I was lucky and got to see the Concorde's flight out of Toronto a few weeks ago. We had a great view of it from my 7th floor office building.

On Oct. 25, 1971, the U.N. General Assembly voted to admit mainland China and expel Taiwan.

Also ... John Steinbeck was awarded Nobel Prize in literature this day in 1962
... and (same year) "Cuban missile chrisis" began

__________________
To know that you do not know is the best.
To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.
Lao-tzu


I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
Sir Winston Churchill

There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.
Friedrich Nietzsche

In 1957, Britain's first 'nuclear civil defence' manual was published; quite 'chirpily', it recommended wearing hats & gloves in the event of an attack


In 1990 Evander Holyfield knocked out Buster Douglas in the third round of their fight i Las Vegas, to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world


The United Nations General Assembly voted today in 1971 to expel Taiwan, in order to make way for the admission of the People's Republic of China


Golfer Payne Stewart and five others were killed in 1999, when their Learjet crashed after flying pilotless for four hours. The plane suddenly lost pressure, suffocating all aboard.

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

The "Gunfight at the OK Corral" took place today in 1881.


In 1989 Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson resigned in a rift with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, over her adviser Alan Waters. Lawson was replaced by (future Premier) John Major.


In 1595, Queen Elizabeth I approved the conversion of England's trained bands of Archers into musketeers!


A woman named Lori Rae Matthews was crushed to death in 1991, when a 485-pound sculpture of an umbrella fell on her in an open-air gallery in Des Moines, Iowa.

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

In 1941, the US began selling US savings bonds.

On Oct. 27, 1904, the first rapid transit subway opened in New York City.

Steve Peregrin Took of T-Rex died today in 1980, after choking on a cherry pip.


In 1936 American 'adventuress' Wallis Simpson obtained a divorce from her husband, leaving her free to marry King Edward VIII


Ramsay Street came to every town in Britain in 1987, as Australian soap opera Neighbours premiered on British television


In an episode rarely seen in British history books, the Duke of Buckingham landed 8,000 men on the French Isle de Re in 1627, and was easily defeated by Cardinal Richelieu

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

President Khrushchev orders Russian nukes out of Cuba today in 1962, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis ~ the closest the world has ever been to nuclear war!


In 1929 Mrs. T.W. Evans became the first woman to give birth aboard an aeroplane, during a flight in a transport plane over Florida


In 1961, record-shop owner Brian Epstein was asked for "The Silver Beatles" record My Bonnie. He went to check out the group, became their manager, and renamed them "The Beatles"


My new (bike) leathers are due to arrive today... but the postman hasn't been yet!!

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

On Oct. 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Cleveland.


Waiting for the postman, are you? That's cute

Yeh, it's just like being a kid again, waiting for my birthday or something...... THESE I've been waiting for since June!!

DM

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

1929: "Black Tuesday" in Wall Street. Stock prices crash, and the Depression kicks in for the next ten years.


In 1986, at 11:15a.m., Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher opened the final stretch of the M25 London orbital motorway. Its first traffic-jam developed by 5:15p.m. that day!!


W.A. Mozart forgot to write an overture to new opera Don Giovanni and had to 'run one up' (with wife Constanza plying him with punch!) in the hours before its first performance in 1787.

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

1618 Sir Walter Raleigh executed

1998 John Glenn returns to space

On Oct. 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round of a 15-round bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, to regain his world heavyweight title.

In 1938, Orson Welles' radio production "War Of The Worlds" caused panic in the U.S.; at least one listener died of fright!!


In 1975, General Franco's 36-year dictatorship of Spain effectively ended as it was announced that heir-designate Prince Juan Carlos would take over as provisional Head-of-State! (He's now KING Juan Carlos....... and still there!)


Her Majesty the Queen officially opened the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over the river Thames in 1991, linking Dartford in Kent with Thurrock in Essex


Concerned about people becoming obsessive channel-hoppers, American scientists unveiled, in 1996, a TV remote control that gives electric shocks if used too often! (Bet THAT went down a storm!!)

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated near her residence by two of her own security guards


The Thames flood barrier was raised for the first time in 1982. I was seldom used for the next few years (but it has been brought into action 25 times already THIS year!)


Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg Palace in 1517, marking the beginning of the Reformation in Germany!


The day she was assassinated, Indira Gandhi was on her way to meet Peter Ustinov to make a documentary of her life






Extra one today.....

My daughter celebrates her 10th birthday... TODAY!!!

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind