minority.On 4 September 2017, the UN’s released a report on human rights in Myanmar. It criticised Suu Kyi’s response arguing that given reports of crimes against innocent people in Rohingya villages “The de facto leader needs to step in – that is what we would expect from any government, to protect everybody within their own jurisdiction.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Aung San Suu Kyi”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. First published 17 March 2009. Last updated 6 February 2018.Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi at Amazon.comAung San Suu Kyi at Amazon.co.ukRelated pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.Nobel Peace PrizeAung San Suu Kyi at Nobel Prize
10 ‘Babe Ruth’ (1895-1948) – Influential baseball star, who dominated the sport in the 1920s and early 1930s – setting new records and raising the popularity of the game. One of the first great stars to transcend sport and became a national icon – epitomised the ‘American Dream’ and the era of ‘The Roaring Twenties’.Early life Babe RuthGeorge Herman Ruth Jr, ‘Babe Ruth’ was born 6 February 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland, US. His parents were German American immigrants. He was one of eight children, but six of his siblings died early. His childhood was tough because his parents owned a tavern and had to work long hours to earn an income for the family. It was also a rough neighbourhood, with street fights common. Although details of his child are scant, his father drank heavily, and Babe Ruth later said his father died in 1918, after being involved in a street fight.As a child, he spent many hours looking after himself, and as a result often got into trouble. Aged seven, he was sent to study at St Mary’s Industrial School, a Catholic school run by monks of Xaverian Brothers. As an adult, Babe Ruth said that he would often miss school, drinking beer when his father was not around.It was at school that George Jr became involved in playing and practising baseball. He was coached and mentored by a senior monk – Brother Matthias; George Jr soon started to stand out for his exceptional skills at baseball. Brother Matthias became one of the few figures in authority that George Jr looked up to and respected. His reverence for Matthias helped to bring some discipline into Ruth’s life, and Ruth would always acknowledge the role Brother Matthias had played in his life. Ruth also later wryly commented:“If it wasn’t for baseball, I’d be in either the penitentiary or the cemetery.”In February 1914, when George Jr was nineteen, the owner of Baltimore Orioles (Jack Dunn) came to see this new prospect. Deeply impressed by the talent of George Jr, he signed him, after watching him for just one hour. To complete the contract, Jack Dunn became George Jr’s guardian.George Jr became known as ‘the Babe’ when he was introduced to the older Baltimore players. They referred to him as “Jack’s newest babe”, and this nickname stuck with him throughout his career.At this stage in his career, Babe Ruth was known more for his prowess as a pitcher than a hitter. He reflected how he had a natural affinity for the game.“As soon as I got out there I felt a strange relationship with the pitcher’s mound. It was as if I’d been born out there. Pitching just felt like the most natural thing in the world. Striking out batters was easy.”His games for Baltimore Orioles were sufficiently promising to attract the attention of the Boston Red Sox and on 11 July 1914, Babe Ruth won his major league début for the Boston Red Sox.During this time, he also played in a rotation for a minor league team, the Providence Grays. In 1917, Babe Ruth became more prominent in hitting, and he was allowed to move up the batting order, which gave him more opportunity to display his capacity for hitting home runs. His stats and performance were very good from the start, and by 1918, he was one of the regular star players in the Boston Red Sox lineup. In 1918, he tied for the most number of home runs (11) and helped lead the Red Sox to the 1918 title. To avoid conscription during the First World War, until November 1918, Babe Ruth had to accept a nominal position in a steel mill.New York YankeesOn Boxing Day 1919, Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees for a record $100,000. It was a pivotal sale for both clubs. After considerable earlier success, the Boston Red Sox would not win another World Series until 2004. The New York Yankees would soon win their first titles.At the Yankees, Babe Ruth’s talent stood out even more, as he matured into the greatest hitter baseball had ever seen. He became the star of baseball, smashing records for home runs and batting averages. For example, in his first season with the Yankees (1920), he hit a record 54 home runs – the 2nd player had just 19.Babe Ruth 1921In 1921, Babe Ruth had a season-best batting average of .846 – this smashed the previous record. Babe Ruth was so successful that it changed people’s perceptions of baseball; it encouraged a more adventurous style of play with more players trying to hit home runs rather than grind out small scores.“If I’d just tried for them dinky singles I could’ve batted around six hundred!”Attendance’s at the Yankees soared, and in 1923 they moved to a new stadium which became known as the ‘The House that Ruth Built”. Babe Ruth also transformed the New York Yankees into the most successful baseball team of all time. With Babe Ruth, the Yankees won seven pennants and four World Series titles. The 1927 New York Yankees team is considered one of the greatest baseball teams of all time, with Babe Ruth leading the charge with a record 60 home runs.Babe Ruth’s popularity and success put him in a unique position of being able to bargain for a higher salary. Aware of his income-generating pull, he was expert in negotiating a higher salary.“I know, but I had a better year than Hoover.”– Reported reply when a reporter objected that the salary Ruth was demanding ($80,000) was more than that of President Herbert Hoover’s ($75,000)Outside of baseball, Babe Ruth was renowned for his larger than life approach. Despite the era of prohibition, Babe Ruth was well known for his capacity to drink copious amounts of alcohol (without seemingly getting drunk). He was known as a womaniser and would often stay out very late. His wild social lifestyle impacted on his health and his weight often fluctuated. By the mid-1930s, his physical health had deteriorated, and he could barely run.He was married twice to Helen Woodford (1914) and Clarie Merritt Hodgson in 1929. In both marriages, they adopted a daughter Julia and Dorothy. However, Babe Ruth also had numerous affairs.“I’ll promise to go easier on drinking and to get to bed earlier, but not for you, fifty thousand dollars, or two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars will I give up women. They’re too much fun.”As quoted in The Business of Baseball (2003)As well as living a promiscuous lifestyle, Babe Ruth also took time out to visit local hospitals and charities. He was always ready to sign autographs and offer encouragement to young people. He tried to do this without attracting media attention, though the press became eager for anything that Babe Ruth did. He was also known to attend Mass – even after an all nights drinking session. He also gave money to his former school and Brother Matthias in particular.In the 1920s, Babe Ruth came to embody the American dream and the new era of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ – rising from poverty and obscurity to became the most successful sportsman of his generation. His popularity far transcended the sport. “Ruthian” has come to mean in sports, “colossal, dramatic, prodigious, magnificent; with great power.” – which is how Babe Ruth played baseball.“I swing big, with everything I’ve got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.”– Babe RuthWhen his career finished in 1935, Babe Ruth dominated the record books, holding 56 major league records, including the most number of career home runs – 714 – which was far beyond anyone else at the time.After his playing career was over, he was never successful in gaining a managerial job. Many owners felt Babe Ruth’s personal lifestyle would make management difficult because of his inability to enforce discipline. Ruth also failed to gain a job as a baseball commentator. But during the Second World War, he made many personal appearances to advance the war effort. His fame and personality still having the capacity to attract large audiences. This included a final playing appearance at Yankee Stadium in 1943. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 1946, Babe Ruth was diagnosed with a tumour on his neck, and on 16 August 1948, he died from cancer. Over 100,000 filed past his body in Yankee Stadium or attended his funeral in St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. The Yankees’ retired Babe Ruth’s number 3 in the 1948 season.Babe Ruth was one of the first five players to be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame and remains the most recognisable and famous player in the game’s history. He extended baseball’s popularity and Ruth remains the most iconic player of all time.Babe Ruth Career StatisticsBatting average – .342Hits – 2,873Home runs – 714Runs batted in – 2,213Win-loss record – 94–46Earned run average – 2.28TeamsBoston Red Sox (1914–1919)New York Yankees (1920–1934)Boston Braves (1935)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Babe Ruth”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 1 February 2015. Last updated 8 February 2018.Who was Babe Ruth? Who was Babe Ruth? at Amazon.comWho was Babe Ruth? at Amazon.co.ukThe Life and Times of Babe Ruth The Life and Times of Babe Ruth at Amazon.comThe Life and Times of Babe Ruth at Amazon.co.ukRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.\nPeople of the Roaring Twenties – ‘Jazz Era’ (1920-1929) The Roaring Twenties was a period of economic expansion and social change. New styles of music, dance and dress. Including Calvin Coolidge, Louis Armstrong, Al Capone and Coco Chanel.External linksBabe Ruth.comBabe Ruth stats at Baseball.com
11 Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the US from 2009 to 2017. Obama passed several bills, which sought to extend welfare support and help the economy to recover from the Financial and Economic Crisis of 2009. His primary legislation included health care reform (Protection and Affordable Care Act), and The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Obama also approved a major bailout of the automobile industry. In Foreign Policy, Obama sought to end the war in Iraq, though he committed military support to combat the growing presence of IS in Iraq and Syria. Obama also signed up to the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement. Despite a fractious political system, Obama was noted for retaining a dignified and calm demeanour, seeking to unite the country in the face of divisive issues. He is widely regarded as a charismatic speaker – frequently speaking on the ideals of hope and optimism.Barack Obama was born 4 Aug 1961 in Hawaii. His father was a Kenyan intellectual and his mother a white teenager from Kansas. When Barack was still young, his father abandoned the family and Barack would only meet his father on a few future occasions. After a brief spell living in Indonesia, he moved back to Hawaii where he was raised by his grandparents.For some years, Obama’s nationality was the subject of intense speculation by the right-wing media, and figures such as Donald Trump – suggesting Obama was not American. Obama later produced two birth certificates to prove his nationality.After studying law at Harvard, he worked as a civil rights lawyer in Chicago. It was here in Chicago that he met his future wife, Michelle. They married in 1992 and had two children.In 1996, he gained his major political breakthrough serving in the Illinois State Senate. In 2004, he was elected to the US Senate where he gained a reputation as one of rising stars in the Democrat Party. His book ‘The Audacity of Hope’ became a best seller and increased his national profile. In the aftermath of the Iraq war, his reputation was enhanced by his previous opposition to the war.“Hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope: In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation, a belief in things not seen, a belief that there are better days ahead.” (July 2004)US President Barack Obama taking the Oath of Office in 2009.Despite a lack of political experience, he put forward his name for the Democratic presidential candidate in 2008. Against the stiff opposition of Hilary Clinton, Obama ran a near perfect campaign. His campaign generated a flood of popular grassroots support, making use of social media and internet networking.Against the much older Republican candidate Senator John McCain, Obama won a hard-fought contest taking the 2008 presidential election. His victory was greeted with an unusual degree of enthusiasm and excitement – not just in America, but around the world. After decades of racism and segregation blighting American society, the election of the first black American president was hugely symbolic.On becoming President, he found the political environment hostile. The Republican-dominated Congress was able to block much of Obama’s key legislation. However, with considerable modifications, he was able to pass a health care bill which went a considerable way to ensuring greater universal provision.“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”\u0097 Barack ObamaObama was elected on a liberal platform. Before the election, he promised to close down Guantanamo Bay and improve America’s image abroad.“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”Barack ObamaCompared to other American political figures, he is perceived as less accommodating to Israel and more sympathetic to the Palestinian position. In 2011, the US was the only country to veto a Security Council resolution condemning illegal Israeli settlements. However, one of his last acts as President in Dec 2016 was for the US to abstain on a similar motion condemning Israeli settlement building.A year into his presidency, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (2009) for his promise to promote world peace. Many thought this somewhat premature for occurring at the start of his presidency.In 2010, he signed with Russia the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) which included a reduction in nuclear arms between the two countries; though in 2015, relations between the two countries soured after the Russian invasion of the Ukraine caused Obama to initiate economic sanctions against Russia.In 2011, he ordered the assassination of Osama Bin Laden – the person blamed for 9/11 and a target who had evaded the administration of George W Bush. Obama pledged to end American troops involvement in Iraq and by 2011 could announce all troops would be leaving Iraq. Troops have remained in Afghanistan.In 2014, Obama began a process to normalise relationship with Cuba after negotiations with Raul Castro. In 2016, Obama became the first US president to visit Cuba, since 1928. (Fidel Castro the long-time dictator of Cuba died in Nov. 2016)In an era of increased partisanship, Obama has sought to rise above the political fray and present a vision of a united America, a country which transcends the division of race and politics.“In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.”(November 2008)Obama on the economyAssuming office in Jan 2009, Obama inherited an economy struggling to overcome the deepest recession since the 1930s. In 2009, he passed an economic stimulus package, which included $831 billion of economic stimulus – including tax cuts, unemployment benefits and infrastructure spending. Despite criticisms, the package increased the budget deficit; it helped to boost economic recovery and unemployment fell significantly during Obama’s presidency.The US recovery proved quicker than comparable economies in Europe, but growth was uneven – with low wage growth. In 2010, Obama also passed the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which sought to reform the banking and financial sector, in the aftermath of the credit crunch.See also: US Economy under ObamaDespite concerns about the economy, in 2012, Obama was able to win re-election, defeating the Republican candidate Mitt Romney.In domestic policy, his biggest policy initiative was in health care ‘Affordable Health Care Act – often termed ‘Obama Care’ It was passed into law in 2010, and upheld by the Supreme Court in late 2012. Enrollment in the program began in October 2013. Despite some initial technical difficulties, it has led to an increase in the percentage of Americans with health insurance. A CDC report showed the proportion of people without health insurance fell from 16% in 2010 to 9% during the Jan–June 2016 period.Obama describes himself as a Christian. He was raised as Christian, though not as a regular churchgoer – saying that he made that choice in adult life. He also believes that different faiths and religions can share the same values and lead to the same goals.“I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people. That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there’s an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.”– Barack Obama, Interview 2004 on Faith [1]Barack Obama has two daughters, Malia and Sasha.In the aftermath of the 2016 election where President Trump was elected, Obama has avoided getting involved in direct criticisms of the President’s actions. However, he has spoken up on issues, such as civil rights, the rights for non-documented dreamers and also the importance of civil discourse. Against the backdrop of Trump’s tumultuous and divisive presidency, many Americans have gained a better impression of Obama and for his qualities of calm and rational discourse. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Barack Obama Biography”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, Published:11th Dec 2013. Updated 11 January 2020.Barack Obama The Audacity of Hope Barack Obama The Audacity of Hope at Amazon We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama at AmazonRelated pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Famous Black People. A list of inspirational black men and women. Including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Desmond Tutu, Mohammad Ali, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.American PoliticiansExternal linksBarack Obama.com
12 Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 Dec. 2007) was the first women elected to lead a Muslim state. Bhutto served as Prime Minister of Pakistan between (1988–1990, and 1993–1996).“Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one’s convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea. And I have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance, and inflexible tradition.”– Benazir BhuttoBenazir was the daughter of a former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Her family came from the Bhutto tribe of Sindhi and she was born in Karachi, Sindh.Benazir was brought up speaking both Urdu and English, and after passing her A-Levels, she went to Oxford University, to study Law at Lady Margaret Hall college. After LMH, she studied at St Catherine’s and became president of the Oxford Union in 1976.After finishing at Oxford, she returned to Pakistan where she became embroiled in Pakistani politics. Her parents were opponents of the military dictatorship run by General Zia-ul-Haq. In the summer of 1979, they were placed under house arrest and faced great difficulties. She later wrote of her experiences of being under house arrest during the summer of 1981, where she was held in solitary confinement in the desert.“The summer heat turned my cell into an oven. My skin split and peeled, coming off my hands in sheets.”—Benazir Bhutto, summer of 1981In 1984, she was released from house arrest and began campaigning for a restoration of democracy. Shortly after her brother’s murder (probably under orders of Zia-ul-Haq) she made a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg warning of human rights abuses in Pakistan. Benazir became the first women to lead a political party – Pakistan People’s Front (PPF) and after the death of General Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan moved towards its first democratic elections in more than a decade.Bhutto and her party won the largest percentage of seats and were able to form a coalition government. She was sworn in as Prime Minister for the first time in 1988 at the age of 35. On coming to power she said:“We gather together to celebrate freedom, to celebrate democracy, to celebrate the three most beautiful words in the English language: `”We the People.'”—Benazir Bhutto on December 2, 1988,However, under the orders of President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, she was removed from office 20 months later for alleged corruption. In 1993, she was re-elected but was again removed in 1996 on similar charges, this time by President Farooq Leghari.As prime minister, she was often referred to as the “Iron Lady” for her uncompromising approach to negotiating with unions. She pursued various free-market economic policies, such as deregulation, flexible labour markets and privatisation. However, rising unemployment and inflation (stagflation) made her economic policies unpopular.After conceding defeat in the 1997 elections, and being immersed in corruption scandals, she went into self-imposed exile in Dubai in 1998.Nine years later, in 2007, Bhutto returned to Pakistan after being promised by President Musharraf that she would be granted amnesty from any corruption charges. Shortly before returning, she said in an interview:“The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated. I will step out on the tarmac in Karachi not to complete a journey, but to begin one. Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.” (Boston Globe) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});DeathWhilst campaigning for the PPF in the upcoming 2008 elections, she was assassinated on 27 December 2007, in Rawalpindi. Shortly after her death, her son remarked (captured on video)“My mother always said, ‘ Democracy is the best revenge.’She was later named one of seven winners of the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Benazir Bhutto Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 18th Feb 2014. Last updated 13 July 2019.Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography at AmazonRelated pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Muslims – Famous Muslims. Including the Prophet Muhammad, Saladin, Rumi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Muhammad Ali and Malala Yousafzai. Famous leaders – A list of famous leaders who led their country. Includes Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Julius Ceasar, Winston Churchill and F.D. Roosevelt.
13 William Henry Gates was born on 28 October 1955, in Seattle, Washington. As the principal founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates is one of the most influential and richest people on the planet. Recent estimates of his wealth put it at US$84.2 billion (Jan. 2017); this is the equivalent of the combined GDP of several African economies. In recent years he has retired from working full time at Microsoft, and has instead concentrated on working with his charitable foundation “The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”Early life of Bill GatesHis father William Gates Sr was a senior lawyer, and his mother, Mary, served as an executive for a major bank. The family were wealthy but, remembering the challenges of the Great Depression, they encouraged their children to work hard and take nothing for granted.Aged 13, Gates attended the private Lakeside school. It was here that Gates had his first introduction to computers. He taught himself to programme in Basic, making a simple ‘Tic-Tac-Toe’ game. Gates enjoyed the process of working with computers and arranged with a company Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to spend time on their computers – learning source code, such as Fortran, Machine Code and Lisp.In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard, where he studied mathematics and computer science. However, Gates was more interested in pursuing his own coding, and when he saw an opportunity to found his own company, he dropped out of Harvard without finishing his course.Bill Gates foundation of MicrosoftAltair 8800 computerBill Gates founded Microsoft in 1976 when he formed a contract with MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) to develop a basic operating system for their new microcomputers. In the early days, Bill Gates would review every line of code. He was also involved in several aspects of Microsoft’s business such as packing and sending off orders.Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1981The big break for Microsoft came in 1980 when IBM approached them for a new BASIC operating system for its new computers. In the early 1980s, IBM was by far the leading PC manufacturer. However, increasingly, there developed many IBM PC clones; (PCs produced by other companies compatible with IBM’s). Microsoft worked hard to sell its operating system to these other companies. Thus Microsoft was able to gain the dominant position of software manufacture just as the personal computer market started to boom. Since its early dominance, other companies have struggled to displace Microsoft as the dominant provider of computer operating software. Programs like Microsoft Word and Excel have become the industry standard.Bill Gates – WindowsIn 1990 Microsoft released its first version of Windows. This was a breakthrough in operating software as it replaced text interfaces with graphical interfaces. It soon became a best seller and was able to capture the majority of the operating system market share. In 1995 Windows 95 was released, setting new standards and features for operating systems. This version of Windows has been the backbone of all future releases from Windows 2000 to the latest XP and Vista.Throughout his time in office, Bill Gates has been keen to diversify the business of Microsoft. For example, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer became the dominant web browser, although this was primarily because it came pre-installed on most new computers. In recent years, Internet Explorer has seen its market share slip.One area where Microsoft has never been successful is in the area of search engines. MSN live search has struggled to gain more than 5% of market share. In this respect, Microsoft has been dwarfed by Google. Nevertheless, the success of Microsoft in cornering various aspects of the software market has led to several anti-trust cases. In 1998 US v Microsoft, Microsoft came close to being broken up into three smaller firms. However, on appeal, Microsoft was able to survive as a single firm. Although Microsoft was the dominant computer firm of the 1980s, and 1990s, they are now seen as an ageing and declining company – compared to the more dynamic Google and Apple.Philanthropic Activities – Bill GatesBill Gates is married to Melinda French (married in 1992). They have three children Jennifer (1996), Rory (1999) and Phoebe (2002). With his wife, Bill Gates formed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill Gates says much of the inspiration came from the example of David Rockefeller. Like Rockefeller, Gates has sought to focus on global issues ignored by the government; he also expressed an interest in improving the standards of public school education in the US. He has appeared with Oprah Winfrey to promote this objective. In respect to charitable, philanthropic activities Gates has also received encouragement from investor Warren Buffet, who has given away $17 billion, through the Gates Foundation. Gates has also sought to prioritise issues that improve the health of the population rather than ‘vanity projects’. Speaking at a TED conference in 2009, he said about malaria.“This leads to the paradox, that because the disease (malaria) is only in the poor countries, there is not much investment. For example, there is more money put into baldness drugs, than are put into malaria. Now, baldness, it is a terrible thing [audience laughter] and rich men are afflicted, so that is why that priority is set.”From 2008 Gates has worked full time on his philanthropic interests. It is estimated Gates and his wife Melinda have given away $28 billion via their charitable foundation – including $8 billion to improve global health. Gates has said that he has no use for money, and will only leave a small percentage of his wealth to his children. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Gates states:“I’m certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes,” he says, redundantly. “Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organisation and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world.” (1)His main areas of interest in philanthropy have been improving health, and in particular helping to reduce diseases, such as polio which affect young children. He has also given more focus on environmental issues. In 2015, he gave $1 billion to a clean energy project, as he sees supporting new ‘greener’ technologies as a way to help deal with global warming. Asked about the motivation of his giving, Gates replies:“It doesn’t relate to any particular religion; it’s about human dignity and equality,” he says. “The golden rule that all lives have equal value and we should treat people as we would like to be treated.” – GatesCovid-19Bill Gates has often warned about the potential dangers of a global pandemic. In 2015, Gates gave a warning that the world is not ready for the next pandemic, which could lead to the deaths of millions of people. When COVID-19 became a threat to global health, Gates devoted time and money to co-ordinating efforts to provide a global vaccine. He spent millions of pounds in getting ready to mass-produce one of the many potential vaccinations.“Humankind has never had a more urgent task than creating broad immunity for coronavirus. It’s going to require a global cooperative effort like the world has never seen. But I know we’ll get it done. There’s simply no alternative.” – Bill Gates, Twitter, 30 April 2020He criticised the response of the US administration under Trump for being behind the curve and allowing the virus to spread, in particularly he criticised Trump’s decision to stop funding for WHO, in the middle of the pandemic.Religion of Bill GatesBill Gates is not overtly religion and has not specifically stated he follows a particular belief system. He has expressed the view that he approaches life from a scientific point of view, though he has participated in services of the Catholic Church (which is wife attends).Also, when asked whether he believed in God, Gates replied.“The moral systems of religion, I think, are superimportant. We’ve raised our kids in a religious way; they’ve gone to the Catholic church that Melinda goes to and I participate in. I’ve been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that’s kind of a religious belief. I mean, it’s at least a moral belief.” – March 27, 2014.“I think it makes sense to believe in God, but exactly what decision in your life you make differently because of it, I don’t know.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Bill Gates”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 25th Feb. 2015. Last updated 20 April 2020.Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates at Amazon Who is Bill Gates? Who is Bill Gates? at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen.Entrepreneurs – Famous entrepreneurs who have set up and created successful businesses, including Henry Ford, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.Famous people with Rags to Riches stories – Rags to riches stories – People who started off poor, but became rich through good fortune or hard work. List includes; George Soros, Andrew Carnegie, Samuel Walton, Pele and J.K. Rowling.External linksBill Gates BlogBill Gates at BBCBill Gates interview
14 Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner, Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and intimate approach to singing.“You can’t copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you’re working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it’s got to be that way in music or it isn’t music.”– Billie HolidayShe co-wrote a few songs, and several of them have become jazz standards, notably “God Bless the Child”, “Don’t Explain”, and “Lady Sings the Blues”. She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including “Easy Living” and “Strange Fruit.”Her early career is hard to track down with accuracy. But, evidence suggests, that from an early age she worked as a prostitute for a Harlem brothel and was imprisoned for a short period for soliciting.“I never had a chance to play with dolls like other kids. I started working when I was six years old.”– Billie HolidayShe later gained work singing in local jazz clubs before being spotted by a talent scout, John Hammond in 1933, aged 18.Her voice and recordings are loved for the depth of emotion and intensity she could bring to classic standards. Her range of voice was not the greatest, but her distinctive gravelly voice soon became very famous and influential.She was a famous icon of the jazz era and influential in the development of jazz singing. In the late 1930s, she began singing a civil rights song called “Strange Fruit” – a song which told the tale of a lynching of a black man in the deep south. It was very controversial for that period, and it was not played on radios. It was recorded for Commodore Records, and she performed it many times over the next 20 years.Billie Holiday had a difficult upbringing which influenced her perspective on life. She was drawn to abusive men, and she experienced many tempestuous relationships. She also became increasingly dependent on various narcotics which contributed to her premature death in 1959, aged just 44.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Billie Holiday”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 28th May 2010.Lady Day: The Many Faces Of Billie Holiday Lady Day: The Many Faces Of Billie Holiday at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Musicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon. \nFamous Black People. A list of inspirational black men and women. Including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Desmond Tutu, Mohammad Ali, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks.
15 Billie Jean King was a champion American tennis player winning a total of 39 grand slam titles in an illustrious career. She also played a key role in fighting for greater equality between men and women’s tennis.“I feel that tennis is an art form that is capable of moving the players and the audience – at least a knowledgeable audience-in almost sensual ways. When I’m performing at my absolute best, I think that some of the euphoria I feel must be transmitted to the audience.”– Billie Jean KingOf her 39 grand slam titles, 20 were achieved at Wimbledon. She had an aggressive, impatient style. She hit the ball very hard and was quick to come to the net. It was this style of tennis that perfectly suited the Wimbledon grass courts. One of her great rivals, Chris Evert said that her main weakness was her impatience.A photo of Billie Jean King from Irish ChampionshipsShe first appeared at Wimbledon in 1961 as a young tennis player by the name of Billie Jean Moffat. She went on to play at Wimbledon on 22 occasions over a period of 23 years. She was a firm favourite of the crowd and in the early days was better known at Wimbledon than in her home country of US. She played a total of 265 matches at Wimbledon in both singles, doubles and mixed doubles.In 1974, she took part in one of tennis’ most famous encounters – dubbed ‘The Battle of the Sexes.’ Bobby Riggs was a former number one tennis player. Now 55, he boasted that the men’s game was so superior to the women’s game that he could easily beat any of the best women players of the time. Initially, Billie Jean King was fearful of playing because she felt if she lost it would put women’s tennis back 50 years.“\u0093I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match. It would ruin the women’s tour and affect all women’s self-esteem.\u0094”However, after Bobby Riggs beat Margaret Court (who was a great opponent of Billie Jean King and beat her twice in grand slam final), Billie Jean King took up the challenge at Houston Astrodome in Texas.The game was watched by a crowd of over 30,000 and up to 50 million on TV. It was a media sensation, and Billie Jean King proved the winner beating Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3“Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.\u0094”– Billie Jean KingThroughout her career, Billie Jean King campaigned for better pay and recognition for female tennis players.“I think it was definitely hard for them to change because of the culture and the psyche behind it, but I’m relieved that they finally got there. But remember, it’s not about the money, it’s about the message it sends to women and girls around the world. Every time we can change a benchmark like this, it helps people ask in their daily life, ‘Are we insisting on equality for our sons and daughters?’ So that makes it a very important moment in history.”– Billie Jean King, on Wimbledon’s decision to award equal prize money for men and women in 2007.In her early days, she was critical of the US tennis authorities for their promotion of shamateurism. Billie Jean was a keen advocate of professional tennis. For her efforts related to elevating tennis, she was ranked No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s “Top 40 Athletes” list for significantly altering or elevating sports during the last four decades (1994). She was also named as one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th Century by Time Magazine.Since her retirement, she has worked for GBLT and is an active promoter of Gay and Lesbian rights in America. She also serves on the Women’s Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS campaign. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 2007, she launched Green Slam an organisation trying to make tennis more environmentally aware.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography – Billie Jean King”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 3 Feb 2016.Pressure is a Privilege – Billie Jean King Pressure is a Privilege – Billie Jean King at AmazonRelated pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.External linksBillie Jean King.comBillie Jean King at BBC
16 Bob Geldof is a singer and musician who achieve success with the group “Boomtown Rats” and has become a leading figurehead in promoting charitable events and debt relief for the developing world and Africa in particular.Geldof was born in Ireland in 1951. He was educated at a private Catholic school, though he later said he didn’t enjoy his time there because of its Catholic ethos and bullying for his lack of rugby prowess.After leaving school, he gained certain odd jobs but was not inspired by any of them. He then went to Canada to work as a music journalist.In 1975, Bob Geldof became the lead singer of the Boomtown rats a punk rock band. He famously stated the reason for joining a pop band.“To get rich, to get famous and to get laid”By 1978, they had achieved their first UK hit single ‘Rat Trap’ and later achieved a second hit with ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’.In 1981, Bob Geldof was invited to take part in a concert for Amnesty International and this sowed a seed of future ideas for Bob.It was in 1984, that Bob moved from being a rock star to international celebrity for raising awareness of humanitarian charities. In 1984, Ethiopia and other African countries experienced a severe famine which led to many thousands of people starving to death. The plight of starving children was widely seen on TV. Bob Geldof with Midge Ure decided to do something about it – releasing the single – “Do they Know its Christmas Time”. It was a spontaneous event with many of the best-known names in pop music invited. It became an instant best seller selling a record 3 million copies.In the summer of 1985, Bob Geldof was one of the main organisers behind the Live Aid Concert at Wembley. It was a sixteen-hour rock extravaganza aimed at raising money and awareness for Africa. It was a unique musical event capturing the imagination and attention of the world.“People are dying NOW. Give us the money NOW.” – on live TV at Live Aid (and not, as attributed, “give us your ****in money!”)Following this concert, he became more involved in work for non-governmental organisations in Africa, and became one of the leading spokespeople on Third World debt relief.In 2005, he organised a Live 8 concert, coinciding with the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign. He sought the co-operation of leading G8 leaders such as Tony Blair to write off third world debt. Some criticised him for becoming too close to politicians and some have argued his presence in the third world campaign issue does more harm than good. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});However, he remains a powerful figurehead for motivating Western attitudes to pay more attention to the problems and challenges of the poorest parts of the world. He felt a passion for improving conditions in Africa“Not the Dark Continent. This is the Luminous Continent.” – on AfricaBob Geldof was knighted in 1986 and is often affectionately known as ‘Sir Bob’He was married to Paula Yates, though they later split up. He has been a strong advocate of father’s rights ultimately gaining control for his three children with Paula Yates, and a child Paula Yates had with Michael Hutchinson of INXS.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Bob Geldof Biography”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2008. Updated 10 February 2011.Bob Geldof Bob Geldof – autobiography at AmazonRelated pagesMusicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.Great Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.
17 C.S. Lewis was an author, essayist and Christian apologist. He is best known for his children’s classic series – The Chronicles of Narnia.Clive Staples Lewis was born on 29 November 1898 and lived until 22 November 1963. He was born in Belfast, North Ireland into a Protestant Ulster family. Throughout his life, he retained strong roots to Ireland. He sought out the company of the Irish and took an active interest in Celtic literature and myths. He was a keen admirer of the works of W.B.Yeats, at a time when he was relatively unknown in England.Lewis was educated at a variety of private tuition and public schools such as Malvern in Worcestershire. His time in public school was not particularly happy, and he later wrote in disparaging times of how schoolboys were mistreated. However, in 1916, Lewis was offered a scholarship at University College, Oxford University. He proved an excellent student, ultimately, gaining a triple first (the top classification in three different degrees). In 1917, his university life was interrupted as he volunteered to join the British army in the First World War. He was transferred to the Somme valley where he took part in trench warfare.In the last months of the war, he was injured by a shell and was sent home to recuperate from his injuries. During his period of convalescence, he became increasingly friendly with Mrs Moore – the mother of a close army friend Edward ‘Paddy’ Moore. He remained very close to Mrs Moore, often referring to her as his mother until her death in the 1940s.On returning to Oxford, C.S.Lewis completed his degrees before taking up a post teaching English at Magdalen College, Oxford from 1925 to 1954. He was a prolific writer and formed a close friendship with other Oxford fellows such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield. They formed an informal group known as the ‘Inklings’. They would meet at pubs in Oxford such as ‘The Eagle and Child’ where they would read parts of their novels. He encouraged Tolkien as he wrote his epic ‘The Lord of the Rings.’C.S.Lewis and ChristianityLewis was brought up in the Protestant Church of Ireland, but as a teenager, he said he lost his faith – turned off by boring church services and the problem of evil in the world. However, after returning to Oxford in the post-war period, he became increasingly perplexed by the existence of God and Christianity. After many evening chats with friends such as J.R.R.Tolkien and Hugo Dyson, C.S.Lewis finally converted to belief in God (theism) in 1929 and became a Christian in 1931. C.S. Lewis later wrote he felt a reluctant and unwilling convert. But, felt compelled to accept the evidence of faith. In his book, “Surprised by Joy” he writes that he came to Christianity:“kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape.”C.S.Lewis became an influential apologist for Christianity through publications such as the “Screwtape Letters”. He concentrated on a more universal form of Christianity seeking to avoid the sectarianism that was common in his native Northern Ireland. He rarely made any specific reference to a particular denomination of Christianity but sought to reinforce the underlying Christian values shared by all Christian faiths. However, he always remained an Anglican and, to the disappointment of Tolkien, he never converted to Roman Catholicism.His Christian beliefs also influenced his more popular works such as the “Chronicles of Narnia”. Though he also includes ideas of Roman and Celtic myths, there are underlying Christian notions of sacrifice and Christ-like actions. Lewis began writing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe during the Second World War. He was partly inspired by three evacuee children who came to stay in his home in Risinghurst (a suburb of Oxford). Lewis said the experience of the evacuee children gave him a new perspective on the joy of childhood. Lewis also remarked he had had an image of a Faun since he was about 16.“The Lion all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood. This picture had been in my mind since I was about sixteen. Then one day, when I was about forty, I said to myself: ‘Let’s try to make a story about it.”The seven book in the series were published one per year from 1950 to 1956. They soon became a publishing success and have become a very influentials genre of children’s books. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});After the Second World War, C.S.Lewis became increasingly close to Joy Gresham – a Jewish convert to Christianity who divorced her alcoholic husband (the writer, William Gresham.) Joy later moved to Oxford and the two gained a civil marriage contract enabling Joy to live in the UK. C.S.Lewis very much enjoyed the company of Joy, finding an ideal partner to share his intellectual and spiritual interests. Joy Gresham died from cancer in 1957. Their love story has been romanticised in the popular film – “Shadowlands.”C.S.Lewis died a few years later in 1963 from renal failure. His death occurred on the same date as the assassination of J.F. Kennedy.Since his death, his books and influence have continued to grow. He has been rated as one of the top English writers of all time and his books have been translated into numerous languages.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of C.S. Lewis”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 25th Sep 2009. Last updated 12 January 2019. The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics at Amazon RelatedWriters and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.Christians – Famous Christians from Jesus Christ and the early Apostles to Catholic Popes and saints. Includes St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Sienna and St Teresa.C.S. Lewis at Amazon.co.ukC.S. Lewis at Amazon.comC.S. Lewis Biography at BBC
18 Carl Lewis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, US on 1st July 1961. He became one of the greatest track and field stars of all time. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996 and included nine Olympic gold medals.His performance at the 1984 Olympics earned him four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, Long Jump and 4*100 metre relay – an achievement equalling that of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics.He has been voted Sportsman of the Century by the International Olympic Committee IOC.Carl Lewis Early CareerAfter graduating from high school in 1979, Carl Lewis dedicated himself to track and field; even though the sport was nominally amateur, he intended to make a living from it. During his career, he played a role in pushing athletics from an amateur sport to purely professional.By 1980, he had qualified for the US Olympic team but, the US boycott over the Soviet’s invasion of Afghanistan meant he didn’t get the chance to compete in that Olympics.Throughout the early 1980s, he made considerable progress in both the long jump and the 100 metres. He broke 10 seconds for 100 metres and jumped over 8.50m on a few occasions; in doing so, he started to get close to the colossal record of Bob Beamon from the 1968 Olympics (8.9 metres)In the inaugural world championships of 1983, Carl Lewis won gold in the 100m, 200m and long jump cementing himself as the world’s number one sprinter and long jumper.1984 Olympics Four Gold MedalsMore success followed in the 1984 Olympics, where he became famous even in the US – where athletics is a minority sport outside the Olympics.He sought to equal Jesse Owens historic four gold medals from the 1936 Olympics. He succeeded in gaining gold in the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4*100m relay.It was a remarkable achievement, though to Carl’s disappointment it didn’t lead to the endorsements and popularity he might have hoped for. There was some criticism for this decision to forego his last four long jump attempts to focus on other events. (Many hoped he might seek to break Bob Beamon’s record as well as winning gold.)After the Los Angeles Olympics, the Canadian Ben Johnson emerged as a competitor and rival to Carl Lewis. The media fuelled the rivalry between the two. Carl Lewis suggested that Ben’s rapid rise may be due to drug use, something the Johnson camp dismissed.1988 Seoul OlympicsThe 100m final of the Seoul Olympics was one of the most eagerly anticipated races, and the race itself was a sensation with Ben Johnson storming ahead to win in a world record time of 9.79 s. Carl Lewis set a new American record of 9.92 s. Three days later Ben Johnson was disqualified for testing positive for steroids. It was one of the great shocks for the Olympic movement; Carl Lewis was given gold. Ben Johnson later admitted to long-term steroid use in a 1989 enquiry.In the 1991 World Championships, Carl Lewis was involved in a titanic long jump duel with Mike Powell. Both were in great shape and set personal bests. Carl Lewis jumped 8.83m, coming very close to Bob Beamon’s record. Then Mike Powell jumped 8.95m in a non-wind assisted jump. Someone had finally beaten Bob Beamon’s 1968 record. Later talking about the 1991 World Championships, Lewis said, “This has been the greatest meet that I’ve ever had.”Since 1990, Carl Lewis adopted a vegan diet and argued this helped him to attain peak fitness even in the evening of his career.In the 1992 Olympics, Carl Lewis achieved silver in the long jump but did not qualify for the 100m.In his final Olympics of 1996, aged 35, Carl Lewis won a record 9th Olympic gold in the long jump. There was some controversy with Carl Lewis omitted from the 4*100 m relay team which could have seen him won a record 10th Olympic gold.After retiring from competition after the 1996 Olympic, Carl Lewis has taken part in a number of films and has also developed his own brand of fitness trainers and equipment.Carl Lewis Personal bests# 100 m: 9.86 s (1991) # 200 m: 19.75 s (1983) # Long jump: 8.87 m (29 ft 1¼ in) 1991, w 8.91 m (29 ft 2¾ in) 1991He won four consecutive Olympic long jump Gold medals.Carl Lewis is active in charities such as Ronald McDonalds House Charities.On October 16, 2009, Lewis was nominated a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});He has often acted as a spokesperson for the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run (link).Inside Track: Autobiography of Carl Lewis Inside Track: Autobiography of Carl Lewis at AmazonCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Carl Lewis”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 5th August 2014.Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Famous Olympic Sprinters – Great Olympic sprinters including Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, Jesse Ownes, Fanny Blankers-Koen.External pagesCarl Lewis at IOCCarl Lewis on dopingInterview with Carl Lewis at Life Voices
19 Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) was an English Natural scientist who laid down a framework for the theory of evolution – showing how Man evolved from lower life forms. At the time, his research and publication led to bitter controversy, but his theory of evolution and natural selection later became accepted within the scientific community.Charles Darwin was born on 12 February 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was born into a wealthy and influential family. His grandfathers included – China manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood, and Erasmus Darwin, one of the leading intellectuals of 18th century England.Darwin planned to study medicine at Edinburgh University, but later, at the instigation of his father, changed to studying Divinity at Christ’s College, Cambridge University. Darwin was not a great student, preferring to spend time in outdoor pursuits; he spent a lot of time examining natural science and beetle collecting. After gaining a passionate interest in natural science, Darwin was offered a place on the HMS Beagle to act as a natural scientist on a voyage to the coast of South America.At the time, religion was a powerful force in society, and most people took the Bible as the infallible, literal word of God. This included the belief that God created the world in seven days, and the world was only a few thousand years old. However, on the voyage, Darwin increasingly began to see evidence of life being much older. In particular Lyell’s ‘Principles of Geology’ suggested that fossils were evidence of animals living hundreds of thousands of years ago.On the voyage, Darwin made copious notes about specimens he found on his voyages. In particular, at the Galapagos Islands 500 miles west of South America, Darwin was struck by how the Finch was different on each individual island. He noticed that the Finch had somehow adapted to the various aspects of the particular island.Over the next 20 years, Darwin worked on the dilemma of how species evolve and can end up being quite different on different islands. Influenced by the work of Thomas Malthus, Darwin came up with a theory of natural selection and gradual evolution over time.“In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment.”– Charles DarwinDarwin continued to refine his theory, and would intensively breed plants to work on his theories. However, realising how controversial his ideas were, Darwin delayed publishing them. It was not until learning that another naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace had developed similar ideas, that Darwin was galvanised into publishing his own book.In 1859, the ground-breaking ‘On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection‘ was published. It immediately gained widespread interest and attention, leading to intense debate about the contention that man – by implication was descended from animals like the ape.“Owing to this struggle for life, any variation, however slight and from whatever cause proceeding, if it be in any degree profitable to an individual of any species, in its infinitely complex relationship to other organic beings and to external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring.”– Charles Darwin, Origin of Species (1859)However, by the time he died on 19 April 1882, his ideas had increasingly become accepted – at least by the scientific and non-religious society. He was given a state burial at Westminster Abbey.Darwin’s Religious BeliefsDarwin was brought up in the Church of England, and at one point was being trained to be an Anglican priest. Like many of his generation, he took the Bible as the literal word of God and often quoted it as a source of moral authority. However, after his epic voyage to South America, he became doubtful of the Bible as a source of history; he also felt no reason why all religions couldn’t be true.From 1849, he stopped going to church, though he never considered himself to be an atheist. He felt that ‘agnostic’ suited his beliefs more closely. He wrote in his autobiography that he eventually gave up Christianity as he disagreed with the conclusion that all non-believers spend eternity in hell.“I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished.”He was politically liberal, being an opponent of slavery. He experienced the brutality of how people treated their slaves in a Spanish colony.“I have watched how steadily the general feeling, as shown at elections, has been rising against Slavery. What a proud thing for England if she is the first European nation which utterly abolishes it!” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Letter to J. S. Henslow (March 1834)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Charles Darwin”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net – 4th Sept. 2012. Updated 21st February 2018.The Origin of Species: Charles Darwin The Origin of Species: Charles Darwin at AmazonAbout Charles Darwin Who was Charles Darwin? at Amazon Facts about Charles DarwinHe was the grandson of Josiah Wedgwood the famous furniture manufacturer.He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh but found lectures dull.He learned taxidermy from John Edmonstone, a freed black slave.Darwin became an enthusiastic Beetle collector – which was a craze at the time.His father sent him to Christ’s College, Cambridge with the intention of training him as an Anglican parson. He later gave up Christianity.His five-year voyage on HMS Beagle established him as an eminent geologist and popular writer. His observations would be used to develop his theory of evolution.He sometimes questioned his own scientific discoveries. ‘I feel most deeply that this whole question of creation is too profound for human intellect.’In modified form, Darwin’s theory of evolution is now seen as the unifying theory of the life sciences.On the new Galápagos Islands Darwin saw many samples of animals which showed relations to animals in other parts of the world, e.g. Mockingbirds in Chile.During the Beagle expedition, Darwin shipped home a total of 1,529 species preserved in spirit and 3,907 labelled dried specimens.Darwin and Wallace’s theories on evolution were both presented on the same day in 1858 to the Linnean Society of London.Darwin took 22 years from the end of the voyage to publish his findings – he was worried about the reaction of people. It is said the thought of Wallace publishing first, galvanised him into actionThe full title of Origin of Species is On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.Darwin did not coin the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’. It was added to the fifth edition of Origin of Species. The phrase came from economist Herbert Spencer.Darwin has appeared on more UK stamps than anyone outside the Royal Family.Seven months after the publication of ‘Origin of Species’ the famous 1860 Oxford evolution debate occurred between Thomas Henry Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. The debate is considered to be a great moment in natural history – and a key moment in the acceptance of evolution.Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Quotes by Charles Darwin
20 Charles de Gaulle (22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who acted as leader of the Free French during the Second World War. One of the most influential French politicians of the Twentieth Century, he helped found the Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969. He was a right-wing conservative and a keen French Nationalist. His brand of right-wing conservatism is branded Gaullism.Short Biography of Charles de GaulleCharles de Gaulle was born in Lille (Flanders) in 1890. His family was devout Roman Catholic and conservative. This brand of nationalism and conservative Catholicism influenced De Gaulle’s politics throughout his life.De Gaulle, studied in Paris and joined the military academy of St. Cyr. In 1913, he joined an infantry regiment commanded by Petain. During the First World War, De Gaulle was wounded on two occasions and was involved in the heavy fighting around Verdun. It was at Verdun, in 1916, that de Gaulle was captured by the Germans and spent the remainder of the war as a Prisoner of war – despite his repeated attempts to escape.After the war, De Gaulle remained in the military and became interested in the new developments of military strategy. He came to believe the future of war would rest on highly mobile mechanized units – principally tank units backed up with air support. In 1934, he published a book ‘The Army of the Future’ which talked about the importance of this new form of fast-moving militarised warfare. However, De Gaulle’s views were not popular with either the military or politicians. The French remained committed to the more static view of warfare characterized by the Maginot line and the trenches of the First World War. Combined with De Gaulle’s capacity to irritate senior officers, he was marginalised by the military High-Command and refused promotion. He also fell out with Petain over a 1938 book on ‘France and Her Army.’However, during the German invasion of France in 1940, De Gaulle was given command of a tank unit. At Caumont on the 28th May 1940, his unit provided one of the few occasions where the German advance was stalled and briefly pushed back. However, lacking air support and overwhelmed by the superior German armed divisions, French fell into a humiliating retreat. During the crisis, De Gaulle was briefly made Minister of War by French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud, But, after just six weeks of fighting, many French politicians, led by Petain, wanted to seek an armistice with the Germans. This led to the creation of Vichy France.General Charles de Gaulle was the most senior army officer to reject the armistice – seeing it as a betrayal of France. He said in a proclamation, 18 June 1940.“France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war. ”“Whatever happens, the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished. Tomorrow, as today, I will speak on Radio London.”Under threat of arrest, he escaped to Britain where he became the leader and symbol of the Free French who opposed the German occupation.Initially, Charles de Gaulle was a marginal figure, his radio broadcasts to France being picked up by very few people. However, after the initial shock of defeat wore off, he became increasingly the focal point of the French resistance. His speeches were shared amongst the French people clandestinely listening to BBC broadcasts“Let us be firm, pure and faithful; at the end of our sorrow, there is the greatest glory of the world, that of the men who did not give in.”(Charles de Gaulle, 14 July 1943)Despite divisions within the French resistance (especially with the Communist party), De Gaulle was able to unify the resistance movement in 1943, which maintained an uneasy truce until liberation in 1944.In 1943, De Gaulle moved to Algeria where he formed the provisional government of France. This presumption of forming a government annoyed the allies and the French were excluded from the D-Day operations. However, during the liberation of Paris, a small French unit was allowed to lead the drive onto the capital, helping to restore French pride in being part of France’s liberation.After much persuasion, at the last minute, France was allowed to be one of the four major powers in the post-war reconstruction of Europe. In November 1945, De Gaulle was unanimously elected the first leader of the new French government. He held this post until his resignation in 1946. After his resignation, he formed his own political party the Rally of the French People (RFP) but it never attained electoral success and De Gaulle retired from politics. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});However, during the Algerian crisis of 1958, De Gaulle was recalled to power. He was elected President and helped found the new constitution of the Fifth French Republic. Despite being a strong nationalist, he agreed to give Algeria independence. This was seen as a betrayal by many in the military who had supported De Gaulle and were committed to defending Algeria. This led to numerous attempts on his life, though non were successful.Back in power, De Gaulle wished to pursue an independent foreign policy, not aligned to either the US or UK. He took France out of NATO, created their own atomic bomb and twice vetoed British entry into the European Economic Community.The last years of his presidency were ones of great turmoil. Massive student protests and riots left the country de-stabilised and in April 1969, he left office. He died shortly after on the 9th November 1969.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Charles de Gaulle”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net Published 12th June. 2012. Last updated 8 February 2018.A Life of General De Gaulle A Life of General De Gaulle at Amazon.com A Life of General De Gaulle at Amazon.co.ukRelated pages\nFamous Europeans – A list of famous and influential European. In particular, a focus on the European who helped set up the EEC/ European Union, such as Jean Monnet, Charles de Gaulle and Willy Brandt.Famous French – A list of famous French men and women. Includes politicians, generals, artists, sportsmen and cultural figures, such as Napoleon, Marie Antionette, De Gaulle, Claude Monet, and Coco Chanel.External linksCharles de Gaulle at BBCCharles de Gaulle – the man who stood alone
21 Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was an Italian explorer, colonizer, and navigator. He is remembered as the principal European discoverer of the Americas and he helped bring the Americas to the forefront of the western consciousness. His discoveries and travels laid the framework for the later European colonisation of Latin and North America.“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”– Christopher ColumbusShort bio Christopher Columbus (1451–1506)Christopher Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa, in what is today Northwestern Italy. His father was a middle-class wool merchant, though it was relatively humble beginnings for what he later became. Columbus learnt to sail from an early age and later worked as a business agent, travelling around Europe to England, Ireland and later along the West coast of Africa. He was not a scholar but was an enthusiastic self-educated man, who read extensively on astronomy, science and navigation. He also became fluent in Latin, Portuguese and Spanish.Christopher Columbus was a believer in the spherical nature of the world (some Christians still held the view that the world was flat). An ambitious man, Christopher Columbus hoped to find a Western trade route to the lucrative spice markets in Asia. Rather than sailing east, he hoped that sailing west would lead to countries like Japan and China.To gain the necessary funding and support for his journeys, he approached the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. As part of his offer, he said that he hoped to be able to spread Christianity to ‘heathen lands’ in the east. The Spanish monarchs agreed to fund Columbus, partly on the Christian missionary efforts, but also hoping to gain an upper hand in the lucrative trade markets. One advantage of the westward exploration is that it avoided conflict with the growing power of the Ottomans in the east.“I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certain evidence that any one has gone.” Journal of the First Voyage – 3 August 1492 diary entryVoyages to the AmericasA map from 1474, with the perceived geography of the world in yellow (superimposed on actual land)Columbus’ first voyage was completed in 1492. He had intended to sail to Japan but ended up in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador.Landing of Columbus (12 October 1492), painting by John VanderlynColumbus made a total of four journeys, where he sailed extensively around the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas and also to the mainland, to places such as Panama.Columbus was not the first person to reach America. Previous successful voyages included a Norse expedition led by Leif Ericson. However, Columbus was the first to travel to America and establish permanent settlements. Columbus’ voyages and reports, over the next 400 years encouraged all the major European powers to seek to colonise parts of America.Columbus was a skilled navigator with tremendous faith in the possibilities of exploration. He claimed in his diary entries, his steely will held the crew together when they feared they would never reach land.“Here the men lost all patience, and complained of the length of the voyage, but the Admiral encouraged them in the best manner he could, representing the profits they were about to acquire, and adding that it was to no purpose to complain, having come so far, they had nothing to do but continue on to the Indies, till with the help of our Lord, they should arrive there.” Diary entry, 10 October 1492However, his autocratic style created friction on the boats that he guided. Columbus was deeply religious and his tendency to be sanctimonious and judgemental of personal failings was not popular with sailors who took a more earthy and realistic approach to life. Yet, whilst he was pious in some regards, he also shared the view, common at the time, that European Christians had a moral superiority due to their following the one true faith. Although Columbus held back some of the worst excesses of his sailors, he took back human slaves and looted property from the indigenous people.As part of the deal, the Spanish monarchy appointed Columbus Viceroy and Governor of the Indies in the island of Hispaniola. He also delegated the governorship to his brothers. However, in 1500, on the orders of the Spanish monarchy, Columbus was arrested and placed in chains. There were allegations of incompetence, misrule and barbaric practices in the governorship of the new colonies. After several weeks in jail, Columbus and his brothers were released, but Columbus was not allowed to be governor of Hispaniola anymore. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Towards the end of his life, Columbus became increasingly religious. In particular, he became fascinated with Biblical prophecies and wrote his own ‘Book of Prophecies’ (1505). He was also frustrated with his lack of public recognition and seeming demotion in the eyes of the Spanish monarchs. In 1503, he wrote a letter to the monarchs laying out his sense of unappreciated sacrifice“I came to serve you at the age of 28 and now I have not a hair on me that is not white, and my body is infirm and exhausted. All that was left to me and my brothers has been taken away and sold, even to the cloak that I wore, without hearing or trial, to my great dishonor.” – Lettera Rarissima to the Sovereigns, Fourth Voyage (7 July 1503)Columbus died in 1506, aged 54 from a heart attack related to reactive arthritis. Undoubtedly, the rigours of travelling across the seas weighed upon Columbus’ health. Towards the end of his life, he was frequently in physical pain from his journeys.Columbus is venerated by many European Americans as the man who helped put America on the map. Columbus Day is observed on 12 October in Spain and across the Americas. Others take a more critical view of Columbus, arguing that his “discovery” was not really a discovery – because the land was already populated and that through his actions the ensuing European colonisations led to the mistreatment and genocide of the Native American people who already lived there.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Christopher Columbus”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 13th May. 2009. Updated 22 January 2020. Who was Christopher Columbus? Who was Christopher Columbus? at Amazon Famous Adventurers – Famous adventurers and explorers, including Christopher Colombus, Marco Polo, Roald Amundsen and Neil Armstrong.Famous Italians – Italian composers, artists, politicians and authors. Includes Julius Caesar, Marcus Aurelius, St Francis of Assisi, Michelangelo, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Catherine of Sienna.
22 Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BC – August 12, 30 BC) was an Egyptian Queen and the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Cleopatra was a member of the Greek-speaking, Ptolemaic dynasty, who ruled Egypt from 300BC to 30 BC. Deposed from power by her brother, Cleopatra aligned herself with Julius Caesar to regain the throne. After Caesar’s murder, she became the lover to Mark Anthony. But, after Mark Anthony had been defeated by the forces of Octavian in the Roman Civil War, Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide, rather than fall into the hands of Octavius. Her death marked the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt – and Egypt became absorbed into the Roman Empire.Cleopatra was born around 69 BC. Her father Ptolemy XII died (in 51 BC) when she was 18, leaving Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIII as co-regents. As was the custom of the time, Cleopatra married her brother, and together they ruled Egypt. However, Ptolemy soon had Cleopatra exiled, leaving him in sole charge.In 48 BC, the Roman Empire was embroiled in a civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey. When Pompey fled to Alexandria, the capital of Egypt, he was murdered on the orders of Ptolemy. Ptolemy had hoped to curry favour with Caesar, but when Caesar arrived in Alexandria, he was enraged at the murder of a Roman consul by a foreign subject.Taking advantage of Caesar’s displeasure with Ptolemy, Cleopatra sneaked into Caesar’s rooms and successfully endeared herself to Julius Caesar. With Caesar’s military strength and support siding with Cleopatra, her brother Ptolemy was overthrown and killed. It enabled Cleopatra to be reinstalled as Queen. In 47BC, Cleopatra gave birth to Caesarion, which means “little Caesar.” though Caesar never publicly declared him to be his son.For a time Cleopatra’s reign brought relative stability to the region, bringing a degree of peace and prosperity to a country bankrupt by civil war. Although she was brought up to speak Greek like her family, she also made an effort to learn Egyptian and later only spoke only in the native tongue of her subjects.In 44BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated and this led to a growing power struggle between Mark Anthony and Caesar’s adopted son Octavian.Despite being married to Octavian’s sister (Octavia), Mark Anthony began a relationship with Cleopatra. Together Cleopatra and Mark Anthony had three children. In his pursuit of power, Octavian claimed that Mark Anthony would give away Rome to this Egyptian Queen, who seemed to have Mark Anthony under her spell. It was also seen as a family insult that Mark Anthony was married to his sister but, at the same time, having an affair with Cleopatra.The antagonism between Mark Anthony and Octavius grew into civil war, and in 31BC, Cleopatra joined her Egyptian forces with the Roman forces of Mark Anthony and fought Octavian’s forces on the west coast of Greece.Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were decisively beaten in battle and scarcely escaped back to Egypt. However, Octavian’s forces pursued the couple and captured Alexandria in 30BC. With no chance of escape, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra both took their own lives, committing suicide on 12 August 30BC. In one account of her death, Cleopatra committed suicide by persuading a cobra to bite her on the breast.Octavian later had their son Caesarion strangled, ending the Cleopatra dynasty. Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, and Cleopatra proved to be the last of the Egyptian Pharaohs.The Mystique of CleopatraCleopatra has been immortalised by William Shakespeare’s play ‘Antony and Cleopatra’, Jules Massenet’s opera Cléopâtre and the 1963 film Cleopatra (starring Elizabeth Taylor).Many contemporary sources spoke of the mystique of Cleopatra’s beauty and allure. Her image was put on Egyptian coins, which was very rare for the historical period. Plutarch writing in the Life of Mark Antony wrote:“For (as they say) it was not because her [Cleopatra’s] beauty in itself was so striking that it stunned the onlooker, but the inescapable impression produced by daily contact with her: the attractiveness in the persuasiveness of her talk, and the character that surrounded her conversation was stimulating. It was a pleasure to hear the sound of her voice, and she tuned her tongue like a many-stringed instrument expertly to whatever language she chose….” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great’s death during the Hellenistic period. The Ptolemies, throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek, as well as Egyptian languages, were used on official court documents such as the Rosetta Stone. By contrast, Cleopatra did learn to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Cleopatra”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, Published: 1st Feb. 2011. Last updated 7th March 2017.Cleopatra Cleopatra at Amazon Cleopatra by Diane Stanley at AmazonRelated Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Major periods in world history. A list of the major periods in world history. Including the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. It also includes modern eras, which have lasted only a few decades, such as the Gilded Age, Progressive Age and the Information Age.Famous historical figures (throughout history) A list of the most famous figures throughout history. Includes, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Julius Caesar, Albert Einstein and Constantine the Great.
23 Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971)“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”– Coco ChanelCoco Chanel was a leading French modernist designer, whose patterns of simplicity and style revolutionised women’s clothing. She was the only designer to be listed in the Time 100 most influential people of the Twentieth Century.During the 1920s, in particular, Coco Chanel left a lasting mark on women’s fashion and design. Up until the First World War, women’s clothing had been quite restrictive and tended to involve full-length skirts which were impractical for many activities. Coco Chanel helped create women’s clothing that was simpler and more practical. She also introduced trousers and suits for women – something which had not been done before.“Fashion has become a joke. The designers have forgotten that there are women inside the dresses. Most women dress for men and want to be admired. But they must also be able to move, to get into a car without bursting their seams! Clothes must have a natural shape.”– Coco ChanelShe also created her famous Chanel No.5 scent, and this has become a lasting trademark.The early life of Coco ChanelMost sources suggest Gabrielle Chanel was born in 1883, though this was a closely guarded fact – with Coco not keen on revealing her birth date. Her mother was unmarried and her upbringing was marked by poverty and uncertainty. Aged 12, her mother died, and her father sent his three daughters including Gabrielle to a convent in Correze. Life in the religious institution was strict and frugal, but she did learn to sew and gain a rudimentary knowledge of creating clothes.At the age of 18, she left the convent and moved to Moulins. She gained work as a seamstress and pursued a secondary career singing at cabaret events; however, her singing was not good enough to enable a stage career. Around 1908, Chanel began an affair with Étienne Balsan, a rich aristocrat. This enabled Chanel to become acquainted with many wealthy aristocrats and a different social circle.Early Chanel Casual wear – 1917In 1913, with financial aid from a lover Arthur Capel, Chanel opened a boutique selling fashionable clothes in Deauville. She made innovative use of jersey fabric – a manufactured cloth which proved useful during the shortages of the First World War. She quickly gained a rising reputation for being on the forefront of fashion, and her initial success encouraged her to start another shop in Biarritz which prospered as a venue for the wealthy during the First World War.By 1919, Chanel was able to open her first boutique in Paris on 31 rue Cambon, at the heart of the most fashionable area of Paris.“In 1919 I woke up famous. I’d never guessed it. If I’d known I was famous, I’d have stolen away and wept. I was stupid. I was supposed to be intelligent. I was sensitive and very dumb.”– Coco Chanel: Her Life, Her Secrets (1971), p. 95In the post-war period, she felt the need for a revolution in women’s clothes. She began by liberating women from the bondage of the corset and encouraged a casual but elegant range of clothes.“With a black sweater and 10 rows of pearls Chanel revolutionized fashion”– Dior on Coco Chanel.The 1920s were a significant period of liberation for women. It was a decade where women received the vote in several western countries. It was also a time when women were increasingly seen in professions and jobs, previously the reserve of men. Her fashion symbolised some of these social and political changes.Significant items of clothing Coco Chanel helped pioneer included:the collarless cardigan jacketthe bias cut dress – labelled a Ford by one critic because everyone had one.The shoe string shoulder strap.The floating evening scarfThe wearing together of junk and real jewels.Chanel in sailors outfit 1928In 1938, she retired from the fashion business. However, 16 years later, she made a determined comeback after becoming fed up with seeing French fashion become dominated by men.Her first post-war collection was not well received by the critics, but it proved immensely popular with the general public. Rich and famous women once again adopted the Chanel look, and she had shown her lasting influence on the industry.“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”– Coco ChanelShe prided herself on her great taste, fashion and practicality combined with an awareness of what people wanted. It was this that made her the most recognisable name in world fashion.Chanel 2.55Chanel was an innovator in many aspects of fashion. She developed a new kind of jewellery which imitated much more expensive jewellery. It enabled wealthy people to keep their expensive jewellery at home.In 1929, she developed the iconic Chanel bag. Like other Chanel creations, it combined beauty, fashion and practicality. The thin strap – enabling hands to be kept free. In 1948, she updated the design to become the Chanel 2.55Coco Chanel during World War TwoAt the start of the Second World War in 1939, Chanel closed her shops, stating that war was not a time for fashion. Three thousand of her workers lost their jobs – it was seen partly as retaliation for previous conflicts with workers, where her workers had sought better wages and conditions.During the German occupation of Paris, Chanel was involved in a romantic liaison with a German officer, Hans Gunther von Dincklage. This helped her to gain a luxury apartment in the Ritz for the duration of the war. Combined with her political beliefs which expressed anti-Semitism and sympathy for various aspects of the German cause, Chanel’s wartime record has been placed under much scrutiny. Biographer Hal Vaughan discovered declassified documents which suggest Chanel worked for General Walter Schellenberg, chief of SS intelligence. At the end of the war, Schellenberg was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to six years. On his release, Chanel paid for his medical treatment.Other declassified information shows that in 1943/44 Chanel was to be used as a courier for the SS to pursue a separate peace deal with Churchill and the Allies. The plan never succeeded.In September 1944, Chanel was interrogated by the Free French Purge Committee, the épuration. She was released due to lack of evidence. Some sources suggest that Winston Churchill directly intervened to make sure Chanel was released – Churchill was possibly worried that if sent to trial, Chanel would embarrass the government with her links to top-ranking Nazi’s and sympathisers in the British establishment.In the climate of post-war interrogations, Chanel moved to Switzerland where she resided until 1954. The post-war period saw the emergence of new male designers, such as Christian Dior, who began to eclipse Chanel’s branding. However, in 1954, she returned to Paris and reopened her couture house. Her post-war label was successful in America and Britain, but less so in France. Many Frenchmen continued to hold her war record against her.Chanel never married or had children. During her life, she had numerous relationships with influential men. This included poet Pierre Reverdy and the designer Paul Iribe.Many biographers have said that Coco Chanel remains an enigma – a life full of contradiction and hard to ascertain her real motives.“Despite the work of a dozen biographers … Chanel remains an enigma.”David Downie, in Paris, Paris: Journey Into the City of Light (2005)She died on 10 January 1971, aged 87 at the Hotel Ritz, where she had resided for more than 30 years.In the 1960s, a Broadway musical was made about her life starring Katharine Hepburn.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Coco Chanel”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 26 Oct. 2009. Updated 1st March 2018. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon – Amazon Coco Chanel: The Legend and the life Coco Chanel: The Legend and the life – Amazon Related pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Famous French – A list of famous French men and women. Includes politicians, generals, artists, sportsmen and cultural figures, such as Napoleon, Marie Antionette, De Gaulle, Claude Monet, and Coco Chanel.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.Iconic women
24 Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer who has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Portugal. Along with Lionel Messi, he is regularly considered to be one of the top two players in the world. He became the world’s most expensive player when Real Madrid signed him for 94 million Euros in 2009 from Manchester United. His sustained performance has enabled him to break numerous records for goal scoring and has been named FIFA player of the year (Ballon d’Or) five times. He has become an iconic figure in the sport, with an impressive record of 1,000 professional appearances and over 700 goals.Short Biography Cristiano RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born in Portugal 5 February 1985.His second name ‘Ronaldo’ was named after his father’s favourite American actor – Ronald Reagan.From an early age, he loved playing football. His talent, enthusiasm and love for the game soon became apparent. By the age of ten, his talent was becoming well known in Portugal and he was signed for Nacional, a Portuguese side from Madeira. He later signed for Sporting Lisbon – one of the biggest clubs in Portugal.His first international exposure came when representing Portugal under 17s at the UEFA championships. His performance caused him to be marked by leading European football managers. In 2003, he played against Manchester United when Sporting beat them 3-1 in a friendly.After the departure of David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson decided to buy the youngster for a fee of £12.24 million. He started playing for Manchester in the 2003/04 season. Despite initially asking for the number 28 shirt, Ferguson insisted that he wear the famous number 7 shirt.At Manchester United, his career steadily progressed. In the 2006/07 season, Ronaldo was a key figure in Manchester’s successful league campaign. Ronaldo scored over 20 goals, as he won his first championship. In March 2007, his prowess helped him to gain a record-breaking £120,000 a week five-year contract. He also won PFA player of the year award.The 2007-08 season was even better, with Cristiano Ronaldo being named the player of the tournament, as Manchester United won the coveted Champions League trophy. The most prestigious club competition in the world. Sir Alex Ferguson said of Ronaldo:“We’ve had some great players at this club in my 20 years, but he’s up with the best.”Real MadridHowever, despite the success, Ronaldo expressed a desire to leave the club, and move to Real Madrid. In 2009, Manchester United accepted an offer of £80 million from Real Madrid, making Ronaldo the most expensive player in the world.Despite intense pressure, Ronaldo thrived in the atmosphere at Real Madrid reaching 100 La Liga goals in just three seasons at Real Madrid. He went on to become Real Madrid’s top goal scorer of all time and also La Liga’s second-highest goalscorer of all time. – 311 goals from 292 Appearances (behind Lionel Messi on 438 goals). At times, Real Madrid have been overshadowed by their more successful rivals at Barcelona, who won more titles and competitions. With Ronaldo, Real Madrid have won the La Liga just twice – 2011–12, 2016–17. However, he has guided Real Madrid to four UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017-18.His prolific goal-scoring record has lead to frequent comparison with Barcelona’s exceptional Lionel Messi. Sometimes, Ronaldo played up the rivalry, but at other times played it down.“It’s part of my life now. People are bound to compare us. He tries to do his best for his club and for his national team, as I do, and there is a degree of rivalry with both of us trying to do the best for the teams we represent.”– Cristiano Ronaldo JuventusOn 10 July 2018, Ronaldo was signed by Italian club Juventus for a €100 transfer fee (plus additional €12 million in other fees. In his first season, he helped Juventus to another Serie A title, and Ronaldo became the first player to win national titles in the big three leagues of England, Spain and Italy.World Cup and international career.Ronaldo has represented Portugal from the youth level in 2001. By his 22nd birthday, he had been awarded the captaincy and he has gone on to lead the team at numerous international tournaments. This includes four world cups 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. To put the results into context, before Ronaldo, Portugal only played in three tournaments 1966, 1986 and 2002. The best performance under Ronaldo was in 2006, where Portugal finished in 4th place. The highlight of his international career was leading Portugal to the 2016 UEFA European Championship title – the first major title for Portugal. As of 2020, he has 99 international goals.Style of PlayThere is widespread admiration for the athleticism, speed, talent and technical ability of Ronaldo. He has the capacity to dribble and beat players, and score a spectacular array of goals from overhead bicycle kicks to free-kicks and headers. Over the years, he has worked on both his physical strength and technical ability. He plays with tremendous confidence and often makes use of feints, dummies and step-overs, his skill and reputation make him a feared opponent. His self-confidence is a defining feature of his game and personality. Interviewed in 2018, he replied“In my mind, I’m always the best. I don’t care what people think, what they say. In my mind, not just this year but always, I’m always the best.”Cristiano Ronaldo BBC Sport (5 November 2015).Ronaldo has a strong work ethic, and has been able to maintain a consistently high standard of play for several seasons:“I am not a perfectionist, but I like to feel that things are done well. More important than that, I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve, not only to please the coach and the fans, but also to feel satisfied with myself. It is my conviction that there are no limits to learning, and that it can never stop, no matter what our age.”– Cristiano Ronaldo.He has sometimes been accused of having a petulant side. For example at the 2010 World Cup, he winked after getting David Beckham sent off.Outside of footballOutside of football, he is often photographed with his model girlfriends and in his many sports car. Perhaps unfairly, he is characterised as the ultimate ‘playboy’ footballer, with his styled hair, and expensive clothes. In 2009, he was involved in a crash whilst driving his Ferrari. However, after reacting to newspaper claims he was involved in drinking in England, he replied,“I don’t smoke or drink, and I’m not a big spender. I live in a rural part of Cheshire and my nearest neighbours are squirrels, birds and cows. Much of my time is spent at home with friends and family. I enjoy being peaceful and often sit by the candlelight to relax. Tranquillity is important to me.”Ronaldo says he does not drink alcohol, which may be related to the early death of his father in 2005, aged 52 from alcohol-related liver damage.He has also been involved in numerous philanthropy initiatives and has given parts of his salary to charitable relief efforts. He serves as a Save the Children Global artist ambassador. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Family lifeHe has three children via a surrogate mother and one daughter with a former girlfriend, Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez.The legendary George Best said of Ronaldo:“There have been a few players described as the new George Best over the years, but this is the first time it’s been a compliment to me.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Cristiano Ronaldo”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net Last updated 18 March 2020.Career AchievementsRonaldo is the only player to win the unique combination of the league title, domestic cup, domestic Supercup, Champions League, Club World Cup, League player of the year, Golden Shoe and Ballon d’Or at two clubs (Manchester United and Real Madrid)Most goals scored in a single calendar year for club and country: 63 goals (2012)Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League: 128 goals (2020)Winner of five FIFA Ballon d’Or awards (given to world’s best player)Only player to win national titles in England, Spain and Italy.Five times winner of UEFA Champions League (4 with Real Madrid, 1 with Man Utd)Four times winner of FIFA club world cup.WorldAt the time (2009) The most expensive footballer in history £80 million – Man Utd to Real MadridOnly player in history to have scored 60 or more goals in a calendar year four times (consecutively from 2011 to 2014)The only player to score 50 goals or more in seven consecutive seasons (2011-17)Real MadridReal Madrid all-time top goalscorer: 450 goalsMost goals scored in a season in all competitions: 60 goalsMost goals scored in a single La Liga season: 46 goalsMost goals scored in a single UEFA Champions League season: 17 goalsMost hat-tricks in a La Liga career (25)PortugalMost international goals scored in a calendar year: 32 (2017)First player to score in ten consecutive international tournaments (2004-19)Portugal’s most capped player of all time: 164 capsPortugal’s all-time top goalscorer: 99 goalsCristiano Ronaldo The Rise of a Winner Cristiano Ronaldo The Rise of a Winner at AmazonCristiano Ronaldo – Moments Cristiano Ronaldo – Moments at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Sports people – Famous sportsmen/women. Including football, athletics, tennis, rugby, cricket, boxing. A list of 100 sports stars, such as Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams, Pele and Usain Bolt.Footballers
25 The 14th Dalai Lama was born Lhamo Döndrub, the 5th child of a large family in the farming village of Qinghai, China. At the age of two, he was picked out as the rebirth of the thirteenth Dalai Lama and sent for formal monastic training to become a Buddhist monk and eventually become the spiritual head of the Tibetan people. His spiritual name is Tenzin Gyatso, though he is mostly referred to as the ‘Dalai Lama’“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”– Dalai LamaHe was formally enthroned as the Dalai Lama in 1950, shortly after the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He was thrust into a position of immense significance becoming both spiritual and political leader to a country under invasion and occupation.After several years of Chinese occupation and persecution of the Tibetan religious practices, the Dalai Lama feared capture by the Chinese and so reluctantly decided to leave and fled over the border into India. It was a perilous journey – undertaken mostly on foot. After meeting with the prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, the Dalai Lama and up to 80,000 Tibetan exiles were allowed to stay and set up a government in exile in Dharamshala, India.The Dalai Lama has followed a long campaign of non-violent resistance to the Chinese occupation. He has frequently called on the Chinese to respect the basic human rights of the indigenous Tibetans and end the migration of the ethnic Han Chinese into Tibet. In 1987 he proposed a five-point peace plan about the future of Tibet and called Tibet to be made into a zone of peace. He also secured United Nations resolutions to support the right for Tibetan self-determination.As well as being the leader of the political struggle for Tibet, he has taught extensively on Buddhist philosophy, and in particular his teachings of loving kindness and the spiritual practice of Dzogchen.As a monk, he follows a celibate lifestyle. He rises early every morning and undertakes periods of meditation according to his Buddhist teachings. He is a vegetarian and encourages others to adopt a vegetarian diet or at least reduce consumption of meat.Interfaith MeetingsThe Dalai Lama has met with many representatives of different religions. The Dalai Lama has been keen to stress the underlying unity of different religions; he has even said he is not keen to convert people to Buddhism.“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness … the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.” – As quoted in Especially for Christians: Powerful Thought-provoking Words from the Past (2005) by Mark Alton Rose, p. 19“I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.”“I don’t want to convert people to Buddhism — all major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.” – from Nobel prize acceptance speech 1989He said Pope John Paul II was sympathetic to his plight, even though he was reluctant to antagonise the Chinese because of the plight of Catholics in China.The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1989.He has remained active until his later years, frequently travelling around the world to talk on Buddhism and issues relating to human rights. Outside of religion, he has a great interest in technology and science, being fascinated with mechanical objects from an early age. He once remarked if he wasn’t a monk, he might have been an engineer. He has sought to develop a meaningful relationship between Buddhism and science. He has maintained an active interested in Mind & Life Institute – which investigates the scientific background to contemplative practices such as meditation.The Dalai Lama has also spoken out about the importance of protecting the environment, avoiding war, the benefits of nuclear disarmament and has been critical of the worst excesses of capitalism.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of the 14th Dalai Lama”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net. Published 10 Feb 2011. Updated 1 February 2018.Selected Quotes from the Dalai LamaThe Dalai Lama wrote frequently about the way to inner peace and happiness. He said“Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.”– The Path to Tranquility: Daily Wisdom (1998) edited by Renuka Singh”“I feel that the essence of spiritual practice is your attitude toward others. When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have right attitude toward others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect. Practice brings the clear realisation of the oneness of all human beings and the importance of others benefiting by your actions.”– Dalai Lama“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”– Dalai Lama“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways–either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});– Dalai Lama“Look at children. Of course they may quarrel, but generally speaking they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they show a big smile while hiding negative feelings deep inside? Children don’t usually act in such a manner. If they feel angry with someone, they express it, and then it is finished. They can still play with that person the following day.”– Dalai Lama The Art of Happiness – Dalai Lama The Art of Happiness – Dalai Lama at AmazonRelated pagesPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Spiritual figures – Famous saints, mystics and religious figures. Including Jesus Christ, The Buddha, Lord Krishna, St Teresa of Avila.People who promoted world peace – People who have made a great contribution to creating a more peaceful world. Including Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Malala Yousafzai Pope John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev.External linksBuddhismThe Role of the Dalai Lama
26 David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer who has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, in the US soccer league and Paris St Germain. Outside of football, he also created his own brand of clothing and is one of the most iconic sportsmen.Beckham is the 2nd most capped England player of all time (115). He is also the only Englishman to score in three different World Cups. Beckham has twice been voted the runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year. He was captain of the English national team from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006.Beckham’s career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first first-team appearance in 1992, at the age of 17. While with Manchester United he played a key role in their dominance of the FA Premier League, being pivotal in accomplishing The Treble of the League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in 1999. During this time, he was managed by Alex Ferguson. Allegedly Ferguson once threw a shoe at Beckham in the changing room. Though, despite their differences, they have mutual respect.“Alex Ferguson is the best manager I’ve ever had at this level. Well, he’s the only manager I’ve actually had at this level. But he’s the best manager I’ve ever had.”– David Beckham.In 1999, he married Victoria (one of the Spice Girls). The marriage attracted great media attention. His football manager, Alex Ferguson later criticised this by saying:“He was never a problem until he got married. He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time, he was a fantastic young lad. Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing – from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part.”The couple have four children.However, Ferguson also later paid tribute to how hard David Beckham worked – in particular at gaining accuracy in free kicks.“David Beckham is Britain’s finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practises with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn’t contemplate.” (May 17, 2013, Guardian)He left Man Utd to become only the third Englishman to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman.In 2006, after England’s exit at the World Cup in Germany, he stood down as captain and was then succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry. Beckham was dropped from the England national team selected by coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006.World CupIn his first world cup, David Beckham was sent off in the quarter-final against Argentina for a petulant kick – a game England went on to lose. This made him a public enemy number one. However, he redeemed himself during the next few seasons. In particular, his spectacular last-minute free kick against Greece to enable England to qualify for the 2002 World Cup finals.“People react to criticism in different ways, and my way is definitely to come out fighting.”– David BeckhamDavid Beckham and Los Angeles Galaxy 2007-08At the end of the 2006 -07 Spanish season, David was unable to negotiate a new contract with Real Madrid. Therefore, he was free to negotiate a new contract. The best offer came from American football team LA Galaxy. The money was very good and his wife Victoria was keen on the idea of moving to America.After negotiating the contract there was a sudden improvement in the form of David Beckham. He even earned a recall to the England team under Steve McClaren. There were also last-minute attempts by Real Madrid to secure the services of Beckham. However, the contract was done and Beckham moved to America.David Beckham and A.C. MilanIn the US, Beckham felt he was missing out on European football, and that this had cost him a better chance of being picked for England. In 2010, he managed to secure a temporary loan to A.C. Milan. This has become a source of friction with his L.A. Galaxy employers as he seems to place playing in Europe above America.David Beckham and World Cup bidDavid Beckham, as one of England’s highest-profile players, was used in the successful 2012, London Olympic bid, and the unsuccessful 2018, England World Cup bid.2012 Olympics (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});To the disappointment of many, David Beckham was left out of the Great Britain squad playing in the London Olympics. It was felt after Beckham’s efforts to bring the Olympics to London, he deserved a fitting international swansong. However, the manager, Stuart Pearce didn’t pick him. Beckham played a role in the opening ceremony and was visible during the games.2013 Signing for Paris St GermainIn January 2013, David Beckham signed a five-month contract to play for French La Ligue 1 side – Paris St Germain. The 37 year old said he would donate his £1 million salary to a local children’s charity. Despite speculation about when Beckham may retire, he says he’s motivated by his desire to continue playing football for as long as he can. As Beckham says:“People have been speculating about that for a number of years, but I continue to play and sign contracts. I will see how I feel but I want to play as long as possible. My passion is football. It always has been. When I play football it is not about the biggest contract.” (BBC)Recently, Beckham has been based in the US where he plans to start a new MLS franchise in Miami, with Beckham as the principal owner. Beckham has also launched his own line of fragrance for men and has 40 tattoos. He has appeared on the front of many magazine covers and is an influential fashion figure.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of David Beckham”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 9th Aug 2014. Last updated 2 February 2018.Senior Career David BeckhamTeam – Appearances (Goals)Manchester United – 265 – (62)Preston North End (loan) – 5 – (2)Real Madrid -116 – (13)Los Angeles Galaxy – 98 – (18)Milan (loan) – 29 – (2)Paris Saint-Germain – 10 – (0)Total 523 appearances (97 goals)England 115 appearances – (17 goalsCareer highlights with Manchester UnitedUEFA Champions League (1): 1998–99Premier League Titles (6): 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03FA Cup (2): 1995–96, 1998–99Career highlights with Real MadridLa Liga (1): 2006–07David Beckham David Beckham at Amazon.comDavid Beckham at Amazon.co.ukRelated Beckham LinksDavid Beckham Quotes Top 100 sporting personalitiesTop English football players
27 Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931 – 2021) was born in Klerksdorp, Transvaal 7 October 1931 in South Africa. As a vocal and committed opponent of apartheid in South Africa, Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. In the transition to democracy, Tutu was an influential figure in promoting the concept of forgiveness and reconciliation. Tutu has been recognised as the ‘moral conscience of South Africa’ and frequently speaks up on issues of justice and peace.Tutu was born Klerksdorp, Transvaal, South Africa on 7 October 1931. After graduating from school, he studied at Pretoria Bantu Normal College from 1951. However, after the passage of the apartheid Bantu Education Act in 1953, Tutu resigned from teaching in protest at the diminished opportunities for black South Africans. He continued to study, concentrating on Theology. During this period in 1955, he married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane – they had four children together. In 1961, he was ordained an Anglican Priest.Desmond Tutu at Vilakazi Street, Soweto. Photo Johan Wessels CC SAIn 1962, he moved to England, where he studied at Kings College London, where he gained a master’s degree in theology. He also became a part-time curate in St Alban’s and Golders Green.In 1967, he returned to South Africa and became increasingly involved in the anti-apartheid movement. He was influenced amongst others by fellow Anglican Bishop Trevor Huddleston. Tutu’s understanding of the Gospels and his Christian faith meant he felt compelled to take a stand and speak out against injustice.In 1975, he was appointed Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg, the first black to hold that position. From 1976 to 1978 he was Bishop of Lesotho, and in 1978 became the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches.Campaign against ApartheidIn 1976, there were increasing levels of protests by black South Africans against apartheid, especially in Soweto. In his position as a leading member of the clergy, Desmond Tutu used his influence to speak firmly and unequivocally against apartheid, often comparing it to Fascist regimes.“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”His outspoken criticism caused him to be briefly jailed in 1980, and his passport was twice revoked. However, due to his position in the church, the government were reluctant to make a ‘martyr’ out of him. This gave Desmond Tutu more opportunity to criticise the government than many other members of the ANC.During South Africa’s turbulent transformation to end apartheid and implement democracy, Tutu was a powerful force for encouraging inter-racial harmony. He encouraged fellow South Africans to transcend racial differences and see themselves as one nation.“Be nice to the whites, they need you to rediscover their humanity.”– New York Times (19 October 1984)In the post-Apartheid era, Desmond Tutu is credited with coining the phrase ‘Rainbow Nation’ A symbolic term for the aspiration to unite South Africa and forget past divisions. The expression has since entered mainstream consciousness to describe South Africa’s ethnic diversity.“At home in South Africa I have sometimes said in big meetings where you have black and white together: ‘Raise your hands!’ Then I have said: ‘Move your hands,’ and I’ve said ‘Look at your hands – different colors representing different people. You are the Rainbow People of God.’”Sermon in Tromsö, Norway (5 December 1991)Tutu has frequently called for a message of reconciliation and forgiveness. He has stated that real justice is not about retribution but seeking to illumine and enable people to move forward.“There are different kinds of justice. Retributive justice is largely Western. The African understanding is far more restorative – not so much to punish as to redress or restore a balance that has been knocked askew.”– Desmond Tutu, “Recovering from Apartheid” at The New Yorker (18 November 1996)Desmond Tutu on foreign policyDesmond Tutu was critical of George Bush and Tony Blair’s decision to go to war in Iraq. He criticised the decision to single out Iraq for possession of weapons (which they later proved not to have) when many other countries had a far more deadly arsenal.He has also been critical of America’s war on Terror, in particular highlighting the abuse of human rights in places such as Guantanamo Bay.Desmond Tutu has been critical of Israeli attitudes to the occupation of Palestine. He has also been critical of the US-Israeli lobby which is intolerant of any criticism of Israel.Tutu took part in investigations into the Isreali bombings in the Beit Hanoun November 2006 incident. During that fact-finding mission, Tutu called the Gaza blockade an abomination and compared Israel’s behaviour to the military junta in Burma. During the 2008–2009 Gaza War, Tutu called the Israeli offensive “war crimes.”Tutu has also become involved in the issue of Climate Change, calling it one of the great challenges of humanity.Social IssuesDesmond Tutu, Cologne, 2007. © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 Desmond Tutu has been in the forefront of campaigns against the AIDS virus, especially in South Africa where the government have often been reticent. Desmond Tutu has a tolerant attitude to the issue of homosexuality. In particular, he despairs at the huge amount of time and energy wasted on discussing the issue within the church. According to Tutu, there should be no discrimination against people of homosexual orientation.“Jesus did not say, ‘If I be lifted up I will draw some’.” Jesus said, ‘If I be lifted up I will draw all, all, all, all, all. Black, white, yellow, rich, poor, clever, not so clever, beautiful, not so beautiful. It’s one of the most radical things.”Tutu was the first black ordained South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. Other awards given to Desmond Tutu include The Gandhi Peace Prize in 2007, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, and the Maqubela Prize for Liberty in 1986.Since Nelson Mandela‘s passing, Tutu became increasingly critical of the ANC leadership, believing they wasted opportunities to create a better legacy and end the poverty endemic in many black townships.Tutu is one of the patrons of The Forgiveness Project, a UK-based charity which seeks to facilitate conflict resolution and break the cycle of vengeance and retaliation.Tutu is a committed Christian and starts every day with a period of quiet, reflection, walk and Bible reading. Even on the momentous day of 27 April 1994 when blacks were able to vote for the first time, Tutu wrote “As always, I had got up early for a quiet time before my morning walk and then morning prayers and the Eucharist.”Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Sri ChinmoyTutu is also a supporter of interfaith harmony. He admires fellow religious leaders, such as the Dalai Lama and feels that a person’s outer religion is not of critical importance. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“Bringing people together is what I call ‘Ubuntu,’ which means ‘I am because we are.’ Far too often people think of themselves as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”Tutu died from cancer in December 2021, whilst being treated in Cape Town, South Africa.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Desmond Tutu” Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net – 13th March 2017. Last updated 1 March 2021The Words and Inspiration of Archbishop Desmond Tutu The Words and Inspiration of Archbishop Desmond Tutu at AmazonRabble Rouser for Peace Rabble Rouser for Peace at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Africans – A list of famous Africans. Includes Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Haile Selassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Kofi Annan and Wangari Maathai.People who fought for human/civil rights – People who campaigned for equality, civil rights and civil justice. Includes Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.Desmond Tutu Quotes 100 People who changed the world People who made a differenceExternal linksDesmond Tutu at WikipediaDesmond Tutu peace centreTutu at Nobel Prize centre
28 Donald Trump (1946 – ) is the 45th President of the US. For many years he was chairman and president of the Trump Organisation, which has a diverse range of business and real estate businesses. Trump also rose to prominence through his appearance in The Apprentice (U.S.) a reality tv show where contestants bid for the opportunity to head one of Trump’s companies.Early lifeDonald Trump was born 14 June 1946, in Queens, New York to German immigrant parents. His father Fred Trump was a successful real estate developer. It is estimated Donald inherited at least $413 million from his father between the age of 3 and 58. A NYTimes investigation suggested this involve tax avoidance schemes.Donald attended the private Kew-Forest School, Fordham University and then the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1968 with a degree in economics. He was eligible for the Vietnam draft but received deferments for being a student, and later a medical deferment, attributed to heel spurs in both feet.After leaving university, he worked with his father in real estate development in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. In the 1970s, with help from his father, he then moved to Manhattan, where Trump created the Trump Organisation.“It was good for me,” Donald later commented. “You know, being the son of somebody, it could have been competition to me. This way, I got Manhattan all to myself.”His business interests expanded, taking in hotels, casinos, Trump Shuttle airline and a mega-yacht. For Trump, the key attraction of his work was often in negotiating a deal.“I don’t do it for the money. I’ve got enough, much more than I’ll ever need. I do it to do it. Deals are my art form. Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That’s how I get my kicks.”– Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal (1987)In 1991, losses from the Taj Mahal Casino forced Trump into bankruptcy, but he sold off parts of his business and was able to continue in business.A distinctive feature of Trump’s business and real estate ventures has been the prominent use of his own name. For example, Trump World Tower, Trump Place and Trump clothing ranges. Trump is also a keen golfer and has brought many golf courses across the world, including Ireland and Scotland.Many real estate property dealers and businesses have paid to license the Trump brand name. However, since his presidential election campaign of 2015 and 2016, many have sought to distance themselves from Trump’s controversial political views on Mexicans, women and Muslims. Retailers, such as Macy’s have dropped Trump-branded products.Net Worth of Donald TrumpIn 2012, Trump declared his own net worth at around $7 billion. In 2015, Forbes estimated his net worth at $4 billion. When running for Presidential candidate in 2015, Trump claimed a net worth in excess of ten billion dollars, though he said it can fluctuate with markets.Trump was given $40 million from his father in 1974 (1)Before the 2016 Presidential election, he refused to release his income tax returns – breaking with tradition. The New York Times released a tax return from 1995 which showed that Trump lost $916m in a single year and as a result could use tax laws to avoid paying federal taxes for 18 years, a charge he did not deny.Other interestsFrom 1996 to 2015, Trump owned part of Miss Universe beauty pageants. Though Trump sold his interests in 2015, after a dispute over his presidential address on Mexican immigrants.TelevisionIn 2003, Trump became the executive producer of the NBC programme – The Apprentice. It was one of the most popular tv programmes, with Trump selecting a candidate to gain a job in his business. During the series, Trump would fire the unsuccessful candidates with the catchphrase “You’re fired”PoliticsTrump has had mixed political affiliations. He has been both a registered Democrat and Republican. He has given money to both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates. He was critical of both George Bush presidencies and said Bill Clinton was one of the best modern presidents. Since 2012, he has been in the Republican party and in 2015 announced his intention to seek the Republican candidacy.During the 2016 primaries, his outsider persona made him an unexpected front-runner – dismaying the Republican establishment. Through the campaign, Trump projected a populist appeal. He has focused on dealing with the electorate’s fears over immigrants and terrorism. His campaign slogan is “We are going to make our country great again.”He also projected himself as a Washington outsider – from the private business sector rather than the political establishment, and a willingness to “tell it like it is” – with a willingness to be politically incorrect.Trump’s controversial policies include the suggested deportation of illegal immigrants in the US and the building of a wall between Mexico and the US. He has called for a ban on Muslims entering the US, and greater surveillance of mosques.His pledge to ban Muslims coming into the US has been criticised by many world figures and the US Pentagon. It would include banning many Muslims who are allies in the fight against terrorism. However, this has been controversial both home and abroad. The Pentagon issued a statement that “anything that bolsters ISIL’s narrative and pits the United States against the Muslim faith is certainly not only contrary to our values but contrary to our national security.”On social issues he is conservative, declaring himself pro-life. He also is opposed to gun control and favours replacing the Affordable Care Act with a free market plan.He has called global warming a “total hoax created by the Chinese to make US manufacturing non-competitive.” He supports increased fracking and is opposed to wind power.Throughout his campaign, Trump’s controversial statements seemed to attract more popular support. As Trump himself stated on 23 January 2016“They say I have the most loyal people — did you ever see that? Where I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters. It’s like incredible.”Trump has been married three times. He has five children. Three with Zelnickova, and one with Maples and Knauss.Trump is a Presbyterian Protestant, though his church says he is not an active member. Trump has received the backing of many religious leaders in his presidential campaign.He has a high sense of self-esteem, which some have called ego-mania.“My IQ is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure; it’s not your fault.”– Donald Trump“I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I’m more honest and my women are more beautiful.”– Donald Trump2016 electionDespite losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million, Trump won the electoral college 306 – 232, after securing the swing states, such as Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.Total votesClinton 65,844,610 – 48.20% Trump 62,979,636 – 46.10% Others 7,804,213 – 5.70%2017 Presidential officeTrump took office on January 20, 2017. Among his first executive orders were an order to ban immigrants from Muslim countries, such as Syria and Iraq. He also sought to, unsuccessfully, repeal Obama Health Care and build a wall between US and Mexico.Trump has courted controversy for supporting far-right organisations and appearing to be sympathetic to white supremacist groups. He has also frequently been accused of lying or giving misleading statements. (Politico fact)On foreign policy, he withdrew the US from the Paris Accord on global warming.Impeachment process (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 2019, the House of Representatives began an impeachment process against Donald Trump following a government whistleblower accusing Trump of holding back aid on the condition Ukraine would launch an investigation into the son of Joe Biden (a Democratic contender for the 2020 Presidential campaign.) The impeachment process was passed by the House of Representatives. In early 2020, with low polling ratings, Trump approved a missile attack to kill a popular Iranian General General Qassem Suleimani.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Donald Trump”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 31 Jan. 2018. Last updated 5 January 2020.Trump has authored many best-selling books includingTrump: The Art of the Deal (1987)Trump: Surviving at the Top (1990)Trump: The Art of Survival (1991)Trump: The Art of the Comeback (1997), co-written with Kate BohnerThe America We Deserve (2000), with Dave ShiflettTrump: How to Get Rich (2004)Donald Trump – the art of the Deal Donald Trump – The Art of the Deal at AmazonCrippled America: How to Make America Great Again Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again at AmazonRelated pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Famous Entrepreneurs – Famous entrepreneurs who have set up and created successful businesses, including Henry Ford, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.
29 Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) – an American singer, musician and actor.Elvis Presley became one of the most influential cultural icons of a generation. He is commonly referred to as the “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and epitomises the post-war pop generation.Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. When he was 13, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis was relatively shy and as a youngster was not keen on performing in public. However, he received a guitar as a present and learnt to play and sing; he gained no formal musical training, but had an innate natural talent and could easily pick up music. As a teenager, he was uninterested in school – but become absorbed in music, listening to a huge range of contemporary American music. He also started to sport a distinctive look with sideburns and styled hair. This image would later become an ‘Elvis’ trademark.In 1953, he went to Sun recording studio – to record a song for his mother, but also with the hope he may get noticed and offered a recording deal. However, it didn’t come to anything; he was also turned down for auditions to other groups. In April 1954, he took a job as a truck driver.However, later on in the year, the Sun boss Sam Phillips invited Elvis to come in for a recording session. Initially, the recording session was unpromising, but towards the end of the allotted time, Elvis started to play a song he had composed himself. Phillips was immediately impressed by the verve, enthusiasm and dynamism of Elvis’s music. Phillips believed that Elvis had a unique voice and talent which could capture the interest of Americans.For his first studio recording, Elvis performed the 1946 blues number, Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right”; it was well received on local radio stations.This initial success launched Presley into a lucrative pop music career.In January 1956, Presley was signed by RCA Records. His first single, “Heartbreak Hotel“, was released in January and became a best-selling hit – staying at number one for seven weeks, and selling over one million copies.His performances were a fusion of country, gospel, pop and rhythm and blues. His unique gravelly voice gave the impression Presley combined both ‘black’ and ‘white’ sounds, something which was an issue during an era of tense civil rights campaigns. Elvis’s on stage routines were also criticised for their flamboyance and provocativeness; he was criticised for the idea that rock ‘n ‘roll music was having a negative effect on American teenagers, making them more rebellious. As the leading figure of pop music, Presley was often the target of these criticisms. However, he defended his music saying:“No, I haven’t, I don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong. … I don’t see how any type of music would have any bad influence on people when it’s only music. … I mean, how would rock ‘n’ roll music make anyone rebel against their parents?”However, if Presley was considered a controversial and a rebellious figure, it just made him more popular with young listeners. His catapult to stardom was helped by a rivalry between TV presenters, such as Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan. Elvis proved a star attraction on tv talk shows, and the competition between presenters helped to make Elvis a national celebrity. It also helped bring rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream. John Lennon, of the Beatles, described the effect that Elvis had on his musical development.“Nothing really affected me until Elvis. Before Elvis there was nothing. When I first heard “Heartbreak Hotel,” I could hardly make out what was being said. It was just the experience of hearing it and having my hair stand on end. We’d never heard American voices singing like that.”Ironically, Elvis was never keen to meet the Beatles and when they did meet on one occasion – 27 August 1965 – it was a mutual disappointment. But, Lennon always maintained without Elvis, there would have been no Beatles.At live concerts, his crowds increasingly became overly exuberant. When Presley began playing hits like “You ain’t nothin’ but a Hound Dog” the crowd would go wild. This led Presley to take a break from live performances.“I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a kid. But I used to pray to God that I’d amount to something some day. I never dreamed that something like this would happen.”– Elvis PresleyIn 1958-60, Presley was called up for national service in the American army. He was stationed in Germany and served in the regular army, and was keen to be seen as an ordinary soldier doing his duty. He could have signed up for Special Services, which would have enabled him to perform live music, but he preferred to stay in the regular army. During his stay in Freiburg, Germany he met Priscilla Beaulieu, who he would marry after a seven-year courtship. They married in 1967 and, in 1968, Priscilla gave birth to Elvis’s only child – Lisa Marie.After the stint in the army, he began to focus more on movies. Presley made several movies in the 1960s. These were generally received with low critical acclaim, though they were quite popular and commercially successful. By the end of the 1960s, Presley’s career was in decline. He had become known for formulaic films and uninspiring soundtracks. He was increasingly unhappy with the direction of his career. In 1967, Presley made a comeback as a singer, but his first eight singles were mostly flops and failed to make an impression on the pop charts. The exception was the 1969 single “If I Can Dream”, which helped to reinvigorate Presley’s musical creativity. In 1970, he released “The Wonder of You” which topped the charts in the UK and US. He also began a new music tour, which sold out to record-breaking crowds.However, from 1973, Presley began to increasingly suffer health problems – related to his obesity and drug dependency. He continued to try and maintain a hectic touring schedule, but his performances were negatively affected by his obvious health problems. In 1976, aged only 42, he died from multiple causes; fourteen different drugs were found in his bloodstream.His early death only cemented his legendary status, and Elvis Presley has become deeply ingrained in popular culture. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Presley’s home Graceland was opened to the public in the 1980s and attracts over half a million visitors annually. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Elvis Presley”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 1st Jan. 2013. Updated 10th January 2018.Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley at Amazon Elvis Presley – The 50 Greatest HitsElvis Presley – The 50 Greatest Hits at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen.Musicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.Related peopleJohn LennonMichael Jackson
30 Emil Zatopek was a Czechoslovak athlete who won three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics (5,000m, 10,000m and marathon). He was noted for his relentless training regime which involved a pioneering use of interval training. A hero in his native Czechoslovakia he was an influential member in the Communist Party, however, he was later expelled for supporting the democratic movement of 1968 and as a consequence was forced to work in dangerous mining jobs. He was rehabilitated in 1990 by Czech President Václav Havel. Zatopek is considered one of the greatest athletes and sporting personalities of the Twentieth Century.“Great is the victory, but the friendship is all the greater.”– Emil ZatopekShort bio Emil ZatopekEmil Zatopek was born in Czechoslovakia in 1922. His working-class parents, Frantisek and Anzeka had eight children in all. The large family meant family finances were spread thinly and Emil was always conscious of living close to the poverty line.As a child, Zatopek was a bright, independently minded spirit, with an unusual power of memory. Many friends said an abiding characteristic of the young Zatopek was his willingness to try everything differently.In 1937, just short of his 15th birthday, Zatopek left his hometown to work in the large Bata factory in Zlin. For the time, it was a reasonable job, though very disciplined and somewhat repetitive.Aged 18, he had no interest in running but on one occasion was picked by his company to join a race. Despite his protestations that he was unfit, he was forced to start the race and ended up coming second out of 100. This began his interest in running, and within four years he was representing Czechoslovakia. The second world war and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia meant he lost some of the best years of his career. But, during the war, he was able to persevere with his training and make significant improvements.After the Second World War, he joined the new Czechoslovakia army, who were sympathetic to allowing him time to train – especially as international success followed. In 1948, he became a household name winning the 10 km in the austerity London Olympics. He also finished second in the 5 km, though many felt that running with greater reserve in the heats may have enabled him to win.Zatopek remarked on how significant the 1948 Olympics were:“For me, the 1948 Olympics was a liberation of the spirit. After all those dark days of the war, the bombing, the killing, the starvation, the revival of the Olympics was as if the sun had come out. I went into the Olympic Village in 1948 and suddenly there were no more frontiers, no more barriers. Just the people meeting together. It was wonderfully warm. Men and women who had lost five years of life were back again.”Shortly after the 1948 Olympics, he married Zana, who was an Olympic javelin thrower. During the London Olympics, he bought two gold rings from a shop in Piccadilly Circus. He proposed in unusual fashion (they were both born 19 September 1922) “So, we were both born on the same day, what if, by chance, we were also to get married on the same day?”Their marriage was largely happy, though to Emil’s disappointment remained childless.After the 1948 Olympics, Zatopek’s dominance of middle-distance running grew – leading to several world records. On 29 September 1951, Emil Zatopek became the first person to run 20 kilometres in under one hour and broke four world records in one breathtaking race. By the end of 1953, he held eight world running records—the only man in history to hold so many records at the same time. In total, he set 18 world records.1952 Helsinki OlympicsIn 1952, Emil Zatopek achieved one of the greatest Olympic feats of all time – something that will probably never be reproduced. He won gold in the 5km, 10km and then at the last moment decided to run his first ever marathon. Despite no previous experience at the distance, he won the race by over two minutes. This triple Olympic gold remains an unprecedented achievement. The amazing feature of this Olympics was that two months before the Olympics, doctors advised him not to race because of an infected gland. Zatopek ignored the doctors’ advice.Another incident shortly before the 1952 Olympics also illustrates Zatopek’s willingness to take an unorthodox stance. In 1952, Czechoslovakia was in the throes of great political oppression, with many people put in jail and executed for ‘suspect’ political views. Stalinist purges were widespread and even athletics was not immune. Just eight months prior, the entire national ice hockey team were arrested and eight players sentenced to a total of 77 years – their crimes were supposedly contemplating defection.Shortly before the Olympics, Stanislav Jungwirth was excluded from the national team on the grounds his father was in prison for political offences. But, Zatopek was infuriated and told the Ministry of Sports that “If Standa does not go nor will I”Zatopek’s stance was brave and perhaps foolhardy, as the consequences could have been severe. It was also remarkable given what was at stake for Zatopek and he was widely tipped to be favourite for at least two Olympic golds. In the end, the Ministry of Sports climbed down and allowed both Standa and Zatopek to travel. However, a dossier was made on Zatopek for his possible punishment after the games. It was with this threat hanging over his head, that Zatopek competed in the Olympics. His unique triple of Olympic golds gave Zatopek a public popularity which saved him from further punishment, a lesser athlete would probably have fared very differently.Zatopek was not just an Olympic champion, but a gregarious character who spontaneously built up relationships and goodwill with athletes from other countries. In the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, it was Zatopek who embodied the Olympic ideal – often allowing westerners into the separate Warsaw Pact Olympic accommodation.To Zatopek, the Olympics was significant for its ideals of international friendship. He learnt to speak several languages and easily struck up conversations with people from around the world. He had a deeply generous spirit – frequently helping out strangers or people who came to see him in his Prague flat.Emil Zatopek Running StyleEmil Zatopek threw everything into his running and this was reflected in his agonising facial expressions. His running style was often criticised for being gangly, inefficient and unattractive, but Zatopek retorted you don’t win any prizes for looks in a running race. He ignored his critics and retained his unique style throughout his career.“I shall learn to have a better style once they start judging races according to their beauty. So long as it’s a question of speed, then my attention will be directed to seeing how fast I can cover the ground.”—Emil ZatopekEmil Zatopek’s TrainingEmile Zatopek was renowned for his hard training routines. He would train whatever the weather and push himself through punishing training routines to get the best out of himself. He is said to have done 400-metre intervals up to 80 times in one training session. In many ways, Zatopek was a great pioneer of interval training – making short, hard intense efforts. His philosophy was to develop speed and then be able to repeat this over a long period of time. Speaking of his intense training Zatopek said:“If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then will power is no longer a problem. It’s raining? That doesn’t matter. I am tired? That’s beside the point. It’s simply that I just have to.”At the time, this challenged conventional training wisdom. Zatopek remarked on the issue of interval training.Emil Zatopek on Interval Training, “Everyone said, ‘Emil, you are a fool!’ But when I first won the European Championship, they said: ‘Emil, you are a genius!'”Emily Zatopek PrinciplesAs he grew in international stature, Zatopek was used as a spokesperson for the Communist regime. His working-class roots and sporting prowess made him a useful spokesperson. He was also a gifted speaker who had a capacity to connect with the audience. Though he mostly stayed off politics, he did believe in socialism and communism and later joined the Communist Party. However, he did increasingly become aware of some failings of the Communist regime.In the Prague spring of 1968, Zatopek spoke out for the democratic wing who were calling for greater change and freedom from the Kremlin. Zatopek had tremendous loyalty to Alexander Dubcek, the leader of the democratic wing who opposed the Russian invasion. When the revolution failed, and the Soviet hardliners reasserted control, Zatopek was punished for his enthusiastic support of the Prague Spring. He was expelled from the army and Communist Party. He lost the comfort of his former life and for several years had to work in a mine. International travel and national acclaim dried up completely. Zatopek was now suspect. Post-1968 was a difficult time for Zatopek with pressure put on him to fore-sake his former ‘democratic views’. Slowly he was somewhat rehabilitated by the regime after learning to be more circumspect in expressing political views. By the mid-1970s, he was able to travel again, representing Czechoslovakia at international sporting events.As well as being a great runner, Emil was legendary for his generous heart and good nature. The great Australian runner Ron Clarke had achieved many spectacular achievements in athletics, but, an Olympic gold had always eluded him. When Ron Clarke went to visit Zatopek, Zatopek accompanied him to the airport. At the last moment, Zatopek thrust something into his hand. Clarke thought it might be some secret document, but, when he got on the plane he was shocked to see an Olympic gold medal with a note from Zatopek saying simply ‘Because you deserve it’. Clarke said“I do know no-one cherishes any gift more than I do, my only Olympic gold medal, and not because of what it is, but because of the man whose spirit it represents”.Zatopek had tremendous sincerity. He recounts arriving at the 1948 Olympics in London:“It was my first competition in Olympic Games and I was surprised to come to Olympic stadium and to read the most important things about the Games was: ‘Not to win but to take part’. What—not to win? Ah, but I wish to win! “ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Zatopek passed away aged 78 in Prague, 2000. He had lived to see the overthrow of the repressive Communist regime and left a profound legacy of athletic achievement.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Emil Zatopek”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 1 May 2010. Last updated 15 February 2018.The Rise and Fall of Emil Zatopek by Richard Askwith The Rise and Fall of Emil Zatopek by Richard Askwith at AmazonZa-to-pek!: The Life and Times of the World’s Greatest Distance Runner Za-to-pek!: The Life and Times of the World’s Greatest Distance Runner at AmazonRelated pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.People who made a difference. Men and women who made a positive contribution to the world – in the fields of politics, literature, music, activism and spirituality.Emil Zatopek quotesExternal linksEmil Zatopek at Sri Chinmoy Library
31 Emmeline Pankhurst (15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a leading British suffragette, who played a militant role in helping to gain women the right to vote.“Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won’t do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death.”– Emmeline Pankhurst, from Freedom or Death (1913)Short Bio Emmeline PankhurstEmmeline Pankhurst was born in Moss Side, Manchester in 1858. Her family had a tradition of radical politics, and she stepped into the same mould – becoming a passionate campaigner for women’s right to vote.In 1878, she married Richard Pankhurst, a leading barrister who was 24 years older than her. Richard Pankhurst was also a supporter of the women’s suffrage movement.In 1894, she was elected a poor law guardian, and she spent time visiting workhouses in Manchester becoming aware of the shocking levels of poverty many faced.“I thought I had been a suffragist before I became a Poor Law Guardian, but now I began to think about the vote in women’s hands not only as a right but as a desperate necessity.”With her husband they had five children; but his death in 1898, was a great shock to Emmeline. After Richard’s death, Emmeline threw herself into the women’s suffrage movement forming the Women’s Franchise League in 1898.In 1903 she formed the more militant Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). It was through the political action of the WSPU that the term women’s suffragette movement was created. She led a passionate group of women who were willing to take part in drastic action such as tying themselves to railings, smashing windows and launching demonstrations. Pankhurst defended the militant tactics on the grounds that:“The condition of our sex is so deplorable that it is our duty to break the law in order to call attention to the reasons why we do.”Her tactics contrasted with those of the NUWSS and Millicent Fawcett. The government and establishment were shocked at the tactics of the women, and many were arrested. When they went on hunger strike, they were force-fed or released only to be rearrested – something known as ‘cat and mouse’. In 1912, Emily Pankhurst was convicted of breaking windows and sent to Holloway Prison. In prison, she went on hunger strike in protest about the appalling conditions that prisoners were kept in. She described her time in prison as: “like a human being in the process of being turned into a wild beast.”In 1913, Emmeline’s daughter Christabel took leadership of the WPSU, and their tactics became increasingly militant. However, this polarised opinion within the WPSU and many members left – arguing the violence was counter-productive and damaging to the cause. Two of Emmeline’s other daughters, Adela and Sylvia left the movement creating a rift in the family, which never healed. Due to the increased militancy of the British suffrage movement, public opinion was increasingly polarised. Militant suffragettes were often described as fanatics. In 1913, Emily Davison was killed after throwing herself under the King’s horse.However, at the outbreak of war in 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst used her campaigning tactics to support the war effort – and announced a temporary truce in the women’s suffrage campaign. She considered the menace of German aggression to be the greater threat. As she said at the time:“What is the use of fighting for a vote if we have not got a country to vote in?”The government and the suffragettes declared a truce and political prisoners were released.Emmeline Pankhurst addressing a crowdDuring the war effort, women were drafted into factories and took on many jobs which were previously the preserve of men, such as bus drivers and postmen. The radical social change of the First World War helped to diminish the opposition to women getting the vote; and in 1918, women over the age of 30 were given the vote.In 1926, Pankhurst surprised many by joining the Conservative party, and two years later running for Parliament as a Conservative candidate. This was in stark contrast to her earlier political experiences and sympathy with the poor. But, after the Russian revolution, she was increasingly concerned by Communism and became more conservative in her political views.In 1928, women were granted equal voting rights with men (at 21). However, in 1928, Emmeline fell ill and died on 14 June 1928.Legacy of Emmeline PankhurstThere is a dispute over the extent to which the militant campaigns, led and inspired by Emmeline Pankhurst, helped or hindered the women’s suffrage movement. Some argue, violence made the establishment more reluctant to agree to their demands; others say it helped raise the profile of the movement and was a factor in helping women gain the vote in 1918. Whatever the merits of her action, she epitomised the passionate belief that women deserved equal rights and helped to give this campaign a higher profile. She lived through an age of rapidly changing opinions about the role of women in society, and she ultimately saw women given the vote.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Emmeline Pankhurst”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th June 2013. Updated 8 February 2018.Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.Women’s Rights Activists – Women who championed the cause of women’s rights. Including Mary Wollstonecraft, Emily Pankhurst, Susan B.Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world, including Sappho, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Emmeline Pankhurst – My Own Story Emmeline Pankhurst – My Own Story at AmazonEmmeline Pankhurst: A Biography Emmeline Pankhurst: A Biography at AmazonQuotes of Emily Pankhurst“We found that all the fine phrases about freedom and liberty were entirely for male consumption, and that they did not in any way apply to women. When it was said taxation without representation is tyranny, when it was “Taxation of men without representation is tyranny,” everybody quite calmly accepted the fact that women had to pay taxes and even were sent to prison if they failed to pay them – quite right. We found that “Government of the people, by the people and for the people,” which is also a time-honoured Liberal principle, was again only for male consumption; half of the people were entirely ignored; it was the duty of women to pay their taxes and obey the laws and look as pleasant as they could under the circumstances. In fact, every principle of liberty enunciated in any civilised country on earth, with very few exceptions, was intended entirely for men, and when women tried to force the putting into practice of these principles, for women, then they discovered they had come into a very, very unpleasant situation indeed.”“Well, they little know what women are. Women are very slow to rouse, but once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible. ”“Now then, let me say something about what has brought it about because you must realise that only the very strongest of motives would lead women to do what we have done. Life is sweet to all of us. Every human being loves life and loves to enjoy the good things and the happiness that life gives: and yet we have a state of things in England that has made not two or three women but thousands of women quite prepared to face these terrible situations that I have been trying without any kind of passion or exaggeration to lay before you.”Freedom or death (1913) by Emmeline PankhurstRelated peopleMillicent Fawcett
32 Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American author and journalist whose unique, understated writing style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction and culture.Hemingway lived through the major conflicts of Europe during the first half of the Twentieth-Century. His war experiences led to powerful accounts, which described the horrors of modern war. Two major books include; A Farewell to Arms (1929) – about the First World War, and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) – about the Spanish Civil War. Many of his books are considered classics of American literature.Early lifeHemingway was born in 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. After leaving school, he worked as a journalist for the Kansas City City Star. He later writing was influenced by the style guide of the paper. “Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative.”Hemingway, 1918However, after a few months of work, in 1918 he enlisted with the Red Cross to volunteer as an ambulance driver in the First World War. He was sent to the Italian front where he saw the horrors of the trench war. In July 1918, he was seriously wounded from mortar fire, but, despite his injuries and coming under machine-gun fire – still managed to carry two Italian comrades to safety. He was awarded the Italian Silver Medal for this act of bravery.Whilst recuperating from his injuries he fell in love with a Red Cross nurse, Agnes von Kurowsky, but she rejected his offer of marriage. This rejection left a powerful emotional scar. A decade later, in 1929 Hemmingway would write a semi-autobiographical novel, – A Farwell to Arms based on his war experiences. The main character in the book is an ambulance driver who becomes disillusioned with the war and then elopes with a Spanish girl to Switzerland.Hemingway returned home to the US, but fell out with his mother. Hemingway disliked the moralising tone of his outwardly religious mother, who accused Hemingway of living based on ‘lazy loafing and pleasure seeking,’ Hemingway’s free spirit rebelled against his mother’s more religious, moralistic approach and he walked away from his family and was never reconciled.In 1921 he married Hadley Richardson, the first of four wives, he moved to Chicago and then Paris, where he spent much of the inter-war years. He worked as a correspondent for the Toronto Star and became acquainted with many modernist writers, such as James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound who lived in Paris at the time. In 1926, he published a successful novel “The Sun Also Rises,” which was based on a generation of American socialites who drifted around Europe. For his part, Hemingway enjoyed the atmosphere and intellectual curiosity of Paris in the ‘roaring twenties.’“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”– Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable FeastIn 1932, he wrote a non-fiction book “The Dance of Death” which was a sympathetic look at the Spanish custom of bullfighting. Hemingway pondered the question of whether it was justified to torment and kill an animal for sport. Hemingway was fascinated by the heroic, yet barbaric act which appealed to the Latin machismo and to Hemingway was not a sport but art and “the only art in which the artist is in danger of death.”For Whom the Bell TollsHemingway in SpainIn 1937, he went to Spain to cover the Spanish Civil war. He advocated international support for the Popular Front – who were fighting the fascist regime led by Franco. He later wrote a book – For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), which captures the struggles and brutality of the Spanish civil war. During the Second World War, he continued to work as a foreign correspondent. He was present at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris.Literary recognitionAfter the Second World War, Hemingway bought a home in Finca Vigia (“Lookout Farm”), in Cuba. Here in Cuba, he wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” (1952) – story about an elderly fisherman and devout Catholic, Spencer Tracy. The novel was praised by critics and he awarded the Pulitzer Prize. (1953)In 1954, Hemingway was involved in two plane crashes which left him severely injured and in pain for the rest of his life. After the crash, Hemingway was bed-ridden for a couple of years. Towards the end of the year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (1954). His citation for the Nobel Prize was“his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style.”For many years, Hemingway had sought the Nobel Prize, but when he was notified of the award, he humbly suggested other writers may have deserved it more. He was concerned that news of his near-death, may have affected the sympathies of the juryThen in 1960, Fidel Castro’s rise to power in Cuba forced him to return to the US – he returned to Ketchum, Idaho. The last years were very difficult for Hemingway, he suffered from great physical pain, his mental clarity diminished, he struggled to write and he suffered from increasing depression. He tried electric shock therapy but to no avail. In 1961, at the age of 62, he killed himself with a shotgun.Writing style of HemingwayHemingway’s style had some similarities to other modernist writers. It was a reaction against the more elaborate, turgid style of the nineteenth century. Hemingway’s writing was direct and minimalist – often leaving things unstated, but at the same time profoundly moving for bringing the reader into the heart of the story and experience.“All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer.”– Ernest HemingwayHemingway termed his style the Iceberg theory.“If a writer of prose knows enough of what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an ice-berg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing.”—Ernest Hemingway in Death in the AfternoonHemingway said the facts float above the water, but the structure is kept out of sight. Behind the minimalist prose is a great effort, but the result is simplicity, immediacy and clarity.He was married four times.“There are events which are so great that if a writer has participated in them his obligation is to write truly rather than assume the presumption of altering them with invention.”– Ernest Hemingway – Preface to The Great Crusade (1940) by Gustav ReglerReligious views of HemingwayHemingway was born and raised in a strict Protestant tradition. After he married his second wife, he converted to Catholicism. Although he was not always observant in attending mass, he was fascinated by Catholic rites, and would frequently visit churches on his own and light a candle. In his writings, he was also interested in the idea of pilgrimage, to Catholic sites.After his serious injury in July 1918, he was baptized by an Italian priest and given the last rites. Hemingway also describes a spiritual experience during his serious injury. He says he felt that his“soul or something coming right out of my body, like you’d pull a silk handkerchief out of a pocket by one corner. It flew around and then came back and went in again and I wasn’t dead anymore.” (link)Selected list of works by HemingwayIndian Camp (1926)The Sun Also Rises (1926)A Farewell to Arms (1929)The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber (1935)For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)The Old Man and the Sea (1951)A Moveable Feast (1964, posthumous)True at First Light (1999)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Ernest Hemingway Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 13 March 2020. Published 11th Feb 2013.The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway at AmazonErnest Hemingway – A Biography Ernest Hemingway – A biography by Mary Dearborn at Amazon Related pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.Writers and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.People of the Twentieth Century (1901 to 2000) Famous people of the turbulent century. Includes Winston Churchill, F.D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler and Stalin.
33 Eva Peron served as Argentina’s First lady from 1946 to 1952. Eva Peron or ‘Evita’ became a powerful political figure with a large support base amongst the poor and working-class trade union members. She inspired millions with her campaigns to help the poor and give women the right to vote. To her supporters, she was a saint who strove to overcome poverty and injustice. To her detractors (in the nation’s military and bourgeoisie) she was a controversial figure at the heart of Argentinian politics.“I have one thing that counts, and that is my heart; it burns in my soul, it aches in my flesh, and it ignites my nerves: that is my love for the people and Peron.”– Eva PeronEva Peron was born in rural poverty in a town called Los Toldos. She was the illegitimate daughter of a failed landowner. Aged fifteen, she left her rural home to go to Buenos Aires where she hoped to pursue her theatrical career.Aided by her natural beauty she gained work in the theatre. In Buenos Aires, she also began campaigning for women to be given the vote and to deal with the widespread poverty endemic in Argentina.She caught the eye of a prominent politician, Juan Domingo Peron, and in 1945 they were married and six months later she became President Peron’s, First Lady.As the president’s wife, she took a high profile in campaigning for issues such as women’s rights and for the improvement of the descamisados (shirtless) i.e. the very poor.“The nation’s government has just handed me the bill that grants us our civil rights. I am receiving it before you, certain that I am accepting this on behalf of all Argentinean women, and I can feel my hands tremble with joy as they grasp the laurel proclaiming victory.”– Eva PeronHer high profile, beauty and concern for the poor galvanised the nation. The dispossessed saw her as a saviour. The military and upper echelons of society saw her as a threat. They criticised her professed concern for the poor as a way to gain political support for her husband. Others have criticised the regime of Juan Peron for having fascist tendencies, though these allegations remain controversial.Her supporters dispute these assertions of her enemies, arguing the military and political opponents were merely trying to tarnish her image.In 1952 she was given the title of ‘spiritual chief of the nation’. Six months later, in 1952, she died tragically young from cancer.In 1955, when Juan Peron was overthrown by a military coup, they took her body and had it interred in a Milanese grave under the name of a nun. They feared her legacy would provide a point of opposition to the military regime.In 1973, Juan Peron returned to Argentina to begin a third term as president after the military regime was overthrown. Eva Peron’s body was returned in November 1974. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The story of her life was made into the hit musical Evita by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice.In 1995, Madonna starred as Evita in a movie version of the musical.Eva Peron remains an important symbol of emancipation, especially for women in Latin America. She was one of the first women to create a lasting political/humanitarian legacy. Christina Fernandez, the first female elected President of Argentina, claims that women of her generation owe a debt to Eva for “her example of passion and combativeness”.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Eva Peron”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 1st Jan 2008. Updated 22 September 2019Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron at AmazonRelated pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.Eva Peron QuotesIconic womenEva Peron dies at BBC
34 Fidel CastroFidel Castro (August 13, 1926 – 2016 ) Cuban revolutionary and President of Cuba. Castro led Cuba in a Communist revolution which led to a profound change in the economic and political fortunes of the country. Castro reorganised the economy on Marxist-Leninist principles. He is lauded by many for promoting education, social values, egalitarianism and standing up to ‘US imperialism’. He is also criticised by many for the suppression of dissent, lack of democracy and a worsening economy, which has led many Cubans to flee the country.Early life Fidel CastroFidel Castro was born 13 August 1925, in Birán, Oriente Province. He was the son of a wealthy farmer and his mistress. After a rebellious, though non-political childhood, in 1945, he went to study law at the University of Havana. He became interested in politics and was critical of the then Cuban government – a military junta led by Fulgencio Baptista. At university Castro joined the egalitarian, left-leaning – Party of the Cuban People, which opposed the ruling government and was committed to democracy and open government. After university, he travelled throughout Latin-America, participating in rebellions in the Dominican Republic and Colombia. His travels and political experiences pushed him further towards Socialist ideas though before gaining power, he spoke about achieving his aims through democratic methods.Insurrection of 1953In 1953, he led an attempt to overthrow Fulgencio Batista’s right-wing military junta. But, the attack on Moncada Barracks spectacularly failed, and Castro was jailed for a year for his participation. His trial proved a semi-propaganda coup for Castro as he gave a four-hour speech ‘History will absolve me’ – where he spoke against the injustice of Batista’s regime.“I warn you, I am just beginning! If there is in your hearts a vestige of love for your country, love for humanity, love for justice, listen carefully. I know that I will be silenced for many years; I know that the regime will try to suppress the truth by all possible means; I know that there will be a conspiracy to bury me in oblivion. But my voice will not be stifled – it will rise from my breast even when I feel most alone, and my heart will give it all the fire that callous cowards deny it” (Excerpt from speech 1952)He also gave five revolutionary principles which were:The reinstatement of the 1940 Cuban constitution.A reformation of land rights.The right of industrial workers to a 30% share of company profits.The right of sugar workers to receive 55% of company profits.The confiscation of holdings of those found guilty of fraud under previous administrative powers.While in prison he founded the “26th of July Movement” (MR-26-7) which became a study group for Marxist ideals, with Castro as its leader.On his release, he travelled to Mexico where he joined with Che Guevara and his brother Raul Castro to form a revolutionary movement, committed to the ideals of Marxism-Leninism. The aim of the group was to overthrow the ‘Capitalist-Imperialist’ regimes and replace them with a Communist government which would promote the welfare of the ordinary workers and peasants.In Cuba, resentment at Batista’s dictatorship grew, and in 1959, Castro was a leading figure in the Cuban revolution which successfully overthrew Batista and led to Castro emerging as the dominant military and political leader. On 16 February 1959, he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba. On consolidation of power, Castro introduced sweeping economic reforms – a planned Communist state, which would guarantee health care, a sweeping growth of education and social services for all. Foreign investors were prohibited from further foreign land ownership. Land ownership was limited, and around 200,000 peasants were given land ownership. However, he soon reneged on his promises of democracy – stating elections were not necessary because he had obvious popular support. In Castro’s eye, he was a democrat because he felt he had the majority of people on his side, but opposition parties were made illegal and political opponents arrested.Fidel Castro in Washington, US 1959 – where he met Richard NixonIn 1959, when Castro went to the US, he was relatively popular and gained much favourable coverage. But, his relationship with the US soon soured as US companies found themselves unable to operate in Cuba.Facing economic sanctions from the US and a collapsing economy, Castro aligned himself with the Soviet Union – who agreed to buy Cuba’s sugar production. Castro received economic help from the Soviet Union and in turn became an enthusiastic supporter of Communism.“I am a Marxist-Leninist, and I will be a Marxist-Leninist until the last days of my life.”– Fidel Castro (2 December 1961)To the Soviet Union, Cuba was a strategically important location close to the US.Castrol also later adapted Marx’s saying to say“We have a theoretical concept of the Revolution which is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters.”As quoted in With Fidel: A Portrait of Castro and Cuba (1976)Fidel Castro (left) – Che Guevara (right)Cold War tensionsAt the height of the cold war, the US was deeply alarmed by having a near neighbour become a Soviet-allied Communist state. The US responded by imposing economic sanctions and sponsoring attempts to assassinate Castro and overthrow Castro’s regime. This culminated in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, which was promoted by the CIA and Cuban rebels. The invasion was a military disaster and embarrassment to the US and only served to strengthen Castro’s position. In the eyes of many Cubans, Castro became a heroic figure for standing up to American aggression.In 1962, Castro agreed to the Soviet Union placing nuclear warheads on Cuban soil. This provoked a diplomatic showdown as the US were concerned about having nuclear warheads moved so close to its territory. After tense negotiations involving UN Secretary-General U Thant, the crisis was defused and nuclear warheads were not kept in Cuba. But, the experience strengthened the US determination to weaken or overthrow Castro. This political apathy to Castro was heightened by up to a million refugees who fled Cuba and Castro’s regime to live in the US. Refugees from Cuba were mainly middle-class professionals, such as doctors and engineers who were most likely to oppose Castro’s regime.Internal DissentIn addition to promoting a State controlled economy, Castro also instigated a control of the press and suppressed internal dissent, allowing no political opposition, and imprisonment of ‘counter-revolutionaries’ who wanted to oppose Castro’s rule.In the late 1960s, Castro became somewhat estranged from the Soviet Union, and he became the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement. Though dependent on Soviet economic aid, he also remained tied to the Soviet Union through the Warsaw Pact.Castro was a great believer in spreading revolution throughout the world. He sent Cuban troops to African countries, such as Anglo and Libya. He also gained the support of many Arab countries for breaking off relations with Israel, in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict.During the 1980s, Castro faced increased difficulties. The US president Reagan took a hard-line to Cuba, and this led to a heightening of rhetoric between the two countries. In the Soviet Union, the reforming President Gorbachev announced Perestroika and Glasnost – which involved economic liberalisation and political liberalisation. This meant a decline in support for Cuba. But, Castro did not follow Gorbachev’s lead and increasingly clamped down on dissent. The worsening economic situation throughout the 1980s ebbed away Castro’s populism which he had enjoyed since the revolution.Fall of Soviet CommunismIn 1991, the Soviet Union fell apart, and one party Communist rule ended in the Soviet Union. This led to Soviet aid ceasing, leading to a worsening of the economic situation in Cuba as the economy was struggling due to US sanctions and only limited tourism.By 1992, the Cuban economy had declined by 40% and severe rationing was in place. In response, Castro became more moderate in dealing with ‘Capitalist’ nations and sought to diversify the economy into tourism and biotechnology – trying to reduce the economies reliance on sugar.Castro sought to gain new alliances with left-leaning Latin American countries, such as Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela and Bolivia. The alliance with Venezuela proved of mutual benefit as Cuba gained oil imports in return for medical services. Castro also allowed a softening of attitudes to religion and the Catholic Church – he arranged a visit by Pope John Paul II which led to improved relationships between the government and the Catholic Church. But, still many thousands of people wished to emigrate to the US.In the 1990s, Castro embraced environmentalism and sought to improve Cuba’s environmental impact – something which was successful. However, despite some attempts at moderation, Castro has continued his criticism of US-led hegemony, accusing the US of being the worst polluter and also a strong proponent of the anti-globalisation movement.In 2008, worsening health problems caused Castro to hand over the Presidency to his brother Raul.Castro has declared himself an atheist and has criticised the use of the Bible for anti-egalitarian ideas. However, he has said that Christianity has many egalitarian ideas. “If people call me Christian, not from the standpoint of religion but from the standpoint of social vision, I declare that I am a Christian.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Fidel Castro is a popular political figure in many developing economies – Africa and Latin America for his belief in egalitarianism and anti-imperialism. However, he is severely criticised in many Western countries, especially the US for his rejection of democracy and suppression of internal dissent. Within Cuba, he remains popular with a large section of the population for his nationalism and egalitarianism. However, at the same time, many middle-class Cubans have left in frustration at the economic and political limitations.Since his retirement and ill-health, Castro was not involved in government, but he was still one of the dominant personalities of Cuba. In 2015, Barack Obama said the US would begin normalising relations with Cuba, leading to the possibility that the decades of sanctions could be lifted.Fidel Castro’s death was announced on November 25th, 2016. The cause of death was not mentioned.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Fidel Castro”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 12th December 2016.Fidel Castro – Autobiography Fidel Castro – Autobiography at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Revolutionaries – People who inspired or began revolutions. Including Spartacus, Joan of Arc, George Washington, Karl Marx.Famous socialists – From Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism, to leading Communists, such as Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Also democratic socialists of US and UK.
35 Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910) Volunteered to nurse soldiers during the Crimean War. Nightingale’s analysis of mortality rates helped to improve hospital practices. She also helped improve the standard and prestige of the nursing profession. She is considered to be the founder of modern nursing.Short bio of Florence NightingaleBorn in 1820 to a wealthy family, Florence was educated at home by her father. She aspired to serve others, in particular, she wanted to become a nurse. Her parents were opposed to her aspirations – at that time, nursing was not seen as an attractive or ‘respectable’ profession. Despite her parents’ disapproval, Florence went ahead and trained to be a nurse. Florence later wrote that she felt suffocated by the vanities and social expectations of her upbringing. On one occasion, sitting in her parent’s garden, she felt a call from God to serve others. She resolved to try and follow God’s will in being of service to others.Florence had the opportunity to marry, but she refused a couple of suitors. She felt marriage would enslave her in domestic responsibilities.In 1853, the Crimea war broke out. This was a bloody conflict leading to many casualties on both sides. Reports of the British casualties were reported in the press; in particular, it was noted that the wounded lacked even the most basic of first aid treatment. Many soldiers were dying unnecessarily. This was a shock to the British public, as it was one of the first wars to be reported vividly in the press back home.Later in 1855, Florence Nightingale was asked (with the help of her old friend Sydney Herbert) to travel to the Crimea and organise a group of nurses. Many of the initial applicants were unsuitable, and Florence was strict in selecting and training the other nurses. Nightingale was helped in using nurses trained by Elizabeth Fry’s school of nurses. Nightingale was an admirer of Fry, who amongst other things campaigned for better prison conditions.Florence was very glad to be able to take up the post and put in to use her training as a nurse. They were based at the staff hospital at Scutari. She was overwhelmed by the primitive and chaotic conditions. There were insufficient beds for the men and conditions were terrible; the place smelt, was dirty, and even had rats running around spreading disease. Speaking of Scutari Hospital, Florence Nightingale said:“The British high command had succeeded in creating the nearest thing to hell on earth.”In the beginning, the nurses were not even allowed to treat the dying men; they were only instructed to clean the hospital. But, eventually, the number of casualties became so overwhelming the doctors asked Florence and her team of nurses to help.A contemporary of Florence Nightingale was Jamaican nurse, Mary Seacole, who worked on her own initiative from a base in Balaclava near the front line.Florence’s attitude included strict discipline for her other nurses, who always wore a highly visible uniform. The efforts of Florence and her team of nurses were greatly appreciated by the wounded soldiers and gradually positive news reports filtered back home. During her time in the Crimea, she developed a persona as being “The Lady with the Lamp.”By the time she returned home, she had become a national heroine and was decorated with numerous awards including one from Queen Victoria.Florence Nightingale at St Thomas HospitalAfter the war, she didn’t appreciate the fame but continued to work for the improvement of hospital conditions, writing to influential people encouraging them to improve hygiene standards in hospitals. It was after her return from the Crimea that some of her most influential work occurred.With the help of donations to the Nightingale Fund, she was able to found a training school for nurses at St Thomas’s Hospital, London. In (1859) she wrote Notes on Nursing. This became a standard reference book for those entering the nursing profession and also the general public who wished to learn basic techniques. Her writings and example were highly influential in the direction of nursing in the Nineteenth Century. She inspired nursing in the American Civil War, and in 1870 trained Linda Richards, who returned to the US where she developed the nursing profession in America.Nightingale was a pioneer in using statistical methods to quantify the effect of different practices. She also had an ability to present dense statistical data in an easy to read format. She made extensive use of pie charts and circular histograms to clarify the essential points.Ironically, she found that some of her own methods of treating soldiers decreased recovery rates. But, this scientific approach to dealing with hospital treatment helped to improve standards and the quality of care.As well as nursing, Nightingale was concerned with other areas of social reform. This included better health care in Workhouses and schools and reform to the prostitution laws which often victimised female prostitutes. Nightingale was also concerned about the famine in India and made detailed investigations into the standard of sanitation and hygiene in India. Nightingale took a practical approach, endeavouring to improve aspects of life“I never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.”Nightingale also wrote about the role of women in society – she called for women to be less passive and take a greater role in society.“Why have women passion, intellect, moral activity — these three — and a place in society where no one of the three can be exercised?”– Cassandra (1860)Nightingale herself was a leading pioneer in taking an active lead in the political life of the country at a time when female activism was rare. At the same time, Nightingale didn’t always agree with women’s rights activists and could be dismissive of other women:“I have never found one woman who has altered her life by one iota for me or my opinions.”Religious viewsFlorence Nightingale took an active interest in religious and spiritual issues. She was a member of the Church of England but took a broad ecumenical approach – believing there was truth in different Christian denominations and also Eastern religions. She also wrote on mysticism and the religious practice of seeking divinity from within.“Where shall I find God? In myself. That is the true Mystical Doctrine. But then I myself must be in a state for Him to come and dwell in me. This is the whole aim of the Mystical Life; and all Mystical Rules in all times and countries have been laid down for putting the soul into such a state.”Florence Nightingale – Notes from Devotional Authors of the Middle Ages (1873-1874)Florence Nightingale died at the age of 90 in 1910.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Florence Nightingale”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 25th Nov 2010. Last Updated 8th March 2019. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Florence Nightingale – Avenging Angel at AmazonFlorence Nightingale – Letters from Crimea at AmazonRelated pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Famous Nurses – Other famous nurses including Dorothy Dix, Florence Nightingale, Walt Whitman and Edith Cavell.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world, including Sappho, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great. Florence Nightingale Links Florence Nightingale QuotesFlorence Nightingale at BBCFlorence Nightingale Museum
36 Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was the thirty-second President of the United States. He served through the Great Depression and the Second World War.“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”\u0097 Franklin D. Roosevelt, (First Inaugural Address)FDR was elected during the height of the Great Depression in 1932 and remained President until his death in 1945. During his presidency, he oversaw an expansion of the Federal Government and helped America lose its isolationist stance as it took a leading role in the defeat of the axis powers – Japan and Germany during World War Two. As the war came to a conclusion, he helped to lay the foundations for the United Nations. Roosevelt was a very influential figure in both American and world politics.Early life FDRRoosevelt was born on 30 January 1882, in Hyde Park, New York, to a wealthy family. He was brought up with a privileged background but was influenced by his headmaster at Groton School in Massachusetts, who inculcated the importance of Christian duty in helping less fortunate people. After school, he went to Harvard where he studied economics. He was an unremarkable student but became editor of the Harvard Crimson which suited his capacity to manage other people.In 1905, Franklin married a distant cousin Eleanor. They had six children in quick succession, two of them who went on to be elected to the House of Representatives. FDR has several affairs outside of his marriage including Lucy Mercer, his social secretary. His wife Eleanor offered a divorce at one point, but for a variety of reasons, it was not taken up. She later became a dedicated wife/nurse during Franklin’s slow disability brought on by polio.Franklin D. Roosevelt as PresidentIn 1929, FDR was elected governor of New York and this proved a springboard to launch his bid for Democrat nomination for 1932. With America facing an unprecedented economic crisis with unemployment reaching 25%, Roosevelt was able to win a landslide – offering hope to those made destitute by the Great Depression.To some extent, FDR pursued an expansionary fiscal policy as advocated by John M Keynes. The government borrowed, levied a national income tax and spent money on public works (known as the New Deal). This period also marked a shift in power from local governments who could not cope to the national government. Roosevelt also helped introduce legislation protecting worker’s rights. The New Deal did not solve the economic crisis, but it did mitigate some of the worst effects, creating employment and eventually kick-starting the economy. By the end of the 1930s, some sectors of the economy such as construction were booming. The recovery was enough to help Roosevelt win re-election in 1936. In 1940 with Nazi Germany sweeping through Europe, Roosevelt decided to break with convention and become the first president to run for a third term. He won the 1940 election in another landslide.F.D.R and Foreign PolicyFDR was keen for America to become a good citizen of the world and fight for certain freedoms. However, in the early 1940s, America still retained a very strong isolationist approach and, in 1940, he campaigned for re-election promising to stay out of World War Two – despite his own dislike of Nazi Germany. However, in 1941 as Britain’s situation deteriorated, FDR did skillfully negotiate a generous lend-lease programme which helped Great Britain financially, when it stood alone against Hitler. Roosevelt used the analogy of lending a neighbour a hosepipe when their houses were burning down. His skill helped pass the bill through a reluctant Congress.The bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941, completely changed the outlook of America. F.D.R wasted no time in declaring war on Japan and then Germany as well.“In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice…, the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man.”\u0097 Franklin D. RooseveltOnce America had entered the war, they entered whole-heartedly into both arenas – the Pacific and Europe. In the D-Day landings of 1941, America supplied roughly 2/3 of the troops. Roosevelt was an astute Commander in Chief. In particular, he was able to identify generals with genuine talent and promoted them to key roles. As Roosevelt said himself:“I’m not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.”In particular, FDR promoted Dwight Eisenhower and George Marshall – both to play key roles during the Second World War.Roosevelt’s Fireside ChatsRoosevelt’s real political skill lay in his powers of communication and identification with ordinary people. His radio fireside chats were instrumental in building confidence with the American people, both during the Great Depression and during the Second World War.“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” – 1933Roosevelt and ChurchillRoosevelt had a close relationship with Winston Churchill. There was a strong mutual admiration. At one point Roosevelt said ‘It is fun being in the same decade as you.’Together with Churchill and Stalin, the Big Three helped lay the foundations for the post-war period, which included the setting up of the United Nations – a successor to the League of Nations.Roosevelt died unexpectedly from a massive brain haemorrhage in April 1945, just before the first meeting of the United Nations. His death stunned the world and he was remembered as a champion of freedom and a man of humanity and optimism.Legacy of RooseveltMany scholars rate Roosevelt as the greatest US President of all time (or at least in the top 3). He navigated the US through one of the most difficult challenges in world history. Strengthening US democracy at a time when many countries embraced fascism. He also laid the foundation of Federal support for the unemployed and the beginnings of a social safety net, which helped keep the country together during a time of economic catastrophe. Roosevelt also was also highly instrumental in leading the US war effort against Japan and Germany. He was a skilled diplomat and successfully worked with Churchill and Stalin in one of the most important alliances in military history. When Roosevelt took office in 1932, the US was in a deep depression and isolated on the world stage. When he died in 1945, the US had emerged as the world’s dominant economic and political superpower. , and as the US emerged as the domininant military force, he was the most powerful voice of the Allies. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Franklin D. Roosevelt Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11 Feb 2013. Updated 30 March 2020.FDR FDR at Amazon Related pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous leaders – A list of famous leaders who led their country. Including Lenin, Churchill, Napoleon, and F.D Roosevelt.Related BiographiesTheodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) President (1901-09) Roosevelt was a leading political figure of the Progressive Era – fighting corruption and the power of monopoly trusts. As President, he challenged corruption and monopoly power. He also created the first American Natural Parks and pursued a more activist US foreign policy, building up the navyAbraham Lincoln (1809-1865) 16th President of the US from 1861-1865. He led the Union forces during the American civil war. Lincoln led the north to victory preserving the Union and passing a bill to abolish legal slavery.
37 George Orwell, (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) has proved to be one of the twentieth century’s most influential and thought-provoking writers. His relatively small numbers of books have created intense literary and political criticism. Orwell was a socialist, but at the same time, he did not fit into any neat ideology. He is best known for his novels “1984” and “Animal Farm” – which both warn about the dangers of a totalitarian state. Completed just after the Second World War, they touched a chord because of contemporary fears over the growing influence of state control. He was foremost a political writer, but for Orwell, his object was not to promote a certain point of view but to arrive at the truth; exposing the hypocrisy and injustice prevalent in society.Orwell’s Early lifeOrwell was born Eric Blair on 25 June 1903, in Motihari, Bihar, in India. Shortly after his birth, he was taken by his mother back to Oxfordshire, England. His family were financially poor, but an aspiring middle-class family. Orwell described it as ‘lower-upper-middle-class’ – a reflection of the importance he felt the English attached to class labels.With his family unable to afford fees to a proper public school, he was educated at St Cyprian’s in Eastbourne, which served as a preliminary crammer to gaining a scholarship for public schools like Eton. In a later essay “Such, Such were the Joys” he was scathing of his time at St Cyprian’s noting how difficult it was to be happy in such a mean-spirited environment. Aged 14, he was able to move to Eton, where he had better memories because of the greater intellectual stimulation. However, the awareness of being much poorer than many of his school friends remained. He left Eton with firmly held “middle class” values but at the same time a sense of unease with his social position.After school, he was unable to afford university, and for want of a better option, Orwell took a job with the Burmese civil service. It was here in Burma, that Orwell would begin to assert his independence from his privileged upbringing. Revealingly, Orwell later told how he found himself rooting for the local population, and despising the imperial ideology which he represented. He resigned from his position in 1927. In an essay Shooting the Elephant he describes he feelings on Burma:“Theoretically and secretly of course, I was always for the Burmese and all against the oppressors, the British. As for the job I was doing I hated it more bitterly than I can perhaps make clear” (1)It was in the nature of George Orwell to try and see a situation from other people’s point of view. He was unhappy at accepting the conventional social wisdom. In fact, he grew to despise his middle-class upbringing so much he decided to spend time as a tramp. He wanted to experience life from the view of the gutter. His vivid experiences are recorded in his book “Down and out in Paris and London”. No longer could Orwell be described as a “Champagne Socialist”; by living with the poorest and underprivileged, he gained a unique insight into the practical workings of working class ideas and working-class politics.The Road to Wigan PierIn the middle of the great depression, Orwell undertook another experience travelling to Wigan; an industrial town in Lancashire experiencing the full effects of mass unemployment and poverty. Orwell freely admitted how, as a young child, he was brought up to despise the working class. He vividly tells how he was obsessed with the idea that the working classes smelt:“At a distance.. I could agonise over their sufferings, but I still hated them and despised them when I came anywhere near them.” (2)The Road to Wigan Pier offered a penetrating insight into the condition of the working classes. It was also a right of passage for Orwell to live amongst the people he had once, from a distance, despised. The Road to Wigan Pier inevitably had a political message, but characteristically of Orwell, it was not all pleasing to the left. For example, it was less than flattering towards the Communist party. This was despite the book being promoted by a mostly Communist organisation – The Left Book club.Orwell and the Spanish Civil WarIt was fighting in the Spanish Civil war that Orwell came to really despise Communist influences. In 1936, Orwell volunteered to fight for the fledgeling Spanish Republic, who at the time were fighting the Fascist forces of General Franco. It was a conflict that polarised nations. To the left, the war was a symbol of a real socialist revolution, based on the principles of equality and freedom. It was for these ideals that many international volunteers, from around the world, went to Spain to fight on behalf of the Republic. Orwell found himself in the heart of the Socialist revolution in Barcelona. He was assigned to an Anarchist – Trotskyist party – P.O.U.M. More than most other left-wing parties, they believed in the ideal of a real Marxist revolution. To members of the P.O.U.M, the war was not just about fighting the Fascist menace but also delivering a Socialist revolution for the working classes. In his book, “Homage to Catalonia” Orwell writes of his experiences; he notes the inefficiency with which the Spanish fought even wars. He was enthused by the revolutionary fervour of some of his party members; however, one of the overriding impressions was his perceived betrayal of the Republic, by the Stalinist backed Communist party.“the Communists stood not upon the extreme Left, but upon the extreme right. In reality this should come as no surprise, because the tactics of the Communist parties elsewhere” (3)Unwittingly he found himself engaged in a civil war amongst the left, as the Soviet Union backed Communist party turned on the Trotskyite factions like P.O.U.M. In the end, Orwell narrowly escaped with his life, after being shot in the throat. He was able to return to England, but he had learnt at first hand how revolutions could easily be betrayed; ideas that would later shape his seminal work “Animal Farm.”Orwell at the BBCDuring the Second World War, Orwell was declared unfit for active duty. He actively supported the war effort from the start. (He didn’t wait for the Soviet Union to enter like some communists.) He also began writing for the left-leaning magazine ‘The Tribune’ which was associated with the left of the Labour Party. Orwell was appointed editor and was enthusiastic in supporting the radical Labour government of 1945, which implemented a national health service, welfare state and nationalisation of major industries. However, Orwell was not just focused on politics, he took an active interest in working class life and English culture. His short essays investigated aspects of English life from fish and chips to the eleven rules of making a good cup of tea.Orwell described himself as a secular humanist and could be critical of organised religion in his writings. However, he had a fondness for the social and cultural aspect of the Church of England and attended services intermittently.Barnhill. JuraHe married Eileen O’Shaughnessy in 1936 and in 1944, they adopted a three-week old child – Richard Horatio. Orwell was devastated when Eileen died and sought to remarry – seeking a mother for his young son. He asked several women for their hand in marriage, with Sonia Branwell accepting in 1949 – despite Orwell’s increasingly poor health. Orwell was a heavy smoker and this affected his lungs causing bronchial problems. In the last years of his life, he moved to a remote farm on the Scottish island of Jura to concentrate on his writings. Orwell passed away on 21 January 1950. His friend David Astor helped him to be buried at Sutton Courtenay churchyard, Oxfordshire.The two great novels of Orwell were “Animal Farm” and “1984”. Animal Farm is a simple allegory for revolutions which go wrong, based primarily on the Russian revolution. 1984 is a dystopian nightmare about the dangers of a totalitarian state which gains complete control over its citizens. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of George Orwell”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net 3 Feb. 2013. Last updated 4 Feb 2018.ArticlesThe Socialism of George OrwellGeorge Orwell Quotes References George Orwell, “Shooting an elephant”, George Orwell selected writings (1958) p.25George Orwell, “Road to Wigan Pier” (Harmondswith) 1980 p.130George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia 1959 p.58George Orwell – a collection of essaysGeorge Orwell – a collection of essays at Amazon.comAnimal Farm and 1984Animal Farm and 1984 by George Orwell at AmazonRelated pagesFamous English people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.Writers and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.Famous socialists – From Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism, to leading Communists, such as Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Also democratic socialists of US and UK. George Orwell ResourcesGeorge Orwell biographyGeorge Orwell at BBC historyAchievements of George Orwell
38 Grace Kelly was an Oscar-winning American actress who was a major Hollywood star in the 1950s. In 1956, after starring in eleven films, she retired from acting to marry Prince Rainer of Monaco. As Princess consort of Monaco, she fulfilled duties of her Royal position and set up a Foundation to promote the arts and help disadvantaged children. She died on 14 September 1982, aged 52 from a car crash.Early Life Grace KellyGrace Kelly was born in Philadelphia, US, 12 November 1929. Her father, Jack Kelly was a self-made millionaire, and also three times Olympic gold medallist in sculling. Her father Jack made a fortune from ownership of a successful east coast construction company.Grace had two sisters Margaret (Peggy), Elizabeth and a brother John. John followed in the athletic footsteps of his father competing in the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics. He won a bronze medal in rowing 1956. Despite the sporting prowess of her family, Grace was never really interested in sport being more interested in acting and modelling. Although she did not fit seamlessly into her family, she later expressed gratitude to her parents for their open-mindedness and inspiration to aim for perfection.“My parents, despite their serious attitude toward life in general, and that of their children in particular, were very broadminded people. There was no such thing as a bad profession for them. As I was their daughter, they knew that, whatever profession I chose, I would do it well. That was enough for them.“Grace attended Ravenhill Academy, a Catholic girl’s school, and later Stevens School in the North West of Philadelphia. They were both socially elite private schools. Grace was not academically gifted and failed to gain admission to Bennington College in 1947 due to failings in Maths. One teacher at Stevens academy noted:“She really wasn’t interested in scholastic achievement – she gave priority to drama and boys.”However, after this rejection, she was motivated to try and pursue a career in acting.Her father was initially disappointed, believing acting to be a poor second choice for his daughter. Though ironically, Jack Kelly had two brothers – Walter and George Kelly (Grace’s uncles) who made an impact in cinema and drama. George Kelly won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his comedy-drama The Show Off (1924-25), however, he became estranged from his family due to his homosexuality.In 1947, Kelly gained admission to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York (helped through the influence of her uncle George).In October 1947, she began her acting studies, diligently practising in her room at night; she would frequently use a tape recorder to practise her voice. She stayed at a local women’s hostel in Manhattan, and gaining little financial support from her parents, supplemented her income through taking on modelling jobs with the John Robert Powers modelling agency. She had begun part-time modelling since she was 12, and was frequently in demand for her photogenic good looks, poise and blonde hair. She was reported to be one of the highest paid models in New York at the time.Acting CareerShe made her Broadway debut aged 19, in The Father, by Strindberg. Her stage productions attracted the attention of TV producers, who were beginning to branch out in the post-war golden era of TV drama. Delbert Mann chose Kelly to play Bethel Merriday, a drama adaption of a Sinclair Lewis novel. Kelly exposure on TV and the stage led to offers of roles in films. Her first film role was a minor part in Fourteen Hours (1951). The film gained Kelly little critical interest, however, the famous actor Gary Cooper was taken with the young and charming actress, stating that he felt she had something special that other actresses didn’t. With Cooper’s recommendation, she gained her first big role co-starring in High Noon (1952), with Gary Cooper himself.In 1952, she was given a seven-year contract with Director John Ford. Her first film under Ford was Mogambo (1953), shot under location in Kenya. This won Kelly a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and her first Academy nomination. She starred opposite Clark Cable and the success of the film helped cement her growing reputation.In 1954, she starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Dial M for Murder. Hitchcock and Kelly became close and developed a mutual admiration. Kelly said of Hitchcock:“Mr. Hitchcock taught me everything about cinema. It was thanks to him that I understood that murder scenes should be shot like love scenes and love scenes like murder scenes.”Hitchcock revealed that he saw in Kelly a person of intriguing character, once describing her as:“Grace Kelly’s apparent frigidity was like a mountain covered with snow, but that mountain was a volcano.” Michael Johns (2004) Moment of Grace: The American City in the 1950s. p.24Encouraged by Hitchcock’s enthusiasm for the project, she accepted a role in his film Rear Window (1954) with James Stewart.Her role as a rich socialite (Lisa Fremont), slowly warming to L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies (James Stewart) is considered one of her finest roles. The film was a commercial and critical success, becoming one of the highest ranked films of all times.Another landmark film in her career was The Country Girl (1954), where she played the role of a Bing Crosby’s wife. Her performance led to her receiving the Academy Award for Best Actress, narrowly beating Judy Garland.Her prolific run of successful films continued with her last Hitchcock film – To Catch a Thief (1955), starring with Cary Grant, who later paid tribute to the enjoyment of working with Kelly.Marriage to Prince Rainer IIIIn 1955, she met the Prince of Monaco – Prince Rainer III whilst visiting the principality as part of the Cannes Film Festival. Later in December 1955, Prince Rainer visited America and again met with Grace Kelly. After meeting her family and spending just three days with Grace Kelly, he proposed marriage – which Kelly accepted.The marriage would effectively end Grace Kelly’s film career because marrying into European Royalty, she would undertake many new Royal duties, which precluded being a film star. Kelly had mixed emotions about retiring as an actor. Part of her disliked the Hollywood treadmill, (she had turned down some lucrative film options). She was also critical of many aspects of Hollywood, stating:“Other women looked on me as a rival. And it pained me a great deal.” and “I hated Hollywood. It’s a town without pity. Only success counts. I know of no other place in the world where so many people suffer from nervous breakdowns, where there are so many alcoholics, neurotics and so much unhappiness.”But, she also had put a lot of time and effort into training to be an actress. Hitchcock, who eyed Kelly as starring in his future films was particularly disappointed as he loved working with Kelly.Princess Grace of MonacoThe wedding took place on April 19, 1956, and was dubbed the “Wedding of the Century” generating intense media interest and speculation. Kelly’s family had to provide $2 million as a dowry to marry Prince Rainer.The marriage gave Kelly 142 titles (counterparts of her husbands). Titles which were read out in the ceremony. The title most used was Princess Grace of Monaco; she also received the title “‘Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco”.The wedding ceremony was attended by many of greatest celebrities of the day and was watched by record viewing figures on TV. 20,000 people lined the streets of Monaco to see the couple.Her final film ‘High Society’ (1956) was released that year – filmed during her engagement.The couple had three children – Caroline, Princess of Hanover; Albert, (current ruler of the Principality of Monaco) and Princess Stephanie.Prince Albert and Grace Kelly 1972After her marriage, she founded AMADE Mondiale, a Monaco based non-governmental organisation. UNESCO describes AMADE as promoting the spiritual well-being of children throughout the world. She also was active in promoting the arts institutions of Monaco and founded the Princess Grace Foundation to support local artists. Grace Kelly played an important role in revitalising Monaco as a centre for culture and the arts. Although moving to Monaco was a big upheaval after her life in Hollywood, Kelly grew into her new role.“Before my marriage, I didn’t think about all the obligations that were awaiting me. My experience has proved useful and I think that I have a natural propensity to feel compassion for people and their problems.”The Princess Grace foundation also aimed to help those with special needs but who were neglected by ordinary social services.Despite her new Royal duties, film directors tried to tempt Kelly out of retirement. In 1962, Hitchcock tried to get Kelly to play the lead role in his film Marnie. It appears Kelly was keen to resume her acting role but was discouraged by public opinion in Monaco and her husband. She never returned to the screen.On 13 September 1982, Grace Kelly was involved in a serious road accident, after having a stroke whilst driving. Losing control of the car, she crashed down a mountainside. She never recovered consciousness and died the following day. Her daughter Stephanie, who was in the car, was injured but survived.She was buried in the Grimaldi family vault on 18 September 1982. 400 international guests attended the funeral, which included representatives from foreign governments and the Hollywood community. At her funeral, James Stewart read a eulogy.“You know, I just love Grace Kelly. Not because she was a princess, not because she was an actress, not because she was my friend, but because she was just about the nicest lady I ever met. Grace brought into my life as she brought into yours, a soft, warm light every time I saw her, and every time I saw her was a holiday of its own. No question, I’ll miss her, we’ll all miss her, God bless you, Princess Grace.”In 2014, a new film about Kelly entitled ‘Grace of Monaco’ was released at the Cannes film festival in 2014. Directed by Olivier Dahan it is a controversial biopic of her time as Princess of Monaco.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Grace Kelly”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 15 August 2014. Last updated 1 February 2018.Grace Kelly: The Secret Life of a Princess Grace Kelly at AmazonGrace Kelly Grace Kelly at AmazonRelated PagesActors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel. Royalty – Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Tsar Nicholas II, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great.People of the Twentieth Century (1901 to 2000) Famous people of the turbulent century. Includes Winston Churchill, F.D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler and Stalin.
39 By: Anders Hellberg CC-BY-SA-4.0Greta Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist. She rose to prominence in 2018, when aged 15. she protested climate change outside the Swedish Parliament. Her school strike quickly spread worldwide making her a prominent spokesperson for environmental causes and global warming in particular. Thunberg has travelled across the world (avoiding aeroplanes) to speak to leading political figures. She states she is not affiliated to any political movement, but argues we need to take urgent action to reverse an imminent environmental disaster.“Our house is on fire, I am here to say our house is on fire. According to the IPCC we are less than 12 years away from not being able to undo our mistakes.” (16 April 2019)Early life and activismGreat Thunberg was born on 3 January 2003. Her mother is a Swedish opera singer and her father an actor. Thunberg became aware of the threat of global warming from the age of eight, and couldn’t understand why so little was being done about it.From a feeling of helplessness Thunberg became depressed and often stopped talking – a condition known as ‘selective mutism’. She was also diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Children with Asperger’s lack social communication and can end up with repetitive patterns of speech and behaviour. It is often considered a mild form of autism and overlaps with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Thunberg says she doesn’t enjoy chit chat and for many years at school was very quiet and shy. But, her personality has been, in many ways a blessing for her role as social activist speaking unpalatable truths.Thunberg says that she sees things in black and white – and in particular the clarity of real danger facing the planet. She said that the only thing that helped her to overcome her inner turmoil and depression was to protest and speak about climate change and environmental issues. Thunberg has said that she can’t let things go like other people, but she feels the inner drive to keep speaking about climate change, no matter how awkward or difficult it proves to be. Initially, the target of her activism was her parents. Her father remembered how she was very persistent with innumerable arguments, data and graphs. He remembers it got to a point where he said: “Over the years, I ran out of arguments,” Her parents also were happy to see that her activism was a way out of her depression. Greta remembers that having the power to persuade her parents gave her confidence she could do something with her life.“That’s when I kind of realised I could make a difference. And how I got out of that depression was that I thought: it is just a waste of time feeling this way because I can do so much good with my life. I am trying to do that still now.”In May 2018, when she was 15, she won an essay writing competition on the environment held by a Swedish newspaper. This led to her attending meetings with an environmental group Fossil Free Dalsland, who were committed to taking action against climate change. Thunberg decided her contribution could be to lead a school strike to raise awareness. She later said that she got the idea for a school strike from the example of US students who refused to return to school after another fatal shooting at Parkland, Florida earlier in the year.By: Anders Hellberg CC-BY-SA-4.0Initially, none of her school friends wished to join her, so she decided to go ahead with the strike on her own on the 20 August. That summer, Sweden had experienced heatwaves and wildfires so the issue was fairly prominent, but had been largely ignored by the main political parties in the national election. Thunberg stated she would not return to school until after the Swedish General Election on 9 September. She demanded the Swedish government commit to reducing carbon emission to the levels agreed by the Paris Agreement of 2016. Initially, she cut a lone figure on the cobblestones with a hand-painted banner. Her parents tried to dissuade her and passersby expressed bemusement.After the elections, she went on strike every Friday travelling to the Swedish Parliament to protest a lack of action against climate change. Despite taking one day off a week for protests, she caught up her homework on other days. According to her father, she remained in the top 5 of her class. Her schoolwork combined with activism, such as writing speeches means she often works 12-15 hour days. Her protest soon spread on social media to other school children of her age. It also received substantial media coverage. Quite quickly the school strikes spread across the world and made front page headlines.“Many people say that Sweden is just a small country and it doesn’t matter what we do. But I’ve learned that you are never too small to make a difference and if a few children can get headlines all over the world just by not going to school then imagine what we could all do together if we really wanted to. ” (25 Jan 2019)Author: Into the Woods CC SA-BY 4.0The school strikes have divided opinion across the world. Supporters have argued that given the imminent danger facing the planet, it is reasonable to take a radical stance. The UN secretary General Antonio Guterres said:“My generation has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry.”Others argue it encourages truancy and does nothing to ameliorate the situation.Personal choices and the environmentThunberg believes that it is important everyone makes choices which help to look after the environment. She is vegan because avoiding meat and dairy can make a significant contribution to reducing harmful emissions and carbon footprint. She also pressured her parents to become vegan and made them feel guilty by saying they were damaging the future prospects of her generation. She has also vowed not to take aeroplanes as they are a significant contributor to global warming. This has raised the prevalence of ”flight shame’. The idea we should be shamed into not flying but take more environmentally friendly forms of transport.By: Anders Hellberg CC-BY-SA-4.0Thunberg has spoken at high profile events across Europe. This included speaking at Davos – the World Economic Forum on 23 January 2019. She arrived by train, whereas many delegates arrived by private jet. She was characteristically blunt and to the point, arguing that many delegates had been prioritising increasing personal wealth rather than considering the welfare of the planet and future generations.“Some people, some companies, some decision makers in particular have known exactly what priceless values they have been sacrificing to continue making unimaginable amounts of money. I think many of you here today belong to that group of people.” (Davos 23 January 2019)She has also spoken a the European Parliament and Austrian World Summit.In June 2019, she announced she would travel to the United Nations climate summits at the United Nations in New York. However, she would not fly, but travel in a high-speed racing yacht, equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines which generate zero carbon emissions. She then plans to take the train with her father to another UN climate conference in Chile. She is taking a sabbatical from school to spend a year campaigning against environmental destruction.In July 2019, she made her musical debut with the English rock group The 1975. She recorded a long voice over on their track “Time to Rebel’ from their new album saying the time for civil disobedience was here. Proceeds from the track will go to the protest movement “Extinction Rebellion”“We have to acknowledge that the older generations have failed. All political movements in their present form have failed. But homo sapiens have not yet failed. Yes, we are failing, but there is still time to turn everything around.”In 2019, Thunberg has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by deputies from the Swedish parliament. Time magazine has named Thunberg as one of the 100 most influential people of the year.Criticism from opponentsHer activism has incurred the wrath of those who feel threatened by her activism. With criticism and personal attacks from political parties which engage in climate denial such as the US Republican party and the German AFd. Responding to online criticism of her appearance, and her Aspergers, she responds.“I expected when I started that if this is going to become big, then there will be a lot of hate. It’s a positive sign. I think that must be because they see us as a threat. That means that something has changed in the debate, and we are making a difference.” (Guardian)Increasingly Greta Thunberg has become a proxy in political battles. She is emblematic of a radical alternative to the current mainstream orthodoxy, as a result, she has been criticised by political commentators who disagree with the idea of activism, they see as left-wing and progressive. President Trump, in particular, has made personal attacks on Thunberg, especially after she was awarded Time Person of the Year in 2019. Trump tweeted“So ridiculous. Greta must work on her anger management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! “Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden defended Greta saying“The Greta effect”This is a term used to describe the impact on environmental activism, especially amongst young people. Her high profile has inspired many thousands of young people to take similar actions in protecting the environment. When visiting Bristol in England 2020, an estimated 25,000 people came to take part in the protest.Personal fameGreta has also had a phenomenal rise to international fame. From a lone outsider, to one of the most prominent international activists in the world, she has been asked how she deals with the fame. She replies:“Sometimes I feel like it’s not happening because it’s like two completely different worlds. Here I am just a quiet girl, and there I am very famous,”Thunberg is keen to maintain complete independence from other groups and not financially profit from her activism. She doesn’t accept payment for her speeches. When she found out a climate company “We Don’t have Time AB”, were using her name to make money, she cut herself off from the organisation. She also points out she is not a climate scientist but is merely a spokesperson for the science that is already in the public domain.Greta Thunberg meeting her ‘hero’ – Malala Yousafzai Feb 2020Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Greta Thunberg Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, published 29 July 2019. Last updated 5 March 2020.No One Is Too Small to Make a DifferenceNo One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg at Amazon Related pagesFamous Environmentalists – A list of famous environmentalists including conservationists, writers, political activists and those who have taken a lead in promoting a more caring approach to the environment.Ideas that changed the world – Scientific, political, religious and technological ideas that transformed the world. Including democracy, feminism, human rights and relativity.Young people who changed the world – A list of inspirational children and young people who have made a positive difference in the world. Including Anne Frank, Malala YousafzaiQuotes by Greta Thunberg“Or maybe you are simply not mature enough to tell it like it is. Because even that burden you leave to us children. We become the bad guys who have to tell people these uncomfortable things, because no one else wants to or dares to. And just for quoting and acting on these numbers, these scientific facts, we receive unimaginable amounts of hate and threats.” (23 July 2019)There is no middle ground when it comes to the climate and ecological emergency. Of course you could argue that we should go for a more risky pathway, such as the alternative of 580 gigatons of CO2 from january 1st 2018, which gives us a 50/50 percent chance of limiting the global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees. That amount of carbon dioxide will run out in about 12 years of current business as usual. But why should we do that, why should we accept taking that risk, leaving the future living conditions for humankind to a 50/50 flip of a coin.” (23 July 2019)“And I believe that the biggest danger is not our inaction. The real danger is when companies and politicians are making it look like real action is happening, when in fact almost nothing is being done, apart from clever accounting and creative PR.”(16 April 2019)“Adults keep saying we owe it to the young people to give them hope. But I don’t want your hope, I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic, I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act, I want you to act as if you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if the house was on fire, because it is.” (16 April 2019)“We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis. We need to keep the fossil fuels in the ground and we need to focus on equity. And if solutions within this system are so impossible to find then maybe we should change the system itself. We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again. We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time. We have come here to let you know that change is coming whether you like it or not. The real power belongs to the people!”“You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. Even that burden you leave to us children. But I don’t care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the Living Planet. Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity with a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money. Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury. It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.” (25 Jan 2019)Speaking to Jean-Claude Juncker of EU“Most politicians do not want to talk to us. Okay, we do not want to talk to them either. We want you to talk to the scientists, to listen to them, because we repeat what they have been saying for decades.”“I overthink. Some people can just let things go, but I can’t, especially if there’s something that worries me or makes me sad. I remember when I was younger, and in school, our teachers showed us films of plastic in the ocean, starving polar bears and so on. I cried through all the movies. My classmates were concerned when they watched the film, but when it stopped, they started thinking about other things. I couldn’t do that. Those pictures were stuck in my head.” (Guardian)“When I grow up, I want to be able to look back and say that I did everything I could,” she says. “I think that more people should feel like that.”“It’s quite hilarious when the only thing people can do is mock you, or talk about your appearance or personality, as it means they have no argument, or nothing else to say,” (source)Tweets by GretaThunberg
40 Haile Selassie (23 July 1892 \u0096 – 27 August 1975) was Ethiopia’s regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Haile Selassie was known to his people through many titles from ‘Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah’ to ‘Emperor of the Nation’. He was an influential figure of the Twentieth Century, symbolising a new African independence from colonialism.Early lifeSelassie was born on 23 July 1892 in Ejersa Goro, the Ethiopian Empire. His childhood name was Lij Tafari Makonnen. At his infant baptism, he was also given the name Haile Selassie – which he adopted as his official name in 1930, when he became Emperor. Haile Selassie translates as “Power of the Trinity” and he was also known as the ‘king of kings.’ His subjects also referred affectionately to him as ‘Jah, Jah Jah’, and Jah Rastafari,In 1916, he became the effective ruler of the Ethiopian Empire – though his position was relatively weak as power was diffused with Empress Zewditu, who acted as head of state and had considerable influence. Tafari sought a policy of careful modernisation. He wished Ethiopia to develop materially but retain its distinctive culture and traditions.“Knowing that material and spiritual progress are essential to man, we must ceaselessly work for the equal attainment of both.” Interview in The Voice of Ethiopia (5 April 1948)He also travelled around Europe meeting with the heads of state in Europe. This created much media interest because of his colourful and exotic gifts (including lions) and self-confidence in his nation’s independence.In 1928, Selassie was crowned king and in 1930 was given the title of “King of Kings of Ethiopia”. (Emperor). Shortly after in 1931, he introduced Ethiopia’s first written constitution and provisions for bicameral legislation – it envisaged a gradual development of democracy in the country.Italian invasion of AbyssiniaHis most testing moment came when the much better-equipped army of Mussolini’s Italy invaded in 1935. Given the overwhelming might of the Italian army, the Ethiopians put up stern resistance and held back the Italians for longer than expected. The Italians also resorted to using of chemical weapons which were forbidden by international treaty.Nevertheless, despite sterling resistance, he was deposed and eventually forced to leave the country leaving for French Somaliland on 2 May 1936.In 1936 he addressed the League of Nations criticising the use of chemical weapons in the invasion of his country. He also warned that now Ethiopia suffered from fascist expansion, but soon others would too.“Apart from the Kingdom of the Lord there is not on this earth any nation that is superior to any other. Should it happen that a strong Government finds it may with impunity destroy a weak people, then the hour strikes for that weak people to appeal to the League of Nations to give its judgment in all freedom. God and history will remember your judgment.”— Address to the League of Nations, 1936.His speech made Selaisse a figurehead for anti-fascist supporters around the world, but from the League of Nations, he was able to only gain partial sanctions against Italy and was unable to reverse their occupation.From 1936-41 he spent his time in Bath, England where he wrote about his experiences.Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Great Britain found itself fighting Italy on the African front. A British force – comprising Ethiopian-backed African and South African colonial troops were successful in defeating Italian troops in Ethiopia and Selassie was able to triumphantly return. In May 1941, he addressed his people in Addis Ababa to a rapturous reception.“Today is the day on which we defeated our enemy. Therefore, when we say let us rejoice with our hearts, let not our rejoicing be in any other way but in the spirit of Christ. Do not return evil for evil. Do not indulge in the atrocities which the enemy has been practicing in his usual way, even to the last.”After the Second World War, Haile Selassie was a supporter of the principle of collective responsibility and the United Nations. Speaking in 1963, he said in a speech to the UN.“Today, I stand before the world organization which has succeeded to the mantle discarded by its discredited predecessor. In this body is enshrined the principle of collective security which I unsuccessfully invoked at Geneva. Here, in this Assembly, reposes the best – perhaps the last – hope for the peaceful survival of mankind.” H.Selassie 4 October 1963, address to the General Assembly of the United NationsHaile SelassieHaile Selassie was the only statesmen to address both the League of Nations and United Nations. Selassie sought to remain on friendly terms with the West, whilst also supporting African independence. In 1963, he initiated the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and served as its first head; he made early references to the concept of a United States of Africa.“Leadership does not mean domination. The world is always well supplied with people who wish to rule and dominate others. The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective activity which has a truly beneficient purpose. He inspires others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great aspirations.”Speeches Delivered on Various Occasions, May 1957-December 1959Domestic policiesOn a domestic front, he tried to implement more progressive tax and land reforms but often failed to pass the measures, due to resistance from the land-owning classes and the conservative church.In the 1960s and 1970s, there was increasing domestic opposition to Selassie’s rule, and in this period political and civil liberties were curtailed. The country also suffered severe famine in 1973 and was involved in civil unrest in the region of Eritrea – which wanted autonomy. The situation was compounded by rising oil prices and inflation – lower the standard of living. Unpopularity with his government culminated in the coup of 1974, where government officials and the Selassie family were arrested, and many executed. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});DeathA year later on 27 August 1975, Selassie reportedly died from heart failure, though circumstances around his death are disputed with some Rastafari’s believing he continued to live and others believe he was assassinated by the new military junta.Amongst the Rastafari movement, Selassie is viewed as a ‘living God’. Selassie visited Jamaica in April 1966 to a rapturous reception by about 100,000 practising Rastafari. Bob Marley became a Rastafari shortly after this visit, writing a song “Iron Lion Zion” which refers to Haile Selassie.Selassie was named Time Man of the Year in 1936 and received numerous accolades throughout his life.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Haile Selassie”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 14th July 2014. Last updated 9 February 2019.Haile Selassie King of Kings: The Triumph and Tragedy of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia at AmazonHaile Selassie – Autobiography Autobiography of Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia at AmazonRelatedFamous Africans – A list of famous Africans. Includes Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Haile Selassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Kofi Annan and Wangari Maathai.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.
41 Henry Ford (1863–1947) was an industrialist who changed the face of automobile manufacture in America, becoming the epitome of American Capitalism. He lent his name to ‘Fordism’ – efficient mass production.Henry Ford Early LifeHenry Ford was born in 1863 on a farm in rural Michigan, near Detroit. From an early age, he expressed an interest in mechanical devices. He was given a pocket watch at the age of 15, and he developed a reputation for being an experienced watchmaker.Shortly after his mother passed away, Henry left the family farm to seek employment in Detroit. He worked his way up to becoming an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company. By 1893 he had become chief engineer and gained the recognition and encouragement of Thomas Edison. Henry Ford retained a deep affection for Thomas Edison throughout his life.The Model T1910 Ford Model TIt was working as chief engineer at Edison’s that he was able to work on a petrol drive quadricycle. His testing was successful, and this enabled him to develop the quadricycle into a small car. In the late 1890s, he quit Edison Illuminating Company to form his own motor car company. In 1903 the Ford Motor Company was born with the backing of $28,000 from various investors. He worked assiduously on the optimal components for a new car. The company developed the Model A, B, C, F, N before coming out with the famous Model T in 1908. The Model T had many limitations – no speedometer, no starter, no oil gauge, an idiosyncratic gear system, different sized front and back wheels and headlights which ran off a dynamo. However, it was remarkably cheap and over the years, Ford constantly sought to improve the efficiency of the assembly line, enabling higher output and lower costs.“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one — and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.” – Henry Ford “My Life and Work” (1922)In its first year of production, it sold 10,607 cars and for the next five years output roughly doubled until by 1914, a quarter of a million Model T cars were rolling off his assembly lines with Ford making a profit of $27 million. By 1921, the number of cars produced had risen to 1.25 million. Despite their quirks, they were very popular with working families and farmers, who for the first time saw a motor car as a realistic proposal and not just the plaything of the rich. Such was its reliability that farmers bought the Model-T and converted it to work as a tractor.Working Practices of Henry FordA drawback of Ford’s assembly line was that the work was very monotonous and highly regulated, workers were only given a very limited time for breaks and they were metaphorically chained to their post. As a result, the company experienced very high labour turnover, it was difficult to get people to stay. Ford’s solution was revolutionary, he significantly increased wages to $5 a day – far above the national average for workers. This solved the problem of labour turnover as the rewards outstripped the cost. He was even criticised by fellow capitalists for seemingly over-generous pay, but in reply, he pointed out that the high wage helped the workers to be able to afford the cars they were making.It was Henry Ford who also revolutionised the production line processes. He helped to develop the assembly line method of production and was always seeking to cut costs. Although he did not ‘invent’ the assembly line, he did make one of the most successful commercial applications of its potential. This led to his decision to give customers any colour they choose so long as it was black.“Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” – My Life and Work (1922) Chapter IV, p. 71The motive for insisting on black was because black was the quickest colour to dry and therefore the cheapest.The impact of the assembly line was to help reduce the cost of the Model T motor car. It helped Ford become the dominant firm in the motor car industry. An estimation from 1932 suggested Ford was producing 33% of the world’s automobile production.Relative declineAlthough Ford played a crucial role in the development of the motor company, in the early days of the company, he also relied heavily on the organisation and management of his Canadian partner James Couzens to promote and distribute the cars. Couzens had a great instinct for business. But, Ford and Couzens often fell out, and Ford resented the high salary of Couzens ($150,000 a year in 1914). In 1915, Couzens sold out and left the company. Ford continued to grow and expand, however by the 1920s, rival motor companies started to chip away at Ford’s dominance. In particular, General Motors and Chrysler replicated Ford’s efficiency but they were able to offer better cars, such as cars with an automatic starter. From the mid 1920s, Ford saw its market share slip.Other interestsIn the 1920s, Ford became interested in other projects outside the motor industry. He was fascinated with the properties of the soybean and its versatility in creating different foodstuffs. In 1927, he launched an ambitious project to develop his own rubber supply in Brazil. Ford didn’t like being at the mercy of imports from the British Empire with a lack of control over costs. He aimed to build a model plantation and town on the edges of the Amazon rainforest. However, the project was an expensive failure, with rubber proving hard to grow in Brazil and the project was beset with high costs and a high death rate of workers.Battle with the unionsWhilst Henry Ford paid a high wage, he was hostile to the role of trades unions. For a long time, he battled against the trades unions, refusing to have anything to do them. Ford employed the notorious Harry Bennett who was ruthless in attacking those seeking to unionise. In 1932, Bennett’s armed men shot and killed five workers at Ford’s River Rouge Complex. Strike at Ford Motor CompanyIn 1937, the great union leader Walter Reuther began distributing leaflets at the Ford factory in Michigan, with the simple slogan ‘Unionism not Fordism.’ Again, Ford’s hired thugs viciously beat up Reuther and other trades unionists. However, this time the event was witnessed by journalists – in what became known as the “Battle of the Overpass.” The brutality shifted public opinion away from car owners to workers wishing to unionise. In 1941, with the workers again on strike, his wife encouraged Ford to capitulate to the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford finally agreed to the recognition of unions.Views on Peace and WarHenry Ford had a dislike of war. He helped to fund a peace ship to Europe in 1915 and spoke out against the ‘vague financiers who encourage war’.“Instead, many of these business men are working hand in glove with the military men who start, drive and end the wars. And they are in it for what they can get out of the murder to fatten their wallets. They work for the very conditions that pre- vent good wages and steady work for willing men. What will they do with their surplus of munition-makers when the war is ended?”– Henry Ford, Published September 5, 1915 in the Detroit Free PressIn the lead up to the Second World War, like many Americans, he advocated an isolationist stance. Even after Pearl Harbour, he never got involved in the Second World War effort, though he allowed other officials in the Ford company to transform Ford into one of the biggest military plane builders of the war.Henry Ford generally did not affiliate to a political party. However, in 1924, Woodrow Wilson persuaded him to run for the Senate as a Democrat. After narrowly losing his bid, he did not get involved in party politics again.Anti-semitic viewsHenry Ford also subscribed to various anti-semitic pamphlets and in the 1920s bought his own newspaper and turned it into his own general magazine. The magazine did not sell well because the articles were often obtuse with little popular appeal. However, Ford continued to put money into magazine and pushed the magazine at Ford motor showrooms across the country. The magazine printed several anti-semitic articles accusing Jews of controlling the media, Hollywood and even fixing baseball’s World Series of 1921. Ford felt it was perfectly rational to have no prejudice to individual Jews (he employed a good Jewish friend Albert Kahn to design his factories) whilst at the same time holding political views which were prejudicial.However, in 1927, his magazine was sued by a Jewish lawyer named Aaron Shapiro who had been defamed in Ford’s independent with typical anti-semitic smears. The case went to trial and Ford was called to testify. One day before he was due to testify, he had a serious road accident and the trial had to be rescheduled. Before the trial came to cour, Ford decided to send a letter of apology, pay costs and promise not to repeat the smears. The Independent was closed with a loss of $5 million and Ford retreated from making anti-semitic public statements, but his apology may have been written by others in the company, and in private he continued to share his anti-semitic views.Adolf Hitler openly admired Henry Ford (he had a picture of Ford in his room). Ford is the only foreigner mentioned in Mein Kampf. Hitler wanted Volkswagen to mirror the production techniques and philosophy of Ford Motor company. In 1938, Ford accepted the Grand Cross of the German Eagle – the highest civilian honour from Nazi Germany. However, he was sceptical of German militarism saying to the New York Times.“My acceptance of a medal from the German people does not, as some people seem to think, involve any sympathy on my part with Nazism. Those who have known me for many years realize that anything that breeds hate is repulsive to me”. (1)Personal qualitiesHenry Ford embodied the Protestant work ethic of honest hard work, thrift and continual self-improvement. He has become noted for some of his inspirational self-improvement quotes – emphasising hard work and self-sufficiency.“You will find men who want to be carried on the shoulders of others, who think that the world owes them a living. They don’t seem to see that we must all lift together and pull together.” – Henry Ford. As quoted in Wisdom & Inspiration for the Spirit and Soul (2004)Towards the end of his life, he spent considerable time with his friend Thomas Edison, who moved into West Orange, New Jersey. He said that money never particularly appealed to him and throughout his life, he retained his thrifty nature and unwillingness to spend money on himself.“I never have known what to do with money after my expenses were paid—can’t squander it on myself without hurting myself, and nobody wants to do that. Money is the most useless thing in the world, anyhow.” – Henry Ford’s Own Story, ch.4Religion of Henry Ford (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Ford was brought up in the Episcopalian church, but he was not a committed follower. He adopted a belief of reincarnation into his world view, saying that he believed it took many lives to develop certain skills and abilities.“Genius is experience. Some seem to think that it is a gift or talent, but it is the fruit of long experience in many lives.”Talking of religion, he advocated the importance of living rather than studying religion.“Religion, like everything else, is a thing that should be kept working. I see no use in spending a great deal of time learning about heaven and hell. In my opinion, a man makes his own heaven and hell and carries it around with him. Both of them are states of mind.” (Henry Ford’s own story)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Henry Ford”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 25th Oct. 2009. Last updated 20 April 2020.Henry Ford Henry Ford at Amazon Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Entrepreneurs – Famous entrepreneurs who have set up and created successful businesses, including Henry Ford, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.
42 Indira Gandhi née: Nehru; (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was the Prime Minister of the Republic of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984 – a total of fifteen years. She was India’s first female Prime Minister.In 1999, she was voted the greatest woman of the past thousand years in a poll carried by BBC News, ahead of other notable women such as Queen Elizabeth I of England, Marie Curie and Mother Teresa.Gandhi and IndiraBorn in the politically influential Nehru dynasty, she grew up in an intensely political atmosphere. Despite the same last name, she was no relation to the statesman Mohandas Gandhi. Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was a prominent Indian nationalist leader. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and the first Prime Minister of Independent India.She was brought up in an environment with great exposure to the political figures of the day and was particularly influenced by her father. She stated of her father:“My father was a statesman, I’m a political woman. My father was a saint. I’m not.”In one early photograph (above), she was sitting on the bed of Mohandas Gandhi as he recovered from one of his fasts. From an early age, she took as a political role model, Joan of Arc and expressed the hope that one day she would lead her people to freedom like the French saint.In 1937, she passed the Oxford entrance exam and studied at Somerville College, Oxford. At university, she was often subject to ill health and returned to India without completing her degree – though later she was conferred an honorary degree by Oxford University.On returning to India from Oxford in 1941, Indira became involved in the Indian Independence movement. Between 1947 and 1965, she served in her father’s (J. Nehru) government. Although she was unofficially acting as a personal assistant, she wielded considerable power within the government. After her father’s death in 1964, she was appointed as Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Lal Bahadur Shastri’s cabinet. Shortly after, Shastri died unexpectedly and, with the help of Congress Party President, K. Kamaraj, Indira Gandhi was chosen to be the new Prime Minister of India.Gandhi attracted significant electoral popularity helped by her personality and populist economic measures. She introduced more left-wing economic policies and sought to promote agricultural productivity. In 1971, she led India to a decisive victory in a war with Pakistan in East Pakistan. This led to the creation of Bangladesh. In 1974, India completed their own nuclear bomb.However, in the early 1970s, partly due to rising oil prices the Indian economy suffered from high inflation, falling living standards, and combined with protests over corruption, there was great instability that led her to impose a state of emergency in 1975. In the state of emergency, political opponents were imprisoned, constitutional rights removed, and the press placed under strict censorship. This gave her a reputation for being authoritarian, willing to ignore democratic principles.Her son Sanjay Gandhi was also increasingly unpopular as he wielded substantial powers, such as slum clearance and enforced sterilisation to deal with India’s growing population. In 1977, against a backdrop of economic difficulties and growing disillusionment, Indira Gandhi lost the election and temporarily dropped out of politics.However, she was returned to office in 1980. But, in this period, she became increasingly involved in an escalating conflict with Sikh separatists in Punjab. She was later assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards in 1984 for her role in storming the sacred Golden Temple. Shortly before her assassination, she spoke on the frequent threats to her life.“I do not care whether I live or die. I have lived a long life and I am proud that I spend the whole of my life in the service of my people. I am only proud of this and nothing else. I shall continue to serve until my last breath and when I die, I can say, that every drop of my blood will invigorate India and strengthen it.” Selected Speeches of Indira Gandhi: January 1, 1982-October 30, 1984.FamilyIndira married Feroze Gandhi in 1942. The couple had two sons Rajiv (b. 1944) and Sanjay (b. 1946). Her husband died of a heart attack in 1960 and Sanjay – who was destined to be her political heir – perished in a plane crash in 1980. Devastated by the loss of Sanjay, Indira persuaded a reluctant Rajiv to quit his job and enter into politics. After his mother’s assassination in 1984, he served as Indian Prime Minister from 1984-89. (Rajiv was assassinated by Tamil Tigers in 1991)Indira Gandhi views on women (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Indira Gandhi was a rare example of a woman rising to the most powerful position in Indian society. She did not consider herself a feminist but was concerned with issues relating to women and she saw her own success as proof that talented women could rise to the top. During her administration, equal pay for men and women was enshrined in the constitution. In a speech on “True Liberation Of Women”, March 26, 1980, she said:“To be liberated, a woman must feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man but in the context of her own capacity and her personality.”She also sought to mobilise Indian woman for the cause of Indian Independence.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Indira Gandhi”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th March 2009. Last updated 17th February 2017.The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi at AmazonRelated pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great. Famous Indians – A list of Indian men and women throughout the ages. Categories include politicians, scientists, sports people, spiritual figures and cultural figures. Includes Mahatma Gandhi, Akbar, Swami Vivekananda and Indira Gandhi.Female leaders – Over 40 female leaders in different fields – Heads of state, monarchy, Presidents and civil rights leaders. Includes Catherine the Great, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel and Benazir Bhutto.Indian politicians
43 Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who was highly regarded for her roles in influential films, such as Casablanca (1942), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) and Anastasia (1956). She is the second most decorated Hollywood actress, with three Oscars, after Katherine Hepburn. Bergman was considered to have tremendous acting talent, an angelic natural beauty and the willingness to work hard to get the best out of films. She was also a very versatile actress, fluent in five languages and appearing in a range of films, plays and TV productions.Early life Ingrid BergmanIngrid was born in Stockholm, Sweden on August 29, 1915. Her mother was German (of Jewish extraction) and her father Swedish. Her mother died when she was three, and her father passed away when she was 12. After this tragic loss, she went to live with her unmarried aunt who died just six months after Ingrid moved in. She was then brought up by her Uncle Otto and Aunt Hulda.From an early age, she was interested in acting. Even with her father (a camera enthusiast), she had compiled some early motion picture videos. When she was 17, she attended the Royal Dramatic Theater School in Stockholm. She made her début on the stage but was more interested in working in films. Her first minor speaking role came in 1935 when she played a maid in a low budget Swedish film “Munkborgreven”In the late 1930s, she made her big break into Hollywood. She had starred in a Swedish production of “Intermezzo” (1936) the story of a violinist who has an affair with his daughter’s violin teacher. Bergman played the role of the violin teacher. The director David Selznick was so impressed with Bergman’s role that he bought the rights to have the film remade in Hollywood and chose Bergman to play the lead role. The film Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) was a commercial and critical success, leading Selznick to sign Bergman for a seven-year deal.In the early 1940s, she gained star status in Hollywood. In many ways she was considered the darling of Hollywood, she played many roles as the heroine of the film. Combined with her unadulterated good looks, she was quietly considered the Angel of Hollywood.Ingrid Bergman in CasablancaShe was catapulted to global fame through her role in the 1942 film Casablanca. She played Ilsa, the wife of Victor Lazlo (played by Paul Henreid. Humphrey Bogart played Rick Blaine.) The film was produced at an important time (1942) and was made with a motivation to foster public opinion in the US against the Nazi’s. The film was a huge commercial and critical success – and even 60 years later it is considered one of the greatest and most influential films ever produced. Bergman never considered the film to be her best role. But, she felt that the film seemed to capture something, almost mystically important. Despite a long and distinguished film career, she observed that it was Casablanca that people always wanted to talk about.“I feel about Casablanca that it has a life of its own. There is something mystical about it. It seems to have filled a need, a need that was there before the film, a need that the film filled.”Chandler, Charlotte (2007). Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, A Personal Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 19, 21, 294She followed this great success with just one more film in 1943 For Whom the Bell Tolls. The book’s author, Ernest Hemingway personally chose Ingrid Bergman – stating to Ingrid – “You are Maria”. She received her first Oscar nomination for this role.Bergman was choosing her films carefully, only doing a limited number, but each film was a great commercial success, making her one of the hottest properties in Hollywood.“I’ve never sought success in order to get fame and money; it’s the talent and the passion that count in success.”“The Last Word – A Treasury of Women’s Quotes,” by Carolyn Warner, (1992)Other successful films followed, including Gaslight (1944) (which gave her first Academy Award for Best Actress), a nun in The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) and also Hitchcock classics, such as Spellbound (1945) and Notorious (1946).In 1948, she played Joan of Arc in the film “Joan of Arc” (1948). Directed by Victor Fleming, Bergman had wanted to play this role for several years and considered it her dream role. However, the film received a mixed reception, with critics not universally impressed and the box office receipts were disappointing – given Bergman’s past track record. It was one of her few films to make a loss at the time of release. Though it has since earned back its investment.In 1937, Bergman married Swedish dentist Petter Lindstrom. They had one daughter, Pia. Lindstrom moved to New York in 1940 to be with Bergman, but he was not enamoured of the Hollywood scene. The relationship became increasingly distant with both drifting apart.In the 1940s, Bergman wrote to the influential Italian director Roberto Rossellini praising his work and suggesting that they make a film together. In 1950, they filmed Stromboli (1950) together and she also began an affair with Rossellini, which resulted in boy – Robertino Rossellini, born in 1950. Shortly after his birth, she divorced Lindstrom and married Rossellini. She gave birth to twin daughters in 1952.Her affair with Rossellini and divorce had a devastating impact on her carefully cultivated image and popularity. From being the angel of Hollywood, she was criticised and censored, at a time when there was a stricter morality about divorce. She was even denounced on the floor of the US Senate by Charles H.Percy who stated she was “a powerful influence for evil.” (22 years later he would enter an apology in the Congressional Record.) Towards the end of her life Bergman would wryly remark that her public image went:“from saint to whore and back to saint again,”During the 1950s, Bergman featured in several of Rossellini’s films. They were quite different to her previous Hollywood box office hits. Rossellini adopted a neo-realist style – often using non-professional actors and only a minimal script. In fact, Bergman was one of the few actors that Rossellini used on several occasions.The relationship was not always easy, and communication difficulties meant, in 1957, she divorced Rossellini; a year later she married Lars Schmidt a marriage which lasted two decades until they divorced in 1975.After a break from Hollywood, she returned to feature in Anastasia (1956) this gained her a second Academy Award for Best actress. In 1958, she was the presenter of Academy Award for Best Picture, receiving a rapturous welcome, indicating her return to Hollywood’s affections.Her later film career involved a variety of roles, illustrating her adaptability and flexibility. She alternated between European and American films and also featured in stage productions and some TV work. She spoke five languages (Swedish, German, French, Italian and English) and featured in films with different languages.In 1974, she received her third Oscar for her role in “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974). She refused the role of Princess Dragomiroff, choosing instead the much small role of Greta Ohlsson, an old Swedish missionary. It was typical of Bergman, she was careful of the roles she played and chose them for many reasons – not just which would be most successful or highly paid.“I am an actress and I am interested in acting, not in making money.”Her last film was Ingmar Bergman’s critically acclaimed “Autumn Sonata” in 1978.Her last role came in A Woman Called Golda (1982), where she played the Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. It was her last acting role, and she took it on, despite suffering from breast cancer. Just four months after finishing filming, she died. She received a second Emmy Award for best actress.She later said she didn’t have regrets about her life“I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say.”“An Uncommon Scold,” by Abby Adams, 1989.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Ingrid Bergman”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 12th August 2014 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Related pagesIngrid Bergman QuotesIngrid Bergman: A Life in Pictures Ingrid Bergman: A Life in Pictures at AmazonIngrid Bergman My Story Ingrid Bergman My Story at AmazonRelated pagesActors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.Famous Film Directors – Influential film directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Capra, Walt Disney and Orson Wells. External LinksFamous Swedish peopleIngrid Bergman site
44 J.K Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury, July 31st, 1965. Her childhood was generally happy, although she does remember getting teased because of her name, “Rowling” – She recalls often getting called “Rowling pin” by her less than ingenious school friends. J.K. Rowling says she never really warmed to her own name, although, she does remember having a fondness for the name Potter from quite an early age. J.K.Rowling studied at St Michael’s Primary School in Gloucestershire, before moving to Chepstow, South Wales at the age of nine.From an early age, J.K. Rowling had the ambition to be a writer. She often tried her hand at writing, although little came from her early efforts. Aged six she wrote a book about a rabbit with measles. After her mother praised her effort. Rowling replied ‘well get it published then.’ She admits it was a ‘Bit of an odd thing for a child of six to think. I don’t know where it came from…”In her own autobiography, she remembers with great fondness, when her good friend Sean became the first person to give her the confidence that one day she would be able to make a very good writer.“he was also the only person who thought I was bound to be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time” (1)Sean was also the owner of a battered old Ford Anglia, which would later appear in one of the Harry Potter series as a flying car.After finishing school, her parents encouraged her to study French at the University of Exeter. She slightly regretted choosing French, saying she would have preferred to study English. However, it was her parents wish that she study something “ more useful” than English.After having spent a year in Paris, J.K.Rowling graduated from university and took various jobs in London. One of her favourite jobs was working for Amnesty International; the charity, which campaigns against human rights abuses throughout the world. Amnesty International, is one of the many charities, which J.K.Rowling has generously supported since she attained a new found wealth.It was in 1990 that J.K.Rowling first conceived of the idea about Harry Potter. As she recalls, it was on a long train journey from Manchester to London when she began forming in her mind, the characters of the series. At the forefront, was a young boy, at that time not aware that he was a wizard. The train was delayed for over four hours, but she didn’t have a pen and was too shy to ask for one nothing,“To my immense frustration, I didn’t have a pen that worked, and I was too shy to ask anybody if I could borrow one.”But she remembers being very enthusiastic, and excited about the ideas which were filling her mind.On arriving at her flat in Clapham Junction, she began work on writing the book immediately, although, it would take several years to come to fruition.It was also in December of 1990 that J.K.Rowling lost her mother, who died of Multiple Sclerosis. J.K.Rowling was very close to her mother, and she felt the loss deeply. Her own loss gave an added poignancy to the death of Harry Potter’s mother in her book. She says her favourite scene in the Philosopher’s Stone is, The Mirror of Erised, where Harry sees his parents in the mirror.In 1991, J.K.Rowling left England to get a job as an English teacher in Portugal. It was here that she met her first husband, Jorge Arantes – and together they had a child Jessica. However, after a couple of years, the couple split after a fierce argument; where by all accounts J.K.Rowling was thrown out of the house.In Dec 1993, Rowling returned to the UK, moving to Edinburgh where she tried to finish her first book. She was surviving on state benefits and bringing up her daughter as a single parent. She would often go to Edinburgh cafes to work on the book whilst her child had a nap.Eventually, she finished her first copy of “The Philosopher’s Stone ”, and sent it off to various agents. She found an agent, Christopher, who spent over a year trying to get a publisher. It was rejected by 12 major publishing houses. But, eventually, a quite small publisher, Bloomsbury agreed to take the book on. The editor Barry Cunningham also agreed to pay her an advance of £1500. The decision to take on the book was, in large part, due to his eight-year-old daughter’s enthusiastic reception of the first chapter (However she was advised to continue her training as a teacher because she was told writers of children’s books don’t tend to get very well paid.)“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.”– J.K.Rowling [1]Within a few weeks of publication, (1996) book sales really started to take off. The initial print run was of only 1,000 – 500 of which went to libraries. First editions are now said to be worth up to £25,000 each. She also received a grant from the Scottish arts council, which enabled her to write full time. After the books initial success in the UK, an American company Scholastic agreed to pay a remarkable £100,000 for the rights to publish in America. In 1998, Warner Bros secured the film rights to the books, giving a seven-figure sum. The films have magnified the success of the books, making Harry Potter into one of the most recognisable media products. Under the close guidance of J.K.Rowling, the films have sought to stay close to the original plot; also at J.K.Rowling’s request, all the actors are British and are filmed in Britain.On the 21st December 2006, J.K.Rowling finished her final book of the Harry Potter Series – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (Amazon). The book was released in July 2007, becoming one of the fastest selling books of all time. J.K.Rowling has said the book is her favourite, and it makes her both happy and sad. She has said she will continue writing but there is little chance of continuing the Harry Potter Series. She has published a dictionary of things related to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, that were never published in other books.Since the end of her Harry Potter series, she says she has finished some short stories, she also hinted on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1st October 2010, that an 8th book in the Harry Potter series is a possibility.On 27 September 2012, Rowling released the ‘Casual Vacancy’ an adult novel – to mixed reviews. In 2013, The Cuckoo’s Calling was published. Initially, the author was stated as being Robert Galbraith. But, this was a pseudonym used by J.K.Rowling. After her authorship was discovered, sales went through the roof.J.K.Rowling and MediaJ.K.Rowling has sought to protect her children from media intrusion. In 2011, she gave testimony to the Leverson enquiry about how unscrupulous reporters sought to intrude into her family’s privacy. After her books became best-sellers, reporters would often be camped outside her home. J.K. Rowling said:“However, as interest in Harry Potter and myself increased, my family and I became the target of a different kind of journalistic activity. The effect on me, and our family life, truly cannot be overstated. We were literally driven out of the first house I had ever owned (which faced almost directly onto the street) because of journalists banging on the door, questioning the neighbours and sitting in parked cars immediately outside the gate. Old friendships were tested as journalists turned up on their doorsteps, and offered money for stories on me. “(J.K.Rowling’s Testimony to Leveson Enquiry Nov 2011.)After finding a letter from a journalist in her child’s satchel, she remarked:“It’s very difficult to say how angry I felt that my 5-year-old daughter’s school was no longer a place of complete security from journalists.”J.K.Rowling currently lives in Scotland, on the banks of the River Tay, with her 2nd husband Neil Murray; J.K.Rowling has three children, two with husband Neil.Inspiration to writeSpeaking on a BBC Radio Programme “The Museum of Curiosity”, 23 December 2019, Rowling talked about the process by which she writes. She says she imagines she walks through a forest towards a lake. At the lake, she waits for an inspiration to emerge from its depth. Then she takes this back to her cottage where she has to polish the dream-like inspiration until it is in a fit state to publish. To Rowling, writing is a dual process – gaining inspiration from an unknown source and then working on the inspiration to make it a solid reality. She prefaced the story by saying she was reluctant to explain her process as it was difficult to explain.Wealth of J.K.RowlingIn 2017, according to Forbes, her estimated wealth stands at $650 million, it would be higher but she has donated substantial sums to charity. The global Harry Potter brand is estimated to be worth £7 billion.Charity Work of J.K.RowlingJ.K.Rowling has contributed considerable sums to charities she supports. This includes:Anti-Poverty. She is President of the Charity – One Parent FamiliesMultiple sclerosis. She has contributed money to the research and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, which her mother suffered from.Lumos – helping institutionalised children in Eastern EuropePolitical ViewsShe has publically supported the Labour party. In 2008, she donated £1 million to the Labour party, saying she felt vulnerable families would be better off under a Labour government. She describes her political hero as Robert F.Kennedy.Religious ViewsJ.K.Rowling states that she considers herself a Christian, and attends a local Church of Scotland congregation. She said, that unlike other members in her family, she often had a deep interest in religion, and would go to churches alone. However, she also says that although she believes in God, at times she doubts her faith.“I feel very drawn to religion, but at the same time I feel a lot of uncertainty. I live in a state of spiritual flux. I believe in the permanence of the soul.”– J.K.Rowling (2008, interview in El Pais – a Spanish Newspaper) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});More facts about J.K. RowlingCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography J.K. Rowling”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net – 12th Dec. 2016, Last Updated. 6th 28 December 2019. Who is J.K.Rowling? at Amazon Harry Potter Box Set at AmazonRelated PagesWriters and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Famous Scottish people – Influential men and women including Robert the Bruce, Alexander Fleming, John Logie Baird and William Wallace.Great Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.J.K.Rowling QuotesTop 10 Children authors
45 J R R Tolkien (1892 – 1973) English author, philologist and poet. Tolkien was best known for his fantasy creations of Middle-Earth – writing The Hobbit, and the epic trilogy ‘The Lord of the Rings’. The Lord of the Rings made him one of the best selling authors of the Twentieth Century, spawning a new genre of fantasy.Early life J.R.R. TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien was born in 1892, Bloemfontein, South Africa. After three years in South Africa, he returned to England with his Mother Mabel; unfortunately, his father died one year later, leaving him with little memory of his father. His early childhood was, by all accounts, a happy one; he was brought up in the Warwickshire countryside (many regard this idealised upbringing as the basis for the Shire in Lord of the Rings).In 1904, when John was just 12, his mother Mabel died from diabetes leaving a profound mark on him and his brother. After his mother’s passing, he was brought up by the family’s Catholic priest, Father Francis Morgen. From an early age, J.R.R. Tolkien was an excellent scholar, with an unusually specialised interest in languages. He enjoyed studying languages especially Greek, Anglo Saxon, and later at Oxford, Finnish.Although a scholar at King Edward VI school, he initially failed to win a scholarship to Oxford. This was partly due to falling in love with his childhood sweetheart Edith. On finding out about this romance, his guardian Father Francis Morgan, prohibited John from seeing Edith until he was 21 and no longer under his care. Father Morgen made John promise not to see Edith, and John reluctantly agreed to his request. John faithfully waited until his 21st birthday, and on this date, he renewed his contact with Edith and successfully persuaded her to marry him. It is a testament to his belief in faithfulness and honesty that he was willing to wait several years to meet his wife; such sentiments of nobility frequently appear in his writings; for example, the magnificent love story of ‘Beren and Luthien’ (The Silmarillion 1977).J.R.R.Tolkien in OxfordFrom an academic point of view, his separation from Edith seemed to do the trick, and a year later he won an exhibition at Exeter College, Oxford where he would study classics. John did not particularly shine in this subject and grew to enjoy the pleasures of University life, though his meagre income made it difficult to keep up with the spending habits of more affluent students. Uninspired by the classics, John was able to switch to his real love – English literature. He was a competent scholar, but a lot of his time was spent researching other languages in the Bodleian library. It was here in Oxford that he became fascinated with Finnish, a language which would form the basis for Quenya; a language he would later give to his Elves. His love of languages remained with Tolkien throughout his life; in particular, he began developing his own languages, a remarkable undertaking. In fact, he later commented that languages lied at the heart of his Middle Earth creations. Tolkien said the stories existed to provide an opportunity to use the languages. Devotees of the book may not agree, but it does illustrate the profound importance he attached to the use of language.J.R.R.Tolkien and the First World WarAt the outbreak of the First World War, J.R.R. Tolkien decided to finish off his degree before enlisting in 1916. Joining the Lancashire Fusiliers, he made it to the Western Front just before the great Somme offensive. At first hand, J.R.R. Tolkien witnessed the horrors and carnage of the “Great War”; he lost many close friends, tellingly he remarked “By 1918 all but one of my close friends were dead”. J.R.R. Tolkien survived, mainly due to the persistent re-occurrence of trench fever, which saw him invalided back to England. He rarely talked about his experiences directly, but the large-scale horrors of war will undoubtedly have influenced his writings in some way. Perhaps the imagery for the wastelands of Mordor may have had a birth in the muddy horrors of the Western Front.It was back in England, in 1917, that J.R.R Tolkien began working on his epic – “The Silmarillion“. The Silmarillion lies at the heart of all Tolkien’s mythology, it is a work he continually revised until his death in 1973. The Silmarillion makes hard reading, in that, it is not plot driven, but depicts the history of a universe, through an almost biblical overview. It moves from the Creation of the Universe to the introduction of evil and the rebellion of the Noldor. It is in The Silmarillion that many roots from the Lord of the Rings stem. It gives the Lord of the Rings the impression of a real epic. It becomes not just a story, but also the history of an entire world and peoples.Writing the HobbitInitially, J.R.R Tolkien’s writings on The Silmarillion were known by very few. He found his time absorbed in teaching and other duties of being a professor. He also found time to write important papers on medieval literature. These included seminal works on, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf. In 1945, he was given the Merton professorship and gained additional duties of teaching and lecturing.The HobbitIt was sometime after 1930 that Tolkien gained an unexpected inspiration to start writing the Hobbit. It was whilst marking an examination paper that he jotted in the margins of a paper the immortal words; “In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit.” Unlike the Silmarillion, The Hobbit was a simple fairy tale and adventure for children. Hinting at evil things, it still ends in a happy ending for all and is primarily concerned with a triumph of good over evil. In the course of the next few years friends, including C.S. Lewis, read his manuscript and gave good reviews. In the course of time, the publisher Allen and Unwin were sent a copy. Rayner, the 10-year-old son of Mr Unwin, gave a glowing reference and the Hobbit was published in 1937 to great commercial success.J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. LewisJ.R.R.Tolkien was good friends with C.S. Lewis and together they were key members of the ‘Inklings’ an informal Oxford literary club, where writers met together to read out poetry and short stories. Tolkien had a strong Catholic faith throughout his life; he often discussed religion with C.S.Lewis. Lewis later said that his conversations with Tolkien were a key factor in his decision to embrace Christianity. However, their relationship cooled over the years. There was a little friction over C.S.Lewis relationship with Joy Davidson, but they remained firm friends and C.S.Lewis was always a stout literary defender of Tolkien’s work. (Though Tolkien was somewhat less enthusiastic about the work of C.S.Lewis.)Lord of the RingsDue to the success of The Hobbit, Allen and Unwin encouraged J.R.R. Tolkien to write a sequel. Thus, over a period of many years, J.R.R. Tolkien began writing The Lord of the Rings. This soon became quite different to The Hobbit, both in scope and dimension. Putting its roots into the characters and history of The Silmarillion, it became an epic of unprecedented depth. No longer was Tolkien writing a simplistic adventure story; in The Lord of the Rings, the triumph of good over evil is no longer so complete. Even with the mission’s success, there is no obvious happy ending. There is a feeling of permanent change – nothing can remain as it is. As well as being a fascinating storyline, the book deals with many issues of how people respond to certain choices and the influence of power and ego. It can be read in many ways, but it does offer an underlying moral and spiritual dimension, which is inherent in the development of the story.Due to the sheer scope and length of the book, the publishers Allen and Unwin were wary of publication. They worried about whether it would be a commercial success. Eventually, they decided to publish the book, but split it up into six sections; they also offered no payment to J.R.R Tolkien, until the book moved into profit. The first edition was published in 1954 and soon became a good seller. However, it was in 1965 when the book was published in America, that it really took off becoming an international bestseller. Somehow the book managed to capture the mood of the 1960s counterculture, and it became immensely popular on American campuses. Tolkien became a household name, and The Lord of the Rings would soon become renowned as the most popular book of all time.Although the book has received the most powerful popular acclaim, it has not always received the same commendation from the literary world. In 1972, Oxford University conferred on Tolkien the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. This was not for his writing, but his researches on linguistic studies. Tolkien, however, would have taken no offence at this award. For Tolkien, his linguistic studies were as important if not more so than his fictional literary endeavours.He did not particularly enjoy the fame that came from his literary success, and in 1968 he moved to Poole to gain a little more privacy. Speaking of his own simple tastes he described his similarity to hobbits.“I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size). I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking; I like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats. I am fond of mushrooms (out of a field); have a very simple sense of humour (which even my appreciative critics find tiresome); I go to bed late and get up late (when possible). I do not travel much.”– Letter to Deborah Webster (25 October 1958)His wife Edith died in 1971, and J.R.R. Tolkien died a couple of years later in 1973. After his death, his creations gained increased popularity and sales. Even before the release of The Lord of the Rings films, the book, “Lord of the Rings” was often voted as best-loved books of all time. His son, Christopher Tolkien, carefully went through all his manuscripts, and published posthumously several histories of middle earth, encompassing various early drafts of stories and histories. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of J.R.R. Tolkien”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 1st Feb 2009. Last updated 30th January 2017.The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien at Amazon The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit William Caxton and Early Printing in England at Amazon Related PagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Writers and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.J.R.R.Tolkien QuotesWhy is the Lord of the Rings so Popular?ReferencesThe Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Edited by Humphrey Carpenter. Glasgow, 1995, Harper Collins.“Biography: John Ronald Reuel Tolkien” 26 Jun 02 Carpenter, Humphrey. J R R Tolkien: A biography. Glasgow, 2002, Harper Collins.
46 Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy (July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was the wife of the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy; she served as First Lady during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.She is remembered for her contributions to the art and refurbishment of the White House. During her husband’s short-lived presidency, she was a great asset helping to gain the admiration of the press and public opinion.Short Bio Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis“We should all do something to right the wrongs that we see and not just complain about them.”– Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline was born in New York to a wealth stockbroking family. Her family were wealthy, Catholic and Republican. Though, when she met her future husband John, she was willing to switch political allegiances, taking little interest in actual political ideologies.She gained a degree in French Literature from the George Washington University, in Washington D.C. During her degree, she spent a year in France. After graduating, she was hired as a photojournalist for the Washington Times-Herald. She was also a leading light of the local social circles – attending many high profile social engagements. It was at such dinner parties that she met then Senator John F Kennedy. They shortly became engaged and married in 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island. Speaking about her husband, she said:“He was, she says, kind, conciliatory, forgiving, a gentleman, a man of taste in people, furniture, books.” (NY Times, 1964)Shortly after her marriage, Jacqueline suffered a miscarriage and then her first daughter was born stillborn. She had another three children, the last of whom died aged just two years old. Her two children who survived childhood were Caroline Bouvier Kennedy and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.Jacqueline_Kennedy after State Dinner 1962In 1960, John F. Kennedy ran for the presidency with Lyndon Johnson as VP. Jacqueline did not play an active role in his campaign because she was pregnant during the election. But, she did support her husband from her home by answering letters and giving interviews for TV and newspapers.After a hard-fought campaign, John F Kennedy won a small majority – narrowly defeating Richard Nixon, and becoming the youngest President of the modern era. Jacqueline was also the youngest first lady, and she helped bring a refreshing glamour to the White House. She became responsible for organising social events, and she took great interest in refurbishing the White House, trying to give a greater sense of history to the famous building.In a highly popular TV programme, Jacqueline invited TV cameras for a guided tour of the White House. This proved a great public relations exercise and the video was sent to over one hundred countries boosting support for America in the cold war. Speaking about the positive reaction to the White House tour, she said:“Suddenly, everything that’d been a liability before–your hair, that you spoke French, that you didn’t just adore to campaign, and you didn’t bake bread with flour up to your arms–you know, everybody thought I was a snob and hated politics. … I was so happy for Jack, especially now that it was only three years together that he could be proud of me then. Because it made him so happy–it made me so happy. So those were our happiest years.” (NY Times interview, 1964)Her social charm and grace endeared herself to the public and also visiting leaders. For example, when the Russian Premier, Khrushchev visited, he made a point of wanting to shake the hand of Jacqueline before her husband.In 1961, the Kennedy’s made a very popular visit to France. Jacqueline was in her element as she could speak French and her sense of fashion and charm (especially her pillbox hats) endeared her to the French public and the French leader Charles de Gaulle. At the end of his visit, John F. Kennedy wryly remarked:“I do not think it altogether inappropriate to introduce myself to this audience. I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it.”Jacqueline had stolen the show, but the visit was helpful for the overall image of the Kennedy presidency.In the summer of 1963, the couple suffered the loss of another child – Patrick. He was born prematurely and died two days after birth. This was a devastating event which brought the couple closer together.However, it was on November 22nd that Jacqueline’s life was forever changed by the assassination of her husband, John F Kennedy during an open car tour of Dallas, Texas. Her stoicism and dignity in the light of the shocking tragedy was a defining image of this traumatic event in American history. She later said:“He didn’t even have the satisfaction of being killed for civil rights… it had to be some silly little Communist. ”Following the assassination, she retreated from public view and tried to maintain a private life with her children. In 1968, John’s brother Robert was assassinated. This was another traumatic event because she had been close to Robert helping his campaign. She also feared for the safety of her children in America. With this in mind, she decided to marry the wealthy Greek shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis – despite Onassis being 20 years her senior.The marriage was not greeted with much enthusiasm by the American press, who felt they were losing their Jacqueline to a foreign billionaire; Jacqueline endured a rare bout of public criticism. After the marriage, she was also hounded by paparazzi photographers which caused her much distress.In 1975, Aristotle Onassis died, leaving Jacqueline, a widow for the second time. She spent some time working for a publisher. She also campaigned for the arts and preservation of American heritage. In the 1970s, she played a leading role in saving the Grand Central Terminal in New York from demolition.In 1991, she met the Clintons and helped the campaign of Bill Clinton for the White House; she also advised Hilary Clinton on how to raise a child in the White House.Jacqueline died in May 1994 from a form of cancer. She left an estate valued at $200, to her two children Caroline and John. She remains one of the most popular first ladies, aCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. 11th Feb 2013. Updated 10th February 2017.The Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis The Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis at Amazon Mrs. Kennedy and Me Mrs. Kennedy and Me at AmazonRelated pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.John F. Kennedy (1917 – 1963) US President. Elected in 1960, Kennedy was seen as a young, dynamic President who offered a new hope to the US and the world. He played a role in diffusing the Cuban missile crisis and the threat of nuclear war.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Female Biographies
47 Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) was an Indian nationalist who campaigned for Indian Independence. Under the tutelage of Gandhi, Nehru became India’s first Prime Minister after India gained independence in 1947. Nehru held this position until his death in 1964.Nehru was born in Allabhad and was educated in England, going to school at Harrow and later studying law at Trinity College, Cambridge.On returning to India in 1912, he practised law and got married to Kamala Kaul. They had one daughter – Indira Gandhi (who would later succeed her father as Prime Minister of India).In 1919, in the wake of the Amritsar massacre and growing calls for Indian independence, Nehru joined the Indian National Congress. He was a supporter of complete independence for India.In 1927, Nehru was an influential voice in advocating the call for complete independence from the British Empire. Gandhi was initially reluctant but came to accept Nehru’s leadership. After the British rejected dominion status, Nehru became leader of Congress and in December 1929 issued India’s declaration of Independence.“We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities of growth. We believe also that if any government deprives a people of these rights and oppresses them the people have a further right to alter it or abolish it.”During the 1920s and 1930s, he actively participated in the civil disobedience campaigns and was jailed on several occasions. He was one of the rising stars of the Indian independence movement and became seen as the natural successor to Mahatma Gandhi. As Gandhi took a more backseat role in political affairs and concentrated more on spiritual matters, Nehru became the defacto leader of the Indian independence movement.In the 1930s, Nehru was working with Subhas Chandra Bose but split with Bose when he sought Axis help to drive the British from India.In 1942, Nehru followed Gandhi’s ‘Quit India Movement’. Nehru had misgivings as he supported the British War effort against Nazi Germany, but was torn as he also wanted the British to leave India. In 1942, he was arrested for protesting and was put in jail until 1945.On release from jail, Nehru found the Muslim league of Jinnah were much stronger and although opposed to partition, under pressure from Lord Mountbatten he came to view it as an inevitability. Nehru was initially opposed to the plan to separate India into two. However, under pressure from Mountbatten (the last British Viceroy), Nehru reluctantly agreed.On gaining independence on August 15th, 1947, Nehru became India’s first Prime Minister. On the eve of India’s independence, Nehru gave a speech to Congress and the nation – known as “Tryst with Destiny”“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.” – Nehru, Tryst with DestinyHowever, his joy at India’s independence was overshadowed by the wave of sectarian killing and conflict over Kashmir which continues to this day.As Prime Minister, Nehru played a crucial role in cementing the newly independent Republic of India as a democratic state committed to liberal democracy. Importantly, Nehru limited the power of Indian princes and princely states – Nehru was wary of the ‘divine right of kings’ after being imprisoned in the princely state of Nabha. In 1950, Nehru signed the Indian constitution which enshrined in law – universal rights and democratic principles. A year after Gandhi’s assassination, he wrote an anonymous article about himself –“He must be checked, we want no Caesars.”On the domestic front, Nehru was in the tradition of Fabian socialism – seeking to use state intervention to redistribute resources throughout society. He was sympathetic to aspects of Marxism, though critical of how it was implemented in countries like the Soviet Union. His government set up a system of universal education for children. This considerable achievement is marked annually on his birthdate (14 Nov) with a special anniversary – Bal Divas ‘Children’s day’Nehru was a lifelong liberal and pursued policies to improve the welfare of the ‘untouchable class’ and Indian Women. Nehru was committed to secular ideas – once described as a Hindu agnostic. He was proud of India’s Hindu heritage but also feared religion could become ossified and hold back India’s development.In foreign policy, Nehru was one of the leading figures in the non-aligned movement. Nehru sought to keep India out of the Cold war; he didn’t want India to rely on foreign states – be it Russia or America.“Peace is not only an absolute necessity for us in India in order to progress and develop but also of paramount importance to the world.” Speech at Columbia University (1949)As a statesman, Nehru was appreciated for his calm temperament and willingness to seek understanding between nations and conflicting parties. He carried himself with a degree of humility and willingness to seek a peaceful solution.“We must constantly remind ourselves that whatever our religion or creed, we are all one people.” (Radio broadcast. 1 December 1947) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 1962, India was involved in a conflict with China over a border dispute. Militarily India was defeated and this took a heavy toll on Nehru. Nehru died in 1964. Two years later his daughter Indira Gandhi took office.Nehru married Kamala Kaul in 1916 – they had one daughter Indira Gandhi. In 1942, Indira married Feroze Gandhi with whom they had two sons – Rajiv (b. 1944) and Sanjay (b. 1946).Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Jawaharlal Nehru” Oxford, www.biographyonline.net 12th Jan. 2011. Updated 12th Jan 2018.An Autobiography of Jawaharlal Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru – A Contemporary’s Estimate at Amazon.com Related pagesPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous Indians – A list of Indian men and women throughout the ages. Categories include politicians, scientists, sports people, spiritual figures and cultural figures. Includes Mahatma Gandhi, Akbar, Swami Vivekananda and Indira Gandhi.People of the Twentieth Century (1901 to 2000) Famous people of the turbulent century. Includes Winston Churchill, F.D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler and Stalin.
48 Jesse Owens was a track and field star. His most famous moment came in the 1936 Olympics when he won four gold medals – much to the annoyance of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party who hoped the Olympics would be a showcase for Aryan supremacy. In his later life, Jesse Owens became a goodwill ambassador for America and athletics.“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself — the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us — that’s where it’s at.”– Jesse Owens (from autobiography) Short bio – Jesse OwensJesse Owens was born in Alabama and, aged 9, the family moved to the Granville section of Cleveland. His early life was marked by poverty, and he was forced to take many menial jobs such as delivering goods and working in a shoe repair shops. However, he was able to develop his passion for running and athletics; from an early age, he was identified as having great potential talent. In later life, he gave much credit to Charles Riley, his high school coach who encouraged him and made allowances for his difficulty in making evening training sessions because Jesse had to work in a shoe repair shop.Jesse Owens rose to national prominence in 1933, when he equalled the world record (9.4 seconds) for the 100 yard dash. He attended Ohio State University but, without a scholarship, he had to continue working part time. In the 1930s, America was a highly segregated society, and when travelling with the team, Jesse had to suffer the indignities of eating at separate restaurants and staying in different hotels.One of his great athletic feats occurred in 1935; during one particular track meet, he broke three world records. This included the long jump (Owen’s record stood for 25 years), 220 yards and 220 yards hurdles. He also equalled the record for 100 yards.Jesse Owens at 1936 OlympicsJesse Owen’s finest moment came in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He won Olympic gold in the 100m, long jump, 200m and 4* 100 metres relay. (An achievement not matched until Carl Lewis in 1984). It was a convincing rebuttal to the Nazi’s hopes of displaying ‘Aryan superiority’. Hitler gave medals to German athletes on the first day, but, after Owen’s victories, decided not to give any more medals. Albert Speer later wrote that Hitler was annoyed that the negro, Jesse Owens had won so many gold medals.“….but he was highly annoyed by the series of triumphs by the marvelous colored American runner, Jesse Owens. People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive, Hitler said with a shrug; their physiques were stronger than those of civilized whites and hence should be excluded from future games.”With great irony, Jesse Owens was treated well during his stay in Germany; he didn’t experience the segregation that he did back home in the United States and many Germans sought his autograph.During the Games, Jesse Owens displayed the sportsmanship that he became renowned for. During the long jump final, he found time to massage his German rival, Lang. Lang later acknowledged the great spirit of sportsmanship that Jesse Owens embodied. Jesse Owens was grateful for the friendship that Lang displayed. Later, Jesse Owens remarked:“It took a lot of courage for him (Lang) to befriend me in front of Hitler… You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-karat friendship I felt for Lutz Long at that moment. Hitler must have gone crazy watching us embrace. The sad part of the story is I never saw Long again. He was killed in World War II.”Despite achieving a remarkable athletic achievement, Jesse Owens was denied the commercial reward or praise that he might have expected. He was never given a reception by F.D. Roosevelt or future US presidents. In 1936, the American Olympics association rescinded his Olympic status after Owens refused to travel to Sweden because he felt the financial need to pursue some commercial enterprises back in America.Jesse was forced to take part in various ‘athletic showcases’ such as racing against horses or racing against local runners with a 10-yard head start. As Jesse Owens wryly remarked“After I came home from the 1936 Olympics with my four medals, it became increasingly apparent that everyone was going to slap me on the back, want to shake my hand or have me up to their suite. But no one was going to offer me a job.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});He moved into business but it was not successful, and it ended in bankruptcy in the 1960s. He was even prosecuted for tax evasion. However, in 1966, with the civil rights movement gaining impetus, Jesse Owens was given the opportunity to act as a goodwill ambassador speaking to large corporations and the Olympic movement.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Jesse Owens”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 7th August 2017Jesse Owens: Fastest Man AliveJesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive at Amazon Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics by Jeremy Schaap at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Inspirational people – People who made a difference in a positive way and left the world a better place. Includes Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Emil Zatopek.
49 John F. Kennedy was America’s second youngest elected president. He oversaw one of the most crucial moments in the Cold War (Cuban Missile Crisis) and sought to affirm America’s beliefs in basic human rights by calling for civil rights legislation and an attempt to reduce poverty. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 – a tragic death that shocked America and the world.Early lifeBorn on May 1917, John F. Kennedy came from an illustrious political family; his father Joseph Kennedy was a leading member of the Democratic Party, and Joseph encouraged John F. Kennedy in his political ambitions after the war.John graduated from Harvard after completing a thesis on “Appeasement in Munich.” His thesis was later converted into a successful book: Why England Slept (1940).On Jack Paar Tonight ShowBefore America joined the war, John joined the Navy and saw action throughout the Pacific theatre. In August 1943, his boat was rammed by Japanese destroyer Amagiri. John F Kennedy was later decorated for his outstanding bravery in rescuing a fellow crewman; he was also awarded the Purple Heart for an incident later in the war. Afterwards, Kennedy was modest about his actions, saying he felt a bit embarrassed as it resulted from a botched military action.In 1946, he won a seat in Boston for the US House of Representatives, and in 1952 got himself elected to the US Senate, defeating the incumbent Republican.In 1953, he married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. In 1957 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography for his book Profiles in Courage, a book about US Senators who stood up for their personal beliefs.In 1956, he was nearly chosen to be the Vice Presidential candidate for Adlai Stevenson. The national exposure raised his profile, and in 1960 he was selected to be the Democratic nomination for the Presidency.PresidencyIn 1960, in a very tight election, John F. Kennedy narrowly defeated the much-fancied Republican, Richard Nixon. It was a memorable election with many millions glued to the TV in the pre-election hustings. John F. Kennedy came across very well on TV and looked more relaxed and professional on camera.It was the first time a Roman Catholic had been elected president and it was a big issue in America where many Protestants distrusted the prospect of America being influenced by the Vatican. He had to assure voters he was not a Catholic candidate for the Presidency, but someone standing for President who happened to be a Catholic.During his inauguration, JFK gave a memorable speech, where he famously encouraged citizens to help the nation become strong again.“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”He also called for greater internationalism.“We will make clear that America’s enduring concern is for both peace and freedom; that we are anxious to live in harmony with the Russian people; that we seek no conquests, no satellites, no riches; that we seek only the day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”One of his early acts was to establish the Peace Corps – a volunteer programme run by the US government, it allowed young Americans to travel abroad and serve in developing countries. Kennedy hoped it would change foreign perceptions of Americans and give Americans a greater sense of international solidarity.In 1961, after pressure from the CIA, Kennedy reluctantly ordered the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. It was mostly led by Cuban exiles with minimal US support. They hope to overthrow the Communist Fidel Castro. However, the invasion was a failure leading to embarrassing negotiations with Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Despite been reluctant to go along with the policy, he accepted his responsibilty for its failure.In 1962, figures in the US Department of Defense and Joint Chief of Staff proposed ‘Operation Northwoods’ which involved the CIA planning ‘false flag’ operations to stage attacks on US targets and claim Cuba was responsible – to create an opportunity to start a war against Cuba. Kennedy rejected the proposals but his reluctance to fully commit to removing Castro led to resentment amongst some CIA officers and Cuban exiles who felt Kennedy was insufficiently committed to removing Castro.Cuban Missile CrisisIn 1962, the world came extraordinarily close to nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union moved missiles to Cuba, which was seen as very provocative (despite the US have nuclear weapons in NATO ally Turkey. Many in the American military were keen on a pre-emptive airstrike on the missile bases, but Kennedy chose a more cautious diplomatic approach.Kennedy found a way to offer Khrushchev a way out without losing face. After several days of tense negotiation, an agreement was reached where the Soviet Union would remove missiles from Cuba in return for a US promise not to invade Cuba. The US also secretly removed weapons from Turkey to pacify the Soviets. His careful handling of the situation was widely praised. It led to the establishment of a direct Moscow-Washington hotline and for a few years, tensions between the Cold War antagonists were reduced.VietnamDuring his brief presidency, John F. Kennedy oversaw an escalation of US involvement in Vietnam, which included sending 16,000 military advisers to the country. Later, Kennedy’s Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara said Kennedy considered pulling out of Vietnam in 1963 and believes that if Kennedy had survived, American involvement would have ended. Tapes showed that Kennedy’s former Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson later criticised Kennedy’s opinion that America should withdraw.Civil rightsMeeting with leaders of March on Washington August 1963Kennedy was a supporter of civil rights, but when elected in 1960, American society was deeply divided with entrenched opposition to the end of segregation and racism. Kennedy was torn between the need to retain the support of white southern democrat voters and a wish to promote civil rights. He supported voter registration drives, appointed African Americans to positions within his administration and promoted Thurgood Marshall to the Second Circuit court of Appeals in New York.However, this was insufficient to tackle the much larger injustices. During the 1960s, the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King became disappointed with JFK’s apparent non-committal stance, instead, they took non-violent direct action to highlight the injustice of segregation and civil rights leaders. This often led to shocking images – shown on tv, of police brutality against civil rights activists. A turning point was 3 May 1963, where police in Birmingham unleased shocking brutality on protestors. This galvanised Kennedy to take more direct action sending federal marshals to the south in order to prevent racial violence getting out of hand. On 11 June 1963, Kennedy made a televised address to the nation where he spoke clearly in favour of the need to pass civil rights legislation“The heart of the question is — whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities. Whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated… One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free….” – J.F. KennedyAlthough he did not live to see his promise enacted, it was a turning point in his presidency with a clear commitment made. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial segregation.Ich Bin Ein BerlinerJFK’s handwritingIn June 1963, Kennedy made a memorable speech in West Berlin to a crowd of up to 450,000. He criticised the Soviets for their divisive wall and stated:“Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in… All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words “Ich bin ein Berliner!”His speech was very well received by people living in West Berlin, who felt surrounded by the Berlin Wall and Communist East Germany. The Soviet authorities were less enamoured of his speech which they felt was confrontational.AssassinationJohn F. Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and put on trial for his murder. However, before he could reach trial, Lee Harvey Oswald was himself killed by Jack Ruby. Lee Harvey Oswald always pleaded his innocence and many believe the assassination was a wider conspiracy. His death left a large void in American politics that was never adequately filled. Though Johnson did enact civil rights legislation and a form of welfare state, which many see as something Kennedy was keen to do. His brother Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 whilst seeking the democratic presidential nomination.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “John F. Kennedy Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Last updated 25 March 2020. Originally published 11 Feb 2013.The Kennedy Half-Century The Kennedy Half-Century at Amazon Quotes by J F Kennedy“The men who create power make an indispensable contribution to the Nation’s greatness, but the men who question power make a contribution just as indispensable, especially when that questioning is disinterested, for they determine whether we use power or power uses us.”John F. Kennedy, Amherst College, Oct 26, 1963 – Source JFK Library, Boston, Mass.“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});John F. Kennedy, Inaugural address, January 20, 1961“War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.”“I believe in an America where the rights that I have described are enjoyed by all, regardless of their race or their creed or their national origin – where every citizen is free to think and speak as he pleases and write and worship as he pleases – and where every citizen is free to vote as he pleases, without instructions from anyone, his employer, the union leader or his clergyman.”October 31, 1960. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”Inaugural Address (1961)Related pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous leaders – A list of famous leaders who led their country. Including Lenin, Churchill, Napoleon, and F.D Roosevelt.People of the Cold War (1948 to 1990) – Famous people who participated in the Cold War between the Soviet bloc and the US/NATO allies.
50 John Lennon was a British singer-songwriter and a key member of the Beatles – a musical and cultural phenomenon. After the Beatles, Lennon went on to have a distinguished solo career. Lennon was also an icon of the 1960s counter-culture revolution and was an anti-war activist.“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.”– John LennonShort Biography of John LennonJohn Lennon was born, October 1940, during a German air raid in Oxford Street Maternity hospital, Liverpool. During his childhood, he saw little of his father Freddie, who went AWOL whilst serving in the navy. For several years, John was brought up by his mother’s sister Mimi.In his early years, John was a mischievous student, who would be quick to take the mickey out of teachers and other students. His school reports were often scathing. “Certainly on the road to failure … hopeless … rather a clown in class … wasting other pupils’ time.”Whilst in his early teens he got his first guitar and would spend many hours playing. His aunt Mimi used to regularly say:“The guitar’s all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.”After the Beatles were famous, John presented Mimi with a silver platter with this quote written on. He failed all his O-Levels but was still accepted to the Liverpool College of Art. However, he was expelled from College before his final year because of his disruptive behaviour.In the late 1950s, John formed a rock group called the “Quarry Men Skiffle Band”, which was a precursor to the Beatles. In 1957, he met and formed a successful musical partnership with Paul McCartney. They complemented each other very well. Lennon focused on the more satirical aspects and McCartney veered towards the more optimistic cheerful qualities. Lennon was considered the leader of the Beatles, due to his superior age and also his musical abilities. It was, however, McCartney who persuaded Lennon to allow George Harrison to enter the band as lead guitarist.The first concert of the Beatles was at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on 21st March 1961. After being rejected by many music labels, they eventually signed an agreement with Parlophone in 1962. George Martin who was responsible for signing the Beatles, later said he was not particularly impressed by their demo tapes, but liked their wit and humour – of which Lennon was usually at the forefront.During the great success of the Beatles during the 1960s, John Lennon would often be seen as the figurehead for the group, although they maintained that the decisions of the group were democratic.Paul, George and John LennonIn 1961, the Beatles travelled to Germany, where they played many concerts in Hamburg. After two successful years, they returned to England and concentrated on recording singles. In 1963, the group’s profile took off with hit singles, such as “Please Please Me” and “She Loves You.” The popularity and enthusiasm for the Beatles were such that it led to the term “Beatlemania” being used. Lennon and the Beatles began a hectic schedule of recording, live performances and media appearances.Despite his natural rebelliousness, Lennon agreed to the suggestion of manager Brian Epstein to dress smartly and have a similar haircut. In the early years of the Beatles, the smart-suited Beatles were part of their cultivated image.In 1964, they released the single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – it entered the US charts in early 1964 and soon sold over two million copies. Beatlemania was now a global phenomenon. It marked a shift in musical attitudes, especially in the US. The Beatles success of 1964, was known as the start of the “British Invasion”. In 1964, they toured the US for the first time, and in February appeared on the Ed Sullivan tv show.The Beatles in 1964, JFK airport US.John Lennon was no stranger to controversy. In 1966, he made an off the cuff remark in an interview with the Evening Standard.“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink … We’re more popular than Jesus now—I don’t know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity.”He claimed this was a mere observation, which was probably true in England. Nevertheless, it led to a boycott in the US, especially in the deep south. There was also a wave of record burnings – although Lennon wryly remarked that to burn them they had to buy them first.Drug UseDuring the 1960s, John Lennon began to frequently take LSD and by 1967 was a heavy user. This also coincided with a period of uncertainty, and he considered leaving the Beatles. The death of Brian Epstein, their manager in 1967 also hit Lennon and the Beatles hard. However, this was also a period of musical inventiveness, with new styles of music helping to create some classic recordings, such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.John Lennon and MeditationIn 1967, John Lennon and the Beatles became more interested in meditation and Eastern religions. They spent several weeks in the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Although John later broke ties with the organisation, he continued to advocate meditation.“I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.”– John Lennon“I’m not a god or the God, but we’re all God and we’re all potentially divine — and potentially evil. We all have everything within us and the Kingdom of Heaven is nigh and within us, and if you look hard enough you’ll see it.”– John Lennon, The Beatles Anthology (2000)In India, they composed music for their albums The Beatles and Abbey Road. The visit also saw more Eastern musical influences begin to percolate into their music.John Lennon Solo CareerJohn Lennon by Roy KerwoodIn 1969, the Beatles started to split up; Lennon was keen to branch out musically and develop his own solo career. There were also frictions over the presence of his wife, Yoko Ono in the Beatles recording sessions. After the break-up of the Beatles, Lennon pursued a very successful solo career. His first album was released in 1970 with John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970).“It was just a gradual development over the years. Last year was “All You Need Is Love.” This year it’s “Give Peace a Chance.” Remember love. The only hope for any of us is peace…. Get out there and get peace. Think peace, live peace, and breathe peace and you’ll get it as soon as you like.” (Statement to the press, July 1969)In the early 1970s, John Lennon also became a figurehead for those opposed to the Vietnam War. His song “Give Peace a Chance” became an anthem for the anti-war movement. Due to his anti-war stance, the Nixon administration tried to have him deported, but after a long struggle, he was able to gain a green card in 1976. His song “Imagine” has also become a tremendously influential song; it has been voted ‘the most popular song’ by the British public.In 1975, he retreated from the music world, preferring to spend time looking after his new son, Sean. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});John Lennon married Cynthia Powell in 1963, though the marriage was kept secret. They had one son, Julian. The marriage broke down in 1967. Lennon married Yoko Ono in March 1969.In October of 1980, Lennon made a return to music recording. But, just two months later on 8 December 1980, John Lennon was shot dead in Dakota, New York. He was shot by David Chapman – an obsessed fan. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was imprisoned for life.By 2012, John Lennon has sold 14 million solo albums, whilst the Beatles have become the best-selling group of all time – with an estimated 600 million recording sales worldwide.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of John Lennon”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 28th May. 2007. Updated 25 January 2018.John Lennon: The Life John Lennon: The Life at Amazon Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Music BiographiesJohn Lennon FactsImagine by John Lennon Quotes by John Lennon
51 John M. Keynes (5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946) was one of the most influential economists of the Twentieth Century. His groundbreaking work in the 1930s led to the development of a whole new economic discipline dedicated to macroeconomics. His economic theories, which became known as ‘Keynesianism’ advocated government intervention to end the Great Depression.John M. Keynes was born in Cambridge to an upper-middle-class family. His father was a lecturer in economics and moral sciences at Cambridge University. He was a bright scholar who won a scholarship to Eton College. After Eton, he studied Maths at Kings College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, the great economist Alfred Marshall encouraged Keynes to take up the relatively new science of Economics. Keynes published his first economic article in 1909, and by 1911 was editor of the Economic Journal.During the First World War, Keynes acted as a government advisor for the government. He helped to negotiate terms with Britain’s creditors (UK debt rose sharply in World War One). At the end of the First World War, Keynes took part in the British delegation to the Treaty of Versailles. Keynes was shocked at the level of reparations the Allies wanted to impose on the Germans. Keynes resigned from the British delegation saying it was a recipe for bankrupting Germany. He wrote the Economic Consequences of the Peace in 1919, accurately predicting the difficulties Germany would have and the consequent political resentment at such as harsh peace treaty.“If we aim deliberately at the impoverishment of Central Europe, vengeance, I dare predict, will not limp.”The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1919) Chapter VII, Section 1, pg.268In the 1920s, Keynes wrote a powerful critique of Britain’s decision to return to the Gold Standard at a pre-1914 level. Keynes argued that the artificially high value of sterling would make life difficult for British exporters. The decision to return to the Gold Standard in 1925 was widely blamed for the prolonged deflation and high unemployment the UK experienced in the 1920s. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill, who was responsible for the decision admitted it was the biggest domestic mistake of his career.Keynes and the Great DepressionIt was the Great Depression of 1929-39, which gave Keynes the opportunity to disparage and challenge the classical orthodoxy which dominated economic theory at the time. At the outbreak of the Great Depression, the classical response was to rely on free markets and balance the budget – through tax increases and cutting government spending. In 1931, Keynes was particularly critical of Ramsay McDonald’s austerity budget which cut public investment, wages and increased taxes. Keynes argued that the government should be doing the opposite. Throughout the 1930s, Keynes was a consistent voice for advocating higher government spending funded through higher borrowing. However, in most democracies, it proved a lone voice – apart from intermittent spending as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal.The basic principle of Keynes’ work was that in a recession, there were wasted resources due to higher private savings and falling private sector investment and spending. Therefore, the government should intervene. The government should borrow from the surplus savings of the private sector and help unemployed resources, lying idle, to become used. See more at explanation of Keynesian economicsKeynes was also a great publicist for his own views, with a knack for attracting attention. For example, when he saw a waiter with nothing to do, he knocked some serviettes on to the floor. He explained to his bemused friends he was trying to prevent unemployment by creating work. In his General Theory, he used the analogy of digging holes in the ground to explain concepts of aggregate demand.“To dig holes in the ground“, paid for out of savings, will increase, not only employment, but the real national dividend of useful goods and services. It is not reasonable, however, that a sensible community should be content to remain dependent on such fortuitous and often wasteful mitigations when once we understand the influences upon which effective demand depends.”– J.M. Keynes, The General Theory Of Employment, Interest, And Money Ch 4.His work created some notable soundbites – he popularised the idea of the paradox of thrift (individual saving causes aggregate spending to fall). He also coined the phrase ‘in the long run we are all dead’.“The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead. Economists set themselves too easy, too useless a task if in tempestuous seasons they can only tell us that when the storm is past the ocean is flat again.”– J.M. Keynes, A Tract on Monetary Reform (1923) Ch. 3.This phrase was an ironic criticism of classical theory, which argued markets would eventually return to equilibrium ‘in the long run.’His groundbreaking work – The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (1936) provided a framework for macroeconomics and was a radical departure from the more limited classical framework. After the war, to varying degrees, governments in the West pursued Keynesian demand management in an attempt to achieve full employment. This led the US president R. Nixon to declare in the 1960s – “we’re all Keynesians now.”In the 1970s, the reputation of Keynes’ work was challenged by the stagflation of the decade and the response of neo-classical economists and monetarists, such as Milton Friedman. But, the great recession of 2008-2013, led to a resurgence of interest in Keynes’ explanation for prolonged recessions.In 1940, his health suffered, and he had to cut back on his workload. However, after the Second World War, he was asked to take part in the British negotiations with America over debt repayments. It was Keynes’ job to emphasise to the Americans how bankrupt the UK was. The American delegation who met Keynes was deeply impressed by his intellect and passion. Though they couldn’t meet his demands until Congress became worried about the spread of Communism in Europe, and agreed to extend the terms of credit.Outside economics, Keynes was a lover of the arts, opera and noted for his exceptional wit. He was a formidable intellect and even critics admitted he had both great intellect and powers of persuasion.“Every time I argued with Keynes, I felt that I took my life in my hands and I seldom emerged without feeling something of a fool.”– Bertrand RussellAustrian economist Friedrich Hayek who came up with an economic theory (Austrian economics), very different to Keynes, wrote:“He was the one really great man I ever knew, and for whom I had unbounded admiration. The world will be a very much poorer place without him.”Another quality of Keynes was his optimism and belief in finding a solution. While many despaired at the social and economic cost of the Great Depression, to Keynes he saw a way out – it need not be like this. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});He used his knowledge of economics to make a fortune on the stock market; though, in 1929, he failed to predict the stock market crash and lost a fortune. However, in the 1930s, he saw his financial investments make a good return, as he made a number of astute investments. He was a member of the Bloomsbury Group, a fashionable society of Cambridge graduates, who also included Virginia Woolf and E.M.ForsterKeynes married the ballerina Lydia Lopokova but had a number of affairs with both women and men.He tragically died from a heart attack in 1946, just as he was helping to implement the post-war economic settlement and set up the Bretton-Woods system.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of John M Keynes”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net Published 3 Feb. 2013. Last updated 9 February 2018.Influence of John M KeynesProvided dissenting voice at Treaty of Versailles about the harshness of the peace treaty. Later, many in Britain felt guilt at the terms of Treaty, which justified appeasement.Opposition to Gold Standard. In 1931 Britain finally left Gold Standard, which Keynes had criticised for a long time.Giving a sense of hope in Great Depression. As Bertrand Russell says in his autobiography: “There are still many people in America who regard depressions as acts of God. I think Keynes proved that the responsibility for these occurrences does not rest with Providence.”A sustained attack on orthodox ‘classical economics’. In the 1930s, the UK and US governments didn’t really listen to Keynes, but he did change the study of economics, creating a seismic shift in the subject – which would later incorporate Keynesian ideas into textbooks and economic theory. Joan Robinson said: “The consequences of Mr. Keynes’s attack upon orthodoxy are very far reaching. First, it cuts the ground from under the pretended justification of inequality, and allows us to see the monstrous absurdity of our social system with a fresh eye.”Keynes is credited with the creation of the branch of macro-economics – which up until that point economics was only concerned with micro-economics.Keynes helped negotiated credit terms with the US after the war. In 1965, Time Magazine led with a story, quoting Milton Friedman ‘We’re all Keynesians now’A pacifist for much of his life, in 1936, he argued Britain should rearm in face of the Nazi threat. What would Keynes do?What would Keynes do? – by Tejvan Pettinger. (Note this is the author of Biography Online’s book on Economics. Keynes: The Return of the Master Keynes: The Return of the Master – by Robert SkidelskyGeneral TheoryThe General Theory Of Employment, Interest, And Money – John M. Keynes at AmazonRelated pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Famous Economists – Famous economists from Adam Smith to Milton Friedman and Paul Krugman.Quotes by KeynesKeynesian economics at Economics Help.org
52 Jon Stewart (1962 – ) is a comedian and political satirist, who rose to fame through his 16-year stint on the Daily Show – a satirical look at American political life. Under Stewart’s influence, the Daily Show won numerous Emmy Awards (19) and has had a broad impact on public opinion.Early lifeStewart was born, John Leibowitz in New York, on 28 November 1962. He came from a middle-class Jewish family, who had emigrated from Eastern Europe.Stewart studied at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, graduating in 1984. As a student, Stewart like to try and make people laugh. He also held left-wing views (admiring the famous American socialist Eugene Debs), but he never got into serious politics. After graduation, he took a number of short-term odd jobs but struggled to decide on a career. By contrast his older brother, Lawrence Leibowitz became Chief Operating Officer of the NYSE Euronext.Stand-up ComedianIn 1986, he moved back to New York where he tentatively made his first efforts at stand-up comedy. His first gig was at the club – ‘The Bitter End’. It was at this time he switched his name to Stewart as he felt it was easier to pronounce. It also was due to a part estrangement with his father.Despite a nervous beginning, Stewart developed a good reputation and was given prime-time gigs at the Comedy Cellar, and this helped land him his first writing jobs for TV – ‘Caroline’s Comedy Hours’ and a short part on MTV’s ‘You Wrote it, You Watch it’.In 1993, Stewart received his first big break, appearing on NBC’s Late Night with David Letterman. Although he was close to getting Letterman’s job, he just missed out. Stewart went back to MTV where he developed his first talk show – ‘The Jon Stewart Show’ – this became one of MTV’s most popular shows.Hosting the Daily ShowIn 1999, Stewart was given the job of hosting ‘The Daily Show’ on Comedy Central. Stewart was an instant rating and critical hit. In the first year, ratings rose 400%, and it became one of most talked about shows.Stewart moved the program away from show-business and concentrated on observing the news and political events in a light-hearted, satirical fashion. He has always claimed that his job was to entertain and make the viewers laugh.“We are not warriors in anyone’s army. And that is not trying to be self-deprecating. I’m proud of what we do. I really like these two shows. I like making ’em. I like watching them. I’m really proud of them. But I understand their place. I don’t view us as people who lead social movements.”Rolling Stone interview, October 31, 2006But, due to it’s entertaining and humorous coverage of the main issues in the American political system, it unwittingly became a leading source of news information for young people, and Stewart became one of the most trusted ‘news anchors’.Stewart takes a non-party political approach and is willing to poke fun at any group in society. But, the show has a strong liberal-leaning, reflecting Stewart’s own political views.“This show is our own personal beliefs.” – in response to an audience question, “How do you keep your own personal beliefs from showing up in the show?” (interview)Stewart has particularly enjoyed poking fun at ‘conservative extremism’ and Fox News. A favourite technique is to show different videos, highlighting the hypocrisy of politicians.One example included Stewart’s criticism of the decision to go to war with Iraq. In one clip (from 2000) the then Governor Bush of Texas warned the US would end up “being viewed as the ugly American” if it went around the world “saying we do it this way — so should you,” In the other clip, the President Bush of 2003, extolled the importance of exporting democracy to Iraq and justifying the invasion.In 2008, the New York Times ranked him one of the most influential people in America. (NY Times article on Jon Stewart)Part of the show involves interviewing guests and celebrities (who often have a book to sell). It has become one of the most sought after interview positions, with many leading lights of world politics appearing, such as Tony Blair, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai and many others.In a rare moment of seriousness, the first episode post 9/11 was noted for successfully summing up the mood of New Yorkers and the nation in remaining defiant to the terrorist incident, closing his monologue.“The view… from my apartment… was the World Trade Center… and now it’s gone, and they attacked it. This symbol of American ingenuity, and strength, and labor, and imagination and commerce, and it is gone. But you know what the view is now? The Statue of Liberty. The view from the South of Manhattan is now the Statue of Liberty.”The Daily Show is also noted for its humorous coverage of American Presidential elections, including election specials such as “Indecision 2000” and “Indecision 2004”. These ironically gained awards for their electoral coverage.Despite Stewart’s assertion that he is primarily a comedian, he has become a major political presence, with the ability to raise issues and push forward a liberal agenda. On 30 October 2010, Stewart and Colbert organised a ‘Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear”. It attracted 215,000 participants in Washington and was aimed at offering an alternative to the ‘vocal and extreme 15% of Americans who control the conversation of American politics’. A few months previously, Fox News Channel and strong conservative Glen Beck held a ‘Restoring Honor’ Rally at the Lincoln Memorial.Stewart at the Rally, 30 October 2010“The country’s 24 hour political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems but its existence makes solving them that much harder.”“We hear every damn day about how fragile our country is — on the brink of catastrophe — torn by polarizing hate and how it’s a shame that we can’t work together to get things done, but the truth is we do. We work together to get things done every damn day!”Criticism of the MediaA recurring feature of Stewart’s content has been to criticise the media. Not just Fox News, but CNN as well.“Everybody wrings their hands about Fox News. You know, “fair and balanced? Why, that’s snide!” Yeah, okay, maybe they’re not fair and balanced, but CNN used to have the slogan “You Can Depend on CNN”. Guess what? I watch it, no you can’t. So what’s the difference?”C-SPAN interview, October 14, 2004As well as satire on the Daily Show, in 2004 he appeared on the CNN programme “Crossfire”. Stewart was heavily critical of the programme for its level of political debate, being more concentrated on its vociferous partisan approach to political discourse. After Stewart appeared on the show in 2004, his critique was widely shown on youtube and became a big talking point in the US. In Jan 2015, Crossfire was cancelled by CNN, with the new President of CNN Jonathan Klein stating Stewart had:“made a good point about the noise level of these types of shows, which does nothing to illuminate the issues of the day.”Other projectsStewart wrote: “Naked Pictures of Famous People” a collection of humorous short stories about famous people. For example his satirical piece on Hitler:“Hitler: Denial is a powerful thing… I always thought I could stop any time I wanted. “If I could just get Czechoslovakia, that’ll be the end of it. I’ll be happy then.” And then I’d get it and think, well geez, Poland’s just up the road a piece and… you know the rest.”He also wrote (with Daily Show staff) America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction – a satirical look at American’s political institutions.Stewart has also had several acting roles in films. He has also appeared in other TV series, such as The Larry Sanders Shows. He has also hosted the Oscars and the Grammy Awards.Stewart also launched his own production company ‘Bush Boy’. With backing from Comedy Central, it has launched Daily Show spin-offs such as The Colbert Report.In February 2015, Stewart announced he would be retiring from the Daily Show at the end of the year.Personal life (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Stewart is Jewish by ethnicity but does not follow any religious practices. Politically, he describes himself as mostly Democrat, but more independent and socialist. He married Tracey Lyn McShane in 2000; the couple have two children.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Jon Stewart”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 11th February 2015. Last updatedJon Stewart – Beyond Moments of Zen Jon Stewart – Beyond Moments of Zen at AmazonAmerica – Teacher’s Edition America – Teacher’s Edition at Amazon Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Comedians – Some of the great comedians including Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Peter Sellers, Johnny Carson and John Cleese.Famous Film Directors – Influential film directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Capra, Walt Disney and Orson Wells.
53 Joseph Stalin (18 December 1878 \u0096- 5 March 1953) Stalin was absolute ruler of the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. Stalin presided over the industrialisation of the Soviet economy and was the supreme war leader during the Second World War. In consolidating his absolute power, he ordered many ‘purges’ in which people in positions of power were executed or sent to gulags. Stalin was also instrumental in the formation of the Cold War and annexation of Eastern European countries after the end of WWII.Short Bio – Joseph StalinStalin was born, Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili, on 18 December 1878 but later adopted the name of Stalin – which in Russia means man of steel.In his early life, he only gained a rudimentary education and was drawn towards Communist ideology and became involved in robberies and violence against Tsarist sympathisers. Stalin was captured and sent to Siberia, but he managed to escape.In 1917, Stalin played a key role in the Russian revolution; he gained control over the party newspaper Pravda and helped Lenin to escape to Finland. Stalin was one of the five-member politburos whom Lenin appointed in the Russian civil war against anti-Bolshevik forces.During the early days of the Russian Revolution, Stalin frequently clashed with Leon Trotsky and Stalin advocated harsh measures to ensure discipline and loyalty.In 1922, Lenin fell ill and Stalin became one of the main links between Lenin and the outside world. Lenin became increasingly distrustful of Stalin, disliking his arrogance and love of power. In Lenin’s testimony, he wanted Stalin removed from power. However, with great skill Stalin formed an alliance’s with other key Communist party members, He outmanoeuvred Trotsky and had him expelled from the Soviet Union.On the death of Lenin, Stalin was able to assume the position as leader of the Soviet Union. He quickly strove to consolidate his power removing anyone he suspected of being disloyal.In the 1930s, he unleashed a great wave of purges which led to the capture, torture and execution of many prominent members of the party, army and society. These purges went far beyond suspected disloyal members but became increasingly random – as if to strike fear into the heart of anyone in society. In light of revelations from the Soviet archives, historians now estimate that nearly 700,000 people (353,074 in 1937 and 328,612 in 1938) died during these purges.In 1939, Stalin shocked the world with the signing of the Nazi-Soviet pact which agreed on non-aggression with Germany, and also in secret agreed to carve up Poland. When Germany attacked Poland on 1st September 1939, the Soviet Union also attacked in the East.When Stalin was warned of an impending invasion by Nazi Germany in 1941, Stalin couldn’t believe that Adolf Hitler would attack the Soviet Union. When German forces streamed over the border, the Soviet Union was almost defenceless and German forces swept through the country reaching almost the outskirts of Moscow by 1942. However, at Stalingrad, the tide of battle was turned and slowly Russian forces pushed back the Germans beginning the long push back into Germany.Stalin took close command of the war and went to great lengths to portray himself as the heroic war leader. He was ruthless as Supreme military commander, often having Generals shot if they lost a battle. He also made armies dig in and refuse to retreat. However, with great loss of life, the Soviet Union were finally able to prevail. When the German army was at the gates of Moscow in 1942, Stalin refused to leave, and his presence in the city helped to maintain hope.The Germany occupation of Western Soviet Union was brutal with millions being killed by the occupying forces. As the Russian army liberated their own country and saw numerous accounts of atrocities, they, in turn, committed atrocities in their conquest of Germany. Even Soviet citizens who survived the German occupation were often arrested and deported on Stalin’s orders. He believed that many in the occupied zone had collaborated with the Germans.After the end of the Second World War, Stalin became desperate to get the nuclear bomb, after seeing its devastating effects in Japan. This became more important as the end of the Second World War gave way to the Cold War between the US and Soviet Block. Stalin was instrumental in creating the Eastern Block and Warsaw Pact – denying Eastern European countries the opportunity to pursue democratic self-government.Stalin died in 1953 after suffering a stroke.Commentary on StalinPerhaps no other person has been so committed and so successful in achieving total power and control. Stalin was paranoid and power hungry – ruthlessly ordering the murder of millions of his own subjects on the slightest pretext of disloyalty or even threat of disloyalty.“Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas? “ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});– Joseph StalinYet, despite being utterly ruthless and vindictive against his own population, Stalin was viewed as a great war leader, who heroically stood up to the advancing Nazi war machine – Stalin is credited with overseeing the successful defence of the Soviet Union and later the advance into Germany and complete defeat of Hitler’s Germany.His death in 1953 was mourned by millions who saw Stalin as a champion of Communism and hero of the Second World War. But, even the next Russian Premier – Nikita Khrushchev, later went onto denounce the ‘cult of personality’ that surrounded Joesph Stalin.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Stalin”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 23rd May 2010. Last updated 8 February 2018.Stalin – A biography Stalin – A biography by Robert Service. “A complex and fascinating story behind this notorious twentieth-century figure.” – at Amazon. ‘Related pagesFamous Russians – Including famous royals, politicians, scientists, composers, authors and sportsmen.People of the Cold War (1948-1990) Famous people who participated in the Cold War between the Soviet bloc and the U.S. / Nato allies.
54 Julie Andrews (1935 – ) British actress, dancer and singer. She is best known for her iconic roles in Mary Poppins (1965) and The Sound of Music (1966). In addition to these two films, she has enjoyed a rich and varied career as entertainer and singer.“Hopefully, I brought people a certain joy. That will be a wonderful legacy.”– Julie AndrewsEarly lifeJulie Andrews was born on 1st October 1935 in Walton on Thames, Surrey, England. She was brought up in humble surroundings. At a young age, her parents were divorced and she was brought up by her father, her mother (Barbara) and stepfather, Ted Andrews.One of her earliest memories is living through the blitz, sheltering in air raid shelters. It is said that during the air raids, Ted Andrews would often start singing, Julie would also join in singing – a full octave above everyone else. This was the first time her singing voice was noticed, and her parents took care to nurture and improve her singing voice in her childhood years.Amongst her teachers was the famous concert soprano and voice instructor, Madame Lillian Stiles-Allen. Andrews later revealed that Madame Lillian Stiles-Allen ” had an enormous influence on me,” Andrews said that the relationship was almost like that of mother and daughter.Julie Andrews first experiences of performing came in 1945, at the age of only 10. She was invited to join her mother and “pop” (her stepfather Ted) on stage. She remembers how she had to step on to a crate to reach the microphone.Her first big single performance came on 22 October 1947, when she performed at the London Hippodrome. She performed “Je Suis Titania” aria from Mignon. This difficult piece was from the part of a musical revue called “Starlight Roof”. From this point, her progress was swift; in the next year, aged only 13, Julie Andrews, became the youngest person to perform in a Royal Command Variety Performance. Between 1950-52, Julie Andrews made her break into the fledgeling TV programs, gaining national prominence through her appearances in the show “Educating Archie”.Early Career – Julie AndrewsHer international career really took off with her performance in the musical “My Fair Lady”. The musical is based on George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion. My Fair Lady tells the story of a poor, uneducated London girl from the East End, who is taught to speak like a lady. Given Julie Andrews humble beginnings, there is some parallel with her rapidly blossoming career. Julie Andrews was the undoubted star of the musical, and she helped make it one of the smash hits of the year.During her performances in My Fair Lady, she was asked to perform in the 1954 film production of Cinderella. However, when My Fair Lady was made into a movie, Julie Andrews was passed over for the more famous actress Audrey Hepburn. Ironically, shortly after this disappointment, she was given the opportunity to perform in the Walt Disney film “Mary Poppins”. This was received with great critical acclaim and has remained one of the most treasured films of all time. For her performances, Julie Andrews was awarded the 1964 Academy Award for best actress. In 1965, she was also awarded a Golden Globe.In the next year, Julie Andrews played Marie von Trapp, in the classic film production of The Sound of Music. By many accounts, The Sound of Music has been one of the most successful films of all time, and Julie Andrew’s performance is a defining feature of the film. She was nominated for another academy award, but lost out to Julie Christie – Darling as “Diana Scott” These years were amongst the most successful for any actress.After these unprecedented successes, the career of Julie Andrews always lived under the shadow of these two iconic performances. Despite forays into new movies, Julie Andrews admitted she often felt typecast due to the lasting impression left by her performance in these productions. However, she retained a great fondness for her role in The Sound of Music.“I saw The Sound of Music again recently, and I loved it. Probably it’s a more valuable film now than when it first came out, because some of the things it stood for have already disappeared. There’s a kind of naive loveliness about it, and love goes by so fast … love and music and happiness and family, that’s what it’s all about. I believe in these things. It would be awful not to, wouldn’t it?”– Julie Andrews (September 1973) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 1983, she received her third Oscar nomination for her performance of Victoria Grant and Count Victor Grezhinski in the film Victor/Victoria.In the 1990s, she made a successful return to the theatre. However, in the late 1990s, a throat operation meant she was left unable to sing. Although her voice has recovered somewhat, it has never been the same. Commenting on her loss of voice, Julie Andrews said:“I’m not quite sure what I was supposed to learn from all of that. It did bother me. I can’t say that I wasn’t devastated. Singing, with an orchestra, being able to sing, was what I’d known my entire life. Whatever happened, I think I found so much to keep me feeling that I’m contributing still.”Julie Andrews is married to Blake Edwards; they have three children.For her lifetime of service to entertainment, Julie Andrews has received many awards including:The Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild’s awards. 2007,List of “100 Greatest Britons” sponsored by the BBC and chosen by the public 2002Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE). 2000Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Julie Andrews”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 30th Oct. 2009.Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Famous actors – Famous actors and actresses, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.!!!Famous actors – Famous actors and actresses, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.
55 Katharine Hepburn (1907 – 2003) Multiple Oscar-winning American actress, Hepburn starred in many successful films including The African Queen (1951) The Rainmaker (1956) and On Golden Pond (1981)“Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don’t do that by sitting around wondering about yourself.”– Katherine HepburnKatharine Hepburn is one of the most famous actresses of the twentieth century. In a career lasting several decades, she landed four Oscars – a record even today.She was an unconventional Hollywood actress, fiercely independent and often displaying a standoffish attitude to the media. However, her wide variety of roles and acting skills made her famous on screen, and she was ranked the greatest female film star by the American Film Institute.Early Life Katharine HepburnKatharine Hepburn was born on 12 May, in Hartford, Connecticut, US. Her mother, Katharine Martha Haughton was a suffragette, and her strong views and independence influenced the young Katharine. As a teenager, Katharine was free-spirited getting involved in sports such as swimming, skating and gymnastics; she also had a fearless streak and was suspended from school for smoking and breaking curfew. She later admitted to going swimming naked in the middle of the night. As she later was quoted“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”One incident that had a strong bearing on her early life involved finding her dear brother hanging from a rafter by a piece of rope. Her family tried to deny it was suicide, but it looked as if it was and the incident had a lasting impact on Katherine.Aged 21, Katherine married for the first time to socialite Ludlow Ogden Smith. The marriage did not last a long time, and they divorced six years later. However, they remained friends, and Katherine remained grateful for his support in her early years.Early acting careerKatherine’s early acting career developed on stage, and from the theatre, she graduated to film. By 1933 she had won her first Oscar for her performance in Morning Glory, a story about a woman who rejects romance for her work.There then followed a series of successful films such as:Alice Adams – earned her a second Oscar nominationState of the Union – directed by Frank Capra. Hepburn plays opposite Spencer Tracy in a film about an idealistic industrialist’s foray into politics.By the late 1930s, her acting career had started to decline, and she was once even labelled as ‘toxic for the box office’ along with people like Fred Astaire and Marlene Dietrich. In addition to a string of forgettable films, she also displayed dismissiveness towards other female actresses and had a reluctance to sign autographs or give interviews. She always retained a reluctance to give interviews to the press until she was much older. Hepburn nearly gained a prominent role in the Oscar Winning film – Gone with the Wind. But, she wasn’t keen, and the role was given to Vivien Leigh.After the war, Hepburn’s career picked up. She gained an Oscar nomination in 1951 for her portrayal of a stern missionary in the film – African Queen – starring alongside Humphrey Bogart. The film was a great success, though she ended up becoming quite ill with dysentery and malaria due to the water. She later wrote about this challenging experience.Notable Films of Katherine HepburnSummertime (1955)The Rainmaker (1956)Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) winner of two academy awards including Katherine Hepburn as best actress. Starred alongside Sidney Poitier and Spencer Tracy. It tells of a groundbreaking interracial marriage which set against the backdrop of the civil rights movements of the 1960sThe Lion in Winter. Katharine played Eleanor of Aquitaine.On Golden Pond (1981) – another Oscar-winning performance by Katharine HepburnOscars for Best Actress 1933: Morning Glory 1967: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner 1968: The Lion in Winter 1981: On Golden PondOscar Nominations 1935: Alice Adams 1940: The Philadelphia Story 1942: Woman of the Year 1951: The African Queen 1955: Summertime 1956: The Rainmaker 1959: Suddenly, Last Summer 1962: Long Day’s Journey into NightFiercely independent, Katherine Hepburn was pioneering in providing a role model for women beyond the dutiful Hollywood blonde bombshell. Revealingly she speaks of her own self-image“Everyone thought I was bold and fearless and even arrogant, but inside I was always quaking.”– Katherine HepburnKatherine embodied feminine beauty but also an inner strength and reserve. She was an important cultural icon and a forerunner for women of the Twentieth Century who lived with greater independence and freedom of action.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Katherine Hepburn”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 24th November 2008. Last updated 9 February 2018. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Katharine Hepburn: Rebel Chic Katharine Hepburn: Rebel Chic at AmazonRemembering Katharine Hepburn Remembering Katharine Hepburn at Amazon.comAnn Nyberg delves into the long, extraordinary life of Katharine Hepburn through personal remembrances from people whose lives she influencedRelated PagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Famous Actors – Famous actors and actresses, including Alec Guinness, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.Iconic womenRelated peopleAudrey Hepburn (not related to K.Hepburn)
56 Lance Armstrong was one of the domineering personalities in professional cycling, winning the Tour de France for a record-breaking seven consecutive occasions between 1999 and 2006. His story is all the more remarkable for his well-documented recovery from life-threatening cancer. However, despite repeated denials and lawsuits, Armstrong finally admitted in 2013, that during his career he took a wide range of performance enhancing drugs from EPO to blood testing. He was stripped of all his Tour titles in 2012, by USADA. He confessed to doping in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in January 2013.Short bio Lance ArmstrongLance Armstrong was born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971, in Texas US. His father was not involved in his upbringing, and so he became close to his mother. From an early age, Lance displayed great talent as an athlete and showed a strong will and determination – training for many hours. As a teenager, he was most interested in the triathlon but after a while decided to concentrate on cycling, and so moved to Europe to join the pro cycling circuit. From 1992 -1996, he rode for the US-based Motorola Team.Although he was following in the footsteps of Greg Lemond, Lance was still one of only a few American cyclists breaking into a European-dominated sport. Lance soon showed signs of being a great potential one-day racer. His greatest moment came in 1993 when he won the World Championships in a rain-soaked Norway, aged only 21. He seemed to have a great potential career ahead of him. But, in 1996, he saw an unexpected and dramatic drop off in his form. This decline in form forced him to retire and he later discovered (October 1996) that he had an advanced form of testicular cancer, which doctors gave him only a 40% chance of survival.Lance wrote about this experience in his book – It’s Not About the Bike. It was a testing time, where he underwent painful treatments. But, Lance made a full recovery and survived. On recovering from cancer, few teams were interested in an ex-cancer survivor, assuming his career finished. However, he was given a chance by US Postal Team. Later, team-mates said that Lance Armstrong was very driven and determined to prove his doubters wrong. His ambition extended to using illegal means, and Armstrong was an instigator for the US Postal team to be ‘well prepared’ a euphemism for taking drugs. Around this time he began associating with the controversial doctor Michael Ferrari, who had a history of helping riders to win with EPO.Armstrong missed the 1998 Tour de France – which was blighted with doping (known as the Festina Affair when a customs official discovered large quantities of doping products in a Festina car). Over time, all Festina riders admitted to taking drugs – with the exception of Christophe Bassons who would later be a nemesis for Armstrong)At the end of 1998, he finished 4th in the Vuelta Espana and went on the 1999 Tour, as a team leader. After the Festina scandal in 1998, the 1999 Tour was supposed to be the ‘Tour of Renewal’ – the organisers promised slower speeds and a renewed fight against doping.Lance Armstrong in yellow. Photo Bjarte HetlandIn 1999, no one considered Armstrong as a possibility for overall victory – despite the fact he had lost weight from the illness and was now better suited to mountain climbing. In previous tours, Armstrong finished well down the classification. However, Lance won the prologue time trial and later decimated the field in the mountains. It was one of the greatest sporting comebacks and made Lance famous across the world. However, there were rumblings of discontent. Far from being slower, the 1999 Tour was run faster than ever. Critics complained that with no test for EPO, there was no way of knowing whether Armstrong was clean. One of the few riders to come out of the Festina scandal with his reputation unscathed was the French rider – Christophe Basson. He used a newspaper column to state that doping was still a problem in the peloton and no-one could make the top ten without doping. In full view of the cameras, Armstrong challenged Basson and insinuated Basson should leave the race. Turned on by fellow riders, Basson quit the race a few days later. To journalists, such as David Walsh, the fact Armstrong criticised a clean rider was proof that Armstrong was not clean. Also, in the prologue of 1999, Armstrong tested positive for the drug Corticoid. However, he was able to escape sanction by producing a backdated prescription.“I have been on my deathbed, and I’m not stupid. I can emphatically say I am not on drugs.” (Armstrong 1999)But, at the time, this incident was pushed far below the more dramatic headlines of cancer survivor winning the Tour de France. As well as winning the Tour de France, Lance’s popularity and fame far extended from the sport of cycling. He actively campaigned for greater awareness of cancer and started his own foundation to raise funds for dealing with cancer – Livestrong. His book, which recounted his recovery from illness, became a best seller. It gave many Americans a new interest in cycling.Over the next seven years, Lance Armstrong went on to dominate the Tour de France, winning each Tour between 1999-2005. His preparation was characterised by meticulous attention to detail, from riding over future stages to weighing his pasta and ensuring his optimal racing weight. This scientific approach and care to detail contrasted with one of his main competitors of the era – Jan Ulrich. Compared to Lance, Jan seemed to rely on his natural talent and would sometimes start the season significantly above his racing weight.The period of the early 2000s was also an era of frequent doping scandals and doping revelations. Over this period, many team-mates and fellow competitors were implicated in taking doping products. Lance’s defence was that he never failed a doping test. Both Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton later claimed that Armstrong failed a dope test for EPO, however, the UCI helped in to escape sanction. Around this time, Armstrong made a substantial donation to the UCI. The UCI claimed everything was above board and the donation legitimate.Lance Armstrong was criticised for his close relationship with controversial doctor Michel Ferrari (of Italy). Many felt he was implicated in helping riders take doping products. He was later convicted of ‘sporting fraud’ by a court in Italy, after testimonials from former clients such as, Filippo Simeoni, who testified against Ferrari. The relationship between Armstrong and Ferrari was one reason why Greg Lemond spoke out against Lance Armstrong and questioned the nature of this victory. Greg Lemond said he was very disappointed when he learnt of Armstrong’s association with Ferrari. Even when Armstrong confessed to doping, he stood by Ferrari saying he was a good man.Throughout his denials, Armstrong was aggressive in attacking anyone who made allegations, such as Betsy Andreu, Emma ‘O Reilly and Paul Kimmage.“This is my body, and I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it; Study it; Tweak it; Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I am on. What am I on? I am on my bike busting my ass six hours a day; What are YOU on?”– Lance ArmstrongThe French newspaper, L’Équipe on 23 August 2005, also claimed that Lance Armstrong failed a retrospective test for EPO from 1999. However, the test was ruled as inadmissible for the unscientific methods of testing. Critics argue the UCI could have retested samples from 1999 when a test for EPO was discovered in 2000. But, the UCI didn’t because they didn’t want the adverse publicity of failed dope test.After his seventh consecutive victory in 2005, Lance Armstrong retired and spent more time with his cancer charities.In 2009, Lance Armstrong made a surprise return to the peloton. Despite a short period of training, he was able to finish on the podium in the Tour de France, behind winner Alberto Contador. The 2012 USADA report later claimed Armstrong’s blood samples clearly showed blood doping. His last tour in 2010, proved less successful. After a raft of crashes, Lance was unable to keep up with the leaders and finished well down in 23rd place. Lance said the main reason for returning to the Tour was to raise awareness for cancer and his Live Strong Foundation.The 2010 Tour was increasingly overshadowed by questions over doping. After denying doping for two years, former team-mate Floyd Landis changed his mind, admitted to doping and implicated Lance Armstrong. Landis’ report, led to a Federal investigation, similar to the investigation into the BALCO scandal involving Tim Montgomery, Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones. On June 9, 2010, The New York Daily News reported that assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Miller was the leader of a federal investigation into Landis’s claims. Although the Federal investigation was dropped, Travis Taggart investigated on behalf of the USADA.In 2012, USADA produced a damning report – gained enough evidence to charge Lance Armstrong. Armstrong refused to contest them. USADA stripped Lance Armstrong of all seven victories in the Tour de France. The UCI later confirmed this, and stated ‘Armstrong has no place in cycling.’After maintaining a denial of doping for over 13 years, Armstrong confessed to doping in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in January 2013.“All the fault and all the blame here falls on me. I viewed this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times. I made my decisions. They are my mistakes, and I am sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I’m sorry for that.” (Jan 2013, Oprah Winfrey interview)However, he is criticised for not making full disclosure, and claiming he rode 2009 clean. Armstrong now faces a string of lawsuits from past legal cases, where he testified under oath to not doping.He resigned as director of the Livestrong foundation.Since the USADA report in 2012, Armstrong had made a return to triathlons. However, his ban means he is not able to compete in official Ironman competitions.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Lance Armstrong”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 10th August 2014. Updated 10th February 2018.Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever at AmazonLance Armstrong – It’s not about the bike Lance Armstrong – It’s not about the bike at AmazonMajor wins not affected by USADA BanTour de France (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});2 individual stages (1993,95)Stage RacesTour de Luxembourg (1998) Tour DuPont (1995), (1996)One-day races and ClassicsWorld Road Race Championships (1993) National Road Race Championships (1993) Clásica de San Sebastián (1995) La Flèche Wallonne (1996) Trofeo Laigueglia (1993)Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Quotes by Lance Armstrong
57 Lech Walesa was born in Poland in 1943. He grew up in Communist-controlled Poland and became active in the trade union movement in Gdansk shipyards, where he worked as an electrician.In 1970, he was a leader of the workers union as they clashed with the government seeking to gain improved working conditions and recognition. Because of his union activity as a shop steward, in 1976, he was fired by the state-owned firm. For the next few years, he was forced into doing odd jobs to provide income for his family and supporting his political activities.In 1978, he helped to organise the first non-communist trade union and raised the profile of opposition to the Communist party and its grip on the country.“The sole and basic source of our strength is the solidarity of workers, peasants and the intelligentsia, the solidarity of the nation, the solidarity of people who seek to live in dignity, truth, and in harmony with their conscience.”– Lech WalesaBy 1980, Walesa was seen as the national leader of the independent trade union movement, and he was soon elected leader of Solidarity (a non-communist workers movement) He helped to lead strikes in the summer of 1980, and these proved relatively successful, with the government agreeing to many of the workers’ demands, such as the recognition to strike and form their own independent union. This gave the Solidarity movement great hope. But, at the end of 1981, the Russian backed general Jaruzelski cracked down on the movement. Walesa was interned, but given his high international profile was only placed under house arrest.Although the government cracked down on Solidarity they were not as repressive as in previous years (such as The Hungarian rising). The government made life very difficult for Solidarity, but its leaders, such as Lech Walesa remained potent symbols of opposition to the government. As the 1980s progressed, the new Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev indicated the Soviet Union would no longer use force to impose Soviet control over an Eastern Bloc country. Thus Solidarity was able to organise and provided a growing opposition to the Communist control. The movement gained international recognition and in 1983, Lech Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The movement was also encouraged by the first Polish Pope John Paul II. His popularity in Poland gave Solidarity much extra strength.“The defense of our rights and our dignity, as well as efforts never to let ourselves to be overcome by the feeling of hatred – this is the road we have chosen.”– Lech WalesaAfter the fall of the Berlin Wall, Lech Walesa was elected Poland’s first President of the Republic of Poland. In December 1990 in a general ballot, he was elected President of the Republic of Poland. He served until defeated in the election of November 1995.“Without a single shot we’ve managed to liberate the world of communism … but now there is a need for a global solidarity.”– Lech Walesa (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});He was married and had eight children. He said his Catholic faith sustained much of his political activity and determination to resist Communist control.“It is hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail.”– Lech WalesaCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Lech Walesa”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 3rd August 2014. Last updated 20 February 2018.The Struggle and the Triumph: An Autobiography The Struggle and the Triumph: An Autobiography at Amazon. By Lech WalesaRelated pagesPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous Polish figures – including Marie Curie, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Frederick Chopin and Nicholaus Copernicus.People of the Cold War (1948 to 1990) Famous people who participated in the Cold War between the Soviet bloc and the US/NATO allies.
58 Leo Tolstoy was one of the world’s pre-eminent writers becoming famous through his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. War and Peace has been ranked as one of the greatest novels of all time, for its rich characterisation and sweeping view of Russian society. Tolstoy also became a leading critic of injustice, formal religion and the inequality of Tsarist Russia. While critical of the church, he believed in the essence of gospels and espoused a form of primitive Christianity. In politics, his exposition of pacifism and non-violence had a profound influence on others – most notably Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.“The hero of my tale, whom I love with all the power of my soul, whom I have tried to portray in all his beauty, who has been, is, and will be beautiful, is Truth.”– Leo TolstoyShort Bio – Leo TolstoyBorn in 1828, Leo Tolstoy came from an aristocratic Russian family with links to some of the most powerful Russian families. He was the fourth cousin of Alexander Pushkin.In his early life, he struggled with his studies and drifted through life ending up with large gambling debts. Fed up with his aimless and empty life he volunteered to serve in the Russian army. However, these experiences as a soldier led him to become a pacifist in later life. He wrote his battlefield observations in Sevastopol Sketches, and this raised his profile as a leading Russian writer, gaining the attention even of the current Tsar. Later, looking back on these years (in his Confessions 1882), he bitterly regretted his misspent years“I cannot recall those years without horror, loathing, and heart-rending pain. I killed people in war, challenged men to duels with the purpose of killing them, and lost at cards; I squandered the fruits of the peasants’ toil and then had them executed; I was a fornicator and a cheat. Lying, stealing, promiscuity of every kind, drunkenness, violence, murder — there was not a crime I did not commit… Thus I lived for ten years.”– Leo TolstoyTolstoy had a deep interest in seeking a greater understanding and justification of life. He travelled widely through Europe but became increasingly disenchanted with the materialism of the European Bourgeoisie. He could be argumentative with those he disagreed with such as Turgenev (widely considered the greatest Russian writer of his generation). He also developed an increasing sympathy with peasants, the poor, and those downtrodden from society. He went out of his way to help and serve them.In 1862 he married Sofia Andreyevna Behrs, 16 years his younger. This marriage provided a degree of stability out of which Tolstoy wrote his great epics War and Peace and the novel Anna Karenina.War and Peace is breathtaking in its scope, realism and sense of history. Some characters were real historical people; others were invented. It tells a narrative of two families set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Tolstoy never saw it as a novel but an epic. Amongst other themes, it suggests the necessity of making the best of life, whatever your situation.“Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly. It is the one thing we are interested in here.”– Leo Tolstoy from War and PeaceReligious views of TolstoyAfter writing War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Tolstoy underwent a change of religious and philosophical attitude. Influenced by Buddhism and Jesus Christ’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’ he developed a belief in spiritual renewal based on service to the poor and direct relationship with God. He noted his attitudes in ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is within you’ and ‘Confessions’.“The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity by contributing to the establishment of the kingdom of God, which can only be done by the recognition and profession of the truth by every man.”Leo Tolstoy, The Kingdom of Heaven is within You. His religious views could be described as an early form of Christianity – based on the direct teachings of Jesus Christ, but without the external edifice of religious institutions and ‘myths’ such as the Holy Trinity and Eucharist. Tolstoy felt the power and influence of the church diluted the spiritual essence of religion. Due to his criticism of the Orthodox Church, he was ex-communicated from the church but his legacy as a writer and unique thinker was enhanced throughout the world. His philosophy began to attract disciples, and idealistic Tolstoy communes began to form.Political viewsHis religious views also had a direct impact on his political views. He was critical of injustice, greed and the inequality that tended to dominate Tsarist Russia. He developed a pacifist/anarchist philosophy, and became supportive of civil disobedience to improve the welfare of the oppressed. However, his criticism of the Tsar and Russian class system meant the government started to spy on Tolstoy. He was too internationally famous to directly challenge him, but Tolstoy’s strident criticism of the aristocracy was worrying for the authorities.Life and deathTolstoy was interested in the meaning of life and death. During his own life, he witnessed the painful death of his brother from tuberculosis, multiple deaths in the Crimean War and a public guillotining in Paris (which contributed to his rejection of the death penalty). He wrote on this theme of death in his short novel Death of Ivan Ilyich. He completed the book in 1882, but it fell foul of Russian censorship and it was not published until 1886. It is written after his religious conversion and touches on the distinction between what gives life value – sympathy, concern and love – and the ‘artificial life’ of social climbing and outer material displays. It is also critical of the attitudes of his former colleagues and friends who are embarrassed by the inconvenience of his fatal illness, but in the novel, he praises the selfless action of a peasant (Gerasim) who turns out to be Ivan’s greatest friend in his painful moments of dying.Friendship with GandhiIn the evening of his life, he developed a close relationship with a young Mahatma Gandhi. Tolstoy had written an article supporting Indian independence and Gandhi requested permission to republish it in a South African newspaper. This led to a long correspondence where the two wrote to each other on religious and political matters. Tolstoy wrote to Gandhi.“Love is the only way to rescue humanity from all ills, and in it you too have the only method of saving your people from enslavement… Love, and forcible resistance to evil-doers, involve such a mutual contradiction as to destroy utterly the whole sense and meaning of the conception of love.” – Letters One from Tolstoy to GandhiGandhi was very impressed with Tolstoy’s belief in non-violent resistance, vegetarianism and brand of ‘anarchist Christianity’. Gandhi later became a pre-eminent proponent of non-violent resistance and credited Tolstoy with being a major inspiration in his religious and political outlook.Death of TolstoyOn 28 October 1910, Tolstoy left his family home outside Moscow, leaving a note to his wife saying:“I am doing what old men of my age usually do: leaving worldly life to spend the last days of my life in solitude and quiet,”However a few days, later he was taken ill on a train passing through a remote Russian village called Astapovo. Suffering from pneumonia, Tolstoy was taken off the train and looked after at the station master’s house. His final days created worldwide media interest with media outlets sending reporters to cover whether Tolstoy would recover. However, his condition steadily worsened and he began slipping in and out of consciousness. On 7 November 1910, he passed away.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Leo Tolstoy”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 4 March 2020. Originally published 22nd Jan. 2009. Tolstoy: A Russian Life at Amazon Quotes on TolstoyGandhi said of Tolstoy “the greatest apostle of non-violence that the present age has produced” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Virginia Woolf went on to declare him “greatest of all novelists”James Joyce said of Tolstoy “He is never dull, never stupid, never tired, never pedantic, never theatrical”Fyodor Dostoevsky thought him the greatest of all living writersRelated pagesFamous Russians – Including famous royals, politicians, scientists, composers, authors and sportsmen.Famous authors – Famous authors. J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history.Famous pacifists – People who refused to fight and people who supported different forms of pacifism.Quotes by Leo Tolstoy
59 Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) is one of the world’s greatest thinkers, artists and philosophers. Seeking after perfection, he created rare masterpieces of art such as ‘The Mona Lisa’ and The Last Supper.’In addition to art, Da Vinci studied all aspects of life from anatomy to mathematics and astronomy; his far-reaching investigations and discoveries sought to show an underlying unity of the universe. Da Vinci is considered to be a key person in the birth of the European Renaissance, which saw an emergence of new ideas, scientific discoveries and the creation of beautiful art.Short Biography of Leonardo da VinciLeonardo was born an illegitimate son of a Florentine noble and peasant woman; he grew up in Vinci, Italy. In his formative years, he developed a love of nature and from an early age began to display his remarkable academic and artistic talents.Adoration of the Magi by Da VinciIn 1466, he moved to Florence where he entered the workshop of Verrocchio. Initially, his formative style reflected his teacher but he soon developed an artistic sense which went far beyond his master’s rigid style. His first work of significance was the “Adoration of the Magi” commissioned by monks of San Donato a Scopeto. Although unfinished, the work was a masterpiece and introduced several new ideas. In particular, he introduced themes of movement and drama. He also pioneered the use of Chiaroscuro; this is the technique of defining forms through the contrast of light and shadow. This would be later used to great effect in the Mona Lisa.“Shadow is the means by which bodies display their form. The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail but for shadow.” The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (Richter, 1888)In 1482, Leonardo went to the court of Ludovico Sforza in Milan, where he stayed for 16 years. Here he continued painting and also branched out into other interest such as engineering and anatomy. During this period he painted the famous artworks “Madonna on the Rocks” and also “The Last Supper.”Last Supper by Leonardo Da VinciThe Last Supper has been described as one of the greatest religious paintings. With Christ at the centre of the picture, it embodies great feeling and emotion as Christ is about to announce his imminent betrayal by Judas. The painting is held at the Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, Milan, but unfortunately over time the quality of the original painting has deteriorated, despite frequent restoration attempts.Leonardo Da Vinci and Mona LisaIn 1499, his patron L. Sforza was defeated by the French invasion, causing Leonardo to return to Florence. During this period, he painted the fresco of the Battle of Anghiari. This artwork was to exert tremendous influence over future artists. However, it was never completed and was later destroyed. It was also during this period that Leonardo completed The Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is one of the world’s most famous and intriguing pictures. The Mona Lisa is a portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble. For several days she came to Leonardo and sat for her portrait to be painted; however, she refused to smile. Leonardo even tried hiring musicians but to no avail. One day, just for a fleeting second, she gave a faint smile, and Leonardo was able to capture it. Her smile encapsulates a mysteriousness which is both fascinating and intriguing. Sri Chinmoy said of the Mona Lisa.“That smile has immortalized her, immortalized the artist and immortalized the art. Artist and art have been immortalized by just a faint smile, a smile that has an enigmatic touch. Even now a soul-touch is there, and that soul-touch has conquered the heart of the world.” (1)In the Mona Lisa, Leonardo masters the techniques of sfumato and chiaroscuro. Sfumato enables a gradual transition between colours – allowing delicate and expressive images. In the Mona Lisa, the use of chiaroscuro is evident in the contrast between her face and the dark background.Glider design by Da VinciIn this period Leonardo also extended his studies into engineering, science and other subjects. There seemed to be no end to his interests. He made copious notes in his complex mirror handwriting, much of which wasn’t deciphered in his lifetime. He also drew complex models of machines; in particular, he was fascinated by flight. He used to buy birds just so that he could release and enjoy watching them fly away. Da Vinci also attempted to build a flying object himself. Machines that he drew on paper, such as helicopters, would become a reality many centuries later. If his medicinal studies had been published, it would have revolutionised the science, as he was one of the first to understand the circulation of blood within the body. He also realised the earth revolved around the sun, anticipating the future work of Copernicus and Galileo. Da Vinci was driven to contemplate all aspects of life and the world, it left him with a great love and fascination with the universe.“Here forms, here colours, here the character of every part of the universe are concentrated to a point; and that point is so marvellous a thing … Oh! marvellous, O stupendous Necessity — by thy laws thou dost compel every effect to be the direct result of its cause, by the shortest path. These are miracles…” The Notebooks of Leonardo da VinciThrough different fields, Da Vinci sought to see an underlying unity in the universe and took an optimistic view of human potential.“Things that are separate shall be united and acquire such virtue that they will restore to man his lost memory.”The Vitruvian ManLeonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian ManThis is a drawing of the proportions of man. Da Vinci used earlier work and notes by the Roman architect Vitruvius. The picture combines art, man and science – illustrating the beauty of geometrical proportions and the human form. It is symbolic of Da Vinci’s work, and the Renaissance he inspired, to combine these art forms into one diagram. In the simplicity of a line drawing, there are many different factors brought into play; it has become an iconic image.Da Vinci fame grew during his lifetime, though he was not a wealthy man and he had to rely on the patronage of his patrons. This included powerful men, such as Cesare Borgia, who in the early 1500s demanded Da Vinci design instruments of war. Da Vinci designed a crossbow, prototype tank and ‘machine gun.’Personal life of Da VinciLeonardo remained single throughout his life. He did not marry or have children. He kept his personal life private and shared few details. He was close with his pupils Salai and Melzi, but appeared to be mostly absorbed in his far-reaching investigations, work and paintings. In his day, contemporary reports indicated Da Vinci was a unique person, with a physical beauty, dignified presence and strong moral character. Da Vinci expresses his love of truth:“To lie is so vile, that even if it were in speaking well of godly things it would take off something from God’s grace; and Truth is so excellent, that if it praises but small things they become noble.” The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci His first biographer, Giorgio Vasari, writes on the person of Da Vinci in 1550.“..Besides a beauty of body never sufficiently extolled, there was an infinite grace in all his actions; and so great was his genius, and such its growth, that to whatever difficulties he turned his mind, he solved them with ease.” (Source text)A notable characteristic of Da Vinci was his wide-ranging respect and reverence for truth, life and living creatures. He adopted a vegetarian diet and would buy caged birds just so he could release them. He is quoted as saying:“The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.”Between 1506-1510, Leonardo spent time in Milan working on behalf of the very generous French King Lois XII. In 1513 he travelled to the Vatican, Rome where he enjoyed the patronage of the new Medici Pope, Leo X. Here, Da Vinci worked in proximity to contemporaries such as the great Masters Michelangelo and Raphael. However, an intense rivalry soon developed between the younger Michelangelo and Da Vinci.The religion of Da VinciDespite being the patron of the Pope, Da Vinci was not an orthodox Catholic. Vasari writes of Da Vinci that he was:“cast of mind was so heretical that he did not adhere to any religion, thinking perhaps that it was better to be a philosopher than a Christian.” Madonna of the Rocks (cropped) by Da VinciVasari removed this quote in the second edition but, from his life’s work, we can see Da Vinci valued reason and was willing to question dogma passed down through the ages. Da Vinci wrote criticisms of the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church. The religious paintings of Da Vinci also indicate a religious faith expressed in a non-conformist way. His Madonna on the Rocks incorporates a Virgin Mary, not dressed regally or surrounded with a halo, but simply dressed in the surroundings of nature. Da Vinci did believe in God, but his religious sensibilities were expressed through seeing God in art, science and nature.“We, by our arts may be called the grandsons of God.” The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci Da Vinci was a great perfectionist – one reason why he completed so few paintings was that he never felt he had satisfactorily finished anything. He said towards the end of his life:“I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”In 1515, Da Vinci left to settle at the castle of Cloux, near Amboise by the kind invitation of Francis I of France. Here Da Vinci, spent his remaining years, free to pursue his own studies. He died in 1519 leaving behind one of the greatest body of artistic and scientific works. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Leonardo da Vinci”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published: 12th Jan 2014. Last updated 15th February 2018.Related pagesFamous Artists – A list of the great artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.People of the Renaissance (1350s to 1650s) The Renaissance covers the flowering of art and culture in Europe. Primarily in art, but also in science. Includes Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.Famous Italians – Italian composers, artists, politicians and authors. Includes Julius Caesar, Marcus Aurelius, St Francis of Assisi, Michelangelo, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Catherine of Sienna.10 Greatest works of art of all time. Including The Pieta and The statue of David by Michelangelo; Ecstasy of St Therese by Bernini, and Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh. Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci by Martin Kemp at AmazonLeonardo Da Vinci notebooks Leonardo Da Vinci Notebooks at AmazonExternal linksLeonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci Biography Leonardo da Vinci Facts
60 Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world player of the year four times (a record already). He has often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability to dribble past opponents.“I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius, and he can become an even better player.”His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.”– Diego MaradonaShort Biography Lionel MessiLionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a working-class family. His father was a factory steel worker, and his mother a cleaner.He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone.His local club, River Plate were interested in signing Messi but didn’t want to pay for his medical treatment. However, Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and coach Carles Rexach was impressed – offering Messi a contract (written on a paper napkin!) which included paying for Messi’s treatment in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy.“I made a lot of sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. That’s why I didn’t go out partying, or do a lot of other things.”– Lionel MessiMessi progressed through the ranks and was given his first appearance in the 2004/05 season becoming the youngest player to score a league goal. In 2006, Messi was part of the double winning team which won both La Liga (Spanish League) and Champions League. By next season, (2006-07) aged just 20, Messi was the first choice striker and an essential part of the Barcelona team – scoring 14 goals in 26 league games.In the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo’s record total for Barcelona. As the seasons have progressed, Messi kept improving and breaking his own records. In the calendar year of 2012, he broke the all-time world record for most goals scored in a calendar year. His final total of goals in 2012 was 91 – beating the previous record of 85 by German Gerd Muller, and Pele’s milestone of 75 in 1958.“My record stood for 40 years – 85 goals in a year – and now the best player in the world has broken it, and I’m delighted for him. He is an incredible player, gigantic.”– Gerd MullerAt the start of 2013, in club football, Messi has scored 292 goals from a total of 359 appearances, and in international football, 31 goals from 76 appearances.At the end of 2012, Messi turned down a very lucrative offer to play for an unnamed Russian side. It would have given Messi a salary of €20 million a year and made Messi the most expensive player in the world (Barcelona would have been paid €250 million). He turned down the offer because he was unsure if he would be playing in major European championships and the difficulties in moving to Russia. Instead, he signed a contract with Barcelona until the end of 2018. When asked about moving to the English Premier League, Messi revealed his sense of commitment to Barcelona.“Barcelona is my life. They have brought me to where I am today. I could not leave, I don’t want to leave. I know the Premier League is very good. But I cannot see myself playing in England because my heart is with Barcelona, always.”– Lionel MessiInternational CareerBecause Messi was brought up in Spain, since he was 11 years old, he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against Hungary. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player. The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is generally clean and in the spirit of fair play; he has very rarely been accused of diving.In 2006, he participated in the World Cup, becoming Argentina’s youngest player to play in the world cup. Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals. In 2008, he won an Olympic gold medal for Argentina in football at the Beijing Olympics. Initially, Barcelona had not allowed him permission to play, but new coach Pep Guardiola allowed him time off.In the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt and played well to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals, but Messi struggled to score, and Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-final. Messi has admitted he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Success for Messi in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness. Pele, by contrast, was part of Brazil’s three times winning World Cup side ’58, ’62 and ’70.Messi is widely regarded as one of the most exciting players of the modern age – in fact, any age. He has a peerless ability to dribble and take on opponents. Maradona has described his ball control as supremely good. “The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.” Messi has said he wishes to retain the joy of how a child plays football“I have changed nothing, my style of play is still that of a child. I know that above all it is my job and that I should approach it in another way, but one must not lose sight of the fact that football is a game. It is imperative one plays to amuse oneself, to be happy. That is what children do and I do the same thing.” (total Barca)– Lionel MessiAfter winning the Ballon d’Or for the fourth time in January 2013, Messi said:“To tell you the truth this is really quite unbelievable. The fourth award that I have had is just too great for words. ” (BBC)Messi and RonaldoMessi has often been compared to prolific Real Madrid goalscorer Christiano Ronaldo, but both have been keen to downplay the rivalry.“Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best.”—Christiano Ronaldo, in September 2011Messi’s goalscoring recordSource: Christopher Johnson, Barcelona FC. CC-SA-2.5By any standards, Messi’s goal scoring record is exceptional. By June 2019, he has scored 419 goals in 445 official matches for Barcelona FC.In 2012/13, Messi set an all-time world record of scoring in 21 consecutive games (33 goals from 21 games)He holds the Guinness World Record for most goals in a calendar year – 91 goals during 2012.He is the only player to score in four consecutive Champions League campaigns.His international record for Argentina is 68 goals from 133 appearances.Messi major honoursBarcelonaSpanish La Liga title(*10) : 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16Spanish Cup (*6) – Copa del ReySupercopa de España (*6)UEFA Champions League (*4) : 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014-15UEFA Super Cup (*3)FIFA Club World Cup (3)ArgentinaOlympic Gold Medal: 2008FIFA U-20 World Cup: 20052006 World Cup – QF2010 World Cup – QF2014 World Cup – Runners-up.2018 World CupWealth and incomeMessi has frequently been the target of other football clubs with big transfer budgets, but he has remained loyal to Barcelona FC. He is one of the highest paid footballers in the world. His base salary is estimated at €40 million per year. His combined income 2018 from all sources was €126m. This made him the highest paid sports star – according to Forbes. From 2018, his weekly salary from Barcelona is $667,000 per week.Private lifeBy the standards of modern football, Messi has a relatively private and modest lifestyle. He makes efforts to keep links to his hometown of Rosario. He has an Argentinian girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo, and they have two children. His first child Thiago was born in November 2012.Recommended Book – Lionel Messi – Real BiosLionel Messi – Real Bios at Amazon by Marie Morreale.Messi acts as an ambassador for Unicef, and also runs his own charitable foundation – supporting access to education and sport for children. Because of his own expensive medical treatment, he has also helped Argentinian hospitals with paying for similar treatment to his own.World Cup 2014Many commentators have stated that Lionel Messi has performed at his best in all competitions, except the World Cup. In both the 2006 and 2010 World Cup, Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals, with Messi not at his best.The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is an opportunity for Messi to make an impact on the highest stage of them all. In the opening game against, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Messi scored a great goal to give Argentina a winning start. He scored four goals to help Argentina reach the World Cup Final. In the final, Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi was awarded ‘Golden Ball’ player of the tournament, though the decision was not universally supported. After the tournament, Messi replied:“I do not care about the Golden Ball. I am just upset by the wasted chances. We had the best chances. We knew we could not dominate the game but we knew what we wanted to do. Right now I do not care about my prize. I just wanted to lift the cup and bring it to Argentina. The pain is very great.”In June 2016, a very disappointed Messi announced his retirement from international football, after missing a penalty as Argentina got knocked out of the Copa America final. However, Messi later reversed his decision, saying he loved playing for Argentina too much, and “I see there are many problems in Argentinian football and I don’t intend to create another one.”However, Messi returned to international football and led Argentina in the 2018 World Cup. Despite carrying the weight of expectation of a nation, the World Cup was considered a great dissappointment. However, in the 2018/19 season Messi returned to his usual scintillating performance with Barcelona.Published 10 January 2018. Last updated 10 December 2019. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});StatsFull name Lionel Andrés MessiDate of birth 24 June 1987 (1987-06-24)Place of birth Rosario, ArgentinaHeight 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)Playing Position: ForwardTotal club appearances 684. Total Goals 578 (Dec. 2018)Total international appearances 151. Total Goals 81 (Dec. 2018)La Liga titles with Barcelona (9)UEFA Champions League (4) 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15FIFA Ballon d’Or/Ballon d’Or (5)Guinness World Record as top goalscorer for club and country in a calendar year: 91 goals in 2012Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Lionel Messi”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. First published 26 June 2012. Last updated 26 June 2019.The Amazing Story of Leo Messi The Amazing Story of Leo Messi at Amazon Lionel Messi: The Rise to Stardom. at Amazon Related pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Facts about Lionel MessiFootball BiographiesExternal linksLionel Messi at Amazon.com
61 Lord Baden-Powell (1857-1941) was a British general and founder of the modern Scouting movement.Baden-Powell became a national hero during the Boer war of 1899-1900 when, with a small garrison, he commanded the defence of Mafeking.During the Boer War, Baden-Powell wrote “A Guide to Scouting”. This was published in 1908 and was a best-seller. Initially meant for military purposes, after the war, he felt it could be used as a focus for young boys to give them more meaning in life. This led to the creation of the Scout Movements. During his lifetime it grew to be a respected international organisation.Early lifeRobert Baden-PowellBaden-Powell was born Paddington in London, on 22 February 1857. His father was a Church of England priest and professor at Oxford University. His father died when he was just three years old, and it was left to his mother, Henrietta Grace Smyth to bring up Baden-Powell and his siblings.He studied at Charterhouse school and learnt rudimentary scouting skills playing in nearby woods. After school, he joined the British Army as an officer and was posted in India. He served in the British army from 1876-1910. During his army career, he learnt more advanced scouting skills, especially during his time in South Africa where knowledge of the countryside was vital for gaining information and avoiding the enemy. In 1884 he published Reconnaissance and Scouting. From 1899 to May 1900, Baden-Powell commanded the garrison at Mafeking during the Second Boer War. The siege of Mafeking lasted 217 days and the successful defence of the town raised the national profile of Baden-Powell.First Scout Camp and Foundation of Scouting MovementIn August 1907, Baden-Powell organised a trial scouting camp to be made up of 20 boys from a diverse selection of social backgrounds. The boys spent a week on Brownsea island and it proved to be a great success.Baden-Powell inspecting Scouts (1909), illustrating the military roots of the scoutsFrom this initial starting point, the scouting movement soon blossomed. In 1909, there was the first National Scout Rally at Crystal Palace. It was attended by 11,000 boys and illustrated the rapid growth in popularity. There were also girls who wished to be part of this new movement. This led to the formation in 1910 of a parallel organisation, The Girl Guides, which was run by his sister Agnes Baden-Powell.The Scouting movement also became an international organisation with scouting groups forming around the world.Unfortunately, the First World War temporarily destroyed much of this international feeling; though former Scouts used much of their training in the trenches on the Western Front. However, in 1920, two years after the end of the First World War, an international scouting convention was held in Olympia, London where Baden-Powell was declared Chief Scout.He retired from the Scouting movement in 1937, in his last letter to the Scouts, he wrote:“I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have a happy life too. I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness does not come from being rich, nor merely being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence.”– Lord Baden-PowellPowell saw the Scouts as a means to promote an all-rounded education for young people – giving a sense of purpose, duty, patriotism and ability to work together. Powell often wrote thoughts on education and the role of the Scouting Movement.“The secret of sound education is to get each pupil to learn for himself, instead of instructing him by driving knowledge into him on a stereotyped system.”The Scouter (January 1912)Personal Life of Baden PowellBaden-Powell met his future wife, Olave St Clair Soames, on the ocean liner Arcadian in 1912. She was 23, he was 55. The marriage gained a lot of media publicity due to the high profile nature of Baden Powell. They were married in secret and later had three children.According to a biographer Tim Jeal, Baden-Powell had some implicit though rather naive sympathy to fascism. He read Mein Kampf in 1939 and in his diary noted: “Lay up all day. Read Mein Kampf. A wonderful book, with good ideas on education, health, propaganda, organisation etc. – and ideals which Hitler does not practise himself.”His scouting movement was blacklisted by Hitler and the Nazi party. In Nazi Germany, the Scouts was listed as a ‘dangerous spy organisation.’ and “a haven for young men opposed to the new State.” In 1940, Baden-Powell was on a blacklist of people to be arrested should the Nazi’s invade England.Poster designed by Baden-PowellBaden-Powell was a keen illustrator. He regularly drew paintings and drawings – often with a humorous slant. He was also an excellent storyteller and loved amateur dramatics.“The most worth-while thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others.”Letter (September 1940)Legacy of Baden-PowellIn 2007, during the centenary of Scouting, it was estimated that there were 38 million members of the Scouts and Guides in over 216 countries.“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. ‘Be Prepared’ in this way, to live happy and to die happy — stick to your Scout Promise always — even after you have ceased to be a boy — and God help you to do it.”– Baden Powell.Religion of Baden Powell.Baden Powell was a Christian who believed that spirituality and a belief in God were an intrinsic aspect of the scouting movement. He felt that religion was not just about studying scriptures but a practical manifestation of loving one’s neighbour and living an honest and compassionate life. In Scouting for Boys, Powell writes“We aim for the practice of Christianity in their everyday life and dealings, and not merely the profession of theology on Sundays…”Powell wished to allow room for all religions, but concentrating only on a belief in God. He wrote“Though we hold no brief for any one form of belief over another, we see a way to helping all by carrying the same principle into practice as is now being employed in other branches of education…” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});After retirement, in 1938, he returned to Africa where he lived at Nyeri, Kenya. He died on January 8th, 1941, at 83 years old. He was buried in Nyeri in sight of Mount Kenya. On his headstone are the words “Robert Baden-Powell, Chief Scout of the World” surmounted by the Boy Scout and Girl Guide Badges.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Lord Baden Powell”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 2nd Jun. 2009. Updated 2nd June 2020.Scouting for Boys by Lord Baden-Powell Scouting for boys at Amazon Baden-Powell: The Two Lives of a Hero Baden-Powell: The Two Lives of a Hero by William Hillcourt at Amazon Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Edwardian Age (1901 to 1914). A period of growth in science, technology and also rising tensions between the major powers. Also saw the ‘heroic age’ of exploration.
62 Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist who developed antidotes and cures to many dangerous illnesses such as anthrax and rabies. He also successfully invented a way to pasteurise milk and make it safe from tuberculosis. Pasteur also illustrated how germs grew from contamination and disproved the theory of spontaneous contamination.Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, Eastern France. He was a conscientious and hard-working student, though not considered exceptional. One of his professors called him ‘mediocre’. He received a doctorate in 1847, and after obtaining posts at Strasbourg, Lille and Paris, he spent much time researching aspects of Chemistry. One key discovery related to research on tartrate acid showing the crystals contained a mirror image of right-handed and left-handed isomers.His most important discoveries were in the field of germ study. He showed that germs required certain micro-organisms to develop; using this knowledge, he found that the fermentation of yeast could be delayed. Louis Pasteur then turned to practical ways of killing bacteria in liquids such as milk. His process of pasteurisation successfully killed bacteria in milk without destroying milk protein. This was a radical discovery and made drinking milk safe. The process of pasteurisation was named after him, and it saved many lives.Louis Pasteur was a great believer in hard work, never content to rest on his laurels he continued to work very hard in his laboratory to develop more cures. He said in advice to other scientists:“An individual who gets used to hard work can thereafter never live without it. Work is the foundation of everything in this world.”In the 1870s, Louis Pasteur sought to find a cure for anthrax – a disease that mainly affects cattle. Firstly, he found anthrax was much more likely if farmers buried dead sheep with the disease in fields. Pasteur was able to advise farmers not to bury any dead animals in areas where cattle may graze in the future. In 1881, he conducted an experiment to implement his vaccine for anthrax, which was successful. The previous year, in 1880, Jean-Joseph-Henri Toussaint, a veterinary surgeon, used carbolic acid to kill anthrax bacteria. Pasteur used a similar method, but his greater fame gave him the bulk of the credit and commercial demand.The success of a cure for anthrax encouraged Pasteur to develop a cure for rabies – a very common disease at the time. Using similar principles, he developed a weakened strain of the disease. Testing on animals affected with rabies was successful; however, he was reluctant to test on humans for fear it might not work. At one point he considered testing on himself – subjecting himself to rabies and then trying his cure. However, before he could implement his scheme, a young boy was brought to him who had been bitten 14 times by a rabid dog. His parents agreed to try the uncertain new technique. His treatment was a success and news of the treatment soon spread. Over 350 people came to Louis Pasteur for treatment. Louis and his team of scientists worked around the clock to save the people who had contracted rabies.There was only one failure a ten-year-old girl Louis Pelletier. Louis knew the dies ease was too advanced when she came, but, he tried nevertheless. The girl died in his arms, with tears in his eyes, the great scientist said to her parents.“I did so wish I could have saved your little one.”In 1888, friends and supporters funded an institute for the treatment of rabies. Louis Pasteur successfully campaigned for better research facilities for scientists. His pleas for more funding were heard by Napoleon III. Louis Pasteur argued that:“Physicists and chemists without laboratories are like soldiers without arms on the battlefield.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Louis died in 1895 aged 73. On his last day he remarked:“I should like to be younger, so as to devote myself with new ardour to the study of new diseases.”Louis Pasteur had great faith in the good nature of humans. He worked tirelessly to deliver real benefits for the treatment of infectious diseases. More than any other person, Louis Pasteur helped to increase average life expectancy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth Century.Achievements of Louis PasteurThe process of Pasteurisation making milk safe to drinkCure for RabiesCure for anthraxHis principles were used by later scientists such as Frankland, Valley Radot, Emile Duclaux, Descours and Holmes in developing vaccines for diseases such as typhus, diphtheria, cholera, yellow fever and different strains of plagueCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Louis Pasteur”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 18th Feb. 2008. Last updated 17th March 2017.Louis Pasteur: Founder of Modern Medicine Louis Pasteur: Founder of Modern Medicine at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Famous French – A list of famous French men and women. Includes politicians, generals, artists, sportsmen and cultural figures, such as Napoleon, Marie Antionette, De Gaulle, Claude Monet, and Coco Chanel.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.
63 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) is one of the most widely respected composers of classical music. He played a crucial role in the transition from classical to romantic music and is considered one of the greatest composers of all time.“Music is … A higher revelation than all Wisdom and Philosophy”– BeethovenBeethoven was born 16 December 1770 in Bonn (now part of Germany) From an early age, Beethoven was introduced to music. His first teacher was his father who was also very strict. Beethoven was frequently beaten for his failure to practise correctly. Once his mother protested at his father’s violent beatings, but she was beaten too. It is said, Beethoven resolved to become a great pianist so his mother would never be beaten.Beethoven’s talent as a piano virtuoso was recognised by Count Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel von Waldstein. He sponsored the young Beethoven and this enabled him to travel to Vienna, where Mozart resided. It was hoped Beethoven would be able to learn under the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but it is not clear whether the two ever met. Mozart was to die shortly, but Beethoven was able to spend time with the great composer Joseph Haydn, who taught him many things.Rather than working for the church, Beethoven relied on private donations from various benefactors. However, while many loved his music, they were often not forthcoming with donations and Beethoven sometimes struggled to raise enough finance. He complained about the way artists like him were treated.“One clashes with stupidity of all kinds. And then how much money must be spent in advance! The way in which artists are treated is really scandalous… Believe me, there is nothing to be done for artists in times like these.” – BeethovenHis situation was made more difficult by his mother’s early death and his father’s descent into alcoholism; this led to Beethoven being responsible for his two brothers.Beethoven by August Klober, 1818Beethoven was widely regarded as a great musician, though his habits were unconventional for the social circles which he moved in. He was untidy, clumsy and (by all accounts) ugly. All attempts to make Beethoven behave failed. On one occasion, Beethoven pushed his way up to the Archduke saying it was impossible for him to follow the many rules of social behaviour. The Archduke smiled and said – ‘we will have to accept Beethoven as he is.’ Beethoven himself had great faith in his own capacities, referring to the princes at court.“There are and always will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven!”Beethoven’s music was also unconventional, he explored new ideas and left behind the old conventions on style and form. His freer and explorative musical ideas caused estrangement with his more classical teachers like Haydn and Salieri.From his early 20s, Beethoven experienced a slow deterioration in his hearing, which eventually left him completely deaf.Beethoven once said:“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”Beethoven by Mahler, 1815Yet, despite his deafness and the frustration this caused him, Beethoven was still able to compose music of the highest quality. He was still able to inwardly hear the most sublime music. However, his deafness meant he struggled to perform with an orchestral backing, as he often fell out of time. This caused the great pianist to be ridiculed by the public, causing much distress. As a result, he retreated more into his private world of composition. Despite these later difficulties, his most widely admired works were composed in this difficult last 15 years. This included the great works Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony – both finished shortly before his death. The Ninth Symphony was groundbreaking in creating a choral symphony from different voices singing separate lines to create a common symphony. The final part of the symphony (often referred to as “Ode to Joy”) is a symbolic musical representation of universal brotherhood. It was a fitting climax to Beethoven’s unique musical creativity and life. Beethoven considered music as one of the greatest contributors to a higher philosophy.Beethoven was also a supporter of the Enlightenment movement sweeping Europe. He was going to dedicate a great symphony to Napoléon, whom Beethoven believed was going to defend the ideals of the French Republic. However, when Napoléon’s imperial ambitions were made known, Beethoven scratched out his name so powerfully, he tore a hole in the paper.Religious views of BeethovenBeethoven was born and raised a Catholic. His mother was a devout Catholic and sought to share her religious views with her children. Beethoven was considered a fairly moral person, he recommended the virtues of religion to those around him and encouraged his nephew to attend mass.“Recommend to your children virtues, that alone can make them happy, not gold.”In his mid-life, his deafness and stomach pains created something of a spiritual crisis in Beethoven. He stopped attending Mass regularly and looked to a wider source of spiritual inspiration. One of his favourite works was Reflections on the Works of God and His Providence Throughout All Nature by a Lutheran Pastor which praised the ‘romantic’ view of the value of nature. Beethoven also became interested in Hindu religious texts and expressed belief in a Supreme Being in a language which was not overtly Catholic. Beethoven wrote” O God! – you have no threefold being and are independent of everything, you are the true, eternal, blessed, unchangeable light of all time and space.” – Beethoven’s Letters with explanatory notes by Dr. A.C. Kalischer (trans. J.S. Shedlock), 1926.Beethoven never formally left the Catholic Church, but some identify him more the tradition of Theists – those who believe in God but don’t follow a particular religion. Others suggest that Beethoven remained a Catholic, but he just redefined Catholicism in a more liberal understanding to accommodate the current enlightenment thinking and his own spiritual exploration of music. In terms of music, he did compose specific religious music such as Missa Solemnis – the great choral symphony. When asked whether he thought this work was intended for church or the concert hall, Beethoven replied that such a distinction was not so important.“My chief aim was to awaken and permanently instill religious feelings not only into the singers but also into the listeners.” (link)Beethoven’s famous works Some of Beethoven’s most memorable musical gifts include:For piano: Sonata in C sharp minor, op. 27, nr. 2 “The Moonlight Sonata”For piano: Sonata in C minor, op. 13, “Pathetique”SymphoniesSymphony No. 3 “Eroica”; in E flat major (Op. 55)Symphony No. 5 in C minorSymphony No. 9 in D minor, including well known “Ode to Joy”.MassMissa Solemnis D Major, Op. 123ConcertosPiano Concerto no. 5 “Emperor” in E flat major op. 73Beethoven’s Death (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});For the last few months of his life, Beethoven was confined to his bed with illness. Amongst his last view visitors was the younger composer Franz Schubert, who had been deeply inspired by Beethoven. Beethoven, in return, expressed great admiration for the works of Schubert and said of him “Schubert has my soul.” Beethoven’s last words were reported to be:“Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. (Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over.) and Ich werde im Himmel hören! (I will hear in heaven!)”He died on 26 March 1827, aged 56. The precise cause of death is uncertain, but, he had significant liver damage – due to either the accumulation of lead poisoning or excess alcohol consumption. Over 20,000 people are said to have lined the streets of Vienna for his funeral. Though Beethoven had a difficult temperament, and although his music was sometimes too visionary for the general public, Beethoven was deeply appreciated for his unique contribution to music.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Beethoven”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 28th May 2008. Last updated 1 February 2020.Greatest Hits Beethoven Greatest Hits Beethoven at AmazonBeethoven: The Man Revealed Beethoven: The Man Revealed at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Classical Composers – A list of famous and influential composers throughout history, including the greatest composers, such as Bach, Mozart, and Schubert.Famous Germans A list of famous Germans. Includes; Beethoven, Bach, Konrad Adenauer, Martin Luther, Sophie Scholl and Angela Merkel.
64 Lyndon Johnson was the 36th President of the US from 1963 to 1969 – one of the most turbulent and influential periods in American politics. Lyndon Johnson helped to implement the ‘Great Society’ reforms – extending welfare support and implementing civil rights legislation. He also presided over the escalation of American involvement in the Vietnam War which proved increasingly controversial.Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in central Texas. Growing up in the Great Depression, he gained a first-hand perspective on poverty, and the Great Society reforms he later implemented were an attempt to make this kind of poverty a thing of the past.In 1937, aged only 29, Johson successfully won election to the House of Representatives. During the Second World War, he served in the Navy, winning the Silver Star for service in the Pacific. In 1948, he was elected to the Senate, and by 1953, had become the youngest ever Minority House Leader. He worked closely with Dwight D Eisenhower and helped to get some of his policies through the Senate. In 1960, he stood as Vice President to the youthfulIn the 1959 election, he stood as Vice President to the youthful John F Kennedy. The idea was that the Protestant, southern Johnson would make a dream ticket to accompany the northern Catholic liberal, John F. Kennedy. In 1959, one of the tightest ever elections, JFK-Johnson were elected, defeating Richard Nixon. The three years of the Kennedy presidency proved turbulent, with the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War dominating foreign policy. America also started to become involved in aiding the South Vietnamese against their northern Communist enemies.In 1963, JFK was assassinated, while visiting Dallas, Texas – Johnson’s home state. Shortly after, Johnson was sworn in as Vice President and addressed a shocked nation.“This is a sad time for all people. We have suffered a loss that cannot be weighed. For me, it is a deep, personal tragedy. I know the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family bear. I will do my best; that is all I can do. I ask for your help and God’s.” (22 November 1963)In 1964, Lyndon Johnson was re-elected in a landslide for the Democrats. In this period, America became more involved in the Vietnam war – switching from providing intelligence to bombing positions in the north and putting American troops on the ground. JFK’s and Lyndon Johnson’s secretary of defence, Robin McNamara, suggested that if JFK had lived, American involvement in Vietnam would have decreased. But, with the Gulf of Tonkin resolution of 1964, Johnson gained a free hand from Congress to take greater involvement in the Vietnam war. He said in 1965,“I do not find it easy to send the flower of our youth, our finest young men, into battle.”But the war was increasingly escalated, and the casualties mounted. The conflict also became increasingly unpopular and costly to the American people. By 1968, there were widespread protests and civil disobedience in protest at the war.On a domestic front, Johnson was able to pass more legislation through Congress as part of his Great Society reforms. This included extended welfare support for poorer Americans. For example, millions of elderly people benefited through the 1965 Medicare amendment to the Social Security Act. Johnson also enacted civil rights legislation to protect in law, equal rights independent of a person’s ethnic group. In 1965, he introduced the Voting Rights Act.“Every American citizen must have the right to vote…Yet the harsh fact is that in many places in this country men and women are kept from voting simply because they are Negroes… No law that we now have on the books…can insure the right to vote when local officials are determined to deny it… There is no Constitutional issue here. The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States’ rights or National rights. There is only the struggle for human rights.” (15th March 1965However, the new legislation often didn’t change the situation on the ground, and there were growing civil rights protests at continued racial discrimination. Martin Luther King led non-violent protests, though increasingly others, such as Malcolm X wanted more radical action.Lyndon Johnson shocked American by not standing for re-election in the 1968 election. He died of a heart attack in 1973.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan “Lyndon Johnson Biography”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 11th Jan 2011.The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson at Amazon Related PagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople. People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi. John F KennedyBiography of JFK President until November 1963.
65 Madonna (16 August 1958 – ) is an American singer, actress, dancer and movie star. She has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling female artist of all time. Madonna, often referred to as “The Queen of Pop”, has had a profound influence on music culture. She has pursued an independent approach to her career – writing most of her songs and constantly redefining her image. For pushing the boundaries of taste and behaviour, she has often courted controversy for upsetting religious and moral sensibilities.Short Bio of MadonnaMadonna, born Louis Cicconi on 16 August 1958, was brought up in Rochester Hills Michigan. Her mother died of breast cancer when she was only five; she was then brought up by her grandparents. Madonna was raised a Roman Catholic, though, from an early age, she displayed a rebellious streak. In 1978, she dropped out of college and moved to New York, with very limited resources. She got a job as a waitress at Dunking Donuts, and in her spare time learnt modern dance. She temporarily joined a rock band ‘The Breakfast Club’ and then tried to make a solo career. Her early attempts at singing gained a favourable impression with Sire Records, and she was given her first recording contract.“I went to New York. I had a dream. I wanted to be a big star. I didn’t know anybody. I wanted to dance. I wanted to sing. I wanted to do all those things. I wanted to make people happy. I wanted to be famous. I wanted everybody to love me. I wanted to be a star. I worked really hard and my dream came true.”– Madonna (Virgin Tour, 1985)In 1982, she released her first single ‘Everybody‘, and in 1983, she launched her first album ‘Madonna‘ It sold very well, but it was her next album ‘Like a Virgin‘ which made her into an international superstar. The album sold over 12 million copies, helped by the hit single ‘Like a Virgin‘ which stayed at number one for six weeks. Other hit records included Papa Don’t Preach”, “Like a Prayer”, “Vogue”, “Take a Bow”, “Frozen”, “Music”, and “4 Minutes”. Madonna states that Marilyn Monroe has been an influence on her career. The video for the hit single “Material Girl” was a tribute to Monroe’s performance in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.“I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe. They were all incredibly funny … and I saw myself in them … my girlishness, my knowingness and my innocence.” – MadonnaAs well as being a successful music recording artist, Madonna was very influential in influencing fashion and attitudes to life. Her trademark looks included fishnet stockings, a Christian cross, bleached hair and Capri skirts. Her early music videos, shown on MTV, were influential in cultivating the image of Madonna in popular culture.“I think that life is a paradox and you have to embrace that in your work and your belief systems… you can’t be a literalist, and that’s the trouble that people always find themselves in. That’s why people always hit a wall with any of my stuff, because you can’t take it literally.”– Madonna, Dazed & Confused, 29 Feb 2008Throughout her career, Madonna has courted controversy for her mix of sexuality and religious imagery. Her attitudes sparked criticism from the Vatican, and the Church discouraged people from attending her concerts because of the eroticism. Madonna remained unapologetic and continued to perform her routines.“A lot of people are just really confused by me; they don’t know what to think of me, so they try to compartmentalize me or diminish me. Maybe they just feel unsafe. But any time you have an overtly emotional or irrational, negative reaction to something, you’re fearing something that it’s bringing up in you.”– MadonnaAfter forming her own company – Madonna, produced a book titled ‘Sex’. It featured nude photography and was quite controversial, especially in the US; but it sold over half a million copies.She has launched several business enterprises, such as fashion lines – Material Girl (1980s) and ‘Truth or Dare by Madonna’ (2011)Madonna has acted in a couple of films, without much commercial success – though her appearance in Evita (1996) about Eva Peron, the famous Argentinian wife of the President received good reviews. For her role in Evita, she received Golden Globe Award for Best Actress,She has now produced over ten albums and remains a very influential artist still capable of hitting the top of the album charts. According to Billboard magazine, she is second only to the Beatles in terms of the all-time best-selling artist. In recent years, her music has evolved to include new styles. Her album True Blue (1986) incorporated aspects of classical music. In Music (2000) and American Life (2003), she experimented with folk and acoustic music. She produces and writes her own music, and has never conformed to a narrow vision of recording companies.“I pay attention to what’s going on around me. I’m always looking for new energy, new talent, new voices. When you do that I think it’s easier to come up with fresh ideas. It’s not that my career has been based on surprising people, but it’s been about challenging myself — to constantly do new things that are going to broaden my own mind and in the process, hopefully, connect with other people.”– Madonna, Parade magazine 24 June 2008Her early Catholic roots influenced her music and videos, but, in the early 1990s, she embraced Kabbalah a Jewish mystical sect. In 2004, she adopted the Kabbalah name ‘Esther’ which in Persian means star. Talking about the meaning of Kabbalah, Madonna stated:“That consciousness is everything and that all things begin with a thought. That we are responsible for our own fate, we reap what we sow, we get what we give, we pull in what we put out. I know these things for sure.”– MadonnaIn recent years, Madonna has continued to tour, release albums and engage in humanitarian work. In 2013, she realised a short film entitled Secretprojectrevolution – launched at the Art for Freedom initiative, which states it is seeking to promote “art and free speech as a means to address persecution and injustice across the globe”. She also supports an organisation ‘Raising Malawi’ a humanitarian organisation co-founded by Madonna and committed to building schools in an effort to end the extreme poverty of Malawi orphans. In 2017, she adopted two twins Esther and Stella Mwale from a Malawi orphanageMadonna Marriage and Children (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Madonna married Sean Penn in 1985 but divorced four years later in 1989. She re-married Guy Ritchie in 2000 and divorced in 2008.Madonna has six childrenLourdes Maria Ciccone Leon (1999) – with Carlos Leon.Rocco Ritchie (2001), with Guy RichieDavid Banda in 2006 (adopted from Malawi)Mercy James in 2009. (adopted from Malawi)Esther and Stella Mwale (adopted from Malawi)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Madonna”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Published 4th February 2015. Updated 6 February 2018.The Mammoth book of Madonna The Mammoth book of Madonna at AmazonMadonna: An Intimate Biography Madonna: An Intimate Biography at AmazonAlbums of MadonnaMadonna (1983)Like a Virgin (1984)True Blue (1986)Like a Prayer (1989)Erotica (1992)Bedtime Stories (1994)Ray of Light (1998)Music (2000)American Life (2003)Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)Hard Candy (2008)MDNA (2012)Rebel Heart (2015)Related pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.\nAmericans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Iconic WomenImage: Madonna by David Shackbone CCMadonna.com
66 Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who was a leading figure in the campaign for Indian independence. He employed non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience as a means to achieve his goal. He was assassinated in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he is known as ‘Father of the Nation’.“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always.”– GandhiShort Biography of Mahatma GandhiMohandas K. Gandhi was born in 1869, in Porbandar, India. Mohandas was from the social cast of tradesmen. His mother was illiterate, but her common sense and religious devotion had a lasting impact on Gandhi’s character. As a youngster, Mohandas was a good student, but the shy young boy displayed no signs of leadership. On the death of his father, Mohandas travelled to England to gain a degree in law. He became involved with the Vegetarian Society and was once asked to translate the Hindu Bhagavad Gita. This classic of Hindu literature awakened in Gandhi a sense of pride in the Indian scriptures, of which the Gita was the pearl.Around this time, he also studied the Bible and was struck by the teachings of Jesus Christ – especially the emphasis on humility and forgiveness. He remained committed to the Bible and Bhagavad Gita throughout his life, though he was critical of aspects of both religions.Gandhi in South AfricaOn completing his degree in Law, Gandhi returned to India, where he was soon sent to South Africa to practise law. In South Africa, Gandhi was struck by the level of racial discrimination and injustice often experienced by Indians. In 1893, he was thrown off a train at the railway station in Pietermaritzburg after a white man complained about Gandhi travelling in first class. This experience was a pivotal moment for Gandhi and he began to represent other Indias who experienced discrimination. As a lawyer he was in high demand and soon he became the unofficial leader for Indians in South Africa. It was in South Africa that Gandhi first experimented with campaigns of civil disobedience and protest; he called his non-violent protests satyagraha. Despite being imprisoned for short periods of time, he also supported the British under certain conditions. During the Boer war, he served as a medic and stretcher-bearer. He felt that by doing his patriotic duty it would make the government more amenable to demands for fair treatment. Gandhi was at the Battle of Spion serving as a medic. An interesting historical anecdote, is that at this battle was also Winston Churchill and Louis Botha (future head of South Africa) He was decorated by the British for his efforts during the Boer War and Zulu rebellion.Gandhi and Indian IndependenceAfter 21 years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for home rule or Swaraj.Gandhi successfully instigated a series of non-violent protest. This included national strikes for one or two days. The British sought to ban opposition, but the nature of non-violent protest and strikes made it difficult to counter.Gandhi also encouraged his followers to practise inner discipline to get ready for independence. Gandhi said the Indians had to prove they were deserving of independence. This is in contrast to independence leaders such as Aurobindo Ghose, who argued that Indian independence was not about whether India would offer better or worse government, but that it was the right for India to have self-government.Gandhi also clashed with others in the Indian independence movement such as Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct action to overthrow the British.Gandhi frequently called off strikes and non-violent protest if he heard people were rioting or violence was involved.In 1930, Gandhi led a famous march to the sea in protest at the new Salt Acts. In the sea, they made their own salt, in violation of British regulations. Many hundreds were arrested and Indian jails were full of Indian independence followers.“With this I’m shaking the foundations of the British Empire.”– Gandhi – after holding up a cup of salt at the end of the salt march.However, whilst the campaign was at its peak some Indian protesters killed some British civilians, and as a result, Gandhi called off the independence movement saying that India was not ready. This broke the heart of many Indians committed to independence. It led to radicals like Bhagat Singh carrying on the campaign for independence, which was particularly strong in Bengal.In 1931, Gandhi was invited to London to begin talks with the British government on greater self-government for India, but remaining a British colony. During his three month stay, he declined the government’s offer of a free hotel room, preferring to stay with the poor in the East End of London. During the talks, Gandhi opposed the British suggestions of dividing India along communal lines as he felt this would divide a nation which was ethnically mixed. However, at the summit, the British also invited other leaders of India, such as BR Ambedkar and representatives of the Sikhs and Muslims. Although the dominant personality of Indian independence, he could not always speak for the entire nation.Gandhi’s humour and witDuring this trip, he visited King George in Buckingham Palace, one apocryphal story which illustrates Gandhi’s wit was the question by the king – what do you think of Western civilisation? To which Gandhi replied“It would be a good idea.”Gandhi wore a traditional Indian dress, even whilst visiting the king. It led Winston Churchill to make the disparaging remark about the half naked fakir. When Gandhi was asked if was sufficiently dressed to meet the king, Gandhi replied“The king was wearing clothes enough for both of us.”Gandhi once said he if did not have a sense of humour he would have committed suicide along time ago.Gandhi and the Partition of IndiaAfter the war, Britain indicated that they would give India independence. However, with the support of the Muslims led by Jinnah, the British planned to partition India into two: India and Pakistan. Ideologically Gandhi was opposed to partition. He worked vigorously to show that Muslims and Hindus could live together peacefully. At his prayer meetings, Muslim prayers were read out alongside Hindu and Christian prayers. However, Gandhi agreed to the partition and spent the day of Independence in prayer mourning the partition. Even Gandhi’s fasts and appeals were insufficient to prevent the wave of sectarian violence and killing that followed the partition.Away from the politics of Indian independence, Gandhi was harshly critical of the Hindu Caste system. In particular, he inveighed against the ‘untouchable’ caste, who were treated abysmally by society. He launched many campaigns to change the status of untouchables. Although his campaigns were met with much resistance, they did go a long way to changing century-old prejudices.At the age of 78, Gandhi undertook another fast to try and prevent the sectarian killing. After 5 days, the leaders agreed to stop killing. But ten days later Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu Brahmin opposed to Gandhi’s support for Muslims and the untouchables.Gandhi and ReligionGandhi was a seeker of the truth.“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.”– GandhiGandhi said his great aim in life was to have a vision of God. He sought to worship God and promote religious understanding. He sought inspiration from many different religions: Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and incorporated them into his own philosophy.On several occasions, he used religious practices and fasting as part of his political approach. Gandhi felt that personal example could influence public opinion.“When every hope is gone, ‘when helpers fail and comforts flee,’ I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.”– Gandhi Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with TruthCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mahatma Gandhi”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 12th Jan 2011. Last updated 1 Feb 2020.The Essential Gandhi (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas at Amazon Gandhi: An Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments With Truth at Amazon Related pagesInteresting and unusual facts about Mahatma Gandhi Hindus – Famous Hindus from the era of the Mahabharata to modern day India. Includes Sri Krishna, Arjuna, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Anandamayi Ma.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Indians of the Independence MovementIndian men and women involved in the Independence Movement.Nehru Biography
67 Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani school pupil and spokesperson for women’s right to education. In retaliation for her high profile campaign for education and criticism of the Taliban, she was shot in the head at close range by a Taliban gunman. She survived the gunshot wound and has become a leading spokesperson for human rights, education and women’s rights. She has received numerous peace awards and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 along with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian children’s rights activist.Early Life MalalaMalala was born (12 July 1997) in Mingora, the Swat District of north-west Pakistan to a Sunni Muslim family. She was named Malala, which means ‘grief-stricken’ after a famous female Pashtun poet and warrior from Afghanistan.Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai is a poet and runs a chain of public schools. He is a leading educational advocate himself. In 2009, Malala began writing an anonymous blog for the BBC expressing her views on education and life under the threat of the Taliban taking over her valley. It was her father who suggested his own daughter to the BBC. She wrote under the byline “Gul Makai.”During this period, the Taliban’s military hold on the area intensified. At times, Malala reported hearing artillery from the advancing Taliban forces. As the Taliban took control of the area, they issued edicts banning television, banning music, and banning women from going shopping and limiting women’s education. Many girls schools were blown up and as a consequence pupils stayed at home, scared of possible reprisals from the Taliban. However, for a time, there was a brief respite when the Taliban stated girls could receive primary education if they wore Burkhas. But, a climate of fear prevailed, and Malala and her father began to receive death threats for their outspoken views. As a consequence, Malala and her father began to fear for their safety. Her father once considered moving Malala outside of Swat to a boarding school, but Malala didn’t want to leave.” I don’t know why, but hearing I was being targeted did not worry me. It seemed to me that everybody knows they will die one day.” I am Malala p.188When her father suggested they stop their campaigns for human rights, Malala replied“How can we do that? You were the one who said that if we believe in something greater than our lives, then our voices will only multiply ever if we are dead. We can’t disown our campaign!’ I am Malala p.188People were asking me to speak at events. How could I refuse saying there was a security problem? We couldn’t do that, especially not as proud Pashtuns. My father always said that heroism is in the Pastun DNA. I am Malala p.180After the BBC blog had ended, Malala featured in a documentary made by New York Times reporter Adam B.Ellick. She also received greater international coverage, and her identity about writing the BBC blog was revealed. In 2011, she received Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize, and she was nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the International Children’s Peace Prize. Her increased profile and strident criticism of the Taliban caused Taliban leaders to meet, and in 2012, they voted to kill her.On 9 October 2012, a masked gunman entered her school bus and asked “Which one of you is Malala? Speak up. Otherwise, I will shoot at you all.”Malala was identified and she was shot with a single bullet which went through her head, neck and shoulder. Two other girls were also injured, though not as badly as Malala.Malala survived the initial shooting but was in a critical condition. Her father was convinced she would die and told the village to prepare for her funeral. Her critical organs were failing, and she developed an infection. In a coma, she was moved to a hospital in Rawalpindi. Later on the 15 October, she was transferred to Birmingham in the United Kingdom for further treatment at a specialist hospital for treating military injuries. A couple of days later, she came out of a coma and responded well to treatment. She was discharged on January 3, 2013, and moved with her family to a temporary home in the West Midlands. Writing in her book “I am Malala” she writes.“It was a miracle I was alive” (p.237)She also writes about her lack of bitterness or desire for revenge.“My only regret was that I hadn’t had a chance to speak to them before they shot me. Now they’d never hear what I had to say. I didn’t even think a single bad thought about the man who shot me – I had no thoughts of revenge – I just wanted to go back to Swat. I wanted to go home” I am Malala p.237Response to Assassination attemptHer assassination received worldwide condemnation and protests across Pakistan. Over two million people signed the Right to Education campaign. The petition helped the ratification of Pakistan’s first right to education bill in Pakistan.Ehsanullah Ehsan, chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that Yousafzai was a symbol of the infidels and obscenity. However, other Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwa against the Taliban leaders and said there was no religious justification for shooting a schoolgirl.United Nations petitionOn 15 October, UN Special Envoy for global education, Gordon Brown, visited Malala whilst she was in hospital and launched a petition in her name – ‘In support for what Malala fought for.’Using the slogan “I am Malala” the petition contains three demandsWe call on Pakistan to agree to a plan to deliver education for every child.We call on all countries to outlaw discrimination against girls.We call on international organisations to ensure the world’s 61 million out-of-school children are in education by the end of 2015.I am Malala – petitionOn 12 July 2013, she spoke at the United Nations to a group of 500 youths calling for worldwide access to education.“I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I’m here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists.” (BBC Link of speech)Her global fame and admiration in the West have caused something of a backlash in Pakistan. Many in Pakistan fear the West’s support of Malala is hypocritical given the US drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Also, her plight highlights the unchecked militancy of the Taliban, which is a problem for Pakistan. Some in Pakistan fear Malala is promoting a Western agenda. However, on her part, Malala is dismayed by conspiracy theories in her own country and is keen to portray her native Pakistan in a good light. Her BBC blog expresses such a sentiment. …I immediately saw images of Pakistanis fill my screen. Not the usual rock hurling Pakistanis, irrationally shouting amidst flaming tyres, but gentle candle-lighting, beautiful Pakistanis with words of love and peace on their lips. It was UN International day of the Girl Child and the BBC chose to illustrate this with a story of what they termed a National Awakening in Pakistan, following the shooting of 14-year-old school girl, Malala Yousafzai. I was delighted at the apparent 24 hour flip from a narrative of “those Pakistanis are so barbaric they shoot their own school girls” to one of hope, resilience, and a more accurate reflection of the millions who reject such an act. (5 February, 2013)Since 2013, she has studied at Edgbaston High School in Birmingham. She has continued to be a prominent activist based with her family living in Birmingham. In 2015, a documentary about Yousafzai was shortlisted for the Oscars ‘He Named Me Malala.’ In 2017, she began studying PPE at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.Further Quotes by Malala“Today we all know education is our basic right. Not just in the West; Islam too has given us this right. Islam says every girl and everybody should go to school. In the Quran it is written, God wants us to have knowledge.” I am Malala p.263“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.”– UN Speech, July 12, 2013“I love my God. I thank my Allah. I talk to him all day. He is the greatest. By giving me this height to reach people, he has also given me great responsibilities. Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country – this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish. I am Malala p 265“I am Malala, My world has changed by I have not.” p.265In October 2014, the Nobel committee awarded Malala the Nobel Peace Prize, they said:“Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations.“This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.”In 2020, Malala met environmental activist Greta Thunberg at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford saying of Thunberg “The only friend I would miss school for.” Thunberg said of Malala “So… today I met my role model. What else can I say?” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Malala”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 5 March 2020. Originally published 18/10/2013.I Am Malala I Am Malala at Amazon Related pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Courageous people – People who have overcome difficult circumstances and difficult odds. Includes Joan of Arc, Galileo, Harriet Tubman, Socrates, Malala Yousafzai.People who fought for human/civil rights – People who campaigned for equality, civil rights and civil justice. Includes Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.People who made a difference. Men and women who made a positive contribution to the world – in the fields of politics, literature, music, activism and spirituality.Photo Creditsphoto top: United Nations informationphoto middle: Malala at the Oval Office, with President ObamaPhoto bottom: Global partnership for education
68 Malcolm X (1925 – 1965) was an influential African-American leader of the 1960s. Initially, he was a member of the Nation of Islam, which advocated the separation of black and white Americans. He later converted to Sunni Islam and founded the Organisation of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm X advocated Pan-Africanism and black self-determination. Unlike the mainstream civil rights movement, Malcolm X rejected the philosophy of non-violence and defended the judicial use of self-defence. He was assassinated on February 21, 1965.Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, May 19, 1925. His father was a Baptist preacher and staunch supporter of Marcus Garvey – a radical exponent of black rights. Later, Malcolm’s father was murdered by locals.As a youngster, he was shocked when he told his teacher he wished to become a lawyer. His teacher discouraged him. Malcolm said that after that sobering experience his attitude to the white establishment soured.As a teenager, Malcolm became involved in selling drugs in Harlem’s criminal world. He was often on the run from the police, and at age 21 he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in Charlestown State Prison. However, during his time in prison, he became increasingly receptive to the message of Islam brought to him by his brother Reginald.On release from prison, he became closely involved with the Nation of Islam under Elijah Muhammad. Possessing powerful skills of oratory and persuasion, Malcolm X was made the minister for the Nation of Islam’s New York Temple.The Nation of Islam became an important faction in the civil rights movement. They were more militant than the non-violent civil rights movement and were often criticised for being unpatriotic.Malcolm X said about being American.“Sitting at the table [with nothing to eat] doesn’t make you a diner. Being here in America doesn’t make you an American”In 1963, Malcolm X split from the Nation of Islam after revelations of the leader Elijah Muhammad having fathered children with former secretaries. His decision to leave created great animosity, and he received many threats in the next few year.He made a pilgrimage to Mecca and travelled around the world becoming an international celebrity. He was struck by the degree of interracial harmony in the rest of the world.On February 21, 1965, he was assassinated in New York, by members of the Nation of Islam.Malcolm X undoubtedly had a powerful impact on influencing American society and attitudes to race. He was instrumental in forging the movement of black power and radicalism that departed from the non-violent approach of Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King and Malcolm X briefly meet in 1964 before going to listen to a Senate debate about civil rights in Washington. (image Wikicommons)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Malcom X Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2014. Last updated 2 March 2018.The Autobiography of Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X at Amazon Related pagesPeople who fought for human /civil rights – People who campaigned for equality, civil rights and civil justice.Famous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Related pagesMartin Luther KingLyndon JohnsonBarack ObamaAmericans who changed the world
69 Chairman Mao was the charismatic and brutal leader of Communist China. Leading the Communist party to power in 1949, Chairman Mao set about establishing his unquestioned authority and power, sending China into turmoil. Millions suffered in his schemes and cultural revolution of the 1950s and 1960s.Born in the village of Shaoshan in Hunan Provence, 1893, Mao started life as a humble farm worker. But, he rebelled against his father and went to Changsa to gain an education. After drifting through different careers he joined the fledgeling Communist party in 1921 and rose through its ranks becoming its leader by the 1940s. Mao was ruthless in his quest for power, willing to poison and kill rivals – whoever they may be.He wrote his Little Red Book (1964)“Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”He later showed no mercy in turning on old comrades from the Great March. In the late 1940s, Mao Zedong led the Communist party on the long march south and eventually defeated the nationalistic troops on Chiang Kar Chek.“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery. It cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”– Mao Zedong (March 1927)By 1949, Mao could proclaim a new Peoples Republic of China and he became the undisputed leader.For a brief time in the 1950s, Mao appeared to open up society even inviting intellectuals to suggest criticism.“Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend” is the policy for promoting progress in the arts and the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land. (slogan used in One Hundred Flowers campaing, 1956)However, this proved to be a feint and any criticism was used as an excuse to round up, punish or execute those considered to be disloyal to Mao.Cultural RevolutionThis desire to root out opposition became a mania and young children were inculcated to denounce any teacher or adults which may have harboured ‘rightest’ beliefs. The cultural revolution destroyed the lives of millions of Chinese; many people were either killed, humiliated, sent to labour camps or forced to live in rural areas. Mao created a climate of fear in which people feared to speak anything other than the official party line.“Who are the honest people? Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin are honest, men of science are honest. Which are the dishonest people? Trotsky, Bukharin, Chen Tu-hsiu, and Chang Kuo-tao are extremely dishonest; and those who assert “independence” out of personal or sectional interest are dishonest too.”Mao, “Rectify the Party’s Style of Work” (1942)Through all this the cult of Mao grew, his image was everywhere and he became deeply revered as a supreme leader – especially amongst the young.Mao’s economic policies were also disastrous. His decision to collectivise farm production led to a precipitous decline in agrarian output. This cause the massive famine of the 1960s. Chinese officials tried to hide the extent of starvation and foreign aid was not welcome. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});It is estimated 70 million of Mao’s own countryman died at his hand either directly or indirectly through his policies. Mostly through famine from his ill-thought-out land reform policies. Supporters of Mao point out that despite these early deaths, life expectancy still rose under his rule.ReligionMao’s mother was a devout Buddhist and he adopted the faith until his mid-teens when he abandoned religion. Between 1966 and 1976 all forms of religion were banned in China by Mao. It was partly aimed to bolster the cult-like political image of Mao. In 1955, the Dalai Lama visited Mao in Beijing to seek some accommodation between the Tibet people with their religious traditions and Communist China. The Dalai Lama reports that after a friendly beginning, Mao turned and said: “Religion is poison. Firstly it reduces the population because monks and nuns must stay celibate, and secondly it neglects material progress.” (link)The Chinese Communist Party closed down many monasteries in Tibet and killed or imprisoned the monks. In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India to seek safety.DeathOn 9 September 1976, he died from a heart attack. He was a heavy smoker and this may have contributed to his early death. There were reports of ill health in the years preceding his death, though his image was carefully managed to give the impression of strength and virility. His body was displayed at the Great Hall of the People for a week, with over 1 million Chinese filing past.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Chairman Mao”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 1 May 2010. Last updated 15 February 2019.Chairman Mao The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Dr Li Zhisui at Amazon RelatedFamous leaders – A list of famous leaders who led their country. Includes Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Winston Churchill and F.D. Roosevelt.Famous socialists – From Karl Marx, the founder of Marxism, to leading Communists, such as Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Also democratic socialists of US and UK.
70 Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) was Britain’s first female prime minister (1979-90). She was known for her tough uncompromising, conservative political views, and became dubbed as ‘The Iron Lady’. On the UK domestic front she instituted many free market reforms, implemented the controversial poll tax and reduced the power of trades unions. In international affairs, she cultivated a close relationship with American President Ronald Reagan and also developed a working relationship with Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev as the Cold War drew to a close.Early lifeMargaret Hilda Roberts was born 13 October 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Her father owned a grocery store and was active in the local Methodist Church and Liberal politics. Margaret won a scholarship to the local Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, where she became head-girl. She applied to Somerville College, Oxford University, and was accepted to study chemistry in 1943. She graduated in 1947 with second-class honours. During her time at Oxford, she was elected President of the Oxford University Conservative Association in 1946.After graduating, she moved to Colchester, where she worked as a research chemist for BX Plastics. In 1951, she was invited to stand as the Conservative candidate in the safe Labour seat of Dartford. Although she lost, she impressed many in the party with her strong, articulate views. She also married Denis Thatcher in 1951. In 1953, she gave birth to two twins Carol and Mark.Member of ParliamentIn 1959, she was elected as MP for the seat of Finchley. Mrs Thatcher progressed through the ranks of the Conservative party to become education minister in Ed Heath’s government of the early 1970s. It was as education minister that Mrs Thatcher developed a rather crude nickname of “Maggie Thatcher – the milk snatcher” This was due to her policy as education secretary to end free school milk. However, although she was tipped as a rising star in the Conservative party, even as a cabinet minister, Mrs Thatcher proclaimed that Britain would never have a female prime minister.“I don’t think there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime.” (BBC Television, 5 March, 1973)However, just a few years later in 1975, Mrs Thatcher defeated Edward Heath and was elected leader of the Conservative Party, and she became the leader of the Opposition. During the 1970s, Thatcher became acquainted with the ideological ideas of neo-conservative economists – influenced by figures such as Hayek and Friedman, they proposed less government, lower taxes and an end to Keynesian economics. This gave Thatcher a strong ideological stance, which she used to influence party policy.Prime Minister 1979-90Mrs Thatcher was elected Prime Minister in the Conservative landslide of 1979. Mrs Thatcher wasted no time in introducing controversial economic policies. She believed that a strict implementation of Monetarism was necessary to overcome the economic ills of inflation and low growth, which she blamed on the previous Labour government.However, although she was successful in reducing inflation, deflationary monetary policies caused a serious economic recession, in which unemployment rose to 3 million. Opinion was strongly against many of her policies. In a famous letter to The Times newspaper, 360 economists wrote a letter arguing the government should change its policies immediately. However, in true Thatcher style, she refused. Instead, she stood up at the Conservative party conference and stated: “You turn if you want to, but this lady is not for turning.” It was characteristic of her whole premiership – fierce in her beliefs and unwavering in her commitment. (See: UK economy under Mrs Thatcher, 1979-84)“To me, consensus seems to be: the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values, and policies in search of something in which no one believes, but to which no one objects; the process of avoiding the very issues that need to be solved, merely because you cannot get agreement on the way ahead. What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner ‘I stand for consensus’?”– Mrs Thatcher, The Downing Street Years (1993)In the midst of the recession, the Falklands Islands were invaded by the Argentinean army. Mrs Thatcher sent a British expeditionary force to reclaim the islands. With relatively light casualties (although many hundreds died in the conflict) the islands were retaken. This military victory brought a fillip in support for Thatcher. However, it is worth noting she was criticised for both her decision to sink the Belgrano (which was sailing away from the conflict zone) Others also criticised her triumphalist spirit. On reclaiming the islands, Mrs Thatcher proclaimed:“Just rejoice at that news and congratulate our forces and the marines. .. Rejoice.”Many felt this was inappropriate given the recent casualties on both the British and Argentinian sides.Another defining feature of the early Thatcher administration was her battle with trades unions. Thatcher wanted to reduce the power of trades unions; in particular, she wished to reduce the influence of the militant mineworkers union, the NUM, led by Arthur Scargill. Mrs Thatcher prepared the country for a long strike; when the miners went all out on strike in 1984, they were eventually forced back into work after a year-long bitter struggle.In foreign policy, she got on well with American President Ronald Reagan. They often met and talked of a ‘special relationship’ between the US and the UK. Mrs Thatcher also expressed respect for Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. She famously said of Gorbachev, that ‘he was a man who we could do business with’Mrs Thatcher visited the Soviet Union in 1987, and was well received with thousands turning up to see the Iron Lady. The term ‘Iron Lady’ was initially designed as a critical label by a Russian newspaper in regards to Thatcher’s criticism of the USSR, but Thatcher seemed to revel in the label, and it stuck.On a domestic front, the remaining years of her premiership were overshadowed by her controversial and dogmatic decision to stick with the poll tax. This was widely regarded as an unfair tax because everybody paid the same amount regardless of income. Opposition to the poll tax spilt over into violent protest and her popularity plummeted. She also became associated with policies to promote individualism. In one quote (often taken out of context) she said:“They’re casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It’s our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations.” (transcript of interview)Because of her declining popularity, she was eventually forced out as the leader of the party and PM in 1990. Although she was bitter about her perceived betrayal, she left an unprecedented mark on the UK economic and political landscape. For good or ill, she changed the British economic and political situation. In particular, Thatcher marked a break with ‘One Nation Conservatism’ and the post-war consensus.It is ironic that when Labour eventually regained power in 1997, it was largely due to the fact Tony Blair and New Labour took on board many of the economic policies that Mrs Thatcher had initiated. There was often a mutual respect between Mrs Thatcher and Tony Blair. Mrs Thatcher once said that her greatest achievement was Tony Blair – a recognition she had shifted the political spectrum to the right meaning Labour gained power by shifting away from the left and closer to the centre. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Thatcher died on 8 April 2013 at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke.Margaret Thatcher: The Autobiography Margaret Thatcher: The Autobiography at AmazonCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mrs Thatcher”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, 11th April 2009. Updated 23 January 2018.Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Biographies of PoliticiansExternal linksThatcher’s economic policies at Economicshelp.orgThe economic impact of Mrs Thatcher at Economicshelp.orgMargaret Thatcher at BBC
71 Marie Antoinette (1755 – 1793) Austrian born-French Queen, executed during the French revolution.Marie Antoinette was born in Austria and, at a young age, married to King Louis XVI of France. She came to symbolise the privilege and power of the French Monarchy and by the time of the French Revolution she had become a hate symbol for those wishing to overthrow the privilege of the French aristocracy. In 1793, she was sent to the guillotine and executed by the Revolutionary authorities.Early life Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette was born in Vienna, Austria in 1755. Her father was Francis I, the Holy Roman Emperor. Her mother was Maria Theresa the ruler of the Habsburg Empire. Together they formed the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty.Marie’s early life was relatively happy. Court life in Vienna was relaxed; she mingled with many children, including commoners. Her formal education was limited, instead, she was taught the essentials of courtly life, such as dress, appearance and the correct behaviour of a lady. Many remarked the young Marie had exquisite poise and a graceful deportment.Marriage to Louis XVITo cement an alliance between the Habsburgs and France, her family arranged a marriage between Marie Antoinette and the future King of France – Louis XVI. Marie was married aged just 15, having never met her future husband. The lavish marriage ceremony took place in Versailles with over 5,000 guests. Many people were impressed by Marie’s physical beauty and deportment; she charmed many people.But, it was a difficult transition for Marie. Aged just 15, she was thrust into the French court with few friends and little knowledge of French life. She had a difficult relationship with Louis XVI; the two spent much time apart. Louis appeared to have little interest in sleeping with his wife; he was more interested in outdoor pursuits, metalwork and was considered to have a streak of immaturity. Marie Antoinette had the added difficulty of being Austrian; many in the French court were suspicious because of her foreign roots. Amongst her many names included “l’Autrichienne”, the “Austrian woman.” This tended to make court gossips less sympathetic, and it wasn’t long before unfriendly and malicious gossip began being spread among the court and Paris society.Life at VersaillesQueen Marie Antoinette of France and two of her Children. Adolf U. Wertmüller 1785.With few official duties, Marie Antoinette spent her days socialising in the palatial surroundings of Versailles. She came to develop extravagant and indulgent tastes. It was expected that as French Queen she would lead fashion and spend the most on clothes. But, in addition to her dress, she also spent increasing amounts of money on gambling. On one occasion, she spent three solid days gambling with friends up to her 21st birthday. Her behaviour was reported to her mother, Maria Theresa – who sent a strong letter of admonishment to her daughter, telling her to mend her ways.Whilst Marie enjoyed a life of pleasure and indulgence at court, French society was beginning to strain under the pressure of debt and economic stagnation. French society was deeply unequal with many people struggling to afford enough food. The contrast between monarchial privilege and life for peasants was stark, and this discontent grew into greater political pressure for reform. She became referred to as ‘Madame Deficit’ for her lavish spending. She spent much money on refurbishing the Palace of Versailles, including the Petit Trianon – a small chateau within the grounds of Versailles. Although it had been built for the previous King’s mistress, the fantasy chateaux became associated with Marie – and how out of touch with reality the Monarchy was.To appease this social division, Louis XVI proposed reforms to end the worst excesses of privilege and also to impose a more progressive taxation system. However, his reforms were blocked by the nobility and clergymen who vetoed proposals to increase taxes on the rich. Looking for a scapegoat, the French press blamed ‘Madame Veto’. It is uncertain whether Marie Antoinette actually vetoed the proposals, she may well have supported her husband and tended not to take much part in political affairs. If she did veto the proposals, she was one of many aristocratic people to defend their privilege.However, the foreign-born Marie made her an easy target. It didn’t help that her marriage was increasingly unworkable. Spending little time with her husband, but in revelry, gossip began to spread that she was having affairs with court nobles. Amongst many names, she was referred to as the “Austrian Whore” This is likely to be unfair. Although she had a decadent lifestyle, she was not promiscuous; it is widely considered that she only really had one lover – the Swedish military attaché Count Axel Fersen, and this was probably with the tacit approval of Louis XVI. Louis was reluctant for many years to sleep with his wife, causing great concern over the lack of an heir to the throne.Children and heirsIn 1778, Marie finally became pregnant after her marriage was finally consummated. She had a baby daughter after a difficult birth. Three years later, in 1781, she gave birth to Louis Joseph Xavier François, who bore the title Dauphin of France. It was a moment of great relief for both the King and Queen.In 1785, she gave birth to a second son, Louis Charles. But, despite providing two male heirs, her popularity continued to fall. Some whispered that her second son was illegitimate – his birth coinciding with a visit from a suspected lover nine months previously. Also, her purchase of Chateau de Saint-Cloud was widely criticised for its cost – at a time of great debt and poverty within France.French RevolutionDeteriorating economic conditions caused a popular uprising. In October 1789, a mob entered Versailles and the Royal Family were imprisoned in the Tuileries. This led to the formation of the National Assembly – placing power in the hands of the French people and expressing high ideals of liberty, egalite and fraternity. It was a shock for the whole of Europe. The privilege of centuries was being swept away. Rightly or wrongly, Marie came to symbolise the decadence of aristocratic privilege.In June 1791, they attempted to escape – Louis XVI and Marie headed for the Austrian border. This attempted flight from France made many fear that the Royal family were no longer loyal to the French government; it lost the Royal family even more popular support; some feared that Marie was seeking an alliance with the Austrian army. In 1792, to test the Royal Family’s loyalty, France declared war on Austria. The French army was defeated and Marie became a convenient scapegoat. The family were imprisoned at the Temple Prison from September 1792. In July 1793, her son was taken away, and in October, she was convicted of treason and executed by the guillotine.On the eve of her execution, Marie Antoinette displayed a courage and steadfastness which belied her popular image. She wrote to her sister-in-law, encouraging her to forgive young Louis for his accusations in court and to ask him not to seek revenge. She said she was as calm “as people are whose conscience is clear.” On the morning of the execution, a priest counselled courage as she was prepared for execution. She replied.“Courage? The moment when my ills are going to end is not the moment when courage is going to fail me.”Marie Antoinette was 37 years old when she was executed. Amongst the propaganda and pamphlets, it becomes hard to separate her public image from her actual beliefs and behaviour. Like many aristocratic nobles, she enjoyed tremendous privilege and her life at Versailles was decadent, especially when compared to the dire poverty of most people. But, she became a pawn in a propaganda war and her public image became subject to all kinds of projection and libel. The true Marie Antoinette is always difficult to decipher – not least because writers can rarely agree.‘Let them eat cake’An apocryphal story during the French revolution is attributed to Marie Antoinette.“On hearing, there was no bread, she is reported to have said ‘Let them eat cake”There is no evidence she actually said this. In Jean Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions (1766) he does write of a fatuous noblewoman who makes this statement. It is likely that she was attributed to this statement out of libel and desire to make her a scapegoat.A turbulent life (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Marie Antoinette was just a teenager when she was thrust into one of the most important positions in European society. She enjoyed the social whirl and privilege life afforded her. She expressed little if any sympathy for democratic ideals or social change. But, she was not alone among aristocrats for enjoying the pleasures of economic privilege. Her perceived extravagant lifestyle made her an ideal target for cartoonists keen to strengthen public opinion against the monarchy. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to say that if Marie Antoinette had been cloistered in a convent, the French Revolution would never have happened. Others contend she was largely a frivolous person, thrust into the limelight, but having little bearing on political life. The truth is perhaps somewhere in between.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Marie Antoinette“, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 10th December 2013. Last updated 13 February 2018.Marie Antoinette: The Journey Marie Antoinette: The Journey at Amazon by Antonia Fraser.RelatedFamous Austrians. Famous Austrians, including Marie Antoinette, Sigmund Freud and musicians, such as Mozart, Franz Liszt, Schubert. Also Austrian political figures.Famous French – A list of famous French men and women. Includes politicians, generals, artists, sportsmen and cultural figures, such as Napoleon, Marie Antionette, De Gaulle, Claude Monet, and Coco Chanel.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc. Royalty – Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Tsar Nicholas II, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great.100 Famous womenExternal linksMarie Antoinette at SmithsonianMarie Antoinette at Amazon.com
72 Marie Curie (1867 – 1934) was a Polish scientist who won a Nobel prize in both Chemistry and Physics. She made ground-breaking work in the field of Radioactivity, enabling radioactive isotypes to be isolated for the first time. During the First World War, Curie developed the practical use of X-Rays; she also discovered two new elements, polonium and radium. Her pioneering scientific work was made more remarkable because of the discrimination which existed against women in science at the time. She was the first female professor at the University of Paris and broke down many barriers for women in science.“Humanity needs practical men, who get the most out of their work, and, without forgetting the general good, safeguard their own interests. But humanity also needs dreamers, for whom the disinterested development of an enterprise is so captivating that it becomes impossible for them to devote their care to their own material profit.”– Marie CurieShort Bio Marie CurieMarya Sklodowska was born on 7 November 1867, Warsaw Poland. She was the youngest of five children and was brought up in a poor but well-educated family. Marya excelled in her studies and won many prizes. At an early age she became committed to the ideal of Polish independence from Russia – who at the time were ruling Poland with an iron fist, and in particular, making life difficult for intellectuals. She yearned to be able to teach fellow Polish woman who were mostly condemned to zero education.Unusually for women at that time, Marya took an interest in Chemistry and Biology. Since opportunities in Poland for further study was limited, Marya went to Paris, where after working as a governess she was able to study at the Sorbonne, Paris. Struggling to learn in French, Marya threw herself into her studies, leading an ascetic life dedicated to education and improving her scientific knowledge. She went on to get a degree in Physics and finished top in her school. She later got a degree in Maths, finishing second in her school year. Curie had a remarkable willingness for hard work.“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”Pierre and Marie CurrieIt was in Paris that she met Pierre Curie, who was then chief of the laboratory at the School of Physics and Chemistry. He was a renowned Chemist, who had conducted many experiments on crystals and electronics. Pierre was smitten with the young Marya and asked her to marry him. Marya initially refused but, after persistence from Pierre, she relented. Until Pierre’s untimely death in 1906, the two become inseparable. In addition to co-operation on work, they spent much leisure time bicycling and travelling around Europe together.Marie Curie work on RadioactivityMarie pursued studies in radioactivity. In 1898, this led to the discovery of two new elements. One of which she named polonium after her home country.There then followed four years of extensive study into the properties of radium. Using dumped uranium tailings from a nearby mine, very slowly, and with painstaking effort, they were able to extract a decigram of radium.Radium was discovered to have remarkable impacts. In testing the product, Marie suffered burns from the rays. It was from this discovery of radium and its properties that the science of radiation was able to develop. It was found that radium had the power to burn away diseased cells in the body. Initially, this early form of radiotherapy was called ‘curietherapy.The Curries agreed to give away their secret freely; they did not wish to patent such a valuable element. The element was soon in high demand, and it began industrial scale production.For their discovery, they were awarded the Davy Medal (Britain) and the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. Marie Curie was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize.In 1906, Pierre was killed in a road accident, leaving Marie to look after the laboratory and her two children. Her two children were Irène Joliot-Curie (1897–1956) and Ève Curie (1904–2007). Irene won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935, jointly with her husband.In 1911, she was awarded a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of actinium and further studies on radium and polonium.The success of Marie Curie also brought considerable hostility, criticism and suspicion from a male-dominated science world. She suffered from the malicious rumours and accusations that were spread amongst jealous colleagues.The onset of World War I in 1914, led to Marie Curie dedicating her time to the installation of X-ray machines in hospitals. Marie understood that X-ray machines would be able to locate shrapnel, enabling better treatment for soldiers. By, the end of the First World War, over a million soldiers had been examined by her X-ray units.Marie Curie at International Conference. Einstein is second on the right.At the end of the First World War, she returned to the Institute of Radium in Paris. She also published a book – Radiology in War (1919) which encompassed her great ideas on science. Curie was also proud to participate in the newly formed League of Nations, through joining the International Commission for Intellectual Cooperation in August 1922.“I believe international work is a heavy task, but that it is nevertheless indispensable to go through an apprenticeship in it, at the cost of many efforts and also of a real spirit of sacrifice: however imperfect it may be, the work of Geneva has a grandeur that deserves our support.”Letter to Eve Curie (July 1929)Marie Curie was known for her modest and frugal lifestyle. She asked any financial prizes to be given to research bodies rather than herself. During the First World War, she offered her Nobel Prizes to the French Treasury.Marie Curie died in 1934 from Cancer. It was an unfortunate side effect of her own ground-breaking studies into radiation which were to help so many people.LegacyMarie Curie pushed back many frontiers in science, and at the same time set a new bar for female academic and scientific achievement.Her discovery of radium enabled Ernest Rutherford to investigate the structure of the atom, and it provided the framework for Radiotherapy for cancer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Curie also played a leading role in redefining women’s role in society and science.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Marie Curie”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 15th June 2012. Last updated 13th Feb 2018.The Inner World of Marie Curie The Inner World of Marie Curie at Amazon.com The Inner World of Marie Curie at Amazon.comWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Famous Polish figures – including Marie Curie, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Frederick Chopin.External linksMarie Curie at Nobel Prize.orgMarie Curie short biography
73 Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) Model, actress, singer and arguably one of the most famous women of the twentieth century. Monroe has become an iconic representative of fame and female beauty. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American culture.“I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.”\u0097- Marilyn MonroeEarly lifeMonroe was born, Norma Jeane Mortenson, in June 1926. Her mother was Gladys Pearl Baker (née Monroe, 1902–84) Her father was unknown and she was baptised as Norma Jeane Baker. Her mother Gladys had a turbulent mental state and struggled to cope with bringing up her children. For the first six years, Marilyn was brought up by foster parents, Albert and Ida Bolender in the town of Hawthorne, California. Her mother then tried to take back Marilyn, but she suffered a mental breakdown and Marilyn was moved between different orphanages and foster homes. The traumatic childhood made her shy and reserved.Just after her 16th birthday, in 1942, Monroe married her 21-year-old, next-door neighbour Jimmy Dougherty. Marilyn became a housewife, but the couple were not close, and Monroe reports being bored. In 1943, her husband left to join the Merchant Marines to participate in America’s War effort. They split up shortly after.Marilyn Monroe appearing in Yank Army WeeklyTo earn a living, Marilyn took a job at a local munitions factory in Burbank, California. It was here that Marilyn got her first big break. Photographer David Conover was covering the munitions factory to show women at work for the War effort. He was struck by the beauty and photogenic nature of Norma, and he used her in many of his photographs. This enabled her to start a career as a model, and she was soon featured on the front of many magazine covers.Career breakthrough1946 was a pivotal year for Marilyn, she divorced her young husband and changed her name from, the boring, Norma Baker to the more glamorous Marilyn Monroe (after her grandma). She took drama lessons and got her first movie contract with Twentieth Century Fox. Her first few films were low key, but from these beginnings, it gained her more prominent roles in films such as All About Eve, Niagara and later Gentleman Prefer Blondes and How To Marry A Millionaire.Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Movie TrailerThese successful film roles thrust her into the global limelight. She became an iconic figure of Hollywood glamour and fashion. She was an epitome of sensuality, beauty and effervescence and was naturally photogenic. But she often found the trappings of fame difficult to deal with.“When you’re famous you kind of run into human nature in a raw kind of way. It stirs up envy, fame does. People you run into feel that, well, who does she think she is, Marilyn Monroe? They feel fame gives them some kind of privilege to walk up to you and say anything to you, of any kind of nature — and it won’t hurt your feelings — like it’s happening to your clothes not you.”– Marilyn Monroe (A Life of the Actress, 1993)In 1954, she married baseball star Joe DiMaggio, a friend of over two years. Monroe was now one of the biggest box-office draws of Hollywood, but her contract, negotiated in 1950, left her paid less than other stars. Also, Monroe didn’t wish to be typecast as a ‘blonde bombshell’ – just playing simple roles in comedies and musicals. In a dispute over pay and choice of acting, she was temporarily suspended by 20th Century Fox, but eventually, they acceded to some of Monroe’s demands and gave her higher pay. In September 1954, she starred in The Seven Year Itch, which was released to widespread media interest – after a successful media stunt on Lexington Avenue, New York.In 1955, she sought greater independence from Fox, and began her own movie production and began studying method acting. Despite the media often being dismissive of Monroe’s potential, her efforts to improve acting paid off, and later films received critical acclaim for her wider scope of acting. She was nominated for Golden Globe Best Actress Award for Bus Stop (1956). In 1959, she won a Golden Globe for her role in ‘Some Like It Hot‘.Her relationship with Joe DiMaggio was quickly strained, due to his jealous and controlling nature. Monroe soon filed for divorce, though the couple retained a friendship despite the divorce. Monroe began dating playwright Arthur Miller and in 1956 married. To get married, Monroe converted to Judaism. The marriage received significant media interest for the combination of Miller the left-wing intellectual and Monroe, the perceived ‘dumb blonde’. The marriage was sometimes referred to, rather unkindly, as “Egghead Weds Hourglass”.To complicate matters, Miller was under investigation for his alleged “Communist sympathies”, and media bosses encouraged Monroe to end the relationship, but Monroe was unmoved. The FBI opened a file on her, worried about the political views of her husband.In the late 1950s, and early 1960, her health began to deteriorate. She suffered from a Barbiturate addiction and experienced periods of depression. Her marriage to Miller broke down, and she had affairs with Yves Montand, Frank Sinatra and others. During the 1960s, her ill health made shooting films challenging, and production was often delayed. She was still in great demand and often appeared on the front cover of glossy magazines. In 1962, she was invited to the White House to sing for J.F. Kennedy’s birthday.Death and legacyTragically, she died early from an overdose of barbiturates in 1962 aged just 36.Although Monroe cultivated an image of the ‘dumb blonde’ – in fact, her image and persona was something she took care to cultivate and develop – through the media and the strength of her acting. Although many were dismissive at the time, she took on the powerful Hollywood studio system and, against expectations, developed her acting career with her own intentions. However, behind her confident public persona, she struggled with relationships and resorted to a heavy drug use, which had a damaging impact on both her mental and physical health. In one sense, Monroe lived the American dream – rising from anonymity to become a famous actress, but it was a dream tinged with sadness for fame did not bring peace of mind or happiness.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Marilyn Monroe”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, Published 1st December 2009. Updated 10th February 2018.Marilyn Monroe – My Story (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Marilyn Monroe – My Story at Amazon Marilyn Monroe – Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters Marilyn Monroe – Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters at Amazon Related pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Actors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.\nAmericans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.
74 Martin Luther King Jr was one of America’s most influential civil rights activists. His passionate, but non-violent protests, helped to raise awareness of racial inequalities in America, leading to significant political change. Martin Luther King was also an eloquent orator who captured the imagination and hearts of people, both black and white.Early Life of Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta on 15 January 1929. Both his father and grandfather were pastors in an African-American Baptist church. M. Luther King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, (segregated schooling) and then went to study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and Boston University. During his time at University Martin Luther King became aware of the vast inequality and injustice faced by black Americans; in particular, he was influenced by Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent protest. The philosophy of Gandhi tied in with the teachings of his Baptist faith. At the age of 24, King married Coretta Scott, a beautiful and talented young woman. After getting married, King became a pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.Montgomery Bus BoycottA turning point in the life of Martin Luther King was the Montgomery Bus Boycott which he helped to promote. His boycott also became a turning point in the civil rights struggle – attracting national press for the cause.It began in innocuous circumstances on 5 December 1955. Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, refused to give up her seat – she was sitting in a white-only area. This broke the strict segregation of coloured and white people on the Montgomery buses. The bus company refused to back down and so Martin Luther King helped to organise a strike where coloured people refused to use any of the city buses. The boycott lasted for several months, the issue was then brought to the Supreme Court who declared the segregation was unconstitutional.Civil Rights Movement.After the success of the Montgomery bus boycott, King and other ministers founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This proved to be a nucleus for the growing civil rights movement. Later there would be arguments about the best approach to take. In particular, the 1960s saw the rise of the Black power movement, epitomised by Malcolm X and other black nationalist groups. However, King always remained committed to the ideals of non-violent struggle.Martin Luther King and Malcolm X briefly meet in 1964 before going to listen to a Senate debate about civil rights in Washington. (image Wikicommons)Speeches of Martin Luther King JrMartin Luther King was an inspirational and influential speaker; he had the capacity to move and uplift his audiences. In particular, he could offer a vision of hope. He captured the injustice of the time but also felt that this injustice was like a passing cloud. King frequently made references to God, the Bible and his Christian Faith.“And this is what Jesus means when he said: “How is it that you can see the mote in your brother’s eye and not see the beam in your own eye?” Or to put it in Moffatt’s translation: “How is it that you see the splinter in your brother’s eye and fail to see the plank in your own eye?” And this is one of the tragedies of human nature. So we begin to love our enemies and love those persons that hate us whether in collective life or individual life by looking at ourselves.”– Martin Luther KingHis speeches were largely free of revenge, instead focusing on the need to move forward. He was named as Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963, it followed his famous and iconic “I Have a Dream Speech” – delivered in Washington during a civil rights march.“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood”– Martin Luther KingThe following year, Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work towards social justice. King announced he would turn over the prize money $54,123 to the civil rights movement. With the prestige of the Nobel Prize, King was increasingly consulted by politicians such as Lyndon Johnson.However, King’s opposition to the Vietnam War did not endear him to the Johnson administration; King also began receiving increased scrutiny from the authorities, such as the FBI.On April 4th, 1968, King was assassinated. It was one day after he had delivered his final speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”In his honour, America has instigated a national Martin Luther King Day. He remains symbolic of America’s fight for justice and racial equality.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Martin Luther King Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2008. Last updated 2 March 2018.The Autobiography of Martin Luther King (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Autobiography of Martin Luther King at Amazon.com Strength to Love – The Speeches of Martin Luther King at Amazon Essential Writings of Martin Luther King at Amazon.comRelated pagesMartin Luther King QuotesMartin Luther King Speeches Martin Luther BiographyRelated pagesPeople who fought for human /civil rights – People who campaigned for equality, civil rights and civil justice.Famous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi. Share page
75 Mary Magdalene is mentioned four times in the Gospels as a close devotee of Jesus Christ. She was with Jesus during the crucifixion and the first person to see Jesus after the resurrection. Due to a sermon by Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century, she developed a reputation for being a prostitute and repentant sinner. However, there is no evidence she was, and it appears there was confusion with other Marys mentioned in the Bible. In the Bahá’í religion and Eastern Orthodox tradition, she is considered a great saint.Information about the life of Mary Magdalene come from Canonical gospels included in the New Testament, plus other texts which were not included when the New Testament was finalised. Gnostics also believe there was a gospel of Mary, which may have been written by Mary Magdalene or some later follower.In Luke 8:1-3, there is a passage where Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out by Jesus.The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out—and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.— Luke 8:1-3It is possible that this passage refers to another Mary with (Magdalene) added at a later date. Scholars also suggest that the casting out of demons may have been illness or negative emotions.Mary Magdalene is mentioned by other gospel writers for being present at the crucifixion, including staying after male disciples had left the scene. In John 20:16 and Mark 16:9 Mary Magdalene is also mentioned as the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus. The gospels of Mark and Luke report that the other male disciples did not believe what Mary reported until they saw with their own eyes.In apocryphal and Gnostic texts, the character of Mary Magdalene is further developed, suggesting she was one of the most advanced disciples and had visionary power herself. Other Gnostic writings, such as the Gospel of Phillip, suggest that the closeness of Mary Magdalene created tensions with other disciples, who found it difficult for a woman to have more influence and prestige than themselves.The early church, which came to be dominated by men, tended to downplay the role of women. Therefore, it is significant that even in the canonical gospels, Mary Magdalene appears very devoted and close to Jesus. The fact she was the first witness to his resurrection is significant because, at the time, women generally were not considered reliable as witnesses.In the Gospel of Mary, first discovered in 1896, Mary Magdalene again appears to be the most prominent disciple of Jesus.“Peter said to Mary, “Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of women. Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them.” Mary answered and said, “What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.” And she began to speak to them these words: “I,” she said, “I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision.”Some scholars have taken this as evidence that Mary Magdalene was the ‘Beloved disciple’ mentioned in the gospel of John.The Eastern Orthodox church has always seen Mary Magdalene as a virtuous woman, and a different person to the repentant Mary who anoints Jesus in the gospel of Luke. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In the Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene has been more associated with a repentant sinner. This view has often been romanticised in art, and was given credence in a speech by Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century. However, the Catholic church later modified their view. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Mary Magdalene as “a disciple of the Lord who plays a lead role in the Gospels.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mary Magdalene”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 25th September 2017.The Meaning of Mary Magdalene The Meaning of Mary Magdalene at AmazonRelated pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Famous Christians – Famous Christians from Jesus Christ and the early Apostles to Catholic Popes and saints. Includes St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Sienna and St Teresa.Famous saints – Famous saints from the main religious traditions of Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. Includes St Francis of Assisi, Mirabai and Guru Nanak. External linksMary Magdalene at BBCPhoto bottom: Guido Reni, National GalleryThe Gospel according to Mary Magdalene at Gnostics.org
76 Mata Hari was an exotic dancer from the Netherlands who gained much fame in France as a dancer. During the First World War, she was arrested on charges of espionage and executed by a French firing squad. Evidence of her actual guilt is frequently questioned.Mata Hari was born 7 August 1876 in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Her name at birth was Margaretha Geerruida Zelle. Until the age of 13, she lived a comfortable lifestyle, attending elite private schools paid for by her father. Her father doted much attention on his ‘little princess’ making her used to the attention of men. However, in 1889, her father went bankrupt and her parents soon divorced. She tried to study to be a kindergarten teacher but her godfather removed her after the Headmaster became attached to Margaretha.When she was 18, she answered a newspaper ad from a handsome Dutch officer living in Java, the East Indies. In those days it was common for Dutchman living in colonies to request wives by placing ads in papers. Margaretha moved to Java where the couple had two children. However, the marriage was not a happy one, with her husband, Rudolph Macleod, suffering from alcoholism; he would often be violent to his wife, blaming her for many of his own failings. Margaretha also had difficulty in her role as a housewife. She admitted “I was not content at home… I wanted to live like a colourful butterfly in the sun.” During her time in the Dutch East Indies, Margaretha took the opportunity to learn about native dance and the local customs. Later, she also had an affair with another Dutch officer, before being persuaded to return to her husband. However, they divorced in 1902, shortly after the tragic death of their young son.Mata Hari in ParisWhen she returned to Paris in 1903, she gained work in a circus before moving on to work as an exotic dancer. With her background in the East Indies, she was able to claim that she was a Java Princess of Hindu birth, something which added to her allure and fascination. One of her biographers Pat Shipman wrote of Mata Hari, “Her languid, graceful style of moving, her dark eyes and luxurious hair, telegraphed her sexuality to any male in her presence,” [1]It was at this time that she took the name of Mata Hari – meaning “the eye of the day” in Java. She soon became well known for her flirtatious and sensual dancing. She helped usher in a new era of modern dance which sought inspiration from the East, Egypt and also had no inhibitions about revelling in the sexuality of the human body.With a tradition of Eastern dance, Mata Hari helped elevate exotic dance to a more respectable background. However, it was also criticised by others for its cheap eroticism in the garb of culture.Mata Hari had several relationships with powerful men across the continent. This included Frederick William Ernest, the German crown prince, wealthy French businessmen and high ranking French military officers.Mata Hari in the First World WarThe outbreak of the First World War placed her in a unique and difficult position. Initially, she found herself in Germany with her sources of finance cut off. But, with her usual resourcefulness, she was able to gain sufficient finances to restart travelling. With her Dutch nationality, (the Netherlands remained neutral in the war) she was able to cross different national boundaries. This took her between Germany and France often via Britain or Spain to avoid the front line. As she knew both high ranking German and Frenchmen, this inevitably placed her under suspicion as someone who could in theory transfer information about the other side’s war effort. On one occasion, she admitted to the British she was working as a spy for the French. However, the French never confirmed or denied this.In January 1917, the French intercepted a coded message from the Germans saying they had gained much useful information from a German spy code-named H-21. From this information, suspicion fell on Mata Hari and she was arrested.It later emerged the Germans knew their code had been broken, so the Germans may have contrived to send this message framing Mata Hari, who might really have been working for French. On flimsy evidence, she was convicted of spying. Thirty years after the trial, one of the prosecutors admitted there wasn’t enough evidence to ‘flog a dead cat’. After a trial, she was executed by firing squad on 15 October 1917.Last photograph of Mata HariHer execution has been the source of much speculation, but sources suggest she was well-dressed, refused a blindfold and accepted her death with stoicism. Henry Wales a British reporter who covered her execution, wrote of the execution, saying when guards came to take her to the place of execution, Mata Hari merely replied ‘I am ready‘ [2]Henry Wales also wrote “Never once had the iron will of the beautiful woman failed her.” [2]Twelve soldiers were in the firing squad. After the order to shoot was given, she sank to her knees, an officer then shot her in the head with a pistol to make sure she was dead.After her death, her life has been the subject of many different accounts which have tended to embellish on certain details of her lifeCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mata Hari”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 12 Aug 2014. Last updated 8 February 2018.Femme Fatale: Love, Lies, and the Unknown Life of Mata Hari Femme Fatale: Love, Lies, and the Unknown Life of Mata Hari at AmazonI am Mata Hari: I am Mata Hari: at Amazon.com (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});References[1] FEMME FATALE: A Biography Of Mata Hari by Pat Shipman is published by by Weidenfeld & Nicholson[2] Mata Hari – Eyewitness reports Mata Hari at First World WarRelatedPeople of the First World War (1914 to 1918) The principal figures involved in the First World War from Germany, Britain, US and the rest of the world. Includes David Lloyd George, Woodrow Wilson, the Kaiser and George Clemenceau.Famous female spies – Female spies who risked their lives to enter enemy territory. Including many spies who volunteered for SOE and work for the French resistance in the second world war.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.
77 Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, entertainer, and recording artist. Michael Jackson epitomised the era of pop in the 70s, 80s and 90s, earning himself the title the King of Pop. He remained a global icon until his untimely death in 2009.Michael Jackson began his music career alongside his fellow brothers and family members in the Jackson Five. His career began in 1964, aged only six. The group, led by Jackson’s father, worked hard touring many clubs and bars performing their mix of Motown hits. They gained the attention of record labels and in 1968 signed with Motown records. It was the youngest, baby-faced Jackson, that caught the eye of reviewers. Rolling Stone magazine wrote that Michael was a ‘prodigy’ with ‘overwhelming musical gifts’. Michael stood out for his exceptional enthusiasm and soft, infectious musical voice. The group produced four number one hit singles, including “I Want You Back“, ABC and “the Lover You Save.”Despite achieving his goal to be a music performer, Michael’s childhood was far from happy. He was regularly beaten and threatened by his authoritarian father. This legacy of abuse left Michael scarred throughout his adult life.Solo Career Michael JacksonBy the late 1970s, Michael was increasingly looking to pursue a solo career. With the help of music producer, Quincy Jones, Michael produced the solo album ‘Off The Wall‘. The album was a great success, eventually selling over 20 million copies. The album gained much critical acclaim, and Michael secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry. (37% of album profit)His second solo album, Thriller, launched Michael Jackson into a position as the most famous pop singer in the world. With little commercial advertising and promotion, Thriller rose to number one on album sales and remained at the number one spot for a total of 37 weeks. It gained one of many Guinness World Records for Michael Jackson, attaining 110 million global sales and 29 million sales in the US. Thriller included number one hits such as Beat It, Billie Jean.Michael Jackson with the ReagansIn March 1983, Michael Jackson performed live on Motown 25, ‘Yesterday, today, forever’, – a TV special. He performed his distinctive and memorable dance move – the Moonwalk. In the dance routine, he effortlessly moves backwards with seemingly keeping one leg perfectly straight. His performance made him a global icon of not just music, but dance. Michael Jackson pioneered the importance of music video in promoting a pop artist. This iconic performance has been compared to the famous Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.Jackson’s next albums were Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991). His final album was Invincible (2001).By the late 80s, there was an increasing number of stories speculating on Jackson’s personal life, health and physical appearance. Michael Jackson underwent numerous operations of plastic surgery to fix his nose and add a dimple in his chin. During the 1980s, his skin started to lighten; this was due to a rare skin pigment disease, but it didn’t stop a wave of speculative press stories that he was bleaching his skin colour. The press covered a range of speculative stories about Michael Jackson, including imaginary stories Michael had invented himself (such as sleeping in an oxygen tent to avoid the ageing process)“I’ve been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old, and as Charles Dickens would say, “It’s been the best of times, the worst of times.” But I would not change my career… While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.”—Michael JacksonThe press attention made Michael increasingly reclusive, spending much of his time in his ‘Never Land’ ranch.Speaking on the Oprah Winfrey show, Jackson addressed the issue of skin colour change:“OK, number one. There, as I know of, there is no such thing as skin bleaching…I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it’s something that I cannot help, OK? But, when people make up stories that I don’t want to be who I am, it hurts me…it’s a problem for me, I can’t control it.”He married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994; it lasted two years though they remained friendly after the divorce. In 1996, he married Deborah Rowe in Sydney. Together they had two children. They divorced in 1999 and Rowe gave full custody of children to Jackson.Allegations of child abuse were first raised in the 1980s and re-appeared in the 1990s. This led to the trial of The People v Jackson on 31 Jan 2005, in Sante Maria, California. After five months of high publicity, Jackson was acquitted. Though the experience left him physically weak and emotionally stressed. He departed America for the Persian Gulf Island of Bahrain.“The minute I started breaking the all-time record in record sales—I broke Elvis’s records, I broke Beatles records—the minute it became the all-time best-selling album in the history of the Guinness Book of World Records, overnight they called me a freak. They called me a homosexual. They called me a child molester. They said I bleached my skin. They made everything to turn the public against me.”– Remarks at National Action Network headquarters (9 July 2002)Towards the end of his life, he was increasingly plagued by money troubles and ill health. He increasingly became dependent on a variety of drugs, which was said to have contributed to his ill health and premature death. Despite concerns over finance, he is said to have made career earnings of $500m and had assets in Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue worth over $300m alone.“In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});– M. Jackson Quoted by CNN June 2009.Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009, at a rented mansion in the district of Los Angeles.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Michael Jackson”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 28th Jul 2010. Updated 11th February 2018.Charity Work of Michael JacksonMichael Jackson supported many charities. This included a burns charity in Culver City, California. This followed an incident where Michael Jackson was burnt in filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984.He also supported HIV / AIDS charities at a time when it was still unfashionable.In 1984, he received an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities which help overcome alcohol and drug abuse.From his 1984, Victory Tour he donated all funds (around $8million to charity)In 1985, he also co-wrote the charity single “We are the World” with Lionel Richie. It sold over 30 million copies, and the proceeds were sent to the poor in the US and Africa.He continued his charity work to the end of his life supporting charity concerts such as Aid for victims of Kosovo war.The Essential Michael Jackson The Essential Michael Jackson at AmazonThe Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson at AmazonRelated pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Musicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.Top 100 famous peopleMichael Jackson.com
78 Michael Jordan (MJ) is considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He was voted NBA most valuable player a record five times. Playing most of his career for the Chicago Bulls, he won six NBA Championships. Michael Jordan also became one of the most marketed sportsmen, with lucrative endorsements with Nike, helping to make the Nike Air shoe one of best-known trainers in the world. His career and high profile coincided with a rapid growth in the popularity of NBA basketball, and his personal achievements are considered a major factor in boosting the popularity of basketball. The NBA Website says of Michael Jordan:“A phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of fundamental soundness, grace, speed, power, artistry, improvisational ability and an unquenchable competitive desire, Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar.” (NBA)Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York. But, his family moved to North Carolina where he grew up. As a sophomore, at times, he struggled to get in the High School Team due to his low height. Instead, he concentrated on other sports, such as baseball. But, as a late developer, he grew to 6 foot 3 inch and this helped him to dominate the junior court. Michael Jordan attended the University of North Carolina where he was named College Player of the Year but the Sporting News. In 1984, he was picked in the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls.In 1984, he was also selected to be in the US Olympic basketball team, where, with the team, he won the gold medal.The 1984 season saw the emergence of Michael Jordan as a supreme player. Crowds at the Chicago Bulls increased as people came to see this exciting new talent. Jordan had excellent shooting statistics, but, he also had a distinct and rare ability to excite the crowds with his great dexterity, acrobatic dunks and dives. He seemed to float around the court with effortless ease. Jordan became more than just the best player on the pitch, he exuded something unique and stylish. He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. He managed to combine this athletic excellence with a humility that endeared him to the public even more. He later said that what he achieved was only possible because of former great players who taught and helped him to evolve.In the late 1980s, Jordan led an increasingly successful Chicago Bulls team. They won their first championship in 1991 and went on to win six titles in the space of nine years. Along the way, Jordan broke many of the long-standing NBA records. In 1988-89, he led the league with 32.5 points per game.In 1992, Jordan again returned to the Olympics. This time as a full professional – Jordan was part of the ‘Dream Team’. The US easily won the Olympic gold – with their opponents often admitting they felt honoured to be on the same court as Michael Jordan and the ‘dream team’.However, in 1993, a series of personal difficulties caused him to temporarily retire from the game. His father was murdered during an armed robbery, devastating Jordan who saw his father as his closest confidant. He was also struggling with his own gambling issues.For a short time, he made a foray into baseball, playing the 1994 season for the Birmingham Barons. But, in the 1994-95 season, he came back to his primary love – basketball. Despite losing some of his youthful speed, Jordan still had the magic touch and led the Chicago Bulls to the semifinals with some stellar performances. The next year, 1995-96, he led the Chicago Bulls to another title.Jordan continued to play until past his 40th birthday in the 2002-03 season.After he finally retired, he had played a total of 1,072 games, with a points per game average of 30.1 and a total of 32,292 points.After making his final retirement, Jordan has concentrated on management and ownership.In June 2006, he bought a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats and later gained outright ownership, becoming the first former NBA star to become the majority owner of a league franchise. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In June 2010, Jordan was ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 20th-most powerful celebrity in the world with $55 million earned between June 2009 and June 2010. According to the Forbes article, Jordan Brand generates $1 billion in sales for Nike.“Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion”– Michael Jordan 2009In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press’s list of athletes of the century. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.Michael Jordan Career Highlights6× NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991–1992, 1996, 1998)14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002–2003)6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998)10× NBA scoring champion (1987–1993, 1996–1998)3× NBA steals champion (1988, 1990, 1993)NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)10× All-NBA First Team (1987–1993, 1996–1998)Olympic GamesGold 1984 Los Angeles United StatesGold 1992 Barcelona United StatesPointsPoints 32,292 (30.1 ppg)Rebounds 6,672 (6.2 rpg)Assists 5,633 (5.3 apg)Stats at NBCMichael Jordan: The Life Michael Jordan: The Life at AmazonRelated pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Famous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey. External linksMichael Jordan biography at NBA EncyclopediaMichael Jordan Wikipedia
79 Mikhail Gorbachev was general secretary of the Soviet Union Communist Party from 1985–1991. He was also the first democratically elected President in 1990.Mikhail Gorbachev played a key role in dismantling the Communist grip on power in both the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. His aspirations for democracy and reform opened up the way for the end of the Cold War and the bringing down of the Berlin Wall. He was removed from Presidential office in 1991, during a failed coup attempt. Since leaving office, Gorbachev has worked tirelessly promoting new efforts at social justice and concern for the environment through his own organization, the Green Cross.Mikhail Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1990.Gorbachev was born in March 1931 in Stavropol, the North Caucasus to a poor peasant family. At the age of 11, the district was occupied by the Germans for three years, a tough time for all in the village. In 1950 he enrolled at Moscow University where he became a member of the Soviet Union Communist Party. It was here that Gorbachev met his future wife, Raisa Maxima, and they married soon after meeting. After gaining a degree in law, Gorbachev made much progress within the Communist party. Gorbachev gained a reputation for being hard-working, honest and a good loyal Communist member. Unlike his other colleagues, he was moderate in drinking and not interested in gaining financial benefits. His dynamism achieved some notable achievements and the respect of party bosses, but he also became aware of the limitations of the Communist system and how the vast bureaucracy was so difficult to change. Gorbacheve believed in socialism but he wished to see it become more efficient and better directed to improving people’s lives.In 1980 he was the youngest Politburo member and in 1985 he was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party. The relatively youthful Gorbachev stood in marked contrast to the previous ageing and fossilised leaders of the Soviet Union. The KGB were happy to see Gorbachev elected as they felt he had the capacity to improve the Soviet Union. They were not aware of how much Gorbachev would change Communism and the Soviet Union. Later some KGB sources said their biggest mistake was Gorbachev.On becoming leader of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev announced two key policies, Perestroika and Glasnost.Perestroika involved reforming the economy and opening it up to market forces.Glasnost involved political reform. This involved freedom of religious expression and individual liberties; it paved the way for democracy and for many political prisoners to be released. It was particularly significant for the Eastern Block. When eastern European economies made calls for democracy, the Soviet Union no longer stood in their way (as they had previously in Hungary and Czechoslovakia).A year after becoming leader, there was a massive explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station. The multiple failings and efforts to cover up serious safety breaches only reinforced Gorbachev’s view that the Communist system needed serious reform.“The Chernobyl disaster, more than anything else, opened the possibility of much greater freedom of expression, to the point that the system as we knew it could no longer continue. It made absolutely clear how important it was to continue the policy of glasnost, and I must say that I started to think about time in terms of pre-Chernobyl and post-Chernobyl.”“Turning point at Chernobyl”, Japan Times (21 April 2006)On the international scene Gorbachev aspired to end the arms race as he said:“We need Star Peace, not Star Wars.”He built up good relations with US leader Ronald Reagan and especially with UK leader Margaret Thatcher. He surprised the world by offering to make big concessions in the abolition of nuclear weapons. He has been credited with playing a major role in ending the Cold war, in both the East and also the West. In his Nobel Address of June 1991, he offered an optimistic view of how countries might work together to build a better world.“I am an optimist and I believe that together we shall be able now to make the right historical choice so as not to miss the great chance at the turn of centuries and millenia and make the current extremely difficult transition to a peaceful world order.” (Nobel Address)In 1991 conservative military forces attempted a coup to overthrow Gorbachev to save the Soviet Union and Communist system. The life of Gorbachev was in serious jeopardy. The Coup eventually failed but on returning to Moscow, political power had shifted from the Politburo to modernisers such as Yeltsin. Gorbachev resigned and never made a successful return to Russian politics.Raisa Maximova, Gorbachev’s wife died of Leukaemia in 1999. They had one daughter, Irina.Although unpopular in Russia for his perceived role in the breakup of the Soviet Union, he remains an influential voice. Although he had previously supported Putin, In 2011 Gorbachev criticised his third term as Russian President. He was also critical of the democratic deficit in the 2011 elections. Gorbachev has also warned that in Russia. “Politics is increasingly turning into imitation democracy” – with all the power in the executive branch.Gorbachev has also warned against a new ‘cold war’ and argued that America and the West need to be careful in interfering in Russian affairs and Russian spheres of influence. On issues of economics, he has called for a new perspective on economic issues – arguing the 2007 financial crash showed the limitations of the “Washington Consensus” – on free-market economics. Gorbachev has also founded the Green Cross International – one of the principal sponsors of the Earth Charter – a movement to encourage greater concern for the planet and environment.“We desperately need to recognise that we are the guests, not the masters, of nature and adopt a new paradigm for development, based on the costs and benefits to all people, and bound by the limits of nature herself rather than the limits of technology and consumerism.”– M.Gorbachev, 301 Extraordinary Environmentalists (2008)Religion and spiritualityGorbachev has officially stated that he is an atheist. However, at the same time, he has been open to religious influences. He has admired the life of St Francis of Assisi, Pope John Paul II and cultivated a friendship with Indian spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy. Speaking of his own beliefs, he said:“I believe in the cosmos. All of us are linked to the cosmos. Look at the sun. If there is no sun, then we cannot exist. So nature is my god. To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals.”– M.Gorbachev, “Nature Is My God”What did Mikhail Gorbachev do to change the world?When Gorbachev came to power in 1985, there was a very real threat of nuclear war. The Soviet Union and the US were at loggerheads and the rhetoric of the opposing leaders left no doubt about the bitter ideological divide between east and west. In the Soviet Union, the Communist Party had maintained a totalitarian grip on the country ever since the revolution of 1917. In 1985, there seemed no hope for the vast power and reach of the Communist party to be challenged – let alone transformed. Gorbachev was a committed socialist, but he was also interested in the truth and from his own career in the Communist bureaucracy was aware of the Soviet Union’s limitations.After the Chernobyl disaster of 1985, Gorbachev’s resolve to reform Communism began in earnest. His ideas of glasnost and perestroika were truly revolutionary. Glasnost involved openness and moves towards individual freedom and openness. It was Gorbachev who sought to free political prisoners and allow greater press freedom. He also started the transition to a market economy. The changes that Gorbachev initiated began to snowball and soviet satellites in Eastern Europe gained a taste of freedom. Previously, attempts at liberation in Eastern Europe (Hungary 1956, Czechoslovakia (1967) had been met with Soviet tanks and Soviet repression. But when borders started to crumble in the late 1980s, Gorbachev was not willing to use force against his own people. Some say, the grip of Soviet Communism power was weaker – but it was weaker because Gorbachev was a different type of leader who did move the country in the direction of freedom.In foreign policy, Gorbachev frequently surprised the west at the intensity and urgency with which he urged nuclear disarmament and an end to the arms race. This was despite some belligerence on the behalf of President Reagan. At the start of the 1980s Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as the ‘evil empire’ but after a few years, even this staunch anti-Communist saw Gorbachev was different. UK premier Mrs Thatcher famously remarked ‘this is a man with whom we can do business’The end of Communism, the freedom of eastern Europe and the end of the cold war, may all seem inevitable with the benefit of hindsight. But, a different leader may not have been willing to relinquish power, allow press freedom and move the economy towards democracy. It was not just Gorbachev who ended the Cold War. Other figures played important roles, Pope John Paul II, Reagan, Thatcher, Kohl, and many ordinary people of Eastern Europe who literally smashed the Berlin Wall. But, Gorbachev more than anyone else was the crucial piece of the jigsaw. It was only through Gorbachev that the grip of Communism slipped and changed the world more than anyone in the twentieth century.Mikhail Gorbachev initially welcomed President Putin for offering some stability after a period of turmoil. However, he became increasingly critical, especially of Putin’s wish to censor the Russian people. Despite offering support for the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Gorbachev was said by a family friend to be deeply upset by the 2022 invasion of Ukraine which severely undermined his life’s work.After a long illness, Mikhail Gorbachev was pronounced dead on 31 August 2022, aged 91.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mikhail Gorbachev”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 23rd May 2010. Updated 1 September 2022.Related pagesFamous Russians – Including famous royals, politicians, scientists, composers, authors and sportsmen.People who changed the world. Famous people who changed the course of history. People who promoted world peace – People who have made a great contribution to creating a more peaceful world.Mikhail Gorbachev – Memoirs Mikhail Gorbachev – Memoirs at Amazon
80 Mother Teresa (1910–1997) was a Roman Catholic nun who devoted her life to serving the poor and destitute around the world. She spent many years in Calcutta, India where she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation devoted to helping those in great need. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and became a symbol of charitable, selfless work. In 2016, Mother Teresa was canonised by the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Teresa.“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”– Mother Teresa. From: No Greater LoveShort Biography of Mother TeresaMother Teresa was born in 1910 in Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. Little is known about her early life, but at a young age, she felt a calling to be a nun and serve through helping the poor. At the age of 18, she was given permission to join a group of nuns in Ireland. After a few months of training, with the Sisters of Loreto, she was then given permission to travel to India. She took her formal religious vows in 1931 and chose to be named after St Therese of Lisieux – the patron saint of missionaries.On her arrival in India, she began by working as a teacher; however, the widespread poverty of Calcutta made a deep impression on her, and this led to her starting a new order called “The Missionaries of Charity”. The primary objective of this mission was to look after people, who nobody else was prepared to look after. Mother Teresa felt that serving others was a fundamental principle of the teachings of Jesus Christ. She often mentioned the saying of Jesus,“Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me.”As Mother Teresa said herself:“Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service .” – Mother TeresaShe experienced two particularly traumatic periods in Calcutta. The first was the Bengal famine of 1943 and the second was the Hindu/Muslim violence in 1946, before the partition of India. In 1948, she left the convent to live full-time among the poorest of Calcutta. She chose to wear a white Indian sari, with a blue border, out of respect for the traditional Indian dress. For many years, Mother Teresa and a small band of fellow nuns survived on minimal income and food, often having to beg for funds. But, slowly her efforts with the poorest were noted and appreciated by the local community and Indian politicians.In 1952, she opened her first home for the dying, which allowed people to die with dignity. Mother Teresa often spent time with those who were dying. Some have criticised the lack of proper medical attention, and their refusal to give painkillers. Others say that it afforded many neglected people the opportunity to die knowing that someone cared.Her work spread around the world. By 2013, there were 700 missions operating in over 130 countries. The scope of their work also expanded to include orphanages and hospices for those with terminal illnesses.“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”\u0097- Mother TeresaMother Teresa never sought to convert those of another faith. Those in her hospices were given the religious rites appropriate to their faith. However, she had a very firm Catholic faith and took a strict line on abortion, the death penalty and divorce – even if her position was unpopular. Her whole life was influenced by her faith and religion, even though at times she confessed she didn’t feel the presence of God.The Missionaries of Charity now has branches throughout the world including branches in the developed world where they work with the homeless and people affected by AIDS. In 1965, the organisation became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.In the 1960s, the life of Mother Teresa was brought to a wider public attention by Malcolm Muggeridge who wrote a book and produced a documentary called “Something Beautiful for God”.In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitutes a threat to peace.” She didn’t attend the ceremonial banquet but asked that the $192,000 fund be given to the poor.In later years, she was more active in western developed countries. She commented that though the West was materially prosperous, there was often a spiritual poverty.“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”-\u0097 Mother TeresaWhen she was asked how to promote world peace, she replied,”Go home and love your family”.Over the last two decades of her life, Mother Teresa suffered various health problems, but nothing could dissuade her from fulfilling her mission of serving the poor and needy. Until her very last illness she was active in travelling around the world to the different branches of The Missionaries of Charity. During her last few years, she met Princess Diana in the Bronx, New York. The two died within a week of each other.Following Mother Teresa’s death, the Vatican began the process of beatification, which is the second step on the way to canonization and sainthood. Mother Teresa was formally beatified in October 2003 by Pope John Paul II. In September 2015, Pope Francis declared:“Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defense of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded,”“She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity. She made her voice heard before the powers of this world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crime of poverty they created.”Mother Teresa was a living saint who offered a great example and inspiration to the world.Awards given to Mother TeresaThe first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. (1971)Kennedy Prize (1971)The Nehru Prize –“for the promotion of international peace and understanding”(1972)Albert Schweitzer International Prize (1975),The Nobel Peace Prize (1979)States Presidential Medal of Freedom (1985)Congressional Gold Medal (1994)U Thant Peace Award 1994Honorary citizenship of the United States (November 16, 1996),Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mother Teresa”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 18th May 2006. (Updated September 2016)Mother Teresa Biography Mother Teresa Biography at AmazonNo Greater Love – Mother Teresa No Greater Love by Mother Teresa at AmazonRelated PagesFacts about Mother Teresa – Facts from her childhood, early training and later missionary work.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.Christians – Famous Christians from Jesus Christ and the early Apostles to Catholic Popes and saints. Includes St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Sienna and St Teresa.Spiritual figures – Famous saints, mystics and religious figures. Including Jesus Christ, The Buddha, Lord Krishna.External LinksMother Teresa Biography – VaticanNobel Prize Biography
81 Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. January 17, 1942 – 3 June 2016) was an Olympic and World Champion boxer, who also had a unique personality, based on self-belief and strong religious and political convictions. In 1999, Ali was crowned “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. He won the World Heavyweight Boxing championship three times and won the North American Boxing Federation championship as well as an Olympic gold medal.“I’m not the greatest; I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round. “– Muhammad AliAli was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942. He was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., (who was named after the 19th-century abolitionist and politician Cassius Clay). Ali would later change his name after joining the Nation of Islam. He subsequently converted to Sunni Islam in 1975.Early boxing careerStanding at 6’3″ (1.91 m), Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. Rather than the normal boxing style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on his quick feet and ability to avoid a punch. In Louisville, October 29, 1960, Cassius Clay won his first professional fight. He won a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated such boxers as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. Among Clay’s victories were versus Sonny Banks (who knocked him down during the bout), Alejandro Lavorante, and the aged Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had fought over 200 previous fights, and who had been Clay’s trainer prior to Angelo Dundee).Clay won a disputed 10 round decision over Doug Jones, who, despite being lighter than Clay, staggered Clay as soon as the fight started with a right hand, and beat Clay to the punch continually during the fight. The fight was named “Fight of the Year” for 1963. Clay’s next fight was against Henry Cooper, who knocked Clay down with a left hook near the end of the fourth round. The fight was stopped in the 5th round due to a deep cut on Cooper’s face.Despite these close calls against Doug Jones and Henry Cooper, he became the top contender for Sonny Liston’s title. In spite of Clay’s impressive record, he was not expected to beat the champion. The fight was to be held on February 25, 1964, in Miami, Florida. During the weigh-in before the fight, Ali frequently taunted Liston. Ali dubbed him “the big ugly bear”, and declared that he would “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” Ali was ready to dance around the ring, as he said, “Your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see.”This was a typical buildup for Ali, who increasingly enjoyed playing to the crowd and creating a buzz before a fight. It was good news for fight promoters, who saw increased interest in any fight involving the bashful Ali.Vietnam WarIn 1964, Ali failed the Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were inadequate. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and Ali was reclassified 1A. He refused to serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, because “War is against the teachings of the Holy Koran. I’m not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don’t take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers.” Ali also famously said,Ali also famously said,“I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong” and “no Vietcong ever called me nigger.”Ali refused to respond to his name being read out as Cassius Clay, stating, as instructed by his mentors from the Nation of Islam, that Clay was the name given to his slave ancestors by the white man.“Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn’t choose it and I don’t want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name – it means beloved of God – and I insist people use it when people speak to me and of me.”By refusing to respond to this name, Ali’s personal life was filled with controversy. Ali was essentially banned from fighting in the United States and forced to accept bouts abroad for most of 1966.From his rematch with Liston in May 1965, to his final defence against Zora Folley in March 1967, he defended his title nine times. Few other heavyweight champions in history have fought so much in such a short period.Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell in a unification bout in Toronto on March 29, 1966, but Terrell backed out and Ali won a 15-round decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo. He then went to England and defeated Henry Cooper and Brian London by stoppage on cuts. Ali’s next defence was against German southpaw Karl Mildenberger, the first German to fight for the title since Max Schmeling. In one of the tougher fights of his life, Ali stopped his opponent in round 12.Ali returned to the United States in November 1966 to fight Cleveland “Big Cat” Williams in the Houston Astrodome. A year and a half before the fight, Williams had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range by a Texas policeman. As a result, Williams went into the fight missing one kidney, 10 feet of his small intestine, and with a shrivelled left leg from nerve damage from the bullet. Ali beat Williams in three rounds.On February 6, 1967, Ali returned to a Houston boxing ring to fight Terrell in what became one of the uglier fights in boxing. Terrell had angered Ali by calling him Clay, and the champion vowed to punish him for this insult. During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, “What’s my name, Uncle Tom … What’s my name.” Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 of 15 rounds on two judges’ scorecards, but Ali did not knock him out. Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel’s “Ali Rap” special, speculated that the fight only continued because Ali chose not to end it, choosing instead to further punish Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, “It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a barbarous display of cruelty.”Ali’s actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam made him a lightning rod for controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era’s most recognisable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion — if not outright hostility — made Ali a target of outrage, and suspicion as well. Ali seemed at times to even provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of separatism.Near the end of 1967, Ali was stripped of his title by the professional boxing commission and would not be allowed to fight professionally for more than three years. He was also convicted for refusing induction into the army and sentenced to five years in prison. Over the course of those years in exile, Ali fought to appeal his conviction. He stayed in the public spotlight and supported himself by giving speeches primarily at rallies on college campuses that opposed the Vietnam War.“Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs?”– Muhammad Ali – explaining why he refused to fight in VietnamIn 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again, and in late 1971 the Supreme Court reversed his conviction.Muhammad Ali’s comebackIn 1970, Ali was finally able to get a boxing license. With the help of a State Senator, he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a boxing commission. In October 1970, he returned to stop Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali was unjustly denied a boxing license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December 1970. After a tough 14 rounds, Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th, paving the way for a title fight against Joe Frazier.The Fight of the CenturyAli and Frazier fought each other on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as ‘”The Fight of the Century”, was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had reasonable claims to the heavyweight crown. The fight lived up to the hype, and Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard left hook in the 15th and final round and won on points. Frank Sinatra — unable to acquire a ringside seat — took photos of the match for Life Magazine. Legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy and actor and boxing aficionado Burt Lancaster called the action for the broadcast, which reached millions of people.Frazier eventually won the fight and retained the title with a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss. Despite an impressive performance, Ali may have still been suffering from the effects of “ring rust” due to his long layoff.In 1973, after a string of victories over the top Heavyweight opposition in a campaign to force a rematch with Frazier, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton (in the bout that Ali lost to Norton, Ali suffered a broken jaw).Rumble in the JungleIn 1974, Ali gained a match with champion George Foreman. The fight took place in Zaire (the Congo) – Ali wanted the fight to be there to help give an economic boost to this part of Africa. The pre-match hype was as great as ever.“Floats like a butterfly, sting like a bee, his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see.”– Muhammad Ali – before the 1974 fight against George ForemanAgainst the odds, Ali won the rematch in the eighth round. Ali had adopted a strategy of wearing Foreman down though absorbing punches on the ropes – a strategy later termed – rope a dope.This gave Ali another chance at the world title against Frazer“It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila.”– Ali before Frazer fight.The fight lasted 14 rounds, with Ali finally proving victorious in the testing African heat.Muhammad Ali in retirementAli was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early 1980s, following which his motor functions began a slow decline. Although Ali’s doctors disagreed during the 1980s and 1990s about whether his symptoms were caused by boxing and whether or not his condition was degenerative, he was ultimately diagnosed with Pugilistic Parkinson’s syndrome. By late 2005 it was reported that Ali’s condition was notably worsening. According to the documentary ‘When We Were Kings’ when Ali was asked about whether he has any regrets about boxing due to his disability, he responded that if he didn’t box he would still be a painter in Louisville, Kentucky.Speaking of his own Parkinson’s disease, Ali remarks how it has helped him to look at life in a different perspective.“Maybe my Parkinson’s is God’s way of reminding me what is important. It slowed me down and caused me to listen rather than talk. Actually, people pay more attention to me now because I don’t talk as much.”“I always liked to chase the girls. Parkinson’s stops all that. Now I might have a chance to go to heaven.”Muhammad Ali, BBCDespite the disability, he remained a beloved and active public figure. Recently he was voted into Forbes Celebrity 100 coming in at number 13 behind Donald Trump. In 1985, he served as a guest referee at the inaugural WrestleMania event. In 1987 he was selected by the California Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade, launching the U.S. Constitution’s 200th birthday commemoration. He also published an oral history, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times with Thomas Hauser, in 1991. Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognised American in the world. In 1996, he had the honour of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.In 1999, Ali received a special one-off award from the BBC at its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony, which was the BBC Sports Personality of the Century Award. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father’s earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: “Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that… the body’s not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast… hard… and all that.”On September 13, 1999, Ali was named “Kentucky Athlete of the Century” by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East.In 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali, was made, with Will Smith starring as Ali. The film received mixed reviews, with the positives generally attributed to the acting, as Smith and supporting actor Jon Voight earned Academy Award nominations. Prior to making the Ali movie, Will Smith had continually rejected the role of Ali until Muhammad Ali personally requested that he accept the role. According to Smith, the first thing Ali said about the subject to Smith was: “You ain’t pretty enough to play me”.He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005, and the prestigious “Otto Hahn peace medal in Gold” of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005).On November 19, 2005 (Ali’s 19th wedding anniversary), the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the centre focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.According to the Muhammad Ali Center website in 2012,“Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to humanitarian endeavours around the globe. He is a devout Sunni Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than 200 days per year.”Muhammad Ali died on 3 June 2016, from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.“Will they ever have another fighter who writes poems, predicts rounds, beats everybody, makes people laugh, makes people cry and is as tall and extra pretty as me?” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});– Muhammad AliCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Muhammad Ali”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 3rd February 2018Related pagesMuhammad Ali FactsMuhammad Ali QuotesMuhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero at AmazonMuhammad Ali – The Whole Story Muhammad Ali – The Whole Story at AmazonRelated pages\nAmericans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens. External pages Pageswww.ali.com – Official websitewww.maprc.com Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center (MAPC) Muhammad Ali The Greatest Video
82 Neil Armstrong (1930 – 2012) was an American astronaut – who gained the distinction of being the first person to both land and walk on the moon.“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”– Neil Armstrong (21 July 1969)Early life Neil ArmstrongArmstrong was born 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, US. He attended Blue High School and took flying lessons while still a student; by the time he was 16, he had gained his flight certificate. Aged 17, he studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University, turning down a chance to study at MIT. His studies were partly financed by the US Navy and, after his first two years, he was called up to the Navy for flight training, where he qualified to be a naval aviator.In 1951, he was sent to the Korean War where he took part in active service, including an emergency ejection after his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. He flew 78 missions during the Korean War before returning to Purdue to finish his degree.Test PilotIn 1955, he graduated with a B.A. in aeronautical engineering. After graduation, he applied to be a test pilot for NACA – the High-Speed Flight Station, at Edwards Air Force Base. This involved testing new high-speed aircraft for the US military. This included pioneering new rocket planes, such as the Bell X-1B and North American X-14.Neil Armstrong and the X 15As a test pilot, Armstrong became known for his natural flying ability and willingness to take risks – stretching the boundaries of what was possible. He was also one of the most technically capable engineers.In 1958, he was selected for the US Air Force’s Man in Space Soonest programme. Later, in 1962, he was later selected for the Apollo program – which aimed to put a man in space and land on the moon. In J.F. Kennedy’s address to Congress of 25 May 1961, he had put landing on the moon as a primary goal for America.“Landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth – by the end of the 1960s.”The space project was also infused with Cold War symbolism with an unofficial space race taking place with America’s ideological enemy – the Soviet Union. After the Soviets became the first to put a man in space, there was even greater pressure for America to win the prize of putting a man on the moon. On the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Mission, Armstrong said that the moon race was a helpful diversion from Cold War tensions.“I’ll not assert that it was a diversion which prevented a war, but nevertheless, it was a diversion.” (2009)In the early 1960s, Armstrong took part in Project Gemini – flying spacecraft in long-duration space-flight. This gave NASA and Armstrong valuable experience for the more ambitious targets of the Apollo missions.Apollo 11 MissionIn December 1968, Armstrong was chosen to be the commander for Apollo 11, which would be the first planned mission to dock and land on the moon. Armstrong was chosen to be the first person who would have the distinction of walking on the moon. Some suggest NASA chose Armstrong because he didn’t have a large ego.Earthrise“It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.”― Neil ArmstrongHis fellow crew members were Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.Crew of Apollo 11The Apollo 11 launch was a success, and after a tricky descent, Armstrong manually landed the lunar module on 20 July 1969. Armstrong said later that it was the lunar landing, which was the trickiest part of the trip.“The landing approach was, by far, the most difficult and challenging part of the flight.”After checking fuel and other checklists, Armstrong got ready to leave the craft and walk on the moon. He left the Apollo Lunar module and touched the moon surface at 2.56 UTC 21 July 1969. On taking the first steps on the moon, he said the famous words:“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”Armstrong later said he never planned the words in advance; one reason was that they were never certain of success. He felt there was only a 50% chance of making a successful moon landing. He later said:“I was elated, ecstatic and extremely surprised that we were successful”The words and pictures were broadcast on radio and made headlines across the world. In a telephone interview with US President Richard Nixon, Neil Armstrong spoke of the missionIt’s a great honor and privilege for us to be here representing not only the United States but men of peace of all nations, and with interests and the curiosity and with the vision for the future. It’s an honor for us to be able to participate here today.On their return to the US, they were fêted as heroes and embarked on tours of the US and the world. This included a vista to the Soviet Union in May 1970.When asked about the moon project, Armstrong was always proud of his contribution. He said“I think we’re going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul … we’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.”Apollo mission press conference (1969)After the Apollo flight, Armstrong retired from space missions and accepted a teaching position at the University of Cincinnati. He also served as a spokesperson for several businesses, including advertising campaigns for US car producer Chrysler. Armstrong also served on crash investigation commissions which looked at aircraft disasters, such as Challenger.Armstrong married his first wife Janet Jearon in 1956; they had three children. They divorced after 38 years of marriage. In 1994, he remarried Carol Knight.Armstrong remained without political affiliation, though he declared himself in favour of state rights, and against the US acting as the world’s policeman. He didn’t have a religious affiliation but described himself as a deist.Many friends speak highly of Armstrong’s character saying he had a natural humility and was careful to avoid boosting of his unique role. John Glenn, the first American, to orbit the Earth said of Armstrong.“He was a humble person, and that’s the way he remained after his lunar flight, as well as before.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Armstrong died on 25 August 2012, aged 82 from coronary complications.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Neil Armstrong”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 3rd February 2015. Last updated 6 November 2019.Neil Armstrong – A Life of Flight Neil Armstrong – A Life of Flight at Amazon RelatedFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen.Famous Adventurers – Famous adventurers and explorers, including Christopher Colombus, Marco Polo, Roald Amundsen and Neil Armstrong.People who achieved success late in life. A list of people who achieved success late in life – often after initial failures. Including Ray Kroc, Colonel Sanders, Grandma Moses, Susan Boyle, Ronald Reagan. Famous peoplePhotos that changed the worldPeople who changed the USFamous explorers
83 Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) was a South African political activist who spent over 20 years in prison for his opposition to the apartheid regime; he was released in 1990. In 1994, Mandela was later elected the first leader of a democratic South Africa. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (jointly with F.W. de Klerk) in 1993 for his work in helping to end racial segregation in South Africa. He is considered the father of a democratic South Africa and widely admired for his ability to bring together a nation, previously divided by apartheid. Nelson Mandela is one of the most admired political leaders of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century for his vision to forgive and forge a new ‘rainbow’ nation.“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”– Nelson MandelaShort Bio of Nelson MandelaA young Nelson Mandela (1938)Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. He was the son of a local tribal leader of the Tembu tribe. As a youngster, Nelson took part in the activities and initiation ceremonies of his local tribe. However, unlike his father Nelson Mandela gained a full education, studying at the University College of Fort Hare and also the University of Witwatersrand. Nelson was a good student and qualified with a law degree in 1942.During his time at University, Nelson Mandela became increasingly aware of the racial inequality and injustice faced by non-white people. In 1943, he decided to join the ANC and actively take part in the struggle against apartheid.As one of the few qualified lawyers, Nelson Mandela was in great demand; also his commitment to the cause saw him promoted through the ranks of the ANC. In 1956, Nelson Mandela, along with several other members of the ANC were arrested and charged with treason. After a lengthy and protracted court case, the defendants were finally acquitted in 1961. However, with the ANC now banned, Nelson Mandela suggested an active armed resistance to the apartheid regime. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe, which would act as a guerilla resistance movement. Receiving training in other African countries, the Umkhonto we Sizwe took part in active sabotage.In 1963, Mandela was again arrested and put on trial for treason. This time the State succeeded in convicting Mandela of plotting to overthrow the government. However, the case received considerable international attention and the apartheid regime of South Africa became under the glare of the international community. At the end of his trial, Nelson Mandela made a long speech, in which he was able to affirm his commitment to the ideals of democracy.“We believe that South Africa belongs to all the people who live in it, and not to one group, be it black or white. We did not want an interracial war, and tried to avoid it to the last minute.”– Nelson Mandela, Supreme court of South Africa, Pretoria, April 20, 1964Closing remark at the 1964 trial“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”– Nelson Mandela, Supreme court of South Africa, Pretoria, April 20, 1964. (See: full speech)Time in PrisonMandela’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and from 1964 –1981 he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town. In prison the conditions were sparse; however, Mandela was with many other political prisoners, and there was a strong bond of friendship which helped to make more bearable the difficult prison conditions. Also, in prison, Nelson Mandela was highly disciplined; he would try and study and take part in exercise every day. He later said these year of incarceration in jail were a period of great learning, even if painful. Mandela also created friendships with some of the guards. Mandela would later say that he felt he was fighting the apartheid system and not individual white people. It was in prison that Mandela became aware of the passion that Afrikaners had for rugby, and he developed an interest himself.F.W.De Klerk and Nelson Mandela at World Economic Forum 1992.During his time in prison, Mandela became increasingly well known throughout the world. Mandela became the best known black leader and was symbolic of the struggle against the apartheid regime. Largely unbeknown to Mandela, his continued imprisonment led to a world-wide pressure for his release. Many countries implemented sanctions on apartheid South Africa. Due to international pressure, from the mid-1980s, the apartheid regime increasingly began to negotiate with the ANC and Nelson Mandela in particular. On many occasions, Mandela was offered a conditional freedom. However, he always refused to put the political ideals of the ANC above his own freedom.Freedom and a new Rainbow NationMandela voting in 1994 election. Photo. P.WeinburgEventually, Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. The day was a huge event for South Africa and the world. His release symbolic of the impending end of apartheid. Following his release there followed protracted negotiations to secure a lasting settlement. The negotiations were tense often against the backdrop of tribal violence. However, in April 1994, South Africa had its first full and fair elections. The ANC, with 65% of the vote, were elected and Nelson Mandela became the first President of the new South Africa.“The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us.”– Nelson MandelaAs President, he sought to heal the rifts of the past. Despite being mistreated, he was magnanimous in his dealing with his former oppressors. His forgiving and tolerant attitude gained the respect of the whole South African nation and considerably eased the transition to a full democracy.“If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named goodness and forgiveness.”– Nelson MandelaPhoto: Governor-General of AustraliaIn 1995, the Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was instrumental in encouraging black South Africans to support the ‘Springboks’ – The Springboks were previously reviled for being a symbol of white supremacy. Mandela surprised many by meeting the Springbok captain, Francois Pienaar, before the World Cup to wish the team well. After an epic final, in which South Africa beat New Zealand, Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey, presented the trophy to the winning South Africa team. De Klerk later stated Mandela successfully won the hearts of a million white rugby fans.Nelson Mandela also oversaw the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee in which former crimes of apartheid were investigated, but stressing individual forgiveness and helping the nation to look forward. The Committee was chaired by Desmond Tutu, and Mandela later praised its work.Nelson Mandela retired from the Presidency in 1999, to be succeeded by Thabo Mbeki. In Mandela’s later years, ill health curtailed his public life. However, he did speak out on certain issues. He was very critical of the US-led invasion of Iraq during 2003. Speaking in a Newsweek interview in 2002, he expressed concern at American actions, he said:“I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it’s difficult to say no.” (10 September 2002)He has also campaigned to highlight the issue of HIV / AIDS in South Africa.Mandela was married three times, fathered six children, and had 17 grandchildren. His first wife was Evelyn Ntoko Mase. His second wife was Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, they split after an acrimonious dispute. Winnie was alleged to have an involvement in human rights abuses. Mandela married for a third time on his 80th birthday to Graça Machel.Graça Michel, Sri Chinmoy and Nelson Mandela holding Peace Torch. SourceNelson Mandela was often referred to as Madiba – his Xhosa clan name. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Nelson Mandela died on 5 December 2013 after a long illness with his family at his side. He was 95.At his memorial, Barack Obama, the President of the US said:“We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela ever again, so it falls to us, as best we can, to carry forward the example that he set. He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the ages.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Nelson Mandela”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Published: 7th December 2013. Last updated 13th February 2018.Nelson Mandela – In His Own Words Nelson Mandela – In His Own Words at AmazonMandela – The Authorised Portrait Mandela – The Authorised Portrait at AmazonRelated PagesPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous Africans – A list of famous Africans. Includes Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Haile Selassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Kofi Annan and Wangari Maathai.Courageous people – People who have overcome difficult circumstances and difficult odds. Includes Joan of Arc, Galileo, Harriet Tubman, Socrates, Malala Yousafzai.Nelson Mandela Quotes Inspirational PeoplePeople who fought for human rightsNelson Mandela.org!!!People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous Africans – A list of famous Africans. Includes Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Haile Selassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Kofi Annan and Wangari Maathai.
84 Oprah Winfrey (1954 – ) Influential talk show host, author, philanthropist, actress and media personality. Oprah Winfrey has played a key role in modern American life, shaping cultural trends and promoting various liberal causes. Through her talk shows and books, she has focused on many issues facing American women. She has been an important role model for black American women, breaking down many invisible barriers.“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”– Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Her parents were unmarried and separated soon after conception. Oprah had a difficult childhood. She lived in great poverty and often had to dress in potato sacks for which she was mocked at school. She was also sexually abused at an early age.“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”– Oprah WinfreyFrom the age of 14, she went to live with her father. Oprah says he was strict, but she was in the mood to be disobedient during her teenage years. After working her way through college, she became interested in journalism and media and got her first job as a news anchor for a local TV station.Her emotional style did not go down well for a news programme, so she was transferred to an ailing daytime chat programme. After Oprah had taken over, the daily chat show took off, and this later led to her own programme – The Oprah Winfrey Show.The Oprah Winfrey show has proved to be one of the most successful and highly watched TV show of all time. It has broken many social and cultural barriers such as gay and lesbian issues. Oprah has also remained a powerful role model for women and black American women in particular. She is credited with promoting an intimate confessional form of media communication, which has been imitated across the globe.In recent years, the Oprah Winfrey show has focused on issues of self-improvement, spirituality and self-help. Diet has also been a big issue with Oprah once successfully losing a lot of weight. Her subsequent diet book sold millions of copies.Oprah Winfrey has promoted many spiritual books, which have focused on the aspect of taking responsibility for your life – not changing your circumstances, but changing the way you look at your life.“What I learned at a very early age was that I was responsible for my life. And as I became more spiritually conscious, I learned that we all are responsible for ourselves, that you create your own reality by the way you think and therefore act. You cannot blame apartheid, your parents, your circumstances, because you are not your circumstances. You are your possibilities. If you know that, you can do anything.”– O Magazine (January 2007), pages 160 & 217Oprah WealthHer range of media enterprises have made Oprah one of the richest self-made women. The Forbes’ international rich list has listed Winfrey as the world’s only black billionaire from 2004 to 2006 and as the first black woman billionaire in world history.In 2014 Winfrey has a net worth of more than 2.9 billion dollars.Book ClubThe Oprah Winfrey book club has become the most influential book clubs in the world. A recommendation from Oprah Winfrey frequently sends books to the top of the best-seller lists. Many commentators agree that Oprah Winfrey exerts enormous influence. Some estimated her support for Barack Obama helped him gain one million votes in the 2008 election.As Vanity Fair said of Oprah Winfrey:“Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence on the culture than any university president, politician, or religious leader, except perhaps the Pope”Acting careerOprah Winfrey was also nominated for an Oscar in the film – A Color Purple. Produced by Steven Spielberg, the epic Color Purple told of segregation in America’s deep south. Oprah was widely admired for her role as Sofia.Support for ObamaFrom 2006 to 2008, she lent her support to the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama. Her influence and personal following played a key role in helping Obama to become the first African-American to become president.In 2013, Oprah gained a unique interview with the professional cyclist, Lance Armstrong. It was on Oprah that Armstrong finally made a dramatic confession that he had used performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career.Oprah Winfrey has been critical of the presidency of Donald Trump and on various occasions has hinted she would be interested in the possibility of running as a Democrat for president. However, she later clarified her view and says a presidential bid is unlikely because“I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” she told the magazine. “And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it.” CNNReligious and spiritual viewsOprah Winfrey was brought up in the Baptist church and after being baptized aged 8 she became evangelical about the religion. However, as she grew up she accepted a wider definition of spirituality – a spirituality which embraces the truth in all religions and different spiritual paths. Speaking during Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour she said:“I am a Christian, that is my faith. I’m not asking you to be a Christian. If you want to be one I can show you how. But it is not required. I have respect for all faiths. All faiths. But what I’m talking about is not faith or religion. I’m talking about spirituality.”Speaking on her own beliefs she retains great love for the church and its contribution to black culture, but she doesn’t want to limit herself to the confines of a particular religion, she says:“I can’t define “God,” so to be open to the mystical and mystery of God is a natural part of myself. So people criticize me for not being what they are, and I say, it’s working for me and has worked for me and continues to work for me, in a way that fills me with a sense of peace and contentment about what God means to me.” – Oprah Winfrey (AARP)Winfrey has enthusiastically supported new age writers such as Eckart Tolle’s books, The Power Now and Stillness Speaks and Marianne Williamson’s contributions to “A Course in Miracles.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Oprah Winfrey”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, 25th Jan. 2013. Last updated 5 March 2018. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American LegacyOprah Winfrey at AmazonThe Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey at Amazon Related pagesWomen who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great.\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Famous Entrepreneurs – Famous businessmen and women. Including Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs.External linksIconic women Oprah.com
85 Oscar Wilde is one of the most iconic figures from late Victorian society. Enjoying a meteoric rise to the top of society, his wit, humour and intelligence shine through his plays and writings. However, due to his sexuality, he suffered the indignity and shame of imprisonment. For a long time, his name was synonymous with scandal and intrigue. However, with changing social attitudes, he is remembered with greater affection for his biting social criticism, wit and linguistic skills.“To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early or be respectable.”– Oscar WildeShort biography Oscar WildeOscar Wilde was born on 16 October 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. His parents were well known and attracted a degree of gossip for their extravagant lifestyles. In 1864, his father Wille Wilde was knighted for his services to medicine.Oscar Wilde proved to be a student of great talent. He was awarded a scholarship to Trinity College Dublin. Here he studied the classics, in particular developing an interest in the Greek philosophers and the Hellenistic view of life. From Trinity College, he won a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford University. He enjoyed his time in Oxford and was able to develop his poetic sensibilities and love of literature. He also became more conscious of his bisexual nature. For his increasingly “feminine” style dress he often received stick from more “traditional” Oxford students. He was a brilliant scholar, but also increasingly rebellious.In one academic year, he got rusticated for turning up to College three weeks after the start of term. Thus, after a while, he lost interest in pursuing an academic career in Oxford and moved to London. It was in London that he was able to skillfully enter into high society, soon becoming well known as a playwright and noted wit. Oscar Wilde became famous throughout London society. He was one of the early “celebrities” – in some respects, he was famous for being famous. His dress was a target for satire in the cartoons, but Wilde didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he learnt the art of self-publicity and seemed to revel in it, at least up until his trial in 1898.On 18 February 1895, the Marquess of Queensbury (who devised the Queensbury’s rules for boxing) left a calling card accusing Wilde of sodomy. Wilde initiated a private libel against Queensbury for defamation. Queensbury was arrested and so hired a private detective to find evidence that Wilde was involved in homosexual behaviour with young men. At the trial, Wilde defended himself with his usual wit and flippancy, but the counsel for the Marquees William Carson Esq. was able to provide factual evidence and testimonies of male prostitutes who were willing to testify against Wilde. Realising he had miscalculated, Wilde dropped his libel case but became liable for the financial cost (which left him bankrupt)Shortly, after the case ended, a warrant was issued for Wilde’s arrest under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 – which outlawed homosexuality – even between consenting adults.Trial of Oscar WildeOscar Wilde’s trial gripped the nation, the subject matter a source of intense gossip and speculation in the press. The trial moved to a quick conclusion and Wilde was found guilty. For his “crime” of homosexual acts, Wilde was given the maximum jail sentence of two years hard labour in Wandsworth and then Reading Gaol. It is no understatement to say this experience deeply shocked and affected the previously ebullient Wilde.In some respects he never really recovered; on his release, he left for Paris where he lived in comparative anonymity. However, he retained his wit and continued to write, heavily influenced by his chastening experiences. Of these post gaol writings, his poem “Ballad of Reading Gaol” is perhaps the most well known, illustrating a new dimension to Wilde’s writing.I never saw a man who looked With such a wistful eye Upon that little tent of blue Which prisoners call the sky, And at every drifting cloud that went With sails of silver by.I walked, with other souls in pain, Within another ring, And was wondering if the man had done A great or little thing, When a voice behind me whispered low, “That fellow’s got to swing.”From: Ballad of Reading GaolAlthough Wilde couldn’t return to his previous level of writing he developed new capacities, whilst retaining his sharp intellect. As Jonathon Fryer commented on Oscar Wilde’s final part of life he was. “beaten but not bowed, still a clown behind a mask of tragedy.”The Life of Wilde was turbulent and volatile – never short of incident. It reflected his own inner paradoxes and revolutionary views. In some ways, he was both a saint and sinner at the same time. Rightly or wrongly Wilde is remembered as much for his life as his writings. However he himself said.“I have put my talent into writing, my genius I have saved for living.”His writings reflect in part his paradoxical view of life, suggesting things were not always as they appeared. As his biographer, Richard Ellman said of Wilde.“Along with Blake and Nietzsche , he was proposing that good and evil are not what they seem, and that moral tabs cannot cope with the complexity of behaviour”Whatever one may make of Wilde’s life, his capacity for writing remains undeniable. His greatest work and comedy is arguably “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Here the plot line is thin, to say the least, but Wilde brings it alive through his scintillating repertoire of wit and biting humour.“Relations are simply a tedious pack of people, who haven’t got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die.”– Algernon, Act I“Thirty-five is a very attractive age. London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years.”– Lady Bracknell, Act IIIWilde was not an overtly political commentator, but through his plays, there is an underlying critique of social norms that are illumined for their absurdities.Wilde remains a fascinating character; someone who lived life to the full, experiencing both the joy and tragedy of society’s vacillating judgements. With the distance of over a century, it is easier to judge Wilde for his unique contributions to literature rather than through the eyes of Victorian moral standards. His quotes have become immortal a fitting tribute to a genius of the witticism“I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.”-Oscar WildeAs Stephen Fry wrote of Oscar Wilde.“What of Wilde the man? He stood for Art. He stood for nothing less all his life. He is still enormously underestimated as an artist and a thinker.. Wilde was a great writer and a great man.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Oscar Wilde”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, 22nd Nov. 2006. Last updated 8 February 2018.ReferencesOscar Wilde – “Nothing … except for Genius” – Stephen FryWilde – Jonathan FryerOscar Wilde Oscar Wilde at AmazonOscar Wilde – Film with Stephen Fry Oscar Wilde – Film with Stephen Fry at Amazon Related pagesFamous Irish people. Includes St Patrick, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Eamon de Valera, Mary Robinson and George Best.Writers and authors – Famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.Famous Gay peopleExternal LinksOscar Wilde – Essays and articles on Oscar WildeThe Oscar Wilde Collection Online Books by Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde Online – the works and life of Oscar Wilde
86 Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) Spanish painter, sculptor, ceramicist and poet. Picasso was a founder of Cubism and one of the most influential artists of the Twentieth Century. Picasso was an influential peace activist whose art touched on the horrors of war.“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo PicassoShort bio of Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881 to a conventional artistic family. From an early age, he displayed a talent for painting and began displaying his work from the age of 14. To further his artistic aspiration he left Spain for Paris where he became part of a new avant-garde movement of art.“When I was a child my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk, you’ll be the pope.’ Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”\u0097- Pablo PicassoHis early artistic career went through various states. One of the first stages was known as the ‘Blue Period.’ In his late-teens his paintings were dominated by different shades of dark blue; they were also often melancholic. This included a famous self-portrait where Picasso looked much older than his 20 years.Pablo_Picasso 1905 – ‘At the Lapin Agile;During 1904-06, Picasso entered a phase known as ‘The Rose Period’ Losing the glumness of his previous ‘Blue Period’, Picasso painted circus clowns, harlequins and people from the circus. The more cheerful and optimistic tone helped to attract an increasing number of patrons and people interested in his work. In particular, the American art collectors Leo and Gertrude Stein, and the art dealer, Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. Kahnweiler was influential in helping to put Picasso on a secure financial footing. Picasso later remarked; “What would have become of us if Kahnweiler hadn’t had a business sense?”In 1907, Picasso continued his artistic experiments and took inspiration from African art. This led to an early form of cubism and also one of his most controversial paintings – ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ – it is a picture depicting five prostitutes in a brothel. It is an eye-catching and an original exploration of modernism in art, but when displayed in his studio the reaction from art critics was strongly negative.‘Nature morte au compotier’ – 1914-15, ‘crystal cubism.’In the years before the First World War, Picasso – along with artists such as Georges Braque – continued to develop a new form of painting known as ‘cubism.’ Cubism involved capturing the essence of the subject on the canvas but exaggerating certain features. The colours were invariably dull – greys, brown and neutrals.In 1914, Picasso was living in Avignon with fellow artists. His French artist friends were called up to the army, but he was able to continue painting during the war. However, the German-born Kahnweiler was exiled from France and Picasso was left without a dealer.In 1918, Picasso married ballerina Olga Khokhlova. Shortly after he began a fruitful relationship with the French art dealer Paul Rosenberg. Rosenberg became good friends with Picasso and helped the couple settle in Paris, giving Picasso a new artistic social circle. Paris was considered an artistic hotspot of the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ attracting many innovative artists. Picasso and his wife Khokholva had a tempestuous relationship. Picasso’s bohemian nature clashed with the social graces of Khokhlova. They remained married until 1955, but Picasso had several affairs and mistresses.In the 1920s and 30s, Picasso concentrated on more classical works of art. He became interested in depicting the human form in the style of neo-classical. To some extent, he was influenced by artists such as Renoir and Ingres, although he always retained a unique and individual expression.Picasso had an instinctive and natural compassion for those exposed to suffering, especially if it was as a result of injustice. His natural sympathy and desire for equality led him to join the French Communist party. During the Spanish Civil War, he supported the Republicans and nursed an intense dislike of Franco and what he did to Spain.Pablo Picasso and GuernicaOne of Picasso’s most famous paintings was his mural of the Guernica bombing (1937). The Guernica bombing was carried out by Italian and German planes and involved the carpet bombing of civil areas. The bombing of Guernica was a significant development in modern warfare as it showed a new capacity for extending the horrors of warfare to the civilian population. The bombing became international news through the English journalist George Steer. Picasso’s painting helped to immortalise the tragedy as a key event in the Twentieth Century. (See: Events that changed the world)Picasso was so enraged with Franco that he never allowed the painting to go to Spain during Franco’s lifetime. It eventually reached Spain in 1981.Picasso was well aware of a political dimension to art.“What do you think an artist is? …he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war.”\u0097 Pablo PicassoThe Dove of Peace by PicassoAnother key painting of Picasso was his simple bird drawing a symbol of peace. Picasso donated it the Soviet-backed World Peace Congress of 1949. It was telling of a new phase in Picasso’s art – the power of simplicity. Picasso was a member of the French Communist Party until his death.Abundant in artistic inspiration, Picasso was remarkably prolific. His total artistic work numbered close to 50,000. This included 1,885 paintings; 1,228 sculptures; 2,880 ceramics, and roughly 12,000. He died at the age of 91.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Pablo Picasso”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 2/11/2007. Last updated 17th March 2017.Books on Picasso Picasso A Biography A Life of Picasso by John Richardson The Ultimate PicassoRelated pagesArtists – A list of the great artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.Greatest works of art of all time. Including the Pieta and the Statue of David by Michelangelo, Ecstasy of St Therese by Bernini, and Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh. Was Picasso spiritual? – in-depth article looking at the spiritual side of Pablo Picasso.Picasso – The official WebsitePicasso Biography at Artist.org
87 Paul Krugman is an American economist and professor of economics at Princeton University. He is a leading liberal voice in American policy debate and has been labelled one of the most influential academic thinkers in America. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 2008 in recognition for his work on international economics.Krugman was born in Albany, New York on February 28, 1953, and grew up in Nassau County. He went to John F.Kennedy High School in Bellmore, before graduating with a B.A. summa cum laude in economics from Yale University in 1974.Krugman did a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1977, under the guidance of his thesis advisor Rudi Dornbusch. In the late 1970s, Krugman began working on international trade and a new model of monopolistic competition within trade. Krugman later developed and popularised work on new trade theory. Krugman’s contributions were to be aware that trade increasingly could be explained, not by comparative advantage, but regional concentration and the economies of scale involved. He also explained the importance of consumers’ preference for diversity, which explains the survival of higher cost goods, which have a distinctive brand. This field of New Trade theory became one of his areas of expertise and would form the basis for his Nobel Prize. Krugman is generally supportive of free trade and globalisation. His work on New Trade Theory slowly evolved into New Economic Geography (NEG). His seminal 1991 paper on New Economic Geography (NEG) in the Journal of Political Economy became one of the most cited economic works in this field.Krugman has worked at various top universities, such as MIT, London School of Economics, and Princeton University. In 1982, he spent a year working for the Council of Economic Advisers under the Presidency of Ronald Reagan.Criticism of BushKrugman rose to public prominence for his columns in the Slate and New York Times, which were highly critical of the Bush administration. He also wrote a book ‘The Great Unravelling’ which criticised Bush’s economic and foreign policy. In particular, Krugman criticised the policy of cutting taxes for the rich, leading to budget deficits during growth. Krugman also believed Bush based his campaign on misinformation and false facts.“Back in 2000, George W. Bush made a discovery of enormous consequence: you could base a whole political campaign on claims that were flatly untrue, like the claim that your big tax cuts for the wealthy went to the middle class, or the claim that diverting Social Security funds into private accounts would strengthen the system’s finances, and reporting would never point this out. That’s when I formulated my doctrine that if Bush said the earth was flat, headlines would read Views Differ on Shape of Planet.”(2011, Lies, damned lies and elections – NYT)Krugman was also an outspoken critic of the Iraq war and criticised the response of some politicians to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Krugman became a leading critic of the growing income inequality in America. Blaming the Republican ideology for waging war on the poor. His book “The Conscience of a Liberal” details the growth in income inequality in the later part of the Twentieth Century in the US.“I believe in a relatively equal society, supported by institutions that limit extremes of wealth and poverty. I believe in democracy, civil liberties, and the rule of law. That makes me a liberal, and I’m proud of it.”– Paul KrugmanMacroeconomics and fiscal policyKrugman has become more well known for his work on macroeconomics and fiscal policy. He studied the Japanese ‘lost decade’ and the Asian crisis. His book – ‘The Return of Depression Economics‘ highlighted the liquidity trap that Japan had fallen into.After the 2008 economic crisis, Krugman was a leading critic of austerity. Krugman argued that leading economies were stuck in a classic liquidity trap. In this situation, Krugman argued governments could print money and run large budget deficits without causing a rise in interest rates or inflation. His model of liquidity trap broadly predicted the low inflation, low growth recovery. Krugman became a household name in part because of his ability to popularise and simplify complex economic problems. Krugman is also quite direct, openly criticising politicians and other economists. For example, he is openly critical of ‘Very Serious People’ – establishment figures who hold onto views, Krugman believes have been shown to be wrong.“I use the phrase “Very Serious People” a lot; it seems to me to capture the way respectable opinion keeps demanding utterly foolish policies.”He tends to take strong adversarial positions which create a strong reaction – both negative and positive from across the political spectrum. Martin Wolf, a journalist for the Financial Times, in the UK has written that Krugman is both the “most hated and most admired columnist in the US.”Krugman was instrumental in recreating interest in the work of John M. Keynes. Krugman took a stricter Old Keynesian approach than some of the later ‘New Keynesians’ who downplayed the role of fiscal policy in managing demand. Krugman argued that in the lesser depression governments were failing to provide sufficient demand in the economy, and this was the main cause of a persistent recession and high unemployment. He wrote a book – “End this depression now!” which became a best-seller. Krugman wrote in the book:“But don’t we have to worry about long-run budget deficits? Keynes wrote that “the boom, not the slump, is the time for austerity.” Now, as I argue in my forthcoming book*—and show later in the data discussed in this article—is the time for the government to spend more until the private sector is ready to carry the economy forward again.”Economic viewsKrugman views himself as a Keynesian economics. He has also promoted the IS-LM model invented by John Hicks. Although identified with elements of new-Keynesianism, he is critical of the complexity and rigidity of some of the New Keynesian models.Krugman on TrumpIn the 2016 election, Krugman was a strong supporter of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Since Donald Trump’s win in the 2016 Presidential Election, he has been a stern critic of the President’s economic and foreign policy, and also the President’s willingness to lie and present misleading facts.“Trump’s inaugural speech was, of course, full of lies — pretty much the same lies that marked the campaign. Above all, there was the portrayal of a dystopia of social and economic collapse that bears little relationship to American reality.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});(Krugman Blog, NY Times)Personal lifeKrugman has married twice. He is currently married to Robin Wells, his second wife, an academic economist. Krugman is a self-confessed Sci-fi geek. He credits Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels for sparking off an interest in economics. Krugman describes himself as a bit of a loner and shy. He told NY Times – “Loner. Ordinarily shy. Shy with individuals,” He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Paul Krugman“, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 18th May. 2013. Updated 10th February 2017.Paul Krugman – The Conscience of a Liberal Paul Krugman – The Conscience of a Liberal at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Economists – Famous economists from Adam Smith and David Ricardo to Milton Friedman and modern economists, such as Paul Krugman.\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey. External linksPaul Krugman blog at NY Times
88 Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer/songwriter and a key member of the Beatles. After the Beatles split up in 1970, he pursued his own successful solo career, recording with a variety of artists, including his group ‘The Wings’. According to the Guinness Book of Records, he is the best selling artist of all time.Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool, 1942, and became interested in music from an early age. As a teenager, he was a budding singer-songwriter and became good friends with John Lennon and later George Harrison – this was to prove the nucleus of the Beatles. In the early 1960s, The Beatles began by playing gigs in clubs in Germany and Liverpool. It was at the Cavern Club in Liverpool where they were spotted by manager Brian Epstein. He secured them their first major recording contract with Parlophone (after many other record companies like Decca had turned them down)It was playing at the Cavern club than Paul and John Lennon realised most groups were just doing cover versions, this inspired them to write their own music and this was a feature of the Beatles recordings for the next ten years.The Beatles Kennedy Airport, Feb 1964.In 1963, the Beatles soon shot to international fame and became one of the most recognised names in the world, especially after there visit to the US in 1964. At the peak of their fame, the Beatles followed a punishing schedule of recording, live performances and media interviews. The music of the Beatles captivated a new generation of music lovers, but also their free spirit and innovation captured the feeling of the 1960s and sense of breaking out of old forms and traditional ideas.In 1966, the Beatles performed their last live tour in the US. They decided to stop live performances because of the hysterical screaming and attention of fans. This encouraged them to do more private recording.Paul, George and John LennonIn the late 1960s, the group spent more time in the recording studio. They also became more innovative, incorporating Eastern influences and new styles into their music. In 1967, the Beatles visited a meditation retreat by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. McCartney said of the experience.“The whole meditation experience was very good and I still use the mantra … I find it soothing.”In the late 1960s, there was also increased tension between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Lennon and McCartney were the two major composers and writers, but they started to drift apart. McCartney struggled with Lennon’s heavy LSD usage and also resented Yoko Ono’s presence in recording studios. However, despite the personal tension, the late years of the Beatles produced some of the most memorable music of their career. It included ground-breaking albums such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road.However, by 1970, the Beatles had split, with Lennon the keenest to pursue a new direction. The break up was difficult for McCartney who experienced a period of depression. However, his new wife, Linda encouraged him to pursue a new career path. This involved forming a new band – The Wings, which lasted until 1981. During the 1970s, the Wings had major successes. The Mull of Kintyre was the first single to sell more than two million copies.In the early 1970s, there was some lingering friction and competitive spirit between Lennon and McCartney, though they did reconcile for a period in 1974. McCartney was devastated by Lennon’s murder in 1980 and stated he wished he could have got to know him better.“I would not have been as typically human and standoffish as I was if I knew John was going to die. I would have made more of an effort to try and get behind his “mask” and have a better relationship with him.”Paul McCartney has produced over 60 gold discs and has sold over 100 million singles. His song ‘Yesterday’ from album Help! (1965) is the most covered song in history. Paul admitted that he had at times a difficult relationship with the media, in particular, he got fed up with all the questions about the Beatles.“the Beatles were always a great band. Nothing more nothing less”― Paul McCartneyAfter marrying Linda McCartney in 1969, Paul became interested in vegetarianism and human rights. He has supported many animal rights charities. After Linda’s death from cancer in 1998, he recommitted himself to supporting Linda’s vegetarian food company and animal rights charities.“You can judge a man’s true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});― Paul McCartneyPaul remarried Heather Mills in 2002. But, by 2006, the British press reported their breakup which led to an acrimonious divorce. As one of the most recognised and successful musicians on the planet, Paul McCartney is in great demand for opening major venues. He performed at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Paul McCartney”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 28th May. 2007. Updated 1st February 2017.Paul McCartney – all the best Paul McCartney – all the best at AmazonRelated pagesMusicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.Famous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.
89 Pele is the most iconic footballer of the Twentieth Century. He epitomised the flair, joy and passion the Brazilians bought to the game.“I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music.” – PeleEarly lifePele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He was named after the American inventor Thomas Edison (his parents removed the i). In his childhood, he gained a nickname ‘Pele’ – after he mispronounced the name of a goalkeeper ‘Bile’ – Initially Pele disliked it and complained, but the more he complained, the more it stuck. Pele has no meaning and was intended as an insult, though later it was found that the word Bilé is Hebrew for “miracle.”Pele grew up in poverty in São Paulo. He was taught to play football by his father (who used to play football), but often he had to practise with a sock stuffed with newspapers because he could not afford to buy a football. As well as playing football, he worked as a waiter in local tea shops.In his youth, Pele played in indoor leagues, and this helped increase his speed of reactions. He rose through the youth leagues and at the age of 15 was signed by Santos FC. He was soon marked out as a future star. By the age of 16, he was the top scorer in the Brazilian league and received a call up for the Brazilian national side. Interest was such that the Brazilian President declared Pele a national treasure to prevent him being bought by foreign clubs such as Manchester United.Pele’s World CupsAs a teenager, the young and unknown Pele helped inspire Brazil to victory in the 1958 World Cup. He scored in the final during a 5-2 win over Sweden and finished the competition with six goals and a reputation as the brightest prospect in football. In 1962, Pele helped Brazil to retain the World Cup, though he was injured in the early rounds, meaning he was sidelined for the knock-out stages. In 1966, Brazil were hot favourites, and Pele was the most famous and highly-rated player in the world. However, his high profile made him the target of some vicious tackles by the Bulgarian and Hungarian players. In a game against Portugal, he was also badly tackled and he spent the rest of the game hobbling about the pitch (as substitutes were not allowed). To make matters worse the Portuguese player João Morais was not sent off and without a fit Pele, Brazil were knocked out at the group stage. Pele was so disappointed by the foul play, that he vowed not to play in World Cups again. The 1966 World Cup was won by England.1970 World CupAfter the crushing disappointment of the 1966 World Cup, Pele was encouraged to make a come back to the Brazil national team for the qualifying round in 1969. In 1970, Pele was part of a star-studded team which had a range of attacking options, such as Rivelino, Jairzinho, and Carlos Alberto Torres. Throughout the tournament, Brazil played excellent football and Pele was on the top of his game. The tournament included some of the greatest and most iconic moments of any world cup. These include Pele’s header and great save by England goalkeeper Gordan Banks. Pele’s headed goal in the final and subsequent leap for joy, and Pele’s remarkable feint around the Uruguay goalkeeper. In the World Cup final, Brazil beat Italy 4-1, with Pele scoring the first goal. The 4th goal by Brazil was spectacular and involved Pele and nearly all the outfield players. It is widely regarded as the most memorable world cup final and a fitting tribute and crowning glory for Pele’s international career. The whole tournament was a genuine advertisement for the ‘beautiful game’ – a phrase that Pele was credited with connecting to football.Style of playPele was relatively short at 5″ 8′, but he more than compensated in terms of speed, power, agility and strength. He was superb with both feet, powerful in the air, great timing and accuracy and an extraordinary perception of the game. He could mesmerise defenders with his eyes and send them the wrong way. He had a scoring ratio of 0.94 goals per game and often rose to the big occasion, scoring at crucial moments in big games. Whilst very competitive, he was also considered to be a fair player with good sense of sportsmanship. A good example was his warm embrace of Bobby Moore, the England caption after England’s defeat in the 1970 World Cup. It is sometimes held up as an embodiment of sportsmanship. Without any doubt, he is universally regarded as the greatest player of the twentieth century – if not all time. He is one of the few sportsman like Muhammad Ali and Usain Bolt, who transcend their sport to become a global icon. French footballer Michel Platini said of Pele.“There’s Pelé the man, and then Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God.CareerPele went on to score over 1,000 goals in professional games. He scored his 1000th goal on 19 November 1969 at Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium. It sparked worldwide celebrations. His strike rate in international games was one of the highest ever. In 92 international appearances, he scored 77 goals. In all games, Pele scored 1,283 goals in 1,366 matches, a ratio of 0.94.In the domestic league, Pele made his debut for Santos aged just 16. He played for Santos in the Brazilian league from until the 1972-73 season.Pele finished his career in the lucrative US league. In 1975, he signed for New York Cosmos and played three seasons. He led the New York Cosmos to the US title in 1977 – the year of his retirement. Personal lifePele was married three times and had several children, some out of wedlock. In 1970, he was investigated by the authoritarian Brazilian government for suspected sympathy to left-wing political prisoners. Pele was investigated for handing out leaflets calling for the release of political prisoners. After the investigation, he did not get involved in politics again.After retiring has gone on to be a great ambassador for football and sport in general. In 1992, Pelé was appointed a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment. He was also appointed a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. He is not only one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, but, also a mild-mannered man who used his fame and prestige for a positive effect.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Pele”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 8 March 2020. Originally published 18 April 2010.Some Highlights of Pele’s CareerAthlete of the Century, by Reuters News Agency: 1999Athlete of the Century, elected by International Olympic Committee: 1999UNICEF Football Player of the Century: 1999TIME One of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century: 1999FIFA Player of the Century: 2000Pele Pele – autobiography at Amazon Related pagesFamous Sports people – Famous sportsmen/women. Including football, athletics, tennis, rugby, cricket, boxing. A list of 100 sports stars, such as Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams, Pele and Usain Bolt.People who made a difference. Men and women who made a positive contribution to the world – in the fields of politics, literature, music, activism and spirituality.Inspirational people – People who made a difference in a positive way and left the world a better place. Includes Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Emil Zatopek.
90 Richard Henry “Peter” Sellers, was born on 8th September 1925. He was brought up by his parents, who were both vaudeville entertainers. As a young child, he used to travel frequently with his family. Peter became intrigued in observing the behaviour of other people he used to meet. This helped him develop his observational humour and skills for mimicry. His family were musical and Peter was encouraged to learn different musical instruments including the banjo, ukulele and drums. Peter picked up these instruments quickly, demonstrating his versatile artistic and musical capacities. At one time he considered a career as a jazz drummer.During the Second World War, Peter joined the RAF. Due to his bad eyesight, he couldn’t fly as a pilot, and instead spent much time working as an entertainer on the gang shows that used to travel around military bases. Peter would often impersonate Senior Officers, often risking a court-martial. Friends said he seemed impervious to the threat of being caught dressed up as a senior officer.After the end of the Second World War, Peter struggled to develop a career in show business. He applied for various shows appearing in several BBC auditions. On one occasion, he had been waiting for a long time to hear from the BBC, so Peter Sellers decided to take matters into his own hands. He rang the producer, Roy Speers and pretended to be a renowned entertainer giving a glowing reference for a young actor called Peter Sellers. Whether Roy Speers was taken in or not, Peter was given his first major break. Soon after breaking into radio, Peter joined the highly popular and zany comedy “The Goons” (originally called The Crazy Show) In this show Peter was in his element and was perfectly suited to his impersonations and zany characters that he created. The Goons pioneered a new style of offbeat comedy, which would have a significant influence on Monty Python’s Flying Circus a decade later.Gaining a reputation on the radio, Peter was able to make his first break into film. He first film was the low key “Penny Points To Paradise“. But later on, he appeared in several influential and popular films such as “The LadyKillers” (1955) (with Alec Guinness, an actor he admired a lot) and “The Mouse that Roared” (1959) In The Mouse that Roared he showed his versatility by playing a couple of characters. As an American film, this also helped raise his profile in Hollywood, leading to some key roles shortly after.In 1963 director Blake Edwards was given the job of directing a new series of films called The Pink Panther. Peter Sellers proved to be an inspired choice for the dimwitted and hapless French police inspector. There was mutual appreciation between Sellers and Edwards. In Sellers, Edwards found an actor who had the initiative and natural talent to make a character his own. Peter Sellers also warmed to Edwards because he was able to bring his own ideas and suggestions to the role. The film and subsequent follow-ups were released to both popular and commercial acclaim.“What do we know..ONE.. That the professor and his daughter have been kidnappedTWO… That someone has kid-nap-ped them andTHREE….. MY HAND IS ON FIRE!!!” (from: The Pink Panther)In 1964, Peter Sellers starred in arguably his finest film, “Dr Strangelove” or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). The Director of Columbia Movies insisted on Peter Sellers on playing the lead role. In fact, Peter went on to play three characters in the film, including U.S. President Merkin Muffley, Dr. Strangelove, and British RAF officer Group Captain Lionel Mandrake. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and 3 BAFTA’s. It regularly appears in lists of the top 100 films of all time. (It was voted to be number 26 by the America film institute’s 100 years 100 Films)It was also in 1964 that Peter Sellers suffered a near-fatal heart attack. He only just survived with his heart stopping completely. There followed a less successful period in which many of Peter Seller’s films failed to be successful. By the mid-1970s, Peter Sellers reputation had taken a definite fall. However, another successor to the Pink Panther series (The Return of the Pink Panther, 1974) had a galvanising effect on his career, firmly cementing his position as one of the all-time greats of cinema. As well as comedy, it is worth noting that Peter Sellers was very versatile as an actor. One of his finest films was an understated film about a simple gardener, mistaken for an Economic Guru. His carefully balanced role in playing the gardener, Chance, earned him a second Oscar nomination for the film “Being There” in 1979.His private life was not always so successful. He was married four times and could often be difficult to get on with. This quote from The Life and Death of Peter Sellers may not have been entirely without meaning.“Peter Sellers: Your father is a useless, talentless, empty man. Did you know that?Sarah Sellers: Yes, Daddy.”Peter Sellers suffered a fatal heart attack on July 24th, 1980. At his funeral, he asked to have the entirely inappropriate “In the Mood” by Glen Miller played. This was one of Peter’s least favourite songs and a fitting comic twist to his own funeral. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Peter Sellers is fondly remembered for his unique characterisations and comic performances that have stood the test of time very well.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Peter Sellers”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 25/4/2009. Last updated 22 February 2018.Classic Sellers“ Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!” – Dr Strangelove“Monsieur..Don’t try to be funnayyyy with me” – Pink PantherMr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers at Amazon Related pagesActors – Famous actors, including Alec Guinness, Michael Caine, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.Famous English people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.Comedians – Some of the great comedians including Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Peter Sellers, Johnny Carson and John Cleese.External linksPeter Sellers at Amazon.comPeter Sellers at Amazon.co.ukPeter Sellers .com
91 Plato (423 BC – 348 BC) was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens – the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of Western philosophy and science. Plato influenced a whole range of subjects from philosophy to maths, logic and ethics.“The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.”Alfred North WhiteheadEarly life of PlatoThe early life of Plato is only partially recorded, but he was born in 428/427 BCE to an aristocratic family in Athens. His father’s side claimed descent from the god Poseidon and the last kings of Athens. Some sources suggest that his real name was Aristocles, and that ‘Plato’ was a nickname given to him later in life. Plato roughly translates as the ‘broad’ It may have been a reflection of the breadth of interests that Plato considered.He was given a good education, and he soon impressed those around him with his speed of learning and clarity of thought. He was also drawn to the philosopher Socrates. Socrates was a great and independent thinker who gathered a group of young men to talk and discuss philosophy. Plato was deeply impressed by the personality, spirit and philosophic detachment of his mentor Socrates. As Plato writes:“Oh dear Pan and all the other Gods of this place, grant that I may be beautiful inside. Let all my external possessions be in friendly harmony with what is within. May I consider the wise man rich. As for gold, let me have as much as a moderate man could bear and carry with him.”– Plato, “Phaedrus” – a prayer of Socrates, as portrayed in the dialogue.Plato was deeply hurt after Socrates’ trial in 399 BC where he was condemned for ‘corrupting the youth of Athens’ and sentenced to death – being forced to drink hemlock. After the death of Socrates, Plato left Athens, disgusted with the mob-mentality of Athenian democracy. He travelled widely around the Meditteranean region, visiting Greece, Italy and Egypt. He came into contact with followers of Pythagoras and he was influenced by some of their philosophic ideas.Relationship with SocratesSocrates appears in most of Plato’s writings, and it is clear that Socrates and his Socratic dialogues had a big influence on Plato’s own writing and style of teaching.It is only through Plato, that we get a clear idea of Socrates’ philosophy and way of life. In ‘Apology of Socrates‘, Plato writes an account of Socrates defending himself in a trial which ultimately led to his own death. It presents Socrates as a model philosopher, calmly putting the ideals of justice above any personal desire.“It would be better for me … that multitudes of men should disagree with me rather than that I, being one, should be out of harmony with myself.”Plato (Words spoken by Socrates,) “The Gorgias”However, Plato was not merely transcribing the words of Socrates; he was also using his own interpretations and ideas to those which he learned from him.Plato AcademyThe School of Athens by Raffael. Plato and Aristotle are depicted togetherIn the 380s, Plato returned to Athens where he founded “The Academy” a school of learning, philosophy and research. It was a pioneer of future universities and became a magnet for the leading minds of the time. The polymath Aristotle spent 20 years at Plato’s Academy and further heightened its reputation. It was at the Academy that Plato wrote his great works and taught a range of students.Plato’s Central DoctrinesPlato in the Academy picturePlato wrote on a whole range of topics, but it is his ethics and general philosophy which seemed to be his biggest interest. Plato was fundamentally a rationalist who felt the role of philosophy was to help people to live a good life. He sought to make sense of the world through reason and empiricism and he used this basic approach to a range of different topics. On metaphysics, he saw a distinction between the body (corporeal world) and the soul. To Plato, the soul could become captive to the material desires of the body, and to gain lasting happiness, the higher-wisdom of the soul and mind should be in control of a man’s lower passions.“The inexperienced in wisdom and virtue, ever occupied with feasting and such, are carried downward, and there, as is fitting, they wander their whole life long, neither ever looking upward to the truth above them nor rising toward it, nor tasting pure and lasting pleasures.”– Plato, “The Republic”Plato also saw a distinction between the imperfection of the material world and the highest ideals which transcend material imperfections. Plato felt that someone of a ‘philosophic mind’ could differentiate between outward limitations and the highest ideals of beauty, truth, unity and justice. It is a philosophy which hints at the limitations of the material and the mental world and encourages an aspiration to higher ideals.“I only wish that wisdom were the kind of thing that flowed … from the vessel that was full to the one that was empty.”– Plato, “The Symposium”He also mentions that the life we live is based on previous choices in either this incarnation or previous incarnations. Plato’s philosophy was also heavily influenced by Pythagoras, especially his religious views on transmigration.In Politics, Plato developed the idea of a ‘Philosopher King’ someone who would be a wisdom lover and develop the necessary qualities to rule over his people with wisdom and justice. This may have partly been a reaction to the demographic democracy he saw in Athens and a hesitation to rely on the ‘wisdom of the crowds,’ that prevailed in Athens at the time. He made the analogy that the philosopher-king was like a ship’s captain or doctor. Someone who knows best what his patient needs.“Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,… nor, I think, will the human race.” (Republic 473c-d)To guard against philosopher-kings becoming tyrants, Plato also stated that they should be subject to the rule of law that limits the ruler’s actionsStyle of TeachingPlato didn’t write treatises and lectures, but wrote in an indirect way, encouraging the reader to ask questions and think for himself. Inspired by Socrates, he makes use of informal conversation and humorous anecdote. Like his teacher Socrates, Plato was happy to play the role of observer rather than a preacher. There is also signs of development and changes in thought, though some of this is due to uncertainty over whether letters ascribed to Plato, were actually written by him.Plato and AristotleAristotle didn’t agree with many conclusions of his teacher. For example, Aristotle felt the soul was an intrinsic part of the body. However, although Aristotle disagreed with Plato in some regards, he revered him as a supreme authority and person. His esteem for Plato was so great that he felt it would be “Blasphemy in the extreme even to praise him.” After Plato’s death, Aristotle started his own school – The Lyceum.Death of PlatoThere are conflicting reports on the death of Plato. But, he died between the ages of 81 and 84, and so was long-lived by ancient standards.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Plato”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Originally published 26 February 2012. Last updated 8 March 2020.Plato Quotes“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”― Plato“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.”― Plato“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”― Plato“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”― Plato“I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});― Plato, The Republic“There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain.”― PlatoPlato: Complete Works Plato: Complete Works at AmazonRelated pagesGreat Thinkers – Influential and insightful thinkers, who have made significant contributions in fields of science, philosophy, literature and the humanities.Famous Philosophers – Some of the world’s greatest philosophers, including Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Kant, Spinoza and David Hume.Ancient Greeks (8th Century BCE to 1 CE) Famous people of the classical Greek period. Poets, statesmen and the fore-runners of democracy. Includes Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and Hippocrates. Related peoplePythagorasSocratesAristotle
92 Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) was elected Pope of the Catholic Church in 2013, he took the name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his embrace of poverty and chastity.Since his election, Pope Francis has stamped his own authority on the Church. In particular, he has sought to emphasize the traditional principles in the gospels of humility, charity and modesty. He has sought to encourage the church to place more emphasis on personal religious practise and concern for the poor, rather than issues related to abortion, contraception and homosexuality. He has personally rejected the more luxurious apartments in the Vatican, preferring to choose simple garments and live in more simple accommodation.“Let us allow Jesus into our lives, and leave behind our selfishness, indifference and closed attitudes to others.”_ Pope Francis 27 Aug 2013Early life Pope FrancisJorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Flores, a suburb of Buenos Aires, on 17 December 1936.He attended a technical secondary school, graduating with a diploma in chemistry. He worked as a chemist in a food laboratory for a few years.In 1955 (aged 19), he began studying at a local seminary in Buenos Aires. On March 11, 1957, he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) as a novice. He went to Santiago, Chile where he studied humanities. On March 12, 1960, he took his initial vows and officially became a Jesuit. During the 1960s, he worked as a teacher, teaching literature and psychology in Sante Fe, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.On 13 December 1969, after finishing his theological studies, he was ordained to the priesthood and became a professor of theology at the seminary of San Miguel. Bergoglio took his perpetual vows in 1973 and was appointed Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. These were difficult years because of the military junta ruling Argentina. Some of Bergoglio’s fellow Jesuits refused to follow the dictates of the government and sought to help left-wing activists in the slums who were being rounded up. Faced with a difficult dilemma, Bergoglio decided to deal officially with the junta – he felt it was important to protect the members of the order. Some Jesuits who were arrested were critical of Bergoglio’s actions in not more vigorously safeguarding two priests who were arrested and disappeared by the regime. In an interview in 2010, Bergoglio rejected accusations of aiding the junta, saying:“On the contrary, I tried to help many people at the time,”In 1992, he became Auxilliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, and in 1998 he became the Archbishop. As Archbishop he doubled the number of priests working in the slums of Buenos Aires. He was created cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. He held the position of Archbishop of Buenos Aires until 2011 when he resigned because at the age of 75 it was necessary under church law.Becoming PopeAfter the death of Pope John Paul II, Bergoglio was said to be a realistic candidate to become the new pope. But, instead, a strong conservative Cardinal Ratzinger was chosen. However, in 2013 rather unexpectedly, Pope Benedict XVI announced his retirement. Bergoglio was elected on the second day of the Papal conclave on 13 March. Explaining his choice of name, Pope Francis said of his patron saint:“The man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man,… How I would like a poor Church, and for the poor”.Pope Francis beliefsPope Francis developed a reputation for humility and simplicity. He has often chosen to live in simpler accommodation and rejected the more palatial bishop’s residences. When elected Pope, he preferred to stay in his current accommodation and didn’t move into the Vatican suites. As Archbishop, he took public transport and engaged in the Holy Thursday ritual of washing the feet of the poor, whether in jail or hospital.He has expressed a strong commitment to social justice, arguing that the gospels express an important commitment to reaching out to the disadvantaged of society and working to improve conditions of the poor.“Let us ask the Lord to give us the gentleness to look upon the poor with understanding and love, devoid of human calculation and fear.” 24 Sep, 2013Doctrinally, he is considered a conservative. As archbishop, he instigated pro-life work to prevent abortion. In 2007, he criticised the Argentinian government when it intervened to allow an abortion for a mentally handicapped woman who had been raped.But, on coming to be Pope, he has spoken about the need for the Chuch to move on from its obsession with issues of sexuality. Pope Francis has said that social work and religious devotion is much more important, and if the church gets entangled with issues of sexuality, it could fall away.“The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently, (…) We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the Church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”Ecumenical workPope Francis sees improving dialogue between different faiths and religions as an important work of the Catholic church. He has stated that his title ‘Pontiff’ means ‘builder of bridges’ and he has sought to reach out to both non-believers and other religious leaders. People have commented he is sincere and has a strong capacity to create meaningful dialogue, especially with the Eastern Orthodox churches.After his election, leaders of the Islamic community in Buenos Aires welcomed the news saying he “always showed himself as a friend of the Islamic community”, and a person whose position is “pro-dialogue”.As Pope, he has raised the issue of corruption within the church and has warned that as Pope he will not tolerate ongoing corruption and that the punishment for corrupt people should be as, it mentions in the Bible, being tied to a rock and thrown into the sea. He has announced changes to the Vatican bank to make it more transparent. Some argue that the Mafia use the bank for money laundering and are concerned by the Pope’s investigation.On social issues, he has indicated a more liberal attitude to homosexuals. In an informal press conference, he said that he personally does not judge people because of their sexuality. Though church teachings on homosexuality remain.Pope Francis has frequently reiterated the importance for Catholics to wholeheartedly embrace and profess in Jesus Christ as their salvation. He has said that prayer should not be reduced to a weekly 20 minutes, but should become part of life. He has stressed the importance of rejecting worldliness and putting spiritual principles first.“Our life must be centred on what is essential, on Jesus Christ. Everything else is secondary.” – (9 Nov, 2013)He has criticised unbridled capitalism and argues that the ‘cult of money’ is making people miserable. He has criticised the growing inequality within many societies.“If money and material things become the center of our lives, they seize us and make us slaves” (29 Oct, 2013)Pope Francis is the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit Pope. Like Pope John Paul II, he is said to have a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary. He is also fond of St Therese of Lisieux and often includes a picture of her in his letter.In July 2014, he released ten tips for happiness which included: “Live and let live.” “Be giving of yourself to others.” “Proceed calmly” in life.Have “a healthy sense of leisure.” “Sunday is for family.” Be “creative” with young people and find innovative ways to create dignified jobs. Respect and take care of nature.Stop being negative. “Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy,” he said. “The worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes.” Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars,” he said. “The call for peace must be shouted.”ControversyPope Francis’s reforming papacy has also met opposition from both within and without the Vatican. A divisive issue for the church has been the issue of insisting priests must be celibate. Francis had been more willing to consider relaxing the rule of celibacy and allow married men to become priests. However, conservative figures in the church, focused on the former Pope Benedict successfully lobbied to maintain the rule on celibacy. Pope Francis responded to shortage of priests by encouraging people to pray for an increase in priestly vocations. Francis also took the opportunity to speak out on the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, arguing people should ‘feel outrage’ over the loss of habitat. Pope Francis intervention caused a sharp rebuke from Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. In early Jan 2020, Pope Francis apologised after appearing to slap the hand of a pilgrim grabbed at the Pope during a visit to the Vatican. A few days later he referenced the incident and said (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“I apologise for the bad example yesterday … sometimes even I lose patience,” He also later joked to some waiting nuns – saying don’t bite. His contriteness and good humour in face of difficulty is a hallmark of his papacy and is warmly regarded across the world.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Pope Francis”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 31st July 2014. Last updated 5 March 2020.Pope Francis in His Own Words Pope Francis: Conversations with Jorge Bergoglio: His Life in His Own Words at AmazonRelated PagesChristians – Famous Christians from Jesus Christ and the early Apostles to Catholic Popes and saints. Includes St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Sienna and St Teresa.Inspirational people – People who made a difference in a positive way and left the world a better place. Includes Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Emil Zatopek.People who made a difference. Men and women who made a positive contribution to the world – in the fields of politics, literature, music, activism and spirituality. Related peopleSt Francis of AssisiJohn Paul II
93 Pope John Paul II was one of the most memorable Pope’s in the modern age. He lived through the centuries most turbulent times and offered a clear moral stance and direction to the Catholic Church. He also played an important role in the transition from Communism to greater democracy in Eastern Europe.“Strengthen the bonds that unite us and eliminate all that has divided us in the past.”– Pope John Paul IIEarly Life Karol WojtylaBorn in Poland, 18th May 1920, Karol Wojtyla was brought up in a turbulent period. As a young man, he lived through the brutal Nazi occupation of Poland. He witnessed many atrocities and on occasions narrowly avoided with his life. It was during the war that he made the decision to train to be a priest; this had to be done clandestinely. During the war, he was also credited with trying to help Jewish friends escape persecution.The defeat of Nazi Germany saw Poland suffer under a new occupation. Though much less brutal, the Communist state was suspicious of the Catholic church and Karol was frequently bugged by state officials. Nevertheless, the young Pope developed a good reputation. He had intelligence, charisma and inspired many of his young students. His sharp intellect and practical understanding led to his rapid promotion within the Catholic clergy. At the age of 38, he was made the youngest bishop in Poland.Starting in October 1962, Bishop Wojtyla participated in the groundbreaking – Second Vatican Council which re-evaluated Catholic practises.Election to PopePope John Paul II (1980)In 1978 after the death of Pope Paul VI and John Paul I (after only 33 days), Karol was elected pope making him one of the youngest pope’s and the first pope from Poland.It was rather a surprise for John Paul. He accepted the position with humility‘With obedience in faith to Christ, my Lord, and with trust in the Mother of Christ and the Church, in spite of great difficulties, I accept.’Pope John Paul soon put his mark on the papacy. He travelled widely and frequently to over 120 countries. His first visit to Poland in 1978 was a sensation with huge crowds everywhere. It was credited with sparking the solidarity movement of 1980 and providing moral support for those seeking to end Soviet rule.Pope John Paul and fall of Berlin WallSpending years in Communist-dominated Poland, Pope John Paul had great hopes that he could see the overthrow of Communism. President Mikhail Gorbachev paid a generous tribute to Pope John Paul’s contribution to the transition of Eastern Europe.“Everything that happened in Eastern Europe in these last few years would have been impossible without the presence of this Pope and without the important role, including the political role, that he played on the world stage.”Pope John Paul also made a historic visit to South Africa in 1995, he had promised he would not visit South Africa until the system of apartheid was ended. He was met at the airport by Nelson Mandela. Mandela greeted him with the words“To say your visit is long overdue is to pay tribute to you own abhorrence of the system of apartheid. You delayed your visit to this country because you viewed with disdain a system that treated God’s children as lesser human beings.”Pope John Paul II and Mother TeresaMother Teresa and John Paul were close to each other and full of admiration for their respective services. In 1994, Time magazine asked Mother Teresa for her assessment of John Paul, she replied:Ever sustained by a profound faith, Nourished by unceasing prayer, Fearless in unshakeable Hope, Deeply in Love with God.”After Mother Teresa’s death, Pope John Paul II pushed for her canonisation. Pope John Paul made the most number of saints during his papacy. He was key in giving legitimacy to Maria Faustina (a Polish mystic) and Padre Pio (a charismatic Italian mystic)Pope John Paul II and Other ReligionsPope John Paul II maintained good relations with other religions showing an interest in interdenominational meetings not previously seen by the Vatican. For example at Assisi in 1986, at the World day of prayer for peace, over 120 different denominations were represented as people offered prayers for peace.In particular, his apology for anti-semitic acts in the past encouraged better relationships between Jews and Catholics.“We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant.”—Pope John Paul II (12 March 2000)Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan.The pope made over 100 apologies for various misdeeds such as women, Galileo, role in slavery, and the silence of Catholics during the holocaust. Pope John Paul II made an important visit to Greece in 2001. He was the first pope to visit the country in 1,291 years. He met the head of the Church of Greece and offered an apology for past misdeeds of the Catholic Church such as the sack of Constantinople. The two leaders shared a common declaration of supporting Christianity in Europe and avoiding ‘all recourse to violence, proselytism and fanaticism, in the name of religion.’ In the same year, he became the first pope to pray in a mosque (in Damascus, Syria). He kissed the Qu’ran, an act that was appreciated by many Muslims, though he was criticised by more conservative elements within the Catholic Church.Devotion to MaryPope John Paul II had a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. During his papacy, he visited Lourdes and Fatima. In 1981, someone made an assassination attempt, and although shot, the Pope survived. He credited his survival to the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima, noting it happened on the sixtieth anniversary of the Fatima apparitions. He was the first pope to have the Virgin Mary’s initials added to his banner.The pope later met his assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca, in prison and offered him forgiveness.Pope on Moral IssuesOn moral issues, the Pope was a conservative. He opposed the death penalty, abortion, contraception, female priests and homosexual marriages. He was criticised for his opposition to the use of condoms to fight STD such as AIDS.He was opposed to the Iraq war in 2003, saying the United Nations should be involved in resolving conflict not unilateral force“Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore… prove ultimately futile.” ”— Pope John Paul IIDeathTowards the end of his life he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2005, his health rapidly deteriorated – suffering from influenza, a urinary tract infection, septic shock and low blood pressure. On 2 April 2005, he said his final words “Allow me to depart to the house of the Father” and he died later in the day, aged 84 years old. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});CanonisationJohn Paul II was canonised by Pope Francis on 27 April 2014. His ‘feast-day’ is 22 October – to mark the date he was elected Pope.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Pope John Paul II”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 19 May 2013. Last updated 14 February 2018.The Biography of Pope John Paul II The Biography of Pope John Paul II at AmazonRelated pagesPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.Famous Polish figures – including Marie Curie, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Frederick Chopin and Nicholaus Copernicus.Christians – Famous Christians from Jesus Christ and the early Apostles to Catholic Popes and saints. Includes St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Sienna and St Teresa.
94 Prince Charles (1948 – ) (also known as the Prince of Wales) is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and is next in line to the throne. He married Princess Diana in 1981, though the marriage ended in divorce; he remarried Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005. As Prince of Wales, he has cultivated a wide range of charitable and environmental interests, such as the Prince’s Trust aiming to help young people.Short Bio of Prince CharlesPrince Charles was born on 14 November 1948 at Buckingham Palace, London, England. When Charles was only three years old, his mother, Elizabeth II, was crowned in 1952,In his early years, he was educated by his governess, Catherine Peebles; but at the age of 8 went to Hill House School in West London, and later Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland. Prince Charles later reported hating school; he said he was frequently bullied and felt miserable. He reportedly gave it the name “Colditz in kilts”After Gordonstoun, Prince Charles went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he received a lower second class degree in Anthropology and archaeology. He was the first member of the Royal Family to receive a degree. He also spent time at the University of Wales, where he began to learn Welsh – the first English Prince of Wales to try. He later served in the Royal Navy.On 1 July 1969, when he was 20 years old, Charles was formally credited with the title Prince of Wales, at Caernarfon Castle, North Wales.“I, Charles, Prince of Wales, do become your liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship and faith and truth I will bear unto you to live and die against all manner of folks. “(Oath of Fealty, 1 July 1969.)In his 20s, there was considerable interest in the love life and romances of Prince Charles; he seemed to enjoy the bachelor lifestyle and was frequently seen at parties. During this time he had a string of girlfriends (who were often considered unsuitable) and never looked like settling down.In his early 30s, his parents, and father in particular put pressure on Charles to choose a wife and get married. It was felt his continued dalliances were creating instability. The requirements of his wife were that she had to be a Protestant and virgin. Around this time he met Diana Spencer – a young nursery assistant. Charles was taken by her youthful cheerfulness, kindness and warm-heartedness. He said although he did not love her, he felt he could over time. The two increasingly spent time together, generating substantial media coverage. Charles felt his father put an ultimatum to him – either marry Diana or separate. Because Diana met the criteria for his wife, he proposed to the 19-year-old, and she accepted.The engagement was announced in February 1981. At a photocall, Diana was asked whether she was in love, she replied without hesitation. But, Charles replied more nervously “Well, yes, whatever it is that love may be.” It is said that Camilla, a long time friend of Charles helped to approve Diana as a partner. Charles also said in a radio interview, shortly after the engagement, that he was:“Delighted and frankly amazed that Diana is prepared to take me on.”The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana were married at St Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981. It was a huge global event, with many heads of state in attendance, and watched by a global audience in its billions.This made Lady Diana a global icon and source of intense media interest. Every move and action she undertook received widespread coverage and the following paparazzi. Over the next 15 years, Charles would be increasingly overshadowed by his more glamorous wife. From the early part of their marriage, difficulties arose. To Diana, it was quite a shock to be brought into the Royal Family. She often felt isolated and fell out with many of the staff and members of the Royal Family. Prince Charles perhaps hoped he would grow to love Diana more, but in practice, he grew more distant. He continued his adulterous affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles and even had her hosting evenings at Highgrove.The marriage produced two sons Prince William and Prince Harry – which give the couple something to share, but it was not enough to prevent the marriage falling apart, and the two increasingly lived apart. Charles in Highgrove, and Diana in Kensington Palace.By 1992, the marriage was effectively over, and in the media, increasingly acrimonious allegations were aired about whose fault it was.In 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris. Charles was praised for his handling of this tragic situation. He over-ruled Royal protocol and argued that Diana should still be considered a member of the royal family, and be given a formal royal funeral. After Diana’s passing, Charles was a single parent in looking after his boys. Though, there appears to be a strong bond between father and sons.After his marriage broke down, Charles admitted committing adultery, and he increasingly brought Camilla into a public role. This was temporarily halted after Diana’s death due to ill feeling towards Camilla. But, by 2003, Camilla had moved into Highgrove and Clarence House with Charles. They married on Feb 10, 2005, in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle. Due to lingering public resentment over Camilla’s affair with Charles, it was announced that should the Prince become King, Camilla would not be known as Queen Camilla, but Her Royal Highness, The Princess Consort.Although he has rarely been out of the headlines for his romantic issues, he has been a hard-working Prince of Wales, actively involved in many charities and local communities. His flagship charity is the Prince’s Trust, which aims to support young people, especially disadvantaged young people make a better start in life.He also has an eclectic range of interests from organic gardening to art, music, architecture and homoeopathic medicine. Sometimes his alternative views have caused consternation at the palace, but he appears to have a great belief in certain ideas such as organic farming. On architecture, his views have often been controversial for his strident criticism of modern architecture.“A large number of us have developed a feeling that architects tend to design houses for the approval of fellow architects and critics, not for the tenants.” (30 May, 1984.)But, his outspoken views have also received widespread support.He has also expressed an interest in different religions, such as Islam and Greek Orthodox Christianity. Speaking on Islam in 1993, Charles said:“Medieval Islam was a religion of remarkable tolerance for its time, allowing Jews and Christians the right to practise their inherited beliefs, and setting an example which was not, unfortunately, copied for many centuries in the West. .. It has helped to create modern Europe. It is part of our own inheritance, not a thing apart.” (Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, 27 October 1993.)Charles has a particular interest in Romania, a country he has expressed a deep love for.It is assumed Charles is frustrated about having to wait so long for an opportunity to serve as the Head of State. If he becomes King after September 2013, he will be the oldest person to become King. His sons William and Harry have squashed any ideas the throne should pass straight to William from their mother Elizabeth. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Prince Charles”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net. Published 1 December 2013. Last updated 20 February 2018.Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World – by Prince Charles Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World – by Prince Charles at AmazonRelated pagesRoyalty – Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Tsar Nicholas II, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great.Famous English people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.Great Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.External linksOfficial website of HRH The Prince of WalesOfficial website of ‘The Prince’s Trust’Photo bottom: Prince Charles by Allan Warren.
95 Queen Elizabeth (1952 – ) was crowned Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England in 1952.She served as the longest-serving British monarch for over 70 years presiding over continual change both within the Royal Family, Great Britain and the Commonwealth.Elizabeth was the eldest child of Prince Albert, the Duke of York (later George VI) and his wife Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother). Her father Prince Albert was second in line to the throne until his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 – pushing the shy Prince Albert into an unexpected role of King. King George VI rose to the challenge though he died early in 1952.Elizabeth was educated at home, along with her sister Princess Margaret. During the Second World War, they were evacuated to Balmoral and later Windsor Castle. Towards the end of the war in 1945, Elizabeth joined the Women’s Royal Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she served as a driver and mechanic. After the war, she increasingly stepped into her role of performing public service and made her first overseas trip to South Africa in 1947. Shortly before her 21st birthday, she said:“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”In 1947, she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in a ceremony at Westminster; they had known each other for several years. Some were opposed to the union because of his foreign ties, but this was overcome by his service in the Royal Navy. They have been happily married for over 70 years, and their relationship is a source of mutual strength, even if Prince Philip has a reputation for letting slip the odd colourful remark about foreigners. Elizabeth gave birth to their first child in 1948 – the future Prince Charles. They had four children in total. (Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward)In 1952, her father George VI passed away and Queen Elizabeth was crowned Queen with widespread enthusiasm. Her coronation set TV records around the globe, and it appeared to usher in a new era for the monarchy and British Commonwealth. News of Edmund Hilary reaching the peak of Mt Everest was delayed to coincide with her coronation. It appeared a symbolic end to the post-war austerity.The 1950s could be seen as the golden age for the Queen. Deference and respect to the Royal family were still high, and the young Elizabeth looked like the fairy-tale Princess. However, over the next few decades, widespread social change saw a decline in traditional attitudes to the monarchy. Also, the new era of TV and intense media scrutiny led to many unfavourable headlines as her children were caught up in marital problems and related scandals.Yet, there were still high points for the Royal Family, such as her ‘Silver Jubilee’ in 1977 and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. By the 1990s, the media had a widespread fascination with Princess Diana, but as their marriage broke down, the Queen was increasingly perceived as being out of touch. In 1992, she famously declared the year to be her ‘annus horribilus‘ The year saw media headlines dominated by the marriage breakup of Charles and Diana, a fire in Windsor, and other criticisms of the Royal Family.“1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an ‘Annus Horribilis‘.” (Christmas address, 1992)In 1996, Princess Diana died in a car crash, and temporarily there was public dismay as the Queen appeared distant and refused to fly the flag at half-mast. But, after the Queen later expressed admiration for Princess Diana the hostility evaporated. Nevertheless, the relationship between Princess Diana and the Queen was best described as being ‘cool’.The Queen placed great emphasis on her job of uniting the Commonwealth – a difficult job in the post-war period as de-colonisation led to many differing problems. However, the Queen usually received widespread acclaim, and many commented she was a real unifying presence at the Commonwealth meetings. In a speech at the United Nations, in 2010, she spoke of the importance of countries working together:“In tomorrow’s world we must all work together as hard as ever, if we’re truly to be United Nations.”After the difficulties of the 1990s, the 2000s saw a resurgence in her popularity as the Royal Family put many difficulties behind them, and they were able to celebrate good news. If 1992 was her annus horribilus, 2012, was perhaps her annus mirabilis. Firstly, in April, Prince William married Kate Middleton to widespread public enthusiasm. Then in summer, her Golden Jubilee was widely celebrated and popular despite the wet weather. Finally, in July 2012, she took part in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics – which was a huge global success.During her time as Head of State, Queen Elizabeth has sought to refrain from interfering in political issues and provide a moderating influence on the nation.“We are a moderate, pragmatic people, more comfortable with practice than theory.” (30 April 2002)She is a committed Christian and often mentions her religious beliefs in her Christmas addresses. However, in her role as Head of the Church of England, she has stated that she is committed to protecting the rights of all different faiths.“The concept of our established Church is occasionally misunderstood and, I believe, commonly under-appreciated. Its role is not to defend Anglicanism to the exclusion of other religions. Instead, the Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country.”– During a speech at Lambeth Palace, 15/02/2012.Despite passing 90 years, she remained in relatively good health and continued to serve. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Elizabeth II passed away on 8 September 2022 causing an outpouring of love and good wishes for her unique reign and life of duty and service. Her funeral at Westminster Abbey on 19 September attracted heads of state from around the world. It was the first state funeral since Winston Churchill and huge crowds came to see her final journey to Windsor Castle where she was buried next to her husband Prince Phillip.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Queen Elizabeth II”, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, 30/01/2013. Updated 20 September 2022.Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal FamilyQueen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family: at Amazon.com Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I. Royalty – Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great.Related pagesBiography Queen Elizabeth I The wealth of Queen ElizabethPrince Charles
96 Short Biography of Queen Victoria (1819 –1901)Queen Victoria was born 24 May 1819. Aged 18 she became Queen of Great Britain and she went on to rule for 63 years – at the time – she was the longest-serving Monarch in Europe. She ruled through a period of British imperialism with the British Empire expanding and she became Empress of India. She came to epitomise an era of social conservatism and economic expansion.She was the granddaughter of George III, and her father, Edward was fourth in line to the throne. However, her father’s three brothers all died without leaving any living relatives. She was crowned Queen on 20 June 1837 and ruled until her death 63 years later in 1901.Early lifeHer early life until the age of 18 was closeted and carefully controlled by her mother and her assistant John Conroy. Her mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld kept Victoria very close and allowed her little real-life experience. She was brought up with a strict set of rules and regulations known as the ‘Kensington System’. Victoria described her childhood as “rather melancholy.” In 1830 her grandfather George III died. He was succeeded by King William IV, but in 1837, he also passed away, meaning the crown passed onto Victoria who was aged only 18, and somewhat unprepared for the role.One of her first decisions was to cut free from her mother and gain more independence from the controlling atmosphere she had been brought up in. She also took her new duties very seriously. On her ascendency to the throne, she said:“Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty towards my country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.”Queen Victoria, Extract from the Queen’s Journal, Tuesday, 20th June 1837.MarriageAfter her coronation, Queen Victoria met many potential suitors from Royal houses across Europe. She fell in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in Germany. There were married in 1840. Victoria and Prince Albert had a very close, intimate relationship and she described the intensity of feelings towards her beloved husband. She wrote in her diary shortly after their marriage.“MY DEAREST DEAREST DEAR Albert … his excessive love & affection gave me feelings of heavenly love & happiness I never could have hoped to have felt before!”– Queen Victoria.In the same year as her marriage, Queen Victoria gave birth to her first child – a daughter named Victoria. They had nine children in total. She found pregnancy and childbirth difficult and once exclaimed. “An ugly baby is a very nasty object – and the prettiest is frightful.”Queen Victoria and Nineteenth-Century BritainThe 19th Century was a time of unprecedented expansion for Britain in term of both industry and Empire. Although her popularity ebbed and flowed during her reign, towards the end of her crown, she had become a symbol of British imperialism and pride.The Victorian period also witnessed great advances in science and technology. It became known as the steam age, enabling people to easily travel throughout the UK and the World.Queen Victoria was emblematic of this period. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the British Empire. She celebrated at Lord Kitchener’s victory in the Sudan; she supported British involvement in the Boer War. She was also happy to preside over the expansion of the British Empire, which was to stretch across the globe. In 1877 Queen Victoria was made Empress of India, in a move instigated by the imperialist Disraeli. Famously, at the end of the Victorian period, people could say ‘the sun never set on the British Empire.’Queen Victoria was conservative in her politics and social views. She opposed women’s rights and was socially conservative. This led to an unfortunate episode. When she saw a servant who appeared to be pregnant, Victoria claimed she was having an affair. The Queen actually made her take a test to prove she was a virgin. The test was positive and the growth in her stomach was actually a form of cancer; a few months later the servant died, and Queen Victoria suffered a decline in her popularity as a result of this episode.In the early part of her reign, she became a close friend and confidant of the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. She spent many hours talking to him and relied on his political advice. Lord Melbourne was a Whig, with conservative attitudes. He tried to shield Queen Victoria from the extreme poverty that was endemic in parts of the UK.Queen Victoria was also highly devoted to her husband, Prince Albert; together they had nine children. When Prince Albert died in 1861, at the age of 41, Queen Victoria went into deep mourning and struggled to overcome this loss. She became reclusive and was reluctant to appear in public. Parliament and Benjamin Disraeli had to use all their persuasive power to get her to open parliament in 1866 and 1867. Her hiding from the public led to a decline in popularity. However, by the end of her reign, her popularity was restored. This was partly due to the rise of Great Britain as the leading superpower of the era.For various reasons, several attempts were made on the life of Queen Victoria. These were mostly between 1840 and 1882. She was always unharmed, but her courageous attitude helped to endear her to the public.Personality of Queen VictoriaQueen Victoria was successful in portraying a public image of an aloof Queen who embodied the virtues of the British Empire. In person, away from the public glare, she was known to be a combination of honesty, plain-speaking but also prone to emotional outbursts and quite obstinate.“Great events make me quiet and calm; it is only trifles that irritate my nerves.”– Queen VictoriaDespite her social conservativism, she was passionate about her husband and greatly enjoyed spending time in close proximity. However, even their relationship could be punctuated with loud, emotional arguments. Despite perceptions of her being dry and serious, members of the household stated she could have a great sense of humour and laugh uproariously.The death of her husband in 1861 was a huge blow and she was deeply affected with grief. She wore black and mourned for several years. Her grief was so intense, it affected the nation. She struggled to overcome the grief and Albert’s early death led to a further worsening of relationships with her first son Edward VII – whom Victoria blamed for his playboy lifestyle causing stress for his father Albert. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Queen Victoria”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 23rd May 2014. Last updated 8 March 2019.Queen Victoria – A Life Queen Victoria at Amazon.comQueen Victoria PicturesQueen Victoria Pictures at Amazon.comRelated pagesFamous people of the Victorian age (1837 to 1901) The principal figures of the Victorian age and the second half of the industrial revolution. Including Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale, Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone.Famous Kings and Queens Royalty – Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great. Includes British and European Royalty.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Joan of Arc.Further readingQuotes of Queen Victoria Queen Victoria at BBCQueen Victoria Biography from Encyclopedia Britannica
97 Richard Branson is an entrepreneur and businessman, who founded the Virgin group of more than 400 companies. The Virgin group grew from a small record shop he founded in 1972, to become a major multinational company including interests in transport, media, and entertainment. Richard Branson is also a flamboyant character and has taken part in a number of gruelling adventure challenges, such as sailing across the Atlantic and taking part in around the world hot air balloon journeys.“My general attitude to life is to enjoy every minute of every day. I never do anything with a feeling of, “Oh God, I’ve got to do this today.”Richard Branson, The Guardian newspaper, 20th September 2008Short Biography Richard BransonRichard Branson was born in Blackheath, London 18 July 1950. His father was a barrister. Branson attended Scaitcliffe School and later Stowe school. Suffering from dyslexia, Branson did not excel at studies; he was more interested in extracurricular activities, such as football and cricket. At the age of 15, he had started to try his first business ventures, which included trying to grow trees and another raising budgerigars.On one occasion, he was caught leaving the bedroom of the headmaster’s daughter, and Branson was expelled from school. This left him devastated and he wrote a suicide note, suggesting he couldn’t cope. When the note was discovered, he was forgiven; but failing at his studies, Branson left school at 16 – an early high school drop out.Virgin RecordsAfter quitting school, he moved back to London where he began his first successful business. He started a magazine about youth culture, called The Student. It was produced by students, for students and was launched in 1966. Branson was able to attract significant advertisement from firms wishing to tap the student market; this enabled him to distribute the first 50,000 copies for free.The 1960s in London was known as the ‘swinging sixties’ – Branson admits he was living the life of a hippy, in a London commune – a large shared house, surrounded by the music and drugs of the age. However, although he may have been a hippie, Branson also had a keen business sense, and he set up a mail-order record company called Virgin to complement the student magazine. The Virgin name was suggested by one of Branson’s workers – who suggested the idea because they were all new at business. Branson later said he got into business out of accident – not to make money, but out of frustration things weren’t better.“I became an entrepreneur by mistake. Ever since then I’ve gone into business, not to make money, but because I think I can do it better than it’s been done elsewhere. And, quite often, just out of personal frustration about the way it’s been done by other people.: (interview with Martyn Lewis in his book, Reflections on Success (1997)With modest profits from his magazine and mail order business, he was able to get a record shop on Oxford Street, London. Undercutting other High Street retailers, Virgin Records experienced good growth. Though, on one occasion, due to an unpaid tax bill Branson’s mother Eve had to re-mortgage her house to help Branson stay afloat.As the record business expanded, Branson created his own record label with Nik Powell – Virgin Music in 1972. Within a year, Branson had a great stroke of luck. His first artist, Mike Oldfield, recorded the album ‘Tubular Bells’ and this proved a smash hit, staying in the charts for over four years. This high profile and earnings helped Branson to sign up some of the top bands of the era, including Culture Club, the Rolling Stones, Genesis, and controversial bands such as the Sex Pistols.In 1984, Branson branched out into his biggest business venture – forming Virgin Atlantic Airways, and he started competing in a market dominated by big national carriers, such as British Airways. At times this rivalry was intense, with Virgin accusing British Airways of dirty tricks in poaching customers. As the ‘dirty tricks’ was taken to court, British Airways eventually agreed to settle out of court. However, in 1992, Branson had to sell Virgin Records to EMI for £500m to help keep a struggling Virgin Atlantic afloat.Other big business ventures of the Virgin group include – Virgin Mobile in 1999 and entering into British railways with Virgin Trains in 1993. In 2007, he created Virgin Money. Less successful ventures included Virgin Cola and Virgin vodka. He also failed to win a contract to run the National Lottery – even though he offered to do it for zero profit.“My philosophy is that if I have any money I invest it in new ventures and not have it sitting around.” (Interview, Sunday Times, 16th January, 2000Richard Branson has sought to cultivate a different approach to running a business. He says the ethos of his businesses is to build from the bottom up – taking into account the feedback from all staff, and not just top-down hierarchy.“As much as you need a strong personality to build a business from scratch, you also must understand the art of delegation. I have to be good at helping people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step back. The company must be set up so it can continue without me.” (Virgin Quotes)He has also been willing to take risks, setting up unconventional business plans. In his autobiography, he also says that having fun is an important element of his approach to life and business:“Fun is at the core of the way I like to do business and it has been key to everything I’ve done from the outset. More than any other element, fun is the secret of Virgin’s success. I am aware that the ideas of business as being fun and creative goes right against the grain of convention, and it’s certainly not how the they teach it at some of those business schools, where business means hard grind and lots of ‘discounted cash flows’ and net’ present values’.”Richard Branson, Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My WayBranson is also a fan of informal clothing and believes wearing a tie is a misplaced custom. He encourages his executives to ditch the tie.EnvironmentBranson states that after meeting Al Gore, he became concerned about the issue of global warming. He has founded Virgin fuels to promote an alternative to fossil fuels. He has also promised to use profits from his transport business to develop more environmentally friendly fuels. In 2007, he set up the Virgin Earth Challenge which offers a reward of $25 million to the best commercially viable design for removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, without negative effects.World Record AttemptsRichard Branson has undertaken many endurance world record attempts. He set the fastest transatlantic sailing record in 1986. He also made several record attempts in hot air balloons. In 1998, he failed in a bid to make a global flight in a hot air balloon.CharityWith Nelson Mandela and Peter Gabriel, Branson formed a new group ‘The Elders’, which seeks to find peaceful resolutions to long standing conflicts and global problems. Other members included Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter and Mohammed Yunus. Branson is also involved in a variety of other charities, such as education in Kenya, Soldiers for Peace and has served on the global commission on drug policy.Wealth (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Sunday Times estimates the wealth of Richard Branson at £3,065 billion, making him the fourth richest person in the UK. Much of this is invested in off-shore havens, and he has been criticised for avoiding paying UK tax. He responds that he prefers to live on Necker Island, a 74-acre (30 ha) island owned by Branson in the British Virgin Islands, for health reasons.He married Kristen Tomassi in 1972 but divorced in 1979. He married for a second time – Joan Templeman in 1989. He has three children.Richard Branson was knighted in 2000.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Richard Branson”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net. 5th Feb. 2013. Last updated 1 February 2019.Losing My Virginity: Richard Branson AutobiographyRichard Branson Autobiography at Amazon.comRichard Branson Autobiography at Amazon.co.uk Related pagesFamous Entrepreneurs – Famous entrepreneurs who have set up and created successful businesses, including Henry Ford, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.Famous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.
98 Roger Federer born 8 August 1981 is a Swiss tennis player, widely regarded to be the best tennis player of all time. In a remarkable career, he has won 20 Grand Slam titles and reached the finals of all major grand slams at least five times. During the period 2004 to 2008, he was world number one for a record 237 consecutive weeks. He has won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award (voted by players) a record thirteen times. He also supports several charities and is an ambassador for UNICEF.Early Life FedererFederer was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1981. As a youngster, he grew up loving all sports which involved the hand-eye co-ordination of a ball. He played football, badminton and basketball and even calls himself an avid cricket fan. Although he played several sports, he began received coaching from the age of ten from Adolf Kacovsky. Kacovsky remembers that Federer had tremendous natural talent ‘He seemed to be born with a racket in his hand’ But, even so, when the young Federer said he wanted to be the best player in the world, people would laugh (including himself) Despite Federer’s unbounded talent, he was temperamental on the court, he himself says he was a bit of a ‘hothead’. However, Peter Carter, an Australian coach spent considerable time telling Federer how much energy he was wasting getting annoyed with himself. Over the teenage years, Federer learnt to control his temper. He is now regarded as one of the calmest tennis players.In 1998, he won the boys Wimbledon tournament, aged 17. That year he also made it to the final of the US Open. Joining the senior ATP tour, Federer made steady progress. He made his first final at the Marseilles Open in 2001 and won his first title in 2001 at the Milan indoor tournament. In 2001, He also rose to prominence in the public’s mind by beating four-time defending champion Pete Sampras to reach the quarterfinals.In 2002, his beloved junior coach Peter Carter died (in a car crash in Africa). Federer said his death was very traumatic, but it provided a motivation to remember and implement his advice to be a better player, but also a better person and calmer when defeated.In 2003, Federer confirmed his nascent talent by winning his first grand slam title at Wimbledon. He ended the year as world no. 2 – just behind Andy Roddick. The next year, Federer began to dominate the men’s game like no one else for a long time. He won three Grand Slam singles titles (the first to do this since Mats Wilander in 1988) Unsurprisingly he ended that dominant year as world number one. A position he was to keep for the next four years.An epic moment in his career came in the 2007 Wimbledon final. Federer beat long-time rival R.Nadal in a thrilling five-set final to give him five consecutive Wimbledon titles (only the 2nd player since Bjorn Borg to achieve this feat) It was widely regarded as one of the great Wimbledon finals. After winning, Federer said:“Each one is special but to play a champion like Rafa, it means a lot and equalling Bjorn’s record as well…” (BBC Sport)In 2011, Federer had a relatively lean year – failing to win a grand slam for the first time in several years. Federer faced increased levels of competition from Rafa Nadal and an improving N Djokovic, Andy Murray.In 2012, he returned to form at Wimbledon, winning his 7th title on grass. He also won a silver medal in the Olympics (losing to Andy Murray) and gold in the doubles.In the past few years, Federer’s rate of career milestones has slowed down, but he continues to be one of the great tennis players of the era – despite also showing human limitations. Federer has also displayed great versatility and great perseverance, in a career spanning over a decade. Jimmy Connors has paid tribute to Federer’s versatility and ability to play on any surface.“In an era of specialists, you’re either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist…or you’re Roger Federer.” He has a wide range of shots and ability to play at both the baseline and at the net.”Federer is widely regarded for having the complete all-around game – power, finesse, a full range of shots, and excellent footwork. He methodically looks at opponents to evaluate weakness in their game.Through tournament winnings and endorsements, Federer has become one of the best-paid sportsmen of the current era. Forbes rank Federer as number two in terms of top-earning sportsmen.Federer supports a number of charities, founding the Roger Federer Foundation to help disadvantaged people through sports in 2003. He was also appointed a goodwill ambassador by UNICEF in 2006.In 2018, he successfully defended his Australian title. At 36 years and a half year, he became the oldest ATP world No. 1 by more than three years. Federer is widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time. Not only does he have a record 20 Grand Slam titles but it has been achieved in a period of intense competition with the sport taken to new levels of fitness and perfection. It is often referred to as “Tennis’ Golden Age’ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Roger Federer”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, Published 21st Oct. 2013. Last updated 18 February 2018.Roger Federer – The Biography Roger Federer – The Biography at AmazonRelated Pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Inspirational people – People who made a difference in a positive way and left the world a better place. Includes Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Emil Zatopek.People of the Twenty-First Century (2001 -) Politicians, musicians, authors, scientists and sports figures of the New Millennium.Famous Swiss. A list of famous Swiss people. It includes authors, sportstars, scientists, political figures and artists. Includes Roger Federer, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Martina Hingis and Carl Jung.Tennis playersExternal linksRoger Federer.com
99 Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States, serving from Jan 1981 to 1989. He was a Republican and was credited with a resurgence of American conservatism. He pursued a policy of neo-liberal economics – seeking tax cuts, reduced government spending, and privatisation. Towards the end of his presidency, he was involved in negotiations with Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, which led to treaties reducing the nuclear capabilities of both countries and the ending of the Cold War. He also took an activist approach to protecting US interests abroad – including controversial decisions, such as the bombing of Libya, and the invasion of Grenada to reverse a Communist coup.Early LifeRonald Reagan was born 6 February 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. He attended Dixon High School where he gained an interest in acting and sports. He then attended Eureka College where he was elected president of the student body.In the 1930s, Reagan gained work as a radio presenter commenting on baseball games. He made a strong impact because of his clear presentation and engaging voice. In 1937, Regan moved to Hollywood where he gained a contract with Warner Brothers. He was a prolific actor appearing in nineteen films by the end of 1939. Reagan later commented that with many films he worked on, directors were keen to get the movie finished as quickly as possible.In 1942 he starred in ‘Kings Row’ – a film about a double amputee. His performance received critical acclaim, and it made him quite famous as a Hollywood actor. But, shortly after, he was drafted into active service in the U.S. Army. During the war, poor eyesight meant he was excluded from serving overseas. He worked in public relations and made several propaganda films, and helped in the War Loan drive to raise money for the cost of the war.Reagan married for the first time in 1940, to actress Jane Wyman, having two children. Wyman later filed for divorce in 1948, not wishing to support Reagan’s political ambitions.After the war, Reagan became president of the Screen Actors Guild. This involved representing actors in labour disputes; he also gave information to the FBI about actors with potential Communist sympathies.It was as president of SAG that he met Nancy Reagan – ironically because Nancy had been mistakenly put on the list of ‘Communist sympathisers’. They married in 1952 and had two children – Patti and Ron.Political careerReagan began his political career as a Democrat. He supported Harry Truman in the 1948 election. However, his wife Nancy was a Republican, and in the 1950s, he drifted towards the Republican party. He supported the Presidential campaigns of Eisenhower (’52 and ’56) and Richard Nixon (1960)In 1962, he formally joined the Republican party, stating that he didn’t leave the Democrat party, but the party left him.Conservative beliefsHis political profile within the Republican movement rose sharply in 1964 when delivering a speech “Time for Choosing” for Presidential hopeful Barry Goldwater. Reagan stressed his philosophy which would characterise his political views. Reagan believed that government needed to be limited to prevent intrusion into individual liberties. Reagan was espousing a conservatism that would become popular in America. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and in the 1960s opposed some civil rights legislation because people should have the freedom to discriminate in housing if they wanted to. However, he claimed it was not from racist motives, and when growing up in the segregated South, he had offered accommodation to black people who were unable to stay at a hotel.Ronald Reagan later paid credit to Martin Luther King for the peaceful civil rights movement of the 1960s.“Abraham Lincoln freed the black man. In many ways, Dr. King freed the white man. How did he accomplish this tremendous feat? Where others — white and black — preached hatred, he taught the principles of love and nonviolence.” (15 January 1983)Libertarianism and ConservatismReagan promoted a form of conservatism that in many regards had parallels to libertarianism – a very limited form of government. Or as Regan joke in 1965“Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.”A typical summary of his ideology for limited government is expressed in this interview.“The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom…But again, I stand on my statement that I think that libertarianism and conservatism are traveling the same path.” (Interview published in Reason (1 July 1975).In the 1960s, Reagan spoke against ‘socialised healthcare’ and favoured reducing the welfare state.“Welfare’s purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.” Interview, Los Angeles Times (7 January 1970).Governor of CaliforniaIn 1966, he was elected governor of California. His main policy planks were to reduce government spending, in particular, cut welfare spending, and to tackle the student anti-war/anti-establishment protests which were springing up in response to the Vietnam war.As Governor Reagan was quick to send troops into Berkeley and other universities to crack down on protests. When quizzed about ‘Bloody Thursday’ – where a protester was killed by police. Reagan was unapologetic. “If it takes a bloodbath, let’s get it over with. No more appeasement.” Cannon, Lou (2003), p. 295. Reagan was supportive of the Vietnam war.In 1976, his standing within the conservative movement encouraged him to stand for the Republican nomination. He lost to the more moderate Gerald Ford, but his campaign gave an impressive display of conservative strength, and in 1980 he gained the Republican nomination to fight Jimmy Carter.President 1981-89Against a backdrop of high inflation, low growth and the Iran hostage crisis. Reagan offered a radical agenda of economic neo-liberalism, a hard-line stance against Communism, state rights and strong national defence.Reagan won a convincing electoral victory in 1981 making him the oldest person to be elected president, at the age of 69.Reagan was viewed as an excellent communicator; people warmed to his personal, no-nonsense style. He came across as something of a Washington outsider, more at home on the farm. This engagement with ordinary people played a pivotal role in his electoral success and long-term popularity.Within three months of his Presidency, Reagan was shot in an attempted assassination attempt. He narrowly survived and made a full recovery.Social valuesReagan promoted conservative social values. This included trying to push a constitutional amendment to allow school prayer. He opposed abortion (though ironically as a new governor of California he signed a bill allowing abortion. Reagan later said he regretted the decision.) He also launched a renewed ‘war on drugs’ which took a hard-line approach to drug use. It led to more prison terms, (especially for Afro-Americans, the biggest users of Crack). For example, sentencing guidelines that meant that someone 5 grams (two sugar packets) worth of crack received an automatic five years in prison. The prison population soared during Reagan’s term. (And continued to rises after Reagan’s presidency.More successful was the “Just say no” drug awareness campaign which sought to encourage young people to reject recreational drugs. First Lady Nancy Reagan was active in raising its profile across America.On immigration Reagan was relatively liberal; in 1982, he allowed 3 million existing illegal immigrants to claim US citizenship. To stem further illegal immigrants, he passed a law to make it illegal to employ illegal immigrants.Economic policyIn economics, he took a hard-line against trades unions, he implemented income tax cuts and attempted to reduce government spending.“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. ” (1981 Inaugural address)A plank of his economic policy was called ‘trickle down economics’. The idea that if the wealthy become better off, wealth and income will trickle down to all in society. Despite rhetoric to reduce government spending, overall government spending increased under Reagan, partly because of the expansion of military expenditure (40% increase between 1981 and 1985.Also, although top rate income tax rates were cut from 70% to 50%, in 1981, other taxes were later raised. Tax as a % of GDP during his presidency was 18.2% – almost the same as the average tax rate 18.1% between 1970-2010. Despite a stance of fiscal responsibility, he presided over growing budget deficits, and overall national debt rose from $997 billion to $2.85 trillion, something Reagan described as his greatest disappointment. However, Reagan claimed strong economic growth during the 1980s was a vindication of his economic policies.US Federal deficitReagan benefited from a fall in oil prices and the economic boom of the 1980s, which saw rising real incomes. But, the period also saw an increase rise in inequality with the gap between high earners and low earners increasing significantly.Cold war rhetoricReagan was a fierce anti-communist all his life. On gaining the Presidency, he was criticised for escalated tensions with the Soviet Union, calling the Soviet Union ‘the evil empire’ (1983) and significantly building up the U.S. Military strength. However, while expanding the Star Wars programme, Reagan outlined his approach to foreign policy“The defense policy of the United States is based on a simple premise: The United States does not start fights. We will never be an aggressor.”Reagan and Gorbachev, 1985.Under the reforming Presidency of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union became more committed to arms reduction and liberalisation through Gorbachev’s policy of Perestroika and Glasnost. Several treaties were signed which reduced the nuclear arsenals of both sides. In 1988, Reagan visited the Soviet Union, where he was well received. When asked if he still considered the Soviet Union the evil empire, Reagan replied “No, I was talking about another time, another era” Reagan expressed optimism about the direction the Soviet Union were taking under Gorbachev.Gorbachev later said of Reagan:“[Reagan] a man who was instrumental in bringing about the end of the Cold War” and deemed him “a great President”In 1987, Reagan challenged the Soviet Union to go further:“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”Ten months after he left office, in 1989, the Berlin wall did come down and the cold-war was officially declared over at a conference in MaltaCovert Anti-Communist actionAs President, Reagan also supported aiding anti-communist movements across the world. The aim was to overturn any regime allied to the Soviet Union. Some of these anti-communist movements were also accused of severe human rights violations. These campaigns were funded secretly and supported by the CIA; this included supporting Afghan forces fighting the Soviet Union. Though ironically, these US weapons were later used by the Taliban against US forces who went to Afghanistan in the 2000s.In 1983, Reagan sent troops to invade Grenada and overthrow the non-aligned Marxist government.In 1986, the CIA was involved in clandestine activity in selling arms to Iran and using the proceeds to fund anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua; this was made public in the Iran-Contra scandal. This had been outlawed by an act of Congress, but CIA had undertaken it on its own initiative. Regan denied direct knowledge.It was a rare case of a scandal hitting the approval ratings of Reagan. Usually, he had the ability to deflect attention from scandals.In 1986, a bomb exploded in a Berlin nightclub killing one US servicemen. Citing Libyan involvement, Reagan ordered a series of air-strikes against Libya, citing the US right to self-defence. In response, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution which condemned the US attack. It was passed by a vote of 79 to 28.A critical moment in Reagan’s second term was the Challenger disaster in 1986, where a US space shuttle exploded killing all seven astronauts on board.After office, Reagan received much critical acclaim, and also much criticism. In August 1994, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease – which involves a slow and steady deterioration in the brain. After the diagnosis, Reagan retreated from public view. He died of pneumonia on 5 June 2004. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Ronald Reagan”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Published 31st January 2015. Last updated 18 February 2018.An American Life: The Autobiography An American Life: The Autobiography at AmazonThe Reagan Diaries The Reagan Diaries at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.People of the Twentieth Century (1901 to 2000) Famous people of the turbulent century. Includes Winston Churchill, F.D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler and Stalin.People of the Cold War (1948 to 1990) Famous people who participated in the Cold War between the Soviet block and the US/NATO allies.Famous people
100 Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (1913 – 2005) was an African American civil right’s activist and seamstress whom the U.S. Congress dubbed the “Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement”.Parks is famous for her refusal on 1 December 1955, to obey bus driver James Blake’s demand that she relinquish her seat to a white man. Her subsequent arrest and trial for this act of civil disobedience triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history, and launched Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the organisers of the boycott, to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Her role in American history earned her an iconic status in American culture, and her actions have left an enduring legacy for civil rights movements around the world.Early life Rosa ParksRosa Louise McCauley was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4, 1913. Her ancestors included both Irish-Scottish lineage and also a great grandmother who was a slave. She attended local rural schools, and after the age of 11, the Industrial School for Girls in Montgomery. However, she later had to opt out of school to look after her grandmother.As a child, Rosa became aware of the segregation which was deeply embedded in Alabama. She experienced deep-rooted racism and became conscious of the different opportunities faced by white and black children. She also recalls seeing a Klu Klux Klan march go past her house – where her father stood outside with a shotgun. Due to the Jim Crow laws, most black voters were effectively disenfranchised.In 1932, she married Raymond Parks, a barber from Montgomery. He was active in the NAACP, and Rosa Parks became a supporter – helping with fund-raising and other initiatives. She attended meetings defending the rights of black people and seeking to prevent injustice.Montgomery Bus BoycottAfter a day at work at Montgomery Fair department store, Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus at around 6 p.m., Thursday, 1 December 1955, in downtown Montgomery. She paid her fare and sat in an empty seat in the first row of back seats reserved for blacks in the “colored” section, which was near the middle of the bus and directly behind the ten seats reserved for white passengers. Initially, she had not noticed that the bus driver was the same man, James F. Blake, who had left her in the rain in 1943. As the bus travelled along its regular route, all of the white-only seats in the bus filled up. The bus reached the third stop in front of the Empire Theater, and several white passengers boarded.In 1900, Montgomery had passed a city ordinance for the purpose of segregating passengers by race. Conductors were given the power to assign seats to accomplish that purpose; however, no passengers would be required to move or give up their seat and stand if the bus was crowded and no other seats were available. Over time and by custom, however, Montgomery bus drivers had adopted the practice of requiring black riders to move whenever there were no white only seats left.Following standard practice, the bus driver Blake noted that the front of the bus was filled with white passengers and there were two or three men standing. Therefore, he moved the “colored” section sign behind Parks and demanded that four black people give up their seats in the middle section so that the white passengers could sit. Years later, in recalling the events of the day, Parks said,“When that white driver stepped back toward us, when he waved his hand and ordered us up and out of our seats, I felt a determination cover my body like a quilt on a winter night.”By Parks’ account, Blake said, “Y’all better make it light on yourselves and let me have those seats.” Three of them complied. Parks said, “The driver wanted us to stand up, the four of us. We didn’t move at the beginning, but he says, ‘Let me have these seats.’ And the other three people moved, but I didn’t.” The black man sitting next to her gave up his seat. Parks moved, but toward the window seat; she did not move to the newly repositioned colored section. Blake then said, “Why don’t you stand up?” Parks responded, “I don’t think I should have to stand up.” Blake called the police to arrest Parks. When recalling the incident for Eyes on the Prize, a 1987 public television series on the Civil Rights Movement, Parks said,“When he saw me still sitting, he asked if I was going to stand up, and I said, ‘No, I’m not.’ And he said, ‘Well, if you don’t stand up, I’m going to have to call the police and have you arrested.’ I said, ‘You may do that.'”During a 1956 radio interview with Sydney Rogers in West Oakland, Parks was asked why she decided not to vacate her bus seat. Parks said, “I would have to know for once and for all what rights I had as a human being and a citizen of Montgomery, Alabama.”She also detailed her motivation in her autobiography, My Story:“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”When Parks refused to give up her seat, a police officer arrested her. As the officer took her away, she recalled that she asked, “Why do you push us around?” The officer’s response as she remembered it was, “I don’t know, but the law’s the law, and you’re under arrest.” She later said, “I only knew that, as I was being arrested, that it was the very last time that I would ever ride in humiliation of this kind.”Parks was charged with a violation of Chapter 6, Section 11 segregation law of the Montgomery City code, even though she technically had not taken up a white-only seat — she had been in a colored section. E.D. Nixon and Clifford Durr bailed Parks out of jail the evening of December 1.That evening, Nixon conferred with Alabama State College professor Jo Ann Robinson about Parks’ case. Robinson, a member of the Women’s Political Council (WPC), stayed up all night mimeographing over 35,000 handbills announcing a bus boycott. The Women’s Political Council was the first group to officially endorse the boycott.On Sunday 4th December 1955, plans for the Montgomery Bus Boycott were announced at black churches in the area, and a front-page article in The Montgomery Advertiser helped spread the word. At a church rally that night, attendees unanimously agreed to continue the boycott until they were treated with the level of courtesy they expected, until black drivers were hired, and until seating in the middle of the bus was handled on a first-come basis.Four days later, Parks was tried on charges of disorderly conduct and violating a local ordinance. The trial lasted 30 minutes. Parks was found guilty and fined $10, plus $4 in court costs. Parks appealed her conviction and formally challenged the legality of racial segregation. In a 1992 interview with National Public Radio’s Lynn Neary, Parks recalled:“I did not want to be mistreated, I did not want to be deprived of a seat that I had paid for. It was just time… there was opportunity for me to take a stand to express the way I felt about being treated in that manner. I had not planned to get arrested. I had plenty to do without having to end up in jail. But when I had to face that decision, I didn’t hesitate to do so because I felt that we had endured that too long. The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became. ”On Monday 5 December 1955, after the success of the one-day boycott, a group of 16 to 18 people gathered at the Mt. Zion AME Zion Church to discuss boycott strategies. The group agreed that a new organisation was needed to lead the boycott effort if it were to continue. Rev. Ralph David Abernathy suggested the name “Montgomery Improvement Association” (MIA). The name was adopted, and the MIA was formed. Its members elected as their president, a relative newcomer to Montgomery, a young and mostly unknown minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.That Monday night, 50 leaders of the African American community gathered to discuss the proper actions to be taken in response to Parks’ arrest. E.D. Nixon said, “My God, look what segregation has put in my hands!” Parks was the ideal plaintiff for a test case against city and state segregation laws. While the 15-year-old Claudette Colvin, unwed and pregnant, had been deemed unacceptable to be the center of a civil rights mobilization, King stated that, “Mrs Parks, on the other hand, was regarded as one of the finest citizens of Montgomery—not one of the finest Negro citizens, but one of the finest citizens of Montgomery.” Parks was securely married and employed, possessed a quiet and dignified demeanour, and was politically savvy.The day of Parks’ trial — Monday, December 5, 1955 — the WPC distributed the 35,000 leaflets. The handbill read, “We are…asking every Negro to stay off the buses Monday in protest of the arrest and trial . . . You can afford to stay out of school for one day. If you work, take a cab, or walk. But please, children and grown-ups, don’t ride the bus at all on Monday. Please stay off the buses Monday.”Rosa Parks on a bus (Dec 1956) after the segregation law was lifted.It rained that day, but the black community persevered in their boycott. Some rode in carpools, while others travelled in black-operated cabs that charged the same fare as the bus, 10 cents. Most of the remainder of the 40,000 black commuters walked, some as far as 20 miles. In the end, the boycott lasted for 382 days. Dozens of public buses stood idle for months, severely damaging the bus transit company’s finances until the law requiring segregation on public buses was lifted.Some segregationists retaliated with terrorism. Black churches were burned or dynamited. Martin Luther King’s home was bombed in the early morning hours of January 30, 1956, and E.D. Nixon’s home was also attacked. However, the black community’s bus boycott marked one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation. It sparked many other protests, and it catapulted King to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.Through her role in sparking the boycott, Rosa Parks played an important part in internationalising the awareness of the plight of African Americans and the civil rights struggle. King wrote in his 1958 book Stride Toward Freedom that Parks’ arrest was the precipitating factor, rather than the cause, of the protest: “The cause lay deep in the record of similar injustices…. Actually, no one can understand the action of Mrs. Parks unless he realizes that eventually, the cup of endurance runs over, and the human personality cries out, ‘I can take it no longer.'”The Montgomery bus boycott was also the inspiration for the bus boycott in the township of Alexandria, Eastern Cape of South Africa which was one of the key events in the radicalization of the black majority of that country under the leadership of the African National Congress.Rosa Parks after boycottAfter the boycott, Rosa Parks became an icon and leading spokesperson of the civil rights movement in the US. Immediately after the boycott, she lost her job in a department store. For many years she worked as a seamstress.In 1965, she was hired by African-American U.S. Representative John Conyers. She worked as his secretary until her retirement in 1988. Conyers remarked of Rosa Parks.“You treated her with deference because she was so quiet, so serene — just a very special person.” [CNN,2004]AwardsSome of the awards Rosa Parks received.She was selected to be one of the people to meet Nelson Mandela on his release from prison in 1994.In 1996, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill ClintonIn 1997, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest award of Congress.Death and funeralRosa Parks resided in Detroit until she died at the age of ninety-two on October 24, 2005. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Rosa Parks Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Published 11th Feb 2012. Last updated 13th Feb 2019.Rosa Parks books The Rebellious Life of Mrs Rosa Parks at Amazon Related pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Inspirational people – People who made a difference in a positive way and left the world a better place.People who fought for human /civil rights – People who campaigned for equality, civil rights and civil justice.Women who changed the world – Famous women who changed the world. Features female Prime Ministers, scientists, cultural figures, authors and royalty. Includes; Princess Diana, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great. External linksRosa Parks institution
101 Shakira – Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, businesswoman, and philanthropist.Born in Colombia in 1997, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, displayed a prodigious musical talent from an early age. Her father encouraged her to write and create song lyrics. Even by the age of seven, she showed remarkable talent in both singing and dancing. It was in her grandmother’s Lebanese restaurant where she learnt and developed dancing routines. Although born in Colombia, her father was Lebanese.As a child her voice was very powerful and some criticised it for being ‘too powerful’ But, Shakira caught the eye of music producers and she started recording her own albums.In 1995, she released Pies Descalzos’, which gained her much popularity in Latin America and SpainHer 1998 album “Dónde Están Los Ladrones?” was very influential and moved her from a local star to a global fan base and international appeal. By the early 2000s, she had broken into the market for English speaking music. She learnt English and wrote and recorded her own songs, producing albums in both Spanish and English.She has set numerous records for her albums, downloads and has become easily the best selling Colombian artist of all time. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});As well as music, she is involved in humanitarian projects, especially in her native Colombia which is struggling to recover from long periods of civil war. Shakira has offered money for her educational charities (Bare Feet Foundation, named after her first hit album), but, equally important she has offered her public presence which often galvanises politicians into promising to do more. When asked why she spends considerable time on humanitarian projects she replied that she felt it was important after having grown up in a developing country and being aware of the huge gap between rich and poor.She is one of the top five best selling artists of the 2000s.Shakira also performed at Barack Obama’s inaugural ceremony in 2009. Obama also asked her to take part in the Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics – an advisory group that advised the president and Education Secretary.In her personal life, she has two children through her relationship football player Milan Piqué Mebarak. She gave birth to her first son on 22 January 2013 and a second son on 29 January 2015. The couple lives in Barcelona, Spain. Shakira – El Dorado Shakira – El Dorado at AmazonRelated pagesMusicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.Female biographies – A list of 100 famous women from Sappho and Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe and Angela Merkel.Shakira.com
102 Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) – Austrian neurologist who is credited with developing the field of psychoanalysis. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Twentieth Century, even though many of his ideas have been challenged in recent decades.Freud was born 6 May 1856 in Freiberg in Moravia, Austrian Empire (now Příbor, Czech Republic) to Hasidic Jewish parents.Freud was brought up in Leipzig and Vienna, where he attended a prominent school. Freud proved an outstanding student, excelling in languages, and English literature. He developed a love for reading Shakespeare in original English, something he kept up throughout his life.At the age of 17, Freud joined the medical facility at the University of Vienna to study a range of subjects, such as philosophy, physiology and zoology.Freud graduated in 1881 and began working at the Vienna General Hospital. He worked in various departments, such as the psychiatric clinic and also combined medical practice with research work – such as an influential paper on aphasia (1891) and the effects of cocaine (1894). Freud was initially an advocate of using cocaine for pain relief, though he later stopped advocating its use – as its dangers became increasingly known. Freud was also an early researcher in the field of cerebral palsy.While working in different medical fields, Freud continued his own independent reading. He was influenced by Charles Darwin’s relatively new theory of evolution. He also read extensively Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy. Other influences on Freud included works on the existence of the subconscious, by writers such as Brentano and Theodor Lipps. Freud also studied the practice of hypnosis, as developed by Jean-Martin Charcot.In 1886, Freud left his hospital post and set up his own private clinic specialising in nervous disorders. An important aspect of Freud’s approach was to encourage patients to share their innermost thoughts and feelings, which often lied buried in their subconscious. Initially, he used the process of hypnosis, but later found he could just ask people to talk about their experiences.Freud hoped that by bringing the unconscious thoughts and feelings to the surface, patients would be able to let go of repetitive negative emotions and feelings. Another technique he pioneered was ‘transference’ where patients would project negative feelings of other people on to the psychoanalyst. Freud himself wrote about the personal cost of delving into the darker aspects of the subconscious“No one who, like me, conjures up the most evil of those half-tamed demons that inhabit the human beast, and seeks to wrestle with them, can expect to come through the struggle unscathed.”Freud – Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (1905)Freud also placed an important stress on getting his patients to write down their dreams and use this in the analysis. Increasingly he used the term ‘psychoanalysis’ to explain his methods.In developing his outlook on psychoanalysis, he also made significant use of his own dreams, depression and feelings from childhood. To Freud, his relationship with his mother was of particular importance – as a child Freud felt he was competing for his mother’s affections between his siblings.Oedipus ComplexAnother key element of Freud’s work was the importance of early sexual experiences of children. He developed a theory of the Oedipus Complex that children have an unconscious and repressed desire to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. Freud felt that the successful resolution of this resolution was important for developing a mature identity and sexuality.DreamsIn 1899, he published ‘The Interpretation of Dreams’ in which, he criticised existing theory of dreams, placing greater emphasis on dreams as unfulfilled wish-fulfilments. He later applied his theories in a more practical setting, which generated a larger readership among the general public. Important works include The Psychopathology of Everyday Life (1901), Jokes and their Relation to the Unconscious (1905), and Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, published in 1905.Group Photo 1909. Freud centre frontFrom the early 1900s, Freud’s new theories became increasingly influential – attracting a range of followers, who were interested in the new theory of psychology. Other important members of this group included Wilhelm Stekel – a physician, Alfred Adler, Max Kahane, and Rudolf Reitler. All five members were Jewish. The group discussed new papers, but it was Freud who was considered the intellectual leader of the burgeoning psychoanalysis movement. By 1908, this group had become larger and was formalised as the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society.In 1909 and 1910, Freud’s ideas were increasingly being spread to the English speaking work. With Carl Jung, Freud visited New York in 1909. In an apocryphal remark – Freud is rumoured to have remarked to Jung on arriving in New York “They don’t realize that we are bringing them the plague.”The trip was a success with Freud awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Clark University, Ma. This led to considerable media interest and the later formation of the American Psychoanalytic Association in 1911.However, as the movement grew, there were increasing philosophical splits, with key members taking different approaches. Carl Jung left the movement in 1912, preferring to pursue an ‘analytical psychology’. After the First World War, Adler and Rank both left for different reasons.Freud 1922 (front leftHowever, Freud and the field of psychoanalysis continued to grow in prominence. In 1930 Freud was awarded the Goethe Prize for his contributions to German literature and psychology.After the mid-1920s, Freud also increasingly tried to apply his theories in other fields such as his history, art, literature and anthropology. Freud is often considered to take a pessimistic view of human nature. In Civilization and Its Discontents (1930), Freud declared:“I have not the courage to rise up before my fellow-men as a prophet, and I bow to their reproach that I can offer them no consolation…”Nazi PersecutionIn 1933, the Nazi’s came to power in Germany, and Freud as a Jewish writer was put on the list of prohibited books. Freud wryly remarked:“What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.”The Nazi’s often burned his books in public. In 1938, Hitler secured an Anschluss of Germany and Austria which placed all Jewish people in great peril, especially intellectuals. Freud, like many in his position, hoped to ride out the growing anti-semitism and stay in Austria. However, in March 1938, Anna Freud was detained by the Gestapo and he became more aware of how dire the situation was. With the help of Ernest Jones (then president of the IPA), Freud and 17 colleagues were given work permits to emigrate to Britain. However, the process of leaving proved tortuous with the Nazi party seeking to gain ‘exit levies’. Freud needed the help of sympathetic colleagues and friends to hide bank accounts and gain the necessary funds. When leaving Austria, Freud was required to sign a document testifying that he had been well and fairly treated. He did so, with a dry wit, adding in his own hand: “I can most highly recommend the Gestapo to everyone.” (1)Freud finally managed to leave Austria on 4 June by the Orient Express, arriving London, 6 June. (As a footnote, Freud’s four elderly sisters did not manage to escape Austria, and would later die in concentration camps.)For the remaining years of his life, Freud lived at Hampstead, England, where he continued to see patients and continue his work.In 1923, Freud had been diagnosed with cancer (a result of his smoking habit). Surgery was partially successful, but by 1939, the cancer of his jaw got progressively worse, putting him in great pain. He died on 23 September 1939.In 1886, he married Martha Bernays; they had six children. Martha’s sister Minna Bernays also joined the household after her fiance died.On religionAlthough of Jewish ethnicity, Freud rejected conventional monotheistic religion as being an illusion and just a necessary step in mankind’s evolution. However, in Moses and Monotheism, Freud acknowledged that religion had played a role in encouraging investigation into the unknown.Legacy of FreudFreud was instrumental in the growth of psychoanalysis. His theories have proved controversial, but have often served as a reference either for those who support Freud or those who take an alternative view.But, despite the immense influence of Freud, his views are increasingly questioned by people who reject the importance he attached to childhood sexuality. Also, contentious is Freud’s idea that humans are afflicted by a destructive ‘death impulse’.Others criticise Freud for his lack of scientific enquiry – rather trusting to his own judgement and intuition.FeminismFreud’s worked on many female patients, and many of his case studies involve Viennese women. He famously remarked:“The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is ‘What does a woman want?'”In the 1960s and 70s, the feminist movement was highly critical of Freud’s theory. Simone de Beauvoir criticised psychoanalysis in her book “The Second Sex”. In the Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan considered Freud to have a ‘Victorian view’ of women.However, despite the great controversy surrounding Freud’s theories, many believe him to be one of the most original and influential thinkers, who spawned a range of different approaches to issues of the subconscious, personal relationships and dreams.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Sigmund Freud”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 23 March 2015. Last updated 15 February 2018.The Freud Reader (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Freud Reader at AmazonFreud: A Life for Our Time Freud: A Life for Our Time by Peter Gay at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Austrians. Famous Austrians, including Marie Antoinette, Sigmund Freud and musicians, such as Mozart, Franz Liszt, Schubert. Also Austrian political figures.Writers/authors – Famous authors. J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin.Famous Jewish people – Famous people of Jewish ethnicity.100 most influential people – A list of 100 most influential people as chosen by Michael H. Hast, from his book 100 most influential people in the world. Includes; Muhammad, Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, Confucius, St Paul and Johann Gutenberg.
103 Simon Bolivar (1783–1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who was instrumental in helping Latin American countries achieve independence from the Spanish Empire. During his lifetime, Bolivar became known as ‘El Libertador’ through helping countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia all achieve independence. Bolivar acted as a political dictator, but to some extent helped lay the foundations of democracy in Latin America. From 1819 to 1830 he served as president of the Hispanic-American republic known as Gran Colombia.Early lifeSimon Bolivar was born July 1783, in Caracas, Venezuela to wealthy aristocratic parents in Venezuela. His parents died when he was young, and he was largely brought up by his nurse, family friends and a series of instructors and educators. One of the most influential of his teachers was Don Simon Rodriguez, who taught the young Bolivar about the ideals of liberty, enlightenment and freedom. When he was 14, his mentor Rodriguez had to flee the country because he was under suspicion of plotting against the Spanish rulers. Bolivar entered the military academy Milicias de Veraguas, where he developed a passion for military strategy.Marriage and personal tragedyIn 1799, he travelled to Europe to complete his education. Whilst in Madrid, he met Maria Rodriguez and they were married two years later. However, shortly after their marriage in January 1802, Maria contracted yellow fever and died. It left Bolivar emotionally distraught. He vowed he would never marry again and later commented that such a personal blow may have been a reason he threw his energies into politics and not domestic life.“Look the way things are: if I were not widowed, my life would have maybe been different; I would not be the General Bolívar nor the Libertador,” – Bolivar, 1828However, although he did not get married he did have several lovers and he became close to Manuela Sáenz who would later save him from an assassination attempt.Bolivar then moved to Paris, where he continued to read the great enlightenment thinkers of Europe, such as Voltaire, Montesquieu and Rousseau, which had an important influence on his political beliefs. He became enamoured of the ideals and vision of the American and French revolutions. Also, it was in Europe, that the idea of gaining independence for Latin American countries became an aspiration. He met Alexander von Humboldt who had recently spent five years in south America, he remarked to Bolivar:“I believe that your country is ready for its independence. But I can not see the man who is to achieve it.”This thought stayed with Bolivar and on a visit to Rome, at the top of Aventine Hill, he made a celebrated vow that he would not rest until his fatherland had been liberated from Spain.Whilst in Paris he witnessed the coronation of Napoleon. Bolivar was mostly impressed with Napoleon and felt that Latin America needed a similar strong leader. Unlike the United States, he worried that Latin America lacked the education and strength to cope with full liberty.Liberation movementIn 1807, Bolivar returned to Venezuela via the United States. He found that the Spanish colonies were increasingly agitating for independence. When a triumphant Napoleon deposed the Spanish Royal family from political power, people in south America saw it as an opportunity to assert their independence from Spain. Bolivar became heavily involved in the movement for independence and in 1810, he was chosen to go on a mission to Britain to seek military and financial support in their campaign for independence.Bolivar returned in 1811 and found the country debating whether to declare independence. He spoke passionately in favour. After a vigorous national debate, the Venezuela national assembly declared independence on 5 July 1811. Bolivar was overjoyed and to mark the occasion, he freed all the slaves in his family and called for the end of slavery in the western Hemispher. Bolivar then joined the Venezuelan army, but by 1812, the Spanish had regained control and Bolivar escaped to Cartagena in New Grenada. In New Grenada, Bolivar wrote, “The Cartagena Manifesto” in which he called for renewed efforts for Venezuela to regain its independence from Spain.“A people that love freedom will in the end be free. We are a microcosm of the human race. We are a world apart, confined within two oceans, young in arts and sciences, but old as a human society. We are neither Indians nor Europeans, yet we are a part of each.” – Bolivar, Letter from Jamaica, 1815Bolivar the “Liberator”In 1813, he was given his first military command in leading revolutionary forces to liberate Venezuela from forces loyal to the Spanish king. He was successful in several battles and was able to enter Caracas as a ‘liberator’ on 6 August 1813. After taking control, he assumed the role of dictator. However, this first restoration of the republic was short-lived – many fellow citizens were nervous about the revolutionaries and preferred the stability of Spanish rule that they were used to. It led to a bitter civil war, where Spanish led forces succeeded in driving Bolivar out of Venezuela, and he fled to New Granada for a second time. In New Granada, he outlined more of his political thinking and sought to gain support from Great Britain who he admired for its political stability. He also spoke in terms of international solidarity and talked about the shared bonds of peoples who love freedom. But, concerned with problems near at home Great Britain (or the US) were unwilling to send any aid.In 1816, with the help of forces from Haiti and British soldiers, Bolivar was able to land in Venezuela and he began a long campaign known as ‘the Admirable Campaign’ to take back Venezuela from the Spanish.During this campaign, Bolivar displayed his talent for military prowess and strong leadership. Despite heavy rains, Bolivar led the army through muddy fields and rivers and across the Andes to Bogota. It was a perilous crossing and some troops died from exposure. But, because it was so difficult to cross, the Spanish never expected an attack. On 7 August 1819, he overwhelmed the Spanish forces at the Battle of Boyaca and was able to triumphally enter Bogota. Bolivar achieved many similar military victories, despite being outnumbered.“Do not compare your material forces with those of the enemy. Spirit cannot be compared with matter. You are human beings, they are beasts. You are free, they are slaves. Fight, and you shall win. For God grants victory to perseverance.” – BolivarWhen this was successfully completed, he was able to launch campaigns to gain independence for Venezuela and Ecuador. On achieving this goal Bolivar was hailed as ‘El Libertador’ – the Liberator.President/dictator of Gran ColombiaIn 1821, his successful military campaigns enabled him to become the president of Gran Colombia (a state covering several Latin American countries). Initially, most of the territory was in the hands of Spanish loyalists, but over the next few years, Bolivar’s army grew stronger and a revolution in Spain, reduced the capacity of the Spanish to fight for their overseas colonies.With the help of his best commander, Antonio Jose de Sucre, he proceeded to liberate Ecuador in 1822. This left the remaining Spanish colony of Peru. The Argentine revolutionary San Martin has liberated parts of southern South America but struggled to defeat the Spanish in the northern region. He decided to allow the more ambitious Bolivar to claim northern Peru as he felt Bolivar had the best military and the political chance of beating the Spanish. In 1824, Bolivar led his army to success and by 9 December 1824, the Spanish army which had numbered 18,000 men surrendered.Battle of Junin 1824The only remaining outpost was then in upper Peru, which Bolivar conquered in April 1825. This new country was named Bolivia after their liberator. It was a remarkable achievement that, from a small unpopular beginning, Bolivar had successfully led the South American countries to gain freedom from Spain.Post-revolutionary difficultiesBolivar’s grand vision of a federation of Latin American Republics (like the United States) proved difficult to hold together.Like Napoleon, Bolivar was torn between republican ideals and the need to maintain order. Bolivar like aspects of democracy but also feared that only a strong leader could hold together a country. When writing the Bolivian constitution, he stipulated elections (on limited suffrage) two legislative assemblies but most importantly a lifelong presidency – similar to the British constitutional idea of a hereditary monarch. Bolivar was strongly anti-slavery, but this was unpopular within the Gran Colombia because slavery was such an important part of the Venezuelan economy. Bolivar also had a strong internationalist spirit, one of his dreams was to see a Federation of Latin American countries.“In the unity of our nations rests the glorious future of our peoples,” (1)Bolivar felt that a union of states and solidarity would be mutually beneficial. It proved to be an idea ahead of its time, with only Colombia agreeing to ratify Bolivar’s proposals and hopes for a common army were allowed to drift.There were frequent resentments from different regions and Bolivar was forced to take dictatorial powers to hold the country together. However, this increased the alienation of his political opponents. In 1828, he narrowly avoided an assassination attempt and Bolivar realised that he was a polarising figure and the hope of keeping countries together was not realistic.Final year and DeathIn 1830, Bolivar resigned his presidency – turning down offers to become permanent president, preferring to remain an ordinary citizen. He planned to sail to Europe but before he could set sail, he became ill from tuberculosis. He died after a painful illness towards the end of the year.“Colombians! My last wish is for the happiness of the patria. If my death contributes to the end of partisanship and the consolidation of the union, I shall be lowered in peace into my grave.” – Simón BolívarAchievements of BolivarBolivar successfully liberated modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela.Successful in gaining support for his army of liberation and turning the tide of public opinion to support the idea of full independence.Military successful in leading his army of very mixed units in defeating Spanish forces.Held together forces of liberation through his strong will – even in the face of adversity.Wrote a constitution which developed ideas of democracy.“A republican government: that is what Venezuela…should have. Its principles should be the sovereignty of the people, division of powers, civil liberty, prohibition of slavery and the abolition of monarchy and privileges. We need equality to recast, so to speak, into a single whole, the classes of men, political opinions and political custom.” – BolivarAlthough Bolivar acted like a dictator, there was more representative democracy than under absolute Monarch. It was an evolution of democracy.Created sense of national identity amongst Southern American countries.He successfully led daring marches and raids catching the enemy in surprise – especially in the Admirable Campaign.Personal qualities of Bolivar“When I contemplate this immense reunited country, my soul mounts to that height demanded by the colossal perspective of a picture so wonderful. My imagination takes flight toward future ages and admiringly observes from them the prosperity, the splendor, and the life which will exist within this vast territory. I am carried away; and I seem to behold it in the heart of the universe, stretching along its extensive coasts between two oceans which nature has separated; but which our fatherland has united by long and wide canals.” – The Angostura Address (1819)Bolivar was a charismatic leader and visionary who succeed in liberating large areas of south America. He was emotional, dramatic with a love of flattery and numerous personal foibles. When the cause seemed lost, he showed steely determination, great courage and leadership. He had an internationalist spirit, seeking a federation of American states, and yet he is often remembered as a nationalistic and militaristic figure. He loved the ideals of the American revolution, but felt democracy would not work for his own people. He had no desire for personal wealth or gain. He began life rich but ended it poor. He freed all his slaves and sought (with mixed results) to end slavery in the countries he liberated.Marquis de Lafayette wrote on behalf of George Washington’s family that Bolivar was “The second Washington of the New World.“Religion (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Simon Bolivar was Roman Catholic. He was also a prominent freemason. When attacking Spanish churches he sometimes had their wealth stripped out. In his writings, he sometimes invoked God, but mainly talked of the political struggle.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Simon Bolivar Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, Last updated 20 March 2020. First published 11th Feb 2013.Bolivar: American Liberator Bolivar: American Liberator at AmazonRelated pagesRevolutionaries – People who inspired or began revolutions. Including Spartacus, Joan of Arc, George Washington, Karl Marx.Facts about Simon Bolivar Interesting and unusual facts about Simon Bolivar. His personal life, temprement, military success, anecdotes of bravery and achievements in South America.Famous Hispanics – A list of famous people of Spanish-speaking origin. Includes Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Simon Bolivar, Selena and Jorge Ramos.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.
104 Stephen Hawking (1942 – 2018) is an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author. He is best known for his attempts to explain in clear terms the origins of the universe and some of the most complicated aspects of the cosmos and physics. Hawking was the first scientist to offer a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.Early life Stephen HawkingStephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His family had moved to Oxford to escape the threat of V2 rockets over London. As a child, he showed prodigious talent and unorthodox study methods. On leaving school, he got a place at University College, Oxford University where he studied Physics. His physics tutor at Oxford, Robert Berman, later said that Stephen Hawking was an extraordinary student. He used few books and made no notes, but could work out theorems and solutions in a way other students couldn’t.“My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”– Stephen Hawking’s Universe (1985) by John Boslough, Ch. 7On gaining a B.A.Hons in Physics, he briefly stayed to study astronomy but was not interested in observing sunspots so moved to Trinity College, Cambridge where he was able to pursue his passion for theoretical astronomy and cosmology.It was in Cambridge that Stephen Hawking first started to develop symptoms of neuro-muscular problems – a type of motor neuron disease. This quickly started to hamper his physical movements. His speech became slurred, and he became unable to even to feed himself. At one stage, the doctors gave him a lifespan of three years. However, the progress of the disease slowed down, and he has managed to overcome his severe disability to continue his research and active public engagements. At Cambridge, a fellow scientist developed a synthetic speech device which enabled him to speak by using a touchpad. This early synthetic speech sound has become the ‘voice’ of Stephen Hawking, and as a result, he has kept the original sound of this early model – despite technological advancements.Nevertheless, despite the latest technology, it can still be a time-consuming process for him to communicate. Stephen Hawking has taken a pragmatic view to his disability:“It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven’t done badly. People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. ” The Guardian (27 September 2005)Stephen Hawking’s principal fields of research have been involved in theoretical cosmology and quantum gravity.Amongst many other achievements, he developed a mathematical model for Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. He has also undertaken a lot of work on the nature of the Universe, The Big Bang and Black Holes.In 1974, he outlined his theory that black holes leak energy and fade away to nothing. This became known as “Hawking radiation” in 1974. With mathematicians Roger Penrose he demonstrated that Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity implies space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes.Despite being one of the best physicists of his generation, he has also been able to translate difficult physics models into a general understanding for the general public. His books – A Brief History of Time and The Universe in A Nutshell have both became runaway bestsellers – with a Brief History of Time staying in the Bestsellers lists for over 230 weeks and selling over 10 million copies. In his books, Hawking tries to explain scientific concepts in everyday language and give an overview to the workings behind the cosmos.“The whole history of science has been the gradual realization that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but that they reflect a certain underlying order, which may or may not be divinely inspired.”– A Brief History Of Time (1998) ch. 8Stephen Hawking has become one of the most famous scientists of his generation. He makes frequent public engagements and his portrayed himself in popular media culture from programmes, such as The Simpsons to Star Trek.Hawking had the capacity to relate the most complex physics to relateable incidents in everyday life.“The message of this lecture is that black holes ain’t as black as they are painted. They are not the eternal prisons they were once thought.Things can get out of a black hole both on the outside and possibly to another universe. So if you feel you are in a black hole, don’t give up – there’s a way out.”Stephen Hawking. 7 January 2016 – Reith lecture at the Royal Institute in London.In the late 1990s, he was reportedly offered a knighthood, but 10 years later revealed he had turned it down over issues with the government’s funding for scienceHe married Jane Wilde, a language student in 1965. He said this was a real turning point for him at a time when he was fatalistic because of his illness. They later divorced but had three children.Stephen Hawking passed away on 14 March 2018 at his home in Cambridge.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Stephen Hawking”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 15 January 2018.A Brief History Of Time A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking at AmazonQuotes of Stephen Hawking“If we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists. Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason — for then we would know the mind of God.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});– Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays (1993)“Even if there is only one possible unified theory, it is just a set of rules and equations. What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe? The usual approach of science of constructing a mathematical model cannot answer the questions of why there should be a universe for the model to describe. Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing?”– A Brief History of Time (1988)“One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.”– Stephen Hawking“For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk and we learned to listen. Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind’s greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn’t have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.”– Stephen Hawking (BT advert 1993)Related pagesFamous Scientists – Famous scientists from Aristotle and Archimedes to Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. Including mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists.Famous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.Stephen Hawking.org.uk
105 Steve Jobs (Feb 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman and inventor who played a key role in the success of Apple computers and the development of revolutionary new technology such as the iPod, iPad and MacBook.Early LifeSteve Jobs was born in San Francisco, 1955, to two university students Joanne Schieble and Syrian-born John Jandali. They were both unmarried at the time, and Steven was given up for adoption.Steven was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, whom he always considered to be his real parents. Steven’s father, Paul, encouraged him to experiment with electronics in their garage. This led to a lifelong interest in electronics and design.Jobs attended a local school in California and later enrolled at Reed College, Portland, Oregon. His education was characterised by excellent test results and potential. But, he struggled with formal education and his teachers reported he was a handful to teach.At Reed College, he attended a calligraphy course which fascinated him. He later said this course was instrumental in Apple’s multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.Steve Jobs in IndiaIn 1974, Jobs travelled with Daniel Kottke to India in search of spiritual enlightenment. They travelled to the Ashram of Neem Karoli Baba in Kainchi. During his several months in India, he became aware of Buddhist and Eastern spiritual philosophy. At this time, he also experimented with psychedelic drugs; he later commented that these counter-culture experiences were instrumental in giving him a wider perspective on life and business.“Bill Gates‘d be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once or gone off to an ashram when he was younger.” – Steve Jobs, The New York Times, Creating Jobs, 1997Job’s first real computer job came working for Atari computers. During his time at Atari, Jobs came to know Steve Wozniak well. Jobs greatly admired this computer technician, whom he had first met in 1971.Steve Jobs and AppleIn 1976, Wozniak invented the first Apple I computer. Jobs, Wozniak and Ronald Wayne then set up Apple computers. In the very beginning, Apple computers were sold from Jobs parents’ garage.Over the next few years, Apple computers expanded rapidly as the market for home computers began to become increasingly significant.In 1984, Jobs designed the first Macintosh. It was the first commercially successful home computer to use a graphical user interface (based on Xerox Parc’s mouse driver interface.) This was an important milestone in home computing and the principle has become key in later home computers.Despite the many innovative successes of Jobs at Apple, there was increased friction between Jobs and other workers at Apple. In 1985, removed from his managerial duties, Jobs resigned and left Apple. He later looked back on this incident and said that getting fired from Apple was one of the best things that happened to him – it helped him regain a sense of innovation and freedom, he couldn’t find work in a large company.Life After AppleSteve Jobs and Bill Gates. Photo Joi ItoOn leaving Apple, Jobs founded NeXT computers. This was never particularly successful, failing to gain mass sales. However, in the 1990s, NeXT software was used as a framework in WebObjects used in Apple Store and iTunes store. In 1996, Apple bought NeXT for $429 million.Much more successful was Job’s foray into Pixar – a computer graphic film production company. Disney contracted Pixar to create films such as Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo. These animation movies were highly successful and profitable – giving Jobs respect and success.In 1996, the purchase of NeXT brought Jobs back to Apple. He was given the post of chief executive. At the time, Apple had fallen way behind rivals such as Microsoft, and Apple was struggling to even make a profit.Return to ApplePhoto: Matt BuchananJobs launched Apple in a new direction. With a certain degree of ruthlessness, some projects were summarily ended. Instead, Jobs promoted the development of a new wave of products which focused on accessibility, appealing design and innovate features.The iPod was a revolutionary product in that it built on existing portable music devices and set the standard for portable digital music. In 2008, iTunes became the second biggest music retailer in the US, with over six billion song downloads and over 200 million iPods sold.In 2007, Apple successfully entered the mobile phone market, with the iPhone. This used features of the iPod to offer a multi-functional and touchscreen device to become one of the best-selling electronic products. In 2010, he introduced the iPad – a revolutionary new style of tablet computers.The design philosophy of Steve Jobs was to start with a fresh slate and imagine a new product that people would want to use. This contrasted with the alternative approach of trying to adapt current models to consumer feedback and focus groups. Job’s explains his philosophy of innovative design.“But in the end, for something this complicated, it’s really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”– Steve Jobs, BusinessWeek (25 May 1998)Apple has been rated No.1 in America’s most admired companies. Jobs management has been described as inspirational, although c-workers also state, Jobs could be a hard taskmaster and was temperamental. NeXT Cofounder Dan’l Lewin was quoted in Fortune as saying of that period, “The highs were unbelievable … But the lows were unimaginable.”“My job is not to be easy on people. My jobs is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.” – All About Steve Jobs [link]Under Jobs, Apple managed to overtake Microsoft regarding share capitalization. Apple also gained a pre-eminent reputation for the development and introduction of groundbreaking technology. Interview in 2007, Jobs said:“There’s an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. ‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.’ And we’ve always tried to do that at Apple. Since the very very beginning. And we always will.”Despite, growing ill-health, Jobs continued working at Apple until August 2011, when he resigned.Wealth“I was worth over $1,000,000 when I was 23, and over $10,000,000 when I was 24, and over $100,000,000 when I was 25, and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.”– Steve JobsJobs earned only $1million as CEO of Apple. But, share options from Apple and Disney gave him an estimated fortune of $8.3billion.Personal lifeIn 1991, he married Laurene Powell, together they had three children and lived in Palo Alto, California.In 2003, he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Over the next few years, Jobs struggled with health issues and was often forced to delegate the running of Apple to Tim Cook. In 2009, he underwent a liver transplant, but two years later serious health problems returned. He worked intermittently at Apple until August 2011, where he finally retired to concentrate on his deteriorating health. He died as a result of complications from his pancreatic cancer, suffering cardiac arrest on 5 October 2011 in Palo Alto, California.In addition to his earlier interest in Eastern religions, Jobs expressed sentiments of agnosticism.“Sometimes I believe in God, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s 50-50 maybe. But ever since I’ve had cancer, I’ve been thinking about it more. And I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of – maybe it’s ’cause I want to believe in an afterlife. That when you die, it doesn’t just all disappear.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Quote in Biography by Walter Isaacson.Steve Jobs is buried in an unmarked grave at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, a nonsectarian cemetery in Palo Alto.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Steve Jobs”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Published 25th Feb. 2012. Last updated 11th March 2019.Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Entrepreneurs – Famous entrepreneurs who have set up and created successful businesses, including Henry Ford, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Business people – Famous businessmen and women. Including Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs Quotes All About Steve JobsSteve Jobs at BBC
106 Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born October 2, 1951), better known as Sting, is an English singer and musician. He first became famous as a member of the band, The Police.Sting was born in Newcastle, England in 1951 where he attended St. Cuthbert’s Catholic High School. His father was a milkman in an area dominated by the shipbuilding industry. From an early age, Sting displayed an aptitude and love for music, in particular, the bass guitar. He sought to pursue a career in music, and took part in a variety of local gigs and gained some employment on cruises.His early groups included a mixture of jazz and rock groups such as “Last Exit”He received his name Sting from a black and gold striped rugby sweater he used to often wear when performing in a Dixieland jazz band, in which people said he looked like a bee.His big breakthrough came with the rock band Police. In 1978, he moved to London where, with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, they formed a group ‘The Police’. They went onto sell many best-selling albums and won six Grammy awards. The song ‘Every Breath You Take’ from their last album ‘Synchronicity’ is one of the most played songs on the radio of all time.In 1985, he released his first solo ‘The Dream of the Blue Turtles’. This led on to a very successful solo career. The group Police have only sporadically re-united to play charity gigs and the odd tour (2007).Sting has experimented with a variety of music from classical to rock and jazz. To Sting music doesn’t have to fit into neat boundaries.“There’s this whole universe of music that is simply limitless. When you think you know everything about music, you discover you can’t get to the end. I’m on this lifelong journey, and orchestral music is where it’s now taken me.”– StingHe also talks of how music is important for expressing his feelings.“I’m so glad I have this way of expressing, in a veiled and artistic way, my most intimate feelings. A lot of people have the same feelings, but in others it must get bottled up. I’m proud of my being able to make it into artifacts that some people find beautiful or engaging.”He recorded albums dedicated to both his parents after they passed away. The 1991 album The Soul Cages (to father), and Nothing Like the Sun in 1987 (to his mother).His first wife was Frances Tomelty. They were married on 1 May 1976; together they had two children, before divorcing in 1984. He married Trudie Styler in 1992, with Trudie, he has had another four children.As well as music, he has acted in films such as Quadrophenia (1979), Radio On (1980), Plenty (1985), Dune (1984), Bring on the Night (1985) and The Grotesque (1995)Sting Activism and Charity (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});His first solo performance came in 1981 when he performed in the fourth Amnesty International gala The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball. He was a member of Band Aid (1984). In 1988, he founded the Rainforest Foundation with his second wife Trudie Styler and Raoni Metuktire, a Kayapó Indian leader in Brazil. He is a member of Amnesty International, writing:“I don’t belong to a church or political party or a group of any kind. I feel that Amnesty International is the most civilized organization in history. Its currency is the written word. Its weapon is the letter; that’s why I am a member. I believe in its non-violence; I believe in its effectiveness. Its dignity and its sense of commitment. Its focus on individuals and the concentration and tenacity with which they defend those imprisoned for their ideas has earned it the cautious respect of repressive governments throughout the world.”He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to Music.Sting makes an average of $2,000 per day in royalties for the 30-year-old song “Every Breath You Take.” The song is officially the most requested radio song of all time.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Sting”, Oxford, UK, www.biographyonline.net, Published 12th Feb. 2012.Related pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.Musicians – Famous musicians from classical music to popular music. Including Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and John Lennon.The Best of Sting 1984-1994 The Best of Sting 1984-1994 at Amazon
107 Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed and made commercially available – many key inventions of modern life. His Edison Electric company was a pioneering company for delivering DC electricity directly into people’s homes. He filed over 1,000 patents for a variety of different inventions. Crucially, he used mass-produced techniques to make his inventions available at low cost to households across America. His most important inventions include the electric light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera, an electric car and the electric power station.“None of my inventions came by accident. I see a worthwhile need to be met and I make trial after trial until it comes. What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”– Thomas Edison, interview 1929Short Biography Thomas EdisonThomas Edison was born in Milan, Ohio on Feb 11, 1847, the youngest of seven siblings. His parents were middle class, though they were not wealthy. In particular, the family struggled when the railroad bypassed Milan, forcing the family to move to Port Huron, Michigan. He attended only three months of formal schooling – he irritated his teachers with his repeated questioning and inability to just follow instructions. He was largely disinterested at school and was mainly self-educated through reading. He took upon it himself to read every book on the library shelf. By the age of 12, he was reading Sir Isaac Newton’s famous work – Principia Mathematica. However, Edison was not impressed by the complex maths of Newton and resolved to try and make science more understandable.As a youngster, he tried various odd jobs to earn a living. This including selling candy, vegetables and newspapers. He had a talent for business, and he successfully printed the Grand Trunk Herald along with his other newspapers. This included selling photos of his hero, Abraham Lincoln. He was able to spend his extra income on a growing chemistry set.Unfortunately, from an early age, Edison developed a severe deafness, which ultimately left him almost 90% deaf. He would later refuse any medical treatment, saying it would be too difficult to retrain his thinking process. He seemed to take his deafness in his stride, and never saw it as a disability.Edison had a big break when he saved a young boy on the railway track from being struck by a runaway train. His grateful father, J.U. Mckenzie, had Edison trained as a telegraph operator and, aged 19, Edison moved to Louisville, Kentucky to work as a telegraph operator for Western Union.From childhood, Edison loved to experiment, especially with chemicals. However, these experiments often got Edison into difficulties. A chemistry experiment once exploded on a train, and when working on a night shift at Western Union, his lead-acid battery leaked sulphuric acid through the floor onto his boss’ desk. Edison was fired the next day.However Edison was undimmed and, despite scrapping by in impoverished conditions for the next few years, he was able to spend most of his time working on inventions. He received his first patent on June 1, 1869, for the stock ticker. This would later earn him a considerable sum.In the 1870s, he sold the rights to the quadruplex telegraph to Western Union for $10,000. This gave him the financial backing to establish a proper research laboratory and extend his experiments and innovations. Edison once described his invention methods as involving a lot of hard work and repeated trial and error until a method was successful.“During all those years of experimentation and research, I never once made a discovery. All my work was deductive, and the results I achieved were those of invention, pure and simple. I would construct a theory and work on its lines until I found it was untenable. … I speak without exaggeration when I say that I have constructed 3,000 different theories in connection with the electric light, each one of them reasonable and apparently likely to be true. Yet only in two cases did my experiments prove the truth of my theory.”– “Talks with Edison” by G.P Lathrop in Harper’s magazine, Vol. 80 (Feb. 1890), p. 425By 1877, he had developed the phonograph (an early form of the gramophone player) This received widespread interest, and people were astonished at one of the first audio recording devices. This unique invention earned Edison the nickname ‘The Wizard of Menlo Park‘ Edison’s device would later be improved upon by others, but he made a big step in creating the first recording device.With William Joseph Hammer, Edison started producing the electric light bulb, and it was a great commercial success. Edison’s great advance was to use a carbonised bamboo filament that could last over 1,000 hours. In 1878, he formed the Edison Electric light Company to profit from this invention. Edison successfully predicted that he could make electric light so cheap, it would soon come universal. To capitalise on the success of the electric light bulb, he also worked on electricity distribution. His first power station was able to distribute DC current to 59 customers in lower Manhattan.Edison’s studios now took up two blocks, and it was able to stock a huge range of natural resources, meaning that almost anything and everything could be used in trying to improve designs. This was a big factor in enabling Edison to be so successful in this era of innovation.During the fledgeling years of electricity generation, Edison became involved in a battle between his DC current system and the AC (alternative current) system favoured by George Westinghouse (and developed by Nikola Tesla, who worked for Edison for two years before leaving in a pay dispute.)This became known as the ‘current war’ and both sides were desperate to show the superiority of their system. The Edison company even, on occasion, electrocuted animals to show how dangerous the rival AC current was.During World War One, Edison was asked to serve as a naval consultant, but Edison only wanted to work on defensive weapons. He was proud that he made no invention that could be used to kill. He maintained a strong belief in non-violence.“Nonviolence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.”Edison was also a great admirer of the Enlightenment thinker Thomas Paine. He wrote a book praising Paine in 1925; he also shared similar religious beliefs to Thomas Paine – no particular religion, but belief in a Supreme Being.Edison made many important inventions and development in media. These included the Kinetoscope (or peephole view), the first motion pictures and improved photographic paper.After the death of his first wife, Mary Stilwell in 1884, Edison left Menlo Park and moved to West Orange, New Jersey. In 1886, he remarried Mina Miller. In West Orange, he became friends with the industrial magnate, Henry Ford and was an active participant in the Civitan club – which involved doing things for the local community. His pace of invention slowed down in these final years, but he still kept busy, such as trying to find a domestic source of natural rubber. He was also involved in the first electric train to depart from Hoboken in 1930.Throughout his life, he took an active interest in finding the optimal diet and believed a good diet could play a large role in improving health. In 1903, he was quoted as saying:“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”He had six children, three from each marriage. Edison died of diabetes on October 18, 1931.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Thomas Edison”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net Published 17th July 2013. Last updated 5 March 2018.Quotes by Thomas Edison“Through all the years of experimenting and research, I never once made a discovery. I start where the last man left off. … All my work was deductive, and the results I achieved were those of invention pure and simple.”As quoted in Makers of the Modern World: The Lives of Ninety-two Writers, Artists, Scientists, Statesmen, Inventors, Philosophers, Composers, and Other Creators who Formed the Pattern of Our Century (1955) by Louis Untermeyer, p. 227“We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.”As quoted in Golden Book (April 1931), according to Stevenson’s Book of Quotations (Cassell 3rd edition 1938) by Burton Egbert Stevenson“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”As quoted in Motivating Humans: Goals, Emotions, and Personal Agency Beliefs (1992) by Martin E. Ford, p. 17“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”As quoted in Behavior-Based Robotics (1998) by Ronald C. Arkin. p. 8“Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.”“Everyone steals in commerce and industry. I’ve stolen a lot, myself. But I know how to steal! They don’t know how to steal!” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});As quoted in Tesla: The Modern Sorcerer (1999) by Daniel Blair Stewart, p. 411“I consider Paine our greatest political thinker. As we have not advanced, and perhaps never shall advance, beyond the Declaration and Constitution, so Paine has had no successors who extended his principles.”The Philosophy of Paine (1925)“In ‘Common Sense’ Paine flared forth with a document so powerful that the Revolution became inevitable. Washington recognized the difference, and in his calm way said that matters never could be the same again..”The Philosophy of Paine (1925)The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World at Amazon Related pagesFamous Inventors – Famous inventors including Cai Lun, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Thomas Edison, Nicola Tesla, Sir Isaac Newton, James Watt and Samuel Morse.Famous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.Top 10 InventorsGreatest modern inventionsAmericans who changed the world100 most influential peopleExternal links Thomas Edison homepage
108 Tim Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web (WWW). Berners-Lee enabled a system to be able to view web pages (hypertext documents) through the internet. He also serves as a director for the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which oversees standards for the Internet and World Wide Web. Berners-Lee is also concerned about issues relating to freedom of information and censorship on the internet.Short Biography Tim Berners-LeeTim Berners-Lee was born on 8th June 1955 in London, England. After doing his A Levels at Emanuel School, he went to Queen’s College, Oxford University, where he received a first-class degree in physics.After graduation, he gained employment for a printing firm in Plessey, Poole. From 1980, he was employed as an independent contractor at CERN in Switzerland. An essential part of his job involved sharing information with researchers in different geographical locations. To help this process, he suggested a project based on the use of hypertext. (a language for sharing text electronically) The first prototype was a system known as ENQUIRE.The Internet had been developed since the 1960s as a way to transfer information between different computers. However, Tim Berners-Lee sought to make use of internet nodes and combine it with hypertext and the idea of domains.Tim Berners-Lee later said that all the technology involved in the web had already been developed – ‘hypertext’, the internet; his contribution was to put them all together in one comprehensive package.In 1990, with the help of Robert Cailliau, he produced the first version of the World Wide Web, the first web browser and the first web server. It was put online in 1991. “Info.cern.ch” was the address of the world’s first-ever web site and web server, running on a NeXT computer at CERN. The first web page address was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html.Essentially the contribution of the World Wide Web was to make it easy for people to view hypertext web pages anywhere on the internet. The essential elements of this new development was:A universal system for recognising the location of web pages (Uniform Resource Locator, URL)HTML – Hypertext Markup Language – how web pages are published.Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) – serves up web pages on request.Or as Tim Berners-Lee said:“I just had to take the hypertext idea and connect it to the TCP and DNS ideas and — ta-da!— the World Wide Web.”– Tim Berners-Lee Answers for Young PeopleIn 1994, Berners-Lee founded W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) at the Laboratory of Computer Science (LCS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. This is an organisation to try to improve the quality and standard of the world wide web. He could have tried to monetise his creation but decided to offer the world wide web with no patent and no royalties due.Berners-Lee said if he hadn’t – someone else would have come up with a free idea later. Berners-Lee is modest about his achievement, stating the work of others involved in developing aspects of the internet. However, others argue that Berners-Lee was influential in shaping the free, open-source nature of the early internet. Marc Anderson who helped implement the vision of Berners-Lee stated how the Berners-Lee team were trying to make the internet widely available:“Only smart people could use the internet, was the theory, so we needed to keep it hard to use. We fundamentally disagreed with that: we thought it should be easy to use.” (Guardian article)In the early years, Berners-Lee was an evangelist for the development of the internet. As it gained global critical mass, he reflected on the satisfaction of seeing the growth of the internet; he said it was:“an incredibly good feeling, a lesson for all dreamers … that you can have a dream and it can come true.” (Atlantic)As a founder of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee has a relatively high profile, and he has often spoken up for the freedom of information and net neutrality – arguing that governments should not be involved in censorship of the internet. He has expressed concerns the US may move to a two-tier internet system.“When I invented the web, I didn’t have to ask anyone’s permission. Now, hundreds of millions of people are using it freely. I am worried that that is going end in the USA.” Net Neutrality: This is Serious (June 2006)In 2009, he worked in a project set up by Gordon Brown to help make UK data more publically available. Data.gov.uk. Writing about the importance of the internet, Berners-Lee has stressed the importance of improving communication between people within an interconnected world.“The web is more a social creation than a technical one. I designed it for a social effect — to help people work together — and not as a technical toy.” (Weaving the Web 1999)He has received many orders including an OBE, knighthood and Order of Merit – becoming one of only 24 living members entitled to the honour. He was knighted in 2004 “for services to the global development of the Internet.”Tim Berners-Lee was recognised for his invention of the world wide web in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. During the ceremony, he tweeted “this is for everyone.” The tweet was shown live to the 80,000 audience and tv spectators. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});On 30 March 2011, he was one of the first three recipients of the Mikhail Gorbachev Award for “The Man Who Changed the World”, at the inaugural awards ceremony held in London. Time Magazine listed Berners-Lee in its list of 100 influential people of the Twentieth Century. Time Magazine wrote of Berners-Lee:“He wove the World Wide Web and created a mass medium for the 21st century. The World Wide Web is Berners-Lee’s alone. He designed it. He loosed it on the world. And he more than anyone else has fought to keep it open, nonproprietary and free.”He has married twice – first to Jane Northcote. He married for a second time – Nancy in 1990; they have two children. He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church and appreciates the liberal, ecumenical approach of the church, which stresses the“the inherent dignity of people and in working together to achieve harmony and understanding.”Despite the scope of his invention, Berners-Lee is not rich. Unlike contemporaries, such as Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape who is now a millionaire. For many years he drove a 13-year-old VW Beatle, recently replaced with a VW EOS. He seems content with the non-profit path he took.“You’re right though. I’m not very materialistic. I enjoy being in nature, so protecting nature would be how I would want to spend money.” (Telegraph)Weaving the Web – Tim Berners-Lee Weaving the Web – Tim Berners-Lee at AmazonRelated PagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Great inventions of the modern ageCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Tim Berners-Lee Biography”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Published 12th Jan. 2014. Last updated 8th March 2018.
109 Usain Bolt is one of the world’s most celebrated sportsman with a record-breaking tally of nine gold medals at three consecutive Olympics of 2008, 2012, and 2016. Bolt was gifted ever since he took up sprinting as a junior, but burst onto the World scene with a seemingly effortless dominance of the 100m and 200m final at the Beijing Olympics. Bolt’s appeal has transcended sport, due to his charismatic and laid-back approach. In a sport riddled with allegations of drug use, Bolt has retained a clear record, although he lost one relay gold when a team-mate was retrospectively banned.Early lifeUsain was born on 21 August 1986 in Sherwood Content, a small town in Trelawny, Jamaica. As a youngster he was mostly interested in sports, spending time playing football, cricket and basketball. At one time he considered a career as a cricketer but, his natural talent for sprinting shone through, and so he was encouraged to take sprinting more seriously. At 15 years old, Usain already towered over his fellow competitors. Growing to a height of 6 foot 5 inches, Bolt showed a sprinter need not be short and powerful like previous sprinting greats. bo In 2002, he won Gold at the World Junior Championships in the 200 metres. At this stage in his career, Usain appeared to give the impression of being quite laid back. He didn’t lead an austere disciplined life but enjoyed dancing and the night-life of Kingston, Jamaica. However, he was still training hard and won Gold at the World Youth Championship in the next year at 2003.In 2004, Bolt turned professional, under the guidance of new coach Fitz Coleman. He began his career with the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda. He became the first junior sprinter to break 20 seconds for the 200 metres. By 2005, Usain had a new coach Glen Mills who encouraged Usain to take a more professional approach and not just rely on his natural talent. Over the next few years, injury setbacks curtailed his career, but, he was still able to climb the rankings.His big breakthrough came in the 2007 World Championships where he gained silver in the 200m and 4*100 metre relay. Bolt established a new 100m world record on 31 May 2008. Pushed on by a tailwind of 1.7 m/s, Bolt ran 9.72 s at the Reebok Grand Prix held at the Icahn Stadium in New York City, breaking Powell’s record.2008 OlympicsUsain Bolt went into his first Olympic Games as one of the favourites, despite his youth and inexperience at major championships. Usain Bolt proved to be the revelation of the games. Easing through to the finals of both the 100m and 200m, he set the games alight with his electrifying display in both finals. In the 100 metres final, Usain powered ahead so quickly in the first 60m; he was able to ease off and celebrate in the last few metres. His dominance, audacity and youthful enthusiasm captivated the global audience. In some quarters, he was criticised for celebrating before the finish line. But, Bolt’s dominance and speed were unquestioned. His time of 9.69s was a world record, and if he had kept going to the end, he could have perhaps gone under 9.60 In the 200 metres, Bolt again won gold and even more surprisingly broke Michael Johnson’s long-standing world record. By the next World Championships in Berlin 2009, Bolt was able to again dominate all the sprint events – winning a clean sweep at the 100m, 200m and 100m relay. Again he set remarkable World Record times, lowering the time for 100 metres to 9.58 and 19.19 for 200 metres. On the last day of the Berlin Championships, the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, presented Bolt with a 12-foot high section of the Berlin Wall in a small ceremony, saying Bolt had shown that “one can tear down walls that had been considered as insurmountable.”2012 OlympicsBolt won three gold medals, despite being beaten by his training partner, Yohan Blake during pre-Olympic events at the Jamaican national championships. Bolt won the 100m and 200m and was part of the team that set a new world record in the men’s 100m relay.2013 World ChampionshipsAt the 2013 World Championships, Bolt again won a unique triple of gold at 100m, 200m and 100m relay.Usain Bolt in 2014Bolt’s 2014 season was marred by injury which reduced his racing programme. Bolt has stated that his body has become more prone to injury as his athletic career progresses. In the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Bolt chose not to run in the individual 100m, but he did compete in the 100m relay. Bolt anchored the team to a gold medal and proved to be the star attraction of the games.2016 OlympicsBolt’s run up to the 2016 Olympics was not ideal with frequent injury problems curtailing his racing and training. However, he was determined to finish with a flurry and announced he would retire shortly after the 2016 Games.Bolt was the undoubted superstar of the Games, and despite poor attendances in Rio, Bolt always managed to attract a full crowd. Bolt again managed to win gold in all three events – the 100m, 200m and 100m relay. It was a perfect bag of nine Olympic golds – a feat never before achieved.Bolt has announced that he will retire from athletics after the 2016 Olympics.Usain Bolt and drugsUsain Bolt has shown tremendous talent ever since he first started running. His timings are consistent with an athlete of tremendous talent. As Bolt himself says:“I was the youngest person to win the world juniors at 15. I ran the world junior [200] record 19.93 at [17] … I have broken every record there is to break, in every event I have ever done. “For me, I have proven myself since I was 15. … I have shown everything throughout the years since I was always going to be great.”Usain Bolt is regularly tested by the IAAF international testing pool and has never tested positive. However, inevitably given the history of the sport, questions have been raised about the issue of drug use. The biggest cause for concern has been from the perceived inadequacies of the Jamaican Athletic Federation. In 2013, it emerged that they had failed to undertake proper out of competition testing in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics. This failure to implement proper drug testing was compounded by six Jamaican athletes – including the former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown, testing positive for banned substances. WADA announced an extraordinary audit of the Jamaican testing programme, and have even threatened to ban Jamaican athletes from international competition. (link) Bolt has frequently stated that he is clean“I was made to inspire people and to run, and I was given the gift and that’s what I do,” the six-time Olympic champion said. “I am confident in myself and my team, the people I work with. And I know I am clean. “So I’m just going to continue running, using my talent and just trying to improve the sport.”In Jan 2017, it was announced that Bolt’s teammate, Nesta Carter, from the 2008 Beijing Olympics had retroactively tested positive for a stimulant methylhexaneamine, and therefore the whole team were stripped of their gold medal.Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships in London. In his last major 100m final, Bolt finished in 3rd place – slightly off his usual blistering pace, after an injury-hit year. In his last ever race, he was anchor leg in the 4x100m final. After receiving the baton he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury and hobbled over the line.Since retirement, he has been involved in setting up Jamaican food outlets in the UK. So far, he has insisted he has no plans to return to the track.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Usain Bolt”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 20th January 2018.Usain Bolt World Record Video (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Bolt wins in 9.58 to beat his own recordPersonal Bests100m: 9.58 s (WR, Berlin 2009)150m: 14.35 s (WB, Manchester 2009)200m: 19.19 s (WR, Berlin 2009)400m: 45.28 s (Kingston 2007)Olympic Results2008 BeijingGold – 100 mGold – 200 mGold – 4×100 m relay2012 LondonGold – 100 mGold – 200 mGold – 4×100 m relay2016 RioGold – 100 mGold – 200 mGold – 4×100 m relayWorld Championships2017 Bronze – 100m2015 Gold – 100m2015 Gold – 200m2015 Gold – 4x100m relay2013 Gold – 100 m2013 Gold – 200 m2011 Gold – Daegu 4×100 m relay2011 Gold – Daegu 200 m2009 Gold – Berlin 100 m2009 Gold – Berlin 200 m2009 Gold – Berlin 4×100 m relay2007 Silver – Osaka 200 m2007 Silver – Osaka 4×100 m relayFaster than Lightning: Usain Bolt Faster than Lightning: Usain Bolt at Amazon Related Pages100 Famous sporting personalities – 100 Famous sporting personalities, including Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Pele and Jesse Owens.Famous Olympic Sprinters – Great Olympic sprinters including Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, Jesse Ownes, Fanny Blankers-Koen.
110 Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Vincent Van Gogh was an artist of exceptional talent. Influenced by impressionist painters of the period, he developed his own instinctive, spontaneous style. Van Gogh became one of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century and played a key role in the development of modern art.“What am I in the eyes of most people — a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person — somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then — even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart. That is my ambition, based less on resentment than on love in spite of everything, based more on a feeling of serenity than on passion.”– Vincent Van Gogh (Letter to Theo, July 1882)Short Biography Vincent Van GoghHe was born in Groot-Zundert, a small town in Holland in March 1853. His father was a Protestant pastor and he had three uncles who were art dealers.His early life seems generally to be unhappy, after a period of working in his uncle’s art dealership, he became frustrated and so became a Protestant minister. He became a preacher in the poor agricultural districts of Brabant. He empathised with the poverty of the inhabitants and began to share their poverty and rough living conditions. Despite trying to live according to the gospel message of poverty, the church authorities were displeased that Van Gogh seemed to be undermining the ‘dignity of the priesthood.’ He was relieved of his post and Van Gogh turned to art.Despite disliking formal training, he studied art in both Brussels and Paris. His first attempts at art were not indicative of his later talent. In the beginning, he was a clumsy drawer and, when studying at one art academy, he was put back a year because of his perceived lack of ability to draw. His early pictures appear rather basic and do not show any sign of his later art. However, he worked hard and sought to improve his technique. Yet these early difficulties always stayed with Van Gogh and throughout his life, he was bothered with a sense of inadequacy. In a letter to his brother, he described his early efforts as mere ‘scribbles.’He became absorbed in art and would prioritise it over more mundane matters. Van Gogh struggled to hold down a regular job. For example, he lost his position as an art dealer after quarrelling with a customer. He also had short-lived jobs as a supply teacher and priest. Not holding a regular job, he relied on financial help from his close brother Theo. Theo was generous to his brother throughout his life – often sending money and painting materials.With his brothers financial backing, in 1888 Van Gogh travelled to Arles in the south of France, where he continued his painting – often outside – another feature of the impressionist movement. This was a prolific period for Van Gogh; he could paint up to five paintings per week and he enjoyed walking in the countryside and getting inspiration from nature – such as the corn harvest. He drew everything from nature, portraits of friends, everyday objects and the vast night sky.Straw HarvestLiving in Paris (1886-88) he had been influenced by the new impressionist painters, such as Monet and Renoir, and their interest in light. However, he soon developed his own unique style of powerful, brush strokes – often using warm reds, oranges and yellows. Simple brush strokes which created strong and arresting images.Van Gogh was driven by an inner urge to express the art he felt within. He wrote that he felt an artistic power within, which moved him to work very hard.“Believe me, I work, I drudge, I grind all day long and I do so with pleasure, but I should get very much discouraged if I could not go on working as hard or even harder.. .I feel, Theo, that there is a power within me, and I do what I can to bring it out and free it.”– Van Gogh, (Letter to Theo 1982)Van Gogh lived from moment to moment and was never financially secure. He put his whole life into art and neglected other aspects of his life – such as his health, appearance and financial security. During his lifetime, he sold only one painting – ironic since now Van Gogh’s paintings are some of the most expensive in the world.“What is true is that I have at times earned my own crust of bread, and at other times a friend has given it to me out of the goodness of his heart. I have lived whatever way I could, for better or for worse, taking things just as they came.”– Van Gogh, Letter to Theo (July 1880)Cafe Terrace at Night 1888 ( Kröller-Müller Museum)“When I have a terrible need of — shall I say the word — religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.”– Vincent Van GoghIn Arles, he had a brief, if unsuccessful, period of time with the artist Gauguin. Van Gogh’s intensity and mental imbalance made him difficult to live with. At the end of the two weeks, Van Gogh approached Gauguin with a razor blade. Gauguin fled back to Paris, and Van Gogh later cut off the lower part of his ear with the blade.This action was symptomatic of his increasing mental imbalance. He was later committed to a lunatic asylum where he would spend time on and off until his death in 1890. At the best of times, Van Gogh had an emotional intensity that flipped between madness and genius. He himself wrote:“Sometimes moods of indescribable anguish, sometimes moments when the veil of time and fatality of circumstances seemed to be torn apart for an instant.”– Vincent Van GoghVase with 12 Sunflowers, 1888It was during these last two years of his life that Van Gogh was at his most productive as a painter. He developed a style of painting that was quick and rapid – leaving no time for contemplation and thought. He painted with quick movements of the brush and drew increasingly avant-garde style shapes – foreshadowing modern art and its abstract style. He felt an overwhelming need and desire to paint.“The work is an absolute necessity for me. I can’t put it off, I don’t care for anything but the work; that is to say, the pleasure in something else ceases at once and I become melancholy when I can’t go on with my work. Then I feel like a weaver who sees that his threads are tangled, and the pattern he had on the loom is gone to hell, and all his thought and exertion is lost.”– Vincent Van GoghIn 1890, a series of bad news affected his mental equilibrium and one day in July, whilst painting, he shot himself in the chest. He died two days later from his wound.Yellow HouseThe religion of Vincent Van GoghVan Gogh was critical of formalised religion and was often scathing of clerics in the Christian church, but he denied he was an atheist, believing in God and love.“That God of the clergymen, He is for me as dead as a doornail. But am I an atheist for all that? The clergymen consider me as such — be it so; but I love, and how could I feel love if I did not live, and if others did not live, and then, if we live, there is something mysterious in that.”– Van GoghVan Gogh saw his painting as a spiritual pursuit. He wrote of great paintings, that the artist had hidden an aspect of God in the painting.“Try to grasp the essence of what the great artists, the serious masters, say in their masterpieces, and you will again find God in them. One man has written or said it in a book, another in a painting.”– Van Gogh“I think that everything that is really good and beautiful, the inner, moral, spiritual and sublime beauty in men and their works, comes from God, and everything that is bad and evil in the works of men and in men is not from God, and God does not approve of it. But I cannot help thinking that the best way of knowing God is to love many things.”– Vincent Van GoghCitation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Vincent Van Gogh”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net. Published 23 May 2014. Last Updated 3 February 2020.Van Gogh – His Life and Works (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Van Gogh: His Life & Works in 500 Images at Amazon Vincent Van Gogh – The LifeVincent Van Gogh – The Life at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Artists – A list of the great artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.\nFamous Dutch A list of famous people from the Netherlands. Includes; great Dutch painters, such as Rembrandt and Vincent Van Gogh; philosophers Spinoza and Erasmus. Also Dutch sports stars, such as Johan Cruyff.Greatest paintings of all time. Including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci; Creation of Adam – Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo; and Poppies in a Field – Claude Monet10 Greatest works of art of all time. Including The Pieta and The statue of David by Michelangelo; Ecstasy of St Therese by Bernini, and Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh.
111 Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin (April 22, 1870 – January 21, 1924) was a Russian revolutionary and the leader of the Bolshevik party. He was the first leader of the USSR and the Communist government that took over Russia in 1917. Lenin is also known as the creator of Leninism a version of Communism that he adapted for the Soviet Union.“We want to achieve a new and better order of society: in this new and better society there must be neither rich nor poor; all will have to work. Not a handful of rich people, but all the working people must enjoy the fruits of their common labour. Machines and other improvements must serve to ease the work of all and not to enable a few to grow rich at the expense of millions and tens of millions of people. This new and better society is called socialist society.”Lenin’s Collected Works, Vol 6, p.366Early Life – LeninLenin was born in the town of Simbirsk in the Russian Empire. His mother was a schoolteacher and his father was an education official.Lenin was an able student, learning Latin and Greek. In 1887, he was thrown out of Kazan State University because he protested against the Tsar who was the king of the Russian Empire. He continued to read books and study ideas by himself, and in 1891 he got a license to become a lawyer.In the same year that Lenin was expelled from University, his brother Alexander was hanged for his part in a bomb plot to kill Tsar Alexander III, and their sister Anna was sent to Tatarstan. This made Lenin furious, and he promised to get revenge for his brother’s death.Lenin before the RevolutionWhilst studying law in St. Petersburg he learned about the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, both radical Marxist philosophers from Germany. Lenin developed a lifelong philosophy of seeking to overthrow Capitalist society and replace it with a fairer Communist society. He saw existing Capitalist society as inherently unjust.“Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in the ancient Greek republics: freedom for the slave-owners.”– LeninFor becoming involved and writing about Marxism, Lenin was arrested and sent to prison in Siberia.In July 1898, when he was still in Siberia, Lenin married Nadezhda Krupskaya. In 1899 he wrote a book called The Development of Capitalism in Russia”. In 1900, Lenin was set free from prison and allowed to go back home. He then travelled around Europe. He began to publish a Marxist newspaper called Iskra, the Russian word for “spark” or “lightning”. He also became an important member of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party or RSDLP.In 1903, Lenin had a major argument with another leader of the party, Julius Martov, which divided the party in two. Lenin wanted a strict system where power would only be given to the government. Martov disagreed, and wanted the government to give power to ordinary people. People who agreed with Martov were called Mensheviks (meaning “the minority”). The people who agreed with Lenin were called Bolsheviks. (“the majority”)In 1907 he travelled around Europe and visited many socialist meetings and events. During World War I, he lived in big European cities like London, Paris and Geneva. At the beginning of the war, he represented the Bolsheviks at the Second International which was formed of left-wing parties. However, the meeting was shut down when the disparate factions disagreed about whether to support or oppose the First World War. Lenin and the Bolsheviks were one of only a few groups who were against the war because of their Marxist ideas.1917 RevolutionIn 1917, people started rumours that Lenin had received money from the Germans. That made him look bad because a lot of Russians had died fighting Germany in the war. The rumours were so bad he was afraid he could get arrested or even killed. He left Russia and went to Finland, a country right next to Russia, where he could hide and carry on with his work on Communism.After Tsar Nicholas II gave up his throne during the February Revolution, Germany hoped that they could persuade Russia to leave the war. The German government helped Lenin to secretly return to Russia, in the hope that Lenin would help end Russia’s involvement in the war. Lenin was still considered to be a very important Bolshevik leader, and he saw the great discontent of the population giving a unique opportunity for revolution. He wrote that he wanted a revolution by ordinary workers to overthrow the government that had replaced Nicholas.In October 1917, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, headed the Petrograd Soviet and other Soviets all over Russia in a revolution against Kerensky’s government, which was known as the October Revolution. The revolution was successful as the army was unwilling to turn on the people. Lenin announced that Russia was now a Communist country and by November, Lenin was chosen as its leader.Because Lenin wanted an end to World War One in Russia, he signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in February 1918. While the treaty ended the war with Germany, Russia paid a high price in terms of lost land. But to Lenin ending the war was critical.“The government considers it the greatest of crimes against humanity to continue this war over the issue of how to divide among the strong and rich nations the weak nationalities they have conquered, and solemnly announces its determination immediately to sign terms of peace to stop this war on the terms indicated, which are equally just for all nationalities without exception.”Report on Peace (8 November 1917), Lenin’s Collected Works, Volume 26The Russian treaty with Germany made the Allied powers, e.g. Great Britain and France displeased. Also, the great powers feared that if a Communist revolution could happen in Russia, it could happen elsewhere in Europe. Allied governments sent support to ‘White’ Russians – people loyal to the Tsar or Kerensky’s government. There was an on-going civil war, with the Bolsheviks having to fight across the country. Lenin made rules that as much food as possible was to be given to Communist soldiers in Russia’s new Red Army. This was a factor in winning the civil war, but, during this period, many ordinary many died of hunger or disease.After the war, Lenin brought in the New Economic Policy to try and make things better for the country. Some private enterprise was allowed, but not much. Businessmen, known as nepmen, could only own small industries, not factories. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});After a woman named Fanny Kaplan shot Lenin in 1918, he started having strokes. By May 1922, he was badly paralysed. After another stroke in March 1923, he could not speak or move. Lenin’s fourth stroke killed him in January 1924. Just before he died, Lenin had wanted to get rid of Stalin because he thought he was dangerous to the country and the government.The city of St. Petersburg had been renamed Petrograd by the Tsar in 1914, but was renamed Leningrad in memory of Lenin in 1924.Before Lenin died, he said he wished to be buried beside his mother. When he died, Stalin decided to let the people in Russia come and look at his body. Because so many people kept coming, they decided not to bury him and preserved his body instead. A building was built in Red Square, Moscow over the body so that people could see it. It is called the Lenin Mausoleum. Many Russians and tourists still go there to see his body today.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Lenin”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net 23 August 2009. Updated 2 February 2018.Lenin: A Biography Lenin: A Biography at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Russians – Including famous royals, politicians, scientists, composers, authors and sportsmen.Famous Revolutionaries – People who inspired or began revolutions. Including Spartacus, Joan of Arc, George Washington, Karl Marx.People who changed the world. Famous people who changed the course of history.
112 Vladimir Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician who served as Russian President from 2000 to 2008, and from 2012 onwards. Between 2008-2012, he served as Russian Prime Minister making him the most powerful and de facto leader in Russia during this time in office. Since 2012 he has served as Russian President and has embarked on efforts to strengthen “Russia’s strategic interests” culminating in the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.From a young age, Putin was keen on sports, especially martial arts, such as Judo. He has maintained an interest in sports during his time as a politician.Putin studied Law at Leningrad State University, writing a PhD thesis on the importance of energy policy for future Russian economic success. After graduating in 1975, he joined the KGB. He was involved in monitoring foreigners and consular officials in Leningrad. From 1985 to 1990 he was posted to Dresden, East Germany. On the collapse of the East German government, he returned to Leningrad where he was involved in surveillance of the student body.In August 1981, there was an attempted coup by Communist hard-liners with links to military and KGB against Mikhail Gorbachev. On the second day of the putsch, Putin resigned from the KGB and sought to pursue a political career. Putin said the decision to resign from the KGB was hard, but he didn’t support the direction of the coup and the hard-liners.In 1997, Boris Yeltsin appointed him to the position of deputy chief of the Presidential staff. In 1999, with the backing of Yeltsin, he was voted as Prime Minister of Russia. When Yeltsin, unexpectedly resigned a few months later, Putin became the default President of Russia.During the early years of his Presidency, Putin gained substantial popular backing because of his hard-line on military issues (such as the war in Chechnya) and overseeing a return to economic stability. He cultivated a macho ‘action man’ image of fearless leader and sportsman, helped by his sporting and KGB past. This image was attractive to voters. After a decade of inflation and falling living standards, during the 2000s, Russia embarked on a sustained period of economic growth, falling unemployment and rising living standards. The strong performance of the economy was attributable to the rising price of oil and gas (increasing value of Russia’s exports) and strong macroeconomic management.Early in his leadership, he came to an arrangement with the new Russian ‘oligarchs’ powerful businessmen who had gained control of formerly state-owned industries. Putin made a deal where they agreed to start paying tax and avoiding politics, in return for leaving them free to pursue their business interests. This helped raise revenue for the government and reduced the political influence of the Oligarchs.In 2008, unable to run for a third term as President, he ran for Prime minister, with his dual political aid Medvedev becoming President. However, it was Putin who remained the most powerful figure.In 2012, Putin was re-elected for a third term as President, however, for the first time, this led to widespread protests at the lack of democracy in Russia. Increasingly, Putin’s regime has been criticised for being dictatorial and avoiding a true democracy.For example, former Russian President Gorbachev, who was initially a supporter of Putin said he was disappointed by the increased disrespect for democracy and authoritarian tendencies. In 2007, Gorbachev said Putin had ‘pulled Russia out of chaos’. But, in 2011 criticised Putin for seeking a third term as President. Gorbachev was severely critical of the 2011 elections. “The results do not reflect the will of the people,” Mr Gorbachev said at the time. “Therefore I think they [Russia’s leaders] can only take one decision – annul the results of the election and hold new ones.” (Gorbachev calls on Putin to resign)On July 28, 1983, Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva. They have two daughters, Maria Putina (born 1985) and Yekaterina (Katya) Putina (born 1986 in Dresden). Putin himself is a practising member of the Russian Orthodox Church. His religious awakening followed the serious car crash of his wife in 1993 and was deepened by a life-threatening fire that burned down their dacha in August 1996. Right before an official visit to Israel, his mother gave him his baptismal cross telling him to get it blessed “I did as she said and then put the cross around my neck. I have never taken it off since.”Putin has been hailed by Patriarch Alexius II of the Russian Orthodox Church as instrumental in healing the 80-year schism between it and the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia in May 2007. Putin was supportive of the Russian Orthodox church in supporting the imprisonment of members of ‘Pussy Riot’ the pop group who protested about Putin and the Church. However, the decision to imprison members of Pussy Riot was widely condemned across the world for breaching human rights. 2014In March 2014, in the wake of turmoil in Ukraine, Putin authorised the use of Russian troops to enter the region of Crimea. Shortly after, a referendum was organised where a majority of people voted to leave the Ukraine and rejoin Russia. There was criticism over the legitimacy of the referendum, but Crimea has effectively left Ukraine for Russia. The issue over Ukraine has led to increased tension between Russia and the West.2016 US electionDuring the 2016 US election, it was alleged that Russian operators sought to influence the 2016 Presidential election by posting social media items which helped Donald Trump and hindered Hilary Clinton. Similar allegations were made with regard to the UK vote on Brexit. Although Putin denies influencing elections, there is evidence Russian foreign policy is geared towards destabilising Western democracies and weakening the NATO alliance. A long-standing grievance of Putin is the eastward expansion of NATO after the end of the cold war.Under Trump, the NATO alliance was weakened, with Trump being the most pro-Russian president in modern times. However, later actions in the Ukraine had the effect of uniting the west and made NATO membership for Finland and Sweden appear more attractive.2018 Russian election (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In 2018, Putin won a fourth Presidential term, with 76% of the vote. Political opponents argue the system is rigged with opposition candidates placed under arrest or prevented from actively campaigning. Putin has suggested he will not run again in 2024, but his party United Russia have a powerful monopoly on local and national elections, and it is not certain when this will be ended. Putin’s regime has become increasingly authoritarian with opposition leaders being given the choice of ‘go west or go east’ – West meant to leave the country, east means to the Siberian prison camps. Notable opposition leader Alexei Navalny survived an attempted poisoning but on surviving choose to return to Europe where he was arrested on trumped up charges.2022 Ukraine invasionIn early 2022, Russian troops massed on the border of Ukraine, with US and UK authorities warning an invasion of Ukraine was imminent. This was denied by the Kremlin but on 25 February Russian armoured units entered Ukraine. Putin claimed it was a ‘special military operation’ but heavy fighting and shelling began on Ukraine’s major cities Kyiv and Kharkiv. In response to the illegal invasion, western countries imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia, which led to a sharp drop in the Ruble and Russian stock market. Many analysts were surprised at the reckless gamble taken by Putin as it leaves the country increasingly isolated and an international pariah after being excluded from major sporting and cultural events as well as economic sanctions.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Vladimir Putin”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net Published 23rd May 2012. Last updated 1 March 2022.Vladimir Putin and Russian Statecraft Vladimir Putin and Russian Statecraft at AmazonRelated pagesFamous Russians – Including famous royals, politicians, scientists, composers, authors and sportsmen.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Einstein and Gandhi.100 most influential people – A list of 100 most influential people as chosen by Michael H. Hast, from his book 100 most influential people in the world. Includes; Muhammad, Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, Confucius, St Paul and Johann Gutenberg.Putin quotes
113 Walt Disney (1901 – 1966) was a film producer, media magnate and co-founder of the Walt Disney Company. He was an iconic figure in the Twentieth Century media and entertainment industry, helping to produce many films. With his staff, he created famous cartoon characters, such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; his name was also used for the successful Disney Theme Parks. During his lifetime, he received a record 59 Nominations for the Academy Awards, winning 22 Awards.Early Life – Walt DisneyWalt Disney was born on 5 December 1901, in Chicago. His parents were of German/English and Irish descent. As a child, the Disney family moved between Marceline in Missouri, Kansas City and back to Chicago. The young Walt Disney developed an interest in art and took lessons at the Kansas City Institute and later Chicago Art Institute. He became the cartoonist for the school magazine.When America joined the First World War, Walt dropped out of school and tried to enlist in the army. He was rejected for being underage, but he was later able to join in the Red Cross and in late 1918 was sent to France to drive an ambulance.In 1919, he moved back to Kansas City where he got a series of jobs, before finding employment in his area of greatest interest – the film industry. It was working for the Kansas City Film Ad company that he gained the opportunity to begin working in the relatively new field of animation. Walt used his talent as a cartoonist to start his first work.The success of his early cartoons enabled him to set up his own studio called Laugh-O-Gram. However, the popularity of his cartoons was not matched by his ability to run a profitable business. With high labour costs, the firm went bankrupt. After his first failure, he decided to move to Hollywood, California which was home to the growing film industry in America. This ability to overcome adversity was a standard feature of Disney’s career.“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”– The Story of Walt Disney (1957)With his brother, Roy, Walt set up another company and sought to find a distributor for his new film – Alice Comedies – based on the adventures of Alice in Wonderland.Mickey MouseIn 1927, the Disney studio was involved in the successful production of ‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’, distributed by Universal Pictures. However, with Universal Pictures controlling the rights to ‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’, Walt was not able to profit from this success. He rejected an offer from Universal and went back to working on his own.It was at this point that he created the character – Mickey Mouse (originally called Mortimer Mouse). Ub Iwerks drew Mickey Mouse, and Walt gave a voice to the character.The Mickey Mouse cartoons with soundtracks became very popular and cemented the growing reputation and strength of Disney Productions. The skill of Walt Disney was to give his cartoons believable real-life characteristics. They were skillfully depicted and captured the imagination of the audience through his pioneering use of uplifting stories and moral characteristics.In 1932, he received his first Academy Award for the Best Short Subject: Cartoons for the three coloured ‘Flowers and Trees’ He also won a special Academy Award for Mickey Mouse.In 1933, he developed his most successful cartoon of all time ‘The Three Little Pigs’ (1933) with the famous song ‘Whose Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.”In 1924, Walt Disney began his most ambitious project to date. He wished to make a full length animated feature film of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ Many expected it to be a commercial failure. But, using new techniques of filming, the production was met with glowing reviews. It took nearly three years to film – coming out in 1937 after Disney had run out of money. But, the movie’s strong critical reception, made it the most successful film of 1938, earning $8 million on its first release. The film had very high production values but also captured the essence of a fairy tale on film for the first time. Walt Disney would later write that he never produced films for the critic, but the general public. Replying to criticism that his productions were somewhat corny, he replied:“All right. I’m corny. But I think there’s just about a-hundred-and-forty-million people in this country that are just as corny as I am.” – Walt DisneyDisney always had a great ability to know what the public loved to see.After the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the studio produced several other successful animations, such as ‘Pinocchio’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Bambi’ and ‘The Wind in the Willows’. After America’s entry into the Second World War in 1941, this ‘golden age’ of animation faded and the studio struggled as it made unprofitable propaganda films.Political and religious viewsIn 1941, Disney also had to deal with a major strike by his writers and animators. This strike left a strong impression on Disney. He would later become a leading member of the anti-Communist organisation ‘Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals’ (the right-wing organisation was also considered to be anti-semitic.) At one point, he (unsuccessfully) tried to brand his labour union organisers as Communist agitators.However, in the 1950s, Disney distanced himself from the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals. However, by associating with the organisation, he was often associated with the anti-labour and anti-semitic philosophy it expressed. Disney was a Republican, though was not particularly involved in politics. It is often asked whether Walt Disney was anti-semitic.His biographer, Neal Gabler stated:“…And though Walt himself, in my estimation, was not anti-semitic, nevertheless, he willingly allied himself with people who were anti-semitic, and that reputation stuck. He was never really able to expunge it throughout his life.”Walt Disney believed in the benefits of a religious approach to life, though he never went to church and disliked sanctimonious teachers.“I believe firmly in the efficacy of religion, in its powerful influence on a person’s whole life. It helps immeasurably to meet the storms and stress of life and keep you attuned to the Divine inspiration. Without inspiration, we would perish.”Ch. 15: Walt Lives!, p. 379He respected other religions and retained a firm faith in God.Post-war successDuring the war, there was much less demand for cartoon animation. It took until the late 1940s, for Disney to recover some of its lustre and success. Disney finished production of Cinderella and also Peter Pan (which had been shelved during the war) In the 1950s, Walt Disney Productions also began expanding its operations into popular action films. They produced several successful films, such as ‘Treasure Island’ (1950), ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ (1954) and ‘Pollyanna’ (1960)In another innovation, the studio created one of the first specifically children’s shows – The Mickey Mouse Club. Walt Disney even returned to the studio to provide the voice. In the 1960s, the Disney Empire continued to successfully expand. In 1964, they produced their most successful ever film ‘Mary Poppins.’DisneylandIn the late 1940s, Walt Disney began building up plans for a massive Theme Park. Walt Disney wished the Theme Park to be like nothing ever created on earth. In particular, he wanted it to be a magical world for children and surrounded by a train. Disney had a great love of trains since his childhood when he regularly saw trains pass near his home. It was characteristic of Walt Disney that he was willing to take risks in trying something new.“Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually, it implies some risk, especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and to keep it going, pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity.”– The Disney Way Fieldbook (2000) by Bill CapodagliAfter several years in the planning and building, Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. Disney spoke at the address.“To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past …. and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America … with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”The success of Disneyland encouraged Walt to consider another park in Orlando, Florida. In 1965, another theme park was planned. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Walt Disney died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966. He had been a chain smoker all his life. An internet myth suggested Walt Disney had his body cryonically frozen, but this is untrue. It seems to have been spread by his employers, looking for one last joke at the expense of their boss.After his death, his brother Roy returned to lead The Disney Company, but the company missed the direction and genius of Walt Disney. The 1970s were a relatively fallow period for the company, before a renaissance in the 1980s, with a new generation of films, such as ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988) and ‘The Lion King’ (1994)Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Walt Disney”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 8th August 2014. Last updated 1st March 2019.Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination at Amazon Related PagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople.Famous Film Directors – Influential film directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Capra, Walt Disney and Orson Wells.Top 100 famous peopleRelated peopleCharlie ChaplinAlfred Hitchcock
114 Sir Winston Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War.Churchill was famous for his stubborn resistance to Hitler during the darkest hours of the Second World War.Short Bio Winston ChurchillWinston was born at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock near Oxford to an aristocratic family – the Duke of Marlborough. He was brought up by servants and friends of the family. He rarely spoke to his father, and he spent most of his childhood at boarding school – Harrow. Churchill wasn’t the best student, having a rebellious nature and was reportedly slow to learn; but Churchill excelled at sports and joined the officer cadet corps, which he enjoyed.On leaving school, he went to Sandhurst to train as an officer. After gaining his commission, Churchill sought to gain as much active military experience as possible. He used his mother’s connections to get postings to areas of conflict. The young Churchill received postings to Cuba and North West India. He also combined his military duties with working as a war correspondent – earning substantial money for his reports on the fighting.In 1899, he resigned from the military and pursued his career as a war correspondent. He was in South Africa for the Boer War, and he became a minor celebrity for his role in taking part in a scouting patrol, getting captured and later escaping. He might have gained the Victoria Cross for his efforts, though officially he was a civilian at the time. After this experience, he gained a temporary commission in the South Africa Light Horses and later commented he had a ‘good war’ while continuing his work as a war correspondent.MPWinston Churchill 1900Churchill returned to the UK in 1900 and successfully stood as a Conservative candidate for Oldham. After becoming an MP, Churchill began a lucrative speaking tour, where he could command a high price for his speeches.In 1904, he made a dramatic shift, leaving the Conservative Party and joining the Liberal Party. He was later often called a ‘class traitor’ by some Conservative colleagues. Churchill disagreed with an increasing amount of Conservative policies, including tariff protection. Churchill also had some empathy for improving the welfare of the working class and helping the poor.In the Liberal Party, Churchill made a meteoric political rise. By 1908, he was made President of the Board of Trade, and he was a key supporter of Lloyd George’s radical People’s Budget – a budget which saw the growth of an embryonic Welfare State and introduction of income tax to pay for it. The budget made a significant improvement to the life of the poor and helped to address the inequality of British society.“What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?”– W. Churchill Speech at Kinnaird Hall, Dundee, Scotland (“Unemployment”), October 10, 1908,However, although Churchill was a Liberal, he was also staunchly anti-Socialist and suspicious of trade unions. During the General Strike, he took a hardline stance to defeat the unions at any cost.In 1911, he was made First Lord of the Admiralty – a post he held into the First World War.On the outbreak of hostilities in Europe, Churchill was one of the most strident members of the cabinet arguing for British involvement in the war. In August 1914, the Liberal cabinet was split with some members against going to war on the continent. However, Churchill’s view prevailed, and he admitted to being enthused about the prospects of being involved in the ‘Great War’. He went to Belgium where he urged the Royal Marines to commit to action around Antwerp. This decision was criticised for wasting resources. Others said it helped saved the channel ports from the advancing German army.Churchill also used naval funds to help develop the tank – something he felt would be useful in the war.However, despite tremendous eagerness for war, his flagship policy for the war was deemed a failure. Churchill planned the 1915 Dardanelles Campaign – a daring bid to knock Turkey out of the war. But, unfortunately, it proved a military failure with thousands of Allied casualties and no military gain. Although the fault of the failure was shared amongst others, Churchill resigned from his post and sought to gain a position in the army on the Western Front.After seeing relatively little action on the Western Front, he returned to London and sat on the opposition benches before joining Lloyd George’s coalition government. In 1917, Churchill was made Minister of Munitions – a job requiring strong administrative skills to manage limited resources during the war. Churchill was considered an efficient and skilled minister.At the end of the First World War, Churchill was active in trying to support the Russian white army – who were trying to resist the Communist forces which had gained control over the Soviet Union.In 1924 Churchill was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer by Conservative PM Stanley Baldwin. Under advice from many economists, Churchill made the decision to return Britain to the Gold Standard at a pre-war level. But, this proved to be damaging to the economy and led to a period of deflation, high unemployment and low growth. Churchill later admitted this was his greatest domestic mistake.The low growth and declining living standards contributed to the General Strike of 1926 – Churchill eagerly sought to break the strikers and defeat the trades unions. During this period he expressed admiration for Mussolini for being a strong leader.In the 1930s, his political eccentricities consigned him to the backbenches, where he was a vocal critic of appeasement and urged the government to re-arm. Churchill was often a lone voice in speaking about the growing danger of Hitler’s Germany. He also opposed Indian Independence and was a staunch supporter of the Empire.After an unsuccessful start to the Second World War, the Commons chose Churchill to lead the UK in a national coalition. Churchill was instrumental in insisting Britain keep fighting. He opposed the minority voices in the cabinet seeking to make any deal with Hitler.Churchill proved an adept war leader. His speeches became famous and proved an important rallying cry for a country which stood alone through the difficult years of 1940 and 1941. These early years saw the Battle of Britain and the Blitz – a period where invasion by Germany seemed likely.“we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender”Speech in the House of Commons (4 June 1940)“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.”Speech in the House of Commons, June 18, 1940Churchill – 1940 during Air RaidAfter the US entry into the war in 1942, the immediate crisis was over, and the tide of war began to turn. After the Battle of El Alamein, Churchill was able to tell the House of Commons.“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”From 1943 onwards Churchill spent more time managing the uneasy Allied coalition of Soviet Union, US and the UK. Churchill was involved in many aspects of the war, taking an interest in all areas, especially the build up to the D-Day landings in Normandy. Churchill also participated in conferences with Stalin and Roosevelt which helped shape the war and post-war settlement. With American money, Churchill played a role in avoiding the mistakes of the First World War as the Allies sought to avoid a harsh settlement and rebuild occupied Europe.“In War: Resolution. In Defeat: Defiance. In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Good Will.”– Winston Churchill, The Second World War, Volume I: The Gathering Storm (1948)It was Churchill who helped popularise the phrase ‘Iron Curtain’ after he saw the growing gulf between the Communist East and Western Europe.“A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so lately lighted by the Allied victory…. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”Speech at Fulton, Missouri on March 5, 1946After winning the Second World War, Churchill was shocked to lose the 1945 general election to a resurgent Labour party. He was Leader of the Opposition from 1945-51.But, under the Conservatives, he returned to power in the 1950 election – accepting much of the post-war consensus and the end of the British Empire. Churchill served as PM from 1951-55 before retiring from politics. In his last speech in the Commons in 1955-03-01, he ended with the words:“The day may dawn when fair play, love for one’s fellow men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell. Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair.”Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 “for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.” Towards the end of his life, Churchill became an accomplished artist, though he found the years of retirement difficult and suffered periods of depression.Churchill died in his home at age 90, on the morning of Sunday 24 January 1965. His funeral was the largest state funeral in the world, up to that point in time.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography Winston Churchill”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 11th Feb 2013. Last updated 11th March 2017.The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: at Amazon.comThe Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: at Amazon.co.ukChurchill: The Power of Words Churchill: The Power of Words at AmazonRelated pagesFamous \nEnglish people – Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets – William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.\nGreat Briton list – Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.\nPeople who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi. Famous leaders – A list of famous leaders who led their country. Includes Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Julius Ceasar, Winston Churchill and F.D. Roosevelt.
115 Woodrow Wilson was 28th President of the US serving from 1913 to 1921. He is best remembered for his role in the First World War – keeping the US out of the war, until reluctantly entering in 1917. At the end of the war, Woodrow Wilson formulated his 14 points, which sought to create an international League of Nations and institute principles of self-determination and justice as the basis for the armistice.He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.Woodrow Wilson was also a progressive with attempts to control big business and end elitism in universities.Life of Woodrow WilsonHe was born on 28 December 1856 in Staunton, Virginia. His father identified with the Confederacy and defended slavery. However, Woodrow Wilson did not share his father’s views on this, later writing.“Because I love the South, I rejoice in the failure of the Confederacy.” (March 1880).In 1885, he married Ellen Louise Axon and together they had three daughters. Wilson studied at John Hopkins University and gained a PhD in history and political science. He went on to have a distinguished academic career becoming the principal of Princeton.He felt the University of Princeton was underachieving – being held back by elitism and laid back standards. This led to a standoff with the university establishment – with Wilson trying to tackle the elitist traditions of Princeton. This proved to be a bruising encounter and was a key factor in encouraging Wilson to turn to politics. He ran for governor of New Jersey, in 1910, as a progressive candidate and he was nominated as the Democratic candidate at the 1912 Democratic convention. Winning the Presidency, Wilson embarked on a series of progressive legislation. This included:Graduated income tax – to try and redistribute income and opportunity.Antitrust legislation against big business and vested monopoly powers.Greater protection for labour, e.g. new restrictions on child labour.Federal Reserve Act – which allowed the Federal Reserve the ability to increase the money supply.Wilson argued no country can afford to have its prosperity originated by a small controlling class.The New Freedom, 1913Despite progressive social and economic policies, he expanded a policy of segregation and disappointed many African Americans who switched allegiance to the Democrat party and voted for Wilson on promises of equal rights. Wilson said on segregation:“segregation is not a humiliation but a benefit, and ought to be so regarded by you gentlemen.”In 1916, he narrowly won re-election campaigning on an anti-war stance.However, after 1916, public opinion hardened against Germany. Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, such as the sinking of the Lusitania, led to serious American casualties. Then in January 1917, the publication of the Zimmerman Telegram suggested Germany was willing to help Mexico regain territory in Southern US. By April 1917, Wilson had overcome his deep reluctance to go to war and asked Congress to declare war on the government of Germany. Congress overwhelmingly supported the decision.In 1917, the US army was very small, and to the Allies a disappointment; it took time for the US army to make a difference on the western front. However, by 1918, the steady increase in the number of American troops was beginning to make a difference and American forces helped to swing the balance against Germany. By November 1918, the Germans surrendered.At the end of the war, Woodrow Wilson presented his fourteen points to the Allies as a basis for a just armistice. The fourteen points included the general principle of self-determination.“Do you never stop to reflect just what it is that America stands for? If she stands for one thing more than another, it is for the sovereignty of self-governing peoples.”– Woodrow Wilson (Speech, 1916)“All the peoples of the world are in effect partners in this interest, and for our own part we see very clearly that unless justice be done to others it will not be done to us.”The Fourteen Points Speech, 1918. Other points includedRenouncement of secret treatiesRemoval of tariff barriersFreedom of the seas.Arms reductionInternational arbitration for colonial disputes – through the creation of a League of Nations.Recognizing the principle of self-determination.However, the victorious Allies, who had suffered much greater financial and human loss were in less mood to be magnanimous. France, and to a lesser extent Great Britain, wanted to impose reparations and a harsh peace treaty on Germany. There was also a reluctance to accept the principle of self-determination because of their Empires and colonies.The British PM said of Woodrow Wilson and his French counterpart at the Treaty of Versailles.“I was seated between Jesus Christ and Napoleon.”– David Lloyd George, in a comment about Wilson (1919)Back in the US, a Republican controlled Congress also rejected Wilsons’ 14 points. Republicans wanted the US to remain isolated from the problems of Europe and didn’t want to be part of the League of Nations.“I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Speech in Omaha, Nebraska (8 September 1919)Wilson began a campaign to support his peace plan, but he collapsed after a bout of influenza and spent the next three years of his life as an invalid until his death in 1924.Woodrow Wilson was a founder member of the Presbyterian church in the US and was deeply religious. He cycled regularly and was a very keen golfer.Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Woodrow Wilson”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, Published 10 Sep 2012. Updated 8 February 2018.Woodrow Wilson – A. Scott Berg Woodrow Wilson – A. Scott Berg at Amazon Related pagesFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businessmen. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey. People who promoted world peace – People who have made a great contribution to creating a more peaceful world. Including Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Malala Yousafzai Pope John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev.
116 Orville Wright (1871 – 1948) | Wilbur Wright. (1867 – 1912)The Wright brothers – Orville and Wilbur Wright are credited with building and flying the first heavier than air aeroplane. They achieved the first recorded flight on 17 December 1903. Over the next ten years, they continued to develop the aircraft making a significant contribution to the development of the modern aeroplane.Their particular contribution was in the effective control of an aeroplane, through their three-axis control system. This basic principle is still used today. It was for this control mechanism that the Wright’s received their first US patent – 821,393.Early Life of Wright BrothersOrville and Wilbur had two elder brothers Reuchlin (1861-1920) and Lorin (1862-1939), and a younger sister Katharine (1874-1929). Their parents were Bishop Milton Wright (1828-1917) and Susan Catherine (Koerner) Wright (1831-1889). Their father worked as a minister in various churches, and as a consequence, the family frequently moved around. Their father encouraged his children to read widely and discuss issues. This climate of intellectual creativity and stimulus encouraged the Wright brothers to pursue a range of interests and studies. When they were young, their father bought them a small ‘helicopter’ – built in France. They later commented that this helicopter sparked an interest in flight and they sought to build similar models themselves.Around 1885, Wilbur became withdrawn after sustaining a facial injury during a game of ice-hockey. This injury and the resulting depression caused Wilbur to give up his dreams of studying at Yale. Instead, he remained close to home, helping his father with ministerial tasks and looking after his ill mother.However, Orville was determined to try new things, and his enthusiasm helped draw his brother Wilbur into new projects. In 1889, they designed and built a printing press which, for a short time, published a daily newspaper.In 1892, the capitalised on the ‘safety bicycle’ boom and opened a bicycle shop; this was commercially successful and also enabled them to develop their skills as designers and engineers.Around the turn of the century, there was considerable interest in the possibility of flight. Most of this centred on gliders. But, the Wright brothers began to explore the possibility of mechanised flight with heavier than air aircraft. For both brothers, the dream of flying became an all-consuming passion.“For some years I have been afflicted with the belief that flight is possible to man. My disease has increased in severity and I feel that it will soon cost me an increased amount of money if not my life. I have been trying to arrange my affairs in such a way that I can devote my entire time for a few months to experiment in this field.”Wilbur Wright, Letter to Octave Chanute (13 May 1900)They concentrated on building a more powerful, but lighter engine and worked on an innovative design for controlling the plane once airborne.They used funds from the bicycle shop to start testing at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was a windy environment which helped give planes lift off. They made extensive tests and also recorded a range of data about possible flights. Even at the turn of the Century, many were doubtful that man would ever be able to fly.“My brother and I became seriously interested in the problem of human flight in 1899 … We knew that men had by common consent adopted human flight as the standard of impossibility. When a man said, “It can’t be done; a man might as well try to fly,” he was understood as expressing the final limit of impossibility.”Wilbur WrightFirst Flight by Wright BrothersOn December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first historic, aeroplane flight, where Orville piloted the plane (called ‘the Flyer’) with Wilbur running at the wing tip.The first flight, by Orville, of 120 feet (37 m) in 12 seconds, at a speed of only 6.8 miles per hour (10.9 km/h) over the ground, was recorded in a famous photograph. The next two flights covered approximately 175 feet (53 m) and 200 feet (61 m), by Wilbur and Orville respectively. Their altitude was about 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground. The following is Orville Wright’s account of the final flight of the day:“Wilbur started the fourth and last flight at just about 12 o’clock. The first few hundred feet were up and down, as before, but by the time three hundred ft had been covered, the machine was under much better control. The course for the next four or five hundred feet had but little undulation. However, when out about eight hundred feet the machine began pitching again, and, in one of its darts downward, struck the ground. The distance over the ground was measured to be 852 feet; the time of the flight was 59 seconds. The frame supporting the front rudder was badly broken, but the main part of the machine was not injured at all. We estimated that the machine could be put in condition for flight again in about a day or two.”Five people witnessed the first flight, including John Daniels who took the famous first flight photo.Over the next few years, they continued to develop their aircraft. However, they were conscious of needing to gain strong patents to make their aircraft commercially viable. They became reluctant to reveal too much about their flights and disliked reporters taking photos of their designs. Their secret approach and competing claims by other aircraft designers meant that for many years their inventions and flights were met with either indifference or scepticism. However, in 1908, Wilbur began public demonstrations in Le Mans, France. His ability to effortlessly make turns and manoeuvre the aircraft caused a sea change in public opinion, and the display of technically challenging flights caused widespread public acclaim and enthusiasm.In 1909, Wilbur made a public flight up the Hudson River in New York, circling the Statue of Liberty. The 33-minute flight, witnessed by one million New Yorkers, established their fame in America.Achievements of the Wright Brothers1903 – first powered aircraft flight1905 – built an aeroplane that could fly for more than half an hour at a time.1908 – Orville Wright made the world’s first flight of over one hour at Fort Myer, Virginia, in a demonstration for the U.S. Army, which subsequently made the Wright planes the world’s first military aeroplanes.1908 – Wilbur made over 100 flights near Le Mans, France; the longest one, on Dec. 31, a record flight: 2 hours, 19 minutes.The Wright’s made their first application for a patent in 1903, but it was rejected. In 1904, they hired a patent attorney, who helped them gain their first patent. However, other aviators attempted to circumnavigate the Wright brothers patents, leading to painful and costly legal battles in the courts.In the last two years of his life from 1910 to 1912, Wilbur played a key role in the patent struggle. His family believed this contributed to his premature death from typhoid fever in 1912. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The brothers never married. Wilbur once quipped he “did not have time for both a wife and an aeroplane.” Orville Wright died of a heart attack at age 77.The original Wright Flyer rests in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. with the inscription.“The original Wright brothers aeroplaneThe world’s first power-driven heavier-than-air machine in which man made free, controlled, and sustained flightInvented and built by Wilbur and Orville WrightFlown by them at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina December 17, 1903By original scientific research, the Wright brothers discovered the principles of human flightAs inventors, builders, and flyers they further developed the aeroplane, taught man to fly, and opened the era of aviation.”Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of The Wright Brothers”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 23rd June 2010. Last updated 7th March 2018.The Wright Brothers The Wright Brothers at AmazonRelated pages\nFamous Americans – Great Americans from the Founding Fathers to modern civil rights activists. Including presidents, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople. Featuring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey.People who changed the world – Famous people who changed the course of history including Socrates, Newton, Einstein and Gandhi.Inventors – Famous inventors including Cai Lun, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Sir Isaac Newton, James Watt and Samuel Morse.Events that changed the worldModern inventions that changed the worldNow that I’ve collected the dataset, I have to perform text pre-processing by removing some urls that came with scraped content. Also split the content into multiple rows for better readability and context clarity.