Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, September 3, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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jalopy
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Irregular Comparative AdverbsJust as there are irregular adverbs, there are irregular comparative adverbs. "Well" is an example of an irregular comparative adverb. What are some others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Lafarge Poisoning CaseIn one of the first trials followed by the public through daily newspaper reports, Frenchwoman Marie-Fortunée Lafarge, who stood accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic, was found guilty of murder. Her conviction in 1840 was the first to be based heavily on direct forensic toxicological evidence. During the trial, local experts presented contradictory testimony regarding the presence of arsenic in the victim's body, and it was ultimately exhumed and tested using what new detection method? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Qatar Becomes an Independent State (1971)Qatar, located on a small peninsula in the Persian Gulf, became a British protectorate in 1916. It remained under British control for more than 50 years, a period during which oil was discovered there and Qatar rapidly modernized. In 1968, Britain declared that it would disengage from the region, and Qatar joined a federation of nearby states. However, disputes arose, and, in 1971, Qatar became an independent state. Prior to the discovery of oil there, Qatar was noted for what unusual industry? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Diane de Poitiers (1499)As a lady-in-waiting at the French royal court, Diane captivated the man who would become King Henry II of France—though he was 20 years her junior. After the death of her husband, she became Henry's mistress. Following his coronation in 1547, Diane held court as queen in all but name, while the real queen lived in relative obscurity. However, after Henry's 1559 death, she was forced to retire from court. Her death may have been the result of drinking too much gold in an elixir meant to do what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A man dies as often as he loses his friends.Francis Bacon (1561-1626) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be just the same (to someone)— To make no difference (to someone) one way or another; to be unimportant (to someone) what happens. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Pchum Ben (2020)The 15-day period known as Pchum Ben in Cambodia is dedicated to rituals for the dead. It occurs during the rainy season when skies are usually overcast, and the darkness seems an appropriate time for Yama, God of the Underworld, to let the souls of the dead visit their families. The traditional offering to the dead consists of ben—special cakes made of glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and other ingredients—arranged on a platter around a centerpiece and placed on a pedestal. During this time a monk says prayers at the tombs of the dead. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: religionnullifidian - Someone having no faith or religion; a disbeliever. More... apostasy - Abandonment or renunciation of one's religion or morals. More... renegade - First referred to a person who abandons one religion for another. More... secular - Has a root meaning of "temporal"—opposed to the eternity of the church—and means "not connected to a religion." More... | |