The GIUK Gap

The GIUK gap is a naval warfare bottleneck in the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland (G), Iceland (I), and the United Kingdom (UK). Such geographic “chokepoints” are of strategic importance, as they form relatively narrow passages that are more easily patrolled and secured. During the Cold War, the West kept a close eye on Soviet submarine activity through the gap, while the Soviets monitored it for any forces headed their way. What monitoring system did the US develop for this purpose? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Athens Classic Marathon

This modern-day marathon in Greece is run by male and female athletes of all ages. It retraces the course of the Greek soldier, Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to bring news of the Athenian victory over the Persians, a distance of about 25 miles. The starting line today is in the village of Marathon and the finish line is at the Olympic Stadium in the heart of Athens. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Three Hares

The Three Hares is a circular motif found at sacred sites from China to England. It consists of three hares chasing each other in a circle. Used as early as the 6th century in Chinese cave temples, the symbol appears to have spread along trade routes. It appears in architecture and on headstones and in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Christian art. It is a perceptual puzzle in that, although each rabbit has two ears, the total number of ears pictured is only three. How is this illusion achieved? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hogbetsotso Festival

The Hogbetsotso festival commemorates the migration of the Anlo-speaking Ewes, an ethnic group on the eastern coast of Ghana, from the ancient walled city of Notsie in present-day Togo to their current home in Ghana. The Anlo-Ewes begin the observance with a period of peacemaking. They perform a ceremony to purify the traditional stool that is an important fixture in Ghanaian culture, and they clean their villages by sweeping and burning garbage. The festival culminates with a grand durbar, or reception, of chiefs and their people, which takes place on the first Saturday of November in Anloga. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Lowell Mill Girls

Situated on the Merrimack River, the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, was home to dozens of textile mills in the mid-19th century. Attracted by the promise of high wages, thousands of young women came to the mills for work. Living and working together in close quarters, they developed a distinct community. When profits declined, hours were increased, wages were lowered, and the women organized strikes and started a labor reform organization. In 1853, their workday was shortened to how many hours? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Circular Breathing

Circular breathing is a technique for sustaining a tone on a wind instrument without interruption. When a musician’s lungs are nearly out of air, he or she uses the cheeks to force air out of the mouth while quickly breathing in through the nose, and then resumes exhaling from the lungs. For some instruments, such as the Australian didgeridoo or the Cambodian sralai, circular breathing is an integral part of the playing technique. How long is the world record for holding a single note? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary