Month: September 2019

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Founding Day

The founding of North Korea on September 9, 1948 is observed throughout the country as a national holiday. Much of the observance of North Korea’s founding day centers on adulating Kim Il-Sung, the founding leader. The main public celebrations take place in the capital city, Pyongyang, and can include such events as government banquets in the late Kim’s honor, political meetings, concerts, and displays of song and dance. Officials and citizens also lay flowers before the monuments to Kim in the capital. Similar displays also take place in towns and cities throughout North Korea. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Solar Sails

The electromagnetic radiation carried by solar wind exerts pressure on surfaces that absorb or reflect it. Though small, this force can be harnessed and used as a form of space propulsion requiring no fuel. Solar sails are lightweight, highly reflective devices that harness this force and, when attached to spacecrafts, may be used to modify their orbits, perform fine trajectory corrections, and even drive interplanetary flights. Has a working solar sail ever been successfully tested? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pardon of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios

Both religious and secular activities play a part in the Pardon of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Remedies in Lamego, Portugal. Great numbers of pilgrims climb the monumental staircase up to the baroque church, but the highlight of the festival is the triumphal procession on the last day, in which thousands of country people in local costume participate. There is also a battle of flowers, a folklore festival, fireworks, sports contests, and handicraft exhibitions. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Daffy’s Elixir

Daffy’s Elixir was a name used by several patent medicines from the 17th to the 19th century. The original tonic was reputed to have been invented in 1647 by clergyman Thomas Daffy, who named it Elixir Salutis—”Elixir of Salvation”—and promoted it as a panacea. It was later imitated and remained a popular cure-all in the UK and later the US. Chemical analysis of an early recipe for Daffy’s Elixir showed it to be a laxative that was made mostly from what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

International Camel Races

The International Camel Races, the only camel races in the United States, have been held since 1954 in Virginia City, Nevada, the one-time mining town considered the richest place on earth in the 1860s. It was thought that camels could work like mules in the mines, but they didn’t last long; their hoofs didn’t adapt to the rocky terrain. There are some camels kept in town today, though, and others are imported for the races. The three-day race weekend now includes a Camel Hump Ball; a parade, including belly dancers and bagpipe players; and a race of ostriches pulling chariots. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Mary Celeste

In 1872, the Mary Celeste, a brigantine merchant ship, was discovered drifting in calm seas in the Atlantic Ocean—unmanned and apparently abandoned. The crew’s disappearance is considered especially unusual because the ship was seaworthy when found, its cargo was still intact, there was an ample supply of food and water on board, and there were no clear signs of foul play. The case remains one of history’s greatest maritime mysteries. What are some theories about the crew’s disappearance? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Aloha Festivals

Aloha Festivals is a celebration of Hawaiian culture. Once a week-long event called Aloha Week, it’s now a two-month affair with 300 events that starts in Honolulu in early September and runs through the end of October, with a week of festivities on every island of Hawaii. The celebrations include canoe races between the islands of Molokai and Oahu, coronations of royal courts as commemorations of the former Hawaiian monarchy, street parties, cultural events, parades, and pageantry. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary