The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms at right angles to either the right or left. It is traditionally oriented so that a main line is horizontal, though is occasionally found at a 45-degree angle to this, with the Hindu version typically featuring a dot in each quadrant. The history of the swastika goes back to the origins of the Eurasian continent. The swastika is an important symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, among others, and was also used in Native American and Jewish faiths prior to World War II. By the early twentieth century it was regarded worldwide as symbol of good luck and auspiciousness. Since the rise of the Nazi Party, the swastika has been associated with fascism, the Second World War and the Holocaust in much of the world. The swastika remains a core symbol of Neo-Nazi groups. Since the end of the Second World War, there have been failed attempts by individuals and groups to convince Westerners to look past the swastika's recent association with the Nazis to its prehistoric origins.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1776: The Order of the Illuminati, a secret society, was founded in Bavaria, Germany. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati)

1840: The Penny Black, the first official adhesive postage stamp, was issued in the United Kingdom. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Black)

1893: The World Columbian Exposition, a World's Fair to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus, opened in Chicago. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Columbian_Exposition)

1941: Citizen Kane, a widely acclaimed film by Orson Welles, premiered. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane)

1960: In India, the state of Bombay was partitioned into Gujarat and Maharashtra along linguistic lines. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarat)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

* "DON'T PANIC" -- Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy -- (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams)