Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
feral Definition: (adjective) Of or suggestive of a wild animal. Synonyms: savage Usage: The mugger's feral scowl was terrifying enough to make me empty my pockets without hesitation.

Article of the Day

Checkpoint Charlie From 1961 until 1990, Checkpoint Charlie served as the main crossing point for Western personnel leaving West Berlin to enter the Soviet East. Necessitated by the building of the Berlin Wall in an effort to stop an exodus of defectors, the checkpoint became a symbol of a divided Berlin. The Allied side consisted of little more than a temporary hut and a now-iconic sign that read, in four languages, "You are leaving the American sector." What chilling 1962 incident sparked protests there? More...

This Day in History

Samuel Morse Successfully Tests the Electrical Telegraph (1838) In 1832, Morse, an American painter-turned-inventor, began working on a system for transmitting messages as electrical pulses across a wire. Five years later, he was granted a patent for his electromagnetic telegraph, and he successfully tested the device a year after that. Public use of Morse's telegraph system, as well as the code he developed to represent letters and numbers as electrical pulses, began in 1844 and lasted over 100 years. What was the first message sent on the public system? More...

Today's Birthday

Richard II of England (1367) Richard II was perhaps the most enigmatic of the English kings, reigning from 1377 to 1399. He inherited the throne as a boy, but his uncle John of Gaunt and other nobles dominated the government, limiting his power. Taking revenge, he banished John's son, Henry, and confiscated his vast Lancastrian estates. Not long after, while Richard was away on an expedition, Henry returned and seized power. Forced to abdicate, Richard was imprisoned and died in captivity. What likely caused his death? More...

Quotation of the Day
An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied with herself. Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion. All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done. Jane Austen (1775-1817)

Idiom of the Day
look (at something) through rose-colored glasses — To assume a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude (toward something); to focus on the positive aspects (of something). Primarily heard in US. More...

Today's Holiday

Three Kings Day in Native American Pueblos (2025) Three Kings Day is the day for the installation of new officers and governors at most of the 19 Native American pueblos in New Mexico. The inaugural day begins with a church ceremony during which four walking canes, the symbols of authority, are passed on to the new governor. The governor is honored with a dance, which starts in mid-morning and is usually some form of an animal dance—often the Eagle, Elk, Buffalo, and Deer dances. Spirited and animated, they are considered a form of prayer. More...