Month: March 2020

Caligula Becomes Emperor of Rome (37 CE)

When Caligula became the Roman emperor in 37 CE, replacing the hated Tiberius, the public welcomed his reign, and for a time it was uneventful. Seven months later, he fell severely ill, and when he recovered, he was a changed man. Suddenly, his reign was marked by financially ruinous extravagance, unmatched cruelty, and rampant executions, even of his former supporters. He was assassinated within a few years. What may have caused the mental instability Caligula displayed after his illness? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Octothorpe

In the US, it is most frequently called a pound or number sign. In the UK, it is called a hash. Elsewhere, it is referred to as a hex. Desiring an unambiguous name for the now-ubiquitous key, phone engineers coined the word “octothorpe” in the 1960s, but it never gained wide usage. “Octo” refers to the symbol’s eight arms, but the origin of “thorpe” is less clear. One theory is that it is a reference to the symbol’s resemblance to a village surrounded by fields. Why is it called a pound sign? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Marsyas

According to Greek mythology, Marsyas was a satyr—a half-man, half-goat creature prone to merrymaking—who found a flute discarded by the goddess Athena and became so proficient at playing it that he challenged the lyre-playing god Apollo to a contest. Apollo accepted on the condition that the winner would earn the right to do whatever he wanted to the loser. The Muses, acting as judges, naturally awarded the contest to Apollo, who promptly punished the presumptuous Marsyas in what cruel fashion? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Holmenkollen International Ski Meet

The Holmenkollen International Ski Meet is a Norwegian winter festival held at Holmenkollen Hill outside Oslo. It is the main winter sports event of the year and it covers all types of skiing—cross-country racing and jumping as well as downhill and slalom. The world’s best skiers meet here to compete for highly coveted prizes. At the high point of the festival, over a hundred thousand spectators, headed by the king and the royal family, gather at the famous Holmenkollen Hill to watch the ski-jumping event, which has been held here since 1892. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Estates-General of 1789

The Estates-General was a legislative assembly made up of the three classes of French subjects—clergy, nobility, and commoners. King Louis XVI summoned them in 1789 to solve the financial crisis facing his government. However, rather than pass his proposed fiscal reforms, they began airing their many grievances, chiefly their frustrations with the voting process. In an act that kindled the French Revolution, members of the third estate then formed an assembly of their own and vowed to do what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Essential Oils

Known and traded since ancient times, essential oils are highly volatile organic compounds distilled from plants. Each type of oil imparts the “essence,” or characteristic odor, of the plant from which it is derived. This aroma can rarely be reproduced using synthetic components. Essential oils are used for flavoring food, scenting perfume, and in medicine. Clove oil, for instance, is used in dentistry, and eucalyptus oil as a disinfectant. What other uses do essential oils have? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary