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Trey Parker

"Starvin' Marvin" is the eighth episode in the first season of the American animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central on November 19, 1997. A satire on the humanitarianism industry and American indifference toward impoverished countries, it was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker (pictured). In the episode, Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and Stan send money to an African charity hoping to get a sports watch, but are instead sent an Ethiopian child they call "Starvin' Marvin". In a Thanksgiving-themed subplot, genetically engineered turkeys attack South Park. The episode received generally positive reviews, and several commentators have described it as a classic episode. It was originally viewed by about 2.2 million households, roughly eight times Comedy Central's average viewership at the time. In addition to Starvin' Marvin, who became a popular minor character, the episode introduced Kyle's father Gerald Broflovski and Kenny's family members Stuart, Carol and Kevin McCormick. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

Nell Gwyn

... that one account has it that King Charles II offered his mistress Nell Gwyn (pictured) "all the land she could ride around before breakfast"—and the next morning she rode out early and encircled what would become Bestwood Park?
... that 15 future professors of medicine in Japan worked in Ken Hashimoto's American laboratory?
... that the sea anemone Diadumene cincta reproduces by basal laceration, with pieces of tissue becoming detached from the base and developing into new individuals?
... that in 1608, Greek spy Petros Lantzas devised a plan to assassinate the Ottoman Sultan by placing a present containing explosives in front of him?
... that Arthur Machen's novella The Great God Pan has influenced such writers as H. P. Lovecraft, Peter Straub, and Stephen King?
... that Ramiz Kovaçi, a baritone at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania, was also a jury member for a light music festival?
... that in 1959, the US Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for a prosecutor knowingly to use false testimony, even if the testimony does not directly relate to the defendant's guilt?
... that Manchester City player Claudio Gomes won a trophy at Wembley Stadium one second into his professional debut?

In the news

National Museum of Brazil fire

A fire (pictured) destroys the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro.
In Gaelic football, Dublin win the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, defeating Tyrone in the final.
In Indonesia, the Asian Games close, with China leading the medal tally.
An explosion kills Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.
The government of Puerto Rico revises the death toll in the territory from Hurricane Maria in 2017 from 64 to 2,975, after nearly a year of controversy and criticism.

On this day

September 4

Pedro II of Brazil and Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies

929 – At the Battle of Lenzen, the Saxon army killed or captured all of the Slavs defending the fortified stronghold of Lenzen.
1812 – War of 1812: A coalition of Native American tribes began the Siege of Fort Harrison in Terre Haute, Indiana, by setting the fort on fire.
1843 – Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies and Pedro II of Brazil (both pictured) held an extravagant wedding at a cathedral in Rio de Janeiro.
1912 – The Albanian revolt of 1912 came to an end when the Ottoman government agreed to meet most of the rebels' demands.
1998 – Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in Menlo Park, California, to promote the web search engine that they developed as Stanford University students.

Anna of Trebizond (d. 1342) · Paul Harvey (b. 1918) · Syed Mustafa Siraj (d. 2012)

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Today's featured picture

The Madrid Metro is a rapid transit system serving the Spanish capital, Madrid. It was inaugurated in 1919 by King Alfonso, with a single line which ran for 3.48 kilometres (2.16 mi) between Puerta del Sol and Cuatro Caminos, with eight stops. The present system has 301 stations on 13 lines plus one branch line, totalling 294 kilometres (183 mi).

Map: Javitomad

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