Vostok (sloop-of-war)

Vostok was a 28-gun sloop-of-war of the Imperial Russian Navy, the lead ship of the First Russian Antarctic Expedition in 1819—1821, during which Faddey Bellingshausen (commander of the ship) and Mikhail Lazarev (commanding Mirny, the second ship) circumnavigated the globe, discovered the continent of Antarctica and twice circumnavigated it, and discovered a number of islands and archipelagos in the Southern Ocean and the Pacific.

History

Vostok was launched in 1818 at Okhta shipyards, Saint Petersburg.

On 14 July [O.S. 3 July] 1819 Vostok under the command of Commander Faddey (Fabian Gottlieb von) Bellingshausen, the leader of the expedition, alongside Mirny under the command of Lieutenant Commander Mikhail Lazarev left Kronshtadt and on 28 January [O.S. 16 January] 1820 reached the shore of Antarctica, which was sighted for the first time in history. After repair in Sydney in Australia, the expedition explored the tropical parts of the Pacific, and on 12 November [O.S. 31 October] 1820 again turned to Antarctica. On 22 January [O.S. 10 January] 1821 the sloops reached the southernmost point of their voyage at 69° 53' S and 92° 19' W. On 5 August [O.S. 24 July] 1821 they returned to Kronshtadt.

Uschod (Minsk Metro)

Uschod (/uːsˈhɒd/ us-HOD, Belarusian: Усход, Uschod Russian: Восток, pronounced [vɐˈstok]; lit:"East") is a Minsk Metro station. Opened on December 30, 1986.

The station's name not only implies its geographical location, as it was the easternmost station of Minsk metro for more than 20 years, but also its connotation with the Vostok space programme that ultimately led to the first manned spaceflight. The station's architectural ensemble (Ye.Leonovich, V.Matelsky) is based on the latter, and consists of a single vault shape with suspended canopy that forms a single element. The canopy simultaneously acts as a blind from the lamps, and also contains the lighting elements which are focused on the apex of the white vault. This "petal" layout is reminiscent of the interior of a spaceship with illuminator windows: contrasting with that is the dark red and grey granite on the walls and the floor.

The station is located near the National Library of Belarus and the residential microrayon Uschod-1 and -2. Its two underground vestibules are interlinked with subways that are located on both sides of the Independence avenue. From 1986-2007 the station was the terminus of the line and it received quite a lot of passenger traffic from commuters that travelled from the northeast. However this ended when in 2007 the extension to Barysaŭski Trakt and Uručča was finished.

Vostok watches

Coordinates: 55°21′56.19″N 50°36′18.64″E / 55.3656083°N 50.6051778°E / 55.3656083; 50.6051778

Vostok (Russian: Восток, meaning East*) Watch Makers, Inc. produces mainly rugged military and diver mechanical watches at its factory in Chistopol, Tatarstan, Russia. It also makes clocks and watch movements for other watch brands.

The Vostok Company was founded in 1942 when one of the Moscow watch-making plants of the First Moscow Watch Factory was evacuated to Chistopol, a small town located on the Kama River in Tatarstan. Only defence equipment was produced during the war years, but as soon as the war was over the company started making mechanical wrist watches. However, the Company did not begin using the "Vostok" brand name until the 1960s. *Presumable "Vostok" brand was named after the Vostok space programme, which gave the initial advancement of the USSR in the Space race (as some others soviet watch brands, named to space topics in 1960s - Poljot and Raketa).

The company was appointed an official supplier of watches for the Defence Department of the Soviet Union in 1965. This year also marks the creation of the well known Komandirskie ("Commander's") watch. (See photo, below left.)

Velocifero

Velocifero is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Ladytron and their first to be released by Nettwerk. The album was made available on the iTunes Store as of 19 May 2008, followed by a physical release on 2 June in the United Kingdom and on 3 June elsewhere. Velocifero peaked at number seventy-five on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's second highest-charting album to date in the UK (after Gravity the Seducer reached number seventy-two in 2011). It was also their first album to chart on the US Billboard 200, reaching number 131.

According to band member Reuben Wu, "velocifero" literally means "bringer of speed", and is also the name of a classic retro-styled scooter. "Black Cat" and "Kletva" are both sung entirely in Bulgarian. "Kletva" (which means "oath") is a cover of a song from a solo album by Kiril Marichkov of Bulgarian rock band Shturtzite. Daniel Hunt provided additional vocals on "Versus".

Velocifero produced three singles: "Ghosts", "Runaway" and "Tomorrow".

Tomorrow (song from Annie)

"Tomorrow" is a song from the musical Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, published in 1977. The number was originally written as "The Way We Live Now" for the 1970 short film Replay, with both music and lyrics by Strouse.

Production history in the musical

It had appeared in prominence in productions of the musical throughout its history: it was heard in several versions in the original 1977 Broadway production, including ending the show. It was the entry and concluding credits score for the 1982 film adaptation.

Discussion

The song apparently pronounces an optimistic view of life through its main themes, 'hang on until tomorrow' and 'when I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin'. It appears to be in unison with another song in the score, "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile", which again pronounces the importance of smiling, though in a much lighter and cheerful tone.

The lyrics were likely influenced by the song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow", written by the Sherman Brothers for Disney's Carousel of Progress attraction for the 1964 New York World's Fair. The songs have very similar themes, stressing the importance of looking forward optimistically to a shining future, and in some places use almost identical lyrical phrases (compare "just a dream away" and "only a day away," for example).

Ozzmosis

Ozzmosis is the seventh solo studio album by English heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne. Recorded in Paris and New York with producer Michael Beinhorn, it was released on 24 October 1995 by Epic Records. The album reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart and number four on the US Billboard 200. "Perry Mason", "See You on the Other Side" and "I Just Want You" were released as singles.

After the release of his sixth album No More Tears in 1991, Osbourne announced that he would retire from music. However, he returned with Ozzmosis in 1995, which featured long-time guitarist Zakk Wylde as well as former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Deen Castronovo and keyboardist Rick Wakeman. The release received mixed reviews from critics.

Ozzmosis was one of many Osbourne albums remastered and reissued in 2002. The reissue featured bonus tracks "Whole World's Fallin' Down" and "Aimee", originally released as B-sides to "Perry Mason" and "See You on the Other Side", respectively. The album has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold over 3 million copies.