August 5 - Lunch

Lunch

Overheard

[E has a mouthful of cracker & cheese]
E: More please!
D: You already have a mouthful!
E: ...but not in my hands!

This Day In History

1583

Sir Humphrey Gilbert establishes the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland.

1620

The Mayflower departs from Southampton, England on its first attempt to reach North America.

1858

Cyrus West Field and others complete the first transatlantic telegraph cable after several unsuccessful attempts. It will operate for less than a month.

1884

The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor.

1914

In Cleveland, Ohio, the first electric traffic light is installed.

1925

Plaid Cymru is formed with the aim of disseminating knowledge of the Welsh language that is at the time in danger of dying out.

1969

Mariner 7 makes its closest fly-by of Mars (2,022 miles).

1981

Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.

Famous Birthdays

1397

Guillaume Dufay, Franco-Flemish composer and theorist (d. 1474)

1623

Antonio Cesti, Italian composer, tenor, and organist (d. 1669)

1802

Niels Henrik Abel, Norwegian mathematician (d. 1829)

1843

James Scott Skinner, Scottish composer (d. 1927)

1850

Guy de Maupassant, French writer (d. 1893)

1862

Joseph Merrick, English sideshow performer (d. 1890)

1889

Conrad Aiken, American writer (d. 1973)

1906

John Huston, American director, screenwriter, and actor (d. 1987)

1930

Neil Armstrong, American astronaut

1956

Maureen McCormick, American actress

1961

Tawny Kitaen, American actress

1968

Terri Clark, Canadian country singer
1974
Kajol, Indian actress