Lucrezia Borgia (1480), François de Coligny d'Andelot (1521), Giacomo Carissimi (1605), Franz von Suppé (1819), #ClarenceDarrow (1857), Leopold Stokowski (1882), Barbara Hale (1922), Samuel P. Huntington (1927), Rick Moranis (1953), Conan O'Brien (1963) & Niall Ferguson (1964) were born #OnThisDay

"Alte Wunden" (Old Wounds) is on PBS now & this episode of "SOKO Kitzbühel" (Murder in the Mountains) begins with the murder of a shopkeeper shortly after she sees the man she believes murdered her husband on Santorini (5.26.15) www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOfI... www.imdb.com/title/tt4179...

Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I died #OnThisDay in 1711, succeeded by his brother Charles VI as archduke of Austria & eventually emperor; Joseph presided over Habsburg Austria's participation in the War of the Spanish Succession... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles...

John Pierpont Morgan, Sr. was born #OnThisDay in 1837, founding J.P. Morgan & becoming one of the most powerful #robberbarons of the #GildedAge by buying up #railroad lines; he died in 1913, but his financial, political & spiritual heirs dominate the US economy... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._P._M...

#SirimavoBandaranaike was born #OnThisDay in 1916, becoming world's first non-hereditary female head of government in modern #history in 1960 as #SriLanka's prime minister but proving that it was no guarantee of progressive, feminist or effective governance... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirimav...

#OnThisDay in 1989, thousands of students took to the streets of Beijing to demand #democracy in #China; in June, #DengXiaoping would order the #TiananmenSquare massacre to ensure toe survival of the PRC dictatorship now run by #XiJinping... www.history.com/this-day-in-...

"Gently Between the Lines" is on PBS now & in this episode #InspectorGeorgeGently has to try to get John Bacchus to join him in solving the murder of a young drug addict in #Newcastle in the midst of local resistance to slum clearance (2.6.14) 🇬🇧 www.imdb.com/title/tt2771...

I'm enjoying some fresh #pineapple 파인애플; odd word, given that it's neither an apple nor related to the pine tree; it's #ananas in almost every other language except #piña in Spanish. I love the sweet succulence of this #fruit, which has amazing health benefits: www.healthline.com/nutrition/be...

I curried organic shiitake mushrooms, steamed organic spinach & tossed it all on pasta, sprinkling za'atar on the funghi in solidarity with all those in Iran, Lebanon & Palestine under fire from #ApartheidIsrael — funded with $3.8 billion a year in US taxes + $50 billion+ more in new funding...

#GiovanniDaVerrazzano may have sailed into #NewYork harbor #OnThisDay in 1524 — the first European to reach #Lenape land; he claimed the land for France despite the presence of #IndigenousPeoples; the longest suspension bridge in the world would be named for him... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovann...

China capitulated to #Japan in the #TreatyOfShimonoseki signed #OnThisDay in 1895; the first #SinoJapaneseWar was a disaster for the Qing dynasty & would indirectly lead to the brutal Japanese occupation of Korea — a turning point in the #history of East Asia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_...

Graziella Sciutti was born in Torino on this day in 1927, becoming a leading soubrette soprano in the 1950s & 1960s; here she is singing "Quel Guardo, il Cavaliere" from Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Don Pasquale" in a live concert: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHpC... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graziel...

#ApartheidIsrael has illegally detained & imprisoned 20% of the entire population of occupied #Palestine since the illegal occupation began in 1967; on #PalestinianPrisonersDay, it's time to demand the release of all Palestinians in Israeli jails & prisons~! www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/...

"Familieimperiet vokser: slik blir Trump rikere" (the family empire is growing, so they're getting richer), notes Oslo's VG as #DonaldTrump brazenly violates the emoluments clause of the Constitution to make himself & the Trump crime family filthy rich off the taxpayer-funded US government (4.17.26)

#KeirStarmer lied to parliament about #PeterMandelson's appointment but the lying prime minister will be able to stave off calls for his resignation until after the #LabourParty crashes & burns in the May 7 local elections in #England & elections for the Welsh Assembly & Scottish Parliament...

#KeirStarmer lied to parliament about #PeterMandelson's appointment but the lying prime minister will be able to stave off calls for his resignation until after the #LabourParty crashes & burns in the May 7 local elections in #England & elections for the Welsh Assembly & Scottish Parliament...

#PedroSánchez was the first European leader to denounce #ApartheidIsrael's #GazaGenocide & now he's standing up to #DonaldTrump in opposing his illegal war on #Iran; this TRT World report explains the origins & evolution of this policy; viva #España~! www.youtube.com/watch?v=edEg...

Phnom Penh fell to the #KhmerRouge #OnThisDay in 1975, who would initiate a #genocide that would kill between 2-3 million of #Cambodia's 7 million people, one of the worst genocides in the history of the 20th c.; #Cambodians are still recovering from the trauma... www.history.com/this-day-in-...

Thutmose III led #Egypt to victory over #Canaanites at the Battle of #Megiddo #OnThisDay in 1457 BCE — the first reliably confirmed account of a battle in #history; Thutmose secured Egyptian hegemony in #Canaan — later known as #Palestine... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...

Byzantine Emperor Michael IX Palaeologus (1278), Maximilian I, Kurfürst von Bayern (1573), John Pierpont Morgan, Sr. (1837), Artur Schnabel (1882), #ThorntonWilder (1897), Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1916), William Holden (1918), Harry Reasoner (1923) & Graziella Sciutti (1932) were born #OnThisDay...

Throwback Thursday: on the first US #LGBTQ delegation tour of Palestine, standing in the gap in the apartheid wall at Al-Walejeh (1.9.12). Congress continues to fund #ApartheidIsrael's ethnic cleansing & genocide but should be supporting #BDS to #FreePalestine~! 🍉 paulinepark.com/2012/04/04/p...

#JohnMillingtonSynge was born in #Ireland #OnThisDay in 1871 & died at 37, but not before writing "The Playboy of the Western World" — one of the greatest #Irish #comedies of all time; here's a New England Youth Theatre production: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_k... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mi...

Jules Hardouin-Mansart was born in Paris #OnThisDay in 1646; one of the great architects of the French Baroque, he expanded the château de Versailles for #LouisXIV & designed the Hôtel des Invalides, which has become a symbol of Paris: paulinepark.com/2018/01/24/f... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_H...

#JulesHardouinMansart was born in Paris #OnThisDay in 1646; one of the greatest architects of the French Baroque, he expanded the château de #Versailles for #LouisXIV. I took this shot of the chapelle royale six years ago (5.22.15) paulinepark.com/2018/01/24/f... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_H...

I attended a poetry reading by Maazen Maarouf at Columbia U. 12 years ago yesterday (4.15.14) & then wrote a reflection on the irony of a Palestinian living in exile in Iceland; support #BDS to #FreePalestine from #ApartheidIsrael's illegal & genocidal occupation~! 🍉 paulinepark.com/2014/04/20/i...

Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun was born in Paris #OnThisDay in 1755; one of the leading portrait artists of the Ancien Régime in #France, Le Brun is best known for her many portraits of Marie-Antoinette; this is a self-portrait... www.wikiart.org/en/louise-el...

#AbrahamLincoln died #OnThisDay in 1865; I passed by this statue of the assassinated president on the UIUC campus 12 years ago this week (4.11.14); he restored the Union & brought about an end to slavery & stands head & shoulders above any of our other presidents... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham...

Jules Hardouin Mansart (1646), Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun (1755), #AnatoleFrance (né Jacques Anatole Thibault), Wilbur Wright (1867), John Millington Synge (1871), Charlie Chaplin (1889), Pope Benedict XVI (1927), Margrethe II of Denmark & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1947), were born #OnThisDay...

Jules Hardouin Mansart (1646), Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun (1755), #AnatoleFrance (né Jacques Anatole Thibault), Wilbur Wright (1867), John Millington Synge (1871), Charlie Chaplin (1889), Pope Benedict XVI (1927), Margrethe II of Denmark & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1947), were born #OnThisDay...

#ThomasHartBenton was born in Missouri #OnThisDay in 1889, one of the leading 'Regionalist' artists of the early 20th c.; Benton's art captured something of the spirit of the Midwest in his paintings, such as "Wheat" (1967): www.wikiart.org/en/thomas-ha... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...

Josh Ruebner: "Make no mistake about it: this is a political earthquake. 85% of the Senate Democratic caucus just voted to block weapons to Israel. Elected officials have finally caught up to public opinion. The days of US support for the apartheid, genocidal regime of Israel are numbered" 🍉

Feminist News on #JDVance: "a self-described atheist until age 35, converted just a few years ago & calls himself a "baby Catholic" — just told the POPE to "be careful when he talks about matters of theology." The arrogance isn't just breathtaking — it's almost impressive in its shamelessness..."

Richard von Weiszäcker was born #OnThisDay in 1920, serving as Germany's president from 1984 to 1994; he was committed to the environment & encouraging productive diplomacy with Germany's neighbors & many consider him the most distinguished Bundespräsident... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard...

Leonardo da Vinci may have been born #OnThisDay in 1452; the greatest painter of the Italian Renaissance & one of the greatest minds of all time, "The Lady with an Ermine" is his masterful portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (1489-90): www.wikiart.org/en/leonardo-... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard...

Drae Campbell organized "Tell43: Higher Learning" in Manhattan eight years ago yesterday; I was delighted to join Jude Dry, Jimena Lucero & Mindy Raf for a great night of storytelling by LGBT community members about their lives (4.14.18)

"El Amor Brujo" premiered in Madrid #OnThisDay in 1915, a #ballet with #music by #ManuelDeFalla; the 'Danza Ritual del Fuego' (Ritual Fire Dance) choreographed by Carlos Saura reflects the influence of the #flamenco of #Andalucía: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftd8... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_amor...

#GeorgFriedrichHändel died #OnThisDay in 1759; along with Bach the climax of the #Baroque, #Händel wrote #music of extraordinary power & beauty, such as "Per le porte del tormento" from his #opera "Partenope": www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO3Q... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...

"Le 15 avril 2019, la toiture de la cathédrale prenait feu, provoquant une stupeur mondiale et un élan de générosité sans précédent," Laurent Carpentier wrote of the cathédrale de #NotreDameDeParis seven years ago today (4.15.19); it's since been reborn & is brighter than ever...

#LeonardoDaVinci was born in Italy #OnThisDay in 1452, going on to create some of the greatest art of all time; #DaVinci was the embodiment of the genius of the Italian #Renaissance as well as an important figure in #LGBT history; viva #Leonardo~! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard...

#LeonardoDaVinci was born in Italy #OnThisDay in 1452, going on to create some of the greatest art of all time; #DaVinci was the embodiment of the genius of the Italian #Renaissance as well as an important figure in #LGBT history; viva #Leonardo~! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard...

#LeonardoDaVinci was born in Italy #OnThisDay in 1452, going on to create some of the greatest art of all time; #DaVinci was the embodiment of the genius of the Italian #Renaissance as well as an important figure in #LGBT history; viva #Leonardo~! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard...

Seoul's Maekyung (Maeil Business Newspaper) 매일경제신문 put #PopeLeoXIV & #DonaldTrump on the front page of Wednesday's paper as he continues to blast the pontiff for daring to criticize the orange fascist's illegal & unconstitutional war on #Iran & after he posted an image of himself as #Jesus (4.15.26)

#GeorgFriedrichHändel's #opera "#Serse" (Xerxes) premiered at the Haymarket Theatre in London #OnThisDay in 1738, best known for "Ombra mai fù" — called "Handel's Largo" in instrumental versions — sung here by the great #CeciliaBartoli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdeO... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serse

#EricSwalwell is a monster but so is #TonyGonzales; leave it to Rupert Murdoch's right-wing NY Post to focus their ire on the Democrat & fail even to mention the Republican also accused of rape & sexual assault; all sexual predators must be held accountable for their crimes~!

Libero casts #GiorgiaMeloni as Wilma & #DonaldTrump as #FredFlintstone in the cartoon on the front page of Wednesday's paper after he attacked his fascist friend for criticizing the orange imperialist's attack on #PopeLeoXIV (4.15.26)

GLAD's Jennifer Levi (@gladlaw.bsky.social) came on Out-FM (@outfm.bsky.social) on WBAI 99.5 FM New York on Tuesday to provide us with an expert analysis of the US #SupremeCourt's recent rulings as well as an assessment #DonaldTrump's ongoing attacks on the trans community: outfm.org/liberation/i...

I gave a presentation on Frederick the Great on Monday (4.13.26): paulinepark.com/2026/04/12/f...

#GiorgiaMeloni has suspended #Italy's military cooperation agreement with #ApartheidIsrael in the wake of its genocidal war on #Lebanon; Meloni's government & every government in the world should be supporting #BDS to #FreePalestine from occupation~! www.commondreams.org/news/italy-s...

Leonardo da Vinci (1452), Guru Nanak (1469), #HenryJames (1843), Émile Durkheim (1858), Thomas Hart Benton (1889), Nikita Khrushchev (1894), Kim Il-sung (1912), Richard von Weiszäcker (1920), Harold Washington (1922), Seth Rogen (1982) & Emma Watson (1990) were born #OnThisDay...

#EdwardIV of #England led his army to one of the most decisive Yorkist victories of the Wars of the Roses at the Battle of Barnet #OnThisDay in 1471; but Edward would die in 1483 & his brother #RichardIII would murder Edward's sons & then be killed himself in 1485... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...