Mothers Day

Mothers Day

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father's Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents Day.

The modern Mother's Day began in the United States, at the initiative of Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century. This is not (directly) related to the many traditional celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have existed throughout the world over thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to Cybele, Rhea the Great Mother of the Gods, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration (originally a commemoration of Mother Church, not motherhood).[1][2][3][4] However, in some countries, Mother's Day is still synonymous with these older traditions.[5]

The U.S.-derived modern version of Mother's Day has been criticized[6][7] for having become too commercialized. Founder Jarvis herself regretted this commercialism and expressed views on how that was never her intention.

The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia.[9] St Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine.[10] Her campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world".[11]

In 1908, the U.S. Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would also have to proclaim a "Mother-in-law's Day".[12] However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all U.S. states observed the holiday,[13] with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday[14] (the first being West Virginia, Jarvis' home state, in 1910). In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.[15]

Although Jarvis was successful in founding Mother's Day, she became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday. By the early 1920s, Hallmark Cards and other companies had started selling Mother's Day cards. Jarvis believed that the companies had misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother's Day, and that the emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit. As a result, she organized boycotts of Mother's Day, and threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved.[16] Jarvis argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards.[15] Jarvis protested at a candy makers' convention in Philadelphia in 1923, and at a meeting of American War Mothers in 1925. By this time, carnations had become associated with Mother's Day, and the selling of carnations by the American War Mothers to raise money angered Jarvis, who was arrested for disturbing the peace.[15][16]

Spelling

In 1912 Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrase "Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder", and created the Mother's Day International Association.[17] She specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world."[18] This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in his 1914 presidential proclamation, by the U.S. Congress in relevant bills,[19][20] and by various U.S. presidents in their proclamations concerning Mother's Day

Casualty (TV series)

Casualty (TV series)

Casualty, stylised as CASUAL+Y, is a British medical drama series that airs weekly on BBC One.[1] It is the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world,[2] and the most enduring medical drama shown on prime time television in the world.[3] Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 6 September 1986. The original producer was Geraint Morris.[4]

The programme is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital and focuses on the staff and patients of the hospital's Accident and Emergency Department. The show has strong ties to its sister programme Holby City, which began as a spin-off series from Casualty in 1999,[5] set in the same hospital. Casualty is shown weekly on a Saturday evening, which has been its time slot since the early 1990s.

Casualty's exterior shots were mainly filmed outside the Ashley Down Centre in Bristol from 1986 until 2002, when they moved to the centre of Bristol. In 2011, Casualty celebrated its 25th anniversary and moved production to the Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, where it is currently filmed. The 1,000th episode of Casualty aired on 25 June 2016.[6] A feature-length 30th anniversary episode of Casualty aired on 27 August 2016, episode 1 of series 31. For the series 31 finale, creator Paul Unwin returned to write a special episode which was entirely recorded in one take using only one camera, five boom operators and forty microphones.

Creation

The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin.[8] According to writer Susan Wilkins, it was meant to be a response to the Margaret Thatcher era, and Unwin said that as young socialists, they wanted to create a "television revolution" that would be feminist, anti-racist, pro-NHS and anti-Conservative.[9]

Production

Location

Casualty and Holby City are both set in Holby City Hospital,[10] in the fictional county of Wyvern, in the south-west of England.[11]

From the show's inception to series 26, episode 16, the city exterior was represented by Bristol,[12] including well-known landmarks such as the floating harbour and Clifton Suspension Bridge often visible in outdoor scenes.[13] The City of Bristol College was used as the location for most exterior shots of the hospital from 1986 until 2002, when a new exterior set was built in Lawrence Hill Industrial Park in the city.[14] Casualty has also filmed at Chavenage House back in 1997.[15]

Following plans to switch filming to Birmingham, it was confirmed on 26 March 2009 that filming of Casualty from 2011 would move to a purpose-built studio and backlot set at the BBC Roath Lock studios in Cardiff, South Wales.[16][17] Episode 16 of series 26 marked the final episode filmed in Bristol, with a fire destroying the department. The first episode from Cardiff,[18] broadcast on 7 January 2012, was an 80-minute episode.[19] Most exterior shots of the city of Holby are now shot within the city of Cardiff and wider area of South Wales. Railway scenes are shot on location at various preserved railways, which from the start of shooting have centred around the West Somerset Railway, the Avon Valley Railway and more recently the Barry Tourist Railway. In May 2018, filming for the premier of series 33 was shot in Bristol and Yate.[20]

Broadcast

The programme has usually been transmitted on Saturday nights, although for a period in the late 1980s and early 1990s it switched to Fridays. The first two series each consisted of 15 episodes; series 3 ran for 10 episodes (although one of those episodes was postponed following the death of its guest star, Roy Kinnear); series 4, 5 and 6 were 12, 13, and 15 episodes long respectively. The final episode of series 6, which focused on a plane crash, was postponed until February 1992, after being initially scheduled for transmission on 20 December 1991 – one day before the 3rd anniversary of the Lockerbie disaster.

When the show moved back to Saturday nights in September 1992, the series length was extended to 24 episodes per year, and placed in a pre-watershed slot at approximately 8 pm. This initially caused some controversy due to the graphic and controversial nature of some of the storylines.[21] In 1997–8, the episode number was increased again, with 26 episodes (including two 75-minute specials) making up series 12. Subsequent series each saw an increase in episodes; series 13 ran for 28 episodes, series 14 ran for 30 episodes, series 15 ran for 36 episodes, series 16 and 17 ran for 40 episodes and series 18 ran for 46 episodes. Since 2004, popularity of the show resulted in a switch from a traditional seasonal format (which had progressed from three months in its early years to around seven months by 2001) to an almost year-round production and transmission — each series from series 19 (2004/5) to 25 (2010/11) has lasted for 48 episodes. However, this figure was dropped to 42 for series 26, with no summer break, which was related to production moving from Bristol to Cardiff.[22] Series 27 consists of 44 episodes – an increase of 2 episodes on the previous series and returned to 48 for series 28.[23][24] In addition, from series 26, the show also began broadcasting in August of their respective years, rather than start in September with a two-week break in late December.

Casualty usually runs for 50 minutes between 20:00—22:00 slot on BBC One. Special events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and sporting events sometimes see the schedule moved around. On most of these occasions, Casualty is taken off-air for the night to make way for alternative shows. It has been known in the past that if an episode is in two parts, part one will be aired on the Saturday and part two on Sunday. It is broadcast across Europe via BBC Entertainment on the same date.

Cast and characters

Casualty follows the professional and personal lives of the medical and ancillary staff of Holby City Hospital's emergency department. It features an ensemble cast of regular characters, and began with ten main characters in its first series. The original characters are consultant Ewart Plimmer (Bernard Gallagher), senior house officer Baz Samuels (Julia Watson), charge nurse Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson), staff nurse Clive King (George Harris), state enrolled nurse Megan Roach (Brenda Fricker), student nurse Lisa "Duffy" Duffin (Cathy Shipton), paramedics Sandra Mute and Andrew Ponting (Lisa Bowerman and Robert Pugh), receptionist Susie Mercier (Debbie Roza) and porter Kuba Trzcinski (Christopher Rozycki).

Currently, the regular cast consists of lead consultant in emergency medicine and cardiothoracic surgeon Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing); consultants Ethan Hardy (George Rainsford), Dylan Keogh (William Beck) and Will Noble (Jack Nolan); foundation training doctor Rash Masum (Neet Mohan); clinical nurse manager, senior charge nurse and emergency nurse practitioner Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson); advanced clinical practitioner Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell); staff nurses Robyn Miller (Amanda Henderson), Jacob Masters (Charles Venn), David Hide (Jason Durr), Marty Kirkby (Shaheen Jafargholi), and Jade Lovell (Gabriella Leon); operational duty manager Jan Jenning (Di Botcher), paramedics Lev Malinovsky (Uriel Emil) and Fenisha Khatri (Olivia D'Lima); receptionist Noel Garcia (Tony Marshall); and porter Rosa Cadenas (Jacey Sallés).

A survey published by Radio Times magazine in March 2004 found that Casualty has featured more future stars than any other UK soap or drama series.[25] Actors who appeared in the show prior to wider success include Kate Winslet, Orlando Bloom, Minnie Driver, Christopher Eccleston, Tom Hiddleston, Ashley Artus[26], Parminder Nagra, Sadie Frost, Ray Winstone, David Walliams, Jonny Lee Miller, Martin Freeman, Helen Baxendale, Robson Green, and Brenda Fricker.[25] Discussing her 1993 appearance in Casualty, Winslet told the Radio Times: "In England, it almost seems to be part of a jobbing actor's training [to appear in Casualty]. As far as I was concerned it was a great episode, a great part. Appearing in Casualty taught me a big lesson in how to be natural in front of the camera."[25] In addition, the series has featured a variety of more established stars, including Norman Wisdom, Amanda Redman, Anita Dobson, Jenny Seagrove, Rula Lenska, Prunella Scales,[27] Celia Imrie,[28] Toyah Willcox, Maureen Lipman,[29] Frances Barber, Andrew Sachs,[30] Russ Abbot, Stephanie Beacham,[31] Honor Blackman and Michelle Collins in cameo roles.

Titles and theme music

1986–1989, 2015 (S1–3, 30)

The original title sequence featured a speeding ambulance with flashing lights arriving at casualty with a police escort. A CGI heart monitor was shown over the titles. The 49 second sequence shows the patient's point of view and their journey through the department into resus. The heartbeat turned into electric arcs, possibly as a result of a defibrillator being used as the bed moves around the hospital. The theme is used again in second episode of series 30, this time inter-cut with scenes of Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing) performing CPR on Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) and also Lofty (Lee Mead) travelling through the Emergency Department.[32]

1989–1992 (S4–6)

Series 4, in 1989, launched with a new title sequence, opening with an ambulance travelling in daytime. Different activities are then shown, including the ambulance clinicians, hospital equipment, a patient being treated and a blood pressure gauge, all separated by flashes of blue light. The next part of the sequence features new camera shots of the patient's journey into resus.

1992–1993 (S7)

Series 7 from 1992 to 1993 saw a sequence returning to the original style, with the ambulance coming over the hill and a new heartbeat line moving across the bottom of the screen. As the ambulance arrives, the staff come out of the department to move the patient to resus.

1993–1997 (S8–11)

In September 1993 (Series 8), the titles were revamped, based on the series 4 style, with the ambulance. Clips showed accidents and the ambulance journey instead of the patient's journey. Whilst the ambulance is being driven, a series of clips are superimposed. The sequence ends with the ambulance arriving at casualty. The Casualty logo flashes up on the screen when the screen blurs out. The sequence was tinted blue. These lasted until February 1997 when series 11 ended.[33]

1997–2000 (S12–14)

Again September 1997 saw a new look, with fragments of glass flying and a sequence utilising footage of medical staff, hospital equipment and patients' relatives. The sequence ends as all the pieces of glass that were shattered in the first few seconds of the sequence are re-formed into a single pane, which spells out the new Casual+y logo. Minor edits were made when these titles were shortened towards the end of 1998 for series 13 but they remained essentially the same until series 14 ended in March 2000.[34]

2000–2001 (S15)

A more arty sequence appeared in September 2000 (series 15), with a fast forward technique, featuring a clock ticking through the night, an airbag deploying, the ambulance, speeding through evening traffic and patients arriving at reception. The second half of the sequence focuses on a patient being treated in Resus from a bird's-eye perspective. The sequence ends in slow motion as the patient recovers and his relatives crowd round his bed, before the people and equipment disappear, leaving the distinctive chequered flooring of the department and the Casual+y logo. The original 1986 theme tune remained, but as the 'September 1998' shortened version again.[35]

2001–2002 (S16)

A new theme tune marked the arrival of series 16 in September 2001, with a distinct change to the opening titles. For the first time, the focus was on the characters, who were presented posing to the camera against a blurred dark background. The only 'medical' references were the glimpses of an ambulance and a heart rate graphic in the opening seconds of the titles. The same logo introduced in 1997 remains at the end.

2002–2006 (S17–20)

Series 17, starting in September 2002, saw a return to a generic medical-themed title. The focus was on the international symbol of medical aid, the red cross, shown at different sizes moving around the screen, often filled with footage such as paramedics and a patient being given CPR, against a stark white background. This sequence was also filled with abstract graphics, elements of the Casual+y logo and footage of medical emergencies. The logo is formed by the merging of the various crosses & abstract shapes at the end of the sequence. Similarly to the titles of September 2001 – June 2002 (which featured the characters), the 1997 logo remained at the end until these credits were replaced in September 2006 (series 21).[36]

2006–2011 (S21–26)

Brand new titles were introduced in series 21 – this also marked the usage of a brand new Casual+y logo – using stop-frame footage of the ambulance on its journey, followed by images of characters and equipment, mixed with footage of a patient being taken to resus. The sequence was tinted in a turquoise hue and interrupted by a flashing amber graphic, reminiscent of the heart rate line from the original titles sequence. Series 21 saw the use of an orchestral-style variation of the theme tune, though this reverted to the previous version used since series 16.[37]

2012–2013 (S26–28)

Series 26 returned after its Christmas break in January 2012, filmed in high-definition for the first time, to coincide with the move to Cardiff's Roath Lock. A new opening sequence was introduced, reminiscent of the early opening titles, in homage to the show's roots. The variant of the theme music used since series 16 (except series 21) remained in use.[38]

2014–2016 (S28–S30)

On 4 January 2014, the theme tune received a revamp and had a resemblance to the original 1986 theme tune. The closing credits were a continuation of the new updated theme tune. As of 8 February 2014, new titles were used and so was a new CASUAL+Y logo.[39]

2016–2018 (S31–S33)

On 27 August 2016, the 30th anniversary episode and series 31 opener, the theme tune and opening titles received a complete revamp with a darker effect as scenes around the hospital are shown with Charlie being the only character in shot with the opening titles ending with the logo and title cards. The theme tune features the BBC Wales Orchestra performing background instruments.[40]

2018–present (S33–present)

From Episode 13, which aired on 17th November 2018, new titles were used. The theme tune remained the same.

Closing theme

1986–2001

The original closing credit music was known for being slightly different from its opening music. It was originally over one minute in length and over the years was shortened. The original music also had a lead in, known for being haunting and emotional. At the beginning it was not used in every episode. Between series 1–9, it was only used during emotional endings, for example when Duffy was raped and Sandra Mute being killed off. Between series 9–12, it was mainly used to close every episode. In September 1998, the closing theme was moved up a semitone, making the tune even more haunting. The end theme was reduced further in 2000 to go with BBC guidelines. Usage of this tune ended with series 15 in April 2001.

2001–2013

When the theme tune was updated in 2001, the closing credit music was a shortened version of the opening music. The main change was the lead-in music: two versions were used in the twelve years. Series 21 saw the theme tune being changed for a single series; it was made orchestral and only lasted one series. When Adam left the series at the end of series 25, a sad piano-based version was used. It has only ever been used on that one occasion.

When the theme tune changed for series 21 in September 2006, the closing credits were essentially a continuation of the opening tune. Dramatic and edgy, it was more akin to the original 1986 theme and the current 2014 theme.

2014–present

When the series returned in 2014 after the Christmas break, the theme tune had received a revamp, more akin to the original. The closing credits had been slightly extended with sections from the original end theme returning, for example the final end notes.

The end lead in music, a short emotional piece building up to the credits, harked back to the original music which was used between series 1–15. There were a few variations used in episodes between 2014 and 2016. An emotional version using strings and violin, A version using trumpet and beeps and a much basic sounding version just using beeps, those that sound like medical machinery. This package was used mostly until towards the end of Series 30 when a new package was slowly introduced. The original pack is still used occasionally.

Towards the end of series 30, a new package slowly introduced itself. The introduction of piano replaced the "medical/beeps" that had been heard. Again this package includes, an emotional build up (Connie breaks down after Hugo leaves with his father), a dramatic heartbeat build (Gemma stands in shock after running Lily over), a simple piano build up (Cal finds a cufflink, not his), and a romantic version (Ethan tells Alicia that he loves her at Christmas). There has also been a version based on the actual theme tune.

Episode 1 of series 31, and episode 15 featured incidental music. Earlier series of Casualty experimented with incidental music but very rarely. Episodes 1 and 2 of the 32nd series also featured a score by the series composer Jeremy Holland-Smith.

Music cues

Following the successful 30th anniversary celebrations and music composed by Jeremy Holland-Smith, it was decided to include regular musical 'cues' from Series 32 onwards as part of each episode. The music is conducted, arranged, and produced by Justine Barker. The music is often used to emphasise the significance of a part in the story, and there are multiple versions of these cues that have been produced. The music is generally formed of piano, strings, and guitar instruments, and whilst varied in structure, it contains themes that are resonant with the main theme tune of the show, allowing for use in many different circumstances across different episodes

Casualty

Casualty

Casualty may refer to:

Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster

The emergency department of a hospital, also known as a Casualty Department or Casualty Ward (chiefly in the UK and in some English-speaking Commonwealth nations)

Casualty (TV series), a long-running British emergency medical drama series

Casualty 1900s, a British medical drama, then series, including Casualty 1906, Casualty 1907, and Casualty 1909

Casualty insurance, a type of insurance

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

Warren Edward Buffett (/ˈbʌfɪt/; born August 30, 1930)[2] is an American investor, business tycoon, and philanthropist, who is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is considered one of the most successful investors in the world[3][4] and has a net worth of US$88.9 billion as of December 2019, making him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world.[5]

Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He developed an interest in business and investing in his youth, eventually entering the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 before transferring and graduating from the University of Nebraska at the age of 19. He went on to graduate from Columbia Business School, where he molded his investment philosophy around the concept of value investing that was pioneered by Benjamin Graham. He attended New York Institute of Finance to focus his economics background and soon after began various business partnerships, including one with Graham. He created Buffett Partnership, Ltd in 1956 and his firm eventually acquired a textile manufacturing firm called Berkshire Hathaway, assuming its name to create a diversified holding company. In 1978, Charlie Munger joined Buffett and became vice-chairman of the company.[6][7]

Buffett has been the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway since 1970.[8] He has been referred to as the "Oracle" or "Sage" of Omaha by global media outlets.[9][10] He is noted for his adherence to value investing and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth.[11] Research published at the University of Oxford characterizes Buffett's investment methodology as falling within "founder centrism" – defined by a deference to managers with a founder's mindset, an ethical disposition towards the shareholder collective, and an intense focus on exponential value creation. Essentially, Buffett's concentrated investments shelter managers from the short-term pressures of the market.[12]

Buffett is a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent[13] of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He founded The Giving Pledge in 2009 with Bill Gates, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes

Early life and education

Buffett was born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, the second of three children and the only son of Leila (née Stahl) and Congressman Howard Buffett.[15] Buffett began his education at Rose Hill Elementary School. In 1942, his father was elected to the first of four terms in the United States Congress, and after moving with his family to Washington, D.C., Warren finished elementary school, attended Alice Deal Junior High School and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1947, where his senior yearbook picture reads: "likes math; a future stockbroker."[16] After finishing high school and finding success with his side entrepreneurial and investment ventures, Buffett wanted to skip college to go directly into business but was overruled by his father.[17][18]

Buffett displayed an interest in business and investing at a young age. He was inspired by a book he borrowed from the Omaha public library at the age of seven, One Thousand Ways to Make $1000.[19] Much of Buffett's early childhood years were enlivened with entrepreneurial ventures. In one of his first business ventures, Buffett sold chewing gum, Coca-Cola bottles, and weekly magazines door to door. He worked in his grandfather's grocery store. While still in high school, he made money delivering newspapers, selling golf balls and stamps, and detailing cars, among other means. On his first income tax return in 1944, Buffett took a $35 deduction for the use of his bicycle and watch on his paper route.[20] In 1945, as a high school sophomore, Buffett and a friend spent $25 to purchase a used pinball machine, which they placed in the local barber shop. Within months, they owned several machines in three different barber shops across Omaha. The business was sold later in the year for $1,200 to a war veteran

Buffett's interest in the stock market and investing dated to schoolboy days he spent in the customers' lounge of a regional stock brokerage near his father's own brokerage office. On a trip to New York City at age ten, he made a point to visit the New York Stock Exchange. At 11, he bought three shares of Cities Service Preferred for himself, and three for his philanthropic sister Doris Buffett.[22][23][24] At the age of 15, Warren made more than $175 monthly delivering Washington Post newspapers. In high school, he invested in a business owned by his father and bought a 40-acre farm worked by a tenant farmer. He bought the land when he was 14 years old with $1,200 of his savings. By the time he finished college, Buffett had accumulated $9,800 in savings (about $105,000 today).[21][25]

In 1947, Buffett entered the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He would have preferred to focus on his business ventures, but his father pressured him to enroll.[21] Warren studied there for two years and joined the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.[26] He then transferred to the University of Nebraska where at 19, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. After being rejected by Harvard Business School, Buffett enrolled at Columbia Business School of Columbia University upon learning that Benjamin Graham taught there. He earned a Master of Science in Economics from Columbia in 1951. After graduating, Buffett attended the New York Institute of Finance

Early business career

Buffett worked from 1951 to 1954 at Buffett-Falk & Co. as an investment salesman; from 1954 to 1956 at Graham-Newman Corp. as a securities analyst; from 1956 to 1969 at Buffett Partnership, Ltd. as a general partner; and from 1970 as Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

In 1951 [31], Buffett discovered that Graham was on the board of GEICO insurance. Taking a train to Washington, D.C. on a Saturday, he knocked on the door of GEICO's headquarters until a janitor admitted him. There he met Lorimer Davidson, GEICO's Vice President, and the two discussed the insurance business for hours. Davidson would eventually become Buffett's lifelong friend and a lasting influence,[32] and would later recall that he found Buffett to be an "extraordinary man" after only fifteen minutes. Buffett wanted to work on Wall Street but both his father and Ben Graham urged him not to. He offered to work for Graham for free, but Graham refused.[33]

Buffett returned to Omaha and worked as a stockbroker while taking a Dale Carnegie public speaking course.[34] Using what he learned, he felt confident enough to teach an "Investment Principles" night class at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The average age of his students was more than twice his own. During this time he also purchased a Sinclair Texaco gas station as a side investment but it was unsuccessful.[35]

In 1952,[36] Buffett married Susan Thompson at Dundee Presbyterian Church. The next year they had their first child, Susan Alice. In 1954, Buffett accepted a job at Benjamin Graham's partnership. His starting salary was $12,000 a year (about $114,000 today).[25] There he worked closely with Walter Schloss. Graham was a tough boss. He was adamant that stocks provide a wide margin of safety after weighing the trade-off between their price and their intrinsic value. That same year the Buffetts had their second child, Howard Graham. In 1956, Benjamin Graham retired and closed his partnership. At this time Buffett's personal savings were over $174,000 (about $1.64 million today)[25] and he started Buffett Partnership Ltd.

A bridge too far

A bridge too far

A Bridge Too Far is a 1977 epic war film based on the 1974 book of the same name, directed by Richard Attenborough and with a screenplay by William Goldman.[5] Produced by Joseph E. Levine and Richard P. Levine, it was the second film based on a book by historian Cornelius Ryan to be adapted for the screen (after 1962's The Longest Day)[6] and the second based on the events of World War II's failed Operation Market Garden (after 1946's Theirs is the Glory).[7]

The title originates with a disputed[8][9] comment attributed to British Lieutenant General Frederick Browning, deputy commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, who told Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the operation's architect, before the operation: "I think we may be going a bridge too far."[10] The comment was in reference to the intention of seizing the Arnhem bridgehead over the Rhine river—the culmination of a thrust into the occupied Netherlands which would allow the Allies to outflank German defences in order to end the war by Christmas of 1944. [7]

The ensemble cast includes Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Krüger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell and Liv Ullmann. Though it received a tepid critical response, the film received several awards: at the 31st BAFTA Awards, it won five out of eight categories, including Fox for Best Supporting Actor and John Addison—who himself had served in the British XXX Corps during Market Garden—for Best Score.

Plot

Operation Market Garden envisions 35,000 men being flown 300 miles from air bases in England and dropped behind enemy lines in the Netherlands. Two divisions of US paratroopers, the 82nd and 101st Airborne, are responsible for securing the road and bridges as far as Nijmegen. A British division, the 1st Airborne, under Major-General Roy Urquhart, is to land near Arnhem and hold both sides of the bridge there, backed by a brigade of Polish paratroopers under General Stanisław Sosabowski. XXX Armoured Corps are to push up the road over the bridges captured by the American paratroopers and reach Arnhem two days after the drop.

The British are to land using gliders near Arnhem. When General Urquhart briefs his officers, some of them are surprised they are going to attempt a landing so far from the bridge. The consensus among the British top brass is that resistance will consist entirely of "Hitler Youth or old men on bicycles". Although reconnaissance photos show German tanks at Arnhem, General Browning dismisses them and also ignores reports from the Dutch underground. He does not want to be the one to tell Field Marshal Montgomery of any doubts since many previous airborne operations had been cancelled. Although British officers note that the portable radios are not likely to work for the long distance from the drop zone to the Arnhem Bridge, they choose not to convey their concerns up a chain of command intent on silencing all doubt.

Speed is the vital factor. Arnhem's is the crucial bridge, the last means of escape for the German forces in the Netherlands and an excellent route to Germany for Allied forces. The road to it, however, is only a single highway linking the various key bridges – trucks and tanks have to squeeze to the shoulder to pass. The road is also elevated, causing anything moving on the road to stand out.

The airborne drops catch the Germans by surprise and there is little resistance. Most of the men come down safely and assemble quickly, but the Son bridge is blown up by the Germans just before the 101st Airborne secures it. Then, soon after landing, troubles beset Urquhart's division. Many of the Jeeps either do not arrive by their gliders at all or are shot up in an ambush. Their radio sets are also useless.

XXX Corps' progress to relieve them is slowed by German resistance, the narrowness of the highway and the need to construct a Bailey bridge to replace the one destroyed at Son. They are then halted at Nijmegen. There, soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division perform a dangerous daylight river crossing in flimsy canvas-and-wood assault boats and the Nijmegen bridge is captured, but XXX Corps has to wait several hours for infantry to secure the town.

The Germans close in on the isolated British paratroops occupying part of Arnhem at the bridge, although armored attacks are repelled. Urquhart had been separated from his men and the supply drop zones overrun by the Germans. Finally, Sosabowski's troops, held up by fog in England, enter the battle too late and are unable to reinforce the British. After days of house-to-house fighting, pitted against crack SS infantry and panzers, the outgunned troops are captured or forced to withdraw. Arnhem itself is indiscriminately razed in the fighting.

Urquhart escapes the battle zone with fewer than a fifth of his original ten thousand crack troops; those who were too badly injured to flee stay behind and cover the withdrawal, surrendering afterwards. On arriving at British headquarters, Urquhart confronts Browning about his personal sentiments regarding the operation: does he think it went as well as was being claimed by Montgomery? Browning's reply contradicts his earlier optimism: "Well, as you know, I've always thought that we tried to go a bridge too far."

In the film's final scene, a young Dutch woman, whose elegant and beautifully furnished home was used as an overflow hospital by the British, abandons the mostly destroyed house. Passing through the front yard, now converted to a graveyard for fallen troops, she and her children trek along the high riverbank, with her father, an elderly doctor, pulling a few salvaged possessions in a cart.

Holly Willoughby

Holly Willoughby

Holly Marie Willoughby (born 10 February 1981)[1] is an English television presenter, model, and author. She is currently the co-presenter of This Morning (2009–present) and Dancing on Ice (2006–2011, 2018–present) alongside Phillip Schofield.

Since 2008, Willoughby has been a team captain on ITV2's Celebrity Juice alongside Fearne Cotton. From 2012 to 2015, she presented the revived television series Surprise Surprise, replacing original presenter Cilla Black. Other TV work includes BBC's The Voice UK (2012–2013), Play to the Whistle (2015–2017) and The Xtra Factor (2008–2009).

In November 2018, Willoughby co-presented the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! alongside Declan Donnelly

Early life

Willoughby was born in Brighton, East Sussex[3] the younger of two daughters of Brian Willoughby, a sales manager of a double-glazing company, and Linda Willoughby (née Fleming), an air stewardess.[citation needed] She was educated at the independent Burgess Hill Girls in the town of Burgess Hill in West Sussex, and The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham.[3]

In 1995, at the age of 14, Willoughby was spotted by talent scouts at The Clothes Show Live exhibition. Storm Model Management signed her up.[4] She appeared in teen magazines for girls such as Mizz, Just Seventeen, Shout, and More!. From 1998, at the age of 17, Willoughby started modelling underwear for clients including Pretty Polly, appearing in advertisements and posters.

Career

Children's presenting

In 2000, Willoughby won an audition for a show on CITV featuring S Club 7 called S Club TV.[5] In this show actors represented an alternative S Club.[6] She also appeared in a show called S Club 7: Artistic Differences playing a character called Zoe with the regular members of the band.[7] Willoughby worked as a receptionist for a while and then as a runner for the defunct shopping channel Auction World TV.

Willoughby also took on menial jobs and started an Open University course in psychotherapy. Then eventually, she found work as assistant manager during which time she persuaded a friend to make a showreel of her. This secured her an agent who then contacted the BBC.[5] Later in 2000, Willoughby presented a factual entertainment programme for children called Xchange and went on to host several other children's shows for CBBC: X-perimental and CBBC at the Fame Academy (CBBC's version of the BBC talent show Fame Academy).

Willoughby's first role as a children's entertainer came when she rejoined CITV in 2004 to co-present their entertainment show Ministry of Mayhem which aired on Saturday mornings. On this programme she met her future husband Dan Baldwin, one of the show's producers. In 2006, the show's title was changed to Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown in order to reflect the popularity of its co-presenters, Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern.

In 2005, Willoughby presented Feel the Fear, a children's entertainment programme in which the presenters are set unnerving challenges. She has also had a number of minor appearances on other children's programmes. Willoughby presented CD:UK for a short while in the spring of 2005, replacing Cat Deeley before Myleene Klass, Lauren Laverne and Johny Pitts became the regular presenters. In recognition of work as a children's television presenter, Willoughby won a BAFTA in 2006.[8]

2006–2008

Willoughby co-presented charity telethon Text Santa with Ant & Dec. She returned to co-host the show with Phillip Schofield in 2012, 2013 and 2015.[14]

On 24 March 2012, Willoughby began presenting The Voice UK with Reggie Yates. She decided to leave the show after the second series and was replaced by Emma Willis in 2014.[15]

In 2012, Willoughby began hosting a revived version of Surprise Surprise.[16] A second series began airing on 15 September 2013, a third on 22 October 2014 and a fourth on 21 June 2015.

Willoughby has written a series of children's books with her sister Kelly. Their debut book School for Stars: First Term at L'Etoile became the UK's highest-selling children's book of 2013.[17][18]

In 2015, Willoughby presented the sports-based panel show Play to the Whistle on ITV. The first series aired for seven episodes beginning on 11 April 2015. A second series aired for six episodes, beginning in April 2016[19] and a third series aired in 2017.[20]

In 2016, Willoughby presented primetime Saturday night dating show Meet the Parents for ITV. The show has been compared to Blind Date.[21]

In August 2017, it was reported Willoughby had received a £200,000 pay rise to match the salary of her co-host Phillip Schofield.[22] She returned to present the new series of Dancing on Ice with Schofield in January 2018.[23]

In April 2018, Willoughby announced her new lifestyle brand, Truly, that will launch in Autumn 2018.[24] In September 2018, Willougby resigned, citing lack of time as her reason.

In August 2018, it was announced that from November until December 2018, Willoughby would host the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! alongside Declan Donnelly as his usual partner Anthony McPartlin took a year-long break.[25]

Willoughby is a brand ambassador for Marks & Spencer and Garnier,[26][27] and a former ambassador for Diet Coke in the UK.[28][29]

Personal life

Willoughby is dyslexic.[30] Her sister, Kelly, also works in the television industry.[31]

On 4 August 2007, Willoughby married Dan Baldwin, co-founder of Hungry Bear Media and a former producer on Ministry of Mayhem. They have two sons and a daughter. Their first child was born on 11 May 2009,[citation needed] their second was born on 14 April 2011,[32] and their third was born on 29 September 2014.[33][34]

In 2008, Willoughby became a patron of the charity Together for Short Lives

Joe Wicks

Joe Wicks

Joseph Wicks (Joe) (born 21 September 1986), otherwise known as "The Body Coach", is a British fitness coach, TV presenter and author.[1]

His fitness method uses short intense High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT or, colloquially, 'HIT') workouts. Starting off by posting 15-second recipe videos on social media, Wicks grew his brand to become one of the most followed fitness accounts on Instagram and YouTube. His first published cookbook Lean in 15: 15-minute meals was a best-seller in 2015, having sold over 900,000 copies.[2][3] He has created a "90 Day Plan" with workouts and meals with tailored portions to the individual. During the coronavirus pandemic lockdown in the United Kingdom he began "P.E With Joe" on YouTube to try to help children stay active; this livestream had a wide impact and was viewed by over a million users worldwide.[4] He is a Channel 4 television presenter with his own show The Body Coach.[5]

Wicks was awarded a Guinness World Record for "most viewers for a fitness workout live stream on YouTube", after achieving almost a million viewers on 24 March 2020 for his live stream.[6] The award was presented to him virtually due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic

Early life

Wicks was born in Epsom, Surrey to Raquela Mosquera, a social worker, and Gary Wicks, a roofer. His mother is of Italian descent. He grew up on a council estate with his parents and two brothers, Nikki and George[7].

Education

Wicks attended Blenheim High School in Epsom, Surrey[8] and NESCOT technology college in Epsom.[citation needed] He went on to study sports science at St Mary's University in Twickenham.

Personal life

Wicks married model Rosie Jones in June of 2019. Together they have 2 children, a daughter, Indie, and a son, Marley. His maternal grandparents were from the Isle of Man. [9]

Career

Wicks worked as a teaching assistant after completing his sports science degree.[10] After realising it was not his ideal job, he became a personal trainer for the next five years.[10]

Joe received a major boost at the beginning of his business as he received almost £95k from his generous uncle Eddie, which reportedly he paid back within 3 years.[11]

Wicks has been a guest on several UK daytime talk shows, including Good Morning Britain, This Morning, Loose Women and Lorraine.[12][13][14][15]

A segment on Channel 4 named Joe Wicks: The Body Coach aired in 2016 with Wicks as the presenter. As of 2020 there have been 3 episodes.[16]

Wicks launched a range of kitchenware in 2018.[17]

Online presence

Wicks began to gain traction for his fitness and nutrition related content on social media. In 2014 he began posting videos to Instagram relating to workouts and nutrition advice. [18] He has amassed over 3 million followers on his Instagram account.[19]

He launched a website called The Body Coach where he sells his kitchenware and a range of fitness/nutrition plans. [20] [21]

Wicks has been recognised by several major publications, such as Harper's Bazaar, Elle UK and Forbes for his online fitness efforts. [22][23][24][25]

YouTube

He began posting fitness content to his YouTube channel, named 'The Body Coach TV', in 2014. His first video garnered over 6 million views.[26] The channel has amassed over 2.2 million subscribers and more than 128 million views.[27]

On 19 March 2020 Wicks uploaded a video announcing that he would begin to produce "P.E with Joe" videos on his channel.[28] These videos were exercise videos aimed at children to keep fit during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic as schools were closed. Wicks announced on his Instagram that he will donate profits from these videos to the NHS. [29][30]

Books

In 2015, Wicks published a cookbook named Lean in 15: The Shift Plan which sold 77,000 copies in its opening week.[31] He released a further two books in the Lean in 15 series, including Lean in 15: The Shape Plan, released 2016 [32] and "Lean in 15: The Sustain Plan", also in 2016. [33]

Since the success of the Lean in 15 series, Wicks has published several more cookbooks. His upcoming cookbook, Wean in 15 is set to be released in May 2020 and will focus on 'weaning babies onto solid food and recipes for time-pressed parents