December 29, 2008

Born on this date
Happy birthday, Christine Gotaas!

1,100 years ago
908

Died on this date
Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz, 47. Abbasid poet. Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz was a leading Arabic poet and the author of the Kitab al-Badi, an early study of Arabic forms of poetry. He was persuaded to participate in a palace revolt on December 17, 908, and was installed as Caliph, but was overthrown the same day, and went into hiding. Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz was found on December 29 and immediately strangled.

800 years ago
1208

Died on this date
Zhangzong, 40. Emperor of China, 1189-1208. Zhangzong, born Madage, was the sixth Emperor of the Jin dynasty. He succeeded his grandfather Shizong on the throne, and promoted the customs and language of his own Jurchen people. Emperor Zhangzong reportedly spoiled his favourite concubine and appointed her family members to government positions, while the empire declined, although Zhangzong's armies successfully withstood a 2 1/2-year war against Southern Song invading forces. Emperor Zhangzong died without a male heir, and was succeeded by his uncle Wanyan Yongji.

500 years ago
1508

War
Portuguese forces under the command of Francisco de Almeida attacked Khambhat at the Battle of Dabul in India.

210 years ago
1798

Society
Upper Canada's Marriage Act recognized marriages not performed by the Anglican Church as legal; this included the Roman Catholic Church, Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Church, Calvinist Church and Lutheran Church.

200 years ago
1808

Born on this date
Andrew Johnson. 17th President of the United States of America, 1865-1869. Mr. Johnson, a Democrat, represented Tennessee's 1st Congressional District from 1843-1853; was Governor of Tennessee from 1853-1857; represented Tennessee in the United States Senate from 1857-1862; was Military Governor of Tennessee from 1862-1865; and was Vice President of the United States from March 4-April 15, 1865 before replacing the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as President. Lacking political support from Republicans, he became the first U.S. President to be impeached, and came within one vote of conviction. Mr. Johnson served as a United States Senator from Tennessee again from March 5, 1875 until his death from a stroke on July 31, 1875 at the age of 66.

140 years ago
1868

Politics and government
Sir John Young, 2nd Baronet Lisgar was named as Governor General of Canada to succeed Lord Monck; he served from February 2, 1869-June 21, 1872.

60 years ago
1948

War
Israeli troops continued their advance along the Mediterranean coast, crossing into Egyptian territory at El Arish.

Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary James Forrestal issued his first annual report on the national defense establishment, urging the introduction of universal military training; increased military aid to anti-Communist governments; and greater power for the Defense Secretary over the separate service secretaries. He revealed that Defense Department researchers were studying an "earth satellite vehicle program" for military use. The U.S. Navy reported the successful testing of the heaviest armed single-engine carrier-based aircraft, the Martin M-1 Mauler.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville (2nd week at #1)

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville (3rd week at #1)
2 Gotta Travel On--Billy Grammer
3 To Know Him is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears
4 I Got Stung/One Night--Elvis Presley
5 Queen of the Hop--Bobby Darin
6 Problems/Love of My Life--The Everly Brothers
7 I Got a Feeling/Lonesome Town--Ricky Nelson
8 Bimbombey--Jimmie Rodgers
9 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters
10 Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio

Singles entering the chart were The All American Boy by Bill Parsons (#41); May You Always by the McGuire Sisters (#45); You are Beautiful by Johnny Mathis (#50, charting with its other side, Let's Love); The Hawaiian Wedding Song/House of Bamboo by Andy Williams (#52); Teasin' by the Quaker City Boys (#54); Rock-a-Conga by the Applejacks (#55); The Girl on Page 44 by the Four Lads (#56); The One Rose by Teresa Brewer (#57); Tall Paul by Annette (#58); and Lovers Never Say Goodbye by the Flamingos (#59).

War
Rebel Rif tribal leaders threatened to attack French military garrisons in Morocco if they were not removed immediately.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. signed a cultural agreement in Washington providing for the construction of an American science-cultural exhibit in Moscow and a similar Soviet exhibit in New York.

Economics and finance
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa opened its first meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A multilateral $329-million economic aid program for Argentina, the largest ever devised for a Latin American nation, was announced in Washington.

Labour
Radio-Canada's 75 producers began a three-month strike; considered "a taste of the quiet revolution", the strike heralded the advent of "French Power" at the network.

40 years ago
1968

Football
NFL
Championship
Baltimore 34 @ Cleveland 0

Tom Matte rushed 17 times for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Colts routed the Browns before 80,628 fans at Municipal Stadium.



AFL
Championship
Oakland 23 @ New York 27

62,627 fans were at Shea Stadium to watch the hometown Jets, champions of the Eastern Division, edge the Raiders to win their only American Football League championship (see videos here and here). New York quarterback "Broadway Joe" Namath completed just 19 of 49 passes, but 3 of his passes went for touchdowns. Don Maynard caught 2 of Mr. Namath's scoring passes, including a 6-yard play for the winning score in the fourth quarter. Pete Lammons scored the other Jets' touchdown. Pete Banaszak rushed for an Oakland touchdown, and Fred Biletnikoff scored the other on a 29-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica. George Blanda added 3 field goals for the Western Division champions, who went into the game as defending AFL champions.



40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (11th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Le monde est fou, le monde est beau--Julio Iglesias; Y.M.C.A.--Village People

Politics and government
In a continuing effort to halt the violence and disorder that threatened to topple his regime, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi of Iran named Shahpur Bakhtiar, a member of the opposition, as Prime Minister of a new civilian government, to replace the military government that the Shah had set up in November.

Football
NCAA
Gator Bowl @ Jacksonville, Florida
Clemson 17 Ohio State 15

Middle guard Charlie Bauman made an interception with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game to preserve the Tigers' victory over the Buckeyes. When Mr. Bauman stepped out of bounds at Ohio State bench, Buckeyes' head coach Woody Hayes punched Mr. Bauman (see video). The incident led to Mr. Hayes' dismissal the next day, after 28 seasons as Ohio State's head coach.



25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 17 (CHED)
1 Undercover of the Night--Rolling Stones
2 Union of the Snake--Duran Duran
3 Major Tom (Coming Home)--Peter Schilling
4 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
5 Twist of Fate--Olivia Newton-John
6 Say it Isn't So--Daryl Hall John Oates
7 The Best was Yet to Come--Bryan Adams
8 That's All--Genesis
9 Crumblin' Down--John Cougar Mellencamp
10 In Dim Light--Darkroom
11 Synchronicity--The Police
12 I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues--Elton John
13 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
14 Gold--Spandau Ballet
15 Why Me--Irene Cara
16 Ready to Make Up--Toronto
17 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)--Michael Jackson

Diplomacy
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a candidate for the 1984 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States, flew to Damascus to seek the release of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman, whose plane had been shot down on December 4 while on a strike against Syrian antiaircraft batteries in the mountains east of Beirut. Rev. Jackson had accused the U.S. administration of President Ronald Reagan of doing little to free Lt. Goodman.

Economics and finance
Nigerian President Shehu Shagari presented an austerity budget to the National Assembly, calling for cuts in capital spending and imports in an attempt to balance the budget.

The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had fallen 0.4% in November, the first monthly decline in 15 months.

Religion
The Arena in Kansas City was the scene of the infamous junior-senior breakfast, a low point at Campus Crusade for Christ's Christmas Conference, KC '83. Later, next door at Bartle Hall, Howard Hendricks continued his series of messages on Biblical characters who made an impact on a deteriorating society with a talk about Esther, a person of courage. The keynote evening address at Bartle Hall was a forgettable speech (I've all but forgotten it) by Crawford Loritts.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Back to the Stone Age--Stone

Defense
The U.S. Defense Secretary's Commission on Base Realignment and Closure issued its recommendation. To save an estimated $5.6 billion over 20 years, it proposed the closing of 54 bases, the partial shutdown of 5, and the "realignment" of 54 others. The Defense Secretary and Congress would have to accept the recommendation on an "all-or-nothing" basis.

10 years ago
1998

World events
Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed one million lives.

Disasters
Six people died after mountainous seas smashed into yachts taking part in the prestigious Sydney-Hobart race.