Nariyal Purnima (Coconut Day)

Nariyal (or Narali) Purnima, Coconut Day, is celebrated by Hindus in western India in the union territory of Daman and Diu and in the nearby state of Maharashtra at the end of the monsoon season. This is the time of year when the fishing and water-trade season begins again, and, in thanks, people gather at the shores and throw coconuts into the Arabian Sea as offerings to Varuna, the sea god. Because the nut of the coconut appears to have three eyes, it is associated with the god Shiva. Many consider breaking a coconut to bring good luck to any new venture, such as the beginning of the trade season. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Peggy Guggenheim (1898)

Born to a wealthy New York City family, Guggenheim grew up in luxury, inherited a fortune in her early 20s, and became a friend, patron, and sometime lover to a number of avant-garde artists and writers. She spent the 1930s living in Paris and then London, where she opened her first gallery, Guggenheim Jeune. World War II impelled her return to New York, whereupon she married artist Max Ernst and opened a new gallery featuring her vast collection. Where did she take her collection after the war? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Spring Heeled Jack

Spring Heeled Jack appears in Victorian-era English folklore as a devilish-looking creature with remarkable leaping ability. After the first alleged sighting in 1837, reports of his supposed exploits and attacks on young women began appearing in the press. Each account furnished him with additional diabolical features, such as clawed hands and glowing eyes. “Sightings” persisted until 1904, and he remains an enduring part of popular culture. What are some theories about the origin of the figure? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

R&B Artist Aaliyah Killed in Airplane Crash (2001)

Signed to a record deal at age 12, Aaliyah became a popular R&B singer with hits such as “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But a Number” and “Are You That Somebody.” She went on to appear in films, but her skyrocketing career came to a halt when she and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001 after filming a music video. Aaliyah was only 22 years old. Though the pilot was unlicensed and had traces of alcohol and cocaine in his system, the crash was primarily blamed on what other issue? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ullambana (Hungry Ghosts Festival)

A Buddhist and Taoist festival probably dating back to the sixth century, Ullambana is observed in China as well as throughout the rest of eastern Asia. It is believed that during this month the souls of the dead are released from purgatory to roam the earth. Unhappy and hungry spirits may cause trouble and therefore must be placated with offerings. People burn paper replicas of material possessions, believing that this frees these things for the spirits’ use. Joss sticks are burned, and offerings of food are placed on tables outside people’s homes. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jane Stanford (1828)

Jane Stanford was the wife of a prominent American railroad builder and politician. After the death of the couple’s only child in 1884, they began looking for ways to honor his memory. The next year, they founded Leland Stanford Junior University, popularly known as Stanford University. When her husband passed away in 1893, Jane stepped in to run the university and saw it through a difficult financial period, at times using her personal finances to fund the school. Who poisoned her in 1905? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Phantom Eye Syndrome

After the removal of an eye, many patients experience one or more phantom phenomena, including phantom pain, non-painful phantom sensations, or visual hallucinations usually consisting of basic perceptions, such as shapes and colors. Less common than phantom limb pain, which is experienced by 50 to 78 percent of amputees, phantom eye pain develops in only about 30 percent of patients. What factor may cause phantom limb pain to be more common than phantom eye pain? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary