Holidays by numbers: 420 and 175

20 April, another American holiday, a growing one, if you will.

We only noticed on a visit to the Huffington Post website that 420, or 4-20, had come and gone. Only late on Sunday did we  find a note about Rhianna and her cake in the "misc." section of one news site.

We wonder what the Germans would say about 20 April being the US pot smokers' holiday, about the local television news in many states showing un-pixelated pot smokers, happily waving their joint in one hand and their medical pot card in the other.

And in some states, they will probably not need the card for much longer. What are they going to do with the thus free second hand?

But 420 (pronounced four twenty) has also become a day of remembrance for the victims of the drug war, those killed, those whose lives were ruined. 

You get what you pay for, and those estimated 1.5 trillion dollars spent since the early 1970s must have been worth it.

There are bright spots, even as a black kid you can do drugs and become President - if they don't catch you. If you are a black kid and they catch you, kiss your sorry ass and any presidential aspirations goodbye.

The Germans have a bit of a historical problem with April 20. It's the birthday of the guy with the square mustache.

So, they are still a bit touchy and sensitive when it comes to public events.

Soccer matches and festive events are totally cool, but the democratic political parties tend to have fewer events on that day. The right wing NPD held their national convention on 20 April 2013. Not to worry, their conventions always see demonstrations against the NPD and whatever is even further to the right of them.

While we are doing holidays by numbers, there was a traditional German underground holiday on 17 May (175  because they are, like, the Brits of calendars with their days and months on the wrong side) .

The number 175 comes from the old section # 175 of the penal code that made being gay a felony. On May 17, gays and lesbians would go out and celebrate, not Pride parade style but easy to see for those who knew what to look for.

The section is gone from the law, and they have a foreign secretary who is openly gay.