Cloisonné

Likely invented in the Middle East but later perfected by the Chinese, Japanese, and French, cloisonné is an ancient method of decorating metals with enamel. It involves adhering metal wire to a metal object in a specific pattern, filling the resulting compartments with colored enamel paste, and firing the object to fuse the enamel to its surface. The earliest surviving examples of cloisonné are six 13th century BCE Mycenaean rings. Where in Venice’s St. Mark’s Basilica can one find cloisonné? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Women in Canada Finally Recognized as “Persons” (1929)

In the early 20th century, Canadian women were often prohibited from hearing court testimony deemed inappropriate. Emily Murphy protested and became the first woman magistrate in Canada—and all of the British Empire—but her rulings were often challenged because women were not legally considered “persons.” Murphy and four other women, the “Famous Five,” submitted a petition for constitutional clarification. The subsequent Persons Case granted Canadian women personhood. What else did it establish? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pierre Trudeau (1919)

As prime minister of Canada from 1968–79 and 1980–84, Trudeau advocated a strong federal government and took a determined stand against the Quebec separatist movement. Despite his opposition to Quebec’s independence, he supported Canadian sovereignty and secured for the country a new constitution in 1982 that precipitated its official independence from Britain. He also had French adopted as an official state language. How did Trudeau figure into an alleged plot to assassinate Fidel Castro? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Conscription

Conscription, compulsory enrollment in a country’s armed forces, existed as early as the 27th century BCE in Egypt. Since then, forms of obligatory military service have been recorded in countless cultures; Japanese samurai, Aztec warriors, and citizen militiamen in ancient Greece and Rome are just a few examples of conscripted forces. Conscription in the modern sense dates from 1793, when the French Republic raised an army of 300,000 men. What countries draft women into military service? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mysterious ‘ghost’ radio emissions have been found – and no one knows what’s causing them

Mysterious “ghost” radio emissions have been spotted by researchers, some that have lasted for 25 years, only to fade away and then return. While the “ghost” emissions could be extremely common, the cause is still unknown, according to experts. University of … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Loma Prieta Earthquake Disrupts World Series (1989)

Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics was scheduled to begin at 5:35 PM on October 17, 1989, but Mother Nature intervened. The Loma Prieta earthquake struck San Francisco at 5:04 PM with 60,000 fans already inside Candlestick Park. Due to the timing, it was the first major earthquake to be broadcast on live TV, and a blimp covering the game was able to coordinate emergency efforts. How long is the earthquake believed to have lasted? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The United Nations named October 17 the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in 1992. In doing so, the U.N. followed the lead of some non-governmental organizations that had already dedicated the day to promoting awareness of the plight of the extremely poor. The U.N. observance focuses especially on the needs of the destitute in developing countries. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary