Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, May 6, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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witticism
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| Article of the Day | |
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 AeolipileInvented in the first century by Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, the Hero engine, or aeolipile, is a steam-powered device that illustrates the reactive forces of a gas jet. It usually consists of a mounted spherical vessel equipped with angled nozzles that release steam in opposite directions, causing rotational movement. The world's first steam engine, Hero’s aeolipile was a forerunner of the modern jet engine. Its name derives from a term meaning "ball of Aeolus." Who was Aeolus? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Phoenix Park Murders in Dublin, Ireland (1882)In 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish, British secretary for Ireland, and Thomas Henry Burke, his undersecretary, were assassinated as they were walking in Dublin's Phoenix Park. They were stabbed to death by members of a radical splinter group of the Fenian movement called the "Invincibles." Two of those arrested turned state's evidence, five were hanged, and three were sentenced to prison. What was the political aftermath of the assassinations? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (1758)Robespierre was one of the leading figures of the French Revolution. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1789 and became an influential orator. After calling for the execution of the king in 1792, he led the Jacobins and the Committee of Public Safety in establishing the Reign of Terror, during which hundreds of thousands of political opponents were arrested and thousands were guillotined. In 1794, he was overthrown and executed. What was his role in the Cult of the Supreme Being? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Memphis in May (2020)This month-long festival in Memphis, Tennessee, focuses on a different nation's culture each year, with exhibitions, lectures, films, performing arts presentations, and sporting events. The festival opens with the Beale Street Music Festival. The second weekend features a salute to the year's honored country with special exhibits and events showcasing the culture of the country, and the third weekend is an international barbecue competition. The festival ends with the Sunset Symphony playing a concert of music from the featured country and an impressive display of fireworks. More... | |