The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program is a program within the U.S. Navy
that studies and trains marine mammals — principally Bottlenose
Dolphins and California Sea Lions — for military activities, such as
ship protection, mine clearance, and equipment recovery. The program
is based in San Diego, California, where animals are kept and trained
continuously. NMMP animal teams have been deployed for use in conflict
situations, such as the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. The program has
been dogged by controversy over its treatment of the animals, and by
speculation on the nature of its mission and training; this has been
due at least in part to the secrecy of the program, which was
de-classified in the early 1990s. The Navy cites external oversight,
including ongoing monitoring, to defend its standard of animal care;
however, there is ongoing opposition to the concept of using marine
mammals for military purposes.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Navy_Marine_Mammal_Program
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1803:
As part of the Louisiana Purchase, New Orleans was transferred from
France to the United States.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Purchase)
1860:
South Carolina seceded from the United States, leading to the American
Civil War.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War)
1917:
Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky founded the Cheka, the first Soviet
secret police.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheka)
1995:
The NATO-led IFOR began peacekeeping in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IFOR)
1999:
Portugal transferred sovereignty of Macau to the People's Republic of
China.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macau)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"For most of human history we have searched for our place in the
cosmos. Who are we? What are we? We find that we inhabit an
insignificant planet of a hum-drum star lost in a galaxy tucked away
in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more
galaxies than people. We make our world significant by the courage of
our questions, and by the depth of our answers." -- Carl Sagan
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan)
Yoweri Museveni has been the President of Uganda since January 29,
1986. Museveni was involved in the war which toppled Idi Amin's rule,
and the rebellion which subsequently led to the demise of Milton
Obote's regime. With the notable exception of the northern parts of
the country, Museveni has brought relative stability and economic
growth to a country which has endured decades of government
mismanagement, rebel activity and civil war. His tenure has also
witnessed one of the most effective national responses to HIV/AIDS in
Africa. In the mid to late 1990s, Museveni was fêted by the West as
part of a new generation of African leaders. His presidency has been
marred, however, by involvement in civil war in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and other Great Lakes region conflicts. Rebellion in
the north continues to perpetuate one of the world's worst
humanitarian emergencies. Moves to scrap constitutional limits on
presidential terms have attracted recent concern from domestic
commentators and the international community.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoweri_Museveni
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1972:
Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Harrison Schmitt aboard Apollo 17
returned to Earth. No human has visited the Moon since.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17)
1974:
An early personal computer, the Altair 8800, went on sale.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair_8800)
1984:
The Peoples Republic of China and the United Kingdom signed the
Sino-British Joint Declaration, agreeing to transfer sovereignty of
Hong Kong to the PRC in 1997.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration)
1998:
The U.S. House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment
against President Bill Clinton over the Lewinsky scandal.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewinsky_scandal)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don't turn against him,
they crush those beneath them." -- Emily Brontë
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emily_Bront%C3%83%C2%AB)
Herbig-Haro objects are small patches of nebulosity associated with
newly-born stars, and are formed when gas ejected by young stars
collides with clouds of gas and dust nearby at speeds of several
hundred kilometres per second. Herbig-Haro objects are ubiquitous in
star-forming regions, and several are often seen around a single star,
aligned along its rotational axis. HH objects are transient phenomena,
lasting only a few thousand years at most. They can evolve visibly
over quite short timescales as they move rapidly away from their
parent star into the gas clouds in interstellar space. Hubble Space
Telescope observations reveal complex evolution of HH objects over a
few years, as parts of them fade while others brighten as they collide
with clumpy material in the interstellar medium. The objects were
first observed in the late 19th century by Sherburne Wesley Burnham,
but were not recognised as being a distinct type of emission nebula
until the 1940s. The first astronomers to study them in detail were
George Herbig and Guillermo Haro, after whom they have been named.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbig-Haro_object
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1865:
Slavery in the United States was abolished when the Thirteenth
Amendment to the Constitution was adopted.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Cons…)
1961:
Indonesia invaded Dutch New Guinea to annex West Papua on New Guinea.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_New_Guinea)
1966:
Epimetheus, one of Saturn's natural satellites, was discovered, but
was mistaken as Janus. It took 12 years to determine that they are two
distinct objects sharing the same orbit.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimetheus_%28moon%29)
1987:
The programming language Perl was released by Larry Wall.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an
idea that will die." -- Steve Biko
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Steve_Biko)
Shoe polish is a consumer product chiefly used to shine, waterproof,
and restore the appearance of leather shoes, thereby extending the
garment's life. It is usually a waxy paste or a cream. Various
substances have been used as shoe polish for many hundreds of years,
starting with natural substances such as wax and tallow. The first
modern shoe polish, Kiwi, was invented in 1906 and is still the most
widely used today. Since World War II, shoe polish usage has increased
significantly. Today, shoe polish is usually made from a mix of
natural and synthetic materials, including naphtha, turpentine, dyes,
and gum arabic, using fairly straightforward chemical engineering
processes. If misused, shoe polish can be toxic.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_polish
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
533:
Forces led by Belisarius defeated Gelimer and the Vandals at the
Battle of Ticameron, completing the "Reconquest of North Africa" under
Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belisarius)
1256:
The Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut in present-day Iran was captured
and destroyed by Hulagu Khan and the Mongols.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin)
1791:
The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution,
collectively known as the United States Bill of Rights, were ratified.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights)
1891:
James Naismith invented basketball.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Naismith)
1914:
World War I: The Battle of Å?ódź between Russia and Germany ended.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_%C5%3F%C3%B3d%C5%BA_%281914%29)
1994:
Netscape Navigator 1.0 was first released.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Navigator)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"Trouble arises when either science or religion claims universal
jurisdiction, when either religious dogma or scientific dogma claims
to be infallible. Religious creationists and scientific materialists
are equally dogmatic and insensitive. By their arrogance they bring
both science and religion into disrepute." -- Freeman Dyson
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Freeman_Dyson)
KaDee Strickland is an American actress. After displaying interest in
acting at a young age, Strickland commenced her studies, while working
in minor roles in motion pictures by filmmakers such as M. Night
Shyamalan and James Mangold. She gradually gained prominence and
critical acclaim from 2003 onwards after significant parts in several
successful mainstream films, among them The Grudge (2004) and Fever
Pitch (2005). Media sources in 2004 such as Todd Gilchrist, Mike
Altamura, Matt Soergel and Clint Morris acknowledged Strickland as one
of Hollywood's rising stars, while Ray Colbert considered her a "major
player in the industry". Strickland is a self-described "method
actor", and has cited Jessica Lange, Holly Hunter, Diane Keaton and
Jane Fonda as her influences.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaDee_Strickland
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1896:
Glasgow Subway, the third oldest metro system in the world, began
operations in Glasgow, Scotland.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Subway)
1911:
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen (pictured) and his team became the
first people to reach the South Pole.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen)
1918:
King Väinö I of Finland renounced the throne after the defeat of
Imperial Germany in World War I.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4in%C3%B6_I_of_Finland)
1989:
Chile held its first free election in 16 years and elected Patricio
Aylwin as the new President of the Republic.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricio_Aylwin)
1995:
The Dayton Agreement was signed in Paris, France to end the Yugoslav
wars.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_wars)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"My creed is that public service must be more than doing a job
efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the
people and to the nation with full recognition that every human being
is entitled to courtesy and consideration, that constructive criticism
is not only to be expected but sought, that smears are not only to be
expected but fought, that honor is to be earned but not bought." --
Margaret Chase Smith
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Margaret_Chase_Smith)
Isaac Newton was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer,
inventor, philosopher and alchemist. A man of profound genius, he is
widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history.
He is associated with the scientific revolution and the advancement of
heliocentrism. Among his scientific accomplishments, Newton wrote the
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, wherein he described
universal gravitation and, via his laws of motion, laid the groundwork
for classical mechanics. With Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz he shares
credit for the development of differential calculus. Newton was the
first to promulgate a set of natural laws that could govern both
terrestrial motion and celestial motion, and is credited with
providing mathematical substantiation for Kepler's laws of planetary
motion, which he expanded by arguing that orbits (such as those of
comets) could include all conic sections (such as the ellipse,
hyperbola, and parabola).
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1545:
Counter-Reformation: The Council of Trent, an ecumenical council
convoked by Pope Paul III in response to the growth of Protestantism,
opened in Trento, Italy.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Trent)
1862:
American Civil War: Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside were
decisively defeated in the Battle of Fredericksburg.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fredericksburg)
1937:
Nanking Massacre: Japanese forces under General Iwane Matsui captured
Nanjing, China and began weeks of looting, burning, raping and
killing.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre)
1981:
Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial law in Poland,
suspended Solidarity and imprisoned many union leaders.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojciech_Jaruzelski)
2003:
Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (pictured) was found hiding in a
spider hole during Operation Red Dawn and captured.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Red_Dawn)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
The maple tree that nightWithout a wind or rainLet go its
leavesBecause its time had come. -- Eugene McCarthy --
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eugene_McCarthy)
Yuan is a common Chinese surname, ranked 33rd in China by population.
It originated from a noble family of the ancient state of Chen, in
what is now eastern Henan province. From the Han Dynasty onwards, the
name has been associated with two aristocratic clans, that of Ru'nan
and Chen. Historically, the name has been fast growing among Han
Chinese, and has also been taken up by a number of non-Chinese ethnic
groups. The surname is now held by more than 6.5 million people
worldwide. Although growth has tapered off in the past six centuries,
the Yuan name is still relatively widespread throughout China, as well
as among overseas Chinese, with heaviest per capita concentrations in
the Yangtze Delta region of central coastal China. Because that area
has historically exhibited high clan consciousness, there exist a
large number of Yuan genealogies, most of which are now held in public
institutions. Renewed interest in ancestry among Yuan clansmen has
largely been encouraged by the PRC government.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_%28surname%29
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1531:
The Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
saw the Blessed Virgin Mary outside of modern-day Mexico City.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe)
1897:
Belo Horizonte, the first planned city of Brazil, was inaugurated.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belo_Horizonte)
1901:
Guglielmo Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic radio signal, from
Poldhu Wireless Station in Cornwall, England to Cabot Tower in St.
John's, Newfoundland.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guglielmo_Marconi)
1915:
President Yuan Shikai (pictured) of the Republic of China reinstated
monarchy and declared himself Emperor.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Shikai)
1964:
Jomo Kenyatta became the first President of the Republic of Kenya.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jomo_Kenyatta)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"I had some great things and I had some bad things. The best and the
worst... In other words, I had a life." -- Richard Pryor
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Richard_Pryor)
Hugo Chávez is the current President of Venezuela, known for his
democratic socialist governance, his anti-imperialism, and his radical
criticism of neoliberal globalization and United States foreign
policy. A career military officer, Chávez gained popularity following
a failed 1992 coup d'état and was elected President in 1998 on
promises of aiding Venezuela's poor majority. As President, Chávez
has inaugurated massive Bolivarian Missions to combat disease,
illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty and other social ills. Abroad,
Chávez has acted against the Washington Consensus by advocating
alternative models of economic development and fostering cooperation
amongst the world's poor nations, especially those of Latin America.
However, Venezuela's middle and upper classes have severely criticized
Chávez, accusing him of repression and electoral fraud, and he has
survived both a 2002 coup and a 2004 recall referendum. Chávez
remains one of the most complex, controversial and high-profile
figures in modern politics.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1508:
The Papal States, France, Aragon and the Holy Roman Empire formed the
League of Cambrai, an alliance against the Republic of Venice.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_League_of_Cambrai)
1868:
The first traffic lights were installed outside the Houses of
Parliament in London.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/traffic_light)
1898:
The signing of the Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American War.
Spain recognised the independence of Cuba and sold Guam, the
Philippines and Puerto Rico to the United States for US$20 million.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_%281898%29)
1901:
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded, on the anniversary of the 1896
death of their founder, Swedish chemist and industrialist Alfred
Nobel.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize)
1936:
Edward VIII signed his instrument of abdication, becoming the only
British monarch to voluntarily relinquish the throne.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_Crisis_of_Edward_VIII)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant — Success in Circuit lies Too
bright for our infirm Delight The Truth's superb surprise As Lightning
to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle
gradually Or every man be blind — -- Emily Dickinson --
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emily_Dickinson)