The Ku Klux Klan is the name of two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history. The first Klan was an organization that thrived in the South during the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. The second was a nationwide organization that flourished after World War I. Subsequent groups calling themselves the Ku Klux Klan sprang up in much of the South after World War II and in response to civil-rights activity during the 1960s. How did the Ku Klux Klan gets its name? Discuss
Author: Ian
The Mad Baron
Known as both the “Mad” and “Bloody” Baron, Baron Roman Ungern von Sternberg was a military commander who became an independent warlord after the Russian Civil War. A mystic who believed he was the reincarnation of Genghis Khan, he aimed to unite the Far-Eastern nations under one monarch. In 1921, he achieved this goal, becoming dictator of Mongolia before being captured by his own troops and executed by the Red Army. How did he trick the Chinese into abandoning Mongolia’s capital city, Urga? Discuss
L. Frank Baum
Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident. Discuss
Rutan Voyager Completes First Nonstop Flight around the World without Refueling (1986)
Piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who first conceived of the craft and sketched it on the back of a napkin in 1981, the Rutan Voyager was the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. It took off from Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert on December 14, 1986, and landed there nine days later. The aircraft more than doubled the previous record of un-refueled flight set by a US Air Force B-52 in 1962. How much does the Rutan Voyager weigh? Discuss
Ibogaine
Ibogaine, a psychoactive compound derived from plants, is used by some African peoples for medicinal and ritual purposes. Identified in the early 1960s as having anti-addictive properties, it has been shown to cause sudden and complete interruption of heroin addiction—without withdrawal—in a matter of hours. Research suggests that it may also be useful in treating addiction to alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, and nicotine. Why is it banned in many countries? Discuss
Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887)
Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician. Extremely poor, he was largely self-taught from age 15. In 1913, he began a correspondence with English mathematician Godfrey H. Hardy that took him to England, where he made advances, especially in the theory of numbers, the partition of numbers, and the theory of continued fractions. He died of tuberculosis at age 32, generally unknown but recognized by mathematicians as a phenomenal genius. What anecdote exists about Ramanujan and the number 1,729? Discuss
Samuel Leroy Jackson (1948)
Jackson is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 movies since making his feature film debut in the 1970s, and he claims to have seen every one of his films in theaters alongside paying customers. He is best known for his role as a philosophical hit man in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction. In 2006, he decided to star in the film Snakes on a Plane based solely on its title. What other film did Jackson agree to appear in without reading the script? Discuss
Orphanages
Orphanages have existed since the first century. Often depicted in works of fiction as cold, abusive institutions, orphanages largely fell out of favor in the 1950s, following a series of abuse and coercion scandals. Many countries then began to close such facilities in favor of foster care and accelerated adoption, leading to a dramatic rise in the number of citizens from so-called First-World countries who travel to the Third World to adopt. Where was the first orphanage in the US located? Discuss
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Premieres (1937)
Snow White was the first full-length animated feature film in history. It was animated entirely by hand and took Walt Disney and his studio three years to complete. It was exponentially more expensive than the animated shorts the studio had produced until that time and met with considerable opposition. Disney eventually had to mortgage his house to help finance the project, which was derisively nicknamed “Disney’s Folly” by those in the film industry. How much did the film go on to earn? Discuss
Jim Ignatowski
Ranked 32nd on TV Guide‘s list of the “50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time,” Jim Ignatowski was a character played by Christopher Lloyd in the 1970s television series Taxi. A burned-out product of 1960s counterculture, Ignatowski lived in a world of his own, often exhibiting “spaced-out” behavior as a result of his extensive drug use. However, Lloyd was able to add much humanity to what could have been a one-dimensional role. What did Ignatowski do when he inherited $3 million? Discuss