Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 July 18

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James Boyd (1906–1998) was an American physicist, mathematician, and academic administrator. He was director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) from 1957 to 1961, president of West Georgia College from 1961 to 1971, and acting president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1971 to 1972. Along with two fellow Georgia Tech researchers, Boyd co-founded Scientific Atlanta, where he was a board member for 25 years. As director of the Engineering Experiment Station (now GTRI), Boyd was involved with the establishment of nuclear research at Georgia Tech and the construction of the Neely Nuclear Research Center. As president of West Georgia College, Boyd oversaw the racial integration of the campus in 1963, unprompted by a court order. In 1971, Boyd was assigned as interim president of Georgia Tech following a brief tenure as a vice chancellor for the University System of Georgia. At Georgia Tech, Boyd resolved issues involving the attempted takeover of the Engineering Experiment Station by former president Arthur G. Hansen and alumni calls to fire head football coach Bud Carson. (more...) Recently featured: Hurricane Danny – Mantra-Rock Dance – Neil Hamilton Fairley Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Evel Knievel's preferred stunt bike, the Harley-Davidson XR-750 (pictured), has won the most AMA Races? ... that Tuscan admiral Jacopo Inghirami was Governor of Leghorn? ... that Handel's oratorio Messiah is structured in three parts, with a libretto about the Christian Messiah drawn from Bible verses, mostly taken from the Old Testament? ... that Haigh Hall, which replaced the ancient manor house of Haigh, was built between 1827 and 1840 by James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres? ... that former policeman Ian Oliver is the father of Craig Oliver, a special adviser in David Cameron's government? ... that BICA, ICAG and ICAJ are ICAC members, but as of 2008 CISPA was not? ... that the storehouse at Alpine Plantation in Alpine, Alabama, was torn down so its timber could be used to build a carport? ... that the Javanese eat cat rice? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Dawn spacecraft The FIFA Women's World Cup concludes with Japan defeating the United States to become the first Asian team to ever win the tournament. Dawn (artist's impression pictured), a robotic spacecraft, enters orbit around the asteroid 4 Vesta, four years after being launched. As the News International phone hacking scandal continues, Rebekah Brooks is arrested and Sir Paul Stephenson resigns as commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. A triple bombing in Mumbai kills at least 19 people and injures 130 others. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon seeks worldwide assistance in the Horn of Africa drought, which has left ten million people in need of food aid. Ahmed Wali Karzai, Afghan politician and half-brother of President Hamid Karzai, is assassinated. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
July 18: Constitution Day in Uruguay (1830) 1290 – Edward I issued an edict expelling all Jews from England. 1831 – Pedro II, the last Emperor of Brazil, was enthroned at the age of five under a regency, starting a rule of 58 years. 1870 – The First Vatican Council declared that the Pope is infallible when he solemnly declares a dogmatic teaching on faith as being contained in divine revelation. 1976 – At the Olympic Games in Montreal, Nadia Comăneci (pictured) became the first person to score a perfect 10 in a modern Olympics gymnastics event. 1995 – After a long period of dormancy, the Soufrière Hills volcano began a still-ongoing eruption, devastating the island of Montserrat. More anniversaries: July 17 – July 18 – July 19 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now July 18, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured list

The head and shoulders of a middle-aged man, wearing a shirt, tie and what appears to be a blazer. On his blazer, he is wearing a flag lapel pin, three gold-coloured star-shaped medals, and two round, silver-coloured medals.

The leaders of the Soviet Union were appointed by either the Communist Party or the Soviet Government. Although there was no office titled "Leader of the Soviet Union", during Joseph Stalin's consolidation of power in the 1920s, the incumbent of the post of the General Secretary of the Party's Central Committee became in effect the leader of the Soviet Union, because the post controlled both Party and Government. By 1946, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers had become the de facto leader of the country. The last office performing the function of leader was the post of President of the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev was the only Soviet leader to rule the Soviet Union through the office of the head of state. There were nine leaders of the Soviet Union; Stalin's and Leonid Brezhnev's (pictured) rules were the lengthiest. (more...)

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The Quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) is a species of aloe indigenous to Southern Africa, specifically in the Northern Cape region, and Namibia. It derives its common name from the indigenous San practice of hollowing out its tubular branches to form quivers for arrows. One of the few examples of spontaneous forests of A. dichotoma is the Quiver Tree Forest, located north of Keetmanshoop, Namibia.

Photo: Le Grand Portage

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