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Word of the Day
 

panegyric discuss
Definition: (noun) A formal eulogistic composition intended as a public compliment.
Synonyms: encomium, eulogy, paean
Usage: It is traditional to deliver a panegyric to the departed.

Article of the Day

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Baryshnikov is a world renowned Russian-American dancer and choreographer. He began studying dance in Riga, Latvia, where he was raised, and soon earned himself a coveted spot with the Kirov Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies in Russia. In 1974, while on tour with the company, he defected to the West and joined the American Ballet Theatre, where he later served as artistic director. He has also tried his hand at acting and has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, such as what? More... Discuss

This Day in History

S.A. Andrée Attempts to Reach the North Pole by Balloon (1897)

After gaining funding from the likes of King Oscar II and Alfred Nobel and generating widespread public interest, Swedish explorer Salomon August Andrée and two companions departed from Norway's Svalbard for the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon. They flew for two days before a hydrogen leak grounded the balloon, forcing the poorly equipped trio to travel on pack ice. Three months later, the men reached the island of Kvitøya, where they eventually died. When was their last camp finally found? More... Discuss

Today's Birthday

Nicolai Gedda (1925)

Gedda is a famed Swedish tenor known for his vocal control. He has made some 200 recordings and is said to be the most recorded tenor in history. In 1952, he made his debut at the Royal Swedish Opera and went on to collaborate with conductor Herbert von Karajan. Gedda then went to Italy and gained international fame, performing all over the world at venues such as the Paris Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. How did Gedda go from being a bank teller to a world-famous tenor? More... Discuss

In the News

Shocking Boredom Study

Fifteen minutes may not seem like a terribly long time, but when left alone with just one's thoughts for company, it is apparently unbearable, and many would sooner shock themselves than endure it. Nearly half of the participants in a recent study—18 of 42—elected to administer at least one mildly painful electric shock to themselves at some point during a 15-minute period in which they were left alone in an empty room and asked to sit at a table "entertaining themselves with their own thoughts." Though some have criticized the study's design, the researchers concluded that, on the whole, people prefer doing something, even something unpleasant, to doing nothing at all. More ... Discuss

Quote of the Day
We often despise what is most useful to us.
Aesop
(620 BC-560 BC) Discuss

Spelling Bee
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n. a cylinder of calcium carbonate hanging from the roof of a limestone cave
 
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