Wikipedia:Today's featured article/November 2024
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November 1
William de Ros, 6th Baron Ros(c. 1370– 1 November 1414), was anEnglish nobleman,politician and soldier. He inherited his father'sfeudal baronyand extensive estates centred onLincolnshirein 1394. Shortly afterwards he married Margaret, daughter of Baron Fitzalan, whose family, like that of de Ros, was well-connected and implacably opposed toKing Richard II.In 1399 Richard confiscated the estates of his cousin,Henry Bolingbroke,Duke of Lancaster,and exiled him. When Henry invaded England several months later, de Ros took his side almost immediately. After Henry declared himself King Henry IV, de Ros voted in the House of Lords for the former king's imprisonment. He became an important aide and counsellor to King Henry, and regularly spoke for him in parliament. He also supported Henry in his military campaigns, participating in theinvasion of Scotland in 1400and assisting in the suppression ofRichard le Scrope's rebellion five years later. (Full article...)
November 2
Daniel Boone(November 2, 1734 – September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman. In 1775, he blazed theWilderness Roadthrough theCumberland Gapinto Kentucky, despite resistance fromNative Americans;by the end of the 18th century, more than 200,000 people had entered Kentucky by following the route marked by Boone. He was adopted into theShawneetribe in 1778 but resigned after his son was killed by members. In April 1781, Boone was elected to theVirginia General Assembly.An account of his adventureswas published in 1784, making him famous in America and Europe. After theRevolutionary War,he worked as a surveyor and merchant but went into debt as a Kentucky land speculator. In 1799, Boone resettled inMissouri,where he spent most of his remaining life. After his death, he was the subject of works of fiction; his adventures helped create the archetypal frontier hero of American folklore. (Full article...)
November 3
On November 3, 1964, Illinois chose all 177 membersofthe state's House of Representativesin a singleat-largeelection. The government was required to draw new electoral districts before the election, each of which would choose three representatives, but both the legislative process and a special commission failed to produce a district map. As a result, the state's constitution mandated that all 177 representatives were to be elected from a statewide at-large district. TheRepublican Partyand theDemocratic Partyeach nominated 118 candidates to appear on the ballot(specimen pictured);voters were allowed to choose up to 177. All 118 Democratic candidates were elected, flipping the Illinois House of Representatives from its previous narrow Republican control, alongside the concurrent presidential election won by Democratic incumbentLyndon B. Johnsonin a landslide. This election is the only time in American history that a state legislative chamber has been elected at-large. (Full article...)
November 4
Marina Bay MRT stationis aMass Rapid Transit(MRT) interchange station on theNorth–South(NSL),Circle(CCL) andThomson–East Coast(TEL) lines in Singapore. Located in theDowntown Coredistrict nearMarina Bay,it serves theMarina One Residences,Marina Bay Suitesand theMarina Bay Financial Centre.It was one of the last stations to be completed in the early phases of the MRT network, opening on 4 November 1989. The station was the terminus of the NSL until the line's extension in 2014. It became an interchange station with the CCL when the two-station branch extension fromPromenade stationwas completed in January 2012. The TEL station platforms were completed in November 2022, becoming a triple-line interchange on the MRT network. The station features art as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme. The sculptureFlowers in Blossom IIis over the CCL mezzanine. The CCL platforms feature photographs by Nah Yong En and the TEL station features murals by Tang Ling Nah. (Full article...)
November 5
Thomas Percywas a member of the failedGunpowder Plot.FollowingKing James's accession to the English throne in 1603, Percy became disenchanted with the new king, who he supposed had reneged on his promises of toleration for English Catholics. He joinedRobert Catesby's conspiracy to kill the King and his ministers by blowing up theHouse of Lordswithgunpowder.Percy helped fund the group and secured the leases to properties in London, including theundercroftbeneath the House of Lords where the gunpowder was placed. When the plot was exposed on 5 November 1605, Percy fled to the Midlands, catching up with other conspirators travelling toDunchurch.At the border ofStaffordshire,they were besieged by theSheriff of Worcesterand his men. Percy was reportedly killed by the same musket ball as Catesby and was buried nearby. His body was later exhumed, and his head exhibited outside Parliament.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Gunpowder Plot.)
November 6
Ljubljanawas the third and lastBeograd-class destroyerbuilt for theRoyal Yugoslav Navyin the late 1930s. She was designed to operate as part of adivisionled byDubrovnik,theflotilla leader.Ljubljanaentered service in November 1939, was armed with amain batteryof fourŠkoda120 mm (4.7 in) guns in single mounts, and had a top speed of 35knots(65 km/h; 40 mph). In 1940,Ljubljanaran agroundon a reef off theYugoslavport ofŠibenik,where, badly damaged, she was taken for repairs. Yugoslavia entered World War II when theAxis powersled by Germanyinvaded in April 1941,andLjubljana—still under repair—was captured by theRoyal Italian Navy.After repairs were completed, she saw active service in the Royal Italian Navy under the nameLubiana,mainly as a convoy escort on routes between Italy and North Africa. She was lost on 1 April 1943, when she ran aground and was abandoned off the Tunisian coast.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Ships of the Royal Yugoslav Navy.)
November 7
Starship Troopersis a science-fictionaction filmreleased on November 7, 1997. Directed byPaul Verhoevenand written byEdward Neumeier,it is based on the 1959 novelStarship TroopersbyRobert A. Heinlein(pictured).The story follows teenager Johnny Rico and his comrades as they serve in a 23rd-centuryinterstellar waragainstalienscalled the Arachnids. The film starsCasper Van Dien,Dina Meyer,Denise Richards,Jake Busey,Neil Patrick Harris,Patrick Muldoon,andMichael Ironside.Starship Troopersfaced critical backlash, with reviewers seeing it as endorsingfascism,and disparaging its violent content. Despite initial box-office success, negative reviews and unfavorableword of mouthmade it only the 34th-highest-grossingfilm of 1997.It has since been critically re-evaluated, and is now considered acult classicand a satire of fascism and authoritarianism that has grown in relevancy. The film launcheda multimedia franchise,video games, comics, and a variety of merchandise. (Full article...)
November 8
Mario Party DSis a 2007party video gamedeveloped byHudson Softand published byNintendofor theNintendo DS.It is the secondhandheld gamein theMario Partyseries, as well as the last game in the series to be developed by Hudson Soft, as all subsequent games have been developed byNDcube.Like most installments in theMario Partyseries,Mario Party DSfeatures characters of theMariofranchise competing in aboard gamewith a variety ofminigames,many of which utilize the console's unique features, including its built-inmicrophone,dual screen, andtouch screenmechanics. Up to four human players can compete at a time, though characters can also becomputer-controlled.AlthoughMario Party DSreceived mixed reviews, with general praise for its minigame variety and criticism for its absence of anonline multiplayermode, the game has sold more than nine million units worldwide, making it the11th-best-selling game for the Nintendo DS.(Full article...)
November 9
George Floyd Jr.(born 1960) is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was adefensive backfor two seasons with theNew York Jetsin theNational Football League.Floyd playedcollege footballfor theEastern Kentucky University Colonels,where he won the1979 National Collegiate Athletic Association DivisionI-AAfootball championshipand set several school records, including for the most careerinterceptions(22), and the most career interception return yards (328). Floyd appeared in ten games during the1982 New York Jets season,including threeplayoffgames. He missed the entire1983 seasonand appeared in eight games during the1984 seasonbefore retiring after his third knee injury. He was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Famein 1999. After themurder of George Floyd,an unrelated black American man, in May 2020, his photograph was erroneously included in amontageat the funeral. As of 2023, Floyd is a defensive backs coach forConner High SchoolinKentucky.(Full article...)
November 10
Justuswas the fourtharchbishop of Canterbury.Pope Gregory the Greatsent Justus to England on a mission toChristianise the Anglo-Saxons,probably arriving with the second group of missionaries despatched in 601. Justus became the firstbishop of Rochesterin 604 and signed a letter to the Irish bishops urging them to adopt the Roman method of calculating thedate of Easter.He also attended a church council in Paris in 614. Following the death ofKing Æthelberht of Kentin 616, Justus was forced to flee toGaulbut was reinstated in his diocese the following year. In 624, Justus became Archbishop of Canterbury, overseeing the despatch of missionaries toNorthumbria.He died on 10 November, probably sometime between 627 and 631. After his death, he was revered as a saint and had a shrine inSt Augustine's AbbeyinCanterbury,to which his remains weretranslatedin the 1090s(gravestone pictured).(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Members of the Gregorian mission.)
November 11
Mells War Memorialis aFirst World War memorialin the village ofMells, Somerset,in south-western England. Designed bySir Edwin Lutyens,the memorial takes the form of a marble column topped by a sculpture ofSaint George slaying a dragon(pictured).At the base of the column, the names of the village's war dead are inscribed on stone panels. The memorial is flanked by rubble walls in local stone, on top of which grows a yew hedge. Low stone benches protrude from the walls to allow wreaths to be laid. The memorial is one of multiple buildings and structures in Mells designed by Lutyens. The memorial was unveiled on 26 June 1921 by Brigadier-GeneralArthur Asquith,whose brother is commemorated on it and whose father wasPrime Minister of the United Kingdomfor much of the war. Additional panels were fixed to the wall to commemorate the Second World War. It is a grade II*listed buildingand since 2015 has been part of a national collection of Lutyens's war memorials. (Full article...)
November 12
Gedling Town Football Clubwas asemi-professionalassociation football club based inStoke BardolphinNottinghamshire,England. Founded in 1985 as R & R Scaffolding, theworks teamof a construction firm fromNetherfield,the club played its first four seasons inamateur football.Between 1990 and 2008, Gedling competed in threeCentral Midlands Football Leaguedivisions and Division One of theNorthern Counties East Football League,winning three league titles in the process. Gedling then joined the Premier Division of theEast Midlands Counties Football Leagueat the tenth tier of theEnglish football pyramid,in which the club remained until its dissolution in 2011 due toinsolvency.Its home ground from the early 1990s was the Riverside Stadium behind the Ferry Boat Inn(pictured).Tournament records included reaching the third qualifying round of theFA Cupin 2003–04 and the fourth round of theFA Vasein 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. The team were nicknamed "The Ferrymen", and their colours were primarily yellow and blue. (Full article...)
November 13
Thealbum covers of Blue Note Records,an Americanjazzrecord label, have been recognized for their distinctive designs, which often feature bold colors, experimentaltypography,andcandid photographsof the album's musicians, and are described as belonging to theBauhausandSwiss Stylemovements. In the early 1950s, artists likeGil Mellé,Paul Bacon,and John Hermansader designed Blue Note's earliest album covers. In 1956,Reid Mileswas hired as Blue Note's art director, creating 400 to 500 covers with a unique style incorporating diversetypefacesand design principles such asasymmetryandtinting.After Miles left in 1967, artists likeMati KlarweinandBob Venosatook over. Designers such asNorman SeeffandBob Catocontributed in the 1970s, while Japanese artists created new covers for reissues in the late 1970s and 1980s. From the mid-1980s onward, artists likePaula ScherandAdam Pendletonhave designed covers, with Miles's work in particular remaining highly influential. (Full article...)
November 14
Costello's(also known as Tim's) was a bar and restaurant inMidtown Manhattan,New York City, from 1929 to 1992. The bar operated at several locations near the intersection of East 44th Street andThird Avenue.Costello's was known as a drinking spot for journalists with theNew York Daily News,writers withThe New Yorker,novelists, and cartoonists, including the authorErnest Hemingway,the cartoonistJames Thurber,the journalistJohn McNulty,the poetBrendan Behan,the short-story writerJohn O'Hara,and the writersMaeve BrennanandA. J. Liebling.The bar is also known for having been home to a wall where Thurber drew a cartoon depiction of the "Battle of the Sexes" at some point between 1934 and 1935; the cartoon was destroyed, illustrated again, and then lost in the 1990s. A wall illustrated in 1976 by several cartoonists, includingBill Gallo,Stan Lee,Mort Walker,Al Jaffee,Sergio Aragonés,andDik Browne,is still on display at the bar's final location. (Full article...)
November 15
TheWalden–Wallkill Rail Trail,also known as the Jesse McHugh Rail Trail, is a 3.22-mile (5.18 km)rail trailbetween the village ofWaldenand the hamlet ofWallkill.The two communities are located inOrange CountyandUlster County,respectively, inupstate New York.The trail is part of the formerWallkill Valley Railroad's rail corridor. The railway was the first to operate in Ulster County. Passenger service ended in 1937; the opening of theNew York State Thruwayand decreased freight traffic caused the line to close in 1957. The land was purchased by the towns ofMontgomeryandShawangunkin 1985 and converted to a public trail. The portion of the trail in Shawangunk was formally opened in 1993 and named after former town supervisor Jesse McHugh. After seven years of discussion, the route was paved between 2008 and 2009. The trail includes an unofficial, unimproved section to the north of Wallkill, and is bounded byNY 52andNY 208.(Full article...)
November 16
Atrociraptoris agenusofdromaeosauriddinosaur that lived during theLate Cretaceousin what is nowAlberta,Canada. The first specimen was discovered in 1995 by thefossil collectorWayne Marshall in theHorseshoe Canyon Formation.In 2004, this became theholotypeof the new genus and speciesAtrociraptor marshalli;thegeneric nameisLatinfor 'savage robber'. It is estimated to have measured 1.8 to 2 m (5.9 to 6.6 ft) in length and weighed 15 kg (33 lb). It would have had a large sickle-claw on the second toe andpennaceous feathers.Atrociraptorhas a deeper face and more strongly backwards-inclined teeth than its contemporary relatives. It is thought to have been specialised for attacking larger prey due to its deep snout. Studies suggest dromaeosaurids used their sickle-claws to restrain prey while dismembering them with the mouth.Atrociraptordates from around 72.2 to 71.5 million years ago; it survived for more than 2 million years and across a wide geographic area. (Full article...)
November 17
SMSFriedrich Carlwas anarmored cruiserof theImperial German Navy.A member of thePrinz Adalbertclass,the ship was intended to act as a scout for the fleet'sbattleshipsand to patrol theGerman colonial empire.ThePrinz Adalbertclass was based on the earlier armored cruiserPrinz Heinrich,but with improved armament and armor. Built in the early 1900s,Friedrich Carlserved in the German fleet from 1904 to 1909, which included a period asflagshipof the reconnaissance squadron and a cruise to theMediterranean Sea.The ship was then used as atorpedotest vessel from 1909 until the start of World War I in July 1914.Friedrich Carlwas assigned to the Cruiser Division of theBaltic Sea,serving as its flagship. On 17 November 1914, the ship struck a Russiannaval mineoffMemeland sank, though only seven or eight men were killed in the sinking.(This articleis part of afeatured topic:Armored cruisers of Germany.)
November 18
Donkey Kong Countryis a 1994platform gamedeveloped byRareand published byNintendofor theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System.It follows the gorillaDonkey Kongand his nephewDiddy Kongas they set out to recover their stolen banana hoard from the crocodileKing K. Rooland his army, theKremlings.Nintendo commissioned Rare to revive the dormantDonkey Kongfranchise as it sought a game to compete withSega'sAladdin(1993).Donkey Kong Countrywas one of the firsthome-consolegames to featurepre-renderedgraphics, achieved through acompressiontechnique that converted 3D models intospriteswith little loss of detail. It was released on 18 November 1994 to acclaim. Critics hailed its visuals as groundbreaking and praised its gameplay and music; it is frequently listed as one of thegreatest games of all time.Donkey Kong Countryre-establishedDonkey Kongas a popular Nintendo franchise and was followed by sequels andportsfor subsequent Nintendo consoles. (Full article...)
November 19
Edith Roosevelt(1861–1948;néeCarow) was the second wife of PresidentTheodore Rooseveltand thefirst lady of the United Statesfrom 1901 to 1909. She grew up alongside theRoosevelt family,and married Theodore Roosevelt in 1886; they had five children. She became a public figure when her husband became a war hero in theSpanish–American Warand was electedgovernor of New York.Theodore became vice president in March 1901, and president after the assassination ofWilliam McKinleyin September. Edith controlled when and how the press reported on the Roosevelts, and regulated Washington social life, organizing weekly meetings of thecabinetmembers' wives, and becoming the gatekeeper of who could attend formal events. Her oversight of the 1902 White House renovations and her hiring the first social secretary for a first lady,Belle Hagner,are considered enduring legacies. She remained politically active, despite poor health from the 1910s. (Full article...)
November 20
Thefirst Arab siege of Constantinople in 674–678was a major conflict of theArab–Byzantine wars,and the first culmination of theUmayyad Caliphate's expansionist strategy towards theByzantine Empire.In 672–673 Arab fleets secured bases along the coasts ofAsia Minor,and set up a loose blockade aroundConstantinople.They used the peninsula ofCyzicusnear the city as a base to spend the winter, and returned every spring to launch attacks against thecity's fortifications.Finally the Byzantines managed to destroy the Arab navy using a new invention, the liquid incendiary substance known asGreek fire(pictured).The Byzantines also defeated the Arab land army in Asia Minor, forcing them to lift the siege. A peace treaty was signed, and following the outbreak ofanother Muslim civil war,the Byzantines experienced a brief period of ascendancy. The siege was the first major Arab defeat in 50 years of expansion. Tales of a large-scale siege of Constantinople even reached China. (Full article...)
November 21
MLS Cup 1999was the fourth edition of theMLS Cup,the championship match ofMajor League Soccer(MLS), the top-levelsoccerleague of the United States. It took place on November 21, 1999, atFoxboro Stadium(pictured)inFoxborough, Massachusetts,and was contested byD.C. Unitedand theLos Angeles Galaxyin a rematch of theinaugural 1996 finalplayed at the same venue. Both teams finished atop their respective conferences during the regular season under new head coaches and advanced through the first two rounds of the playoffs. D.C. United won2–0with first-half goals fromJaime MorenoandBen Olsenfor their third MLS Cup victory in four years; Olsen was named themost valuable playerof the match for his winning goal. The final was played in front of 44,910 spectators – a record for the MLS Cup – and drew 1.16 million viewers on itsABCtelevision broadcast. It was also the first MLS match to be played with a standard game clock and without atiebreaker shootout.(Full article...)
November 22
Inhistorical linguistics,Weise's lawdescribes the loss of palatal quality some consonants undergo in specific contexts in theProto-Indo-European language.In short, when the consonants represented by*ḱ*ǵ*ǵʰ,called palatovelar consonants, are followed by*r,they lose their palatal quality, leading toa loss in distinctionbetween them and theplain velar consonants*k*g*gʰ.Some exceptions exist, such as when the*ris followed by*ior when the palatal form is restoredby analogywith related words. Although this sound change is most prominent in the satem languages, it is believed that the change must have occurred prior to thecentum–satem division,based on an earlier sound change which affected the distribution of Proto-Indo-European*uand*r.The law is named after the German linguist Oskar Weise(epitaph pictured),who first postulated it in 1881 as the solution to reconciling cognates inAncient GreekandSanskrit.(Full article...)
November 23
Sydney Newman(April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian film and television producer who played a pioneering role in British television and Canadian cinema. During the 1950s and 60s, he held the role of Head of Drama atABC Weekend TVand later at theBBC.During this time, he created thespy-fiseriesThe Avengersand co-created the science-fiction seriesDoctor Who.After his return to Canada in 1970, Newman was appointed acting director of the Broadcast Programs Branch for theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissionand then head of theNational Film Board of Canada.He also occupied senior positions at theCanadian Film Development CorporationandCanadian Broadcasting Corporation,as well as acting as an advisor to theSecretary of State.His obituary inThe Guardiandeclared that "for ten brief but glorious years, [he]... was the most importantimpresarioin Britain ", and that his death marked the" laying to rest of a whole philosophy of popular art ". (Full article...)
November 24
The Importance of Being Earnestis adrawing-room comedybyOscar Wilde.Premiered on 14 February 1895 in London, it depicts the affairs of two youngmen about townwho lead double lives to evade unwanted social obligations, both assuming the name Ernest to woo two young women. Other characters are the formidable Lady Bracknell, the fussygovernessMiss Prism and the benign and scholarlyCanonChasuble. The play, celebrated for its wit and repartee, parodies contemporary dramatic norms and comically satirises late-Victorianmanners. The triumphant opening night was followed within weeks by Wilde's downfall and imprisonment for homosexual acts and the closure of the production, and Wilde wrote no more comic or dramatic works. From the early 20th century onwards, the play has been revived frequently and adapted for radio, television, film, operas and musicals. (Full article...)
November 25
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome(ME/CFS) is a disablingchronic illness.People with ME/CFS experience profoundfatiguethat does not go away with rest, sleep issues, and problems with memory or concentration. Thehallmarksymptom is aworsening of the illnesswhich starts hours to days after minor physical or mental activity, and lasts from hours to several months. The cause of the disease is unknown. ME/CFS often starts after an infection, and many people fit the ME/CFS diagnostic criteria after contractinglong COVID.Diagnosis is based on symptoms because no diagnostic test is available. The illness can improve or worsen over time, but full recovery is uncommon. No therapies or medications are approved to treat the condition, and management is aimed at relieving symptoms. About a quarter of those affected are unable to leave their bed or home. People with ME/CFS often face stigma in healthcare settings, and care is complicated bycontroversies around the cause and treatments of the illness.(Full article...)
November 26
Heptamegacanthusis a genus ofacanthocephalans(thorny- or spiny-headedparasitic worms) containing a single species,Heptamegacanthus niekerki.This worm is aparasiteof the endangeredgiant golden molefound only in isolated forests nearEast Londonand in theTranskei,both inSouth Africa.The worms are about 4 millimetres (0.2 in) long and 2 millimetres (0.08 in) wide with minimalsexual dimorphism.Their body consists of aprobosciswith 40 to 45 hooks arranged in rings which are used to pierce and hold therectalwall of its host and a long trunk. The life cycle ofH. niekerkiremains unknown; however, like other acanthocephalans, it likely involvescomplex interactionswith at least two hosts. Although theintermediate hostforHeptamegacanthusis not definitively identified, it is presumed to be anarthropodsuch as an insect which is then eaten by the giant golden mole where they mature and reproduce sexually within theGastrointestinal tract#Lower gastrointestinal tract,creating eggs which are released in the feces. (Full article...)
November 27
Susanna Lee Hoffs(born January 17, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter. She,Debbi Peterson,andVicki Petersonfoundedthe Banglesin 1981. Their second album,Different Light,(1986) was warmly received by critics and was certified triple-platinum in 1994. The group's third album,Everything(1988), included the US top ten charting "In Your Room"and number one"Eternal Flame",both written by Hoffs withBilly SteinbergandTom Kelly.Following tensions including resentment at Hoffs's perceived leadership of the band and the stress of touring, the band split in 1989, reforming in 1999. Hoffs's first solo album,When You're a Boy(1991), was followed bySusanna Hoffs(1996). Neither of the releases proved to be as popular as the Bangles' albums, although they yielded two US-charting singles. Her most recent solo album isThe Deep End(2023), and her first novel,This Bird Has Flown,a romantic comedy about a struggling musician, was published in the same year. (Full article...)
November 28
Thebattle of Cane Hillwas fought during the American Civil War on November 28, 1862, near the town ofCane Hill, Arkansas.Uniontroops underJames G. Blunthad pursuedConfederatetroops commanded byThomas C. Hindmaninto northwesternArkansas,and Hindman saw an opportunity to attack Blunt while the latter was isolated. Confederate cavalry underJohn S. Marmadukemoved to Cane Hill to collect supplies. Blunt moved to attack Marmaduke on November 27. The Union advance made contact with Confederate troopers the next morning. The Confederates fell back to an elevation known as Reed's Mountain. Blunt continued to pursue after the Confederates abandoned Reed’s Mountain, but his leading elements ran into an ambush. The Confederates then presented aflag of truceas a ruse to buy time. Hindman’s army and Blunt’s reinforced command fought theBattle of Prairie Groveon December 7, which retained Union control ofMissouriand northwestern Arkansas. (Full article...)
November 29
TheSuicidal Tourtook place when Brazilian professionalfootballclubSanta Cruz Futebol Clubetoured theNorth Regionof Brazil from 2 January 1943 to 29 April 1943. Over almost four months, they played either 26 or 28friendly matchesin six cities. The tour gained its name due to the misfortunes endured by the club. Looking to recover from a financial crisis, Santa Cruz arranged five matches inBelém,Pará.Traveling up theAmazon Riverfor another round of matches, they first started experiencing problems inManaus,where two players left to play for other clubs and seven members of the team's delegation caughtdysentery.Two players went on to catchtyphoid feverand died. Unable to return home through the sea, and needing to cover growing costs, Santa Cruz had to return to Recife by land, playing matches along the way to earn money. The return had further problems, including a fake arrest warrant for a player, a trip alongside thieves, and two train derailments. (Full article...)
November 30
TheJanuary 1908 Irish representative peer electionwas held to fill a vacancy among the 28Irish representative peersat the time elected for life to the BritishHouse of Lords,with ballots sent by post to the 134Irish peerseligible to vote. The winner wasLord Curzon(shown), the formerviceroy of India,who had never been to Ireland and owned no Irish lands. A formerMP,he ran as a way of returning to parliament after being denied an earldom by the prime minister, SirHenry Campbell-Bannerman.As he had never asked the House of Lords to affirm his right to vote in Irish representative peer elections, as required to vote in them, some stated Curzon was ineligible for election. Despite a late start and opposition to him as non-Irish, Curzon led with two votes more thanLord Ashtown,who had two more thanLord Farnham,but the official return noted Curzon was not among those who could vote. When the House of Lords convened, the Lord Chancellor,Lord Loreburn,declared Curzon the winner. (Full article...)