November 11th "2023" daily prep

Welcome to day 315 of the year! Known as Origami Day and Remembrance Day (UK) plus Veterans Day (USA). If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of February 18th 2023. Your star sign is “Scorpio” and your birthstone is Topaz.
1918 – At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ended. In 1919, Britain introduced a two minute silence at 11:00 a.m. to remember those who died in World War I.
Todays birthdays
1956 – Ian Craig Marsh (67), English musician, composer and founding member of the electronic band the Human League (“Don’t You Want Me”), born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
1960 – Stanley Tucci (63), American actor (The Hunger Games, The Devil Wears Prada) and filmmaker, born in Peekskill, New York, United States.
1962 – Demi Moore (61), American actress (Ghost, A Few Good Men, Striptease), born in Roswell, New Mexico, United States.
1970 – Lee Parkin Starkey (53), British fashion designer, and daughter of Ringo Starr and his first wife Maureen, born in London.
1974 – Leonardo DiCaprio (49), American actor (Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant), born in Los Angeles, California, United States.
The day today
1919 – Britain introduced a two minute silence at 11:00 a.m. to remember those who died in World War I.
1946 – Stevenage was officially designed as Britain’s first New Town, one of ten which were planned to relieve London’s post-war housing problems.
1987 – Irises, a painting by Vincent Van Gogh was sold for £27m at Sotheby’s, a world record at that time for a work of art.
1997 – Britain’s Labour Party admitted to accepting a £1m donation from Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, but claimed it would be repaid and that it had nothing to do with the Government’s decision to exempt motor racing from the ban on tobacco-related sports sponsorship.
2013 – Sean Conway, 32, made history by completing a marathon swim from Land’s End to John O’Groats. He left Cornwall on 30th June, swimming along the west coast to the most northerly point of the UK mainland. He swam around 10 miles a day, slept on a yacht or in accommodation onshore and raised thousands of pounds for the War Child charity in the process.
Today in music
1971 – BBC TV’s Top Of The Pops celebrated its 400th show. The UK chart show was presented by Tony Blackburn with guests; Tom Jones, Dana, John Kongos, Cher, Slade, Cilla Black, The Piglets, Clodagh Rodgers and The Newbeats.
1972 – Gilbert O’Sullivan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Clair’, the singers first of two UK No.1’s. The Irish singer songwriter would dress as a 1920s worker in flat cap, braces and baggy trousers.
1989 – Chris Rea started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘The Road To Hell.’ The iconic album cover features art by the English artist, Adrian Chesterman who was also responsible for creating cover art for, amongst others, Motörhead for their 1979 ‘Bomber’ album…. and Lisa Stansfield was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘All Around The World’. The British singers debut solo single was a No.1 hit in 11 other countries and a No.3 hit in the US.
1999 – Britney Spears won four MTV Awards; Best Female Singer, Best Pop Act, Best Song, ‘…Baby One More Time’, Best Breakthrough Artist. Best Rock Act went to The Offspring, Best Male Act, Will Smith and Bono won the Free Your Mind award.
2004 – Robbie Williams, The Rolling Stones and Queen were inducted into the UK’s first music Hall of Fame at a ceremony in London. One act had been chosen by TV viewers of a Channel 4 program to represent each decade since the 1950s. Williams represented the 1990s, Michael Jackson the 1980s, Queen the 1970s, the Rolling Stones the 1960s, and Cliff Richard the 1950s.
Today in history
1493 – Christopher Columbus discovered Sint Maarten in the West Indies. The island is called St. Martin, with the southern portion of it still called Sint Maarten.
1620 – The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard ship in what is now Provincetown Harbour near Cape Cod. It was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony and was written by those who had fled to America in the ship the Mayflower to escape religious persecution from King James VI of Scotland (James I of England). Note:- The Pilgrim Fathers were thwarted in their first attempt to sail to America when they left from Havenside, near Boston, Lincolnshire in September 1607.
1724 – The highwayman Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin, was hanged in London. He had attracted attention for attacking the nation’s leading policeman and ‘Thief Taker’ Jonathan Wild with a pocket knife. The policeman was also a successful gang leader and became the most infamous criminal in Britain during the 18th century. The attack by Blake left Wild incapacitated for weeks, and his grip over his criminal empire started to slip during his recuperation. Like Blake, he too was later hanged for his crimes.
1887 – Work started on building the Manchester Ship Canal at Eastham, Merseyside. The Manchester end of the canal ended at an area now known as Salford Quays, a residential area with shopping precincts and home to the Lowry Theatre, the Imperial War Museum North and the TV studios – Media City UK.
1918 – After nearly four and a half years of cataclysmic conflict, World War I ended. The bloodshed finally halted after an armistice was signed between Germany and the Allies. Over sixty-eight million people lost their lives in just under half a decade, civilians and soldiers alike.
Fact of the day
During World War II, the Oscar awards were made of painted plaster. The prestigious Oscar awards were made of painted plaster for three years following the metal scarcity of WWII. After the war, the Academy offered to replace the plaster figures for gold-plated metal ones.
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