Jack Rabbit is a wooden roller coaster located at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, USA.
Designed and built by John A. Miller and Harry C. Baker in 1921, it is one of the oldest still-running roller coasters in the world. The ride’s three trains were manufactured by Edward Vettel, Sr. in 1951 and contain three cars of six seats each. The aging cars are considered a part of the ride’s nostalgic experience but also lead to some young children being disallowed to enter the ride (36″ is the minimum), due to the use of a small lapbar to hold in riders. A popular early feature of the ride was a tunnel which covered the turnaround section after the first drop, but this was removed in 1947 when the new cars were ordered. In 1991, the tunnel was restored, at a slightly shorter length.
The Jack Rabbit was built shortly after Miller patented a new track design in 1921 (which all wooden coasters built since have used). This design involved the use of wheels both under and over the track, which allowed Miller to create the then enormous 70-foot (21 m) drop that is the attraction’s largest. It is most well known for its double dip following the lift hill. The double dip produces strong airtime that makes the rider feel that they will be thrown from the seat, and a feeling that the train leaves the track (it rises up but the upstop wheels keep it firmly on the rails).
According to Rick Sebak, producer of Pittsburgh history programs for WQED, the attraction was designed so that each train’s last seat would provide the strongest airtime, and therefore the most desired ride.
The piano (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjaːno]; an abbreviation of pianoforte [pjanoˈfɔrte]) is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, which is a row of keys (small levers) that the performer presses down or strikes with the fingers and thumbs of both hands. Invented in about 1700 (the exact date is uncertain), the piano is widely employed in classical, jazz, traditional and popular music for solo and ensemble performances, accompaniment, and for composing and rehearsal. Although the piano is not portable and is often expensive, its versatility, wide range, ability to play chords, ability to play louder or softer, the large number of musicians trained in playing it and its ubiquity in performance venues and rehearsal spaces have made it one of the Western world’s most familiar musical instruments.
An acoustic piano usually has a protective wooden case surrounding the soundboard and metal strings, and a row of 88 black and white keys (52 white keys for the note of the C Major scale and 36 shorter black keys, which are higher than the white keys, for the “accidental” notes, which are the sharp and flat notes needed to play in all 12 keys). The strings are sounded when the keys are pressed or struck, and silenced by a damper when the keys are released. The notes can be sustained, even when the keys are released, by the use of pedals at the base of the instrument. Unlike two of the major keyboard instruments that preceded the piano, the pipe organ and the harpsichord, the weight or force with which a performer presses or strikes the keys changes the dynamics and tone of the instrument.
Pressing one or more keys on the piano’s keyboard causes a padded hammer (often padded with firm felt) to strike the strings. The hammer rebounds from the strings, and the strings continue to vibrate at their resonant frequency. These vibrations are transmitted through a bridge to a soundboard that amplifies by more efficiently coupling the acoustic energy to the air. When the key is released, a damper stops the strings’ vibration, ending the sound. Although an acoustic piano has strings, it is usually classified as a percussion instrument rather than as a stringed instrument, because the strings are struck rather than plucked (as with a harpsichord or spinet); in the Hornbostel-Sachs system of instrument classification, pianos are considered chordophones. With technological advances, Electric pianos (1929), electronic (1970s), and digital pianos (1980s) have also been developed. The electric piano became a popular instrument in the 1960s and 1970s genres of jazz fusion and rock music.
The word piano is a shortened form of pianoforte, the Italian term for the instrument, which in turn derives from gravicembalo col piano e forte and fortepiano. The Italian musical terms piano and forte indicate “soft” and “loud” respectively, in this context referring to the variations in volume produced in response to a pianist’s touch on the keys: the greater the velocity of a key press, the greater the force of the hammer hitting the strings, and the louder the sound of the note produced.
Build Leonard and Sheldon’s living room for display and role play!
Indulge your inner genius and build this LEGO® version of Leonard and Sheldon’s living room as seen in the hit American sitcom The Big Bang Theory! This set was created by two LEGO fan designers—Ellen Kooijman from Sweden and Glen Bricker from the USA—and selected by LEGO Ideas members. Featuring loads of authentic details to satisfy all The Big Bang Theory devotees and including minifigures of all seven main characters from the show, it’s ideal for display or role-play fun. Includes 7 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette.
Includes 7 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette
Features Leonard and Sheldon’s living room with all the iconic elements from the sitcom, including a telescope, whiteboard, DNA display model and various ornaments
Build an authentic replica of Leonard and Sheldon’s living room in LEGO bricks!
Great for display or role-playing scenes from the TV series
Includes a booklet about the designers and the hit American sitcom
The perfect gift for LEGO and The Big Bang Theory fans of all ages!
Measures over 3” (8cm) high, 8” (22cm) wide and 4” (12cm) deep
On December 9, 1965, millions of Americans learned what Christmas is all about. That evening, A Charlie Brown Christmas, the first animated special featuring characters from Charles Schulz’s beloved comic strip Peanuts, aired on CBS. Over the years, watching the beautifully understated ode to the holiday season has become an annual tradition. The program now airs every year on ABC.
Charlie Brown Christmas Stamp
You can pre-order A Charlie Brown Christmas 50th anniversary stamp at the USPS website. The issue date is October 1, 2015.
A Charlie Brown Christmas was completed just ten days shy of its national broadcast premiere. All involved believed the special would be an unmitigated disaster. Melendez first saw the completed animation at a showing in a theater in the days before its premiere, turning to his crew of animators and remarking, “My golly, we’ve killed it.” Melendez was embarrassed, but one of the animators, Ed Levitt, was more positive regarding the special, telling him it was “the best special [he’ll] ever make […] This show is going to run for a hundred years.” Mendelson was similar in his assumptions of the show’s quality, and when he showed the film to network executives in New York, their opinions were also negative. Their complaints included the show’s slow pace, the music not fitting, and the animation too simple. “I really believed, if it hadn’t been scheduled for the following week, there’s no way they were gonna broadcast that show,” Mendelson later said. Executives had invited television critic Richard Burgheim of Time to view the special, and debated as to whether showing it to him would be a good idea. His review, printed the following week, was positive, praising the special as unpretentious and writing that “A Charlie Brown Christmas is one children’s special this season that bears repeating.”
The program premiered on CBS on December 9, 1965 at 7:30PM ET (pre-empting The Munsters), and was viewed by 45% of those watching television that evening, with the number of homes watching the special an estimated 15,490,000, placing it at number two in the ratings, behind Bonanza on NBC. The special received unanimous critical acclaim: The Hollywood Reporter deemed the show “delightfully novel and amusing,” while the Weekly Variety dubbed it “fascinating and haunting.” Bob Williams of the New York Post praised the “very neat transition from comic page to screen,” while Lawrence Laurent of The Washington Post declared that “natural-born loser Charlie Brown finally turned up a real winner last night.” Harriet Van Horne of the New York World-Telegram hailed the scene in which Linus recites scripture, commenting, “Linus’ reading of the story of the Nativity was, quite simply, the dramatic highlight of the season.” Harry Harris of The Philadelphia Inquirer called the program “a yule classic […] generated quiet warmth and amusement,” and Terrence O’Flaherty of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Charlie Brown was a gem of a television show.” Ben Gross of the New York Daily News praised the special’s “charm and good taste,” while Rick DuBrow of United Press International predicted, “the Peanuts characters last night staked out a claim to a major television future.”
The show’s glowing reviews were highlighted with an ad in trade magazines; one thanked Coca-Cola, CBS, United Features Syndicate, and the show’s viewers. Fantasy released the special’s soundtrack the first week of December 1965, coinciding with the special’s airdate. United Feature Syndicate pushed hard to promote the special, while Word Publishing issued a hardcover adaption of the special. CBS promptly ordered four additional Peanuts specials. A Charlie Brown Christmas was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program in 1966. “Charlie Brown is not used to winning, so we thank you,” Schulz joked.
The exchanging of gifts is one of the core aspects of the modern Christmas celebration, making it the most profitable time of year for retailers and businesses throughout the world. Gift giving was common in the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, an ancient festival which took place in late December and may have influenced Christmas customs. On Christmas, people exchange gifts based on the tradition associated with St. Nicholas, and the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh which were given to the baby Jesus by the Magi.
We bought this at Lowes for $456.05 out the door. List $499.00 – 10% coupon ($49.90) + $26.95 PA state tax – $20 rebate. The reviews were very good.
My personal review. This is a great lawnmower. (9.5 out of 10) It has lots of power, doesn’t leave clumps of grass when not using the bag, and is very comfortable to walk behind.
Also, while we were putting together the catcher bag, one of the clips broke. We contacted Husqvarna support and instead of just sending us a new clip, they send us an entirely new bag. That is good service and is greatly appreciated that they back their product.
Husqvarna HU800AWD
The HU800AWD walk behind lawn mower features all-wheel drive which provides users with balance and power to all four wheels in hilly, uneven terrain and other tough mowing conditions. This rugged mower features a 22″ heavy-duty steel deck and a powerful 190cc Honda engine. The AWD mower features a 3-in-1 cutting system allowing it to bag, mulch and side discharge, as well as a side bumper that doubles as a grass rake to pull in the grass for a clean trim. Also, it is equipped with a premium quick pin 4 point adjustment for level cutting height and a water hose connector for easy cleaning of the deck. With a premium comfort grip control bail and variable drive speed the operator is able to mow more comfortably and adjust the mowing speed according to the needs and condition of the lawn. Premium wheels with new rugged tread tires provide excellent traction without tearing the grass.
As many of you are aware our Classmate Janet Heilman Boger’s son Jared was one of the severely injured students at the terrible tragedy that happened at our Alma Mater on April 9th. The FRHS Class of 1979 has sent a donation to the “We are FR “ account that has been set up by school board officials. Also a monetary gift has been sent to Janet and her family to support her during this trying time.… All donations and gifts were paid from the class reunion account. So you ask,” WHAT CAN I DO?”
1. Repost or Share this message so we can spread the word!
2. Like the “Franklin Regional Class of 1979 – Victim’s Support Page” Facebook page! This way it will be like sending a big “Thinking of You” card to Janet and her son Jared.
3. Make a donation to the “We are FR” fund that has been set up specifically for the victims of the Franklin Regional stabbings. Go to http://frproud.webs.com/donations.
4. If you have any questions or would like to make a personal donation to Janet and her family, please private message Patti Jones McClure on Facebook or e-mail her at pmcclure@northallegheny.org for details.
