Maryland Route 36 is a 29.43-mile (47.36 km) state highway located in
Allegany County, Maryland. MD 36 runs from its southern terminus at the
WV 46 bridge in Westernport to its northern terminus at U.S. Route 40
Alternate near Cumberland. Between Westernport and Frostburg, it is
known as Georges Creek Road, and from Frostburg to Cumberland it is
known as Mount Savage Road. Like the majority of Maryland state
highways, MD 36 is maintained by the Maryland State Highway
Administration (MDSHA). MD 36 serves as the main road through the
Georges Creek Valley, a region which is historically known for coal
mining, and has been designated by MDSHA as part of the Coal Heritage
Scenic Byway. MD 36 is the main road connecting the towns of
Westernport, Lonaconing, and Midland in southwestern Allegany County,
as well as Frostburg, Mount Savage, and Corriganville in northwestern
Allegany County.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland_Route_36>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1860:
Seven months after the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of
Species, several prominent British scientists and philosophers
participated in an evolution debate at the Oxford University Museum in
Oxford, England.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860_Oxford_evolution_debate>
1894:
London's Tower Bridge , a combined bascule and suspension bridge over
the River Thames, opened.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge>
1905:
The scientific journal Annalen der Physik published Albert Einstein's
article "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies", the third of his
Annus Mirabilis papers, introducing the theory of special relativity.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annus_Mirabilis_papers>
1908:
A massive explosion occurred near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in
what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, knocking over 80 million trees
over 2,150 square kilometres (830 sq mi).
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event>
1934:
Adolf Hitler violently purged members of the Sturmabteilung, its leader
Ernst Röhm, and other political rivals on the Night of the Long Knives,
executing at least 85 people.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives>
2000:
Nine people were crushed underfoot and suffocated to death while
watching the American band Pearl Jam play at the Roskilde Festival,
Denmark.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Jam%23Binaural_and_the_Roskilde_tragedy%…>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
soporific (adj):
Tending to induce sleep
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/soporific>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I think that I am here, on this earth,
To present a report on it, but to whom I don't know.
As if I were
sent so that whatever takes place
Has meaning because it changes into memory.
--Czesław Miłosz
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Czes%C5%82aw_Mi%C5%82osz>
Mariano Rivera (born 1969) is a Panamanian right-handed baseball
pitcher who has spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the
New York Yankees. Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his
career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer. His presence
in the late innings of games to record the final outs has played an
instrumental role in the Yankees' success, particularly the team's late
1990s dynasty. He has won five World Series championships as a Yankee.
Rivera has become regarded as one of the best closers in baseball
history, and he has achieved his success by primarily throwing one
pitch—a sharp-breaking cut fastball that has been called an all-time
great pitch. Rivera is a ten-time All-Star, a five-time American League
Rolaids Relief Man Award winner, and a three-time saves leader. He has
recorded the second-most saves in Major League history, and in 2009, he
surpassed 500 career saves. Recognized as an exceptional postseason
performer, he holds Major League postseason records for saves and
earned run average, among other records. Baseball writers expect Rivera
will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame upon retirement.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariano_Rivera>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1613:
The original Globe Theatre in London burned to the ground after a
cannon employed for special effects misfired during a performance of
William Shakespeare's Henry VIII and ignited the theatre's roof.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_Theatre>
1880:
Pomare V, King of Tahiti, was forced to cede the sovereignty of Tahiti
and its dependencies to France.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahiti>
1889:
Hyde Park and several other Illinois townships voted to be annexed by
Chicago, forming the largest United States city in area and second
largest in population.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park_Township%2C_Cook_County%2C_Illinois>
1967:
Actress Jayne Mansfield, her boyfriend Sam Brody, and their driver were
killed in a car accident outside of New Orleans, while her children
Miklós, Zoltán, and Mariska Hargitay escaped with only minor injuries.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayne_Mansfield>
1995:
Shuttle-Mir Program: During the STS-71 mission, Space Shuttle Atlantis
became the first space shuttle to dock with the Russian space station
Mir .
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle-Mir_Program>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
tipple (v):
1. To sell alcoholic liquor by retail.
2. To drink too much alcohol
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tipple>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
What makes the desert beautiful ... is that somewhere it hides a well.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Antoine_de_Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry>
The Leopold Report is a 1963 paper composed of a series of ecosystem
management recommendations that were presented by the Special Advisory
Board on Wildlife Management to United States Secretary of the Interior
Stewart Udall. Named for its chairman and principal author, zoologist
and conservationist A. Starker Leopold, the report proved influential
for future preservation mandates and reports. After several years of
public controversy regarding the forced reduction of the elk population
in Yellowstone National Park, Udall appointed an advisory board to
collect scientific data to inform future wildlife management of the
national parks. The committee observed that culling programs at other
national parks had been ineffective, and recommended management of
Yellowstone's elk population. In addressing the goals, policies, and
methods of managing wildlife in the parks, the report suggested that in
addition to protection, wildlife populations should be managed and
regulated to prevent habitat degradation. Touching upon predator
control, fire ecology, and other issues, the report suggested that the
National Park Service hire scientists to manage the parks using current
scientific research. The Leopold Report became the first concrete plan
to manage park visitors and ecosystems under unified principles. It was
reprinted in several national publications, and many of its
recommendations were incorporated into the official policies of the
NPS. Although the report is notable for proposing that park management
have a fundamental goal of reflecting "the primitive scene... a
reasonable illusion of primitive America", some have criticized it for
its idealism and limited scope.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_Report>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1651:
Khmelnytsky Uprising: The Zaporozhian Cossacks began clashing with
forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth at the Battle of
Berestechko in the Volhynia Region of present-day Ukraine.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berestechko>
1880:
Police captured Australian bank robber and bushranger Ned Kelly after
a gun battle in Glenrowan, Victoria.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly>
1914:
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of
Hohenberg, were assassinated by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip
during a motorcade in Sarajevo, sparking the outbreak of World War I.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria>
1922:
The week-long Battle of Dublin began with an assault by the Irish Free
State's National Army on the Four Courts building, which had been
occupied by the Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army, marking the start of
the Irish Civil War.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dublin>
1956:
Workers demanding better conditions held massive protests in Poznań,
Poland, but were violently repressed by the following day by 400 tanks
and 10,000 soldiers of Ludowe Wojsko Polskie and Korpus Bezpieczeństwa
Wewnętrznego.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozna%C5%84_1956_protests>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
equipage (n):
1. Equipment or supplies, especially military ones.
2. A type of horse-drawn carriage
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equipage>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Never dream of forcing men into the ways of God. Think yourself, and
let think. Use no constraint in matters of religion. Even those who are
farthest out of the way never compel to come in by any other means than
reason, truth, and love.
--John Wesley
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Wesley>
The Terra Nova Expedition was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the
objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole.
Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find
that a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had preceded them by 33
days. Scott's entire party died on the return journey from the pole;
some of their bodies and journals were discovered by a search party in
November 1912. The expedition, named after its supply ship, was a
private venture, financed by public contributions augmented by a
government grant. As well as its polar attempt the expedition carried
out a comprehensive scientific programme, explored Victoria Land and
the Western Mountains, and made the first-ever extended sledging
journey in the depths of an Antarctic winter (to Cape Crozier, to
collect Emperor Penguin eggs). For many years after his death Scott's
status as tragic hero was unchallenged, and few questions were asked
about the causes of the disaster which overtook his party. In the final
quarter of the 20th century the expedition came under closer scrutiny,
and more critical views were expressed about its organisation and
management. The degree of Scott's personal culpability remains a matter
of controversy among commentators.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_Expedition>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1571:
Elizabeth I of England issued a royal charter establishing Jesus
College , the first Protestant college at the University of Oxford.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_College%2C_Oxford>
1844:
Latter Day Saint movement founder Joseph Smith, Jr. and his brother
Hyrum were killed by an armed mob who stormed the prison where they
were incarcerated in Carthage, Illinois.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Joseph_Smith%2C_Jr.>
1898:
Canadian-American seaman and adventurer Joshua Slocum completed the
first solo circumnavigation of the globe sailing on his refitted
sloop-rigged fishing boat Spray, a distance of more than 46,000 miles
(74,000 km).
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Slocum>
1989:
The International Labour Organization Convention 169, a major binding
international convention concerning indigenous peoples, and a
forerunner of the 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
was adopted.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_and_Tribal_Peoples_Convention%2C_19…>
1991:
Yugoslavia invaded Slovenia, two days after the latter's declaration of
independence from the former, starting the Ten-Day War.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-Day_War>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
brachyuran (adj):
Of or pertaining to crabs
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/brachyuran>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done
without hope.
--Helen Keller
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Helen_Keller>
The Privilege of Peerage is the body of special privileges belonging to
members of the British Peerage. It is distinct from Parliamentary
privilege, which applies to those peers serving in the House of Lords,
and members of the House of Commons, during and forty days before and
after a Parliamentary session. The privileges have been lost and eroded
over time. Only three survived into the 20th century: the right to be
tried by other peers of the realm instead of juries of commoners,
freedom from arrest in civil (but not criminal) cases, and access to
the Sovereign to advise him or her on matters of state. The right to be
tried by other peers was abolished in 1948. Legal opinion considers the
right of freedom from arrest as obsolete. The remaining privilege was
recommended for formal abolition in 1999, and may be retained,
arguably, by peers whether members of the House of Lords or not. Peers
have other rights that do not formally comprise the Privilege of
Peerage. For example, they are entitled to use coronets and supporters
on their achievements of arms.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privilege_of_Peerage>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1409:
In an attempt to end the Western Schism, during which Gregory XII in
Rome and Benedict XIII in Avignon simultaneously claimed to be the true
pope, the Council of Pisa instead ended up electing a third one,
Alexander V.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schism>
1541:
Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was assassinated in Lima by
supporters of his rival Diego de Almagro's son.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro>
1918:
World War I: The 26-day Battle of Belleau Wood near the Marne River in
France ended with American forces finally clearing that forest of
German troops.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood>
1945:
At a conference in San Francisco, delegates from 50 nations signed a
charter establishing the United Nations.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_member_states%23Origina…>
2003:
The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in District of Columbia
v. Heller, ruling that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms for private use in
Washington, D.C., and other federal enclaves.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_v._Heller>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
reprobate (adj):
1. Rejected by God; damned, sinful.
2. Immoral, having no religious or principled character
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reprobate>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Heal the world, make it a better place,
For you and for me and the entire human race,
There are people
dying, but if you care enough for the living,
Make a better place for you and for me.
--Michael Jackson
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson>
Michael Jackson (1958–2009) was an American recording artist,
entertainer, and philanthropist. He debuted on the professional music
scene as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971
while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in
subsequent years, Jackson became an influential figure in popular music
and the first African-American to have a strong crossover following on
MTV. He donated and raised hundreds of millions of dollars for
beneficial causes, and is recognized by Guinness World Records for
supporting more charities than any other musician. Other aspects of
Jackson's life—including his changing appearance and personal
relationships—generated controversy. Though he was accused of child
sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack
of evidence and Jackson was not charged. In 2005, he was tried and
acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other
charges. Jackson's achievements include multiple world
records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—the
estimated sale of over 750 million albums worldwide, and dozens of
awards, which have made him the most awarded recording artist in the
history of music.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1530:
The Augsburg Confession, the primary confession of faith of the
Lutheran Church, was presented to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at
the Diet of Augsburg.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augsburg_Confession>
1876:
Black Hills War: United States Army Colonel George Armstrong Custer
was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in present-day Big Horn
County, Montana.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Armstrong_Custer>
1938:
Douglas Hyde became the first President of Ireland after the office was
established by the Constitution of Ireland in 1937.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Hyde>
1950:
The Korean War began with North Koreans forces launching a pre-dawn
raid over the 38th parallel into South Korea.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War>
1996:
The Khobar Towers bombing in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, left 19 American
servicemen dead and 372 of many nationalities wounded.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khobar_Towers_bombing>
2006:
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped in a cross border raid from
the Gaza Strip on the crossing Kerem Shalom, and has been held hostage
by Hamas since.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilad_Shalit>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
prolix (adj):
1. Tediously lengthy.
2. Tending to use large or obscure words that few understand
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prolix>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people
what they do not want to hear.
--George Orwell
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Orwell>
Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character portrayed by Johnny Depp,
introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl (2003). He appears in the back-to-back sequels, Dead Man's Chest
(2006) and At World's End (2007), as well as in a future film, On
Stranger Tides (2011). He is the main protagonist in all the films. He
is also the subject of a children's book series, Pirates of the
Caribbean: Jack Sparrow, which chronicles his teenage years, and the
character's image was introduced into the theme park ride that inspired
the films when it was revamped in 2006. The character has also appeared
in numerous video games. Sparrow is one of the Brethren Court, the
Pirate Lords of the Caribbean Sea and can be treacherous, surviving
mostly by using wit and negotiation rather than weapons and force;
although he will fight if necessary, he tries to flee most dangerous
situations. Sparrow is introduced seeking to regain his ship, the Black
Pearl from his mutinous first mate Hector Barbossa, and attempts to
escape his blood debt to the legendary Davy Jones while battling the
East India Trading Co.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Jack_Sparrow>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1314:
In the decisive battle in the First War of Scottish Independence,
Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce defeated English troops under
Edward II near Bannockburn, Scotland.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn>
1812:
Napoleonic Wars: The French Grande Armée under Napoleon crossed the
Neman River, marking the start of their invasion of Russia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia>
1880:
"O Canada", today the national anthem of Canada, was first performed in
Quebec City, Quebec, during a Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day banquet.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Canada>
1948:
Cold War: The Soviet Union blocked access to the American, British, and
French sectors of Berlin, cutting off all rail and road routes going
into Soviet-controlled territory in Germany.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade>
1994:
A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress based at Fairchild Air
Force Base in Spokane County, Washington, US, crashed, killing all four
crew members , and later providing a case study on the importance of
compliance with safety regulations.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Fairchild_Air_Force_Base_B-52_crash>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
diffidently (adv):
In a diffident manner; without confidence in oneself
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/diffidently>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Guilt, n. The condition of one who is known to have committed an
indiscretion, as distinguished from the state of him who has covered
his tracks.
--Ambrose Bierce
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ambrose_Bierce>
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) was an American writer and journalist. His
distinctive writing style, characterized by economy and understatement,
influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his apparent life of adventure
and the public image he cultivated. He produced most of his work
between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and his career peaked in 1954
when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Hemingway's fiction was
successful because the characters he presented exhibited authenticity
that reverberated with his audience. Many of his works are classics of
American literature. After leaving high school he worked for a few
months as a reporter, before leaving for the Italian front to become an
ambulance driver during World War I, which became the basis for his
novel A Farewell to Arms. His first novel, The Sun Also Rises, was
written in 1924. After divorcing Hadley Richardson in 1927 Hemingway
married Pauline Pfeiffer; they divorced following Hemingway's return
from covering the Spanish Civil War, after which he wrote For Whom the
Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940, but he left
her for Mary Welsh Hemingway after World War II, during which he was
present at D-Day and the liberation of Paris. Shortly after the
publication of The Old Man and the Sea in 1952 Hemingway went on safari
to Africa, where he was almost killed in a plane crash that left him in
pain or ill-health for much of the rest of his life. Hemingway had
permanent residences in Key West, Florida, and Cuba during the 1930s
and 40s, but in 1959 he moved from Cuba to Idaho, where he committed
suicide in the summer of 1961.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1757:
Seven Years' War: British forces under Robert Clive defeated troops
under Siraj ud-Daulah at the Battle of Plassey, allowing the British
East India Company to annex Bengal.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plassey>
1887:
The Parliament of Canada passed the Rocky Mountains Park Act, creating
Banff National Park as Canada's first national park.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banff_National_Park>
1919:
Estonian War of Independence: Estonian troops engaged the forces of the
Pro-German Government of Latvia near Cēsis, Latvia, recapturing the
area four days later.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wenden_%281919%29>
1946:
Canada's largest onshore earthquake, measuring 7.3 Mw, struck Vancouver
Island, but only caused two casualties since there were no heavily
populated areas near its epicenter.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_Vancouver_Island_earthquake>
1961:
The Antarctic Treaty, which sets aside Antarctica as a scientific
preserve and bans military activity on the continent, came into force.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
raccoon (n):
1. A nocturnal omnivore, originally of Northern America, typically with
a mixture of grayish fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes, and a
striped tail.
2. Any mammal of the genus Procyon
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/raccoon>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I've woven them a garment that's prepared
out of poor words, those that I overheard,
and will hold fast to
every word and glance
all of my days, even in new mischance,
and if a gag should bind my
tortured mouth,
through which a hundred million people shout,
then let them pray
for me, as I do pray
for them, this eve of my remembrance day.
--Anna Akhmatova
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anna_Akhmatova>
The raccoon is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. As a
result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century,
raccoons are now also distributed across the European mainland, the
Caucasus region and Japan. Their original habitats are deciduous and
mixed forests, but due to their adaptability they have extended their
range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes, and even urban areas,
where some homeowners consider them pests. With a body length of 41 to
72 cm (16.1–28.0 in) and a weight of 3.6 to 9.0 kg (7.9–19.8 lb), the
raccoon is the largest procyonid. The dense underfur, which insulates
against cold weather, accounts for almost 90% of the raccoon's grayish
coat. Two of its most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous
front paws and its facial mask, which are also themes in the mythology
of several Native American tribes. Raccoons are also noted for their
intelligence; studies have shown that they are able to remember the
solution to tasks up to three years later. Raccoons are omnivorous and
usually nocturnal; their diet consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33%
plant foods, and 27% vertebrates. Captive raccoons sometimes douse
their food before eating it, which is most likely a vacuum activity
imitating foraging at shores. After a gestation period of about
65 days, two to five young are born in spring. The kits are
subsequently raised by their mother until dispersion in late fall.
Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years, their
average life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years. Hunting
and traffic accidents are the two most common causes of death in many
areas.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
217 BC:
Syrian Wars: Forces under Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeated Antiochus III
the Great of the Seleucid Empire at the Battle of Raphia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Raphia>
1911:
George V and Mary of Teck were crowned King and Queen of the United
KIngdom at Westminster Abbey in London.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_V_of_the_United_Kingdom>
1941:
World War II: As over 4.5 million Axis troops began their invasion of
the Soviet Union, the Lithuanian Activist Front took the opportunity to
start an uprising to liberate Lithuania from Soviet occupation and
establish a new government.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Uprising_in_Lithuania>
1978:
Working at the U.S. Naval Observatory, American astronomer James W.
Christy discovered Charon , then considered the sole moon of Pluto.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon_%28moon%29>
1986:
Argentine footballer Diego Maradona scored both the "Hand of God goal"
and the "Goal of the Century" against England during the quarter-final
match of the FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_v_England_%281986_FIFA_World_Cup_qua…>
2002:
An earthquake measuring 6.5 Mw struck a region of northwestern Iran,
killing at least 261 people and injuring 1,300 others, and eventually
causing widespread public anger due to the slowness of the victims
receiving aid and supplies.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bou%27in-Zahra_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
ortolan (n):
A small European migratory bunting, Emberiza hortulana, once eaten
whole as a delicacy
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ortolan>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
This earth is one of the rare spots in the cosmos where mind has
flowered. Man is a product of nearly three billion years of evolution,
in whose person the evolutionary process has at last become conscious
of itself and its possibilities. Whether he likes it or not, he is
responsible for the whole further evolution of our planet.
--Julian Huxley
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Julian_Huxley>
"Jack the Ripper" is the best known pseudonym given to an unidentified
serial killer active in the largely impoverished districts in and
around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated
in a letter by someone claiming to be the murderer that was
disseminated in the media. Attacks ascribed to the Ripper typically
involved women prostitutes from the slums whose throats were cut prior
to abdominal mutilations. Rumours that the murders were connected
intensified in September and October 1888, and extremely disturbing
letters from a writer or writers purporting to be the murderer were
received by media outlets and Scotland Yard. Mainly because of the
extraordinarily brutal character of the murders, and because of media
treatment of the events, the public came increasingly to believe in a
single serial killer, Jack the Ripper. Extensive newspaper coverage
bestowed widespread and enduring international notoriety on the Ripper.
An investigation into a series of brutal killings in Whitechapel up to
1891 was unable to connect all the killings conclusively to the murders
of 1888, but the legend of Jack the Ripper solidified. As the murders
were never solved, the legends surrounding them became a combination of
genuine historical research, folklore, and pseudohistory. The term
"ripperology" was coined to describe the study and analysis of the
Ripper cases. There are over one hundred theories about the Ripper's
identity, and the murders have inspired multiple works of fiction.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1788:
Over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill, the
largest camp and headquarters of the County Wexford United Irish
rebels, marking a turning point in the Irish Rebellion.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vinegar_Hill>
1813:
Peninsular War: The Marquess of Wellington's combined British,
Portuguese, and Spanish allied army defeated the French near Vitoria,
Spain.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vitoria>
1826:
Greek War of Independence: A combined Egyptian and Ottoman army began
their invasion of the Mani Peninsula, but they were initially held off
by the Maniots at the fortifications of Vergas.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman%E2%80%93Egyptian_Invasion_of_Mani>
1898:
In a bloodless event during the Spanish–American War, the United States
captured Guam from Spain.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Guam>
1948:
The Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine , the world's first
stored-program computer, ran its first computer program.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Small-Scale_Experimental_Machine>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
flyblown (adj):
1. Contaminated with flyblows.
2. Tainted
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flyblown>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the
things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Reinhold_Niebuhr>