Law courts

This is the court system in England and Wales. The system differs in Scotland. Some countries follow the English system, but most have their own procedures. In many court rooms in the UK and elsewhere there is an image of justice as a woman, which dates from Roman times. Scottish law differs from English law in a number of ways. The procurator Fiscal presents the case for the prosecution in Sheriff Courts and in District Courts (where minor cases are tried). Advocates, instead of barristers, appear in Scottish courts. In Scottish law, if a person is charged with a criminal offence, they must be brought to trial within 110 days. If that does not happen, they are set free. In English courts juries can only find defendants guilty or not guilty, but in Scotland they may find a case “not proven”. A statue of justice holding scales and sword on the roof of the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court in London.

Top horse races

The Epson Derby was first held in 1780 and is now run over one – and – a –
half miles at Epsom Downs each June. The first winner was a horse named Diomed. Jockey Lester Piggott won the Derby a record nine times. The Grand National is the world’s bets – known steeplechase, a horse race over a run as the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase in 1839. The race now takes place every spring over four – and – a – half miles at Aintree in England and the winning horse has to clear 30 challenging fences. The famous horse Red Rum won the race a record three times between1972 – 76. The Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe was first run in 1920. It takes place on the first Sunday in October every year and covers 2,400 m over the Longchamps race course, Paris. Alleged, ridden by Lester Piggott, won the race in 1977 and 1978 and was the last horse to win two years in a row.

Film budgets

The production budgets of a film include the salaries paid to the director, writer(s). stars and crew, the designing and building of sets, costumes, the transport and location costs (filming away from the studio) and the cost of making and editing the film. Other costs include P & A (Prints and Advertising) – making thousands of copies of the film, disturbing them to cinemas, and advertising the film in the press, on television and on the Internet. An average Hollywood feature film takes eight weeks to film. It may cost $ 5 million or more a week, depending on how lavish the production is and how expensive the stars are. Titanic (1997) held the record for largest production budget ($200 million) until it was equalled by Spider – Man 2 (2004), then broken by King Kong (2005)at $207 million. It has since been overtaken by Superman Returns (2006) at $270 million and Spider- Man 3 (2007) at $258 million.

Popular dances

The twist started when Hank Ballard recorded the song of this name in 1959. It became popular when Chubby Checker performed his cover version on US television on 22 October 1961.a woman called Ra Denny holds the twist record. She twisted for 100 hours at Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 1962. The waltz began in Austria in the late 18th century. Its name comes from a German word meaning to revolve. Many people were shocked by the dance because it involved men and women dancing close to each other. American choreographer Busby Berkeley (1895 -1976) staged the most spectacular dance films ever made. He used his knowledge of organizing military parades during World War 1 to create dance numbers with casts of hundreds.