Beehive tombs, or tholoi, are the large, underground ceremonial tombs constructed in Greece during the Late Bronze Age. The tombs, usually built into the side of a hill, have a distinctive beehive shape formed with layers of stone that taper toward the top of the structure. Though many of these tombs have been pillaged, they have still provided archeologists with some of the richest finds from the period. What might the abundance of such tombs at certain sites reveal about who used them? Discuss
Month: January 2025
Harry S. Truman Announces His Point Four Program (1949)
As the fourth point of his presidential inauguration address in 1949, Truman announced what became known as his Point Four Program—the US policy of technical assistance and economic aid to less-developed countries. Such assistance, mainly in agriculture, public health, and education, was provided through contracts with US business and educational organizations. During the Cold War, the US government used Point Four to win support from uncommitted nations. Does the program still exist? Discuss
Federico Fellini (1920)
After collaborating on screenplays with Roberto Rossellini in the 1940s, Italian Federico Fellini turned from writing to directing films. His movies earned international acclaim, and a number of them won Academy Awards, including La Strada, 8 ½, and Amarcord. Filmed in color starting in 1965, his movies became a celebration of life, with its beauties and grotesqueries, as well as an exploration of Fellini’s dream life. His wife starred in several of his films. Who was she? Discuss
Jug Bands
Jug bands are musical groups that use a mix of traditional and improvised instruments—usually ordinary objects modified for making music, such as the jug, washtub bass, washboard, spoons, stovepipe, and kazoo. Early jug bands were typically made up of African-American vaudeville and medicine show musicians. Emerging in the urban South, the bands played a mixture of Memphis blues—before it was formally called the blues—ragtime, and Appalachian music. How does one play the jug? Discuss
Apple Lisa Launched (1983)
In 1983, after five years of development, Apple released the Lisa, the first personal computer with a graphical user interface. Although the Lisa was a commercial failure—due in part to its initial price tag of $9,995—it had a significant impact on the computer industry. It is often rumored to have been named after the first daughter of Apple’s Steve Jobs, though several acronyms have been ascribed to the name. What project did Jobs join after being forced out of the Lisa project? Discuss
James Watt (1736)
A largely self-taught Scottish engineer and inventor, Watt greatly impacted the Industrial Revolution with his development of the Watt engine. Asked to repair a model of Thomas Newcomen’s steam engine, he instead made improvements to it that resulted in a new type of engine. One such design enhancement, the separate condenser, radically improved the power, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of steam engines. The watt, a unit of power, is named for him. What other unit of power did he develop? Discuss
3D Computer Graphics
Though a computer monitor’s display is a two-dimensional plane, 3D computer graphics programs can produce images of objects that appear to be three dimensional. Creating 3D graphics is typically a three step process. First, the object’s shape is described in a process called modeling. Then designers determine the object’s motion and placement within a scene. Lastly, the model is given its final appearance in the rendering process. The term “computer graphics” was coined in the 1960s by whom? Discuss
WWII: First Armed Insurgency in Warsaw Ghetto (1943)
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish armed resistance that took place in the Warsaw Ghetto of Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII. By July 1942, the Nazis had forced 500,000 Jews into the Warsaw Ghetto. Starvation killed thousands each month and thousands more were transferred to “labor” camps every day. When word reached the ghetto that the destination was actually the gas chambers at Treblinka, the newly formed Jewish insurgency attacked the Nazis. How long did the insurgency last? Discuss
Archibald Alexander Leach, AKA Cary Grant (1904)
Grant performed with an acrobatic comedy troupe in England before he found parts in stage musicals. After he made his film debut in 1932, his debonair charm, good looks, and distinctive voice made him a popular star in sophisticated comedies such as Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, and The Philadelphia Story. He also starred in many Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, including North by Northwest. He received an honorary Academy Award in 1970. What was his last film? Discuss
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu. One of five major dance styles corresponding to each of the elements, Bharatanatyam represents the mystic manifestation of fire in the human body. The movements of Bharatanatyam dancers resemble a dancing flame, while their expressive hand gestures communicate specific meanings. Rooted in Hindu tradition, the dance form has since crossed religious boundaries and is now studied by members of what other religions? Discuss