Month: January 2023

Frederick II of Prussia (1712)

Frederick the Great was the Hohenzollern King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786. One of the “enlightened despots” of 18th-century Europe, he instituted numerous economic, civil, and social reforms, was tolerant in religious matters, and promoted education and the arts. He was also an excellent military commander and tactician under whose leadership Prussia became a recognized power in Europe. Why did Frederick’s father have him arrested at 18 and force him to watch the beheading of his friend? Discuss

Conscientious Objectors

A conscientious objector is a person who, due to religious or moral principles, refuses to participate in military service. The concept has been present in different forms since the beginning of the Christian era. Political opposition to conscription, such as that maintained by many during the Vietnam War, is usually considered a separate category. What leader—and noted war hero—said that war will exist until “the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior”? Discuss

Daniel Pearl Is Kidnapped (2002)

Pearl, the South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, was on assignment in Pakistan when he was kidnapped by a group of Pakistani militants who believed he was a spy. His captors sent a lengthy list of demands to US officials—along with pictures of Pearl with a gun to his head—and killed Pearl just days after kidnapping him. A videotape of his beheading soon became public. Which high-powered Al Qaeda operative later confessed to decapitating Pearl with his “blessed right hand”? Discuss

Stendhal (1783)

Largely unappreciated during his life, Marie-Henri Beyle, better known by his pen name Stendhal, is now regarded as one of the great French novelists. His psychologically complex works, like The Red and the Black and The Charterhouse of Parma, influenced the development of the modern novel. His unfinished, posthumously published, autobiographical Memoirs of an Egotist and The Life of Henry Brulard are among his most original achievements. What is Stendhal Syndrome? Discuss

Quicksand

Quicksand is a bed of loose sand mixed with water that forms a soft shifting mass that yields easily to pressure and tends to engulf any object resting on its surface. It is usually found at the mouth of a river or along a stream or beach. Although it is possible for a person to drown while mired in quicksand, the human body is less dense than quicksand, so getting stuck in it is not as dangerous as it is often portrayed in movies. What is the recommended method for escaping quicksand? Discuss