Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, January 10, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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sumptuous
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Kabul UniversityEstablished in the 1930s, Afghanistan's Kabul University became a premier educational institution. By the 60s, it was so highly regarded that it was even attracting foreign scholars, who introduced students to topics like communism. However, Afghanistan's civil war greatly disrupted university operations. Much of the faculty fled, and many of the library's 200,000 books were sold or destroyed. The school has since regained some of its former prominence. How many of its 7,000 students are women? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense (1776)Paine was an Anglo-American political theorist and pamphleteer. He anticipated and helped foment the American Revolution through his powerful writings, most notably the enormously successful pamphlet Common Sense, in which he argued that the colonies had outgrown any need for English domination and should be granted independence. Paine's influence was also strongly felt during the French Revolution, and, despite the fact that he did not speak French, he was elected to what governing body? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Stephen Ambrose (1936)American historian and prolific author Stephen Ambrose gained fame for his biographies of US presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon as well as for his bestselling books about World War II, including Citizen Soldiers and D-Day. His works—especially the book Band of Brothers, which served as the basis for a television miniseries of the same name—inspired a renewed interest in the sacrifices of American soldiers. Why have some of his works been criticized? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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riffraff— Undesirable, disreputable, or vulgar people, often used in a condescending manner. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Benin National Vodoun Day (2023)Vodoun is an ancient, African, pantheistic religion. When it was brought to the Americas by African slaves, it was blended with elements of Christianity into what is known as "Voodoo." The present African country of Benin, situated on the former kingdom of Dahomey, is known as a center of Vodoun culture. The day is celebrated throughout Benin with processions, Vodoun rituals, dances, and even an international film festival. The celebration's central activity, however, is the re-enactment of the journey from the slave auction block in the center of town to the ships in the harbor. More... | |