The Gray Wolf is a mammal of the Canidae family and the ancestor of
the domestic dog. Wolves once had an nearly worldwide distribution,
but are now limited primarily to North America, Eurasia, and the
Middle East. The habitat of wolves include forests, tundra, taigas,
plains, and mountains. In the Northern Hemisphere, human habitat
destruction and hunting of the animals themselves have drastically
reduced their range. The wolf is today frequently involved in
conflicts between many different interests: tourism versus industry,
city versus country, as well as conservationism versus urban
development. Since the wolf is an apex predator, the state of the wolf
can frequently be seen as a state of the land where it lives. Wolves
are still endangered after being hunted down in the 17th century.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Wolf
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1517:
According to traditional accounts, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses
onto the door of a
church in Wittenberg, Germany, marking the beginning of the Protestant
Reformation.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/95_Theses)
1863:
The Maori Wars resumed as British forces in New Zealand led by General
Duncan Cameron began their Invasion of the Waikato along the Waikato
River.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Waikato)
1922:
Benito Mussolini became the youngest Premier in the history of Italy
at age 39.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini)
1941:
Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers completed the colossal busts of U.S.
Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt,
and Abraham Lincoln at Mount Rushmore.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore)
1984:
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India was assassinated by two of her
own bodyguards. Riots soon broke out in New Delhi.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhi)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
I can see lights in the distance trembling in the dark cloak of
nightCandles and lanterns are dancing, dancing a waltz on All Souls
Night. -- Loreena McKennitt --
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Loreena_McKennitt)
In the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the
presiding officer of the Lower House of Parliament, the House of
Commons, and is seen historically as the "First Commoner of the Land".
The current Speaker is The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP, who
took office in 2000 and was re-elected on 11 May 2005 following the
2005 general election. The office of Speaker dates to the fourteenth
century. The Speaker presides over the House's debates, determining
which members may speak. The Speaker is also responsible for
maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the
rules of the House. Conventionally, the Speaker remains non-partisan,
and renounces all affiliation with his or her former political party
when taking office. The Speaker does not take part in debate nor vote
(except to break ties). Aside from duties relating to presiding over
the House, the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural
functions, and remains a constituency MP. The Lord Chancellor presides
in the Upper House of Parliament, the House of Lords, but this
function will be devolved to a separate person under the
Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the Speaker of the House of Lords.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_British_House_of_Commons
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1470:
Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, restored Henry VI to the British
throne during the Wars of the Roses.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Neville%2C_16th_Earl_of_Warwick)
1831:
African American slave Nat Turner was captured after leading a
brutally suppressed slave rebellion.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Turner)
1905:
Russian Revolution: Tsar Nicholas II reluctantly signed the "October
Manifesto", establishing the State Duma as the elected legislature in
Imperial Russia.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Revolution_of_1905)
1938:
The radio drama The War of the Worlds frightened many listeners in the
United States into believing that an actual Martian invasion was in
progress.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio%29)
1961:
The Soviet hydrogen bomb Tsar Bomba was detonated over Novaya Zemlya
Island in the Arctic Sea as a test; it was the largest nuclear weapon
ever detonated.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsar_Bomba)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government
ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public
liberty." -- John Adams
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Adams)
The Names of the Greeks have shifted throughout history. The soldiers
that fell at Thermopylae did so as Hellenes, while centuries later
when Jesus preached his beliefs any person of non-Jewish faith was a
Hellene. Instead, by the time Constantine the Great became Emperor
they were known as Romans, and all the while their neighbours in the
West would call them Greeks, while those in the East would call them
Yunans. The onset of every historical era was accompanied by a new
name, either completely new or old and forgotten, extracted from
tradition or borrowed from foreigners. Every single one of them was
significant in its own time and all can be used interchangeably, which
is perhaps why the Greeks are such a polyonymous people.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Greeks
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1795:
The United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Friendship, Limits,
and Navigation, which established the boundaries between Spanish
colonies and the U.S.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinckney%27s_Treaty)
1904:
The first section of the New York City Subway opened, running between
City Hall and the Bronx.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway)
1958:
General Ayub Khan deposed Iskander Mirza in a bloodless coup d'état
to become the second President of Pakistan, less than 3 weeks after
Mirza had appointed him the enforcer of martial law.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayub_Khan)
1961:
NASA launched the first Saturn I rocket.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_I)
1998:
Gerhard Schröder became the Chancellor of Germany.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Schr%C3%B6der)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the
strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done
better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;
whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the
great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy
cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high
achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while
daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and
timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt)
The history of Alaska dates back to the Paleolithic Era when it was
inhabited by people who crossed the Bering Land Bridge in western
Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the
area was populated by the Eskimos and a variety of Native American
groups. Vitus Bering, a Danish navigator in the service of the Russian
Navy aboard the St. Peter, is often is credited with the discovery of
Alaska. William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State engineered the
Alaskan purchase on April 9, 1867 for US$7.2 million (approximately
US$90 million in 2005 dollars). The nearby Yukon Territory in Canada
and Alaska itself were the site of a gold rush in the 19th century,
and they remained a significant source of mining even after gold
reserves diminished. On July 7, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law which paved the way for
Alaska's admission into the Union as the 49th State on January 3,
1959.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Alaska
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1863:
The Football Association, the oldest governing body in football, was
formed in London in England.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Football_Association)
1881:
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place in Tombstone, Arizona,
United States.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunfight_at_the_O.K._Corral)
1955:
Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem declared himself President of South
Vietnam, replacing Nguyen Emperor Bao Dai as the head of state.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngo_Dinh_Diem)
1979:
President Park Chunghee of South Korea was assassinated by the
director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and a long-time
friend, Kim Jaekyu.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Chunghee)
2001:
U.S. President George W. Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"I know that it will hurt, I know that it will break your heart, the
way things are, and the way they've been. Don't spread the discontent,
don't spread the lies, don't make the same mistakes with your own
life." -- Natalie Merchant
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Natalie_Merchant)
The French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in
schools is an amendment to the French Code of Education banning
students from wearing conspicuous religious symbols in French public
primary and secondary schools. The law expands principles founded in
existing French law, especially the constitutional requirement of
laïcité: the separation of state and religious activities. The bill
passed France's national legislature and was signed into law by
President Jacques Chirac on March 15, 2004 and came into effect on
September 2, 2004, at the beginning of the new school year. The law
does not mention any particular symbol, though it is considered by
many to specifically target the wearing of headscarves (hijab) by
Muslim schoolgirls. The law was controversial: while its proponents
contended that it protected young Muslim women from peer pressure to
wear the veil, critics claimed that it infringed on religious freedom.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_law_on_secularity_and_conspicuous_relig…
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1415:
Hundred Years' War: Henry V of England and his lightly armored
infantry and archers defeated the heavily armored French cavalry in
the Battle of Agincourt.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Agincourt)
1854:
Charge of the Light Brigade: Lord Cardigan led his cavalry to
disaster in the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade)
1944:
The Battle of Leyte Gulf sealed the defeat of the Imperial Japanese
Navy in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf)
1971:
People's Republic of China replaced the Republic of China as China's
representative at the United Nations.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_and_the_United_Nations)
1983:
Operation Urgent Fury: The United States and Caribbean allies
invaded Grenada, six days after Bernard Coard seized power in a
violent coup d'état.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"Few men during their lifetime come anywhere near exhausting the
resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that
are never used." -- Richard E. Byrd
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Richard_E._Byrd)
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder denoting an often chronic,
major mental illness primarily affecting thinking, with attendant
difficulties in perception of reality, which in turn can affect
behavior and emotion. The primary sign of schizophrenia is considered
to be fragmentation of basic thought structure and cognition, and the
inability to distinguish between internal and external experience.
People with schizophrenia may report hallucinations or be observed
responding to them and may express clearly delusional beliefs. Social
or occupational dysfunction, a number of secondary signs, and the lack
of an identifiable organic cause may be used to confirm the diagnosis.
Mainstream research has suggested that both biological and
sociocultural influences are important contributing factors, with
current research often focusing on the influences of biochemical and
genetic factors on the neurobiology of the brain. The status of
schizophrenia is considered controversial by some, who claim a lack of
objectivity in the stated diagnostic criteria. There is no objective
biological test for schizophrenia, and diagnosis is based on the basis
of the self-reported experiences of the patient combined with the
observations of the psychiatrist or other responsible clinician.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1260:
The Cathedral of Chartres was dedicated in the presence of King
Louis IX of France.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Chartres)
1648:
The Peace of Westphalia was signed, ending the Thirty Years' War and
"officially" recognizing the United Provinces and Swiss Confederation.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Westphalia)
1929:
The Great Depression: The New York Stock Exchange crashed on "Black
Thursday", setting off a chain of bankruptcies and triggering a
worldwide economic depression.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_1929)
1930:
History of Brazil: A bloodless coup d'état ousted President
Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa and President-elect Júlio Prestes.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Brazil_%281930-1945%29)
1945:
The UN Charter, the constitution of the United Nations, entered into
force.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Charter)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those who
feel." -- Horace Walpole
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Horace_Walpole)
"England expects that every man will do his duty" was a signal sent by
Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from his ship HMS Victory
as the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) was about to commence. Trafalgar was
the decisive naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. It gave the
United Kingdom control of the seas, removing all possibility of a
French invasion and conquest of Britain. The phrase has become
extremely well-known in Britain as a result of Lord Nelson's fame and
the importance of the Battle of Trafalgar in British history. The
phrase is known so widely in Britain that it has entered the British
popular consciousness. Today "England expects…", as an abbreviated
version of the phrase, is often adapted for use in the media,
especially in relation to the expectations for the victory of English
sporting teams.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_expects_that_every_man_will_do_his_duty
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1805:
Napoleonic Wars: Lord Nelson led the British fleet to victory in the
Battle of Trafalgar, defeating Pierre-Charles Villeneuve and his
combined French and Spanish navy.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar)
1824:
English stonemason, bricklayer and inventor Joseph Aspdin patented
Portland cement.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Aspdin)
1854:
Florence Nightingale and a staff of 38 nurses were sent to the
Crimean War.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale)
1944:
World War II: HMAS Australia was hit in the first kamikaze attack; 30
crewmen were killed, including the commanding officer.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze)
1945:
Argentine military officer and politician Juan Domingo Peron married
popular actress Eva Duarte, better known as Evita.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%C3%B3n)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent
perspiration." -- Thomas Alva Edison"
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Alva_Edison)
Mercantilism is the economic theory holding that the prosperity of a
nation depends upon its supply of capital and that the global volume
of trade is unchangeable. The amount of capital, represented by
bullion (amount of precious metal held by the state), is best
increased through a favorable balance of trade with large exports and
low imports. Mercantilism suggests that the government should advance
these goals by playing an active, protectionist role in the economy by
encouraging exports and discouraging imports, especially through the
use of tariffs. Mercantilism was the dominant school of economics
throughout the early modern period (from the 16th to the 18th
century). Domestically, this led to some of the first instances of
significant government intervention and control over the economy, and
it was during this period that much of the modern capitalist system
was established. Internationally, mercantilism encouraged the many
European wars of the period and fueled European imperialism. Belief in
mercantilism began to fade in the late 18th century, as the arguments
of Adam Smith and the other classical economists won out.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercantilism
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1740:
Maria Theresa assumed the throne of Austria, following the Pragmatic
Sanction of 1713.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Theresa_of_Austria)
1827:
An allied British, French, and Russian naval force destroyed a
combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet at the Battle of Navarino, a
decisive moment in the Greek War of Independence.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Navarino)
1968:
Former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping
business magnate Aristotle Onassis.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy_Onassis)
1973:
Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, was formally opened by
Queen Elizabeth II.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House)
1991:
The Oakland Hills firestorm killed 25 people and destroyed 3,469
homes in Oakland, California, United States.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Hills_firestorm)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"I think for it to be unhip to be idealistic is weird, you know? I
mean, even all the best rebels to me had some sense of hope in them."
-- Tom Petty
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tom_Petty)
The History of Poland from 1945 to 1989 was shaped by the influence of
Soviet Communism and opposition to it from the Roman Catholic Church,
trade unions and other groups. In the aftermath of the Second World
War, forces of Nazi Germany were driven from Poland by the advancing
Red Army of the Soviet Union. A liberalizing "thaw" in Eastern Europe
followed the death of Stalin in early 1953, sparking the desire for
further reform. However, de-Stalinization left Poland's Communist
Party in a difficult position. In the 1970s, Edward Gierek's economic
program brought a rise in living standards and expectations, but it
faltered unexpectedly because of worldwide recession and increased oil
prices following the 1973 world oil crisis. A vicious economic cycle
ensued, and slowed only with the election of John Paul II, a Pole, as
Pope in 1978. In 1980, electrician Lech Walesa and his independent
"Solidarity" trade union led a wave of strikes at the Gdansk
Shipyards. In 1990 Wojciech Jaruzelski resigned as Poland's leader and
was succeeded by Walesa. By the end of August, a Solidarity-led
coalition government was formed, and in December Walesa was elected
president; the Communist People's Republic of Poland became the
Republic of Poland.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_%281945-1989%29
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1469:
: Ferdinand II of Aragon wedded Isabella of Castile, a marriage that
paved the way to the unification of Aragon and Castile into a single
country, Spain.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_of_Aragon)
1781:
: After losing the Battle of Yorktown, British forces led by Lord
Charles Cornwallis officially surrendered, ending the American
Revolutionary War.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War)
1943:
: Streptomycin, the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis, was
first isolated by researchers at Rutgers University.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptomycin)
1987:
: The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 22% on Black Monday, the
largest one-day decline in history.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Monday_%281987%29)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"Traditionalists are pessimists about the future and optimists about
the past." -- Lewis Mumford
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lewis_Mumford)
The Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention of 1968 elected
Pierre Elliott Trudeau as the new leader of the Liberal Party. Trudeau
was the unexpected winner in what was one of the most important
leadership conventions in the history of the Liberal Party of Canada.
The Globe and Mail newspaper report the next day called it "the most
chaotic, confusing, and emotionally draining convention in Canadian
political history." The convention was held following the retirement
of Lester B. Pearson, who was a much respected party leader and prime
minister of Canada, but had failed to win a majority government in two
attempts. Eight high profile cabinet ministers entered the race, but
by the time the convention began on April 3 the charismatic Trudeau
had emerged as the front runner. He was strongly opposed by the
party's right wing, but this faction was divided between former
Minister of Trade and Commerce Robert Winters and Minister of
Transport Paul Hellyer, and failed to mount a united opposition.
Trudeau won the leadership on the fourth ballot of the convention.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Canada_leadership_convention%…
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1066:
Battle of Hastings: The Norman invasion forces of William the
Conqueror defeated the English army and killed Harold Godwinson, the
last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings)
1926:
The children's book featuring A. A. Milne's fictional bear
Winnie-the-Pooh was first published.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh)
1947:
Flying a Bell X-1, test pilot Chuck Yeager became the first man to
break the sound barrier.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager)
1953:
Qibya massacre: Israeli military commander Ariel Sharon and his Unit
101 special forces were ordered to "inflict heavy damage on the
inhabitants" of a village on the West Bank.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qibya_massacre)
1981:
Hosni Mubarak was elected President of Egypt, one week after Anwar
Sadat was assassinated.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosni_Mubarak)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"love is the every only god" -- e. e. cummings
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/E._E._Cummings)