Stanton was an American reformer and a leader of the women’s suffrage movement. In 1840, she married abolitionist Henry Brewster Stanton, and they attended the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in London, where she joined Lucretia Mott in objecting to their exclusion from the assembly. A proponent of legal, political, and industrial equality for women, she later joined forces with Susan B. Anthony in the women’s suffrage movement. What one word did Stanton famously omit from her marriage vows? Discuss
Month: November 2023
gunner's daughter
obsolete A cannon or other such armament used on a naval vessel, to which seamen were bound so as to receive lashings during corporal punishment. (Usually used with the verbs marry, kiss, or hug + the.) Watch the video
Mayumba National Park
In 2002, Gabon’s president established a national park system that protects about 11% of the country’s land and waters. Included is Mayumba National Park, located on the Atlantic coast of central Africa and dedicated to the protection of marine life. The park shelters a 60 km (37 mi.) strip of beach and coastal vegetation and extends another 15 km (9 mi.) out to sea. Dolphins and whales can often be found in the waters off the coast. What reptile uses the park’s beach as its breeding ground? Discuss
morass
Charles I of Austria Relinquishes His Throne (1918)
Also king of Hungary from 1916 to 1918 as Charles IV, Charles I was the last emperor of Austria. He became heir presumptive to the Hapsburg throne upon the assassination of his uncle, Franz Ferdinand. After succeeding Francis Joseph in 1916, he made several abortive attempts to take Austria-Hungary out of WWI. He renounced participation in affairs of state in 1918 and was deposed in 1919. After two failed attempts to regain his Hungarian throne in 1921, he was exiled. Why was Charles beatified? Discuss
Heurigen Parties
St. Martin’s Day, November 11, is the traditional time when wine taverns in Austria offer the first new wines of the year. Wine feasts called Heurigen parties abound in these taverns throughout the country and are scheduled according to an official Heurigenkalender. Traditional foods served with the new wine include sausage, cheese, and bread. Many taverns also stage operettas and other shows for the season. Discuss
George S. Patton, Jr. (1885)
Patton, nicknamed “Old Blood-and-Guts,” was probably the most admired and most controversial American World War II general. Though he had a brilliant war record—he led successful military operations in Morocco and Sicily and spearheaded the spectacular sweep of US forces across northern France into Germany—he was a rigid disciplinarian and nearly lost his career for slapping a hospitalized soldier he suspected of feigning illness. In what event of the 1912 Olympics did Patton place fifth? Discuss
guilty pleasure
Something that one enjoys or finds pleasurable but knows or feels to be bad, inferior, aberrant, or lowbrow, especially as might be perceived or judged by other people. Watch the video
Airbag Safety Systems
Automotive airbag inflation occurs only milliseconds after crash sensors detect a collision. The airbag’s cushioning effectively prevents direct human impact with dangerous vehicular surfaces and reduces the deceleration passengers experience as they come to a stop. While airbags were initially viewed as an alternative to seatbelts, they are now understood to offer greater protection when used in conjunction with other automotive safety methods. What injuries may result from airbag deployment? Discuss
matriarch
Definition: (noun) A woman who rules a family, clan, or tribe.
Synonyms: materfamilias.
Usage: When the matriarch of the clan appeared in the doorway, all conversation immediately ceased.
Discuss