Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, January 10, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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insipid
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Making Imperative SentencesWe usually use the imperative mood to form imperative sentences when we want to issue direct orders, commands, or general instructions. When we make an imperative sentence, we use the infinitive form of the verb (without "to"). What do we do to the subject of the verb? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 SaloSalo is often cited in European humor as a stereotypical staple of Ukrainian cuisine, analogous to the association of cheeseburgers with the US and bratwurst with Germany. The beloved traditional dish consists of smoked or salt-cured slabs of pork fatback, often flavored with paprika or garlic. It contains little to no meat and is usually consumed raw. It can also be rendered for use in cooking or chopped up for use as a condiment. What salo-based dish was invented as a joke? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 London Underground Begins Operation (1863)The world's first subway line opened in London in 1863. It was 3.75 mi (6 km) long and soon carried tens of thousands of passengers each day—transporting 9.5 million in its first year. Initially steam-powered, the system first electrified some of its lines in 1890. By 1896, it was fully electrified. Today, the London Underground system is one of the largest in the world, with 256 miles (410 km) of track and 270 stations. How many passengers did it carry on January 10, 1863? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, 1st Baron Acton (1834)Denied admission to Cambridge University because of his Roman Catholicism, Acton studied instead in Munich. He went on to become a noted historian and member of English Parliament. Outspoken against arbitrary power, he was also an editor of a Catholic monthly but resigned due to papal criticism of his scientific approach to history. He coined the saying "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Another of Acton's sayings is that a strong man with a dagger is followed by whom? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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loose talk— Uninhibited, indiscreet talk or conversation, especially as might unintentionally lead to revealing private or sensitive information to others. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Benin National Vodoun Day (2023)Vodoun is an ancient, African, pantheistic religion. When it was brought to the Americas by African slaves, it was blended with elements of Christianity into what is known as "Voodoo." The present African country of Benin, situated on the former kingdom of Dahomey, is known as a center of Vodoun culture. The day is celebrated throughout Benin with processions, Vodoun rituals, dances, and even an international film festival. The celebration's central activity, however, is the re-enactment of the journey from the slave auction block in the center of town to the ships in the harbor. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: tokenjetton - A counter or token used as a gambling chip or to operate slot machines. More... token - Etymologically, something that "shows" you something, from a base meaning "show, sign." More... indicium - An indication, sign, or token—specifically, the stamp on mail indicating paid postage. More... signal, sign - Signal is from Latin signalis, "of a sign," from signum, "mark, token"—from which sign is derived. More... | |