Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 January 6

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Today's featured article
"Homer's Enemy" is the 23rd episode of the eighth season of American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 4, 1997. The plot of the episode centers on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's hiring of a new employee named Frank Grimes. Homer attempts to befriend Grimes; however, Grimes takes an instant dislike to Homer, angered by his laziness and incompetence, and eventually declares himself Homer's enemy. The episode was directed by Jim Reardon and the script was written by John Swartzwelder, based on an idea pitched by executive producer Bill Oakley. The episode explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic placed alongside Homer in a work environment. The show's staff worked hard to perfect the character of Frank Grimes. He was partially modeled after Michael Douglas as he appeared in the film Falling Down. Hank Azaria provided the voice of Frank Grimes, and based some of the character's mannerisms on actor William H. Macy. "Homer's Enemy" is considered to be one of the darkest episodes of The Simpsons and is a favorite of several members of the production staff. Although Grimes makes his only appearance in this episode, he was later named one of the "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral characters" by IGN. (more...) Recently featured: Mangalore – Antbird – Letters Written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that instruments in Bach's cantata for Epiphany (pictured), Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen (They will all come from Sheba), have been compared to the salamiya and zurna? ... that the inquiry into the murder of Joanna Yeates, dubbed "Operation Braid", has become one of the largest police investigations in Bristol, England? ... that Saint Bernadette of Lourdes entered the convent of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers named for the seventh-century Saint Gildard, not the sixth-century Saint Gildard? ... that construction plans of the first Cape Capricorn Light, a lighthouse on Curtis Island, Queensland, failed to include a lamp room, so one had to be urgently constructed? ... that Lewis Strong Clarke established his innovative sugar plantation Lagonda in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, and named it for a creek in Ohio? ... that the dentist Pauls Dauge translated several works of Friedrich Engels into Latvian? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Salmaan Taseer Salmaan Taseer (pictured), the Governor of the Pakistani province of Punjab, is assassinated. More than 200,000 people are affected by a series of floods primarily in the Australian state of Queensland. A bomb explodes outside a Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt, killing at least 21 people and wounding 70 others. Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal, and South Africa begin two-year terms as members of the United Nations Security Council. Demonstrations over unemployment and poor living conditions are held in various cities in Tunisia. Five new lines open for operation in the Beijing Subway, adding 108 km (67 mi) of new tracks to the system. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
January 6: Epiphany in Western Christianity 1449 – Constantine XI Palaiologos was crowned Byzantine-Roman Emperor, the last one before the Fall of Constantinople. 1839 – The most damaging storm in 300 years swept across Ireland, with 100-knot winds damaging or destroying more than 20% of the houses in Dublin. 1907 – Italian educator Maria Montessori (pictured) opened her first school and day care center for working class children in Rome. 1953 – The first Asian Socialist Conference, an organization of socialist political parties in Asia, opened in Rangoon, Burma, with 177 delegates, observers and fraternal guests. 1977 – The record label EMI ended its contract with the English punk rock band Sex Pistols in response to its members' disruptive behaviour at London Heathrow Airport two days earlier. More anniversaries: January 5 – January 6 – January 7 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now January 6 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Evania appendigaster is a species of ensign wasp, a family of parasitoid wasps whose larvae are known to be predatory on cockroaches. However, hosts for 96% of the over 400 species are not yet known, so it is likely that more unusual life histories exist. Ensign wasps are found worldwide, apart from the polar regions.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

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