SMS Von der Tann was the first battlecruiser built for the German
Kaiserliche Marine, as well as Germany's first major turbine-powered
warship. At the time of her construction, Von der Tann was the fastest
dreadnought-type warship afloat, capable of reaching speeds of more
than 27 knots. Built by Blohm and Voss in Hamburg, Von der Tann was one
of the workhorses of the High Seas Fleet I Scouting Group. Von der Tann
was designed in response to the British Invincible-class battlecruiser.
While the German design had slightly lighter guns—28 cm (11 in), as
opposed to the 30.5 cm (12 in) mounted on the British ships—Von der
Tann was faster and significantly better-armoured. She set the
precedent that German battlecruisers carried much heavier armour than
their British equivalents, albeit at the cost of smaller guns. The ship
participated in a number of fleet actions during the First World War,
including the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916, where she destroyed the
British battlecruiser HMS Indefatigable within the first few minutes of
the engagement. Von der Tann was hit several times by large-calibre
shells during the battle, but the damage was quickly repaired and the
ship returned to the fleet in two months. Following the end of the war
in 1918, Von der Tann, along with most of the High Seas Fleet, was
interned at Scapa Flow pending a decision by the Allies as to the fate
of the fleet. The ship met her end when the fleet was scuttled in 1919
to prevent them falling into British hands. The wreck of Von der Tann
was raised in 1930, and scrapped at Rosyth from 1931 to 1934.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Von_der_Tann>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1279 BC:
According to estimations believed by most Egyptologists today, Ramesses
II became Pharaoh of Egypt.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramesses_II>
1223:
Mongol invasions: Mongol forces defeated a combined army of Kiev,
Galich, and the Cumans on the banks of the Kalchik River in present-day
Ukraine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Kalka_River>
1669:
Citing poor eyesight, English naval administrator and Member of
Parliament Samuel Pepys recorded his last entry in his diary, one of
the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Pepys>
1889:
The South Fork Dam near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, failed,
unleashing a torrent of 18.1 million cubic meters (4.8 billion gallons)
of water that killed over 2,200 people.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood>
1977:
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed, a major U.S. oil
pipeline connecting oil fields in northern Alaska to a sea port where
the oil can be shipped to the Lower 48 states for refining.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Alaska_Pipeline_System>
1997:
The Confederation Bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of
Northumberland Strait officially opened, forming a 12.9-kilometre
(8 mi) 'fixed link' between Prince Edward Island and the Canadian
mainland.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederation_Bridge>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
implicit (adj):
1. Implied indirectly, without being directly expressed.
2. Contained in the essential nature of something but not openly
shown.
3. Having no reservations or doubts; unquestioning or unconditional
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/implicit>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Be composed — be at ease with me — I am Walt Whitman, liberal and lusty
as Nature,
Not till the sun excludes you do I exclude you,
Not till the waters
refuse to glisten for you and the leaves to rustle for you, do my words
refuse to glisten and rustle for you.
--Walt Whitman
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman>
The Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine was the world's first
stored-program computer. It was built at the Victoria University of
Manchester by Frederic C. Williams, Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill, and
ran its first program on 21 June 1948. The machine was not intended to
be a practical computer but was instead designed as a testbed for the
Williams tube, an early form of computer memory. It was considered
"small and primitive" compared to its contemporaries, although it did
contain all of the elements essential to a modern electronic computer.
As soon as the SSEM had demonstrated the feasibility of its design a
project was initiated at the university to develop it into a more
usable computer, the Manchester Mark 1. The Mark 1 in turn quickly
became the prototype for the Ferranti Mark 1, the world's first
commercially available general-purpose computer. The SSEM had a 32-bit
word length and a memory of 32 words. It was designed to be the
simplest possible stored-program computer; the only arithmetic
operation it could perform was subtraction. The first of the three
programs written for the machine found the highest factor of 218
(262,144), a calculation it was known would take a long time to run—and
so prove the computer's reliability. The program consisted of
17 instructions and ran for 52 minutes before reaching the correct
answer of 131,072, after the SSEM had performed 3.5 million operations.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Small-Scale_Experimental_Machine>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1431:
Hundred Years' War: Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen,
France after being convicted of heresy in a politically motivated
trial.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc>
1536:
Jane Seymour, a former lady-in-waiting, became Queen of England by
marrying King Henry VIII.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Seymour>
1913:
The Treaty of London was signed to deal with territorial adjustments
arising out of the conclusion of the First Balkan War, declaring, among
other things, an independent Albania.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_London_%281913%29>
1967:
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu announced the establishment of Biafra, a
secessionist state in southeastern Nigeria, an event that sparked the
Nigerian Civil War one week later.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biafra>
1989:
Goddess of Democracy, a ten meter (33 ft) high statue made mostly of
polystyrene foam and papier-mâché, was erected by student protestors in
Tiananmen Square, Beijing.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddess_of_Democracy>
1998:
A 6.9 Mw earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, killing at least 4,000
people, destroying more than 30 villages, and leaving 45,000 people
homeless in the Afghan Provinces of Takhar and Badakhshan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_30%2C_1998_Afghanistan_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
tittle (n):
1. A small amount; an iota.
2. The dot (or diacritic replacing it) on the Latin letters i and j
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tittle>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
By striving to do the impossible, man has always achieved what is
possible.
--Mikhail Bakunin
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mikhail_Bakunin>
Paulinus of York was a Roman missionary and the first Bishop of York. A
member of the Gregorian mission sent by Pope Gregory I to convert the
Anglo-Saxons to Christianity in 601, Paulinus arrived in England by 604
with the second missionary group. Little is known of Paulinus'
activities in the following two decades. After some years spent in
Kent, Paulinus was consecrated a bishop, probably in 627. He
accompanied Æthelburg of Kent, sister of King Eadbald of Kent, on her
journey to Northumbria to marry King Edwin of Northumbria, and
eventually succeeded in converting Edwin to Christianity. Paulinus also
converted many of Edwin's subjects and built a few churches. One of the
women Paulinus baptised was a future saint, Hilda of Whitby. Following
Edwin's death in 633 Paulinus and Æthelburg fled Northumbria, leaving
behind a member of Paulinus' clergy, James the Deacon. Paulinus
returned to Kent, where he became Bishop of Rochester. After his death
in 644, Paulinus was venerated as a saint.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulinus_of_York>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1167:
A 1,600-man force of the Holy Roman Empire led by Christian of Buch and
Rainald of Dassel defeated a 10,000-man Papal States army.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Porzio>
1453:
Constantinople fell to the besieging Ottoman army led by Sultan Mehmed
II, ending the Byzantine Empire.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople>
1867:
By the Austro-Hungarian Compromise, signed by Franz Joseph I of Austria
and a Hungarian delegation led by Ferenc Deák, the Dual Monarchy of
Austria–Hungary was established.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Compromise_of_1867>
1913:
The Rite of Spring, a ballet with music by Russian composer Igor
Stravinsky , was first performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in
Paris.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rite_of_Spring>
1953:
New Zealand explorer Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer
Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the summit of Mount
Everest.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary>
1999:
Olusegun Obasanjo took office as President of Nigeria, the first
elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of
military rule.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olusegun_Obasanjo>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
labefaction (n):
The act of shaking or weakening or the resulting state; overthrow,
ruination
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/labefaction>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent
revolution inevitable.
--John F. Kennedy
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy>
La Peau de chagrin is an 1831 novel by French novelist and playwright
Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). Set in early 19th-century Paris, it tells
the story of a young man who finds a magic piece of shagreen that
fulfills his every desire. For each wish granted, however, the skin
shrinks and consumes a portion of his physical energy. La Peau de
chagrin belongs to the Études philosophiques group of Balzac's sequence
of novels, La Comédie humaine. Although the novel uses fantastic
elements, its main focus is a realistic portrayal of the excesses of
bourgeois materialism. The book's central theme is the conflict between
desire and longevity. The magic skin represents the owner's life force,
which is depleted through every expression of will, especially when it
is employed for the acquisition of power. Ignoring a caution from the
shopkeeper who offers the skin to him, the protagonist greedily
surrounds himself with wealth, only to find himself miserable and
decrepit at the story's end. La Peau de chagrin firmly established
Balzac as a writer of significance in France and abroad. His social
circle widened significantly, and he was sought eagerly by publishers
for future projects. It inspired Giselher Klebe's opera Die tödlichen
Wünsche and may have influenced Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of
Dorian Gray.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Peau_de_chagrin>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1588:
Anglo-Spanish War: The Spanish Armada , with 130 ships and over 30,000
men, set sail from Lisbon for the English Channel to engage English
naval forces.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada>
1644:
English Civil War: Royalist troops allegedly slaughtered up to 1,600
people during their storm and capture of the Town of Bolton.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton_Massacre>
1892:
Aided by a group of professors from the University of California at
Berkeley and Stanford University, Preservationist John Muir founded the
environmental organization Sierra Club in San Francisco.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir>
1936:
English mathematician Alan Turing submitted his paper "On Computable
Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem" for
publication, introducing the Turing machine, a basic abstract
symbol-manipulating device that can simulate the logic of any computer
algorithm.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing>
1961:
The British newspaper The Observer published English lawyer Peter
Benenson's article The Forgotten Prisoners, starting a letter-writing
campaign that grew and became the human rights organization Amnesty
International.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_International>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
unsung (adj):
1. Not having been lauded or appreciated.
2. Not sung
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unsung>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
In my books I have lifted bits from various religions in trying to come
to a better understanding; I've made use of religious themes and
symbols. Now, as the world becomes more pagan, one has to lead people
in the same direction in a different way...
--Patrick White
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Patrick_White>
Karmichael Hunt (born 1986) is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League
competition. Hunt primarily plays in the fullback position, but has
also played on the wing and the five-eighth and halfback positions.
Hunt has played in the NRL for Brisbane since 2004, and was part of the
Broncos' competition-winning team in 2006. He has represented the
Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series and the Australian
Kangaroos at international level. Hunt made his NRL debut in 2004 and
played every game that season, winning the Dally M Rookie of the Year
award. In a controversial move, Hunt chose to play for Australia
instead of his native New Zealand, citing a lifelong dream of playing
for Queensland in State of Origin. After a downturn in 2005, Hunt's
2006 performances resulted in his selection for Queensland and
Australia.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmichael_Hunt>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1153:
Malcolm IV became King of Scotland at the age of twelve.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_IV_of_Scotland>
1703:
Russian Tsar Peter I founded Saint Petersburg after reconquering the
Ingrian land from Sweden during the Great Northern War.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Saint_Petersburg>
1860:
Expedition of the Thousand: Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Redshirts
launched their attack on Palermo, capital of the Two Sicilies.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_of_the_Thousand>
1923:
French racing drivers André Lagache and René Léonard won the first
running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans near Le Mans, Sarthe, France.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans>
1937:
The Golden Gate Bridge, at the time the world's longest suspension
bridge span, connecting the City of San Francisco to Marin County,
California, opened.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge>
1942:
Czech resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Prague ambushed and mortally
wounded Reinhard Heydrich, the chief of Reich Security Main Office and
the Protector of Bohemia and Moravia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Anthropoid>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
quell (v):
1. To take the life of; to kill.
2. To overpower; to subdue; to put down.
3. To quiet; to allay; to
pacify
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quell>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away
the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that
we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came
this way for a brief moment.
--Harlan Ellison
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Harlan_Ellison>
U2 are a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono, The
Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr.. The band formed in 1976 when
the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the
mid-1980s, the band had become a top international act, noted for their
anthemic sound, Bono's impassioned vocals, and The Edge's textural
guitar playing. Their success as a live act was greater than their
success at selling records until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree
elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars," according to
Rolling Stone. U2 responded to the dance and alternative rock
revolutions and their own sense of musical stagnation by reinventing
themselves with their 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo
TV Tour. Similar experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s.
Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more conventional rock sound that retains
the influence of their previous musical explorations. U2 have sold more
than 145 million albums worldwide and have won 22 Grammy Awards, more
than any other band. In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone
magazine listed U2 at #22 in its list of the 100 greatest artists of
all time. Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they
have campaigned for human rights and social justice causes.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
451:
Armenian rebels were defeated by forces of the Sassanid Empire on the
Avarayr Plain in Vaspurakan, but were eventually guaranteed religious
freedom.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Avarayr>
1828:
Kaspar Hauser , a foundling with suspected ties to the Royal House of
Baden, first appeared in the streets of Nuremberg, Germany.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspar_Hauser>
1896:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, representing twelve stocks from
various American industries, was first published by journalist Charles
Dow as a stock market index.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average>
1918:
The Democratic Republic of Georgia was proclaimed following the breakup
of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_Georgia>
1972:
U.S. President Richard Nixon and Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev signed
the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow, concluding the first round
of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Arms_Limitation_Talks>
2008:
An earthquake measuring about 6.3 Mw struck near the Indonesian city of
Yogyakarta on the southern side of the island of Java, killing at least
5,700 people, injuring at least 36,000, and leaving at least 1.5
million homeless.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2006_Java_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
balustrade (n):
(architecture) A row of balusters topped by a rail, serving as an open
parapet, as along the edge of a balcony
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/balustrade>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Thunder only happens when it's raining.
Players only love you when they're playing.
Say... Women... they
will come and they will go.
When the rain washes you clean... you'll know.
--Stevie Nicks
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stevie_Nicks>
The United States Military Academy is a four year coeducational federal
service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802,
USMA is the oldest of the United States' five service academies. The
entire central campus is a national landmark and home to scores of
historic sites, buildings, and monuments. Candidates for admission must
both apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination, usually
from a congressman. Students are officers-in-training and are referred
to as cadets. Tuition for cadets is fully funded by the Army in
exchange for an active duty service obligation upon graduation.
Approximately 1,000 cadets graduate each spring and are commissioned as
second lieutenants. The academic program grants a bachelor of science
degree with a curriculum that grades cadets' performance upon a broad
academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory
participation in competitive athletics. Cadets are required to adhere
to the Cadet Honor Code, which states that "a cadet will not lie,
cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do". Its alumni are
collectively referred to as "The Long Gray Line" and its ranks include
two Presidents of the United States, numerous famous generals, and
seventy-four Medal of Honor recipients.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1521:
The Diet of Worms declared Protestant Reformer Martin Luther an outlaw
and a heretic, banning his literature, and requiring his arrest.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther>
1946:
Abdullah bin Husayn , Emir of the Emirate of Transjordan, was
proclaimed King of the renamed "Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_I_of_Jordan>
1961:
During a speech to a Joint Session of the United States Congress, U.S.
President John F. Kennedy announced his support for the Apollo space
program, with "the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on
the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program>
1977:
Star Wars, a science fantasy film written and directed by George Lucas,
was released, becoming one of the most successful films of all time.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV%3A_A_New_Hope>
2000:
Israel withdrew its army from most of Lebanese territory, 22 years
after its first invasion in 1978.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Lebanon_conflict_%281982%E2%80%932000%29>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
chagrin (n):
Distress of mind caused by a failure of aims or plans, by mistakes, or
by want of appreciation
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chagrin>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it,
slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows
where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
--Douglas Adams
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams>
The Edward VIII abdication crisis occurred in the British Empire in
1936, when the desire of King-Emperor Edward VIII to marry Wallis
Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite, caused a constitutional
crisis. The marriage was opposed by the King's governments in the
United Kingdom and the Dominions. Religious, legal, political, and
moral objections were raised. Mrs Simpson was perceived to be an
unsuitable consort because of her two failed marriages, and it was
widely assumed by the Establishment that she was driven by love of
money or position rather than love for the King. Despite the
opposition, Edward declared that he loved Mrs Simpson and intended to
marry her whether the governments approved or not. The widespread
unwillingness to accept Mrs Simpson as the King's consort, and the
King's refusal to give her up, led to Edward's abdication on
11 December 1936. He was succeeded by his brother Albert as George VI.
Edward was given the title His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor
following his abdication, and he married Mrs Simpson the following
year. They remained married until his death 35 years later.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VIII_abdication_crisis>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1626:
Director-General of New Netherland Peter Minuit bought Manhattan from
Native Americans in exchange for trade goods valued at 60 guilders.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Minuit>
1738:
At a Moravian Church meeting in Aldersgate Street, London, John Wesley
experienced a spiritual rebirth, leading him to launch the Methodist
movement.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley>
1822:
Ecuadorian War of Independence: Troops led by Antonio José de Sucre
secured the independence of Quito from Spain at the Battle of
Pichincha.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pichincha>
1883:
New York City's Brooklyn Bridge, at the time the longest suspension
bridge in the world, was opened.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge>
1956:
The first ever competition of the Eurovision Song Contest was held in
Lugano, Switzerland.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest>
1988:
Section 28 of the United Kingdom Local Government Act of 1988, an
amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote
homosexuality, was enacted, generating so much controversy that it was
eventually repealed fifteen years later.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
heuristic (adj):
1. Relating to general strategies or methods for solving problems.
2. Of a method that is not certain to arrive at an optimal solution
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/heuristic>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Every failure is a step to success. Every detection of what is false
directs us towards what is true: every trial exhausts some tempting
form of error.
--William Whewell
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Whewell>
Over the Edge was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced
by the World Wrestling Federation, which took place on May 23, 1999, at
the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The show's seven matches
showcased prominent WWF wrestlers, who acted out the franchise's
stories in and out of the ring; however, the wrestling industry mostly
remembered the show for the accidental death of wrestler Owen Hart. In
the main event, The Undertaker defeated Steve Austin in a singles match
(with Shane McMahon as the guest referee) to win the WWF Championship.
Owen Hart was scheduled to face The Godfather for the WWF
Intercontinental Championship during the event. Hart was to make a
superhero-like ring entrance, which would have seen him descend from
the arena rafters into the ring. He was, however, released prematurely
when the harness line malfunctioned, and fell more than 70 feet (21 m)
into the ring and died. Criticism later arose over the WWF's decision
to continue the show after Hart's accident. In court, the Hart family
sued the organization, contending that poor planning of the dangerous
stunt caused Owen's death. The WWF settled the case.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Edge_%281999%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1430:
Hundred Years' War: Joan of Arc was captured at the Siege of Compiègne.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Compi%C3%A8gne>
1498:
Girolamo Savonarola of Florence was executed for heresy, uttering
prophecies, sedition, and other crimes.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola>
1706:
War of the Spanish Succession: Led by the Duke of Marlborough, the
allied forces of England, the Dutch Republic, and Denmark defeated the
Franco-Bavarian army in Ramillies, present-day Belgium.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ramillies>
1844:
At a meeting at his house in Shiraz, Iran, that lasted from the
previous night to dawn, 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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1bism>
1934:
American criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and
killed by police on a desolate road near their hideout in Bienville
Parish, Louisiana.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_and_Clyde>
1949:
The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany came into effect as
the de facto constitution of West Germany.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Law_for_the_Federal_Republic_of_Germany>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
kiosk (n):
A small enclosed structure, open on one side or with a window, used as
a booth to sell newspapers, cigarettes, etc
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kiosk>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Genius will live and thrive without training, but it does not the less
reward the watering–pot and pruning–knife.
--Margaret Fuller
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Margaret_Fuller>
Lawrence Sullivan Ross (1838–1898) was the 19th Governor of Texas, a
Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and a
president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. As a
teenager, Ross attended Baylor University and Florence Wesleyan
University. After graduation Ross became a Texas Ranger, and in 1860
led troops in the Battle of Pease River, where he rescued Cynthia Ann
Parker, who had been captured by the Comanches as a child. When Texas
joined the Confederacy, Ross joined the Confederate States Army. He
participated in 135 battles and skirmishes and became one of the
youngest Confederate generals. Following the Civil War, Ross briefly
served as sheriff of McLennan County before resigning to participate in
the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention. With the exception of a
two-year term as a state senator, Ross spent the next decade focused on
his farm and ranch concerns. In 1887, he became the 19th governor of
Texas. During his two terms, he oversaw the dedication of the new Texas
State Capitol, resolved the Jaybird-Woodpecker War, and became the only
Texas governor to call a special session to deal with a treasury
surplus. Days after leaving office, Ross became president of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. After his death, the
Texas legislature created Sul Ross State University in his honor.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Sullivan_Ross>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1455:
Forces led by Richard, Duke of York and Richard, Earl of Warwick
captured Lancastrian King Henry VI of England, beginning the Wars of
the Roses with a Yorkist victory in the First Battle of St Albans.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_St_Albans>
1809:
War of the Fifth Coalition: Austrian forces under Archduke Charles
prevented Napoleon I and his French troops from crossing the Danube
near Vienna at the Battle of Aspern-Essling.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Aspern-Essling>
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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Beagle>
1960:
The Great Chilean Earthquake, measuring 9.5 Mw, devastated Valdivia,
Chile, and generated destructive tsunamis that reached Hawaii the
following day.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Valdivia_earthquake>
1964:
During a speech at the University of Michigan, U.S. President Lyndon B.
Johnson presented the goals of his Great Society domestic social
reforms to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Society>
1980:
Pac-Man, an arcade game that became virtually synonymous with video
games and an icon of 1980s popular culture, made its debut in Japan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
esoteric (adj):
1. Understood only by a chosen few or an enlightened inner circle.
2. Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without
obvious practical application.
3. Confidential; private
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/esoteric>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly
recognizes genius.
--Arthur Conan Doyle
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle>