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Showing posts from November, 2019

Wikipedia article of the day for December 1, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 1, 2019 is Banksia marginata . Banksia marginata, the silver banksia, is a species of tree or woody shrub found throughout much of southeastern Australia. It ranges from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to north of Armidale, New South Wales, and across Tasmania and the islands of Bass Strait. It grows in various habitats, including Eucalyptus forest, scrub, heathland and moorland. B. marginata varies widely in habit, ranging from a small shrub, 20 cm (7.9 in) high, to a large tree, 12 m (40 ft) tall. Its narrow leaves are linear. Its yellow flower spikes appear in late summer, eventually fading to brown and then grey and developing woody follicles bearing the winged seeds. Many species of bird, in particular honeyeaters, forage at the flower spikes, as do native and European honeybees. Although the silver banksia has been used for timber, it is most commonly seen as a garden plant, with dwarf forms being commercially propagated and so

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 44

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 44F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 30, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 30, 2019 is Jean-François-Marie de Surville . Jean-François-Marie de Surville (1717–1770) was a merchant captain with the French East India Company who commanded a voyage of exploration to the Pacific in 1769 and 1770. Born in Brittany, France, Surville joined the company when he was 10 years old. For the next several years, he sailed on voyages in Indian and Chinese waters. In 1740, he joined the French Navy. He fought in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, twice becoming a prisoner of war. In 1769, in command of Saint Jean-Baptiste, he sailed from India on an expedition to the Pacific looking for trading opportunities. He explored the seas around the Solomon Islands and anchored in December at Doubtless Bay, New Zealand (commemorative plaque pictured). Part of his route around New Zealand overlapped that of James Cook in Endeavour, who had preceded him by only a few days. Three months later, Surville drowned

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 44

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 44F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 29, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 29, 2019 is Ray Emery . Raymond Robert Emery (1982–2018) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 11 seasons. Chosen 99th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, he helped them reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals, the first appearance in the finals by the modern Senators. With Emery, the Chicago Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup championship. He won, among numerous other awards and accolades, the William M. Jennings Trophy in April 2013 along with teammate Corey Crawford for giving up the fewest goals in the season. Emery finished the 2012–13 season with 1.94 goals against average and a 0.922 save percentage. His 17 wins included 12 straight to start the year, the best such streak in NHL history. He was a two-time Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalist for his dedication and perseverance. His teammates and fans often referred to him as "Razor" or "Sugar Ray&

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 46F.

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 46

Wikipedia article of the day for November 28, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 28, 2019 is Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar . The Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar was a commemorative fifty-cent coin struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1920 and 1921 to mark the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims in North America. It was designed by Cyrus E. Dallin. Massachusetts congressman Joseph Walsh was involved in joint federal and state efforts to mark the anniversary. He saw a reference to a proposed Maine Centennial half dollar and realized that a coin could be issued for the Pilgrim anniversary in support of the observances at Plymouth, Massachusetts. The bill moved quickly through the legislative process and became the Act of May 12, 1920, with the signature of President Woodrow Wilson. Sculptor James Earle Fraser criticized some aspects of the design, but the Treasury approved it. After a promising start, sales tailed off, and tens of thousands of coins from each year were returned to the Philade

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 47F.

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 47

Personal Income and Outlays, October 2019

Personal Income and Outlays, October 2019 Personal income showed virtually no change in October after increasing 0.3 percent in September. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.4 percent in October after increasing 0.1 percent in September. Full Text Published November 27, 2019 at 07:00AM Read more at bea.gov

Gross Domestic Product, 3rd quarter 2019 (second estimate), Corporate Profits, 3rd quarter 2019 (preliminary estimate)

Gross Domestic Product, 3rd quarter 2019 (second estimate), Corporate Profits, 3rd quarter 2019 (preliminary estimate) Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.1 percent in the third quarter of 2019, according to the ?second? estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.2 percentage point higher than the ?advance? estimate released in October. In the second quarter, real GDP rose 2.0 percent. Full Text Published November 27, 2019 at 05:30AM Read more at bea.gov

Wikipedia article of the day for November 27, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 27, 2019 is Caroline Brady (philologist) . Caroline Brady (1905–1980) was an American philologist whose scholarship focused on Old English and Old Norse. Her works included the 1943 book The Legends of Ermanaric, based on her doctoral dissertation, and three influential papers on the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. She was born an American citizen in Tientsin, China, and studied in the University of California system, receiving her Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1935. The Legends of Ermanaric discussed two competing traditions about the Gothic king Ermanaric, who ruled in the fourth century AD. Ostrogothic lore viewed him as a good king, whereas a second tradition, promulgated by those subjugated by him, saw him as evil. Brady was known as an investigator of the intractable problems of Germanic myth, and the convoluted nature of the related scholarship. In 1952–53 she was the Marion Talbot Fellow of the American Association of University Women.

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 26, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 26, 2019 is Littlemore Priory scandals . The Littlemore Priory scandals of 1517 and 1518 involved accusations of sexual immorality and brutal violence. The Benedictine priory in Oxfordshire, England, was very small and poor and had a history of troubled relations with its bishop. Katherine Wells, the prioress of Littlemore, was accused of putting nuns in the stocks for extended periods and physically assaulting them. She entertained men in her parlour, had a baby by the priory's chaplain and pawned the priory's jewels to pay for the child's upbringing; at least one other nun also had a child. On one occasion several nuns broke out of the priory through a window and escaped into the surrounding villages. The bishop launched an investigation, and in 1525 the priory was closed. It was one of the priories that Cardinal Wolsey suppressed during the 1520s. The house became a farmstead and was gradually pulled down; only one original

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 52F.

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 52

Wikipedia article of the day for November 25, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 25, 2019 is John II of France . The Black Prince's chevauchée was a large-scale mounted raid carried out by an Anglo-Gascon force under the command of Edward, the Black Prince (depiction shown), between 5 October and 2 December 1355 during the Hundred Years' War. John, Count of Armagnac, who commanded the local French forces, avoided battle, and there was little fighting during the campaign. The Anglo-Gascon force of 4,000–6,000 men marched from Bordeaux in English-held Gascony 300 miles (480 km) to Narbonne and back to Gascony, devastating a wide swathe of French territory and sacking many French towns on the way. During the four months following Christmas, more than 50 French-held towns or fortifications were captured. In August 1356 the Black Prince headed north on another chevauchée with 6,000 men; he was intercepted by the main French army, 11,000 strong, at Poitiers, where he decisively defeated them and captured King John II

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51F.

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51

Wikipedia article of the day for November 24, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 24, 2019 is Spinophorosaurus . Spinophorosaurus was a sauropod dinosaur that lived around 167 million years ago, during the Middle Jurassic. The first two specimens of the genus were excavated from the Irhazer Shale formation in Niger in the 2000s by German and Spanish teams. Spinophorosaurus ("spine-bearing lizard") was the first sauropod to have its skeleton 3D-printed (reconstruction pictured), when the fossils were brought to Europe and digitally replicated. The shoulder height was an estimated 4 m (13 ft), and its weight was about 7 metric tons (7.7 short tons). The braincase was short, deep, and broad, and the teeth were spoon-shaped. The neck contained 13 vertebrae. The tail was powered by strong musculature and had a rear section that was rather rigid due to long and overlapping chevron bones. Features of the vestibular apparatus suggest that vision and coordinated eye, head, and neck movements were important in Spinophor

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 23, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 23, 2019 is Yugoslav torpedo boat T7 . T7 was a sea-going torpedo boat operated by the Royal Yugoslav Navy between 1921 and 1941. Originally 96 F, a 250t-class torpedo boat commissioned on 23 November 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, she performed escort, minesweeping, anti-submarine and shore bombardment operations during World War I. Following Austria-Hungary's defeat in 1918, she was allocated to Yugoslavia and renamed T7. She was captured by the Italians during the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941 and used for coastal and second-line tasks, after her main armament was modernised. Following the Italian capitulation in September 1943, she was captured by Germany and handed over to the Navy of the Independent State of Croatia, continuing to serve as T7. Her crew came under the influence of the Yugoslav Partisans, and were preparing to mutiny when the Germans intervened. She ran aground during a battle with British motor tor

Showers Early today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53

Showers Early today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 22, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 22, 2019 is Donkey Kong 64 . Donkey Kong 64 is an adventure video game for the Nintendo 64 console, first released on November 22, 1999. It was the first in the series to feature 3D gameplay. As the gorilla Donkey Kong, the player explores an island to collect items and rescue his kidnapped friends. The player completes minigames and puzzles as five playable Kong characters, each with its own special abilities. The game's exceptionally large marketing budget included advertisements, sweepstakes, and a national tour. The game received universal acclaim from reviewers, but was criticized for its camera controls and emphasis on item collection and backtracking. It won the 1999 E3 Game Critics award for the best platform game, and multiple awards and nominations from games magazines. By 2004, 2.3 million units had been sold. A rap song from the game's introductory sequence is often cited among the worst songs to feature in a video game

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 56

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 56F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 21, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 21, 2019 is Cut the Crap . Cut the Crap is the sixth and final studio album by the English punk band the Clash. Released in November 1985, it followed a turbulent period for the band, after the dismissal of co-founder, lead guitarist and principal songwriter Mick Jones and drummer Topper Headon by lead vocalist Joe Strummer (pictured) and bassist Paul Simonon. They were replaced by the unknowns Vince White, Nick Sheppard, and Pete Howard, as manager Bernie Rhodes fought for control over songwriting and musical direction during tense recording sessions, and Simonon refused to take part in any activity involving Rhodes. The album's final production, as engineered by Rhodes, relied heavily on synthetic drum sounds and sampling, and was widely derided. Upon its release, Strummer disowned the album, split the band, and moved to Spain. Some critics have found merit in Strummer's songwriting and vocal performance, especially on the single

New from Equal Rights Advocates: On Latina Equal Pay Day, the EEOC wants to shirk its civil rights duties

The post On Latina Equal Pay Day, the EEOC wants to shirk its civil rights duties appeared first on Equal Rights Advocates . By: Jess Eagle Published at: November 20, 2019 at 03:33PM View on EqualRights.org

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57F.

Kansas Water Infrastructure Projects Recognized by EPA for Excellence and Innovation

Kansas Water Infrastructure Projects Recognized by EPA for Excellence and Innovation Region 07 Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Published November 19, 2019 at 09:00PM Read more

Wikipedia article of the day for November 20, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 20, 2019 is 1969 Curaçao uprising . The 1969 Curaçao uprising was a series of riots from 30 May to 1 June on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, then part of the Netherlands Antilles, a semi-independent country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A protest rally during a strike by oil workers turned violent, leading to widespread looting and destruction in the center of Curaçao's capital, Willemstad, as well as two deaths and hundreds of arrests. The protesters achieved their demands for higher wages and the government's resignation. The uprising's leaders gained seats in parliamentary elections in September. A commission investigating the riots put the blame on economic issues, racial tensions, and police and government misconduct. The uprising prompted the Dutch government to undertake new efforts to fully decolonize the remnants of its colonial empire. Suriname, another constituent country of the Netherlands, became independent

EPA Announces Settlements to Address Alleged Violations of Chemical Accident Prevention Requirements by Two Companies in Iowa and Nebraska

EPA Announces Settlements to Address Alleged Violations of Chemical Accident Prevention Requirements by Two Companies in Iowa and Nebraska Region 07 Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Published November 17, 2019 at 09:00PM Read more

Clouds Early/Clearing Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 54F.

Clouds Early/Clearing Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 54

Wikipedia article of the day for November 19, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 19, 2019 is Odaenathus . Odaenathus (c. 220 – 267) was the founder of the Palmyrene Kingdom. Born into an aristocratic family of Palmyra, Syria, he became the lord of the city in the 240s. By 258, he was a consularis, a position of high status in the Roman Empire. In 260 the Roman emperor Valerian was captured by the Sassanian emperor Shapur I, leaving the eastern Roman provinces at the mercy of the Persians. Odaenathus fought the Persians, reclaiming the entirety of the Roman lands they occupied. By 263, following a successful campaign in which he besieged their capital Ctesiphon, Odaenathus took the title traditionally held by Persian emperors, King of Kings, and gained effective control of the Levant, Roman Mesopotamia and Anatolia's eastern region. He was assassinated in 267 during or immediately after a campaign in Anatolia. He was succeeded by his son Vaballathus under the regency of his widow Zenobia, who used the power base est

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53F.

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53

Wikipedia article of the day for November 18, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 18, 2019 is Cardiff City F.C. . Cardiff City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. They entered the Southern Football League in 1910 and joined the English Football League (EFL) in 1920. Since then, the club has spent 17 seasons in the top tier of English football, including nine seasons in the 1920s and the 2018–19 Premier League season. In 1927 they became the only team from outside England to have won the FA Cup. They reached the FA Cup Final in 1925 and 2008, and the EFL Cup Final in 2012. They have won the Welsh Cup 22 times, making them the second-best performers in the competition's history behind Wrexham. Ninian Park (grandstand pictured) was their home ground for 99 years, until they moved into the Cardiff City Stadium in 2009. They have long-standing rivalries with two nearby clubs, the South Wales derby with Swansea City and the Severnside derby with Bristol City. The club's t

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 52

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 52F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 17, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 17, 2019 is HMS Royal Oak (08) . HMS Royal Oak was one of five British Revenge-class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Launched on 17 November 1914, the ship first saw combat at the Battle of Jutland. On 14 October 1939, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-47 while anchored at Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scotland; 835 were killed that night or died later of their wounds. The loss of the outdated ship—the first of the five Royal Navy battleships and battlecruisers sunk in the Second World War—did little to affect the numerical superiority enjoyed by the British navy and its allies, but the sinking had a considerable effect on wartime morale. Günther Prien, the U-boat commander, became the first German submarine officer to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Demonstrating that the German navy was capable of bringing the war to British home waters, the raid resulted in rapid changes to docklan

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53

Partly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 16, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 16, 2019 is Bramshill House . Bramshill House, in Bramshill, northeast Hampshire, is one of the largest Jacobean prodigy house mansions in England. It was built in the early 17th century by Baron Edward la Zouche of Harringworth, but was partly destroyed by fire a few years later. It was designated a Grade I listed building in 1952. The decorative architecture on the mansion's southern façade includes at its centre a large oriel window above the principal entrance. Interior features include a great hall displaying 92 coats of arms on a Jacobean screen, an ornate drawing room, and a 126.5-foot (38.6 m) gallery containing many portraits. Numerous columns and friezes are found throughout the mansion, and several rooms have large tapestries depicting historical figures and events on their panelled walls. The 262-acre (106 ha) grounds contain an 18-acre (7.3 ha) lake and early 17th-century formal gardens. During the Second World War, the ma

Thunderstorms Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57F.

Thunderstorms Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57

Activities of U.S. Affiliates of Foreign Multinational Enterprises, 2017

Activities of U.S. Affiliates of Foreign Multinational Enterprises, 2017 Majority-owned U.S. affiliates (MOUSAs) of foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs) employed 7.4 million workers in the United States in 2017, a 2.8 percent increase from 7.2 million in 2016, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Full Text Published November 15, 2019 at 05:30AM Read more at bea.gov

Wikipedia article of the day for November 15, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 15, 2019 is International military intervention against ISIL . No. 33 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) strategic transport and air-to-air refuelling squadron. It operates Airbus KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transports from RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. The squadron was formed in February 1942 during World War II, operating Short Empire flying boats and a variety of smaller aircraft until 1944, and flying Douglas C-47 Dakota transports in New Guinea before disbanding in May 1946. The unit was re-established in February 1981 as a flight, and re-formed as a full squadron in July 1983. By 1988 it was operating six Boeing 707s, four of which were later converted for aerial refuelling (pictured). The 707s saw active service during operations in Namibia, Somalia, the Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan. No. 33 Squadron relocated to Amberley, and in June 2011 began re-equipping with KC-30As. One of its aircraft has been deployed to the Midd

Showers Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59F.

Showers Late today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59

Local Area Personal Income, 2018

Local Area Personal Income, 2018 In 2018, personal income increased in 3,019 counties, decreased in 91, and was unchanged in 3, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Personal income increased 5.7 percent in the metropolitan portion of the United States and increased 4.8 percent in the nonmetropolitan portion. In metropolitan counties, the percent change in personal income ranged from ?3.2 percent in Lynn County, Texas to 17.5 percent in Midland County, Texas. In nonmetropolitan counties, it ranged from ?20.8 percent in Sherman County, Texas, to 64.5 percent in Issaquena County, Mississippi. Full Text Published November 14, 2019 at 05:30AM Read more at bea.gov

Wikipedia article of the day for November 14, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 14, 2019 is Bernard Hinault . Bernard Hinault (born 14 November 1954) is a former professional cyclist from France. With 147 professional victories, he is often named among the greatest cyclists of all time. Hinault started cycling as an amateur in his native Brittany before turning professional in 1975. His successes in the Grand Tours include five victories at the Tour de France, three at the Giro d'Italia and two at the Vuelta a España. He was also successful in one-day races, winning, among others, the 1980 Liège–Bastogne–Liège (run on snow-covered roads), the 1981 Paris–Roubaix and the World Road Race title in 1980. His principal rivals included Joop Zoetemelk, as well as former teammates Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond, with whom he battled during the Tours in 1985 and 1986, before retiring at the end of that year. He remains the most recent French winner of the Tour de France. Throughout his career, Hinault was known by the nickn

EPA Announces Availability of $1.2 Million in Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreements

EPA Announces Availability of $1.2 Million in Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreements Region 07 Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Published November 12, 2019 at 09:00PM Read more

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 13, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 13, 2019 is Atlanersa . Atlanersa was a Kushite ruler of the Napatan kingdom of Nubia in modern-day Sudan, reigning for about a decade in the mid-7th-century BC. He was the successor of Tantamani, the last ruler of the 25th Dynasty of Egypt, and possibly a son of Taharqa. Atlanersa's reign immediately followed the collapse of Nubian control over Egypt, which witnessed the conquest by the Assyrians and then the beginning of the Late Period under Psamtik I. The same period also saw the progressive cultural integration of Egyptian beliefs into the Kushite civilization. Atlanersa built a pyramid in the necropolis of Nuri, which produced many small artefacts now on display in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Atlanersa's most prominent construction is his temple to the syncretic god Osiris-Dedwen in Jebel Barkal, which he was able to finish and partially decorate. The temple entrance was to be flanked with two colossal statues of the k

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59

Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 59F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 12, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 12, 2019 is Operation Catechism . Operation Catechism was a British air raid of World War II that resulted in the destruction of the German battleship Tirpitz (depiction shown). On 12 November 1944, 29 Royal Air Force heavy bombers targeted the battleship at an anchorage near the Norwegian city of Tromsø. The ship capsized after being struck by at least two bombs and damaged by the explosions of others, killing between 940 and 1,204 members of the crew. Rescuers picked up hundreds of her crew from the water, but few of those trapped within the hull were saved. The British bombers were unmolested by a unit of German fighter aircraft stationed near Tromsø, and only one was significantly damaged by anti-aircraft artillery. The attack marked the end of a long-running series of air and naval operations against Tirpitz. The battleship's destruction was celebrated in Allied countries, as well as by Norwegian civilians, and is commemorated by

Mostly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57

Mostly Cloudy today!

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With a high of F and a low of 57F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2019 is Northampton War Memorial . Northampton War Memorial is a First World War memorial on Wood Hill in the centre of Northampton, the county town of Northamptonshire, in central England. Designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and unveiled on 11 November 1926, it stands in a small garden in what was once part of the churchyard of All Saints' Church. It is one of the more elaborate town memorials in England, with a pair of obelisks, characteristic of the Lutyens war memorials, and a Stone of Remembrance, which he designed for the Imperial War Graves Commission. Stone flags appear as if draped on the obelisks; this feature is shared by several of his memorials, but was rejected for his Cenotaph in London. Today the Northampton War Memorial is a Grade I listed building; it was upgraded from Grade II in 2015 when the Lutyens war memorials were declared a "national collection" and all were granted listed building status or

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53F.

Mostly Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53

Wikipedia article of the day for November 10, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 10, 2019 is Clare Stevenson . Mary Bell (3 December 1903 – 6 February 1979), nicknamed "Paddy", was an Australian aviator and founding leader of the Women's Air Training Corps, a volunteer organisation that provided support to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. She later helped establish the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), the first and largest women's wartime service in the country, which grew to more than 18,000 members by 1944. Born Mary Fernandes in Launceston, Tasmania, she married John Bell, an RAAF officer, in 1923 and obtained a pilot's licence in 1927. Given temporary command of the WAAAF on its formation in 1941, she was passed over as its inaugural director in favour of corporate executive Clare Stevenson. Bell refused the post of deputy director and resigned, but later rejoined and served until the final months of the war. She and her husband became farmers after

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 53F.

Wikipedia article of the day for November 9, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 9, 2019 is Early history of Gowa and Talloq . The early history of the kingdoms of Gowa and Talloq can be traced back to 1300, when the Makassar kingdom of Gowa emerged as an agrarian chiefdom in the Indonesian peninsula of South Sulawesi. Talloq was founded two centuries later when a prince from Gowa fled to the coast after his defeat in a succession dispute. The coastal location of the new polity allowed it to exploit maritime trade to a greater degree than Gowa. The growth of early Gowa was supported by a rapid increase in wet rice cultivation. Verdant forests were cleared to make way for rice paddies. The population may have increased tenfold between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries. Gowa and Talloq became close allies in the sixteenth century and dominated most of the peninsula, following wide-ranging administrative and military reforms. Around 1600 the twin kingdoms converted to Islam, defeated their rivals and became the most

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51F.

Clear today!

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With a high of F and a low of 51

Wikipedia article of the day for November 8, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 8, 2019 is Letter-winged kite . The letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus) is a small, rare bird of prey that is found only in Australia. Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length with a wingspan of 84–100 cm (33–39 in), the adult has predominantly pale grey and white plumage and prominent black rings around its red eyes. It gains its name from a distinctive black "M" or "W" shape on the underwing, seen when in flight. This marking distinguishes it from the otherwise similar black-shouldered kite. The species begins breeding rapidly in response to rodent outbreaks, with pairs nesting in loose colonies of up to 50 birds each. Three to four eggs are laid and incubated for around 30 days, though the eggs may be abandoned if the food source disappears. Chicks are fledged within five weeks of hatching. Roosting in well-foliaged trees during the day, the letter-winged kite hunts for rodents mostly at night, hovering in midair ab

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler Calls for Nominations for 2020 President’s Environmental Youth Awards and Presidential Innovation Awards for Environmental Educators

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler Calls for Nominations for 2020 President’s Environmental Youth Awards and Presidential Innovation Awards for Environmental Educators Region 07 Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Published November 06, 2019 at 09:00PM Read more

Showers today!

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With a high of F and a low of 54F.

Showers today!

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With a high of F and a low of 54

Gross Domestic Product by State, 2nd quarter 2019 and annual update

Gross Domestic Product by State, 2nd quarter 2019 and annual update Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2019, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The percent change in real GDP in the second quarter ranged from 4.7 percent in Texas to 0.5 percent in Hawaii. Full Text Published November 07, 2019 at 05:30AM Read more at bea.gov

Gross Domestic Product for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), 2018

Gross Domestic Product for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), 2018 The estimates of GDP for the CNMI show that real GDP-GDP adjusted to remove price changes-decreased 19.6 percent in 2018 after increasing 25.5 percent in 2017 (see Table 1.3). For comparison, real GDP for the United States (excluding the territories) increased 2.9 percent in 2018 after increasing 2.4 percent in 2017. Full Text Published November 06, 2019 at 04:00PM Read more at bea.gov

Wikipedia article of the day for November 7, 2019

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 7, 2019 is Second Fitna . The Second Fitna was a civil war in the Islamic community that began with the death of Mu'awiya I in 680. The first Umayyad caliph, he had become the sole ruler of the caliphate at the end of the First Fitna in 661, when Ali was assassinated and Ali's successor abdicated. After Mu'awiya's death one of Ali's sons, Husayn ibn Ali, was invited to overthrow the Umayyads but was killed with his small company at the Battle of Karbala. His supporters continued the fight but were crushed by the Umayyads at the Battle of Ayn al-Warda in 685. A second challenge by Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr was initially successful, as most provinces recognized him as caliph. Under the leadership of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (depicted), the Umayyads reasserted control over the caliphate after defeating Ibn al-Zubayr's forces at the Battle of Maskin and killing him in the Siege of Mecca in 692. The events of the Second Fit

Scattered Thunderstorms today!

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With a high of F and a low of 55

Scattered Thunderstorms today!

Image
With a high of F and a low of 55F.