123) 31/8/2008
Today I learnt that Atari Teenage Riot were a German hardcore techno group that expressed an anarchic, anti-fascist message in their music.
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Sunday, 31 August 2008
Saturday, 30 August 2008
122
122) 30/8/2008
Today I learnt that System of a Down were named after a poem one of the members wrote called "Victims of the Down". System was considered a more inclusive, all-encompassing word than Victims though; hence their moniker.
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Today I learnt that System of a Down were named after a poem one of the members wrote called "Victims of the Down". System was considered a more inclusive, all-encompassing word than Victims though; hence their moniker.
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Friday, 29 August 2008
121
121) 29/8/2008
Today I learnt that Ethiopia and Liberia were the only African nations not colonially occupied by European powers in the "Scramble for Africa" at the end of the 19th Century.
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Today I learnt that Ethiopia and Liberia were the only African nations not colonially occupied by European powers in the "Scramble for Africa" at the end of the 19th Century.
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Thursday, 28 August 2008
120
120) 28/8/2008
Today I learnt that a goy is Jewish slang for a non-jew.
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Today I learnt that a goy is Jewish slang for a non-jew.
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Wednesday, 27 August 2008
119
119) 27/8/2008
Today I learnt that Mycenae was once a major city of the Ancient Greek civilisation. The site was a tourist attraction in Roman times but was then abandoned.
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Today I learnt that Mycenae was once a major city of the Ancient Greek civilisation. The site was a tourist attraction in Roman times but was then abandoned.
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Tuesday, 26 August 2008
118
118) 26/8/2008
Today I learnt a quote by the Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus - "A Man's character is his fate". Character is destiny.
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Today I learnt a quote by the Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus - "A Man's character is his fate". Character is destiny.
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Monday, 25 August 2008
117
117) 25/8/2008
Today I learnt the meaning behind Ltd. (limited) when it is used as part of a company's name. The term refers to private companies whose shares are not available to the general public. The shares of these limited companies have limited liability so the shareholders' personal assets are protected in the case of insolvency.
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Today I learnt the meaning behind Ltd. (limited) when it is used as part of a company's name. The term refers to private companies whose shares are not available to the general public. The shares of these limited companies have limited liability so the shareholders' personal assets are protected in the case of insolvency.
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Sunday, 24 August 2008
116
116) 24/8/2008
Today I learnt that the word mawkish can mean excessively sentimental; nausiatingly over-emotional and insincere - sickeningly "slushy".
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Today I learnt that the word mawkish can mean excessively sentimental; nausiatingly over-emotional and insincere - sickeningly "slushy".
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Saturday, 23 August 2008
115
115) 23/8/2008
Today I learnt that New Zealand was the first country to give women the vote.
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Today I learnt that New Zealand was the first country to give women the vote.
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Friday, 22 August 2008
114
114) 22/8/2008
Today I learnt that BMX stands for Bicycle Motorcross.
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Today I learnt that BMX stands for Bicycle Motorcross.
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Thursday, 21 August 2008
113
113) 21/8/2008
Today I learnt that some of the most well-known and impressive pre-historic cave paintings were found in Lascaux, France. Dated at circa 15,000 years old, these paintings realistically depict horses, stags, cattle and other large animals. (This subject matter is frequently seen in other cave paintings around the world). The Lascaux cave was discovered during the 2nd World War by some teenagers.
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Today I learnt that some of the most well-known and impressive pre-historic cave paintings were found in Lascaux, France. Dated at circa 15,000 years old, these paintings realistically depict horses, stags, cattle and other large animals. (This subject matter is frequently seen in other cave paintings around the world). The Lascaux cave was discovered during the 2nd World War by some teenagers.
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008
112
112) 20/8/2008
Today I learnt that Man Ray was an influential modernist artist who was always at the forefront of artistic experimentalism. He was a photographic pioneer, surrealist film-maker and painter associated with the Dada movement (see 81).
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Today I learnt that Man Ray was an influential modernist artist who was always at the forefront of artistic experimentalism. He was a photographic pioneer, surrealist film-maker and painter associated with the Dada movement (see 81).
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Tuesday, 19 August 2008
111
111) 19/8/2008
Today I learnt that sprinter Simeon Williamson is a second cousin of British high-jumper Germaine Mason.
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Today I learnt that sprinter Simeon Williamson is a second cousin of British high-jumper Germaine Mason.
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Monday, 18 August 2008
110
110) 18/8/2008
Today I learnt that the gymnast Nadia Comaneci was Romanian and that she later defected to America. She was the first gymnast to achieve an Olympic perfect 10 score (in the uneven bars at the Montreal 1976 games). Aged 14, in these Olympics she achieved 3 gold medals - winning the all-round competition, the uneven bars and the beam.
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Today I learnt that the gymnast Nadia Comaneci was Romanian and that she later defected to America. She was the first gymnast to achieve an Olympic perfect 10 score (in the uneven bars at the Montreal 1976 games). Aged 14, in these Olympics she achieved 3 gold medals - winning the all-round competition, the uneven bars and the beam.
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Sunday, 17 August 2008
109
109) 17/8/2008
Today I learnt that ginkgo is an ancient species of tree which has remained evolutionally unchanged for millions of years. All related species are long extinct making it a unique “living fossil” as Darwin put it.
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Today I learnt that ginkgo is an ancient species of tree which has remained evolutionally unchanged for millions of years. All related species are long extinct making it a unique “living fossil” as Darwin put it.
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108
108) 16/8/2008
Today I learnt another, more scientific way of representing numbers: You simplify a number by expressing it as the mantissa (its first significant digits). Then you define its exponent (the power of ten you multiply it by to attain the real number). For example: 1,300,000 in this method is written as 1.3 x 106: This is a more tidy and manageable representation which omits needless zeros.
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Today I learnt another, more scientific way of representing numbers: You simplify a number by expressing it as the mantissa (its first significant digits). Then you define its exponent (the power of ten you multiply it by to attain the real number). For example: 1,300,000 in this method is written as 1.3 x 106: This is a more tidy and manageable representation which omits needless zeros.
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Friday, 15 August 2008
107
107) 15/8/2008
Today I learnt that the musical note "middle C" resonates at a frequency of 261.626 Hz.
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Today I learnt that the musical note "middle C" resonates at a frequency of 261.626 Hz.
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Thursday, 14 August 2008
106
106) 14/8/2008
Today I learnt that Lili Boulanger was a female French composer whose short life lasted between 1893 and 1918.
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Today I learnt that Lili Boulanger was a female French composer whose short life lasted between 1893 and 1918.
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008
105
105) 13/8/2008
Today I learnt that the prefix sino denotes Chinese. (For example: Sino-British relations were hampered). Also, Sinology is the study of all things China.
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Today I learnt that the prefix sino denotes Chinese. (For example: Sino-British relations were hampered). Also, Sinology is the study of all things China.
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Tuesday, 12 August 2008
104
104) 12/8/2008
Today I learnt that Olympus Mons (located on Mars) is the highest mountain/volcano in the solar system. It is nearly 3 times taller than Mount Everest. The name is Latin for "Mount Olympus".
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Today I learnt that Olympus Mons (located on Mars) is the highest mountain/volcano in the solar system. It is nearly 3 times taller than Mount Everest. The name is Latin for "Mount Olympus".
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Monday, 11 August 2008
103
103) 11/8/2008
Today I learnt the differentiations of some terminology regarding early morning. Daybreak refers to the beginning of dawn - the start of the day. Dawn is when the first presence of noticeable weak light begins to replace darkness (this is twilight). At this point crucially the sun is still below the horizon though. Sunrise occurs later when the sun appears above the eastern horizon.
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Today I learnt the differentiations of some terminology regarding early morning. Daybreak refers to the beginning of dawn - the start of the day. Dawn is when the first presence of noticeable weak light begins to replace darkness (this is twilight). At this point crucially the sun is still below the horizon though. Sunrise occurs later when the sun appears above the eastern horizon.
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Sunday, 10 August 2008
102
102) 10/8/2008
Today I learnt that Master of Reality is a seminal and influential album by Black Sabbath. It showcases an extremely dark musical landscape.
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Today I learnt that Master of Reality is a seminal and influential album by Black Sabbath. It showcases an extremely dark musical landscape.
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Saturday, 9 August 2008
101
101) 9/8/2008
Today I learnt the location of The Black Sea. It is the inland sea situated above Turkey in Eastern Europe.
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Today I learnt the location of The Black Sea. It is the inland sea situated above Turkey in Eastern Europe.
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Friday, 8 August 2008
The First Century
On this historic first day of the Beijing Olympics, I have now achieved 100 days of this project. This is an achievement I am very proud of but it is only the beginning. I always look forward to learning something each day and the intriguing thing is that you never know what it might be. Now - onwards...
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100
100) 8/8/2008
Today I learnt that Paraguay's is the only national flag which does not have the same design on both sides.
.
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Today I learnt that Paraguay's is the only national flag which does not have the same design on both sides.
.
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Thursday, 7 August 2008
99
99) 7/8/2008
Today I learnt that Petra is a site of huge archaeological significance in modern-day Jordan. It is the remains of an ancient city cut out of rock.
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Wednesday, 6 August 2008
98
98) 6/8/2008
Today I learnt that at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, British 400m runner Derek Redmond tore his hamstring in the semi-final. However, with true Olympian spirit, he heroically finished the race with his father helping him across the line.
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Today I learnt that at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, British 400m runner Derek Redmond tore his hamstring in the semi-final. However, with true Olympian spirit, he heroically finished the race with his father helping him across the line.
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Tuesday, 5 August 2008
97
97) 5/8/2008
Today I learnt that a perfect number is one which is equal to the sum of its factors. (Excluding the number itself). For example: 6 is a perfect number as 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. These numbers are very rare though! The next ones are 28 and 496. After that, you're all the way into the 8,000s for the next perfect number.
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Today I learnt that a perfect number is one which is equal to the sum of its factors. (Excluding the number itself). For example: 6 is a perfect number as 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. These numbers are very rare though! The next ones are 28 and 496. After that, you're all the way into the 8,000s for the next perfect number.
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Monday, 4 August 2008
96
96) 4/8/2008
Today I learnt locational information about 3 pre-Columbian civilisations. The Aztec empire was situated in modern-day Mexico and its capital was bigger than any European city. Meanwhile, the Inca empire originated in Peru and stretched down the Pacific coast of South America. The Maya civilisation was established much earlier in Meso-America.
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Today I learnt locational information about 3 pre-Columbian civilisations. The Aztec empire was situated in modern-day Mexico and its capital was bigger than any European city. Meanwhile, the Inca empire originated in Peru and stretched down the Pacific coast of South America. The Maya civilisation was established much earlier in Meso-America.
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Sunday, 3 August 2008
95
95) 3/8/2008
Today I learnt 95% of plant and animal species that have ever existed on Earth are now extinct.
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Today I learnt 95% of plant and animal species that have ever existed on Earth are now extinct.
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Saturday, 2 August 2008
94
94) 2/8/2008
Today I learnt that all land on Earth was originally joined together as one super-continent which we refer to as Pangaea. Around 200 million years ago it started to break up; forming the continents we know today.
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Friday, 1 August 2008
93
93) 1/8/2008
Today I learnt that there was/is a car manufacturer called Qvale. (To all intents and purposes, the only one in the world beginning with Q). Qvale was an independent Italian producer of cars and they only ever released one model - an exclusive sports car of which only a few hundred were made.
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Today I learnt that there was/is a car manufacturer called Qvale. (To all intents and purposes, the only one in the world beginning with Q). Qvale was an independent Italian producer of cars and they only ever released one model - an exclusive sports car of which only a few hundred were made.
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