TODAY

January 11, 2021

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: JANUARY 11

New 2021 edition

TODAY’s PERSON:

I have chosen the former French prime minister PIERRE MENDÈS FRANCE as today’s person. One reason is that he was born on this day. And another reason is that he played a very important role especially in 1954-55 – ending the French war in Indochina. And a third reason could be that he unlike most French people did not drink wine. He preferred milk 😊 See more on Wikipedia. And see photo below.

TODAY’s NAME:

This day is called HYGINUS’ DAY. It has its name from the Roman pope Hyginus, who was killed during the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius in 142 AC because of his faith. He introduced godfathers at the baptism of small children.

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

The day’s name in Belgium is SAINT PAULIN D’AQUILEIA. He lived in the years 726-802. He was an Italian Christian reformer and ended as patriarch in the city of Aquileia – once the second biggest city in the Roman Empire – in north-east of Italy. The town still exists, now only with 10.000 inhabitants.

TODAY’s EVENT:

1971: Sweden changes from two chambers to one chamber in its Parliament. Denmark did the same in 1953.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

A feather in one’s cap – where does that come from? And what does it mean?

Feathers have in history always played a very important symbolic role. The ancient Greek poet Aesop (620-564 BC) talked in one of his tales about a crowe, which borrowed the feathers of a parrot to try to look better. And the soldiers in the Roman armies wore feathers on their helmets. This should sympolise that they were able to fly, just like the birds.

As time went by it became a habit that the more feathers you had in your cap the more important you were. They were a sign of your influence and rang.

A few hundred years it was a normal saying in English that nobody should wear a feather, if he hadn’t killed a Turk. Again: a symbol for something good (?) you had done.

Today the expression a feather in one’s cap means that you have got an honour you can be proud of.

TODAY FROM EARLIER IN JANUARY: TODAY 2021 - JANUARY

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Hand on your heart – what is the origin of that? 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:

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

This was said by the American author Sinclair Lewis.

2. Today’s quote:

None of today’s persons has left unforgettable quotations.