GEORGE BOOLE (1815–1864)

George Boole, the son of a cobbler, was born in Lincoln, England, in November 1815. Because of his family’s difficult financial situation, Boole struggled to educate himself while supporting his family. Nevertheless, he became one of the most important mathematicians of the 1800s. Although he considered a career as a clergyman, he decided instead to go into teaching, and soon afterward opened a school of his own. In his preparation for teaching mathematics, Boole—unsatisfied with textbooks of his day— decided to read the works of the great mathematicians. While reading papers of the great French mathematician Lagrange, Boole made discoveries in the calculus of variations, the branch of analysis dealing with finding curves and surfaces by optimizing certain parameters.

In 1848 Boole published The Mathematical Analysis of Logic, the first of his contributions to symbolic logic. In 1849 he was appointed professor of mathematics at Queen’s Collegein Cork, Ireland. In 1854 he published The Laws of Thought, his most famous work. In this book, Boole introduced what is now called Boolean algebra in his honor. Boole wrote textbooks on differential equations and on difference equations that were used in Great Britain until the end of the nineteenth century. Boole married in 1855; his wife was the niece of the professor of Greek at Queen’s College. In 1864 Boole died from pneumonia, which he contracted as a result of keeping a lecture engagement even though he was soaking wet from a rainstorm.

ARISTOTLE (384b.c.e.–322b.c.e.)

Aristotle was born in Stagirus (Stagira) in northern Greece. His father was the personal physician of the King of Macedonia. Because his father died when Aristotle was young, Aristotle could not follow the custom of following his father’s profession. Aristotle became an orphan at a young age when his mother also died. His guardian who raised him taught him poetry, rhetoric, and Greek.

At the age of 17, his guardian sent him to Athens to further his education. Aristotle joined Plato’s Academy, where for 20 years he attended Plato’s lectures, later presenting his own lectures on rhetoric. When Plato died in 347 B.C.E., Aristotle was not chosen to succeed him because his views differed too much from those of Plato. Instead, Aristotle joined the court of King Hermeas where he remained for three years, and married the niece of the King. When the Persians defeated Hermeas, Aristotle moved to Mytilene and, at the invitation of King Philip of Macedonia, he tutored Alexander, Philip’s son, who later becameAlexander the Great. Aristotle tutored Alexander for five years and after the death of King Philip, he returned to Athens and set up his own school, called the Lyceum. Aristotle’s followers were called the peripatetics, which means “to walk about,” because Aristotle often walked around as he discussed philosophical questions. Aristotle taught at the Lyceum for 13 years where he lectured to his advanced students in the morning and gave popular lectures to a broad audience in the evening. When Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C.E., a backlash against anything related to Alexander led to trumped-up charges of impiety against Aristotle. Aristotle fled to Chalcis to avoid prosecution. He only lived one year in Chalcis, dying of a stomach ailment in 322 B.C.E. Aristotle wrote three types of works: those written for a popular audience, compilations of scientific facts, and systematic treatises. The systematic treatises included works on logic, philosophy, psychology, physics, and natural history. Aristotle’s writings were preserved by a student and were hidden in a vault where a wealthy book collector discovered them about 200 years later. They were taken to Rome, where they were studied by scholars and issued in new editions, preserving them for posterity.

Cell Theory Scientists

Robert Hooke 
Robert Hooke (1635-1705). The first person to see a cell was Robert Hooke. He used a very primitive microscope, but when he was looking at cork cells under the microscope, he saw cells for the first time. The shape of the cells reminded him of the monk monasteries and so he nicknamed them "cells".

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek 
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723). The first person to see living cells was Anton Leeuwenhoek, a microscope builder. Leeuwenhoek was the first person to observe single celled animals (protozoa) with a microscope. He was also the first person, using a microscope, to observe clearly and to describe red blood cells in humans and other animals as well as sperm cells. Anton Van Leeuwenhoek also improved magnification of microscope by polishing lenses in 1674 and he discovered bacteria from a sample of saliva from his mouth in 1683.

Matthias Schleiden 
Matthias Schleiden (1804-1881) was a co-founder of the cell theory. Matthias Schleiden concluded that all plant tissues are composed of cells and that an embryonic plant arose from a single cell. He declared that the cell is the basic building block of all plant matter. He stated that the different parts of the plant organism are composed of cells.

Rudolph Virchow
Rudolph Virchow (1821-1902) is credited with many important discoveries. His most widely known scientific contribution is his cell theory. He was the first to recognize leukemia cells, and that all cells came from pre-existing cells. He also stated that not all plants are made up of cells, which eventually lead to the creation of the cell theory. He also stated that all living things came from other living things.

Theodore Schwann
Theodore Schwann (1810-1882) discovered that animals were made up of cells. Schwann's theory and observations became the foundations of modern histology. Later, Matthias Schleiden and Theodore Schwann declared that "All living things are composed of cells and cell products". This became the cell theory.  

 

PRIVATEERS OF THE 17TH CENTURY

Buccaneering or privateering is to the 17^th century which the captains engage in the same sort of activity (robbing and fighting) but with a commission from the government and they attacked only Spanish ships.

Sir Francis drake is probably the most famous privateer and one of the most notable sailors and the naval commander of the seventeen century. An Englishman who played an important role in creating a model pirate in the new world. Sir Francis Drake was Elizabethan privateer with pirate manners, always hungry for more treasure. Countless victories against the Spanish fleets brought him fame. This England's hero was born in Tavistock, Devonshire around 1540. He was a son of Mary Mylwaye and Edmund Drake, protestant farmers. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Kent, where he fell in love with the sea and naval life. Drake, as many legendary sailors spent their entire youth at the sea. When he was 13 years old, he decided to follow his dreams and started naval career. In a short time period; he achieved rank of captain of a small ship. It was easy to see how good commander he was and how high his goals were. In 1565, Drake sailed to the Caribbean and commanded a ship under Sir John Hawkins.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE

Woodes Rogers was certainly one of the most notable persons that ever lived in the Caribbean. This Englishman had two big obligations in his life. At first, he was a privateer and later became the first the first governor of Bahamas. In both his duties, his main targets were pirates. Woodes Rogers took a great part in suppressing pirates in most of the Caribbean Sea. Woodes Rogers was born in Bristol, England around 1679. In the beginning of his career, Rogers was just an ordinary seaman and merchant. During the period between 1708 and 1711 he was assigned to lead a privateering expedition with two ships, the “Duke” and the “Duchess”. Authorized by a group of Bristol merchants, Woodes’ crew were supposed to harass the Spanish colonies throughout the coasts of pacific.

WOODES ROGERS 

William Dampier (September 1651- 1715) was the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia and the first person to circumnavigate the world 3 times. He has also been described as Australia’s first natural historian, as well as the most important British explorers of the period between Sir Walter Raleigh and James cook.

William Dampier

Henry Morgan despite some of his actions were brutal and illegitimate, Henry Morgan was not a pirate. The Welshman was a magnificent buccaneer, certainly the most famous one. Described as a remarkable leader and a fearsome conqueror, he had a couple of legendary battles and unique tactics which brought him fame and wealth. Because of all his deeds, Morgan was a true hero of the Caribbean and the English nation.

Henry Morgan

PIRATES OF THE I6TH CENTURY

Piracy is to the 16^th century and pirates attacked ships of any nationality. They made robbing and fighting at sea their profession.

Bartholomew Roberts was the most successful pirate the world ever knew. A rumor goes that he plundered 400 ships. The main reason for a constant success was his boldness. This fearless pirate terrorized every ship he encountered throughout the Caribbean Sea, which included many warships, which even the bravest pirates would avoid. He was known as ‘Black Bart’, which represents all his violent activities. He was born in South Wales and his real name was John Roberts. Since his youth, he had been on many ships, preparing for a naval life. While serving on a British Slaver “Princess” he was enslaved. A pirate Howell Davis captured that ship near Guinea Coast. The pirates forced Roberts to join the crew, but soon he realized that this trade was an ideal opportunity for him to become a pirate. 

PIRATE BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS

Edward Low (1690-1724) is today remembered as one of the most notorious pirates in the golden age of piracy. He was an English pirate. During his active years, he terrorized western coast of North America gaining reputation of an extremely violent pirate. Stories of his cruel management of captured ships and their passengers soon reached the governments of America and England, and they quickly marked Low as one of the most sought criminal of his age. In his youth, Low was working as dock worker and shipmate, and then he and his crew soon turned against their captain and took control over the ship. Low, now a pirate captain managed to capture several trade ships of the coast of Boston and New York, which gave him funds to relocate to more lucrative waters of the Caribbean.

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOW

Charles Vane was certainly one of the most skillful English pirate captains. His navigating and ship combat skills were unmatchable, and he successfully plundered a number of vessels. However, he didn’t get along with his crew, which completely ruined him and put an end to his career. His pirating days began in 1716, when he became a crew member under Henry Jennings, Jennings like many other pirates raided ships and camps of the sunken Spanish galleons’ salvagers on the coast of eastern Florida. In 1718, Vane became a captain and continued sailing on his own. Captain Vane became quickly infamous, because he captured many vessels, tortured and murdered many prisoners.

PIRATE CHARLES VANE

Edward England he was born in Ireland. His real name was Edward Seegar. Edward’s career as a pirate began while he was working on a sloop as a first mate. During a trip from Jamaica to Providence, the ship was taken by a pirate Captain Winter. Soon after, he gained pirates confidence and became one of them. While the other pirates from his crew surrendered to king’s pardon, Edward England refused and he was forced to leave the Caribbean. It was Woodes Rogers, a former privateer and the governor of Bahamas that attacked his stronghold. So, the Irishman was forced to sail to Africa to continue his plundering.

THE IRISHMAN, EDWARD ENGLAND

Calico Rackham Jack had average accomplishments as a pirate. His fame comes from the fact that the two most famous woman pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read sailed under his flag. Calico Jack got the nickname Calico, because he was always wearing lousy striped calico pants. Calico Jack Rackham never had enough manpower to attack heavily protected treasure ships. He preferred to use a small sloop and attack fishing vessels and local merchants.

CALICO RACKHAM JACK

Anne Bonny it is hard to separate the legends from the facts of Anne Bonny. The only thing we can be sure of is that Anne Bonny was a strong, independent Irish woman, who was still ahead of her time, 18^th century, was a time when men made all important decisions, a time when women did not have many rights. In this men’s world, it was hard for Anne Bonny to become an equal crewmember and a respected pirate.

ANNE BONNY

Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul

Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul

Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul commonly known as V.S. Naipaul is a travel writer, novelist and an essayist. He was born on 17^th August, 1932 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago.
The eighty one (81) year old British writer has written both fiction and non-fiction books including Miguel Street, The Mystic Masseur, The Middle Passage,  An Area of Darkness etc.

Some of V.S Naipaul books

      

Education and Accomplishments

V.S. Naipaul studied at Queen’s Royal College and then to the University of Oxford in 1953. He was knighted by the Queen in 1989 and in 2001 he was awarded the noble prize for Literature. It was one of the many prizes and awards. Sir Naipaul received over the years.

Sir V.S. Naipaul collecting
 his noble prize

Personal life, Family and Marriage

Naipaul was born to Indian decent parents. His father, Seepersad Naipaul was a journalist and a writer. In 1955 Naipaul married an Englishwoman, Patricia Hale who die from cancer in 1966. After Patricia death Naipaul proposed to Nadira Khannum Alvi, a divorced Pakistani Journalist.

V.S Naipaul with his wife Nadira

     

Nikola Tesla

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” 


Nikola Tesla was a Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer. mechanical engineer, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system.

1. Born: July 10, 1856, Smiljan, Croatia
2. Died: January 7, 1943,

Click here for more of Tesla Biography


“The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.” 


In 1888, Nikola Tesla built his first induction motor, which is the type of motor used in many domestic machines and appliances. He also invented a type of transformer, the Tesla coil, which produces enormous voltages and is used in radio technology.

Click here for more info on Tesla Coils

"When a coil is operated with currents of very high frequency, beautiful brush effects may be produced, even if the coil be of comparatively small dimensions. The experimenter may vary them in many ways, and, if it were nothing else, they afford a pleasing sight."

Tesla Coils images & videos here

   “The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.” 

“One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.” 

            ~Nikola Tesla



“Our virtues and our failings are inseparable, like force and matter. When they separate, man is no more”


“I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success . . . Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything.”
― Nikola Tesla

“Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born.” 


  “Everyone should consider his
body as a priceless gift from
one whom he loves above all, a
marvelous work of art, of
indescribable beauty, and
mystery beyond human conception, and so delicate that
a word, a breath, a look, nay, a
thought may injure it.”


~Nikola Tesla~

More Tesla Quotes here 


“It is not a dream, it is a simple feat of scientific electrical engineering, only expensive — blind, faint-hearted, doubting world! [...] Humanity is not yet sufficiently advanced to be willingly led by the discoverer's keen searching sense. But who knows? Perhaps it is better in this present world of ours that a revolutionary idea or invention instead of being helped and patted, be hampered and ill-treated in its adolescence — by want of means, by selfish interest, pedantry, stupidity and ignorance; that it be attacked and stifled; that it pass through bitter trials and tribulations, through the strife of commercial existence. So do we get our light. So all that was great in the past was ridiculed, condemned, combatted, suppressed — only to emerge all the more powerfully, all the more triumphantly from the struggle." – Nikola Tesla (at the end of his dream for Wardenclyffe)”
― Nikola Tesla, Problem of Increasing Human Energy 

http://thevelvetrocket.com/2010/03/17/nikola-teslas-wardenclyffe-tower-and-laboratory/

Wardenclyffe Tower, also known as the Tesla Tower, was an early wireless transmission station designed and built by Nikola Tesla in Shoreham, New York in 1901-1902. Wikipedia

One hundred years ago, the great scientist-inventor Nikola Tesla had high hopes for the success of Wardenclyffe and for humanity. His amazing power tower on Long Island, NY, aka a 'Magnifying Transmitter,' could tap into Earth's Electro-Magnetic fields.
 

The energy flow of a turning planet could be magnified, converted into electrical power and broadcasted to smaller (wireless) sub-stations many miles away. 

More on Tesla Tower here 


“What one man calls God, another calls the laws of physics.”  


“So astounding are the facts in this connection, that it would seem as though the Creator, himself had electrically designed this planet...”


“The gift of mental power comes from God, Divine Being, and if we concentrate our minds on that truth, we become in tune with this great power."


 "My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists."

~Nikola Tesla~