The two episode Doctor Who science fiction Television story Revelation of the D aleks was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 23rd and 30th March 1985. The TARDIS lands on Necros, the location of the funeral home Tranquil Repose. The Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) attacked by a mutant, which Peri (Nicola Bryant) clobbers. Before he dies, the mutant tells the Doctor that the Great Healer used him as a genetic experiment and his appearance and hostility were a result of the experiments. At Tranquil Repose, a disc jockey plays songs and chats to entertain those who are in suspended animation. A couple, Natasha and Grigory, have illegally entered Tranquil Repose, looking for the man the Doctor is seeking—Arthur Stengos, Natasha’s father. Upon finding his assigned suspended animation capsule, they discover it is empty. Shocked, they find a dark room filled with pulsating brains and other experiments. Grigory walks past a Glass Dalek casing with a mutating red creature inside it. Natasha realises it is the head of her father, and that he is being metamorphosised into a Dalek.
People are shocked to discover that Great Healer, is actually the sinister Davros has commandeered a high-tech funeral home, y Tranquil Repose, as a base from which he can convert humans into either food for the starving or into Daleks for his new secret army. So Kara (Eleanor Bron) hires the mercenary Orcini (William Gaunt) and his squire, Bostock (John Ogwen) to clobber Davros. Arthur Stengos, who is now a head with red flesh growing over him, explains to Natasha and Grigory that the brains of a certain selection of bodies in Tranquil Repose are being used to metamorphosise into new Dalek mutants, while the rest are being used for a protein pack that Kara distributes as food. Moving in and out of moments of lucidity and Dalek-like hateful ranting, Stengos begs his daughter to kill him before he fully mutates. However she and Grigory are captured and questioned by Takis and Lilt who are in charge of security. The Doctor and Peri are met by Mr. Jobel and his subservient assistant Tasambeker meanwhile Orcini destroys a Dalek,
Davros is convinced Kara has sent assassins, so Daleks are sent capture her. Tasambeker, is coerced by Davros to spy on Jobel, but is exterminated by Daleks. The Daleks capture the Doctor Natasha and Grigory and imprison them. Orcini and Bostock arrive at Davros’s laboratory and attempt to kill Davros, however this goes badly wrong. Natasha and Grigory escape and attempt to destroy the brains. The Doctor and Peri are captured by Daleks and taken to Davros’s laboratory, where he reveals that he has created a new army of Daleks. Then Daleks loyal to the Dalek Supreme arrive from Skaro And confront the cream and gold Necros Daleks who are loyal only to Davros and an almighty battle ensues…
Donald Campbell CBE
British World Land and Water speed record holder Donald Malcolm Campbell, CBE was born 23 March 1921. He broke eight absolute world speed records in the 1950s and 1960s. He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year (1964). Campbell began his speed record attempts using his father’s old boat Bluebird K4, but after a structural failure at 170 mph (270 km/h) on Coniston Water, Lancashire in 1951, and the death of John Cobb, who was killed in 1952 trying to break the water speed record, he decided that he would develop a new boat. Designed by Ken and Lew Norris, the Bluebird K7 was an all-metal jet-propelled 3-point hydroplane with a Metropolitan-Vickers Beryl jet engine producing 3,500 lbf (16 kN) of thrust. It was unveiled in late 1954, and taken, in January 1955, to Ullswater Westmorland in the English Lake District for its initial trials. After many, problems and a number of modifications to K7, Campbell finally succeeded on Ullswater on 23 July 1955, where he set a record of 202.15 mph (325.33 km/h), beating the previous record by some 24 mph (39 km/h) held by Stanley Sayres.The name “K7″ was derived from its Lloyd’s unlimited rating registration. It was carried in a prominent circular badge on its sponsons, underneath an infinity symbol. Campbell set a total of seven world water speed records in K7 between 1955 and 1964. The series of speed increases—216 mph (348 km/h) later in 1955, 225 mph (362 km/h) in 1956, 239 mph (385 km/h) in 1957, 248 mph (399 km/h) in 1958, 260 mph (420 km/h) in 1959—peaked on 31 December 1964 at Dumbleyung Lake, Western Australia when he reached 276.33 mph (444.71 km/h); he remains the world’s most prolific breaker of water speed records. Campbell was awarded the CBE in January 1957 for his water speed record breaking, and in particular his record at Lake Mead in the USA which earned him and Britain very positive acclaim.
In 1956, Campbell began planning a car to break the land speed record, which then stood at 394 mph (634 km/h). The Norris brothers designed Bluebird-Proteus CN7 with 500 mph (800 km/h) in mind. The CN7 was completed by the spring of 1960, and was powered by a Bristol-Siddeley Proteus free-turbine engine of 4,450 shp (3,320 kW). Following low-speed tests conducted at the Goodwood circuit in Sussex, England, the CN7 was taken to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, scene of his father’s last LSR triumph in 1935. The attempt was unsuccessful and CN7 was written off following a high-speed crash in September at Bonneville. Campbell was seriously hurt, suffering a fracture to his lower skull, and was by 1961 on the road to recovery and planning the rebuild of CN7. The rebuilt car was completed, with minor modifications, in 1962 and, by the end of the year, was shipped to Australia for a new attempt at Lake Eyre in 1963. The Lake Eyre location was chosen as it offered 450 square miles (1,170 km2) of dried salt lake, where rain had not fallen in the previous 20 years, and the surface of the 20-mile (32 km) track was as hard as concrete. As Campbell arrived in late March, with a view to a May attempt, the first light rain fell. Campbell and Bluebird were running by early May but once again more rain fell, and low-speed test runs could not progress into the higher speed ranges. By late May, the rain became torrential, and the lake was flooded. Campbell had to move the CN7 off the lake to save the car from being submerged by the rising flood waters.
Campbell and his team returned to Lake Eyre in 1964, but the surface never returned to the promise it had held in 1962 and Campbell had to battle with CN7 to reach record speeds (over 400 mph (640 km/h)). After more light rain in June, the lake finally began to dry enough for an attempt to be made. On 17 July 1964, Campbell set a record of 403.10 mph (648.73 km/h) for a four-wheeled vehicle (Class A). Campbell was disappointed with the record as the vehicle had been designed for much higher speeds. CN7 covered the final third of the measured mile at an average of 429 mph (690 km/h), peaking as it left the measured distance at over 440 mph (710 km/h). In 1969, after Campbell’s fatal accident, his widow, Tonia Bern-Campbell negotiated a deal with Lynn Garrison, President of Craig Breedlove and Associates, that would see Craig Breedlove run Bluebird on Bonneville’s Salt Flats. This concept was cancelled when the parallel Spirit of America supersonic car project failed to find support.Campbell now reverted to Bluebird K7 for a further attempt on the water speed record. After more delays, he finally achieved his seventh WSR at Lake Dumbleyung near Perth, Western Australia, on the last day of 1964, at a speed of 276.33 mph (444.71 km/h). He had become the first, and so far only, person to set both land and water speed records in the same year. Campbell’s land record was short-lived, because rule changes meant that Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America, a pure jet car, would begin setting records later in 1964 and 1965. Campbell’s 429 mph (690 km/h) speed on his final Lake Eyre run remained the highest speed achieved by a wheel-driven car until 2001; Bluebird CN7 is now on display at the National Motor Museum in Hampshire, England, her potential only partly realised.
Donald Campbell decided a massive jump in speed was called for following his successful 1964 LSR attempt in Bluebird CN7. His vision was of a supersonic rocket car with a potential maximum speed of 840 mph (1,350 km/h). Norris Brothers were requested to undertake a design study Bluebird Mach 1.1 (CMN-8) was a design for a rocket-powered supersonic land speed record car. Bluebird Mach 1.1 was to be rocket-powered. Ken Norris had calculated using rocket motors would result in a vehicle with very low frontal area, greater density, and lighter weight than if he went down the jet engine route. Bluebird Mach 1.1 would also be a relatively compact and simple design. Norris specified two off-the-shelf Bristol Siddeley BS.605 rocket engines. The 605 had been developed as a take-off assist rocket engine for military aircraft and was fuelled with kerosene, using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizer. Each engine was rated at 8,000 lbf (36 kN) thrust. In Bluebird Mach 1.1 application. In order to increase publicity for his rocket car venture, in the spring of 1966, Campbell decided to try once more for a water speed record. This time the target was 300 mph (480 km/h). Bluebird K7 was fitted with a lighter and more powerful Bristol Orpheus engine, taken from a Folland Gnat jet aircraft, which developed 4,500 pounds-force (20,000 N) of thrust. The modified boat was taken back to Coniston in the first week of November 1966. The trials did not go well. The weather was appalling, and K7 suffered an engine failure when her air intakes collapsed and debris was drawn into the engine. By the middle of December, some high-speed runs were made, in excess of 250 mph (400 km/h) but still well below Campbell’s existing record.
On 4 January 1967, weather conditions were finally suitable for an attempt. Campbell commenced the first run of his last record attempt at just after 8.45 am. Bluebird moved slowly out towards the middle of the lake, where she paused for a brief second as Donald lined her up. With a deafening blast of power, Campbell now applied full throttle and Bluebird began to surge forward. Clouds of spray issued from the jet-pipe, water poured over the rear spar and after a few hundred yards, at 70 mph, Bluebird unstuck from the surface and rocketed off towards the southern end of the lake, producing her characteristic comet’s tail of spray. She entered the measured kilometre at 8.46. Leo Villa witnessed her passing the first marker buoy at about 285 mph (459 km/h) in perfect steady planing trim, her nose slightly down, still accelerating. 7.525 seconds later, Keith Harrison saw her leave the measured kilometre at a speed of over 310 mph (500 km/h). The average speed for the first run was 297.6 mph (478.9 km/h). Campbell lifted his foot from the throttle about 3/10 of a second before passing the southern kilometre marker. As Bluebird left the measured kilometre, Keith Harrison and Eric Shaw in a course boat at the southern end of the measured kilo both noticed that she was very light around the bows, riding on her front stabilising fins. Her planing trim was no worse than she had exhibited when equipped with the Beryl engine, but it was markedly different to that observed by Leo Villa at the northern end of the kilometre, when she was under full acceleration.
Instead of refuelling and waiting for the wash of this run to subside, Campbell decided to make the return run immediately. This was not an unprecedented diversion from normal practice, as Campbell had used the advantage presented i.e. no encroachment of water disturbances on the measured kilometre by the quick turn-a-round, in many previous runs. The second run was even faster once severe tramping subsided on the run-up from Peel Island (caused by the water-brake disturbance). Once smooth water was reached some 700 metres or so from the start of the kilometre, K7 demonstrated cycles of ‘ground’ effect hovering before accelerating hard at 0.63g to a peak speed of 328 mph (530 km/h) some 200 metres or so from the southern marker buoy.
However Bluebird began experiencing bouncing episodes of the starboard sponson with increasing ferocity. At the peak speed, the most intense and long-lasting bounce caused severe deceleration (328 mph – 296 mph, -1.86g) as K7 dropped back onto the water. Engine flame-out then occurred and, without thrust nose-down momentum, K7 experienced a gliding episode in strong ground effect with increasing angle-of-attack (AoA), before completely leaving the water at her static stability pitch-up limit of 5.2°. Bluebird then executed an almost complete somersault (~ 320° and slightly off-axis) before plunging into the water (port sponson marginally in advance of the starboard), approximately 230 metres from the end of the measured kilometre.
The boat then cartwheeled across the water before coming to rest. The impact broke K7 forward of the air intakes (where Donald was sitting) and the main hull sank shortly afterwards. Campbell was tragically killed instantly. Mr Whoppit, Campbell’s teddy bear mascot, was found among the floating debris and the pilot’s helmet was recovered. Royal Navy divers made efforts to find and recover the body but, although the wreck of K7 was found, they called off the search, after two weeks, without locating his body.
Craig Breedlove
Five-time world land speed record holder Craig Breedlove was born March 23, 1937. He was the first to reach 400 mph (640 km/h), 500 mph (800 km/h), and 600 mph (970 km/h), using several turbojet-powered vehicles, all named Spirit of America. In 1962, he made his first attempt, in a freewheeling tricycle (ignoring FIA rules requiring four wheels, at least two driven; in the event, FIM happily accepted it powered by a General Electric J47 engine. On 5 August 1963, this first Spirit made her first record attempt, using just 90% of available thrust to reach 388.47 mph (625.18 km/h) over the measured mile. The return pass, on 95% power, turned up a two-way average of 407.45 mph (655.73 km/h). Spirit of America was so light on the ground, she did not even need to change tires afterward. For 1964, Breedlove faced competition from Art Arfons’ Wingfoot Express (piloted by Tom Green) as well as from brother Art Arfons in his four-wheel FIA-legal Green Monster. With more engine power, Breedlove upped the record to 468.72 mph (754.33 km/h) then to 526.28 mph (846.97 km/h). making him the first man to exceed 500 mph (800 km/h). This pass was not without incident, however, for one of his drogue parachute’s shroud lines parted, and Spirit of America ran on for 5 mi (8.0 km) before near-missing a telegraph pole and coming to rest in a lake. This record stood all of twelve days before Green Monster broke it, recording a two-run average of 536.71 mph (863.75 km/h).
In response, Breedlove built an FIA-legal four-wheeler, Sonic 1, powered by a 15,000 lbf (67 kN) J79. 2 November 1965, Breedlove entered the FIA record book with a two-run average of 555.483 mph (893.963 km/h). This lasted even less time than before, for Green Monster came back five days later at 576.553 mph (927.872 km/h). On 15 November, Breedlove responded with a 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h) record (after turning in an amazing 608.201 mph (978.805 km/h) return pass), which held until 1970. (It would be broken by Gary Gabelich’s Blue Flame, which reached 630.388 mph (1,014.511 km/h).) To take the record back, Breedlove planned a supersonic rocket car, “complete with ejector seat!” (After winding up in a lake, this is understandable.) Also in 1965, Breedlove’s wife, Lee, took the seat in Sonic 1, making four passes and achieving 308.506 mph (496.492 km/h), making her the fastest woman alive, and making them the fastest couple, which they remain.During 1968, Lynn Garrison, President of Craig Breedlove & Associates started to package a deal that saw Utah’s Governor, Calvin Rampton provide a hangar facility for the construction of a supersonic car. Bill Lear, of Learjet fame, was to provide support, along with his friend Art Linkletter. Playboy magazine hoped to have the car painted black, with a white bunny on the rudder. TRW was supplying a lunar lander rocket motor. A change in public interest saw the concept shelved for a period of time.They also negotiated for the use of the late Donald Campbell’s wheel-driven Bluebird CN7 record-breaker. (See below)
After a lengthy break from world records and making his name as a real estate agent, Breedlove began work on a new Spirit in 1992, eventually named Spirit of America Formula Shell LSRV. The vehicle is 44 ft 10 in long, 8 ft 4 in wide, and 5 ft 10 in high (13.67 m by 2.54 m by 1.78 m) and weighs 9,000 lb (4,100 kg), construction is on a steel tube or space frame with an aluminium skin body. The engine is the same as in the second Spirit, a J79, but it is modified to burn unleaded gasoline and generates a maximum thrust of 22,650 lbf (100.75 kN).The first run of the vehicle on October 28, 1996 in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada ended in a crash at around 675 mph (1,086 km/h). Returning in 1997 the vehicle badly damaged the engine on an early run and when the British ThrustSSC managed over 700 mph (1,100 km/h), the re-engined Spirit could do no better than 676 mph (1,088 km/h). Breedlove believes the vehicle is capable of exceeding 800 mph (1,300 km/h), but has yet to demonstrate this.In late 2006 it was announced that Breedlove sold the car to Steve Fossett who was to make an attempt on the land speed record in 2007, marking the end of an era of land speed record breaking. Fossett died in a plane crash in 2007. Breedlove’s vehicle, renamed the “Sonic Arrow”, was rolled out on the Black Rock Desert for a photo opportunity on October 15, 2007. The effort to run the car continues with the team presently recruiting drivers
Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz)
Damon Albarn, the lead singer of Blur and Gorillaz was born 23rd March 1968. Blur were formed in London in 1988 as Seymour, the group consists of singer/keyboardist Damon Albarn, guitarist/singer Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur’s debut album Leisure (1991) incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing. Following a stylistic change influenced by English guitar pop groups such as The Kinks, The Beatles and XTC, Blur released Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995). As a result, the band helped to popularise the Britpop genre and achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided by a chart battle with rival band Oasis in 1995 dubbed “The Battle of Britpop”.
In recording their follow-up, Blur (1997), the band underwent another reinvention, showing influence from the lo-fi style of American indie rock groups. “Song 2″, one of the album’s singles, brought Blur mainstream success in the United States. Their next album, 13 (1999) saw the band members experimenting with electronic and gospel music, and featured more personal lyrics from Albarn. In May 2002, Coxon left Blur during the recording of their seventh album Think Tank (2003). This album contained electronic sounds and more minimal guitar work, and marked Albarn’s growing interest in hip hop and African music. After a 2003 tour without Coxon, Blur did no studio work or touring as a band, as members engaged in other projects.
After Blur temporarily split Damon Albarn went on to form Gorillaz with Jamie Hewlett in 1998, fronted by four animated members: 2D (lead vocals, keyboard, and melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). THe music is a collaboration between various musicians, with Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is an amalgamation of genres, with influences including rock, alternative, Britpop, trip hop, hip hop, electronica, indie, dub, reggae and pop.
The band’s 2001 debut album Gorillaz sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2001, but the nomination was later withdrawn at the band’s request. Their second studio album, Demon Days, released in 2005, was equally successful Going five times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the United States, and earning five Grammy Award nominations for 2006, winning the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category.The band’s third studio album, Plastic Beach, was released in March 2010 and ths album, The Fall, was released in December 2010 as a free download for fan club members. The future of the Gorrillaz was once under speculation due to the status of Albarn and Hewlett’s friendship; however, Gorillaz planned to release new material in 2016. Blur reunited in 2008, with Coxon, for a series of concerts and have released a number of singles and retrospective releases since. In 2012, Blur received a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music (And Adele Adkins got cut off in her prime). Blur also released the album Magic Whip and The Gorillaz released the album Humanz featuring the songs Marz Barz, Ascension and We’ve got the power. Among The latest Gorillaz albums Sonic Machine was released in 2020 and The Mountain was released 2026.
Chaka Khan
American musician, singer and songwriter Chaka Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953 into an artistic, bohemian household in Chicago, Illinois. The eldest of five children born to Charles Stevens and Sandra Coleman, Her sister Yvonne later became a successful musician in her own right under the name Taka Boom. Her only brother, Mark, who formed the funk group Aurra, also became a successful musician. She has two other sisters, Zaheva Stevens and Tammy McCrary. Khan was raised as a Catholic. She attributed her love of music to her grandmother, who introduced her to jazz as a child. Khan became a fan of rhythm and blues music and formed a girl group, the Crystalettes, which included her sister Taka. In the late 1960s, Khan attended several civil rights rallies with her father’s second wife, Connie, a strong supporter of the movement, and joined the Black Panther Party after befriending fellow member, activist, and Chicago native Fred Hampton in 1967. In 1969, she left the Panthers and dropped out of high school, having attended Calumet High School and Kenwood High School (now Kenwood Academy).
She began to perform in small groups around the Chicago area, first performing with Cash McCall’s group Lyfe, which included her then-boyfriend Hassan Khan. She was asked to replace Baby Huey of Baby Huey & the Babysitters after Huey’s death in 1970. The group disbanded a year later. While performing in local bands in 1972, Khan was spotted by two members of a new group called Rufus and eventually replaced their singer Paulette McWilliams. They later signed with ABC Records in 1973. Prior to signing with the label, she married Khan, changing her stage name to Chaka Khan.
In 1973, Rufus released their eponymous debut album which contained a fiery rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Maybe Your Baby” and the ballad “Whoever’s Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)”. Then in In 1974 Stevie Wonder collaborated with the group on the song, “Tell Me Something Good”, which won the group their first Grammy Award. It was followed by, “You Got the Love” which helped their second album Rags to Rufus, go platinum. Between 1974 and 1979, Rufus released six platinum-selling albums including Rufusized, Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, Ask Rufus, Street Player and Masterjam. Hits the group scored during this time included “Once You Get Started,” “Sweet Thing,” “Hollywood,” “At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up),” and “Do You Love What You Feel.” The band gained a reputation as a live performing act, with Khan becoming the star attraction, thanks to her powerful vocals and stage attire.
Sadly Relations between Khan and the group, became stormy. So she signed a solo contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1978 and Khan released her solo debut album, which featured the disco hit, “I’m Every Woman”. Khan also featured on Quincy Jones’s hit, “Stuff Like That”. In 1979, Khan reunited with Rufus to collaborate on Masterjam, featuring the song “Do You Love What You Feel”. In 1979 she dueted with Ry Cooder on his album Bop Till You Drop. In 1980, while Rufus released Party ‘Til You’re Broke, again without Khan, she released her second solo album, Naughty, featuring the disco hit “Clouds” and the R&B ballad “Papillon”. Khan had a cameo appearance as a church choir soloist in The Blues Brothers starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. Khan also released two albums Camouflage and What Cha’ Gonna Do for Me and appeared on three tracks on Rick Wakeman’s concept album 1984. In 1982, Khan released the jazz-oriented album Echoes of an Era and a more funk/pop-oriented self-titled album Chaka Khan. The jazz-inflected sing “Be Bop Medley”, also won Khan a Grammy. In 1983, Rufus released their final studio album, Seal in Red, after which Khan returned won a live album, Stompin’ at the Savoy – Live, featuring the song, “Ain’t Nobody”,
In 1984, Khan released her sixth studio album, I Feel for You. The title track, the first single released, was originally written and recorded by Prince in 1979 and had also been recorded by The Pointer Sisters and Rebbie Jackson. Khan’s version featured a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder and an introductory rap by Grandmaster Melle Mel. This became a huge hit and netted Prince the 1985 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Other singles on I Feel For You included “This is My Night” and the ballad “Through the Fire”. Khan was featured in Steve Winwood’s 1986 number-one hit, “Higher Love” and was intended to duet with with Robert Palmer for the song “Addicted To Love”. In 1986 Chaka Khan released the album Destiny followed in 1988 by the album CK. In the late 1980s Khan released a remix album, Life Is a Dance: The Remix Project. In 1990, she collaborated with Ray Charles and Quincy Jones on a new jack swing cover of The Brothers Johnson’s “I’ll Be Good to You” which won her and Ray Charles a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo or Group. In 1992 Khan released the album The Woman I Am, featuring the R&B songs “Love You All My Lifetime” and “You Can Make the Story Right”. In 1995, she and rapper Guru had a hit with the duet “Watch What You Say” and she provided a contemporary R&B cover of the classic standard, “My Funny Valentine”, for the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. In 1996, Khan released her greatest-hits album, Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1. In 1998, Khan signed with Prince’s NPG Records label and issued Come 2 My House, followed by the single “Don’t Talk 2 Strangers”, a cover of a 1996 Prince song and went on a tour with Prince.
In 2004 she released the jazz covers album ClassiKhan and also covered “Little Wing” with Kenny Olson on the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. In 2007 Khan released the album Funk This, featuring, “Angel”, and the Mary J. Blige duet, “Disrespectful” which won the singers a Grammy Award, while Funk This also won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. The album also contains covers of Dee Dee Warwick’s “Foolish Fool” and Prince’s “Sign o’ the Times”. In 2008, Khan participated in the Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple playing Ms. Sofia to Fantasia Barrino’s Celie. In 2004, Chaka Khan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. In 2009, Khan toured with singers Anastacia and Lulu for Here Come the Girls and was guest singer with the song “Alive” on jazz drummer Billy Cobham’s album Drum ‘ n voice 3. In 2010, she contributed to vocals for Beverley Knight’s “Soul Survivor”, collaborated with Clay Aiken on a song for Phineas and Ferb, and performed two songs with Japanese singer Ai on Ai’s latest album The Last Ai. In 2011, Khan was given the 2,440th Hollywood Walk of Fame star plaque on a section of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles as was Stevie Wonder, who had written her breakout hit “Tell Me Something Good”. Khan and her former band Rufus were also jointly nominated for induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Recently, Khan rerecorded her song, “Super Life”, under the title “Super Life: Fear Kills, Love Heals” with Eric Benet, Kelly Price, and Luke James in tribute to Trayvon Martin, a teenager who was killed on February 26. A number of celebrities also joined in the recording including Loretta Devine, Terry Crews, Eva Pigford, and reporter Kevin Frazier. In 2012, Chaka Khan performed at a benefit for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF originally invited Stevie Wonder, however after a successful lobbying campaign by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Wonder withdrew and was replaced by Khan who was able to raise $14 million for the IDF. In 2013, Khan was honored 40 years after signing her first recording contract with a ceremonial renaming of Blackstone Avenue between 50th and 51st street (where her former high school, Kenwood Academy, sits) as Chaka Khan Way. the city also declared 28 July as Chaka Khan Day. In 2014, Khan served as grand marshal at the 85th annual Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic in her hometown of Chicago. In 2015, Khan was paired with professional dancer Keo Motsepe for the TV sereis Dancing with the Stars. In 2018 she released a new single called “Like Sugar”, a collaboration with Major Lazer member Switch and a new album Hello Happiness in 2019. Khan served as Grand Marshal in the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, California.
The magic faraway tree
Having read The Enchanted Wood (1939), The Magic Faraway Tree (1943), The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946) and Up the Faraway Tree (1951) by British author Enid Blyton when I was a child, I would like to see the forthcoming film The magic faraway tree which is based on These stories. It stars Claire Foy as Polly, a brilliant electronics engineer who gets fired from her job for refusing to allow the firm’s new “smart fridge” to spy on its users. So she, her househusband Tim (Andrew Garfield), and their children Fran (Billie Gadsdon), Joe (Phoenix Laroche) and the older, grumpier teen Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) and leave their flashy gadget-oriented London flat and move to the countryside where Tim grew up. They rent a dilapidated barn where Tim hopes to grow tomatoes and market his own artisan pasta sauce. Tim tells the kids to steer clear of the nearby enchanted wood, however feisty rebellious Fran explores anyway and finds the amazing gigantic magical “faraway tree”. They encounter a group of elves who have been robbed of important papers by a gnome. They chase the gnome and recover the papers, but the gnome himself escapes up a huge tree (The Faraway Tree) tree so tall that its topmost branches seem to reach into the clouds and trunk is wide enough to contain small houses
Against the elves’ advice, the children climb the Faraway Tree. They discover that it is inhabited by magical people, including fairy Silky (Nicola Coughlan), Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning), the hapless Mr Watzisname (Oliver Chris), Moon-Face, The Saucepan Man, the Angry Pixie,. At the very top of the tree they discover a ladder which leads them to a magical land which is different on each visit because each place moves on from the top of the tree to make way for a new land and they must leave before the land moves on, or they will be stuck there. These lands include Roundabout Land, Land of Birthdays, the Land of Goodies, the Land of Take-What-You-Want, the Land of Do-As-You-Please, The Land of Toys, The Land of Dame Tickle, The Land of Ice And Snow, The Land of Dreams, The Land of Spells, The Land of Marvels, the Land of Dame Slap (Rebecca Ferguson), The Land of Know Alls, The Land of Secrets, The Land of Topsy Turvy, The Rocking Land, The Land of Wizards and The Land of Giants, however while some of them are amazing others are very unpleasant.
Barry Cryer
English writer, comedian, and actor Barry Cryer was born 23 March 1935. In Leeds, Yorkshire. England. Educated at Leeds Grammar School, he studied English literature at the University of Leeds Cryer was a writer for Leeds-based Proscenium Players, the first Jewish amateur stage group, which was founded in 1948. After appearing in University revue, Cryer was offered a week’s work at the Leeds City Varieties theatre, home of The Good Old Days, which became the longest-running television entertainment show in the world. Cryer left university after learning his first-year results and travelled to London. After impressing impresario Vivian Van Damm, Cryer began as the bottom billing act at the Windmill Theatre in London, a theatre which showed comedy acts in between nude tableau shows. However, Cryer suffered severely from eczema and, after several periods in hospital, was released from his contract by Van Damm. Concluding that a performing career was untenable because of his skin condition, so Cryer chose to focus mainly on writing for the next eight years
Cryer joined the cast of Expresso Bongo (1957) with Susan Hampshire, Millicent Martin and Paul Scofield, during which he recorded the song “The Purple People Eater”, Which reached number one in Finland. Cryer’s first writing credits were four sketches for The Jimmy Logan Show, co-written with Douglas Camfield. Cryer became head writer with an occasional stage role for Danny La Rue’s London nightclub, where he was spotted by David Frost. This led to a writing role on the variety special A Degree of Frost, which led to Cryer joining the writing team, which also included John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Marty Feldman, on The Frost Report from 1966–67. Frost used Cryer on a number of subsequent shows, which established Cryer as a star writer in the 1970s. Cryer is seen serving the wine in the original performance of the Four Yorkshiremen sketch on At Last the 1948 Show, first broadcast in 1967
Cryer always preferred to write in partnership, so that should he dry up he was never left to deliver material. His regular partner during the 1970s was John Junkin, and with Junkin performing as Eric Morecambe and Cryer most often the role of Ernie Wise, the pair wrote some of The Morecambe and Wise Show in its BBC period (the 1972 and 1976 Christmas shows) when regular writer Eddie Braben was unavailable. Cryer still enjoyed performing, appearing with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Junkin in the BBC radio series Hello, Cheeky!, in which the three performers bounced jokes off each other. He also appeared in the comedy television series The Steam Video Company and provided the voice of the judge in the 1975 animated comedy musical Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done. He hosted the ITV comedy panel game Jokers Wild (1969–74) and had a role in All You Need Is Cash, a 1978 spoof documentary about the Beatles parody band the Rutles, as well as a cameo as a police inspector in Kenny Everett’s 1984 horror spoof Bloodbath at the House of Death.
With new comedians coming forward who wrote their own material, Cryer refocused his career to include more performance, touring with Willie Rushton in Two Old Farts in the Nightand, after Rushton’s death, That Reminds Me. After a brief early stint as chairman, Cryer was one of the panellists on the BBC radio comedy programme I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, which began in 1972. He also wrote and starred in You’ll Have Had Your Tea with Graeme Garden.
He wrote an autobiography, You Won’t Believe This But…, as well as a book of miscellaneous anecdotes, Pigs Can Fly. In 2005 he toured the UK “Barry Cryer: The First Farewell Tour,” and in 2008 he toured with “Barry Cryer: Still Alive”. He remained a popular after-dinner speaker. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1995 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel.
As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie Howerd, Richard Pryor, Spike Milligan, Mike Yarwood, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise. Cryer also wrote episodes for the television comedy series Doctor in the House.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2001. Cryer was a member of the entertainment charity the Grand Order of Water Rats. In 2013, Leeds Metropolitan University made Cryer an honorary Doctor of Arts. Four years later, in July 2017, Cryer received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Leeds. Since 2018, his clip show Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer has been broadcast by Sky Arts, a programme paying tribute to a number of comedians such as Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd and Bob Hope with ‘comedy experts’ Tony Hawks, Steve Punt and critic Stephen Armstrong giving their opinions. Barry Cryer tragically died at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow on 25 January 2022, at the age of 86 however the many comedy programs he contributed to are still often broadcast on Television.
World Meteorological day
World Meteorological Day takes place annually on 23rd March. It is organised by The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 191 Member States and Territories which was established in 1950. TheWMO is the specialised agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a member of the United Nations Development Group. It is the UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources. WMO has a membership of 191 member states and territories (since 4 December 2009). The Convention of the World Meteorological Organization was signed 11 October 1947 and established in 1950. WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951 for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
As weather, climate and the water cycle know no national boundaries, international cooperation at a global scale is essential for the development of meteorology and operational hydrology as well as to reap the benefits from their application. WMO provides the framework for such international cooperation.Since its establishment, WMO has played a unique and powerful role in contributing to the safety and welfare of humanity. Under WMO leadership and within the framework of WMO programs, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services contribute substantially to the protection of life and property against natural disasters, to safeguarding the environment and to enhancing the economic and social well-being of all sectors of society in areas such as food security, water resources and transport.
The WMO and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) jointly created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is also directly responsible for the creation of the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW). The IPCC has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.” The WMO also promote cooperation in the establishment of networks for making meteorological, climatological, hydrological and geophysical observations, as well as the exchange, processing and standardization of related data, and assists technology transfer, training and research. It also fosters collaboration between the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of its Members and furthers the application of meteorology to public weather services, agriculture, aviation, shipping, the environment, water issues and the mitigation of the impacts of natural disasters.
WMO also facilitates the free and unrestricted exchange of data and information, products and services in real- or near-real time on matters relating to safety and security of society, economic welfare and the protection of the environment. It contributes to policy formulation in these areas at national and international levels. In the specific case of weather-, climate and water-related hazards, which account for nearly 90% of all natural disasters, WMO’s programs provide vital information for the advance warnings that save lives and reduce damage to property and the environment. WMO also contributes to reducing the impacts of human-induced disasters, such as those associated with chemical and nuclear accidents, forest fire and volcanic ash. Studies have shown that, apart from the incalculable benefit to human well-being, every dollar invested in meteorological and hydrological services produces an economic return many times greater, often ten times or more.
The WMO play a leading role in international efforts to monitor and protect the environment through its programs. In collaboration with other UN agencies and the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, WMO supports the implementation of a number of environmental conventions and is instrumental in providing advice and assessments to governments on related matters. These activities contribute towards ensuring the sustainable development and well-being of nations. They also published the International Cloud Atlas, which has been the international standard cloud atlas since 1896.
Doctor Who-The monster of Peladon
The six part Doctor Who science fiction Television story The Monster of Peladon was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 23rd March and 27th April 1974. It takes place on the planet Peladon where a power struggle is taking place between the trisilicate miners under the leadership of Gebek and Ettis who are calling for improved conditions, and The planet’s ruler Queen Thalira, daughter of the late King Peladon, who is sympathetic, but knows her planets trisilicate mines are vital to the war effort between the Galactic Federation and the warlike Galaxy Five. However when Miners, including the alien engineer Vega Nexos start being killed in the mines by a mysterious entity, Chancellor Ortron tries to convince the Queen that the legendary monsterous Aggador living in the mines, has been angered and is on the rampage.
In the midst of this crisis the Doctor (Tom Baker)and Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) appear in the TARDIS and The Doctor recalls his previous visit to Peladon fifty years earlier when the planet joined the Galactic Federation, and encounters the hermaphrodite Hexapod “Alpha Centauri”, the Federation Ambassador and The Queen who knows of the Doctor from her father and asks him to find the cause of the manifestations of Aggedor. He guesses someone is deliberately trying to interrupt trisilicate production, then the miners decide to strike. Ettis gets weapons for the striking miners so Engineer Eckersley, who is in charge of the refinery, asks Alpha Centauri to send for Federation troops to help restore order.
However Both the miners and the Pel leaders are unhappy with the notion of Federation occupation, especially when the Ice Warrior under the command of Commander Azaxyr, start shooting down Pels Indiscriminately. Behind the scenes Azaxyr and Eckersley secretly plot. the Ice Warriors also impose martial law on the capital, imprisoning the Queen and her courtiers. So Ortron and Gebek decide to join forces and lead the Pels fight back…
world water day
World Water Day takes place annually on 22 March. The aim of World Water Day is to inspire people around the world to learn more about water-related issues, tell others about these issues and take action to make a difference, particularly in developing countries. One such issue is the global water crisis which includes challenges such as water scarcity, water pollution, inadequate water supply and the lack of sanitation for billions of people in developing countries. The day brings to light the inequality of access to WASH services and the need to assure the human right to water and sanitation.
United Nations Water coordinates plans and programmes for the day in consultation with UN member organisations who share interest in that year’s theme. For example, in 2016 when the theme was “Water and Jobs,” UN-Water collaborated with the International Labour Organization. Organizations active in the WASH sector, including non-governmental organizations such as UNICEF and WaterAid, use the day to raise public awareness, inspire action and get media attention for water issues. Activities have included the production and dissemination of publications or films, and the organization of round tables, seminars, expositions and other events. End Water Poverty, a global civil society coalition with 250 partner organizations worldwide, also coordinates a calendar of global events to commemorate World Water Day, on the 22nd and during the whole of March.
World Water Day has seen an increase in the quantity and quality of education initiatives within schools and universities, to raise awareness of the importance of conserving and managing water resources. Michigan State University held a contest for “best World Water Day poster” in 2017. Primary school children in the Phillipines participated in a “My School Toilet” contest in 2010. In addition to school-based educational events, a variety of public events, such as seminars, rallies and parades are held to bring people together for World Water Day. These include educational displays on water-saving devices such as greywater reuse systems or dry toilets, as well as information about the lack of access to drinking water and water for agriculture in developing countries. It was first formally proposed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations (UN) designated 22 March as International World Water Day in 1992 at the same conference and In 1993, the first World Water Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly and each year since then has focused on a different issue.
Past Annual themes have included Why Waste Water? This concerns the reduction and reuse of wastewater, which is a valuable resource to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Number 6 to halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and also to increase the recycling and safe reuse of water across the globe. After appropriate treatment, wastewater can be used for a variety of purposes. Industry, for example, can reuse water for cooling manufacturing equipment and agriculture can reuse water for irrigation.
In 2006 the theme was Water and Culture. The theme drew the attention to the fact that there are as many ways of viewing, using, and celebrating water as there are cultural traditions across the world.In 2007 the theme was Coping With Water Scarcity. This Highlighted water scarcity worldwide and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international and local levels. In 2008 the theme was Sanitation. 2008 was also the International Year of Sanitation. In 2009 the theme was Trans Waters. This placed Special focus on trans-boundary waters. in 2010 the theme was Clean Water for a Healthy World. This showed the importance of water management. In 2011 the theme was Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge. This encouraged governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to actively engage in addressing the challenges of urban water management. In 2012 the theme was Water and Food Security: The World is Thirsty Because We are Hungry. the International Committe of the Red Cross (ICRC) called attention to the water-related challenges faced by civilians caught up in fighting and intense civil unrest. The year 2013 was International Year of Water Cooperation
in 2014, the theme was Water and Energy. This emphasized the interdependence of water and energy. Generating and transmitting energy requires the use of water resources, particularly for hydroelectric, nuclear, and thermal energy sources , with 8% of the energy generated globally is used for pumping, treating and transporting water to various consumers. the UN, also addressed issues affecting those who live in urban slums and impoverished rural areas, who must find ways to survive without access to safe drinking water, safe sanitation, sufficient food and without energy services. The UN helped Develop policies and frameworks that would bridge ministries and sectors, to ensure energy security and sustainable water use in a green economy. journalists from eleven countries in Asia also met in Tokyo to discuss the importance of water And also discussed privatisation of services, integration between water and energy and modernisation of water services.
In 2015 the theme was Water and Sustainable Development. This consolidated and built upon the previous World Water Days to highlight water’s role in the sustainable development agenda. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were to have been achieved by 2015. With the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), world Water Day gave specific emphasis to SDG 6, which calls for water and sanitation for all. In 2016 the theme was Better Water, Better Jobs. This highlighted the correlation between water and job creation, both directly and indirectly by water sources around the globe. If water scarcity becomes a reality, industries heavily dependent on water like textiles and agriculture are at risk of increased costs, which threatens salaries and jobs. Increased costs may then be passed on to consumers. It also illustrated how an abundance of quality water can change people’s jobs and lives for the better and stressed the importance of working to improve water quality and availability and how Water shortages and lack of access can limit economic growth. Other previous themes have included: The Importance of Ground Water, Glacier preservation, accelerating change, Valuing water, water and climate change, the answer is in nature, why waste water? Water for thirsty cities, everyone lives downstream, water for the 21st century
Some of the water In the soil is taken up by plants and eventually returned to the atmosphere in a process called transferation.
ground water refers to some of the water in the soil Which is not taken up by plants and soaks further into the ground – a process called infiltration – and trickle downwards into the rocks, becoming groundwater. The level at which the rock becomes saturated is called the water table. Water in this saturated zone will flow from where it has infiltrated to a point of discharge. This might be a spring, a river or the sea. Much of the flow of a river will be made up of discharging groundwater, and groundwater provides a vital role supporting wetlands and stream flows.
Water is present almost everywhere underground, but some geological formations are impermeable – meaning that water can hardly flow through them – and some are permeable and contain fine holes that allow water to flow. Permeable formations that contain groundwater are known as aquifers. The holes that water flows through can be spaces between individual grains in a rock like sandstone, or they can be networks of fine cracks. Very occasionally groundwater will flow in underground rivers, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
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