ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE JANUARY 5, 1948
THEy sang Auld Lang Syne, thousands of thin, sing-song Burmese voices mingling with the rougher, deeper British and the brass of the Royal Marines band. Sir Hubert Rance, last British Governor of Burma, stood at the salute on the bridge as the 12,000-ton bulk of HMS Birmingham moved slowly down the Rangoon River. British rule in Burma was over. JANUARY 5, 1993 LucIANO PAvAROTTI has had his s econd s i nging disaster within weeks.
The operatic tenor was booed and whistled by a 14,000- strong German audience as he repeatedly hit wrong notes in his opening concert of the year. Pavarotti, 57, had hoped to redeem his reputation after last month’s debacle at La Scala in Milan, when hundreds heckled his performance.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
DIANE KEATON, 75. The u.S. actress starred in The Godfather and won an Oscar for her part in Annie Hall, but said she is famous simply for ‘playing an affable version of myself’, adding: ‘Without a great man writing and directing for me, I was a mediocre movie star at best.’ JAN LEEMING, 79. The Tv presenter and former BBc newsreader, born Janet Atkins i n Kent, has divorced five times, and quipped: ‘I do pick ’em. I say I’m like Elizabeth Taylor but without the diamonds.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
uMBERTO EcO (1932-2016). The Italian author was best known for his medieval murder mystery The Name Of The Rose, which sold ten million copies i n 30 languages and was turned into a 1986 film starring Sean connery. Despite his literary success, Eco insisted: ‘I am a philosopher. I write novels only on the weekends.’ SAM PHILLIPS (1923-2003). The u.S. music producer and rock and roll pioneer founded Sun Records (motto: ‘We Record Anything, Anywhere, Anytime’) in Memphis, Tennessee, and launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. Phillips snapped up Presley after the 18-year-old arrived at the studio and paid $4 to record two songs for his mother’s birthday.
ON JANUARY 5…
IN 1953, Samuel Beckett’s seminal play Waiting For Godot was first performed, in Paris. IN 2001, Liam Gallagher was more hated than Saddam Hussein, according to a poll of visitors to London’s Madame Tussauds. He was in third place, behind Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Sawyer (coined early 14th century) A) A temporary customs officer hired because of his ability to be numerate B) A man employed to move canal boats through tunnels c) Timber yard workman Answer below. PHRASE EXPLAINED: Eat salt with — Meaning to enjoy a person’s hospitality; it relates to an Arabic tradition in which you can’t accept someone’s hospitality and then abuse him afterwards; by your eating with your Arabic host, he will provide you with his benign protection
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Economy is going without something you do want in case you should, some day, want something you probably won’t want.
Anthony Hope, English novelist (1863-1933)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT do you call a paper aeroplane that doesn’t fly? Stationery. Guess The Definition answer: C