Mortar (weapon)

A mortar is a device that fires projectiles at low velocities and short ranges. The mortar has traditionally been used as a weapon to propel explosive mortar bombs in high-arcing ballistic trajectories. The weapon is typically muzzle-loading with a short, often smooth-bore barrel, generally less than 15 times its caliber. Mortar bombs are often referred to, incorrectly, as "mortars".

Mortars are also used for a non-weapon purpose, to deploy ballistic parachutes. Such applications have included the deployment of drogue parachutes in preparation for water landing of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space capsules.

History

Origins

Mortars have been used for hundreds of years, originally in siege warfare. Many historians consider the first mortars to have been used at the 1453 siege of Constantinople by Fatih Sultan Mehmed. A European account of the 1456 siege of Belgrade by Giovanni da Tagliacozzo said that the Ottoman Turks used seven mortars that fired "stone shots one Italian mile high". The time of flight of these was apparently long enough that casualties could be avoided by posting observers to give warning of their trajectories.

Bengali cuisine

Bengali cuisine is a culinary style originating in Bengal, a region in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, which is now divided between Bangladesh and West Bengal. Other regions, such as Tripura, and the Barak Valley region of Assam (in India) also have large native Bengali populations and share this cuisine. With an emphasis on fish, vegetables and lentils are served with rice as a staple diet. Bengali cuisine is known for its subtle (yet sometimes fiery) flavours, and its spread of confectioneries and desserts. It also has the only traditionally developed multi-course tradition from the Indian subcontinent that is analogous in structure to the modern service à la russe style of French cuisine, with food served course-wise rather than all at once.

Historical influences

Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences, arising from a historical and strong trade links with many parts of the world. Bengal fell under the sway of various Turkic rulers from the early thirteenth century onwards, and was then governed by the British for two centuries (1757–1947). The Jews brought bakeries to Bengal, the Marwaris contributed their sweet-making skills, the exiled families of Wajid Ali Shah and Tipu Sultan brought different flavours of Mughlai cuisine. British patronage and the Babu Renaissance fueled the development of these different culinary strands into a distinct heritage. From the culinary point of view, some major historical trends influenced Bengali food.

Mortar and pestle

A mortar and pestle is a device used since ancient times to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder. The mortar (/ˈmɔːrtər/) is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, ceramic or stone. The pestle (/ˈpɛsəl/) is a heavy and blunt club-shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding. The substance to be ground is placed in the mortar and ground, crushed or mixed using a pestle.

Mortars and pestles have been used in cooking up to the present day; they are frequently also associated with the profession of pharmacy due to their historical use in preparing medicines. They can also be used in masonry and in other types of construction.

History

Scientists have found ancient mortars and pestles that date back to approximately 35,000 B.C.

Etymology

The English word mortar derives from classical Latin mortarium, meaning, among several other usages, "receptacle for pounding" and "product of grinding or pounding". The classical Latin pistillum, meaning "pounder", led to English pestle.

Monster (disambiguation)

A monster is any creature, usually imaginary, that is considered frightening or grotesque.

Monster or Monsters may also refer to:

Arts, entertainment, and media

Amusement rides

Film

Games

Literature

Monster Energy

Monster Energy is an energy drink introduced by Hansen Natural Corp. (HANS) in April 2002. The regular flavor comes in a black can with a green tear-shaped M logo. The company is also known for supporting many extreme sports events such as BMX, Motocross, Speedway, skateboarding and snowboarding, as well as eSports. In addition, Monster Energy promotes a number of music bands around the world, like Asking Alexandria, The Word Alive, Maximum the Hormone and Shinedown.

There are 34 different drinks under the Monster brand in North America, including its core Monster Energy line, Java Monster, Extra Strength, Import, Rehab and Muscle Monster.

Advertising

Monster Energy is advertised mainly through sponsorship of sporting events, including motocross, BMX, mountain biking, snowboarding, skateboarding, car racing, speedway, and also through sponsorship of eSports events. In 2006, Caleb (Strongjaw) Johnstone Corporation announced a distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch in the U.S. and Grupo Jumex in Mexico.

Monster (B'z album)

Monster is the fifteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on June 28, 2006. The catalogue code for this album is BMCV-8018. The album sold over 401,000 copies in its first week, an improvement from 2005's "The Circle". In total the album sold over 537,091 copies.

Track listing

Personnel

External links