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The red carpet at the 81st Academy Awards Ceremony, 2009

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent movie awards in the United States and most watched awards ceremony in the world. In 1927, shortly after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was incorporated, a dinner was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles to discuss the goals of the new organization. One of those goals was to find a method of honoring outstanding achievements, thereby encouraging higher levels of quality in all areas of motion picture production.

Featured Article: Toy

Traditional wooden toys

A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Utilitarian objects, especially those which are no longer needed for their original purpose, can also be used as toys. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Newer forms of toys include interactive digital entertainment and smart toys. Playing with toys can be an enjoyable way of training young children for life experiences and is an important part of development. Younger children use toys to discover their identity, help with cognition, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, become stronger physically, and practice skills needed in adulthood.

Popular Article: Krishna

The Hindu god Krishna with his consort Radha

Krishna (meaning "dark" or dark-blue"), also known as Govinda ("cow-protector") among many other names, is one of the most beloved and widely worshiped of all the Hindu deities. As the central character of the immensely popular Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God"), as well as the Bhagavata Purana text, Krishna is a colorful and polyvalent deity whose stories have greatly enriched the mythology and iconography of Hinduism. Worshiped as both an avatar ("descent" or "embodiment") of the Hindu god Vishnu, as well as a complete God in his own right, Krishna is depicted alternatively as a mischievous child, a divine lover, and a spiritual master.

Did you know?

The "Copernican revolution," placing the sun instead of the Earth at the center of the universe, is considered "the" scientific revolution and marked the starting point of modern astronomy and cosmology (source: Nicolaus Copernicus)

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