Wikipedia:Main Page history/2015 January 9

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From today's featured article

Mark Satin (born 1946) is an American political theorist, author, and newsletter publisher, best known for contributing to three political perspectives – neopacifism in the 1960s, New Age politics in the 1970s and 1980s, and radical centrism in the 1990s and 2000s. After emigrating to Canada at the age of 20 to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, Satin co-founded the Toronto Anti-Draft Programme to assist war resisters in Canada, and wrote the Manual for Draft-Age Immigrants to Canada (1968), which sold nearly 100,000 copies. His book New Age Politics (1978) described an emerging culture focused on simple living, decentralism, and global responsibility, and he expanded these themes in the political newsletter New Options (1984–92). He also co-drafted the foundational statement of the U.S. Green Party, "Ten Key Values", in 1984. After a period of political disillusion, Satin launched a new political newsletter and wrote Radical Middle (2004). Both projects criticized political partisanship and sought to promote mutual learning across social and cultural divides, but the book was not warmly received by many on the traditional left or right of the American political spectrum. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content:

... that the sea snail Halystina umberlee (pictured) was named after the homonymous fictional evil goddess from the Forgotten Realms role-playing game setting?
... that HIV activist Josh Robbins was diagnosed with HIV while participating in the HIV vaccine research study HVTN 505?
... that Campaign Thoan Thang marked both the first use of tanks and the first wet season offensive in the Laotian Civil War?
... that there are deep-muck soils on Central Mountain?
... that Elaine Surick Oran's techniques for simulating dynamic fluid flows have been applied to phenomena as varied as the movements of fish and the explosions of supernovae?
... that in 2012, French film composer Alexandre Desplat received three nominations for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score?
... that Pearl Lady wasn't identified until 2014?

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In the news

Gunmen kill 12 people at the headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.
Archaeologists announce the discovery of the tomb of the previously unknown ancient Egyptian queen Khentakawess III.
Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, and Venezuela take their seats on the United Nations Security Council.
Lithuania becomes the 19th member of the Eurozone.
At least 36 people are killed as a result of a stampede at a New Year's Eve celebration in Shanghai.
Authorities confirm the discovery of debris and bodies from Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 (aircraft pictured), which crashed en route to Singapore with 162 people on board.

Ongoing: Floods in Southeast and South Asia – Ebola outbreak – Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Recent deaths: Edward Brooke – Mario Cuomo – Luise Rainer

On this day...

January 9: St. Stephen's Day (Eastern Christianity)

475 – Basiliscus became Byzantine Emperor after Zeno was forced to flee Constantinople.
1857 – A 7.9 M_w earthquake ruptured part of the San Andreas Fault in California and was felt as far east as Las Vegas.
1923 – Lithuanian residents of the Memel Territory rebelled against the League of Nations decision to leave the area as a mandated region under French control.
1972 – Seawise University, formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth, an ocean liner which sailed the Atlantic Ocean for the Cunard White Star Line, was destroyed by fire in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.
2005 – Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority to replace Yasser Arafat, who died in 2004.

More anniversaries: January 8 – January 9 – January 10

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It is now January 9, 2015 (UTC) – Reload this page

From today's featured list

An engraving of a man wearing a wig, baggy clothes, and a ring on each pinky sitting in an armchair with his right arm resting on the right armrest while looking to the right

The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was the head of the Court of Common Pleas, which was the second-highest common law court in the English legal system until 1875, when it became part of the High Court of Justice. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord High Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of England. The position of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was formalised in 1272 with the raising of Sir Gilbert of Preston to Chief Justice, and from then on it was a formally appointed role similar to the positions of Lord Chief Justice and Chief Baron of the Exchequer. When the High Court was created in 1875, the three common law courts became separate divisions of it until 1880, when the three common law divisions were merged; John Coleridge (pictured), the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, became Lord Chief Justice, and the offices of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Chief Baron were abolished. (Full list...)

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Ellmau is a municipality in the Kufstein district of Sölllandl, Austria. This village, first recorded in the 12th century, is a popular resort in both winter and summer.

Photograph: Bernie Kohl

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