Some people are afraid of snakes, others are afraid of clowns. But people suffering from christougenniatikophobia are afraid of Christmas. A specific type of heortophobia (fear of holidays), the word stems from Greek, meaning “Christ-birth-related-fear.” It is often rooted in childhood trauma, financial stress, or negative associations with traditions like Santa or family gatherings, causing… Continue Reading What is Christougenniatikophobia?
While in Paris in 1891, Tchaikovsky discovered a newly invented instrument, the celesta. He had it shipped to Russia and used it in The Nutcracker Ballet’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It has been used in recordings by artists from Fats Waller and the Beatles to Pink Floyd and Fiona Apple. And it is… Continue Reading What does a sugar plum fairy sound like?
Chilly air means sniffly noses. When we breathe in, our noses warm the air and add moisture to it as it travels down into our lungs. Cold, dry air irritates your nasal lining, and as a result, your nasal glands produce excess mucus to keep the lining moist. That can cause those drops that drip… Continue Reading Why does your nose run when it’s cold?
In 1972, the first American commercial product sold in the Soviet Union was Pepsi. Because the ruble was essentially worthless, Russia paid for Pepsi with Stolichnaya vodka. In 1989, there was a sanction against Russian products, so they paid for the soft drink with part of their naval fleet, including 17 decommissioned submarines, a cruiser,… Continue Reading Which soft drink company was once a naval power?
Hope is an action, not just a feeling, and it can be found in recognizing our suffering, relying on a community of others, and even looking beyond ourselves for a higher power. Hear now the Bengsons as they sing Hope Comes.
The December Share the Plate recipient is the Making a Change Group. They support individuals and families in the city of Chester, Pennsylvania, and surrounding municipalities striving to achieve positive change for themselves, their families, and their communities. Their programs include violence intervention and prevention, youth mentoring, and multi-level support for families as they work… Continue Reading Making a Change Group
When the curtain rose on Act 2 of a premiere of The Daughter of the Regiment by Donizetti in 2016, a tiny woman was barely visible in a large dome chair with her back to the audience. Suddenly, she swiveled around, and there was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. When her character asked whether another woman… Continue Reading In what opera did Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg make her debut?
In international law, condominium refers to territory that is governed by multiple sovereign powers who formally share duties without necessarily dividing the area into national zones. Pheasant Island (Konpantzia) is an uninhabited landmass on the Bidasoa River separating France and Spain. Stewardship of this 1.69-acre island alternates every six months: it falls under Spanish rule… Continue Reading What island is the world’s smallest “condominium?”
Having gained legions of fans through their television show, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the troupe ventured into film. Traditional financiers were wary, but Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and other artists, along with their record companies, provided much of the funding for the low-budget film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (How low budget?… Continue Reading What classic comedy film was funded by rock groups?
