Lipatti was a Romanian pianist whose career was tragically cut short by Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 33. Despite a relatively short playing career and a small recorded legacy, Lipatti is considered among the finest pianists of the 20th century. He was much admired for his pianistic technique, and he is noted for his interpretations of Mozart, Bach, and Chopin. As a teen, Lipatti came in second in the Vienna International Piano Competition. How did his failure to take first place impact his future? Discuss
Month: March 2022
be rushed off (one's) feet
To be exceptionally busy, especially to an exhausting or exasperating degree; to be made to work very hard and very quickly. Watch the video
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is one of William Shakespeare’s earlier comedies. Its central plot involves the marriage of the violently tempered Katherina to Petruchio, who claims he can tame her wild ways. The comedy has inspired, among other things, a Broadway Musical, a number of Hollywood movies, and a 2000 Brazilian soap opera. How have some modern critics responded to the play’s seemingly misogynistic tones? Discuss
portmanteau
husk
beer nut – A peanut served with its husk but not its shell. More…
brown sugar, brown rice – Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined; brown rice is unpolished with only the husk removed. More…
husk – A shortening of Dutch huisken, “little house.” More…
paddy – As in “field,” it is from a Malay word meaning “rice in the straw or husk” (making rice paddy redundant). More…
Lon Nol Ousts Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia (1970)
Nol became defense minister and army chief of staff in Norodom Sihanouk’s Cambodian government in 1955 and later served as premier under him. In 1970, he led the coup that deposed Sihanouk and assumed control of the government. His unsuccessful attempts at suppressing the Communist Khmer Rouge guerillas plunged the country into civil war, and he fled the country in 1975 with the Communist takeover imminent. What prompted Nol to resort to the use of “magic sand” as a military defense? Discuss
Congo National Days
The Republic of the Congo has two historical holidays in addition to its independence day: the assassination of President Marien Ngouabi on March 18, 1977, and the beginning of the civil war on June 5, 1997, which restored President Denis Sassou-Nguesso to power. Discuss
Frederik Willem de Klerk (1936)
The last state president of South Africa, de Klerk served from 1989 to 1994. He is best known for engineering the end of apartheid, South Africa’s racial segregation policy, and beginning the process of drafting of a new constitution for the country based on the principle of “one person, one vote.” As president, de Klerk moved quickly to free political prisoners, and, in 1991, he obtained the repeal of all remaining apartheid laws. With whom did de Klerk share the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize? Discuss
sleep rough
To sleep outside at night, usually because one has no home or shelter. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. Watch the video
King Solomon
King Solomon was the third and last king of the united Israel, builder of the temple in Jerusalem, and renowned for his great wisdom, wealth, and power. His history is recorded in the Bible in Kings and Chronicles. What led to Solomon’s decline and fall? Discuss