Moving Out

You may know that Journeys of Life, has been moving to a new address, www.jovestone com. Still, some articles have mistakenly been published here, latest Words Unsaid. Please go and have a look in the new domain instead. The site is still under construction though, mainly when it comes to interaction with you readers. Hopefully you are patient with this, and keep on coming to see what is new and check also the year files that are being updated on a daily basis. All that in www.jovestone.com.

Monthly Latin #11

After a short break, time for some Latin again! This time about the fact that even the wisest people make mistakes. We are all fallible, all capable of making mistakes or being wrong for the simple reason that no one – quite naturally – can be expert on every facets of life.

In Latin, this would be

Nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit

Broken into pieces for all you Latin lovers and/or students of the language: nemo (no) mortalium (mortal) omnibus (all) horis (hours) sapit (wise).

And who is famous for saying this?

Well, it is the English poet Alexander Pope, regarded as one of the greatest English poets, born in 1688. He is actually – after Shakespeare – the second most quoted writer in the English language. Pope was quick to point out the fallibility of anyone, and even made enemies with his satire. To the point of feeling at times the need to carry a pistol during strolls with his dog.

But it is no secret of course that no one knows everything about everything. We can know almost everything there is to know about something, and something about almost everything (well, that is a bit of a stretch), but never be omniscient. Even if we in the future were to have computer chips in our brains, we still wouldn’t be wise enough to be called omniscient for wisdom is not just about intellectual knowledge, but rather combination of everything that we are.

Neil Who?

Another one in our series First Names First”! Your “task” -should you accept it – is to pick one of the names below, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything he or she could contribute your life with. Lives lived have all something to tell us – let them!

Neil Simon* playwright/screenwriter – The Bronx, NY USA (1927)

Neil Armstrong* astronaut/#1Moon1969 – Wapakoneta, Ohio USA (1930-2012)
Neil Sedaka* singer/pianist/composer – Brooklyn, NY USA (1939)

Neil Young* singer-songwriter – Toronto, ON Canada (1945)

Neil Siegel* computer scientist/ systems engineer – Brooklyn, NY USA (1954)
Neil Tennant* singer-songwriter(Pet Shop Boys)/music journalist – North Shields, Northumberland, England (1954)
Neil deGrasse Tyson* astrophysicist/ author/science communicator – Manhattan, NY USA (1958)

Neil Dugdeon* actor – Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire, England (1961)

Neil Patrick Harris* actor/writer/producer – Albuquerque, NM USA (1973)

Updated 10.9.2019

Data for 1577

Francis Drake leaves Plymouth in England on an expedition against the Spanish along the Pacific coast of the Americas, and ends up circumnavigating the world (Dec 13), the MacDonald inhabitants of the Scottish island of Eigg are supposedly massacred by the Clan MacLeod, the church in San Pedro de Atacama in the Atacama Desert in Chile is built – and all these fine people were born:

1577-0208 Robert Burton* scholar – Lindley, Leicestershire, England (1640/62)

1577-0412 Christian IV of Denmark* longest reign (59 years) of Danish monarchs – Frederiksborg Palace, Denmark (1648/70)

1577-0520 Philip de’ Medici* Grand Prince of Tuscany (1582/4)

1577-0628 Peter Paul Rubens* Flemish artist – Siegen, Nassau, Roman Empire (1640/62)

1577-1125 Piet Pieterszoon Hein* admiral/privateer – Delfshaven, Holland (1629/51)

1577-1208 Mario Minniti* Italian artist – Syracuse, Sicily (1640/62)
1577-1220 Antonio Brunelli* composer/theorist – Pisa, Italy (1630/52)

Updated 7.9.2019

Search for another year here

Did you know that…

Journeys of Life is being transferred to another domain? You can now go and have a peek at it at www.jovestone.com. This exiting address will remain only as a source and will not be updated after this month. The blog continues to employ WordPress though, continuously grateful for all the wonderful features of it. Hope you all like the new looks of the blog!

Data for 1320s

In the year 1320, the Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath (Apr 6), the Venetian Arsenal is rebuilt, enabling all the state’s navy and the larger merchant ships to be constructed and maintained in one place, Dante’s Quaestio de Aqua et Terra is published – and all these fine people were born:

1320-xxxx John Wycliffe* theologian/reformer/considered an important predecessor to Protestantism – Hipswell, Yorkshire, England (1384/c.64), born sometime in the 1320s.
1320-0408 Peter I of Portugal* King of Portugal – Coimbra, Portugal (1367/46)

1321-0705 Joan of the Tower* sister of Edward III/first wife&Queen consort of David II of Scotland – Tower of London, England (1362/41)
1321-0829 John of Artois* Count of Eu – France (1387/c.86)

1322-0212 John Henry of Luxembourg* Margrave of Moravia – Melnik, Bohemia (1375/53)

In the year 1323, Louis I, Count of Flanders relinquishes his claim to Zeeland under the Treaty of Paris, and acknowledged William I, Count of Holland, as the Count of Zeeland (Mar 6), Malietoafaiga orders cannibalism to be abolished in Tutuila, now known as American Samoa

1323-0209 Margaret of Brabant* Countess of Flanders (1380/c.57)

1324-0305 David II of Scotland* King of Scotland for nearly 42 years – Dunfermline Abbey, Fife (1371/46)

In the year 1325, Bologna is defeated by Modena forces (Nov), the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (future Mexico City) is founded by the Mexica. 

1325-xxxx Matthew Kantakouzenos* Ματθαίος Καντακουζηνός Byzantine Emperor – (1383/c.58)

1326-0305 King Louis I of Hungary* – Visegrad, Kingdom of Hungary (1382/56)

1326-0330 Ivan II of Moscow* Иван II Иванович Красный – Moscow, Grand Ducky of Moscow (1359/33)

1327-xxxx Birger Gregersson* Archbishop of Uppsala/one of the most important Swedish writers in the Middle Ages – Sweden (1383/c.56)

1328-0401 Blanche of France* Duchess of Orléans/the last direct Capetian – France (1382/53)

1329-xxxx Fairuzabadi* Persian lexicographer/compiler of a comprehensive Arabic dictionary – Fars, Persia (c.1400)

1329-0926 Anne of Bavaria* queen consort of Bohemia – (1353/23)

1329-1129 John I, Duke of Bavaria* married to Anne of Bavaria – Bavaria (1340/11)

Updated 3.9.2019

Search for another year here

Who Said That! #22

Long time no see, but here is another one in our series Who Said That! This quotation reminds us that we really do not need a whole lot to be happy. Or at least content with what we have.

Data for 1781

The Iron Bridge – the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron – opens in England (Jan 1), the planet Uranus is discovered (Mar 13), Spanish army sent puts down the Inca rebellions, and savagely executes Túpac Amaru II (May 18), Los Angeles is founded by a group of 44 Spanish settlers in California (Sep 4), the first bagpipes competition is held in Scotland (Oct 12), the American Revolution goes on – and all these fine people were born:

Language Day #10

Welcome back to Language Day! If you haven’t read the introduction yet, please do it here. This time we deal with the etymology of weekdays in a few languages. The first day of the week varies in different countries and cultures, but let’s take here Sunday as the first day for the sake of convenience.

Data for 2016

Barack Obama and Raúl Castro at the press conference in Havana. White House photo by Chuck Kennedy.

Barack Obama visits Cuba, marking the first time a sitting US president has visited the island nation since Calvin Coolidge visit in 1928 (Mar 21), The Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel, is opened in Switzerland (Jun 1), the United Kingdom votes in a referendum to leave the European Union (Jun 23), Donald Trump is elected US president (Nov 8) – and all these fine people were born:

2016-0205 Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck* heir apparent to the throne of Bhutan – Lingkana Palace,  Thimphu, Bhutan

2016-0302 Prince Oscar* (House Bernadotte) – Solna, Stockholm, Swede

2016-0419 Prince Alexander* (House Bernadotte) – Danderyd, Stockholm, Sweden

Updated 27.8.2019
Search for another year here

Data for 1797

John Hetherington causes a riot in London by wearing his newly invented top hat in public for the first time (Jan 15), Trinidad is invaded by the British (Feb 18), the last invasion of Great Britain begins (Feb 22), John Adams is sworn as the second U.S. president (Mar 4), Horatio Nelson is wounded at the Battle of Santa Cruz (de Tenerife) (Jul 24), Frederick William becomes King of Prussia (Nov 16)  – and all these fine people were born:

Jessica Who?

Another one in the series First Names First! Pick one name, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them!

Streets of Oslo

This time in Streets and Squares we go to Oslo, the capital of Norway. Founded in the year 1040 as Ánslo, and called Christiania between 1624 and 1925.

As always, clicking at the address will lead you to Google Maps, and clicking at the name to the person’s Wikipedia page.

Data for 1691

A new governor arrives from England in New York (Mar 20), the Spanish Inquisition forcibly baptizes Xuetas in Palma, Majorca, and those who try to escape are burned alive at the stake (May 6), in New York, Jacob Leisler is hanged for treason by the English (May 16), Rolle’s Theorem is invented, the textile factory Barnängens Manufaktur is established in Stockholm, Sweden – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1653

New Amsterdam – later renamed New York City – is incorporated (Feb 2), The Morning Star Rebellion breaks out in Sweden, against Queen Christina, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, the construction of which began in 1630, is completed at Agra, India – and all these fine people were born:

Justin Who?

Another one in the series First Names First! Pick one name, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything he could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them!

Did You Know That….

Angelica keiskei aka 明日葉 ashitaba or “tomorrow’s leaf”

there is a plant called Ashitaba that might help you stay healthier and age slower? Mother Nature Network recently published an article about this miracle plant. It is well worth your time to read both the article and the Wikipedia page, and perhaps try planting it yourself in your backyard or balcony.

Finnish Actors

Admittedly, I’m partial. Born and bred in Helsinki, my first list of actors and actresses are those born or active in the Finnish film industry.

Later on there will be others. The names below may be unknown to most of you, except perhaps a few at the end of the list. But like said, there will be others. The American actors, born in the U.S. or elsewhere, will be divided into neat, decade-long packages. And naturally, there will be separate articles on actresses from Europe and elsewhere.

One Day in the Life of Sirkka Sari

 

---

Some eighty years ago, on the 30th of July in 1939, a young aspiring actress by the name of Sirkka Sari decides to go on the rooftop of the hotel that she’s staying at with the rest of the film crew. They have just finished filming Rich Girl where she played the leading role, and now a bit of a celebration is in order.

Data for 1758

 

One-piece pencil with eraser is patented (Mar 30), Halley’s Comet appears for the first time after Halley’s identification of it (Dec 25), the French build the first European settlement at the mouth of Buffalo Creek in New York, the Seven Year’s War goes on – and all these fine people were born: