Word
of the Day
parochial
Definition: (adjective) Narrowly restricted in scope or outlook.
Synonyms: insular
Usage: After moving to a big city, she had little patience for what
she considered to be her parents' parochial attitudes.
This Day in History
Emperor Yohannes Crowned in Ethiopia (1709)
One of the most popular post-Theodorean Emperors, Yohannes IV was
the first to receive an imperial coronation in the city of Axum in
over 200 years. In 1875, when the British refused to stop their Egyptian
allies from marching into Ethiopia, Yohannes gathered his armies and
met the Egyptian force at Gundat, where his strategic use of topography
gave him the victory. He subsequently consolidated his power, and
Ethiopia experienced a period of relative peace. How did Yohannes
IV die? More...
Today's
Birthday
Spiridon Louis (1873)
Following the decision to revive the Olympic Games, all eyes were
on Athens, where the first modern games were held in 1896. During
these games, Spiridon Louis, a water carrier, won the first marathon
event ever held, instantly becoming a Greek national hero. In the
midst of the race, Louis made a stop at an inn in the town of Pikermi
to drink a glass of wine; he then went on to overtake the other runners
who collapsed from exhaustion before reaching the finish line. More...
Quotation
of the Day
A refined simplicity is the characteristic of all high bred deportment,
in every country, and a considerate humanity should be the aim of
all beneath it.
Fenimore Cooper
(1789-1851)
