Tom

Sep

2023

DAY OF FRIGG

Today is Independence Day in North Macedonia. This holiday is North Macedonia’s National Day and is known in Macedonian as ‘Den na nezavisnosta’. This holiday marks the date of the 1991 Referendum for Independence.

Yugoslavia started to break apart in June 1991, when Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence. Macedonia avoided the conflicts that affected the other federal states, when on 8 September 1991 the Referendum for Independence in Macedonia that took place. Over 95.5% of the voters in the Referendum voted for Independence.

The results were announced on 18 September 1991 and on 25 September 1991, the independence of the Republic of Macedonia was declared with a new constitution adopted in November 1991. The international recognition of Macedonia’s Declaration of independence was slow as Greece objected to the use of the name Macedonia, which is the same as one of its own provinces. This is why the country changed its name to North Macedonia in June 2018.

Today is the birthday, in 1932, of Patsy Cline country music singer. Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht’s and Alan Block’s ‘Walkin’ After Midnight’, Hank Cochran’s and Harlan Howard’s ‘I Fall to Pieces’, Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’ and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson’s ‘Sweet Dreams’. She died aged 30 on 5 March 1963 at the height of her career in a plane crash. She was one of the most influential, successful and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Ten years after her death, in 1973, she became the first female solo artist inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Bs8kSz4pY

Sep

2023

DAY OF THURS

Today is Independence Day in Brazil – a public holiday. This is Brazil’s National Day. In Portuguese, it is called ‘Dia da Independência’ and may also be known as ‘Sete de Setembro’ (7 September) or ‘Dia da Pátria’ (Nation Day).

Brazil had been a colony of Portugal since the 16th century. In 1807 France had invaded Portugal and the Portuguese royal family had escaped to Brazil. in 1815, Brazil was given equal kingdom status with Portugal. By 1820, the French had left Portugal and in 1821 the King, Dom John VI returned to Portugal leaving his son, Dom Pedro di Alcântara, as regent.

After some very complicated maneuvering, on September 7th 1822, a declaration of independence from Portugal was made by Pedro di Alcântara, who became the first emperor of Brazil and ruled from 1823 until 1831.

PRE-INTERNET FUN

Today is the birthday, in 1947, of Gloria Gaynor, American singer best known for the Seventies disco era hits ‘I Will Survive’, ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ and ‘I Am What I Am’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dYWe1c3OyU

Sep

2023

WEDNESDAY, the middle of the workweek for some

Today is Armed Forces Day (Dia das Forças Armadas), a public holiday on the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe observed on September 6th each year.

The armed forces of São Tomé and Príncipe (Forças Armadas de São Tomé e Príncipe, FASTP) are thought to be the smallest in Africa, with around 300 active personnel. Ironically this has meant that military coups, an unfortunately common event in many African countries in the second half of the 20th century, have twice proved ineffective on the islands. The failed coup of 2003 led to the reorganization of the military forces.

the perfect box…

Bada Bingggggggg…

Barbie never gave me a poor body image. Barbie taught me that you can’t reattach a head once it’s been removed from the body.

215 pounds? He finally got Georgia to fake the numbers for him.

All this because a grown man couldn’t bear the idea that he came in second place.

A man literally surrenders and his followers are big enough fools to buy a t-shirt that says “Never surrender” showing a picture of that idiot surrendering.

I hope the judge says, “If you have a big plane with your name on it, you’re definitely a flight risk.”

Customer: Do you enjoy being a waiter? Waiter: Well, it puts food on the table.

I haven’t lost all my marbles yet, but there’s a small hole in the bag somewhere.

Did you know on the Canary Islands there is not one canary? Same thing on the Virgin Islands. Not one canary.

If all the people wearing “Don’t Tread On Me” shirts would stop treading on everyone else, we’d appreciate it!

I’m going to start a business where Drag Queens deliver banned books directly to kids’ doors in Florida.

I like the type of people whose sense of humor may be described as “inappropriate with a chance of ruining the family dinner”.

The last time I sprang into action was when my recliner malfunctioned.

Today is the birthday, in 1961, of Pal Waaktaar, guitar, A-Ha (1985 US No.1 single ‘Take On Me’, 1986 UK No.1 single ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV’). The first Norwegian group to score a UK and US No.1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914

Sep

2023

Back to school TUESDAY

Today is St. Teresa Canonization Day, a public holiday in Albania. The holiday (Albanian: Dita e Nënë Terezës) marks the canonization of Saint Teresa by Pope Francis in 2016.

Mother Teresa was born on August 26th 1910, in Skopje (now the capital of North Macedonia) in the Ottoman Empire. Born to a family of Albanian ancestry, she was named Anjezë (Agnes) Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. From an early Agnes had been inspired by tales of missionaries and when she was 18, she moved to Ireland to join a nunnery to learn English. Having arrived India in 1929, she became a nun in 1931, adopting the name Teresa, after Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries.

In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation. Today, expanding beyond the original location of Calcutta, the 4000 sisters of the congregation run orphanages, AIDS hospices, soup kitchens and mobile clinics in 123 countries; caring for refugees, the blind, disabled, the poor and homeless, and victims of floods, epidemics, and famine. Members of the congregation must adhere to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience as well as a fourth vow, to give ‘wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor’.

Mother Teresa gained worldwide recognition for her charitable works and was the recipient of numerous honors including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. She became famous as ‘Teresa of Calcutta’.

Today is the birthday, in 1946, of Freddie Mercury British singer, songwriter, record producer with Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Queen had had the 1975 UK No.1 single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, plus over 40 other UK Top 40 singles. And the 1980 US No.1 single ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’. As a solo artist he scored the 1987 UK No. 4 single ‘The Great Pretender’. Mercury died of bronchio-pneumonia on November 24th 1991 aged 45, just one day after he publicly announced he was HIV positive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO6D_BAuYCI

Sep

2023

FRY-FRY-FRYDAI!!

Today is Independence Day in Uzbekistan. Known locally as ‘Mustaqillik Kuni’, this is Uzbekistan’s National Day and marks independence from the Soviet Union on September 1st 1991.

Uzbekistan is a land-locked Central Asian nation that has a diverse and rich heritage due to its strategic position on the so-called Silk Road, an ancient trade route between Europe and China.

Following the Russian Revolution, the area become part of the Soviet Union, with the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic being created on October 27th 1924.

In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. As a result Uzbekistan declared its state sovereignty in June 1991 and on September 1st 1991, the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was declared after a special session of the Supreme Council of the Republic.