Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1930)

The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret was a somewhat controversial member of the royal family, mainly as a result of her turbulent love life. She called off her first engagement, to a divorcee 16 years her senior, when it became clear that marrying him would mean renouncing her right of succession. A few years later, she wed photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, but rumors of her infidelities abounded, and they eventually divorced. With whom did she supposedly stray? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Identity Theft

The most common forms of identity theft occur when someone obtains another person’s personal information, such as a date of birth, and uses it to open a fraudulent bank, credit card, or other account, or to obtain false loans. In other cases, criminals provide another’s name and information to police when arrested, so that the charges appear on that person’s record. According to some statistics, how long does the average victim take to resolve a case of identity theft? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

NASA’s amazing wake-up playlist isn’t enough to rouse Opportunity the Mars rover

On August 4, NASA engineers played Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” in an attempt to wake up Opportunity, a rover on Mars that has been radio silent for months. But even the lively spirits of George Michael and Andrew Ridgely failed to stir the … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Infamous Menendez Brothers Murder Their Parents (1989)

The trials of Lyle and Erik Menendez for the cold-blooded murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion captivated the nation. The “bereaved” sons initially escaped suspicion, but in the months after the murders, they went on a spending spree with their parents’ money, to the tune of over $1 million, that raised a few eyebrows. Still, the pair might never have been arrested, and ultimately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, had not who come forward? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Estonia Restoration of Independence Day

In the 20th century, Estonia was a sovereign state from 1919 to 1940. At that time, it was forced to become a socialist republic of the Soviet Union. Then, in 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, and on August 20 of that year, Estonia formally re-established its independence. Throughout 2008, the country celebrated its 90th anniversary as a republic. This is one of three days on which the national flag must be hoisted on state buildings, along with Victory Day (June 23) and Independence Day (February 24). Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Raymond Poincaré (1860)

A career statesman, Poincaré ascended to the highest echelons of French government, serving as prime minister on several occasions and as president from 1913 to 1920. In the lead-up to World War I, Poincaré, a conservative and nationalist, worked to prepare France for possible hostilities, strengthening its military and its alliances with Russia and Britain. His efforts paid off, and Germany was defeated by the Allied Powers in 1918. What prompted him to send French troops into Germany in 1923? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Songtsän Gampo

Born in the seventh century, Songtsän Gampo was the founder of the Tibetan empire. Though much of the information about his life is derived from legend and tradition, Gampo is believed to have ascended to the throne while still a minor. He is widely credited with bringing many cultural and technological advances to Tibet. Most notably, he is considered to be the first of the three rulers, known as the “Dharma Kings,” who established Buddhism in Tibet. Who were the other two? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary