TODAY - January 17
NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS
ON: JANUARY 17
New 2021 edition
TODAY’s PERSON:
I have chosen
the American stateman BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. He was born in Boston on this day in 1706 –
and died in 1790. He became one of the
founding father of the US. He was very
active in many fields: a writer, a
painter, a printer, a political philosopher, a freemason member, a Postmaster,
a scientist, an inventor, a humourist, a civil rights fighter, and a
diplomat. As an inventor he invented the
lightening rod, the bifocular glasses and the flexible urinary catheter. And as a diplomat he was the first American
ambassador to France.
One of his many
quotes were: He that lies down with
dogs shall rise up with fleas.
See much more on
Wikipedia.
Below you see
his photo.
TODAY’s LENGTH:
This day is here
in Belgium 35 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 8 hours and 32
minutes – from 08.36 to 17.09.
See more – also in
English – about where you are on: www.dagenslaengde.dk
TODAY’s NAME:
This day is
called ANTONIUS’ DAY. He was a
hermit, one of the so-called “desert fathers”, a well
known church father. He died 115 years old in 356 AC. He is patron for
shepherds and for brush-makers.
In the 14th
century a number og monasteries were built for the holy Antonius, including one
in Præstø in
Denmark.
The day’s name
in Belgium is the same: SAINT
ANTOINE.
TODAY’s EVENT:
1917: Denmark sells the Danish West Indian
Islands to the US for the sum of 25 mill. dollars. They are now called the US Virgin
Islands.
TODAY’s QUESTION:
The fifth column - where does that expression come from? And what does it
mean?
It comes from
the Spanish civil war 1936-39. General Franco was
about to attack Madrid with 4 military columns – attacking from north, east,
south and west. At the same time he organized that fascist supporters inside
the city were ready for fight and at the right moment go into action and attack
the government forces from inside. They got the name the fifth column.
Later the
expression was used about German spies, who under the cover of being
journalists, scientists or business people were German spions in Germany’s
neighbouring countries – ready to help, if and when German troops attacked the
country they were in.
During the Cold War the expression the
fifth column was used to describe the traitors, who for ideological reasons
felt more attached to another country than to their own – and therefore were
willing to give confidential information to the other country. The Soviet Union
was very active in using citizens of other countries in this role.
QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:
Murphy’s Law - what is the origin of this expression? 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:
Zeros are always
placed to the right, if they want to mean anything.
This was once said by the
social-democratic German politician and president
2.
Today’s quote:
Admiration – the
daughter of ignorance!
Who among today’s personalities said that ?
3. Famous
people born on this day:
1706: Benjamin Franklin ( died 1790 ) - see above and below.
1860: Anton Tjekhov ( died 1904
1899: Al Capone ( died 1947 )
1942: Muhamed Ali ( alias
Cassius Clay ) ( died 2016 )
4. Famous
people died on this day:
1468: Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg ( 63 years )
1751: Tomaso Albinoni ( 80 years )
1961: Patrice Lumumba ( 36 years )
1991: King Olav V ( 88 years )
Niels Jørgen Thøgersen
www.simplesite.com/kimbrer +
EUROPE AT WORK www.europe-at-work.be
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