Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, July 24, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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saltpeter
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Mummers PlaysMummers plays, developed in England in the 17th century, are a form of traditional dramatic entertainment based on the legend of St. George and the dragon. The central theme of these plays, which are still performed in parts of Britain around Christmastime, is the death of a hero who is restored to life by a doctor. The word "mummer" has been linked to words such as mumble and mute and non-English words meaning what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Ascent of the Eiger's North Face (1938)Switzerland's Eiger mountain was first summited in 1858, but the sheer north face of the 13,025-foot (3,970-m) Alpine peak was not successfully climbed until 1938, when two independent pairs of climbers met on the face, joined forces, and reached the summit as a team. It has been climbed many times since, sadly with many fatalities, which, due to the cliff's high visibility, occur in full view of nearby villages. Since 1935, how many people have died climbing the Eiger's so-called Murder Wall? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Amelia Mary Earhart (1897)After attending an air show in 1920, Earhart, who had previously worked as a military nurse and a social worker, decided she wanted to become a pilot. She bought her first plane the following year. In 1928, she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger, and four years later, she became the first female pilot to make the trip solo. In 1937, her plane mysteriously vanished over the Pacific as she and a copilot attempted to circumnavigate the globe. What happened to them? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other out and out.Homer (900 BC-800 BC) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Cornouaille Festival (2020)The Celtic heritage of the Breton people comes alive every year in Quimper, a town in the district of Cornouaille. Located in Brittany, a region in northwestern France, Quimper has hosted this festival of traditional dance, music, storytelling, food, and games for more than 70 years. People dress in Breton costumes, which include elaborate lace bonnets for the women and shallow, brimmed hats for the men. Many of Brittany's inhabitants still speak the ancient Celtic language brought to the region by its first settlers some 2,500 years ago. More... | |