Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, March 9, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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contagion
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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HyphensA hyphen ( - ) is used primarily to join two or more words to form a new, compound word or to provide clarity when using certain affixes (such as prefixes). What is a hanging hyphen? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Trigeminal NeuralgiaTrigeminal neuralgia is a disorder of the trigeminal nerve—the fifth cranial nerve—which is divided into three branches and is responsible for chewing, producing saliva and tears, and sending facial sensations to the brain. The disorder causes episodes of sharp, stabbing pain in the cheek, lips, gums, or chin on one side of the face. The pain, while brief, is so severe that the sufferer often cannot do anything else while the attack lasts. How is trigeminal neuralgia treated? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 WWII: Bombing of Tokyo Kills 100,000 (1945)During WWII, Allied bombing devastated half of Tokyo, destroyed or damaged many famous landmarks, and ruined nearly all of the city's industrial plants. In the US firebombing raid that began on March 9, 1945, nearly 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the Japanese capital, killing roughly 100,000 people and destroying about 16 mi² (41 km²) of the city—making it the most destructive conventional bombing raid in history. How did the destruction compare to that of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Bobby Fischer (1943)Fischer was a chess legend who, at the age of 15, became the youngest grandmaster in history at that time. In 1970 and 1971, he won an unprecedented 20 straight games to qualify to challenge Boris Spassky for the world championship. He then beat Spassky, becoming the only American world titlist and winning the lion's share of the $250,000 prize fund that was then the largest purse offered in any sport outside boxing. Afterward, Fischer did not publicly play another game of chess until what year? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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ball the jack— Speed up. Go fast. This phrase came from the American rail industry, in which a train was nicknamed a "jack," while "highball" meant to proceed. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Feast of St. Frances of Rome (2019)St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440) was a model for housewives and widows. Despite the death of her children, her husband's banishment, and the confiscation of their estates, she continued to nurse the sick and care for the poor. St. Frances's feast day is observed on March 9, the date on which she died. Because she is also the patron saint of motorists, it is customary for Italian drivers to flock to the Colosseum in Rome for the blessing of their cars. Crowds also visit Tor de Specchi and Casa degli Esercizi Pii (formerly her home), whose rooms are opened to the public on this day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: techniquetraffic-calming device - Any device (e.g. a speed bump) or technique on or next to a road that is used to slow or restrict traffic, especially in residential areas. More... appliance - First was the use or application of a technique, putting a technique into practice. More... expression marks - The collective term for musical directives, including tempo, volume, technique, phrasing, and mood. More... martial art - So named for Japanese bu-jutsu (bu + jutsu), "art, technique, skill, craft." More... | |