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May 1
La Salute è in voi!( "Health/Salvation is in you!" ) was an early 1900s bomb-making handbook associated with theGalleanisti,followers ofanarchistLuigi Galleani,particularly in the United States. The anonymously written,Italian-languagehandbook repackaged technical content fromencyclopediasandapplied chemistrybooks into plain directions for non-technical amateurs to buildexplosives.It wrapped this content in a politicalmanifestoadvocating for impoverished workers to overcome their despair and commit to individual,revolutionaryacts. American police and historians used the handbook to profile anarchists and imply guilt by possession. It figured prominently in the prosecution of theBresci Circle,a case that revolved around the anarchists'right to read.Successful political bombers of this era ultimately had career backgrounds in explosives and were not the self-taught amateurs the handbook sought to create. (Full article...)
May 2
TheWestern Chalukya Empireruled most of the westernDeccan,South India,between the 10th and 12th centuries. ThisKannadigadynasty is sometimes called theKalyani Chalukyaafter its regal capital at Kalyani, today'sBasavakalyanin the modern Bidar District ofKarnatakastate, and alternatively theLater Chalukyafrom its theoretical relationship to the sixth-centuryChalukya dynastyofBadami.Prior to the rise of the Western andEastern Chalukyas,theRashtrakuta EmpireofManyakhetacontrolled most of the Deccan andCentral Indiafor over two centuries. In 973, seeing confusion in the Rashtrakuta Empire after a successful invasion of their capital by the ruler of theParamara dynastyofMalwa,Tailapa II,a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta dynasty ruling fromBijapurregion, defeated his overlords and made Manyakheta his capital. The dynasty quickly rose to power and grew into an empire underSomeshvara Iwho moved the capital to Kalyani. (Full article...)
May 3
Our Lady of Perpetual Exemptionwas a legally recognized church in the United States established by the comedian and satiristJohn Oliver(pictured).Announced on August 16, 2015, in an episode of the television programLast Week Tonight with John Oliver,the church's purpose was to highlight and criticizetelevangelists,such asKenneth CopelandandRobert Tilton,who Oliver argued used television broadcasts of Christian church services for private gain. Oliver also established Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption to draw attention to thetax-exemptstatus given to churches. During his show on September 13, 2015, Oliver announced that the church had received "thousands of dollars" and a variety of other items from viewers, and stated that the Church would be shutting down. All monetary donations were given toDoctors Without Borders.Oliver set up spinoffs of the Church in 2018 and 2021. The segments and later spinoff segments featured the comedianRachel Dratchas Oliver's fictional wife, Wanda Jo. (Full article...)
May 4
Dorothy Olsen(1916–2019) was an American aircraft pilot and member of theWomen Airforce Service Pilots(WASPs) duringWorld War II.She developed an interest in aviation at a young age and earned herprivate pilot's licensein 1939, when it was unusual for women to be pilots. In 1943, Olsen joined the newly formed WASPs as a civil service employee. After training inTexas,she was assigned to the Sixth Ferrying Group inLong Beach, California,where she workedferryingnew aircraft from the factories where they were built to U.S. airbases. She flew more than 20 types of military airplanes, including high-performance fighters – such as theP-51and the twin-engineP-38– which she favored over larger aircraft such as bombers. After the war, Olsen retired from flying and moved to the state ofWashington,where she married, raised a family, and lived for the rest of her life. In 2009, she was awarded theCongressional Gold Medalhonoring her service during the war. (Full article...)
May 5
"Can I Get It"is a song by English singerAdelefrom her fourth studio album,30(2021). Adele wrote the song with its producers,Max MartinandShellback.It was released byColumbia Recordsas the album's sixth track on 19 November 2021. Apopsong withpop rockandcountry popinfluences, "Can I Get It" has acoustic guitar, drum, and horn instrumentation and a whistledhook.The song is about moving on from a breakup and desiring a committed relationship, exploring Adele's search for true love and a new relationship. Music critics were generally positive about its acoustic portion and lyrics but highly criticised its whistled hook. They thought the brazen pop production of "Can I Get It" catered to the tastes of mainstream radio, which made it an outlier on30,and compared it toFlo Rida's single "Whistle"(2012). The song reached the top 20 in Sweden, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Finland, and Norway and entered the top 40 in some other countries.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:30 (album).)
May 6
TheTake Ichi convoywas anImperial Japanese Navyconvoy ofWorld War II.Under the command of Rear AdmiralSadamichi Kajioka(pictured),theconvoyleftShanghaion 17 April 1944, carrying two infantrydivisionsto reinforce Japan's defensive positions in the Philippines and westernNew Guinea.United States Navysubmarines attacked the convoy on 26 April and 6 May, sinking four transports and killing more than 4,000 soldiers. These losses caused the convoy to be diverted toHalmahera,where the surviving soldiers and their equipment were unloaded. The failure to bring the two divisions to their destination without loss contributed to theImperial General Headquarters' decision to move Japan's defensive perimeter back by 1,000 km (600 mi). The divisions' combat power was also blunted by their losses, and while they both saw action againstUnited States Armyforces, they contributed little to Japan's attempt to defend its empire. (Full article...)
May 7
The Structure of Literatureis a 1954 book ofliterary criticismbyPaul Goodman,the published version of his doctoral dissertation. It proposes a mode offormal literary analysisin which Goodman defines a formal structure within an isolated literary work, finds how parts of the work interact with each other to form a whole, and uses those definitions to study other works. He analyzes multiple literary works as examples withclose readingand genre discussion. Goodman finished his dissertation in 1940, but took 14 years to publish it. In mixed reviews, critics described the book as falling short of its aims; engaging psychological insight and incisive asides were mired in glaring style issues and jargon that made passages impenetrable or obscured his argument. Though Goodman contributed to the development of theChicago SchoolofAristotelian formal literary criticism,he neither received wide academic recognition for his dissertation nor was his method accepted by his field. (Full article...)
May 8
Anna Blackburne(1726–1793) was an Englishbotanistand collector. She was born at Orford Hall in Lancashire into a family of landowners and after her mother's death she remained there with her father,John Blackburne,who hadhothousesfor exotic plants and an extensive library. Blackburne taught herselfLatinso she could read theSystema NaturaeofCarl Linnaeus,and created anatural historymuseum where she collectedinsects,shells, minerals and birds. She knew the naturalistJohann Reinhold Forster,who instructed her inentomology,and corresponded with other naturalists including Linnaeus. Her brother Ashton, who lived in New York, sent her specimens of North American birds, which were described by the naturalistThomas Pennantin hisArctic Zoology.After her father's death, Blackburne and her museum moved to nearby Fairfield Hall. After her death, her nephewJohn Blackburneinherited her collection. Several species are named for her, including theBlackburnian warbler.(Full article...)
May 9
Thehorned sungem(Heliactin bilophus) is a species ofhummingbirdnative to Brazil, Bolivia and Suriname. It prefers open habitats such assavanna,grasslandand garden, and expanded its range into southernAmazonasandEspírito Santo,probably due todeforestation.It is a small hummingbird with a long tail and a short, black bill. Thesexes differ in appearance,with males having two shiny red, golden, and green feather "horns" above the eyes, a shiny blue headcrestand a black throat with a pointed "beard". The female is plainer, with a brown or yellow–buffthroat. It is a nomadic species, responding to the seasonal flowering of its food plants. If a flower's shape is unsuited to the bird's short bill, it mayrob nectarthrough a hole at its base. It also eats small insects. Only the female builds the smallcup nest,incubates the two white eggs, and rears the chicks. The species is currently classified asleast concern,and its population is thought to be increasing. (Full article...)
May 10
TheFelix M. Warburg Houseis amansionat 1109Fifth Avenueon theUpper East SideofManhattanin New York City. It was built from 1907 to 1908 for the German-American Jewish financierFelix M. Warburg,in theChâteauesque style,and designed byC. P. H. Gilbert.After Warburg's death in 1937, his widow sold it to a real estate developer. When plans to replace it with luxury apartments fell through, ownership reverted to the Warburgs, who donated it in 1944 to theJewish Theological Seminary of America.In 1947, the Seminary opened theJewish Museumin the mansion. The house was named aNew York City designated landmarkin 1981 and was added to theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1982. In 1993,Kevin Rocheconstructed an annex to the house in Gilbert's style, built with stone from the same quarry that supplied the original mansion. Critical reviews of the original house's architecture have generally been positive while the extension received a mixed reception. (Full article...)
May 11
Leucippuswas a Greek philosopher of the 5th century BCE. He is credited with foundingatomism,with his studentDemocritus.Leucippus divided the world into two entities: atoms, indivisible particles that make up all things, andthe void,the nothingness between the atoms. Leucippus's ideas were influential in ancient andRenaissancephilosophy. They were a precursor to modernatomic theory,but the two are only superficially similar. Leucippus's atoms come in infinitely many forms, all in constant motion, creating adeterministicworld created by the collisions of atoms. The soul is viewed as an arrangement of spherical atoms, cycled through the body by respiration and creating thought and sensory input. Little is known of his life, with a few scholars doubting that he existed, attributing his ideas purely to Democritus. Two works are attributed to Leucippus,The Great World SystemandOn Mind,but all of his writing has been lost except for one sentence. (Full article...)
May 12
Thank Youis the second major-label studio album by American singer-songwriterMeghan Trainor.Epic Recordsreleased it on May 13, 2016. Trainor wrote it withJacob Kasher Hindlinand producerRicky Reed,among others, incorporating various genres to showcase her versatility.Thank Youis apop,dance-pop,andR&Balbum with themes such asself-acceptance,empowerment,and fame. Trainor promoted it with televised performances andthe Untouchable Tour(2016).Thank You's singles included "No"and"Me Too",which reached the top twenty in the US. A few reviewers thought its production was an improvement from her 2015 albumTitle,while others believed it lacked artistic identity and criticized the lyrical themes.Thank Youdebuted at number three in the US. It reached the top five in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, and the United Kingdom and received Platinum certifications in the US and Canada.(This articleis part of twofeatured topics:Thank You (Meghan Trainor album)andMeghan Trainor albums.)
May 13
Doomis afirst-person shooter video gameand arebootof theDoomfranchisereleased on May 13, 2016. Players take the role ofan unnamed space marinewho battles demonic forces within an energy-mining facility onMarsand inHell.The game also has anonline multiplayermode and alevel editor.Developerid Softwareand co-developers took eight years to make the game. Their project "Doom 4"was fully overhauled in 2011 to better replicate the tone of theoriginalDoomof 1993.Bethesda Softworkspublished the 2016Doomas the first major series installment followingDoom 3in 2004. Itssingle-player campaign,graphics, soundtrack, and gameplay received considerable praise, while its multiplayer mode drew significant criticism.Doombecame a best-seller, with more than two million PC copies sold by the next year. Multiple industry outlets namedDoomamong 2016's best video games. It receiveda sequelfour years later. (Full article...)
May 14
Marsis the fourthplanetfrom theSun.It was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago, is aterrestrial planetand is the second smallest of theSolar System's planets with a diameter of 6,779 km (4,212 mi). A Martian solar day (sol) is 24.5 hours and aMartian solar yearis 1.88 Earth years (687 Earth days). Mars has two small and irregularnatural satellites:PhobosandDeimos.Carbon dioxideis substantially present in Mars'spolar ice capsandthin atmosphere.It has the highestmountainin the solar system,Olympus Mons,and the largest canyon,Valles Marineris.There are large annual temperature swings on the surface, between −78.5 °C (−109.3 °F) and 5.7 °C (42.3 °F) – similar to Earth'sseasons.Due to its geological history, the possibility of past or presentlife on Marsremains of great scientific interest.Mars has been explored by uncrewed spacecraft and rovers,and is an attractive target for futurehuman exploration missions.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Solar System.)
May 15
Operation Titlewas an unsuccessful 1942Alliedattack on theGerman battleshipTirpitzduringWorld War II.The Allies consideredTirpitzto be a major threat to their shipping and after severalRoyal Air Forceheavy bomber raids failed to inflict any damage it was decided to useRoyal Navymidget submarinesinstead. Operation Title involved a pair of two-man BritishChariot manned torpedoeswhich were transported to Norway on board a small boat namedArthur.Both Chariots were lost when bad weather caused them to detach fromArthuron 31 October. It was not possible for the Allied boat to reach the sea due to German security measures, andArthurwasscuttled.The Allied personnel attempted to escape overland and all but one reached neutral Sweden on 5 November. The other – a British serviceman – was taken prisoner by German forces and murdered on 19 January 1943.Tirpitzwas eventuallysunkby another bomber raid on 12 November 1944. (Full article...)
May 16
Hö'elün(fl. 1162–1210) was aMongoliannoblewoman and the mother ofTemüjin,better known as Genghis Khan. She played a major role in his rise to power. Born into theOlkhonudclan of theOnggirattribe, Hö'elün was originally married to Chiledu, but was captured shortly after her wedding byYesügei,an important member of theMongols,becoming his primary wife. She and Yesügei had three sons and one daughter, as well as Temüjin. After Yesügei was fatally poisoned and the Mongols abandoned her family, Hö'elün shepherded all her children through poverty to adulthood—her resilience and organisational skills have been remarked upon by historians. She continued to play an important role after Temüjin's marriage toBörte.Hö'elün married Münglig, an oldretainerof Yesügei, in thanks for his support after a damaging defeat. During the next decades, she arranged marriages, maintained alliances, and was heavily involved in disputes between Genghis, his brothers, and Münglig's sons. (Full article...)
May 17
Raymond Brownell(17 May 1894 – 12 April 1974) was a senior officer in theRoyal Australian Air Force(RAAF) and a World War Iflying ace.He enlisted in theAustralian Imperial Forceat the outbreak of World War I and served in theGallipoli campaignbefore transferring to theWestern Front.Awarded theMilitary Medalfor his actions during theBattle of Pozières,he transferred to theRoyal Flying Corpsin 1917. Moving with his squadron to Italy, he was awarded theMilitary Crossand credited with shooting down 12 aircraft. After the war, Brownell returned to Australia and wasgroup captainat the outbreak of World War II. Establishing the RAAF base in Singapore, he returned to Australia in 1941 and was appointed to leadNo. 1 Training Group.He was Air Officer CommandingWestern Areafor over two years, then led theNo. 11 GrouponMorotai.Retiring from the RAAF in 1947, Brownell became a partner in a stockbroking firm. He died in 1974; his autobiography was published posthumously. (Full article...)
May 18
Tropical Storm Hernanwas a short-livedtropical cyclonethat caused widespread flooding and destructive mudslides across southwestern Mexico in late August 2020. The eighthnamed stormof the2020 Pacific hurricane season,Hernan formed to the southwest of Mexico on August 26. The cyclone peaked withmaximum sustained windsof 70 km/h (45 mph) and a minimumatmospheric pressureof 1001mbar(hPa;29.56inHg) before passing just offshore western Mexico and dissipating in theGulf of California.Despite not makinglandfall,Hernan dropped extremely heavy rainfall across several states, peaking at nearly 610 mm (24 in) inJalisco.More than 305 mm (12 in) of rain fell across theCosta Grande of Guerrerofrom August 24 to 27. A total of 1,674 homes and 9 schools suffered severe damage. A man died after falling off his roof while checking for storm damage. The cyclone causedMXN$594.05 million (USD$26.91 million) in damage across seven states along the Pacific coast of Mexico. (Full article...)
May 19
"Gento"is a song recorded by the Filipino boy bandSB19(pictured).It was written by the band's leader,Pablo,and produced along with his brother Joshua Daniel Nase and the record producer Simon Servida. The lyrics of thepopandhip hoptrack are themed aroundempowermentand usegold miningas a metaphor for achieving success.Sony Music Philippinesreleased the song on May 19, 2023, as thelead singlefrom the boy band's secondextended play(EP),Pagtatag!(2023). The song won multiple awards, and critics praised itscatchinessand lyricism. A dance challenge set to the song became atrendonTikTok."Gento" achieved top-15chart positions in the Philippinesand onBillboard'sWorld Digital Song Saleschart; SB19 became the first Filipino group to enter the chart. The band promoted the song with amusic videodepicting them mining for gold and with various live performances, including on theirPagtatag! World Tour.(Full article...)
May 20
City of Champaign v. Madiganis a 2013 case decided bythe Appellate Courtof the US state ofIllinois,ruling that messages sent and received by elected officials during a city council meeting and pertaining to public business arepublic recordssubject to disclosure, even when stored on personal electronic devices. It was the first court ruling in Illinois to hold that private messages were subject to disclosure under the state'sFreedom of Information Act.The case addressed a public records request from a reporter forThe News-GazetteinChampaign, Illinois,who observed city council members and the mayor using their personal electronic devices to send messages during a city council meeting. City officials denied the reporter's request; the case eventually reached the Appellate Court, which held that public officials have to disclose their records, even if they are stored on a personal electronic device or account, but only when acting as apublic body,such as during a council meeting. (Full article...)
May 21
Mary Anning(21 May 1799 – 9 March 1847) was an Englishfossil collectorandpalaeontologist.She made discoveries ofJurassicmarinefossilbeds in the cliffs along theEnglish ChannelatLyme Regis,which changed the scientific thinking aboutprehistoric lifeand thehistory of the Earth.Her discoveries included the first correctly identifiedichthyosaurskeleton, the first two nearly completeplesiosaurskeletons, and the firstpterosaurskeleton outside Germany. Her observations helped prove thatcoproliteswere fossilisedfaecesand thatbelemnitefossils containedink sacs.As a woman, Anning could not join theGeological Society of Londonand struggled to receive credit for her contributions.Henry De la BechepaintedDuria Antiquiorbased on fossils Anning had found and sold its prints for her benefit. After her death, an article about her life was published inCharles Dickens's literary magazineAll the Year Round.Astatue of Anningwas erected in 2022, andshe has been depicted in filmand in manga. (Full article...)
May 22
Theoyster dressis ahigh fashiongown created by British fashion designerAlexander McQueenfor his Spring/Summer 2003 collectionIrere.McQueen's design is a one-shouldered dress inbias-cutbeige silkchiffonwith abonedupper body and a full-length skirt consisting of hundreds of individual circles oforganzasewn in dense layers to the base fabric, resembling anoystershell. The dress originated as a reinterpretation of the "shellfish dress" designed byJohn Gallianoin 1987, which McQueen had long admired and sought to emulate. Contemporary critical responses to McQueen's oyster dress were positive and it is considered an iconic piece of McQueen's work. Only two copies are known to exist, one held by theMetropolitan Museum of Artin New York City and one by media personalityKim Kardashian.McQueen returned to the oyster dress concept several times over his career, most prominently in his Autumn/Winter 2006 collectionThe Widows of Culloden.(Full article...)
May 23
TheMount Edziza volcanic complex(MEVC) is a group ofvolcanoesand associatedlavaflows in northwestBritish Columbia,Canada. Located on theTahltan Highland,the MEVC has a broad, steep-sidedlava plateau;its highestsummitis 2,786 metres (9,140 feet). Its volcanoes formed over the last 7.5 million years during five cycles ofmagmaticactivity which spanned fourepochs;the most recent eruptions took place in the last 11,000 years. Current activity occurs in the form ofhot springs.The MEVC has warm summers and cold, snowy winters; snow and ice remain on the highest peaks year-round.Indigenous peopleshave lived adjacent to the MEVC for thousands of years. Historically, the localTahltanpeople usedvolcanic glassfrom the MEVC to make tools and weaponry. Animal species such as birds, rodents, bears, sheep, goats, moose and caribou inhabit the area.A large provincial parkdominates the MEVC, which can only be accessed by aircraft or by a network offootpaths.(Full article...)
May 24
George Townis the capital of theMalaysian stateofPenang,encompassingPenang Islandand surrounding islets. With a population of 794,313 as of the 2020 census, it is thecore cityof Malaysia'ssecond-largest metropolitan area,which has a population of 2.84 million. George Town serves as the commercial centre for northern Malaysia. Its technological sector, anchored by hundreds ofmultinational companies,has made the city thetop exporter in the country.It was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia, and its proximity to maritime routes along theStrait of Malaccaattracted an influx of immigrants from various parts of Asia. In 1974, the city wasmergedwith the rest of the island, throwing its administrative status into doubt until 2015, when its jurisdiction was reinstated and expanded to cover the entire island and adjacent islets.UNESCOdesignated thecity centre of George Townas aWorld Heritage Sitein 2008. (Full article...)
May 25
The2019 FA Cup finalwas anassociation footballmatch betweenManchester CityandWatfordfor the 138thFA Cup final.In the 21st minute,Abdoulaye Doucouré's shot struckVincent Kompany's arm; the referee declined to award a penalty and showed Doucouré the firstyellow cardof the game for his protests.David Silvascored the first goal from aheaderandGabriel Jesusside-footed the ball for the second goal. At 61 minutes City extended their lead with a goal from substituteKevin De Bruyne(pictured),and seven minutes later Jesus scored on the counter-attack.Raheem Sterlingscored twice at the 81st and the 87th minutes and the match ended6–0to Manchester City. De Bruyne was named theman of the match.It was only the third time that a team has scored six goals in an FA Cup final and the margin of victory is the joint-largest in an FA Cup final. The win completed adomestic treblefor Manchester City, who already won theLeague Cupand thePremier Leaguethat season. (Full article...)
May 26
"The Day Before the Revolution"is ascience fictionshort story by American writerUrsula K. Le Guin(pictured).First published inGalaxyin August 1974, it was republished in Le Guin'sThe Wind's Twelve Quarters(1975). Set in her fictionalHainish universe,the story has strong connections to her novelThe Dispossessed(also 1974), and is sometimes referred to as a prologue to the novel. The story follows Odo, an aginganarchist,who over the course of a day relives memories of her life as an activist as she learns of plans for ageneral strikethe next day. The strike is implied to be the start of the revolt leading to the idealized anarchist society based on Odo's teachings depicted in the novel. The story was critically well-received. It won theNebulaandLocus Awards for Best Short Storyin 1975, and was also nominated for aHugo Award.Multiple scholars commented that it represented a shift in Le Guin's writing toward non-linear narrative structures and works infused with feminism. (Full article...)
May 27
SMSLothringenwas the last of fivepre-dreadnought battleshipsof theBraunschweigclassbuilt for theImperial German Navy.Launchedin May 1904, she was named for the then-German province ofLothringen.The ship was armed with a battery of four28 cm (11 in) gunsand had a top speed of 18knots(33 km/h; 21 mph). She was to be replaced in July 1914 bydreadnought battleshipsbut World War I prevented her retirement. The ship and the rest of II Squadron joined the dreadnoughts of theHigh Seas Fleetto support araid on Scarborough, Hartlepool, and Whitbyin December 1914. She primarily served as aguard shipin theGerman Bight;in poor condition by 1916, she was withdrawn from fleet service in February. She thereafter patrolled theDanish straitsuntil replaced by the battleshipHannoverin September 1917. After the war, she was converted into adepot shipfor F-typeminesweepersand placed in reserve in March 1920.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Battleships of Germany.)
May 28
Nicholas of Worcester(died 1124) was thepriorof theBenedictinepriory ofWorcester Cathedral(crypt pictured)from about 1115 until his death. He was born around the time of theNorman Conquest.It is not known who his parents were, butWilliam of Malmesburywrote that he was "of exalted descent", and it has been argued that he was a son of KingHarold Godwinson.Nicholas was the favourite pupil ofWulfstan,thebishop of Worcester,who brought him up. Wulfstan was influential in transmitting Old English culture to Anglo-Norman England, and Nicholas carried on this work as prior. He was respected by the chroniclers William of Malmesbury,John of WorcesterandEadmerfor his assistance with their histories. Nicholas was an English monk at a time when both Englishmen and monks rarely received promotion in the church, and when BishopTheulfof Worcester died in October 1123, Nicholas led an unsuccessful attempt of the monks of the priory chapter to be allowed to choose the next bishop. (Full article...)
May 29
TheBeulé Gateis afortified gateleading to thePropylaiaof theAcropolis of Athens, Greece.It was constructed largely of repurposed material taken from the 4th-century BCEChoragic Monument of Nikiasand integrated into thePost-Herulian Wall,a late Roman fortification built around the Acropolis in the years followingthe city's sackby the GermanicHerulipeople in 267 or early 268 CE. Its construction marked the beginning of a new phase in the Acropolis's use, in which it came to be seen more as a defensive position than a religious sanctuary. Duringthe medieval period,the gate was further fortified, before being built over with abastioninOttoman times.The monument was discovered by the French archaeologistCharles Ernest Beuléon 29 May 1852, and excavated in 1852 and 1853. Archaeologists and Greek commentators criticised the aggressive excavation – particularly the use of explosives. In modern times, the gate has served primarily as an exit for tourists from the Acropolis. (Full article...)
May 30
TheBoundary Firewas a2017 wildfire in Arizonathat burned 17,788 acres (7,199 ha) of theCoconinoandKaibab National Forests.The fire was ignited on June 1 when lightning struck a spot on the northeast side ofKendrick Peakwithin the Coconino National Forest. The fire spread rapidly because of high temperatures, steep terrain, leftovers from a wildfire in 2000, and high wind speeds. The winds blew smoke over local communities and infrastructure, leading to the closure ofU.S. Route 180from June 8 to June 21. Smoke was also visible from theGrand Canyon.The Boundary Fire burned out on July 3, 2017, after 32 days of firefighting. The cost of managing the fire was $9.4 million (equivalent to $11.5 million in 2023). Damage to the area's foliage increased the risk of landslides into 2018. The Boundary Fire was one of 2,321 wildfires in Arizona in 2017 that burned a total of 429,564 acres (173,838 ha). (Full article...)
May 31
Thesiege of Guînestook place from May to July 1352 when a French army underGeoffrey de Charnyunsuccessfully attempted to recapture the French castle(pictured)atGuîneswhich had been seized by the English the previous January. The siege was part of theHundred Years' Warand took place during the uneasy and ill-kepttruce of Calais.The strongly fortified castle had been taken by the English during a period of nominal truce and the English king,Edward III,decided to keep it. Charny led 4,500 men and retook the town but was unable to either recapture orblockadethe castle. After two months of fierce fighting, a large English night attack on the French camp inflicted a heavy defeat and the French withdrew. Guînes was incorporated into thePale of Calais.The threat posed by this enclave caused the French to garrison 60 fortified positions around it, at ruinous expense. The castle was besieged by the French in 1436 and 1514, but was relieved each time, before falling to the French in 1558. (Full article...)