Month: February 2020

Pulp Magazines

Pulp magazines were popular, inexpensive fiction magazines published from the late 19th century through the 1950s, primarily in the US. Printed on cheap paper with ragged, untrimmed edges, “pulps” were cheaper than books or standard magazines. While many respected, now-famous authors wrote for pulps, the magazines were known for their lurid, exploitative stories and sensational cover art, often featuring scantily-clad women. What famous masked hero made his rapier-toting debut in pulp magazines? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Abu Simbel Festival

This festival celebrates the two days of the year on which the light of the rising sun can reach the 180-foot-deep innermost chambers of Abu Simbel, the great temple of Ramesses II, in Egypt. The temple was designed so that only on these two days in February and October does the sun shine on three of the four gods in the sanctuary: Amen-Re, Ramses, and Re-Horakhty. It is thought that there must have been ritual celebrations in ancient times on the days when the sun penetrated the sanctuary. Today, television covers the event, and people gather to see the sunrise and to meditate. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Strabo

Strabo was a 1st-century Greek geographer, historian, and philosopher. Almost all of his works on ancient history have been lost, but his Geographica, published circa 14 CE, has survived. A practical guide to the world at that time, it contains historical material, maps, and rich descriptions of cultures that have since vanished. It is the only extant text describing the peoples and places known to Greeks and Romans during the reign of Augustus. How far did Strabo travel for his research? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Anchorage Fur Rendezvous

The Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, also called the Rondy, is a city-wide celebration held in Anchorage, Alaska. The Rondy has its origins in the days when fur trappers capped off a season of trapping by carousing in Anchorage; it was formalized as a winter carnival in 1936. Highlighting the celebration is the World Championship Sled Dog Race, a 75-mile race run in three 25-mile legs on three successive days. Other events include parades, the Miners and Trappers Ball, Eskimo blanket tossing, a snowshoe baseball game, wristwrestling matches, and performances of old-time melodrama. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Mukden Incident

The Mukden Incident was a false flag operation engineered by Japanese military personnel as a pretext for invading Manchuria, in northern China. On September 18, 1931, a Japanese lieutenant detonated a small quantity of dynamite close to a railroad owned by a Japanese company. Accusing Chinese dissidents of the act, the Imperial Japanese Army responded with a full invasion and occupation and set up a puppet state within six months. What was the name of the state established by the Japanese? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Premio Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards

Since 1989, the Univision television network has been awarding the Premios Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards. Some 35 categories of music and performance are honored. It is the oldest such awards program in the United States. The televised awards ceremony features live performances by nominated musical acts along with music videos. Journalists and media celebrities from throughout Latin America come to the event. While originating from the United States, the Premio Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards program is broadcast throughout Latin America. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo is an archaeological site containing Anglo-Saxon burial mounds from the 6th and 7th centuries. In 1939, the remains of an approximately 90-ft (27-m) burial ship were found there, with gold and silver treasures fit for a king—but no body. The artifacts displayed both pagan and Christian features and immediately drew comparisons with Swedish finds and the world described in the heroic poem Beowulf. Who is thought to have been buried in the ship, and what happened to his remains? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary