Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, November 2, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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depute
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Cataract SurgeryA cataract is an opacity of the lens of the eye, which can cause impaired vision or blindness. Because cataracts are a common result of normal aging, most people over age 60 have cataracts to some degree. In fact, cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure in the US. One early remedy, developed thousands of years ago, involved using a needle to pierce the eye and push the lens out of the field of vision. In what regions is this dangerous, often blinding, technique still employed? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Major Internet-Distributed Computer Worm Launched (1988)In 1988, Cornell University student Robert Morris launched a program supposedly aimed at measuring the size of the Internet. He had designed the ostensibly harmless program to count the computers connected to the small but growing Web by copying itself to each unit. Due to a design flaw, however, the program spread wildly, repeatedly copying itself to some computers and rendering them useless. A large part of the Internet was affected by the so-called Morris worm. What was Morris's punishment? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Knox Polk (1795)A native southerner and friend of Andrew Jackson, Polk was elected president of the US in 1845. During his administration, the US made large territorial gains. Polk peacefully negotiated the Oregon border dispute with Britain, while the US victory in the Mexican War secured much of the West. Though an efficient and competent president, Polk was exhausted by the time he left office, and he died three months later. Despite his happy marriage, he had no children. What likely rendered him sterile? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I is the first letter of the alphabet, the first word of the language, the first thought of the mind, the first object of affection.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 National Peanut Festival (2020)The National Peanut Festival is a nine-day festival in Dothan, Alabama, honoring the peanut, a multimillion-dollar crop in Alabama. A highlight is the Goober Parade, for which the streets are paved with peanuts by a giant cement mixer that moves along the line of march throwing out a ton of peanuts, while parade watchers scramble for them. It is said the parade attracts as many as 200,000 spectators. Other events include the selection of Peanut Farmer of the Year, a cooking contest of peanut dishes, crafts exhibits, fireworks, a beauty pageant, and live entertainment. More... | |