Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, January 2, 2025)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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putrefaction
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Writing Compound NounsWriting compound nouns is a bit complicated due to the fact that they can take three different forms. What are "open compound nouns"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 OrientalismThe term "Orientalism," when used to refer to Westerners' study of Eastern cultures and peoples, has negative connotations, implying old-fashioned, prejudiced, outsider interpretations of the East. However, the term also refers to the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers, artists, and architects. Examples include Western attempts—from the Renaissance to the 18th century—to imitate the technical sophistication of what Chinese art form? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Second "Palmer Raid" Takes Place (1920)During the "Red Scare" that followed World War I, US Attorney General Alexander Mitchell Palmer attempted to deport political radicals, dissidents, and aliens in the notorious "Palmer Raids." The first raid took place in late 1919. The second series of raids began in January 1920. In total, some 3,000 allegedly subversive aliens were rounded up for deportation. A few hundred were deported, but the vast majority were released. The raids were preceded by bombings targeting what officials? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ernst Barlach (1870)Barlach was an outstanding German expressionist sculptor, graphic artist, and writer. Through the power of his simple, angular, and compact forms, he communicated intense emotion and compassion. From clay modeling he turned to wood carving and woodcutting, which imbued his work with a rough-hewn quality. He achieved fame in the 1920s and 30s with the execution of several war memorials for the Weimar Republic. Why were many of Barlach's works destroyed or confiscated as "degenerate art"? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Misery is manifold...as the rainbow; its hues are as various as the hues of that arch.Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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look for a dog to kick— To seek out someone to blame or castigate, especially someone who is not at fault. (Usually said in the continuous tense.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Berchtold's Day (2025)In Switzerland, the day after New Year's Day is known as Berchtoldstag and is celebrated primarily by children. Groups of playmates organize parties that feature nut eating and nut games followed by singing and folk dancing. A popular game is the building of "hocks" composed of four nuts placed close together with a fifth balanced on top. The children begin gathering and stockpiling nuts for Berchtold's Day festivities early in the fall. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poleboom - From Dutch, originally a long beam or pole. More... pogo stick - Came onto the scene around 1921, but is of uncertain etymology, possibly from "pole" and "go." More... pole position - Refers to pole as the term for the inside fence on a racecourse. More... trolley pole - The pole sticking up from a bumper car. More... | |