TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009

Today is Tuesday, December 15, the 349th day of 2009. There are 16 days left in the year.

1488 _ Bartholomeus Diaz returns to Portugal after sailing round Cape of Good Hope

1582 _ Spanish Netherlands/Denmark/Norway adopt Gregorian calendar

1815 _ Rossini gets assignment for Il Barbiere di Siviglia

1877 _ Thomas Edison patents phonograph

1916 _ French defeat Germans in WWI Battle of Verdun

1939 _ First commercial manufacture of nylon yarn, Seaford, Del.

1949 _ Albert Camus' ``Les Justes" premieres in Paris

1964 _ First time four people in space

1970 _ South Korean ferry Namyong-Ho sinks in Strait of Korea, 308 killed

1995 _ Playboy goes back on sale after 36 year ban in Ireland