Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, December 24, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
hardtack
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Adverbs of Definite FrequencyAdverbs of definite frequency describe a specific or exact range of time for when something occurs or is the case. "Weekly" is an example of an adverb of definite frequency. What are some others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The GyroscopeAmong the unusual properties at work in gyroscopes is the resistance of a spinning object to being tilted. If set in a free-moving framework, such an object can provide a stable point of reference even if everything else around it—an airplane, for example—tilts. The effect is so strong that large gyroscopes can even prevent ships from rolling. Today, gyroscopes are used in missile guidance, automatic steering, and video game technology. What toys, besides tops, work with gyroscopic effects? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 The Ku Klux Klan Is Formed (1865)The Ku Klux Klan is the name of two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history. The first Klan was an organization that thrived in the South during the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. The second was a nationwide organization that flourished after World War I. Subsequent groups calling themselves the Ku Klux Klan sprang up in much of the South after World War II and in response to civil-rights activity during the 1960s. How did the Ku Klux Klan gets its name? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Isidor Feinstein Stone (1907)Stone worked on several newspapers in his native Philadelphia and in New York before starting his own investigative newsletter, I. F. Stone's Weekly. It was believed to have an influence far greater than the size of its readership, which included some of the nation's most prominent politicians, academicians, and journalists. The sole author, Stone created a unique blend of wit and pointed political commentary. After his death, Stone was alleged to have been a secret agent for what nation? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 History develops, art stands still.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
green folding stuff/money— Paper money, especially in large amounts. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Christmas Eve (Japan) (2020)In Buddhist Japan, Christmas Eve is for lovers. The day should be spent doing something extra special (expensive), and should end in a fine Tokyo hotel room, most of which have been booked since the previous January; even the cheapest rooms go for exorbitant prices. Youngsters may be treated to a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken—if their parents don't mind lining up for two hours—as many Japanese think Colonel Sanders resembles Santa Claus. Another culinary tradition is strawberry shortcake with a plastic fir tree on top. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: wombgestation - Literally the period during which unborn young are "carried" inside the womb—from Latin gerere, "carry" or "conduct." More... lightening - A drop in the level of the womb during the last weeks of pregnancy, as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis. More... matrix - From Latin, meaning "breeding female," it originally was used for the uterus or womb, then for a supporting or enclosing structure. More... | |