Deaf Anthology: Deaf Anthology #46:"World's Fair"

John Sr: "I got a flyer from the Long Island Club of the Deaf about the Deaf day at the New York World's Fair, they will have several interpreters accompany us. We'll drive into Manhattan, meet my brother, then take the subway. We'll take the kids."
Judy: "My mother agreed to take care of Johnny, he's too young."

Johnny: "All my friends from ASD will be there, we'll have a great time." (reading the Flintstones)

Jimmy: "I want to see that car from James Bond's Goldfinger there."

John Sr: "We'll go into the Bell System Pavilion and see the picturephone, I am looking forward to the day we can sign to each others."

Judy: "Let's take the kids to Pepsi Cola Pavilion, It's a Small World and take a boat rides through different lands, then over to the General Motors Futurama take in a glimpse of the future."
Jackie: "We want a ride on the monorail and the Ferris wheel."
John Sr: "Let's go see the dinosaurs at Sinclair Dinoland, after watching, To Fly, at the Johnson Wax Pavilion."
Judy: "Don't forget to take the picture of our family atop the Eastman Kodak pavilion"
John Sr: "I'm bringing my 8mm camera." (parents bought souvenirs for the kids, the official guidebook and a few postcards)

Judy: "The kids are hungry"

John Sr: "We can meet all our Deaf friends from the L.I. Deaf Club at the Five Volcanoes restaurant tonight in the Hawaii pavilion, interpreters will be there for the Luana.

Commentary: The 1964/65 New York World's Fair was not sanctioned by the Bureau of International Exposition (BIE), based in Paris, because Moscow won the bid to host a world's fair in 1967, to celebrate their 50th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. The Soviet Union have decided to drop out because of financial and political problems, the communist couldn't get their act together to host anything of international significant until the 1980 summer Olympics, which of course, was boycotted by the Americans as the result of their invasion of Afghanistan. I think that sports and politics should not mix, even today the issue of China human rights records, especially in regard to Tibet, now that Beijing will host the summer Olympics. BIE was in the process of giving recognition to New York City, but the Canadians protested as they have a right to host a world's fair in Montreal, in celebration of their centennial, because they came in second in voting after Moscow. The rules of BIE at the time was that a Class A Universal Exposition are limited to once every decade. Expo 67, with the theme: "Man and his World," was sanctioned by BIE instead of New York. Countries, whose membership in BIE, are mostly represented at Expo 67, Montreal, with their own pavilions. That's why you see a few countries participating in the 1964/65 New York World's Fair, however it went ahead on its own, without BIE recognition, with a lot of Corporate America participation. There are two classifications of world's fair, class A is one of universal, whereas every country can have their own pavilion, flexible in both exhibition and entertainment venue, and it itself a large scale project, often involving billions in government funding for its infrastructure. Class B is one of thematic, the host country provide the space, exhibition and entertainment are limited to the exposition's theme. Montreal Expo 67 (also Expo 58 Brussels, Belgium and Expo 92, Seville, Spain) is an example of a Class A world's fair. There is no Class A world's fair during the 70s because Philadelphia (1976), a highlight of the American Revolution Bicentennial, that won the bid dropped out, same in the 80s when Paris, also dropped out, in both case couldn't raise or obtain the necessary funds. In addition, Chicago abandoned its plans to host a world's fair in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Columbus discovery of America, because of lack of support from the state legislatures in Jacksonville. That year, two world's fair was held in Seville, Spain (Class A), where Columbus disembark on his sail to India westward, unknown to them their is a new world out there), and also in Genoa, Italy (Class B), the birthplace of Columbus. BIE also recognized an international horticultural exposition in the Netherlands, Floriade 92, while little noticed, Amerifloral 92, was be held in Columbus, Ohio. 1962 Seattle World's Fair (also Expo 82 Knoxville and Expo 84, New Orleans) example of a Class B world's fair with an average of 40 countries participating. Knoxville's theme was energy while New Orleans focus on water as a source of life. World's Fair is limited to a six month run, however BIE changes its rule to limit Class B exhibitions to three months, and also allows Class A exhibition every five years, rather than once in a decade, beginning with the dawn of the 21st century.