Month: January 2023

Montesquieu (1689)

Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu, was a French social and political philosopher whose ideas profoundly influenced European and American political thought, particularly that of America’s founding fathers. He spent 15 years working on his masterpiece, De l’Esprit des lois—On the Spirit of the Laws—an immense comparative analysis of various forms of government comprising more than 600 chapters. What concept did he famously put forth in this work? Discuss

Water Music

In 1712, George Frideric Handel took up permanent residence in England, leaving his employer—the elector of Hanover—behind in Germany. Two years later, the elector of Hanover became George I of England. When the king requested music for royal festivities, Handel wrote Water Music, allegedly to regain the king’s favor. Water Music debuted on a barge accompanying the king down the River Thames in 1717. What did George I think of Handel’s now-famous collection of songs? Discuss

Matt Drudge Breaks the Lewinsky Scandal (1998)

Matt Drudge is the proprietor of the popular Drudge Report website that gained notoriety for breaking a series of news reports ahead of the mainstream media. He won fame for his coverage of the Monica Lewinsky affair, a scandal that led to the impeachment of US President Bill Clinton. He was inspired to start his news site after becoming privy to insider gossip at CBS studios while working as its gift shop manager. What other odd jobs did Drudge hold before his breakthrough in journalism? Discuss

Muhammad Ali (1942)

The self-proclaimed “greatest of all time,” Ali is celebrated as much for his flamboyant manner, colorful boasts, and doggerel verse—”float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”—as for his boxing prowess. He beat the best fighters of his day and won the world heavyweight title a record three times, once after being stripped of it for refusing induction into the US Army during the Vietnam War on religious grounds. After his retirement, Ali began to fight a battle of a different sort, against what? Discuss

Rugby

The game of rugby originated in the early 19th century in, according to tradition, Rugby, England. It is related to both soccer and American football and is said to have started when a soccer player picked up the ball and ran with it. It was introduced into the US in 1875 but faded as American football developed. Unlike that sport, rugby features almost continuous play. Though tackling is permitted, blocking is forbidden, and players may not pass the ball forward. What is the “scrum”? Discuss