U.S. Route 40 Alternate (Alt US 40) is the U.S. Highway designation for a former segment of U.S. Route 40 (US 40) through Garrett and Allegany counties in Maryland. The highway begins at US 40 near exit 14 on Interstate 68 and runs 31.80 miles (51.18 km) eastward to Cumberland, where it ends at exit 44 on Interstate 68. The highway is known as Old National Pike because it follows the original alignment of the National Road. As the route of the historic National Road, there are many historic sites along Alt US 40, including the Casselman Bridge in Grantsville and the last remaining National Road toll gate house in Maryland, located in LaVale. When the National Freeway was built in western Maryland paralleling the old National Road, the part of the bypassed road between Keyser's Ridge and Cumberland became Alt US 40, and other bypassed sections east of Cumberland became Maryland Route 144 and U.S. Route 40 Scenic. Although Alt US 40 is now less important because of the construction of Interstate 68, it remains an important route for local traffic and serves as the Main Streets of Grantsville and Frostburg. (Full article...)
There will be 224 solar eclipses in the 21st century, of which 77 will be partial, 72 will be annular, 68 will be total, and 7 will be hybrids between total and annular eclipses. Of these, two annular and one total eclipse will be off-centre, in the sense that the path of the maximum eclipse will only touch Earth's surface rather than traversing it. The greatest number of solar eclipses in one year will be four, in 2011, 2029, 2047, 2065, 2076, and 2094. So far, the longest duration in which the moon totally covered the sun, known as totality, was during the solar eclipse of July 22, 2009(pictured). This total solar eclipse had a maximum duration of 6 minutes and 39 seconds. The longest possible duration of a total solar eclipse is 7 minutes and 32 seconds. The longest annular eclipse was on January 15, 2010, with a duration of 11 minutes and 8 seconds. The possible maximum duration is 12 minutes and 29 seconds. The eclipse of May 20, 2050 will be the second hybrid eclipse in the span of less than one year, the first one being on November 25, 2049. (Full list...)
The Duchess of Padua is an 1891 stage play by Oscar Wilde, rarely staged since its premiere, which follows two star-crossed lovers. Guido arrives in Padua and intends to take revenge for his father's murder by killing the Duke, only to fall in love with the Duchess. He decides to spare the Duke's life, but finds that the Duchess has killed him so that she can be with Guido. When Guido spurns her advances, the Duchess has him arrested for her husband's murder. Guido does not reveal her involvement, and after the trial the Duchess visits him; in his cell, she kills herself by drinking poison, and he follows suit by stabbing himself.
This illustration, from a 1901 printing, illustrates the line, "Alackaday! I am fallen so low in place. I can reward thee only with niggardly thanks."
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