Month: March 2022

oak

rambunctious – Once rumbustious and robusteous, it is probably based on Latin robus, “oak”—implying strength—and can describe a person or animal. More…

robust – Comes from Latin meaning “oak” and “oaken.” More…

tan – From a Latin word for “oak,” it first referred to the crushed bark of the oak or other trees, especially in its use to convert hides into leather. More…

tree – Part of a large Indo-European group based on deru/doru-, “oak.” More…

The Kingdom of Italy Is Proclaimed (1861)

Modern Italy became unified under the house of Savoy on March 17, 1861, largely through the efforts of Cavour, Garibaldi, and Victor Emmanuel II, who became king of Italy that same year. However, the protectorate of Napoleon III over the Papal States delayed the Italian annexation of Rome until 1870, and relations between the Italian government and the papacy, which refused to concede the loss of its temporal power, remained a major problem until 1929, when the Lateran Treaty did what? Discuss

St. Patrick's Day Parade (Savannah, Georgia)

This parade is one of the oldest and biggest parades in the US, held since 1824 in Savannah, Georgia, a city with a long Irish history. The first public procession was recorded in 1824, and public parades have been held ever since. Today, the parade, which follows a route through the city’s historic district, comprises between 200 and 300 separate units, including family groups, commercial floats, high school bands, and military bands and marching units. The day begins with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Discuss

Mia Hamm (1972)

One of the best female soccer players of her generation, Hamm is often credited with popularizing women’s soccer in the US. A tireless forward, Hamm won four NCAA titles and, at 15, became the youngest person to play for the US national team, which won two Women’s World Cups and two Olympic gold medals while she was a member. When she retired in 2004, she held the international record for scoring—for both women and men—until it was broken in 2013. “Mia” is a nickname. What is her real name? Discuss

Bollywood

Like Hollywood in the US, Bollywood is the movie industry in India. It began in Bombay—now Mumbai—in the 1930s and developed into a film empire that puts out as many as 1,000 feature films annually. Bollywood movies typically include formulaic story lines, expertly choreographed fight scenes, spectacular song-and-dance routines, emotion-charged melodrama, and larger-than-life heroes. More artistic fare can be found in India’s alternative films, called Parallel Cinema. What is Tollywood? Discuss

ascetic

Definition: (noun) A person who renounces material comforts and leads a life of austere self-discipline, especially as an act of religious devotion.

Synonyms: abstainer.

Usage: His rough clothes and starved frame gave him the look of an ascetic, and he refused the food they tried to give him.
Discuss

news

gazette – A gazzetta, a Venetian coin of little value, gave rise to the phrase gazzetta de la novita, “halfpennyworth of news,” which eventually gave us gazette. More…

silly season – Any slow news period characterized by trivial news or no news. More…

tidings – Probably comes from Old Norse tithindi, “news of events.” More…

report – To report something is etymologically to “carry it back,” from Latin reportare; the metaphorical sense of “bringing back news” also developed in Latin. More…

Ferdinand Magellan Reaches the Philippines (1521)

Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain on September 20, 1519, with five vessels and about 265 men. Sighting the South American coast near Pernambuco, he searched for a suspected passage to the South Sea and ultimately discovered the strait that bears his name. On March 6, 1521, Magellan reached the Marianas and 10 days later the Philippines, where he was killed in a battle with the natives. How many of Magellan’s original crew members returned to Spain alive in 1522? Discuss