Lost and Found – December 31st Edition

What to remember about December 31st…

• 1695  Britain passes a “window tax”; consequently may britons just brick up their windows to avoid paying
• 1775  Attack on Quebec during snowstorm by Patriot forces is repulsed; Colonel Benedict Arnold wounded during fighting
• 1862  Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest pretends to surrender at Parker’s Crossroads in order to  escape
• 1879  Thomas Edison puts on 1st demonstration of public incandescent lighting on streets of Menlo Park, New Jersey
• 1943  American musician and songwriter John Denver (John Deutschendorf, Jr.) is born in Roswell, New Mexico (d. 1997)
• 1968  1st test flight by Soviet TU-144 supersonic airliner; nicknamed “Konkordski” for fact that design mostly stolen from european Concord
• 1974  U.S. citizens are allowed to buy or own gold again after more than 40 years
• 1999  Treaty signed by President Carter goes into effect and the United States gives away control of the Panama Canal
• 1999 In surprise announcement, Russia’s 1st President Boris Yeltsin resigns and puts former KGB colonel Vladimir Putin in office
• 2006  Islamic terror group Jemaah Islamiyah detonates 8 of 9 bombs planted to target New Years celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand
• 1999  People around the world await the “Y2K Millennium Bug” to crash computers everywhere; disruptions are scattered and mostly minor
• 2008  In Aspen, Colorado James Chester Blanning Jr. places 4 bombs at banks in extortion attempt and protest against Bush war policies

Lost and Found – December 30th Edition

What to remember about December 30th…

• 1066  Muslim mobs in Grenada crucify Jewish vizier and murder almost 4000 Jews living there at the urging of an anti-Semitic poem
• 1803  Welsh-American patriot, POW, and signer of Declaration of Independence Francis Lewis dies in New York (b. 1713)
• 1852  Future President Rutherford B. Hayes marries abolitionist Lucy Webb in Ohio; 1st presidential wife to be called “first Lady”
• 1853  James Gadsden and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna sign Gadsden Purchase in Mexico City establishing U.S. southern border
• 1862  Civil War ironclad warship USS Monitor sinks in heavy seas off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina with 16 hands still aboard
• 1922  Delegates sign declaration and treaty creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR); apx 58 million of their citizens will die by their own government’s hands in next 69 years
• 1937  Folksinger and songwriter Noel Paul Stookey is born in Baltimore, Md.; famously a member of group Peter, Paul, and Mary
• 1972  After U.S. agrees to halt Linebacker II B-52 bombing campaign, North Vietnamese representatives agree to resume peace negotiations
• 1977  Serial killer Ted Bundy escapes prison a second time; his bloody rampage in Florida will begin January 14th
• 2006  Deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is hanged for charges related to 1982 massacre of Shi’ite muslims (b. 1937)

Lost and Found – December 29th Edition

What to remember about December 29th…

• 1778  Redcoats, mercenaries, and loyalist militia surprise Patriots at Savannah; city remains British controlled until 1782
• 1808  Future 17th President Andrew Johnson is born in Raleigh, N.C. (d. 1875); he will be impeached for opposing reconstruction
• 1812  HMS Java engages USS Constitution off Brazil; though damaged and with her captain wounded, “Old Ironsides” captures the British ship
• 1845  Texas is admitted to the Union as the 28th state
• 1862  Union forces repulsed at Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs at Vicksburg, Mississippi; Sherman will learn from the mistake
• 1890  U.S. Cavalry massacre over 100 Souix at Wounded knee following a scuffle and accidental shooting
• 1939  1st flight of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator
• 1975  Bomb explodes in main terminal at La Guardia Airport killing 11 and injuring 79; remains unsolved

Lost and Found – December 28th Edition

What to remember about December 28th…

• 1793  American patriot and author of Common Sense Thomas Paine is arrested for treason in France
• 1832  John C. Calhoun resigns as vice-president to Andrew Jackson over states rights; 1st ever to step down from that office
• 1846  Iowa is admitted to the Union as the 29th state
• 1856  Future 28th President Woodrow Wilson is born in Staunton, Virginia (d. 1924)
• 1922  American comic book writer Stan Lee is born in New York City; co-creator of Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man and more
• 1941  Admiral Ben Moreell requests permission from Navy to form specialized construction battalions; will become known as “Seabees”
• 1973  President Nixon signs Endangered Species Act into law
• 2000  After 128 years , retail giant Montgomery Ward announces that they are going out of business

Stan Lee’s 1st published work.

Lost and Found – December 27th Edition

What to remember about December 27th…

• 1831  British naturalist Charles Darwin leaves England aboard HMS Beagle on surveying expedition of southern Atlantic and Pacific
• 1836  American pioneer and “Father of Texas” Stephen Fuller Austin dies of pneumonia (b. 1793)
• 1941  Rationing program begins in U.S. when federal Office of Price Administration mandates no driver can own more than five tires
• 1944  FDR orders the National Guard to seize Montgomery Ward plants because of refusals to allow unionization
• 1945  International Monetary Fund and World Bank are created; agreement to organize was signed in July at the Breton Woods Conference
• 1968  Crew of Apollo 8 splashes down safely after becoming 1st humans to orbit the Moon
• 1979  Soviets begin to send an additional 75,000 troops to Afghanistan in 10-year bid to support puppet communist regime
• 2002  Raëlian bishop and Clonaid CEO Brigitte Boisselier announces 1st human reproductive cloning success with birth of baby Eve; scientists sceptical and no proof ever supplied
• 2012  General H. Norman Schwarzkopf dies in Tampa, FL. (b. 1934); led coalition forces to victory during Gulf War in 1991

Lost and Found – December 26th Edition

What to remember about December 26th…

• 1610  Investigator for King Matthias discovers Countess Elizabeth Bathory directing torture session of young girls; believed most prolific female serial killer and part inspiration for Vampire mythology
• 1776  America’s 1st real victory; after bringing his army across the Delaware River at night, General Washington’s troops capture Trenton, NJ and nearly 1000 Hessian mercenaries
• 1791  English mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage born (d. 1871); develops concept of programmable computer and father of  modern computer
• 1862  4 volunteer nuns board USS Red Rover; 1st female nurses aboard U.S. Navy hospital ship; forerunners of Navy Nurses Corps
• 1941  Winston Churchill is 1st foreign leader to address Congress
• 1944  General George Patton turns his 3rd Army 90 degrees and races to Bastogne relieving the beleaguered 101st Airborne
• 1956  Visionary automaker Preston Tucker dies (b. 1903); though unable to produce his dream car, his ideas change the industry
• 1966  Holiday designed by California black studies professor Maulana Karenga is 1st celebrated; Kwanzaa is born from amalgamation of many nations harvest festivals
• 1972  Former President Harry S. Truman dies (b.1884)
• 1996  JonBenét Ramsey case switches gears when her body is found beaten and strangled in basement of her family home
• 2004  Underwater earthquake spawns 500-mph Pacific tsunami that will leave 230,000 dead; effects felt from Sumatra to Somalia
• 2006 Former President Gerald Ford dies at home California (b. 1913); only office holder never elected president or vice-president

Lost and Found – December 25th Edition

What to remember about December 25th…

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

• 1776  At 11pm, 5400 troops under General Washington begin their crossing of the Delaware River in bid to surprise Hessians
• 1868  President Andrew Johnson unconditionally pardons all Civil War Confederate soldiers
• 1899  American actor Humphrey Bogart is born in New York City (d. 1957)
• 1941  British garrison in Hong Kong surrenders to the Japanese after loss of last water reservoirs and power stations
• 1991  Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as president of the Soviet Union, communist super power is dissolved the following day
• 1996  Body of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey is found in her Boulder, Colorado home just hours after ransom note discovered
• 2009  Nigerian “Underwear Bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempts to destroy aircraft en route to Detroit

A Soldier’s Christmas Wish

Let’s never forget those whose sacrifices make us free and able to celebrate and worship as we please in this holiday season as well as the rest of the year. Published in the Magic City Morning Star December 24, 2009, this work really captures the feeling.  Transcript is posted below the video.

This poem was written by an Australian Peacekeeping stationed overseas. His request, send this to as many people as you can.  Credit is due to all of the service men and women for our being able to celebrate Christmas.  Let’s try to pay a bit of what we owe to these heroes.

Soldier’s Christmas Wish

By Unknown Original Author

 

T’was the night before Christmas, He lived all alone

In a one bedroom house, made of plaster and stone.

 

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give,

And to see just who, in this home, did live.

 

I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,

No tinsel, no presents, Not even a tree.

 

No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,

On the wall hung pictures, of far distant lands.

 

With medals and badges, Awards of all kinds,

A sober thought, came through my mind.

 

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,

I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

 

The soldier lay sleeping, Silent, alone,

Curled up on the floor, in this one bedroom home.

 

The face was so gentle, the room in disorder,

Not how I pictured, (A United States) Soldier.

 

Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?

Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

 

I realised the families, that I saw this night,

Owed their lives to these soldiers, who were willing to fight.

 

Soon round the world, the children would play,

And grownups would celebrate, a bright Christmas day.

 

They all enjoyed freedom, Each month of the year,

Because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

 

I couldn’t help wonder, How many lay alone,

On a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.

 

The very thought brought, a tear to my eye,

I dropped to my knees, and started to cry.

 

The soldier awakened, and I heard a rough voice,

“Santa don’t cry, This life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,

My life is my God, My country, my corps.”

 

The soldier rolled over, and drifted to sleep,

I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

 

I kept watch for hours, So silent and still,

And we both shivered, from the cold night’s chill.

 

I did not want to leave, on that cold, dark, night,

This guardian of honour, So willing to fight.

 

Then the soldier rolled over, With a voice soft and pure,

Whispered, “carry on Santa, It’s Christmas Day, all is secure.”

 

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.

“Merry Christmas my friend, and to all, a good night.”

 

(Thank you Herta for sending this to me.  God bless!)

No matter what language, it’s still Merry Christmas!

I hunted across the length and breadth of the internet.  From all around the world, I present to you my (not quite yet) complete list of Christmas Greetings.  Spread the joy with friends and family everywhere.  Even if you don’t use one of the translations below, remember that Christ is the reason for the season.  Share His spirit and be a blessing to everyone in your life.

Feel free to send along additions or corrections.  I know my brother will come up with some that I missed.

• Afrikaans Gesëende Kersfees
• Afrikander Een Plesierige Kerfees
• African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
• Albanian Gezur Krislinjden
• Arabic: Milad Majid or Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
• Argentine: Feliz Navidad
• Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
• Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
• Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
• Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
• Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
• Binary Code (for the computer geek in your life): 01001101011001010111001001110010011110010010000001 00001101101000011100100110100101110011011101000110 11010110000101110011
• Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
• Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
• Brazilian: Boas Feliz Natal or Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
• Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
• Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
• Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
• Chile: Feliz Navidad
• Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
• Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
• Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
• Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
• Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
• Corsian: Pace e salute
• Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
• Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
• Croatian: Sretan Bozic
• Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
• Danish: Glædelig Jul
• Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
• Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
• Elvish: Ná merye i turuhalmeri!
• English: Merry Christmas
• Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
• Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
• Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup
• Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
• Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
• Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
• Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
• Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
• French: Joyeux Noel
• Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
• Galician: Bo Nada
• Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
• German: Froehliche Weihnachten
• Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
• Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri’cho o Rish D’Shato Brichto
• Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
• Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
• Hebrew: Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
• Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
• Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
• Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
• Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
• Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
• Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
• Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
• Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
• Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
• Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
• Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
• Klingon (Star Trek): QISmaS DatIvjaj ‘ej DIS chu’ DatIvjaj
• Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
• Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
• Latvian: Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!
• Lausitzian: Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
• Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
• Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
• Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar
• Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
• Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
• Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
• Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
• Maori: Meri Kirihimete
• Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
• Morse Code: — . .-. .-. -.– / -.-. …. .-. .. … – — .- …
• Navajo: Merry Keshmish
• Norwegian: God Jul or Gledelig Jul
• Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
• Papiamento: Bon Pasco
• Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
• Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
• Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
• Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
• Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
• Portuguese: Feliz Natal
• Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
• Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
• Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
• Romanche (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
• Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
• Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
• Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
• Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
• Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
• Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
• Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
• Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
• Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
• Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
• Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
• Slovene: Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
• Spanish: Feliz Navidad
• Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
• Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
• Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
• Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
• Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
• Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
• Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
• Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
• Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
• Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!

(Hat tip goes out to my old college roommate Drew for inspiring this post.)

Lost and Found – December 24th Edition

What to remember about December 24th…

• 1814  War of 1812 ends when representatives of Britain and America sign treaty in Belgium; hostilities continue for months due to slow travelling news
• 1851  Fire spreads quickly through Library of Congress; two-thirds of Thomas Jefferson’s personal literary collection is lost
• 1865  Confederate war veterans found Ku Klux Klan in Pulaski, Tennessee; Republican militias form soon after to combat KKK violence against blacks
• 1923  President Coolidge presses a button and lights 1st national Christmas tree
• 1943  General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed Supreme Allied Commander
• 1979  Soviet Union invades Afghanistan with almost 10,000 troops to “protect” Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978
• 1997  International terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez (aka The Jackal) is sentenced by French court to life in prison