Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
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Article of the Day

The Stone of Scone The Stone of Scone is an oblong block of red sandstone upon which the kings of Scotland were once crowned. According to tradition, the stone was used by Jacob as a pillow when he dreamt of a ladder to heaven and was the coronation stone of early kings of Ireland. It was taken to Scotland and housed in Scone Abbey near Perth until Edward I of England took it to London’s Westminster Abbey in 1296 and had it fitted into the Coronation Chair. In what year was the Stone of Scone returned to Scotland? More...

This Day in History

Samantha Smith Visits the Soviet Union (1983) In 1982, Samantha Smith, a 10-year-old American girl, wrote a letter to the newly elected leader of the USSR, Yuri Andropov, asking if he intended to start a war. Andropov replied personally. Expressing a desire for lasting peace with the US, he invited Smith to visit. The following July, she and her parents spent two weeks in the USSR amidst a media frenzy that hailed her as a goodwill ambassador. After her death in a plane crash two years later, she was honored by both nations in what ways? More...

Today's Birthday

Gustav Mahler (1860) Mahler was an Austrian composer and conductor. After studying in Vienna, he conducted at numerous prominent opera houses where his high standards became legendary, but his refusal to compromise aroused intense personal opposition. He composed in his free time, mostly during the summer, and completed nine symphonies in his lifetime. The biggest success of his career—the 1910 premiere of his eighth symphony—was overshadowed by Mahler's discovery of his wife's affair with what famous architect? More...

Quotation of the Day
The most practical and important thing about a man is still his view of the universe...We think that for a general about to fight an enemy, it is important to know the enemy's numbers, but still more important to know the enemy's philosophy. Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936)

Idiom of the Day
on the gravy train — In a state, position, or job where one makes an excessive amount of money without expending much or any effort. More...

Today's Holiday
Solomon Islands Independence Day (2024) The Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific gained independence from Britain on this day in 1978. They had been under British control since 1900. Independence Day is a national holiday throughout the islands. More...