Did You Know?
Facts & Figures About
America’s Veterans Day
Nov 07 : 04 days till Veterans Day

Did you know that Veterans Day is an annual American holiday honoring military veterans?

Veterans Day is both a federal holiday as well as a state holiday in all 50 states, and is usually observed on November 11th.

However, in years where November 11th occurs on a Sunday the following Monday is designated as the holiday. If Veterans Day occurs on a Saturday then either the Saturday or Friday may be designated.

Veterans Day is the day that America pays tribute to its military veterans. Also known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, Veterans Day is usually observed November 11th, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of WWI formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.) Join us as we present a new ?Did You Know?? fact each day as we countdown to the Veterans Day (November 11th)!

Sources: US Census Bureau / Wikipedia

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The White House has released the Presidential for Veterans Day, 2009

Veterans Day, 2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2009, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs.

Full text of Veterans Day 2009 Presidential Proclamation

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Birthday
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving within the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she served as First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. In the 2008 election Clinton was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

A native of Illinois, Hillary Rodham attracted national attention in 1969 for her remarks as the first student commencement speaker at Wellesley College. She embarked on a career in law after graduating from Yale Law School in 1973. Following a stint as a Congressional legal counsel, she moved to Arkansas in 1974 and married Bill Clinton in 1975. Rodham co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families in 1977, and became the first female chair of the Legal Services Corporation in 1978. Named the first female partner at Rose Law Firm in 1979, she was twice listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992 with husband Bill as Governor, she successfully led a task force to reform Arkansas’s education system.

In 1994 as First Lady of the United States, her major initiative, the Clinton health care plan, failed to gain approval from the U.S. Congress. However, in 1997 and 1999, Clinton played a role in advocating the establishment of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Adoption and Safe Families Act, and the Foster Care Independence Act.

After moving to the state of New York, Clinton was elected as a U.S. Senator in 2000. That election marked the first time an American First Lady had run for public office; Clinton was also the first female senator to represent the state. In the Senate, she initially supported the Bush administration on some foreign policy issues, including a vote for the Iraq War Resolution. She subsequently opposed the administration on its conduct of the war in Iraq and on most domestic issues. Senator Clinton was re-elected by a wide margin in 2006.
In the 2008 presidential nomination race, Hillary Clinton won more primaries and delegates than any other female candidate in American history, but narrowly lost to Senator Barack Obama. As Secretary of State, Clinton became the first former First Lady to serve in a president’s cabinet.

Happy Birthday Hillary!!

source: Wikipedia: Hillary Clinton

Did You Know?
Facts, Figures & Folklore
About Christopher Columbus’
Discovery of the Americas
Oct 11 : 01 day to Columbus Day

Did you know that the first official American commemoration of explorer Christopher Columbus occurred in 1892?

That’s when President Benjamin Harrison made a commemorative proclamation to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the New World

Did you know that the state of Colorado was the first to observe Columbus Day, in 1905?

By 1937, the entire country had begun observing Columbus Day and President Franklin Roosevelt officially proclaimed October 12th for its celebration. This remained the case until 1971, when Congress declared Columbus Day a public federal holiday to be held on the second Monday of October.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain with three ships ? the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria ? looking to find an alternative route to India. After sighting land, his fleet eventually landed on what is now know as the Bahamas.

Columbus Day is a celebration of Columbus? discovery of the Americas (the New World). Observed as a national holiday in the US and by Italian-Americans as a celebration of their culture and heritage.

Join us as we present a new “Did You Know?” fact each day as we countdown to Columbus Day which is celebrated on Monday October 12th, 2009.

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Did You Know?
Facts, Figures & Folklore
About Christopher Columbus’
Discovery of the Americas
Oct 10 : 02 days to Columbus Day

Did you know that the Vikings explored the North American coast five centuries before Columbus’ journey?

Ultimately, however, it was Columbus’ expedition that established the permanent intertwining of Europe with the New World, which resulted in the colonization of the Americas.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain with three ships ? the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria ? looking to find an alternative route to India. After sighting land, his fleet eventually landed on what is now know as the Bahamas.

Columbus Day is a celebration of Columbus? discovery of the Americas (the New World). Observed as a national holiday in the US and by Italian-Americans as a celebration of their culture and heritage.

Join us as we present a new “Did You Know?” fact each day as we countdown to Columbus Day which is celebrated on Monday October 12th, 2009.

Signup for our Did You Know? Holiday Countdown emails or follow us on Twitter – twitter.com/holidaysnet (@holidaysnet)

Did You Know?
Facts, Figures & Folklore
About Christopher Columbus’
Discovery of the Americas
Oct 09 : 03 days to Columbus Day

Did you know that on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas, becoming the first European to see the islands of the New World?

He had intended to sail to the East Indies off Southeast Asia — but seriously underestimated how large the world truly is.

Did you know that there is a lot of controversy over whether Columbus can be credited with discovering the New Worlds, since these lands, including the Bahamas, Cuba and Haita (Hispanolia), were already inhabited?

Indeed, many of those natives were later enslaved by Spanish colonizers.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain with three ships ? the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria ? looking to find an alternative route to India. After sighting land, his fleet eventually landed on what is now know as the Bahamas.

Columbus Day is a celebration of Columbus? discovery of the Americas (the New World). Observed as a national holiday in the US and by Italian-Americans as a celebration of their culture and heritage.

Join us as we present a new “Did You Know?” fact each day as we countdown to Columbus Day which is celebrated on Monday October 12th, 2009.

Signup for our Did You Know? Holiday Countdown emails or follow us on Twitter – twitter.com/holidaysnet (@holidaysnet)

Constitution Day / Constitution Week
On this day in 1787, the U.S. Constitution Convention adopted the Constitution, which established and outlined the three branches of the federal government.

Also known as Constitution Day, this holiday was established by a Congressional Act in 2004. The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times since then, including the Bill of Rights, which were the first ten amendments.

911 Day / Patriot Day
Honoring and remembering those who lost their lives in the 2001 World Trade Center and the Pentagon attacks.

photo credit: louie volpe; tower of lights, twin towers memorial lower manhattan.

Did You Know?
September 07

Thanks for joining us as as we counted down to Labor Day in the US!

Happy Labor Day,
Louie and the Holiday Elves

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Labor Day (US)
The first Monday in September is an annual and national tribute to the contributions that US workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the country.

Labor Day is generally observed with parades, speeches, barbecues, and picnics. The day has also become the unofficial end of the summer season with many colleges, secondary and elementary schools beginning classes immediately after the Labor Day weekend.

More info: Labor Day

photo credit: zach.wise via flickr
source: Holidays on the Net – Labor Day