December 26, 2015
Word of the Day
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Definition:
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(noun) A policeman who patrols a given region. |
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flatfoot |
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The patrolman was familiar with the area and knew the noises he was hearing were coming from foraging raccoons, not people. |
Article of the Day
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The Khmer Rouge was the extremist Communist organization that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. It was one of the most lethal regimes of the 20th c and was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people through execution, starvation, and forced labor. Victims were often buried in mass grave sites, known as The Killing Fields, scattered throughout Cambodia. Whom did the Khmer Rouge target for their "re-education" campaigns?
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This Day in History
First Kwanzaa Celebrated (1966)
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Discuss
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Observed from December 26 to January 1 and patterned after African harvest festivals, Kwanzaa is a secular festival celebrating the African heritage of African Americans. Developed by black-studies professor Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa emphasizes the role of the family and community in African-American culture. Each day is dedicated to a particular principle—such as unity, creativity, or faith. The holiday's name is taken from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanzaa, which means what?
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Today's Birthday
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Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor who devoted most of his life and private fortune to trying to perfect a mechanical calculating machine. In 1837, he described the so-called Analytical Engine, a machine capable of performing arithmetical operations with the use of instructions from punched cards. Although the device was never built, his idea is considered the forerunner of modern computers. Babbage also invented other devices, including the cowcatcher, which is used to do what?
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Today's Holiday
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Around Christmas time, thousands of Chilean pilgrims gather to honor the Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary), patron saint of miners. The ceremonies take place in the copper-mining town of Andacollo, situated in the Andes mountains. The centerpiece of the festival is a famous three-foot wooden statue of the Virgin that is housed in Andacollo's basilica. The festival's main proceedings take place on December 26, during which a religious dance is performed in indigenous costume. Nearby, cockfighting and horseracing attract participants as alternative secular activities.
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Quote of the Day
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Life is a predicament which precedes death.
Henry James (1843-1916)
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In the News
Climate Change Is Heating Lakes Rapidly
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Discuss
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When we talk about global warming, the number that everyone usually focuses on is that of the atmosphere, though the world's oceans also are absorbing heat as well. Now, it turns out, lakes may be faring even worse. According to a new study, climate change is ...
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