Novaya Gazeta, Russia's Last Independent News Outlet, Shuts Down

Last week after the "blue tsunami" midterm election here in the United States, a lot of people were suggesting that fascism is being defeated. 

Prematurely, I feel.

Trump remains president, and he can still do a lot of damage.

Also, there are people suggesting that with other elections in countries where longstanding strongmen were defeated (such as in Hungry, in Slovakia, and in Brazil), that now it was down to just a few rogue leaders. One of those included Putin in Russia, of course.

But Putin does not appear to be going anywhere. Much like with Trump, I have heard many people talking about how Putin is weakening and his downfall is imminent and inevitable.

Yet he is still in control in Russia. And frankly, there are few signs that I can see (admittedly, from the outside) that Putin is in any real danger whatsoever. In fact, it still seems like the remnants of democracy is what is in real danger in Russia.

Here is the latest example of this reality. Novaya Gazeta, one of the last really independent news sources in Putin's Russia, has been forced to close it's doors permanently. 

It was labeled a "foreign agent" by Moscow, and thus essentially forced to close it's doors.

Let's not fall into the admittedly tempting trap of celebrating the end of fascism in this world, or even here in the United States. I know a lot of people would love to see all of this over already. But the world remains a very difficult and dangerous place. 

And Trump and Putin and - at least for now - Netanyahu are all still in power. That hardly feels like an encouraging sign that fascism actually is on the run just yet. 

Gazeta closes citing gov’t clampdown The paper was one of the few remaining outlets in Russia that criticised Moscow’s war on Ukraine. By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters Published On 9 Nov 2026 9 Nov 2026

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/9/russian-investigative-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-closes-citing-govt-clampdown

Russian investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta closes citing gov’t clampdown | Censorship News | Al Jazeera

Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta ceases operations, closes Moscow office Licensable picture: Monday, 9th November 2026, 10:28 AM GMT-5  ANADOLU AGENCY

https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/russian-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-ceases-operations-closes-moscow-office/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX01UMUFOQURMMDAwNUdHN1JY

Licensable picture: Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta ceases operations, closes Moscow office | Reuters Connect

2026 NFL Season Week 9 Review

   

As of right now, the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers are tied for having the best overall record in the league, both at 7-1. The last time that these two teams had the best record in the league together, I believe, would have been late in the 1990 season. The 49ers were the defending champions and a dynasty at that point, while the Bills were heading on their way to the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Not sure what will happen this season, but it is interesting to see those two teams sitting atop the league as of right now.

For that matter, the last time that the Buffalo Bills, specifically, started a season off 7-1 was back in 1993. And that also happened to be the last time that the Bills would go all the way to the Super Bowl. Is this a possible harbinger? Time will tell.

Otherwise, some other teams stood out with big wins. Cincy won in a big way in Madrid, and Joe Burrow is playing so well that he is making history. The Giants beat the Eagles in Philadelphia for the first time since October of 2013. The Rams beat the Commanders in Washington and now have a winning record for the first time this season. And the Bears won again, despite a sloppy performance, to improve to 7-2 and now are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North, at least for now. Also, the Packers stunned the Patriots up in New England.

Let's take a look at what proved to be a fascinating Week 9 for the 2026 NFL season:

Cincinnati 34,Atlanta 17 in Madrid, Spain - One thing that is hard not to notice, and which I have mentioned here from time to time, if that it seems like how Joe Burrow goes is how the Bengals go. As of this point this season, Burrow seems like he is a serious contender for MVP. Certainly at this point in midseason, he is in the discussion. And he showed why in Madrid, Spain, this weekend. Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns, leading Cincy to their fourth straight win. In the process, he became just the fifth QB in NFL history to have at least 23 passing touchdowns and a 70% or higher completion rate. In three of those instances, the quarterback who managed that wound up earning NFL MVP honors. Also, the Bengals  have set a franchise record for most points scored in four consecutive games. They scored 31 against Miami, 35 against Baltimore, 43 against Tennessee, and now 34 in this one over Atlanta. That's 143 points, or any average of just under 36 points. If Burrow and the Bengals keep playing like this, they will be serious contenders in the AFC and possibly make another Super Bowl run. My pick: Accurate

NY Giants 19, Philadelphia 11 - Before I get into anything else about this game and these two teams, let me just say that I loved both of the old uniforms for these two teams. Frankly, I wish that both teams would go back to these uniforms, the Giants with the name "GIANTS" spelled out on their navy blue helmets and blue numbers with red outlining, and the Eagles with those sharp Kelly Green jerseys and silver pants. Why can't they go back to these uniforms? Anyway, let's get back to this game. For the first time since October of 2013 - well over a decade ago now - the G-Men went to Philadelphia and came back home with a win. Now admittedly, I could not remember when, specifically, had been the last time that Big Blue earned a win in Philly, but it had obviously been a while. But in 2013, the Giants were only a couple of years removed from winning the Super Bowl. Eli Manning was the quarterback and Tom Coughlin was the coach. However, the Giants were also entering a long stretch of losing. They had won the division title in 2011, and that was the last time that they won the NFC East. Since then, last place finishes for the G-Men became commonplace. Now this season, for the first time in what feels like a very long time, Big Blue is in first place. They are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cowboys, who also won. After that, however, Washington is 2-5-1, and the Eagles are 2-7, after the Giants handed them their seventh straight loss. The Giants are an astonishing 5-2-1, and solidly in first place, at least right now. It felt good to see them beat the Eagles in Philly again, and it is soooo refreshing to see them in first place with Thanksgiving approaching. When was the last time that happened? My pick: Accurate

Kansas City 35, NY Jets 12 - Now, I am not sure whether or not the Jets are as bad as their record suggests. In some ways, they seem to be showing signs of improvement. However, going to Arrowhead in Kansas City to take on Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Chiefs is just not going to be an easy time for anyone. So this game went accordingly, to no one's real surprise. KC took care of business convincingly, even though Gang Green did manage to keep it close for a while there. The Chiefs snap a two-game skid to improve to 6-2. Meanwhile, the Jets fall to 2-7 on the season.. My pick: Accurate

New Orleans 23, Cleveland 22 - This game was dominated by the defenses until the fourth quarter, with both teams scoring only field goals in a 6-6 tie up to that point. Then the offenses came alive for the final quarter and overtime, and it became an exciting game. Ultimately, it was decided when the Browns answered an earlier overtime touchdown by the Saints with a touchdown of their own and then took a gamble, going for the two-point conversion and the win. Head coach Todd Monken explained his logic in going for it, and it mostly made sense. Still, it proved costly, as the Browns fell short and fall farther behind the Bengals and Steelers in the tough AFC North. My pick: Inaccurate

Dallas 27, Indianapolis 23 - The Cowboys finally managed to win in a back and forth affair, scoring a late touchdown to earn a comeback win on the road. This was a dangerous game for them, one that they could hardly afford to lose. But they won, allowing them to remain 1 1/2 back behind the G-Men in the NFC East, improving to 4-5. Meanwhile, the Colts dropped their fifth straight to fall to 2-7 on the season. My pick: Accurate

Denver 26, Carolina 21 - Denver jumped out to a decent sized 10-0 lead. And while the Panthers did mount a comeback, even taking a narrow 14-13 lead at one point, the Broncos answered and ultimately scored a big road win to stay hot. Denver improved to 7-2 with their fifth straight win to retain sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Meanwhile, the Panthers fall to 3-5, but remain tied for first place with the Saints in the lowly NFC South. My pick: Accurate

Detroit 19, Miami 9 - Not a beautiful win for the Lions, one which would get people to stand up and take notice. Yet the Lions keep finding ways to win, to their credit. They did enough to earn a solid win over the Fins on a day when Detroit was not playing great. But they win and improve to 6-2, while the Dolphins fall to 1-7 on the season. My pick: Accurate

LA Rams 20, Washington 13 - The Rams got off to a disastrous start almost from the first this season. For a while, it looked like they might not even contend for the playoffs. Now, however, they have pulled off three straight wins and, for the first time all season, have a winning record, improving to 5-4 on the year. This was a tough game and it looked uncertain at times. But the Rams defense came up big, showing that they are not merely a one-dimensional offensive machine. One bit of bad news: Puka Nacua suffered a serious knee injury late in the game and will be out for some time. We shall see for how long. As for Washington, this was another loss in what is turning out to be a disappointing season. Once again, their clock management received serious criticism, as it did a couple of times already earlier this season, especially against the Giants. My suspicion is that head coach Dan Quinn will not return next season. With the loss, the Commanders fall to 2-5-1 on the year. My pick: Accurate

Houston 44, LA Chargers 22 - What happened to Harbaugh's Chargers this season? Last year, they were 11-6 and reached the postseason, seemingly going on the right track under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. This season, they are now 0-8! Far and away the worst start that Harbaugh has ever had as a head coach on any level. The Texans used that tough defense to keep the Chargers from doing much, and earned a solid and decisive road win in Los Angeles against what appears to be the league's worst team. My pick: Accurate

San Francisco 38, Las Vegas 17 - Another solid win by the 49ers, who remain hot and now have the best overall record in the NFC with Minnesota losing. San Fran took control early and forced some turnovers when the Raiders threatened to make it a game. For the Raiders, it is a disappointing loss, as they fall farther behind the Chiefs and Broncos in the AFC West. As for the Niners, they are still running well ahead of the pack in the NFC West. My pick: Accurate

Seattle 17, Arizona 3 - The defending champs produced a grinding win over the Cardinals in this one. Not the prettiest win, but a solid win on a day when it felt like the 'Hawks did not play at their best. When you can win games like that, you are not doing too badly. An important win that keeps Seattle very much in the mix in the NFC. My pick: Accurate

Green Bay 45, New England 27 - The Packers stunned the Patriots by producing four turnovers, which helped Green Bay to a decisive, blowout win up in New England. It seemed like the Pats just could not get anything going in this one. Meanwhile, the Pack looked hot on defense with all of those turnovers, as well as with Jordan Love lighting up the scoreboard and showing why he is an MVP candidate. My pick: Inaccurate

Sunday Night Football: Chicago 27, Tampa Bay 24 - The good news for the Bears is that they won and now are in sole possession of first place in the tough NFC North with a 7-2 record. The bad news is that they really did not look good in this game. The Bucs forced four turnovers, although credit the Bears with winning for only the fourth time in the Super Bowl era after producing four turnovers. Plus, a win is still a win, even if this one was ugly. And make no mistake, it was really ugly for Chicago.. My pick: Accurate

Monday Night Football: Buffalo 23, Minnesota 6 - The Vikings defense came into this one with the league's top-rated defense. But it was Buffalo's defense which really shined tonight, with a spectacular performance. Minnesota simply never was able to find any rhythm or do much of anything against a stellar Bills defense, proving that they are not one dimensional, or forcing Josh Allen to carry the entire workload for the franchise. With the win, the Bills improved to 7-1 on the season, best in the AFC and tied with the 49ers for best in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Vikings dropped their second straight after a 6-0 start, and are now 6-2, officially behind Chicago and tied with the Lions for second place. They will face the Packers next weekend and then head to San Francisco after that, so they are clearly in a tough stretch.  My pick: Accurate

November 10th: This Day in History

 

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history 

On this day in 1567, the Battle at St-Denis in France took place, when the army fought the Huguenots. In 1793 on this day, France ended mandatory worship of God. On this day in 1808, Osage Native Americans ceded lands in present day Missouri and Arkansas. 1834 - The HMS Beagle, with scientist Charles Darwin aboard, sailed from Valparaiso, Chile. In 1918 on this day, German Emperor Wilhelm II fled to Netherlands following Germany's defeat in the Great War (World War I). Also on this day in 1918, the independence of Poland was proclaimed by Józef Pilsudski In 1928, Hirohito was crowned the Emperor of Japan. In 1942 on this day during World War II, German troops occupied Vichy France. On this day in 1971, the Khmer Rouge attacked the airport in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. In North Dakota on this day in 1973, dozens of copies of Slaughterhouse-Five, the iconic literary work by author Kurt Vonnegut, were burned. In 1982 on this day, Soviet Premiere Leonid Bhrezhnev died. Finally, Germans began to tear the Berlin Wall apart on this day in 1989. 

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• 911 - Conrad I elected German King

• 1444 - Battle at Varna, Black Sea: Sultan Murad II beats crusaders

• 1526 - John I Zapolyai of Transsylvania chosen as king of Hungary

• 1544 - Antwerps painter John Matsys banished

• 1567 - Battle at St-Denis: French government army vs Huguenots

• 1584 - Willem Louis of Nassau appointed viceroy of Friesland

• 1619 - René Descartes has the dreams that inspire his Meditations on First Philosophy.

Royal France

• 1630 - Failed palace revolution in France against Richelieu

• 1674 - Dutch formally cede New Netherlands (NY) to English

• 1687 - Pope Innocent XI publishes decree Coelestis pastor

• 1697 - English parliament accept army reduction

• 1766 - The last Colonial governor of New Jersey, William Franklin, signs the charter of Queen's College (later renamed Rutgers University).

• 1775 - Congress forms US Marine Corps

• 1785 - Netherlands & France sign treaty

• 1793 - France ends forced worship of God

• 1801 - Kentucky outlaws dueling

• 1808 - Osage Treaty signed

British Botanist Charles Darwin

• 1834 - HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin sails from Valparaiso

• 1836 - Louis Napoleon banished to America

Naturalist Charles DarwinNaturalist Charles Darwin 

• 1847 - The passenger ship Stephen Whitney is wrecked in thick fog off the southern coast of Ireland, killing 92 of the 110 on board. The disaster results in the construction the Fastnet Rock lighthouse.

• 1864 - Kingston, GA burned during Sherman's March to the Sea

• 1866 - Gold coins from the Sydney Mint become legal tender in Canada

• 1871 - Henry Morton Stanley in Ujiji, Central Africa, encounters David Livingstone with the immortal words 'Dr Livingstone, I presume?'  1871 - Henry M. Stanley, journalist and explorer, found David Livingstone. Livingston was a missing Scottish missionary in central Africa. Stanley delivered his famous greeting: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" 

1878 - Aleksandr Ostrovsky's "Bespridannitsa," premieres in Moscow

1883 - Toronto Argonauts defeat Ottawa FC 9-7, for 1st ORFU Championship

1885 - Gottlieb Daimler's motorcycle, world's 1st, unveiled

1891 - 1st Women's Christian Temperance Union meeting held (in Boston)

1891 - Granville T Woods patents electric railway

1892 - 1st CRU championship game: Osgoode Hall defeats Montreal, 45-5

• 1894 - Fred Lugard signs accord with king Lafia "Absalamu" of Nikki

• 1898 - Race riot in Wilmington NC (8 blacks killed)

1905 - Sailors revolt in Kronstadt, Russia

1908 - 1st Gideon Bible put in a hotel room

1910 - The date of Thomas A. Davis' opening of the San Diego Army and Navy Academy, though the official founding date is November 23, 1910.

1911 - Andrew Carnegie forms Carnegie Corp (for scholarly& amp; charitable works)

1911 - Chinese Imperial army recaptures Nanking (blood bath)

1917 - 41 suffragists are arrested in front of White House

1917 - Faure's 2nd Violo Sonate, premieres

1917 - New soviet government suspends freedom of press (temporary)

• 1918 - German emperor Wilhelm II flees to Netherland

• 1918 - Independence of Poland proclaimed by Józef Pilsudski

• 1918 - The Western Union Cable Office in North Sydney, NS received a top-secret coded message from Europe (that would be sent to Ottawa, ON and Washington, DC) that said on November 11, 1918 all fighting would cease on land, sea and in the air.

1919 - 1st observance of National Book Week

1919 - American Legion's 1st national convention (Minneapolis)

Playwright George Bernard ShawPlaywright George Bernard Shaw 1920 - George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House," premieres in NYC

1923 - German ex-crown prince flees Netherlands for Germany

1924 - Dion O'Banion, leader of the North Side Gang is assassinated in his flower shop by members of Johnny Torrio's gang, sparking the bloody gang war of the 1920s in Chicago.

1926 - Bradman plays his 1st State selection trial He only made 37

1926 - Guomindang-regring deallocates seat of Kanton to Wuhan (Hankou)

1926 - Vincent Massey becomes 1st Canadian minister to USA

• 1928 - Hirohito ascended throne as Emperor of Japan 1928 - Michinomiya Hirohito was enthroned as Emperor of Japan.   

1933 - Black Blizzard snowstorm-duststorm rages from SD to Atlantic

The flag of Brazil.

• 1937 - Brazilian dictator Getulio Vargas proclaims "Estado novo"

• 1938 - 8.3 earthquake shakes East of Shumagin Islands, Alaska

• 1938 - Nobel for literature awarded to Pearl Buck (Good Earth)

1940 - Pittsburgh & Philadelphia play a penalty free NFL game

1940 - Walt Disney begins serving as an informer for the Los Angeles office of the FBI; his job is to report back information on Hollywood subversives.

1942 - Philip Barry's "Without Love," premieres in NYC

1942 - US troops occupy airport of Port-Lyautey, Morocco

Animator Walt DisneyAnimator Walt Disney 1942 - US-British troops occupies Oran, Algeria

1944 - German riots in Rotterdam/Schiedam 52,000 men sent to Germany

1944 - US 9th Army takes Margraten cemetery

1944 - Ammunition ship USS Mount Hood (AE-11) exploded at Seeadler Harbour, Manus, Admiralty Islands

1945 - "Are You with It?" opens at Century Theater NYC for 264 performances

1945 - College football's #1 Army beats #2 Notre Dame 48-0

1945 - General Enver Hoxha becomes leader of Albania

• 1945 - Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald liberated by US

1945 - Heavy battle in Surabaya between Indonesian nationalists and returning colonialists after World War II, celebrated as Heroes' Day (Hari Pahlawan).

1946 - Communists win many seats at French parliamentary election

1950 - After 9 years, Cleve Indians fire manager Lou Boudreau

1950 - Clifford Odet's "Country Girl," premieres in NYC

• 1950 - Jacobo Arbenz Guzman elected president of Guatemala

Nobel Prize

• 1950 - Nobel for literature awarded to William Faulkner

1951 - 1st long distance telephone call without operator assistance

Author and Nobel Laureate William FaulknerAuthor and Nobel Laureate William Faulkner 1952 - Trygve Halvdan Lie resigns as 1st secretary-genraal of UN

1953 - Giants end their tour of Japan (players got $331 of $3,000 promised)

1954 - Iwo Jima Memorial (servicemen raising US flag) dedicated in Arlington

1954 - Lt Col John Strapp travels 632 mph in a rocket sled

1955 - "Vamp" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 60 performances

1956 - Gene de Paul/John Meyer's musical "Li'l Abner," premieres in NYC

1957 - NFL record crowd (102,368), '49ers vs Rams in LA

1957 - Cleveland Browns' Don Paul sets club record for longest fumble return with a 89-yard run (and TD), beating Pittsburgh 24-0

1958 - Bertolt Brecht's "Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo o Ui," premieres

1958 - WUFT TV channel 5 in Gainesville, FL (PBS) begins broadcasting

1959 - Corinne Rottschaeffer of the Netherlands elected Miss World

• 1960 - US Senate passes landmark Civil Rights Bill

1962 - "Nowhere to Go, But Up" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 9 perfs

1963 - Gordie Howe takes over NHL career goal lead at 545

1963 - Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA San Antonio Civitan Golf Open

1964 - "Something More!" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 15 perfs

1964 - Braves sign a 25-year lease to play in the new Atlanta stadium

1965 - Manneke Piss statue stolen in Brussels

1965 - Willie Mays wins NL MVP

1966 - Jack Lynch becomes Irish premier (Taoiseach)

1966 - Lunar Orbiter 2 reaches 196-1871 km around Moon

1967 - KXNE TV channel 19 in Norfolk, NB (PBS) begins broadcasting

1968 - Judy Rankin wins LPGA Corpus Christi Civitan Golf Open

1968 - Launch of Zond 6, 2nd unmanned circumlunar & return flight

• 1968 - Portuguese socialist Mario Soares freed

1969 - "Sesame Street" premieres on PBS TV

1970 - "2 by 2" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 343 performances

1970 - Luna 17, with unmanned self-propelled Lunokhod 1, is launched

1970 - R Rodgers/M Charnins musical "Two by Two" premieres in NYC

1971 - Joe Torre wins NL MVP, Vida Blue wins AL MVP

1971 - US table tennis team arrived in China

1974 - 2nd meeting of Giants-Jets, Jets even series at 1 with 26-20 OT win

1974 - Montreal Canadiens shutout Washington Capitals 11-0

• 1975 - Ore ship Edmund Fitzgerald & crew of 29 lost in storm on Lake Superior

Palestinian Leader Yasser ArafatPalestinian Leader Yasser Arafat 

• 1975 - PLO leader Yasser Arafat addresses UN in NYC

1975 - Royals release slugger Harmon Killebrew, ending his 22-year career

Flag of the United Nations

• 1975 - UN General Assembly approves resolution equating Zionism with racism

1976 - Utah Supreme Court approves execution of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore

1977 - Amsterdam: Red Army Faction terrorists Gert Schneider/Christof Wackernagel arrested

1977 - Major Indoor Soccer League officially organized (NYC)

1978 - Israel's top negotiators broke away from Middle East peace talks

1978 - Larry Holmes KOs Alfredo Evangelist in 7 for heavyweight boxing title

1978 - Yanks trade Lyle, Rajsich, McCall, Heath & Ramos to Texas for Righetti, Mirabella, Beniquez, Jemison & Griffin

1980 - Dan Rather refuses to pay his cabbie, CBS pays $12.55 fare

• 1980 - Poland acknowledges Solidarity union

1981 - "Oh, Brother!" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 3 performances

1981 - Ernest Thompson's "West Side Waltz," premieres in NYC

1982 - IMF lends Mexico $3.8 billion due to threatened bankrupcy

1982 - Susan Cooper/Hume Cronyns "Foxfire," premieres in NYC

1982 - Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened

1983 - "Amen Corner" opens at Nederlander Theater NYC for 83 performances

1983 - Federal government shut down

1984 - Australia all out for 76 v West Indies at cricket WACA, Holding 6-21

1984 - Miami Hurricanes blows 31-0 lead in 3rd quarter lose to Md 42-40

1984 - Horse Racing Breeders' Cup Champs: Chief's Crown, Eillo, Lashkari, Outstandingly, Princess Rooney, Royal Heroine, Wild Again at Hollywood

1985 - Jane Blalock wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic

1986 - Bangladeshi Constitution restored   

• 1986 - Camille Sontag and Marcel Coudari, two Frenchmen were released by the captors that held them in Lebanon. 

1987 - Steve Bedrosian edges Rick Sutcliffe 57-55 to win NL Cy Young Award

1988 - China confirms earthquake death toll will rise above current 938

1988 - MLB All-Star team beats Japan 3-1 in Tokyo (Game 5 of 7)

1988 - NY's MTA announces it may replace tokens with credit card type passes

1988 - Orel Hershiser (23-8) is a unanimous choice as NL Cy Young Award

1989 - Bulgarian party president Todor Zjikov resigns

Throughout the city of Beerlin, there is now a marker line, like the one pictured above, to identify where the Wall once stood.

The longest single piece of the Wall still standing, I believe, is at the Topographie des Terrors, which is within easy walking distance of Checkpoint Charlie, and not too far from the Potsdam Platz, either. 

• 1989 - Germans begin demolishing Berlin Wall

1989 - Word Perfect 5.1 is shipped

• 1990 - Lebanon releases 2 French hostages (Camille Sontag& amp; Marcel Coudari)

1991 - Bernie Kosar ends NFL record of 308 passes without an interception

1991 - Browns set club record for largest lead blown (led 23-0), Phila 32-30

1991 - Liselotte Neumann wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic

Tennis Player Martina NavratilovaTennis Player Martina Navratilova 1991 - Martina Navratilova ties Chris Evert, 157 pro tennis tournament wins

1991 - Marty Glickman broadcasts his 1,000th football game

Flag of South Africa during the apartheid era

• As a reward and encouragement for further reform away from apartheid, South Africa participated in it's first cricket international since 1970 against India on this day in 1991.

1993 - "Joseph & the Amazing" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC for 223 perfs

1993 - Slovakian government of Vladimír Mečiar forms  

Flag of Nigeria

• 1995 - Nigeria's military rulers hanged playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa along with several other anti-government activists. 1995 - In Nigeria, playwright and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa along with eight others from the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (Mosop) are hanged by government forces.  

1997 - "Jackie - An American Life," opens at Belasco Theater NYC

1997 - Artist Peter Max pleads guilty to tax fraud & time served

1997 - Nanny Louise Woodward murder conviction downgraded to manslaughter  

• 2004 - Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) was awarded the "Man for Peace" prize in Rome at the opening of a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

• 2006 - Sri Lankan Tamil Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj assassinated in Colombo.

• 2007 - ¿Por qué no te callas? incident between King Juan Carlos of Spain and Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez.

2012 - 20 Syrian troops are killed by suicide bombings in Daara

2012 - 27 people are killed and dozens injured in a prison conflict in Colombo, Sri Lanka

• 2012 - Israeli counter strike on Palestinian militants in Gaza kills 5 and injure 30

2012 - 17 people are killed in a helicopter crash as a result of bad weather in Turkey

• 2012 - The final US presidential election results are declared after Barack Obama wins Florida to defeat Mitt Romney 332-206 in Electoral College votes

2084 - Transit of Earth as seen from Mars

1775 - The U.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress. The Marines went out of existence after the end of the Revolutionary War in April of 1783. The Marine Corps were formally re-established on July 11, 1798. This day is observed as the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.   1801 - The U.S. state of Tennessee outlawed the practice of dueling.     1879 - Western Union and the National Bell Telephone Company reached a settlement over various telephone patents.   1917 - 41 suffragists were arrested in front of the White House.   1919 - The American Legion held its first national convention, in Minneapolis, MN.    1951 - Direct-dial, coast-to-coast telephone service began when Mayor M. Leslie Denning of Englewood, NJ, called his counterpart in Alameda, CA.   1954 - The Iwo Jima Memorial was dedicated in Arlington, VA.   1957 - 102,368 people attended the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams game. The crowd was the largest regular-season crowd in NFL history.   1969 - "Sesame Street" made its debut on PBS.   1970 - The Great Wall of China opened for tourism.   1975 - The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution that equated Zionism with racism. The resolution was repealed in December of 1991.   1975 - The Edmund Fitzgerald, an ore-hauling ship, and its crew of 29 vanished during a storm in Lake Superior.   1976 - The Utah Supreme Court gave approval for Gary Gilmore to be executed, according to his wishes. The convicted murderer was put to death the following January.   1977 - The Major Indoor Soccer League was officially organized in New York City. (New York)   1980 - CBS News anchor Dan Rather claimed he had been kidnapped in a cab. It turned out that Rather had refused to pay the cab fare.   1982 - Soviet leader Leonid I. Brezhnev died of a heart attack at age 75. He was suceeded by Yuri V. Andropov.   1982 - In Washington, DC, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was opened to visitors.   1984 - The U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.   1986 - Camille Sontag and Marcel Coudari, two Frenchmen were released by the captors that held them in Lebanon.   1988 - The U.S. Department of Energy announced that Texas would be the home of the atom-smashing super-collider. The project was cancelled by a vote of the U.S. Congress in Oct. 1993.   1990 - Chandra Shekhar was sworn in as India's new prime minister.   1991 - Robert Maxwell was buried in Israel, five days after his body was recovered off the Canary Islands.   1993 - John Wayne Bobbitt was acquitted on the charge of marital sexual assault against his wife who sexually mutilated him. Lorena Bobbitt was later acquitted of malicious wounding her husband.   1993 - The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Brady Bill, which called for a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases.   1994 - U.S. officials announced that it planned to stop enforcing the arms embargo against the Bosnian government the following week. The U.N. Security Council was opposed to lifting the ban.   1994 - Iraq recognized Kuwait's borders in the hope that the action would end trade sanctions.   1995 - In Katmandu, Nepal, searchers rescued 549 hikers after a massive avalanche struck the Himalayan foothills. The disaster left 24 tourists and 32 Nepalese dead.   1996 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 50,000 yards. (Florida)   1997 - WorldCom Inc. acquired MCI Communication Corporation. It was the largest merger in U.S. history valued at $37 billion.   1997 - A jury in Virginia convicted Mir Aimal Kasi of the murder of two CIA employees in 1993.   1997 - A judge in Cambridge, MA, reduced Louise Woodward's murder conviction to manslaughter and sentenced the English au pair to time served. She had served 279 days in the death of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen.   1998 - At the White House, "The Virtual Wall" website (www.thevirtualwall.org) was unveiled. The site allows visitors to experience The Wall through the Internet.   1999 - Ted Danson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.   2001 - The World Trade Organization approved China's membership.   2001 - The musical "Lady Diana - A Smile Charms the World" opened in Germany.   

1871 Journalist and explorer Henry Stanley found the missing David Livingstone in Central Africa and made his famous comment, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" 1928 Hirohito was crowned Emperor of Japan. 1951 The first long distance telephone call without operator assistance took place. 1969 Sesame Street premiered on PBS TV. 1970 The Great Wall of China opened to the world for tourism. 1982 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened in Washington, DC.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/nov10.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Some More Favorite Quotes By Carl Sagan

 

Bust of Carl Sagan

For many months now, I kept collecting quotes by Carl Sagan that I would find on the internet. Usually on Facebook or other social media, since I had subscribed to some fan pages of his. It just seemed that there were so many quotes from him that kind of stopped me, impressed me. But they were disorganized, until it dawned on me that I should collect them here in an unpublished post. Then when the time came, I could simply and finally publish them.

And the time is here now. After all, what better time than on Carl Sagan Day?

So here, below, are some of the quotes (and one Youtube clip) which definitely seemed worth sharing here for any other Carl Sagan enthusiasts out there.

Take a look and enjoy:

The pale blue dot which we call Earth, and which has been our only home throughout history.

“We are star stuff harvesting sunlight.”  

― Carl Sagan   

"If we lived on a planet where nothing ever changed there wouldn't be much to do. There'd be nothing to figure out. There'd be no impetus for science. And if we lived in an unpredictable world where things changed in random or complex ways we wouldn't be able to figure things out. And again, there'd be no such thing as science.  

"But we live in an in-between universe where things change, all right but according to patterns, rules or as we call them, laws of nature. If I throw a stick up in the air it always falls down. If the sun sets in the west it always rises again the next morning in the east. And so, it's possible to figure things out. We can do science, and with it we can improve our lives."  

Carl Sagan ; Cosmos: The Harmony of the Worlds

"What distinguishes our species is thought. The cerebral cortex is in a way a liberation. We need no longer be trapped in the genetically inherited behavior patterns of lizards and baboons: territoriality and aggression and dominance hierarchies. We are each of us largely responsible for what gets put in to our brains. For what as adults we wind up caring for and knowing about. No longer at the mercy of the reptile brain we can change ourselves. Think of the possibilities." 

~ Carl Sagan ; Cosmos "The Persistence of Memory" 

“Every kid starts out as a natural-born scientist, and then we beat it out of them. A few trickle through the system with their wonder and enthusiasm for science intact.” 

― Carl Sagan

“The words “question” and “quest” are cognates. Only through inquiry can we discover the truth.” 

~ Carl Sagan, Broca’s Brain “The Quest for Truth”

Carl Sagan Quotes on Religion (9 quotes) 

https://todayinsci.com/S/Sagan_Carl/SaganCarl-Religion-Quotations.htm

"In theological discussion with religious leaders, I often ask what their response would be if a central tenet of their faith were disproved by science. When I put this question to the current, Fourteenth, Dalai Lama, he unhesitatingly replied as no conservative or fundamentalist religious leaders do: in such a case, he said, Tibetan Buddhism would have to change. Even, I asked, if it's a really central tenet, like (I searched for an example) reincarnation? Even then, he answered. However, he added with a twinkle, it's going to be hard to disprove reincarnation.  Plainly, the Dalai Lama is right. Religious doctrine that is insulated from disproof has little reason to worry about the advance of science. The grand idea, common to many faiths, of a Creator of the Universe is one such doctrine - difficult alike to demonstrate or to dismiss." 

Carl Sagan ; The Demon-Haunted World  "Disproving Religion" 

"In matters of religion, Einstein thought more deeply than many others and was repeatedly misunderstood. On the occasion of Einstein's first visit to America, Cardinal O'Connell of Boston warned that the relativity theory "cloaked the ghastly apparition of atheism." This alarmed a New York rabbi who cabled Einstein:  "Do you believe in God?" Einstein cabled back: "I believe in Spinoza's God, who revealed himself in the harmony of all being, not in the God who concerns himself with the fate and actions of men" a more subtle religious view embraced by many theologians today.  

Einstein's religious beliefs were very genuine. In the 1920s and 1930s he expressed grave doubts about a basic precept of quantum mechanics: that at the most fundamental level of matter, particles behave in an unpredictable way, as expressed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Einstein said, "God does not play dice with the cosmos." And on another occasion he asserted, "God is subtle, but he is not malicious." In fact, Einstein was so fond of such aphorisms that the Danish physicist Niels Bohr turned to him on one occasion and with some exasperation said, "Stop telling God what to do." But there were many physicists who felt that if anyone knew God's intentions, it was Einstein."

 Carl Sagan ; Broca's Brain :Reflections on the Romance Of Science

"Elegance goes directly to the question of how the laws of nature are constructed. Nobody knows the answer to that. Nobody! Its a perfectly legitimate hypothesis, in any view, to say that some extremely elegant creator made those laws. But I think if you go down that road, you must have the courage to ask the next question, which is: Where did that creator come from? And where did his, her, or its elegance come from? And if you say it was always there, then why not say that the laws of nature were always there and save a step?" 

Carl Sagan "The Laws of Nature" (Excerpt from Conversations with Carl Sagan

"Does trying to understand the universe at all betray a lack of humility? I believe it is true that humility is the only just response in a confrontation with the universe, but not a humility that prevents us from seeking the nature of the universe we are admiring. If we seek that nature, then love can be informed by truth instead of being based on ignorance or self-deception. If a Creator God exists, would He or She or It or whatever the appropriate pronoun is, prefer a kind of sodden blockhead who worships while understanding nothing? Or would He prefer His votaries to admire the real universe in all its intricacy? 

I would suggest that science is, at least in part, informed worship. My deeply held belief is that if a god of anything like the traditional sort exists, then our curiosity and intelligence are provided by such a god. We would be unappreciative of those gifts if we suppressed our passion to explore the universe and ourselves. On the other hand, if such a traditional god does not exist, then our curiosity and our intelligence are the essential tools for managing our survival in an extremely dangerous time. In either case the enterprise of knowledge is consistent surely with science; it should be with religion, and it is essential for the welfare of the human species." 

Carl Sagan ; The Varieties Of Scientific Experience : A Personal View Of the Search for God

"Science is so exciting today that I don't think it's necessary to embellish it or distort it in order to blow the minds of the readers.

 Carl Sagan "Science Is Exciting" (Analog: Science Fiction and Fact August 1976)

"Many visionary leaders have imagined a time when the allegiance of an individual human being is not to his particular nation-state, religion, race, or economic group, but to mankind as a whole; when the benefit to a human being of another sex, race, religion, or political persuasion ten thousand miles away is as precious to us as to our neighbor or our brother. The trend is in this direction, but it is agonizingly slow. There is a serious question whether such a global self identification of mankind can be achieved before we destroy ourselves with the technological forces our intelligence has unleashed." 

Carl Sagan : The Cosmic Connection : An Extraterrestrial Perspective  

"Religions are tough. Either they make no contentions which are subject to disproof or they quickly redesign doctrine after disproof. The fact that religions can be so shamelessly dishonest, so contemptuous of the intelligence of their adherents, and still flourish does not speak very well for the toughmindedness of the believers. But it does indicate, if a demonstration were needed, that near the core of the religious experience is something remarkably resistant to rational inquiry." 

Carl Sagan ; Broca's Brain: Reflections on the Romance Of Science

"We can pray over the cholera victim, or we can give her 500 milligrams of tetracycline every twelve hours. There is still a religion, Christian Science, that denies the germ theory of disease; if prayer fails, the faithful would rather see their children die than give them antibiotics. The scientific treatments are hundreds or thousands of times more effective than the alternatives. Abandoning science means abandoning much more than air conditioning, CD players, hair dryers and fast cars." 

Carl Sagan ; The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

"Well, if we say that the definition of God is reality, or the definition of God is love, I have no quarrel with the existence of reality or love. However, it does not follow that God defined in that way has anything to do with the creation of the world or of any events in human history. It does not follow that there's anything that is omnipotent or omniscient about God defined in such a manner. If we muddle up all the definitions of God, then it's very confusing what's being talked about. There is a great opportunity for error in that case. So my proposal is that we call reality "reality," that we call love "love," and not call either of them God."     

Carl Sagan ; The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View in the Search for God

"Science is an enterprise hat vies its highest rewards to those who disprove the views of its most revered figures. Religion is exactly the opposite. Religion doesn't want any criticism of its most revered figures. Science makes progress."

Carl Sagan "The Enterprise of Science" (Science Friday NPR Interview) 

“If I look at the Bible I see, especially in the King James translation, great literature, great poetry. I see some powerful ethical and moral prescriptions, including the importance of charity. I also saw some dreadful stuff including mass murder of whole people with God cheering one side on. I see rituals and a sense of community. A lot of things that are really terrific and I'm completely for them. And it's hard to see how science could be opposed. But the Bible is not a work of science." 

Carl Sagan "Looking At The Bible" (NPR Fresh Air Interview)

"The ink was barely dry on the Bill of Rights before politicians found a way to subvert it, by cashing in on fear and patriotic hysteria. In 1798, the ruling Federalist Party knew that the button to push was ethnic and cultural prejudice. Exploiting tensions between France and the US, and a widespread fear that French and Irish immigrants were somehow intrinsically unfit to be Americans, the Federalists passed a set of laws that have come to be known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. One law upped the residency requirement for citizenship from five to fourteen years. The Alien Act gave President John Adams the power to deport any foreigner who aroused his suspicions. Making the President nervous, said a member of Congress, 'is the new crime' 

The Sedition Act made it unlawful to publish 'false or malicious' criticism of the government or to inspire opposition to any of its acts. Some two dozen arrests were made, ten people were convicted, and many more were censored or intimidated into silence. The act attempted, Jefferson said, 'to crush all political opposition by making criticism of Federalist officials or policies a crime'." 

Carl Sagan ; The Demon-Haunted World : Science as a Candle in the Dark

It is only in the last day of the Cosmic Calendar that substantial intellectual abilities have evolved on the planet Earth. The coordinated functioning of both cerebral hemispheres is the tool Nature has provided for our survival. We are unlikely to survive if we do not make full and creative use of our human intelligence.\ 

"We are a scientific civilization," declared Jacob Bronowski. "That means a civilization in which knowledge and its integrity are crucial. Science is only a Latin word for knowledge. . . . Knowledge is our destiny." 

-Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence (1977)

"The introduction of mass-market paperback books in the 1940s has brought the world's literature and the insights of its greatest thinkers, present and past, into the lives of ordinary people. And even if the price of paperback books is soaring today, there are still great bargains, such as the dollar-a-volume classics from Dover Books. Along with progress in literacy such trends are the allies of Jeffersonian democracy.  

"On the other hand what passes for literacy in America in the late twentieth century is a very rudimentary knowledge of the English language, and television in particular tends to seduce the mass population away from reading. In pursuit of the profit motive, it has dumbed itself down to lowest-common-denominator programming—instead of rising up to teach and inspire." 

Carl Sagan ; Billions & Billions : Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

"It's very tempting. We want to be thought of as children being cared for by an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent creator. Think of all the uncertainties and turmoil and terrors of our life, which would be made less terrifying if this were true, but here, if anywhere is a case where we must not believe because we want it to be true." 

Carl Sagan "Children of a Creator"  (TVO Interview Jan 1995)

When Carl Sagan Looks At The Bible (1996) 616 Likes 9,183 Views 22h Ago 

Carl Sagan's May 1996 appearance on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross featured a discussion on science, superstition, and his book The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. Sagan talked about how studying the universe inspires deep emotion. He explained that science does not take away from wonder.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WQLnlRianHM

https://youtube.com/shorts/WQLnlRianHM?si=k_X2OajfVN72Z7FA

When Carl Sagan Looks At The Bible (1996)

How about one last, wonderful quote by Carl Sagan? Felt that this one was particularly relevant, since nearly three decades after his death, many fellow Americans still are skeptical of climate change, to the point where we have a defiant president who openly mocks climate change and systematically refers to it as a "Chinese hoax."

Honestly, I did not think that we would still be here now, all of these decades later. After all, the actual scientific debate has been over for some time. Yet in this day and age, we now understand that for many people, facts and the truth simply do not matter if they refuse to accept them. 

So here is Carl Sagan urging us on, not only to take climate change seriously, but to be active in order to protest our planet. After all, if we have nothing is we do not have our health, then we also have nothing in this life if we do not have a health planet:

"Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something."

~ Carl Sagan