Bytes

Sunday, May 25, 2025

ON THIS DAY

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May 25, 2020

George Floyd killed

George Floyd (1973 – 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered on May 25, 2020 by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd had used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill.

Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd's neck and back for over nine minutes, fatally asphyxiating him. After his murder, a series of protests against police brutality, especially towards black people, quickly spread globally and across the United States. His dying words, "I can't breathe", became a rallying slogan.

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Floyd grew up in Houston, Texas, playing football and basketball throughout high school and college. Between 1997 and 2005, he was convicted of eight crimes. He served four years in prison after accepting a plea bargain for a 2007 aggravated robbery in a home invasion. After he was paroled in 2013, he served as a mentor in his religious community and posted anti-violence videos to social media. In 2014, he moved to the Minneapolis area, residing in the nearby suburb of St. Louis Park, and worked as a truck driver and bouncer. In 2020, he lost both jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After his death, the City of Minneapolis settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Floyd's family for $27 million. Chauvin was convicted on two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter on April 20, 2021, and on June 25, 2021, was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. The other three officers at the scene were also later convicted of violating Floyd's civil rights.

After Floyd's murder, there were global protests and riots against the use of excessive force by police officers against black suspects and a lack of police accountability. Protests began in Minneapolis the day after Floyd’s murder and developed in cities throughout all 50 U.S. states and internationally. The New York Times described the events in the wake of Floyd's murder and the video that circulated of it as "the largest protests in the United States since the Civil Rights era." Calls to defund and abolish the police were widespread. The protests became the first civil disorder event to exceed $1 billion in losses to the insurance industry. In some cities, protests were so violent that curfews were put in place.

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EUROPEAN TREE OF THE YEAR 2025, Part 2

Continuing the countdown of the 15 nominated trees, as decided by public voting.

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Mēru Grand Oak

Species: Common Oak (Quercus robur L.)

Age: 200 years

Region: Mēri, Bilska parish, Smiltene municipality (Latvia)

Votes: 13,088

Th tree's story (provided by the persons / organisations nominating):

Mēru Grand Oak

A strong guardian of the region, a witness of history, and a bearer of blessings. The Mēru Grand Oak was probably mentioned in a quote of an old story: “After the Northern War, the plague raged around, killing all living creatures, except two people who survived, climbing up an oak”.

Mēru Grand Oak is considered to have the largest canopy in the Baltics. As per the latest measurement taken in 2024, the crown projection is 16.6 m northwards, 17 m southwards, 22.2 m eastwards, 16.8 m westwards. The crown's diameter spans 39 m east-west and 33.6 m north-south. The crown projection area is 0.1 ha.

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The Skipinnish Oak

Species: Common Oak (Quercus robur L.)

Age: 400 years

Region: Lochaber, Scotland, United Kingdom

Votes: 16,771

The Skipinnish Oak

The Skipinnish Oak in Scotland was crowned UK winner. This magnificent 400-year-old tree stands tall in an airy clearing amid a dark spruce plantation in the heart of Lochaber, Scotland. Impressive in stature and history, it's one of the largest oaks in the region and a local treasure, partially named after the renowned Scottish Celtic band. This amazing tree is also a crucial part of the ecosystem and hosts diverse lichens including the rare black-eyed Susan, which is seldom found outside the west of Scotland.

(Dave, have you seen it?)

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White Acacia

Species: White acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Age: Morethan years

Region: Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

Votes: 16,986

Witness of Seven Generations

White acacia, over 140 years old and known as the «Witness of Seven Generations» is a rarity for its species. The tree has been part of 6 states (Austria-Hungary, WUPR, Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Germany, Ukrainian SSR and Ukraine), standing as a living witness to history.

Acacia was planted on the shore of a small lake in the private park of the Romashka family, founded on the site of the Black Forest. The unique structure of the roots resembles the intertwining of destinies and eras and has become a favorite location for visits by seven generations of Ivano-Frankivsk residents.

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Wild Pear from Bošáca

Species: Plane Pear (Pyrus Pyraster)

Age: 150 years

Region: Bošáca, Nové Mesto nad Váhom District, Region Trenčín, Slovakia

Votes: 23,729

A stray pear seed

A stray seed, carried away by the wind from under a nearby pear tree, took root on the sunny Lysica Hill, which rises above Bošáca village. Bošáca is an exceptional place with a rich fruit-growing tradition, where massive pear seedlings are an integral part of the White Carpathian landscape. The pear tree is an important landmark because the vicinity of the tree is a sought-after place for its weather conditions for fans of paragliding - every year there is a competition in flying historical model airplanes.

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Lukavice Oak

Species: Common Oak (Quercus robur L.)

Age: 700-800 years

Region: Lukavice, Pardubice Region, Czech Republic

Votes: 35,650

The Majestic Elder

(I wonder whether the Elder Wand in Harry Poter was amde from this wood??).

The period before World War I was not kind to this nearly 700-year-old elder. The management of the estate, on whose land the oak had taken root, made persistent efforts to destroy it. They chose a truly unusual method: removing cartloads of soil from around its roots, which was done despite a prohibition from the authorities at the time.

The oak withstood these attempts to destroy it and, for several centuries, has continued to stand as a companion to the local community, which is rightfully proud of it.

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Pino de Juan Molinera

Species: Stone Pine (Pinus pinea)

Age: 400 years

Region: Abengibre, Province of Albacete, Spain

Votes: 36,873

Pino de Juan Molinera

Planted almost 400 years ago to give shelter and rest to the day laborers of the surrounding orchards, the Pino de Juan Molinera keeps the history and memories of more than a dozen generations of Agengibre's people: children's games, snacks, popular celebrations, confidences sharing their sweet pine nuts and, of course, beautiful love stories were also born under its protection. As symbols of its strength, it proudly displays the harsh tests to which time has subjected it. It has survived devastating floods, major snowstorms and was even struck by lightning in the middle of the last century.

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The Lovers Banyan Tree

Species: Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla)

Age: 150 years

Region: Santa Clara, Coimbra, Portugal

Votes: 43,427

The Lovers Banyan Tree - the Quinta das Lágrimas gardens' living heritage

This majestic evergreen tree is located in the Quinta das Lágrimas Gardens next to the Fountain of Lovers, the scene of the secret love between King Pedro of Portugal and Inês de Castro. It was planted in the 19th century by an aristocratic tree collector as the result of seed exchanges with the Sydney [Australia] Botanical Garden. Today, it is an attraction to this place of worship for lovers and admired by thousands of visitors, who are fascinated by the size and beauty of its branches, huge trunk and buttress roots.

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And the winner is (with some likley high telephone bills for voters) . . .

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Heart of the Dalkowskie Hills

Species: Common beech (Fagus sylvatica) 'Atropunicea'

Age: 300 years

Region: Dalków, Gaworzyce commune, Lower Silesia, Poland

Votes: 147,553

A heart that unites

The beech tree grows in a historic park. It is called "Heart" for 3 reasons: growing in the central part of the Dalkowskie Hills, with its red-coloured leaves resembling the color of a heart, it gathers people under its branches. Concerts, reading clubs and Catholic Masses were held here. Over 5,000 people have taken part in horticultural and sylvotherapy workshops here. Tourists think of wishes and throw peanuts into the hole in the tree, believing that the tree makes dreams come true.

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A total of 15 trees from across Europe competed for the title.

The victory of The Heart of the Dalkowskie Hills marks Poland’s fourth consecutive win in the European Tree of the Year competition.

In 2022, a 400-year-old oak from Przybudki in Poland’s northeastern Białowieża Forest took the title. In 2023, a 180-year-old common oak, nicknamed "Fabrykant," from the central Polish city of Łódź, won. Last year, a 200-year-old beech known as The Heart of the Garden, growing in Wojsławice, southwestern Poland, claimed the prestigious award

Saturday, May 24, 2025

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

ON THIS DAY

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May 24,1941

German battleship Bismarck sinks the British battle cruiser HMS Hood

HMS Hood

HMS Hood was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy, constructed in 1920. Despite the appearance of newer and more modern ships, Hood remained the largest warship in the world for 20 years after her commissioning, and her prestige was reflected in her nickname, "The Mighty Hood".

Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck on May 24, 1941 in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the Bismarck’s shells being fired from a range of approximately 16,650 metres (18,210 yd) (or 10.3 mi.), causing a devastating magazine explosion that destroyed the aft part of the ship. This explosion broke the back of Hood, and the last sight of the ship, which sank in only three minutes, was her bow, nearly vertical in the water.

1,416 died, 3 survived.

Painting depicting Hood sinking stern first;

Prince of Wales is in the foreground

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EUROPEAN TREE OF THE YEAR, 2025, PART 1

The Award Ceremony for the 2025 European Tree of the Year took place on March 19th, 2025 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

According to Member European Parliament (MEP) Michal Wiezik

“Magnificent trees with stories are the best agents for building bridges between human society and nature seeking the mutual cooperation critical for survival of both.”

By MEP Luděk Niedermayer;

"At times when Europe faces geopolitical challenges and security concerns, nature conservation is often seen as less urgent. However, it is precisely in such moments that we must not forget what unites us and what we must protect—our natural environment. The European Tree of the Year competition reminds us that environmental protection is not a marginal issue but a fundamental question for our future. From local initiatives, such as caring for historic trees and urban greenery, to key political decisions at the European level, we demonstrate that nature is not sidelined in our priorities. Each of these trees tells a story of the deep connection between people and the landscape—something we must never take for granted."

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The European Tree of the Year contest originated in 2011. It was inspired by the popular Tree of the Year contest which has been organised in the Czech Republic by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation for many years.

The purpose of the European Tree of the Year is to highlight the significance of old trees in the natural and cultural heritage that deserve care and protection. Unlike other contests, the European Tree of the Year doesn't focus on beauty, size or age but rather on the tree's story and its connection to people, trees that have become a part of the wider community.

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Following are the 15 nominees, counting down to the winner, that being determined by votes received . . .

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The Old Chestnut of Sint-Rafaël

Species: Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Age: 150-200 years

Region: Sint-Job-in-'t-Goor, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium

Votes: 6,373

The Tree’s Story (stories provided by nominators):

A Living Witness to History and Care

The chestnut tree at Campus Sint-Rafaël, estimated to be 150-200 years old, stands at the heart of the grounds of the Orthopedagogical Center Clara Fey. It has witnessed the rich history of Sint-Job-in-'t-Goor, where Mathilde De Caters founded a convent and girls' school in 1868. Later, Baron Pierre de Caters, a pioneer pilot, established an airport in the village. Today, the tree remains a symbol of the care and history that have shaped the village throughout the years.

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Plane Tree in the Archbishop's Garden

Species: London plane tree (Platanus acerifolia)

Age: unknown years

Region: Eger city, Heves region, Hungary

Votes: 7,115

The protected plane tree of Eger

The tree's appearance and size make it a prestigious, central feature of the garden. According to unwritten Eger tradition, before the Battle of the Kápolna in 1849, a council of war was held in Eger with Henrik Dembinszky, Artur Görgey, György Klapka and Lajos Kossuth, who rested under the shady foliage. The tree was declared protected in 1978, and in 1994 the entire Érsekkert was declared a local protected area. It is a popular tree, visited by many people.

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The Peaceful Oak of Saint-Maurice

Species: Common Oak (Quercus robur L.)

Age: 200-250 years

Region: Clohars-Carnoët, Finistère, Brittany, France

Votes: 7,303

The otter's friend

Standing by river Laïta in Brittany for over two centuries, this oak is a striking element of a wild, peaceful landscape at the entrance of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice, in the coastal city of Clohars-Carnoët. Popular among local people and beloved by visitors, it invites introspection. A treasure for local wildlife, it hosts epiphytic plants and attracts various animals. A bench aside has even been sculpted in the shape of an otter, as the cute animal is known to be a regular companion of the tree!

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Ginkgo Biloba

Species: Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba)

Age: 240 years

Region: Leiden, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands

Votes: 9,834

Gingko Biloba in the Hortus of Leiden: A living fossil in the Modern Age

In the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden stands the golden pearl of the Netherlands: the Ginkgo Biloba. This Japanese Walnut tree, planted in 1785, is the second oldest specimen in Europe. The species itself is the oldest on our planet, having seen the dinosaurs walking, and survived through worship near Chinese monasteries because of its symbolic value of love and hope. The 22-metre-tall tree is a hermaphroditic, recognizable by its witches broom and beautiful autumn colours, making it a jewel to visit.

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Tasso di Matari – Urzulei

Species: English yew (Taxus baccata L.)

Age: morethan years

Region: Supramonte di Urzulei, Province of Nuoro, Sardinia ,Italy

Votes: 11,845

One of the longest-lived yews in Sardinia

In a beautiful ilex forest in the middle of the limestone massif of Supramonte, a majestic yew tree grows, which has been watching over the remains of an extensive Nuragic village for hundreds of years. We are in the territory of the municipality of Urzulei, specifically in the locality of Matari. The Matari yew is one of the most impressive specimens of its species. It retains engravings on its trunk and branches, showing all the signs of the passage of time and the history it has witnessed.

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The Oak of Varniškės

Species: Common Oak (Quercus robur L.)

Age: 200+ years

Region: Varniškės village, Vilnius district municipality, Lithuania

Votes: 11,909

A guardian of the past and a guide for the future – a living legend of Lithuania

The Oak of Varniškės is a symbol of strength, love, and Lithuanian tradition. Once, a Lithuanian family discovered this magnificent tree, left the city, and built a home and herb farm near it. The oak became the heart of their lives and the eldest member of the family. Under its branches, they celebrated traditions and remembered ancestors. This oak is not just a tree; it inspires, heals, and unites. It is a guardian of the past and a guide for the future – a living legend of Lithuania. Symbolically, this hero thrives only 1,5 km away from the geographical center of Europe!

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Tree of Freedom in Rab

Species: Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex)

Age: 105 years

Region: Rab, Croatia

Votes: 12,807

Tree of Freedom in Rab

The Tree of Freedom in Rab is a holm oak (quercus ilex), which is a characteristic species for the island of Rab. Generations of Rab residents have grown up with this tree, and it occupies a central place in their personal and collective memories. Many families have preserved oral traditions about an ancestor who participated in the planting. Four years ago, a grand celebration marked the centennial anniversary of the planting of the holm oak, which filled and protected the entire square with its crown.

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Part 2 tomorrow.

Friday, May 23, 2025

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

“When a man is determined, what can stop him? Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Put him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Have him born in abject poverty, and you have a Lincoln. Put him in the grease pit of a locomotive roundhouse, and you have a Walter P. Chrysler. Make him second fiddle in an obscure South African orchestra, and you have a Toscanini. The hardships of life are sent not by an unkind destiny to crush, but to challenge.”

— Sam E. Roberts

ON THIS DAY

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May 23, 1934

Bonnie and Clyde killed in shootout

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (1910 – 1934) and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow (1909 – 1934) were American outlaws who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression, committing a series of criminal acts such as bank robberies, kidnappings, and murders between 1932 and 1934. The couple were known for their bank robberies and multiple murders, although they preferred to rob small stores or rural gas stations. Their exploits captured the attention of the American press and its readership during what is occasionally referred to as the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934. They are believed to have murdered at least nine police officers and four civilians.

On May 23, 1934, 6 law enforcement officers who had correctly predicted the intended destination and route by Bonnie and Clyde, opened fire on the car in which they were travelling.

The officers fired about 130 rounds, emptying each of their weapons into the car.

According to statements made by Texas officers Hinton and Alcorn:

Each of us six officers had a shotgun and an automatic rifle and pistols. We opened fire with the automatic rifles. They were emptied before the car got even with us. Then we used shotguns. There was smoke coming from the car, and it looked like it was on fire. After shooting the shotguns, we emptied the pistols at the car, which had passed us and ran into a ditch about 50 yards on down the road. It almost turned over. We kept shooting at the car even after it stopped. We weren't taking any chances.

Film footage taken by one of the deputies immediately after the ambush shows 112 bullet holes in the vehicle, of which around one quarter struck the couple.

Car after the ambush with the bodies of Barrow and Parker in the front seats

The gunfire was so loud that the posse were temporarily deaf all afternoon.

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FUNNY FRIDAY

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Good morning Byters.

Because of a spate of birthdays of friends and family, that is today's theme,

Enjoy.

Caution: risqué content ahead.

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SOME HUMOUR:

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My wife is blaming me for ruining her birthday

That’s ridiculous, I didn’t even know it was her birthday.

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For her birthday, I took my girlfriend to an orchard, we stood there looking at the trees for about an hour. Not the apple watch she wanted apparently...

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My girlfriend wanted me to take her, for her birthday, for dinner to a place where food is prepared in front of us. She wasn’t pleased when I took her to the nearest SUBWAY

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The easiest way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once.

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My wife's birthday is in two days and she told me that she would be happy as long as I get her something with a lot of diamonds in it.

She's gonna love this pack of playing cards.

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I told my wife that I have the same birthday as Adolf Hitler.

She said, "It's crazy to think that such a disgusting loathsome figure who ruined the lives of so many people shares the same birthday as Adolf Hitler."

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I asked my wife to dress up as my favourite Star Wars character for some sexy birthday fun.

I walked into the bedroom that night and I was shocked, "Love, Jabba the Hut is not my favourite Star Wars character" I exclaimed,

"Fuck off" She shouted "I haven't got dressed yet"

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A wife treats her husband by taking him to a strip club for his birthday.

At the club, the doorman says “Hi Jim, how are you?” The wife asks “How does he know you?” Jim says “I play football with him.”

Inside the bartender says “The usual, Jim?” Jim says to his wife “Before you say anything, he’s on the darts team."

Next a stripper says “Hi Jim! Do you crave the special again?”

The wife storms out dragging Jim with her and jumps into a taxi.

The taxi driver says, “Hey Jimmy boy! You picked up an ugly one this time…”

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On his 70th birthday, a man was given a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate was for a consultation with an Indian medicine mystic who was rumoured to have a simple cure for erectile dysfunction.

The husband went and saw the medicine man. The old Indian gave him a potion and with a grip on his shoulder, warned ‘This is a powerful medicine.. You take only a teaspoonful and then say: ‘1-2-3.' When you do, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life and you can perform for as long as you want."

The man thanked the old Indian, and as he walked away, he turned and asked “How do I stop the medicine from working?" "Your partner must say‘1-2-3-4,' he responded, "but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon."

He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said: "1-2-3!" Immediately, he was the manliest of men.

His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes and asked: "What was the 1-2-3 for?"

(And that is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition, because we could end up with a dangling participle.)

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Grandpa’s 100th birthday party was not a huge success.

The family wheeled him in his chair out onto the lawn for a picnic. When he slowly started to lean to the right, his daughter stuffed a pillow on his right side to prop him up. A bit later, he started leaning to the left. His son straightened him up and stuffed a pillow on his left side. Soon he started tilting forward. This time his other son caught him and tied a pillow around his waist.

A few minutes later, his grandson arrived. He said, “Hey, Grandpa! How’s life treating you?”

“Terrible,” he said. “They won’t let me fart.”

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