TODAY’S HOLIDAY: COSMONAUTS DAY

Cosmonauts Day

On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel in outer space. April 12 was declared Cosmonauts Day in Gagarin’s honor. Official ceremonies on this day begin in the Moscow suburb of Korolyov, well known as the center of Russian rocket production, where officials and former cosmonauts lay flowers at a statue of Gagarin. The general public celebrates the day in a less formal manner: some place flowers at statues of Gagarin in various cities, while others attend space-themed art and film exhibitions. More… Discuss

QUOTATION: Henry Fielding

A rich man without charity is a rogue; and perhaps it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool.

Henry Fielding (1707-1754) Discuss

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: Henry Clay (1777)

Henry Clay (1777)

Clay, known as the “Great Compromiser,” was an American statesman and orator who served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. His multiple bids for the presidency all failed, but he was nevertheless extremely influential in US politics. He orchestrated the Missouri Compromise between free and slave states, and he attempted to strengthen the nation’s economy through his American System. Though he opposed slavery and favored emancipation, Clay only freed his own slaves upon what? More… Discuss

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: HARRY TRUMAN BECOMES 33RD PRESIDENT OF THE US (1945)

Harry Truman Becomes 33rd President of the US (1945)

Truman was the 33rd president of the US. He is remembered for authorizing the use of atomic bombs against Japan and for his opposition to Communism. A Democrat who largely accepted the New Deal tradition, he presided over victory in World War II and the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. His administration also oversaw the beginning of the Cold War and the desegregation of the US armed forces. What famous headline ran in the Chicago Tribune the day after Truman won his second term? More… Discuss

NEWS: GET CHARGED UP IN NO TIME

Get Charged Up in No Time

Well, “no time” may be a slight exaggeration, but it is not too far off the mark. An Israeli start-up has developed a prototype smartphone battery that can be fully charged in just 30 seconds. Rather than use lithium or nickel like conventional batteries, this battery uses “nanodots,” tiny, self-assembling peptide nanocrystals discovered in the course of Alzheimer’s research 10 years ago. It will be several years before the quick-charging battery makes it to market. More… Discuss

ARTICLE: DUBAI

Dubai

Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the name of the emirate’s main city. Dubai is distinct from the other emirates in that oil revenues account for only a small part of its gross domestic product, although they did play a key role in transforming the sheikhdom into the international trade, business, and travel hub it is today. In recent years, Dubai has also made headlines for its ambitious building projects and now boasts what record-breaking structures? More… Discuss