Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, October 27, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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flyblown
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Conjunctive Adverbs for Complete ContrastThere are two types of contrast that we can illustrate using conjunctive adverbs. One, known as "complete contrast," is when the two opposing things are total opposites. What conjunctive adjectives can be used to show complete contrast? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 TrichotillomaniaAlso commonly known as TTM and "trich," trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pull out one's hair. Classified by many clinicians as a habit behavior that falls into the same class as nail biting, TTM has no cure but can sometimes be managed with habit reversal training and pharmacotherapy. It is estimated that up to 5% of the world's population has TTM. In recent years, the number of reported TTM cases has increased, a fact some attribute to what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The First Underground Line of the New York City Subway Opens (1904)Now an integral part of New York City culture, the NYC subway opened its first underground line in 1904—about 35 years after service began on the first elevated line. The subway's early popularity was highlighted in songs like "Take the 'A' Train" and publicity contests like "Miss Subways." Millions of people now ride the city's subways every day, consistently crowding some trains well beyond capacity. What 1888 natural disaster boosted support for the creation of an underground transit system? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Niccolò Paganini (1782)An Italian violinist and composer whose virtuosity is the stuff of legend, Paganini was playing with an orchestra by the age of nine. By the time he reached adulthood, the renowned violinist had also earned a reputation as a shameless womanizer and inveterate gambler. The latter vice once even cost him his prized violin. Nevertheless, he had a profound influence on the evolution of violin technique. Why did the Catholic Church deny him burial in consecrated ground for years following his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 So, naturalists observe, a fleaHas smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller still to bite 'em; And so proceed ad infinitum. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a people person— Someone who is particularly gregarious, affable, or outgoing; someone with great interpersonal communication skills. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Karwa Chauth (2018)Observed by married women in Hindu families, the Karwa Chauth festival is a day-long fast in honor of the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati, whom they hope will bring prosperity and long life to their husbands. It is also a time for mothers to bless their married daughters and present them with gifts. Virgins and widows are not allowed to participate in the celebrations, which begin at dawn when the women bathe and put on new clothes. The day is devoted to worshipping Shiva and Parvati, and the fast is broken at night when the moon rises. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: materialstaboret - An artist's multi-drawer cabinet table for tools and materials. More... compendium - Latin for "that which is weighed together," it is a complete summary or abridgment or a concise collection of materials—not an all-encompassing or comprehensive work (plural is compendiums or compendia). More... hygroscopic - Describing the ability or tendency of a material to take up moisture readily from the surrounding air or other moist materials. More... molecular gastronomy - The study and application of chemistry, physics, and other scientific principles on cooking processes, preparation, and materials. More... | |