eighties music

19
Jul
2024

ALL CAPS FRIDAY!

Today is Sandinista Revolution Day, a public holiday in Nicaragua. This day commemorates the defeat of the Somoza dictatorship on this day in 1979.

In 1936, Anastasio Somoza García, the head of Nicaragua’s army deposed the elected President, Juan Bautista Sacasa (who was also Somoza’s uncle), and installed himself as President. This effectively established a hereditary dictatorship in the country for over 45 years, with two of Somoza’s sons serving as president after Somoza had been assassinated in 1956.

TheSomozas were heavily supported by the United States Government despite their human rights violations, graft, corruption and dictatorial excesses.

Not too far in the background of the Somoza rule was the Sandinista National Liberation Front. This was a socialist revolutionary group founded in 1962 and named after Augusto Sandino, a hero of the resistance to U.S. military occupation between 1927 and 1933.

Since their creation, the Sandinistas had steadily built their support base amongst workers, students and peasants. In the 1970s, the political aims spilt over into military attacks on the Nicaraguan government. And although the Somozas retaliated, the revolution was gaining momentum, exploding into direct confrontations between the Sandinistas and the Nicaraguan army in 1978.

On July 19th 1979, Sandinista soldiers defeated the National Guard and toppled Somoza, who fled to Paraguay where he was assassinated in 1980.

Today is the birthday, in 1947, of Brian May, guitarist, singer and songwriter with Queen who had the 1975 UK No.1 single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which returned to No.1 in 1991. Queen scored over 40 other UK Top 40 singles, and also scored the 1980 US No.1 single ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’. May had the solo 1992 UK No.5 single ‘Too Much Love Will Kill You’. May was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for ‘services to the music industry and his charity work’. May earned a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College, London, in 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
09
Jul
2024

So…TUESDAY?

Today is Independence Day (Día de la Independencia) in Argentina. This national public holiday marks Argentina’s independence from Spain which was declared on 9 July 1816.

After European explorers arrived in the region in the early part of the sixteenth century, Spain quickly established a permanent colony on the site of modern-day Buenos Aires in 1580.

During the early part of its history, Argentina was largely a country of Spanish immigrants and their descendants (known as creoles). The population was split between those who lived in Buenos Aires and other cities, with others living on the pampas as gauchos.

Descendants of African slaves were also present in significant numbers. The Indigenous peoples of the region inhabited much of the rest of Argentina.

In 1806 and 1807 the British Empire launched two invasions of Buenos Aires but were repelled on both occasions by the Creole population. This ability to lead a military campaign against foreign forces bolstered the idea that they could win a war for independence.

On 28 May 1810, when rumors about the overthrow of King Ferdinand VII by Napoleon proved to be true, the citizens of Buenos Aires took advantage of the situation and created their First Government Junta. Six years later, delegates from the United Provinces of South America declared themselves independent from Spain on 9 July 1816.

Alaskan Restaurant…

Bada Bing!!

Due to personal reasons, I am going to continue posting jokes instead of seeking professional help.

“Being better than Trump cannot be the standard because Donald Trump is the absence of standards.”

If I walk into your business, and I hear Fox News, I’m walking right back out.

The library moved Orwell’s 1984 to nonfiction.

I just came across my husband’s Tinder profile, and I am so angry about his lies. He is not “fun to be around!”

I always get so frustrated when I put clothes away in my closet. I think I have hanger management issues.

I never finish anything. I have a black belt in Partial Arts.

I asked everyone what IDK stands for and nobody knows.

On this day in 1983, The Police started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Every Breath You Take’ also No.1 in the UK. Taken from the bands album Synchronicity, Sting won Song of the Year and The Police won Best Pop Performance for the song at the 1984 Grammy Awards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
05
Jul
2024

from across the sea, FRIDAY arrives

Today is Independence Day, a public holiday in Cape Verde. This is the National Day of Cape Verde and commemorates the country’s independence from Portugal on this day in 1975.

Cape Verde is an island country consisting of 10 volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Northwest Africa. The islands were uninhabited when they were discovered by Portuguese navigators in the middle of the 15th century. Portuguese settlers arrived in 1462, establishing the first permanent European settlement in the tropics. The islands benefited from their position, first as a stopping off point for the Atlantic slave trade and then as a location for re-supplying ships bound for the Americas.

Cape Verdeans are descendants of Africans (free or enslaved) and Europeans of various origins. There are also Cape Verdeans who have Jewish ancestors from North Africa, mainly on the islands of Boa Vista, Santiago and Santo Antão. A large part of Cape Verdeans emigrated abroad, mainly to the United States, Portugal and France, so that there are more Cape Verdeans residing abroad than at home.

The call for nationalism had grown louder after the end of the second world war. So much so that in 1951, Portugal changed Cape Verde’s status from a colony to an overseas province to try and reduce the increasing disenfranchisement with colonial rule.

The nationalist movement in Cape Verde was entwined with the other Portuguese territory in the area, Portuguese Guinea. In 1956, Amílcar Cabral, a Guinean organised the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). The aims of the PAIGC were to improve the economic, social and political conditions in Cape Verde and Portuguese Guinea and formed the basis of the two nations’ independence movements. These demands erupted into a war on the African mainland, with Portuguese Guinea declaring independence in 1973.

The April 1974 revolution in Portugal led to change of approach to its overseas territories, and in 1974 the PAIGC and Portugal signed an agreement providing for a transitional government composed of Portuguese and Cape Verdeans. On June 30th 1975, Cape Verdeans elected a National Assembly which received the instruments of independence from Portugal on July 5th 1975.

Today is the birthday, in 1943, of Canadian musician, songwriter, film composer, producer, actor, Robbie Robertson. He joined The Hawks in 1962 who became known as The Band. Bob Dylan and the Hawks toured the United States throughout 1965 and a world tour the following year. As a songwriter, Robertson is credited for writing ‘The Weight’, ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’, ‘Up on Cripple Creek’, ‘Broken Arrow’ and ‘Somewhere Down the Crazy River’. Robertson died in Los Angeles on 9 August 2023, at the age of 80, after a year-long battle with prostate cancer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREUrbGGrgM

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
02
Jul
2024

TOOT TOOT TUESDAY

Today is Unity Day, a public holiday in Zambia. The day always forms part of a two-day break as Unity Day always take place on the day after Heroes’ Day. Unity Day is intended to help foster solidarity between the diverse groups that make up the country.

The boundaries of most African nations were not based on communities of interest of ethnic/cultural similarities. Instead they were set by European colonial powers looking at maps in Berlin or elsewhere. This has created great difficulties for African nations as they try to weld together disparate groups into a single nation.

Zambia was no exception, and its population contains over 70 ethnic groups, with nine major groups. The population speaks over 72 local languages/dialects.

When the country gained its independence from Britain in 1964, this brought the differences between these ethnic groups to the fore. While Zambia has enjoyed a stable political environment since independence, it has been affected by instability in neighboring countries, with some ethnic groups feeling an affinity across ethnic rather than national lines.

To help create a sense of Zambian identity, Unity Day was established by Kenneth Kaunda, the first President of Zambia. It aims at fostering solidarity between the various ethnolinguistic groups and maintaining the spirit of national unity. The official slogan of Zambian Unity Day is the country’s motto “One Zambia, One Nation”.

Geography is tough

BADA BING!!!!

Maybe the 10 Commandments should be posted in the RNC Headquarters instead of public schools.

Posting The Ten Commandments in Louisiana public schools should open the doors for also posting The Five Pillars of Islam, The Five Precepts of Buddhism, and The 7 Tenets of Satanism.

I see your 10 commandments and raise you 34 convictions.

If your state ranks 47th in education, maybe you should require schools to post the ABCs instead of the Ten Commandments.

A friend has inspired me to suggest that we organize a free trip for Clarence Thomas this summer to Haiti, where he can experience real life without an administrative state, and where everyone has a gun with a bump stock.

Nobody’s (more stubborn) smarter than an Android person who won’t switch to an iPhone.

I keep waiting for someone to tell me, “Yeah, I was a fruit picker until those illegals showed up.”

Website: We use cookies to improve performance. Me: Same!

Finally, my bills are washed, laundry is paid, clothes are baking, and dinner is in the dryer. I got this!

Her: If you cut off my reproductive choice can I cut yours off?

Her: I’m in a really bad place in my life right now. Him: Louisiana?

Conversation tip: Ask people questions that give them an opportunity to talk about themselves. Like… What the hell is wrong with you?

My neighbor couldn’t afford his water bill so I got him a get well soon card.

I just bought a sweet car online. It was previously owned by Neil Diamond.

Wouldn’t be ironic if Popeye’s chicken was cooked in Olive Oil?

When I was a kid I would not have guessed the world would turn out to be as dumb as it is.

No one in my entire life has believed in me more than the waiter who gave me a single napkin to use while eating my lunch.

Did you know 14 muscles are activated when opening a bottle of wine? Fitness is my passion.

Today is the birthday, in 1952, of Johnny Colla, guitar, sax, from Huey Lewis and the News who had the 1985 UK No.11 & US No.1 single ‘The Power Of Love’. Their third, and best-selling, album was the 1983 Sports, and they contributed to the soundtrack of the 1985 feature film Back to the Future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBl2QGAIx1s (note: music starts at about 2:10)

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

Whoa! WEDNESDAY already!!

Today is Independence Day in Madagascar, a public holiday. It is the National Day of Madagascar and marks the country’s independence from France in 1960.

In the early 19th century, Madagascar was united and ruled by the Merina dynasty as the Kingdom of Madagascar. Seen as a key strategic location by both France and Britain, France invaded Madagascar in 1883, eventually removing the monarchy and quashing resistance after a lengthy fight and imposing colonial rule in 1897.

During the second world war, the Vichy government of France unsuccessfully fought the British for the control of Madagascar. The actions of the French galvanised the growing call for independence, leading to the Malagasy Uprising of 1947. (commemorated on Martyrs’ Day on March 29th)

Though the uprising was subdued by the French, it forced the French to establish reformed institutions in 1956 and paved the way for Madagascar to move towards independence without the need for more violent insurrection.

The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on October 14th 1958, as an autonomous state within the French Community. Soon after a constitution was adopted in 1959 and full independence as the Republic of Madagascar was gained on June 26th 1960.

Make allowances for those who are a little ‘slower’

Welcome to Scotland!

Today is the birthday, in 1961, of Terri Nunn, singer from American new wave band Berlin, who scored the 1986 UK & US No.1 single ‘Take My Breath Away’ which was featured in the 1986 film Top Gun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx51eegLTY8

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music