As a year draws to a close, it is common to reflect on the passage of time. Two hundred years ago, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812. A week later, Congress declared war on Algiers. One hundred years ago, America’s first Jewish governor took office in Idaho, and AT&T became the first traded company with over a million shareholders. Fifty years ago, President Johnson proclaimed the “Great Society” and later signed the bill creating Medicare. A century ago, the average life expectancy was 57 years for a baby girl and 52 years for a boy. Now, those figures are 81 years for girls and 76 for boys. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.