Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, December 7, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Article of the Day | |
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 HashshashinThe historical referents of the term "assassin," the Hashshashin were a secret society of Ismaili Shia Muslims who specialized in politically motivated killings of Crusaders and Muslim rulers. Much of the lore surrounding the feared sect, which originated in Persia and was active from 1090 to 1272, stems from Marco Polo's likely fictional account of his visit to the city of Alamut in 1273. What drug is believed to be the root of the term "Hashshashin," and what was its connection to the sect? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Theatre Royal Opens at Covent Garden in London, England (1732)The original Covent Garden playhouse, called the Theatre Royal, was built in 1732 and hosted performances of plays, pantomimes, and opera. Twice destroyed by fire and rebuilt, the theater that stands today is the third built on the site. The Royal Ballet began performing there in 1946. The Royal Opera House reopened in 1999 after an 18-month renovation. It seats 2,268 people and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies. What actor financed the construction of the original theater in 1732? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Willa Sibert Cather (1873)Cather moved with her family to Nebraska at the age of nine, and though she later settled in New York, her prairie upbringing deeply influenced her writing. Her novels, which include O Pioneers!, Death Comes for the Archbishop, and My Ántonia, celebrate the spirit and courage of pioneer life. Her works include several independent heroines of the frontier and have been studied from a feminist perspective. Cather occasionally wore men's clothing and went by what nickname? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Compromise used to mean that half a loaf was better than no bread. Among modern statesmen it really seems to mean that half a loaf is better than a whole loaf.Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Armenia Earthquake Memorial Day (2020)On December 7, 1988, a severe earthquake struck in Armenia, causing catastrophic damage to the entire country's infrastructure and virtually destroying the cities of Spitak, Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now Vanadzor), and Stepanavan. More than 25,000 people were killed in the disaster, with another 140,000 injured and more than one million left homeless, in a disaster zone that measured about 30,000 square kilometers. That day is now remembered each year as a national holiday, marked across the country with prayer, memorial services, and a moment of silence. More... | |