The End of the World?

If you're reading this post, you either have a few minutes left or the world didn't end as predicted by the Mayan calendar. You should also know that throughout history, the end of the world has often been predicted by lots of people -- all over the world. Just think of the chaos when the calendar changed from the year 999 to 1000, if anyone really was aware of it at the time instead of worrying about where the next meal was coming from, or surviving a common cold, or getting slaughtered by barbarians.

Every time a new century dawned, in fact, people held their breath or sold their goods/houses and waited for the end to hit. Then they had to start all over again, if they didn't die of embarrassment from being wrong. Or maybe they moved in with relatives, who might have thought "oh boy, here's the end of my world!"

I have to admit, I watched the movie 2012 with my curious hubby - and laughed at the incredible totally unbelievable plot. Cool special effects, though, if you're into that. I found Cowboys and Aliens more entertaining with a better message.

But hey, the Mayan calendar RUNS OUT on December 21, 2012. Lots of jokes about they ran out of room, or couldn't find another stone, or what have you.

And for heaven's sake, what about the possibility of Planet X changing course -- Nibiru that is -- and hitting Planet Earth!! Who wouldn't believe that NASA is just part of the conspiracy?

How about looking back between 1800 and 1900 in America for other End of the World events -- you might find it enlightening, to say the least. And these are just a FEW examples.

From April of 1843 until October of 1844, Millerites were rooked into following a charismatic leader. William Miller (1782-1849) -- a plain old farmer, plus a former atheist -- studied the books of Revelation and Daniel from the Bible and chose April 3rd, 1843, as the end of the world. Shooting stars in 1833 and a comet in 1843 seemed to confirm his prediction. Thousands of "Millerites" waited in New England -- although a few murdered their relatives and committed suicide to save time -- until the next day dawned.

Miller moved the "end of the world" to July 7th and began selling "ascension robes" of white. You get the picture -- July 8th came. Miller kept changing the date to March 21st of 1844 and then October 22nd -- but that day failed to bring more than a thunderstorm. And -- you guessed it -- 100,000 disappointed folks went home grumbling. A few formed new factions like the Seventh-Day Adventists. Miller made a fortune selling his robes and delivered over three thousand speeches. A true American con man.

In 1881, experts had used the measurements of the Great Pyramid of Cheops to predict a Second Coming and Day of Judgment. I'm math-challenged, so go figure how they figured this out. Supposedly they based their opinion on a couplet from the writings of Mother Shipton -- published in 1862 by Charles Hindley, and soon proved a forgery in 1873, that "The world to an end shall come in eighteen hundred and eighty one." Didn't even rhyme, either. So much for that prediction when 1882 rolled around. Conned by another con artist. He probably sold tons of books. You just can't trust authors! (insert winking smiley face here)

And in 1899, plenty of other idiots expected the world to end when January 1st, 1900, rang in a new century. Thank goodness the year 1999 had only Y2K problems. Some people believe that was a huge hoax now, and others believe the government used it as an excuse to install tracking software. Uh huh.

So hang onto your hats, people. Sure, look into the sky -- but don't expect to see much except a few moving airplane lights. You can always buy a tee shirt -- from Zazzle!

Happy Fourth of July!

I always am amazed by people who can’t recognize portraits of recent presidents like Richard Nixon, much less answer questions about American history. Many people ought to know why we celebrate the 4^th of July. On that day in 1776, that members of the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to adopt and sign the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. Some famous words from it: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

 John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, saying, "I believe that (the 4^th) will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."

The following year in 1777, Philadelphia remembered the day by ringing bells, firing guns, lighting candles and setting off firecrackers. However, the War of Independence continued until Oct. 19, 1781 when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. Most Fourth of July celebrations were modest, since American farmers suffered hardships until after the Americans again defeated the British in the War of 1812.

And then came the Civil War. Brother against brother, North against South. The Fourth of July figured big too – Robert E. Lee took his army into Pennsylvania in late June of 1863, hoping to wake up the North to the sufferings of his Southern people where most of the battles took place.  Within a few days they met Union forces near Gettysburg. Three days of intensive fighting, and the bloodiest battle ever fought in America – but on July 4^th, Lee was forced to retreat.

But don’t forget the “west” – Vicksburg, Mississippi. Admiral David Farragut’s fleet fought to free the Mississippi for the Union from St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico. Vicksburg held out, due to the high bluffs that protected the city. But General Ulysses S. Grant’s siege from May 19^th bombarded the city from all sides. People escaped to caves, but the city was forced to surrender on the 4^th of July, 1863. Vicksburg citizens banned celebrating the holiday for years.

In Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, she recalled political officials who read the entire Declaration of Independence. This happened in cities and small towns across America, because many people had a rudimentary education, if any. By 1940, only half of the U.S. population had completed an eighth grade education. HALF – only up to the 8^th grade! Consider the immigrants, the blacks who were discouraged from getting an education, and the rural areas with one-room schools and farming needs for family labor. Things have certainly improved in the last 70 years!

The Declaration of Independence is still read in cities and towns today. Speeches, military events, parades, and fireworks make the day special. The government was rather late in declaring it a federal holiday – Congress finally passed the bill in 1941. 

Since then, summer fun on the Fourth of July includes fireworks displays, parades and historical pageants, baseball, sun-bathing on the beach and swimming. The Boston Pops Orchestra always holds a concert on the Charles River bank, with John Philip Sousa marches and music by other American composers before ending with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture that includes cannons and fireworks. Many locals watch on television, because the traffic is horrendous! The Lititz, Pennsylvania, candle festival, the longest continuous celebration of July 4th since 1813, has hundreds of candles floating in water and a contest to choose a "Queen of Candles.” Annapolis, Maryland, shuts down the streets after 3 p.m. for walkers, with fireworks at dusk over the U.S. Naval Academy, and restaurants staying open late.

Out west, an American Indian rodeo and three-day pow-wow used to take place in Flagstaff, Arizona, for fifty years until 1981. Nowadays, several groups hold pow-wows around July 4th in Massachusetts, New York, Missouri and Oklahoma.In Texas, according to one friend, unlicensed fireworks end up with a trip to the emergency room. It happens in Michigan, too, and across the country. Fireworks are best left to the professionals. But people across the country head to the nearest park, lake or beach to watch fireworks.

I’d be amiss not to mention Detroit’s late June “International Freedom Festival” in conjunction with Canada. They celebrate the July 1^st date when their provinces joined together in 1867 under the British Empire. Three barges shoot fireworks on the Detroit River near the Renaissance Center, and people pack Belle Isle and the downtown streets of Detroit and Windsor to watch.

The 4th is always a great picnic day. The usual foods are burgers and dogs, chicken and ribs on the grill, cole slaw grilled or boiled corn on the cob, tossed salad, fruit salad, baked beans and potato salad, deviled eggs, apple pie, watermelon, strawberry shortcake and ice cream.

But don't forget the regional flavors that grilling can make adventurous!

Clambakes with clams, mussels, Maryland blue crabs, lobsters, oysters and smelt on the east coast… Grilled kielbasa, Italian sausage, bratwurst and S’Mores in the Midwest… Fried chicken, boiled crawfish, pulled pork, fry pies in the South…Pit-roasted pig, Jamaican ribs, tamales and grilled gator in Florida… 

Grilled gator?? Yep!

Bacon-wrapped jalapenos (ratas) or cream-cheese stuffed green chiles, smoked brisket, pork loin or turkey, buffalo burgers in the west… Sushi or grilled salmon on the Pacific coast…  It all adds up to YUM!

ENJOY your Fourth of July, whatever you have grilling on the "barbie" (heh heh, a touch of Aussie there), and remember to stay safe when handling fireworks of any kind. Even sparklers can cause serious burns.

If you drink, please use a designated driver.

However you celebrate, Happy Independence Day! And remember – America is worth celebrating!!