Fenghuang

Commonly known in the West as the Chinese phoenix, the fenghuang is a mythical Chinese bird fabled to reign over all other birds. Though there was initially a distinction between the male feng and female huang, today the two are often combined into a single feminine entity that pairs with the masculine Chinese dragon to symbolize the yin-yang principle with respect to marital harmony. Ancient texts describe the fenghuang as having the physical traits of several different animals. What are they? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

A Friend for Pluto: Astronomers Find New Dwarf Planet in Our Solar System

Scientists in Michigan have found a new dwarf planet in our solar system. It’s about 330 miles across and some 8.5 billion miles from the sun. It takes 1,100 years to complete one orbit. But one of the most interesting things about the new object, known for … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Theodore Roosevelt Shot in the Chest While Campaigning (1912)

During a bid for the presidency in 1912, Roosevelt was shot by saloonkeeper John Schrank. The bullet lodged in his chest after penetrating a steel eyeglass case and a folded copy of the 50-page speech he was carrying in his jacket, but he refused to go to the hospital until after he had delivered his scheduled speech. Doctors deemed it too dangerous to remove the bullet, and it remained in Roosevelt’s chest for the rest of his life. What did Roosevelt say about the shooting during his speech? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890)

Eisenhower was the 34th president of the US. During WWII, he successfully commanded US forces in the invasions of Sicily and Italy. He was then appointed supreme commander of Allied forces and planned the Normandy Campaign and the war in Europe until the German surrender. After the war, both Democrats and Republicans courted him as a presidential candidate. He was elected as a Republican in landslide elections in 1952 and 1956. What famous warning did he issue in his final presidential address? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Psychoactive Toads

The subjects of rumor and urban legend since the 1970s, psychoactive toads are toads from which hallucinogenic, mind-altering substances such as 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin can be derived. The presence of such substances may produce psychoactive effects in persons who smoke the toad skin or venom. However, contrary to popular myth, there is no evidence that hallucinatory effects can be achieved by licking the toads. In what country have dogs begun to pursue the toads? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ankara Replaces Istanbul as Capital of Turkey (1923)

Ankara was an important commercial center for millennia, but in the late 19th century it experienced a decline. By the early 20th century, it was just a small town known primarily for its mohair production. After WWI, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk made Ankara the seat of his provisional nationalist government. In 1923, it replaced Istanbul as Turkey’s capital, partly to break with tradition and partly because of its central location. Who, according to Phrygian lore, founded the city in about 1000 BCE? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lillie Langtry (1853)

Born on the Isle of Jersey, Emilie Charlotte Le Breton married diplomat Edward Langtry in 1874. A famous beauty, she caused a sensation when she became the first society woman to go on the stage, making her debut at the Haymarket theater in 1881 after her husband failed financially. “Jersey Lily,” as she became known, played to enthusiastic audiences in England and the US and later remodeled and managed London’s Imperial Theatre. With what future monarch was Langtry once romantically involved? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary