| << | Today's featured articles for July 2004 | >> | ||||
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July 1
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. Much of its popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill and decision making, and the publicity that surrounds the practice of card counting, in which players can turn the odds of the game in their favor by making betting and strategy decisions based on the previous hands of cards that have been dealt. Casinos strongly frown upon card counting, but it is a difficult skill to master and few players are successful at it. In blackjack, the players bet against the house dealer rather than against each other. The goal of each player is to have a higher point total than the dealer without going over 21. (more...)
Recently featured: John Major – Revised Standard Version – Synapse
July 2
The GNU/Linux naming controversy is a conflict over what the operating system commonly called "Linux" should be named. The Free Software Foundation promotes the term "GNU/Linux", while most people simply use the term "Linux" for the whole system. The main argument for GNU/Linux is that the Linux kernel was only the final small part of an otherwise complete system, GNU, written and assembled over many years with the explicit goal of creating an integrated free operating system. On the other hand, Linux is the most widespread name, and most people therefore simply adopt this usage. (more...)
Recently featured: Blackjack – John Major – Revised Standard Version
July 3
The Eureka Stockade was a miners' revolt in 1854 in Victoria, Australia, against the officials supervising the gold-mining regions of Ballarat. The roots of the Eureka Stockade uprising lay in the inability of a fledgling colonial government to cope with the new demographics of the colony. It is to Australian history what the storming of the Bastille is to French history and the Battle of the Alamo is to American history. Although the revolt failed, it was a watershed event in Australian politics, and is often characterised as the nation's "Birth of Democracy". (more...)
Recently featured: GNU/Linux naming controversy – Blackjack – John Major
July 4
The Olympic Flame is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Its origins lie in ancient Greece, when a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the Olympics in 1928, and it has been part of the modern Olympic Games ever since. The Olympic Flame is nowadays ignited several months before the opening celebration of the Olympic Games at the site of the ancient Olympics, Olympia, Greece. Eleven priestesses (played by actresses) light the fire with a parabolic mirror which concentrates rays from the Sun. The torch is then transported to the host city of the upcoming Olympics by means of a torch relay. Traditionally, the fire is carried on foot, but other means of transportation have been used as well. (more...)
Recently featured: Eureka Stockade – GNU/Linux naming controversy – Blackjack
July 5
Wigwag is the nickname given to a type of early 20th century railroad grade crossing signal, so named due to the pendulum-like motion it used to signal the approach of a train. It is generally credited to Albert Hunt, a mechanical engineer at Southern California's Pacific Electric interurban railroad who invented it in 1909 out of the necessity for a safer railroad grade crossing. Today, a surprisingly large number of these simple, rugged signals remain in place more than six decades after their use in new installations was outlawed, though that number is rapidly dwindling as crossings are upgraded and spare parts become ever more scarce. (more...)
Recently featured: Olympic Flame – Eureka Stockade – GNU/Linux naming controversy
July 6
Sir Ian McKellen is a highly acclaimed British actor on both stage and screen, regarded by many as the greatest living British actor. His roles have spanned genres from serious Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular action movies. He is also well known as a campaigner for gay rights. His breakthrough role for mainstream American audiences came with the modestly-acclaimed Apt Pupil, based on a story by Stephen King. Since then, McKellen has become a major star in the U.S., playing Magneto in X-Men and its sequel X2, and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a role for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. (more...)
Recently featured: Wigwag – Olympic Flame – Eureka Stockade
July 7
Analogue disc record is a term for what is commonly called a gramophone record in British English or a phonograph record in American English. Analogue disc recording was the main technology used for storing recorded sound in the 20th century. An analogue disc record is a flat disc with inscribed spiral grooves, in which the playback process begins with the direct mechanical motion of a stylus riding within the groove as the disc rotates. The record spins at a certain fixed speed, while the needle is held on a mobile arm, which gradually moves toward the centre of the record as it follows the spiral. Since the late 1910s, both sides of the record have usually been used for playing surfaces. By the early 1990s digital media such as the compact disc surpassed the analogue disc in popularity, but analogue discs continue to be made (in limited quantities) into the 21st century. (more...)
Recently featured: Ian McKellen – Wigwag – Olympic Flame
July 8
Mark Antony was a Roman politician and general. He was an important supporter of Julius Caesar as a military commander and administrator. When Caesar became dictator, Antonius was made master of the horse — the second most important political office — and in this condition he remained in Italy in 47 BC, while Caesar was fighting the last Pompeians, hidden in the African provinces. After Caesar's assassination, Antonius allied with Octavian and Lepidus. The second triumvirate ended in 33 BC, and he later committed suicide a few days before Cleopatra did. (more...)
Recently featured: Gramophone record – Ian McKellen – Wigwag
July 9
The separation of powers, in the United States Constitution, is a doctrine whereby the legislative, executive and judicial branches are kept distinct in the hope of precluding each of them from abusing power. The phrase itself never appears in the United States Constitution, but is clearly implied by the structure of the Constitution. The Constitution, however, does provide for limited interference by each branch in the affairs of another. This system, called checks and balances, is designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful or abusive of power. (more...)
Recently featured: Mark Antony – Gramophone record – Ian McKellen
July 10
Weather lore is the body of informal folklore related to the prediction of the weather. Prior to the invention of the mercury barometer, it was very difficult to gather numerical data of any predictive value. Even though there were devices such as the weather stick which gave some indication of moisture changes, the only instrument of any reliability was human experience. Oral and written history is full of rhymes, anecdotes and adages meant to guide the uncertain in determining whether the morrow will bring weather fair or foul. For the farmer wanting to plant his crop or the merchant about to send his ships on trade, foreknowledge of tomorrow's circumstances might mean the difference between success and failure. (more...)
Recently featured: Separation of powers under the United States Constitution – Mark Antony – Gramophone record
July 11
The saxophone is a musical instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and with a distinctive loop bringing the bell upwards. It was invented by Adolphe Sax in the mid-1840s. The saxophone is most commonly associated with popular music, big band music, and jazz, but it was originally intended as both an orchestral and military band instrument. The inspiration for the instrument is unknown, but there is good evidence that fitting a clarinet mouthpiece to an ophicleide is the most likely origin. The majority of saxophones produced today are made from brass. However, several manufacturers offer additional coatings that can be applied over the brass, such as silver, gold, nickel and lacquer. (more...)
Recently featured: Weather lore – Separation of powers under the United States Constitution – Mark Antony
July 12
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British Monarch to a select group of communities. The status does not apply automatically on the basis of any particular criteria, although it was traditionally given to towns with diocesan cathedrals. Normally, city status is conferred by Royal Charters, but there are some British cities which predate the historical monarchy and have been regarded as cities since "time immemorial." There are currently sixty-six officially designated cities in the UK, of which eight have been created since 2000 in competitions to celebrate the new millennium and the Queen's Golden Jubilee. (more...)
Recently featured: Saxophone – Weather lore – Separation of powers under the United States Constitution
July 13
A vampire is a mythical or folkloric creature said to subsist on human or animal blood. Usually the vampire is the corpse of a recently dead person, reanimated or made undead by one means or another. Some cultures have myths of non-human vampires, such as demons or animals like bats, dogs, and spiders, or even plants such as vampire watermelons. Vampires are often described as having a wide variety of additional powers and character traits, extremely variable in different traditions, and are a frequent subject of folklore, cinema, and contemporary fiction. (more...)
Recently featured: City status in the United Kingdom – Saxophone – Weather lore
July 14
Éire is the name given in Article 4 of the 1937 Irish constitution to the twenty-six county Irish state that was created under the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty and which had been known between 1922 and 1937 as the Irish Free State. The name Éire is the dative form in modern Irish Gaelic of the name for the goddess Eriu, a mythical figure who aided the Gaels conquer Ireland as described in the Book of Invasions. Since 1949, the term Republic of Ireland has generally been used in preference to Éire, to clarify that the state rather than the whole island is under discussion. (more...)
Recently featured: Vampire – City status in the United Kingdom – Saxophone
July 15
A paradox is an apparently true statement that seems to lead to a logical self-contradiction, or to a situation that contradicts common intuition. The identification of a paradox based on seemingly simple and reasonable concepts has often led to significant advances in science, philosophy and mathematics. In moral philosophy, paradox plays a particularly central role in debates on ethics, particularly in the form of ethical dilemmas. Common themes in paradoxes include direct and indirect self-reference, infinity, circular definitions, and confusion of levels of reasoning. (more...)
Recently featured: Éire – Vampire – City status in the United Kingdom
July 16
The laws of Kashrut are the Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with Jewish law is termed kosher, from the Hebrew term kasher, meaning "fit". Food which is not in accord with Jewish law is termed treifah - "torn". The basic laws of kashrut are in the Torah, their details explicated in the oral law (the Mishnah and the Talmud) and codified by the later rabbinical authorities. From the context of the laws in the Biblical book of Leviticus, the purpose of kashrut is related to ritual purity and holiness. (more...)
Recently featured: Paradox – Éire – Vampire
July 17
The Franks formed one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm in an area that covers part of today's France and Germany (Franconia), forming the historic kernel of both these modern countries. The Frankish realm underwent many partitions and repartitions; since the Franks divided their property among surviving sons, and lacked a broad sense of a res publica, they conceived of the realm as a large amount of private property. This practice explains in part the difficulty of describing precisely the dates and physical boundaries of any of the Frankish kingdoms and who ruled the various sections. (more...)
Recently featured: Kashrut – Paradox – Éire
July 18
Christianity is a monotheistic religion, encompassing many religious traditions that trace their origins to Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and the Lord and sole Savior of all humanity as the Jewish Messiah. Over the past two millennia, Christianity has diverged into three main branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. Collectively, it is the world's largest single religion, with nearly a third of the world's population as its adherents. (more...)
Recently featured: Franks – Kashrut – Paradox
July 19
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Jim Henson was an American filmmaker and television producer, one of the most important puppeteers in modern American television history. Creator of the Muppets, and the leading force behind their long creative run, Henson brought an engaging cast of characters, innovative ideas, and a sense of timing and humor to millions of people. He is also widely acknowledged for the ongoing vision of faith, friendship, love of magic, and unconditional love which influenced nearly all of his work. (more...)
Recently featured: Christianity – Franks – Kashrut
July 20
An algorithm is a set of instructions for accomplishing some task which, given a defined set of inputs, will result in some recognisable end-state (contrast with heuristic). The concept of an algorithm is often illustrated by the example of a recipe, although many algorithms are much more complex; algorithms often have steps that repeat (iterate) or require decisions (such as logic or comparison) until the task is completed. Different algorithms may complete the same task with a different set of instructions in more or less time, space, or effort than others. Algorithms are sometimes implemented as computer programs but are more often implemented by other means, such as in a biological neural network (for example, the human brain implementing arithmetic or an insect relocating food), or in electric circuits or in a mechanical device. (more...)
Recently featured: Jim Henson – Christianity – Franks
July 21
The auto rickshaw is a vehicle for hire that is one of the chief modes of transport in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is a motorised version of the traditional rickshaw, a small two- or three-wheeled cart pulled by a person, and the velotaxi. The auto rickshaw is also related to its Thai cousin, the Tuk-Tuk. In many cities in Southern India, auto rickshaws have a notorious reputation as the vehicle of operation in shady criminal activities, which range from petty thievery and "chain snatching" (slang for stealing the necklaces worn by Indian women) to murder. (more...)
Recently featured: Algorithm – Jim Henson – Christianity
July 22
Rudyard Kipling was a British author and poet, born in India. He is best known for the children's story The Jungle Book (1894), the Indian spy novel Kim (1901), the poems "Gunga Din" (1892) and "If —" (1895), and his many short stories. He was also an outspoken defender of Western imperialism, and coined the phrase "The White Man's Burden." The height of his popularity was the first decade of the 20th century; in 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In his own lifetime he was primarily considered a poet, and was even offered a knighthood and the post of British Poet Laureate — though he turned them both down. (more...)
Recently featured: Auto rickshaw – Algorithm – Jim Henson
July 23
The Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 began in earnest on September 21, when Russian President Boris Yeltsin dissolved the country's parliament and ordered a referendum on a new constitution. The parliament then deemed Yeltsin's presidency unconstitutional and appointed its own acting president. Tensions built quickly, and the representatives barricaded themselves in the parliament building, the "Russian White House." After ten days, Yeltsin, bolstered by support from the military, was able to seize the White House by force. (more...)
Recently featured: Rudyard Kipling – Auto rickshaw – Algorithm
July 24
Galileo Galilei was a Tuscan astronomer, philosopher, and physicist who is closely associated with the scientific revolution. He has been referred to as the "father of modern astronomy," as the "father of modern physics," and as "father of science." His experimental work is widely considered complementary to the writings of Bacon in establishing the modern scientific method. Galileo was born in Pisa and his career coincided with that of Kepler. The work of Galileo is considered to be a significant break from that of Aristotle; in particular, Galileo placed emphasis on quantity, rather than quality. (more...)
Recently featured: Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 – Rudyard Kipling – Auto rickshaw
July 25
Lollapalooza was an American traveling music festival featuring alternative rock, rap, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. Organized in 1991 by Perry Farrell, singer for the band Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza ran annually through 1997, and was revived in 2003. The festival encapsulated youth culture for the 1990s much as Woodstock did for the 1960s; Lollapalooza Generation is often used as a synonym for Generation X. (more...)
Recently featured: Galileo Galilei – Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 – Rudyard Kipling
July 26
A siege is a prolonged military assault on and blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that refuses to surrender and cannot be easily taken by a frontal assault. Sieges usually involve surrounding the target and blocking the provision of supplies, typically coupled with artillery bombardment, sapping and mining to reduce fortifications. Sieges are as old as warfare itself, with towns in the Middle East from the dawn of civilization having defensive walls. However, with the advent of mobile warfare, one single fortified stronghold is no longer as decisive as it once was. (more...)
Recently featured: Lollapalooza – Galileo Galilei – 1993 Russian constitutional crisis
July 27
A copyright provides its holder the right to restrict unauthorized copying and reproduction of an original expression (i.e. literary work, movie, music, painting, software, mask work, etc.) Copyright, unlike patents, does not grant a monopoly right to the use of an invention or an idea, but merely the right to prevent others from copying your specific implementation or expression. Copyright should also not be confused with the form of intellectual property law called trademarks. Copyright also does not prohibit all forms of copying.
In the United States, the fair use clause of the Copyright Act allows copying and distribution under certain limited circumstances. Copyright law is controversial, with some seeing it as essential to prevent abuse, while others find it too restrictive. This has led to the concept of copyleft and alternative licences. (more...)
Recently featured: Siege – Lollapalooza – Galileo Galilei
July 28
A comparison of the mitochondrial DNA of humans from many races and regions suggests that all of these DNA sequences have evolved molecularly from a common ancestor sequence. Under the assumption that an individual inherits mitochondria only from his or her mother, this finding implies that all living humans have a female line of descent from a woman who researchers have dubbed Mitochondrial Eve. Based on the molecular clock technique, Eve is believed to have lived about 150,000 years ago. At the time of Eve's existence, there may have been up to 20,000 individuals. Phylogenies suggest she lived in Africa. (more...)
Recently featured: Copyright – Siege – Lollapalooza
July 29
Radar is an acronym for radio detection and ranging. It is a system used to detect, range (determine the distance of), and map objects such as aircraft and rain. Strong radio waves are transmitted, and a receiver listens for any echoes. By analysing the reflected signal, the reflector can be located, and sometimes identified. Although the amount of signal returned is tiny, radio signals can easily be detected and amplified. (more...)
Recently featured: Mitochondrial Eve – Copyright – Siege
July 30
Stirling Castle
The written History of Scotland largely begins with the arrival of the Roman Empire in Britain. Frequent conflict with England was followed by eventual Union. The subsequent Scottish Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution saw Scotland become one of the commercial and industrial powerhouses of Europe. Decline following the Second World War was acute, but recent decades have brought a cultural and economic renaissance, fuelled in part by a resurgent financial services sector, the proceeds of North Sea oil, and latterly a devolved parliament. (more...)
Recently featured: Radar – Mitochondrial Eve – Copyright
July 31
A typewriter is a mechanical, electromechanical or electronic device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on paper. In the late 19th and the start of the 20th century the device operator was sometimes also called a "typewriter", though it then became more common to call the person a "typist". A typewriter has a keyboard, with keys for the characters in its font. The method by which the typewriter actually marks the paper now varies as greatly as types of printers do, but until the end of the 20th century it was by the impact of a metal (or, later, metallized plastic) element against an "inked" ribbon which caused ink to be deposited on the paper. (more...)
Recently featured: History of Scotland – Radar – Mitochondrial Eve