Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, August 2, 2018)Word of the Day | |||||||
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bemuse
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Article of the Day | |
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![]() CheckmateNow employed in modern parlance to describe an irrefutable, strategic victory, "checkmate" is the term used in the game of chess to indicate the situation in which one player's king is threatened with capture and no escape or defense is possible. Delivering checkmate is the ultimate goal in chess, and the player who forces it wins the game. The term "checkmate" is an alteration of the Persian phrase shah mat, which means what? More... |
This Day in History | |
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![]() Henry Hudson Discovers Hudson Bay (1610)After several failed attempts to find a northeast passage to Asia, Hudson, a veteran sea captain, sailed west and began probing N America to find a way through it by ship. In 1610, he discovered Hudson Bay but lingered too long and became trapped there by winter ice. When the weather warmed, Hudson wanted to continue exploring, but his starved and diseased crew refused. They mutinied and set Hudson, his son, and a few others adrift in a small boat without food or water. What happened to them? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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![]() Myrna Loy (1905)Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp, film actress Myrna Loy soon earned praise for her witty sophistication in 1934's The Thin Man. By 1936, she was a top box-office draw. Offscreen, she was never associated with Hollywood glamour or scandal. Instead, she was one of the few actors to protest against the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the McCarthy era. Her outspokenness on another issue resulted in her inclusion on what world leader's personal blacklist? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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![]() Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) |
Today's Holiday | |
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![]() Robin Hood Festival in Nottinghamshire (2020)The Robin Hood Festival takes place for one week in early August every year in Sherwood Forest, an ancient woodland in Nottinghamshire, England. The event celebrates the life and times of one of the most popular outlaws in the world: Robin Hood. Activities and entertainment include children's theater, strolling players, jesters, jousting, and music. There are demonstrations in such aged arts as falconry and long-bow-shooting, and a medieval market offers a variety of goods. As many as 75,000 visitors take part in the week's activities. It has taken place every year since 1975. More... |