Today is Thursday, December 8, the 342nd day of 2022 with 23 to go.
The moon is waning. The morning stars are Jupiter, Mars and Uranus. The evening stars are Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus.
People born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include Mary Queen of Scots in 1542; Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, in 1765; General Motors founder William Durant in 1861; Pioneer of French cinema Georges Melies in 1861; Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in 1865; the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera in 1886; artist Sammy Davis Jr. in 1925; the actor Maximilien Schell in 1930; actor David Carradine in 1936; actor James MacArthur in 1937; the Irish flautist James Galway in 1939 (83 years old); Jim Morrison, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1943; Gregg Allman, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1947; writer Bill Bryson in 1951 (age 71); actor Kim Basinger in 1953 (age 69); actor Teri Hatcher in 1964 (age 58); political commentator Ann Coulter in 1961 (age 61); Irish singer/songwriter Sinead O’Connor in 1966 (56); rock singer Corey Taylor in 1973 (age 48); actor Dominic Monaghan in 1976 (age 46); actor Ian Somerhalder in 1978 (age 44); singer Ingrid Michaelson in 1979 (age 43); rapper Nicki Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj, in 1982 (40 years old); actor AnnaSophia Robb in 1993 (age 29); actor Owen Teague in 1998 (age 24).
On this historical date:
In 1886, delegates from 25 unions founded the American Federation of Labor, precursor to the modern AFL-CIO, in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1941, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare that “a state of war existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire” following the “unprovoked and despicable attack” by Japan.
In 1949, the Chinese Nationalist government, defeated by the Communists, withdrew from the mainland to the island of Taiwan.
In 1980, former Beatle John Lennon was shot dead outside his apartment building in New York. He was 40 years old.
In 1987, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the first treaty between the two superpowers to reduce their massive nuclear arsenals.
In 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist when the republics of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine signed an agreement creating the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In 1993, US President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), declaring that free trade would lead to global growth, equality, environmental preservation and the peace.
In 1997, Jenny Shipley was sworn in as New Zealand’s first female Prime Minister.
In 2004, the International Business Machines Corp., IBM, announced that it was selling its personal computer business to Chinese rival Lenovo Group for $1.25 billion in cash and stock.
In 2005, a Southwest Airlines jetliner overran a runway at Chicago’s Midway International Airport in a snowstorm, crashing through a fence onto a city street. A 6-year-old boy in a car hit by the plane was killed and at least 11 people were injured.
In 2008, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and four co-defendants told a military judge at Guantanamo Bay that they wanted to confess to all charges of murder and war crimes.
In 2009, in what Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called “cowardly terrorist attacks”, a series of apparently coordinated car bombings in Baghdad killed 127 people, injured more than 450 and destroyed government buildings.
In 2010, a fire at a prison south of Santiago, Chile, that reportedly broke out after a fight between inmates killed at least 81 people and injured a dozen others.
In 2020, Britain’s National Health Service inoculated its first citizens against COVID-19 as it launched its biggest ever vaccination campaign.
In 2021, Olaf Scholz was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, becoming the ninth person to hold the post since the end of World War II. Angela Merkel left the post after more than 15 years in power.
A thought of the day: “The trotting dog finds a bone.” — Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir
Today is Thursday, December 8, the 342nd day of 2022 with 23 to go.
The moon is waning. The morning stars are Jupiter, Mars and Uranus. The evening stars are Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus.
People born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include Mary Queen of Scots in 1542; Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, in 1765; General Motors founder William Durant in 1861; Pioneer of French cinema Georges Melies in 1861; Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in 1865; the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera in 1886; artist Sammy Davis Jr. in 1925; the actor Maximilien Schell in 1930; actor David Carradine in 1936; actor James MacArthur in 1937; the Irish flautist James Galway in 1939 (83 years old); Jim Morrison, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1943; Gregg Allman, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1947; writer Bill Bryson in 1951 (age 71); actor Kim Basinger in 1953 (age 69); actor Teri Hatcher in 1964 (age 58); political commentator Ann Coulter in 1961 (age 61); Irish singer/songwriter Sinead O’Connor in 1966 (56); rock singer Corey Taylor in 1973 (age 48); actor Dominic Monaghan in 1976 (age 46); actor Ian Somerhalder in 1978 (age 44); singer Ingrid Michaelson in 1979 (age 43); rapper Nicki Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj, in 1982 (40 years old); actor AnnaSophia Robb in 1993 (age 29); actor Owen Teague in 1998 (age 24).
On this historical date:
In 1886, delegates from 25 unions founded the American Federation of Labor, precursor to the modern AFL-CIO, in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1941, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare that “a state of war existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire” following the “unprovoked and despicable attack” by Japan.
In 1949, the Chinese Nationalist government, defeated by the Communists, withdrew from the mainland to the island of Taiwan.
In 1980, former Beatle John Lennon was shot dead outside his apartment building in New York. He was 40 years old.
In 1987, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the first treaty between the two superpowers to reduce their massive nuclear arsenals.
In 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist when the republics of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine signed an agreement creating the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In 1993, US President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), declaring that free trade would lead to global growth, equality, environmental preservation and the peace.
In 1997, Jenny Shipley was sworn in as New Zealand’s first female Prime Minister.
In 2004, the International Business Machines Corp., IBM, announced that it was selling its personal computer business to Chinese rival Lenovo Group for $1.25 billion in cash and stock.
In 2005, a Southwest Airlines jetliner overran a runway at Chicago’s Midway International Airport in a snowstorm, crashing through a fence onto a city street. A 6-year-old boy in a car hit by the plane was killed and at least 11 people were injured.
In 2008, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and four co-defendants told a military judge at Guantanamo Bay that they wanted to confess to all charges of murder and war crimes.
In 2009, in what Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called “cowardly terrorist attacks”, a series of apparently coordinated car bombings in Baghdad killed 127 people, injured more than 450 and destroyed government buildings.
In 2010, a fire at a prison south of Santiago, Chile, that reportedly broke out after a fight between inmates killed at least 81 people and injured a dozen others.
In 2020, Britain’s National Health Service inoculated its first citizens against COVID-19 as it launched its biggest ever vaccination campaign.
In 2021, Olaf Scholz was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, becoming the ninth person to hold the post since the end of World War II. Angela Merkel left the post after more than 15 years in power.
A thought of the day: “The trotting dog finds a bone.” — Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir