Considered the first completely American music, ragtime was popular towards the end of the 19th century and into the first two decades of the 20th century, roughly 1893 to 1917. It is the style of music that preceded jazz. Its rhythms made it lively and springy, and therefore ideal for dancing. Its name is believed to be a contraction of the term “ragged time,” which refers to its rhythmically broken up melodies....
Have you recently been asked to write a reference letter for a colleague or acquaintance? For various reasons, you might need to decline. The challenge then is to do so with thought and tact. The first thing to understand is that there are all sorts of very good reasons for declining to write a reference. It’s possible that you don’t know the person well enough to write a detailed letter. You may have had experiences with the person that leads you to believe that the position they are seeking would not be a good fit....
In any battle of tire giants, Michelin is not accustomed to playing the role of underdog. But Nokian’s dominance of the winter tire industry goes back to the invention of the snow tire itself; the company holds more winter tire patents than all other tire companies combined. That has tended to leave everybody else who makes winter tires chasing after Nokian for technological advances, and generally trying to make themselves a Hakkapeliitta of their own....
Selena Quintanilla-Perez became known as the “Queen of Tejano Music” during her short but well-received music career performing in the genre in her home state of Texas before her tragic death at age 24 in 1995. Selena was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas, and raised in a Mexican-American family, but only spoke “kitchen Spanish,” originally learning to sing her Spanish tunes phonetically but later taking intensive Spanish classes to sharpen her vocabulary and pronunciation....
As comics—and superheroes in general—continue to find new audiences as more generations of fans get turned on to this superhero or that, it can be useful for fans to be able to differentiate between the major comic book publishers, as each company has different styles, characters, and audiences. The industry needs both the big-time publishers and the smaller ones willing to take risks and push the boundaries of the world of comic books....
Wayne Gretzky holds or shares 61 National Hockey League records: 40 for the regular season, 15 for the Stanley Cup playoffs, and six for the NHL All-Star Game. Here’s a summary of what is almost certainly the most amazing career record in the history of sports: Wayne Gretzky’s Career Records The Great One, as Gretzky is known, is the leading scorer in NHL history. Here are some of the highlights of the career records he holds:...
The music industry as a whole produces tons of talent, as well as lots of eye candy, and country music is certainly no exception. Country stars are some of the best looking entertainers music has to offer. These are our top ten picks for the hottest guys in country music. They’re good looking and talented. What more could you ask for? 10 of 10 Chris Cagle Dana Nalbandian / Getty Images...
When the Eagles broke up in 1980 at the near-height of the band’s popularity, it could have been a major blow to the musical fortunes of the band’s remaining members. However, the ’80s — particularly the decade’s first half — featured plenty of music from all but one of the band’s seven total members. While de facto band leaders Don Henley and Glenn Frey enjoyed the greatest pop success, the other four members of the Eagles also made notable music during this time....
At the most basic level, acrylic paint consists of pigment, which gives it color, and a synthetic resin binder. The binder is what holds the particles of pigment together in the buttery consistency we expect when we squeeze paint from the tube. You may have seen these two ingredients if you’ve encountered a tube of acrylic that has separated. When you squeeze the tube, a gelatinous, almost clear substance (the binder) comes out before the actual colored paint....
To skateboarders, primo means a few different things, but the most commonly accepted definition of a true primo move is anything wherein the skater lands a move by standing on the edge of the board. Sometimes this can mean an instant failure like landing a jump on the board’s side or a really cool move like in the Primo slide, wherein the skater pops into a railstand (standing on the side of the board) and slides along the ground on the edge of the skateboard....
An accidental in music is a symbol that indicates the modification of a pitch. A music accidental can turn a pitch sharp, flat, or back to its natural state. The most commonly used accidentals in music are the sharp (♯), the flat (♭), and the natural (♮). These accidentals raise or lower a pitch by a half-step, making the pitch either higher or lower than it was before the accidental. If an accidental is used on a pitch within a measure, the note with the accidental remains affected by the accidental throughout the measure....
Four-wheel drive systems are helpful options, but they aren’t a cure-all for winter driving problems. It’s important to become familiar with a few 4x4 driving basics before you tackle snowy roads. Today’s vehicles offer a number of different drivetrain systems designed to help out in slippery, icy conditions, and you should take the time to familiarize yourself with the type of system you are using. Read on to learn about how your 4x4 might perform in wintery conditions—as well as its limitations to keep in mind....
The 1950s marked the transition from the early Disney masterpieces to a greater focus on fairy tales, and the full emergence of the Disney princesses, who would figure in animated musical adventures and relentless marketing from then on. The ongoing process of “Disneyfication” in the ‘50s meant less darkness and violence and lots more cutesy, but there’s still plenty of plot lines to frighten younger kids. For my money, nothing matches the glory of the final film of the decade, Sleeping Beauty, a visually stunning piece with the best villainess ever to grace the animated screen....
The fashion industry is a very competitive field, and to become successful, you must have the talent, creativity, skills, and ability needed to do the job. Your Intern Role With Required Skills in Fashion In an internship in the fashion industry, your role can vary greatly depending on the aspect of the business in which you’re working. Some options include fashion retail, fashion design, sales or editorial work. Your day-to-day responsibilities can include merchandising, sales, sewing, sketching, promotion, advertising or event planning....
Public transit can be a huge cost-saver for commuters, but that doesn’t mean it is cheap. Bus systems have significant capital and operating costs that must be taken into consideration when designing public transit systems. Capital Costs For the average local transit agency, bus purchases make up the bulk of all capital costs—the fixed expenses required to get a project off the ground. The cost of each vehicle depends on a variety of features, including size and manufacturer, but the most important factor is typically what kind of propulsion system the bus uses....
Roses are a popular subject for artists and they’re very fun to draw. The delicate shape of the petals, subtle differences in color and shade, and it’s simple sophistication make it a perfect subject. In this lesson, we’ll walk through the steps needed to draw a rose using colored pencil. The tutorial is easy to follow and it all begins with the right materials and a beautiful flower. 01 of 10...
If you’re interested in some sort of animal-related career, an internship is a great way to obtain valuable hands-on experience. Internships can also enable a student to gain insight into the wide variety of careers that involve working with animals and get a better idea of what they would enjoy—and would not enjoy—doing for a living. For example, a student that has an interest in zoo animals could pursue a variety of internships in curation, veterinary care, or educational program development....
Launching a book refers to sending a new book out into the bookselling and consumer marketplace. As with launching a rocket ship from the Earth’s gravity pull, a book launch that successfully sends a volume into the hands of buyers requires a lot of thoughtful consideration of the book’s target (its potential readers). It then requires a tremendous amount of resources, effort, and energy to give it the required lift-off to ensure it lands where it is supposed to....
Replacing a fuel injector seems like a daunting project, but with a little skill you can do the job yourself and save serious money. Shops charge a huge amount for fuel injection work. If you know that you have a bad injector, the job can be done at home. Safety First Before you begin the process of replacing a fuel injector or fuel injection rail, you need to think about safety....
A certain set of skills is required to become a pilot, a few of which are technical but many are applicable to various parts of your non-pilot lives. A survey done by Brown Aviation Lease determined that pilots come away from flight training with five skills. Core Professional Pilot Skills No matter what type of pilot you become, you will generally need a core set of skills to succeed in this career....
