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Articles Index
Index of all of the articles on the White-On site.
[For an index of the Stories, see White Tales.]
About White
White is a color that has high brightness but zero hue. More accurately,
white contains all the colors of the spectrum and is sometimes described as
an achromatic color. By comparison, black and, strictly speaking, is the
absence of color.
Symbolism of White
White has traditionally symbolized innocence, purity, goodness. This
symbolism is reflected in culture throughout the ages.
White Pages
An electronic information database that contains user names and their
associated network addresses, in the manner of a telephone directory.
Electronic white pages usually contain additional information, such as office
location, phone number, and mailstop.
The White Rose Resistance Group
The White Rose (German: Die Weiße Rose) was a group of students that formed a
resistance movement in Nazi Germany from June 1942 to February 1943. Based in
Munich, the group released six leaflets, calling on Germans to engage in
passive resistance against the regime. A seventh leaflet, which may have been
prepared, was never released because the group was captured by the Gestapo.
White Rose Symbolism
Historically, the white rose has been adopted as a symbol by a number of
groups: including Yorkshire, an Anti-Nazi resistance group, and a civil
liberties protest blog.
About Angels
An angel is a spiritual being which assists and serves God or the gods in
many religious traditions. The word originated from the Latin angelus, itself
derived from the Greek ággelos, meaning “messenger”. The closest Hebrew word
for angel is mal'ach, also meaning messenger.
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902-April 22, 1984) was an American
photographer born in San Francisco. Famous for his black and white landscape
photographs of the national parks (Yosemite National Park among others), and
as an author of numerous books about photography, including his trilogy of
technical instruction manuals (The Camera, The Negative and The Print).
Artistic Movements in Black and White Photography
Pictorialism was a photographic movement of the early 20th century which
subscribed to the idea that art photography should emulate the painting and
etching of the time. Among the methods used for this purpose were soft focus,
special filters and lens coatings, heavy manipulation in the darkroom and
exotic printing processes. Most of these pictures are black and white or
sepia.
Black & White Photography
Photography became available for the mass-market in 1901 with the
introduction of the Kodak Brownie camera, and, more importantly, with the
industrialisation of film processing and printing. For the enthusiast
photographer processing black and white film, little has changed since the
introduction of the 35mm film Leica camera in 1925.
Black and White Media
Black-and-white is a broad adjectival term used to describe a number of forms
of visual technology. Most forms of visual technology start out in black and
white, then slowly evolve into color as technology progresses.
Jack Frost
Jack Frost is an elfish creature who personifies crisp, frosty winter
weather. He is said to have created the Snowbabies who live in Frosty Frolic
Land with their friends, the polar bears, seals and penguins.
Snowbabies
Snowbabies are cute little babies in white snow suits. They live in Frosty
Frolic Land, along with animal friends such as penguins, polar bears, seals,
and walruses.
About Snow Globes
Snow globes have many names: blizzard-weights, glitter domes, glitter globes,
snow domes, snow globes, water balls, water domes, water globes. They are
transparent globes or domes, traditionally glass, filled with water, and
containing miniature figurines or scenes. A globe shape magnifies the size of
the objects inside. When the globe is shaken, minute particles of white
('snow') or glitter float through the water like a miniature snow storm.
Snowman
A snowman is a human-like figure constructed from snow. The image of a
snowman is popularly connected with the festive season and is deeply embedded
in Western culture. Building a snowman is a popular winter recreation for
children (that and having snowball fights).
Westie - White Terrier
West Highland White Terriers are a breed of dog known for their small size
and white coat; their fans often call them simply Westies. They are friendly,
good with children, and thrive on lots of attention. Like most terriers, they
have plenty of attitude (some might say spirit) for a dog their size. This
breed is commonly recognized because it is used as one of the mascots for
Black and White Scotch whiskey.
White Cats
Pure white cats are the beauties of the cat world. Not limited to any
particular type or breed, they are white because they carry the dominant
White Masking Gene, W, which masks any other genes for color that the cat
might carry.
Collectibles
Collectible: any object which people want to collect as a hobby. Objects such
as figurines, ornaments, boxes, etc designed for gifts or home decor are
among the most popular collectibles.
Embroidery
Embroidery is an ancient textile art which uses strands of embroidery floss
or wool to create a picture in thread on canvas, linen or other cloth. It
forms a part of needlework.
Figurines
Figurine is a diminutive form of the word figure, and generally refers to a
small, human-made object that represents some sort of being. The diminutive
implies that the object is smaller than life-size, though this may not always
be the case (as with a figurine of an insect).
Hardanger Embroidery
Hardanger embroidery is a form of embroidery worked in white yarn on a
coloured Hardanger cloth, using drawn thread work.
Porcelain
Porcelain is a type of hard pottery. It is white, but mildly transluscent and
can be decorated to provide colour. When glazed it has a smooth and glossy
finish. Porcelain bisque is unglazed porcelain, white and slightly porous,
with a matte finish. Porcelain Bisque is often used for high-quality dolls
and figurines, with the features hand painted.
White Sewing
Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, animal skins,
furs, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly
universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000
BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth. Material is sewn together to form
a pieced garment, or items such as buttons and zippers are attached to
material. Soft goods other than clothes, such as curtains, bedclothes,
upholstery, and table linens, are also made by sewing.
White Sewing Machines
During the 1860s, Thomas H White began producing a small, hand operated,
single thread (chain stitch) sewing machine. By the last two decades of the
19th century, he had incorporated his business as the White Sewing Machine
Co., and was manufacturing double thread (lockstitch) machines, and
timesaving attachments for ruffling, tucking, cording, and braiding.
Sewing Machine
A sewing machine is a device designed for sewing. The sewing machine is a
mechanical device (or electrical device) that joins (or attaches by stitches)
clothing in the activity of sewing. Sewing machines make a stitch using two
threads, referred to as a sewing-machine stitch. Sewing machines can make a
stitch pattern and further include means for gripping, supporting, and
conveying the work with respect to the sewing needle to form the stitch
pattern.
Antarctica - the great white continent
Antarctica is a continent surrounding the Earth's South Pole. It is not to be
confused with the arctic, which is located near the Earth's North Pole. The
climate of Antarctica is cold, high and dry. It is the coldest place on earth
and is almost entirely covered by ice.
Antarctic Cruise
The best way to visit Antarctica is on an Antarctic cruise, during the
Austral (Southern) summer (November to March). The Oceans around Antarctica
are teeming with life, including whales, seals, penguins and a variety of sea
birds. And you're likely to see all of these on an Antarctic cruise, along
with icebergs, and spectacular coastal scenes of mountains and glaciers.>
Baseball
Baseball is a team sport that is popular in the Americas and East Asia. In
the United States, baseball has often been called the national pastime, and
the total attendance for Major League games is more than for all other
American professional sports combined. Among American television viewers,
however, it has been surpassed in popularity by American football and stock
car racing.
Baseball Equipment and Clothing
Mitt: Leather glove worn by players in the field. Long fingers and a webbed
"pocket" between the thumb and first finger allow the fielder to catch the
ball more easily.
Coinage Metal
The traditional coinage metals are copper, silver, and gold, elements in
Group 11 (IB) of the periodic table. They are also known as the noble metals.
They are all relatively inert, hard-to-corrode metals which have been used
for minting coins, hence their name.
Coins
A coin is generally a piece of hard material, traditionally metal and usually
in the shape of a disc, which is used as a form of money. With banknotes,
coins make up the cash forms of all modern money systems. Coins are used for
lower valued units, notes for the higher values.
Glacier
A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and
moves in response to gravity. The glacier fringe is the area where the
glacier has recently melted. There are two main types of glaciers: alpine
glaciers, which are found in mountain terrains, and continental glaciers,
which are associated with ice ages and can cover large areas of continents.
Glacier ice is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, and second only
to the oceans as the largest reservoir of total water. Glaciers are found on
every continent except Australia. Most of the concepts in this article apply
equally to alpine glaciers and continental glaciers.
Iceberg
An iceberg is a large piece of ice that has broken off from a glacier or ice
shelf and is floating in open water. Typically, around 8/9 of the volume of
an iceberg is under water, and that portion's shape can be difficult to
surmise from looking at what is visible above the surface. The mass can be
very durable and can easily damage sheet metal. As a result of these factors,
icebergs are considered extremely dangerous hazards to shipping. The
International Ice Patrol exists to monitor the presence of icebergs in the
northern Atlantic Ocean and report their movements for safety purposes.
Ice Sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is
greater than 50,000 square kilometers (12 million acres). The only current
ice sheets are Antarctica and Greenland.
Ice Shelf
An ice shelf is ice that has flowed off an ice sheet and floats on the sea,
typically in Antarctica or Greenland. Minor ice shelves may also form due to
the accumulation of sea ice. When a chunk breaks off from an ice shelf, this
is called calving, and the product is an ice berg.
Experience White
Welcome to the world of white experiences. From the romance of a white
wedding to the excitement of winter sports, white can be a wonderful
experience.
Krill
Krill is the common name for the Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba) of the
Antarctic waters in the Southern Ocean. It is an euphausid (Arthropoda /
Crustacea / Malacostraca / Euphausiacea) a shrimp-like marine invertebrate,
and an important organism of plankton (zooplankton). Krill live in large
schools (swarms), grow to a length of 6 cm, weigh 2 grammes, and live
probably for 6 years.
Little White Wedding Chapel
The Little White Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada
has been the site of many quickie celebrity weddings. It can perform
marriages at its Drive-Thru Tunnel of Vows, and has special Elvis ceremonies.
Metal
Metal: any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that
conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc. Metals have
certain characteristic physical properties: they are usually shiny, have a
high density, are ductile and malleable, usually have a high melting point,
are usually hard, and conduct electricity and heat well.
Whites Metal Detector
Whites Electronics have been manufacturing metal detectors since the late
1950s.Operating a metal detector is simple - you turn it on, and move slowly
over the area you wish to search, sweeping the search head back and forth
over the ground in front of you. When you pass the search head over metal, an
audible signal occurs. More advanced metal detectors provide displays that
indicate the type of metal and how deep its buried.
Penguins
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are an order of
flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere. They are not, contrary to
popular belief, only found in cold climates, such as Antarctica (although
many species of penguin do live in the Antarctic waters). Many species live
as far north as the Galapagos Islands and will occasionally cross the equator
while feeding. Most penguins live off krill, fish, squid, and other forms of
sealife that they catch while swimming underwater.
Plankton
Plankton is the aggregate community of weakly swimming or drifting small
organisms that inhabit the water column of the ocean and bodies of
freshwater. The name comes from a Greek term, meaning wanderer or drifter.
While some forms of plankton can move several hundreds of meters vertically
in a single day (a behavior called diel vertical migration), their horizontal
position is mostly determined by water motions (currents) in the body of
water they inhabit.
Relics
The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae ('remains') and is a term for
something that has survived the passage of time - especially an object or
custom whose original culture has disappeared, but also an object cherished
for historical or memorial value (such as a keepsake or heirloom).
Sea Ice
Sea ice is formed from ocean water that freezes. Because the oceans are
salty, this occurs at about -1.8 oC. Sea ice itself is largely fresh, since
the ocean salt, by a process called brine rejection, is expelled from the
forming and consolidating ice. The resulting highly saline (and hence dense)
water is an important influence on the ocean overturning circulation.
Seals
A number of seal species live in the waters surrounding Antarctica, including
fur seals, elephant seals and leopard seals. All seals are classified as
Pinnipeds - large marine mammals belonging to the Pinnipedia, a suborder of
the order Carnivora. The true seals, sea lions, fur seals and walrus are all
pinnipeds
South Pole Weather
Bringing you the weather from the South Pole, at the bottom of the world.
Wedding Dress
A wedding dress or wedding gown is clothing worn by a bride during a wedding
ceremony. Color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown depends on the
religious and cultural nature of the wedding participants.
Whales
The freezing waters off Antarctica are the summer home for many whale
species. While there, the whales feed on the rich supply of krill (creatures
resembling tiny shrimp). When the Antarctic winter starts to set in, the
whales migrate North to warmer waters for the Austral (Southern) winter.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago,
Illinois. They are in the Central Division of the American League.
White Wedding
A wedding is a civil or religious ceremony at which a marriage is conducted.
A white wedding is a traditional British wedding. This term refers to the
white wedding dress, which symbolizes virginity and innocence. A similar
wedding in the United States is simply called a traditional wedding. The
tradition of wearing white at weddings was due to the color of the wedding
dress of Queen Victoria at her wedding to Prince Albert.
About Lighthouses
An aid for navigation and pilotage at sea, a lighthouse is a tower building
or framework sending out light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older
times, from a burning fire. More primitive navigational aids were once used
such as a fire on top of a hill or cliff, (see beacon). Because of modern
navigational aids, the number of active lighthouses has declined to fewer
than 1,500 worldwide. Lighthouses are used to mark dangerous coastlines,
hazardous shoals away from the coast and safe entries to harbors.
Abominable Snowman
An abominable snowman is a yeti: a large primate-like creature reported to
live in the Himalayas. Most mainstream scientists and experts consider
current evidence of the yeti's existence to be unpersuasive, and the result
of hoaxes, legend, or misidentification of mundane creatures. Still, the yeti
remains one of the most famous creatures in cryptozoology.
Beach
A beach is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as
sand, shingle, or cobble along the shoreline of a body of water.
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures
and strong winds (greater than 35 mph) bearing a great amount of snow, either
falling or blowing. When these conditions persist after snow has stopped
falling, it is called a ground blizzard.
Cloud
A cloud is a visible mass of condensed water droplets or ice crystals
suspended in the atmosphere above Earth's surface. The condensing water vapor
forms small droplets of water (typically 0.01 mm) or ice crystals that, when
surrounded with billions of other droplets or crystals, are visible as
clouds. Clouds reflect all visible wavelengths of light equally and are thus
white, but they can appear grey or even black if they are so thick or dense
that sunlight cannot pass through.
Dew Point
The dew point of a given parcel of air is the temperature to which the parcel
must be cooled, keeping pressure constant, for it to become saturated with
water vapor. At this temperature condensation will begin if conditions are
suitable (presence of a solid surface or other condensation nuclei)—water
vapor then condenses into liquid water called dew.
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian
(wind-related) processes. Bare dunes are subject to shifting location and
size based on their interaction with the wind. The valley or trough between
dunes is called a slack.
Fog
Fog is cloud in contact with the ground. Fog reduces visibility. Some
vehicles have radar etc., cars have to drive slower and use more lights.
Especially dangerous is when fog is very localized, and the driver is caught
by surprise.
Frost
Frost, like snow, is the result of deposition of water vapor in saturated
air. If solid surfaces in contact with the air are chilled below the
deposition point (see frost point, then spicules of ice grow out from the
solid surface. The size of the crystals is a matter of time and the amount of
water vapor available.
Graupel
Graupel can be any of the following types of solid-ice precipitation: hail;
sleet; snow pellets
Seagull
Gulls are seabirds in the family Laridae and subfamily Lari. Apart from the
kittiwakes, gulls are typically coastal or inland species, rarely venturing
far out to sea. Coastal gulls are popularly referred to as seagulls.
Hail
Hail is a type of graupel (a form of precipitation) composed of balls or
irregular lumps of ice. It occurs when supercooled water droplets (remaining
in a liquid state despite being below the freezing point, 0°C/32°F) in a
storm cloud collide with some solid object, such as a dust particle or an
already-forming hailstone. The water then freezes around the object.
Ice
Ice is the solid form of water. The phase transition occurs when liquid water
is cooled below 0°C (273K, 32°F) at standard atmospheric pressure. Ice can be
formed at higher temperatures in pressurized environments, and water will
remain a liquid or gas until -30°C at lower pressures. Ice formed at high
pressure has a different crystal structure and density than ordinary ice.
Lightning
Lightning is a massive natural electrostatic discharge produced during a
thunderstorm. Lightning's abrupt electric discharge is accompanied by the
emission of light. The electricity passing through the atmosphere rapidly
heats and expands the air, producing lightning's characteristic thunder sound
Picnic
In contemporary usage, picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion
at which a meal is eaten outdoors, ideally, taking place in a beautiful
landscape.
Precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as
part of the weather. This includes snow, rain, sleet, freezing rain and hail.
Precipitation is a major part of the hydrologic cycle, and is responsible for
depositing most of the fresh water on the planet. Precipitation is generated
in clouds, which reach a point of saturation; at this point larger and larger
droplets (or pieces of ice) form, which then fall to the earth under gravity.
It is possible to 'seed' clouds to induce precipitation by releasing a fine
dust or appropriate chemical (commonly silver nitrate) into a cloud,
encouraging droplets to form, and increasing the probability of
precipitation.
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring, finely divided rock, comprised of particles
ranging in size from 0.063 to 2 mm. An individual particle in this range size
is termed a sand grain.
Sandcastles
A sand castle is a type of sand sculpture which resembles a miniature
building, often (but not always) a castle. The two basic building
ingredients, sand and water, are available in abundance on a sandy beach and
so most sand play occurs there, or in a sandbox.
Sand Dollar
The common sand dollar is the skeleton or "test" of a marine
animal. By the time the test washes up on the beach it is missing its velvety
covering of minute spines and appears somewhat white from being bleached by
the sun.
Sleet
Whereas hail forms within clouds, sleet begins as snow falling to earth after
having left it's originating cloud. The snow partially melts on its trip down
in a layer of warm air but then refreezes into ice crystals that appear much
like hail.
Snow
Snow, a form of precipitation, is a crystalline form of water ice, consisting
of a multitude of snowflakes. Since it is composed of small rough particles,
it has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external
pressure. Very light snow falling is called flurries or just a flurry.
Snow Day
A snow day is a day on which school or other services are cancelled owing to
unusually heavy snowfall. In areas that normally have very little snow, this
may occur even with light accumulation — something often made fun of by those
people used to colder climates, where streets would remain passable given the
same amount of snow.
Snowflake
A snowflake is a uniquely shaped piece of falling snow, a crystalline form of
water ice.
Snow Line
The snow line is the point above which, or poleward of which, snow and ice
cover the ground throughout the year.
Surfing
Surfing is a popular recreational activity and sport in which individuals are
propelled across the water by the force of waves, whilst standing on,
predominantly, GRP fiberglass boards. Wooden and foam plastic boards (foamies)
are also used.
Water
Water is a chemical compound and polar molecule, which is liquid under STP
conditions (standard temperature and pressure). It has the chemical formula
H2O, meaning that one molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and
one oxygen atom. Water is found almost everywhere on earth and is required by
all known life. About 70% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
Water Cycle
The water cycle (known scientifically as the hydrologic cycle) refers to the
continuous motion of water between the oceans and seas, land, and atmosphere.
It may be divided into three main phases: evaporation, precipitation<, and
runoff.
Water Vapor
Water vapor (British: Water vapour) is water in gaseous form. It arises
either through evaporation of liquid water or sublimation from solid ice. By
the reverse processes of condensation and deposition, vapor converts to water
or ice. Above 100°C (212°F) and below sea-level pressure, most water
molecules in a closed system of pure water assume the form of vapor.
Weather
Weather comprises all the various phenomena that occur in the atmosphere of a
planet. On Earth the regular events include wind, storms, rain, and snow,
which occur particularly in the troposphere or the lower part of the
atmosphere. Weather is driven by energy from the sun, with key factors being
temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover, wind speed, and
elevation.
White Daisies
It is thought that the name "daisy" is a corruption of "day's eye", because
the whole head of these charming flowers closes at night and opens in the
morning. The earliest daisies were white, although cultivars have been
developed in many colors.
White Lilies
Because the traditional Easter color is white, a white lily has long been
considered to be the Easter flower. But a variety of white flowers referred
to as 'lilies' bloom throughout the warmer seasons, many of them quite
unrelated to the true lily plants.
White Jonquils
White Jonquils are one of the earlier spring flowers. They belong to the
Narcissi (plural of Narcissus), a group of hardy spring-flowering bulbs,
including the daffodil. This botanic genus is named after the character
Narcissus from Greek mythology. The most common colors of Narcissi are white
and yellow.
Whiteout
Whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility is reduced by snow and
diffuse lighting from overcast clouds.
White Roses
Although pink or red are the most common colors for roses, there are also a
large number of white rose species and cultivars. Probably the most famous
white rose cultivar is 'Iceberg', which is widely grown because of its long
and prolific flowering season. Historically, the white rose has been adopted
as a symbol by a number of groups.
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is located about 15 miles (25 km)
south-west of Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA, in a mountain-ringed valley, the
Tularosa Basin. It covers the southern part of a 275 square mile (710 km²)
field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals.
White Weather
White weather is mostly winter weather - ice, snow, whiteouts. Although
summer may have some fluffy white clouds....
4th of July
The 4th of July is Independence Day, an annual celebration commemorating the
anniversary of the creation of the United States of America as an independent
state, through the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great
Britain. The 4th of July is a public holiday in the United States.
Traditionally, it is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and picnics.
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document in which the 13 American
colonies declare themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and
explain their justifications for doing so. It was ratified by the Continental
Congress on July 4, 1776; which is why this date is celebrated as
Independence Day in the United States. The original copy is still on display
to the public in the National Archives in Washington, DC.
Patriotism
Patriotism is a feeling of support for one's own country. An act motivated by
patriotism is said to be a patriotic act. Generally, any selfless act that
directly benefits the nation is considered patriotic. Perhaps the clearest
example is the act of risking death in battle. However, many other less
dramatic beneficial acts, such as performing the backup work needed to keep a
military force functioning, or looking out for the morale of soldiers, are
also considered patriotic. In addition, symbolic acts are also often
considered to be patriotic. Such acts would include displaying the national
flag, singing the national anthem, participating in a mass rally, placing a
patriotic bumper sticker on one’s vehicle, or any other way of publicly
proclaiming one’s allegiance to the nation.
Pledge of Allegiance
In the United States, schoolchildren frequently recite the Pledge of
Allegiance while saluting the flag. The protocol followed when reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance is straightforward. Uniformed military personnel are to
face the flag and salute as they would to an officer. Civilians are to stand
at attention and place their right hand over the heart. Civilian men
(however, not women) are also to remove their hats and place them over their
heart as well.
Stars and Stripes
The flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal
horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a
blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white,
five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top
and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The 50 stars represent the
50 states and the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
The White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the
President of the United States. It is a white building located at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, D.C. As the office of the President,
the term White House is often used symbolically to refer to the President's
administration, as in, 'Today, the White House announced a major new health
care initiative'.
Christmas
Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a traditional holiday in the
Christian calendar which takes place on the 25th of December and celebrates
the nativity of Jesus Christ. The word Christmas is often abbreviated to
Xmas, possibly because the letter X resembles the Greek letter ?, which is
the first letter of Christ's name as spelled in Greek.
About White Christmas
The song, "White Christmas", by Irving Berlin,
was first sung by Bing Crosby in the 1942 musical, Holiday Inn, and,
when released as a record, sold over 30 million copies, making it the
best-selling recording of all time.
Christmas Lights
Christmas lights (also sometimes called fairy lights or twinkle lights) are
strands of electric lights used to decorate homes and Christmas trees during
the holiday season. Christmas lights come in a dazzling array of
configurations and colors.
About Frosty the Snowman
Frosty the Snowman is a popular Christmas song written by Jack Nelson and
Steve Rollins in 1950. It was written after Gene Autry recorded Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer and the single sold 2 million copies. Nelson and Rollins
shopped the new song to Autry, who recorded Frosty in search of another
seasonal hit.
Easter Bunny
In ancient Saxon tradition, the rabbit was associated with Eostre, the
Goddess of dawn, spring, and new beginnings. Once a year, at the beginning of
spring, Eostre empowered the rabbit to lay Easter eggs, as a symbol of new
life. With the introduction of Christianity, Easter eggs came to symbolize
the resurrection, but they were still laid by a rabbit. Today, the Easter
Bunny, usually large and white, still brings Easter eggs and candy to
children around the world on Easter Sunday.
Easter Candles
Candles form an essential part of the traditional Easter vigil service on the
evening of Holy Saturday. The vigil service leads up to a dramatic moment
when the lights in each church are put out, leaving everyone in darkness.
Easter dates
Originally, Easter was celebrated at the time of the Jewish Passover. Over
the years, the Christian church developed its own method of calculating
Easter. When the calendar was reformed, the Western churches based their
Easter dates on the new Gregorian calendar, while the Eastern churches
continued to base their dates on the old, Julian calendar. The table below
gives the date of the first full moon after the March Equinox, and the dates
of the Jewish Passover and Eastern and Western Easter for the years 2004 -
2010.
Easter history
White is the traditional color for Easter, signifying light, purity and joy.
Early Christians believed the week before Easter was a good time to be
baptized. They wore new, white clothes as a sign of their new life, and so
the week before Easter became known as 'white week'.
Easter Lamb
The lamb is an Easter symbol with strong biblical links: Early Christians
likened the joyous Christian celebration of the liberation from death
represented by the resurrection, to the joyous Passover festival, which
commemorates the liberation of the Hebrews from their years of bondage in
Egypt.
Easter lily
Because the traditional Easter color is white, a white lily has long been
considered to be the Easter flower. The Easter Lily, Lilium Longiflorum, is a
Japanese white lily introduced into America in the 19th Century, and now
grown commercially in America for the Easter season. The beautiful
trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize the spiritual essence of Easter -
purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life.
Ghosts
Ghosts are a popular traditional Halloween costume (partly because its so
easy to create a ghost costume with a white bedsheet!). Halloween is
traditionally the most haunted night of the year, when the barriers are down
between the Earth and the Spirit World, and when the ghostly spirits of the
dead may walk among the living.
Halloween
Halloween is a holiday on the night of October 31 that is celebrated in much
of the Western world, nowhere more enthusiastically than in the USA, although
most Western countries recognise it as an official date. The eve is that
before All Saints' Day, November 1. In Catholic tradition All Saints' Day is
a time of holy obligation, a feast celebrated in honour of all the Christian
saints and martyrs, known or unknown. All Saints' Day was also formerly known
as All Hallows, or Hallowmas, hence the name All Hallows' Eve, which
eventually became known as Hallowe'en
Day of the Dead
In Mexico, Halloween ushers in The Day of the Dead, (El Día de los Muertos),
a Mexican and Mexican-American celebration of dead ancestors, which lasts
from the evening of October 31, through November 1 and November 2, the Roman
Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
Halloween Decorations
A traditional part of Halloween is decorating the yard and home, whether for
trick-or-treaters, or Halloween parties.
Skeletons and the Danse Macarbre
Skeletons are a traditional Halloween costume, and a symbol of ancient
beliefs. Halloween is traditionally the most magical night of the year, when
the barriers are down between the Earth and the Spirit World, and when the
spirits of the dead may walk with the living.
Snow In Summer
Snow in Summer is a common name for a number of different plants that bloom
in summer with masses of white flowers. But how about real snow in summer?
Yes, it does exist:....
White Week
White is the traditional color for Easter, signifying light, purity and joy.
Early Christians believed the week before Easter was a good time to be
baptized. They wore new, white clothes as a sign of their new life, and so
the week before Easter became known as white week
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys were an enormously successful pop group of the 1960s whose
popularity has lasted into the twenty-first century. They were formed in 1961
by brothers Carl, Dennis and Brian Wilson with cousin Mike Love and friend Al
Jardine. The group's close vocal harmonies showed the influence of The Four
Freshmen. David Marks appeared on their first five albums and was a member
from 1962 to 1963.
The Beatles
The Beatles are among the most influential popular music artists of modern
times, initially affecting the culture of Britain and the U.S., the postwar
baby boom generation, and then of the rest of the world, especially during
the 1960s and early 1970s. Certainly they're the most successful, with global
sales exceeding 1.3 billion albums (as of 2004). Their influences on popular
culture extended far beyond their roles as recording artists, as they
branched out into film and even semi-willingly became spokesmen for their
generation. The members of the group were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George
Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), all from Liverpool, England. The
effect of the Beatles on Western culture (and by extension on the rest of the
world) has been immeasurable.
The Beatles' Achievements
Throughout their relatively short time recording and performing together, The
Beatles set a number of world records - most of which have yet to be broken.
The following is a partial list.
Beatles Discography
The Beatles released an impressive 13 albums in a mere seven years. This was
an astonishing achievement considering the quality and creativity of nearly
every release.
Beatles History
Lennon met McCartney on July 6, 1957 at St. Peter's Church garden fete.
Lennon was in a skiffle group called The Quarry Men who were performing at
the event. McCartney joined the band, and brought Harrison along soon after.
In 1958, The Quarry Men recorded a demo of two songs; the first was an
original Harrison/McCartney tune called In Spite Of All The Danger the other
was a cover of Buddy Holly's That'll Be The Day. A number of songs that were
later recorded for Beatles records, were originally written at this time
including I'll Follow The Sun, When I'm 64, and One After 909.
Beatles Influence
The Beatles' influence on rock music and world culture was profound. Prior to
their emergence as pop superstars, it was common for rock bands to rely on
professional songwriters for their material (the Brill Building in New York
City was a source of many hit singles in the early 1960s).
The Beatles Movies
The Beatles also had a limited film career, beginning with A Hard Day's Night
(1964). Directed by the up and coming American Richard Lester, it was a
gritty black-and-white documentary-like account of a short period in the life
of a rock-and-roll band. In 1965 came Help!, a Technicolor extravaganza shot
in exotic locations with a thin, if not almost transparent plot regarding
Ringo's finger! The critically slammed Magical Mystery Tour (the concept of
which was adapted from Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters LSD-orientated bus tour
of the USA) was aired on British television in 1967, but is now considered a
cult classic.
George Harrison
George Harrison (February 25, 1943 - November 29, 2001) was a popular British
songwriter and musician, best known as a member of The Beatles. According to
Harrison, he found out his birthday was really February 24. His sister has
said that their mother wrote in her diary that he was born ten minutes after
midnight on February 25.
Jack White
Jack White (born July 9, 1975 in Detroit) is an American rock musician and
actor, best known as leader of the rock duo The White Stripes. White's
initial professional music experience came in the early 1990s as a drummer in
the Detroit country-punk band Goober and the Peas. Upon forming the White
Stripes with his ex-wife Meg White, Jack White switched to guitar and vocal
duties while Meg took over on the drums. (Jack and Meg White were for a time
rumoured to be brother and sister, and did little to set the record straight
finding the mystery to be good publicity; more recently they have publicly
acknowledged the true nature of their relationship).
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon (October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980), rose to fame as a
singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the legendary 1960s rock group, The
Beatles. His creative career also included the roles of solo musician,
political activist, artist and author. His first marriage was to his teenage
sweetheart, Cynthia Powell, but he later left her for the Japanese artist
Yoko Ono. He had always disliked his middle name and soon after his second
marriage changed it to Ono. (His mother had named him after Winston
Churchill.)
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942) is a British musician.
McCartney was born at Walton Hospital, located in northern Liverpool near his
teenage home, where his mother had worked as a nurse. McCartney first rose to
fame as the bassist, pianist, guitarist, singer and songwriter for The
Beatles.
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE (born July 7, 1940) is best known by his stage name,
Ringo Starr, as the drummer for The Beatles from August 16th 1962 (when he
replaced Pete Best) until their breakup in 1970. Ringo is known for his
reliable, steady drumming and innovative fills. His easygoing personality
made him an easy fit with the other Beatles.
The White Album (The Beatles)
The self-titled double album The Beatles, released by The Beatles in 1968 at
the height of their popularity, is often hailed as one of the major
accomplishments in popular music. It is usually refered to as The White
Album. The follow-up to Magical Mystery Tour, The White Album marked a
turning point for the group, interpreted by some fans to be the beginning of
the end for the band.
White Album tracks
The self-titled double album The Beatles (The White Album), released by The
Beatles in 1968 at the height of their popularity, is often hailed as one of
the major accomplishments in popular music.
White Blood Cells
White Blood Cells is the third album released by the Detroit rock band, The
White Stripes. It was released in 2001. Its stripped-down, garage rock sound,
led to critical raves.
White Stripes
The White Stripes are a minimalist rock and roll duo from Detroit, formed in
1997. Billing themselves as brother and sister, guitarist and singer Jack
White and his ex-wife, drummer Meg White, released their self-titled debut
album in 1999. They were a struggling local band in Detroit for a long time,
even after touring with Pavement and Sleater-Kinney. Their stripped-down,
garage rock sound made them a much hyped-band in 2002, as a result of the
critical raves given to the major label release of White Blood Cells.
Black & White Scotch Whisky
Black & White is a brand of blended Scotch whisky that is famous for its logo
of two Scottish terriers - a black Scottish terrier, and a West Highland
White terrier.
Champagne
Champagne is a sparkling white wine, produced in the Champagne region of
France. Other sparkling wines made with the traditional French methods may
only be labelled méthode champenoise, or more frequently méthode
traditionnelle.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make a variety of white
wine. Chardonnay is also known by the names Aubaine, Beaunois, Melon Blanc,
and, historically Pinot Chardonnay.
Cheesecake
A cheesecake is a dessert which is either made of, or has a soft topping of,
cottage or more usually cream cheese, sugar and sometimes other ingredients
such as eggs, cream and fruit, on a biscuit or pastry base. Various other
flavorings may be added, such as vanilla or chocolate, and a fruit topping is
frequently added. Cheesecakes vary in style from moist and light to dense and
somewhat dry. Cheesecakes are made in both baked and cooked versions with
baked cheesecakes being more cake-like.
Cocktail Party
A cocktail party is a party where cocktails and light snacks or finger foods
are served. Cocktail parties frequently take place for a couple of hours
early in the evening, before another social event.
Cocktails
A cocktail is a mixed drink, usually containing one or more distilled
alcoholic beverages and perhaps non-alcoholic drinks, ice and sometimes
liqueur, fruit, sauce, honey, spices etc. The cocktail became popular during
the Prohibition in the United States; to mask the taste of bootlegged alcohol
the bartenders at a speakeasy would mix it with other liquors and
non-alcoholic drinks.
Gin
Gin is a spirit, or strong alcoholic beverage. It is made from the
distillation of white grain spirit and juniper berries (or sloe berries, in
the case of sloe gin), which provide its distinctive flavour. The taste of
ordinary gin is very dry (unlike sloe gin), and as such it is rarely drunk
neat.
Ice Wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been
frozen. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water
does, so the result is an unusually concentrated, often very sweet wine.
Unlike other unfortified dessert wines, the grapes tend not to be affected by
Botrytis cinera. When the grapes are free of botrytis, they are said
to have come in clean.
Martini
The martini is the classic cocktail. H. L. Mencken once called the Martini,
'the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.' A modern martini is
made with two and one half ounces of gin and a half ounce of dry vermouth,
stirred with crushed ice and then strained into a chilled cocktail glass, and
served straight up (without ice), though other recipes may be used.
White Lightning & Moonshine
The clear, potent whiskey liquor produced by illegal stills is often called
white lightning because of its effect, or kick The literal meaning of
moonshine is the light of the moon, but because the activity of distilling
whiskey unlawfully was usually done at night with as little light as
possible, the word became both a verb, meaning making the liquor, and a noun,
meaning the liquor that was made.
Riesling
Riesling is a grape variety and varietal appellation of wines from Alsace
(France), Austria, and Germany, among others. Riesling wines are
traditionally sweet to medium sweet, but those from Alsace tend to be dry or
nearly so. Dry German Rieslings are increasingly popular in Germany, and are
labeled as trocken. Other names for true Riesling are Johannisberg Riesling
(named after the famed Schloss Johannisberg) and White Riesling. Many grapes
that incorporate the name Riesling are not true Riesling. For example, Grey
Riesling is actually Trousseau Gris, an unrelated but not entirely dissimilar
grape.
White Spirits
Spirits are beverages with a high alchohol content, produced by distillation
of a fermentation of sugar or starch containing products. The most well-known
spirits are brandy, gin, rum, vodka and whiskey. Spirits may be a brown color
(eg brandy), or light, clear, and almost colorless (eg vodka). The light
colored spirits are sometimes referred to as white and are used in the making
of white cocktails.
Vanilla
Vanilla refers to a genus of orchid or the flavoring, in its pure form known
as vanillin, derived from that orchid. One major use of vanilla is in
flavouring ice cream: the most common, and thus the default flavour of ice
cream is vanilla.
Vodka
Vodka is a clear, typically colorless distilled liquor. But for insignificant
amounts of flavorings, it consists of water and ethanol. Vodka usually has an
alcohol content ranging from 35% to 60% by volume. The classic Russian vodka
is 40%.
White Rum
Rum is an alcoholic liquor made from sugar cane by-products such as molasses
and sugar cane juice which are fermented and distilled. The distillate, a
clear liquid, is aged in oak casks. Rum is chiefly produced in the Caribbean
and along the Demerara river in South America, but also in Australia and
India. Famous for its association with piracy and the Royal Navy. There are
dark rums, golden rums and white rums (actually clear in colour).
White Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage typically made by fermentation of grapes. The
colour of wine is determined by the presence or absence of the grape skin
during fermentation, since most wine grapes have clear juice. White wine can
be made from any colour of grape, but the skin is not left in during
fermentation.
White Zinfandel
White Zinfandel, often called White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet blush wine,
pink in color, made from Zinfandel grapes. Typically an inexpensive jug wine,
White Zinfandel is a quaffing wine that is sweet, low-alcohol, and soft,
making it a popular choice with people who would otherwise not drink wine.
Depending on the amount of sugar, it can taste almost like a fruit punch,
although some examples are have crisp acids and are balanced in their own
way. It is rare that a White Zinfandel is not meant to be consumed
immediately.
Snow White - The Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is an animated family film by The Walt
Disney Company in which a jealous queen tries to have her stepdaughter
murdered, but instead the girl is given shelter by seven dwarves who live
deep in a forest. (The movie's title uses the word dwarfs, not dwarves.)
Fairy Tales
A fairy tale is a story, usually told to children, concerning the adventures
of mythical characters such as: fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants and
others. These stories often involve princes and princesses and normally have
a happy ending. Often, fairy tales were disguised morality tales. This is
true for the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale Collection, and many of the tales of
Hans Christian Andersen
Grimm's Fairy Tales
The Brothers Grimm (Gebrüder Grimm), Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, are well known
for publishing books containing collections of German fairy tales. English
translations of these books remain popular, largely as material for children,
though the folk tales the Grimms collected had not previously been considered
children's stories.
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