#Africa Umoja

[womeninfictionandirl]

Jane Nomugen Lengope, co-founder of the Umoja women’s village

[txttletale]

niceys positive anon!! i don't agree with you on everything but you are so clearly like well read and well rounded that you've helped me think through a lot of my own inconsistencies and hypocrises in my own political and social thought, even if i do have slightly different conclusions at times then u (mainly because i believe there's more of a place for idealism and 'mind politics' than u do). anyway this is a preamble to ask if you have recommended reading in the past and if not if you had any recommended reading? there's some obvious like Read Marx but beyond that im always a little lost wading through theory and given you seem well read and i always admire your takes, i wondered about your recs

it's been a while since i've done a big reading list post so--bearing in mind that my specific areas of 'expertise' (i say that in huge quotation marks obvsies i'm just a girlblogger) are imperialism and media studies, here are some books and essays/pamphlets i recommend. the bolded ones are ones that i consider foundational to my politics

BASICS OF MARXISM

friedrich engels, principles of commmunism

friedrich engels, socialism: utopian & scientific

karl marx, the german ideology

karl marx, wage labour & capital

mao zedong, on contradiction

nikolai bukharin, anarchy and scientific communism

rosa luxemburg, reform or revolution?

v.i lenin, left-wing communism: an infantile disorder

v.i. lenin, the state & revolution

v.i. lenin, what is to be done?

IMPERIALISM

aijaz ahmed, iraq, afghanistan, and the imperialism of our time

albert memmi, the colonizer and the colonized

che guevara, on socialism and internationalism (ed. aijaz ahmad)

eduardo galeano, the open veins of latin america

edward said, orientalism

fernando cardoso, dependency and development in latin america

frantz fanon, black skin, white masks

frantz fanon, the wretched of the earth

greg grandin, empire's workshop

kwame nkrumah, neocolonialism, the last stage of imperialism

michael parenti, against empire

naomi klein, the shock doctrine

ruy mauro marini, the dialectics of dependency

v.i. lenin, imperialism: the highest stage of capitalism

vijay prashad, red star over the third world

vincent bevins, the jakarta method

walter rodney, how europe underdeveloped africa

william blum, killing hope

zak cope, divided world divided class

zak cope, the wealth of (some) nations

MEDIA & CULTURAL STUDIES

antonio gramsci, the prison notebooks

ed. mick gidley, representing others: white views of indigenous peoples

ed. stuart hall, representation: cultural representations and signifying pratices

gilles deleuze & felix guattari, capitalism & schizophrenia

jacques derrida, margins of philosophy

jacques derrida, speech and phenomena

michael parenti, inventing reality

michel foucault, disicipline and punish

michel foucault, the archeology of knowledge

natasha schull, addiction by design

nick snricek, platform capitalism

noam chomsky and edward herman, manufacturing consent

regis tove stella, imagining the other

richard sennett and jonathan cobb, the hidden injuries of class

safiya umoja noble, algoriths of oppression

stuart hall, cultural studies 1983: a theoretical history

theodor adorno and max horkheimer, the culture industry

walter benjamin, the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction

OTHER

angela davis, women, race, and class

anna louise strong, cash and violence in laos and vietnam

anna louise strong, the soviets expected it

anna louise strong, when serfs stood up in tibet

carrie hamilton, sexual revolutions in cuba

chris chitty, sexual hegemony

christian fuchs, theorizing and analysing digital labor

eds. jules joanne gleeson and elle o'rourke, transgender marxism

elaine scarry, the body in pain

jules joanne gleeson, this infamous proposal

michael parenti, blackshirts & reds

paulo freire, pedagogy of the oppressed

peter drucker, warped: gay normality and queer anticapitalism

rosemary hennessy, profit and pleasure

sophie lewis, abolish the family

suzy kim, everyday life in the north korean revolution

walter rodney, the russian revolution: a view from the third world

[viadescioism]

Kwanzaa:

Kwanzaa, an annual holiday celebrated primarily in the United States from December 26 to January 1, emphasizes the importance of pan-African family and social values. It was devised in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Inspired by Africa’s harvest celebrations, he decided to develop a nonreligious holiday that would stress the importance of family and community while giving African Americans an opportunity to explore their African identities. Kwanzaa arose from the black nationalist movement of the 1960s and was created to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage. The holiday honors African American people, their struggles in the United States, their heritage, and their culture. Kwanzaa's practices and symbolism are deeply rooted in African traditions and emphasize community, family, and cultural pride. It's a time for reflection, celebration, and the nurturing of cultural identity within the African American community.

Kwanzaa is a blend of various African cultures, reflecting the experience of many African Americans who cannot trace their exact origins; thus, it is not specific to any one African culture or region. The inclusiveness of Kwanzaa allows for a broader celebration of African heritage and identity.

Karenga created Kwanzaa during the aftermath of the Watts riots as a non-Christian, specifically African-American, holiday. His goal was to give black people an alternative to Christmas and an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than imitating the practices of the dominant society. The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," meaning "first fruits," and is based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West and Southeast Africa. The holiday was first celebrated in 1966.

Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the seven principles (Nguzo Saba), which are central values of African culture that contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans. These principles include Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but Celebrations often include songs, dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry readings, and a large traditional meal. The holiday concludes with a communal feast called Karamu, usually held on the sixth day​​​​.

Kwanzaa is more than just a celebration; it's a spiritual journey to heal, explore, and learn from African heritage. The holiday emphasizes the importance of community and the role of children, who are considered seed bearers of cultural values and practices for the next generation. Kwanzaa is not just a holiday; it's a period of introspection and celebration of African-American identity and culture, allowing for a deeper understanding and appreciation of ancestral roots. This celebration is a testament to the resilience and enduring spirit of the African-American community.

"Kwanzaa," Encyclopaedia Britannica, last modified December 23, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kwanzaa.

"Kwanzaa - Meaning, Candles & Principles," HISTORY, accessed December 25, 2023, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/kwanzaa-history.

"Kwanzaa," Wikipedia, last modified December 25, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa.

"Kwanzaa," National Museum of African American History and Culture, accessed December 25, 2023, https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/kwanzaa.

"The First Kwanzaa," HISTORY.com, accessed December 25, 2023, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-first-kwanzaa.

My Daily Kwanzaa, blog, accessed December 25, 2023, https://mydailykwanzaa.wordpress.com.

Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture (Los Angeles, CA: University of Sankore Press, 1998), ISBN 0-943412-21-8.

"Kente Cloth," African Journey, Project Exploration, accessed December 25, 2023, https://projectexploration.org.

Expert Village, "Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs: Kwanzaa Symbols," YouTube video, accessed December 25, 2023, [Link to the specific YouTube video]. (Note: The exact URL for the YouTube video is needed for a complete citation).

"Official Kwanzaa Website," accessed December 25, 2023, https://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.html.

Michelle, Lavanda. "Let's Talk Kwanzaa: Unwrapping the Good Vibes." Lavanda Michelle, December 13, 2023. https://lavandamichelle.com/2023/12/13/lets-talk-kwanzaa-unwrapping-the-good-vibes/.

[ausetkmt]

We Will Shoot Back: History of Armed Resistance - Republic of New Africa

Watch THE VIDEO FIRST AND ALSO THE BOOK - Get The FACTS

to accompany the video we give you the book - yes you can download it from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

We Will Shoot Back: History of Armed Resistance - RNA

We Will Shoot Back: History of Armed Resistance - Republic of New Africa

click the title link to download the book for free from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

In We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement, Akinyele Omowale Umoja argues that armed resistance was critical to the Southern freedom struggle and the dismantling of segregation and Black disenfranchisement.

Intimidation and fear were central to the system of oppression in most of the Deep South. To overcome the system of segregation, Black people had to overcome fear to present a significant challenge to White domination.

As the civil rights movement developed, armed self-defense and resistance became a significant means by which the descendants of enslaved Africans overturned fear and intimidation and developed different political and social relationships between Black and White Mississippians.

This riveting historical narrative reconstructs the armed resistance of Black activists, their challenge of racist terrorism, and their fight for human rights.

click the title link to download the book for free from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

[visitafrica-today]

15 Things to do in Kampala

📍 15 Things to Do in Kampala

1️⃣ Experience Buganda’s royal heritage at the Kasubi Tombs, Kabaka’s Palace, and the Katereke Prison Ditch.

2️⃣ Visit Kampala’s iconic religious sites, from the Bahá'í Temple to Rubaga Cathedral, Namirembe Cathedral, and Old Kampala Mosque.

3️⃣ Discover the artistic vibrancy of Kampala at top galleries like Karibu Art Gallery, Umoja Art Gallery, Uganda Art Gallery, Makerere Art Gallery, AKA Gallery, and the Afriart Gallery

4️⃣ Reflect on courage and faith at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine and Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine.

5️⃣ Learn about Uganda’s National history through its national monuments, including the Independence Monument and the World War Memorial Monument.

6️⃣ Go to Uganda National Museum for history and experience live cultural performances at Ndere Cultural Centre.

7️⃣ Explore the city’s vibrant markets, like Owino and Nakasero Markets, and try Uganda’s famous Rolex, the street food you’ll never forget

8️⃣ Experience Kampala’s vibrant nightlife in Kololo and Kabalagala.

9️⃣ Explore the historic Makerere University, one of Africa’s most prestigious institutions, and and visit the Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum which was officially opened in February 2024.

🔟 Take a guided walking or hiking tour of Kampala’s seven famous hills. Highlights include Namirembe Hill, Rubaga Hill, and Makerere Hill, offering a mix of culture, history, and stunning views.

1️⃣1️⃣ Experience the vibrancy of Uganda’s performing arts at the National Theatre or LaBonita Theatre, where traditional dances, plays, and musical performances bring Uganda’s stories to life.

1️⃣2️⃣ Kampala is home to some amazing coffee shops where you can sample Uganda’s world-renowned coffee. Favorites include Endiro Coffee, 1000 Cups, and Good African Coffee.

1️⃣3️⃣ Take a responsible tourism trip with a guided tour of Kisenyi, offering an authentic look into the resilience and daily lives of Kampala’s urban communities.

1️⃣4️⃣ For sports enthusiasts, Lugogo is the hub for cricket, basketball, rugby, and more. It’s also a prime spot for concerts and major festivals in Kampala.

1️⃣5️⃣ Cap off your adventure with a serene sunset cruise on Lake Victoria, the perfect ending to a day in Kampala.

[nando161mando]

'In this season of Kwanzaa, it is worth noting that Sullivan-Ongoza led the group of artists who created an 11-foot kinara that went on display at Philadelphia City Hall for the first time last December.

However, she said the work of the people in P.A.S.H.I. embodies the spirit and principles of Kwanzaa every week of the year. Those seven principles are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics of Kwanzaa), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).

“Every principle of Kwanzaa operates here,” she said. “We are self-determined. We do this without a budget. We make it happen. We are using our creativity and working collectively. We believe in each other and have faith in ourselves, and we have faith others are going to support us.”

She said people can support P.A.S.H.I. through the Ujima Friends Peace Center’s donation page, but must specify the gift is for P.A.S.H.I.'

https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/black-women-philly-sew-period-pads-girls-africa-20241228.html

[heavenboy09]

Happy Kwanzaa 😊 🇿🇦🌍 to All Of Africa and African Americans out there who celebrate this Joyous Day.

Let Us Bring Peace, Harmony, Love, Tradition, Unity, Kindness, Family, Friendship, and Faith into One of the Most Beautiful African Holidays in The World.

Christmas 🎄 maybe over but Kwanzaa has just begun.

Umoja - Unity

Kujichagulia - Self Determination

Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility

Unjamaa - Cooperative Economics

Nia - Purpose

Kuumba - Creativity

Imani - Faith

All 7 Candles Respresent 🕯 The Unity of African Culture.

So Let's Join In on These 7 Days as we User in the New Year.

Don't worry, just because your NOT Black or African don't mean you can't celebrate.

Just don't try to Be Black. It wont end well LOL 🤣

ANYWAY

HAPPY KWANZAA TO ALL 🇿🇦🌍 OF MY BRUTHAS AND SISTAS OUT THERE. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. ✊🏾

#Kwanzaa #HappyKwanzaa #Africa #Kwanzaa2024

[juicyparsons]

Habari Gani?!

Umoja!!

Joyous Kwanzaa everyone!!

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa, a yearly celebration of Black culture, our history, present and our future.

It’s a holiday based on harvest festival traditions from several regions of Africa, namely the West, East and Southeast.

Each day, we light a candle, on our kinara or candle holder— and each one represents a value we’d like to practice or focus on in the upcoming year— there are seven candles so there are seven principles!!

Today’s principle is Umoja, which is Swahili for Unity :)

I greet my loved ones, community members and neighbors with, “Habari Gani?” Which is Swahili for what’s up or what’s the news? :)

And depending on the day you would respond with the principle!!

The candles and colors of Kwanzaa are those of the Pan African flag— red for the blood of our people shed on this and all lands, black for our skin and our people, and green for the land, the vibrant wealth and hope of Africa.

For the past two years I wasn’t able to engage in one of my favorite holidays because of the abusive relationship I was in and the aftermath of it.

But Kwanzaa isn’t about what you have, its NEVER been about gifts, and as lovely as it is to have a mkeka, and the mazao and offerings for the ancestors—

Kwanzaa is about what’s in your heart.

It’s about how you carry the principles with you everyday and every where you go—

So let’s do it ✊🏽

[ptseti]

The land of no men

#africa #african #kenya #women #umoja #maasai #samburu #history #africanwoman

[90363462]

Happy Kwanzaa!

#Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from December 26th through January 1st, the origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

Each day is started with this greeting: Habari Gani - What is the news? The reply is the ‘Nguzo Saba’ (principle) for that day. They are listed in order here:

Umoja - Unity

Kujichagulia - Self Determination

Ujima - Collective Work & Responsibility

Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics

Nia - Purpose

Kuumba - Creativity

Imani - Faith

The first-fruits celebrations are recorded in African history as far back as ancient Egypt and Nubia and appear in ancient and modern times in other classical African civilizations such as Ashantiland and Yorubaland. These celebrations are also found in ancient and modern times among societies as large as empires like the Zulu kingdoms (Swaziland) or smaller societies and groups like the Matabele, Thonga and Lovedu, all of southeastern Africa. Kwanzaa builds on the five fundamental activities of Continental African "first fruit" celebrations: ingathering; reverence; commemoration; recommitment; and celebration. Kwanzaa, then, is:

• a time of ingathering of the people to reaffirm the bonds between them;

• a time of special reverence for the creator and creation in thanks and respect for the blessings, bountifulness and beauty of creation;

• a time for commemoration of the past in pursuit of its lessons and in honor of its models of human excellence, our ancestors;

• a time of recommitment to our highest cultural ideals in our ongoing effort to always bring forth the best of African cultural thought and practice; and

• a time for celebration of the Good, the good of life and of existence itself, the good of family, community and culture, the good of the awesome and the ordinary, in a word the good of the divine, natural and social.

Kwanzaa was established in 1966 in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement and thus reflects its concern for cultural groundedness in thought and practice, and the unity and self-determination associated with this. It was conceived and established to serve several functions.

Finally, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by Africans of all religious faiths who come together based on the rich, ancient and varied common ground of their Africanness.

Courtesy of:

http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/origins1.shtml

[womeninfictionandirl]

Daina Lekanta of the Umoja women’s village

[burlveneer-music]

My WVUD playlist and stream, 2/25/2023

Delfeayo Marsalis & Uptown Jazz Orchestra - Carnival Time Stooges Brass Band - Good Livin' Rebirth Brass Band - (I Feel Like) Bustin Loose (Live) Preservation Hall Jazz Band - La Malanga Dixie Cups - Iko Iko / Brother John / Saints Go Marching In The Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Robert Randolph - Cissy Strut Phillybloco - All On a Mardi Gras Day Angel Bat Dawid - RECORDARE-Recall the Joy Art Ensemble of Chicago - I Greet You With Open Arms Griots Wa Umoja - Trip To Africa Young Fathers - Ululation Lijadu Sisters - Bayi L'ense 3rd Generation Band - Obiye Saa Wui Verckys et l´Orchestre Vévé - Bassala Hot Witch - Waile Experience Unlimited - Free Yourself Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Wonk Cymande - Dove Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix (feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow)

(listen on Mixcloud)

[cyarsk52-20]

Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture.

Celebrated from December 26th through January 1st, the origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name.

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

Each day is started with this greeting: Habari Gani - What is the news? The reply is the ‘Nguzo Saba’ (principle) for that day. They are listed in order here:

Umoja - Unity Kujichagulia - Self Determination Ujima - Collective Work & Responsibility Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics Nia - Purpose Kuumba - Creativity Imani - Faith

[brookston]

Holidays 12.26

Holidays

Alexandria Day

Annabel Nostra’s National Cozy Day

Awful Tie Day

Boxing Day [26th unless Sunday, then 27th, but generally ignored] (a.k.a. ... 

Boxing Day (UK, Commonwealth) 

Day of Goodwill (South Africa, Namibia)

Family Day (Namibia, Vanuatu)

J’Ouvert (Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Le Lendemain de Noël (Quebec, Canada)

Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)

Day of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (Russia)

Dissolution of the Soviet Union Day

Father’s Day (Bulgaria)

Holiday Magic Days begin (Mystic Seaport, Connecticut) [thru 1.1]

Junkanoo (Bahamas)

Lava Day (French Republic)

Lunes Siguiente a Navidad (Spain)

Maomas

Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)

Mummer's Day (Cornwall, UK)

National Homeowners Day

National Leftover’s Day (Australia)

National Ranboo Day

National Safety Day (Sri Lanka)

National Thank You Note Day

National Whiner's Day

Proclamation Day (South Australia)

Recyclable Packaging Day

Saint Stephen’s Day (Andorra, Austria, Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland)

Sakewa (Sikkim, India)

Second Day of Christmas (Baltic states, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden)

Shenandoah National Park Day

Sports Day (Falkland Islands)

Stairway to Heaven Day

Utamanduni Day (Kenya)

Veer Bal Diwas (India)

Wren Day (a.k.a. Day of the Wren; Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Blessing of the Wine (Luxembourg)

Candy Cane Day

Coffee Percolator Day

Irish Pub Day

Kitty Dukakis Day (Challenge to Drink 750ml in 24 Hours)

Unbottling Day

Independence & Related Days

Belgium (Declared; 1830)

Essexia (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)

Istria (Declared; 1935) [unrecognized]

Marienbourg (Declared; 1935) [unrecognized]

Monmark (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

West Sayville (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

4th & Last Thursday in December

National Betty Day [4th Thursday]

Thinking Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three-Bean Thursday [Last Thursday of Each Month]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throw Away Thursday [Last Thursday of Each Month]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thuringer Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning December 26 (4th Full Week of December)

Kwanzaa (thru 1.1.2026)

Festivals Beginning December 26, 2024

Carnival of Putignano (Putignano, Italy) [thru 3.4.2025]

Réveillon Amoré (Ipojuca, Brazil) [thru 12.31]

Feast Days

Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church)

Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan (Artology)

Archelaus (Christian; Saint)

David Sedaris (Writerism)

Day of Horus (Pagan)

Day of Theotokos (Byzantium)

Dionysius, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Fools, Day 1 (St. Stephen's Day)

Feast of Frau Sonne

Feast of Igaehindvo

Feast of the Star Fairy

Feast of Sunne

Feast of Yemaya

Hans Liska (Artology)

Henry Miller (Writerism)

Hunting the Wren (Celtic Book of Days)

Iarlath (Christian; Saint)

James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)

John Calvin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

John Severin (Artology)

Kwanzaa, Day 1: Umoja (Unity)

Linnæus (Positivist; Saint)

Liz Lochhead (Writerism)

Maurice Utrillo (Artology)

Proclamation Day (Australia)

Ragnhild Kaarbø (Artology)

Richard Artschwager (Artology)

Saka Sirhind Martyrdom Day (India)

Scudge (Muppetism)

2nd Day of Noodlemas (Pastafarian)

Stephen (Western Church)

Synaxis of the Mother of God (Greek Orthodox Church)

Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Twelve Holy Days #1 (Aries, the head; Esoteric Christianity)

Twelvetide, Day #2; St. Stephens Day (a.k.a. the Twelve Days of Christmas or Christmastide) [until 1.5]

Veer Bal Dias (India)

Zartosht No-Diso (Zoroastrianism)

Zosimus, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Hanukkah, Day #2 (a.k.a. Chanukah; Judaism) [thru Jan. 2nd] (Light 2 Candles at Dusk) [25-26 Kislev]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

The ABC Murders (BBC TV Mini-Series; 2018)

Anna Bolena, by Gaetano Donizetti (Opera; 1830)

The Art of Self Defense (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Barney Bear’s Victory Garden (MGM Cartoon; 1942)

The Bubbleheads, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S1, Eps. 25 & 26 1964)

Brighton Beach Memoirs (Film; 1986)

Croakus Pocus (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

The Exorcist (Film; 1973)

Fast & Furious Spy Racers (Animated TV Series; 2019) [F&F]

Feast and Furious (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1952)

Flying Fever (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

The Glass Menagerie (Play; 1944)

Happy, by Matthew West (Album; 2003)

I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles (US Song; 1963)

King Lear, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1606)

The Last Edition or Five-Scar Final (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 138; 1961)

Lazy Little Beaver (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1947)

Magical Mystery Tour (BBC TV Special; 1967)

Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension (WB LT Cartoon; 1997)

Mati Hari (Film; 1931)

Measure for Measure, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1604)

Monterey Pop (Music Documentary; 1968)

Norma, by Vincenzo Bellini (Opera; 1831)

The Philadelphia Story (Film; 1940)

Pluto’s Blue Note (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann (Adult Film; 1974)

Purple Haze, written by Jimi Hendrix (Song; 1966)

Queen Christina (Film; 1933)

Rashomon (Film; 1951)

Red-Headed Baby (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

Rickety Gin (Ub Iwerks Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Disney Cartoon; 1927)

The Ritz (Film; 1976)

Road to Andalay (WB MM Cartoon; 1964)

Serape Happy (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

Spice World (Film; 1997)

Subway Finish or An Underground Round (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 137; 1961)

Tequila, by The Champs (Song; 1957)

The Three Little Pups (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1953)

We Bought a Zoo (Film; 2011)

Wool: The Unraveling, by Hugh Howey (Novel; 2011)

Today’s Name Days

Stephan, Stephanie (Austria)

Iosif, Yosif (Bulgaria)

Kruno, Krunoslav, Stjepan (Croatia)

Štěpán (Czech Republic)

Stefan (Denmark)

Sten, Taban, Tahvo, Teho, Tehvan, Tehvo (Estonia)

Tahvo, Tapani, Teppo (Finland)

Étienne (France)

Stephan, Stephanie (Germany)

Constantios, Emmanouela, Emmanouil, Emmanuel, Manolis, Panagiotis (Greece)

István (Hungary)

Santo (Italy)

Dainuvite, Gija, Saulvedis (Latvia)

Gaudilas, Gindvilė, Steponas (Lithuania)

Stefan, Steffen (Norway)

Dionizy, Szczepan, Wróciwoj (Poland)

Štefan (Slovakia)

Esteban (Spain)

Staffan, Stefan (Sweden)

Joseph, Josephine (Ukraine)

Esteban, Estefania, Estefany, Estevan, Stefan, Stefanie, Stephan, Stephanie, Stephany, Stephen, Steve, Steven, Stevie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 361 of 2024; 5 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 52 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 5 of 28]

Chinese: Month 11 (Bing-Zi), Day 26 (Jia-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 25 Kislev 5785

Islamic: 24 Jumada II 1446

J Cal: 1 Festival; Oneday [1 of 6]

Julian: 13 December 2024

Moon: 17%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 25 Bichat (13th Month) [Vicq-d’Azyr / Haller]

Runic Half Month: Eihwaz or Eoh (Yew Tree) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 6 of 90)

Week: 4th Full Week of December

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 5 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 12.26

Holidays

Alexandria Day

Annabel Nostra’s National Cozy Day

Awful Tie Day

Boxing Day [26th unless Sunday, then 27th, but generally ignored] (a.k.a. ... 

Boxing Day (UK, Commonwealth) 

Day of Goodwill (South Africa, Namibia)

Family Day (Namibia, Vanuatu)

J’Ouvert (Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Le Lendemain de Noël (Quebec, Canada)

Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)

Day of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (Russia)

Dissolution of the Soviet Union Day

Father’s Day (Bulgaria)

Holiday Magic Days begin (Mystic Seaport, Connecticut) [thru 1.1]

Junkanoo (Bahamas)

Lava Day (French Republic)

Lunes Siguiente a Navidad (Spain)

Maomas

Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)

Mummer's Day (Cornwall, UK)

National Homeowners Day

National Leftover’s Day (Australia)

National Ranboo Day

National Safety Day (Sri Lanka)

National Thank You Note Day

National Whiner's Day

Proclamation Day (South Australia)

Recyclable Packaging Day

Saint Stephen’s Day (Andorra, Austria, Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland)

Sakewa (Sikkim, India)

Second Day of Christmas (Baltic states, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden)

Shenandoah National Park Day

Sports Day (Falkland Islands)

Stairway to Heaven Day

Utamanduni Day (Kenya)

Veer Bal Diwas (India)

Wren Day (a.k.a. Day of the Wren; Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Blessing of the Wine (Luxembourg)

Candy Cane Day

Coffee Percolator Day

Irish Pub Day

Kitty Dukakis Day (Challenge to Drink 750ml in 24 Hours)

Unbottling Day

Independence & Related Days

Belgium (Declared; 1830)

Essexia (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)

Istria (Declared; 1935) [unrecognized]

Marienbourg (Declared; 1935) [unrecognized]

Monmark (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

West Sayville (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

4th & Last Thursday in December

National Betty Day [4th Thursday]

Thinking Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three-Bean Thursday [Last Thursday of Each Month]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throw Away Thursday [Last Thursday of Each Month]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thuringer Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning December 26 (4th Full Week of December)

Kwanzaa (thru 1.1.2026)

Festivals Beginning December 26, 2024

Carnival of Putignano (Putignano, Italy) [thru 3.4.2025]

Réveillon Amoré (Ipojuca, Brazil) [thru 12.31]

Feast Days

Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church)

Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan (Artology)

Archelaus (Christian; Saint)

David Sedaris (Writerism)

Day of Horus (Pagan)

Day of Theotokos (Byzantium)

Dionysius, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Fools, Day 1 (St. Stephen's Day)

Feast of Frau Sonne

Feast of Igaehindvo

Feast of the Star Fairy

Feast of Sunne

Feast of Yemaya

Hans Liska (Artology)

Henry Miller (Writerism)

Hunting the Wren (Celtic Book of Days)

Iarlath (Christian; Saint)

James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)

John Calvin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

John Severin (Artology)

Kwanzaa, Day 1: Umoja (Unity)

Linnæus (Positivist; Saint)

Liz Lochhead (Writerism)

Maurice Utrillo (Artology)

Proclamation Day (Australia)

Ragnhild Kaarbø (Artology)

Richard Artschwager (Artology)

Saka Sirhind Martyrdom Day (India)

Scudge (Muppetism)

2nd Day of Noodlemas (Pastafarian)

Stephen (Western Church)

Synaxis of the Mother of God (Greek Orthodox Church)

Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Twelve Holy Days #1 (Aries, the head; Esoteric Christianity)

Twelvetide, Day #2; St. Stephens Day (a.k.a. the Twelve Days of Christmas or Christmastide) [until 1.5]

Veer Bal Dias (India)

Zartosht No-Diso (Zoroastrianism)

Zosimus, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Hanukkah, Day #2 (a.k.a. Chanukah; Judaism) [thru Jan. 2nd] (Light 2 Candles at Dusk) [25-26 Kislev]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

The ABC Murders (BBC TV Mini-Series; 2018)

Anna Bolena, by Gaetano Donizetti (Opera; 1830)

The Art of Self Defense (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Barney Bear’s Victory Garden (MGM Cartoon; 1942)

The Bubbleheads, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S1, Eps. 25 & 26 1964)

Brighton Beach Memoirs (Film; 1986)

Croakus Pocus (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

The Exorcist (Film; 1973)

Fast & Furious Spy Racers (Animated TV Series; 2019) [F&F]

Feast and Furious (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1952)

Flying Fever (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

The Glass Menagerie (Play; 1944)

Happy, by Matthew West (Album; 2003)

I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles (US Song; 1963)

King Lear, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1606)

The Last Edition or Five-Scar Final (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 138; 1961)

Lazy Little Beaver (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1947)

Magical Mystery Tour (BBC TV Special; 1967)

Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension (WB LT Cartoon; 1997)

Mati Hari (Film; 1931)

Measure for Measure, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1604)

Monterey Pop (Music Documentary; 1968)

Norma, by Vincenzo Bellini (Opera; 1831)

The Philadelphia Story (Film; 1940)

Pluto’s Blue Note (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann (Adult Film; 1974)

Purple Haze, written by Jimi Hendrix (Song; 1966)

Queen Christina (Film; 1933)

Rashomon (Film; 1951)

Red-Headed Baby (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

Rickety Gin (Ub Iwerks Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Disney Cartoon; 1927)

The Ritz (Film; 1976)

Road to Andalay (WB MM Cartoon; 1964)

Serape Happy (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

Spice World (Film; 1997)

Subway Finish or An Underground Round (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 137; 1961)

Tequila, by The Champs (Song; 1957)

The Three Little Pups (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1953)

We Bought a Zoo (Film; 2011)

Wool: The Unraveling, by Hugh Howey (Novel; 2011)

Today’s Name Days

Stephan, Stephanie (Austria)

Iosif, Yosif (Bulgaria)

Kruno, Krunoslav, Stjepan (Croatia)

Štěpán (Czech Republic)

Stefan (Denmark)

Sten, Taban, Tahvo, Teho, Tehvan, Tehvo (Estonia)

Tahvo, Tapani, Teppo (Finland)

Étienne (France)

Stephan, Stephanie (Germany)

Constantios, Emmanouela, Emmanouil, Emmanuel, Manolis, Panagiotis (Greece)

István (Hungary)

Santo (Italy)

Dainuvite, Gija, Saulvedis (Latvia)

Gaudilas, Gindvilė, Steponas (Lithuania)

Stefan, Steffen (Norway)

Dionizy, Szczepan, Wróciwoj (Poland)

Štefan (Slovakia)

Esteban (Spain)

Staffan, Stefan (Sweden)

Joseph, Josephine (Ukraine)

Esteban, Estefania, Estefany, Estevan, Stefan, Stefanie, Stephan, Stephanie, Stephany, Stephen, Steve, Steven, Stevie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 361 of 2024; 5 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 52 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 5 of 28]

Chinese: Month 11 (Bing-Zi), Day 26 (Jia-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 25 Kislev 5785

Islamic: 24 Jumada II 1446

J Cal: 1 Festival; Oneday [1 of 6]

Julian: 13 December 2024

Moon: 17%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 25 Bichat (13th Month) [Vicq-d’Azyr / Haller]

Runic Half Month: Eihwaz or Eoh (Yew Tree) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 6 of 90)

Week: 4th Full Week of December

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 5 of 30)

[travelinfo120]

With cloud spend continuing to surge, tech companies are scrambling to meet demand for the necessary infrastructure, with the growing need for AI compute only adding fuel to the fire. By way of example, Microsoft and BlackRock have created a $30 billion fund to support new data centers and energy infrastructure for the burgeoning AI boom, and Meta is planning a new $10 billion subsea cable that will span the entire globe. Google, for its part, recently announced Umoja, the first subsea fiber-optic cable to connect Africa and Australia — and it’s joining a $90 million funding round into Cassava Technologies, one of the partner companies involved in the Umoja project. With its first African data center operational for a year, among other infrastructure projects such as the Equiano subsea cable, Google confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s now taking a direct equity stake in Cassava, though it didn’t provide comment on the rationale behind the investment. However, it’s clear that it’s looking to improve infrastructure across the continent. Indeed, Africa has been hit by widespread outages throughout 2024, which have been attributed to faulty undersea cables, so it makes sense that Google would want to fund efforts to bolster connectivity for consumers and businesses that might want to use its services. Cassava announced $310 million in funding overall, though $220 million of that is in the form of a credit facility for one of its subsidiaries. The $90 million equity tranche included investments from the U.S. federal government’s International Development Finance Corporation (DFC); Finnish development finance company Finnfund; and Google itself. The funding will help Cassava: “… strengthen its balance sheet, drive sustainable profitable growth, and cement its position as a global technology company of African heritage,” according to a press release that also detailed a broader reorganization of the company. “It’s a pivotal milestone that we expect to unlock immense value and catalyze the further expansion of our digital infrastructure and services to bridge the digital divide on the continent,” Cassava CEO and President Hardy Pemhiwa (pictured above) said. Liquid assets African telecommunication company Econet spun out Cassava in 2021, serving as a standalone business for Econet’s various digital services and infrastructure initiatives spanning data centers, fiber broadband networks, renewable energy, cloud, cybersecurity, and more. Although Africa is a major focal point for Cassava, it also operates across other “key growth markets” including the Middle East, India, and Latin America. Among its business units is Liquid Intelligent Technologies, which worked with Google to build the terrestrial segment of Umoja; the cable starts in Kenya, and snakes through the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, before concluding its land journey in South Africa. Separately, another of Cassava’s business units, Liquid C2, this year announced a partnership with Google and Anthropic to bring “advanced cloud, cybersecurity solutions, and generative AI” services to companies across Africa. This constituted part of Google’s previous commitment to invest $1 billion in Africa’s digital economy. “Businesses are increasingly turning to generative AI to drive operational efficiencies, improve the customer experience, and empower their employees like never before,” Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian said of its partnership with Liquid C2 at the time. “This partnership has the opportunity to transform how African businesses serve and engage their customers as we provide them a foundation for innovation.”