Kamehameha V (1830)

After Kamehameha V succeeded his brother as king of Hawaii in 1863, he tried to restore the old tribal ways. He proclaimed a new constitution that restored power to the monarch, weakened the legislature, and restricted suffrage. He even refused to allow the sale of alcohol. Under his reign, the influence of American missionaries waned rapidly. On his 42nd birthday, he died without an heir, bringing the Kamehameha dynasty to an end. How did Mark Twain describe the king during his stay in Hawaii? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Angel Falls

The world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, Venezuela’s Angel Falls drops 3,212 ft (979 m) and is 500 ft (150 m) wide at its base, where it feeds into the Churun River. It is named for American aviator James Angel, who in 1937 crash-landed his plane near the top of the falls and was forced—with his companions—to descend on foot. Their trek took 11 days. How long did the plane remain atop the mountain? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Brown Dog Affair: Rioting Peaks in London (1907)

In 1903, anti-vivisectionists enrolled as medical students at University College London and published an eyewitness account of a brown dog that had endured months of surgical experimentation while allegedly conscious. A professor named in the story sued for defamation and won. After the trial, anti-vivisectionists put up a statue of the dog as a monument in a park, but mobs of angry medical students rioted and tried to destroy it. In 1910, it was taken down by authorities. When was it replaced? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nobel Prize Ceremony

Nobel Prizes are awarded each year to people, regardless of nationality, deemed to have made the most significant practical efforts toward the well-being of the human race. In his will, the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) directed that the income from his estate be used to fund five annual prizes. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901; a sixth prize—in economics—was added in 1969. Winners receive the awards at a special ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The peace prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nelly Sachs (1891)

Sachs was a German poet, translator, and dramatist. Born to a prosperous family, Sachs wrote poems mainly for fun until the advent of Nazism darkened her work and forced her to flee on one of the last flights to Sweden. Her lyrics from those years combine lean simplicity with intense imagery. Collections of her poetry include The Seeker and O the Chimneys. What other poet developed a deep friendship with Sachs, which unfortunately exacerbated both poets’ mental illnesses? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Freedom Rides

After the US Supreme Court ruled in the case of Boynton v. Virginia (1960) that racial segregation in public transportation is illegal, civil rights activists organized the Freedom Rides, in which interracial groups of participants rode public transportation in the southern US to challenge local laws enforcing segregation. Though many riders were beaten and arrested, people continued to join the campaign, propelling it forward. How else did the riders protest racial discrimination? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nasa discovers a planet so grim and hostile that scientists didn’t believe it could be real

We all grumble about the misery of life here on Planet Earth. But just be glad you’re not planning to move to a newly-discovered world called WASP-18b which has conditions so appalling that it made Nasa scientists question whether they had accidentally … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary