Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, May 23, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scatology
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Using the Subjunctive MoodWhen we use the subjunctive mood to express actions that we demand, suggest, or request that someone else take, or describe something that must be the case, we use the base form of the verb. What does that mean? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The History of the Sewing MachineThe sewing machine is a device that stitches cloth and other materials. An attempt at mechanical sewing was made in England in 1790 with a machine having a forked, automatic needle that made a single-thread chain, but it was American inventor Elias Howe who made the first successful machine in 1846, using an eye-pointed needle and an intermittent feed. Isaac M. Singer, who is often credited with inventing the machine, patented what improvements to the device? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Pro Wrestler Owen Hart Falls to His Death in the Ring (1999)Regardless of whether one considers professional wrestling a sport or merely choreographed entertainment, one cannot deny that wrestlers often risk serious injury in the ring. High-flying stunts and feats of flamboyant showmanship are now par for the course. Tragically, the dangerous nature of wrestling was graphically illustrated in 1999, when Hart, one of professional wrestling's most respected stars, was killed during a live event. The tragedy unfolded when what stunt went horribly wrong? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Margaret Fuller (1810)One of the most influential American literary personalities of her day, Fuller was a critic, teacher, and woman of letters. She was an ardent feminist, and her Woman in the Nineteenth Century is now considered a classic piece of feminist literature. While working in Italy as a foreign correspondent, Fuller met and married a marquis. Exiled for their support of the failed 1848-49 revolution, they sailed for the US with their infant son. What disaster befell them at the end of their voyage? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her [America's] heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
no pressure— Said ironically to emphasize that what is being discussed carries a large amount of importance or makes one feel that one must try very hard to succeed. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Bishop Mule Days (2018)This is a raucous salute in Bishop, California, to that workhorse of the ages, the mule. Mule Days was started in 1969 by mule-packers who wanted to have a good time and initiate their summer packing season. Now about 50,000 people show up in Bishop for the celebration. A highlight is the Saturday morning 250-unit parade, billed as the world's largest non-motorized parade. Other events include mule-shoeing contests and such muleback cowboy events as steer roping and barrel racing. There are also mule shows and sales, western art, barbecues, and country dances. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: pineapplecollective fruit - That which is formed from a mass of flowers, as the mulberry, pineapple, etc. More... Hawaiian pizza - A pizza topped with pineapple and ham or prosciutto. More... pineapple - Originally, pineapple was the word for pinecone, since the cone is the fruit of the pine and apple had the former general meaning "fruit"; pineapple is neither "pine" nor "apple," but is a very big berry and is also called "king pine" or "excellent fruit." More... multiple fruit, fruitlet - The pineapple is termed a multiple fruit because it forms from the individual ovaries of several flowers; each raised button on its surface is called a fruitlet. More... | |
| In the News | |
|---|---|
Child's Life Can Be Significantly Improved by Dogs that Can Sniff SeizuresAlyssa was just 4 when her sight was lost and she also started to get seizures as many as up to 20 a day. 3 years ago, Alyssa got a gift, Flint – a service dog and that change the life of Alyssa and her family in Los Angeles. The dog has become an integral part ... More... | |