Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2012-05-07/Featured content
Featured content
This week at featured content: How much wood would a Wood Duck chuck if a Wood Duck could chuck wood?
Featured articles
Three featured articles were promoted this week:
- SMS Ostfriesland (nom) by Parsecboy. SMS Ostfriesland was the second vessel of the Helgoland class of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Named for the region of East Frisia, Ostfriesland's keel was laid in October 1908 at the Kaiserliche Werft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven. Ostfriesland was launched on 30 September 1909 and commissioned into the fleet on 1 August 1911. Along with three sister ships, Helgoland, Thüringen, and Oldenburg, she participated in all of the major fleet operations of World War I in the North Sea against the British Grand Fleet and saw action in the Baltic Sea against the Russian Navy. Ostfriesland was sunk during air power trials off the Virginia Capes in July 1921.
- Tichborne case (nom) by Brianboulton. The Tichborne case was a legal cause célèbre that captivated Victorian England in the 1860s and 1870s. It concerned the claims by an individual sometimes referred to as Thomas Castro or as Arthur Orton, but usually termed "the Claimant", to be the missing heir to the Tichborne baronetcy. He failed to convince the courts, and was convicted of perjury and sentenced to 14 years. In 1884, the Claimant was released and died destitute in 1898. Although most commentators have accepted the court's view that the Claimant was Orton, some analysts believe that a lingering doubt remains as to his true identity and that, conceivably, he was Roger Tichborne.
- John Sherman Cooper (nom) by Acdixon. John Sherman Cooper (1901–91) was a politician, jurist, and diplomat from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He served three non-consecutive, partial terms in the U.S. Senate before being elected to two full terms in 1960 and 1966. He also served as U.S. ambassador to India from 1955 to 1956 and to East Germany from 1974 to 1976. He was the first Republican to be popularly elected to more than one term as a senator from Kentucky and, in both 1960 and 1966, he set records for the largest victory margin for a Kentucky senatorial candidate from either party.
Featured lists
Four featured lists were promoted this week:
- List of amphibians of Michigan (nom) by Dana boomer. The US state of Michigan is home to 26 species of amphibians: 12 species of frogs, 12 of salamanders, and two of toads. Two of these species are considered endangered by the state, and another is considered threatened. Amphibian habitats in the state are generally split into four regions: the northern and southern Lower Peninsula and the eastern and western Upper Peninsula.
- 1936 Summer Olympics medal table (nom) by Miyagawa. The 1936 Summer Olympics, held in Berlin, saw 388 medals awarded to athletes from 32 National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The most successful NOC at the games was Nazi Germany, with 33 gold medals; African-American runner Jesse Owens was the most successful individual athlete, much to the ire of the German leader, Adolph Hitler.
- Casting Crowns discography (nom) by Toa Nidhiki05. The American contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns has released five studio albums, two independent albums, one holiday album, 14 singles, four live albums and five music videos since being founded in 1999. Their most successful release to date is their self-titled debut album, released in 2003, which has sold 1.7 million copies.
- Timeline of the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season (nom) by 12george1. The 1990 Atlantic hurricane season produced 16 tropical depressions, of which 14 intensified into tropical storms, eight became hurricanes, and one became a major hurricane. The strongest storm of the season was Hurricane Gustav, but Hurricane Diana and Tropical Storm Marco caused the greatest damage and loss of life, respectively.
Featured pictures
Nine featured pictures were promoted this week:
- The Second of May 1808 (nom; related article), created by Francisco Goya and nominated by Crisco 1492. Spanish artist Francisco Goya's painting The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes, was painted in two months in 1814. Measuring 266 × 345 cm (105 × 136 in), the oil on canvas painting depicts the Dos de Mayo Uprising. Another painting by Goya of the uprising, The Third of May 1808, was featured in March.
- Portrait of the Princess Maria Amalia of Saxony in Polish costume (nom; related article), created by Louis de Silvestre and nominated by Crisco 1492. Maria Amalia of Saxony (1724–60) was the German-born daughter of Augustus III of Poland and Maria Josepha of Austria. She later became wife of Charles III of Spain. Of this painting, reviewer Calliopejen1 asked "what insane anatomy must the artist have imagined" to have a foot peeking out of the subject's dress.
- African buffalo skull (nom; related article), created by Jebulon and nominated by Tomer T. This picture, described by reviewer Saffron Blaze as a "slam dunk", depicts the skull of an African buffalo. The buffalo, which can grow to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), has a strong skull. An adult bull's horns fuse together to form a "boss", which can stop a rifle bullet. The animals are considered among the five most dangerous African species.
- Hammersmith Bridge (nom; related article) by Diliff. This panorama consists of four segments with a two-second exposure each, showing the Hammersmith Bridge in London, which crosses the River Thames, at dusk. The second permanent bridge at the site, the 700-foot (210 m) Hammersmith Bridge, is open to both traffic and pedestrians.
- Boston Massacre (nom; related article), created by Paul Revere and Christian Remick, nominated by Crisco 1492. This depiction of the Boston Massacre, shows seven uniformed British soldiers firing into a crowd of American civilians. The actual massacre, which killed five Americans, led to a propaganda struggle between radicals and the British government; the featured picture is an example of pro-American propaganda, which whitewashed several details.
- Monarch in May (nom; related article), created by HaarFager and nominated by Pine. The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), perhaps the best-known North American butterfly, is also found in Europe and Oceania. It has a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 centimetres (3½–4 in) and is known for its large migrations, which last three or four generations.
- Bald Eagle portrait (nom; related article) by Saffron Blaze. The image shows the head of the Bald Eagle, the national bird of the United States. Bald Eagles are not actually bald; the name derives from the older meaning of the word, "white headed". Reviewer Sanyambahga opined that this was "the most striking image" in the article.
- Wood Duck, London (nom; related article) by Diliff. The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), a generally North American species, is generally found in wooded swamps, shallow lakes, marshes or ponds, and creeks; the male specimen pictured was photographed in St James's Park, London. Reviewer Daniel Case described the image as "fit for framing on the lodge wall."
- Anagallis monelli (habitus) (nom; related article), created by Lycaon and nominated by Tomer T. The Blue Pimpernel (Lysimachia monelli) is a plant native to the Mediterranean region. Although generally blue, the flowers can also be other colours; the subject has orange flowers.
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