Month: January 2019

Suminuri Matsuri

Suminuri Matsuri is a New Year tradition observed for more than half a millennium in a district of Matsunoyama, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. People adorn their homes and streets with decorations made of paper, tree branches and bamboo for Oshogatsu, New Year’s Day. After the holiday, they take down the decorations and burn them, keeping the ashes for the Suminuri Festival two weeks later. People take their ashes outside and mix them with snow, then rub the concoction on each other’s faces for luck in the new year. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Damsel in Distress

Derived from a French term meaning “young lady,” the word “damsel” is rarely used in modern English except in the phrase “damsel in distress.” A classic stock character in literature, art, and film, the damsel in distress is usually a young, beautiful woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster. Notably, she needs a hero to rescue her, leading to stereotypes of helplessness that are often targets of feminist criticism. What are some examples of damsels in distress in modern media? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hostos Day

Eugenio Maria de Hostos (1839-1903) was a Puerto Rican philosopher and patriot who became a leader of the opposition to Spanish colonial rule in the 19th century. He campaigned for the education of women in Brazil, and his books on law and education triggered reforms in other Latin American countries. He even sponsored the first railroad between Chile and Argentina, across the Andes Mountains. The anniversary of his birth is observed as a public holiday in Puerto Rico on the second Monday in January. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Spleen

Located under the diaphragm on the left side of the abdominal cavity, the spleen is the organ that filters out old red blood cells and foreign organisms infecting the bloodstream. Ordinarily, the spleen’s manufacture of red blood cells is taken over by bone marrow after birth, but if bone marrow breaks down, the spleen reverts to its fetal function. When additional blood is needed, the spleen contracts, forcing stored blood into circulation. Why does the spleen sometimes need to be removed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mela Maghi

Guru Gobind Singh and his Khalsa, a defense militia of “soldier-saints” he formed, were attacked by the Mughal army at Anandpur. It is said that 40 of his close followers joined the Guru at Muktsar, where they gave their lives in the Battle of Muktsar in December 1705. Maghi is a day for honoring these men, who are now known as the Forty Immortals. Sikhs in India and elsewhere observe the holiday by visiting their local gurdwara (house of worship) and listening to the recitation of sacred hymns. The observance is particularly solemn at Muktsar, where the slaughter occurred. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Gadget

With the discovery of fission in 1939, it became clear to scientists that certain radioactive materials could be used to make a bomb of unprecedented power. In the US, the effort to explore this possibility eventually became the Manhattan Project. After years of research and $2 billion spent acquiring sufficient amounts of the two necessary isotopes, uranium-235 and plutonium-239, scientists tested the first nuclear explosive device, code-named “the Gadget,” on July 16, 1945, at what location? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary