Saturday, May 7, 2011
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Word of the Day
high-toned discuss | |
| Definition: | (adjective) Pretentiously elegant. |
| Synonyms: | high-class |
| Usage: | She felt awkward and out of place in the high-toned restaurant, with its elegant décor and elite clientele. |
Word of the Day
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Article of the Day
  Rube Goldberg MachinesA Rube Goldberg machine is an exceedingly complex apparatus that performs a very simple task in an incredibly indirect and convoluted way. Named for cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who was known for illustrating such contraptions, the machines are now the subject several competitions in which teams are judged on their machine's ability to complete a certain task using as many steps as possible. What is an example of a simple task performed by one of Goldberg's illustrated mechanisms? More... Discuss |
Article of the Day
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This Day in History
 Farmer Discovers Howe Caverns (1842)Howe Caverns is a cave system in east-central New York that lies 156 ft (48 m) below ground. It was discovered in 1842, when farmer Lester Howe began to wonder why his cows all seemed to gather near one particular hill on hot summer days. Upon investigating, he felt a cool breeze blowing from a hole in the hill. He and a neighbor began to dig out the hole and uncovered the entrance to a cave. They explored it extensively and opened it for tours the next year. Why are there boats in the cave? More... Discuss |
This Day in History
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Today's Birthday
 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859)Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer noted for his tales about fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally a doctor, Conan Doyle studied under the sharp-eyed Dr. Joseph Bell, who was noted for his ability to draw accurate conclusions about people through observation. Bell was thus the model for Holmes, who appeared for the first time in 1887. Conan Doyle "killed off" Holmes in 1893 but was forced by public demand to resurrect him. What famous unsolved hoax might the author have perpetrated? More... Discuss |
Today's Birthday
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In the News
In the News
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Quote of the Day
 To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact.Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Discuss |
Quote of the Day
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Match Up
Match Up
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Hangman
Hangman
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