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Tuesday, April 14, 2020 |
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Saturday, August 1, 2020 2:19:20 AM |
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Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (10 BCE)
The nephew of Tiberius, Claudius became the Roman emperor unexpectedly, after Caligula was murdered. Sickly, unattractive, and scholarly, he tended to disfavor the upper classes and cater to the freedmen. He expanded the frontiers, invading Britain in 43 CE. He spent lavishly on public works and extended Roman citizenship throughout the empire. Having executed his scheming third wife, he married his niece, who then likely poisoned him. What modern diagnoses might explain his lifelong ill health? More...
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The Swiss Confederation Is Formed (1291)
Despite its ethnic and religious diversity, Switzerland has maintained one of the world's oldest democracies for more than 700 years. Concerned about the encroaching Habsburg Empire, the three mountain communes of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden formed a defensive league in 1291, laying the foundations of the Swiss Confederation. Today, Switzerland is well known for its neutrality and reluctance to join the European Union. In 2002, it became one of the last nations to do what? More...
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Elizabeth of Bohemia
The daughter of James I of England, Elizabeth was married to elector palatine Frederick V in 1613 to cement an alliance between English and German Protestantism. She became queen of Bohemia when her husband accepted the crown in 1619, but after his defeat by the Catholic League the next year, they went into exile. Her descendents founded the House of Hanover, which ruled England for nearly 200 years. What failed plot would have put nine-year-old Elizabeth on the English throne had it succeeded? More...
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lampoon
(verb) Ridicule with satire.
Synonyms: satirize
Usage: Joe's coworkers lampoon his affected way of speaking.
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Benin Independence Day
On August 1, 1960, Benin declared its independence from France, ending 70 years as a French colony. Independence Day is a national holiday observed throughout the country, especially in the capital city of Porto Novo. More...
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Jamaica Festival
Originally called the Independence Festival of Jamaica because it ended on Jamaica's Independence Day, the Jamaica Festival emphasizes the cultural roots, conservation, and revival of traditional art forms by ethnic groups—particularly music, dance, and games of African origin—as well as nurturing contemporary arts. Competitions determine who will perform each year, the categories of which include fine art, photo, and culinary exhibits, music, dance, plays, and literary readings. The festival has been held in Kingston, Montego Bay, and elsewhere on the island since 1963. More...
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circumnavigate
(verb) Travel around, either by plane or ship.
Synonyms: compass
Usage: Ferdinand Magellan was the first explorer to circumnavigate the globe.
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The Blowgun
A blowgun is a hollow tube out of which a dart or an arrow is blown. The projectile is usually tipped with a poison, like curare, to stun or kill prey. Usually used for hunting and rarely in warfare, blowguns vary in length from 18 in (45 cm) to over 23 ft (7 m) and are often crafted from cane or bamboo. The arrows, made to fit snugly in the gun’s tube, are fashioned from palm leaf midribs or bamboo splinters. Blowguns were widely used by prehistoric peoples and are still used in what locations? More...
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Pulp Fiction Hero "The Shadow" Debuts on the Radio (1930)
The fictional, crime-fighting vigilante known as The Shadow originally debuted as the announcer of Detective Story Hour, a radio program that was quickly eclipsed by the popularity of its own narrator. The following year The Shadow got his own magazine and became one of pulp fiction's most enduring heroes, entering film and television. The radio show was re-named The Shadow and ran for more than 25 years. What comic book hero refers to The Shadow as his "biggest inspiration"? More...
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Milton Friedman (1912)
Friedman was an American economist and a leading US advocate of monetarism, the belief that a nation's money supply is the chief determinant of its economy. He wrote numerous books and was a frequent television commentator and magazine columnist, which made him one of the most publicly familiar US economists. Friedman served as an adviser to US presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. To what South American country did he provide economic advice following a military coup? More...
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