Looking into the future, or back into the past?
In truth, there are probably only 2 days in the year when people really notice the importance of the day of the year, one is New Years Day, the other is tomorrow, or already, in some parts of the world, today, that is Christmas Day!
In fact, on one technically uninhabited island in Kiribati, it was Christmas at 10 in the morning my time. Is it pertinent to point out that in one small part of the Pacific, it wasnt even Christmas Eve at that point! Strictly that status happened for 2 hours, though for the second hour at least, the only places still on the 23rd were 2 uninhabited atolls, and maybe some ships at sea? Yes, Wikipedia is helpful for confirming such matters lol!
But in fact, given that Samoa, and American Samoa, which are probably the 2 closest islands in the Pacific on opposite sides of the dateline are about 100 miles apart, its unlikely that anyone in that part of the world can look into the future, or back into the past, they are simply too far apart.
All the same, there is one place in the world, where it is possible for people living on one side of the dateline to look into the future, and thats part of Alaska. Yes, the Diomede islands are separated by only a couple of miles, but in terms of time zones, they are 21 hours apart! Yes, I know, it should be 23, but blame Russia, and mainland time settings, and…the fact that 1 of those islands doesnt really need a time zone!
Yes, Big Diomede, on the Russian (tomorrow) side of the date line has no resident population nowadays, other than a few weather people, and a few military people living there at times, as the Inupiat population was packed off to the mainland during the Cold War, to stop contact with the US being possible. Little Diomede still has a few hundred residents living there, and yes, they can very easily see ‘tomorrow’ on the other side of the date line, apart from when the weather is truly awful, which it is quite often, in fact!
The biggest moment of fame for Little Diomede was probably when Michael Palin started his ‘Full Circle’ journey there, with the intention of completing that circle by returning there at the end, but couldnt due to weather conditions!
Of course the biggest misconception about how close mainland Alaska, and Russia are, is down to that political idiot named Sarah Palin (no relation to above), who claimed she could see Russia from her home. Yes, unless she has a secret home on Little Diomede, then no, she cant! Strictly, high points around Tin City, in the North West can in Summer, but no, the likelihood of Palin having been there is pretty much zero too! Mainland Alaska, and Russia, closest point, about 55 miles, and that area of Russia is so remote, its not really worth seeing at that distance anyway!
But yes, on Little Diomede, weather permitting, which might be unlikely, and for a few limited hours of light at this time of year, could see into the future, and see Christmas!
OK, the last pre Christmas video, though I suspect tomorrow’s might be related to that time, I guess? Its fair to say that this song is the forgotten song of Christmas, and I have no idea why? Maybe its too thought provoking, maybe because it suggests something other than angels, who knows? But yes, it should be heard more!
stevielounicks 
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