Month: May 2024

30
May
2024

It’s THURSDAY, my friend

Today is Croatian Statehood Day. In Croatian, Statehood Day is known as ‘Dan državnosti’ and is Croatia’s national day marking the day in 1990 when the first post-Communist multi-party Parliament was constituted.

Historically part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire until its collapse at the end of World War I, Croatia was one of the six republics that formed Yugoslavia.

Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, the first post-Communist multi-party Parliament was constituted in Croatia on May 30th 1990.

In May 1991, the Croatian independence referendum had resulted in a 94% vote in favour of establishing an independent Croatia. Following the result, the Croatian Parliament formally proclaimed independence with the Constitutional decision on sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia on June 25th.

At that time, many ethnic Serbs who lived in Croatia declared autonomy of the unrecognised Republic of Serbian Krajina, intent on achieving independence from Croatia. By the end of 1991, a high-intensity conflict fought along a wide front reduced Croatia’s control to about two-thirds of its territory. Serb paramilitary groups then began a campaign of killing, terror, and expulsion of the Croats in the rebel territories, killing thousands of Croat civilians and expelling or displacing as many as 400,000 Croats and other non-Serbs from their homes.

The war effectively ended in August 1995 with a decisive victory by Croatia. Following the Croatian victory, about 200,000 Serbs from the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina fled the region and hundreds of mainly elderly Serb civilians were killed in the aftermath of the military operation. Their lands were subsequently settled by Croat refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Don’t tell anyone!

Today is the birthday, in 1958, of Swedish pop singer-songwriter and pianist Marie Fredriksson, with Swedish group Roxette, who had the 1990 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘It Must Have Been Love’. Roxette have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide. Fredriksson died on 9 December 2019, aged 61 following a 17-year long battle with cancer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2C5TjS2sh4

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
29
May
2024

WEDNESDAY appears again

Today is Election Day in South Africa. Like most democracies, South Africa has declared election day to be a public holiday both to make it easier for citizens to vote and to emphasize the importance of this fundamental democratic right and responsibility.

Birds and Bees…

Ridiculous over-packaging…

BADA BING!

A new study finds that married couples have a higher chance of divorce than single people.

Yesterday I gave my food to a homeless person………and today the homeless person gave me a book titled “HOW TO COOK”.

At the library, I asked the librarian if they had any books on turtles “Hardback?” she asked. “Yes,” I said. “and little heads that go in and out.”

It’s the start of a brand-new day, and I’m off like a herd of turtles.

When I say, “The other day,” I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.

I run like the winded.

When you do squats, are your knees supposed to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminum can stuffed with celery?

I don’t mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.

When I ask for directions, please don’t use words like “East.”

If people don’t like you, it’s okay. You only need to be concerned if dogs or cats don’t like you.

I’m at that age that the next day my body whispers to me, “Please don’t do that again”.

You guys should see the stuff I don’t post. It sits in a folder labeled I think it’s funny but somebody will be offended.

Stormy Daniels was not surprised Trump’s defense was small and didn’t last long.

Him: How much for the gold circle of death? Her: Sir, those are engagement rings.

When men refer to themselves as “alpha males” I hear that term in the context of software. Alpha versions are unstable, missing important features, filled with flaws, and not fit for the public.

Common sense is a flower that does not grow in everyone’s garden.

Today is the birthday, in 1945, of Gary Brooker, English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder and lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum who had the 1967 UK No.1 and US No.5 single A Whiter Shade Of Pale. (one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies) and scored the hits ‘Homburg’, ‘Conquistador’. Brooker founded The Paramounts in 1962 with his guitarist friend Robin Trower and has also worked with Eric Clapton, Alan Parsons and Ringo Starr. He died from cancer on 19 February 2022 age 76. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJxpKlTID2Q

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
28
May
2024

TUESDAY it is!

Today is Republic Day in Armenia. It marks the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic in 1918. It is also known as Day of Restoration of sovereignty and is considered to be Armenia’s National Day.

From the 15th century, Armenia had been part of the Ottoman Empire. By the 19th century, most of modern-day Armenia had come under the control of the Russian Empire.

With the Russian revolution ending the empire and the collapse of the Democratic Republic of Transcaucasia, the Armenian National Council Declared its sovereignty on May 28th 1918 and the First Armenian Republic was proclaimed, restoring Armenian statehood after six centuries of foreign control.

The republic proved to be short-lived. On December 2nd 1920, the Armenian government headed by Prime Minister Simon Vratsyan signed a treaty with the Bolsheviks and the Red Army entered Armenia and proclaimed it a Soviet Republic. The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic became a founding member of the Soviet Union in 1922.

Armenia regained its independence as the current Republic of Armenia on September 21st 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Armenia was the first non-Baltic republic to secede from the Soviet Union. This event is celebrated on Independence Day.

Google now puts ‘AI Overviews’ (AI generated answers) above search results for many queries. AI is NOT always right and can be wrong in spectacular ways…

Today is the birthday, in 1945, of American musician, singer, and songwriter John Fogerty from Creedence Clearwater Revival who had the 1969 UK No.1 and US No.2 single ‘Bad Moon Rising’, plus ten other US Top 30 hits and the 1970 US & UK No.1 album Cosmo’s Factory. After CCR parted ways in 1972 Fogerty had a successful solo career. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq3hEMUeBGQ

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
26
May
2024

Memorial Day

Monday is Memorial Day in the United States – a day to honor and mourn those who died in defense of our country.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and is often filled with fun activities – an outdoor barbecue, a trip to the pool or the beach, a get-together with friends and relatives, maybe enlivened by some wine or cocktails. We’ve had good weather here on the Shore and we’re enjoying it along with everyone else.

The first national observance of Memorial Day, then known as Decoration Day, occurred on May 30, 1868. the holiday was proclaimed by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic to honor the Union soldiers who had died in the American Civil War.

Official recognition as a holiday spread among the states, beginning with New York in 1873. By 1890, every Union state had adopted it. The world wars turned it into a day of remembrance for all members of the U.S. military who fought and died in service. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday as “Memorial Day” and changed its observance to the last Monday in May.

Enjoy the weekend with your friends and families but please take some time to remember those who have died for our country. Without their sacrifice, our country would be much different, or might not exist at all. And give a thought to the sorrow and loss of those they have left behind – their parents, wives, children, friends and comrades. Their grief is our grief too.

Thank you.

Posted by Tom
24
May
2024

It’s FRIDAY, boys and girls!!

Today is Battle of Pichincha Day, a public holiday in the Republic of Ecuador. This holiday commemorates the battle that secured independence on this day in 1822.

In the first decades of the 19th century, Spain was reeling after the French had invaded during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon had installed his brother on the Spanish throne.

This meant that Spain’s colonies didn’t feel the sense of loyalty to Spain as they had done before and a movement for independence was sweeping across Latin America.

Ecuador’s decisive moment of liberation came on May 24th 1822, on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, 3,500 meters above sea level, next to the city of Quito. Victory was won by a Patriot army under General Antonio José de Sucre defeating a Royalist army commanded by Field Marshal Melchor Aymerich.

Done and dusted in three hours, this wasn’t a large battle with massive amounts of casualties. However, it was important as it allowed the Patriot army to enter Quito, where Sucre accepted the surrender of the Royalists. This meant Simon Bolivar could add the Province of Quito to the Republic of Colombia.

Good deal!


Enjoy the long weekend!!!

Today is the birthday, in 1944, of American singer, songwriter, Patti Labelle who scored the 1975 US No.1 & UK No.17 single ‘Lady Marmalade’, (with Labelle), and the 1986 US No.1 & UK No.2 single with Michael McDonald, ‘On My Own’. Labelle became the the first African-American vocal group to land the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn0-6n_dng4

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies