August 8th "2023" daily prep

Welcome to day 220 of the year! Known as International Cat Day and Happiness Happens Day. If you were born today, you were likely conceived the week of November 15th 2022 and have the star sign “Leo”.
1940 – The German Luftwaffe began a series of daylight air raids on Britain and so began The Battle of Britain which would continue into the following October.
Todays birthdays
1937 – Dustin Hoffman (86), American actor (The Graduate; Tootsie; Kramer vs Kramer; Ishtar), born in Los Angeles, California.
1953 – Nigel Mansell CBE (70), British retired racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series, born in Worcestershire, England.
1961 – Simon Weston CBE (62), Welsh veteran of the British Army who is known for his charity work and recovery from severe burn injuries suffered during the Falklands War, born in Caerphilly, Wales.
1966 – Chris Eubank (57), British former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1998, born in Dulwich, London.
1981 – Roger Federer (42), Swiss former professional tennis player, born in Basel, Switzerland.
The day today
1963 – The Great Train Robbery, in which over £2.5 million was stolen, took place near Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. The day of the train robbery also happened to be the 34th birthday of Ronnie Biggs, one of the robbers.
1988 – Rap group N.W.A. (Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube, with DJ Yella and MC Ren joining later that year) release their debut studio album “Straight Outta Compton”.
1991 – John McCarthy, Britain’s longest-held hostage in Lebanon, was freed after more than five years in captivity. He had been held hostage since April 17, 1986 – a total of 1,943 days.
2002 – The UK’s biggest undertakers Co-op funeral services, reported that bereaved families preferred pop songs to hymns at funerals. Unusual choices requested included ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ by Queen and ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ by Wham!
2017 – The Walt Disney Company announces plans to create its own streaming service, cancelling ties with Netflix.
Today in music
1963 – The Searchers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Sweets For My Sweet’, the group’s first of three UK No.1’s. The song was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and was originally recorded by The Drifters.
1992 – Snap! started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Rhythm Is A Dancer’ the dance group’s second and last No.1 was also a Top 5 US hit.
1995 – “Gangster’s Paradise” single released by Coolio (Billboard Song of the Year, 1995)
1998 – The Spice Girls had the UK No.1 single with ‘Viva Forever’, their 7th UK chart topper. Brandy and Monica were at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
2010 – John Lennon’s killer, Mark David Chapman, had his parole hearing delayed until early September so that officials could gather additional information. The 55-year-old Chapman became eligible for parole in 2000 after serving 20 years, but had been denied his freedom five times.
Historical events
1503 – King James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1647 – The Irish Confederate Wars and Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Dungans Hill – English Parliamentary forces defeat Irish forces.
1786 – Mont Blanc on the French-Italian border is climbed for the first time by Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard.
1918 – World War I: The Battle of Amiens begins a string of almost continuous Allied victories with a push through the German front lines (Hundred Days Offensive).
1929 – German airship Graf Zeppelin begins a round-the-world flight. Then on May 6th, 1937 the Hindenburg disaster occurred when the Zeppelin burst into flames as it approaches its mooring mast. Thirty-six people died.
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