GMT

Today in History: December 7

43 BC Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and politician is assassinated in Formiae by soldiers under the command of Marc Antony

1917 The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary with only one dissenting vote in Congress.

1931 A report indicates that Nazis would ensure "Nordic dominance" by sterilizing certain races.

1941 Japanese planes raid Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a surprise attack, bringing the US into WWII.

1942 The U.S. Navy launches USS New Jersey, the largest battleship ever built.

1972 The crew of Apollo 17, the last manned mission to the moon, lifts off at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

2022 After widespread public protests China announces a major loosening of COVID-19 restrictions for the whole country, allowing home quarantine and scrapping QR codes, effectively ending China's zero-COVID policy

Born on December 7

1947 Johnny Bench, pro baseball catcher; twice named National League Most Valuable Player, he was dubbed the greatest catcher in baseball history by ESPN.

1956 Larry Bird, basketball player for the Boston Celtics.

JOTD
My wife told me: "Sex is better on holiday."

That wasn't a very nice postcard to receive.