Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, January 5, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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turpitude
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| Article of the Day | |
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 JomsvikingsThough their existence is debated due to a lack of records, Jomsvikings are said to have been a selective brotherhood of 10th-century Viking mercenaries with a strict code of conduct. According to accounts, each Jomsviking was expected to defend all others—avenging their deaths if necessary—and could show no fear. Reportedly, a Jomsviking was forbidden to speak ill of his brothers, and all spoils of battle were equally distributed among them. What was the punishment for breaking the rules? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Jackie Robinson Retires (1957)Robinson, a vocal member of the Civil Rights movement, was the first African-American baseball player in the modern major leagues and the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1949, he led the National League in both stolen bases and batting average and was named its most valuable player. In recognition of his accomplishments both on and off the field, Major League Baseball retired Robinson's number in 1997. How many times did he "steal home" during his career? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 King C. Gillette (1855)Advised to create a product for which there would be constant demand, traveling salesman and inveterate "tinkerer" King C. Gillette secured his place in history with the invention of a safety razor with a disposable blade. The razor was nothing new, but the blade was a groundbreaking innovation. In his first year of production, Gillette sold 51 razors and 168 blades. By the next year, sales had skyrocketed to 90,000 razors and over 12 million blades. How did World War I grow Gillette's business? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Of all tools used in the shadow of the moon, men are most apt to get out of order.Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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endgame— The final stages of a process, development, or activity. An allusion to the last stage in chess, when the majority of pieces have been removed from the board. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Twelfth Night (2023)In England, the evening before the Epiphany is called Epiphany Eve, or Twelfth Night, and it traditionally marks the end of the Christmas season. Celebrations reflect ancient Winter Solstice rites encouraging the rebirth of the New Year and also the Magi's visit to the Christ child. Pageants held on this night typically include masked figures, costumed musicians, and traditional dances. Customarily, the Twelfth Night cake is sliced and served, and the man who gets the hidden bean and the woman the pea are the king and queen for the festivities. More... | |