Month: January 2019

Maiden Voyage of World’s Largest Ocean Liner, RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004)

The RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a Cunard Line ocean liner named after the earlier Cunard liner Queen Mary, which was, in turn, named after Mary of Teck, the Queen Consort of George V. With 15 restaurants and bars, 5 pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theater, and a planetarium, the QM2 is the largest ocean liner in the world, and, at the time of its construction, was the longest, widest, and tallest passenger ship ever built. What ship challenged that distinction in 2006? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Saturnalia Roman Festival

Llanwrtyd Wells, which prides itself as the “wacky festival capital of the world,” takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to this observance, which is organized to draw tourists as well as relive Roman culture. The festival’s gladiator chariot race, for example, accompanies a winter beer festival and features mountain bikes towing barrels instead of proper horse-drawn chariots. This event and others attract attendees dressed in the requisite togas and laurel hats. Festival goers remain in costume for the Saturnalia Ramble, a marked walk through the Welsh countryside along old Roman roads. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scotland Yard

Scotland Yard was the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police, but the phrase is popularly used to refer to the force itself, particularly its Criminal Investigation Department. Named after a street in London that may have been the site of a palace used by 12th-century Scottish kings, Scotland Yard became London’s police center in 1829. In 1890, the force moved to a new building, and in 1967, it moved once again. Today, the Metropolitan Police headquarters building is known by what name? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Burning the Clavie

The Burning of the Clavie takes place in Burghead, a fishing village in the region of Moray, Scotland, on January 11. Local residents make the clavie by sawing a tar barrel in two, breaking the larger half into pieces and stuffing it inside the smaller half with tinder and tar. At dusk, the Clavie King sets the clavie on fire and leads a procession through town to a high headland along the coast, where the flames ignite a huge bonfire. At the end of the festivities, townsfolk gather pieces of the clavie to light a New Year fire, which is believed to keep witches and evil spirits away for a year. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Frisbee Dog

Disc dog, or Frisbee dog, is a sport that showcases speedy, high-flying dogs catching discs thrown by their human teammates. It got its start in the early 1970s, but its popularity was boosted in 1974, when 19-year-old college student Alex Stein ran onto the field during a nationally broadcast baseball game and began throwing discs to his dog, Ashley Whippet. The game was stopped, and the pair proceeded to entertain the crowd for how long before Stein was escorted off the field and arrested? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ouray Ice Festival

The Ouray Ice Festival is an ice-climbing competition and exposition held annually in January in Ouray, Colorado. In addition to the main contest, which tests ice-climbers’ skill and speed, competitions are held for such feats as axe throwing and tightrope walking across a gorge. Also on offer are manufacturers’ displays of specialty equipment, film and slide-show presentations, and a climbing wall for children. Anyone can register to compete. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks

In 1951, cervical cancer patient Henrietta Lacks became—likely unknowingly—the donor of cancerous tumor cells that were cultured to create an “immortal” cell line for medical research. Named for their donor, HeLa cells can divide an unlimited number of times in a laboratory cell culture plate as long as fundamental conditions are met. The cell line has since been used in thousands of experiments, contributing to a number of scientific breakthroughs, including what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary