Margarita Cansino began her show business career as a child, dancing flamenco with her well-known father, Eduardo. After taking acting lessons, changing her last name to Hayworth, and dying her hair its trademark red, she began her acting career. Her appearance in a series of musicals made her a star, and her role in Gilda confirmed her status as a Hollywood sex symbol, making her one of the most popular wartime pinups. Hayworth’s picture is rumored to have been placed on what weapon? Discuss
Month: October 2023
have the say
To have the ultimate authority to command, control, or make a decision. Watch the video
Pankration
Pankration, as practiced in the ancient world, combined the techniques of boxing and wrestling in a no holds barred fighting sport. According to Greek mythology, the sport was created by Hercules and Theseus. It was introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BCE, and a similar form of the sport, called mixed martial arts, is still practiced today. Pankration was not simply a sport; it formed the basis of combat training for Greek soldiers. In what ways did it resemble Asian martial arts? Discuss
nonstarter
Cardiff Giant "Uncovered" in New York (1869)
One of the most famous hoaxes in American history, the Cardiff Giant was a gypsum statue passed off as a petrified prehistoric man. It was the creation of businessman George Hull, who had the figure sculpted, artificially weathered, buried, and dug up. After charging fascinated onlookers to view the figure, Hull sold the giant, which was so popular that P.T. Barnum even had an unauthorized copy of it made. What much-repeated aphorism was coined in reference to those paying to see Barnum’s giant? Discuss
Noah Webster (1758)
Webster was an American lexicographer. After serving in the American Revolution, he published The Elementary Spelling Book, or “Blue-Backed Speller,” which helped standardize American spelling and sold some 100 million copies. In 1807, he began work on his landmark American Dictionary of the English Language, which included definitions of 70,000 words—of which 12,000 had never appeared in a dictionary before. How many languages did he learn while compiling the dictionary? Discuss
have the heart (to do something)
To be hard hearted, callous, or unsympathetic (enough to do something); to have the emotional resolve (to do something). Usually used in the negative. Watch the video
The Incandescent Light Bulb
Now the iconic symbol for an idea, the electric incandescent light bulb was independently produced in the late 1870s by Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison—and perhaps earlier by others. However, Edison has received the major credit for this invention because he also developed the power lines and other equipment needed for a lighting system. Financed by the likes of J.P. Morgan and the Vanderbilts, Edison achieved success using a carbon filament in his design. How do incandescent light bulbs work? Discuss
wharfage
I Love Lucy Premieres (1951)
In 1951, Lucille Ball became one of the first movie stars—and the first woman—to headline a television series. The prototypical situation comedy, I Love Lucy became a spectacular success, showcasing Ball’s comic energy, flair for slapstick, and chemistry with her co-star and real-life husband, Desi Arnaz, as they portrayed the zany middle-class couple Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. The program is still syndicated today. What word was once prohibited from being used on I Love Lucy? Discuss