16 th December 2011

16th December 2011

“Nine more sleeps ‘til Christmas” – to paraphrase Kermit the Frog.

Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)The film also contains the remark and advice:‘Mother always taught me "Never eat singing

food.”’Rizzo the Rat

(?) Michael Caine's “most memorable role”

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Events1431 – At Notre Dame in Paris King Henry VI of England is crowned King of France.1497 – Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope, others have turned back here.1653 – English Interregnum: The Protectorate – Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.1707 – Last recorded eruption of Japan's highest peak, Mount Fuji.1907 – The American Fleet (aka the “Great White Fleet” because of the white painted hulls) leaves Hampton Roads to begin its circumnavigation of the world.


Events1914 – German battleships under Franz von Hipper bombard Hartlepool and Scarborough.1944 – The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest.1946 – Thailand joins the United Nations.1947 – At the Bell labs William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain build the first practical point-contact transistor from Germanium with gold contacts. Soon superseded by the easier to manufacture and more robust junction transistor. See: www.porticus.org/bell/images/transistor1.jpg


Events1960 – A United Airlines Douglas DC-8 (flight 826) collides with a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation (flight 266) in poor visibility over Staten Island, killing 134, all on-board. Sir Edmund Hillary had booked a seat on # 826, but arrived late at O'Hare Airport and missing his connection.1965 – General William Westmoreland sends U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara a request for 243,000 more men by the end of ‘66.1971 – Bangladesh War of Independence and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The surrender of the Pakistan army brings an end to both conflicts..


Events1972 – Vietnam War: Henry Kissinger announces that North Vietnam has left private peace negotiations, in Paris. The conflict ends with the fall of Saigon on April 29, 1975. 2003 – President George W. Bush signs the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Porno-graphy And Marketing Act of 2003) (CAN-SPAM 2003) .The law establishes the US’s first national standards for the sending of commercial e-mail and requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce its provisions. However, it permits Spam” hence the vernacular “You-Can-Spam”.


Ins…1584 – John Selden, jurist and scholar (d. 1654). In 1644 John Milton described him as "the chief of learned men reputed in this land."1714 – George Whitefield (sometimes spelt without the “e”) English-born but later American Methodist thinker and promoter leader (d. 1770)

1882 – Sir Jack Hobbs, professional cricketer (in those days the game split “Gentlemen and Players”), opening bat, a “useful” bowler and a “brilliant” cover point . (d. 1963)


Ins…1899 – Sir Noel Coward, English playwright, actor, composer, wit and bon verve. (d. 1973). Don't lets be beastly to the Germans written and banned by the BBC (1943) Sung by him at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wveW9Tw2JKE Later, Mr Bridger the prison based, mastermind and leader behind The Italian Job (1969)1900 – V. S. Pritchett, author and critic (d. 1997)


Ins…1901 – Margaret Mead, American cultural anthropologist (d. 1978)"Margaret Mead was both a student of civilization and an exemplar of it [….] from whom all may learn [….] Intrepid, independent, plain spoken, fearless, she remains a model for the young and a teacher from whom all may learn.“Citation on the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by Jimmy Carter, posthumously (19/01/79)


Ins…1905 – Piet Hein, Danish mathematician ( eg the towerable Superegg ), member of the resistance, inventor and Poet (eg Grooks) (d. 1996)1917 – Sir Arthur C. Clarke, far-sighted science fiction writer and inventor. Proposer (1945) of the use of geo-stationary satellites for communications. English born but ,laterly, a resident of Sri Lanka. (d. 2008)1928 – Philip K. Dick, American far-sighted science fiction writer. (d. 1982)


Ins…1929 – Nicholas Courtney, English actor (?)most famous for playing The Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart of Dr. Who (d. 2011) 1936 – Morris Dees, founder (1971) of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “ …his generation's most valiant and effective soldier in the fight for civil rights and civil liberties.” Judge Keith Ellison, University of Texas School of Law (01/03/07).1938 – Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress including the seminal film: Mindwalk (1990) . Best copy found at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TurkyaxqYLUs . (9 parts.)1943 – Steven Bochco, American television producer and writer (Hill Street Blues etc)


Ins…• 1584 – John Selden, English jurist and oriental scholar (d. 1654)• 1714 – George Whitefield, English-born Methodist leader (d. 1770)• )• 1882 – Sir Jack Hobbs, English cricketer (d. 1963)• 1899 – Sir Noel Coward, English playwright, actor and composer

(d. 1973)• 1900 – V. S. Pritchett, English author and critic (d. 1997)• 1901 – Margaret Mead, American anthropologist (d. 1978)• 1905 – Piet Hein, Danish mathematician and inventor .. & Poet(d.

1996)• 1917 – Sir Arthur C. Clarke, English writer (d. 2008)• 1928 – Philip K. Dick, American writer (d. 1982)• 1929 – Nicholas Courtney, English actor (d. 2011)• 1936 – Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center• 1938 – Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress…………Mindwalk• 1943 – Steven Bochco, American television producer and writer










Outs…1687 – William Petty, scientist and philosopher (b. 1623) 1982 – Colin Chapman, engineer

and automobile manufacturer, founder (1952) of Lotus Engineering later renamed Lotus Cars. (b. 1928)

Tips from Father Christmas (aka Santa)

Remember then when flying over vertical signs cannot be read – ensure that any “Santa Please stop here” signs are laid flat so that they might be read from above.Don’t leave alcoholic drink out – Santa might be low on will power and skew whiffy driving is not only dangerous (a great many aircraft must be avoided on the long ocean crossings (when Santa usually power-naps) or when delivering near airports) but also mistakes get made and the wrong gifts, sometime even repeats, get delivered.

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However, carrots and water for the Reindeer are essential. The sleigh is aerodynamically poor and thus needs lots energy to pull plus if you provide these Santa’s team saves money which can be spent on presents! [Had you never wondered why He does not use a more modern power source? Who can be persuaded to leave a jar of JP4 (a standard aviation spirit) or diesel in their front room on Christmas night?]Many of the secrets about the Sleigh we let out by the BBC when it first broacaste from the Tardis – Time and Relative Dimensions in Space



Many of the secrets about the Sleigh we let out by the BBC in 1963 when it first broadcast from inside Dr. Who’s craft a TARDIS - Time and Relative Dimensions in Space.Who, of course, has never traded-up and still runs a Type 40 (Mk3) and has a perverse delight in using one that has unreliable 4D navigation and a dysfunctional chameleon circuit. A cynic may note that it is unlikely to be repaired as in 2002 the BBC was awarded a trademark on the Police Box design – despite objections from London’s Metropolitan Police.



NORAD – North American Aerospace Defense Command was established in the late 1950s to plot missiles inbound to the USA and Canada. [Background: http://www.norad.mil and history at: http://www.norad.mil/about/history or Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Aerospace_Defense_Command] However, today its most important role is to track Santa and to bring news of his progress to the people of the world. See: http://www.noradsanta.org/en/ or on Goggle Earth which is, incidentally, just Santa making the mapping and navigation system he uses available to all.

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If you want background of the reality, the folklore and hype then the Wikipedia entry for “Father Christmas” is a good place to start and has a much longer and stronger lineage than the entry for the “upstart” Santa [Claus]!

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16 th December 2011