Wikipedia Trail: From Majel Barrett To Abdominal Mass

1. Mjel Barrett:
Majel was an American actress and producer who graduated from the University of Miami. She is well known for her role in the Star Trek Series which is a science fiction genre. She died in 2008 due to leukemia. I have never seen Star Trek, but I have heard of it numerous times. I wonder if it is any good? Only one way to find out, I guess!

2. Leukemia:
Leukemia is a type of bone marrow cancer and is caused due to a lack of normal blood cells. There are four main types of leukemia and the names are so difficult to pronounce, that I would like to spend more time reading into it. Having an enlarged spleen is one of the most common tell-tale signs of a child having leukemia.

3. Enlarged Spleen:
The enlargement of a spleen is called "splenomegaly" and it is one of the four signs of hypersplenism. Symptoms include abdominal pain, chest pain, etc. My wikipedia trail is really taking a wide turn. It started out with something interesting and light-hearten and now is turning into something medically and gross.

4. Abdominal Mass:
It is a swelling in the human abdomen and may be caused by having an enlarged liver or kidney. It can be discovered by having a routine checkup and is mostly associated with digestive problems or severe pain. It can be diagnosed by different measures. Wikipedia listed 21 different / more causes of an abdominal mass - too many to list.

Photo Of Majel Barrett. Source: Wikipedia

Wkipedia Trail: From Little John To Swaraj

1. Little John
His name is originally John Little, but he changed it around. John is the outlaw in Robin Hood and he is buried in a churchyard in the village of Hathersage. The word "Little John" is used to denote kindness and compassion. John was actually an enormous guy.

2. Sobriquet
This refers to a nickname given to John Little and can be used instead of his name, without giving an explanation. It is like everyone knows who you are referring to when stating "sobriquet". the word is also related to sports, politics and music.

3. Mahatma Gandhi
This is the sobriquet name given to Mohandas Gandhi. He was the leader of the Indian Independence movement the the British-ruled India. Different parts of the world refer to him differently and is sometimes known as "father of the nation". Wikipedia gives so much information about him, that I want to go back and really pay attention and focus on more detail when reading this. Gandhi really wanted to achieve "swaraj"

4.  Swaraj
Hindi word that refers to self-rule. It can refer to other things as well, but mostly refers to the concept of Indian Independence. This is definitely something that I would like to study more and found it super interesting.

Picture of Gandhi. Source: Wikipedia

Wikipedia Trail: From Coinage Of India To Wampum

1. Coinage Of India:
The origin of Indian coinage is still in question, but copper and silver coins which was issued by imperial dynasties and middle kingdoms began 6th century BCE to 1st millennium BCE.
Punch-marked coins are a type of coinage that was used.Cowry shells was first used.

2.  Cowry Shells:
Cowries are sea snails that vary in size and looks like the shape of an egg. They ere used as a form of currency many years ag and in today's era, they are being used for jewelry purposes. The shells are smooth and shiny. Its etymology comes from Hindi and Sanskrit. "The term "porcelain" derives from the old old term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar translucent appearance"

3. Shell Money
Shells were used as an exchange medium and were also used to make beads. It was mostly used in Africa, Australia, America and Asia. It was shipped around the world during the slave trade era and was congo's currency which was known as nzimbu

4. Wampum
It is the traditional beads of the indigenous group in the woodlands. The shells can be used to invite a person to a meeting, showing title, and to show that a speaker holding it is truthful. "Wampum" is a shorter version of the word "wampumpeag" -  derived from the Massachusett or Narragansett word which means "white strings". It was often used as a form of currency or transcription.

Bracelet made from wampum. Source: Wikimedia