February 28 - Happy Anniversary, Jenn & Devin!

Happy Anniversary, Aunt Jenn & Uncle Devin!

Overheard

The other morning:
E: [does something she knows she's not supposed to do]
M & D, in near-stereo: Elanor! You kn--
E: No! I don't know better!

This Day In History

1638

The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh.

1827

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is incorporated, becoming the first railroad in America offering commercial transportation of both people and freight.

1849

Regular steamboat service from the west to the east coast of the United States begins with the arrival of the SS California in San Francisco Bay, 4 months 22 days after leaving New York Harbor.

1885

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is incorporated in New York State as a subsidiary of American Bell Telephone.

1935

DuPont scientist Wallace Carothers invents nylon.

1953

James D. Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April's Nature (pub. April 2).

1998

First flight of RQ-4 Global Hawk, the first unmanned aerial vehicle certified to file its own flight plans and fly regularly in U.S. civilian airspace.

Famous Birthdays

1261

Margaret of Scotland, queen of Norway (d. 1283)

1533

Michel de Montaigne, French writer (d. 1592)

1552

Joost Bürgi, Swiss clockmaker (d. 1632)

1675

Guillaume Delisle, French cartographer (d. 1726)

1894

Ben Hecht, American playwright and screenwriter (d. 1964)

1901

Linus Pauling, American chemist and activist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)

1906

Bugsy Siegel, American gangster (d. 1947)

1939

Tommy Tune, American dancer, director, and choreographer

1946

Don Francisco, American singer, songwriter, and musician

1948

Patricia A. McKillip, American fantasy & science fiction author

1969

Robert Sean Leonard, American actor