For your holiday/end of year discussions: Final Maps of 2014

My particular favorite, and the one that sums up the Ebola panic beautifully, is number 8.

14 Maps that Explain 2014

Longest Night

Tonight is not only the longest night of the year.  It is also the longest night, for any given location, in the history of the earth. 

 

See Tonight will be the longest night in the history of Earth

Correction:  For reasons explained by the Vox post I linked to, tonight will be plenty long but, as far as we know, the longest night in Earth's history likely occurred in 1912.

Happy 50th Anniversary, Rudolph

On December 9th, at 8 PM, Christmas television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, celebrated its 50th anniversary.  It first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964, on NBC.  I was 11 when it first aired.  Back in the day, it was broadcast only once a year.  Now, if you're like me and missed the initial broadcast, they'll be many more opportunities.

Anyway, one part really stands out for me.  Who can forget it?

Place:  The Island of Misfit Toys

Charlie-in-the Box: Well it's Christmas Eve, but....
Spotted Elephant: Looks like we're forgotten again.
Dolly: But Rudolph promised we'd go this time.
Charlie: Oh, guess the storm was too much for them.
[sound of jingle bells in the distance]
Might…might just as well go to bed and start dreaming about next year.
Dolly: I haven't any dreams left to dream...[sobs] We’ll never get off this island. Never.
Elephant: Wait a minute…. What's that? Is it? Is it?
Charlie: It sure is!! It's Santa and look! Rudolph is leading the way!
Dolly: You can see his nose from here!

No matter how many times I see it, I still get all choked up.

We always knew this.

Run to Stay Young