Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, October 31, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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rondel
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| Article of the Day | |
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 SkunksThese small black-and-white mammals are best known for the foul-smelling oily liquid they expel when threatened. Skunks do not make use of this weapon unless severely provoked and then only after raising their tails in a warning display. Most animals quickly learn to avoid skunks because the odor of skunk spray is so strong. In addition to stinking, the spray causes choking and tearing of the eyes. What do researchers believe is essential to successfully neutralizing the skunk smell? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Britain Is Won (1940)The Battle of Britain was the first major German failure in World War II. The Royal Air Force (RAF), outgunned and outmanned, nevertheless defeated the German Luftwaffe and thwarted Hitler's plan for an amphibious invasion, which he had hoped would end the war quickly. The event was not only a testament to the courage of British pilots, but it also marked the first time a major battle was fought entirely in the air and featured the first use of radar in battle. Who were the "rows of idiots"? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Chiang Kai-shek (1887)After the Qing dynasty was overthrown and a republic established in China, Chiang joined the Kuomintang (KMT)—the Nationalist Party—and rose through the ranks to become commander in chief of the revolutionary army and eventual successor to leader Sun Yat-sen. Under Chiang's direction, the KMT broke with its former allies, the Communists, and began a protracted civil war. Despite some initial success, Chiang ultimately failed, and his government was driven from mainland China to where? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Beauty is all very well at first sight; but whoever looks at it when it has been in the house three days?George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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billet-doux— A love letter. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Apple and Candle Night (2022)This is another name for Halloween among children in the Swansea area of Wales. The traditional game of "Apple and Candle" is played by suspending a stick from the ceiling with an apple fastened to one end and a lit candle to the other. The object is to eat the apple without using hands and without getting burned by the swinging candle. To make the game more challenging, players are sometimes blindfolded and the stick is twirled around before the game begins. More... | |