April Fools

Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio:

When a map, dating from fifteen sixty-two,
The Americas, precisely described, promised you,
It might well be very good, I guess,
But not for use in GPS.
Still, to it, let's raise our flagons,
For now we know: there be dragons.

This Signpost "Featured content" report covers material promoted from 23 March 2014 to 29 March 2014.

Featured articles

Having gunpowder hurled your way
Is known for screwing up your day.
Nor will there be a wondrous time
If you are hit with flaming lime.
As such, the Song's ships readily won
Caishi, eleven sixty-one

European Nightjar (nominated by Jimfbleak) This bird, Caprimulgus europaeus, is a nocturnal creature that is found in Europe and Asia. There are six subspecies. "Caprimulgus is derived from the Latin capra, "nanny goat", and mulgere, "to milk", referring to an old myth that nightjars suck milk from goats".

Stockton and Darlington Railway (nominated by Edgepedia) This railway company operated in England from 1825 to 1863. It was the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives.

"Spinning Around" (nominated by WonderBoy1998) Australian artist Kylie Minogue had a disappointing reception to her sixth studio album, Impossible Princess. This song was recorded for her seventh studio album Light Years (2000) which was more favorably reviewed. The music video for the song was noted for the appearance of Minogue's gold hotpants.

Dishonored (nominated by Darkwarriorblake) This 2012 video game is set in the dystopian city of Dunwall. The main character is a bodyguard who is framed for the murder of the Empress of the Isles. The game is noted for allowing the player to choose several methods of accomplishing missions including nonlethal options. "During development, test players discovered methods of exploiting the available powers and abilities to achieve unexpected outcomes; instead of restricting these techniques, the designers attempted to redesign levels to accommodate them."

Formula, Vol. 1 (nominated by Magiciandude) This debut album of American singer-songwriter Romeo Santos was released in 2011. Over 300,000 copies were sold and the album received generally favorable reviews including a Grammy nomination. "A deluxe edition of the album containing five extra tracks was released exclusively in Walmart retail stores in the United States."

Battle of Caishi (nominated by Khanate General) The Battle of Caishi (Battle of Ts'ai-shih; Chinese: 采石之戰) was a naval battle that occurred in November of the Western year 1161. Over 18,000 soldiers participated in the battle. The commander of the losing side, Prince Hailing, was assassinated by his men soon after the defeat.

Horrible Histories (2009 TV series) (nominated by Shoebox2) This children's sketch comedy television series was broadcast on CBBC. The television series is based on the book series of the same name. The television episodes continue "the franchise's overall irreverent but accurate focus on the dark, gruesome or scatological aspects of British and other Western world history..."

Goodman Beaver (nominated by Curly Turkey) The comics character Goodman Beaver first appeared in 1959. Beaver "was a naïve and optimistic Candide-like character, oblivious to the corruption and degeneration around him. The stories were vehicles for biting social satire and pop culture parody." Stories included "Goodman Goes Playboy", which Hugh Hefner found amusing but Archie Comics did not.

SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II (nominated by Parsecboy) This pre-dreadnaught battleship participated in training exercises and port visits from 1902 to 1906 as flagship of the German High Seas Fleet. In World War I, the ship served in coastal defense until its age and crew shortages resulted in it being reassigned to duty as a command ship.

Featured lists

I like big butts, and I cannot lie.
You other brothers can't deny,
When you see a man getting out of his bath
And an artist draws his gaff
You got art.

Featured pictures

Eighteen images were promoted to featured picture status this week.

Here, a true Adonis see,
But sadly, rather blue is he.
(We fear the Signpost this week runs
Excessively to awful puns)

SMS Baden and SMS Fürst Bismarck (created by Hugo Graf, scanned by Mr.Nostalgic, restored and nominated^[1][2] by Adam Cuerden) Shipping is the practice of wanting two characters in a relationship. Thus, going by this week's promotions, it would seem that the pre-World-War-I Imperial German Navy shipped Otto von Bismarck with the territory of Baden. Gives new definition to fertile soil, that.

Wadi Bani Khalid (created by Richard Bartz, nominated by Tomer T) In the nomination of this gorgeous image, there was a complaint that people's knowledge of geography wouldn't stretch to this valley. We at the Signpost trust in our reader's intelligence more than that

Inveraray Castle (created by Son of Groucho, nominated by Tomer T) Apparently, It's a long way to Inveraray.

Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio (created by Diego Gutiérrez, nominated by Brandmeister) This map is an exact description of the Americas. It says right on it. Pretty advanced for 1562!

Homme au bain (created by Gustave Caillebotte, nominated by Crisco 1492) According to some people, this is art worth approximately $17 million. When the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston controversially raised funds to acquire it by selling other paintings by notable artists, Boston Globe editor Dante Ramos commented that the acquisition is "the kind of bold, adventurous move that a world-class museum ought to be making."

Sega Mega Drive and Sega Genesis (created by Evan Amos, nominated by Crisco 1492) As these systems lack Legend of Zelda, Super Mario and Metroid, we're going to show extreme bias against them for hopefully comic effect. Bah!

Adonis Blue (created and nominated by David Iliff) A bright blue butterfly. Madame Butterfly is more drab, however.

Holy Trinity, Sloane Street (created and nominated by David Iliff) A church in London. I'm uncomfortable poking fun of that, so just click to see the very pretty picture and move on, please.

Balearic green toad (created by Richard Bartz, nominated by Nikhil) Now all we need is eye of newt, wool of bat, and tongue of dog.

Additional FPCs follow, with informative stories.

A Massive Case of Gas

The arms of this spiral gallery, NGC 4414, are rich in dust, an indicator of stellar nurseries – and, indeed, are full of young, blue stars. So remember, when sweeping up with your light-year-sized broom, it's best not to clean too much, lest you make the universe too sterile.
(Created by NASA, nominated by The Herald)

Just sweep the dust under a rug somewhere. It'll be fine. (Unless someone goes Godfather on you, and you find a horse's head peeking out...)
(Horsehead Nebula, created by Ken Crawford, nominated by The Herald)

But, seriously, what are people going to do? Come to your galaxy, go poking into dark corners, and photograph it all?
(Carina Nebula, created by the European Southern Observatory, nominated by The Herald)

Some folk, seeing distant gas,
Will gladly let the matter pass;
Others, when the gas they see,
Nominate at FPC.