Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
fissure Definition: (noun) A long narrow opening. Synonyms: crevice, crack, cleft Usage: In a narrow little fissure, just within reach of my forefinger, I felt the chain.

Article of the Day

The Lost Boys of Sudan Since the 1980s, when the Second Sudanese Civil War broke out, more than 20,000 of the nation's boys have been displaced or orphaned. Most of these "Lost Boys"—separated from their families when government troops attacked villages in southern Sudan—walked for years in search of safety, traveling over a thousand miles to refugee camps. More than half died along the way. Many of the survivors have since been resettled in the US. What happened to Sudan's "Lost Girls"? More...

This Day in History

The "Flying Tailor" Dies after Failed Parachute Jump from Eiffel Tower (1912) Parachutes at the dawn of the aviation age were bulky and, inconveniently, had to be pre-opened. Among those trying to improve upon their design was French tailor Franz Reichelt. He had some success testing his designs on dummies, but he had no evidence that his parachute would work with a real person when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower before a crowd of spectators and reporters. The chute failed to open, and he plummeted to his death. How had he convinced the authorities to allow the jump? More...

Today's Birthday

Charles Lindbergh (1902) In 1927, Lindbergh, an American aviator, made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic in 33.5 hours, landing in Paris to a hero's welcome. He returned to the US a celebrity but moved to England in 1932 to escape the media frenzy surrounding the kidnapping and murder of his son. Returning to the US in 1940, he faced criticism for opposing US entry into WWII. Still, he flew combat missions for the US during the war. He helped invent what device that made open-heart surgery possible? More...

Quotation of the Day
Lord I disbelieve -- help thou my unbelief. E. M. Forster (1879-1970)

Idiom of the Day
lust for power — Intense, insatiable desire to attain power and control. More...

Today's Holiday

Sri Lanka National Day (2024) The former British colony of Ceylon changed its name in 1972 to Sri Lanka, which means "Blessed Isle." Sri Lankans commemorate the granting of their independence from Great Britain on February 4, 1948, with public gatherings throughout the island and special services in the temples, churches, and mosques. There are also parades, folk dances, processions, and national games. More...