Dragonfly (Koontz novel)

Dragonfly is a novel written by the best-selling author Dean Koontz, released under the pseudonym K. R. Dwyer in 1975. The book has not been re-issued since.

Plot summary

An innocent man has been turned into a walking time bomb. In 4 days, he will kill 100,000 people.

References

Dragonfly (Durbin novel)

Dragonfly is a fantasy, horror novel by author Frederic S. Durbin. It was released in 1999 by Arkham House in an edition of 4,000 copies. It was the author's first novel.

Plot summary

Ten-year-old Bridget Ann (nicknamed "Dragonfly") lives in her Uncle Henry's funeral parlor. Uncle Henry summons Mothkin, a hunter, to investigate strange things happening in the basement as Hallowe'en approaches. In the basement, Dragonfly and Mothkin discover a doorway to a spooky underground world, known as Harvest Moon, which is ruled by an evil despot, Samuel Hain. Dragonfly is separated from Mothkin and meets up with a werewolf named Sylva who protects her from Hain. Eventually, she reunites with Mothkin for a final battle with Hain.

Reprints

References

DF Helicopters DF334

The DF Helicopters DF334 is a two-seat, single-engine light utility helicopter in development by DF Helicopters Srl in Northern Italy. The DF 334 is a development of the Dragon Fly 333, developed by archaeologists and filmmakers Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni in the 1980s. The DF334 has a larger, full composite cabin, a Rotax 914 4-stroke turbocharged engine, a governor fuel control, and an advanced Electronic Flight Instrument System. The helicopter is intended for both amateur and professional pilots.

DF Helicopters was acquired in 2010 by the Swiss Avio International Group.

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

Chinatown (1974 film)

Chinatown is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery film, directed by Roman Polanski from a screenplay by Robert Towne, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. The film was inspired by the California Water Wars, a series of disputes over southern California water at the beginning of the 20th century, by which Los Angeles interests secured water rights in the Owens Valley. The Robert Evans production, a Paramount Pictures release, was the director's last film in the United States and features many elements of film noir, particularly a multi-layered story that is part mystery and part psychological drama.

In 1991, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and it is frequently listed as among the best in world cinema. The 1975 Academy Awards saw it nominated eleven times, with an Oscar going to Robert Towne for Best Original Screenplay. The Golden Globe Awards honored it for Best Drama, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Screenplay. The American Film Institute placed it second among mystery films in 2008.

China Town (2011 film)

China Town is a 2011 Malayalam black comedy thriller film written and directed by the duo Rafi Mecartin. Starring an ensemble cast including Mohanlal, Jayaram, Dileep, Kavya Madhavan and Poonam Bajwa in the lead roles while Dipa Shah, Pradeep Rawat, Captain Raju, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Shankar play other pivotal roles, while Jagathi Sreekumar made a cameo.

The film released on 14 April 2011. Despite receiving mixed reviews, it became a major commercial success at the box office.

Plot

Four friends bought a casino and were celebrating the profit with their family when an underworld don, Gowda (Pradeep Rawat), who used to have a monopoly on the casinos in Goa, intrudes. Xavier (Mohanlal), one of the friends, held out against the don. Although he was killed, he managed to hold off the gang long enough for all of their wives to escape with the children. Wilson Gomus (Captain Raju) is the only of the friends to survive and he settled in Goa with his daughter, Emily.

Xavier's son, Mathukutty (Mohanlal) became a local goon. His brother had eloped with a girl from the medical college and he lives with Rosamma (Kavya Madhavan). He was attending a retreat to get rid of his thuggish ways. Another son of one of the friends was Zachariah (Jayaram), a man thirsty for money. Another was Binoy (Dileep) a lovesick youth who was the victim of six failed loves. Gomus sends each of them a letter stating that he had bought a Casino and wanted to share the profit between the sons of his friends.

Chinatown, Manchester

Chinatown in Manchester, England is an ethnic enclave in the city centre. It is the second largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe. It has an archway on Faulkner Street which was completed in 1987 and contains many Chinese restaurants, shops, bakeries and supermarkets.

History

The first settlers to arrive in the city came in the early 20th century; according to the BBC, "Many arrived alone and were engaged in what was seen as the traditional trade of laundries." Manchester's first Chinese restaurant, Ping Hong, opened on Mosley Street in 1948, on the eve of a Chinese immigration wave that would commence during the 1950s. Manchester did not have a significant Chinese population, reaching only about 2,000. However, after World War II, there were severe labour shortages, and in response, the government passed the British Nationality Act 1948, which allowed easier access into the country. Additionally, Hong Kong's rapid urbanisation meant that many farmers and traditional residents' homes were being destroyed by the urban sprawl, so many decided to migrate.