Following his successful management of his brother’s campaign for the presidency, Robert Kennedy served as US attorney general and was John F. Kennedy’s closest adviser, exerting considerable influence on the nation’s domestic and foreign affairs. He later won election to the US Senate and, in 1968, announced his intention to run for president. After winning the California Democratic primary in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, he was assassinated. Who shot him? Discuss
Month: November 2023
have a/the wolf by the ear(s)
To be in a difficult situation from which it is as dangerous to extricate oneself as it is to remain in it. Watch the video
Cannibalism
Evidence of human cannibalism suggests that the practice began thousands of years ago. Cannibalism, eating the flesh of the members of one’s own species, is practiced ritually in some cultures, though in Western society people tend to turn to cannibalism only in situations of extreme starvation or when they are mentally ill. Historically, the Aztec Empire is the most famous example of a cannibalistic society. What country was once known as the “Cannibal Isles”? Discuss
brawny
Jay's Treaty Signed (1794)
When unsettled controversies with England in the aftermath of the American Revolution threatened to involve the US in another war, President George Washington named Chief Justice John Jay as an envoy for the negotiation of a treaty. The agreement, concluded in 1794 and known as Jay’s Treaty, averted war between the two nations, solved many outstanding issues, and opened 10 years of largely peaceful trade in the midst of the French Revolutionary Wars. How was the treaty received in the US? Discuss
Ferdinand Marie, Vicomte de Lesseps (1805)
A French diplomat and engineer, Lesseps conceived the idea of the Suez Canal while serving in Egypt. He supervised the construction and achieved world renown for the project. In 1878, he became president of the company formed to construct the Panama Canal, but lack of funds forced the project into bankruptcy amid charges of corruption. He was brought to trial for misappropriation of funds and sentenced to prison but was later cleared. What monument did Lesseps present to the US in 1884? Discuss
have the wind up
To be very anxious, upset, or frightened. Watch the video
Camels, the Even-Toed Ungulates
Camels, ruminant mammals of the family Camelidae, are well adapted to desert life, as they can live for several days without drinking and their broad, flat, two-toed feet do not sink in the sand. There are two species of true camel, the single-humped Arabian camel, a domesticated animal used in Arabia and N Africa, and the two-humped Bactrian camel of central Asia. The humps, fat stores that provide energy and water when metabolized, also aid in desert survival. How fast can a camel run? Discuss
gastronome
Steamboat Willie Released (1928)
In 1928, Walt Disney created cartoon icon Mickey Mouse, who made his debut in the silent film Plane Crazy. That same year, Mickey also appeared in Steamboat Willie, written and directed by Disney and animator Ub Iwerks. An immediate hit, the film was Disney’s first attempt at using sound and the first fully synchronized sound cartoon. Music is prominently featured, and Mickey first appears in the film whistling the song Steamboat Bill. Who provided the voice for Mickey? Discuss