Month: March 2015

Ireland Bans Smoking in All Public Places (2004)

In the latter part of the 20th century, research on the health risks of secondhand tobacco smoke spurred legislative bodies throughout the world to consider smoking bans. On March 29, 2004, Ireland became the first country to implement a nationwide ban on smoking in public places, including all enclosed workplaces. Many nations have since followed with similar legislation. Which Pope instituted the first known public smoking ban in 1590 by threatening smokers with excommunication? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Borrowed Days

According to an old Scottish rhyme, the last three days in March were “borrowed” from April, in return for which March promised to destroy three young sheep. Other references go back even farther. Both an ancient calendar of the Church of Rome and a 1548 book known as The Complaynt of Scotland allude to the days at the end of March as being more like winter than spring. Whatever their origin, it seems likely that the wet, windy weather that so often comes at the end of March gave rise to the notion that this month had to “borrow” some additional time. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Cy Young (1867)

Born Denton True Young, Cy Young was an American baseball player for whom the prestigious Cy Young Award—presented annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball—is named. In his 22-year major league career, he pitched in 906 games. Known for his excellent control and ability to outwit batters, Young holds the record for winning the most games—511—including 76 shutouts and three no-hitters. In 1904, he pitched the American League’s first perfect game. How did Young get the nickname “Cy”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Flea Markets

Flea markets are gatherings of buyers and vendors in open-market layouts. The vast majority of flea markets in rural areas sell goods that are secondhand, while newer but usually inexpensive items can be found at larger urban markets. The original flea market is likely the extant Marché aux puces in the northern suburbs of Paris, named after the flea-infested clothing and rags originally sold there in the 17th cent. What is a car boot sale? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Maxim Gorky (1868)

Maxim Gorky was the pseudonym of Aleksey Maximovich Pyeshkov, a Russian writer considered the father of Soviet literature and the founder of the doctrine of socialist realism. Gorky’s works include Mother, which became the prototype of the revolutionary novel, and his final, unfinished work—often considered his masterpiece—The Life of Klim Samgin, a panoramic, four-volume novel of Russian social conditions from 1880 to 1917. Who carried Gorky’s casket at his funeral?

Source: The Free Dictionary

Three Mile Island Accident (1979)

Both mechanical failure and human error contributed to the 1979 failure of a nuclear reactor cooling system at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania, which led to overheating, partial melting of the reactor’s uranium core, and the release of radioactive gases. Though it caused no immediate deaths or injuries, the incident increased public fears about the safety of nuclear power. What nuclear accident-themed film was released just two weeks before the incident? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Teachers’ Day in the Czech Republic

March 28 is the birthday of Jan Amos Komensky (or John Comenius; 1592-1670), a noted educational reformer and theologian in the former Czechoslovakia. Komensky was the first person to write an illustrated textbook for children, used for teaching Latin words; he was also a proponent of compulsory education. It has been traditional for children to honor him on Teachers’ Day, or Komensky Day, by bringing flowers and gifts to their teachers. The day is also observed with lectures, music, and educational activities. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Andrew Wyeth

Wyeth is an American painter whose work has been enormously popular and critically acclaimed since his first one-man show in 1937. His principal subjects are the people of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and Cushing, Maine, portrayed in a meticulous naturalistic style. The best-known of Wyeth’s paintings, Christina’s World (1948), hangs at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. What are his “Helga” pictures, and why did they generate a considerable amount of media buzz? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary