Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, November 17, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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sybarite
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Ilan RamonRamon was Israel's first astronaut. As a pilot in the Israeli Air Force, he fought in the Yom Kippur War and took part in the bombing of Iraq's Osiraq nuclear reactor. He went on to serve as payload specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and was killed when the craft disintegrated during re-entry. Despite being a secular Jew, Ramon reportedly observed Jewish law while in space, feeling he represented "all Jews and all Israelis." Which of his belongings survived the shuttle crash? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Suez Canal Opens (1869)One of the world's most heavily used shipping lanes, the Suez Canal extends 101 miles (163 km) from Port Said to the Gulf of Suez and connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea, allowing ships to sail directly between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. After its completion in 1869, its ownership remained in French and British hands until Egypt nationalized it in 1956, setting off an international crisis, during which it was closed. What caused the next closure of the canal? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Soichiro Honda (1906)The Honda name is known worldwide thanks to Soichiro Honda. In 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, the self-taught Japanese engineer founded the Honda Technical Research Institute—now the Honda Motor Company—and began manufacturing motorcycles. Bolstered by success, he soon began producing cars. His company's clean-burning CVCC engine spurred an automotive revolution, and his cars won a large share of the US market. What mischievous business scheme got Honda in trouble as a schoolboy? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.Karl Marx & Frederick Engels (1818-1883) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have (one's) name taken— In football (soccer), to receive a yellow card (and thus have one's name recorded in the referee's booklet). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (2022)In 1939, Nazi troops invaded Czechoslovakia and took over the country. On November 17, student protests were held. Nazi troops subsequently executed nine students and sent many to a concentration camp. On November 17, 1989, Czech students gathered to demonstrate against the communist regime. This marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution. Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is a national holiday in the Czech Republic. People gather and light candles near a "V for Victory" memorial plaque on National Avenue in Prague, and the national flag is flown in all public places. More... | |