October 26 is the 300th day of the year. There are 66 days remaining until the end of the year.
1492 Lead pencils 1st used on machine-scored standardized tests
1774 On a par with sufferers of erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculaters call themselves “Minutemen” and now quickly cum to the aid of their country.
1825 The Erie Canal (which is just a really big ditch) opens - passage from Albany, New York to Lake Erie.
1861 Pony Express ends and the now unemployed wiry boys pair off
1863 Football Association forms, standardizes rules of soccer; rugby starts as a separate game
1901 1st use of "getaway car" occurs after holding up a shop in Paris
1919 B. C. Hilliams musical "Buddies" premieres in New York City
1955 1st edition of "Village Voice" (New York City) is published
1967 Shah of Iran crowns himself after 26 years on Peacock Throne. . .and not a minute too soon
1970 "Doonesbury" comic strip debuts in 28 newspapers
1977 The last natural case of smallpox is discovered in Merca district, Somalia. The WHO and the CDC consider this date the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination.
1978 Out and proud gay lovers Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat are named winners of 1978 Nobel Peace Prize
1999 Britain's House of Lords votes to end the right of hereditary peers to vote in Britain's upper chamber of Parliament. Damned johnny-come-lately spoilsports.
2001 The United States passes the USA PATRIOT Act into law to root out terrorist- sympathizing librarians
May 21 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. If the ancient Mayans were correct, there are 214 days remaining until the end of time.
1553 English Lady Jane Grey marries Guildford Dudley which is unfortunately cut short.
1908 1st horror movie (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) premieres in Chicago
1924 Lovers Leopold and Loeb kidnap and murder Bobby Franks for fun, but they don't eat the tasty bits.
1936 Experiencing extreme penis envy, Sada Abe is arrested after wandering the streets of Tokyo for days with her dead lover's severed genitals in her hand. Her story soon becomes one of Japan's most notorious scandals.
1979 Dan White is convicted of manslaughter death of San Francisco mayor Geroge Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk. The Fabulous White Night riots ensue.
2004 Sherpa Pemba Dorjie climbs Mount Everest in 8 hours 10 minutes, breaking his rival Sherpa Lakpa Gelu's record from the previous year. He wins a goat.
2005 The tallest roller coaster in the world, Kingda Ka opens at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.
2007 The Cutty Sark, the last surviving clipper ship, is badly damaged by fire in London, England. Arson is suspected after traces of an oaken-aged accelerant are found.
1898 Armand Hammer, US CEO of Occidental Petroleum/spy/industrialist/art collector/philanthropist/has tasty grandson
1917 Raymond Burr, gay Canadian actor/Perry Mason/Ironside
1945 Richard Hatch, US actor/director/producer/Capt.Apollo
1951 Al Franken, US actor/comedian/US Senator (D-Minnesota)
