December 6 in Pop Culture History

• 1897 – London became the world’s first city license taxicabs.
• December 6, 1928 Birthday (fictional) Hagrid, Harry Potter
• 1969 – The Altamont Free Concert, featuring Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Rolling Stones. It also had several deaths, and hundreds were injured. It was the focus of the 1970 documentary film titled Gimme Shelter.
• Gerald Ford was sworn in as US Vice President in 1973.
• If you were born on December 6th,
  You were likely conceived the week of… March 14th (same year)

The first detailed description of St. Nicholas was by Washington Irving in the 1809 publication A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. Irving’s description was the basis for the artist’s interpretation of Santa in 1821’s The Children’s Friend: A New-Year’s Present to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. Then, in 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas). Moore’s account characterized Santa as a jolly old man who rides in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer and slides down chimneys to deliver gifts.

Thomas Nast is often credited with the original first-person drawing of Santa. He was apparently a smoker, possibly a paid endorsement- at that time people didn’t realize the dangers of smoking. In 1931 Santa began promoting Coca-cola, although no details of any official relationship has ever been announced. Today, Santa only endorses products that can’t hurt you like cookies and Coca-Cola.

“It is stern work, it is perilous work, to thrust your hand in the sun And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men: But Prometheus, torn by the claws and beaks whose task is never done, Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again.”
– Joyce Kilmer

Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.
– Michael Masser and Linda Creed

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
– Joyce Kilmer

“You drive. I’ve been hit!”
– George “Baby Face” Nelson

“Don’t try and fit your faith into your busy schedule, build your schedule around your faith.”
– Kenneth Copeland

“One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them.”
– Ira Gershwin

1830 – The U.S. Naval Observatory, one of the oldest scientific agencies in the US, was established as the ‘Depot of Charts and Instruments’ in Washington, D.C.

1850 – Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-94) announced the invention the ophthalmoscope, to the Berlin Physical Society. It enabled doctors to see directly into a patient’s eye.

1865 – The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, officially ending the institution of slavery, was ratified.

1877 – Thomas Edison demonstrated the first sound recording, his reciting of ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’, at his Menlo Park, NJ Laboratory.

1877 – The Washington Post began publication.

1883 – Ladies’ Home Journal began publication.

1884 – The Washington Monument was completed.

1906 – The first aerial photographs of Stonehenge were shown at the Society of Antiquaries. 2nd Lieutenant Philip Sharpe of the Royal Engineers Balloon Section took them from a hydrogen balloon.

1907 – The Monongah Coal Mine Disaster killed 361 coal miners. It was the worst mining disaster in American history.

1933 – A federal judge ruled that James Joyce’s book, Ulysses, was not obscene

16. Everglades National Park: Established on December 6, 1947, in Florida, this park spans 1,508 square miles. Known for its unique ecosystem, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S., and diverse plant and animal life, including the endangered Florida panther and American crocodile.

1948 – Talent Scouts (Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts) premiered on CBS.

1957 – Vanguard rocket carrying the first US satellite blew up on the Cape Canaveral, Florida launch pad. It rose about four feet and collapsed.

1964 – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer debuted on NBC. The holiday tradition moved to CBS in 1972

1969 – #1 Hit December 6, 1969 – December 19, 1969: Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

1969 – Meredith Hunter was killed by ‘guards’ at the Altamont Music Festival.

1986 – #1 Hit December 6, 1986 – December 12, 1986: Peter Cetera and Amy Grant – The Next Time I Fall

1991 – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was released in theaters.

December 6, 1992 (fiction) World War III began with an explosion in Japan, Akira, Manga

2002 – Winona Ryder was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 480 hours of community service after stealing more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills, California. She also paid restitution and a fine.

2003 – #1 Hit December 6, 2003 – December 12, 2003: Ludacris featuring Shawnna – Stand Up

2005 – Brokeback Mountain, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal was released in theaters.

2017 – Donald Trump’s administration officially announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

A group of Wild Rabbits (Hares) is called a Down or Husk. A group of baby Rabbits is called a Litter or Nest.

David Bowie’s first TV appearance was in 1964 at the age of 17, but was not for his music; he was interviewed on the BBC’s Tonight show as the founder of ‘The Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men’.

“Well isn’t that special?” – Dana Carvey as the Church Lady (Saturday Night Live)

One of the 7 Wonders of the Middle Ages: Stonehenge, construction began ~2400 BC

Michael Crichton, the author of Jurassic Park, felt his professor at Harvard was giving him unfair grades. To prove it he turned in a paper from George Orwell and received a B-.

Fiancée is the feminine form and Fiancé is the masculine form for engagements.

The Capital of Benin is Porto-Novo

TV Quotes… “No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi) on Seinfeld.

A group of Rhinoceroses is called a Crash or Stubbornness.

You can lose a whole pound by playing ping pong for 12 hours. (From Snapple Facts)

A ship is designed to take you places, so if your friendship, companionship, partnership, or relationship isn’t taking you anywhere… abandon ship!

“Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.” – Uncle Buck (John Candy)

In the USA, they call the contiguous states the “Lower 48.” But of the 50 states, the southernmost point is in Hawaii and the northernmost point is in Alaska. So shouldn’t the contiguous states be the “Middle 48?”

Useless Pronunciation: C as in cadence

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