Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 July 22

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Welcome to Wikipedia,
3,690,074 articles in English

Today's featured article

The coat of arms of Canada as depicted in 1957

Canadian heraldry is the cultural tradition and style of coats of arms and other heraldic achievements in modern and historic Canada. Derived mainly from heraldic traditions in France and the United Kingdom, Canadian heraldry also incorporates distinctly Canadian symbols, especially native flora and fauna, references to the First Nations and other aboriginal peoples of Canada, and uniquely Canadian elements such as the Canadian pale, derived from the Canadian flag. In 1988, governance of both personal and corporate heraldry in Canada was patriated from the heraldic authorities in England and Scotland with the formation of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, which now has exclusive jurisdiction over granting awards of arms in Canada. Coats of arms are used throughout Canada by all levels of government, in many cases including royal insignia as a mark of authority. All citizens of Canada have the right to petition for an award of arms, as do other entities including businesses and religious institutions. The granting of arms is regarded as an honour from the monarch, via the Governor General, and thus are bestowed only on those whom the Chief Herald has deemed worthy of receiving a grant of arms. (more...)

Recently featured: CaliforniumPainted turtle1949 Ambato earthquake

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

The Annunciation to the Shepherds, by Franz Xaver Merz, Windberg Abbey, 1755

  • ... that the Annunciation to the shepherds (pictured) in Handel's Messiah, Part I, is the only scene from a Gospel in the oratorio?
  • ... that Louisiana State Rep. Brett Geymann once sought a legislative remedy for crawfish being pushed into neighboring ditches because of rising waters?
  • ... that the United Nations Honour Flag was designed as a symbol of the Allies of World War II at the suggestion of Winston Churchill?
  • ... that Late Gothic architect Benedikt Rejt rebuilt parts of Prague Castle and built the vault for St. Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora?
  • ... that May 3rd Constitution Day, among the most important Polish holidays, was banned in the former communist state, the People's Republic of Poland?
  • ... that Donald S. Nesti clashed with the Tamburitzans as president of Duquesne University?
  • ... that the parenting book On Becoming Baby Wise tells parents to put their infant down to sleep while he is awake?
  • In the news

    On this day...

    July 22: Pi Approximation Day; Feast day of Mary Magdalene

    Deng Xiaoping

  • 1864American Civil War: Confederate forces unsuccessfully attacked Union troops at the Battle of Atlanta.
  • 1894 – Despite finishing in first place in the world's first auto race, Jules-Albert de Dion did not win, as his steam-powered car was against the rules.
  • 1977 – After having been removed from power by the Gang of Four the year before, Deng Xiaoping (pictured) returned to leadership positions within the Communist Party of China.
  • 1992 – Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar escaped from his luxurious private prison and would spend the next 17 months on the run.
  • 2005London metropolitan police killed Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian immigrant, after misidentifying him as being involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts on the city.
  • More anniversaries: July 21July 22July 23

    It is now July 22, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

    Today's featured picture

    R136 star cluster

    The massive, young super star cluster, called R136, is only a few million years old and resides in the Tarantula Nebula, a turbulent star-birth region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. There is no known star-forming region in our galaxy as large or as prolific as the Tarantula Nebula. The image, taken in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3, spans about 100 light-years.

    Photo: NASA, ESA, and F. Paresce, R. O'Connell, and the Wide Field Camera 3 Science Oversight Committee

    Other areas of Wikipedia

    • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
    • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
    • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
    • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
    • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
    • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

    Wikipedia's sister projects

    Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects:

    Wikipedia languages