5 September 2013

mercurial

[mer-kyoor-ee-uhl]

adjective

1. changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic: a mercurial nature.
2. animated; lively; sprightly; quick-witted.
3. pertaining to, containing, or caused by the metal mercury.
4. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the god Mercury.
5. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the planet Mercury.

Today’s aphorism

Beauty fades, dumb is forever.

– Judge Judy (Sheindlin)

On this day

5 September – Freddie for a Day. Dress up as Freddie Mercury for the day. FFOD is the brainchild of Liz Swanton and raises money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust. The MPT was founded in 1992, following Freddie Mercury’s death, and helps AIDS charities throughout the world. To participate or find out more, go to: http://www.freddieforaday.com.au or http://www.freddieforaday.com

5 September 1689 – Tsar Peter the Great of Russia, starts taxing men’s beards. He wasn’t the first to do this however. In 1535, King Henry VIII also taxed beards and Queen Elizabeth I reintroduced the tax later that century.

5 September 1847 – birth of Jesse James, U.S. outlaw. (Died 3 April 1882).

5 September 1877 – death of Crazy Horse, Sioux Chief (not to be confused with a Sous Chef … or an 1960′s rock band of the same name, who teamed up with a crazy hippy named Neil Young). Born around 1840 (Chief Crazy Horse that is, not Neil Young.

5 September 1939 – United States declares its neutrality in the Second World War.

5 September 1946 – birth of Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) on Zanzibar. British musician and vocalist. Lead singer of rock group, Queen. Died 24 November 1991.

5 September 1997 – death of Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu) in Yugoslavia, winner of Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work in the slums of Calcutta.