Posts Tagged ‘history’

Holidays And Holy Days In The USA

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Congress and the president have selected ten days as federal holidays. Being ‘federal’, these holidays theoretically only apply to federal employees and inhabitants of the District of Columbia, although they are so widely observed that they can be thought of as national holidays.

Legally, it is up to each individual state to select public holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before or the Monday following is given in lieu to make a long weekend.

New Year’s Day (January 1) – celebrating the New Year dates back to pre-Christian times, when rites were performed to attempt to ensure the return of Spring.

Martin Luther King Jnr. Day (third Monday in January) – before he was shot dead in 1968, Martin Luther King Jnr. was the foremost civil rights leader in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Congress set this day aside to commemorate his life and accomplishments in 1983.

Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February) – initially it was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, the 22nd of February, but it was moved in 1971 to make a long weekend. It is occasionally known as Presidents’ Day, because it is close to Lincoln’s birthday on the 12th February.

Memorial Day (last Monday in May) – also called Decoration Day, it honours soldiers fallen in battle.It originates from the Civil War and is traditionally marked by parades and services.

Independence Day (4th July) – this, the most important US holiday, marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It was first commemorated in 1777 and is marked by fireworks, parades and speeches.

Labor Day (first Monday in September) – this, the suggestion of Peter J. McGuire, the president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, was taken up in 1894 to celebrate American workers.

Columbus Day (second Monday in October) – Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Bahamas on Oct 12th 1492. It was first commemorated in 1792, although it was not officially recognized until 1909. It is a cause of special pride to Italian-Americans, who claim the Genoan voyager as their own.

Veterans Day (Nov 11th) – or Armistice Day commemorates the end of the First World War on Nov 11th 1918. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but its name was changed in 1954 to honour all American veteran soldiers.

Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – it was first celebrated in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in 1621, the year in which the Pilgrims landed in the New World to give thanks for the new harvest and the new land they had colonized. President Lincoln made it a holiday in 1863.

Christmas Day (December 25th) – Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

Cottage Rentals

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Most people look forward to going away on holiday and a lot of people like to make intricate plans and bookings. After all you usually have to make allowances for flights and hotels. However, there can also be car, sightseeing and bicycle bookings as well, depending on the type of vacation you want.

As an alternative to a hotel, you might want to think about hiring a private cottage. Cottage rentals are a good option to a hotel or guest house. In general, cottage holidays are self-catering, so you would have to be ready to put in a little more work than if you went on an all-inclusive hotel stay. A small cottage on the coast in an isolated setting would suit many people, but a vacation cottage on the coast might be better for others.

If you pick the right location, you can have whatever sort of cottage you want. Go to the coast if you like sailing or snorkeling. A seaside resort location would offer more night life probably. If you want a quieter fishing vacation with canoing or boating, a quiet lakeside hideaway would be more fitting. Then there are mountain huts and several other degrees of solitude and nightlife too.

If you would like to visit museums and other touristic sights, you should choose a location near an appropriate city. It just requires a little forward preparation and thought.

We live in Wales and there are thousands of rental cottages of all types in all manner of locations. If you have a large family, you could hire several cottages close by each there and live in a kind of old fashioned village. There are also modern camps like ‘Center Parcs’ which have hundreds of very modern cottages in small groups of four or five so that families or friends can stay in a community together.

These modern cottages are very plush, with Jacuzzis, swirl baths, large flat screen televisions and all manner of entertainment equipment and satellite TV. The cottages are set in acres of woodland and wildlife is everywhere. There are deer, badgers, foxes, squirrels and dozens of types of birds including kingfishers, geese, ducks and swans.

The swimming pools are completely heated and go inside and outside into the woods, so that even in the middle of winter you stay warm. There is also archery, boating and hiking with many courses of differing hardship to follow. It is great to walk in the woods knowing that you cannot get lost with wildlife around every corner.

The wildlife is used to human company, so much or it is not scared and they come right up to you if you stop for a picnic. These holidays are not so cheap as going to a self-catering private vacation, but they are safe, particularly for young families.

You can come across cottage rentals through a travel agent, but you can also find them by looking in your local newspaper. These are some of the best finds because the cottages might be only a few hours drive away, but that is far enough to make a big change. You do not really need to get on a plane to have a great holiday with a difference.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the rental of Welsh coastal cottages. If you are interested in a cottage or Wales in general, please go to our website at Welsh Products Online

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Welsh love spoons, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online

Trains In Seattle And The Inner Child

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Boys and girls of all ages like trains and train sets. They have played a very important role in the history of this country and Seattle, Washington and the Northwest in particular. In fact, the roles of trains in this region of the country have in the past been so critical that there are a few museums dedicated to them. Trains were essential lifelines for the population here for many years. While their importance seems to be diminishing in today’s society, their importance throughout the history of our country remains.

If you really are a train enthusiast, then it should not be difficult to talk you into stopping by Seattle’s Train Center before and after touring the museums dedicated to trains and their importance in history. The Train Center offers a wide selection of model train parts and pieces that would make excellent additions to your train set or a great beginning for a train set for you or your kids.

After you’ve whetted your enthusiasm for trains and gotten your child all excited about them, it is time to take a walk back in time to the Northwest Railway Museum. There you can learn about railway history or even choose to take a ride on one of the trains that departs on several tours throughout the day. Most of the excursions are 65-75 minutes long and are a great extravagance for young and old alike. Perhaps the best thing about this museum is that its main objective is to educate the public about the important role that railroads had in the growth of this part of the country.

If you’re really interested in sharing your affection for trains with the ones you love, you may think about taking a spin on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. This is a fantastic way to not only get the experience of riding the rails but to take in some of the beautiful Washington scenery and have a gourmet meal in the process. During the months of November through to April up to two children may ride free with a paying adult.

There are certain limitations on the type of seating, but it is a great way to enjoy the experience at a greatly reduced price. There are also exclusive events such as Murder Mystery Trains and Magic and Illusion shows in addition to certain holiday events as well. Be sure to check out what is going on while you are visiting Seattle and see if this is something that might interest you and your family.

If you are up for a not so short drive to Pasco (about three and a half hours from Seattle), you might find the Washington State Railroads Historical Society Museum well worth the journey. Be sure to remember that the museum is only open on Saturday and that the hours are restricted so this is a journey you need to plan in advance. The greatest thing about this museum to me is the fact that there are lovely little stories, like the blackboard that recorded the first snowfall at the depot each year and others such as this.

It is the little tales that do not necessarily make history that do make lasting impressions and I am happy to see this particular story is being shared. Just bear in mind, when visiting any of these depots, museums, and train excursions that you definitely must bring your inner child with you in order to enjoy them as you should.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a lot of topics, but is presently involved with train sets for kids. If you would like to know more about train sets for kids, please go over to our website for some great offers.

Collecting Gold Coins

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

Gold coins are extremely beautiful items and collecting them goes back to when coins were first issued in pre-Roman Europe. However, it was only in the Middle Ages that the hoarding of gold coins became a leisure pursuit amongst the aristocracy and merchants who could afford to save such valuable items for their beauty and historical importance alone.

Coin collecting in general is still a very popular hobby enjoyed by millions of people of all ages. School children all over the planet have small collections of foreign coins. Later, that hobby might develop into collecting coins from one’s own country. For example, it is simpler and cheaper to collect a cent or penny from every year in the 20th Century in your own country than a foreign country.

This higher level of collecting coins can later become an expensive hobby once one has started working and has more money to spend. One might choose to specialize in collecting gold coins from a particular period or of a certain denomination. Dollar and sovereign coins are very popular in this regard.

In the USA, gold coins were in distribution from 1838 to 1933. The first design was the Liberty Head Bust but this was changed in 1907 to the Indian Head and Saint Gaudens motifs, which were used until 1933. The problems presented by the Great Depression caused gold coins to be recalled to be melted down. This made them rarer and therefore more valuable.

In the United Kingdom and other areas of Europe, gold was used for coins from before the birth of Christ and many exemplars of these Roman and Celtic gold coins still survive today. Gold is no longer used as currency in Europe either, although in the UK, a gold sovereign is still worth one pound. The design on the reverse is George and the Dragon, while the reigning monarch’s head is on the obverse

South Africa issued its first gold coin called the Krugerrand in 1967. The Krugerrand has no legal value because it was not meant to be used as currency. It is made of one ounce of pure gold and is usually purchased solely for investment purposes. Since then other countries have also minted bullion or investment coins. For instance, Canada manufactured the Gold Maple Leaf in 1979 and Australia made the Nugget in 1981.

In the days of the Gold Standard, countries promised to match the value of their currency with the amount of gold they held in reserve. That meant that if a country issued paper money without buying more gold to support it, the value of the paper currency would fall in relation to foreign currencies.

Different countries came off the Gold Standard at slightly different time, but most of them dropped the standard in or around 1971.

Collecting gold coins is a fine pastime, but it ought not really be seen as an investment, because old gold coins carry a premium to the value of gold inside them. This value is sentiment and that can change rapidly. If you want to collect gold coins all well and good, but if you want to buy gold for an investment, then buy bullion coins or bars.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Clogau Welsh gold. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

Dogs And Temporary Kennels

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Are you the type of dog owner who likes to take your companion with you wherever you go? If you are then you know that that there are times when you can do this, but there are also times when you can not, for whatever reason.

On the occasions when that happens, you will usually have to to find a boarding kennels that will take care of your dog while you are away.

A vacation is a time for relaxing, so you do not want to be worrying about your dog, if you can help it. Within your own country, it is not usually a big problem, but if you go to a foreign land, then taking your dog can be more trouble than it is worth. Not only for you, but for your doggy friend as well.

If you can not place your dog with someone it knows, like a member of your family or a neighbour, then the only option is a boarding kennels.

I have placed my dog in a bad kennel once and I learned a few lessons from that. I put my Becky in a kennel in a respectable village just outside our town. I was happy with what I saw and the patter of the owner, so I went to Spain, thinking that all was okay for both of us. I had a great holiday and went straight to the kennels from the airport on my return, although I had told them a fortnight before that I would pick Becky up the day after my arrival. I just could not wait to see her.

I went to the kennels and they were surprised to see me. Of course, I was a day early. They said that Becky was ‘resting’ and that it would be better to ‘come back tomorrow’. No way! So they took me to see her. I nearly cried. She was sitting in a good sized cage, but on newspaper sodden with pee.

She saw me and just looked down at her paws. I called her name again, but she did not want to know. I paid the bill and put her in the car on the front passenger seat where she always sat. She just looked out the window and showed no interest in me whatsoever.

It took three days before she would speak to me again! The moral of this story is not to be impressed by big adverts or impressive locations as I was. Ask your dog-owning friends, write into the local paper inviting recommendations, phone the local animal protection society or the kennel club or look on the Internet.

If you are interested in Welsh corgi puppies, or Wales in general, visit our website at Welsh Products Online