#germany 2007 saturday

[umseb]

formula renault 3.5 race winner sebastian vettel at the post-race press conference, nürburg, germany - may 5, 2007 📷 east news / imago

[black-arcana]

Watch: NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN Performs In Amsterdam As Support Act For METALLICA

NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen performed earlier today (Saturday, April 29) at the Johan Cruijf Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands as the support act for METALLICA. She was the last-minute replacement for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, which canceled its appearance because the band's singer Ivan Moody is recovering from a recent surgery to correct an acute hernia injury.

Fan-filmed video of Floor's performance can be seen below.

Jansen's debut solo album, "Paragon", arrived on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike.

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

[a-silent-symphony]

FLOOR JANSEN Celebrates Tenth Anniversary Of Her First Concert With NIGHTWISH

Floor Jansen celebrated the tenth anniversary of her first show as the singer of NIGHTWISH on Saturday, October 1.

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

On Saturday, Floor took to her Twitter to share a few photos of her time with NIGHTWISH, and she included the following caption: "Today it is exactly 10 years ago that I joined @NightwishBand on stage! I can't believe how fast the time has traveled since that first show USA! I am deeply grateful for all these years and want to thank the band and our crew for everything, and of course our dearest fans!"

NIGHTWISH also sent out a tweet in recognition of the anniversary, writing: "10 years and counting. On this day, ten years ago, @FloorJansen_ performed with us for the first time. For this occasion we share with you a live video of us performing Storytime over all these years, starting at our first show together."

One day after her first concert with NIGHTWISH, Floor gave an interview to the "Giel Beelen" show on the Dutch radio station 3FM in which she revealed that she was originally asked to join the band for their dates in November 2012, December 2012 and January 2013 but that plans changed following Olzon's exit in the middle of the group's North American tour.

"[On September 29, 2012] I got a text message saying, 'How fast can you come to the USA?'" Jansen recalled. "So I packed everything as quickly as I could and booked a ticket for the first plane and practiced the songs. They had already previously asked me to join them on the road for the dates in November, December and January, [so] I had been preparing for it a little bit for only one week. And since those plans changed [over the weekend], I ended up only having a few days to get ready and a rehearsal of two hours with [the songs'] lyrics in front of me."

Olzon joined NIGHTWISH in 2007 as the replacement for Tarja Turunen after the latter was fired in 2005.

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

[umlewis]

Navigating This Blog:

Firstly, please remember that my tagging system is for my use. I'm very happy when my blogs help people find stuff! But their first function is to help me find stuff. <3 1. If you’re looking for a specific race, the tag format is [location] [year]. For example, #hungary 2019 or #mexico 2016. -> Azerbaijan is listed as Baku. -> Countries with multiple races will be tagged as both the country and track (for example, Spain and Valencia/Jerez/Barcelona, Germany and Hockenheim/Nurburg). -> European GP content is tagged as both European and the name of the track, either Valencia or Baku. -> Where possible, days are also tagged. So, for example, #canada 2022 saturday. 2. If you’re looking for just a specific year, the format is either #flashback fic ref [year] or #fic ref [year]. #flashback fic ref is any year before 2021. #fic ref is for 2021 onward. 3. If you’re looking for just a specific track, that’s tagged too! Just search the country. 4. On a quest for other racing-related content but not from F1 race weekends, you say? -> Pre-season and post-season tags! For example, #pre-season 2014 or #post-season 2017. -> Testing, specifically, is also tagged! The format is testing [year], like #testing 2021. 5. Things he does in his capacity as an F1 driver, but not strictly racing-related? -> The FIA gala is listed under both “fia gala” and “fia prize giving”. Examples: #fia gala 2018 or #fia prize giving 2014. 6. And, of course, non-racing-related content: -> The format is [year] not a race. For example, #2007 not a race. -> If you’d like a specific time period during a season, it’s separated by what races it fell between. For example, #between japan and usa 2022. -> The Met Gala tag format is met gala [year]. For example, #met gala 2018. -> Summer break 2021 / Summer break 2022 7. Feeder series! -> Formula 3 -> GP2 8. All under-18 content is tagged as #childhood photos. 9. Relationships (not taking requests to add to this): -> Sewis -> George Russell -> Mick Schumacher 10. Important! On the website version of Tumblr, you can combine search items. This is immensely helpful for finding specific things! -> So, for example, if you open search and type in "hungary 2022, sewis" it’ll only pull up Sewis content from the Hungarian GP. :) -> Or “testing 2022, barcelona” 11. Trigger tags I commonly use: * These are either for my use or by request and are not up for discussion or debate. If you need something added, please drop me a dm or ask to let me know. 💜 -> #tw max (verstappen) -> #tw transphobe (webber) -> #tw nico (rosberg) -> #tw kimi (raikkonen) -> #tw bernie ecclestone -> #tw helmut marko -> #tw christian horner -> #tw dietrich mateschitz -> #tw crash -> #tw death -> #tw body perception -> #tw food / #cw food This is a pretty exhaustive list, but if you need help or are confused, feel free to contact me! <3

[ejesgistnews]

Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has made a startling confession about his role in the controversial transfer of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone to a Chinese investment group, a decision he now admits was based on deceptive claims.   Breaking: Three Nigerian Presidential Jets Seized by Chinese Firm   The former governor revealed on Saturday that he was misled into handing over control of the multibillion-naira trade facility to Zhongfu International Investment Ltd in 2012 without conducting a thorough investigation, setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle that now threatens Nigeria's assets abroad. Read Also: Apostle Suleman And His Toilet Flight From Germany to France Amosun, who governed Ogun State from 2011 to 2019, issued a personal statement acknowledging that his decision to appoint Zhongfu as the interim manager of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone was made hastily and without proper due diligence.   He admitted that the information provided by Zhongfu, which led to the removal of the original managers, Guangdong Xinguang International China Africa Investment Ltd (China Africa), was later found to be false. The free trade zone, established in 2007 under Governor Gbenga Daniel, was intended to foster seamless trade between Nigeria and China. China Africa, which held a 60% stake, was in the process of developing the 10,000-hectare facility in Igbesa, Ogun State, when Zhongfu entered the picture.   Zhongfu claimed the zone was being poorly managed and offered to take over its administration, a proposition Amosun accepted without further inquiry. In his statement, Amosun explained the sequence of events: “Zhongfu International Investment FXE, pretending to be a concerned and genuine tenant and Zone stakeholder, volunteered very damaging and destructive information about the official representatives of Guangdong Province, the Joint Venturer and lawful Zone Managers, China Africa Investment FXE and subsequently requested to be appointed as Interim Zone Managers. “Based on the information at the government’s disposal at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE was appointed interim zone manager on March 15, 2012, pending further evaluation. The whole idea was to ensure that someone was in charge and thereby prevent unwholesome and untoward development in the zone pending the completion of our fact-finding exercise. “It was later discovered that the information and claims volunteered by Zhongfu International Investment FXE against China Africa Investment FXE were tissues of lies." The former governor further revealed that the Chinese government intervened in the matter, clarifying through a diplomatic note that China Africa was the rightful owner of the trade zone. Despite this revelation, Zhongfu sought legal redress in Nigerian courts but failed in all four cases they filed, according to Amosun, although he did not specify the cases. Amosun has called on both the federal government and the Ogun State government to avoid any resolutions that would favor Zhongfu, warning that engaging with the company would be akin to endorsing an unlawful entity. He compared the situation to Nigeria's handling of the notorious P&ID case and urged a similar approach in dealing with Zhongfu. This confession comes at a time when Nigeria is embroiled in a bitter legal dispute with Chinese investors. Zhongshan, the parent company of Zhongfu, has been pursuing compensation claims against Nigeria in international courts, with attempts to seize Nigerian assets in France, the United States, and other countries.   The conflict escalated recently when a U.S. appellate judicial panel allowed Zhongshan to continue its efforts to seize Nigeria’s assets in the country, following a $60 million judgment awarded in the United Kingdom. Amosun's admission has added a new layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battles and raised concerns about the potential consequences for Nigeria's international relations and economic interests.

[snowwhitenew]

Hindus: Swami Vishwananda criticism and controversy?

I have started a Vishwananda thread before, but I wasn't satisfied with the results. So, I'm trying again. Next Saturday, there will be the Swami Vishwananda darshan im my region, and I really feel torn between attending and not attending it. So I literally "browsed" the internet for background information. Information is sparse and hard to find, but because I haven't yet made up my mind to go to to the darshan, I decided to put my findings here from memory. I leave it to someone else to verify whether they are true or not. In detail, I found claims/allegations

that Swami Vishwananda allegedly is gay (which is okay) and marched on the 2007 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade (which is okay) and that he allegedly had sexual relations with 16 brahmacharis who partly felt "abused", "raped" or like "having received special treatment from the master" due to the dynamics of the master-disciple relationship (which is definitely NOT okay)

that Swami Vishwananda allegedly left the U.S. because of those allegations of sexual misconduct, and is now active in Europe (his HQ is in Germany) because in Europe those allegations are much less known

that S. V. allegedly stole relics from a church in Switzerland disguised as an Eastern Orthodox priest, that he allegedly was convicted and was allegedly in a jail in Switzerland

that S.V. allegedly has no guru-disciple lineage from Mahavatar Babaji, who according to opinions on Wikipedia is "a legendary person, rather than a real sadhu that was seen by numerous witnesses from 1861 to 1935."

That S.V. rather is a disciple of Sai Baba (1926–2011), that he uses the same "alll religions are one" approach Sai Baba did.

That S.V.'s miracles of "materializing" golden eggs (lingams) and jewellery are in fact sleights of hand S.V. had learned from Sai Baba, who used the same tricks during his lifetime

That S.V. in his youth allegedly went to Sai Baba centers and later allegedly tried to convert Sai Baba disciples to himself.

That S.V. allegedly separated couples in his ashram in order to tie them closer to himself

That S.V. allegedly is a con-man, that his happy face is a façade, that in private he is prone to things like whims and anger (okay, the last part is just human, but anyway.)

The usual cult survivor claim that S.V. wants ultimate surrender and that he is into squeezing his disciples dry for money

The claim that a "genuine" guru wouldn't demand money for darshan as S.V. does and that the practice of doing so would help to discern a con-man from a "true" master (Well, this part I don't know because I wasn't born as a Hindu)

[newstfionline]

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Experiments with lowering the voting age around the world (Worldcrunch) Poland’s new Marshal of the Sejm—the speaker of the lower house—has said he intends to lower the country’s voting age from 18 to 16. Under EU law, member states are free to set their own minimum voting age, including for European elections. While the most popular minimum age is 18, three countries have lowered their voting ages: Greece reduced it to 17 in 2016, Austria to 16 in 2007, and Malta to 16 in 2018. “There is an old democratic principle which states that there should not be any taxation without representation,” the National Youth Council told the Times Of Malta, adding that 16 year-olds “should also be able to vote, since they are allowed to work and liable to pay taxes. While the EU has only recently begun to test the impact of younger voting ages, Brazil lowered its voting age to 16 in 1988. The country has a long history of crucial youth involvement in politics. One-fifth of all 16 and 17 year olds in Brazil registered to vote in the 2022 presidential election.

The four I’s (NYT) By many measures, President Biden is very unpopular. Since at least World War II, no president has had a worse disapproval rating (54%) at this point in his term. Relative to his international peers, however, Biden looks much better. Many leaders of developed democracies have disapproval ratings even higher than Biden’s, with Olaf Scholz of Germany heaing the list at 73%, followed by Emmanuel Macron of France with a 71% disapproval rating. Why are people so upset with their leaders? Some explanations are local, but four global issues have driven much of the public’s anger. Call them the four I’s: inflation, immigration, inequality and incumbency.       Inflation: The world has seen a sharp increase in prices over the past few years. Immigration: Multiple migration and refugee crises have fueled anger against the more mainstream political parties that tend to be in charge in developed countries. Inequality: Across the world, the rich have captured a growing share of income. Big companies keep getting bigger. A few individuals have amassed more wealth than entire countries. Incumbency: Voters tend to tire of national leaders the longer they’re in power, and many current world leaders, or at least their political parties, have been in power for a while. National leaders have struggled to address these issues, often despite many years in power. The result is widespread disapproval of the people running the world.

Baltimore begins massive and dangerous cleanup after bridge collapse (Washington Post) Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous. The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift 1,000 tons, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would send more than 1,100 engineering specialists and other experts to begin removing the hulking debris that has crippled the Port of Baltimore. Top officials with the Corps, which is leading the effort to clear the Patapsco River, described a three step effort to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back online. Teams would first try to clear the shipping channel of the massive steel trusses that block it to allow one-way traffic to begin flowing again into and out of the port. Second, they would lift pieces of the bridge draped across the 985-foot Dali and move it. Finally, they would dredge up concrete and steel that have settled on the river bed.

Rising Dengue Cases (1440) Dengue cases in the Americas were up three times higher in January through March compared to the same period last year. The news comes as Puerto Rico issued a public health emergency this week over the mosquito-borne illness, infecting 100 million to 400 million people annually. The current uptick in cases is believed to be driven in part by this year’s El Niño weather pattern, driving warmer, wetter conditions to the Southern Hemisphere. Officials are encouraging those in affected regions to apply mosquito repellent, use bed nets, and drain still water, which can attract mosquitoes.

Colombia-Argentina spat (Foreign Policy) Bogotá ordered the expulsion of several Argentine diplomats on Wednesday after Argentine President Javier Milei called his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, a “murdering terrorist” during a CNN interview, appearing to reference Petro’s time as a member of the long-disbanded M-19 guerrilla group. Milei is known for publicly criticizing world leaders. During the same interview, he called Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador “ignorant,” and last year, Milei described Pope Francis as an “imbecile who defends social justice.” In January, Colombia recalled its ambassador to Argentina after Milei referred to Petro as a “murderous communist who is sinking Colombia.”

‘France loves Brazil and Brazil loves France’ (Washington Post) French President Emmanuel Macron made a three-day state visit to Brazil, where he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a bilateral meeting and launched an investment program aimed at raising one billion euros to protect the Brazilian and Guyanese Amazon. Afterwards, Macron tweeted: “Some people compared the images of my visit to Brazil to those of a wedding, and I tell them: it was a wedding! France loves Brazil and Brazil loves France!”

Russia’s Vast Security Services Fell Short on Deadly Attack (NYT) A day before the U.S. embassy in Moscow put out a rare public alert this month about a possible extremist attack at a Russian concert venue, the local C.I.A. station delivered a private warning to Russian officials that included at least one additional detail: The plot in question involved an offshoot of the Islamic State known as ISIS-K. Within days, however, President Vladimir V. Putin was disparaging the warnings, calling them “outright blackmail” and attempts to “intimidate and destabilize our society.” Three days after he spoke, gunmen stormed Crocus City Hall outside Moscow and killed at least 143 people in the deadliest attack in Russia in nearly two decades. ISIS quickly claimed responsibility for the massacre with statements, a photo and a propaganda video. What made the security lapse seemingly even more notable was that in the days before the massacre Russia’s own security establishment had also acknowledged the domestic threat posed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, called Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K.

Israeli court halts subsidies for ultra-Orthodox, deepening turmoil over mandatory military service (AP) Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an end to government subsidies for many ultra-Orthodox men who do not serve in the army—a blockbuster ruling that could have far-reaching consequences for the government and the tens of thousands of religious men who refuse to take part in mandatory military service. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces the most serious threat yet to his government as he struggles to bridge a major split over military service in the shaky national unity government cobbled together in the days after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Inside his coalition, the powerful bloc of ultra-Orthodox parties—longtime partners of Netanyahu—want draft exemptions to continue. The centrist members of his War Cabinet, both former military generals, have insisted that all sectors of Israeli society contribute equally during its war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. If the ultra-Orthodox parties leave the government, the country would be forced into new elections, with Netanyahu trailing significantly in the polls amid the war.

Fighting Rages Around Two Gaza Hospitals as Pressure on Israel Rises (NYT) Israeli troops and Hamas fighters waged deadly battles in and around two of the Gaza Strip’s major hospitals on Thursday as the Israeli government came under growing pressure at home and abroad to moderate its approach to a war that has devastated the enclave. Fighting raged for the 11th day at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in an area Israeli forces first seized in November. The clashes illustrated the difficulty the Israelis are having in keeping control of places they had already taken as Palestinian militants melt away and then return. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, increasingly unpopular and facing criticism on multiple fronts, met for the first time with the families of kidnapped soldiers being held in Gaza, who accused him before the meeting of ignoring their plight for nearly six months. But there has been no apparent change in Israel’s determination to press on with its offensive in Gaza, despite pressure from, among others, hostage families, the Biden administration and the United Nations.

Airstrikes Kill Soldiers in Syria in Apparent Israeli Attack (NYT) Airstrikes killed a number of soldiers near the northern Syrian city of Aleppo early Friday, Syria’s state news media and an independent organization reported, in what appeared to be one of the heaviest Israeli attacks in the country in years. The dead reportedly included 36 Syrian soldiers, seven Hezbollah fighters and a Syrian from the pro-Iranian militias. The attack appeared to have hit multiple targets, including a weapons depot belonging to Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia that Iran supports and has a presence in Syria. Earlier this month, Israeli officials said the IDF has hit more than 4,500 Hezbollah locations in Syria and Lebanon, killing over 300 militants, since Oct. 7.

Nigeria: an African giant’s economic growing pains (Les Echos/France) Nigeria is very much in the spotlight these days. The African giant is a promising market. The continent’s leading GDP, the country has a population of 220 million this year. And the United Nations forecasts a population of 400 million for 2055. By then, it will be more populous than the United States. But it also has its problems. Insecurity, smuggling and theft of hydrocarbons have reached such a level that oil revenues are tending to fall. Endemic poverty, terrorism and civil war with Boko Haram in the north are undermining the country. That is not to mention catastrophic economic policy in recent years. Even though the economy is sluggish, sectors such as high-tech are booming. The image of the “self-made man” is very important to Nigerians. Street slogans such as “no food for lazy men” are commonplace. Much of this “entrepreneurship” is explained by the need to survive. But that’s not all. “Nigerians have an American way of doing business,” says a Frenchman who arrived in Lagos a few years ago. “They’re pragmatic, hard-working and enterprising.” But emigration is on the rise. “The country has a lot of very competent people, but they tend to leave as soon as they can,” says Karim Belkaïd, head of Nigeria operations for the parapetroleum company DBN.

South Africa’s guns (BBC) For the last six years Penson Mlotshwa has been carrying a gun with him wherever he goes in the South African city of Johannesburg. To the shops, restaurants and even the gym. His gun has become an extension of him as the country battles record levels of crime. “Unfortunately, I’ve had to use my gun multiple times to protect myself,” he sighs, explaining how a man wanting his wallet pulled a knife on him after dinner one night. He drew his gun and made the mugger hand over the pocket knife, which he threw in the gutter. He did not fire the weapon. There are more than 2.7 million legal gun owners in South Africa, according to a 2021 survey by Gun Free South Africa (GFSA)—roughly 8% of the adult population. When it comes to the war against crime, South Africa’s police do appear to be losing. The murder rate in the country reached a 20-year high and guns are the weapon of choice. Adele Kirsten, the director of GFSA, told the BBC of her concerns that crime was not only increasing in South Africa, but the “nature of gun violence” was changing. Mass shootings and assassinations are becoming a “feature” of South Africa, she says.

[brookston]

Holidays 2.10

Holidays

All the News That's Fit To Print Day

Anniversary of Oruro

Arabian Leopard Day (Saudi Arabia)

Ausonia Asteroid Day

Children’s Hospice Day (Germany)

Cliff Burton Day (Alameda County, California)

Deep Blue Day

Fenkil Day (Eritrea)

Gold Record Day

Half-Baked Day (Halfway to 4/20)

International Cribbage Day

International Day of the Arabian Leopard

International Drive Your Triumph Day

International Ski Patrol Day

International Weather Festival

Kurdish Authors Union Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Lt. Col. Vindman Day

Military Industrial Complex Day

National Deworming Day (India)

National Flannel Day

National Home Warranty Day

National Julio Day

National Louis Day

National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe (Italy)

National TV Safety Day

NEET Day (Japan)

Plimsoll Day

Rose Daphne Day (French Republic)

Royal Hobart Regatta Day (Tasmania)

Singing Telegram Day (New York Postal Telegraph Co.)

TBL1XR1 Related Disorder Day

Teddy Day

Tom and Jerry Day

Umbrella Day

Valentismas

Voltammentry Day

Volunteer Defense Day (Thailand)

Welsh Language Music Day (UK)

World Pulses Day

YMCA Day

Ziggy Stardust Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cream Cheese Brownie Day

National “Have a Brownie” Day

Try to Invent a New Jell-O Flavor Day

2nd Saturday in February

Global Movie Day [2nd Saturday]

International Purple Hijab Day [2nd Saturday]

International Snowmobile Ride Day [2nd Saturday]

Independence & Related Days

Anniversary of Oruro (Bolivia)

Empire of North Africa (Declared; 2006) [unrecognized]

New Jersey Concessions & Agreements Day (New Jersey) [1st U.S. state constitution; 1665)

Phokland (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Rosston (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Unification of Upper and Lower Canada (1841)

New Year’s Days

Kebbawa New Year & Beginning of Fishing Season (Kebbawa People of Nigeria)

New Year's Day  [Lunar Calendar] (a.k.a. …

Bituun (Mongolia)

Chinese New Year [2024: Year of the Dragon]

Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Yin Black Water Rabbit

Fete du Printemps (Mauritius)

Losar/Loshar (India, Nepal)

Lunar New Year’s Day (Hong Kong)

Novo Ano Lunar (Macau)

Seol-Nal (South Korea)

Sonam Lhosar (Tamang New Year)

Sonam Lochhar (Sikkam, India)

Spring Festival (China)

Tahun Baru Imlek (Indonesia)

Tamang New Year (Nepal)

Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnam)

Tsagaan Sar (Mongolia) [2023: Year of the Rabbit]

Tet Holiday begins (Vietnam) [thru 26th]

Festivals Beginning February 10, 2024

Carnaval de Barranquilla (Barranquilla, Colombia) [4 Days before Ash Wednesday; thru 2.13]

Carnival of Aalst (Aalst, Belgium) [thru 2.13]

Carnival of Binche (Binche, Belgium) [thru 2.13]

Carnival of Maastricht (Maastricht, Netherlands) [thru 2.13]

Death by Chocolate (Appleton, Wisconsin)

Fastelavn (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off (Manitou Springs, Colorado)

Palm Beach Marine Flea Market & Seafood Festival (West Palm Beach, Florida) [thru 2.11]

Paris Carnival (Paris, France)

Sábado de Carnaval (Argentina; Brazil) [thru 2.13]

Wine Love Trail (Sonoma County, California)

Feast Days

Anabita’s Day (Pagan)

Apelles (Positivist; Saint)

Apple Wish Spell Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Ary Scheffer (Artology)

Austrebertha (Christian; Saint)

Bertolt Brecht (Writerism)

Bisexual Anxiety Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Boris Pasternak (Writerism)

Charalambos (Christian; Saint)

Day of Anaitis (Persian Goddess of the Moon and the Seas)

E.L. Konigsburg (Writerism)

Erlulph of Scotland (Christian; Saint)

Faeries Creation Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Malta)

Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy (Artology)

José Sánchez del Río (Christian; Saint)

Marilyn Monroe Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Mr. Holiday (Muppetism)

Nicolas Taunay (Artology)

Paradoxically Non-Paradoxical Day (a.k.a. Paradox Day; Pastafarian)

Scholastica (Christian; Saint)

Soteris (Christian; Martyr)

Tales of Kelp-Koli (Shamanism)

Trumwin (Christian; Saint)

William of Maleval (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 41 [13 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Tycho Brahe Lucky Day (Scandinavia) [3 of 4]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [10 of 60]

Premieres

Alice at the Carnival (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

Bad Day at Cat Rock (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1965)

Belle de Jour, by Joseph Kessel (Novel; 1928)

The Best of Everything, by Rona Jaffe (Novel; 1958)

Big Game Haunt (WB MM Cartoon; 1968))

Billy Madison (Film; 1995)

Butch (MGM Cartoon; 1951)

Chico & Rita (Animated Film; 2012)

The College Dropout, by Kanye West (Album; 2004)

Daffy’s Rhapsody (WB LT Cartoon; 2012)

Das Boot (Film; 1982)

Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller (Play; 1949)

The Four-Legged Zoo [#4] (Multiplication Rock Cartoon; Schoolhouse Rock; 1973)

The Glenn Miller Story (Film; 1954)

The Grasshopper and the Ants (Disney Silly Symphony Cartoon; 1934)

Icebound, by Owen Davis (Play; 1923)

The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury (Novel; 1951)

I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), by Aretha Franklin (Song; 1967)

Inside Outer Space (Disney Animated TV Special; 1963)

John Wick: Chapter 2 (Film; 2017)

Kimi (Film; 2022)

The Lego Batman Movie (Animated Film; 2013)

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (WB Animated Film; 2015)

The Littles, by John Lawrence Peterson (Novel; 1967)

Long Tall Sally, recorded by Little Richard (Song; 1956)

The Loved One, by Evelyn Waugh (Novel; 1948)

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Animated TV Series; 2023)

The Pink Panther (Film; 2006)

Pluto and the Gopher (Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Puss Gets the Boot (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1940) [#1]

Rabbit Every Monday (WB LT Cartoon; 1951)

Rio Rita, by Red Fin Rito and His Orchestra (Song; 1942)

Safe house (Film; 2012)

Shallow Grave (Film; 1995)

A Sheep in the Deep (WB MM Cartoon; 1962)

Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (Film; 2012)

Sultans of Swing, by Dire Straits (Song; 1979)

Tales of Hoffmann, by Jacques Offenbach (Opera; 1881)

Tapestry, by Carole King (Album; 1971)

The Three Bears (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Tom & Jerry (MGM Cartoon; 1940)

Van Halen, by Van Halen (Album; 1978)

Today’s Name Days

Scholastika, Siegmar (Austria)

Haralampi, Valentin, Valentina (Bulgaria)

Alojzije, Vilim, Vjekoslav (Croatia)

Mojmír (Czech Republic)

Scholastica (Denmark)

Ella, Elle, Ellen, Elli, Ellu (Estonia)

Elina, Ella, Elle, Ellen, Elna (Finland)

Arnaud (France)

Bruno, Scholastika, Siegmar (Germany)

Chara, Charalambos, Chariklia, Haralambia, Haralambos, Hariklia, Harilaos (Greece)

Elvira (Hungary)

Arnaldo, Guglielmo, Scolastica, Wilma (Italy)

Paula, Paulīna, Paulīne (Latvia)

Ada, Elvyra, Gabrielius, Girvydas, Vydgailė (Lithuania)

Ingfrid, Ingrid (Norway)

Elwira, Gabriel, Jacek, Jacenty, Scholastyka, Tomisława (Poland)

Haralambie (Romania)

Gabriela (Slovakia)

Escolástica (Spain)

Eugenia, Iris (Sweden)

Austria, Amber, Amelinda, Colt, Colten, Colton, Duran, Durand, Durante, Kolton, Meredith (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 41 of 2024; 325 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 6 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 1 (Jia-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 1 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 30 Rajab 1445

J Cal: 11 Grey; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 28 January 2024

Moon: 2%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 13 Homer (2nd Month) [Apelles)

Runic Half Month: Sigel (Sun) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 52 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 20 of 28)

Calendar Changes

Adar I (only in leap years) [אֲדָר א׳] (Hebrew Calendar) [Month 12 of 12]

陬月 [Zōuyuè] (Chinese Lunisolar Calendar) [Month 1 of 12] (Square of Pegasus Month; Corner Month) [Earthly Branch: Tiger Month] (First Month)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 2.10

Holidays

All the News That's Fit To Print Day

Anniversary of Oruro

Arabian Leopard Day (Saudi Arabia)

Ausonia Asteroid Day

Children’s Hospice Day (Germany)

Cliff Burton Day (Alameda County, California)

Deep Blue Day

Fenkil Day (Eritrea)

Gold Record Day

Half-Baked Day (Halfway to 4/20)

International Cribbage Day

International Day of the Arabian Leopard

International Drive Your Triumph Day

International Ski Patrol Day

International Weather Festival

Kurdish Authors Union Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Lt. Col. Vindman Day

Military Industrial Complex Day

National Deworming Day (India)

National Flannel Day

National Home Warranty Day

National Julio Day

National Louis Day

National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe (Italy)

National TV Safety Day

NEET Day (Japan)

Plimsoll Day

Rose Daphne Day (French Republic)

Royal Hobart Regatta Day (Tasmania)

Singing Telegram Day (New York Postal Telegraph Co.)

TBL1XR1 Related Disorder Day

Teddy Day

Tom and Jerry Day

Umbrella Day

Valentismas

Voltammentry Day

Volunteer Defense Day (Thailand)

Welsh Language Music Day (UK)

World Pulses Day

YMCA Day

Ziggy Stardust Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cream Cheese Brownie Day

National “Have a Brownie” Day

Try to Invent a New Jell-O Flavor Day

2nd Saturday in February

Global Movie Day [2nd Saturday]

International Purple Hijab Day [2nd Saturday]

International Snowmobile Ride Day [2nd Saturday]

Independence & Related Days

Anniversary of Oruro (Bolivia)

Empire of North Africa (Declared; 2006) [unrecognized]

New Jersey Concessions & Agreements Day (New Jersey) [1st U.S. state constitution; 1665)

Phokland (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Rosston (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Unification of Upper and Lower Canada (1841)

New Year’s Days

Kebbawa New Year & Beginning of Fishing Season (Kebbawa People of Nigeria)

New Year's Day  [Lunar Calendar] (a.k.a. …

Bituun (Mongolia)

Chinese New Year [2024: Year of the Dragon]

Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Yin Black Water Rabbit

Fete du Printemps (Mauritius)

Losar/Loshar (India, Nepal)

Lunar New Year’s Day (Hong Kong)

Novo Ano Lunar (Macau)

Seol-Nal (South Korea)

Sonam Lhosar (Tamang New Year)

Sonam Lochhar (Sikkam, India)

Spring Festival (China)

Tahun Baru Imlek (Indonesia)

Tamang New Year (Nepal)

Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnam)

Tsagaan Sar (Mongolia) [2023: Year of the Rabbit]

Tet Holiday begins (Vietnam) [thru 26th]

Festivals Beginning February 10, 2024

Carnaval de Barranquilla (Barranquilla, Colombia) [4 Days before Ash Wednesday; thru 2.13]

Carnival of Aalst (Aalst, Belgium) [thru 2.13]

Carnival of Binche (Binche, Belgium) [thru 2.13]

Carnival of Maastricht (Maastricht, Netherlands) [thru 2.13]

Death by Chocolate (Appleton, Wisconsin)

Fastelavn (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off (Manitou Springs, Colorado)

Palm Beach Marine Flea Market & Seafood Festival (West Palm Beach, Florida) [thru 2.11]

Paris Carnival (Paris, France)

Sábado de Carnaval (Argentina; Brazil) [thru 2.13]

Wine Love Trail (Sonoma County, California)

Feast Days

Anabita’s Day (Pagan)

Apelles (Positivist; Saint)

Apple Wish Spell Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Ary Scheffer (Artology)

Austrebertha (Christian; Saint)

Bertolt Brecht (Writerism)

Bisexual Anxiety Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Boris Pasternak (Writerism)

Charalambos (Christian; Saint)

Day of Anaitis (Persian Goddess of the Moon and the Seas)

E.L. Konigsburg (Writerism)

Erlulph of Scotland (Christian; Saint)

Faeries Creation Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Malta)

Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy (Artology)

José Sánchez del Río (Christian; Saint)

Marilyn Monroe Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Mr. Holiday (Muppetism)

Nicolas Taunay (Artology)

Paradoxically Non-Paradoxical Day (a.k.a. Paradox Day; Pastafarian)

Scholastica (Christian; Saint)

Soteris (Christian; Martyr)

Tales of Kelp-Koli (Shamanism)

Trumwin (Christian; Saint)

William of Maleval (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 41 [13 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Tycho Brahe Lucky Day (Scandinavia) [3 of 4]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [10 of 60]

Premieres

Alice at the Carnival (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

Bad Day at Cat Rock (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1965)

Belle de Jour, by Joseph Kessel (Novel; 1928)

The Best of Everything, by Rona Jaffe (Novel; 1958)

Big Game Haunt (WB MM Cartoon; 1968))

Billy Madison (Film; 1995)

Butch (MGM Cartoon; 1951)

Chico & Rita (Animated Film; 2012)

The College Dropout, by Kanye West (Album; 2004)

Daffy’s Rhapsody (WB LT Cartoon; 2012)

Das Boot (Film; 1982)

Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller (Play; 1949)

The Four-Legged Zoo [#4] (Multiplication Rock Cartoon; Schoolhouse Rock; 1973)

The Glenn Miller Story (Film; 1954)

The Grasshopper and the Ants (Disney Silly Symphony Cartoon; 1934)

Icebound, by Owen Davis (Play; 1923)

The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury (Novel; 1951)

I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), by Aretha Franklin (Song; 1967)

Inside Outer Space (Disney Animated TV Special; 1963)

John Wick: Chapter 2 (Film; 2017)

Kimi (Film; 2022)

The Lego Batman Movie (Animated Film; 2013)

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (WB Animated Film; 2015)

The Littles, by John Lawrence Peterson (Novel; 1967)

Long Tall Sally, recorded by Little Richard (Song; 1956)

The Loved One, by Evelyn Waugh (Novel; 1948)

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Animated TV Series; 2023)

The Pink Panther (Film; 2006)

Pluto and the Gopher (Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Puss Gets the Boot (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1940) [#1]

Rabbit Every Monday (WB LT Cartoon; 1951)

Rio Rita, by Red Fin Rito and His Orchestra (Song; 1942)

Safe house (Film; 2012)

Shallow Grave (Film; 1995)

A Sheep in the Deep (WB MM Cartoon; 1962)

Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (Film; 2012)

Sultans of Swing, by Dire Straits (Song; 1979)

Tales of Hoffmann, by Jacques Offenbach (Opera; 1881)

Tapestry, by Carole King (Album; 1971)

The Three Bears (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Tom & Jerry (MGM Cartoon; 1940)

Van Halen, by Van Halen (Album; 1978)

Today’s Name Days

Scholastika, Siegmar (Austria)

Haralampi, Valentin, Valentina (Bulgaria)

Alojzije, Vilim, Vjekoslav (Croatia)

Mojmír (Czech Republic)

Scholastica (Denmark)

Ella, Elle, Ellen, Elli, Ellu (Estonia)

Elina, Ella, Elle, Ellen, Elna (Finland)

Arnaud (France)

Bruno, Scholastika, Siegmar (Germany)

Chara, Charalambos, Chariklia, Haralambia, Haralambos, Hariklia, Harilaos (Greece)

Elvira (Hungary)

Arnaldo, Guglielmo, Scolastica, Wilma (Italy)

Paula, Paulīna, Paulīne (Latvia)

Ada, Elvyra, Gabrielius, Girvydas, Vydgailė (Lithuania)

Ingfrid, Ingrid (Norway)

Elwira, Gabriel, Jacek, Jacenty, Scholastyka, Tomisława (Poland)

Haralambie (Romania)

Gabriela (Slovakia)

Escolástica (Spain)

Eugenia, Iris (Sweden)

Austria, Amber, Amelinda, Colt, Colten, Colton, Duran, Durand, Durante, Kolton, Meredith (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 41 of 2024; 325 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 6 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 1 (Jia-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 1 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 30 Rajab 1445

J Cal: 11 Grey; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 28 January 2024

Moon: 2%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 13 Homer (2nd Month) [Apelles)

Runic Half Month: Sigel (Sun) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 52 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 20 of 28)

Calendar Changes

Adar I (only in leap years) [אֲדָר א׳] (Hebrew Calendar) [Month 12 of 12]

陬月 [Zōuyuè] (Chinese Lunisolar Calendar) [Month 1 of 12] (Square of Pegasus Month; Corner Month) [Earthly Branch: Tiger Month] (First Month)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Eric Hananoki at MMFA:

Commentator Ian Smith has shared material denying the Holocaust, defended Nazis as simply “protecting their sovereignty,” said World War II was actually “engineered White genocide facilitated by international usurers,” and attacked Jewish people for being behind “all of these things that are used to control us.” Trump National Doral Miami recently welcomed him as a speaker alongside key Trump officials, including Eric Trump.  As Media Matters previously reported, Trump’s Miami resort hosted the ReAwaken America tour last Friday and Saturday. Among the speakers were Eric and Lara Trump; Trump lawyers Christina Bobb and Alina Habba; former Trump national security adviser Mike Flynn; former Trump economic adviser Peter Navarro; longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone; and former senior Trump Defense Department official Kash Patel. 

All of them appeared at an event that also featured Ian Smith, a virulent antisemite. Specifically: 

Smith has posted content denying the Holocaust. 

Smith endorsed Europa: The Last Battle, an antisemitic movie that defends Nazis and portrays Hitler as “only trying to save Germany from the Jews.” 

Smith defended Nazis as only “protecting their sovereignty” from Jewish people.  

Smith alleged that Jewish people are behind “all of these things that are used to control us,” including banking, the media, pornography, and Hollywood. He also said that “everybody that he [Biden] surrounds himself with is Jewish.”

Smith shared a meme stating that “all this woke stuff” is actually “coming from Jews.” 

Smith said of World War II: “Let’s stop pretending that World War I and II were some heroic tales of the Allies saving the world from the boogeyman and call them what they really were - engineered White genocide facilitated by international usurers who needed gut the White world from the inside to keep up their parasitic lifestyle.” He also wrote: “If the good guys won World War 1 and 2, then why is the world being ruled by a bunch of self-appointed Bolshevik organizations like WHO, UN, WEF?” 

Smith responded to a meme about the “enemy” with a symbol used to indicate Jewish people.

In 2007, Smith killed someone while driving drunk. In 2022, he was arrested for driving under the influence again. That charge was dropped and Smith instead pleaded guilty over his “refusal to take a breathalyzer test and careless driving.”  Media Matters documented Smith’s antisemitism prior to the start of the Trump Doral event. The tour still went ahead with his speech, with organizer Clay Clark defending him. He stated: “Our next presenter is a victim of a lot of hit pieces in the last 24 hours. … I called him last night and I said, ‘The media's coming after you.’ I'm super excited to have him on the stage. And the reason why the media comes after this guy is because he unapologetically celebrates what it means to be an American. He loves our country.”

[...]

Eric Trump has appeared alongside at least four Hitler-promoting antisemites on the tour. In addition to Smith, they are: 

Jason Dean, who has said that he has “NEVER been able to buy the Hilter/Nazi ‘Official Story’” and praised Adolf Hitler for having a “vision” and wanting “to straighten everything out” but “the bankers got him.”  

Scott McKay, who has said that “Hitler was actually fighting the same people that we're trying to take down today.” He’s also claimed Jewish people orchestrated 9/11 and presidential assassinations and said Jewish people torture and eat children. 

Charlie Ward, who has shared posts praising Hitler for supposedly “warning us” about Judaism; claiming that “VIRUSES are Man (JEW) made”; and attacking the alleged Jewish media for supposedly lying about the Holocaust. 

While those three were removed from the tour after Media Matters revealed their antisemitic remarks, Smith will apparently continue his involvement with the Trump-backed tour. 

The Trump Doral National in Miami was home to the far-right conspiracy theorist convention called the ReAwaken America Tour.

It welcomed antisemite Ian Smith to the event.

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Saturday, 22nd July

Welcome, שלום, أهلا وسهلا, Willkommen 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 22nd July through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

22nd July 2022 🗓️ : Death - Maria Petri Maria Petri, English association football supporter (b. 1939) "Maria Petri (1 March 1939 – 22 July 2022) was an English Arsenal supporter. She had been attending Arsenal and Arsenal Women matches constantly since 1950 until her death on 22 July 2022 and had been recognised within English football for her unique chants...."

22nd July 2018 🗓️ : Death - Frank Havens (canoeist) Frank Havens, American canoeist (b. 1924) "Frank Benjamin Havens (August 1, 1924 – July 22, 2018) was an American sprint canoeist who competed from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. He was born in Arlington, Virginia. Competing in four Summer Olympics, he won two medals in the C-1 10000 m event with a silver in 1948 and a gold in 1952. In..."

22nd July 2013 🗓️ : Event - 2013 Dingxi earthquakes Dingxi earthquakes: A series of earthquakes in Dingxi, China, kills at least 89 people and injures more than 500 others. "On 22 July 2013, a series of earthquakes occurred in Dingxi, Gansu. The first quake struck at 07:45 China Standard Time with an epicenter located at the border of Min County and Zhang County. The magnitude of the initial earthquake was placed at Ms 6.6 by the China Earthquake Data Center with a..."

Image by USGS

22nd July 1973 🗓️ : Event - Pan Am Flight 816 Pan Am Flight 816 crashes after takeoff from Faa'a International Airport in Papeete, French Polynesia, killing 78. "Pan Am Flight 816 was an international flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to San Francisco, California, via Tahiti, French Polynesia and Los Angeles. It was operated by a Pan Am Boeing 707-321B bearing the registration N417PA and named Clipper Winged Racer. On July 22, 1973, at 10:06 P.M. local..."

Image licensed under GFDL 1.2? by Mike Freer

22nd July 1923 🗓️ : Birth - The Fabulous Moolah The Fabulous Moolah, American wrestler (d. 2007) "Mary Lillian Ellison (July 22, 1923 – November 2, 2007) was an American professional wrestler better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional..."

Image by This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. For further explanation, see Commons:Hirtle chart as well as a detailed definition of "publication" for public art. Note that it may still be copyrighted in jurisdictions that do not apply the rule of the shorter term for US works (depending on the date of the author's death), such as Canada (50 p.m.a.), Mainland China (50 p.m.a., not Hong Kong or Macao), Germany (70 p.m.a.), Mexico (100 p.m.a.), Switzerland (70 p.m.a.), and other countries with individual treaties.

22nd July 1820 🗓️ : Birth - Oliver Mowat Oliver Mowat, Canadian politician, 3rd Premier of Ontario, 8th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (d. 1903) "Sir Oliver Mowat (July 22, 1820 – April 19, 1903) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Ontario Liberal Party leader. He served for nearly 24 years as the third premier of Ontario. He was the eighth lieutenant governor of Ontario and one of the Fathers of Confederation. He is best known for..."

Image

22nd July 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Abd-al-Masih "Abd al-Masih (or Abda) was a Jewish Christian martyr and saint of Late Antiquity. The name Abd al-Masih (عبد المسيح) means "servant of the Messiah" in Arabic and is a posthumous title, not his name. Abd al-Masih, born Asher ben Levi was a converted Jewish shepherd boy in Sassanian Mesopotamia who..."

[umseb]

bmw sauber reserve driver sebastian vettel in the paddock on qualifying day, spain - may 12, 2007 📷 andrew ferraro / motorsport images

[newstfionline]

Saturday, June 24, 2023

The U.S. Population Is Older Than It Has Ever Been (NYT) The median age in the United States reached a record high of 38.9 in 2022, according to data released Thursday by the Census Bureau. It’s a rapid rise. In 2000, the median age was 35, and in 1980, the median was 30. The new data adds to the evidence that, like many European and Asian nations, the United States is graying, posing challenges for the work force, the economy and social programs. Low birthrates are the main driver of the nation’s rising median age, experts said. “It’s simple arithmetic,” said Andrew A. Beveridge, president of Social Explorer, a demographic data firm. “Fewer kids are being born.” The trend is international, even affecting countries with much stronger social programs than the United States, like Norway, Sweden and Finland, which heavily subsidize child care. Among states, Maine (44.8 median age) is the oldest, with New Hampshire (43.3) not far behind. Utah (31.9), the District of Columbia (34.8) and Texas (35.5) are the youngest, according to the Census Bureau.

Chased from their homes by gangs, thousands of Haitians languish in shelters with lives in limbo (AP) A gang rampaged through the Cite Soleil slum, killing and raping and setting fire to hundreds of wood-and-tin homes. Forced out of the neighborhood, one family of four lived on the streets of Port-au-Prince until they were struck by a truck as they slept. Two brothers, 2 and 9, died in the November accident. Jean-Kere Almicar opened his home to their distraught parents, then another family, then another, until there were nearly 200 people camped out in his front yard and nearby. They are among more than 165,000 Haitians who have fled their homes amid a surge in gang violence, with nowhere to turn in this capital of nearly 3 million people. Almicar, who once lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania but moved back to Haiti in 2007, uses his own money. “There was nothing I could do except tell them to come in,” Almicar said. “Their home doesn’t exist anymore. If they go back, they’re going to be killed.”

Europe’s empty churches (AP) The confessionals where generations of Belgians admitted their sins stood stacked in a corner of what was once Sacred Heart Church, proof the stalls—as well as the Roman Catholic house of worship—had outlived their purpose. The building is to close down for two years while a cafe and concert stage are added, with plans to turn the church into “a new cultural hot spot in the heart of Mechelen,” almost within earshot of where Belgium’s archbishop lives. Around the corner, a former Franciscan church is now a luxury hotel. Across Europe, the continent that nurtured Christianity for most of two millennia, churches, convents and chapels stand empty and increasingly derelict as faith and church attendance shriveled over the past half century. It is a phenomenon seen over much of Europe’s Christian heartland from Germany to Italy and many nations in between. It really stands out in Flanders, in northern Belgium, which has some of the greatest cathedrals on the continent and the finest art to fill them. If only it had enough faithful. A 2018 study from the PEW research group showed, in Belgium, that of the 83% that say they were raised Christian, only 55% still consider themselves so. Only 10% of Belgians still attended church regularly. On average, every one of the 300 towns in Flanders has about six churches and often not enough faithful to fill a single one. Some become eyesores in city centers, their maintenance a constant drain on finances.

Storms and heavy rain flood roads, block railway lines in Germany (AP) Storms and heavy rain across a large swath of Germany flooded roads and forced the closure of some major railway routes on Friday, but there was no immediate word of any injuries. Germany’s national weather service had warned earlier this week of severe storms with significant amounts of rainfall, which hit on Thursday. In the western city of Duisburg, the fire service said it rescued several people from cars that got stuck on flooded streets. Shops were flooded and streets inundated in the northern city of Braunschweig, and there were similar reports from Kassel.

A Superyacht Gave a Lifeline to 100 Migrants Thrown Into the Sea (NYT) The superyacht Mayan Queen IV was sailing smoothly in clear weather through the dark and calm Mediterranean in the early hours of June 14 when it received a call about a migrant ship in distress four nautical miles away. About 20 minutes later, shortly before 3 a.m., the towering $175-million yacht, owned by the family of a Mexican silver magnate, arrived at the scene. The distressed boat had already sunk. All the four-person crew could see were the lights of a Greek Coast Guard vessel scanning the water’s inky surface. But they could hear the screams of survivors. In a few hours, the 305-foot Mayan Queen was filled with 100 desperate, dehydrated and sea-soaked Pakistani, Syrian, Palestinian and Egyptian men, as it played an unexpected role in one of the deadliest migrant shipwrecks in decades. As many as 650 men, women and children drowned. The incongruous image of the devastated survivors disembarking the Mayan Queen on a port in Kalamata last week underlined what has become the strange reality of the modern Mediterranean, where the superyachts of the superrich, equipped with swimming pools, Jacuzzis, helipads and other trappings of luxury, share the seas with the most destitute on smuggler-operated boats perilously crossing from northern Africa to Europe.

Ukraine hits bridge linking Crimea to mainland in blow to Russian supply route (Reuters) Ukrainian missiles on Thursday struck one of the few bridges linking the Crimea Peninsula with the Ukrainian mainland, Russian-appointed officials said, cutting one of the main supply routes for Russian occupation forces in southern Ukraine. Ukraine is attacking Russian supply lines to disrupt Moscow’s defence of occupied territory in the south. The bridge is beyond range of the battlefield rockets Ukraine has used for a year, but within reach of newly deployed weapons such as British and French air-launched cruise missiles, allowing Kyiv to hit logistics routes Russia had deemed safe just weeks ago.

Delivering mail in war-ravaged Ukraine: ‘There are still people living here’ (Washington Post) The trio of Ukrainian postal workers—a mail carrier, a driver and a security guard—wait for a lull in the shelling before entering Hulyaipole, a small city near the front line where they often make deliveries under fire, zigzagging along bumpy lanes in their small white-and-yellow van. On one particularly hair-raising route, between two neighboring towns, they say a quick prayer, slam the accelerator and race across a mile-long stretch of open road in front of Russian positions. Clad in bulletproof vests, they make this dangerous journey three times a month, in line with a new wartime schedule organized by Ukraine’s state postal service, Ukrposhta. They deliver not just letters and parcels but also pensions, groceries and medicine for the few residents—mostly destitute and elderly—who still live near Hulyaipole. “Somebody has to do this job—and nobody wants to do it,” said the mail carrier, Natalia Hrinenko. Hrinenko, 55, was the head of the Hulyaipole’s post office until the building was bombed and rendered unusable in May of last year. “If God needs me to be in this place at this time, then it is to be,” she said. “Anyway, how could I abandon it?” The post service to Hulyaipole is emblematic of the countless improvised lifelines put in place over the 16 months since Russia’s brutal invasion to help the hundreds of people who are hanging on and subsisting, cut off from larger cities, under desperate conditions near some of the war’s fiercest fighting.

Hot times in China (Foreign Policy) Chinese residents are rushing to raise the air conditioning. Beijing on Thursday recorded its hottest June day since record-keeping began in 1961. With thermometers hitting almost 108 degrees Fahrenheit, authorities are worried China’s heat wave will only get worse. Extreme temperatures are nothing new for China; beginning in April, a record-breaking heat wave spread across the country. But climate change has only exacerbated their deadliness. Last month, a World Weather Attribution study found that climate change made heat waves 30 times more likely in Asia. And earlier on Thursday, Chinese officials issued an orange alert, the second-most severe weather warning, until Saturday in anticipation of more 100+-degree weather.

In Iran, Some Are Chasing the Last Drops of Water (NYT) Summer has come to Sistan and Baluchistan province, an impoverished fragment of chapped earth and shimmering heat in Iran’s southeast corner, and all people there can talk about is how to get water. For weeks now, taps in cities like Zahedan have yielded nothing but a salty, weakening trickle. In the villages that water pipes have never reached, the few residents who remain say people can barely find enough water to do the laundry or bathe themselves, let alone fish, farm or sustain livestock. Drought has stalked Iran for centuries, but the threat intensified in recent years as political priorities trumped sound water management, experts say. Climate change has only made things worse in an area that typically gets no rainfall for seven months out of the year, and where temperatures can soar to 124 degrees in July. Sistan and Baluchistan, where Iranian lawmakers warn the water will run out altogether within three months, might sound like an extreme case. But other regions are not far behind. Drought is forcing water cuts in the capital, Tehran, shrinking Lake Urmia, the largest saltwater lake in the Middle East, and the livelihoods that came with it, and stoking mass migration from Iran’s countryside to its cities.

New weapons, tactics further entangle U.S. in Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Washington Post) In a week that saw U.S.-made attack helicopters strafing a Palestinian city and Israeli settlers rampaging through a village filled with American citizens, the Biden administration finds itself caught up in a rapidly escalating conflict. Both sides are also introducing new and more powerful weapons and tactics that hark back to the all-out war of the second intifada more than 20 years ago, when Israel reoccupied much of the West Bank. On Monday, a pre-dawn Israeli raid in Jenin quickly devolved into an extremely unusual eight-hour gunfight, during which Israel had to deploy Apache helicopters to extricate its soldiers under fire after roadside bombs trapped them in the city. The cycle then spiraled further when the next day, two Hamas gunmen killed four Israelis in the West Bank in retaliation. On Wednesday, 400 armed settlers rampaged through Turmus Ayya, a West Bank town that is 85 percent Palestinian American dual citizens, according to its mayor. The settlers torched dozens of homes, cars and orchards while shooting at civilians. One Palestinian was killed by Israeli police when clashes broke out. Later that night, Israel, in another rare move, announced it had used drones for the first time since 2006 to kill three members of a Palestinian “terrorist cell.” Settlers from the hard-line settlement of Yitzhar also cut electricity lines leading to the Palestinian village of Ourif, the hometown of the two Hamas gunmen. “In the near future, all hell will break loose,” said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul in New York, adding that an Israeli-Palestinian escalation was “the last thing that the Biden administration wants to deal with.”

Fighting resumes after Sudan cease-fire as number of people displaced passes 2.5 million (AP) Clashes resumed between Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary force after a three-day cease-fire expired. The fighting has killed thousands of people and forced more than 2.5 million people to flee their homes to safer areas in Sudan and neighboring countries, according to the U.N. migration agency. The U.N. said Wednesday that within the last month, it has helped truck 17 tons (15.4 metric tons) of aid to various parts of Sudan, including 50 truckloads in the first two days of the latest cease-fire.

[brookston]

Holidays 1.21

Holidays

Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic)

American Novel Day

Babinden (Day of the Midwife; Bulgaria, Serbia)

Concorde Flight Day

Derbyshire Archeology Day (Canada)

Errol Barrow Day (Barbados)

Fancy Rat and Mouse Day

Feast of Jolly Roger

Flag Day (Quebec)

Grandmother’s Day (Poland)

International Bon Jovi Day

International Playdate Day

Kiwanis Day

Lady of Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic)

Lincoln Alexander Day (Canada)

Mariachi Day (Mexico)

National Bakers-Crafters-Makers Day

National Cheesy Socks Day

National Conscious Uncoupling Day

National Hugging Day (a.k.a. Hug Day)

National Hug Your Puppy Day

National Hyaluronic Acid Day

National Max Day

New Year's Eve  [Lunar Calendar] (a.k.a. …

Bituun (Mongolia)

Chinese New Year’s Eve (Taiwan)

Lunar New Year’s Eve (Macau)

Seol-na Holiday (South Korea)

Spring Festival (China)

Tet Eve (Vietnam)

One-Liners Day

Own Your Own Home Day

Princess Ingrid Alexandra Day (Norway)

Race Against Dementia Day (UK)

Quebec Flag Day (Canada)

Sonam Lhosar (Tamang New Year; Nepal)

Red Squirrel Appreciation Day (UK)

Stephen Foster Day

Swiss Guard Day

Tatiana Day (Russia)

Thank Your Mentor Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Granola Bar Day

National New England Clam Chowder Day

3rd Saturday in January

Bald Eagle Appreciation Days begin [3rd Saturday]

Baltic Porter Day (Poland) [3rd Saturday]

Learn to Ski Day [3rd Saturday]

National Tulip Day (Netherlands) [3rd Saturday]

National Use Your Gift Card Day [3rd Saturday]

Polar Bear Jump & Ugly Fish Toss (Seward, Alaska) [begins 3rd Saturday]

Sight-Saving Sabbath Weekend [begins 3rd Saturday]

Soup Swap Day [3rd Saturday]

Independence Days

The Kingdom of Coleraine, a.k.a. Ríocht na hUlaidh Thair Nhua (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Royaume de Nova Francia (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Agnes (Christian; Saint)

Confucius (Positivist; Saint)

Demiana (Coptic Church)

Epiphanius (Christian; Saint)

Fatty Arbuckle (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Fructuosus (Christian; Saint)

Gobo Fraggle (Muppetism)

John Yi Yun-il (One of The Korean Martyrs)

Meinrad of Einsiedeln (Christian; Saint)

Publius (Christian Saint)

Ravioli Day (Pastafarian)

Virnin (a.k.a. Vivian; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 4 of 60)

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [7 of 57]

Premieres

Animals, by Pink Floyd (Album; 1977)

Bon Jovi, by Bon Jovi (Album; 1984)

Charlie Chan in Paris (Film; 1935)

Counterpart (TV Series; 2017)

Dirty Grandpa (Film; 2016)

The Dresden Files (TV Series; 2007)

Franny, by J.D. Salinger (Novella; 1955) [Collected in Franny & Zooey in 1961]

Freaky Friday (Film; 1977)

Goliath II (Disney Cartoon; 1960)

In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, by Pat Boone (Album; 1997)

Legends of Tomorrow (TV Series; 2016)

No Strings Attached (Film; 2011)

One O’Clock Jump, recorded by Count Basie (Song; 1942)

The Phantom of the Opera (Film; 2005)

Portlandia (TV Series; 2011)

Saved (Film; 2004)

White Noise, by Don DeLillo (Novel; 1985)

The Year of Living Dangerously (Film; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Agnes, Ines, Meinrad (Austria)

Maksim (Bulgaria)

Agneza, Janja, Neža (Croatia)

Běla (Czech Republic)

Agnes (Denmark)

Age, Agi, Agne, Agnes, Agneta, Aune, Auni, Ines, Neta (Estonia)

Aune, Auni, Netta, Oona (Finland)

Agnès (France)

Agnes, Ines, Meinrad (Germany)

Agne, Agni, Evgenios, Maximos, Neofytos, Patroklos (Greece)

Ágnes (Hungary)

Agnese, Ines (Italy)

Agne, Agnese, Agnija, Agnis (Latvia)

Agnietė, Galiginas, Garsė (Lithuania)

Agnes, Agnete (Norway)

Agnieszka, Epifani, Jarosław, Jarosława, Jerosława, Marcela (Poland)

Maxim (Romania)

Vincent (Slovakia)

Fructuoso, Inés (Spain)

Agnes, Agneta (Sweden)

Candid, Candida, Candace, Eugene, Slavko, Yaroslav (Ukraine)

Agnes, Ethan, Inez, Mayer, Maynard, Ynez (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 21 of 2023; 344 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 3 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Gun-Chou), Day 30 (Ji-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 28 Teveth 5783

Islamic: 28 Jumada II 1444

J Cal: 21 Aer; Sunday [21 of 30]

Julian: 8 January 2023

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 21 Moses (1st Month) [Confucius]

Runic Half Month: Peorth (Womb, Dice Cup) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 32 of 90)

Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 1 of 30)

Calendar Changes

Aquarius (The Water Bearer) begins [Zodiac Sign 11; thru 2.18]

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 1.21

Holidays

Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic)

American Novel Day

Babinden (Day of the Midwife; Bulgaria, Serbia)

Concorde Flight Day

Derbyshire Archeology Day (Canada)

Errol Barrow Day (Barbados)

Fancy Rat and Mouse Day

Feast of Jolly Roger

Flag Day (Quebec)

Grandmother’s Day (Poland)

International Bon Jovi Day

International Playdate Day

Kiwanis Day

Lady of Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic)

Lincoln Alexander Day (Canada)

Mariachi Day (Mexico)

National Bakers-Crafters-Makers Day

National Cheesy Socks Day

National Conscious Uncoupling Day

National Hugging Day (a.k.a. Hug Day)

National Hug Your Puppy Day

National Hyaluronic Acid Day

National Max Day

New Year's Eve  [Lunar Calendar] (a.k.a. …

Bituun (Mongolia)

Chinese New Year’s Eve (Taiwan)

Lunar New Year’s Eve (Macau)

Seol-na Holiday (South Korea)

Spring Festival (China)

Tet Eve (Vietnam)

One-Liners Day

Own Your Own Home Day

Princess Ingrid Alexandra Day (Norway)

Race Against Dementia Day (UK)

Quebec Flag Day (Canada)

Sonam Lhosar (Tamang New Year; Nepal)

Red Squirrel Appreciation Day (UK)

Stephen Foster Day

Swiss Guard Day

Tatiana Day (Russia)

Thank Your Mentor Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Granola Bar Day

National New England Clam Chowder Day

3rd Saturday in January

Bald Eagle Appreciation Days begin [3rd Saturday]

Baltic Porter Day (Poland) [3rd Saturday]

Learn to Ski Day [3rd Saturday]

National Tulip Day (Netherlands) [3rd Saturday]

National Use Your Gift Card Day [3rd Saturday]

Polar Bear Jump & Ugly Fish Toss (Seward, Alaska) [begins 3rd Saturday]

Sight-Saving Sabbath Weekend [begins 3rd Saturday]

Soup Swap Day [3rd Saturday]

Independence Days

The Kingdom of Coleraine, a.k.a. Ríocht na hUlaidh Thair Nhua (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Royaume de Nova Francia (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Agnes (Christian; Saint)

Confucius (Positivist; Saint)

Demiana (Coptic Church)

Epiphanius (Christian; Saint)

Fatty Arbuckle (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Fructuosus (Christian; Saint)

Gobo Fraggle (Muppetism)

John Yi Yun-il (One of The Korean Martyrs)

Meinrad of Einsiedeln (Christian; Saint)

Publius (Christian Saint)

Ravioli Day (Pastafarian)

Virnin (a.k.a. Vivian; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 4 of 60)

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [7 of 57]

Premieres

Animals, by Pink Floyd (Album; 1977)

Bon Jovi, by Bon Jovi (Album; 1984)

Charlie Chan in Paris (Film; 1935)

Counterpart (TV Series; 2017)

Dirty Grandpa (Film; 2016)

The Dresden Files (TV Series; 2007)

Franny, by J.D. Salinger (Novella; 1955) [Collected in Franny & Zooey in 1961]

Freaky Friday (Film; 1977)

Goliath II (Disney Cartoon; 1960)

In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, by Pat Boone (Album; 1997)

Legends of Tomorrow (TV Series; 2016)

No Strings Attached (Film; 2011)

One O’Clock Jump, recorded by Count Basie (Song; 1942)

The Phantom of the Opera (Film; 2005)

Portlandia (TV Series; 2011)

Saved (Film; 2004)

White Noise, by Don DeLillo (Novel; 1985)

The Year of Living Dangerously (Film; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Agnes, Ines, Meinrad (Austria)

Maksim (Bulgaria)

Agneza, Janja, Neža (Croatia)

Běla (Czech Republic)

Agnes (Denmark)

Age, Agi, Agne, Agnes, Agneta, Aune, Auni, Ines, Neta (Estonia)

Aune, Auni, Netta, Oona (Finland)

Agnès (France)

Agnes, Ines, Meinrad (Germany)

Agne, Agni, Evgenios, Maximos, Neofytos, Patroklos (Greece)

Ágnes (Hungary)

Agnese, Ines (Italy)

Agne, Agnese, Agnija, Agnis (Latvia)

Agnietė, Galiginas, Garsė (Lithuania)

Agnes, Agnete (Norway)

Agnieszka, Epifani, Jarosław, Jarosława, Jerosława, Marcela (Poland)

Maxim (Romania)

Vincent (Slovakia)

Fructuoso, Inés (Spain)

Agnes, Agneta (Sweden)

Candid, Candida, Candace, Eugene, Slavko, Yaroslav (Ukraine)

Agnes, Ethan, Inez, Mayer, Maynard, Ynez (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 21 of 2023; 344 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 3 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Gun-Chou), Day 30 (Ji-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 28 Teveth 5783

Islamic: 28 Jumada II 1444

J Cal: 21 Aer; Sunday [21 of 30]

Julian: 8 January 2023

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 21 Moses (1st Month) [Confucius]

Runic Half Month: Peorth (Womb, Dice Cup) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 32 of 90)

Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 1 of 30)

Calendar Changes

Aquarius (The Water Bearer) begins [Zodiac Sign 11; thru 2.18]