Wikipedia:Today's featured article/August 2011
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August 1
Parasaurolophus is a genus of dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 75 million years ago. A member of the Hadrosaurid or duck-billed dinosaurs, it was a plant-eater that walked on two legs or all four. Three species are recognized: P. walkeri, P. tubicen, and the short-crested P. cyrtocristatus. Remains are known from Alberta, New Mexico, and Utah. It is known for its large, elaborate cranial crest, which forms a long curved tube projecting upwards and back from the skull. The crest's purpose has been debated by scientists; possible functions include thermoregulation, visual recognition of both species and sex, and trumpeting. The genus was first described in 1922 by William Parks from a skull and partial skeleton in Alberta. Only a handful of good specimens are known. (more...)
Recently featured: Definition of planet – Horses in World War I – Christopher Smart's asylum confinement
August 2
Egyptian temples were built for the official worship of the gods and commemoration of pharaohs in ancient Egypt. Within them the Egyptians performed the central functions of Egyptian religion: giving offerings to the gods, reenacting their mythological interactions through festivals, and warding off the forces of chaos. These rituals were seen as necessary for the gods to continue to uphold the divine order of the universe. Most of the populace was forbidden from entering temples' most sacred areas, but temples were still important religious sites for all classes of Egyptians. Temples are among the largest and most enduring examples of Egyptian architecture, with their elements arranged and decorated according to complex patterns of religious symbolism. A large temple owned sizable tracts of land and employed thousands of laymen to supply its needs. Some temples have become world-famous tourist attractions that contribute significantly to the modern Egyptian economy. Egyptologists continue to study the surviving temples, as they are invaluable sources of information about ancient Egyptian society. (more...)
Recently featured: Parasaurolophus – Definition of planet – Horses in World War I
August 3
Kenesaw Mountain Landis (1866–1944) was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death. He is remembered for his handling of the Black Sox scandal (in which members of the Chicago White Sox conspired to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series); he expelled eight players from organized baseball and repeatedly refused their reinstatement requests. His firm actions and iron rule over baseball in the near quarter-century of his commissionership are generally credited with restoring public confidence in the game. As a judge, Landis had received national attention in 1907 when he fined Standard Oil of Indiana more than $29 million. During and after World War I, Landis, an ardent patriot, presided over a number of high-profile trials of draft resisters and others whom he saw as opposing the war effort. He dealt out heavy sentences to the defendants, though some of the convictions were reversed on appeal; other sentences were commuted. Landis's decisions in the Black Sox matter remain controversial: advocates of Black Sox "Shoeless Joe" Jackson and Buck Weaver contend that he was overly harsh with them. (more...)
Recently featured: Egyptian temple – Parasaurolophus – Definition of planet
August 4
The Double Seven Day scuffle was a physical altercation on July 7, 1963, in Saigon, South Vietnam. The secret police of Ngô Đình Nhu—the brother of President Ngô Đình Diệm—attacked a group of American journalists who were covering Buddhist protests. Peter Arnett of the Associated Press was punched on the nose, but the quarrel quickly ended after David Halberstam of The New York Times, being much taller than Nhu's men, counterattacked and caused the secret police to retreat. Arnett and his colleague, Malcolm Browne, were later accosted by police and taken away for questioning on suspicion of attacking police officers. After their release, the journalists went to the US embassy in Saigon to complain about their treatment and asked for US government protection. Their appeals were dismissed, as was a direct appeal to the White House. Vietnamese Buddhists reacted to the incident by contending that Diệm’s men were planning to assassinate monks, while Madame Ngô Đình Nhu repeated earlier claims that the US government had been trying to overthrow her brother-in-law. Photographs of Arnett's bloodied face, published in newspapers worldwide, drew further negative attention to the behaviour of the Diệm régime amidst the backdrop of the Buddhist crisis. (more...)
Recently featured: Kenesaw Mountain Landis – Egyptian temple – Parasaurolophus
August 5
Dengue fever is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the Aedes genus, principally A. aegypti. The virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications. As there is no vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites. Treatment of acute dengue is supportive, using either oral or intravenous rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and intravenous fluids and blood transfusion for more severe cases. The incidence of dengue fever has increased dramatically since the 1960s, with around 50–100 million people infected yearly. Early descriptions of the condition date from 1779, and its viral cause and the transmission were elucidated in the early 20th century. Dengue has become a worldwide problem since the Second World War and is endemic in more than 110 countries. (more...)
Recently featured: Double Seven Day scuffle – Kenesaw Mountain Landis – Egyptian temple
August 6
HMS Lion was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class. Lion served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet's battlecruisers throughout World War I, except when she was being refitted or under repair. She sank the German light cruiser Cöln during the Battle of Heligoland Bight and served as Vice Admiral Beatty's flagship at the battles of Dogger Bank and Jutland. She was so badly damaged at the first of these battles that she had to be towed back to port by the battlecruiser Indomitable and was under repair for more than two months. During the Battle of Jutland she suffered a serious propellant fire that could have destroyed the ship if not for the bravery of Royal Marine Major Francis Harvey, who posthumously received the Victoria Cross for having ordered the magazine flooded. She spent the rest of the war on uneventful patrols in the North Sea. She was put into reserve in 1920 and sold for scrap in 1924 under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. (more...)
Recently featured: Dengue fever – Double Seven Day scuffle – Kenesaw Mountain Landis
August 7
The Kylfings were a people of uncertain origin who were active in Northern Europe during the Viking Age. They were active from roughly the late ninth century through the early twelfth century and could be found in areas of Lapland, Russia, and the Byzantine Empire that were frequented by Scandinavian traders, raiders and mercenaries. Scholars differ on whether the Kylfings were ethnically Finnic or Norse. Their geographic origin is also disputed; Denmark, Sweden and the Eastern Baltic are put forward as candidates. Whether the name Kylfing denotes a particular tribal, socio-political, or economic grouping is a matter of much debate. They are mentioned in Old Norse runestone inscriptions, sagas, and poetry, as well as Byzantine records and Rus' law-codes, in which they were afforded significant economic and social privileges. According to the sagas, the Kylfings opposed the consolidation of Norway under Harald Fairhair and participated in the pivotal Battle of Hafrsfjord. After Harald's victory in that battle, they are described in the sagas as having raided in Finnmark and elsewhere in northern Norway and having fought against Harald's lieutenants such as Thorolf Kveldulfsson. (more...)
Recently featured: HMS Lion – Dengue fever – Double Seven Day scuffle
August 8
The Oort cloud is a hypothesized spherical cloud of comets that may lie nearly a light-year from the Sun. It is thought to comprise two separate regions: a spherical outer Oort cloud and a disc-shaped inner Oort cloud, or Hills cloud; the outer extent of the cloud defines the boundary of the Solar System. Objects in the Oort cloud are largely composed of ices, such as water, ammonia, and methane and are thought to have formed close to the Sun, later being scattered into space by the gravitational effects of the giant planets early in the Solar System's evolution. Although no confirmed direct observations of the Oort cloud have been made, astronomers believe that it is the source of all long-period and Halley-type comets entering the inner Solar System, as well as many of the Centaurs and Jupiter-family comets. (more...)
Recently featured: Kylfings – HMS Lion – Dengue fever
August 9
Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia precludes the Commonwealth of Australia (i.e., the federal parliament) from making laws for establishing any religion, imposing any religious observance, or prohibiting the free exercise of any religion. Section 116 also provides that no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth. The product of a compromise in the pre-Federation constitutional conventions, Section 116 is based on similar provisions in the United States Constitution. The provision has been interpreted narrowly by the High Court of Australia: while the definition of "religion" adopted by the court is broad and flexible, the scope of the protection of religions is circumscribed. No court has ever ruled a law to be in contravention of Section 116. Federal Governments have twice proposed amendments to the provision, principally to apply it to laws made by the states of Australia. On each occasion—in 1944 and 1988—the proposal failed in a referendum. (more...)
Recently featured: Oort cloud – Kylfings – HMS Lion
August 10
Numerical weather prediction uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. A number of global and regional forecast models are run in different countries worldwide, using current weather observations relayed from radiosondes or weather satellites as inputs to the models. Mathematical models based on the same physical principles can be used to generate either short-term weather forecasts or longer-term climate predictions. Manipulating the vast datasets and performing the complex calculations necessary to modern numerical weather prediction requires some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. Even with the increasing power of supercomputers, the forecast skill of numerical weather models only extends to about six days. Factors affecting the accuracy of numerical predictions include the density and quality of observations used as input to the forecasts, along with deficiencies in the numerical models themselves. To quantify the large amount of inherent uncertainty remaining in numerical predictions, ensemble forecasts have been used since the 1990s to help gauge the confidence in the forecast, and to obtain useful results farther into the future than otherwise possible. (more...)
Recently featured: Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia – Oort cloud – Kylfings
August 11
Malagasy cuisine encompasses the diverse culinary traditions of the island of Madagascar. Foods eaten in Madagascar reflect the influence of Southeast Asian, African, Indian, Chinese and European migrants that have settled on the island. Rice, the cornerstone of the Malagasy diet, was cultivated alongside tubers and other Southeast Asian staples by the island's earliest settlers from Borneo. Their diet was supplemented by scavenging and hunting wild game, which contributed to the extinction of the island's megafauna. These food sources were later complemented by beef in the form of zebu. Commerce with Arab and Indian merchants and European transatlantic traders further enriched the island's culinary traditions by introducing a wealth of new fruits, vegetables and seasonings. Throughout almost the entire island, the contemporary cuisine of Madagascar consists of a base of rice typically served with an accompaniment termed laoka. In addition, a wide variety of sweet and savory fritters as well as other street foods are available across the island, as are diverse tropical and temperate-climate fruits. Locally produced beverages include fruit juices, coffee, herbal and black teas, and alcoholic drinks such as rum, wine and beer. (more...)
Recently featured: Numerical weather prediction – Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia – Oort cloud
August 12
North Island is the northernmost island in the Houtman Abrolhos, a coral reef archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mid West, Western Australia. Located approximately 14 km (9 mi) from the nearest island group, it is one of the largest islands in the Houtman Abrolhos, and one of the few to support dune systems. It has relatively diverse flora dominated by chenopod shrubs and fauna that includes the introduced Tammar Wallaby, around 7 species of reptile, and about 15 resident bird species. Discovered and surveyed in 1840, North Island has been a seasonal camp for western rock lobster fishermen since the beginning of the 20th century, and this remains the principal focus of human activity on the island. There is also a small amount of tourism, though for the most part it is reserved as conservation habitat for vegetation communities and rare birds. (more...)
Recently featured: Malagasy cuisine – Numerical weather prediction – Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia
August 13
Tropic Thunder is a 2008 American action satire comedy film written, produced, and directed by Ben Stiller, and starring Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr., and Jack Black. The main plot revolves around a group of three prima donna actors who are making a Vietnam War film. When their frustrated writer and director decide to drop them in the middle of a jungle, they are forced to rely on their acting skills in order to survive the real action and danger. Stiller's idea for the film originated while playing a small part in Empire of the Sun. After the film was greenlit in 2006, filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The film received generally favorable reviews; critics approved of the film's characters, story, and faux trailers but criticized its offensive content. In its North American opening weekend, the film earned US$26 million and retained the number one position for the first three weekends of release. Tropic Thunder grossed $180 million in theaters before its release on home video on November 18, 2008. (more...)
Recently featured: North Island – Malagasy cuisine – Numerical weather prediction
August 14
Choe Bu (1454–1504) was a Korean official during the early Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). He is best known for the account of his shipwrecked travels in China from February to July 1488, during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was eventually banished from the Joseon court in 1498 and executed in 1504 during two political purges. However, in 1506 he was exonerated and given posthumous honors by the Joseon court. Choe's diary accounts of his travels in China became widely printed in the 16th century in both Korea and Japan. Modern historians also utilize his written works, since his travel diary provides a unique outsider's perspective on Chinese culture in the 15th century and valuable information on China's cities and regional differences. The attitudes and opinions expressed in his writing represent in part the standpoints and views of the 15th-century Confucian Korean literati, who viewed Chinese culture as compatible with and similar to their own. His description of cities, people, customs, cuisines, and maritime commerce along China's Grand Canal provide insight into the daily life of China and how it differed between northern and southern China during the 15th century. (more...)
Recently featured: Tropic Thunder – North Island – Malagasy cuisine
August 15
Hoysala literature is the large body of literature in the Kannada and Sanskrit languages produced by the Hoysala Empire (1025–1343) in what is now southern India. Kannada literature during this period consisted of writings relating to the socio-religious developments of the Jain and Veerashaiva faiths, and to a lesser extent that of the Vaishnava faith. The earliest well-known brahmin writers in Kannada were from the Hoysala court. While most of the courtly textual production was in Kannada, an important corpus of monastic Vaishnava literature relating to Dvaita (dualistic) philosophy was written by the renowned philosopher Madhvacharya in Sanskrit. Writing Kannada literature in native metres was first popularised by the court poets. These metres were the sangatya, compositions sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument; shatpadi, six-line verses; ragale, lyrical compositions in blank verse; and tripadi, three-line verses. However, Jain writers continued to use the traditional champu, composed of prose and verse. Important literary contributions in Kannada were made not only by court poets but also by noblemen, commanders, ministers, ascetics and saints associated with monasteries. (more...)
Recently featured: Choe Bu – Tropic Thunder – North Island
August 16
Mother's Milk, the fourth studio album by rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, was released on August 16, 1989. After the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak and subsequent departure of drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea regrouped with the addition of guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Frusciante significantly altered the band's sound by placing more emphasis on melody than rhythm, which had dominated the band's previous material. The record was a greater commercial success than the Chili Peppers' past three studio albums combined. Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread recognition for singles "Knock Me Down", the Stevie Wonder cover "Higher Ground" and "Taste the Pain". The album became their first gold record in early 1990, and was the first step for the band in achieving international success. Although the record was not met with the same positive critical reception that its predecessor The Uplift Mofo Party Plan had garnered, Mother's Milk, according to Amy Hanson of Allmusic, "turned the tide and transformed the band from underground funk-rocking rappers to mainstream bad boys with seemingly very little effort". (more...)
Recently featured: Hoysala literature – Choe Bu – Tropic Thunder
August 17
The air-tractor sledge was a converted fixed-wing aircraft taken on the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, the first plane to be taken to the Antarctic. Expedition leader Douglas Mawson had planned to use the Vickers R.E.P. Type Monoplane as a reconnaissance and search and rescue tool, and to assist in publicity, but the aircraft crashed heavily during a test flight only two months before Mawson's scheduled departure date. The plane, stripped of its wings, was nevertheless sent south with the expedition, and converted to a sledge; brakes were fashioned from a pair of geological drills and a steering system from the plane's landing gear. The air-tractor was first tested in November 1912 and subsequently assisted in laying depots for the summer sledging parties, but its use during the expedition was minimal; the freezing conditions resulted in the jamming of the engine's pistons, and its frame was left on the ice when the expedition returned home in December 1913. In 2008 a team from the Mawson's Huts Foundation began searching for the remains of the air-tractor sledge; a seat was found in 2009, and parts of the tail a year later. The foundation believes that the air-tractor is still at the expedition's base, buried beneath the ice. (more...)
Recently featured: Mother's Milk – Hoysala literature – Choe Bu
August 18
"200" is the sixth episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1's tenth season, and the two-hundredth episode of the series overall. In contrast to the more serious nature of the season's story arc, "200" is a light-hearted parody of Stargate SG-1, other sci-fi shows, and popular culture such as The Wizard of Oz. "200" won the 2007 Constellation Award for Best Overall 2006 Science Fiction Film or Television Script, and was nominated for the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. The episode also marks the first time original SG-1 member Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) is seen since the beginning of Season 9. The episode received a 1.9 average household rating in the US, one of the few episodes of the season that surpassed the average rating of Stargate SG-1's previous season. "200" also received near-universal praise for its humor and writing. Despite the strong performance of the episode, the Sci-Fi Channel announced soon after the episode's airing it would not be renewing the series for another season. (more...)
Recently featured: Air-tractor sledge – Mother's Milk – Hoysala literature
August 19
The 766th Independent Infantry Regiment was a light infantry regiment of the North Korean People's Army that existed briefly during the Korean War. Trained extensively in amphibious warfare and unconventional warfare, the 766th Regiment was considered a special forces commando unit. Activated in 1949, the regiment trained for more than a year before the outbreak of the war on June 25, 1950. On that day, half of the regiment led North Korean forces against South Korean troops by land and sea, pushing them back after several days of fighting. Over the next six weeks the regiment advanced slowly down the Korean Peninsula, acting as a forward unit of the North Korean army. Suffering from a lack of supplies and mounting casualties, the regiment was committed to the Battle of Pusan Perimeter as part of a push to force United Nations troops out of Korea. The regiment saw its final action at the Battle of P'ohang-dong, fighting unsuccessfully to take the town from UN troops. (more...)
Recently featured: "200" – Air-tractor sledge – Mother's Milk
August 20
The Metacomet Ridge of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered. An important recreation resource located within 10 miles (16 km) of a population corridor of over 2.5 million people, the ridge is home to four long distance hiking trails and over a dozen parks and recreation areas including several state and nationally recognized historic sites. Because of its natural, historic, and recreational value, the ridge has been the focus of ongoing conservation efforts involving municipal, state, and national agencies as well as nearly two dozen non-profit organizations. (more...)
Recently featured: 766th Independent Infantry Regiment – "200" – Air-tractor sledge
August 21
The Red-necked Grebe is a migratory aquatic bird that is found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Its wintering habitat is largely restricted to calm waters just beyond the waves around ocean coasts, although some birds may winter on large lakes. Grebes prefer shallow bodies of fresh water such as lakes, marshes or fish-ponds as breeding sites. A nondescript dusky-grey bird in winter, it acquires the distinctive red neck, black cap and contrasting pale grey face from which its name is derived during the breeding season. It also has an elaborate courtship display and a variety of loud mating calls. Once paired, it builds a nest from water plants on top of floating vegetation in a shallow lake or bog. (more...)
Recently featured: Metacomet Ridge – 766th Independent Infantry Regiment – "200"
August 22
The Magdalen Reading is one of three surviving fragments of a large mid-15th century oil-on-oak altarpiece by the early Netherlandish painter Rogier van der Weyden. Completed some time between 1435 and 1438, it has been in the National Gallery, London since 1860. It shows a woman with the pale skin, high cheek bones and oval eyebrows typical of the idealised portraits of noble women of the period. The woman is identifiable as the Magdalen from the jar of ointment placed in the foreground, which, according to the Gospels, she used to clean Christ's feet. The background of the painting had been overpainted with a thick layer of brown paint. A cleaning between 1955 and 1956 revealed the figure standing behind the Magdalen and the kneeling figure with bare feet protruding in front of her, with a landscape visible through a window. The original altarpiece was a sacra conversazione known only through a drawing, Virgin and Child with Saints. The panel was purchased by the National Gallery from a collector in Paris. It is described by art historian Lorne Campbell as "one of the great masterpieces of 15th-century art and among van der Weyden's most important early works." (more...)
Recently featured: Red-necked Grebe – Metacomet Ridge – 766th Independent Infantry Regiment
August 23
Devil May Cry is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the Devil May Cry series, the events in the game are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and before Devil May Cry 2 and Devil May Cry 4. Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island, the story centers on the characters Dante and Trish and their quest to confront the demon lord Mundus. The story is told primarily through a mixture of cutscenes, which use the game's engine and several pre-rendered full motion videos. Devil May Cry received prominent coverage in the video game media, high overall scores from professional reviewers, and has sold more than two million copies. (more...)
Recently featured: The Magdalen Reading – Red-necked Grebe – Metacomet Ridge
August 24
Farthest South was the term used to denote the most southerly latitudes reached by explorers before the conquest of the South Pole in 1911. From the late 19th century onward the quest for Farthest South latitudes became in effect a race to reach the pole, which culminated in Roald Amundsen's victory in December 1911. In the years before reaching the Pole was a realistic objective, other motives drew adventurers southward. Initially, the driving force was the discovery of new trade routes between Europe and the Far East. After such routes had been established and the main geographical features of the earth had been broadly mapped, the lure for mercantile adventurers was the great fertile continent of "Terra Australis" which, according to myth, lay hidden in the south. James Cook's voyages of 1771–74 demonstrated conclusively the likely hostile nature of any hidden lands. This caused a shift of emphasis in the first half of the 19th century, away from trade and towards exploration and discovery. After the first overwintering on continental Antarctica in 1899 the prospect of reaching the South Pole appeared realistic, and the race for the pole began. (more...)
Recently featured: Devil May Cry – The Magdalen Reading – Red-necked Grebe
August 25
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Thomas Beecham (1879–1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. From the early 20th century until his death, Beecham was a major influence on the musical life of Britain and, according to the BBC, was Britain's first international conductor. Born to a rich industrial family, Beecham began his career as a conductor in 1899. He used his access to the family fortune to finance opera from the 1910s until the start of the Second World War, staging seasons at Covent Garden, Drury Lane and His Majesty's Theatre with international stars, his own orchestra and a wide repertoire. Among the works he introduced to England during his career were Richard Strauss's Elektra, Salome and Der Rosenkavalier and three operas by Frederick Delius. Together with his younger colleague Malcolm Sargent, Beecham founded the London Philharmonic, and he conducted its first performance at the Queen's Hall in 1932. In the 1940s, he worked for three years in the United States, where he was music director of the Seattle Symphony and conducted at the Metropolitan Opera. After his return to Britain, he founded the Royal Philharmonic in 1946 and was its principal conductor until his death in 1961. (more...)
Recently featured: Farthest South – Devil May Cry – The Magdalen Reading
August 26
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861) was the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He was born in the Saxon duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld to a family connected to many of Europe's ruling monarchs. At the age of 20 he married his first cousin, Queen Victoria, with whom he had nine children. At first, Albert felt constrained by his position as consort, which did not confer any power or duties upon him. Over time he adopted many public causes, such as educational reform and the abolition of slavery, and took on the responsibilities of running the Queen's household, estates and office. He was heavily involved with the organisation of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Albert aided in the development of Britain's constitutional monarchy by persuading his wife to show less partisanship in her dealings with Parliament—although he actively disagreed with the interventionist foreign policy pursued during Lord Palmerston's tenure as Foreign Secretary. He died at the early age of 42, plunging the Queen into a deep mourning which lasted for the rest of her life. Upon Queen Victoria's death in 1901, their son, Edward VII, succeeded as the first monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, named after the ducal house to which Albert belonged. (more...)
Recently featured: Thomas Beecham – Farthest South – Devil May Cry
August 27
The 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake occurred on June 22, 2002, in a region of northwestern Iran which is crossed by several major fault lines. The earthquake's epicenter was near the settlement of Bou'in-Zahra in Qazvin Province, an area known for destructive earthquakes. Measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, the earthquake killed at least 261 people and injured 1,500 more. Over 20 aftershocks followed the earthquake. According to the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), the earthquake was felt as far away as the capital city of Tehran, approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi) east of the epicenter, although no damage was reported there. Most houses in the region were single-story masonry buildings, and virtually all of these collapsed. The public became angry due to the slow official response to victims who needed supplies. (more...)
Recently featured: Albert, Prince Consort – Thomas Beecham – Farthest South
August 28
During the 1911 Atlantic hurricane season, a below-average number of six known tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic. Three non-developing tropical depressions are also thought to have existed, including one that began the season in February and one that ended the season when it dissipated in December. Half of the officially recognized storms intensified into hurricanes, of which two attained Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Most of the cyclones directly impacted land. A westward-moving hurricane made landfall south of Savannah, Georgia on August 28, killing 17 people and leaving severe damage in and around Charleston, South Carolina. Two weeks earlier, the Pensacola, Florida, area had suffered from a storm in the Gulf of Mexico that produced winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) over land. The fourth storm of the season struck the coast of Nicaragua, killing 10 people and inflicting extensive damage. Given the relative lack of real-time observations at the time, storm data is based largely on re-analyzing the Atlantic hurricane database. (more...)
Recently featured: 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake – Albert, Prince Consort – Thomas Beecham
August 29
Orval Grove (1919–1992) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for ten seasons in the American League with the Chicago White Sox. In 207 career games, Grove pitched 1,176 innings and posted a win–loss record of 63–73, with 66 complete games, 11 shutouts, and a 3.78 earned run average (ERA). The only freshman on the Proviso East High School varsity baseball team, Grove's pitching ability attracted the attention of the White Sox. After signing with the team in 1937, Grove moved between the major leagues and minor leagues for a few seasons until 1943. Grove had a career year in 1943, finishing the season with career-bests in ERA, wins, and complete games; in 1944, he made his only All-Star appearance. Grove spent four more full seasons with the White Sox, and after pitching one game in 1949, was sent to the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League. After playing four seasons with them, he formally retired from professional baseball. After retirement, he worked with his uncle in a trucking business in Chicago while continuing to pitch at the semi-pro level. (more...)
Recently featured: 1911 Atlantic hurricane season – 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake – Albert, Prince Consort
August 30
Hemming's Cartulary is a manuscript cartulary collected by Hemming, a monk around the time of the Norman Conquest of England. The manuscript comprises two separate cartularies made at different times and later bound together. The first section, traditionally titled the Liber Wigorniensis, is a collection of charters and other land records, most of which are organized geographically. The second section, Hemming's Cartulary proper, combines charters and other land records with a narrative of deprivation of property owned by the church of Worcester. The two works are bound together in one surviving manuscript, the earliest surviving cartulary from medieval England. A major theme concerns the losses suffered by Worcester at the hands of royal officials and local landowners. Included among the despoilers are kings such as Cnut and William the Conqueror, and nobles such as Eadric Streona and Urse d'Abetot; also included are accounts of lawsuits waged by the Worcester monks to regain their lost lands. The two sections of the cartulary were first printed in 1723. The original manuscript was slightly damaged by fire in 1733, and required rebinding. A new printed edition is in production as of 2010. (more...)
Recently featured: Orval Grove – 1911 Atlantic hurricane season – 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
August 31
The Don Valley Parkway is a controlled-access six-lane municipal expressway in Toronto connecting the Gardiner Expressway with Highway 401. North of Highway 401, it continues as Highway 404 to Newmarket. The parkway runs through the parklands of the Don River valley, after which it is named. It was the second expressway to be built by Metropolitan Toronto (Metro). Planning began in 1954, the year of Metro's formation. The first section opened on August 31, 1961, and the final section on November 17, 1966. The parkway operates well beyond its intended capacity of 60,000 vehicles per day and is known for daily traffic jams; some sections carry an average of 100,000 vehicles a day. Planned as part of a larger expressway network within Toronto, it was one of the few expressways built before the public opposition which cancelled many of the others. (more...)
Recently featured: Hemming's Cartulary – Orval Grove – 1911 Atlantic hurricane season