Take heed!

Christmas leftovers are said to cause more than 400,000 cases of food poisoning each year in the US.



Store and consume wisely


December 19, 1961 -
The star-studded Stanley Kramer film, Judgment At Nuremberg, opened in New York City on this date.



Marlon Brando wanted to play the role of Hans Rolfe, the German lawyer who defends the German judges. Brando, in a rare attempt to garner the part, actually approached Stanley Kramer about it. Although, Kramer and Abby Mann were very intrigued with the idea of having an actor of Brando's talent and stature in the role, both were so impressed with Maximilian Schell's portrayal of the same part in the original Playhouse 90 TV broadcast of "Judgment at Nuremberg", that they had decided to stick with the relatively unknown Schell, who later won the Oscar for Best Actor for that role. 


December 19, 1971 -
The pilot for the hit family series the Waltons, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story premiered on CBS-TV on this date



Earl Hamner's (the novelist, who book the series was based on) two children Scott and Carrie are in the film as two of the children listening to the missionary lady. Carrie is the short-dark-haired girl in a home-made hat and Scott is the boy with paler hair, also wearing a hat.


Today's Holiday Special:  This is a Man's World.


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, 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.


Today in History:
December 19, 1154 -
Henry was 18 when we met and I was queen of France ... We shattered the commandments on the spot.

Henry Plantagenet of the Angevin dynasty was crowned Henry II, King of England with Eleanor of Aquitaine as queen, on this date.


December 19, 1733 -
Benjamin Franklin, writing under the pseudonym of Poor Richard, published Poor Richard's Almanack on this date.



The book, filled with proverbs and parables, was published continuously for 25 years and became one of the most popular publications in colonial America, selling an average of 10,000 copies a year.


December 19, 1777 -
These are the times that try men's souls.



General George Washington led his ragtag army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pa., to camp for the winter on this date.


December 19, 1903 -
On this date, the Williamsburg Bridge, was opened in New York City. It was America's first major suspension bridge using steel towers instead of the customary masonry towers.



It was built to alleviate traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge and to provide a link between Manhattan and the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Taking over seven years to complete, the 1,600 foot Williamsburg Bridge was the world's longest suspension bridge until the 1920s.


December 19, 1922 -
In a Sheffield, England, courtroom, accused bigamist Theresa Vaughn admitted under oath that in the past five years she had acquired 61 husbands in 50 cities throughout England, Germany, and South Africa, averaging a marriage a month.

And you think you've been busy.


December 19, 1928 -
The first autogyro flight in the U.S., piloted by H.F. Pitcairn, was made on this date.



The autogyro would later lead to the development of the helicopter.


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."

From December 1941 to August 1945, every letter that crossed international or U.S. territorial borders was subject to being opened and reviewed for details.

Sounds a little familiar.


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.



And so it goes