Month: August 2024

Robert Walpole, First Earl of Orford (1676)

Walpole was an English statesman. Elected to the House of Commons in 1701, he later served as secretary of war. With the accession of George I, he rose rapidly to become first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer. With his consolidation of power, he effectively became the first British prime minister. He avoided foreign entanglement and kept England neutral until 1739, when he was forced into the War of Jenkins’ Ear against Spain. How did the conflict get its name? Discuss

The Cool Biz Campaign

In 2005, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment launched the Cool Biz campaign, a program intended to reduce electricity consumption by limiting air conditioner use. Government offices were asked to set their air conditioners to 82°F (28°C), and workers were advised to wear short-sleeved shirts to keep cool. According to estimates, the campaign resulted in a 460,000-ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions—the equivalent of shutting down some 1 million households for what period of time? Discuss

WWII: The Liberation of Paris (1944)

The Liberation of Paris is considered the last battle of the Normandy Campaign to free France from German occupation. In July, about a month after the Allied invasions of southern France and Normandy, Allied ground troops finally broke out of the beachheads and began a rapid advance across northern France. With help from the French resistance, Free French and US forces and liberated Paris in August. Why did the German military governor of Paris disobey Hitler’s order to leave the city in ruins? Discuss

Althea Gibson (1927)

Gibson, a US tennis player, was the first African-American woman to compete on the world tennis tour. Though tennis had essentially been segregated until that time, she was finally given an opportunity to play at the US Championships in 1950. Having broken the color barrier, she went on to become the first black person to win Wimbledon. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. In 1964, Gibson became the first African-American player in what other sports organization? Discuss

Light Therapy

Sometimes used to treat skin conditions, mood disorders, and sleep disorders, light therapy consists of exposure to specific wavelengths of light for a prescribed amount of time. Visible violet light is used to activate a naturally occurring compound that kills acne-causing bacteria, while sunlight-mimicking light boxes and other infrared lights are used to treat seasonal affective disorder, a winter-related depressive disorder. What travel-related affliction is also treated with light therapy? Discuss

Pluto Gets Demoted (2006)

Although it was recognized as a planet for decades, Pluto is much smaller than the other planets in our solar system and more closely resembles a giant comet nucleus. Consequently, the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto to the category of dwarf planet, which reflected astronomers’ conclusion that it is a member of the Kuiper belt, a strip of billions of icy bodies orbiting the Sun beyond the orbit of Neptune. What is a “plutino”? Discuss

Lavinia Fontana (1552)

One of the few female Italian artists of the 16th century, Lavinia Fontana was the daughter of Italian mannerist painter Prospero Fontana. She was a fashionable portrait painter in Bologna and Rome who was especially noted for the vibrant color and detail of her works. Her self-portraits and a portrait of Pope Gregory XIII show a fine decorative sense in the treatment of costume. She was also a painter of religious subjects. What are some of her major works? Discuss

Survivalism

In the 1970s, widespread fear of imminent natural and artificial disasters and societal collapse led to the development of survivalism, a subculture based on the anticipation of catastrophic events and the preparations involved in surviving disaster. The movement is still popular today. Survivalists stockpile food and water, build shelters, and learn skills that they believe will help them live through apocalyptic chaos. In survivalist terminology, what is a “BOB”? Discuss