Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, January 7, 2021)Word of the Day | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
corpulence
|
Article of the Day | |
---|---|
BarleyOne of the first crops domesticated by humans, barley also had the distinction of being used to make one of the first alcoholic drinks—beer. With its short growing season, barley is adaptable to a greater range of climates than any other cereal. It thus became a staple cereal of ancient Egypt, featured in ancient Greek rituals, was used as currency, and even had it grains used for measurement in England. Shoe sizes in the US and UK are based on a historic inch equivalent to how many barleycorns? More... |
This Day in History | |
---|---|
Leaning Tower of Pisa Begins Decade-Long Closure (1990)The Leaning Tower is the freestanding bell tower of a cathedral in Pisa, Italy. Though designed to stand upright, Pisa's most famous landmark began leaning soon after construction began in 1173. In 1964, Italy's government enlisted the aid of a multinational task force to prevent the tower from toppling, but the tilt remained so severe that the tower was closed to the public in 1990. After another decade of stabilization efforts, it was reopened in 2001. What first caused it to lean? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
---|---|
Joseph Bonaparte (1768)The older brother of Napoleon, Joseph Bonaparte served as French minister to Parma and Rome, and negotiated a treaty with the US in 1800. When Napoleon became emperor, Joseph bitterly protested being left out of the line of succession. In 1806, Napoleon made him king of Naples, and in 1808 he was made king of Spain instead. He reluctantly abdicated after failure in the Peninsular War. He then lived mainly in the US state of New Jersey, where he was reputed to have seen what legendary creature? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
---|---|
Two friends, two bodies with one soul inspired. Homer (900 BC-800 BC) |
Idiom of the Day | |
---|---|
a feast for the eyes— An especially attractive, pleasing, and/or remarkable sight or visual experience. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
---|---|
Cambodia Victory Day (2023)This national holiday is also called Victory over Genocide Day and Nation Day. It marks the day in 1979 that Vietnamese troops entered Cambodia and began an assault that ended the bloody regime of the Khmer Rouge. It is estimated that as many as two million Cambodians were killed during the nearly four years that Pol Pot of the Khmer Rouge ruled the country. Victory Day is celebrated with patriotic speeches by government officials, remembrance services for the victims, as well as cultural displays of the era. More... |