09:03

GHENGIS KHAN

Genghis Khan (1162-1227) was an evil genius and tyrant, a man who not only rejoiced in slaughter, but who also commanded the killing of innocent men, women, and children as his mounted minions raped, pillaged, and plundered wherever they went. For centuries Genghis Khan has been infamous as history’s most ruthless, genocidal maniac. Genghis was a huge man with cat’s eyes, who kept a harem of hundreds of girls. He was also responsible for implementing the first alphabet and postal system among his people.  

THE MONGOLS

The Asiatic Mongols were the most advanced fighting machine of their time; they not only had the world’s finest cavalry soldiers---but were considered by far the most brutal. Mongol soldiers survived both winter blizzards and summer droughts. They fought tigers with their bare hands, and were indifferent to suffering of their own or anyone else’s; they were cold, unfeeling, and mechanical. These soldiers were expected to fight to the death in all circumstances, and they did without question. Each soldier kept from twelve to thirty horses.
The Mongols featured a battlefield communication system; they used banner signals by day and flares by night. By the year 1300, the Mongols introduced gunpowder cannons, bamboo rockets, and incendiary grenades to the battlefield; they were indestructible in their acts of destruction.
All Mongol boys were trained early in the art of mastering a bow with 150-pound tension; a bow that could be fired with deadly accuracy from horseback at a distance of 100 yards. These soldiers could ride for days without food or water, and when necessary they subsisted on blood which was drawn from the veins in their horses’ legs.
MONGOL INVASIONS

MONGOL INVASIONS

Genghis proclaimed himself Khan (King) of the world in 1206, and within a decade he began his methodical annihilation of Muslim cities. The Mongol soldiers would hack to pieces every living person regardless of their age. Captured royal officials would die a slow and painful death as molten silver was dripped into their eyes and ears; their torture was also the means of their execution. At the great trading city of Samarkland, Genghis slaughtered 50,000 people, and took another 100,000 as slaves. On his subsequent rampage through the countryside, Genghis burnt crops, leveled cities, and killed every living human being he encountered. He showed no mercy; he was in fact, merciless.
GHENGIS KHAN EQUESTRIAN STATUE

MONGOL EMPIRE

In 1221, the Mongols conquered the Christian nation of Georgia, killing all 70,000 of their soldiers. Next came Kiev, where Genghis butchered all 90,000 men in the opposing force. The Prince of Kiev was suffocated to death beneath the very same banquet table on which the Mongols would enjoy their victory dinner. In both of these wars, the Mongols used the tactic of a fake retreat to draw the enemy into chasing them---thus drawing their enemy into a well planned ambush by their much larger force. The Mongolian cavalry rode for two years without ceasing; they covered a total of 5500 miles, and they conquered twelve nations in what is considered the most outstanding achievement in the history of war waged on horseback. Hence came the legend of the Mongol’s invincibility. At that point in time, it seemed as if all of Europe would be slaughtered, enslaved, or subjugated by the Mongols. It looked as if Genghis would conquer the world.
MONGOLS BATTLE EUROPEANS

MONGOL INVASIONS OF EUROPE

Batu, Genghis’ grandson, had so completely destroyed the Bulgarian capital of Bulgar, in the year 1237 that it was never rebuilt. 50,000 people died there. Next, they attacked Russia, where they hacked civilians to pieces, indulged themselves in the rape of little girls and nuns before killing them, skinned people alive. Other victims were impaled, and some were burned. The Mongols destroyed Kiev in 1240, then the capital of the “Borderlands” (“Ukraine” in Slavic.) This splendid metropolis was reduced to a pile of skulls and bones; it was decimated, nothing more than a shell of a city, left and forgotten in the Mongol’s desire to destroy everything.
Next up for annihilation was Hungary. The Mongols slaughtered 60,000 of their soldiers on the battlefield before burning its capitals, Buda and Pest. The capitals themselves were burnt to the ground in 1241, and their citizens roasted alive on spits in the hope that they would reveal the locations of Hungary’s treasure. They then marched on to Vienna, Austria; shortly after, Mongol spies were seen in Croatia and Venice, setting off panic there as well.
The Mongol Horde also conquered Poland, where they obliterated the entire Polish aristocracy and army, as well as the Knights Templar and Teutonic Knights. They lopped the ears off the fallen to commemorate the victory; the ears filled nine enormous sacks. They burned down Moravia before inexplicably leaving Europe; every city they’d conquered had been left in ashes.
MONGOL EMPIRE 1300

MONGOLS INVADE PERSIA

The Mongols had then decided that their next target would be to hit Islamic Persia. They devastated Baghdad in 1258, where they unleashed one of the biggest and bloodiest massacres known to human history. After the city surrendered, every living thing was killed including more than a million civilians. Baghdad, like the other cities, was then burnt to the ground. The caliph was sewn into a carpet, and then trampled to death by horses. Syria fell next to the Mongols.
GHENGIS KHAN

MONGOLS FINALLY DEFEATED

The Mongols were finally defeated in the Valley of Armageddon by the Mamluks from Egypt. The myth of Mongol invincibility was now destroyed forever, and Islam began its resurgence from the near oblivion to which the Mongols had reduced it. Since Muslims were the only people to ever defeat the Mongols on the battlefield, speculation was that perhaps God really did favor Islam.

08:15

Al Pachino






Birth Name:
Alfredo James Pacino
Birthdate:
April 25, 1940
Birthplace:
New York, NY
Occupation:
Actor, Director, Producer
Education:
High School for the Performing Arts, NYC; left before graduating at age 17
HB Studio, NYC; studied with Charles Laughton
Actors Studio, NYC

Family:
Father: Salvatore Pacino, insurance salesman; left home when Pacino was two
Mother: Rose Pacino
Daughter: Julie Marie; mother, Jan Tarrant; born in 1989
TWINS (a baby boy and a girl): Mother, Beverly D'Angelo. Born in Jan 2001

Significant Others:
Jill Clayburgh: actress; met while acting together at Charles Street Repertory Company, Boston (1966); no longer together
Marthe Keller: actress; no longer together
Diane Keaton: actress; no longer together
Jan Tarrant: mother of Pacino's daughter Julie; no longer together
Lyndall Hobbs: newscaster; Australian; born in 1953 in London; no longer together
Penelope Ann Miller: actress; became involved during the filming of Carlito's Way (1993); no longer togethe
r
Beverly D'Angelo: actress; dating since 1997. Mother of his twins
.

Awards:
1967/68: Obie: Best Actor, The Indian Wants the Bronx
1969: Tony: Best Supporting Actor in a Play, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1969: Drama Desk: Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1969: Theater World: Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1972: National Board of Review: Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather
1972: National Society of Film Critics: Best Actor, The Godfather
1973: National Board of Review: Best Supporting Actor, Serpico
1973: Golden Globe: Best Actor in a Motion Picture (drama), Serpico
1974: BAFTA: Best Actor, The Godfather, Part II
1975: Los Angeles Film Critics: Best Actor, Dog Day Afternoon
1975: BAFTA: Best Actor, Dog Day Afternoon
1977: Tony: Best Actor in a Play, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
1992: Golden Globe: Best Actor in a Motion Picture (drama), Scent of a Woman
1992: Oscar: Best Actor, Scent of a Woman

1996: Independent Feature Project: Gotham Award, Lifetime Achievement
1996: Directors Guild of America: Documentary Direction, Looking for Richard
1997: Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Actor, Donnie Brasco2001:
Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award (Presented at Golden Globe Awards 200
After winning his Golden Globe


Holding his OSCAR for "Scent of a Woman"


AL PACINReal Name: Alfredo Pacino
Occupation: Actor, Director, Writer
Date of Birth: April 25, 1940
Place of Birth: New York, NY, USA
Sign: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Sagittarius
Education: High School of the Performing Arts dropout; studiedacting at the Actors Studio and the Herbert Berghof Studio, both in New York City.
Relations: Kid: Julie Marie (mother, Jan Tarrant); Companion:Beverly D'Angelo (actress)
Nickname: Sonny
Height: 5' 6"
Mini Biography:
One of the greatest actors in all of film history, Al Pacino established himself during one of film's greatest decades, the 70s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies. Born on April 25th, 1940 in New York City, Pacino's parents (Salvatore and Rose) divorced when he was young. His mother moved them into his grandparents' house. Pacino found himself often repeating the plots and voices of characters who he had seen in the movies, one of his favorite activities. Bored and unmotivated in school, the young Al Pacino found a haven in school plays, and his interest soon blossomed into a full-time career. Starting on the stage, Pacino went through a lengthy period of depression and poverty, sometimes having to borrow bus fare to make it to auditions. He made it into the prestigious Actors Studio in 1966, studying under the legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg, creator of the Method Approach that would become the trademark of many 70s era actors. Making appearances in various plays, Pacino finally hit it big with "The Indian Wants the Bronx", winning an Obie award for the 1966-67 season. Gaining notoriety on the theater scene, Pacino then won the Tony Award for "Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie?". His first feature films made little departure from the gritty realistic stage performances that earned him respect: he played a junkie in Me, Natalie (1969) and Panic in Needle Park, The (1971). What would come next would change his life forever.
The part of Michael Corleone in Godfather, The (1972) was one of the most sought-after roles in film history. Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, 'Ryan ONeal, Robert De Niro, and a host of others were bandied about for the role, but director Francis Ford Coppola had his heart set on the unknown Italian Pacino. From the studio, to the producers, to the cast on down, nobody else wanted Al Pacino. Though Coppola won out through slick persuasion, Pacino was in constant fear of being fired and replaced at any minute during the hellish shoot. But the role was a career-making hit, and earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Instead of taking on easier projects for money, Pacino threw his support behind tough important films, such as the true life crime drama Serpico (1973) and the tragic real life bank robbery film Dog Day Afternoon (1975). Pacino opened eyes around the film world for his brave choice of roles; and he was nominated three consecutive years for the "Best Actor" Academy Award. He faltered slightly with Bobby Deerfield (1977), but regained his stride with the law film ...And Justice for All (1979), for which he received another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. This would unfortunately signal one of the only bad points in his career, one that produced the flops Cruising (1980) and Author! Author! (1982). He took on another vicious gangster role and cemented his legendary status in the ultra-violent Scarface (1983), but a monumental mistake was about to follow. Revolution (1985) endured an endless and seemingly cursed shoot in which equipment was destroyed, weather was terrible, and Pacino became terribly ill with pneumonia. Constant changes in the script also further derailed an already terrible project. The Revolutionary War film is considered one of the worst films ever, gained Pacino his first truly awful reviews, and kept him out of movies for the next four years.
Returning to the stage, Pacino has done much to give back and contribute to the theatre, which he considers his first love. He directed a film Local Stigmatic, The (1989) but it remains unreleased to the public. His self-imposed exile lifted, he returned in striking form in Sea of Love (1989) as a hard-drinking cop. The film marks the second phase of Pacino's career, the first film to feature his now famous dark, owl eyes and hoarse, gravelly voice. Making a return to the Corleones he made Godfather: Part III, The (1990), and earned raves for his first comedic role in the colorful Dick Tracy (1990). This earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and two years later he was nominated for Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He went into romantic mode for Frankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992 he finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his amazing performance in Scent of a Woman (1992). A mix of technical perfection (he plays a blind man) and charisma, the role was tailor-made for him, and remains a classic. The next few years would see Pacino becoming more comfortable with acting and movies as a business, turning out great roles in great films with more frequency and less of the demanding personal involvement of his wilder days. Carlito's Way (1993) proved another gangster classic, as did the epic crime drama Heat (1995) directed by Michael Mann. He returned to the director's chair for the highly acclaimed and quirky Shakespeare adaptation Looking for Richard (1996). City Hall (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997), and Devil's Advocate, The (1997) all came out in this period. Reteaming with Mann and then Oliver Stone, he gave two commanding performances in Insider, The (1999) and Any Given Sunday (1999).
In his personal life, Pacino is one of Hollywood's most enduring and notorious bachelors, having never been married. He has a daughter Julie Marie with acting teacher Jan Tarrant, and a new set of twins with long-time girlfriend Beverly D'Angelo. His romantic history includes a long-time romance with Godfather co-star Diane Keaton. With his intense and gritty performances, Pacino was an original in the acting profession. His Method approach would become the process of many actors throughout time, and his unbeatable number of classic roles has already made him a legend among film buffs and all aspiring actors and directors. His commitment to acting as a profession and his constant screen dominance has established him as one of movies' legends.
IMDb mini-biography by
Brian Stewart
Trivia
(16 October 1997) Recieved a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
(October 1997) Ranked #4 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.
Was arrested in January 1961, charged with carrying a concealed weapon.
Son of Salvatore Pacino (insurance agent) and Rose Pacino (she died when Al was 22).
He has a daughter, named Julie Marie, with acting teacher Jan Tarrant.
Dropped out of school at the age of 17.
Turned down Kramer vs. Kramer (1979).
Turned down Born on the Fourth of July (1989).
Turned down Apocalypse Now (1979).
Turned down the role of Han Solo in Star Wars (1977).
Turned down Pretty Woman (1990).
Turned down Crimson Tide (1995).
Originally asked for $7 million for _Godfather: Part III, The (1990)_ (qv), a figure that so enraged director Francis Ford Coppola that he threatened to write a new script that opened with Michael Corleone's funeral. Pacino settled for $5 million.
Father of twins Anton and Olivia with Beverly D'Angelo.
His grandparents originate from Corleone, Sicily.
Was frequently refered to as "that midget Pacino" by producers of 'The Godfather' who didn't want him for the part of Michael Corleone.
Francis Ford Coppola asked Pacino to play Captain Willard in his film 'Apocalypse Now'. Pacino politely turned down the offer saying he'd "do anything" for Francis but he "woudn't go to war with him!"
Stopped a 2-pack-a-day smoking habit in 1994 to protect his voice. He now only occasionally smokes herbal cigarettes.
Al was so much into character (playing a plain-clothes NYC cop) while filming 'Serpico' he actually pulled over and threatened to arrest a truck driver for exhaust pollution.
Is an avid fan of opera.
Once worked as an usher at Carnegie Hall.
Larry King considers Pacino's appearance on his show ("Larry King Live") in November 1996 one of his personal all-time favorite interviews.
As of 2002, Al Pacino's current salary is around $10 million a picture.
One of the few Hollywood stars who has never married.