Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, May 30, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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tartar
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| Article of the Day | |
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 A Strange LoopProposed by cognitive scholar Douglas Hofstadter, the concept of a "strange loop" involves a paradox that arises when, by moving up or down through a hierarchical system, one finds oneself back at the initial starting point. Examples of such feedback loops in various media include the well known M. C. Escher lithograph Drawing Hands and the novelty song "I'm My Own Grandpa." Another conceptual example is the liar paradox, which is what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Dominican Republic Dictator Rafael Trujillo Is Assassinated (1961)Trujillo was a military strongman who seized control of the Dominican Republic in 1930 and ruled it as a dictator for the next 30 years. He renamed the capital after himself and forced all citizens to join his political party. He brutally suppressed dissent and ordered the infamous 1937 Parsley Massacre, in which up to 30,000 Haitians living near the Dominican border were murdered. In 1961, Trujillo was ambushed and shot to death by seven men. Why was the 1937 massacre named after a garden herb? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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.jpg) Mel Blanc (1908)One of the most prolific voice actors of all time, Blanc began his career in radio. In 1933, he began to work for a daily radio program, for which he created several voices. In 1937, he joined the cartoon department of Warner Brothers. During his 50-year career, he supplied voices in more than 3,000 animated cartoons for hundreds of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Woody Woodpecker. Which Looney Tunes character is said to sound closest Blanc's natural voice? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If I got places, sir, it was because I made myself fit for 'em. If you want to slip into a round hole, you must make a ball of yourself.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Kallemooi (2020)Observed in the North Coast Islands of the Netherlands, the custom known as Kallemooi represents the fishermen's welcome to spring. A tall pole with a transverse arm near the top is erected in the center of the village. A live cock is suspended in a basket from the apex of the crosspiece. It is decorated at the top with the Dutch flag, a green branch, and a placard bearing the word "Kallemooi." For three days and three nights before Pentecost, or Whitsunday, people feast, make merry, and play Whitsun games. After the fun is over, the rooster is released and returned to its owner. More... | |