Welcome to the F Bomb, a Flophouse for Friends of J Town, and Friends of Friends of J Town, and Friends of theirs, too! We actually don't swear that much (not since the time that guy suggested that ladies shouldn't swear), so never Fear if you are aFraid of that type of expression.
Before we get to your history lesson, remember that if you hover your mouse over any pictures you may be rewarded with hidden messages.
On This Day
In 1889, the pioneering female investigative journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in fewer than 80 days. She succeed admirably, finishing in seventy-two days.
In 1910, pilot Eugene Ely performed the first take off from a ship, taking off from a makeshift deck on the USS Birmingham flying a Curtiss pusher.
In 1969, NASA launched Apollo 12, the second manned mission to the Moon.
In 1973, a royal wedding hogged the headlines again as Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in Westminster Abbey.
In 1991, American and British authorities announced they were indicting two Libyan intelligence officers suspected in the downing of the Pan Am Flight 103.
Born on This Day
1719 – Leopold Mozart, Austrian composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's father (d. 1787)
1740 – Johann van Beethoven, Ludwig van Beethoven's father and first teacher (d. 1792)
1840 – Claude Monet, French painter (d. 1926)
1878 – Julie Manet, French painter, daughter of Berthe Morisot and niece of Edouard Manet (her father was his brother, Eugene). Though mentioned as an artist herself, images of her own work are hard to find, but images of her by the artists of her day are very common, like this one by Renoir. (d. 1966)
1889 – Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India (d. 1964)
1895 – Louise Huff, American actress (d. 1973)
1896 – Mamie Eisenhower, First Lady of the United States (d. 1979)
1900 – Aaron Copland, American composer (d. 1990)
1904 – Dick Powell, American actor (d. 1963)
1906 – Louise Brooks, American dancer, actress, and movie historian (d. 1985)
1908 – Joseph McCarthy, American witchfinder general politician (d. 1957)
1912 – Barbara Hutton, American socialite (d. 1979)
1919 – Veronica Lake, American actress (d. 1973)
1936 – Freddie Garrity, English singer (Freddie and the Dreamers) (d. 2006) (Do the Freddie!)
1936 – Cornell Gunter, American singer (The Coasters) (d. 1990)
1947 – P. J. O'Rourke, American writer
1947 – Buckwheat Zydeco, American zydeco musician
1948 – Charles, Prince of Wales
1954 – Condoleezza Rice, American educator, diplomat and 66th United States Secretary of State
1954 – Anson Funderburgh, blues guitar player and band leader
1959 – Paul McGann, British actor
1970 – Brendan Benson, American musician (The Raconteurs)
Died on This Day
1687 – Nell Gwynne, English mistress of Charles II of England (b. 1650)
1691 – Tosa Mitsuoki, Japanese painter (b. 1617)
1734 – Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, French-born mistress of Charles II of England (b. 1649)
1915 – Booker T. Washington, American educator and activist (b. 1856)
1974 – Johnny Mack Brown, American actor (b. 1904)
1995 – Jack Finney, American author (b. 1911)
2002 – Eddie Bracken, American film actor (b. 1915)
2003 – Gene Anthony Ray, American actor (b. 1962)
Today is
Educational Support Personnel Day
National Guacamole Day
National Pickle Day
Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day
Operating Room Nurse Day