Hadji Ali (c. 1888–92 – 1937) was a vaudeville performance artist
famous for acts of controlled regurgitation. Thought to be of Egyptian
extraction, his best-known feats included water spouting, smoke
swallowing and nut and handkerchief swallowing followed by disgorgement
in an order chosen by the audience. The mainstay of Ali's act was "water
spouting". After swallowing large amounts of water, 60 to 100 glasses at
a time, he spouted it in a continuous stream for a sustained period of
time, sometimes approaching one minute. Ali's most famous stunt, and the
highlight of his act, was drinking copious amounts of water followed by
kerosene, and then acting by turns as a human flamethrower and fire
extinguisher as he expelled the two liquids onto a theatrical prop. Ali
had a dedicated following on the vaudeville circuit in the United States
and performed for heads of state including Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
Ali's unusual gastric abilities led to rumors that the Rockefeller
Institute had offered a large sum of money to obtain his stomach post-
mortem. After he died in England his body was offered to Johns Hopkins
for study, though the offer was declined.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadji_Ali>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1851:
William Lassell discovered the Uranian moons Umbriel and Ariel.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_(moon)>
1912:
First Balkan War: Serbian forces defeated the Ottoman army at
the Battle of Kumanovo in Vardar Macedonia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kumanovo>
1945:
The UN Charter, the constitution of the United Nations, entered
into force after being ratified by the Republic of China, France, the
Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and a majority of
the other signatories.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Charter>
1964:
The military court of South Vietnamese junta chief Nguyen Khanh
acquitted Generals Duong Van Duc and Lam Van Phat of leading a
September 1964 coup attempt against Khanh, despite the pair's
proclamation of his overthrow during their military action.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lam_Van_Phat>
2007:
Chang'e 1, the first satellite in the Chinese Lunar Exploration
Program, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_1>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
miniver:
A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state
executives, used since medieval times.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/miniver>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Praise the invisible sun burning beyond the white cold sky, giving us
light and the chimney's shadow.
--Denise Levertov
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Denise_Levertov>