John the Fearless Assassinated (1419)

Son of Philip the Bold, John the Fearless was duke of Burgundy from 1404–1419. He continued his father’s feud with Louis, Duke of Orléans, brother of King Charles VI, and became popular by advocating reforms. In 1407, he had Louis assassinated and later obtained control of the French government. Rivalry with the supporters of Orléans led to civil war in 1411, and he seized Paris in 1418. At a negotiation meeting with the dauphin—the future King Charles VII—John was assassinated. Who killed him? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Belize National Day

A public holiday in Belize commemorating the Battle of St. George’s Caye, fought in 1798 between the Spanish and the English over possession of the area. English loggers had settled in what is now Belize in the early 17th century, and British pirates used to hide in the cays there waiting for opportunities to plunder passing Spanish ships. It is also known as St. George’s Caye Day. Numerous festivities take place on the days leading up to the holiday, including a grand carnival parade. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Arnold Palmer (1929)

One of golf’s most charismatic players, Palmer was instrumental in popularizing the sport in the US. After winning the US Amateur championship, Palmer turned professional in 1954 and won the Canadian Open in 1955. Between 1958 and 1964, he won the Masters four times, the British Open twice, and the US Open once. In 1967, he became the first golfer to earn more than $1 million in prize money. One of the first television-age golfing personalities, he attracted a loyal following known as what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scuba Diving

Deep sea diving is generally performed with the aid of a breathing apparatus. Scuba (an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) is a system that delivers air to the diver at the same pressure exerted by the surrounding water. Most scuba divers limit their descent to about 130 ft (40 m), though certain record setters have reached depths of 300 ft (91 m) or more. At depths beyond 130 ft, nitrogen narcosis may set in; how does this condition impair a diver’s judgment? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tajikistan Gains Independence from the Soviet Union (1991)

Russia first took control of Tajik lands in the 1880s. In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Tajiks rebelled against Russian rule, and the Red Army did not retake control until 1921. Tajikistan was made an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924 and joined the USSR in 1929. In 1991, at around the time the USSR was being dissolved, the Republic of Tajikistan declared its independence. Civil war broke out a year later. When was a peace agreement reached? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Toronto International Film Festival

Second in size only to the Cannes Film Festival in France, the Toronto International Film Festival is considered one of the world’s most prestigious artistic events. It features some of the year’s most anticipated films, attracts leading stars in the movie business, and serves as a networking and educational opportunity for industry professionals. Festival organizers pride themselves on creating a public festival, which means film submissions from all over are accepted and screenings are open to the public as well as to the media and the film industry. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

William Bligh (1754)

Though he had a long and notable career in the British Royal Navy, Bligh is chiefly remembered for the 1787 mutiny on his ship, the HMS Bounty, during which he and those crew members who remained loyal to him were set adrift in a longboat. In a remarkable act of seamanship, with neither a map nor a compass, Bligh guided them across 3,618 mi (5,822 km) of ocean to the nearest European outpost, Timor. In the 1770s, Bligh served as the sailing master on what famous explorer’s final voyage? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Sudoku

Sudoku is a number puzzle based on the Latin squares described by the 18th-century Swiss mathematician Euler. The modern version consists of a box divided into nine squares, each of which is again divided into nine smaller boxes, making 81 boxes in total. The puzzle setter provides a partially completed grid so that there is only one solution. The objective is to fill the grid so that every column, every row, and every 3×3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. What was sudoku originally called? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary