Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, March 19, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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self-reproach
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Colons with DialogueThe colon is used in written dialogue between two or more people, most often in transcripts of plays or legal testimony in a courtroom. We place the colon immediately after the name of the speaker, and the dialogue that follows is written without what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Evolution of the Peppered MothThis moth has been the focus of scientific study for centuries, largely because its color changes illustrate one of the best-known models of natural selection. The moth survives by blending in with birch bark to escape the notice of hungry birds. When the Industrial Revolution blackened the trees with soot, dark moths surged in population as birds ate all the suddenly visible light ones. As air quality improved, trees lightened and light-colored moths resurged. What is this phenomenon called? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Willie Mosconi Sinks 526 Consecutive Billiard Balls (1954)The son of a pool hall owner who tried to keep him from playing billiards, Mosconi learned the game by shooting with potatoes when his father hid the balls. A prodigy, he went on to win the world pool title 15 times before 1957. In 1954, he sank 526 consecutive balls in two hours and 10 minutes, and more than 35 witnesses signed an affidavit swearing to the feat. The record has never been broken. Mosconi was later hired to teach what actor how to convincingly play a pool hustler for a 1961 film? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Richard Frances Burton (1821)Burton lived a life of adventure and scandal as an explorer, translator, fencer, ethnologist, poet, and spy. He spoke at least 25 languages and put these skills to use translating works like the Arabian Nights and Kama Sutra into English. His linguistic skills also helped him pass himself off as a Muslim so that he could visit the forbidden holy cities of Mecca and Medina. After he died, his wife burned 40 years' worth of his diaries. What caused the distinctive scars on his face? 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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me three— humorous An expression of concurrence, agreement, or willingness to participate in addition to others. Said after someone has said "me too" (i.e., "me as well"), thus creating a pun of "too" and "two." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 San José Day Festival (2025)The San José Day Festival at Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, used to take place only on St. Joseph's Day, March 19. Today it is also celebrated on September 19, when freshly harvested crops can be sold and festivities enjoyed in the summer weather. The fiesta's events reflect both traditional Laguna events and the Roman Catholic influence common to the pueblos. There are Catholic masses and processions honoring St. Joseph as well as traditional Laguna dancing. Attendees, including other native peoples, can also enjoy a carnival with rides, numerous food stands, and sporting events. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: pleasantamicable, amiable - Amicable implies being well disposed; amiable is acting well disposed and is commonly applied only to people—though sometimes it is used for occasions, while amicable is not applied to people at all but to human interactions and their outcomes. Amiable first meant "kind" or "lovely, lovable," and amicable first applied to things and meant "pleasant, benign." More... jolly - Comes from Old French jolif, "merry, festive, pleasant." More... merry - First meant "peaceful" or "pleasant," which is what it first meant in "Merry Christmas." More... | |