Banned Books In The USA: Top Books Banned By Genre + Why They Are Censored

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,


As soon as a book becomes banned, people all over the world want to get their hands on a copy to find out what the latest "controversial" novel has to say.

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Your Guide to Christmas Traditions Around The World [Infographic]

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,


Did you know that the first Christmas card was sent in the UK in 1843? That the most important holiday decoration in Peru is a nativity scene? Or, that candy canes were originally all white?

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Why Do People In North America Wear Poppies in November?

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


November 11, known as Remembrance Day in Canada and the other Commonwealth Nations of the world, is a day that has been observed since the end of World War I to remember the men and women who died in the line of duty. (Many non-Commonwealth Nations, like the United States, also treat this day as one of remembrance, as November 11, 1918, was the day when hostilities officially ended in WWI.)

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The Hangul Revolution: How The Creation of A Written Language Changed South Korea Forever

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,


Poo-doon-mao oh don gee yo was my (phonetic) address when I lived in South Korea, and one of the first things that I learned to say (once it had been written out for me of course) in Korean. I was told that it meant something like, “the brownish-orange buildings with numbers in the 500s on them.” All I knew for sure was that when I got in a cab and said it to the driver, I would end up in the right spot.

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Why are Chinese Gangs Called Triads?

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


If you read the news or watch any sort of crime drama, you are sure to have heard the term 'triad' at some point.

It refers to one of the many branches of the Chinese organized crime organization that stretches all over the world. It's a term akin to 'mob', 'gang' or 'mafia'.

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Macarons! The History of These Beautiful French Treats

by Lindsay Shapka in , , , ,


The first time that I ever saw a macaron was 14 years ago in Paris and I wasn't really sure what I was looking at.

Why?

Well, these tasty treats (which hadn't made it into the cafes and bakeries at home yet) are very brightly colored, often neon green, pink, yellow, and even blue.

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6 Things To Know About Nelson Mandela

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


In 2013, the world lost an incredible man who united a nation and created groundbreaking change in his country.

It would take years to write about everything that this man did in his life, but here are six things that are interesting to know — and important to never forget — about Nelson Mandela.

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