Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 February 27

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Today's featured article
John McCauley (1899–1989) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to 1957. A Duntroon graduate, McCauley spent four years in the Australian Military Forces before transferring to the RAAF in 1924. Having been promoted to group captain in 1940, he was posted to Singapore in June 1941 to take charge of all RAAF units defending the area. He earned praise for his efforts in attacking invading Japanese forces before the fall of Singapore, and for his dedication in evacuating his men. He was later appointed to a senior operational role with the Royal Air Force's 2nd Tactical Air Force in Europe, where he saw out the rest of the war. In 1947 he was promoted to air vice marshal and appointed Chief of Staff at British Commonwealth Occupation Force Headquarters in Japan. He took up the position of Chief of the Air Staff in January 1954, and was knighted a year later. During his tenure in the RAAF's senior role, McCauley focused on potential deployments to Southeast Asia—particularly Vietnam—and threats from the north, commencing redevelopment of RAAF Base Darwin and recommending purchase of a light supersonic bomber to replace the Air Force's English Electric Canberra. After retiring from military life in March 1957, he chaired various community and welfare organisations. (more...) Recently featured: Alboin – "Hey Baby" – Malmö FF Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Gemma Beadsworth (pictured) and her brother Jamie both represented Australia in water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics? ... that Foucauldian discourse analysis analyzes content by looking at the power relationships within it, and how the power shapes the language used? ... that Gangavataran was the first sound film, and the last film, to be directed by Dadasaheb Phalke? ... that following a cold case review, police arrested a suspect for the 1961 murder of Jacqueline Thomas 46 years after the crime was committed? ... that in 1943, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crashed in Astwell, Northamptonshire, near the Silverstone bomber station which was built in the same year? ... that in his award-winning string quartet Chinese Whispers, Graham Waterhouse has phrases gradually morph as they pass from player to player, as verbal phrases do in the whispering game? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Buenos Aires rail disaster aftermath The Artist wins five Oscars, including Best Picture, at the 84th Academy Awards. At least 23 people are killed during protests after copies of the Quran are burned at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. A train crash (aftermath pictured) in Buenos Aires kills 51 people and injures more than 700 others. Eurozone finance ministers reach an agreement on a second bailout for Greece. Scientists reportedly regenerate specimens of Silene stenophylla from placental tissue frozen approximately 32,000 years ago. Conflict in Syria – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
February 27: Clean Monday (Eastern Christianity, 2012); Independence Day in the Dominican Republic (1844) 380 – Co-Roman Emperors Theodosius I, Gratian, and Valentinian II issued the Edict of Thessalonica, requiring all Christians accept Nicene Christianity. 1801 – Under the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C., a new planned city and capital of the United States, was placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress. 1812 – Manuel Belgrano (pictured) raised the Flag of Argentina, which he designed, for the first time in the city of Rosario, during the Argentine War of Independence. 1940 – American biochemists Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered the radioactive isotope carbon-14, which today is used extensively as the basis of the radiocarbon dating method to date archaeological, geological, and hydrogeological samples. 2002 – A Sabarmati Express train was set on fire right after it left the train station in Godhra, India, killing more than 55 Hindu pilgrims. More anniversaries: February 26 – February 27 – February 28 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now February 27, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured list

The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1927 and 1928 and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks hosted the show. Awards were created by Louis B. Mayer, founder of Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation. During the ceremony, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards in twelve categories. Some nominations were announced without reference to a specific film, such as for Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who received nominations in the now defunct category of Engineering Effects. Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers both received an Honorary Award. Winners in competition at the ceremony included Seventh Heaven and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, each receiving three awards, and Wings (poster pictured), receiving two awards. (more...)

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Today's featured picture

Time-lapse video of the nastic movements of an Oxalis triangularis plant. The leaves open and close in response to varying light levels with the result that they are open during the day and close at night. This is true movement (i.e. not growth) and is non-directional with respect to the stimulus.

Video: Richard Wheeler

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