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On this day in 1865, the House passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery in America. The amendment read, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The amendment passed 119 to 56, just barely above the necessary two-thirds majority. The amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states due to pressure on some of the ‘reconstructed’ states since the amendment had been rejected by New Jersey, Delaware, Kentucky and Mississippi.

The amendment contained a crucial exception: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

After the end of the Civil War, Many southern states created ‘black codes’ through creation of new types of offenses, especially attitudinal offenses—not showing proper respect, those types of things. New offenses like “malicious mischief” were vague, and could be a felony or misdemeanor depending on the supposed severity of behavior. These laws sent more Black people to prison than ever before, and by the late 19th century the country experienced its first “prison boom.”

States put prisoners to work through a practice called “convict-leasing,” whereby white planters and industrialists “leased” prisoners to work for them. States and private businesses made money doing this, but prisoners didn’t. This meant many Black prisoners found themselves living and working on plantations against their will and for no pay decades after the Civil War.

Like chattel slavery before it, convict-leasing was brutal and inhumane. Across the country, tens of thousands of people, overwhelmingly Black, were leased by the state to plantation owners, privately owned railroad yards, coal mines and road-building chain gangs and made to work under the whip from dawn till dusk—often as punishment for petty crimes such as vagrancy or theft.

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Something wrong here…

Uh Oh!!!!

Today is the birthday, in 1954, of Adrian Vandenburg, Dutch guitarist who was a member of Whitesnake who had the 1987 US No.1 & UK No.9 single ‘Here I Go Again’. Also a member of Manic Eden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyF8RHM1OCg

[Note: some technical issues today, hope to have everything fixed tomorrow]

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On this day in 1933, President Paul von Hindeburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. Hitler had gained popular support by attacking the Treaty of Versailles (which ended World War I), and promoting pan-Germanism and antisemitism. He attributed economic problems in Germany to an international Jewish conspiracy.

Shortly thereafter, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act which gave the German Cabinet – most importantly, the Chancellor – the power to make and enforce laws without the involvement of the Reichstag or President Paul von Hindenburg, leading to the rise of Nazi Germany. Critically, the Enabling Act allowed the Chancellor to bypass the system of checks and balances in the government.

With this power, Hitler adopted racist policies asserting the superiority of the putative ‘Aryan Race’ and sought to deport or kill German Jews. He also sought to annex additional territories from other countries, expanding Germany. These policies, along with the strengthening of the German armed forces led directly to World War II which was a disaster for the world and a disaster for Germany and its people.

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Yup!

Yup again…

Remember these?

Who Could Forget This Finale? It Aired 41 Years Ago, And It Was Kind Of The End Of An Era

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Today is the birthday, in 1941, of Joe Terranova, from American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group Danny and the Juniors famous for their 1958 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘At The Hop’ and their follow-up single the anthemic ‘Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay’. He died on April 15, 2019, aged 78. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPV5FrydqDE

Today is Australia Day, a public holiday in…Australia! As January 26th (Australia Day) falls on a Sunday this year, Australia Day is celebrated today – Monday. It marks the arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales on that date in 1788, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain by Captain Arthur Phillip.

Captain Arthur Phillip became the first Governor of the colony of New South Wales and the fledgling colony soon began to celebrate the anniversary of their arrival. In the bi-centenary year, 1988, Australia Day was held around the nation on January 26th. The highlight of the many celebrations was a re-enactment of the First Fleet’s trip which departed from Portsmouth on May 13th 1987 and arrived in Australia in early January.Debate about its appropriateness as a national day of celebration stems from the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, is seen as a date that marked the beginning of British colonization of Aboriginal land.

The day usually sees protests in cities across Australia. Protests against the day date back well before the adoption of the national holiday in 1994. A Day of Mourning and Protest was held in Sydney in 1938, organized by the Aborigines Progressive Association. Indigenous groups refer to the date as Invasion Day with some Australians from various cultural backgrounds choosing to opt out of celebrating the occasion.

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Hmmm….

Top seller on Amazon…

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Saturday was Burns Day.

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Today is the birthday, in 1944, of Kevin Coyne, singer, songwriter, film-maker, and a writer of lyrics, stories and poems. In the mid-1970s, prior to the formation of The Police, Coyne’s band included guitarist Andy Summers. Coyne died on 2nd December 2004. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T1c7GkzRQQ

Today is ‘Epiphany’, a major Christian celebration. It is always celebrated on 6 January and commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi, or three wise men. In some countries, it may be known as ‘Three Kings Day’.

The celebration of the Epiphany began in the Eastern Church and included a celebration of Christ’s birth. However, by the 4th century AD, the various calendar reforms had moved the birth of Christ to 25 December and the church in Rome began celebrating 6 January as Epiphany. Armenian Christians still celebrate the birth of Christ on 6 January.

In Italy, January 6th is also known as La Befana. In Italian folklore, Befana is an old soot-covered woman or witch who delivers presents to Italian children on the night before La Befana (Epiphany Eve). The story goes that on their way to see the infant Jesus, the Magi stopped to ask Befana for directions and asked her to join them. She initially refused, but later had a change of heart and tried to find the manger. She was unable to find the baby Jesus and gave the gifts she had brought to other children. To this day, she travels on her broomstick every year on January 5th looking in vain for the manger and giving her presents to any Italian child who leaves out a shoe or hangs up a stocking on Epiphany Eve. This legend arose in the 13th century and for a long time La Befana was a tradition confined to Rome and the surrounding regions, but this festival has become popular across all of Italy in the last hundred years.

It wouldn’t be a proper Italian festival without an excuse to bake some yummy food and La Befana is no exception. Special treats on La Befana include sweet coal, small cookies called befanini and Befana cake – a cake with a large dried bean inside. Whoever gets the bean in their slice is king (or queen) for the day.

All this focus on La Befana doesn’t mean that there aren’t also traditional Epiphany events. For instance, there is the Cavalcade of the Magi in Florence, in which some 700 people decked out in Renaissance costumes ride on horseback through the historic city center. The Cavalcade of the Magi dates back to the 15th century when it was first organized by the Medici family which ruled Florence during the Renaissance, according to the city’s website.

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Fun with Googly Eyes!!!!

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More cats…even in famous paintings!

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Lego sets are getting too realistic!

Today is the birthday, in 1935, of American musician, singer, and actor Nino Tempo. With his sister, April Stevens, he had the 1963 US No.1 ‘Deep Purple’. The song won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Rock And Roll Recording, selling more than one million copies and earning a gold disc. As a child actor, he appeared in The Glenn Miller Story featuring James Stewart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGDbXEk9USE

It’s freezing cold outside and there’s snow on the ground – must be winter. So here are some fun dancevideos to warm us all up! You’re welcome to dance along!

That was fun! How about a little swing??

From the hills of…Ireland!

And from NEW YORK CITY!

Even old-time movie stars are dancing!!

Fred and Rita!

So, everyone…Keep on Dancing!