Definition: (noun) A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.).
Synonyms: monocracy, dictatorship.
Usage: The people had philosophical problems with the shogunate, but they had to admit that trade and commerce were flourishing under its rule.
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Month: February 2023
William G. Morgan Invents Volleyball (1895)
William G. Morgan invented volleyball in Holyoke, Massachusetts, just four years after basketball was invented in the neighboring town of Springfield. Morgan, a physical education director, created “Mintonette” for older athletes who wanted to play indoor sports but deemed basketball too rough. The name volleyball came from the nature of the game: “volleying” a ball back and forth over a net. Players can also “spike” the ball and drive it downward into the opponents’ court. What is a “pancake”? Discuss
Gerhard Richter (1932)
Richter is considered one of the foremost German artists of the post-World War II period, indeed one of the foremost artists in the world, and the prices his works fetch at auction reflect this distinction. Unwilling to settle on any one medium or approach, Richter paints, photographs, draws, and sculpts and has varied his style from austere photorealism to satirical pop to minimalism to pure abstraction. This fluidity is interpreted by some as a reaction to the early training he received where? Discuss
backpedal
To quickly and often abruptly reverse or retreat from one’s position or opinion on a given subject. Refers to pedaling backwards on a bicycle (done to apply the brakes on fixed-gear bikes), or to taking quick, backward steps, as in football or boxing. Watch the video
Coral Reefs
A coral reef is a ridge of living coral, coral skeletons, and calcium carbonate deposits from organisms such as calcareous algae, mollusks, and protozoans. The resulting structure provides a critical habitat for a wide variety of fish and marine invertebrates. Coral reefs also protect shores against erosion by causing large waves to break and lose some of their force before reaching land. More than 90% of the estimated 109,800 sq mi (284,300 sq km) of reefs in the world are in what region? Discuss
hostelry
Boy Scouts of America Founded (1910)
One of the largest youth organizations in the US is the Boy Scouts of America, which promotes community service and character building. The scouts’ activities aim at mental, moral, and physical development, stressing outdoor skills and training in citizenship and lifesaving. Scouts receive recognition in the form of merit badges and awards. The basic scout unit is a troop of about 15 boys, under the leadership of an adult scoutmaster. How many of the 12 men to walk on the moon were Boy Scouts? Discuss
Afonso IV of Portugal (1291)
Though he was the only legitimate son of King Denis of Portugal, Afonso IV felt threatened by the apparent favoritism his father showed to his illegitimate half-brothers and spent the final years of his father’s life and reign in revolt. He succeeded to the throne in 1325 and, as history is doomed to repeat itself, found himself 20 years later the target of his own son’s rebellion against him. What had Afonso done to provoke his son’s rage? Discuss
awesome sauce
internet slang Either used as an adjective to describe something as being excellent, great, or exceptionally interesting, or used as an exclamation in affirmation of the same. Watch the video
The History of the Jelly Bean
The jelly bean is a type of confection that has a hardened sugar coating over a chewy center. “Turkish Delight,” a Middle Eastern candy consisting of jellylike cubes covered with powdered sugar, likely inspired the gummy interior of the jelly bean. It is generally thought that jelly beans first became popular in 1861 when Boston confectioner William Schrafft urged people to send his jelly beans to soldiers during the American Civil War. When did jelly beans become associated with Easter? Discuss