Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, September 18, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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happenstance
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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ArticlesArticles identify whether a noun is definite (specific or particular) or indefinite (general or unspecific). What are the three articles? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Electromagnetic BombIn 2003, it was reported that US forces used an electromagnetic bomb to disrupt Iraqi TV transmissions. The so-called E-bomb is a weapon designed to disable electronics with an electromagnetic pulse. Though relatively non-lethal, it can cripple critical technology, making it a valuable tool in modern warfare. It is believed that older devices containing vacuum tubes may be more resistant to damage from these bombs than newer, transistor-based technology. How can sensitive devices be protected? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 George Washington Lays Cornerstone of US Capitol (1793)The US Capitol is the seat of the legislative branch of government in Washington, DC. The city's dominating monument, it was built on an elevated site chosen by George Washington in consultation with architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The building was begun in 1793, after the president set the cornerstone during a groundbreaking ceremony that included Masonic rites. As it stands now, the building is the result of the work of several architects. When was the imposing dome added to the Capitol? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jean Bernard Léon Foucault (1819)Foucault, a French physicist, invented the Foucault pendulum and used it to provide experimental proof that the Earth rotates on its axis. He improved astronomical instruments, especially the telescope, and with Armand Fizeau took the first clear photograph of the Sun. Foucault is also known for determining the speed of light with extreme accuracy and showing that light travels slower in water than in air. He had originally studied medicine but abandoned it for physics due to a fear of what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Nobody, I think, ought to read poetry, or look at pictures or statues, who cannot find a great deal more in them than the poet or artist has actually expressed. Their highest merit is suggestiveness.Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have a thing for (something)— To have a very keen or particular interest in something; to really like or enjoy something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Warsaw Autumn Festival (2023)Officially called the International Festival of Contemporary Music, the Warsaw Autumn Festival's offerings in its early years were more conservative than the name would seem to indicate. Today more experimental music and world premieres are performed along with classical standbys of the 20th century. It was established in 1956 by a group of Polish composers who wanted to bring other East European as well as West European countries together. The concerts are held in the National Philharmonic building, the Royal Castle, and other venues around the city. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: subtlesubingression - A subtle or unseen entrance. More... ethereal - First meant "resembling the ether or lightest and most subtle of elements," and now means that something is impalpable or unearthly. More... hard sell, soft sell - Hard sell implies an aggressive approach toward a potential buyer; a soft sell is a more subtle, suggestive approach. More... subtle - Its ultimate source is Latin subtilis, "finely woven," a weaving term, from sub tela, "beneath the lengthwise threads of a loom." More... | |