This national public holiday honors Barbados‘ first prime minister. Errol Barrow was born in 1920, earned a law degree in England, then returned to Barbados, where he became finance minister in 1959 and prime minister in 1961. He was reelected in 1966 and, soon after, Barbados gained independence from Great Britain. Barrow was voted out in 1976 but regained office in 1986; he died the next year. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Wallenda was a German-born US circus acrobat and founder and leader of the acrobatic troupe that came to be known as the Flying Wallendas. The group gained notoriety in Europe for its high-wire acts without a safety net before developing its most famous act—the seven-person pyramid, topped by Wallenda’s wife, Helen. The troupe traveled with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and later performed as freelancers. Wallenda continued performing until age 73. How did he die? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Red Square, located in Moscow, is one of the most famous city squares in Russia, with a rich history that is reflected in many works of art. After the square was cleared of buildings in 1493, it became Moscow’s primary marketplace as well as the site for various ceremonies, proclamations, and coronations. During the Soviet era, Red Square maintained its significance and was the site of the 1945 victory parade held after the defeat of Nazi Germany. What is the origin of the name “Red Square”? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A smug, ignorant, especially middle-class person who is regarded as being indifferent or antagonistic to artistic and cultural values.
Synonyms: anti-intellectual.
Usage: He may have an advanced degree in mathematics, but the man is a total philistine when it comes to the arts.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The amount of fish taken from the world’s oceans over the last 60 years has been underestimated by more than 50%, according to a new study. Researchers say that official estimates are missing crucial data on small scale fisheries, illegal fishing and … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Edward VIII became king of Great Britain and Ireland upon the death of his father, George V, in 1936. He enjoyed immense popularity until the announcement of his intention to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American in the midst of divorcing her second husband. The government opposed the marriage, and the two sides clashed until Edward executed a deed of abdication, ending a 325-day reign as the first English monarch to relinquish his throne voluntarily. Who succeeded him? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The eve of St. Agnes’s Day has long been associated with superstitions about how young girls might discover the identity of their future husbands. According to one such belief, a girl who went to bed without any supper on this night would dream of the man she was to marry. John Keats used this legend as the basis for his well-known poem, “The Eve of St. Agnes,” in which a maiden dreams of her lover and wakes to find him at her bedside. St. Agnes was martyred because she had consecrated herself to Christ and refused to marry. She was later named the patron saint of young virgins. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Often remembered as a cigar-puffing nightclub entertainer who continued performing into his late 90s, Burns began his career by forming a comedy team in 1925 with Gracie Allen, whom he married a year later. They performed on radio and television, usually with Allen playing a scatterbrained wife and Burns in the role of an infinitely patient husband. Burns continued to perform after his wife’s retirement, winning an Academy Award and becoming well-known for his recurring film role as what figure? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex built during the Middle Ages by the Moorish monarchs of Granada. It is the finest example of the once flourishing Moorish civilization’s architecture. Its halls and chambers surround a series of open courts, and the interior is adorned with magnificent examples of honeycomb and stalactite vaulting. Detailed geometric designs in marble, alabaster, and carved plaster also decorate the interior. What artist came to study the Alhambra’s tiles in 1922? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To be full of things; abound or swarm.
Synonyms: pullulate, swarm.
Usage: The street teemed with hundreds of policemen who questioned every potential witness.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary