Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, January 13, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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sibylline
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Improvised Explosive DevicesFabricated from all manner of munitions and triggering mechanisms—both military and nonmilitary—improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are bombs that are deployed using methods other than those of conventional military action. Though IEDs have been used in conflicts throughout the world, the term is now commonly associated with the Iraq War due to the extensive use of such devices by insurgents. During the Vietnam War, what common household items were used in conjunction with grenades to form IEDs? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Survivor of British Retreat from Kabul Reaches Jalalabad (1842)During the First Anglo-Afghan War, a group of 4,500 British soldiers and 12,000 British civilians left Kabul for Jalalabad. Beset by murderous bands, their numbers quickly dwindled. A few were captured alive and later released, but army surgeon William Brydon was the sole person to escape the final ambush by Afghan tribesman and reach the British camp at Jalalabad that day. Part of Brydon's skull had been sheared off by a sword, but he survived thanks to what object stuffed inside his hat? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832)Alger was an American author who wrote more than 100 children's books. Highly formulaic, each taught that through honesty, perseverance, and hard work, poor but virtuous lads could prevail in life. Published in 1868, the first of those books, Ragged Dick, was an immediate success. Despite the weaknesses of Alger's writing, his books ultimately sold more than 20 million copies, making him one of the most popular writers of the 19th century. What ended Alger's previous career as a minister? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 But what is Government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?James Madison (1751-1836) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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long arm— Broad, far-reaching power or influence. (Usually paired with a noun, as in "the long arm of the law.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Lohri (2018)Lohri is a traditional seasonal festival in India celebrating winter's end and the returning prominence of the sun to the Northern Hemisphere. Among Hindus and Sikhs, Lohri is a particularly special occasion for families who have had a baby during the previous year; families may celebrate with a feast and family members and friends often give gifts to the new child. Throughout India today, Lohri is widely celebrated at night with bonfires and dancing. People eat seasonal nuts and candies and also throw them into the fire. More... | |
| In the News | |
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Gut Check: Gas-Sniffing Capsule Charts The Digestive TractTo study the human gut and the microbes that live within it, scientists have a couple of options. They can grab a small piece of tissue from the gastrointestinal tract or collect a sample of fecal matter. Neither way is ideal, says Jack Gilbert, a ... More... | |