Sunday, July 1, 2007

Михаил Александрович Бакунин died today – 131 years ago

Russian revolutionary Михаил Александрович Бакунин, or Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin, was born on May 30, 1814 in Pryamukhino, Russian Empire. He said, “People go to church for the same reasons they go to a tavern: to stupefy [mystify, amaze, or astonish] themselves, to forget their misery, to imagine themselves, for a few minutes anyway, free and happy.” {1} [Wonder which one he attended?]... Mr. Бакунин died in 1876 in Berne, Switzerland.

U.S. writer Harriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut. She is best known for writing “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” She said, “Human nature is above all things lazy.” {1} [Well, I lay in my hammock to philosophize!]... Ms. Stowe died in 1896 in Hartford, Connecticut.

French composer Alfred Éric Leslie “Erik” Satie was born on May 17, 1866 in Honfleur, France. He said, “When I was young, I was told: 'You'll see, when you're fifty.' I am fifty and I haven't seen a thing.” {1} [Perhaps he needed glasses.]... Mr. Satie died in 1925 in Paris, France.

English writer Charles Percy Snow was born on October 15, 1905 in Leicester, England. He said, “Civilization is hideously fragile; there's not much between us and the horrors underneath, just about a coat of varnish.” {2} [Probably truer than we would like to think possible.]... Mr. Snow died in 1980 in London, England.

U.S. engineer & architect R. Buckminster Fuller was born on February 12, 1895 in Milton, Massachusetts. He said, “By 2000, politics will simply fade away. We will not see any political parties.” {1} [Hallelujah! Oh, wait... it didn’t happen, did it?]... Mr. Fuller died in 1983 in Los Angeles, California.

U.S. actor Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was born on August 6, 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He said, “People think I have an interesting walk. Hell, I'm just trying to hold my gut in.” {1} [That story works for me, too.]... Mr. Mitchum died in 1997 in Santa Barbara, California.

U.S. actor Walter Matthau was born as Walter John Matthow on October 1, 1920 in New York City, New York. He said, “I never mind my wife having the last word. In fact, I'm delighted when she gets to it." {2} [No comment!]... Mr. Matthau died in 2000 in Santa Monica, California.

U.S. actor Marlon Brando was born on April 3, 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska. He said, “An actor's a guy who, if you ain't talking about him, ain't listening.” {1} [Is an actor a one-issue type of guy?]... Mr. Brando died in 2004 in Los Angeles, California.

{1} Source: www.brainyquote.com
{2} Source: www.born-today.com

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