Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
abysmal Definition: (adjective) Extremely or hopelessly bad or severe. Synonyms: dreadful, terrible, awful, appalling, dismal, dire, ghastly, hideous, atrocious Usage: We have been having abysmal weather lately, but the Sun is finally expected to make an appearance next week!

Article of the Day

Colma, CA There is a good reason the motto of residents of Colma, California, is "It's great to be alive in Colma!" The Bay Area city was founded as a necropolis in 1924 and is now home to 18 cemeteries—17 for humans and one for pets—containing the final resting places of Joe DiMaggio, Wyatt Earp, and William Randolph Hearst, among many others. Most of the city's land is devoted to memorial parks. What city once passed an ordinance evicting all of its cemeteries, resulting in their relocation to Colma? 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
Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

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...