Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, October 26, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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congeal
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| Article of the Day | |
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 The VasaStill cited as a classic folly, the Vasa is a Swedish warship that sank only a mile into its maiden voyage in 1628. The first and grandest of five ships built to express Sweden's expansionist aspirations, the ship featured hundreds of sculptures whose weight likely hampered its stability. Remarkably well preserved, the ship was salvaged with a largely intact hull in 1961 and restored. What anachronistic artifact did pranksters allegedly put in the submerged ship days before the salvage? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 USA PATRIOT Act Signed into Law (2001)Enacted quickly and with little opposition in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the sweeping USA PATRIOT Act dramatically enhanced the powers of law enforcement and intelligence-gathering agencies within the US. The bill has since come under increasing scrutiny and criticism, and aspects of it have faced legal challenges in the courts. After it was renewed in 2006, most of its sections became permanent. What section of the act has riled librarians in particular? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mahalia Jackson (1911)As a child, Jackson sang at the New Orleans church where her father preached. After moving to Chicago, she sang with a touring gospel quintet. Her warm, powerful voice first came to wider public attention in the 1930s. Called "The Queen of Gospel," she sang at an inaugural party for US President John F. Kennedy, at the 1963 March on Washington, and at the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. Despite many offers, she refused to sing secular songs. Jackson was born with what physical deformity? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It does make a difference what you call things.Kate Wiggin (1856-1923) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a joy to behold— A thing, event, or experience that creates a profound sense of joy or elation in the spectator. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Punkie Night (2017)In the English village of Hinton St. George, Somerset, it is traditional for both children and adults to walk through town carrying "punkies," or lanterns made from carved-out mangel-wurzels, or mangolds (a variety of beet), with candles in them. Although this custom is observed in other English towns, the celebration at Hinton St. George is by far the best established. There is a procession of children carrying punkies through the streets, begging for money, and singing the "punky song." A prize is given out for the best carved punky. More... | |
| In the News | |
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Fish Depression Is Not a JokeCan a fish be depressed? This question has been floating around my head ever since I spent a night in a hotel across from an excruciatingly sad-looking Siamese fighting fish. His name was Bruce Lee, according to a sign beneath his little bowl. There we were ... More... | |