daily humor

May

2024

Clock sez MONDAY

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

May

2024

FRIDAY IS HERE

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

May

2024

Yes, it’s THURSDAY

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

May

2024

Oh, WEDNESDAY…day of hump

Today is May Day, a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere’s Spring equinox and June solstice. Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen (sometimes with a male companion), and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance. Bonfires are also part of the festival in some regions. Regional varieties and related traditions include Walpurgis Night in central and northern Europe, the Gaelic festival Beltane and the Welsh festival Calan Mai.

Doppler Effect…

Governor Kristi Noem’s brother??

Happy May Day!!

Didn’t find any good birthdays today but the Library of Congress recently announced the 2024 additions to their recording archive including, among others, recordings by Blondie, Johnny Mathis, Jefferson Airplane, Perry Como, Abba, Gene Autry, Patti Page and Bill Withers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CICIOJqEb5c

Apr

2024

Do your TUESDAY dance!

Today is Reunification Day in Vietnam. Known as ‘Ngày Thống nhất’ in Vietnamese, it is also known as Victory Day or Liberation Day. It marks the fall of the Saigon government on April 30th 1975 when Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).

This brought the Vietnam war to an end and began the process of unification of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North) in the North and the Republic of Vietnam (South). Unification of the two countries finally happened on July 2nd 1976, when the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was born.

Bada Bing!!

My friend went skydiving wearing a regular backpack instead of a parachute. He won’t make that mistake again.

Met this girl online yesterday. She’s so into me. She wants to know the name of my first pet, my mom’s maiden name, and where I was born.

I’m just laying here in bed, listening to the Doors and thinking to myself I really should oil those hinges.

My neighbor just yelled at her kids so loud that even I brushed my teeth and went to bed.

I’ve nearly finished my diploma in sandwich making. I’ve got my final eggs ham tomorrow.

I went to a costume party and the host immediately started to pick on me. “What’s your costume?” he asked. “A harp.” “You’re too small to be a harp,” he told me. I was indignant. “Are you calling me a lyre?”

I was at the same party! Saw a bloke wearing a bandana with a lady strapped to his back. He said he was a ninja turtle. ‘What’s the lady doing on your back?’ I asked. ‘It’s Michelle’ he replied.

I asked a magic 8-ball if I would ever get better in social situations. Not only did it not answer me, but I got yelled at and hit with a pool stick.

Ejaculate – What a Yorkshire person says to Jack when he’s not on time.