Official "This Day In History" thread

ewmayer · 2014-05-28, 22:09

Just like the title says - post links/thoughts/retrospectives about significant historical events here. No "current events" or really recent (say, < 20 years) stuff, please.

====================

May 29: The 95th Anniversary of Relativity’s Confirmation: How the Solar Eclipse of 1919 changed our understanding of the Universe forever

Nice piece, though it makes it sound like "gravity warping space" is the key difference between the Newtonian and Einsteinian theories - in fact one can view the Newtonian gravitational theory in a similar way, thus Newton also predicts bending of light by gravity, black holes, etc. The article thus omits what is arguably the co-equal difference, namely that Newton assumes gravitational effects propagate infinitely fast, whereas GR - in accord with the "cosmic speed limit" which is at the heart of its 1905 "special" predecessor - proceeds from the postulate that gravity obeys the same speed limit (that Wikipage has some very interesting history re. the speed of gravity and theories based on it - there are some real subtleties, e.g. Laplace's work on observable effects due to finite speed seems eminently sensible but ultimately gives wrong answers, and to say that Laplace was no fool is a massive understatement). In other words when speaking of the differences between Newton and GR one should never make the mistake, especially when discussing the latter theory, of speaking of space and time as though they are separable.

ewmayer · 2014-06-04, 21:45

Some interesting never-before-told backstory on the post-massacre effort to smuggle the protest leaders out of the country:

Escape From Tiananmen: How Secret Plan Freed Protesters

ewmayer · 2014-06-06, 04:33

More Tiananmen:

Tiananmen Vigil Draws H.K. Crowds 25 Years After Crackdown - Bloomberg

Isn't that lovely? 'Massacre' has been bowdlerized to a much more mild-mannered 'crackdown' in the Bloomberg piece. In another 25 years it'll be the "50th anniversary of the Tiananmen unfortunate misunderstanding".

(I saw news stories on this in 3 other places, and all of them used some polite euphemism in place of "massacre", so 'twas not just Bloomberg kissing up to the ChiComs.)

===============

70th anniversary of D-Day. There is sometimes debate as to whether the Normandy landings were more about defeating the Nazis or preventing the Russian army from overrunning western Europe, but in point of fact Soviet leader Stalin had been pressing the western allies to open a second front in western Europe since the fateful decision by Hitler - who apparently thought he could out-Napoleon the late Mr. Bonaparte in this regard - to open his own second European front and invade Russia in 1941.

ewmayer · 2014-12-22, 08:10

[OK, so I missed the centennial of the outbreak of WW1 - sue me.]

One of my favorite writers at Pando is Gary Brecher, a.k.a. the War Nerd. I'm only now catching up on some back reading there, and here is his fine column commemorating the 150th anniversary of Sherman's (in)famous March to the Sea:

The War Nerd: Why Sherman was right to burn Atlanta | Pando Daily

Re. the quotes from Sherman, mote the - especially by contemporary dumb-glish standards - astonishing eloquence of the man, especially in the context of distinctly non-flowery, spare prose.

retina · 2014-12-25, 04:51

25-Dec. I've heard rumours that this day is important in some way. Maybe I am wrong about that? Anyhow there was supposed to be something of importance that happened on this day sometime in the past. Is this true, or have some historians got a different view of the timing of events related to 25-Dec?

LaurV · 2014-12-25, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

25-Dec

Yeah, same as 31 Oct (or 19 Hex, we can't remember exactly which...)

ewmayer · 2014-12-25, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

25-Dec. I've heard rumours that this day is important in some way. Maybe I am wrong about that? Anyhow there was supposed to be something of importance that happened on this day sometime in the past. Is this true, or have some historians got a different view of the timing of events related to 25-Dec?

Ah, you must be referring to the birth (1899) of Humphrey Bogart.

rogue · 2014-12-26, 00:04

It's the Saturnalia.

LaurV · 2014-12-26, 10:38

Actually, if ye didn't know, the Christmas is the celebration of birthday of Sir Isaac Newton...

retina · 2014-12-26, 10:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaurV

Actually, if ye didn't know, the Christmas is the celebration of birthday of Sir Isaac Newton...

Aha, the birth of SIN, somehow that seems like it is on the right track.

kladner · 2014-12-26, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogue

It's the Saturnalia.

Fascinating! Thanks!

2014-05-28, 22:09	#1
ewmayer ∂²ω=0 Sep 2002 República de California 2²×2,939 Posts	Official "This Day In History" thread Just like the title says - post links/thoughts/retrospectives about significant historical events here. No "current events" or really recent (say, < 20 years) stuff, please. ==================== May 29: The 95th Anniversary of Relativity’s Confirmation: How the Solar Eclipse of 1919 changed our understanding of the Universe forever Nice piece, though it makes it sound like "gravity warping space" is the key difference between the Newtonian and Einsteinian theories - in fact one can view the Newtonian gravitational theory in a similar way, thus Newton also predicts bending of light by gravity, black holes, etc. The article thus omits what is arguably the co-equal difference, namely that Newton assumes gravitational effects propagate infinitely fast, whereas GR - in accord with the "cosmic speed limit" which is at the heart of its 1905 "special" predecessor - proceeds from the postulate that gravity obeys the same speed limit (that Wikipage has some very interesting history re. the speed of gravity and theories based on it - there are some real subtleties, e.g. Laplace's work on observable effects due to finite speed seems eminently sensible but ultimately gives wrong answers, and to say that Laplace was no fool is a massive understatement). In other words when speaking of the differences between Newton and GR one should never make the mistake, especially when discussing the latter theory, of speaking of space and time as though they are separable. Last fiddled with by ewmayer on 2014-05-31 at 01:27 Reason: 1-day-belated addition of "the stars moved" link

2014-06-04, 21:45	#2
ewmayer ∂²ω=0 Sep 2002 República de California 2²×2,939 Posts	25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre Some interesting never-before-told backstory on the post-massacre effort to smuggle the protest leaders out of the country: Escape From Tiananmen: How Secret Plan Freed Protesters

2014-06-06, 04:33	#3
ewmayer ∂²ω=0 Sep 2002 República de California 2²·2,939 Posts	D-Day, 6 June 1944 More Tiananmen: Tiananmen Vigil Draws H.K. Crowds 25 Years After Crackdown - Bloomberg Isn't that lovely? 'Massacre' has been bowdlerized to a much more mild-mannered 'crackdown' in the Bloomberg piece. In another 25 years it'll be the "50th anniversary of the Tiananmen unfortunate misunderstanding". (I saw news stories on this in 3 other places, and all of them used some polite euphemism in place of "massacre", so 'twas not just Bloomberg kissing up to the ChiComs.) =============== 70th anniversary of D-Day. There is sometimes debate as to whether the Normandy landings were more about defeating the Nazis or preventing the Russian army from overrunning western Europe, but in point of fact Soviet leader Stalin had been pressing the western allies to open a second front in western Europe since the fateful decision by Hitler - who apparently thought he could out-Napoleon the late Mr. Bonaparte in this regard - to open his own second European front and invade Russia in 1941.

2014-12-22, 08:10	#4
ewmayer ∂²ω=0 Sep 2002 República de California 10110111101100₂ Posts	November 16, 1864: Sherman's March to the Sea [OK, so I missed the centennial of the outbreak of WW1 - sue me.] One of my favorite writers at Pando is Gary Brecher, a.k.a. the War Nerd. I'm only now catching up on some back reading there, and here is his fine column commemorating the 150th anniversary of Sherman's (in)famous March to the Sea: The War Nerd: Why Sherman was right to burn Atlanta \| Pando Daily Re. the quotes from Sherman, mote the - especially by contemporary dumb-glish standards - astonishing eloquence of the man, especially in the context of distinctly non-flowery, spare prose.

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2014-12-25, 04:51	#5
retina Undefined "The unspeakable one" Jun 2006 My evil lair 2·3·1,129 Posts	25-Dec. I've heard rumours that this day is important in some way. Maybe I am wrong about that? Anyhow there was supposed to be something of importance that happened on this day sometime in the past. Is this true, or have some historians got a different view of the timing of events related to 25-Dec?

2014-12-26, 00:04	#8
rogue "Mark" Apr 2003 Between here and the 3·19·127 Posts	It's the Saturnalia.

2014-12-26, 10:38	#9
LaurV Romulan Interpreter "name field" Jun 2011 Thailand 10100000110000₂ Posts	Actually, if ye didn't know, the Christmas is the celebration of birthday of Sir Isaac Newton...