Early Netherlandish painting refers to the work of artists active in the
Burgundian Netherlands during the 15th- and 16th-century Northern
Renaissance. Their output follows the International Gothic style and
begins approximately with Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck in the early
1420s, and lasts at least until the death of Gerard David in 1523. It
represents the culmination of the northern European medieval artistic
heritage. Early Netherlandish painting occurred during the height of
Burgundian influence in Europe, when the Low Countries were renowned for
high end crafts and luxury goods. The major figures include Campin, van
Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Dieric Bouts, Petrus Christus, Hans
Memling, Hugo van der Goes and Hieronymus Bosch. They made significant
advances in natural representation and illusionism, and typically
incorporate complex iconography. Their subjects were usually religious
scenes or small portraits (Portrait of a Lady by van der Weyden
pictured). The painted works are generally oil on panel, and may be
single works or more complex altarpieces. The era is further noted for
its sculpture, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, stained glass and
carved retables.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Netherlandish_painting>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1864:
A crack in the Dale Dyke Dam in Sheffield, England, caused it
to fail, and the resulting flood killed 238 people and damaged over 600
homes.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sheffield_Flood>
1945:
World War II: The Empire of Japan established the Empire of
Vietnam, a short-lived puppet state, with Bảo Đại as its ruler.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Vietnam>
1978:
After hijacking a bus north of Tel Aviv, members of Palestine
Liberation Organization faction Fatah engaged in a shootout with the
Israel Police, resulting in the deaths of 38 civilians and most of the
perpetrators.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_Road_massacre>
2004:
A series of simultaneous bombings on Cercanías commuter trains
killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 in Madrid (memorial
pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings>
2009:
A teenage gunman engaged in a shooting spree at a secondary
school in Winnenden, Germany, killing sixteen, including himself.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnenden_school_shooting>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
quibble:
(intransitive) To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quibble>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
 We puzzle as to whether the universe is bounded or extends
forever; whether, indeed, it may only be one universe among many. We
speculate as to whether our universe began in a vast explosion, whether
it pulsates between utter compression and wide diffusion, whether it is
self-renewing and thus unchanged forever. And we are humble. But science
teaches more than this. It continually reminds us that we are still
ignorant and there is much to learn. Time and space are interconnected
in strange ways; there is no absolute simultaneity.
--Vannevar Bush
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Vannevar_Bush>
Aleeta curvicosta, commonly called the floury baker or floury miller, is
a species of cicada native to the eastern coastline of Australia.
Described in 1834 by Ernst Friedrich Germar, it is currently the only
described species in the genus Aleeta. The floury baker's distinctive
appearance and loud call make it popular with children. Both the common
and genus name are derived from the white, flour-like filaments covering
the adult body. Its body and eyes are generally brown with pale
patterns. Its forewings have dark brown patches at the base of two of
their apical cells. The female is larger than the male, and both grow
larger in regions of higher rainfall. The male has a loud and complex
call generated by the frequent buckling of ribbed tymbals and amplified
by abdominal air sacs. The floury baker is solitary and occurs in low
densities. Individuals emerge from the soil between November and
February, and can be seen until May. They inhabit a variety of trees,
with a preference for paperbark. The floury baker, which is a relatively
poor flier, is preyed upon by cicada killer wasps and a wide variety of
birds, and can succumb to a cicada-specific fungal disease.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleeta_curvicosta>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1607:
Susenyos defeated the combined armies of Yaqob and Abuna Petros
II at the Battle of Gol in Gojjam, making him Emperor of Ethiopia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susenyos_I>
1830:
By royal decree, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was
established to be the military force maintained by the Netherlands in
its colony of the Dutch East Indies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_East_Indies_Army>
1952:
Forbidden by law to seek re-election, former Cuban President
Fulgencio Batista staged a coup d'état to resume control.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgencio_Batista>
1975:
Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnam began its final push for
victory over South Vietnam with an attack on Ban Me Thuot.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ban_Me_Thuot>
2005:
Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong,
announced his resignation following widespread dissatisfaction with his
leadership.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_Chee_Hwa>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
normothermic:
(medicine) Having a normal body temperature.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/normothermic>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
 What I am is what I am. Are you what you are — or what?
--Edie Brickell
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edie_Brickell>
1
0
March 9: Faryl
by English Wikipedia Article of the Day
09 Mar '14
09 Mar '14
Faryl is the debut album by British mezzo-soprano Faryl Smith
(pictured), who rose to fame on the second series of Britain's Got
Talent. Released on 9 March 2009, it became the fastest-selling
classical solo album in British chart history, selling 29,200 copies in
the first week, higher than any other debut album of a classical singer.
It was produced by Jon Cohen, and the backing music was provided by a
60-piece orchestra. As part of the album's promotion, Smith made
numerous television and radio appearances and filmed a music video for
"River of Light", a song set to The Blue Danube. Faryl reached number 4
in the UK Albums Chart, becoming the third album by a Britain's Got
Talent contestant to reach the top ten in Britain. Smith subsequently
embarked on a promotional tour in the US, where the album reached number
6 on the classical chart. Faryl was fairly well received by critics, who
praised Smith's performances and Cohen's production, although there was
criticism for the use of the orchestra and the song choices. As one of
the ten best-selling classical albums in the UK in 2009, Faryl was
nominated for a Classical BRIT Award in the album of the year category.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faryl>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1009:
The first known record of the name of Lithuania appeared in an
entry in the annals of the Quedlinburg Abbey (in modern Germany).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_of_Lithuania>
1776:
The Wealth of Nations by Scottish political economist Adam
Smith (bust pictured) was first published, becoming the first modern
work in the field of economics.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Nations>
1847:
Mexican–American War: The Siege of Veracruz began, the first
large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military
forces.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Veracruz>
1944:
World War II: As part of the Battle of Narva, the Soviet Air
Forces heavily bombed Tallinn, Estonia, killing up to 800 people, mostly
civilians.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Tallinn_in_World_War_II>
1959:
Barbie, the world's best-selling doll, debuted at the American
International Toy Fair in New York City.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
win-win:
Of a situation or outcome that benefits two parties, or that has two
distinct benefits.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/win-win>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
It is found in every light of hope, It knows no bounds nor space
It has risen in red and black and white, It is there in every race. It
lies in the hearts of heroes dead, It screams in tyrants’ eyes, It has
reached the peak of mountains high, It comes searing ‘cross the skies.
It lights the dark of this prison cell, It thunders forth its might, It
is "the undauntable thought", my friend, That thought that says "I'm
right!"
--Bobby Sands
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bobby_Sands>
Sholay is a 1975 action-adventure Indian Hindi film directed by Ramesh
Sippy and produced by G. P. Sippy. Shot in the rocky terrain of
Ramanagara (pictured), the film follows two criminals, Jai and Veeru
(played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), hired by a retired police
officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to capture the ruthless dacoit Gabbar Singh
(Amjad Khan). When first released, Sholay received negative critical
reviews and a tepid commercial response, but favourable word-of-mouth
publicity helped it to become a box office success. It broke records for
continuous showings in many theatres across India, and ran for more than
five years at Mumbai's Minerva theatre. The film drew heavily from the
conventions of Westerns, and is a defining example of the masala film,
which mixes several genres in one work. The film's dialogues and certain
characters became extremely popular, contributing to numerous cultural
memes and becoming part of India's daily vernacular. In 2002, Sholay
ranked first in the British Film Institute's list of "Top 10 Indian
Films". It was re-released to theatres in 3D in January 2014.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholay>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1576:
A letter to King Philip II of Spain contained the first
European mention of the Mayan ruins of Copán in modern Honduras.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cop%C3%A1n>
1655:
The court of Northampton County, Colony of Virginia, made John
Casor the first legally recognized slave in England's North American
colonies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Casor>
1702:
Princess Anne of Denmark and Norway became the Queen of
England, Scotland and Ireland, succeeding William III.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne,_Queen_of_Great_Britain>
1924:
Three violent explosions at a coal mine near Castle Gate, Utah,
US, killed all 171 miners working there.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Gate_Mine_disaster>
1978:
BBC Radio 4 transmitted the first episode of English author and
dramatist Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a science
fiction radio series that was later adapted into novels, a television
series, and other media formats.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_(radio…>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
triduan:
1. Lasting three days.
2. Happening every third day.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/triduan>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Technology always has unforeseen consequences, and it is not
always clear, at the beginning, who or what will win, and who or what
will lose.
--Neil Postman
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Neil_Postman>
Persoonia lanceolata, commonly known as lance-leaf geebung, is a shrub
native to New South Wales in eastern Australia. It reaches 3 m
(9.8 ft) in height and has smooth grey bark and bright green foliage.
Its small yellow flowers grow on racemes and appear in the austral
summer and autumn (January to April), followed by green fleshy fruit
(known as drupes) which ripen the following spring (September to
October). Within the genus Persoonia, Persoonia lanceolata belongs to
the lanceolata group of 58 closely related species. It interbreeds with
several other species found in its range. The species is usually found
in dry sclerophyll forest on sandstone-based nutrient-deficient soil. It
has adapted to a fire-prone environment; plants lost in bushfires can
regenerate through a ground-stored seed bank. Seedlings mostly germinate
within two years of fires. Several species of native bee of the genus
Leioproctus pollinate the flowers. Swamp wallabies are a main consumer
of its fruit, and the seeds are spread in wallaby scat. Its lifespan
ranges from 25 to 60 years, though difficulties in propagation have seen
low cultivation rates.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persoonia_lanceolata>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
161:
Following the death of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, Marcus
Aurelius and Lucius Verus agreed to become co-Emperors in an
unprecedented arrangement in the Roman Empire.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Verus>
1277:
Étienne Tempier, Bishop of Paris, promulgated a Condemnation
of 219 philosophical and theological propositions that were being
discussed at the University of Paris.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tienne_Tempier>
1871:
José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco (pictured), became Prime
Minister of the Empire of Brazil, starting a four-year rule, the longest
in the state's history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Paranhos,_Viscount_of_Rio_Branco>
1914:
Prussian William of Wied began his short reign as sovereign
prince of the newly independent state of Albania.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William,_Prince_of_Albania>
1965:
African-American Civil Rights Movement: Civil rights
demonstrators marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, were brutally
attacked by police on Bloody Sunday.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_to_Montgomery_marches>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
phillumenist:
A person who collects match-related items, like matchbox labels,
matchboxes, matchbooks, or matchbook covers.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/phillumenist>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.
--Aristotle
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Aristotle>
Gilbert Foliot (c. 1110 – 1187) was a medieval English monk and
prelate, successively Abbot of Gloucester, Bishop of Hereford (Hereford
Cathedral pictured) and Bishop of London. He became a monk at Cluny
Abbey and was appointed Abbot of Gloucester in 1139. During the papal
council at Reims in 1148, he was appointed Bishop of Hereford by Pope
Eugene III. Despite promising not to recognise King Stephen, on
returning to England Foliot nevertheless swore fealty to him, causing a
temporary rift in his relationship with Henry of Anjou, the son of the
Empress Matilda (Stephen's rival for the crown) who became King Henry II
of England in 1154. Henry passed over Foliot for the position of
Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, appointing Thomas Becket instead.
Foliot became Bishop of London in 1163, perhaps as compensation. During
the great dispute between Becket and the king, Foliot took the king's
side and was reviled by Becket and his supporters. Becket excommunicated
Foliot on two occasions, the second of which precipitated the
archbishop's martyrdom. Foliot often served as a royal judge, and was an
active administrator and bishop. He was also a prolific letter writer.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Foliot>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1447:
Tomaso Parentucelli became Pope Nicholas V.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Nicholas_V>
1834:
York, Upper Canada, was incorporated as Toronto, now the most
populous city in Canada.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto>
1902:
Real Madrid, the world's richest football (soccer) club, was
founded as Madrid Football Club.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Madrid_C.F.>
1964:
In a radio broadcast, Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad
announced that American boxer Cassius Clay would change his name to
Muhammad Ali (pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali>
2008:
A Palestinian gunman shot and killed eight students and
critically injured eleven in the library of the Mercaz HaRav Kook
yeshiva in Jerusalem.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercaz_HaRav_massacre>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
begorra:
(Ireland) A mild minced oath; a euphemism for "by God".
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/begorra>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Who are you and who am I To say we know the reason why Some are
born, some men die, Beneath one infinite sky? There'll be war, there'll
be peace, But everything one day will cease, All the iron turned to
rust, All the proud men turned to dust, And so all things time will
mend, So this song will end.
--David Gilmour
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Gilmour>
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri is a 1996 tactical first-person
shooter video game developed and published by Looking Glass
Technologies. Set in the 24th century, the game follows a faction of
humans who colonize the Alpha Centauri star system to escape from a
totalitarian Earth government. The player assumes the role of Nikola ap
Io, the leader of an Alpha Centauri military unit, and undertakes
missions against pirates and the Hegemony. Terra Nova has been cited as
one of the first squad-oriented games with 3D graphics. Conceived by
Looking Glass after the completion of their first game, Ultima
Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, Terra Nova had a long and difficult
development process. Critical reception was highly positive. Reviewers
praised its tactical elements, and several compared it to the 1995 video
game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. However, reception of its
graphics was mixed, and many noted the game's steep system requirements.
Despite critical acclaim and sales above 100,000 units, the game was a
commercial failure as it did not recoup its development costs, and the
company cancelled plans for a sequel.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova:_Strike_Force_Centauri>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1496:
King Henry VII of England issued letters patent to John Cabot
and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cabot>
1616:
Nicolaus Copernicus's De revolutionibus orbium coelestium,
describing his heliocentric theory of the Solar System, was prohibited
by the Roman Catholic Church.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium>
1811:
Peninsular War: In the Battle of Barrosa, an Anglo-Spanish-
Portuguese force trying to lift the Siege of Cádiz was able to defeat a
French attack, although they were ultimately unable to break the siege
itself.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Barrosa>
1943:
The Gloster Meteor (pictured), the first operational jet
fighter for the Allied Powers, had its first flight.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Meteor>
1981:
The ZX81, a pioneering British home computer, was launched by
Sinclair Research and went on to sell over 1.5 million units around the
world.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX81>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
Tinker to Evers to Chance:
(US, idiomatic) A task accomplished quickly by well-executed teamwork;
those involved in the teamwork.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tinker_to_Evers_to_Chance>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
 I do not own an inch of land, But all I see is mine.
--Lucy Larcom
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lucy_Larcom>
Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American musician, singer, and
songwriter. Despite a relatively brief mainstream career spanning four
years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric
guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most
celebrated musicians of the 20th century. Born in Seattle, Washington,
Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1963, he moved to
Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the chitlin' circuit,
eventually moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by
bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals. Within months, Hendrix had earned
three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe",
"Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the US
after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968
his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one
in the US. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the
Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 before
dying from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the
age of 27.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1386:
Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila was crowned Władysław II
Jagiełło, King of Poland, beginning the Jagiellonian dynasty.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_II_Jagie%C5%82%C5%82o>
1814:
War of 1812: An American raiding party defeated an attempt by
British regulars, volunteers from the Canadian militia and Native
Americans to intercept them near present-day Wardville, Ontario.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Longwoods>
1890:
The Forth Bridge (pictured), a railway bridge connecting
Edinburgh to Fife over the Firth of Forth, opened, becoming an
internationally recognised Scottish landmark.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Bridge>
1944:
Murder, Inc. leader Louis Buchalter was executed, the only
major mob boss to receive the death penalty in the United States after
being convicted of murder.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Buchalter>
2009:
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for
President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes
against humanity regarding his actions during the War in Darfur.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_al-Bashir>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
philtrum:
The shallow groove running down the center of the outer surface of the
upper lip.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/philtrum>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Creativity — like human life itself — begins in darkness. We
need to acknowledge this. All too often, we think only in terms of
light: "And then the lightbulb went on and I got it!" It is true that
insights may come to us as flashes. It is true that some of these
flashes may be blinding. It is, however, also true that such bright
ideas are preceded by a gestation period that is interior, murky, and
completely necessary. 
--Julia Cameron
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Julia_Cameron>
Sevastopol was the last of three ships in the Petropavlovsk class of
pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy in the
1890s. Named for the siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, the
ship was part of the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur, a Russian
naval base acquired from China in 1898. One of the first ships to use
Harvey nickel-steel armor and Popov radios, she displaced 11,854 long
tons (12,044 t) at full load and was 369 feet (112.5 m) long overall,
and mounted a main battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns in two twin
turrets. She was launched on 1 June 1895 and completed in 1899.
Sevastopol saw service in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05. Slightly
damaged during a surprise attack on Port Arthur in early February, she
later participated in several attempts to break out from the besieged
port, including the Battle of the Yellow Sea, where she was damaged by
several shells but managed to make it back to port with the remnants of
the Russian Fleet. Immediately after the surrender of Port Arthur,
Sevastopol was scuttled to prevent her capture by the Imperial Japanese
Navy. The remains of the ship still lie outside the entrance to Port
Arthur.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_battleship_Sevastopol_(1895)>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1861:
The Emancipation Manifesto of Tsar Alexander II was
proclaimed, abolishing serfdom in Imperial Russia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_reform_of_1861>
1885:
American Telephone & Telegraph (first logo pictured), at one
point the world's largest telephone company, was incorporated in New
York.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Corporation>
1924:
The Free State of Fiume, a short-lived independent free state
located in the modern city of Rijeka, Croatia, was annexed by the
Kingdom of Italy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_of_Fiume>
1945:
Second World War: The Royal Air Force accidentally bombed the
Bezuidenhout neighbourhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing 511
evacuees.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_the_Bezuidenhout>
2009:
The building housing the Historical Archive of the City of
Cologne, one of the the largest communal archives in Europe, collapsed.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Archive_of_the_City_of_Cologne>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
beey:
(informal, rare) Reminiscent of or containing bees.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beey>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
We prove what we want to prove, and the real difficulty is to
know what we want to prove.
--Émile Chartier
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Chartier>
Fakih Usman (1904–68) was an Indonesian Islamic leader and politician
with the Masyumi Party. Born to a merchant and his wife in Gresik, Dutch
East Indies, Fakih studied with his father and at a series of pesantren
until the 1920s. In 1925 he became involved with the modernist Islamic
organisation Muhammadiyah, rising quickly until he became the head of
the Surabaya branch in 1938. When a group of Islamic organisations
formed the Indonesian Islamic Assembly in 1937, Fakih became treasurer.
He continued to be involved in politics and Islamic groups during the
Japanese occupation and ensuing national revolution. In post-Revolution
Indonesia, Fakih twice served as the Minister of Religious Affairs:
under the Halim Cabinet in the State of the Republic of Indonesia in
1950, and in the national government during the Wilopo Cabinet from 1952
to 1953. While serving as minister of religious affairs, he oversaw
educational and institutional reform. Growing in prominence within the
Muhammadiyah, he was chosen as its chairman in late 1968, several days
before his death.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fakih_Usman>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1444:
Skanderbeg organised the League of Lezhë, an alliance of
Albanian principalities that is regarded as the first unified Albanian
state.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Lezh%C3%AB>
1877:
The U.S. Electoral Commission awarded twenty disputed electoral
votes to Rutherford B. Hayes, thus assuring his victory in the 1876 U.S.
presidential election.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_B._Hayes>
1939:
Italian Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected as Pope and took
the name Pius XII (pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_XII>
1965:
Vietnam War: The American and South Vietnamese air forces began
Operation Rolling Thunder, a sustained bombing campaign against North
Vietnam that eventually became the most intense air/ground battle waged
during the Cold War period.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rolling_Thunder>
1978:
Aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 28, Czech Vladimír Remek
became the first person not from the Soviet Union or the United States
to go into space.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_28>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
party favor:
A small gift given to a guest at a party, as a souvenir.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/party_favor>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I define anarchist society as one where there is no legal
possibility for coercive aggression against the person or property of
any individual.
--Murray Rothbard
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Murray_Rothbard>