TODAY - MAY 15

 NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: MAY 15

New 2021 edition

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 7 hours and 33 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 15 hours and 30 minutes – from 05.54 to 21.24.

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

TODAY’s NAME:

This day is called SOPHIE’s DAY.  The name comes from two different persons:

The first one was the widow Sophie, who went to Rome with her three daughters Fides, Spes and Caritas  ( which means faith, hope and love ). Here all three daughters were executed because of their faith. The mother died immediately after she had buried her daughters. This happened in the year 120 AC.

The other Sophie was a Roman virgin, who due to her Christian faith was killed in the year 300 AC  during the reign of emperor Diocletian.

This day is also the United Nations’ International Family Day.

In Belgium the day is called SAINTE DYMPHNE  - after a saint living in the 7th century. She was according to the legend born in Ireland, became Christian, and was killed by her father.

 

TODAY’s EVENT:

1948:  The Arab countries attacked the newly created state of Israel.

 

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Flamenco – where does that word come from? And what does it mean?

It is well known that flamenco is a lively Spanish song with guitar music, a forceful dance and loud clapping with the hands. It is in particular known in Andalusia in the south of Spain.

Originally it was the culture of poor people. It goes back to the 16th century and comes from gipsy music and somewhat also from the Moorish culture, also after the Moors were thrown out of Europe by 1492.

Flamenco is mentioned for the first time in 1774. And when the first Flamenco Café opened in Andalusia in 1842 it was no success from the beginning.

Where does the word flamenco then come from?  Flamenco – also today – in Spanish means Flemish. How come?  Because people in Spain thought in the 16th century that the gypsies came from Flanders (including present day Belgium). It was under the Spanish king from 1556-1713. So perhaps there is some truth in it.

 

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Red thread  - 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:

A cynic is a person, who considers other people equally mean as he is himself.

            This was once said by the American entertainer Frank Sinatra.  See photo.

2.  Today’s quote:

Who among today’s persons has said this:

It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.

3.  Famous people born on this day:

1773:  Count Metternich  ( died 1859 )

1884:  Vilhelm Hammershøi  ( died 1916 )

1937:  Madeleine Albright

1952:  Mike Oldfield

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1886:  Emily Dickinson  ( 55 years )

1967:  Edmund Hopper  ( 85 years )

2003:  Rick van Steenbergen ( 79 years )

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com  

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



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TODAY - November 29

  NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS ON: NOVEMBER 29 New edition TODAY’s LENGTH: This day is here in Belgium 8 hours and 7 minutes shorter than June 21. Its length is 8 hours and 22 minutes – from 08.20 to 16.42. Se more – also in English – about where you are on:   www.dagenslaengde.dk TODAY’s NAME: Today’s name is SATURNINUS’ DAY .   He was a missionary in Toulouse in the southwest of France. And later he became a bishop there.   In the year 250 AC the non-Christians decided to kill him. He was tied to the legs of a bull. And the bull was then pursued down the stairs from the local capitol.   Later a church named Notre-Dame-du-Tours was built on that spot. The day’s name in Belgium is SAINT RADBOD – after a Frisian king, who was also bishop in Utrecht in the Netherlands.   He was fighting with the Franconeans and defeated Karel Martel near Cologne.   He died in 719.   TODAY’s EVENT: 1814: The newspaper The Times in London star...
Read more

TODAY - FEBRUARY 8

Image
  NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS ON: FEBRUARY 8 New 2021 edition TODAY’s PERSON: I have chosen the French author JULES VERNE .   He was born on this day in 1828 and died 77 years old in 1905.   He was and still is very well know for his many book about adventurous travels to many places.   His point of departure was the many new scientific discoveries in his lifetime.   Based upon them he tried to imagine how their use would develop in the future – what they could be used for.    For many he   considered to be the father of science fiction.   In his special way. Among his many famous books are the following: Five Weeks in a Balloon   ( in Africa ) Journey to the Centre of the Earth   ( taking place in Denmark and Iceland ) From the Earth to the Moon In Search of the Castaways / The Children of Captain Grant Twenty-Thousand Under the Sea: A Tour of the Underwater World Around the World in Eighty Days His books were ...
Read more

TODAY - July 12

NIELS’ SUMMER GREETINGS ON: JULY 12 New edition TODAY’s LENGTH: This day is here in Denmark 28 minutes shorter than June 21. Its length is 17 hours and 7 minutes – from 04.47 to 21.54. See more – also in English – about where you are on:   www.dagenslaengde.dk TODAY’s NAME: This day is called HEINRICH’s DAY .    It has its name after Holy Heinrich , who was German-Roman emperor in the years 1002-24. He created the diocese Bamberg and initiated the building of many churches and monasteries. In Belgium the day’s name is SAINT JEAN GUALBERT – after an Italian abbot, who lived in the years 985-1073.   He started the Vallumbrosa order. TODAY’s EVENT: 1920:   The Panama Canal is opened by US president Woodrow Wilson . TODAY’s QUESTION: Sandwich - what's the history of that word? And what is it? We all know what a sandwich is: two pieces of bread put on top of one another and with some nice stuff like meat, ...
Read more