Good morning on a not-too-hot summer day in Chicago; it’s July 8, 2017. Is everyone having a good time? If not, it’s National Chocolate with Almonds Day, though I prefer mine plain, undiluted with nutmeats.
On this day in 1497, Vasco da Gama set out from Lisbon, sailed around Africa, and landed in what is now Kerala, India, on May 20 of the next year. It was the first sea voyage from Europe to India. On this day in 1932, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit its lowest point during the Depression, closing at 41.22. As of yesterday it was 21,414.34, about 522 times higher. Finally, on this day in 1994, Kim Il-sung died, leaving the leadership of North Korea in the hands of Kim Jong-il. He’s been in charge for over 45 years. After his death, the government abolished the office of President, which Il-sung (is that the way to say it?) held, and designated the dead leader as Eternal President of the Republic. He’s therefore still in charge—as a stiff! (His body is preserved à la Mao, and is on display.) Here are the 22.5 meter high statues of the first Dear Leader and his son at the Mansu Hill Grand Monument—an obligatory stop for all visitors to the DPRK.
Notable born on this day include John D. Rockefeller (1839), Nelson Rockefeller (1908), Billy Eckstine (1914), Jaimoe, drummer for the Allman Brothers (1944), and Joan Osborne (1962). In honor of Joan’s birthday, have a listen to her rousing version of “Heat Wave,” accompanied by the Funk Brothers, the original Motown backup musicians. It’s the best version by anyone other than Martha and the Vandellas:
And let’s not forget Billy Eckstine, a great vocalist and musician who’s been largely forgotten. What a mellow voice he had! Have a listen:
Those who died on this day include Elihu Yale (1721; his riches helped found the eponymous University), Kim Il-Sung (see above), Sir John Templeton (2008, his legacy is bad), and Ernest Borgnine (2012). Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Hili is again trying to perplex her interlocutor:
Hili: I’m trying to understand.A: What are you trying to understand?Hili: What I see.A: And what do you see?Hili: That’s what I’m trying to understand.
Hili: Próbuję zrozumieć.
Ja: Co próbujesz zrozumieć?
Hili:To, co widzę.
Ja: A co widzisz?
Hili: Właśnie to próbuję zrozumieć.
Stephen Barnard sent a photo of the kitten Jerry Coyne VI, now owned by his tenant. (You can see Jerry VI when he’d just been caught, around June 11, here. At that time he was named Jerry Coyne V, but then we realized that another Jerry Coyne the Cat, the real Fifth, was in New Mexico and had been forgotten). This one is captioned “Mountain lion in the desert”:
Ben Goren has a new kitten named Vega; he caught it roaming about on the street. So far Baihu, Ben’s other cat, has tolerated it. Vega has been taken to the vet, de-flead, and appears otherwise healthy:
Finally, out in Winnipeg, gus went to bed after dinner. Here’s his photo, titled “Gus snoozing on the deck”
