Monday, December 23, 2024

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere


 


America’s Newspapers: Year-end advocacy report - America's Newspapers



Ways to help support local journalism, including legal protection - Seattle Times Free Press

Study exposes systemic failures in FOI laws meant to protect democracy - College of Journalism

Today in Labor History December 23rd, 2024

 


AFL officers are found in contempt of court for urging a labor boycott of Buck's Stove and Range Co. in St Louis, where the Metal Polishers were striking for a 9-hour day - 1908

Construction workers top out the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 1,368 feet, making it the tallest building in the world - 1970
 
Walmart Stores Inc., the nation's largest employer, with 1.4 million "associates," agrees to settle 63 wage and hour suits across the U.S., for a grand total of between $352 million and $640 million. It was accused of failure to pay overtime, requiring off-the-clock work, and failure to provide required meal and rest breaks - 2008

Important Events From This day in History December 23rd

 

1956 Egypt -- British French Troops Withdraw From Suez Canal

1956 : British and French troops withdraw from the Suez Canal this follows pressure from the United Nations to end the armed occupation of the Suez Canal.

1901 Turkey -- Americans Must Revoke Their Naturalization

In Syria officials demanded that all Americans must revoke their naturalization or be thrown out of Turkey. American charge d'affairs Spenser Eddy launched a protest on behalf of the Americans.

1927 China -- Conflict With Russia

1927 : Russia and China were in conflict following China's foreign minister Tehecherin's comment that he "could not tolerate the beastly slaughter of its officials, citizens, and sympathizers in Canton." Soviet ships were commanded to return to Russia and Soviet citizens fled to avoid being killed by the Chinese.

1930 Greenland -- Britain Wants To Purchase

The New York Times claimed that there was a possibility that Great Britain wanted to purchase Greenland from Denmark. However, Canada had stakes in obtaining Greenland as well.

1944 Greece -- Greek statue from 510 B.C. found

A six foot Greek statue from 510 B.C. was found in good condition by a farmer who was ploughing. It was hidden from German soldiers by putting it in an Athens museum.

1947 USA -- Transistor Radio

1947 : Bell Labs demonstrates the worlds first Transistor Radio, Bell had also created the first transistor just a few months earlier. Many companies have claimed and are attribeted as the worlds first including Texas Instruments, Sony and the German firm Intermetall but it depends on how you view the quality of the radios , so I will leave that to others to judge.

1957 Japan -- Leftist Opposition

The government of Japan was blasted by leftists in a specially convened session of parliament. Conflict erupted over the acceptance of American "sidewinders" air-to-air missiles for the Japanese air force.

1967 North Vietnam -- US Prisoners

The North Vietnam Postal system sent back 231 Christmas presents mailed by spouses and parents of U.S. soldiers to their relatives held captive by North Vietnam.

1972 Nicaragua -- Earthquake

1972 : Ten thousand people are feared dead after a two-hour earthquake wiped out as an estimated 80% of buildings in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua.

1975 U.S.A. -- To Much Time Spent On TV For US Kids

Jim Winters, writing in The Capital Times , pointed out that the typical American child who had reached the age of 18 spent 25,000 hours watching television and had seen 350,000 advertisements.

1978 U.S.A. -- Drinking Age Raised

1978 : Michigan becomes one of the first states to raise its drinking age to 21 over concerns about high school students drinking and driving.

1986 U.S.A. -- Voyager Non Stop World Flight

The experimental airplane Voyager, completed the first non-stop, around-the-world flight without refueling as it landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California

1987 Germany -- Porsche

The luxury car company that made Porsches lost its president, 57 year old Peter W. Schulz, on 31st and replaced him with Heinz Branitzki. Sales of Porsches declined precipitously and drastic reductions in production of the cars were made. Sixty per cent of Porches were sold to the U.S. which evoked criticism within Porsche circles.

1995 India -- Fire

A fire in Dabwali, India, kills 540 people, including 170 children .

1997 Russia -- Space Program Funding

Russian scientists who were the brains behind Russia's military and space programs were not being funded anymore by their country. However, Western companies eager for their knowledge were supporting them financially.

2003 U.S.A. -- BSE Confirmed US

2003 : The first confirmed case of BSE is found in the United States, Only 3 cases are confirmed currently in the US compared with 180,000 in the United Kingdom

2005 South East Asia -- Earthquake

An earthquake killed 87,000 people and left millions without homes. This was followed by an outbreak of bird flu and a spill of benzene and other chemicals in China's Songhue River which poisoned the water supply of millions

2006 United Nations -- The U.N. sanctions on Iran

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously imposed sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment with Resolution 1737. The sanctions ban the supply of nuclear-related technology and materials, and impose an asset freeze on key individuals and companies. The U.S. representative warned that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons would make it less, not more, secure. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, and has vowed to continue.

2006 U.S.A. -- Arnold Schwarzenegger in a skiing accident

2006 : Arnold Schwarzenegger has broken his leg while skiing with his family in Sun Valley, Idaho. The California Governor was taken to a local hospital for X-rays, which revealed he had fractured his femur. An Austrian, Mr Schwarzenegger is an experienced skier and frequent visitor to Sun Valley, where a piste has been named Arnold's Run after him. Three days later, in Santa Monica, he underwent surgery to repair the break.

2007 Iraq -- Turkish planes bomb Iraq again

Turkish warplanes have again bombed Kurdish rebels along the border of northern Iraq. Jabbar Yawer, a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish security forces has said that the raid lasted more than three hours, but that 'there was no damage or loss of life.' Turkey has now carried out three air strikes on northern Iraq in the past week, as well as a small ground incursion. The P.K.K., which is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and the E.U. is thought to have about three thousand rebels based in Iraq. The Turkish government says that many of the rebels are holed up in the Qandil mountains.

2009 U.S.A. -- Hoax Balloon Boy’s parents given jail sentences

The man who triggered a major alert by falsely claiming that his son was adrift in a helium balloon has been sentenced to ninety days in jail, and his wife to twenty. Richard Heene, and his wife Mayumi, said in October that their son had been carried off by the balloon. The boy was eventually found hiding at home. Heene apologised to rescue workers and the community in the Colorado courtroom. The judge ordered four years of supervised probation for the couple and banned them from receiving any form of financial benefit from the case.

2011 China -- Chinese Writer Jailed for "Subversive" Writing

2011 : Chen Wei, a Chinese writer, was sentenced to nine years in jail after being convicted of "inciting subversion of state power". Chen Wei wrote many online essays in which he called for freedom of speech and a reform to the one-party system in China.

2012 Somalia -- Pirate Hostages Freed

Somalian troops were able to free twenty-two hostages that had been taken by pirates almost three years prior. Sources stated that troops were fighting with the pirates for two weeks before being able to rescue the hostages.

2013 Syria -- Russia Sends Trucks to Syria

2013 : Russia has sent seventy-five trucks to Syria with the intention of helping clear chemical weapons in the war-torn country. They were flown into Syria and will be used to transport the chemical weapons.


Saturday, December 21, 2024

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere


 Otis Miller with Edward




Print Outlook 2025: What to Expect in the Coming Year - Printing Impressions


DallasNews Corp strikes deal to sell printing plant for $43.5 million - Dallas Morning News

Today in Labor History December 21st, 2024

 


Determined to challenge the growing American military presence in their territory, Native Americans in northern Wyoming lure Lieutenant Colonel William Fetterman and his soldiers into a deadly ambush on December 21, 1866.

Tensions in the region started rising in 1863, when John Bozeman blazed the Bozeman Trail, a new route for emigrants traveling to the Montana gold fields. Bozeman’s trail was of questionable legality since it passed directly through hunting grounds that the government had promised to the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. 

Thus when Colorado militiamen massacred more than two hundred peaceful Cheyenne during the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, the Native Americans began to take revenge by attacking whites all across the Plains, including the emigrants traveling the Bozeman Trail. The U.S. government responded by building a series of protective forts along the trail; the largest and most important of these was Fort Phil Kearney, erected in 1866 in north-central Wyoming.

Powered by children seven to 12 years old working dawn to dusk, Samuel Slater’s thread-spinning factory goes into production in Pawtucket, R.I., launching the Industrial Revolution in America. By 1830, 55 percent of the mill workers in the state were youngsters, many working for less than $1 per week - 1790

 
Supreme Court rules that picketing is unconstitutional. Chief Justice (and former president) William Howard Taft declared that picketing was, in part, "an unlawful annoyance and hurtful nuisance..." - 1921

Important Events From This day in History December 21st

  

1988 Scotland -- Pan Am Flight 103

Pan Am Flight 103 the third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was destroyed by a terrorist bomb, and the remains landed in and around the town of Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Find More What happened in 1988

1902 Ireland -- Flour Mills

A group of investors planned to spend $5,000,000-$15,000,000 to build flour mills in major cities in Ireland. The Irish flour business was failing due to importing grain from America and other countries.

1913 U.S.A. -- First Cross Word Puzzle

1913 : The first crossword puzzle was published, which was created by Arthur Wynne, a Liverpool journalist, and published as a "word-cross" puzzle in the New York World

1923 Turkey -- Strong Porters

In Turkey their porters are reported to be the strongest men on earth. One porter can carry 100 pounds for 20 miles. They live on a diet of fruit and olives.

1933 Scotland -- Property Crimes

Property crimes with violence had increased in Scotland. In 1929 there were 954 property crimes and by 1932 there were 1528.

1937 U.S.A. -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the first feature-length animated movie becomes a classic and a financial success helping Disney to create bigger and better animated movies over the next 70 years.

1946 Japan -- Tsunami

1946 : An undersea earthquake sets off a powerful tsunami that devastates Honshu, Japan sending 20 foot waves which obliterated buildings leaving 2,000 people dead and half a million homeless.

1948 China -- Economy

In northern China communist encroachment and the collapse of the anti-communist government of Chaing Kai-shek sent shock waves to the U.S. and the international economy. The market for American goods was diminished.

1956 U.S.A. -- Martin Luther King, Jr

Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the first passengers of the new integrated bus system in Georgia where blacks and whites rode together

1957 India -- Prime Minister Nehru

Prime Minister Nehru of India gave a speech in which he said that India wanted friendly relations with the U.S. . However, Nehru and his son Krishna Menon have often blasted the U.S. and tried to play them off against the communists.

1958 France -- General Charles de Gaulle

General Charles de Gaulle is elected President of France with a large majority.

1962 England -- Polaris Missiles

1962 : Britain is to buy a number of Polaris missiles from the United States as part of Btitains nuclear deterrent , it is designed to be fired from a submarine and will carry a nuclear warhead .

1966 Zambia -- President

1966 : Dr. Kenneth Katunda, President of Zambia, addressed the United Nations and said, "About twenty-four months ago, I stood on this rostrum representing the youngest of the family of independent and free nations." Katunda said that Zambia had enjoyed being independent.

1970 U.S.A. -- Elvis Presley

President Richard M. Nixon enlists the help of Elvis Presley in his fight against drugs and invites him to the Oval Office.

1977 Soviet Union -- Political Dissidents

Political dissidents in the Soviet Union were punished with exile and some found homes in the West. However, some exiled Soviets found it difficult adapting to life in the West and discovered that their political protests were not as effective as when they were confronting the KGB.

1985 Lebanon -- Terry Waite

1985 : Terry Waite, representing the Anglican Church, negotiated with Moslem kidnappers to try freeing their American captives for Christmas. He said that he would like to keep a low profile while the negotiations proceeded.

1991 Russia -- Commonwealth of Independent States

The birth of the Commonwealth of Independent States consisting of eleven former Soviet Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

1993 U.S.A. -- Wellcome Plc

Two major drug companies - Warner-Lambert Co. and Wellcome Plc. were merging their over-the-counter medication industries to try capturing the worldwide market. Branches in Europe, Australia, and Canada were to open up and sales were projected at over $1.6 billion.

1995 Palestine -- Bethlehem

Bethlehem became one of the areas under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority in conformance with the Oslo Accords.

2006 Greece -- Esphigmenou

Esphigmenou, a 1,000 year old monastery seen to be the seat of Orthodox Christianity, was defended by monks brandishing crowbars and sledge hammers. Rebel monks lived in the monastery and refused to reconcile with the Vatican.

2006 North Korea -- North Korea nuclear talks end without agreement

Talks on North Korea's nuclear program today have ended with Pyongyang refusing to drop its demands for the US to lift financial restrictions. The six-party talks, held in Beijing, concluded without agreeement on the implementation of a 2005 accord, in which North Korea would be disarming in exchange for aid. The United States, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea had resumed talking after a thirteen month boycott by the North.

2007 South Africa -- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has emerged as the top candidate in the vote for the National Executive Committee (N.E.C.) of South Africa's governing party. When the African National Congress (A.N.C.) announced the election of its National Executive Committee on December 21, 2007, Mandela was given first place. The ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela was endorsed by 2,845 of the 3,605 delegates in the conference, which took place in the northern town of Polokwane. She had not been active in the A.N.C. since 2003 (when she was convicted of fraud).

2007 England -- Tony Blair

2007 : Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has left the Anglican Church to become a Roman Catholic. His wife and children were already Catholic, and there had been some speculation that he would convert after leaving office. Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O'Connor, who led the service to welcome Blair, said he was 'very glad' to do so, but ex-Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe, herself a Catholic convert, has said that Blair's voting record as an M.P. had often 'gone against church teaching.' Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, had said in 2006 that he had prayed to God when deciding whether or not to send U.K. troops into Iraq. There is some controversy on whether Blair’s conversion was in pursuit of the presidency of the European Union, and on how deep his belief is.

2008 Iran -- Police raid Iranian human rights group in Tehran

Iranian police have raided the office of a human rights group led by the Nobel laureate, Shirin Ebadi. The group has also been closed down. Judiciary officials have said that the center was acting as an illegal political party, and had contacts with local and foreign organisations. The raid came shortly before the center was to host a celebration for the sixtieth anniversary of Human Rights Day.

2011 United States -- US Navy Sees First Gay Kiss at Traditional Dockside Event

2011 : Two female US sailors became the first same-sex couple to share the traditional dockside kiss after the US ended the ban on gays in the military. One of the women won the raffle for the right to be the first to kiss her partner after getting to shore.

2012 Worldwide -- Observers Celebrate Mayan Calendar End

People gathered in Central America and around the world to mark what some believed was the "end of the world" predicted by the end of the Mayan calendar. An actual apocalypse never manifested.

2013 Australia -- Fishermen Saved by Cooler

Two Australian fishermen were saved off the coast of New South Wales after their boat capsized. The two men were forced to hang on to a floating cooler for nearly fifteen hours before they were rescued.


Friday, December 20, 2024

Newspaper owner asks editorial board to 'take a break' from writing about Trump

 

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere


 Edward, Merly, and Cesar








Discussing the Trends and Predictions for Direct Mail in 2025 - Printing Impressions

Diversify or die? 23 media leaders reveal how to make news pay in 2025 - Press Gazette

Predictions for journalism 2025: revenue, subscriptions and registrations - Journalism UK

Today in Labor History December 20th, 2024

 


Filipino plantation workers




Delegates to the AFL convention in Salt Lake City endorse a constitutional amendment to give women the right to vote - 1899

The first group of 15 Filipino plantation workers recruited by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association arrive in Hawaii. By 1932 more than 100,000 Filipinos will be working in the fields - 1906

Thousands of workers began what was to be a 2-day strike of the New York City transit system over retirement, pension and wage issues. The strike violated the state’s Taylor Law; TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint was jailed for ten days and the union was fined $2.5 million - 2005

Important Events From This day in History December 20th

  

1989 Panama -- Operation ( Just Cause )

1989 : President George Bush launches Operation Just Cause and has sent US forces into the Central American country of Panama in a bid to oust dictator Manuel Noriega

1957 U.S.A. -- Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley receives his draft notice for the United States Army .

1900 Turkey -- Women's Role In Turkey

Abdul Homid, leader of Turkey would have liked to see women in his country secluded, but they were getting less so. Turkish women were often more educated than the men and the best Turkish newspaper was edited by females, some of who are authors.

1929 Switzerland -- Banking Headquarters

A large Swiss palace, built in 1783 along the Louis XVI style, was to become the new quarters of the Bank of International Settlements. Bankers and officials decided on this location after a meeting in Baden-Baden. Find More What happened in 1929

1933 Greece -- Samuel Insull

1933 : Chicago business mogul, Samuel Insull was no longer welcome in Greece after January 31. Insull was a fugitive from U.S. justice. He was wanted on charges of embezzlement and his passport had been cancelled by Washington.

1945 Germany -- Nuremburg Trials

At Nuremburg, Nazi doctors and soldiers were charged with cruel and bizarre torture of concentration camp prisoners. Experiments such as shooting poison bullets through the prisoners' legs and oxygen deprivation of prisoners were only a few of the atrocities that were committed. Seven hundred and fifty thousand SS soldiers faced criminal charges for their participation in torturing victims.

1957 U.S.A. -- Rockets In Europe

1957 : The U.S. wanted defensive rockets placed in Europe by 1959 and it sought to surround the Soviet Union with missiles. Production of 1,500 missiles made cut backs in the military's home base operations. The U.S. had become nervous since the Soviet Union had placed two Sputniks in orbit.

1963 Germany -- Berlin Wall Opened For 1 Day Passes

The Berlin Wall is opened for the first time to West Berliners, who were allowed one-day visits to relatives in East Berlin for the holidays

1966 Thailand -- Female Writer

A tall Chinese female writer was thrown out of the press residence in Bangkok because of her sex. Su Yu-chen was a very popular writer in Taipei. She had covered the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and the Asian Games in Bangkok, however, she was rebuffed because she was the only female writer among 400 male reporters.

1968 U.S.A. -- Zodiac Killer

1968 : The Zodiac killer's first attributable murders David Arthur Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16 are found shot and killed in Benicia, California. The Zodiac killer taunted the police during his crimes by writing to newspapers with cryptograms and identifying himself as the Zodiac Killer. He claimed 37 murders but police files indicate 5 murders. Because of his taunts and having never been bought to justice his murders have been described as "The Perfect Crime"

1973 Spain -- Terrorists Kill Prime Minister

The Spanish Prime Minister, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, is killed in a terrorist car bomb attack in Madrid. The bomb was believed to have been planted by Basque nationalists

1978 Saudi Arabia -- Oil Price Increase

The word of the Saudi Arabian Oil Minister was questioned when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries raised oil prices by 14.5% instead of the promised 5-10%. Stock markets were down and the government of Jimmy Carter was seen as ineffectual as the energy crisis escalated.

1979 England -- Right To Buy Council Houses

Mrs Thatcher's government will allow more than five million council house tenants in Britain the right to buy their home under new government proposals.

1987 Philippines -- Ferry Accident

The passenger ferry ( Dona Paz )collides with an oil tanker near Manila in the Philippines leaving 4,000 dead. The accident is blamed on overcrowding with the ferry carrying more than twice its stated capacity.

1987 West Germany -- US Dollar

The depreciation of the American dollar had made U.S. good like cars much more popular in West Germany and other nations. Helmut Becker, a German automobile salesman said that two years before he could not sell any U.S. cars, however this year he sold 115 and he expects that will double in 1988.

1990 Nigeria -- Lagos Worst City In The World

1990 : The Population Crisis Committee said that Lagos, Nigeria is the worst city in the world to live in, whereas the best cities to live in are Montreal, Melbourne, and Seattle-Tacoma. The best cities scored 100, but Lagos scored only 19. Half of Lago's homes are without water and electricity and only one person in 100 has a telephone. This city has a density of 5.8 persons per dwelling.

1995 England -- Charles and Diana Divorce

The Queen urges the Prince and Princess of Wales to seek "an early divorce".

1995 Bosnia -- Peacekeeping

U.S. Admiral Leighton Smith, commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) assumes peacekeeping duties in Bosnia

1999 U.S.A. -- Vermont Gay Rights

The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same benefits and protections in the State of Vermont as wedded couples of the opposite sex.

2005 U.S.A. -- Transit Strike New York

New York City transit workers began a strike that shut down subways and buses for three days affecting millions of commuters . This was the third strike against New York City's Transit Authority in 70 years the first two were in 1966 ( 12 days ) , 1980 ( 11 days ).

2006 Libya -- HIV

In Tripoli five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian physician were charged with knowingly giving 400 children the HIV virus. The accused were sentenced to death, despite substantial proof that the children already were infected with AIDS. Europe and the U.S. were angered at the verdict, but the people of Libya cheered.

2007 United States -- American World War I veteran

2007 : The oldest American World War I veteran has died in Ohio aged 109, leaving only two known U.S. soldiers from the conflict still alive. J. Russell Coffey died according to a nursing home in the town of North Baltimore, Ohio. Mr. Coffey enlisted in the army in October 1918, about a month before the Allies and Germany agreed a ceasefire, and did not see action. Harry Landis, 108, and Frank Buckles, 106, are the other surviving U.S. veterans. More than 4.7 million Americans enlisted in the military between 1917 and 1918.

2011 United States -- US Rated Most Charitable Country in 2011

The Charities Aid Foundation rated the United States as the world's most charitable country in 2011, up from fifth place in 2010. Runners-up included The Irish Republic, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The CAF stated that in 2011 people were more likely to donate charitable acts than money due to the global economic crisis.

2012 Rwanda -- Key Genocide Organizer Sentenced

2012 : Augustin Ngirabatware was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison by a UN war crimes court after being convicted of genocide.

2013 United States -- Judge Rules Utah Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

A US District Court judge ruled that Utah's 2004 ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, stating that it was a violation of the fourteenth amendment to the US Constitution. Same-sex couples began getting married within hours of the decision.


Thursday, December 19, 2024

Los Angeles Times Reunion















 

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

 



Parting Thoughts for 2024 - Second Rough Draft





Bridging Continents, Transforming Media: A Global Partnership for Cultural Change - KRON4





Today in Labor History December 19th

 


Darr Mine in Westmoreland Co., Pa


An explosion in the Darr Mine in Westmoreland Co., Pa., kills 239 coal miners. Seventy-one of the dead share a common grave in Olive Branch Cemetery. December 1907 was the worst month in U.S. coal mining history, with more than 3,000 dead - 1907


A 47-day strike at Greyhound Bus Lines ends with members of the Amalgamated Transit Union accepting a new contract containing deep cuts in wages and benefits. Striker Ray Phillips died during the strike, run over on a picket line by a scab Greyhound trainee - 1983

Twenty-six men and one woman are killed in the Wilberg Coal Mine Disaster near Orangeville, Utah. The disaster has been termed the worst coal mine fire in the state’s history. Federal mine safety officials issued 34 safety citations after the disaster but had inspected the mine only days before and declared it safe - 1984

Important Events From This day in History December 19th

  


1997 - U.S.A. -- Titanic Movie
1997 : The movie "Titanic" one of the highest-grossing movies of all-time, opened in American theaters. The movie about the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 staring Kate Winslet ( Rose DeWitt ) and Leonardo DiCaprio ( Jack Dawson ). Find More What happened in 1997
 

1984 Hong Kong - Returned to China in 1997
1984 : Hong Kong is to be returned to Communist China in 1997 after an historic agreement was signed in Peking between the British and Chinese Governments. The British colony of Hong Kong has been under British Rule for 155 years.
China has agreed to a principle of "one country, two systems" which will allow Hong Kong to have a capitalist economy and enjoy existing rights and freedoms.
 

1905 - China -- Shanghai Riots
In Shanghai riots, looting, and a partly burned police station were the result of Chinese hatred of Americans and other foreigners. The atmosphere was similar to that which preceded the Boxer rebellion in 1900.
 

1921 - Cuba -- Protesters
1921 : Thirty thousand protesters crowded together to denounce the Fordney tax. The demonstrators warned against "ruinous tariffs" on sugar and tobacco and that the United States would destroy all its work in Cuba.
 


http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/december20th.html

1938 - France -- Italy
Approval of France's stern stand against Italian colonialism was shown by sheiks and Arab chiefs who were protesting in eastern Tunisia. They shouted "Long Live France!" and "Tripoli for us!"
 

1942 - U.S.A. -- Eddie Rickenbacker
World War veteran and daredevil, Eddie Rickenbacker, was pulled out the Pacific Ocean after being lost at sea for 22 days. He and six other men would have starved to death, if they had not caught and eaten a sea gull. Rickenbacker was on a special mission in the South Pacific when he went missing.
 


1956 - Great Britain -- Fog
Most of Great Britain, south of a line from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Blackpool has been blanketed in thick fog, with visibility in parts reduced to five yards (4.5 m) in places.
 

1957 - USSR -- NATO Meeting
A meeting of NATO in France declared "the aim of the Soviet bloc is to weaken and disrupt the Free World." However, shortly after Moscow radio blared that the West was trying "to mislead the public and camouflage the real nature of the talks." The Soviet Union blamed the U.S. and the West for sabotaging peace.
 

1964 - Panama -- Old Canal to Be Replaced
1964 : The old Panama Canal was to be replaced by a new Atlantic-Pacific canal in 10-15 years according to U.S. President Johnson. A new deal with Panama was to be struck and interested countries invited to participate.
 

1972 - Uganda -- Idi Amin
General Idi Amin gives British workers an ultimatum to accept reduced pay or be expelled from Uganda in 12 days. This follows his taking control of British firms and interests in the country.
 

1976 - Lebanon -- Beirut Airport Re-opened
Beirut's international airport was closed since the Middle East 707 was struck by a rocket last June. The airport had antiaircraft guns of mostly Syrian origin keeping the peace, however today it was business as usual and outgoing flights were booked up for two weeks.
 

1979 - U.S.A. -- Chrysler
1979 : Chrysler receives a $1.5 billion government loan to help put the company back on its feet.
 

1983 - Costa Rica -- Possible Revolt
A Roman Catholic Bishop, Jose Ignacio Trejos Picado, warned that land controlled by only a few people was dangerous and could lead to revolt. He commented, "The recent invasions of land in several parts of the country by groups of peasants are evidence that there is poor land distribution." Costa Rica had the highest standard of living in South America and the longest tradition of democracy. It did not have an army.
 

1989 - USA -- Simpsons
1989 : The Simpsons featuring the Simpson Family including Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie debuts on Fox as a half-hour prime time show. The Simpsons has become the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program. The program had originally been created as a series of shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show with the first showing on April 19th, 1987.
 

1993 - Yugoslavia -- Election
The socialist party looked like it was headed for a victory in the parliamentary election. However, it was expected to loose some seats due to the inflation, unemployment, war debts, and political turmoil in the country.
 



1994 - Great Britain -- Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce, announces that its future cars would feature 12-cylinder motors manufactured by Germany's BMW.
 

1998 - U.S.A. -- President Bill Clinton Impeached
President Bill Clinton is impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice.
 

2000 - United Nations -- Afghanistan
The U.N. Security Council voted to impose broad sanctions on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers unless they closed terrorist training camps and surrendered U.S. embassy bombing suspect Osama bin Laden.
 

2003 - Libya -- Gives Up Chemical Weapons
2003 : Following political pressure and sanctions imposed by the United Nations Libya has announced an undertaking to destroy its arsenal of chemical weapons.
 

2006 - United States -- Joseph Barbera dies
Joseph Barbera, one half of the people behind cartoon classics like The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and Huckleberry Hound has died, aged 95. He died at home with his wife, Sheila, by his side. Barbera had founded Hanna-Barbera with William Hanna in the 1950's , and the pair had worked on the Tom and Jerry cartoons at MGM studios before.
 

2006 - United States -- The FBI release surveillance reports on John Lennon
The final pages of an F.B.I. surveillance report on John Lennon have finally been released. The documents show details about Lennon's ties to left-wing and anti-war groups in London in the early 1970's. Historian Jon Wiener told the L.A. Times that they showed Lennon rebuffed the U.K. leftists who asked him to fund a bookshop. Weiner has been working for twenty-five years to obtain the papers with the F.B.I. claiming they would compromise another country's security services.
 

2007 - United States -- Copy of the Magna Carta is sold in New York
A rare copy of the Magna Carta is sold for $21.3 million in an auction at Sotheby's in New York. The copy, dating from 1297, is one of the only seventeen that are still in existence, and bought by U.S. businessman David Rubenstein. The auctioned item had been owned by American billionaire Ross Perot's Perot Foundation since 1984, and was on view at the National Archives in Washington. The original Magna Carta was sealed by King John of England in 1215, and enshrined civil rights in English law.
 

2008 - United States -- General Motors and Chrysler bailed out
2008 : An emergency bailout of General Motors and Chrysler has been announced by President Bush which gives the companies a few months to get their businesses in order. Barack Obama will be handed the political task of ruling on their future. The bailout will be putting $13.4 billion into the companies by mid-January from the fund that Congress has authorized to rescue the financial industry. The two companies have until March 31st to produce a plan for long-term profitability, including concessions from unions, creditors, suppliers and dealers.
 

2008 - United States -- Paris Hilton’s jewelry stolen
A burglar has broken into the Los Angeles home of socialite Paris Hilton and stolen jewelry worth about $2 million. The break-in occurred in the early hours of the morning at Miss Hilton's home in the Sherman Oaks area of L.A. Police have said a man wearing a hooded top and gloves broke in through the home's front door, ransacked Miss Hilton's bedroom and stole her belongings.
 

2011 - Sweden -- Swedish Carmaker Saab Files For Bankruptcy
Swedish carmaker Saab filed for bankruptcy after the company failed to secure funds from Chinese investors. General Motors, a part owner of Saab, halted plans for Chinese companies to take over the manufacturer over concerns that the Chinese car manufacturers were going to gain access to technology licenses.
 

2012 - United States -- Breakfast at Tiffany's Added to Film Archive
The 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's and twenty-four other movies were added to the US National Film Registry as an important part of American culture. Some of the other films that made the cut this year were A Christmas Story and Anatomy of a Murder.

 

2013 - United States -- Target Reveals Card Data Breach
Retailer Target announced that the credit card data of over forty-million customers was stolen from stores throughout the country starting on November 29th, the beginning of the holiday shopping season. It was believed that the information theft was taking place for nearly three weeks before being discovered.