Actions, words, or ideas that are meant to impress or appear convincing but which are in reality insubstantial or inconsequential. Watch the video
Month: August 2023
Pointillism
Pointillism, a Post-Impressionist school of painting exemplified by Georges Seurat and his followers in late 19th-century France, is characterized by the application of paint in small dots and brush strokes. These distinct points of primary colors create the visual effect of a wide selection of secondary colors, relying heavily on the viewer’s perceptive ability to mix the color spots into a full range of tones. The technique is analogous to the color production of what modern devices? Discuss
sinuous
Michael Servetus Arrested as a Heretic (1553)
Servetus, a Spanish physician who was the first to accurately describe cardiopulmonary circulation, is perhaps best remembered for his theological writings, which ultimately led to his execution. His religious views, particularly his denial of the Trinity, alienated Roman Catholics and Protestants alike and led to his arrest and imprisonment in 1553. He escaped but was soon rearrested, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake. What modern Christian sects consider him a spiritual ancestor? Discuss
Annie Oakley (1860)
Oakley took up hunting at age nine and soon earned a reputation as a “dead shot.” In her early 20s, she beat marksman Frank Butler in a shooting match and then married him. Together they joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Oakley’s famous act included hitting the thin edge of a playing card from 30 paces and shooting targets while looking into a mirror. She was also known for shooting the end off a cigarette held between Butler’s lips, a trick she once performed with what future head of state? Discuss
hand-to-mouth
Having, providing, or characterized by the bare minimum of money, food, or resources to survive, with little or nothing else to spare. Watch the video
Apartheid
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced in South Africa for almost 50 years that was legally abolished in the early 1990s. Apartheid served not only to separate whites from non-whites, but also non-white groups from one another. The 1959 Sharpeville Massacre, in which police officers opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing 69 and injuring 186, was a major turning point in public opinion of South African apartheid. What does the word apartheid mean in Afrikaans? Discuss
ridgepole
Cleopatra Commits Suicide (30 BCE)
After likely arranging for her brothers Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV—to whom she was married, according to custom—to be killed, Cleopatra gained sole rule of Egypt. She later left for Rome with Julius Caesar but returned to Egypt after his assassination, luring Caesar’s heir, Mark Antony, into marriage. Octavian, whose sister Antony had previously married, declared war on Cleopatra and Antony and defeated their joint forces at the Battle of Actium. How did Cleopatra allegedly commit suicide? Discuss
Abbotsford International Air Show
Widely recognized as Canada’s national air show, this three-day event is an opportunity for the aviation industry to display the latest developments in civilian aircraft. Since the first show was held in 1962, it has included aerobatic performances by the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Air Force, the Snowbirds Jet Team and the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds. There is also a large banquet featuring well-known personalities in the aviation and aerospace fields. The show is held at the airport in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and is regularly attended by upwards of 200,000 people. Discuss