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.