Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, May 4, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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WhoseThe interrogative adjectives "what" and "which" can often be used interchangeably, while "whose" is very different. What does "whose" denote? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Gossamer AlbatrossThe Gossamer Albatross was a human-powered aircraft built by American aeronautical engineer Paul B. MacCready. Constructed using a carbon fiber frame with polystyrene wings, the aircraft was powered using pedals to drive a large, two-bladed propeller. On June 12, 1979, amateur cyclist Bryan Allen successfully piloted it across the English Channel, completing the 22-mile (36-km) crossing in less than three hours and achieving a top speed of 18 mph (29 km/h). What was its average altitude? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Kent State Shootings (1970)In 1970, the US was in the midst of the Vietnam War, and antiwar demonstrations among students were common. When students at Ohio's Kent State University decided to protest the incursion of US forces into Cambodia, no one imagined it would end in tragedy. But National Guard troops called in to disperse the crowd opened fire, killing four and wounding nine others. The shooting sparked nationwide outrage and became a rallying point for antiwar activists. Where else were student protesters killed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Richard Louis "Dick" Proenneke (1916)An icon of wilderness living, Proenneke spent 30 years residing alone in a log cabin he built by hand in remote Twin Lakes, Alaska. His three decades of solitude there were, in fact, his retirement years. During his stay, he chronicled his daily life, keeping detailed written journals and filming his activities, like the construction of his cabin, as well as wildlife. Proenneke left Alaska in 1998, at age 82, to live out the remainder of his life with family. What has since become of his cabin? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Now, I hold it is not decent for a scientific gentTo say another is an ass-at least, to all intent; Nor should the individual who happens to be meant Reply by heaving rocks at him to any great extent. Bret Harte (1836-1902) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be no slouch— To be very hardworking, enthusiastic, and/or skillful. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Cassinga Day (2021)On May 4, 1978, South African forces attacked a SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organization) base located in the old Angolan mining town of Cassinga. Hundreds of Namibians died during the attack. Namibia eventually won its political independence in 1990 and is currently ruled by the SWAPO party government, and a national holiday is declared every year on the anniversary of the attack to commemorate those who died in their country's struggle for independence. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: materialstaboret - An artist's multi-drawer cabinet table for tools and materials. More... compendium - Latin for "that which is weighed together," it is a complete summary or abridgment or a concise collection of materials—not an all-encompassing or comprehensive work (plural is compendiums or compendia). More... hygroscopic - Describing the ability or tendency of a material to take up moisture readily from the surrounding air or other moist materials. More... molecular gastronomy - The study and application of chemistry, physics, and other scientific principles on cooking processes, preparation, and materials. More... | |