Moldovan cuisine

Moldovan cuisine is a style of cooking derived from Moldovan people. It consists mainly of traditional European foods, such as beef, pork, potatoes, cabbage, and a variety of cereals. Background Moldova's fertile soil (chernozem) produces plentiful grapes, fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat and milk products, all of which have found their uses in the national cuisine. The fertile black soil combined with the use of traditional agricultural methods permits growing a wide range of ecologically clean foods in Moldova. Moldovan cuisine is similar to the cuisine of the other half of the historical Moldova, now part of Romania. It has had a considerable influence on the traditional food of other nationalities in this region, while drawing in the past centuries various elements from the Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Gagauz, Lithuanian, Russian, as well as Turkish and Greek cuisines. Dishes Perhaps the best known Moldovan dish is a well-known Romanian dish, mmlig a cornmeal mash or porridge. This is a staple bread-like food on the Moldovan table, served as an accompaniment to stews and meat dishes or garnished with cottage cheese, sour cream, cracklings, etc. Regional delicacies include brnz, a brined cheese, and ghiveci, a mutton stew. Local wines accompany most meals. Traditional for the Moldovan cuisine are dishes combining diverse vegetables, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, cabbage, beans, onion, garlic, leek, etc. Vegetables are used in salads and sauces, they are baked, steamed, pickled, salted, or marinated.Meat products hold a special place in the Moldovan cuisine, especially as the first course and appetizers.[clarification needed] Chicken soup and meat ciorb are very popular. Roast and grilled pork, beef meatballs, and steamed lamb are common. Meat and fish are often marinated and then grilled.Traditional holiday dishes include cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat (known in Romania as "sarma" and in Turkey as "dolma"), jelly,[clarification needed], noodles with chicken, etc. The holiday table is usually decorated with baked items, such as pastries, cakes, rolls, buns with a variety of fillings (cheese, fruit, vegetables, walnuts, etc.), known in Romania as "cozonac", "pasc", "poale-n bru" etc.In certain regions the cuisine of various minorities is predominant: in the East the Ukrainians eat borscht; in the South the Bulgarians serve the traditional mangea (sauce with chicken), while the Gagauz prepare shorpa, a highly seasoned mutton soup; in the Russian communities, pelmeni meat-filled dumplings are popular. Also popular are a variant of ukrainian varenyky called colunai filled with fresh white cheese (colunai cu brnz), meat (pelmeni or colunai cu carne) and cherries. Beverages Nonalcoholic beverages include stewed-fruit compotes and fruit juices. Popular alcoholic beverages are divin (Moldovan brandy) and local wines.European grape varieties are used in wine making: Sauvignon, Cabernet, Muscat, etc. Domestic Moldovan varieties include Feteasc, Rara neagr, Moldova, etc.Sparkling wines have a special place in Moldovan cuisine. The country produces large quantities of classic white and pink sparkling wines, as well as red sparkling wines that were originally introduced in Moldova. The most famous sparkling wines are those made in Cricova winery. Known brands of Moldovan sparkling wines are Negru de Purcari,[clarification needed] Moldova, Chiinu, Cricova, Muscat spumant, National, Nisporeni and others. They are made from a wide range of European grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot menie, Sauvignon, Aligote, Traminer pink, Muscat blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir. The local variety Feteasca Alb, also used in sparkling wines, has been cultivated in Moldova since the times of ancient Dacia.

Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty,officially named Liberty Enlightening the World, is a monument symbolising the United States. The statue is placed near the entrance to New York City harbor. The statue commemorates the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. It was given to the United States by the people of France, to represent the friendship between the two countries established during the American Revolution. It represents a woman wearing a stola, a crown and sandals, trampling a broken chain, and with a torch in her raised right hand and a tabula ansata, where the date of the Declaration of Independence JULY IV MDCCLXXVI is written, in her left hand. The statue is located at Liberty Island in New York Harbor, and it welcomes visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans traveling by ship. Frdric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statueand he obtained an U.S. patent for the structure. Maurice Koechlin, who was chief engineer of Gustave Eiffel's engineering company and designer of the Eiffel Tower, designed the internal structure. The pedestal was designed by the architect Richard Morris Hunt. Eugne Viollet-le-Duc choose copper in the construction of the statue, and for the adoption of the repouss construction technique, where a malleable metal is hammered on the reverse side. The statue is made of a covering of pure copper, put on a framework of steel (originally puddled iron) with the exception of the flame of the torch, which is coated in gold leaf (originally made of copper and later altered to hold glass panes). It stands over a rectangular stonework pedestal with a foundation in the shape of an irregular eleven-pointed star. The statue is 151 ft (46 m) tall, but with the pedestal and foundation, it is 305 ft (93 m) tall. The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world.[9] For many years it was one of the first glances of the United States for millions of immigrants and visitors after ocean voyages from around the world. The statue is the central part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, administered by the National Park Service. The National Monument also includes Ellis Island.

UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF is an international organization. The United Nations established UNICEF on 11 December 1946. At that time, its name was United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. UNICEFs mission is to advocate for the protection of childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations. These basic standardsalso called human rightsset minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be respected by governments. They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual, regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability and therefore apply to every human being everywhere. With these rights comes the obligation on both governments and individuals not to infringe on the parallel rights of others. These standards are both interdependent and indivisible; we cannot ensure some rights withoutor at the expense ofother rights. A legally binding instrument The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rightscivil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under 18 years old often need special care and protection that adults do not. The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child. Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects children's rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services. By agreeing to undertake the obligations of the Convention (by ratifying or acceding to it), national governments have committed themselves to protecting and ensuring children's rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child.

O. Henry Biography O. Henry was born William Sidney Porter on September 11, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father, named Algernon Sidney Porter, was a medical doctor. When William was three, his mother died and he was raised by his grandmother and aunt. He left school at the age of 15 and then he had a number of jobs, including that of a bank clerk. In 1896 he was falsely accused of embezzlement. He absconded from the law enforcement to New Orleans and later fled to Honduras. But when he learned that his wife was dying, he returned to USA and surrendered to police. Although there has been much debate over his actual guilt, he was sentenced to 5 years in jail. In 1898 he was put in prison at Columbus, Ohio. While in prison he began writing short stories in order to support his young daughter Margaret. His first published story was "Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking" (1899). He used a pseudonym Olivier Henry only once and changed his pen-name to O. Henry, not wanting his readers to know he was in jail. He published 12 stories while in prison to help support his daughter. After doing 3 years of the 5-year sentence, he was released for good behavior. He moved to New York City in 1902 and wrote a story a week for the New York World, and also for other publishers. His first collection of stories was 'Cabbages and Kings' (1904). The next collection, 'The Four Million' (1906), included his well-known stories 'The Gift of the Magi', 'The Skylight Room', and 'The Green Door'. One of his last stories, 'The Ransom of the Red Chief' (1910), is perhaps the best known of his works. Among its film adaptations are: Ruthless People (1986) with Danny DeVito and Bette Midler, The Ransom of Red Chief (1975), and Delovye lyudi (aka.. Business People 1962) by director Leonid Gaidai starring Georgiy Vitsin and Yuri Nikulin. In his lifetime O. Henry was able to see the silent film adaptations of his stories; 'The Sacrifice' (1909), 'Trying to Get Arrested' (1909), and 'His Duty' (1909). His success brought the attendant pressure, and he suffered from an alcohol addiction. His second marriage lasted 2 years, and his wife left him in 1909. He died of cirrhosis of the liver, on June 5, 1910, in New York, New York. O. Henry is credited for creation of the Cisco Kid, whose character alludes to Robin Hood and Don Quixote. The Arizona Kid (1930) and The Cisco Kid (1931) are among the best known adaptations of his works.

Chisinau:
Purcari Wine You are very welcome to the Purcari Winery Complex which includes a wine factory, hotel with eight luxury rooms, restaurant, tennis Court, fishing areas, billiard room, and barbecue terrace. This exceptional wine tour will show you the magic of the top-of-the-line wine making process. You will see the journey of the method of taking fresh, sweet grapes that transform into a wonderful, quality wines with famous blends as "Rosu de Purcari" and "Negru de Purcari". Guests are also welcome to see the cellars where the authentic French-oak barrels are used to age the wine. The tourist complex makes Purcari a perfect place for business meetings, seminars, trainings and other corporate events and celebrations. The restaurant capacity of 200 persons for "la fourchettes", and 120 persons for banquets. Golden Collection - Milesti Mici Wine Tour Today, it is a big underground wine city, alike ancient Roman fortress tunnels, which is from 30 to 85 metres deep and its total length reaches 200 kilometres! You have the unique opportunity to walk along the cool, dark galleries and avenues where big barrels are placed and the bottles are laid down, dusty and covered with spider webs, waiting the day it will be opened for consumption. Each street has the name of a wine brand like Cabernet, Sauvignon etc. Milesti Mici Golden Collection of wines, the oldest wine dated from 1969, is a pride of the country and the nation. It was registered in Guinness Records Book in August 2008 as the biggest Wine Collection in the world, containing over two millions bottles of wine, highly appreciated worldwide. Hanul lui Hanganu agritourism The half-isle offer 2 rooms, parking lot, sauna, fishery, multipurpose hall (120sqm), 3 terraces, winery, and an orchard. Each room is furnished with a bed, fireplace, and bathroom. The region is well known among tourist places.It is situated 2km from the Tipova complex which has an 11th century monastery, the Church, Adormirea Maicii Domnului, the Tipova Canyon, and numerous waterfalls and springs.At a 10km distance from the half-isle is situated the cultural and historical complex Saharna, which includes the Geto-Dacian Fortress Saharna-Mica (IV-III B.C.), the Geto-Dacian Fortress Saharna-Mare (IV-III B.C.), Sf. Treime Monastery, the Instep of the Holy Virgin, the Rupestral Monasteric Complex (XV century), the Geto-Dacians Settlement (IX-VIII centries), the Landowners Mansion Apostolopulo Eugenia (XIX century), the Winding Stone Figure (the Bronze Age), the Groapa Tiganului Waterfall, and the Medieval Springs.Anyone who visits these places by boat, cart, or car will have an unforgettable experience. For activity lovers Hanul lui Hangan organizes hunting, fishing, etc. Chisinau city tour We invite you to a 2-hour panoramic tour around Chisinau the capital of Moldova, an Eastern European country. Chisinau is one of the greenest cities in Europe. Its whole territory is 120 square km, the population is about 750,000 people. The first reference to the city is from the year 1436. It has a rich and diverse history, and beautiful architecture of white stone earning it a nickname the "white stone flower". Chisinau suffered through two world wars and the ruinous earthquake of 1940, but it is proud of being re-built by such famous Russian architects as A. Bernardazzi and A. Sciusev. During the tour you'll get acquainted with Moldovan history, culture, architecture, political, commercial and social life.On the tour you will visit, all the sectors of the city, the Glory Memorial "Eternity", old buildings of 19th century designed by A. Bernardazzi: the Water Tower, City Hall, Post Office, and St. Teodora church, etc., the Cathedral and Arch of Triumph, the City Gate, Central Park, and the Classics' Alley.

Cities from Usa: Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States. It is not a state. The President of the United States and many major national government offices are located in the city.Washington was named after the first U.S. President, George Washington. The "D.C." stands for "District of Columbia", a special area created that is not a state. At first, it was made up of a piece from Virginia south of the Potomac River and a piece from Maryland north of the Potomac River. In 1849, Virginia's piece was returned to it, and is now Arlington County and part of the city of Alexandria. Since 1849, all of Washington D.C. is on the north side of the Potomac River. Washington, D.C. used to have other small towns that used "D.C.". These include Georgetown, D.C. and Alexandria, D.C.Washington D.C. is the home of all three branches of the U.S. government: Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court. It is also the home of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Organization of American States (OAS). Because it is the home of the President and is important to American politics, many groups hold large demonstrations and protests. These are often on the National Mall, a large open park that has many monuments and museums. Washington D.C.'s many museums and monuments make it a popular place for tourists to visit.Washington D.C. is called many things by many different people. It can be called D.C., The District of Columbia, The District, or sometimes just Washington. This can be confusing because there is also a U.S. state called Washington. To help with the confusion, sometimes the state of Washington is called "Washington State". The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau said that about 582,049 people live in the District of Columbia. Los Angeles Los Angeles (also called L.A.) is a city in southern California, in the United States of America. There are 3,847,400 people living in the city, and over 18 million people in the L.A. region. The city has an area of 1200 square kilometres. L.A. has the second largest population of any city in the USA, the first being New York City. It is the largest city in California.The name Los Angeles comes from the Spanish language and it means "the Angels". The name is an abbreviation from the original name of the place. The original name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Seora la Reina de los ngeles de Porciuncula" (in English, "town of our lady the Queen of Angels of the little Portion"). Los Angeles was founded in 1781. The area had earlier been explored by two Franciscan priests named Junipero Serra and Juan Crespi, when California still belonged to Spain. On April 4, 1850 California became a State of the USA. Los Angeles began to grow rapidly from when the railroad came in the 1870s up until the 1930s. Los Angeles was home to the Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984. Twice the city broke out in riots, in 1965 and 1992, both caused by anger between people and the city police. In 1994, an earthquake killed 72 people and hurt many buildings. New Jersey New Jersey is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. It is located in the northeastern section of the country along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a small state, shaped like a letter [S], and bordered on the west by Pennsylvania and Delaware across the Delaware River, on the north by New York, on the northeast by the Hudson River and New York City, on the east and southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the southwest by Delaware Bay.The capital of New Jersey is Trenton and the largest city is Newark, though New Jersey is better known for bordering the large cities of New York City and Philadelphia. The state nickname is "The Garden State". The current governor is Chris Christie. New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state, but has the eleventh-highest population. It therefore has the highest population density (population per land area) in the United States. New Jersey is also well-known for its beaches, industries, swamps, and pine forests.The climate is hot & humid summers and cold winters. About 1200 mm of precipitation every year. The average temperature in July is 25-30 degrees celsius and in January around freezing point.

Scotland
Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country which is part of the United Kingdom. It is the northern half of the island of Great Britain, with a population of about five million. Scotland shares a border with England. Scotland has coasts on the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and also the Irish Sea to the southwest. Scotland was once an independent country with its own monarch, but is now one of the four parts that form United Kingdom. In 1603, the King of Scotland James VI of Scotland became King of England too, because Queen Elizabeth I of England had no children and James was her nearest relative. In 1707, the parliament of Scotland joined with the parliament of England to become the parliament of Great Britain, and in 1801 Great Britain joined with Ireland to become United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Even though Scotland is not independent, throughout history it had a separate legal system and a unique culture. Since 1999, Scotland has had its own devolved parliament. However, many things are still controlled by the United Kingdom parliament in London. The Scottish flag is blue with a white diagonal cross (called a saltire). This is the cross of Saint Andrew, who is the patron saint of Scotland. Some other symbols used for Scotland are a thistle, and a lion. The north of Scotland has many mountains, and few people live there. Most people live in the lowlands (Edinburgh and Glasgow), or around the coast. South of the central belt are the Southern Uplands, another hilly place. On the west coast and in the north are a lot of islands. The capital city of Scotland is the city of Edinburgh, on the east coast. The biggest city is Glasgow. Other cities in Scotland are Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Stirling. Most of the Scottish islands were ruled by the Norse (and then by Norwegians and Danes) for over four hundred years. This includes the Hebrides to the west and Orkney and Shetland to the north. The islands still have a culture of their own. St Kilda, Scotland, Heart of Neolithic Orkney and Skara Brae are all World Heritage Sites, as are the Antonine Wall and New Lanark on the mainland. The official languages of Scotland are English, Scots, and Gaelic. English is spoken by most people in Scotland, with only a small number, mostly in the Western Isles, speaking Gaelic.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (February 7 1812June 9 1870)[1] was one of the great English writers of the 19th century. Early life He was born in Portsmouth, England.[1] His parents were John Dickens (1785-1851), a naval pay clerk, and Elizabeth Barrow (17891863) At age five, Charles moved to Chatham. When Charles was ten years old, his family moved to Camden, London. He worked in a blacking factory there while his father went to prison for debt. Dickens's hard times in this blackening factory served as the base of ideas for many of his novels. Many like Oliver Twist soon became famous. When his uncle died and he inherited money, Charles's father paid off his debts and was released from prison. Charles did not like working and wished to stop working after his father was released. However, his mother said that the family needed the money so Charles was forced to continue working. Charles then finished his schooling, and got a job as an office boy for an attorney. After finding that job dull, he taught himself shorthand and became a journalist that reported on the government. Writer His first book was Sketches by Boz in 1836, a collection of the short pieces he had been writing for the Monthly Magazine and the Evening Chronicle.[4] This was followed by the The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club in 1837.[1] Both these books became popular as soon as they were printed. Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870 and was buried in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey. Books Charles Dickens' books include: Sketches by Boz (1836) The Pickwick Papers (1837) Oliver Twist (1838) Nicholas Nickelby (1838) The Old Curiosity Shop (1840) Barnaby Rudge (1841) Martin Chuzzlewit (1843) Dombey and Son (18461848) David Copperfield(18491850) Bleak House (18511853) Hard Times (1854) Little Dorritt (18551857) A Tale of Two Cities (1859) Great Expectations (1861) Our Mutual Friend (1865) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (18691870), not finished. He also wrote a number of Christmas books including: A Christmas Carol (1843)

Cities from UK: Edinburgh is the capital city and second largest city in Scotland. Edinburgh lies on the east coast, where the River Forth flows into the sea.The central part is Edinburgh Castle, at the top of a steep hill. The castle has a military display every year, called a tattoo, where soldiers show their skills at marching and competitions, and there are brass bands and bands of bagpipes.Edinburgh has a very large festival every year, where thousands of performers come to put on shows. The Edinburgh International Festival takes place in August and September. At the same time there is the Edinburgh Fringe. The shows are of all kinds, and range from large ones with famous people, to very small ones by new or unknown actors.The city is served by Edinburgh Airport, and Haymarket and Waverley railway stations. Cardiff is the capital and biggest city of Wales, in the United Kingdom. Its name in the Welsh language is Caerdydd. 325,000 people live in Cardiff. It is the most important city in Wales for tourism, culture, government, sport, transport, nightlife and business.Cardiff has a big port that used to be known as Tiger Bay, now just called Cardiff Bay, where the Welsh government works and now there are lots of shops, pubs and restaurants. Cardiff has an international airport, and is twinned with Nantes in France and Stuttgart in Germany. Cardiff has one of the largest stadiums in the United Kingdom, the Millennium Stadium, where important world sports matches and concerts happen. Other big stadiums in the city are the Cardiff City Stadium, where the main football and rugby teams play, and the SWALEC Stadium where cricket is played.To get around, there are lots of bus routes and train lines in the city. There are two big train stations in Cardiff city centre, called Central station and Queen Street station, but there are also 18 other smaller stations in the city for local areas. There are lots of cycle paths in Cardiff on and off the road.Three big rivers flow through Cardiff - the Taff, the Ely and the Rhymney.Part of Cardiff is built on marshland. Sheffield is a big city in a region called South Yorkshire in the North of England. 534,500 people live there. Sheffield is in the middle of lots of hills. The city centre is where the River Sheaf meets the River Don, and Sheffield gets its name from the River Sheaf. The city is east of the Peak District National Park. It is estimated that Sheffield has over two million trees, which is more than any city in Europe per each person. 61% of the city is green space, such as parks and forests. The area of Sheffield used to be the Anglo-Saxon shire of Hallamshire, the city itself was founded later.Sheffield is famous for making cutlery (like knives and spoons). People in Sheffield have made cutlery for a very long time (a Sheffield-made knife is referred to in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", a book from the middle ages). Sheffield is also famous for making steel. Benjamin Huntsman discovered the crucible technique for making steel in 1740. In 1856, Henry Bessemer invented the Bessemer Converter steelmaking furnace. Henry moved to Sheffield to make steel. Later, in 1912, Harry Brearly invented stainless steel in Sheffield.The first football team in the world is from Sheffield, Sheffield F.C., set up in 1857. Sheffield currently has two big professional football teams: Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.

Australia:
Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Its official name is the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia is the sixth biggest country in the world by landmass.22 million people live in Australia. About 60% live in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Australia's capital city is Canberra. The continent of Australia and the islands of New Zealand are called Australasia. The islands nearby are Oceania. Culture Australia was colonised by people from Britain,but today people from all over the world live there. English in the main spoken language, and Christianity is the main religion though all religions are accepted and not everybody has a religion. Australia is multicultural, which means that all its people are helped to keep their different languages, religions and ways of life, while also learning English and joining in with other Australians.Famous Australian writers include the bush balladeers Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson who wrote about life in the Australian bush. More modern famous writers include Peter Carey, Thomas Keneally and Colleen McCullough. In 1973, Patrick White won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the only Australian to have achieved this; he is seen as one of the great English-language writers of the twentieth century. Australian music has had lots of world-wide stars from the opera singers Nellie Melba and Joan Sutherland, to the rock and roll bands Bee Gees, AC/DC and INXS, the folk-rocker Paul Kelly, the pop singer Kylie Minogue and Australian country music stars Slim Dusty and John Williamson. Australian Aboriginal music is very special and very ancient: it has the famous digeridoo woodwind instrument. Australian TV has produced many successful programs for home and overseas including Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Home and Away and Neighbours - and produced such well known TV stars as Barry Humphries (Dame Edna Everage), Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter) and The Wiggles. Australia has two public broadcasters (the ABC and the multi-cultural SBS), three commercial television networks, three pay TV services, and numerous public, nonprofit television and radio stations. Each major city has daily newspapers, and there are two national daily newspapers, The Australian and The Australian Financial Review.Australian movies have a very long history. The world's first feature-film was the Australian movie The Story of the Kelly Gang of 1906. In 1933, In the Wake of the Bounty, directed by Charles Chauvel, had Errol Flynn as the main actor.[13] Flynn went on to a celebrated career in Hollywood. The first Australian Oscar was won by 1942's Kokoda Front Line!, directed by Ken G. Hall. In the 1970s and 1980s lots of big Australian movies and movie stars became world famous with films like Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli (with Mel Gibson), The Man From Snowy River and Crocodile Dundee. Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger became global stars during the 1990s and Australia starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman made a lot of money in 2008.

Democracy
Democracy is a type of political institution a form of group decision-making. Political institutions are needed in circumstances in which decisions are needed that affect all members of a group. Each member of a group has his or her own set of preferences about choices that affect the group; so there needs to be a process for arriving at a set of social preferences a social choice function. Democracy requires designing a set of arrangements through which each persons preferences will have equal weight in determining the ultimate decision. Otherwise we would have a system in which one person decides (dictatorship) or a minority decides (oligarchy). So democracy represents a set of decision-making institutions that embody respect for the equal worth of all citizens. And the fact that otherwise powerless people can express their preferences through democratic means is a substantial form of potential influence for non-privileged groups. In addition to the aggregation of individual preferences, democratic values consider as well the circumstances under which the members of a group form their beliefs and preferences. Narrow democratic theory takes individual preferences as exogenous. But broader versions of democratic theory attempt to bring democratic values into the social processes through which beliefs and preferences are formed. The theory of deliberative democracy emphasizes in particular the features of civility, mutual respect, and open-mindedness through which debate and critical examination of issues leads to a fuller understanding of issues and a more reflective set of preferences. This aspect of democracy is valuable because it corresponds to a society in which open and uncensored debate leads to the formation of individual and collective preferences and embodies the ideas of democratic equality among citizens. And less-privileged groups can exercise their voices in these forums to attempt to influence other citizens to support more just policies and choices. There is a final reason for cheering democracy: it is possible that democracy is more likely to protect the rights of the relatively powerless in society; democratic institutions can function as a bulwark against the arbitrary power of elites of all kinds. If the powerless have political voice, they then have an ability to advocate for, and democratically support, the policies that favor their perspectives and interests. (This political power is offset, of course, by the political power and influence wielded by elite minorities in most societies.) The most fundamental reasons, then, to value democracy are its correspondence to the value of the moral equality of all persons and the capacity it creates for non-elite groups struggles for justice. Democratic institutions honor the equality of all persons in the fact that each person has an equal voice in deliberating upon and deciding collective policies. A democracy is morally preferable because it best embodies the more basic moral value of fundamental human equality and dignity and it provides a feasible mechanism for pursuing social justice.