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Today in History: December 23

1900 The Federal Party, which recognizes American sovereignty, is formed in the Philippines.

1941 Despite throwing back an earlier Japanese amphibious assault, the U.S. Marines and Navy defenders on Wake Island capitulate to a second Japanese invasion.

1944 General Dwight D. Eisenhower confirms the death sentence of Private Eddie Slovik, the only American shot for desertion since the Civil War.

1947 President Harry S Truman grants a pardon to 1,523 who had evaded the World War II draft.

1948 Japan's Prime Minister, Hideki Tojo and six other collaborators are hanged for war crimes.

1974 The B-1 bomber makes its first successful test flight.

1986 The Voyager completes the first nonstop flight around the globe on one load of fuel. The experimental aircraft, piloted by Americans Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California after nine days and four minutes in the sky.

1990 In a referendum on Sovlenia's independence from Yugoslovia, 88.5% vote in favor of independence.

2002 An Iraqi MiG-25 shoots down a US MQ-1 Predator drone.


Born on December 23

1790 Jean François Champollion, French founder of Egyptology who deciphered the Rosetta Stone.

1805 Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church.

1938 Bob Kahn, computer scientist and engineer; co-developed the Transmission Control Protocol that web browsers use to connect to servers on the World Wide Web.

JOTD
A journalist goes to Russia for a documentary. In a little village he saw an old man and asked him to narrate a typical happy story of his village.

The old man smiled and began:"One day, a long time ago, my goat got lost in the mountains. As is our tradition, all the men of the village gathered to drink vodka first and then looked for the goat. When we finally found her, as is our tradition, we all drank some more vodka and all the men in the village each got their turn to mate with the goat. We had so much fun that day!"
The journalist realized that he couldn't publish such a story so he asked the old man if he had another happy story.
The old man smiled again and started all over again: "Once, my neighbor’s wife got lost in the mountains. As per our tradition, all of the village's men gathered to drink vodka and then went to look for her. As is our tradition, when we finally found her, all the men in the village got their turn to mate with the neighbor’s wife. We had great fun that day!"
The journalist couldn't publish that story either and therefore asked: "Don't you have a story that is less happy; something... umm ... sadder?"
The old man's smile faded. His eyes welled up..... In a sad, soft voice he began: "One day I got lost in the mountains.....