Good morning, Bomberinos. I'm using my indoor voice because some of you might be hung over from last night's festivities. Just in case. I'm just fine, I celebrate on Eastern time even though I live in Western time. Going to bed early never works, though. The gunfire kicks in at midnight no matter what. The police are already flying overhead with their helicopters shining the light into back yards. Happy new year, cops!
I had to delete most of the tweets from before THE DEAL:
Get out your notebooks, it's time for your history lesson.
On This Day
In 404, a furious Roman mob ripped Telemachus, a Christian monk, to pieces for trying to stop a gladiators' fight in the public arena held in Rome.
In 1772, the first traveler's cheques, good in 90 European cities, went on sale in London.
In 1788, the first edition of The Times of London, previously The Daily Universal Register, was published.
In 1801, the legislative union of Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland was completed to form the United Kingdom.
In 1804, French rule ended in Haiti. Haiti became the first black republic and second independent country in North America after the United States.
In 1808, the importation of slaves into the United States was banned.
In 1833, the United Kingdom claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in Confederate territory.
In 1885, 25 countries adopted Sandford Fleming's proposal for standard time (and also, time zones)
In 1890, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, was first held.
In 1892, Ellis Island opened as the processing station for immigrants coming into the United States.
In 1902 , the first American college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, between Michigan and Stanford, was held in Pasadena, California.
In 1908, a ball was dropped in New York's Times Square for the first time to signify the start of the New Year at midnight. There is no truth to the rumor that Dick Clark officiated.
In 1912, the Republic of China was established.
In 1971, cigarette ads were banned on American television. Us oldsters still remember "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" (which was followed by "What do you want, good grammar or good taste?") and Pall Mall's "AND they are mild," among others.
In 1985, the Domain Name System for the Internet was created.
In 1994, NAFTA came into effect.
In 2012, Kim Jong-un was officially declared the new Supreme Leader of North Korea.
Born on This Day
1618 – Bartolomé Estéban Murillo, Spanish painter (d. 1682)
1735 – Paul Revere, American patriot (d. 1818)
1752 – Betsy Ross, American seamstress. (d. 1836) The story about her making the first flag appeared in 1870, coming from her grandson, who heard it from his mother. It is said the only contribution to the design from her may have been making the original six pointed star into a five pointed star.
1860 – Dan Katchongva, Native-American Hopi activist (d. 1972)
1864 – Alfred Stieglitz, American photographer (d. 1946)
1879 – E. M. Forster, English novelist (d. 1970)
1889 – Charles Bickford, American film actor (d. 1967)
1895 – J. Edgar Hoover, American FBI director (d. 1972)
1900 – Xavier Cugat, Spanish musician (d. 1990)
1909 – Dana Andrews, American actor (d. 1992)
1911 – Basil Dearden, British film director (d. 1971)
1917 – Albert Mol, Dutch actor (d. 2004)
1919 – Rocky Graziano, American boxer (d. 1990)
1919 – Carole Landis, American film actress (d. 1948)
1919 – J. D. Salinger, American novelist (d. 2010)
1921 - Barbara Goalen, fashion model (d. 2002)
1923 – Milt Jackson, American jazz vibraphonist (Modern Jazz Quartet) (d. 1999)
1925 – Valentina Cortese, Italian actress
1933 – Joe Orton, English writer (d. 1967)
1935 – B. Kliban, American cartoonist (d. 1990)
1942 – Country Joe McDonald, American musician (Country Joe and the Fish)
1947 – Jon Corzine, American politician
1956 - Andy Gill, guitarist (Gang of Four) (just the first song of these two)
1958 – Grandmaster Flash, Barbadian musician (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five)
Died on This Day
1617 – Hendrik Goltzius, Dutch painter and etcher (b. 1558)
1793 – Francesco Guardi, Venetian painter (b. 1712)
1953 – Hank Williams, influential American country singer and songwriter, not to be confused with the inferior Hank Jr. (b. 1923)
1960 – Margaret Sullavan, American actress, screenwriter (b. 1909)
1972 – Maurice Chevalier, French actor (b. 1888)
1984 – Alexis Korner, British blues musician (b. 1928)
1994 – Cesar Romero, American actor (b. 1907)
2005 – Shirley Chisholm, American politician (b. 1924)
Today is
New Year's Day
Bloody Mary Day
Apple Gifting Day
First Foot Day
Z Day
This Month is
Bread Machine Baking Month
National Slow Cooking Month
National Bath Safety Month
Eye Care Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Braille Literacy Month
National Hobby Month
National Staying Healthy Month
National Thank You Month
National Candy Month
National Egg Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Meat Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Soup Month
National Wheat Bread Month
Prune Breakfast Month