Friday, May 1, 2009

Days vs. Daze

Last month, my calendar was very quick to tell me about April Fool's Day, which I appreciated even if I don't do a whole lot of fooling in observance of it. This month, I have notes to let me know that "Victoria Day" (Canada) is on the 18th of May(I'm not sure what the lack of a nation indicator behind the note on April Fool's Day means. Perhaps it's universal?) Maybe that's the theory employed by the calendar folks.

I'm thinking maybe it is, because in March, Saint Patrick's Day didn't have (US) or (E, for Republic of Eire) behind it as it, in theory, must belong to all nations though it strains my credulity to think Burkina Faso observes it. Mother's Day only has (Canada) and (US) behind it on my calendar though it sure looks like a passel of nations observe it.

The first of May, says my calendar, is, among other things, Labor Day (M, possibly for Mexico) for almost everyone on the planet except us (or US, as the calendar guys would note) as ours is (this year) on 7 September. Check here to see what else the first of May is, unless you're one of the Brothers Gibb. "We used to love while others used to play." Get a room, Barry, okay?

When the Russians were still the Evil Empire, they used to stage huge parades in Moscow's Red Square and we in the West used to pretend we weren't afraid of folks with this much extra gear they could march for twelve hours and not run out. Sure glad the Cold War is over and we're all friends now, though I am getting a little tired of singing that Age of Aquarius song. I always wondered if the Russians love their children anywhere near as much as glasnost. I still prefer our Lennon to theirs in much the same way as I like Groucho more than Karl. (How could he NOT know The Hammers?)

Whatever you're celebrating, or not celebrating, today, be safe and sane (though that's probably more of a buzz kill than I'd like) and if you're out tonight and you're on your bike, don't forget-- wear white.
-bill kenny

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