Chairman Mao established the People’s Republic of China in 1949. His Great Leap Forward, an economic plan launched in 1958 to modernize and industrialize China, was an unmitigated disaster that eventually led to the starvation of tens of millions of people. He later launched a movement to eliminate counterrevolutionary elements in the country’s institutions, leading to the destruction of much of China’s cultural heritage and the imprisonment of many Chinese intellectuals. What was it called? Discuss
Month: December 2022
fourth wall
The imaginary barrier separating performers in a TV show, film, or play from the audience. Watch the video
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live from Nashville, Tennessee. It is the oldest continuous radio program in the US, having been broadcast on WSM since November 28, 1925. The featured performer on the first show was Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a fiddler who was then 77 years old. In 1926, Uncle Dave Macon, a Tennessee banjo player, became the program’s first real star. What was the original name of the Opry, and why did it change? Discuss
prate
The "Christmas Truce" of World War I (1914)
As Christmas approached in the early months of World War I, British and German troops stationed on the Western Front took it upon themselves to stage an unofficial cease-fire. Roughly 100,000 troops participated in this inspiring display of humanity. Over the course of the brief cessation of hostilities, enemy soldiers caroled together, exchanged gifts, played football, and even attended funerals together. What steps did officials later take to prevent such a cease-fire from happening again? Discuss
Jesus (c. 4 BCE)
The primary sources for the life and teachings of Jesus—the central figure of Christianity—are the Gospels, but references to his life also appear in the works of non-Christian writers of antiquity, including Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny the Younger, and Josephus. Most scholars agree that Jesus was born just before the death of King Herod the Great in 4 BCE. The earliest extant reference to December 25 as Jesus’ birthday is in the Philocalian Calendar of Rome in 336 CE. What was Jesus’ surname? Discuss
food baby
A large amount of food in one’s stomach from having just eaten a big meal, especially when it is protruding (and thus resembles the belly of one who is pregnant). Watch the video
Tsukiji Fish Market
The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, or Tsukiji fish market, is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. Located in Tokyo, Japan, the market offers more than 400 types of seafood and is a major attraction for foreign visitors. It typically opens at 3 AM, with auctions beginning around 5 AM. Bidding can only be done by licensed participants, but visitors can watch. What were the “Rice Riots,” and how did they lead to the creation of the Tsukiji fish market? Discuss
transient
Definition: (adjective) Enduring a very short time.
Synonyms: ephemeral, fugacious, passing, short-lived, transitory.
Usage: The elderly woman was depressed and spent her days lamenting the transient beauty of youth.
Discuss
Treaty of Ghent Signed (1814)
The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 between the US and the UK. Although the treaty was signed in December, fighting continued for several weeks because it took time for news of the agreement to reach North America. The treaty essentially restored prewar borders and failed to deal with the matters of neutral rights and impressment that were the ostensible causes of the conflict. It did, however, included certain progressive terms that called for the signatories to put a stop to what? Discuss