Today is National Tree Growing Day in Kenya – a brand new public holiday. Continued flooding in Kenya has left hundreds dead and nearly a quarter million homeless along with extensive infrastructure damage.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has moved to gazette Friday May 10th 2024, as a public holiday following a declaration by President William Ruto.
Ruto made the declaration on May 8th during a meeting with grassroots leaders from Laikipia North and Kajiado Central at State House. He said the day will be for honoring those who have lost their lives due to the floods.
To provide shelter and support, the government has established 167 camps across 22 counties, accommodating approximately 70,000 people. The heavy rains have impacted over 285,000 individuals, and nearly 2,000 schools have been affected.
Forecasters predict continued heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in 20 counties, including areas around Lake Victoria, Western, Central, and the Coast.
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On this day in 1985, All girl group The Go-Go’s announced they were breaking up. The members went on to enjoy solo success, (Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin) and the group reformed in the late 90s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOGEyBeoBGM
The Labor Day/May Day in Greece is held today as May 1 fell during Orthodox Holy Week. For many countries, May 1st is International Labor Day. This is also a national holiday in Greece, though it is more commonly called “Protomagia” meaning the first day of May.
Protomagia finds its origins in ancient Greece as a celebration of nature’s rebirth, spring, and flowers. The month May was named after the Greek Goddess Maia, who was linked with the Ancient Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May.
Many people traditionally go to the countryside for a picnic, to fly kites and gather wildflowers for a flower wreath called “Stefania” that people hang on the front doors of their houses to welcome spring. It is also the date for locals to attempt the first swim of the season.
In villages across Corfu, residents walk around holding a cypress tree trunk, covered with yellow daisies. The trunk, called the “Mayoxilo”, is covered in a wreath made from green branches. Young men carry it while wearing white clothes and red scarves as they walk around the streets of the villages singing songs about May.
Sounds like a threat to me…
Charles is at it again…
Bada Bing!!
My friend said, “Wow! Your wife and daughter look like they are sisters.” Me: They were separated at birth.
I’m thinking about joining the cicadas this summer and just screaming for 6 weeks straight.
Did you ever get the urge to organize then 2 hours later look at the mess you created and wonder ‘What have I done’.
Principal: Hey, your child has been causing problems in school. Me: My child causes problems at home too, do I ever call you?
Wisdom has been chasing you, but you’ve always been faster.
A 3D printer that can print guns? Pfft, that’s nothing. I’ve had a Canon printer for years.
Well, my employment rejection wasn’t all bad. They said my background check kept them entertained for days.
Much of my job as an electrician involved splicing tiny wires. Ever since I lost my depth perception I’ve had a hard time making ends meet.
I’m not sure if life is passing me by or trying to run me over.
I may not be a smart man, but I’ve never bought a bible from the antichrist.
I have started yelling “not friendly” to people when someone tries to approach me. I learned it from the dog people.
Last night, someone broke into our house and took a dozen eggs. They also left a saucepan filled with warm water. Police believe it was poachers.
People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.
Today is the birthday, in 1946, of Bill Danoff, from American pop group Starland Vocal Band, who had the 1976 US No.1 & UK No.18 single ‘Afternoon Delight’ one of the biggest-selling singles of 1976. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu1UXCdyNo0
Today Guyana observes Arrival Day. Originally, this holiday was known as Indian Arrivals Day and celebrated specifically the first indentured laborers from India to Guyana on May 5th, 1838. However, the meaning of the holiday was later broadened to include all ethnic groups that came as indentured servants to replace slave labor on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Arrivals Day is a day when the people of Guyana remember their diverse heritage but also their nation’s motto: ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY!
Guyana became a British territory in 1831 when the British took control of the Dutch colonies during the Napoleonic Wars.
On August 1st 1834, slavery was abolished in almost all parts of the British Empire. This caused an issue with the labor-intensive sugar plantations having relied on the slaves to provide the necessary workforce. An apprentice scheme to keep the former slaves employed only lasted four years.
To replace the slaves, Britain started a process of using indentured labor. Effectively indentured workers would work as slaves, but only for the term of their contract, after which they would be freed and, in many cases, given some land.
Many Chinese and other immigrants soon also came to Guyana as indentured servants, but the bulk came from India. The Indian subcontinent proved to be a plentiful source of laborers, looking to escape poverty and forge a new life overseas.
On May 5th 1838, 396 workers arrived in British Guiana (Guyana) from Calcutta, India in order to work in sugar plantations. These first workers were known as the “Gladstone Coolies” as they were brought over by the plantation owner John Gladstone.
By the time the indentured system ended in 1920, British Guiana had received 238,909 workers from India. Today their descendants comprise 44% of Guyana’s population of over 750,000.
Location, location, location
Today is the birthday, in 1942, of Colin Earl, Mungo Jerry, who had the 1970 UK No.1 & US No.3 single ‘In The Summertime’ as well as the hits ‘Baby Jump’ and ‘Lady Rose’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM
Today is Constitution Day in Poland. In Polish, it is known as ‘Swieto Trzeciego Maja’, which means ‘National Third of May day’. Constitution day marks the declaration and adoption of Poland’s first constitution on 3 May 1791.
Poland’s constitution was the first constitution to be adopted in Europe and second only in the world – the American constitution of 1789, being the oldest. The first draft of the Polish constitution dates back to 1788.
The Polish constitution was based on principles influenced by the French revolution and introduced a constitutional monarchy.
The constitution itself applied to the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth and the implementation of the constitution led to the ‘War of the defense of the constitution’ between the commonwealth and conservative nobility backed by the Russia empire. This led to the annulment of the constitution just 19 months later, but the 3 May constitution is still regarded as a key event in the history of Poland.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the holiday was restored by the Act of 6 April 1990 and the first gala celebration took place in Warsaw’s Castle Square on 3 May 1990 in the presence of President Wojciech Jaruzelski.
Today is the birthday, in 1950, of Mary Hopkin, (1968 UK No.1 and US No.2 single ‘Those Were The Days’, released on The Beatles Apple label and produced by Paul McCartney, winner of TV Talent show ‘Opportunity Knocks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnxTT7XXMPA
Today is the Birth Anniversary of Third King, a public holiday in Bhutan. This holiday honors the King who took Bhutan’s first steps toward modernization, born on this day in 1929.
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was born on May 2nd 1929. He ruled Bhutan as the Third Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) for twenty years from March 1952 until his death at the age of 43 from a heart condition in July 1972.
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck is known as the Father of Modern Bhutan as he is credited with opening Bhutan to the outside world and beginning the modernization of the Kingdom. He is revered for bringing modernity to the Himalayan Kingdom while preserving Bhutanese culture.
He also initiated reforms that led a shift away from Bhutan being an absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy. “This is the 20th century,” the king once told a group of visiting Americans. “We are working to make sure that Bhutan truly belongs to this century.”
May 2nd is also celebrated as Teachers’ Day in Bhutan because it was the Third Druk Gyalpo who established a modern educational system in the country.
truth in advertising…
Classic art…
SIGNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Today is the birthday, in 1946, of American singer, songwriter, actress and activist, Lesley Gore, who had the 1963 US No.1 & UK No.9 single ‘It’s My Party’, (which was produced by Quincy Jones). Gore composed songs for the soundtrack of the 1980 film Fame, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for ‘Out Here on My Own’, written with her brother Michael. She died on February 16, 2015, at the NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, New York City, of lung cancer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDUjeR01wnU
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