Have you ever heard someone speaking a certain phrase or sentence that do not mean exactly what they say but nevertheless conveying a certain message or lesson? Well, this is a style of artistic expression (phrases or a sentence) or a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a given language. It is an expression (a group of words) in a fixed order that have a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word understood on its own. This manner of expression is called idiom.

The English language uses many idioms in all forms of communication whether it be, written, oral, casual or formal. Idiom differs from the figures of speech (for example, irony, sarcasm, metaphor) and other linguistic variants that are used in the English language ( euphemism, colloquialism, analogy, allegory, allusion, jargon, slang). Due to the fact that idioms have no literal meanings (do not mean exactly what they say) this therefore means that even if you know the meaning of every word that you read (see) or hear, you might not comprehend the meaning in the message because you don't understand the culture behind it. This also means you will not able to find the meanings of such a phrase or sentence by looking in a regular dictionary. Thus therefore, non-native speakers of the language (English language in this case) will find it very difficult and confusing when used in communication to them directly or indirectly ( books, amongst native speakers, plays etc). However, they are very easy and quick to learn when their meanings are explained. This weeks article provide a few collection of idioms and their meanings. There are many that cannot be listed here, however you can find more of these phrases and sentences in a dictionary of idioms.This will provide a comprehensive alphabetical list with their general meanings and uses. More will be added to the list below overtime. Now, learn some phrases that will make others around you ponder especially when communicating with another person who already know the hidden meanings. Have fun!

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A
A bed of roses
Meaning:
A pleasant or easy situation.

A cock and bull story
Meaning:
A fanciful and unbelievable tale.

A diamond in the rough
Meaning:
Someone who are basically good hearted but lacking social graces and respect for the law.

A dish fit for the gods
Meaning:
An offering of high quality.

A leopard cannot change its spots
Meaning:
The notion that things cannot change their innate nature.

As keen as mustard
Meaning:
Very enthusiastic.

B
Back to square one
Meaning:
Back to the beginning, to start again.

Baker's dozen
Meaning:
Thirteen.

Below the belt
Meaning:
An unfair tactic.

C
Call a spade a spade
Meaning:
To speak plainly - to describe something as it really is.

Chip on his shoulder
Meaning:
To harbour a grudge.

Cold shouldered
Meaning:
Be treated in an offhand unfriendly way.

Come hell or high water
Meaning:
Persevere no matter what difficulties are encountered.

Crocodile tears
Meaning:
Fake tears.

Cut to the chase
Meaning:
Get to the point - leaving out unnecessary .

D
Daylight robbery
Meaning:
Blatant and unfair overcharging.

E

Excuse my French
Meaning:
Please forgive my swearing.

End of story
Meaning
The talking is over - there's no more to be said.

F
A face like a bulldog chewing a wasp
Meaning:
Ugly

Fall on your sword
Meaning:
Commit suicide or offer your resignation.

From sea to shining sea
Meaning:
From one coast to another.

G
Get off on the wrong foot
Meaning:
Make a bad start to a project or relationship.

Get used to it
Meaning:
Accept that what you want isn't going to be.

Get your feet wet
Meaning:
To get your first experience of something.

H
Have an axe to grind
Meaning:
Have an ulterior motive.

Head over heels
Meaning:
Excited, and/or turning cartwheels to demonstrate one's excitement.

Hit the hay
Meaning:
Go to bed.

Hold your horses
Meaning:
Hold on; be patient.

Hot off the press
Meaning:
Freshly printed.

Hanky-panky
Meaning:
Trickery - double dealing. Also, more recently, sexual shenanigans.

I
In a Nutshell
Meaning:
In very few words; briefly; clearly and to the point.

In the limelight
Meaning:
At the centre of attention.

It never rains but it pours
Meaning:
When troubles come they come together.

J
Just deserts
Meaning:
To get that which is deserved - A reward for what has been done wether it be good or bad.

Jet-black
Meaning:
To emphasize just how black something is.

K

Keep your nose to the grindstone
Meaning:
Apply yourself conscientiously to your work

Kick the bucket
Meaning:
Die.

knee jerk reaction
Meaning:
An automatic response to something.

Knock off
Meaning:
To finish work for the day.

Know the ropes
Meaning:
To understand how an organisation works.

Know which way the wind blows
Meaning:
To understand what is happening in changing circumstances.

L
labour of love
Meaning:
Work undertaken for the pleasure of it or for the benefit of a loved one.

Last but not least
Meaning:
An indication that something or someone are not necessarily in order of importance.

Laughing-stock
Meaning:
A figure or object of ridicule and laughter.

Learn the ropes
Meaning:
Learn something new.

Level playing field
Meaning:
Fair competition, where no advantage is shown to either side.

Lie low
Meaning:
Keep out of sight.

Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning:
To reveal a big secret, often unintentionally.

Living on borrowed time
Meaning:
Living after the time you would have expected to have died.

M
Make hay
Meaning:
Be quick - To take advantage of a favorable opportunity as soon as it arises without wasting time.

Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning:
To assume something is much worse than it actually is.

Make waves
Meaning:
To cause a lot of trouble.

Mind one's Ps and Qs
Meaning:
To be very careful and/or to behave correctly.

Mumbo jumbo
Meaning:
Nonsense.

N
Never never land
Meaning:
A utopia promised in the place of a real benefit.

New kid on the block
Meaning:
A new arrival in an area and in a group of young friends.

Nip in the bud
Meaning:
Put a stop to something while it is still in its early development.

No man is an island
Meaning:
Human beings do not thrive when isolated from others.

Not worth the candle
Meaning:
Worthless.

No-brainer
Meaning:
A problem that is especially easy to solve, if not outright obvious.

O
Off the hook
Meaning:
Someone have avoided punishment or criticism for something they have done.

Off the mark
Meaning:
It is inaccurate or incorrect.

On cloud nine
Meaning:
To be extremely happy.

On the fiddle
Meaning:
Engaged in corruption.

On the same page
Meaning
Two or more persons understanding a given situation the same way and are operating accordingly.

P
Paddle your own canoe
Meaning:
Act independently and decide your own fate.

Paper tiger
Meaning:
A person who appears to have power but is in reality ineffectual.

Pass the buck
Meaning:
Pass responsibility on to someone else.

Play by ear
Meaning:
Handle a situation in an impromptu manner, without reference to a set of guidelines.

Put your best foot forward
Meaning:
Embark on a journey or task with purpose and gusto.

Q
Queer Street
Meaning:
In debt.

Queer the pitch
Meaning:
Ruin a plan.

Quick buck
Meaning:
To make some money easily

R
Rags to riches
Meaning:
Someone who starts life very poor and becomes rich.

Red tape
Meaning:
Bureaucratic rules and paperwork.

Rise and shine
Meaning:
Get out of bed.

Rule of thumb
Meaning:
A means of estimation made according to a rough and ready practical rule, not based on science or exact measurement.

Run out of steam
Meaning:
Run out of energy.

S
Sacred cow
Meaning:
Something too highly regarded to be open to criticism.

Scot free
Meaning:
To escape pursuers or avoid payment.

Shot in the arm
Meaning:
A stimulus.

Shot in the dark
Meaning:
A hopeful attempt at something.

Sleep tight
Meaning:
Sleep well.

Smoke and mirrors
Meaning:
Trickery or deception.

Sour grapes
Meaning:
Acting meanly after a disappointment.

Strike a deal (or bargain)
Meaning:
To agree terms on a transaction.

T
Take a back seat
Meaning:
Take no active part.

Take with a pinch of salt
Meaning:
Accept a truth but with reservations.

The Ball is in your court
Meaning:
The next move is up to you.

The bitter end
Meaning:
To the limit of one's efforts - to the last extremity.

The blind leading the blind
Meaning:
Uninformed and incompetent people leading others who are similarly incapable.

The Full Monty
Meaning:
Complete, the whole thing.

Thorn in the flesh
Meaning:
A persistent difficulty or annoyance.

Time and tide wait for no man
Meaning:
No one is so powerful that they can stop the march of time.

Tie the knot
Meaning:
Get married.

Top notch
Meaning:
Excellent.

Two cents worth
Meaning:
Offer an opinion.

Turn a blind eye
Meaning:
To refuse to take notice of a situation.

Turn the tables
Meaning:
Reverse the positions of adversaries. Usually used when the weaker position subsequently becomes dominant.

U
Up a blind alley
Meaning:
On the wrong track.

V
Veg out
Meaning:
Relax in a slothful and mindless manner.

W
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed
Meaning:
Be very grumpy.

Water under the bridge
Meaning:
A past event that is no longer worth agonizing over.

What goes around comes around
Meaning:
What ever a person do, it will eventually come back to him/her. If a person does something bad, for example, something bad will happen to him.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander
Meaning:
The sexes should be treated the same way and not be subjected to different standards.

When in Rome, do as the Romans
Meaning:
When you are visiting a different place or culture, you should try to follow their customs and practices.

Where there's smoke, there's fire
Meaning:
A suspicion or rumor usually has a basis in fact - There is always a basis for a rumor, no matter how untrue it appears.

White elephant
Meaning
Something that is more trouble than it is worth.

Willy-nilly
Meaning
Two slightly differing but related meanings.

X
X marks the spot
Meaning:
This is used to say where something is located or hidden.

Y
Yellow belly
Meaning:
Cowardly

You are what you eat
Meaning
The notion that to be fit and healthy you need to eat good food.

You can't get blood out of a stone
Meaning:
You cannot extract what isn't there to begin with.

Your name is mud
Meaning:
You are not popular

Z
Zero hour
Meaning:
The time when something important is to begin.

Zero tolerance
Meaning:
A form of policing that allows no crime to be overlooked.

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It is important to note that aphorisms and proverbs are not the same as idioms. An aphorism is a wise saying that bears repetition - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphorisms.
A Proverb is a short statement, usually known by many people for a long time, that gives advice or expresses some common truth- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proverb

Similar Articles:
Latin Abbreviations and their English meaning
Languages by Countries
Differences between American and British English - PT. 1
Differences between American and British English - PT. 2

Did you know or ever wanted to know the real names of famous people such as actors, actresses, dancers, singers, musicians, directors, comedians, martial artists, rappers, Politicians…etc? then this weeks article will provide you with this information. For celebrities it has become a norm and a necessity to have a stage name. A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers (such as those listed above, as examples) instead of using their real name that is, their birth name. But why is this name changing so important? Well, there are many reasons that will cause someone to change his or her name.

Why famous celebrities change their names
The reasons for celebrities choosing a stage name instead of using their birth name is for one or more of the following reasons:

i.) May wish to conceal their family origins in their name.

ii.) Birth name is less than glamorous - too plain and ordinary.

iii.) Name is too hard to pronounce, spell and remember. they will be less likely to be remembered and hired!

iv.) There is a need for a name that compliments their performing persona.

vi.) Name is too long, unattractive and don't have the right sound to compliment their performing persona.

vii.) Another person has the same name especially in your career field. (explain in more detail below).

viii.) Simply need a name that stands out while at the same time both unique and memorable.

ix) Need to remain anonymous for a specific reason.

x.) Real names may be considered to be too "ethnic."

In number 7 (vii.) above, this holds true in the acting profession. Acting organizations such as the British Actors' Equity Association (now called Equity), in the UK and The Screen Actors Guild in the US, both lay down rules that specifically prevent more then one member having the same name. Should such a situation arise then, that new person will have to modify his/her name or change it totally for a new name.

Hollywood Stars are known all over the world by their famous stage names and not by their real or birth name. Would Tom Cruise become a Movie Star with his real name of Thomas Mapother IV? or what about singer Shania Twain whose real name is Eilleen Regina Edwards? Check out other names like Chuck Norris, MC Hammer, John Wayne, Bruce Lee and so on and you will certainly get the reasons for some of these name changes. Now, take the time and look for the name you know a celebrity by and find their real name given by birth.

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Personality/Public Name              Birth Name/Real Name

A
Aaliyah...............................................Aaliyah Dana Haughton
Edie Adams.........................................Elizabeth Edith Enke
Nick Adams.........................................Nicholas Adamshock
Eddie Albert........................................Edward Albert Heimberger
Alan Alda.............................................Alphonso D'Abruzzo
Jane Alexander...................................Jane Quigley
Muhammad Ali...................................Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.
Fred Allen............................................John Sullivan
Woody Allen........................................Allen Konigsberg
June Allyson........................................Ella Geisman
Don Ameche........................................Dominic Felix Amici
Julie Andrews.....................................Julia Wells
Jennifer Aniston.................................Jennifer Anastassakis
Eve Arden..........................................Eunice Quedens
Beatrice Arthur..................................Bernice Frankel
Jean Arthur........................................Gladys Greene
Ashanti..............................................Ashanti Shaquoya "Shani Bani" Douglas
Fred Astaire.......................................Frederick Austerlitz
Frankie Avalon....................................Francis Thomas Avalonne

B
Babyface.............................................Kenny Edmonds
Lauren Bacall.....................................Betty Joan Perske
Kaye Ballard.......................................Catherine Balotta
Anne Bancroft....................................Anne Italiano
Brigitte Bardot...................................Camille Javal
Rona Barrett......................................Rona Burstein
Gene Barry........................................Eugene Klass
John Barrymore................................John Blythe
Orson Bean.........................................Dallas Burrows
Tony Bennett.....................................Anthony Dominick Benedetto
Jack Benny.........................................Benjamin Kubelsky
Milton Berle........................................Milton Berlinger
Irving Berlin.......................................Israel Baline
Beyonce...............................................Beyonce Giselle Knowles
Joey Bishop.........................................Joseph Gottlieb
Amanda Blake....................................Beverly Louise Neill
Robert Blake.......................................Michael Gubitosi
Michael Bolton....................................Michael Bolotin
Bono (U2)............................................Paul Hewson
Sonny Bono.........................................Salvatore Bono
Victor Borge........................................Borge Rosenbaum
Big Bopper...........................................Jiles Perry Richardson
Ernest Borgnine..................................Ermes Effron Borgnino
David Bowie.........................................David Robert Jones
Da Brat.................................................Shawntae Harris
Fanny Brice.........................................Fanny Borach
Charles Bronson.................................Charles Buchinski
Mel Brooks..........................................Melvin Kaminsky
Dr. Joyce Brothers.............................Joyce Diane Bauer
Yul Brynner........................................Taidje Kahn, Jr.
George Burns......................................Nathan Birnbaum
Ellen Burstyn......................................Edna Gilhooley
Richard Burton...................................Richard Jenkins
Red Buttons........................................Aaron Chwatt

C
Cher....................................................Cherilyn Sarkarsian La Pierre
Nicholas Cage.....................................Nicholas Coppola
Michael Caine.....................................Maurice Micklewhite
Rory Calhoun......................................Francis Timony Durgin
Dyan Cannon......................................Simille Frieson
Truman Capote..................................Truman Streckfus Persons
Diahann Carroll..................................Carol Diahann Johnson
Jeff Chandler......................................Ira Grossel
Cyd Charisse.......................................Tula Ellice Finklea
Chubby Checker.................................Ernest Evans
Cher......................................................Cherilyn Sarkisian
Patsy Cline...........................................Virginia Patterson Hensley
Lee J. Cobb..........................................Leo Jacoby
Claudette Colbert................................Lily Chauchoin
Perry Como..........................................Pierino Roland Como
Mike Connors.......................................Krekor "Kirk" Ohanian
Robert Conrad.....................................Conrad Robert Falk
Alice Cooper.........................................Vincent Damon Furnier
Gary Cooper.........................................Frank James.
David Copperfield................................David Kotkin
Howard Cosell......................................Howard Cohen
Elvis Costello........................................Declan MacManus
Joan Crawford......................................Lucille Le Sucur
Michael Crawford................................Michael Dumble-Smith
Bing Crosby..........................................Harry Lillis Crosby
Tom Cruise...........................................Thomas Mapother IV
Tony Curtis...........................................Bernard Schwartz

D
Vic Damone.........................................Vito Farinola
Snoop Doggy Dogg..............................Calvin Broadus
Rodney Dangerfield............................Jacob Cohen
Bobby Darin........................................Walden Robert Cassotto
Doris Day.............................................Doris von Kappelhoff
Jimmy Dean........................................Seth Ward
Yvonne De Carlo.................................Peggy Middleton
Sandra Dee..........................................Alexandra Zuck
John Denver........................................Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.
John Derek..........................................Derek Harris
Danny DeVito......................................Daniel Michaeli
Angie Dickinson...................................Angeline Brown
Bo Diddley............................................Elias Bates
Marlene Dictrich..................................Maria Von Losch
Troy Donahue......................................Merle Johnson, Jr.
Diana Dors............................................Diana Fluck
Kirk Douglas.........................................Issur Danielovitch
Mike Douglas........................................Michael Delaney Dowd, Jr.
Bob Dylan..............................................Robert Zimmerman

E
Barbara Eden........................................Barbara Huffman
Vince Edwards......................................Vicent Edward Zoino
Ron Ely...................................................Ronald Pierce
Eminem..................................................Marshall Bruce Mathers III
Dale Evans.............................................Frances Octavia Smith
Chad Everett.........................................Raymond Cramton

F
Fabian....................................................Fabiano Forte
Douglas Fairbanks...............................Douglas Ullman
Stepin Fetchit.......................................Lincoln Perry
Sally Field..............................................Sally Mahoney
W.C. Fields............................................William Claude Dukenfield
Peter Finch...........................................William Mitchell
Rhonda Fleming...................................Marilyn Louis
Gerald R. Ford......................................Leslie Lynch King, Jr.
Joan Fontaine.......................................Joan de Havilland
Glenn Ford............................................Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford
John Ford..............................................Sean O'Fearna
John Forsythe.......................................John Freund
Jodie Foster..........................................Alicia Christian Foster
Jaime Foxx...........................................Eric Morlon Bishop
Tony Franciosa.....................................Anthony Papaleo
Connie Francis......................................Concetta Franconero

G
Ginuwine................................................Elgin Lumpkin
Greta Garbo..........................................Greta Gustafsson
John Garfield.........................................Julius Garfinkle
Judy Garland.........................................Frances Gumm
James Garner........................................James Scott Baumgardner
Crystal Gayle.........................................Brenda Gayle Webb
Mel Gibson.............................................Columcille Gibson
Whoopie Goldberg.................................Caryn Johnson
Eydie Gorme..........................................Edith Gormezano
Stewart Granger...................................James Stewart
Cary Grant.............................................Archibald Leach
Peter Graves..........................................Peter Aurness
Rocky Graziano......................................Rocco Barbella
Joel Grey................................................Joe Katz

H
Buddy Hackett.......................................Leonard Hacker
MC Hammer...........................................Stanley Kirk Burrell
Jean Harlow...........................................Harlean Carpentier
Rex Harrison..........................................Reginald Carey
Helen Hayes...........................................Helen Brown
Susan Hayward......................................Edythe Marrener
Rita Hayworth........................................Margarita Cansino
Jimi Hendrix...........................................Johnny Allen Hendrix
Charlton Heston.....................................Charles Carter
Hulk Hogan.............................................Terry Jean Bollette
William Holden.......................................William Franklin Beedle, Jr.
Billy Holiday...........................................Eleanora Fagan
Judy Holliday.........................................Judith Tuvim
Buddy Holly...........................................Charles Hardin Holley
Bob Hope................................................Leslie Townes Hope
Hedda Hopper.......................................Elda Furry
Robert Horton.......................................Meade Howard Horton, Jr.
Leslie Howard........................................Leslie Stainer
Harry Houdini........................................Ehrich Weiss
Rock Hudson..........................................Roy Schere Jr.
Engelbert Humperdinck............................Arnold Dorsey
Tab Hunter............................................Arthur Andrew Gelien

I
Burl Ives..............................................Burle Icle Ivanhoe

J
Wolfman Jack.......................................Robert Smith
David Janssen.......................................David Meyer
Elton John..............................................Reginald Dwight
Don Johnson..........................................Donald Wayne
Al Jolson.................................................Asa Yoelson
Jennifer Jones........................................Phyllis Isley
Louis Jourdan........................................Louis Gendre

K
Danny Kaye........................................David Kaminski
Boris Karloff........................................William Henry Pratt
Diane Keaton......................................Diane Hall
Michael Keaton..................................Michael John Douglas
Howard Keel.......................................Harold Leek
Alicia Keys..........................................Alicia Augello Cook
Carole King.........................................Carole Klein
Larry King..........................................Larry Zeigler
Ted Knight.........................................Tadeus Wladyslaw Konopka
Ben Kingsley......................................Krishna Banji
Ashton Kutcher.................................Christopher Ashton Kutcher

L
Cheryl Ladd........................................Cheryl Stoppelmoor
Veronica Lake.....................................Constance Ockleman
Frankie Laine......................................Frankie LoVecchio
Dorothy Lamour.................................Mary Kaumeyer
Ann Landers........................................Esther "Eppie" Pauline Friedman Lederer
Mario Lanza.........................................Alfredo Cocozza
Michael Landon...................................Eugene Orowitz
Queen Latifah......................................Dana Elaine Owens
Stan Laurel...........................................Arthur Jefferson
Steve Lawrence...................................Sidney Leibowitz
Bruce Lee..............................................Lee Yuen Kam
Gypsy Rose Lee...................................Rose Louise Hovick
Peggy Lee.............................................Norma Egstrom
Janet Leigh...........................................Jeanette Morrison
Jerry Lewis..........................................Joseph Levitch
Huey Lewis...........................................Hugh Cregg
Hal Linden.............................................Harold Lipshitz
Little Richard........................................Richard Penniman
Carole Lombard....................................Jane Peters
Jack Lord...............................................John Joseph Ryan
Sophia Loren.........................................Sophia Scicolone
Peter Lorre............................................Laszio Lowenstein
Bela Lugosi.............................................Bela Ferenc Blasko

M
Moms Mabley......................................Loretta Mary Aitken
Shirley MacLaine................................Shirley Beaty
Elle MacPherson.................................Eleanor Gow
Madonna..............................................Madonna Louise Ciccone
Lee Majors...........................................Harvey Lee Yeary II
Karl Malden.........................................Mladen Sekulovich
Barry Manilow.....................................Barry Alan Pincus
Jayne Mansfield..................................Vera Jane Palmer
Fredric March......................................Frederick Bickel
Rocky Marciano...................................Rocco Francis Marchegiano
Dean Martin.........................................Dino Crocetti
Chico Marx...........................................Leonard Marx
Groucho Marx......................................Julius Marx
Gummo Marx.......................................Milton Marx
Harpo Marx..........................................Adolph Marx
Zeppo Marx..........................................Herbert Marx
Walter Matthau....................................Walter Matuschanskayasky
Audrey Meadows.................................Audrey Cotter
Jayne Meadows....................................Jayne Cotter
Ethel Merman.......................................Ethel Zimmerman
George Michael.....................................Georgios Panayiotou
Ray Milland...........................................Reginald Truscott-Jones
Ann Miller..............................................Lucille Collier
Guy Mitchell..........................................Albert George Cernick
Joni Mitchell..........................................Roberta Joan Anderson
Marilyn Monroe....................................Norma Jean Baker
Yves Montand.......................................Ivo Levi
Demi Moore...........................................Demetria Guynes
Garry Moore.........................................Thomas Garrison Morfit
Rita Moreno..........................................Rosita Alverio
Harry Morgan.......................................Harry Bratsburg

N
Peter Nero............................................Bernie Nierow
Chuck Norris........................................Carlos Ray

O
Hugh O'Brian........................................Hugh Krampke
Maureen O'Hara..................................Maureen Fitzsimmons
Ozzy Osbourne.....................................John Osbourne

P
Patti Page...........................................Clara Ann Fowler
Jack Palance........................................Walter Palanuik
Bert Parks...........................................Bert Jacobson
Johnny Paycheck....................................Don Lytle
Minnie Pearl.........................................Sarah Ophella Colley Cannon
Bernadette Peters..................................Bernadette Lazzaro
Ryan Phillippe......................................Matthew Ryan Phillippe
Lou Diamond Phillips..............................Lou Upchurch
Edith Piaf............................................Edith Gassion
Slim Pickens........................................Louis Lindley
Mary Pickford......................................Gladys Smith
Pink..................................................Alecia Moore
Stephanie Powers..................................Stefania Federkiewicz
Fresh Prince.........................................Will Smith


Q

R
Tony Randall........................................Leonard Rosenberg
Ahmad Rashad.....................................Bobby Moore
Johnnie Ray..........................................John Alvin
Martha Raye.........................................Margaret Theresa Yvonne Reed
Diana Ross.............................................Diane Earle
Donna Reed...........................................Donabella Mullenger
Della Reese............................................Delloreese Patricia Early
Debbie Reynolds...................................Mary Frances Reynolds
Busta Rhymes.......................................Trevor Tahiem Smith
Joan Rivers............................................Joan Sandra Molinsky
Johnny Rivers...................................... John Henry Ramistella
Harold Robbins.....................................Frances Kane
Edward G. Robinson............................Emmanuel Goldenberg
Ginger Rogers.......................................Virginia McMath
Roy Rogers............................................Leonard Slye
Mickey Rooney.....................................Joe Yule Jr.
Meg Ryan..............................................Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra
Bobby Rydell........................................Robert Ridarelli

S
Shaggy...................................................Orville Richard Burrell
Jane Seymour......................................Joyce Frankenberg
Del Shannon..........................................Charles Westover
Omar Sharif...........................................Michael Shalhoub
Charlie Sheen.........................................Carlos Irwin Estevez
Martin Sheen.........................................Ramon Estevez
Gene Simmons.......................................Chaim Witz
Sisqo........................................................Mark Andrews
Buffalo Bob Smith..................................Robert Emil Schmidt
Ann Sothern...........................................Harriet Lake
Robert Stack..........................................Robert Modini
Sylvester Stallone.................................Michael Sylvester Enzio Stallone
Jean Stapleton.......................................Jeanne Murray
Barbara Stanwyck.................................Ruby Stevens
Ringo Starr.............................................Richard Starkey
Connie Stevens......................................Concetta Ingolia
Sting........................................................Gordon Sumner
Gale Storm.............................................Josephine Cottle
Donna Summer......................................La Donna Andrea Gaines

T
Ice-T.....................................................Tracy Morrow
Mr. T......................................................Lawrence Tero
Robert Taylor........................................Spangler Arlington Brugh
Danny Thomas......................................Muzyad Yakhoob
Tina Turner.......................................... Annie Mae Bullock
Shania Twain.........................................Eilleen Regina Edwards
Twiggy....................................................Leslie Hornby
Conway Twitty......................................Harold Lloyd Jenkins

U

V
Ritchie Valens.......................................Richard Valenzuela
Rudolph Valentino................................Rudolpho D'Antonguolla
Frankie Valli..........................................Frank Castelluccio
Abigail Van Buren.................................Pauline Ester Friedman
Gene Vincent.........................................Vincent Eugene Craddock

W
Junior Walker.....................................Autry De Walt
Andy Warhol.......................................Andrew Warhola
Muddy Waters....................................McKinley Morganfield
David Wayne.......................................Wayne McMeekan
John Wayne.........................................Marion Michael Morrison
Clifton Webb........................................Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck
Raquel Welch.......................................Raquel Tejada
Tuesday Weld......................................Susan Kerr Wells
Nathaniel West....................................Nathaniel Wallenstein Weinstein
Gene Wilder.........................................Jerome Silberman
Shelley Winters...................................Shirley Schrift
Reese Witherspoon.............................Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon
Stevie Wonder.................................... Steveland Morris Hardaway
Natalie Wood........................................Natasha Gurdin J
Tiger Woods..........................................Eldrick Woods
Jane Wyman.........................................Sarah Jane Fulks
Tammy Wynette..................................Wynette Pugh

X

Y
Gig Young..........................................Byron Barr

Z
Catherine Zeta-Jones…..........................Catherine Jones

0-9
50 Cent..............................................Curtis James Jackson III
2Pac..................................................Tupac Shakur

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The list above is not complete due to my time schedule plus, not to mention that the listing (typing) of these names is very tedious and tiring. So, I will be adding as time allows me. If you know of someone famous such as a singer, rapper, politician, dancer, musician, comedian, movie star and such the like and want to know their real name, then drop me a line. If I can find the real name then it will be added. Apart from that , I do have more to add but they will be added to the list in time.

Nature is full of all kinds of amazing and interesting phenomena that has fascinated humans over the centuries right up to this very day. One such phenomenon is lightning. The bolt of a lightning takes the appearance of a zigzagging pattern that usually takes less than half a second to produce a luminosity that is so bright that it lights up its surrounding in the blink of an eye. While this is a fascinating sight it also drives fear in humans. With its burst of intense energy it could cut down a tree, start a fire and even cause death, if struck by one. This fear can even be greatly intensified by the loud frightening sound of thunder which adds to this effect, depending how close one is to the origin of the sound. Due to this mysterious, unexplainable yet fascinating phenomena in ancient times, humans from many cultures such as the Greeks, Romans and Norsemen thought these events were from gods who ruled the earth with lightning rods and thunder. Consequently, these cultures told stories of Zeus the king of the gods in Greek (name Jupiter for Romans) and Thor the Norse god of thunder. Today, even though lightning is just as fascinating and dangerous, with the advancement of our knowledge in science this can now be explained. Therefore, removing the mystery and thus, the folklore stories of ancient ancestors.

What is lightning?
Lightning simple, is electricity formed during a thunderstorm by the build up of large electrical fields in high anvil shaped cumulonimbus clouds (thunderstorm clouds) about 15,000 to 25,000 feet above sea level. This is accompanied by the emission of light which we see as flashes of light in the sky. The temperature inside a lightning bolts are extremely hot, with temperatures of 30,000 to 50,000 degrees F, hotter than that of the surface of the sun. However, to get a better understanding of what causes lighting we will need to take a more detail look at how it is formed.

What causes lightning?
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When water evaporates from the surface of earth from lakes, land, river, streams, ocean, ponds and from trees by transpiration, this rises into the atmosphere in the form of a gas by convection. As this warm air rises, cold air moves in and meets the warm moist air which causes the warm air to rise rapidly forming large, dense, tall towers of anvil shaped cumulonimbus clouds commonly known as thunderstorm clouds. Formed at a height between 15,000 to 25,000 feet above sea level, the water droplets are carried upward to a much cooler region until some of them are converted into ice (snow) particles.

During the thunderstorm, precipitation particles (water droplets and ice crystals) in the higher region of the clouds will then collide with each other as they rub against each other in strong currents of air. This strong air current here is due to the ascending (rising) and descending air in the updrafts and downdrafts of the storm (click here for diagram). As a result, this colliding and rubbing of many water droplets and ice crystals creates a static electrical charge. Thus, causing areas of negative and positive charge to develop within the thunderstorm. Some of the ice (snow) crystals and water droplets will therefore become positively charged (+ plus sign), while others become negatively charged( - minus sign). The positive and negative electrical charges in the cloud then separate from each other where the positively charged snow crystals moves to the upward top section of the storm cloud while the heavier negative charge ice crystal and water droplets drops to the lower section of the cloud.

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When the difference in the charges at the lower section of the cloud becomes large enough, whereby reaching a certain strength, a giant "spark" occurs causing the flow of electricity (electrical energy ) to be released through the air to another point that has an opposite charge. This release of electrical energy is called a leader stroke which may be from one cloud to another (Cloud-to-Cloud Lightning) or from one section of the cloud to another (In-Cloud Lightning) or from cloud to the ground (Cloud-to-Ground Lightning). Once a connection is made and the path is complete, a surge of electrical current moves in the opposite direction back to the cloud and produce a flash of light which we call lightning. This process is called the main stroke.

How lightning works
Now from the information provided above we will take a closer look at how lightning works using for example the Cloud-to-Ground Lightning. First, due to the colliding and rubbing of many water droplets and ice crystals in thunderstorm cloud this creates a static electrical charge. Thus, causing areas of negative and positive charges to develop within the thunderstorm. The positive and negative electrical charges in the cloud then separate from each other, where the positively charged snow crystals moves to the upward top section of the storm cloud while the heavier negative charge ice crystals and water droplets drop to the lower section of the cloud. The negative charges (-) in the lower part of the thunderstorm cloud causes positive charges (+) to build up on the ground directly beneath the cloud and in the area immediately surrounding the cloud. Thus, as the cloud becomes negatively charged (building up more and more electrons) these electrons cause the electrons on the ground to be pushed away (like charges repel) and therefore leaving the ground positively charged. This means the ground now becomes positively charged and the cloud is negatively charged.

{Click links to veiw diagarm. This is done to reduce loading time of site}

Diagarm A - Showing cloud with separtion of charges

Diagarm B - Showing how ligthning works


Now, when the lower section of the negatively charged cloud reaches a certain strength, the huge charges in the cloud cause the air to be ionized making the air a good conductor of electricity causing the air around them to act as a bridge. This now means that the electrical path is complete between the ground, air and cloud. After this happens, a giant "spark" occurs causing the rapid flow of electricity (electrical energy ) to be released through the air to the ground such as houses, buildings or other ground objects ( see diagrams above ) that have an opposite charge. This is called the leader stroke. As the negative charges from the cloud flows down, the positive charges (streamers) on the ground leap upward to meet them. This causes a surge of electrical current to move from the ground to the cloud causing the visible "return stroke" (main stroke) of electricity. As a result of this main stroke, the zigzagged path of negative charges suddenly lights up with a brilliant flash of light. This heats the air which becomes very hot, causing it to expand rapidly causing an explosion, making the well know sound we all know as thunder. It is also important to note that the zigzagged path (appearance) is due to the fact that air does not ionize equally in all directions.

Related Articles:
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Sometime ago we looked at the question What happens to marine life when a lake or pond is frozen?. But have you ever wondered how fishes breathe in water much less to survive in a frozen pond or lake? Well, if this makes you ponder then read on. Water is the most abundant substance on earth that covers about 70 percent of the earth's surface. Thus, it is the home of various living organisms of which one such is fish. Water provides many functions that are essential to all known forms of life one of which is to provide a medium for aquatic animals to live and call their home. Such a home can be a; lake, pond, sea, river and stream just to name a few.

What is a fish
Fish is any cold-blooded (poikilothermic) vertebrate animal that lives in water. It typically has jaws, fins, scales, a slender body, a two-chambered heart, and gills for providing oxygen to the blood. Thus, in simple terms, fish is a cold-blooded strictly aquatic vertebrate (animal with backbones) with gills. Fishes live in nearly every water habitat such as in fresh water like springs, swamps, lagoons, reservoirs, lakes and ponds and in salty water such as the ocean. They can be found in many climatic conditions from near-freezing Arctic waters to the hot desert springs.

Click image to enlarge
Fish being an aquatic animal, has a respiratory system that is different from that of animals that live on land. It is capable of breathing under water without making frequent trips to the surface to breathe air like marine mammals such as the Whale (see discussion below for more details). This is due to the fact that fishes have a breathing organ known as gills. This is made up of thin feathery sheets of tissue membrane containing many blood vessels through which oxygen passes allowing fishes to breathe.

How fish breathe
The process begins by water in the fish’s surrounding entering its mouth‘s. Water enters the mouth by a very effective pumping system that involves the mouth and the outer flexible bony flap that cover the gills called the operculum. This is achieved by the opening and closing of the fish's mouth as it pumps water through the gills. When the fish’s mouth is open, the operculum closes and water is drawn into the fish’s mouth. Conversely, when the fish closes its mouth, the operculum opens and fresh water is then allowed to flow across the gills.

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After water enters the fish's mouth it passes through a structure called the gill rakers. The function of the gill rakers is to act as a filter system by sieving out particles such as food or any other foreign particles that may have entered the mouth from the inflow of water. The filtered water then travel through the gill arches thus passing over the gills (see above diagram). Here each gill consists of two rows of extremely thin membranes called gill filaments. The structure of the gill filaments consist of sequence rows of a thin, disc-like membrane loaded with a capillary network called lamellae. Gill filaments which are projected out into the water flow allows water to flow across the lamellae. This will result in gas exchange where, oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged directly across the capillary membrane.

As water flows through the gills, the oxygen it contains (dissolved oxygen) passes into blood circulating through the gill structures (filaments and lamellae) while simultaneously, carbon dioxide ( the waste product) in the fish’s bloodstream passes into the water. This deoxygenated water is then carried away and out of the body through the operculum. This process repeats itself continually and this is the process by which fish breathe. This is process is also known as respiration.

Discussion:
Whales and dolphins are they fish?
Whales and dolphins are not fish. The definition of a fish is explained and defined in the above article. They are mammals just like humans and breath air using lungs, give birth to live young (rather than laying eggs), and feed their young with their mother's milk. Fish use their gills to extract oxygen from the surrounding water in which they live but mammals on the other hand ( such as humans , whales and dolphin) get the oxygen they need by breathing air, using their lungs. This explains why they come to the surface of the ocean. They have a hole (their nose) in the flat part of the middle of their heads called blow holes which closes when the whale or dolphin is under water and it opens when they are at the surface and need to breathe. The reason why warm-blooded animals like whales breath air like humans is due to the fact that it would be hard to extract enough oxygen from their water surrounding using gills. furthermore, air has approximately 20 times more oxygen in it when compared to the same volume of water. While on the other hand, fish being a cold-blooded animal take on the temperature of their surroundings and uses less energy than that of warm blooded animals which convert the food that they eat into energy to adjust their body temperature. This reduces oxygen demands for fishes thus, gills work best with fishes.

What’s the purpose of fish nostrils?
It is important to note that although fish have nostrils they play no role in respiration but are rather used only for a sense of smell.

Why humans (mammals) don’t breath under water?
Most animals including humans had gills in their early fetal stage of development in the womb. However, they lost this organ further into their development since it has no essential function toward sustaining and maintaining live. Therefore animals, as well as, humans cannot breathe underwater because our lungs do not have enough surface area, that is necessary to absorb enough oxygen from water. Furthermore, the lining in our lungs is adapted to handle air rather than water. Fish on the other hand, retained these gills, which are necessary for their survival in their environment ( water medium ). Gills are very efficient at removing oxygen from water due to their feathery structure that greatly increases the surface area for gas exchange. Hence, gills play an important role in the anatomy of fish.

Where does the oxygen come from that the fish breathes?
Water is formed from the combination reaction of hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) to produce liquid water (H2O). In other words, each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. However the oxygen that fish breath is not the oxygen found in H2O - the molecular formula of water. The oxygen in liquid water is bound to two hydrogen atoms forming water molecules, thus oxygen from is not free to take part in respiration. Therefore the fish cannot breathe the resulting liquid water, and the oxygen gas (O2) that the fish breaths comes from that which is dissolved in the water. Hence, fish "breathe" the dissolved oxygen out of the water using their gills. This also means that if there is not enough dissolved oxygen in the water, then the fish can suffocate, just as humans and other animals will if there is not enough oxygen in the air that we breathe.

Why some fish thrive in specific habitats?
This is due to the fact that some fish require more oxygen than others. This means that different aquatic environments, have different levels of dissolved oxygen content that suits some fish over others, due to the effective pumping system that extracts oxygen from its surrounding. Some fish have an effective pumping system that involves the mouth and the operculum however, their are some such as the tuna that have a much less effective pumping system and requires constant movement to keep oxygenated water flowing over their gills.
Other fishes deal with this by finding an ideal habitat. In northern streams the water is very cool thus resulting in the water retaining high levels of dissolved oxygen. An example of a fish that needs this high oxygen content is the trout. It is a very active fish and its demand for oxygen is high so the extra oxygen is a necessity. Conversely, warm water and stagnant water has much less dissolved oxygen content and fish with are not that active and have a slower metabolic rate strive well in these habitat. Carp is one such fish, their demand for oxygen is relatively low.

Did you know? - some interesting facts about fish.

• a scientist who studies fish is called an ichthyologist

• Fish are divided into three main groups: jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, and bony fish.

• A seahorse is actually a fish.

• The largest fish is the great whale shark which can reach fifty feet in length and weigh up to 15 tons.

• The smallest fish is the Philippine goby that is less than 1/3 of an inch when fully grown.

• The fastest fish is the sailfish. It can swims at more than 60 miles an hour.

• A walking catfish can live out of water for days at a time. They have a special chamber in their lungs to help them breathe.

• There are over 25,000 identified species of fish on the earth.

• There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined.

• Some deep-sea fishes attract prey with specialized light organs.( e.g. Anglerfish)

• Most fishes sleep with their eyes open. Those that don't, rest by staying in one spot while not swimming around.

• Some fish like sharks don't posses an air bladder to help keep them afloat and must either swim continually or rest on the bottom.

• Some species of fish can fly (glide) others can skip along the surface and others can even climb rock.

• Fish have a specialized sense organ called the lateral line which works much like radar and helps them navigate in dark or murky water. It also detect changes in water temperature, pressure, current, etc.

Related Article:

What happens to marine life when a lake or pond is frozen?