On This Day December 16th

 OTD 

December 16th is the 350th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 15 days remain until the end of the year.


 Events

1598 – Seven-Year War: Battle of Noryang: The final battle of the Seven-Year War was fought between China and the Korean allied forces and Japanese navies, resulting in a decisive victory for the Allied forces.

1653 – English Interregnum: The Protectorate: Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

1773 – American Revolution: Boston Tea Party: Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor to protest the Tea Act.

1826 – Benjamin W. Edwards rides into Mexican-controlled Nacogdoches, Texas, and declares himself ruler of the Republic of Fredonia.

1880 – Outbreak of the First Boer War between the Boer South African Republic and the British Empire.

1905 – In Rugby Union, The "Match of the Century" is played between Wales and New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park.

1944 – World War II: The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest.

2022 – A landslide occurs at a camp at an organic farm near the town of Batang Kali in Selangor, Malaysia, trapping 92 people and killing 31.


Birthdays

1584 – John Selden, English jurist and scholar (d. 1654)

1630 – Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort, British botanist (d. 1715)

1742 – Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, German field marshal (d. 1819)

1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, composer (d. 1827)

1775 – Jane Austen, English novelist (d. 1817)

1836 – Ernst von Bergmann, Latvian-German surgeon and academic (d. 1907)

1896 – Anna Anderson, an imposter who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia (d. 1984)

1901 – Margaret Mead, American anthropologist and author (d. 1978)

1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, English science fiction writer (d. 2008)

1928 – Philip K. Dick, American philosopher and author (d. 1982)

1943 – Steven Bochco, American television writer and producer (d. 2018)

1949 – Billy Gibbons, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

1961 – Bill Hicks, American comedian, and musician (d. 1994)

1994 – Elliot Lee, English footballer


Holiday Spotlight

Barbie and Barney Backlash Day

  While Barbie and Barney are not the only characters to have graced our screens and lives, especially over the holiday season, these two can hit a nerve sometimes. Today, we can switch off our television screens from their annoying singalongs and put away the toys scattered around the home. Perhaps it’s time to read a storybook or try a different activity with children that doesn’t involve Barney or Barbie!

 Barney, the famous purple dinosaur, was already in the making in 1987 when Sheryl Leach created “Barney and Friends.” The show first aired in 1992, taking over our screens as well as the hearts of children. The friendly tyrannosaurus rex sang and danced to many of his educational messages. Who can forget “I Love You,” the Barney song that made us happy when we were sad?

 Parodies of that famous song at the end of “Barney and Friends” became big hits in the ’90s. Some were quite violent and not child-friendly, so we will not repeat all the variations. Many of these songs went from playground to playground at practically the speed of light and might just have outlived Barney’s popularity!

 Meanwhile, Barbie is the iconic blonde fashion doll that took the world by storm and has experienced a cultural revolution in recent years. Ruth Handler and her husband Elliot founded the toy company Mattel, Inc. in 1945. Fourteen years later, Ruth introduced Barbie Millicent Roberts, better known as ‘Barbie.’ She was the first doll to mimic 1950s celebrity glamor, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe.

 Over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide, with dozens of Barbie holiday cartoons created for children since “Barbie in the Nutcracker” was released in 2001. Because Barbie has often been criticized for representing an unattainable beauty ideal for girls and women, the doll has evolved in style and shape over the years. In a historic moment, the Barbie brand began honoring pioneering women worldwide, making dolls of athletes, women of color, and plus-sized women.


Other Include

Bahrain National Day

Bangladesh Victory Day

Boston Tea Party Day 

Day of Reconciliation (South Africa) 

Kazakhstan Independence Day

National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day 

National Wreaths Across America Day

Stupid Toy Day 

Underdog Day 


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