On September 21, 1981, Belize gained independence from Britain. Belize was formerly known as British Honduras and had been internally self-governing since 1965. Independence Day is a national public holiday in Belize. Celebrations begin more than a week before the 21st with dances, pageants, sporting events, and concerts, and culminate with parades and patriotic ceremonies. Discuss
Month: September 2022
Stephen King (1947)
King is a popular American author of horror stories and one of the best-selling writers worldwide. His work bears the mark of the 19th-century Gothic tradition, often taking everyday situations and revealing their macabre and horrific potential. He is noted for his cinematic style, and several of his novels and stories have been made into successful movies, including The Shining, Stand by Me, and The Shawshank Redemption. Under what pen names has King published? Discuss
burn up the road
To travel very fast. Often used to describe driving. Watch the video
Mekong Delta
The Mekong River—the longest river in Southeast Asia—flows from southern China through Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, where it enters the South China Sea. The sediments it carries on the 2,700-mile (4,350-km) journey form the vast, extremely fertile Mekong Delta, which occupies southeast Cambodia and southern Vietnam. One of the greatest rice-growing areas in Asia, the densely populated delta region has been called a “biological treasure trove.” What did scientists recently discover there? Discuss
cembalo
Definition: (noun) A clavier with strings that are plucked by plectra mounted on pivots.
Synonyms: harpsichord.
Usage: Although the piano is a more versatile instrument with a greater range, some musicians still enjoy playing the cembalo for its distinct sound.
Discuss
John Lennon Leaves the Beatles (1969)
Tensions were high during the recording sessions for what were to be the Beatles’ final albums. John Lennon described working on Let It Be as “hell.” Exactly a month after finishing “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”—the last time all four Beatles would be in the studio together—Lennon told his bandmates that he was going solo. To avoid jeopardizing sales of Abbey Road, which was released just days later, Lennon’s departure was kept a secret. When was the group’s dissolution formalized? Discuss
Carthaginians and Romans Fiesta
Cartegena, located on the Mediterranean Sea in southeastern Spain, is an ancient city steeped in the history of the Carthaginian and Roman Empires. Today, for 10 days in late September, thousands of local people celebrate the Carthaginians and Romans Fiesta by dressing in period costume and reenacting this pivotal era in history. The festivities open with a ceremonial lighting of a sacred fire, and over the next several days, festival attendees witness a series of reenactments, including a Roman circus and the victorious march by the Roman Legions through the streets of Cartegena. Discuss
Sophia Loren (1934)
Sophia Loren is a famous film actress who grew up in poverty near Naples, Italy. With the help of Italian producer Carlo Ponti, whom she later married, she gained international fame, acting in both tragic dramas and boisterous comedies. She won the first Academy Award for a foreign-language performance for her role in the 1961 film Two Women, and she received a special Academy Award in 1991 for her body of work. Why did she serve more than two weeks in prison in 1982? Discuss
bump heads with
To clash with another person on a particular issue. Watch the video
Machu Picchu
Perhaps the most spectacular ruin in the Americas, Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan fortress city in Peru. Once the retreat of an Incan ruler, the terraced city is perched upon a narrow saddle between two sharp peaks high in the Andes Mountains and sprawls across 5 square miles (13 sq km). Rediscovered in 1911, it is one of the largest and most intact pre-Columbian sites yet found and contains rare examples of religious monuments. What does “Machu Picchu” mean in the Quechua language? Discuss