Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
mercurial Definition: (adjective) Quick and changeable in temperament. Synonyms: quicksilver, erratic, fickle, volatile Usage: Her mercurial nature made it difficult to gauge how she would react.

Article of the Day

Genetic Counseling Genetic counseling is the process by which patients at risk of developing or transmitting an inherited disorder are advised of the nature and consequences of the disorder, the probability of developing it or passing it on, and the available treatment options. Typically, people seek counseling because they have a family history of genetic disorders or because their job or lifestyle exposes them to health risks like radiation or chemicals. What are some of the conditions commonly screened for? More...

This Day in History

Vauxhall Bridge Opens in London (1906) Vauxhall Bridge is an arch bridge over the River Thames in central London. Despite its public garden and location, the Vauxhall area was sparsely populated before the 19th century, and a plan for a bridge there was hatched in 1809 to help develop the area. The resulting bridge was in terrible shape by the end of the century, however, and construction on a new, richly decorated, steel-and-granite replacement began in 1898. A major transport artery today, the bridge is adorned with what statues? More...

Today's Birthday

Al Jolson (1886) Jolson was one of the most popular entertainers in the US in the 1930s. The son of a rabbi, he had planned to be a cantor but instead became a singer and comedian. By the age of 15, he was touring in vaudeville and minstrel shows. His 1909 blackface performance of "Mammy" was a hit, and he performed on Broadway and the radio. In 1927, he starred in the first feature-length "talkie," The Jazz Singer. How do scholars differ in their analysis of Jolson's use of blackface in his performances? More...

Quotation of the Day
A friend is a second self. Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC)

Idiom of the Day
have a mind like a sieve — To be exceptionally forgetful or absentminded. More...

Today's Holiday
Guyana Independence Day (2025) This public holiday marks Guyana's independence from Britain on this day in 1966. Republic Day, or Mashramani, is another national holiday, commemorating February 23, 1970, when Guyana became a republic. More...