Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, July 19, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
midden
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Indicating Possession in Non-Plural Words and Names Ending in "-s"There are two ways that we can indicate possession in non-plural words and names that end in "-s". Some writers prefer to treat them like plurals and simply add an apostrophe to the end, leaving out the second "-s." Other writers choose to add a second "-s" after the apostrophe to create the usual singular possessive form. As both forms are generally accepted, how do many writers choose between them? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 BrownstoneBrownstone is a red to brown variety of sandstone, whose unusual color is caused in some instances by the presence of red iron oxide which acts as a cement, binding the sand grains together. During the Triassic period, vast thicknesses of brownstone were deposited in the Connecticut River Valley of the northeast, and they were used to build the many brownstone houses and buildings in the area between Baltimore and Boston. Is sandstone a durable building material? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Mary I Begins Reign as Queen of England (1553)After King Henry VIII divorced her mother, Catherine of Aragon, and married Anne Boleyn, Mary was declared illegitimate and lost her place in the line of succession. In 1553, her granddaughter, Lady Jane Grey, was deposed following a nine-day reign, and Mary—restored to the line of succession in 1544—became queen. She restored Roman Catholicism to England, but the resulting persecution of Protestants and the execution of some 300 heretics earned her the hatred of her subjects and what nickname? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Samuel Colt (1814)Colt patented his revolving-breech pistol in 1836, but the six-shooter was slow to gain acceptance, and his company failed in 1842. However, a US government order for 1,000 pistols during the Mexican War allowed Colt to resume its manufacture in 1847. Colt advanced the development of interchangeable parts and the assembly line, and his revolvers, including the famous Colt .45, became so popular that the word "Colt" was sometimes used as a generic term for any revolver. What else did Colt invent? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Prescription, n.: A physician's guess at what will best prolong the situation with least harm to the patient.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
a sobering thought— A thought or idea which is dispiriting, depressing, or traumatic. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Myanmar Martyrs' Day (2023)On July 19, 1947, Aung San and six of his cabinet members, including his older brother, were assassinated during an Executive Council meeting. His political adversary, U Saw, was found guilty of participating in the assassinations and was later executed for his part in the killings. July 19 has been declared Martyr's Day, a national holiday on which the people of Myanmar remember their slain leader Aung San. On this day, the country holds a moment of silence, and a ceremony is held as family members of Aung San and the other assassinated cabinet members lay wreaths on their tombs. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: pancasserole - Came from casse, "pan" or "ladle," which probably comes from Greek kuathos, "serving cup"; casserole is a diminutive of casse, "spoonlike container" (cassette is also a diminutive of casse). More... paella - The rice dish is Spanish for "frying pan," from Latin patella, "little pan." More... pan, brain pan - The upper part of the skull has been called the pan or brain pan. More... | |