International Mountain Day and National Noodle Ring Day

International Mountain Day is yet another UN observance. It promotes "sustainable mountain development," which presumably means don't-build-on-hillsides-that-will-wash-away-in-the-rainy-season.

Not particularly exciting, is it? Unless, of course, you're standing on or at the bottom of a mountainside on which someone really should not have built. Then it can get exciting in a hurry.

But the alternatives for celebration today are limited. Usual Suspect Hallmark offers National Noodle Ring Day as a substitute.

No, we didn't know what a "noodle ring" was either -- but Hallmark explains that a noodle ring "is made by mixing eggs and noodles together with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and cheese and then, inexplicably, smashing the concoction into a ring mold to bake. In some variations, once the ring is released from the mold and properly plated, the center of the ring can then be filled with creamed chicken."

On this day 76 years ago, Britain's King Edward VIII abdicated his throne so that he'd be free to marry a divorcee from Baltimore. It sounds like such a sweet love story -- until one learns that Edward basically abandoned his military post in France during World War II and went into exile with his bride in Fascist Spain. Hitler had notions of kidnapping Eddie there and restoring him to the British throne when he crossed the Channel and conquered the nation.

Churchill had other ideas, both about Edward and Hitler crossing the Channel. He got Eddie and his duchess pulled out Spain and installed Eddie as Governor General of Bermuda, there being no more trivial job available, at least none which could be conducted under the careful and constant supervision of the United States.

And, speaking of the United States, you'll recall that we observed the 71st anniversary of Pearl Harbor on the 7th. The Japanese attack left Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a quandary. President Roosevelt had long known that the United States would have to become involved in World War II, but he agreed with Churchill that Hitler was the greater menace. But how could FDR sell the nation on a plan to eradicate Hitler first after Japan attacked America?

It was on this day 71 years ago that Hitler helped Roosevelt out of his dilemma: On December 11, 1941, Hitler declared war on America.