George Vincent (1796 – c. 1832) was an English landscape artist who
produced watercolours, etchings and oil paintings. He is considered to
be one of the most talented of the Norwich School of painters, a group
of artists inspired by the Norfolk countryside. Vincent's work was
founded on the Dutch school of landscape painting and the style of John
Crome, also of the Norwich School. The son of a weaver, Vincent was
apprenticed to Crome. Vincent exhibited at the Royal Academy and the
British Institution. From 1811 until 1831 he showed at the Norwich
Society of Artists, exhibiting over 100 pictures of Norfolk landscapes
and marine works. By 1818 he had relocated to London, yet struggled
financially. He was imprisoned for debt from 1824 to 1827. After 1831,
Vincent disappeared and was never found. The art historian Herbert
Cundall wrote in the 1920s that had Vincent "not given way to
intemperate habits he would probably have ranked amongst the foremost of
British landscape painters".
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Vincent_%28painter%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1851:
The Congress of Colombia passed a law abolishing slavery in the
country, to take effect at the beginning of the new year.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Colombia>
1917:
The Imperial War Graves Commission was established by royal
charter to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of
commemoration of British Empire military forces.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission>
1946:
Working with a mass of plutonium known as the "demon core"
(recreation pictured), Manhattan Project physicist Louis Slotin
accidentally exposed himself to a lethal dose of hard radiation.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Slotin>
1991:
Former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a
suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhi>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
orature:
The oral equivalent of literature: a collection of traditional folk
songs, stories, etc., that is communicated orally rather than in
writing. […]
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orature>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
What after all, has maintained the human race on this old globe
despite all the calamities of nature and all the tragic failings of
mankind, if not faith in new possibilities, and courage to advocate
them.
--Jane Addams
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jane_Addams>
The Battle of Rethymno was part of the Battle of Crete, fought during
World War II on the Greek island of Crete between 20 and 29 May 1941.
Two Australian battalions, supported by Greek forces, defended an
airstrip and the nearby town of Rethymno against a German paratrooper
attack (pictured). Due to confusion and delays at the airfields in
Greece, the German assault was launched without direct air support, and
drops occurred over an extended period rather than simultaneously.
German units dropping near Allied positions suffered very high
casualties, both in the air and on the ground. More than 500 Germans
were captured, including the local commander. The Germans concentrated
their resources on the battle for the airfield at Maleme, 50 mi
(80 km) to the west, which they won. The Allies ordered an evacuation
of Crete on 27 May, but were unable to communicate this to the units at
Rethymno. Faced by a superior force of Germans equipped with tanks and
artillery the Australians surrendered on 29 May.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rethymno>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1217:
First Barons' War: English forces under William Marshal
defeated French troops at the Battle of Lincoln.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lincoln_%281217%29>
1873:
Levi Strauss and Jacob W. Davis received a patent for using
copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim overalls, allowing
their company to start manufacturing blue jeans.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_W._Davis>
1983:
uMkhonto we Sizwe, the paramilitary wing of the African
National Congress, detonated a car bomb in Pretoria, resulting in 19
deaths and 217 injuries.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Street,_Pretoria_bombing>
1996:
In deciding Romer v. Evans, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down
a constitutional amendment in Colorado that prevented protected status
under the law for homosexuals or bisexuals.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romer_v._Evans>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
wheelhouse:
1. A building or other structure containing a (large) wheel, such as the
water wheel of a mill.
2. (automotive) The partially enclosed structure above and around a
wheel of an automobile, typically partly formed by a portion of a fender
panel that has been extended outward beyond the plane of the rest of the
panel.
3. (nautical) An enclosed compartment on the deck of a vessel such as a
fishing boat, originally housing its helm or steering wheel, from which
it may be navigated; on a larger vessel it is the bridge.
4. (nautical) The enclosed structure around the paddlewheel of a
steamboat.
5. (archaeology) A prehistoric structure from the Iron Age found in
Scotland, characteristically including an outer wall within which a
circle of stone piers (resembling the spokes of a wheel) form the basis
for lintel arches supporting corbelled roofing with a hearth at the hub.
6. (Canada, US, baseball, by extension from sense 1.2) A pitch location
which is favourable to the hitter.
7. (Canada, US, figuratively) A person's area of authority or expertise.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wheelhouse>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Ages are no more infallible than individuals; every age having
held many opinions which subsequent ages have deemed not only false but
absurd; and it is as certain that many opinions now general will be
rejected by future ages, as it is that many, once general, are rejected
by the present.
--John Stuart Mill
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill>
Angkor Wat is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built in the capital city
for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as the state temple.
The largest and best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to
have remained a significant religious center—first Hindu, then
Buddhist—since its foundation. The temple is the epitome of the high
classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of
Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and is the country's prime
attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer
temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple.
It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the gods in Hindu
mythology. At the center of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. The
temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture and
for the extensive bas-reliefs and the numerous devatas adorning its
walls. Unusually, Angkor Wat faces the west; scholars are divided as to
the significance of this.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1743:
French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin published the design of a
mercury thermometer using the centigrade scale, with 0 representing the
melting point of water and 100 its boiling point.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celsius>
1911:
Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, was
established as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the
Interior.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_Canada>
1991:
Breakup of Yugoslavia: With the local Serb population
boycotting the referendum, Croatians voted in favour of independence
from Yugoslavia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Croatian_independence_referendum>
2018:
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (both pictured)
took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Prince_Harry_and_Meghan_Markle>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
gnomon:
1. An object such as a pillar or a rod that is used to tell time by the
shadow it casts when the sun shines on it, especially the pointer on a
sundial.
2. An object such as a pillar used by an observer to calculate the
meridian altitude of the sun (that is, the altitude of the sun when it
reaches the observer's meridian), for the purpose of determining the
observer's latitude.
3. The index of the hour circle of a globe.
4. (geometry) A plane figure formed by removing a parallelogram from a
corner of a larger parallelogram.
5. (mathematics, by extension) A number representing the increment
between two figurate numbers (“numbers equal to the numbers of dots in
geometric figures formed of dots”).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gnomon>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Design is really a special case of problem solving. One wants to
bring about a desired state of affairs. Occasionally one wants to remedy
some fault but more usually one wants to bring about something new. For
that reason design is more open ended than problem solving. It requires
more creativity. It is not so much a matter of linking up a clearly
defined objective with a clearly defined starting position (as in
problem solving) but more a matter of starting out from a general
position in the direction of a general objective.
--Edward de Bono
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edward_de_Bono>
Burnley Football Club is an English association football club based in
Burnley, Lancashire. Founded in 1882, it was one of the first to become
professional – in 1883. The club entered the FA Cup for the first
time in 1885–86 and was one of the 12 founder members of the Football
League in 1888–89. The team currently compete in the Premier League,
the top tier of English football. Burnley have been champions of England
twice, have won the FA Cup once, and the FA Charity Shield twice. They
also reached the quarter-finals of the 1960–61 European Cup. Burnley
are one of only five teams to have won all four professional divisions
of English football. Burnley have played home games at Turf Moor
(pictured) since 1883. The club colours of claret and blue were adopted
before the 1910–11 season in tribute to the previous season's
champions, Aston Villa. The club is nicknamed "the Clarets", because of
the dominant colour of its home shirts.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnley_F.C.>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1896:
Ruling in the landmark decision Plessy v. Ferguson, the U.S.
Supreme Court upheld the legality of racial segregation in public
transportation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson>
1936:
In a crime that captivated Japan, Sada Abe strangled her lover,
cut off his genitals, and carried them around with her for several days
until her arrest.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sada_Abe>
1980:
Mount St. Helens explosively erupted, killing approximately 57
people in southern Washington state, reducing hundreds of square miles
to wasteland, and causing more than US$1 billion in damage.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
schlubby:
(chiefly US, informal) Clumsy, oafish, or socially awkward; unattractive
or unkempt.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/schlubby>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in
happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death,
because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal as human beings to
human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do
so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; if you cannot, there lies
before you the risk of universal death.
--Bertrand Russell
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell>
Thomas Erpingham (c. 1355 – 27 June 1428) was an English soldier
and administrator who served three generations of the House of Lancaster
including two English kings. Through his access to royal patronage he
acquired great wealth and influence. During the reign of Richard II he
served under the King's uncle John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, in Spain
and Scotland, and with his son Henry Bolingbroke on crusades in
Lithuania, Prussia and the Holy Land. On becoming king, Bolingbroke
rewarded Erpingham with senior appointments. Erpingham later helped
suppress the Epiphany Rising and was appointed guardian of Henry's
second son Thomas. He was a member of the Privy Council, acting at one
point as marshal of England. In 1415 Erpingham served as a knight
banneret in Henry's campaign in France and commanded the archers at the
Battle of Agincourt. He was a benefactor to the city of Norwich, where
he had built the main cathedral gate which bears his name.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Erpingham>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1865:
The International Telecommunication Union, which standardizes
and regulates international radio and telecommunications, was founded as
the International Telegraph Union in Paris.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union>
1900:
The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard
of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz>
1914:
Under the Protocol of Corfu, the Principality of Albania
officially recognized Northern Epirus as an autonomous self-governing
region.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_of_Corfu>
2009:
Dalia Grybauskaitė became the first woman to be elected as
president of Lithuania, receiving 69.1 percent of the vote.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalia_Grybauskait%C4%97>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
fjord:
A long, narrow, deep inlet between cliffs.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fjord>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
All those people who cannot or will not make peace on earth; all
those who for one reason or another cling to the ancient state of things
and find or invent excuses for it — they are your enemies! They are
your enemies as much as those German soldiers are to-day who are
prostrate here between you in the mud, who are only poor dupes hatefully
deceived and brutalized, domestic beasts. They are your enemies,
wherever they were born, however they pronounce their names, whatever
the language in which they lie. Look at them, in the heaven and on the
earth. Look at them, everywhere! Identify them once for all, and be
mindful for ever!
--Henri Barbusse
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henri_Barbusse>
Apollo 7 (October 11–22, 1968) was the first crewed flight in NASA's
Apollo program. It was commanded by Wally Schirra, with command module
pilot Donn F. Eisele and lunar module pilot R. Walter Cunningham, and
saw the resumption of human spaceflight by the agency after the fire
that killed the three Apollo 1 astronauts in January 1967. Determined
to prevent a repetition of the fire, the crew spent long periods of time
monitoring the construction of their Apollo command and service module
(CSM). After liftoff on October 11, 1968, extensive testing of the CSM
took place, along with testing of techniques to be used on lunar
missions, and also the first live television broadcast from an American
spacecraft. Despite tension between the crew and ground controllers, the
mission was a complete technical success, giving NASA the confidence to
send Apollo 8 into orbit around the Moon two months later, but in part
because of those tensions, no member of the crew flew in space again.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_7>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1866:
The United States Congress authorized the minting of the Shield
nickel (example pictured), the country's first five-cent piece to be
made of a copper–nickel alloy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield_nickel>
1943:
Second World War: The Royal Air Force's "Dambusters" squadron
embarked on an attack on German dams using bouncing bombs designed by
Barnes Wallis.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncing_bomb>
1961:
Led by Park Chung-hee, the Military Revolution Committee
carried out a bloodless coup against the government of Yun Posun in
Seoul, ending the Second Republic of Korea.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_16_coup>
1975:
Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach
the summit of Mount Everest.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junko_Tabei>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
bright:
1. Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.
2. Of light: brilliant, intense.
3. Of an object, surface, etc.: reflecting much light; having a high
lustre; gleaming, shiny.
4. Of a place: not dark; well-lit.
5. Of climate or weather: not cloudy or gloomy; fair; also, of a period
of time, the sky, etc.: characterized by much sunshine and good weather.
6. (figuratively)
7. Of a colour: not muted or pale; bold, brilliant, vivid.
8. Of an object, surface, etc.: having vivid colour(s); colourful.
9. Of a musical instrument, sound, or a voice: clearly audible; clear,
resounding, and often high-pitched.
10. Of a room or other place: having acoustic qualities that tend to
cause much echoing or reverberation of sound, particularly at high
frequencies.
11. Of a scent or taste: not bland or mild; bold, sharp, strong.
12. Of a substance: clear, transparent; also, pure, unadulterated;
(specifically) of wine: free of suspended particles; not cloudy; fine.
13. Glorious; illustrious.
14. In good spirits; happy, optimistic.
15. Of the face or eyes, or a smile: showing happiness or hopefulness;
cheerful, lively.
16. Of a person: lively, vivacious.
17. Of a period of history or time: happy, prosperous, successful.
18. Of an opportunity or outlook: having a reasonable chance of success;
favourable, good.
19. Of conversation, writing, etc.: imaginative or sparkling with wit;
clever, witty.
20. Having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent.
21. (archaic)
22. Of the eyes: able to see clearly; of eyesight: keen, sharp.
23. Manifest to the mind as light is to the eyes; clear, evident, plain.
24. (music) Of a rhythm or tempo: lively, upbeat.
25. (metallurgy) Of a metal object or surface: lacking any protective
coating or surface treatment for the prevention of corrosion.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bright>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Remember always that the cause of the United States is the cause
of human nature.
--William H. Seward
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_H._Seward>
The Columbia, South Carolina, Sesquicentennial half dollar is a fifty-
cent piece struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1936 as a
commemorative coin. Designed by Abraham Wolfe Davidson, it marks the
150th anniversary of the designation of Columbia as South Carolina's
state capital. The obverse design (pictured) depicts Lady Justice
holding a sword and scales, standing between South Carolina's Old State
House, built in 1790, and the New State House, completed in 1903. The
reverse shows the palmetto tree, South Carolina's state symbol, with 13
stars representing the original Thirteen Colonies, though they may also
be intended to represent the Confederate States. The coins were struck
in September 1936, but they were slow to be distributed. Once they were,
they were sold to the public in small quantities, frustrating coin
dealers who hoped to accumulate more to resell to their customers. They
generally sell in the range of hundreds of dollars today, depending on
condition.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_South_Carolina,_Sesquicentennial_ha…>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1602:
Early English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold arrived on Cape Cod
in present-day Massachusetts.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Gosnold>
1904:
Russo-Japanese War: After striking several mines off Port
Arthur, China, the Japanese battleships Hatsuse and Yashima sank.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Yashima>
1966:
Disapproving of General Tôn Thất Đính's handling of the
Buddhist Uprising, South Vietnamese prime minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
ordered an attack on his forces and ousted Đính from his post.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B4n_Th%E1%BA%A5t_%C4%90%C3%ADnh>
1990:
Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet was sold at auction
at Christie's in New York for US$82.5 million, making it the world's
most expensive painting at the time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Dr._Gachet>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
primigravida:
(obstetrics, veterinary medicine) A woman or female animal who is
pregnant for the first time, or who has been pregnant once.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/primigravida>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Rationality is what we do to organize the world, to make it
possible to predict. Art is the rehearsal for the inapplicability and
failure of that process.
--Brian Eno
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Brian_Eno>
Several attempts and proposals were made to unify Bulgaria and Romania
in the 19th and early 20th centuries, under a federation, a personal
union or a confederation. Earlier, Bulgarians and Romanians had lived
together under the First Bulgarian, Second Bulgarian and Ottoman empires
for centuries. After the establishment in 1878 of an autonomous
Bulgarian principality, there were several unsuccessful Romanian
nominees for its throne. In 1886, Bulgarian leader Stefan Stambolov
tried again to establish a personal union with Romania, and negotiations
were conducted. All such proposals ultimately failed because of cultural
and political differences and opposition from Austria-Hungary and
especially Russia, which even threatened to invade both countries.
Approaches to effect a union were attempted again during the communist
era, but the Soviet Union strongly rejected them. The accession of both
countries into the European Union has led to speculation about a new
future revitalization of the idea.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_Bulgaria_and_Romania>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1919:
Sir Harry Hands, the mayor of Cape Town, performed the first
public observance of a two-minute silence in remembrance of those killed
in World War I.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-minute_silence>
1931:
Five people were killed in Ådalen, Sweden, as soldiers opened
fire on an unarmed trade union demonstration.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85dalen_shootings>
1951:
Trains ran on the Talyllyn Railway (locomotive pictured) in
Wales for the first time since its preservation, making it the first
railway in the world to be operated by volunteers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talyllyn_Railway>
1980:
Salvadoran Civil War: Refugees trying to flee El Salvador
across the Sumpul River to Honduras were attacked by both Salvadoran and
Honduran forces, resulting in at least 300 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumpul_River_massacre>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
up to something:
(idiomatic) Doing something mischievous or scheming.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/up_to_something>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Don't avoid the clichés — they are clichés because they work!
--George Lucas
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Lucas>
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and
written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It stars Bruce Willis
(pictured), Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, and Bonnie Bedelia. Based
on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, Die Hard
follows New York City police detective John McClane (Willis) who is
caught up in a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper. Filming
took place in 1987 and 1988, on a $25–35 million budget. Reviews were
mixed, but Die Hard became the year's highest-grossing action film. It
received four Academy Award nominations, elevated Willis to leading-man
status and made Rickman a celebrity. It is now considered one of the
greatest action films. It revitalized the genre, largely due to its
depiction of McClane as a vulnerable and fallible protagonist. "Die
Hard" became a shorthand for plots in which a hero battles in a
restricted environment. It was selected for preservation in the National
Film Registry in 2017.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1862:
American Civil War: Robert Smalls escaped from slavery by
commandeering the CSS Planter and sailing it from Confederate-
controlled waters to the Union blockade.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smalls>
1909:
The first edition of the Giro d'Italia began in Milan, with
Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna becoming the eventual winner.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giro_d%27Italia>
1958:
Algerian War: A group of French military officers led a coup in
Algiers, demanding the formation of a government to defend French
control of Algeria.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1958_crisis_in_France>
2005:
Uzbek Interior Ministry and State Security Service troops fired
at protesters in Andijan, killing between 187 and 1,500 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andijan_massacre>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
slip-up:
(idiomatic) A (small) error or mistake; a (minor) misstep.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/slip-up>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I felt that I had done my duty. Nothing drove me now. I had run
out of causes and was as close as I might ever be to peace. With all
this behind me, I felt that if I had to die now, it was all right. I
would not protest quite so loudly as I would have at any other time.
--The Courts of Chaos
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amber#The_Courts_of_Chaos_%…>
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range, wide-body airliner and cargo
aircraft manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United
States. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the
custom-built Everett Plant, the largest building in the world by volume.
The first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and the 747 was
certified that December. Entering service with Pan Am on January 22,
1970, it was the first airplane dubbed a "Jumbo Jet". The 747 is a
quadjet, with ten-abreast economy seating typically accommodating 366
passengers. It has a pronounced 37.5° wing sweep, allowing a Mach 0.85
(490 kn; 560 mph; 900 km/h) cruise speed. Boeing introduced the -200
in 1971, with more powerful engines for a heavier maximum takeoff weight
and a longer range. The heavier 747-400 was introduced in 1989 and is
the most common variant. By June 2020, 1,556 aircraft had been built.
As of 2020, 61 Boeing 747s have been lost in accidents, in which 3,722
people have died.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1881:
Under threat of invasion, Muhammad III as-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis,
signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French protectorate.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_conquest_of_Tunisia>
1941:
German engineer Konrad Zuse presented the Z3 (replica
pictured), the first working programmable and fully automatic computer,
to an audience of scientists in Berlin.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z3_%28computer%29>
2008:
An earthquake registering approximately 8.0 Ms struck the
Chinese province of Sichuan, killing at least 69,000 people, injuring at
least 374,000, and leaving at least 4.8 million others homeless.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
motherhood statement:
(chiefly Canada, US) A vague, feel-good platitude, especially one made
by a politician, that few people would disagree with.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/motherhood_statement>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
When shall we see a life full of steady enthusiasm, walking
straight to its aim, flying home, as that bird is now, against the wind
— with the calmness and the confidence of one who knows the laws of
God and can apply them?
--Florence Nightingale
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale>