pumps – The shoes are so named for the sound they make. More…
revamp – Originally referred to shoes—vamp being the covering of the instep. More…
Brannock device – The device used to measure feet for shoes. More…
be down on your uppers – To be down on your uppers (referring to shoes) is to be scuffing along, in poor circumstances. More…
St. Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus who pleaded with Jesus to bring her brother back to life. Jesus did so, and folk beliefs often assign her the power of granting miraculous cures. In San Xosé de Ribarteme, in the province of Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain, ofrecidos—people who have made a vow to St. Martha—lie in open coffins during a procession on St. Martha’s feast day. Usually, they or a member of their family has recently been cured by St. Martha’s intervention. Most wear coarse net tunics called mortajas (shrouds) to indicate that they represent the “living dead.” Discuss
To lose sight of or become unable to determine one’s orientation, position, or abilities relative to one’s surroundings or situation. Watch the video
The bony fish known as the coelacanth was believed to have been extinct for 80 million years—until one was caught off the southern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean in 1938. The coelacanth is one of the most famous examples of a Lazarus taxon, a group of organisms that disappeared from the fossil record only to reappear later. The classification is named for the man whom Jesus was said to have raised from the dead in the New Testament. What are some other examples of Lazarus taxa? Discuss
amniocentesis, amnion – Amniocentesis is formed by amnion, the innermost membrane enclosing a fetus, and Greek kentesis, “pricking.” More…
endoskeleton – Contained entirely within the body of an animal, like that of mammals. More…
pelage – The fur, hair, wool, etc. of a mammal. More…
rhinarium – The hairless, habitually moist nose of some mammals, such as the antelope. More…
Peru had been a colony of Spain for nearly 300 years when Simon Bolívar (1783-1830), along with José San Martín (1778-1850), led the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824 that resulted in the end of Spanish rule of Bolivia and Peru. San Martín had declared independence on July 28, 1821, but Peru’s sovereignty was not secured until Bolívar’s forces defeated the Spanish at Ayacucho. Celebrated all over Peru, Independence Day is a public holiday. Discuss
To do something immediately or as expediently as possible. Watch the video
Hedwig is perhaps best remembered for her diary, which chronicled her life in the Swedish royal court. In 1774, when she was 15 years old, she married her cousin, the future King Charles XIII. The marriage was arranged by Charles’s older brother, King Gustav III, who hoped the union would ensure the continuation of his family’s power. It did not work. Habitually unfaithful, Charles died childless. Hedwig also engaged in affairs—including with the alleged lover of what other queen? Discuss