December 10: Mississippi

On this date in 1817 Mississippi was admitted to the Union as the 20th state. 10 things you didn't know about Mississippi.

1. The state is named after the Mississippi river, which itself is named for the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian word misi-ziibi meaning “great river or gathering of waters”. Its nickname is the Magnolia State because magnolia grows in abundance there. Magnolia is both the state tree and the state flower.
2. The three largest cities are Jackson, Gulfport and Biloxi. Jackson is the capital.
3. Jackson is one of only four cities of the world sanctioned by The International Theater-Dance Committee to host the International Ballet Competition. The other three are Moscow, Varna in Bulgaria and Helsinki.
4. Sharkey County in Mississippi could be said to be the birthplace of the Teddy bear, for it was here where President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured Bear.
5. Other things to originate in the state include bottled Coca Cola, waterskiing, blues music and the selling of Shoes in pairs in boxes. In 1884, Phil Gilbert’s Shoe Parlor, in Vicksburg became the first shoe shop to come up with this radical idea.
6. Famous people from Mississippi include Jim Henson (muppeteer), James Earl Jones, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, John Grisham, Charlaine Harris, Tennessee Williams, Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Britney Spears, Conway Twitty, Muddy Waters, Tammy Wynette and Elvis Presley. The comic book character Rogue of the X-Men comes from the fictional Mississppi county of Caldecott. Mississippi has another fictional county, Ford County, which is the setting for many of John Grisham's novels.
7. Mississippi has a lot of towns with honorary “Captial of the World” titles. Greenwood is the Cotton Capital of the World, Vardaman is the Sweet Potato Capital, and Belzoni is the Catfish Capital of the World. The state is also home to some of the world's largest things - the world's largest Shrimp is on display at the Old Spanish Fort Museum in Pascagoula; the world's largest cactus plantation is in Edwards; the largest Bible-binding plant in America is Norris Bookbinding Company in Greenwood; the world's largest Pecan nursery is in Lumberton. You'll also find the oldest book in the world, a Bible, at the University of Mississippi.
8. There's a story which says that during the second world war, the town of Pascagoula was plagued by a Phantom Barber. He or she would sneak into people's houses by night and steal their hair. Blondes were particularly at risk. The mystery has never been solved.
9. Freed slaves from Mississippi were the first citizens of the African nation of Liberia. In 1834, Captain Isaac Ross freed slaves from his Lorman plantation and arranged for them to go home to Africa. When they got there, they founded Liberia.
10. Having a shave in the middle of Main Street in Tylertown is illegal – so if you don't get run over you could get arrested. If you decide to drive around Oxford town square several times, keep count, for driving around it more than 100 times in one session is against the law. It's also illegal to carry a fish down the street, or teach someone else what polygamy is.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

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