Month: January 2017

Liliuokalani Becomes Hawaii’s Last Monarch (1891)

Liliuokalani ascended the throne in 1891 upon the death of her brother, King Kalakaua. Her refusal to recognize the constitutional changes inaugurated in 1887 precipitated a revolt, fostered largely by sugar planters—mostly American residents of Hawaii—that led to her dethronement early in 1893 and the establishment of a provisional government. Failing in an attempt to regain the throne in 1895, she formally renounced her royal claims. What well-known song was composed by Liliuokalani? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Zora! Festival

The Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities (also known as the Zora! Festival) is an eight-day, multi-disciplinary event held every year in late January in Eatonville, Florida. The Zora! Festival was launched in 1990 to showcase her life and work, as well as to celebrate her hometown and the cultural contributions of people of African descent. It features a three-day street festival of the arts, art exhibits, literary readings, and academic presentations, conferences, and lectures devoted to Hurston and African-American arts in general. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688)

Swedenborg was a Swedish scientist, theologian, and mystic. He studied almost every field of scientific investigation and wrote copiously, publishing Sweden’s first scientific journal and anticipating many discoveries and inventions. However, his writing gradually shifted toward philosophy and metaphysics. In 1744, he claimed to have had a divine vision. He spent the rest of his career interpreting the Bible and relating what he had seen in his visions, and he called himself a servant of whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The African Wild Dog

The African wild dog has the strongest bite, relative to its mass, of any existing carnivorous mammal. Also known as the “painted dog,” the species can be identified by its mottled black, yellow, and white coat. Wild dogs once freely roamed sub-Saharan Africa, but they are now threatened by hunting, disease, and habitat loss. With fewer than 3,000 remaining in the wild, they have been named the second most endangered carnivore in Africa. How do they bring meat back to their dens after a hunt? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

‘Automated Dermatologist’ Detects Skin Cancer with Expert Accuracy

Even though the phrase “image recognition technologies” conjures visions of high-tech surveillance, these tools may soon be used in medicine more than in spycraft. A team of Stanford researchers trained a computer to identify images of skin cancer moles … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice First Published (1813)

Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice while living at “Steventon,” her father’s Hampshire vicarage where she spent the first 25 years of her life. However, the book was not published until much later—in 1813, four years before her death. Like Austen’s other novels, Pride and Prejudice is a comedy of manners that depicts the self-contained world of provincial ladies and gentlemen. In 2003, the novel placed second in a BBC poll for the “UK’s Best-Loved Book.” What book came first? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Chinese New Year Day

The Lunar New Year is the most important and the longest of all Chinese festivals, celebrated by Chinese communities throughout the world. The eve of the new year is the high point of the festival when family members return home to honor their ancestors and enjoy a great feast. On the first day of the new year, household doors are thrown open to let good luck enter. Dragon and lion dances are performed, and there are acrobatic demonstrations and much beating of gongs. An ancient custom is giving little red packets of money called hung-pao or lai see to children. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary