March 26, 2016
Word of the Day
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Definition:
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(adjective) Harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign. |
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calumnious, defamatory, denigrating, libellous, slanderous
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The article, being libelous, had to be returned as impossible; and I had to renounce my dream of dragging its author into the limelight. |
Idiom of the Day
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The practice of not disclosing important or vital information by members of a group, as due to the threat of violence, reprisal, being branded as a traitor, or an inherent sense of honor.
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Article of the Day
Dragonflies: The Devil's Darning Needle
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Many cultures consider dragonflies sinister creatures, and a number of the common, vernacular names for the flying insects, such as "devil's needle" and "ear cutter," link them with evil or injury. In truth, dragonflies generally do not attack humans and are valued for their predatory control of harmful insect populations. Dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, and most of the dragonfly's life is spent underwater in larval form. In what country are dragonflies considered a delicacy?
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This Day in History
Heaven's Gate Cult Members Found Dead (1997)
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Established in 1972, Heaven's Gate was a cult that advocated self-renunciation, to the point of castration, as preparation for the "transition" to a new life on a spaceship, which adherents believed was trailing behind the comet Hale-Bopp. As the comet made its closest approach to Earth, 39 members of the group committed suicide. Authorities found the dead lying neatly in their bunk beds, dressed identically and wearing armbands that read "Heaven's Gate Away Team." Who was their leader?
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Today's Birthday
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Perhaps the most popular and beloved of 20th-century American poets, Frost wrote of the character, people, and landscape of New England. Rooted in the New England landscape, yet deeply symbolic, his work is concerned with human tragedies and fears, the complexities of life, and the ultimate acceptance of one's burdens. Frost was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times—in 1924, 1931, 1937, and 1943. He recited a poem at the inauguration of which US president?
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Today's Holiday
Bangladesh Independence Day
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This public holiday celebrates the declaration of independence of the state of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947, the region that is now Bangladesh became East Pakistan and was governed together with West Pakistan as one country. By early 1971, differences between East and West Pakistan led to war. When India entered the war in support of East Pakistan, independence was assured. Bangladeshis observe this national holiday in the capital city of Dhaka with memorial ceremonies, a boat race on the Buriganga river, and other festivities.
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Quote of the Day
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I distrust Great Men. They produce a desert of uniformity around them and often a pool of blood too, and I always feel a little man's pleasure when they come a cropper.
E. M. Forster (1879-1970)
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In the News
Ancient Scrolls Give Up Their Secrets
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Metallic ink was used to inscribe scrolls regarded as an archaeological wonder, according to scientists. The discovery pushes back the date for the first use of metallic ink by several centuries. The Herculaneum scrolls were buried by the eruption of ...
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