406: VANDALS, ALANS, AND SUEBIANS CROSS THE RHINE, BEGINNING AN INVASION OF GAUL.
I thought vandals only came out on Halloween.
535: BYZANTINE GENERAL BELISARIUS COMPLETES THE CONQUEST OF SICILY.
Not to be confused with Ronald Bellisario who used to pitch in relief for the Dodgers.
1501: THE FIRST BATTLE OF CANNANORE COMMENCES.
Which means there's a second, right?
1600: THE BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY IS CHARTERED.
Which means there was a British West India company, right?
1687: THE FIRST HUGUENOTS SET SAIL FROM FRANCE TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
Which means there was a second set of Huguenots, right? Okay, I'll stop.
1695: A WINDOW TAX IS IMPOSED IN ENGLAND, CAUSING MANY PEOPLE TO BRICK UP THEIR WINDOWS TO AVOID THE TAX.
Sounds like something our own federal government would do now.
1759: ARTHUR GUINNESS STARTS BREWING BEER.
If that's not something to celebrate on New Year's Eve, I don't know what is.
1790: EFIMERIS, THE OLDEST GREEK NEWSPAPER OF WHICH ISSUES HAVE SURVIVED TILL TODAY IS PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
These days, it's probably read more as Efimeris.com.
1796: THE INCORPORATION OF BALTIMORE AS A CITY.
And later as an American League team.
1831: GRAMERCY PARK IS DEEDED TO NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
But they don't call it Gramercy Park, Gramercy Park.
1853: A DINNER PARTY IS HELD INSIDE A LIFE-SIZE MODEL OF AN IGUANODON IN ENGLAND.
I don't know what an iguanodon is, but hopefully there are windows in case cauliflower was served.
1862: AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - ABRAHAM LINCOLN SIGNS AN ACT THAT ADMITS WEST VIRGINIA TO THE UNION, THUS DIVIDING VIRGINIA IN TWO.
Yes, Virginia, there is another state.
1879: THOMAS EDISON DEMONSTRATES INCANDESCENT LIGHT TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.
When does the Consolidated part come in?
1905: COMPOSER JULE STYNE IS BORN.
Is that any way to spell Julie? And Styne?
1907: THE FIRST NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION IS HELD IN TIMES SQUARE.
Welcome 1908!
1909: MANHATTAN BRIDGE OPENS.
EZ-Pass Lane to follow.
1923: THE CHIMES OF BIG BEN ARE BROADCAST ON RADIO FOR THE FIRST TIME BY THE BBC.
That will wake you up from your hangover.
1937: ACTOR ANTHONY HOPKINS IS BORN.
Have some champagne with those fava beans.
1943: SINGER JOHN DENVER IS BORN.
Thank God he's a country boy.
1943: ACTOR BEN KINGSLEY IS BORN.
A friend of mine used to live next door to him and apparently he has noisy sex. A lot.
1946: PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN OFFICIALLY PROCLAIMS THE END OF HOSTILITIES IN WORLD WAR II.
Just in time for the Korean conflict to start up.
1955: GENERAL MOTORS BECOMES THE FIRST US CORPORATION TO MAKE OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
Remember this when you think about how these car companies were bailed out of bankruptcy.
1958: ACTRESS BEBE NEUWIRTH IS BORN.
Lilith!
1967: THE YOUTH INTERNATIONAL PARTY, OR "YIPPIES," IS FOUNDED.
Hippies, yippies, what the hell is the difference?
1971: ACTOR PETER DUEL SHOOTS HIMSELF IN THE HEAD.
And just so you know...he's dead.
1972: BASEBALL STAR ROBERTO CLEMENTE DIES IN A PLANE CRASH.
Sad end to a marvelous career.
1983: THE ATT BELL SYSTEM IS BROKEN UP BY THE US GOVERNMENT.
And then all hell breaks loose. In a year or two, there are about two dozen phone companies fighting for your business.
1985: SINGER RICKY NELSON DIES.
Another reason not to fly on New Year's Eve.
1988: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS' MARIO LEMIEUX BECOMES THE ONLY NHL HOCKEY PAYER TO SCORE GOALS IN FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS: EVEN STRENGTH, POWER PLAY, SHORT HANDED, PENALTY SHOT, AND EMPTY NET.
This is important to about three people in this country.
1991: ALL OFFICIAL SOVIET UNION INSTITUTIONS HAVE CEASED OPERATIONS BY THE DATE AND THE SOVIET UNION IS OFFICIALLY DISSOLVED.
Like an Alka Seltzer tablet.
1999: FIRST PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA BORIS YELTSIN RESIGNS, LEAVING PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR PUTIN AS THE SUCCESSOR.
Well, that was a downgrade.
2001: ACTRESS EILEEN HECKHART DIES.
Nice and clean as far as her estate's taxes go.
2013: RADIO HOST BOB GRANT DIES.
Click. Dial tone.
Dinner last night: Chicken teriyaki from PF Chang's.
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