Month: August 2021

pineapple

collective fruit – That which is formed from a mass of flowers, as the mulberry, pineapple, etc. More…

Hawaiian pizza – A pizza topped with pineapple and ham or prosciutto. More…

pineapple – Originally, pineapple was the word for pinecone, since the cone is the fruit of the pine and apple had the former general meaning “fruit”; pineapple is neither “pine” nor “apple,” but is a very big berry and is also called “king pine” or “excellent fruit.” More…

multiple fruit, fruitlet – The pineapple is termed a multiple fruit because it forms from the individual ovaries of several flowers; each raised button on its surface is called a fruitlet. More…

Jane Stanford (1828)

Jane Stanford was the wife of a prominent American railroad builder and politician. After the death of the couple’s only child in 1884, they began looking for ways to honor his memory. The next year, they founded Leland Stanford Junior University, popularly known as Stanford University. When her husband passed away in 1893, Jane stepped in to run the university and saw it through a difficult financial period, at times using her personal finances to fund the school. Who poisoned her in 1905? Discuss

Uncontacted Peoples

It is hard to believe that in this day and age there are still isolated peoples who have rarely, if ever, communicated with members of modernized civilizations—but there are, though their numbers are few. Aerial surveying technology has made it possible to observe and photograph some of these groups from afar. Pursuing contact with such tribes, however, is highly controversial. Opponents maintain that doing so could, and likely would, have deadly consequences. Why do they say this is? Discuss

recent

Amazonian epoch – The Amazonian epoch is the most recent of the Martian geologic epochs, from 1,800 years ago to the present. More…

grey, gray – The distinction in spelling between British grey and American gray is recent, popping up in the 20th century. More…

Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene, Oligocene – Epochs indicating periods in the Earth’s geology; Pleistocene means “most recent,” Pliocene means “more recent,” Miocene means “moderately recent,” and Oligocence means “but a little recent.” More…

neoteric – Used to describe a person, especially an author, it means one belongs to modern/recent times—but it might also refer to a person having a modern outlook or new ideas; when used of things, it indicates that they are modern, new, or recent. More…

Forced Resignation Prompts Brazilian President to Take His Own Life (1954)

President Getúlio Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, holding power from 1930 to 1945 and 1951 to 1954. Though defeated in the presidential election of 1930, he led a successful revolt that gained him the presidency. Vargas then set up the totalitarian Estado Novo—”New State”—but was overthrown in a coup d’état in 1945. He regained the presidency six years later but committed suicide under threat of impeachment as his popularity dwindled. What were the last words in his suicide note? Discuss

Liberia Flag Day

The Liberian flag bears a striking resemblance to the American flag, a reminder of the historical ties between this West African country and the United States. Eleven horizontal stripes represent the signers of the Liberian Declaration of Independence, while the single white star signifies Liberia‘s former position as the sole free black state in Africa. Flag Day, a patriotic day paying homage to Liberia’s national emblem, is an official public holiday. Citizens and public buildings display their flags, and parades often feature schoolchildren and military units. Discuss