| Wednesday, December 31, 2008 |
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Cabot Trail Meanders Along The Gulf of St. Lawrence |
SpotlightHow words can deceive. Explorer Jacques Cartier, born on this date in 1491, made three voyages to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and St. Lawrence River, sent by King Francis I. On his second trip in the mid-sixteenth century, Cartier set up a camping site in the region of Quebec City and referred to the area as kanata, a Huron word for village. Over the ensuing three hundred years, the name Canada came to refer to all the land north of the US and east of Alaska. Canada is now the world's second-largest country.
Quote"Have you ever, on a cloudless night, looked down from a passing aircraft flying over Canada? Endless, glowing strings of cities, towns, and homesteads. Stretching on and on, one province to the next. With only the stars in the distance."
Question of the DayWho were the Famous Five of Canada?
The Famous 5 were women who brought a landmark case before the Canadian Supreme Court. They challenged the status of women with the question "Does the word 'Persons' in section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?"...
Word of the daydiurnal
- Relating to or occurring in a 24-hour period; daily.
- Occurring or active during the daytime rather than at night: diurnal animals.
- Botany. Opening during daylight hours and closing at night.
The calendar undergoes a major change this week as the Western world celebrates New Year's Day. This week, we'll look at some words relating to time and how we tell one day from the next.
Today's History
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| The Panama Canal |
- light bulb: was first demonstrated by inventor Thomas Edison, in Menlo Park, New Jersey (1879)
- Times Square: Waterford crystal ball dropped for the first time in celebration of New Year's Eve (1907)
- farthing: British coin in use since the 13th century ceased to be legal tender (1960)
- Panama Canal: waterway that connects the Caribbean with the Pacific was handed over to Panama by the US in accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties (1999)
Today's Birthdays
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| Ben Kingsley |
- Henri Matisse (1869-1954): French painter, leading Fauvist
- Simon Wiesenthal (1908-2005): Nazi hunter
- Ben Kingsley (65): Oscar-winning actor, Gandhi; also, actors Anthony Hopkins (71), Tim Considine (68), Sarah Miles (67), Tim Matheson (61), Joe Dallesandro (60), James Remar (55), Bebe Neuwirth (50), Val Kilmer (49), Don Diamont (46) and Gong Li (43)
- Donna Summer (60): disco queen; other musicians born on this date include John Denver (1943-1997) and Tom Hamilton (57)
