Crabs and Beer!

Thoughts from the depths of the Eastern Shore
06
Jul
2023

THURS.THURS.THURS.THURSDAY

Today is Jan Hus Day, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. This holiday commemorates the martyrdom of Jan Hus in 1415.

Jan Hus, born in Bohemia in 1369, was a priest, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe, which he helped translate into Czech.

Hus is seen as a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. He was an advocate of church reforms, such as using Czech as the liturgical language, aligning the church’s practices with teachings contained in the Bible, limiting the power of the church to spiritual matters, and stopping the sale of indulgences. His followers became known as Hussites.

He was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1412 for insubordination. After being promised safe passage to attend a meeting that was intended to discuss the differences in the church, Hus was detained and put on trial. Refusing to give up his beliefs, he was found guilty of heresy against the doctrines of the Catholic Church and was burned at the stake on 6 July 1415. Between 1420 and 1431, the Hussite forces defeated five consecutive papal crusades against followers of Hus. Their defence and rebellion against Roman Catholics became known as the Hussite Wars.

Hope you had a happy Fourth!

Enjoy this fun song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-1ASpdT1Y

Posted by Tom in eighties music, Humor, Music
03
Jul
2023

MONDAY before the 4th (3rd)

Today is RONPhos Handover Day, a public holiday in Nauru. It is dedicated to the country’s leading enterprise, the Republic of Nauru Phosphate Corporation (RONPhos). The Republic of Nauru is the world’s smallest independent republic, the smallest island country, and the smallest state outside Europe. It is located on a small phosphate rock in the Central Pacific. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, rich phosphate deposits near the surface made Nauru the state with the highest per capita income in the world.

When Nauru became an independent state in 1968, the people of Nauru purchased the full rights to the phosphate business from Australia and founded the locally owned Nauru Phosphate Corporation. The country experienced an incredible economic growth, becoming one of the world’s wealthiest states. Unfortunately, the period of prosperity didn’t last long. Poor investments, corruption and eventual depletion of phosphate deposits left Nauru with little money.

Following the collapse of phosphate mining in the early 2002, the Nauru Phosphate Corporation was restructured and renamed the Republic of Nauru Phosphate Corporation (RONPhos). The new corporation officially began operation on July 1, 2005. Its main goal is to develop plans for the extraction of the supposedly existing secondary level of phosphate.

Today is the birthday, in 1940, of Fontella Bass, US female singer, pianist, who had the 1965 US No.4 and UK No.11 single ‘Rescue Me’. Bass died on 26th Dec 2012 of complications following a heart attack aged 72. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXSocE_M1G4

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
30
Jun
2023

FRIDAY of JUNE

Today is Independence Day in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This day is the National Day of DR Congo and marks independence from Belgium in June 1960.

As the various European powers vied for control of the African continent in the late 19th century, the Congo region came under the gaze of King Leopold II of Belgium. Leopold personally acquired the ‘rights’ to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and named the land the Congo Free State.

After years of abuse of the local population, the Belgian parliament took control of the free state in 1908, creating the Belgian Congo. The Belgian Congo gained its independence from Belgium on June 30th 1960 as the Republic of Congo.

Belgium had made no effort to train or educate Congolese and, as a result, at independence the government was primarily composed of Belgian nationals. The first prime minister of the newly independent Congo was Patrice Lumumba who pushed for the Africanization of the government, even at some expense of efficiency, to make the country truly independent. Under Belgian leadership, a mutiny broke out in the army. Lumumba appealed to both Belgium and the United States for support to suppress the Katangan secessionists but both refused. He then turned to the Soviet Union for support. In response the CIA and the Belgian and UK secret services plotted to assassinate him and he was murdered in the presence of Belgian officials and his body destroyed.

In 2002, Belgium formally apologised for its role in the execution. In 2022, a gold-capped tooth, all that remained of his body, was repatriated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Belgium.

ENJOY THE HEAT!

Today is the birthday, in 1943, of American vocalist Florence Ballard, The Supremes (1964 US & UK No.1 single ‘Baby Love’ plus 11 other US No.1 singles). Ballard sang on 16 top forty singles with the group, including ten No.1 hits. She died February 21st 1976. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aax5EDQMOq4

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Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
28
Jun
2023

Last WEDNESDAY in June!

Today is Independence Day in Djibouti. It is the National Day of Djibouti and marks the country’s declaration of independence in 1977, ending nearly a century of French rule. On May 8th 1977, a referendum took place. An overwhelming 98.8% of the electorate voted for independence from France and thus, on June 27th 1977, Djibouti became the last of France’s African colonies to gain independence.

That time of year…

I Came Into The Office Early And Switched As Many M And N Keys On Keyboards As I Could. Some Might Say I’m A Monster But Others Will Say Nomster

No good birthdays today. Here’s the amazing Yuja Wang playing variations on the Turkish March (Mozart) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGAPTRrAilY

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Posted by Tom in classical, Humor, Music
26
Jun
2023

MUUUUUUUUNNDAY

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

Madagascar is a complicated country. It was first settled by austronesian people arriving from the area of Indonesia. Then Bantu people arrived from Africa, Arabs from the Arabian peninsula and traders/immigrants from India.

In the early 19th century, Madagascar was united and ruled 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 and imposing colonial rule in 1897. 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.

today is the birthday, in 1942, of Larry Taylor, bassist with American rock band Canned Heat. Two of their songs ‘Going Up the Country’ and ‘On the Road Again’ became international hits. He died on 19 August 2019 age 77. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhpiUFSYWI

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Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies

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