Today’s WOTD – 24 October 2012

resile

[ri-zahyl]

verb (used without object),

resiled, resiling.

1. to spring back; rebound; resume the original form or position, as an elastic body.

2. to shrink back; recoil.

For example:

He didn’t resile from his opinion, even though it was unpopular with his friends.

Today’s aphorism

‘Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats’.

– H.L. Mencken

On this day

24 October 1648 – signing of the Treaty of Munster, between the Holy Roman Emperor, France and their respective allies. This treaty was the second in a series of peace treaties known as the Peace of Westphalia which paved the way for the modern sovereign state. The first was the Peace of Munster, signed on 30 January 1648, the third being the Treaty of Osnabruck, signed on 24 October 1648. 24 October 1648 – signing of the Treaty of Osnabruck, between the Holy Roman Emperor, the empire, Sweden and their respective allies. This treaty was the third in a series of peace treaties known as the Peace of Westphalia which paved the way for the modern sovereign state. The first was the Peace of Munster, signed on 30 January 1648, the second being the Treaty of Munster signed on  24 October 1648.

24 October 1929 – Black Thursday, one week before Wall Street’s infamous Black Tuesday and in a harbinger of the impending crash, investors dumped 13 million shares and the market lost 11% in value.