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From today's featured article Kenneth Widmerpool is a fictional character in Anthony Powell's novel sequence A Dance to the Music of Time, a 12-volume account of upper-class and bohemian life in Britain between 1920 and 1970. Widmerpool is the antithesis of the sequence's narrator-hero Nicholas Jenkins. Initially presented as a comic, even pathetic figure, he becomes increasingly formidable, powerful and ultimately sinister as the novels progress, his only sphere of failure being his relationships with women. Widmerpool's defining characteristics are lack of culture, small-mindedness and a capacity for intrigue; he is able to achieve his positions of dominance through dogged industry and self-belief. Thus he represents the meritocratic middle class's challenge to the declining power of the "establishment", revealed to have few defences against such an assault. Among suggested real-life models have been Edward Heath, the British prime minister 1970–74, and Reginald Manningham-Buller, who was Britain's Attorney General in the 1950s; Powell gave little encouragement to such theorising. The novel sequence ends with Widmerpool's death, in bizarre circumstances arising from his involvement with a New Age-type cult. (Full article...) Recently featured: Western Jackdaw – Reginald Heber – Fairfax Harrison Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the former Customs House (pictured) in Porsgrunn, Norway, originally contained three restaurants and a liquor store? ... that while Claude Raguet Hirst's painting A Gentleman's Table was commissioned by a men's club, it offers a subtle critique of male culture? ... that Abouriou was almost lost to extinction until a local farmer discovered abandoned plantings of the French wine grape growing up the walls of a ruined castle? ... that Norwegian footballer Erik Midtgarden won the Estonian Meistriliiga with Flora Tallinn in 2011? ... that Manny Coto compared the Vulcans in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Awakening" to the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation? ... that Gene Hobbs, a regular contributor to Wikipedia's scuba articles, was named the 2010 Divers Alert Network/Rolex Diver of the year? ... that according to Jaś Elsner, "style art history" was "the indisputable king of the discipline", but is now "dead"? Today's articles for improvement Home page – Remainder – Earth Day More selections...

In the news Orbital Sciences Corporation launches the maiden flight of the Antares rocket (pictured), carrying a mockup of the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. Tsegaye Kebede and Priscah Jeptoo win the men's and women's races, respectively, at the London Marathon. Giorgio Napolitano becomes the first Italian President to be re-elected. A 6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Lushan County, Ya'an, in China's Sichuan province, killing more than 150 people and injuring thousands. Serbia and Kosovo reach an EU-brokered deal towards normalising bilateral relations. A manhunt across the Boston area results in the death of one suspect and the capture of a second in the Boston Marathon bombings. On this day... April 23: World Book Day; Saint George's Day in various countries; Children's Day in Turkey 1661 – Charles II was crowned King of England, Ireland, and Scotland at Westminster Abbey. 1942 – Second World War: In retaliation for the Royal Air Force bombing of Lübeck several weeks prior, the Luftwaffe began a series of bombing raids in England, starting with Exeter. 1954 – Batting against Vic Raschi of the St. Louis Cardinals, Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves hit the first of his then-record 755 home runs in Major League Baseball. 1961 – In the midst of the Algerian War, French President Charles de Gaulle (pictured) delivered a televised speech calling on military personnel and civilians to oppose a coup d'état attempt against him. 1985 – The Coca-Cola Company introduced "New Coke" to replace its flagship soft drink Coca-Cola, which generated so much negative response that the company put the previous formula back on the market less than three months later. 2009 – Gamma ray burst GRB 090423 was detected, coming from the most distant known astronomical object of any kind at the time. More anniversaries: April 22 – April 23 – April 24 It is now April 23, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture Major sources and uses of fluorine, a chemical element which is at the core of a $16 billion industry (as of 2008). Percentages indicate mass volumes on a fluorine basis. Click for higher resolution. Diagram: TCO and Fallschirmjäger Recently featured: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library – Brian Nankervis

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