The sewing machine is a device that stitches cloth and other materials. An attempt at mechanical sewing was made in England in 1790 with a machine having a forked, automatic needle that made a single-thread chain, but it was American inventor Elias Howe who made the first successful machine in 1846, using an eye-pointed needle and an intermittent feed. Isaac M. Singer, who is often credited with inventing the machine, patented what improvements to the device? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her [America’s] heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) Obscene language or literature, especially that dealing pruriently or humorously with excrement and excretory functions.
Synonyms: vulgarism, obscenity.
Usage: She hated to encounter scatology in her reading, believing it to be the lowest form of humor.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Measuring 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, the Great Chilean Earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. The tsunami it produced sent waves of up to 82 ft (25 m) racing across the Pacific Ocean to Chile, Argentina, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, and the Aleutian Islands. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 6,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake and ensuing tsunami. The tsunami reached Japan how many hours after the initial earthquake? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Villagers in Apastepeque, San Vicente Department, El Salvador, celebrate Santa Rita‘s feast day with a dance-drama called the Dance of the Tunco de Monte, or Wild Pig, an Indian dance going back to pre-Christian times. One person dresses in pig skins and pretends to be a pig, while other dancers portray various other stock characters. They enact the chasing and, finally, killing of the pig. At the concluding “feast,” the hunter who has caught the pig alternates between praying to Santa Rita for the welfare of the village and cracking jokes. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
One of the most revered actors of the 20th century, Olivier took on more than 120 stage roles and appeared in nearly 60 films over the course of an award-winning career spanning more than six decades. A versatile performer, he earned accolades for his portrayals of Shakespearean characters, like Henry V and Hamlet, as well as for his performances in modern dramas. He won four Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globes, and five Emmys, and was the first actor to receive what honor? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Michelin Guide (Le Guide Michelin) is a series of guide books to over a dozen countries published annually by the Michelin company. André Michelin published the first edition of the guide in 1900 to help drivers maintain their cars, find decent lodging, and eat well while touring France. Today, the Michelin Red Guide is the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide. International food critics have accused the guide of what type of bias? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others with undue insistence or without invitation.
Synonyms: push out, thrust out.
Usage: He never hesitated to obtrude his opinion on others, believing that everyone must value what he had to say.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Now famously known as Leopold and Loeb, Nathan Leopold, Jr., and Richard Loeb were two University of Chicago students who murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in 1924 as part of an elaborate plan to commit the “perfect crime.” Although the duo attempted to conceal or destroy all evidence linking them to the crime, a pair of Leopold’s eyeglasses was found near the scene, and the two later confessed. Spared the death penalty, they were instead sentenced to life in prison plus how many years? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This national holiday in Chile is often called Día de las Glorias Navales (“The Day of the Glorious Navy”). From 1879 to 1881, the Chilean navy fought an alliance of Peru and Bolivia in the War of the Pacific. The Chilean victory in the Battle of Iquique on May 21, 1879, was a turning point in a war that Chile eventually won decisively. The holiday is celebrated throughout Chile with festivals, military parades, and speeches. Sporting events, including boat and bicycle races, are held in honor of the holiday. Many people dress in traditional costumes as a symbol of national pride. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary