If you don't know and would like to -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas

OK, it is also the date of the Boston Tea Party back in 1773, hence the above graphic

On this day in 1968 , the Second Vatican Council in an arrogant and fatuous act of political theater claimed to have revoked the Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain. This was preposterously stupid and ineffectual both because the expulsion was long moot, having occurred in 1492 and because the Vatican had no power or authority whatsoever to revoke it, since it was issued not by the Papacy but by Their Most Catholic Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella. They gave us the Expulsion Edict, The Spanish Inquisition, and many other horrible things, and were obviously very devout, but, nonetheless, they weren't popes

The 1979 Oil Crises was "caused by" or attributed to many things. Most sources admit that high demand was a factor but none emphasize it. A major favorite is the Iranian revolution which did, in fact generate a decrease global oil production of 7% initially though only by 4% a later on. While sources like to scapegoat Iran, crude prices didn't rise 4% or even 7%, they almost freaking doubled. Besides that, they didn't spike in March, or April, but rose in a very steady fashion, month after month after month after month from $72.4 in February to $93.92 in July to $133.77 in December. If Iran was such a substantial factor, the bulk of the rise would've been much earlier.

Another favored narrative is that 5 oil producing nations raised their prices on December 16, 1979, but not in that form. It is almost universally stated as:

On December 16, 1979, Libya and four other OPEC nations raised their prices

even though Libya was a relatively small producer and it wasn't long before other producers also raised theirs. After all, there was money to be made. More importantly, the price was already $128.93 in November, dipped to $131.85 in January 1980 and peaked at $153.93 in April 1980, so it looks like Libya wasn't such a major culprit either, nor, for that matter, the 5 combined OPEC nations that raised their price on December 16, 1979.

On this day in history:

1598 - The battle of Noryang ended the Japanese invasion of Korea

1653 - Oliver Cromwell became "Lord Protector" of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland

1689 – Royal assent was given to the "Bill of Rights", enumerating certain rights in England.

1773 – The Boston Tea Party.

1843 – John T. Graves announced the discovery of octonions to William Hamilton ,.

1907 – The Great White Fleet began circumnavigating the world

1937 – Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe vanished forever from Alcatraz in what is described as an attempted escape by the usual sources.

1947 – The first practical point-contact transistor was built.

1968 – The Second Vatican Council claimed to have revoked the Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain.

1979 – Five oil producing nations raised crude oil prices, driving the US batshit crazy

Some people who were born on this day:

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

~~ George Santayana

1534 – Hans Bol, artist
1742 – Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Field Marshall, the other victor at Waterloo
1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, composer
1775 – Jane Austen, author
1776 – Johann Wilhelm Ritter, chemist, physicist, and philosopher
1787 – Mary Russell Mitford, author and dramatist
1804 – Viktor Bunyakovsky, mathematician
1863 – George Santayana, poet, philosopher, and author
1895 – Marie Hall Ets, author and illustrator
1901 – Margaret Mead, anthropologist and author
1905 – Piet Hein, mathematician
1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, author
1921 – Eulalio González, actor, humorist, singer, songwriter, director, producer, and screenwriter
1930 – Sam Most, flautist and saxophonist
1936 – Morris Dees, lawyer, activist and co-founder of the SPLC
1945 – Tony Hicks, singer and guitarist
1946 – Benny Andersson, pianist, singer, songwriter, and producer
1949 – Billy Gibbons, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer
1951 – Robben Ford, guitarist and songwriter
1951 – Mark Heard, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Some people who died on this day:

There is no Death with Dignity when people choose to die because health care economics and the social services system prevent life with dignity

~~ Marta Russell

D1474 – Ali Qushji, astronomer, mathematician, and physicist
1594 – Allison Balfour, witch
2007 – Dan Fogelberg, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
2010 – Ayinde Barrister, fuji musician
2013 – Marta Russell, journalist, author, and activist

Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such:

First day of Las Posadas
Boston Tea Party Day

Today's Tunes

Boston Tea Party

Octonions

Great White Fleet

Vatican II

Beethoven

Eulalio González

Sam Most

Tony Hicks

Benny Andersson

Billy Gibbons

Robben Ford

Mark Heard

Dan Fogelberg

Ayinde Barrister aka Barry Wonder

Ok, it's an open thread, so it's up to you folks now. What's on your mind?

Cross posted from http://caucus99percent.com

Open Thread, Las Posadas, tea party, octonions, transistors, Beethoven, Santayana, Morris Dees, Billy Gibbons, Robben Ford, Dan Fogelberg