To be very active and energetic to the point of hyperactivity. Watch the video
Month: September 2022
The Fountain Pen
Prior to the refinement and mass-production of the fountain pen in the late 19th century, writing with ink had some serious drawbacks. The dip pen had to be continuously dipped in ink, while the quill—made from a feather plucked from a live bird—required frequent sharpening. By contrast, the fountain pen held liquid ink in a reservoir until needed, at which time the ink was fed to a nib via a combination of gravity and capillary action. How was ink inserted into the first fountain pens? Discuss
amphetamine
Definition: (noun) A central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression.
Synonyms: pep pill, upper, speed.
Usage: The doctor prescribed amphetamines to stimulate the narcoleptic patient’s nervous system so that he would be less likely to unexpectedly fall asleep.
Discuss
Anna Lindh, Swedish Politician, Stabbed (2003)
Lindh was a Swedish Social Democrat and an important proponent of the European Union. At the time of her murder, she was a prime candidate to become the next leader of the Social Democrats and prime minister of Sweden. On September 10, 2003, she was brutally attacked while shopping in a department store. The assault came just before a Swedish referendum on the Euro, while Lindh was intensely involved in a public campaign for the approval of the currency. When was her murderer caught? Discuss
Belize National Day
A public holiday in Belize commemorating the Battle of St. George’s Caye, fought in 1798 between the Spanish and the English over possession of the area. English loggers had settled in what is now Belize in the early 17th century, and British pirates used to hide in the cays there waiting for opportunities to plunder passing Spanish ships. It is also known as St. George’s Caye Day. Numerous festivities take place on the days leading up to the holiday, including a grand carnival parade. Discuss
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890)
After working in the US as a scriptwriter and translator, the Italian-born Schiaparelli settled in Paris and established a house of couture. A daring fashion innovator, she popularized brilliant colors, like “shocking pink,” and brought the padded shoulder, synthetic fabrics, and exposed zippers to high fashion. She was also the first couturier to open a boutique offering ready-to-wear clothing. Schiaparelli took much of her inspiration from contemporary art and even collaborated with whom? Discuss
bought the farm
Died. Watch the video
Roquefort Cheese
One of the best-known of all French cheeses, Roquefort comes from ewe’s milk aged in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the south of France. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, European law dictates that only those cheeses aged in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon’s caves may bear the name “Roquefort.” Distinctive veins of blue mold, found in the caves’ soil, give the cheese its characteristic odor and strong taste of butyric acid. According to legend, how was this mold discovered? Discuss
vendee
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Established (1948)
During the Soviet occupation of North Korea after World War II, a Korean communist named Kim Il Sung was selected to lead the new state. Under his totalitarian rule, North Korea invaded South Korea in a failed attempt at reunification that led to the Korean War, and economic growth gave way to isolation and stagnation. Upon his death in 1994, he was replaced by his son Kim Jong Il, who has since been succeeded by his own son, Kim Jong Un. What is North Korea’s juche philosophy? Discuss