Leeches are segmented parasitic or predatory worms of the subclass
Hirudinea in the phylum Annelida. Like earthworms, they have soft,
muscular, segmented bodies that can lengthen and contract, but the
coelom, the body cavity that can be spacious in other annelids, is
reduced to small channels, and they typically have suckers at both ends.
Most leeches live in freshwater habitats, though some species can be
found in terrestrial and marine environments. A minority of leech
species prey on small invertebrates, but most are hematophagous,
attaching themselves to a host with a sucker and feeding on blood. They
were used in medicine from ancient times until the 19th century to draw
blood from patients. In modern times, leeches have been used in
microsurgery and in the treatment of extremity vein diseases and joint
diseases such as epicondylitis and osteoarthritis. Hirudin, an
anticoagulant drug they secrete, has been used to treat blood-clotting
disorders.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leech>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1520:
The islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (modern city of Saint-
Pierre pictured) near Canada were visited by Portuguese explorer João
Álvares Fagundes, who named them after the 11,000 Virgins.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Pierre_and_Miquelon>
1854:
Florence Nightingale and a staff of 38 nurses and 15 nuns were
sent to the Ottoman Empire to help treat wounded British soldiers
fighting in the Crimean War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale>
1978:
After reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft,
Australian pilot Frederick Valentich disappeared while piloting a
Cessna 182L across the Bass Strait to King Island.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Frederick_Valentich>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
smell you later:
(humorous, informal) See you later; goodbye.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/smell_you_later>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I pass, like night, from land to land; I have strange power of
speech; That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear
me: To him my tale I teach.
--The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Rime_of_the_Ancient_Mariner>
Stucky is a term used to denote the pairing of Steve Rogers (Captain
America) and James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes (the Winter Soldier),
fictional characters appearing in comic books and related media produced
by Marvel Comics. It is a manifestation of shipping, a phenomenon in
fandom wherein individuals create fan works that depict a romantic or
sexual relationship between two characters; Stucky is an example of
slash, a genre of fan works that focus on same-sex characters. Following
shipping naming conventions, Stucky is a portmanteau of "Steve" and
"Bucky". Though Rogers and Barnes have appeared in media dating to the
1940s, Stucky fan works grew substantially in popularity in the 2010s
following appearances by the characters in the Marvel Cinematic
Universe. Critics and commentators have used the popularity of Stucky in
fandom to remark on a range of topics, including the lack of LGBT
characters in superhero films and the nature of fandom on social media.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stucky_%28fandom%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1944:
World War II: Fulfilling a promise he made two years
previously, General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte to begin the
recapture of the Philippines.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte>
1967:
Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin filmed an unidentified
subject, which they claimed was Bigfoot, at Six Rivers National Forest
in California.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterson%E2%80%93Gimlin_film>
1982:
During a UEFA Cup match between FC Spartak Moscow and HFC
Haarlem, a large number of attendees tried to leave the Central Lenin
Stadium at the same time, resulting in a stampede that caused 66 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzhniki_disaster>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
knacker's yard:
1. The area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human
consumption or other purposes are rendered down to produce useful
materials such as glue.
2. (colloquial, figurative) A (notional) place to send a person or
object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/knacker%27s_yard>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
From all eternity I have indeed recognized Thee and unto all
eternity will ever do so through Thine Own Self and not through any one
else besides Thee. Verily Thou art the Source of all knowledge, the
Omniscient. From everlasting I have besought and unto everlasting will
beseech forgiveness for my limited understanding of Thee, aware as I am
that there is no God but Thee, the All-Glorious, the Almighty.
--The Báb
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/B%C3%A1b>
V. Gordon Childe (1892–1957) was an Australian archaeologist who
specialised in the study of European prehistory. He spent most of his
life in the United Kingdom, working as an academic for the University of
Edinburgh and then the Institute of Archaeology, London, and wrote
twenty-six books during his career. Initially an early proponent of
culture-historical archaeology, he later became the first exponent of
Marxist archaeology in the Western world. Childe studied classics at the
University of Sydney before moving to England to study classical
archaeology at the University of Oxford. In 1921 he became librarian of
the Royal Anthropological Institute and journeyed across Europe to
pursue his research into the continent's prehistory. He co-founded The
Prehistoric Society in 1934 and was its first president. In a 1935
presidential address he argued that a Neolithic Revolution initiated the
Neolithic era, and that other revolutions marked the start of the Bronze
and Iron Ages.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._Gordon_Childe>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1914:
First World War: Allied forces began engaging German troops in
the First Battle of Ypres.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Ypres>
1965:
Vietnam War: The Siege of Plei Me began with the first major
confrontation between soldiers of the communist North Vietnamese Army
and the U.S. Army.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Plei_Me>
2017:
Canadian astronomer Robert Weryk discovered ʻOumuamua
(artist's impression pictured), the first known interstellar object
detected passing through the Solar System.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CA%BBOumuamua>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
stink to high heaven:
1. To have a very strong and unpleasant smell.
2. (figurative) Of a person or situation: to be highly ethically
dubious; also, of a person: to be very incompetent.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stink_to_high_heaven>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
There is no man alone, because every man is a Microcosm, and
carries the whole world about him.
--Thomas Browne
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Browne>
The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a medium-sized North American cat
breeding across Alaska, Canada and much of the contiguous United States.
It has long, dense fur, triangular ears with black tufts, and broad
paws. It is a good swimmer and climber. A specialist predator, the lynx
depends heavily on snowshoe hares for food, which leads to a
prey–predator cycle, as populations of the two species respond to each
other. The lynx hunts at twilight or at night, ambushing hares and
killing them by biting the head or throat. After a gestation period of
two to three months, up to eight kittens are born which are weaned at
three months. This lynx occurs predominantly in dense boreal forests,
its range coinciding with that of the hare. Given its abundance and no
severe threats, the Canada lynx is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN
Red List. It is regularly trapped for the international fur trade in
most of Alaska and Canada but is protected in the south due to threats
such as habitat loss.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_lynx>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1356:
The most significant earthquake to have occurred in Central
Europe in recorded history destroyed Basel, Switzerland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1356_Basel_earthquake>
1954:
The first commercial transistor radio, the Regency TR-1, was
introduced in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor_radio>
1967:
The Soviet space probe Venera 4 became the first spacecraft to
perform direct in situ analysis of the environment of another planet
(Venus).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_4>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
brae:
1. (Northern England, Scotland) The sloping bank of a river valley.
2. (Northern England, Scotland) Any hillside or slope.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/brae>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has to be a
visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of
society that is caring and humane. I worked to put this view of social
justice into effect throughout my years in office.
--Pierre Trudeau
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pierre_Trudeau>
Tube Alloys was the code name of the United Kingdom's research-and-
development programme, with participation from Canada, to develop
nuclear weapons during the Second World War. A 1940 memorandum on the
possibility of a nuclear weapon led to the formation early in the war of
the MAUD Committee, chaired by George Thomson (pictured), which called
for an all-out development effort. Due to the high costs and the
potential threat from German bombers, Tube Alloys was subsumed into the
Manhattan Project by the Quebec Agreement. The British contribution to
the Manhattan Project was crucial, but the United States did not provide
complete details to the United Kingdom. The Soviet Union gained valuable
information through its atomic spies, who had infiltrated both the
British and American projects. After the war, the United States
terminated co-operation with the enactment of the Atomic Energy Act of
1946. This prompted the United Kingdom to relaunch its own project: High
Explosive Research.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tube_Alloys>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1860:
The Open Championship, the oldest of the four major
championships in men's golf, was first played at Prestwick Golf Club in
Prestwick, Scotland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Open_Championship>
1964:
Australian prime minister Robert Menzies inaugurated the
artificial Lake Burley Griffin in the centre of the capital Canberra.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Burley_Griffin>
2000:
A fatal rail accident at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, led to the
introduction of widespread speed limit reductions throughout the British
rail network and eventually caused the collapse of the railway
management group Railtrack.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railtrack>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
thwart:
1. (transitive) To cause to fail; to frustrate, to prevent.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To place (something) across (another thing);
to position crosswise.
3. (transitive, also figurative, obsolete) To hinder or obstruct by
placing (something) in the way of; to block, to impede, to oppose.
4. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To move (something) across or
counter to; to cross.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/thwart>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The possibility of victory must be there in tragedy. Where pathos
rules, where pathos is finally derived, a character has fought a battle
he could not possibly have won. The pathetic is achieved when the
protagonist is, by virtue of his witlessness, his insensitivity, or the
very air he gives off, incapable of grappling with a much superior
force. Pathos truly is the mode for the pessimist. But tragedy requires
a nicer balance between what is possible and what is impossible. And it
is curious, although edifying, that the plays we revere, century after
century, are the tragedies. In them, and in them alone, lies the belief
— optimistic, if you will, in the perfectibility of man.
--Arthur Miller
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_Miller>
A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the Species inhabiting
the Western Palearctic Region is a nine-volume ornithological book
published in parts between 1871 and 1882. It is mainly written by Henry
Eeles Dresser, although Richard Bowdler Sharpe co-authored the earlier
volumes. The book describes all the bird species reliably recorded in
the wild in Europe and adjacent geographical areas with similar fauna,
giving their worldwide distribution, variations in appearance and
migratory movements. It was published as 84 quarto parts, each typically
containing 56 pages of text and eight plates of illustrations, the
latter mainly by the Dutch artist John Gerrard Keulemans, and bound into
permanent volumes when all the parts were published. In total, 339
copies were made, at a cost to each subscriber of £52 10s. Birds of
Europe was well received by its contemporary reviewers, although
Dresser's outdated views and the cost of his books meant that in the
long run his works had limited influence.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_History_of_the_Birds_of_Europe>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1793:
War of the First Coalition: The two-day Battle of Wattignies
concluded, with Jean-Baptiste Jourdan leading French forces to victory
over Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wattignies>
1834:
Most of the Palace of Westminster in London was destroyed in a
fire caused by the burning of wooden tally sticks.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Parliament>
1940:
World War II: Nazi governor-general Hans Frank established the
Warsaw Ghetto, the largest Jewish ghetto in German-occupied Poland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto>
1984:
The Bill debuted on ITV, eventually becoming the longest-
running police procedural in British television history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bill>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
chicory:
1. (countable, botany) Either of two plants of the Asteraceae family.
2. (chiefly Britain) The common chicory (Cichorium intybus), the source
of Belgian endive, radicchio, and sugarloaf.
3. (chiefly Canada, US) The endive (Cichorium endivia, the source of
escarole and frisée.
4. (uncountable, cooking) A coffee substitute made from the roasted
roots of the common chicory, sometimes used as a cheap adulterant in
real coffee.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chicory>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I listen to people talking about this universal breakdown we are
in and I marvel at their stupid cowardice. It is so obvious that they
deliberately cheat themselves because their fear of change won't let
them face the truth. They don't want to understand what has happened to
them. All they want is to start the merry-go-round of blind greed all
over again. They no longer know what they want this country to be, what
they want it to become, where they want it to go. It has lost all
meaning for them except as pig-wallow. And so their lives as citizens
have no beginnings, no ends. They have lost the ideal of the Land of the
Free. Freedom demands initiative, courage, the need to decide what life
must mean to oneself. To them, that is terror. They explain away their
spiritual cowardice by whining that the time for individualism is past,
when it is their courage to possess their own souls which is dead —
and stinking! No, they don't want to be free. Slavery means security —
of a kind, the only kind they have courage for. It means they need not
to think. They have only to obey orders from owners who are, in turn,
their slaves!
--Eugene O'Neill
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eugene_O%27Neill>
Master Chief is a major character in the Halo multimedia franchise.
First appearing in the 2001 video game Halo: Combat Evolved, he is the
playable character and protagonist of many of the games in the
franchise, and makes additional appearances in spin-offs, novels, and
comics. In the story, Master Chief is abducted as a child and raised by
the military to fight against human rebels. He and his fellow Spartan
supersoldiers instead become humanity's best weapon in the fight against
a genocidal collective of alien races known as the Covenant. The
character is voiced by Steve Downes. Master Chief was originally
designed to be a faceless avatar whom players could inhabit while
playing the games, but the relationship between him and his artificial
intelligence companion Cortana has become a central part of the
franchise. Master Chief serves as a mascot for the Xbox brand, and is an
iconic character in gaming culture.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Chief_%28Halo%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1917:
Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari was executed by a firing squad
for spying for Germany.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mata_Hari>
1982:
Ata'ollah Ashrafi Esfahani was assassinated by the People's
Mujahedin of Iran during Friday prayers in Kermanshah.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ata%27ollah_Ashrafi_Esfahani>
2006:
An earthquake registering 6.7 Mw occurred off the northwestern
coast of the island of Hawaii.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Kiholo_Bay_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
beg to differ:
1. (idiomatic) To offer an opposing opinion humbly.
2. (idiomatic) To differ (strongly) in interpretation or opinion.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beg_to_differ>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction
rather than surrender any material part of their advantage. Intellectual
myopia, often called stupidity, is no doubt a reason. But the privileged
also feel that their privileges, however egregious they may seem to
others, are a solemn, basic, God-given right.
--John Kenneth Galbraith
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Kenneth_Galbraith>
The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) is a highly venomous
snake native to the coastal regions of southern East Africa. First
described by Scottish surgeon and zoologist Andrew Smith in 1849, the
mamba has a slender build with bright green upperparts and yellow-green
underparts. The adult female averages around 2.0 metres (6.6 ft) in
length, and the male is slightly smaller. A shy and elusive species, it
is rarely seen; its green colouration blends with its arboreal
environment. It has been observed to lie in wait like many vipers
instead of actively foraging. The eastern green mamba preys on birds,
eggs, bats, and rodents such as mice, rats, and gerbils. Its venom
consists of both neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. Symptoms in humans can
include swelling of the bite site, dizziness and nausea, accompanied by
difficulty breathing and swallowing, irregular heartbeat and
convulsions. The most severe bites can quickly be fatal.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_green_mamba>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1940:
Second World War: During the Blitz, a semi-armour-piercing
fragmentation bomb fell on the road above Balham station in London,
which was being used as an air raid shelter, killing at least 64 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balham_station>
1957:
After three days of heavy rain, the Turia overflowed and
flooded the city of Valencia, Spain, causing at least 81 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Valencia_flood>
2014:
A snowstorm and series of avalanches occurred on and around the
Himalayan peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, resulting in the deaths of
at least 43 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Nepal_snowstorm_disaster>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
Woozle effect:
The phenomenon whereby frequent citation of earlier publications leads
to a mistaken public belief in something for which there is no evidence,
giving rise to an urban myth.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Woozle_effect>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity.
Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a
section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man's
associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks
forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must
square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity
and high purpose.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower>
Mike Capel (born October 13, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher who played for the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers,
and Houston Astros. In 49 career games, Capel pitched 62.1 innings,
struck out 43 batters, and had a career win–loss record of 3–4 with
a 4.62 earned run average. A starting pitcher in college and parts of
his Minor League Baseball career, he converted to relief pitching while
in Chicago's minor league system. The Philadelphia Phillies chose Capel
in the 24th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft, but instead
of signing with the team, he opted to attend the University of Texas. He
played on the 1982 USA College All-Star Team, which placed third in the
Amateur World Series in Seoul. The next year, Capel and the Texas
Longhorns won the College World Series. After he was drafted by the
Cubs, Capel left Texas and played in six seasons of the minor leagues
before he made his major league debut in 1988.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Capel>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1814:
War of 1812: After three days of fighting, the beached U.S.
Revenue Cutter Service vessel Eagle was captured by the Royal Navy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_the_cutter_Eagle>
1972:
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed into a remote area in
the Andes mountains near the border of Chile and Argentina; the 16
remaining survivors were not rescued until more than two months later.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguayan_Air_Force_Flight_571>
2013:
During the Hindu festival of Navaratri at a temple in Madhya
Pradesh, India, rumours about an impending bridge collapse caused a
stampede that resulted in 115 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Madhya_Pradesh_stampede>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
hogshead:
1. (Britain) An English measure of capacity for liquids, containing 63
wine gallons, or about 52½ imperial gallons; a half pipe.
2. A large barrel or cask of indefinite contents, especially one
containing from 100 to 140 gallons.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hogshead>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational
media so citizens can be informed about global events. More important,
we need to provide a platform for Arab voices. We suffer from poverty,
mismanagement and poor education. Through the creation of an independent
international forum, isolated from the influence of nationalist
governments spreading hate through propaganda, ordinary people in the
Arab world would be able to address the structural problems their
societies face.
--Jamal Khashoggi
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jamal_Khashoggi>
Hurricane Gonzalo formed on October 12, 2014, and became the first
Category 4 Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Ophelia in 2011. It made
landfall on Antigua, Saint Martin, and Anguilla as a Category 1
hurricane. Antigua and Barbuda sustained US$40 million in losses, and
three people died on Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. Gonzalo
intensified into a major hurricane, peaking on October 16 with maximum
sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h). It struck Bermuda less than a
week after the surprisingly fierce Hurricane Fay; the 2014 Atlantic
hurricane season was the first in recorded history with two hurricane
landfalls in Bermuda. Gonzalo battered the island with wind gusts as
high as 144 mph (232 km/h), downing hundreds of trees and causing
widespread roof damage and power outages, but no deaths or serious
injuries were reported. A large storm system from the remnants of
Gonzalo battered the British Isles and central Europe on October 21,
killing three people in the United Kingdom.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gonzalo>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1798:
The Peasants' War began in Overmere, Southern Netherlands, with
peasants taking up arms against the French occupiers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants%27_War_%281798%29>
1960:
Japan Socialist Party leader Inejirō Asanuma was assassinated
during a live television recording by a man using a samurai sword.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inejir%C5%8D_Asanuma>
1992:
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 or 5.9 struck south of
Cairo, Egypt, killing 545 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Cairo_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
mantilla:
1. A lace veil of Spanish origin worn over a woman's hair and shoulders.
2. A woman's light cloak or cape made of silk, velvet, lace, or other
material.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mantilla>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
To practice black magic you have to violate every principle of
science, decency, and intelligence. You must be obsessed with an insane
idea of the importance of the petty object of your wretched and selfish
desires. I have been accused of being a "black magician." No more
foolish statement was ever made about me. I despise the thing to such an
extent that I can hardly believe in the existence of people so debased
and idiotic as to practice it.
--Aleister Crowley
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley>