Note: The calendar below is also a page index. Select a date or other item of interest for more information.

The daily notes for this month are from the The History Channel's Home Page. If you like these notes, you'll love looking at the other notes and birthdays they have recorded for every day of the year.

24 -- First Day of Chanukah

25 -- Christmas

1 December -- This is "Civil Air Patrol Day" Day!

"After the German surrender, one of Hitler's high-ranking naval officers was asked why the Nazi U-boats had been withdrawn from U.S. coastal waters early in 1943. The answer was exploded in a curt guttural: 'It was because of those damned little red and yellow planes!'" -- From Robert E. Neprud's "Flying Minute Men"

Civil Air Patrol members became the Minutemen of World War II, volunteering their time, resources, and talents to defend the nation's borders. They filled the gaps left by the men, women and resources mobilized to fight abroad. These Flying Minutemen, all volunteers, performed valiantly on many missions including coastal patrol to search for enemy submarines, search and rescue missions throughout the United States, cargo and courier flights to transfer critical materials and personnel. They even towed targets so Army Air Corps personnel could practice air-to-air gunnery techniques. In all, these volunteers amassed a stunning record - flying more than half-a-million hours, sinking two enemy submarines, and saving hundreds of crash victims.

Where did these volunteers come from? Although Pearl Harbor propelled the United States into World War II, many Americans saw the AXIS threat long before Dec. 7, 1941. Among them were nearly 150,000 men and women involved in aviation.

As early as 1938, they began to argue for the creation of an organization to harness their experience in the event America entered the conflict. Their efforts, led by writer-aviator, Gill Robb Wilson and supported by Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold, resulted in the creation of the Civil Air Patrol. The Director of Civilian Defense, former New York Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia signed a formal order creating the CAP on this day in 1941 - one week before Pearl Harbor.

A thankful nation recognized the vital role CAP played during the war and felt that it could continue to provide invaluable help to both local and national agencies. On July 1, 1946, U.S. President Harry S Truman signed Public Law 476 incorporating the CAP as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. And on May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557, permanently establishing the CAP as the Auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force.

With more than 53,000 members, 535 light aircraft and an extensive communications capability, the CAP is fully equipped to continue its mission for America.

Happy birthday, CAP!

Word Of The Day: Tantamount (TAN tuh maunt) adj. Equal in effect; identical. The hateful glare was tantamount to an open challenge

Sales of Henry Ford's fabulously successful Model T had slipped noticeably in 1926. Those who lived during the prosperous 1920s had had their fill of pure utility and were ready for a larger measure of comfort and beauty. The Ford car simply had not kept up with America's rising standard of living. And so, production of the Model T ceased at the end of May, 1927, a few days after the 15 millionth car had come off the assembly line. A new car would take its place.

The most extraordinary aspect of Henry Ford's plunge into the future was that his old car expired before his new car had been born. No matter what vehicle he might come up with, no one knew how it would be powered because no plan for a new engine existed. Nevertheless, movement in the direction of a totally new car forged ahead. Ford's basic concept was for a car that would deliver the speed, power and comfort suited to the improved roads and the quickened pace of life in that day. It would be lower than the T, longer, wider, more pleasing in its proportions, and available in a variety of models and an assortment of colors (the Model T had been available in black only).

And it would be named after the first car made by Ford Motor Company back in 1903 - the Model A.

To produce the new car, retooling on an unprecedented scale would be required. According to one historian, a changeover of this scope and urgency was, at the time, "unknown in American industrial history." During the months between the discontinuance of Model T and delivery of the first Model A, 400,000 orders had piled up for a car that not a single customer had seen. The lag between cars available and orders on hand had mounted to 800,000 by the spring of 1928.

The first Model A was unveiled on this day in 1927 in New York City's Waldorf Hotel and in 35 other cities around the U.S., Canada and Europe. The car was priced affordably: the Phaeton sold for $395.00 and the Tudor Sedan for $495.00. Ford made almost two million Model As in 1929. But Black Thursday came on October 24th of that year, ushering in the Great Depression, and from that time on it was downhill all the way. In 1931, sales dropped to 620,000 units. Production of Model A was shut down in August, and early the following year, the "new order" took over in the form of the radically different Ford V-8.

By that time, a total of well over 20 million Fords had been manufactured, and almost 5 million of these had been the brilliant little Model As.

Word Of The Day: Impugn (im PYOON) v. To reproach or attack as false; cast doubt on. When you impugn my ideas, you make me depressed

On this day in 1907, Mr. and Mrs. Boswell of New Orleans were celebrating the birth of their daughter, Connie. They should have known from her melodic cries that she would one day be singin' the blues. Connie or Connee (a spelling she preferred later in life), who also played several musical instruments, arranged vocals for herself and her two sisters.

Although she was stricken with polio and worked from her wheelchair, she never let this get in the way of being part of her white, jazz-singing trio. The Boswell Sisters' talent was quickly recognized and by the time Connee was 24 years old, the sisters were doing vaudeville, radio, playing New York's Paramount Theatre, recording with the Dorsey Brothers: "You Oughta be in Pictures"; making films and appearing on the U.S.A.'s first public TV broadcast.

One thing led to another and Connie went solo, entertaining World War II troops, making films, appearing on Broadway and recording with big names like Woody Herman; even a duet classic with Bing Crosby: "Basin Street Blues". Her musical influence spanned many generations and music styles. If you'd have asked Ella, she would have told you, "They just don't make 'em like Connee Boswell anymore."

Word Of The Day: Abate (uh BAYT) v. To lessen in amount or intensity. The rock band abated the volume of their music after I asked for their help.

Cannons went off in Lynn, Massachusetts on this day in 1940, when baby Frederick Anthony Picariello arrived on the scene. Little Freddy and his Mom got along just fine. They even collaborated in the writing of a song when Freddy was 16. They titled their piece, "Rock 'n' Roll Baby". By this time Freddy was driving a truck while he was trying to make the move to show biz. The first thing he did was take on the stage name of Freddy Karmon. Then he made a demo of the song and presented it to Philly DJ, Jack McDermott.

What happened next made rock 'n' roll history. Producers Frank Slay and Bob Crewe heard the song, took Freddy under their wings, changed his stage name to Freddy Cannon and the title of the song to "Tallahassee Lassie". Freddy Cannon exploded onto the music charts and on June 29, 1959, he had a #6 hit. From that day on, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when you'd turn on a rock 'n' roll station, you could count on hearing jocks introducing Freddy 'Boom Boom' Cannon and hits like "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (#3 on January 11, 1960), "Palisades Park" (#3 on June 23, 1962), and "Transistor Sister".

After recording several hit LPs in the mid-60s, Freddy, no longer a teenage idol, promoted other singers' recordings for Buddah Records, and participated in an oldies revival; having some success with his 1981 recording, "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock 'n' Roll".

Happy Birthday, Boom Boom.

Word Of The Day: Preclude (pree KLOOD) v. To prevent, make impossible from the start. Insufficient funds may preclude holding a festival at all.

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was the first national association of craft unions in the United States to represent the practical economic interests of its members (dating back to the 1880s).

The CIO (originally known as the Committee for Industrial Organization) represented workers in the mass-production industries, such as the automobile industry, and was a part of the AFL. After the AFL decided to expel the group in 1938, it reorganized as the Congress of Industrial Organizations and operated on its own.

On this day in 1955, after many years of rivalry, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to become the AFL-CIO. Not all national unions belong to the AFL-CIO. The Teamsters Union was kicked out in 1957 and the United Auto Workers pulled out in 1968.

The AFL-CIO has five major activities (in addition to keeping itself organized): 1) to work for laws favorable to labor and general welfare; 2) to help organize workers who are not in labor unions; 3) to settle disputes and encourage friendly relations among member unions; 4) to take part in the world labor movement through the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, an association of unions from all parts of the free world; and 5) to help educate union members and the general public about the aims of organized labor.

The organization of organizations celebrates its birthday today. Lets celebrate with them, and always respect a picket line.

Word Of The Day: Glean (gleen) v. To collect, gather (facts, grain, etc.). Gleaning signatures on this petition will not be easy

On this day in 1883, "Ladies' Home Journal" was published for the first time. It became one of the few magazines to reach a circulation of over one million. Paid circulation currently is over 5,000,000.

But, why not let the folks at LHJ say it in their own words (from their World Wide Web site at http://www.lhj.com):

...As the oldest, most respected women's service magazine in the country, Ladies' Home Journal has always focused on issues of crucial importance to millions of women. Since our first issue, in December 1883, we've covered an incredibly wide range of topics--from the latest medical research and consumer news to parenting know-how, workplace survival, good skin care, nutrition facts and much, much more. Every issue includes subjects as diverse as the lives of our readers, women who work both in and out of the home and who are wives and mothers as well. With top-quality research, analysis and reporting, Ladies' Home Journal represents a standard of excellence that just keeps getting better after more than a century of service to America's women. We both empower women and applaud their growing power. Our fifty-year slogan has never been more true: "Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman."

Well said. And, we won't!

Word Of The Day: Alacrity (uh LAK ruh tee) n. Eagerness; briskness, lively action. Go to the task with alacrity, and don't give up.

This day is remembered as "a date which will live in infamy": Pearl Harbor Day. Thousands of lives were lost, a major portion of America's Pacific fleet was in pieces, and the U.S. was catapulted into war in the Pacific.

Today, at the onshore USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, we can see displays of World War II naval history and wartime Hawaii; and view a film about the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The memorial to the 1,100 men entombed forever within the sunken, once mighty, battleship, straddles the USS Arizona. A ferry shuttles back and forth between the visitor center and the memorial and you can actually stand right above the Arizona.

Although there were many suggestions throughout the years for a USS Arizona memorial, planning for the structure did not begin until 1960. And, without the help of Elvis Presley, the Memorial might still be just a plan. Elvis staged a benefit concert at Pearl Harbor's Bloch Arena on March 25, 1961, raising more than $60,000 to start the USS Arizona Memorial's building fund. Construction was completed in 1980.

We pause to reflect on December 7, 1941, one of America's most tragic days.

Word Of The Day: Desuetude (DES wi tood) n. The condition of disuse. The machine had fallen into obsolescence and desuetude.

John Lennon was shot and killed on December 8, 1980, outside of his New York City apartment house, known as The Dakota. A deranged, obsessed 'fan' asked Lennon to autograph an album, then shot him as Lennon started to comply. The man was quickly apprehended by others gathered at the scene, and remains in prison to this day. A several-days vigil by hundreds of mourning fans is remembered as candles flickered and the song "Give Peace a Chance" was heard as a continuing tribute to the musician and songwriter of a generation.

John Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, together with New York's officials, set up a permanent memorial to her husband: a section of Central Park, opposite The Dakota, named Strawberry Fields.

Word Of The Day: Foment (fo MENT) v. To stir up, instigate. They are trying to foment the carpetlayers to go on strike.

The U.S. Post Office in Wilmington, Delaware offered Christmas Seals for sale for the very first time on this day in 1907. Contributions for the original seals, designed by Emily P. Bissell, helped in the fight against tuberculosis. A hospital in Wilmington is named in honor of Bissell.

Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Use Christmas Seals (from the American Lung Association's World Wide Web Site (at http://www.lungusa.org/):

10. Because Emily Bissell was able to save a much needed TB sanatorium from closing when she launched her first Christmas Seal Campaign in 1907.

9. So at the next cocktail party you attend you can answer the question, "What do you use Christmas Seals for anyway?" One answer: They do wonders to dress up envelopes! Hidden around the ALA Web site are other possible uses. Happy hunting!

8. To help educate and better the lives of the more than 4.8 million American children with asthma.

7. So the people who receive your holiday cards know that you have a big heart.

6. Because more than 50,000 children entered the American Lung Association's Christmas Seals Kids' Drawing Contest sponsored by the Triaminic Parents Club. (Call 1-800-LUNG-USA).

5. Because the Triaminic Parents Club donates $1 to the American Lung Association for every child's Christmas Seals Kids' Drawing Contest entry form.

4. To know that 90 percent of the proceeds from the Christmas Seal Campaign goes to local Lung Associations to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.

3. Because Christmas Seals make great keepsakes and collector's items.

2. Because we're asking nicely.

1. And the number 1 reason why you should use Christmas Seals is to support the American Lung Association's efforts to fight lung disease, including asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer, because When You Can't Breathe, Nothing Else Matters.

Word Of The Day: Aesthetic (es THET ik) adj. Relating to beauty or to the arts. Your home has a very aesthetic quality.

Each year on the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the prizes bearing his name are awarded "to those persons who shall have contributed most materially to the benefit of mankind during the year immediately preceding." Alfred Bernhard Nobel died on this day in 1896 and the first of the Nobel Prizes was presented in 1901 according to instructions in his will. Nobel chose this method to ease his conscience after inventing the deadly explosive, dynamite. One of the richest men in the world, he also felt it would be wrong to leave his fortune to relatives. "Inherited wealth is a misfortune which merely serves to dull man's faculties."

So instead of wishing you had a rich relative, get out there and do something good for man and womankind today ... and every day, for that matter!

Word Of The Day: Lucid (LOO sid) adj. Clear, easily understood; transparent. Her lucid arguments convinced me to contribute to the charity.

The first display of the "Northern Lights" was recorded in America, by a sighting made in New England on this day in 1719. The report said that a mysterious face seemed to appear in the atmosphere; and, since most aurora borealis displays occur in September and October and again in March and April, this is very strange, indeed!

The green, red and frost white light displays occur most frequently when there is a great deal of sunspot activity.

Word Of The Day: Sanctimonious (SAYNGK tuh MO nee uhs) adj. Pretending to be holy or pious. Surely that sanctimonious bum will not be elected.

Francis Albert Sinatra came into this world this day, in 1915, in Hoboken, NJ, without making a sound or opening his eyes. In fact, he didn't even sing a note until his grandmother held him under some cold running water. Here it is, many years later, and the man with blue eyes, so famous that he's often referred to as Ol' Blue Eyes, has never stopped singing.

The Voice sang his way through weddings, local Union functions and made his commercial media debut singing the hits on radio's "The Lucky Strike Hit Parade". He then made his own hits, recording over 1500 songs, including the favorites: "All or Nothing at All" (Frank's first), "I'll Never Smile Again", "In the Blue of the Evening", "I'll be Seeing You", "Five Minutes More", "The Loneliest Night of the Week", "I'm a Fool to Want You", "I've Got the World on a String", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "You Make Me Feel So Young", "Strangers in the Night", "Witchcraft", "That's Life", "New York, New York" and "My Way"; taking home ten Grammy awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award.

For Frankie, being a singing idol wasn't enough. The silver screen beckoned and he became bigger than life in over fifty films, including "On the Town", "Guys and Dolls", "Ocean's Eleven", "Not as a Stranger", "The Manchurian Candidate", "None But the Brave", "Young at Heart", "The Tender Trap", "High Society", "Pal Joey" and "The Joker Is Wild". Hollywood rewarded him with a Special Oscar for "The House I Live In", a short he made to promote racial and religious tolerance; an Oscar nomination for "The Man with the Golden Arm", and the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance in "From Here to Eternity"; plus the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1970.

The television industry embraced Frank, too, presenting him with an Emmy in 1965 for Outstanding Musical Special, "Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music". Not to be outdone, the President of the United States of America, Ronald Reagan, presented Francis Albert Sinatra with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985.

What more can we say? Plenty, but we're out of space. We'll end this with just a simple, "Happy Birthday" to you, Mr. S, the Chairman of the Board.

Word Of The Day: Culpable (KUL puh buhl) adj. Deserving blame. The plane's mechanics are clearly the culpable party in the accident.

In 1928, the George Gershwin composition, "American In Paris" was presented for the first time in public by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Walter Damrosch.

A tone poem, "An American in Paris" was used as a ballet for the 1951 performance by Gene Kelly in the movie of the same name. Unfortunately, George Gershwin did not live to see his composition being danced to in the Academy Award-winning "An American in Paris". It won six Oscars: Best Art Direction/Set Direction [Color], Best Color Cinematography, Best Costume Design [Color], Best Story and Screenplay, Best Picture ... and Best Score.

Word Of The Day: Slovenly (SLUV uhn lee) adj. Careless; untidy, slipshod. Slovenly architectural drawings need not be submitted.

Michel de Notredame was destined to tell the world about its destiny. He was born on this day in 1503 at St. Remy, Provence, France. We know him as Nostradamus, author of a book of prophecies that many still believe foretold the future. He was a physician, an astrologer and a clairvoyant.

Nostradamus' rhyming astrological predictions are most famous. He wrote them in rhyming quatrains, accurately predicting the Great London Fire in 1666, Spain's Civil War, and a Hitler that would lead Germany into war. He even correctly predicted his death on July 2, 1566.

Acclaimed, even today, as one of the most accurate seers in the history of the world, his only dated quatrain states that a new leader will wage terrible war against the foe:

In the year 1999 and 7 months, From the skies shall come an alarmingly powerful king, To raise again the great King of Jacquerie, Before and after, Mars shall reign at will.

When a fish pond that was a meadow shall be moved, Sagittarius being in the ascendant, Plague, Famine, Death by the military hand, The Century approaches renewal.

Word Of The Day: Facetious (fuh SEE shuhs) adj. Joking, comical. Are you being serious or facetious?

The cinema spectacular, "Gone With the Wind" premiered at Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia on this day in 1939. The governor of Georgia proclaimed the day a state holiday, in commemoration of the event.

Ironically, Hollywood's most famous film is now back in Atlanta, permanently, and has been for some years. There are daily, continuous showings in a theatre that only shows "GWTW" at the CNN Center Cinemas.

"Gone with the Wind" is now owned by Ted Turner (he acquired the entire MGM film library), of CNN, TBS, TNT, The Cartoon Network, theatres, a hotel, a baseball and basketball team, the CNN Center, billboards, the Omni, Time-Warner and a bunch more.

Word Of The Day: Stymie (STIE mee) v. To block, impede. Her current reputation will stymie her television comeback.

Now, wait a second. here we are getting ready for Christmas and a visit from Santa Claus and we're already speaking about bunny rabbits? Actually, on this day in 1901, the famous story, "Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter was printed for the first time. Of course, all good little boys and girls know Peter as Peter Cottontail and that his bunny siblings are Flopsy and Mopsy.

Now, off to bed with you. Story time is over. Nitey-nite!

Word Of The Day: Brazen (BRAY zuhn) adj. Insolent; rudely bold. In a brazen act, he pounded his fist on the desk and demanded a raise.

We pause for a moment in remembrance of Tiny Tim (Herbert Buchingham Kauhry) marrying Miss Vickie this night on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson".

The 1969 NBC-TV program earned the second-highest, all-time audience rating; second only to Neil Armstrong's walking on the moon. No, Armstrong did not sing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" on the lunar surface.

Tiny and Miss Vickie stopped tiptoeing together in 1977.

Word Of The Day: Nondescript (nahn di SKRIPT) adj. Not belonging to any certain class; undistinguished. The earthenware bowl is of nondescript workmanship.

What would life be like without a 20-pound Sunday paper cluttering up the place, huh? Well, as you ponder this, note that in 1796, the "Monitor" of Baltimore, Maryland was published as the first Sunday newspaper.

There were no comics, incidentally, as they hadn't been invented yet. And there was no color yet. And there wasn't much in sports coverage, as the Orioles weren't invented yet. And there were no Colts and, certainly, no Ravens.

Word Of The Day: Avarice (AV uhr is) n. Greed for money. The investor's avarice eventually brought them to poverty.

In 1903, the Williamsburg Bridge, which, incidentally, is located nowhere near Williamsburg, Virginia, was opened in New York City, where the East River provides a lot more water. (Actually there is a section of NYC referred to as Williamsburg.) At any rate, this was America's first major suspension bridge (1600 feet). It cost $24,000,000 to build - in 1903 dollars. We can't even speculate on how much a similar bridge would cost today; no less what it cost in 1964 to build the Verrazano Narrows suspension bridge in New York, the second longest suspension bridge in the world (4,260 ft.), to date.

For you West Coast fans, The Golden Gate is sixty feet shorter than the Verrazano (a close third place).

Now we'll end your suspense and tell you which suspension bridge is the longest in the world. To date, it is the Humber Estuary Bridge in the United Kingdom. Its span is 4,626 feet or 1,410 meters (it is in England, you know). We hear that Denmark and Japan and Italy all have even longer bridges either in the planning stages or under construction.

Word Of The Day: Equanimity (ek wuh NIM uh tee) n. Evenness, calmness of mind, composure. Mr. Reynold's equanimity under pressure is amazing.

The United States purchased the Louisiana Territories from France on this day in 1803 - for $15 million. The Louisiana Purchase effectively doubled the size of the existing United States. With 827,987 square miles in the deal, that price translates to roughly $18 per square mile - under 3 cents per acre.

The area was later made into 15 states and if that subdivision had not occurred, Louisiana would be the largest state in the Union (Alaska and Texas would easily fit inside the boundaries).

The following is the list of states that were created (or *partially created) from the Louisiana Purchase:

Arkansas, *Colorado, Iowa, *Kansas, Louisiana, *Minnesota, Missouri, *Montana, Nebraska, *New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, *Texas and *Wyoming.

3 cents ... now that's really a good deal! Just imagine what one little acre of that territory would bring today!

For more on today's Louisiana, surf to: http://www.la-mall.com/home.htm

Word Of The Day: Synthesize (SIN the saiz) v. To combine separate elements t oform a coherent whole. Let's try to synthesize the best ideas from each proposal.

Today's the day we say, "Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's off to work we go!" And, of course, we are whistling while we work.

In 1937, Walt Disney presented the first full-length animated feature which debuted at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The cost to produce "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was $1.5 million. Disney got his total investment back in the first year of the film's showing. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (now on video) is 83 minutes in length and is the work of 750 artists. Nearly one million drawings were made, of which 250,000 were used in the final print of the classic film.

The wicked queen's voice was that of Lucille LaVerne and Adriana Caselotti spoke for Snow White; Margery Belcher Champion was the model for the cartoon star.

Disney won a special Oscar in 1938 (presented to him by Shirley Temple). The film is said to have been Disney's finest moment and certainly the turning point of his career. Critics said that the adaptation of Grimm's fairy tale would be Disney's folly. Walt reportedly said, "Folly THIS!"

As a reward for reading all this stuff, we remind you that the seven dwarfs are: Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey.

Word Of The Day: Gist (JIST) n. Main point, essence. Just give me the gist of the story, without any details.

On this day in 1920, WEAF in New York City aired the first broadcast of a prize fight from ringside. The fight was broadcast from Madison Square Garden where Joe Lynch defeated Peter Herman to retain the bantamweight title.

Bantamweights top the scales at 118 pounds. Just think, either of those boxers could have been mistaken for the microphone stand.

Word Of The Day: Fecund (FEE kuhnd) adj. Productive, fruitful; fertile. Her fecund mind will take the task and map out a way to accomplish it.

This is the day that rock 'n' roll radio - in the guise of Pirate Radio - came to the U.K. Radio London began regular broadcasts on this day in 1964, to be joined, at sea, by other pirates like Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg. It was a gallant effort to broadcast commercial radio, which was illegal in Great Britain.

On England's mainland, one had to listen to 'Auntie Beeb' (the BBC) or nothing at all. It was generally like a battle, when government agents would attempt to board a floating radio station, take it over, and shut it down. Many times the ships would broadcast from different locales to foil the governmental crackdown on the high seas.

Later, the BBC split into four different radio networks: Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4, to stem the tide of the pirates who gained huge audiences playing popular music. Eventually, limited commercial broadcasting came to Great Britain.

Word Of The Day: Ardent (AHR duhnt) adj. Passionate, zealous. I'm an ardent fan of bluegrass music.

The moon became a little closer to Earth this day ... and the world got a little smaller. It was 1968 and three astronauts, James A. Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman had reached the moon. It had been just three days earlier that Borman, Captain of Apollo 8, and his team left Cape Kennedy.

Before they were to return to Earth, the three astronauts would orbit the moon ten times, paving the way for the first Earthling to walk on the moon some seven months down the road.

People all around the globe were able to see (via direct TV transmission) the most important parts of the Apollo 8 mission. This night proved to be one of the most emotional moments of the space flight. It was December 24, and Lovell, Anders and Borman, 250,000 miles from home, were reading verses from their bible and transmitting a message for all mankind for there to be "peace on earth".

Word Of The Day: Temporize (TEM puh raiz) v. To postpone an action or decision; to compromise. Please allow me to temporize my decision until next week.

Just when is Christmas Day, people ask? Is it really December 25? Actually it is; but it wasn't officially, until sometime between the years 337 and 352 A.D. This means that the date celebrated as the birth of Christ was not set until the time of Julius I, Bishop of Rome. To that time, the day known as Christmas was celebrated on one of three dates in the first 352 years of the Julian calendar: January 6, March 29 and September 29.

January 6th, the Day of Epiphany, is still considered Christmas Day to many folks around the world; especially those who are Eastern Orthodox. Some of us receive gifts on both days, some on January 1 - right down the middle - and, others celebrate for days, beginning December 6, 13th, 16th or 21st and end on January 6th. You've heard of the twelve days of Christmas? Well, it's not just a song! It's a schedule.

Sheng Tan Kuai Loh (Chinese) Blijde Kerstdagen (Dutch) Merry Christmas (English) Zalig Kerstfeest (Flemish) Joyeux Noel (French) Froeliche Weihnachten (German) Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian) Buon Natale (Italian) Feliz Navidad (Mexican) Gledelig Jul (Danish, Norwegian) Boas Festas (Portuguese) S Rozhdestvom Khristovm (Russian) Felices Pascuas (Spanish)

Word Of The Day: Mandate (MAN dayt) n. An order or command. The coach issued a mandate to each running back to keep his hands on the ball.

So, you got one for Christmas, huh? Well today is your lucky day, because on this day in 1865, James H. Mason of Franklin, MA, patented the coffee percolator that makes coffee good to the last drop! We don't think he had Joe DiMaggio selling the coffee pots for him, though, as 'Joltin' Joe wasn't born yet.

James H. Mason would have loved all the coffee houses that have popped up throughout the U.S. over the past few years. He'd probably be sitting at home inventing an espressolator or a cap-perc-occino for next Christmas.

Have some perkin' java today to celebrate this great event in history!

Word Of The Day: Bedlam (BED luhm) n. Confusion, noise, uproar. Bedlam broke out as the cars screeched onto the track.

The Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) musical, "Show Boat", opened on this day in 1927 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Its star, Helen Morgan, received excellent reviews from critics of the show; a musical about riverboat show people and their romances and disappointments. It was inspired by the novel, "Show Boat", written by Edna Ferber in 1926.

Ms. Ferber was inspired by the 19th century steam boats that traveled up and down the Mississippi and other large rivers, carrying entertainers to rural communities where the performers presented on-board shows. The largest showboat that traveled "Ol' Man River" could seat 3,400 showgoers and was called the "Floating Circus Palace".

It's amazing what a little inspiration can accomplish. "Show Boat" went showboatin' along for 572 performances; then Hollywood got into the act, filming its first version in 1929; then Ziegfeld put it on stage again in 1932 as, "Life Aboard a Real Showboat". Hollywood, not to be outdone, did it for the silver screen again in 1936, starring Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Paul Robeson, Hattie McDaniel Joe E. Brown and Helen Morgan.

In 1951, a third version of "Show Boat" was made. This time, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, William Warfield, Joe E. Brown, Agnes Moorehead and Gower Champion were in the spotlight. ("Cotton Blossom", the showboat in the film, cost $126,468 to build. Nineteen years later, it sold at auction for $15,000.) Talk about depreciation...

Word Of The Day: Indolent (IN duh luhnt) adj. Idle, lazy. There's not one indolent artist among the bunch.

The "Pennsylvania Gazette", owned by Benjamin Franklin, ran an ad for the first issue of "Poor Richard's Almanack" on this day in 1732. The ad promised "...Many pleasant and witty verses, jests and sayings ... new fashions, games for kisses ... men and melons ... breakfast in bed, &c."

"Poor Richard's Almanack" was published from 1733 to 1757, by Richard Saunders, who was really Ben Franklin. An almanac is a calendar, but Franklin found room on his calendars to include short, witty sayings about daily situations. This unique idea was a popular success and Franklin became very rich.

Here are some of the epigrams Ben served up in "Poor Richard's Almanack":

*Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. *Let thy maidservant be faithful, strong, and homely. *God heals, and the doctor takes the fees.

Not all of the maxims were as pointed or cynical. Writing in 1754, he advised:

*Think of three things: whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.

Franklin earned so much money with his almanack that for the first time in his life, he could enjoy the luxury of leisure time. He began to fly kites (experimenting with electricity), and you know the rest of that story...

Word Of The Day: Cumulative (KYOOM yuh luh tiv) adj. Successively increasing. The cumulative effects of alcohol are harmful.

In the early 1900s, college football was a brutal game ... so rough that many students suffered serious injuries and sometimes, death. This prompted many schools to discontinue the sport. Others urged that football be reformed or abolished from intercollegiate athletics.

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt summoned college athletics leaders to two White House conferences to encourage such reforms. In early December 1905, Chancellor Henry M. MacCracken of New York University convened a meeting of 13 institutions to initiate changes in football playing rules. At a subsequent meeting on December 28 in New York City, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) was founded by 62 members.

The IAAUS was officially constituted the following spring. Then, on this day in 1910, it changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Today, the NCAA is a voluntary association representing more than 1,200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals devoted to the sound administration of intercollegiate athletics.

The Association strives to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. The NCAA also stands for good conduct in intercollegiate athletics and serves as the colleges' national athletics accrediting agency.

If it weren't for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, there would be no college bowl games nor any college sports, for that matter. So, let's hear it for the NCAA:

Rah! Rah! Sis-boom-ba!

Word Of The Day: Mire (MAIR) v. To get stuck. He wants to mire you in irrelevant details.

The first color TV sets went on sale on this day in 1953. An Admiral color set would have set you back about $1,175 (big bucks in 1953)!

The TV set manufacturing industry had been waiting for the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's final approval of color specifications so that they could ship the new sets in time for the Christmas buying binge. The FCC didn't approve those specs, however, until December 18th - too late for the holidays.

The FCC's timing didn't matter much anyway. The general public did not rush right out and scoop up the $1000+ sets and it would not be until the early 1960s until color television sets were affordable to the masses.

Even then, color sets were not very dependable, requiring constant tweaking (remember the "tint" and "color" knobs?) to keep the color even close to "natural". And the TV sets used tubes, instead of transistors. As one tube would wear out, the color (and everything else) would shift, requiring more tweaking - and more visits from Mr. Serviceman.

Times have certainly changed and your favorite TV shows are now brought to you on sets that cost a lot less money. Living color on much better and bigger TV screens -- all the time!

Word Of The Day: Supplicate (SUP luh kayt) v. Humbly request; pray. They came to supplicate our urgently needed help.

Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" as a New Year's Eve song for the first time on this night in 1929. Lombardo's famed orchestra played at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year. "Auld Lang Syne" had been the band's theme song long before 1929. This night was the start of a New Year's Eve tradition.

Where did it Auld begin? Scottish poet, Robert Burns said he heard an old man singing the words, and wrote them down; but Burns is considered the original author. The literal translation means old long since; less literal: days gone by.

Auld Lang Syne and Happy New Year!

Word Of The Day: Nebulous (NEB yoo luhs) adj. Unclear, hazy, vague. Your experiment is well thought-out, but your written descriptions are nebulous.

George R. Self
E-mail me at: grself@c2i2.com

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