It’s what we all learned in school: history is divided into two periods, BC and AD. BC stood for Before Christ and AD stood for… well, we were never really sure, but we knew it sort of meant "after Christ" (it actually stands for Anno Domini, Latin for "the year of our Lord.") But now it looks like that might all be changing. In an attempt to be more sensitive to non-Christians, academics have begun using the abbreviations CE and BCE, for … [Read more...]
How Meteorologists Predict the Weather?
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Regardless of the location meteorologists are predicting the weather for, they need to know what is happening in other parts of the world in order to make accurate forecasts. For example, it is helpful in predicting weather in California to know current weather conditions across the Pacific in, perhaps, North and South Korea. And to forecast the weather three days ahead, meteorologists need to know the weather in Antarctica, the nations south of the Equator and other … [Read more...]
Origins and Customs of Mardi Gras
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Mardi Gras, also called Fat Tuesday, is probably the premiere festival found in America. People from all over the country and all over the world attend this Catholic-based celebration. Although it was established in the 1800s, the history and customs of Mardi Gras go back much further. Today, Mardi Gras continues to evolve as a religious, cultural and economic event that draws thousands of people to New Orleans to see the exciting sights and sounds that make this … [Read more...]
Pride: Gay History and Symbols
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Every year the gay community and their supporters celebrate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the gay rights movement. The community gathers to celebrate the most recent accomplishments and to take a moment to pause and recall those who called themselves gay and worked towards equality against often cruel repression and persecution. It was the altruistic acts and sacrifices of generations of gay individuals that blazed a trail allowing other … [Read more...]
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