Scooby Doo is an American animated cartoontelevision series for children by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, about four young people - brave FredJones, glamorous DaphneBlake, brainy Velma Dinkley and cowardly Norville Rogers, better known as 'Shaggy' - and their cowardly pet great dane - Scoobert (known as Scooby) Doo - who each show solve a supernatural crime, which they call a mystery. The original 1960's and 1970's cartoon series spawned sequels and feature-length films as well as a live action film. The original stories were written by Ken Spears and Joe Ruby and first aired in 1969 on the CBStelevision network in the USA. Research Scooby Doo
In western cultures wedding anniversaries are traditionally associated with the giving of gifts made of materials which vary depending upon the number of years the couple has been married. Similarly, wedding anniversaries are also known by the material, so the 25th wedding anniversary is popularly known as the 'silver wedding anniversary' after the material associated with it. While there are variations to the list, a general one follows: 1st Paper 2nd Cotton 3rd Leather 4th Fruit 5th Wood 6th Sugar 7th Copper 8th Bronze 9th Pottery 10th Tin 11th Steel 12th Silk 13th Lace 14th Ivory 15th Crystal 20th China 25th Silver 30th Pearl 35th Coral 40th Ruby 45th Sapphire 50th Gold 55th Emerald 60th Diamond 70th Platinum Research Wedding Anniversaries
Humming-bird is the popular name for the Trochilidae family of minute and beautiful birds, so called from the sound of their wings in flight. The beak is slender, generally long, sometimes straight and sometimes curved. The tongue is long and filiform. They feed by hovering by a plant and use their tongue to catch insects.
In size humming-birds vary from that of a wren to that of a humble-bee. They never light to take food, but feed while on the wing, hovering before a flower, supported by a rapid vibratory movement of the wings which produces the humming noise. These beautiful birds are peculiar to America, and almost exclusively tropical. One species, the ruby-throated humming-bird (Trochilus colubris) is pretty common in the north-east of the United States. The only note of the humming-bird is a single chirp, not louder than that of a cricket. It is very fearless and irascible, two males scarcely ever meeting without a contest. Among the more remarkable of these birds is the tufted-necked humming-bird (Ornismya ornata) of Guiana and Northern Brazil. In this species the crest, outer tail-feathers, and neck-plumea are reddish chestnut, the latter tipped with green, the throat and upper part of the breast are emerald green, the back bronze green. Research Humming-bird
Red Delicious is a popular American eating apple with a mild sweet flavour, a deep ruby coloured skin and a heart shape. It is not good for cooking. Research Red Delicious
The ruby flies or ruby tails are a family of hymenopterous insects, distinguished by their brilliancy of colouring, the integument having a marked metallic lustre, often golden or red in colour. They are parasitic on other Hymenoptera, in whose nests the female lays her eggs. Research Ruby Flies
William Hepworth Dixon was an English writer. He was born in 1821 at Manchester and died in 1879. In 1849 he published a memoir of Howard the philanthropist, which was followed by the Life of WilliamPenn (1851), and by a work on Admiral Blake (1852). In 1853, after having been a contributor, he became chief editor of the Athenaeum, a post which he retained until 1869. During this period he published several very popular works, including the Personal History of LordBacon, The Holy Land, and New America, the last being followed by Spiritual Wives. After his retirement from the Athenaeum, and in the last ten years of his life, he gave to the world somewhere about twenty-five volumes of history, travel, and fiction, among others, Free Russia; Her Majesty's Tower; The Switzers; History of Two Queens, Catharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn; Diana Lady Lyie, and Ruby Grey (both novels); and his last work, Royal Windsor. Research William Dixon
Sir William Fettes Douglas was a Scottish painter. He was born in 1822 at Edinburgh and died in 1891. He was educated at Edinburgh High School and spent ten years in a bank before finally deciding in 1847 upon becoming an artist. In 1851 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, and three years later a full member. In 1877 he became Curator of the National Gallery of Scotland, resigning the post in 1882 on his election as president of the Royal Scottish Academy. Among the finest of his early pictures are The Ruby Ring (1853); The Alchemist (1855); Hudibras and Ralph visiting the Astrologer (1856); and the Rosicrucians (1856), many of these showing much of the Pre-Raphaelite spirit, with abundance of detail. After 1870 he devoted himself rather to landscape, and his Stonehaven Harbour and A Fishing Village (1874-1875) are perhaps his masterpieces. He was knighted in 1882. Research William Douglas
Al Jolson (real name Asa Yoelson) was a Lithuanian actor. He was born in 1886 and died in 1950. Al Jolson went to the USA as a child, against his father's wishes, and starred in minstrel shows before becoming a singing star. Warner Brothers decided to star him in their first partly-talking-picture, the 1927 'The Jazz Singer' At the end of the 1930s Al Jolson's film career was over. This and the divorce from his wife, Ruby Keeler, had a negative influence on Al Jolson's health. During the Second World War Al Jolson sung for the American Military Forces like many other entertainers. Research Al Jolson
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Abbreviations
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