1960 - King Saud of Saudi-Arabia takes power

1963 - Founding of National Centre for the Performing Arts in Ottawa

1966 - Royal Canadian Mint announces that dimes, quarters and 50-cent pieces will be struck from nickel instead of the more costly silver

1968 - Borman, Lovell & Anders become first men to orbit Moon

1969 - Elton John & Bernie Taupin begin writing songs together

1971 - Parliament passes Capital Gains Tax, effective Jan. 1, 1972, 'Valuation Day'

1972 - Andrej N Tupolev, Russian aircraft builder, dies at 84

1973 - "The Young and the Restless" premieres on TV

1977 - Cat Stevens converts to Islam, changing his name to Yusef Islam

1978 �?New York Islanders score 7 goals in 1 period against the Rangers; Bryan Trottier scores 8 points vs Rangers, NHL record 5 goals and 6 points in 1 period

1983 - Jeanne Sauve was named Canada's first female Governor General

1986 - After nine days and four minutes in the sky, the experimental aircraft Voyager lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California, completing the first nonstop flight around the globe on one load of fuel; made mostly of plastic and stiffened paper and carried more than three times its weight in fuel

1997 - Chicago Bull coach Phil Jackson is quickest to reach 500 wins (682 games)

1997 - Colorado Avalanche Jari Kurri is 8th NHL player to score 600 career goals

 

Birthdays

1491 - Jacques Cartier - navigator; born on about this day at St-Malo, France
1790 - Jean Francois Champollion - French Egyptologist: decoded the hieroglyphics of the Rosetta Stone
1805 - Joseph Smith Jr, Sharon Vermont - founder of Mormon Church
1845 - Emmanuel-Persillier Lachapelle - doctor: founder of Notre Dame Hospital Montréal
1866 - Joseph E. Atkinson, Newcastle Ont - publisher: became majority owner of the Toronto Evening Star
1893 - Arthur Roy Brown, Carleton Place, Ontario - fighter pilot; involved in the April 21, 1918, shooting down of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron
1901 - Gene Sarazen - PGA golfer
1908 - Yousuf Karsh, Mardin, Armenia - portrait photographer; opened his Chateau Laurier studio in Ottawa in 1932
1911 - James Gregory, Bronx NY - actor: My Favorite Martian, Barney Miller
1918 - Helmut Schmidt - Chancellor of Germany (1974-82)
1921 - Guy Beaulne, Ottawa Ontario - director: created La Famille Plouffe on radio
1923 - Bob Barker, Darrington Washington - TV host: Price is Right
1925 - Harry Guardino, NY City - actor: Monty Nash, Perry Mason, Hill St Blues
1929 - Patrick Watson, Toronto Ontario - TV producer and host, filmmaker; 1975-81 host of 'The Watson Report' and the 10-part international co production 'The Struggle for Democracy'
1933 - Emperor Akihito, Tokyo, Japan �?Japanese Emperor who broke with tradition by marrying Michiko Shoda, the first non-aristocrat to join the Royal family
1935 - Paul Vernon Hornung, Louisville, Kentucky - NFL player: Green Bay Packers; led the NFL in scoring for three consecutive seasons from 1959 to 1961
1935 - Esther Phillips [EM Jones] US - singer: Release Me
1936 - James Stacy, Los Angeles California - actor: Fred - Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet
1941 - Elizabeth Hartman, Youngstown Ohio - actress: Walking Tall, Beguiled
1941 - Tim Hardin, Oregon - singer: If I Were a Carpenter, Bird on a Wire
1943 - Harry Shearer, Los Angeles California - comedian/actor: Saturday Night Live, Simpsons, Pure Luck
1948 - Susan Lucci, Scarsdale NY - actress: All My Children, Mafia Princess
1964 - Petr Klima, Chaomutov Czechoslovakia - NHL right wing: Tampa Bay Lightning
1971 - Corey Haim, Toronto Ontario - actor: Silver Bullet, Lucas, License to Drive

 

 

 

Worst Day of My Life

 

This little guy is sitting at the bar just staring at his drink. He's been sitting there for half an hour when this big trouble-making truck driver steps up next to him, grabs his drink and gulps it down in one swig.

 

The poor little guy starts crying.

 

"Come on man, I was just giving you a hard time," says the truck driver. "I'll buy you another drink. I just can't stand to see a man crying."

 

"I can’t help it, this is the worst day of my life," says the little guy between sobs.

 

"I can't do anything right. I overslept and was late to an important meeting, so my boss fired me.  When I went to the parking lot, I found my car was stolen and I have no insurance. I grabbed a cab home but, after the cab left, I discovered my wallet was left in the cab. At home I found my wife in bed with the gardener. So I came to this bar and was thinking about putting an end to my life, and now you show up and drink the damn poison."