September 27, 2006
Madame Nhu
Because her brother-in-law, the president of South Vietnam, was unmarried, Madame Nhu was considered the First Lady of Vietnam. A Catholic by conversion, she formed military units for women and pushed for the passing of "morality laws" outlawing, among other things, abortion, contraceptives, dance halls, and beauty pageants. Many people opposed the imposition of Madame Nhu's values on their lives, and she went into exile after a coup d'etat in 1963. Why was she called "The Dragon Lady?"September 26, 2006
Surgery in Space?
A team of French doctors will operate on a patient under near-weightless conditions on Wednesday, in what they hope will be a step toward performing surgery in space. The 3-hour procedure involves the removal of a fatty tumor from a volunteer's forearm and will be conducted aboard a modified Airbus designed to simulate weightlessness. It is part of a project backed by the European Space Agency that aims to develop Earth-guided surgical space robots.inexorable
DEFINITION: (adjective) Not capable of being persuaded by entreaty; relentless.
SYNONYMS: relentless, grim, unappeasable, unrelenting, unforgiving, stern.
USAGE: The inexorable investigator questioned the witness repeatedly, long after she had been reduced to tears and claimed to know nothing more.
Olivia Newton-John
This British-born Australian singer and actress achieved international fame when her song "If Not for You," written by Bob Dylan, was released in 1971. In 1974, she represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest and had a #1 hit single with "I Honestly Love You." In 1975, she moved to the US and broke into film, co-starring with John Travolta in Grease. The movie was the biggest box office hit of 1978 and remains a favorite. Who was Newton-John's Nobel Prize-winning grandfather?Sweden Adopts New Act of Succession
The Act of Succession is the part of the Swedish Constitution that regulates the rights of members of the House of Bernadotte to ascend to the Swedish throne. It was adopted in 1810 and is still enforced today. Among other things, the act specifies that the monarch and the royal family shall belong to the Church of Sweden and be raised within the realm. In 1980, what change was made to the rule of succession?Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a Canadian province situated in the Maritimes. It is the nation's smallest province in both size and population, but it has Canada's highest population density. With its fertile, distinctive red soil and its agreeable climate, the island has become known as the Garden of the Gulf. Tourism and fishing contribute to the island's economy, and there may be natural gas deposits beneath its eastern end. What Canadian author and PEI native set most of her novels there?September 25, 2006
Sneeze-Free Cats for Sale!
Biotech firm Allerca says it has successfully produced the world's first hypoallergenic cat, which can provide a pet option to the 30% of people who suffer from cat allergies. The company managed to selectively breed the special cats by reducing a certain type of protein that triggers allergic reactions. Despite the high cost of nearly $4,000 per cat, there is already a substantial waiting list for the pets, which will be available to customers in 2007.lumberjack
DEFINITION: (noun) A short, warm outer jacket.
SYNONYMS: lumber jacket.
USAGE: She insisted that he wear a formal coat to the concert, but he was most content in his old, worn lumberjack.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Although Shostakovich was the most popular Soviet composer of his generation, he was denounced several times by the authorities and had his work banned during his lifetime. He used traditional forms in his music, which is accessibly tonal, yet distinctly 20th century. His response to life in the USSR has been the subject of much political and musical controversy, though it is generally agreed that he was nationalistic. What was Stalin's opinion of Shostakovich's compositions?Vasco Núñez de Balboa Reaches Pacific Ocean
Balboa was a Spanish conquistador and founder of the Panamanian colony of Darién, the 1st permanent European settlement in the mainland of the Americas. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama in search of gold, reaching the Pacific Ocean after a 25-day expedition. Then, carrying both his sword and an image of the Virgin Mary, Balboa waded into the water and laid claim to the Pacific and all of its adjoining lands. What did he call the Pacific Ocean?- » About
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