Today is a public holiday in Tonga to celebrate the Birthday of Crown Prince Tupouto’a-‘Ulukalala. The Crown Prince, born on 17 September, 1985, is the eldest son of HM King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u. The birthday falls on a Sunday this year, and commemorates on Monday.
Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala was born on September 17th 1985. The prince became the heir apparent to the throne in 2012 when his father, King Tupou VI, ascended to the throne. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho married in July 2012 and have three children.
In Tongan mythology, the Polynesian Sun god, Tangaloa, pulled the islands of Tonga from the sea using a tortoiseshell and a whalebone fishhook. During the god’s expedition, the shell and hook ripped an opening in the islands of Naupapu. This fishing line snapped, causing pieces of the island to fall into the sea, leaving Tonga as it is today.
CATZILLA!!!
Today is the birthday, in 1939, of Frankie Avalon, (1959 US No.1 & UK No.16 single ‘Venus’). On his twenty-first birthday, Frankie Avalon was given $600,000 (£330,000) that he earned as a minor from such hits as his 1959 US No.1 single ‘Venus’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fakpqLDEQAo
Today is Independence Day in Guatemala (and Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras). Independence Day in Guatemala commemorates the independence of the Central American provinces from Spanish rule on this day in 1821.
In the first decade of the nineteenth century, Spain had been weakened by its involvement in the Peninsular War in Europe and local juntas had been created as local Spanish had revolted against the rule of King Joseph, Napoleon’s brother who was installed as ruler of Spain by the French in 1808.
This taste for independent rule persisted after King Ferdinand came to the Spanish throne and on September 15th 1821, the Act of Independence of Central America was declared by the Province of Guatemala.
Following independence and despite opposition from El Salvador, the regions became part of the Mexican Empire, until they ceded to become the short-lived Federal Republic of Central America in 1823.
Crystal Bepis
Today is the birthday, in 1946, of Ola Brunkert, drummer with the Swedish group ABBA. Was a member of the Slim Blues Gang, Science Poption and jazz-rock combo Opus III before joining ABBA. He played on every ABBA album and toured with the group. He was found dead with his throat cut at his home in Majorca, Spain on March 17th 2008 after he hit his head against a glass door in the dining room at his home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s
Tomorrow is Battle of San Jacinto Day in Nicaragua.
It commemorates an important military victory that took place on this day in 1856. This holiday is always followed by Nicaragua Independence Day on September 15th, creating a two-day break.
William Walker was an American who organized private military expeditions into Latin America. He wanted to establish English-speaking colonies under his control. Walker and his followers were known as “filibusters”. Taking advantage of a civil war in Nicaragua, Walker and a modest force of 38 troops, conquered the key city of Granada and took control of the country in April 1956. His rule was even recognized as legitimate by the then U.S. President, Franklin Pierce.
The Battle of San Jacinto took place on the September 14th 1856 in Hacienda San Jacinto, Managua, Nicaragua between 160 soldiers of the Legitimist Septemtrion Army led by Colonel José Dolores Estrada versus 300 of Walker’s filibusters. The filibusters were defeated by Colonel Estrada after four hours of combat.
While the victory did not defeat Walker, it was the first significant victory for the legitimists and would prove to be the beginning of the end of the reign of the usurper. A coalition of Central American armies finally ousted Walker from power in May 1857. He was arrested and repatriated to the U.S.
Andrés Castro knocking down a filibuster invader in the Battle of San Jacinto during the War of 1856 in Nicaragua. Image by Luis Vergara Ahumada
No tip for you!
hard-packed dirt floor
Today is the birthday, in 1942, of Randy Jones, from American disco group The Village People. They had the hit singles ‘Macho Man’, ‘In the Navy’, ‘Go West and the 1978 US No.2 hit ‘YMCA’. He was the ‘cowboy’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k
Today is Ethiopian New Year. Known in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia as Enkutatash, this holiday marks 1 Meskerem, the first day in the Ethiopian calendar.
The Ethiopian calendar is a solar calendar based on the Egyptian and Julian calendars and was brought to Ethiopia by missionaries. The year consists of 12 months of 30 days and a thirteenth month of five or six timekeeping days. Pagume, the 13th month in the Ethiopian calendar, comes from the Greek word epagomene, which means ‘days forgotten when a year is calculated’.
Enkutatash means the ‘gift of jewels’. It is said to refer to the Queen of Sheba returning from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem in 980 BC. On the Queen’s arrival back in Ethiopia, her chiefs welcomed her by filling her treasury with jewels (‘enku’). It may also refer to the countryside, as this time of year coincides with the end of the rainy season meaning the landscape is covered with Adey Abeba, whose bright yellow flowers appear almost in celebration of the impending harvest.
Here’s a photo of Earth taken from Mars (thanks, rovers!). Can you see me waving??
BADA BING!!!
Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular.
Forget about the zombie apocalypse that will never come. Worry about the idiot apocalypse that’s already upon us.
Those preventing history from being taught intend to repeat it.
Guy who only knew Jesus professionally: Honey, did you hear they crucified our carpenter?!
8yo singing quietly to himself, “Dancing queen, young and sweet, only seven teeth.”
How to draw a horse in two steps: Draw a unicorn. Erase the horn.
What do you say when your sister steps on your foot and breaks your toe in half? That’s mitosis.
My wife was walking upstairs with the laundry and dropped it when she missed a step. I watched it all unfold.
I’ve reached the age where my obituary will not contain the word ‘untimely’.
We’ve trained our dogs to come running anytime we spill something. We just yell HOUSEKEEPING!
I don’t watch men’s soccer. If I wanted to watch a bunch of men struggle to score for 90 minutes, I’d just go to a bar.
It’s called a corn dog because meat Twinkie sounds too trashy.
Today is the birthday, in 1944, of Colin Young, from British soul band The Foundations who scored the 1967 UK No.1 single ‘Baby Now That I’ve Found You’ and the 1969 US No.3 single ‘Build Me Up A Buttercup’. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a No.1 hit in the UK in the 1960s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klNean7JJdA
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
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