Pearl

A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusc. Just like the shell of a clam, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes (baroque pearls) occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.

The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild, but are extremely rare. These wild pearls are referred to as natural pearls. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those currently sold. Imitation pearls are also widely sold in inexpensive jewelry, but the quality of their iridescence is usually very poor and is easily distinguished from that of genuine pearls. Pearls have been harvested and cultivated primarily for use in jewelry, but in the past were also used to adorn clothing. They have also been crushed and used in cosmetics, medicines and paint formulations.

Pearl (literary magazine)

Pearl was an American literary journal published between 1974 and 2014 in Long Beach, California.

History and profile

Pearl was founded by Joan Jobe Smith in 1974. The first issue appeared in May 1974. It was edited by Joan Jobe Smith, Marilyn Johnson, and Barbara Hauk. Pearl was based in Long Beach. It released an annual fiction issue and an annual poetry issue as well as hosting an annual poetry prize.

After several issues published Pearl went defunct until 1986 when Joan Jobe Smith and Marilyn Johnson relaunched it.

The magazine ceased publication in 2014.

Contributors

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Pearl (disambiguation)

A pearl is a hard object produced by mollusks.

Pearl may also refer to:

People

Nicknamed Pearl

Places

Literature

Music

Henri Ducard

Henri Ducard is a fictional character in the Batman comic book universe. Created by Sam Hamm, Henri Ducard's first appearance was in Detective Comics #599 (April 1989), part of the "Blind Justice" story arc that Hamm, the screenwriter of the 1989 Batman film, was asked to guest-write for Detective Comics by Batman editor Denny O'Neil. The character (amalgamated with Ra's al Ghul) appeared in the film Batman Begins portrayed by Liam Neeson.

Fictional character biography

In the comics, Bruce Wayne approaches Henri Ducard for training in Paris, during his early days traveling the world. Ducard, a knowledgeable detective with excellent man-hunting skills, imparts much of his knowledge to the young, keen Bruce.

Later in the series, it is revealed that Ducard is a mercenary, working for criminals as often as he does the law. He deduces Batman's secret identity, but keeps it to himself, reasoning that Batman is a useful public distraction from the large-scale crimes perpetrated by Ducard and his clients.

Nobody (Keith Sweat song)

"Nobody" is a song by Keith Sweat and Athena Cage from the band Kut Klose. The hit song spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Charts and certifications

Peak positions

End of year charts

Certifications

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Revival (Selena Gomez album)

Revival is the second solo studio album by American singer Selena Gomez. It was released on October 9, 2015, by Interscope and Polydor Records. Gomez began planning the project in 2014, at which time she left her previous label Hollywood Records and subsequently joined Interscope and Polydor, and continued work into 2015. As executive producers, Gomez, Danny D, and Tim Blacksmith collaborated with producers including Hit-Boy, Rock Mafia, and Stargate to achieve her desired new sound. Their efforts resulted in a primarily pop record, with elements of dance-pop, electropop, and R&B connected by a tropical beach sound and lyrics that discuss love and confidence.

The record was inspired by the work of a range of artists, especially Christina Aguilera's sophomore studio album Stripped (2002), and Gomez's trip to Mexico, where she defined the album's sound. Working with a handful of songwriters, Gomez co-wrote eleven out of the sixteen tracks that made the album's tracklists. The album reflects her journey since 2013, including the media scrutiny on her personal life, of which her highly public relationships and personal issues.