Wiki-Love

I've been tagged! Christie nominated me to continue with the Wikipedia love (one of my favorite internet things by the way - it's like a regular encyclopedia except on crack, what with all the linkage glory and whatnot) So, here goes. Prepare yourself for some serious dorking out.

1. Go to Wikipedia and enter your birthday without the year:

March 3

2. List three events that occurred that day:

1791 - The United States Mint is created by the U.S. Congress. Interesting, because, of course, money, and, also, because I am currently listening to John Adams, by David McCullough, on CD while I drive each day, and he was the Vice-President at the time, under George Washington.

1918 - Germany, Austria and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending Russia's involvement in World War I, and leading to the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. They all lost the independence again in the Second World War(go figure)(Polish invasion of 1939, the Baltic States' annexation in 1940 to the USSR) but are now again independent states.

1938 - Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia. Greeeat.

And some bonuses ('cause I couldn't stop at just three...I'm a nerd.)

1820 - The U.S. Congress passes the Missouri Compromise.

1845 - Florida is admitted as the 27th U.S. state.

1861 - Alexander II of Russia signs the Emancipation Manifesto, freeing serfs.

1873 - Censorship: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" books through the mail.

1877 - Rutherford B. Hayes is privately inaugurated as the 19th President of the United States (his public inauguration coming on March 5).

1904 - Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany becomes the first person to make a sound recording of a political document, using Thomas Edison's cylinder.

1915 - NACA, the predecessor of NASA founded.

1923 - TIME magazine is published for the first time.

1931 - The United States officially adopts "The Star-Spangled Banner" as its national anthem.

1933 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial is dedicated.


3. List two important birthdays:

1847 - Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish inventor (d. 1922) - The telephone!

1918 - Arthur Kornberg, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine - This man won the Nobel Prize for "his discovery of 'the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)'" and his research interests were studying the nucleic acids which control heredity in animals, plants, bacteria and viruses. What's not to love?

4. List one death:

1703 - Robert Hooke, English scientist (b. 1635) And this man (on another I'm Especially A Biology Nerd note) coined the biological term "cell" "because his observations of plant cells reminded him of monks' cells which were called 'cellula.' He is often credited with the discovery of the cell, and although his microscope was very basic, research by British scientist Brian J. Ford has now shown that Hooke could have observed cork cells with it." He also, interestingly, had a great deal to do with the design of Bethlem Royal Hospital (also known as "Bedlam" (which is the other meaning of that word are derived).

5. List one holiday or observance:

Bulgaria - Liberation Day.


And that's that. I hope everyone learned something today. I'm going to lunch...

Good Friday...

Celebration is in sight!

On this Friday, I wanted to share a couple of the songs that have been speaking to me lately.

Josh and I will be singing the first on Sunday morning - I think it might be my new favorite Easter song.

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce, "Christ is risen!"
See God's salvation plan, Wrought in love,
borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping, "Where is He laid?"
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty.
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with pow'r and authority!
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

"See What a Morning", Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend


I've seen the days melt into night in circles of lights,
I've watched the spider spin a star between the window box flowers,
I've heard you laugh and cry in a single sigh,
And a story form within.

Don't let me lose my wonder.
Don't let me lose my wonder.

I saw her broken dreams inside but helping others fly,
I saw his eyes without a doubt though other lights faded out,
And though her calling roared,
such graciousness poured,
From the vision of her soul.

A baby cried through the dark beneath a jeweled spark,
I knew your voice upon the hill and heard my lostness still,
I found my home in the light where wrong was made right,
And you rose as the morning star.

Don't let me lose my wonder.
Don't let me lose my wonder.

"Don't Let Me Lose My Wonder", Words and Music By Keith And Kristyn Getty