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On the The Writer's Almanac I read: Today would mark the beginning of the seven-day celebration of Saturnalia in ancient Rome. For the winter festival, the Romans made and exchanged gifts, decorated their homes with holly and ropes of garland, and carried wreaths of evergreen branches to honor the god Saturn.
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Did You Know . . .?
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
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WORD FOR THE DAY
Saturn
In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labor in a state of social egalitarianism.
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HISTORICAL EVENT
Grant's order prohibited the issuing of trade licenses to Jews within the Tennessee district. Furthermore, it required them to leave the district within 24 hours of the order or risk imprisonment. Grant's zealous underlings immediately began to enforce the order: Entire families were marched out of town with only what they could carry.
Grant's reputation was not tarnished by the General Order No. 11 episode. In fact, after the war, most Americans regarded Grant as a hero and he went on to win the majority of the Jewish vote in the presidential election of 1868. As president, he appointed Jews to top federal positions.
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CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
(born December 17, 1945)
Chris Matthews is an American news anchor and political commentator known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC. From 2002 to 2013, he hosted a syndicated NBC News–produced panel discussion program on weekends titled The Chris Matthews Show. Matthews appears on many other NBC and MSNBC programs.
(born December 17, 1969)
Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress, producer, and human rights activist. Holden's first role was on The Martian Chronicles (1980), when she played Rock Hudson's daughter. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The Walking Dead.
(born December 17, 1953)
Bill Pullman is an American actor. Pullman made his film debut in the supporting role of Earl Mott in the 1986 film Ruthless People. He has since gone on to star in other films, including Spaceballs (1987), Independence Day (1996), While You Were Sleeping (1995), Casper (1995) and Lost Highway (1997).
(born December 17, 1975)
Milla Jovovich is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. During her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, earning her the sobriquet "reigning queen of kick-butt" from the music channel VH1 in 2006.
Jovovich made her first professional acting appearance in the television film The Night Train to Kathmandu and, later that year, she appeared in her first feature film, Two Moon Junction. After a few more lower-profile film and television appearances, such as in the Married... with Children episode "Fair Exchange" (1989)[6] as a French girl, Jovovich appeared in the 1991 romance film Return to the Blue Lagoon. In 1992 and 1993, she appeared as Christian Slater's character's love interest in Kuffs and as one of the teenagers in the comedy coming-of-age film Dazed and Confused, before her breakthrough alongside Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman in the 1997 science-fiction film The Fifth Element. She then appeared as the central character Joan of Arc in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999).
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If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years.
--Bertrand Russell
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