Saturday, August 25, 2012

On this day

Today is the 238th day of the year. There are 121 shopping days until Christmas. It is the feast day of St. Genisius, patron of clowns and torture victims. On this day in history Pliny the Elder died in the eruption of Vesuvius. Genghis Khan died on his wedding bed. Galileo Galilei demonstrated his first telesduringcope. The Pirate Henry Morgan died. The New York Sun began what would become known as the Great Moon Hoax. The Polish-Soviet War ended, twelve days after it began, with a decisive Polish victory. General Dietrich von Choltitz defied Hitler's orders by surrendering Paris to the Allies without first burning it to the ground. Voyager 2 flew past Saturn. Ivan the Terrible was born on this day as were Johann Gottfried von Herder, Mad Ludwig of Bavaria, Walt Kelly, Sean Connery, Elvis Costello...

...and me.

Update: And Neil Armstrong just died.

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