Month: November 2022

30
Nov
2022

last WEDNESDAY of November

Today is Thanksgiving Day on Norfolk Island. During the 1890s that American resident of Norfolk Island, Isaac Robinson, introduced Thanksgiving Day to the locals. He was on the island for trade purposes and became the US consul. He led the locals in decorating the All Saints Church building with fruits and vegetation and in adopting the Thanksgiving feast tradition.

People still gather at that same church, in Kingston, today to pile fresh produce in the aisles, sing and worship, and express their thankfulness to God. They have potluck feasts at church or a meal at home too, including pumpkin pie for dessert.

Today is the birthday, in 1955, of William Broad (Billy Idol).

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Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
28
Nov
2022

MONDAY after Thanksgiving

Today is Independence Day in Panama, a public holiday. This holiday celebrates the independence of Panama from Spain in 1821. On 28 November, at an open town meeting, Panama was declared a sovereign entity and become independent from Spain. Fearing reprisals from Spain, the region sought protection and became a department within the Republic of Greater Colombia.

Leave before 3:30

IN the news….

Today is the birthday, in 1943, of Randy Newman, singer, songwriter, Composer of ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’, ‘Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear’, 1977 US No.2 single ‘Short People.’ Film soundtracks including ‘Ragtime.’ Once hailed as the greatest songwriter alive by Paul McCartney. Since the 1980s, Newman has worked mostly as a film composer, his film scores include Ragtime, Toy Story; A Bug’s Life; Toy Story 2; Monsters, Inc.; Cars; Toy Story 3; and Monsters University.

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
23
Nov
2022

WEDNESDAY, Thanksgiving Eve

Today is St. George’s Day, a public holiday in Georgia. This holiday commemorates the torture of St. George on the wheel for refusing to make sacrifices to the Roman gods. The day may also be known as ‘The Breaking on the Wheel of Holy Greatmartyr George’.

Formerly ‘IS’

Today is the birthday, in 1949, of Alan Paul from Manhattan Transfer.

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
22
Nov
2022

TUESDAY before Thanksgiving

Today is Independence Day, a public holiday in Lebanon. On this day in 1943, Lebanon’s constitutionally elected leaders were released from detention by French occupation forces after their commanders backed down and accepted the independence of Lebanon.

I’ll pass…

today is the birthday, in 1943, of Floyd Sneed – drummer for Three Dog Night.

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
17
Nov
2022

THURSDAY before Thanksgiving

Today is the Day of Freedom and Democracy, a public holiday in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.

The date of November 17th commemorates the 1939 Nazi storming of the University of Prague following demonstrations against the occupation of Czechoslovakia. It led to the execution of nine student leaders and over 1200 students were sent to concentration camps.

In 1989 there was a memorial march to mark the 50th anniversary of the student revolt. The authorities tried to suppress the march which only led to an avalanche of popular protests in Czech and Slovak cities. Over the following days, the protests grew into non-violent strikes at first involving students and later all citizens of Czechoslovakia.

This became known as the Velvet Revolution and marked the beginning of the end of the communist regime that had ruled the country for more than four decades. Vaclav Havel was elected president and Alexander Dubcek became federal Czechoslovak Speaker.

SIGNS!

Today is the birthday, in 1943 of Bob Gaudio, The Royal Teens, (1958 US No.3 single ‘Short Shorts). The Four Seasons, who had the 1960s hits ‘Sherry’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Walk Like a Man’, and the 1976 UK & US No.1 single ‘December 1963, (Oh What A Night’). Here he is (keyboardist).

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies