On This Day December 14th

 December 14th is the three-hundred-forty-eighth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 17 days remaining until the end of the year.



Events

 

557 – Constantinople is severely damaged by an earthquake, which cracks the dome of Hagia Sophia.

1542 – Princess Mary Stuart becomes Queen of Scots after the death of her father, James V of Scotland, at one week of age, 

1780 – Founding Father Alexander Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton at the Schuyler Mansion in Albany, New York.

1814 – War of 1812: The Royal Navy seizes control of Lake Borgne, Louisiana.

1900 – Quantum mechanics: Max Planck presents a theoretical derivation of his black-body radiation law (quantum theory) at the Physic Society in Berlin.

1903 – The Wright brothers first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

1918 – Giacomo Puccini's comic opera Gianni Schicchi premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

1962 – NASA's Mariner 2 becomes the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.

2020 – A total solar eclipse is visible from parts of the South Pacific, southern South America, and the South Atlantic Ocean.






Birthdays

 

1546 – Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer and chemist (d. 1601)

1775 – Philander Chase, American bishop and educator, founded Kenyon College (d. 1852)

1883 – Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese martial artist, developed aikido (d. 1969)

1896 – Jimmy Doolittle, American general and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1993)

1899 – DeFord Bailey, American Hall of Fame country and blues musician (d. 1982)

1911 – Spike Jones, American singer and bandleader (d. 1965)

1932 – Charlie Rich, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1995)

1946 – Patty Duke, American actress (d. 2016)

1965 – Craig Biggio, American baseball player and coach

1988 – Vanessa Hudgens, American actress and singer


 Holiday Highlight


  Think Halcyon Days; it evokes happy spaces—good times in college, periods of success and calm at work. The term originates from a Greek legend about the halcyon bird, known for building floating nests in the Aegean Sea. Ancient Greeks believed it calmed the sea during its fourteen days of nesting around the winter solstice, providing blissful weather. According to the Roman poet Ovid, halcyon refers to Alcyone, who was transformed into a bird after her husband’s drowning. Aeolus, her father, kept the winds calm for a week before and after the solstice to help them nest. The term entered the English language in the 14th century and evolved to represent calm periods, with Shakespeare notably using “halcyon days” in “Henry VI.” Today, it signifies any joyful past period, transcending its winter origins.


 

Holidays And Observance 


Alabama Day  

Free Shipping Day  

Gingerbread Decorating Day 

International Shareware Day 

Monkey Day 

National Bouillabaisse Day 

National Wreaths Across America Day 

Roast Chestnuts Day 





 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In This Day December 3rd

  O.T.D December 3rd is the three hundred thirty-third day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 33 days remain until the end of the year. Events 1775—American Revolutionary War: The USS Alfred becomes the first vessel to fly the Grand Union Flag (the precursor to the Stars and Stripes); John Paul Jones hoists the flag. 1800 – United States presidential election: The Electoral College casts votes for president and vice president that result in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. 1854 – Battle of the Eureka Stockade: More than 20 gold miners at Ballarat, Victoria, are killed by state troopers in an uprising over mining licenses. 1898 – The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club defeats an all-star collection of early football players 16–0 in the first all-star game for professional American football. 1904 – Charles Dillon Perrine discovers the Jovian moon Himalia at California's Lick Observatory. 1910 – Georges Claude first demonstrates modern neon lighting at the Paris Moto...
Read more

The Lightning Mind of Benjamin Franklin: Innovator, Statesman, and Sage

Image
   Benjamin Franklin, one of the most extraordinary figures in American history, was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts. His life spanned an era of remarkable change and progress, and Franklin himself was a driving force behind much of this transformation.  Franklin's thirst for knowledge was evident from a young age. Born into a modest family, he had limited formal education but compensated for this with an insatiable curiosity and a passion for self-learning. His early exposure to books and learning, mainly through his apprenticeship at his brother's printing shop, laid the foundation for his lifelong pursuit of knowledge.  Regarding Franklin's IQ, it's important to note that the concept of IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and IQ tests were not developed during Franklin's lifetime. Thus, it's impossible to accurately state his IQ. However, his broad range of achievements and intellectual pursuits indicate high intelligence and creativity.  Franklin e...
Read more

On This Day January 13th

 OTD January 13th is the Thirteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 352 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the Roman Senate's and the people's free disposal. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years. 532 – The Nika riots break out during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople because of discontent with the rule of Emperor Justinian 1815 – War of 1812: British troops capture Fort Peter in St. Mary’s, Georgia, the only battle of the war to take place in the state. 1888 – The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C. 1910 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; a live performance of the operas Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci is sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. 1920 – The Reichstag Bloodbath of January 13, 1920, the bloodiest demonstration in German history. 1966 – Robert C. Weaver became the f...
Read more