Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, February 13, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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bombast
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Abu DhabiLocated on the Persian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Its capital, also named Abu Dhabi, is the second largest city in the UAE and became the provisional capital when the UAE was formed in 1971. Oil was discovered there in the late 1960s, and the abundant oil revenues have since been used for the country's development and modernization. What was one of Abu Dhabi's major industries before it was eclipsed by oil? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Nashville Sit-Ins Begin (1960)Just before it became first major Southern US city to begin integrating public spaces, Nashville was the scene of a months-long peaceful protest at the lunch counters of the city's department stores. Scores of African-American college students calmly occupied seats at the counters while employees refused to serve them. Some protesters were assaulted or jailed. That May, the counters were desegregated. The protesters' code of conduct became a model for other demonstrations. What did it say? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sarojini Naidu (1879)Known as "the Nightingale of India," Naidu was an Indian child prodigy who began writing poetry as a young girl. She went on to pursue politics and became the first Indian woman to serve as president of the Indian National Congress and the first female governor of Uttar Pradesh. She enjoyed a close relationship with Mohandas Gandhi, and her participation in passive disobedience campaigns landed her in jail on multiple occasions. How is Naidu's birthday celebrated in India? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, “Who in the world am I?” Ah, that's the great puzzle!Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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lost in translation— Of a word or words, having lost or lacking the full subtlety of meaning or significance when translated from the original language to another, especially when done literally. (Usually formulated as "be/get lost in translation.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Shrove Tuesday (2018)There are a number of names in the West for the last day before the long fast of Lent. The French call it Mardi Gras (meaning "Fat Tuesday"), because it was traditionally a time to use up all the milk, butter, and eggs left in the kitchen. These ingredients often went into pancakes, which is why the English call it Pancake Day. The name "Shrove Tuesday" is derived from the Christian custom of confessing sins and being "shriven" (i.e., absolved) just before Lent. No matter what its name, the day before Ash Wednesday has long been a time for excessive eating and merrymaking. More... | |
| In the News | |
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 One Giant Keep for MankindWhen Neil Armstrong returned from his famous moon walk in 1969, he brought back some souvenirs of the trip—and apparently kept them in a closet in his home until his death in 2012. That’s where his wife discovered the camera that recorded the landing and two waist tethers, objects that Armstrong called "just a bunch of trash" in the Apollo 11 mission transcripts. This "trash," which was supposed to stay in space, is now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. More... | |