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This Day in History
The rambling ponderings of Eric "Gub" Snyder. I'm incurably curious. I ponder things like AI, the environment, sustainability, stranded assets, environmental stewardship, waste, waste reduction, thriving simply, living simply, genealogy, history, calendars, personal productivity...
Showing posts with label calendarwallah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calendarwallah. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Sunday, February 15, 2026
π SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15: TODAY IN HISTORY & NEWS SUMMARY
π This Day in History: Global Highlights
1965 (Canada): The current National Flag of Canada, featuring the iconic red maple leaf, is raised for the first time on Parliament Hill, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign.
1989 (Afghanistan): The Soviet Union announces that the last of its troops have left the country, ending a nine-year military intervention that significantly shaped modern geopolitics.
2003 (Global): The largest peace demonstration in history takes place as up to 30 million people in 600 cities worldwide protest against the impending Iraq War.
1564 (Italy): Birth of Galileo Galilei, the "father of modern science," whose astronomical discoveries challenged the established views of the universe.
1971 (UK/Ireland): Decimal Day—the United Kingdom and Ireland officially switch their currencies to a decimal system, replacing the complex pounds, shillings, and pence.
1898 (Cuba): The USS Maine mysteriously explodes in Havana Harbor, killing over 260 crew members and serving as the catalyst for the Spanish-American War.
π¨π¦ Canada’s Biggest Political Story
Yesterday: On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Canada and Germany signed a landmark joint declaration to co-develop Sovereign AI technologies and address critical labor gaps.
Expected Today: Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand concludes high-level meetings in Munich with Ukrainian and Polish counterparts to solidify Arctic defense and G7 rapid response cooperation.
πΊπΈ U.S. Biggest Political Story
Current: Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparked intense debate at the Munich Security Conference by offering a "conditional" renewed alliance with Europe, insisting the continent align with Washington's "renewal" mission under the Trump administration.
π Global Impact: Yesterday’s Legacy
February 14, 2026, will be remembered as the day "Transatlantic Transactionalism" took center stage, as U.S. signals at Munich forced European leaders to confront a new world order where historical alliances are increasingly tied to specific trade and defense conditions.
π Quotation of the Day
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." — Galileo Galilei (Born this day, 1564)
π️ Ottawa, ON Weather & Sky
☀️ Sunrise: 7:04 AM
π Sunset: 5:30 PM
π Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (6% illumination; a very thin sliver rising just before dawn)
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Gemini said
π THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12: TODAY IN HISTORY & NEWS SUMMARY
π This Day in History: Global Highlights
1912 (China): The 6-year-old Emperor Puyi, the last Emperor of China, abdicates the throne, bringing an end to the 267-year Qing dynasty and over 2,000 years of imperial rule.
1809 (Global): A monumental day for science and leadership: both Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary biology, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President, are born.
1994 (Norway): Edvard Munch’s iconic painting "The Scream" is stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo (it was luckily recovered three months later).
2002 (Netherlands): The trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan MiloΕ‘eviΔ begins at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, the first for a former head of state.
1541 (Chile): Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founds the city of Santiago, which would eventually become the capital and largest city of Chile.
1870 (USA/Utah): Women in the Utah Territory are granted the right to vote, becoming only the second territory in the U.S. to do so, a major milestone in the global suffrage movement.
π¨π¦ Canada’s Biggest Political Story
Yesterday: PM Mark Carney countered President Trump’s threat to block the Gordie Howe Bridge, clarifying that Canada fully funded the $4B project and it serves as a critical economic artery for both nations.
Expected Today: Focus shifts to the Munich Security Conference as PM Carney arrives to lobby European allies for a unified stance on Arctic sovereignty and trade security amidst ongoing U.S. tensions.
πΊπΈ U.S. Biggest Political Story
Current: In a rare defiance of the administration, the U.S. House of Representatives voted late Wednesday to revoke President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian exports, setting up a fierce constitutional showdown between Congress and the White House.
π Global Impact: Yesterday’s Legacy
February 11, 2026, will be remembered for the "Legislative Rebellion" in Washington, where a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers challenged executive trade power to save the North American supply chain, and for the tragic mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
π Quotation of the Day
"Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today." — Abraham Lincoln (Born this day, 1809)
π️ Ottawa, ON Weather & Sky
☀️ Sunrise: 7:09 AM
π Sunset: 5:25 PM
π Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (Approx. 25% illumination; rising at 4:23 AM)
#TodayInHistory #Ottawa #GlobalNews #CanadaPolitics #Puyi #LincolnDarwin #HistoryDaily
Friday, February 6, 2026
Friday, February 6, 2026
π FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6: TODAY IN HISTORY & NEWS SUMMARY
π This Day in History: Global Highlights
1952 (UK): Princess Elizabeth becomes Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25, following the death of her father, King George VI. She would go on to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
1840 (New Zealand): The Treaty of Waitangi is signed between representatives of the British Crown and various MΔori chiefs. It is considered New Zealand's founding document, though its interpretation remains central to national political debate.
1989 (Poland): The Round Table Talks begin in Warsaw between the communist government and the Solidarity trade union. These negotiations paved the way for the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe.
1819 (Singapore): Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles signs a treaty with local rulers to establish a trading post for the British East India Company, marking the founding of modern Singapore.
1959 (USA): Engineer Jack Kilby files a patent for the first integrated circuit (microchip), an invention that would fundamentally transform the global technology landscape.
1918 (UK): The Representation of the People Act is passed, granting the right to vote to British women over the age of 30 who met specific property qualifications.
π¨π¦ Canada’s Biggest Political Story
Yesterday: PM Mark Carney unveiled a new National Automotive Strategy to shield the industry from U.S. tariff threats, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith sparred with Ottawa over judicial appointment bilingualism.
Expected Today: Parliament shifts focus to the Arctic sovereignty debate as the NDP pushes the government to cancel F-35 jet orders in favor of non-U.S. alternatives to ensure military independence.
πΊπΈ U.S. Biggest Political Story
Current: Washington remains in a high-stakes deadlock as lawmakers race to avoid a total Homeland Security shutdown; meanwhile, the administration celebrates a major new trade deal signed with Argentina's Javier Milei.
π Global Impact: Yesterday’s Legacy
February 5, 2026, will be remembered for the "Continental Realignment" in South America, as Argentina’s libertarian pivot toward the U.S. and PM Carney’s "Team Canada" trade defense signaled a new era of transactional diplomacy.
π Quotation of the Day
"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." — Bob Marley (Born this day, 1945)
π️ Ottawa, ON Weather & Sky
☀️ Sunrise: 7:18 AM
π Sunset: 5:16 PM
π Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (76% illumination; rising at approximately 11:00 PM tonight)
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Sunday, Feb 22, 2015: Abu Simbel Festival (Egypt)
For years, I've been intrigued by the semi annual solar phenomenon occurring at the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt every February 22 and October 22nd.
It is believed that the axis of the temple was positioned by the ancient Egyptian architects in such a way that on October 22 and February 22, the rays of the sun would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the sculptures on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god connected with the Underworld, who always remained in the dark. People gather at Abu Simbel to witness this remarkable sight, on October 21 and February 21.[6][7]
It is believed that the axis of the temple was positioned by the ancient Egyptian architects in such a way that on October 22 and February 22, the rays of the sun would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the sculptures on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god connected with the Underworld, who always remained in the dark. People gather at Abu Simbel to witness this remarkable sight, on October 21 and February 21.[6][7]
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