What "sign language" I know is generally frowned upon in polite society, leaving me at a loss for words. OTOH, perhaps signal flags would fly, but they are cumbersome, and semaphore is not really good for this medium, it would look like little dancing bears if one wasn't careful.

Of course, using this medium somewhat obviates the need for sign language anyway. You'll note that the title refers to languages, plural. It seems that they have evolved all over the world throughout time. They not only facilitate communication between those who cannot speak and/or hear, but also between those speaking different languages. For instance, good old Cow Head Cabeza de Vaca noted that the indigenous populations of the North American Southwest had a fully developed sign language, presumably to communicate and possibly conduct trade between those with differing languages. Linguists, fwiw, consider sign languages to be natural languages whatever that may mean to them.

On this day in history:

On September 23, 1338, the first naval battle of the hundred years' war, the Battle of Arnemuiden, occurred. Big whoop, but - it was the first known naval battle to involve gunpowder based artillery. Five, count 'em, five, English cogs were set upon by a huge French fleet. One English ship had 3 cannons and a hand gun, but they were merchant ships. Insofar as they were set upon by a sizable French fleet, we must assume that those were the equivalent of warships. After an entire day's combat, the French forced the English to surrender, captured the English ships and their cargo, and slaughtered all of the surviving crewmen. Total English fatalities were 1,000, to a mere 900 for the French. Nonetheless, the war continued for well over 100 years.

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1779 brought us a more famous naval battle, though not necessarily by name, the Battle of Flamborough Head. This was the famous ship to ship duel between the Bonhomme Richard and the Serapis in which John Paul Jones declared that he had not yet begun to fight and which he eventually won. Cannons were de rigeur by this time, though two of Jones' 18 pounders exploded killing those nearby and causing Jones to abandon the use of an entire battery of 6 of them. This was a classic pyrrhic victory in many ways, but Jones won the battle and fame sufficient that in his later years he was hired by none other than Catherine the Great as a rear admiral in the Black Sea.

Neptune was discovered on this day in 1846, but nobody was able to plant a flag on it so it remained unclaimed.

Puerto Rico's Grito de Lares against Spanish rule took place in 1868.

Nintendo was founded in 1889.

1911 saw the first official airmail delivery.

In 1913 the United Mine Workers of America launched a strike which eventually escalated into the Colorado Coalfield War

The first flight across the Mediterranean took place in 1913.

The unification of Saudi Arabia was finally completed in 1932.

The first public version of Mozilla Firefox was released in 2002.

Some people who were born on this day:

If women would today would rise en masse and demand their emancipation, the men would be compelled to grant it

~~ Victoria Woodhull

1215 – Kublai Khan, emperor (and builder of Xanadu's pleasure dome.)
1791 – Johann Franz Encke, astronomer and academic
1800 – William Holmes McGuffey, author
1819 – Hippolyte Fizeau, physicist and academic
1838 – Victoria Woodhull, journalist and activist
1851 – Ellen Hayes, mathematician and astronomer who was controversial for being female, questioning the bible, wearing comfortable, utilitarian clothing, and supporting such things as suffrage, temperance, at least one labor strike, socialism, and Sacco & Vanzetti
1852 – William Stewart Halsted, physician and surgeon
1863 – Mary Church Terrell, author, and activist
1867 – John Lomax, musicologist, teacher, and folklorist
1889 – Walter Lippmann, journalist and publisher, founder of The New Republic
1907 – Tiny Bradshaw, singer, songwriter, and pianist
1907 – Anne Desclos, journalist and author
1926 – John Coltrane, saxophonist and composer
1928 – Frank Foster, saxophonist and composer
1930 – Ray Charles, singer, songwriter, pianist, and actor
1935 – Les McCann, singer and pianist
1939 – Roy Buchanan, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
1941 – George Jackson, activist and author
1941 – Norma Winstone, singer and songwriter
1943 – Julio Iglesias, singer and songwriter
1944 – Eric Bogle, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
1945 – Ron Bushy, drummer
1947 – Don Grolnick, pianist and composer
1947 – Neal Smith, drummer and songwriter
1948 – Dan Toler, guitarist
1949 – Bruce Springsteen, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
1950 – George Garzone, saxophonist and educator
1951 – Steven Springer, guitarist and songwriter
1952 – Kim Duk-soo, musician

Some people who died on this day:

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

~~ Pablo Neruda

0965 – Al-Mutanabbi, poet
1241 – Snorri Sturluson, historian, poet, and politician
1675 – Valentin Conrart, author, founded the Académie française
1877 – Urbain Le Verrier, mathematician and astronomer who predicted the existence and location of Neptune
1939 – Sigmund Freud, neurologist, misogynist, quack, and author
1973 – Pablo Neruda, poet and diplomat
1974 – Robbie McIntosh, drummer
2006 – Etta Baker, singer and guitarist
2013 – Ruth Patrick, botanist and immunologist
2017 – Charles Bradley, singer

Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such:

Celebrate Bisexuality Day (worldwide)
International Day of Sign Languages
National Great American Pot Pie Day
Grito de Lares (Puerto Rico)

Today's Tunes

International Day of Sign Languages

Kublai Khan

Tiny Bradshaw

John Coltrane

Frank Foster

Ray Charles

Les McCann

Roy Buchanan

Norma Winstone

Julio Iglesias

Eric Bogle

Ron Bushy

Don Grolnick

Neal Smith

Bruce Springsteen

George Garzone

Kim duk-soo

Robie McIntosh

Etta Baker

Charles Bradley

Ok, it's an open thread, so it's up to you folks now. So what's on your mind?

Cross posted from http://caucus99percent.com

Open Thread, Neptune, Airmail, Kublai Khan, Etta Baker, John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Pablo Neruda