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On 22 December: A Tribute

December 22 is a special day to honor history, science, military, cars, and some oddities. This post starts in 1962.

On December 22, 1962

  • First British band reaches #1 on US single’s chart: Telstar by the The Tornados
  • USSR performs a nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
  • 1,000,000th NBA point scored
  • Ralph Fiennes (actor) and John Erickson (blogger) born as twins from different mothers
  • All knitted out with new khakis and a rucksack, John Erickson voted cutest baby in nursery

AskJohnDecember 22, 1963: Official 30-day mourning period for President John F Kennedy ends so people can celebrate John Erickson’s first birthday

December 22, 1964: Comedian Lenny Bruce is convicted of obscenity while celebrating John Erickson’s second birthday

December 22, 1965: Vowing to never let John Erickson speed, Great Britain sets maximum speed at 70 MPH

December 22, 1966: WCVW-TV channel 57 in Richmond, Virginia (PBS) goes live by broadcasting John Erickson’s 4th birthday celebration

December 22, 1968: Julie Nixon weds Dwight David Eisenhower to celebrate John Erickson’s 6th birthday

December 22, 1970: SS Commander Franz Stangl of Treblinka, sentenced to life in prison to celebrate John Erickson’s 8th birthday

December 22, 1978: Deng Xiaoping reverses Mao-era policies to allow Chinese to celebrate John Erickson’s 16th birthday

December 22, 1980: So its crew can celebrate John Erickson’s 18th birthday, USS Eisenhower returned to Norfolk, Virginia after a 251-day deployment

December 22, 1982:  Having memorized all three seasons of Star Trek, John sends a fan letter to William Shatner at his new T.J. Hooker TV show, promising to adore him forever.  Bill returns a heartfelt letter saying, “Go ‘way kid, yah bother me!  Why don’t you go bug Yeoman Janice?”

December 22, 1984: Board of Elections discovers John Erickson voted for Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley three times, despite the fact Daley died in 1976

December 22, 1985: To honor a Star Trek enthusiast’s 23rd birthday, NASA moves STS 51-L (space shuttle) to Launch Pad 39B

December 22, 1988: To celebrate his 26th birthday, John Erickson orders 2 robbers wearing police uniforms to rob armored truck in NJ of $3 million

December 22, 1989: Romanians celebrate John Erickson’s 27th birthday by ousting Nicolea Ceausescu

December 22, 1989: To honor John Erickson’s 27th birthday, Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany.

December 22, 1990: Poles celebrate John Erickson’s 28th birthday by swearing-in their first popularly elected president, Lech Walesa

December 22, 1997: To help John Erickson, FDA approves Merck’s baldness pill for men

December 22, 1998: Courts order Microsoft to stop blocking Blue Mountain Arts so John Erickson can receive birthday cards

December 22, 2005: To honor John Erickson’s 41st birthday, astronomers hail his proctologist by announcing the discovery of two more rings encircling the planet Uranus

December 22, 2007:  Medically induced financial exile forces John and his long-suffering wife to move to eastern Ohio – Local Amish organize strong protest

December 22, 2010: For nothing to do with John Erickson besides his 48th birthday, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in America’s military – thus repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy

December 22, 2012: John Erickson – blogger; Trekkie; enthusiast of WW II, anything military, certain cars, and general nonsense; Clutch Cargo fan, and friend of many bloggers – turns 50

Other Sharing John Erickson’s Birthday
Diocletian, Roman Emperor (244)
Roger II, King of Sicily (1095)
James Oglethorpe (1696) English founder of Georgia (US)
Giacomo Puccini, composer (1858)
Minor Watson, Guadalcanal Diary actor, (1889)
Grote Reber, first radio astronomer (1911)
Lady Bird Johnson, American First Lady (1912)
Barbara Billingsley, actor (1915)
Gene Rayburn, game show host (1917)
Diane Sawyer, broadcast journalist (1945)
Brothers Gibb, Robin and Maurice, Bee Gees (1949)
Coco, first gorilla bred in captivity (1956)
Yuri Malenchenko, Russian astronaut (1961)
Dina Meyer, Starship Troppers actor (1968)
Greg Biffle, NASCAR driver, (1969)

Many people have a soft spot for animals. As strays come to doors, some shoo them away, others offer temporary help, and some even take them in. In late 2010/early, someone saw my comment about being in Ohio – and shortly thereafter I received a visit. The best I can determine, John Erickson first commented here on January 3, 2011 – and he’s been not only hanging around here ever since, but he has also worked his way into many of your lives.

John always provides an interesting quip, and at times, I admit writing commentator-award1something to set up his comment. Most of us got to know John through his visits because he didn’t host a blog as he does now. To John, I present the Commentator Award.

I’ve never met (in person) any bloggers, but this past October I drove 3.5 hours to meet John – and I had a wonderful day with hopes that I return in the spring. Happy birthday John … and a video for you below.

Visit these other birthday tributes: Fasab, Elyse, Guapo, Weebs, Doggy, Jamie, Brainrants, Benzeknees, Archon, The Idiot Speaketh, WhiteLadyInTheHood

44 thoughts on “On 22 December: A Tribute”

  2. December 22 is such an important day in history. Generations from now will note that the most important historical fact occurred on December 22, 1962 — the birth of John Erickson.

    Live long and prosper, Sir John!

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  3. Pingback: Bloggin’ Buddy Birthday | FiftyFourandAHalf

  4. Happy Birthday John Erickson!

    Frank, this is an amazing tribute, very well done! I may have to check this John Erickson person out. Great job on this Frank, really, I’m still laughing. 😀

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  7. Pingback: A Special Tribute Edition Of The Daily Blog « fasab

  11. Dec 22 is a bittersweet day for me, It was 11 years ago about this time My Dad passed away at home.

    Just a quick comment on the Star Trek Video. It is a terrific tribute Video, Whoever did it did a wonderful job on it.

    Happy Birthday John.

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    • Larry, I want to single you out especially for your birthday wish. I’m fortunate that none of my friends’ birthdays share the day with my mother’s death, and can only begin to guess how it feels. Thank you, for taking the time and thought away from YOUR suffering and sadness, to wish me happiness on my birthday. I hope the rest of your day is filled with nothing but happy memories of your father. He must have been a very special man, because he raised a great son. Thanks!

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  13. That scene from Wrath of Khan gets me every time. This was a wonderful bio of John, Frank. I had no idea he had that kind of global influence, but I guess I should have known. And if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know John—it was right here, at A Frank Angle, that I learned of his glorious existence!

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  14. Thanks SO much for all this, Frank. I really am beyond words – the outpouring of love and friendship I’ve received today has truly made this a very special birthday. And thanks for the video – that was VERY well done – as well as that timeline. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I didn’t know about sharing a birthday with the Brothers Gibb – particularly since I’m a notoriously HUGE fan of disco! 😀
    Again, thank you SO much – for this tribute, for your friendship, for everything. It’s an honour to call you friend! 🙂

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    • John,
      Hey … I know I’m reading this a day late, but hey – don’t get mushy! After all, I seem to be blamed for your presence in many places!

      Sorry I missed interacting at yesterday’s party. Honestly, I was on the road & visiting family. But, this evening, I have visited, read, and commented on the tributes .. which were a hoot! Glad you enjoyed your day.

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    • Rants,
      I welcome a legend to my little corner of the world. … and on a worthwhile tribute. Glad you enjoyed the timeline … his links to Lenny Bruce and Coco may be my favorites. Thanks for the blogroll too .. .and I will reciprocate.

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  21. My personal rule is to reply to all comments, but on this post I’m not doing so because this post is for John … and I appreciate the fact that many stopped by to greet him … especially because I know how much he appreciates your comments to him on his day! Thanks everyone!

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  24. What an historian you are, Frank… I am duly impressed… and your claim to fame appears to have had a happy b’day all over the blogosphere… you have certainly intrigued another curious one to check him out… and what role did this John-boy play in Star Trek?

    awesomest video too!!!

    🙂

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    • Buddhakat – I’ll be presumptuous, and answer for Frank. On screen? Sadly, none – my fandom came about in the dark times between the Original Series and the first movie, with only the horrendously animated but beautifully written Animated Series to slake our Trekkie thirst. Behind the scenes? I tried with a friend to launch a 15th anniversary con – which fell apart after we had over a dozen actors booked, when our financial backer got his own backside canned. Afterwards, much support given to the actors through various convention attendances which blossomed into friendship with a few of the actors, and close friendship with one. I also helped run a number of cons which kept guests from both Original Series and Next Gen gainfully employed. I even learned to love Robin Curtis, a hideous replacement as Saavik in ST3:TSFS for the lovely Kirstie Alley, but a delightful person in person. (“Holy Repetitive Redundancies, Batman!”) And a TON of money gleefully spent (“blown” in most people’s terms) on marketed memorabilia that DID give a percentage (sadly, often small) to the actors.
      Nowhere near as many adventures as I had supporting Blakes 7. But that’s a whole nother story! 😀

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  25. Sorry I’m so late getting here, but I’m so far behind in my reading – don’t have a good reason, just sad I think. Newtown really took the wind out of my sails. Anyway, thanks for stopping by my blog to comment. I really enjoyed your tribute to John. And if you’re the reason he started coming here, may I say thank you to you very much!

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    • Knees,
      It’s never too late to visit a tribute to John. He has mentioned it to me on several occasions that his blogger friends can be put into three categories:those through me, those through someone else, and everybody else. I don’t know how he got to you but I have a feeling it was me to Guapo to you. Well … that’s one possible route.

      Glad you enjoyed this post and time bring you heeling concerning the horrific act in Newtown.

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