Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, November 24, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Article of the Day | |
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 SpelunkingSpelunking, or caving, is the recreational sport of exploring caves. The term comes from spelunk, the Middle English word for "cave." Many people are drawn to spelunking because virgin cave systems comprise some of the last unexplored regions on Earth. Edouard-Alfred Martel pioneered caving in the 19th century, and widespread interest in the activity led to the creation of the National Speleological Society in 1941. What distinction do purists draw between "cavers" and "spelunkers"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Tasmania Sighted by Dutch (1642)While in the service of the Dutch East India Company, Abel Tasman became the first European to sight the island of Tasmania, naming it Van Diemen's Land after the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. In 1803, Britain took possession of the island and established a penal colony there. The indigenous population, which had been on the island some 35,000 years, was soon decimated. In 1856, the island was granted self-government and renamed Tasmania. Today, Tasmania is a state of what country? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849)Burnett, a British-American playwright and author, began writing professionally in her late teens in order to help support her struggling family. Her stories were initially printed in magazines, and her first novel was published in 1877. Her books for adults were well received, but it was her children's novels—particularly Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden—that brought Burnett her greatest and most enduring success. How did her writings influence the fashions of the day? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.Sun Tzu (544 BC-496 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be held in high regard— To be regarded with a large amount of respect or admiration. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Jizo Ennichi (2022)Tradition calls for Japanese Buddhists to honor Kshitigarba Jizo on the 24th day of each month with a ritual known as Jizo Ennichi. Kshitigarba Jizo is a Bodhisattva, or "Buddha-to-be." Among Japanese Buddhists, he is known for helping children, women in labor, and the wicked. He is also believed to participate in ushering in the souls of the faithful when they die. His statue is most often found outside temples, where he can guide both the dead and the living. Shrines in his honor are set up along roadsides, since he protects travelers as well. More... | |