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Elvis Costello in 2012

This Year's Model is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello (pictured), released on 17 March 1978 through Radar Records with his new backing band, the Attractions. It was recorded at Eden Studios in late 1977 and early 1978. Nick Lowe was the producer, and Roger Béchirian the engineer. The songs embrace new wave, power pop and punk rock; the lyrics explore subjects such as mass control and relationships. The cover art, by Barney Bubbles, shows Costello behind a camera, emphasising his role as an observer. The singles "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" and "Pump It Up" were commercially successful and the album reached number four on the UK Albums Chart. The US LP reached number 30 on Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart. The album received critical acclaim for its songwriting and performances; it has been described as one of Costello's best works and has appeared on several lists of all-time greatest albums. A new version of the album was released in 2021. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Bathing Ghat, Bulandshahr

... that 19th-century construction of the bathing ghat (pictured) at Bulandshahr was delayed because an executive engineer deemed it an "eye-sore"?
... that Aly Tewfik Shousha, a founding member of the World Health Organization, died while attending the WHO executive meeting in Geneva?
... that a swivel weaving technique was used by cloud brocade weavers in Ming-dynasty China?
... that a simple polygon through all the points of a three-by-three grid must pass straight through some of the points, rather than turning at each of them?
... that foreign nationals wishing to gain Philippine citizenship need to demonstrate proficiency in English or Spanish as well as a Philippine language?
... that according to some Shi'i Muslim authors who wrote under the name of al-Mufaddal ibn Umar al-Ju'fi, unbelievers will be reincarnated into animal, vegetable, or mineral bodies?
... that the game director for A Space for the Unbound wanted to preserve his memories as an Indonesian through the game?
... ... that millennials pause?

In the news

Daniel Scheinert (left) and Daniel Kwan

At the Academy Awards, Everything Everywhere All at Once wins seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (both pictured).
Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to re-establish diplomatic relations, seven years after they were severed.
Silicon Valley Bank collapses in the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history.
In the Estonian parliamentary election, the Reform Party, led by Kaja Kallas, wins the most seats in the Riigikogu.

On this day

March 17: Saint Patrick's Day (Christianity); Anniversary of the Unification of Italy (1861)

A 15th-century depiction of Edward the Black Prince

1337 – Edward the Black Prince (pictured) was created Duke of Cornwall, becoming the first duke in English history.
1677 – Franco-Dutch War: France captured the town of Valenciennes in the Spanish Netherlands.
1917 – World War I: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster led a force to rescue 92 prisoners of war from Bir Hakeim, killing the Sensussi guards and their families.
1942 – The Holocaust: The first mass killings of Jews began at Belzec extermination camp in occupied Poland, the first of the Operation Reinhard camps to begin operation.
1963 – An eruption of Mount Agung on Bali, Indonesia, killed at least 1,100 people.

Gertrude of Nivelles (d. 659)
Walter Rudolf Hess (b. 1881)
Chuck Muncie (b. 1953)

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Sparham Pools

The Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) is a wildlife trust covering the English county of Norfolk in East Anglia. Founded in 1926, it is the oldest of all the trusts. It has more than 35,500 members and eight local groups, and it manages more than fifty nature reserves and other protected sites. It also gives conservation advice to individuals and organisations, provides educational services to young people on field trips and organises entertainment and information events at nature reserves. The NWT reserves include twenty-six Sites of Special Scientific Interest, nine national nature reserves, twelve A Nature Conservation Review sites, sixteen Special Areas of Conservation, twelve Special Protection Areas, eleven Ramsar sites, two local nature reserves, four Geological Conservation Review sites and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

The Dark Hedges are an avenue of beech trees near Armoy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Planted in the late 18th century for the Gracehill House estate of James Stuart, the trees form an atmospheric "tunnel" and became a tourist attraction after their use as a filming location in the HBO television series Game of Thrones. This photograph of the Dark Hedges was taken in 2016.

Photograph credit: Colin Park

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