Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
Definition: ()

Article of the Day

Constructed Worlds A constructed world is an imaginary world, usually created for a novel, video game, or role-playing game, that possesses a unique geography and climate and is often home to sapient creatures with their own cultures and histories. Detailed maps and languages of their creators’ invention help make these worlds seem more realistic. J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is one example of a constructed world. There are two major approaches to world-building: top-down and bottom-up. How do they differ? More...

This Day in History

Pablo Escobar Escapes from His Luxury Prison (1992) By 1989, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was one of the world's richest men. At the height of his success, his Medellín cartel controlled 80% of the global cocaine market. Even after he was incarcerated, he continued to conduct business from the resort-like Colombian prison that had been built to his specifications. In 1992, in an effort to avoid extradition to the US, Escobar escaped. He was killed by police 16 months later. His intimidation tactic of plata o plomo translates to what? More...

Today's Birthday

Edward Hopper (1882) Hopper was an American painter who supported himself as a commercial illustrator until he gained recognition in the mid-1920s with his now-iconic scenes of American life. His dramatically lit works often feature still, anonymous figures inside geometric buildings and evoke a haunting sense of isolation that was his hallmark. His famous Nighthawks depicts a mostly empty, brightly lit diner on an otherwise dark, desolate street at night. What was said to be Hopper's favorite thing to paint? More...

Quotation of the Day
Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies. Jane Austen (1775-1817)

Idiom of the Day
out there — (hyphenated if used before a noun) Somewhat unusual, unconventional, crazy, or eccentric. More...

Today's Holiday

Gambia Revolution Day (2023) The Gambia, a former British colony in West Africa, celebrates the anniversary of a coup in 1994 that ousted the country's president, Sir Dawda Jawara, and ushered in a military government. Following the bloodless coup, the government made the transition to civilian leadership and the people elected Yahya Jammeh president. The commemoration is essentially a vehicle to show the Gambian people's approval of their president. Past celebrations have included the unveiling of new development initiatives as well as cultural festivities. More...