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May 6, 2026
May 6, 2026
Word
propagate
verb
Definition
  1. to reproduce or cause to reproduce biologically : multiply
  2. to cause to spread : extend
  3. to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief) : publicize
Example
Noah Webster endeavored to propagate a new system of spelling, with only limited success.
Origin
The origins of "propagate" are firmly rooted in the field of horticulture. The word was borrowed into English in the late 16th century from Latin "propagatus," the past participle of the verb "propagare," which means "to set (onto a plant) a small shoot or twig cut for planting or grafting." "Propagare," in turn, derives from "propages," meaning "layer (of a plant), slip, offspring." It makes sense, therefore, that the earliest uses of "propagate" referred to facilitating the reproduction of a plant or animal. Nowadays, however, the meaning of "propagate" can extend to the "reproduction" of something intangible, such as an idea or belief. Incidentally, "propaganda" also comes to us from "propagare," although it took a somewhat different route into English.
Webster's Dictionary
Idiom
stark raving mad
Totally crazy, as in The constant uncertainty over his job is making him stark raving mad. This term, meaning "completely wildly insane," is used both hyperbolically and literally. Versions of this expression appear to have sprung from the minds of great literary figures. Stark mad was first recorded by poet John Skelton in 1489; stark raving was first recorded by playwright John Beaumont in 1648; stark staring mad was first used by John Dryden in 1693. The current wording, stark raving mad, first appeared in Henry Fielding's The Intriguing Chambermaid in 1734.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
Fun facts
  1. The top of the Empire State Building was originally built as a place to anchor blimps.
  2. Bowling pins need to tip over a mere 7 1/2 degrees to fall down.
Snapple's under-the-cap 'Real Facts'
Artist
Jamini Roy
Apr 11, 1887 - Apr 24, 1972

Jamini Roy was an Indian painter. He was honoured with the State award of Padma Bhushan in 1955. He was one of the most famous pupils of Abanindranath Tagore, whose artistic originality and contribution to the emergence of modern art in India remains unquestionable.

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Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture
Historical figure
Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal
603 AD - 683 AD

Kʼinich Janaab Pakal I, also known as Pacal, Pacal the Great, 8 Ahau and Sun Shield, was ajaw of the Maya city-state of Palenque in the Late Classic period of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chronology. He acceded to the throne in July 615 and ruled until his death. During a reign of 68 years—the fifth-longest verified regnal period of any sovereign monarch in history, the longest in world history for more than a millennium, and still the second longest in the history of the Americas—Pakal was responsible for the construction or extension of some of Palenque's most notable surviving inscriptions and monumental architecture. Pakal is perhaps best-known in popular culture for his depiction on the carved lid of his sarcophagus, which has become the subject of pseudoarchaeological speculations.

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Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture
Historic event
Balkan Wars
Oct 8, 1912 - Jul 18, 1913

The Balkan Wars consisted of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan Peninsula in 1912 and 1913. Four Balkan states defeated the Ottoman Empire in the first war. In the Second Balkan War, Bulgaria fought against all four original combatants of the first war along with facing a surprise attack from Romania from the north. The conflicts ended catastrophically for the Ottoman Empire, which lost the bulk of its territory in Europe. Austria-Hungary, although not a combatant, became relatively weaker as a much enlarged Serbia pushed for union of the South Slavic peoples. The war set the stage for the Balkan crisis of 1914 and thus served as a "prelude to the First World War".

By the early 20th century, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia had achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large elements of their ethnic populations remained under Ottoman rule. In 1912, these countries formed the Balkan League. The First Balkan War began on 8 October 1912, when the League member states attacked the Ottoman Empire, and ended eight months later with the signing of the Treaty of London on 30 May 1913.

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Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture
Quote
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
Albert Einstein