August 10, 2016
Word of the Day
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Definition:
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(noun) A shortened version of a written work. |
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condensation, capsule
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Usage: |
In a word, I gave him an abridgment of this whole history; I gave him a picture of my conduct for fifty years in miniature. |
Idiom of the Day
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A place or time of perfect, happy contentment, likened to the paradisiacal afterlife of Greek mythology.
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Article of the Day
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Ominously known as the "ghost chili" or "poison chili," the naga jolokia was once the hottest chili pepper in the world, as certified by Guinness World Records in 2007. Originally grown in northeastern India and Bangladesh, the naga jolokia has measured over 1,000,000 on the Scoville scale, a system developed to measure the "hotness" or piquancy of chili peppers. In comparison, jalapeño peppers range from 2,500 to 8,000. What pepper has since surpassed it as the world's hottest?
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This Day in History
Pueblo Revolt Begins (1680)
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Discuss
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The Pueblo Revolt was an uprising of Native American communities against Spanish colonization in New Mexico. Organized by a medicine man called Popé and other Pueblo leaders, the uprising led to the deaths of some 400 colonists and missionaries and forced the surviving Spaniards to retreat to El Paso, freeing the Pueblo of Spanish rule for the first time in 82 years. However, internal dissension and Apache raids soon weakened the unity of the Pueblo. What happened in 1692 after Popé's death?
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Today's Birthday
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Darrow was a heating engineer who is generally credited with developing "Monopoly," a board game in which players compete to purchase real estate and bankrupt their opponents, though there is evidence that he merely adapted Elizabeth Magie's realty and taxation game "The Landlord's Game." "Monopoly" was initially rejected by Parker Brothers, but after Darrow met with success selling the game himself, the toy firm reconsidered and bought it in 1935. What were their initial objections?
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Today's Holiday
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Independence Day, or National Day, in Ecuador celebrates its independence movement of 1809. Freedom from Spanish rule was finally achieved on May 24, 1822. (That event is commemorated each year on May 24 with another holiday called Battle of Pichincha Day.) Patriotic festivities are held throughout the country, but particularly in the colorful capital city of Quito.
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Quote of the Day
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To live was then in itself a delight, because living implied seeing.
Edwin Abbott (1838-1926)
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In the News
Legends Say China Began in a Great Flood. Scientists Just Found Evidence that the Flood Was Real
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Discuss
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It's said the flood looked like "endless boiling water," surging across the landscape. A wave as tall as a 30-story building would have crashed over the banks of the Yellow River, demolishing everything in its path. It soaked the streets of ancient ...
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