Today’s Important Historical Events

1792 Mount Unzen on Japan’s Shimabara Peninsula, erupts creating a tsunami, killing about 15,000; Japan’s deadliest volcanic eruption

1832 1st US Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore

1871 -July 28] French regular troops attack Commune of Paris; 17,000 die

1927 Aviator Charles Lindbergh, in the Spirit of St Louis, lands in Paris after the first solo air crossing of Atlantic

1932 After flying for 17 hours from Newfoundland, Amelia Earhart lands near Londonderry, Northern Ireland, becoming the 1st transatlantic solo flight by a woman

Today’s Historical Events

878 Syracuse is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily

879 Pope John VIII gives blessings to duke Branimir and to Croatian people, considered to be international recognition of the Croatian state

996 Pope Gregory V crowns his cousin Otto III as Holy Roman Emperor in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome

1040 King Henry III gives Utrecht the Groninger currency

1216 French crown prince Louis enters England, having been invited by barons at war with King John

1260 Hao Jing, envoy of Mongol leader Kublai Khan imprisoned by order of the high Chancellor of China, Jia Sidao at the Song Dynasty court of Emperor Lizong while attempting to negotiate with the Song

1281 Kublai Khan‘s second invasion of Japan begins with an attack on Tsushima Island but meets fierce resistance; his troops are forced to withdraw

1382 Earthquake centered on Dover Straits with estimated magnitude of 6.0 causes widespread damage, including to Canterbury Cathedral

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1908 1st American horror movie silent film “Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde” premieres in Chicago

1922 Rollin Kirby’s “On the Road to Moscow” is the 1st cartoon to receive a Pulitzer Prize

1955 WFRV TV channel 5 in Green Bay, Wisconsin (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

1956 WITI TV channel 6 in Milwaukee, WI (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting

1968 Paul McCartney and girlfriend Jane Asher attend an Andy Williams concert

1968 WEKW TV channel 52 in Keene, NH (PBS) begins broadcasting

1980 “Star Wars Episode V – Empire Strikes Back”, produced by George Lucas opens in cinemas in UK and North America

1981 Kim Seelbrede, (Ohio), crowned 30th Miss USA

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1892 Ruggero Leoncavallo’s opera “I Pagliacci” premieres in Milan

1941 Singer Johan Heesters visits Dachau concentration camp

1955 Harold Arlen and Truman Capote‘ musical “House of Flowers” closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 165 performances

1959 “Gypsy” opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 702 performances

1960 Leontyne Price becomes the first African American to sing the lead at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in “Aida”

1966 “Downtown” by Mrs Miller hits #82

1966 “Time for Singing” opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 41 performances

1966 Louie Louie by The Kingsmen reentered the chart & hits #97

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1819 1st bicycles (swift walkers) in US introduced in NYC

1866 1st-class debut of cricketer Fred Grace aged 15 years 159 days at the Magdalen Ground, Oxford

1878 4th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Carter aboard Day Star wins in 2:37.25

1881 US National Lawn Tennis Association is established in NYC, New York

1886 14th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45

1891 Australian boxer Peter Jackson and future world heavyweight champion Jim Corbett fight a No Contest in 61 rounds at California Athletic Club, San Francisco

1904 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) forms in Paris

1907 32nd Preakness: G Mountain aboard Don Enrique wins in 1:45.4

Today’s Word is

Namby-pamby

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Namby-pamby / adjective / nam·by-pam·by

Namby-pamby is the word we use to describe people believed to be lacking in strength or courage. We see someone described as “namby-pamby” as feeble or spineless in response to situations that call for a stronger behavior response.

People often associate the word “namby-pamby” with a male who is behaving in an “effeminate” fashion. Being called a “namby-pamby” is not a compliment. It is a sign that whomever is doing the name-calling lacks respect for the person who is the subject of their verbal attacks.

Etymology

The English word namby-pamby entered language in the mid-1700s around 1745. We derived it from early Ambrose and adopted it into popular use in the mid-18th century. Etymologists say the word was initially used to describe the characteristics of an English writer ridiculed by the public and leading officials of the time. We use namby-pamby as both an adjective and a noun with its original meaning.

In a Sentence

The namby-pamby just stood by and watched while his family was in danger.

The employees all secretly called their boss a namby-pamby behind his back.

Stop acting like such a namby-pamby and step up to the plate!

Synonym

Effeminate, Spineless

Antonym

Backboned, Strong

Today’s Important Historical Events

1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India becoming the first European to reach India by sea

1609 Shakespeare‘s Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by publisher Thomas Thorpe

1862 US President Abraham Lincoln signs into law the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for the settlement of the American West (80 million acres by 1900)

1864 Spotsylvania campaign in US Civil War ends after 10,920 killed or injured

1927 At 7:40 AM, Charles Lindbergh takes off from New York to cross the Atlantic for Paris, aboard Spirit of St Louis in the 1st solo nonstop transatlantic flight

1927 Treaty of Jeddah is signed between the United Kingdom and Ibn Saud recognizing the independence of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd

1990 Hubble Space Telescope sends its 1st photographs from space

Today’s Historical Events

325 First Council of Nicaea – 1st ecumenical council of Christian bishops at Nicaea, Asia Minor

685 Battle of Nechtansmere/Dun Nechtain: Picts led by Brude MacBeli beat Northumbrians led by their king Ecgfrith in Scotland

1217 Second Battle of Lincoln fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke

1293 Earthquake strikes Kamakura Japan, 30,000 killed

1293 King Sancho IV of Castile creates the Study of General Schools of Alcalá

1303 Treaty of Paris restores Gascony to the English and arranges marriage of English Prince Edward to French Princess Isabella

1310 Shoes were made for both right & left feet

1347 Rienzo calls Rome for people’s tribunal

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1891 1st public display of Thomas Edison‘s prototype kinetoscope to members of the National Federation of Women’s Club

1895 1st commercial movie performance (153 Broadway, NYC)

1926 Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies

1960 13th Cannes Film Festival: “The Sweet Life” directed by Federico Fellini wins the Palme d’Or

1966 19th Cannes Film Festival: “A Man and a Woman” directed by Claude Lelouch and “The Birds, the Bees and the Italians” directed by Pietro Germi jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1967 BBC bans the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” because of drug references

1970 Beatles’ “Let it Be” movie premieres in UK

1973 25th Emmy Awards: Waltons, All in the Family & Mary Tyler Moore win

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1896 The six ton chandelier of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris falls on the crowd resulting in the death of one and the injury of many others

1961 Henzes opera “Elegy for Young Lovers,” premieres in Schwetzingen

1972 “Different Times” closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 24 performances

1972 “Hard Job Being God” closes at Edison Theater NYC after 6 performances

1973 “2 Gentlemen of Verona” closes at St James Theater NYC after 613 performances

1979 “I Love My Wife” closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 864 performances

1979 Elton John is the 1st western pop star to tour USSR

1980 Drummer Peter Criss quits rock band Kiss

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1734 1st Jockey Club forms in South Carolina

1879 5th Kentucky Derby: Charlie Shauer aboard Lord Murphy wins in 2:37

1897 British Open Men’s Golf, Royal Liverpool GC: English amateur Harold Hilton wins 2nd Open title by 1 stroke from Scot James Braid

1900 Second modern Summer Olympics (Games of the II Olympiad) opens in Paris and continues for 5 months

1913 38th Preakness: James Butwell aboard Buskin wins in 1:53.4

1920 Policemen raid the Cubs’ bleachers & arrest 24 fans for gambling

1922 Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel, previously suspended by Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, return to the NY lineup and go hitless

1930 University of California dedicates $1,500 to research on prevention & cure of athlete’s foot

Today’s Word is

Hygge

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Hygge / noun/ hyoo·guh

Danish speakers use the word “hygge” to represent a relaxed, laid-back, and comfortable vibe created by enjoying the simpler things in life. We use hygge to represent the feeling invoked by engaging in simple activities that relieve stress and provide opportunities for having pleasing conversations and making genuine connections with others. Hygge relates to comfort, well-being, coziness, and contentment, with a warm atmosphere filled with pleasant people.

In a Sentence

The woman felt an incredible sense of hygge upon entering the sacred temple.

Denmark is famous for spreading the love and hygge for visitors and countrymen.

Doing yoga within a group gives some people a pleasurable sense of hygge.

Etymology

Although we most recognize “hygge” in the Danish language, the word actually entered the language as Norwegian. “Hygge” entered the language carrying the same meaning as ‘well-being.’ Danish adopted the word into their language system around the end of the 18th century. They’ve been using “hygge” to represent contentment, well-being, and the best of Denmark for residents and tourists since the late 1800s.

Synonyms

Comfortable, Comfy

Antonyms

Rude, Hard