sixties and seventies

03
Feb
2025

MONDAY…ugh

St. Brigid’s Day (Gaelic: Lá Fhéile Bríde) is celebrated on February 1st but the public holiday in Ireland takes place on the first Monday in February each year.

St. Brigid is one of the three Patron Saints of Ireland, the other two are St. Columba and of course, St.Patrick. Brigid is a Catholic and Orthodox saint. She was a pupil of St. Patrick and became famous for her kindness, mercy, and her miracles. In addition, Brigid founded Ireland’s most famous mixed (male and female) monastery in County Kildare.

In The Life of Brigid, her biographer, Cogitosus, recorded that Brigid formed an alliance with the hermit Conleth and, together, they created a double monastery from the Early Christian tradition. She was abbess and he was bishop. Within 100 years of her death, there was a thriving, egalitarian monastery of men and women, living and practicing their spirituality equally, side by side.

When Brigid was refused by the King of Leinster the land to build a convent, she asked if she could have as much land as her cloak would cover. The King allowed this, but was surprised to see Brigid’s cloak grow and grow, as four of her friends took a corner each and walked pulled the cloak to cover many acres. The King then granted St. Brigid the land, and any other supplies she required, before converting to Christianity soon after.

At the same time, the legends about Saint Brigid echo the myths and legends about the three-faced Celtic fertility goddess Brigid – the goddess of war, poetry, crafts, and healing. It is worth noting that before the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, the feast of the goddess Brigid was also celebrated on February 1st, the first day of Spring in the Celtic calendar.

Brigid’s cross is typically woven on February 1st, her feast day, as well as the festival of Imbolc in pre-Christian Ireland. Hanging Brigid’s cross from the rafters of a house was believed to bring the blessing and protection of the saint for the remainder of the year.

The healthy people among us…

Hot peppers…

Today is the birthday, in 1947, of American singer-songwriter Melanie Safka. She scored the 1971 US No.1 & 1972 UK No.4 single ‘Brand New Key’, and had hits with her 1970 version of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Ruby Tuesday’, her composition ‘What Have They Done to My Song Ma’ and her 1970 international breakthrough hit ‘Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)’, which was inspired by her experience of performing at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. In 2007, Melanie was invited by Jarvis Cocker to perform at the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in London. She died on 23 January 2024, at the age of 76. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTMTflcuug

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
10
Jan
2025

Feels like FRIDAY

Today is Traditional Day, a public holiday in Benin. Also known as Traditional Religions Day or Voodoo Day, it is a day to celebrate the religion of Vodoun.

Vodoun (also spelled Vodon, Vodun, Vodou, Voudou, Voodoo) is an ancient religion that originated in the West African kingdoms of Fon and Kongo. The Fon kingdom was located in what is now southern Benin and the coastal city of Ouidah in Benin is regarded as the birthplace of Vodoun and remains a focal point for celebrations on Traditional Day.

Each year, on Traditional Day, thousands of followers from Benin and beyond will descend on the beach in Ouidah for the annual festival.

Attendees stay in tents with colourful flags representing different sects of the religion. Beginning with the slaughter of a goat in honour of the spirits, the festival is filled with prayers, libations, singing and dancing.

Vodoun is the source of the Voodoo religions practiced in Haiti and other parts of the Western hemisphere; its traditions travelled to the new world when many West Africans were displaced during the slave trade. Vodoun was officially declared a religion in Benin in 1996. About 17% of the population of Benin, some 1.6 million people, follow Vodoun.

Today is the birthday, in 1945, of British rock and pop singer and songwriter Rod Stewart. He was a member of The Hoochie Coochie Men, Steampacket, Shotgun Express, Jeff Beck Group, the Faces (UK No.6 & US No.17 single ‘Stay With Me’). As a solo artist he had the 1971 UK & US No.1 single ‘Maggie May’, plus five other UK No.1’s and over 35 Top 40 hits and 10 No.1 albums. His 1971 debut album Every Picture Tell’s A Story was the first album ever to simultaneously be No.1 in the UK and US. Stewart has eight children, by five mothers. In reference to his divorces, Stewart was once quoted as saying, “Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbI_awR4CKE

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
12
Sep
2024

Sunny and THURSDAY today

Today is a public holiday in Iran to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari, the 11th Imam of Twelver Shia Islam, who was poisoned in 874 AD.

Hassan Agari was born in Medina on 8th of Rabi-ul-Akhar 232 AH His father was Ali Naqi, the 10th Shia Imam. Imam Ali Naqi lived under house arrest in a Samarra, a garrison town about 60 miles north of Baghdad. Hassan’s title became known as Asgari, meaning “the one who lived all his life in a garrison town.”

Even from an early age, Asgari was known for his divine knowledge and he became the 11th Shia Imam on the death of his father in 254 AH at the age of 22. Becoming the 11th Imam was a big deal. In both the Sunni and Shia branches of Islam, it is believed that the 12th Imam would be the final Imam who would be the ‘Mahdi’ or ‘Guide’ for humanity until the Day of Judgement.

Askari died aged 28 on 8th Rabi’ al-Awwal 260 AH (January 4th 874 AD) after being poisoned on the orders of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mu’tamid and was buried in Samarra, a town some 60 miles north of Baghdad.

Al-Askari died without leaving an obvious heir, which created widespread confusion and fragmented the Shia community into several sects, all of which disappeared within a few decades except the Twelver Shia. The Twelvers hold that al-Askari had a son, commonly known as Muhammad al-Mahdi (lit. ’the rightly guided’), who was kept hidden from the public out of the fear of Abbasid persecution. Al-Mahdi succeeded to the imamate after the death of his father and entered a state of occultation. His life is said to be miraculously prolonged until the day he manifests himself again by God’s permission to fill the earth with justice. Though in occultation, the Imam still remains responsible in Twelver belief for the spiritual guidance of humankind and the Shia accounts of his occasional encounters with the pious are numerous and popular.

Today is the birthday, in 1943, of Maria Muldaur (Maria D’Amato), American singer, songwriter, who had the 1974 US No.6 & UK No.21 single ‘Midnight At The Oasis’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGSRjTchL38

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
09
Sep
2024

Hello MONDAY!

Today is Knabenschiessen, a traditional celebration in Zurich. Knabenschiessen is a traditional shooting competition for teenagers and is held on the second weekend of September each year. The Monday afternoon is a holiday observed across the city. Even though this is only a half-day holiday, many workers will take the morning as a holiday to create a long weekend or work from home in the morning.

While the date of the first festival is officially 1889, the custom can be dated back to older roots in the 17th century.

The competition is open to 13-17-year-old boys (“Knaben”) and girls in the canton of Zürich. The competition has been open to female participants since 1991.

The shooting within the competition is done with the Swiss Army ordinance rifle, which the children will encounter a few years later as they do their national service.

The competition is held in the shooting range at Albisgütli on the slope of Üetliberg.

Today is the birthday, in 1941, of Otis Redding, American singer-songwriter, record producer. After appearing at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival Redding wrote and recorded his iconic ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous No.1 record on the Billboard Hot 100 and The Dock of the Bay became the first posthumous album to reach No.1 on the UK Albums Chart. Redding was killed in a plane crash on 10th December 1967. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTVjnBo96Ug

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
03
Sep
2024

TUESDAY – back to work

Today is Foundation Day in San Marino. It commemorates the foundation of San Marino on this day in 301 AD by Saint Marinus.

During the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284 – 306 AD), the imperial view of Christianity became less benign and Christians were increasingly being persecuted and killed for their faith.

In this atmosphere, Marinus, a stonemason, fled from Dalmatia (in modern-day Croatia) to escape from religious persecution for his Christian beliefs. He arrived at Monte Titano, where he founded and built a chapel and a monastery. 

Over the years, the monastery and the area around it grew until a sizable population had been established, safe high in the mountains from the persecution of Diocletian. When the mountain people were discovered, the landowner Felicissima bequeathed it to the community in perpetuity.

The first mention of a church named after Saint Marinus dates to the year 530. Today the old church has been replaced on the site by the Basilica of San Marino, which was built in the 19th century.

I hope you celebrated Labor Day!

Today is the birthday, in 1945, of George Biondo, from Steppenwolf who had the 1969 US No.2 hit single ‘Born To Be Wild’. Steppenwolf sold over 25 million records worldwide, released eight gold albums and scored 12 Billboard Hot 100 singles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egMWlD3fLJ8

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies