Good morning from Texas. It’s warm here (80° F yesterday, while 40 in Chicago), and I have had BBQ. Today I speak with Dan Barker at the Lone Star College Book Festival about FvF, and then the estimable Doc Bill has invited me over to meet Kink the Cat and eat a steak.
On this day in 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered his armies to those of Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War. In 1957, the Suez Canal was opened for shipping, and, in 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles. Notable births on April 9 include Paul Robeson (1898) and Hugh Hefner (1926; he’s 90 today). Those who died on this day include Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1882), Zip the Pinhead (1926; read his sad story), and Phil Ochs (1976). Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Andrzej is messing with Hili:
A: What about changing this room into an aviary?
Hili: Good idea.
(Photo: Sarah Lawson)
Ja: A gdyby tak zmienić ten pokój na ptaszarnię?
Hili: Dobry pomysł.
(Zdjęcie: Sarah Lawson)
Leon: I’m ready to play!
Leon: Are there salmon here?
On Polish matters in general:
There seems to be going to be logging in Bialowieza! See:
http://www.nature.com/news/polish-scientists-protest-over-plan-to-log-in-bia%C5%82owie%C5%BCa-forest-1.19428
Ecologists versus wood exploitation? Or the present Polish government against nature conservation?
I had never heard of Zip the Pinhead (except as a comic book). He seems to have lived a decent life even if he was displayed as a freak. One has to wonder what would have happened to him if he was born more recently when freak shows were not an option.
Probably would have bought a good selection of hats, and worked a normal job. Perhaps he was better off as a carny.
“In 1957, the Suez Canal was opened for shipping…”
The SC was first opened in 1869; after Nasser nationalised it in 1956, leading to war with France, Israel and the UK, it was reopened in 1957 after being cleared.
Interesting, thanks!