Here's a story for the kids

Last year, during the holidays, Werner Herzog read us a tale, giving us the illusionary opiate of comfort for these troubled times, Clement Clarke Moore’s A Visit from St. Nicholas. This year, Mr Herzog reads Madeline - a tale of the sexual maturation of a young Parisian girl in pre World War II Europe and the Fisher King like wound she receives:



... The tiger dreams only of death.....


According to several news sources, Kim Jong-il, who has led the communist nation since the death of his father in 1994, died on a train while visiting an area outside the capital.



Let's hope this isn't the beginning of a very bad political thriller. I've read the very fine print in the contract I signed in my abortive bid to get the world signed over to me when Frank Sinatra died. Apparently, I have to be prepared to possibly be named the new Supreme Leader of North Korea.. I might play the spoons for the talent portion of the competition but I have a huge amount of waxing to do for the swimsuit part.


As you can imagine, it's more than a little hectic in our house, so here's an abbreviated Today in History:
December 19, 1941 -
Twelve days after Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt under authority of Congress, created the Office of Censorship. The bureau had discretion over communications with foreign countries. Participation by domestic publishers was "voluntary."

Ah, presidential power...


December 19, 1971 -
A Clockwork Orange premiered on this date, originally with an X rating. Censors objected more to the sex scenes than the violence.



One of only two movies rated X on its original release (the other being Midnight Cowboy) to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.


December 19, 1974 -
Nelson A. Rockefeller was sworn in as the 41st vice president of the United States after a House vote. Rockefeller was the second person appointed Vice President under the 25th Amendment – the first being Gerald Ford (the man for whom he was serving as Vice President.)

After the proceedings, Rockefeller celebrates by vigorously copulating with three of his assistants in the Warren G. Harding memorial cloakroom.


December 19, 1997 -
The movie, Titanic was released in theaters on this date. This movie would become the most financially successful movie in U.S. history, grossing approximately $1.8 billion worldwide (until the release of Avatar in 2009, which grossed an astounding $2.075 billion. Avatar was conveniently directed by Mr. Cameron as well.)



James Cameron went on the dives to the real Titanic himself, and found it an overwhelming emotional experience to actually see it. He ended up spending more time with the ship than its living passengers did.



1 more shopping days until Hanukkah (get your potato graters ready,) 6 more shopping days until Christmas. (3 more shopping days until Festivus). Remember, stores will be packed with late Festivus shoppers.

And so it goes