Ghana Farmers' Day

6 December 2019Today's HolidayIan Grieve

Much of Ghana‘s national economy revolves around agriculture, so it is only appropriate that this African country reserves a date to honor its farmers and provide them a day off from their labors. An important component of the day is the awards ceremony, which is held on the regional and the national levels. Judges who have followed farmers’ achievements throughout the year bestow prizes for excellence in such categories as husbandry practices, ecological awareness, use of new technology, and contributions to the local community. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ganzfeld Experiments

6 December 2019Article of the DayIan Grieve

A ganzfeld experiment is a technique used in the field of parapsychology to test individuals for extrasensory perception (ESP). It uses homogeneous and unpatterned sensory stimulation, achieved through the use of translucent, monochromatic goggles that create a uniform visual field and headphones that play white noise, to produce an effect similar to sensory deprivation, which is thought to help people reach a state of consciousness conducive to ESP. What have experiments shown about ESP? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

vaporing

6 December 2019Word of the DayIan Grieve

Definition: (noun) Boastful or bombastic talk or behavior.

Synonyms: brag, gasconade.

Usage: Captain Bonneville purchased a supply of buffalo meat from his braggadocio friends; who, with all their vaporing, were in fact a very forlorn horde.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Faunalia Rustica

5 December 2019Today's HolidayIan Grieve

In Roman mythology Faunus was a god of the forest who was also associated with fertility. It was believed that eerie noises in the woods came from Faunus. The Faunalia was mostly celebrated by farmers and other rural workers on December 5 with feasting and games. For a time, city-dwellers adopted the festival and observed it on February 13. Faunus was known as the brother, father, or husband of Bona Dea. The Fauni, or fauns, were spirits of the forest who resembled the satyrs of Greek legend. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Deindustrialization

5 December 2019Article of the DayIan Grieve

Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change brought about by the reduction or removal of industrial production. It represents an economic shift that usually occurs in mature economies, such as that of the US. Although it can be beneficial to some sectors, deindustrialization can cause widespread joblessness and poverty in industrial cities like Detroit, Michigan, the onetime “automobile capital of the world.” What percent of the city’s population lives below the poverty line? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

fracas

5 December 2019Word of the DayIan Grieve

Definition: (noun) Noisy quarrel.

Synonyms: affray, altercation.

Usage: A loud and violent fracas took place between the infantry Colonel and his lady, who were dining at the Cafe de Paris.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pilgrimage to Adam's Peak

4 December 2019Today's HolidayIan Grieve

A footprint preserved in stone is a sacred site at the top of a mountain in Dalhousie, Sri Lanka. Depending on one’s religious tradition, the footprint belongs to Adam (Muslim), the Buddha, St. Thomas (Christian), or Lord Shiva (Hindu). Pilgrims have made the climb for over 1,000 years to the summit of Adam’s Peak. Though the terrain is rugged, many pilgrims make the ascent by the light of lanterns so they can arrive at the break of dawn and catch a spectacular view of the western coastline. According to local tradition, a woman who reaches the top will be reincarnated as a man. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Business Plot

4 December 2019Article of the DayIan Grieve

In 1933, retired US Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler claimed that business tycoons were plotting to use a veterans’ organization to overthrow President Franklin D Roosevelt and install a fascist dictator. The media ridiculed the claim, but a congressional committee concluded that his allegations were credible. Although historians question whether a coup was close to execution, most agree that a political conspiracy was at least contemplated. What businessmen were implicated in the plot? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

lettered

4 December 2019Word of the DayIan Grieve

Definition: (adjective) Highly educated; having extensive information or understanding.

Synonyms: knowledgeable, well-read, learned.

Usage: They are few in number, but it is a choice audience, a lettered audience.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Blowing the Midwinter Horn

3 December 2019Today's HolidayIan Grieve

The custom of Midwinterhoorn Blazen in the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, is believed to have originated more than 2,000 years ago. The local farmers make their winter horns out of pieces of birch wood, and they produce a piercing wail that carries for miles over the frozen countryside. Although in pagan times the blowing of the horns was thought to rid the earth of evil spirits, today the horns announce the coming of Christ. In Oldenzaal, a special melody composed by the area’s champion hornblower is played beginning at dawn on Advent Eve and continuing until Three Kings’ Day (Epiphany). Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary