Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, December 19, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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menhir
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| Article of the Day | |
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 The SonnetA sonnet is a poem with 14 lines, invented in 13th-century Italy and perfected by Petrarch. The Italian sonnet is divided into an octave and a sestet. The octave states a problem, and the sestet gives its resolution, with a clear break between the two sections. When the sonnet reached England in the 16th century—chiefly through translations of Petrarch's works—poets changed its meter, rhyme scheme, and line grouping, creating the Elizabethan sonnet. What is the origin of the term "sonnet"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 President Taft Pardons William H. Van Schaick (1912)More than 1,000 people died when the General Slocum, a passenger steamship, caught fire in New York's East River in 1904. It was the city's worst loss-of-life disaster until the attacks of September 11, 2001. Van Schaick, the ship's captain, was convicted of negligence and failure to maintain fire safety equipment and received a 10-year sentence. He was paroled after serving 3½ years in prison and later pardoned by President Taft. Why were most of the passengers unable to escape the fire? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Reggie White (1961)Affectionately nicknamed the "Minister of Defense," a reference to his two very different careers, White was an ordained Baptist minister and a professional football player. The defensive lineman played in the National Football League for 15 seasons between 1985 and 2000, in that time leading the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowls, including one victory, and claiming the league record for sacks. How was White affected by a rash of church arsons in the mid-90s? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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fire hose— A strong, heavy stream of something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Saturnalia (2022)This Ancient Roman Winter Solstice festival began on December 17 and lasted for seven days. It was held in honor of Saturn, the father of the gods, and was characterized by the suspension of discipline and reversal of the usual order. Grudges and quarrels were forgotten; businesses, courts, and schools closed down; and masquerading or change of dress between the sexes often occurred. The festivities were characterized by various kinds of excesses—giving rise to the modern use of the term "saturnalian," meaning "a period of unrestrained license and revelry." More... | |