Why Marx Was Right is a 2011 book by the British academic Terry Eagleton
(pictured) on the philosopher Karl Marx, and Marxism. Eagleton outlines
ten objections to Marxism that he attempts to refute. These include that
it is irrelevant, determinist, utopian, authoritarian and opposed to
reform. Eagleton says class struggle is central to Marxism and history
is viewed as a series of modes of production that describe the nature
and organisation of labour. He describes how revolution could lead to
socialism in which the working class have control and make the state
obsolete. He explores the failures of the Soviet Union and other
communist countries. The book was published in 2011 and reprinted in
2018, 200 years after Marx's birth. Critics gave mixed feedback on the
prose style, although the commentary on historical materialism was
praised. The book was criticised for its defence of the Soviet Union and
other Marxist states.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Marx_Was_Right>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1879:
Angered by a controversial umpiring decision, cricket
spectators rioted and attacked the England team during a match in
Sydney, Australia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Riot_of_1879>
1910:
Newspaper and magazine publisher William D. Boyce established
the Boy Scouts of America, expanding the Scout Movement into the United
States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America>
1965:
After taking evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision just
after taking off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport,
Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing
all 84 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Air_Lines_Flight_663>
2010:
A freak storm triggered a series of avalanches that buried more
than 3.5 km (2.2 mi) of road near the Salang Tunnel in Afghanistan,
killing 175 people and trapping more than 2,500 travellers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Salang_avalanches>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
pipe:
1. (music) A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with
holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the
tube. […]
2. A rigid tube that transports water, steam, or other fluid, as used in
plumbing and numerous other applications. […]
3. (Australia, colloquial, now historical) An anonymous satire or essay,
insulting and frequently libellous, written on a piece of paper which
was rolled up and left somewhere public where it could be found and thus
spread, to embarrass the author's enemies.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pipe>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
It is the glistening and softly spoken lie; the amiable fallacy;
the patriotic lie of the historian, the provident lie of the politician,
the zealous lie of the partisan, the merciful lie of the friend, and the
careless lie of each man to himself, that cast that black mystery over
humanity, through which we thank any man who pierces, as we would thank
one who dug a well in a desert.
--John Ruskin
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Ruskin>
Jesu, meine Freude (Jesus, my joy), BWV 227, is a motet by J. S. Bach.
In eleven movements for up to five voices, it is his longest and most
musically complex motet. It is named after the 1653 Lutheran hymn "Jesu,
meine Freude" by Johann Franck; the hymn's six stanzas form the motet's
odd-numbered movements. Bach used the hymn tune by Johann Crüger in
five different chorale settings (example pictured). The hymn's text
focuses on an emotional bond to Jesus, complementing the doctrinal text
from the Epistle to the Romans used for the even-numbered movements.
Jesu, meine Freude is one of the few works by Bach for five vocal parts,
in a structure of symmetries on different layers. It is unclear when the
motet was written. Bach scholar Christoph Wolff believed that Bach may
have compiled it to educate his choir in composition techniques and
theology; an earlier theory that it was written for a 1723 funeral in
Leipzig is now discredited. In 1927, it became the first of Bach motets
to be recorded.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesu,_meine_Freude,_BWV_227>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1813:
Napoleonic Wars: Two evenly matched French and British frigates
fought for four hours at the Îles de Los off the Guinean coast,
resulting in a stalemate.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_7_February_1813>
1900:
A Chinese immigrant in San Francisco fell ill with the bubonic
plague in the first epidemic of the disease in the continental United
States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_plague_of_1900%E2%80%931904>
1992:
The Maastricht Treaty, which led to the formation of the
European Union, was signed by the member states of the European
Communities.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maastricht_Treaty>
1997:
Steve Jobs returned to Apple Inc. as a consultant after the
company's acquisition of his technology startup NeXT.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXT>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
Dickensian:
1. Of, pertaining to, or created by the English author Charles Dickens.
2. Similar to Dickens' writing style, especially in commenting on
society, or in using emotion, humour, or rich descriptions.
3. Reminiscent of the environments and situations most commonly
portrayed in Dickens' writings, such as poverty, social injustice, and
other aspects of Victorian England.
4. A person who admires or studies the works of Charles Dickens.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Dickensian>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Whatever was required to be done, the Circumlocution Office was
beforehand with all the public departments in the art of perceiving —
HOW NOT TO DO IT.
--Charles Dickens
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens>
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Final was a football match that took
place on 8 February 2015 to determine the winner of that year's African
football championship. The match was held at the Estadio de Bata
(pictured) in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, and was contested by Ghana and
Ivory Coast. The final was 0–0 at the end of normal time, and there
were also no goals in extra time, with few clear-cut chances for either
team. With the match finishing level, it was decided by a penalty shoot-
out. After every outfield player had taken a shot the score was tied at
8–8. The match was then decided by Ivorian goalkeeper Boubacar Barry,
who saved an attempt from his Ghana counterpart Brimah Razak and then
scored himself past Razak to give Ivory Coast a 9–8 shoot-out win and
the title. The victory was Ivory Coast's second Africa Cup of Nations
victory and lifted them from third to second place among African nations
in the FIFA World Rankings. Ghana's Afriyie Acquah was named the man of
the match.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Africa_Cup_of_Nations_Final>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1840:
British representatives and Māori chiefs first signed the
Treaty of Waitangi, widely regarded to be the founding document of New
Zealand.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi>
1952:
Elizabeth II became the queen regnant of the United Kingdom,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon upon
the death of her father, King George VI.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_VI>
1976:
Lockheed Corporation president Carl Kotchian admitted that the
company had paid out approximately US$3 million in bribes to the office
of Japanese prime minister Kakuei Tanaka.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_bribery_scandals>
2018:
The SpaceX launch vehicle Falcon Heavy made its maiden flight.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Heavy_test_flight>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
koha:
1. (New Zealand) A Māori tradition of reciprocal giving of gifts.
2. (New Zealand, by extension) A voluntary donation given for a service
that has been provided.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/koha>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
With the destructive power of today's weapons, keeping the peace
is not just a goal; it's a sacred obligation. But maintaining peace
requires more than sincerity and idealism — more than optimism and
good will. As you know well, peace is a product of hard, strenuous labor
by those dedicated to its preservation. It requires realism, not wishful
thinking.
--Ronald Reagan
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan>
New Zealand nationality law details the conditions by which a person may
hold New Zealand nationality. Regulations apply to the Realm of New
Zealand, which consists of the country of New Zealand itself, the Cook
Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and the Ross Dependency. All persons born in the
Realm before 2006 were automatically citizens at birth regardless of the
nationalities of their parents. Since that year, individuals born in the
Realm only receive citizenship at birth if at least one parent is
already a citizen or entitled to live in New Zealand indefinitely
(meaning permanent residents of New Zealand or of Australia, and
citizens of Australia). Foreigners living in the Realm may be granted
citizenship after becoming permanent residents. New Zealand is a former
British colony and its residents were previously British subjects. While
New Zealanders are no longer British, they continue to hold favoured
status when living in the United Kingdom; they are eligible to vote in
British elections and serve in public office there.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_nationality_law>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1818:
Charles XIV John succeeded to the thrones of Sweden and Norway
as the first monarch of the House of Bernadotte.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XIV_John>
1861:
In a speech before the U.S. Congress, Representative John
Edward Bouligny refused to join his fellow Louisiana congressmen in
heeding the state's secession convention and resigning.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edward_Bouligny>
1913:
Greek military aviators Michael Moutoussis and Aristeidis
Moraitinis performed the first naval air mission in history, with a
Farman MF.7 hydroplane.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristeidis_Moraitinis_%28aviator%29>
2004:
Twenty-three cocklers were drowned by an incoming tide in
Morecambe Bay, England, prompting the establishment of the British
government's Gangmasters Licensing Authority.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morecambe_Bay_cockling_disaster>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
who would have thunk it:
(colloquial, sometimes sarcastic) A rhetorical question used to express
incredulity: who would have guessed it?; who would have thought that
would happen?
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/who_would_have_thunk_it>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
There are those in our party who believe that as the presiding
officer over the joint session of Congress, that I possessed unilateral
authority to reject electoral college votes. And I heard this week,
President Trump said I had the right to "overturn the election". But
President Trump is wrong — I had no right to overturn the election.
The presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people
alone. And frankly there is no idea more un-American than the notion
that any one person could choose the American president. Under the
Constitution, I had no right to change the outcome of our election.
--Mike Pence
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mike_Pence>
Nodar Kumaritashvili (1988–2010) was a Georgian luge athlete who
suffered a fatal crash during a training run for the 2010 Winter
Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, on the day of the
opening ceremony. He became the fourth athlete to die from practice at
any of the Winter Olympics, and the seventh athlete to die from practice
or competition at any of the Olympic Games. Kumaritashvili, who first
participated in luge when he was 13, came from a family of seasoned
lugers: his grandfather had introduced the sport to the Soviet republic
of Georgia, and both his father and uncle had competed when they were
younger, with his uncle later serving as the head of the Georgian Luge
Federation. Kumaritashvili himself began competing in the 2008–09 Luge
World Cup. He had also been a student at Georgian Technical University,
where he earned an economics degree in 2009 while adhering to a strict
training regimen and participating in competitions.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nodar_Kumaritashvili>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1820:
Chilean War of Independence: Chilean forces captured the city
of Valdivia and its harbour, depriving the Spanish Empire of an
important naval base.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Valdivia>
1899:
The Philippine–American War began when an American soldier,
under orders to keep insurgents away from his unit's encampment, fired
on a Filipino soldier in Manila.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_%281899%29>
1975:
Haicheng, China, was struck by a 7.3 ML earthquake, but the
death toll was relatively low thanks to evacuations ordered by the
government.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Haicheng_earthquake>
2015:
Shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, the crew of
TransAsia Airways Flight 235 shut down the wrong engine in response to
a flameout, leading to a crash that resulted in 43 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransAsia_Airways_Flight_235>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
carcinoma:
1. (countable) An invasive malignant tumour derived from epithelial
tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body.
2. (obsolete, countable) A form of cancer; (uncountable) cancer in
general as a disease.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/carcinoma>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
We remain vigilant. We remain prepared. Last night's operation
took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield. And it sent a strong
message to terrorists around the world: We will come after you and find
you. Once again, today, we continue our unceasing effort to keep the
American people safe and to strengthen the security of our Allies and
partners around the world. I want to thank you all. And may God bless
you. And may God protect our troops.
--Joe Biden
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joe_Biden>
Bluey is an Australian animated television series for preschoolers that
has aired on ABC Kids since October 2018. Created by Joe Brumm, the
series follows Bluey, an anthropomorphic six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy
(example pictured) who engages in imaginative play with her father
Bandit, mother Chilli, and younger sister Bingo. The characters of Bluey
each represent a particular dog breed, some of which are drawn from
Brumm's personal life; he had a Blue Heeler named Bluey throughout his
childhood. Overarching themes include family, growing up, and Australian
culture. The program was created and is produced in Queensland; its
capital city of Brisbane inspired the show's setting. Bluey won a Logie
Award for Most Outstanding Children's Program in 2019 as well as an
International Emmy Kids Award. It has been praised by television critics
for its depiction of modern everyday family life, constructive
parenting messages and the role of Bandit as a positive father figure.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluey_%282018_TV_series%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1852:
The Argentine Confederation was defeated in the Platine War by
an alliance consisting of Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine provinces of
Entre Ríos and Corrientes.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platine_War>
1918:
At 11,675 ft (3,559 m) long, the Twin Peaks Tunnel in San
Francisco opened as the longest streetcar tunnel in the world at the
time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Peaks_Tunnel>
1998:
A U.S. Marines Corps EA-6B Prowler inadvertently severed a
cable supporting a cable-car gondola in Cavalese, Italy, killing 20
passengers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Cavalese_cable_car_crash>
2010:
An edition of L'Homme qui marche I, a bronze sculpture by
Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, was sold for £65 million, setting
the record for the most expensive sculpture sold at auction.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Homme_qui_marche_I>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
flare:
1. (transitive) To cause to burn.
2. (transitive) To cause inflammation; to inflame.
3. (transitive, intransitive) To open outward in shape.
4. (transitive, intransitive, aviation) To (operate an aircraft to)
transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.
5. (intransitive) To blaze brightly.
6. (intransitive) To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit
a dazzling or painfully bright light.
7. (intransitive, figuratively) To shine out with gaudy colours; to be
offensively bright or showy.
8. (intransitive, figuratively) To suddenly happen or intensify.
9. (intransitive, figuratively) To suddenly erupt in anger.
10. (intransitive, obsolete) To be exposed to too much light.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flare>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The state of conformity is an imitation of grace. By a strange
mystery — which is connected with the power of the social element —
a profession can confer on quite ordinary men in their exercise of it,
virtues which, if they were extended to all circumstances of life, would
make of them heroes or saints.
--Simone Weil
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Simone_Weil>
Burnt Candlemas was a failed invasion of Scotland in early 1356 by an
English army commanded by King Edward III (pictured), and was the last
campaign of the Second War of Scottish Independence. Tensions on the
Anglo-Scottish border led to a military build-up in 1355. In September a
nine-month truce was agreed, and most of the English left. A few days
later the Scots invaded and devastated Northumberland. In early
November, the Scots escaladed the walls of Berwick-on-Tweed, captured
the town and laid siege to its castle. The English army retook the town
and marched on Edinburgh, leaving a trail of devastation 50 to 60 miles
(80 to 100 km) wide. The Scots refused battle and practised a scorched
earth policy, removing or destroying all food in their own territory.
The English burnt Edinburgh and thoroughly despoiled Lothian. Edward's
army was supplied by sea, but a winter storm scattered his fleet,
forcing the English to withdraw. In 1357 a permanent peace was agreed,
largely on English terms.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_Candlemas>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1659:
Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town, produced the first
bottle of South African wine (vineyard pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_wine>
1913:
New York City's Grand Central Terminal, the world's largest
train station by number of platforms, opened immediately after midnight.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Terminal>
1942:
The first act of the Norwegian resistance movement took place
with the bombing of Oslo East Station by the Osvald Group to protest the
inauguration of Vidkun Quisling.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osvald_Group>
2009:
Omid, Iran's first domestically made satellite, was
successfully launched from Semnan Space Center.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omid>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
Imbolc:
(Britain, Ireland) A Gaelic and Wiccan festival celebrated on 1 or 2
February which marks the beginning of spring.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Imbolc>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time
and energy on other things that require my attention. I've done a lot
of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions.
And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches,
fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it's
best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and
committed athletes.
--Tom Brady
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tom_Brady>
SMS Oldenburg was the fourth Helgoland-class battleship of the Imperial
German Navy. Built between 1909 and 1912 at the Schichau-Werke shipyard
in Danzig, Oldenburg was assigned to I Battle Squadron of the High Seas
Fleet for most of her career, including World War I. Oldenburg
participated in all of the major fleet operations during the conflict
against the British Grand Fleet, including the Battle of Jutland on
31 May and 1 June 1916, the largest naval battle of the war. The ship
also saw action in the Baltic Sea against the Imperial Russian Navy.
After the German collapse in November 1918, most of the High Seas Fleet
was interned and then scuttled in Scapa Flow during the peace
negotiations. The four Helgoland-class ships remained in Germany but
were ceded to the Allied powers as war reparations; Oldenburg was given
to Japan, which sold the vessel to a British ship-breaking firm in 1920.
She was scrapped in Dordrecht in 1921. (This article is part of a
featured topic: Battleships of Germany.).
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_topics/Battleships_of_Germ…>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1662:
Sino-Dutch conflicts: The Dutch East India Company's rule in
Taiwan ended after a siege by the Ming loyalist Koxinga, who established
the Kingdom of Tungning on the island.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Zeelandia>
1942:
Voice of America, the official external radio and television
service of the United States federal government, began broadcasting with
programs aimed at Axis-controlled areas during World War II.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_America>
1972:
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, became the first
settlement in the country to be granted city status since independence.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur>
2012:
Following an Egyptian Premier League match in Port Said, Al
Masry fans rioted and violently attacked Al Ahly supporters, resulting
in 74 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Said_Stadium_riot>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
inexorable:
1. Impossible to prevent or stop; inevitable.
2. Unable to be persuaded; relentless; unrelenting.
3. Adamant; severe.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inexorable>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false
patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality
is in the air we breathe.
--Langston Hughes
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes>