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The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disc (representing the sun) in the center. It is officially called Nisshōki in Japanese, but more commonly known as the Hinomaru. Although considered the de facto flag, it was designated as Japan's national flag on August 13, 1999. In early Japanese history, the Hinomaru motif was used on flags of daimyos and samurai. During the Meiji Restoration both the sun disc and the Rising Sun Ensign were symbols in the Japanese empire. Use of the Hinomaru was restricted during the American occupation after World War II, but this was later relaxed. The flag is not frequently displayed due to its past association with nationalism. There is no requirement to fly the flag on any national holiday or special events. If used the flag may be flown from sunrise until sunset, although businesses and schools are permitted to fly the flag from opening to closing. (Full article...)

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Possible T. rex coprolite

... that the Poozeum holds fossilized dinosaur feces (pictured) which may have come from a T. rex?
... that Suleiman of Germiyan allowed the Ottoman annexation of much of his territory to pay his daughter's dowry?
... that a £142 wine fridge was smuggled into Downing Street on 11 December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom?
... that voice teacher Verna Osborne retired at the age of 101?
... that researchers estimated that training the model for ChatGPT used the equivalent energy footprint of "driving 123 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles for a year"?
... that Felix Eberty was called "an original and ingenious person" by Albert Einstein?
... that the H. Wortman Pumping Station has four pumps, but is only used in exceptional circumstances?
... that frontier physician Isaac Coe is credited with saving Indianapolis from an 1821 outbreak of malaria?
... that an art collective released a dating simulator dedicated to preparing the player's income taxes?

In the news

The ATR 72 involved in the crash

Voepass Linhas Aéreas Flight 2283 (aircraft pictured) crashes in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, killing all 62 people on board.
Sheikh Hasina resigns as the prime minister of Bangladesh following anti-government protests, and Muhammad Yunus is appointed leader of an interim government.
Following a mass stabbing in Southport, far-right protesters riot in England and Northern Ireland.
The United States, Russia, and their respective allies agree to a prisoner exchange of 26 people.

On this day

August 13

Damage caused by Hurricane Charley

1704 – War of the Spanish Succession: The Duke of Marlborough led Allied forces to a crucial victory at the Battle of Blenheim.
1724 – Bach led the Thomanerchor in Leipzig in the first performance of the chorale cantata, Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BWV 101.
1999 – The Act on National Flag and Anthem was adopted, formally establishing the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" as the Japanese national flag and anthem, respectively.
2004 – Merely 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck the U.S. state of Florida, Hurricane Charley inflicted further damage to the region (example pictured).

Jules Massenet (d. 1912)
Bobby Clarke (b. 1949)
Ida McNeil (d. 1974)
Tigran Petrosian (d. 1984)

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Today's featured picture

The royal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) is a fish in the marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae. It is found in tropical seas, including the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean around East Africa and the Maldives, the Tuamotus, New Caledonia, and the Great Barrier Reef. It is also found around Taiwan and islands off the coast of Japan. The royal angelfish has a maximum length of 25.0 centimetres (9.8 inches), with coloration varying by region. A commonality is that the body is edged in narrow blue-white and orange stripes that are narrow and angle backward. It is a carnivorous species, feeding on sponges and tunicates, and resides in coral-rich areas of lagoons and reefs as well as in the vicinity of caves. This royal angelfish was photographed in Ras Muhammad National Park on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

Photograph credit: Diego Delso

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