Even those who couldn't tell a Rembrandt from a van Gogh know that one of those artists cut off his own ear, an event that happened on this date. His passion and insanity left us a great legacy of truth and beauty, including today's quotes.
About once a month a holiday makes me want to jump on a plane and attend. When I'm as rich as I am famous you can bet I'll get to Oaxaca, Mexico on the 23rd of some December. Any city that starts their Christmas festivities by carving radishes needs to be experienced. The competition appears to be intense, the tools consist of jumbo radishes and knives - and spray bottles to keep the radish sculptures from wilting before the party is over!
We also note George Washington's return to private life in time for Christmas 1783, the first treaty between the Kingdom of Hawaii and any other nation, and an event no Internet publication could possibly ignore - the birth of the transistor.
1776 - Thomas Paine, then aide-de-camp to General Nathanael Greene, publishes his 'The American Crisis' essay to support morale among the troops, starting, "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country."
1783 - After the final British withdrawal on 4 December and a journey from New York City to Annapolis during which he was met by crowds of well-wishers en route, George Washington met with the Continental Congress and resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Congress was assembled at the Maryland State House at Annapolis, Washington was home at Mount Vernon before sundown on Christmas Eve.
1826 - Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones of USS Peacock and King Kamehameha III sign a treaty promising friendship and covering details of commerce and navigation. Jones had arrived in October to relieve Hawaiian authorities of the annoyance caused by American deserters and to intercede for American citizens living in the islands. It was the first treaty between Hawaii and any foreign power, the US Senate never ratified it.
1888 - After brandishing a razor at his friend Paul Gauguin in Victor Hugo Plaza at Arles, France, Vincent van Gogh returned home and cut his left ear off. At 11:30 that night he went to the brothel 'Maison de Tolerance No. 1' and left the ear, wrapped in newspaper, in the care of Rachel.
1947 - Drs John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley created the first working transistor at Bell Laboratories at Murray Hill, New Jersey. The concept of the transistor was less than a month old when the prototype was made, the three shared the Nobel Prize in physics for 1956 for their breakthrough.
Tenno-tanjobi (Emperor's Birthday), Japan - Celebrates the birth of the Emperor "who is a symbol of Japan and a symbol of the unity of the Japanese people." It has been celebrated on this date since 1989. The cabinet attends a banquet at the Imperial Palace, foreign dignitaries are invited to tea ceremonies, and the Emperor greets the assembled crowds from the palace balcony.
Noche de los Rábanos (Festival of the Radishes), Oaxaca, Mexico - Local farmers grow special radishes, generally about a foot and a half long and five inches in diameter, which are elaborately carved and displayed on tables in the Zócalo, or central plaza, just after twilight. Saints, bullfighters, musicians, and complete nativity scenes are popular. Sugary fried tortillas called buñuelos are served on clay plates which are later thrown in the air to smash noisily on the street.
There is the same difference in a person before and after he is in love, as there is in an unlighted lamp and one that is burning.
It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to.... The feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures.
If one is the master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has at the same time insight into and understanding of many things.
It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent.
- All quotes today are from Vincent van Gogh
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Copyright 2000 G. Armour Van Horn, all rights reserved. This document may be distributed freely. Please forward the complete message including this copyright notice.