Month: September 2022

Harun al-Rashid Becomes Abbasid Caliph (786 CE)

The most famous Abbasid Caliph, Harun al-Rashid ruled from 786 to 809 CE. During his reign, Islamic society reached its zenith in terms of wealth, learning, and power, and Baghdad—the seat of his empire—became a cultural and commercial center. His vast empire spanned southwest Asia and northern Africa, and he had diplomatic relations with both China and Charlemagne’s Frankish empire. What collection of stories includes a fictional depiction of Harun that is his best-known portrayal in the West? Discuss

Nicaragua Battle of San Jacinto Day

In Nicaragua, September 14 is a national holiday dedicated to the anniversary of the independence of Central America and the battle at San Jacinto. Starting at 7:30 in the morning, the president awards the Presidential Medallion to the best students and teachers from around the country at the Plaza de la Fé Juan Pablo Segundo. Marching bands from 100 schools in the capital and bands from the National Army and the Police participate in a parade that day. Discuss

Alexander von Humboldt (1769)

A German naturalist and explorer, Humboldt traveled extensively and made observations and discoveries too numerous to count. Among other things, he discovered the connection between the Amazon and Orinoco river systems, surmised that lack of oxygen causes altitude sickness, studied the ocean current off the western coast of South America that was known for a time as the Humboldt Current, and added to an understanding of the development of the Earth’s crust. To what did he devote his final years? Discuss

Flatiron Building

The Fuller Building in New York City was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. Located on wedge-shaped lot, the triangular building resembled the flatirons of its day—hence the nickname—and stood in drastic contrast to the city’s other structures. The Flatiron Building was met with skepticism upon its completion in 1902 but has since become a New York icon, and its “point” offices are known for their striking views. What is quirky about the building’s bathrooms? Discuss

Nintendo Releases Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Super Mario Bros., one of the first side-scrolling platform games, helped to usher in the modern video game era. With expansive worlds and precise controls that marked a dramatic departure from its predecessors, the game sold more than 40 million units, making it the second-best-selling video game of all time. It also helped revitalize the video game industry and made Nintendo one of the world’s most recognized video game manufacturers. What is the best-selling game of all time? Discuss

Judith Martin: "Miss Manners" (1938)

Martin is an American journalist, novelist, and etiquette authority. Since 1978, she has written an advice column that is distributed three times a week by Universal Uclick and carried in more than 200 newspapers worldwide. Using the pseudonym Miss Manners, she answers etiquette questions contributed by her readers and clarifies the essential qualities of politeness using what she calls “heavy etiquette theory.” What has Miss Manners identified as a top etiquette problem in America nowadays? Discuss

brace of shakes

Instantly, quickly, or in an extremely short amount of time, as of a task or event. “Brace,” taken from the old French for the arms’ breadth from hand to hand, means twice; the phrase as a whole refers either to an old nautical term, meaning the time it takes the sail to shake twice as it takes up the wind, or else the short time it takes to shake a dice-box twice. Often used in the phrase “in a brace of shakes.” Watch the video