Wikipedia:Main Page history/2024 June 16

Welcome to Wikipedia

,
6,836,151 articles in English

From today's featured article

Compton Mackenzie
Compton Mackenzie

Whisky Galore! is a British comedy film produced by Ealing Studios and released on 16 June 1949, starring Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and Gordon Jackson. The directorial debut of Alexander Mackendrick, it was based on the 1947 novel Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie (pictured), and written by Mackenzie and Angus MacPhail. Inspired by the 1941 wreck of the SS Politician, the story concerns a shipwreck off a fictional Scottish island. The islanders, who have run out of whisky because of wartime rationing, salvage cases of it from the ship, against the opposition of the local Customs and Excise men. Like other Ealing comedies, Whisky Galore! explores the actions of a small group facing and overcoming a more powerful opponent. The film was well received on release; renamed Tight Little Island, it became the first film from the studios to achieve box office success in the US. It was followed by Rockets Galore!, a sequel. A remake was released in 2016. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

George Kunkel
George Kunkel

In the news

Saulos Chilima in April 2022
Saulos Chilima

On this day

June 16: First day of Eid al-Adha (Islam, 2024)

James Joyce
James Joyce
More anniversaries:
Almond

The almond (Prunus amygdalus) is a species of tree in the family Rosaceae, the roses. It prospers in a moderate Mediterranean climate with cool winter weather, and is native to Iran and surrounding countries, although it is rarely now found wild in its original setting. The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed; botanically, it is not considered a true nut. It is used extensively as a culinary nut, however, and is cultivated worldwide. Around 80% of the world's almond supply is produced in the US state of California. This photograph shows an almond drupe in shell, shell cracked open, unshelled and blanched seed.

Photograph credit: Ivar Leidus

Other areas of Wikipedia

  • Community portal – The central hub for editors, with resources, links, tasks, and announcements.
  • Village pump – Forum for discussions about Wikipedia itself, including policies and technical issues.
  • Site news – Sources of news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikimedia movement.
  • Teahouse – Ask basic questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
  • Help desk – Ask questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
  • Reference desk – Ask research questions about encyclopedic topics.
  • Content portals – A unique way to navigate the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteer projects:

Wikipedia languages