The asteroid belt is a region of the Solar System located roughly
between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by
numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets.
More than half the mass of the belt is contained in the four largest
objects: Ceres, 4 Vesta, 2 Pallas, and 10 Hygiea. These have mean
diameters of more than 400 km, while the remaining bodies range down to
the size of a dust particle. Individual asteroids within the main belt
are categorized by their spectra, with most falling into three basic
groups: carbonaceous (C-type), silicate (S-type), and metal-rich
(M-type). The asteroid belt formed from the primordial solar nebula as
a group of planetesimals, which in turn formed protoplanets. Between
Mars and Jupiter, gravitational perturbations from the giant planet
imbued the protoplanets with too much orbital energy for them to
accrete into a planet. Collisions became too violent and, instead of
sticking together, the planetesimals and most of the protoplanets
shattered. Asteroid orbits continue to be appreciably perturbed
whenever their period of revolution about the Sun forms an orbital
resonance with Jupiter. Other regions of small solar system bodies
include the centaurs, the Kuiper belt and scattered disk, and the Oort
cloud.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_belt>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
879:
Pope John VIII became the first to officially recognise Croatia as a
nation-state, and Branimir as its Duke.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branimir_of_Croatia>
1674:
John III Sobieski , elected by the szlachta, became the King of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_III_Sobieski>
1881:
Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Barton>
1911:
Mexican President Porfirio Díaz and the revolutionary Francisco Madero
signed the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez to put an end to the fighting
between the forces of both men, and thus concluding the initial phase
of the Mexican Revolution.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Ciudad_Ju%C3%A1rez>
1946:
Manhattan Project physicist Louis Slotin accidentally triggered a
fission reaction at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and gave himself
a lethal dose of hard radiation, making him the second victim of a
criticality accident in history.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Slotin>
1998:
Indonesian President Suharto resigned following the collapse of support
for his three-decade-long reign.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suharto>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
don't shoot the messenger (proverb):
The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/don%27t_shoot_the_messenger>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
All seems Infected that th' Infected spy,
As all looks yellow to the Jaundic'd Eye.
--Alexander Pope
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alexander_Pope>
The 1906 French Grand Prix was a motor race held on 26 and 27 June
1906, on closed public roads outside the city of Le Mans. The Grand
Prix was organised by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) at the
prompting of the French automobile industry as an alternative to the
Gordon Bennett races, which limited each competing country's number of
entries regardless of the size of its industry. The ACF chose a
103.18-kilometre (64.11 mi) circuit, composed primarily of dust roads
sealed with tar, which would be lapped six times on both days by each
competitor, a combined race distance of 1,238.16 kilometres
(769.36 mi). Lasting for more than 12 hours overall, the race was won
by Ferenc Szisz driving for the Renault team. Renault's victory
contributed to an increase in sales for the French manufacturer in the
years following the race. Despite being the second to carry the title,
the race has become known as the first Grand Prix. The success of the
1906 French Grand Prix prompted the ACF to run the Grand Prix again the
following year, and the German automobile industry to organise the
Kaiserpreis, the forerunner to the German Grand Prix, in 1907.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_French_Grand_Prix>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
325:
The First Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council of the
Christian Church, was formally opened in present-day Iznik, Turkey.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea>
685:
The Picts defeated the Northumbrians near Dunnichen, severely weakening
the latter's power in northern Great Britain.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunnichen>
1293:
Sancho IV, King of Castile and León, established what is now the
Complutense University of Madrid, today one of Spain's top public
universities.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complutense_University_of_Madrid>
1570:
The first modern atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by cartographer
Abraham Ortelius, was issued.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Ortelius>
1927:
By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognized the sovereignty
of King Ibn Saud over Hejaz and Nejd, which later merged to become
Saudi Arabia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Saud_of_Saudi_Arabia>
2002:
East Timor gained independence from Indonesia, becoming the first new
sovereign state of the 21st century.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
kinematic (adj):
Of or relating to motion or to kinematics
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kinematic>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any
member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm
to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient
warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it
will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier,
because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even
right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning
with him, or persuading him or entreating him, but not for compelling
him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he do otherwise.
--John Stuart Mill
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill>
Netley Abbey is a ruined medieval monastery in the village of Netley
near Southampton in Hampshire, England. The abbey was founded in 1239
as a house for monks of the austere Cistercian order. Despite being a
royal abbey, Netley was never rich, produced no influential scholars or
churchmen, and its nearly 300-year history was quiet. The monks were
best known to their neighbours for the generous hospitality they
offered to travellers on land and sea. In 1536, Netley was closed by
Henry VIII of England during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the
building was converted into a mansion by William Paulet, a wealthy
Tudor politician. The abbey was used as a country house until the
beginning of the eighteenth century, after which it was abandoned and
partially demolished for building materials. Subsequently the ruins
became a tourist attraction, and provided inspiration to poets and
artists of the romantic movement. In the early twentieth century the
site was given to the nation, and it is now a Scheduled Ancient
Monument, cared for by English Heritage. The extensive remains consist
of the church, cloister buildings, abbot's house, and fragments of the
post-Dissolution mansion.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netley_Abbey>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1828:
Congress passed the largest tariff in United States history, which
resulted in severe economic hardship in the American South.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariff_of_1828>
1845:
Captain Sir John Franklin and his ill-fated Arctic expedition departed
from Greenhithe, England; the entire 129-man complement would be lost.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin%27s_lost_expedition>
1911:
Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, was established
as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the Interior.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_Canada>
1997:
The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most ecologically
diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of grassroots
efforts.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Gorda>
2010:
In Bangkok, the Thai military concluded a week-long crackdown on
widespread protests by forcing the surrender of opposition leaders.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Thai_military_crackdown>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
Ruritanian (adj):
1. Of or having the characteristics of adventure, romance, and
intrigue, as in works of romantic fiction.
2. Used to describe a fictitious and generic foreign government or
person, as used to state a general or hypothetical situation
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ruritanian>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I wish to live because life has within it that which is good, that
which is beautiful and that which is love. Therefore, since I have
known all of these things, I have found them to be reason enough and —
I wish to live. Moreover, because this is so, I wish others to live for
generations and generations and generations.
--Lorraine Hansberry
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lorraine_Hansberry>
Taare Zameen Par is a 2007 Bollywood drama film directed by Aamir Khan,
written by Amole Gupte, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The
film explores the life and imagination of eight-year-old Ishaan
(Darsheel Safary). Although he excels in the arts, his poor academic
performance leads his parents to send him to a boarding school.
Ishaan's new art teacher (Aamir Khan) suspects that he is dyslexic, and
helps him to overcome his disability. The film made its cinematic debut
in India on 21 December 2007, and UTV Home Entertainment released a DVD
for Indian audiences in 2008. Less than two years later Walt Disney
Home Entertainment released an international edition DVD titled Like
Stars on Earth, marking the first purchase of distribution rights for
an Indian film by a global company. Taare Zameen Par has received
several awards, including the Filmfare Best Film Award for 2008 and the
2008 National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare. It was
India's official entry for the 2009 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film,
and the film's failure to progress to the nominations short list
sparked a debate about why no Indian film has ever won an Oscar. Media
outlets made comparisons between Taare Zameen Par and the British drama
Slumdog Millionaire, which won several Oscars that same year.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taare_Zameen_Par>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1652:
Rhode Island passed the first law in North America making slavery
illegal.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island>
1944:
The Soviet Union forcibly deported the entire population of Crimean
Tatars as special settlers to Uzbek SSR and elsewhere in the country.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_Tatars>
1980:
A popular uprising against the nationwide martial law imposed by South
Korean President Chun Doo-hwan's government began in Gwangju, but it
was ultimately crushed by the South Korean army about nine days later.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangju_Democratization_Movement>
1991:
The Somali National Movement declared the independence of Somaliland ,
internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia,
following the collapse of central government during the Somali Civil
War.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliland>
2006:
The Parliament of Nepal unanimously voted to strip King Gyanendra of
many of his powers.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_democracy_movement_in_Nepal>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
windmill (v):
To rotate with a sweeping motion
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/windmill>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The impartiality which, in contemplation, is the unalloyed desire for
truth, is the very same quality of mind which, in action, is justice,
and in emotion is that universal love which can be given to all, and
not only to those who are judged useful or admirable. Thus
contemplation not only enlarges the objects of our thoughts, but also
the objects of our actions and our affections: it makes us citizens of
the universe, not only of one walled city at war with the rest. In this
citizenship of the universe consists man's true freedom, and his
liberation from the thralldom of narrow hopes and fears.
--Bertrand Russell
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell>
The CSI effect is any of several ways in which the exaggerated
portrayal of forensic science on crime shows such as CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation influences its public perception. The term most often
refers to the belief that jurors have come to demand more forensic
evidence in criminal trials, thereby raising the standard of proof for
prosecutors. Although this belief is widely held among American legal
professionals, several studies have shown that crime shows are unlikely
to cause such an effect. There are several other manifestations of the
CSI effect. Greater public awareness of forensic science has increased
the demand for forensic evidence in police investigations, which in
turn has significantly increased workloads for crime laboratories. The
number and popularity of forensic science degree programs at the
university level have greatly increased worldwide, though some new
programs have been criticized for inadequately preparing their students
for real forensic work. It is possible that forensic science shows
teach criminals how to conceal evidence of their crimes, thereby making
it more difficult for investigators to solve cases.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSI_effect>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1642:
The Société Notre-Dame de Montréal founded a permanent mission known as
Ville-Marie, which eventually grew into the city of Montreal
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal>
1902:
The Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known surviving geared mechanism,
was discovered among artifacts retrieved from a shipwreck off the Greek
island of Antikythera.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism>
1954:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Brown v. Board of
Education, outlawing racial segregation in public schools because
"separate educational facilities are inherently unequal".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education>
1980:
On the eve of the Peruvian general election, the Maoist guerrilla group
Shining Path attacked a polling location in the town of Chuschi,
Ayacucho, starting the internal conflict in Peru.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/internal_conflict_in_Peru>
2009:
Dalia Grybauskaitė was elected the first female President of
Lithuania, receiving 68.18 percent of the vote.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalia_Grybauskait%C4%97>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
inquinate (v):
To sully or pollute
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inquinate>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
There are cloudy moments when one asks himself if men do not deserve
all the disasters into which they rush! No — I recover myself — they do
not deserve them. But we, instead of saying "I wish" must say "I will."
And what we will, we must will to build it, with order, with method,
beginning at the beginning, when once we have been as far as that
beginning. We must not only open our eyes, but our arms, our wings.
--Henri Barbusse
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henri_Barbusse>
USS President was a 44-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of
the United States Navy. She was one of the original six frigates whose
construction was authorized by the Naval Act of 1794. Launched on 10
April 1800, she was the last to be completed. Her first duties with the
newly formed United States Navy were to provide protection for American
merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the
Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. On 16 May 1811 President was
at the center of the Little Belt Affair, when her crew mistakenly
identified HMS Little Belt as HMS Guerriere, which was sought after for
impressing an American seaman. The ships exchanged cannon fire for
several minutes; Little Belt was heavily damaged. Subsequent U.S. and
Royal Navy investigations placed responsibility for the attack on each
other with no resolution. The incident contributed to tensions between
the U.S. and Great Britain that led to the War of 1812.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_President_%281800%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1204:
Fourth Crusade: Count Baldwin IX of Flanders was crowned the first
Latin Emperor in Constantinople.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_I_of_Constantinople>
1811:
Peninsular War: An allied force of British, Spanish, and Portuguese
troops clashed with the French at the Battle of Albuera south of
Badajoz, Spain.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Albuera>
1960:
American physicist Theodore Maiman operated the first working laser at
the Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/laser>
1966:
Chinese leader Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution officially
as a campaign to rid China of its liberal bourgeoisie elements and to
continue revolutionary class struggle.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution>
1975:
Based on the results of a referendum held about one month earlier,
Sikkim abolished its monarchy and was annexed by India, becoming its
22nd state.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikkim>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
promiscuous (adj):
1. Made up of many disparate elements.
2. Indiscrimiate; applied to everything equally.
3. Undiscrimiating in
one's choice of sexual partners; sexually active with many different
people
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/promiscuous>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I have learned, by some experience, that virtue and patriotism, vice
and selfishness, are found in all parties, and that they differ less in
their motives than in the policies they pursue.
--William H. Seward
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_H._Seward>
The American Goldfinch is a North American bird in the finch family. It
is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to North Carolina during the
breeding season, and from just south of the Canadian border to Mexico
during the winter. The only finch in its subfamily which undergoes a
complete molt, the American Goldfinch displays sexual dimorphism in its
coloration; the male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and an olive
color during the winter months, while the female is a dull yellow-brown
shade which brightens only slightly during the summer. The male
displays brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract
a mate. The American Goldfinch is a granivore and adapted for the
consumption of seedheads, with a conical beak to remove the seeds and
agile feet to grip the stems of seedheads while feeding. It is a social
bird, and will gather in large flocks while feeding and migrating. The
breeding season is tied to the peak of food supply, beginning in late
July, which is relatively late in the year for a finch. Human activity
has generally benefited the American Goldfinch. It is often found in
residential areas, attracted to bird feeders installed by humans, which
increase its survival rate in these areas. Deforestation also creates
open meadow areas which are the preferred habitat of the American
Goldfinch.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Goldfinch>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1869:
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman
Suffrage Association, breaking away from the American Equal Rights
Association which they had also previously founded.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Woman_Suffrage_Association>
1966:
Disapproving of his handling of the Buddhist Uprising, South Vietnamese
Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ ordered an attack on the forces of General
Tôn Thất Đính and ousted him from the position.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B4n_Th%E1%BA%A5t_%C4%90%C3%ADnh>
1974:
A unit of the Golani Brigade assaulted an elementary school in Ma'alot,
Israel, where three armed members of the Democratic Front for the
Liberation of Palestine had taken 115 people hostage, resulting in 28
deaths.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%27alot_massacre>
1990:
Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet was sold at auction in
Christie's New York office for a total of US$82.5 million, at the time
the world's most expensive painting.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Dr._Gachet>
1997:
The United States publicly acknowledged its role in the Laotian Civil
War twenty-two years after the war's end during a ceremony dedicating
the Laos Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
trompe-l'oeil (n):
(art) A painting designed to look very realistic, such that it acts as
an optical illusion
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trompe-l%27oeil>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp which, when caught,
is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and
lovely thing that warms one's heart and brings its own reward.
--L. Frank Baum
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum>
Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United
States. The state population is over eight million. Its geography and
climate are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay,
which are home to much of its flora and fauna. The area's history
begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In May
1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first
permanent New World English colony. Virginia was one of the Thirteen
Colonies involved in the American Revolution. During the American Civil
War, Virginia joined the Confederate States of America, which named
Richmond its capital, and the state of West Virginia separated. The
Virginia General Assembly is the oldest legislature in the Americas,
and the state is unique for prohibiting governors from serving
consecutive terms. Virginia's economy is diversified with agriculture
in regions like the Shenandoah Valley, federal agencies in Northern
Virginia, and military facilities in Hampton Roads. The growth of the
media and technology sectors have made computer chips the leading
export, with the industry based on the strength of Virginia's public
schools and universities.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1264:
Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes
and forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, making Simon de Montfort the de
facto ruler of England.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_of_Lewes>
1868:
Boshin War: Troops of the Tokugawa shogunate withdrew from the Battle
of Utsunomiya Castle and retreated north towards Nikkō and Aizu.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Utsunomiya_Castle>
1951:
Trains ran on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales for the first time since
its preservation, making it the first railway in the world to be
operated by volunteers.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talyllyn_Railway>
1955:
Cold War: Eight Eastern Bloc countries signed a mutual defense treaty
to establish the Warsaw Pact.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Pact>
1973:
The NASA space station Skylab was launched from Cape Canaveral.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
dénouement (n):
The final revelation of a solution to a complicated mystery or
difficulty, especially as part of a dramatic plot
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/d%C3%A9nouement>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Is it not the interest of the human race, that every one should be so
taught and placed, that he would find his highest enjoyment to arise
from the continued practice of doing all in his power to promote the
well-being, and happiness, of every man, woman, and child, without
regard to their class, sect, party, country or colour?
--Robert Owen
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_Owen>
The Battle of Khafji was the first major ground engagement of the Gulf
War. It took place in and around the Saudi Arabian city of Khafji, from
29 January to 1 February 1991 and marked the culmination of the
Coalition's air campaign over Kuwait and Iraq, which had begun on 17
January 1991. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Saudi
Arabia from southern Kuwait. He ordered the 1st and 5th Mechanized
Divisions and 3rd Armored Division to conduct a multi-pronged invasion
toward Khafji, engaging American, Saudi and Qatari forces along the
coastline. These three divisions, which had been heavily damaged by
Coalition aircraft in the preceding days, attacked on 29 January. Most
of their attacks were fought off by U.S. Marines as well as U.S. Army
Rangers and Coalition aircraft, but one of the Iraqi columns occupied
Khafji on the night of 29–30 January. Between 30 January and 1
February, two Saudi Arabian National Guard battalions and two Qatari
tank companies attempted to retake control of the city, aided by
Coalition aircraft and American artillery. By 1 February, the city had
been recaptured at the cost of 43 Coalition soldiers dead and 52
wounded. The Iraqi Army lost between 60 and 300 dead, while an
estimated 400 were captured as prisoners of war. The battle serves as a
modern demonstration that air power can halt and defeat a major ground
operation. It was also a major test of the Saudi and Qatari armies.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Khafji>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1373:
English mystic Julian of Norwich recovered from a severe illness,
during which she experienced a series of intense visions of Jesus
Christ; later she would describe them in Revelations of Divine Love,
the first known English language book written by a woman.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_of_Norwich>
1779:
Russian and French mediators negotiated the Treaty of Teschen to end
the War of the Bavarian Succession.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Bavarian_Succession>
1888:
Isabel the Redeemer , heiress of Brazil, signed the Lei Áurea into law,
formally abolishing slavery in Brazil.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/slavery_in_Brazil>
1992:
Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Gong in a public lecture in Changchun,
Jilin province, China.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hongzhi>
2008:
Nine bombs placed by the heretofore-unknown terrorist group Indian
Mujahideen exploded in 15 minutes in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaipur_bombings>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
faubourg (n):
A suburb
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/faubourg>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Always dying, never dead;
Ever ending, never ended;
Loathed in darkness,
Clothed in light,
He comes, to end a world,
As morning ends the night.
--Roger Zelazny
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny>
Hurricane Rick was the second-most intense Pacific hurricane on record
and the strongest to ever form during October. Developing south of
Mexico on October 15, 2009, Rick traversed an area favoring rapid
intensification, allowing it to become a hurricane within 24 hours of
being declared a tropical depression. An eye began to form during the
afternoon of October 16; once fully formed, the storm underwent another
period of rapid strengthening. During the afternoon of October 17, the
storm attained Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.
Several hours later, Rick attained its peak intensity as the
second-strongest Pacific hurricane on record with winds of 180 mph.
After maintaining this intensity for several hours, Rick began to
weaken in response to a combination of an eyewall replacement cycle and
increasing wind shear. On October 21, Rick quickly moved northeast,
brushing the tip of Baja California Sur before making landfall near
Mazatlán with winds of 55 mph (90 km/h). Several hours after moving
inland, the final advisory from the NHC was issued as the storm
weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated. Overall, the damage
from Rick was significantly less than what was initially anticipated.
Throughout Mexico, three people were killed by the storm, one in Oaxaca
and two in Baja California Sur.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Rick_%282009%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1364:
King of Poland Casimir III issued a royal charter to establish
Jagiellonian University, the nation's oldest university.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagiellonian_University>
1865:
American Civil War: In the last major clash of arms of the war, the
Union Army engaged the Confederates along the banks of the Rio Grande
east of Brownsville, Texas.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Palmito_Ranch>
1881:
Under the threat of invasion, the Bey of Tunis Muhammad III as-Sadiq
signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French protectorate.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_occupation_of_Tunisia>
1968:
Vietnam War: The 1st Australian Task Force began the defence of Fire
Support Base Coral in the largest unit-level action of the war for the
Australian Army.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Coral%E2%80%93Balmoral>
2006:
A cartoon that allegedly compared Iranian Azeris to cockroaches was
published in an Iranian magazine, sparking riots throughout the
country.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_newspaper_cockroach_cartoon_controversy>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
psephology (n):
The study of voting and elections
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/psephology>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own;
He who, secure within, can
say,
Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair, or foul, or
rain, or shine,
The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine.
Not heaven
itself upon the past has power;
But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.
--John Dryden
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Dryden>