Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, January 15, 2021)Word of the Day | |||||||
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pooh-bah
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Article of the Day | |
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Minaret of JamHidden in the remote mountains of Afghanistan, far from human settlement, the ancient Minaret of Jam was forgotten by the outside world until its rediscovery by archaeologists in 1957. The minaret was built in 1194 CE, probably as part of the Ghurid Dynasty's summer capital, the lost city of Firuzkuh. Set by the junction of two small rivers, the ornate brick-and-tile structure stands 213 feet (65 m) high and is surrounded by ruins. The Quranic text on the minaret refers to what historic woman? More... |
This Day in History | |
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Mafia Boss Salvatore Riina Apprehended after 23 Years in Hiding (1993)Riina started out as a mafia hit man and ascended the ranks, becoming a feared leader of the Sicilian Mafia. When control of the heroin trade in Sicily led to fierce rivalry among the Mafia clans, Riina—known as "The Beast"—orchestrated the murders of high-profile public officials while living in hiding for 23 years. His tactics were unusual—mafia bosses tended to be highly visible in their communities while keeping their violent activities under the radar. How did the police finally find him? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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Edward Teller (1908)Teller was a Hungarian-born physicist who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb. After studying with Werner Heisenberg in Germany, Teller came to the US in 1935 to escape the Nazis. Six years later, he began working on the physics of the hydrogen bomb. He took the lead on that project and was instrumental in making possible the first successful US explosion of the device in November 1952. Soon after, he alienated much of the scientific community by speaking out about what? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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There certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them. Jane Austen (1775-1817) |
Idiom of the Day | |
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backslider— One who reverts or relapses into bad habits, unethical or immoral behavior, or criminal activity. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
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Carmentalia (2023)It was unusual in ancient Rome for a single deity to have two separate festival days only a few days apart (January 11 and 15), and a number of explanations have been offered for why the second festival in honor of the goddess Carmenta was instituted. The only thing that is certain is that it was primarily women who frequented her temple near the Porta Carmentalis, a gate at the foot of the southern end of the capitol. Carmenta had her own priest, or flamen, whose duties on her festival days were confined to the preparation of offerings of grain or cereal. More... |