Word: orbeli
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...globe that would descend from a pole in a public space to mark the exact hour. Ochs conceived of an ornate "time ball" that would descend just before midnight to mark the exact end of the year. The first ball to drop - an illuminated 400-pound iron-and-wood orb - was lowered from a flagpole. Tradition took root and the ball has heralded a new beginning almost every year since - in 1942 and 1943, during World War II, the ball was temporarily put out of commission by a war-time "dimout." Instead crowds gathered in the square and observed...
...Prisoner keeps some of version 1.0's hallmarks, notably Rover, a balloon-like orb that patrols the Village and enforces discipline. But thematically, it at once changes very much and too little. For instance, in McGoohan's show--a Cold War story of totalitarianism--giving the Villagers numbers made chilling sense as a dehumanizing, de-individualizing device (and 40 years ago, played a tad more original). But for The Prisoner's new dystopia, which seeks to control minds more than imprison bodies, it doesn't quite fit. One would think the Village's happy-faced thought control would...
...Planet 51” features several references to well-known space movies, notably “Alien” and “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.” The dog-like alien pet belonging to Lem’s family recalls the eyeless, orb-like forehead of Sigourney Weaver’s original foe, while Elliott’s iconic bicycle silhouetted against the moon in “E.T.” is briefly parodied. By alluding to well-known scenes from past films, these references are perhaps a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of some...
...These days it's known as a dwarf planet, but until Venetia Phair, 90, was 11, Pluto was dubbed Planet X. When Phair suggested naming the orb after the Roman god of the underworld, her well-connected grandfather helped make it a reality...
...Rubik's latest creation, the Rubik's 360, will debut at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, ahead of its worldwide release in August. The new puzzle is a transparent orb consisting of three spheres and six colored balls that must be maneuvered into color-coded domes. Does it stand up against the original? "If you have many children, the first one is always different because you can only have one child who is the first," Rubik says. "They have different natures and talents for you to love." In an industry looking for a boost, a little sibling rivalry will be welcome...