Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two powerplants. The Third Powerplant was built by 1974 to increase its electric potential. It is the largest electric power-producing facility in the United States. The dam's power plants fueled the growing industries of the Northwest U.S. during World War II. Between 1967 and 1974, the Third Powerplant was constructed in conjunction with the dam and in addition to the original two power houses. Through a series of upgrades and the installation of pump-generators, the dam now supplies four power stations with an installed capacity of 6,809 MW. The reservoir is called Franklin Delano Roosevelt Lake, named after the United States President who presided over the authorization and completion of the dam. The dam has also prevented the migration of salmon and other fish upstream to spawn, interrupting their habitat and reproductive cycle.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Coulee_Dam

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

44 BC:

Dictator Julius Caesar of the Roman Republic was stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus and several other Roman senators. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Julius_Caesar

1776:

South Carolina became the first of England's North American colonies to declare its independence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_South_Carolina

1917:

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia was forced to abdicate in the February Revolution, ending three centuries of Romanov rule. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_II_of_Russia

1943:

World War II: German forces recaptured Kharkov after four days of house-to-house fighting against Soviet troops, ending the month-long Third Battle of Kharkov. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Kharkov

1985:

The company Symbolics became the first ever entity, individual or party to register a .com top-level domain name: symbolics.com. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.com

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

misanthropic (adj): Hating or disliking mankind http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/misanthropic

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government. Equality of talents, of education, or of wealth can not be produced by human institutions. In the full enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, economy, and virtue, every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add to these natural and just advantages artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society — the farmers, mechanics, and laborers — who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government. --Andrew Jackson http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson