Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
inebriant Definition: (noun) An intoxicant. Synonyms: alcoholic beverage, intoxicant, alcohol Usage: He guzzled the inebriant like a thirsty man would water and promptly dropped to the floor with a thud.

Article of the Day

The 1970 Bhola Cyclone While the 1970 Bhola cyclone was not the strongest tropical cyclone to hit East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), it was the deadliest, claiming approximately half a million lives. It ranks among the most deadly natural disasters of modern times. The low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta were particularly susceptible to the storm surge's floodwaters, which reached 33 ft (10 m) when the cyclone made landfall. How did this tragic event help to bring about the establishment of Bangladesh? More...

This Day in History

Christopher Reeve Is Paralyzed (1995) Having starred in four Superman movies beginning in 1978, Reeve was an immensely popular actor by the 1990s. He was also an avid athlete and equestrian. During an event in 1995, his horse spooked before a jump, throwing Reeve. He landed on his head and was paralyzed from the neck down. He briefly considered suicide, but instead spent the rest of his life campaigning for spinal injury research. His friend Robin Williams was the first person to make Reeve laugh after the accident. How? More...

Today's Birthday

Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794) Cornelius was the patriarch of the famous Vanderbilt family. As a youth, he ferried freight and passengers in New York Harbor. As an adult, he gained control of most of the ferry lines around New York City and quickly expanded up and down the coast. He had similar success in the railroad business and died with an estate worth more than $100 million, the largest personal fortune accumulated in the US to that date. Why did Vanderbilt, who had 13 children, leave nearly everything to just one son? More...

Quotation of the Day
He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow. George Eliot (1819-1880)

Idiom of the Day
mind the gap — An audio or visual instruction used in the UK and Ireland to be careful stepping over the space between a train's carriage and the platform when boarding or disembarking. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. More...

Today's Holiday

Bergen International Festival (2024) The Bergen International Festival is the major cultural event in Norway, and features more than 100 events in music, drama, folklore, opera, ballet, and the visual arts. Most of the musical events are held in Bergen's Viking Castle (built in 1250), at the Grieg Concert Hall, at Edvard Grieg's home (known as "Troldhaugen"), and at Lysoen, the island home of composer and violinist Ole Bull. Although the primary attraction is music, children's programs, literary events, and art exhibits are featured as well. More...