Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 December 8

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From today's featured article
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by English musician John Lennon. The best selling single of his solo career, its lyrical statement is one of idealistic Collectivism. It challenges the listener to imagine a world at peace, without the divisiveness and barriers of borders, religious denominations and nationalities, and to consider the possibility that the focus of humanity should be living a life unattached to material possessions. Lennon and Yoko Ono co-produced the song and album of the same name with Phil Spector. One month after the September 1971 release of the LP, Lennon released "Imagine" as a single in the United States; the song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed of his solo career. Lennon released "Imagine" as a single in the United Kingdom in 1975, and the song has since sold more than 1.6 million copies in the UK. It earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and Rolling Stone ranked it number 3 in their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". (Full article...) Recently featured: Supernatural (season 2) – Ace Books – Golden White-eye Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that in the Monegros Desert in Spain, the Aregon Steppes are home for many endangered bird species including the Great Bustard (pictured)? ... that Munir Malik played 49 first-class matches and took 197 wickets, including 14 five-wicket hauls, at the average of 21.75? ... that composer Christoph Nichelmann was the second harpsichordist at the court of King Frederick the Great of Prussia? ... that people tend to overestimate their ability to relay emotions over email? ... that Laurence Drummond commanded a troop of Methuen's Horse during the Bechuanaland Expedition of 1884–1885? ... that the two Hindu fasting days Putrada Ekadashi and Putrada Ekadashi are both devoted to the goal of acquiring a son? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
At least 6 people are killed and 650 others injured during protests in Egypt. Dave Brubeck (pictured), who recorded the first jazz platinum album, dies at the age of 91. At least 475 people are killed after Typhoon Bopha, known as "Pablo" in the Philippines, makes landfall on the island of Mindanao. Borut Pahor is elected President of Slovenia. The Kuwaiti parliamentary election is held amidst boycotts by opposition groups. Recent deaths: Oscar Niemeyer Syrian civil war – Wikinews – More current events...
On this day...
December 8: Hanukkah begins at sunset (Judaism, 2012); Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic Church); Bodhi Day in Japan 1854 – In his apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogmatic definition of Immaculate Conception, which holds that the Virgin Mary was born free of original sin. 1941 – Second World War: Led by Takashi Sakai, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Hong Kong and quickly achieved air superiority by bombing Kai Tak Airport. 1987 – A man shot and killed eight people at the Australia Post building in Melbourne, before jumping to his death. 1991 – Leaders of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine signed the Belavezha Accords, agreeing to dissolve the Soviet Union and establish the Commonwealth of Independent States. 2010 – The Japanese experimental spacecraft IKAROS (model pictured) passed by Venus at about 80,800 km distance, completing its planned mission to demonstrate solar sail technology. More anniversaries: December 7 – December 8 – December 9 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now December 8, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The warty crab (Eriphia verrucosa) is a species of crab found in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean from Brittany to Mauritania and the Azores. It lives among stones and seaweeds in shallow water along rocky coastlines up to a depth of 15 metres (49 ft).

Photo: George Chernilevsky

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