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Featured articles
Fourteen featured articles were promoted this week:
- Eraserhead (nom) by Grapple X. Eraserhead is a 1977 surrealist horror film written and directed by American filmmaker David Lynch. The black-and-white film was Lynch's first feature film and was produced with the support of the American Film Institute. It tells the story of Henry Spencer, who is left to care for his deformed child in a desolate industrial landscape. The film, shot over a period of several years, was initially ignored but gained popularity through long runs as a midnight movie.
- M-553 (Michigan highway) (nom) by Imzadi1979. M-553 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It connects M-35 near Gwinn with the Marquette Bypass, ultimately linking Marquette to Sawyer International Airport. The road, originally called County Road 553, dates back to the 1930s and was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in 1998, preceding a change in designation.
- Dodo (nom) by FunkMonk. The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius. It was about one metre (3.3 ft) tall and may have weighed 10–18 kg (22–40 lb) in the wild, although its exact appearance remains a mystery. The bird was first recorded in 1598 and quickly fell prey to sailors and introduced animals. The last credible recorded sighting of a Dodo was in 1662, and its extinction called attention to the problem of human involvement in the disappearance of entire species.
- Phallus indusiatus (nom) by Sasata. Phallus indusiatus is a fungus in the family Phallaceae, or stinkhorns. It is found in tropical areas on several continents, where it grows in woodlands and gardens in rich soil and well-rotted woody material. The fruit body is characterised by its conical to bell-shaped cap on a stalk and hanging "skirt". Mature fruit bodies are up to 25 cm (9.8 in) tall and the cap is covered in a greenish-brown spore-containing slime. The mushroom is found in the cuisine and mythology of several countries.
- Ian Fleming (nom) by Schrodinger's cat and Cassianto. Fleming (1908–1964) was an English author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer, best known for his 14 James Bond spy novels, which drew on his experience in intelligence operations. The book series sold well and spawned 24 films, the second-highest-grossing film series of all time. Fleming's other works include a children's story and two works of non-fiction.
- Andjar Asmara (nom) by Crisco 1492. Andjar (1902–1961) was an Indonesian dramatist and film director. He started his career as a journalist, first in Batavia then in Padang, where he became active in theatre. By the 1930s he had joined a touring troupe as their writer, penning several stage plays for them. He began his career as a director in 1940, making six films in ten years. Andjar spent the remainder of his life as a film and theatre critic, although he continued to write screenplays.
- Sadie Harris (nom) by TRLIJC19 and Sofffie7. Harris is a character on the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes and portrayed by Melissa George. In the show, Harris serves as a medical intern and old friend of the series' protagonist Meredith Grey. Cast after appearing in In Treatment, George was contracted for several episodes. Critics have described her as "naughty", "mischievous", and "nutty".
- HMS Furious (47) (nom) by Sturmvogel 66. Furious was a modified Courageous-class battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. During construction, the ship was very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. It was later converted to an aircraft carrier and used for test runs and, later, hunting for German raiders. Its aircraft also served to protect ground troops and harass targets in and around Eruope. The ship was decommissioned in 1945.
- System Shock 2 (nom) by Hahc21. System Shock 2 is a 1999 first-person action role-playing video game for Microsoft Windows designed by Ken Levine and co-developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios. The game follows a lone soldier trying to stem the outbreak of a genetic infection that has devastated a spaceship and, although initially meant as a stand-alone title, was later brought into the System Shock universe. It has been considered highly influential, although it underperformed in the market.
- Microsoft Security Essentials (nom) by Codename Lisa. Microsoft Security Essentials is an antivirus software product that provides protection against malware on several Windows platforms. Building on other Microsoft security products, the software was criticised by antivirus companies as deficient and a possible violation of competition law. Released in 2009, the product is (as of 2012) one of the most popular antivirus products.
- The Hunger Games (nom) by Evanh2008. The Hunger Games is a 2008 young adult novel by American writer Suzanne Collins that follows a young female contestant in a televised fight-to-the-death among 24 children. The book, based in part on Greek mythology and reality television, was generally well received and earned several prizes. It has been followed by two sequels and a 2012 film adaptation.
- Augustinian theodicy (nom) by ItsZippy. The Augustinian theodicy is a philosophy defending the Christian premise of an all-powerful and perfectly loving God despite evidence of evil in the world. It was first developed by Augustine of Hippo, who rejected the idea that evil exists in itself, instead regarding it as a corruption of goodness. Numerous thinkers have responded to Augustine's theodicy, both to build on it and criticise it.
- Madagascar (nom) by Lemurbaby. Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. It is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar as well as numerous peripheral islands and is estimated to have just over 22 million people (as of 2012), most of whom live on less than two dollars a day.
- Olga Constantinovna of Russia (nom) by DrKiernan. Olga Constantinovna (1851–1926) was the queen consort of King George I of Greece and, briefly in 1920, queen regent of Greece. A member of the Romanov dynasty, she married George I at the age of sixteen and soon became involved in charitable work. She was exiled from Greece several times, but her descendents served as kings of Greece.
Featured lists
Six featured lists were promoted this week:
- Grade I listed churches in Merseyside (nom) by Peter I. Vardy. Merseyside, a metropolitan county in North West England, is home to fourteen Grade I listed churches. The Grade I listed churches in Merseyside mostly date from the Medieval period to the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year (nom) by GOP. The Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year is a humorous British literary award that is given annually to the book with the oddest title. The prize has been awarded every year but two since 1978 by The Bookseller.
- List of Arrested Development episodes (nom) by Wikipedical. The American television sitcom Arrested Development comprised 53 episodes during its 2003–2006 run. The show centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family, and is presented in a continuous format.
- List of The X-Files episodes (nom) by TBrandley. The American science fiction television series The X-Files saw 202 episodes during its 1993–2002 run. The show initially centered on FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who work on cases linked to the paranormal.
- List of international cricket five-wicket hauls at Brabourne Stadium (nom) by AroundTheGlobe. Brabourne Stadium, a cricket ground in Mumbai, India, has seen 14 five-wicket hauls (where a bowler takes five or more wickets in a single innings), nearly all in Test Cricket, since 1949.
- Wiz Khalifa discography (nom) by Sufur222. The American rapper Wiz Khalifa has released 4 albums, 10 mixtapes, 29 singles, and 24 music videos. His most successful thus far has been Rolling Papers, which was certified gold in the US.
Featured pictures
Five featured pictures were promoted this week:
- Dendrobates azureus (nom; related article), created by Quartl and nominated by Tomer T. Dendrobates azureus is a species of poison dart frog found in Suriname and Brazil. Named for its azure skin, it may lose its toxicity in captivity.
- Israel–Egypt barrier (nom; related article), created by Idobi1 and nominated by Tomer T. The Israel–Egypt barrier is being built by Israel along the country's border with Egypt. Initially meant to curb the influx of illegal immigrants, its security is being upgraded.
- John Henry Newman (nom; related article), created by John Everett Millais and nominated by Spongie555. Newman (1801–1890) was an English religious figure. First an Anglican and leader in the Oxford Movement, he converted to Catholicism and rose to the rank of cardinal.
- Kallima inachus (nom; related article), created by Quartl and nominated by Tomer T. Kallima inachus is a nymphalid butterfly found in tropical Asia from India to Japan. With its wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins.
- Synthetic bismuth crystal (nom; related article), created by Alchemist-hp and nominated Mediran. Crystals of the element bismuth can be formed artificially in a lab or at home, with varying quality. These crystals are very colourful and have a "hoppered" shape.
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