Slot machines are popular casino games that constitute about 70% of the average casino’s income. The player pulls a handle to rotate a series of reels that have pictures printed on them. Winning or losing is determined by which pictures line up with the pay line, a line in the middle of a viewing window. Some believe skill is involved in the game, but the probability of a win is determined by the game’s random number generator. Who invented the slot machine? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) One who wastes, especially one who wastes money; an idler or a loafer.
Synonyms: prodigal, profligate.
Usage: Despite his parents' best efforts to teach him responsibility, Sam grew up to be a wastrel who squandered his entire fortune.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
One of the first flying aces in history, Roland Garros was a French aviator and WWI fighter pilot. Early in the war, Garros fitted a machine gun to the front of his plane so that he could shoot while flying and soon downed three German aircrafts. While on a mission in 1915, his fuel line clogged, and he was forced to land behind German lines. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until 1918, when he managed to escape and rejoin the French army. What happened when he returned to combat? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Like much of Africa, the area that is now Zimbabwe was long controlled by Europeans. In 1922, the 34,000 European settlers chose to become a self-governing British colony, Southern Rhodesia. In 1923, Southern Rhodesia was annexed by the British Crown. A fight for independence took place in the 1970s. An independent constitution was written for Zimbabwe in London in 1979, and independence followed on April 18, 1980. Independence Day is celebrated in every city and district of the nation with political rallies, parades, traditional dances, singing, and fireworks. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Widely considered one of the greatest distance runners in history, Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. Over the course of his career, he has set more than 20 records and won numerous Olympic and World Championship titles, achieving major competition wins in outdoor, indoor, cross country, and road running races as short as 1,500 meters and as long as full marathons. In 1995, he beat the world record for the 5,000-meter run by how many seconds? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Voodoo refers to West African religious beliefs and practices that also have adherents in the New World. Voodoo believers are most numerous in Haiti and Benin, where they enjoy official government recognition. Voodoo contends that all of nature is controlled by spiritual forces which must be acknowledged and honored through offerings and animal sacrifice. Voodoo’s incarnation in the American South is often called Louisiana Voodoo. What is a gris-gris? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Argument, as usually managed, is the worst sort of conversation. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A state of alarm or dread.
Synonyms: apprehension.
Usage: With trepidation, the children approached the haunted house.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion was a US-supported invasion of Cuba by an armed force of approximately 1,500 Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. Trained and armed by the US government, the rebels intended to foment an insurrection in Cuba, but the rebellion never materialized and the Cuban army defeated the invading forces in a matter of days. An internal CIA report investigating the incident later identified what factors as responsible for the failure? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This national holiday commemorates the withdrawal of French troops on this day in 1946, when Syria proclaimed its independence after more than 20 years of French occupation. It is also known as Independence Day and Evacuation Day. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary