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Somhlolo Day is a public holiday in eSwatini (Swaziland) observed on September 6th. If Somhlolo Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the following Monday becomes a holiday. Also known as Independence Day or Sobhuza Day, this is the National Day of eSwatini and commemorates the day that Swaziland gained independence from Britain in 1968.

eSwatini is the smallest landlocked country in the Southern Hemisphere and the second smallest country in continental Africa. In the middle of the nineteenth century under the leadership of King Sobhuza I (Ngwane IV), Swaziland was twice the size it is today.

Caught between the British and the Boers, the Pretoria Convention of 1881 guaranteed Swaziland’s ‘independence’ but this freedom came at a price as the convention also defined its borders, with Swaziland losing large parts of its territory. After the Boer administration collapsed at the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1903, the British took control of Swaziland as a protectorate.

On September 6th 1968, Swaziland was granted formal independence within the Commonwealth. This national holiday is named after King Sobhuza I (Ngwane IV), who was king between 1805 and 1839, and who was nicknamed ‘Somhlolo’ (The Wonder) and is considered the founder of Swaziland.

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SIGNZ

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Today is the birthday, in 1948, of Claydes Smith, Kool & The Gang, who had the 1981 US No.1 & UK No.7 single ‘Celebration’, 1984 UK No.2 single ‘Joanna’, plus over 15 other Top 40 hits. He died in Maplewood, New Jersey, on June 20, 2006, aged 57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M

Today is Qaumee Dhuvas (meaning ‘National Day’ in Dhivehi, the local language) in the Maldives, a public holiday and the National Day of the Maldives. This day celebrates the victory of Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam over the Portuguese occupation in 1573.

In 1558, the Portuguese established a garrison which they administered from Goa. They killed the Sultan Ali VI of the Maldives and effectively instigated colonial rule. In 1573, Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam along with his two brothers and companions led a local revolt when the Portuguese attempted to impose Christianity on the Muslim population. The attacks drove the Portuguese out of Maldives and ended fifteen years of colonial rule.

Muhammad Thakurufaanu ruled as Sultan until his death from natural causes on 26 August 1585. He is revered as the national hero of the Maldives and 1st of Rabee ul Awwal each Islamic year is marked as the National Day of the Maldives.

The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia. Including the sea, the territory spans roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi), with a land area of 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi). The Maldives is also the lowest country in the world, More than 80 per cent of the country’s land is composed of coral islands which rise less than one meter above sea level.

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Good advice…

It’s time to rise up and protest!

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…and the cat ladies are pissed!

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Today is the birthday, in 1981, of Beyoncé, American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. With Destiny’s Child she had the 2000 US No.1 single with ‘Say My Name’ and the 2001 US & UK No.1 single and album ‘Survivor’. Beyonce scored the 2003 US & UK No.1 single ‘Crazy In Love’ from the world-wide No.1 album Dangerously In Love. Throughout her career, she has sold an estimated 100 million records as a solo artist and a further 60 million records with the group Destiny’s Child. She has won 22 Grammy Awards and is the most nominated woman in the award’s history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQgd6MccwZc

Today is Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı), a national holiday in Turkey. Victory Day commemorates the victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar which was the decisive battle in the Turkish War of Independence in 1922.

Türkiye was occupied by Allied forces after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War (1914-1918). This led to the start of the Turkish War of Independence in 1919, with the Turkish forces led by General Mustafa Kemal.

By 1922, through adroit diplomatic maneuvering, the Allies were split with French and Italian sympathies lying with the Turks rather than the Greeks who were the occupying army at the time.

Greek forces were routed during the battle and the remains of the Greek army fled being pursued by the Turks. The Greeks suffered more than 100,000 casualties out of an army of about 250,000. By September 18, the last Greek soldiers were forced out of Anatolia and, on October 11 an armistice was signed by Turkey, Italy, France and Britain which Greece was forced to accede to.

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Enjoy the Labor Day weekend! Here’s some fun music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuapCENFM2U

Today is Staatsfeiertag (National Day), a public holiday in Liechtenstein and is always celebrated on August 15th. It commemorates the birthday of Prince Franz Josef II.

The date had a double meaning in Liechtenstein as August 15th was already a public holiday to mark the Feast of the Assumption, but also served to celebrate the birthday of Prince Franz Josef II, who was born on August 16th 1906.

This holiday is unusual in that it began during a war. Just days before, Adolf Hitler had said in a speech that “Small states have no right to exist.”, so the establishment of this National Day by this smallest of states can be seen as much as an act of defiance as patriotism.

The small principality is the fourth-smallest state in Europe and is one of the few nations in the world that adheres to a no defence policy, meaning that the country doesn’t have armed forces. Their safety is only guaranteed by a small Police force, which in 2011 counted 91 agents, 34 civilians and 38 paramilitaries. 

Their lack of armed forces means that their celebrations of National holidays exclusively revolves around the role played by civilian authorities in the Principality’s life. 

In the afternoon the centre of Vaduz is full of visitors of all ages enjoying traditional celebrations and a funfair. The National Day is brought to a spectacular close with a 30-minute firework display next to Vaduz Castle.

Of course, the history of the world’s sixth-smallest country goes back much further than 1906. It was on January 23rd 1719 when the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI elevated the principality of Liechtenstein to the status of an imperial principality.

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Filet Minion

Fast!

Opposite of ‘Extra Virgin’

Fun before the Internet!

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SIGNZ

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Today is the birthday, in 1950, of Tommy Aldridge, drums, Whitesnake, (1987 US No.1 & UK No.9 single ‘Here I Go Again’). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyF8RHM1OCg

The Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Udham Singh is a regional Indian public holiday observed in the states of Haryana and Punjab on July 31st. This day commemorates the execution of a famous revolutionary on this day in 1940.

In one of the more shameful episodes of the British Empire, on April 13th 1919, Indian troops under the command of Brig-Gen Reginald “Rex”’ Dyer fired on peaceful demonstrators in a walled garden (the Jallianwala Bagh) in the city of Amritsar in the Punjab. At least 379 were killed and more than a 1,000 injured.

Liberal Britain and Indian nationalists denounced the massacre; Winston Churchill called it a “monstrous event” and Dyer had to retire in disgrace. Shaheed Udham Singh witnessed the massacre first hand and vowed from that day forward he would track down the men responsible for the foul deed.

Sir Michael O’Dwyer was Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab at the time of the massacre. Although O’Dwyer did not order the massacre, he sent a message afterwards approving of what Dyer had done which made many people, including Singh, consider O’Dwyer as responsible for the killings. O’Dwyer didn’t deflect any blame, by bullishly continuing to defend the use of lethal force at Jallianwala Bagh.

O’Dwyer retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1925. On March 13th 1940, O’Dwyer made a rare public appearance at a public meeting in London to discuss the future of Afghanistan. At the end of the meeting, Singh made true on the vow he had made over 21 years earlier by walking up to O’Dwyer and shooting him twice through the heart.

During the subsequent trial for killing O’Dwyer, Singh said, “He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For a full 21 years, I have been trying to wreak vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country.” Singh was executed on July 31st 1940.

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Get in Shap

Dog Days of Summer

CATZ

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Today is the birthday, in 1958, of Bill Berry, drums, R.E.M. (1991 UK No.6 & US No.10 single ‘Shiny Happy People’, plus over 20 Top 40 UK singles, 1992 UK No.1 & US No.2 album ‘Automatic For The People’). Berry quit the band in 1997. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYOKMUTTDdA