Today in History: Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer died on this day in 1675. He never gained much popularity in his time and died a poor man, but since that time, Vermeer's reputation has grown, and he is now acknowledged as one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Vermeer worked slowly and with great care, and frequently used very expensive pigments. He is particularly renowned for his masterly treatment, perspectives, and use of light in his work. A few years ago a documentary film called Tim's Vermeer posited a theory that Vermeer painted with the help of optical devices.
His most famous painting, “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” sold at auction for 6,242,500 pounds ($10.62 million).
Today in History: Tommy James and the Shondells released their song "Crimson and Clover" on this day in 1968. It spent 16 weeks on the U.S. charts, reaching number one in the United States (in February 1969) and other countries. The single has sold 5 million copies, making it Tommy James and the Shondells' best-selling song. It has been covered by many artists including Joan Jett, Dolly Parton and Prince. In 2006, Pitchfork Media named it the 57th best song of the 1960s. According to Pitchfork Media, the top 10 songs of the 60s are (1) God Only Knows by the Beach Boys (2) I Want You Back by the Jackson 5 (3) A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke (4) Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan (5) A Day in the Life by the Beatles (6) Be My Baby by the Ronettes (7) Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys (8) Folsom Prison Blues (Live at Folsom Prison) by Johnny Cash (9) I Can’t Explain by The Who and (10) Israelites by Desmond Dekker & the Aces.
Crimson and Clover was released under Roulette Records, which, according to Tommy James was a front business for the Genovese crime family. James estimates that the label kept $30 million-$40 million of the group's royalties.
Today in History: The movie Saturday Night Fever came out in theaters (remember those) on this day in 1977. It was the highest-grossing dance movie of all time until Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010) and Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike (both of which I've never seen). Most of the movie was completed when the BeeGees were hired to write songs for it, which they did in one weekend.
"With 15 million copies sold in the U.S. alone, Saturday Night Fever was the top-selling soundtrack album of all time before being supplanted by The Bodyguard some 15 years later. It's also the only disco record (so far) to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, and one of only three soundtracks (besides The Bodyguard and O Brother, Where Art Thou?) to win that category. It was the number one album on the Billboard charts for the entire first half of 1978, and stayed on the charts until March 1980, long after the supposed death of disco."~Mental Floss
I remember seeing this movie as a teenager and I was shocked at the language. Apparently I was not the only one and they came out with a PG version. Other than John Travolta's solo dance scene, the movie was largely fogettable to me.
Today in History: The killing of Tessa Majors occurred near Morningside Park in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York, on this day last year. From wikipedia: "Majors, a white eighteen-year-old student at Barnard College, was attacked by three black teenagers as part of a robbery. Majors was then stabbed with a knife multiple times, resulting in Major's death." Also from wikipedia: "The incident garnered considerable news coverage and was referred to as a political football, in part because violent crime has fallen significantly in New York City in recent years."
This made me think...would the killing of Tessa Majors garner any coverage at all if it happened today? While crime may have been falling up until last year, that has all changed this year. For instance, more people are murdered in St. Louis now than actually die from the Covid. At certain points this year, killings have increased to 166% in New York, a city that used to be called the "safest big city in America." Chicago has seen a 78.7% increase in murders, 74.7% increase in shootings, and 289.1% increase in carjackings. Cincinnati had a 115 percent increase in homicides over last year. Atlanta has a 42% increase in murders over the past year, Houston has a 48% increase, LA has a 25% increase, Philadelphia has a 37% increase, Minneapolis has a 82% increase and Indianapolis has a 43% increase in murders.
As someone wrote even before the riots, "The coronavirus lockdowns are producing many unanticipated side effects, including upon crime." Yes! If you engage in bizarre social experimentation on a massive scale by denying the freedoms of millions you cannot be surprised that there might be negative consequences. We have known for decades that cabin fever results in deep psychological impacts.
Keep in mind that with all the manifold negative side-effects of the lockdowns (increase in worldwide poverty, domestic violence, mental health issues, suicides are up 25%, alcoholism, drug abuse is up 50% to 100%, meds not being refilled, missed cancer screenings up 50%, missed chemo treatments are up 50%) we are still doing this for the public good.
Today in History: The Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by New York diamond merchant Harry Winston on this day in 1958. The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous jewels in the world, with ownership records dating back almost four centuries. It is worth between $200–$350 million USD. The Hope Diamond is also said to be under a curse. An article entitled "Hope Diamond Has Brought Trouble To All Who Have Owned It" appeared in the Washington Post in 1908. A New York Times article in 1911 which gave a list of supposed cases of ill-fortune, but with few confirmations from other sources:
Jacques Colet bought the Hope Diamond from Simon Frankel and died by suicide.
Prince Ivan Kanitovski bought it from Colet but was killed by Russian revolutionists.
Kanitovski loaned it to Mlle Ladue who was "murdered by her sweetheart."
Simon Mencharides, who had once sold it to the Turkish sultan, was thrown from a precipice along with his wife and young child.
Sultan Hamid gave it to Abu Sabir to "polish" but later Sabir was imprisoned and tortured.
Stone guardian Kulub Bey was hanged by a mob in Turkey.
A Turkish attendant named Hehver Agha was hanged for having it in his possession.
Tavernier, who brought the stone from India to Paris was "torn to pieces by wild dogs in Constantinople."
King Louis gave it to Madame de Montespan whom later he abandoned.
Nicholas Fouquet, an "Intendant of France", borrowed it temporarily to wear it but was "disgraced and died in prison."
A temporary wearer, Princess de Lamballe, was "torn to pieces by a French mob."
Jeweler William Fals who recut the stone "died a ruined man."
William Fals' son Hendrik stole the jewel from his father and later died by suicide.
Some years (after Hendrik) "it was sold to Francis Deaulieu, who died in misery and want."
Some however believe that the stories are fabricated to enhance the stone's mystery and appeal, since increased publicity usually raised the gem's value and newsworthiness (though one wonders why anyone would buy a gem that would lead to their demise.)
Other famous cursed jewels are The Black Prince's Ruby, the Koh-i-Noor diamond on Queen Elizabeth's crown ["he who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God or woman can wear it with impunity"], the Delhi Purple Sapphire, the Sancy Diamond, Elizabeth's Taylor's La Peregrina Pearl, and The Black Orlov, The Regent Diamond [which brought Napoleon down].
Today in History: English poet and intellectual, John Milton, was born on this day in 1608. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), which is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written.
He also wrote Areopagitica, perhaps the earliest and one of the greatest manifestos in defense of free speech ever introduced. He wrote: “Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
Take note of his excellent prose when discussing this topic: "[A]s good almost kill a man as kill a good book. Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God’s image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye."
In fact, it's not just good books that are important, but bad books are as well. Who can tell when a good man might gain knowledge and revelation, even from an unlikely (or bad) source? Milton talks about biblical authors and early church thinkers who benefited from studying and knowing pagan writings.
Also, who is the one person, or group of persons who decide what you can and cannot read? Neither government nor google have the required omniscience demanded for such decisions.
John Milton also wrote De Doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine) which has led to him being labeled an Arian (anti-trinitarian...not Aryan).
Today in History: Henry Varnum Poor was born on this day in 1812. Poor was a financial analyst and founder of H.V. and H.W. Poor Co, which later became the financial research and analysis bellwether, Standard & Poor's, or if you will, the S&P 500. The S&P 500 is a stock market index that measures the stock performance of 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices. The 10 largest companies in the index are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Alphabet(class A & C), Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase and Visa Inc. It was only recently that AT&T, General Electric and ExxonMobil were in that top 10.
The components that have increased their dividends in 25 consecutive years are known as the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats.
Tesla's stock will be added to the S&P 500 later this month. To be eligible for S&P 500 index inclusion, a company should be a U.S. company, have a market capitalization of at least USD 8.2 billion, the public float must consist of at least 50% of outstanding shares. It must have positive reported earnings over the four most recent quarters and the stock must have an active market and must trade for a reasonable share price.
