Today is Republic Day in Portugal. In Portugal it is known as “Implantation of the Republic”. It commemorates the establishment of a republican form of government in 1910 when the monarchy, the House of Braganca, that had been in power since the 11th century was overthrown in a bloodless revolution.
The First Republic lasted for just 16 turbulent years, ending with the 28 May coup d’état of 1926. This put in place a military dictatorship known as the National Dictatorship. This was followed by the fascist Estado Novo (New State) regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, which proved to be the longest serving authoritarian regime in Western Europe.
Christmas is coming…
SIGNZZZZZZ…
Today is the birthday, in 1942, of American Richard Street, who with The Temptations had the 1971 US No.1 & UK No.8 single ‘Just My Imagination’ and the re-issued ‘My Girl’ which was a UK No.2 hit in 1992. Street died on 27th February 2013 after a short illness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eepLY8J4E6c
Today is the Day of Peace and Reconciliation in Mozambique – a public holiday. The holiday marks the official end of the civil war on this day in 1992.
You can often get a sense of the trauma that a country has gone through in its history by looking at its public holidays. In the case of Mozambique, this is especially true with four public holidays charting the country’s long and violent struggle for independence from Portugal. Weapons on the country’s flag might be another indicator.
In 1976, Mozambique was still recovering from the struggle for independence, when the new FRELIMO (The Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) government fought against the opposition RENAMO (Mozambican National Resistance). After ousting the Portuguese, FRELIMO had instigated a one-party Marxist state, which was resisted by the anti-communist RENAMO rebels, supported by the Rhodesian secret service and South Africa’s apartheid-era military.
The war was a devastating conflict that killed an estimated one million people, with 1.7 million Mozambicans becoming refugees in neighboring countries. Though no side was able to win a decisive victory, the change from Marxism to capitalism by the government after the collapse of the Soviet Union, enabled movements towards ending the war. On October 4th 1992, the government and RENAMO signed the General Peace Accord (GPA) in Rome, Italy, officially ending the Mozambican civil war.
Talking to kids…
No good birthdays today but tomorrow marks the death, in 1880, of Jacques Offenbach, the French composer responsible for much wonderful music including the excerpt from his opera, Orpheus in the Underworld, performed here by a delightfully unconventional orchestra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU0IyxvcH4E
Today is German Unity Day, a public holiday in Germany. Since 1990, the ‘Tag der Deutschen Einheit’ has been a national holiday in Germany. It is the only official national holiday. All other holidays are managed at a federal level.
On November 9th 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, paving the way towards the reunification of Germany which had been split at the end of the second world war. The reunification of Germany took place on October 3rd 1990 when the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) was incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).
Following the GDR’s first free elections on March 18th 1990, negotiations between the GDR and FRG culminated in a Unification Treaty. Further negotiations between the GDR and FRG and the four occupying powers produced the so-called “Two Plus Four Treaty” granting full sovereignty to a unified German state, whose two halves had previously been bound by a number of limitations as a result of its post-WWII-status as an occupied nation. The treaty was signed on September 20th 1990.
Convenience…
BADA BING!!!
If you need the threat of hell to be a good person, then you’re just a bad person on a leash.
It’s not procrastination if I never had any intention of doing it in the first place.
Winter is coming. Don’t forget to reverse your battery so that the heat comes on in your car instead of the AC.
Mom: So what did you do at school today. Kid: Not enough. They want me to come back tomorrow.
Sister Teresa was known to be the smartest nun in the convent. She was better known as nun the wiser.
‘Don’t kid yourself’ would be a great slogan for a condom company.
I still think ‘nonfungible’ sounds like ‘cannot be turned into a mushroom’.
Sometimes I think I’m too picky. Then I watch my dog looking for a place to poop.
I’ll call it a smartphone the day I yell “Where’s my phone?” and it yells back “Down here in the cushions!”
Today is the birthday, in 1941, of Chubby Checker, US singer, (Ernest Evans), 1960 US No.1 & UK No.14 single ‘The Twist’, 1962 UK No.2 single ‘Let’s Twist Again’). ‘The Twist’ is the only song to go to number 1 on the US singles charts twice. Once in 1960 and again in 1962. Be sure to watch this fun video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im9XuJJXylw
Today is Tuvalu Day, a public holiday in Tuvalu. October 1st is the National Day of Tuvalu and marks the date it gained its independence from the UK in 1978. If it falls on Sunday it is celebrated as a holiday on Monday.
Tuvalu is made up of three reef islands and six atolls spread over ten square miles. Tuvalu is situated halfway between Hawaii and Australia, making it one of the most isolated countries on Earth; as well as one of the smallest and most low-lying nations on earth. Its highest point is only 4.6m (15ft) above sea level.
In 1819, the island of Funafuti was named Ellice’s Island after a British politician; the name Ellice was then applied to all nine islands. The islands came into Britain’s sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British protectorate by Captain Gibson of HMS Curacoa in October 1892.
A referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, separation occurred in two stages. The Tuvaluan Order 1975, which took effect on 1 October 1975, recognised Tuvalu as a separate British dependency with its own government.
The second stage occurred on 1 January 1976, when separate administrations were created out of the civil service of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.
Elections to the House of Assembly of the British Colony of Tuvalu were held on August 27th 1977, with Toaripi Lauti being appointed Chief Minister in the House of Assembly of the Colony of Tuvalu on October 1st 1977. The House of Assembly was dissolved in July 1978, with the government of Toaripi Lauti continuing as a caretaker government until the 1981 elections were held.
On October 1st 1978, Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth realm, with Toaripi Lauti becoming the first Prime Minister.
Get ready…
What a deal!
Today is the birthday, in 1951, of Sting, (Gordon Sumner), singer, songwriter, The Police, (1983 UK & US No.1 single ‘Every Breath You Take’, plus 4 other UK No.1 singles). Solo, (1990 UK No.15 single ‘Englishman In New York’ plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles). As a solo musician and a member of The Police, he received 16 Grammy Awards and has sold over 100 million records. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs
Today is Chuseok in Korea. The Harvest Moon Festival, or Chuseok (meaning ‘Autumn Eve’), is one of Korea’s most cherished holidays. It takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which means it usually takes place in September. Though the dates may be similar in some years, it is not an Autumn Equinox festival. The festival is usually a three-day public holiday. If the dates fall over a weekend, an extra day may be taken on the following Monday.
According to legend, Chuseok originated as a result of a weaving competition held between two princesses in the Silla dynasty. The goal was to see which of their teams could weave the most cloth. The fierce competition lasted for a month, ending on the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar during the full moon. As punishment, the losing team had to prepare a bountiful feast for the victors.
The Harvest Moon Festival is the busiest travel day in Korea with over half the Korean population traveling. Most people visit family to prepare food, honor their ancestors, and cherish relatives both living and deceased.
One of the main Harvest Moon Festival traditions is the food preparation, especially of songpyun; a traditional Korean rice cake made with pine needles. In Korean, Song means ‘pine tree’ and Pyun means ‘rice cake’.
Oddly for a festival that takes place on a full moon, the traditional shape of a songpyun is a half moon. This is said to reflect the natural optimism of Koreans – a full moon can’t get any fuller, but a half moon shows there is room for improvement.
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