December 13th "2023" daily prep

Welcome to day 347 of the year! Known as National Cocoa Day, National Day of the Horse and National Violin Day. If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of March 22nd. Your star sign is “Sagittarius” and your birthstone is Blue Topaz.
1972 – Last human landing on the Moon. Apollo 17 was the last mission of the United States’ Apollo lunar landing program. It was also the sixth and the last time humans landed on the Moon.
Todays birthdays
1949 – Paula Wilcox (74), English actress best known for her role as Chrissy Plummer in the ITV sitcom Man About The House from 1973 to 1976, born in Manchester.
1949 – Robert Lindsey (74), English actor known for his roles as Wolfie Smith in Citizen Smith and Ben Harper in My Family, born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
1957 – Steve Buscemi (66), American actor (Resrvoir Dogs, Armageddon, Con Air, Boardwalk Empire), born in Brooklyn, New York, United States.
1974 – Sara Cox (49), English broadcaster (Radio 1 Breakfast, BBC Radio 2 drivetime show), born in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
1989 – Taylor Swift (34), American singer-songwriter (“Shake it Off”, “I Knew You Were Trouble”), born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.
The day today
1972 – More than 300 British victims of the Thalidomide drug are offered a compensation deal said to be worth £11.85m.
1995 – Riots break out in Brixton after the death of a black man, Wayne Douglas, 26, in police custody.
2003 – Lauryn Hill launched a blistering attack on the Catholic church, urging religious figures to “repent” whilst speaking on a stage regularly used by the Pope. The former Fugees singer was playing at a Christmas show in Vatican City and addressed allegations of sexual abuse in America, before an audience that included top Vatican cardinals, bishops and the cream of Italian society. On the same day, Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit.
2008 – Dizzee Rascal is arrested in south-east London following a road rage incident involving a baseball bat. On the same day, actress Kathy Staff (best known for her portrayal of Nora Batty in Last of the Summer Wine) dies from a brain tumour at 80.
2017 – The online dictionary, Merriam-Webster, stated their most searched word of the year was “Feminism.”
Today in music
1962 – Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Return To Sender’, his 13th UK No.1. Elvis performed ‘Return To Sender’ in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!. The opening bars and backing on baritone saxophone was performed by Bobby Keys who later went on to work with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison and Eric Clapton.
1997 – Children’s TV characters The Teletubbies went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Teletubbies Say-eh-oh’. The single spent a total of 32 weeks on the chart.
1999 – Winners in the Smash Hits readers poll included, Backstreet Boys who won Best band, best album & best single, Britney Spears won best female singer, Robbie Williams best male singer, S Club 7 won best new band and worst group went to the Spice Girls.
2002 – UK music channel Music Choice analysed all the Christmas No.1 singles from the past 30 years and identified criteria for their success. These included the use of sleigh bells, children singing, church bells harmony and references to love. They concluded that Sir Cliff Richards 1988 hit ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ was the perfect Christmas hit.
2013 – American singer Beyoncé released her fifth studio album, the self-titled Beyoncé. Developed as a visual album, every song was accompanied by a non-linear short film that illustrated the musical concepts conceived during production. Beyoncé and its release are frequently credited with inventing the modern definition of the visual album, popularising the surprise album release strategy, and provoking the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry to change the day of the week when music is released worldwide from Tuesday to Friday. The album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
Today in history
1577 – Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymough, England on a circumnavigation of the world. The squadron consisted of five vessels, the two larger ships being the Pelican, Drake’s own ship, renamed Golden Hind on the voyage, on August 20, 1578; and the Elizabeth, commanded by John Winter. Three smaller vessels were the Marigold, Swan, and Benedict. Only one ship, the Golden Hind, made the complete voyage, returning on Sept. 26, 1580, “very richly fraught with gold, silver, pearls and precious stones”.
1642 – The first European explorer discovered New Zealand. Abel Tasman from the Netherlands sighted the South Island, which he initially called Staten Landt, thinking it was part of South America. A year later, he changed the name to Nieuw Zeeland. Tasman was also the first European in recorded history to step foot on Tasmania. Tasman claimed the island for the Dutch crown. It is named after him as well.
1643 – English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire. Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller led a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison of Royalist infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford.
1795 – A Meteorite crashes into Wold Newton in Yorkshire, England. Major Edward Topham owned the land where the meteorite crashed. He exhibited it later, and today it is in the Natural History Museum in London.
1814 – General Andrew Jackson announces martial law in New Orleans, Louisiana, as British troops disembark at Lake Borne, 40 miles east of the city. The Battle of New Orleans.
Fact of the day
”Twas the Night Before Christmas’ actually has a totally different title. Clement Clarke Moore’s iconic 1823 poem is actually called “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” It’s more commonly known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” because of its famous first line.