Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
smarmy Definition: (adjective) Hypocritically, complacently, or effusively earnest. Synonyms: fulsome, oleaginous, unctuous Usage: His smarmy speech left no doubt that he actually felt superior to those he was meant to be praising.

Article of the Day

Nicotine Nicotine, a naturally occurring constituent of tobacco, is the addictive, active ingredient in tobacco smoke. Although nicotine is highly toxic—it is used as an insecticide, fumigant, and vermifuge and in large doses can cause respiratory paralysis and even death in humans—the amount inhaled when smoking a cigarette is relatively small, about 3 mg. Depending on how it is inhaled, nicotine can act as a stimulant or as a tranquilizer. What is a lethal dose of nicotine for humans? More...

This Day in History

World's Tallest Roller Coaster Opens in New Jersey (2005) Reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m) and with a top speed of 128 mph (206 km/h), the Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson, New Jersey, became the tallest and the fastest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 2005. It took both titles from Cedar Point park's Top Thrill Dragster, which was designed by the same company and is nearly identical. Kingda Ka lost its title as the world's fastest roller coaster in 2010 to what attraction? More...

Today's Birthday

Henri Rousseau (1844) Rousseau was an entirely self-taught French painter. He held a minor post as a tax collector in Paris for more than 20 years before retiring to paint at the age of 49. His work remained consistently naive and imaginative and was often ridiculed. It was only after his death that Rousseau gained recognition as an artistic genius. Though he never left France or saw a jungle, he is best known for his paintings of lush, tropical scenes and wild animals. What was his inspiration for the exotic scenes? More...

Quotation of the Day
A book is a friend whose face is constantly changing. If you read it when you are recovering from an illness, and return to it years after, it is changed surely, with the change in yourself. Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

Idiom of the Day
media darling — A very famous and popular person who receives exceptionally positive media coverage or attention. More...

Today's Holiday

Chile Battle of Iquique Day (Día de las Glorias Navales) (2024) This national holiday in Chile is often called Día de las Glorias Navales ("The Day of the Glorious Navy"). From 1879 to 1881, the Chilean navy fought an alliance of Peru and Bolivia in the War of the Pacific. The Chilean victory in the Battle of Iquique on May 21, 1879, was a turning point in a war that Chile eventually won decisively. The holiday is celebrated throughout Chile with festivals, military parades, and speeches. Sporting events, including boat and bicycle races, are held in honor of the holiday. Many people dress in traditional costumes as a symbol of national pride. More...