European vs North American Sports

European vs North American Sports

Transcript North America and Europe have much which separates them culturally as well as geographically. One of the biggest differences is in the area of sports. Not just which sports we play, but in how sports are organized. Many people on either side of the Atlantic have no clue how sports are organized on the …

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Cursus Honorum

Cursus Honorum

Transcript In the Roman Republic, men of senatorial rank could compete for political offices which were placed in a set order and had to be earned sequentially.   This hierarchy was known as the Cursus Honorum.  The Cursus Honorum was the basis of political and social life in ancient Rome, and the fortunes of entire families …

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Why Doesn’t the US Use The Metric System?

Why Doesn't the US Use Metric System?

Transcript Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, exactly three haven’t adopted the widespread use of the metric system: Myanmar, Liberia, and the United States of America. Of those three, the US is the country that really stands out. It has the biggest economy in the world, does an incredible amount of international trade, …

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Happy Birthday To You: The Most Famous Song in the World

Happy Birthday To You: The Most Famous Song in the World

Transcript If there is one song almost everyone knows it is Happy Birthday to You (yes, that is the actual title of the song, even though everyone just calls it Happy Birthday). Not only has the song been sung at countless children’s birthday parties, but it has also been mentioned in Supreme Court decisions and …

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Potpourri Volume II: The Frozen Four

Potpourri Volume II: The Frozen Four

Transcript Once again it is time to investigate the stories which are interesting, but not big enough to justify their own show. It is time for another potpourri episode.  This time the common theme is cold, ice, and frozen temperatures. These stories may seem unbelievable but are true. As true as the Stark Family motto …

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Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Transcript In 2002 the BBC did a poll where they named the top 100 Britons in history. It had many people you have probably heard of, including Isaac Newton, Princess Diana, John Lenon, and Queen Victoria. The person who was ranked #2, however, is someone that many people outside of the UK might not have …

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The Secret of Greek Fire

The Secret of Greek Fire

Transcript There are many things which have been called ancient mysteries. These are products or techniques which were used in the past which have since been forgotten or lost. Most of these things have been rediscovered, and usually in a way that was better than what originally came before it. There is one thing which …

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The US Territories

The US Territories

Transcript If you ask most Americans what makes up the United States, they would tell you the 50 states plus the District of Columbia.  They would be right. Mostly.  Ever since the founding of the country, the United States has also had territories. Territories have often been training wheels for regions before they became full-blown …

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Robert Smalls: Man of Action

Robert Smalls: Man of Action

Transcript Robert Smalls was born a slave in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina. From that humble beginning, he went on to become a war hero, a ship captain, a presidential advisor, and a member of the US House of Representatives. However, he is best known for one of the most daring exploits of the entire …

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