Monday, December 28, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2020 is Knap Hill.
Knap Hill lies on the northern rim of the Vale of Pewsey, in northern Wiltshire, England, about a mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Alton Priors. At the top of the hill is a causewayed enclosure, a form of Neolithic earthwork that appeared in England from about 3700 BC onwards. These earthworks are characterised by the enclosure of an area with ditches that are interrupted by gaps, or causeways. It is not known what they were used for; they may have been settlements, or meeting places, or ritual sites of some kind. Knap Hill was the first causewayed enclosure to be excavated and identified. In 1908 and 1909 Benjamin and Maud Cunnington spent two summers investigating the site, and Maud Cunnington published two reports of their work, noting that there were several gaps in the ditch and bank surrounding the enclosure. The site has been scheduled as an ancient monument. About a thousand causewayed enclosures have now been found in Europe, including around seventy in Britain.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2020 is Louie Nunn.
Louie Nunn (1924–2004) was the 52nd governor of Kentucky (1967–1971), the only Republican elected to that office between 1947 and 2003. The first Republican county judge in the history of Barren County, Kentucky, he ran for governor in 1963, but lost a close race to his Democratic opponent Ned Breathitt. In 1967, Nunn again ran for governor. After defeating Marlow Cook in the Republican gubernatorial primary, he eked out a victory over Democrat Henry Ward. Despite a Democratic majority in the General Assembly, Nunn was able to enact most of his priorities, including tax increases that funded improvements to the state park system and the construction of a statewide network of mental health centers. His administration was marred by race riots in Louisville and a violent protest against the Vietnam War at the University of Kentucky. Following his term as governor, he lost to Walter "Dee" Huddleston in the 1972 senatorial election, and to John Y. Brown Jr. for governor in 1979.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2020 is INTERFET logistics.
The logistical support of INTERFET (International Force East Timor), a multinational peacekeeping mission in 1999 and 2000, involved 11,693 personnel from 23 countries. Led by Australia, it was the largest deployment of Australian forces overseas since the Vietnam War. INTERFET deployed to East Timor in September 1999. A base was established in Darwin, with supplies, equipment, stores and personnel stockpiled or staged there. East Timor possessed only one deepwater port, Dili, with a limited quayside depth, and only three airfields (heliport pictured). Troops were initially landed with a minimum of vehicles and supplies. Effective logistical support enabled INTERFET to carry out its mission without severe limitations, although there were some shortages. Over 90 per cent of the cargo and most of the passengers travelled by sea. Eleven nations contributed transport aircraft, which flew 3,400 sorties, carried 9,500 tonnes of cargo and transported more than 30,000 passengers.

Friday, December 25, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2020 is 2017 EFL Trophy Final.
The 2017 EFL Trophy Final was an association football match that was played on 2 April 2017 at Wembley Stadium, London, between League One teams Coventry City and Oxford United. The match decided the winner of the 2016–17 EFL Trophy, a 64-team knockout tournament comprising clubs from League One and League Two of the English Football League (EFL), as well as 16 Category One academy sides representing Premier League and Championship clubs. It was Coventry's first appearance in the final and the second for Oxford, who had been beaten by Barnsley in the previous season's match. The game was played in front of a crowd of 74,434, the highest attendance for the final since the opening of the new Wembley Stadium. Coventry won 2–1 to earn their first major trophy since their victory in the 1987 FA Cup Final. The win was a highlight for Coventry's supporters in what was otherwise a disappointing season, as they were relegated to League Two.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2020 is Anbe Sivam.
Anbe Sivam (Love is God) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language comedy-drama film directed by Sundar C. and produced by K. Muralitharan, V. Swaminathan and G. Venugopal of Lakshmi Movie Makers. The film was written by Kamal Haasan (pictured), with dialogues provided by Madhan. Featuring Haasan, Madhavan and Kiran Rathod in the lead roles, the film tells the story of an unexpected journey from Bhubaneswar to Chennai. The musical score was composed by Vidyasagar. Arthur A. Wilson and M. Prabhaharan undertook responsibility for the film's cinematography and art direction, respectively. Produced on a budget of ₹120 million, Anbe Sivam's themes include communism, atheism, altruism and humanism. The film garnered positive reviews from critics, but underperformed at the box office. It is now regarded as a classic and a cult film in Tamil cinema. At the 51st Filmfare Awards South, it received a Special Jury Award. Madhavan was awarded Best Actor at the 2003 Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2020 is Cefnllys Castle.
Cefnllys Castle was a medieval spur castle sited on a ridge – possibly an earlier Iron Age hillfort – above the River Ithon in Radnorshire, Wales. The first masonry castle at the site was constructed around 1242 to control several routes through the Welsh Marches. Cefnllys became a source of friction between Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Roger Mortimer in the prelude to Edward I's conquest of Wales. The castle was captured and razed in 1262 by Llywelyn, during a war with Henry III of England, and Cefnllys featured prominently in the ensuing peace treaty. The construction of a new castle was a contributing factor to Llywelyn's refusal to swear fealty to Edward I in 1275, leading to war in 1276. The castle may have been sacked during the revolts of Madog ap Llywelyn (1294–1295) and Owain Glyndŵr (1400–1415), but it remained occupied until at least the mid-15th century. Both castles are now entirely ruinous and only traces remain.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2020

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2020 is Wood stork.
The wood stork (Mycteria americana) is a large wading bird found in warmer parts of the Americas. North American birds may disperse to South America, where it is resident. Its bare head and neck are dark grey and the plumage is mostly white, with black on the tail and part of the wing. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has a feathered head and a yellow, not black, bill. The wood stork nests colonially in wetlands, building its one-metre-diameter (3.3-foot) nest in trees; the breeding season starting when water levels drop. The clutch of three to five eggs is incubated for around 30 days, and the chicks fledge 60 to 65 days after hatching, although many die during their first two weeks. The chicks are fed fish while the adult also eats insects, frogs and crabs as available, foraging by touch in shallow water. The wood stork is classed as being of least concern by the IUCN although in the US it is threatened by predators and human activities. Habitat alteration has caused widespread declines.