Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, January 4, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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hypnopedia
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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How to Write Compound NounsWriting compound nouns is a bit complicated due to the fact that they can take three different forms. What are "closed compound nouns"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Inca Road SystemOne of the most remarkable examples of Inca engineering was their elaborate network of roads, parts of which survive today. Log, stone, pontoon, and suspension bridges were built to span streams, rivers, and chasms, and shelters and storehouses were spaced a day's travel apart. These were maintained by nearby villages, which also supplied messengers for their sectors. Messages or parcels could thus be carried throughout the empire quite quickly, with runners able to cover what distance in a day? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Donald Campbell Dies in Water Speed Record Attempt (1967)Following in the footsteps of his father—record-breaking English racing enthusiast Malcolm Campbell—Donald Campbell set the world speed record on water at 276 mph (445 km/h) in 1964. In 1967, during an attempt to set a new record, Donald's jet-powered boat violently disintegrated over Coniston Water, killing him instantly. Though his teddy bear mascot was found floating among the debris, Donald's body was not recovered until nearly 35 years later. Did he at least succeed in breaking his record? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Bond (1900)An expert in Caribbean birds and a distinguished ornithologist at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Bond wrote the definitive Birds of the West Indies in 1936. The book came to the attention of avid bird-watcher Ian Fleming, who lived in Jamaica. He contacted Bond and asked if he could use the ornithologist's name for the hero of his first novel, Casino Royale. Bond agreed. In what film can the fictional Bond be seen reading the real-life Bond's book? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Where words fail, music speaks.Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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snatch (someone) from the jaws of death— To rescue someone at the last moment from near or certain death. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Myanmar Independence Day (2021)The southeast Asian country of Burma (renamed Myanmar in 1989 by its military government), was given independence in 1948, when it refused to rejoin the British Commonwealth following Japanese occupation in World War II. The former capital, Yangon (formerly Rangoon), is decorated for Independence Day festivities, and the day is marked by sports and fairs in most cities. Burmese people dress in their national costume, which consists of an aingyi (blouse or shirt) and a longyi (skirt); panthay khowse (noodles and chicken) is traditionally served on this day, as is nga sak kin (curried fish balls). More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: usefulalpha version, preview version, beta version - Alpha version describes a development status that usually means the first complete version of a program or application, which is most likely unstable, but is useful to show what the product will do to, usually, a selected group—and is also called preview version; the beta version is usually the last version before wide release, often tested by users under real-world conditions. More... index fossil - One useful for dating and demonstrating the relation between strata in which it is found. More... putti - Cupids that make themselves useful, as in old paintings; the singular is putto. More... decorative arts - Any of the arts that create entities that are both useful and beautiful. More... | |