Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 1, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chef-d'oeuvre
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| Article of the Day | |
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 TheobromineClosely related to caffeine, theobromine is a toxic alkaloid found in cocoa, chocolate products, tea, and cola nuts. Also known as xantheose, it is bitter and colorless and acts as a diuretic, vasodilator, cardiac stimulant, and smooth muscle relaxant. Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—a corrosive, toxic liquid element. Rather, its name is derived from the genus of the cacao tree, Theobroma, which is made up of the Greek roots theo and broma and means what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat (1955)Dubbed the "Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement" by the US Congress, Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights activist who became famous in 1955 for refusing to vacate her seat on a municipal bus for a white man. This act of civil disobedience sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which launched Martin Luther King, Jr., into prominence and became one of the largest and most successful movements against racial segregation. How many thousands of commuters took part in the boycott? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Anna Comnena (1083)The daughter of Emperor Alexius I of Byzantium, Anna plotted, both during and after her father's reign, against her brother, John II, in the hopes of placing her husband on the throne. After the plot failed, the princess retired to a convent, where she proceeded to pen a biography of her father, the Alexiad, that is recognized today as one of the outstanding Greek historical works of the Middle Ages. Who was Anna's coconspirator in the plot against her brother? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In time we hate that which we often fear.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be (someone's) huckleberry— dated To be well or perfectly suited to someone's job, need, or purpose. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 World AIDS Day (2022)In order to promote more social tolerance and a greater awareness of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared December 1 as World AIDS Day in 1988. Every year, various global agencies take the lead in coordinating this day and in educating people about HIV/AIDS. In the United States, local communities, organizations, and schools have observed World AIDS Day by disseminating education and prevention materials and holding candlelight memorial services, among many other events. More... | |