Category: Articles

December 30 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1460 Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield (Northern England), Duke of York killed and his forces soundly defeated by forces for King Henry VI

1703 Tokyo hit by Earthquake; about 37,000 die

1906 The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, later laid down the foundations of Pakistan

1922 Creation of the USSR formally proclaimed in Moscow from the Bolshoi Theatre, Soviet Union organized as a federation of RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Belorussian SSR and Transcaucasian SSR

1924 Astronomer Edwin Hubble formally announces existence of other galactic systems at meeting of the American Astronomical Society

1950 Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become Independent states within the French Union

Today’s Historical Events

987 French King Hugo Capet crowns his son Robert the compassionate king

1317 Pontifical decree “Sancta Romania” against spiritualists

1460 Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield (Northern England), Duke of York killed and his forces soundly defeated by forces for King Henry VI

1610 Hungarian aristocrat Elizabeth Báthory arrested at Csejte Castle on suspicion of killing and torturing hundreds of young girls and women

1621 English King James I cracks Protestation of Parliament

1665 “Messiah” Sjabtai Tswi departs to Constantinople

1666 Abraham Crijnssen departs to Suriname

1672 Baron Karl Rabenhaupt occupies Coevorden Neth

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1936 Beginning of the “feud” between comedians Fred Allen and Jack Benny on Allen’s “Town Hall Tonight” show

1939 “Of Mice and Men”, starring Burgess Meredith as George, Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie, is released

1953 The first ever NTSC color television sets go on sale for about USD at $1,175 each from RCA.

1963 “Let’s Make A Deal,” debuts on NBC-TV

1968 Frank Sinatra first records “My Way” with lyrics were written by Paul Anka and based on the French song “Comme d’habitude”

1980 “Wonderful World of Disney” last performance on NBC-TV

Today’s Historical Music Events

1689 Henry Purcell & Tates opera “Dido & Aeneas” premieres in Chesea

1731 1st US music concert (Peter Pelham’s great room in Boston)

1844 Opera “Stradella” after being rewritten is produced (Hamburg)

1877 Johannes Brahms‘ 2nd Symphony in D, premieres in Vienna

1884 Anton Bruckner‘s 7th Symphony in E, premieres in Leipzig

1929 Cole Porter‘s musical “Wake Up And Dream” opens at the Selwyn Theatre, NYC; runs for 136 performances

1944 Sergei Prokofjev’s 8th Piano sonata, premieres in Moscow

1948 “Kiss Me, Kate” opens at New Century Theater NYC for 1077 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1896 Stanley Cup, Granite Rink, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Ernie McLea scores a hat-trick as Montreal Victorias beat Winnipeg Victorias, 6-5; first SC Challenge game played outside of Montreal

1907 Abraham Mills’ commission declares Abner Doubleday invented baseball

1908 Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Wanderers outscore Edmonton HC, 14-9 in 2 game challenge series

1911 English cricketer Sydney Barnes takes 5-6 in 1st 11 overs v Australia at MCG

1926 Chicago Tribune reports the Tigers threw a 4-game series to the White Sox in 1917 to help Chicago win the pennant (never substantiated)

1934 New York Rangers and Boston Bruins battle out a 0-0 tie; first of a 37-game overtime undefeated streak for the Bruins, the longest in NHL history; streak spans over 4 years and includes 27 ties

1939 Bradman scores 267 South Australia v Vic, world record 34th double cricket century

1943 Phillies trade Babe Dahlgren to Pitts for Babe Phelps & cash

December 29 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1835 Treaty of New Echota is signed between the US government and representatives of a minority Cherokee political faction to cede all lands of the Cherokee east of the Mississippi River to the United States

1845 Texas admitted as 28th state of the Union

1903 French Equatorial Africa separates into Gabon, Chad and Ubangi-Shari

1911 Sun Yat-sen elected 1st President of the Republic of China

1997 Hong Kong begins slaughtering all its chickens to prevent bird flu

Today’s Historical Events

1170 English Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket assassinated before the high altar of Canterbury Cathedral by four knights

1503 Battle of Garigliano: Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba defeats French forces in Italy, giving Spain control of the Kingdom of Naples

1539 St Jacob’s Church burns after being hit by lightning

1541 Isabella of Poland and King Ferdinand of Austria sign Treaty of Gyalu

1558 Charles V, King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, buried in El Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

1653 Dutch painter Jan Vermeer becomes a member of the Guild of Saint Luke for painters in Delft

1705 Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon’s play “Idoménée” premieres in Paris

1708 Great Alliance occupies Gent

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1806 Thomas Dibdin’s pantomime “Harlequin and Mother Goose” starring Joseph Grimaldi, in his most famous clown performance, opens at the Covent Garden Theatre, London

1913 1st movie serial “Adventures of Kathlyn” premieres in Chicago

1932 Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers‘ 1st joint movie “Flying Down to Rio,” directed by Thornton Freeland, premieres in NYC

1933 “Sons of the Desert” film directed by William A. Seiter starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy is released

1937 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win NWA World heavyweight title – youngest ever

1949 1st UHF television station operating regular basis Bridgeport, Connecticut

1955 Barbra Streisand‘s 1st recording “You’ll Never Know” at age 13

1965 “Thunderball”, 4th James Bond film starring Sean Connery and Claudine Auger premieres in Tokyo, Japan

Today’s Historical Music Events

1857 Franz Liszt‘s symphonic poem “Die Hunnenschlacht” premieres in Weimar

1902 “The Entertainer” is one of several piano rag compositions copyrighted for Scott Joplin by the US Copyright Office

1911 San Francisco Symphony forms

1948 “Rape of Lucretia” opens at Ziegfeld Theater NYC for 23 performances

1982 Bob Marley postage stamp issued in Jamaica

1984 Blues took 27 shots against Islanders in 1 period

1993 Courtney Love sues doctors for leaking news of her methadone treatment

1996 “Dreams & Nightmares” closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1906 Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Wanderers beat New Glasgow (NS), 7-2 for 17-5 aggregate challenge series victory

1933 New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert refuses to release future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth to manage the Cincinnati Reds

1934 First collegiate basketball doubleheader is played at Madison Square Garden, NYC; New York University beats Notre Dame, 25-18; Westminster edges St. John’s, 37-33

1937 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win NWA World heavyweight title – youngest ever

1940 3rd NFL All Star Game: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars, 28-14

1945 Montreal right wing Maurice Richard scores twice in Canadiens’ 5-4 loss to Chicago Black Hawks to record his 100th NHL career goal; reaches mark in 145 games, then fastest in history; since broken by Mike Bossy, 100 goals in 129 games

1955 NHL officials wear new vertically striped black-and-white sweaters for the first time in Montreal Canadiens’ 5-2 win over Toronto Maple Leafs

1957 National Football League Championship, Briggs Stadium, Detroit: Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns, 50-14; Lions score 2 touchdowns in each quarter

December 28 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1065 Westminster Abbey Consecrated in London

1612 First observation of Neptune – Galileo observes and records a “fixed star” without realising it is a planet

1767 King Taksin crowned King of Thailand and establishes Thonburi as his capital

1836 Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico

1860 Harriet Tubman arrives in Auburn, New York, on her last mission to free slaves, having evaded capture for 8 years on the Underground Railroad

1908 Earthquake strikes Messina in Italy, killing nearly 80,000

1943 All Kalmyk inhabitants of the Republic of Kalmukkie deported by the Soviet Union to Central Asia and Siberia. Many die en route.

Today’s Historical Events

418 St Boniface I begins his reign as Catholic Pope

801 Louis the Vrome occupies Barcelona

1065 Westminster Abbey Consecrated in London

1308 The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Japan, begins

1612 First observation of Neptune – Galileo observes and records a “fixed star” without realising it is a planet

1614 Sperm whale beached at Noordwijk

1732 Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Richard Saunders begins publication of “Poor Richard’s Almanack”

1767 King Taksin crowned King of Thailand and establishes Thonburi as his capital

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1895 Filmmakers the Lumiere brothers, hold the first commercial film screening at Salon Indien du Grand Café, Paris

1927 Arthur Honegger‘s opera “Antigone” premieres with a libretto by Jean Cocteau, sets by Pablo Picasso and costumes by Coco Chanel at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels

1934 Film “Bright Eyes” premieres starring Shirley Temple and featuring the song “On the Good Ship Lollipop”

1949 20th Century Fox announces it will produce TV programs

1953 WLBT TV channel 3 in Jackson, MS (NBC) begins broadcasting

1954 KEPR TV channel 19 in Pasco-Kennewick-Richl, WA (CBS) 1st broadcast

1956 Miss Frances [Horwich], last Ding Dong School on NBC-TV

1957 CBS states it won’t broadcast baseball where minor league games are on

Today’s Historical Music Events

1821 Composer Gioachino Rossini moves to Bologna

1910 Opera “Konigskinder” is produced (NYC)

1925 George and Ira Gershwin‘s musical “Tip-Toes” premieres in New York City

1928 Ma Rainey, “Mother of the Blues” makes her last record “Big Feelin’ Blues”

1944 Leonard Bernstein‘s musical “On the Town” premieres in NYC

1958 Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville) hits #1

1963 “Double Dublin” closes at Little Theater NYC after 4 performances

1963 “Jennie” closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 82 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1887 John Layton Jarvis becomes first British race horse trainer to be knighted for services to racing

1905 Intercollegiate Athletic Association of US founded (becomes NCAA in 1910)

1918 Montreal’s Georges Vezina becomes the first NHL goalie to record an assist during the Canadiens’ 6-3 win over the Toronto Arenas

1934 First ever Women’s cricket international begins England vs Australia in Australia

1938 Paul Gibb scores 106 on Test Cricket debut v South Africa

1940 Cricketer Arthur Morris scores 111 in 2nd innings of 1st game after 148

1944 Former Wash 3rd baseman Buddy Lewis wins Distinguished Flying Cross

1944 Montreal right wing Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard becomes first player in NHL history to score 8 points in one game with 5 goals and 3 assists in the Canadiens’ 9-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings

Days Of The Week In Wicca

From a Wiccan viewpoint, it is marvellous how the traditional names of days have survived all through the dark times. It is no secret that all seven days of the week have been named after Gods and Goddesses worshipped by the Old Tradition. Let’s explore the way we could bring a little magic in our everyday use.

According to modern Wicca traditions, all seven days of the week has different attributes and represent a certain element. It is down to you individually, how you use this information but it is believed that an understanding of the wheel of the week can bring a nice change to a hectic lifestyle.

The seven-day week was first introduced by ancient Egyptians, when according to Egyptian astrology they assigned a name to every day by the planet that was regent during the first hour of that particular day. As ancient Egyptian astrology knew only seven celestial bodies, we now have seven days of the week. But all this has also a deeper meaning not only within Wicca.

Sunday was named after Sunna – the Germanic goddess of the Sun. In modern Wicca traditions it…

Click here to read the rest of this article from wicca.in

 

December 27 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1512 Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers with regards to native Indians in the New World

1657 “Flushing Remonstrance” petition signed in the Dutch colony of New Netherland, protesting the ban on Quaker worship

1939 Between 20,000 and 40,000 die in magnitude 8 earthquake in Erzincam, Turkey

1945 International Monetary Fund formally established by 29 member countries based on ideas of Harry Dexter White and John Maynard Keynes

1949 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands grants independence to Indonesia

1979 After invading Afghanistan two days earlier Soviet forces pull off a coup in Kabul, killing President Hafizullah Amin

Today’s Historical Events

418 [Etalius] begins his reign as Catholic Pope

537 Hagia Sophia inaugurated by the Emperor Justinian I as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral

795 Leo III begins his reign as Pope after his election the previous day

1437 Albrecht II von Habsburg becomes king of Bohemia

1512 Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers with regards to native Indians in the New World

1521 The “Zwickau Prophets” appear in Wittenberg

1657 “Flushing Remonstrance” petition signed in the Dutch colony of New Netherland, protesting the ban on Quaker worship

1679 Dutch troops capture Madurees prince Trunudjojo in Java

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1927 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s “Show Boat” premieres in New York City

1937 Mae West performs Adam & Eve skit that gets her banned from NBC radio

1947 1st “Howdy Doody Show” (Puppet Playhouse), telecast on NBC

1964 The Supremes 1st appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” singing “Come See About Me”

1974 Dear Abby show ends run on CBS radio after 11 years

1978 CBS Television’s premiere of its version of “Les Miserables”, starring Richard Jordan and Anthony Perkins

1979 Soap Opera “Knots Landing” premieres on CBS-TV

1986 2nd Soap Opera Digest Awards – Days of Our Lives wins

Today’s Historical Music Events

1903 “Sweet Adeline”, a barbershop quartet favorite, is first sung

1932 Radio City Music Hall opens in New York City

1934 “Thumbs Up” a musical revue, including music and lyrics by Vernon Duke & James Hanley premieres in NYC

1941 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 7th Symphony in Siberia

1954 Gian Carlo Menotti’s Pulitzer Prize winning opera “The Saint of Bleecker Street” opens at Broadway Theater in ,NYC; runs for 92 performances

1961 Styne, Comden and Green’s musical “Subways Are For Sleeping” premieres at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 205 performances

1966 “At the Drop of Another Hat” opens at Booth Theater NYC for 105 performances

1967 Leonard Cohen releases his debut album “Songs of Leonard Cohen” on Columbia Records

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1892 Biddle University beats Livingstone College 5-0 in 1st black college football game, in Salisbury, North Carolina

1897 Stanley Cup, Victoria Rink, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Victorias beat Ottawa Capitals, 15-2

1919 Red Sox owner Harry Frazee announces they will deal any player except Harry Hooper, Hooper is sent to the White Sox after 1920 season

1937 German immigration officials with no explanation bar Juan Carlos Zabala (Arg), 1932 Olympic marathon champion, from entering Germany

1942 5th NFL All Star Game, Shribe Park, Philadelphia: NFL All-Stars beat Washington Redskins, 17-14

1951 40th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Sydney (3-2)

1953 National Football League Championship, Briggs Stadium, Detroit: Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns, 17-16 to retain title

1956 45th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Adelaide (5-0)

Celtic Calendar – Birch December 24 – January 20

(I am sorry I did not get this up on December 24 the day it started)

Birch – the tree of birth

The Birch was seen by the Druids as the tree of birth – a symbol of new beginnings. Beth, meaning birch, is the first letter in the Ogham alphabet and the first month in the Celtic Tree Calendar.

From ireland-calling.com – Birch

The birch tree has many uses both medicinal and practical.

Birch wood is durable but quick to rot, making it a good home for insects and birdlife.

It was often used to make May poles and start the fires at Beltane, the festival of new beginnings, due to a highly combustible tar in its bark.

This tar is furthermore believed to be good for the skin and can be used to treat eczema.

Birch is also associated with purification and protection. The leaves of the birch can be brewed into a tea that treats infection, stimulates the gall bladder and kidneys and is said to dissolve gravel and kidney stones.

Birch used to stimulate purification process

In Scandinavia birch is used in saunas to stimulate the purification process and in Russia birch branches are beaten against the skin at steam rooms for the same purpose. This practice was also used as a punishment in old England to purify a criminal of evil.

The History of Christmas

Christmas may get buried under the catalogues of holiday cheer, present buying, and a lot of food prep stress, but the 2 thousand-year-old holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus has one of the most complex and interesting timelines of any holiday in the history of the world.

The annual festival celebrated on Dec. 24, Dec. 25, January 7, and Jan 19 depending on denomination, is both a cultural and deeply religious occasion celebrated by billions of people around the world. From the inclusion of the Christmas tree to the annual gift-giving, the feast day that spans through modern history has many traditions, myths, and stories that resonate around the globe.

As a main celebration in the Christian liturgical calendar, it follows the season of Advent and ushers in Christmastide, or The Twelve Days of Christmas. It was first decided to the specific date in the Western calendar by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk who was an abbot in Rome. With Exiguus’ research and biblical texts, Jesus’s birth was decided to have occurred on December 25, 1 C.E. There have been many disputes over the actual date of Jesus’s birth since, but Exiguus’ date has stuck despite them.

Prior to Christian celebrations, Roman pagans celebrated the holiday of Saturnalia, a week of raucous celebrations from December 17-25, where Roman courts were closed and the law dictated that citizens could not be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the feasting. The Romans believed these celebrations, which chose a community victim and forced them to indulge in food and festivities, destroyed the forces of evil when they murdered this victim at the conclusion of the week, on December 25.

In the 4th century, Christian leaders were successful at converting many pagans to Christianity by allowing them to also continue the celebration of Saturnalia, and this was its first connection to Jesus’s birth. Because the festival of Saturnalia had no connection with Christian teachings, leaders tacked on the holiday of Jesus’s birth onto the last day of the festival. For many years, contemporaries of the time continued to allow the celebration.

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Color Correspondence Of Color and Hue

Color correspondence is the way that the use of color will affect your magickal workings. From the color of the candles that you use to the color of clothes that you wear

It should be noted that this type of correspondence is not just associated with pagan followings or metaphysics.  There is scientific evidence about the relationship of color to mood, success and growth.  In many penal systems, when an inmate acts out of line (eq. gets in a fight), they are put into a “pink room” for a short time.  This, under short duration, is said to calm the suspect. But long time exposure to pinks or reds can have exactly the opposite effect.

Color table and information…

Click here to read the rest of the article about Color Correspondences from ancientpathway.com

December 24 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1565 Compromise of the Nobles in Habsburg Netherlands closes against inquisition

1814 Treaty of Ghent signed, ending the War of 1812 between the United States, the United Kingdom and their allies

1936 1st radioactive isotope medicine administered in Berkeley, California

1943 US President FDR appoints General Eisenhower Supreme Commander of the Allied forces

This website was down for all the other historical events. If you are interested in reading the rest of today’s historical happenings, please click on the link above and then on the links for the rest of the topics.

December 23 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

962 Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo, recovering the tattered tunic of John the Baptist

1688 King James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch flees to France from William of Orange

1783 US General George Washington resigns his military commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Army to Congress

1888 Vincent van Gogh cuts off his left ear with a razor, after argument with fellow painter Paul Gauguin, and sends to a prostitute for safe keeping

1920 Government of Ireland Act / Home Rule Act passed partitioning Ireland

1954 The first human kidney transplant is performed by Dr. Joseph E. Murray at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts

Today’s Historical Events

619 Boniface V begins his reign as Catholic Pope

962 Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo, recovering the tattered tunic of John the Baptist

1482 The Peace of Atrecht (now Arras) concluded between Louis XI of France and Maximilian of Austria, ending the War of the Burgundian Succession

1493 Georg Alt’s German translation of Hartmann Schedel’s Nuremberg Chronicle is published.

1588 “The Day of the Dagger” Henry, Duke of Guise, leader of the Catholic League is assassinated by the bodyguards of King Henry III at the Château de Blois

1620 French huguenots declare war on King Louis XIII

1672 Giovanni Cassini discovers Rhea, a satellite of Saturn

1688 King James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch flees to France from William of Orange

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1911 Frank Wedekind‘s play “Oaha, die Satire der Satire” premieres in Munich

1928 NBC sets up a permanent, coast-to-coast radio network

1930 Bette Davis arrives in Hollywood under contract to Universal Studios

1938 Margaret Hamilton‘s costume catches fire while filming “The Wizard of Oz”

1951 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game

1961 KICU TV channel 43 in Visalia-Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting

1966 Britain’s rock TV show “Ready Steady Go” last program

1990 Comedy “Lettice & Lovage” closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 284 performances

Today’s Historical Music Events

1893 Opera “Hansel und Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck and his sister Adelheid Wette premieres in Weimar, conducted by Richard Strauss

1911 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari’s opera “I Gioielli Della Madonna” premieres at at the Kurfürstenoper in Berlin, Germany, sung in German as “Der Schmuck der Madonna”

1915 Jerome Kern and Schuyler Greene’s musical farce “Very Good Eddie” premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 341 performances

1943 1st telecast of a complete opera (Hansel & Gretel), Schenectady, NY

1948 “Cinderella” the first full-length ballet by Frederick Ashton with music by Sergei Prokofiev is first presented by Sadler’s Wells Ballet at Covent Garden, London

1958 Musical revue “Party with Comden & Green” opens at John Golden NYC for 38 performances

1974 Revival of RAy Henderson, B.G. DeSylva, and Lew Brown’s musical “Good News” opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 16 performances

1974 Premier of Dmitri Shostakovich‘ Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti song cycle in Leningrad

 

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1866 First yacht race across the Atlantic won by the schooner Henrietta owned by Gordon Bennett of New York, first to reach Bishop Rock in the Scilly Isles after racing from NY

1923 Yankees pitcher Carl Mays sold to Reds for $85,000

1933 Montreal Canadiens center Howie Morenz scores in 3-0 win v Detroit Red Wings; his NHL record 249th career goal

1951 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game

1953 Dodgers 2nd baseman Jim Gilliam wins NL Rookie of Year

1957 Test cricket debut for all-time great Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout and future captain and coach Bobby Simpson, 1st Test v South Africa in Johannesburg

1969 Ballon d’Or: Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera wins award for best European football player ahead of Cagliari forward Luigi Riva and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller

1972 New York Islanders end 15 games winless streak

December 22 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1790 Supposedly impenetrable Turkish fortress of Izmail stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92)

1877 Thomas Edison‘s Phonograph is announced by Scientific American

1885 Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan

1989 After 23 years of dictatorial rule, Romania ousts Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu

1990 Lech Wałęsa sworn in as Poland’s 1st popularly elected president

2010 Repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy”, a 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the US military, signed into law by President Barack Obama

Today’s Historical Events

401 St. Innocent I begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1135 Norman nobles recognize Stefanus van Blois as English king

1216 Pope Honorius III delegates decree “Religiosam vitam eligentibus”

1465 Peace of St Truiden: Louis van Bourbon becomes bishop of Liège

1536 English scholar Reginald Pole appointed cardinal

1596 Ferryboat Meuniers crashes in Paris, 150 die

1642 Pope Urbanus VIII publishes decree In eminente

1666 The French Academy of Sciences, founded by Louis XIV with Jean-Baptiste Colbert first meets in the Kings Library

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1932 “The Mummy” directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff is released in the US – 1st Mummy horror film

1948 KPIX TV channel 5 in San Francisco, California (CBS) begins broadcasting

1952 WSBA (now WPMT) TV channel 43 in York, PA (IND) begins broadcasting

1957 KWRB (now KFNE) TV channel 10 in Lander-Riverton, WY (ABC) begins

1964 American comedian Lenny Bruce is convicted of obscenity

1965 “Doctor Zhivago” based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie premieres in NYC

1966 WCVW TV channel 57 in Richmond, VA (PBS) begins broadcasting

1967 “The Graduate” American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, is released (Best Director 1968)

Today’s Historical Music Events

1808 Beethoven‘s Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6, Choral Fantasy and Piano Concerto No. 4 (featuring the composer as soloist) premiere at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria

1894 Claude Debussy‘s first orchestral masterpiece “Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune” premieres in Paris

1946 “Bal Negre” closes at Belasco Theater NYC after 54 performances

1956 “New Faces of 1956” closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 221 performances

1958 “Chipmunk Song” reaches #1

1958 “Whoop-Up” opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 56 performances

1976 “Your Arm’s Too Short…” opens at Lyceum NYC for 429 performances

1976 East Germany grants rock singer Nina Hagen her request to leave the country, after refusing her stepfather re-entry

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1877 “American Bicycling Journal” begins publishing (Boston, Mass)

1888 Heavyweight boxing champ John L. Sullivan challenges Jake Kilrain

1894 United States Golf Association forms in New York

1915 Organized baseball and Federal League sign a peace treaty at Cincinnati; Federal Baseball League dissolves

1917 In the NHL’s first official week of play, 3 players score hat tricks in the same game, for the same team; Corb Denneny, Reg Noble, & Harry Meeking each score 3 for the Toronto Arenas in an 11-4 win over the Ottawa Senators

1923 Bill Ponsford & Edgar Mayne make 456 opening stand for Vict

1924 Babe Dye of NHL’s Toronto St Patricks scores 5 goals beat Bruins 10-2

1941 1942 NFL Draft: Bill Dudley from University of Virginia first pick by Pittsburgh Steelers

Celebrate Summer Solstice and Connect With Nature Through These Rituals

After a long and seriously unforgiving winter, folks in the Northern Hemisphere are finally reaping the benefits of summer, as June 21 marks the official 2021 summer solstice. Many of us are already marking our calendars with beach days, hikes, and picnics galore — but if you’re looking to tap into the spiritual aspect of the seasonal shift, there are several solstice rituals you can do to welcome summer, in all its glory.

From gifting friends with sachets as a natural mosquito deterrent, to enjoying a seasonal feast of locally-grown goodies, there are so many fun ways to welcome and celebrate summer, sustainably.

Winter Solstice Spell

8 Rituals For The Winter Solstice 2021: How To Make Your Own Light

Take a deep breath as we enter this time of the winter solstice on December 21 in the northern hemisphere. Think of it as a sacred gateway: an ending and a new beginning. With all the noise of 2021, it is time for some much-needed quiet and inner nourishment. Mother Nature is asking us to reflect, recalibrate, and strengthen our ability to shine in the world.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. At this time, many cultures believe that the archetypal Great Mother gave birth to a sun child (the Egyptian deity Isis gave birth to sun god Horus; the Greek Leto gave birth to a shining Apollo.) This is a moment to hold the light for yourself and others. Here are eight rituals to help you do so.

1. Turn off the lights.

On the night of the solstice, unplug your phone, TV, and tablets. Instead of turning on electric lights, eat dinner by candlelight and…

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Winter solstice 2021: Why it happens and how we celebrate the first day of winter

For the past six months, the days have grown shorter and the nights have grown longer in the Northern Hemisphere. But that’s about to reverse itself.

Winter solstice 2021, the shortest day of year and the official first day of winter, is on Tuesday, December 21. How it all works has fascinated people for thousands of years.

First we’ll look at the science and precise timing behind the solstice. Then we’ll explore some ancient traditions and celebrations around the world.

From msn.com

December 21 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore at in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [OS=Dec 11]

1898 Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium

1968 Apollo 8: 1st manned Moon voyage launched with Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders

1988 Lockerbie disaster: A terrorist bomb destroys Pan Am Flight 103 mid-air, over Scotland; kills all 259 passengers and crew on board, and 11 people on the ground [1]

1991 Soviet Union formally dissolves as 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming Commonwealth of Independent States

Today’s Historical Events

1163 Hurricane hits villages in Holland/Friesland, causing floods

1561 Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, Archbishop of Mechelen, made Cardinal

1582 Flanders adopts the Gregorian calendar, skipping 11 days making the next day Jan 1, 1583

1598 Battle of Curalaba: the Mapuche people led by Pelentaru revolt and inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore at in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [OS=Dec 11]

1650 Johan de Witt installed as Dutch Pensionary of Dordrecht

1784 John Jay becomes acting US Secretary of State (1789-90)

1788 Hue Tay Son becomes emperor Quang Trung of Vietnam

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1914 1st feature-length silent film comedy “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” released starring Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand and Charlie Chaplin

1925 “Battleship Potemkin”, Soviet silent film directed by Sergei Eisenstein, starring Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barksy and Grigori Aleksandrov, premieres in Moscow

1933 Fox Films signs Shirley Temple aged 5, to a studio contract

1934 French film “Zouzou” premieres in Paris, starring Josephine Baker; 1st black woman to star in a major motion picture

1937 The first full-length animated feature film and the earliest in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, premieres at the Carthay Circle Theatre

1949 “Samson and Delilah”, directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature, premieres in New York

1952 WSBT TV channel 22 in South Bend, IN (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 KOMU TV channel 8 in Columbia, MO (NBC/PBS) begins broadcasting

Today’s Historical Music Events

1920 Jerome Kern/BG DeSylva’s musical “Sally” premieres in NYC

1941 David Diamond’s 1st Symphony premieres

1945 “Billion Dollar Baby” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 219 performances

1946 “If the Shoe Fits” closes at Century Theater NYC after 20 performances

1950 Cole Porter‘s musical “Out of this World” premieres at New Century Theater NYC; runs for 157 performances

1960 Ornette Coleman records his influential album “Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation”, establishes the name for the Free Jazz sound

1961 Beatles record “Sweet Georgia Brown” & “Ready Teddy”

1968 Glen Campbell‘s album “Wichita Lineman” goes to #1 in the US

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1891 1st game of basketball, based on rules created by James Naismith, played by 18 students in Springfield, Massachusetts

1918 Red Sox trade Dutch Leonard, Ernie Shore & Duffy Lewis to Yankees for Ray Caldwell & Slim Love, Frank Gilhooey, Al Walters & $15,000

1925 Test batsman Hunter “Stork” Hendry scores career best unbeaten 325 for Victoria against New Zealand in drawn tour match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

1926 Soccer team DOS Struggle forms

1932 Giants sign former outfielder Billy Southworth as a coach

1936 Bradman‘s 2nd consecutive Test Cricket duck! Australia all out for 80

1937 O’Reilly completes 14-98 for cricket match, NSW v South Aust

1937 Chicago Black Hawks left wing Paul Thompson becomes first player in NHL history to score a goal against his brother; scores on bro Cecil of the Boston Bruins with just 9 seconds left in regulation; Bruins win though, 2-1

Simple Full Moon Ritual for Release, Energy, and Cleansing

In this post I’m going to reveal my full moon ritual for manifestation that’s designed to release negative energy and cleanse your soul.

Over the years I have experimented with many different rituals and am excited to share what I’ve learned with you.

A few benefits of performing a full moon ceremony include:

  • Release negativity
  • Increase energy
  • Spiritual cleansing
  • Set intentions that materialize
  • Manifest abundance, love, or money
  • Make your wishes come true

Ready to learn more?

Let’s get started!

What is a Full Moon Ritual?

A full moon ritual is a spiritual ceremony performed on the night of a full moon to release negativity and practice gratitude. The ritual does not need to be completed at the exact moment of a full moon, but should be performed within 48 hours before or after for best results.

When the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun this is called a full moon. This happens about once per

For more information about full Moon rituals by Ryan Hart

December 15 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

533 Byzantine General Belisarius defeats the Vandals, under King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron

1256 Hulagu Khan captures and destroys Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut, in present-day Iran, part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia

1488 Bartolomeu Dias returns to Portugal after becoming 1st known European to sail round the Cape of Good Hope

1612 German Astronomer Simon Marius is 1st to observe Andromeda galaxy through a telescope

1791 US Bill of Rights ratified when Virginia gives its approval, becomes amendments 1-10 of the US constitution

1840 Napoleon Bonaparte receives a French state funeral in Paris 19 years after his death

1973 American Psychiatric Association declares homosexuality is not a mental illness

Today’s Historical Events

533 Byzantine General Belisarius defeats the Vandals, under King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron

687 St Sergius I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding Conon

1124 Chancellor Haimeric selects pope (Lamberto becomes Honorius II)

1167 Sicilian chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.

1256 Hulagu Khan captures and destroys Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut, in present-day Iran, part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia

1467 Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1952 KHON TV channel 2 in Honolulu, HI (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 WJHG TV channel 7 in Panama City, FL (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1956 KGW TV channel 8 in Portland, OR (NBC) begins broadcasting

1956 WRAL TV channel 5 in Raleigh-Durham, NC (CBS) begins broadcasting

1961 Equal access rule, political parties get TV broadcasting time

Today’s Historical Music Events

1965 D Heneker & J Taylor’s musical “Charlie Girl” premieres in London

1966 “Joyful Noise” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 12 performances

1967 The Beatles release “Christmas Time is Here Again”

1969 Plastic Ono Band, play their only concert at London’s Lyceum Ballroom

1987 First National US Tour of “Les Miserables” opens at Shubert Theatre, Boston

1991 “Nick & Nora” closes at Marquis Theater NYC after 9 performances

1993 John Williams final appearance as conductor of Boston Pops

1994 “A Tuna Christmas” opens at Booth Theater NYC for 20 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sport

1894 Day 2 of first cricket test between Australia and England, Australia 586 runs (Gregory 201) England 3-130

1909 Thomas J. Lynch becomes president of baseball’s National League

1925 1st hockey game at Madison Square Garden, Montreal Canadiens 3, NY Americans 1

1929 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (12-0-1) win first past the post title

December 14 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

644 Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad, appointed 3rd Caliph of Islam

1287 During St. Lucia’s Flood in Northwest Netherlands the Zuiderzee seawall collapses with loss of over 50,000 lives. Fifth largest recorded flood in history

1542 Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old

1774 First incident of American Revolution – 400 New Hampshire militiamen successfully attack Fort William and Mary

1911 Norwegian Roald Amundsen‘s expedition is the 1st to each the South Pole

1995 The Dayton Agreement is signed in Paris by leaders of various governments ending the conflict in the former Yugoslavia including Slobodan Milošević, Alija Izetbegović, Franjo Tuđman and Bill Clinton

Today’s Historical Events

557 Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, is significantly damaged by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake

644 Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad, appointed 3rd Caliph of Islam

835 Chinese Emperor Wenzong conspires with chancellor Li Xun and general Zheng Zhu to kill all the eunuchs, but the plot is foiled. Also known as the Sweet Dew Incident

867 Adrian II begins his reign as Catholic Pope

872 John VIII elected as Catholic Pope

1124 Theobald Buccapecus elected Pope Coelestinus II (he refuses)

1287 During St. Lucia’s Flood in Northwest Netherlands the Zuiderzee seawall collapses with loss of over 50,000 lives. Fifth largest recorded flood in history

1542 Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1952 KROD (now KDBC) TV channel 4 in El Paso, TX (CBS) begins broadcasting

1954 WOAY TV channel 4 in Oak Hill-Beckley, WV (ABC) begins broadcasting

1969 Jackson Five make their 1st appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

1971 U.S. premiere of “Nicholas and Alexandra”, film adaptation of Robert K. Massie’s best selling novel

1974 Disaster film “The Towering Inferno” is released, starring Steve McQueen and Paul Newman

1988 CBS’ $1.1 B bid wins exclusive 1990-94 major-league baseball rights

1993 “Philadelphia” one of the first mainstream films about AIDS, directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington premieres in Century City, California

1996 12th Soap Opera Digest Awards – Days of Our Lives wins

Today’s Historical Music Events

1849 1st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert in Boston

1918 Giacomo Puccini‘s opera “Il Trittico” premieres in NYC

1924 Respighi’s symphony “Pini di Roma” premieres in Paris

1925 Alban Berg’s first opera, “Wozzeck” premieres at the Berlin State Opera.

1933 Josephine Baker performs in Amsterdam

1946 “Three to Make Ready” closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 323 performances

1950 Musical “Bless You All” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 84 performances

1957 “Most Happy Fella” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 678 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1894 Day One 1st Test Cricket Aus v Eng Aust 5-346 (Giffen 161, Gregory 85)

1894 Test cricket debut of future Australian captain Joe Darling, great all-rounder Ernie Jones and outstanding England batsman Archie MacLaren; England wins 1st Test in Sydney by 10 runs

1901 1st table tennis tournament is held at the London Royal Aquarium

1920 Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in NYC

1930 NY Giants defeat Notre Dame 22-0 in a charity game

1930 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (10-3-1) repeat with best record in first past the post title

1935 Test Cricket debut of “Chuck” Fleetwood-Smith v South Africa, Durban

1938 Major League Baseball agrees on use of a standard ball; disagrees on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players, although Commissioner Judge Landis eventually decides on 25