Dark Nexus

The Little Ice Age

The Little Ice Age was a period of expansion of mountain glaciers and cooling of global temperatures that occurred between 1400 and 1900, especially in the Alps, Scandinavia, Iceland, and Alaska. Although no definitive link has yet been proved, the middle and coldest portion of the Little Ice Age corresponds roughly to the Maunder minimum, a period of unusually low sunspot activity lasting from about 1645 to 1715. How is the Little Ice Age thought to have influenced the art of the period? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

megahit

Definition: (noun) A product or event, such as a movie or concert, that is exceedingly successful.

Synonyms: smash hit, blockbuster.

Usage: After a series of flops brought the film studio to the brink of bankruptcy, it released several megahits that restored its solvency.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Town and Gown

“Town and gown” is a phrase used to describe the two distinct communities of a university town: the non-academic “town” community and the university “gown” community. Since the establishment of universities in the Middle Ages, when students enjoyed certain privileges due to their ties with the clergy, the relationship between universities and their surrounding communities has often been a source of tension. What university was established after a fight between townspeople and Oxford scholars? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

expunge

Definition: (verb) Remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line.

Synonyms: excise, scratch, strike.

Usage: She forced herself to expunge most of her beloved descriptions, though it took three re-writings before the story could be pruned down to please the fastidious Mr. Harrison.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Bible Riots

The 1844 Bible Riots were a series of anti-Catholic riots in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that resulted in several dozen deaths, many more injuries, and the destruction of two churches. At the time, scores of immigrants, particularly Irish Catholics, were settling in the city. Consequently, the nativist movement, which espouses a sociopolitical policy favoring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants, saw rapid growth there. Who did grand juries blame for the riots? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

bestride

Definition: (verb) Get up on the back of.

Synonyms: climb on, hop on, jump on, mount.

Usage: A man who bestrides a horse must be essentially different from a man who cowers in a canoe.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Africa Industrialization Day

In 1989 the United Nations designated November 20 as Africa Industrialization Day. Observances center around mustering international support for the industrialization of Africa. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jacques Bénigne Bossuet

Bossuet was a French prelate and one of the greatest orators of all time. Ordained a priest in 1652, he gained a reputation as a popular preacher who spoke eloquently and influentially for the rights of the French church against papal authority. He is now chiefly remembered for his Funeral Orations, panegyrics he composed for important figures like Henrietta of England, her daughter, and Condé, which are considered masterpieces. Which member of the French royal family did Bossuet tutor? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

overtop

Definition: (verb) Look down on.

Synonyms: command, overlook, dominate.

Usage: The brow of the upland overtops the square tower of the Colebrook Church.
Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hamburger Dom Winter Fair

The Hamburger Dom, or Dom Fair, is one of the most famous Christmas fairs in the world. It was named after its original location, which was in the open square in front of the Dom, or cathedral, in Hamburg, Germany. Today the fair is held in the Heiligengeistfeld, or Holy Ghost Field, in the middle of the city. It features booths filled with toys, gingerbread, crafts, and other temptations for holiday shoppers. The Fair begins in November and doesn’t close until just before Christmas, giving shoppers from Hamburg and the surrounding area plenty of time to buy their gifts. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary