Ayumi Hamasaki (born 1978) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and former
actress. Also called Ayu by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the
"Empress of Pop" due to her popularity and widespread influence in
Japan. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to
pursue a career in entertainment. In 1998, under the tutelage of Avex
CEO Max Matsuura, she released a string of modestly selling singles
that concluded with her 1999 debut album A Song for ××. The album
debuted atop the Oricon charts and stayed there for four weeks,
establishing her popularity in Japan. Because of her constantly
changing image and tight control over her artistry, Hamasaki's
popularity extends across Asia; music and fashion trends she has
started have spread to countries such as China, Singapore, and Taiwan.
She has appeared in or lent her songs to many advertisements and
television commercials. Though she originally supported the
exploitation of her popularity for commercial purposes, she later
reconsidered and eventually opposed her status as an Avex "product".
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayumi_Hamasaki>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
331 BC:
Alexander the Great of Macedon defeated Darius III of Persia at the
Battle of Gaugamela, and was subsequently crowned "King of Asia" in a
ceremony in Arbela.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaugamela>
1890:
At the urging of preservationist John Muir and writer Robert Underwood
Johnson, the United States Congress established Yosemite National Park
in California.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_National_Park>
1891:
Stanford University, founded by railroad magnate and California
Governor Leland Stanford and his wife Jane Stanford on their former
farm lands in Palo Alto, California, officially opened with 559
students and free tuition.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University>
1949:
Chinese Civil War: Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong
proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China>
1965:
A coup d'état in Indonesia by the self-proclaimed Thirtieth of
September Movement was crushed by forces of General Suharto and sparked
an anti-Communist purge.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_September_Movement>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
agape (adj):
1. (of a mouth) Gaping, as with wonder, expectation, or eager
attention.
2. Open wide
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/agape>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The final end of government is not to exert restraint but to do good.
--Rufus Choate
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Rufus_Choate>
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