Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 November 22

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Edward Teach (c. 1680 – 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies. He was probably born in Bristol, but little is known about his early life. He may have served on privateer ships during Queen Anne's War before he joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold, a pirate who operated from the Caribbean island of New Providence, and with whom he engaged in numerous acts of piracy. Teach renamed a captured merchant vessel as Queen Anne's Revenge and became a renowned pirate, his cognomen derived from his thick black beard and fearsome appearance; he was reported to have tied lit fuses under his hat to frighten his enemies. A shrewd and calculating leader, he avoided the use of force, relying instead on his fearsome image, and commanding his vessels with the permission of their crews. There are no known accounts of his ever having harmed or murdered those he held captive. Following his death on 22 November 1718, his image was romanticised, becoming the inspiration for a number of pirate-themed works of fiction across a range of genres. (more...) Recently featured: Canoe River train crash – M-6 – Achtung Baby Archive – By email – More featured articles...
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From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the psychoactive mushroom Psilocybe pelliculosa (pictured) resembles P. washingtonensis so closely that a microscope is needed to reliably distinguish between them? ... that the rove beetle Diochus electrus is the first definite member of the subfamily Staphylininae from the fossil record? ... that foliage from the Australian rainforest tree Grevillea baileyana was used in the floral arrangements handed to medal winners at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney? ... that the University of Central Florida's women's soccer team has had a winning record in 27 of the 30 seasons the team has played? ... that Nag Hammadi Codex II is the only complete manuscript of the Gospel of Thomas? ... that Australian rules football is sometimes referred to as "aerial ping-pong"? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Tony Stewart In auto racing, Tony Stewart (pictured) wins the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The People's Party, led by Mariano Rajoy, wins a majority in the Spanish general election. Scientists announce the development of the world's lightest material, consisting of ultra-light metallic microlattice. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, banned in Burma since May 2010, announces that it will re-register as a political party. Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia sign a cooperation agreement, setting a target of establishing the Eurasian Union by 2015. The International Atomic Energy Agency releases a report accusing Iran of conducting research and experiments to develop nuclear weapons. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
November 22: Alphabet Day in Albania (1908); Independence Day in Lebanon (1943) 498 – Following the death of Anastasius II, both Symmachus and Laurentius were elected pope, causing a schism that would last until 506. 1635 – Dutch colonial forces on Taiwan launched a three-month pacification campaign against Taiwanese aborigines. 1928 – Boléro, Maurice Ravel's most famous musical composition, made its debut at the Paris Opéra. 1988 – The first B-2 stealth bomber of the United States Air Force was first displayed in public at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. 2005 – Angela Merkel (pictured) assumed office as the first female Chancellor of Germany. More anniversaries: November 21 – November 22 – November 23 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now November 22, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Two bipyramids of cassiterite, the mineral form of tin dioxide. Cassiterite, a widespread minor constituent of igneous rocks, has been the chief tin ore throughout ancient history and remains the most important source of tin today. Its lustre and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gemstone.

Photo: Alchemist-hp

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