📅 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 today. Show all posts
Showing posts with label today. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Sunday, February 15, 2026
📅 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15: TODAY IN HISTORY & NEWS SUMMARY
🌍 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.
🇨🇦 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.
🇺🇸 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.
🌐 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.
📜 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)
🏙️ Ottawa, ON Weather & Sky
☀️ Sunrise: 7:04 AM
🌇 Sunset: 5:30 PM
🌘 Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (6% illumination; a very thin sliver rising just before dawn)
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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