Krupskaya was a Russian revolutionary and educator who was a Marxist agitator in the years leading up to the Russian Revolution. She married Bolshevik founder Vladimir Lenin in 1898, while both were serving terms in exile. After the Revolution, she joined the People’s Commissariat of Education and helped develop educational systems that offered both academic and professional training to women and workers. Her biography is known as the most detailed account of Lenin’s life but omits what events? Discuss
Month: February 2023
a week is a long time in politics
Due to the fast-changing pace of the political landscape, the fortunes of a politician or political group can change drastically just in the course of a single week. The phrase is attributed to British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, c. 1964. Watch the video
Zorro
Zorro, Spanish for “fox,” is a fictional character created by Johnston McCulley. The masked swordsman made his first appearance in The Curse of Capistrano, serialized in a pulp magazine in 1919. Zorro’s true identity is Don Diego de la Vega, a nobleman who lives in Spanish-era California and disguises himself in a mask to protect the common people from tyrannical officials. It has been noted that Zorro was actually one of the original inspirations for what comic strip action heroes? Discuss
hydroponics
Definition: (noun) A technique of growing plants (without soil) in water containing dissolved nutrients.
Synonyms: aquiculture, tank farming.
Usage: The soil where he lived was poor in nutrients, so he decided to try his luck with hydroponics.
Discuss
The Passion of the Christ Is Released in the US (2004)
Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, which depicts the last hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, is the highest-grossing R-rated film ever made and was nominated for three Academy Awards. Several Jewish groups have expressed concern that the film blames the death of Jesus on the Jews as a collective group and could encourage anti-Semitism. The movie has also sparked debate about whether its depictions of violence are too graphic. In what languages is the film’s dialogue spoken? Discuss
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841)
Renoir’s paintings number in the thousands and are notable for their saturated color, vibrant light, and warm sensuality. Early in his career, Renoir developed a close relationship with Claude Monet and became a celebrated artist of the Impressionist style. At times the two painters worked side-by-side, creating several pairs of paintings that depict the same scenes. Though crippled with rheumatoid arthritis in his later life, Renoir continued to paint. How did he manage to do so? Discuss
clout list
A secret list of people who, through advantageous connections and relationships with people of affluence, authority, or political influence, are given preferential consideration during an admissions or appointments process. Watch the video
Incunabula
Incunabula are “books of the cradle days” of printing, or books printed in the 15th century. The known incunabula represent about 40,000 editions. The books include products of more than 1,000 presses, including such famous printers as Gutenberg, Caxton, and Aldus Manutius, and give evidence as to the development of typography in its formative period. These books were generally large quarto size, bound in calf over boards of wood, and decorated with borders. What are some famous incunabula? Discuss
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Marbury v. Madison Establishes Judicial Review (1803)
Marbury v. Madison was a landmark case in American law that resulted in the first decision by the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional and void an act passed by Congress. It established the basis for the exercise of judicial review of federal statutes by the US Supreme Court. By identifying the Supreme Court as the authoritative interpreter of the Constitution, this decision bolstered power, respect, and prestige in the federal judiciary. Who were the “Midnight Judges”? Discuss