Washington Nationals World Series victors bring World Championship home - welcomed by a parade and tens of thousands of fans - First Title in 95 years!!!

While enjoying the photos of the Nationals parade in our nation's Capital Saturday to celebrate their World Series Championship, think about the historical impact of this event.

It is one of few glorious moments in the Capital in recent history as an intellectually constipated Congress or a three-year Impeachment battle dominated the headlines.   

The team who traded away their star before the season began, were 19-31 in late May, had the worst record of any team in the playoffs, were given no chance to win their division, the National League pennant and most certainly the World Series, stunned the baseball world.

1924 parade

The last World Series won by a team from Washington DC was in 1924, the Washington Senators, nearly one hundred years ago.  What did the world look like back then?

Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Lenin died at age 53 

Woodrow Wilson died, the 28th president of the United States

Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House

Adolf Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison for "Beer Hall Putsch" 

Marlon Brando, actor (On the Waterfront, The Godfather)

 J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at age 29

Congress granted U.S. citizenship to all American Indians

The comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" by Harold Gray (d. 1968) made its debut in the NY Daily News

Baseball’s first "colored World Series" was held in Kansas City, Mo

The New York Times published news of Edwin Hubble’s discoveries of other galactic systems

Rod Sterling (d. 1975), writer and host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery), was born in Syracuse, NY

Albert Einstein completed a manuscript that predicted that particles of gas near absolute zero will clump together in one larger mono-atom

Peter Pan was first produced as a Broadway musical

Calvin Coolidge was re-elected president

The Ku Klux Klan numbered four million members

 Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), died

CPT Twit - OMG the Ancient Curse of Medusa is back to bring deceit, disinformation and destruction to all who cross her flight path - Debbie Wasserman Schultz - Hillary hit squad!

The return of Medusa

Medusa

Description

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a monster, a Gorgon, generally described as a winged human female with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those who gazed upon her face would turn to stone.

Medusa pillories Ken Cuccinelli, Former Attorney General of Virginia who works in the Trump administration as acting Director of the Citizenship and  Immigration Services office, with venomous diatribe of senseless and hateful insinuations during Congressional hearing then refuses to let him respond..  

Not so long ago she was fired as Chairman of the DNC then hired by Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Embroiled in the Hillary missing email scandal, the hacking of the DNC, and the systematic destruction of the Bernie Sanders campaign, she was sent into hiding. 

Obviously Speaker Pelosi needed her help as Hillary did the last election, which did not work out so well, and brought her back to torment Trump people. 

Halloween - Festividad de Todos los Santos - la veille de la toussaint - Day of the Dead - Día de Muertos -

Before we start explaining the Day of the Dead, as a last tribute to Halloween let me share with you an amazing dance by my favorite witches as they dance to German reggae.  Clearly they are the good witches spreading joy to the world.

What Is Day of the Dead

Here in the USA, we mourn our loved ones when they pass with funeral services and wearing dark solemn clothing. It’s usually a sad time in our families when we have to say goodbye to grandpa forever. Different cultures grieve and treat death differently with traditions that have been around for centuries.

One culture that has created a unique and interesting way to face death and the deceased is Mexico. Mexico is colorful, noisy, and lots of fun. The people, the food, and the celebrations are bright, loud, and unequaled. So when it comes to death, in true Mexican style, Mexicans celebrate with color, food, and music.

Day of the Dead is a 2-day celebration where it is believed that the passageway between the real world and the spirit world is open so our deceased loved ones can come back to visit us. What do we do when grandpa comes back from the land of the dead? We make his favorite meal and we offer him his favorite drink. We sing, dance, and rejoice before he heads back to the underworld for another year.

When Is Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is sometimes confused with Halloween because of the symbolic skulls but is not related at all.

It is said that on November 1st the children who have passed come back to visit and celebrate as angelitos and on the following day, November 2nd, it’s the adults (Difuntos) turn to show up for the festivities.

Family members prepare for several weeks in advance for the tradition by creating altars, decorating burial sites, and cooking specific Day of the Dead food.

Origins of Dia de Muertos

When the Spaniards came to Mexico and introduced Catholicism to the indigenous people they blended traditions and beliefs to create their own customs.

Dia de Muertos came to be from a mixture of the Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess, Mictecacihuatl, with the Catholic influence. Mictecacihuatl is the “lady of the dead” and it is said that she watches over the bones of the dead and swallows the stars during the day.

The church rejected the Aztec’s beliefs and turned it into All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day making it on 2 days to fall into the catholic calendar. Mexicans have since transformed it into a truly unique holiday that they honor every year.

How It’s Celebrated Today

Today’s customs regarding Day of the Dead festivities have morphed over the years to become the distinct tradition it is now. Flowers, altars, food, and music are all integral parts of the holiday.

Families will gather during the night at the cemeteries (panteons), light candles, and place flowers on the burial sites of their lost loved ones. There is festive music and definitely no crying or grieving. This is a reflective and lively get-together honoring the deceased back to celebrate life and enjoy all the human things again.

Traditions

The traditions surrounding Day of the Dead are rich with cultural influence and true to Mexican style they don’t lack color and substance.

• Altars (Ofrendas)

The Aztecs used to offer water and food to the deceased to help them on their journey to the land of the dead. Now, Mexican families set up beautifully decorated altars in their homes and place photos of the loved ones they have lost along with other items.

The ofrendas usually consist of water, the loved one’s favorite food and drink items, flowers, bread, and other things that celebrate the dead person’s life.

• Marigolds (cempasuchil)

Marigolds are used during Dia de Muertos celebrations by being placed on the altars and on the burial sites. The Marigold flower is thought to guide the spirits back with their intense color and pungent smell.

• Skulls (calaveras)

Skulls are a huge part of the holiday. Skulls were used during rituals in the Aztec era and passed on as trophies during battles.

Today, during Dia de Los Muertos, small decorated sugar skulls are placed on the altars. There is nothing grim about these skulls. They are decorated with colorful edible paint, glitter, beads, and sport huge smiles.

• La Catrina

The skulls (calaveras) and skeletons (calacas) that are so prominent in today’s festivities came about at the beginning of the 19th century when cartoonist and social activist José Guadalupe Posada drew La Catrina to protest the Mexican people’s desire to look more European. La Catrina has become one of the biggest symbols of Day of the Dead with people painting their faces with skulls and flowers.

• Papel Picado

Papel picado means perforated paper and is an integral part of Mexican culture. The art comes from the Aztec tradition of chiseling spirit figures on wood. It is used during Day of the Dead celebrations by stringing them on the altars and in the streets. Ofrendas showcase fire, water, earth, and air. Papel picados represent air on the altar.

All About Food

Mexico knows food! There is no celebrating without food in Mexico. Customary foods are prepared during the Dia de Los Muertos and are shared with family, neighbors, strangers, and the visiting spirits.

Pan de Muertos, or day of the dead bread, is an essential part of the festivities and is also placed on the altars. Sugar Skulls are enjoyed by the young and old during this time also. Mole, tamales, pozole, and sopa azteca are prepared by families with the recipes being passed on from generation to generation.