Did You Know?

Fun factoids from blondesense

• President Lincoln was gay. Shocking discovery! Stop the presses. Discovery Channel.
• The Puritans banned Christmas because it was more like Mardis Gras than a solemn holyday. Grace Cathedral
• In the northern hemisphere, the Winter solstice is day of the year when the Sun is farthest south. The winter solstice marks the first day of the season of winter . The declination of the Sun on the (northern) winter solstice is known as the tropic of capricorn (-23° 27'). Science World
• Birth of the Sun, Birth of the Son. Coincidence? Belief Net
• The yuletide comes from a pagan festival of fire. History of Yule
• In Finland, Santa Claus has a murky past. He was called Joulupukki, "yule goat", donned horns and an animal hide and covered his face with soot or a bark mask. He travelled from house to house frightening children with his wild dancing and singing, and expected offerings of food and booze. Full story
• Americans and Congress increasingly feel that Rumsfeld should resign but the president feels that he is a caring and good human being. Proof that the president should resign too.
• Happy Winter Solstice! To the ancients, it appeared as if the Sun and Moon stopped in their flight across the sky—this is the longest night of the year and was a time of both anticipation and rejoicing at the Sun’s rebirth out of the Goddess.
• Song of the day: Here Comes the Sun