Knight Bachelors

A Knight Bachelor is a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organized Orders of Chivalry, making him an English knight of the lowest rank. Like other knights, Knights Bachelor are styled “Sir.” The honor is generally awarded for public service, and amongst its recipients are all the male judges of the High Court of England and Wales. Sir Paul McCartney is one of the best-known holders of the rank. What is the female counterpart of the Knight Bachelor? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Johnny Weissmuller Breaks One-Minute Barrier in 100-Meter Freestyle (1922)

During the 1920s, Weissmuller earned himself recognition as the best all-around amateur swimmer in the US. In 1922, he broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle, swimming it in 58.6 seconds, and went on to win gold in that event at the 1924 Summer Olympics. He eventually won 5 Olympic gold medals and set 67 world records before parlaying his celebrity into an acting career. After starring as Tarzan in 12 films between 1932 and 1948, Weissmuller went on to play what comic book adventurer? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Argentina Independence Day

Independence Day in Argentina is a national holiday commemorating the day in 1816 when delegates from various provinces of the country met at the home of the prominent Bazán family, in Tucumán, to proclaim their independence from Spanish rule. Civil war and various forms of government followed, but the date of the original Independence Day celebration has been continuously honored. It is now marked across the country by speeches and patriotic displays, as well as parties, family reunions, and live music. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Carlos Chagas (1879)

Chagas was a Brazilian physician who discovered in 1909 what is now called Chagas’ disease. Caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease of South and Central America usually affects children and is transmitted by the feces of infected insects. Chagas’s work is unique in the history of medicine in that he alone completely described a new infectious disease, including its pathogen, vector, host, clinical manifestations, and epidemiology. What insect often transmits Chagas disease? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Anthony Bourdain

Bourdain is an American author, executive chef of Brasserie Les Halles in NYC, and host of the Travel Channel’s culinary and cultural adventure program No Reservations. He is known for being edgy and provocative; his many epicurean exploits have included instances of him eating ant eggs in Mexico, a raw seal eyeball in the Arctic, and a live cobra in Vietnam. He initially gained popularity with his bestselling book about the darker side of the restaurant industry. What is the book called? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

farrago

Definition: (noun) An assortment or a medley; a conglomeration.
Synonyms: hodgepodge, omnium-gatherum, melange, mingle-mangle, mishmash, oddments, odds and ends, ragbag.
Usage: If the farrago of newspaper clippings, stale coffee mugs, and chewed-on pencils strewn around the office was any indication, her boss had been at the office all night.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

First Issue of The Wall Street Journal Is Published (1889)

The most influential American business-oriented paper and one of the most respected dailies in the world, The Wall Street Journal has been printed continuously since it was founded in 1889 by Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser. In that time, it has won more than 30 Pulitzer Prizes. It has one of the highest daily circulations in the US and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million. Who acquired the newspaper’s parent company in 2007? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Winnipeg Folk Festival

The largest event of its kind in North America, the Winnipeg Folk Festival is a music festival featuring bluegrass, gospel, jazz, Cajun, swing, Celtic, and other performers from Canada and around the world. There are concerts, jam sessions, a juried handicrafts village, children’s performances, and folk dancing. Held at Birds Hill Park, about 19 miles northeast of Winnipeg, the festival was started in 1974 by Mitch Podolak, a veteran in the folk music field. Although it lasts for five days, it also operates on a year-round basis as a folklore and music center. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1926)

Kübler-Ross was a Swiss-American psychiatrist whose pioneering work in the field of thanatology—the study of death and dying—has had a lasting influence on the medical community. In her groundbreaking book, On Death and Dying, she first discussed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross model, which uses the “five stages of grief” to explain the experience of dying patients: denial, anger, bargaining for time, depression, and acceptance. What other medical movement did Kübler-Ross influence? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary