Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Sunday, 24 May 2009

24 May - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Flower of the Month


Lily of the Valley



Gemstone of the Month: Emerald



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!




How many Chancellors of the Exchequer have raised revenue by taxing booze and tobacco? I guess the answer is all of them! However on this day in 1726 the people weren’t going to put up with it any more and revolted following an increase in tax on gin and brandy. Quite right, too, but it doesn’t seem to have deterred succeeding Chancellors from this dreadful habit!



The “new” Westminster Bridge across the river Thames was opened on this day in 1862. Even though it connects the Houses of Parliament with the rest of the world it doesn’t seem to have improved MP’s communication skills!



Another important bridge connecting the New York boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge, was opened on this day in 1883. It has become an iconic part of the New York skyline and is much bigger, higher and more impressive than Westminster Bridge!



Coming in to land in Australia on this day in 1930 was the intrepid aviator Amy Johnson. She had departed from Croydon airport just outside London on 5th May and 19 days and 11,000 miles later she landed her solo flight in Darwin. Great flying, Amy!




Today seems to have been a good day for film premiers as it was on this day in 1985 that the latest James Bond movie “View to a Kill” premiered in the US, and on the same day in 1989 “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” also premiered. All Harrison Ford fans will be queuing up for the latest offering “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” which premiered in Cannes last year! Close call!



Birthday celebrities today start around 2,000 years ago as it was on this day in 15 BC that the Roman commandant Julius Caesar Germanicus was born. He wasn’t too keen on the German tribes, probably as a result of the bashings they’d given previous Roman legions, and has the reputation of being the only Roman commander to have crossed the Rhine and returned successfully. Following his victories in Europe he was sent to Asia where once again his campaigns were successful. However it would all be for nothing as he was poisoned on the orders of his Emperor, Tiberius, and died at Antioch.



Sharing her birthday with JCG is none other than the great Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901). Her reign was to last over 63 years and she ruled over the British Empire at its summit. The Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution put Great Britain where it should be, at the top, but regrettably it has backslided ever since.




Our next birthday celebrity, Bob Dylan, the prolific singer and songwriter was born on this day in 1941. Amongst his many great songs “Blowin’ in the Wind” and "The Times they are a Changin" are Nomanda’s favourites.




Our final birthday wishes go to Eric Cantona (1966) the legendry French footballer whose career with Manchester United is considered by many to have been the catalyst in retuning the club to its former and present glory. Since retiring from professional football he has been involved in many sporting commercials and has acted in several French films.



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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Saturday, 7 February 2009

7 February - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Gemstone of the Month

Amethyst



Flower of the Month: Violet



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!



This is a very special day for car lovers everywhere because on this day in 1958 the DAF 600 was launched to the unsuspecting public at the Amsterdam Motor Show! This wonderful small family car came with the world’s first CVT (constant velocity transmission, aka rubber bands) and was without a doubt the worst car ever built! Another amazing feature of this travesty of engineering was that because of its CVT the stupid thing could go just as fast backwards as forwards. Nomanda’s luckless father discovered this feature when his foot slipped on the throttle which then stuck when reversing one out of his garage. He eventually managed to stop the thing a couple of hedges and fields later! Needless to say despite the Swedish car manufacturer Volvo taking over the DAF factory and sticking their prestigious badge on the bonnet the DAF built cars did not fire the imagination of the car buying public!


A great piece of imagination was shown by the administrators of New York City on this day in 1985 when they decided that the song “New York, New York” should become the official anthem of the city. How amazing was that! Sadly, New York is not my kind of town. Nomanda much prefers the subject of “Old Blue Eyes’” place!



The “Queen of Pop”, Madonna, moved to New York City to start on her path to fame and fortune. On this day in 1987 her song “Open Up Your Heart” went to the #1 spot and helped the lovely lady to fill up her wallet!



Our first birthday celebrity today is the Victorians’ favourite novelist, Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870). If you haven’t read a Dickens’ novel then you should have a go! The detail and continuous “cliff-hangers” are quite something. Here are a couple of Nomanda’s favourite quotes for the great man!

“Dignity, and even holiness too, sometimes, are more questions of coat and waistcoat than some people imagine.”

“If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.”


The guy who gave his name to his group Steve Bronski (1960) from the Bronski Beat will be having his birthday bash with his “Small town Boy” mates today!




Cross dresser comedian Eddie Izzard (1962) may be booking his birthday party in Paris today because he certainly knows a thing or two about speaking French!




It’s people like Eddie that give the French speaking English a bad name! David Bryan from the group Bon Jovi gives “Love a Bad Name”! You just can’t win sometimes!





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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