The Gibson Girl was an iconic representation of the feminine ideal in the US at the turn of the 20th century, as portrayed by illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. The Gibson Girl was tall and slender, with an hourglass figure and tightly corseted wasp waist. Why was an RAAF survival radio transmitter carried by World War II aircraft on over-water operations nicknamed the “Gibson Girl”? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A disposition to tolerate or accept people or situations.
Synonyms: toleration, acceptance.
Usage: Everyone admired her sufferance in the face of a number of unfortunate events.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Early in the Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his family fled their Virginia estate. Shortly thereafter, Arlington National Cemetery was established there. More than 290,000 people are now interred in Arlington, a privilege that is limited to active, retired, and former members of the armed forces, Medal of Honor recipients, high-ranking federal government officials, and their dependents. Why were the remains of a Vietnam War soldier removed from the Tomb of the Unknowns in 1998? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
According to legend, Danish King Valdemar II set out to conquer the pagan Estonians and convert them to Christianity. During the night of June 15, 1219, the Estonians made a surprise attack on the Danish camp. A red banner with a white cross floated down from the sky, and the Danish archbishop heard a voice say that the Danes would win if they raised this banner. Schools, sports organizations, and Boy Scout troops in Denmark often hold pageants on June 15 in which they reenact the story of the Dannebrog (the Danish flag) and King Valdemar. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Erikson was a Pulitzer Prize-winning German-American psychoanalyst known for his psychosocial development theory. In his most influential work, Childhood and Society, he divided the human life cycle into eight psychosocial stages of development: trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, identity, intimacy, generativity, and ego integrity. He also explored the convergence of personal development and social history in his psychohistorical studies. What now widely used phrase did he coin? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Dick Tracy is a cartoon that was created in 1931 by Chester Gould, who continued to produce it until 1977. The strip reflects the dark mood of film noir and is filled with treachery. Its title character is a hard-hitting, fast-shooting, and supremely intelligent police detective who matches wits with a variety of colorful villains. Who is Tracy’s infamous large-headed enemy? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (adjective) Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
Synonyms: supernatural.
Usage: His superstitions led him to the study of occult subjects, much to the dismay of his highly rational parents.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
While on its way from Athens to Rome in 1985, Trans World Airlines Flight 847 was hijacked by members of the Amal Movement terrorist group. The aircraft’s 153 passengers and crew endured a three-day intercontinental ordeal during which one passenger, a US Navy diver, was murdered. Though most of the passengers were released during this time, dozens were held hostage for more than two weeks. Flight attendant Uli Derickson is widely credited with saving the lives of many passengers by doing what? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
There are many rituals associated with the growing of rice in Japanese farming communities. In many rural celebrations, young women in costume perform rituals including planting seedlings while singing rice-planting songs to the accompaniment of pipes and drums. On June 14 in Osaka, thousands congregate to observe a group of young kimono-clad women plant rice and sing in the sacred fields near the Sumiyoshi Shrine. Working rhythmically to the music, the young women appear to be participating in a dance rather than the hard work of planting. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
A prolific writer whose works fill more than a dozen volumes, Stowe was an American novelist and humanitarian. Spurred to action by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, she began writing an antislavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which became an instant and controversial best-seller. Its impact on Northerners’ attitudes toward slavery was significant, swaying much of the public to support, or at least sympathize with, the abolitionist cause. What else did Stowe write? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary