Though Nightingale is considered the founder of modern nursing, she had limited formal nursing training. She became superintendent of a small London hospital in 1853. The next year, she organized a unit of 38 female nurses for service in the Crimean War, and her efforts made her legendary. With the testimonial fund collected for her war services, she established the Nightingale School and Home for training nurses at St. Thomas’s Hospital in London. Why was she called “The Lady with the Lamp”? Discuss
Month: May 2022
take a breath
To inhale and then exhale. Watch the video
Olga Korbut: The Sparrow from Minsk
Korbut was a Soviet gymnast who made a splash at the 1972 Munich Olympics when she took home three gold medals and a silver medal. Diminutive and charismatic, she was the first person ever to do a backward aerial somersault on the balance beam and the first to perform a backward release move on the uneven parallel bars. She greatly increased the popularity of gymnastics and influenced the sport’s turn toward a more athletic, powerful style. What two gymnastics moves did Korbut invent? Discuss
gallimaufry
scent
breath – From an Old English word meaning “scent, smell.” More…
flair – Comes from Latin fragrare, “smell sweet,” and was first the ability to detect the “essence” or “scent” of something and know how to act accordingly. More…
red herring – Something intended to be misleading or distracting, so named from the practice of using the scent of red herring in training hounds. More…
relish – First meant “odor, scent,” then “taste, flavor.” More…
Bob Marley Succumbs to Cancer at Age 36 (1981)
Born in a small Jamaican village and raised in the slums of Kingston’s Trench Town, Marley overcame tremendous hardship to become a groundbreaking singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He propelled reggae to worldwide popularity, creating music that reflects his commitment to nonviolence and the Rastafarian religion. In 1975, Marley released “No Woman, No Cry,” a song that brought him international fame. Marley was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 but refused the recommended medical treatment. Why? Discuss
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827)
Carpeaux was a French sculptor and painter whose works demonstrate his interests in movement and baroque art. Initially a student under Francois Rude, Carpeaux won the Prix de Rome in 1854 and then studied the works of Michelangelo, Donatello, and Verrocchio in Rome. In 1861, he made a bust of Princess Mathilde, which brought him several commissions from Napoleon III, and became a favorite of the court. Why did La Danse, his sculpture on the facade of the Paris Opera, create a scandal? Discuss
take a bawling out
To receive a very severe rebuke, chastisement, or scolding (from someone). Watch the video
The Orchid
The unusually large orchid family consists of some 450 genera and at least 10,000 species. Orchids grow most abundantly in tropical and subtropical forests and are among the most highly prized ornamental plants. Since being imported from the Bahamas to Britain in the 18th century, these flowers have been cultivated for their commercial value and have been successfully hybridized and variegated. Their name comes from the Greek word orkhis—or “testicle”—after the appearance of what feature? Discuss
tryst
Definition: (noun) An agreement, as between lovers, to meet at a certain time and place.
Synonyms: assignation, rendezvous.
Usage: They tried to keep their weekly meetings a secret, but soon neighbors began to whisper about their trysts.
Discuss