Month: April 2022

measuring

cord – An amount of wood containing 128 cubic feet (4x4x8 feet); the name comes from the old practice of measuring a stack of firewood with a cord of a certain length. To cord is to stack or put up wood in cords. More…

drosometer – An instrument for measuring the amount of dew on a surface. More…

isometric – From Latin isus, “equal,” and -metria, “measuring.” More…

Mach – The scale measuring the speed of an object or fluid relative to the speed of sound is named for philosopher/physicist Ernst Mach (1838-1916), who researched thermodynamics; Mach is the ratio of the speed of something to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium. More…

Peace Treaty Ends 335 Years' War (1986)

When hostilities between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago located off the southwest coast of England, ended, the warring parties recalled their troops, and the conflict was forgotten. Without a treaty declaring its end, however, the 1651 war peacefully became the world’s longest, technically lasting 335 years. Despite questions regarding the validity of the declaration of war, peace was officially declared in 1986. What 45-minute war is considered the world’s shortest? Discuss

Nikita Khrushchev (1894)

In the power struggle that followed Joseph Stalin’s death, Nikita Khrushchev emerged as leader of the USSR. He became First Secretary of the Communist Party in 1953 and the Soviet premier five years later. He was highly critical of Stalin’s rule and oversaw many reforms. Jovial in manner and often deliberately uncouth, he had a brash, extraverted style of diplomacy that became his trademark. Before his removal from office, the Communist Party accused him of mishandling what event in 1962? Discuss

Amethyst

February’s birthstone, amethyst, is the violet or purple variety of quartz. The gemstone’s name comes from the Greek amethustos, meaning not intoxicated, a reference to the ancient belief that the stone could ward off drunkenness. The ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethysts and made drinking vessels of them for this reason. The stone is associated with a number of other superstitions as well, being regarded as a love charm, a potent sleep aid, and what else? Discuss

Harriet Quimby Flies over English Channel (1912)

In 1911, Harriet Quimby earned the first pilot’s license issued to a woman in the United States. Less than a year later, Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel. She continued piloting aircrafts until her tragic death in 1912, when she was tossed from her airplane after it unexpectedly pitched forward. Despite the importance of her flight over the English Channel, the feat barely made the newspapers at the time because it was eclipsed by what major event? Discuss

Charlie Chaplin (1889)

Chaplin was one of the most creative personalities in the silent film era: he acted in, directed, scripted, produced, and eventually scored his own films. Merging physical grace and disrespect for authority, he created a signature character, the Little Tramp, who wore a gentlemen’s derby, carried a cane, and sported a toothbrush mustache. The Little Tramp’s baggy trousers and oversized shoes contributed to his unique, bow-legged dance-walk. How did Chaplin’s political leanings affect his career? Discuss