TODAY - January 10

 

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: JANUARY 10

New 2021 edition

TODAY’s PERSON:

I have chosen the famous cartoon hero TINTIN as today’s person.  One reason is that he turns 91 years today. And another reason is that he is an excellent promotion for all the Belgian comics series ( which also include Asterix, Lucky Luke, the Smurfs, etc. ).  Tintin was created by George Prosper Remi ( Hergé ) ( 1907-93 ).  See more on Wikipedia.  And see photo below.

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 20 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 8 hours and 17 minutes – from 08.41 to 16.59.

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

TODAY’s NAME:

Today is called PAUL THE HERMIT’s DAY. He was a Christian Egyptian in a rich family in Theben.  Because of emperor Decius’ persecutions of all Christians Paul took refuge in the Egyptian desert. He lived in cave here for 90 years. He lived from the fruits from the palm trees. And the legend tells that a tame raven every day brought him half a bread.

 

Paul died 113 years old in his cave in the year 341 AC. He is often considered to be the first Christian hermit.

An old Danish saying for this day tells that the sun today has to shine for the time it takes a simple woman with ten thumbs to saddle a horse. It that happens there are great chances to have a good harvest.

The day’s name in Belgium is SAINT GUILLAUME DE DIJON.  He lived in the years 962-1031. He was born in Italy and became a reformer in the Catholic church. He founded monasteries in Bourgogne, Normadie and Italy.

 

TODAY’s EVENT:

49 BC:  Julius Caesar is crossing the river Rubicon and thereby starts the Roman civil war.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Guests and fish smell badly on the 3^rd day  - where does that come from? And what does it mean?

The expression comes from ancient Greece. The first time it has been written down was by the Roman comedy author Plautus ( about 200 BC). He was often rewriting Greek comedies.  In his book “The Boasting Soldier” he has this sentence: No friend is so welcome that he won’t be a nuisance after 3 days in a friend’s house.  And to combine this with the smell of half-rotten fish makes the point come clearer through. Everybody knows how that smells L

Today the expression still means that you should always consider not to stay too long, when you make a visit.

 

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

A feather in one’s cap – where does that 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:

It is not easy to emancipate women, because the wish to please men is part of most women.

            This was said by the French author, Simone de Beauvoir, married to

            Jean-Paul Sartre.

2.  Today’s quote:

You only grumble about work until you don’t have any.

Who of today’s persons has said that?

3.  Famous people born on this day:

1769:  Marechal Michel Ney  ( died 1815 )

1869:  Grigorij Rasputin  ( died 1916 )

1913:  Gustav Husak  ( died 1991 )

1929:  Tintin  J   See above and below.

1945:  Rod Stewart

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1778:  Carl von Linné  ( 71 years )

            1862:  Samuel Colt  ( 47 years )

1917:  “Buffalo Bill” ( William F. Coby )  ( 71 years )

1951:  Sinclair Lewis  ( 66 years )

1986:  Jaroslav Seifert  ( 85 years )

ars )

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com  

www.simplesite.com/kimbrer   +  EUROPE AT WORK    www.europe-at-work.be