Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, August 9, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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contraption
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Yerba MateYerba mate is a plant whose leaves are used to make a beverage called mate, the national drink of Argentina and Uruguay. Mate is a caffeinated infusion, much like a cross between green tee and coffee, that is prepared by steeping dried leaves in hot water. It is traditionally served in a hollow gourd with a metal straw and is usually enjoyed in a social setting. Uruguay enacted a national law that prohibits drinking mate while performing what other activity? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Singapore Is Expelled from Malaysia (1965)After more than a century of British rule, Singapore gained independence in 1959. Four years later, it joined with nearby territories to form Malaysia. However, racial and economic tensions arose, and two years later, the Malaysian parliament unanimously voted to expel Singapore. Despite being left unexpectedly autonomous with few defenses or natural resources, Singapore rapidly developed into an economic powerhouse. Still, it remains dependent on Malaysia for what one critical thing? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Izaak Walton (1593)A friend and fishing companion of John Donne, Walton wrote one of the most famous and frequently reprinted books in the English language, The Compleat Angler; or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation. The book not only describes the strategies and techniques of fishing, it also draws a picture of peace and simple virtue that was Walton's protest against the civil wars taking place at the time. Though the book was first published in 1653, Walton continued to add to it—for how long? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The connection between dress and war is not far to seek: your finest clothes are those you wear as soldiers.Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Drachenstich (Spearing the Dragon) (2020)This annual event centers around the performance of an open-air play, Drachenstich, in Fürth, Germany, in the Bavarian Forest. The climax of the play is a battle between a knight on horseback and a huge (about 50 feet long and 10 feet tall), fire-spewing dragon. The knight, of course, wins—by thrusting his spear into the dragon's throat, thereby piercing a pig's bladder filled with ox blood. The celebrations also include various merrymaking events and a street procession. The play has been performed for about 500 years and is thought to be the oldest folk play in Germany. More... | |