Dr. William Price Introduces Cremation to the UK (1884)

Price was a Welsh physician, Druid, and famous eccentric best known for introducing cremation to the UK. Eight days after the death of his five-month-old son, Jesus Christ Price, Price attempted to burn the body in accordance with his Druid beliefs. After lighting the pyre, he was arrested, but he successfully defended himself in court, resulting in a decision that set a precedent leading to the permanent legalization of cremation in the UK. What were some of his other eccentric activities? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In the US, Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday that has become a focal point for recognition of African-American history and the American civil rights movement led by Dr. King. It is also a legal holiday in all 50 states, since New Hampshire signed its King holiday legislation into law in 1999. In schools, the day is often observed with special lessons and assembly programs dealing with Dr. King’s life and work. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Alan Alexander Milne (1882)

Milne was an English author who began his literary career as a journalist before publishing collections of verses for children, including When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. He is, however, best remembered for Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. Now classics beloved by adults as well as children, his books established the characters Christopher Robin and his toy animal friends, including Pooh Bear, Piglet, and Eeyore. On whom was Christopher based? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

László Moholy-Nagy

Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian painter, photographer, and designer. His experiments with photograms and kinetic “light space modulators” reflect the way in which his art was influenced by constructivism, an abstractionist movement characterized by the use of industrial materials to create nonrepresentational, often geometric objects. One of his greatest contributions to modern art was his teaching, which deeply influenced American commercial and industrial design. Where did he teach in the 1920s? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Captain James Cook Crosses Antarctic Circle (1773)

An explorer, navigator, and map maker, Cook sailed the Pacific Ocean between 1768 and 1779 and, with the help of new timekeeping instruments, drew the first accurate navigational maps of the area. He became the one of the first people to cross the Antarctic Circle as well as the first European to land on the Hawaiian islands, where he may have been identified by native Hawaiians as the representation of their god Lono. How did this misunderstanding contribute to his death? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Underwater Tug-of-War Festival

It’s not the Polar Bear Swim, but the annual tug-of-war in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, does involve people jumping into cold waters in the middle of winter. Legend has it that a huge snake once menaced the waters of Hiruga Lake, which opens out into the Sea of Japan. The people drove the snake away by taking a huge rope into the water. Today, young men struggle in a tug-of-war while standing in the lake. The rope symbolizes the snake, and the tug-of-war continues until the rope is pulled apart or cut in two. The event also serves as a ritual appealing for a good fishing season. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary