In 1953, Nikita Khrushchev, the man who was publicly to acknowledge Stalin's crimes, was elected First Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party


On this day in 1960, a law came into force stipulating that all cars in Britain more than three years old had to pass a Ministry of Transport test of their roadworthiness (The start of the Dreaded MOT!!)


Cleopatra's Needle was erected on the Thames embankment in 1878, but the 69ft obelisk predates the qqueen (born i n 69BC) by several hundred years

__________________
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 1940, the Luftwaffe dropped six bombs on Buckingham Palace, one of which exploded just 80 yards from where King George VI was sitting at his desk


Work began in 122 A.D. on building a wall from the Tyne to the Solway, to defend one of the farthest outposts of the Roman Empire from the marauding Picts. It becake known as Hadrian's Wall.


The England soccer teams plans to retain the World Cup in Mexico were hampered in 1970 when skipper Bobby Moore was put under house-arrest, falsely accused of shoplifting a bracelet.

__________________
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 1812, Napoleon entered Moscow, which the Russians had abandoned. Later that day, a fire destroyed much of the city, and Napoleon retreated! Cincidence? I don't think so!!


Joesph Heath of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club took the first penalty kick in a Football League game, scoring the second goal of Wolves' 5-0 win over Accrington Stsanley in 1891.


In 1773 Dr. Samuel Johnson said "I have, all my life, lain in bed till noon; yet I tell all young men that nobody who does not rise early will ever do anything good". One up for hypocrisy, huh??

__________________
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

Back to four, this week (bit of a SNAFU last week!!)


In 1885, Phineas T. Barnum's prize elephant Jumbowas hit by a train in Ontario


In 1980, Prince Charles was awarded his international diving licence, after five dives on the wreck of the Mary Rose


H.M.S. Resolution, Britain's first nuclear-powered submarine, was launched by H.M. The Queen Mother at Barrow-in-Furness in 1966.


The Goons' second hit record, The Ying Tong Song, entered the UK charts today in 1956. It went on to reach number three i the hit-parade How many out there remember THAT one?!?!

__________________
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 fires in Moscow, set by the Russians two days earlier to deny Napoleon the riches of the city, finally die down. 80% of the city was levelled by the force of the fire.


King Harold marched his army from London to meet his brother in battle in Yorkshire in 1066, before returning to nearlydefeat William of Normandy at Hastings (on October 14th)

Think about that for a minute....... marching upwards of 700 miles, and TWO battles, in less than a month!!!


(Brit) comedian Steve Coogan first introduced us to his new creation, the ghastly broadcaster "Alan Partridge", in his TV show Knowing Me, Knowing You in 1994.


Businessman Clarence Birdseye first got the idea for his frozen-foods firm in 1920, while watching Eskimos catching and storing fish.

__________________
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 1862, 23,100 men became casualties in the Civil War battle of Antietam - the bloodiest single day i U.S. military history.


Today in 1948, members of a Zionist extremist group assassinated Count Folke Bernadotte, the United Nations mediator for Palestine


In 1900, Queen Victoria signed the document that united the six Australian colonies into the Federal Commonwealth of Australia. Happy 103rd Birthday, Oz!!! :bday:


In the battle of Antietam, Union General George McClellan was able to halt Confederate Robert E. Le's advance after a soldier found his plans wrapped around a cigar! Bet he wished he'd smoked it!!!

__________________
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

Jimi Hendrix was found dead in London this day in 1970 Another one who died FAR too young!


In 1798, Napper Tandy and General Rey landed a French?Irish army in Donegal, nd handed out proclamations and green cockades in the last armed invasion of Great Britain


French engineers began work on a special tunnel under a motorway near Toulon, so tortoises could cross the road in safety


The cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington was laid in 1793, in a distinctly "Masonic" ceremony presided over by George Washington

__________________
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

William Joyce, aka Lord Haw-Haw, is sentenced to death for treason in 1945. He had broadcast German propaganda to Britain during WW2


Also today, in 1945, seventeen-year-old screen star Shirley Temple wed actor John Agar. The marriage ended in divorce after just four years.


In 1975, BBC TV showed A Touch of Class, the first episode of John Cleese's "Fawlty Towers"series. It was cooly received. For our American friends..... Fawlty Towers is now widely acclaimed as a Comedy Classic!


In 1791, Hartley Coleridge planned a walking trip with (the poet) Wordsworth, but went into a shop, forgot about it, and left by the back door. He was gone for six weeks. Talk about MIA!!

__________________
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 1997, the Great Gastronomic Kitty festival of cat cookery in Chile, was cancelled after pressure from welfare groups.


Today in 1519, Portugese navigator Ferdinand Magellan began his attempt to sail a fleet of five ships around the world. He was killed en route, but one of his ships completed the journey.


Eight riders covered 476 miles from Paris to Nantes and back in 1896, in the worlds first motorcycle race


In 1985, a drought in southern France became so extreme that the shrine at Lourdes had to ration its Holy Water for fear of running out!

__________________
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

(so called) Pop group The Bangles broke up this day in 1989. See, I don't tell you ALL bad news in this thread!!


Today in 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbitwas published. The first print run sold out by Christmas, but the book didn't sell millions until the popularity of Lord Of The Ringsin the 1960's


Leeds University took on Reading (University) in 1962, as Bamber Gascoigne presented Granada TV's first University Challenge based on the American show College Bowl.



Monks from seven different countries, accompanied by an elephant, inaugurated Milton Keynes's new Peace Pagoda in 1980.

__________________
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 1982, San Francisco's cable cars ceased operations for 2 years for repairs to be done.

Bill Murray was born in Evanston Ill. Bill is a comedian that has done a number of movies like What About Bob and Stripes.

Thanks for those, dicksbro!!


Huan Huan, the only giant Panda ever to have given birth in Japan, died today in 1997


In 1828 the great Zulu chief Shaka, founder of the Zulu Kingdom, was murdered by his half-brother Dingane


The "ohm", "volt" and "ampere" were made official units at the Electrical Conference in Paris in 1888


Jack Dempsey floored heavyweight champion Gene Tunney during their fight in 1927, but retired to the wrong corner, giving Tunney time to recover and win the fight

__________________
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 1942, the first V2 rocket is successfully flown form Peenemunde in Germany.


At the Sydney olympics in 2000, Steve Redgrave over came diabetes and aching limbs to win a record-breaking fifth Olympic rowing GOld medal.


Quizmaster Michael Miles (any Brits remember HIM?) first invited contestants to "open the box" on ITV's Take Your Pick today in 1955


In 1667 a law was passed in Williamsburg, Virginia, barring slaves from obtaining freedom by converting to Christianity.

__________________
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 1997 Bangladesh launched a campaign to cull 3.5 million RATS!!! Prizes were to be given to those who produced the most rat-tails!


Today in 1967, the two "Queens" of the Cunard Line, the Queen Mary & the Queen Elizabeth, passed each other in the Atlantic for the last time.


The first horse-racing Classic, the two-mile St. Leger, named after Irish soldier Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony St. Leger, was run for the first time at Doncaster in 1776. No record of any American entries though!!


A loclal bobby rounded up, and took into custody, the crew of German Zeppelin LZ-76 in 1916, after it was forced down near Colchester, Essex.

__________________
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

Led Zeppelin's John Bonham asphyxiated on his own vomit in 1980, after downing 40 shots of Vodka


in 1267, English king Henry III recognised Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and his heirs as kings of Wales, and agreed the borders of their respective territories. The agreement lasted just nine years!


The first transfusion of human blood into a human patient was carried out at Guy's hospital in London in 1818. Previous attempts had used animal blood.


Floyd Paterson became the first boxer to lose the world heavyweight title in the first round, being knocked out by Sonny Liston in 1962

__________________
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