July 1 History Canada Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 1, 2015 Trust your 2015 is enjoying its near  midpoint of the year today  and as always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances which are somewhat meager, factoids of interest, a  music video by Paul McCartney and Wings, a relevant quote by Wilfrid Laurier, looking forward to enjoying a some gingersnap cookies along with a bowl ice cream, blessed with a positive attitude and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Canada Day—celebrating since 1867 the formation of our great neighbor to the north as a Dominion of Great Britain and a federation of four provinces—great day to fly the Maple Leaf.

      2. National Postage Stamp Day—celebrating the first use by the U.S. Postal Service on this day in 1847 of a postage stamp to mail letters from a U.S Post Office in New York City. The cost of that first stamp? Five cents which would be the equivalent of $1.43 in today’s dollars.          

        3. 1980 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1980 on a three week run at that position, coming Up (Live at Glasgow) by Paul McCartney and Wings. Here is a link to their performing the hit song Coming Up (Live at Glasgow) with an apology for the lack of video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsvEla7KTuU

         4. National Gingersnap/ Creative Ice Cream Flavor—great combo especially if as a highly evolved omnivore you have an ice cream maker and an artistic flair to become the next Ben and Jerry in terms of wowing taste buds.

        5.  Hard to Blow out a Candle in the Wind—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1961 of Princess Diana died in a traffic accident far too early at the age of 36; Andrew, the Prince of Wales should have had his head examined for divorcing her after his affair with his current wife. Elton John’s recording of Candle in the Wind at her funeral went on to become one of the biggest hit singles of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8gO0Z818j4

On this day in:                                           

       a. 1770 in a too close for comfort moment Lexell Comet discovered just 16 days earlier millions of miles away from the Earth by French astronomer Charles Messier came within 1,400,000 miles of the Earth, never to be seen again. Had it hit the Earth it is doubtful that the human species and most of all other animal and plant life would have survived.

       b. 1863 the Battle of Gettysburg began; the defeat of Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee doomed the Confederacy.

       c. 1881 the first international telephone call between St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada and Calais, Maine was completed.

    d. 1963 in an attempt to increase the speed of the snails, zip codes were introduced in the United States.

      e. 2007 in a what took you so long moment to improve health, smoking was banned at all public places in England.

Reflections on Canada as they celebrate their formation as a Dominion and federation back in 1867:  “Two races share today the soil of Canada. These people had not always been friends. But I hasten to say it. There is no longer any family here but the human family. It matters not the language people speak, or the altars at which they kneel.” Wilfrid Laurier, 7^th Premier of Canada and considered by many its greatest statesman, a tireless advocate of individual liberty, decentralized federalism and a proponent of compromise between the French and English speaking population. We may have more ethnic diversity and greater issues in the difficulties to assimilate our growing immigrant population, but we would be well advised to review his efforts and take heed of his words on compromise.

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© July 1, 2015, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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