Monday, March 19, 2007
Санкт-Петербург - A Visit of Saint Petersburg (the city of my forefathers)
"Probably the most familiar symbol of St Petersburg is the equestrian statue of Peter the Great, installed in 1782 on the Senate Square. Considered the greatest masterpiece of the French-born Etienne Maurice Falconet, the statue figures prominently in the Russian literature under the name of the Bronze Horseman.
"The Palace Square is dominated by the unique Alexander Column (1830–1834), the tallest of its kind in the world and so nicely set that no attachment to the base is needed. A striking monument to Generalissimo Suvorov, represented as a youthful god of war, was erected in 1801 on the Field of Mars, formerly used for military parades and popular festivities. Saint Isaac's Square is graced by the Monument to Nicholas I (1856–1859), which was spared by Bolshevik authorities from destruction as the first equestrian statue in the world with merely two support points (the rear feet of the horse).
"The public monuments of St Petersburg also include Mikeshin's circular statue of Catherine II on the Nevsky Avenue, fine horse statues on the Anichkov Bridge, a Rodin-like equestrian statue of Alexander III by Paolo Troubetzkoy, and the Tercentenary monument presented by France in 2003 and installed on the Sennaya Square.
"Some of the most important events in the city's history are represented by particular monuments. The Russian victory over Napoleon, for example, was commemorated by the Narva Triumphal Gate (1827–1834), and the victory in the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829 — by the Moscow Triumphal Gates (1834–1838). Following this tradition, the Piskarevskoye Cemetery was opened in 1960 as a monument to the victims of the 900-Day Siege."
"The Palace Square is dominated by the unique Alexander Column (1830–1834), the tallest of its kind in the world and so nicely set that no attachment to the base is needed. A striking monument to Generalissimo Suvorov, represented as a youthful god of war, was erected in 1801 on the Field of Mars, formerly used for military parades and popular festivities. Saint Isaac's Square is graced by the Monument to Nicholas I (1856–1859), which was spared by Bolshevik authorities from destruction as the first equestrian statue in the world with merely two support points (the rear feet of the horse).
"The public monuments of St Petersburg also include Mikeshin's circular statue of Catherine II on the Nevsky Avenue, fine horse statues on the Anichkov Bridge, a Rodin-like equestrian statue of Alexander III by Paolo Troubetzkoy, and the Tercentenary monument presented by France in 2003 and installed on the Sennaya Square.
"Some of the most important events in the city's history are represented by particular monuments. The Russian victory over Napoleon, for example, was commemorated by the Narva Triumphal Gate (1827–1834), and the victory in the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829 — by the Moscow Triumphal Gates (1834–1838). Following this tradition, the Piskarevskoye Cemetery was opened in 1960 as a monument to the victims of the 900-Day Siege."
The Blue Planet - 4 - Frozen Seas
"The Blue Planet, the definitive exploration of the Earth's final frontier is now over. From the deep to the shore, from pole to pole it revealed extraordinary life and behavior that had never before been filmed. In some cases the species were only recently known to scientists."
The Money Trap - How the banks lure you into debt
An insider reveals an industry driven by ambitious targets to sell borrowing to customers.
GRP All-Star Big Band - Cherokee
Personnel: John Patitucci, Dave Weckl, Russell Ferrante, Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Chuck Findley, Byron Stripling, George Bohanon, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangel, Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer, Tom Scott, Dave Grusin, Gary Burton, Eddie Daniels, Phillip Bent.
The Human Sexes - Part Three - Patterns Of Love
"Written and presented by Desmond Morris (1997). How far would you go for love? Get ready to be amazed as you see people go further than you ever thought possible. Patterns Of Love will take you to a brothel in Nevada, love hotels for married adults in Japan and a bachelor auction in Alaska. You'll meet pop star Mongo Faya of Cameroon... and his 58 wives. Visit Istanbul's Topkapi Palace where the Sultans keep harems of hundreds of wives. Fly to Moscow with a group of American men hoping to bring home just one wife. And check out technology's answer to a troubled marriage: an automatic divorce machine that accepts all major credit cards. Patterns Of Love may change your definition of love."
Mindshock - Sleepwalk Terrors
"32-year-old Jules Lowe woke up one morning in October 2003 to find his 83-year-old father Edward had been beaten to death. The last thing Jules remembered was drinking with his dad in the kitchen after a night out in the pub. But with no forced entry, Jules was the only suspect.
"He was arrested and brought to trial, but when he revealed that he was a sleepwalker, experts concluded that it was an extreme case of 'parasomnia', a disorder in which sleepers are not responsible for their actions. But could they convince the jury?
"Lowe's experience is one of several high-profile cases in recent years where people claim to have committed crimes, including murder and rape, in their sleep."
"He was arrested and brought to trial, but when he revealed that he was a sleepwalker, experts concluded that it was an extreme case of 'parasomnia', a disorder in which sleepers are not responsible for their actions. But could they convince the jury?
"Lowe's experience is one of several high-profile cases in recent years where people claim to have committed crimes, including murder and rape, in their sleep."
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