FYI October 16, 2019

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On This Day

690 – Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.
Wu Zetian (17 February 624 – 16 December 705),[1][2] alternatively named Wu Zhao, Wu Hou (Empress Wu), during the later Tang dynasty as Tian Hou, in English as Empress Consort Wu, was a Chinese sovereign who ruled unofficially as empress consort, power behind the throne, and later officially as regent, empress dowager, empress regnant. For twenty-five years, she worked as a co-ruler of her husband and sons and for 15 years she worked in her own name (皇帝) during the brief Zhou dynasty (周, 690–705),[1] which interrupted the Tang dynasty. Wu was the sole officially recognized empress regnant of China in more than two millennia.

Wu was the concubine of Emperor Taizong. After his death, she married his successor—his ninth son, Emperor Gaozong, officially becoming Gaozong’s huanghou (皇后, empress consort, title for the reigning emperor’s main consort) in 655, although having considerable political power prior to this. After Gaozong’s debilitating stroke in 660, Wu Zetian became administrator of the court, a position equal to the emperor’s until 705.[3]

The importance to history of Wu Zetian’s period of political and military leadership includes the major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it far beyond its previous territorial limits, deep into Central Asia, and engaging in a series of wars on the Korean Peninsula, first allying with Silla against Goguryeo, and then against Silla over the occupation of former Goguryeo territory. Within China, besides the more direct consequences of her struggle to gain and maintain supreme power, Wu’s leadership resulted in important effects regarding social class in Chinese society and in relation to state support for Taoism, Buddhism, education, and literature. Wu Zetian also had a monumental impact upon the statuary of the Longmen Grottoes and the “Wordless Stele” at the Qianling Mausoleum, as well as the construction of some major buildings and bronze castings that no longer survive.

Besides her career as a political leader, Wu Zetian also had an active family life. Although family relationships sometimes became problematic, Wu Zetian was the mother of four sons, three of whom also carried the title of emperor, although one held that title only as a posthumous honor. One of her grandsons became the renowned Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.

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Born On This Day

1908 – Olivia Coolidge, English-American author and educator (d. 2006)[11]
Margaret Olivia Ensor Coolidge (October 16, 1908[1] − December 10, 2006[2]) was a British-born American writer and educator. She published 27 books, many for young adults, including The Greek Myths (1949), her debut; The Trojan War (1952); Legends of the North (1951); Makers of the Red Revolution (1963); Men of Athens, one runner-up for the 1963 Newbery Medal; Lives of Famous Romans (1965); and biographies of Eugene O’Neill, Winston Churchill, Edith Wharton, Gandhi, and Tom Paine. Olivia Coolidge was born in London to Sir Robert Ensor, a journalist and historian. She earned a degree in Classics and Philosophy at Somerville College, Oxford, in 1931 and a Master’s degree in 1940. In Germany, England and the U.S. she taught Greek, Latin, and English. In 1946 she married Archibald C. Coolidge of Connecticut, who had four children. [2]

 
 

FYI

By Hank Berrien, The Daily Wire: Pat Sajak Offers Two Tweets Hilariously Summing Up Dem Presidential Debate

 
 
 
 

By Hazel Cills, Jezebel: Woman Sues San Antonio Police For Pulling Out Her Tampon During a Search
yoohooo:

“And in 2017 Texas cops searched a woman’s vagina, inserting fingers into it, for 11 minutes and found nothing”

the entire article is a dark read but this……..i dont understand superiors who read what their officer did and think, “yes, yes, this individual should continue to be under my employment. in fact i will fight ANYONE who says otherwise.”

 
 
 
 

Jalopnik.com: ‘Women That Would Gladly Give Their Life’: How The Paramilitary Women’s Emergency Brigade Battled GM At The UAW’s First Big Strike; Walking ‘Contingency’ Is My Favorite Part Of Watching Off-Road Races and more ->
 
 
 
 

Gizmodo: My Brain Needs This Hack That Syncs Your Car’s Windshield Wipers to the Beat of Your Music; A New Skill Could Let Smart Speakers Monitor a Sleeping Baby’s Breathing and Movement and more ->

Gizmodo Science: Democrat and Republican Voters Agree: Schools Need to Teach Sex Ed; Lego’s New Dinosaur Fossils Turn Your Desk Into a Miniature Natural History Museum; In Unprecedented Move, London Police Ban Extinction Rebellion Climate Protests Throughout Entire City and more ->
 
 
 
 

Atlas Obscura: Jenn Smith’s First Journey; Towboat Triumphs and Tribulations and more ->
 
 
 
 
I just want to send a quick note and say “Thank you!” Because of all the pre-orders for Dark Pattern (The Naturalist #4), we launched yesterday at #1 in Medical Thrillers, Amateur Sleuths and Serial Killers! There’s nothing like calling up you mom and saying that your #1 in Serial Killers…

If you haven’t had a chance to check the book out, here’s the link: https://amzn.to/2VMLtdp

If you’ve read the book and think others might enjoy Theo as well, it would mean the world to me if your wrote a review on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VMLtdp

Talking about writing sharks, etc…
I hopped on Periscope and did a couple live streams yesterday to talk about writing, etc. Here’s a link to one of them: https://www.pscp.tv/w/cHYFuDFtTUtQQU15SldqR2J8MWxQSnFlekJOZW5KYlJ7JYcpUYk4JNpYPjnHNo1bn5UCvlMyOz7kO2p1cdop

Thank you!

Andrew
AndrewMayne.com
 
 
 
 

Carol At Make A Living Writing: Content Writing Jobs: 10 Handy Places to Get Hired Online
 
 
 
 

The Passive Voice: Bezos will ‘break up his own company’ before regulators do; Dav Pilkey credits his ADHD for his massive success; Amazon’s Fourteen Leadership Principles and more ->

 
 
 
 

James Clear: Happy 1st Birthday, Atomic Habits!
 
 
 
 

Open Culture: Stream Dozens of Classic & Contemporary Horror Movies Free Online in October; How Magazine Pages Were Created Before Computers: A Veteran of the London Review of Books Demonstrates the Meticulous, Manual Process; Watch a Newly-Created “Epilogue” For Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and more ->
 
 
 
 

Nov. 1 is deadline to seek four-month, $15,000 fellowship for in-depth accountability reporting project in Appalachia; Climate shift may force some state birds out of their states; Small-time hemp farmers forming cooperatives, fear new industry will consolidate like rest of agriculture and more ->The Rural Blog:
 
 
 
 

Ideas

By ModMischief: Halloween Monster House
 
 
By SilkeC2: Nespresso Medusa Capsule Holder

Recipes

By FancyNancyAnn: Dark Chocolate Espresso Caramels With Sea Salt
 
 
A Taste of Alaska: Beef Wellington
 
 
By Sarah Cook, Sustainable Cooks: Pressure Cooker Caramelized Onions
 
 
All Day I Dream About Food: Bacon Cheddar Ranch Biscuits – Keto Recipe