The accepted date for the end of World War II is Aug. 14, 1945. However, Japan did not formally surrender until Sept. 2, 1945.

Ever seen a “swile”? That’s old whaler slang for seals. A “woggin” is a penguin.

In the 1948 Western film Four Faces West (They Passed This Way), not one gunshot was fired. The film, which starred Joel McCrea, bombed at the box office.

The pilgrims on the Mayflower dropped anchor in Plymouth Harbor on Dec. 16, 1620. On Dec. 21, the first landing party went ashore at the site of what would later become the settlement of Plymouth.

Winnie the Pooh has streets named after him in Warsaw (Ulica Kubusia Puchatka) and Budapest (Micimackó utca).

This article appears in December 9 • 2016.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US