Festival of Sant’ Efisio

The Sagra di Sant’ Efisio at Cagliari, in Sardinia, Italy, commemorates the martyrdom of a 3rd-century Roman general who was converted to Christianity and credited with saving the town from the plague. On May 1, a procession accompanies a statue of St. Efisio through the streets of Cagliari to the church of Pula, the town where he suffered martyrdom. Three days later, the statue returns to Cagliari. Several thousand pilgrims, wearing costumes that date from the 17th century and earlier, take part in the procession, which culminates in a parade down Cagliari’s main avenue. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Catherine II of Russia (1729)

Catherine II was empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. The daughter of a German prince, she was chosen at 14 to be the wife of the future czar, Peter III. In 1762, conspirators led by her lover staged a coup and proclaimed her empress. Peter was murdered shortly thereafter. As czarina, she increased Russia’s power by skillful diplomacy and by extending its frontiers into central Europe. She was a patron of the arts and corresponded with many of the prominent minds of her era, including whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lucid Dreaming

In a lucid dream, the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress. During lucid dreams, it is often possible to exert conscious control over characters and environments, as well as to perform otherwise physically impossible feats. Children tend to enter such dream states more easily than adults, but there are techniques one can learn to intentionally induce a lucid dream. Lucid dreaming is sometimes suggested as a remedy for what disorder? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Founding of the Illuminati (1776)

The Illuminati were members of a rationalistic society founded in Germany by Adam Weishaupt. Having close affinities with the Freemasons and seemingly organized on a Masonic plan, the group was briefly very popular among German rationalists but had limited influence. The Roman Catholic Church, which Weishaupt left in his youth and rejoined before his death, condemned the Illuminati. In 1785, the Bavarian government dissolved the organization. What conspiracy theories involve the Illuminati? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Vappu

Vappu is a national holiday and celebration of the coming of spring in Finland. This traditional festival is also Labor Day, and factories that are said to “never close” do close on May 1 (and Christmas Day). For students, the “anything goes” celebration begins at midnight on the eve of May Day, called Vapunaatto, when they wear white student caps and indulge in anything not indecent or criminal. There are balloons, streamers, horns, and masks everywhere, and few get much sleep. On May Day itself, the students lead processions through the streets of Helsinki, and then enjoy carnivals and concerts. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Calamity Jane (1852)

Born Martha Jane Canary, Calamity Jane was a legendary American frontierswoman. She grew up in Montana and worked in mining camps, where she acquired riding and shooting skills. In 1876, she appeared in Deadwood, South Dakota, the site of new gold strikes, boasting of her marksmanship and her exploits as a pony-express rider and as a scout with Custer’s forces. It was there that she likely met Wild Bill Hickok, who would become her companion. How did Jane claim to have acquired her nickname? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Federal Reserve

The US Federal Reserve was created in response to the Bank Panic of 1907, a financial crisis in the US during which the stock market crashed and the economy entered a recession. “The Fed” is a central banking system and note-issuing authority that regulates the country’s credit and monetary policy. It is comprised of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks located throughout the US, various member banks, and a supervisory Federal Reserve Board. What are some criticisms of the Federal Reserve System? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary