Author: Ian

Zambia Independence Day

On this day in 1964, the British colony of Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zambia, after decades of nationalist struggle. For two days, celebrations and parades are held all over Zambia, but the most elaborate are in the capital city of Lusaka. Labor and youth organizations march along with the armed forces with dancing and music. Various tribal dances from all over the country are performed in Independence Stadium, and there are gymnastics performances by children. October 24 is also the occasion for the final game of the annual Independence Soccer Trophy. Discuss

John William "Johnny" Carson (1925)

Two years after a 12-year-old Carson sent away for a magic kit, “The Great Carsoni” gave his first performance. He continued his show business career by working as a radio announcer and television comedy writer and went on to host several television quiz shows from 1955 to 1962. He first appeared on The Tonight Show in 1958. He was permanent host from 1962 to 1992, and his personable demeanor and wry humor made it America’s most popular late-night program. How many times was he married? Discuss

Déjà vu

A French term meaning “already seen,” déjà vu refers to the feeling that something encountered for the first time is eerily familiar and has in fact been seen before. Although dreams, reincarnation, parallel universes, and out-of-body travel have been invoked to explain the phenomenon, it is most likely due to an anomaly of memory which creates the impression that an experience is being recalled. Which two pharmaceutical drugs have been reported to induce déjà vu when taken together? Discuss

The Scilly Naval Disaster (1707)

Celebrated English Admiral Cloudesley Shovell was returning from an abortive attack on Toulon, France, in 1707 when his ship and several others struck rocks off the Scilly Islands, southwest of England. In one of the greatest maritime disasters in British history, Shovell is believed to have drowned along with as many as 2,000 sailors. According to one of the many legends about the disaster, Shovell reached the shore alive, only to be murdered by a woman who stole what priceless object from him? Discuss

Doris Lessing (1919)

Lessing was a British writer and winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature. Born in Iran, she moved with her family to a farm in what was Southern Rhodesia in 1924 and lived there until 1949, when she settled in England and began her writing career. Her work often addresses social and political themes, particularly the place of women in society. The Golden Notebook, her most widely read novel, is considered a feminist classic, although Lessing herself said what about feminists? Discuss

The Qianlong Emperor

Hongli took the title of Qianlong—meaning “the Era of Strong Prosperity”—when his imperial reign of China began in 1735. Ironically, by the end of Qianlong’s reign in 1796, expensive military expeditions and corruption had nearly exhausted the funds of the Imperial Treasury. A patron of the arts, the Qianlong Emperor commissioned a catalogue of all important Chinese cultural works that took 20 years to complete and consisted of 36,000 volumes. How many copyists were involved in the project? Discuss

Sir Georg Solti (1912)

Solti was a Hungarian-born British conductor. Not long after making his piano debut at age 12, he decided he wanted to conduct. He returned to piano during WWII and won the 1942 Geneva International Competition. After the war, he began conducting again and led orchestras all over Europe and the US. As director of the Royal Opera House, he made the first full recording of Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle, one of history’s most celebrated recordings. How did he earn the nickname “the screaming skull”? Discuss