As the Aussies say, I’m off like a prawn in the sun, and by the afternoon I’ll be in Halifax: my first visit to Nova Scotia. I’ll be busy talking, meeting with scientists at Dalhouse and local Centre for Inquiry members, and eating lobster, but will try to post as often as I can. In the meantime, let’s look at this day in history, as it was a big one. On February 21, 1804, the first self-propelling steam engine took to the rails in Wales, and, in 1878, the first telephone directory was published (in New Haven, Connecticut). On this day in 1918, the final extant Carolina Parakeet died in the Cincinnati Zoo; the species was the victim of habitat loss and hunting. On this day in 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated in New York, and, in 1975, John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman, and John Erlichman were sentenced to jail for their role in the Watergate scandal. Births on this day include guitarist Andres Segovia in 1893, Anaïn Nin in 1903, W. H. Auden in 1907, John Rawls in 1921, and Ashley Greene in 1987. Deaths on this day included Baruch Spinoza in 1677, Frederick Banting in 1941, Eric Liddell (the Muscular Christian) in 1945, Howard Florey in 1968, and Gertrude Elion in 1999 (Florey, Banting, and Elion were all Nobel Laureates). Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Hili is trying to pretend that philosophy has led to the conclusion that she needs more noms.
Hili: After long deliberation I’ve come to the conclusion…A: What conclusion?Hili: That there should be another can of salmon in the pantry.
Hili: Po dłuższym namyśle dochodzę do wniosku…
Ja: Jakiego?
Hili: Że w spiżarni powinna być jeszcze puszka z łososiem.
Lagniappe: Gus, staffed by Taskin and Curtis, has been making improvements to his new Ikea box:
And, from Randy Schenck, a nearly full moon over Iowa:
The February 22nd full moon is known as the Snow Moon, according to spaceweather.com.
That being the case, then the moon should be in honor of Gus and his new box.
Hili knows how to stay on topic – the important things.
First telephone directory in 1787 – please, after yesterday’s conversation concerning Apple, no more on the telle.
Or … … the full moon of the cycle known in some spheres as Februarys is also called by other Nations as the Full H u n g e r Moon.
As for obvious reasons.
per thus: http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names
Blue
If you get the chance to visit the Waterfront in Halifax, there are a couple of Micro Breweries there who serve some excellent beverages.
Gus is demonstrating the extended phenotype. He gives the beaver a run for it’s money.
Randy’s full moon pic reminded me of the brilliant Randy Brecker & Wlodek Pawlik album, for a rather obvious reason 🙂
And likely tomorrow in 1878, the first marketing call was placed, in New Haven.
There is another, terrible, anniversary today. 100 years ago today, the battle of Verdun started. It is acknowledged to be one of the worst, if not THE worst, battles in history.
For the French and the Germans – how could they forget. More than 700,000 casualties and who really knows during an 11 month battle. I was just reading a WWI book called Five Lieutenants, about five Harvard Men who led America to victory in the war.
Wikipedia:
“An estimate in 2000, found a total of 714,231 casualties, 377,231 French and 337,000 German, an average of 70,000 casualties for each month of the battle; other recent estimates increase the number of casualties to 976,000, with 1,250,000 suffered at Verdun from 1914 to 1918. The Battle of Verdun lasted for 303 days and became the longest and one of the most costly battles in human history.”
Oh, what a terrible shame that the Carolina parakeet is extinct. What a gorgeous creature it was!
I jus’ love Gus. He’s one lucky kitteh!
Two years ago today, we adopted Gus! 🙂
Gustation.
Hi am an Australian here. The phrase we tend to use is we are off like a bucket of prawns in the hot midday sun. Much more pungent