Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, May 22, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Article of the Day | |
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 The Bengal Famine of 1943The Bengal Famine took place in the midst of WWII in British-occupied Bengal, now Bangladesh, and parts of eastern India. What distinguished the year of 1943 was not that rice production fell dramatically, but rather that food prices soared while wages stagnated. It has been called a "man-made famine" because, according to some, the occupying British both exacerbated it with their actions and failed to provide relief. How many people are estimated to have died from starvation due to the famine? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Farmer Discovers Howe Caverns (1842)Howe Caverns is a cave system in east-central New York that lies 156 ft (48 m) below ground. It was discovered in 1842, when farmer Lester Howe began to wonder why his cows all seemed to gather near one particular hill on hot summer days. Upon investigating, he felt a cool breeze blowing from a hole in the hill. He and a neighbor began to dig out the hole and uncovered the entrance to a cave. They explored it extensively and opened it for tours the next year. Why are there boats in the cave? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859)Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer noted for his tales about fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally a doctor, Conan Doyle studied under the sharp-eyed Dr. Joseph Bell, who was noted for his ability to draw accurate conclusions about people through observation. Bell was thus the model for Holmes, who appeared for the first time in 1887. Conan Doyle "killed off" Holmes in 1893 but was forced by public demand to resurrect him. What famous unsolved hoax might the author have perpetrated? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Constitutions should consist only of general provisions; the reason is that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible change of things.Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Hay-on-Wye Festival of Literature (2020)This celebration of words and language has been held in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, since 1988. It offers 10 days of comedy, theater and musical performances in addition to conversations and readings by poets and fiction writers. The festival regularly features some of the most widely known Welsh, Irish, English, European, and American writers in the world; musical performances have included the Welsh National Opera Male Choir and the English Shakespeare Company. A series of master classes in poetry, short story, and screenwriting has also been established for young writers. More... | |