Sunday Open Thread: April 8 is International Romani Day

Today's date is also Pungenday, Discord 25, 3184 YOLD (for you Discordians out there)

World History this day

1924 -- Ataturk abolished sharia courts in Turkey 1942 -- The Japanese took Bataan 1946 -- The world's largest utility company, Electricite de France, was formed * 1950 -- India and Pakistan signed the Liaquat--Nehru Pact. 1953 -- The rulers of British Kenya convicted Mau Mau leader Jomo Kenyatta 1959 -- The OAS agreed to create the Inter-American Development Bank. 1970 -- Israel bombed Egypt's Bahr El-Baqar primary school killing 46 children

* through the nationalisation of numerous electricity producers, transporters and distributors (hint, hint).

US History this day

1895 -- The Supremes held unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional 1904 -- Times Square was named Times Square 1913 -- The 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators) became law. 1935 -- The WPA was formed 1952 -- Truman calls for the seizure of all US steel mills to prevent a strike. 1975 -- Frank Robinson managed his first game as MLB's first African American manager

Science & Technology this day

1911 -- Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity. 2008 -- The world's first building to integrate wind turbines was completed (in Bahrain).

The Arts this day

1820 -- The Venus de Milo was found on the island of Milos.

Misc. this day

1093 -- The new Winchester Cathedral was dedicated 1730 -- The first synagogue in New York City was dedicated 1904 -- Aleister Crowley transcribed the first chapter of The Book of the Law.

Birthdays of Note this day

1859 -- Edmund Husserl, philosopher and mathematician 1896 -- Yip Harburg, composer 1911 -- Melvin Calvin, biochemist 1922 -- Carmen McRae, singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress 1927 -- Ollie Mitchell, trumpet player, wrecking crew member, and bandleader 1928 -- Fred Ebb, lyricist 1929 -- Jacques Brel, singer, songwriter and actor 1937 -- Seymour Hersh, journalist and author 1942 -- Roger Chapman, singer, songwriter and guitarist 1949 -- Brenda Russell, singer, songwriter and keyboard player 1951 -- Joan Sebastian, singer, songwriter and actor 1963 -- Julian Lennon, singer and songwriter 1963 -- Donita Sparks, singer, songwriter, and guitarist

Deaths of Note this day

1950 -- Vaslav Nijinsky, dancer and choreographer 1973 -- Pablo Picasso, painter and sculptor 1981 -- Omar Bradley, a soldier 1993 -- Marian Anderson, singer 1997 -- Laura Nyro, singer, songwriter and pianist 2013 -- Annette Funicello, singer, actress, mousketeer 2013 -- Sara Montiel, actress and singer

-

-

So now some music

Winchester Cathedral

Yip Harburg  

Carmen McRae  

Fred Ebb  

Marian Anderson  

Sara Montiel  

Romani music

-

Photo: "Flag of the Romani People" by Adijapan who released it into the public domain, converted to a jpg by enhydra lutris using gimp.

It's an open thread, so do your thing

I'm not sure I'll be around when this posts, so play nicely among yourselves if I don't make it. Power to the people!

Crossposted from http://caucus99percent.com