Wright Brothers Day 2010

Today is the 351st day of the year. There are 14 days remaining until the end of the year (8 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

On December 17, 1903, after three years of experimentation, Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first documented powered and controlled flights of an airplane near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  First Orville and then Wilbur piloted their airplane for sustained flight of less than a minute.  Nonetheless, these flights represent the birth of the modern airplane 107 years ago today.  Since 1963, December 17th has been declared Wright Brothers Day by Presidential Proclamation.

The third Friday in December is also Underdog Day.

On December 17, 1843, Charles Dickens first published his holiday classic "A Christmas Carol."

Today on Television

Thirty-four years ago today (December 17, 1976), Ted Turner launched Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) turning a local Atlanta UHF station into a national cable television network.

Twenty-one years ago today (December 17, 1989), TV show "The Simpsons" premiered.

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Feature for December 17, 2010

Boston Tea Party Day 2010

Today is the 350th day of the year. There are 15 days remaining until the end of the year (9 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

Today is the 237th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.  On December 16, 1773, a group of American colonists boarded three ships containing taxed tea from Britain and dumped over 350 chests of that tea into Boston's harbor.

On December 16, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began as a German offensive launched in the Belgian Ardennes Forest.

Each year, the Thursday of the week before Christmas is National Re-gifting Day.  December 16th is also Barbie and Barney Backlash Day.  If you are a chocoholic, December 16th is also National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.

In Mexico, the nine-day celebration of Posadas, where processions of “pilgrims” knock at doors asking for posada (shelter) to commemorate the search by Joseph and Mary for a shelter, begins today.  In Bangladesh, today is Victory Day, celebrating their victory over Pakistan in 1973, when the former East Pakistan became current day Bangladesh.  In Kazakhstan, December 16th is their Independence Day, commemorating the independence from the Soviet Union that they achieved in 1991.  In the Philippines, the world's longest Christmas celebration begins today and lasts until January 6th.

Two-hundred forty years ago, Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany on December 16, 1770.  Exactly five years later, on this date in 1775, English novelist Jane Austen, the author of "Pride and Prejudice" was born.  Famous American anthropologist, Margaret Mead was born on December 16, 1901.  Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke was born on this day in 1917.

Today on Television

Today is the anniversary for a number of popular TV shows.  "Dragnet," starring Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday premiered on this day in 1951.  Sitcom "One Day At a Time" premiered on this day 35 years ago (1975).

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Feature for December 16, 2010

Bill of Rights Day 2010

Today is the 349th day of the year. There are 16 days remaining until the end of the year (10 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

Today is the 219th anniversary of the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.  The Constitution, adopted in 1787, established the framework for a three branch central government with a series of meaningful checks and balances between the branches.  The people of this newly formed nation, however, still feared the potential abuse of power by a strong central government.  A Bill of Rights, then, was developed as a list of checks against government to ensure vital freedoms.  On December 19, 1791, this Bill of Rights was ratified.  On the 150th anniversary of this ratification, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed the first Bill of Rights Day to celebrate the first and most basic set of rights that U.S. citizens hold so dear.  The ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights is summarized below:

Amendment I - Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
Amendment II - Right to keep and bear arms in order to maintain a well regulated militia.
Amendment III - Guarantee against forced quartering of soldiers.
Amendment IV - Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Amendment V - Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy.
Amendment VI - Rights of accused persons, e.g., right to a speedy and public trial.
Amendment VII - Right of trial by jury in civil cases.
Amendment VIII - Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments.
Amendment IX - Other rights of the people.
Amendment X - Powers reserved to the states.

On a lighter note, today is Cat Herders Day.

Seventy-one years ago (December 15, 1939), "Gone With The Wind," the biggest blockbuster of that era premiered.  120 years ago today, Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux leader, who defeated Lieutenant Colonel Custer at the Little Bighorn, died.

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Feature for December 15, 2010

South Pole Discovery Day 2010

Today is the 348th day of the year. There are 17 days remaining until the end of the year (11 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

Ninety-nine years ago (December 14, 1911), Roald Amundsen, along with his four companions and 52 sled dogs, were the first to locate and visit the South Pole.  All five men and 12 of the dogs returned to base camp safely.

Today is the birthday of Nostradamus (born December 14, 1503), a French physician who is most famous for his predictions of the future.  On December 14, 1799, George Washington died at his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia.  On December 14, 1819, Alabama became the 22nd state to join the Union.

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Feature for December 14, 2010

National Cocoa Day 2010

Today is the 347th day of the year. There are 18 days remaining until the end of the year (12 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

The Moon enters its first quarter phase at 8:59 EST today.

Nothing warms you up better on a cold winter day than a nice cup of hot cocoa! Today, enjoy your favorite beverage (or other recipe) with cocoa.

On December 13, 1991, North and South Korea signed a treaty of reconciliation and nonaggression (not a peace treaty), formally ending the Korean War 38 years after the fighting actually ceased (an armistice that was signed July 27, 1953, between the United Nations and North Korea). We can only hope that the recent conflict between North and South Korea, however, will not jeopardize a formal and lasting peace in the region.

Today is the 192nd anniversary of former First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln's birthday (born December 13, 1818).

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Feature for December 13, 2010

Poinsettia Day 2010

Today is the 346th day of the year. There are 19 days remaining until the end of the year (13 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett was an American diplomat, member of Congress, and Secretary of War who introduced the Poinsettia, a Central American plant that was named for him, into the United States.  As he died on December 12, 1851 and the poinsettia is most popular during the Christmas season, today is a day to enjoy their beauty.

In Russia, December 12th is Constitution Day, commemorating the adoption of a new constitution just 17 years ago in 1993.  In Mexico, December 12th is Guadalupe Day, honoring the "Dark Virgin of Guadalupe" who is their republic's patron saint.  In Kenya, today is Jamhuri Day, celebrating their independence from Great Britain on this day in 1963.  In Turkmenistan, today is Neutrality Day, celebrating their recognition by the United Nations on December 12, 1995 as a neutral state.

To celebrate the fact that the number of the day and month are the same (both 12), today has been declared Bonza Bottler Day.

On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.  Ten years ago on this date, the Supreme Court ruled for George W. Bush and ended further deliberation over the outcome of the 2000 presidential election.

Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, would have been 95 years old today (born December 12, 1915).

This is Week 14 of the 2010 National Football League (NFL) season.

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Feature for December 12, 2010

Day Of The Horse 2010

 Today is the 345th day of the year. There are 20 days remaining until the end of the year (14 days till Christmas). If your birthday is today, you are a Sagittarius.

The California State Legislature and the US Senate have declared the second Saturday of December to be the Day of the Horse. The second Saturday of December each year is also International Shareware Day. The United Nations (UN) has declared December 11th as International Mountain Day.

On this day in 1816, Indiana became the 19th state to enter the Union. Seventy-four years ago, on December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the English throne to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Warfield Simpson.

UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) is 64 years old today (established December 11, 1946). Russian author and dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn would have been 92 years old today (born December 11, 1918). Former New York Mayor Fiorello Henry La Guardia was born on this date in 1882.

Thirty years ago on this date, the television show "Magnum, PI" featuring Tom Selleck premiered.

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Feature for December 11, 2010