Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2012-04-23/Featured content

A mirror (or seventeen) on this week's featured content

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Featured articles

The Hindu goddess Ahalya, here depicted by Raja Ravi Varma, is the subject of a new featured article.

Six featured articles were promoted this week:

Ahalya (nom) by Redtigerxyz. In Hindu mythology, Ahalya is wife of the sage Gautama Maharishi. Many Hindu scriptures say she was seduced by Indra (king of the gods), cursed by her husband for infidelity, and liberated from the curse by Rama (an avatar of the god Vishnu). Created by the god Brahma as the most beautiful of woman, Ahalya was married to the much older Gautama. In the earliest full narrative, when Indra comes disguised as her husband, Ahalya sees through his disguise but nevertheless accepts his advances. Later sources often absolve her of all guilt, saying she falls prey to Indra's trickery, or is raped.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (nom) by DrNegative. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated film created by Walt Disney Feature Animation – the first science fiction film in Disney's animated features canon and the 41st overall. Set in 1914, the film tells the story of a young man who gains possession of a sacred book, which he believes will guide him and a crew of adventurers to the lost city of Atlantis. At the time of its release, the film had made greater use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) than any of Disney's previous animated features; today it remains one of the few to have been shot in anamorphic format.
Bal des Ardents (nom) by Truthkeeper88. Bal des Ardents (Ball of the Burning Men) was held on 28 January 1393. Charles VI of France performed in a dance with five members of the French nobility. Four of the dancers were killed in a fire caused by a torch brought in by a spectator; Charles' brother Louis, Duke of Orléans—Charles and another of the dancers survived. The ball was one of a number of events intended to entertain the young king, who the previous summer had suffered the first in a series of life-long attacks of insanity. The ball undermined confidence in Charles' capacity to rule; Parisians considered it proof of courtly decadence and threatened to rebel against the more powerful members of the nobility.
John Francis Jackson (nom) by Ian Rose. John Francis Jackson DFC (1908–1942) was an Australian fighter ace. Called up for active service in 1939, Jackson served with No. 23 Squadron in Australia, then posted to the Middle East in 1940 where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions. Posted to the South West Pacific theatre, he was promoted to squadron leader in March 1942 and given command of No. 75 Squadron at Port Moresby. He was credited with eight aerial victories, and led No. 75 Squadron during the Battle of Port Moresby in 1942, earning praise for his leadership before his death in combat on 28 April. Described as "rugged, simple" and "true as steel", Jackson was nicknamed "Old John" in affectionate tribute.
Dan Leno (nom) by Cassianto and Ssilvers. Dan Leno (1860–1904), was a leading English music hall comedian and musical theatre actor during the late Victorian era. He was also known for his dame roles in the annual Christmas pantomime spectacles that were popular at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane from 1888 to 1904. Leno also appeared in burlesque and in musical comedies and his own music hall routines until 1902, although he suffered increasingly from alcoholism. This, together with his long association with dame and low comedy roles, prevented him from being taken seriously as a dramatic actor.
Ficus obliqua (nom) by Casliber. Ficus obliqua, commonly known as the small-leaved fig, is a tree in the family Moraceae native to eastern Australia, New Guinea, eastern Indonesia to Sulawesi and islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Previously known for many years as Ficus eugenioides, it is a banyan of the genus Ficus, which contains around 750 species worldwide in warm climates, including the edible fig (Ficus carica). Beginning life as a seedling, which grows on other plants (epiphyte) or on rocks (lithophyte), F. obliqua can grow to 60 m (200 ft) high and nearly as wide with a pale grey buttressed trunk, and glossy green leaves. It is used as a shade tree in parks and public spaces, and is well-suited for use as an indoor plant or in bonsai

Featured lists

Three featured lists were promoted this week:

List of accolades received by The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (nom) by Ruby2010 and Glimmer721. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is a series of epic fantasy-drama films, based on J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, and directed by Peter Jackson. The three films, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, were released serially worldwide between December 2001 and 2003 to widespread critical acclaim. The films won many awards, both in acting and in various technical categories, including those in editing, sound mixing, and visual effects.
List of Liverpool F.C. players (25–99 appearances) (nom) by NapHit. Liverpool Football Club is an English association football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. It was formed in 1892 and won the First Division title for the first time in 1901; the club has won a further 17 league titles, and seven FA Cups and Football League Cups each. More than 700 players have appeared in competitive first-team matches for the club, many of whom have played between 25 and 99 matches (including substitute appearances). Out of the players still at the club, English defender Glen Johnson is the closest to 100 appearances; he has played 94 matches for Liverpool.
LCD Soundsystem discography (nom) by What a pro. The discography of American dance-punk band LCD Soundsystem consists of three studio albums, three extended plays (EP), two remix albums, one live album, eighteen singles, and fourteen music videos. Their music is a mix of dance music and punk, with disco influences. The band first gained attention when they released the single "Losing My Edge" on DFA Records, which became a well-known indie song in 2002. LCD Soundsystem released their third and final studio album, This Is Happening in May 2008, the first of their albums to debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200. The band officially disbanded in 2011.

Featured pictures

Six featured articles were promoted this week:

Hall of Mirrors (Palace of Versailles) (nom; related article), created by Myrabella and nominated by Crisco 1492. The Hall of Mirrors, the central gallery in the the Palace of Versailles, France, was built between 1678 and 1684. The room is most famous for the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows overlooking the palace gardens.
Comet Lovejoy (nom; related article), created by Dan Burbank and nominated by Brandmeister. C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy), better known as Comet Lovejoy, was discovered in 2011 by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy. The new featured image was taken from aboard the International Space Station; the comet is not expected to return until sometime between 2550 and 2600.
Durdle Door from above (nom; related article), created by Saffron Blaze and nominated by Mahahahaneapneap. Durdle Door is a limestone arch in Dorset, England. Although it is privately owned, it is open to the public. Reviewer PaleCloudedWhite described the image as having "good composition" and showing "an iconic piece of coastline".
Australian Shelduck male (nom; related article) by JJ Harrison. The Australian Shelduck is a shelduck from southern Australia and Tasmania; a photograph of a female was promoted last week. The specimen was photographed in Perth, Australia.
White-headed Stilt (nom; related article) by JJ Harrison. The White-headed Stilt (Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus or Himantopus leucocephalus) is a bird that has been classified both as a unique species and subspecies of the Black-winged Stilt. This specimen was photographed at Lake Joondalup, Perth, Australia.
Wheat Field with Cypresses (MET) (nom; related article), created by Vincent van Gogh and nominated by Crisco 1492. This painting, by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, is one of three similar paintings with the same title. The promoted version is currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; another is held at the National Gallery in London, and the last is in a private collection.