Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, August 11, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Lake MalawiThe third largest lake in Africa and ninth largest in the world, Lake Malawi is bounded on the west and south by Malawi, on the east by Mozambique, and on the north by Tanzania. Also known as Lake Nyasa—so named by Scottish missionary David Livingstone in 1859—it is approximately 360 miles (580 km) long with an average width of 25 miles (40 km). Fed by 14 rivers, it is home to more than 200 recorded species of fish—making it one of the most species-diverse lakes in the world. How deep is it? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mayan Long Count Calendar Begins (3114 BCE)The Long Count is one of the various ancient Mayan calendars that maintained complicated, cyclical measurements of time. It was intended to provide an accurate record of historical events and counts the days elapsed from a fixed starting point—calculated as August 11, 3114 BCE, the date of creation according to the Maya. Some believe that the calendar predicts the world's end on December 21, 2012, but scholars have widely rejected this claim. What was the significance of that date to the Maya? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Alex Haley (1921)A descendent of African slaves, Haley began writing during a 20-year US Coast Guard career. He became a journalist, and earned national attention for The Autobiography of Malcolm X. His biggest success was 1976's Roots, a Pulitzer Prize-winning history of his ancestors beginning with their enslavement. A television adaptation became one of the most-watched programs in America, spurring interest in genealogy. Why then was the work excluded from a prominent anthology of literature? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious.Francis Bacon (1561-1626) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Rasa Leela Festival (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh) (2020)Janmashtami is the birthday of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, which is observed on the new moon day of the month of Bhadrapada. In the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, an important center of Indian art and the birthplace of Krishna, a month-long festival is held during Bhadrapada. The Rasa Leela play cycle, a traditional operatic ballet based on the Krishna legend, is performed throughout the month. The Rasa Leela (or Ras-Lila) Festival takes its name from the ras, or dance, of Krishna, the divine flute-player, and his consort, Radha. More... | |