Author Archives: alan

Shopping on Black Friday

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black friday

The name sounds like a horror movie title or an omen of impending doom, so what does it have to do with shopping? Well, Black Friday is the name given to the day after Thanksgiving; the day that opens the Christmas shopping season and also one that is traditionally known as having some of the greatest sales in the history of mankind, if you’re lucky to get up early enough and get inside your favorite department store to enjoy them.

Most retail stores open at (gulp) 5:00 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving in an effort to get a jump on sales that other stores, who don’t open early enough, lose out on. Dedicated shoppers around the United States set their alarms and drag unwilling husbands or kids with them as they get in line before their favorite stores in the dark and wait patiently for those glass doors to slide open. Did you think that people would only line up around the block to see the latest and greatest movies? Try getting up early on the morning after Thanksgiving and you’ll be treated to an eye-opening surprise. Thousands of shoppers, decked out in coats and gloves, brave the cold, the wind, the rain, to get an early start on their Christmas shopping and the best sales of the year.

While this somewhat dubious tradition has been practiced for more decades than many would care to remember, the term ‘Black Friday’ was created in the 1970’s. In the 21st century however, the observation of the day has reached increasingly growing popularity and numbers of participants, perhaps due to the vagaries of inflation, or perhaps due to the trendiness of it all.

The term, Black Friday, has its origins in several factors, and depending on whether you’re speaking to a shopper or a storeowner, you may get different definitions. For retailers, Black Friday designates, as a news broadcast in 1982 stated, “Some merchants label the day after Thanksgiving Black Friday because business today can mean the difference between red ink and black on ledgers…” Others claim that the term refers to the massive amount of shoppers all vying for certain products and the resulting stress and strain makes shopping on such a day a not-so-pleasant experience. Store employees throughout America, who are the ones who must deal with demanding and impatient customers, have seconded that same emotion. However, because of the negative connotations associated with the term, ‘Black Friday’, many merchants throughout the United States have begun to try to rename the day, “Green Friday”, though such efforts have proven to be lukewarm at best. It appears as if the use of the term ‘Black’ in the day will continue for years to come.

Black Friday is usually looked forward to by a massive majority of women shoppers, who have had their eyes on certain items for the months leading up to the Christmas shopping season, and retailers play on such shoppers, often offering limited numbers of popular items to those who are lined up outside, all the while knowing that their supply won’t match demand. Still, once shoppers are inside their stores, they’re bound to purchase something rather than go home empty handed, which makes such schemes a win-win situation for themselves.

And while hundreds of thousands of bargain shoppers wait in lines for those special, one-day-a-year deals, family members that wait for their return at home scratch their heads and wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, everyone knows that the busiest shopping day of the year is the Saturday before Christmas.

How To Get Rid Of A Farmer’s Tan

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Farmers tan

If you’re afraid to go to the beach and take your shirt off because of a few extra pounds or a spare tire it’s completely understandable. There are other reasons people might want to stay fully covered on a hot day and one is the dreaded farmer’s tan. We’ve all seen them and we’ve all had them, whether we’d like to admit it or not.

Farmers aren’t the only professionals subject to bad tan lines. A tan face and arms look great until the t-shirt comes off. It’s only then that the 2 opposing colors of your body scream out that you have a job outside that requires you wear a shirt. So how can someone look good without appearing that they’ve been doing yard work all day?

A farmer’s tan will not disappear overnight. But there are things that can be done to improve your look.

Exfoliation: This is the process of removing dead cells, particularly the dead cells that hold on to the coloration. Basically what’s going on here is that using a scrubber to get rid of the tanned cells so that the original skin tones come through and make your whole body more uniform in color. By soaking in a hot tub the cells are loosened and the scrubber removes them. Sometimes just soaking in and of itself is a great way to exfoliate.

Dry Baking Soda: Repeated exposure to the sun can cause the skin to appear blotchy. To get rid of blotchiness is to dampen the skin and rub it in a circular direction with baking soda. Baking soda is safe and is an item found in just about every home.
Self-Tanners: Of course, only apply to the areas that are white or you’ll get a farmer’s tan that’s more extreme in appearance. Self tanners are healthy and come in a variety of hues. There is certainly one available that will match your body color.

Lotions: Especially those with alpha hydroxy or hydrogen peroxide. By applying a small amount on a cotton ball and rubbing it over the tanned areas, these lotions can reduce a farmer’s tan. Be careful as some lotions can cause irritation if used in excess.

Sunscreens: Try to go with a very high SPF (above 50 if possible). Apply to areas exposed to the sun. You can also use an SPF in combination with one of the above methods to speed up the process if you’re unable to avoid working in the sun. Re-apply the sunscreen several times a day and purchase one that’s sweat proof.

The best way to get rid of a farmer’s tan is to stay out of the sun altogether and let your body come back to its original color. The more often you expose your body to the sun the stronger the tan becomes. Stay indoors and in shaded areas as much as you can or wear sun blocking hats and clothing.

Or you can simply wear your farmer’s tan with pride as a symbol of your hard work!

Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year’s Day

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Rosh Hashanah

One of many important and religious holidays celebrated by Jews around the world is Rosh Hashanah, which falls on the first day of Tishri, the first month in the Jewish calendar. The day may land anywhere from September 6th to October 5th. The Jewish year is divided into twelve lunar months, with an extra month every two or three years, each month containing 354 days, while the year with 13 months lasts 383 days. This day is also commonly called the Feast of Trumpets and marks the beginning of a ten-day period of observance that ends with the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Solemn Day of Atonement.

Contrary to how most other religions celebrate and ring in New Year, the Jewish observance of Rosh Hashanah is a somber occasion, and not meant for merrymaking. It’s meant to be a time during which those of the Jewish faith search their hearts and strive to improve themselves. It’s a time for reflection and meditation, and while not an observance that requires methods of mourning or sacrifice, sees most of the faith behaving in a quiet, reserved manner.

Most faiths believe that in some manner, all humans will someday be judged before their Maker, and those of the Jewish faith believe that Rosh Hashanah is the day in which ‘all creatures pass review of the searching eye of Omnipotence’. It is also a day during which those of the Jewish faith believe that God receives the report of Satan and as such, often say to one another in passing, “May you be inscribed for a Happy New Year,” which refers to the belief that all names are written in a Book of Life.

The time leading up to Rosh Hashanah is a time of much activity for most Jewish families, and everyone helps with cleaning and shopping for new clothes and food with which to observe the date. Prayer services are held at local synagogues in towns and cities across America, and on many occasions, the sound of a Shofar, or a ram’s horn trumpet echoes throughout neighborhoods, a sound that announces a symbolic tone of both hope and warning. The Shofar is also believed to confuse and frighten Satan. This unique instrument sounds one hundred notes each day of the observance. The sound, unlike anything many people have ever heard before, is meant to remind all Jews of the solemnity of the day and urges them to reflect on their behavior and lives during the past year. Rabbi’s read from the Torah, the holy book of the Jewish faith.

No one works on Rosh Hashanah and much of the day is spent in a synagogue, where special prayers and litanies are offered. Another time honored tradition known as ‘casting off’ is honored this day, and involves the faithful walking to a source of flowing water, where they empty their pockets into the water in a gesture meant to symbolize the casting away of sins. Pieces of bread stored in pockets serve this purpose.

A fine table is traditionally set for the dinner honored on that day, and laden with fine dishes and foods. Candles are lit as well, and prayers offered. Men, women and children dress in their finest clothes and gather with their families to attend this feast. Apples and bread dipped in honey are a traditional food, which symbolize a wish for a sweet new year.

The observances of Rosh Hashanah differ slightly depending on whether the Jewish person recognizing the day is a reformed or an orthodox or conservative Jew, but throughout the world, Rosh Hashanah is a time honored tradition that has lasted thousands of years, and will continue to do so, both in the United States and abroad.

Remembering Heroes on Armed Forces Day

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Armed Forces

Armed Forces Day, which has been celebrated every the third Saturday in May since 1950, is a day in which all military service members from every branch of the military, past and present, are honored for their duty, loyalty and sacrifice to the United States of America.

In 1949, the United States Secretary of Defense created a single day for Americans to celebrate our national military: Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine soldiers and support personnel. The President of the United States at that time, President Harry S. Truman, said the day should be recognized to “praise the work of the military services at home and across the seas,” and that Armed Forces Day marked “the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality.” The New York Times said of the event, “This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces, to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in the line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.”

To this day, Armed Forces Day is a day for all civilians in America to stop for at least a moment to honor and thank those who daily put their lives on the line for the continued pursuit of freedom and democracy, both at home and abroad. Celebrated with parades, flag waving and military air shows, the day is one filled with pride and military splendor. In Washington D.C., over 10,000 military soldiers from each branch of the military, veterans and enlisted alike, participate in a parade before the President and his cabinet members. The event is televised throughout the nation, a spectacular display of pomp, ceremony and unity of strength. Throughout the world, military personnel from different branches and duty stations join in on parades and ceremonies that mark the special day. In many ports of America, grand old battleships are made ready to ceremoniously sail one more time, or at least open their bulkheads for Americans from all walks of life to step aboard a part of American military history.

Famous Americans make speeches and somberly honor the soldiers who have fought and died for our country, as well as those who serve, or have served, months or years of their lives in foreign countries in the name of security, freedom and democracy. Military personnel and veterans who speak of duty, courage, honor and loyalty visit children in schools around the country. Through the years, great military leaders have spoken of honoring American fighting men and women and the importance of supporting our forces. President Dwight D. Eisenhower said of Armed Forces Day, “It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world.”

The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated and observed during a time of great world tensions, when the threat of nuclear war hung over every nation of the world, along with the threat of encroaching communism. Keywords today, some of which include dedication, devotion, appreciation, liberty, patriotism and unity, continue to serve Americans in their pursuit for freedom and democracy. Armed Forces Day should be recognized and honored by all Americans, young and old of all races, creeds and beliefs. A statement made by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 says it all quite succinctly. “Word to the Nation: Guard zealously your right to serve in the Armed Forces, for without them, there will be no other rights to guard.”

Remembering Patriot Day

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Patriot Day

Patriot Day is a day for all Americans to remember the tragedy of events that unfolded during early morning hours in New York City on September 11, 2001.

For the second time since America became an independent nation, she found herself under attack. Civilian targets as well as the Pentagon were the intended targets of these terrorists, and nearly three thousand Americans were killed before the dust settled. The day will forever be known as 9/11 for Americans and people all over the world. A month later, in October, a U.S. House joint resolution requested that President George W. Bush designate September 11th as a day to honor the dead from that deadly ambush. The day was originally called the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist Attacks, but in 2002, the name was shortened to state, quite simply, ‘Patriot’s Day’. Since then, American citizens and citizens from around the world pause at the times of the several attacks on that fateful morning in order to honor and remember the dead. While not considered a national ‘holiday’ as such, Patriot Day is indeed a day for all to consider the memories of the fallen; for civilians and the firemen and policemen that did their best to save them. The day will always be remembered as a day of horror and despair, but also courage, bravery and loyalty given to our country, especially by the flight crew and passengers of Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to abort the terrorists plans to crash the plane into the State Capitol.

The event, which for some equaled the feelings that resulted following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, signaling America’s entry into the Second World War, struck a chord of patriotism in the United States unequalled since that attack sixty years earlier. Americans around the world pause for reflection starting the moment the first airplane, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the World Trade Center Tower North at 8:46:30, followed a short time later by United Flight 175 into World Trace Center Tower South at 9:02:59. Less than an hour later, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37:46, followed roughly twenty minutes later by the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03:11.

Patriot Day is now a day during which Americans somberly reflect the memory of the civilians and fire and police department personnel who died that day, as well as the importance of remaining united as a nation. The largest memorial service for this day of remembrance is held every September 11th at what is now called Ground Zero, where the World Trade Towers once stood, and periods of silence honor the fallen beginning at 8:46 and end with candlelight vigils. Flags around the country are lowered to half-staff. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, New York City’s mayor, Rudy Guliani, lit an eternal flame and an outdoor public memorial is under construction at the Pentagon, to be completed by the fall of 2008.

A national memorial is also under construction to commemorate the flight crew and passengers of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, while a World Trade Center Memorial is expected to be completed in 2009. In addition to physical memorials to the day of remembrance, families of many of the victims of 9/11 have set up charities, scholarship funds and memorial funds in the names of their loved ones to perpetuate their honor and their memories for generations to come. As with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the world will never forget the images burned into their memories following the attack on civilian and military targets that fateful morning.

How to Celebrate Mother’s Day

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Mother Day

Remember Her on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is celebrated on May 13th of every year. It’s a day to honor and recognize the state of motherhood throughout the United States. Mothers who nurture and raise their children to the best of their abilities don’t particularly desire recognition for doing so, but Miss Anna Jarvis thought differently in 1907. A Philadelphia native, Miss Jarvis thought it would be nice for people everywhere to recognize the hard work and dedication it takes to be a mother, and organized a special mother’s church service in May of that year.

While mothers around the world know that child raising is a labor of love that lasts a lifetime, the idea was a popular one and every year, more churches and more towns observed the day that reflected to mothers everywhere that their efforts were indeed appreciated. By the spring of 1911, most states within America celebrated the day in one form or another, and the idea quickly spread around the world.

The celebration of Mother’s Day knows no boundaries, no race, creed, social status or belief. Mother’s everywhere bear and raise their children with love and patience, a sometimes strong hand and plenty of compassion. In late 1912, a Mother’s Day International Association was created in order to help spread the word about this most wonderful of days, though it wasn’t really necessary in the United States. On the second Sunday in May, mothers everywhere were regaled with breakfast in bed by husbands and children, or treated to gifts and hugs and kisses galore. In 1913, the House of Representatives adopted a unanimous resolution that asked the President, his cabinet and all the senators and representatives, in addition to all federal government employees, to wear a white carnation on the second Sunday of May every year. In 1914, the day was officially designated as Mother’s Day by President Woodrow Wilson, as a “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country”.

The wearing of white carnations was also adapted to reflect the memory of mothers who had passed away, so it became a custom for those whose mothers were still living to wear a red carnation, while the others wore white. Children everywhere make special cards and gifts for mothers on Mother’s Day. In the 1950’s, one of the most popular gifts for school children to make their mothers was an imprint of their hands in clay, which would then be decorated and given as a ‘thank-you’ in recognition for unerring dedication to duty and love. These days, mothers are treated to specially made dinners or a night out for an evening of fine dining and other entertainments. Celebrating Mother’s Day is a private affair for most families, and each one has their own traditions and ways of celebrating the special day.

Families get together and children come home from long distances to celebrate the special day. On Mother’s Day, a mother, young or old, is the center of attention and, if they’re lucky, spoiled mercilessly. The efforts of mothers are extolled and praised, their sacrifices recognized and their selfless and unending attention to their young used as an example for future young mothers. As the years passed, health organizations took advantage of the extra attention given to mothers to promote women’s health issues, especially in health during pregnancy.

Mothers have been around since the dawn of man, and while many husbands and children recognize the efforts of wives and mothers, Mother’s Day serves a reminder to all that whether a stay-at-home Mom or a woman with a career, a mother’s efforts to raise healthy, happy children is a need, and a goal that can never be matched by anyone else.

Reflections on Good Friday

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Good Friday

Many young people wonder how a day that experienced such tragic sadness could be called ‘Good Friday’. Good Friday is one of the most somber religious holidays in the Christian religion and always falls on, naturally, the Friday before Easter. It is on Good Friday that Christians believe that the Roman official Pontius Pilate crucified Jesus Christ. Some believe that the name ‘Good Friday’ used to be called ‘God’s Friday’; while others believe it is so named because of the good that came to the world through the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Christians observe Good Friday in different ways throughout the world, but in the United States, it is observed with a Friday evening church service or mass. Churchgoers generally wear dark, somber clothing, and priests and pastors throughout the country wear black as well. Altars are bare or somberly covered. In many countries, churchgoers leave church services and observe a period of silence, in reflection of the occasion.

According to Christian historians, Jesus Christ was nailed and hung from a cross around noon on Good Friday, and tortured and mocked for three hours until he died at approximately three o’clock in the afternoon. Because of the approaching Jewish Sabbath, his body was quickly buried in a tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The following Sunday morning, several women went to the tomb to properly prepare his body for burial, only to discover that His tomb was empty.

Protestant Christians and Catholics honor the day in different ways. In most Catholic churches in America, the ‘stations of the cross’ are observed, a symbolic manner in which parishioners follow Christ’s path from his entry to Jerusalem to his crucifixion. For all Christian religions, the emphasis is placed on Christ’s sacrifice for the good of the human race, and as such, are admonished to live life in a way in which will honor such goodness and sacrifice.

Many states within America close their shops and businesses early on Good Friday in order to commemorate the holy day, which is also known as the Festival of the Crucifixion, or the Day of Salvation to some. Many churches around the country hold three-hour church services, from twelve o’clock noon to three o’clock in the afternoon, the approximate time that Jesus Christ is believed to have suffered on the cross before his death. Prayers, somber hymns and silent meditations often accompany such services. Evening services are also held in many religious denominations in the country. Good Friday is one of the most important days in Christian history, and is reserved for sacred and solemn reflection.

Good Friday has become a day in which ‘passion plays’ are watched, plays which re-enact the passion and sufferings of Christ during his last hours on earth. Other beliefs have risen from the events that took place on that first Good Friday, one of them regarding the number ‘thirteen’. In the United States, thirteen is still considered an unlucky number, because thirteen people sat around the table during Christ’s Last Supper.

Good Friday, one of the holiest of days in Christianity, is not so much a holiday as it is a day to reflect on our humanity and the possibility of life after death. Christians believe that through Christ’s crucifixion and death it is now possible for all to attain life after death, as evidenced by his resurrection and ascension into heaven on Easter Sunday. For over two thousand years, Christians have believe this, and nothing said or done will shake their faith in this extraordinary event that is celebrated by millions of Americans the second or third Sunday of every April every year without fail.

Recognizing Idaho Human Rights Day

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Idaho Human Rights

Since the turmoil of the 1950s and the 1960s Civil Rights movements throughout the United States, America has come a long way to recognizing and ensuring that all Americans are treated equally, despite the color of their skin, their heritage or their beliefs.

The state of Idaho created a human rights commission that has sought to provide such equality and rights to not only non-Caucasian citizens, but those over forty who have been discriminated against in areas of employment as well as those who have physical disabilities. Their commission is dedicated to ensuring that all people, ‘regardless of race, sex, color, religion or national origin, disabled or over forty’ are not discriminated against.

Driving such an effort is massive education endeavors in schools, starting at the elementary school level and reaching into college classrooms. Voluntary compliance of their mission goals is obtained mainly through educational and community efforts that seek to alleviate the difficulties unique to any age group or race within the state of Idaho. One of the biggest challenges the commission faces is the elimination of any discrimination based on their founding factors. Nevertheless, the continued influx of minority population groups in Idaho, as well as throughout the United States, as well as the number of Idaho residents who live at or below the poverty level continues to climb. Efforts to provide community and state aid to every resident of Idaho is one of their major goals, as is introducing federal anti-discrimination laws that will ensure that people over forty, no matter what the color of their skin or native language, have employment opportunities well into their sixties.

Idaho Human Rights Day is a day to celebrate diversity and heritage, dreams and inspirations. Leaders of the Human Rights Commission come from all walks of life, from state government workers to teachers, to religious workers and business owners. Students as well as housewives all have a say in determining the course of their state when it comes to equal and basic human rights for all residents of Idaho, regardless of skin and language barriers. The members of the board are as diverse as the people they represent, and are mixed ethnically and spiritually. Despite differences however, they serve as a model to what they are attempting to achieve, and that is a state that holds no resident back from equality and gainful employment.

The commission encourages public participation on local, county and state levels and offers seminars and events that serve to perpetuate their mission and goals. Idaho school districts teach children of all school age levels that with diversity comes strength and unity. They promote activities in schools that are geared to celebrating differences in backgrounds, cultures and languages for the betterment of not only the state of Idaho, but also America.

Idaho Human Rights Day, celebrated every January 15th, has served as an example to many additional states around the country, and is a leader in their dedication to providing equal education, housing and employment opportunities for all. Despite past history in both Idaho and throughout the country, anti-discrimination laws and behaviors continue to change for the betterment of all. While such goals are not without risks and continue to cause strife for many, the determination of Idaho’s state government is a shining example for all.

Human Rights don’t merely belong to those who hold power in any country, but every human being on the planet. The United States has come a long way in providing equality for all Americans, but has a long way to go to ensuring that every American is protected and covered by laws, regulations and guidelines that allows each citizen of the United States to follow the dreams of the founding fathers; the right to the pursuit of happiness.

Putting the Green in St. Patrick’s Day

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happy st patricks day shamrock

Long considered a patron saint of Ireland, the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death in the year 493 has long been celebrated in the United States of America. Such observances marked the beginning of what was soon to become a national holiday, when in 1737, those of Irish descent joined in to celebrate Irish roots and Ireland in general. In 1780, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Philadelphia officially observed the day, followed several years later by New York City Irish ‘Sons’. Ever since then, American citizens, especially those of Irish descent, have recognized St. Patrick’s Day as a national holiday.

Celebrated in America on March 17th every year, St. Patrick’s Day is marked with green shamrocks and decorations, representing the green fields of Ireland, and with Irish beverages and foods. Apparently, St. Patrick used a shamrock to illustrate the concept of the Trinity; the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. He used the three separate lobes of the shamrock as an example of the three in one concept. Since then, the shamrock has been the emblem of the Irish people and few have ever left without carrying a shamrock or a piece of clover with them to their new country.

No St. Patrick’s Day feast would be complete without corned beef and cabbage. Beer and other beverages make the rounds in pubs and homes not only in the United States, but throughout the world as well. St. Patrick’s Day parades are especially common in Irish communities, as are games and local sporting events. Irish dances and jigs, as well as singing songs like “Paddy Whack” and “Rocky Road to Dublin” mark this special day.

Today, Irish-Americans and others celebrate the day by wearing green, and it’s common for schoolchildren to pinch each other if they lack that particular color in their wardrobe on that so very green day. Households decorate with green streamers, shamrocks and hats and play Irish songs while pots of Irish stew bubble on the stovetop. New York City is known for it’s huge parade on St. Patrick’s Day. Thousands of Irish-Americans wishing to celebrate the day with a Mass at the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, as well as thousands more lining the streets around it, gather every year. Bands, bagpipes and Irish dancers provide entertainment while bands play “The Wearin’ of the Green and “Spig o’Shillelagh’ to the delight of crowds.

March 17th is known throughout the country as a ‘Great Day for the Irish’. Whenever groups of Irish congregate, passersby will hear terms like “Erin go bragh”, which means “Ireland forever’, or Beannact Dia leat”, which means ‘God bless you’. Even the United States Postal Service recognizes the holiday, and mail posted that day gets a special Shamrock cancellation postmark. Every year, tons of shamrocks, with the dirt of the old country still clinging to their roots, arrive in the United States for planting on St. Patrick’s Day.

The ‘wearing of the green’ has long been a tradition in America in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and local businesses get in on the fun by sometimes offering free dry cleaning to green garments or even discounts to those who enter their store ‘wearing the green’. Many car wash owners will wash green cars for no charge. In 1959, President Eisenhower donned a green tie, while other prominent officials wore less obvious, though green, socks, met the President of Ireland, Sean O’Kelly, at the airport with a long green carpet. During the congressional meetings, all the delegates wore a green carnation in the lapel of their jackets. It was only afterward that O’Kelly leaned toward the president to mention the fact that he didn’t particularly like the color green!

At any rate, St. Patrick’s Day continues to be celebrated with the color green, in schools, restaurants, pubs and community halls throughout the country to honor Ireland’s St. Patrick. Every St. Patrick’s Day is filled with songs, shamrocks and Irish cooking, much to the delight of celebrants everywhere.

Who Was Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole

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Prince Kuhio

Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day

Whether you can say that name fast or slow doesn’t matter, for it’s the thought that counts. And the thought of celebrating Prince Kuhio Day in Hawaii has endured since the early 1900’s. Just who was Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole? He was the second Hawaiian to be appointed as a delegate to the United States congress.

Born in Koloa, Kauai on March 26th in 1871, the youngest of three sons born to Kauai’s High Chief David Kahalepouli Pilkoi and Princess Kinoiki Kekaulike. Don’t try to say these names if you’re not Hawaiian born or haven’t practiced a while, but do appreciate the legacy that the history of Hawaii brings to the United States. Prince Kuhio served as the Hawaii Territory delegate to the United States congress from 1903 to 1921 and was a founder of one of Hawaii’s very first civic clubs that was designed to encourage community efforts, affairs and education within Hawaii’s vast communities. The promotion of the Hawaiian culture as a way of life was extremely important to Prince Kuhio, as was his proud island heritage.

Prince Kuhio studied in Hawaii until he attended a four-year college in California and then in England, where he graduated from business school. After Americans overthrew the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893, Prince Kuhio made an attempt to restore the Hawaiian monarch, without success, and he ended up sentenced to a year in prison. After his release, he stayed away from Hawaii for several years and spent his time traveling, until he eventually joined the British Army to help fight in the Boer War. By the time he returned to his native homeland, Hawaii had been annexed as a Territory of the United States. Because of his popularity and royal background, Prince Kuhio was elected as Hawaii’s congressional delegate for ten consecutive terms!

Often known as Ke Ali’I Makaainana, or Prince of the People, Prince Kuhio dedicated his life and efforts to preserving and strengthening the Hawaiian people and their ancient heritage. While serving in congress, Prince Kuhio continued to lead efforts to provide housing and shelter for Hawaiians, and was the leading force of the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act that provided land on which native Hawaiians could build homes and farms.

Known as Hawaii’s ‘Citizen Prince’, Prince Kuhio was destined to be a king before the Hawaiian monarchy ended in 1893. Despite the fact that the Hawaii he had known all his life was going through growing pains and changes, Prince Kuhio nevertheless was a driving force for his people to remain united in culture and beliefs. He was beloved by all, which is obvious by his service as congressman to Hawaii, and his legacy continues to this day.

Prince Kuhio died in 1922 of heart failure. His body is buried in Hawaii’s Royal Family Mausoleum in Nuuanu, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Recently, a statue honoring Prince Kuhio was designed and erected and can now be seen at Waikiki. On March 26, 1949, a territorial legislature passed a resolution that established the day as a day in which all Hawaiians, and Americans, could honor the dedication of service and love of heritage exemplified by Prince Kuhio.
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day is celebrated mostly by native Hawaiians in their native state, though it’s a day that all Americans can observe, as Prince Kuhio personified the American spirit and pride of heritage that all Americans aspire to. His dedication and loyalty to his native Hawaii continues to be recognized by native Hawaiians to this day, and will continue for years to come. His desire to educate and provide support for his native people is to be admired and remembered every March 26th, on his day.

When Is Presidential Inauguration Day

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inauguration day

Every four years, sometimes eight, a new President of the United States is sworn into office on a particular date: January 20th. That ceremony is called the Presidential Inauguration and it takes place on the steps of the United States capitol building in Washington D.C.

The first Inauguration Day was held in New York City in 1789 as President George Washington took the first oath of office on the steps of the City Hall in New York City. For his second term, Washington took the oath of office in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, which was the nation’s first capitol, as did President John Adams. When Thomas Jefferson became president, he took the oath of office in the Senate Chambers of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. President James Madison did likewise, and it was at his inauguration that the first inauguration ball was held.

There are many traditions involved in inauguration day ceremonies, including the participation of all branches of the American military branches. The oath of office is taken on the steps of the capitol at exactly noon, and is administered to the President by the Chief Justice of the United States. The Chief Justice recites the oath, which the President then repeats: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

After the president completes the oath of office, military bands play ‘Hail to the Chief’, followed by a twenty-one Howitzer gun salute. The President then makes a speech, some which last longer than others, which is followed, since 1953, by a luncheon held by Congress members.

Since the early 1800’s it’s been a tradition that the president then travel down Pennsylvania Avenue from the steps of the Capitol building to the White House, either by carriage, car or walking, as President Jimmy Carter did in 1977. The parade has been held every inauguration day since 1805, except in 1985 following President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration due to frigid temperatures.

The entire inauguration ceremony usually lasts ten days, with five days before and following the inauguration day ceremonies. Many security agencies are charged with keeping the peace and ensuring the safety of government officials, including the Secret Service, the Capitol Police, and the Police Department of the District of Columbia. Inaugural balls are held and attended by leaders and representatives from nations around the globe. It’s a time when Washington D.C. shines, and politicians and their families make appearances and speeches.

Generally, Inauguration Day is a time for all American’s, no matter what political party they belong to, to accept and recognize the new President of the United States. All Americans honor the position of the President and understand the traditions and solemnity due to the occasion, even those who didn’t vote for the President now in office. Especially in Washington D.C., red, white and blue decorations and banners line city streets, especially Pennsylvania Avenue, and the United States Capitol and White House are duly groomed and decorated.

Many schools and businesses have televisions available for people to watch the incoming president take the oath of office and listen to his speech, which often offers an indication to the citizens of America how the incoming president intends to take leadership of one of the greatest nations in the world.

Inauguration Day is unique to America, one that clearly illustrates to the world at large that once the vote for president has been cast, Americans stand united no matter which political party they belong to. Opposing party members may not agree with every decision or personal style of any individual president, but all look to the presidential office as one that belongs to their elected leader and Commander-in-Chief.

How to Wear Pocket Tees

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pocket tee

Fabulously Functional Pocket Tees

The pocket t-shirt, or pocket tee, is one of the most wearable garments you can have in your wardrobe. That’s why, regardless of what the trends are doing, you can still find these comfy staples hanging in the closet of 90% of modern males. Despite its simplicity, the right pocket tee can be remarkably versatile. It can act as a base layer for a casual jacket or even a sport coat during cool weather, then be worn alone or with a vest during the summer months.

The pocket tee is a cut above a plain undershirt as far as sophistication goes. The material used in pocket tees tends to be more durable than that of undershirts, and the pocket itself gives the shirt a bit of added strength. Choosing the right color and wash is important to achieving a casual yet polished look with the pocket tee.

Even among pocket tees, there are numerous styles available. Crew necklines are the most common, although v-neck pocket tees have gained in popularity in recent years. Solid colors are the typical style for casual wear, and also the most functional. Common colors include red, blue, black, white, heathered gray and navy blue. Of course any of these colors can be worn casually, but if you’re using a pocket tee underneath a sport coat for a dressier look, it’s best to stick with a darker color. Anything bolder will draw attention to your tee, not the outfit as a whole. If you want to wear a pocket tee in a bold color for a dressier occasion, try pairing it with a white or light-colored jacket for a tropical feel.

For a good selection of basic pocket tees, check out a major retailer that sells men’s clothing. Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart and JCPenney will all have a respectable selection of tees to choose from, although the quality will not be as good as those found at more upscale department or clothing stores. J.Crew offers a nice selection of pocket tees (and styles without pockets) in a wide range of colors, including some that are hard to find (such as brown, sage, gunmetal grey, green, yellow and taupe). The cotton jersey material is soft and durable. The fit is also tailored, making them better for layering since there’s less bulk. GAP has a similar pocket tee version at a less expensive price, but the color selection is limited to white, black, grey and navy.

Striped tees are another variation on the pocket tee, and a look that’s currently very hot for guys. Bold, contrasting colors give the tee a bit more youthful edge, while more subtle neutrals are easier to dress up. This classic-fit striped pocket tee by Ralph Lauren is an excellent example of this style.

If you’re into a certain designer, there’s a good chance that you can find pocket tees among the offerings of that particular label. The designer touch can add a bit of flair to this decidedly casual look.

How to Honor Peace Officers

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peace officers

Peace Officers Memorial Day

Being a policeman isn’t easy, and these days, many policemen are underappreciated for the risks and difficulties they face every day on the job. The rise of gangs, drugs and other illegal activities over the years has put policemen in the line of fire from just about every direction. Every year, policemen are killed during the line of duty, and it’s up to all Americans to honor their memories and sacrifices, as they have given their all to protect common citizens from the reckless and oftentimes cruel intent of others.

Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed on May 15th of every year, since its inception in 1961. It’s meant to be a day when all law enforcement personnel are recognized and honored for their dedication to duty, whether they belong to the local police department, or the Texas Rangers. The day recognizes those who serve on the streets and those who serve behind their desks, as well as detectives, crime scene technicians and prison guards. It’s a day to honor the dedication of those who wear a badge in some capacity, and to reflect on their duty to protect the innocent from the vagaries of human cruelty and thoughtlessness.

For most Americans, recognition and observance of the day is done privately, as it’s not a traditional holiday where people get the day off. Local law enforcement facilities don’t take the day off, as police officers are always on duty, but local communities often hold platforms where speeches and memorials to fallen peace officers are offered. The official observance of the day is held in Washington D.C., where the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall serves to remind all Americans of the ultimate price paid by many peace officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. The wall contains the name of over 15,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed while performing their duty to protect the lives of innocent men, women and children. The terrorist attacks on New York City’s world trade centers in 2001 caused citizens around the country to more fully appreciate the dedication and sacrifices that many law enforcement officers endured as they entered the burning and collapsing buildings along with fire department personnel in an effort to save as many lives as possible.

Peace Officers Memorial Day is part of a weeklong recognition of law enforcement personnel’s service to communities throughout the nation that is held every May from the 12th to the 18th. Flags are flown at half-staff to honor those who have given their all to protect the rights, property and lives of all citizens, regardless of social status or race. In many communities, groups of school children of all ages visit their local police and sheriff’s departments, offering personally made thank you cards and posters, banners and signs to those who serve to protect them.

In 2003, President George W. Bush created a USA Freedom Corps that enables citizen volunteers to help buttress the efforts of local law enforcement facilities and to help in creating Crime Watch neighborhoods within their communities. Citizens and police officers work together to lower crime rates and prevent a rise in drug or gang activity within their city limits and town borders. Volunteers in local police organizations number in the tens of thousands in communities around the United States. President Bush also proclaimed that May 15th would continue to be recognized and honored as Peace Officers Memorial Day and that the week in which it fell as ‘Police Week’. The support of local citizens and organizations in every community makes a big difference for law enforcement personnel, who often find themselves unappreciated, underpaid and understaffed. There are few job or career positions that are as dangerous as law enforcement work. Police officers and their counterparts put their lives on the line every day when they arrive to work.

It’s up to American citizens to recognize and honor the dedication of such officers, and to provide support. The pursuit of law and order has been a need since the beginning of time, and Americans are fortunate that every generation provides strong and determined individuals who are willing to risk their lives to protect common citizens from acts of violence.

Observing Pan American Aviation Day

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Pan American

Today, it’s easy to take air travel for granted. Most of the population of the United States can not imagine what it would be like not to be able to fly anywhere in the world, but not so long ago, such an endeavor was impossible.

Thanks to the inventiveness of the Wright brothers, who literally flew America into the aviation era, people today can fly to various destinations, not only within this country, but throughout the world. Pan American Aviation Day is observed every December 17th as a day to celebrate travel between the Americas, and because of such possibilities, people from America, Mexico and countries in South America enjoy cultural communication and experiences on a daily basis.

One of the first American based airlines to offer passengers Mexican and South American destinations, Pan-American Airlines, was created in 1927. According to the founder of the airline, Juan Trippe, it was designed ‘to provide mass air transportation for the average man at rates he can afford to pay’. At first, flights to southern destinations were limited to mail service, the first being to Havana, Cuba. That first flight reached a mere ninety miles from Key West, Florida to Havana, but it was the beginning of something big. In 1928, six passengers flew the same route on a Pan American Fokker F-7. Based in Miami, Florida, Pan American continued to grow and transport passengers until, in 1931, a staggering thirty-three passengers climbed aboard a Clipper Sikorsky while thousands of onlookers watched the pilot, Charles Lindbergh, take the pilots seat. In 1934, another Clipper loaded fifteen passengers on their way to Hong Kong! The plane, traveling at a speed of 130 miles per hour, arrived safely and began an entirely new era of transpacific flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles and ports in the South Pacific and South America as well.

The very first around-the-world flight from Pan American occurred in 1947, when a flight carrying twenty passengers flew from New York City to arrive in San Francisco ninety two hours and some minutes after it had taken off. Of course, the plane landed in ten countries over the 12-day flight duration, but it was a spectacular accomplishment for the aviation industry.

Thanks to such innovations, patience and daring on the part of early generations to develop and improve the aviation industry, people today are able to fly from San Francisco to Hong Kong in less that fifteen hours. Flights depart daily for South American destinations in Peru, Brazil and Venezuela, as well as ports in the South Pacific such as Tahiti and Guam. Pan-American airlines were one of the founding trans-continental airlines to offer passengers safe, economical travel opportunities in the world. The accomplishments of the company opened doors to possibilities that are still being enjoyed today.

Since then, the Pan-American airline company has been absorbed into Delta Airlines, and her former Pacific routes have been sold to United Airlines, while her Atlantic routes were sold to Delta and American Airlines. Nevertheless, the legacy of Pan American continues to this day, and the dedication and determination of their founders are enjoyed by billions of world travelers today.

Pan American Aviation Day celebrates more than an airline however; it celebrates a link between two continents that has fostered good relations between two cultures and languages that have been breeched by travel and good will. Pan American Day is a day for all Americans to honor and remember the discoveries and innovations that a handful of men and women were determined to share with all Americans. To this day, the legacy of those aviation pioneers is celebrated every December 17th, as well as every August, for Aviation Day.

When Is Tax Day

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tax day

Ohhh, It’s Tax Day

Millions, no, billions of Americans groan at the thought of Tax Day, or more officially, April 15th, as federal income tax filing day. Households throughout the nation spend much of their time from January 1st to April 14th gathering, organizing and sweating over income tax forms and directions as they hurry to meet federal deadlines, or else!

Income taxes aren’t new to the United States. As a matter of fact, they’ve been around since the birth of our nation. The very first federal income tax was discussed in 1812, but the idea was defeated before it even really got off the ground. Another try by the U.S. government met with success in 1861, when Congress approved of a 3% tax on all income over $600. That was a lot of money back then, over about ten thousand dollars today. During the American Civil War, the United States initiated the first personal income tax to the general public, as part of the Revenue Act of 1861.

By 1861, that 3% tax on $600 had grown to 3% tax on $800, but the law was reversed in 1872. However, as with many things, once begun, it’s difficult to go backward, and the federal government, in an effort to aid the rebuilding of a damaged nation and to fund westward expansion, repeatedly attempted to pass income tax laws. Actually, income taxes were an on-again, off-again endeavor for many years until about 1885, upon which, depending on the mood of Congress, and the nation’s inhabitants and whether or not our country was at war, success or failure rested. Then, in 1913, the 16th Amendment was ratified and the government began to institute one kind of tax or another until it grew to what most people today say in a hushed tone, “The I.R.S.”

That 16th Amendment states quite clearly that, “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to an census or enumeration.”

Such a law has been grumbled about ever since, but the vast majority of the American public realizes and understands that without federal and state income taxes, roads would not be built, services would not be provided for and social security and a multitude of other financial systems would leave a vast majority of citizens without public services and health benefits.

Many Americans, especially those who know they owe some money to Uncle Sam, dread income tax day. Those who are fortunate enough to receive a refund generally don’t dread tax day, but everyone, rich or poor, has to fill out the dreaded income tax forms. If one is lucky enough to be able to afford the services of an accountant or to have someone else complete their income tax forms for them, it’s not so difficult, but for those who must struggle through rules, regulations and placing the correct digits on the correct line, income tax day is a precursor to extreme stress.

Nearly every American also dreads the words, ‘Income Tax Audit’, and no one is exempt from such a request. The Internal Revenue Service has the right to audit anyone’s tax return at any given point in time. Tax Day in America is often met with long lines at post offices around the country, formed by citizens who wait until the last moment to complete the necessary paperwork and send off their forms to state and federal addresses.

While no one really celebrates Tax Day, most Americans realize that it’s a necessary evil, and a burden that they are resigned to carry. Tax Day is inescapable, and as such, many people try to get a jump on their taxes by beginning to prepare early. Receipts are gathered, expense reports created and appointments with accountants made. Tax Day is a day when all Americans can commiserate with one another, and as one, mutter about the IRS.

How to Celebrate World Water Day

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World Water Day

Not many traditional holidays or observances are centered around non-people or events, but as we head into the twenty-first century, people around the world are becoming increasingly aware of our environment and what it means to the preservation of life as we know it on planet Earth. Water is a vital element for life, any kind of life, and it seems natural that today’s generation recognize that water is a natural resource that may disappear if we don’t take steps to safeguard ecosystems around the world.

World Water Day was initiated in 1992 as an effort that came form the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. Gathering together to discuss environmental concerns of the world, leaders and representatives from dozens of nations around the world collected together to discuss ongoing problems and possible solutions to the growing concerns of global overpopulation, limited resources and the amounts of dwindling supplies of water, land and forests within our biosphere.

Since that first meeting in 1992, the United Nations General Assembly has officially designated March 22nd of every year as World Water Day, a day that all races and nationalities come together as human beings to discuss fresh water and sanitation needs of developing countries as well as resources to protect natural fresh water reservoirs and sources throughout the world.

Many people take water for granted, especially in the more developed nations like the United States of America. We know that when we turn the faucet of our sinks, fresh, clean water will come out. We jump and splash in swimming pools and elaborate water fountains grace not only private residences but also many city buildings and office complexes. We have brilliant, green lawns and landscaping in even the harshest environments, and one only has to visit Las Vegas, Nevada, to fully appreciate the amount of water that’s necessary to keep such an arid location so green all year round. It’s unfortunate that many people no longer appreciate and respect our water sources, but World Water Day attempts to change all that.

World Water Day is a day for all Americans, no matter whether we live in the desert or in Washington State, to respect and protect our water resources to the utmost of our ability. It’s projected that droughts will afflict not only our nation but those around the world due to the effects of global warming, and it’s up to every American to do their part in saving such a precious and natural resource.

Around the country, schools are now teaching children how to conserve water and other resources such as forests, land and animal life, and the day is celebrated with lessons in schools and community meetings that address local issues and problems, not only in the United States, but around the world. Water conservation is a world issue, and is not limited to any demographic area, race, or culture. World Water Day is a day in which we can all stop to think about how precious water is in our daily lives, and reminds us that we should not take any of it for granted.

Children are being taught to do their part in learning about water conservation, and protecting our environment. They learn that 80% of the human body is made up of water, and that two-thirds of the planet is covered by water. Most of all, children, the future of America, are learning how to prevent the continued destruction of both national and global resources, and it will be up to them to protect not only American lands and waters, but Mother Earth as well.

Observing White Cane Safety Day

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White cane

Every day, millions of blind or visually disabled Americans take to streets, rivers and playgrounds around the country, aided by guide dogs or white canes to help navigate their cities, parks and rural roads. A white cane not only serves as an alert to approaching pedestrians and vehicles that a person is legally blind, but also serves as a tool that not only helps blind persons ‘see’ where they are, but also serves as an object of independence for many.

The first ‘White Cane Safety Day’, officially designated October 15th of 1964, is a day to be observed and recognized by all Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnson realized the importance of the white cane as a symbol of independence for millions of blind people, and commended all blind people for their spirit of independence and determination to be self-reliant. “The white cane in our society has become one of the symbols of a blind person’s ability come and go on his own,” President Johnson said. “Its use has promoted courtesy and special consideration to the blind on our streets and highways. To make our people more fully aware of the meaning of the white cane and of the need for motorists to exercise special care for the blind persons who carry it, Congress, by a joint resolution approved as of October 6, 1964, has authorized the President to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day.”

The National Federation of the Blind had long attempted to gain recognition for blind Americans. The first state law that allowed only a blind person to carry a white cane was passed in 1930. White Cane Safety Day serves as an opportunity for all Americans to recognize the rights of blind persons everywhere, and since 1964, blind citizens have gained more mobility and freedom to come and go as they please due to the use of the white cane on a daily basis. Not too many decades ago, it was rare to see blind people on the streets or in public places, yet today, blind people work in offices and operate machinery and everything in between.

Education in schools allows children to realize that blindness does not necessarily mean that the blind person can’t work or enjoy life as other sighted people do. With the use of a white cane, blind persons can achieve the freedom that their grandparents only dreamed of. After they become adept using a white cane, blind people are able to navigate the world around them with incredible speed and confidence. The white cane saw an increase of use after World War Two, when thousands of returning soldiers, blinded or suffering from severe vision loss from wounds received in battle, made it the most national recognized tool for getting around. The white cane is not a symbol of a handicap, but rather a symbol of independence and confidence. Anyone carrying a white cane has the right to go anywhere they would like and cannot be barred from any location.

Today, millions of Americans travel with the familiar white cane with the red tip at the bottom. Some canes collapse and can be stowed in a pocket or purse, while others can’t. Regardless, it’s an invaluable tool to many. Created in 1930 by George Bonham of Illinois, the white cane now aids young and old alike through their daily living needs and desires. Blind people are taught how to properly use a white cane, and how to use it to help them navigate streets, intersections, and even dirt roads. Organizations and clubs throughout the United States use White Cane Safety Day to promote education to all age groups and are often called upon to speak in community venues and schools. The white cane is a simple tool, of simple construction, but the service it provides is priceless. Every American should respect those who use a white cane, as they exemplify the American spirit of independence and self-reliance.

How to Celebrate Oktoberfest

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Oktoberfest

Observing Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest is one of the most fun-filled ethnic holidays celebrated in the United States. Observed mostly by those of German descent, Oktoberfest is a time of happy celebration and of history and traditions that have been passed down in German bloodlines for centuries.

This popular of holidays celebrated in America that is not specifically of American origin. Millions of Germans immigrants and their descendents live in the United States, many of them congregated in states like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Oktoberfest is a celebration that comes from the region of Bavaria, in Germany. It’s a celebration known for beer and good times. Today, countries around the world, from Asia to Africa, celebrate their own versions of the original German holiday. Oktoberfest celebrations can be found in most communities throughout the United States every year, and such celebrations can be scheduled anywhere from June to November, though as the name implies, they are generally celebrated in the month of October. In the United States, the majorities of Oktoberfest celebrations occur in September or October and are typically sponsored and organized by German restaurants or societies. While many celebrations of Oktoberfest can last for several days, or even a week, most such celebrations in the United States last about three days. Some Oktoberfest events attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and participants from around the country.

At an Oktoberfest celebration, visitors and revelers are regaled with the sights and sounds of Germany, including music, traditional costumes and food. The beer and food is what Oktoberfest is mostly known for in the United States. Thousands of pounds of pork sausages, pork knuckles, fish and chicken are consumed every year at every Oktoberfest event throughout America, as well as millions of gallons of various types of beer, including non-alcoholic beer. Barrels of wine, coffee and tea, in addition to lemonade and water are served at Oktoberfest celebrations around the country, but it is the beer that is the star of the show. It’s a time for dancing and music, for food and drink.

But what is Oktoberfest? Many people who attend an Oktoberfest celebration haven’t the faintest idea of what they’re celebrating, but they do enjoy the laughter, entertainment and a rich variety of ethnic German cooking. Actually, Oktoberfest originally celebrated the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig, who later became a king, to Princess Therese in October of 1810. Inhabitants of Munich, Germany, were invited to join the celebration in the fields before the city gates to help observe the happy occasion. Those fields are still known today as Theresienwiese, or ‘Theresa’s Fields’, though they are more commonly called Wies’n now. At any rate, special events were held to entertain both the royal couple and the celebrants, including horse races and plenty of food and drinks for all. The event was held the following year as well, and for decades after, though most of those celebrations offered merely horse races and food. Later years saw the added attractions of carousels and swings for the amusement of children amusement, and in 1896, beer tents that offered the latest and newest beers from local breweries replaced the first beer stands. By the mid 1800’s, the festival took on new form with a fair type environment. While the horse races stopped, they were replaced with fair-type booths and entertainments until the 1870’s. Today, Oktoberfest is the largest ‘party’ in the world and millions of travelers and visitors visit the Bavarian city of Munich every year to celebrate the event that has lasted for centuries. The event, still held in Theresa’s fields, draws many different races and cultures to a country steeped in history and traditions that have been passed down for generations. For Americans who celebrate the event in the United States, it’s a time to appreciate and learn about a different culture and way of life, one that will endure in this country as long as there are Germans to celebrate Oktoberfest!

Observing National Defense Transportation Day

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Nation Defense Transportation

National Defense Transportation Day has been officially observed since 1957, when Congress requested that the President of the United States designate the third Friday of every May as a day to recognize and observe efforts of our military forces in ensuring the safety of American citizens.

On May 18, 1962, President John F. Kennedy officially designated Friday, May 18, as National Defense Transportation Day, a day that asked “recognition be given to the American transportation system, the development and maintenance of which has contributed so extensively to the growth, culture, and prosperity of our people in peaceful trade and world commerce and in effective logistic support of our armed forces.”

During times of war, citizens often observe large military convoys snaking along American highways and roads, transporting truckloads of soldiers, equipment, weapons and food to military installations around the country. Since the attack by terrorists on New York City in 2001, the term National Defense Transportation has taken on new meaning. Increased security at border checkpoints, and at military and government installations has been heightened. Increased airport security has hampered the timetables of millions of travelers around the nation, and yet few people seriously complain about the longer waits. Most Americans have adapted when it comes to airport security by arriving earlier for their flights. Extra measures taken by the National Transportation Safety Administration have added restrictions to the amount and types of baggage Americans can now take on board aircraft, but again, most Americans understand the reasoning behind these safety measures.

The restriction of certain flights to cross over sensitive military and governmental installations has also served to increase a sense of national security. While many people don’t consider their postal service a transportation service, daily mail is transported across state and national borders on a daily basis. The safeguards adopted in postal offices around the country also serve to increase our security, at home and abroad, so let’s not forget them during National Defense Transportation Day. Such a day is not limited to the movement of howitzers or tanks throughout our nation. It’s a day when Americans from every state should honor and recognize the efforts of military personnel, as well as civilian employees of our national transportation systems who try to ensure that our lives are safe when traveling. Whether we take public transportation or drive our own cars, Americans are protected to the best abilities of those who work in transportation fields.

National Defense Transportation Day has been observed since 1957. In 1962, the President of the United States proclaimed the third Friday of every May as a day to recognize the efforts of those in the transportation industry to serve and protect our nation’s travelers. Without transportation, America would come to a screeching halt. The next time you have to display identification to drive through a border check or other checkpoint, or have to wait while a large convoy of military vehicles slowly winds its way down the road into the distance, try to be patient and realize that Americans charged with your safety are doing the best they can to serve and protect your needs, and your lives.

National Defense Transportation Day is a day when the military takes to the roads of America as they practice maneuvers and transport vehicles from one military base to another. Military exercises are held, and on occasion, parades displaying military vehicles, weapons, airplanes and helicopters are on public display. Whether the day offers displays of military might or a lone officer standing at a checkpoint asking for identification, National Defense Transportation Day is a day to be recognized and honored by all Americans for its attempt to keep each and every one of us safe and secure in our own country.

Observing Maryland Day

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MD Day

Most states in America celebrate their own special birthdays, days they were officially admitted into the United States of America. Sometimes, they celebrate events that have had a huge impact on local communities within that state. Maryland is no different.

Maryland Day, observed and celebrated on March 25th of every year, is the anniversary of the day that the very first colonists landed on St. Clement’s Island, in the Maryland province, in 1634. Two ships, called ‘The Ark’ and ‘The Dove’ brought weary travelers to the island situated in the midst of the Potomac River, where they took their first steps on native Maryland earth and prayed for the safe conclusion of their journey. Since the landing in March also took place during what is usually celebrated as the Feast of the Annunciation, which is the Catholic world, honors Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The very first religious service also took place that day, when Jesuit Father Andrew White offered thanks for the conclusion of the arduous journey on the sandy shores of St. Clement’s Island.

While those early Maryland generations more than likely remembered the day without any reminders, later generations did not think about the day too much until 1903, when the Maryland State Board of Education suggested the day become a state holiday in order to serve as a reminder of historical and ancestral roots. In 1916, the United States legislature designated the day a legal holiday.

Today, school districts honor the week or so prior to the observance of the legal holiday by offering curriculum that teaches children about their state. They learn that Maryland was named after King Charles’ wife, Mary and that Lord Baltimore was given control over the entire colony just so long as he shared any gold or silver he found in his new realm with the king. They are also taught that Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution and that during the War of 1812, Baltimore’s Fort Henry provided the scene from which Francis Scott Key wrote our beloved ‘Star Spangled Banner’ and watched the ‘bombs bursting in air’.

Every year on Maryland Day, bands play the famous tune and honor not only their state, but also the legacy it has left for future generations. Civic leaders are careful to make sure that ceremonies and local events serve to remind residents and visitors alike that Maryland is a state of many ‘firsts’ in American history.

St. Clement’s Island is now a National Park, and millions of visitors to Maryland visit the site every year on vacations, observing the place where those first tired and fearful colonists landed and stepped foot in their native state. Uncertainty and difficulties followed the colonists for years before the colony was firmly established, and their dedication and determination to survive both harsh elements and harsh surroundings is a reason to honor and celebrate the day. If it was not for such courageous ancestors, Maryland, as we know it today, might not exist. Now, over three hundred fifty years later, Maryland natives are happy and proud to honor their ancestors with civic events, parades and banners and, most importantly of all, reminders that serve to offer modern day Marylanders a moment or two to appreciate the bravery of those colonists as they struggled to create homes, towns and cities out of the wild and dangerous wilderness that surrounded them.

The anniversary of the first colonials to set foot on Maryland soil in 1634 is an important day of observance in Maryland every year, and despite the passage of time, the day serves to keep the memories of those who came before us alive in memory, perpetuated by Maryland Day, honored and celebrated every March 25th.