Month: March 2023

Russia's Czar Paul I Assassinated (1801)

After his mother, Catherine the Great, suffered a stroke, Paul I ascended to the throne. The new czar instituted a number of reforms that angered the nobility and provoked a conspiracy against him. On the night of his murder, Paul was confronted in his bedroom and pressured to sign his abdication. When he refused, the assassins struck him with a sword, strangled him, and trampled him to death. Though he did not participate in the attack, his successor knew about the plot. Who was he? Discuss

Wernher von Braun (1912)

Devoted to the pursuit of rocketry and spaceflight since his teenage years, German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun was responsible for the successful development of the German V-2 rocket, thousands of which were launched against London and Antwerp during World War II’s final year. Nevertheless, at the close of the war, von Braun was brought to the US and soon became a prime figure in the cold war arms race and later in the space program. What notable American projects did he work on? Discuss

Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)

ESP is an alleged ability to acquire information by means other than the five main senses of taste, sight, touch, smell, and hearing. The term implies sources of information unknown to science. Types of ESP include clairvoyance, aura reading, telepathy, and astral projection. The study of such phenomena is often dubbed “parapsychology.” Zener cards were a common research tool for parapsychologists in the early 20th century. What is drawn on each card, and how are they used? Discuss

Great Britain Passes the Stamp Act (1765)

Intended to help pay British debts from the French and Indian War, the Stamp Act established the first direct tax levied on the American colonies. It required all newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, commercial bills, advertisements, and other papers issued in the colonies to bear a tax stamp. The act was vehemently protested by the colonists, and the Stamp Act Congress—the first significant joint colonial response to any British measure—petitioned for its repeal. How did Parliament respond? Discuss

Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948)

Andrew Lloyd Webber is a highly successful British composer of musical theatre whose scores include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and two of the longest-running Broadway shows of all time: Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. Lloyd Webber has won multiple Tony and Grammy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar, and was knighted in 1992. Cats was inspired by the work of what noted modernist author? Discuss

damn the torpedoes

To press on with a task or current course of action regardless of apparent risks or dangers. Attributed to David Farragut of the United States Navy during the American Civil War, usually paraphrased as “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” The actual order (if it ever existed) was: “Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!” Watch the video

Migraines

A migraine is a headache characterized by recurrent attacks of severe pain, usually on one side of the head. It may be preceded by flashes or spots before the eyes or a ringing in the ears, and accompanied by double vision, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. It affects women 3 times as often as men and is frequently inherited. Although the exact cause is unknown, evidence suggests a genetically transmitted functional disturbance of cranial circulation. What is the origin of the word “migraine?” Discuss