Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 11, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
vitriol
| |||||||
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Mayumba National ParkIn 2002, Gabon's president established a national park system that protects about 11% of the country's land and waters. Included is Mayumba National Park, located on the Atlantic coast of central Africa and dedicated to the protection of marine life. The park shelters a 60 km (37 mi.) strip of beach and coastal vegetation and extends another 15 km (9 mi.) out to sea. Dolphins and whales can often be found in the waters off the coast. What reptile uses the park's beach as its breeding ground? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 The Great Blue Norther (1911)The central US is no stranger to sudden changes in weather, but the temperature fluctuations and weather phenomena that struck on November 11, 1911, were about as unusual as it gets. On that day, many cities experienced record high temperatures before the mercury plummeted to record lows. Springfield, Missouri, for example, was a balmy 80°F (27°C) before the cold front passing through the region brought it down to a frigid 13°F (-11°C). What else did the front bring with it? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Alessandro Moreschi (1858)Moreschi was the late 19th century's most famous castrato—a male singer who undergoes castration before puberty and, as a result, retains a soprano or alto voice that becomes extraordinarily powerful as he develops the lung capacity and physical bulk of an adult. He was first soprano in the Sistine Chapel choir for 30 years and was the only castrato of the bel canto tradition to make solo sound recordings. What do modern music critics say about the singing featured in these recordings? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Pathos, piety, courage,—they exist, but are identical, and so is filth. Everything exists, nothing has value.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Heurigen Parties (2016)St. Martin's Day, November 11, is the traditional time when wine taverns in Austria offer the first new wines of the year. Wine feasts called Heurigen parties abound in these taverns throughout the country and are scheduled according to an official Heurigenkalender. Traditional foods served with the new wine include sausage, cheese, and bread. Many taverns also stage operettas and other shows for the season. More... | |