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BBC News subtitles have so much to teach us about the world. Last night alone I learnt that an EU mission is going to “rust police and justice services” in Kosovo, that the governor of Illinois has been trying to sell the senate seat of “President Lech Barack Obama” and that there has been more rioting today in “several Grix kitties”.

International years

As all our attention is focused on bidding farewell to the International Year of the Potato—long will I cherish the memory of the celebrations in Trafalgar Square and the lingering smell of the debris left by those magnificent potato fireworks—it’s only right that we pause to reflect on what else this has been the International Year Of.

2008 is, according to the UN, the International Year of Sanitation, the International Year of Languages and the International Year of Planet Earth—a bit of a coup for all three entities, none of which have looked back since. It is the second International Year of the Reef, while the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria (WAZA) declared it to be the International Year of the Frog.

Looking ahead, the UN has declared 2009 the International Year of Astronomy. The General Assembly has also pronounced 2009 both the International Year of Reconciliation and, “noting that the diverse range of natural fibres produced in many countries provides an important source of income for farmers and can thus play an important role in improving food security, eradicating poverty and contributing to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals”, the International Year of Natural Fibres. 2009 has been designated by the Let Sharks Live network as the International Year of the Shark, while according to the American Guild of Organists 2008-09 is the International Year of the Organ. More International Year Ofs as we get them.

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Talking of festivities, I can’t quite put my finger on it but something’s bothering me about the list on this webpage of “Holidays in England”:

January 24-26	Lunar New Year
February 28	Peace Memorial Day
March 29	Youth Day
April 4	Women and Children's Day
June 25	Dragon Boat Festival
September 28	Confucius Birthday
October 1	Mid Autumn Festival
October 10	National Day
October 25	Retrocession Day
October 31	Chian Kai-Shek’s Birthday
November 12	Sun Yat-Sen’s Birthday
December 25	Constitution Day