Thanks Giving Day in US

THANKS GIVING DAY IN US 

ON 22nd Nov. Thursday

In UK ( not in US), some protestants calling themselves  saints, 

wanted to estatablish a New Church in a new World.

In the year 1620 ( Sep) 102/103 people left UK in search of a New World. They teavelled in the Ship " May Flower ".

These passengers  are often referred as pilgrim fathers.

These pilgrims reached the  New world ( present US )  in  Nov.1620 

They settled in  the New World , cultivated grains and vegetables.

Celebrated their successful harvesting in Nov. 1621

This day is celebrated as Thanks  Giving Day in US every year.

These 102/103 people  were the founding fathers of US.

The History of US starts from their arrival. US has a history of only 400 years.

India has a history of more than 5000 years, but US has only 400 years of  history.

India has literatures written 3000 years back, US has no such ancient literatures.

In India, the construction of "  the love poem in marble " Taj Mahal was completed in 1653.

But in that year,  the US was an infant and  justed started to grow. To-day it is a mighty country.

In US every year( in Nov), the fourth Thurday  is celebrated as Thanks Giving Day. This year 2012, the Thanks Giving Day falls on 22 Nov .Thursday

22nd Thursday ( fourth Thursday),23rd, 24th, 25th , four days are  holidays
.It is called long week end. People plan to go for outing or shopping.

In the beginning, it was a religious celebration. Thanking God for all the blessingsNowadays this day is celebrated as Family get together.

Family members living separately will meet on this day in any one of the houses.Traditionally , Americans have a special  traditional menu for it.

Large Turkey roast.

Cranberry Sauce

Mashed potato

Green beans casserols.

Pumkin pie.

Turkey gravy

Pan cake.

Menu is traditionally the same but taste differs according to the family tradition.

In US, long week ends are a blessing to the people to plan for  holiday trips.

Some of the National Holidays are fixed either on Thurday or monday.

If it is on Thursday,  people get 4 days holidays  from Thursday to Sunday.

If it is in Monday, 3 days holidays, Saturday to Monday.

See the following National holidays  

For the year 2013. ( all these are fixed )

Monday, Jan.21, Martin Luther  King Jr day ( Third Monday of January) 

Monday, Feb.18, President's day ( Third Monday of February)

Monday, May. 27, Memorial day. ( Last Monday of May) ( Last Monday of May)

Monday, Sept. 2 ,Labour day. ( First Monday of September )

Thursday, Nov.28, Thanksgiving day. ( Fourth Thursday of November)

Because these holidays are fixed on Monday or Thursday, people enjoy long week ends.Saturday and Sunday  are  regular  holidays.

July 4th is the Independence day of US, it is not tagged with  any week end.

Christmas is 25th Dec is not tagged with week end.

Usually the Christmas holidays are for a week.

In India , a few  non religious public holidays  can be fixed on the Friday prior to second Saturday, so that, three consecutive holidays can be enjoyed by the government employees.

I wanted to taste a Thanksgiving dinner. We went to a restaurant  where the Thanks Giving Dinner is served.

( In India Dinner is night food. In fact night food is supper, and afternoon food is Lunch.

Any special food is dinner , it can be a mid day meal also .For Americans, dinners also mean special lunch)

In oval shape porcelain plates , the above mentioned items were served.I just tasted all the items.

Mashed photo is not merely smashed boiled potato.

Along with it,  in a right proportion butter and cheese are mixed which makes it very tasty

Cranberry sauce is prepared by using cranberry fruits.  it is a  sweetish item.

Considering my health  and age (71) , I go to restaurants to taste the food items, not to eat  and enjoy

To-day the date is 20th Nov 2012, the whole country is getting ready to enjoy the holidays on 22, 23, 24,and 25th.

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Daylight Saving Time (DST)

On first Sunday of November ( 4th November 2012)

All the clocks in US had gone back one hour .( on 4th November at 2 am)

Which means 2 am had become 1 am.

Again on the first Sunday of March every year, clocks will go forward one hour. 

2 am will go forward to 3 am. It is done every year.

In winter, the clock goes backward one hour.

In summer ( spring ), the clock goes forward  one hour .

This time adjustment is called Daylight Saving  Time .( DST)

It is not only done in US.  done in countries like,

UK, Canada, Australia, etc.,

But done on different dates.

In India, we do not have this Daylight Saving Time  ( DST). 

We have same timings throughout India , throughout the year, without any seasonal adjustment. 

Hence it is called Indian Standard Time IST ( IST is  followed in Srilanka)

If in Bangalore it is  6 am, in Hydrabad also 6 am, in Calcutta also 6 am, etc

Small countries like Srilanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh , Indonesia,  etc do not have DST

In India,  for a short period DST was introduced during Sino-Indian War ( 1962 ) and Indo-Pakistani Wars in 1956 and 1971

In California,  if  it is 6 am,  in India it is  7:30 pm  pm ( 13 :30 hrs difference, 

from Nov. to March )

In California,  if it is  6 am , in  India  it is  6 : 30 pm ( 12:30 hrs difference , 

from March to Nov)

If I want to speak with someone in India at 7 :30 pm ( IST), I must talk from California at 6 am. ( Nov to Mar)

If I want to speak  with  someone in India at 7:30 pm, (IST), I must talk from California at 7 am . ( March to Nov)

On first Sunday of every March, the clock time will move forward one hour.

On first Sunday of Every November, the clock will move backward one hour. 

At what time, the change takes place ?.

It  is  at 2 am early morning, NOT AT 12  MIDNIGHT

Early morning at 2 am, the time changes automatically in Laptops and Cellphones.

It is a wonder to see that the  time  automatically changes in cell pones and Laptops, These are programmed for the change.

In Watches,  it should be manually done. 

Why  it is done at  2 am  ? why not  at 12 midnight?

If the time is changed manually at 12  midnight in watches, the day change at 12 mid night will be affected.

In the watches ' day change '  takes place at 12 midnight.  Eg. Monday changes to Tuesday.

If the watch needles are handled at 12 midnight, the  day change will be affected,

For this purpose ,  the time  change is made at 2 am .

How the Time change is helpful  to  the people?

Winter is very chill, in some states snow  on roads  are formed. 

Because  the time goes back one hour , those who are going to the office 

at 8 am , can go after one hour.That one hour margin is very help to manage the chill mornings in the winter.

Even though the Clock time goes back one hour, the duration  of one day which is 24 hours,  remains the same.

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For students.

Time ( capital T ) and time ( lower  t ) are different.

time ( lower t) is clock or watch time that changes from country to country.

Time ( capital T) is the interval between two events, it is the  same everywhere.

In a clock, the two needle staying together at 12 ,  to come back to 12 again , will take 12 hrs.

This  is the duration, which  is  called Time.

It will be  same in US , India and everywhere. 

But clock time changes from country to country.

Time- காலம் 

time -  நேரம்

A train leaves Bangalore city at 6 a.m and reaches Chennai at 11 am.

Here, the  Time taken is 5 hrs  is காலம் ( there is no a.m or p.m for Time)

Departure time is 6 a.m நேரம்

Arrival time 11 is  a.m நேரம்

a.m means ante meridiem = before noon

p.m means post meridiem= after noon.

For a.m and p.m  only lower letters should be used not A.M and P.M

 

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From the period of Aristotle  to the  period of Albert Einstein, the Time was considered as absolute.

Which means Time ( நேரம்) is the same in  any frame.( moving frame or stationary frame )

Great Einstein proved in 1905 that  the Time is Relative , 

Time changes from moving frame to stationary  frame.

If person is travelling at the speed of 2,40,000 Km/sec.

For him,  if  the Time passed is 6 hrs, for a person remaining in the station, the Time passed is 10 hrs.

Yes, for a person remaining in the moving object , the Time passed is 6 hrs ( less)

But for the person remaining in the stationary place , the time passed is 10 hrs.(more)

Unbelievable ?  It is a  well established truth. The speed should be 2,40,000 Km/sec.

Einstein had proved it theoretically and became a great celebrity of the millennium.

Then, it was practically proved in case of Muons  extended life.( Muons = Sub-atomic particles ).

It took many years for me to understand  this truth  with  proper calculations.

The day , I understood it, my mind went to ecstasy and I was in a state of euphoria for many days.

What a  great discovery, what a great Scientist was Albert Einstein.

In the year 2011, I called so many physics graduates and engineering students and explained it with calculations. 

They could not believe that the  Time also changes and it is relative.

Newton believed that the Time is absolute, Einstein prove that  the Time is relative.

Einstein's eminence in excellence can be understood , when his calculation is understood. It is a great luxury.

On one occasion, some one asked me, " which is your great achievement  ?" 

 I said,

" Having understood Einstein ", Yes, whoever had understood ' The theory of Relativity ' would say the same answer.

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Indian and US constitutions

 US  presidential election  is  scheduled on 6th November

US constitution is different from the Indian Constitution.

* Indian constitution is written by using 1 ,17, 369 words ( came to force on 26th Jan 1950 = Republic Day )

US constitution is written  by using 4345 words, the  shortest constitution in the world.( came to force on  4th Mar 1789)

* In India, the President is the head of the State ( Country ), PM is the Head of the Government.

In US, the President is both the Head of the State and  Head of the Government.

*India is having PM as the supreme executive ( Parliamentary democracy, UK type 

US is having President as  the supreme executive.( Presidential democracy)

* Indian PM is elected by the the majority party of the Lok Sobha for 5 years.

 US President is directly elected by the people  through electoral colleges for 4 years.

* In India, there are PM as well President. PM is  the real executive, President is the nominal executive.( without real powers)

In US, there is no PM. President is all powerful real executive ( Ruler )

* India if the  PM dies , The  senior most Cabinet minister will become the acting PM, then the  ruling party in the  Lok Sabha will elect a PM again for the remaining period.

* In US, if the President dies, immediately the vice president will become the President for the remaining period.

When President Kennedy was shot dead, Vice president Lyndon Johnson  became  immediately the President.

* In India,  the tenure of the Lok Sabha  ( Lower house )  five years.

In US, the tenure of the House of representatives ( Lower house )  is only 2 years, For the Lower House the election is conducted once in 2 years.

* In India, there is multiparty democracy. ( many political parties are allowed )

In US, there is two party system ( only two political parties  are allowed, Democratic and Republic  party)

* In India, the President is elected by  both  MPs & MLAs, V.President  elected by the MPs only.( For president election, system of electoral college is used, for every MP and MLA value is determined  by keeping the number of voters of the respective states.)

In US, President and V.President are directly by the people through Electoral colleges, there are 535 Electoral colleges.

Winning candidate  should win in majority of  Electoral colleges  currently  270  . In case of a tie , the  President is elected by the Lower House and Vice President by Upper House.

* In India, the President has practically no ruling power, even the mercy petitions are decided by the Home Dept.( Govt.)

In US , the president is the most powerful administrative head or real Chief Executive .

* In India, one can become president  for any number of times continuously.

In US ,no President can remain  for more than two consecutive terms, 

Obama if elected  for second term, he cannot contest for third term consecutively, there should be a gap. After a gap of one term , he can contest again.

* In India Parliament is bicameral : Lok Sabha ( Lower House- 5 yrs) and Rajya Sabha ( Upper House-6 yrs )

Congress is  the name given to the  US parliament.
In US,  Congress ( Parliament ) is bicameral :  House of Representatives( Lower house -2 yrs ) ,Senate ( Upper House - 6 yrs)

Bicameral = Bi= 2 = Two Chambers. 

( Unicameral =unit =1 =  only one legislative Chamber, China is having only  one Chamber which is the highest legislative body called  National People's  Congress)

The election is scheduled  on 6th Nov 2012.

Democratic Party Candidate  is Obama,  Republican Candidate  is Romney

Only in TV  the debates are going on on policies of  political parties.

No street poster, no procession, no loud speaker propaganda, no pamphlets, in short no sign of election.

The whole country is silent.

People hear the three debates  in TV of the  two candidates   and decide whom to vote.

While debates are going on, the  public, the press people  are allowed  to question. Candidates answer.

People are worried about the safety of the country and economy of the country.

The most of the questions are on these subjects.

For students use,

Presidential Election in US is fixed on the  Tuesday between 2 and 8th  of Nov. once in 4 years ( first  Tuesday  is 6th Nov. this year )

Voting age  is 18.

The elected President will take the oath of affirmation on 20th Jan 2013. ( it is a  fixed date )

In those days, members of the Congress ( Parliament )  should come by coaches drawn by horses to Washington to attend the function of the President's oath taking. The distances of some of the  states from Washington are very far, to felicitate them  to reach Washington , so many days were allotted in those days. It is followed even now.Till then, the existing President will continue.

All the world countries have written Constitution, Only UK has the  Unwritten  Constitution which  is an evolved Constitution grown with the history of UK.

( I was teaching ' Constitutions of the World ' for BA students of our Tutorial Institution for 20 years, this knowledge helped to prepare this article )