Lasting from the end of WWII until 1991, the Cold War was a period of political hostility and military tension between the Western powers, primarily the US and its allies, and the Communist bloc. Although there were a number of military conflicts during this time, including the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War was waged mainly on political, economic, and propaganda fronts. Who first used the term “Cold War” to describe the conflict? Discuss
Jules Hardouin Mansart (1646)
Mansart was a French architect and town planner who completed the Palace of Versailles. Favored by Louis XIV, he was made the chief architect for royal buildings. After enlarging the château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, he began work at Versailles. Much of his work was executed in Roman baroque style, but some of his designs at Versailles point toward the lightness and elegance of the rococo. The impressive Dôme des Invalides in Paris is considered his greatest achievement. Who was his great-uncle? Discuss
have skin in the game
To have a personal investment, usually monetary, in the pursuit of some goal or achievement, especially in business and finance. Watch the video
Weightless Wonders
“Vomit Comet” is a nickname for any airplane that briefly provides passengers with a nearly weightless environment by following a parabolic vertical flight path. The aircraft mimics the trajectory of an object in free-fall and therefore does not exert any g-force on its contents. As a result, passengers have zero apparent weight relative to the aircraft. According to the director of the Reduced Gravity Research Program, what percentage of passengers on zero-g flights becomes violently ill? Discuss
nickelodeon
Émile Durkheim (1858)
Along with Max Weber, Durkheim is considered one of the chief founders of modern sociology. His view that the methods of natural science can be applied to the study of society was influenced by the positivist philosophy of Auguste Comte. Durkheim held that the collective mind of society was the source of religion and morality and that the common values developed in society, particularly in primitive societies, are the cohesive bonds of social order. What was Durkheim’s view on crime? Discuss
in the eye of (something)
At, in, or amidst the central or focal point of something. Watch the video
Tay al-Ard
Tay al-Ard, literally translated to mean “folding up of the earth,” is the name for thaumaturgical teleportation in the mystical form of Islamic religious and philosophical tradition. Some explain the concept as traversing the earth without moving, while others explain that it is the earth which is displaced under the traveler’s feet. Tay al-Ard is a common concept in Sunni, Shia, and Sufi belief, though each group interprets it slightly differently. What Quranic verses allude to such travel? Discuss
portent
Definition: (noun) An indication of something important or calamitous about to occur.
Synonyms: omen, prognostication, presage, prodigy.
Usage: The soldier looked to the sky for a portent and was gripped with fear when he read his future in the clouds.
Discuss
Donner Party Sets Out on Ill-Fated Journey from Illinois to California (1846)
The Donner Party was a group of families from Illinois and Iowa that set out for California following a little-used, supposedly shorter, route across Utah. The shortcut only tired and delayed the party, and while recovering at what is now Donner Lake in the Sierra Nevada, the group was trapped by early snow. Many died, several while trying to get help; some reportedly resorted to cannibalism. Rescuers reached the survivors in February 1847. How many of the 87 pioneers survived the ordeal? Discuss