Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, December 23, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
parterre
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
"Just as … so"We use the correlative conjunction "just as … so" to indicate that the two elements being joined are similar. Usually, "just as" begins an independent clause, and "so" is followed by a second independent clause. Traditionally, what happens to the clause after "so"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The Steam EngineIn a steam engine, hot steam expands under pressure, and part of the heat energy is converted into work. The idea to harness steam’s power and convert it to mechanical energy dates back 2,000 years to Hero of Alexandria and his aeolipile, but the concept was not successfully applied to the building of a power source until about 1700. Improvements to the steam engine over the next century allowed it to play a major role in the Industrial Revolution. Why is there renewed interest in steam power? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 George Washington Resigns as Commander-in-Chief (1783)After demonstrating exemplary leadership as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, George Washington resigned his commission and retired to Mount Vernon, Virginia. By resigning his military post, Washington established the important precedent that civilian-elected officials possess ultimate authority over the armed forces. After a brief retirement, he was elected the country's first president. Why was he given a posthumous military promotion in 1976? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805)Smith was the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In 1827, he claimed that an angel directed him to buried golden plates containing God's revelation, which he translated as the Book of Mormon. He led converts to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and introduced the custom of polygamy. When in 1844 he announced his candidacy for the presidency of the US, he and his brother were thrown in jail, where they were killed by a lynch mob. What happened to the church after his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The evolution of man is slow. The injustice of men is great.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
on the long finger— In a state of postponement or procrastination. (Used especially in the phrase "put something on the long finger.") Primarily heard in Ireland. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Night of the Radishes (2023)Night of the Radishes is a festival dating from the 19th century that combines art, agriculture, and religion. It is held in the zócalo, or main square, in Oaxaca, Mexico. The radishes grow to yam-size here and are each uniquely shaped by growing through the rocky soil. Families harvest these vegetables, and combine and sculpt them into elaborate forms depicting biblical scenes, especially the nativity of Jesus. Historical and Aztec themes are also represented. After the awarding of cash prizes and ribbons, a fireworks display caps the night. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: rubberawareness band, awareness bracelet - An awareness band or awareness bracelet is made of rubber or fabric on which a slogan is written, usually sold to raise awareness for charitable causes. More... Macintosh - A raincoat, named for Charles Macintosh (Scottish inventor, 1766-1843), who discovered how to waterproof fabric with rubber. More... rubber - In the sense of the latex of the rubber plant, it is so called because you can rub out pencil marks with it, not the other way around. More... amorphous - Something amorphous has no real shape or is irregularly shaped—like pudding; an amorphous solid lacks the perfect ordered structure of crystals. Other examples are glass, polymers, and rubber. More... | |