is signed. December 4 – The first Burger King opens in Miami, Florida. December 15 – The Netherlands Antilles is created out of the Dutch Caribbean nations. It is dissolved between 1986 and 2010. December 23 – J. Hartwell Harrison and Joseph Murray perform the world's first successful kidney transplantation, in Boston, Massachusetts. December 24 – Laos gains full independence from France. Date titles New Zealand engineer Sir William Hamilton develops the first pump-jet engine (the "Hamilton Jet") capable of propelling a jetboat. The first electric drip brew coffeemaker is patented in Germany and named the Wigomat after its inventor Gottlob Widmann. The Boy Scouts of America desegregates on the basis of race. Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) are brought to the United States by Dr. Victor Schwentker. The case of Lothar Malskat, who had admitted that he had painted the supposedly antique frescoes in Marienkirche himself, goes to trial. The TV dinner is introduced, by American entrepreneur Gerry Thomas. In South Vietnam, the Viet Minh is reorganised into the Viet Cong. After the death of Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union starts releasing political prisoners and deportees from its Gulag prison camps. Births January January 1 Thomas Aisu, Ugandan physician, educator (d. 2018) Djimrangar Dadnadji, 16th prime minister of Chad (d. 2019) January 2 – Henry Bonilla, American politician January 3 Ned Lamont, American politician Ross the Boss, American heavy metal/punk guitarist January 4 Tina Knowles, African-American fashion designer; mother of R&B singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott, English professional poker player January 5 – Alex English, American basketball player January 6 – Anthony Minghella, British film, theatre director (d. 2008) January 7 Jodi Long, American actress José María Vitier, Cuban music composer, pianist January 8 – Julieta Castellanos, Honduran sociologist January 11 – Kailash Satyarthi, Indian activist, Nobel Peace Prize laureate January 11 - Balachandra Menon, Indian Malayalam film director and actor January 12 – Howard Stern, American radio host January 13 – Trevor Rabin, South African–American musician January 14 – Masanobu Fuchi, Japanese professional wrestler January 15 – Jose Dalisay, Jr., Filipino writer January 16 – Morten P. Meldal, Danish chemist, Nobel Prize laureate January 19 Ted DiBiase, American professional wrestler Katey Sagal, American actress and singer Katharina Thalbach, German actress Yumi Matsutōya, Japanese singer-songwriter January 21 – Thomas de Maizière, German politician January 22 – Peter Pilz, Austrian politician January 23 Franco De Vita, Venezuelan singer,