Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, February 19, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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billet
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| Article of the Day | |
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 EarwormsKnown scientifically as "involuntary musical imagery," an earworm is a fragment of music that compulsively replays in one's head. The phenomenon, which is distinct from auditory hallucination and is believed to affect nearly everyone to some degree, has been studied by psychologists and neurologists alike. Some notable science fiction stories have concerned fictional songs so catchy that they get stuck in everyone's head, destroying civilization. Do earworms last longer for men or women? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Former US Vice President Aaron Burr Arrested for Treason (1807)Nearly three years after killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel, former US Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested on unrelated charges of treason. Though the exact details of his plan were a mystery even then, he was accused of plotting to establish an independent country of his own, possibly in the American Southwest. He was treated well while imprisoned at Fort Stoddert and was eventually acquitted, but his political career was destroyed. Which of his co-conspirators turned on him? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Shivaji (1630)A devout Hindu, Shivaji grew up hating the Mughal Empire that controlled most of his native India. Around 1655, he began making guerrilla attacks on the Muslim kingdom of Bijapur, gradually carving out his own domain. He lured the Bijapur army to its destruction, becoming a formidable warlord overnight by taking the army's equipment. He then established the Maratha Empire, which was noted for its religious tolerance. How did he once make a daring escape from the Mughal emperor's palace? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Where peaceAnd rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all. John Milton (1608-1674) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin (2021)On February 19, 1942, Japanese bomber and fighter planes conducted a devastating air raid on the town of Darwin, the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory. As a tribute to honor the dead and those who defended Darwin, an annual commemoration is held in Bicentennial Park by the Cenotaph, a monument to those slain in World War I. At 9:58, the exact time the attack began, a World War II air raid siren sounds. During some observances, Australian regiments will reenact the attack: ground units fire their guns, and fighter planes perform fly-bys over the memorial site. More... | |