Daily Calendar for Saturday, December 23, 2023
Question of the Day
What’s the best way to start a coal fire?
To start a coal fire, get a good hot fire going with hardwood kindling. Then add a shovelful or two of coal. When this coal has begun to burn, add more coal. It will usually take about 10 minutes for the wood fire to get hot enough to ignite the coal, so be sure to use enough kindling to last that long. Leave any dampers open for a good 10 minutes or so to get rid of the gases. Anthracite coal will not light unless it has a bottom draft.
Advice of the Day
An early winter, a surly winter.
Home Hint of the Day
To discourage spiders, spray rubbing alcohol on windowsills or leave perfumed soap chips scattered about.
Word of the Day
Ancraophobia
Fear of wind
Puzzle of the Day
When does a caterpillar improve in morals?
When it turns over a new leaf.
Born
- Axel Fredrik Cronstedt (Swedish scientist) –
- Joseph Smith (religious leader; organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) –
- Madam C. J. Walker (entrepreneur, philanthropist, social activist) –
- Robert Bly (poet) –
- Eddie Vedder (musician) –
Died
- Jack Webb (actor) –
- Marjorie Child Husted (home economist, helped create Betty Crocker) –
- Victor Borge (comedian & pianist) –
Events
- Saturn’s moon Rhea discovered–
- George Washington resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army and retired to his home at Mount Vernon, Virginia, with no inkling that he would be drafted to President 6 years later–
- A Visit From St. Nicholas, attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, first published–
- Part of Vincent Van Gogh’s left ear was cut off–
- Reginald Fessenden became the first person to transmit voice over a wireless radio–
- Transistor first demonstrated–
- Jeanne Sauvé was appointed governor-general of Canada–
- U.S. pilots, Dick Rutan and Jeanna Yeager, landed the experimental aircraft Voyager in California after a record 9-day 4-minute nonstop flight around the world without refueling–
Weather
- Ships were lost in a storm on Long Island Sound–
- Strong northerly winds generated a windchill of -100 degrees F in North Dakota–
- Williston, North Dakota, recorded a temperature of -50 degrees F–
- 9.6 inches of snow fell in Wilmington, North Carolina–