Acropolis

New Acropolis Museum designed by architect Bernard Tschumi

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acronyms

ALS = Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis known as Lou Gehrig's Disease

Progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord

Amyotrophic comes from the Greek language.
"A" means no or negative.
"Myo" refers to muscle.
"Trophic" means nourishment.
No muscle nourishment.

source ALS Association

anaerobes

Germs that live without oxygen

First women

In June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first woman to fly in space when she orbited Earth 48 times in the spacecraft Vostok 6. A crater on the Moon is named in her honor.

First American woman in space = Sally Ride, 1983

First American woman to earn a medical degree = Elizabeth Blackwell, 1849

First woman to practice law before U.S. Supreme Court = Belva Ann Lockwood, 1879

First woman named U.S. four-star general = Ann Dunwoody, 2008

First woman to run for U.S. president = Vicotria Woodhull, 1872

First African-American woman elected to Congress = Shirley Chisholm

First African-American woman to run for U. S. president = Shirley Chisholm

see: infoplease.com/spot/womensfirsts

Juneteenth

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the announcement in Texas in 1865 if the abolition of slavery, two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Trivia

What is a doula?
The word doula is derived from ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves." The term refers to a trained and experienced professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to a mother during and just after childbirth.
http://www.dona.org/

At what age did Beethoven become deaf?
Ludwig van Beethoven notified friends of his growing deafness in a letter dated 1801, making him about 31. His deafness increased until, in 1818, he started his "conversation books." which he used for communication with friends.
http://www.lvbeethoven.com/

Why do so many racetracks have "Downs" in the name?
Downs indicates "the treeless, undulation chalk uplands of the south and southeast of England, serving chiefly for pasturage." The names of tracks are apparently influenced by such terrain.
(Oxford English Dictionary)

Where did the names of the scale originate?
"Do re mi fa sol la ti" correspond to the seven notes of the Western diatonic scale. Despite changes through time, the English syllables are traced to about 1000 - when they were developed by monk Guido d'Arrezzo.
(World Book Encyclopedia)

What does the phrase "a cappella" mean?
The style of singing without instrumental accompaniment comes form Italian, meaning "in chapel style."
(Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary) see November 16, 2008 post

source the Columbus Dispatch June 6, 2009

Easter Island

Polynesian island in the relative far east of the Pacific Ocean. 2,360 miles from South America

residents are citizens of Chile

Rapa Nui = name of island

Rapanui = people

Isla de Pascua = Spanish name of the island

Moai = carved figures mad between A.D. 1000 and 1600, busts average 13 feet tall known to islanders as the "living faces"

source The Wall Street Journal May 16-17, 2009 & Wikipedia

Trivia

1. MEDICINE: Which vitamin is essential in blood clotting?
2. U. S. STATES: Which U. S. state has a license plate that proclaims, "Land of Lincoln"?
3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which one of the seven dwarfs in the film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" did not have a beard?
4. LITERATURE: who wrote the novel "Interview With the Vampire'?
5. LANGUAGE: What were known as "liberty steaks"during World War I in America?
6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many arms does a squid have?
7. HISTORY: Who tried to assassinate George Wallace while he was campaigning for president in 1972?
8. GAMES: What is also known as skeet?
9. MOVIES: How many roles did Peter Sellers play in the movie "Dr. Strangelove"?
10. MEASUREMENTS: How may tablespoons are in one-fourth cup?

1. Vitamin K 2. Illinois 3. Dopey 4. Anne Rice 5. Hamburgers 6. 10 7. Arthur Bremer
8. Trapshooting 9. Three 10. Four

source Kinf Features Synd., Inc. 2009 (Fifi Rodriguez)

Benjamin Netanyahu

Current Israeli prime minister (since March 2009). He also held the position 1996-99 and is the first (and to date only) Israeli prime minister born after the State of Israel's foundation. Netanyahu is chairman of the Likud party. Known as Bibi.

source Time magazine May 18, 2009