Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, October 14, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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modicum
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| Article of the Day | |
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 FunicularsA funicular is a steep passenger railway whose cars are pulled by cables, often up the side of a mountain. Funiculars usually have two counterbalanced cars, so that as one ascends, the other descends. The funicular must therefore have at least one section of track where the cars can pass each other. Such railways are found around the world. Some are scenic attractions, while others are used in public transport. Which funicular was repeatedly destroyed by the volcano upon which it was built? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Chuck Yeager Breaks the Sound Barrier (1947)Days before becoming the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, Yeager, a US Air Force test pilot, broke two ribs riding a horse. Afraid of being taken off the mission, he kept his injury a secret, even though it limited his movement so much that he had to reach with a broom handle to close the hatch on the X-1 experimental aircraft. Launched mid-air from a modified bomber, the X-1 broke the sound barrier, and Yeager became a legend. How fast was he flying when he went supersonic? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ralph Lauren (1939)Lauren began designing ties while working as a tie salesman and opened his own business in 1967. His first menswear line, under the Polo name, debuted the next year, and the mesh sport shirt—featuring an emblem of a polo player—would become his signature piece. His expensive creations evoke the look of the English aristocracy as adopted by the East-Coast American elite. His label also appears on furnishings, tableware, and luggage. What made him change his last name to Lauren when he was 16? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Connoisseur, n.: A specialist who knows everything about something and nothing about anything else.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Svetitskhovloba (2020)Built in the 11th century, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located in the historical town of Mtskheta in Georgia. It is one of the principal worship sites of the Georgian Orthodox faith and has also inspired a major Georgian Orthodox holiday, Svetitskhovloba, which is celebrated two days of the year, July 13 and October 14. Svetitskhovloba pays homage to this cathedral, as well as to the relic that it is believed to hold: the cloak of Christ. Pilgrims from Georgia and other nearby countries congregate for a mass baptism at the junction of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. More... | |