Monday 9 June Day of the Azores in Azores
The Azores is a region of Portugal composed of nine islands. The archipelago discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, became an Autonomous Region…
Spreadsheet Steve, and five other nicknames which mean your life has gone horribly awry
PICKED up a nickname? Proud of it, even though it’s a glaring sign your life has taken a wrong turn somewhere? Any of these is…
Why the answer to our childcare issues is a sexy Italian girl moving in: A husband pitches an au pair
CARING husband Stephen, not his real name, has noticed his wife is struggling to balance work and childcare and, like a hero, has come up…
Saturday 7 June Sette Giugno in Malta
Malta's position in the Mediterranean sea has made the islands a strategically important location since classical times, with the islands passing from one ruler to…
Woman only smug about boyfriend because friends are dating worst dickheads imaginable
A WOMAN confident her relationship is superior to others is technically correct, but only because every other couple she knows is a car crash. Charlotte,…
Colleague massively overestimating emotional impact of her leaving
A WOMAN is under the mistaken impression that her leaving for another job is an important emotional event for those around her. Emma, not her…
Sunday 1 June Madaraka Day in Kenya
The first colonists from Europe to have a presence in Kenya were German. In 1890, the region came under the control of the Imperial British…
Man’s facial hair clearly his proudest achievement
A MAN obviously considers his beard and moustache to be the best thing he has ever done with his life, and may sadly be correct.…
Saturday 31 May Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day in Brunei
Brunei had been a British protectorate since 1888, and as such, was reliant on the British armed forces for protection and defense. On 31 May…
Lazy bastard millennial refusing to work for free
AN entitled young person has self-indulgently turned down a fantastic career opportunity of long-term unpaid work. Snowflake mathematics graduate Nathan, not his real name, aged…
Friday 30 May Dragon Boat Festival in Taiwan
Legend has it that the holiday honours the tragic death of Chu Yuan, who died in 288 BC. At the time of Warring States, Chu…
Thursday 29 May Ascension Day around the world
You will find the Biblical accounts of the Ascension in Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:6-11. During the forty-day period before he ascended into…
Workplace friendship turns horribly awkward outside office
TWO colleagues had the horrific experience of discovering their banter-based work relationship does not exist outside the office. Tom invited Martin, not their real names,…
Wednesday 28 May Day of the First Republic in Armenia
From the 15th century, Armenia had been part of the Ottoman Empire. By the 19th century, most of modern-day Armenia had come under the control…
Monday 26 May Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture in Bulgaria
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine brothers born in Thessalonica in the 9th century. Part of a prominent Christian family, their father was Greek…
Couple that got together via drunken hookup offering dating advice
A COUPLE who drunkenly fumbled their way into a relationship are smugly offering dating advice to their single friends, it has emerged. Despite having only…
Sunday 25 May May Day Revolution in Argentina
In 1810, the weeklong revolutionary events ending on May 25th accelerated national sentiment that would eventually lead to the birth of the Argentine nation after…
Why, as a 44-year-old man, I am too young to think of settling down
From Chris in Wellington I GET it. Women on apps expect a man of my age to have settled down. The ones aged 24 to…
Saturday 24 May Independence Day in Eritrea
The history of this small country on the Horn of Africa is intertwined with its larger neighbour to the south, Ethiopia. 2,000 years ago, both…
Boyfriend who ‘can’t read minds’ also unable to understand verbal instructions
A BOYFRIEND who ‘cannot read minds’ can not comprehend verbal or written instructions either, his partner has confirmed. Joanna, not her real name, is frequently…