USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Alexander The Great: Philip's Kingdom ~ December 30, 2003

Alexander The Great of Macedon ^ | December 30, 2003 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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ANCIENT WARFARE

Part III: Ancient Greek Military:
 

Continuation: Alexander The Great

PHILIP'S KINGDOM

At the battle of Chaeronea Philip defeated the allied Greek states of the Sacred Band of Thebes in September 338 BC. 

At that time Alexander was only 18, and, having been placed in command of the left wing of Philip's cavalry, he demonstrated personal courage in breaking the Band.  

It is said he was the first man to dare to charge against the Thebans. Although Philip's army was greatly outnumbered by the Athenian and Theban troops, the Macedonian phalanxes triumphed over them. Athens and Thebes now also came under Philip's rule. Sparta remained the only Greek state not under Macedonian control. This early demonstration of courage made Philip so proud of Alexander that he was even pleased to hear his subjects call him their general and Alexander their king!

The prospect of conquering the Persian empire had become more realistic than in 346: Artaxerxes III had died in 338, and the new king was the much weaker Darius II (he succeeded to the Persian throne in 336, after the brief reign of Arses, who, as the trilingual inscription found at Xanthus in 1973 shows, was given the name Artaxerxes IV at birth).

337BC.

At the Council of Corinth, Philip imposed his political system on the Greek states (with exception of Sparta); Philip gave freedom and autonomy to all the political parties in each polis, establishing an administrative system that would be stable and loyal to him.

Then came family dissension, such as frequently displease the polygamous courts of the East. Philip repudiated Olympias for another wife, Cleopatra, and after a quarrel at a wedding feast, Alexander went with his mother to her home in Epirus. Few months afterward, father and son were reconciled and Alexander returned; but their hearts were estranged. The Philip's new wife was with child; her kinsmen were in the ascendant; the succession of Alexander was imperiled. Some negotiations which Pixodarus, the satrap of Caria, opened with the court of Macedon with a view to effecting a marriage alliance between his house and Philip's, brought Alexander into fresh broils.

337BC. With the support of almost all Greece, Philip declared war on Persia. 
In the spring of 336 BC, Philip sent Attalus and Parmenion with the army of 10,000 men into Asia Minor to begin with the liberation of Greek coastal cities. In 336 Philip was suddenly assassinated, before he was able to depart, during the marriage celebration at Aegae of his daughter to Alexander I of Epirus in the presence of a great concourse from all the Greek world.

But Philip himself was assassinated.

The King is dead, Long live the King.
Spring-Autumn 336 BC

  On his way to the theater at Ege, the ancient capital of Macedonia, Philip was assassinated by his officer Pausanias during the celebration of his daughter's wedding to Olympias' brother, Alexander of Epirus, in July 336. Alexander was immediately presented to the army as the new king of Macedon. 

Alexander was not the only pretender to the vacant throne: but, recognized by the army, he soon swept all rivals from his path. He established his authority far more firmly than anyone thought possible; he was only 20 and for this reason not universally respected. Since Alexander himself was the main beneficiary of his father's murder, he was suspected of complicity, especially as he was only half Macedonian. He addressed himself to the embassies which were present and in affable fashion bade the Greek polices to maintain towards him the same loyalty which they had accorded to his father. Philip's last wife, Cleopatra, had borne a daughter a few days before his assassination, while Attalus, her uncle and guardian, had been sent on ahead to Asia to share the command of the forces with Parmenion. Attalus acquired great popularity in the army. Alexander at once executed all those who were alleged to be behind Philip's murder along with all possible rivals and the whole faction opposed to him. 

The known victims of this purge were Alexander's own rivals: his older cousin Philip's nephew Amyntas, son of King Perdiccas III; the principal family of Alexander of Lyncestis, although he himself was spared; and Philip's wife Cleopatra and her infant daughter, killed by Olympias. A possible rival for the throne remained Attalus himself; the uncle of Cleopatra (Philip's last wife) was disaffected because of her murder and that of her daughter, but he had no claim to the throne of Macedonia; indeed, he was loyal to Philip and hostile to his assassin. Alexander determined to eliminate Attalus discreetly. Alexander had good reason to fear that he might challenge his rule, making common cause with those of the Greeks who opposed him, and selected among his friends a certain Hecataeus from Cardia and sent him off to Asia with a number of soldiers, under orders to bring back Attalus- accused of high treason- alive if he could, but if not, to assassinate him.

Alexander - Strategos autocrator of all Hellenes

Alexander then marched south, pacified Thessaly, and at an assembly of the Greek League at Corinth was confirmed as strategos autocrator (the supreme commander) of the Hellenes against the barbarians, in the place of his father Philip for the expected invasion of the Persian Empire, previously planned and initiated by Philip. On his return to Macedonia by way of Delphi, the Pythian priestess acclaimed him as invincible

335BC

Philip's elimination had made all the hill-peoples of the north and west raise their heads and set the Greek states free from the Macedon hegemony. He started with blitz campaigns against the Triballi and Ilyrians, which took him across the Danube. He marched into Thrace in Spring 335, struck across the Balkans, by the Shipka Pass and traversed the land of the Triballians (Rumelia), crossed the Danube to subjugate the Getae and Celtic tribes; turning west, he then shattered a coalition of Illyrians who had invaded Macedonia.. To strike the imagination of the world he took his army over the Danube and burnt a settlement of the Getae upon the other side.

The Greek states had grown restless under Macedonian hegemony.  In the meantime a rumor of Alexander's death in Illyria had caused a revolt by the Thebans, favored partly by the Athenians and some other Greek states (Arcadia, Eolia, Etholia). He had hardly restored Macedonian prestige in this quarter when he heard that Greece was aflame. Thebes had taken up arms. By a forced march he took the Thebans completely by surprise, and in a few days the city, which a generation before had won the headship of Greece, was taken. Alexander reached Thessaly in seven days and Boeotia five days later. So in only 14 days Alexander marched 380 kilometers from Pelion in Illyria to Thebes. When the Thebans refused to surrender, there were to be no half-measures now; the city was wiped out of existence, he spared only the temples and the poet Pindar's house; 6,000 were killed and 30,000 survivors were sold into slavery for 440 Talents of silver. Greece might now be trusted to lie quiet for some time to come.

The other Greek states were frightened by this cruelty. While his garrisons were left in Corinth, Chalcis and Cadmea, Alexander could thus afford himself to treat Athens diplomatically with eager courtesy, although Athens was hostile at heart to the Macedonian hegemony, The Panhellenic alliance (from which Sparta still stood aloof) against the barbarians was renewed.

Beginnings of the Alexander invasion of Persia
334

 By an invasion of the Persian dominions, Alexander took up the interrupted campaign of his father. The army was concentrated and certain forces had already been sent on to occupy the opposite shore of the Hellespont. He also needed the Persian wealth to maintain the army built by his father and pay off the 500 talents he owed to the ten thousand Greek professional troops, and to Agesilaus of Sparta. 

Alexander's army in its successful campaign in Persian territory had demonstrated the weaknesses of the Persian Empire. With the Companion Cavalry he could expect to preside over any Persian army. 

The reason for the invasion of Asia was to liberate the Greek cities taken by the Persians some years before. In the spring of 334, Alexander crossed the Dardanelles, (i.e. Hellespont), with an army of 30,000 men, Macedonians, Illyrians, Thracians and the contingents of the Greek states, into Asia. 

The place of concentration was Arisbe on the Hellespont, leaving Antipater, the general and friend of his father as his deputy in Europe with over 13,000 troops. 

Alexander himself commanded about 30,000 foot soldiers and over 5,000 cavalry, of whom nearly 14,000 were Macedonians and about 7,000 allies of the Greek League. This army had an excellent mixture of arms- the lightly armed Cretan and Macedonian archers, the Thracians, and the Agrianian javelin men; the striking force was the cavalry, and the core of the army was the infantry phalanx, 9,000 strong, armed with shields and five -and-one- half meter long spears, the sarises, and the 3,000 men of the royal troops, the hypaspists. 

Alexander's second in command was Parmenio, who had secured a foothold in Asia Minor during Philip's lifetime; many of his family and supporters were entrenched in responsible positions. The army was accompanied by explorers, engineers, architects, scientists, court officials and historians.

The Battle of Granicus
Spring 334

On the way he stopped at Troy and afterwards he visited Ilium, at the Granicus River, near the Sea of Marmara (May/June 334), where he confronted his first Persian army which was led by three satraps.

To meet the invader the Persians had in Asia Minor an army to some extent larger than Alexander's, which was gathered under the satraps of the western provinces at Zeleia. Beside that, what was more serious, Persians had control of the Aegean, so Alexander could communicate with his base only by the narrow line of the Hellespont, and ran the risk, if he went far from it. To draw Alexander after them, while avoiding a conflict, was sound strategy for the Persian generals, which was urged upon them by their war-colleague the Rhodian Memnon. But strategic considerations were cancelled by the Persian barons' code of chivalry, and Alexander found them waiting for him on the banks of the river Granicus.

Granicus

The Persian plan to tempt Alexander across the river and kill him in the melee almost succeeded; but the Persian line broke, and Alexander's victory was complete. It was a cavalry clash, in which the common code of honor caused Macedonian and Persian chieftains to engage hand to hand, and at the end of the day the remainder of the Persian army were in escape.

This victory opened western Asia Minor to the Macedonians, and most cities opened their gates. The tyrants were expelled, and in contrast to Macedonian policy in Europe, in Asia were installed democracies. Alexander confirmed his Panhellenic policy, confirmed in the sending of 300 panoplies, i.e. sets of armor, taken at the Granicus as an offering dedicated to Athena at Athens by "Alexander the son of Philip, and the Hellens, except the Lacedaemonians (Spartans), won these from the barbarians who inhabit Asia."

Alexander could now accomplish the first part of the task belonging to him as supreme commander of the Hellenes, that liberation of the Greek cities of Asia Minor, for which Panhellenic enthusiasts had cried out so long. He first went to take possession of the old Lydian capital Sardis, the headquarters of the Persian government on this side of the Taurus, and the strong city surrendered without a blow. The cities remained de facto under Alexander, and his nomination Calasas satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia confirmed his intention to succeed the Great King of Persia.

When the city of Miletus refused to open its gates, encouraged by the proximity of the Persian fleet, Alexander took it by assault; without a maritime battle: he disbanded his expensive navy and decided to defeat the Persian fleet on land by occupying the coastal cities. In Caria, Halicarnassus resisted and was destroyed; but Ada, the widow and sister of the satrap Idrieus, adopted Alexander as her son and Alexander appointed her as a satrap of Caria. However, until 332 some parts of Caria held out. On his way toward Babylon, Alexander won several important battles.

Asia Minor

333BC

Alexander conquered western part of Asia Minor in winter 334-333, subjugating the hill tribes of Lycia and Pisidia; and in spring 333 he advanced along the coastal road to Perga. At Gordium in Phrygia, tradition records his cutting of the Gordian knot, which could only be loosed by the man who was to rule Asia. At this point Alexander benefited from the sudden death of Memnon, the competent Greek commander of the Persian fleet. The Syrian coast was consequently his next urgent objective.

He passed the Cicilian Gates before the Persian king, Darius III, had sent up a force sufficient to hold him. From Gordium he moved to Ancyra and then south through Cappadocia and the Cilician Gates. His passage through Cilicia was marked by a violent fever that arrested him for a while in Tarsus. In the meantime, the Grand Army under the command of Darius himself had advanced northward on the eastern side of Mt. Amanus in northern Syria. In the knot of mountains which close in about the head of the Gulf of Alexandretta, Alexander, following hard by the coast, marched past the Persian army encamped on the plains to the east. To cut Alexander's communications with the rear, Darius now committed the error of entangling his large force in the mountain defiles.

The Battle of Issus

Intelligence on both sides was imprecise, and the two armies had in fact been advancing randomly. Alexander was already encamped by Myriandrus (near modern Iskenderun, Turkey) when he find out that Darius was astride his line of communications at Issus, north of Alexander's position (Autumn 333). Alexander came head to head with King Darius during the Battle of Issus on the north-east Mediterranean coast. Although Alexander was advancing south he was surprised to find Darius approaching from his north! Turning, Alexander found Darius drawn up along the Pinarus River, and near the town of Issus fought his second pitched battle, sending Darius and the relic of his army in feral flight back to the east. It was an incident which did not modify Alexander's plan. He did not press the pursuit far, although the great king's camp with his harem fell into his hands.  

Alexander was outnumbered many times (perhaps even 10:1). Even so, he held back a reserve force, for the first time in the military history.

After the battle when he entered in the Darius' tent in all its luxury, golden bath, silk carpets, and so on (while Alexander was known for living in spartan conditions in comparison) he is reported to have commented: 

"So this is what it means to be a King."

Another famous incident sheds light upon Alexander's and Hephaestion's friendship. Alexander had captured Darius' throne tent with treasure of 3000 talents of gold (US$ 1.2 billion, 1 TALENT = 27 kg Au), with a complete imperial escort; including Darius' mother, Sisygambis; his wife, Stateira; his harem and other princesses.

When Alexander and Hephaestion went to meet Sisygambis, she prostrated herself at the feet of the most impotent figure in the group. She chose by the mistake the taller Hephaestion! Alexander is said to have responded in a rather friendly fashion:

"Don't worry mother, he is Alexander too."

The chivalrous courtesy, which he showed to the captive princesses "due to their station", was a favorite theme for later rhetoricians. An interesting fact is that later when Sisygambis had an opportunity to return to Persians, she had refused.

Next Tuesday: Continuation of Alexander The Great
Conquest of Syria, Phoenicia, Egypt

[LaDivaLoca]

A good morning to my fellow Canteeners,
our Military, Veterans, Allies and your families



Have a wonderful day!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Diva.

[Old Sarge]

Greetings, Canteeners, Troops,
and All the Ships at Sea!

REALLY early morning for Sarge today. I was awakened in the middle of the night by my little runt tabby, Blast the Flatulent, running at top-speed through the house, caromming off the furniture after sliding on hardwood floors. What a racket!

Here's what the little stink looks like ( close as I can get...)

Anyway, I'll start the coffee this morning:

And I'm gonna need every last gallon...

How about some vintage air cover today?

Soon as I get a rubber band, I'm all set...

I'll be back on watch tonight, so we'll have the festivities commence for then. Until 1500 or so, have a better day, y'all!

SARGE

[Old Sarge]

Good Morning, O Divine One.

[radu]

Good morning, Sarge. I'm getting a laaaaate start at FR today. I never got a chance to get on the 'puter til now.

What a pretty, pretty kitty! I'm LMAO at "Blast the Flatulent"! You deal with that too, huh? LOL!! I've got a couple of 'em that torment me, too....

Take your pick. Every one of these miserable critters has made my nose bleed more than once. ROTFLOL!!

With luck, I'll be able to get back here at a reasonable hour tomorrow night....er, later tonight. I just looked at the clock. YIKES!!!!

[Radix]

Some 25 years ago or so, I saw some images of an archealogical find. The shield and sword, as well as some other artifacts of what was presumed to be the former belongings of Phillip of Macedon!

I was very impressed by the pictures. The room where they sat in undisturbed for literally, thousands of years, was a mess. Decayed wooden tables, and mold and presumably mildew all about. Yet, the items of gold were as new and pristine as the day that they were forged.

It was quite the contrast. I can still see the images in my minds eye, even though more than half of my life has since come and gone.

Your threads are memorable as well. Thanks for sharing.

-Radix

[radu]

Good morning to all at the Canteen!!

Howdy troops, veterans, and military family members!
THANK YOU for serving the USA!

[Old Sarge]

HaHAA! Love the pic!

Missus let her wishes be known to me over the holidays: She Wants Another Cat!

Back to your cave, Draculette, until we meet once more.

[radu]

Missus let her wishes be known to me over the holidays: She Wants Another Cat!

I'm all for having at least two cats in a household so they have each other to interact with. I've never had only one.
But I've never had this many before in my life! LOL!! That's not even half of 'em in the pic....no way to get them all at once. I took that pic last night during a feeding frenzy. hehe!

I'll be heading off to the bat cave shortly. Got to check things out as best I can first......I don't like missing a day.

[Old Sarge]

Ah, but you see, we ALREADY have two cats at The Homestead.

The other, more mature, more important, more beautiful and regal (She's making me type this) feline is Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia. She's a black Turkish Angora, but the only pic I could find closest to Herself, was this:

But Missus STILL wants three. Yeesh.

[radu]

Aaaaaaah! "I see", said the blind man.

Just show her the pic of our horde and she may change her mind about adding another to your household. It seems to work that "one more" leads to "just one more" and so on. Break her habit NOW! LOL!!!

[Old Sarge]

Oh, and I forgot to mention: The family Xmas present was an automated, self-cleaning litter-box!!! Yip-yip-yip-yahoo!

Now, Sarge doesn't have to do latrine duty for the little darlings. The robot does it after each use.

I could get used to this automation thing, big time.

[radu]

I'd considered getting one of those automated litter boxes but with 39 of the critters, I'm afraid the poor motor would burn out in no time! LOL!

Guess I'm stuck with calluses on my hands from using the poop scoop.

Your missus is lucky. My hubby never helps me with our herd. Kitty duties are all mine. But I love the silly fuzz balls and don't mind.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Click on the pic and I'll guide you
to the start of today's thread


USO CANTEEN FREEPER STYLE MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.



CLICK HERE for 03/22/03 Department of Defense
Press Release.
TROOP SUPPORT MAIL POLICY STRESSED
To bolster force protection, the general public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service members forward deployed unless you are a family member, loved one or personal friend.

Please DO NOT post any military snail mail addresses on
public internet message boards, forums etc.
This puts Military personnel at risk
and often causes them problems
receiving packages from their family and friends.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Skipper.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Cats will not play on the desk near the computer.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Happy New Year Brother!

[radu]

OOOOOOO! YUM!! Coffee, hot chok-lit! and donuts for everyone!! Dang! Now the craving has set in. LOL!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.

To our military readers, we remain steadfast in keeping the Canteen doors open.
The Canteen is Free Republics longest running daily thread specifically designed
to provide entertainment and morale support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.
We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Aren't you afraid the sun will be coming up soon? LOL

[radu]

Cats will not play on the desk near the computer.

Wa&#nna t?#ell thes^e cri-*%tters? Heeeelp meeeeeee!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

From the men in the Military and the Canteen

[radu]

Yep! It's starting to lighten outside right now! hehehe!

Was trying to catch up on pings as best I could but I've reached a point on my Comments Page where it's all messed up! It's weird! It's happened once before. It's blank!!! Don't know if our computer's messing up all of a sudden or what!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

CLICK HERE for Troop Prayer Thread 9

Thank You TEXOKIE

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"It's weird! It's happened once before. It's blank!!! Don't know if our computer's messing up all of a sudden or what!"

Sounds like a plot by your kitties ! LOL

[radu]

Thank you Military men and Canteen guyz!

These flowers certainly brighten up the Canteen dining room.

Dazzling!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

The USO Canteen Post Office

E-Mail Our Military Links To enter, Click on the Post Office Please stop in the USO Canteen Post Office Daily to E-Mail our Troops. </

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You for today's thread!

[The Mayor]

His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. —Revelation 22:3-4

Those who love and serve God on earth will feel at home in heaven.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[radu]

Sounds like a plot by your kitties ! LOL

With this bunch, ya never know! LOL! I put nothing past 'em.

The first page is fine but when I went to the next page, it's blank! Part of the following page is blank, too, then it's back to normal. Hmmph! This happened one day last week, too.

*sigh* Guess I'll head off to the bat cave for a couple hours' sleep and try again later. Have a great day!! *HUGZ*

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Happy New Year Your Honor

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Sweet Dreams
God Bless You and your husband and the kitties.

[The Mayor]

Another one gone into the history books.

And what a year it has been, God Bless our Troops!

Happy New Year Tonk!

[txradioguy]

That reminds me of a pic that my wife sent me a few weeks back. It seems one of our cats enjoys laying on top of the monitor while my better half is at the computer. From the pic I got it would seem that she does her best to distract my wife as well! LOL!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Cats are forbidden to walk on the computer keyboard
on the desk when the human is asdfjjhhkl;ljfd.;oier puyy kmm4hbdm9lo9jmdskdm,. USING IT.

[txradioguy]

My dad when he first started his business in the early 80's was sitting at his computer at our hosue typing an oil and gas contract and about half way (80 pages) through it...one of our cats hopped up onto the keyboard and locked up the computer. My dad sat there for an hour trying to un-freeze the darn thing before he finally gave up and had to start over.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Good morning Tonk... Good morning troops, good morning Canteen!

God Bless America, and all of those who defend Her!

BTW,dogs like computer too!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Good morning Tonk... Good morning troops, good morning Canteen!

God Bless America, and all of those who defend Her!

BTW,dogs like computer too!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Have a good and safe day overe there!
One day sooner till you are home for good.
5:40 AM here in Oregon.
I'm off to get a few more hours sleep.
Thank You for helping ensure our Freedom.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Great Pic!
See you in a few hours!

[Soaring Feather]

[tomkow6]

 

SALUTE!

 

 

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on December 30:
0039 Titus 10th Roman emperor (79-81), conqueror of Jerusalem
1741 Bartolomeo Giacometti composer
1818 James Cantey Brigadier-General (Confederate Army), died in 1874
1819 John White Geary Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1873
1828 Mark Perrin Lowrey Brigadier-General (Confederate Army), died in 1885
1847 John Peter Altgeld German/US (Governor-IL)/pardoned Haymarket-anarchists
1851 Asa Griggs Candler developed Coca-Cola
1865 Rudyard Kipling Bombay, author (Jungle Book, Gunga Din-Nobel 1907)
1867 Simon Guggenheim philanthropist (died aboard the Titanic)
1879 Sri Ramana Maharshi Hindu philosopher/yogi (Maharshi Research Institute)
1884 Tojo Hideki Japanese PM during WWII
1906 Sir Carol Reed motion picture director (3rd Man)
1911 Jeanette Nolan Los Angeles CA, actress (Richard Boone Show, Virginian)
1914 Bert Parks [Jacobson] Atlanta GA, TV host (Miss America)
1918 W Eugene Smith US photographer (Saipan, Walk to Paradise Garden)
1928 Bo Diddley [Ellas Bates] Mississippi, rock 'n' roll pioneer (Bo Diddley)
1928 Jack Lord New York NY, actor (Steve McGarrett-Hawaii 5-0, God's Little Acre)
1930 Jerome Theisen benedictine
1931 Skeeter Davis [Mary Penick] Dry Ridge KY, singer (End of the World)
1932 John Hillerman Denison TX, actor (Magnum PI, Blazing Saddles, Audrey Rose)
1935 Jack Riley Cleveland OH, actor (Carlin-Bob Newhart, Ocassional Wife)
1935 Sandy Koufax Dodger pitcher (Cy Young '63, '65, '66, perfect-1967)
1937 John Hartford New York NY, singer/songwriter (Smothers Brothers Hour, Gentle on My Mind)
1937 [Noel] Paul Stookey Baltimore MD, singer/musician/comedian (Peter, Paul, & Mary)
1938 Joseph Bologna Brooklyn NY, actor (Citizen Cohn, My Favorite Year)
1939 Del Shannon [Charles Westover] Coopersville MI, rocker (Runaway)
1942 Michael Nesmith Houston, rocker/actor (Monkees)
1942 Fred Ward (actor: Tremors)
1945 [David] Davy Jones Manchester England, singer/actor (Monkees)
1945 John Kevin Moorhouse test pilot
1945 Preston Andrew Trombly composer
1947 Jeff Lynne rocker (ELO-Telephone Line, Travelling Wilburys)
1956 Suzy Bogguss Aledo IL, singer (I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart)
1957 Matt Lauer New York NY, TV host (Today Show)
1961 Ben Johnson 100 meter runner (Olympics-gold-1988-disqualified)
1964 Kimberly [Cindy] Taylor model/Penthouse Pet (1990)
1975 Tiger Woods golfer

---

Deaths which occurred on December 30:
0273 Felix I Italian Bishop of Rome, dies (or 274)
1591 Innocent IX [Giovanni Facchinetti] Pope, (1591 62 days), dies at 72
1635 Jan Baptista Van Helmont physician/alchemist, dies
1777 Maximilian III Jozef elector of Bayern (1745-77), dies at 50
1832 Colonel Abijah Hammond owned large portion of Greenwich Village, dies
1893 Samuel White Baker English explorer, dies at 72
1894 Amelia Jenks Bloomer suffragist (Bloomers named for her), dies at 76
1896 José Mercado Rizal anti-Spanish rule of Philippines proponent, dies
1916 Grigori Rasputin, Russian mystic/shaman(shot and killed after a failed attempt to poison him, by Prince Felix Youssoupov at 45)
1931 Tyrone Power Sr actor (Big Trial, Test of Donald Norton), dies at 62
1967 Bert Berns US songwriter/producer (Twist & Shout), dies at about 38
1971 Dorothy Comingore actress (Citizen Kane), dies after illness at 58
1979 Richard Rodgers composer (Rogers & Hammerstein), dies at 77
1992 Ling-Ling 1st panda China gave US, dies at 23
1993 [Irving Paul] "Swifty" Lazar superagent, dies of kidney failure at 86
1993 Mack David US songwriter (Bachelor in Paradise), dies at 81
1996 Lew Ayres screen actor (Salem's Lot, State Fair), dies at 88
1996 Robert Grant-Ferris politician, dies at 89

---

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1967 SWORDS SMITH III---LOS ANGELES CA.
1967 WORTHAM MURRAY LAMAR---SAN AUGUSTINE TX.
1968 MC CANTS LELAND S. III---ALEXANDRIA VA.
[DROWNED IN RIVER CROSSING]
1969 FERGUSON DOUGLAS D.---TACOMA WA.
1969 FEATHERSTON FIELDING W.---WICKLIFFE OH.
1970 BUNKER PARK G.---HOMEWOOD IL.
1971 CHARLES NORRIS A.---TAMPA FL.
[09/25/72 RELEASED BY HANOI]
1971 HOFFMAN DAVID W.---PHILADELPHIA PA.
[03/28/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1971 HOLMES FREDERICK---MORGAN HILL CA.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

---

On this day...
0274 St Felix I ends his reign as Catholic Pope
0987 French King Hugo Capet crowns his son Robert the compassionate king
1317 Pontifical degree "Sancta Romania" against spiritualists
1460 The Duke of York is defeated and killed by Lancastrians at the Battle of Wakefield.
1621 English king James I cracks Protestation of Parliament
1685 Don Francisco de Agurto installed as land guardian of South Netherlands
1703 Tokyo hit by Earthquake; about 37,000 die
1731 1st US music concert (Peter Pelham's great room in Boston)
1794 French troops conquer Grave Netherlands
1803 The United States takes possession of the Louisiana area from France
1809 Wearing masks at balls forbidden in Boston
1813 Danzig surrenders to allied armies
1817 1st coffee planted in Hawaii (Kona)
1835 After gold discovery in Georgia, Cherokees are forced to move across Mississippi River
1853 Gadsden Purchase - 45,000 square miles (120,000 km) by Gila River from México for $10 million; Area is now southern Arizona & New Mexico
1854 Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, 1st in US, incorporated in New York NY
1861 US, banks stops payments in gold
1862 The Union ironclad ship U.S.S. Monitor sinks in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
1869 Philadelphia Knights of Labor forms
1875 Andrassy Note calls for Christian-Muslim religious freedoms
1877 Johnannes Brahms' 2nd Symphony in D, premieres in Vienna
1879 Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" premieres
1892 Dr Miles V Lynk, physician, publishes 1st Black medical journal
1893 Russia signs military accord with France
1897 Province of Zululand annexed to Natal colony
1906 Iran becomes a constitutional monarchy
1907 Abraham Mills' commission declares Abner Doubleday invented baseball
1911 Sun Yat-sen elected 1st President of Republic of China
1917 -32ºF (-36ºC) in Mountain City TN (state record
1917 -37ºF (-38ºC) in Lewisburg WV (state record)
1918 John E Hoover decides to be called J Edgar Hoover
1922 Soviet Union organized as a federation of RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Belorussian SSR & Transcaucasian SSR
1926 Chicago Tribune reports the Tigers threw a 4-game series to the White Sox in 1917 to help Chicago win the pennant (never substaniated)
1929 Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority incorporates
1933 -50ºF (-46ºC) in Bloomfield VT (state record)
1935 Italian bombers destroy Swedish Red Cross unit in Ethiopia
1936 United Auto Workers stage 1st sit-down strike, at Fisher Body Plant
1938 Electronic television system patented by V K Zworykin
1940 California's 1st freeway (Arroyo Seco Parkway) opens
1947 Romanian republic proclaimed
1948 "Kiss Me, Kate" opens at New Century Theater NYC for 1077 performances
1949 India recognizes People's Republic of China
1950 Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia become Independent states in France Union
1952 Tuskegee Institute reports 1952 as 1st year in 71 with no lynchings in US
1957 Israeli government of Ben-Gurion, resigns
1958 French franc devalued
1959 The George Washington, 1st ballistic missile sub commissioned
1963 Congress authorizes the Kennedy half dollar
1963 "Let's Make A Deal" debuts on NBC-TV
1965 Ferdinand Marcos inaugurated as President of the Phillipines
1967 Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks
1972 President Nixon halts bombing of North Vietnam & announces peace talks
1973 1st picture of a comet from space (Comet Kohoutek-Skylab)
1974 Beatles are legally disbanded (4 years after suit was brought)
1976 Governor Carey of New York pardons seven inmates, closing the book on the Attica uprising.
1978 Ohio State dismisses Woody Hayes as its football coach
1979 Rock group, Emerson Lake & Palmer break up
1980 "Wonderful World of Disney" last performance on NBC-TV
1981 Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record of 50 goals by 39th game of season
1984 Miss Elizabeth (Hulette) & Macho Man Randy Savage (Poffo) wed
1985 IBM-PC DOS Version 3.2 released
1985 President Zia of Pakistan ends martial law
1987 Premier Mugabe elected President of Zimbabwe
1988 Canadian Senate OK's free trade pact; with US
1988 Former Soviet President Brezhnev's son-in-law sentenced to 12-year (bribery)
1988 North subpoenas Reagan & Bush as defense witnesses for upcoming trial
1993 Vatican recognizes Israel

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Bolivia, Chile : Bank Holiday
Iran : Birthday of Iman Reza
Italy : New Year's Eve
Philippiines : Rizal Day (anniversary of his death) (1896)
El Salvador : Bank Holiday
US : Nia-Purpose Day (5th Day of Kwanzaa)
Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month

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Religious History
1741 English revivalist George Whitefield wrote in a letter: 'O how little do I for Jesus, who has done so much for me!'
1838 Hanover College was chartered by the Presbyterian General Assembly of Indiana. The school had been founded as a seminary "in the wilderness" for training ministers.
1927 The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was incorporated in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 1923 by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, the denomination recognizes the significant role that women in ministry. Today, over 40% of its ministers are women.
1937 Birth of No l Paul Stookey, American folk singer. Stookey was "Paul" of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary. Converted in the late 1960s, Stookey is now a Christian recording artist, and prefers using his "born_again" name, No l.
1971 The Anglican_Roman Catholic International Commission announced that an agreement had been made between the two Christian traditions on the essential teachings about the Eucharist.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"All generalizations are bad"

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Question of the day...
How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings?

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Murphys Law of the day...(Panic Instruction)
When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.

---

Amazing Fact #98,375...
A bear has 42 teeth.

[tomkow6]

Good morning, La Diva! Good morning, Canteen Crew! Good morning, EVERYBODY!

GOOD  

MORNING

TROOPS!

 

[tomkow6]

 

Today's FEEBLE attempt at humor:

 

Two intrepid explorers met in the heart of the Brazilian jungle.

"I'm here," declared one, "to commune with nature in the raw, to contemplate the eternal verities and to widen my horizons. And
you, sir?"

"I," sighed the second explorer, "came because my young daughter has begun violin lessons.".

[tomkow6]

 

Chicagoland Weather

December 30, 2003
Chicago, IL
Sunrise	7:18 AM (CST)
Sunset	4:28 PM (CST)
Hrs. of Daylight	9 Hrs., 10 Mins

Currently
27°

Partly Cloudy

	Hi: 38

	Lo: 27

5 Day Forecast

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

Partly Cloudy/Wind

High:	45
Low:	24

Mostly Cloudy

High:	41
Low:	34

Partly Cloudy

High:	43
Low:	27

Few Showers

High:	45
Low:	21

Partly Cloudy

High:	30
Low:	21