TODAY - January 9

 

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: JANUARY 9

New 2021 edition

TODAY’s PERSON:

I have chosen the American folk singer and song writer JOAN BAEZ.  And I have done it for a number of reasons.  She is turning 80 years today.  And she wrote in 2017 a special song NASTY MAN – dedicated to Trump.  I believe that it is an appropriate time to listen to it again.  Here it is:    https://youtu.be/AHQ7N9lEl_E

I also enclose the lyrics to the song.

See much more about Joan Baez on Wikipedia and elsewhere.

 

TODAY FROM EARLIER IN JANUARY:   TODAY 2021 - JANUARY

 

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 18 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 8 hours and 15 minutes – from 08.42 to 16.57.

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

TODAY’s NAME:

Today’s name is JULIANUS’ DAY. He was a Christian, who was killed during emperor Diocletian’s persecution of the Christians. It happened in year 300 AD. Julianus and his wife Basilissa had made their house in Antinoe in Egypt a monastery and a hospital.

The day’s name in Belgium is BIENHEUREUSE ALIX LE CLERC.   She was a French lady, who lived in the years 1576-1622.  She founded the Order of Notre Dame, which in particular worked for the education of poor girls.

 

 

TODAY’s EVENT:

1929:  The penicillin was used for the first time.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Hocus pocus – where does that come from? And it means what?

This expression has its origin in the bible: it is a distortion of the words from the communion: hoc est corpus  - Latin for: this is my body. 

It was many years ago in particular used as a swear-word.  Later it changed to be used in relation to magics.  The first time this was seen was in an English handbook on magics from 1634. It carried the title:  Hocus pocus junior.

Today the expression hocus pocus is used when you do or show something almost like a magician.  You make things happen almost out of nothing!  Like many people think about the origins of the expression in Latin.

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

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

 

47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

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

 

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1.  Yesterday’s quote:

Many politicians die on barricades they never have been standing on!

            This was said by the French president, Francois Mitterrand.

2.  Today’s quote:

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

Who has said that?

3.  Famous people born on this day:

1908:  Simone de Beauvoir  ( died 1986 )

1913:  Richard Nixon  ( died 1994 )

1927:  Thorkild Hansen  ( died 1989 )

1941:  Joan Baez    ( see more above and her photo below )

1946:  Mogens Lykketoft

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1873:  Napoleon III  ( 64 years )

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com   

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

The Joan Baez song NASTY MAN - about Trump - the lyrics:

Here’s a little song,
about a man gone wrong,
while building up his evil empire.
And after months of ifs and buts,
the papers got the guts,
to call the Man of the Year a liar,
to call the Man of the Year a liar.
Hustlin’ and buslin’
across the big green lawn
stomping’ through the famous rose garden.
But every little rose,
turned up its pretty nose,
sayin’ “you owe the earth a pardon,”
sayin’ “you owe the earth a pardon.”
Fumblin’ and bumblin’
through the halls at night,
turning every light switch on,
searching for the room,
where you used to be the groom
but she’s packed all her jew-ler-ee and gone.
Yeah she’s scooped up all of her jew-ler-ee and gone.
Well the former resident,
and Missus President,
left you corn an lima beans and tomatoes.
You said, “rip ‘em all out.
They’ll only give me gout.
And that’s unbecoming for a future dictator.
That’s unbecoming for a future dictator.”
And you’re gonna build a wall,
the biggiest wall, the beautifulist wall round our borders.
But here’s what I think,
you better talk to a shrink,
‘cuz you’ve got serious psychological disorders.
You’ve got dangerous pathological disorders.
Well that’s my little song,
about a man gone wrong.
He’s nasty from his head to his feet.
When the dirt on this man finally hits the fan,
and no one gives a damn about his tweets,
he’ll be finally and forever obsolete.