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Ursula K. Le Guin

A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel written by American author Ursula K. Le Guin (pictured). First published by the small press Parnassus in 1968, it is considered a classic of fantasy and of children's literature. Set in the fictional archipelago of Earthsea, the story centers around a gifted mage named Ged. His prickly nature drives him into a duel with an older pupil at a school of wizardry, during which his spell goes awry and releases a shadow creature that attacks him. The novel follows his journey to be free of the creature. Often described as a coming-of-age story, the book explores Ged's process of learning to cope with power and come to terms with death. Taoist themes are reflected in a fundamental balance in the universe of Earthsea, which wizards are supposed to maintain. Margaret Atwood called the novel one of the "wellsprings" of fantasy literature. It was followed by five other volumes sharing a setting; the six works are collectively known as the Earthsea Cycle. (Full article...)

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Portrait of Eliodoro Bianchi by Luigi Rados (c. 1820)

... that tenor and voice teacher Eliodoro Bianchi (depicted) performed in many world premieres of operas, with Rossini expressly writing two roles for him?
... that the Zulu taunted the British during the action at Sihayo's Kraal, asking: "Why don't you come on up?"
... that General Raymond W. Bliss opened the United States Army's first radioactive-isotope laboratory in 1949?
... that the crested oyster has been eaten by humans for at least 6,000 years?
... that Alasdair Cochrane's Sentientist Politics was the first book dedicated to extending cosmopolitan political theory to include animal rights?
... that Texas radio stations KMJR, KXAI, and KBPA are part of a three-station facility change that will give the Educational Media Foundation a city-grade signal in San Antonio?
... that Swedish actress Julia Dufvenius had a role specially written for her in director Ingmar Bergman's last film, Saraband?
... that North Seattle's waste transfer station has a viewing room and a playground?

In the news

Muhyiddin Yassin

A tornado outbreak hits four counties around Nashville, United States, killing at least twenty-five people.
Muhyiddin Yassin (pictured) becomes the prime minister of Malaysia following a political crisis which led to the resignation of his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad.
The United States and the Taliban sign an agreement which establishes a framework for ending the War in Afghanistan.
Former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak dies at the age of 91.

On this day

March 4: Feast day of Saint Casimir (Catholicism)

Forth Bridge

1461 – Wars of the Roses: Henry VI, the Lancastrian king of England, was deposed by his Yorkist cousin, who succeeded him as Edward IV.
1890 – The Forth Bridge (pictured), a railway bridge connecting Edinburgh to Fife over the Firth of Forth, opened, becoming an internationally recognised Scottish landmark.
1966 – During an interview, John Lennon of the Beatles argued that the band had become "more popular than Jesus".
1990 – College basketball player Hank Gathers died after collapsing during a West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game in Los Angeles.

Hans von Aachen (d. 1615) · Paul Lacôme (b. 1838) · Gary Gygax (d. 2008)

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Today's featured picture

Argiope pulchella is a species of orb-weaving spider belonging to the family Araneidae, native to India and south-eastern Asia. This picture, taken in the Indian state of Kerala, shows a female A. pulchella spider in the middle of its web, with a male visible above it on the right. The male is "shuddering", vibrating the web as part of a courtship ritual, with males that shudder at high rates for long periods being preferred by the female to those with lesser skills; such activity may also reduce the likelihood that the male will be cannibalised by the female after mating. A zig-zag stabilimentum, a form of web decoration whose function is not precisely known, can be seen at the bottom right of the photograph.

Photograph credit: Jeevan Jose

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