Crabs and Beer!

Today is Independence Day in Tanzania. The day celebrates the end of British rule in Tanganyika in 1961.

The first European to visit Tanzania was Vasco da Gama in 1498. European colonialism in the region began on mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa. Following World War I, the mainland came under British control and was ruled as Tanganyika, with Zanzibar remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction.

British rule ended on December 9th 1961, with Julius Nyerere becoming the first prime minister. Tanganyika became a democratic republic a year later on December 9th 1962.

Following a revolution on Zanzibar in 1963, Zanzibar and Tanganyika merged on April 26th 1964 with the country renamed to Tanzania in October of that year.

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Hmmm

can you tell the difference??

Gourmet Food on a Budget!

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Today is the birthday, in 1954, of merican songwriter Sara Allen best known for her work with the duo Hall and Oates. Though never married, she was in a long-time relationship with Daryl Hall until 2001. She contributed to many of the duo’s hit singles, including ‘Private Eyes’, ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)’ and ‘Maneater’.The song ‘Sara Smile’, Hall and Oates’ first American hit, was about Sara Allen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRYFKcMa_Ek

Today is Independence Day in Finland. This holiday is celebrated annually on December 6th and marks the Declaration of Independence from the Russian empire by the Finnish Parliament in 1917.

Finland had been part of the Russian Empire since 1809. Following the Russian revolution and the defeats in the First World War, movements within Finland pushed for independence from Russia and on December 6th 1917, the parliament declared Finland as an independent state.

Official Independence Day festivities usually commence with the raising of the Finnish flag on Tähtitorninmäki (“Observatory Hill”) in Helsinki.

A religious service is held at Helsinki Cathedral, and official visits are made to the war memorials of the second world war. Another event is the annual military parade by personnel of the Finnish Defense Forces, which is one of the big highlights and is a nationally televised event.  

Some Finns spend the day watching the classical movie The Unknown Soldier from 1955 by Edvin Laine based on the novel of Väinö Linna, while others enjoy good homemade food, or simply enjoy Finnish winter activities.

An Independence Day tradition is for families to light two candles in the windows of their homes in the evening. This custom became commonplace during the 1920s and is said to recall a time when two candles were placed in the window as a sign to Finnish soldiers that the house would offer them shelter and hide them from the Russians.

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!

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Today is the birthday, in 1920, of Dave Brubeck, jazz pianist, (1962 UK No.12 album ‘Time Further Out’). Brubeck died of heart failure one day before his 92nd birthday on December 5, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT9Eh8wNMkw

Martyrdom Of Hazrat Fatimah, also known as Fāṭimīyya, is a bank holiday in Iran observed on the third day of the Islamic month Jumada al-Thani. Fatimah bin Muhammad was the youngest daughter and the only child of the prophet Muhammad and Khadijah who lived to adulthood, and therefore part of Muhammad’s household. 

Fatimah was born in Mecca to Khadija, the first of Muhammad’s wives. She had three sisters and three brothers, all of whom died in childhood. She was a wife of Ali, Muhammad’s cousin, and was the mother of the second and third Imams, Hasan and Hussain.

Fatimah died, six months after Muhammad, aged 29 on 3 Jumada al-Thani 632 AD. Shia belief states that her death was the result of injuries sustained after her house was raided by Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.

Fatimah remains one of the most popular girl’s names throughout the Muslim world. Fatimah is seen as a vital character in Islam and is considered a role model for all Muslim women.

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Not the best choice of words…

Christmas Gift Ideas!!!!

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No good birthdays today. Here’s a song from the movie, ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94h2L9oBOHM&list=FLiw-UsuRDUjLQSHOmQ7_x4Q&index=9

Today is World Wildlife Conservation Day. This special day was first started in 2014 by a group of conservationists and animal lovers who wanted to raise awareness about the importance of conserving wild animals, plants, and habitats for future generations.

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SIGNZ!

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Today is the birthday, in 1951, of Gary Rossington, American musician best known as a founder of southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd who had the 1974 US No. 8 single ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ the 1977 US No. 5 album Street Survivors and the 1982 UK No.21 single ‘Freebird’. Rossington died at his home in Milton, Georgia, on 5 March 2023, age 71. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYhh-avGjpU