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Mechanical Turk
The Mechanical Turk, also known as the Automaton Chess Player (, ; ), or simply The Turk, was a fraudulent chess-playing Chess engine, machine constructed in 1770, which appeared to be able to play a strong game of chess against a human opponent. For 84 years, it was exhibited on tours by various owners as an automaton. The machine survived and continued giving occasional exhibitions until 1854, when a fire swept through the museum where it was kept, destroying the machine. Afterwards, articles were published by a son of the machine's owner revealing its secrets to the public: that it was an elaborate hoax, suspected by some, but never proven in public while it still existed.See Schaffer, Simon (1999), "Enlightened Automata", in Clark et al. (Eds), ''The Sciences in Enlightened Europe'', Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, pp. 126–165. Constructed and unveiled in 1770 by Wolfgang von Kempelen (1734–1804) to impress Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, the mech ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jacques François Mouret
Jacques François Mouret (1780–1837) was a French chess master of the early 19th century who became chess tutor of the future Louis Philippe I and was one of the most successfulThe Oxford Companion to Chess - David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld (1992) p.265 operators of The Turk, a famous chess-playing automaton. Brief biography Mouret was a great-nephew of Philidor and learned the game of chess at the Café de la Régence by Bernard and Carlier, students of Philidor.''Le Palamède'' edited by St. Amaint (1837) p. 112 He was a pupil of Alexandre Deschapelles and later he became a teacher of La Bourdonnais.''Le Palamède'' edited by St. Amaint (1847) p. 211 He also gave chess lessons to the children of the French King Louis Philippe I. In 1819, he was the operator of The Turk during its tour in England, and probably the person who sold the secret of The Turk to the press.G. Walker, Chess and Chess Players (1850) p. 28 Although talented, Mouret's personality was affected by alcoh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Standage
Tom Standage (born 1969) is a British journalist, author, and editorial executive currently working as the Deputy Editor of ''The Economist'' newspaper under editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes. As head of the newspaper's digital strategy, Standage is the editor-in-chief of the website of ''The Economist'', its applications and digital platform. He first joined the paper in 1998 as a science correspondent and was successively appointed technology editor, business editor, and finally, digital editor. Born and raised in England, Standage graduated from Oxford University with a degree in engineering and computing. He began his career in journalism as a science and technology writer for ''The Guardian'' and ''The Daily Telegraph'' where he was deputy editor of the technology supplement, ''Connected''. Standage is the author of six books including '' The Victorian Internet'' (1998), ''A History of the World in 6 Glasses'' (2005), and ''Writing on the Wall'' (2013). Early life an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turban
A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with prominent turban-wearing traditions can be found in, Punjabis, the Punjabis, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and amongst some Turkic peoples in Russia. A keski is a type of turban Majorly worn by female Sikhs, a long piece of cloth roughly half the length of a traditional "single turban", but not cut and sewn to make a double-width "Double Turban" (or Double Patti). Wearing turbans is common among Sikh men (Dastar), and infrequently women. They are also worn by Hinduism, Hindu monks. The headgear also serves as a religious observance, including among Shia Islam, Shia Muslims, who regard turban-wearing as ''Sunnah mu'akka ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ottoman Clothing
Ottoman clothing or Ottoman fashion is the style and design of clothing worn during the Ottoman Empire. Fashion during the Ottoman Empire was a significant facet of the empire's cultural identity, serving as a marker of status, occupation, religion, and more. Reflecting the diverse nature and broad reaches of the Ottoman Empire, attire of both men and women was influenced by a combination of many different traditional dresses. Ottoman period While those of the palace and court dressed lavishly, common people were only concerned with covering themselves. Starting in the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, administrators enacted sumptuary laws about the clothing of Muslims, Christians, Jewish communities, clergy, tradesmen, and state and military officials, particularly strictly enforced during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. In this period men wore outer clothing like the 'mintan' (a vest or short jacket), 'zıbın', 'Turkish salvar, şalvar' (trousers), ':tr:kuşak, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mannequin
A mannequin (sometimes spelled as manikin and also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off different fabrics and textiles. Previously, the English term referred to human models and muses (a meaning which it still retains in French and other European languages); the meaning as a dummy dating from the start of World War II. Life-sized mannequins with simulated airways are used in the teaching of first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, and advanced airway management skills such as tracheal intubation. During the 1950s, mannequins were used in nuclear weapons testing, nuclear tests to help show the effects of nuclear weapons on humans. Also referred to as mannequins are the human figures used in computer simulation to model the behavior of the human body. ''Mannequin'' comes from the French language, French word ', which had ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jay's Journal Of Anomalies
Richard Jay Potash (June 26, 1946 – November 24, 2018) was an American stage magician, actor, and writer. In a 1993 profile for ''The New Yorker'', Mark Singer called Jay "perhaps the most gifted sleight of hand artist alive". In addition to sleight of hand, he was known for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter. He also wrote extensively on magic and its history. His acting credits include ''The Prestige'', '' The Spanish Prisoner'', ''Mystery Men'', '' Heist'', ''Boogie Nights'', ''Tomorrow Never Dies'', '' Heartbreakers'', '' State and Main'', ''House of Games'', ''Magnolia'', and '' Deadwood.'' In 2015, he was the subject of an episode of PBS's ''American Masters'', the only magician ever profiled in the series. Early life Jay was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Shirley (Katz) and Samuel Potash. A member of a middle-class Jewish family, he grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He rarely spoke publicly about his parents, but did share ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
François Pelletier
François Pelletier was a French illusionist, famed in his time for his use of magnets as an entertainment basis for his act. His reputation was such that he was invited to perform at the court of Maria Theresa of Austria at Schönbrunn Palace in 1769. His act inspired the construction of the purported chess-playing automaton The Turk, following observation of the performance by the Hungarian Wolfgang von Kempelen. References ''Correspondance littéraire, philosophique et critique'', January 1770, pp. 444-5."Optique" in ''Nouvelles de la république des lettres et des arts'', 31 July 1782, pp. 231-2.François Pelletier, ''Hommage aux amateurs des arts, ou Mémoire contenant un détail abrégé d'inventions utiles et agréables dans la mécanique, l'optique'', Saint-Germain-en-Laye chez l'auteur, 1782.''Mémoires secrets'', 12 juin 1783."Course" in ''Journal de Paris'', 23 December 1785, p. 1477.* Luc-Vincent Thiéry, ''Guide des amateurs et des étrangers voyageurs à Paris'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace (Austrian German, German: Schloss Schönbrunn ) was the main summer residence of the House of Habsburg, Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, the 13th district of Vienna. The name ''Schönbrunn'' (meaning "beautiful spring") has its roots in an artesian well from which water was consumed by the court. The 1,441-room Baroque architecture, Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs. It has been a major tourist attraction since the mid-1950s. History In 1569, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian II purchased a large floodplain of the Wien River, Wien river beneath a hill, situated between Meidling and Hietzing. The former owner, in 1548, had erected a mansion called ''Katterburg''. The emperor ordered the area t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
