Six Years
On July 1, 1997, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland formally turned over to the People's Republic of China control of Hong Kong and the New Territories, collectively known as Hong Kong. During the waning days of the Qing Dynasty, the British Empire rung a series of territorial concessions out of the weakened Chinese Empire. Hong Kong was placed under British sovereignty in purpetuity; the New Territories were leased for a period of one hundred years. Yet, when the lease on the New Territories expired, the British were also forced to return Hong Kong itself. For while they did hold legal right to Hong Kong, the city received both its water and power from the soon-to-be Chinese-controlled New Territories; thus, sovereignty over the entire area was turned over to Beijing.

Today, the citizens of Hong Kong marched to protest a proposed national security law, which many fear will take away the unique rights Hong Kong enjoys under the "one country, two systems" arrangement. Essentially, this allows the people of Hong Kong to enjoy the same rights they did under British rule, at least in theory. For how much longer is anybody's guess.

The Great White North
Today is Canada Day (formerly Dominion Day), the anniversary of the day the United Kingdom united Upper Canada (Quebec) and Lower Canada (Ontario) into the Dominion of Canada. It's the closest thing the Canadians have to our Indepedence Day, since those pussies never fought for their independence; to this day, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Canada. Ha ha!