Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

"Santa sighted  in space" - WS 2017  And today, just for something different in this line up of Christmas FIRSTS - The first song ever broadcast from outer space! On 16 December, 1965,  that much loved Christmas carol ‘Jingle Bells” was the first song broadcast  in a “space” Christmas prank, performed by Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra, Gemini 6 astronauts as they were preparing to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere.  …they sent this report to   Mission Control : Gemini VII, this is Gemini VI. We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, up in a polar orbit. He's in a very low trajectory travelling from north to south and has a very high climbing ratio. It looks like it might even be a ... Very low. Looks like he might be going to reenter soon. Stand by one ... You might just let me try to pick up that thing. The astronauts then produced a smuggled harmonica and sleigh bells and broadcast a rendition of "Jingle Bells....

How do fruitcakes travel?  Stories of fruitcake on the Crusades, battles and pilgrimages as well as a more recent report of a fruitcake being taken up to Mt Everest are not surprising. My own travel story involves Papua New Guinea and my friend, Phil who makes fruitcakes and vacuum seals them to be opened later as a special treat when travelling and working as volunteers on special projects in the PNG highlands.  Not only did the cakes travel well, they were delicious and so welcome as a treat with  a cuppa, - always timed perfectly when homesickness  and fatigue set in after being away from home for  too long. Earlier in this countdown, I discovered that on some airlines fruticake is a banned substance becuase its density confuses scanners.. Phil's fruitcake has never had a problem travelling by plane! from http://mentalfloss.com/article/60595/15-fun-facts-about-fruitcake  So much for going to exotic places! T his fruitcake  I think has t...