A friend asked me to answer this question: What did the land agents do that caused the aristocratic income to fall?, using the article: Another reason for the gradual decline in the development of Sicily's Baroque and building in general was that the money was running out. During the 17th century, the aristocracy had lived principally on their landed estates, tending and improving them, and as a result their income also increased. During the 18th century, the nobility gradually migrated towards the cities, in particular Palermo, to enjoy the social delights of the Viceroy's court and Catania. Their town palazzi grew in size and splendour, to the detriment of the abandoned estates, which were still expected to provide the revenue. The land agents left to run the estates over time became less efficient, or corrupt, often both. Consequently, aristocratic incomes fell. The aristocracy borrowed money using the estates as surety, until the value of the neglected estates fell below the money borrowed against them. Moreover, Sicily was by now as unstable politically as its nobility were financially. Ruled from Naples by the weak Ferdinand IV and his dominant wife, Sicily had declined to the point of no return long before 1798 and again in 1806 when the King was forced by the invading French to flee Naples to Sicily. The French were kept at bay from Sicily only by an expeditionary force of 17,000 British troops, and Sicily was now ruled by Britain in effect if not in name. King Ferdinand then in 1811 imposed the first taxes, at a single stroke alienating his aristocracy. The tax was rescinded by the British in 1812, who then imposed a British style constitution on the island. One legal innovation of this time of particular consequence for the aristocracy was that creditors, who had previously only been able to enforce repayments of the interest on a loan or mortgage, could now seize property. Property began to change hands in smaller parcels at auctions, and consequently a land-owning bourgeoisie immediately began to flourish. Revolts against the Bourbons in 1821, and 1848 divided the nobility, and liberalism was in the air. These factors coupled with..., what would be the answer ?
Ans: corrupt

A friend asked me to answer this question: Who considers an abortion?, using the article: The film highlights three different stories. These stories unfold over the course of nine months. Two couples live completely opposite lives of each other, yet share one commonality: an unexpected pregnancy. The main characters, Carmine and Sasha live in a carefree and comfortable world and the arrival of a child shakes up their conventional life: behind their illusion of a fancy condominium and their successful careers hides a couple that is living in pain, secrets and lies. Simultaneously, the other couple within the film, Justine and Seb are freedom seekers that live day by day on the streets of Montreal. These two young squeegee kids live in hopes of a better future, but in the meantime seem to be content with part-time jobs; such as washing windshields and doing small-time deals. Justine's pregnancy catches Seb off guard as he is not ready to be a father. The history of violence in their relationship makes getting an abortion the obvious choice, however things worsen and turn out differently. In the third story, Stephen Decker is a 50-something father who has lost everything, his wife, his only child, and his inner peace. Now he has found a new purpose for his life: revenge, which brings him from Calgary to Montreal as he attempts to hunt down his daughter's murderer. What he finds is far from what he expected, and five destinies converge, for better and for worse., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Justine

A friend asked me to answer this question: What is Oldham home to?, using the article: Oldham, though lacking in leisure and cultural amenities, is historically notable for its theatrical culture. Once having a peak of six "fine" theatres in 1908, Oldham is home to the Oldham Coliseum Theatre and the Oldham Theatre Workshop, which have facilitated the early careers of notable actors and writers, including Eric Sykes, Bernard Cribbins and Anne Kirkbride, daughter of acclaimed cartoonist Jack Kirkbride who worked for the Oldham Evening Chronicle. Oldham Coliseum Theatre is one of Britain's last remaining repertory theatres; Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel performed there in the early 20th century, and contemporary actors such as Ralph Fiennes and Minnie Driver, among others, have appeared more recently.During the 19th century the circus was a popular entertainment in Oldham; Pablo Fanque's circus was a regular visitor, filling a 3,000-seat amphitheatre on Tommyfield in 1869.  Formerly criticised for its lack of a cinema, there are plans to develop an "Oldham West End". Oldham has a thriving bar and night club culture, attracting a significant number of young people into the town centre. Oldham's "hard binge drinking culture" has been criticised however for conveying a negative regional image of the town., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Oldham Coliseum Theatre

A friend asked me to answer this question: What is the first name of the person who used Wagnerian leitmotifs to identify characters, objects and ideas?, using the article: Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dramatic play, La Tosca, is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in June 1800, with the Kingdom of Naples's control of Rome threatened by Napoleon's invasion of Italy. It contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, as well as some of Puccini's best-known lyrical arias. Puccini saw Sardou's play when it was touring Italy in 1889 and, after some vacillation, obtained the rights to turn the work into an opera in 1895. Turning the wordy French play into a succinct Italian opera took four years, during which the composer repeatedly argued with his librettists and publisher. Tosca premiered at a time of unrest in Rome, and its first performance was delayed for a day for fear of disturbances. Despite indifferent reviews from the critics, the opera was an immediate success with the public. Musically, Tosca is structured as a through-composed work, with arias, recitative, choruses and other elements musically woven into a seamless whole. Puccini used Wagnerian leitmotifs to identify characters, objects and ideas. While critics have often dismissed the opera as a facile melodrama with confusions of plot—musicologist Joseph Kerman called it a "shabby little shocker"—the power of its score and the inventiveness of its orchestration have been widely acknowledged. The dramatic force of Tosca and its characters continues to fascinate both performers and audiences, and the work remains one of the most frequently performed operas. Many recordings of the work have been issued, both of studio and live performances., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Giacomo