Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 8, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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scavenger
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Starting Sentences with Subordinating ConjunctionsWhile it's a commonly quoted belief that a sentence should not begin with the word "because," this is not an actual grammatical rule. Sentences can begin with "because" (and any other subordinating conjunction) as long as the sentence is not what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Magdalene AsylumsNamed after Mary Magdalene, who, according to Christian tradition, repented her sins and became one of Jesus' closest followers, Magdalene asylums were institutions largely run by various orders of the Catholic Church to rehabilitate so-called fallen women—prostitutes, unwed mothers, even girls considered too promiscuous or flirtatious—through hard labor and penance. Many were admitted against their will, and some allege that they were subject to abuse. When was the last of these asylums closed? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Shooter Opens Fire at Damageplan Concert, Killing Four (2004)Not long after American heavy metal band Pantera disbanded and two of its founding members, brothers "Dimebag" Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott, formed the band Damageplan, the group released its debut album. Sadly, it would also be its last. During a concert in Columbus, Ohio, later that year, former US Marine Nathan Gale went on a shooting rampage, killing Darrell along with a fan, a roadie, and a security guard before being fatally shot by a police officer. Why did Gale do it? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Camille Claudel (1864)A skilled French sculptor in her own right, Claudel is best remembered for being a student, collaborator, model, and mistress of famed sculptor Auguste Rodin. The two had a tumultuous affair that began to crumble in the 1890s, and Claudel, who suffered from mental illness, became increasingly unstable and reclusive. She was committed in 1913 and remained institutionalized until her death 30 years later. Her work is highly valued by collectors, but little of it survives today. Why is this? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Books, not which afford us a cowering enjoyment, but in which each thought is of unusual daring; such as an idle man cannot read, and a timid one would not be entertained by, which even make us dangerous to existing institution--such call I good books.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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mind (one's) manners— To be well behaved and act appropriately. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Day of the Beaches (2021)In Uruguay, December 8 is known as the Day of the Beaches because it marks the official opening of the beach season on the coast known as the "Uruguayan Riviera." There are ceremonies in which a priest blesses the waters, sailing regattas, horseback riding competitions, and an international shooting contest at Carrasco. Sometimes this day is referred to as Family Day or Blessing of the Waters Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: medical termbrainstorm - By the 1890s, it was a medical term for "mental explosion". More... canities - The medical term for the graying or whitening of hair. More... repercussion - First a medical term for "repressing an infection." More... tension - Originally a medical term for the condition of being physically strained. More... | |