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An ancient torture device, the rack was used to stretch its victims' joints to the breaking point. A prisoner's hands and feet would be fastened to rollers located at either end of the device's rectangular frame, and during interrogations, a ratchet would gradually increase the tension on the chains. The excruciating torture inspired such terrible fear that some prisoners would confess after merely watching someone else being stretched on the rack. Who were some of the device's famous victims? Discuss

Initially introduced as a joke in Finland, wife carrying has become a competitive sport in which male participants race through an obstacle course while carrying a female teammate. Carrying styles include piggyback, fireman's carry, and Estonian-style, in which the female participant hangs upside-down with her legs around the man's shoulders and her arms around his waist. Major wife carrying competitions are held throughout the US as well as in Sonkajärvi, Finland, where the winner gets what?

Once the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world, the Buddhas of Bamyan were two monumental statues carved into the side of a cliff in Afghanistan's Bamyan Valley. Built during the 6th century, the statues were destroyed in 2001 by the Islamist Taliban government, which decreed that the figures were idolatrous and bombarded them with dynamite and tank barrages for nearly a month. The Afghan government has since proposed that the statues be recreated using what technologies?

As First Lady of the Philippines from 1966 to 1986, Marcos took a leading role in cultural and social welfare projects. She was elected to the Philippines House of Representatives in 1995, in between two unsuccessful bids for the presidency. Her personal excesses, however, made her a controversial figure, and she has since faced a number of charges in anti-corruption court. Notorious for her shoe collection, Marcos reportedly once owned how many pairs? Discuss

From the time she became engaged to Prince Charles in 1981 until her death in a car accident in 1997, Diana was arguably the most famous woman in the world. Active in many charities and causes, she campaigned against the use of landmines and called attention to the plight of AIDS victims at a time when the disease was largely misunderstood. Her outspokenness endeared her to many and stood in contrast to the traditional image of the royal family. Where did Diana work before she married Charles?

Barras was a Provençal nobleman who became disenchanted with the royal regime and welcomed the French Revolution. Elected to the National Convention, he played a key role in the overthrow of Maximilien Robespierre and emerged as the commander of the army of the interior and the police. In 1795, he suppressed a royalist uprising by turning the troops over to a young officer in whose marriage he later played a role. Who was this officer?

In 1839, 53 African slaves being transported on the Spanish merchant ship La Amistad revolted against their captors. Though their transport to the US was illegal, when they arrived in New York they were declared salvage by the US Navy and were taken to be sold as slaves. The widely publicized court cases that ensued helped propel the abolitionist movement. In 1842, the Africans finally returned home after the Supreme Court ruled they were not legally slaves. What does "amistad" mean? Discuss

The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle fought during the American Civil War, resulting in some 50,000 casualties in three days. It took place in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and signaled a turning of the tide in favor of the Union. The site is now a national cemetery, at whose dedication on November 19, 1863, President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Seamstress Ginnie Wade was the only documented civilian casualty of the battle. How did she die?

Gone with the Wind, a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novel by Margaret Mitchell, tells the story of a rebellious Georgia woman named Scarlett O'Hara. It presents a detailed view of her complex relationships with family and friends and her struggle to survive in the American South before, during, and after the Civil War. Many regard the book as having a strong ideological commitment to the cause of the Confederacy. Why was Mitchell's book the subject of a 2001 court case?

DEFINITION: (adjective) Delicately beautiful or charming. SYNONYMS: exquisite. USAGE: Dainty sandals encased her feet, while a wimple of violet silk bordered in gold fringe, lay becomingly over her head and shoulders. Discuss

DEFINITION: (noun) An aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect. SYNONYMS: dig, gibe, jibe, shaft, shot, slam. USAGE: The cruel barbs of her classmates drove her to tears.

DEFINITION: (noun) A representative or example of a class or type. SYNONYMS: image, paradigm, prototype. USAGE: Fritz, or Frederick Hartmann, was an epitome of all the vices and virtues, foibles and excellences, of his race.

List Price: $11.98Price: $7.97You Save: $4.01 (33%)14 used & new from $7.31Given the pace of Michael Jackson's post-Thriller release schedule, it's striking that Off the Wall appeared between two albums with his brothers, Destiny (1978) and Triumph (1980), on which the twentysomething phenomenon was also fully engaged. Aided by richly detailed but not overdone production, Off the Wall redefined how much Michael might do. Tracks like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," the title cut (all Top 10 singles), and "Burn this Dis(read more)

List Price: $19.98Price: $13.99You Save: $5.99 (30%)21 used & new from $13.73Should several of the tracks on the 25th anniversary edition of ... (read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $10.97You Save: $4.01 (27%)9 used & new from $10.97This compilation features 10 of Michael Jackson's greatest video hits, including "Billie Jean," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Black or White," "Rock With You" and others. 90 minutes. (read more)

List Price: $11.98Price: $7.97You Save: $4.01 (33%)10 used & new from $6.98"We wanted a tough album," producer Quincy Jones recalls in a bonus interview on this special edition of Bad. Though the 1987 blockbuster would appear to be Michael Jackson's most personal statement to date--9 of its 11 cuts were written solely by him--its appeal also rested more on craft than the idiosyncratic art of Thriller and Off the Wall. At the same time, most of Bad has aged well in spite of its digital brittleness and MIDI treatments of gems like Jimmy(read more)

List Price: $16.97Price: $8.49You Save: $8.48 (50%)34 used & new from $8.48Like the Beatles and Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson is one of the handful of artists that can release an album of their number one singles. ... (read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $10.49You Save: $4.49 (30%)12 used & new from $9.78Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 05/01/2001 Run time: 106 minutes(read more)

List Price: $59.98Price: $34.97You Save: $25.01 (42%)5 used & new from $34.97Japanese pressing of 2004 compilation includes four bonus tracks, 'Blame It On The Boogie', 'Human Nature', 'The World', & 'One More Chance'. This five disc set is limited to 20,000 pieces & includes a DVD (NTSC/Region 2). CBS. 2004.(read more)

List Price: $11.98Price: $7.97You Save: $4.01 (33%)12 used & new from $7.97Michael Jackson was still going for pop hits with 1991's ... (read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $9.97You Save: $5.01 (33%)7 used & new from $9.97Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 07/26/2005(read more)

List Price: $24.98Price: $14.97You Save: $10.01 (40%)8 used & new from $14.97The 2CD The Essential Michael Jackson takes you on a journey from budding star, to iconic legend and allows you to immerse yourself in the musical and emotional development of each track defining the story of a global superstar. Michael Jackson needs no introduction, as part of the Jackson 5 he helped make up a remarkable musical family and one of the biggest pop phenomenons of the early 70s. The Jacksons' infectious brand of funky soul and now iconic stage presence reached out glob(read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $10.97You Save: $4.01 (27%)9 used & new from $10.97This compilation features 10 of Michael Jackson's greatest video hits, including "Billie Jean," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Black or White," "Rock With You" and others. 90 minutes. (read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $10.49You Save: $4.49 (30%)12 used & new from $9.78Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 05/01/2001 Run time: 106 minutes(read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $9.97You Save: $5.01 (33%)7 used & new from $9.97Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 07/26/2005(read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $12.99You Save: $1.99 (13%)7 used & new from $12.98Songs: Black or White, Heal The World (Super Bowl version), Remeber the Time, Will You Be There, In the Closet, Gone Too Soon, Jam, Heal the World, Give In to Me, Who Is It, Dangerous. 112 minutes. (read more)

List Price: $39.98Price: $17.49You Save: $22.49 (56%)20 used & new from $17.49Entourage's fifth season leaves our movie star in a pickle: his big Oscar shot, Medellin, is a dismal failure, and Vincent (Adrian Grenier) has burrowed away to Mexico to drown his sorrows in booze and women. How does a once-promising actor get his confidence, legitimacy, and bankability back? That's the key premise this time around, and like some of its previous seasons, is always more interesting when Vince is struggling than when he's on top. Once his crew--manager Eric (Kevin C(read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $8.99You Save: $5.99 (40%)24 used & new from $8.99Movie DVD(read more)

List Price: $99.98Price: $19.99You Save: $79.99 (80%)43 used & new from $19.98As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet (read more)

List Price: $14.98Price: $7.99You Save: $6.99 (47%)45 used & new from $7.24Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 03/18/2008 Run time: 60 minutes Rating: Nr(read more)

List Price: $49.98Price: $30.49You Save: $19.49 (39%)19 used & new from $28.48Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season(read more)

List Price: $59.99Price: $30.99You Save: $29.00 (48%)46 used & new from $30.99Alan Ball?s True Blood series works well for television, as it has enough sensationalism to tantalize and enough story girth to make the viewer care about the characters. That one can finally invest emotion into monsters, including an undead Civil War victim, a transformer who can shapeshift into various animals, and a female mind reader, speaks volumes about America?s willingness to accept fantasy. Of course, television has always produced good fantasy shows (I Dream of Jeannie

List Price: $11.99Price: $6.59You Save: $5.40 (45%)17 used & new from $6.18"If you believe it's time to put principles above parties, character above campaign promises, and Common Sense above all -- then I ask you to read this book...."In any era, great Americans inspire us to reach our full potential. They know with conviction what they believe within themselves. They understand that all actions have consequences. And they find commonsense solutions to the nation's problems.One such American, Thomas Paine, was an ordinary man who changed the course(read more)

List Price: $11.99Price: $6.59You Save: $5.40 (45%)1 used & new from $6.59#1 New York Times bestselling author and popular radio and television host Glenn Beck revisits Thomas Paine's Common Sense.(read more)

List Price: $14.00Price: $0.00You Save: $14.00 (100%)1 used & new from $0.00By the New York Times bestselling author of High Crimes, Paranoia is a Grisham-esque thriller set in a post-boom 21st century economy. With his personal life in decay, a late twenty-something gets caught in one stupid act that spirals out of control, threatening to ruin the lives of thousands. Adam Cassidy is twenty-six and a low level employee at a high-tech corporation who hates his job. When he manipulates the system to do something nice for a friend, he finds himself(read more)

List Price: $0.00Price: $0.001 used & new from $0.00This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.(read more)

List Price: $7.99Price: $0.00You Save: $7.99 (100%)1 used & new from $0.00MacKayla Lane?s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she?s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks?until something extraordinary happens.... (read more)

List Price: $4.50Price: $0.00You Save: $4.50 (100%)1 used & new from $0.00Just one spell. Problem solved. How hard can it be? A Rhiannon Godfrey story. Rhiannon Godfrey is a psychic prodigy, but her parents don-t see things her way. They think she needs a -normal- high school experience-she wants to stay in trendy Vegas. In the small farming town of Crystal Lake, being Wiccan doesn-t exactly help the Godfreys blend in. Beyond angry, Rhiannon neglects to inform her parents the farmhouse they just bought is haunted. Instead, she decides (read more)

List Price: $25.00Price: $13.75You Save: $11.25 (45%)69 used & new from $13.17Conservative talk radio's fastest-growing superstar is also a ... (read more)

List Price: $0.00Price: $0.001 used & new from $0.00This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.(read more)

List Price: $5.95Price: $0.00You Save: $5.95 (100%)1 used & new from $0.00In the first of a dazzling series, Mary Jo Putney introduces the Lost Lords-maverick childhood friends with a flair for defying convention. Each is about to discover the woman who is his perfect match-but perfection doesn't come easily, even for the noble Duke of Ashton. . .... (read more)