Sunday, March 28, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 29, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 29, 2021 is Hannah Glasse.
Hannah Glasse (1708–1770) was an English cookery writer. Her first book, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (page pictured), published in 1747, became a best-selling recipe book that century. It appeared in 20 editions in the 18th century, and continued to be published until well into the 19th century. She later wrote the less successful The Servants' Directory (1760) and The Compleat Confectioner, which was probably published in 1760. Around a third of the recipes in The Art of Cookery were copied from other publications. Among her original recipes are the first known curry recipe written in English, as well as three recipes for pilau, an early reference to vanilla in English cuisine, the first recorded use of jelly in trifle, and an early recipe for ice cream. She was also the first to use the term "Yorkshire pudding" in print. The Art of Cookery has been admired by many English cooks, including Elizabeth David, Fanny Cradock and Clarissa Dickson Wright.

Saturday, March 27, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 28, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 28, 2021 is Manned Orbiting Laboratory.
The Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) was part of the human spaceflight program of the United States Air Force. The MOL evolved into a space station, for which crews would be launched on 30-day missions, and then return to Earth using a Gemini B spacecraft derived from NASA's Gemini spacecraft. The MOL program was officially announced in December 1963 as a platform to prove the utility of putting people in space for military missions; its use for satellite reconnaissance was a secret black project. Seventeen astronauts were selected for the program, including Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr., the first African American to be chosen as an astronaut. Budget cuts repeatedly caused postponement of the first operational flight, and improvements in technology reduced the benefits of a crewed space platform over an automated one. A single uncrewed test flight of the Gemini B spacecraft was conducted on 3 November 1966, but the MOL was canceled in June 1969 without any crewed missions being flown.

Friday, March 26, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 27, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 27, 2021 is Sennacherib.
Sennacherib was the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 705 BC to his death in 681 BC. He is one of the most famous Assyrian kings for his role in the Old Testament of the Bible, which describes his campaign in the Levant. The Levantine War of 701 BC broke out after several Assyrian vassals in the region rebelled, including the Kingdom of Judah under King Hezekiah. The Assyrians invaded Judea, and Hezekiah submitted. Sennacherib faced considerable difficulty in controlling Babylonia and destroyed the city of Babylon in 689 BC. He transferred the capital of Assyria to Nineveh, launching one of the most ambitious building projects in ancient history. He expanded the city, constructed great city walls, numerous temples and a royal garden. Sennacherib was murdered by his eldest son, who had been disinherited and hoped to seize power for himself. A younger son, Esarhaddon, raised an army, seized Nineveh, and installed himself as king as intended by Sennacherib.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 26, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 26, 2021 is Hi-5 (Australian group).
Hi-5 were an Australian children's musical group formed in 1998 in association with the children's television series of the same name, which premiered on the Nine Network in 1999. The five performers entertained and educated preschool children through music, movement and play. Kellie Crawford, Kathleen de Leon Jones, Nathan Foley, Tim Harding and Charli Robinson were the founding members. As one of Australia's highest-paid entertainment groups, they were placed in Business Review Weekly's annual list several times. The Australian Recording Industry Association certified their album It's a Party as double platinum. Their albums Jump and Jive with Hi-5, Boom Boom Beat, and It's a Hi-5 Christmas were certified platinum. By 2004, the original line-up had received three Logie Television Awards for Most Outstanding Children's Program and five consecutive ARIA Music Awards for Best Children's Album.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 25, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 25, 2021 is Biblioteca Marciana.
The Marciana Library in Venice is one of the earliest surviving public libraries and repositories for manuscripts in Italy and holds one of the world's most significant collections of classical texts. Named after Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice, it was founded in 1468 when the humanist scholar Cardinal Bessarion donated his collection of Greek and Latin codices to Venice as a means of preserving the writings of the classical Greek authors and the literature of Byzantium after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. It is the only institution established by the Venetian government that continues to function. The original building, now largely a museum, was constructed from 1537 to 1588. It is considered to be the masterpiece of Jacopo Sansovino and is a key work in Venetian Renaissance architecture. Since 1904, the library offices and most of the collection have been housed in the adjoining Zecca, the former Venetian mint.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 24, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 24, 2021 is Buruli ulcer.
Buruli ulcer is an infectious disease characterized by the development of painless open wounds. The disease largely occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and Australia, generally in rural areas near slow-moving or stagnant water. The first sign of infection is a small painless nodule or area of swelling, typically on the arms or legs. This grows larger over days to weeks, forming an open ulcer (examples pictured). Deep ulcers can cause scarring of muscles and tendons, resulting in permanent disability. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends treating Buruli ulcer with a combination of the antibiotics rifampicin and clarithromycin. Regular cleaning and dressing of wounds aids healing and prevents secondary infections. In 2018, WHO received 2,713 reports of Buruli ulcer globally. In 1998, WHO established the Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative to coordinate global efforts to eliminate Buruli ulcer. WHO considers Buruli ulcer a neglected tropical disease.

Monday, March 22, 2021

Wikipedia article of the day for March 23, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 23, 2021 is Lewis (baseball).
Lewis (first name unknown) was briefly a professional baseball player; he played one game for the Buffalo Bisons of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Players' League (PL) on July 12, 1890. Having approached the team for a tryout, Lewis was the starting pitcher for the visiting Bisons against the Brooklyn Ward's Wonders. During the three innings he pitched, Lewis allowed 20 runs, all earned, before being moved to left field, where he played the remainder of the game. The Bisons lost 28–16, with Lewis the losing pitcher; the total of 44 runs set an MLB record that stood until 1922. In the third inning Lewis gave up two home runs to Lou Bierbauer, only the second time a major league batter had hit two home runs in a single inning. The press described Lewis as a "failure", "unfortunate", and a "much disgusted ball tosser" (news clipping pictured). Lewis's earned run average (ERA) of 60.00 and walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) rate of 6.667 were the worst of any pitcher in the one-season history of the PL.