Month: March 2022

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the largest “working” royal palace remaining in the world. In addition to being the London home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it is a setting for state occasions and royal entertaining, a base for all officially visiting heads of state, and a major tourist attraction. It has been a rallying point for the British at times of national rejoicing and crisis. When was the palace first built, and what were some of its design flaws? Discuss

The Völkner Incident (1865)

After New Zealand was named a British crown colony in 1840, Christian missionaries began to disseminate their teachings among the native Maori people. In the early 1860s, a religious-military Maori cult emerged, mingling Christian beliefs with native spiritual elements and urging followers to violently oppose the European presence. In March 1865, members of this Pai Marire movement killed missionary Carl Sylvius Völkner in a gruesome manner, hanging him before supposedly doing what to his body? Discuss

Myanmar Peasants' Day

The Union of Myanmar, known as Burma until 1989, is in southeast Asia. Myanmar’s predominant industry is agriculture, and, at one point, it was the biggest exporter of rice in Asia, but now its line of agricultural products is more diverse. The country could not support these agricultural activities without the peasant workers, and to show their appreciation for the peasants’ contribution, the country has declared March 2 Peasants’ Day. It is a national holiday. It was also on this day in 1962 that Burmese General Ne Win led the military coup. The country holds parades on this day to honor him. Discuss

Pope Pius XII (1876)

Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli succeeded Pope Pius XI as Pius XII in 1939. Though he pursued projects aimed at helping prisoners and refugees of World War II, he maintained the Vatican’s neutrality for the duration of the conflict, believing that preserving relations with all the belligerents would aid his efforts to bring about peace. These wartime policies have since aroused considerable controversy. Which famous Jewish figures have expressed gratitude for his actions? Discuss

Poodle Hybrids

Designer dogs are dogs that result from the purposeful crossbreeding of two recognized breeds. The aim is to create hybrid offspring that possess positive traits from each of the parent breeds. The Labradoodle, for example, is a cross between the Labrador and the poodle. It was originally bred to combine the temperament of the former with the hypoallergenic coat of the latter. Poodles have also been crossbred with various other breeds. What are some of the amusing names of these poodle hybrids? Discuss