Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Shirley Chisholm (1924)

Chisholm was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1968, becoming the first African-American woman to serve in Congress. During her 15 years in the House, she was known for her strong, liberal views, including her opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War and her advocacy of employment programs. As a candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, she won 152 delegates before withdrawing from the race. How many assassination attempts did she survive during her campaign? Discuss


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remunerate

Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate.
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
Discuss

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St. Andrew's Day

St. Andrew, the brother of St. Peter, was the first apostle called by Jesus, but he is primarily known today as the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew's association with Scotland didn't come about until four centuries after his death, when some of his relics were brought there. Scots continue the custom of wearing a "St. Andrew's cross" on November 30, which consists of blue and white ribbons shaped like the letter X. The tradition for this form of a cross began no earlier than the 13th century. Discuss


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good for nothing

Entirely without value; of no use whatsoever. (Hyphenated if used as a modifier before a noun.) Watch the video

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The Klondike Gold Rush

In August 1896, a party led by Skookum Jim Mason discovered rich gold deposits near the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers in northwest Canada. The news quickly spread to other mining camps in the river valley and reached the US within a year, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush that drew more than 30,000 prospectors to the area. By the time mining ended in 1966, the area had yielded $250 million in gold. What famous American author took part in the gold rush? Discuss


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Ken Jennings's Winning Streak on Jeopardy! Ends (2004)

In 2004, Jennings won 74 consecutive games on the television game show Jeopardy!—the longest streak in the program's history. His extensive knowledge of trivia earned him more than $2.5 million. Ratings for the show during his unprecedented streak increased by 22 percent. On his 75th appearance, the final answer was "Most of this firm's 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year." Jennings incorrectly responded with "What is FedEx?" What was the correct response? Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 30, 2016



Colourful shop oasis at the Laguna Hedionda, Nor Lípez Province southwestern Bolivia.. Learn more.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

In 1977, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared November 29 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On December 1, 2000, the Assembly reaffirmed the UN's responsibility to work towards the peaceful creation of a Palestinian homeland and lauded those countries that observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Discuss


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good enough to eat

To have an extremely beautiful or aesthetically pleasing appearance. Watch the video

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zoophagous

Definition: (adjective) Feeding on animal matter; carnivorous.
Synonyms: meat-eating.
Usage: Zoophagous insects include predators and parasites.
Discuss

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The Warren Commission Is Established (1963)

Chaired by US Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Warren Commission was appointed by US President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the shooting of his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. After months of investigation, it reported that Kennedy was killed by Oswald's rifle shots from the Texas School Book Depository and that Oswald's murder by Jack Ruby was not part of a conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy. What later reports questioned its findings? Discuss


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Mirror Neurons

The discovery of mirror neurons in primates is considered by some to be one of the most important findings in neuroscience in the last decade. These neurons, which are also believed to exist in humans, act as a "mirror" for behavior, firing both when an animal performs an action and when it observes another carrying out that action. This system may play a role in learning new skills and understanding the behavior of others. What human brain disorder may be linked to a mirror neuron deficiency? Discuss


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Empress Dowager Cixi (1835)

Cixi was the Imperial consort who controlled the Chinese Qing dynasty for almost half a century. A low-ranking concubine of the Xianfeng emperor, she bore his only son, the future Tongzhi emperor, in 1856. After the emperor's death, Cixi joined a triumviral regency that governed in the name of her son, who was only six at his accession. During that period, the Taiping and Nian rebellions were put down and the government was briefly revitalized. What happened when Cixi's son died in 1875? Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 29, 2016



Am Hart is an U-Bahn station in Munich on the U2.. Learn more.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Albania Declares Independence from the Ottoman Empire (1912)

The Ottoman Turks conquered Albania around 1400 and ruled the country for more than 400 years. It was not until the end of the Balkan War that Turkish rule was abolished and a proclamation of independence was issued in 1912. Although Serbia showed intentions of annexing a large part of Albania in order to gain an outlet on the Adriatic, the move was opposed by Austria-Hungary, Italy, and the Albanians. On November 28, 1912, Albanian independence was declared by whom? Discuss


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Virginia Woolf

Novels so often provide an anodyne and not an antidote, glide one into torpid slumbers instead of rousing one with a burning brand. Discuss


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The Conscription Crisis of 1917

The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during WWI that was precipitated by the military's failure to create units for French-speaking forces. Instead the French-Canadian volunteers were assigned to various English-speaking units. Witnessing what they perceived as the mistreatment of the first contingent, many French-Canadians elected not to volunteer, leading legislators to pass a conscription act. What was the political aftermath of this crisis in Quebec? Discuss


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perspicuous

Definition: (adjective) Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand.
Synonyms: lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, limpid.
Usage: The lawyer presented a perspicuous closing argument, clarifying the forensic evidence for the confused jurors.
Discuss

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Timor-Leste Proclamation of Independence Day

After the East Timorese declared independence from Portugal on November 28, 1975, it took over two decades to fulfill the promise of freedom. Their plans were foiled by Indonesia, which carried out its own occupation of its neighbor between 1975 and 1999. Observances for the November 28 anniversary honor the veterans of the independence movement. State leaders and other dignitaries usually participate in a parade, and the president of the country often bestows medals of honor to distinguish individuals who fought for the country's freedom. Discuss


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William Blake (1757)

Blake was an English poet and artist. Trained as an engraver, he opened a print shop in 1784 and developed an innovative technique for engraving illustrations and text on the same plate and for producing colored engravings. Blake's paintings, engravings, and illustrated books of poetry feature detailed images of realistic natural forms as well as fanciful creatures. He lived on the edge of poverty, was considered mad, and died in neglect. When did he finally gain recognition as a visionary? Discuss


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good enough for jazz

Sufficient to suit the purpose(s) at hand without needing to be perfect. Watch the video

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Picture of the day for November 28, 2016



Ceriagrion cerinorubellum pair with male transferring sperm from the primary to the secondary sex organs.. Learn more.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Chaim Weizmann (1874)

A Russian-born chemist, Weizmann became a British subject in 1910, developed a process for creating a synthetic acetone to be used in the manufacture of explosives in 1912, and was director of the British admiralty laboratories for much of WWI. An active Zionist, Weizmann helped negotiate the 1917 Balfour Declaration pronouncing British support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. When the republic of Israel was eventually founded, he was elected its first president. What is the Weizmann organism? Discuss


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Graphology

Used to evaluate job recruits, potential jurors, and romantic partners, graphology is the study and analysis of handwriting, especially in relation to human psychology. Supporters cite anecdotal evidence for its accuracy in personality evaluation, but empirical studies have often failed to prove its validity. Among its most controversial forms, medical graphology uses handwriting analysis to evaluate patient health. What do proponents of holistic graphology claim John Wayne's signature revealed? Discuss


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Harvey Milk and George Moscone Are Assassinated (1978)

After gaining a following as a leader of San Francisco's gay community, Milk was elected to the city's Board of Supervisors in 1977, becoming one of the first openly gay elected officials in US history. In 1978, he and Moscone, the city's mayor, were shot and killed in City Hall by Dan White, a former city supervisor. White's conviction on the less serious charge of voluntary manslaughter sparked riots in the city. What now infamous defense did White's attorneys present at his murder trial? Discuss


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foramen

Definition: (noun) An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant.
Synonyms: hiatus.
Usage: The tribe made necklaces by passing string through the foramens of fang-shaped bones.
Discuss

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Lopburi Monkey Banquet

Yongyuth Kijwattananuson first offered this banquet to the long-tailed macaque monkeys who live in the city of Lop Buri, Thailand, in 1988, to thank them for making his hotel so attractive to visitors. It has since become an institution, especially for the hundreds of monkeys who normally spend their time begging and stealing food from townspeople and tourists. Dozens of chefs prepare numerous dishes featuring fruit and vegetables on tables covered with red tablecloths. The monkeys eventually approach the tables to feast on the offerings, playing and throwing food in the process. Discuss


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No good deed goes unpunished.

Due to the cruelty, ignorance, or selfishness of the world or others, one's good deeds or good intentions will often result in more trouble than they are worth. An ironic and sardonic twist on the more standard moral that "no good deed goes unrewarded." Watch the video

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Picture of the day for November 27, 2016



View of the Carribbean Sea and the Dutch island of Sint Eustatius from UNESCO World Heritage site Brimstone Hill Fortress on St. Kitts.. Learn more.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

obtuse

Definition: (adjective) Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity.
Synonyms: dumb, slow, dense, dim, dull.
Usage: Though he was generally regarded as obtuse by his fellow students, his math scores were the highest in the class.
Discuss

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Along the River During the Qingming Festival

Often called "China's Mona Lisa," Along the River During the Qingming Festival is a 17-ft (5.2-m) long panoramic painting that depicts life during the Song dynasty. The subject of several similar works painted over the next few hundred years, the 12th-century original depicts 814 people in a bucolic countryside and busy city and reveals some of the nuances of class structure at the time. Why do some scholars question the traditionally accepted translation of the painting's name? Discuss


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Mary Edwards Walker (1832)

Walker was an American surgeon and feminist. She served as a nurse in the Union army in the American Civil War, before being commissioned as an assistant surgeon. She was the first woman to serve in such a capacity and was awarded the Medal of Honor for her service. Walker remains the only woman ever to receive this award. After the war, she was active in the struggle for women's rights, lecturing and writing on such issues as dress reform and women's suffrage. Why was her medal revoked in 1917? Discuss


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good books

Favorable, kindly, or approving regard or treatment. Usually used in the phrase "in someone's good books" or some variation thereof. Watch the video

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Baha'i Day of the Covenant

The Baha'i Day of the Covenant is a Baha'i holy day. It commemorates the covenant Baha'u'llah, founder of the faith, made with humanity and his followers, appointing Abdu'l-Baha as the head of the Baha'i religion who would interpret Baha'i teachings. Abdu'l-Baha chose the date when followers requested an occasion to remember his importance. Discuss


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University of Notre Dame Is Founded (1842)

Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, the University of Notre Dame was established and opened in 1842 and chartered in 1844. Famous for its football team, it has a noted law school and computing center as well as laboratories for research in botany, radiation, geology, metallurgy, and engineering. It also operates important research institutes in the humanities. The school was founded by French priests and was originally given the name L'Université de Notre Dame du Lac, which means what? Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 26, 2016



View of a row of corners of the walls of Saksaywaman, a citadel on the northern outskirts of the city of Cusco, historic capital of the Inca Empire, today Peru. The first sections of the citadel were first built by the Killke culture about 1100 and expanded by the Inca from the 13th century. The dry stone walls are composed of huge stones, which boulders are carefully cut by workers to fit them together extremely tightly without mortar.. Learn more.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Ricardo Montalbán (1920)

Montalbán was a Mexican television, stage, and film actor. Perhaps best known as the star of the television series Fantasy Island, he had many notable roles throughout his career, including the villain Khan in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. His career spanned seven decades, and he continued to perform into his 80s, often providing voices for animated films and commercials. In the 1970s, Montalbán founded the Nosotros organization. What is its mission? Discuss


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The White Ship Sinks, Drowning the Son of Henry I of England (1120)

In 1120, an English vessel known as the White Ship sank in the English Channel on its way from Normandy to England, killing hundreds of passengers. Among those who drowned was William, the only legitimate son of King Henry I. Henry's second marriage was childless, and the latter years of his reign were marked by his attempts to secure the succession for his daughter Matilda. William's death in 1135 led to a disputed succession and civil war between Matilda and whom? Discuss


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Bosnia and Herzegovina Statehood Day

Bosnia and Herzegovina are two adjoining regions in the Balkans that were ruled by Croatian kings in medieval times. They were united into a province under the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Statehood Day commemorates the November 25, 1943, assembly of the first joint Bosnian and Herzegovinan parliament. In 1946, Bosnia and Herzegovina became part of the newly-formed Yugoslav federation. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on March 1, 1992. Discuss


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pourboire

Definition: (noun) A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered.
Synonyms: baksheesh, gratuity, tip.
Usage: The bellboy waited expectantly, but no pourboire was forthcoming.
Discuss

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Absolute Zero

The lowest temperature theoretically achievable by a system, absolute zero is the point at which substances possess no thermal energy. In 1848, British physicist Lord Kelvin devised a temperature scale that set absolute zero, or 0°K, at -273.15°C. Although absolute zero is impossible to achieve, scientists have brought some substances within a billionth of a degree of 0°K, inducing in these materials odd quantum effects such as superconductivity. Where is the coldest known place in the universe? Discuss


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have good antennae

To be very sensitive (to something); to have a keen sense of detection or perception. Likened to the antennae of (e.g.) an insect, which are extremely sensitive to environmental stimuli. Watch the video

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Picture of the day for November 25, 2016



Topiary (practice of clipping the foliage and twigs of trees and shrub to develop and maintain defined shapes) gardener (or artist?) working a cypress in the cemetery of Tulcán, located in the city of Tulcán, capital of the Carchi Province, north of Ecuador. The cemetery, of a surface of 8 hectares (20 acres), was founded in 1932 to replace the former on that was damaged in the 1923 earthquake. José María Azael Franco Guerrero was back in 1936 in charge of the city parks and started topiary works in the Tulcán cemetery. In the meanwhile the cemetery park has become internationally popular in the art of topiary and was renamed in 2007 to cemetery Azael Franco to honour his work.. Learn more.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Dale Carnegie (1888)

Born into poverty, Carnegie worked as a traveling salesman before he began teaching public speaking at a YMCA in New York City in 1912. His classes were extremely successful, and he was soon lecturing to packed houses. To standardize his teaching methods, he began publishing pamphlets, which he collected into book form. His hugely popular How To Win Friends and Influence People won him a national following. How many people are said to have taken his courses during his lifetime? Discuss


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criterion

Definition: (noun) A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated.
Synonyms: standard, touchstone, measure.
Usage: Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet.
Discuss

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Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species Is Published (1859)

Darwin, a British naturalist, formed the basis of his theories of evolution during his scientific survey expedition to South America aboard the HMS Beagle from 1831–1836. He developed his theory for more than 20 years before publishing it in his famous On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. Darwin's controversial theory was quickly accepted in most scientific circles. What three words were added to the final sentence of the second edition of Darwin's book? Discuss


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The Hussite Wars

Arguably the first European wars in which hand-held gunpowder weapons played a decisive role, the Hussite Wars were a series of 15th-century conflicts that followed the execution of Czech religious reformer Jan Hus by the Roman Catholic Church. Protests from his followers, called Hussites, who opposed the ascension of Emperor Sigismund to the Bohemian throne, led to three anti-Hussite crusades and a number of armed conflicts. War broke out after what was thrown out of windows in Prague? Discuss


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a gong show

A wild, chaotic, ridiculous, and/or disastrous event. Sometimes written as "gongshow." From the 1976–1978 television show The Gong Show, an amateur talent contest in which judges would end particularly bad acts by striking a giant gong. Primarily heard in Canada. Watch the video

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Thanksgiving (United States)

The first American Thanksgiving was entirely religious and occurred on December 4, 1619, but most Americans think of the first "official" Thanksgiving as the one that took place at Plymouth Colony in October 1621—a year after the Pilgrims first landed on the New England coast. Today, Thanksgiving is a time for family reunions and traditions, most of which center around the preparation of an elaborate meal featuring turkey and a dozen or so accompanying dishes. The widespread sales that begin in stores the next day mark the start of the Christmas shopping season. Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 24, 2016



Hverarönd is a geothermal area with fumaroles, mudpots, and hot springs in northern Iceland.. Learn more.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Hijacking of EgyptAir Flight 648 (1985)

Minutes after taking off from an Athens airport on November 23, 1985, EgyptAir Flight 648 was hijacked by five Palestinian terrorists. The plane was forced to land in Malta, where authorities attempted to negotiate with the hijackers. The terrorists shot two Israelis and three Americans before Egyptian commandos launched a disastrous raid in which nearly 60 hostages were killed. Remarkably, three of the passengers shot by the terrorists survived. How did one of the terrorists almost escape? Discuss


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Arthur Adolph "Harpo" Marx (1888)

Harpo was a member of the American comedy team known as the Marx Brothers. The brothers enjoyed success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from the early 1900s to about 1950. Harpo never spoke during their performances and instead blew a horn, whistled, or mimed to communicate. He also got laughs with his prop-laden sight gags, many of which involved the seemingly infinite number of odd items he managed to produce from his topcoat's oversized pockets. How did he get his nickname? Discuss


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Stari Most

Stari Most, meaning "The Old Bridge," is a 16th-century bridge in Bosnia and Herzegovina that is believed to have been the largest single-span arch bridge in the world when it was built. Charged under pain of death to construct a bridge of such unprecedented dimensions, the architect that built it reportedly prepared for his own funeral on the day the scaffolding was finally removed. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For what dangerous tradition do the people of Mostar use the bridge? Discuss


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Arthur Adolph "Harpo" Marx (1888)

Harpo was a member of the American comedy team known as the Marx Brothers. The brothers enjoyed success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from the early 1900s to about 1950. Harpo never spoke during their performances and instead blew a horn, whistled, or mimed to communicate. He also got laughs with his prop-laden sight gags, many of which involved the seemingly infinite number of odd items he managed to produce from his topcoat's oversized pockets. How did he get his nickname? Discuss


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golf widow

A woman whose husband frequently absents himself from home so as to go and play golf. Watch the video

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microbe

Definition: (noun) A minute life form; a microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes disease.
Synonyms: germ, bug.
Usage: By the time their teacher completed the unit on microbes, the science students had all become more cautious about their personal hygiene and food consumption.
Discuss

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Repudiation Day

The Stamp Act of 1765 forced the American colonies to pay a tax on various official documents and publications, such as legal papers, liquor permits, lawyers' licenses, and school diplomas. In defiance of the new law, the court of Frederick County, Maryland, declared that it would carry on its business without the tax stamps required by the Act. The date on which the Stamp Act was repudiated, November 23, has been observed for many years as a half-holiday in Frederick County to commemorate this courageous act. Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 23, 2016



Wasserschloss at night, Speicherstadt, Hamburg, Germany. Learn more.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Charles Darwin

A moral being is one who is capable of reflecting on his past actions and their motives—of approving of some and disapproving of others. Discuss


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bollard

Definition: (noun) A thick post on a ship or wharf, used for securing ropes and hawsers.
Synonyms: bitt.
Usage: He swung at the bollard and cut the rope, yet, anchored firmly otherwise, the boat did not drift far off.
Discuss

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Juan Carlos I Becomes King of Spain (1975)

Juan Carlos is the reigning king of Spain. He was groomed for the role by his predecessor Francisco Franco, the Spanish leader who abolished the republic and declared Spain a representative monarchy. He acceded to the throne two days after Franco's death, becoming the first Spanish king since his grandfather was deposed in 1931. A popular monarch, he presided over Spain's transition to democracy and has acted decisively to maintain political stability. He competed in what Olympic event in 1972? Discuss


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Mary of Guise (1515)

Mary of Guise was the queen consort of James V of Scotland and the mother of their daughter—the future Mary Queen of Scots. After the outbreak of war between Scotland and England, Mary arranged her daughter's betrothal to the French dauphin. Becoming regent, Mary of Guise made no secret of her desire to bring France and Scotland together. In 1559, the Protestants, led by John Knox and allied with England, rose against her and declared her deposed. What happened in the aftermath of her death? Discuss


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Lebanon National Day

Also known as Independence Day, this national holiday commemorates Lebanon's independence from France on this day in 1943. Discuss


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a fishbowl

A place, situation, or environment in which one has little or no privacy. A reference to the (typically) spherical bowls in which pet fish are often kept, which can be seen into from all sides. Watch the video

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Comanche Moon

The Comanche were one of the first Native American Plains groups to adopt the horse as a significant part of their culture. By the mid-19th century, they were supplying horses to traders and settlers, but because many of the horses had been stolen, the Comanche were often drawn into battle. The group regularly attacked under the full moon, a condition which afforded them better visibility during nighttime raids and led to the term "Comanche Moon." How far south were the feared raids carried out? Discuss


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Picture of the day for November 22, 2016



Skull of Crocodylidae (crocodile) prepared using the Bone maceration technique and on display at the Museum of Veterinary Anatomy FMVZ USP. Learn more.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Hetty Green (1834)

Green was an American financier and reputedly the wealthiest American woman of her time. In 1865, her father and aunt both died, leaving her an estate valued at $10 million. She invested her inheritance so shrewdly that she came to be regarded as the greatest woman financier in the world, amassing an estate valued at $100-200 million. An extremely miserly woman, the "Witch of Wall Street" allegedly refused a hernia operation because it cost $150. What are some other examples of her stinginess? Discuss


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First Permanent ARPANET Link Is Established (1969)

Funded by the US Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), ARPANET was the first digital network that utilized packet switching, a method of data transmission. A revolutionary technology, it ultimately led to the creation of the modern Internet. The network's first permanent connection was made between computers at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Stanford Research Institute. By 1983, more than 300 computers were connected. What was the first message sent through ARPANET? Discuss


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