DEC 20 WHAT IS BOXING DAY?

DEC 20  WHAT IS BOXING DAY?

Across America, people look at their December calendars, anxiously counting down the days to Christmas. Afterward, we look at the day after the holiday and we see in the box...next to the number 26...the odd entry: BOXING DAY (UK, CAN, AUS). Americans scratch their heads and wonder what this holiday means. We asked our British friends about it...and guess what? Most people in the UK don't know what Boxing Day means either. This sounds like the perfect topic for a blog.

Before we start, let's clarify what Boxing Day is not. It has absolutely nothing to do with the sport of boxing. (You don't love people on the 25th, but then sock them in the face on the 26th.) Most people think the term derives from 'boxing' up used wrapping paper, unwanted gifts and discarded fruitcakes for the rubbish heap...but that's not the case. Nor does it have anything to do with horse racing, Premier League Soccer, cricket or jumping into frozen lakes.

Nope, according The Guardian the origins of Boxing Day "lie not in sport, but in small acts of kindness." During the Middle Ages, parishioners collected money, gifts and food for the poor in alms boxes during the Christmas Mass. These were then opened by the poor the next day. During the Victorian era, the process was expanded. Although the domestic staff of large manors had to work on Christmas Day, they were given the next day off for their own families. Before leaving, servants, maids and cooks were given extra wages, gifts and food in fancy boxes.

During the Victorian Era, there were thousands of manors with tens of thousands of people working in them. Not surprisingly, the day evolved into an important event for a large percentage of the British population. Boxing Day became an official bank holiday in 1871. Since then, the holiday has been celebrated in a variety of ways. Since the help was gone, aristocrats went hunting or to the race track. This expanded into the soccer and rugby leagues. Today, Boxing Day matches are now a fixture on the sports calendar.

These days, Boxing Day has an entirely new purpose. Gone are the traditional trips to church to give boxes to the poor. Nope! Today, Boxing Day is the busiest shopping day of the year in the UK and Canada, with billions of pounds in retail sales. In fact, it is just like Black Friday in the US. Stores ceremoniously open their doors at 5am, welcoming in a mad rush of consumers clamoring for bargains. Sigh. Let's just hope people take their purchases from Oxford Street home, put them in a fancy box and give them to the homeless.

DEC 15 WATER WAR BETWEEN EGYPT & ETHIOPIA

DEC 15  WATER WAR BETWEEN EGYPT & ETHIOPIA

The Egyptian government is worried. No, it's not about the Muslim Brotherhood. Nope...It's not another attack on Coptic Christians. And it has nothing to do with Jerusalem becoming the capital of Israel. Nope, today, the political ministers in Cairo are worried that the Nile River will dry up. Since 95% of the population lives in the Nile River Valley, this means 85 million lives are in danger!

Why do Egyptian ministers think the Nile River will dry up? Because 1,500 miles upriver, the Ethiopian government is busy building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). It's now 70% completed and will be operational next year. Once done, it will be Africa's largest, producing 6,000 megawatts of power. Today, only a third of Ethiopians have electricity, so this is really quite an accomplishment.

This is exciting news for Ethiopia...a nation previously only known for drought and starvation. But downriver in Egypt, concerns are high. See, Addis Ababa has been a bit hush-hush on the nuts and bolts of the dam. The Ethiopian government raised the $5 billion to build it without foreign help, so the outside world has little idea of what's going on. We do know it will take ten years to fill a reservoir that will bring the power. Cairo worries about these projections as well as the safe maintenance of the flow of the world's longest river.

As any History Teacher will tell you: Egypt is the 'Gift of the Nile.' However, the annual flooding went away decades ago. The High Aswan Dam opened in 1965. Since then, the Nile flow levels are controlled...so the Nile won't dry up anytime soon. However, the flow will be cut by 25% beginning soon. This will mean less water and power in the long run. That's why Egypt is demanding a Pan-African committee to be formed to look deeper into the environmental affects of the GERD before any operation.

While this conflict may seem odd and insignificant, expect many more to pop up in the future. Simply put: Fresh water reserves cannot keep up with the world's rapidly expanding population. Across Asia, disputes rage. Turkey wants to control the Euphrates, putting Iraqis at risk. Thailand is angry with Laos for their dam on the Mekong. And in the Americas there's the Colorado River dispute. Americans drink every drop before it gets to Mexico!

DEC 9 STILL NO NATIONAL ID CARD FOR AMERICANS

DEC 9  STILL NO NATIONAL ID CARD FOR AMERICANS

Americans have many norms that confuse people in other countries. For example, we insist on having ice in our beverages. Americans think coins are basically worthless, and only to be used as 'spare change' for the homeless. We wear shirts with words on them: "I'm with stupid." But perhaps the most confusing thing Americans do is use a driver's license for all personal identification.

See, in the other 242 nations on earth, the government issues standard, uniform identification cards for all her citizens. (Note: These are not to be confused with a passport, which is for international affairs.) Now, when you need ID for a credit card or alcohol purchase in any nation other than America, a federal ID card is the main form of identification. Weird, huh? Anyhow, this difference becomes apparent when Americans try to check into hotels overseas. Desk clerks cannot figure out what driving a car has to do with renting a room.

This was all supposed to change back in 2005 when Congress passed the REAL ID ACT. After the horrific 9/11 attacks, it was brought to light that the Saudi terrorists all used driver's licenses from various US states in preparation for the onslaught. With so many different IDs, it makes it difficult to keep tabs on the people we need to be keeping tabs on. People like TSA officers really need to see, instantly, more information than a state issued driver's license can provide.

Sadly, after multiple failures to pass, a watered-down version of the REAL ID ACT ended up becoming a law in 2005. Instead of issuing all citizens a national ID card, individual state driver's licenses will still be used to board a plane. However, the government is requiring that states adhere to stricter codes and regulations to insure TSA agents get the information on passengers they need. So residents of twenty states, including California and New York need to go to a DMV to get a new card. But don't rush. This week, Congress extended the deadline to October of 2020 to get the new, enhanced driver's license.

You might have noticed I only used the term "American" in this blog when referring to people. But, in actuality, we are the UNITED STATES of America. Maybe this driver's license issue is one of the last remaining instances when state's rights being placed ahead of federal rights. Come to think of it...Maybe our nation would be better off with more regional government. We'd really love to see 50 individual currencies as well!



 

DEC 2 FAQ'S ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE

DEC 2 FAQ'S ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE

Nothing gets the tabloids of the world more excited than a Royal Wedding! So, when Prince Harry popped the question to actress Meghan Markle last weekend, news outlets from Sydney to Stockholm went wild. They're still a-flutter with probing questions, wacky predictions and wild speculation. As your trusted source for news about royalty worldwide, we here at the DUNER BLOG are ready to answer your queries.

Which role made Meghan famous? She is best known for playing Rachel Zane on the TV show Suits. It airs on the oddly-named USA Network. Fans have watched the outgoing character rise from a lowly paralegal in Season One to a full-fledged attorney in Season Five. On the silver screen, she played the hot FedEx girl in the comedy Horrible Bosses. However, the role that made Meghan Markle famous was as briefcase girl #24 on the Howie Mandel-hosted game show Deal or No Deal!

How did Harry and Meghan meet? Naturally, Harry was asked this question during a recent BBC interview. It all began with a simple BLIND DATE last year. See, Meghan was friends-of-a-friend with Princess Eugenie, who also helped play matchmaker. They met for a drink in London last year. When did Harry know she was the one? "The very first time we met." Harry admits. So people...the next time a friend wants to set you up with someone...think twice about turning them down!

What will her royal title be? This will be announced after the wedding. In all likelihood, Meghan will become the Duchess of Sussex...just like Kate Middleton became the Duchess of Cambridge. This will not stop the press from calling her Princess Meghan, as the word 'Princess' has special place in the heart of Disney-loving girls worldwide. Prior to any of this, Meghan must become a British citizen and be baptized into the Church of England.

Is she the first American royal? Given the large number of Royal houses worldwide, dozens of Americans have become royalty. The most famous being Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco and Queen Noor of Jordan. Meghan will be the second American to join the House of Windsor. For eight months in 1936, Wallis Simpson was a de-facto Queen, but the abdication of Edward VIII unceremoniously ended her curious reign.

Will the Queen attend the wedding? Although no official word has been given, many feel her Highness will not be at the ceremony. No, it doesn't have anything to do with Meghan being an American. Rather, Meghan, like Willis Simpson, is divorced. Although the Church of England now accepts divorce, the queen does not. She also skipped her own son's second wedding on the same grounds: Camilla is divorced too.