Wikipedia:Today's featured list/August 2024
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August 2
Ballot measures have been used in the U.S. state of Colorado to place new legislation, those recently passed by the Colorado General Assembly, and constitutional amendments on the ballot for a popular vote. Colorado has had a system of direct voting since gaining statehood in 1876. The state has three types of ballot measures that can be voted on in a statewide election: initiatives, referendums, and legislatively referred measures. The first successful citizen-initiated measures were passed in 1912. Since that time, ballot measures have played a major role in Colorado politics. After Denver was awarded the hosting rights to the 1976 Winter Olympics, citizens moved to block funding the games with a referendum in 1972. A 1990 ballot measure instituting term limits for many elected officials helped galvanize a nationwide movement for term limits, and 2000 Colorado Amendment 20 legalized the medical use of marijuana (greenhouse pictured). That measure was followed by full decriminalization with 2012 Colorado Amendment 64, and the decriminalization of psilocybin mushrooms in 2022. (Full list...)
August 5
The Canadian province of New Brunswick has 441 species of birds. The Maritime province lies within the Appalachian Mountain range and is largely covered by temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, with the northern part of the province also containing boreal forest. These ecosystems contribute to the diversity of birds in the province. Additionally, the Atlantic Flyway passes through New Brunswick's coast, with areas within the Bay of Fundy such as the Shepody Bay significantly contributing to the variety of bird species that breed in or migrate through the province. Of the 441 species, 94 are accidentals, 55 are noted as rare as defined by the New Brunswick Bird Records Committee (NBBRC), eight were introduced to North America, three are extinct and another is possibly extinct. (Full list...)
August 9
The order of battle at the Battle of the Nile, fought from 1 to 3 August 1798, consisted of 15 British ships and at least 17 French ships. The Battle of the Nile took place in Aboukir Bay, near the mouth of the Nile on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, and pitted a fleet of the Royal Navy against a fleet of the French Navy. The battle was the climax of a three-month campaign in the Mediterranean during which a large French convoy under General Napoleon Bonaparte had sailed from Toulon to Alexandria via Malta. Despite close pursuit by a British fleet under Sir Horatio Nelson, the French were able to reach Alexandria unscathed and successfully land an army, which Bonaparte led inland. Nelson reached the Egyptian coast on 1 August and discovered the French fleet at 14:00. Advancing during the afternoon, his ships entered the bay at 18:20 and attacked the French directly. The French fleet was almost totally destroyed, which reversed the strategic situation in the Mediterranean, giving the Royal Navy control of the sea which it retained until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. (Full list...)
August 12
The U.S. state of California experiences several tornadoes every year, with at least 482 recorded since 1891. Among these are four fire whirls, a type of tornado that develops from a wildfire. California's strongest tornadoes on the Fujita scale (or, after 2007, the Enhanced Fujita scale) have been rated an F3 or EF3, which has occurred three times – two F3 tornadoes in the Greater Los Angeles area in the 1970s, as well as an EF3-equivalent fire whirl (pictured) near Redding in Shasta County that developed within the Carr Fire in 2018. Although less common and not as strong as tornadoes in the central United States, there are regularly tornadoes in three regions of the state: the Los Angeles area, the deserts of Southern California, and the Central Valley. Most tornadoes in California are weak and short-lived, although some can be destructive or notable. (Full list...)
August 16
World Figure Skating Championships medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The championships are an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union. Generally held in March, the World Championships are considered the most prestigious of the ISU Figure Skating Championships. With the exception of the Olympic title, a world title is considered to be the highest competitive achievement in figure skating. Ulrich Salchow of Sweden (pictured) currently holds the record for the most gold medals won in men's singles (at ten), while Sonja Henie of Norway holds the record for the most gold medals won in women's singles (also at ten). Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev of the Soviet Union hold the record for the most gold medals won by a pairs team (at six). (Full list...)
August 19
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Drive My Car, a 2021 Japanese drama film directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (pictured) and written by Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, won 91 awards from 160 nominations, with particular recognition for Hamaguchi's direction, Hidetoshi Nishijima's performance, and the screenplay. At the 94th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won Best International Feature Film. It was the first Japanese film to receive a Best Picture nomination. The film won nine awards at the 45th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Picture of the Year, Director of the Year, and Screenplay of the Year. (Full list...)
August 23
Canada's national forest inventory includes many native conifer species. All except the larches are evergreens. Most are in the pine family, except for yews (in the yew family) and junipers, Alaska cedars and thuja cedars (in the cypress family). Softwood from North American conifers has a variety of commercial uses. The sturdier timber is used for plywood, wood veneer and construction framing, including structural support beams and studs. Milled logs can be fashioned into posts, poles and railroad ties. Less sturdy timber is often ground and processed into pulpwood, principally for papermaking. Resins from sap yield wood tar, turpentine or other terpenes. (Full list...)
August 26
Basshunter, a Swedish singer, record producer and DJ, has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, 30 singles, five promotional singles and seven remixes. The Bassmachine, Basshunter's debut studio album, was released by Alex Music on 25 August 2004. In April 2006, he signed his first contract with Extensive Music and Warner Music Sweden. His single "Boten Anna" charted at number one on the Danish singles chart, where it stayed for fourteen weeks; it was certified triple platinum by IFPI Danmark. "Boten Anna" also reached number one in the Swedish singles chart and was certified platinum by IFPI Sverige. His second studio album LOL, released on 28 August 2006, charted in the top five in Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The album was certified platinum by IFPI Finland and double platinum by IFPI Danmark. (Full list...)
August 30
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The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey franchise located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Founded ahead of the 2017–18 season as an expansion team, they play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). As of 2024, the Golden Knights have made 54 selections in eight NHL entry drafts. The Golden Knights first participated in the 2017 NHL entry draft, where they made Cody Glass their first-ever selection at sixth overall; they also selected Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom later in the first round. 2017 second-round selection Nicolas Hague (pictured) has played the most games for the Golden Knights of any draft pick, with 296 games played as of the conclusion of the 2023–24 NHL season. Hague and 2018 fifth-round pick Paul Cotter were the only draft picks to be inscribed on the Stanley Cup after the Golden Knights' victory in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. (Full list...)