Definition: (noun) A pipe of the bagpipe that is tuned to produce a single continuous tone.
Synonyms: drone pipe.
Usage: The continuous note emanating from the bourdon was hypnotic and carried the listener off into another world.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
While working at the Stanford Research Institute in the early 1960s, human-computer interaction pioneer Doug Engelbart invented the first computer mouse, so called because of its resemblance to the small rodent. His mouse was constructed out of a wooden box and two wheels set perpendicular to one another. The rotation of each wheel was translated into motion along one axis, and this information was relayed to the computer to indicate the mouse’s position. What is the proper plural of “mouse”? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1939, Nazi troops invaded Czechoslovakia and took over the country. On November 17, student protests were held. Nazi troops subsequently executed nine students and sent many to a concentration camp. On November 17, 1989, Czech students gathered to demonstrate against the communist regime. This marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution. Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is a national holiday in the Czech Republic. People gather and light candles near a “V for Victory” memorial plaque on National Avenue in Prague, and the national flag is flown in all public places. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
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Scorsese is an American film director whose movies often deal with violent and obsessive aspects of modern America and the themes of sin and redemption. He won critical attention for his film Mean Streets in 1973 and went on to make a number of acclaimed films, including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and The Departed, for which he finally received the Academy Award for best director. What vocation did Scorsese pursue before attending film school? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The term rocket-propelled grenade is actually a misnomer stemming from the Russian acronym for a handheld anti-tank grenade-launcher. The RPG, developed by the Soviets during WWII, is a low-cost, low-tech, direct fire, portable weapon used primarily against unarmored or medium-armored vehicles and personnel. Though it is largely ineffective against heavily armored vehicles and has a low level of accuracy, the RPG has become a favored weapon in what modern conflicts? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A peevish, irascible person; a grouch.
Synonyms: crank, grouch, grump, churl.
Usage: He was known to all as a crosspatch, but all that changed with the birth of his first grandchild.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Established in the aftermath of World War II, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) aims to further peace by acting as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas and knowledge and by improving education, especially supporting efforts to eliminate illiteracy. In 1972, it helped establish the World Heritage program, which promotes government protection for cultural sites and natural areas. Why did the US and the UK withdraw from UNESCO in the mid-1980s? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The first general American Indian Day was observed on the second Saturday in May 1916. Since 1995, the month of November has been observed as American Indian Heritage Month. Although the largest Native American populations can be found in Oklahoma, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and North Carolina, many other states have come up with ways to draw attention to their unique contribution to American culture. Most celebrations focus on educational and promotional events, displays of Native American art and dance, and agricultural fairs. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Largely self-taught, Handy was American songwriter and band leader who began his career as a cornet player in a minstrel show in 1896. He later organized various small bands and was among the first to publish blues sheet music, rising to prominence with his Memphis Blues. In 1918, he moved from Memphis to New York City and remained active as a writer and publisher of music, in spite of growing blindness, until shortly before his death. What are some of Handy’s most famous songs? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In the 3rd century BCE, Hippocrates introduced his theory of Humoralism. It was based on the notion that 4 fluids, each corresponding to one of the 4 elements, permeate the human body and cause disease when not in balance. Theories regarding the 4 humors—blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm—expanded over the years, and in the 2nd century CE, Galen published a treatise which associated a specific temperament with each humor. What humor was thought to cause a melancholic disposition? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary