Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, August 27, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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beseem
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Táin Bó Cúailnge: The Cattle Raid of CooleySet in the 1st century BCE and recorded between the 8th and 11th centuries, Táin Bó Cúailnge—The Cattle Raid of Cooley—is the central and longest text of the Ulster cycle, a group of early Irish legends about the pagan heroes of the pre-Christian age. The hero of this tale is 17-year-old Cuchulain, an Irish Achilles who single-handedly defended the province of Ulster against the armies of Ireland, led by Queen Medb. What mythical beast had Medb hoped to capture in the attack? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Edwin Drake Strikes Oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania (1859)In the late 1850s, Drake hired a salt well driller to start digging on a piece of land near Titusville, Pennsylvania. Though oil was known to exist nearby, there was no practical way to extract it, and its primary use was in medicine. In August 1859, Drake struck oil at a depth of 69 feet (21 m), an event that marked the birth of the oil industry. Once a quiet village, Titusville became a bustling town as prospectors flocked to the area. What disaster struck the town more than once? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Charles Stewart Rolls (1877)A member of the British aristocracy, Rolls developed an interest in engines and cars while studying at Cambridge. He became the first person there to have a car—a Peugeot—and, in 1902, he went into the automobile sales business. Striking a deal with manufacturer Frederick Royce in 1906, he co-founded the Rolls-Royce automobile company, which quickly earned a reputation for its engineering. In 1910, at the age of 32, Rolls became the first Briton to die in what unusual way? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In so complex a thing as human nature, we must consider, it is hard to find rules without exception.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Dai-Chochin Matsuri (Lantern Festival) (2020)Chochin are cylindrical lanterns made out of paper stretched over a split bamboo frame. One of the best-known Chochin festivals is held on August 26-27 in Isshiki, Aichi Prefecture. The primary attractions are 12 huge chochin, each about 30 feet high and 18 feet across, that are hoisted by means of pulleys up three huge pillars at the Suwa Shrine. As night nears, priests begin to illuminate the lanterns—a process that may take several hours. At the end of the festival the lanterns are lowered after religious dances and songs have been offered. More... | |