The Daily Mail

It was initially designed to provide its readers with world news in what author A. N. Wilson describes as "bulletin form." Would readers take to such a vehicle? The creator, Alfred Harmsworth, was optimistic they would so he planned an initial printing of 100,000. It turned out Harmworth was off. The first edition of The Daily Mail ended up selling just under 400,000 copies. Not a bad beginning for England's latest newspaper back in May, 1896 - 121years ago. Since that most impressive debut, The Daily Mail has not looked back. As England's second most popular newspaper in terms of circulation, today it continues to be as successful as ever.

Those early additions were filled with stories about crime and sports, including cricket and racing, according to Wilson. Like numerous other successful ventures, however, it was not without critics. One such person, again reported by Wilson in his book "The Victorians," described it as a "newspaper produced by office boys for office boys." Maybe so. But looking back, it seems office boys sure liked to read back then. Thankfully, they still do. Newspapers like The Daily Mail continue to thrive and provide a valuable service to those continue to enjoy getting their local and world updates in written form.

This entry is a shout-out to The Daily Mail as it nears another important milestone. On a broader scale, this is also a show of support to all newspapers of the world. We need them more than ever. In a world of division and not a little tension, communiques designed to provide ongoing information to the masses are vital to whatever chance there is of people and even governments becoming more in-sync. Obviously, that is not the only answer, but it is one that is an absolute necessity if we are ever going to see or enjoy greater peace. So, thank you The Daily Mail and all your sister publications. Keep doing what you are doing.