Wikipedia:Today's featured article/September 2011

Today's featured article archive

September 1

John C. W. Beckham (1869–1940) was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator. Descended from a prominent political family, Beckham was chosen as Democrat William Goebel's running mate in the gubernatorial election of 1899 when the former was not yet of legal age to serve as governor. Goebel lost the election to Republican William S. Taylor, but the Kentucky General Assembly disputed the election results. During the political wrangling that followed, an unknown assassin shot Goebel. A day later the General Assembly invalidated enough votes to give the election to Goebel, who was sworn into office on his deathbed. Taylor claimed the election had been stolen by the Democratic majority in the General Assembly and a legal fight ensued between him and Beckham over the governorship. Beckham ultimately prevailed and Taylor fled the state. Following his term as governor, Beckham made a bid to become a U.S. Senator, but the seat went to Republican William O. Bradley. Six years later Beckham secured the seat by popular election, but he lost his re-election bid largely because of his pro-temperance views and his opposition to women's suffrage. He died in Louisville on January 9, 1940. (more...)

Recently featured: Don Valley Parkway – Hemming's Cartulary – Orval Grove

September 2

Edmund Herring (1892–1982) was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. A Rhodes Scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford when the First World War broke out and served with the Royal Field Artillery on the Macedonian front, for which he was awarded the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order. After the war he carved out a successful career as a barrister and King's Counsel. He also joined the Australian Army, rising to the rank of colonel by 1939. During the Second World War, he commanded the 6th Division Artillery in the Western Desert Campaign and the Battle of Greece. In 1942, as a corps commander, he commanded the land forces in the Kokoda Track campaign. The following year, he directed operations at Lae and Nadzab. Herring left his corps to become the longest serving Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, serving for three decades. (more...)

Recently featured: J. C. W. Beckham – Don Valley Parkway – Hemming's Cartulary

September 3

The Sacagawea dollar is a United States dollar coin that has been minted every year since 2000. The Statue of Liberty was originally proposed as the design subject, but Sacagawea, the Shoshone guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was eventually chosen. The coin features an obverse by Glenna Goodacre, with a reverse by Thomas D. Rogers used from 2000 to 2008. The new dollar coin was heavily marketed via a series of print, radio and television advertisements, as well as United States Mint partnerships with Wal-Mart and Cheerios. The Mint initially planned to issue a 22-karat gold collector Sacagawea dollar in addition to the regular production, but this idea was quickly abandoned after the Mint's authority to strike the coins was questioned. Soon after initial production of the dollar, it was noticed that some of the coins were struck with the obverse of a state quarter and the normal reverse. The Sacagawea dollar did not prove popular with the public, and mintage dropped sharply in the second year of production. In 2009, the reverse of the Sacagawea began changing yearly, with each design in the series depicting a different Native American accomplishment. (more...)

Recently featured: Edmund Herring – J. C. W. Beckham – Don Valley Parkway

September 4

The Eastbourne manslaughter was an 1860 legal case in Eastbourne, England, concerning the death of 15-year-old Reginald Cancellor at the hands of his teacher, Thomas Hopley. Hopley intended to use corporal punishment to overcome what he perceived as stubbornness on Cancellor's part, but instead he beat the boy to death. An inquest into Cancellor's death began when his brother requested an autopsy. As a result of the inquest Hopley was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He was found guilty at trial and sentenced to four years in prison, although he insisted that his actions were justifiable and that he was not guilty of any crime. The trial was sensationalised by the Victorian press, and incited debate over the use of corporal punishment in schools. After Hopley's release and subsequent divorce trial, he largely disappeared from the public record. The case became an important legal precedent in the United Kingdom for discussions of corporal punishment in schools and reasonable limits on discipline. (more...)

Recently featured: Sacagawea dollar – Edmund Herring – J. C. W. Beckham

September 5

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in living organisms to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. The chemical reactions of metabolism are organized into metabolic pathways, in which one chemical is transformed through a series of steps into another chemical, by a sequence of enzymes. Enzymes are crucial to metabolism because they allow organisms to drive desirable reactions that require energy and will not occur by themselves, by coupling them to spontaneous reactions that release energy. As enzymes act as catalysts they allow these reactions to proceed quickly and efficiently. Enzymes also allow the regulation of metabolic pathways in response to changes in the cell's environment or signals from other cells. The metabolism of an organism determines which substances it will find nutritious and which it will find poisonous. The speed of metabolism, the metabolic rate, also influences how much food an organism will require. (more...)

Recently featured: Eastbourne manslaughter – Sacagawea dollar – Edmund Herring

September 6

Almirante Latorre was a super-dreadnought battleship built for the Chilean Navy. She was the first of a planned two-ship class that would respond to earlier warship purchases by other South American countries. Construction began soon after the ship was ordered in November 1911, and was approaching completion when she was bought by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy for use in the First World War. Commissioned in September 1915, she served in the Grand Fleet as HMS Canada for the duration of the war and saw action during the Battle of Jutland. Canada was repurchased by Chile in 1920. She took back her original name of Almirante Latorre, and served as Chile's flagship and frequently as presidential transport. In September 1931, crewmen aboard Almirante Latorre instigated a mutiny, which the majority of the Chilean fleet quickly joined. After divisions developed between the mutineers, the rebellion fell apart and the ships were returned to government control. Almirante Latorre was put into reserve for a time in the 1930s due to a severe economic depression, but she was in good enough condition to receive interest from the United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This was declined and the ship spent most of the Second World War on patrol for Chile. She was scrapped in Japan beginning in 1959. (more...)

Recently featured: Metabolism – Eastbourne manslaughter – Sacagawea dollar

September 7

The Green is a grass-covered field and common space at the center of Dartmouth College, an Ivy League university located in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. It was among the first parcels of land obtained by the College upon its founding in 1769, and is the only creation of the 18th century remaining at the center of the campus. Many of Dartmouth's important campus buildings are located around the Green. After being cleared of pine trees, it initially served as a pasture and later as an athletic field for College sporting events. Today, it is a central location for rallies, celebrations, and demonstrations, and serves as a general, all-purpose recreation area. The College describes the Green as "historic" and as the "emotional center" of the institution. (more...)

Recently featured: Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre – Metabolism – Eastbourne manslaughter

September 8

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is the first novel by British writer Susanna Clarke (pictured). An alternative history set in 19th-century England around the time of the Napoleonic Wars, it is based on the premise that magic once existed in England and has returned with two men: Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange. Centering on the relationship between these two men, the novel investigates the nature of "Englishness" and the boundary between reason and madness. It has been described as a fantasy novel, an alternative history, and a historical novel. The narrative draws on various Romantic literary traditions, such as the comedy of manners, the Gothic tale, and the Byronic hero. The novel's language is a pastiche of 19th-century writing styles, such as those of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Clarke began writing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in 1993; ten years later she submitted the manuscript for publication. It was accepted by Bloomsbury and published in September 2004, with illustrations by Portia Rosenberg. The novel was well-received by critics and reached number three on the New York Times bestseller list. It was longlisted for the 2004 Man Booker Prize and won the 2005 Hugo Award for Best Novel. (more...)

Recently featured: The Green – Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre – Metabolism

September 9

Shapinsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. There is one village on the island, Balfour, from which roll-on/roll-off car ferries sail to Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland. Balfour Castle, built in the Scottish Baronial style, is one of the island's most prominent features, a reminder of the Balfour family's domination of Shapinsay during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Balfours had transformed the island's life by introducing new agricultural techniques. Other landmarks include a standing stone, an Iron Age broch, a souterrain and a salt-water shower. With an area of 29.5 square kilometres (11.4 sq mi), Shapinsay is the eighth largest island in the Orkney archipelago. It is low-lying and fertile, consequently most of the area is given over to farming. Shapinsay has two nature reserves and is notable for its bird life. As of the 2001 census, Shapinsay has a population of 300. The economy of the island is primarily based on agriculture with the exception of a few small businesses that are largely tourism-related. Plans for the construction of a wind turbine are under consideration. (more...)

Recently featured: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – The Green – Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre

September 10

Silverchair are an Australian alternative rock band. The band formed as Innocent Criminals in 1992, with their current lineup of vocalist and guitarist Daniel Johns, bass guitarist Chris Joannou, and drummer Ben Gillies. Silverchair has been highly successful in the Australian recording industry, receiving the industry's flagship awards, the ARIA Awards, a record 21 times. The band has also received six APRA Awards. They got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo competition conducted by SBS TV show "Nomad" and Triple J. The band were soon signed by Murmur, and were successful on the Australian and international rock stages. In 2003, following the release of Diorama, the band announced a hiatus, during which time members recorded with side projects The Dissociatives, The Mess Hall, and Tambalane. Silverchair were reunited at the 2005 Wave Aid concerts, and went on to release Young Modern and play the Across the Great Divide tour with Powderfinger. Silverchair's sound has evolved throughout their career, differing sounds on specific albums steadily growing more ambitious over the years, from grunge on their debut to their more recent orchestral prog-infused chamber-pop. The band has sold in excess of six million records to date. (more...)

Recently featured: Shapinsay – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – The Green

September 11

American Airlines Flight 11 was American Airlines' morning, daily scheduled transcontinental flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles, California. On September 11, 2001, the aircraft flying this route was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists, and deliberately crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, as part of the September 11 attacks. Fifteen minutes into the flight, the hijackers forcibly breached the cockpit and overpowered the pilot and first officer. Mohamed Atta, an al-Qaeda member and trained pilot, took over the controls. Air traffic controllers noticed the flight was in distress when the crew stopped responding to them. They realized the flight had been hijacked when Atta mistakenly transmitted announcements for passengers to air traffic control. On board, flight attendants Amy Sweeney and Betty Ong contacted American Airlines, and provided information about the hijackers and injuries to passengers and crew. The aircraft crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 08:46 local time; the impact killed all 92 people aboard. The impact and subsequent fire caused the North Tower to collapse, which resulted in hundreds of additional casualties. During the recovery effort at the World Trade Center site, workers recovered and identified dozens of remains from Flight 11 victims, but many other body fragments could not be identified. (more...)

Recently featured: Silverchair – Shapinsay – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

September 12

The history of the New York Jets American football team began in 1959 with the founding of the Titans of New York, of the American Football League (AFL). The team had little success in its early years. In January 1965, New York signed University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath (pictured), and showed gradual improvement in the late 1960s, posting its first winning record in 1967 and winning its only American Football League championship in 1968. By winning the title, the team earned the right to play in Super Bowl III against the champions of the National Football League, the Baltimore Colts. The Jets defeated the Colts in the game, improving public perception of the AFL as the two leagues prepared to merge. In the following years, New York had limited success, enduring a string of disastrous seasons. In 1997, the Jets hired two-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells. The new coach guided the team to its most successful season since the merger: in 1998, the Jets finished with twelve wins and four losses, reaching the AFC Championship Game. The team made five playoff appearances in the 2000s, their most of any decade. In 2009 and 2010, under coach Rex Ryan, the Jets achieved back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game, losing to the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. (more...)

Recently featured: American Airlines Flight 11 – Silverchair – Shapinsay

September 13

Galerina marginata is a species of poisonous fungus in the Hymenogastraceae family of the Agaricales order. It is a classic "little brown mushroom"—a catchall category that includes all small to medium-sized, hard-to-identify brownish mushrooms, and may be easily confused with several edible species. Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, North America and Asia, Galerina marginata has also been found in Australia. It is a wood-rotting fungus that grows predominantly on decaying conifer wood. An extremely poisonous species, it contains the same deadly amatoxins found in the death cap (Amanita phalloides). Ingestion in toxic amounts causes severe liver damage with vomiting, diarrhea, hypothermia, and eventual death if not treated rapidly. About ten poisonings have been attributed to the species now grouped as G. marginata over the last century. (more...)

Recently featured: History of the New York Jets – American Airlines Flight 11 – Silverchair

September 14

MissingNo. is a Pokémon species found in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue. Standing for "Missing Number", MissingNo. Pokémon are used as error handlers by game developer Game Freak; they appear when the game attempts to access data for a nonexistent Pokémon species. Due to the programming of three in-game events, players can encounter MissingNo. via a glitch. The species was first documented by Nintendo in the May 1999 issue of Nintendo Power. Encountering MissingNo. causes graphical errors and the mass replication of the sixth item in the player's item menu; the latter effect resulted in the glitch's coverage by strategy guides and game magazines. IGN has noted MissingNo.'s appearance in Pokémon Red and Blue as one of the most famous video game glitches. Fans of the series have attempted to rationalize MissingNo. as canon, which has sparked discussion in sociological studies about the impact of video games upon society. (more...)

Recently featured: Galerina marginata – History of the New York Jets – American Airlines Flight 11

September 15

Bodiam Castle is a moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam. Possession of Bodiam Castle passed through several generations of Dalyngrigges, until their line became extinct, when the castle passed by marriage to the Lewknor family. Descendants of the Lewknors owned the castle until at least the 16th century. By the start of the English Civil War in 1641, Bodiam Castle was owned by John Tufton. He sold the castle to help pay fines levied against him by Parliament. The castle was subsequently dismantled, and was left as a picturesque ruin until its purchase by John Fuller in 1829. Under his auspices, the castle was partially restored before being sold to George Cubitt, 1st Baron Ashcombe, and later to Lord Curzon, both of whom undertook restoration projects at Bodiam. The castle is protected as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Monument, and is open to the public. (more...)

Recently featured: MissingNo. – Galerina marginata – History of the New York Jets

September 16

Sherman Minton (1890–1965) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He served as a captain in World War I, then launched a legal and political career. In 1934, Minton won election to the United States Senate. As part of the New Deal Coalition, he championed President Franklin D. Roosevelt's unsuccessful court packing plans in the Senate and became one of his top Senate allies. After Minton failed in his 1940 Senate re-election bid, Roosevelt appointed him as a judge to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. After Roosevelt's death, President Harry Truman, who had developed a close friendship with Minton during their time together in the Senate, nominated him to the Supreme Court, where he served for seven years. An advocate of judicial restraint, Minton was a regular supporter of the majority opinions during his early years on the Court; he became a regular dissenter after President Dwight Eisenhower's appointees altered the Bench's composition. In 1956, poor health forced Minton's retirement, after which he traveled and lectured until his death in 1965. (more...)

Recently featured: Bodiam Castle – MissingNo. – Galerina marginata

September 17

Gumbo is a stew or soup that originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. It consists primarily of a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the culinary "holy trinity" of celery, bell peppers, and onions. The dish likely derived its name from either the Bantu word for okra (ki ngombo) or the Choctaw word for filé (kombo). Several different varieties exist. Creole gumbo generally contains shellfish, tomatoes, and a thickener. Cajun gumbo is generally based on a dark roux and is spicier, with either shellfish or fowl. Sausage or ham are often added to gumbos of either variety. After the base is prepared, vegetables are cooked down, and then meat is added. The dish simmers for a minimum of three hours, with shellfish and some spices added near the end. Gumbo is traditionally served over rice. The dish combines ingredients and culinary practices of several cultures, including French, Spanish, German, West African, and Choctaw. It was first described in 1802, and was listed in various cookbooks in the latter half of the 19th century. The dish gained more widespread popularity in the 1970s, after the United States Senate cafeteria added it to the menu in honor of Senator Allen Ellender. Chef Paul Prudhomme's popularity in the 1980s spurred further interest in gumbo. The dish is the official cuisine of the state of Louisiana. (more...)

Recently featured: Sherman Minton – Bodiam Castle – MissingNo.

September 18

The Second Ostend Raid was the latter of two failed attempts by the Royal Navy to block the channels accessing the Belgian port of Ostend in 1918 during the First World War. The German Navy had used the port since 1915 as a base for their U-boat activities during the battle of the Atlantic and the strategic advantages conferred by the Belgian ports in the conflict were very important. A successful blockade of these bases would have forced German submarines to operate out of more distant ports, such as Wilhelmshaven, on the German coast. The ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge provided sea access via canals for the major inland port of Bruges, which was used as a base for small warships and submarines. The Ostend Raid was largely a failure as a result of heavy German resistance and British navigational difficulties in poor weather. In anticipation of a raid, the Germans had removed the navigation buoys and without them the British had difficulty finding the narrow channel into the harbour in poor weather. When they did discover the entrance, German resistance proved too strong for the operation to be completed as originally planned. British casualties in the raid were heavy, compared to minimal German losses. Despite its failure, the raid was presented in Britain as a courageous and daring gamble which came very close to success. (more...)

Recently featured: Gumbo – Sherman Minton – Bodiam Castle

September 19

"Stark Raving Dad" is the first episode of the third season of American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 19, 1991. In the episode, main character Homer Simpson is sent to a mental institution, where he shares a room with a large white man named Leon Kompowsky who pretends to be Michael Jackson. Al Jean and Mike Reiss wrote the episode while Rich Moore served as director. Michael Jackson guest starred in the episode as the speaking voice of Leon Kompowsky. For contractual reasons, he was credited as John Jay Smith in the closing credits. Jackson pitched several story ideas for the episode and wrote a song that is featured in the plot. He also stipulated that he would provide Kompowsky's speaking voice, but his singing voice would be performed by a sound-alike (Kipp Lennon) because he wanted to play a joke on his brothers. "Stark Raving Dad" received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly for the writing and Jackson's performance. (more...)

Recently featured: Second Ostend Raid – Gumbo – Sherman Minton

September 20

Urine from a person with rhabdomyolysis showing the characteristic brown discoloration as a result of myoglobinuria

Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which damaged skeletal muscle tissue breaks down rapidly. Breakdown products of damaged muscle cells are released into the bloodstream; some of these, such as the protein myoglobin, are harmful to the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure. The severity of the symptoms, which may include muscle pains, vomiting and confusion, depends on the extent of muscle damage and whether kidney failure develops. The muscle damage may be caused by physical factors (e.g. crush injury, strenuous exercise), medications, drug abuse, and infections. Some people have a hereditary muscle condition that increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis. The diagnosis is usually made with blood tests and urinalysis (urine showing characteristic discolouration pictured). The mainstay of treatment is generous quantities of intravenous fluids, but may include dialysis or hemofiltration in more severe cases. Rhabdomyolysis and its complications are significant problems for those injured in disasters such as earthquakes and bombings. Relief efforts in areas struck by earthquakes often include medical teams with the skills and equipment to treat survivors with rhabdomyolysis. (more...)

Recently featured: "Stark Raving Dad" – Second Ostend Raid – Gumbo

September 21

Hubert Walter (c. 1160 – 1205) was an influential royal adviser in the late 12th and early 13th centuries in the positions of chief justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the chancery. Walter was not noted for his holiness in life or learning, but historians have judged him one of the most outstanding government ministers in English history. Walter served King Henry II of England in many ways, including diplomatic and judicial efforts. After an unsuccessful candidacy to the see of York, Walter was elected Bishop of Salisbury shortly after the accession of King Henry's son Richard I to the throne of England. Walter accompanied King Richard on the Third Crusade, and was one of the principals involved in raising Richard's ransom after the king was captured in Germany on his return from the Holy Land. As a reward for his faithful service, Walter was selected to become Archbishop of Canterbury in 1193. Walter set up a system which was the precursor for the modern justices of the peace. Following Richard's death in 1199, Walter helped assure the elevation of Richard's brother John to the throne. (more...)

Recently featured: Rhabdomyolysis – "Stark Raving Dad" – Second Ostend Raid

September 22

The Zanzibar Revolution saw the 1964 overthrow of the Sultan of Zanzibar and his mainly Arab government by local African revolutionaries. Zanzibar, an island off east Africa, had been granted independence by Britain in 1963; however, a series of parliamentary elections resulted in the Arab minority retaining the hold on power it had inherited from Zanzibar's former status as an overseas territory of Oman. Frustrated by under-representation in parliament, despite winning 54% of the vote in the July 1963 election, the mainly African Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) allied itself with the Umma Party; on 12 January 1964, ASP member John Okello mobilised around 600–800 revolutionaries on the main island of Unguja. Having overrun the country's police force and appropriated their weaponry, the insurgents proceeded to Zanzibar Town, where they overthrew the sultan and his government. A moderate ASP leader, Abeid Karume, became the country's new president and head of state, and positions of power were granted to Umma party members. Karume negotiated a merger of Zanzibar with Tanganyika, forming the new nation of Tanzania. The revolution ended 200 years of Arab dominance in Zanzibar, and is commemorated on the island each year with anniversary celebrations and a public holiday. (more...)

Recently featured: Hubert Walter – Rhabdomyolysis – "Stark Raving Dad"

September 23

ARA Moreno was a dreadnought battleship designed by the American Fore River Shipbuilding Company for the Argentine Navy. Named after Mariano Moreno, a key member of the first independent government of Argentina, the First Assembly (Primera Junta), Moreno was the second ship in the Rivadavia class. Argentina placed orders for Moreno and her only sister ship, Rivadavia, in response to a Brazilian naval building program and border disputes, particularly in the River Plate area. During their construction, the two dreadnoughts were subject to numerous rumors involving Argentina selling the two battleships to a country engaged in the First World War, but these proved to be false. After Moreno was completed in March 1915, a series of engine problems occurred during her sea trials, which delayed her delivery to Argentina to May 1915. The next decade saw the ship based in Puerto Belgrano as part of the Argentine Navy's First Division before sailing to the United States for an extensive refit in 1924 and 1925. During the 1930s the ship was occupied with diplomatic cruises to Brazil, Uruguay, and Europe until the Second World War broke out. Decommissioned in 1949, Moreno was scrapped in Japan from 1957. (more...)

Recently featured: Zanzibar Revolution – Hubert Walter – Rhabdomyolysis

September 24

Pinkerton is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, released on September 24, 1996. After finishing tours in promotion of their 1994 album Weezer, the band originally planned to record a space-themed rock opera entitled Songs from the Black Hole. However, this project was eventually abandoned, and the group used some of the songs from the discarded album on Pinkerton. Much of the album was written while frontman Rivers Cuomo (pictured) was studying at Harvard University, which influenced the themes addressed on the record. The album was seen as a departure from the band's original power pop sound for a darker and more abrasive sound. On its release in 1996, the album was initially considered a critical and commercial failure; Pinkerton has since risen in stature to become one of the most highly regarded albums of the 1990s, receiving much critical acclaim. The album was certified gold in the United States in 2001. By August 2009, Pinkerton had amassed US sales of 852,000, and went gold in Canada with sales of over 50,000. It was the last Weezer album to feature bassist Matt Sharp. (more...)

Recently featured: ARA Moreno – Zanzibar Revolution – Hubert Walter

September 25

Henry Edwards (1827–1891) was an English-born stage actor, writer and expert in the science of insects who gained fame in Australia, San Francisco, and New York City for his theatre work. Edwards was drawn to the theatre early in life, and he appeared in amateur productions in London. After sailing to Australia, Edwards appeared professionally in Shakespearean plays and light comedies, primarily in Melbourne and Sydney. Throughout his childhood in England and his acting career in Australia, he was greatly interested in collecting insects, and the National Museum of Victoria used the results of his Australian fieldwork as part of the genesis of their collection. After writing a series of influential studies on butterflies and moths on the West Coast of the United States, he was elected a life member of the California Academy of Sciences. Relocating eastward, a brief time spent in Boston theatre led to a connection to Wallack's Theatre and further renown in New York City. There, Edwards edited three volumes of the leading insect journal Papilio and published a major work on the life of the butterfly. His large collection of insect specimens served as the foundation of the American Museum of Natural History's butterfly and moth studies. (more...)

Recently featured: Pinkerton – ARA Moreno – Zanzibar Revolution

September 26

Rudolf Caracciola (1901–1959) was a German racing driver who won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One World Championship, an unsurpassed three times. Caracciola raced for Mercedes-Benz during their original dominating Silver Arrows period, and set speed records for the firm. In 1933, he established the privateer team Scuderia C.C. with Louis Chiron, but a crash in practice for the Monaco Grand Prix left him with multiple fractures of his right thigh, which prevented him from racing for more than a year. He returned to the newly reformed Mercedes-Benz racing team in 1934, with whom he won three European Championships, in 1935, 1937 and 1938. Like most German racing drivers in the 1930s, Caracciola was a member of the Nazi paramilitary group NSKK, but never a member of the Nazi Party. He returned to racing after the Second World War, but crashed in qualifying for the 1946 Indianapolis 500. A second comeback in 1952 was halted by another crash, in a race in Switzerland. After he retired Caracciola worked as a Mercedes-Benz salesman targeting NATO troops stationed in Europe. He is remembered as one of the greatest pre-1939 Grand Prix drivers, a perfectionist who excelled in all conditions. (more...)

Recently featured: Henry Edwards – Pinkerton – ARA Moreno

September 27

The 2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes were a series of small earthquakes measuring less than 4.0 on the Richter magnitude scale. They took place in the sparsely populated Nazko area of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, starting on Tuesday, October 9, 2007. They occurred just west of Nazko Cone, a small tree-covered cinder cone that last erupted about 7,200 years ago. No damage or casualties resulted from the Nazko earthquakes, which were too small to be felt by people, but local seismographs recorded them. The earthquake swarm occurred at the eastern end of a known volcanic zone called the Anahim Volcanic Belt. This is an east–west trending line of volcanic formations extending from the Central Coast to the Central Interior of British Columbia. (more...)

Recently featured: Rudolf Caracciola – Henry Edwards – Pinkerton

September 28

The 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The 22nd Massachusetts was organized by Senator Henry Wilson and was therefore known as "Henry Wilson's Regiment". It was formed in Boston, Massachusetts and established on September 28, 1861, for a term of three years. It became part of the Army of the Potomac, with which it would be associated for its entire term of service. The regiment saw its first action during the Siege of Yorktown in April 1862. It was involved in the Peninsular Campaign, particularly the Battle of Gaines' Mill during which it suffered its worst casualties of the war. The 22nd Massachusetts was present for virtually all of the major battles in which the Army of the Potomac fought, including the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg and Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant's Overland Campaign. During the Siege of Petersburg in October 1864, the 22nd Massachusetts was removed from the lines and sent home to Massachusetts. (more...)

Recently featured: 2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes – Rudolf Caracciola – Henry Edwards

September 29

A sky filled with many types of cirrus clouds

Cirrus clouds are atmospheric clouds characterized by thin, wispy strands, often bunched into tufts. They range in color from white to a faint gray and form when water vapor undergoes deposition at altitudes above 5,000 m (16,500 ft) in temperate regions and above 6,100 m (20,000 ft) in tropical regions. They also form from the outflow of tropical cyclones or the anvils of cumulonimbus clouds. Since these cirrus clouds arrive in advance of the frontal system or tropical cyclone, they indicate that the weather conditions may soon deteriorate. While they indicate the arrival of precipitation, cirrus clouds themselves produce only fall streaks (falling ice crystals that evaporate before landing on the ground). Jet stream-powered cirrus clouds can grow long enough to stretch across continents, but they remain only a few kilometers deep. When visible light interacts with the ice crystals in cirrus clouds, it produces glories, sundogs, and fire rainbows. Cirrus clouds raise the temperature of the air beneath them by an average of 10 °C (18 °F). (more...)

Recently featured: 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – 2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes – Rudolf Caracciola

September 30

The Northrop YF-23 was a single-seat, twin-engine fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). In the 1980s, the USAF began looking for a replacement for its fighter aircraft, especially to counter the USSR's advanced Su-27 and MiG-29. Several companies submitted design proposals; the USAF selected proposals from Northrop and Lockheed. Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas to develop the YF-23, while Lockheed, Boeing and General Dynamics developed the YF-22. The YF-23 was stealthier and faster, but less agile than the competition. After a four-year development and evaluation process, the YF-22 was announced the winner in 1991 and entered production as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The U.S. Navy considered using one of the ATF aircraft types to replace the F-14, but later canceled these plans. The two YF-23 prototypes were on exhibit in museums as of 2009. (more...)

Recently featured: Cirrus cloud – 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – 2007–2008 Nazko earthquakes