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From today's featured article The Mae Shi in 2009 "R U Professional" is a satirical electropop song by the American indie rock band the Mae Shi (pictured), inspired by a July 2008 outburst by actor Christian Bale on the set of Terminator Salvation. Bale was filming with actress Bryce Dallas Howard when he berated the director of photography, Shane Hurlbut, for walking into his line of sight. After an audio recording of the incident appeared on the website TMZ, the Mae Shi recorded their song, releasing it on YouTube and via download on MediaFire the next day, February 3, 2009. The song samples Bale's voice, repeating the word "professional" in the chorus. The lyrics reference several films the actor starred in, including Newsies, Swing Kids, American Psycho, and The Dark Knight. "R U Professional" attracted a generally positive reception by reviewers, and was praised as an effective parody. MTV compared its style to that of new wave groups like Devo, and the Los Angeles Times described it as a lively pop music tribute to the actor. El País noted that the song contributed to the viral spread of Bale's outburst online. (Full article...) Recently featured: Radical Dreamers Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo Raid at Cabanatuan Did you know... A waterstarting windsurfer rising up ... that in windsurfing, performing a waterstart (example pictured) in a light wind is considered to be an expert-level skill? ... that Sonia Humphrey took the ABC to the Anti-Discrimination Board in 1984, after the broadcaster removed her from an on-air role, citing her pregnancy as a "visual overload" to viewers? ... that Charles V. Shank co-invented the distributed feedback laser? ... that the Devon County War Memorial is hewn from a single block of granite quarried on Dartmoor, the largest that its architect Edwin Lutyens was able to acquire? ... that Guinness World Records named Saugat Bista, the seven-year-old director of Love You Baba, the "youngest director of a professionally made feature length film"? ... that the shrub Persoonia laxa was found in Sydney but is now presumed extinct? ... that Dave Howie played rugby seven times for Scotland, but his father refused to watch him play?

In the news Angelique Kerber The rapid spread of the Zika virus in Latin America leads to the World Health Organization issuing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. In tennis, the Australian Open concludes with Novak Djokovic winning the men's singles and Angelique Kerber (pictured) winning the women's singles. AlphaGo becomes the first computer program to defeat a professional human Go player. Hilda Heine is elected President of the Marshall Islands. Ongoing events: European migrant crisis Recent deaths: Terry Wogan Jacques Rivette Paul Kantner On this day... February 3: Setsubun in Japan; Feast day of Dom Justo Takayama in Japan and the Philippines; Four Chaplains' Day in the United States Alfredo Stroessner 1637 – The contract prices of rare tulip bulbs in the Dutch Republic, which had been steadily climbing for three months, abruptly dropped, marking the decline of tulip mania. 1807 – Napoleonic Wars: The United Kingdom captured Montevideo, now the capital of Uruguay, from the Spanish Empire. 1913 – The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, allowing the US Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on census results. 1967 – Ronald Ryan became the last person to be legally executed in Australia, sparking public protests across the country. 1989 – Alfredo Stroessner (pictured), whose rule as President of Paraguay for 35 years was marked by uninterrupted repression in his country, was overthrown in a military coup by Andrés Rodríguez. More anniversaries: February 2 February 3 February 4

Today's featured picture Shrinika performing Abhinaya, the art of expression in Indian aesthetics, understood as "leading an audience towards" the experience (bhava) of a sentiment (rasa). The concept, derived from Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra, is an integral part of all Indian classical dance styles. Photograph: Augustus Binu Recently featured: SMS Kaiserin Augusta Portrait of an African Man Aplysina archeri

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