Night of the Murdered Poets (1952)

In one of the instances of violent anti-Semitism during Joseph Stalin’s regime, 15 Soviet Jews linked to the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee were falsely accused of espionage, treason, and other crimes. After their arrests, they were tortured and isolated for three years before being formally charged. In 1952, 13 of them were executed in Moscow on a night remembered as the “Night of the Murdered Poets,” named after five of the prisoners, who were Yiddish writers. Who were these poets? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Abbotsford International Air Show

Widely recognized as Canada’s national air show, this three-day event is an opportunity for the aviation industry to display the latest developments in civilian aircraft. Since the first show was held in 1962, it has included aerobatic performances by the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Air Force, the Snowbirds Jet Team and the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds. There is also a large banquet featuring well-known personalities in the aviation and aerospace fields. The show is held at the airport in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and is regularly attended by upwards of 200,000 people. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876)

Rinehart was a popular American author considered the inventor of the Had-I-But-Known school of mystery writing. Her immensely successful first novel, The Circular Staircase launched her career, and her books, which often blend mystery with humor and romance, have sold over 10 million copies. She was a war correspondent during WWI and wrote several books promoting women’s contributions to the war effort. What popular phrase is said to have been inspired by her 1930 novel The Door? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Copito de Nieve

The most popular resident of the Barcelona Zoo during his life, Copito de Nieve was an albino Western Lowland Gorilla—the only known albino gorilla. Originally captured in 1966 in what is now Equatorial Guinea, where he was called Nfumu Ngi, or “White Gorilla,” he later gained fame as Copito de Nieve, Spanish for “Snowflake,” a nickname given to him by National Geographic magazine. During his nearly 40 years in captivity, Snowflake fathered 22 offspring. How many survived to adulthood? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Humans First Used Tools to Eat Meat 250000 Years Ago. Here’s What the Discovery Means.

If you’re a developing species with dreams of dominating your home planet one day, you’re going to have to do two things first: grow a big brain and get yourself a nice set of opposable thumbs. With a big brain you can figure out how to use tools and … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Weimar Constitution Signed into Law (1919)

Written immediately after World War I, the Weimar Constitution was the document that governed the short-lived Weimar Republic of Germany. It declared the nation a federal republic governed by a president and parliament and was a strong attempt to establish a liberal democracy in Germany. However, it was adopted during a time of civil conflict and failed with the ascent of the Nazi Party in 1933. How did Hitler manage to subvert the Weimar Constitution after he came to power? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Battle of Flowers

First held in 1902 as part of the celebration for the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the Battle of Flowers takes place on Jersey in the British Channel Islands every August. It begins with a parade of floats covered in flowers, many of which are quite elaborate and take months to prepare. Spectators no longer engage in a flower-throwing melee after the parade—these days the “battle” consists of a competition for the finest floats. A moonlight parade Friday night displays the floats with their illuminations and concludes with a fireworks finale. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Christiaan Eijkman (1858)

While seeking a bacterial cause for the nutritional disorder beriberi, Eijkman, a Dutch pathologist, noticed a resemblance between a nerve disorder in his laboratory chickens and the symptoms of beriberi. He traced the chickens’ disorder to a change in their feed—it had been switched from brown to white rice—and surmised that white rice lacked a dietary component found in brown rice. This eventually led to the discovery of vitamins and earned him a 1929 Nobel Prize, which he shared with whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Yakuza

Yakuza are members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan. Although yakuza membership declined in the 1990s following an anti-gang law passed by the Japanese government, there are thought to be nearly 90,000 active yakuza members in Japan today. Though, as a matter of principle, yakuza do not recognize direct theft as a legitimate enterprise, they frequently engage in a form of extortion known as sokaiya. How does it work? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary