On this Day

[texan]

On this day, Dec 13 1961, Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses) died at the age of 101.
The self-taught artist took up painting in her sixties; having her first showing in New York City at
the ripe, young age of eighty.

Her style was nostalgic and primitive -- mostly rural scenes: The Old Oaken Bucket,
Christmas at Home, The Quilting Bee.

 

[texan]

On this day, 14 Dec 1953, Sandy Koufax, age 19, was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The kid reportedly had played no more than 20 games of baseball in his entire life.

In the next 12 seasons, Koufax posted 167 wins, 87 losses and 2,396 strikeouts, becoming
a baseball legend!

 

[texan]

On this day, 15 Dec 2012, just so hurt by what occured in the school in Connecticut yesterday.
Nothing to post today.

 

[serenity now]

On this day, 15 Dec 2012, just so hurt by what occured in the school in Connecticut yesterday.
Nothing to post today.

........ maybe it is time for the world to end

 

[texan]

On this day, 16 Dec 1971, Don McLean’s eight-minute-plus (8:32) version of American
Pie was released.

It became one of the longest songs with some of the most confusing (pick your favorite interpretation)
lyrics to ever hit the pop charts.

It was a disc jockey favorite since there were few songs long enough for potty breaks at the time.
American Pie hit #1 on January 15, 1972.

 

[texan]

On this day, 17 Dec 1843, Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol" is published.

 

[texan]

On this day, 18 Dec 1865, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, save as a punishment for crime whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist in the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

With these words, slavery was abolished in the United States.

On this day a proclamation by the U.S. Secretary of State announced the thirteenth amendment to the
Constitution had been ratified by the legislatures of twenty-seven of the thirty-six states.

Actual ratification was completed on December 6, but news travelled slowly in those days.

 

[texan]

On this day, 19 Dec 1973, Johnny Carson pulled a good one before a nationwide late-night audience on NBC.

Carson started a fake toilet-paper scare.
In his Tonight Show monologue, he told his huge audience that a Wisconsin congressman had warned that
toilet paper was disappearing from supermarket shelves.

Toilet paper soon became a scarce commodity in many areas of the United States after the gag.

 

[texan]

On this day, 20 Dec 1920, An English-born comedian named Leslie Townes Hope became an
American citizen.

He had lived in the United States since 1908 and became one of the nation’s true ambassadors for show
business and charity. We say, “Thanks for the memory,” to Bob Hope.

 

[texan]

On this day, 21 Dec 2012, some are convinced or ponder if a Mayan agriculture calendar
is correct.

 

[texan]

On this day, 22 Dec 2012.......................................
The earth spins in the universe as it did on 21 Dec 2012.

I do not mock. I just believe that time is reserved for the Father only, no one shall know the
exact day, but HIM.

 

[Catatonic]

On this day, 21 Dec 2012, some are convinced or ponder if a Mayan agriculture calendar
is correct.

That explains it!

 

[texan]

On this day, 23 Dec 1942, Bob Hope agreed to entertain U.S. airmen in Alaska.
It was the first of his many famous Christmas shows for American armed forces around the world.
The tradition continued for more than three decades.

 

[texan]

On this day, 24 Dec 1818, Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany composed the music for Silent Night to words
written by Josef Mohr.
The traditional song was sung for the first time during Midnight Mass this night.

 

[texan]

On this day, 26 Dec 2012, BOXING DAY

No one seems to know whether the celebration of Boxing Day began in the middle of the 19th century or the middle
of the ninth century. What we do know is that it definitely had its origins in England and is always celebrated on this
day (except when December 26th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the official holiday is moved to Monday) with
government offices and many businesses closed.

Although folks throughout Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada celebrate Boxing Day, most don’t seem
to know where the name originated or what Boxing Day signifies.

All the theories of origin have the same theme: Those who considered themselves of a higher social class, gave to
those beneath them.

The wealthy landowners of the Middle Ages celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day, and their servants who worked
for them on Christmas Day were given boxes of food and fruit on December 26th. Leftovers?

Another theory states that, in England, servants would carry boxes to their employers to receive coins, or
their employers would leave small earthenware boxes for them filled with money on the day after Christmas.

These were special year-end gifts. The first Christmas bonuses?

Still another theory: Church alms boxes were opened on Christmas Day and the contents distributed on
December 26th. The first annual holiday-donation solicitation?

Today, Boxing Day is celebrated with family, friends, food, fun and friendship. The boxes involved are more likely to
be filled with gifts being exchanged or after-Christmas sale items.

 

[moreluck]

Boxing day to me is........get out the boxes and start to pack this Christmas stuff away for another year!!

 

[texan]

On this day, 27 Dec 1971, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and Woodstock of Charles Schulz’
famous Peanuts comic strip made the cover of Newsweek magazine this day.

 

[texan]

On this day, 28 Dec 1832, Calhoun resigns vice presidency.

Citing political differences with President Andrew Jackson and a desire to fill a vacant Senate seat
in South Carolina, John C. Calhoun becomes the first vice president in U.S. history to resign the office.

 

[texan]

On this day, 29 Dec 1845, Texas enters the Union.

Six months after the congress of the Republic of Texas accepts U.S. annexation of the
territory, Texas is admitted into the United States as the 28th state.

 

[texan]

On this day, 30 Dec 1976, The Smothers Brothers, Tom and Dick, played their last show at the Aladdin Hotel
in Las Vegas and retired as a team from show business. Each continued as a solo artist. They reunited years later
for another stab at TV (on NBC) plus concert appearances that proved very successful.