What is Mayday?
1.
Some people may be wondering why anybody would yell "May Day" when they are in trouble. Here is why:
It derives from the French "m'aidez", pronounced "mayDAY," and means literally "help me."
If you are in distress while flying an
airplane , calling "Mayday mayday mayday" over the radio will give you top priority and any help people on the ground or in the air can offer.
2.
international distress radio code word, when using voice transmission
MAYDAY is reconized internationally as an emergency code on any type of radio system, and should be taken seriously.
"Coast Guard, this is the Andrea Gail, MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY"
3.
Mayday (Wu Yue Tian) is one of the most popular rock bands of Taiwan. Its members are Ashin (lead vocalist), Masa (bass), Ming (drummer), Monster (guitar), and Stone (guitar).
A favorite of Taiwan's nascent rock scene in the mid to late-1990s, Mayday catapulted to fame following their Golden Melody nomination for Best Band in 2000. Though they lost the award that year, a contract they inked with Rock Records, the nation's largest label for rock music, gave them the marketing muscle they needed to start selling records on the same scale as perennially favorite pop stars like Lee Hom Wong, Eason Chan and David Tao. They've since become one of Taiwan's only million-selling rock bands, behind Wu Bai and China Blue, and they've taken home their own Golden Melody awards for Best Band and Best Video and even had a Taipei City Honor award bestowed on them by Mayor Ma Ying-jeou.
("Who said Mayday was a sellout?" by David Momphard, Taipei Times, Friday, Jan 07, 2005)
4.
There are very few countries that celebrate mayday the way it deserves to be celebrated.
First of all, common misunderstanding is that mayday is 1st may. The real mayday starts 30th april and continues to very morning of first may (and sometimes even further).
It once used to be a celebration of working people, but this has been long forgotten. Nowadays, hardly anyone remembers (or cares) about the history of mayday.
The one and only proper way to celebrate mayday is pissup. Getting drunk out of your skull. Getting wasted. Whatever works for you as long as you can't walk straight.
The celebration includes (in addition to alcohol) balloons, serpentine and students doing things they regret later.
On the mayday week, alcohol sells 65% more than on any other week during the year.
More people die in alcoholic poisoning on mayday than on any other day of the year.
5.
Mayday: A well-known celebration at Washington College in which hundreds of students gather in a drunken, naked, crowd around the schools flag pole(which is located on the campus green). No matter who you are or what you look like, plan to get naked, because a mayday without nudity is no mayday at all. Starting april 30th and lasting all night long until the students slowly start dispersing. The occasional townie will show up with a few disposable cameras but luckily Public Safety endorses the nude and kicks them off campus... just don't try to climb the flagpole naked, or you might end up in the hospital. The festivities end after the Salisbury v. WAC game the next day known as War on the Shore
"Holy freaking crap, i saw so many titties last night at mayday."
"Oh god, i could've definetly gone without seeing that guy naked on mayday"
"If i had a nickel for every set of genitalia i saw on mayday last night, i'd have a shitload of nickels!!"
See
6.
Day of international resistance and solidarity against capitalism.
Originally a day of carnivalesque suspension of the social order of work and control, prevalent among peasant communities in mediaeval Europe. A continuation of earlier pagan festivities which continued in a syncretic way during the Christian era, with rituals such as the maypole retained. (This was originally a pagan fertility ritual).
It became a focus of international resistance for two reasons: firstly, because the campaign for Mayday to be made into a holiday was an important early campaign of the workers' movement, and secondly and more importantly, because of the Haymarket martyrs, anarchists stitched up over a bombing at a protest.
It has become an important focal point for resistance in recent years in countries such as Britain and Australia, and for a longer time in Germany. Anarchist, anti-capitalist and direct action events have been organised, as well as left-wing demonstrations and parades.
7.
The promise of a pleasurable future experience, the date for which has not been specified. Derived from a similar expression regarding an item called a tuit, specifically a round one.
Sally: 'Darling, when shall we be married?'
Don: 'Mayday, my sweet, Mayday. When I get around to it.'
