Long time no see, but here is another one in our series Who Said That! Try to guess or remember first who said that, and if you don’t know, you’ll see who it was at the very end of the article. Remember to s c r o l l down very slowly so you won’t reveal who said that ahead of time! This quotation reminds us that we really do not need a whole lot to be happy. Continue reading

The Iron Bridge - the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron - opens in England (Jan 1), the planet Uranus is discovered (Mar 13), Spanish army puts down the Inca rebellions, and savagely executes Túpac Amaru II (May 18), Los Angeles is founded by a group of 44 Spanish settlers in California (Sep 4), the first bagpipes competition is held in Scotland (Oct 12), the American Revolution goes on - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Welcome back to Language Day! If you haven’t read the introduction yet, please do it here. This time we deal with the etymology of weekdays in a few languages. The first day of the week varies in different countries and cultures, but let’s take here Sunday as the first day for the sake of convenience. This may get a bit complicated and confusing, and if it does, just pick one or two languages, and go from there. Continue reading

Barack Obama and Raúl Castro at the press conference in Havana. White House photo by Chuck Kennedy Barack Obama visits Cuba, marking the first time a sitting US president has visited the island nation since Calvin Coolidge visit in 1928 (Mar 21), The Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel, is opened in Switzerland (Jun 1), the United Kingdom votes in a referendum to leave the European Union (Jun 23), Donald Trump is elected US president (Nov 8) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1797, John Hetherington causes a riot in London by wearing his newly invented top hat in public for the first time (Jan 15), Trinidad is invaded by the British (Feb 18), the last invasion of Great Britain begins (Feb 22), John Adams is sworn as the second U.S. president (Mar 4), Horatio Nelson is wounded at the Battle of Santa Cruz (de Tenerife) (Jul 24), Frederick William becomes King of Prussia (Nov 16) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Another one in the series First Names First! Pick one name, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them! Jessica Tandy* actress – London, England (1909) Jessica Lange* actress – Cloquet, MN USA (1949) Continue reading

This time in Streets and Squares we go to Oslo, the capital of Norway. Founded in the year 1040 as Ánslo, and called Christiania between 1624 and 1925. As always, clicking at the address will lead you to Google Maps, and clicking at the name to the person’s Wikipedia page. BISKOP GUNNERUS GATE - Johan Ernst Gunnerus (1718-1773) bishop/ botanist - Christiania, Norway DRONNING EUFEMIAS GATE - Euphemia of Rügen* (c. Continue reading

In the year 1691, a new governor arrives from England in New York (Mar 20), the Spanish Inquisition forcibly baptizes 219 Xuetas in Palma, Majorca, and burn alive at the stake the ones who try to escape (May 6), in New York, Jacob Leisler is hanged for treason by the English (May 16), Rolle’s Theorem is invented, the textile factory Barnängens Manufaktur is established in Stockholm, Sweden - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1653, New Amsterdam - later renamed New York City - is incorporated (Feb 2), The Morning Star Rebellion breaks out in Sweden, against Queen Christina, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, the construction of which began in 1630, is completed at Agra, India - and all these fine people were born: 1653-xxxx Kaappo Matinpoika Saukko* (b Laurila) father of Elias Kaaponpoika Saukko - Laurila farm, Haapakoski, Lapua, Sweden-Finland (c. 1720/58-75) Continue reading

Another one in the series First Names First! Pick one name, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything he could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them! 1971-1225 Justin Trudeau* politician – Ottawa, Ontario CAN 1981-0131 Justin Timberlake* singer/actor/dancer - Memphis, TN USA Continue reading

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Angelica keiskei aka 明日葉 ashitaba or “tomorrow’s leaf” there is a plant called Ashitaba that might help you stay healthier and age slower? Mother Nature Network recently published an article about this miracle plant. It is well worth your time to read both the article and the Wikipedia page, and perhaps try planting it yourself in your backyard or balcony. One fantastic thing about Ashitaba (which translates “tomorrow’s leaf”) is that it does so well in cold as well, is quick to recover and, like MNN writes, “a leaf cut off in the morning will start growing back the next day. Continue reading

Peter Franzén Admittedly, I’m partial. Born and bred in Helsinki, my first list of actors and actresses are those born in Finland or are active in the Finnish film industry. Later on there will be others. The names below may be unknown to most of you, except perhaps a few at the end of the list. But like said, there will be others. The American actors, born in the U.S. or elsewhere, will be divided into neat, decade-long packages. Continue reading

Some eighty years ago, on the 30th of July in 1939, a young aspiring actress by the name of Sirkka Sari decides to go on the rooftop of the hotel that she’s staying at with the rest of the film crew. They have just finished filming Rich Girl where she played the leading role, and now a bit of a celebration is in order. Having seen the tall tower on top of the hotel, Sirkka decides to go and get a better look at the surrounding areas. Continue reading

In the year 1758, Carl Linnaeus introduces the term Homo Sapiens (Jan 1), one-piece pencil with eraser is patented (Mar 30), Halley’s Comet appears for the first time after Halley’s identification of it (Dec 25), the French build the first European settlement at the mouth of Buffalo Creek in New York, the Seven Year’s War goes on - and all these fine people were born: 1758-0106 Charles Ganilh* economist/politician - Allanche, Kingdom of France (1836/78) 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 she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Continue reading

In the year 2015, WHO declares that rubella has been eradicated from the Americas (Apr 29), Cuba and the United States reestablish full diplomatic relations, thus ending a 54-year stretch of hostility between the nations (Jul 20), Queen Elizabeth becomes the longest-serving head of state of any nation in modern history (Sep 11), NASA announces that liquid water has been found on Mars (Sep 24), UN’s Climate Change Conference commits for the first time all countries to reduce their carbon emissions (Dec 12) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This is the 16th article in the series Streets & Squares, and this time let’s make a digital trip to Honolulu, the capital of the State of Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Please do read the article Born in Hawaii previously published here in Journeys of Life. Many of the eponymous streets in Honolulu tell about the history of the native Hawaiians. Honolulu has been part of Kingdom of Hawai’i (1795-1893), the Territory of Hawaii of the United States (1898-1959), and since 1959, State of Hawaii. Continue reading

George II during the Battle of Dettingen In the year 1743, long-time governor of French Louisiana in New France is replaced by the Canadian-born Pierre de Rigaud (May 10), George II of Great Britain becomes the last British king to lead his own troops, in the Battle of Dettingen in Bavaria (Jun 27), France and the Allies of Britain conclude a treaty to provide care for each other’s wounded (Jul 28), Sweden and Russia sign the Treaty of Turku, Russia thereby acquiring parts of Eastern Finland (Aug 7), the last wolf in Scotland is shot - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading