Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
histrionics Definition: (noun) Theatrical arts or performances. Synonyms: theatrical performance, representation Usage: They had lunch, then went to the theater to enjoy an hour of histrionics.

Article of the Day

Hammurabi The sixth king of Babylonia, Hammurabi founded an empire that was eventually destroyed by raids from Asia Minor. He is best remembered for his code of laws, which addresses issues like business and family relations, labor, private property, and personal injuries. Though generally humanitarian, Hammurabi's Code relies on the retributive "eye for an eye" theory of punishment. A nearly complete version of the code, carved on a diorite column, was recovered in 1902. Where can you visit it today? 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
Children are all foreigners. 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...