Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
extirpate Definition: (verb) To destroy totally. Synonyms: eradicate, exterminate, uproot Usage: The tyrant's first order of business upon assuming power was to extirpate the vestiges of political democracy.

Article of the Day

Alan Jay Lerner Lerner, an American lyricist and librettist, began his musical theater career with collegiate contributions to the annual Harvard Hasty Pudding musicals. After two years as a radio scriptwriter, he was introduced to composer Frederick Loewe. Their collaboration resulted in the 1947 musical hit Brigadoon. Their crowning achievement, however, was My Fair Lady (1956), whose film version won eight Oscars. My Fair Lady is adapted from which novel? 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
The brave man carves out his fortune, and every man is the son of his own works. Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)

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...