Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 October 9

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From today's featured article

The Diary of a Nobody is an English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith. Originally serialised in Punch magazine, it first appeared in book form in 1892. It records daily events in the lives of a London clerk, Charles Pooter, his family and numerous friends and acquaintances; most of its humour derives from Pooter's unconscious and unwarranted sense of his own importance, and the frequency with which this delusion is punctured by gaffes and minor social humiliations. The daily routines and modest ambitions described in the Diary were recognised by contemporary readers, and provided later generations with glimpses of the past that it became fashionable to imitate. Before their collaboration the brothers had pursued successful stage careers, George as the principal comedian in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas for 12 years; Weedon had earlier trained as an artist and illustrator. Although the Diary's initial reception was muted, it grew in popularity and helped to establish a 20th-century genre of humorous popular fiction based on lower or lower-middle class aspirations. It has been the subject of several stage and screen adaptations. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content:

... that on census day in 1861, the 29 occupied houses in Adelaide Crescent, Hove (east side pictured), had 182 servants between them?
... that Russian painter and art historian Fedor Solntsev is considered one of the founders of modern Russian icon painting canon?
... that the common starfish can detect the odour of the predatory common sunstar and take evasive action?
... that the Dutch band Rubberen Robbie is known for a parodic compilation of old Dutch hit songs, and for their pronunciation of the Leiden dialect?
... that Martín Berasategui holds more Michelin stars than any other Spanish chef?
... that the cinematographer for The House of Discord was nearly fired after he attempted to recreate the glow of a fireplace?

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In the news

François Englert (pictured) and Peter Higgs win the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on the origin of mass of subatomic particles.
James Rothman, Randy Schekman, and Thomas Südhof win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research on cell vesicles.
In rugby league, the Sydney Roosters defeat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NRL Grand Final.
Anas al-Liby, indicted for the 1998 United States embassy bombings, is captured by U.S. forces near Tripoli, Libya.
The Gambia withdraws from the Commonwealth of Nations.

Recent deaths: Ovadia Yosef – Vo Nguyen Giap

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On this day...

October 9: Hangul Day in South Korea (1446); Leif Erikson Day in the United States

1708 – Great Northern War: Russia defeated Sweden at the Battle of Lesnaya on the Russian–Polish border in present-day Belarus.
1888 – The Washington Monument (pictured) in Washington, D.C., at the time the world's tallest building, officially opened to the general public.
1913 – The ocean liner SS Volturno caught fire in the middle of a gale in the North Atlantic, burned, and sank, resulting in about 130 deaths.
1963 – A landslide displaced large amounts of water from the Vajont Dam in northern Italy, causing waves and floods that quickly swept away several villages and killed almost 2,000 people.
1983 – South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan survived an assassination attempt in Rangoon, Burma.

More anniversaries: October 8 – October 9 – October 10

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It is now October 9, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

The Walt Disney Concert Hall is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and houses the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale, among others. It was designed by Frank Gehry, with acoustics designed by Yasuhisa Toyota. The Disney family contributed more than $100 million to the project. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is seen to the right. This photograph was taken from near the corner of Grand Ave and 2nd Street, Los Angeles, California.

Photo: John O'Neill

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