Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, November 20, 2018)Word of the Day | |||||||
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supernumerary
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Article of the Day | |
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DemiurgeDerived from a Greek word meaning "artisan" or "public worker," the Demiurge was first described by Plato in his dialogue Timaeus, in which he identifies the Demiurge as the force that fashioned the world from the preexisting materials of chaos. In Gnosticism, the Demiurge is regarded as an inferior deity who created the imperfect, material world and belongs to the forces of evil opposing the supreme God of goodness. What are some of the many names of the Demiurge? More... |
This Day in History | |
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Oil Rig Accidentally Drains Lake Peigneur (1980)When Leonce Viator, Jr., set out in his boat for a day of fishing on Louisiana's Lake Peigneur, he never imagined he would end up fighting for his life. But that is exactly what happened after an oil rig on the lake's surface accidentally bored through the roof of a salt mine beneath it. Like a bathtub whose plug has been pulled, the lake began draining into the mine, creating a whirlpool that sucked in not just water but barges, trees, and acres of surrounding land. What happened to Viator? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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Selma Lagerlöf (1858)Lagerlöf was a Swedish author who is best known for her children's book, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. While working as a teacher, Lagerlöf got her big break as a writer when chapters of her first novel, Gösta Berling's Saga, won first prize in a literary contest. Lagerlöf rooted her work in legend in a reaction against contemporary Swedish realism. In 1909, she became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. What did she do with her medal during World War II? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water. Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) |
Idiom of the Day | |
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have other fish to fry— To have more important or more interesting things to do or attend to. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
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Africa Industrialization Day (2022)In 1989 the United Nations designated November 20 as Africa Industrialization Day. Observances center around mustering international support for the industrialization of Africa. More... |