The Persian polymath Avicenna (980-1037) In the year 1527, Ferdinand I of Austria becomes King of Croatia (Jan 1), Spanish and German troops led by the Duke of Bourbon sack Rome (May 6), the Narváez expedition to conquer Florida sets sail from Spain , and the Protestant Reformation begins in Sweden whereby Lutheranism is adopted as the state religion, in place of Roman Catholicism (Jun 17), Jakarta is founded (Jun 22), in a display of his contempt for conventional medicine, Paracelsus burns Canon of Medicine by the Persian polymath Avicenna (Jun 23), the first known letter in English is sent from North America (Aug 3) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Vibeke Skofterud from Norway, women’s winner in 2012 There is a big celebration today in Mora, Sweden! For it is 100 years since the very first Vasaloppet took place in 1922. Vasaloppet is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The 90 km (56 mi) course starts in the village of Sälen and ends in the town of Mora in Dalarna, Sweden. It is the oldest cross-country ski race in the world, as well as the one with the highest number of participants. Continue reading

the recommendation to walk 10,000 steps daily is a truly arbitrary one? For the figure 10,000 is based on a marketing gimmick in Japan in the 1960s - and the fact that there is a kanji sign for the number 10,000 in the Japanese language. The advertisement you see here admonishes people with the slogan “Let’s walk 10,000 steps a day!” 一日一万歩あるきましょ Ichi-nichi ichi-man po arukimashou! So the device was neatly called a Manpokei - 万歩計. Continue reading

Old Swedish medicin bottles In the year 1575, William I of Orange founds Leiden University in the Netherlands (Feb 8), Oda Nobunaga defeats Takeda Katsuyori in Japan’s first modern battle in Nagashino (Jun 28), captains of vessels flying the Spanish flag are legally required to maintain a logbook, the Dutch pharmacist Anthonius Busenius is authorized to sell some of the medicin at the Royal Castle to the people of Stockholm (the first time such happens), the bubonic plague decimates Venice - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Flag of San Diego In the year 1542, Guadalajara in Mexico is finally founded by the Spaniards after aggressive opposition from local tribes (Feb 14), Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo mistakes California for an island and claims it for Spain (Jun 27), Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo lands in what is now San Diego Bay, and names it “San Miguel”; it will later become the city of San Diego (Sep 28), the earliest written example of the Romani language appears - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Today is Kalevala Day in Finland, celebrated each February 28th in honor of the Finnish national epic, Kalevala. So here is, for anyone interested in the Finnish language and folklore, Kalevala a là Journeys of Life! The first edition of the Kalevala appeared in 1835. It was compiled and edited by Elias Lönnrot on the basis of the epic folk poems he had collected in Finland and Karelia. Not that long ago, Kalevala used to be something that Finnish kids got acquainted with in the third grade, having to learn a few lines by heart and then recite them in front of the class. Continue reading

Reader’s Digest logo. Pegasus was added in 1939 by Lila Wallace. This month marks 100 years since the first edition of the legendary Reader’s Digest, published in Greenwich Village, New York by the married couple DeWitt and Lila Acheson Wallace. The first 5000 issues were delivered by mail to subscribers on February 5th 1922, and, thanks to an increasing demand, you could by 1929 buy the magazine in the stands. In 1934 it doubled its pages from 64 to 128. Continue reading

This time in “First Names First” **it is all about Ella! **Pick one of the names below, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about that person, and see what if anything she could contribute your life with. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them! Ella M. S. Marble* (b Smith) educator/ physician/activist – Gorham, ME USA (1850) Ella Wheeler Wilcox* author/ poet – Johnstown, WI USA (1850) Continue reading

This month we publish Language Day exceptionally before the 29th. For three reasons, really. The obvious reason being that there is no 29th this month. The second reason is that on the 28th, which was to be the exceptional publication day for this month’s Language Day, is occupied by Kalevala Day - more about that later. And the third reason is that today, February 22nd 2022, is the magical day of Twos that just cannot be ignored! Continue reading

This time in our article series Streets & Squares we will go to Rovaniemi, a city in northern Finland - a polar circle city as it is situated on the 66th degree of latitude, or more precisely about 6 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle. The Sami name for the city include Ruávinj_a_rgâ, Roavvenjárga, Roavenjárga, and Ruäʹvnjargg. As always in Streets & Squares, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page. Continue reading

Haapsalu in Estonia In the year 1279, Kublai Khan becomes the emperor of all China, the Mongol Empire reaching its largest extent (Mar 19), a meeting in Alsnö in Sweden decrees that anyone with horse and rider is exempted from taxation, and that farmers must offer accomodation to higher-ups (Aug 23 ), the Royal Mint of England moves into the Tower of London, and the town of Haapsalu, Estonia is founded - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time in First Names First we will concentrate on the name Elliot/Eliot. Take your pick, and find some inspiring stories behind the names. Give this a couple of minutes – for lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us. Let them! Only the year of birth given here. Elliot E. Cohen* the founder and first editor of Commentary – Des Moines, IA USA (1899) Eliot Ness* Prohibition agent – Chicago, IL USA (1903) pic Continue reading

Joan of Arc at the Siege of Orléans. A painting by Jules Eugène Lenepveu, picture credit Tijmen Stam In the year 1429, Joan of Arc enters Orléans with a relief expedition, the Battle of Orleans becoming the watershed of the Hundred Years' War between France and England (Apr 29), the last English siege fortification at Orléans falls as Joan of Arc becomes the hero of the battle by returning, wounded, to lead the final charge (May 7), fire destroys the city of Turku in Finland, Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand is completed - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Hôtel de Bourgogne (1548-1783) was built for the first authorized theater troupe in Paris, the Confrérie de la Passion (Brotherhood of the Passion) In the year 1548, firearms are used for the first time on a battlefield in Japan (Feb 14), a marriage treaty is signed between Scotland and France as five-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, is betrothed to the future King Francis II of France (Jul 7), La Paz in Bolivia is founded (Oct 20), the Burmese–Siamese War goes on, the first Finnish New Testament is printed in Stockholm, the first theater in Paris, Hôtel de Bourgogne, is built - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Finnish memorial stamp for Matti Nykänen, Olympic gold medalist in Calgary in 1988 Ski jumping takes a special character. Not just anybody would, even with proper training, dare to start sliding down the ski hill, and then jump at the speed of around 100km/h (62 mph). So, here follows a list of male ski jumpers. With their best individual placement in the Olympics and/or the World Championships, abbreviated as OG (Olympic Gold), OS (Olympic Silver), OB (Olympic Bronze), WG (World Champion), WS (Silver medalist) and WB (Bronze medalist). Continue reading

Another piece in our series Who Said That! We present a quotation, a few ideas around it, and finally the person behind it. There are so many good quotes by people throughout history that reflect the complexities of life that do not change a whole lot, no matter which era you live in. So, who do you think said the following: “Your life is bigger than any one experience!” Continue reading

Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig) in County Tipperary, Ireland In the year 1270, King Louis IX of France launches the Eighth Crusade, in an attempt to recapture the Crusader States from the Mamluk sultan Baibars (summer), Yekuno Amlak claims the imperial throne and establishes the Solomonic Dynasty in Ethiopia, lasting until 1974 (Aug 10), King Louis IX dies while besieging the city of Tunis (Aug 25), the cathedral on the Rock of Cashel in Ireland is completed, and a census of the Chinese city of Hangzhou establishes it as the most populous city in the world. Continue reading

Hot air balloon (kuumailmapallo in Finnish) This article is mainly for all you studying the Finnish language, or anyone interested in linguistic idiosyncharies! You might have heard that there are lots of long - very long - words in the Finnish language. That is true. And even though Finnish in no way has a monopoly on long words, their abundance in the language is something you just get used to early on. Continue reading

You might have heard the expression “a few good men”. Perhaps seen the film with that title. The idea being that it may take only a few good men - and/or women - to turn a bad thing or circumstance into something better, against all odds. It takes dedication, perseverance and belief in what one is doing. The opposite is also true. It may take only a few bad men (and women, but more seldom) to turn a good thing or circumstance into something worse, perhaps much worse. Continue reading

Ruins of the penitentiary on Sarah Island, part of the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station in Tasmania, Australia. Picture credit: Scott Davis In the year 1598, Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia (Feb 21), Tycho Brahe publishes his star catalogue, listing the positions of 1004 stars (May), an allied Korean and Chinese fleet defeats the Japanese navy, ending the Japanese invasions of Korea (Dec 19), the Parliament of England passes the Vagabonds Act, that allows transportation of convicts to colonies, the Kingdom of Nuevo México is founded – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading