69 – The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors. 1361 – The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting…
Year: 2018
Letters
To the editor: As a homeowner in BPC, losing Saks means nothing to me or many people who live here. Saks was always empty and a bad idea from the start. They need to put something that will appeal to the people who live here. Trader Joe’s or more reasonable priced retail. Best regards, Maryann Peters…
EYES TO THE SKY December 24, 2018 – January 6, 2019
The dark of night extends into morning most noticeably from today through mid-January: in our neighborhood, the Sun rises around 7:20am. It is the ideal time to observe planet Venus, the Morning Star, shining brightly high in the southeast as late as 7am. During the whole period of this post, civil twilight begins just half…
Home for the Holidays
Gilbert Chesterton said that, “Christmas is built on a beautiful and intentional paradox — that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.” In an odd way, this restless longing to get home, or to find a place in the world to call home, is perhaps at the bottom of Christmas. Robert…
The River Project
For 32 years, The River Project (TRP) has worked to protect and restore New York Harbor. Some of their achievements towards this end over 2018 include the following: Over the summer, “Big”, the largest oyster seen in the Hudson River Estuary in the last 100 years was found under Pier 40. TRP’s wetlab partnered with…
Today in History December 20
1803 – The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans. 1808 – The original Covent Garden Theatre in London is destroyed by a fire, along with most of the scenery, costumes and scripts. 1917 – Cheka, the first Soviet secret police force, is founded. 1924 – Adolf Hitler is released from Landsberg…