gmane.science.linguistics.wikipedia.daily-article

[Daily article] May 23: Zong massacre

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-23T05:00:10

The Zong massacre was the killing of approximately 142 enslaved
Africans by the crew of the slave ship Zong in the days following
29 November 1781. The Zong was owned by a Liverpool slave-trading
syndicate that had taken out insurance on the lives of the slaves. When
the ship ran low on water following navigational mistakes, the crew
drowned some of the slaves in the sea. The owners of the Zong made a
claim to their insurers for the loss of the slaves. When the insurers
refused to pay, the resulting court cases held that in some
circumstances the deliberate killing of slaves was legal, and that
insurers could be required to pay for the slaves' deaths. The hearings
brought the massacre to the attention of the anti-slavery campaigner
Granville Sharp, who tried unsuccessfully to have the ship's crew
prosecuted for murder. Reports of the massacre stimulated the nascent
abolitionist movement and became a powerful symbol of the horrors of the
Middle Passage of slaves to the New World. The massacre has also
inspired several works of art and literature, including The Slave Ship
by J. M. W. Turner (pictured).

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zong_massacre>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1533:

The Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer annulled
Henry VIII's marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, beginning
of a chain of events that would culminate in the English Reformation.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Reformation>

1844:

Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad Shírází proclaimed that he was "the
Báb", after a Shi`a religious concept, marking the beginning of the
Bábí movement, the forerunner of the Bahá'í Faith.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1bism>

1873:

The North West Mounted Police, the forerunner of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, was established to bring law and order to and
assert Canadian sovereignty over the Northwest Territories.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police>

1934:

During a strike against the Electric Auto-Lite company in
Toledo, Ohio, US, a mob of nearly 10,000 began a riot and a five-day
running battle with the Ohio National Guard.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-Lite_strike>

2008:

To resolve a 29-year-old territorial dispute, the International
Court of Justice awarded Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Pedra Branca to
Singapore.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedra_Branca_dispute>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

thagomizer:
(anatomy) An arrangement of spikes found on the tails of various
stegosaurs.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/thagomizer>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

     the greatest Grace we can aspire to is the strength to see the
wounded walk with the forgotten and pull ourselves from the screaming
blood of our losses to fight on undaunted all the more       
  --Jewel
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jewel_(singer)>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 22: Richard Wagner

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-22T05:26:06

Richard Wagner (1813–83) was a German composer, theatre director,
polemicist, and conductor primarily known for his operas. His
compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for
their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the
elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual
characters, places, ideas or plot elements. These innovations greatly
influenced the development of classical music; his Tristan und Isolde is
sometimes described as marking the start of modern music. Wagner
revolutionised opera through his synthesis of the poetic, visual,
musical and dramatic arts, first fully realised in his four-opera Ring
cycle. He had his own opera house built at Bayreuth, containing many
novel design features, where his most important stage works continue to
be performed in an annual festival run by his descendants. Wagner's
controversial writings on music, drama and politics have attracted
extensive comment in recent decades, especially where they express
antisemitic sentiments. The effects of his ideas can be traced in many
of the arts throughout the 20th century.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1826:

HMS Beagle departed on its first voyage from Plymouth for a
hydrographic survey of the Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego regions of
South America.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Beagle>

1915:

Five trains were involved in a crash near Gretna Green,
Scotland, killing 227 people and injuring 246 others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quintinshill_rail_disaster>

1980:

Pac-Man, an arcade game that became an icon of 1980s popular
culture, made its debut in Japan.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man>

1990:

The Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen merged to become the Republic of Yemen.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemeni_unification>

2003:

Swedish golfer Annika Sörenstam became the first woman to play
in a PGA Tour event in 58 years.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annika_S%C3%B6renstam>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

sangfroid:
Composure, self-possession or imperturbability especially when in a
dangerous situation.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sangfroid>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      I am not the law, but I represent justice so far as my feeble
powers go.         
  --Arthur Conan Doyle
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 21: Tripura

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-21T05:00:09

Tripura is the third-smallest state in India, bordered by the states of
Assam and Mizoram and by Bangladesh. The Kokborok-speaking Tripuri
people (children pictured) are the major group among 19 tribes and many
subtribes; Bengali people form the ethno-linguistic majority. Before
becoming part of the newly independent India in 1949, the area was ruled
for several centuries by the Tripuri dynasty. Ethnic strife between the
indigenous people and Bengalis has been eased by the establishment of an
autonomous tribal administrative agency and other strategies. Five
mountain ranges run north to south; Agartala, the capital, is located on
a plain to the west. Forests cover more than half of the area, in which
bamboo and cane tracts are common. Tripura, which has a tropical savanna
climate, has the highest number of primate species found in any Indian
state. Economic progress is hindered by its geographical isolation –
only one major highway connects it with the rest of India. Most
residents are involved in agriculture and allied activities. Mainstream
Indian cultural elements, especially from Bengali culture, coexist with
traditional practices of the ethnic groups.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripura>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1403:

King Henry III of Castile sent an embassy to the court of Timur
(Tamerlane) to discuss the possibility of an alliance between Timur and
Castile against the Ottoman Empire.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timurid_relations_with_Europe>

1863:

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Protestant denomination
distinguished by its emphasis on the imminent second coming (Advent) of
Jesus, was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan, US.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church>

1894:

The Manchester Ship Canal, linking Greater Manchester in North
West England to the Irish Sea, officially opened, becoming the largest
navigation canal in the world at the time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Ship_Canal>

1979:

Riots erupted in San Francisco (rioters pictured) after former
Supervisor Dan White was only sentenced for voluntary manslaughter for
the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and openly gay Supervisor
Harvey Milk.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Night_riots>

1991:

Former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by
a suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Rajiv_Gandhi>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

cloudburst:
A sudden heavy rainstorm.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cloudburst>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, "Let Newton
be!" and all was light.         
  --Alexander Pope
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alexander_Pope>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 20: Prince George of Denmark

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-20T05:00:12

Prince George of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Cumberland (1653–1708)
was the husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain. His marriage to Anne was
arranged in the early 1680s with a view to developing an Anglo-Danish
alliance to contain Dutch maritime power. This made him unpopular with
his Dutch brother-in-law William of Orange, who was married to Mary,
Anne's sister. William and Mary became joint monarchs of Britain in 1689
after the "Glorious Revolution" deposed James II and VII, the father of
Anne and Mary. William excluded George from active military service, and
neither Anne (who was heiress presumptive) nor George wielded any great
influence until after the deaths of William and Mary, when Anne became
queen. He had an easy-going manner and little interest in politics; his
appointment as Lord High Admiral in 1702 was largely honorary. Anne's
seventeen pregnancies by George resulted in twelve miscarriages or
stillbirths, four infant deaths, and a chronically sick son William, who
died at the age of eleven. Despite the history of their children, George
and Anne's marriage was a strong one. He died aged 55 from a recurring
and chronic lung disease, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George_of_Denmark>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

325:

The First Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council of the
Christian Church, was formally opened in present-day Iznik, Turkey.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea>

685:

The Picts defeated the Northumbrians near Dunnichen, severely
weakening the latter's power in northern Great Britain.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dun_Nechtain>

1875:

Representatives from seventeen countries signed the Metre
Convention which set up an institute for the purpose of coordinating
international metrology and for coordinating the development of the
metric system.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre_Convention>

1927:

By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognized the
sovereignty of King Ibn Saud over Hejaz and Nejd, which later merged to
become Saudi Arabia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Saud>

1983:

A team of researchers led by French virologist Luc Montagnier
published their discovery of HIV, although they did not know yet if it
caused AIDS.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luc_Montagnier>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

much of a muchness:
(idiomatic) Of two or more things, having little difference of any
significance between them.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/much_of_a_muchness>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

       Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart, as the
feeblest insect finds the way to its flower, with a will which nothing
can dismay nor turn aside.        
  --Honoré de Balzac
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Honor%C3%A9_de_Balzac>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 19: Joppenbergh Mountain

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-19T05:00:10

Joppenbergh Mountain is a nearly 500-foot (150 m) mountain in Rosendale
Village, in Ulster County, New York. The mountain is composed of a
carbonate bedrock overlain by glacially deposited material. It was named
after Rosendale's founder, Jacob Rutsen, and mined throughout the late
19th century for dolostone that was used in the manufacture of natural
cement. Extensive mining caused a large cave-in on December 19, 1899,
that destroyed equipment and collapsed shafts within Joppenbergh. During
the late 1930s, Joppenbergh became the site of several ski jumping
competitions, which continued until the early 1940s. Skiing began again
in the 1960s, when a new slope was built on the mountain, and the
revived competitions continued until 1971. In March 2011, the Open
Space Institute offered to purchase Joppenbergh and sell it to the town.
The Rosendale town board initially agreed to the deal the following
month, with payment planned to come from a surplus fund. That June,
however, the board found that the surplus fund had already been
exhausted and could not cover the entire cost of the purchase.
Ultimately, the OSI completed its purchase of Joppenbergh in October
2011, without town money.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joppenbergh_Mountain>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1542:

The Prome Kingdom, in present-day central Burma, was conquered
by the Taungoo Dynasty.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prome_Kingdom>

1743:

French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin published the design of a
mercury thermometer with the centigrade scale where zero represents the
freezing point of water and 100 its boiling point.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celsius>

1776:

American Revolutionary War: A Continental Army garrison west of
Montreal surrendered to British troops in the Battle of The Cedars.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_The_Cedars>

1911:

Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, was
established as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the
Interior.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_Canada>

1997:

The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most
ecologically diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of
grassroots efforts.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Gorda>

2010:

In Bangkok, the Thai military concluded a week-long crackdown
on widespread protests by forcing the surrender of opposition leaders.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Thai_military_crackdown>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

front runner:
(idiomatic) The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/front_runner>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      Upon the progress of knowledge the whole progress of the human
race is immediately dependent: he who retards that, hinders this also.
 
  --Johann Gottlieb Fichte
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Johann_Gottlieb_Fichte>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 18: Juwan Howard

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-18T05:00:12

Juwan Howard (born 1973) is an American professional basketball player
who plays for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He signed for the Heat (his eighth NBA team) in 2010, reaching
the playoffs for the sixth time and making his first career NBA Finals
appearance. Howard won his first NBA championship with Miami the
following year. A one-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA power forward,
he began his NBA career as the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft
by the Washington Bullets. Before he was drafted, he starred as an All-
American on the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team. At Michigan
he was part of the Fab Five recruiting class of 1991 that twice reached
the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's
Division I Basketball Championship. During his rookie year with the
Bullets, he became the first player to graduate on time with his class
after leaving college early to play in the NBA. After one season as an
All-Rookie player and a second as an All-Star and an All-NBA performer,
he became the first NBA player to sign a $100 million contract. He has
developed a reputation as a humanitarian for his civic commitment.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juwan_Howard>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1863:

American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant led his Army of
the Tennessee across the Big Black River in preparation for the Siege of
Vicksburg.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Vicksburg>

1869:

One day after surrendering at the Battle of Hakodate, Enomoto
Takeaki turned over Goryōkaku to Japanese forces, signaling the
collapse of the Republic of Ezo.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ezo>

1927:

Disgruntled school board treasurer Andrew Kehoe set off a
series of explosives in Bath Township, Michigan's elementary school,
which had a final death toll of 45 and is the deadliest mass murder in a
school in United States history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_School_disaster>

1944:

World War II: Polish forces under Lieutenant General
Władysław Anders captured Monte Cassino, Italy, after a four-month
battle.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino>

1955:

Operation Passage to Freedom, the evacuation of 310,000
Vietnamese civilians, soldiers and non-Vietnamese members of the French
Army from communist North Vietnam to South Vietnam following the end of
the First Indochina War, ended.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Passage_to_Freedom>

1980:

The stratovolcano Mount St. Helens erupted (pictured), killing
57 people in southern Washington State, reducing hundreds of square
miles to wasteland, and causing over US$1 billion in damage.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

upend:
1. (transitive) To end up; to set on end.
2. To tip or turn over.
3. To destroy, invalidate, overthrow, or defeat.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/upend>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      A stupid man's report of what a clever man says is never
accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into
something that he can understand.         
  --Bertrand Russell
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 17: Flame Robin

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-17T05:00:10

The Flame Robin is a small passerine bird native to Australia. It is a
moderately common resident of the coolest parts of south-eastern
Australia, including Tasmania. First described by the French naturalists
Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1830, it is often
simply but inaccurately called the Robin Redbreast. Like many brightly
coloured robins of the Petroicidae, it is sexually dimorphic. Measuring
12–14 cm (5–6 in) long, the Flame Robin has dark brown eyes and a
small thin black bill. The male has a brilliant orange-red chest and
throat, and a white patch on the forehead above the bill. Its upper
parts are iron-grey with white bars, and its tail black with white tips.
The female is a nondescript grey-brown. Its song has been described as
the most musical of its genus, and it employs song and plumage displays
to mark out and defend its territory. It mostly breeds in and around the
Great Dividing Range, the Tasmanian highlands and islands in Bass
Strait. With the coming of cooler autumn weather, most birds disperse to
lower and warmer areas. Classified by BirdLife International as Near
Threatened, the species has suffered a marked decline in the past
25 years.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_Robin>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1521:

English nobleman Edward Stafford, whose father had been
beheaded for rebelling against King Richard III, was himself executed
for treason against King Henry VIII.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Stafford,_3rd_Duke_of_Buckingham>

1792:

Twenty-four stock brokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement to
establish the New York Stock Exchange.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Stock_Exchange>

1863:

Rosalía de Castro published Cantares gallegos, a collection of
her poetry, the first book in the Galician language.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosal%C3%ADa_de_Castro>

1954:

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Brown v.
Board of Education, outlawing racial segregation in public schools
because "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education>

1980:

On the eve of the Peruvian general election, the Maoist
guerrilla group Shining Path attacked a polling location in the town of
Chuschi, Ayacucho, starting the internal conflict in Peru.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_conflict_in_Peru>

2009:

Dalia Grybauskaitė was elected the first female President of
Lithuania, receiving 68.18 percent of the vote.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalia_Grybauskait%C4%97>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

morpheme:
(linguistics) The smallest linguistic unit within a word that can carry
a meaning, such as "un-", "break", and "-able" in the word
"unbreakable".
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/morpheme>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

       Music is like a mirror in front of you. You're exposing
everything, but surely that's better than suppressing. ... You have to
dig deep and that can be hard for anybody, no matter what profession. I
feel that I need to actually push myself to the limit to feel happy with
the end result.          
  --Enya
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Enya>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 16: Final Fantasy XI

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-16T05:00:09

Final Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game
(MMORPG), developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy
series. Designed and produced by Hiromichi Tanaka, it was released in
Japan on May 16, 2002 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and for Microsoft
Windows-based personal computers in November of that year. The game was
the first cross-platform MMORPG and the Xbox 360's first MMORPG. The
story is set in the fantasy world of Vana'diel, where player-created
avatars can both compete and cooperate in a variety of objectives to
develop an assortment of jobs, skills, and earn in-game item rewards.
Players can also undertake an array of quests and progress through the
in-game hierarchy and thus through the major plot of the game. Since its
debut in 2002, five expansion packs have also been released along with
six add-on scenarios. In 2006, between 200,000 and 300,000 active
players logged in per day, and the game was the dominant MMORPG in
Japan. Final Fantasy XI has a user base of around 500,000 subscribers,
and the total number of active characters exceeds 2 million. It is the
most profitable title in the Final Fantasy series.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XI>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1811:

Peninsular War: An allied force of British, Spanish, and
Portuguese troops clashed with the French at the Battle of Albuera south
of Badajoz, Spain.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Albuera>

1866:

The United States Congress authorized the minting of the
country's first copper-nickel five-cent piece, the Shield nickel
(pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield_nickel>

1943:

Royal Air Force Dambusters embarked on a raid to deploy
bouncing bombs on German dams in Operation Chastise during the Second
World War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Chastise>

1960:

American physicist Theodore Maiman operated the first working
laser at the Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser>

1966:

Chinese leader Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution
officially as a campaign to rid China of its liberal bourgeois elements
and to continue revolutionary class struggle.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution>

1975:

Based on the results of a referendum held about one month
earlier, Sikkim abolished its monarchy and was annexed by India,
becoming its 22nd state.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikkim>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

hue and cry:
1. (historical) The public pursuit of a felon; accompanied by shouts to
warn others to give chase.
2. (by extension) A loud and persistent public clamour; especially one of
protest or making some demand.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hue_and_cry>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

        Religion is a great force — the only real motive force in the
world; but what you fellows don't understand is that you must get at a
man through his own religion and not through yours. Instead of facing
that fact, you persist in trying to convert all men to your own little
sect, so that you can use it against them afterwards. You are all
missionaries and proselytizers trying to uproot the native religion from
your neighbor's flowerbeds and plant your own in its place. You would
rather let a child perish in ignorance than have it taught by a rival
sectary.        
  --George Bernard Shaw
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Bernard_Shaw>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 15: Banksia aquilonia

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-15T05:00:09

Banksia aquilonia, commonly known as the northern banksia, is a tree in
the family Proteaceae native to north Queensland on Australia's
northeastern coastline. With an average height of 8 m (26 ft), it has
narrow glossy green leaves up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 6 to 10 cm
(2.4 to 3.9 in) high pale yellow flower spikes, known as inflorescences,
appearing in autumn. As the spikes age, their flowers fall off and they
develop up to 50 follicles, each of which contains 2 seeds. Alex
George described the plant in his 1981 monograph of the genus Banksia
as a variety of Banksia integrifolia, but later reclassified it as a
separate species. The species is found in wet sclerophyll forest and
rainforest margins on sandy soils. Banksia aquilonia regenerates after
bushfire by regrowing from epicormic buds under its bark, although
regeneration from root suckers has also been recorded. It adapts readily
to cultivation in humid or temperate climates, but is rarely cultivated.
A fast-growing plant, it can grow in acidic soils from pH 3.5 to 6.5.
Its inflorescences are energy-rich sources of food, and nectar is a food
item of many animals and birds, including the endangered mahogany
glider.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia_aquilonia>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1891:

Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Rerum Novarum, that
addressed the condition of the working classes and is considered to be
the foundation of modern Catholic social teaching.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rerum_Novarum>

1905:

Las Vegas (welcome sign pictured) was established as railroad
town, after 110 acres (0.45 km2) owned by the San Pedro, Los Angeles
and Salt Lake Railroad was auctioned off.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas>

1948:

The Australian cricket team, on tour in England set a first-
class world record that still stands by scoring 721 runs in a day
against Essex.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_cricket_team_in_England_in_1948>

1953:

Don Murphy organized the first pinewood derby, an event for Cub
Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America where wooden cars built by the
scouts are raced.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinewood_derby>

1966:

Disapproving of his handling of the Buddhist Uprising, South
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky ordered an attack on the forces
of General Ton That Dinh and ousted him from the position.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton_That_Dinh>

2010:

Upon her return to Sydney three days before her 17th birthday,
Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail non-stop and
unassisted around the world.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Watson>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

plangent:
Having a loud, mournful sound.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/plangent>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      I think the world is like a great mirror, and reflects our lives
just as we ourselves look upon it. Those who turn sad faces toward the
world find only sadness reflected. But a smile is reflected in the same
way, and cheers and brightens our hearts.        
  --L. Frank Baum
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 14: Gender Bender (The X-Files)

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-14T05:00:09

"Gender Bender" is the fourteenth episode of the television series The
X-Files. The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David
Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to
the paranormal, called X-Files. In this episode, they investigate a
series of murders following sexual encounters, and soon discover that a
member of a religious sect living in Massachusetts may be
responsible—and may not be human. Premiering on the Fox network on
January 21, 1994, it was directed by Rob Bowman and featured guest
appearances by Brent Hinkley and Nicholas Lea. The episode was inspired
by producer Glen Morgan's desire for "an episode with more of a sexy
edge"; however, the writers found it difficult to write a story that
showed sex as scary. This difficulty led to the introduction of an
Amish-like community as well. "Gender Bender" had mixed critical
responses, facing criticism for its abrupt deus ex machina ending.
Academic analysis of the episode has placed it within a science-fiction
tradition that attributes a powerful, supernatural element to physical
contact with aliens. It has also been seen as reflecting anxieties about
emerging gender roles in the 1990s.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_Bender_(The_X-Files)>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1796:

English physician Edward Jenner began testing cowpox as a
vaccine for protection against smallpox.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Jenner>

1804:

The Lewis and Clark Expedition led by explorers Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark left Camp Dubois near present-day Hartford,
Illinois, and began the first American overland expedition to the
Pacific coast and back.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition>

1868:

Boshin War: Troops of the Tokugawa shogunate withdrew from the
Battle of Utsunomiya Castle and retreated north towards Nikkō and Aizu.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Utsunomiya_Castle>

1925:

Mrs Dalloway, one the best-known novels of English modernist
author Virginia Woolf, was first published.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Dalloway>

1943:

Second World War: The Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was
attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland,
killing 268 people aboard.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AHS_Centaur>

1973:

The NASA space station Skylab was launched from Cape Canaveral.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

sumptuous:
Magnificent, splendid, extremely good.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sumptuous>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      The great wheel of Fate rolls on like a Juggernaut, and crushes
us all in turn, some soon, some late.         
  --H. Rider Haggard
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/H._Rider_Haggard>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 13: Michigan State Trunkline Highway System

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-13T05:00:11

The State Trunkline Highway System in Michigan consists of all the state
highways, including those designated as Interstate, United States, or
State Trunkline highways. Maintained by the Michigan Department of
Transportation, the system comprises 9,716 miles (15,636 km) of
trunklines in all 83 counties of the state. Its components range in
scale from 10-lane urban freeways to two-lane rural undivided highways
to a non-motorized highway on Mackinac Island, where cars are forbidden.
The longest highway is nearly 400 miles (640 km) long, while the
shortest is about three-quarters of a mile (about 1.2 km). A
constitutional prohibition on state involvement in roads was removed in
the early 20th century and on May 13, 1913, the State Reward Trunk Line
Highways Act was passed, creating the system. Highway numbers were first
posted on signs in 1919, making Michigan the second state to do so.
Michigan's first freeways were built during the 1940s. Construction on
Michigan's Interstates started in the late 1950s and continued until
1992. Few additional freeways have been built since 1992, and in the
early years of the 21st century, projects are underway to bypass cities
with new highways.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_State_Trunkline_Highway_System>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1888:

Princess Isabel of the Empire of Brazil signed the Lei Áurea
into law, formally abolishing slavery in Brazil.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Brazil>

1909:

The first Giro d'Italia long distance road bicycle racing stage
race began in Italy, with Italian professional road racing cyclist Luigi
Ganna becoming the eventual winner.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giro_d%27Italia>

1917:

Ten-year-old Lúcia Santos and her cousins Francisco and
Jacinta Marto reportedly began experiencing a Marian apparition near
Fátima, Portugal, now known as Our Lady of Fátima.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima>

1958:

Australian Ben Carlin became the only person to circumnavigate
the world in an amphibious vehicle, having travelled over 80,000
kilometres (50,000 mi) by land and sea.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carlin>

1992:

Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Gong in a public lecture in
Changchun, Jilin province, China.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hongzhi>

2005:

Uzbek Interior Ministry and National Security Service troops
fired into a crowd of protesters in Andijan, Uzbekistan, killing
anywhere from 187, the official count of the government, to a reported
5,000 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andijan_massacre>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

mama bear:
(slang) A woman, especially a mother, who is extremely protective of a
child or children.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mama_bear>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

     Things pass, but the essence remains. You sit, therefore, in the
midst of a dream. Essence dreams it a dream of form. Forms pass, but the
essence remains, dreaming new dreams. Man names these dreams and thinks
to have captured the essence, not knowing that he invokes the unreal.
These stones, these walls, these bodies you see seated about you are
poppies and water and the sun. They are the dreams of the Nameless.   in
 
  --Lord of Light
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lord_of_Light>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 12: Rachel Chiesley, Lady Grange

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-12T05:00:08

Lady Grange (1679–1745) was the wife of James Erskine, Lord Grange, a
Scottish lawyer with Jacobite sympathies. After 25 years of marriage
and nine children, the Granges separated acrimoniously. When Lady Grange
produced letters that she claimed were evidence of his treasonable
plottings against the Hanoverian government in London, her husband had
her kidnapped from her home in Edinburgh on the night of 22 January
1732. She was incarcerated in various remote locations on the western
seaboard of Scotland, including the Monach Isles, Skye and the distant
islands of St Kilda. Lady Grange's father was convicted of murder when
she was about 10 years old and she is known to have had a violent
temper; initially her absence seems to have caused little comment. No
action was ever taken on her behalf by any of her children, the eldest
of whom would have been in their early twenties when she was abducted.
News of her plight eventually reached Edinburgh however, and an
unsuccessful rescue attempt was undertaken by her lawyer, Thomas Hope of
Rankeillor. She died in captivity, after being effectively imprisoned
for 13 years. Her life has been remembered in poetry, prose and a play.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Chiesley,_Lady_Grange>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1551:

The National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in
the Americas, was founded in Lima, Peru.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_University_of_San_Marcos>

1846:

Led by George Donner, the American pioneer group known as the
Donner Party, which would become known for resorting to cannibalism when
they became trapped in the Sierra Nevadas, left Independence, Missouri,
for California.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party>

1941:

German engineer Konrad Zuse presented the Z3 (replica
pictured), the world's first working programmable, fully automatic
computer, to an audience of scientists in Berlin.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z3_(computer)>

1955:

The Allied occupation of Austria came to an end, with the
nation regaining its independence ten years after the end of World
War II.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied-occupied_Austria>

1975:

The Cambodian navy seized the American container ship SS
Mayaguez in recognized international waters, but claimed as territorial
waters by Cambodia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayaguez_incident>

2008:

An earthquake measuring about 8.0 Ms struck the Sichuan
province of China, killing at least 69,000 people, injuring at least
374,000, and leaving at least 4.8 million others homeless.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

deskfast:
Breakfast eaten at work, particularly while sitting at a desk.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/deskfast>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance
is the hastiest kind of oblivion.        
  --Philip Wylie
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Philip_Wylie>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 11: Danie Mellor

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-11T05:00:08

Danie Mellor (born 1971) is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist
and the winner of the 2009 National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
Art Award for a mixed media work From Rite to Ritual. Born in Mackay,
Queensland, Mellor studied at North Adelaide School of Art, the
Australian National University and Birmingham Institute of Art and
Design. He then took up a post lecturing at Sydney College of the Arts.
He works in different media including printmaking, drawing, painting,
and sculpture. The dominant theme in Mellor's art is the relationship
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian cultures. Since 2000,
Mellor's works have been included regularly in National Aboriginal &
Torres Strait Islander Art Award exhibitions and in 2003 he was awarded
a "highly commended", for his print Cyathea cooperi. His other major
exhibitions have included the Primavera 2005 show at the Museum of
Contemporary Art, Sydney, and the National Indigenous Art Triennial at
the National Gallery of Australia in 2007. In 2012, his work was
included in the National Museum of Australia's exhibition Menagerie:
contemporary Indigenous sculpture and the second National Indigenous Art
Triennial.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danie_Mellor>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

868:

A copy of the Diamond Sutra was printed in China, making it the
world's oldest dated printed book.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra>

1792:

Merchant sea captain Robert Gray became the first recorded
European to navigate the Columbia River in what is now the Pacific
Northwest United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gray%27s_Columbia_River_expedition>

1813:

William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth departed
westward from Sydney on an expedition to become the first Europeans
confirmed to cross the Blue Mountains.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_(New_South_Wales)>

1858:

Minnesota (flag pictured) was carved out of the eastern half of
the Minnesota Territory and admitted as the 32nd U.S. state.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota>

1946:

The United Malays National Organisation, today Malaysia's
largest political party, was founded, originally to oppose the
constitutional framework of the Malayan Union.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Malays_National_Organisation>

1996:

A severe blizzard on Mount Everest caused the deaths of eight
climbers, helping make that year the deadliest in the mountain's
history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

atheophobia:
Fear or hatred of atheism or atheists.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/atheophobia>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      The worthwhile problems are the ones you can really solve or help
solve, the ones you can really contribute something to. ... No problem
is too small or too trivial if we can really do something about it.
 
  --Richard Feynman
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Richard_Feynman>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 10: Phallus indusiatus

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-10T05:00:10

Phallus indusiatus, commonly called the bamboo fungus, bamboo pith, long
net stinkhorn, crinoline stinkhorn or veiled lady, is a fungus in the
family Phallaceae, or stinkhorns. It has a cosmopolitan distribution in
tropical areas, and is found in southern Asia, Africa, the Americas, and
Australia, where it grows in woodlands and gardens in rich soil and
well-rotted woody material. The fruit body of the fungus is
characterised by a conical to bell-shaped cap on a stalk and a delicate
lacy "skirt", or indusium, that hangs from beneath the cap and reaches
nearly to the ground. It was first described scientifically in 1798 by
French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat. Mature fruit bodies are up to
25 cm (9.8 in) tall with a conical to bell-shaped cap that is
1.5–4 cm (0.6–1.6 in) wide. The edible mushroom, grown
commercially and commonly sold in Asian markets, is rich in protein,
carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. It also contains various bioactive
compounds, and has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Phallus
indusiatus has a recorded history of use in Chinese medicine extending
back to the 7th century AD, and features in Nigerian folklore.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_indusiatus>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1503:

Christopher Columbus and his crew became the first Europeans to
visit the Cayman Islands, naming them Las Tortugas after the numerous
sea turtles there.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayman_Islands>

1857:

The Sepoy Mutiny against the company rule by the British East
India Company began.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857>

1872:

Victoria Woodhull became the first woman to be nominated as a
candidate for President of the United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Woodhull>

1916:

Ernest Shackleton and five companions completed one of
history's greatest small-boat journeys when they arrived at South
Georgia after an 800-nautical-mile (1,500 km) journey in a lifeboat.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_of_the_James_Caird>

1924:

J. Edgar Hoover became the director of the Bureau of
Investigation, which would later become the U.S. Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover>

1981:

François Mitterrand was elected to be the first socialist
President of the French Fifth Republic.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Mitterrand>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

cymotrichous:
(anthropology) Having wavy hair.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cymotrichous>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      It seemed — in 1968 — the possibilities of peace and
brotherhood could be realised that very year. We're still working on it.
 
  --Donovan
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Donovan>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 9: Hurricane Debbie (1961)

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-09T05:00:13

Hurricane Debbie was the most powerful cyclone on record to strike
Ireland in September. The fourth named storm of the 1961 Atlantic
hurricane season, Debbie originated from a well-defined tropical
disturbance that was first identified in late August over Central
Africa. Tracking generally westward, the system moved off the coast of
Senegal on September 5 into the Atlantic Ocean. On September 6, Debbie
passed through the southern Cape Verde Islands as a strong tropical
storm and resulted in a plane crash that killed 60 people. Thereafter
its location was uncertain until September 10 and on the following day,
Debbie attained its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane on the
Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, with maximum winds of 120 mph
(195 km/h). Gradually weakening, it passed over the western Azores as a
minimal hurricane on September 15 and skirted the coast of Western
Ireland on September 16 as a powerful storm. It brought record winds to
much of the country, with a peak gust of 114 mph (183 km/h) measured
just offshore, causing widespread damage and disruption, killing
12 people (and a further 6 people in Northern Ireland) and caused
US$40–50 million in damage.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Debbie_(1961)>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1671:

Irish-born Colonel Thomas Blood was caught trying to steal the
English Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blood>

1873:

Panic of 1873: The Vienna Stock Exchange crashed, following two
years of overexpansion in the German and Austro-Hungarian economies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1873>

1877:

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Mihail Kogălniceanu made a
speech in the Parliament that declared Romania was discarding Ottoman
suzerainty.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihail_Kog%C4%83lniceanu>

1960:

The United States Food and Drug Administration announced it
would approve the use of Searle's Enovid for birth control, making it
the first oral contraceptive pill.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_oral_contraceptive_pill>

1979:

Prominent Iranian Jew Habib Elghanian was executed after having
been convicted by a revolutionary tribunal of various charges,
triggering a mass exodus of Jews from Iran.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habib_Elghanian>

2005:

Pope Benedict XVI began the beatification process for his
predecessor Pope John Paul II, waiving the standard five years required
after the nominee's death.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_of_Pope_John_Paul_II>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

green gown:
(now archaic, historical) A dress that has been stained green from
rolling in the grass; generally with allusion to sexual activity,
especially a woman's loss of virginity.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/green_gown>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      When a new baby laughs for the first time a new fairy is born,
and as there are always new babies there are always new fairies.       
  --J. M. Barrie
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._M._Barrie>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 8: Operation Teardrop

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-08T05:00:10

Operation Teardrop was a United States Navy operation of World War II
conducted during April and May 1945 to sink German U-boats that were
believed to be approaching the U.S. east coast armed with V-1 flying
bombs. It was planned during late 1944 in response to intelligence
reports which indicated that Germany was preparing a force of missile-
armed submarines. The plan was executed in April 1945 after several
Type IX submarines put to sea from Norway bound for the United States.
While severe weather conditions in the North Atlantic Ocean greatly
reduced the effectiveness of the four U.S. Navy escort carriers
involved, long patrol lines of destroyer escorts successfully detected
and engaged most of the submarines. Four were sunk with the loss of
their entire crew. Most of the crew of the other submarine to be sunk
were captured, with the specialists among the prisoners being brutally
interrogated. USS Frederick C. Davis (pictured) was also sunk with the
loss of most of her crew. The surviving U-boats surrendered in early May
as part of the general German surrender. After the war the Allies
determined that the submarines were not carrying missiles.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Teardrop>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1794:

The Reign of Terror: Branded a traitor, French chemist Antoine
Lavoisier (pictured), a former royal tax collector with the Ferme
Générale, was tried, convicted, and guillotined on the same day.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Lavoisier>

1842:

A train derailed and caught fire in Paris, killing between 52
and 200 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versailles_rail_accident>

1945:

A parade to celebrate the end of World War II turned into a
riot, followed by widespread disturbances and killings in and around
Sétif, French Algeria.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9tif_and_Guelma_massacre>

1963:

In Huế, South Vietnam, soldiers of the Army of the Republic
of Vietnam opened fire into a crowd of Buddhist protestors against a
government ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Vesākha, killing
nine and sparking the Buddhist crisis.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu%E1%BA%BF_Ph%E1%BA%ADt_%C4%90%E1%BA%A3n_shootings>

1970:

Construction workers in New York City attacked students and
others protesting the Kent State shootings.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Hat_Riot>

1987:

A British Army Special Air Service unit ambushed a Provisional
Irish Republican Army unit in Loughgall, Northern Ireland, killing eight
IRA members and a civilian.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loughgall_Ambush>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

adversity:
1. (uncountable) The state of adverse conditions; state of misfortune or
calamity.
2. (countable) An event that is adverse; calamity.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adversity>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      If man is not to do more harm than good in his efforts to improve
the social order, he will have to learn that in this, as in all other
fields where essential complexity of an organized kind prevails, he
cannot acquire the full knowledge which would make mastery of the events
possible. He will therefore have to use what knowledge he can achieve,
not to shape the results as the craftsman shapes his handiwork, but
rather to cultivate a growth by providing the appropriate environment,
in the manner in which the gardener does this for his plants.        
  --Friedrich Hayek
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hayek>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 6: A Journey

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-06T05:00:14

A Journey is a 2010 memoir by Tony Blair (pictured) discussing his
tenure as leader of the British Labour Party (1994–2007), and Prime
Minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007). Under Blair's stewardship
the party was rebranded as New Labour and secured a party record of
three successive terms in office. Two of the book's major themes concern
Blair's strained relationship with his Chancellor Gordon Brown, and his
controversial decision to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Blair discusses Labour's future after its defeat at the 2010 general
election, his relations with the Royal Family, and how he came to
respect President George W. Bush. A Journey received mixed reviews; some
criticised Blair's writing style, but others called it candid. Financial
Times editor Lionel Barber described it as "part psychodrama, part
treatise on the frustrations of leadership in a modern democracy". Blair
donated his £4.6 million advance, and all subsequent royalties, to the
British Armed Forces charity The Royal British Legion. It became the
fastest-selling autobiography of all time at the bookstore chain
Waterstones, but promotional events were marked by antiwar protests.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journey>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1782:

Construction began on the Grand Palace of Bangkok, the official
residence of the King of Thailand.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Palace>

1801:

French Revolutionary Wars: The outmanned and outgunned
HMS Speedy captured the 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_6_May_1801>

1882:

U.S. President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion
Act into law, implementing a ban on Chinese immigration to the United
States that eventually lasted for over 60 years until the 1943 Magnuson
Act.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act>

1937:

The German zeppelin Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed
while trying to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey,
killing over 30 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg>

1941:

American entertainer Bob Hope performed the first of his many
shows for the United Service Organizations.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hope>

1984:

Pope John Paul II canonized 103 of the Korean Martyrs, who were
the subjects of religious persecution against Christians in 19th-century
Korea.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Martyrs>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

softly softly:
(UK, idiomatic) In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/softly_softly>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they
outvoted me.        
  --Nathaniel Lee
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Lee>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 5: Elephant

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-05T05:00:12

Elephants are large mammals found in sub-Saharan Africa, and South and
Southeast Asia. Traditionally, two species are recognised, the African
elephant (pictured) and the Asian elephant, although some evidence
suggests that African bush elephants and African forest elephants are
separate species. The largest living terrestrial animals, male African
elephants can reach a height of 4 m (13 ft) and weigh 7,000 kg
(15,000 lb). Distinctive features include the trunk, used for many
purposes, and tusks, which serve as tools and weapons. Females (or
"cows") tend to live in family groups; males (or "bulls") leave their
family groups when they reach puberty, and may live alone or with other
males. Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a
mate. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild, and their
intelligence has been compared to primates and cetaceans. African
elephants are classed as vulnerable, while the Asian elephant is classed
as endangered. Elephants are threatened by poaching for the ivory trade,
habitat destruction and conflicts with local people. They are highly
recognisable and have been featured in art, folklore, religion,
literature and popular culture.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1860:

Led by Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi (pictured), the
volunteer Expedition of the Thousand set sail from Genoa on a campaign
to conquer the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_of_the_Thousand>

1904:

Pitcher Cy Young of the Boston Americans threw the first
perfect game in the modern era of professional baseball.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cy_Young>

1940:

World War II: A squad of 250 Norwegian volunteers in Hegra
Fortress finally surrendered to a vastly superior Nazi force after a
25-day siege.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hegra_Fortress>

1961:

Project Mercury: Aboard the American spacecraft Freedom 7, Alan
Shepard made a sub-orbital flight, becoming the second person to travel
into outer space.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Shepard>

1980:

The British Special Air Service stormed the Iranian Embassy in
London, six days after Iranian Arab separatists had seized it.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Embassy_siege>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

Stakhanovite:
An extremely productive or hard-working worker, especially in the former
USSR, who may earn special rewards; a workaholic.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Stakhanovite>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      Sin is in itself separation from the good, but despair over sin
is separation a second time.           
  --Søren Kierkegaard
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 4: George Harrison

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-04T05:00:12

George Harrison (1943–2001) was an English musician, singer, and
songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the
Beatles. By 1965 Harrison had begun to lead the other Beatles into folk
rock through his interest in the Byrds and Bob Dylan, and towards Indian
classical music through his use of the sitar on "Norwegian Wood (This
Bird Has Flown)". He developed an interest in the Hare Krishna movement
and became an admirer of Indian culture and mysticism, introducing them
to the other Beatles and their Western audience. Following the band's
break-up in 1970, Harrison released several best-selling singles and
albums as a solo performer, and in 1988 co-founded the platinum-selling
supergroup the Traveling Wilburys. A prolific recording artist, he was
featured as a guest guitarist on tracks by Badfinger, Ronnie Wood and
Billy Preston, and collaborated on songs and music with Bob Dylan, Eric
Clapton and Tom Petty, among others. He also organized the 1971 Concert
for Bangladesh with Ravi Shankar, a precursor to later benefit concerts
such as Live Aid. Harrison was also a music and film producer, founding
Dark Horse Records in 1974 and co-founding HandMade Films in 1978.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Harrison>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1436:

Swedish rebel and later national hero Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
was assassinated in the midst of the Engelbrekt rebellion.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbrekt_Engelbrektsson>

1836:

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish Catholic fraternal
organization, was founded in New York City.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Order_of_Hibernians>

1959:

The inaugural Grammy Awards ceremony was held, recognizing
outstanding achievement in the American music industry.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Awards>

1974:

An all-female Japanese team reached the summit of Manaslu in
the Himalayas, becoming the first women to climb an 8,000-meter peak.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaslu>

1982:

Falklands War: HMS Sheffield was struck by an Exocet missile,
killing 20 sailors and leading to its sinking six days later—the first
Royal Navy ship sunk in action since World War II.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sheffield_(D80)>

1990:

The Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR declared the restoration
of independence of Latvia, stating that the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
and the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 were illegal.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Restoration_of_Independence_of_the_Republic_of_Latvia>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

effrontery:
1. (uncountable) Insolent and shameless audacity.
2. (countable) An act of insolent and shameless audacity.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/effrontery>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we
stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of
inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little
more land, to add something to the extent and the solidity of our
possessions.
--T. H. Huxley
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/T._H._Huxley>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 3: Mother India

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-03T05:00:11

Mother India is a 1957 Hindi epic melodrama film, directed by Mehboob
Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, and Raaj Kumar. A
remake of Khan's 1940 film Aurat, it is the story of a poverty-stricken
village woman named Radha (Nargis) who struggles to raise her sons
amidst many troubles. Despite her hardship, she sets a goddess-like
moral example of an ideal Hindu Indian woman. In the end, she kills her
criminal son for the greater good. Mother India metaphorically
represents India as a nation in the aftermath of independence, and
alludes to a strong sense of nationalism and nation-building. While some
authors treat Radha as the symbol of women empowerment, others see her
cast in female stereotypes. The film was the most expensive Hindi cinema
production and earned the highest revenue for any Hindi film at that
time. Mother India became a definitive cultural classic and is regarded
one of the best Indian films. It was India's first submission for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1958, where it made the
shortlist. The film won the Filmfare Best Film Award for 1957, and
Nargis and Khan won the Best Actress and Best Director awards
respectively.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_India>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1491:

Nkuwu Nzinga of the Kingdom of Kongo was baptised as João I
by Portuguese missionaries.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%A3o_I_of_Kongo>

1791:

The Polish Constitution of May 3, the oldest codified national
constitution in Europe, was adopted by the Sejm.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_May_3,_1791>

1913:

Raja Harishchandra (scene pictured), the first full-length
Indian feature film, was released.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Harishchandra>

1915:

Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote "In
Flanders Fields", later considered one of the most notable poems written
during the First World War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields>

1951:

The Royal Festival Hall, the first post-war building to become
listed Grade I, opened as the venue for the Festival of Britain.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Festival_Hall>

1963:

Police in Birmingham, Alabama, used high-pressure water hoses
and dogs on civil rights protesters, bringing intense scrutiny on racial
segregation in the Southern US.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_campaign>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

treeness:
1. The essence of what it means to be a tree; the qualities that make a
tree what it is.
2. (genetics) The suitability of an evolutionary tree for representing the
structure of a population; the degree to which a population structure
can be accurately described as a tree of descent, with different
branches evolving independently after they split.
3. (graph theory) The condition of being a tree; acyclicity and
connectedness.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/treeness>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      It's up to you whether or not you want to do work with no
contract. I think artists do need to do work with no contract, because
what we're motivated by is not money. We're motivated by a need to
express ourselves and to get our ideas out. That's the motivation. It
turns out that when people like it they frequently will support you if
you give them a means, but this is not a contract.         
  --Nina Paley
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nina_Paley>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org

[Daily article] May 2: United States v. The Progressive

English Wikipedia Article of the Day — 2013-05-02T05:00:10

United States v. The Progressive was a 1979 lawsuit against The
Progressive magazine by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). A
temporary injunction was granted against The Progressive to prevent the
publication of an article by activist Howard Morland that purported to
reveal the "secret" of the hydrogen bomb. The case was brought before
Judge Robert W. Warren in the Eastern District of Wisconsin (Federal
courthouse pictured). Though the information had been compiled from
publicly available sources, the DOE claimed that it fell under the "born
secret" clause of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Because of the
sensitive nature of the information, two separate hearings were
conducted, one in public, and the other in camera. The defendants would
not accept security clearances, and so were not present at the in camera
hearings. The article was eventually published after the government
lawyers dropped their case during the appeals process, calling it moot
after other information was independently published. Despite its
indecisive conclusion, law students still study the case, which tested
the limits of the presumption of unconstitutionality attached to prior
restraints.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._The_Progressive>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1611:

Robert Barker, the King's Printer, made the first printing of
the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorized_King_James_Version>

1863:

American Civil War: Confederate general Stonewall Jackson was
wounded by friendly fire during the Battle of Chancellorsville, leading
to his death by pneumonia eight days later.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chancellorsville>

1969:

The British ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 departed on her
maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_2>

1999:

Mireya Moscoso became the first woman to be elected President
of Panama.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mireya_Moscoso>

2003:

Spurred on by the Indian Union Muslim League, a mob of Indian
Muslims killed eight Hindu Arayan fishermen in Kerala.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marad_massacre>

2008:

The current ongoing Chaitén volcano eruption in Chile, the
first in 9,500 years, began.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chait%C3%A9n_(volcano)>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

Penrose stairs:
An impossible loop of endlessly ascending and descending stairs, or an
optical illusion appearing to depict such a loop.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Penrose_stairs>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

      Moral Action is that great and only Experiment, in which all
riddles of the most manifold appearances explain themselves. Whoso
understands it, and in rigid sequence of Thought can lay it open, is
forever master of Nature.        
  --Novalis
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Novalis>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback< at >wikimedia.org