This might sound like stretching it a bit, but nevertheless, here’s the newest addition to the list of series: 1000 Years Ago Today! To be published every now and then. Perhaps once a year. When you think about it, not much of essence differentiates us from the people who lived a thousand years ago. Their surroundings and circumstances sure were different, but when it comes to the basic human needs, desires, capabilities, ambitions etc, most of it is more or less the same for us and them. Continue reading

We all know that - instinctively or otherwise. That it is good for the mind, body and soul to connect with nature. For example by having a walk in the woods. No matter how urban or modern we are, we all benefit from spending time outdoors. And woods especially have that special pull that draws many of us into leaving everything for a while, and head to be embraced by the trees. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_4123” align=“alignleft” width=“319”]Gents Hobby Horse from 1818 in British Museum (uploaded by ObjectWiki user Ian.wilkes)[/caption] In the year 1817, James Monroe is sworn is as the 5th U.S. President (Mar 4), German inventor Karl Drais drives his dandy horse (without pedals), the forerunner of the bicycle (Jun 12), the future museum ship, the frigate HMS Trincomalee, is launched in Bombay (Oct 17), the independent government of Venezuela is established by Simón Bolívar (Oct 30), the first Seminole War begins in Florida (Nov 20), the first cholera pandemic originates in Bengal - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This is one in the series of articles titled First Names First and it is all for pure entertainment! We present a chronological list of persons with their first name here, and your task is to pick one. Then follow the Wikipedia link to read about that person, and to see what if anything he or she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_4175” align=“alignleft” width=“364”]After New York Herald breaks the news on gold in California in August 1848, adds such as this become a regular feature in newspapers[/caption] In the year 1848, the California Gold Rush begins (Jan 24), Mexico cedes most of what becomes the future Southwestern United States to the U.S. (Feb 2), Marx and Engels publish The Communist Manifesto in London (Feb 21), the Hungarian Revolution begins (Mar 15), the German Revolutions culminate in Berlin (Mar 18), the Swiss Federal Constitution enters into force, creating one of the first modern democratic states in Europe (Sep 12), representative democracy is proclaimed in the Netherlands (Nov 3), Franz Joseph becomes Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia, until 1916 (Nov 24), a wave of revolutions sweeps across Europe and elsewhere, the famine in Ireland continues, several universities are founded - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Survivor is one of the favorite shows of many of us, and definitely of this blogger. As you may know, there are several Survivor series around the world; this article deals solely with the American version. And this one has long been coming: a list of all the Survivor Winners. But since probably not all of you have seen all the seasons, it is time to give a definite S P O I L E R A L E R T ! Continue reading

Napoleon enters Berlin through the Brandenburger Tor in 1806 (by Charles Meynier) In the year 1806, the Kingdom of Bavaria is established by Napoleon (Jan 1), Lord Nelson is given a state funeral in London (Jan 9), British troops occupy the Cape of Good Hope (Jan 19), Andrew Jackson - the future president - kills a man in a duel (May 30), 16 German Imperial States leave the Holy Roman Empire, and form the Confederation of the Rhine (Jul 12), the last Holy Roman Emperor abdicates, thus ending the Holy Roman Empire after 844 years (Aug 6), Napoleon begins the War of the Fourth Coalition (Oct 8), French forces enter Berlin (Oct 24), and Warsaw (Nov 28), Noah Webster publishes his first American English dictionary - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Flag of Paris This time Streets & Squares goes to Paris, the capital of France. The city is filled with eponymous addresses, which here may entail streets, squares, parks, bridges etc. The article may expand later on. Those of you who have visited this lovely city, or read about it, probably know that it is divided into 20 areas or districts called arrondissements. The rule of thumb is that the lower the number, the more central the area is. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_4224” align=“alignleft” width=“357”]Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, New York[/caption] Catholic James Stuart becomes King James II of England and Ireland, and King James VII of Scotland (Feb 6), but his nephew James Scott wants the throne and starts the Monmouth Rebellion (Jun 11), James Scott is executed for treason (Jul 15), the first organised street lighting is introduced in London with oil lamps to be lit on moonless winter nights outside every tenth house (Sep), the Morean War between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire goes on, construction begins of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

So France won the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Congratulations France, and thanks FIFA for all that great football! And thank you, the players from all the 32 participating countries. Paris welcomes today the French players, but hats off for the Croatian team, and better luck next time! Meanwhile, Paris welcomes its heroes. It has been said countless of times how young the French national side is. Keeping up with the nature of this site, let’s see just how young: Continue reading

Let’s have yet another piece in the series Who Said That! Depicting what we people have uttered in a moment of elation, insight, inspiration, wisdom, despair - or any other emotion. Try to guess/remember first who said that, and if you don’t know, you’ll see who it was at the very end of this article. These pieces are there to lift your spirits, brighten your day, increase your tolerance of fellow human beings - or just give you a temporary relief from whatever you were doing a moment ago. Continue reading

In the year 1410, the first of the Yongle Emperor’s against the Mongols is launched (Mar 25), Polish and Lithunian forces defeat the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Tannenberg (Jul 15), construction of the church Heiliggeistkirche in Heidelberg begins in Germany, the Prague Astronomical Clock is built at the Old Town Hall, construction begins on Castle Woerden in the Netherlands - and all these fine people were born: 1410-0130 William Calthorpe* knight/High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk - England (1494/84) 1410-0801 Jan IV of Nassau* Count of Nassau, Dietz and Dillenburg - Dillenburg, Germany (1475/64) 1411-0921 Richard of York* claimant to the English throne - Kings Langley, Hertfordshire (1460/49) 1412-0106 Joan of Arc* “The Maid of Orleans” - Domrémy, Kingdom of France (1431/c. Continue reading

In the year 1400, Henry IV of England executes Earls of Kent, Huntingdon and Salisbury, and the Baron de Despencer for their attempt to have Richard II restored as king (Jan) who then soon dies in captivity (Feb 14), the English occupy Edinburgh, but fail to capture Edinburgh Castle (Aug), the Mississippian Culture starts to decline, the Kingdom of Kongo begins, remaining mostly independent for nearly 500 years - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3371” align=“alignleft” width=“213”]Seal of South Carolina[/caption] This is the second piece in our series Monthly Latin - one Latin phrase or quotation a month. Our fascination of this old language may very well keep it alive for centuries to come. The person who is behind the quotation will be revealed only at the end of the article, so remember to scroll down slowly.  Dum spiro, spero  And this translates While I breath, I hope. Continue reading

This is one in the series of articles titled First Names First and it is all for pure entertainment! We present a chronological list of persons with their first name here, and your task is to pick one. Then follow the Wikipedia link to read about that person, and to see what if anything he or she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Continue reading

the kid in Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid is the same guy who played Uncle Fester in the 1960s TV-series The Addams Family? The Californian actor Jackie Coogan (1914-1984). And that he was one of the first child stars in film history who upon reaching adulthood sued his parents (actually his mother and stepfather) over his squandered film earnings. That provoked the state of California to enact in 1939 the first known legal protection for the earnings of child performers, widely known as the Coogan Act - last revised in 2004. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3560” align=“alignleft” width=“280”]The Betsy Ross Flag from 1776[/caption] In the year 1776, Edward Gibbon publishes the first volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire(Feb 17), Illuminati is founded in Ingolstadt, Bavaria (May 1), Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to the British rule (May 4), the Continental Congress ratifies the declaration by the United States of its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (Jul 4), American troops destroy pro-Britain Cherokee towns (Sep 1), the Continental Congress officially names its union of states the United States (Sep 9), the Continental Army defeats the British on Manhattan (Sep 16), the Bolshoi Theater in Russia hosts its first annual opera season (Sep 24), the American Revolution goes on – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 2003, Belgium becomes the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage (Jan 30), all seven astronauts are killed aboard the space shuttle Columbia at reentry to over Texas (Feb 1), the Iraq War begins (Mar 20), The Human Genome Project is completed, with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy (Apr 14), Mars makes its closest approach to Earth in over 60,000 years (Aug 27), China launches its first manned spaceflight (Oct 15), Saddam Hussein is captured in Iraq (Dec 13), several European countries approve joining the EU - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Let’s have another piece in the series Who Said That! Depicting what we people have uttered in a moment of elation, insight, inspiration, wisdom, despair - or any other emotion. The headline suggests anger, and is really a joke here, anger being such a poor indicator. It is instead those other emotions we are looking for. Try to guess/remember first who said that, and if you don’t know, you’ll see who it was at the very end of the article. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3116” align=“alignnone” width=“3162”]Aerial view of the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida[/caption] In the year 1672, the Kingdom of England declares war on the Dutch Republic (Mar 17), France invades the Dutch Republic (Apr 29), Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis are slaughtered by a mob in The Hague, Holland, accused of being responsible for major Dutch defeats of late (Aug 20), Spain begins the construction on the fort of Castillo de San Marcos in order to protect St. Continue reading