Thay Pagoda Festival

This Vietnamese festival is held in honor of Buddhist monk Dao Hanh, who lived during the Lý Dynasty (1009-1225 CE). Dao Hanh was said to have invented what is known as mua roi can, “water puppetry,” an activity that plays an important part in the festival. In addition to water puppet performances, the festival features firecracker competitions, folk singing, rowing contests, and mountain-climbing events. It is held in the village of Thay (or Thuy Khe village) in the Quoc Oai District of Ha Tay Province. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Edward L. Beach, Jr. (1918)

A highly decorated American naval officer and WWII veteran, Beach became the naval aide to the US president following the war. In his free time, he wrote. Drawing on his wartime experiences, Beach penned 13 books. His first and best-known published work, 1955’s Run Silent, Run Deep, was made into a film of the same name in 1958. In 1960, Beach commanded the first submerged circumnavigation aboard the USS Triton, an American nuclear-powered submarine unique for having two what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Raw Foodism

Raw foodism is a lifestyle involving the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods as a large percentage or the entirety of one’s diet. Raw foodists vary in the extent to which they eat raw foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat, and even unpasteurized dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Proponents claim that raw foods encourage weight loss, promote digestion, and prevent illness and toxicity. What have studies shown about raw food diets? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mae West Sentenced For Obscenity (1927)

In 1926, American actress Mae West, mistress of the double entendre, began to write, produce, and star in her own Broadway plays, the first of which was the sensation-creating Sex. The notorious production did not go over well with city officials, who prosecuted West on morals charges. She served eight days of her 10-day sentence, getting off two days for good behavior. Still, the punishment did not deter her from tackling taboo subjects, as evidenced by her next play, named what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Primrose Day

Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, novelist, and twice prime minister of England, died on this day in 1881. When he was buried in the family vault at Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe, Queen Victoria came to lay a wreath of primroses—thought to be his favorite flower—on his grave. Two years later, the Primrose League was formed to support the principles of Conservatism which Disraeli had championed. The organization’s influence ebbed after World War I, but Primrose Day is remembered in honor of Disraeli and his contribution to the Conservative cause. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jayne Mansfield (1933)

One of the leading sex symbols of the 1950s, Mansfield reportedly spoke five languages, played the violin, and claimed an IQ of over 150. However, the provocative image she presented to the public was carefully crafted, and she was best known for her film roles as a “blonde bombshell” and her many appearances in photographs. Her tragic death at the age of 34 in a car accident led to the mandating of underride guards on tractor-trailer trucks in the US. What well-known actress is her daughter? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Year without a Summer

It is now widely thought that the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Tambora—the largest in over 1,600 years—led to a widespread reduction in temperature in 1816 that destroyed crops and prompted food shortages and famine across the globe. The event became the primary motivation for western expansion in America, and the lack of horse feed inspired research into horseless travel. What novel is said to have been written by an author forced to stay inside by the unseasonable weather in July 1816? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary