TODAY

December 11, 2020

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: DECEMBER 11

New edition

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 8 hours and 27 minutes shorter than June 21. Its length is 8 hours and 3 minutes – from 08.35 to 16.38.

See more – also in English – about where you are on: www.dagenslaengde.dk

TODAY’s NAME:

This day’s name is DAMASUS DAY. It comes from pope Damasius, who died in 384.

This day is also one of the 32 so-called Tycho Brahe Days. They are days, which the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe in the 17^th century based on his calculations appointed as particular unfortunate. What old nonsense L

In Denmark this day was earlier also called the birthday of the devil ( like June 11 ). These were the two days when people had to pay the mortgages.

The day’s name in Belgium is the same: SAINT DAMASE.

TODAY’s EVENT:

1894: The first international car exhibition opens in Paris. It had 9 participants.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Nicotine – where does that word come from?

It is no news today that nicotine is a stimulating substance in tobacco. But what is its origin? And why is it called nicotine?

Nicotine comes from a plant in the nightshade family. It is created in the root and accumulates in the leaves. It is addictive.

It has its name from the French ambassador to Portugal, Jean Nicot de Villemain. He had received it in 1560 from the Portuguese colonist in Sao Paulo, Luis De Gois. The ambassador sent immediately the plant and its seeds to the French king in Paris. And from there it was quickly spread all over Europe. People believed that by smoking it you could prevent a number of illnesses, in particular plague. Nicotine was also from the 17^th century used as insecticide.

So it is ambassador Nicot, who has given nicotine its name and also was instrumental in spreading it in Europe. There were many consequences of the discovery of America!

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Open people’s eyes to something - where does that expression come from? And what does it mean?

47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

EUROPE AT WORK www.europe-at-work.be

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1. Yesterday’s quote:

I should like to invent a material or a machine with the possibility for

massdestruction, so that war never would be possible again.

This was said by the Swedish industrialist and the inventor of dynamite,

Alfred Nobel.

2. Today’s quote:

When a film has success it is business. When it does not have success it is art.