The LSWR N15 class was a British 2-cylinder 4-6-0 express passenger
steam locomotive designed by Robert W. Urie. The class has a complex
build history spanning several years of construction from 1919 to 1926.
The first examples were constructed for the London and South Western
Railway, where they hauled heavy express trains to the south coast
ports and further west to Exeter. Following the Grouping of railway
companies in 1923, the LSWR became part of the Southern Railway and its
publicity department gave the locomotives names associated with
Arthurian legend. The Chief Mechanical Engineer of the newly-formed
company, Richard Maunsell, increased the King Arthur class strength to
74 locomotives. Maunsell incorporated several improvements, notably to
the steam circuit. The new locomotives were built in batches at
Eastleigh and Glasgow. Maunsell's successor, Oliver Bulleid, further
improved performance by altering exhaust arrangements. The locomotives
continued operating with British Railways (BR) until the end of 1962.
One example, 30777 Sir Lamiel, is preserved as part of the National
Collection and can be seen on mainline railtours.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSWR_N15_class>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1879:
War of the Pacific: Two Peruvian ironclads led by Miguel Grau Seminario
attempted to lift the blockade of Iquique by Chilean battleships under
Arturo Prat at the Battle of Iquique.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iquique>
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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Ship_Canal>
1904:
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the
international sport governing body of association football, was founded
in Paris.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA>
1927:
Aboard the Spirit of St. Louis, American aviator Charles Lindbergh
completed the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight, flying from
Roosevelt Field near New York City to Le Bourget Airport near Paris.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_St._Louis>
1991:
Former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a
suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhi_assassination>
1998:
Indonesian President Suharto resigned following the collapse of support
for his three-decade-long reign.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suharto>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
propel (v):
1. To cause to move very fast in a certain direction.
2. To make to arrive at a much greater pace to a certain situation or
result
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/propel>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The flying Rumours gather'd as they roll'd,
Scarce any Tale was sooner heard than told;
And all who told it, added
something new,
And all who heard it, made Enlargements too,
In ev'ry Ear it spread,
on ev'ry Tongue it grew.
--Alexander Pope
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alexander_Pope>
Operation Uranus was the codename of the Soviet strategic operation in
World War II which led to the encirclement of the German Sixth Army,
Third and Fourth Romanian armies, and portions of the German Fourth
Panzer Army. The operation formed part of the ongoing Battle of
Stalingrad, and was aimed at destroying German forces in and around
Stalingrad. The Red Army took advantage of the fact that German forces
in the southern Soviet Union were overstretched, using weaker Romanian
and Italian armies to guard their flanks. At 07:20 (Moscow time) on 19
November 1942 Soviet forces on the northern flank of the Axis forces at
Stalingrad began their offensive; forces in the south began on 20
November. Although Romanian units were able to repel the first attacks,
by the end of 20 November the Third and Fourth Romanian armies were in
headlong retreat, as the Red Army bypassed several German infantry
divisions. By late 22 November Soviet forces linked up at the town of
Kalach, encircling some 290,000 men east of the Don River. Instead of
attempting a breakout operation, German dictator Adolf Hitler instead
decided to keep Axis forces in Stalingrad and resupply them by air. In
the meantime, Soviet and German commanders began to plan their next
movements.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Uranus>
_______________________________
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 to
resolve disagreements in the Church of Alexandria over the nature of
Jesus in relationship to God the Father.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea>
1293:
Sancho IV, King of Castile and León, established what is now the
Complutense University of Madrid, today one of the top public
universities in Spain.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complutense_University_of_Madrid>
1570:
The first modern atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by cartographer
Abraham Ortelius, was issued.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Ortelius>
1873:
Clothing manufacturer Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis were granted
a patent for using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim
overalls, paving the way for their business Levi Strauss & Co. to start
manufacturing their first line of blue jeans.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Strauss_%26_Co.>
1927:
By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognized the sovereignty
of King Ibn Saud in the Kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd, which later merged
to become Saudi Arabia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Saud_of_Saudi_Arabia>
2002:
East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the twenty-first
century after Indonesia relinquished control of the territory.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
voluble (adj):
1. Fluent; having a ready flow of speech; garrulous or loquacious.
2. Easily rolling or turning.
3. (botany) Twisting and turning like a
vine
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/voluble>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it
is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing
generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those
who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the
opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is
almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier
impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.
--John Stuart Mill
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill>
Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and
human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate
for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America
in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans. His
detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been
described as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans
in history. After living in a series of foster homes, Malcolm X became
involved in the criminal underworld in Boston and New York. In 1945,
Malcolm X was sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. While in
prison, Malcolm X became a member of the Nation of Islam. After his
parole in 1952, he became one of the Nation's leaders and chief
spokesmen. For nearly a dozen years, he was the public face of the
Nation of Islam. Tension between Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, head of
the Nation of Islam, led to Malcom X's departure from the organization
in March 1964. After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X became a
Sunni Muslim and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He traveled extensively
throughout Africa and the Middle East. He founded Muslim Mosque, Inc.,
a religious organization, and the secular, black nationalist
Organization of Afro-American Unity. Less than a year after he left the
Nation of Islam, Malcolm X was assassinated while giving a speech in
New York.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1536:
Anne Boleyn , the second wife and queen consort of Henry VIII of
England, was beheaded at the Tower of London for adultery, incest, and
high treason.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Boleyn>
1643:
Thirty Years' War: The French led by Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de
Condé scored a decisive victory against the Spanish in Rocroi, France.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rocroi>
1780:
A combination of thick smoke, fog, and heavy cloud cover caused
complete darkness to fall on parts of Canada and the New England area
of the United States, requiring candles to be used from noon until
midnight.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England%27s_Dark_Day>
1802:
Napoléon Bonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, established
the Légion d'honneur order as a reward to commend civilians and
soldiers.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur>
1919:
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk traveled to Samsun to establish the Turkish
National Movement to resist the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire
after World War I, marking the start of the Turkish War of
Independence.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_War_of_Independence>
1922:
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, a mass pioneer
movement for children of age 10–15, was founded.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Pioneer_organization_of_the_Soviet_Union>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
bulwark (n):
1. A defensive wall or rampart.
2. A defense or safeguard.
3. A breakwater
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bulwark>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Mankind is a single body and each nation a part of that body. We must
never say "What does it matter to me if some part of the world is
ailing?" If there is such an illness, we must concern ourselves with it
as though we were having that illness.
--Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk>
Styracosaurus was a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the
Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage), about 76.5 to 75.0 million years
ago. It had four to six long horns extending from its neck frill, a
smaller horn on each of its cheeks, and a single horn protruding from
its nose, which may have reached dimensions of around 60 centimeters
(2 ft) long and 15 centimeters (6 in) wide. The function or functions
of the horns and frills have been the subject of debate for many years.
Styracosaurus was a large dinosaur, reaching lengths of 5.5 meters
(18 ft) and weighing nearly 3 tons. It stood about 1.8 meters (6 ft)
tall. Styracosaurus possessed four short legs and a bulky body. Its
tail was rather short. It also had a beak and flat cheek teeth,
indicating that its diet was herbivorous. Like other ceratopsians, this
dinosaur may have been a herd animal, traveling in large groups, as
suggested by bonebeds. Named by Lawrence Lambe in 1913, Styracosaurus
is a member of the Centrosaurinae. Two species, S. albertensis and S.
ovatus are currently assigned to Styracosaurus. Other species assigned
to the genus have since been reassigned elsewhere.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styracosaurus>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1896:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson,
upholding the legality of racial segregation in public transportation
under the "Separate but equal" doctrine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson>
1944:
World War II: Polish forces under Lieutenant General Władysław Anders
captured Monte Cassino, Italy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino>
1948:
The first session of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China
convened in Nanking.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_Yuan_of_the_Republic_of_China>
1980:
The stratovolcano Mount St. Helens erupted , killing 57 people in
southern Washington State, reducing hundreds of square miles to
wasteland, and causing over a billion U.S. dollars in damage.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
nip in the bud (v):
1. To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from
forming.
2. (idiomatic) To stop something at an early stage
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nip_in_the_bud>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
To save the world requires faith and courage: faith in reason, and
courage to proclaim what reason shows to be true.
--Bertrand Russell
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell>
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi)
long by 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) wide, in the English Channel. Portland
is 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the
southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. Chesil Beach
connects it to the mainland, and the A354 road bridge connects it to
Weymouth, which together form the borough of Weymouth and Portland. The
population of Portland is almost 13,000. Portland is a central part of
the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site on the Dorset and east Devon
coast, important for its geology and landforms. Its name is used for
one of the British Sea Areas, and has been exported as the name of
North American and Australian towns. Portland limestone is still
quarried here, and is used in British architecture, including St Paul's
Cathedral and Buckingham Palace. The large, deep artificial harbour on
Portland's northern shore was a Royal Navy base during World War I and
World War II; the Navy and NATO trained in its waters until the 1990s.
The harbour is a small civilian port and popular recreation area; the
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy will host the sailing
events for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Portland>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1590:
Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen consort of Scotland in the abbey
church at Holyrood Palace.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Denmark>
1865:
The International Telecommunication Union, an international
organization that standardizes and regulates international radio and
telecommunications, was founded as the International Telegraph Union in
Paris.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union>
1900:
Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted after
217 days, a decisive victory for the British against the Boers.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Mafeking>
1943:
World War II: Royal Air Force Dam Busters successfully deployed
bouncing bombs on German dams in Operation Chastise.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Chastise>
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".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
practicum (n):
1. A college course designed to give a student supervised practical
knowledge of a subject previously studied theoretically.
2. A science exam in which students are questioned about specimens or
other objects placed in front of them
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/practicum>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I believe, in spite of all, in truth's victory. I believe in the
momentous value, hereafter inviolable, of those few truly fraternal men
in all the countries of the world, who, in the oscillation of national
egoisms let loose, stand up and stand out, steadfast as the glorious
statues of Right and Duty.
--Henri Barbusse
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henri_Barbusse>
New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling platform video game published
and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.
The game was released in North America and Japan in May 2006, and in
Australia and Europe in June 2006. It is the first original
side-scrolling platform game starring Mario since Super Mario Land 2: 6
Golden Coins in 1992, and it is the first game to be a part of the main
Mario series of video games since Super Mario Sunshine in 2002. The
game's story is similar to those of other side-scrolling Mario games.
New Super Mario Bros. follows the titular Mario as he fights his way
through Bowser's henchmen to rescue Princess Peach. Mario has access to
several power-ups that help him complete his quest, including the Super
Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Starman, each giving him unique
abilities. While traveling to eight worlds with ten levels in each,
Mario must defeat Bowser Jr. and Bowser before finally saving Princess
Peach. Reviews were generally favorable towards the game, which
received an aggregated score of 89% from Metacritic. Praise focused on
improvements made to the Mario franchise, while criticism targeted the
game's simplicity. New Super Mario Bros. received several honors,
including Game of the Month awards from Game Informer and Electronic
Gaming Monthly, and Editors' Choice Awards from IGN and GameSpot. In
Japan, the game broke the record for the best-selling debut for a
Nintendo DS game. Overall, the game has sold 17.63 million copies
worldwide.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Super_Mario_Bros.>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1204:
Fourth Crusade: Count Baldwin IX of Flanders was crowned the first
Latin Emperor in Constantinople.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_I_of_Constantinople>
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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Albuera>
1877:
President Patrice de Mac-Mahon dismissed Jules Simon and installed
Albert, Duc de Broglie as Prime Minister, triggering a political crisis
in the French Third Republic.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_May_1877_crisis>
1929:
The first ceremony of the Academy Awards were held at the Hollywood
Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award>
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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikkim>
2003:
In the deadliest terrorist attack in Morocco's history, a series of
suicide bombings in Casablanca killed 33 civilians and 12 out of the 14
bombers.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Casablanca_bombings>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
draconian (adj):
1. Very severe, oppressive or strict.
2. (in fiction) Of or resembling a dragon
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/draconian>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Nothing happens to anybody which he is not fitted by nature to bear.
--Marcus Aurelius
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius>
The Ramblin' Wreck is the official mascot of the student body at the
Georgia Institute of Technology. The Ramblin' Wreck is a 1930 Ford
Model A Sports coupe and it embodies the spirit, tradition, and passion
of the Tech student body. The Wreck is present at all major sporting
events and student body functions. Its most noticeable role is leading
the football team onto Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field, a
duty which the Wreck has performed since 1961. The Ramblin' Wreck is
mechanically and financially maintained on campus by students in the
Ramblin' Reck Club. The first mechanical Wreck was a 1914 Ford Model T
owned by Dean Floyd Field. Until the current Wreck was donated to the
school in 1961, most of the early Ramblin' Wrecks were owned by
students, faculty or alumni. The modern Wreck has donned a number of
different paint jobs and has had several restorations and modifications
made to it. These changes were done by various individuals and
organizations over the years, including Bobby Dodd and a Georgia Tech
alum at the Ford plant in Hapeville, Georgia. The upkeep of the Wreck
has been the sole responsibility of the Ramblin' Reck Club and the
Wreck driver since 1987. The Ramblin' Wreck has been the target of a
number of pranks perpetrated by rival schools; the University of
Tennessee once provided the Wreck with an unsolicited new paint job,
and the University of Georgia has kidnapped the Wreck on at least two
occasions.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramblin%27_Wreck>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1252:
Pope Innocent IV issued the papal bull ad exstirpanda, authorizing the
use of torture on heretics during the Medieval Inquisition.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ad_exstirpanda>
1602:
English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold became the first known European to
discover Cape Cod.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Gosnold>
1836:
English astronomer Francis Baily first observed "Baily's beads", a
phenomenon during a solar eclipse in which the rugged lunar limb
topography allows beads of sunlight to shine through .
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Baily>
1928:
Mickey and Minnie Mouse made their film debut in the animated cartoon
Plane Crazy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mouse>
1932:
Japanese Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was assassinated in an
attempted coup d'état by radical elements of the Imperial Japanese
Navy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_15_incident>
1955:
The Austrian State Treaty was signed in Vienna, re-establishing an
independent Austria.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_State_Treaty>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
repechage (n):
(sports) A heat in which competitors who have lost in a previous round
compete for a place in a semifinal
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/repechage>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Every child saved with my help and the help of all the wonderful secret
messengers, who today are no longer living, is the justification of my
existence on this earth, and not a title to glory.
--Irena Sendler
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Irena_Sendler>
Street newspapers are newspapers or magazines that are sold by homeless
or poor individuals and are produced mainly to support these
populations. Most such newspapers primarily provide coverage about
homelessness and poverty-related issues, and seek to strengthen social
networks within homeless communities. Street papers aim to give these
individuals both employment opportunities and a voice in their
community. In addition to being sold by homeless individuals, many
papers are partially produced and written by them. Several publications
by charity, religious, and labor organizations tried to draw attention
to the homeless in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but street
newspapers only became common after the founding of New York City's
Street News in 1989. Similar papers are now published in over 30
countries, with most located in the United States and Western Europe.
They are supported by governments, charities, and coalitions such as
the International Network of Street Papers and the North American
Street Newspaper Association. Although street newspapers have
multiplied, many still face challenges, including funding shortages,
unreliable staff and difficulty in generating interest and maintaining
an audience.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_newspaper>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1607:
An expedition led by Edward Maria Wingfield, Christopher Newport, and
John Smith established the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia, the first
permanent English settlement in North America.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamestown_Settlement>
1796:
English scientist Edward Jenner began testing cowpox as a vaccine for
protection against smallpox.
<http://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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition>
1943:
World War II: The Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was attacked and
sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, killing 268
people aboard.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AHS_Centaur>
1948:
David Ben-Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of Independence
at the present-day Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, officially
establishing a new Jewish state in parts of the former British Mandate
of Palestine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Independence_%28Israel%29>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
grue (adj):
1. (philosophy) Of an object, green when first observed before a
specified time or blue when first observed after that time.
2. (linguistics) A term sometimes used as a translation of the word
used for both "green" and "blue" in certain languages, such as Welsh,
that do not distinguish between the two colors
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/grue>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Errors now almost universally exist, and must be overcome solely by the
force of reason; and as reason, to effect the most beneficial purposes,
makes her advance by slow degrees, and progressively substantiates one
truth of high import after another, it will be evident, to minds of
comprehensive and accurate thought, that by these and similar
compromises alone can success be rationally expected in practice. For
such compromises bring truth and error before the public; and whenever
they are fairly exhibited together, truth must ultimately prevail.
--Robert Owen
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_Owen>
Triptych, May–June 1973 is a triptych completed in 1973 by the
Irish-born artist Francis Bacon. The oil-on-canvas work was painted in
memory of Bacon's lover George Dyer, who committed suicide on the eve
of the artist's retrospective at Paris's Grand Palais in October 1971.
The triptych is a portrait of the moments before Dyer's death. Bacon
was preoccupied by Dyer's suicide in his last twenty years, during
which time he painted a number of similarly themed works. He admitted
to friends that he never fully recovered from the event, and described
painting the triptych as an exorcism of his feelings of loss and guilt.
The work is stylistically more static and monumental than Bacon's
earlier triptychs. It has been described as one of his "supreme
achievements", and is generally viewed as his most intense and tragic
canvas. Of the three "Black Triptychs" that Bacon created to confront
Dyer's death, Triptych, May–June 1973 is generally regarded as the most
accomplished. In 2006, The Daily Telegraph's art critic Sarah Crompton
wrote that "emotion seeps into each panel of this giant canvas…the
sheer power and control of Bacon's brushwork take the breath away". In
1989, the work sold at Sotheby's for US$6,270,000, the highest price
then paid for a Bacon work.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triptych%2C_May%E2%80%93June_1973>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1619:
Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was executed in The Hague
after having been accused of treason.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_van_Oldenbarnevelt>
1846:
The United States declared war on Mexico after a series of disputes in
the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, starting the
Mexican–American War.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican-American_War>
1888:
Isabel the Redeemer , heiress of Brazil, signed the Lei Áurea into law,
formally abolishing slavery in Brazil.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel%2C_Princess_Imperial_of_Brazil>
1917:
Our Lady of Fatima: Ten-year-old Lúcia Santos and her siblings
Francisco and Jacinta Marto reportedly began experiencing a Marian
apparition near Fátima, Portugal.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Fatima>
1958:
Algerian War: A group of French military officers lead a coup in
Algiers, demanding that a government of national unity be formed with
Charles de Gaulle at its head in order to defend French control of
Algeria.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1958_crisis>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
augur (v):
To foretell events; to exhibit signs of future events
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/augur>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Death and Light are everywhere, always, and they begin, end, strive,
attend, into and upon the Dream of the Nameless that is the world,
burning words within Samsara, perhaps to create a thing of beauty.
--Roger Zelazny
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny>
The Victoria Cross for New Zealand is a military decoration awarded for
valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the New Zealand Armed
Forces. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and
civilians under military command, and is presented to the recipient by
the Governor-General of New Zealand during an investiture held at
Government House, Wellington. As the highest award for gallantry in New
Zealand it takes precedence over other postnominals and medals. The
original Victoria Cross was introduced in 1856 by Queen Victoria to
reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross for
New Zealand was established in 1999 and was awarded for the first (and
so far only) time on 2 July 2007, to Corporal Bill (Willie) Apiata for
actions in 2004. Due to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the
medal has been sold for over £200,000 at auction. Originally all
Commonwealth personnel were issued with the same award, but in the last
50 years, Commonwealth countries have introduced separate award
systems; three of these retain "Victoria Cross" as part of the name of
the highest award for gallantry. New Zealand created a new award system
that replaced several Commonwealth Honours with separate awards.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross_for_New_Zealand>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1551:
The National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the
Americas, was founded in Lima, Peru.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_University_of_San_Marcos>
1885:
North-West Rebellion: Louis Riel and the Métis rebels were decisively
defeated by Canadian forces under Major-General Frederick Middleton in
Batoche, Saskatchewan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel>
1941:
German engineer Konrad Zuse presented the Z3 , the world's first
working programmable, fully automatic computer, to an audience of
scientists in Berlin.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z3_%28computer%29>
1958:
Canada and the United States signed a formal agreement establishing the
North American Air Defense Command to provide aerospace warning and
defense for North America.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Aerospace_Defense_Command>
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.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
quasar (n):
(astronomy) An extragalactic object, starlike in appearance, that is
among the most luminous and thought to be the most distant objects in
the universe
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quasar>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however
small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed
germinates and roots itself.
--Florence Nightingale
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale>