Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, April 21, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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unhoped-for
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Ending Exclamatory SentencesExclamation points are most often used in place of periods to end declarative sentences that express a very strong emotion, such as anger, excitement, surprise, or disgust. What are such sentences sometimes called? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Catacombs of RomeThe catacombs—underground tunnel systems lined with recesses for bodies—of Rome date to about the 1st century and were built due to land shortages and because persecuted Christians needed a place to bury their dead. Early Christians also took refuge and occasionally worshipped in the tunnels. Thus they are unique in their abundance of Early Christian artwork and iconography. Forgotten for centuries, the catacombs were accidently rediscovered in 1578. Why is Rome uniquely suited for such tunnels? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Principality of Hutt River Secedes from Australia (1970)In the late 1960s, Australian farmer Leonard Casley protested government wheat quotas he considered unfair. Unsuccessful, he turned to Commonwealth law and styled himself a monarch—His Majesty Prince Leonard I of Hutt—and founded The Principality of Hutt River. His pronouncement of sovereignty was never successfully challenged by the Australian government, and he is now considered a non-resident of Australia for income tax purposes. What legal quirks allowed him to start his own micronation? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Henry Wheeler Shaw, AKA Josh Billings (1818)Shaw studied at Hamilton College but was expelled for removing the clapper from the chapel bell. After a roving life as farmer, explorer, and coal miner, he settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, as an auctioneer and real estate dealer. In 1860, using the pseudonym Josh Billings, he began to write humorous sketches and homespun philosophies in rural dialect—often with intentionally crude misspellings—and soon became a popular lecturer. What are some of Shaw's best aphorisms? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(as) nice as ninepence— Very tidy, neat, and well-organized; in good order. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Inconfidência Week (2025)The Inconfidência was a colonial uprising for Brazilian independence from Portugal at the end of the 18th century. It is celebrated during the week of April 21 by paying tribute to Joaquim José da Silva Xavier—known as Tiradentes ("tooth-puller") for his dentistry practice—who became a martyr when the uprising was put down and he was executed. The Inconfidência Week festivities include performances by orchestras, bands, and choirs, and athletic competitions. The city of Ouro Preto is honorarily restored as state capital of Minas Gerais during the festival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: waistdrop waist - One that has the seam at the hips, rather than the waist. More... blouse - First a garment, usually belted at the waist, worn by peasants or workmen. More... midriff - Based on the Old English hrif, "belly," it is the front of the body between the chest and the waist. More... calypso - The style in which a shirt's tails are tied in a knot at the waist. More... | |