07 January - Eliezer Ben Yehuda birth anniversary

 

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (born Eliezer Yitzhak Perlman on 07 January 1858 – died 16 December 1922) was a Jewish linguist and lexicographer known for his efforts to revive the Hebrew language and make it a spoken and modern language. He played a crucial role in the language revival movement in pre-state Israel during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Key points about Eliezer Ben-Yehuda:

1. Early Life: Ben-Yehuda was born in Luzhki, Belarus (then part of the Russian Empire). He grew up in a traditional Jewish environment and received a traditional Jewish education.

2. Language Revival: Inspired by the Zionist movement and the idea of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine, Ben-Yehuda believed that the rejuvenation of Hebrew as a spoken language was essential for the cultural revival of the Jewish people. At that time, Hebrew was mainly a written and liturgical language.

3. Move to Palestine: In 1881, Ben-Yehuda and his family immigrated to Palestine (then part of the Ottoman Empire). He committed himself to speaking only Hebrew in his household, and he encouraged others to do the same.

4. Lexicography: Ben-Yehuda worked on creating new words and expanding the Hebrew vocabulary to encompass modern concepts and technologies. He compiled dictionaries and wrote articles promoting the use of Hebrew in daily life.

5. Family Influence: Ben-Yehuda's wife, Hemda, was also committed to the revival of Hebrew. They raised their children in a Hebrew-speaking environment, and their son, Ben-Zion Ben-Yehuda, was the first native speaker of modern Hebrew.

6. Legacy: Eliezer Ben-Yehuda is often regarded as the "reviver of the Hebrew language." His efforts laid the foundation for the use of Hebrew as a living, spoken language in Israel. Today, Hebrew is the official language of the State of Israel and is spoken by millions of people.

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda's dedication to the revival of Hebrew had a profound and lasting impact on the linguistic and cultural identity of Israel. His legacy continues in the vibrant use of Hebrew in all aspects of Israeli society.

07 January 2024 - Pinot Gris - Todays featured picture on Wikipedia on Luxembourg stamp

 

 

 

 

Pinot gris, or pinot grigio, is a grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera used to make white wine. Thought to be a mutant clone of pinot noir, it normally has a pinkish-gray hue, accounting for its name, but the colors can vary from blue-gray to pinkish-brown. Pinot gris thrives in cooler climates, with the major growing regions being Alsace in France, northeastern Italy and the U.S. state of Oregon. The wines vary greatly with these regions; for example, Alsatian pinot gris wines are medium to full-bodied and tend to be spicy in comparison with others.
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Picture_of_the_day/January_2024

07 January - Distaff Day

 

Distaff Day, traditionally observed on January 7th, is an old European celebration associated with the resumption of regular work after the Christmas holiday. In medieval times, the Christmas season extended from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and women would often take a break from spinning during this festive period.

On Distaff Day, women would return to their spinning work. The distaff, a tool used in spinning, was a symbol of women's work in the household. The day was also known as Rock Day, Rock being another term for distaff. Men, on the other hand, would resume their work on Plough Monday, the first Monday after Epiphany.

While Distaff Day is not widely observed today, it provides a historical glimpse into the customs and routines of earlier times when certain tasks were organized around the agricultural and seasonal calendar. The day symbolizes the return to normalcy and the resumption of daily chores after the holiday season.

 

07 January - First mail to be carried by an air vehicle (balloon flight) in 1785

 

On 07 January 1785 mail was carried by an air vehicle for the first time.

Although homing pigeons had long been used to send messages (an activity known as pigeon mail). The honor of flying that first airmail delivery went to Jean-Pierre Blanchard of France.  Blanchard was a balloon flight pioneer.

Blanchard made his first successful balloon flight on 02 March 1784, just four months after the world’s first balloon flight.  He was part of a wave of balloon pilots that triggered “balloonomania” among the public.  During this period, people became enamored with balloons, decorating their goods with them and wearing clothing au ballon– puffy sleeves, rounded skirts, and some articles that pictured balloons.  Some even wore their hair à la Blanchard.

The letter was sent from American loyalist William Franklin to his son William Temple Franklin.  The younger Franklin was serving as a diplomat in France with his grandfather, Benjamin Franklin.

07 January - Nikola Tesla death anniversary

 

Nikola Tesla ( 10 July 1856 – 07 January 1943) was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, physicist, and futurist known for his pioneering work in the development of alternating current (AC) electrical systems. He was born in modern-day Croatia but later became a naturalized American citizen.

Some of Tesla's most significant contributions include:

1. Alternating Current (AC): Tesla championed the use of AC electrical systems for power distribution. His work in this area laid the foundation for the modern electrical power distribution systems we use today.

2. Induction Motor and Transformer: Tesla developed the AC induction motor and the transformer, critical components in AC power systems. These inventions were key to the widespread use and transmission of electrical energy.

3. Tesla Coil: The Tesla coil is a resonant transformer circuit invented by Tesla around 1891. It is still used in radio technology and has become a symbol of his contributions to electrical engineering.

4. Wireless Transmission of Electricity: Tesla worked on wireless transmission of energy and proposed the idea of a global wireless communication system. While his ambitious Wardenclyffe Tower project was never completed, the concept inspired future developments in wireless technology.

5. Radio Waves and Remote Control: Although Guglielmo Marconi is often credited with the invention of radio, there were patent disputes with Tesla over the development of radio technology. Tesla also demonstrated early concepts of remote control.

6. X-rays and Radiography: Tesla conducted early experiments with X-rays and contributed to the development of radiography.

Tesla's life and work have become the subject of fascination and admiration, and he is often regarded as a visionary inventor. While he faced financial challenges and struggled for recognition during his lifetime, his contributions to the field of electrical engineering have had a lasting impact on technology and modern life.

07 January - Heinrich von Stephan birth anniversary

 

Heinrich von Stephan (1831–1897) was a German postal official and the founding father of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member countries. Born on 07 January 1831, in Stolp, Pomerania (now Słupsk, Poland), Heinrich von Stephan played a crucial role in shaping global postal services.

He served as the General Post Director for the German Empire and introduced various improvements to the postal system. One of his notable achievements was the establishment of the UPU in 1874, which aimed to facilitate international postal cooperation, standardize postage rates, and promote the exchange of mail between different countries.

07 January - Oskar Luts birth anniversary

 

Oskar Luts (7 January 1887– 23 March 1953) was an Estonian writer and playwright. He is well known for his semi-autobiographical tale, Kevade, which takes place in a schoolhouse in rural Estonia. He is also known for his novel “Seitse möödunud päeva” (Seven Lost Days), which is considered a classic of Estonian literature.

He was born on 7 January 1887, in the village of Mäeküla in what Estonia is now, and he grew up in a family of farmers. Luts received his primary and secondary education in Mäeküla and the nearby town of Otepää, and he later studied literature and drama at the University of Tartu. After completing his studies, he worked as a teacher and a writer, and he became known for his plays and novels, which were inspired by the landscapes and people of rural Estonia.

Luts’s work has been translated into several languages, and he is considered one of the most important figures in Estonian literature. His novel “Seven Lost Days” has been adapted into films, plays, and other media, and it is widely regarded as a classic of Estonian literature.

In addition to his literary work, Luts was also involved in politics, and he was a member of the Estonian National Assembly during the country’s independence movement. He died on 23 March 1953, at the age of 65.

07 January - Sheikh Hasina became the 10th Prime Minister of Bangladesh

 

Sheikh Hasina is a Bangladeshi politician who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since 07 January 2009. She is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina is the president of the Awami League, one of the major political parties in Bangladesh.

Born on September 28, 1947, Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. She played a significant role in the country's political landscape, especially during the independence movement and the subsequent creation of Bangladesh in 1971. However, her family faced tragedy when most of her family members, including her father, were assassinated in 1975.

Sheikh Hasina has led Bangladesh through periods of economic growth and development, focusing on issues such as poverty reduction, education, and healthcare. Her government has also been involved in addressing challenges such as climate change and promoting diplomatic relations with other countries.

 

07 January - Millard Fillmore birth anniversary

 

Millard Fillmore ( 07 January 1800 – 08 March 1874) was the 13th President of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853. He assumed the presidency upon the death of President Zachary Taylor. Fillmore was a member of the Whig Party and had a political career that included serving in various capacities, such as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and as the Vice President under Taylor.

Fillmore's presidency was marked by the controversial Compromise of 1850, which aimed to settle disputes over the expansion of slavery in the newly acquired territories from the Mexican-American War. The compromise included several laws, among them the Fugitive Slave Act, which heightened tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

After leaving the presidency, Fillmore remained active in public life and ran for president as the candidate of the Know-Nothing Party in the 1856 election but was unsuccessful. Millard Fillmore is often remembered for his role in attempting to navigate the challenging issues of his time, particularly those related to slavery and sectional tensions in the United States.

 

07 January - Galileo first observes the four largest moons of Jupiter in 1610

 

Galileo Galilei first observed the four largest moons of Jupiter on 07 January 1610. These moons are now known as the Galilean moons, and they are named Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Galileo's observations of these moons were made using a telescope he had designed, and this discovery was significant in supporting the heliocentric model of the solar system proposed by Copernicus. The observation of these moons provided evidence that not all celestial bodies orbited the Earth, challenging the geocentric model that was widely accepted at the time.