On this day in history...

[Richard A]

But meanwhile, 43 years before Brexit took place, and barely 4 years after the UK had joined the then EEC, the Pompidou Centre was opened in Paris.

[Richard A]

100 years today, the pips that announce the news on BBC Radio 4 were inaugurated. Like Dad's Army (see another thread), something few outside the UK will appreciate. But again something of my childhood - and still there at a few seconds to the hour. Except for certain times, when they're replaced by the chimes of Big Ben and the announcement of the news in a tone that suggests the headline is a national disaster even when it isn't.

[Arneb]

It should be noted that in German state radio, the pips (it used to be five, but is now down to three, with the full-hour denoted by a pip twice as long and a fifth higher in pitch) are also used in Germany, at least by public radio.

[Arneb]

146 BC 2170 years ago, Rome takes Carthage in the third Punic War, and the city ceases to exist.

[Heid the Ba]

Carthago delenda est, as they say.

1917 – The Congress of the United States passes the Immigration Act of 1917 over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. To keep out Asians and other undesirables.

[Arneb]

53 years ago today, Switzerland adopted, with slightly less than two-thirds majority of eligible male voters, suffrage for women on the Federal level and in some cantons that had been staunchly on the correct conservative path before. Als, what a black day for everything that's right and good. Tu quoque, mi filia Helvetia?

[Heid the Ba]

I was going through the pros and cons of moving to Switzerland and I must say their flag is a big plus.

[Мастер]

I was going through the pros and cons of moving to Switzerland and I must say their flag is a big plus.

Why? More compact?

[Heid the Ba]

Er, no. Just the set up for the joke.

[Мастер]

Er, no. Just the set up for the joke.

Ah. Got it now.

[Heid the Ba]

8th February 1942: the start of the Battle of Singapore, and a mere seventy odd years later Singapore's saviour would arrive.

[Arneb]

100 years ago today, Rhapsody in Blue was first performed in Aeolian Hall, Manhattan. As a worse-than-mediocre clarinettist, I have a scpecial relationship with this piece, as it told me, in one bar, how utterly hopeless I was.

[Arneb]

A rather rough day in history

1542 - Execution of Catherine Howard, 5th wife of Henry VIII
1692 - The Glencoe massacre
1945 - Beginning of the Dresden bombings, co-incidentally on Carnival Tuesday, just as today
1945 - Capitulation of the Wehrmacht forces in Budapest before the advancing Red Army; after a "to the last bullet" order that cost the lives 100,000 German soldiers alone
1960 - First Fench atomic weapon test
1991 - Shelling of the American embassy in Bonn by Germany's most prominent leftist terrorist group, the Red Army Faction (nobody was hurt)

Oh, and Constantin Tshernenko became Gerneral Secretary of CPSU in 1984. Not a great stint, all in all.

[Lianachan]

I was going through the pros and cons of moving to Switzerland and I must say their flag is a big plus.

Apologies for just noticing this splendid joke (tips hat).

[Мастер]

A rather rough day in history

1542 - Execution of Catherine Howard, 5th wife of Henry VIII
1692 - The Glencoe massacre
1945 - Beginning of the Dresden bombings, co-incidentally on Carnival Tuesday, just as today
1945 - Capitulation of the Wehrmacht forces in Budapest before the advancing Red Army; after a "to the last bullet" order that cost the lives 100,000 German soldiers alone
1960 - First Fench atomic weapon test
1991 - Shelling of the American embassy in Bonn by Germany's most prominent leftist terrorist group, the Red Army Faction (nobody was hurt)

Oh, and Constantin Tshernenko became Gerneral Secretary of CPSU in 1984. Not a great stint, all in all.

Also in 1945, the first of four air raids on Dresden.

[Arneb]

See #3 on the list

10 years ago today, the explosion of violence on Maidan Square in Kyiv paved the for the removal of President Janukovich, a Kremlin puppet, from office; towards the institution of a presential democracy with strong parliamentary control, the beginning of a self-cleansing of Ukraine from the all-present grip of corruption; the invasion of Crimea and ultimately, Russia's invasion of '22. It was, to use the words of the Russian President, the West's Original Sin against Russia. Because, you see, of course basically nobody in Ukraine wanted to get free from the Russian yoke, it was a commando action by Western agents to instigate riots and install a Western puppet regime. it has been Russia's brave and noble goal to rid Ukraine from Western supremacy, or, again in the words of her President, if you want it or not, my dear, you'll have to endure it, my beauty".

I can't eat as much as a I want to puke, but I'm probably just a hypocritic Atlanticist trying to sweep America's and Israel's crimes under the rug.

[Мастер]

See #3 on the list

Oops, I guess I only saw the second 1945 item

10 years ago today, the explosion of violence on Maidan Square in Kyiv paved the for the removal of President Janukovich, a Kremlin puppet, from office; towards the institution of a presential democracy with strong parliamentary control, the beginning of a self-cleansing of Ukraine from the all-present grip of corruption; the invasion of Crimea and ultimately, Russia's invasion of '22. It was, to use the words of the Russian President, the West's Original Sin against Russia. Because, you see, of course basically nobody in Ukraine wanted to get free from the Russian yoke, it was a commando action by Western agents to instigate riots and install a Western puppet regime. it has been Russia's brave and noble goal to rid Ukraine from Western supremacy, or, again in the words of her President, if you want it or not, my dear, you'll have to endure it, my beauty".

I acn't eat as much as a I want to puke, but I'm probably just a hypocritic Atlanticist trying to sweep America's and Israel's crimes under the rug.

On this day, February 21, in 1440, the Prussian Confederation came into existence.

[Arneb]

Now that was a date that some sequelae...

[Lianachan]

February 21st, 1746 - the Siege of Inverness which saw the Jacobites capture then destroy the British fort on the site of modern Inverness Castle. The commander at the castle had been ordered to flee with 2000 of his troops a couple of days earlier, leaving just 266 to hold the fort as long as they could against about 2500 jacobites. This turned out to be 2 days. The force which fled into Surherland was wiped out in another engagement agaunst a different Jacobite force near Loch Shin shortly after.

[Arneb]

10 years ago today, the Olympic Games at Sotchi ended with a dazzling closing ceremony, in which medals handed out to the public came aglow in the Russian colours, white, blue and red.

As Thomas Bach, the then-new President of the IInternational Olympic Committee, said: By living together under one roof in the Olympic Village, you [the athletes] have sent a strong message: The message of a society of peace, tolerance, and respect. I appeal to everyone afflicted by confrontation, oppression and violence: Act according to this Olympic message of dialogiue and peace"

A day later, the invasion of Crimea began, and 8 years after that, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I am wondering if Thomas Bach knew what was going to happen - his words can be read as advice to Ukrainians to just keep quiet and give in to whatever the wonderful Russians are doing to you.

Shame on you, Thomas Bach.

[Richard A]

That could be - and if he did know, then indeed shame on him. As is well known, Putin doesn't just hand out death to his opponents; he's also capable of rewarding those who support him.

On the other hand, this could equally be an example of a man having absolutely no clue. There are plenty of precedents.

[Arneb]

True, but I highly suspect wilful ignorance, led by interest.

[Arneb]

Yeah, and February 24, 2022 was the day.

Things are going just swimmingly for uncle Volodya, aren't they?

[Мастер]

Yeah, and February 24, 2022 was the day.

День Мудака

[Мастер]

Maybe День злого мудака is better?