Month: April 2023

Steve Martin

An Emmy-winning television comedy writer in the late 1960s, Martin began performing stand-up in the early 70s, achieving acclaim as a regular on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s. He recorded several comedy albums, two of them Grammy winners, and starred in TV specials and numerous comedy films. Martin has also found success as a writer of plays and novellas. Which of his novellas was made into a 2005 feature film? Discuss

Nazi Gestapo Is Established (1933)

Taking its name from the contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei—German for “Secret State Police”—the Gestapo was the secret police force of Nazi Germany. Created in 1933 by Hermann Goring, the Gestapo operated without civil restraints or judicial oversight, brutally suppressing partisan activities in occupied territories and arresting thousands of Jews, leftists, and other Nazi “enemies,” many of whom were sent to concentration camps. How many Gestapo members were there during World War II? Discuss

I. M. Pei (1917)

Ieoh Ming Pei, better known as I. M. Pei, is a Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese-American architect whose buildings can be seen the world over. In his works, structure and environment are carefully integrated with precise geometric design to create crisp, clear, sculptural edifices. He is known for his sensuous use of materials like marble, concrete, and especially glass—which he used in his pioneering all-glass curtain walls. What controversial Parisian structure did Pei design in the 1980s? Discuss

Heirloom Plants

An heirloom plant is an open-pollinated cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Most food crops are now grown in huge, monocultural plots owned by corporations, and few varieties of each type of crop are grown. The increasing popularity of heirloom gardening can be seen as a reaction to this trend. Why is 1951 a key year for heirloom gardeners? Discuss

Spanish-American War Begins (1898)

Demands by Cuban patriots for independence from Spanish rule made US intervention in Cuba a paramount issue in the relations between the US and Spain from the 1870s to 1898, when the Spanish-American War began. The conflict ended after just 109 days with the Treaty of Paris, which gave the US ownership of Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam, all formerly Spanish colonies. One factor that increased American public support for such a war was the practice of “yellow journalism,” which is what? Discuss

Feria de San Marcos (Fair of St. Mark)

The Fair of St. Mark, which is held annually for nearly a month in Aguascalientes, dates back to the early 17th century and remains one of Mexico’s most famous fiestas. It is primarily a showcase for the country’s more than 200 forms of ritual and folk dance, each of which has its own meaning, mythology, history, and pageantry. There are also commercial and art exhibits, cockfights, bullfights, sports competitions, parades, and a battle of flowers. Discuss