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Today in History: December 20

0069
Vespians's supporters enter Rome and discover Vitellius in hiding. He is dragged through the streets before being brutally murdered.

1803
French flag lowered in New Orleans to mark the formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase from France to USA, purchased for $15M

1924
Adolf Hitler is released from prison after serving less than one year of a five year sentence for treason.

1933
The German government announces 400,000 citizens are to be sterilized because of hereditary defects.

1963
Four thousand cross the Berlin Wall to visit relatives under a 17-day Christmas accord.

1989
U.S. troops invade Panama to oust General Manuel Noriega and replace him with Guillermo Endara.

1999
Portugal returns Macau to China

2007
Queen Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch in the history of the UK; previously, that honor belonged to Queen Victoria.

2019
United States Space Force founded, an armed forces branch dedicated to space warfare

2020
European countries begin closing their borders to the UK after news of a faster-spreading variant of COVID-19 across London and the south-east

2022
The ruling Taliban suspend university education for female students in Afghanistan, part of a wider crackdown on women's rights in the country

2022
6.4-magnitude earthquake near Eureka, northern California kills at least two people

Born on December 20

1868
Harvey Firestone, industrialist and tire maker.

1948
Alan Parsons, musician (The Alan Parsons Project); producer who was involved with The Beatles' Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.

JOTD
A man and a woman, who had never met before, but were both married to other people, found themselves assigned to the same sleeping room on a transcontinental train.

Though initially embarrassed and uneasy over sharing a room, they were both very tired and fell asleep quickly, he in the upper bunk and she in the lower. At 1:00 AM, the man leaned over and gently woke the woman saying, "Ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you, but would you be willing to reach into the closet to get me a second blanket? I'm awfully cold."
"I have a better idea," she replied. "Just for tonight, let's pretend that we're married."
"Wow! That's a great idea!" he exclaimed. "Good," she replied. "Get your own damn blanket!"
After a moment of silence, he farted.