Welcome to day 189 of the year! Known as Math 2.0 Day as well as SCUD Day (Savour the Comic, Unplug the Drama Day). If you were born today you were likely conceived the week of October 15th 2022.
1996 – A patent was filed by two British scientists to use genetically engineered mosquitoes to immunize their victims against malaria by transferring a protein in their saliva.
Famous birthdays
1951 – Anjelica Huston (72), American actress (The Addams Family), born in Los Angeles, California.
1958 – Kevin Bacon (65), American actor (Diner, Footloose, She’s Having a Baby), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1961 – Andy Fletcher, Britich synthesizer and bass player (Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough”), born in Nottingham, England (d. 2022).
1971 – Neil Mavers (53), British drummer (The La’s, 1989–92, 1994–95), born in Liverpool, England.
1998 – Jaden Smith (25), American actor (The Karate Kid), born in Malibu, California.
The day today
1884 – The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) was founded in London.
1965 – Ronald Biggs, who was serving a 30-year prison sentence for his part in the Great Train Robbery, escaped from Wandsworth prison.
1967 – The death of Vivien Leigh, English film actress whose films included Gone With The Wind.
2000 – J. K. Rowling’s fourth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire went on sale, breaking all publishing records.
2016 – The opening of the Dickens Bar & Inn, in Scarborough, originally named Pickwick Inn after Dickens’ first novel, The Pickwick Papers.
Today in music
1967 – The Monkees began a 29-date tour with The Jimi Hendrix Experience as support act. Hendrix was dropped after six shows after being told his act was not suitable for their teenybopper audience.
1972 – Bill Withers started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Lean On Me’, his only No.1 hit, it made No.18 in the UK.
1995 – TLC started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Waterfalls’, the group’s second US No.1, and a No.4 hit in the UK. The music video for the song reflected its socially conscious lyrics.
2004 – Mark Purseglove known as the world’s ‘biggest bootlegger’ was sentenced to 3 years 6 months jail by Blackfriars Crown Court. Purseglove had built up a £15 million pirate CD empire by bootlegging live concerts of some of the world’s biggest stars including The Beatles, David Bowie and Pink Floyd.
2007 – Prince was forced off stage by police halfway through his set at the First Avenue nightclub during a late-night gig in his home town of Minneapolis. The club was only allowed to stay open until 3.am but Prince took to the stage at 2.45am.
Historical events
1776 – The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence occurred. Colonel John Nixon read the document. The Liberty Bell rang to signal the invitation for citizens to listen to the reading.
1836 – Charles Darwin reaches Saint Helena in HMS Beagle and takes up lodgings near the tomb of Napoleon.
1884 – Benjamin Waugh and others found The London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, in London; later expanded to become the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
1981 – The Solar Challenger became the first solar-powered airplane to cross the English Channel.
1982 – A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months.