Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, December 15, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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charlatan
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Pet SoundsThe Beach Boys had already pioneered California rock—guitar-oriented songs about girls and surfing—when Brian Wilson resolved to create "the greatest rock album ever made." Wilson's new arrangements, full of sweeping harmonies and sounds ranging from the electro-theremin to the bicycle bell, made up the 1966 album Pet Sounds. Its songs—including "God Only Knows" and "You Still Believe in Me"—shocked his bandmates but enthralled listeners. What album inspired Wilson's creative quest? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Space Rendezvous (1965)Three years after the first manned space flight, NASA launched the Gemini program, a series of two-man space missions aimed, among other things, at developing astronauts' ability to maneuver spacecraft. One goal was to achieve orbital rendezvous, and after a failed attempt in June 1965, Gemini had success. Astronaut Wally Schirra maneuvered the Gemini 6 spacecraft to within feet of Gemini 7, close enough to have docked had they been so equipped. When was the first docking achieved? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Oscar Niemeyer (1907)Considered one of the most important figures in modern architecture, Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete. His buildings feature smooth curves that are distinct from those of his more utilitarian contemporaries. Niemeyer's remarkable work in the creation of Brazil's capital, Brasília, included his design for the President's Palace and the cathedral. In 1947, Niemeyer joined a team of architects to design what internationally recognized US building? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be who have tried it.Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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caught unawares— To be surprised by someone or something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Consualia (2022)The infamous rape of the Sabine women occurred at the first Consualia in ancient Rome. Consus is said to have advised Romulus to abduct the Sabine women as wives for his supporters. The sanctuary dedicated to Consus in 272 BCE was located on the Aventine Hill in Rome, and sacrifices were held there during his festival. There were also horse and chariot races in the Circus Maximus, the large arena that lay between the Palatine and Aventine hills. Two festivals were actually held in honor of Consus—one on August 21 and the other on December 15. More... | |