Showing posts with label Bill Clinton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Clinton. Show all posts

Monday, 8 June 2009

8 June - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Flower of the Month


Rose


Gemstone of the Month: Pearl

First of all Nomanda would like to thank all our new readers! We have been getting more and more of you every day and we really appreciate you! If you are enjoying Nomanda’s blog please pass it on to your friends. And if you would like to make a comment or get your own special mention on your own special day just send us the details through the comments section and we’ll make sure we don’t forget you! Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



The 8th June is World Oceans Day so go out and hug an ocean, talk to the fishes, take a ride on the back of a dolphin, but whatever you do, don’t *** in it!



On a day that seems to have little in the way of fun or amusing historical events taking place the humble vacuum cleaner gets a mention. It was on this day in 1869 that the janitor Ives W McGaffy of Chicago patented the above noisy contraption. He called this first sweeping machine “Whirlwind” and that was about as much as it did, blowing dust from one place to another! It was a hand pumped machine made of wood and canvas. You have to be kidding! Nomanda has no mean experience of the modern model and I never thought I’d be as grateful for an electric motor as I’m feeling right now!



There are some days when it feels as though the whole world is against you so it comes as no surprise that another irritation of modern society should be invented on the same day as the vacuum cleaner. The parking meter was invented on this day in 1936. As all motorists know, the motivation behind the introduction of these grotesque devices that clutter our streets was pure civil greed. The inventor (I’ve omitted his name in an untypical act of generosity) even calculated how much revenue could be raised once they were installed in every city. Need I say more!

Now nearly every home is the proud owner of a vacuum cleaner with a parking meter out front! Thanks, guys!


On a far happier note it was on this day in 1994 that the then President Bill Clinton received an honorary degree from Oxford University; He had studied at the University but obviously didn’t make the cut first time around! In a typically quaint English way one of the academics described Bill Clinton as “An old boy and a young chief”. It was all very nice and English until you discover that the degree was in Civil Law. Aren’t there enough lawyers in the US already?


Another “young chief” clambering his way to the top of the trough was our old friend Tony Blair when on this day in 2001 he led the Labour Party to their second term of office with a nice comfortable overall majority of 167 seats. His old mate Gordon was still with him, and what’s worse, he’s still with us! Having spent most of his time at No.11 trying to persuade Tony Baby to move out of No.10 now he’s got his slippers inside No.10 he’s not going to go quietly despite all the efforts to remove him and the recent local government results to add fuel to the fire burning under his bum!


Our first birthday wishes today go to Nancy Sinatra, the girl with the golden dad, who was born on this day in 1940. She was a precocious child and soon learned to walk in her boots!



Totally eclipsing Nancy, born on this day in 1953 was the singer Bonnie Tyler, the girl with heart problems! Nomanda is pleased to say that she has made a complete recovery and had gone from strength to strength “Faster than the Speed of Light”.



June is the month for tennis with the French Open and Wimbledon both being held this month. It is remarkable just how many tennis stars have been born on this day on June. So, in birth order here they are; Stephane Simian, French (1967), Jamie Morgan, Australian (1971), Elena Brioukhovets, Ukrainian (1971), Lindsay Davenport, American (1976), Yvette Basting Dutch (1977) and last but by no means least, the star of them all, Kim Clijsters Belgian (1983).




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

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Tuesday, 18 November 2008

18 November - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Flower of the Month


Chrysanthemum


Gemstone of the Month: Topaz


Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



The story goes that it was on this day in 1307 that William Tell shot the apple off his son’s head with his crossbow. He had been forced to shoot at the apple because he had refused to bow to the hat of the local bad guy, Hermann Gessler, which was stuck on the top of a stake in the village square. After he’d shot off the apple, Gessler asked Tell why he had two bolts ready on his crossbow. Tell replied that the second bolt was meant for Gessler if he’s missed with his first shot. The bad guy didn’t take kindly to this subordination and ordered Tell to be bound up and taken on board his ship to his castle at Kussnacht. Tell escaped from the ship, made it overland to Kussnacht and killed the nasty Gessler when he turned up! The outcome of the whole affair was that Tell’s defiance of Gessler sparked a revolution that eventually led to the formation of the Swiss Confederation. Great story, I wonder if it’s true! Whether it is or not Rossini’s music is!


In an extraordinary euphemistic description of events it was on this day in 1961 that President JFK sent 18,000 “military advisors” to South Vietnam! Come on!




Another President of the USA was to open the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas on this day in 2004. The library contains 2 million photographs and 80 million documents. Enough to keep the most avid researcher happy for days!


Our first birthday wishes go to one of the smallest and most famous characters in the world, Mickey Mouse, whose birthday (1928) is officially celebrated on this day!



We will not “Keep her Hanging on” and turn up in good time to celebrate Kim Wilde’s (1960) birthday today!




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

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Monday, 3 November 2008

3 November - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Gemstone of the Month

Topaz


Flower of the Month: Chrysanthemum


Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



In a classic example of good manners and Victorian etiquette it was on this day in 1871, surrounded by hundreds of black native Africans, that addressing the only white man in sight for many a mile Henry M Stanley made his immortal statement, “Dr Livingstone, I presume.” History reckons he got it right and indeed it was the great man! He wasn’t lost so how could he be found?


When is an American not an American? Good question you may think and the Supreme Court was up to the answer on this day in 1883 when it decided that Native Americans can’t be Americans. OK, so what are they?


One of the best Americans of recent times to Nomanda’s mind is the ex President Bill Clinton. It was on this day in 1992 that he won his first Presidential election and was to go on and win the next one serving the maximum 8 years. Despite the fact that his wife Hillary lost out to Barack Obama in the recent run up to the Democratic nomination he was on the hustings with Obama just the other day supporting him. He’s a nice guy with a good background and a fearsome wife!


The 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718 – 1792) is our first birthday celebrity today. Despite his many career achievements, including being the First Lord of the Admiralty, the poor man is remembered as the inventor of the humble sandwich, which he is supposed to have eaten at the gambling tables to keep himself alert and winning! It’s probably all exaggerated but Nomanda wouldn’t want the facts to get in the way of a good story!


The legendary movie tough guy, Charles Bronson (1920 - 2003) is our next birthday hero! Whether it’s “The Magnificent Seven”, “The Great Escape”, or “The Dirty Dozen” that takes your fancy, they’re all great classic films!



Just because he’s so sensitive and he might think that “We Don’t Love Him” the guy with the girl’s name, “Marilyn” (1962) gets a special birthday mention!




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!


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Tuesday, 19 August 2008

19 August - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Gemstone of the Month

Agate


Flower of the Month: Gladiolus


Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



Nomanda has a confession to make! I’ve already shared that I’m not up to speed with quantum physics and that the theory of relativity leaves me relatively cold but following watching “SG1 The Continuum” last night I have to confess that I haven’t yet grasped the parallel universe and parallel time concepts either! I’m comforted by the fact that I’m in good company because General Jack O’Neill couldn’t understand how he was his own grandfather either! If it’s good enough for Jack, then it’s good enough for me! Funnily enough I don’t have any problems believing that they travel through the “Stargate” and in fact I’m hoping to do it myself one day! If there’s anyone out there (in all senses of the phrase) who can explain it all to me Nomanda would love to hear from you!

More down to earth so to speak it was a day of firsts on this day over the years. On this day in 1888 the first “modern” beauty contest was held at Spa in Belgium and was won by a lovely West Indian lady.

A few years later on this day in 1897 the first electric taxis were on the roads in London. That made me jump up and take notice! Of course I bet you could never find one when you needed one!




And at the
Olympic Games being held in Paris this day in 1900 heralded the start of the first and only Olympic cricket match. Despite being a fan of the game Nomanda is not surprised that cricket did not have an Olympic future, particularly as it was introduced in France. What do the French know about cricket?


Another of Nomanda’s favourite games is golf and it was on this day in 1962 that Homer Blancos played one of the finest rounds of golf shooting a 55! Regrettably I cannot find any further information on this amazing round and I just hope it wasn’t on a pitch and putt or a nine hole course!



The Beatles
were at it again on this day in 1967 sending “All You Need is Love” to the #1 spot.



Sally Gunnell was leaping her way to the lady’s 400 metre hurdle record in 52.74 seconds on this day in 1993 and although the record has been bettered by a few milli seconds no lady has yet got it below 52 seconds yet.


There are dozens of celebrities born on 19th August so with apologies for those who didn’t make the cut the first one chosen today is Malcolm Forbes (1919 – 1990) the publisher of the magazine that carries the family name. “Forbes” magazine was started by his father and is now run by his son. Nice to keep things in the family! His lavish lifestyle was legendary and his collection of 9 Faberge eggs sold for a trifling $100 million after his death. It is doubtful whether Nomanda will ever get a mention in the family journal!


One guy who I’m sure has been in “Forbes” is Bill Clinton (1946). Despite the personal issues that clouded his presidency for some time Nomanda thinks he is an all round good egg!



Our next birthday boy is the guitarist and songwriter and former member of
Queen, John Deacon (1951). Let’s hear one of their songs!


Our last birthday wishes go to another rocker, Joey Tempest (1963) member of the group Europe. He may be our last birthday guest but it’s not “The Final Countdown”!



Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!


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