Shouting, Bars and Nudie Taser Runs.

February 1

Owase Yaya Matsuri (Shouting Festival) Japan Feb1-8.

Today begin the Yaya or Shouting Festival days at Owase Shrine, Owase, Japan. This unusual calendar custom is a 'Shouting Festival', one of several 'quarrel festivals'.
Young men carrying mikoshi floats crash into each other on the streets, shouting “Yaya! Yaya!”, jostling each other before diving into the sea to purify themselves. People whose houses border the routes of such craziness erect protective fences. There is much dancing, and the next year’s participants are elected at the shrine on the Yaya festival’s final night. The festival also offers archery events and street dancing.

Black History Month begins USA.

Lesbian and Gay History Month begins UK.

Happy Birthday

1901 the ever gorgeous Clark Gable (Frankly my dear I don't give a damn)

1947 Normie Rowe Aust.pop star

1956 Elsa the lioness from Born Free

1968 Lisa Marie Presley singer,actress who had a mildly famous dad.

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1524 London, England: The city was prophesied to drown under the River Thames on this day. Several London fortune tellers and astrologers concurred in predicting that, on this day, the waters of the Thames would swell to such a height as to overflow the whole city of London, and wash away ten thousand houses. The prophecy met implicit belief and was reiterated with great confidence month after month, until so much alarm was excited that many families of all classes packed up their goods, and moved to Kent and Essex on foot or by wagon.(I blame global warming myself)

1858 William Dean made the first balloon ascent in Australia.(he had his head in the clouds)

1955 In New South Wales, Australia, the hotels were from this day allowed to close at 10pm instead of 6pm, ending the notorious 6 O'clock swill,at which time the publican would often call “Time, please gentlemen. If you can’t drink it, leave it; if you can’t leave it, drink it”. This phenomenon of Australian life, made possible by the support of groups such as the Women's Christian Temperence Union had drawn heavy criticism for the tendency of citizens to drink quickly and heavily and return home drunk at dinner time.(hic hic hooray)

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Golfer loses memory after hole in one...horrors of the greens!

Man loses wife at poker.....best hand of cards he'd had all year?

Naked student tasered by police in canteen.....fries or frizzled bits on the side?