The Volcano is the name given to a small cinder cone in the Boundary
Ranges of the Coast Mountains in northwestern British Columbia, Canada.
It is located about 60 km (37 mi) northwest of the small community of
Stewart near the head of Lava Fork. With a summit elevation of 1,330 m
(4,360 ft) and a topographic prominence of 311 m (1,020 ft), it rises
above the surrounding rugged landscape on a remote mountain ridge that
represents the northern flank of a glaciated U-shaped valley. Lava Fork
volcano, as The Volcano is also known, is associated with a small group
of related volcanoes called the Iskut-Unuk River Cones. This forms part
of the much larger Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province, which
extends from the Alaska–Yukon border to near Prince Rupert, British
Columbia. Eruptive activity at The Volcano is relatively young compared
to most other volcanoes in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province.
Geologic studies have shown that The Volcano and its eruptive products
were emplaced in the past 400 years. This is well after the last
glacial period, which ended about 10,000 years ago.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Volcano_%28British_Columbia%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
962:
Byzantine–Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas,
Byzantine troops stormed the city of Aleppo.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine%E2%80%93Arab_Wars_%28780%E2%80%93118…>
1823:
A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas,
was first published anonymously. Authorship was later attributed to
Clement Clarke Moore .
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas>
1954:
Drs. Joseph Murray and J. Hartwell Harrison performed the first
successful kidney transplant.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kidney_transplantation>
1957:
Ian Craig of Australia became the youngest Test cricket captain in
history.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Craig>
1990:
About eighty-eight percent of the population in Slovenia voted to
secede from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Slovenia>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
dulse (n):
A seaweed of a reddish-brown color (Palmaria palmata) which is
sometimes eaten
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dulse>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
"Heaven helps those who help themselves" is a well-tried maxim,
embodying in a small compass the results of vast human experience. The
spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the
individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the
true source of national vigour and strength. Help from without is often
enfeebling in its effects, but help from within invariably invigorates.
Whatever is done for men or classes, to a certain extent takes away the
stimulus and necessity of doing for themselves; and where men are
subjected to over-guidance and over-government, the inevitable tendency
is to render them comparatively helpless.
--Samuel Smiles
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Samuel_Smiles>
SMS Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand was an Austro-Hungarian Radetzky class
pre-dreadnought battleship commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy
on 5 June 1910. Although SMS Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand was laid down
and commissioned after the launching of the HMS Dreadnought in 1906,
her design was begun before and had the characteristics of a
Pre-Dreadnought battleship rather than later Post-Dreadnought
battleships. She was named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The first
ship of her class to be built, she preceded Radetzky by more than six
months. Her armament included four 30.5 cm (12 in) guns in two twin
turrets, and eight 24 cm (9.4 in) guns in four twin turrets. She
participated in an international naval protest of the Balkan Wars in
1913, during which she helped enforce a blockade of Montenegro. She
also was one of the first ships to deploy seaplanes for military use.
During World War I, she saw limited service in the 2nd Division of the
1st Battle Squadron, including mobilization to assist the escape of the
German ships SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau and the bombardment of Ancona
in 1915.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Erzherzog_Franz_Ferdinand>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1808:
German composer Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Fifth Symphony,
currently one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of
European classical music, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._5_%28Beethoven%29>
1885:
Itō Hirobumi , a samurai from Chōshū, became the first Prime Minister
of Japan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%C5%8D_Hirobumi>
1984:
While riding a New York City Subway train, Bernhard Goetz shot four
African American youths who attempted to rob him, sparking a nationwide
debate on vigilantism, racism, and the legal limits of self-defense.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Goetz>
1990:
The Parliament of Croatia adopted the country's current constitution.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Croatia>
2001:
Richard Reid unsuccessfully attempted to detonate a bomb in his shoe on
a transatlantic flight from Paris, France, to Miami, Florida, US.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Reid_%28shoe_bomber%29>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
altruistic (adj):
Regardful of others; beneficent; unselfish
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/altruistic>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
That's the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here, all
around us, or it just stays invisible for you.
--Charles de Lint
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charles_de_Lint>
Hydnellum peckii is an inedible fungus, and a member of the genus
Hydnellum of the Bankeraceae family. It is a hydnoid species, producing
spores on the surface of vertical spines or tooth-like projections that
hang from the undersurface of the fruit bodies. It is found in North
America, Europe, and was recently discovered in Iran (2008) and Korea
(2010). Hydnellum peckii is a mycorrhizal species, and forms mutually
beneficial relationships with a variety of coniferous trees, growing on
the ground singly, scattered, or in fused masses. The fruit bodies
typically have a funnel-shaped cap with a white edge, although the
shape can be highly variable. Young, moist fruit bodies can "bleed" a
bright red juice that contains a pigment known to have anticoagulant
properties similar to heparin. The unusual appearance of the young
fruit bodies has earned the species several descriptive common names,
including the bleeding tooth fungus and Devil's tooth. Although the
fruit bodies are readily identifiable when young, they become brown and
nondescript when they age.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydnellum_peckii>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1620:
William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims landed on what is now known
as Plymouth Rock in modern-day Massachusetts, US, establishing the
Plymouth Colony.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Colony>
1872:
HMS Challenger, commanded by Captain George Nares, sailed from
Portsmouth, England, on a scientific expedition that eventually made
many discoveries that laid the foundation of oceanography.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenger_expedition>
1883:
The Royal Canadian Regiment and The Royal Canadian Dragoons, the oldest
regular regiments of the Canadian Army, were both formed.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Canadian_Regiment>
1970:
United States President Richard Nixon met singer Elvis Presley in the
White House, wherein Presley expressed his patriotism and his contempt
for the hippie drug culture.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon>
1988:
A total of 270 people were killed when a bomb on board Pan Am Flight
103 exploded while the plane was in flight over Lockerbie, Scotland,
launching an eventual three-year joint investigation by Britain's
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and the United States' Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigation_into_the_bombing_of_Pan_Am_Fligh…>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
frowst (v):
To enjoy a warm, stuffy room
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frowst>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
All of us encounter, at least once in our life, some individual who
utters words that make us think forever. There are men whose phrases
are oracles; who condense in one sentence the secrets of life; who
blurt out an aphorism that forms a character or illustrates an
existence.
--Benjamin Disraeli
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Disraeli>
Silent Alarm is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Bloc
Party (pictured). Recorded in Copenhagen and London in mid-2004 with
producer Paul Epworth, it was first released on 2 February 2005 in
Japan, with Wichita Recordings as the primary label. The record peaked
at number three on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. In the United
States, it entered the Billboard 200 at number 114 and the Billboard
Top Independent Albums at number seven. The double A-side "So Here We
Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet", and "Pioneers" were released as
singles. Silent Alarm went on to achieve worldwide sales of over one
million copies. Bloc Party aimed to create an album that appealed to
followers of different musical genres. Building on the arrangements in
their demo songs recorded in 2004, the band members moulded tracks
largely through live takes during the Silent Alarm studio sessions. The
compositional focus was on rhythm and the drum and bass parts, while
lyricist Kele Okereke's writing examined the feelings and hopes of
young adults, including views on global politics. Following the album's
completion, Bloc Party embarked on promotional tours before its
release. Silent Alarm garnered widespread critical acclaim and has
received accolades throughout the music industry since its release.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Alarm>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1912:
The Piltdown Man: At a meeting of the Geological Society of London,
amateur British archaeologist Charles Dawson claimed that he had been
given a fragment of a skull that was discovered at a gravel pit near
Uckfield, East Sussex, England, which later turned out to be a forgery.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piltdown_Man>
1916:
The French defeated German forces around the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse
in northeast France, ending the longest battle and one of the bloodiest
in World War I.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun>
1958:
The United States launched Project SCORE, the world's first
communications satellite.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_SCORE>
1966:
Epimetheus, one of the moons of Saturn, was discovered, but was
mistaken as Janus. It took 12 years to determine that they are two
distinct objects sharing the same orbit.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimetheus_%28moon%29>
2009:
The Copenhagen Summit on climate change ended with the drafting of the
non-binding Copenhagen Accord.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Accord>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
poltroon (n):
An ignoble or arrant coward; a dastard; a mean-spirited wretch
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/poltroon>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.
--Paul Klee
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_Klee>
The Simpsons Game is an action/platformer video game based on the
animated television series The Simpsons, made for the Wii, PlayStation
3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable. The
game was developed, published, and distributed by Electronic Arts
(headquarters pictured); it was released in North America in October
2007 and worldwide in November 2007. In the self-referential plot, the
family discovers that they are forced to participate in another The
Simpsons video game. Similarly to the show, the game pokes fun at
popular culture, other video games, and Electronic Arts, its publisher.
The game follows the five Simpson family members—Homer, Marge (with
Maggie), Bart, and Lisa—who learn they are part of a video game and are
given superpowers to resolve several situations. Eventually, they must
save their 8-bit predecessors from Will Wright, the game's antagonist,
and the creator of their video game character selves, Matt Groening.
Video game critics gave the game a mixed reaction. They praised its
visuals and writing, which included many parodies of other video games,
while they criticized its short length and poor camera system, which
did not always function properly. The Simpsons Game received the Best
Game Based on a Movie or TV Show award at the 2007 Spike Video Game
Awards and was nominated for Best Video Game Writing at the 2007
Writers Guild of America Awards.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons_Game>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
920:
Romanos I became co-Byzantine Emperor with the underage
Constantine VII.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanos_I_Lekapenos>
1583:
Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeated the troops under
Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg at the Siege of Godesberg.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Godesberg>
1819:
The Republic of Gran Colombia in South America was established, with
Simón Bolívar as its first president.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Colombia>
1926:
A coup d'état by the Lithuanian military replaced the democratically
elected President Kazys Grinius with Antanas Smetona .
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_Lithuanian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat>
1935:
The Douglas DC-3, one of the most significant transport aircraft ever
built, made its maiden voyage.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_DC-3>
1983:
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a car bomb just outside
Harrods Department Store in London, UK, killing six people and injuring
about 90 others.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrods_bombing>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
don't look a gift horse in the mouth (proverb):
Do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/don%27t_look_a_gift_horse_in_the_mouth>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
All he desired in life was that — that he could pick himself together
again and go on with his daily occupations if — the girl, being five
thousand miles away, would continue to love him. He wanted nothing
more, He prayed his God for nothing more.
--Ford Madox Ford
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ford_Madox_Ford>
A dwarf planet is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive
enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not
cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals and is not a
satellite. They are smaller than planets, but more massive than small
solar system bodies. The term was adopted in 2006 by the International
Astronomical Union (IAU) as a result in the increase in discoveries of
trans-Neptunian objects that rivaled Pluto in size, and finally
precipitated by the discovery of an even more massive object, Eris. The
IAU currently recognizes five dwarf planets—Ceres (pictured), Pluto,
Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. It is suspected that at least another 40
known objects in the Solar System are dwarf planets, but the number
might be as high as 2,000. The 2006 definition has been both praised
and criticized, and has been disputed by some scientists.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_planet>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
755:
In Tang Dynasty China, An Lushan revolted against Chancellor Yang
Guozhong, initiating the An Shi Rebellion, which lasted eight years
before it was put down.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Shi_Rebellion>
1497:
On his way to India, Vasco da Gama and his crew passed the Great Fish
River on the Cape of Good Hope, becoming the first Europeans to sail
into the Indian Ocean.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama>
1689:
The Parliament of England adopted the Bill of Rights, declaring that
Englishmen possessed certain positive civil and political rights.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689>
1960:
United Airlines Flight 826 and Trans World Airlines Flight 266 collided
in mid-air in heavy clouds over Staten Island, New York City, killing
134 people.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_New_York_air_disaster>
1997:
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series
Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denn%C5%8D_Senshi_Porygon>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
bookish (adj):
1. Given to reading; fond of study; better acquainted with books than
with people; learned from books.
2. Characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bookish>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a
little way past them into the impossible.
--Arthur C. Clarke
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke>
The 1962 South Vietnamese Independence Palace bombing in Saigon was an
aerial attack on February 27, 1962, by two dissident Vietnam Air Force
pilots, Second Lieutenant Nguyễn Văn Cử and First Lieutenant Phạm Phú
Quốc. The pilots targeted the Independence Palace, the official
residence of the President of South Vietnam, with the aim of
assassinating President Ngô Đình Diệm and his immediate family, who
acted as his political advisors. The pilots later stated that their
assassination attempt was in response to Diệm's autocratic rule, in
which he focused more on remaining in power than on confronting the
Vietcong. Cử and Quốc hoped that the airstrike would expose Diệm's
vulnerability and trigger a general uprising, but this failed to
materialise. One bomb penetrated a room in the western wing where Diệm
was reading but it failed to detonate, leading the president to claim
that he had "divine protection". With the exception of Diệm's
sister-in-law Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, who escaped with minor injuries, the
Ngo family were unscathed; however, three palace staff died and another
30 were injured. Afterwards, Cử managed to escape to Cambodia, but Quốc
was arrested and imprisoned. In the wake of the airstrike, Diệm became
hostile towards the American presence in South Vietnam. Diệm claimed
that the American media was seeking to bring him down and he introduced
new restrictions on press freedom and political association.
Domestically, the incident was reported to have increased plotting
against Diem by his officers.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_South_Vietnamese_Independence_Palace_bomb…>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1256:
The Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut in present-day Iran was captured
and destroyed by Hulagu Khan and the Mongols.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin>
1791:
The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution,
collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights>
1906:
The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway, a 14.17-kilometre
(8.80 mi) deep-level underground tube railway connecting Hammersmith
and Finsbury Park in London, opened.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern%2C_Piccadilly_and_Brompton_Rail…>
1973:
The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its
official list of mental disorders, the DSM-II.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Di…>
1995:
The European Court of Justice handed down the Bosman ruling, allowing
footballers in the European Union to freely transfer from one UEFA
Federation to another at the end of their contracts.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosman_ruling>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
pensive (adj):
1. Having the appearance of deep, often melancholic, thinking.
2. Looking thoughtful, especially from sadness
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pensive>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
--Walt Disney
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Disney>
The elk is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of
the largest land mammals in North America and eastern Asia. Elk are
almost identical to Red Deer in Europe, of which they were long
believed to be a subspecies; however, mitochondrial DNA evidence
strongly suggests they are distinct species. Elk range in forest and
forest-edge habitat, feeding on grass, leaves, and bark. Although
native to North America and eastern Asia, they have adapted well to
countries where they have been introduced, where their great
adaptability may threaten endemic species and ecosystems. Male elk have
large antlers which are shed each year. Males engage in mating
behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling
(sparring), and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations which
establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. Elk are
susceptible to a number of infectious diseases, some of which can be
transmitted to livestock. Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from
elk populations, largely through vaccination, have had mixed success.
Some cultures revere the elk as a spiritual force. In parts of Asia,
antlers and their velvet are used in traditional medicines. Elk are
hunted as a game species; the meat is leaner and higher in protein than
beef or chicken.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1825:
Decembrist revolt: Imperial Russian Army officers led about 3,000
soldiers in a protest against Nicholas I's assumption of the throne
after his elder brother Constantine removed himself from the line of
succession.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decembrist_revolt>
1911:
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first people
to reach the South Pole.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen>
1913:
Haruna, the fourth and last ship of the Kongō-class, was launched,
eventually becoming one of the Japanese workhorses during World War I
and World War II.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Haruna>
1960:
Ian Meckiff of Australia was run out by the West Indies, causing the
first Tied Test in the history of cricket.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Meckiff>
1964:
The United States Supreme Court ruled in Heart of Atlanta Motel v.
United States that Congress could use the Constitution's Commerce
Clause power to fight discrimination.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Atlanta_Motel_v._United_States>
2004:
Cuba and Venezuela founded the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivarian_Alliance_for_the_Americas>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
ascribe (v):
To attribute; to impute; to refer, as to a cause
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ascribe>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous
to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the
popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true
test of moral character.
--Margaret Chase Smith
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Margaret_Chase_Smith>
The Scout Association of Hong Kong is the overall Scouting organization
in Hong Kong. After the first scouting initiatives in 1909, the Hong
Kong branch of The Boy Scout Association of the United Kingdom was
started in 1914 by registering the St. Joseph's College Scout Group,
and was formally established in July 1915. The Hong Kong branch became
an autonomous association and the 111th member of the World
Organization of the Scout Movement in 1977. In 2008, the association
had 99,591 uniformed members, with approximately 2700 scout groups in
the sections Grasshopper, Cubs, Scouts, Venture and Rover Scouts,
making it the largest uniformed youth organisation in Hong Kong. The
headquarters at the Hong Kong Scout Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
host the administration, headed by the Hong Kong Chief Commissioner.
The association runs campsites, including Gilwell Campsite, Tai Tam
Scout Centre and Tung Tsz Scout Centre, as well as hostels and Scout
Activity Centres. It annually organises the traditional Scout Rally,
providing scout competitions and activities. For specific
anniversaries, themed Scout Jamborees have been organised.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scout_Association_of_Hong_Kong>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1545:
Counter-Reformation: The Council of Trent, an ecumenical council
convoked by Pope Paul III in response to the growth of Protestantism,
opened in Trento, Italy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Trent>
1769:
Dartmouth College in present-day Hanover, New Hampshire, US, was
established by a Royal Charter from British King George III and became
the last university founded in the Thirteen Colonies before the
American Revolution.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_College>
1960:
With Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie out of the country, four
conspirators staged a coup d'état and installed Crown Prince Asfaw
Wossen as the new Emperor.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Ethiopian_coup>
2001:
The Parliament of India was attacked by five gunmen, resulting in 15
deaths, including that of the perpetrators.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Indian_Parliament_attack>
2006:
The Baiji , a freshwater dolphin found only in the Yangtze River in
China, was announced as functionally extinct by leaders of the Yangtze
Freshwater Dolphin Expedition.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baiji>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
tussock (n):
A tuft or clump of green grass or similar verdure, forming a small
hillock
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tussock>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Pedantry and mastery are opposite attitudes toward rules. To apply a
rule to the letter, rigidly, unquestioningly, in cases where it fits
and in cases where it does not fit, is pedantry... To apply a rule with
natural ease, with judgment, noticing the cases where it fits, and
without ever letting the words of the rule obscure the purpose of the
action or the opportunities of the situation, is mastery.
--George Pólya
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_P%C3%B3lya>
The Ross Perot presidential campaign of 1992 was an effort spawned by
grassroots supporters to elect Texas industrialist Ross Perot as
President of the United States as an independent candidate. Perot
focused the campaign on the federal budget, economic nationalism, an
escalation of the war on drugs and implementation of "electronic town
halls". He largely financed his own campaign and relied on marketing
and widespread grassroots support to spread his message. In certain
polls, Perot led the three-way race with Republican nominee George H.
W. Bush, the incumbent President, and Governor Bill Clinton of
Arkansas, the Democratic nominee. He dropped out in July 1992 amid
controversy, but reentered in October, and surpassed the 15% polling
threshold to reach his goal of participating in all three presidential
debates. Despite an aggressive use of campaign infomercials on prime
time network television, his polling numbers never fully recovered from
his initial exit. On Election Day, Perot appeared on every state
ballot. He won several counties and finished in third place, receiving
close to 19 percent of the popular vote; the most won by a third-party
presidential candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Perot_presidential_campaign%2C_1992>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
627:
A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeated Emperor Khosrau II's
Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh, near the modern city of
Mosul, Iraq.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Nineveh_%28627%29>
1531:
The Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe: According to traditional
Catholic accounts, the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously
appeared imprinted on the cloth of Juan Diego's tilma after his vision
of her on the Hill of Tepeyac outside of modern-day Mexico City.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe>
1901:
Guglielmo Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic radio signal, from
Poldhu Wireless Station in Cornwall, England to Signal Hill in St.
John's, Newfoundland.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guglielmo_Marconi>
1956:
The Irish Republican Army began its Border Campaign, a guerrilla
campaign to overthrow British rule in Northern Ireland.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Campaign_%28Irish_Republican_Army%29>
1985:
Arrow Air Flight 1285 crashed after takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland
killing 256, including 248 members of the United States Army's 101st
Airborne Division.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_Air_Flight_1285>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
ideogram (n):
A symbol which represents the idea of something without indicating the
sequence of sounds used to pronounce it
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ideogram>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
What is beautiful is moral, that is all there is to it.
--Gustave Flaubert
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gustave_Flaubert>