Such A Day

FOR GEORGE

For Presidents

for shopping

GEORGE WASHINGTON  . . .  gilbert stuart - 1797

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 .. George Washington's  birthday celebration is Monday, February 18 2019. Mark your smart phone.
.. At one time it was a just a celebration of the birthday of George Washington: first president of the United States Of America.

GENERAL OF THE ARMY

.. George Washington’s birth date was Feb. 11, 1731, according to the Julian calendar, which was in use when he was born, but under the adjusted Gregorian calendar adopted in 1752, his birth date was Feb. 22, 1732.
..  The commemoration of his birthday was first made a federal holiday in 1870, though that only applied to workers in the District of Columbia. In 1885, the holiday was extended to federal workers in all states.
..  We remember that in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Act, which fixed some federal holidays not to a specific date but to a particular Monday in order to create three-day weekends, (Pub.L. 90–363, 82 Stat. 250, enacted June 28, 1968.)

HOW 'BOUT ABE ??

..  While the holiday bill was being debated, some people proposed changing the name Washington’s Birthday to Presidents Day to also honor Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday, Feb. 12, was celebrated as a holiday by some states. That proposal failed, and the federal holiday remained Washington’s Birthday.
..  But because federal holidays are not binding in states, many states do have a holiday on the third Monday of February called Presidents Day. North Carolina doesn’t have either as a state holiday.
..  Incidentally, the day is sometimes also called “President’s Day” or “Presidents’ Day.” The Associated Press Stylebook,  lists it as “Presidents” without an apostrophe, rather than being possessive or plural possessive. Such a deal!
.. So then, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE!"

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ALL THESE FOLKS' DAY

.. The biggest push for a national 3-day holiday has been from the American retail community. One more long weekend equals more shopping and more spending.
.. Presidents,  while holding office,  usually pay lip service to the day and provide a simple ceremonial recognition.
.. The migration of this specific day, (in our cultural mind,) from a birthday to a generalized shopping day is endemic to our wonderfully self indulgent society, [LINK-O, LINK-W, LINK-T.)
..It's not over until it's over. Get with it and spend some money.

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.. The winter warmness continues and we are looking forward to a week of mid to high 20's with nights brisk enough to slow the melting of the snow pack.
.. Long range forecasts suggest that a significant warm up will occur by mid March. Consider this eventuality in planning for the early Spring pre-runoff fishing.

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OUR PRESIDENTIAL HEROES

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