Last Captive Thylacine Dies in Hobart Zoo (1936)

The thylacine, known also as the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian tiger, was a carnivorous marsupial once found on the Australian mainland, New Guinea, and Tasmania. Often cited as an example of convergent evolution, it was superficially similar to a wolf or dog, though it evolved entirely independently of these animals. It was hunted to probable extinction in the 1930s, and the last captive thylacine died in the Hobart Zoo in 1936. How many thylacine sightings have been reported since then? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Festival of Piedigrotta

Held in Naples, Italy, in September, the Festival of Piedigrotta is known primarily for its noise and gaiety. According to one legend, it commemorates the destruction in 44 CE of a site that had formerly been the scene of pagan orgies, and the building of a chapel in its place. A second explanation is that the chapel was built in 1356 after the Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared to a priest, a nun, and a man named Peter and ordered its construction. In any case, the festival is a particularly joyful one, with processions, fireworks, and some very unusual puppet shows. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Buddy Holly (1936)

An early rock ‘n’ roll star, Holly began as a country-and-western singer and gradually added rhythm-and-blues elements to his innovative style. With his band, the Crickets, he established the standard rock instrumentation of two guitars, bass, and drums, and toured the US extensively for two years before his death in a plane crash. He became one of rock’s most enduring cult figures and much of his material was released posthumously. Who else died in the plane crash that killed him? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Piazza San Marco

St. Mark’s Square, or Piazza San Marco, is Venice’s principal plaza. Originating in the 9th c as a small area in front of St. Mark’s Basilica, the Piazza was enlarged to its present shape and size in 1177. As Venice’s central gathering place, it is extremely popular with tourists, pigeons, and photographers. The Piazza is surrounded by a number of historic structures, including the Doge’s Palace, Procuraties, and Biblioteca Marciana. What was the purpose of the paved pattern on the Piazza floor? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Leon Czolgosz Assassinates William McKinley (1901)

In 1901, anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot US President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition, a World’s Fair in Buffalo, New York. McKinley died a week later, and Czolgosz was convicted of his murder and executed that same year. Though judged sane during the trial, Czolgosz is believed by some to have been mentally unstable after suffering a breakdown years earlier. What Broadway musical incorporates the story of Czolgosz with those of eight other presidential assassins? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Great Montana Sheep Drive

Called “The World’s Largest Small Town Parade,” the Great Montana Sheep Drive, founded in 1989, features hundreds of Montana-bred sheep herded down the six blocks of Main Street in downtown Reed Point, Montana. There is also a parade, a shoot-out between two gunfighters, carnival games, and an evening street dance. The event has raised money for community projects in the small town, including a new fire truck and the refurbishing of the town library. Some 12,000 people attend the annual event, making Reed Point one of Montana’s largest towns on the weekend of the sheep drive. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt (1817)

Galt was a British-Canadian statesman. Born in London, he immigrated to Canada in his teens and began his political career there in 1849, eventually serving several terms as minister of finance. Although he signed the 1849 manifesto favoring the annexation of Canada by the US, he became one of the most persistent and influential leaders of the movement for confederation of the provinces and later advocated Canadian independence. He was a founding member of what company that still exists today? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Silly Putty

When scientists tried to find a rubber substitute for the US during WWII, they stumbled upon a product that would entertain children for generations. Silly Putty is silicone plastic “clay” sold in an egg-shaped plastic container and marketed as a children’s toy. As an inorganic polymer, it can pick up ink when pressed against a newspaper; the imprint can then be stretched in any direction. It also bounces, breaks, and “melts” into a puddle. What causes these unusual flow characteristics? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary