December 20th, 2019. A fine day to live. The pile of Christmas presents under our tree continues to grow as do the empty Amazon boxes in the garage. It is a fitting farewell to the time space of 2019. It is Go Caroling Day, National Sangria Day, Mudd Day, Sacagawea Day, Underdog Day and National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. Dr. Mudd is the person who treated and hid John Wilkes Booth. Sacagawea is the Shoshone Indian woman who, as interpreter, traveled thousands of wilderness miles with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. I have to go with Sangria wine. Onto history: In 1893 on this date the 1st state anti-lynching statute approved in Georgia. I’m always a little surprised when a law is passed to make what is obviously a crime, a crime. Was lynching OK in 1892? In 1920, Bob Hope becomes an American citizen. Turns out Bob was born in England and moved here. I didn’t know that. In 1945 on this date, the WW II rationing of auto tires ends in US. In 1946 the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” film premieres in New York on this date. In 1957 on this day, Elvis Presley receives his draft notice to join the US Army. Finally, in 1990 The world’s first website and server go live at CERN, and life on earth changed. The first web site was less than 30 years ago. This is the date in 1968 that John Steinbeck, the author of Grapes of Wrath dies at 66. He said: “You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway.” It’s also Foster Brooks death date in 2001. He was the actor that always played the drunk. Not many quotes attributed to him that I can find. But, there’s lots of videos. He is/was a very funny guy. With that, I will start this day. Hope you make yours a good one. Abide
