The Daily Drift

Don't let them fool you the fairytale is older still than what the Egyptians copied. And don't forget Mithras from Roman tradition - same story.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Cape Town, South Africa

Kangar, Malaysia

Paris, France

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jakarta, Indonesia

Aquadilla, Puerto Rico

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Tbilisi, Georgia

Waterloo, Canada

Bangi, Malaysia

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Izmit, Turkey

Puchong, Malaysia

Centurion, South Africa

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

George Town, Malaysia

Phuket, Thailand

Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Petaling, Jaya, Malaysia

Bangkok, Thailand

Sampaloc, Philippines

Klang, Malaysia

Bekasi, Indonesia

Lahore, Pakistan

Ampang, Malaysia

Doha, Qatar

Phom Penh, Cambodia

Bayan Lepas, Malaysia

Belgrade, Serbia

Dumaguete, Philippines

Alor Setar, Malaysia

San Jose, Costa Rica

Cainta, Philippines

Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Cairo, Egypt

Milan, Italy

 

Today is Xmas

We are posting a minimum number of posts over the next few days so that the editors and staff can celebrate the various holidays and festivals occurring right now.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Today in History

Xmas is a time of merrymaking and feasting. North American customs are a combination of those of the various European countries from which the original settlers came. On Xmas Eve children hang stockings for Santa Claus to fill with gifts. The Xmas tree, usually an evergreen, was first used in Germany. Topped with a star or spire and decorated with colored lights and shiny ornaments, the tree plays an important part in the celebration. Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids, priests of ancient Britain and Gaul. The Norse used holly and the Yule log to keep away evil spirits. Gifts were exchanged during the Roman celebration of the Saturnalia, a feast to the god Saturn. Gift-giving came to symbolize the gifts Odin left in exchange for the oats left for Odin's horse as he rode the sky on mid-winter's night. The most popular Xmas legend however, is that of Santa Claus, who is modeled after Odin.
376		In Milan, Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, forces the emperor Theodosius to perform public penance for his massacre.
800		The pope crowns Charlemagne emperor in Rome.
1066		William I is crowned king of England.
1621		The governor of New Plymouth prevents newcomers from playing cards.
1651		The General Court of Boston levies a five shilling fine on anyone caught "observing any such day as Xmas."
1776		Patriot General George Washington crosses the Delaware River with 5,400 troops during the American Revolution. Washington hoped to surprise a Hessian force celebrating Xmas at their winter quarters in Trenton, New Jersey.
1861		Stonewall Jackson spends Xmas with his wife; their last together.
1862		John Hunt Morgan and his raiders clash with Union forces near Bear Wallow, Kentucky.
1862		President and Mrs. Lincoln visit hospitals in the Washington D.C. area on this Xmas Day.
1912		Italy lands troops in Albania to protect its interests during a revolt there.
1914		German and British troops on the Western Front declare an unofficial truce to celebrate Xmas during World War I.
1918		A revolt erupts in Berlin.
1925		U.S. troops in Nicaragua disarm insurgents in support of the Diaz regime.
1927		The Mexican congress opens land to foreign investors, reversing the 1917 ban enacted to preserve the domestic economy.
1939		Finnish troops enter Soviet territory.
1941		Free French troops occupy the French Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon off the Canadian coast.
1944		Prime Minister Winston Churchill goes to Athens to seek an end to the Greek civil war.
1946		Chiang Kai-shek offers a new Chinese constitution in Nanking pledging universal suffrage.
1950		Scottish nationalists steal the Stone of Scone from the British coronation throne in Westminster Abbey. The 485 pound stone was recovered in April 1951.
1962		The Bay of Pigs captives, upon their return to the United States, vow to return to Cuba and topple Fidel Castro.
1965		Entertainer Chris Noel gives her first performance for the USO at two hospitals in California, she will eventually entertain in Vietnam.
1973		U.S. astronauts on-board the Skylab space station take a seven-hour walk in space and photograph the comet Kohoutek.
1976		Over 100 Muslims, returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, die when their boat sinks.
1979		Egypt begins major restoration of the Sphinx.
1991		Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union's first and last executive president, resigns. The Soviet Union no longer exists.
2006		James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul", dies at age 73.

Non Sequitur

Xmas Sky Show

Tuesday evening, after you've had Christmas dinner with the family, go outside set up the telescope if you have one. Jupiter and the moon are having a Christmas conjunction.

For anyone who gets a telescope for Christmas, the timing is perfect. Jupiter and the Moon are among the most satisfying targets for backyard optics. A quick sweep of the telescope from Jupiter to the Moon and back again will reveal Jupiter's storms and cloud belts, the Moon's mountains and impact craters, and of course the four Galilean satellites circling the giant planet like a miniature solar system.

Jupiter's trademark Great Red Spot will also be on display--and it is worth a look. Astronomers recently announced that the enormous swirling storm, twice as wide as the planet Earth, is "spinning up."

Actually, explains planetary scientist Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, "the Red Spot is shrinking." He likens it to "the iconic picture of a figure skater pulling her arms in to spin faster. As the size contracts, the spin rate increases."  

Even if you don't have a telescope, you'll still be able to see Jupiter, although not the red spot. More

The Best Camera-trap Pictures of 2012

National Geographic posted a gallery of six animal self-portraits from all over the world. Pictured here is a common genet captured by camera trap in Yemen. They are all beautiful, but I don't understand why this one didn't make the cut. More

Cutest Baby Animal Photos of 2012

We're still here, so take a tour of the cutest baby animal photos of 2012. Read more

A Baby Orangutan And Her Proud Mother

Proud simian mother Rosa is happy with all the attention her baby Sayang is getting at the Frankfurt Zoo, and she wants to let her cute little critter shine for all to see.
Sayang, on the other hand, is still a bit shy about all the oohs and aahs, and would rather curl up in her mother's arms than put on a show for the zoo's visitors.
Someday Sayang will ham it up, but for now she just needs a belly full of warm milk and a mother's embrace.

More

Oldest of zoo gorillas turns 56 in central Ohio

The first gorilla born in a zoo is turning 56 and celebrating her birthday with some special treats at her central Ohio home.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums says the female western lowland gorilla named Colo is the oldest gorilla in any zoo. She was born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 1956.

The zoo marked Colo's birthday Saturday with a cake specially prepared for her and other gifts, including her favorite food, tomatoes. The zoo included guests in the fun by having them sing "Happy Birthday."

Colo is a mother of three. Her family tree includes more than two dozen descendants living at zoos across the country.

Christmas Bird Count Underway

The 113th annual Christmas Bird Count is now underway, with Audubon making it easier than ever for you, your family and friends to participate in this fun and rewarding holiday tradition. Read more

Animal Pictures