Lindgren was a Swedish children’s book author and screenwriter best remembered for writing the series of books featuring the character Pippi Långstrump, or Pippi Longstocking. Pippi, an unconventional, assertive, and extraordinarily strong girl—recognized by her fiery red hair worn in braids that stick out sideways from her head—was featured in many of Lindgren’s hundreds of books, which sold roughly 145 million copies worldwide. What other memorable characters did Lindgren create? Discuss
Month: November 2023
have eyes bigger than (one's) stomach
To take more food than one is actually capable of eating. Watch the video
The Hieratic Writing System
Hieratic, first used around 3,000 BCE, was the basic writing system of the ancient Egyptian pharaonic period and provided a simpler alternative to the contemporaneous hieroglyphic system. It was generally written with ink on papyrus and was often used to compose administrative documents and letters, as well as legal, literary, and religious texts. Much of what is now known about the lives of common Egyptians has been deciphered from such texts. What writing system is descended from hieratic? Discuss
gaunt
Holland Tunnel Opens to Traffic (1927)
The Holland Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to Jersey City, was designed specifically for automobile traffic and included ventilator systems to reduce carbon monoxide exposure. One of first examples of ventilated design, the tunnel was an engineering marvel of the time. Construction required workers to spend large amounts of time under high pressure. Upon exiting the tunnel, they underwent a depressurization process that prevented them from developing what painful physiological condition? Discuss
Esaias Tegnér (1782)
Tegnér was the most popular of the Swedish romantic poets. An optimistic nationalist in his youth, he wrote the militant anti-Russian Svea and Axel, followed by Frithjof’s Saga, which is based on collections of Scandinavian sagas and is considered the masterpiece of the Swedish Gothic tradition. The son of a pastor and a bishop himself, his sermons and speeches are classics of the Swedish language. Subject to periods of madness, he composed what epic poem in an asylum? Discuss
(not) half the person/man/woman (one) used to be
Having a reduced, diminished, or weakened physique, disposition, conviction, prowess, or mental acuity, as after some action, event, or trauma. Sometimes used in the negative but to the same effect. Watch the video
Cesar Millan: A Dog's Best Friend
Dog Whisperer is a National Geographic Channel reality TV series in which Cesar Millan, a self-proclaimed dog behaviorist, rehabilitates unruly dogs and teaches their owners proper canine training techniques. Though he has no formal certification, Millan believes his early observations of his family’s farm dogs give him unique insight into pack mentality. In 2006, Millan published Cesar’s Way, a guide to dog psychology. What are the three principles of Millan’s training philosophy? Discuss
homochromatic
Definition: (adjective) Of or characterized by one color; (of light or other electromagnetic radiation) having only one wavelength.
Synonyms: monochromatic.
Usage: The room appeared dull yellow in the dim, homochromatic light.
Discuss
Birthday of Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) was the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang). He served as the first provisional president of the Republic of China (1911-12) and later as its de facto ruler (1923-25). Because he possessed an exceptionally broad knowledge of the West and developed a grand plan for China’s industrialization, he is known as “the father of modern China.” Sun Yat-sen’s birthday is a holiday in Taiwan. The anniversary of his death, March 12, is observed as Arbor Day in Taiwan. Discuss