ROSS SIMPSON

Romania’s hard-line Communist ruler, Nicolae Ceausescu, was overthrown in a popular uprising on this day in 1989.

Foreign protesters campaign against the Ceaucescu regime.

Ceausescu and his wife Elena attempted to flee Romania but were 
caught and executed in Targoviste on Christmas Day.

The above photo shows the wall where the two were shot. The site
became part of a museum in 2013.

Richard Colvin Reid, also known as the Shoe Bomber, is a British terrorist who attempted to detonate an explosive device packed
into his shoes while on American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to
Miami on this day in 2001.

One of Richard Reid’s explosive shoes.

Donald Moffat (December 26, 1930 – December 20, 2018) 

Tony Award-nominated actor Donald Moffat died Thursday due to
complications from a stroke. Moffat’s daughter, Lynn, told The New
York Times her father died in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

He appeared on television in “One Life to Live,” “Logan’s Run” and
“The New Land.” His best-known movie roles include the 1982 horror
classic “The Thing” and “The Right Stuff.”

Moffat retired from acting in 2005 and one of his last appearances was
an off-Broadway production of “A Few Stout Individuals” in 2002.

Donald Moffat in John Carpenter’s “The Thing”.

“I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I’d rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS ——- COUCH!”

 
Donald Moffat as U.S. Senator and Vice President  Lyndon B.
Johnson in the 1983 historical drama film “The Right Stuff”.

ED DANAHUE

The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England, landed
at Plymouth Rock, MA. on this day in 1620.

Map of Native American Tribes and Pilgrim Colonies.

The first church service at Plymouth.

On this day in 1988, 270 people were killed when a Pan Am Boeing
747, Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a terrorist attack.
 

The destruction caused by debris from the explosion on board Pan
Am Flight 103 over the village of Lockerbie.

SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1803, the United States Senate ratified a treaty that included the Louisiana Territories from France for $15 million. The transfer was completed with formal ceremonies in New Orleans.

Hoisting of American Colors over Louisiana. Painting depicting first raising of the USA flag with the Louisiana Purchase, in main plaza
(now Jackson Square), New Orleans.

The Frank Capra film "It’s A Wonderful Life" premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York on this day in 1946.

 Time said, "It’s a Wonderful Life is a pretty wonderful movie. It has
only one formidable rival (Goldwyn’s The Best Years of Our Lives)
as Hollywood’s best picture of the year. Director Frank Capra’s inventiveness, humor, and affection for human beings keep it
glowing with life and excitement."

Frank Russell Capra (Francesco Rosario Capra)
(May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991)