Sega Saturn

Sega Saturn.
The Sega Saturn is a 32-bit home video game console developed by Sega. Released in 1994 in Japan, and 1995 in North America and Europe, the Saturn is the successor to the Sega Genesis, and Sega's fourth game console. It has dual-CPU architecture and eight processors, and was designed around a CPU developed by electronics company Hitachi. Its games are in CD-ROM format. The system was initially successful in Japan, but failed to sell large numbers in the United States after a surprise launch four months before its scheduled release, and an aggressive price war against Sony's PlayStation. Following the release of the Nintendo 64 in late 1996, the Saturn rapidly lost market share in the U.S., and was discontinued in 1998 in the country. The console is considered a commercial failure, selling just over 9 million units worldwide, blamed in part due to Sega's failure to release a Sonic the Hedgehog video game, known in development as Sonic X-treme, for the system.

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Banksia speciosa

Banksia speciosa.
Banksia speciosa, the showy banksia, is a large shrub or small tree in the family Proteaceae. First collected and described by Robert Brown in the early 19th century, the species occurs on the south coast of Western Australia between Hopetoun and the Great Australian Bight, growing on white or grey sand in shrubland. Reaching up to 8 m (26 ft) in height, it is a single-stemmed plant that has thin leaves with prominent triangular "teeth" along each margin, which are 20–45 cm (7.9–17.7 in) long and 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) wide. The prominent cream-yellow flower spikes appear throughout the year, developing up to 20 follicles each that store seeds until opened by bushfire. Though widely occurring, the species is highly sensitive to dieback. The flowers attract nectar- and insect-feeding birds, particularly honeyeaters. In cultivation, B. speciosa grows well in a sunny location on well-drained soil in areas with dry summers.

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Target ship

Target ship.
USS Oberrender (DE-344) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Thomas Olin Oberrender, Jr., the engineering officer of the light cruiser USS Juneau, killed when that ship was torpedoed and sunk during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Laid down in November 1943, launched in January 1944, and commissioned almost four months later, Oberrender commenced convoy escort duty in the Pacific in late 1944, with an interlude protecting escort carriers during the early stages of the invasion of Leyte. She was heavily damaged by the explosion of the ammunition ship USS Mount Hood at Manus and was repaired there during November. Returning to service in December, Oberrender served on anti-submarine patrol during the Battle of Okinawa, during which she was irreparably damaged by a kamikaze attack in early May 1945. She was decommissioned and sunk as a target late that year.

1974 White House helicopter incident

1974 White House helicopter incident.
The 1974 White House helicopter incident occurred when U.S. Army private Robert K. Preston stole a Bell UH-1B Iroquois helicopter (a "Huey") from Tipton Field, Maryland, and, in a major breach of security, landed it on the South Lawn (pictured) of the White House. Preston had enlisted in the Army to become a helicopter pilot, but did not graduate from the helicopter training course. Shortly after midnight on February 17, 1974, he was returning from leave when he took off in a helicopter. Preston flew towards Washington, D.C., where he hovered close to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument and over the South Lawn of the White House. He then flew back towards Tipton Field, pursued by two police Bell 206 JetRanger helicopters. He returned to Washington, and again hovered over the South Lawn. The Secret Service opened fire; lightly wounded, Preston landed and was arrested. At his court-martial, he was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $2400.