The Arbiter is a playable character from the Halo science fiction
universe, first voiced by Keith David in the 2004 video game Halo 2. A
different Arbiter appears in the 2009 real-time strategy game Halo Wars,
voiced by David Sobolov. Although the Arbiter is intended to die serving
the High Prophets, he survives his missions and the Prophets' subsequent
betrayal of his kind. When he learns that the Prophets' plans would doom
all sentient life in the galaxy to extinction, he allies with the
Covenant's enemies—humanity—to stop the Halo from being activated.
The entertainment website IGN lamented the loss of the Arbiter's
storyline in Halo 3, but the Arbiter character was not evenly received
by critics and fans, nor was the humanization of the Covenant in
general. The character's name was changed from "Dervish" to avoid
reinforcing a perceived US-versus-Islam allegory in the game's plot.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbiter_(Halo)>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
3114 BC:
The epoch of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, a non-
repeating, vigesimal calendar used by the Maya civilization and several
other Mesoamerican cultures, occurred.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_Long_Count_calendar>
106:
The region of Dacia, comprising regions of modern Romania,
became a province of the Roman Empire.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Dacia>
1786:
Captain Francis Light founded the British colony of Penang
(City Hall pictured), beginning more than a century of British
involvement in Malaya.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang>
1828:
William Corder was hanged at Bury St Edmunds, England, for the
murder of Maria Marten at the Red Barn.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Barn_Murder>
1945:
Amid rumors of kidnappings of children by Jews in Kraków, a
crowd of Poles engaged in a pogrom, which resulted in one dead and five
wounded victims.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krak%C3%B3w_pogrom>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
metaknowledge:
1. (philosophy) Knowledge about knowledge itself.
2. (psychology, artificial intelligence) Knowledge about types, domains,
functions, or preconditions of knowledge.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metaknowledge>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The world is growing gentle, But few know what she owes To the
understanding lily And the judgment of the rose.
--Nathalia Crane
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathalia_Crane>
Entoloma sinuatum is a poisonous mushroom found across Europe and North
America. It is the largest mushroom of the Entoloma genus of pink-spored
fungi. Appearing in late summer and autumn, it is found in or near
deciduous woodlands on clay or chalky soils, sometimes in the form of
fairy rings. The ivory to light grey-brown cap is up to 20 cm (8 in)
across with a margin that is rolled inward. The sinuate gills are pale
and often yellowish, becoming pink as the spores develop. The thick
whitish stem has no ring. When young, it may be mistaken for the edible
St George's mushroom (Calocybe gambosa) or the miller mushroom
(Clitopilus prunulus). It has been responsible for many cases of
mushroom poisoning in Europe, causing primarily gastrointestinal
problems that have been described as highly unpleasant. Delirium and
depression are uncommon chronic side effects. It is generally not
considered to be lethal, although one source has reported deaths from
its consumption.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entoloma_sinuatum>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1512:
War of the League of Cambrai: England and a combined Franco-
Breton fleet engaged in the Battle of Saint-Mathieu, during which an
explosion destroyed each navy's most powerful ship.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saint-Mathieu>
1793:
The Louvre (Louvre Pyramid pictured), today the world's most
visited museum, officially opened in Paris with an exhibition of 537
paintings.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre>
1864:
After Uruguay's governing Blanco Party refused Brazil's
demands, José Antônio Saraiva announced that the Brazilian military
would begin reprisals, beginning the Uruguayan War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguayan_War>
1953:
First Indochina War: The French Union withdrew its forces from
Operation Camargue against the Viet Minh in central modern-day Vietnam.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Camargue>
1990:
NASA's Magellan space probe reached Venus on a mission to map
its surface, fifteen months after its launch.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magellan_(spacecraft)>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
inside baseball:
1. (US, idiomatic, sports) Technical matters concerning baseball not
apparent to spectators.
2. (US, idiomatic, by extension) Matters of interest only to insiders.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inside_baseball>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey:
I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with
my sword.
--John of Bohemia
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_of_Bohemia>
"Love the Way You Lie" is a song recorded by American rapper Eminem with
Barbadian singer Rihanna, from Eminem's seventh studio album Recovery
(2010). Skylar Grey and Alex da Kid collaborated on a demo of the song,
which compares Grey's life in the music industry with an abusive
romantic relationship. Eminem rewrote the song and asked Rihanna to sing
the chorus, adding his own verses. The song describes two lovers in a
dangerous love–hate relationship who refuse to separate. Backed by
guitar, piano and violin, the track is a midtempo hip hop ballad with a
pop refrain, recorded in Ferndale, Michigan, and Dublin, Ireland. It was
released as the second single from Recovery in 2010. Critics praised its
melody but were divided over its representation of domestic violence.
Its accompanying music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, stars Dominic
Monaghan and Megan Fox in a violent relationship, and shows Eminem and
Rihanna in front of a burning house. Critics listed "Love the Way You
Lie" as one of the best of the year. Eminem's best-selling single, it
received several awards and five Grammy nominations.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_the_Way_You_Lie>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1173:
Construction began on a campanile, which would eventually
become the Leaning Tower of Pisa (pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa>
1877:
Nez Perce War: Both Nez Perce and United States Army sides
suffered numerous casualties as they fought to a stalemate in the Battle
of the Big Hole.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Big_Hole>
1902:
Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark were crowned King and Queen
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_of_Denmark>
1965:
Malaysia expelled the state of Singapore from its federation
due to heated ideological conflict between their respective ruling
parties.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore>
2006:
British police arrested 24 people for conspiring to detonate
liquid explosives carried on board at least 10 airliners travelling from
the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
lah:
1. (Manglish and Singlish) Placed at the end of a sentence either for
emphasis or reassurance.
2. Don’t think so much lah!
3. It’s okay lah (It's all right. Don't worry about it.).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lah>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
If I had foreseen Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I would have torn up
my formula in 1905.
--Albert Einstein
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein>
SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm ("His Majesty's Ship Elector Friedrich
Wilhelm") was one of the first ocean-going battleships of the Imperial
German Navy, the fourth pre-dreadnought of the Brandenburg class. She
was laid down in 1890 in the Imperial Dockyard in Wilhelmshaven,
launched in 1891, and completed in 1893 at a cost of 11.23 million
Marks. She served as the flagship of the Imperial fleet from her
commissioning until 1900, seeing limited active duty during the
relatively peaceful late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her career
focused on training exercises and goodwill visits to foreign ports. She
saw only one major overseas deployment, to China in 1900 and 1901,
during the Boxer Rebellion. The ship underwent a major modernization in
1904 and 1905. In 1910, Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm was sold to the
Ottoman Empire and renamed Barbaros Hayreddin. She saw heavy service
during the Balkan Wars, primarily providing artillery support to ground
forces in Thrace. In a state of severe disrepair, the old battleship was
partially disarmed after the Ottoman Empire joined World War I's Central
Powers. On 8 August 1915 the ship was torpedoed and sunk off the
Dardanelles with heavy loss of life.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Kurf%C3%BCrst_Friedrich_Wilhelm>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1576:
The cornerstone of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe's observatory
Uraniborg was laid on the island of Hven.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraniborg>
1918:
The Battle of Amiens began in Amiens, France, marking the start
of the Allied Powers' Hundred Days Offensive through the German front
lines that ultimately led to the end of World War I.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Amiens_(1918)>
1969:
At a zebra crossing in London, photographer Iain Macmillan took
the photo that was used for the cover of the Beatles album Abbey Road,
one of the most famous album covers in recording history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Road>
1988:
A series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots, which
became known as the 8888 Uprising, began against the one-party state of
the Burma Socialist Programme Party.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8888_Uprising>
2010:
A massive mudslide of 1.8 million cubic metres
(2,400,000 cu yd) of mud and rocks in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous
Prefecture, China, killed 1,471 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Gansu_mudslide>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
levant:
To abscond or run away, especially to avoid paying money or debts..
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/levant>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Our technical civilization has just reached its greatest level
of savagery. We will have to choose, in the more or less near future,
between collective suicide and the intelligent use of our scientific
conquests. … Let us be understood. If the Japanese surrender after the
destruction of Hiroshima, having been intimidated, we will rejoice. But
we refuse to see anything in such grave news other than the need to
argue more energetically in favor of a true international society, in
which the great powers will not have superior rights over small and
middle-sized nations, where such an ultimate weapon will be controlled
by human intelligence rather than by the appetites and doctrines of
various states. Before the terrifying prospects now available to
humanity, we see even more clearly that peace is the only goal worth
struggling for. This is no longer a prayer but a demand to be made by
all peoples to their governments — a demand to choose definitively
between hell and reason.
--Albert Camus
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Camus>
Hurricane Diane, the most destructive storm of the 1955 Atlantic
hurricane season, formed on August 7 and reached peak sustained winds
of 105 mph (170 km/h) as a Category 2 hurricane five days later.
Gradually weakening, it made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina,
as a strong tropical storm on August 17, just five days after Hurricane
Connie struck near the same area. After Diane turned northeast, its rain
clouds were amplified by moisture coming off warm Atlantic waters.
Eastern Pennsylvania suffered record floods, largely in the Poconos and
along the Delaware River, that killed 101 people and breached or
destroyed 30 dams. Damage was heaviest in Connecticut, where rainfall
peaked at 16.86 inches (428 mm); the storm effectively split the state
in two by destroying bridges and cutting communications, flooding all
major streams and valleys. Record-high tides and flooded rivers heavily
damaged Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, floodwater levels
surpassed those during the 1938 Long Island hurricane, breaching
multiple dams. Nationwide, Diane killed at least 184 people and
destroyed or damaged 15,000 homes. Losses, including lost revenue,
topped $1 billion. In the hurricane's wake, eight states were declared
federal disaster areas, and the name Diane was retired.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Diane>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1461:
Ming Chinese general Cao Qin staged a failed coup against the
Tianshun Emperor.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_of_Cao_Qin>
1679:
Le Griffon, a brigantine built by René-Robert de La Salle,
became the first sailing ship to navigate the upper Great Lakes.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Griffon>
1933:
An estimated 3,000 Assyrians were slaughtered by Iraqi troops
during the Simele massacre in the Dahuk and Mosul districts.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simele_massacre>
1985:
In Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex, England, a local magistrate and
his family were murdered in what The Times described as "a classic
whodunit".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Farm_murders>
1999:
The Chechnya-based Islamist militia group Islamic International
Brigade invaded the neighbouring Russian republic of Dagestan in support
of the Shura of Dagestan separatist movement.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Dagestan>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
green gown:
(now archaic, historical) A dress that has been stained green from
rolling in the grass; generally with allusion to sexual activity,
especially a woman's loss of virginity.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/green_gown>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on
Hiroshima and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy. That bomb had more
power than 20,000 tons of TNT. It had more than two thousand times the
blast power of the British "Grand Slam" which is the largest bomb ever
yet used in the history of warfare. The Japanese began the war from the
air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold. And the end is not
yet. With this bomb we have now added a new and revolutionary increase
in destruction to supplement the growing power of our armed forces. In
their present form these bombs are now in production and even more
powerful forms are in development. It is an atomic bomb. It is a
harnessing of the basic power of the universe. The force from which the
sun draws its power has been loosed against those who brought war to the
Far East.… The fact that we can release atomic energy ushers in a new
era in man's understanding of nature's forces.
--Harry S. Truman
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman>
A gas explosion in a residential area of Rosario, the third-largest city
in Argentina, occurred on August 6, 2013. It was caused by a large gas
leak; a nearby building collapsed, and others were at high risk of
structural failure. Twenty-two people died, and sixty were injured.
Several organizations helped secure the area, search for survivors and
aid people who lost their homes. The provincial judiciary launched an
investigation into the cause of the explosion, and particularly the role
of Litoral Gas, the natural-gas provider for Rosario. President Cristina
Fernández de Kirchner, who had recently returned from a diplomatic
visit to the United Nations, visited the site of the explosion, and most
of the candidates for the 2013 primary elections suspended their
political campaigns. Pope Francis sent a letter of condolence to the
Archbishop of Rosario that was read during a mass and procession for
Saint Cajetan at Plaza 25 de Mayo, Rosario's civic center.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Rosario_gas_explosion>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1506:
Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania
achieved one of the greatest Lithuanian victories against the Tatars in
the Battle of Kletsk.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kletsk>
1890:
At Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, US, William Kemmler
became the first person to be executed in an electric chair.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_chair>
1945:
World War II: The U.S. Army Air Force bomber Enola Gay
(pictured with crew) dropped an atomic bomb named "Little Boy" on
Hiroshima, Japan, killing as many as 140,000 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy>
1966:
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became emir and ruler of Abu
Dhabi, succeeding his brother, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who
was deposed in a bloodless coup d'état.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zayed_bin_Sultan_Al_Nahyan>
2011:
Following the death of a Tottenham man by the Metropolitan
Police of London, thousands of mostly young males rioted in several
London boroughs and in cities and towns across England.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_England_riots>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
anapest:
1. (prosody) A metrical foot consisting of three syllables, two short and
one long (e.g., the word velveteen).
2. (prosody) A fragment, phrase or line of poetry or verse using this
meter, e.g., “Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but
the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT!” (Dr. Seuss,
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957))..
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/anapest>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
これはぼくらの叫びです これは私たちの祈り�
��す 世界に平和をきずくための This is our cry. This is
our prayer. Peace in the world.
--Children's Peace Monument
<https://en.wikiquote.org//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Peace_Monument>
Henry I (c. 1068 – 1135) was King of England from 1100 to 1135. After
his father, William the Conqueror, died in 1087, Henry's older brothers,
Robert and William, inherited Normandy and England respectively, while
Henry was landless. He seized the English throne after William's death
in 1100, and Robert invaded England to claim it. A settlement was made
that confirmed Henry as king, but the peace was short-lived; Henry
invaded Normandy and defeated Robert. Henry's control of Normandy was
challenged by William Clito, Robert's son, and a rebellion resulted.
Peace was concluded following Henry's victory at the Battle of Bremule.
Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler, Henry
drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice in England and added
the exchequer and judges. Normandy was increasingly governed in the same
manner. He encouraged the ecclesiastical reforms initiated by Pope
Gregory VII, but became involved in a dispute with Archbishop Anselm of
Canterbury. Henry's only legitimate son, William Adelin, drowned in the
White Ship disaster, causing a succession crisis. Henry declared his
daughter, Matilda, as his heir and married her to Geoffrey Plantagenet.
After his death, however, Henry was succeeded by his nephew, Stephen,
resulting in a civil war known as the Anarchy.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_I_of_England>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
641 or 642:
King Penda of Mercia defeated and killed King Oswald of
Northumbria at the Battle of Maserfield, traditionally believed to have
been fought in Oswestry, Shropshire, England.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Maserfield>
1583:
Explorer Humphrey Gilbert established the first English colony
in North America at what is now St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador,
Canada.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador>
1925:
The Welsh political party Plaid Cymru was founded with the
goals of promoting the Welsh language and the political independence of
the Welsh nation.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Plaid_Cymru>
1962:
Actress and model Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her home in
Brentwood, Los Angeles, an event that has become the center of one of
the most debated conspiracy theories.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe>
1995:
During Operation Storm, Croatian forces recovered the town of
Knin from the Republic of Serbian Krajina.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Storm>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
descanso:
A cross placed at the site of a violent, unexpected death, in memoriam.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/descanso>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
A small but brilliant advance made today by someone’s
awareness may for the moment reach a very small audience, but insofar as
it’s valid and beautiful, it will make its way and become part of the
whole world of consciousness.
--Conrad Aiken
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Conrad_Aiken>
The Cleveland Bay is a breed of horse that originated in England during
the 17th century, named after its consistent bay colouring and the
Cleveland district of Yorkshire. It is a strong, well-muscled horse
breed, the oldest established breed in England, and the only non-draught
horse developed in Great Britain. The ancestors of the breed were
developed during the Middle Ages for use as pack horses. These were
crossbred with Andalusian and Barb blood, and later with Arabians and
Thoroughbreds, to create the Cleveland Bay of today. Over the years, the
breed became lighter in frame as they were used more as carriage and
riding horses. They have been patronised by members of the royal family
throughout their history, and some are still used to pull carriages in
royal processions. Today they are used for farm work, driving, and
under-saddle work, but are particularly popular for fox hunting and show
jumping. The Cleveland Bay is a rare breed, and both the UK-based Rare
Breeds Survival Trust and the US-based Livestock Conservancy consider
the population to be at critical limits for extinction.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Bay>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
70:
First Jewish–Roman War: The Roman army, led by the future
Emperor Titus, conquered the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second
Temple.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple>
1790:
A newly passed tariff act in the United States established the
Revenue Cutter Service, an armed maritime law enforcement service that
was the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Revenue_Cutter_Service>
1964:
A second U.S. Navy destroyer (USS Maddox pictured) was
reportedly attacked by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin,
leading Congress to authorize the use of military force in Southeast
Asia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_incident>
1995:
The Croatian Army initiated Operation Storm, the last major
battle of the Croatian War of Independence and the largest European land
battle since the Second World War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Storm>
2007:
Airport police officer María del Luján Telpuk discovered a
suitcase containing US$800,000 as it went through an x-ray machine in
Buenos Aires, sparking an international scandal involving Venezuela and
Argentina known as "Maletinazo".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_del_Luj%C3%A1n_Telpuk>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
cajole:
To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do,
especially by flattery or promises; to coax.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cajole>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Let us reach for the world that ought to be — that spark of
the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. … We can
acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for
justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still
strive for dignity. Clear-eyed, we can understand that there will be
war, and still strive for peace. We can do that — for that is the
story of human progress; that's the hope of all the world; and at this
moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.
--Barack Obama
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Barack_Obama>
Irataba (c. 1814 – 1874) was a leader of the Mohave Nation, known
as an advocate for peace with whites and a mediator with the United
States. He was a renowned orator and one of the first Mohave to speak
English. He became the Mohave Nation's Aha macave yaltanack, an elected,
as opposed to hereditary, leader. As a result of his many interactions
with US officials and settlers, Irataba was invited to Washington, D.C.,
in 1864 for an official meeting with members of the US military and
government, including President Abraham Lincoln. He was the first Native
American from the Southwest to meet an American president. Upon his
return he negotiated the creation of the Colorado River Indian
Reservation, which caused a split in the Mohave Nation when he led
several hundred of his supporters to the Colorado River valley. Some
historians consider Irataba a great leader who championed peace, but
others feel he could have done more to defend the Mohave way of life. In
March 2015, Mohave Tribal chairman Dennis Patch credited Irataba with
ensuring that "the Mohaves stayed on land they had lived on since time
immemorial." (Full article...).
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irataba>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1795:
The United States signed the Treaty of Greenville with the
Western Confederacy coalition of Native Americans, ending the Northwest
Indian War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Greenville>
1916:
Irish nationalist Sir Roger Casement was hanged at London's
Pentonville Prison for treason for his role in the Easter Rising, a
rebellion to win Irish independence from Britain.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Casement>
1940:
World War II: Italy began their invasion of British Somaliland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_conquest_of_British_Somaliland>
1960:
Niger officially gained independence from France as part of the
decolonization of the French Community.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger>
2005:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Mayor of Tehran, began his term
as the sixth President of Iran.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
compunction:
A pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is
slight or fleeting.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/compunction>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Nothing to be done.
--Samuel Beckett
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Samuel_Beckett>
How Brown Saw the Baseball Game is a 1907 American short comedy film
distributed by Siegmund Lubin's Lubin Manufacturing Company. The film
follows Mr. Brown, a baseball fan, who drinks several highball cocktails
before arriving at the ballpark. He has become so intoxicated that the
baseball game appears to him in reverse motion. During production, trick
photography was used to achieve this effect. The film received positive
reviews in a 1908 issue of The Moving Picture World, a film journal,
that regarded it as successful and "truly funny". The identities of the
film's cast and production crew are not known. Film historians have
noted similarities between the plot of How Brown Saw the Baseball Game
and the comedy film How the Office Boy Saw the Ball Game directed by
Edwin S. Porter, released the previous year.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Brown_Saw_the_Baseball_Game>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1610:
English sea explorer Henry Hudson sailed into what is now known
as Hudson Bay, thinking he had made it through the Northwest Passage to
reach the Pacific Ocean.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Bay>
1790:
The first United States Census was conducted, as mandated by
the United States Constitution to allocate Congressional seats and
electoral votes.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1790_United_States_Census>
1870:
Tower Subway (interior pictured), one of the world's earliest
underground tube railways, opened beneath the River Thames in London.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Subway>
1903:
The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization started the
Ilinden Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in Macedonia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilinden%E2%80%93Preobrazhenie_Uprising>
1990:
Iraq invaded Kuwait, overrunning the Kuwaiti military within
two days, and eventually sparking the outbreak of the Gulf War seven
months later.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Kuwait>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
perfusionist:
A trained clinician who operates the heart-lung machine during cardiac
and other surgeries.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perfusionist>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the
history of the world, but then you read. It was Dostoevsky and Dickens
who taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very
things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who ever
had been alive. Only if we face these open wounds in ourselves can we
understand them in other people. An artist is a sort of emotional or
spiritual historian. His role is to make you realize the doom and glory
of knowing who you are and what you are. He has to tell, because nobody
else can tell, what it is like to be alive.
--James Baldwin
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Baldwin>