October 29, 2006
oratorio
DEFINITION: (noun) A musical composition for voices and orchestra, telling a sacred story without costumes, scenery, or dramatic action.
SYNONYMS: cantata.
USAGE: Because he was used to the drama, costumes, and scenery of Italian opera, he found the oratorio to be dry and austere.
Joseph Goebbels
Goebbels was the infamous Minister of Propaganda during the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. He was responsible for using mass communication to indoctrinate the German people into a culture of Nazism, racism, and militarism. "The Goebbels technique" is the name given to his policy of repeating a lie until it is taken to be the truth. After Germany's defeat, Goebbels killed himself and his family. What was the name of the novel he tried to publish as a journalist?Suez Canal Crisis Begins
After Great Britain and the US withdrew their pledges of financial support to help Egypt build the Aswan High Dam, Egyptian President Gamal Abdal Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. The move angered both Britain and France, countries that had direct financial stakes in the canal. A joint invasion of Egypt ensued, but the US forced a settlement stipulating the withdrawal of foreign troops in exchange for an open canal. What was "Operation Musketeer" and why was it not entirely successful?Virginia Woolf
You send a boy to school in order to make friends--the right sort.Fertility Experts Call for Embryo Transfer Limits
Medical groups representing US fertility experts advised limiting the number of embryos implanted in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization. More than 1/3 of pregnancies conceived using assisted reproductive therapies result in a multiple birth, which has helped to drive up the rate of US babies born prematurely each year to 12.5%, according to the March of Dimes.Bushido
Bushido, which means "way of the warrior," is a code of honor and conduct of the Japanese nobility. Of ancient origin, the code emphasized loyalty to one's superiors, personal honor, austerity, self-sacrifice, and indifference to pain. The code was first formulated in the Kamakura period, but the term itself did not come into use until the 17th century. It became the standard of conduct for the daimyo and samurai. What is "seppuku?"October 28, 2006
airfoil
DEFINITION: (noun) A part or surface, such as a wing, propeller blade, or rudder, whose shape and orientation control stability, direction, lift, thrust, or propulsion.
SYNONYMS: control surface, surface, aerofoil.
USAGE: The pilot knew they were in trouble when he noticed that the damaged airfoil was failing to produce lift.
Bernie Ecclestone
Ecclestone is the president and CEO of Formula One (F1) Management and F1 Administration. Originally a racer, he gave up the sport after an accident in 1951, later returning as a manager and, eventually, a team owner. In the 1970s, he negotiated broadcasting rights with major TV networks that helped market the sport worldwide. In 2004, his home became the most expensive house ever sold when a steel magnate bought it for how many millions of dollars?Czechoslovakia Gains Independence
The creation of Czechoslovakia was the culmination of the long struggle of the Czechs against their Austrian rulers. Benefiting from a liberal, democratic constitution, the new republic appeared to have a bright future. Yet the new state was far from being a stable unit. With its antagonistic and nationalistic ethnic elements, it reflected the inherent weakness of the Hapsburg empire. How did the nationality problem lead to a European crisis on the eve of WWII?Ancient Footprints Found in Mexico Desert
A trail of 13 fossilized footprints was found running through a valley in a Mexico desert. The footprints, which were embedded in a white rock called travertine, were made by hunter gatherers in the Coahuila valley of Cuatro Cienegas. They are believed to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old. The oldest discovered footprints in the Western hemisphere are in Chile, and are believed to be 13,000 years old.- » About
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