Thứ Bảy, 31 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2017

The Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2017 is Madman's Drum.
Madman's Drum is a 1930 wordless novel by American artist Lynd Ward (1905–1985). Its 118 images tell the story of a slave trader who steals a demon-faced drum from an African he murders, and of the consequences for him and his family. The book was executed in wood engravings. It is the second of Ward's six wordless novels, after Gods' Man of 1929. Ward was more ambitious with this second work in the medium: the characters are more nuanced, the plot more developed and complicated, and his outrage at social injustice more explicit. He used a finer degree of detail in the artwork, through a wider variety of carving tools, and was expressive in his use of symbolism and exaggerated emotional facial expressions. The success of Ward's first two wordless novels encouraged publishers to issue more books in the genre. In 1943 psychologist Henry Murray used two images from the work in his Thematic Apperception Test of personality traits. Madman's Drum is considered less successfully executed than Gods' Man, and Ward streamlined his work in his next wordless novel, Wild Pilgrimage (1932).

Thứ Sáu, 30 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2016 is Eisenhower dollar.
The Eisenhower dollar is a one-dollar coin issued from 1971 to 1978 by the United States Mint. Authorized by law on December 31, 1970, it was the first US dollar coin minted since 1935, the last year of the Peace dollar. Designed by Frank Gasparro, the coin's obverse depicts President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who died in March 1969. Proposals in Congress to honor him on a coin led to a dispute over whether the new coin was to contain silver. In 1970, a compromise was reached to strike it in base metal for circulation, and in 40% silver as a collectible. Although the collector's pieces sold well, the new dollars failed to circulate, except in and around Nevada casinos, where they took the place of privately issued tokens. Coins from 1975 and 1976 bear a double date, 1776–1976, and a special reverse by Dennis R. Williams in honor of the Bicentennial. To replace the Eisenhower dollar with a smaller-sized piece, Congress authorized the Susan B. Anthony dollar, struck beginning in 1979, but that coin also failed to circulate.

Thứ Năm, 29 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2016 is No Me Queda Más.
"No Me Queda Más" ("There's Nothing Left for Me") is a song by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). Written by Ricky Vela and produced by Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla, it was released as the third single from the album in October 1994 by EMI Latin. It is a downtempo mariachi and pop ballad that portrays a woman who wishes the best for her former lover despite her own agony. Praised by music critics for its raw emotion, "No Me Queda Más" was one of the most successful singles of Selena's career, topping the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart for seven non-consecutive weeks. It was the Song of the Year at the 1995 Broadcast Music Awards and became the most successful US Latin single of 1995. Billboard magazine ranked it ninth on a list of Tejano recordings. A music video, shot in San Antonio's Amtrak station, received the Music Video of the Year award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. Many musicians have recorded cover versions, including Mexican singer Pepe Aguilar, American salsa singer Tito Nieves, and Mexican pop group Palomo.

Thứ Tư, 28 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2016 is Montreal Laboratory.
The Montreal Laboratory in Montreal, Canada, was established by the National Research Council of Canada during World War II to undertake nuclear research in collaboration with the United Kingdom. After the Fall of France, some French scientists escaped to Britain with their stock of heavy water, and joined the British Tube Alloys project to build an atomic bomb. In 1942, it was decided to relocate the work to Canada. The Montreal Laboratory was established in a house belonging to McGill University, but moved to the Université de Montréal in March 1943. The first laboratory staff arrived at the end of 1942. John Cockcroft became director in May 1944. In August 1943, Mackenzie King, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill (pictured) negotiated the Quebec Agreement, which merged Tube Alloys with the Manhattan Project. Work moved to the Chalk River Laboratories, which opened in 1944, and the Montreal Laboratory was closed in July 1946. Two reactors were built at Chalk River: the small ZEEP, which went critical in September 1945, and the larger NRX, which followed in July 1947, and was for a time the most powerful research reactor in the world.

Thứ Ba, 27 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2016 is Pain fitzJohn.
Pain fitzJohn (died 1137) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and administrator, one of King Henry I of England's "new men", the ones who owed their positions and wealth to the king. Pain's family originated in Normandy, but there is little to suggest that he had many ties there, and he appears to have spent most of his career in England and the Welsh Marches. A son of a minor nobleman, he rose to become an important royal official during Henry's reign. In 1115 he was rewarded with marriage to an heiress, thereby gaining control of the town of Ludlow and its castle, which he augmented with further acquisitions. He became the sheriff in two counties near the border between England and Wales, and heard legal cases as a royal justice in much of western England. He was generous in his gifts of land to monastic houses. After Henry's death in 1135 Pain supported Henry's nephew, King Stephen. In July 1137 Pain was ambushed by the Welsh and killed as he was leading a relief expedition to the garrison at Carmarthen.

Thứ Hai, 26 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2016 is Ficus rubiginosa.
Ficus rubiginosa, the Port Jackson fig, is a species of flowering plant native to eastern Australia. Beginning as a seedling that grows on other plants (hemiepiphyte) or rocks (lithophyte), it matures into a tree 30 m (100 ft) high and nearly as wide with a yellow-brown buttressed trunk. The leaves are oval and glossy green and measure from 4 to 19.3 cm (1 1⁄2–7 1⁄2 in) long and 1.25 to 13.2 cm (1⁄2–5 1⁄4 in) wide. The fruits are small, round and yellow, and can ripen and turn red at any time of year, peaking in spring and summer. The fruit is known as a syconium, an inverted inflorescence with the flowers lining an internal cavity. F. rubiginosa is exclusively pollinated by the fig wasp species Pleistodontes imperialis. Many species of bird, including pigeons and parrots, eat the fruit. Ranging along the Australian east coast from Queensland to Bega in southern New South Wales, F. rubiginosa grows in rainforest margins and rocky outcrops. It is used as a shade tree in parks and public spaces, and when potted is well-suited for use as an indoor plant or in bonsai.

Chủ Nhật, 25 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2016 is Tropical Storm Vamei.
Tropical Storm Vamei was a Pacific tropical cyclone, the last storm of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season. On December 26 the storm developed into a tropical depression about 230 km (145 mi) east of Singapore in the South China Sea at 1.4° N, 156 km (97 mi) north of the equator. This was the first recorded occurrence of a tropical cyclone developing near the equator, which had previously been considered impossible because of a lack of Coriolis effect there. It strengthened quickly and made landfall the next day approximately 60 km (35 mi) northeast of Singapore, along extreme southeastern Peninsular Malaysia. The storm rapidly dissipated over Sumatra a day later, and the remnants eventually re-organized in the North Indian Ocean. Though officially designated as a tropical storm, the intensity of Vamei is disputed; some agencies classify it as a typhoon, based on sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) and the appearance of an eye. The storm brought flooding and landslides to eastern Peninsular Malaysia, causing US$3.6 million in damage and five deaths.

Thứ Bảy, 24 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2016 is Hebron Church (Intermont, West Virginia).
Hebron Church is a mid-19th century Lutheran church in Intermont, Hampshire County, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It was founded in 1786 as Great Capon Church by German settlers in the Cacapon River Valley, making it the first Lutheran church west of the Shenandoah Valley. The congregation worshiped in a log church, which initially served both Lutheran and Reformed denominations. In 1821, records and sermons transitioned from German to English. The church's congregation built the present Greek Revival-style church building in 1849, when it was renamed Hebron on the Cacapon. The original log church was moved across the road and used as a sexton's house, Sunday school classroom, and public schoolhouse. To celebrate the congregation's 175th anniversary in 1961, Hebron Church constructed a building for community functions and religious education, designed to be architecturally compatible with the 1849 brick church. Hebron Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, cited as a Potomac Highlands church with vernacular Greek Revival architecture.

Thứ Sáu, 23 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2016 is Themes in Maya Angelou's autobiographies.
Themes in Maya Angelou's autobiographies include racism, identity, family, and travel. Angelou (1928–2014), an African-American writer, achieved critical acclaim for her first of seven autobiographies, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). That book and the second in the series, Gather Together in My Name (1974), are about the lives of Black women in America. Her autobiographies all have the same structure, a narrative of how she coped within the larger white society she inhabited. In her third autobiography, Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976), she showed the integrity of the African-American character as she experienced more positive interactions with whites. The series continues with The Heart of a Woman (1981), All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), A Song Flung Up to Heaven (2002), and Mom & Me & Mom (2013). Angelou's autobiographies take place from Arkansas to Africa and back to the US, and span almost forty years, from the start of World War II to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thứ Năm, 22 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2016 is Richard Dannatt.
Richard Dannatt (born 23 December 1950) is a retired senior British Army officer who served as the Constable of the Tower of London from August 2009 to July 2016. He was commissioned into the Green Howards in 1971, and his first tour of duty was in Belfast as a platoon commander. During his second tour of duty, Dannatt was awarded the Military Cross. He commanded 4th Armoured Brigade in 1994 during its peace operations in Bosnia. In 1999 he simultaneously commanded 3rd Mechanised Division and the British forces in Kosovo. After a brief tour in Bosnia, he was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff. Following the attacks of 11 September 2001, Dannatt became involved in planning for subsequent operations in the Middle East. As Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from 2003, he led the planning for their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 2006, succeeding Sir Mike Jackson. Calling for improved pay and conditions for soldiers, less military focus on Iraq, and more on Afghanistan, Dannatt faced controversy over his outspokenness.

Thứ Tư, 21 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2016 is Andrew Sledd.
Andrew Sledd (1870–1939) was an American theologian, university professor and university president. A native of Virginia, he was ordained as a Methodist minister after earning his master's degree; he later earned a doctorate at Yale. After teaching for several years, Sledd became the last president of the University of Florida at Lake City from 1904 to 1905, and the first president of what is now the University of Florida from 1905 to 1909. He was president of Southern University from 1910 to 1914, and became a professor and an influential biblical scholar at Emory University's Candler School of Theology from 1914 to 1939. Bibliographies highlight his 1902 magazine article advocating better legal and social treatment of African-Americans, his role in founding the modern University of Florida, his scholarly analysis of biblical texts as literature, his call for an end to racial violence, and his influence on a generation of Methodist seminary students, scholars and ministers.

Thứ Ba, 20 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2016 is Lieutenant Kijé (Prokofiev).
Lieutenant Kijé is music by Sergei Prokofiev originally written to accompany the film of the same name, produced by the Belgoskino film studios in Leningrad and released in 1934 (poster pictured). It was his first attempt at film music, and his first commission from within the Soviet Union; he had lived abroad since the 1917 October Revolution. In the early days of sound cinema, among the distinguished composers ready to write film music, Prokofiev was not an obvious choice for the commission. Based in Paris for almost a decade, he had a reputation, at odds with the cultural norms of the Soviet Union, for experimentation and dissonance. Nevertheless, he was anxious to return to his homeland, and saw the film commission as an opportunity to write music in a more accessible style. After the film's successful release, he adapted the music into what became a popular orchestral suite, his Op. 60. First performed on 21 December 1934, it became part of the international concert repertoire, and one of the composer's best-known and most frequently recorded works. Elements of its score were used in several later films, and in two popular songs of the Cold War era.

Thứ Hai, 19 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2016 is Strepsirrhini.
Strepsirrhini is a suborder of primates that includes lemurs from Madagascar, bushbabies and pottos from Africa, and lorises from India and southeast Asia. Also included are the extinct adapiform primates, a diverse and widespread group that thrived during the Eocene in Europe, North America, and Asia, but disappeared from most of the Northern Hemisphere as the climate cooled. Characterized by their wet nose or rhinarium, strepsirrhines have diversified to fill many ecological niches. They have a smaller brain than comparably sized simians, large olfactory lobes for smell, and a vomeronasal organ to detect pheromones. Their eyes contain a reflective layer to improve their night vision. Lemurs have a toothcomb, a specialized set of teeth in the lower front part of the mouth, mostly used for combing fur during grooming. Strepsirrhines are primarily tree-dwelling, feeding on fruit, leaves, and insects. Many are endangered by habitat destruction, poaching for bushmeat, and live capture for the exotic pet trade.

Chủ Nhật, 18 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2016 is Mulholland Drive (film).
Mulholland Drive is a 2001 American neo-noir mystery film written and directed by David Lynch (pictured) and starring Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Ann Miller, and Robert Forster. It tells the story of an aspiring actress named Betty, newly arrived in Los Angeles, who befriends an amnesiac woman hiding in an apartment that belongs to Betty's aunt. The film includes seemingly unrelated vignettes that eventually interlock, along with darkly comic scenes and images, presented in Lynch's signature surreal style. Much of the filming took place in 1999 as a television pilot. After it was rejected by television executives, Lynch gave the pilot an ending and completed the project as a feature film. The cryptic ending, which he declined to explain, has left the general meaning of the film's events open to interpretation. Mulholland Drive was acclaimed by critics and earned award nominations for Lynch at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and 74th Academy Awards. The film is now widely regarded as one of his finest works.

Thứ Bảy, 17 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2016 is John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan.
John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan (b. 18 December 1934), known as Lord Lucan, disappeared without trace in 1974. Born in Marylebone, he attended Eton College and served with the Coldstream Guards, later becoming a professional gambler. Lucan had expensive tastes; he raced power boats and drove an Aston Martin. In 1963 he married Veronica Duncan, with whom he had three children, but the marriage collapsed in 1972 and he moved out of the family home in Belgravia. He lost a bitter custody battle, began to spy on his wife and children, and incurred gambling losses. In November 1974 the children's nanny, Sandra Rivett, was murdered in the basement of the Lucan family home. Lady Lucan was also attacked and she identified Lucan as her assailant. As the police investigated, Lucan drove to a friend's house in East Sussex; hours later, he left and was never seen again. The car was found with a blood-stained interior and a lead pipe similar to one found at the crime scene in its boot. A warrant for his arrest was issued, but despite hundreds of reported sightings, he has not been found and as of 2016 is legally presumed dead.

Thứ Sáu, 16 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 17, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 17, 2016 is Final Fantasy XIII.
Final Fantasy XIII is a science fiction role-playing video game, initially released by Square Enix for PlayStation 3 on December 17, 2009, and later for Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and mobile devices. This edition in the series includes a new character-development system, as well as the return of summoned monsters, the chocobo race, and airships. The former soldier Lightning begins her fight along with a band of allies to save her sister from both the government and a deadly fate as an unwilling servant to a god-like being. Final Fantasy XIII is the first game to use Square Enix's Crystal Tools engine and is the flagship title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection of games. It received mostly positive reviews from video game publications for its graphics, presentation, and battle system. The game's story received a mixed response, and its linearity was criticized. Selling 1.7 million copies in Japan in 2009, Final Fantasy XIII became the fastest-selling title in the history of the series. It sold over 7 million copies overall and led to two sequel games.

Thứ Năm, 15 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2016 is Vincent van Gogh.
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. His early works, mostly still lifes and depictions of peasant labourers, contain few signs of the vivid colour that distinguishes his later work. In 1886 he moved to Paris where he met members of the avant-garde, including Emile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were reacting against the Impressionist sensibility. As Van Gogh's work developed he created a new approach to still lifes and local landscapes. In the south of France in 1888, he turned to painting olive trees, cypresses, wheat fields and sunflowers, using brighter colours. Selling only one painting during his lifetime, he was considered a madman and a failure, and committed suicide at 37. His reputation began to grow in the early 20th century as Fauvists and German Expressionists took up elements of his painting style. He has attained widespread critical and popular acclaim, and is remembered as an important but tragic painter. His works are among the world's most expensive paintings.

Thứ Tư, 14 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2016 is Yugoslav torpedo boat T1.
The Yugoslav torpedo boat T1 was a sea-going vessel operated by the Royal Yugoslav Navy between 1921 and 1941. Launched on 15 December 1913 as a 250t-class torpedo boat for the Austro-Hungarian Navy under the name 76 T, she was armed with two 66 mm (2.6 in) guns and four 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes, and could carry 10–12 naval mines. The vessel performed anti-submarine operations and convoy, escort and minesweeping tasks during World War I. She was escorting the dreadnought SMS Szent István when that ship was sunk by Italian torpedo boats in June 1918. Following Austria-Hungary's defeat, the torpedo boat was allocated to what became the Royal Yugoslav Navy. During the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, the vessel was captured by the Italians. She served with the Royal Italian Navy, but was returned to the Royal Yugoslav Navy-in-exile following the Italian capitulation in September 1943. She was commissioned by the Yugoslav Navy after World War II and, after a refit, served as Golešnica until 1959.

Thứ Ba, 13 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2016 is Under the Bridge.
"Under the Bridge" is a song by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in 1992 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express feelings of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on the impact of narcotics on his life. Kiedis was reluctant to show his band mates the lyrics, which were more emotional than the Chili Peppers' usual style, but producer Rick Rubin insisted. The band was receptive, and wrote the music. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The accompanying video was frequently played on music television channels, and won the Viewer's Choice and Breakthrough Video awards at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. The band's growing popularity overwhelmed guitarist John Frusciante, who temporarily left them the same year. The song is now considered a standard of the alternative rock movement of the early and mid-1990s, and has been cited as an inspiration by many artists.

Thứ Hai, 12 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2016 is Ike Altgens.
Ike Altgens (April 28, 1919 – December 12, 1995) was an American photojournalist, photo editor and field reporter for the Associated Press (AP) who took two photographs that circulated worldwide after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK). Altgens was 19 when he began his AP career, which was interrupted by military service during World War II. When his service time ended, he returned to Dallas, Texas, got married, and went back to work for the local AP bureau, eventually earning a position as a senior editor. He was on assignment for the AP when he captured two historic images on November 22, 1963. The second photo, showing First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy toward the rear of the presidential limousine and Secret Service agent Clint Hill on its bumper, was reproduced on the front pages of newspapers around the world. Within days, Altgens' preceding photo became controversial after people began to question whether it showed accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the main doorway of the Texas School Book Depository as the gunshots were fired at JFK.

Chủ Nhật, 11 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2016 is Hydrus.
Hydrus is a small constellation in the deep southern sky. Its first appearance was on a celestial globe published in 1598 in Amsterdam by the astronomer Petrus Plancius and the cartographer Jodocus Hondius. The first celestial atlas to depict it was Johann Bayer's Uranometria, in 1603. The French explorer and astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille charted the brighter stars and gave their Bayer designations in 1756. Its name means "male water snake", as opposed to Hydra, a much larger constellation that represents a female water snake. Hydrus remains below the horizon for most Northern Hemisphere observers. The brightest star is the 2.8-magnitude Beta Hydri, also the brightest star within 15° of the south celestial pole. Pulsating between magnitude 3.26 and 3.33, Gamma Hydri is a variable red giant some 60 times the diameter of our Sun. Near it is VW Hydri, one of the brightest dwarf novae in the heavens. Four star systems have been found to have exoplanets to date, including HD 10180, which might bear up to nine planetary companions.

Thứ Bảy, 10 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2016 is George Mason.
George Mason (December 11, 1725 – October 7, 1792) was a Virginia planter, politician, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of three men who refused to sign. He served in the pro-independence Fourth Virginia Convention of 1775 and the Fifth Virginia Convention of 1776, during which he wrote much of the Virginia Declaration of Rights; this later served as a basis for the Bill of Rights, of which he has been deemed the father. Named one of his state's delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Mason traveled to Philadelphia, his only lengthy trip outside Virginia, and was active in the convention for months before deciding he could not sign the final draft. Although he lost his fight to add a bill of rights there, and again at the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788, his efforts led his fellow Virginian James Madison to introduce one during the First Congress in 1789, and it was ratified in 1791, a year before Mason died. Long obscure, Mason is today recognized for his contributions to the founding texts of Virginia and the United States.

Thứ Sáu, 9 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2016 is Fantastic Adventures.
Fantastic Adventures was an American pulp fantasy and science fiction magazine, edited by Ray Palmer and published from 1939 to 1953 by Ziff-Davis. It was almost cancelled at the end of 1940, but the October 1940 issue had unexpectedly good sales, helped by a strong cover (pictured) by J. Allen St. John for Robert Moore Williams' Jongor of Lost Land. Fantastic Adventures soon developed a reputation for light-hearted and whimsical stories. The cover art usually focused on melodramatic action scenes; H.W. McCauley's covers, featuring glamorous, alluring women, were among the most popular. In 1949 Palmer was replaced by Howard Browne, who was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about fantasy fiction. Browne briefly managed to improve the quality of the fiction in Fantastic Adventures, and the period around 1951 has been described as the magazine's heyday. Browne lost interest when his plan to take Amazing Stories more upmarket collapsed, however, and the magazine fell back into predictability. In 1952, Ziff-Davis launched another fantasy magazine, titled Fantastic, in a digest format; it was successful, and in March 1953 they ended Fantastic Adventures in favor of Fantastic.

Thứ Năm, 8 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2016 is Exsudoporus frostii.
Exsudoporus frostii, Frost's bolete, is a fungus first described in 1874. The mushrooms it produces have tubes and pores instead of gills on the underside of their caps. E. frostii is distributed in the eastern United States from Maine to Georgia and Arizona, and south to Mexico and Costa Rica. It is typically found associating with hardwood trees, especially oak. Its mushrooms can be recognized by their dark red sticky caps, the red pores, the network-like pattern of the stem, and a variable blue-staining reaction after tissue injury. Another characteristic of young, moist fruit bodies is the amber-colored drops exuded on the pore surface. Although the mushrooms are considered edible, they are generally not recommended for consumption because of the risk of confusion with other poisonous red-pored, blue-bruising boletes. E. frostii may be distinguished from other superficially similar red-capped boletes by differences in distribution, associated tree species, bluing reaction, or morphology.

Thứ Tư, 7 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2016 is Ernie Toshack.
Ernie Toshack (8 December 1914 – 11 May 2003) was an Australian cricketer who played in 12 Tests from 1946 to 1948. He made his first-class debut in 1945 as a left-arm medium paced bowler; his accuracy, stamina, changes of pace, and movement in both directions confounded batsmen. After only seven matches in the Sheffield Shield domestic competition, he was selected for Australia's tour of New Zealand. In Wellington, he opened the bowling in a match that was later classed as an official Test match. He became a regular member of the Australian team, playing in all of its Tests until the 1947–48 series against India; he took a career-best 11 wickets for 31 runs in the First Test but began to suffer recurring knee injuries. As a member of Don Bradman's Invincibles team, which went undefeated on a tour of England in 1948, Toshack played in the first four Tests before being injured again. After a long convalescence, he attempted a comeback during Australia's 1949–50 season, but further injury forced him to retire. As a player, he was popular with crowds for his sense of humour.

Thứ Ba, 6 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2016 is Pennsylvania-class battleship.
The Pennsylvania class consisted of two super-dreadnought battleships, Pennsylvania and Arizona, named after American states. They were the newest American capital ships when the United States entered the First World War, but saw limited use at the time. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, both ships were present. Arizona suffered a massive magazine explosion and sank with the loss of 1,177 officers and crewmen; the remains now lie beneath a memorial site that attracts more than two million visitors annually. Pennsylvania, in dry dock at the time, received only minor damage; she spent most of the war as a shore bombardment ship before participating in the October 1944 Battle of Surigao Strait, the last battle ever between battleships. Pennsylvania was severely damaged by a torpedo on 12 August 1945, the day before the cessation of hostilities. With minimal repairs, she was used in Operation Crossroads, part of the Bikini atomic experiments, before being expended as a target ship in 1948.

Thứ Hai, 5 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2016 is Amanita ocreata.
Amanita ocreata, one of the death angels or destroying angels, is a deadly fungus native to California and the North American Pacific Northwest. The large fruiting bodies (mushrooms) generally appear in spring, associating with oak trees. The stalk, ring, gills and volva are white, and the cap may be white or ochre, often developing a brownish centre. It can resemble the edible springtime amanita (A. velosa), coccora (A. lanei) or stubble rosegill (Volvariella speciosa), but is similar in toxicity to the death cap (A. phalloides) and to the destroying angels of Europe (A. virosa) and eastern North America (A. bisporigera). Its principal toxic constituent, α-amanitin, damages the liver and kidneys, and has no known antidote. The initial gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, subside after two or three days. Ongoing damage to internal organs can cause jaundice, diarrhea, delirium, seizures, coma, and in many cases, death from liver failure 6 to 16 days after ingestion.

Chủ Nhật, 4 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2016 is Walt Disney.
Walt Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, voice actor and film producer. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he holds the record for the most Academy Awards earned by an individual (22), out of 59 nominations. He set up the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio with his brother Roy in the 1920s, and had his first big success with the character Mickey Mouse. As the studio grew, he introduced synchronized sound, better cameras, and full-color three-strip Technicolor, as seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia, Pinocchio (both 1940), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942). In 1955 he opened the Disneyland theme park and diversified into television programs, including The Mickey Mouse Club. He helped plan the 1959 Moscow Fair, the 1960 Winter Olympics, and the 1964 New York World's Fair. In 1965 he began work on Disney World and a concept he called the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT). Disney was a shy and self-deprecating man in private, but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona. The company he cofounded exists today as one of the world's largest and best-known entertainment companies.

Thứ Bảy, 3 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 4, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 4, 2016 is Boeing C-17 Globemaster III in Australian service.
In Australian service, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft are operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). To improve the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) ability to operate outside Australia, eight were ordered from 2006 to 2014; the first arrived in Australia on 4 December 2006. Three more entered service by January 2008, two more by November 2012, and the last two by November 2015. All eight Globemasters are assigned to No. 36 Squadron and operate from RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. The aircraft have supported ADF operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and other locations in the Middle East, as well as training exercises in Australia and the United States. They have also transported supplies and personnel as part of relief efforts following disasters in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and several other countries. Their acquirement process was seen as exemplary of good practice in defence procurement. C-17s are highly regarded throughout the Australian military for their ability to carry large amounts of cargo across long distances.

Thứ Sáu, 2 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 3, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 3, 2016 is Union Station (Erie, Pennsylvania).
Union Station is an Amtrak railroad station and commercial building in downtown Erie in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the only stop in Pennsylvania for the Lake Shore Limited, a passenger rail line serving Chicago, New York City, and Boston. The first railroad station in Erie, established in 1851, was replaced with a Romanesque Revival-style building in 1866. Union Station, the first Art Deco depot in the U.S., was dedicated on December 3, 1927. Passenger rail service dwindled after World War II, as air and highway travel increased. The station was jointly owned and operated by the New York Central and Pennsylvania railroads, which merged to form Penn Central, and passenger rail service was transferred to Amtrak in 1971. From 1972 to 1975, even Amtrak service in Erie was suspended. Union Station was largely neglected and allowed to decay until the freight management company Logistics Plus bought it in 2003. Since then, it has been restored and portions re-purposed as commercial and retail space.

Thứ Năm, 1 tháng 12, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 2, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 2, 2016 is Migration of the Serbs.
Migration of the Serbs is a set of oil paintings by the artist Paja Jovanović that depict the Great Serb Migration of 1690–91. The first was commissioned in 1895 by Georgije I, the Patriarch of Karlovci, intended for the following year's Budapest Millennium Exhibition. In the view of the Serbian clergy, the painting was to support Serb claims to religious autonomy and partial self-administration in Austria-Hungary. The Patriarch was dissatisfied with Jovanović's initial rendering and asked the artist to adjust his work to conform with the Church's view of the migration. Jovanović could not complete the revision in time, and the painting was not shown at the Exhibition. Three of the original four paintings survive, at the patriarchate building of the Serbian Orthodox Church and at Princess Ljubica's Residence, both in Belgrade, and at the Pančevo Museum. Migration of the Serbs holds iconic status in Serbian popular culture, and several authors consider it one of Jovanović's finest achievements.

Thứ Tư, 30 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for December 1, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 1, 2016 is White-winged fairywren.
The white-winged fairywren (Malurus leucopterus) is a bird species in the family Maluridae, unrelated to true wrens. It lives in the drier parts of central Australia, from central Queensland and South Australia to Western Australia. Like other fairywrens, this species displays marked sexual dimorphism, and one or more males of a social group grow brightly coloured blue plumage during the breeding season. The females, sandy-brown with light-blue tail feathers, are smaller, and almost indistinguishable from the younger sexually mature males. A subspecies is found on Dirk Hartog Island, and another on Barrow Island off the coast of Western Australia, both having black rather than blue male plumage. The white-winged fairywren mainly eats insects, and lives in heathland and arid scrubland. It is a cooperative breeding species, and small groups of birds maintain and defend territories year-round. Groups consist of a socially monogamous pair with several helper birds who assist in raising the young. As part of a courtship display, the male wren plucks petals from flowers and brings them to female birds.

Thứ Ba, 29 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 30, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 30, 2016 is Scotland national football team.
The Scotland national football team has represented Scotland in association football since the world's first international football match on St. Andrew's Day (Scotland's National Day), 30 November 1872. Controlled by the Scottish Football Association, the team competes in the two major professional tournaments, the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship, but not the Olympic Games. Most of their home matches are played at the national stadium, Hampden Park. They have a long-standing rivalry with England, with annual matches from 1872 until 1989, and six matches since then. They have qualified for the FIFA World Cup on eight occasions and the UEFA European Championship twice; they have never progressed beyond the first group stage of a finals tournament, but they did once beat the FIFA World Cup winners – England, in 1967. Their supporters are collectively known as the Tartan Army. The Scottish Football Association operates a roll of honour for every player who has made more than 50 appearances for the team. Kenny Dalglish, with 102 appearances between 1971 and 1986, holds the record for Scotland; he also shares the record for goals scored (30), with Denis Law.

Thứ Hai, 28 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 29, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 29, 2016 is SMS Lützow.
SMS Lützow was the second Derfflinger-class battlecruiser built by the German Imperial Navy before World War I. Launched on 29 November 1913, the ship was named in honor of the Prussian general Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. Due to engine damage during trials, Lützow did not join the I Scouting Group until March 1916. She missed most of the major actions conducted by the German battlecruiser force, taking part in only one bombardment operation, at Yarmouth and Lowestoft, on 24–25 April 1916. One month after becoming Admiral Franz von Hipper's flagship, Lützow sank the British battlecruiser HMS Invincible during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May and 1 June; she is sometimes given credit for sinking the armored cruiser HMS Defence as well. Heavily damaged by around 24 heavy-caliber shell hits that flooded her bow, the ship was unable to make the return voyage to German ports. Her crew was evacuated and she was sunk by torpedoes fired by one of her escorts, the torpedo boat G38.

Chủ Nhật, 27 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 28, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 28, 2016 is Keith Miller with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948.
The Australian cricketer Keith Miller toured England in 1948 as a member of The Invincibles, a team that went undefeated in their 34 tour matches. Miller (28 November 1919 – 11 October 2004) was an all-rounder: a fast bowler and a right-handed middle-order batsman. Don Bradman, the team captain, typically used him and Ray Lindwall in short bursts with the new ball. Miller took 13 wickets at an average of 26.28, playing a key role in subduing England's leading batsmen, Len Hutton and Denis Compton, with a barrage of short-pitched bowling. In the First Test, Miller took seven wickets, including Hutton and Compton twice, bearing a large part of the bowling workload. With the bat, he scored 184 runs in the Tests at an average of 23.15, including 74 in the second innings of the Second Test at Lord's, and a rapid 58 in the Fourth Test that helped Australia regain the momentum in the match. In all first-class matches on the tour, he took 56 wickets at 17.58 and scored 1,088 runs at 47.30. A carefree cricketer, Miller was seen as charismatic; his joie de vivre on the field alienated his captain, and his friendship with Princess Margaret was particularly scrutinised by the media.

Thứ Bảy, 26 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 27, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 27, 2016 is Banksia canei.
Banksia canei (mountain banksia) is a shrub of the subalpine areas of the Great Dividing Range between Melbourne and Canberra in southeastern Australia. First collected on 27 November 1962, it superficially resembles B. marginata, but is more closely related to another subalpine species, B. saxicola. Although no subspecies are recognised, four geographically isolated populations have been described, as there is significant variation in the shape of both adult and juvenile leaves between populations. B. canei is generally encountered as a many-branched shrub with narrow leaves that grows up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high, with yellow inflorescences (flower spikes) from late summer to early winter. The old flowers fall off the spikes, and up to 150 finely furred follicles develop, which remain closed until burnt in a bushfire. Each follicle bears two winged seeds. Birds such as the yellow-tufted honeyeater and various insects forage among the flower spikes. B. canei is frost tolerant in cultivation, but copes less well with aridity or humidity, and is often short-lived in gardens. One cultivar, Banksia "Celia Rosser", was registered in 1978, but has vanished.

Thứ Sáu, 25 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 26, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 26, 2016 is Warlugulong.
Warlugulong (1977) is an acrylic painting by Indigenous Australian artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri. In 2007 it was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for A$2.4 million, a record auction price for a contemporary Indigenous Australian art work. The painting illustrates eight dreamings of traditional locations the artist had knowledge of, and depicts the story of an ancestral creature called Lungkata or the Blue-Tongue Lizard Man, who created bushfire. The painting portrays the aftermath of a fire caused by Lungkata to punish his two sons who had not shared a kangaroo with him that they had caught. The sons' skeletons are on the right-hand side of the image, shown against a background representing smoke and ashes. The painting exemplifies a distinctive style developed by Papunya Tula artists in the 1970s, blending representation of landscape with ceremonial iconography. Art critic Benjamin Genocchio describes it as "a work of real national significance [and] one of the most important 20th-century Australian paintings".

Thứ Năm, 24 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 25, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 25, 2016 is Killer Instinct Gold.
Killer Instinct Gold is a fighting video game based on the arcade game Killer Instinct 2. It was developed by Rare and initially released on November 25, 1996, by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. As in other series entries, players press buttons to punch and kick their opponent in chains of successive hits, known as combos. Large combo chains lead to stronger attacks and brutal, stylistic finisher moves. Characters—including a gargoyle, a ninja, and a femme fatale—fight in settings including a jungle and a spaceship. The Gold release lacks the arcade version's full-motion video sequences, but adds a training mode, new camera views, and improved audiovisuals. It was later included in Rare's 2015 Xbox One retrospective compilation, Rare Replay. Reviewers appreciated the game's sound and environment backdrops, but felt that its graphical upgrades and memorization-based combo gameplay were insufficient when compared to fighting games like Tekken 2 and Virtua Fighter 2. Gold ultimately did not replicate the success of its Super NES predecessor, and the series remained dormant through its 2002 acquisition by Microsoft until its 2013 reboot.

Thứ Tư, 23 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 24, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 24, 2016 is Alben W. Barkley.
Alben W. Barkley (November 24, 1877 – April 30, 1956) was the 35th Vice President of the United States, from 1949 to 1953. He was elected U.S. Representative from Kentucky's First District in 1912 as a liberal Democrat, supporting President Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom domestic agenda and foreign policy. In 1926 he entered the U.S. Senate, where he supported the New Deal, and was elected to succeed Senate Majority Leader Joseph T. Robinson upon Robinson's death in 1937. He resigned as majority leader after President Franklin D. Roosevelt ignored his advice and vetoed the Revenue Act of 1943, but the veto was overridden and he was unanimously re-elected to the position. Barkley had a better working relationship with Harry S. Truman, who ascended to the presidency after Roosevelt's death in 1945. At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Barkley gave a keynote address that energized the delegates. Truman selected him as a running mate for the upcoming election and the Democratic ticket scored an upset victory.

Thứ Ba, 22 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 23, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 23, 2016 is The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold.
The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold is a novel by the British writer Evelyn Waugh (pictured), his next-to-last full-length work of fiction, first published in July 1957. He called it his "mad book"—a largely autobiographical account concerning the early months of 1954 when he was hallucinating as a result of his addictions. In search of a peaceful environment in which he could resume writing, he had embarked on a sea voyage, but was driven to the point of madness by imagined voices. These experiences are mirrored in the novel: Pinfold, as an antidote to his weariness and chronic insomnia, is dosing himself with a mixture of barbiturates and alcohol, and hearing voices that insult, taunt and threaten him. He is advised that the voices are imaginary, but Pinfold ascribes his rapid cure to a private victory over the forces of evil, not to the cessation of his drug habit. General critical reception to the book was muted; some reviewers admired the opening self-portrait of Waugh, but generally not the ending. The book has been dramatised for radio and as a stage play.

Thứ Hai, 21 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 22, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 22, 2016 is Star Trek: First Contact.
Star Trek: First Contact is an American science fiction film, released on November 22, 1996. It is the eighth in the Star Trek film franchise and the first without any characters from the original series. On mid-21st century Earth, characters from the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation struggle to save their future from the cybernetic Borg. After the seventh film, Star Trek Generations (1994), Paramount tasked writers Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore with developing a sequel. Cast member Jonathan Frakes made his directorial debut. Production designer Herman Zimmerman and illustrator John Eaves created a sleeker starship than its predecessor, and Industrial Light & Magic's traditional optical effects techniques were supplemented with computer-generated imagery. First Contact made $146 million worldwide. Critical reception was mostly positive, especially for the Borg and the special effects. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup and won three Saturn Awards. Scholarly analysis of the film has focused on the nature of the Borg and on Captain Jean-Luc Picard's parallels to Herman Melville's Ahab.

Chủ Nhật, 20 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 21, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 21, 2016 is CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship.
The CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship (Campeonato Mundial Semi Completo de CMLL in Spanish) is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) since 1991. As with other professional wrestling championships, it is not an actual competition, but is won according to a scripted ending to a match, and sometimes awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline. The light heavyweight division in Mexico ranges between 92 kg (203 lb) and 97 kg (214 lb), but the weight limits are not always strictly adhered to. Because CMLL puts more emphasis on the lower weight classes, this division is considered more important in Mexico; the heavyweight division is considered the most important championship by most promotions outside of Mexico. The current CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion in his first reign is La Máscara (pictured), who won it by defeating Ángel de Oro in April 2016. La Máscara is the 15th overall champion and the 13th wrestler to officially hold the championship. The title has been vacated only once since its creation in 1991.

Thứ Bảy, 19 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 20, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 20, 2016 is Divisional Cavalry Regiment (New Zealand).
The Divisional Cavalry Regiment, New Zealand's first armoured unit, was formed in September 1939 after the country entered the Second World War. After being sent to Egypt with the 2nd New Zealand Division, the regiment deployed to Greece as part of W Force, the British contingent sent to defend the country from Nazi Germany in March 1941. The regiment was scattered during the retreat from Greece; most of it ended up in Crete, but had to evacuate in May after a German paratroop attack. Its men fought in Operation Crusader and spent a brief interlude in Syria before engaging in the First Battle of El Alamein, equipped with four recaptured Stuart tanks (pictured). They fought again in the Second Battle of El Alamein, at El Agheila, and at the Mareth Line. After the German retreat from Tunisia, they were sent to Italy with the division in September, and fought in the Italian Campaign. In October 1944, the regiment was reorganized into an infantry battalion, fighting until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. In March 1946 they arrived in Japan as a regiment of J Force, the New Zealand contribution to the occupation. The regiment was disbanded in September 1947.

Thứ Sáu, 18 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 19, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 19, 2016 is Columbian half dollar.
The Columbian half dollar is the first US commemorative coin, struck at the Mint from November 19, 1892, until early 1893. It was issued both to raise funds for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and to mark the quadricentennial of the first voyage to the Americas of Christopher Columbus, the first historical person to be depicted on an American coin (pictured). Fair official James Ellsworth wanted the new half dollar to be based on a 16th-century painting he owned by Lorenzo Lotto, reputedly of Columbus, and pushed for this throughout the design process. When initial sketches by Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber proved unsatisfactory, the fair's organizers turned to a design by artist Olin Levi Warner that was modified by Barber and his assistant, George T. Morgan. Some five million half dollars were struck, far beyond the actual demand, and half of them were returned to the Mint and melted after the fair closed. Sales of the coins did not cure the fair's financial woes; fewer than 400,000 were sold at a premium price. Some two million were released into circulation, where they remained as late as the 1950s.

Thứ Năm, 17 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 18, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 18, 2016 is Black American Sign Language.
Black American Sign Language (BASL) is a dialect of American Sign Language (ASL), usually encountered among deaf African Americans. The divergence from ASL was influenced largely by segregation in the American South. Like other schools at the time, schools for the deaf were segregated by race, creating two language communities: White deaf signers at White schools and Black deaf signers at Black schools. Today, BASL is still used by signers in the South despite the gradual desegregation of deaf schools after 1954, the year of the US Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring racial segregation in schools unconstitutional. Linguistically, BASL differs from other varieties of ASL in its phonology, syntax, and lexicon. In ASL, most signs are produced near the body, but BASL tends to have a larger signing space. Signers of BASL also tend to prefer two-handed variants of signs while signers of ASL tend to prefer one-handed variants. Some signs are different in BASL as well, with some borrowings from African American English.

Thứ Tư, 16 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 17, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 17, 2016 is Bluebuck.
The bluebuck (Hippotragus leucophaeus), now extinct, was a South African antelope. Classified in the same genus as the roan antelope and sable antelope, it was smaller than either. The largest mounted bluebuck specimen is 119 centimetres (47 in) tall at the withers, with horns measuring 56.5 centimetres (22.2 in) along the curve. The bluebuck's coat was bluish-grey, with a pale whitish belly. It was a grazer, and may have calved where rainfall would peak. When encountered by Europeans, it was confined to a 4,300-square-kilometre (1,700 sq mi) grassland habitat of the southwestern Cape, but fossils and rock paintings give evidence of a larger distribution. The first published mention of the bluebuck is from 1681. The few 18th-century illustrations appear to have been based on stuffed specimens. Hunted by European settlers, the bluebuck was the first large African mammal that went extinct in historical times, around 1800. Only four mounted specimens remain, in museums in Leiden, Stockholm, Vienna, and Paris; other museums contain skulls and horns.

Thứ Ba, 15 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 16, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 16, 2016 is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is an action role-playing video game developed by Troika Games (founders pictured) and first released on November 16, 2004, by Activision for Microsoft Windows. Based on White Wolf Publishing's role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade, it follows a male or female character who is killed and revived as a fledgling vampire in 21st-century Los Angeles. Bloodlines is presented from first- and third-person perspectives. Characters may use violent and nonviolent methods to achieve their goals while moving freely between the available hubs: Santa Monica, Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, and Chinatown. Troika's 32-member team began development in 2001, using Valve Corporation's brand-new Source game engine, also used for Valve's own Half-Life 2. Bloodlines was incomplete at its first release, with disappointing sales of fewer than 80,000 copies initially. It divided critics at the time, who faulted it for technical flaws. It now has a cult following as a rarely replicated example of a game that succeeds in both gameplay and narrative; critical opinion now styles it as a flawed masterpiece.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 15, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 15, 2016 is Hurricane Kate (1985).
Hurricane Kate formed northeast of Puerto Rico on November 15, 1985, as the eleventh named storm of the annual hurricane season. Kate made its first landfall on the northern coast of Cuba at Category 2 intensity, then emerged as a slightly weaker storm during the evening hours of November 19. Heavy rainfall in Cuba caused numerous mudslides and flooding, killing 10 people and leading to severe agricultural damage. Wind gusts also damaged crops, and resulted in widespread power outages and significant building damage; the cost in Cuba totaled $400 million, the most from a hurricane strike on that island in many decades. Once clear of land, Kate intensified to Category 3, and the following day it attained its peak winds of around 120 mph (195 km/h). It came ashore near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a minimal Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) on November 21, the latest day ever in an Atlantic hurricane season that a hurricane-strength storm has struck the United States. There were 17 deaths attributable to the storm, in Jamaica and Cuba, and the total damage caused was at least $700 million.

Chủ Nhật, 13 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 14, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 14, 2016 is The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati.
"The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" is the second episode of the seventh season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. Originally airing November 14, 1999, on the Fox network, it was directed by Michael Watkins and written by series creator Chris Carter and lead actor David Duchovny, who plays Fox Mulder. Mimi Rogers (pictured) guest-starred in her last appearance in the series. The X-Files centers on Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents Mulder and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. In this episode, Scully returns from Africa to discover Mulder in a coma induced by exposure to shards from an alien spaceship wreck. After Mulder awakens from his coma, he realizes his duty to prevent alien colonization. Carter explored themes of extraterrestrial involvement in ancient mass extinctions in this episode, the third in a trilogy focused on Mulder's severe reaction to an alien artifact. Initial reviews were mixed, but later critics viewed the episode in a more positive light and several writers named it among the show's best.

Thứ Bảy, 12 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 13, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 13, 2016 is Heavy metals.
Heavy metals are metals with relatively high densities, atomic weights, or atomic numbers, depending on the context. They are usually the denser metals in metallurgy, or the metals with higher atomic numbers in physics, whereas chemists distinguish heavy metals by their chemical behaviour. Heavy metals tend to be less chemically reactive than light metals such as sodium, magnesium, and aluminium. The earliest known metals are heavy metals, including common metals such as iron, copper, and tin, and precious metals such as silver, gold, and platinum. Less familiar metals such as gallium, hafnium, and thallium are also heavy metals, as are the essential nutrients iron, cobalt, and zinc. Some are toxic in larger amounts or certain forms (silver and indium, for example); others, like cadmium, mercury, and lead, are highly poisonous. Sources of heavy metal poisoning may include mining and industrial waste, agricultural runoff, occupational exposure, paints and treated timber. Heavy metals are relatively scarce in the Earth's crust, but are present in many manufactured products.

Thứ Sáu, 11 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 12, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 12, 2016 is Mughal-e-Azam.
Mughal-e-Azam (The Emperor of the Mughals) is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film directed by K. Asif and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji, re-released in colour on 12 November 2004. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on to become Emperor Jahangir) and Anarkali, a court dancer. Salim's father, Emperor Akbar, disapproves, and war ensues. Sixteen years in development, the film cost more to produce than any previous Indian motion picture, and had the widest release. The soundtrack, inspired by Indian classical and folk music, is often cited as one of the finest soundtracks in Bollywood cinematic history. It became the highest-grossing Bollywood film at the time, and won one National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. Mughal-e-Azam was the first black-and-white Hindi film to be digitally coloured and re-released theatrically. Considered a milestone of its genre, it earned praise from critics for its grandeur and attention to detail. Film scholars have welcomed its portrayal of enduring themes, but question its historical accuracy.

Thứ Năm, 10 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2016 is George S. Patton.
George S. Patton (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general who commanded the U.S. Seventh and Third armies during World War II. He had been wounded during World War I leading the newly formed Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces into combat. In 1942 he led U.S. troops in the invasion of Casablanca, and later commanded the Seventh Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily. After slapping two soldiers, he was removed from battlefield command, but returned to lead the Third Army following the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. After a successful armored drive across France, his army helped rescue beleaguered American troops during the Battle of the Bulge. He died from an automobile accident in Germany. While Allied leaders held sharply differing opinions on Patton, he was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command. His emphasis on aggressive offensive action proved effective, but his hard-driving personality and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by controversial public statements. He joined his troops on the front lines and inspired them with vulgarity-ridden speeches, as recounted in a 1970 award-winning biographical film.

Thứ Tư, 9 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 10, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 10, 2016 is Millipede.
Millipedes are a class (Diplopoda) of arthropods, characterised by two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments. Most species have long cylindrical or flattened bodies with more than 20 segments, while pill millipedes are shorter and can roll into a ball. There are around 12,000 named species, making Diplopoda the largest class of myriapods. Despite their name (from the Latin for "thousand feet"), no known species has 1,000 legs; the most recorded is 750. Most species are detritivores, eating decaying leaves and other dead plant matter. Millipedes are generally harmless to humans, although some can become household or garden pests. Most defend themselves with a variety of chemicals secreted from pores along the body, while the tiny bristle millipedes are covered with tufts of detachable bristles. First appearing in the Silurian period, millipedes are some of the oldest known land animals. While the largest modern species can reach lengths of 38 cm (15 in), some prehistoric millipedes grew to over 2 m (6 ft 7 in).

Thứ Ba, 8 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 9, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 9, 2016 is William Howard Taft.
William Howard Taft (1857–1930) was the 27th President of the United States (1909–1913) and the 10th Chief Justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft initially served as a state and federal judge, and as governor of the Philippines beginning in 1900. In 1904 Theodore Roosevelt made him Secretary of War. Taft declined repeated offers to become a Supreme Court justice. He was Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in 1908, and easily defeated William Jennings Bryan for the presidency. In the White House, he focused on the Far East more than Europe, and repeatedly intervened in Latin America. Taft was allied with the conservative wing of the Republican Party, while Roosevelt became more liberal after 1909. Roosevelt unsuccessfully challenged Taft for renomination in 1912, then bolted the party and ran as a third-party candidate. The split in the Republican vote left Taft with little chance of re-election, and he lost to Woodrow Wilson, winning only Utah and Vermont. In 1921 Taft was appointed Chief Justice, and served until a month before his death. He posted a conservative record, and reformed the court's administration.

Thứ Hai, 7 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 8, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 8, 2016 is HMS Collingwood (1908).
HMS Collingwood was a St Vincent-class dreadnought battleship built for the British Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Launched on 7 November 1908 and commissioned in April 1910, the ship was equipped with armour 10 inches (254 mm) thick, and ten 12-inch guns. She served in the Home Fleet and Grand Fleet, at times as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Ernest Gaunt. Prince Albert (later King George VI) spent several years aboard the ship before and during World War I. At the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the largest naval battle of the war, Collingwood was in the middle of the battleline; she did some damage to the German battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger, and shelled the light cruiser SMS Wiesbaden. Apart from that battle and the inconclusive Action of 19 August, her service during the war generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea. The ship was deemed obsolete after the war, reduced to reserve, and used as a training ship before being sold for scrap in 1922.

Chủ Nhật, 6 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 7, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 7, 2016 is From The Doctor to my son Thomas.
"From The Doctor to my son Thomas" is a viral video recorded by the Scottish actor Peter Capaldi (pictured) and sent to Thomas Goodall, an autistic nine-year-old who was grieving over the death of his grandmother. Thomas's father Ross posted the video to YouTube on 6 November 2014 so that his whole family could see it, but the video had wide appeal, and was viewed more than 200,000 times over the next 48 hours. Less than a week later it had over 900,000 views. In the video Capaldi portrays his character, the Twelfth Doctor, from the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who. His message had a positive effect on Thomas; the father said the boy smiled for the first time since learning of his grandmother's death, and gained the courage to go to her funeral. The video was praised as a deeply affecting piece in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Hollywood Life, and various Spanish and Dutch publications, and by CNN and MTV News. It also had a positive impact on many viewers who suffered from autism and other mental health problems.

Thứ Bảy, 5 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 6, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 6, 2016 is Emma Stone.
Emma Stone (born November 6, 1988) is an American actress. She has won two Screen Actors Guild Awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Stone was drawn to acting as a child, and her first role onstage was in 2000. As a teenager, she relocated to Los Angeles with her mother, and made her film debut in Superbad (2007). The 2010 teen comedy Easy A, Stone's first starring role, earned her nominations for the BAFTA Rising Star Award and for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. This breakthrough role was followed by the commercially successful film Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), and a supporting part in the critically acclaimed drama The Help (2011). The actress received wider recognition for playing Gwen Stacy in the 2012 superhero film The Amazing Spider-Man, and its sequel in 2014. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role of a recovering drug addict in the black comedy Birdman (2014). Stone won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for playing an aspiring actress in the musical La La Land (2016).

Thứ Sáu, 4 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 5, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 5, 2016 is Robert Catesby.
Robert Catesby (1572?–1605) was the leader of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, commemorated in Great Britain every 5 November as Guy Fawkes Night. His family were prominent recusant Catholics. He took part in the Essex Rebellion of 1601 but was captured and assessed a large fine, after which he sold his estate at Chastleton. The Protestant James I became King of England in 1603; after he exiled priests and reimposed fines on recusants, Catesby planned to kill him by blowing up the House of Lords with gunpowder as a prelude to a revolt. Early in 1604 Catesby began to recruit English Catholics to his cause, including Thomas Wintour, John Wright, Thomas Percy, and Guy Fawkes. A letter sent anonymously to William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, alerted the authorities, and on the eve of the planned explosion, during a search of Parliament, Fawkes was found guarding the barrels of gunpowder, and arrested. Catesby and the remaining plotters made a stand against a 200-strong company of armed men at Holbeche House in Staffordshire, where he was shot and killed. As a warning to others, his body was exhumed and his head exhibited outside Parliament.

Thứ Năm, 3 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 4, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 4, 2016 is Agharta (album).
Agharta is a live double album by American jazz musician Miles Davis (pictured) and his septet. Titled after the legendary subterranean city, it was recorded at a concert in Japan's Osaka Festival Hall in February 1975. Saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Michael Henderson, and guitarist Pete Cosey improvised against a dense backdrop of riffs, electronic effects, cross-beats, and funk grooves from the rhythm section. Davis had already alienated many in the jazz community while attracting younger rock audiences with his radical electric fusion music. This dark, angry, and somber performance was seen as a reflection of his emotional and spiritual state—he was in physical pain from health issues and a substance abuse problem, and had been touring constantly with his band since 1973. The album was released in Japan in August 1975 by CBS/Sony, and in North America in 1976 by Columbia Records. A highly divisive record, it further challenged Davis' jazz audience and critics. It was reevaluated positively after a generation of younger musicians was influenced by the group's abrasive music and Cosey's effects-laden free improvisations, and is seen as the culmination of Davis' electric period.

Thứ Tư, 2 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 3, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 3, 2016 is William McKinley presidential campaign, 1896.
William McKinley's campaign for US president was successful, defeating William Jennings Bryan, who was both the Democratic and Populist nominee, on November 3, 1896. McKinley, a former Governor of Ohio, refused to deal with eastern bosses such as Thomas Platt and Matthew Quay, who supported favorite son candidates to run against him for the Republican nomination. The large, efficient McKinley organization, run by his friend and political manager Mark Hanna, swept him to a first ballot victory at the 1896 Republican National Convention, with New Jersey's Garret Hobart as his running mate. McKinley intended to run mainly as a protectionist, but free silver became the issue of the day. After Bryan captured the Democratic nomination as a foe of the gold standard, Hanna raised and spent millions to convince voters that free silver would be harmful. McKinley stayed at home in Canton, Ohio, running a front porch campaign that reached millions through press coverage of his speeches, while Bryan toured the nation by rail. McKinley forged an electoral coalition of the well-to-do, urban dwellers, and prosperous farmers that kept the Republicans in power most of the time until 1932.

Thứ Ba, 1 tháng 11, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for November 2, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 2, 2016 is Mayfly.
Mayflies are an order (Ephemeroptera) of over 3,000 species of flying insects, related to dragonflies and damselflies. They are relatively primitive, with ancestral traits that were probably present in the first flying insects, such as long tails, and wings that do not fold flat over the abdomen. Their immature stages (nymphs) live in fresh water. Unique among insect orders, they have a fully winged adult stage that moults into a sexually mature adult. Often, all the mayflies in a population mature at the same time, emerging in the spring, summer or autumn in enormous numbers; some hatchings attract tourists. Mayflies are a favourite food of many fish, and fishing flies are often modelled to resemble them. The brief lives of mayfly adults—less than five minutes for the female Dolania americana, after the final moult—have been noted by naturalists and encyclopaedists since Aristotle and Pliny the Elder. The English poet George Crabbe compared a daily newspaper's lifespan to that of a mayfly in the satirical poem "The Newspaper" (1785).

Chủ Nhật, 30 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 31, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 31, 2016 is Drowned God.
Drowned God is a science fiction adventure game developed by Epic Multimedia Group, published by Inscape and released on October 31, 1996. The game advances the conspiracy theory that all of accepted human history is false and the human race's development and evolution have been aided by extra-terrestrials. The player attempts to uncover the truth within the game by traveling to different worlds, interacting with historical and fictional characters, and solving puzzles. The game is based on a forged manuscript written by Harry Horse in 1983. After facing legal trouble and fines when he attempted to sell the text, Horse shelved it for more than a decade before deciding a first person adventure game would be the best way to tell its story. Producer Algy Williams hired a team of multimedia artists and programmers to help Horse develop the game. Upon its release, it sold well, but faded in popularity due to software bugs. Its concept and visuals were widely praised, but its gameplay, audio, and puzzles received a mixed reception. A planned sequel never came to fruition.

Thứ Bảy, 29 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 30, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 30, 2016 is Jack Parsons (rocket engineer).
Jack Parsons (1914–1952) was an American rocket engineer and rocket propulsion researcher, chemist, and Thelemite occultist. Associated with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Parsons was one of the principal founders of both the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Aerojet Engineering Corporation. He invented the first rocket engine using a castable composite rocket propellant, and helped develop both liquid-fuel and solid-fuel rockets. Inspired by science fiction literature, he developed an interest in rocketry in his childhood and in 1928 began amateur rocket experiments with school friend Ed Forman. In 1934 he united with Forman and graduate student Frank Malina to form the Caltech-affiliated GALCIT Rocket Research Group, supported by Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory chairman Theodore von Kármán. After working on Jet-Assisted Take Off for the U.S. military, the GALCIT Group became JPL in 1943. For his contributions to rocket engineering, his advocacy of space exploration and human spaceflight, and his role in the founding of JPL and Aerojet, Parsons is regarded as one of the most important early figures of the U.S. space program.

Thứ Sáu, 28 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 29, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 29, 2016 is Baron Munchausen.
Baron Munchausen is a fictional nobleman created by German writer Rudolf Erich Raspe in his 1785 book Baron Munchausen's Narrative of his Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia. The character is loosely based on a real baron, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich, Freiherr von Münchhausen (1720–1797). Born in Bodenwerder, Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the real-life Münchhausen fought for the Russian Empire in the Russo-Turkish War of 1735–1739. After retiring in 1760, he became a minor celebrity within German aristocratic circles for telling outrageous tall tales based on his military career. After hearing some of Münchhausen's stories, Raspe adapted them anonymously into literary form, first in German as magazine pieces, and then in English. The fictional Baron's exploits, narrated in the first person, focus on his impossible achievements as a sportsman, soldier, and traveller, for instance riding on a cannonball, fighting a forty-foot crocodile, and travelling to the Moon. The real-life Münchhausen was deeply upset at the development of a fictional character bearing his name, and threatened legal proceedings against the book's publisher. Several concepts and medical conditions have been named after the character, including Munchausen syndrome, the Münchhausen trilemma, and Munchausen numbers.

Thứ Năm, 27 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 28, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 28, 2016 is St. Elmo (1914 film).
St. Elmo is a 1914 American silent drama film produced by the Balboa Amusement Producing Company and distributed by William Fox's Box Office Attractions Company. It was the first feature-length film adaptation of Augusta Jane Evans's 1866 eponymous novel. The story follows the life of the title character (played by William Jossey), who kills his cousin (Francis McDonald) over the love of Agnes (Madeline Pardee), falls from grace, and eventually finds redemption and love with Edna (Gypsy Abbott). It is disputed who directed the film; many sources credit Bertram Bracken, while others list St. Elmo as J. Gordon Edwards's directorial debut. Some reviewers praised the scenery and overall production quality, considering the film an improvement over stage adaptations of the novel. Others found the scenery irrelevant and the story confusing. Despite mixed reviews, the film was financially successful, reportedly setting box office records. The following year, a film adaptation of an unrelated Evans novel, Beulah, was marketed as a sequel. As with most Balboa films, St. Elmo is now believed lost.

Thứ Tư, 26 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 27, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 27, 2016 is Norse-American medal.
The Norse-American medal was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1925, pursuant to an act of the United States Congress. It was issued for the 100th anniversary of the voyage that brought early Norwegian immigrants to the United States on the ship Restauration. Minnesota Congressman Ole Juulson Kvale, a Norse-American, wanted a commemorative for the centennial celebrations. Rebuffed by the Treasury Department when he sought the issuance of a special coin, he instead settled for a medal. Sculpted by Buffalo nickel designer James Earle Fraser, the medals recognize those immigrants' Viking heritage, depicting a warrior on the obverse and a vessel on the reverse. They also recall the early Viking explorations of North America. Once they were authorized by Congress, they were produced in various metals and sizes, for the most part prior to the celebrations near Minneapolis in June 1925. Only 53 were issued in gold, and these are rare and valuable today; those struck in silver or bronze trade for much less. The medals are sometimes collected as part of the commemorative coin series.

Thứ Ba, 25 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 26, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 26, 2016 is Bud Dunn.
Bud Dunn (1918–2001) was a horse trainer who specialized in training and showing Tennessee Walking Horses. Born in 1918 on a farm in Scott County, Kentucky, he later moved to Florence, Alabama, where he owned and operated Bud Stables, a show horse training stable that produced twenty World Championships. He additionally trained and rode two horses who won the World Grand Championship at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, a national-level horse show held annually in or near Shelbyville, Tennessee. Dunn's first World Grand Championship came in 1992 with the bay stallion Dark Spirit's Rebel, and the second in 1999 with a son of that stallion, RPM. At the time of RPM's win, Dunn was 81 years old, making him the oldest winning rider on record. For his contributions, he was twice named Trainer of the Year, and was inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame and the Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame. Dunn's son Steve also became a successful horse trainer, winning two World Grand Championships.

Thứ Hai, 24 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 25, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 25, 2016 is Operation Barras.
Operation Barras was a British Army operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 that rescued five soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment and 21 Sierra Leonean civilians being held by the West Side Boys militia group. The soldiers were part of a patrol returning from a visit to Jordanian peacekeepers attached to the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) at Masiaka. The ground operation was conducted by D Squadron, 22 Regiment Special Air Service, with a diversionary assault by elements of 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment. At least 25 West Side Boys and one soldier in the rescue party were killed, and 18 West Side Boys—including the gang's leader, Foday Kallay—were taken prisoner and later transferred to the custody of the Sierra Leone Police. Many West Side Boys fled the area during the assault, and over 300 surrendered to UNAMSIL forces within a fortnight. After the operation, the British government increased its support of UNAMSIL and its efforts to bring the Sierra Leone Civil War to an end, both politically, through the United Nations Security Council, and through the provision of staff officers to support UNAMSIL.

Chủ Nhật, 23 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 24, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 24, 2016 is Subway (Homicide: Life on the Street).
"Subway" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American police television drama Homicide: Life on the Street, and the 84th episode overall. It first aired on NBC in the United States on December 5, 1997. In the episode, John Lange (Vincent D'Onofrio) becomes pinned between a subway train and the station platform. The Baltimore homicide department is informed that Lange will be dead within an hour, and Pembleton tries to determine if the case is a homicide while comforting Lange in his final minutes. "Subway" received overwhelmingly positive reviews but ranked number three in its time-slot during its original broadcast, capturing 10.3 million viewers but falling behind ABC's 20/20 and CBS's Nash Bridges. The episode won a Peabody Award for excellence in television broadcasting and was nominated for two Emmy Awards, one for Yoshimura's script and one for D'Onofrio's guest performance. Vince Gilligan, an X-Files screenwriter, said that "Subway" directly influenced an episode he wrote that featured Bryan Cranston, and Cranston's performance led to his casting in Gilligan's series Breaking Bad.

Thứ Bảy, 22 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 23, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 23, 2016 is The Left Hand of Darkness.
The Left Hand of Darkness is a science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1969. The novel became immensely popular, winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, and establishing Le Guin as a major author of science fiction. The novel tells the story of Genly Ai, an Earthman sent to the planet of Gethen as an envoy of the Ekumen. He is stymied by the cultural barrier created by the Gethenians' lack of a fixed gender identity. The novel is part of the Hainish Cycle, a series of novels and short stories by Le Guin set in the fictional Hainish universe, which she introduced in 1964. The book was among the first published in the feminist science fiction genre. The effect of sex and gender on culture and society, a major theme throughout the novel, touched off a feminist debate when it was first published. Left Hand has been reprinted more than 30 times, and has received a highly positive response from reviewers. Widely influential, it has been described as a seminal work in the genre of science fiction. In 1987 the literary critic Harold Bloom said, "Le Guin, more than Tolkien, has raised fantasy into high literature, for our time".

Thứ Sáu, 21 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 22, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 22, 2016 is 2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season.
The 2003–04 season was the 109th in the history of Arsenal Football Club, with competitive matches played between August and May. Managed by Arsène Wenger (pictured) and nicknamed "The Invincibles", the club ended the Premier League campaign as champions with a record of 26 wins, 12 draws and no defeats. Arsenal fared less well in the other competitions, eliminated in the FA Cup by Manchester United and in the UEFA Champions League by Chelsea in the space of a week. Over five competitions, 34 players represented the club, including 15 goalscorers. Arsenal's top goalscorer was Thierry Henry, who scored 39 goals in 51 games. The Frenchman was given the accolades of PFA Players' Player of the Year by his peers and the FWA Footballer of the Year by football writers. Awarded a golden replica trophy by the Premier League once the season concluded, Arsenal later set a new league record of 49 matches unbeaten. In 2012, the team of 2003–04 won the "Best Team" category in the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards.

Thứ Năm, 20 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 21, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 21, 2016 is S. O. Davies.
Stephen Owen Davies (died 25 February 1972) was a Welsh coal miner and Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil from 1934 to 1972. In 1918 he became miners' agent for the Dowlais district of the South Wales Miners' Federation, and in 1924 was appointed its chief organiser, legal adviser, and vice-president. Elected to parliament in 1934, Davies consistently defied official Labour policy to champion causes such as disarmament and Welsh nationalism, with a persistence that brought him several suspensions and ensured that he was never offered ministerial office. After a spoil heap at a coal mine collapsed in the village of Aberfan on 21 October 1966 killing 116 schoolchildren and 28 adults, Davies controversially said that he had long thought that it was unsafe. He had not reported his suspicions for fear that an enquiry would cause the closures of local pits. In 1970 he was deselected as parliamentary candidate by his local party association on account of his age, but won the seat in the general election as an Independent, a rare example in British politics of an independent candidate defeating a major party's organisation.

Thứ Tư, 19 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 20, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 20, 2016 is No. 91 Wing RAAF.
No. 91 (Composite) Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) wing active during the Korean War and its immediate aftermath. It was formed on 20 October 1950 to administer No. 77 (Fighter) Squadron, No. 30 Communications Flight, No. 391 (Base) Squadron, and No. 491 (Maintenance) Squadron. The wing and its units were headquartered at Iwakuni, Japan, except for No. 77 Squadron, which was based in Korea and tasked by the US Fifth Air Force. No. 30 Flight was re-designated No. 30 Communications Unit in November 1950, No. 30 Transport Unit a year later, and No. 36 (Transport) Squadron in March 1953. Operating mainly C-47 Dakotas, it undertook medical evacuation, cargo and troop transport, and courier flights. No. 77 Squadron converted from P-51 Mustangs to Gloster Meteors (pictured) between April and July 1951, and operated primarily in the ground attack role. It remained in Korea on garrison duty following the July 1953 armistice, and returned to Australia in November 1954; No. 491 Squadron disbanded the same month. No. 36 Squadron returned to Australia in March 1955; the following month, No. 391 Squadron and No. 91 Wing headquarters disbanded.

Thứ Ba, 18 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 19, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 19, 2016 is Komm, du süße Todesstunde, BWV 161.
Komm, du süße Todesstunde (Come, o sweet hour of death), BWV 161, is a church cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in Weimar for the 16th Sunday after Trinity Sunday, and probably first performed in 1716. The text, provided by the court poet Salomon Franck, was based on the prescribed gospel reading about the young man from Nain, and reflected on longing for death, seen as a transition to a life united with Jesus. The cantata in six movements opens with alternating arias and recitatives, leading to a chorus and a concluding chorale, a stanza of the hymn "Herzlich tut mich verlangen" by Christoph Knoll. The chorale tune appears in the first movement, played by the organ, providing a unity to the composition. Bach scored the work for alto and tenor soloists, a four-part choir, and a Baroque chamber ensemble of recorders, strings and continuo. In one recitative, he creates the images of sleep, of waking up, and of funeral bells. Although the libretto was published in a collection in 1715, Bach probably did not perform it until September 1716, due to a long period of public mourning in the duchy for the brother of Duke Ernst August.

Thứ Hai, 17 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 18, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 18, 2016 is Freida Pinto.
Freida Pinto (born 18 October 1984) is an Indian actress who has appeared mainly in American and British films. Born and raised in Mumbai, she decided to become an actress at a young age. She was educated at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, where she took part in amateur plays. After graduation, she briefly worked as a model and then as a television presenter. Pinto made her cinematic debut with the British drama Slumdog Millionaire (2008), for which she received several nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, the MTV Movie Awards and the Teen Choice Awards. Her biggest commercial success came with the 2011 science fiction film Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The same year, she portrayed the title character in Michael Winterbottom's Trishna. Her performance in the biographical film Desert Dancer (2014) received critical acclaim. Although the Indian media has credited Pinto with breaking stereotypes of Indian women in foreign films, she has been a lesser-known figure in Indian cinema. She is a vocal advocate for underprivileged children and women.

Chủ Nhật, 16 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 17, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 17, 2016 is Melford Stevenson.
Melford Stevenson (17 October 1902 – 26 December 1987) was an English High Court judge. He was Judge Advocate at the 1945 war crimes trial of submariners from the U-852 for the Peleus affair. In 1954 Stevenson represented the UK Government during Jomo Kenyatta's unsuccessful appeal against his conviction for his part in the Mau Mau Uprising. He represented the litigants in the Crichel Down affair, which led to changes in the law on compulsory purchase. In 1955 he defended Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the UK, and in 1957 took part in the unsuccessful prosecution of suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams. As a High Court judge he gave life sentences in 1969 to the Kray twins for murder, and in 1971 gave Jake Prescott of the Angry Brigade fifteen years for conspiracy to cause explosions. When another judge, Sir Robin Dunn, described him as "the worst judge since the war", Lord Roskill pointed out that Stevenson could be merciful to those he saw as victims. He retired in 1979, and died in 1987.

Thứ Bảy, 15 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 16, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 16, 2016 is History of Ipswich Town F.C..
Ipswich Town F.C. has a long history as an English association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk. Founded on 16 October 1878, they have played at Portman Road, their home stadium, since 1884. They won their first trophy in the 1886–87 season over Ipswich School in the Suffolk Challenge Cup. The team played amateur football until 1936 when they turned professional and were elected into the Southern League. On 30 May 1938 they were elected into Division Three of the Football League in place of Gillingham F.C. They won the Football League Championship in 1961–62, one season after winning promotion from the Second Division. A decade later, under the guidance of Bobby Robson (pictured), they achieved success both in the FA Cup and in European competition, winning the UEFA Cup in 1981. Both Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey moved on from Ipswich to manage the England national football team, presiding over the team's best results in the World Cup: fourth place in 1990 and world champions in 1966.

Thứ Sáu, 14 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 15, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 15, 2016 is H-58 (Michigan county highway).
H-58 is a county-designated highway in the US state of Michigan that runs east–west 69 miles (111 km) between the communities of Munising and Deer Park in the Upper Peninsula. The western section is routed through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a national park on Lake Superior that was created on October 15, 1966, and through the adjacent Lake Superior State Forest in Alger County. A roadway was present along parts of today's H-58 by the late 1920s; initially, this gravel and earth county road between Munising and Kingston Corners connected with other roads to Grand Marais. In the 1930s, another segment was built to connect to Deer Park and to fill in the gap between Kingston Corners and Grand Marais. The H-58 designation was created after the county-designated highway system itself was formed in 1970. Federal legislation from the 1990s allowed the National Park Service to fund improvements to H-58 as the main access road to the park. Paving projects were completed between 2006 and 2010 along the entire length of H-58 in Alger County; the segment in Luce County is still a gravel road.

Thứ Năm, 13 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 14, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 14, 2016 is Norman conquest of England.
The Norman conquest of England was the invasion and occupation of England by an army of Norman, Breton, and French soldiers, led by Duke William II of Normandy, later styled as William the Conqueror. The invasion culminated in the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. William's claim to the English throne derived from his familial relationship with the childless Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor, who died in January 1066 and was succeeded by his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson. After the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada invaded northern England in September, Harold defeated and killed him at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Within days, William landed in southern England. Harold marched south to confront him, but left a significant portion of his army in the north, and was defeated and killed by William's force at Hastings. William faced rebellions for years, and was not secure on his throne until after 1072. He confiscated the lands of the resisting English elite, some of whom fled into exile. To control his new kingdom, William gave lands to his followers and built castles commanding military strongpoints.

Thứ Ba, 11 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 12, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 12, 2016 is Gold dollar.
The gold dollar was a coin struck as a regular issue by the United States Bureau of the Mint from 1849 to 1889. The coin had three types over its lifetime, all designed by Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre. The Type 1 issue had the smallest diameter of any United States coin ever minted. A gold dollar had been proposed several times in the 1830s and 1840s, but was not initially adopted. Congress was finally galvanized into action by the increased supply of bullion from the California gold rush, and in 1849 authorized a gold dollar. In its early years, silver coins were being hoarded or exported, and the gold dollar found a ready place in commerce. Silver again circulated after Congress required in 1853 that new coins of that metal be made lighter, and the gold dollar became a rarity in commerce even before federal coins vanished from circulation amid the economic disruption of the American Civil War. Gold did not circulate again in most of the nation until 1879, and even then, the gold dollar did not regain its place in commerce. In its final years, struck in small numbers, it was hoarded by speculators and mounted in jewelry.

Thứ Hai, 10 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 11, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 11, 2016 is Zapata rail.
The Zapata rail (Cyanolimnas cerverai) is a medium-sized, dark-coloured rail. It has brown upperparts, greyish-blue underparts, a red-based yellow bill, white undertail coverts, and red eyes and legs. Its short wings render it almost flightless. It is endemic to the wetlands of the Zapata Peninsula in southern Cuba, where its only known nest was found in sawgrass tussocks. Little is known of its diet or reproductive behaviour, and its described calls may belong to a different species. The Zapata rail was discovered by Spanish zoologist Fermín Zanón Cervera in March 1927 in the Zapata Swamp near Santo Tomás, in the southern Matanzas Province of Cuba. The swamp holds one other bird found nowhere else, the Zapata wren, and also gives its name to the Zapata sparrow. Due to ongoing habitat loss in its limited range, its small population size, and predation by introduced mammals and catfish, the Zapata rail is evaluated as critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species. The swamp is listed as an internationally important wetland by the Convention on Wetlands.

Chủ Nhật, 9 tháng 10, 2016

Wikipedia article of the day for October 10, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for October 10, 2016 is Wendell Willkie.
Wendell Willkie (1892–1944) was an American corporate executive and the 1940 Republican candidate for president. In 1933 he became president of Commonwealth & Southern Corporation (C&S), a utility holding company. He fought against President Franklin Roosevelt's Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a publicly owned competitor of C&S; though unsuccessful, he sold C&S's property to the TVA for a good price, and gained public esteem. A longtime Democratic activist, Willkie changed his party registration to Republican in late 1939. He did not run in the 1940 presidential primaries, but positioned himself as an acceptable choice for a deadlocked convention. As Hitler rampaged through Western Europe in the spring of 1940, many Republicans did not wish to nominate an isolationist like Thomas E. Dewey, and turned to Willkie, who was nominated on the sixth ballot. His support for aid to Britain paralleled Roosevelt's, defying Republican opposition. Roosevelt won a third term, taking 38 of the 48 states and 55 percent of the vote. Willkie made two wartime foreign trips as Roosevelt's informal envoy.