Open Thread - 02/12 is Darwin Day

by enhydra lutris

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Monday, Feb. 12, 2024 Monday, Feb. 12, 2024 at 6:06:14am PST

no image description available — Charles Darwin

It's Darwin Day. Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882) was a naturalist, geologist and Biologist who made foundational contributions to evolutionary biology. He did not assert that man is descended from monkeys or apes. but that all species have descended from a common ancestor. The "monkeys" thing was among the numerous misrepresentations, slanders and lies tossed about by assorted religionists and other opponents of his ideas. He held that this evolution was due to a process of natural selection which is not really the same as "survival of the fittest" but there is neither time nor room to get into that here.

A lot of the background for his work came from a 5 year voyage he took aboard the HMS ~~Snoopy~~ Beagle from 1831 to 1836. The initial result of this trip was to establish him as a top geologist and Lyell supporter. It was only later, after publication of a journal of that voyage, that he began developing his theory of evolution through natural selection. Though he developed his theory in 1938, he didn't begin writing it up until twenty years later. At that time, Alfred Russel Wallace contacted him regarding an essay by Wallace containing much the same ides(s) and the two agreed to a joint submission of papers to the Linnean Society. Today, evolution through natural selection is accepted as a key idea and guiding principle in the biological sciences.

It's also the anniversary of the Battle of Haengju in 1593; a very important Joeson victory in the Imjin War. This is also dated to March 14, which I suspect may be due to some calendrical confusion. From what I've read, New Year, Gregorian style, is about 28 days prior to New Year in the Korean lunisolar calendar which is close to the difference between these two dates. At any rate 3,000 Joeson fighters repulsed an attack by 30,000 Japanese inflicting heavy casualties on them, in part by using 40 hwacha, each capable of firing 100 to 200 rocket powered arrows.

It is both Lincoln's Birthday and Georgia Day, which seems a bit incongruous, but history and reality are both like that.

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On this day in history:

1502 -- Isabella I issued an edict outlawing Islam in the Crown of Castile 1593 -- Siege (or battle) of Haengju. (or 3/14) 1733 -- James Oglethorpe founded the English colony of Georgia 1818 -- The Chilean Declaration of Independence was formally approved 1825 -- The Creek lands in Georgia were stolen by the Treaty of Indian Springs 1832 -- Ecuador annexed the Galapagos Islands. 1909 -- The NAACP was founded 1924 -- Rhapsody in Blue was premiered 1935 -- USS Macon crashed into the Pacific Ocean 1946 -- Isaac Woodard, a black veteran, was severely beaten by a South Carolina cop 1963 -- They started building the Gateway Arch in St. Louis 1968 -- The Phong Nhi and Phong Nhat massacres. 1990 -- Carmen Lawrence became Premier of Western Australia. 1994 -- Edvard Munch's painting The Scream was stolen. 1999 -- The Senate acquitted Bill Clinton 2004 -- San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples

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Some people who were born on this day:

Just as species must adapt to changing environments, we too must embrace change and cultivate resilience to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

~~ Charles Darwin

1567 – Thomas Campion, English composer, poet, and physician 1663 -- Cotton Mather, minister and author 1804 -- Heinrich Lenz, physicist 1809 -- Charles Darwin, geologist 1809 -- Abraham Lincoln, lawyer and politician 1880 -- John L. Lewis, miner and union leader 1881 -- Anna Pavlova, ballerina 1893 -- Omar Bradley, a soldier 1914 -- Tex Beneke, singer, saxophonist, and bandleader 1915 -- Olivia Hooker, The first African-American woman in the Coast Guard 1928 -- Vincent Montana, Jr., drummer and composer 1935 -- Gene McDaniels, singer, songwriter, and producer 1939 -- Ray Manzarek, singer, songwriter, keyboard player 1948 -- Ray Kurzweil, computer scientist and engineer 1950 -- Steve Hackett, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer 1952 -- Michael McDonald, singer, songwriter and keyboard player 1954 -- Phil Zimmermann, cryptographer and programmer 1955 -- Bill Laswell, bass player and producer 1956 -- Brian Robertson, guitarist and songwriter 1958 -- Omar Hakim, drummer, producer, arranger, and composer 1961 -- Michel Martelly, singer and politician 1965 -- David Westlake, singer, songwriter and guitarist 1966 – Paul Crook, guitarist, songwriter, and producer 1968 -- Chynna Phillips, singer and actress 1970 -- Jim Creeggan, singer, songwriter and bass player

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Some people who died on this day:

Act (such) that your principle of action might safely be made a law for the whole world.

~~ Immanuel Kant

1538 -- Albrecht Altdorfer, painter, engraver, and architect 1612 – Jodocus Hondius, cartographer 1789 -- Ethan Allen, Green Mountain Boy, general, 1804 -- Immanuel Kant, philosopher and anthropologist 1916 -- Richard Dedekind, mathematician and philosopher 1929 -- Lillie Langtry, singer and actress 1935 -- Auguste Escoffier, chef 1942 -- Grant Wood, painter 1979 -- Jean Renoir, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter 1983 -- Eubie Blake, pianist and composer 1995 -- Philip Taylor Kramer, bass player 2000 – Charles M. Schulz, cartoonist, created Peanuts 2007 -- Peggy Gilbert, saxophonist and bandleader 2009 -- Coleman Mellett, guitarist 2009 -- Gerry Niewood, saxophonist 2017 -- Al Jarreau, singer

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Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such: Darwin Day (International observance) Georgia Day (Georgia (U.S. state)) Lincoln's Birthday (United States) National Freedom to Marry Day (United States)

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Today's Tunes

James Oglethorpe