The Cheka

Established by Vladimir Lenin in 1917, the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution, Speculation, and Sabotage, also known as the Cheka, was the first in a succession of Soviet state security organizations. Its troops policed labor camps, ran the Gulag system, put down worker riots, and orchestrated the campaign of repression that came to be known as the “Red Terror.” Early Chekists made wearing what apparel fashionable among Western Communists? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring Sparks a Riot (1913)

The Rite of Spring is a landmark ballet by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky that provoked a riot when it premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Expecting the demure conventions of classical ballet, the audience was caught off-guard by Stravinsky’s dissonant score and Vaslav Nijinsky’s violently untraditional choreography depicting fertility rites. Fistfights broke out between detractors and supporters, and chaos ensued. What Disney film popularized the ballet? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling

In Gloucestershire, England, cheese rolling is believed to have been a popular annual sport for at least 500 years. Cooper’s Hill, which is located near Brockworth and is a thousand feet high, is famous for its fine pasture lands. Rolling the cheese down the hill traditionally reminded villagers of their right to graze sheep there. Early in the evening, the event leader, in a white smock and top hat, rolls the “cheese” discs (nowadays, three or four large wooden discs) down the hill. People chase after them, and the first to capture one of the discs receives a small prize. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bob Hope (1903)

Famous for his “ski-jump” nose, superb timing, and irreverent attitude, Hope was an immensely popular American comedian. He debuted in vaudeville in the 1920s and later performed on radio, television, stage, and in more than 50 films. He hosted the Oscars a record-breaking 17 times over 38 years. A master of comic monologues and mildly bawdy one-liners, he was a tireless entertainer of US troops overseas. When asked on his deathbed at age 100 where he wanted to be buried, how did he respond? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

War Cycles

Although the theory that wars are fought in cycles was once met with widespread skepticism—primarily because the topic tends to attract those interested in paranormal issues—the advent of computer algorithms has renewed interest in the scientific analysis of conflict. Quantitative studies of the bellicosity of both Western and Chinese civilizations over time have found that China once experienced a period of peace lasting far longer than that in the West. What do researchers believe caused this? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

NASA Announces Discovery of Ice Deposits on Mars (2002)

Launched in April 2001, the Mars Odyssey spacecraft was sent by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to look for evidence of water on Mars. A little over a year later, NASA announced that water had been detected there in the form of ice, suggesting the possibility of microbial life on the Red Planet. The Phoenix lander confirmed the presence of water in 2008. The presence of what element led NASA researchers to conclude that there was indeed water on Mars? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary