Born July 25, 1759, Robert Burns, poet and songwriter. Widely considered to be Scotland's national poet and his "Scots Wha Hae" was for a long time deemed to be the equivalent of a Scots' national anthem, his poetry and songs are generally well known world wide, starting with auld land syne. So, happy haggis to all ye scots and other celebrants.
It is also National Hot Fudge Sundae Day and National Wine and Cheese Day in the US. That's in lieu of Haggis, ya know, for the all the rest of us.
On this day in history:
0041 - The Roman Senate accepted Claudius as Emperor. 1139 – The Almoravids, led by Ali ibn Yusuf, were defeated by Prince Afonso Henriques who was proclaimed King of Portugal. 1536 – Sebastián de Belalcázar founded the city of Santiago de Cali. 1538 – The city of Guayaquil was founded by Francisco de Orellana. 1567 – Don Diego de Losada founded the city of Caracas. 1609 – The English ship Sea Venture, en route to Virginia, was deliberately driven ashore at Bermuda to prevent its sinking during a storm; the survivors went on to found a new colony there. 1788 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No. 40 in G minor 1791 - The British Parliament passed the Constitutional Act of 1791 splitting the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada down along the top of the Great Lakes and Lower Canada stretching on up into the Arctic. Don't ask me. 1824 – Costa Rica annexed Guanacaste from Nicaragua. 1837 – The first commercial use of an electrical telegraph was successfully demonstrated in London. 1861 – The United States Congress passed the Crittenden–Johnson Resolution, stating that the Civil War was being fought to preserve the Union and not to end slavery. 1890 - Nellie Bly completed her 72 day trip around the world 1897 – Jack London embarked on a sailing trip to take part in the Klondike's gold rush, from which he wrote his first successful stories. 1909 – Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air machine 1915 - Alexander Graham Bell called Thomas Watson in S.F. from NY, starting transcontinental phone service. 1945 - The Battle of the Bulge ended. 1946 - The UMW rejoined the AFL. 1965 – Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival 1971 - Charles Manson and three others were found guilty of the Tate-LaBianca murders. 1971 - Idi Amin deposed Milton Obote in a coup and became president of Uganda. 1993 – Israel launched a massive attack against Lebanon 1996 - Billy Bailey was the last person executed by hanging in the USA so far. 2011 - The Egyptian revolution started
Some people who were born on this day:
“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley.”
~~ Robert Burns 1627 - Robert Boyle, chemist and physicist. 1657 – Philipp Heinrich Erlebach, composer 1736 - Joseph-Louis Lagrange, mathematician and astronomer. 1759 - Robert Burns, poet and songwriter. Can't have Hogmany without "Auld Lang Syne" and who can forget "Scots Wha Hae" 1796 - William MacGillivray, ornithologist and biologist. See MacGillivray's Warbler. 1806 – Maria Weston Chapman, abolitionist 1844 – Thomas Eakins, painter, sculptor, and photographer 1847 – Paul Langerhans, pathologist, physiologist and biologist 1870 – Maxfield Parrish, painter and illustrator 1874 - W. Somerset Maugham, playwright, novelist, and short story writer. 1882 - Virginia Woolf, an author, critic and utterly terrifying woman. . 1883 – Alfredo Casella, pianist, composer, and conductor 1899 - Sleepy John Estes, singer, songwriter, and guitarist 1902 – Eric Hoffer, philosopher and author 1906 – Johnny Hodges, saxophonist and clarinet player 1915 - Ewan MacColl, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor 1921 – Adolph Herseth, soldier and trumpet player 1925 – Benny Benjamin, R&B drummer 1927 - Antônio Carlos Jobim, composer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger and singer. 1929 - Benny Golson, saxophonist and composer 1930 – Annie Ross, singer and actress 1934 – Don Ellis, trumpet player and composer 1938 - Etta James, singer and songwriter (born Jamesetta Hawkins) 1941 – Emmett Till, lynching victim 1942 – Bruce Woodley, singer, songwriter, and guitarist 1946 – José Areas, drummer 1946 – Rita Marley, singer 1948 – Steve Goodman, singer, songwriter, and guitarist 1950 – Mark Clarke, singer, songwriter, and bass player 1951 – Verdine White, bass player and producer 1954 – Ken Greer, guitarist, keyboard player, and producer 1981 - Alicia Keys , singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress
Some people who died on this day:
Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it a business.
~~ Al Capone 0477 - Genseric, king of the Vandals. Caputured Rome and Carthage. 1947 - Al Capone, liquor distributor who sent killer Valentines. 1966 – Frank O'Hara, poet and critic 1984 – Big Mama Thornton, singer, songwriter, musician 2005 – Albert Mangelsdorff, trombonist 2020 – Peter Green, blues rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and founder of Fleetwood Mac
Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such: Burns night, celebrated by Scots and Scotsland National Police Day in Egypt National Voters' Day in India Guanacaste Day (Costa Rica) Puerto Rico Constitution Day (Puerto Rico) National Hot Fudge Sundae Day National Wine and Cheese Day
Today's Tunes
Egyptian Revolution
Alfredo Casella
Sleepy John Estes
Johnny Hodges
Ewan MacColl
Adolph Herseth
Benny Benjamin
Antônio Carlos Jobim Desafinado (Stan Getz on sax)
Benny Golson
Art Farmer & Benny Golson Jazztet - I Remember Clifford
Annie Ross
Don Ellis
Etta James
Emmett Till
Rita Marley
Steve Goodman
Alicia Keys
Big Mama Willie Mae Thornton
Peter Green
Ok, it's an open thread, so it's up to you folks now. So what's on your mind?
Cross posted from http://caucus99percent.com