1932—Poet Sylvia Plath is born.

1881— Pablo Picasso is born.

 "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." And, "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."

Opening Day ~ George Washington Bridge ~ On this day 83 years ago, October 24, 1931 A look from the New Jersey side in Fort Lee

1929— The stock market crashed, thus beginning The Great Depression of the 20th century.

1879 – Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (it lasted 13½ hours before burning out).

1844 – The Great Anticipation: Millerites, followers of William Miller, anticipate the end of the world in conjunction with the Second Advent of Christ. The following day became known as the Great Disappointment.

1959 – In New York City, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opens to the public.

1940 – The first edition of the Ernest Hemingway novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is published.

1967 – The Soviet probe Venera 4 reaches Venus and becomes the first spacecraft to measure the atmosphere of another planet.

1954 – Texas Instruments announces the first Transistor radio.

1851 – Herman Melville's Moby-Dick is first published as The Whale by Richard Bentley of London.

 Steve wrote: 
I was at work, ready to listen to Game 3 of the Series. And now the World Series won't start until next Tuesday. Hmm.
 
By the way, I have 2 copies of the Chronicle and 2 of the Examiner from 25 years ago tomorrow, (heat-sealed in poly bags the next day at work). I was standing in the 7-11 when the delivery guy brought in a bundle of each, very deservedly beaming with pride, and I bought 2 of each, magnanimously leaving the rest for other customers. The next customer bought the entire stack.  

25 years ago today. I was at home in eastern Contra Costa county, standing in my garage and the quake nearly knocked me off my feet.

2012 – The extrasolar planet Alpha Centauri Bb is discovered.

1814 – London Beer Flood occurs in London, killing eight.

1997 – The Cassini probe launches from Cape Canaveral on its way to Saturn.

1956 – Fortran, the first modern computer language, is shared with the coding community for the first time.

The origins of totalitarianism (pdf, epub, mobi)

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
precedent meets irony

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
He drew the short straw.