Boydell Shakespeare Gallery

The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery was a three-part project initiated in November 1786 by engraver and publisher John Boydell in an effort to foster a school of British history painting. Boydell planned to focus on an illustrated edition of William Shakespeare's plays and a folio of prints, but during the 1790s the London gallery that showed the original paintings emerged as the project's most popular element. Boydell decided to publish a grand illustrated edition of Shakespeare's plays that would showcase the talents of British painters and engravers. He chose the noted scholar and Shakespeare editor George Steevens to oversee the edition, which was released between 1791 and 1803. The press reported weekly on the building of Boydell's gallery, designed by George Dance the Younger, on a site in Pall Mall. Boydell commissioned works from famous painters of the day, such as Joshua Reynolds, and the folio of engravings proved the enterprise's most lasting legacy. However, the long delay in publishing the prints and the illustrated edition prompted criticism. Because they were hurried, and many illustrations had to be done by lesser artists, the final products of Boydell's venture were judged to be disappointing. The project caused the Boydell firm to become insolvent, and they were forced to sell the gallery at a lottery. (more...)

Royal Enfield Bullet

# .. that the Royal Enfield Bullet (pictured) has the longest production run of any motorcycle, having remained continuously in production since 1948?
# ... that the Gal Oya riots were the first ethnic riots that targeted the minority Sri Lankan Tamils in post-independent Sri Lanka?
# ... that William Buchan, 3rd Baron Tweedsmuir was once barred from a nightclub near Ottawa, Canada, because Prime Minister of Canada Mackenzie King disapproved of his father?
# ... that the M43 cluster bomb, designed to hold three stacks of 19 BZ-containing M138 bomblets, was unattractive to military planners in part because paranoia and mania were common symptoms of casualties?
# ... that the English folkloric story Dick Whittington and His Cat is based on the real Richard Whittington, but there is no historical evidence that he ever had a cat?
# ... that one of the factors threatening the Canarian Houbara is disturbance by truffle collectors?
# ... that the 2003 film Scorched cost US$7 million to make but only earned US$8,000 at the box office, approximately 0.1% of its initial cost?
# ... that although his crew were merely taking geological observations, the British Government believed Cyrille Pierre Théodore Laplace had claimed New Zealand for France?

tank schematic

A schematic of a tank (specifically, an M1 Abrams). The three traditional factors determining a tank's effectiveness in battle are its firepower, protection, and mobility. Tank design is a compromise; it is not possible to maximize firepower, protection and mobility simultaneously.

Olivier Messiaen

Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and numbered Paul Dukas, Maurice Emmanuel and Marcel Dupré among his teachers. He was appointed organist at the church of La Trinité in Paris in 1931, a post he held until his death. On the fall of France in 1940 Messiaen was made a prisoner of war, and while incarcerated he composed his Quatuor pour la fin du temps ("Quartet for the end of time") for the four available instruments, piano, violin, cello, and clarinet. Messiaen was appointed professor of harmony soon after his release in 1941, and professor of composition in 1966 at the Paris Conservatoire, positions he held until his retirement in 1978. Messiaen's music is rhythmically complex (he was interested in rhythms from ancient Greek and from Hindu sources), and is harmonically and melodically based on modes of limited transposition, which were Messiaen's own innovation. Many of Messiaen's compositions are for the piano, or contain a part for solo piano, inspired by the virtuosity of his wife Yvonne Loriod; they often depict what Messiaen termed "the marvellous aspects of the faith", drawing on his unshakeable Roman Catholicism. Messiaen found birdsong fascinating; he believed birds to be the greatest musicians and considered himself as much an ornithologist as a composer. He notated birdsongs worldwide, and he incorporated birdsong transcriptions into a majority of his music

Thai

In the Thai political crisis, the Constitutional Court dissolves three parties in the ruling coalition, and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat (pictured) resigns.
A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe spreads, with hundreds dead and over 10,000 people infected since August 2008.
Rioting over disputed election results kills more than 381 people and injures hundreds in Jos, Nigeria.
Attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and several other locations in Mumbai, India, kill 183 people and injure hundreds.
The people of Greenland pass a referendum regarding greater autonomy from Denmark.
Brazilian officials declare a state of emergency as flooding in the Southern state of Santa Catarina causes at least 116 deaths and forces the evacuation of over 78,000 people.

Mount Everest

The north face of Mount Everest, as seen from Tibet. Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, as measured by the height of its summit above sea level, which is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India at the time

Anthophora bee

A frontal view of a bee of the Anthophora genus. This is one of the largest in the family Apidae, with over 450 species worldwide in 14 different subgenera. All species are solitary, though many nest in large aggregations.

pulmonary contusion

A pulmonary contusion is a contusion (bruise) of the lung, caused by chest trauma. As a result of damage to capillaries, blood and other fluids accumulate in the lung tissue. The excess fluid interferes with gas exchange, potentially leading to inadequate oxygen levels (hypoxia). Unlike pulmonary laceration, another type of lung injury, pulmonary contusion does not involve a cut or tear of the lung tissue. A pulmonary contusion usually is caused by blunt trauma but also is caused by explosions or a shock wave associated with penetrating trauma. With the use of explosives during World Wars I and II, pulmonary contusion resulting from blasts gained recognition. In the 1960s its occurrence began to receive wider recognition in civilians, for whom it is usually caused by traffic accidents. Often nothing more than supplemental oxygen and close monitoring is needed; however, intensive care may be required. The severity ranges from mild to deadly—small contusions may have little or no impact on the patient's health—yet pulmonary contusion is the most common type of potentially lethal chest trauma. With an estimated mortality rate of 14–40%, pulmonary contusion plays a key role in determining whether an individual will die or suffer serious ill effects as the result of trauma

cat gap

... that the cat gap is a period in the fossil record (cat illustration pictured) of approximately 25 to 17 million years ago in which there were few cats or cat-like species?
... that more than a million tourists visit the wine-producing regions in Argentina annually?
... that Jerry Ziesmer, who delivered the line "Terminate with extreme prejudice" in Apocalypse Now, was also the film's assistant director?
... that, apart from inventing the saxophone, Belgian musician Adolphe Sax also devised the brass instrument saxotromba?
... that the character Seo Hell from the Old English Gospel of Nicodemus tells Satan to leave her dwelling, and has been compared to the female being Hel of Norse mythology?
... that former Detroit Tigers pitcher Pat Underwood's first game in the major leagues was a 1-0 victory against his brother Tom?
... that Réseau de Transport d'Électricité, Europe's largest transmission system operator, manages a 100,000-kilometre (62,000 mi) network of high-voltage power lines?
... that enraged plebs burned down the home of Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus because of a rumor that he would rather slake lime with wine, than sell wine at the price they wanted?

Eastern Imperial Eagle

The Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) is a bird of prey from the Accipitridae family. It is a close relative to the Spanish Imperial Eagle and very similar to the Golden Eagle, but a little smaller and less powerful. The species can be found in Southeast Europe, West and Central Asia, but has nearly vanished from much of its former distribution area of Hungary and Austria

Tomb of Brother André

The tomb of Brother André, found in Saint Joseph's Oratory, a Roman Catholic basilica on the northern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Brother André began the construction of a small chapel on the side of the mountain near College Notre-Dame, which was replaced by a larger church in 1917 and the current basilica in 1967, which is dedicated to Saint Joseph, to whom Brother André credited all his reported miracles. These were mostly related to some kind of healing power, and many pilgrims (handicapped, blind, ill, etc.) were allegedly healed. Pope John Paul II deemed the miracles to be authentic and beatified Brother André in 1982.

Albert Memorial

The Albert Memorial, a monument to Prince Albert found in Kensington Gardens, London, England, as seen from the south side. Directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria and designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic revival style. Opened in 1872, the memorial is 176 feet (54 m) tall, took over ten years to complete, and cost £120,000.

Parkmill

... that Parkmill in Gower, South Wales, is now the home of La Charrette, the smallest cinema in Wales (pictured)?
... that Susan Crawford and Kevin Werbach have been selected by President-elect Barack Obama to lead the review of the Federal Communications Commission?
... that the antihypertensive drug Losartan becomes a more potent blocker of angiotensin receptors after it is metabolised in the body?
... that artist Adam Neate left 1,000 prints, valued at £1 million, on London streets for anyone to pick up and keep?
... that for the 1967 television documentary CBS Reports: The Homosexuals, the network concealed the identity of one of the gay interview subjects by seating him behind a potted palm tree?
... that research done by C. Harmon Brown showed that female athletes were more loose-jointed and more prone to dislocated shoulders than male athletes?
... that Mount Wycheproof, standing just 43 metres (140 ft) high, is the smallest registered mountain in the world?
... that the single "Don't Tear It Down" from Spy vs Spy's album A.O. Mod. TV. Vers. was inspired by a government agency's attempts to demolish a building the band were squatting in?

MV Sirius Star

The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to reinforce MONUC, the largest peacekeeping force in the world, stationed in Nord-Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The first successful tracheal transplantation using a tissue-engineered organ created from the patient's own stem cells is performed in Spain.
New Zealand and Australian researchers identify a new species of penguin, the Waitaha penguin, which lived in New Zealand until its extinction 500 years ago.
Somali pirates capture the oil tanker MV Sirius Star (pictured), the largest vessel to date to be hijacked, off the coast of the Horn of Africa.
G-20 leaders meet at a summit in Washington, D.C. to discuss the current financial crisis.

Nassak Diamond

... that the Nassak Diamond (replica pictured), pillaged in the 1800s from a Hindu temple where it had resided for 300 years, was later used as a gimmick to attract partygoers to a 1976 benefit?
... that Australian politician John Robertson worked as a construction worker for the New South Wales Parliament to which he was later elected?
... that Anita Bryant's participation in Save Our Children, a coalition working to overturn gay rights ordinances in Miami and other cities in 1977 and 1978, destroyed her career?
... that Major League Baseball pitchers Jim Palmer and Mike Mussina each made six Opening Day starts for the Baltimore Orioles?
... that the rare skin disorder ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens may be caused by a spontaneous mutation in the keratin 2e gene on chromosome 12?
... that actor Jesse Plemons had to get 11 stitches in his chin after offering to do his own stunts on Friday Night Lights?
... that Begonia boliviensis, one of the species used the production of the first hybrid tuberous begonia raised in England, was introduced from Bolivia by the Victorian plant collector Richard Pearce?
... that the M115 anti-crop bomb was known as the "feather bomb" because it dropped feathers laced with fungal spores in order to spread wheat stem rust?

seabird

The Greater Crested Tern is a seabird in the tern family, which nests in dense colonies on coastlines and islands in the tropical and subtropical Old World. Its five subspecies breed in the area from South Africa around the Indian Ocean to the central Pacific and Australia, all populations dispersing widely from the breeding range after nesting. The Greater Crested Tern has grey upperparts, white underparts, a yellow bill, and a shaggy black crest which recedes in winter. Its young have a distinctive appearance, with strongly patterned grey, brown and white plumage, and rely on their parents for food for several months after they have fledged. Like all members of the genus Thalasseus, the Greater Crested Tern feeds by plunge diving for fish, usually in marine environments; the male offers fish to the female as part of the courtship ritual. This is an adaptable species which has learned to follow fishing boats for jettisoned bycatch, and to utilise unusual nest sites such as the roofs of buildings and artificial islands in salt pans and sewage works. Its eggs and young are taken by gulls and ibises, and human activities such as fishing, shooting and egg harvesting have caused local population declines. There are no global conservation concerns for this bird, which has a stable total population of more than 500,000 individuals. (more...)

Congregation Beth Elohim

Congregation Beth Elohim is a Reform congregation located at 274 Garfield Place and Eighth Avenue, in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1861 as a more liberal breakaway from Congregation Baith Israel, in its first 65 years it attempted four mergers with other congregations, including three with Baith Israel, all of which failed. The congregation completed its current Classical Revival synagogue building in 1910 and its "Jewish Deco" (Romanesque Revival and Art Deco) Temple House in 1929. The congregation went through difficult times during the Great Depression, and the bank almost foreclosed on its buildings in 1946. Membership dropped significantly in the 1930s because of the Depression, and again in the 1970s as a result of demographic shifts. Programs for young children helped draw Jewish families back into the neighborhood and revitalize the membership. By 2006 Beth Elohim had over 1000 members, and, as of 2008[update], it was the largest Reform congregation in Brooklyn, the "oldest Brooklyn congregation that continues to function under its corporate name", and its pulpit was the oldest in continuous use in any Brooklyn synagogue. (more...)

Opeth

Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band that formed in 1990 in Stockholm. While the band has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force since joining shortly after its inception. While firmly rooted in Scandinavian death metal, Opeth has consistently incorporated influence by progressive music, folk, blues rock and jazz into their usually lengthy songs. Many compositions include acoustic guitar interludes and strong dynamic shifts, as well as both growling and clean vocals. Though they rarely toured in support of their first four albums, Opeth conducted their first world tour after the 2001 release of Blackwater Park. Opeth has released nine studio albums, two live albums, one box set, and two DVDs. The band released its debut album Orchid in 1995, but did not experience American commercial success until the 2003 release of seventh effort Damnation which debuted at number 192 on the Billboard 200. Opeth's ninth studio album, Watershed, was released on June 3, 2008 and entered the Billboard 200 at #23. (more...)

A 1909 panorama of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A 1909 panorama of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa was first settled during the 1830s by the Creek Native American tribe. Shortly before Oklahoma's statehood on November 16, 1907, oil was discovered nearby and the city played a major role as one of the most important hubs for the American oil industry, eventually giving the city the nickname "Oil Capital of the World".

Palais Garnier Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase of the Palais Garnier, a 2,200-seat opera house in Paris, France. A grand landmark designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque style, it is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. The building was completed in 1874 as a replacement for the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique, which had been destroyed in a fire the year before.

location of the 1970 Tonghai earthquake

... that a large earthquake monitoring network was established in China's Yunnan Province 25 years after the 1970 Tonghai earthquake (location pictured)?
... that SOE officer Joachim Rønneberg was a leader of the Norwegian team attempting to sabotage the German nuclear energy project during WWII?
... that legend has it that Nainital Lake in Uttarakhand, India, was created when three pilgrims dug a hole which filled from the sacred Tibetan Lake Manasarovar?
... that the growth of Astragalus brauntonii, a species of milkvetch, is spurred by fire?
... that Beninese political figure Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin remained under house arrest from 1972 to 1981 after being overthrown in a coup d'état?
... that St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Troy, New York, was originally built as a replica of a Church in New Haven, Connecticut?
... that Norwegian Constituent Assembly member Nicolai Wergeland was father of feminist writer Camilla Collett and poet Henrik Wergeland?
... that, when amateur club TSV Vestenbergsgreuth beat German champions FC Bayern Munich 1–0 in the 1994-95 DFB Cup, a memorial stone was later erected to commemorate the event?

John Key

Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, announces the discovery of a 4,300-year-old pyramid belonging to Queen Sesheshet, mother of King Teti.
An accident aboard Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa kills 20, the worst Russian submarine disaster since Kursk.
A shipment of cocaine, worth €750 million, is seized off the coast of Ireland in the largest such seizure in the country's history.
A coalition consisting of the National Party (party leader John Key pictured), ACT and United Future wins a majority of seats in the Parliament of New Zealand.
At least 94 are dead after a school collapses in Pétionville, Haiti.
Johnson Toribiong is elected President of Palau following presidential elections.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the world's youngest reigning monarch, is crowned the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan

Joe Sakic

Joe Sakic (born 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre of Croatian origin, who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 19-year tenure, Sakic has won the Stanley Cup twice, various NHL trophies, and has been voted into 13 NHL All-Star Games. Named captain of the team in 1992, he is regarded as one of the strongest team leaders to ever play in the league, and has been able to motivate his team throughout his entire career to play at a winning level. Over the course of his career, Sakic has been one of the most productive forwards in the game, having twice scored 50 goals and earning at least 100 points in six different seasons. His wrist shot, considered to be one of the best in the NHL, has been the source of much of his production. At the conclusion of the 2007–08 NHL season, he was the 8th all-time points leader in the NHL, as well as 14th in all-time goals and 11th in all-time assists. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, Sakic helped lead Team Canada to its first gold medal in 50 years, and was voted as the tournament's most valuable player.

proboscis

male syrphid fly (Eristalinus taeniops) using its long proboscis to forage nectar from a Common Hawkweed flower. The eyes coming together at the top of the head (holoptic eyes) is typical of syrphid males

Bicoloured Antbird

The Bicoloured Antbird (Gymnopithys leucaspis) is a species of bird in the Thamnophilidae family. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (pictured), the world's youngest reigning monarch, is crowned the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan.
Barack Obama of the Democratic Party becomes the first African American to be elected President of the United States.
An airplane crashes amidst rush-hour traffic in Mexico City, killing Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño and 12 others.
Rupiah Banda of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy is elected President of Zambia.
Lewis Hamilton wins the 2008 Formula One Drivers' Championship, beating Felipe Massa by one point.
Sébastien Loeb of the Citroën team becomes the first driver to win the World Rally Championship for a fifth consecutive time.
Heavy floods affect Vietnam and southern China, flooding Hanoi and killing at least 100.

Trevi Fountain,

The Trevi Fountain, located in the rione of Trevi in Rome, Italy, is the city's largest and most ambitious Baroque fountain. Standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide, it was commissioned in 1730 and completed in 1762, with restoration work done in 1998.

Buffalo pebble snail

... that the Buffalo pebble snail (pictured) is adapted to survive both on rocks in a fast stream and also on sandy bottoms in stagnant water?
... that computer software company Red Hat made its largest acquisition ever when it acquired free software support company Cygnus Solutions for US$674 million?
... that the African and Malagasy Union was a former intergovernmental organization created to promote cooperation among African states, but went defunct in 1985?
... that M-68 was a discontinuous state trunkline highway in Northern Michigan between 1940 and 1946?
... that Jean Robic, winner of the 1947 Tour de France, was so light that at mountain summits he was handed lead and mercury-ballasted drinking bottles for gravity-assisted descents?
... that the connective tissue disorder gerodermia osteodysplastica is also known as "Walt Disney dwarfism" because the first known patients were described as resembling "dwarves from a Walt Disney film"?
... that Milton Hebald's 1960 sculpture depicted the 12 signs of the zodiac on the Pan Am Worldport at John F. Kennedy International Airport?

seals of the then-47 U.S. states

A lithograph from 1876, showing the seals of the then-47 U.S. states and territories as well as the District of Columbia. Some of these seals have changed since this image was created

Hong Kong Skyline

The night skyline of Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon, as seen from Victoria Peak, the tallest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong is located on China's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Guangdong province in the north and faces the South China Sea in the east, west and south. It has a population of 6.9 million people, and is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Japanese Navy

The attack on Sydney Harbour was a raid during World War II by submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy on the cities of Sydney and Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. On the night of 31 May – 1 June 1942, three Ko-hyoteki class midget submarines, each with a two-member crew, entered Sydney Harbour to sink Allied warships. After being detected and attacked, the crews of two of the midget submarines scuttled their boats and committed suicide without engaging Allied vessels. The third attempted to torpedo the heavy cruiser USS Chicago but instead sank the converted ferry HMAS Kuttabul, killing 21 sailors. This midget submarine then disappeared, its fate remaining a mystery until 2006, when amateur scuba divers discovered the wreck off Sydney's northern beaches. Immediately following the raid the five Japanese fleet submarines that carried the midgets to Australia embarked on a campaign to disrupt merchant shipping in eastern Australian waters. The midget submarine attacks are among the best-known examples of Axis naval activity in Australian waters during World War II. The main impact was psychological and popular fear of an impending invasion forced the Australian military to upgrade defences. (more...)

Four-spotted Chaser

The Four-spotted Chaser or Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) is a common dragonfly species, so named for the characteristic four spots on the wings. They are found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America

"Sylvester"

... that the permanent collection on display at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle, Washington includes "Sylvester" (pictured), an excellently preserved mummy?
... that the wife of sawmill owner Julius Nicolai Jacobsen was said to haunt their house in Fredrikstad, Norway after she died?
... that some types of vampire moth can bite and drink human blood?
... that Utu Abe Malae and the American Samoa Power Authority received an award from the Mayor of Honolulu for their policies promoting sustainable development?
... that millions of children participate in Halloween-related fundraising events for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, a program that has raised over US$188 million worldwide?
... that using the memory of his late sister as motivation, Tyler Sloan made his National Hockey League debut on October 21 after seven years in the minor leagues?
... that Harold Owen claimed the ghost of his brother, the poet Wilfred Owen, appeared to him on board HMS Astraea a week after Wilfred's death?
... that candy pumpkins were placed on the seat of every U.S. Senator by the candy industry in 1985 in hopes of extending U.S. daylight saving time to cover Halloween?

Embassy of Germany in Saint Petersburg

... that the Neoclassical style Embassy of Germany in Saint Petersburg (pictured), whilst reviled by the Saint Petersburg artistic community, was admired by Adolf Hitler?
... that Vince Naimoli, founding owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, contributed US$1 million in 2007 for the construction of a baseball complex at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey?
... that Põhja-Kõrvemaa Nature Reserve, now a protected area in Estonia, used to be proving grounds used by the Red Army for military training during the Soviet Era?
... that British actress Glynis Johns appeared in the short-lived 1963 CBS sitcom called Glynis, in which she played a mystery writer, with Keith Andes as her lawyer-husband?
... that during the 1990 ethnic clashes in Osh between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, 5,000 crimes were committed?
... that no football team in Berlin was declared the winner of the Berlin Cup in 1969 because the penalty shootout was not yet introduced and the finalists were unable to schedule a re-match after a draw?
... that 2.2 million people participated in the U.S. 2008 Kids Pick the President event held by the Nickelodeon TV network?

land sailing

An early 20th-century sail wagon, used in the sport of land sailing, in Brooklyn, New York. Land sailing is the act of moving across land in a wheeled vehicle powered by wind through the use of a sail. Although land yachts have existed since Ancient Egypt, the modern sport was born in Belgium in 1898.

Pioneer Square in Seattle,U.S.

... that Allied Arts of Seattle, a major force in preserving the city's Pioneer Square (pictured) and Pike Place Market, began as the Beer and Culture Society?
... that up to 78 percent of 1,016 leading political figures in post-Soviet Russia have served previously in organizations affiliated with Russian intelligence services like the KGB?
... that former Ohio House of Representatives minority whip and current U.S. House candidate Steve Driehaus coordinated the largest U.S. professional exchange program with the "new" South Africa?
... that the Tamil film Meera based on the life of poetess-saint Mirabai was filmed at the actual places which Mirabai had visited on her pilgrimage?
... that Ariel Sharon named his former party, Shlomtzion, after the newly born daughter of Amos Keinan, co-founder of the Israeli–Palestinian Council?
... that Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.12, the last trainer of the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service and the intended replacement of the 1920s Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.8, was only built in a prototype before the German invasion of Norway halted work?
... that before becoming mayor of Seattle in 1912, George F. Cotterill had been instrumental in platting its piers, building its sewers, and innovating its mode of financing major utility projects?

United States Colored Troops

Two members of the United States Colored Troops take cover at an abandoned farmhouse in Dutch Gap, Virginia, 1864. The USCT were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers.

Central American Squirrel Monkey

that in 2008, the IUCN revised the conservation status of the Central American Squirrel Monkey (pictured) from endangered to the lesser risk status of vulnerable?
... that the current Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa, Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia, is the younger brother of the late Governor Tauese Sunia?
... that Gwen Stefani's 2005 song "Hollaback Girl" received four nominations from the MTV Video Music Awards, and won the award for Best Choreography?
... that PK Dwyer is credited with forming the first-ever street band to busk at Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington?
... that the Biblioburro is a traveling library that distributes books to patrons in the Caribbean Sea hinterlands of Colombia on the backs of two donkeys, Alfa and Beto?
... that Moshe Smoira, the first President of the Supreme Court of Israel, was wounded during the First World War while fighting for the German Empire?
... that the Higginbotham's, based in Chennai, is India's oldest bookstore in existence?
... that Bredo Henrik von Munthe af Morgenstierne, professor of law and rector of the University of Oslo, was a nephew of Norwegian Prime Minister Frederik Stang?

Rose chafer beetle

The rose chafer (Cetonia aurata) is a reasonably large beetle (length about 20 mm or ¾ in) that has metallic green coloration with a distinct V shaped scutellum, the small triangular area between the wing cases just below the thorax. Rose chafers are found over southern and central Europe and the southern part of the UK.

Giant Otter

The Giant Otter is an amphibious, mammalian carnivore native to South America. About the length of an adult human being, it is the longest member of the mustelidae, or weasel family, a globally successful group of predators. Unusually for a mustelid, the Giant Otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members. The groups are centred around a dominant breeding pair and are extremely cohesive and cooperative. Although generally peaceful, the species is territorial and aggression has been observed between groups. The Giant Otter is exclusively active during daylight hours. It is the noisiest otter species and distinct vocalizations have been documented that indicate alarm, aggressiveness, and reassurance. The Giant Otter ranges across north-central South America, although its distribution has been greatly reduced and is now discontinuous. The species was listed as endangered in 1999 and population estimates are typically below 5,000 in the wild. The Guianas are the last real stronghold for the species. Decades of poaching for its velvety pelt, peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, decimated population numbers. Habitat degradation and loss is the greatest current threat. The Giant Otter is also rare in captivity: as of 2003, only 60 animals were held. The Giant Otter largely subsists on a diet of fish, particularly characins and catfish, and may also take crabs. It has no serious natural predators, although it must compete with other species, including the Neotropical Otter and caiman species, for food resources. (more...)

The Maris Pacifici is believed to be the first printed map of the Pacific. It was published in Abraham Ortelius' 1589 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, considered to be the first true modern atlas.

Cicada molting animated

A cicada undergoing ecdysis, the molting of the exoskeleton in arthropods and related groups. Since the cuticula of these animals is inelastic, it is shed during growth and a new, larger covering is formed. The old, empty exoskeleton is called an exuvia. Within one or two hours, the cuticle hardens and darkens, during which time the animal grows, since growth is otherwise constrained by the rigidity of the exoskeleton. The entire process takes about two hours to complete.

Natalee Holloway

Natalee Holloway (born 1986) disappeared on May 30, 2005, during a high school graduation trip to Aruba. The disappearance caused a media sensation in the United States. She was last seen by her classmates outside Carlos'n Charlie's, a Caribbean chain restaurant and nightclub in Oranjestad, with locals Joran van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. When questioned, the three men denied knowing what became of Holloway. Upon further investigation by authorities, Van der Sloot was arrested twice on suspicion of involvement in her disappearance, and the Kalpoes were each arrested three times. Due to lack of evidence, the three men were released without charge after each arrest. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, Aruban investigators conducted an extensive search for Holloway. The searches were unsuccessful, and according to Aruban authorities she is most likely dead. On December 18, 2007, Aruban prosecutors announced that the case would be closed without any charges sought against the former suspects. The Aruban prosecutor's office reopened the case on February 1, 2008, after receiving video footage of Joran van der Sloot, under the influence of marijuana, making statements that Holloway died on the morning of May 30, 2005, and that her body was disposed of. Van der Sloot has since denied that what he said was true. Holloway's family has criticized Aruban investigators throughout the search for a perceived lack of progress in finding her. (more...)

St Paul's Cathedral

October 20: Shemini Atzeret begins at sunset (Judaism, 2008); Birth of the Báb, a holy day in the Bahá'í Faith


1708 – Having burned down in the 1666 Great Fire of London, the rebuilt St Paul's Cathedral (pictured) was completed on the 76th birthday of its architect, Christopher Wren.
1818 – The United Kingdom and the United States signed the Treaty of 1818, which settled the Canada – United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.
1827 – An allied British, French, and Russian naval force destroyed a combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet at the Battle of Navarino, a decisive moment in the Greek War of Independence.
1967 – Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin filmed an unidentified subject at Six Rivers National Forest in California who they claimed was a bigfoot.
1973 – Queen Elizabeth II, in her capacity as Queen of Australia, formally opened the Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour.

Royal Spoonbill

The Royal or Black-billed Spoonbill (Platalea regia) is a spoonbill found in intertidal flats and shallows of fresh and saltwater wetlands in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The specimen shown here is in breeding plumage, with long white plumes growing from the back of its head and coloured patches on the face

Lichens

The 83rd plate from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (1904), depicting organisms classified as lichens

The Asia Portal

Asia is the largest continent in the world. It has a land mass at around 49,694,700 km² and covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area, or 29.4% of its land area. It is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Africa-Eurasia lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas.
Asia is considered one of the most populous regions in the world, containing around 60% of the world's human population. Of these only 2% live in the northern and interior half (Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, western Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan).

The wealth of Asia differs widely between, and within, states. This is due to its vast size, meaning a huge range of different cultures, environments, historical ties and government systems. The largest economies in Asia in terms of nominal GDP are Japan, People's Republic of China and India, the smallest East Timor. In terms of Purchasing Power Parity however, the People's Republic of China has the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world, followed by Japan and India as the world's third and fourth largest economies respectively.

Asia is also known for its rich history and culture. Asian art, music, and cuisine, as well as literature, are important parts of Asian culture. Eastern philosophy and religion also plays a major role, with Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity all playing major roles. One of the most complex parts of Asian culture is the relationship between traditional cultures and the Western world.

Cryptic turtle

A common snakeneck turtle (Chelodina longicollis) covered in camouflaging algae. When resting this individual would look like an algae-covered rock, an example of crypsis, the ability of an organism to avoid observation. Other ways an organism may be cryptic include nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle, and transparency.

มิตร ชัยบัญชา

มิตร ชัยบัญชา (28 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2477 - 8 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2513) หรือชื่อจริง พันจ่าอากาศโท พิเชษฐ์ พุ่มเหม เริ่มเข้าสู่วงการบันเทิงปลายปี พ.ศ. 2499 เป็นพระเอกภาพยนตร์ไทยในช่วงปี พ.ศ. 2500 - 2513 มีผลงานในช่วงปี พ.ศ. 2501 - 2517 ซึ่งเป็นยุคเฟื่องฟูของภาพยนตร์ 16 มม. มีผลงานนับได้ขณะนี้ 266 เรื่อง จากทั้งสิ้น 300 กว่าเรื่อง ผลงานเรื่องแรกคือเรื่อง ชาติเสือ ผลงานเรื่องที่สองที่ออกฉายคือ จ้าวนักเลง หรืออินทรีแดง ทำให้มิตร ชัยบัญชามีชื่อเสียงโด่งดังเป็นอย่างมาก ทำรายได้เกินล้านบาท มิตรมีผลงานแสดงเด่นๆมากมายทั้งบทบู๊ รักกุ๊กกิ๊ก รักรันทด ตลก เชยเด๋อด๋า หรือชีวิตเศร้าเคล้าน้ำตา ปี พ.ศ. 2506 ภาพยนตร์เรื่อง ใจเพชร ทำรายได้สูงสุด และมีภายนตร์ที่ทำรายได้เกินล้านอีกหลายเรื่อง โดยในปี พ.ศ. 2508 รับพระราชทานรางวัล "โล่ห์เกียรตินิยม"นักแสดงนำชาย ที่ทำรายได้สูงสุด จากภาพยนตร์เรื่อง เงิน เงิน เงิน และภาพยนตร์เรื่องนี้ทำรายได้เป็นประวัติการณ์ ปี พ.ศ. 2509 ภาพยนตร์เรื่อง เพชรตัดเพชร ทำรายได้ทำลายสถิติ เงิน เงิน เงิน ได้ 3 ล้านบาทในเวลา 1 เดือน และรับพระราชทานรางวัล "ดาราทอง" จากคุณสมบัติหลัก 4 ประการ คือ ศรัทธา หน้าที่ ไมตรี และ น้ำใจ ซึ่งแสดงถึงคุณภาพของผู้รับรางวัล ต่อมาในปี พ.ศ. 2513 ภาพยนตร์เรื่อง มนต์รักลูกทุ่ง ของ รังสี ทัศนพยัคฆ์ เป็นภาพยนตร์เพลงลูกทุ่งที่ประสบความสำเร็จอย่างมาก ทำรายได้มากกว่า 6 ล้านบาทและยืนโรงได้นานกว่า 6 เดือนในกรุงเทพ ทำรายได้ทั่วประเทศกว่า 13 ล้านบาท

8 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2513 มิตร ชัยบัญชาเสียชีวิตขณะถ่ายทำฉากโหนบันไดเชือกเฮลิคอปเตอร์ จากภาพยนตร์เรื่อง อินทรีทอง ท่ามกลางความอาลัยของมหาชน นับเป็นบุคคลธรรมดาที่มีผู้มาร่วมงานศพมากมายที่สุดเป็นประวัติศาสตร์ ได้มีการตั้งศาลบริเวณ หาดจอมเทียน พัทยาใต้ สถานที่ที่มิตร ชัยบัญชาเสียชีวิต ต่อมามีการปรับปรุงและสร้างรูปหล่อของมิตร ชัยบัญชา ในชุดอินทรีทอง ไว้ที่ศาลด้วย ปัจจุบันอยู่ด้านหลังโรงแรมจอมเทียน ในปี พ.ศ. 2548 ได้มีการสร้างละครเรื่อง "มิตร ชัยบัญชา" มายา-ชีวิต ทางสถานีโทรทัศน์สีกองทัพบกช่อง 7 ละครสร้าง ดัดแปลงมาจากเรื่องและเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นจริงของมิตร ชัยบัญชา เพื่อรำลึกถึงพระเอกดาราทอง ยอดนิยมอันดับ 1 ของประเทศไทย ที่เป็นที่รักของมหาชนคนดูทั่วประเทศคนนี้ ปี พ.ศ. 2549-2550 มีการรวมใจสร้างอนุสรณ์สถานมิตร ชัยบัญชา พร้อมหุ่นไฟเบอร์กลาส ที่บ้านไสค้าน จังหวัดเพชรบุรี บ้านเดิมของมิตร ชัยบัญชา ด้วย อ่านต่อ...

ยูเซียน โบลท์

...ยูเซียน โบลท์ (ในภาพ) เป็นนักวิ่งชาวจาเมกา เจ้าของสถิติโลกวิ่ง 100 เมตร ที่เวลา 9.69 วินาที (ความเร็วลม +0.0 เมตร/วินาที) และสถิติโลกวิ่ง 200 เมตร เวลา 19.30 วินาที (ความเร็วลม −0.9 เมตร/นาที ) ในการแข่งขันโอลิมปิกฤดูร้อน 2008
...ดิจิมอนเซฟเวอร์ส (Digimon Savers) เป็นหนึ่งในชุดภาพยนตร์การ์ตูนโทรทัศน์ ดิจิตอลมอนสเตอร์ ชุดที่ 5 ผลิตโดย โตเอะ แอนิเมชัน ในอเมริกาใช้ชื่อว่า Digimon Data Squad
...แก๊สน้ำตา เป็นสารเคมีชนิดหนึ่งซึ่งทำให้เกิดการระคายเคืองต่อเยื่อบุตาและแก้วตาดำ ทำให้มีน้ำตาไหลออกมาก ถูกใช้เป็นอาวุธประเภทก่อกวนในการปราบจลาจลเพื่อสลายการชุมนุม
...เมลามีน ส่วนประกอบสำหรับการทำภาชนะพลาสติก ถูกใช้เป็นสารเพิ่มระดับไนโตรเจนให้กับนม เพื่อฉ้อฉลลวงการตรวจสอบคุณภาพ
...โรคเท้าช้าง มักเกิดจากหนอนพยาธิขนาดเล็กที่อาศัยอยู่ในระบบน้ำเหลืองของมนุษย์ โดยมียุงเป็นพาหะนำโรค
...ไอพอด ไม่ได้ถูกคิดค้นโดยบริษัทแอปเปิล คอมพิวเตอร์ แต่ถูกคิดค้นโดย เคน แครมเมอร์ ซึ่งไอพอดเครื่องแรกมีชื่อว่า ไอเอกซ์ไอ

วันนี้ในอดีต

ตุลาคม: วันตำรวจในประเทศไทย
พ.ศ. 2458 (ค.ศ. 1915) - วันประกาศรวมกรมพลตระเวนกับกรมตำรวจภูธรเป็นกรมเดียวกัน มีการประกอบพิธีในวันตำรวจอย่างเป็นทางการเป็นครั้งแรกเมื่อ พ.ศ. 2492 ซึ่งขณะนั้น พล.ต.อ.หลวงชาติตระการโกศล เป็นอธิบดีกรมตำรวจ และจอมพล ป.พิบูลสงคราม เป็นนายกรัฐมนตรี
พ.ศ. 2466 (ค.ศ. 1923) - ประเทศตุรกีเปลี่ยนเมืองหลวงจากอิสตันบูลเป็นอังการา (ในภาพ)
พ.ศ. 2486 (ค.ศ. 1943) - สงครามโลกครั้งที่สอง : รัฐบาลใหม่ของอิตาลี เปลี่ยนข้างไปอยู่ฝ่ายสัมพันธมิตร แล้วประกาศสงครามต่อฝ่ายอักษะ
พ.ศ. 2512 (ค.ศ. 1969) - พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวภูมิพลอดุลยเดช เสด็จฯ ทรงเปิดศูนย์บริการโลหิตแห่งชาติ สภากาชาดไทย

บทความคัดสรร

เพลงลูกทุ่ง คือเพลงที่สะท้อนวิถีชีวิต สภาพสังคมอุดมคติและวัฒนธรรมไทย โดยมีท่วงทำนอง คำร้อง สำเนียง และลีลาการร้องการบรรเลงที่เป็นแบบแผน มีลักษณะเฉพาะซึ่งให้บรรยากาศ ความเป็นลูกทุ่ง

ขุนวิจิตรมาตราบันทึกไว้ในหนังสือเรื่องของละครและเพลง ว่าเพลงลูกทุ่งเป็นวงดนตรีแบบสากลที่เกิดขึ้นในช่วงเวลาหลังสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 ประมาณปีหรือสองปี ลักษณะเพลงลูกทุ่งในระยะเริ่มแรก มาจากการร้องรำทำเพลงของไทยดั้งเดิม อาทิ แหล่เทศน์ สวดคฤหัสถ์ จำอวด ลิเก (ทรงเครื่อง) ลิเกลูกหมด (ไม่แต่งเครื่อง) ลิเกบันตน ลำตัด เพลงขอทาน เพลงพื้นเมืองบางเพลง ฯลฯ โดยเพลงลูกทุ่งนำมาดัดแปลงแล้วใส่ดนตรีแบบสากล เป็นลักษณะเพลงแบบใหม่

ส่วนคำว่า "เพลงลูกทุ่ง" อาจารย์จำนง รังสิกุล คิดประดิษฐ์ขึ้นใช้เมื่อวันที่ 1 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2507 เพลงลูกทุ่งมีความชัดเจนจากเพลงลูกกรุงโดยประกอบ ไชยพิพัฒน์ จัดรายการเพลงสถานีไทย โทรทัศน์ ใช้ชื่อรายการว่า "เพลงลูกทุ่ง" อ่านต่อ...

เรื่องจากข่าว

เกิดเหตุระเบิดพลีชีพบริเวณชายแดนปากีสถานกับอัฟกานิสถาน มีผู้เสียชีวิต 22 คนและบาดเจ็บอีกนับร้อย
องค์การอนามัยโลกเตือน วิกฤติการเงินอาจจะส่งผลให้มีอัตราการฆ่าตัวตายสูงขึ้น
เวียดนามสั่งซื้อรถไฟชินคันเซ็น รุ่นฟาสเท็ค 360 (ในภาพ) จากญี่ปุ่น เพื่อเชื่อมกรุงฮานอยกับโฮจิมินห์ซิตี
คณะกรรมการโนเบล ประกาศชื่อ มาร์ตติ อะห์ติซาริ เป็นผู้ได้รับรางวัลโนเบลสาขาสันติภาพประจำปี พ.ศ. 2551
องค์ทะไลลามะ เสด็จเข้าโรงพยาบาลในกรุงนิวเดลี

วิกิข่าว - เหตุการณ์ปัจจุบัน