Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
prehension Definition: (noun) The act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles). Synonyms: taking hold, grasping, seizing Usage: A well-developed tail … might subsequently come to be worked in for all sorts of purposes, as a fly-flapper, an organ of prehension, or as an aid in turning.

Article of the Day

Living Statues Living statues are mimes who stand perfectly still for hours on end, pretending to be statues. They are sometimes painted with a metallic sheen or another color so that they appear to have been cast from metal or carved from stone. Often, they are so still that bystanders believe they are actual statues and—as has been shown on many a hidden-camera television show—create quite a commotion among startled onlookers if they disrupt the illusion by moving. When did the first living statues perform? More...

This Day in History

Dominican Republic Dictator Rafael Trujillo Is Assassinated (1961) Trujillo was a military strongman who seized control of the Dominican Republic in 1930 and ruled it as a dictator for the next 30 years. He renamed the capital after himself and forced all citizens to join his political party. He brutally suppressed dissent and ordered the infamous 1937 Parsley Massacre, in which up to 30,000 Haitians living near the Dominican border were murdered. In 1961, Trujillo was ambushed and shot to death by seven men. Why was the CIA said to be involved? More...

Today's Birthday

Mel Blanc (1908) One of the most prolific voice actors of all time, Blanc began his career in radio. In 1933, he began to work for a daily radio program, for which he created several voices. In 1937, he joined the cartoon department of Warner Brothers. During his 50-year career, he supplied voices in more than 3,000 animated cartoons for hundreds of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Woody Woodpecker. What nod to Blanc's career is inscribed on his tombstone? More...

Quotation of the Day
Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing. Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942)

Idiom of the Day
Miss Right — The perfect or most suitable woman to be in a relationship with or to marry. More...

Today's Holiday

Indian Arrival Day (2025) The people of Trinidad and Tobago observe May 30 as Indian Arrival Day. This holiday honors the nation's citizens of Indian descent and acknowledges their contribution to the social and cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. In particular, it recalls the arrival of the first boats from India in 1845. Today the holiday is celebrated with reenactments of the arrival of the first ships bringing Indians to Trinidad, parades honoring the history of the nation's Indian citizens and their festivals, and various cultural events. More...