Christmas glass ban

Glasgow looks to enforce glass ban on pubs open after midnight

The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) is considering taking legal action against a proposed glass ban in Glasgow pubs this Christmas – just months after a similar battle.

Pubs in the city have been told by the authorities they must use plastic or toughened glass if they want to stay open after midnight over the festive period.

The SBPA threatened to take legal action against Glasgow Licensing Board earlier this year over a proposed blanket glass ban from next year.

But the authorities back-tracked and the trade group dropped the case. The ban will now apply from January to clubs, venues with entertainment licences, bars with a history of “glassing” incidents and pubs open after midnight.

“It seems that Glasgow Licensing Board is treating the industry with disdain with what it’s doing,” said Patrick Browne, chief executive of the SBPA.

“Christmas is the busiest time of the year for the trade and the eyes of the world are on the city during Hogmany. This will create completely the wrong impression.”

Mr Browne said the SBPA was talking with its lawyers to decide if it would take any action.

Less than 600 pubs have 24-hour licences

The government has released a survey showing the Licensing Act has not prompted an explosion in round-the-clock drinking

Less than 600 pubs across the country have 24-hour licences, says a new survey from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

On the eve of the year of the Licensing Act the government has confirmed there has not been an explosion in round-the-clock drinking, with the majority of venues using them only for special occasions. Evidence also suggests there have been only modest changes to closing times from Sunday to Thursday.

Licensing minister Shaun Woodward added: "There also appears to be a genuine spread of closing times - bringing an end to the old madness of everyone being thrown out onto the street at the same time, contributing to crime and disorder."

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker claimed the Act a success arguing that the Violent Crime Reduction Actl will allow local authorities to further tackle drink-related disorder. "The Licensing Act 2003 provides a robust framework for regulating individual licensed premises,” he said.

Commander Chris Allison, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) lead on licensing, added: "ACPO fully supported the majority of the provisions of the new Licensing Act and there is evidence that a number of the new powers and procedures that we have, such as the ability to review licences, are being used to good effect in many places across the country.”

The new survey suggested:

* There are more than 200,000 premises licences and certificates in place

* Around 3,000 of these are 24 hour licences - less than two per cent of the total

* There is no evidence of a move to a new standard closing time - approximately one fifth of pubs, bars and clubs close by 11pm at the latest, roughly a half by midnight and around four fifths by 1am at the latest

* There have been around 600 completed licensing reviews, and approximately 100 licences have been revoked as a result.

*Broken down by premise type, the split of 24 hour licences in force is approximately:

- 20 per cent pubs, bars and clubs

- 25 per cent large supermarkets

- 20 per cent convenience stores

- 35 per cent others, including hotels.

Quiztime Quiz 261106

1. Which modern day country was known in ancient times as Mesopotamia?
Iraq
2. How many players are there to begin with at the start of the TV quiz show "The Weakest Link"?
Nine
3. Close to the coast of which Australian state would you find the Great Barrier Reef?
Queensland
4. Mossad is the name given to the secret service of which country?
Israel
5. How many players are there in a rugby union team?
Fifteen
6. In Australian slang what is a "wowser", is it: a drunkard or a teetotaller?
Teetotaller
7. One point each, which two chemical elements were first discovered by Polish scientist Marie Curie?
Radium & Polonium
8. The TV commercial for which popular confectionery product ended with the phrase "Wotalot-I-got"?
Smarties
9. Where might you wear a pampootie, is it: on your feet, on your head, on your hands or around your neck?
On your feet, it’s a type of slipper
10. Which of these cities is furthest west: Chester, Bath, Cardiff or Liverpool?
Chester
11. Who has had hit albums entitled "Songs In The Key of Life", "Music of My Mind" and "Talking Book"?
Stevie Wonder
12. When John Logie Baird invented the television in 1926, what was his profession at the time, was he: a doctor, an electrical engineer, a university lecturer or a pharmacist?
An electrical engineer
13. True or False - Kenneth Bradley, an Australian Test cricketer scored over 2000 runs in his international career in the 1950’s and early 1960’s despite having a wooden leg?
False
14. Which American outlaw was killed by gang member Robert Ford for a £10,000 reward?
Jesse James
15. Which popular TV puppet was sad because he couldn’t fly, right up to the sky?
Orville the Duck
16. Between which two planets in our solar system would you find the asteroid belt?
Mars & Jupiter
17. From the milk of which animal do we get Edam Cheese?
Cow
18. The word "honcho" meaning boss, is derived from which language?
Japanese
19. Which 1970’s Chuck Berry UK number one hit was banned by the BBC?
My Ding-a-ling
20. Quiztime Survey Question - Name something that is pulled?
Leg / A Pint / Caravan or Trailer / Cracker /Curtain

21. Bob Geldolf is awarded an honoury knighthood, Spain and Portugal join the EEC, Mike Tyson wins the WBC heavyweight title and "Lady in Red" by Chris De Burgh was a UK number one hit?
1986
22. Which day of the week is called Domingo in Spanish and Dimanche in French?
Sunday
23. Which car manufacturer has produced all of the following models: Crown, Paseo, Picnic and Previa?
Toyota
24. The name of which martial art means "Beautiful springtime" in its own language?
Kung Fu
25. For which famous French fashion house was Stella McCartney, daughter of ex-Beatle Paul, appointed head designer in 1997?
Chloe
26. "Dubris" was the former Roman name for which English town, was it: Darlington, Doncaster, Dover or Durham?
Dover
27. Which 1970’s sci-fi TV series centred on the activities of the anti-alien organisation SHADO?
UFO
28. Which song title has been a UK top 20 hit for many artistes including Love Affair in 1968, Robert Knight in 1974, Gloria Estefan in 1996 and the cast from " Casaulty" in 1998?
Everlasting Love
29. What name is given to the fruit that is a cross between a plum and a peach?
Nectarine
30. In the children’s comic "The Beano", the character Dennis the Menace has a famous pet dog called Gnasher but what kind of animal is his pet called Rasher?
Pig
31. How many English counties are there that begin with the letter "N"?
Five - Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire and North Yorkshire
32. Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, but what was his original profession, was it: a teacher, an architect, a marine engineer or a journalist?
A teacher - of deaf and dumb children
33. True or False - in 1995, Wilma Mankiller became the first female leader of New Zealand’s Maori people?
False
34. What country’s flag has a garden hoe and a Kalashnikov rifle inside a star, is it: Mozambique, Angola or Somalia?
Mozambique
35. Which group recorded all of the following albums: "Exile on Main Street", "Let It Bleed" and "Beggars Banquet"?
Rolling Stones
36. Which former Wimbledon tennis champion was born in Weisbaden, Germany in 1959?
John McEnroe
37. Officers of which US organization are known as G-men?
FBI
38. What type of creature is a marabou, is it: a bird, a lizard, a monkey or a deer?
Bird - South African
39. In the famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, what colour eyes does the Mona Lisa have?
Brown
40. Hooker, Bummerville and Clapper Gap are all towns in which state of the USA, is it: California, Texas or Arizona?
California

Tiebreaker - According to the Office of National Statistics, Jack was the most common name given to boys born last year with 7961 being given this name in England and Wales - how many registered newborn baby boys were called Mohammed last year?
2527

Quiztime Quiz 191106

1. Who is to become the new host of Countdown in the new year?
Des O'Connor
2. Colourful Tory MP Boris Johnson is the former Editor of which Publication?
The Spectator (He is now Shadow Education Minister!)
3. Outside TV, what type of transport business does Noel Edmonds run?
Helicopters
4. In 1984 more than one person won the BBC TV Sports Personality of the Year Trophy, name them?
Torville & Dean
5. Who is the oldest contestant to go into the jungle on the first night of the current series of ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’?
Jan Leaming (64 followed by Faith 62, David 53,)
6. What name was applied by the Christians to their Muslim enemies during the Middle Ages?
Saracens
7. Which member of the Royal Family is set to be the first Royal to travel in space after agreeing to become a passenger on Richard Branson’s first
flight of his commercial spaceship, Virgin Galactic?
Princess Beatrice
8. Who Was The Original Presenter Of "Family Fortunes"?
Bob Monkhouse
9. ‘Changing Rooms’ star, Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen is to design a section of which coastal-town’s, 6-mile attraction?
Blackpool Illuminations
10. In which country was the singer Avril Lavigne born?
Canada - Ontario province
11. How many English Premiership football club’s home grounds end in Park?
Six (Everton, Newcastle, Portsmouth, A. Villa, Blackburn, West Ham)
12. How long is a 'period' in an NBA basketball match?
Twelve minutes
13. True or false - Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, but only in tropical fish stores?
True
14. What is the more common name given to Silver Darlings, which live in British waters?
Herring
15. Which island is 262 miles from London, 300 miles from Norwich and 147 miles from Birmingham?
Anglesey
16. Which professional sport does the WPBSA preside over?
Snooker and Billiards
17. What term is used to describe the breeding ground of the penguin?
Rookery
18. Who was the first ever Bowler to take 300 Test Match Wickets?
Fred Trueman
19. Which music mogul owns the TV production company Syco?
Simon Cowell
20. Quiztime Survey Question - Name a place you wouldn’t expect to see a Nun?
Disco/Nightclub / Pub / Betting Shop / Topless Beach / Monastry

21. Which Year - Batman's faithful sidekick Robin was dynamited to death by the Joker in edition No.428 of DC Comics' / Koo Stark was awarded £300,000 libel damages following the publication of articles in the Sunday People which implied she had had an adulterous affair with Prince Andrew / Ringo Starr and wife Barbara Bach entered an alcohol rehabilitation clinic / In Las Vegas, 'Sugar' Ray Lewis knocked out Canadian Donny Londe, completing his collection of world titles at five different weights / Republican candidate George Bush won the US presidential elections comfortably and Anatoly Karpov lost his title of World Champion chess player to Gary Kasparov in Moscow?
1988
22. What connects Newcastle United, Swindon Town and Norwich City?
Birds - Magpies, Robins and Canaries
23. What type of fruit is a ‘Howgate Wonder’?
Apple
24. Formed in 1879, which is London’s oldest football club?
Fulham
25. What name given to very high-pitched sounds above 20,000 Khz?
Ultrasound
26. What instrument are you playing when you perform a Rim Shot?
Drum
27. What sort of animal is a Sealyham?
Dog
28. What do the initials of the news agency AP stand for?
Associated Press
29. What are the pointed arms on an anchor called?
Flukes
30. By Birth What Nationality Is Osama Bin Laden?
Saudi Arabian
31. K1, K2, C1 and C2 are all categories in which sport?
Canoeing
32. In which decade of the 20th century did the last execution take place in Australia?
1960's
33. Macadamia nuts are native to what country?
Australia
34. What can you board by using the shuttle Gallileo?
USS Enterprise
35. The mazurka is the national dance of which country?
Poland
36. In 1980, who beat Muhammed Ali in Ali’s final world title bout?
Larry Holmes
37. What can be a five card game, a smooth, woolly surface or a sleep?
A Nap
38. Which entertainer had an airport named in his honour in New Orleans?
Louis Armstrong
39. Which Austrian city was the setting for The Sound of Music?
Salzburg
40. Which Timepiece Has The Most Moving Parts?
Egg Timer

Tiebreaker - How many lines are there on the Glasgow Underground?
Just two - clockwise and anti-clockwise
- EasyJet fly to how many cities from Liverpool’s John Lennon airport?
Thirteen

Xmas Music Quiz

Be careful what you choose for your Christmas Music Quiz -
B&Q got a bit over-excited about creating a Christmas ambience with
seasonal tunes this year. One of DIY chain's stores managed to
inadvertently broadcast South Park's 'Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo'
song on its in-store soundsystem - including the children's Christmas
grotto!!!

Kidman tops actress earning list

Kidman is one of the voices in penguin animation Happy Feet

Nicole Kidman is the highest paid film actress according to the Hollywood Reporter's annual list.

The 39-year-old Australian is paid $17m (£8.7m) for each movie, overtaking last year's leader Reese Witherspoon, who can command a $15m (£7.6m) fee.

Renee Zellweger is in third place, also banking $15m per film.

Julia Roberts did not make the list for the first time in its five-year history, as she has taken time off acting to raise her twins.

Co-stars

But Kidman, 39, who won an Oscar for playing writer Virginia Woolf in The Hours, was unable to match the feat of fellow Oscar winner Roberts, who has commanded $20m (£10.2m) per film.

Charlie's Angels co-stars Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz were in fourth and fifth place, respectively, both scoring $15m.

Two more Oscar winners, Halle Berry, who won for her role in Monster's Ball earned $14m (£7.1m) per movie, and South African actress Charlize Theron - Academy Award winner for Monster - earned $10m (£5.1m).

Angelina Jolie makes eighth spot with $10m, followed by Kirsten Dunst with $8m-$10m, followed by former Friends star Jennifer Aniston with $8m (£4.1m).

Today's The Day - 2nd December

2nd December 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Chromatius of Aquilea,
St Silvanus of Constantinople,
St Nonnus
and St Bibiana or Viviana.

History Test for December 2nd

French author and playwright Edmond Rostand died today in 1918. Name his long-nosed character.-Cyrano de Bergerac

The term `sadism' is derived from which French author of erotic writings, who died today in 1814? -The Marquis de Sade

Today in 1972, Gough Whitlam became Labour Prime Minister of which country? -Australia

Name the American anti-slavery campaigner and subject of a popular folk song, who was hanged today in 1859.-John Brown - the song is `John Brown's Body'

Which English author coined the words `gamesmanship', 'oneupmanship' and `lifemanship' and died today in 1969? -Stephen Potter

Events today...

1594 Death of Gerhardt Mercator, Belgian cartographer.

1697 The rebuilt St Paul's Cathedral, work of Sir Christopher Wren, was opened.

1804 Monarchy returned to France as Napoleon Boneparte crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I at Notre Dame, 11 years after King Louis the 16th was guillotined.

1814 Death of Marquis de Sade, French writer and philosopher.

1823 US President James Monroe proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine, warning that any further European colonial ambitions in the western hemisphere would be considered threats to US peace and security.

1859 The radical abolitionist, John Brown, was hanged in Charlestown for treason against Virginia.

1900 The US Supreme Court ruled that Puerto Ricans did not qualify for American Citizenship.

1901 In America, King Camp Gillette marketed a safety razor with a double-edged disposable blade.

1908 Pu Yi succeeded to the throne of China.

1927 The Ford Model A went on sale for $385. It was the successor to the Model T.

1928 Britain's first 22 public telephone boxes appeared on the streets of London.

1939 La Guardia airport in New York commenced operations when a flight from Chicago landed.

1942 The first nuclear chain reaction took place at the University of Chicago, under physicists Enrico Fermi and Arthur Compton.

1961 Fidel Castro declared himself a Marxist-Leninist who would lead Cuba to communism.

1969 The new Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet) went on display to the public for the first time.

1982 Death of Marty Feldman (aged 49) Comedian.

1983 Michael Jackson's video for "Thriller" was shown in full for the first time on MTV.

1985 Death of Philip Larkin, English poet.

1986 Death of Desi Arnaz (aged 69) Singer bandleader Lucille Ball's husband.

1986 Death of Lee Dorsey (aged 61) Singer 'Working in a Coal Mine'.

1988 Leslie Nielson and Priscilla Presley starred in the movie "The Naked Gun" which opened in the U.S. It was based on the television series "Police Squad".

1988 In Bangladesh, a cyclone killed thousands of people and left five million homeless.

1989 In India, V.P. Singh, leader of the Janata Dal party, replaced Rajiv Gandhi as prime minister.

1990 West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl won the first all-German election since 1933. He became chancellor of a united Germany.

1990 Death of Aaron Copland (aged 90) Composer 'Fanfare for the Common Man'.

1991 Bryan Adams' album "Waking up the Neighbours" was certified both gold and platinum.

1991 Gene Pitney, BJ Thomas and The Shirelles. were awarded $1.2 million royalties which were due to them. The ruling was made by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1993 Death of Pablo Escobar, Colombian racketeer.

1994 Hollywood "Madam" Heidi Fleiss was convicted on three counts of pandering by a jury in Los Angeles.

1996 Pamela Anderson announced that she was back with husband Tommy Lee having filed for divorce a month earlier. Tommy Lee was later jailed for assaulting Pamela.

1998 Chris Smith, the government’s Culture, Media and Sports minister, performed the “topping-off ceremony” at the new Lowery Centre in Trafford Park.

1999 Following much criticism, the architects of the new Wembley Stadium began reconsidering their design.

2002 Liam Gallagher faced two years in jail after kicking a policeman in the chest. He also lost several teeth in a brawl between Oasis band members in a Munich hotel.

2002 Michael Jackson did nothing to help his 'Wacko' image. He appeared in court on Los Angeles wearing only one shoe. He said he had been bitten on the toe by a spider.

2003 US forces denied reports that they had captured Saddam Hussein's deputy Izzat Ibrahim during a raid in northern Iraq.

2003 Insurance giant Norwich Union cut 2,350 jobs in the UK and exported the work to India.

2003 Tony Blair insisted that he was not prepared to retreat over his plans to introduce top-up fees for university students.

2003 Mick Jagger switched the date of his knighthood ceremony to avoid a clash with rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson.

2003 Authorities in California found microphones around the building where Michael Jackson was interrogated.

2004 Ukraine's outgoing president Leonid Kuchma said he was willing to sack his cabinet, in return for reforms.

2004 A Chilean court stripped former ruler Augusto Pinochet of his immunity over the murder of his predecessor as army chief.

2004 Gordon Brown outlined to MPs plans to freeze fuel duty, minimise council tax rises and boost childcare.

2004 MP George Galloway won £150,000 in libel damages over claims he took money from Saddam Hussein.

BIRTHDAYS (for 02 December 2006)

Sir John Barbirolli, 107 (born 02 December 1899)
Died 1970. English conductor best-known for his association with the Hallé Orchestra.

Randolph Hearst, 91 (born 02 December 1915)
Newspaper executive.

Maria Callas, 83 (born 02 December 1923)
Greek operatic soprano renowned for her dramatic interpretations.

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr, 82 (born 02 December 1924)
former Secretary of State.

Julie Harris, 81 (born 02 December 1925)
Actress 'The Haunting' 'Knots Landing'.

Tom McGuinness, 65 (born 02 December 1941)
Singer of Manfred Mann and McGuinness Flint fame.

Tim Boswell MP, 63 (born 02 December 1943)
Politician.

Gianni Versace, 60 (born 02 December 1946)
(Died 1997) Fashion designer.

Patricia Hewitt MP, 58 (born 02 December 1948)
Politician.

Michael McDonald, 54 (born 02 December 1952)
Singer - solo and Doobie Brothers.

Rick Savage, 46 (born 02 December 1960)
Bass guitarist with Def Leppard.

Jan Ullrich, 33 (born 02 December 1973)
German cyclist born in Rostock, finished 2nd in the 1996 Tour de France riding for the Deutsche Telekom team

Today's The Day - 1st December

1st December 2006
World Aids day.

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Edmund Campion,
St Agericus or Airy,
St Eligius or Elroy,
St Alexander Briant,
St Anasanus,
St Tudwal,
and St Ralph Sherwin.

History Test for December 1st

Born today in 1935, by what name is the scriptwriter, actor and director Allen Stewart Konigsberg better known? -Woody Allen

Today in 1990, an historic meeting took place between Graham Fagg and Philippe Cozette. Where? -In the Channel Tunnel - the British and French engineers met when the two parts of the service tunnel were finally linked

Today in 1844, the future Queen Alexandra was born. She became the wife of which British monarch? -Edward VII

Magician David Nixon died today in 1978. Which puppet found fame on his television shows? -Basil Brush

Today is a national holiday in Portugal. What is its capital city? -Lisbon

QUOTE “It is our determination to preserve proper relations between master and servant.” - Piet Retief, Boer Voortrekker leader, in his Manifesto, 1837.

Events today...

1135 England's King Henry I died at St Denis in Normandy. He fell ill seven days earlier after eating too many lampreys, and never recovered. He was 66, and had ruled for 35 years. Henry seized the throne after his eldest brother, King William Rufus, was killed. Henry defeated the rightful heir, his second brother Robert, Duke of Normandy, and seized Normandy as well. Robert died a few months earlier in Cardiff Castle, where Henry had imprisoned him 29 years beforehand. Henry's only son, William, drowned in 1120, (it is said that Henry never smiled again) and, left heirless, the king extracted an oath from his nobles to accept his stormy daughter Maud as his successor. But the barons saw it as a disgrace for men to submit to a woman's rule - especially Maud's. They backed the claim of Henry's nephew Stephen, Earl of Bois, first prince of the blood royal and a popular favourite, who was now hastening to London. Meanwhile Maud was preparing to invade England to get her father's throne.

1455 Death of Lorenzo Ghiberti, Italian sculptor and goldsmith.

1581 English Jesuit Edmund Campion was hanged for treason after distributing copies of an anti-Anglican pamphlet in Oxford.

1640 The Spanish were driven out of Portugal and the country regained its independence.

1804 Napoleon married Josephine.

1824 No clear winner emerged in the US presidential election. None of the four candidates received an electoral majority, though Andrew Jackson had the most votes, with John Quincy Adams second. The vote went to the House of Representatives.

1834 The slaves of the British Cape Colony were emancipated. Their freedom caused a deep split in Cape society, with Dutch-speaking Boer farmers in outlying districts threatening to rebel. The issue became the focus of Boer resentment of the harsh British rule. Labour shortages caused by Britain's abolition of the slave trade in 1807 had driven the Boers ever further into the hinterland. Raising beef made more profit and needed less labour than raising crops, and the Boers grazed their cattle over large areas. Their expansion brought them into constant conflict with the black tribes. To the Boers, blacks were savage heathens or slaves. British Governor Sir Benjamin Durban was unsympathetic to their grievances. Some Boers were talking of leaving the Cape for the unexplored north.

1878 The first telephone was installed in the White House in Washington D.C.

1905 Twenty army officers and 230 guards were arrested in St Petersburg after a plot to kill the Tsar was discovered.

1908 Italy demanded that Austria pay compensation for the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

1918 Iceland was declared independent.

1919 Lady Astor became the first female politician to take a seat in the House of Commons.

1919 US-born Lady Nancy Astor became the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, as MP for the Sutton division of Plymouth.

1921 In France, Henri Landru was found guilty of the murders of ten women whom he had met by placing advertisements in lonely hearts columns.

1925 The Locamo Pact was signed in London, guaranteeing peace and frontiers in Europe.

1929 Edwin S Lowe invented the game "Bingo".

1931 Death of Vincent d'Indy, French composer.

1939 The world premiere of the film Gone with the Wind was held in New York.

1941 Japanese Emperor Hirohito signed a declaration of war.

1942 The British government was presented with a plan to turn post-war Britain into a "welfare state". The plan was the work of a government committee headed by Sir William Beveridge, charged with finding solutions to the problems of poverty after the war. It revolved around a compulsory national insurance scheme to provide all adults with free medical treatment, unemployment benefits, old age pensions and death cover. Both employers and employees would contribute. Britain introduced limited unemployment and old-age insurance in 1911, and the scheme was broadened in 1925. Beveridge's plan brought security for all "from cradle to grave".

1953 The first issue of Hugh Heffner's Playboy magazine was published; the centre-spread nude featured Marilyn Monroe.

1959 Twelve countries agreed to preserve Antarctica for peaceful scientific research in the first international agreement of its kind. The Antarctic Treaty was signed by the US, the Soviet Union, Britain, France, Belgium, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Japan. It froze all territorial claims on the last unexploited continent, threw the continent open to all scientists, and banned military bases, nuclear explosions and the dumping of nuclear wastes. Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. If it melted, the oceans would rise 200 ft (65 m).

1964 Death of J. B. S. Haldane, English scientist and writer.

1973 Death of David Ben-Gurion, first prime minister of Israel.

1986 Lt. Col Oliver North claimed the fifth amendment before a Senate panel investigating the Iran Contra arms sales (this prevented him incriminating himself).

1987 Death of James Baldwin, black American writer whose works include The Fire Next Time, Go Tell It on the Mountain and Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone.

1989 A historic meeting in Rome between Pope John Paul II and Mikahil Gorbachev ended 70 years of mutual hostility between the USSR and the Vatican.

1989 The East German Communist Party voted to end its monopoly of power.

1990 Food rationing was imposed in Leningrad.

1990 The two halves of the Channel Tunnel were joined under the sea. A joint British-French effort, excavations for the high-speed rail tunnel were started from both the French and British sides of the English Channel. The two construction teams broke through to meet in the middle.

1991 France won its first Davis Cup tennis title in 59 years by defeating the USA at the finals in Lyons, France.

1992 Boris Yeltzin survived an impeachment attempt by hard-liners.

1994 Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford announced their separation.

1997 Death of Stephane Grappelli (aged 89) Violinist.

1998 Manchester artist Chris O’Philley won the £20,000 Turner Prize with a picture made of elephant dung.

1998 Wrestling Heavy man Giant Haystacks died, aged 50.

1999 Safeway became the first supermarket to sell Beef-on-the-Bone following the BSE scare of previous years.

2000 Actor John Savident (Coronation Street’s Fred Elliot) was attacked and stabbed at his Manchester City Centre home. He was released from hospital later in the afternoon.

2003 A Church of England curate won the right to a judicial review into a case where a foetus with a cleft palate was aborted late.

2003 The world première of the final "Lord of the Rings" film attracts 100,000 people in Wellington, New Zealand.

2003 Singer and pianist Jamie Cullum became the first British jazz artist to have a platinum album.

2003 Manchester United confirmed that US tycoon Malcolm Glazer had upped his stake in the club, increasing speculation he would mount a takeover bid.

2004 David Blunkett denied any wrongdoing over the swifter than expected granting of a visa to his ex-lover's nanny.

2004 Hindu leaders rejected an ITV apology for a scene in Coronation Street showing a Hindu statue as a weapon.

2004 A book about the evolution of mutants and the science of abnormality won the Guardian First Book Award.

BIRTHDAYS (for 01 December 2006)

Madame Marie Tussaud, 245 (born 01 December 1761)
(Died 1850) Wax modeller.

Henry Williamson, 111 (born 01 December 1895)
(Died 1977) Author 'Tarka the Otter'.

Dame Alicia Markova, 96 (born 01 December 1910)
British ballerina particularly noted for her performances in Giselle, Swan Lake and Les Sylphides.

Dick Shawn, 83 (born 01 December 1923)
(Died 1987) Actor - Adolf Hitler in 'The Producers'.

General Alexander Haig, 82 (born 01 December 1924)
American soldier and politician.

Keith Michell, 80 (born 01 December 1926)
Actor.

Matt Monro, 74 (born 01 December 1932)
(Died 1985) Singer 'Born Free' 'From Russia With Love'.

Billy Paul, 72 (born 01 December 1934)
Soul singer - 'Me and Mrs Jones'.

Woody Allen (Allen Stuart Konigsberg), 71 (born 01 December 1935)
American comedian, screenwriter, actor and director.

Lou Rawls, 70 (born 01 December 1936)
Soul singer - 'You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine'.

Sandy Nelson, 68 (born 01 December 1938)
Drummer.

Lee Trevino, 67 (born 01 December 1939)
American golfer who was the first to win the US, British and Canadian opens in the same year.

Richard Pryor, 66 (born 01 December 1940)
American comedian and actor who won an Oscar for Lady Sings the Blues.

Kate Adie, 61 (born 01 December 1945)
TV Journalist

Bette Midler, 61 (born 01 December 1945)
Actress singer 'The Rose'.

Gilbert O'Sullivan, 60 (born 01 December 1946)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Claire'.

Jaco Pastorius, 55 (born 01 December 1951)
(Died 1987) Guitarist with Weather Report.

Suzanne Mizzi, 39 (born 01 December 1967)
Model

Today's The Day - 30th November

30th November 2006
National Day of Scotland.

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Andrew the Apostle,
St Sapor,
and St Cuthbert Mayne.

History Test for November 30th

Born today in 1874, who wrote 'A History of the English-Speaking Peoples'? -Sir Winston Churchill

Oscar Wilde died today in 1900. Who portrayed him in the film 'The Trials of Oscar Wilde'? -Peter Finch

Which pop group topped the UK pop charts today in 1985 with 'I'm Your Man'? -Wham!

Comedienne Joyce Grenfell died today in 1979. Which phrase from her monologues was used for the title of her autobiography? -George, Don't Do That!

Which American humorist was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens today in 1835? -Mark Twain

Events today...

1630 A plague in Venice claimed the lives of 16,000 people.

1840 Napoleon I's remains were returned from St Helena to Paris.

1872 England and Scotland played the first international football match. They drew 0-0.

1900 Oscar Wilde, the noted - and notorious - Irish wit and playwright died in a Paris rooming-house aged 46, in povery and all but forgotten by his once large circle of admirers.

1901 Death of Edward John Eyre, Australian explorer.

1914 Charlie Chaplin made his film debut in Making a Living, a Mack Sennett one-reeler, without his trademark moustache and cane.

1919 Women were allowed to vote for the first time in the French elections.

1924 The last French and Belgian troops withdrew from the Ruhr.

1925 The US sent warships to Hankow in China, to prevent Communist attacks on foreigners.

1936 The Crystal Palace at Sydenham designed by Joseph Paxton and originally constructed in Hyde Park to house the Great Exhibition of 1851 bumed down.

1939 The USSR invaded Finland.

1954 A resident of Alabama state was injured when an eight and a half pound meteorite crashed through her roof.

1956 American boxer Floyd Patterson became the youngest boxer to win the world heavyweight title when he knocked out Archie Moore in Chicago.

1957 Death of Benjamin Gigli, Italian tenor who was regarded as the successor to Caruso.

1959 Hitchcock's movie "Psycho" went into production.

1962 Sean Connery married Diane Cilento.

1976 Evergreen (theme from "A Star is Born") by Barbra Striesand was released.

1979 Death of Zeppo Marx, one of the four Marx Brothers.

1983 Dutch brewery millionaire Alfred Heineken was kidnapped in Amsterdam.

1986 Death of Cary Grant, US film actor.

1986 The rapidly developing Iran-Contra scandal claimed two prominent heads: Admiral John Poindexter, President Reagan’s National Security Davisor, and Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North of the National Security Council staff. It had emerged that $30million of profits from secret sales of embargoed arms to the Iranians were passed on to the US-backed Contras in Nicaragua to finance their struggle against the democratically elected Sandinista government.

1987 Death of James Baldwin, US writer.

1988 PLO leader Yasser Arafat attempted to enter the USA to address the UN General Assembly in New York, but was refused a visa.

1989 Germany’s left-wing terrorist group the Red Army Faction blew up Alfred Herrhausen, the head of the Deutsche Bank, in Frankfurt.

1989 In the Philippines, rebels attacked Cory Aquino’s presidential palace and seized parts of three military bases.

1994 Death of Lionel Stander (aged 86) Actor Max in 'Hart to Hart'.

1994 The cruise liner "Achille Lauro" caught fire killing two. The crew and passenger were forced to flee off the coast of Somalia and it sank two days later. The ship had been famous in 1985 when it was hijacked by Palestinian extremists.

1995 President Bill Clinton visited Northern Ireland. He was the first U.S. President to do so.

1996 Death of Tiny Tim (aged 64) Novelty singer 'Tip toe through the tulips'.

1999 It was announced that the Beef-on-the-Bone ban would be lifted over Christmas.

2003 Police launched an investigation after a convicted paedophile was found battered to death in his home on Teesside.

2003 The draw for the Euro 2004 finals was made. England were to meet France, Switzerland and Croatia in their group.

2003 Frank Lampard's first-half penalty was enough to beat Man Utd and put Chelsea top of the Premiership.

2004 US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced his resignation from President Bush's cabinet.

2004 Reports of Home Office letters raised new questions on whether David Blunkett "fast-tracked" a visa for his ex-lover's nanny.

2004 The High Court lifted an injunction banning a man from taking his chronically-sick wife to Switzerland for an assisted suicide.

2004 John Peel's widow and children announced they would finish writing the autobiography which the DJ was in the middle of when he died.

BIRTHDAYS (for 30 November 2006)

Andrea Pallandio, 498 (born 30 November 1508)
Italian architect whose neo-classical style was much imitated throughout Western architecture.

Jonathan Swift, 339 (born 30 November 1667)
(Died 1745) Author 'Gulliver's Travels'.

Mark Twain, 171 (born 30 November 1835)
Died 1910. (Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens) American novelist, author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Sir Winston Churchill, 132 (born 30 November 1874)
Died 1965. English statesman who, as prime minister, steered Britian through World War II.

L. M. Montgomery, 132 (born 30 November 1874)
(Died 1942) Writer 'Anne of Green Gables'.

Virginia Mayo, 86 (born 30 November 1920)
American actress who starred in films such as Up In Arms and The Secter Life of Walter Mitty.

Efrem Zimbalist Jr., 83 (born 30 November 1923)
American actor whose films include Wait Until Dark, The Chapman Report, and Airport 74.

Allan Sherman, 82 (born 30 November 1924)
(Died 1973) Novelty singer 'Hello Muddah Hello Faddah'.

Dick Clark, 77 (born 30 November 1929)
Producer, DJ, Game show host.

Frank Ifield, 69 (born 30 November 1937)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'I Remember You'.

Robert Guillaume, 69 (born 30 November 1937)
Actor 'Benson'.

Ridley Scott, 69 (born 30 November 1937)
Director - 'Alien' 'Bladerunner' 'Thelma and Louise'.

Roger Glover, 61 (born 30 November 1945)
Member of Deep Purple and Rainbow.

David Mamet, 59 (born 30 November 1947)
Playwright director.

Mandy Patinkin, 54 (born 30 November 1952)
Actor 'Chicago Hope'.

June Pointer, 52 (born 30 November 1954)
Singer of the Pointer Sisters.

Andy Gray, 51 (born 30 November 1955)
Ex-soccer star and TV presenter

Billy Idol, 51 (born 30 November 1955)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'White Wedding'.

Lorraine Kelly, 47 (born 30 November 1959)
TV presenter.

Gary Lineker OBE, 46 (born 30 November 1960)
Footballer and TV presenter.

Robbie Jeffrey, 37 (born 30 November 1969)
Let Loose

Des'ree, 36 (born 30 November 1970)
Singer.

Today's The Day - 29th November

29th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Radbod,
St Brendan of Birr,
St Saturninus, martyr,
and St Saturninus or Semin of Toulouse.

History Test for November 29th

Name the star of the fifties films `Operation Petticoat' and 'North By Northwest', who died today in 1986. -Cary Grant

'The Gay Divorcee' opened on Broadway today in 1932. Name its star who went on to appear in many Hollywood musicals. -Fred Astaire

Who left his final opera - `Turandot' - unfinished when he died today in 1924? -Giacomo Puccini

Born today in 1952, which Rugby full-back was capped 25 times by England. -Dusty Hare

Born today in 1929, which former editor of the Daily Express and News of the World is now a broadcaster? -Derek Jameson

QUOTE “Ours is composed of the scum of the earth.” - The Duke of Wellington, British general, on the British army, 1831.

Events today...

1530 Cardinal Wolsey was arrested as a traitor and recalled to London. On the way he died at Leicester, and was buried there in Abbey Park.

1641 The first English newspaper was published.

1775 Invisible ink was invented by Sir James Jay.

1780 Death of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria.

1864 At least 150 Indian warriors, women and children were killed at Sand Creek, Colorado Territory by 750 US cavalry under the command of Colonel John M. Chivington. Some 200 Cheyenne and Arapho warriors along with 500 women and children had surrendered at Fort Lynn, 40 miles (64 km) away, after three years of war. Having been disarmed and sent to Sand Creek they were helpless in the face of the dawn massacre.

1897 Charles Jarrott, riding a Fournier, won the first ever motorcycle race to be staged around a track in Richmond, Surrey.

1902 Carl Nielsen's opera Saul and David was premiered in New York.

1907 Florence Nightingale, the "Lady of the Lamp", was presented with the Order of Merit by Edward VII for her work during the Crimean War.

1909 Russian novelist Maxim Gorky was expelled from the Revolutionary Party for his bourgeois lifestyle.

1924 Death of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini (aged 65), whose works include Tosca and La Boheme.

1929 Admiral Richard E. Byrd, the noted American explorer, followed his triumphant first flight over the North Pole in 1926 by performing a similar feat over the South Pole. From his base camp, "Little America", in the Bay of Whales Admiral Byrd and his three-man crew took off in their Ford Trimotor. The 1600-mile (2575 km) round trip over the Pole and back again took them 19 hours.

1932 The first performance took place of Cole Porter's The Gay Divorcee in New York starring Fred Astaire and featuring the song Night And Day.

1934 The Duke of Kent and Princess Marina were the first royal couple to have their wedding televised.

1939 The emergency "999" was introduced in the Britain.

1943 The first summit conference between Russian prime minister Joseph Stalin, US president Franklin D. Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill opened in Tehran. The intention was to discuss the progress of the war and to plan for the future - in particular the co-ordination of the Normandy landings planned for June 1944 with a simultaneous Russian attack on Germany from the east. Also on the agenda were the possibilities of Russia entering the war against Japan and the post-war foundation of a United Nations organisation.

1945 Yugoslavia was proclaimed a Federal People's Republic, under Tito's leadership.

1947 The UN approved Britain’s plan for a partition of Palestine.

1954 Death of Sir George Robey (aged 85) English music hall legend.

1955 "Long Tall Sally" was recorded by Little Richard.

1957 Death of Erich Wolfgang Korngold (aged 60) Composer.

1959 Grammys were won by Bobby Darin for his song "Mack the Knife" as "Record of the Year" and by Frank Sinatra for "Come Fly With Me" as "Album of the Year".

1965 In Britain, housewife Mary Whitehouse announced the formation of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, a watchdog body to halt sex, violence and bad taste in the BBC.

1971 The British government announced a fund of £3 million ($5.5 million) for thalidomide victims.

1974 German terrorist leader Ulrike Meinhof was jailed for eight years.

1975 World champion racing driver Graham Hill (aged 46), father of Formula One star Damon Hill, was killed when a light aircraft he was piloting crashed on a golf course in Elstree, Herts.

1978 Horrified rescue workers came across a bizarre mass suicide at the site of the Reverend Jim Jones's People's Temple in Guyana. Alerted by the disappearance of Congressman Leo Ryan and his five colleagues on a mission to investigate Jones's cult, they found more than 900 corpses scattered about the Temple grounds. Survivors found huddled in the bushes testified that the dead had drunk Kool-Aid laced with cyanide on the orders of their leader Jones; he apparently described it as "an act of revolutionary suicide" before shooting himself in the head. Jones was formerly a Methodist minister.

1981 Death of Natalie Wood (aged 43) Actress 'Rebel without a Cause' 'West Side Story'.

1985 Astronauts from the shuttle "Atlantis" practised assembling some equipment whilst space walking. This was done as an experiment for building future space stations.

1986 Death of debonair British-born actor Cary Grant (aged 82), star of many films including The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace and To Catch a Thief.

1987 The presidential election in Haiti was cancelled by the provisional government.

1988 3000 died when a hurricane struck in Bangladesh and India.

1989 Rajiv Ghandi resigned as Prime Minister of India after his Congress Party lost its majority in national elections.

1989 Romanian gymnast and Olympic gold medal-winner Nadia Comaneci escaped to Hungary and asked for political asylum.

1990 Following intensive diplomacy from President Bush and Secretary of State James Baker, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 678, authorising member governments to use "all necessary force" to ensure Iraq's complete withdrawal from Kuwait by January 15 the following year. This was the first authorisation of force by the UN since the Korean War, and marked a significant stepping-up of the pressure on Iraq.

1990 Germany began airlifts of food to Moscow.

1990 The UN Security Council, at the urging of the USA, authorised the use of force against Iraq if it did not withdraw totally from Kuwait by 15 January 1991.

1991 Death of Ralph Bellamy, US film actor.

1996 Peter Moore, a homosexual cinema owner, who killed four strangers for pleasure, was jailed for life at Mold Crown Court.

2003 Seven members of a Spanish intelligence team were killed in an ambush south of Baghdad.

2003 Beyonce Knowles and Bono were among stars at Nelson Mandela's South Africa gig to boost the fight against Aids.

2003 A woman was hit in the face with a firework let off before the Wolves v Newcastle United match.

2003 Fifa's Sepp Blatter questioned why the FA were letting Rio Ferdinand play for Man Utd after missing a random drugs test.

2003 Snooker: Stephen Hendry beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-4 to reach the final of the UK Championship.

2003 Boxing: Scott Harrison regained his WBO featherweight title by stopping Manuel Medina.

2004 Ukraine's outgoing leader Leonid Kuchma said only a new vote could end the crisis over the presidential poll.

2004 Tony Blair backed David Blunkett amid claims he misused his position to do favours for his ex-lover.

2004 More than 72,000 copies of the new version of charity single Band Aid were sold on its first day of release.

BIRTHDAYS (for 29 November 2006)

Gaetano Donizetti, 209 (born 29 November 1797)
Italian composer of more than 75 operas, inciuding Lucia di Lammermoor and Daughter of the Regiment.

Christian Doppler, 203 (born 29 November 1803)
Austrian physicist.

Thomas Cook, 198 (born 29 November 1808)
pioneer of the holiday package tour

George Eliot, 187 (born 29 November 1819)
Author, real name - Mary Ann Evans

Louisa May Alcott, 174 (born 29 November 1832)
(Died 1888) Novelist 'Little Women'.

Busby Berkeley, 111 (born 29 November 1895)
(Died 1976) Director choreographer '42nd Street'.

C S Lewis, 108 (born 29 November 1898)
(Died 1963) Writer 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' - 'Shadowlands' was based on his life.

Berry Gordy, 77 (born 29 November 1929)
American songwriter and record producer who founded Tamla Motown, the first all-black record company.

Derek Jameson, 77 (born 29 November 1929)
journalist and broadcaster

Dame Shirley Porter, 76 (born 29 November 1930)
politician

Diane Ladd, 74 (born 29 November 1932)
actress

Jacques Chirac, 74 (born 29 November 1932)
French politician

John Mayall, 73 (born 29 November 1933)
Blues singer guitarist.

Joel Whitburn, 68 (born 29 November 1938)
Chart researcher.

Diane Ladd, 67 (born 29 November 1939)
Actress 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'.

Sir David Steel, 67 (born 29 November 1939)
Politician.

Chuck Mangione, 66 (born 29 November 1940)
Jazz musician.

Felix Cavaliere, 62 (born 29 November 1944)
Member of The Young Rascals.

David Rintoul, 58 (born 29 November 1948)
actor

Garry Shandling, 57 (born 29 November 1949)
Comedian 'Larry Sanders Show'.

Dusty Hare, 54 (born 29 November 1952)
Rugby Union- Leicester and England full back

Joel Coen, 52 (born 29 November 1954)
Producer writer - of Coen Brothers fame 'Barton Fink' 'Fargo'.

Santiago Luna, 44 (born 29 November 1962)
Golf- Spanish player

Andrew McCarthy, 44 (born 29 November 1962)
Actor 'St Elmo's Fire' 'Mannequin' 'Weekend at Bernies'.

Lisa Maxwell, 43 (born 29 November 1963)
entertainer

Kim Delaney, 42 (born 29 November 1964)
Actress - 'LA Law' 'NYPD Blue'.

Drew Docherty, 41 (born 29 November 1965)
Boxing- British bantamweight champion

Wallis Buchanan, 41 (born 29 November 1965)
Member of Jamiroquai.

Martin Carr, 38 (born 29 November 1968)
Member of Boo Radleys.

Jonathan Knight, 38 (born 29 November 1968)
Member of New Kids on the Block.

Pierre Van Hooijdonk, 37 (born 29 November 1969)
Soccer- Nottingham Forest and Holland striker

Ryan Giggs, 33 (born 29 November 1973)
Footballer - Manchester United.

James Bond Trivia

A James Bond debuted in Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale in 1952.

Ian Fleming based James Bond on Dr. John Dee, the first British secret agent.

Fleming picked the name James Bond because he was looking for a "flat, quiet" name. James Bond was the author of a book Fleming was reading, "Birds of the West Indies."

The first Bond movie, Dr. No, was made for just under a million dollars.

Ursula Andress' voice in Dr. No was not her own. It was dubbed by Monica Van der Syl.

In the early Bond films, Bond pretended to work for a company called Universal Exports.

Dr. No was titled License to Kill in Italy.

In James Bond movies, the armorer who supplies Bond with all his gadgets, is referred to as Q. The Q stands for "Quartermaster."

Desmond Llewellyn, who played gadget-master Q, appeared in 17 Bond films.

In the novel upon which Goldfinger was based, the character of Pussy Galore is a lesbian.

Director Garry Marshall made a cameo appearance in Goldfinger as one of the American gangsters who gather to hear about the plot to break into Fort Knox.

Sean Connery starred in seven Bond movies.

In his seven appearances as Bond, Sean Connery says "shaken, not stirred" only once, in Goldfinger.

The first 007 movie to be filmed in Panavision was Thunderball.

Tom Jones recorded the Thunderball theme, and fainted after singing the sustained high note at the song's climax.

The longest James Bond film was On Her Majesty's Secret Service, at 140 minutes.

George Lazenby, who starred in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was the only one who played James Bond once.

Smirnoff is the brand of vodka used in all of James Bond's martinis.

The first 007 movie in which Bond kisses Moneypenny was On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

The evil organization Bond is often pitted against is SPECTRE. It stands for SPecial Executive for Counter Intelligence Terrorism Revenge Extortion.

Another nefarious enemy of Bond is an organization called SMERSH. It's a Russian acronym for SMERt SHpionam, meaning "Death to Spies."

The Man With the Golden Gun was the first James Bond film to be shown at the Kremlin.

Moonraker is the only Roger Moore Bond film where he does not draw his Walther PPK.

Roger Moore's contract demanded that he be provided an unlimited supply of hand-rolled Monte Cristo cigars.

Steven Spielberg was in discussions to direct For Your Eyes Only when George Lucas offered him the opportunity to direct Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Steven Seagal was the martial arts instructor for Never Say Never Again.

The practice of using a disclaimer in movies stating "no animals were mistreated during production" got its start in Never Say Never Again. The disclaimer was the result of controversy over a horse jumping off a cliff in the film.

The villain in A View to a Kill, Max Zorin, was originally going to be played by David Bowie.

Christopher Walken was the first Academy Award-winning actor to star in a Bond film. He co-starred in A View to a Kill.

The satellite dish used at the end of Goldeneye was the same used in the film Contact.

Pierce Brosnan's contract for Goldeneye specified that he could not appear in any other film wearing a tuxedo.

Goldeneye is the nickname of Bond creator Ian Fleming's beachfront house in Jamaica where he wrote the James Bond novels.

The first James Bond film to ever be released on DVD was Goldeneye.

According to Goldeneye, Bond's parents were killed in a climbing accident.

The pre-credits action sequence in The World is Not Enough runs about 15 minutes, the longest in any Bond film to date.

"Moonraker" contains excerpts the themes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Magnificent Seven.

Among the places where James Bond has made love are on a train, in a forest, in a plane, in a submarine, on a motorized iceberg, and in a hospital.

Bond films have been nominated 10 times for Academy Awards, five times in technical categories and five times in musical categories.

Brand Recognition & Product Identity

Coors put its slogan, "Turn it loose," into Spanish, where it was read as "Suffer from diarrhea".
Clairol introduced the "Mist Stick", a curling iron, into German only to find out that "mist" is slang for manure. Not too many people had use for the "manure stick".
Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.
In Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off".
The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, "Salem-Feeling Free", was translated into the Japanese market as "When smoking Salem, you will feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty".
When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the beautiful Caucasian baby on the label. Later they learned that in Africa, companies routinely put pictures on the label of what's inside, since most people can't read English.
Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine.
An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of "I saw the Pope" (el Papa), the shirts read "I saw the potato" (la papa).
In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water".
Pepsi's "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" translated into "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave", in Chinese.
We all know about GM's Chevy Nova meaning "it won't go" in Spanish markets, but did you know that Ford had a similar problem in Brazil with the Pinto? Pinto was Brazilian slang for "tiny male genitals". Ford renamed the automobile Corcel, meaning "horse".
Hunt-Wesson introduced Big John products in French Canada as Gros Jos. Later they found out that in slang it means "big breasts".
Frank Perdue's chicken slogan, "it takes a strong man to make a tender chicken" was translated into Spanish as "it takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate".
When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read, "it won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you". Instead, the company thought that the word "embarazar" (to impregnate) meant to embarrass, so the ad read: "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant".
The Coca-Cola name in China was first read as "Ke-kou-ke-la", meaning "Bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent "ko-kou-ko-le", translating into "happiness in the mouth".
A few years ago, in the American Midwest, some people decided to show off their new "real" Mexican restaurant, named Chi-chi's to some visiting Californians. Upon seeing the name on the marquis, the Californians started to laugh. When asked why they were laughing, they explained that in Mexican Spanish, "chi-chi's" literally means "titties."

Where Do You Live?

Apparently these are all real places:

Nobber (Donegal, Ireland)
Arsoli (Lazio, Italy)
Muff (Republic of Ireland)
Bastard (Norway)
Twatt (Shetland, UK)
Twatt (Orkney, UK)
Dildo (Newfoundland, Canada)
Wankie (Zimbabwe)
Climax (Colorado, USA)
Lickey End (West Midlands, UK)
Shafter (California, USA)
Dongo (Congo - Democratic Republic)
Dong Rack (Thailand-Cambodia border)
Donk (Belgium)
Intercourse (Pennsylvania, USA)
Brown Willy (every schoolboy's favourite, Cornwall, UK)
Lord Berkeley's Knob (Sutherland, Scotland)
Shitlingthorpe (Yorkshire, UK)
Stains (Near Paris, France)
Seymen (Turkey)
Turdo (Romania)
Fukum (Yemen)
Fukue (Honshu, Japan)
Fukui (Honshu, Japan)
Fuku (Shensi, China)
Wankie Colliery (Zimbabwe)
Wanks River (Nicaragua)
Wankendorf (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)
Wankener (India)
Shag Island (Indian Ocean)
Sexmoan (Luzon, Philippines)
Hold With Hope (Greenland)
Beaver (Oklahoma, USA)
Beaver Head (Idaho, USA)
Wet Beaver Creek (Australia)
Pis Pis River (Nicaragua)
Tittybong (Australia)
Dikshit (India)
Middle Intercourse Island (Australia)
Chinaman's Knob (Australia)

Facts, Facts, Facts

An ostrich's eye is bigger that it's brain.

A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes

It was discovered on a space mission that a frog can throw up. The frog throws up it's stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of its mouth. Then the frog uses it's forearms to dig out all of the stomach's contents and then swallows the stomach back down again.

White Out was invented by the mother of Mike Nesmith (Formerly of the Monkees).

Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.

Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.

101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan are the only two Disney cartoon features with both parents that are present and don't die throughout the movie.

A whale's penis is called a dork.

To escape the grip of a crocodile's jaws, push your thumbs into its eyeballs- it will let you go instantly.

Reindeer like to eat bananas.

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver and purple.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

The word "samba" means "to rub navels together."

Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots.

The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin during World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.

In the movie Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart never said "Play it again, Sam."

Sherlock Holmes never said "Elementary, my dear Watson."

More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes.

More people are struck by lightning than attacked by sharks.

Cars are the biggest killers of people (except in Victoria where it?s swimming in the surf)!

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

The average man falls asleep within 30 seconds of having sex (if not during).

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

A mathematical wonder: 111,111,111 multiplied by 111,111,111 gives the result 12,345,678,987,654,321.

Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them used to burn their houses down - hence the expression "to get fired."

Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village".

There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

The term "the whole 9 yards" came from WWII fighter pilots in the South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got "the whole 9 yards."

The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 672.

The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.

Until 1965, driving was done on the left-hand side on roads in Sweden. The conversion to right-hand was done on a weekday at 5pm. All traffic stopped as people switched sides. This time and day were chosen to prevent accidents where drivers would have gotten up in the morning and been too sleepy to realize that *this* was the day of the changeover.

Dr. Seuss pronounced "Seuss" such that it rhymed with rejoice."

The term, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye" is from Ancient Rome. The only rule during wrestling matches was, "No eye gouging." Everything else was allowed, but the only way to be disqualified was to poke someone's eye out.

Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.

The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.

Non-dairy creamer is flammable.

Stewardesses and reverberated are the two longest words (12 letters each) that can be typed using only the left hand.

The longest word that can be typed using only the right hand is lollipop.

Skepticisms is the longest word that alternates hands.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

In the 1940s, the FCC assigned television's Channel 1 to mobile services (two-way radios in taxicabs, for instance) but did not re-number the other channel assignments. That is why your TV set has channels 2 and up, but no channel 1.

A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle, a group of geese in the air is a skein.

The underside of a horse's hoof is called a frog. The frog peels off several times a year with new growth.

The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments

The "save" icon on Microsoft Word shows a floppy disk, with the shutter on backwards.

The combination "ough" can be pronounced in nine different ways. The following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

The verb "cleave" is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.

Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in the correct order, as does arsenious, meaning "containing arsenic."

The shape of plant collenchyma cells and the shape of the bubbles in beer foam are the same - they are orthotetrachidecahedrons.

The word 'pound' is abbreviated 'lb.' after the constellation 'libra' because it means 'pound' in Latin, also 'scales'. The abbreviation for the British Pound Sterling comes from the same source: it is an 'L' for Libra/Lb. with a stroke through it to indicate abbreviation. Sames goes for the Italian lira which uses the same abbreviation ('lira' coming from 'libra'). So British currency (before it went metric) was always quoted as "pounds/shillings/pence", abbreviated "L/s/d" (libra/solidus/denarius).

Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian coat of arms for that reason.

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead".

Pinocchio is Italian for "pine head."

Camel's milk does not curdle.

In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.

An animal epidemic is called an epizootic.

Murphy's Oil Soap is the chemical most commonly used to clean elephants.

The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.

Blueberry Jelly Bellies were created especially for Ronald Reagan.

All porcupines float in water.

Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.

Did you know that there are coffee flavored PEZ?

The world's largest wine cask is in Heidelberg, Germany.

Lorne Greene had one of his nipples bitten off by an alligator while he was host of "Lorne Greene's Wild Kingdom."

Cat's urine glows under a blacklight.

If you bring a raccoon's head to the Henniker, New Hampshire town hall, you are entitled to receive $.10 from the town.

St. Stephen is the patron saint of bricklayers.

The first song played on Armed Forces Radio during operation Desert Shield was "Rock the Casba" by the Clash.

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

Texas is also the only state that is allowed to fly its state flag at the same height as the U.S. flag.

The only nation who's name begins with an "A", but doesn't end in an "A" is Afghanastan.

The names of the three wise monkeys are: Mizaru: See no evil, Mikazaru: Hear no evil, and Mazaru: Speak no evil.

When opossums are playing 'possum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history. Spades - King David, Clubs - Alexander the Great, Hearts - Charlemagne, and Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the US Treas.

Smartest dogs: 1)border collie; 2)poodle; 3)golden retriever

Dumbest: afghan

Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.

Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear better.

Chances that an American lives within 50 mi of where he/she grew up: 1 in 2

Amount American Airlines saved in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served first class: $40,000

City with the most Rolls Royces per capita: Hong Kong

State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska

Chances of a white Christmas in New York: 1 in 4

Portion of US annual rainfall that falls in April: 1/12

Percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28

Percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38

Estimated percentage of American adults who go on a diet each year: 44

Barbie's measurements if she were life size: 39-23-33

Percentage of Americans who say that God has spoken to them: 36

City with the highest per capita viewership of TV evangelists: Wash., DC.

Percentage of American men who say they would marry the same woman if they had it to do all over again: 80

Percentage of American women who say they would marry the same man: 50

Percentage of men who say they are happier after their divorce or separation: 58

Percentage of women who say they are happier: 85

Number of different familial relationships for which Hallmark makes cards:105

Cost of raising a medium-sized dog to the age of eleven: $6,400

Average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.

Percentage of Americans who have visited Disneyland or Disney World: 70

Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.

Portion of ice cream sold that is vanilla: 1/3

Portion of potatoes sold that are French-fried: 1/3

Percentage of Americans that eat at McDonalds each day: 7

Percentage of bird species that are monogamous: 90

Portion of Harvard students who graduate with honors: 4/5

Chances that a burglary in the US will be solved: 1 in 7

Portion of land in the US owned by the government: 1/3

Only President to remain a bachelor: James Buchanan

Only first lady to carry a loaded revolver: Eleanor Roosevelt

Only president to win a Pulitzer: John F. Kennedy, for "Profiles in Courage"

Only president awarded a patent: Abe Lincoln, for a system of buoying vessels over shoals

Only food that does not spoil: honey

Only person to win $64,000 Challenge and $64,000 Question: Dr. Joyce Brothers (subject is boxing)

Only bird that can fly backwards: Hummingbird

Only continent without reptiles or snakes: Antarctica

Only animal besides human that can get sunburn: Pig

Ostriches stick their heads in the sand to look for water.

An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it.

In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees.

Polar bears are left-handed.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

Eskimos never gamble.

The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.

The youngest pope was 11 years old.

Mark Twain didn't graduate from elementary school.

Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses.

Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Your nose and ears never stop growing.

Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets combined.

Hot water is heavier than cold.

The parachute was invented by da Vinci in 1515.

They have square watermelons in Japan...they stack better.

Starfish have eight eyes--one at the end of each leg.

Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.

First novel ever written on a typewriter was "Tom Sawyer".

There are more collect calls on Father's Day than any other day of the year.

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs.

Men get hiccups more often than woman.

Armadillos can be housetrained.

Pop picker Alan 'Fluff' Freeman dies aged 79

Alan 'Fluff' Freeman, the radio disc jockey whose catchphrases 'Greetings, pop pickers' and 'Not ‘arf!' made him instantly recognisable to generations of listeners, has died at the age of 79. He suffered from arthritis and had been living for six years in a nursing home run by the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund in Twickenham, southwest London. He died peacefully after a short illness. Freeman was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1927 and joined the BBC in 1960 after coming to Britain for a holiday. As the voice of Pick of the Pops he became one of Britain’s best-loved DJs – a contribution recognised in 1996 when he was awarded the music industry’s Man Of The Year award. In 1998 he was awarded the MBE for services to music and a year later received the lifetime achievement award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards. Freeman enjoyed more than 40 years in the industry. In 1964 he was one of the original four presenters of Top of the Pops on BBC TV alongside Jimmy Savile, David Jacobs and Pete Murray. Other BBC presenters nicknamed him Fluff because of his habit of turning up for his show in woolly jumpers. From 1997 until 2001 he presented Their Greatest Bits — focusing on his beloved world of opera — on Radio 2. His distinctive presenting style left him subject to parody by various comics, most notably Harry Enfield’s character "Dave Nice". But Freeman took the joke in good humour, even appearing in one sketch - a move which boosted his popularity further. Tim Blackmore, his personal manager for the last 20 years, described Freeman as a "naturally warm man who never quite understood the nature of his appeal". He said: "He cared passionately for music of all kinds, for his family and for his friends. Yet through all his professional success, he still retained a total bewilderment that so much success and affection should have come his way. "His was the creation of the chart countdown, his was the stunning combination of rock music and classical music, and his was the creation of minimalism in the art of the DJ. "We will not see his like again, and our debt in response to his contribution is without equal." Lesley Douglas, controller of BBC Radio 2 said: "The words unique and iconic are overused, but in Alan Freeman’s case, they are absolutely appropriate. He was a great broadcaster who was loved by listeners and colleagues."

A BBC spokeswoman added that the DJ had enjoyed the friendship of colleagues throughout the industry, including John Peel, Robert Plant, Noel Edmonds, Paul McCartney and Chris Tarrant.

Towards the end of his career Freeman’s health deteriorated and in December 1999 he was taken to hospital with what doctors suspected was a mini-stroke.

In February 2000 he moved to the Brinsworth House nursing home and the same year handed over his Pick Of The Pops show to Dale Winton.

On March 9 2001 he recorded his last Their Greatest Bits show as his jaw developed osteomyelitis, a bone infection.

In October this year he was treated in hospital for lack of nutrition and chest infection and earlier this month discharged back to the care of Brinsworth House.

Iraq Factfile

The Cradle of Civilisations
3100 BC Sumerian civilisation develops systems of irrigation, trade and writing.

2600 BC Akkadians move into Mesopotamia.

1728- 1686 BC Rise of Hammurabi, the famous ruler of Babylonia.

1120 BC Babylonia becomes a strong power.

669 BC Babylon destroyed by the Assyrians.

The Age of the Empires
539 BC Mesopotamia conquered by Persians, under the control of Cyrus the Great.

331 BC Reign of the Seleucid Dynasty begins.

64 BC The Seleucid dynasty falls apart. Mesopotamia is conquered by the Persian dynasty.

627 AD Byzantine invasion

The Arab Conquests
680 AD Battle at Karbala where the Shi'i leader Husayn is killed while claiming the leading position in the Caliphate. This has decisive political and religious importance, as it becomes the final schism between Sunnis and Shi'is.

747 AD Revolt by the Iraqi family Abbasi begins.

750 AD Abbasids overthrow the ruling Caliphate family, the Ummawiys.

762 AD A new capital called 'Baghdad' is founded on the river Tigris, for the Caliphate.

809 AD Civil war begins with several attempts to usurp the position of the Caliph. Baghdad loses its capital status.

836 AD Samarra becomes the new capital of the Caliphate.

865 AD Civil war between Baghdad and Samarra begins.

892 AD Baghdad regains position as capital of the Caliphate.

945 AD Buyids take over Baghdad. Iraq is divided into small independent regions, and fights destroy the economy of the region for decades.

1245 AD Unsuccessful Mongol attack on Baghdad.

1258 AD A weakened Baghdad, after disastrous floods, falls to the Mongols. The city is destroyed, citizens are massacred, and the Caliph executed: The Caliphate is over and the economy crushed.

1405 AD Iraq falls under the control of the Turkish tribes from Anatolia.

1508 AD Iraq is put under Persian control.

1533-34 AD Iraq is conquered by the Ottoman Empire and peace ensues.

The British Influence
17th century British, Dutch and Portuguese interests get a foothold in trade in the region.

1870 Modernizing activities in Baghdad begin as tramways are introduced along with regular steamship services.

1914 As a part of World War 1, British forces invade southern Iraq.

1917 British occupation of Baghdad begins.

1921 Prince Faisal of Hijaz (now southwestern Saudi Arabia) wins the election with 96% of the ballots, and is declared king of Iraq. The new state does not have an easy birth as factions within and outside try to destabilize it. British forces stay in the country, on the request of King Faisal.

1922 Alliance with Britain is signed on October 10.

1925 Elections for a parliament are held. Concessions to search for oil are given to international companies.

The Independent Years
1932 Iraq is declared an independent kingdom with King Faisal in power and admitted to the League of Nations.

1933 King Faisal dies and his son Ghazi succeeds him.

1936 A treaty of non - aggression is signed with Saudi Arabia.

1939 King Ghazi dies.

1941 The British regain control after a 4-week war and ensure that a pro- British government is formed.

1943 Iraq declares war on the Axis (headed by the Germans).

1950 Strong increase in oil revenues.

1953 Direct parliamentary elections take place and King Faisal II assumes throne.

1954 Political instability increases as the USA tries to enhance its influence in Iraq.

1955 The Baghdad Pact - a military-security agreement between Iraq and Turkey is signed. Britain, Pakistan and Iran later join the group.

The Republican Years
1958 General Karim Kassem leads a military coup in which the king, the crown prince and the prime minister are killed.

1959 Iraq withdraws from the Baghdad Pact.

1960 Iraq makes claims on Kuwait, which receives its independence this year.

1963 General Kassem is overthrown by officers from the Baath Party. Abdul Salam Arif becomes the new president.

The Emergence of Saddam Hussein
1968 Abdul Salam Arif is overthrown, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr becomes the new president and Iraq shuns the West in favour of improved relations with the Soviet Union.

1970 After years of unrest, the Iraqi government agrees to form an autonomous Kurdish region and allows the Kurds into the cabinet.

1979 President Bakr is placed under house arrest. Saddam Hussein becomes the new president. About 400 members of the ruling Baath Party are executed on Saddam's orders. Unrest among the Kurds increases, inspired by unrest in Iran after the Islamic revolution there. Religious animosities in Iraq are linked to what is happening in Iran and relations between the two countries worsen.

The Iraq - Iran War
1980 Saddam declares the Iraqi-Iranian Border agreements of 1975 null and void and claims the whole Shatt el-Arab region. Iraq invades Iran on September 22.

1982 Iran launches a counter-offensive and reclaims most of the land occupied by Iraq.

1988 Iraq signs the ceasefire with Iran on August 20. Iraqi aircraft shell Kurdish Halabja with chemical weapons, killing thousands of civilians, on March 16.

The Gulf War
1990 The Iraqi army crosses into Kuwait and takes over the country in a matter of hours on August 2. Kuwaiti assets around the world are frozen. Baghdad holds foreign nationals in Iraq and Kuwait as hostages.The United Nations imposes sanctions which ban economic relations with other nations.

1991 The aerial bombardment of Iraq begins on January 17. A ground offensive follows. Tens of thousands of Iraqis are killed and most of the military infrastructure is destroyed. Kuwait is liberated on February 26 and Saddam announces a withdrawal. The formal ceasefire comes into effect on February 28. The Iraqi intifada (uprising against the regime) is prompted by the actions of a tank commander in Basra city. Two-thirds of the country falls into rebel hands for varying lengths of time. The UN Security Council adopts resolution 688, a historic document that calls for intervention in the internal affairs of a member state mistreating its own people. Clashes between Iraqi troops and the Kurds continue.

The Post Gulf War Years
1992 Iraq admits that it has a nuclear weapons program. UN weapons inspectors are banned from government buildings. A convoy carrying the wife of the French President, on a mission to help the Kurds, is bombed near Arbil. The UN imposes the no-fly zone over southern Iraq on August 27. UN demands to eliminate the remaining weapons of mass destruction go unheeded and international sanctions remain.

1993 US and Allied warplanes attack targets in southern Iraq after Iraq refuses to remove anti-aircraft missile batteries from the no-fly zone. Following further Iraqi breaches of UN resolutions, 119 US, French and British planes bomb targets in southern Iraq.

1994 The Iraqi regime offers a $10,000 reward for the killing of any foreigner. German journalist Lizzy Schmidt and her bodyguard are assassinated. New laws are passed which allows thieves and defectors to be punished by amputation. Iraq moves 10,000 troops to Basra during a UN summit, threatening Kuwait in defiance of a UN resolution. President Clinton responds by moving US naval fleets and army units to Iraq. Baghdad then officially recognises the sovereignty of Kuwait.

1995 Husain Kamel, his brother, and their wives (Saddam's daughters) defect to Jordan following a family feud. They reveal military secrets which forces Iraq to admit that it has a "biological weapons of mass destruction" program. In a national referendum, 99.96 per cent of voters back Saddam for President for another seven years. The UN Security Council allows a program that lets Iraq export oil in exchange for food, medicine, and other necessities.

1996 Intra-Kurdish disputes increase. Uday Hussein, elder son of Saddam Hussein is injured in an assassination attempt by unknown assailants.

1998 The UN Security Council votes unanimously not to discuss lifting sanctions until co-operation with UN arms inspectors resumes. America and Britain threaten Iraq with a military strike if it does not co-operate. A CIA and MI6 plot to assassinate Saddam Hussein is revealed.

1999 Russia signs a deal with Iraq to upgrade the country's MiG jet fighters 2000 The original UN inspections team, UNSCOM, is replaced with UNMOVIC (United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission), after the Clinton administration admits that it had received intelligence reports from UNSCOM's weapons inspectors. Baghdad still refuses to let inspection teams into the country.

2001 The United States and Britain attempt to tighten sanctions against Iraq. Sanctions have led to 1.7 million Iraqis perishing, thus far. Their proposal of "smart sanctions," to eliminate loopholes that permit Iraq to buy more than life's necessities, is rejected by the UN Security Council. President George W. Bush authorises an unprovoked air attack on the outskirts of Baghdad, escalating the ongoing US war against Iraq.

2002 President Bush names Iraq as one of the 'Axis of Evil' nations, along with Iran and North Korea. Vice President Richard Cheney reiterates America's threat of a pre-emptive strike to prevent the use of "weapons of mass destruction" US warplanes bombard military and civilian targets. President Bush pledges to get rid of Saddam Hussein. UN resolution 1441 finds Iraq in material breach of its obligations to disarm.

2003 UNMOVIC weapons inspectors led by Dr Hans Blix report limited co-operation in their search for weapons of mass destruction. America and Britain call for a new UN resolution authorising war and get backing of Spain and Bulgaria. But France, Russia, China, Germany and Syria are opposed. America sends 225,000 troops to the Gulf and Britain commits 45,000.

A 21-day conflict ends on April 11 with the fall of Baghdad. Saddam's whereabouts are unknown but his sons, Uday and Qusay, are later killed during a US-led raid on a house in Mosul. In October, an interim report by David Kay, the head of a CIA-led inspection team, shows that after four months of searching, no banned weapons have been found.

The hunt for the 'Ace of Spades' ends on Dec 14 when Saddam Hussein is captured by US forces at his cramped, 8ft-deep hideaway under the floor of a mud hut on the outskirts of his home town, Tikrit.

Internet Failure?

Every year we grow more and more dependent on the Internet. But would you know what to do if your connection suddenly went down?

No one knows when the Internet will fail. It could happen at any time, leaving you bereft of your e-mail, your sports scores, and your Blogs. Therefore, it's important that you and your family have a contingency plan for just such an emergency. If your connection to Cyberspace were to ever get severed, you should at least be prepared. We have included a few key points that should assist you if that were to happen.

1. Panic!
An excited, agitated state will give you that heightened sense of awareness and will increase your thought processes allowing you to come up with rational solutions. Panic is just nature's way of putting your body into over-drive. It's a defense mechanism that gives you an edge when dealing with potentially harmful situations, such as a severed arm or the loss of your Internet.

2. Find A Telephone
Do you have access to a telephone line? Early computers connected to the Internet using a dial-up device along with a hardware device known as a "modem." Since this technology is obsolete, it will be of no use to you. Instead, use your telephone to call your friends to see if their connection is also down, as you will have lost the ability to send an email or an instant message. You can also use a telephone to call 911, an emergency service that will first tell you to calm down, and then will send out specially-trained technicians to find the source of the Internet's failure.

3. Use Your Back-Up Computer
It's always good to have an emergency laptop handy, in case you need to harry over to a buddy's place where the Net is still up. If there is still no Internet at that location, at the very least you could connect to a small network or LAN (Less-than Adequate Network). Laptops can also be placed on tables at coffeeshops, while you sit around with a latte, nervously waiting for your connection to be restored.

4. Install A Game
In emergency situations, installing a single-player computer game can occupy your down-time. While it won't replace the adrenaline rush of intense networked multiplayer action provided by the Internet, a quick game of Sim City or Flight Simulator may distract you long enough for your connection to return.

5. Perform Routine Maintenance
While programs such as Norton Antivirus have removed most of the tedium of computer system maintenance, nothing could help pass the time faster than cleaning out your hard drive, emptying your cache, or organizing your celebrity fake porn collection. Take the time to stare at your screen while you perform a defragmentation. The time will literally fly while you barely notice your separation from the Internet.

6. Turn On A Television Or Radio
Televisions, strange boxes that sit in your parents' living rooms, were once used to provide entertainment, long before DVDs and Playstations were invented. Televisions have the capability of broadcasting streaming information similar to the content on multimedia websites. With a "remote control," a wireless device that is like a small one-handed keyboard, you may be able to surf a limited number of "channels," while you deal with the loss of your connection. Unfortunately, television is only a one-way media.

In ancient times, radios were also used to entertain. A radio allowed you to listen to news, sports, and music, much the same way that you listen to live streaming audio on a Shoutcast server. Like the television, a radio will only have a limited selection of listening stations, and no video. Hopefully your separation from the Internet will be brief.

7. Read
People in pre-Internet times used to read "books" and "magazines", written materials once created in printable format to pass the time. Some e-books are still available on paper, and may offer a short-term solution until your power is back and your broadband is restored. If reading is not an option, as a last resort, you may wish to try doing "chores," or try your hand at cooking. While these activities cannot replace the Internet, they may be able to make the down-time a little more tolerable.

8. Go Outside
The idea of leaving your workstation may seem a little extreme, but you can perform errands that you normally get parents or spouses to do: grocery shopping, drycleaning, etc. Leaving your dorm room, basement, or above-garage apartment suite, may be risky, but again, the time may afford an effective distraction from your Internet woes. NOTE: Be careful to avoid the sun, because your pasty white skin will not be used to the exposure.

9. Spend Time With Your Spouse
Communicating with your wife or girlfriend may seem like a radical suggestion, but the time investment may offer long-term rewards. Spending any amount of time talking about your "relationship" may free up more Internet time for you later on, when your ADSL or Cable link to the World Wide Web has been restored. WARNING: These will probably be the longest hours of your life.

10. Use Your Emergency AOL Disk
If you find that your connection to the Internet is going to be longer than you can possibly stand, as a last resort, pull out an emergency AOL CD, the one with 910 free hours of connection to the AOL service. Take the CD in one hand...and slash it across your wrist! Suicide will probably be a better alternative than connecting to that service.

Hopefully some of these Internet alternatives will be able to assist you during an offline crisis. Emergency radio broadcasts will likely advise you of the state of the Internet and be able to predict when your bandwidth will be restored, but remember to have an emergency plan in case your digital detachment is longer than you expect

Today's The day - 28th November

28th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Stephen the Younger,
St Catherine Laboure,
St Simeon Metaphrastes,
St James of the March,
and St Joseph Pignatelli.

History Test for November 28th

Name the oldest scientific organisation in Britain, which had its first meeting today in 1660. -The Royal Society

The writer Washington Irving died today in 1859. He created Rip Van Winkle, who slept for how many years? -Twenty

Born today in 1757, who wrote the poems 'Songs of Innocence' and 'Songs of Experience'? -William Blake

`Carry On' star Kenneth Connor died today in 1993. Which character did he play in the TV comedy `Allo `Allo'? -Monsieur Alfonse

Who reached Number One in the UK pop charts today in 1970 with `I Hear You Knockin'? -Dave Edmunds

QUOTE “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the Light, but rather because its opponents eventually die out, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” - Max Planck, German physicist, 1934.

Events today...

1520 Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sailed through the Straits at the tip of South America and reached an ocean which he named the Pacific.

1660 The Royal Society was chartered in London.

1680 Death of Giovanni Lorenzo Bemini Italian sculptor.

1859 Washington Irving, the first successful American-born writer, died at his Tarrytown New York home, aged 76. In 1820 he published The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon Gent, a collection of amusing stories that included "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Leger of Sleepy Hollow". The book launched him as writer, which was all he had ever wanted to be although he never quite reproduced its success latterly he concentrated on non-fiction, producing biographies of Christopher Columbus, Oliver Goldsmith and George Washington - after whom his father had named him and by who he was blessed at his inauguration in 1789. A modest and kindly man of great charm, he never married, although there is a persistent legend that Mary Shelley was in love with him in the 1820s.

1905 Austrians gain universal suffrage.

1905 The Irish political party Sinn Fein was founded by Arthur Griffich in Dublin.

1907 King Leopold II of Belgium handed over control of the Congo to the Belgian government, ending 20 years of absolute rule by the monarch.

1909 In France, a law was passed allowing women eight weeks' maternity leave.

1917 Fred and Adele Astaire debuted on Broadway in the show "Over The Top".

1919 Nancy Astor was elected member of parliament for Plymouth, becoming Britain's first woman MP.

1932 Groucho Marx made the first of his first radio broadcasts.

1945 Death of Dwight F. Davis, founder of the Davis Cup tennis tournament.

1948 Edwin Land's first Polaroid cameras went on sale in Boston.

1950 The Korean War took a devastating new turn when an estimate 200,000 Chinese troops poured over the River Yalu. Chou En-Lai, the Chinese foreign minister, had repeatedly warned that his country would resist US forces crossed the 38th Parallel into North Korea, but his warnings were ignored by the West. Now the US Eighth Army, along with large forces of Marines and South Koreans, was in humiliating retreat in appalling weather.

1954 Death of Enrico Fermi, Italian physicist.

1960 Mauritania gained independence.

1967 All horse-racing was banned in Britain owing to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

1968 Death of Enid Blyton, English children's book author.

1971 In Rome, 100,000 demonstrators marched against fascism.

1974 Elton John was joined by John Lennon on stage at Madison Square Gardens in New York. The two were at number one with their song "Walls and Bridges" and this was the first time that John had performed on stage for three years.

1976 Death of Rosalind Russell, (aged 65) Actress.

1977 "Elvis" the stage musical opened in London with Timothy Whitnall, Shakin' Stevens and P.J. Proby all playing the "King" at different stages of his life.

1978 Amid growing fundamentalist opposition, the Iranian government banned religious rallies.

1979 Ringo Starr's house in Los Angeles was destroyed in a fire.

1983 Rock stars played a gig in Dallas Texas to raise money for multiple Sclerosis research. Among those performing were Eric Clacton, Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Page, Bill Wyman, Kenny Jones, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Lane.

1983 The British government announced that it would end opticians' monopoly on the sale of spectacles.

1988 Cabinet Secretary Sir Robert Armstrong, the British government's chief witness in its attempt to prevent publication of retired MI5 agent Peter Wright's memoirs, admitted to a Sydney court that he had unintentionally given "misleading evidence". In his book Spycatcher, Wright alleged that the late Sir Roger Hollis, former MI5 chief, was a Soviet double agent. Wright's attorney, Malcolm Turnbull, previously questioned Sir Robert about the government's apparent selectivity in going after Wright but not prosecuting two previous authors who had made similar accusations. Armstrong's contention was that Wright was a government employee, and therefore subject to different criteria, and that the decision not to prosecute was made by the Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers. Now he admitted that the decision had in fact been taken by "a group of advisors", not by Havers; inadvertently, he said, they had been "economical with the truth".

1990 Margaret Thatcher, Conservative Prime Minister since May 1979 (and the longest serving this century) handed her resignation to the Queen. Later that morning John Major was formally appointed in her place. The November 1 resignation of Sir Geoffrey Howe, deputy Prime Minister and the last serving member of Mrs Thatcher’s original 1979 cabinet precipitated the leadership crisis. Howe was openly critical of her hostile attitude to Europe, especially over monetary policy. Ex-minister Michael Heseltine, another Thatcher critic, challenged her for the leadership of the Conservative Party and in the ensuing ballot she failed by four votes to secure the 15 per cent margin needed to avoid a second ballot. Although she announced her intention to stand again, she finally stood down after protracted consultations with senior colleagues.

1993 Death of Kenneth Connor, English actor.

1993 The Northern Ireland peace process and Prime Minister John Major's credibility were dealt a blow when secret government contacts with the IRA were publicly disclosed.

1994 Jeffrey Dahlmer, a serial killer, was beaten to death in prison in Wisconsin. A fellow inmate clubbed him to death while cleaning a toilet.

1996 A planned space walk was prevented when a hatch stuck on "Columbia". It was later discovered that a loose screw was to blame.

1999 Eight people were injured when a naked man with a Sword ran amok in a South London Church.

2000 Death of Len Shackleton, footballer.

2000 The Netherlands voted to allow euthanasia under certain circumstances.

2003 Police in Italy and Germany arrested three North Africans suspected of recruiting suicide bombers for attacks in Iraq.

2003 Three French photographers were cleared of invading Princess Diana's privacy on the night she died.

2003 With counting over in the NI election, Ian Paisley's anti-Agreement DUP overtook the UUP as the biggest party.

2003 BBC One re-launched the veteran music show "Top of the Pops" with a new look and format to boost ratings. The show drew an extra two million viewers for the live relaunch.

2003 Ricky Gervais asked the press not to ruin The Office Christmas specials by publishing the scripts.

2003 Snooker: Matthew Stevens beat Jimmy White 9-7 in York to reach the UK Championship final.

2003 Paul Gascoigne failed to convince Wolves that he was worth a contract.

2004 At least 25 miners died and 141 were trapped deep in a mine in China after a gas explosion.

2004 Swiss voters overwhelmingly approved government proposals to permit research using stem cells of human embryos.

2004 John Dunn - one of the best known voices on BBC Radio 2 - died after a battle with cancer.

2004 England beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the opening one-day international.

BIRTHDAYS (for 28 November 2006)

John Bunyan, 378 (born 28 November 1628)
(Died 1688) Novelist.

Jean Baptiste Lully, 374 (born 28 November 1632)
French composer who worked as a scullion in an aristocratic French household and rose to be composer, violinist and dancer to King Louis XIV.

Wllliam Blake, 249 (born 28 November 1757)
English visionary poet, painter and engraver.

Friedrich Engels, 186 (born 28 November 1820)
German socialist whose books include Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 and Anti-Duhring.

Alberto Moravla, 99 (born 28 November 1907)
Italian novelist whose books include The Woman of Rome and Two Women.

Claude Levi-Strauss, 98 (born 28 November 1908)
French anthropologist whose books include Structural Anthropology and From Honey to Ashes.

Berry Gordy Jr, 77 (born 28 November 1929)
Music songwriter executive - Motown records founder.

Clem Curtis, 66 (born 28 November 1940)
Member of The Foundations.

Randy Newman, 63 (born 28 November 1943)
American singer and songwriter whose hits include "Short People" and "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today".

Joe Dante, 60 (born 28 November 1946)
Director - 'Poltergeist'.

Paul Shaffer, 57 (born 28 November 1949)
Bandleader on David Letterman's show.

Ed Harris, 56 (born 28 November 1950)
Actor 'The Abyss' 'Apollo 13'.

Fiona Armstrong, 50 (born 28 November 1956)
TV presenter and newsreader.

Kriss Akabusi MBE, 48 (born 28 November 1958)
Athlete and TV presenter.

Princess, 43 (born 28 November 1963)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Say I'm Your Number One'.

Anna Nicole Smith, 39 (born 28 November 1967)
Model.

Dawn Robinson, 38 (born 28 November 1968)
Ex-member of En Vogue.

Today's The day - 27th November

27th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St James Inteccisus,
St Cungar of Somerset, Saints Barlaam and Josaphat
St Maximus of Riez,
St Fergus nf strathem,
St Virgil of Salzburg,
and St Secundinus or Sechnall.

History Test for November 27th

Today in 1965, Prince Charles was starring as Macbeth in his school play. Which school? -Gordonstoun

John Alderton was born today in 1940. Name the school-master he played in the TV comedy series 'Please Sir'. -Bernard Hedges

Ernie Wise was born today in 1925. In a classic Morecambe and Wise sketch, which singer had her shoe replaced with an army boot? -Shirley Bassey

Which American dramatist wrote an autobiographical play called `Long Journey into Night' and died today in 1953? -Eugene O'Neill

Born today in 1938, who played Bob Ferris in the TV comedy `The Likely Lads'? -Rodney Bewes

Events today...

8BC Death of Horace, Roman poet.

1095 Pope Urban began to preach the First Crusade at Clermont, France.

1582 William Shakespeare, aged 18, married Anne Hathaway.

1811 Death of Andrew Meikle, Scottish inventor of the threshing machine.

1826 The friction match was invented by John Walker (in England).

1868 Blood flowed on the Washita river in western Oklahoma when Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and his 7th Cavalry attacked and burned the village of Cheyenne chief Black Kettle. The Cheyenne had been bitterly resisting the building of the railroad in their territory, but it seemed that Black Kettle had been negotiating for peace at the time of his death. The 29-year-old Custer was a controversial figure - his daring, reckless style attracted attention at the Battle of Gettysburg and he had only recently been restored to active duty following a court-martial for unauthorized absence from his command and for mistreating deserters. Within an hour after the dawn attack, 103 warriors were dead, according to Custer's unverified estimate. The 23 US dead, among them Major Joel Elliott, were slaughtered while in hot pursuit of a group of fleeing Indians.

1875 Britain bought shares worth £4 million ($7.4 million) in the Suez Canal Company.

1893 New Zealand went to the polls, and for the first time in a national election anywhere in the world women voted too, a female suffrage bill having been passed in parliament by just two votes. The women of New Zealand owed this advance to the flamboyant Liberal leader Richard John Seddon, known as "King Dick", whose unwillingness to alienate a powerful feminist-temperance alliance helped force the measure through parliament, albeit with so narrow a margin. The women returned the favour by electing Seddon and the Liberals to power.

1895 Death of Alexandre Dumas fils (aged 71), French novelist and dramatist who wrote the novel La Dame aux Camellias and adapted it for the stage as Camille.

1910 The world's largest railway station opened in New York.

1914 The first policewomen in Britain to complete their official training and assume active duty, Misses Mary Allen and E. F. Harburn, were patrolling the streets of Grantham, Lincolnshire. Reporting to the Provost Marshal of the county, the women were unpaid. They were in Grantham in response to a request from the military authorities - there was a military camp containing 18,000 soldiers just outside town (only 2,000 fewer than the population of Grantham), and it was felt that the women's presence on the streets could help to reduce tension. Wartime demands on manpower were expected to lead to the recruitment of more women to the force.

1919 A massive meteor landed in Lake Michigan.

1924 Gary Cooper arrived in Los Angeles looking for work as a commercial artist. He became a leading actor and appeared in numerous movies.

1940 In Romania, the pro-fascist group Iron Guard murdered 64 people including former prime minister Jorga.

1942 The French fleet was scuttled by its crews six hours after German tanks arrived in the naval base of Toulon.

1944 The explosion was heard as far away as Geneva when 4000 tons of explosive stored in a cavern in Staffordshire, England, blew up, destroying a farm and killing 68.

1953 American playwright Eugene O'Neill, Nobel Prize-winner in 1936 and four-times Pulitzer Prize-winner, died. He was 65. Although at times inconsistent, his best work, such as Mourning Becomes Electra and The Iceman Cometh, was equal to any other 20th-century playwright's. Born in a hotel room on Broadway and 43rd in New York City, he came from Irish theatrical stock. His discovery that his mother had been addicted to morphine while she carried him so shattered O'Neill that it led to an erratic life of drink and family feuding, which was reflected in his work. His last years were tragic: he was estranged from his children, his eldest son Eugene Jr committed suicide at 40 and a tremor in his hands prevented him from writing. He died in a Boston hotel with the words, "Born in a goddam hotel room and dying in a goddam hotel room!"

1955 The Guinness Book of Records was published for the first time.

1955 Death of Arthur Honegger, Swiss composer.

1965 Public experiments with LSD were started in La Honda, California, by Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters. Despite its potent hallucinogenic qualities, lysergic acid diethylamide was still legal; it was being manufactured in large quantities in simple home laboratories, notably by the legendary Owsley Stanley.

1967 French President Charles de Gaulle rejected British entry into the Common Market.

1970 In Manila, capital of the Philippines, a knife-wielding man was seized as he attempted to attack Pope John Paul.

1970 George Harrison released his triple album set "All Things Must Pass".

1970 The Gay Liberation Front held its first demonstration in London.

1975 Death of Ross McWhirter, (aged 50) Publisher of Guinness Book of Records fame

1981 Death of Lottie Lenya, (aged 83) Actress Kurt Weill's wife

1985 Steven Spielberg married actress Amy Irving. They divorced later.

1988 Death of John Carradine, (aged 82) Actor

1990 The Conservative Party chose John Major as their new leader and therefore the New Prime Minister.

1991 Hulk Hogan was defeated by The Undertaker who became the new WWF champion.

1991 A 15th-century Bible was sold at Christie's in London to a New York antiquarian bookseller for £1.1 million ($2 million).

2003 At least 163 bodies were recovered and 100 were missing after a boat capsized in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2003 Cigarette sellers across France won a partial victory in their battle against a rise in tobacco taxes.

2003 Lithuania's President Rolandas Paksas faced possible impeachment over alleged links to Russian mafia.

2003 David Beckham got letters after his name after receiving the OBE at Buckingham Palace. But Poet Benjamin Zephaniah rejected his New Year honour because he said it represented British colonialism.

2003 EastEnders' star Jessie Wallace was banned from driving for three years are pleading guilty to drink driving.

2003 England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson criticised the FA for making public its offer of a contract extension.

2003 Newcastle won by an own goal against Basle to reach the third round of the UEFA Cup. And Manchester City crashed out on away goals after a 0-0 draw at Groclin Dyskobolia.

2004 The Pope reached out to Orthodox Christians as he returned bones looted during the Crusades.

2004 Former children who sang on Pink Floyd's Another Brick in The Wall began action over unpaid royalties.

BIRTHDAYS (for 27 November 2006)

Anders Celsius, 305 (born 27 November 1701)
Swedish astronomer who invented the Celsius temperature scale.

David Merrick, 94 (born 27 November 1912)
Stage producer 'Hello Dolly' 'Oliver' '42nd Street'

"Buffalo" Bob Smith, 89 (born 27 November 1917)
children's entertainer.

Alexander Dubcek, 85 (born 27 November 1921)
Czechoslovakian politician who, as secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party in 27/11/1968, instigated the liberal reforms that led to the `Prague Spring' which was crushed by the Soviet Union in August of that year.

Ernie Wise OBE, 81 (born 27 November 1925)
Comedian of Morecambe and Wise fame

Marshall Thompson, 81 (born 27 November 1925)
(Died 1992) Actor - 'Daktari'

Alan Simpson, 77 (born 27 November 1929)
Comedy writer of Galton and Simpson fame

Rodney Bewes, 68 (born 27 November 1938)
Actor - 'The Likely Lads'

John Alderton, 66 (born 27 November 1940)
Actor - 'Please Sir'

Bruce Lee, 66 (born 27 November 1940)
(Died 1973) Martial Arts expert - 'Enter the Dragon'

Eddie Rabbitt, 65 (born 27 November 1941)
(Died 1998) Singer - 'I Love a Rainy Night'

Jimi Hendrix, 64 (born 27 November 1942)
Died 1970. American singer and ace guitarist who, with the group the Jimi Hendrix Experience, had massive hits with songs such as `Purple Haze' and Bob Dylan's `All Along the Watchtower'.

Dozy, 62 (born 27 November 1944)
Member of Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich fame (real name Trevor Leonard Davies)

Randy Brecker, 61 (born 27 November 1945)
Musician of Brecker Brothers fame

Charlie Burchill, 47 (born 27 November 1959)
Member of Simple Minds

Robin Givens, 42 (born 27 November 1964)
Actress 'A Rage in Harlem'

Today's The day - 26th November

26th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Conrad of Constance,
St Peter of Alexandria,
St John Berchmans,
St Basolus or Basle,
St Siricius,
St Leonard of Porto Maurizio,
and St Silvester Gozzolini.

History Test for November 26th

Born today in 1905, who is the Welsh author of the play 'The Corn is Green'? -Emlyn Williams

Today in 1981, which by-election did Shirley Williams win to become the first SDP MP? -Crosby

Which singer was born Annie Mae Bullock today in 1938? -Tina Turner

Which bandleader and trombonist of the swing era formed an orchestra with his brother Jimmy and died today in 1956? -Tommy Dorsey

Born today in 1923 who played Elsie Tanner in `Coronation Street'? -Pat Phoenix

QUOTE “Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one go.” - Truman Capote, US novelist, 1961.

Events today...

1504 Death of lsabella I, Queen of Castile and Aragon.

1688 King Louis XIV declared war on the Netherlands.

1703 England was hit by severe gales, known as the Great storm in which 8,000 people died.

1789 The American holiday of Thanksgiving was celebrated nationally for the first time.

1832 New York's public transport system was inaugurated when Mr John Mason's horse-drawn streetcars, the city's first, went into operation between Spring and 14th streets.

1836 John McAdam, Scottish inventor of the macadam road surface which has done so much to improve the comfort of travel on Britain's roads, died at the age of 80. McAdam was prompted to find a way of improving the appalling standard of road surfaces in Britain after a trip to America opened his eyes as to how good these could be. He started work on the problem in 1783, and by the time he came up with his system had expended a considerable amount of his own fortune on experiments. The McAdam system made use of crushed rock and gravel on a raised surface for good drainage. McAdam was appointed Surveyor General of Metropolitan Roads in 1827. He loved Scotland and in retirement would frequently revisit the scenes of his boyhood. It was while returning from one of these expeditions that he died.

1851 Death of Nicolas Soult, French general.

1885 The first meteor was photographed.

1901 Britain and Italy agreed a frontier between Eritrea and the Sudan.

1902 New Zealand's Progressive Party won the general election for the fifth consecutive time.

1906 President Theodore Roosevelt returned to Washington from Central America, having made history by being the first US President to travel abroad while in office. His 17-day trip aboard the battleship Louisiana took him to Puerto Rico and then on to Panama to see for himself the building work on the canal he did so much to promote - or "to see how the ditch is getting on", as he put it.

1917 Death of Leander Jameson, British colonial administrator.

1922 Archaeologist Howard Carter and his sponsor the Earl of Caernavon made a hole in the door of Tutankhamun's tomb and were able to distinguish the contents by candlelight.

1928 The first twins to be born in Britain by Caesarean section were delivered in Manchester.

1942 The movie "Casablanca" starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman received its world premiere.

1942 The Soviet forces counter-attacked at Stalingrad, ending the siege and forcing General von Paulus's Sixth Army to retreat.

1949 India became a federal republic within the Commonwealth.

1956 American trombonist and bandleader Tommy Dorsey choked to death in his sleep at the age of 51.

1966 "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees went gold.

1966 The world's first tidal power station was opened by General de Gaulle on the Rance Estuary near St Malo in Brittany. Its developer, Albert Caquot, first drew up plans to harness the power of the tides in 1955, but his scheme was rejected as too ambitious. The present station cost FF420 million (£42 million ). The 2640 ft (850 m) barrage contained 24 turbo alternators which produce 544 million kW.

1968 Death of Arnold Zweig, German novelist.

1968 Hippie heroes Cream, the world's loudest, fastest, most overpowering rock band, played their last concert at London's Albert Hall in front of 10,000 fans torn between ecstasy and sorrow. The group- Eric Clapton on lead guitar, Jack Bruce on bass and Ginger Baker on drums- spent the past two years blowing minds with their own compositions, such as "Strange Brew", "I Feel Free" and "Sunshine of Your Love", and original renditions of blues classics like "Crossroads" and "Spoonful". Clapton's playing inspired "Clapton is God" graffiti on both sides of the Atlantic, and the group's Wheels of Fire double album topped the US charts for four weeks. Fans suffering withdrawal symptoms were be able to comfort themselves with Tony Palmer's film of the concert.

1972 The Race Relations Act was introduced in the UK.

1973 The Boston Strangler was murdered in his cell in Massachusetts.

1974 The "Miss World" contest saw the newly crowned Helen Morgan resign after it was revealed she was an unmarried mother and had been cited in a divorce case.

1977 The Sex Pistols released their first single "Anarchy in the UK".

1983 A daring and efficient gang of thieves pulled off Britain's biggest-ever robbery. £25 millions' ($4.6 million) worth of gold bullion. They coolly broke into the Brinks-Mat security warehouse at Heathrow Airport, neutralised the alarm system and tied up six guards. They then spent an hour loading the gold, which weighed 25 tons, into a truck before making their getaway.

1990 Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's Prime Minister for 31 years, announced that he was stepping down.

1996 Death of Michael Bentine, (aged 74) Comedian 'The Goon Show' 'Potty Time' 'Square World'

1998 Miss Israel won the re-launched “Miss World” Pageant. Miss France and Miss Malaysia were runners up.

2003 A German court jailed an al-Qaeda suspect for four years for helping plot terror attacks against Jewish targets.

2003 Tony Blair faced rebellion on two fronts over plans for university fees and asylum seekers set out in the Queen's Speech.

2003 Diego Forlan gave Man Utd a 1-0 win over Panathinaikos to seal their qualification from Champions League Group E.

2004 England's cricketers arrived in Harare for a four-match series against Zimbabwe.

2004 Everton were told they would not be invited to share Liverpool's new ground - despite reports of a fresh meeting.

2004 Former Liverpool boss Roy Evans was appointed as assistant to new Wales manager John Toshack.

BIRTHDAYS (for 26 November 2006)

Willlam Cowper, 275 (born 26 November 1731)
English poet who, with evangelical curate John Newton, published Olney Hymns; in spite of mental instability and frequent suicide attempts he found great popularity with the comic ballad `John Gilpin's Ride'.

Baron Charles Forte, 97 (born 26 November 1909)
Founder of Trusthouse Forte

Cyril Cusack, 96 (born 26 November 1910)
Irish actor who made his film debut at the age of seven and went on to appear at the Abbey Theatre over 14 years and make many films.

Eugene Ionesco, 94 (born 26 November 1912)
French dramatist who initiated the Theatre of the Absurd and, in his later plays, used surrealistic techniques to express his nihilistic view of society.

Charles Schultz, 84 (born 26 November 1922)
American cartoonist who created the highly successful `Peanuts' strip.

Pat Phoenix, 82 (born 26 November 1924)
(Died 1986) Actress of 'Coronation Street' fame

Richard Caruthers (Rich) Little, 68 (born 26 November 1938)
American impressionist

Tina Turner, 67 (born 26 November 1939)
American singer who had hits such as `River Deep, Mountain High' with her husband Ike before gaining massive success as a solo artist.

John McVie, 61 (born 26 November 1945)
Bass player with Fleetwood Mac

Jamie Jones, 32 (born 26 November 1974)
Member of All 4 One

10 things we didn't know this time last week

Snippets harvested from the week's news, chopped, diced and sliced for easy consumption.

1. The age of consent in Northern Ireland is 17, as opposed to 16 in the rest of the UK. More details

2. A digital radio uses between 12 and 20 times the energy that an analogue radio does.

3. The phrase "dead reckoning" means navigating traditionally, by charts and compass.

4. George Bush is the first president since Jimmy Carter not to subscribe to the Guardian Weekly.

5. Male African golden web orb spiders have two penises, both of which drop off during sex.

6. There are 6.5m sets of fingerprints on file in the UK. More details

7. About 60% of drivers stopped by police do not give their true identity. More details

8. Heroin addicts commit on average 432 offences a year, according to Chief Constable Howard Roberts. More details

9. Michael Jackson watches I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

10. Iceland's population is about the same as that of Doncaster. More details

(Sources, where stories not linked - 1: Observer, 12 Nov; 2: Feedback, BBC Radio 4, 19 Nov; 3: Guardian, 18 Nov; 4: Guardian, 18 Nov. 5: The Times, 21 Nov. 9: PA, 24 Nov.)

Today's The day - 25th November

25th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Moses the Martyr,
and St Mercurius of Caesarea.

History Test for November 25th

Name the world's longest-running stage play, which opened today in 1952. -`The Mousetrap'

Today in 1965, which group reached Number One in the UK pop charts with `The Carnival is Over'? -The Seekers

Born today in 1914, which famous American baseball player was known as 'The Yankee Clipper'? -Joe diMaggio - briefly married to Marilyn Monroe

The funeral of John F. Kennedy took place today in 1963. Where exactly is he buried? -The Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

The American tap dancer and entertainer, Bill Robinson, died today in 1949. What was his nickname? -'Bojangles'

Events today...

1748 Death of Isaac Watts English hymn writer.

1867 Dynamite was patented by Alfred Nobel

1882 Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe" was premiered in both London and New York.

1884 John Mayenberg of Saint Louis, Missouri, patented evaporated milk.

1913 In Natal, police opened fire on demonstrators protesting against the imprisonment of Mahatma Gandhi, killing two and wounding another 20.

1915 The Ku Klux Klan, which was originally formed in 1886, was revived on this day at Stone Mountain, Georgia, by Colonel William Simmons.

1935 The monarchy was restored in Greece.

1937 An inter-regional spelling competition became the first British quiz programme to be broadcast.

1940 "Woody Woodpecker" debuted in the cartoon "Knock Knock".

1941 HMS Barham was sunk, with the loss of 868 lives.

1949 Death of Bill Robinson, the American tap dancer and entertainer known as "Bojangles".

1952 Agatha Christie's play "The Mousetrap" opened at the Ambassador’s Theatre in London with Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sims in the leading roles.

1963 John F Kennedy received a state funeral, following his assassination.

1965 Death of Myra Hess, British pianist.

1968 Death of Upton Sinclair, US novelist.

1969 In protest against Britain's involvement in Biafra and support of US involvement in Vietnam, John Lennon returned his MBE.

1970 Death of Yukio Mishima, Japanese novelist.

1973 Death of Laurence Harvey, (aged 45) Actor

1973 Greek President George Papadapoulos was ousted in a military coup.

1975 Surinam, formerly called Dutch Guiana, became a fully independent republic.

1976 The Band played their last gig. The gig was called "The Last Waltz" and featured many stars.

1980 Death of George Raft, (aged 85) Actor

1983 Death of Anton Dolin, British dancer and choreographer.

1984 An extraordinary gathering of British rock stars, including Phil Collins, Sting, George Michael, Bono and Boy George took place at Sarm Studios in London to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?". The song was written by Boomtown Rat Bob Geldof and Midge Ure of Ultravox. All proceeds from the single were to go directly towards famine relief.

1986 The Iran-Contra affair erupted after President Reagan and his Attorney General Ed Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted to Nicaraguan rebels.

1988 An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale was felt across Canada.

1989 Vietnamese boat people rioted in Hong Kong's detention camps at news of enforced repatriation.

1991 Winston Silcott became the first of the 'Tottenham Three', convicted for the 1985 killing of a policeman in Tottenham, North London, to have his conviction overturned.

1994 Paul Merson (Arsenal and England) admitted his use of cocaine.

1999 Following the £500 million re-development of the City Centre after the bombing three years earlier, the world’s largest Marks and Spencer store opened in Manchester.

2003 The European Commission criticised the Eurozone finance ministers' decision to be lenient with France and Germany over budget deficits.

2003 West Bromwich Albion footballer Lee Hughes was charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

2003 "Love Actually" scored the highest UK opening weekend takings of any British romantic comedy.

2003 Some of the UK's best-loved and most influential films and TV shows were put on the Internet.

2003 Thierry Henry inspired Arsenal to a crushing 5-1 defeat of Inter Milan at the San Siro. And Celtic's Champions League hopes hung in the balance after a 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich in Glasgow.

2004 Ukraine's top court stopped publication of the election result until it considered an opposition appeal.

2004 British-born writer Arthur Hailey, author of 11 best-sellers, died at his home in the Bahamas.

2004 It was announced that Chat show hosts Des O'Connor and Melanie Sykes were moving to ITV1's early evening slot in the New Year.

2004 The Football Association named Brian Barwick as its new chief executive.

BIRTHDAYS (for 25 November 2006)

Andrew Carnegie, 171 (born 25 November 1835)
Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist who donated over £70 million to charitable causes.

Karl Friedrich Benz, 162 (born 25 November 1844)
German engineer and car manufacturer who built the first car to be driven by an internal combustion engine.

Joe Di Maggio, 92 (born 25 November 1914)
American baseball star who married Marilyn Monroe.

Ricardo Montalban, 86 (born 25 November 1920)
Actor 'Fantasy Island'

Jeffrey Hunter, 81 (born 25 November 1925)
(Died 1969) Actor

Nat Adderley, 75 (born 25 November 1931)
Jazz trumpeter

Percy Sledge, 66 (born 25 November 1940)
Singer 'When a Man Loves a Woman'

Imran Khan, 54 (born 25 November 1952)
Cricketer

Amy Grant, 46 (born 25 November 1960)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Baby Baby'

Steve Rothery, 45 (born 25 November 1961)
Member of Marillion

Stacy Lattisaw, 40 (born 25 November 1966)
Singer - 'Jump to the Beat'

Christina Applegate, 34 (born 25 November 1972)
Actress - Kelly Bundy in 'Married with Children'

Today's The day - 24th November

24th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of Saints Flora and Mary,
St Chrysogonus,
and St Colman of Cloyne.

History Test for November 24th

Born today in 1942, which Scottish comedian is known as the Big Yin? -Billy Connolly

Today in 1962, the satirical TV show `That Was The Week That Was' began its first series. Who sang the topical calypsos? -Lance Percival

Ian Botham was born today in 1955. Which county cricket team did he join in 1987? -Worcestershire

Based on stories by Damon Runyon, which musical opened in New York today in 1950? -`Guys and Dolls'

Freddie Mercury died today in 1991. Who was his singing partner for the chart hit `Barcelona'? -Montserrat Caballe

QUOTE “A piece of each of us died at that moment.” - Michael J. Mansfield, US senator, on the assassination two days ago of John F. Kennedy, 1963.

QUOTE “My wife is French. That means she is both logical and badly organised, as we shall shortly discover in Europe.” - Peter Ustinov, British actor, 1991.

Events today...

1572 Death of John Knox, Scottish Protestant reformer whose Confession of Faith was adopted by the Scottish church in 1560.

1642 Don Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, Governor of Nueva Galicia, arrived back in Mexico City a broken and disappointed man . Two years earlier he set off with a party of 336 Spaniards and hundreds of Indians in search of the legendary seven Golden Cities of Cibola. A certain Friar Marcos de Niza had earlier returned from an expedition to New Mexico talking of glittering cities. As a result, the Viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza, commissioned Coronado to lead an expedition. The glittering cities turned out to be simple adobe settlements, so the party struggled on to the north-east, looking for more fabled riches in "the land of Quivira". The exhausted Spaniards found nothing but squalid villages in the vast prairie of the Wichita Indians, and found small consolation in being the first white men to do so. The Viceroy was uninterested in their reports of "shaggy cows", or buffalo.

1642 Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered Van Dieman's Land which he named after his captain, but it was later renamed Tasmania.

1859 "The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin was published.

1899 The US Expeditionary Force made a major advance in its long-running struggle against insurrectionist leader Emilio Aguinaldo when it gained control of the Philippines' largest island, Luzon. The roots of the struggle went back to the Spanish-American War, when Aguinaldo and his forces threw in their lot with the Americans against their hated Spanish oppressors. Bitterly disappointed by the transfer of control of the country to the US as part of Spain's war reparations, Aguinaldo declared the Malolos Republic in 1888 and took to the mountains, from where he had been waging an effective guerrilla campaign. Though this defeat was a considerable setback for him, he vowed to continue the struggle.

1902 The world's first conference for professional photographers opened in Paris.

1922 Death of Erskine Childers, Irish nationalist and novelist.

1924 Egyptian prime minister Zaghlol Pasha resigned after refusing to apologise to Britain for the assassination in Cairo of Major-General Lee Stack, Governor-General of the Sudan.

1929 Death of Georges Clemenceau, French statesman.

1934 Swedish tenor Jussi Bjorling made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York singing the role of Rudolfo in La Boheme.

1963 Lee Harvey Oswald, the man arrested and charged with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas two days earlier, was himself shot and killed. He was 24. While being transferred under police custody to the County Jail he was approached in the underground carpark of the Dallas Police Headquarters by Jack Ruby, a Dallas strip-club owner, who produced a revolver and shot him from point-blank range. Ruby was immediately overpowered and arrested in his turn.

1966 The Beatles started recording the "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band" recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" which never made it onto the album.

1971 A hijacker parachuted with £200,000 ransom from a Northwest Airlines 727 aircraft.

1972 John Lennon released "Happy Xmas (War is Over)".

1979 Saudi Arabian troops stormed the Great Mosque in Mecca to oust Iranian religious fanatics.

1980 Death of George Raft, US film actor.

1983 The Palestine Liberation Organisation (P.L.O) released six Israeli prisoners in exchange for 4500 Palestinians and Lebanese prisoners held by the Israelis.

1985 Egyptian commandos stormed a hijacked aircraft which was parked on the ground in Malta. 58 people died.

1989 The extraordinary events in Eastern Europe continued as Alexander Dubcek, secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party during the short-lived "Prague Spring" of 1968, made his first public appearance in Prague for over 20 years. Appearing alongside dissident playwright Vaclav Havel in Wenceslas Square, he told a crowd of 200,000 cheering Czechs, "We have been too long in darkness. Once already we have been in the light, and we want it again."

1990 White extremists attacked 300 black children in a park in Louis Trichardt.

1991 Freddie Mercury, one of rock's most flamboyant characters, died of AIDS at the age of 45. 24hours earlier, Mercury issued a statement confirming rumours that he had the disease. Mercury and his group, Queen, hit the music world in the 1970s with a teasing mixture of transvestism and original rock. In the early days the music press wondered at Mercury's outrageous persona with headlines like "Is This Man a Prat?" Meanwhile, the fans were flocking to buy the group's records. Throughout the '70s and '80s the effervescent Mercury kept them royally entertained with "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "We Are the Champions" and many more. The fans loved him, his songs and the way he sang them. He was a mesmerising performer, uninhibited and totally involved. Unashamedly homosexual, Freddie Mercury the man was both kind and gentle.

1993 Death of Albert Collins, (aged 61) Blues singer

1993 The movie "Mrs Doubtfire" received its premiere.

1993 The young murderers of James Bulger were sentence to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure. There was a recommendation that they should be detained for many years.

1993 Death of Anthony Burgess, British novelist and critic.

1993 The last 14 bottles of Scotch whisky salvaged from the SS Politician, wrecked in 1941 and the inspiration of the book and film, Whisky Galore, were sold at auction for £11,462 at Christie's.

1996 Fans around the world were saddened by the demise of the group Crowded House. They played their final gig in Australia at the Sydney Opera House.

1998 AOL (America On-Line) announced that it was to buy up Netscape.

1999 The rebuilt City Centre of Manchester was officially opened to the public. It cost £500million to rebuild following the IRA bombing three years earlier.

2003 At the Anglo-French summit, Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac backed plans for Europe to have its own military capability.

2003 Singer Michael Jackson launched a website to protest his innocence on child abuse charges.

2003 "Comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak was jailed for 28 days for throwing paint over Turner Prize nominee Jake Chapman.

2003 The music arm of media giant Time Warner - home of artists such as REM and Madonna - was sold for $2.6bn to a group led by Edgar Bronfman.

2003 West Brom footballer Lee Hughes was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

2004 Both sides in Ukraine's disputed presidential vote warned of civil conflict, as the official result was rejected.

2004 A new agency, dubbed the British version of the FBI, was the central plank of plans to take on criminal gangs.

2004 England's cricketers cancelled their flight to Zimbabwe pending discussions about their controversial tour.

2004 Harry Redknapp resigned as manager of Portsmouth.

BIRTHDAYS (for 24 November 2006)

Laurence Sterne, 293 (born 24 November 1713)
Irish novelist and clergyman best-known for Tristram Shandy.

Grace Darling, 191 (born 24 November 1815)
English lighthouse-keeper's daughter who became a heroine when she rowed out to rescue survivors from the wreck Forfarshire.

Frances Hodgson Burnett, 157 (born 24 November 1849)
Died 1924. English novelist famous for Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Little Princess and The Secret Garden.

William `Bat' Masterson, 153 (born 24 November 1853)
gambler, frontier lawman, and sportswriter.

Henri de Toulous-Lautrec, 142 (born 24 November 1864)
Died 1901. French artist who was stunted by a childhood accident and turned his back on his aristocratic background to live among the music halls and cafes of Montmartre and paint their inhabitants.

Scott Joplin, 138 (born 24 November 1868)
Died 1917. American ragtime pianist and composer.

Dale Carnegie, 118 (born 24 November 1888)
(Died 1955) Author of 'How to Win Friends'

Howard Duff, 89 (born 24 November 1917)
(Died 1990) Actor

Pete Best, 65 (born 24 November 1941)
Early member of The Beatles

Billy Connolly, 64 (born 24 November 1942)
Scottish comedian.

Bev Bevan, 60 (born 24 November 1946)
Member of ELO and The Move

Ted Bundy, 60 (born 24 November 1946)
(Died 1989) Outlaw

Clement "Clem" Burke, 51 (born 24 November 1955)
Drummer with Blondie

Ian Botham OBE, 51 (born 24 November 1955)
Cricketer

Terry Lewis, 50 (born 24 November 1956)
Music producer of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis fame

Denise Crosby, 49 (born 24 November 1957)
Actress - Star Trek Next Generation's Lt Tasha Yar

Edward Stourton, 49 (born 24 November 1957)
TV presenter

Carmel, 47 (born 24 November 1959)
Singer of Carmel - biggest UK hit 'Bad Day'

Joe 'Run' Simmons, 39 (born 24 November 1967)
Member of Run DMC

Dawn Robinson, 38 (born 24 November 1968)
Member of En Vogue

Today's The day - 23rd November

23rd November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Clement I, pope
St Alexander, prince,
St Columbanus,
St Amphilochius,
St Trudo or Trond,
St Gregory of Girgenti,
and St Felicitas.

History Test for November 23rd

Who resigned as the manager of the England football team today in 1993? -Graham Taylor

Who was the Flemish impostor and pretender to the English throne, hanged today in 1499? -Perkin Warbeck

Which horror film star was born William Henry Pratt today in 1887? -Boris Karloff

Children's author Roald Dahl died today in 1990. 'The B.F.G.' is the title of one of his stories. What do the initials stand for? -`Big Friendly Giant'

Born today in 1934, Australian Lew Hoad was a champion in which sport? -Tennis

Events today...

1499 Perkin Warbeck, a Flemish-born imposter who claimed to be the Duke of York, presumed killed with his brother Edward V in 1483, was hanged after two unsuccessful attempts to escape from the Tower of London.

1670 Molière’s satirical play Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme was premiered in Paris.

1852 Britain’s first pillarboxes were intruduced today at points in St. Helier on Jersey. They were green.

1889 The world’s first jukebox was unveiled in the Palais Royal Saloon in San Francisco by Mr. Louis Glass, General Manager of the Pacific Phonograph Company.

1897 The pencil sharpener was patented by J. L. Love

1906 Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso was fined $10 for sexual harassment.

1910 Death of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen, US murderer, executed.

1921 US President Warren Harding banned doctors from prescribing beer, eliminating a loophole in the prohibition law.

1934 Death of Arthur Pinero, British dramatist.

1941 Death of P. C. Wren, British novelist.

1943 "BFBS" (British Forces Broadcasting Service) began broadcasting.

1956 Petrol was rationed in Britain and driving tests were suspended as a response the Suez crisis which threatened oil supplies.

1960 "The Magnificent Seven" received its premiere.

1963 The BBC premiered a new sci-fi TV show called Dr. Who, telling of the adventures of the eponymous Doctor, one of the Time Lords, and his struggle against implacable enemies, gravel-voiced robots called Daleks. The first episode starred William Hartnell as Dr Who and Anna Ford as his female companion.

1964 The Rolling Stones were banned by the BBC from recording sessions after they turned up late for two different shows.

1968 Singer Tammy Wynette topped the country music charts with her song "Stand by Your Man".

1973 Death of Sessue Hayakawa, (aged 83) Japanese actor 'Bridge over River Kwai'

1976 Death of André Malraux, French novelist.

1979 IRA bomber Thomas McMahon received a life sentence for the murder of Lord Mountbatten.

1979 Death of Merle Oberon, Anglo-Indian actress whose films included The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Song to Remember and Wuthering Heights.

1980 A violent earthquake struck Southern Italy, killing over 4,000 people.

1988 Sumo champion Chionofuji became the fifth sumo wrestler ever to win 50 consecutive matches.

1990 Death of Roald Dahl, (aged 74) Author 'James and the Giant Peach' 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

1991 Death of Klaus Kinski, (aged 65) Actor

1992 Death of Roy Acuff, (aged 89) Country singer

1993 England's football manager, Graham Taylor, resigned his post.

1995 Death of Junior Walker, (aged 53) Jazz performer 'Walk in the Night'

1995 Death of Louis Malle, (aged 63) Director 'Atlantic City'

1995 Michael Jackson and Bjork won the "Best Male" and "Best Female" artists awards at the MTV European Awards show in Paris.

2003 Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned amid massive protests over disputed election results.

2003 Police wanted to speak to West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes in connection with a fatal road crash in Coventry.

2004 Thousands of Ukrainians surrounded the presidential offices in a second night of protests over the election.

2004 A Fathers 4 Justice activist was arrested after dressing as Santa and chaining himself to lamps at Buckingham Palace.

2004 A £100,000 reward was offered as police hailed Ozzy Osbourne for "very courageously" tackling a jewellery thief in his home.

2004 Man Utd qualifed for the Champions League knockout phase in Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,000th game in charge.

2004 Zimbabwe denies British journalists entry, putting England's cricket tour in doubt.

BIRTHDAYS (for 23 November 2006)

William H. "Billy The Kid" Bonney (born Henry McCarty), 147 (born 23 November 1859)
Died 1881. American outlaw who finally met his death at the gun of Sheriff Pat Garrett.

Valdemar Poulson, 137 (born 23 November 1869)
Danish inventor of the tape recorder.

Manual de Falla, 130 (born 23 November 1876)
Spanish composer best-known for Nights in the Gardens of Spain and the ballets El Amor Brujo and The Three-cornered Hat.

Boris Karloff, 119 (born 23 November 1887)
Died 1969. English actor who specialised in horror roles - most notably as Frankenstein’s monster - and starred in The Mask of Fu Manchu, The Mummy and The Body Snatcher.

Sir Peter Saunders, 95 (born 23 November 1911)
British impressario who staged Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, which broke the world record for the longest-running play.

Michael Gough, 90 (born 23 November 1916)
Actor - Alfred in 'Batman'

Perez Prado, 90 (born 23 November 1916)
(Died 1983) Bandleader

Michael Gough, 89 (born 23 November 1917)
British actor whose films include The Boys from Brazil and The Go-Between.

Lew Hoad, 72 (born 23 November 1934)
Australian tennis player who won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon Two years running.

Betty Everett, 67 (born 23 November 1939)
Singer - 'It's In His Kiss'

Susan Anspach, 67 (born 23 November 1939)
Actress

Sue Nichols, 63 (born 23 November 1943)
Actress - Audrey Roberts in 'Coronation Street'

David Rappaport, 55 (born 23 November 1951)
(Died 1990) Actor - 'Timebandits' 'L A Law'

Bruce Hornsby, 52 (born 23 November 1954)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'The Way It Is'

Merv Hughes, 45 (born 23 November 1961)
The cricketer with the mammoth moustache

Zoe Ball, 36 (born 23 November 1970)
Children's TV presenter; daughter of Johnny

Today's The Day - 22nd November

22nd November 2006
National Day of Lebanon.

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Cecilia or Cecily,
and Saints Philemon and Apphia.

History Test for November 22nd

Name the American author of the novels `The Call of the Wild', and `White Fang', who died today in 1916. -Jack London

President Kennedy was assassinated today in 1963. 11 years earlier, he was elected senator of which state? -Massachusetts

Born today in 1913, which composer wrote 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'? -Benjamin Britten

Pirate Edward Teach died today in 1718. By what name was he better known? -'Blackbeard'

Born today in 1967, who became the youngest ever winner of the Men's Singles Championships at Wimbledon? -Boris Becker

QUOTE “Let no one expect us to disarm unilaterally. We are not a naive people.” - Yuri Andropov, Soviet statesman and president, 1982.

QUOTE “O for a life of sensations rather than of thoughts!” - John Keats, British poet, in a letter to Benjamin Bailey, 1817.

Events today...

1428 Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick, so-called Kingmaker who was the power behind the throne during the Wars Of The Roses, was born. He died at the Battle of Barnet in 1471

1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope in his search for a route to India.

1718 The notorious English pirate Edward "Blackbeard" Teach met his death in hand-to-hand combat with Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl. For five years Teach had been the scourge of shipping in the Caribbean and off the coast of Virginia and the Carolinas. North Carolina planters, despairing of help from their corrupt governor Charles Eden (who was in fact in league with "Blackbeard"), turned to Virginia governor Alexander Spotswood. He in turn sent two British frigates, the Pearl and the Lyme, to bring to an end Teach's long reign of terror.

1774 Baron Clive of Plassey, the English soldier and colonial administrator known as Clive of India, died of an overdose of opium shortly after being vindicated of improper behaviour in the affairs of the East India Company.

1808 Thomas Cook, who pioneered the holiday package tour, was born in Derbyshire.

1819 Mary Ann Evans, who took the pseudonym George Eliot and wrote The Mill On The Floss, was born in Arbury, Warwickshire.

1900 Death of Sir Arthur Sullivan, aged 58, composer of the Savoy Operas with librettist W. S. Gilbert.

1901 Richard Strauss's opera Feuersnot received its premiere in Dresden.

1902 Death of Germany's wealthiest man, steel magnate Friedrich Krupp.

1902 Fire destroyed the Williamsburg Bridge over the East River in New York.

1904 The electric motor was patented by M. Pfatischer

1907 The Cunard liner Mauretania arrived in New York, completing her maiden voyage.

1916 Death of American novelist Jack London, author of Call of the Wild and White Fang.

1916 Death of Jack London, US novelist.

1918 One hundred women police officers went on patrol in the streets of London.

1934 The song "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" was heard for the first time. It was on the Eddie Cantor radio show in the U.S.

1938 The first coelacanth, a prehistoric fish believed to be extinct, was caught off the South African coast.

1943 The R.A.F. started to bomb Berlin.

1946 A revolutionary new pen which would write 200,000 words with out refilling, blotting or smudging went on sale in Britain at £2.75. It was the invention of Hungarian journalist Ladislaw Biro, inspired by the quick-drying printer's ink he saw in Budapest before the Second World War. The business end was a rotating ball point, connected to a capillary tuhe which holds the ink. In the last year of the war 30,000 biros were produced for RAF flyers, who found them invaluable in the air.

1955 New rock 'n' roll sensation Elvis Presley, whose wild stage act had been causing audience riots all over the South, signed for the giant RCA Corporation. His first five records were released on Memphis's Sun label, whose owner Sam Phillips was to receive $35,000 (£19,000) for Elvis's contract and song-publishing rights. Elvis himself got $5,000 (£2,700), part of which he intended to spend on a new Cadillac. "No singer is worth that much," said Columbia's Mitch Miller, one of the disappointed bidders for the man known as the "Hillbilly Cat".

1956 The 16th Olympic Games opened in Melbourne.

1957 Singers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel appeared on the show "American Bandstand" billed as "Tom and Jerry".

1963 Death of C S Lewis, (aged 64) Author

1963 The world was in mourning at the news that President John F. Kennedy had been shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. The 46-year-old President and Mrs Kennedy were in Texas, on the latest leg of a tour of the southern states to gather support for the Democratic Party. The fatal shooting occurred in the morning as the presidential motorcade swept through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas. The president died in his wife's arms during the dash to the nearest hospital. Accounts of the event were confused, with witnesses claiming to have heard one or more shots from several directions, but a high-powered rifle was found in an upstairs room of the Texas School Book Depository, the window of which overlooked Dealey Plaza. Later Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder. Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President on the flight back to Washington.

1968 The Beatles released what is now regarded as one of their best albums. It was called "The White Album".

1975 Following the death of General Franco, the new King of Spain was proclaimed (Juan Carlos).

1977 The Anglo-French Concorde, the world's first supersonic airliner. finally entered service on the New York run, eight years after her first flight, and more than a year after the inaugural Washington service. The British Airways Concorde, piloted by captains Walpole and Oudal, arrived in New York at the same time as the Air France Concorde flight from Paris. There had been an acrimonious campaign against the plane by anti-noise protesters, who had pressured the New York Port Authority into taking the issue all the way to the Supreme Court. Among the charges levelled at Concorde was that it had been responsible for the severe winter of 1976-77. Planned demonstrations turned out to be a non-event, with TV crews reduced to pressing a passing cab-driver into service as a protester.

1980 Death of Mae West, (aged 88) Actress "come up and see me some time" and "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted"

1980 The menacing "Stealth Bomber" aircraft was put on public display for the first time.

1983 Death of Michael Conrad, (aged 62) Actor Sgt Phil Esterhaus of 'Hill Street Blues'

1986 Death of Scatman Crothers, (aged 76) Jazz singer

1986 The awesome punching power of Mike Tyson made him the youngest-ever heavyweight boxing champion in Las Vegas today at the age of 20. He took the World Boxing Council heavyweight crown of Trevor Berbick in under two rounds.

1989 A 550-pound (250 kg) remote-control bomb killed Lebanon's president Rene Moawad and 23 others.

1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who had led Britain since 1979, announced her resignation.

1990 Twenty thousand protesters marched in Bulgaria to demand the resignation of the communist government.

1990 Margaret Thatcher, then Prime Minister announced her resignation. She had been elected into the post in 1979.

1992 Death of Sterling Holloway, (aged 87) Actor and the voice of Disney's Winnie the Pooh

1996 Princess Diana's mother Frances Shand-Kydd was banned from driving for a year after admitting drink-driving.

2003 Georgia's President Shevardnadze declared a state of emergency after the opposition partyseized key buildings.

2003 Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said he was ashamed that the Istanbul suicide bombers were Turkish nationals.

2003 An ally of Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi was cleared of bribing judges in a case which saw the leader as a defendant.

2003 England's won the Rugby World Cup final with a 20-17 victory over Australia. Jonny Wilkinson scored the winning goal only seconds from the end of extra time.

2003 Fans of Michael Jackson - facing charges of child molestation - arranged vigils in support of the singer.

2003 A charge of malicious damage against Coldplay singer Chris Martin was dropped by Australian police.

2003 Australia won the third Ashes Test to seal a 3-0 series win over Great Britain.

2004 A Ministry of Defence investigation was underway after Black Watch soldiers killed a suspected suicide bomber.

2004 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was fined 50,000 euros (£35,000) after a fight in a Munich hotel two years earlier.

2004 A Ukrainian man was jailed for murdering a Wolverhampton football fan at the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal.

BIRTHDAYS (for 22 November 2006)

Thomas Cook, 198 (born 22 November 1808)
Died 1892. English travel agent who pioneered the concept of the package tour.

George Eliot, 187 (born 22 November 1819)
(Died 1880) Novelist

Charles de Gaulle, 116 (born 22 November 1890)
(Died 1970) French president 1958-1969

Wiley Post, 108 (born 22 November 1898)
1st pilot to fly solo around the world.

Hoagy Carmichael, 107 (born 22 November 1899)
(Died 1981) Actor, composer - 'Star Dust'

Benjamin Britten, 93 (born 22 November 1913)
British composer whose works include the operas Peter Grimes and Billy Budd.

Rodney Dangerfield, 85 (born 22 November 1921)
Comedian actor

Arthur Hiller, 83 (born 22 November 1923)
Director 'Love Story'

Geraldine Page, 82 (born 22 November 1924)
(Died 1987) Actress

Robert Vaughn, 74 (born 22 November 1932)
Actor 'Man from Uncle'

John Bird, 70 (born 22 November 1936)
Actor and wit - 'Rory Bremner'

Allen Garfield, 67 (born 22 November 1939)
Actor

Terry Gilliam, 66 (born 22 November 1940)
Python man and director 'Brazil' 'Fisher King'

Tom Conti, 65 (born 22 November 1941)
Actor

Billie Jean King, 63 (born 22 November 1943)
American tennis player who won 20 Wimbledon titles.

Mushtaq Mohammad, 63 (born 22 November 1943)
cricket - Northants and Pakistan batsman

Tina Weymouth, 56 (born 22 November 1950)
Member of Talking Heads

Wayne Larkins, 53 (born 22 November 1953)
cricket - Northants Durham and England opener

Jamie Lee Curtis, 48 (born 22 November 1958)
Actress - 'Halloween' 'True Lies' 'Fish Called Wanda'

Mariel Hemingway, 45 (born 22 November 1961)
Actress

Stuart Barnes, 44 (born 22 November 1962)
rugby union - Bath and England stand off

Boris Becker, 39 (born 22 November 1967)
German tennis star who won the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of only 17.

Kyran Bracken, 35 (born 22 November 1971)
rugby union - Saracens and England scrum half

Scott Robinson, 27 (born 22 November 1979)
Member of Five

Today's The Day - 21st November

21st November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Geasius, pope,
and St Albert of Louvain.

History Test for November 21st

Born today in 1694, which French author wrote the short story `Candide'? -Voltaire (the pseudonym of Francois Marie Arouet)

Today in 1974 which MP was `presumed missing - feared drowned'? -John Stonehouse

Malcolm Williamson was born today in 1931. To which royal post was he appointed in 1975? -Master of the Queen's Music

Today in 1981, David Bowie and Queen reached the top of the UK pop charts with which song? -`Under Pressure'

Which English musician, appointed `Composer for the King's Violins' and organist of Westminster Abbey, died today in 1695? -Henry Purcell

QUOTE “When one has been threatened with a great injustice, one accepts a smaller one as a favour.” - Jane Welsh Carlyle, wife of Thomas Carlyle 1855.

Events today...

1551 Papal legate Francis Xavier and his fellow Jesuits returned from their epoch-making two-year journey to Japan, the first missionaries to attempt baptism in this eastern country. The trip had been a moderate success - Francis had left behind 2000 Christians who, it was hoped, would form a thriving community. The latest mission found favour with the Mikado who at first, unimpressed with Francis's humble dress and bearing, refused to see him; but when Francis returned suitably dressed and bearing gifts, he gave his support, even offering a disused Buddhist monastery for the mission's work. "Among all unbelievers no finer people would be found than the Japanese," said Francis on his return.

1695 Death of Henry Purcell, English composer and organist who wrote sonatas, songs, anthems, cantatas and music for the stage; his best-known work is the opera Dido and Aeneas.

1783 A balloon built by the Mongolfier brothers and piloted by François Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes made the first untethered flight in history. Ascending from the gardens of the Chateau de la Muette, in the Bois de Boulogne, the balloon travelled some 5 miles (9 km) over Paris, reaching a height of 500 ft (162 m), before making a safe landing near the Luxembourg wood.

1791 French navigator Etienne Marchand arrived in China after a record Pacific crossing of 60 days.

1818 The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, held to determine European affairs, reached its close.

1835 Death of James Hogg Scottish novelist and poet.

1871 Emilio Onra became the first human cannonball.

1871 The cigar lighter was patented by Moses Gale of New York.

1904 A typhoon off Mindanao, the Philippines, rendered 30,000 people destitute and homeless.

1906 In Glasgow, a man died when 200,000 gallons of hot whisky bursts out of vats.

1910 Count Leo Tolstoy, Russian author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, died in a railway carriage at Astopovo. He had been there since his flight from his estate at Yasnaya Polyana, after quarrelling with his wife, the Countess Sophie. He had previously made over his fortune to her and had been living as a peasant on the estate. "There are millions of people suffering in the world. Why are so many of you looking after me?" were his last words to his daughter Tatiana as doctors, Priests and well-wishers milled around him. His wife had followed him, but was not admitted until he had slipped into his final coma.

1913 Death of Tokugawa Keiki, last of the Japanese shoguns who controlled the country from 1603 to 1867.

1916 Death of Emperor Franz Josef I, ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire since 1848.

1918 The German High Seas Fleet surrendered to the Allies.

1934 Cole Porter's Anything Goes was first performed in New York.

1942 Death of James Hemog, South African policician.

1942 "Tweetie Bird" (also known as "Tweetie Pie") made his debut in the cartoon "Tale in Two Kitties".

1945 Death of Robert Benchley, (aged 56) Humorist

1953 The discovery of the Piltdown Man skull by Charles Dawson in Sussex in 1912 was finally revealed as a hoax.

1963 Robert Stroud (a.k.a. Bird Man of Alcatraz) died.

1964 The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge across New York.harbour was opened - the longest single-span bridge in the world.

1970 Death of Venkata Raman, Indian physicist.

1973 Death of Allan Sherman, (aged 48) Novelty singer 'Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah'

1974 In Birmingham, 20 people were killed and 200 injured by IRA bomb explosions.

1976 The movie "Rocky" starring Sylvester Stallone received its premiere.

1980 A fire at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino killed 87.

1980 An audience estimated at 80 million (in the U.S.) tuned into "Dallas" to discover who shot "JR Ewing" (It was Kristin Shepherd, his jealous sister-in-law and mistress, played by Mary Crosby).

1985 The so-called "Fireside Summit" between presidents Reagan and Gorbachev, their first, ended with a broad measure.of agreement to work for a 50 per cent cut in their respective strategic nuclear arsenals. A range of other issues was also discussed, such as the emigration of Soviet Jews and the need to avoid a repetition of the Korean Airlines tragedy. The two men spent six hours together, alone except for interpreters. Gorbachev was optimistic for the future, saying, "The world has become a safer place." President Reagan was more guarded in his enthusiasm, but did agree that he and his opposite number now "understand each other better".

1987 Bruce Willis and Demi Moore married (in Las Vegas).

1989 Viewers saw the first televised pictures of the House of Commons proceedings.

1990 Leaders of NATO and Warsaw Pact member states signed the Charter of Paris and a treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe, bringing an end to the Cold War.

1990 Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall married (in Bali).

1990 Michael Milken, the so-called "Junk Bond King" was sentenced to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to violating federal tax and securities laws. Charges against him included manipulating stock prices, bribery and insider trading. In a plea bargain with the federal authorities back in April Milken also agreed to pay $200 million (£109 million) in fines and $400 million (£217 million) in restitution. The severity of the sentence shocked some observers. The Judge did, however, leave the door open for a sentence reduction in return for further cooperation. Milken's huge success as head of the "Junk Bond" department at Wall Street finance house Drexel Burnham Lambert - in 1987 he earned $500 million (£272 million) - made him the personification of the predatory financial ethics of the 1980s.

1993 Death of Bill Bixby, (aged 59) Actor 'Incredible Hulk'

2002 Princess Anne was ordered to keep her dog on a lead and to get it retrained. The Queen's daughter was also fined five hundred pounds and ordered to pay costs, after her bull terrier "Dotty" bit two children in a park.

2003 President Bush flew back to the US after ending his UK visit with a trip to Tony Blair's constituency of Sedgefield.

2003 Disgraced former army major and quiz show cheat Charles Ingram was given a conditional discharge for insurance fraud.

2003 A charge of malicious damage against Coldplay singer Chris Martin was dropped by Australian police.

2003 Author Hari Kunzru rejected a £5,000 literary prize, branding its newspaper sponsors anti-migrants.

BIRTHDAYS (for 21 November 2006)

Voltaire, 312 (born 21 November 1694)
French philosopher, scientist, moralist and man of letters who spent his life campaigning against injustice and intolerance.

Harpo Marx, 118 (born 21 November 1888)
Died 1964. American comedian who, as one of the Marx Brothers, remained entirely mute, expressing himself by whistles, mime and playing the harp.

Rene Magritte, 108 (born 21 November 1898)
Belgian Surrealist painter who made ordinary objects seem potentially menacing by their juxtaposition with each other.

Coleman Hawkins, 102 (born 21 November 1904)
American jazz saxophonist of considerable influence.

Eleanor Powell, 94 (born 21 November 1912)
(Died 1982) Actress dancer

Vivian Blaine, 85 (born 21 November 1921)
(Died 1995) Actress - 'Guys and Dolls'

Natalia Makarova, 66 (born 21 November 1940)
Russian ballerina

Harold Ramis, 66 (born 21 November 1940)
Director and actor - 'Ghostbusters'

Dr John, 65 (born 21 November 1941)
Singer - 'Right Place, Wrong Time'

Juliet Mills, 65 (born 21 November 1941)
Actress

Goldie Hawn, 61 (born 21 November 1945)
American actress whose daffy blonde image belies a considerable facility as a businesswoman in the film industry.

Leroy 'Lonnie' Jordan, 58 (born 21 November 1948)
Member of War - 'Low Rider'

Alphonse Mouzon, 58 (born 21 November 1948)
Jazz musician - Weather Report

Livingston Taylor, 56 (born 21 November 1950)
Singer

Cynthia Rhodes, 50 (born 21 November 1956)
Singer with Animotion - Dirty Dancing - Richard Marx's wife

Liza Tarbuck, 42 (born 21 November 1964)
TV presenter - 'Big Breakfast'

Bjork, 41 (born 21 November 1965)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'It's Oh So Quiet'

Alex James, 38 (born 21 November 1968)
Bass player of Blur

10 things we didn't know last week

1. Cornish pasties may, it seems, come from Devon.
More details

2. Former US president Gerald Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King. His mother re-married Gerald Ford Senior, after which the future president became known as Gerald Ford Junior.

3. Liverpool footballing legend Bill Shankly officiated at women's football matches.
More details

4. Birdwatchers call themselves "birders", not "twitchers".
More details

5. Fathers tend to determine the height of their child, mother's their weight.
More details

6. Al-Qaeda test chemical weapons on rabbits, according to a former operative.
More details

7. Al-Jazeera International, the English-speaking branch of the Middle East-based news channel, is not available in the US (except over the internet).
More details

8. Panspermia is the idea that life on Earth originated on another planet.
More details

9. Maltese people are the heaviest in Europe, with a body mass index of 26.6, compared to 25.4 in the UK.
More details

10. Those crumbling euro notes… it looks like the drug crystal methamphetamine caused the paper to disintegrate.
More details

Back England's lions

Last year England ended 16 years of hurt and won back the Ashes after the dramatic and decisive final Test at The Oval.

Now, the ultimate challenge awaits as Andrew Flintoff's men travel to Australia to retain the urn.

Follow the latest from England's tour here.

You can get behind Flintoff's lions and make your desktop the envy of all your friends with the Mail online's exclusive screensavers and wallpapers. Download them below!

Or to mark last summer's historic series victory Mail online created commemorative wallpapers for your computer. Download here.

WALLPAPERS
Simply choose a design, click on the appropriate image size for your screen and follow the instructions below.

THE ASHES CLASH

800 x 600
1,024 x 768
1,280 x 1,024

THE ASHES CLASH PART B/W

800 x 600
1,024 x 768
1,280 x 1,024

ANDREW FLINTOFF

800 x 600
1,024 x 768
1,280 x 1,024

ALASTAIR COOK

800 x 600
1,024 x 768
1,280 x 1,024

INSTRUCTIONS

Windows 95/2000/XP/NT
Right-click on the image that loads in the new window.

Choose "Set as Wallpaper" or "Set as Background" If these are not available, choose "Save Image As" - choose a file name and add ".jpg", then save the image on your PC.

From the Start menu, go to Settings, Control Panel, Display, then Background - choose "Browse", find your downloaded image and Click "OK".

Mac OS 9
When the image loads in the new window, hold Ctrl and click the image simultaneously, choose "Download Image to Disk", or drag the image onto your desktop.

Save the image to your hard drive, preferably in System, Appearance, Desktop Pictures.

Go to the Apple menu, select "Control Panel" followed by "Appearance" Select the "Desktop" tab In the "Desktop" tab, click "Place picture" and navigate, using the file window that opens for you, to your downloaded image.

Select "Position Automatically" from the "Position" pop-up menu. Click "Set Desktop".

Mac OS X
When the image loads in the new window, hold Ctrl and click the image simultaneously, choose "Download Image to Disk", or drag the image onto your desktop.

Save the image to your hard drive, preferably in Library, Desktop Pictures.

CTRL-Click (or right-click) on the Dektop and choose "Choose Desktop Background".

Drag the image from the Desktop into the picture window, or navigate to your saved picture.

SCREENSAVER

Impress your friends with Mail online's exclusive Ashes screensaver.

Simply follow the instructions for downloading and installing the screensavers below, and your screen will be engulfed in Ashes fever every time your computer is left idle.

PC

Click below and a small box will appear on screen - click the Run option and the screensaver programme will start.

Hit install! You can alter how long it takes the Screensaver to appear by clicking on Start, Settings, Control Panel, then Display.

CLICK HERE

Download a cricket mask

Who wants to look like Monty?

Start wearing a fabulous BBC Sport masks and join in on the craze that's sweeping the country.

As the Ashes tour gets under way in Australia you can look like Monty Panesar, captain Freddie or Shane Warne.

There are plenty of masks you can download - Matthew Hoggard, Kevin Pietersen, and many other world superstars.

To get your mask, click on your favourite player and get printing (we recommend a colour printout).

Then just cut it out and stick it on some card (like the back of a cereal box) for a great result.

You could even put elastic or string through each ear of the mask, or stick it to something like a pen or a ruler to hold it in front of your face.

Choose from the list cricket stars below:

Download the Panesar mask (PDF file 184 KB/ 1 page)

Download the Flintoff mask (PDF file 220 KB/ 1 page)

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Deal Or No Deal prize to increase?

It could be a Christmas to remember for two Deal Or No Deal contestants - as it seems bosses at the show intend to double the jackpot to £500,000.

The Daily Star reports half a million pounds will be hidden in the £15,000 box on two special editions of the programme, which is presented by Noel Edmonds, 57.

The money should add "a bit of festive frivolity," Noel is quoted as saying.

A spokesman for Endemol, who make the show, added: "We're replacing the £15,000 prize with a whopping £500,000 - which will be a nice prezzie.

"We are upping the stakes and the suspense."

Bosses at Channel 4 hope the big money prizes will help boost ratings on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

A source apparently said: "We hope to make a couple of people very happy while spoiling our rivals' Christmas.

"Deal Or No Deal is our best hope in years to nick peak-time viewers."

Today's The Day - 20th November

20th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Edmund the Manyr,
St Maxentia of Beauvais,
St Nerses of Sahgerd,
St Bemward,
St Felix of Valois,
and St Dasius.

History Test for November 20th

The musical 'Cabaret' opened in New York today in 1966. The central character, Sally Bowles, is a singer in which nightclub? -The Kit Kat Club

Born today in 1889, which American astronomer gave his name to a telescope placed into orbit in 1990? -Edwin Hubble

Name Beethoven's only opera, first performed in Vienna today in 1805. -'Fidelio'

What memorable event took place in Westminster Abbey today in 1947? -Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip

Actress Dulcie Gray was born today in 1920. In which TV drama series did she play Kate Harvey? -`Howards' Way'

QUOTE “Something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.” - Mark Twain defines a classic of literature, 1900.

Events today...

1759 The British fleet under Admiral Hawke defeated the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay, thwarting an invasion of England.

1805 The first performance of Beethoven's opera Fidelio was staged in Vienna.

1818 Simón Boltvar, known as `the Liberator', declared Venezuela to be independent of Spain.

1866 Pierre Lallemont patented the rotary crank bicycle in Paris. The machine became known as "the bone shaker".

1894 Death of Anton Rubinstein, Russian pianist and composer.

1902 Lord Tennyson, grandson of the poet, was appointed governor-general of Australia.

1906 Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce formed their car company "Rolls Royce".

1910 Death of Count Leo Tolstoy (aged 82), Russian novelist 'War and Peace'.

1924 The premiere of Darius Milhaud's ballet The Creation of the World was held in Paris.

1925 Queen Alexandra died at Sandringham after a heart attack.

1925 In Italy, a law was passed banning the Freemasons and other secret societies.

1926 At the Imperial Conference in London the oldest colonies of the British Empire- Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland- were granted the status of self-governing dominions, masters of their own destiny and of equal status with Great Britain. The Irish Free State was also to become a dominion outside the United Kingdom, and the King would no longer be its sovereign; the status of India was unchanged.

1929 Salvador Dali held his first one-man show in Paris.

1935 Death of John Rushworth Jellicoe, British admiral.

1944 The lights of Piccadilly, the strand, and Fleet street were switched back on after five years of blackout.

1945 Death of Francis William Aston, English physicist.

1945 The trial of 24 senior Nazis accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity opened in Nuremberg. The defendants were representative of 35,000 on whom the Allies had opened dossiers. The most notable were Hermann Goering, Luftwaffe leader and founder of the Gestapo; Julius Streicher, one of the earliest proponents of the Nazis' anti-semitic philosophy; Rudolf Hess, Hitler's deputy until his flight to Scotland in 1941; and foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. Martin Bormann, Hitler's deputy since Hess's defection, escaped and was being tried in his absence. Also conspicuous by their absence were Goebbels, Himmler and Hitler himself, all of whom committed suicide rather than face trial.

1947 Princess Elizabeth, heir presumptive to the British throne, married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten amid scenes of pomp and splendour not seen since before the war. Undeterred by the rain, the crowds slept overnight in the streets to secure the best view, and stood 50 deep in the Mall and Whitehall to cheer the King and his daughter on their way to Westminster Abbey. The Princess's ivory dress covered with flowers of beads and pearls, and her tulle veil with a circlet of diamonds were designed by Norman Hartnell. Her new husband, who was also her cousin, was created Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, by the King at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace earlier in the day. The couple were to honeymoon at Broadlands, Lord Louis Mountbatten's house at Romsey in Hampshire, and would live at Clarence House, which was undergoing a £50,000 ($92,000) facelift.

1966 The stage musical "Cabaret" opened on Broadway. Joel Gray was in the lead role. The show ran for 1,166 performances.

1967 Casimir Funk, Polish-born American chemist who invented the word "vitamin" died at the age of 83.

1972 One of Soviet Russia's most prominent nuc!ear physicists, Andrei Sakharov, who was involved in the development of the Russian H-bomb, put himself on a collision course with the authorities in Moscow. He joined 50 other civil rights campaigners and liberal intellectuals, including world-famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, in urging the Kremlin to abolish the death penalty and to free all political prisoners. Sakharov, 51, co-founded the Moscow Human Rights Committee in 1970, but as early as 1963 his concern about the threat of nuclear war led him to use his influence on Khrushchev to persuade him to negotiate a partial ban on nuclear testing.

1975 Spain's Fascist era came to an end with the death of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, victor of the Civil War and head of state since 1939. Having declared himself President for Life in 1947, Franco ensured the Royalist succession by nominating Don Juan Carlos Borbon y Borbon in 1969 as his "heir". Juan Carlos would be the first occupant of the Spanish throne since his grandfather Alfonso XIII was exiled by the Republican government in 1931. Franco was to be buried in the mountainside mausoleum built in the "Valley of the Fallen" to house the men who died under his command during the Civil War.

1979 Sir Anthony Blunt, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, was stripped of his knighthood after admitting to spying for Russia in collusion with Burgess, Maclean and Philby.

1984 Michael Jackson received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and huge crowds turned out to see the superstar.

1986 Victoria Tennant and Steve Martin married.

1991 Gary Lineker signed to play football for Grampus Eight in Japan in a £3 million contract. He joined the team in 1993.

1995 The now infamous television interview took place. Diana, Princess of Wales appeared on the "Panorama" programme in which she discussed her marriage and extra marital affairs of both Prince Charles and herself.

2002 It was anounced that girls as young as ten could one day be vaccinated against cervical cancer. In a trial involving several hundred women, none of the patients developed the virus which causes most cases.

2003 Attacks on the UK consulate and HSBC bank left 27 dead including the top UK official in Istanbul.

2003 Pop star Michael Jackson was freed on $3m bail after handing himself in on multiple charges of child sex abuse.

2003 Eduard Shevardnadze's party was named winner of Georgia's election, but accusations of vote-rigging were growing.

2003 Record producer Phil Spector was charged with murder in the shooting death of a woman at his home.

2003 Chelsea turned down their ticket allocation for the game against Besiktas following bombings in Istanbul.

2004 A Polish woman freed after being held hostage by militants in Iraq said she was treated well by her captors.

2004 MG Rover sealed a £1bn agreement to help build 200,000 cars a year in China.

BIRTHDAYS (for 20 November 2006)

Sir Samuel Cunard, 219 (born 20 November 1787)
Canadian-born shipowner who established the Cunard line in Britain.

Edwin Powell Hubble, 117 (born 20 November 1889)
(Died 1953) American astronomer of Hubble telescope fame.

Sir Alastair Cooke, 98 (born 20 November 1908)
English-born journalist and broadcaster best-known for his radio programme Letter from America.

Gene Tierney, 86 (born 20 November 1920)
American actress whose work includes such films as Heaven Can Wait, The fiazor's Edge and The Left Hand of God.

Dulcie Gray CBE, 86 (born 20 November 1920)
Actress - Kate Harvey in 'Howards Way'.

Nadine Gordlmer, 83 (born 20 November 1923)
South African novelist, anti-apartheid campaigner and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991.

Robert F. Kennedy, 81 (born 20 November 1925)
American politician and Democratic Attorney-General, brother of John F. Kennedy.

Norman Greenbaum, 64 (born 20 November 1942)
Singer - 'Spirit in the Sky'.

Ray Stiles, 60 (born 20 November 1946)
Member of Mud.

Duane Allman, 60 (born 20 November 1946)
(Died 1971) Member of Allman Brothers Band.

Joe Walsh, 59 (born 20 November 1947)
Solo and Eagles member.

Bo Derek, 50 (born 20 November 1956)
Actress - '10' 'Tarzan the Ape Man'.

Jim Brown, 49 (born 20 November 1957)
Drummer of UB40.

Sean Young, 47 (born 20 November 1959)
Actress - 'Bladerunner' 'Ace Ventura' 'Fatal Instinct'.

Paul King, 45 (born 20 November 1961)
Singer of King fame 'Love and Pride'.

Mike D, 41 (born 20 November 1965)
Member of Beastie Boys.

Chris Robinson, 40 (born 20 November 1966)
Lead of The Black Crowes.

Today's The Day - 19th November

19th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Ermenburga,
and St Barlaam of Antioch,

History Test for November 19th

What name was given to the unknown prisoner of the Bastille, who died today in 1703? -`The Man in the Iron Mask'

Today in 1600, the future King Charles I was born. Who was his father? -James I of England (James VI of Scotland)

Former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, was born today in 1917. In which year was she assassinated by Sikh extremists? (And you're allowed two years either way.) -1984

In which Pennsylvanian town did Abraham Lincoln make his most famous address today in 1863? -Gettysburg

Today in 1964, the Supremes reached Number One in the UK pop charts - with which song? -`Baby Love'

Events today...

1493 On his second voyage to the New World, Columbus discovered Puerto Rico.

1665 Death of Nicolas Poussin, French painter.

1692 Death of Thomas Shadwell, English dramatist and poet.

1828 One of the greatest musical geniuses the world has ever seen, Franz Schubert, died aged 31. Worn out by overwork, delirious from the syphilis he contracted in 1822, he expired at 3pm in a damp room in the Neue Wieden suburb of Vienna, attended by his devoted brother Ferdinand and stepsister Josefa. In a furious burst of activity over his last few months he had completed three piano sonatas, a string quintet, and a number of songs. Schubert had been confined to his room for over a week, too ill to eat or drink.

1850 Alfred Tennyson was appointed Poet Laureate.

1861 "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was written.

1863 "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal..." President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address, after the American Civil War.

1883 Death of William Siemens, German metallurgist.

1905 British steamer Hilda was wrecked off St Malo, France, drowning 128.

1908 A court in St Petersburg was adjourned when the prosecuting council refused to deal with Russia's first female barrister.

1914 In Britain, Austrian and German internees rioted at a detention camp on the Isle of Wight.

1917 A Revolutionary Diplomatic Committee was established in Petrograd with Leon Trotsky as its head.

1919 In Italy, Benito Mussolini and 37 Fascists were arrested after rioting over the election of the Socialists.

1920 One hundred thousand White Russian refugees from the Crimea arrived in Constantinople.

1925 The British parliament voted for a four-month prison sentence for drunken driving.

1928 Japanese Emperor Hirohito was the first person to appear on the cover of "Time" magazine.

1942 The Red Army counter-attacked and surrounded the German army at Stalingrad.

1954 Singer Sammy Davis Jnr was involved in a serious car accident in San Bernardino, California. Three days later he lost his left eye.

1965 Pop tarts were introduced by Kelloggs.

1969 Brazilian footballer Pelé scored his 1,000th goal in his 909th first class match.

1976 Death of Basil Spence, British architect.

1984 A huge explosion rocked Mexico City as ten tanks of liquid gas blew up at a chemical factory. Flames shot 300ft (100m) into the air, and surrounding slum areas were showered with burning debris and a cloud of poisonous gas. More than 500 people lost their lives and some 10,000 homes were destroyed. Around a quarter of a million citizens had to be evacuated. Firemen fought for 18 hours to bring the fire under control.

1987 A record price for a car was reached when a 1931 Bugatti Royale was sold at auction for £5.5 million.

1988 Death of Christina Onassis, Greek shipowner and daughter of Aristotle Onassis.

1990 Milli Vanilli were stripped of their Grammy which was awarded to them in 1989 as "Best New Artist" after the producer admitted that session singers had recorded the vocals on their albums. This was the first time a Grammy was taken back.

1991 Virgin signed the Rolling Stones in a massive deal.

1994 Britain's first National Lottery draw took place.

1998 Manchester Town Hall inflated their new Santa Claus which clung to the outside of the building. It was four times larger than the old one which had suffered 180 punctures.

1999 It was announced that the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair, was expecting her fourth child at the age of 45.

2002 Michael Jackson dangled his baby son off a balcony. He was holding the nine-month-old from the fourth floor of his hotel in Berlin. He later admitted he'd made a 'terrible mistake'.

2003 US President George Bush defended the Iraq invasion and the war on terror during the first day of his UK state visit.

2003 US police issued a warrant for Michael Jackson's arrest on charges of child molestation which his spokesman strongly denied.

2003 The head of state TV and radio in Georgia resigned as the opposition kept up pressure on President Shevardnadze.

2003 A Vadim Evseev strike saw Russia through to the Euro 2004 finals with a 1-0 win over Wales. And Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a hat-trick as the Netherlands thumped Scotland 6-0 to to take their place in the finals.

2004 The Countryside Alliance lodged a legal challenge to the use of the Parliament Act to bring in a hunting ban.

2004 Rock star Ozzy Osbourne said his family would not make any more episodes of reality TV show The Osbournes.

2004 More than 13.3m viewers saw the debut of Band Aid 20's Do They Know It's Christmas? on the five main TV networks.

2004 An antiques store sued Michael Jackson, claiming he failed to fully pay for almost $380,000 worth of furniture.

BIRTHDAYS (for 19 November 2006)

Charles I, 406 (born 19 November 1600)
English monarch who lost his head after the Civil War.

Viscomte Ferdinand de Lesseps, 201 (born 19 November 1805)
French diplomat who supervised the building of the Suez Canal.

Hiram Bingham, 131 (born 19 November 1875)
American senator and archaeologist who discovered the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru.

Clifton Webb, 115 (born 19 November 1891)
(Died 1966) American actor who appeared in Laura, The Razor's Edge and Three Coins in a Fountain among other films.

Anton Walbrook, 106 (born 19 November 1900)
German actor whose best-known films are Gaslight, The Red Shoes and La Ronde.

Tommy Dorsey, 101 (born 19 November 1905)
(Died 1956) Bandleader.

Indira Gandhi, 89 (born 19 November 1917)
Indian politician, prime minister 1966-77 and 1980-4.

Roy Campanella, 85 (born 19 November 1921)
baseball hall-of-famer.

Larry King, 73 (born 19 November 1933)
Talk show host.

Ted Turner, 68 (born 19 November 1938)
Business person/zillionaire - owner of CNN, TNT and Cartoon Network.

Dan Haggerty, 65 (born 19 November 1941)
Actor 'Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'.

Calvin Klein, 64 (born 19 November 1942)
American fashion designer.

Robert Beltran, 49 (born 19 November 1957)
Actor - Star Trek Voyager's First Officer Chakotay.

Meg Ryan, 45 (born 19 November 1961)
Actress 'When Harry met Sally' 'Sleepless in Seattle'.

Jodie Foster, 44 (born 19 November 1962)
American actress who won an Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs.

Richard Virenque, 37 (born 19 November 1969)
Moroccan cyclist, born in Casablanca, who finished third in the 1996 Tour de France

Today's The Day - 18th November

18th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Odo of Cluny,
St Romanus of Ancioch,
and St Mawes or Maudez.

History Test for November 18th

Born today in 1836, which half of a famous musical partnership had the middle name Schwenck? -William Schwenck Gilbert

Name the former British ambassador and father of President Kennedy, who died today in 1969. -Joseph Kennedy

Today in 1975, Bruce Springsteen began his first European tour with a London concert. What is his nickname? -`The Boss'

Chris Eubank won the WBO title today in 1990, but at what weight? -Middleweight - He stopped defending champion Nigel Benn in the 9th round

Which actress played Krystle Carrington in the TV series `Dynasty' and celebrates a birthday today? -Linda Evans

QUOTE “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt the Younger, British Statesman, in a speech in the House of Commons, 1783.

Events today...

1307 The story of William Tell shooting the apple of his son's head is said to have taken place on this day.

1477 William Canton's The Dictes or Saymges of the Philosophres was published - the first printed book in England bearing a date.

1626 St Peter's in Rome was consecrated.

1820 Antarctica was discovered by Captain Nathaniel B Palmer, a U.S. Navy officer.

1852 A massive state funeral for the Duke of Wellington was held in London.

1874 Cleveland, Ohio, saw the foundation of the Women's Christian Temperance Union under the secretaryship of the charismatic Miss Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard, president of the Evanston College for Ladies. The aims of the WCTU were to protect the home and develop Christian citizenship through individual commitment to abstinence and the abolition of the liquor trade. Its formation was a consequence of the Women's Temperance Crusade of 1873-4, in which militant women frequently invaded saloons to sing hymns and kneel in prayer; indeed there was a political element to the Union's aims, since insobriety and the ill-treatment of women so often went hand in hand.

1886 Death of Chester Alan Arthur, 21st US president.

1901 Britain and the US agreed terms for a canal to be built through Central America.

1902 American toymaker Morris Michton named the teddy bear after Teddy Roosevelt.

1904 In Rhodesia, a major source of gold was discovered 200 miles (322 km) to the south of Salisbury.

1905 Prince Carl of Denmark took the name Haakon VII as he became King of Norway.

1910 Suffragettes attacked the House of Commons;119 people were arrested.

1918 Latvia was proclaimed an independent republic.

1922 Death of Marcel Proust, author of the seven-volume Remembrance of Things Past.

1922 Death of Marcel Proust, French author.

1927 The idea of the World Cup was announced by Jules Rimet, head of FIFA.

1928 "Steamboat Willie", the first sound-synchronised animated cartoon by Walt Disney was premiered in New York.

1936 Germany and Italy both issued proclamations recognising the Falangist administration of General Franco (who proclaimed himself Caudillo, equivalent to Fizhrer, on October 1) as the legitimate government of Spain. The move followed the formation of the Rome-Berlin axis on November 1. The rightist revolt against the Republican Popular Front government led to the Civil War which had been raging since July; the Germans were providing equipment and technical assistance, while the Italians promised 75,000 troops. The Russians meanwhile were providing similar assistance to the Republicans. The British and French, fearing a Europe-wide war, were pressing for a non-intervention pact, to which all parties, even Germany, Italy and Russia, committed themselves; at the same time thousands of private individuals of all political persuasions, fired by idealism, were flooding to Spain to join in the bitter struggle. To complete a worldwide alliance of Axis powers, Germany was due to sign the Anti-Comintern pact with Japan the following week.

1938 Twenty people were trampled to death at the lying-in-state of Kemal Ataturk, founder and president of modern Turkey.

1940 The prospect of alliance with the USA in the struggle against the Axis Powers inched closer to reality when Winston Churchill confirmed a lend-lease deal to allow the US to establish military bases in St Lucia, Guyana, Trinidad, Antigua, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Bermuda. In return, Britain got 50 destroyers.

1962 Death of Niels Henrik Bohr, Danish physicist.

1963 Touch tone telephones were introduced for the first time in the U.S. by the Bell Telephone company.

1965 "The Wizard" recorded by Marc Bolan was released by Decca Records. It was his first single.

1969 Death of Ted Heath (aged 69), Bandleader.

1969 Death of Joseph Kennedy, US financier and diplomat.

1977 President Anwar Sadat became the first Egyptian leader to visit Israel and to address the Knesset (parliament).

1983 Death of Tom Evans (aged 36), Member of Badfinger.

1983 The Walton sextuplets were born in Liverpool.

1987 Up to 34 people died as fire swept through King's Cross underground station, one of London's busiest interchanges. It was thought the fire started under the wooden treads of an escalator, used by an estimated 200,000 passengers a day, where an accumulation of rubbish and oily fluff was ignited by a cigarette. A combination of administrative confusion and understaffing meant that the station remained open; passengers arriving on the Piccadilly Line were trapped in an inferno of flame and smoke while a fireball roared up the escalator and incinerated those in the booking hall. There were no sprinklers, London Regional Transport having ignored recommendations made in 1984 that they should be installed.

1988 A million Serbs demonstrated in Belgrade to demand independence.

1991 Gustav Husák, former president and Communist Party leader of Czechoslovakia who crushed the Prague Spring in 1968, died in Prague aged 78.

1991 The Briton Terry Waite and the American Thomas Sutherland were released by the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, as part of a UN-brokered three-way exchange of Western hostages, Arabs held by Israel and Israelis missing in Lebanon. Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury's special envoy, was kidnapped on January 21, 1987, while on a mission to secure the release of other hostages. His release immediately revived speculation about his links, involuntary or otherwise, with Colonel Oliver North and the Iran-Contra affair. It had been claimed that he had nearly 20 meetings with North between 1985 and 1987, and that three US hostages, in whose release he had been involved, had in fact been traded for arms. Thomas Sutherland, Dean of Agriculture at the American University in Beirut, was kidnapped on June 9th 1985.

1994 Death of Cab Calloway (aged 86), Bandleader and singer 'Hi De Di'.

1997 Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) was arrested in connection with a child pornography investigation.

1999 Hurricane Lenny hit the US Virgin Islands with gusts of up to 150mph.

2000 Alex Ferguson missed Manchester United’s first league derby for four years against Manchester City, as he attended his son’s wedding.

2003 George Bush arrived in the UK for the first state visit by a US president amid some of the tightest security London has seen.

2003 Prosecutors investigating the collapse of a gangway on the Queen Mary 2 said it was a last-minute replacement.

2003 Police charged Leeds United footballer Jody Morris and a 26-year-old man from London with rape.

2003 Police searched Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch in California in connection with an inquiry into sexual abuse allegations.

2003 Celebrations marking the 75th birthday of cartoon legend Mickey Mouse took place around the world.

2003 A report said that Liza Minnelli sued her estranged husband for at least $2m (£1.1m) alleging he stole from her.

2004 the House of Commons forced through legislation banning hunting with dogs from the following February.

2004 The video for Band Aid 20's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was shown for the first time, with an introduction by Madonna.

2004 Sir Ben Kingsley and Lord Attenborough paid tribute to Sir Peter Ustinov at a London thanksgiving service.

2004 Tim Henman revived his Masters Cup hopes with a vital win over Guillermo Coria in Houston.

BIRTHDAYS (for 18 November 2006)

Carl von Weber, 220 (born 18 November 1786)
German composer best-known for his opera Der Freischutz.

Louis Daguerre, 217 (born 18 November 1789)
French pioneer of the photographic process.

Sir William Gilbert, 170 (born 18 November 1836)
(Died 1911) of Gilbert and Sullivan fame.

Ignacy Paderewski, 146 (born 18 November 1860)
Polish pianist, composer and statesman who was the first prime minister of the newly independent Poland but resigned after only ten months to resume his concert career.

George Gallup, 105 (born 18 November 1901)
pollster.

Sir Alec Issigonis, 100 (born 18 November 1906)
Turkish-born British car designer who created the Morris Minor and the Mini Minor, both of which became classics.

Johnny Mercer, 97 (born 18 November 1909)
(Died 1976) Composer and lyracist - 'Moon River' 'That Old Black Magic'.

Alan Shepard, 83 (born 18 November 1923)
(Died 1998) Astronaut - America's 1st man in space.

Bill Giles OBE, 67 (born 18 November 1939)
Weather man.

David Hemmings, 65 (born 18 November 1941)
(Died 2003) Actor - 'Barbarella' 'Boom'.

Linda Evans, 62 (born 18 November 1944)
American actress best known for her role as Krystle in the soap opera Dynasty.

Graham Parker, 56 (born 18 November 1950)
Singer of Graham Parker and the Rumour fame.

John McFee, 53 (born 18 November 1953)
Member of Doobie Brothers.

John Parr, 52 (born 18 November 1954)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'St Elmo's Fire'.

Kim Wilde, 46 (born 18 November 1960)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'You Keep me Hangin' On'.

Elizabeth Perkins, 45 (born 18 November 1961)
Actress - Wilma in 'The Flintstones' 'Big'.

Kirk Hammett, 44 (born 18 November 1962)
Member of Metallica.

Peter Schmeichel, 43 (born 18 November 1963)
Manchester United Great

The Walton Sextuplets, 23 (born 18 November 1983)
Liverpool multiple birth people.

Today's The Day - 17th November

17th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Hilda,
Saints Acisclus and Victoria,
St Anianus or Aignan of Orleans,
Saints Alphaeus and Zachaeus,
St Elizabeth of Hungary,
St Gregory of Tours,
St Gregory the Wonderworker,
St Dionysius of Alexandria,
The Martyrs of Paraguay,
and St Hugh of Lincoln.

History Test for November 17th

Today in 1558, Mary the First of England died. What was her nickname? -`Bloody Mary'

`When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman' reached Number One in the UK pop charts today in 1979. Who sang it? -Dr. Hook

Today in 1852, the Duke of Wellington was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral. What was his nickname? -`The Iron Duke'

Born Roy Scherer today in 1925, which film star partnered Doris Day in a series of comedy films? -Rock Hudson

Born today in 1942, who directed the films `Raging Bull' and `Taxi Driver'? -Martin Scorsese

QUOTE “The so-called new morality is too often the old immorality condoned.” - Lord Shawcross, British Labour politician and lawyer, 1963.

Events today...

1497 Death of Pico della Mirandola, Italian philosopher.

1558 Death of Queen Mary I of England (aged 42). Mary Tudor, died a broken and disappointed woman, hated by her subjects, after five years on the throne. Born in 1516 to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, she was at first her father's favourite, but her loyalty to her mother and to the Catholic Church led to harsh treatment. On the death of her half-brother Edward VI she outmanoeuvred Lord Dudley's attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne, and there was widespread rejoicing. However, her marriage to Philip II of Spain dragged England into the war between France and Spain, and in the struggle she lost Calais, which had been an English outpost since the time of Edward III. There was further resentment at the restoration of the Catholic Church in England, when many Protestants, notably Latimer, Cranmer and Ridley, were burned at the stake. Her final torment was the knowledge that her husband favoured as heir her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth over the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots.

1603 Sir Walter Raleigh went on trial for treason.

1796 Russia's great ruler, Catherine the Great, died of a stroke at the age of 67. Like Elizabeth I, she was a woman who would forever be identified with a decisive epoch in her country; during her long reign she made Russia a force to be reckoned with in European politics, and by her expansionist policies added more than 200,000 square miles (320,000 sq km) to her territory, bringing millions of Russian-speakers into the fold. Her brilliant court attracted the greatest minds of Europe, such as Voltaire and Diderot, who heavily influenced her thinking. But she could also be ruthless: in 1762 she overthrew her husband, Peter III, with the help of her lover Orlov (one of a long string of lovers), and quite possibly connived at his subsequent assassination. The lot of the serfs deteriorated during her reign, particularly after the bloody suppression of Pugachev's rebellion in 1774 although some of her reforms increased the efficiency with which her vast country was run. She has been aptly described as "an enlightened despot".

1800 The US Congress met for the first time, in Washington DC.

1839 Verdi's first opera "Oberto" was performed for the first time at La Scarla in Milan.

1856 Death of Robert Owen, British socialist.

1877 "The Sorcerer" by Gilbert and Sullivan opened in London for the first time.

1880 The first three British women to graduate received their Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of London.

1903 In London, Russia's Social Democrats officially split into two groups - Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.

1904 The first underwater submarine journey was undertaken, from Southampton across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.

1913 The Panama Canal opened for use. It was officially opened on 15th August 1914. The steamship Louise became the first ship to travel through.

1913 In Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm banned the armed forces from dancing the tango.

1917 The French sculptor Auguste Rodin died at the age of 77. Rodin's artistic life was attended by controversy. The realistic - and increasingly erotic - nature of his work offended an aesthetic which revered the idealisation of the human form as presented by classicism. Those with eyes to appreciate the radicalism of his art hailed Rodin as a master and by 1900 many were calling him the greatest sculptor of the age. Through his works, the most famous of which are perhaps The Kiss and The Thinker, Rodin opened an innovative new chapter in the history of sculpture.

1922 Siberia voted for union with the USSR.

1922 The last sultan of Turkey was deposed by Kemal Ataturk.

1938 Lana Turner tested for the role of "Scarlett O'Hara" in "Gone With The Wind" which eventually went to Vivien Leigh.

1959 Death of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazilian composer.

1969 `The Sun’ newspaper was first published.

1970 The USSR's Luna 17 landed on the Sea of Rains on the moon and released the first moonwalker vehicle.

1971 Death of Gladys Cooper, English actress.

1977 The "Miss UK" contestant in the "Miss World" contest wore a platinum bikini. Probably the world's most expensive bikini ever.

1980 John Lennon's last album "Double Fantasy" was released in the U.K.

1988 Benazir Bhutto was elected prime minister of Pakistan, becoming the first female leader of a Muslim state.

1990 A mass grave, believed to be that of of World War Two prisoners of war, was discovered by the infamous bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand.

1990 The Soviet government agreed to change the country's constitution.

1994 Glen Close opened "Sunset Boulevard" on Broadway. She played the part of fading movie star "Norma Desmond".

1999 A spectacular meteor shower promised to be visible throughout the UK, however, it turned out to be a cloudy night.

1999 Scotland beat England 1-0 at Wembley in the second leg of the Euro2000 qualifiers. England won 2-1 on aggregate and took their place in the competition proper.

2003 An ex-soldier convicted as Washington sniper. Jurors in Virginia found John Allen Muhammad guilty of murder and terrorism, as testimony began in the trial of his alleged accomplice.

2003 France announced a ministerial committee to tackle anti-Semitism, after a Jewish school was firebombed.

2003 Tony Blair insisted that the time was right for George Bush's trip to the UK the following day as a £5m security operation got under way.

2003 Russell Crowe joined Prince Charles at the royal charity première of "Master And Commander" in London.

2003 Pop star George Michael signed a deal with Sony, the record label he once accused of "professional slavery".

2003 Worldwide sales of the five Harry Potter books by JK Rowling reached the 250 million mark.

2004 Indian PM Manmohan Singh saids he would not accept any redrawing of Kashmir's borders.

2004 Peers rejected a ban on fox hunting, making it almost certain the legislation would be forced through using the Parliament Act.

2004 The head of the Child Support Agency resigned amid widespread criticism of the body's work.

2004 Asier del Horno's early goal gave Spain a 1-0 victory over England in an ill-tempered friendly.

BIRTHDAYS (for 17 November 2006)

Jesus Christ, 2008 (born 17 November 3BC )
(according to Clement of Alexandria)

Louis XVIII, 251 (born 17 November 1755)
French monarch, the first to take the throne after the fall of Napoleon.

Bernard Law, 119 (born 17 November 1887)
1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, English field marshal whose many victories in battle included the defeat of Rommel in North Africa.

Rock Hudson, 81 (born 17 November 1925)
(Died 1985) American film and television star whose successes included light romantic comedies with Doris Day and the television series Macmillan and Wife.

Sir Charles Mackerras, 81 (born 17 November 1925)
Australian conductor.

Peter Cook, 69 (born 17 November 1937)
(Died 1995) Comedian.

Gordon Lightfoot, 68 (born 17 November 1938)
Singer - 'If You Could Read My Mind' 'Sundown'.

Martin Scorsese, 64 (born 17 November 1942)
American film director whose films include Taxi Driver and Raging Bull.

Bob Gaudio, 64 (born 17 November 1942)
Member of The Four Seasons - biggest UK hit 'December 1963 (Oh What a Night)'.

Lauren Hutton, 63 (born 17 November 1943)
Actress - 'American Gigolo'.

Danny DeVito, 62 (born 17 November 1944)
Actor - 'Taxi' 'Romancing the Stone' 'Twins'.

Rod Clements, 59 (born 17 November 1947)
Member of Lindisfarne - biggest UK hit 'Fog on the Tyne'.

Jilly Johnson, 53 (born 17 November 1953)
Model

Peter Cox, 51 (born 17 November 1955)
Singer - of Go West and now solo.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, 48 (born 17 November 1958)
Actress - 'Robin Hood' Scarface'.

RuPaul, 46 (born 17 November 1960)
Transvestite disco singer.

Jonathan Ross, 46 (born 17 November 1960)
TV Presenter.

Ronald De Voe, 39 (born 17 November 1967)
Singer of Bel Biv De Voe.

The Sun, 37 (born 17 November 1969)
Newspaper

Clarke Hanson, 26 (born 17 November 1980)
Member of Hanson 'Mmm Bop'.

Today's The Day - 16th November

16th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Margaret of Scotland,
St Agnes of Assisi,
St Gertrude of Helfta,
St Afan,
St Edmund of Abingdon,
St Mechtildis of Helfta,
St Nikon `Metanoeite',
and St Eucherius of Lyons.

History Test for November 16th

Clark Gable died today in 1960. What was his - and Marilyn Monroe's - last film? -`The Misfits'

Today in 1848, Frederic Chopin gave his last public performance. With which French author did he have a love affair? -George Sand

American actor Burgess Meredith was born today in 1908. Which of Batman's villains did he play in the sixties TV series? -The Penguin

Known as the `Grand Old Lady of the Atlantic', which liner set sail from Liverpool today in 1907? -The Mauritania

Born today in 1942 which jockey was once a team captain on TV's `A Question of Sport'? -Willie Carson

Events today...

1272 Death of King Henry III.

1724 Highwayman Jack Sheppard, whose expoits inspired ballads and plays, was hanged at Tyburn in front of an audience of 200,000.

1797 Death of Prussian king Frederick William II.

1813 Britain’s mastery of the sea in the so-called war of 1812 was further emphasised when a mixed force of Royal Navy ships under the general command of Admiral Warren, including frigates, sloops and 74-gun ships of the line, took up positions in a blockade of Long Island Sound.

1824 Australian explorer Hamilton Hume discovered the Murray River the longest river in Australia.

1869 The Suez Canal, which had taken ten years to build, was formally opened.

1885 Louis Riel, leader of the Canadian métis rebellion, was hanged by the British.

1900 In Germany, a woman threw an axe at Kaiser Wilhelm but failed to hit him.

1907 In Britain, militant suffragettes shouted down Chancellor of the Exchequer Herbert Asquith in Nuneaton.

1913 The first volume of Remembrance of Things Past, the classic autobiographical novel by Marcel Proust, was published in Paris.

1917 Bolshevik troops took Moscow.

1918 Hungary achieved independence from the Austro-Hungarian empire and was proclaimed a republic.

1920 The Bolsheviks defeated the White Russians in Crimea, ending Russia’s civil war.

1922 Benito Mussolini threatened the Italian Chamber of Deputies with dissolution if his wishes were not obeyed.

1928 An obscenity trial began in London over the publication of Radclyffe Hall’s lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness.

1937 The House of Commons voted in favour of a national programme of air-raid shelter construction.

1940 Marshal Pétain took over the French government and asked Hitler for an armistice.

1955 Country singer Johnny Cash had his first U.S. chart entry with "Cry, Cry, Cry".

1957 "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson entered the charts for the first time. It again entered the charts in 1986.

1959 The stage version of "The Sound of Music" opened on Broadway starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bickel and ran for 1453 performances.

1960 Death of Clark Gable (aged 59), Actor known as “The King of Holywood”, - 'Gone With the Wind' 'It Happened One Night'.

1961 Great Britain began limiting immigration from the Commonwealth.

1965 The first public announcement was made about "Walt Disney World".

1965 The USSR launched Venus III, an unmanned spacecraft that successfully landed on Venus.

1977 The premiere of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr and Francois Truffault and lots of alien spacecraft.

1981 Death of William Holden (aged 63), American actor whose many films included Sunset Boulevard, Love Is a Many-Splendoured Thing and The Wild Bunch.

1983 Death of Arthur Askey, English comedian.

1985 Irish Rockers U2 launched their own record label "Mother Records".

1988 HM The Queen received £100,000 from "The Sun" newspaper after they had unofficially used one of her photos.

1988 In an astonishing display of defiance, the Estonian Supreme Soviet, rejected President Gorbachev’s plans for reform of the Soviet constitution, and adopted their own, although they stopped short of demanding out-right independence from Moscow.

1989 An important pillar of apartheid crumbled when President F.W. de Klerke announced all restrictions on access to South Africa’s beaches were removed.

1993 Amid the tears of its employees and sympathisers, Vladimir Lenin's mausoleum was closed by the Russian authorities; it was the first site in Moscow linked to Lenin to be shut down.

1995 England and South Africa play their first test match since 1965.

2003 Exit polls in Serbia suggested the turnout in presidential elections was short of the 50% needed to make them valid.

2003 Jonny Wilkinson kicked all the points as England beat France 24-7 in their Rugby World Cup semi-final.

2003 Jon Dahl Tomasson's late winner gave Denmark a 3-2 victory over England at Old Trafford.

2003 Stephen Hendry put together an inspired session of snooker to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-6 in the British Open final.

2004 President George W Bush named Condoleezza Rice to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state.

2004 It was announced that BBC Radio 1's chart show presenter Wes Butters was to leave the station as part of a shake-up of its schedules.

2004 The new Band Aid single, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was played on BBC Radio 1 for the first time.

BIRTHDAYS (for 16 November 2006)

Tiberius Claudius Nero, 2047 (born 16 November 42BC)
Roman emperor whose days ended in depravity on the Isle of Capri.

George S. Kaufman, 117 (born 16 November 1889)
American playwright and collaborator on musicals such as Of Thee I Sing.

Paul Hindemith, 111 (born 16 November 1895)
German composer and viola player whose work was banned by the Nazis.

Burgess Meredith, 98 (born 16 November 1908)
(Died 1997) American character actor who appeared in Of Mice and Men and The Story of GI Joe among other films.

Daws Butler, 90 (born 16 November 1916)
(Died 1988) The voice of Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and many others.

Sir Magdi Yacoub, 71 (born 16 November 1935)
Heart Surgeon

Michael Billington, 67 (born 16 November 1939)
author and critic

Willie Carson OBE, 64 (born 16 November 1942)
Ex-Jockey

Michael Cimino, 63 (born 16 November 1943)
Director - 'Deer Hunter'.

Joanna Pettet, 62 (born 16 November 1944)
actress

Jerry Edmonton, 60 (born 16 November 1946)
(Died 1993) Drummer with Steppenwolf - 'Born to be Wild'.

Griff Rhys Jones, 53 (born 16 November 1953)
Comedian.

Frank Bruno MBE, 45 (born 16 November 1961)
British boxer who put the British and European heavyweight titles under his belt.

Steve Bould, 44 (born 16 November 1962)
footballer

Reni, 42 (born 16 November 1964)
Member of The Stone Roses.

Lisa Bonet, 39 (born 16 November 1967)
Actress Denise Huxtable in 'The Cosby Show' & 'A Different World'.

Bryan Abrams, 37 (born 16 November 1969)
Member of Colour Me Badd.

Martha Plimpton, 36 (born 16 November 1970)
Actress 'Parenthood'.

Waqar Younis, 35 (born 16 November 1971)
cricketer

Paul Scholes, 32 (born 16 November 1974)
Manchester United Striker

Trivia Trail

1. The great admiral Horatio Nelson was missing an eye and an arm. But what medical condition most seriously threatened his career?
He had chronic seasickness
2. Which movie star was discovered in a German trench during World War I, and became Warner Brothers' top box office star of the 1920's?
Rin Tin Tin
3. What do the letters in SHAZAM stand for?
Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury
4. In 1976, a Los Angeles secretary named Jannene Swift was involved in a bizarre marriage. Describe her husband.
She officially married a 50-pound rock
5. Why did Spencer Tracy return his 1938 Best Acting Oscar?
It was engraved with the name "Dick Tracy."
6. What was the only film in which Ron and Nancy Reagan both acted?
"Hellcats of the Navy."
7. What is parthenophobia?
Fear of virgins
8. Bing and Bob went on the road to seven places. For one point, name four. Name all seven
Singapore, Zanzibar, Morocco, Utopia, Rio, Bali, Hong Kong
9. Who signed his paintings with a butterfly?
James McNeil Whistler
10. What was Wilma Flintstone's maiden name?
Slaghoople
11. What are the P's and Q's in "Mind your P's and Q's"?
Pints and Quarts
12. Weimeraner dogs were trained and genetically bred to hunt deer in a special manner. How?
By biting off their genitals
13. What magazine does Captain Oveur read in the beginning of "Airplane!"?
Modern Sperm
14. The Uruguayans managed to repel an Argentine invasion of Montevideo in the 1840's with cannons, even after they ran out of cannonballs. What kept the invaders at bay?
Stale blocks of Edam cheese
15. On what show was the first interracial kiss ever seen on TV? For another point, name the episode
"Star Trek"; "Plato's Stepchildren."
16. Where were the crypts of Lieberkuhn discovered?
In the small intestines
17. Of what is St. Druon the patron saint?
Hernias and ruptures
18. What were the last words of General John Sedgwick, at the Battle of Spotsylvania?
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist---"
19. What was the final exam question posed to Japanese Naval Academy students in 1931?
"How would you carry out a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour?"
20. What is the name of the camel on the Camel cigarette pack?
Old Joe
21. What animal has sex once in its life, lasting up to 12 hours?
The snail
22. Why was cold breakfast cereal introduced into American diets?
To dampen sexual appetites and prevent masturbation
23. What is unique about Calama, Chile?
The only place on earth where precipitation has never been recorded
24. The Moravian Brothers were a Bohemian sect which didn't believe in violence. They were, however, occasionally called on to commit executions. How did they do it?
They tickled their victims to death
25. What error did Sir Laurence Olivier commit when presenting the 1985 Best Picture Oscar?
He never read the nominees
26. What do the following nine items have in common: corpses; live snakes; used fuel tanks; live worms (unless specially packed); automobile windshields; animal heads; human blood (unless packed in wet ice); bull semen (unless specially packed); and neon signs?
They're the only 9 things specifically prohibited on Greyhound buses
27. What was invented by John Styth Pemberton?
The formula for Coca-Cola
28. Laws and litigation - What was the only official legal complaint filed against the San Francisco trolley, after they allowed women to stand outside with the men?
A woman fell off and claimed it turned her into a nymphomaniac
29. In 1891, something happened to British seaman James Bartley that permanently bleached his face, neck and hands white. What was it?
He was swallowed by a whale
30. What common practice is illegal in Rekjavik, Iceland?
Owning a dog
31. Who was the only athlete to have won summer and winter Olympic gold medals, and for another point, in what events and where?
Eddie Eagan; light heavyweight boxing (Antwerp, 1920) and bobsled (Lake Placid, 1932)
32. What did Casanova, Hitler, and Stalin have in common?
They had been librarians
33. What prize was found in 1955 boxes of Quaker Oats Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat?
Legal deed to one square inch of land in the Yukon
34. Lame Excuses - Why wasn't Clark Kent enlisted in World War II?
He failed his eye test by accidentally using his X-ray vision to see through the wall and read the eye chart in the next room
35. What was groundbreaking about Mark Twain's "Adventures of Tom Sawyer"?
First American novel written on a typewriter
36. How does a male leech fertilize a female leech?
He deposits a sac of sperm on her skin, which burns a hole through and fertilizes the eggs
37. What did the Mongol chieftain Timur use to drive off a reserve fleet sent to rescue knights in a besieged fortress in Smyrna?
He bombarded the ships with the heads of the already-slain knights
38. Superstitions - According to popular superstition, what should you do if a rabbit crosses your path?
Remove your hat, spit in it, and place it back on your head
39. Whose picture was on the A-Bomb dropped on Bikini?
Rita Hayworth
40. Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz. Even so, why would I say this?
Shortest English sentence using every letter

Extras ---

Who said Prince looks like a dwarf who fell into a vat of pubic hair?
Boy George
In the 19th century, expensive dentures were called Waterloo teeth. Why?
They were made from the corpses of the Battle of Waterloo
Who's the only actress to have won an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy?
Rita Moreno
Everyone knows Murphy's Law. What did Murphy do for a living?
Technician at NASA
Laws and litigation - In 1970, a woman named Betty Penrose sued God for $100,000. Why did she sue, and why did she win the case?
A lightning bolt struck her home; she won when the defendant failed to appear in court!

Quiztime Quiz Vault - Telly Quiz

1 What was the name of the singing group in The Hello Girls? The Teletones
2 What relation is ER's George Clooney to US singer Rosemary? Nephew
3 Which Gladiator was jailed in 1998 for corruption? Warrior
4 Superwoman Lynda Carter held which beauty queen title? Miss America
5 On which TV show was Jim Davidson 'discovered'? New Faces
6 Outside TV what type of transport business does Noel Edmonds run? Helicopters
7 Where was This Morning first broadcast from? Liverpool
8 Which They Think It's All Over panellist wears most make up? Eddie Izzard
9 The TV profile Tantrums and Tiaras was about which pop superstar? Elton John
10 Which TV presenter's relationship with Stan Collymore ended violently in Paris during the 1998 World Cup? Ulrika Jonnson
11 Who was the first landlady of Fitzgerald's in Ballykissangel? Assumpta
12 Which TV playwright founded Animal Line with Linda McCartney? Carla Lane
13 What was Richard Madeley arrested for in 1990? Shoplifting
14 Which veteran sports commentator won the Manchester Mile in 1949? David Coleman
15 What colour does TV critic Nina Myskow usually wear? Pink
16 Which News At Ten presenter had the first British TV interview with Nelson Mandela after his release? Trevor McDonald
17 Which game was Bob's Full House based on? Bingo
18 Which TV cook wore a diamond studded crash helmet? Jennifer Patterson
19 Who presented the CS medical quiz show Tibs and Fibs? Tony Slattery
20 Who were the first couple to be BBC Sports Personality of the Year? Torvill & Dean
21 Which cook founded Sainsbury's The Magazine with her husband? Delia Smith
22 In the US Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart are famous for what type of show? Televangelism
23 Which star of Brideshead Revisited shares a birthday with sports commentator Brendan Foster? Anthony Andrews
24 Which weather girl went to the same university as Glenys Kinnock? Sian Lloyd
25 Which character did Ted Danson play in Cheers? Sam Malone
26 Which pop group walked out on Clive Anderson on his All Talk show? The Bee Gees
27 Which London soccer side does June Whitfield support? Wimbledon
28 Which talk show hostess appeared in the film Hairspray with Divine? Ricki Lake
29 Who is the resident snooker player on Big Break? John Virgo
30 Where did Paula Yates conduct her Big Breakfast interviews? On a Bed

Quiztime Quiz Vault - Mixed Bag

Which king of England had a mother and a son who were beheaded ?
James I
In which year did The Titanic sink ?
1912
In the Old Testament who was famous for his wisdom?
Solomon
Who founded The Metropolitan Police ?
Sir Robert Peel
Who was British Prime Minister from 1955 to 1958 ?
Anthony Eden
What was the nickname of pirate Edward Teach ?
Blackbeard
Which war was fought between 1936 and 1939 ?
Spanish Civil War
Name the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb.
Enola Gay
Which town was the scene of the Gunfight at the OK Corral ?
Tombstone
Who discovered the tomb of Tutenkhamun ?
Howard Carter
Who ruled England from 1910 to 1936 ?
George V
Which country was ruled by Kaiser Bill ?
Germany
The Battle of Bosworth in 1485 was the last battle of which series of wars ?
Wars of the Roses
Who wrote his last diary entry on 31st May 1669 ?
Samuel Pepys
In which harbour did the Mary Rose sink in 1545 ?
Portsmouth
What nationality was Christopher Columbus ?
Italian
Which queen was known as The Flanders Mare ?
Anne of Cleves
In which battle was Horatio Nelson fatally wounded ?
Trafalgar
How did Charles I die ?
Beheaded
Who ordered the building of The Tower of London ?
William the Conqueror
Which 'Eastenders' character was played by Paul Bradley ?
Nigel Bates
Who presents 'Ready, Steady, Cook' on TV ?
Ainsley Herriott
Which female vocalist released the album 'Drag' ?
kd lang
Which comedienne is married to Geoffrey Durham ?
Victoria Wood
Who co-starred with Paul Newman in the film 'The Colour of Money' ?
Tom Cruise
Which band released the album 'Dark Side of the Moon ?
Pink Floyd
Who was the star of 'The Lord of the Dance' ?
Michael Flatley
Who starred in the title role in the 1972 film 'Junior Bonner' ?
Steve McQueen
Who played Stan Butler in 'On the Buses' ?
Reg Varney
Who had the 1981 hit single 'Good Year For the Roses ?
Elvis Costello
Who starred as Jim Hacker in 'Yes, Minister' ?
Paul Eddington
Which TV sitcom was set on Craggy Island ?
'Father Ted'
Which actor starred as Dr Doolittle in the 1967 film ?
Rex Harrison
What is the name of Paul O'Grady's alter ego ?
Lily Savage
What was the name of Sigourney Weaver's character in the 'Alien' films ?
Lieutenant Ellen Ripley
Who made up Wham with George Michael ?
Andrew Ridgeley
To which country did Sgt. Nick Rowan and his family emigrate in TV's 'Heartbeat' ?
Canada
Which singer/songwriter's real name is Gordon Sumner ?
Sting
What type of dog was Ren in 'The Ren and Stimpy Show' ?
Chihuahua
Who played Miss Jones in TV's 'Rising Damp' ?
Frances de la Tour
Which major city is known as The Windy City ?
Chicago
In which country are the headquarters of Interpol ?
France
What is the capital of Syria ?
Damascus
Which river flows through Dublin ?
The Liffey
Which is nearest to mainland Spain: Majorca, Ibiza or Minorca ?
Ibiza
Which European country has the oldest parliament ?
Iceland
Which island was awarded the George Cross in 1942 ?
Malta
Which range of mountains separates France from Spain?
Pyrenees
In which city is Madison Square Gardens ?
New York
With which country would you associate Blue Mountain coffee ?
Jamaica
On which island is the resort of Cowes ?
Isle of Wight
Robben Island prison is situated in the bay of which city ?
Cape Town
On which continent is the Cape of Good Hope ?
Africa
Which is the southernmost of the United States ?
Hawaii
Flying due north of the Scilly Isles, what is the first country you would arrive at ?
Republic of Ireland
Which bay, to the west of France, is notorious for its rough seas ?
Bay of Biscay
In which city is the Wailing Wall ?
Jerusalem
Is the Orinoco River in North or South America ?
South
Which drug is Colombia's chief export ?
Cocaine
What is the currency of Pakistan ?
Rupee
Which city is furthest north, Liverpool or Leeds ?
Leeds
In which London park is London Zoo situated ?
Regent's Park
In which country is Prestwick Airport ?
Scotland
How many counties have a border with Cornwall ?
One - Devon
Which city's major rail station is called New Street ?
Birmingham's
On which Scottish coast is Dundee situated ?
East coast
How is the Welsh island Ynys Mon better known ?
Anglesey
In which part of the UK is the town of Newry situated ?
Northern Ireland
By what name is London Cathedral better known ?
St. Paul's Cathedral
Which of the Channel Island is famous for having no cars ?
Sark
By what name are the canals in Cambridge better known ?
The Backs
Which waterway divides the Isle of Wight from the English mainland ?
The Solent
Which Leicestershire town is famous for its pork pies ?
Melton Mobray
How many faces does the clock tower of Big Ben have ?
4
What is the name of the range of hills that divides England and Scotland ?
The Cheviot Hills
Which motorway links Birmingham and Lancaster ?
M6
The names of which two London boroughs begin with the letter 'E' ?
Ealing and Enfield
Where is the Royal and Ancient Golf Club ?
St. Andrews, Scotland
In which English county is the southern end of the Pennine Way ?
Derbyshire
St. Anne's lies to the south of which holiday resort ?
Blackpool
Which actress plays Dorien in 'Birds of a Feather' ?
Lesley Joseph
Name the drama series that features Larkhall Prison.
'Bad Girls'
Which of The Goodies is a well known ornithologist ?
Bill Oddie
What was the name of Minnie Caldwell's cat in 'Coronation Street' ?
Bobby
Lynda Bellingham found fame advertising what ?
Oxo
Who played Barbara Good in 'The Good Life' ?
Felicity Kendall
'Eastender' Tiffany was knocked down and killed by whom ?
Frank Butcher
Who played Father Peter in 'Ballykissangel' ?
Stephen Tompkinson
Who is known as Mr Trick Shot ?
John Virgo
In which year did Channel 4 begin broadcasting ?
1982
Who played Robert Wagner's wife in 'Hart to Hart' ?
Stephanie Powers
Name the ARP warden in 'Dad's Army'.
Hodges
What were the first names of 'Starsky and Hutch' ?
Dave and Ken
Which of 'The two Fat Ladies' rode a motorcycle ?
Jennifer Patterson
In the show 'South Park' who always gets killed ?
Kenny
In which TV show would you meet Hawkeye Pierce ?
'M*A*S*H'
Who was the arch enemy of Dangermouse ?
Baron Silas Greenback
Which cartoon series featured The Black Pig ?
'Captain Pugwash'
Who snoops around the houses of the famous in 'Through the Keyhole' ?
Loyd Grossman
Dan Castellaneta is the voice of which cartoon character ?
Homer Simpson
Which comedian played John Brown in the film 'Mrs Brown ?
Billy Connolly
Who directed the film 'Full Metal Jacket' ?
Stanley Kubrick
Which actress made her directorial debut with the 1991 film 'Little Man Tate' ?
Jodie Foster
Who starred as Mary Poppins in the 1964 film ?
Julie Andrews
Who directed, produced and starred in the film 'The Mirror Has Two Faces' ?
Barbra Streisand
Who starred opposite Yul Brynner in 'The King and I'?
Deborah Kerr
Which 1997 film starred John Travolta as an angel ?
'Michael'
What was The Pink Panther in the 1964 film of the same name ?
A priceless diamond
Who won a Best Octor Oscar for 'My Left Foot' ?
Daniel Day Lewis
Who directed, produced and starred in the 1977 film 'High Anxiety'?
Mel Brooks
Who played Mel Gibson's sidekick in the 'Lethal Weapon' films ?
Danny Glover
Which singer starred in the 1988 film 'Moonstruck' ?
Cher
Name the hotel in the film 'Psycho'.
Bate's Motel
Which actress starred with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in the 'Road to...' films ?
Dorothy Lamour
What is the surname of Clint Eastwood's character in 'Dirty Harry' ?
Callaghan
Who played the title role in the film 'Hook' ?
Dustin Hoffman
Which Steve Martin film was based on 'Cyrano de Bergerac' ?
'Roxanne'
Which animal played the title role in the Disney cartoon film 'Robin Hood' ?
A fox
Who starred opposite Humphrey Bogart in the film Casablanca' ?
Ingrid Bergman
Which ex-husband and wife starred in the film 'Home and Away' ?
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise
Which all-girl group features the Appleton sisters ?
All Saints
Which band had a No. 1 UK hit album titled 'Automatic To the People ?
REM
Who recorded the '98 album 'Honey to the Bee' ?
Billie
Which ex-Take That member had the '97 hit 'Child' ?
Mark Owen
Which European city was a hit for Ultravox ?
Vienna
Which Frankie Goes to Hollywood was banned in 84 ?
'Relax'
Which guitarist is known as 'Slow Hand' ?
Eric Clapton
Who are the Eurythmics ?
Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart
Name Bruce Springsteen's backing band.
The E Street Band
In which decade was Noel Gallagher born ?
1960s
Who is lead singer of the band James ?
Tim Booth
Who had a the 1972 No 1 hit 'You Wear it Well' ?
Rod Stewart
Which Australian band had the hit 'Taste It' ?
INXS
Who was lead singer with Roxy Music ?
Brian Ferry
Which Sheffield band made the Top 10 twice with 'Temptation' ?
Heaven 17
'All You Can Eat' was an album title for which Canadian singer ?
kd lang
Which guitarist's only UK No 1 was 'Voodoo Chile' ?
Jimi Hendrix
In which year was 'My Sweet Lord' number one ?
1970
Which ska band had the 1981 No 1 'Ghost Town' ?
The Specials
Who wrote the soundtrack for the film 'The Graduate'?
Simon and Garfunkel
An average adult human has how many permanent teeth ?
32
On which island did the now extinct dodo live ?
Mauritius
How many carats does pure gold have ?
24
How is a 'polygraph' better known ?
Lie Detector Test
What name is given to the home of the badger ?
A sett
Which way round does a record turntable revolve ?
Clockwise
What is the more common name for 'epistaxis' ?
Nosebleed
Which animal is also known as the 'ant bear' ?
Aardvark
Which childhood disease is properly called Varicella ?
Chicken Pox
What is the most common gas in our atmosphere ?
Nitrogen
Which is the world's largest ocean ?
The Pacific
How often does Halley's Comet appear ?
Every 76 years
Which mountain range is the llama's natural habitat ?
The Andes
What is a rhinocerous's horn made from ?
Hair
Which 'ology' is concerned with human skin ?
Dermatology
Which male bird incubates a single egg on its feet ?
Emperor Penguin
How many litres are there (approx) in a gallon ?
4.5
What is the common name for the plant myosotis ?
Forget-Me-Not
What was the name of Britain's first nuclear powered submarine ?
HMS Dreadnought
In which month does Spring officially begin ?
March
Who lives in the Vatican ?
The Pope
Who was the youngest person to be elected president of the USA ?
John F Kennedy
Who singed the King of Spain's beard in 1587 ?
Francis Drake
Who was the female star of the 1965 film 'Cat Ballou' ?
Jane Fonda
Who was the pilot on the world's first space flight ?
Yuri Gagarin
Who followed Bernard Weatherall as Speaker of the House of Commons ?
Betty Boothroyd
Who did John Hinkley try to assassinate in 1981 ?
Ronald Reagan
Which Marquis invented the rules of boxing ?
Queensbury
Who performed the first human heart transplant ?
Dr Christiaan Barnard
What was poet William Thackeray's middle name ?
Makepeace
Who married Timothy Lawrence in 1992 ?
Princess Anne
Who claimed that she only wore Chanel 5 in bed ?
Marilyn Monroe
Who was the last woman to be hanged in Britain ?
Ruth Ellis
What nationality was jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt?
Belgian
How is singer Cherilyn Sarkasian better known ?
Cher
Name John Lennon's two sons.
Julian and Sean
What was the name of William Shakespeare's wife ?
Anne Hathaway
Who did Stevie Wonder write 'Happy Birthday' for ?
Martin Luther King
Who wrote '1984' ?
George Orwell
With which organisation was Yasser Arafat associated ?
Palestine Liberation Organisation

Questions from the Quiztime Quiz Vault.
Please check before using as some may be outdated.

Quiztime Quiz Vault - Pop Quiz

1. Which American female vocalist's name is an anagram of CYANIDE PURL?
Cyndi Lauper
2. According to The Guinness Book of Hit Singles this 1957 Christmas hit still holds the dubious distinction of being the fastest falling UK number 1 single Name the song.
Mary’s Boy Child by Harry Belafonte
3. To which artist were Brian and Michael referring in their hit song "Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs"?
L. S. Lowry
4. Which film star's name is mentioned in a Bananarama hit?
Robert De Niro (‘Robert De Niro’s Waiting’)
5. Who had a 1985 Christmas No. 1 hit with "Saving All My Love For You"
Whitney Houston
6. Who was first to the microphone on the original 1984 Band Aid Christmas hit Do They Know It's Christmas?
Paul Young
7. How would you better know Jim, Andrea, Caroline and Sharon?
The Corrs
8. With which group did Van Morrison sing on the singles "Baby Please
Don't Go" which reached no. 10 in the UK charts in 1965?
Them
9. This recording has been the UK Christmas Number 1 in two separate decades sixteen years apart. Name it.
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
10. On which island in the Indian Ocean was Freddie Mercury born?
Zanzibar
11. Brothers Ron and Russell Mael had a single that reached No. 2 in the UK charts in 1974 Under what name did they record?
Sparks
12. Vivian Stanshall was lead vocalist with which 1960's group?
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
13. Which Italian producer/composer who launched the career of Donna
Summer, won an Oscar for the film soundtrack to Midnight Express?
Giorgio Moroder
14. Which female singer was born Folasade Adu in Nigeria in 1960?
Sade
15. Who sang lead vocals on the Beatles song Yellow Submarine?
Ringo Starr
16. Jack, Stan, Roy, Gus and Lee are the 5 named people on which famous
song?
’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ by Paul Simon
17. When Jimmy Saville presented the first Top of the Pops in October 1964, which band did he introduce first?
Dave Clark Five- "Glad All Over"
18. "I used to think that life was sweet, I used to think we were so
complete" are lines from which Cliff Richard hit?
‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’
19. Where in Europe did John Lennon and Yoko Ono marry?
Gibraltar
20. Who did Victoria Beckham recently confess was her first musical inspiration?
Barry Manilow

Proverbially Speaking

1. To where do ‘all roads lead’?
ROME
2 What can you not make out of ‘a sow’s ear’?
A SILK PURSE
3. How do still waters run?
DEEP
4. A fair exchange is no what?
ROBBERY
5. What did faint heart never win?
FAIR LADY
6. What do five magpies stand for?
SILVER
7. What is better than cure?
PREVENTION
8. What does every cloud have?
A SILVER LINING
9. What will a drowning man clutch at?
A STRAW
10. What grow from little acorns?
MIGHTY OAKS

Des O'Connor to host Countdown

Television veteran Des O'Connor has been confirmed as the new host of quiz show Countdown.

The 74-year-old - who has a two-year-old son - has signed a deal with Channel 4 believed to be worth �500,000 a year.

He takes over from Des Lynam, who was in the hot seat for 18-months after the death of original host Richard Whiteley.

O'Connor recently spent a day in the Countdown studios after winning over producers in a screen-test.

He said: "It's easy to see why the show is such a success. Carol (Vorderman) is a delight.

"She's great fun and couldn't have been more helpful. I'm really looking forward to being part of the Countdown family."

Vorderman, 45, the show's number-cruncher, said: "I'm really looking forward to a new year with a new Des.

"He's got so much energy and enthusiasm he leaves the rest of us exhausted. Here's to a great Countdown year."

Filming begins later this year and O'Connor will make his first appearance in the New Year.

Other names connected to the show have included Michael Aspel, Alan Titchmarsh and Stephen Fry, who are said to have opted out because of other commitments.

Countdown is Channel 4's longest-running show, having been on air since the launch of the broadcaster in 1982.

O'Connor's ITV1 talk-show Today with Des and Mel was axed in May after four years.

Quiztime Quiz 121106

1. Which animals joined the rare club of being able to recognise themselves in a mirror according to scientists?
Elephants
2. Which celebrity magazine is said to be cursed as exclusive marriage pictures often seem to lead to a quick divorce?
Hello!
3. Which boxer claims that he will never be voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year because he is a winner?
Joe Calzaghe
4. If humans are top of the brain size vs body size scale, which animal ranks second?
Dolphins
5. What is the name of footballer Ashley Cole's pop star wife?
Cheryl Tweedy
6. What is the name of the Swindon-based hamper company that has recently gone out of business?
Farepak
7. According to legend, what is the name of the estate that Robin Hood is Earl of?
Locksley
8. According to Home Office figures which football club’s fans were banned the most from matches?
Leeds United
9. Which veteran singer has recently been in the charts with 'Jump In My Car'?
David Hasselhoff
10. One point each - Name the five boroughs of New York?
Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and Manhattan
11. A report this week said that how many of us each share a security camera - was it 10, 12 or 14 per camera?
Fourteen
12. In which town are the headquarters of the political party UKIP?
Newton Abbott (UKIP leader is Nigel Farage)
13. Which game and possibly sport begins with a squidge off?
Tiddlywinks
14. The flag of which US state features a Union Jack?
Hawaii
15. Which sport is played by the Worcester Wolves and London United?
Basketball
16. Which nursery rhyme character was famously arachnophobic?
Little Miss Muffet
17. At which ground will the first ashes match take place on 23rd – 27th November 2006?
Brisbane Cricket Ground (accept Gabba)
18. How old do you have to be to get a free television license?
Seventy-Five
19. What connects 6th. June 1944 and 15th. February 1971?
Both D-Day's
20. Family Fortunes Question - Top Answers Required - Name a Popular Bond Theme that Charted?
Live & Let Die / A View to a Kill / Goldeneye / Goldfinger / Nobody Does It Better

21. Which Year - The Anglo-French Concorde, the world's first supersonic airliner, finally entered service on the New York run / The "Miss UK" contestant in the "Miss World" contest wore a platinum bikini, Probably the world's most expensive bikini ever / Elton John announced at a concert in London that he was quitting live performances only to start again two years later / President Anwar Sadat became the first Egyptian leader to visit Israel / The Sex Pistols released their first single "Anarchy in the UK"?
1977
22. Which is the only form of tobacco allowed inside the chamber of the House of Commons?
Snuff
23. Which long disused famous racing circuit is located in Weybridge, Surrey?
Brooklands
24. The heavy cruiser, formally known as the USS Phoenix is the only warship ever to be sunk in action by a nuclear submarine. By what name was it known when sunk?
General Belgrano
25. Who has scored the most runs ever in the Ashes tests?
Don Bradman
26. In the USA the Amish people mainly live in which state?
Pennsylvania
27. Which group of Blackpool workers last year won a 48 hour week, lunch breaks and Fridays off?
Donkeys on the beach
28. The nickname of the Australian Rugby League side is the Wallabies, but which side are known as the Rhinos?
South Africa
29. In which film did Sigourney Weaver portray the American environmentalist Dianne Fosse?
Gorillas In The Mist
30. What would you get if you added cream, grenadine and strawberry liquor to one part white rum and two parts Malibu? Would it be a Pink Panther a Pink Python or a Pink Pussy?
Pink Pussy
31. By what name is the former colony of German South West Africa now known?
Namibia
32. One point each - name the only three words in standard English that begin with the letters DW?
Dwarf, Dwell & Dwindle
33. True or false? In the name of political correctness an Oxfordshire Local Education Authority have, in their nursery schools, replaced the song 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' with 'Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep'?
True
34. Which actor starred in the ITV series 'Doc Martin'?
Martin Clunes
35. What word can be, an offensive name for a gay person, a water proof embankment or a structure used to mark a boundary?
Dyke
36. How old does a car have to be to be classed as a Classic?
25 Years
37. According to informed sources, which member of the Cabinet is codenamed 'The Grand Sporran' by UK security services?
Gordon Brown
38. Which two film characters live at 62, West Wallaby Street, Wigan?
Wallace and Gromit
39. What was the nationality at birth of Winston Churchill’s mother?
American
40. Which British university has the most students?
The Open University
Tiebreaker - In which year was Saddam Husein born?
1937

Today's The Day - 15th November

15th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Leopold of Austria,
Saints Abibus, Gurias, and Samonas,
St Fintan of Rheinau,
St Malo or Machutus,
St Albert the Great,
and St Desiderius or Didier of Cahors.

History Test for November 15th

German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was born today in 1891. What was his nickname? -`The Desert Fox'

Which singer and actress began her career as a child star in the film 'Here Come the Huggetts' and celebrates a birthday today? -Petula Clark

Which liner, the largest passenger ship ever built ended her last voyage as a passenger carrier today in 1968? -The Queen Elizabeth

According to his own announcement in the Times which 'Dad's Army' actor "conked out" today in 1983? -John le Mesurier

Today in 1969, the first colour commercial on British TV was screened. What product was advertised? -Bird's Eye frozen peas

Events today...

1492 The use of tobacco by Indians was noted by Christopher Columbus in his journals. This was the first reference to tobacco.

1577 Sir Francis Drake left England on the first leg of his round the world voyage.

1802 Death of George Romney, English portait painter who did numerous studies of Lady Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson.

1837 Published today by Samuel Bagster at 4d was a curious and interesting little book entitled Stenographic Sound-Hand, by one Isaac Pitman, a 24-year-old schoolmaster from Trowbridge in Wiltshire. The book expounded Pitman's theory of "stenographic phonography", or the practice of shorthand by the phonetic method. He believed that the current methods, notably Mr Taylor's, were inadequate.

1864 General Sherman and his army set out for Savannah on their March to the Sea, leaving Atlanta a smoking ruin behind them. Atlanta, an important strategic strongpoint for the Confederates, had been in Sherman's hands since General Hood had given up his brave resistance on September l. Sherman, determined that the Confederates should have no further use out of Atlanta, gave orders that all public buildings, machine-shops, depots and arsenals should be burnt to the ground, all civilians having been evacuated. To the accompaniment of military hands playing martial airs and operatic selections, and the din of exploding ammunition, spectacular destruction was achieved. "Behind us lay Atlanta smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like a pall over the ruined city," said General Sherman.

1889 Dom Pedro was overthrown, and Brazil was proclaimed a republic.

1899 Winston Churchill was captured by the Boers while covering the war as a reporter for the Morning Post. He escaped a few weeks later.

1901 The electrical hearing aid was patented by Miller Reese of New York.

1902 Anarchist Gennaro Rubin failed in his attempt to murder King Leopold II of Belgium.

1912 Viscount Astor turned 21 and gained a £15 million ($27.7 million) inheritance from his father.

1913 In Mexico, rebel leader Pancho Villa took Ciudad Juarez.

1916 Death of Henryk Sienkiewicz, Polish novelist.

1918 Victory Day in Britain, as a war-weary nation celebrated the peace. At 11 am, to the accompaniment of church bells and fireworks, the all-clear was sounded for the last time with bugles and sirens. Factories closed, and there were scenes of unprecedented public revelry and rejoicing as what seemed to be the entire population took to the streets, waving flags and raising servicemen shoulder-high. Big Ben struck one for the first time in four years. Huge crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to sing "God Save the King" and "Rule Britannia", and later the King and Queen drove to Hyde Park. Hundreds thronged to Downing Street to hail the Prime Minister, Lloyd George. The police turned a blind eye to the licensing laws and pubs stayed open until they had been drunk dry.

1920 The League of Nations held its first meeting in Geneva.

1922 The first scheduled broadcast was made from Marconi House in London's Strand.

1923 in order to end rampant inflation - a loaf of bread cost over 200,000,000 marks the German government introduced a new unit of currency worth 1,000,000,000 marks.

1952 Goalkeeper Ted Sagar played his 463rd and last league game for Everton, against Plymouth, to end a career at the club which lasted a record 22 years and 10 months.

1954 Commercial flights commenced over the North Pole. An SAS flight from Los Angeles to Europe as the first flight.

1954 Death of Lionel Barrymore (aged 76), American actor who made numerous films and continued to act after being confined to a wheelchair.

1956 Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, was premiered in New York.

1958 Death of Tyrone Power (aged 45). American film actor.

1961 The United Nations banned the use of nuclear arms.

1965 Craig Breedlove of the USA set a world land speed record of over 613 mph (986 kph) in his jet engine car Spirit of America at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

1968 The Cunard flagship Queen Elizabeth docked at Southampton for the last time. She was replaced by the Queen Elizabeth II.

1969 "Wendys Hamburgers" opened for the first time in the U.S.

1969 Singer Janis Joplin was arrested in Tampa, Florida for "vulgar and indecent language" at one of her gigs.

1969 Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 in the first football match to be shown in colour on the BBC's Match of the Day programme.

1976 Death of Jean Gabin, French actor.

1978 Death of Margaret Mead, US anthropologist.

1983 An independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was a unilaterally proclaimed, recognised only by Turkey.

1983 The Greenham Common women's group mounted their first protest as cruise missiles arrived at the US airbase in Berkshire.

1985 Mrs Thatcher and Irish leader Garrett Fitzgerald met at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast on what both parties claimed was a momentous day in Irish history. They signed into being the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which for the first time gives the Republic a consultative role in the running of Northern Ireland. Mrs Thatcher was quick to insist that the interests of both Ulster communities were being catered for. In Dublin, Charles Haughey, leader of the opposition Finnna Fail party, described it as "a sad day for Irish nationalism".

1987 The Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide formed a round of the world motor racing championship for the first time. The race was won by Austria's Gerhard Berger.

1988 Russia launched its first space shuttle, "Buran", on a three and a half hour flight. It was unmanned.

1989 Nigel Martyn became the first £1million goalkeeper in Britain when he moved from Bristol Rovers to Crystal Palace.

1991 In the wake of increased sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, Britain called up 1,400 reserve troops for full-time active duty.

1991 President Fernando Collor de Mello signed a landmark decree giving back the original lands of the Yanomami Indians.

1993 Death of Luciano Liggio, Italian racketeer.

1994 Helmut Kohl was elected German chancellor.

1996 A 25-mile long column of Hutu refugees began leaving Zaire for their homes in neighbouring Rwanda.

1996 Aston Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was fined £1,000 and received a warning as the Football Association accepted that his Nazi-style salute at Tottenham was just a prank that misfired.

2003 Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said two car bombs in Istanbul were aimed at destabilising the country.

2003 Twelve people died after a gangway on the Queen Mary 2 liner collapsed in a French shipyard.

2003 Lady Carina Frost, wife of veteran BBC broadcaster Sir David, was recovering after being taken into hospital in London.

2003 Football: James McFadden hands Scotland a 1-0 win over Holland in the Euro 2004 play-off first leg. And Wales secured a goalless draw against Russia in the first leg of their Euro 2004 play-off.

2003 Rugby League: Australia edge out Great Britain 23-20 in the second Test to retain the Ashes.

2004 US Secretary of State Colin Powell announced his resignation, saying he intended to return to a private life.

2004 An inquest ruled that the death of an airman who died in 1953 after a secret nerve gas experiment was unlawful.

2004 Producers of the new Band Aid single used Bono's version of a controversial lyric from the charity song.

BIRTHDAYS (for 15 November 2006)

Methuselah., 4354 (born 15 November 2349BC)

William Pitt the Elder, 298 (born 15 November 1708)
(Died 1778) 1st Earl of Chatham, English statesman known as the Great Commoner.

Gerhart Hauptmann, 144 (born 15 November 1862)
German dramatist and novelist whose plays include Before Dawn.

Erwin Rommel, 115 (born 15 November 1891)
German general, commander of the Afrika Corps in North Africa during World War II.

Aneurin Bevan, 109 (born 15 November 1897)
(Died 1960) Introduced National Health Service in 1948.

Mantovani, 101 (born 15 November 1905)
(Died 1980) Bandleader.

C.W.McCall, 78 (born 15 November 1928)
Country singer - 'Convoy'.

Edward Asner, 77 (born 15 November 1929)
Actor - 'Lou Grant'.

J G Ballard, 76 (born 15 November 1930)
novelist

Clyde McPhatter, 75 (born 15 November 1931)
(Died 1972) Singer with The Drifters.

Petula Clark, 74 (born 15 November 1932)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'This is My Song'.

Sam Waterston, 66 (born 15 November 1940)
Actor 'Killing Fields'.

Daniel Barenboim, 64 (born 15 November 1942)
Israeli pianist and conductor, musical director of the Orchestre de Paris since 1975.

Yaphet Kappo, 62 (born 15 November 1944)
actor

Frida Lyngstad, 61 (born 15 November 1945)
singer (Abba)

Beverley D'Angelo, 52 (born 15 November 1954)
Actress - 'National Lampoon's Vacation' 'Pacific Heights'.

Joe Leeway, 48 (born 15 November 1958)
Member of Thompson Twins - biggest UK hit 'You Take Me Up'.

Andrew Castle, 43 (born 15 November 1963)
tennis player

Peter Martin, 38 (born 15 November 1968)
cricketer

Peter Phillips, 29 (born 15 November 1977)
son of the Princess Royal and Capt Mark Phillips

Today's The Day - 14th November

14th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Laurence O'Toole,
St Adeotus Aribert,
St Nicholas Tavelic,
St Dubricius or Dyfrig,
St Stephen of Como,
and St Peter of Narbonne.

History Test for November 14th

Which Royal Wedding took place today in 1973? -Princess Anne to Captain Mark Phillips

The British author Hector Hugh Munro died today in 1916. What was his pseudonym? -Saki

Which Irish author received the Nobel Prize for Literature today in 1923? -W.B. Yeats

Dame Elizabeth Frink was born today in 1930. With which branch of the arts is she particularly associated? -Sculpture

Born today in 1900, who wrote the ballet `Appalachian Spring' and called his autobiography 'Composer from Brooklyn'? -Aaron Copland

Events today...

1689 Death of Nell Gwynn, English actress and favourite mistress of King Charles II of England, by whom she had two children.

1716 Death of Gottfried Wilhelm Leihniz German philosopher.

1770 Scottish explorer James Bruce discovered the source of the Blue Nile in North East Ethiopia then considered the main stream of the Nile.

1831 Death of Geor Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, German philosopher.

1851 The story of "Captain Ahab" and a killer whale was told in "Moby Dick" which was written by Herman Melville and published today in 1851. Two movies were made, the most famous in 1956 directed by John Houston and starring Gregory Peck.

1896 A new Highway Act declared it was no longer necessary for a man with a red flag to walk ahead of motor vehicles and raised the speed limit from 4 mph to 14 mph.

1900 Dr Karl Landsteiner of the Pathological and Anatomical Institute in Vienna announced the discovery of three different blood groups.

1908 Foul play was suspected on the death of Tsu-Hsi, Dowager Empress of China.

1914 Charlie Chaplin's weekly wage shot up to $1250 when he left Keystone to join the Essanay company.

1915 Death of black leader Booker T. Washington, first principal of the Tuskegee Institute (Alabama) for Blacks.

1918 Tomas Masaryk was elected first president of Czechoslovakia.

1922 BBC radio started regular broadcasts with news reports on 2LO in London. Daily radio transmissions were made from from Marconi House in London.

1925 An exhibition of Surrealist art opened in Paris, including works by Max Ernst, Man Ray, Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso.

1938 Jews were expelled from colleges in Germany.

1940 The Luftwaffe visited Coventry during the night in one of the most destruct raids of the Blitz so far. Making use of a "bomber's moon", hundreds oftons of bombs and incendiaries, turned the centre of city into a raging inferno. Out of the 250,000 population, 554 were killed and 865 seriously injured. The medieval cathedral, one of the city's glories was almost completely destroyed.

1946 Death of Manuel de Falla, Spanish composer.

1947 Jake La Motta was knocked out for the first time in his boxing career.

1948 A son, their first child, was born to Princess Elizalzeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. The boy, to be named Charles Philip Arthur George, was to be first in line to the throne when Her Royal Highness eventually succeeded her father, George VI.

1952 Britain's first pop chart was published in the New Musical Express. It contained three discs by Vera Lynn, "Homing Waltz", "Auf Wiedersehen" and "Forget Me Not", while Jo Stafford's "You Belong to My Heart" was No. 2, and Nat "King" Cole's "Somewhere Along the Way" was at No. 3. And Britain's first Numlrer One`? "Here in My Heart", by Al Martino.

1963 Iceland was constzucted of volcanic rock, and there was volcanic activity around her shores, too. As a result an entirely new island appeared about 5 miles (8 km) off her southern coast. The island, called Sunsey, was currently 30 ft (10 m) high and growing, throwing ash thousands of feet into the air. Sightseers were queuing up in Reykjavik for flights over the spectacular new island, which was not hard to find - a plume of smoke 24,000 ft (7800 m) high marked the spot. Volcanologists were warning of the dangers of getting too close, however, since the rapid cooling effect of seawater on red-hot lava created a much greater explosive force than that of land-based volcanoes. A Japanese research vessel which was directly above an ocean-floor eruption in 1952 was blown to bits.

1973 Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips. They divorced in 1992.

1973 Bobby Moore made his 108th (and final) international appearance for England, against Italy at Wembley.

1980 "Raging Bull" starring Robert De Niro as boxer Jake La Motta received its premiere.

1982 Lech Walesa, the Solidarity leader, returned to his home in Gdansk, Poland after having been jailed for 11 months by martial law authorities.

1988 In Algiers, the Palestine National Council declared a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank.

1989 After five days of voting in Namibia's first elections, the South West African People's Organization (Swapo) was declared the largest party.

1989 During his visit to Poland, West German chancellor Helmut Kohl visited Auschwitz.

1990 In New Zealand, a gunmen killed 11 of the 50 inhabitants of Aramoana, near Dunedin.

1990 Death of Malcolm Muggeridge (aged 87). Writer broadcaster.

1991 Death of Tony Richardson (aged 63). British director/producer.

1991 Prince Sihanouk, Camhodia's former head of state, returned to Phnom Penh after nearly 13 years in exile to head the country's interim govemment.

1993 The end of a lucrative contract for singer Michael Jackson when Pepsico Inc cancelled the $10 million contract for promoting Pepsi Cola. This followed Jackson cancelling his "Dangerous" tour when it was reported that he was receiving counselling for drug addiction.

1999 Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield to become Britain’s first Heavyweight Champion since 1897.

2002 A suspected hoax 999 caller was arrested in West Yorkshire, as police warned they would crack down on time wasters during the Fire Service pay dispute. Hundreds of false alarms and a rise in arson attacks added to the strain on army personnel manning the ailing Green Goddess engines.

2002 Spanish authorities rescued most of the crew of a tanker, in danger of sinking in gale force winds. Environmentalists feared an ecological disaster if the vessel, carrying nearly eighty-thousand tonnes of fuel, was to break up.

2002 The Royal Mail reported the first signs of financial stability, after cutting trading losses by a third. But the company was still losing more than a million pounds a day.

2003 Thousands of Georgians march on President Shevardnadze's offices to demand his resignation after nearly two weeks of protest.

2003 The first of 21 Italian carabinieri policemen wounded in the suicide bombing in southern Iraq arrived back in Rome.

2003 Frenchman Zacarias Moussaoui is denied the chance to represent himself in his 9/11 terrorism trial.

2003 Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai left the set of her latest film, The Rising, after a row over pay.

2003 The Boy George musical Taboo, backed by chat show host Rosie O'Donnell, opened badly in the US.

2003 Roger Federer maintained his 100% record in this year's Masters Cup by beating Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3 6-1.

2004 Palestinian official Mahmoud Abbas escaped injury after a shooting at a mourning ceremony for Yasser Arafat.

2004 Senior Tories backed their leader's decision to sack shadow arts minister Boris Johnson amid allegations about his private life.

2004 Bob Geldof said the recording of the new Band Aid single was "firing the starting pistol" to raise cash for Africa.

2004 Rap artist ODB collapsed and died, aged 35, while working in a recording studio in New York.

2004 Wayne Rooney scored twice as Man Utd won 3-1 at Newcastle.

BIRTHDAYS (for 14 November 2006)

Robert Fulton, 241 (born 14 November 1765)
US engineer

Claude Monet, 166 (born 14 November 1840)
(Died 1926) French painter who was one of the pioneers of Impressionism.

Jawaharlal Nehru, 117 (born 14 November 1889)
Indian statesman, first prime minister of independent India.

Aaron Copland, 106 (born 14 November 1900)
(Died 1990) American composer best-known for his works in popular style, such as the ballets Rodeo and Billy the Kid.

Dick Powell, 102 (born 14 November 1904)
(Died 1963) Actor.

Louise Brooks, 100 (born 14 November 1906)
(Died 1985) Silent screen actress - 'Pandora's Box'.

Joseph McCarthy, 98 (born 14 November 1908)
American senator who led the Senate inquiry into alleged communists in the 1950s.

Brian Keith, 85 (born 14 November 1921)
(Died 1997) Actor.

Elisabeth Frink, 76 (born 14 November 1930)
English sculptor

King Hussein of Jordan., 71 (born 14 November 1935)
Died 1999.

Cornell Gunter, 68 (born 14 November 1938)
(Died 1990) Lead singer with The Coasters.

Wendy Carlos, 67 (born 14 November 1939)
Musician - famous for his synthesiser - 'Switched on Bach' 'Clockwork Orange'.

Freddie Garrity, 66 (born 14 November 1940)
Singer of Freddie and the Dreamers fame - biggest UK hit 'I'm Telling You Now'.

Marthe Keller, 61 (born 14 November 1945)
Actress.

Prince Charles, 58 (born 14 November 1948)
HRH the Prince of Wales

James Young, 57 (born 14 November 1949)
Member of Styx - biggest UK hit 'Babe'.

Stephen Bishop, 55 (born 14 November 1951)
Singer - 'On and On' - wrote 'Separate Lives' the Phil Collins hit.

Ray Sharkey, 54 (born 14 November 1952)
(Died 1993) Actor.

Alexander O'Neal, 53 (born 14 November 1953)
Soul singer - biggest UK hit 'Criticize'.

Alec John Such, 50 (born 14 November 1956)
Bassist with Bon Jovi.

Chris Woods, 47 (born 14 November 1959)
Former England goalkeeper.

Laura San Giacomo, 45 (born 14 November 1961)
Actress - 'Sex Lies and Videotape'.

D.B.Sweeney, 45 (born 14 November 1961)
Actor.

Joseph "Run" Simmons, 42 (born 14 November 1964)
Rap singer of Run DMC.

Jeanette Jurado, 41 (born 14 November 1965)
Singer of Expose.

Letitia Dean, 39 (born 14 November 1967)
Actress - Sharon in 'Eastenders'.

Today's The Day - 13th November

13th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of At Arcadius,
St Didacus or Diego of Seville,
St Abbo of Fleury,
St Eugenius of Toledo,
St Brice or Britius,
St Homobonus,
St Nicholas, pope,
St Francis Xavia Cabrini,
St Stanislaus Kostka,
and St Maxellendis.

History Test for November 13th

Today in 1984, who made his maiden speech in the House of Lords sixty years after his maiden speech in the Commons? -Sir Harold Macmillan, First Earl of Stockton

Born today in 1850, who wrote the novel `The Master of Ballantrae'? -Robert Louis Stevenson

Today in 1979, which national newspaper reappeared following a year-long strike? -The Times

Today in 1965, which English theatre critic became the first person to use a four-letter word on British television? -Kenneth Tynan

Today in 1968, the theme from which western starring Clint Eastwood, reached Number One in the UK pop charts? -`The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'

Events today...

1002 The Massacre of the Danes in the southern counties of England took place by order of Ethelred II.

1460 Prince Henry of Portugal, popularly known as Henry the Navigator, died aged 66. The son of King John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster (daughter of John of Gaunt), he gained an early taste for navigation when he joined his father's expedition to conquer Ceuta, in Morocco. His appointment by the Pope as General of the Order of Christ helped him to fund the well-prepared expeditions that he regularly dispatched from his home port of Segres. His captains discovered the Madeira and Canary Islands and the Azores, and in 1433 rounded Cape Bojador, previously a major navigational hazard and an object of superstitious terror to seamen. By the mid-1450s the Senegal and Gambia Rivers and Cape Verde had been opened up, and a lively trade was being conducted with West Africa. Meanwhile Henry surrounded himself with a brilliant circle of adventurers, astronomers and students of navigation. Although Henry never travelled further than North Africa, he earned himself a lasting reputation for his encouragement of exploration.

1805 The recipe for the frankfurter was invented by Johann Georg Cornu.

1851 A telegraphic service between London and Paris came into operation.

1868 Death of Rossini (aged 76) Italian composer - 'William Tell Overture'

1903 Death of Camille Pissano, French painter.

1907 The rapid development of aviation took another step forward. M. Paul Cornu, a French bicycle-maker and engineer from Lisieux, Normandy, rose 4 ft (1.5 m) vertically into the air in his "Direct Lifter", as he called it, and hovered there for about 60 seconds. M. Cornu successfully tested his theories with a working scale model a year earlier. The full-size machine, which was completed in August, used a 24-hp water-cooled Antoinette engine to drive two 20-ft (6.5 m) rotors by means of belt and pulleys. In fact his achievement was even greater than he intended, for his brother, fearing the machine was getting out of control, jumped on to steady it and was also lifted into the air. M. Cornu anticipated that the machine would achieve a forward speed of about 7 mph (11 kph), making use of an ingenious system of movable vanes to deflect the downward wash of the rotors and thus provide propulsion.

1909 Two bombs were thrown at the Viceroy of India, the Earl of Minto.

1914 A patent was taken out for an item of female under-wear to be known as the "backless brassiere". In contrast to the all-embracing undergarments of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, the brassiere covered and supported the breasts only; its inventor, Mrs Mary Phelps Jacob (better known as Caresse Crosby), constructed her prototype out of two handkerchiefs and baby ribbon. Mrs Jacob had been making brassieres for her friends for some years, and had only now been persuaded to patent her idea.

1914 General Botha's forces vanquish the rebel commandos of General Christiaan de Wet in the Orange Free State, leaving the way clear to march on the German colonists in South-West Africa.

1916 The Battle of the Somme ended. 60,000 allied soldiers had been killed during the conflict.

1920 The first full session of the League of Nations began in Geneva, with 5000 representatives from 41 nations.

1923 In Italy, Benito Mussolini introduced a bill granting women the vote in national elections.

1925 The South African government called for more segregation of blacks.

1926 In Italy, Mario de Bernardi set a world seaplane speed record of 246 mph (396 kph).

1941 An Italian submarine sank HMS Ark Royal near Gibraltar.

1945 The new French President Charles de Gaulle was elected.

1952 Electric shock was used for the first time to treat cardiac arrest.

1967 The stage musical "Hair" opened in New York.

1970 A cyclone and tidal waves struck East Pakistan, killing over 500,000 people.

1973 Death of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, inventor of "shocking pink".

1974 Karen Silkwood (whose life was portrayed in the movie "Silkwood") was killed in a car crash whilst she was travelling to New York. She was on her way to meet a reporter to discuss evidence about defective fuel rods being used at a nuclear plant where she worked. There was wide speculation about the circumstances of her death.

1974 Death of Vittorio de Sica, Italian neo-realist film director most famous for Bicycle Thieves.

1982 Death of Chesney Allen (aged 88) Comedian of Flanagan and Allen fame

1985 Nevado del Ruiz, the 17,717-foot (5400 m) Colombian volcano dormant since 1845, erupted in a ferocious explosion. Melted snow swept down the mountain in huge torrents, creating a mud avalanche which completely buried the town of Armero huddled below. There were very few survivors from the town's 25,000 population. A 28-inch (11 cm) layer of ash and rock covered a 70-sq-mile (181 sq km) area around the volcano, 80 miles (128 km) west of Bogota. Expert warnings of an imminent eruption were largely ignored and there was no attempt to evacuate the area, which had become a sea of mud in which thousands of people were entombed for ever.

1986 Rehearsals for the "Late, Late Breakfast Show" went badly wrong when a viewer who was training for a stunt was killed.

1987 The BBC showed the very first televised commercial for condoms (without a brand name) in order to encourage safe sex.

1987 Death of Pieter Menten, Dutch Nazi war criminal and art dealer who was accused of the murder of dozens of Jews in Poland and the theft of art treasures.

1991 "Cape Fear" starring Robert De Niro received its premiere.

1998 Doctors worked through the night to save the lives of a pair of Siamese twins who were taken to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital by helicopter as their condition deteriorated. The pair were born by Caesarean section at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol the afternoon before and were initially thought to be doing well, but the RAF was called in to fly them to London when one baby became ill.

1999 England beat Scotland 2-0 at Hamdem Park in the Euro2000 qualifiers.

2002 Ageing Green Goddess fire engines were all geared up to deal with emergency calls for the first time in twenty-five years. The UK faced two days of fear, as firefighters began their first period of strike over pay.

1998 The Queen paid a warm and heartfelt tribute to her son, the Prince of Wales, on the eve of his 50th birthday. At a glittering party in Buckingham Palace, she praised his "vision, compassion and leadership". The Prince, referring to the Queen as "Mummy", said he did not know how either of his parents had put up with him. Toasting the Prince's birthday, the Queen said: "Charles, tonight's party is a tribute to all that you have achieved. "I can think of no better recognition of your first half century than this remarkable gathering."

1998 Manchester City beat Halifax town 3-0, in their first appearance in the first round of the FA Cup since 1924. Craig Russell emerged from the Manchester City shadows with a striking message for boss Joe Royle. The £1million striker had been left out in the cold all season by Royle, but he staked a claim for a run in the side by scoring twice and making the third.

2002 Government plans to reform the criminal justice system were announced by the Queen as she opened Parliament. Pub licensing laws would get their biggest shake-up in forty years, paving the way for twenty-four hour opening by the following summer.

2002 The UK's longest serving prisoner to claim miscarriage of justice walked free after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. Robert Brown from Glasgow, who was jailed in 1977 for murder, had always maintained he was framed by police.

2002 Police in London raided more than a-hundred homes in a crackdown on racists, homophobes and wife-beaters.

2002 A double garage with a view of a beautiful Devon estuary went on sale for a staggering one-hundred-and-thirty-five thousand pounds. It boasted quiet neighbours as the property was next to a cemetery.

2003 The Italian Government selected a town in an area of outstanding natural beauty as the site for an underground nuclear waste dump. The small coastal town of Scanzano lies in the extreme south of Italy.

2003 A youth was charged with the New Year murders of Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare, following court appearances by four others.

2003 Michael Jackson's father Joe told the BBC's Louis Theroux he never "beat" his son - but did whip him.

2003 BBC Three's flagship entertainment show Liquid News was dropped, as bosses decided to refresh the channel.

2003 The first trailer for “Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban” arrived on the internet.

2003 Leeds United striker Alan Smith was arrested over allegations he threw a bottle into the crowd during a game.

2003 Rio Ferdinand denied misconduct and requested a personal hearing for his missed drugs test.

2003 In tennis, Rainer Schuettler beat Andy Roddick to go through to the Masters Cup semi-finals.

2004 The president of Ivory Coast sacked his army chief of staff, amid escalating tension in the West African country.

2004 Boris Johnson was sacked as Conservative shadow arts minister amid allegations about his private life.

2004 Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake were sued by two photographers for assault and battery.

BIRTHDAYS (for 13 November 2006)

Edward III, 694 (born 13 November 1312)
English monarch who was defeated at Bannockburn by Robert the Bruce.

Charles Frederick Worth, 181 (born 13 November 1825)
Anglo-French fashion designer who found favour with the Empress Eugenie.

Robert Louis Stevenson, 156 (born 13 November 1850)
Died 1894. Scottish author whose classic tales include Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Hermione Baddeley, 100 (born 13 November 1906)
(Died 1986) Actress

Jack Elam, 90 (born 13 November 1916)
Actor 'Support Your Local Sheriff'

Adrienne Corri, 76 (born 13 November 1930)
British actress who appeared in Bunny Lake Is Missing and A Clockwork Orange among other films.

Richard Mulligan, 74 (born 13 November 1932)
Actor - Burt Campbell of 'Soap'

Garry Marshall, 72 (born 13 November 1934)
Producer and director 'Dick Van Dyke Show' 'Pretty Woman'

Dr George Carey, 71 (born 13 November 1935)
Archbishop of Canterbury

Jean Seberg, 68 (born 13 November 1938)
(Died 1979) Actress - 'Airport'

Joe Mantegna, 59 (born 13 November 1947)
Actor 'House of Games'

Trudie Goodwin, 55 (born 13 November 1951)
Actress - WPC June Ackland in 'The Bill'

Whoopi Goldberg, 51 (born 13 November 1955)
Actress and comedienne - 'Colour Purple' 'Ghost' 'Sister Act'

Michael Starke, 49 (born 13 November 1957)
Actor - Sinbad in 'Brookside'

Caroline Goodall, 47 (born 13 November 1959)
Actress - 'The Sculptress'

Pigeons Quiz!

They can be found in nearly every corner of the globe. They are despised, loathed, reviled yet they are among the most common bird species in America. But some of the members of this family are also some of the most elegant and beautiful birds on this planet. Play Quiz: Pigeons

Shaken - Not Stirred! (Reference)

A James Bond debuted in Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale in 1952.

Ian Fleming based James Bond on Dr. John Dee, the first British secret agent.

Fleming picked the name James Bond because he was looking for a "flat, quiet" name. James Bond was the author of a book Fleming was reading, "Birds of the West Indies."

The first Bond movie, Dr. No, was made for just under a million dollars.

Ursula Andress' voice in Dr. No was not her own. It was dubbed by Monica Van der Syl.

In the early Bond films, Bond pretended to work for a company called Universal Exports.

Dr. No was titled License to Kill in Italy.

In James Bond movies, the armorer who supplies Bond with all his gadgets, is referred to as Q. The Q stands for "Quartermaster."

Desmond Llewellyn, who played gadget-master Q, appeared in 17 Bond films.

In the novel upon which Goldfinger was based, the character of Pussy Galore is a lesbian.

Director Garry Marshall made a cameo appearance in Goldfinger as one of the American gangsters who gather to hear about the plot to break into Fort Knox.

Sean Connery starred in seven Bond movies.

In his seven appearances as Bond, Sean Connery says "shaken, not stirred" only once, in Goldfinger.

The first 007 movie to be filmed in Panavision was Thunderball.

Tom Jones recorded the Thunderball theme, and fainted after singing the sustained high note at the song's climax.

The longest James Bond film was On Her Majesty's Secret Service, at 140 minutes.

George Lazenby, who starred in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was the only one who played James Bond once.

Smirnoff is the brand of vodka used in all of James Bond's martinis.

The first 007 movie in which Bond kisses Moneypenny was On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

The evil organization Bond is often pitted against is SPECTRE. It stands for SPecial Executive for Counter Intelligence Terrorism Revenge Extortion.

Another nefarious enemy of Bond is an organization called SMERSH. It's a Russian acronym for SMERt SHpionam, meaning "Death to Spies."

The Man With the Golden Gun was the first James Bond film to be shown at the Kremlin.

Moonraker is the only Roger Moore Bond film where he does not draw his Walther PPK.

Roger Moore's contract demanded that he be provided an unlimited supply of hand-rolled Monte Cristo cigars.

Steven Spielberg was in discussions to direct For Your Eyes Only when George Lucas offered him the opportunity to direct Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Steven Seagal was the martial arts instructor for Never Say Never Again.

The practice of using a disclaimer in movies stating "no animals were mistreated during production" got its start in Never Say Never Again. The disclaimer was the result of controversy over a horse jumping off a cliff in the film.

The villain in A View to a Kill, Max Zorin, was originally going to be played by David Bowie.

Christopher Walken was the first Academy Award-winning actor to star in a Bond film. He co-starred in A View to a Kill.

The satellite dish used at the end of Goldeneye was the same used in the film Contact.

Pierce Brosnan's contract for Goldeneye specified that he could not appear in any other film wearing a tuxedo.

Goldeneye is the nickname of Bond creator Ian Fleming's beachfront house in Jamaica where he wrote the James Bond novels.

The first James Bond film to ever be released on DVD was Goldeneye.

According to Goldeneye, Bond's parents were killed in a climbing accident.

The pre-credits action sequence in The World is Not Enough runs about 15 minutes, the longest in any Bond film to date.

"Moonraker" contains excerpts the themes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Magnificent Seven.

Among the places where James Bond has made love are on a train, in a forest, in a plane, in a submarine, on a motorized iceberg, and in a hospital.

Bond films have been nominated 10 times for Academy Awards, five times in technical categories and five times in musical categories.

New Zealand Quiz

1. New Zealand’s highest mountain is 3754 metres high. What is the name of this mountain?
a - Mount Ruapehu
b - Mount Taranaki
c - Mount Cook (Aoraki)
d - Mount Aspiring

2. New Zealand was once part of a super-continent. What was the name of the continent?
a – Gondwana
b – Africa
c - ANZAC-land
d – Antarctica

3. New Zealand’s longest river is 425 kilometres long. What is the name of this river?
a – Wanganui
b – Clutha
c – Buller
d - Waikato

4. The highest point in the North Island of New Zealand is at the top of a volcano. What is the name of the volcano?
a - Mount Taranaki
b - Mount Ruapehu
c - Mount Tarawera
d - Mount Cook (Aoraki)

5. Approximately 900 kilometres north-east of New Zealand there is a group of islands. These islands are part of New Zealand, what are they called?
a - Kermadec Islands
b - Bay of Islands
c - Auckland Islands
d - Chatham Islands

6. What is the name of New Zealand’s first national park?
a - Paparoa
b – Tongariro
c – Mount Cook
d - Whanganui

7. What is the name of New Zealand’s deepest lake?
a – Tekapo
b – Taupo
c – Manapouri
d – Hauroko

8. 606 kilometres square, is the size of New Zealand’s largest lake. What is the name of this lake?
a – Tekapo
b – Taupo
c – Rotorua
d – Manapouri

9. What is the Maori name for the North Island of New Zealand?
a – Pounamu
b - Te Ika a Maui
c – Mauganui
d - Te Papa

10. Which of these places is furthest north?
a - Abel Tasman National Park
b – Wellington
c - Arthur's Pass National Park
d – Picton


NZ Quiz Answers

1 = c
Mt Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand.
2 = a
New Zealand was once part of the super-continent Gondwana. 80 million years ago New Zealand drifted away from all the other countries which had been part of Gondwana.

3 = d
The Waikato River starts at lake Taupo and enters the sea on the west coast at Port Waikato, just a little south of South Auckland.

4 = b
Mt Ruapehu is the highest point in the North Island. It snows on the volcano in winter, so people go there to ski.

5 = a
The Kermadec Islands are surrounded by New Zealand’s largest marine reserve.

6 = b
Tongariro became a national park in 1887. The mountain peaks of the mountains Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe were gifted by Ngati Tuwharetoa to be given national park status in 1887, 15 years after the world’s first national park, Yellowstone in the United States.

7 = d
Hauroko is the deepest lake in New Zealand. It is near the bottom of the South Island.

8 = a
Lake Taupo, in the centre of the North Island, is New Zealand’s largest lake.

9 = b
Te Ika a Maui is the Maori name for the North Island of New Zealand. It means ‘The fish of Maui’.

10 = a
What a trick question – Wellington is in the North Island but it is not the furthest north, Abel Tasman National Park is.

The Big True or False Quiz

There are more insects in the world than any other living creature put together True
Mount Rushmore is the largest freestanding statue in the world False - Chief Crazy Horse in South Dakota
The University of Paris has the largest student population in the world True
Fencing is one of the six sports to be included in every Modern Olympic Games? True
Tooth decay is the most common disease among humans? True
It never rains in a sandy desert False - but there can be large gaps in between i.e. five years
Australia has a greater variety of native plants than any other country in the world True
In terms of population, Moscow is the largest city in Europe? True
Canada has the longest coastlines of any country in the world and Indonesia is second? True
Kazakhstan in area is the world's largest landlocked country True
Bats are the only mammals that can fly True
A spider is an insect False - it is an arachnid
The Philippines has never won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics? True
Brazil has the largest population of cows of any country? False - India
The USA has had the most citizens win the Nobel Peace Prize True
Cameroon and France played in the Final of the Sydney Olympics Games in Soccer? False Cameroon v Spain
Wayne Bennett's comment about Wendel Sailor going to Rugby was "What do I say about a guy who has said everything about himself"? True
Greg Norman has won the US Golf Open twice False - None
Jay Chappell son of Greg Chappell signed a contract to play with the Toronto Blue Jays True
More than 1/3 of the world's commercial supply of pineapples comes from Hawaii? True
Peanut Butter was developed as a health food for dental patients with bad teeth? True
In the shower scene from Psycho they used tomato sauce for the blood? False - Chocolate Syrup
The equator runs through Colombia? True
Ray Stuart had a hit with The Streak False - Ray Stevens
The Fonz's first name was Arthur True
Can you Tell What it is yet is the autobiography of Jackson Pollock? False - Rolf Harris
The Vietnam War ended in 1974 False - 1975
Fran Drescher played a part in Saturday Night Fever True - as a dancer in the disco
Ricardo Montalban played Mr O'Rorke on Fantasy Island False - Mr Rorke
The Band Kiss released a movie called Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park? True
Steve Moneghetti finished 6th his highest placing at the 1988 Olympic Games? False - 5th
Bart Cummings father trained the 1950 winner of the Melbourne Cup True
Betty Cuthbert won three Olympic Gold Medals False - Four
Disneyland is bigger than Disneyworld True
Sally Field played Sister Bernice in the Flying Nun False - Sister Bertrille
In 1961 five out of every seven men were rejected from the U S army due to physical inadequacies - President Kennedy called for more physical exercise True
John D Rockefeller donated 8.5 million to purchase land to be used for the UN Headquarters True
Women's Cycling events were only introduced into the Olympics in 1980 False - 1984
Baseball became a full medal sport at the Sydney Olympics False - Barcelona
The pilgrims ate turkey at the first thanksgiving dinner thus starting a US tradition of turkey at Thanksgiving? False
The oldest letter in the alphabet is o True (first used by the Egyptians in about 3000BC)
The first skyscraper in the world was built in Chicago? True
Six states make up the United Arab Emirates? False - Seven
Identical twins have the same fingerprints? False
It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown True
Kublai Khan was the grandfather of Genghis Khan False - the other way round
Imbibriosity means severe drunkenness? False
Benedict Arnold signed the US Declaration of Independence? False
Dom Perignon was named after a blind Benedictine monk who invented the first sparkling champagne True
The expression toasting is derived from the piece of spiced and toasted bread, which was common food in British pubs True
In ancient Egypt stonemasons working on the pyramids were paid by beer which went by the name of Kasha. This is how the word cash became common True
In the British line of peerage a Earl outranks a Marquess False
Pius IX was the longest reigning pope True
Rod Laver was the first man to win the grand slam singles tennis title in one calendar year False - Don Budge did
Mongkut of Siam had 9000 wives (he was supposed to be the King in the King and I) True
Harry Houdini died due to acute appendicitis True
Income Tax was first introduced in Italy True
The Great Fire of London happened in 1555 False 1666
America is not named after Columbus because although he saw America he did not realise it was a new continent True it is named after Amerigo Vespucci who did realize it was a new continent

What's The Link?

There are six rounds in this quiz.
After each round the teams must try to guess what the link is between the answers.
Scoring system would usually be 1pt for each question and 5pts for guessing the link.

Round 1

1. Who made a 147 break in the 1984 Benson and Hedges snooker championship?
Kirk Stephens

2. The outcome of which TV show is decided by a show of green peepers and red tomatoes?
Ready Steady Cook

3. Who composed the music 'Maple leaf rag'?
Scott Joplin

4. Which group had a 1970 hit with the song 'When I'm dead and gone'?
McGuinness Flint

5. Who was the heroine of the famous novel and film 'Gone with the wind'?
Scarlett O'Hara

LINK - Well known Captains

Round 2

1. Which artist painted the first official portrait of Diana Princess of Wales?
Bryan Organ

2. What was the name of the bellows mender in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
Francis Flute

3. What name is given to the southernmost tip of South America?
Cape Horn

4. For which film did Holly Hunter win the Oscar for best actress?
The piano

5. In which Thomas Hardy novel does John Lovejoy fight in the Napoleonic Wars?
The Trumpet Major

LINK - Musical instruments

Round 3

1. What is the name of the layer between the crust and the core of the earth?
Mantle

2. Which film of 1987 revolves round a stockbroker called Gordon Gecko?
Wall Street

3. What was the end product of the so-called Manhattan Project?
Atomic bomb

4. Which group first entered the charts in 1983 with a song called '68 Guns'?
The Alarm

5. Which bird is well known for its habit of laying its eggs in other bird's nests?
The Cuckoo

LINK - types of clocks

Round 4

1. Who was the third man in the film of that name?
Harry Lime

2. What was the Christian name of Winston Churchill's wife?
Clementine

3. Which US group recorded the 1968 hit 'Green Tambourine'?
Lemon Pipers

4. What name is given to the predominant language spoken in China?
Mandarin

5. Which type of porcelain is named after a peninsula in southeast Japan?
Satsuma ware

LINK - Citrus Fruits

Round 5

1. Who played the female member of 'The Champions'?
Alexandra Bastedo

2. Of what are Sharjah and Fujairah a part?
United Arab Emirates

3. Which TV character was played by a young actress called Lisa Loring?
Wednesday Addams

4. In which 1972 film did Telly Savalas play a Mexican revolutionary?
Pancho Villa

5. Where was the US Open Tennis Championship held until 1978?
Forest Hills

LINK - Suffixes to football teams names

Round 6

1. Which character did Claude Raines play in the film 'Casablanca'?
Louis Renault

2. Who were the last brother and sister to win the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon?
John and Tracy Austin

3. Who rescued Arthur Dent when the Earth was unexpectedly destroyed?
Ford Prefect

4. In a well-known song, who spent all his money on whisky and beer?
The Wild Rover

5. In which activity might the participants wear bells and carry sticks or handkerchiefs?
Morris Dancing

LINK - Motor Manufacturers

Mythology Quiz

1 Lada was the mortal loved by Zeus when taking the form of what creature?
2 What were Hamadryads?
3 What saved Arion when thrown overboard by pirates?
4 Who slew the serpent Python which was born from slime left by Deluge?
5 Who was the muse of choral dance and song?
6 Which part of Achilles was vulnerable?
7 Who was the Titan who held the world on his shoulders as punishment for warring against Zeus?
8 Who was the prophetess and daughter of Priam who was never believed?
9 Which king was given the gift of turning all he touched to gold?
10 What was the name of the three-headed dog which guarded the entrance to Hades?
11 As one of his labours what did Hercules have to do to the Augean stables?
12 Who was the Monster of Thebes who killed those who could not answer her riddle?
13 Who was the Babylonian youth who made love to Thisbe through a hole in a wall?
14 What was the only thing that did not escape from Pandora's box?
15 Who was the Roman god of woods and fields?

Answers
1 A swan
2 Tree nymphs
3 A dolphin
4 Apollo
5 Terpsichore
6 His heel
7 Atlas
8 Cassandra
9 Midas
10 Cerberus
11 Clean them
12 The Sphinx
13 Pyramus
14 Hope
15 Silvanus

Sporting Greats Quiz

1 Which cricketer was known as 'The Don'?
2 Which aquatic first was achieved by US Olympic Triple medalist Gertrude Ederle1925?
3 Which boxer retired in 1955 with the perfect record of 49 fights, 49 wins 42 by knockout?
4 Who was the Ethiopian who became the first black African to achieve Olympic victory
when he won the 1960 marathon in Rome?
5 Which US jockey was confined to a wheelchair after a car crash in 1991?
6 In the 1950s an Associated Press poll voted which movie star the greatest swimmer of the century?
7 Which athletics event did Ed Moses dominate for more than a decade in the 70s and 80s?
8 What is the name of the ten times British and six times World Squash Championship titles,
which means 'Conqueror of the World'?
9 Which American runner tripped over Zola Budd in the 1984 Olympic 3000m final?
10 Which racehorse dominated steeple chasing in England in the 1980s and was nicknamed 'Dessie'?
11 After seeing Jack Nicklaus win the 1965 Masters by nine strokes, which other golfing icon
said "Jack is playing an entirely different game - a game I'm not ever familiar with"?
12 Which East German figure skater was known as 'the beautiful face of Communism'?
13 Which cricketer scored 364 against Australia in 1938?
14 Dubbed the greatest athlete of all time, which sprinter and long-jumper won a total of
eight Olympic gold medals?
15 At which event did Al Oerter win the Gold Medal at four consecutive Olympics?

Answers
1 Sir Donald Bradman
2 First woman to swim the English Channel
3 Rocky Marciano
4 Abebe Bikila
5 Bill Shoemaker
6 Johnny Weissmuller
7 400m hurdles
8 Jahangir Khan
9 Mary Decker
10 Desert Orchid
11 Bobby Jones
12 Katarina Witt
13 Sir Len Hutton
14 Carl Lewis
15 The discus

Alphabet Quiz

A Marine snail whose shells are used in the manufacture of decorative objects?
B British inventor who designed the first computing machine?
C Russian title derived from the word Caesar?
D In law, illegal compulsion to force someone to commit an act they would not otherwise do?
E Mary Baker….the founder of Christian Science?
F Baking company which lent its name to a type of sport in the 1950s because of the shape of its pie tins?
G 18th century artist whose works include The Blue Boy' (1779)?
H Who said; "as you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one
round"?
I Breed of miniature English greyhound believed to have originated in Asia Minor 2000 years ago?
J The — was the nickname of O.J. Simpson in his football playing days?
K Which people of Kenya led a campaign of terrorism against British rule in the 1950s led by Jomo
Kenyatta?
L An expert in the collection of butterflies and moths?
M Who accepted the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945?
N Who was the wise and aged counsellor in Homer's epics?
O What is the name of the Greek national airline?
P Which concert pianist was Prime Minister of Poland?
Q Independent state that borders on Saudi Arabia?
R French statesman called the Red Eminence who held control over King Louis XIII?
S Who created the 'Peanuts' comic strip?
T Who was the second Emperor of Rome?
U A device for measuring rainfall?
V A vegetarian who avoids all animal products?
W Who was known in the 15th Century as the Kingmaker?
Y The name of the brothers who were part of the Jesse James outlaw gang?

Answers
1 Abalone
2 Babbage
3 Czar
4 Duress
5 Eddy
6 Frisbie
7 Gainsborough
8 Hogan
9 Italian
10 Juice
11 Kikuyu
12 Lepidopterist
13 Macarthur
14 Nestor
15 Olympic
16 Paderewski
17 Qatar
18 Richelieu
19 Shultz
20 Tiberius
21 Udometer
22 Vegan
23 Warwick
24 Younger

Colour Quiz

What is the color of mourning in Japan?
White

What color is the flag flown on a ship where disease has broken out?
Yellow

What color is the tablecloth in Da Vinci's 'Last Supper'?
White

A dark shade of what color is called 'hunter'?
Green

What color is the Lone Ranger's bandana?
Red.

What color is the upper left Olympic Ring?
Blue

What color belt does an improving judo practitioner trade in for brown?
Blue.

What color is the 5 point ring on an archery target?
Blue

Name the famous stagecoach robber in California in the 1800's?
Black Bart

What color was Nancy Reagan's coat at her husbands first inaugural parade?
Red

What color are Pluto's ears in the comics?
Black

What color is malachite?
Green.

What color is the car on Monopoly's Free Parking?
Red

What color are the delicate flowers of the Rosemary bush?
Blue

What color dye comes from onions?
Yellow

Copper burns with a blue flame? true or false?
True

What are the colors of the Irish flag?
White, orange, green

Name the gang of girls in the movie 'Grease'
Pink Ladies

What are the colors of the Swiss flag?
Red and White

What color is the stripe on the 9 ball in pool?
Yellow

What is the most common color of Topaz?
Yellow

What color is displayed on the starboard side of a boat or ship?
Green

What color is the fragrant flower of the Kumquat tree?
White

What color is the Golden Gate Bridge?
Orange

What color is the slowest Pac-man ghost?
Orange.

What are the official colors of the Mardi Gras?
Purple, green, gold

100 Questions - Quiztime Quiz Vault

1 Where were the 1948 winter Olympics held? "St. Moritz, Switzerland"
2 Under which pseudonym does Harry Paterson also write? Jack Higgins
3 Who is the only athlete to have set six world records in one day? Jesse Owens
4 What is the name of Jane Fonda's movie-making brother? Peter
5 A. Zukor co-founded Paramount Pictures. What was his first name? Adolph
6 Star Trek the Next Generation who is the Capt of the Enterprise? Jean Luc Picard
7 Who won the FA Cup in 1962? Tottenham
8 Which capital is named after a Trojan prince? Paris
9 In which country is the world's longest road tunnel? Switzerland
10 What is the collective noun for a group of monkeys? A troop
11 How many words did Raquel Welch say in 'One Million Years B.C.'? None, she just grunted.
12 Goliath was slain by David in a Bible story. Goliath was a member of which army? Philistines
13 Bairiki is the capital of which country? Kiribati
14 Which world heavyweight boxing champion died in an air-crash in 1969? Rocky Marciano
15 Which film star arrested for slapping a policeman in 1990 was a former Miss Hungary? Zsa Zsa Gabor
16 Who won the Super bowl '96? Dallas
17 In 1845 Thomas Scroggy invented a machine for making what useful objects? Porous pipes for draining soil
18 Who plays the title music for BBC's The Royle Family? OASIS
19 What started with the storming of the Winter Palace? The Russian Revolution
20 Who wrote 'Pet Semetry’? Stephen King
21 What is the collective noun for a group of coots? A covert
22 Where were the 1984 summer Olympics held? "Los Angeles, California USA"
23 What is the name of the Israeli Secret Service? Mossad
24 Who was Norfolk's greatest seafaring son? Nelson
25 Who did Ronald Regan beat in the 1980 presidential elections? Jimmy Carter

1 On the 30th of August 1996, who was Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Douglas Hogg
2 What is the capital of Congo? Brazzaville
3 Which element has the chemical symbol Po? Polonium
4 " After WW2, the British Commandos became part of which military corps?" Royal Marines
5 Who is Chief of Police for Springfield in the Simpson's? Chief Wigam
6 Name the closest star to the Earth? The sun
7 Which element has the chemical symbol Nb? Niobium
8 Which cricket county has a running fox in its emblem? Leicestershire
9 What is the capital of Libya? Tripoli
10 What is the colour of the number 13 on a roulette wheel? Black
11 What metal derives its name from Cyprus? Copper
12 What is the name for the steel frames with downward-pointing spikes at their base, which fit on the bottom of climbing boots and dig into snow and ice? Crampons
13 What is the capital of Oman? Muscat
14 Which element has the chemical symbol Es? Einsteinium
15 Of which US state is Springfield the capital? Illinois
16 In Dickens he had the nickname 'Artful Dodger' who was he? Jack Dawkins
17 What is Demophobia the fear of? Crowds
18 'The Book of Nonsense' is the best-known work by which British author that died in Italy in 1888? Edward Lear
19 Who portrayed the mother in Butterflies? Wendy Craig
20 What is the national symbol of India? The Lotus.
21 Who sings the 2002 FA official England World cup song? Ant and Dec Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
22 What’s the national anthem of the USA called? Star Spangled Banner
23 What country did Chiang Kai-shek try to run from Nanking? China
24 Which element has the chemical symbol Cl? Chlorine
25 Of which US state is Lansing the capital? Michigan

1 Who wrote "Brave New World”? Aldous Huxley
2 What is Photophobia the fear of? Strong) Light
3 Which funny man had a tragic number one with 'Tears'? Ken Dodd
4 Who was the first golfer to achieve a hole-in-one on British TV? Tony Jacklin
5 What type of stone can float on water? The pumice stone
6 What film's theme song did Ray Parker Junior bust the charts with in 1984? Ghostbusters
7 According to proverb, what is better than no bread Half a loaf
8 Which food, not rationed during World War II was rationed after it? Bread
9 What nationality is lager giant Grolsch? Dutch
10 Which country used to have a coin called a bawbee? Scotland
11 How is adventure writer David Cornwell better known? John Le Carre
12 What according to Scott McKenzie did you wear in your hair in San Francisco? Flowers
13 Who moved from Silk to Ultravox? Midge Ure
14 Which poetess had a dog-named Flush? Elizabeth Barrett Browning
15 Which company produces McEwan's and Thomaston’s? Scottish and Newcastle
16 Who wrote the biography "Frank Sinatra: An American Legend"? Nancy Sinatra
17 In which game do you draw part of a gallows for every wrong answer? Hangman In which game do you draw part of a gallows for every wrong answer? Hangman
18 Which rock guitarist prophetically said, "When you're dead you're made for life"? Jimi Hendrix
19 Who had a No 1 hit with the song 'Bachelor Boy'? Cliff Richards
20 Which suspense novelist was the cousin of horror movie actor Christopher Lee? Ian Fleming
21 Who captained a ship called 'The Black Pig'? Captain Pugwash
22 Which alternative comedian wrote "Gridlock"? Ben Elton
24 Name the Irish swimmer who won 3 gold medals in the 1996 Olympics Michelle Smith
25 Which Shakespeare play ends in the marriage of Benedick and Beatrice? Much ado about nothing

1 What is the currency of Venezuela? Bolivar
2 In which 1970s series had 95% of the world's population been wiped out by a killer virus? Survivors
3 Nick Hancock hosts which TV sports quiz show? They think it's all over
4 The basic unit of power is called what? Watt
5 What is the currency of Singapore? Dollar
6 The Shadows 1st record went to No1, what was it? Apache
7 Which one of the Three Tenors is not Spanish? Pavarotti
8 The songs "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" are from which film musical? Oklahoma
9 Robert I, king of Scotland, is better known by what name? Robert the Bruce
10 Myrmecology is the study of what? Ants
11 How many vowels are there on the bottom row of a typewriter keyboard? None
12 At which venue was the 1996 B&H Masters snooker tournament played? Wembley Arena
13 Who wrote the 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'? Edward Gibbon
14 In which continent did the passion fruit originate? South America
15 Who was the President of Cuba, overthrown by Fidel Castro's revolutionary forces in 1959? Batista
16 How high are the wickets in cricket? 28 inches
17 According to the Rhyme, where did the Muffin man live? Drury Lane
18 Another name for Kampuchea is? Cambodia
19 Which bird of prey 'Has Landed' in the book by Jack Higgins? Eagle
20 What is the nationality of Foster's (lager)? Australian
21 What type of jewels is traditionally associated with Amsterdam? Diamonds
22 What colour was the suit Diana Spencer wore in her engagement photograph in 1981? Blue
23 Who won the Formula 1 drivers championship in 1995? Michael Schumacher
24 Which sea separates Europe and Africa? Mediterranean
25 What was Bottticelli's christian name? Sandro

Veteran western star Palance dies

Jack Palance was born in Pennsylvania of Ukrainian descent

Veteran American actor Jack Palance, who starred in the classic western Shane and the cowboy comedy City Slickers, has died aged 87.

His family were at his home in Montecito, California, when he died of natural causes, a spokesman said.

Born in Pennsylvania of Ukrainian descent, Palance won fame as a hard man in films such as Shane and Sudden Fear.

He turned to comedy in City Slickers, parodying his tough image and winning an Oscar for best supporting actor.

On receiving the accolade at the 1992 Academy Awards, he delighted the audience by performing a series of one-arm push-ups on the stage.

Evil gunslinger

Palance was born Vladimir Palahnuik in 1919, the son of a coal miner, and took up boxing in the 1930s.

He turned to acting after decorated service in the Second World War and made his film debut in 1950's Panic In The Streets.

He quickly received an Oscar nomination for Sudden Fear, and then achieved greater fame a year later, in 1953, playing evil gunslinger Jack Wilson in Shane, for which he received another Academy Award nomination.

Despite the accolades, Palance moved with his wife and three young children to Lausanne, Switzerland, at the height of his career.

He spent six years in Europe, but returned home complaining he was being offered "the same kind of roles I left Hollywood because of".

Nonetheless, he spent the majority of his career playing the bad guy, including roles as Dracula and mob boss Carl Grissom in Tim Burton's film adaptation of Batman.

The actor was often as tough off the screen as on, saying that most of his roles were "garbage" and most of his directors incompetent.

"Most of them shouldn't even be directing traffic," he said.

Palance is survived by his second wife and two daughters. A memorial service is planned for 16 December.

Clips from some of Jack Palance's films

10 things we didn't know last week

1. An infestation of head lice is called pediculosis.
More details

2. The Pope's been known to wear red Prada shoes.
More details

3. Sea urchins see with their feet.

4. The fastest supercomputer in the UK can make 15.4 trillion calculations per second.
More details

5. Airships use as much fuel in a week as a 767 uses to get from its gate to the runway. But are, obviously, much slower.
More details

6. Four million people in the UK have phobias about toilets, says the National Phobics Society.
More details

7. Online shoppers will only wait an average of four seconds for an internet page to load before giving up.
More details

8. Salt makes bitter food taste sweeter.

9. Donald Rumsfeld was both the youngest and the oldest defence secretary in US history.
More details

10. White poppies are also sold to mark Remembrance day - the first produced in 1933 as a symbol for peace.
More details

[3. Times, 10 November, 8. Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection, BBC Two, 7 Nov.]

Today's The Day - 12th November

12th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Benedict of Benevento,
St Machar or Mochumma,
St Astrik or Anastasius
St Nilus the Elder
St Cadwalader
St Lebuin or Liafwine,
St Cunibert
St Emilian Cucullatus,
St Cumian the Tall,
St Josephat of Polotsk,
and St Livinus.

History Test for November 12th

British novelist and playwright Baroness Orczy died today in 1947. What was her first and most famous work? -`The Scarlet Pimpernel'

'Le Penseur' and `Le Baiser' are sculptures by which French artist, born today in 1840? -Auguste Rodin - in English, the sculptures are `The Thinker' and `The Kiss'

Today in 1964, which pop singer topped the UK charts with `Oh Pretty Woman'? -Roy Orbison

Grace Kelly was born today in 1929. Name her last film which also starred Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. -`High Society'

Today in 1990, Emperor Akihito of Japan was enthroned. Which flower is the emblem of Japan's Royal Family? -The chrysanthemum

QUOTE “I confess I did my best to accommodate as many women as I could.” - `Magic’ Johnson, HIV positive US basketball star, 1991.

Events today...

1035 Death of Canute II (the Great), king of England and Denmark.

1660 John Bunyan of Elstow, Bedfordshire, was jailed for preaching without a licence. The authorities had undertaken to release him on condition that he gave up preaching. Bunyan remained adamant on this score, however: "If you let me go today, I will preach again tomorrow," he declared. The son of a tinker and goldsmith, 32-year-old Bunyan served in the Parliamentary army under Sir Samuel Luke. After the war he became deeply interested in religion, studying the Bible at every opportunity. He joined the new Baptist sect in 1653 after a period of inner religious struggle. Preaching to the poor in the isolated rural villages around Bedford brought him into conflict with the Quakers. Bunyan aired his doctrinal quarrel with them in two pamphlets, Some Gospel Truths Opened and A Vindication. He was now in conflict with a much more powerful adversary, the re-established Church of England.

1793 Death of John Sylvan, French astronomer.

1847 The eminent obstetrician Sir James Simpson, Professor of Midwifery at the University of Edinburgh, gave the first public demonstration of a new anaesthetic. Its chemical name was trichloromethane, but it was more popularly known as chloroform; Sir James claims that it had three times the potency of ether and would quickly supersede it for long operations, and, in particular, for childbirth, where its practicality and ease of administration give it great advantages. The public trial immediately brought swift and vehement criticism from Scottish Calvinists, who opposed all use of anaesthetics in childbirth, but Sir James was not to be moved.

1859 Jules Leotard performed the world's first trapeze act in Paris. (The leotard was also designed by him).

1865 Death of Mrs Elizabeth Gaskell, English writer whose works include the novel Cranford and a biography of her friend Charlotte Bronte.

1901 Gales swept Britain, killing 200 and capsising many ships.

1902 The first million selling song was recorded by Enrico Caruso. The song was "On With The Motley".

1903 Death of French Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro.

1905 The Russian occupation imposed martial law on Poland.

1910 The first ever movie stunt was performed. A man jumped from a burning balloon into the Hudson river.

1912 Robert Scott and his fellow explorers were discovered in the Antarctic. All had perished because of the severe weather conditions.

1916 Death of Percival Lowell, US astronomer.

1918 The House of Commons voted for a war loan of £700 million ($1295 million), bringing British war debts to £7100 million ($13,135 million).

1918 The Republic of Austria was declared, thus ending the Habsburg dynasty.

1919 Two Australian brothers, Captain Ross and Lieutenant Keith Smith, set off from Hounslow, Middlesex, in an attempt to make the first flight from the UK to Australia. Their converted Vickers Vimy bomber, with its two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines (the same type as that in which Alcock and Brown flew the Atlantic in June), had to carry the Smiths and their two mechanics the 11,130 miles (17,912 km) to Darwin in less than 30 days. Their planned route would take them through Cairo, Kararhi, Calcutta, Bangkok and Singapore. If they made it they would win the prize of £10,000 (518,400) put up by the Australian government. It was said that the registration of their aircraft, G-EAOU, stands for "God 'elp All of Us".

1933 The Loch Ness monster was photographed for the first time.

1944 Tirpitz, the last survivor of Hitler's formidable fleet of "unsinkable" pocket battleships, was lying upside-down on the bottom of Tromsys Fjord. She had been lurking in Norwegian waters for several years, forcing the Allies to allocate warships that were badly needed elsewhere to convoy-protection duties. Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron, the famous Dambusters, sank her at the third attempt with direct hits from three 12,000-lb (5500 kg) "Tallboy" bombs, dropped from 14,000ft (4500m) right on to the decks of the Tirpitz. Incredibly, a squadron of German fighters assigned to protect the ship did not even take off. Over 1000 of the ship's crew were entombed below decks as she turned turtle.

1946 Disney's "Song of the South" received its premiere.

1956 The world's largest iceberg which was 208 miles long and 60 miles wide was sighted in the South Pacific.

1968 In the U.S. the Supreme Court overturned a law in Arkansas which had previously prevented schools from teaching about the evolution of mankind.

1970 The Doors performed their last gig. It was in New Orleans.

1972 Death of Rudolf Friml, US composer.

1974 For the first time since the 1840s, a salmon was caught in the Thames.

1974 Karen Silkwood, who worked at the Kerr McGee nuclear fuel plant and was investigating irregularities there, died in a mysterious car crash.

1981 Space history was made when the shuttle Columbia blasted off on its second mission and became the first vehicle to be reused on subsequent missions in space travel.

1987 Moscow Communist Party, boss Boris Yeltsin was fired by President Gorbachev after Yeltsin had the temerity to criticise him for the slow pace of perestroika (reconstruction). Yeltsin, an enthusiastic supporter of reform, also attacked Yegor Ligachev, number two in the Kremlin. for opposing Gorbachev's initiatives. He accepted criticism of what was termed his "political errors" and "personal ambition", and was replaced by Lev Zaikov.

1988 In Sydney, West Indies cricket captain Viv Richards scored his 100th century.

1990 A demonstration in Paris by over 200,000 French schoolchildren demanding better education turned into a riot.

1990 Iraq gave Kuwaitis until 25 November to take up Iraqi identity cards.

1993 Death of H. R. Haldeman, US political aide.

1995 Death of Sir Robert Stephens (aged 64) Actor

1997 Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled not to allow the expedition to Britain of former Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs.

1998 Manchester United’s Danish Goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel annonced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, and giving up Englisg football. It was speculated he may go to France.

1999 Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) was jailed for four months on child sex charges.

2002 The Iraqi parliament rejected the UN resolution on weapons inspectors and disarmament.

2002 Downing Street was trying to dampen fears about the risk of a terror attack on a cross-channel ferry. UK ports were thought to be on their highest state of alert for at least previous years.

2002 Crisis talks were held in an attempt to stop the firefighter's strike planned for the following day. Meanwhile, the funeral took place for a fireman, killed on duty in Leicester.

2002 Football violence marred the build up to Liverpool's crucial Champion's League match against Swiss side Basle (Pron: Barl). An English fan suffered head injuries during clashes in Zurich.

2002 Holly Paige become the first child to be registered at a supermarket. The baby girl's parents logged the new arrival at an Asda store in York.

2002 Liverpool became new seven to one favourites to win the UEFA Cup. Gerard Houllier's side were through to the latter stages of the competition after being dumped out of the Champions League.

2003 Three former executives at the French oil giant Ex-Elf were given jail terms and heavy fines for embezzlement.

2003 Austria's commuters were suffering after a train union called the first all-out strike since World War 2.

2003 The first of the former US navy ships at the centre of a legal and environmental row arrived in Hartlepool.

2003 Actor Christopher Lee's confirmed some of his key scenes were cut from the third Lord of the Rings movie.

2003 Spoof DJ Alan Partridge was shortlisted for three British Comedy awards, alongside Coupling and Bo Selecta.

2003 Cricket: England completed a 3-0 series sweep of the one-day internationals in Bangladesh.

2003 Nottingham Forest boss Paul Hart played down speculation linking him with Leeds United.

2003 Roger Federer beat David Nalbandian 6-3 6-0 in the round-robin stage of the Masters Cup.

2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was buried in the West Bank town of Ramallah amid chaotic and emotional scenes.

2004 The funeral of legendary DJ John Peel took place, attended by thousands of mourners.

2004 Leeds sold Elland Road on a sale and lease back deal after Sebastian Sainsbury's £25m takeover collapsed.

2004 John Toshack signed a five-year deal to succeed Mark Hughes as manager of Wales.

2004 Everton manager David Moyes signed a new five-year contract at Goodison Park.

BIRTHDAYS (for 12 November 2006)

Alexander Porfirevich Borodin, 172 (born 12 November 1834)
Russian composer and professor of chemistry and medicine, best-known for the opera Prince Igor.

Auguste Rodin, 166 (born 12 November 1840)
French sculptor whose realism in works such as his figures of a nude Victor Hugo and a dressing-gowned Balzac initially caused hostility.

Jo Stafford, 86 (born 12 November 1920)
Country singer

Princess Grace of Monaco (Grace Patricia Kelly), 77 (born 12 November 1929)
Died 1982. American actress ('Rear Window') who was arguably the most beautiful of her day and who went on to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco.

Charles Manson, 72 (born 12 November 1934)
Criminal behind bars

Bob Holness, 67 (born 12 November 1939)
Quiz show host

John Walker, 63 (born 12 November 1943)
Singer of The Walker Brothers

Brian Hyland, 63 (born 12 November 1943)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Sealed with a Kiss'

Booker T Jones, 62 (born 12 November 1944)
of Booker T and the MGs fame - biggest UK hit 'Time is Tight'

Neil Young, 61 (born 12 November 1945)
Singer

Errol Brown, 58 (born 12 November 1948)
Singer of Hot Chocolate - biggest UK hit 'So You Win Again'

Barbara Fairchild, 56 (born 12 November 1950)
Country singer

Leslie McKeown, 51 (born 12 November 1955)
Member of Bay City Rollers

Nadia Comaneci, 45 (born 12 November 1961)
Romanian gymnast who won three Olympic gold medals at the age of 14.

Mariella Frostrup, 44 (born 12 November 1962)
TV presenter

David Schwimmer, 40 (born 12 November 1966)
Actor 'Friends'

Today's The Day - 11th November

11th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Martin of Tours
St Bartholomew of Grottaferata,
St Mannas of Egypt,
and St Theodore the studite.

History Test for November 11th

Which notorious Australian bank robber was hanged in Melbourne today in 1880? -Ned Kelly

Name the author of the novel 'The Brothers Karamazov', born in Russia today in 1821. -Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Which American soldier, known as `Old Blood and Guts', was born today in 1885? -General George Patton

Which long-running TV current affairs programme made its debut today in 1953? -`Panorama'

The first two-minute silence commemorating the Great War was observed today - in which year? -1919- a year after the end of the war

QUOTE “My life's work has been accomplished. I did all that I could.” - Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet statesman,1991.

Events today...

1807 Britain extended her naval blockade to Russia after the Anglo-Russian alliance against France is broken.

1831 Nat Turner, the rebel slave, was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia. Turner, a 31-year-old of some education and a persuasive preacher, became convinced that he had been chosen by God to lead the slaves from bondage. With five others he rose up on August 21 and killed his master, Joseph Turner, and family. A growing band of rebels then marched on Jerusalem. By August 23, at least 57 white men, women and children had been slaughtered. A force of local men and militia hunted Turner's band down in the next 24 hours, and the revolt was crushed. Turner was caught six weeks later. Sixteen other men were hanged with him.

1851 The telescope was patented by Alvan Clark.

1855 Death of Saren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher who greatly influenced 20th-century existentialism.

1880 Australian bank robber Ned Kelly went to the gallows two years after becoming an outlaw.

1918 After four years and 97 days the guns finally fell silent. In a carriage of Marshal Foch's train in the Forest of Compidgne, Foch, General Weygand and British Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss accepted the German surrender from a civilian, Reichstag Deputy Matthias Erzberger, and two junior generals. The German High Command had no intention of getting involved in surrender negotiations and stayed away. The Armistice document required Germany to hand over 5000 heavy guns, 30,000 machine guns, 2000 aircraft, all U-boats, 5000 locomotives, 150,000 wagons and 5000 lorries; the surface fleet would be interned; the Allies would occupy the Rhineland and the blockade of German seaports would remain in force. The Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland. The number of lives lost in the War was thought to be around 9 million, with another 27 million injured. The War had cost the Allies some $126 billion (£68.5 billion), the Central Powers $60 billion (£32.6 billion). It was the most destructive war the world has ever seen.

1920 The bodies of unknown British and French soldiers are buried at Westminster Abbey and the Arc de Triomphe respectively.

1921 The first poppy day was held. It was launched by the Royal British Legion in remembrance of those who died in the 1st World War and to raise funds for those who were seriously injured.

1923 Adolf Hitler, leader of Bavaria's National Socialist Party, was arrested in the village of Essing, outside Munich. Three nights earlier the city's largest beerhall, the Burgerbraukeller, was the scene of a meeting to be addressed by the State Commissioner of Bavaria, Gustav von Kahr, on the subject of "the moral justification for political leadership". Hardly had he started when the hall was invaded by large numbers of Hitler's Brownshirts waving guns. Hitler stood on a chair, fired a shot in the air, and shouted, "The National Revolution has begun." He enlisted General von Lossow, local Army commander, and Colonel von Seisser of the State Police to his cause. His support evaporated over the next few days, however, and in a confrontation with police at the Royal Palace the man with whom he had linked arms was shot, whereupon he fled.

1936 Death of Edward German, English composer.

1940 A British air assault destroyed half of the Italian fleet.

1940 The Willys-Overland Company launched its new general-purpose vehicle for the US Army. The four-wheel drive vehicle, named "Jeep" for GP (general purpose), is in competition with a similar prototype from the Ford Motor Company. Trials will be carried out to decide which is to be selected.

1945 Death of Jerome Kern (aged 60) Composer lyracist 'Showboat'

1952 The first video recorder was demonstrated in Beverly Hills, Califomia, by its inventors John Mullin and Wayne Johnson.

1960 Marilyn Monroe told the press that her marriage to Arthur Miller was over.

1965 Cassius Clay (now Mohammed Ali) knocked out Floyd Patterson in Las Vegas.

1965 Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front government declared Rhodesia, Britain's last African colony, an independent state, underlining Smith's party's opposition to sharing power with the black majority in the country. There were just 220,000 whites in Rhodesia, as opposed to 4 million blacks. Smith's Unilateral Declaration of Independence brought condemnation from Black African and Commonwealth leaders as well as from the United Nations. The British government under Harold Wilson immediately imposed trade sanctions and an oil embargo, although it was thought that the South Africans will probably aid the Rhodesians by sanctions-busting. The use of force had so far been ruled out, despite demands from neighbouring Black African countries. Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, leaders of Rhodesia's most prominent black nationalist organisation, Zimbabwe African People's Union, were both in jail.

1969 "Get Back" by the Beatles was released in the UK.

1975 Angola gained its independence from Portugal.

1975 Sir John Kerr, governor general of Australia, dismissed Labour prime minister Gough Whitlam because he refused to call a general election after failing to get his budget plan through parliament.

1979 Death of Dimitri Tiomkin (aged 80) Film composer 'High Noon' 'The Alamo'

1983 Cruise missiles started to arrive in the U.K.

1986 Death of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, Russian leader.

1987 An amateur pilot who repeatedly buzzed the Champs Elyses in Paris was fined £5000 ($9250) and banned from flying for three years.

1987 Van Gogh's painting Irises was sold at Sotheby's in New York for $53.9 million (£29.3 million).

1991 Martina Navratilova equalled Chris Evert's record of 157 career titles when she beats Monika Seles to win the Virgina Slims of California tournament in Oakland.

1991 Death of Morton Stevens (aged 62) Composer 'Hawaii Five O' theme

1992 Woman were granted the opportunity to become priests by the Church of England.

1994 Three soldiers were killed at a military checkpoint in Gaza when a suicide bomber detonated explosives he was carrying.

1998 Seventy-three-year-old Marjorie Longdin, the aunt of Tory Party leader William Hague, was celebrating with her family and friends after scooping a National Lottery jackpot totalling more than £850,000.

2000 The cable on a Funicular railway snapped near Kaprun in the Austrian province of Slazburg. The Cable car dropped and caught fire in a tunnel. Most of the 155 passengers perished in the blaze.

2003 A German state began moves to ban the wearing of Muslim headscarves in schools.

2003 A pub landlord in Wiltshire won £20,000 in damages after Van Morrison pulled out of a gig there.

2003 Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced that the colour TV licence fee was to go up by £5 to £121 a year.

2003 Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard signed a new contract at Anfield until 2007.

2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's body arrived in Cairo, amid preparations for his funeral.

2004 Gurkhas began helping evacuate British nationals from the trouble-hit west African state of Ivory Coast.

2004 An aircraft carrying Princess Anne to Scotland was involved in a near-miss with another jet over Lancashire.

2004 Singer Liza Minnelli's ex-bodyguard accused her of forcing him to have sex with her to keep his job.

2004 Andy Warhol's 1963 painting Mustard Race Riot, about civil rights protests, sold for $15.1m (£8.1m).

BIRTHDAYS (for 11 November 2006)

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, 185 (born 11 November 1821)
Russian novelist whose major works include The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment.

General Patton, 121 (born 11 November 1885)
(Died 1945) Tank warfare expert - general

Rene Clair, 108 (born 11 November 1898)
(Died 1981) Director

Pat O'Brien, 107 (born 11 November 1899)
(Died 1983) Actor

Sam Spiegel, 105 (born 11 November 1901)
(Died 1985) Producer

Robert Ryan, 97 (born 11 November 1909)
(Died 1973) Actor

Stubby Kaye, 88 (born 11 November 1918)
(Died 1997) Actor comedian

Kurt Vonnegut Jr, 84 (born 11 November 1922)
American novelist best-known for Slaughterhouse Five.

Jonathan Winters, 81 (born 11 November 1925)
Comedian

June Whitfield OBE, 79 (born 11 November 1927)
Actress comedienne - 'Tony Hancock' 'Terry & June' 'Absolutely Fabulous'

Larry King, 73 (born 11 November 1933)
Talk show host

Bibi Andersson, 71 (born 11 November 1935)
Swedish actress chiefly known for her appearances in Ingmar Bergman films.

Mac Kissoon, 63 (born 11 November 1943)
Singer of Mac and Katie Kissoon fame - biggest UK hit 'Sugar Candy Kisses'

Jesse Colin Young, 62 (born 11 November 1944)
Solo singer and member of The Youngbloods

Chris Dreja, 61 (born 11 November 1945)
Member of The Yardbirds - biggest UK hit 'Heart Full of Soul'

Len 'Chip' Hawkes, 60 (born 11 November 1946)
Member of the Tremeloes

Jim Peterik, 56 (born 11 November 1950)
Member of Survivor - biggest UK hit 'Eye of the Tiger'

Andy Partridge, 53 (born 11 November 1953)
Member of XTC

Marshall Crenshaw, 53 (born 11 November 1953)
Singer

Ian Craig-Marsh, 50 (born 11 November 1956)
Member of The Human League - biggest UK hit 'Don't You Want Me'

Demi Moore, 44 (born 11 November 1962)
Actress - 'Indecent Proposal' 'A Few Good Men' 'Striptease'

Stanley Tucci, 37 (born 11 November 1969)
Actor - Murder One's Richard Cross

Leonardo Di Caprio, 32 (born 11 November 1974)
Actor - 'Titanic'

Today's The Day - 10th November

10th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Leo the Great,
St Justus of Canterbury,
St Aedh MacBrice,
St Theoctista,
and St Andrew Avellino.

History Test for November 10th

Which actor was born Richard Jenkins today in 1925? -Richard Burton

`Industry and Idleness' and `A Rake's Progress' are works by which noted artist and engraver, born today in 1697? -William Hogarth

Today in 1975, Angola achieved independence from which country? -Portugal

The play 'She Stoops to Conquer' and the novel 'The Vicar of Wakefield' were written by which author, born today in 1730? -Oliver Goldsmith

Name the former World War One Turkish general, who became President of his country and died today in 1938. -Kemal Ataturk

QUOTE “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” - Winston Churchill referring to the Battle for Egypt, 1942.

Events today...

461AD Death of Pope Leo I (the Great).

1775 By resolution of the Continental Congress, the raising of two battalions of men, to be known as the "Continental Marines", was authorised to create a seaborne military police.

1862 The first performance of Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Forza del Desano was held in St Petersburg.

1871 "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" were the first words spoken by Henry Morton Stanley to David Livingstone when Stanley tracked down the missing explorer and missionary to Ujiji on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. "Yes," said the Doctor, lifting his cap slightly. Livingstone, a 58-year-old Scot, was famous as the explorer of the Zambezi and discoverer of Victoria Falls, and as the first European to cross the continent from coast to coast. His search for the sources of the Nile and Congo rivers occupied him to the point of obsession for several years. Stanley, also an explorer of some note, was commissioned to find Livingstone by James Gordon Bennett, proprietor of the New York Herald, although it was a moot point whether he was actually "missing" or merely out of reach. Since receiving his orders in 1869 Stanley found time to attend the opening of the Suez Canal, sail up the Nile, visit Jerusalem, Constantinople, the Crimea and Caspian, and travel through Persia, to India, before setting out on his quest. Whether it was a publicity stunt or not, Stanley's arrival was timely indeed. Doctor Livingstone had arrived at Ujiji a "living skeleton", to find that the supplies set aside for his arrival had been sold off by the shereef (headman) of the village.

1885 Gottlieb Daimler demonstrated the world's first motorcycle.

1891 Death of Arthur Rimbaud, French poet.

1913 Battersea elected the first coloured mayor in Britain, John Archer.

1914 The Australian cruiser Sydney sank the German cruiser Emden off Sumatra.

1917 British General Douglas Haig's grandiose plan of smashing through the German lines and on to the Channel was finally abandoned, after 156 days and anything up to 250,000 casualties - nobody will ever be quite sure of the exact number. Canadian troops took control of Passchendaele Ridge and found themselves in possession of a few square miles of worthless swamp and a village which has almost ceased to exist. The battle - the third on the Ypres Salient - started in June with the mining of the Messines Ridge (the tremors could be felt in Downing Street), but the wettest August in living memory turned the ground to quagmire. Allied troops were faced with the choice of paths under a constant barrage of fire from the Germans, or death by drowning in the mud. The verdict of British prime minister Lloyd George was succinct: "The most grim, futile and bloody fight in the history of war", the result of "stubborn and narrow egotism, unsurpassed among the records of disaster".

1918 The German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II appeared at the Dutch frontier having abdicated, leaving behind a country gripped by revolutionary fervour.

1928 The new Emperor of Japan, Hirohito was crowned aged just 27.

1938 Death of Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, Turkish statesman.

1938 Kristallnacht, or “night of (broken) glass”, took place when Nazis burned 267 synagogues and destroyed thousands of Jewish homes and businesses in Germany.

1940 Walt Disney agreed to spy for the FBI on Hollywood subversives.

1952 The 77-year-old doctor-philosopher Albert Schweitzer, who decided that he would devote the first 30 years of his life to himself and the rest to mankind, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his humanitarian work in Africa.

1960 The notorious book "Lady Chattersley's Lover" sold out on its first day of publication (200,000 copies). It was written by DH Lawrence.

1967 "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues was released for the first time and went on to become a huge hit around the world.

1979 Death of Dennis Wheatley, English novelist.

1982 Former Civil Servant Geoffrey Prime who worked at GCHQ in Cheltenham was sentenced for spying for the Russians to 38 years imprisonment.

1982 Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, hard-faced old-guard Soviet leader for 18 years, died of a heart attack at the age of 75. His years of power saw Russia achieve superpower status, and strategic parity with the USA, but also saw her exerting an ever-stronger grip on her satellites, most notably Czechoslovakia in 1968. He was born in Dneprodzerzhinsk in the Ukraine, and studied as an engineer. His political career was advanced by his relationship with his compatriot Nikita Khrushchev, whom ironically Brezhnev toppled in 1964 to reach the top. His state funeral in Red Square was to be attended by statesmen and political leaders from 70 countries. The new, leader of the Soviet Union, only the fifth since 1917, was Yuri Andropov, former head of the KGB and a man adept at crushing dissent.

1986 Death of Gordon Richards.

1989 A million East Germans poured into West Berlin early in the morning, free at last to leave their country without special permission. Bulldozers made new holes in the 28-mile (45 km) Wall as the joyous crowd flooded the streets of West Berlin, drinking champagne and hooting car horns till dawn. East German leader Egon Krenz appealed to his fellow citizens to stay, promising multi-party elections, freedom of speech and a new criminal code, but since the borders with Hungary and Czechoslovakia were opened 167,000 had already left. On November 4, one million East Berliners marched for reform, gathering in Alexanderplatz, half a mile from the hated wall, shouting "Egon, here we come." Two days later, half a million marched in Leipzig. It was the biggest show of opposition in East Germany since Soviet tanks crushed a workers' revolt in 1953.

1992 Guns and Roses frontman Axel Rose was found guilty of assault and damaging property during the band's concert in St Louis. He was fined $50,000 and put on probation for two years.

1992 Death of Chuck Connors (aged 71) Actor - 'The Rifleman'

1994 Death of Carmen McRae (aged 74) Jazz singer actress

1995 Mika Hakinnen received serious injuries when he crashed in Adelaide in the qualifying rounds. He successfully became the 1998 World Champion.

1997 Cheshire Nanny, 18-year-old Louise Woodward was set free by a Boston Judge. Louise had be covicted for murdering 8 month old Mathew Eappen, a toddler who died in her care. The sentence was reduced to involuntary manslaughter, and she was freed as she had already served nine months in prison awaiting the trial.

2000 The Rochdale Canal was officially re-opened. It had not been fully navigable since 1937.

2000 Lorry drivers left Jarrow on a slow crawl to London in protest at excessive tax on fuel.

2003 The World Trade Organisation declared US tariffs on steel imports "inconsistent" with free trade, in a major victory for the European Union.

2003 The jury in the Soham trial visited the home of Ian Huntley, accused of the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

2003 The full line-up of the Tory shadow cabinet was named, with Oliver Letwin and David Davis big winners.

2003 Firefighters were to be balloted on whether to accept the way their 7% pay rise was to be phased in.

2003 The final part of The Matrix trilogy took $204m (£120m) at cinemas in a record-breaking opening.

2003 The Royal Shakespeare Company denied it was scrapping plans to rebuild its Stratford-upon-Avon theatre.

2003 Eddie Gray took temporary charge at Leeds after the Elland Road club part company with manager Peter Reid.

2003 Premiership side Blackburn moved out of the bottom three with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Everton at Ewood Park.

2004 US musical The Producers gets a standing ovation on its opening night in London's West End.

BIRTHDAYS (for 10 November 2006)

Martin Luther, 523 (born 10 November 1483)
German religious reformer who began the Reformation.

François Couperin, 338 (born 10 November 1668)
French composer and harpsichordist.

William Hogarth, 309 (born 10 November 1697)
English painter and engraver famous for his series of cartoons The Rake's Progress and for Marriage a la Mode.

Sir Jacob Epstein, 126 (born 10 November 1880)
American- born British sculptor whose masterpieces such as Adam were once the subject of controversy.

Claude Rains, 117 (born 10 November 1889)
(Died 1967) Actor - 'Casablanca' 'Invisible Man'

Anne Shelton OBE, 83 (born 10 November 1923)
(Died 1994) Singer - a Forces Favourite

Richard Burton (Richard Jenkins), 81 (born 10 November 1925)
Died 1984. British stage and screen actor who was twice married to Elizabeth Taylor and whose films include The Spy Who Came in from fhe Cold and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Roy Scheider, 71 (born 10 November 1935)
Actor 'Jaws' 'The French Connection'

Sir Tim Rice, 62 (born 10 November 1944)
Lyricist - Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, 'The Lion King'

Dave Loggins, 59 (born 10 November 1947)
Singer - 'Please Come to Boston'

Greg Lake, 58 (born 10 November 1948)
Member of Emerson Lake and Palmer

Donna Fargo, 57 (born 10 November 1949)
Country singer

Junior, 45 (born 10 November 1961)
Singer - 'Mama Used to Say'

Vanessa Angel, 43 (born 10 November 1963)
Actress - 'Baywatch' 'Weird Science'

Today's The Day - 9th November

9th November 2006
National Day of Cambodia.

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Theodore the Recruit,
St Vitonus or Vanne,
and St Benignus or Benen.

History Test for November 9th

Which alternative comedian reached Number One in the UK pop charts with `Dizzy' today in 1991? -Vic Reeves - with the Wonder Stuff

Dylan Thomas died today in 1953. His play `Under Milk Wood' is set in which fictional Welsh seaside town? -Llareggub

Today in 1985, who became the youngest ever World Chess champion? -Gary Kasparov - he beat Anatoli Karpov

Who was British Prime Minister from 1937 until a few months before his death today in 1940? -Neville Chamberlain

Astronomer Carl Sagan was born today in 1934. Which TV series about the universe did he create and present? -`Cosmos'

Events today...

1794 The Russians entered Warsaw, ending the Polish Rebellion.

1799 Thirty-year-old Corsican General Napoleon Bonaparte became France’s new leader.

1813 Victorious allies offered Napoleon peace terms at Frankfurt.

1837 Moses Montefiore became the first Jew to be knighted in England.

1859 Flogging in the British army was abolished.

1865 Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant ending the U.S. Civil War.

1908 Britain's first woman mayor, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, was elected at Aldeburgh.

1918 Death of Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet.

1918 Following a revolution in Germany, Kaiser William abdicated and fled to Holland.

1925 The SS (Schutzstaffel or `Protection Squad') was formed in Germany.

1927 The giant panda was discovered in China.

1937 Ramsay MacDonald, formerly Britain’s first Labour prime minister, but now despised by the party he nurtured and then betrayed, died on a voyage to America.

1940 Death of former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain (aged 71), who advocated a policy of appeasement towards the fascist powers in Germany but was forced to abandon this policy after Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia; Chamberlain had resigned as war prime minister seven months earlier. (British Prime Minister 1937-1940)

1944 The Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize.

1948 Death of Edgar Kennedy (aged 58) Actor comedian - Laurel and Hardy co-star

1953 At the Chelsea Hotel in New York, where he had been on a lecture tour, the flamboyant Welsh bard, Dylan Thomas, went raging into that good night at the age of 39, dying of pneumonia brought on by alcoholism.

1960 John Fitzgerald Kennedy became president of the United States of America.

1965 Capital punishment was abolished in Britain.

1970 Death of Charles de Gaulle (aged 79) French president 1958-1969

1980 Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware left the group Human League and set up Heaven 17.

1983 Alfred Heineken was kidnapped. He was the boss of the brewing empire.

1986 Israel admitted that Atomic Energy Commission worker Mordechai Vanunu was in “lawful detention” in Haifa, but denied that he was kidnapped from the UK by Mossad.

1988 Anatoly Karpov lost his title of World Champion chess player to Gary Kasparov in Moscow. He had held the title for 10 years.

1988 The Pentagon took the wraps off the Air Forces new attack plane, the Lockheed F-117A which employed the latest stealth technology.

1990 The movie "Dances With Wolves" received its premiere.

1991 Death of Yves Montand (aged 70) French singer and actor.

2003 Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi returned to power but with a reduced majority.

2003 Talks to resolve a crisis over disputed election results in Georgia failed, as the opposition vowed to keep up the protests.

2003 In the Rugby World Cup a powerful-looking France decimated Ireland 43-21 in their quarter-final in Melbourne.

2003 The Earl of Wessex said he was "thrilled to bits" at the birth of his daughter, as he arrived in London to see her for the first time.

2003 The new Tory leader Michael Howard named former shadow health secretary Liam Fox and Lord Maurice Saatchi to share the post of Tory Party chairman.

2003 Kylie Minogue recorded her seventh number one in three decades.

2003 Ulrika Jonsson announces she was expecting her third child, just weeks after denying she was pregnant.

2003 Hugh Grant was honoured for his movie career at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.

2003 Chelsea kept up their title challenge with a 5-0 win over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

2003 Rugby Union: England booked a semi-final date with France, after edging past Wales 28-17 in Brisbane.

2003 Petter Solberg won the Wales Rally GB and edged out Sebastien Loeb to clinch the drivers' championship.

2003 Ryan Giggs scored twice as Man Utd beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield, and Leicester moved out of the relegation zone after beating Man City 3-0.

2004 Officials revealed more about Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's health and said he had a brain haemorrhage.

2004 Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant braved the weather to attend the UK premiere of the new Bridget Jones film.

2004 Former England and Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes died at the age of 57.

BIRTHDAYS (for 09 November 2006)

Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, 188 (born 09 November 1818)
Russian writer whose work included the play A Month in the Country and the acclaimed novel Fathers and Sons.

Dr. Herbert Thomas Kalmus, 125 (born 09 November 1881)
American inventor of Technicolor.

Ed Wynn, 120 (born 09 November 1886)
(Died 1966) Actor - the laughing man in 'Mary Poppins'

Mabel Normand, 114 (born 09 November 1892)
(Died 1930) Silent film actress comedienne - of 'Mack and Mabel' fame

Anthony Asquith, 104 (born 09 November 1902)
British film director and producer whose films include The Millionairess.

Katherine Hepburn, 97 (born 09 November 1909)
(Died 2003) American actress who won eight Oscar nominations and four Oscars for films which include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Philadelphia story and On Golden Pond.

Hedy Lamarr, 93 (born 09 November 1913)
(Died 2000) Austrian-born American actress who was billed as the most beautiful woman in the world and whose films include Samson and Delilah.

Spiro Theodore Agnew, 88 (born 09 November 1918)
former Vicepresident.

Ronald Harwood, 72 (born 09 November 1934)
South African-born playwright, novelist and television writer and presenter best known for his award-winning play The Dresser which was made into a film.

Donald Trelford, 69 (born 09 November 1937)
columnist

Roger McGough, 69 (born 09 November 1937)
Poet and member of The Scaffold - biggest UK hit 'Lily the Pink'

Tom Fogerty, 65 (born 09 November 1941)
(Died 1990) Solo singer and member of Creedence Clearwater Revival

Tom Weiskopf, 64 (born 09 November 1942)
golfer

Joe Bouchard, 58 (born 09 November 1948)
Member of Blue Oyster Cult - biggest UK hit 'Don't Fear the Reaper'

Lou Ferrigno, 55 (born 09 November 1951)
Body builder and actor - 'Incredible Hulk'

Dennis Stratton, 52 (born 09 November 1954)
Member of Iron Maiden

Karen Dotrice, 51 (born 09 November 1955)
actress

Alan Curbishley, 49 (born 09 November 1957)
football manager

Tony Slattery, 47 (born 09 November 1959)
actor and comedian

Jill Dando, 45 (born 09 November 1961)
Died 1999. TV presenter

Sandy "Pepa" Denton, 37 (born 09 November 1969)
Singer of Salt 'n Pepa fame - biggest UK hit 'Push It'

Today's The Day - 8th November

8th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of The Four Crowned Martyrs,
St Cuby or Cybi,
St Godfrey of Amiens,
St Deusdedit,
St Willehad,
and St Tysilio or Suliau.

History Test for November 8th

Which character first appeared in a Daily Express comic strip today in 1920? -Rupert Bear

Today in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the American Presidential election. What does the `D' stand for? -Delano

Nigel Ponsonby-Smallpiece and Mick the Marmaliser are characters associated with which personality, celebrating a birthday today? -Ken Dodd - they are two of his Diddymen

Edmond Halley was born today in 1656. To which honorary post was he appointed in 1720? -Astronomer Royal

Today in 1952 which celebrated Greek soprano made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden? -Maria Callas

Events today...

1674 The poet John Milton died of gout at his home in London. He was 66. Born in 1608 in Cheapside, he was educated at St Paul's School and Christ's College, Cambridge. A painful period of separation from his first wife prompted him to publish a pamphlet advocating the desirability of divorce on grounds of incompatibility of mind and spirit; he consequently spent the 1640s and '50s mired in controversy. By 1651 he was almost blind, and was aided by Andrew Marvell in his work as translator to the Council of State. The restoration of Charles II in 1660 saw him no longer in government employ, giving him time to write his greatest work. Milton was buried beside his father in St Giles's, Cripplegate.

1793 The Louvre was opened to the public by the Revolutionary government, although only part of the collection could be viewed.

1827 The Canton Register, the first English language newspaper in the Far East, started publication in Guangzhou.

1847 Dracula creator Bram Stoker was born in Dublin.

1865 Death of Tom Sayers, English bare-knuckle pugilist.

1886 Fred Archer, English champion jockey who won the Derby five times, shot himself at the age of 27.

1895 Wilhelm Rontgen discovered X-rays during an experiment at the University of Wurzburg with the flow of electricity through a partially evacuated glass tube.

1908 Death of Victorien Sardou, French dramatist.

1923 Hitler led his unsuccessful rising in Munich, known as the Beer Hall Putsch.

1931 The discovery of halogen was reported by Frederick Allison.

1932 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was swept into the White House by a landslide, carrying 42 out of 48 states against sitting Republican president Herbert Hoover. Although partially paralysed by polio, Roosevelt ran an energetic campaign, forcing Hoover to defend a record of bankruptcies, bank closures and unemployment. In his "New Deal", Roosevelt promised to boost public spending on railways, roads, utilities and farming; to regulate hanks and stock markets; and to provide unemployment insurance for all. "No American will starve," was his claim.

1939 Seven people were killed and more than 60 injured when a bomb exploded in Munich shortly after Hitler had left after his traditional speech on the anniversary of his abortive Beer Hall putsch - many suspected it was a propaganda ploy.

1942 Early in the morning four divisions of Allied troops, under the overall command of Lieutenant-General Eisenhower, landed on the coast of French North Africa in the largest combined operation of the War so far, codenamed Operation Torch. A convoy of more than 500 ships, protected by 350 ships of the Royal Navy and fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force, made landfall at several points. Resistance from Vichy French defenders faded after General Eisenhower secured the cooperation of Marshal Pétain's deputy François Derlan, who was in Algiers. The First Army, under General Anderson, moved eastward to confront the Germans, and joined the Eighth Army under General Montgomery, heading west after victory at El Alamein.

1953 Death of Ivan Alexeyevich Bunin, Russian poet.

1958 Melody Maker published the first British album charts.

1960 John F Kennedy was elected to become President of the United States of America aged only 43 and he became the youngest person to be elected to the post.

1964 Judy Garland and daughter Liza Minnelli performed together at the London Palladium.

1965 Death of Edgard Varese, French composer.

1966 Former Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke became the first black senator in US history, elected to the Senate with a majority of more than 500,000. Elected as Attorney General in 1962, he was re-elected in 1964 by the largest majority in State history, and during his term of office indicted more than a hundred officials, private citizens and corporations on graft and bribery charges.

1967 Radio Leicester, the first BBC local radio station, was opened.

1970 Lead singer with The Doors, Jim Morrison recorded some poetry which was later set to music following his death.

1973 An Italian newspaper received the right ear of John Paul Getty III through the post. The seventeen-year-old heir to the Getty fortune had been kidnapped. He was eventually released after his family paid the ransom.

1974 London's Covent Garden ceased to be the location of the city's famous flower and vegetable market, leaving the site to be rejuvenated.

1974 Scotland Yard enlisted the aid of Interpol in their search for Lord Lucan, known to his friends in the gambling community as "Lucky" Lucan. They wished to interview him in connection with the murder of the family nanny, Sandra Rivett. At 9.45 the previous evening his wife, the Countess of Lucan, staggered in her night-dress into the Plumber's Arms near the family home in Belgravia, bleeding from head wounds. She shouted, "Help me! Help me! I've just escaped from a murderer. He's murdered the nanny."

1978 Death of Norman Rockwell (aged 84) Painter - 'Saturday Evening Post' covers

1987 A huge bomb went off in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, as marchers were gathering for a Remembrance Day parade. The bomb, which had been placed in a disused school, claimed the lives of 11 people, including 3 married couples, and injured 63, some critically. The IRA admitted responsibility for placing the device, but blamed the British army for triggering the explosion with a high-frequency scanning device. Gordon Wilson, 60, was buried in the wreckage with his daughter Marie, a nurse, who died. The distraught father still had the generosity to say of her killers, "I shall pray for those people tonight and every night."

1987 A man serving 17 years for murder in a California prison decided to sue a juror for $24 million (£13 million) for sleeping through most of his trial and contributing towards what he claimed was an incorrect conviction.

1988 Republican candidate George Bush won the US presidential elections comfortably, carrying 40 states against only ten for his Democratic opponent, Michael Dukakis.

1989 In Virginia, Douglas Wilder became the first black state governor in the US.

1991 EC foreign ministers, meeting in Rome, imposed an economic embargo on Yugoslavia in an effort to halt the civil war there.

1995 Paul McCartney became the first rock star to be honoured for "distinguished services to music" with the Fellowship of the Royal College of Music.

1995 Michael Jackson and the Sony Corporation joined forces to become the world's third largest publishing company with more than 100,000 titles.

1996 Former White House adviser Pierre Salinger claimed that a US Navy missile accidentally shot down the TWA airliner which crashed off New York killing all 230 people on board.

1999 Marks and Spencer began to move into their new Manchester store following the City’s £500 million redevelopment due to the IRA bombing three years earlier. This was to be the largest Marks and Spencer’s in the world and was to open on November 25th.

2000 The American election result was still unclear. There was a recount in Florida. Democrat Al Gore had already accepted defeat in the close battle against Republican George W. Bush. There was controversy over the layout of some ballot papers and the postal results had not yet been taken into account. The Country had never seen anything as close as this before.

2000 After beating Dynamo Kiev 1-0, Manchester United’s Roy Keane spoke out against United fans saying that he “doubted that some of them could even spell football, let alone understand it”. His comments came in response to the lack of atmosphere at the ground in recent months.

2003 Voters in Japan headed for the polls in the first popular test for prime minister Koizumi since he came to power two years earlier.

2003 Prince Charles prepared to end his tour of Oman amid a media frenzy over rumours about him circulating in the UK.

2003 The UK Foreign Office reviewed security for diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, as a powerful explosion hit the capital Riyadh.

2003 The body that oversees the UK's railways announced it was to take over the South Eastern franchise seven weeks early.

2003 Arsenal went four points clear at the top of the Premiership with a 2-1 win over Spurs.

2003 Rugby League: Australia edged out 12-man Great Britain 22-18 in the first Ashes Test.

2003 Leeds boss Peter Reid came under more pressure as his side lost 6-1 at Portsmouth.

2004 The BBC announced that it was to close some websites and invest in those that added "sufficient public value".

2004 UK supermarket chain Tesco launched an online music service which it hoped would rival Apple's market-leading iTunes.

2004 The FA charged Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger over his comments about Man Utd's Ruud van Nistelrooy.

BIRTHDAYS (for 08 November 2006)

Edmond Halley, 350 (born 08 November 1656)
Died 1742. English astronomer and mathematician who was the first to realize that comets do not appear randomly, and who is best known for identifying the comet named after him.

Bram Stoker, 159 (born 08 November 1847)
(Died 1912) Author - 'Dracula'

Baron Herbert Austin, 140 (born 08 November 1866)
(Died 1941) Car manufacturer

Leon Trotsky, 127 (born 08 November 1879)
(Died 1940) Russian revolutionary

Margaret Mitchell, 106 (born 08 November 1900)
American author of Gone with the Wind, her only book.

June Havoc, 90 (born 08 November 1916)
American actress whose ambitious mother ensured she was a vaudeville star at five and who married her first husband at 13; her films include My Sister Eileen.

Dr Christian Barnard, 84 (born 08 November 1922)
South African surgeon - performed 1st human heart transplant in 67

Patti Page, 79 (born 08 November 1927)
Country singer

Ken Dodd OBE, 77 (born 08 November 1929)
Comedian

Alain Delon, 71 (born 08 November 1935)
Actor

Elizabeth Dawn, 67 (born 08 November 1939)
Actress - Vera Duckworth in 'Coronation Street'

Nerys Hughes, 65 (born 08 November 1941)
Actress - 'The Liver Birds'

Gerald Alston, 64 (born 08 November 1942)
Singer of Manhattans - biggest UK hit 'Kiss and Say Goodbye'

Martin Peters, 63 (born 08 November 1943)
Footballer

Roy Wood, 60 (born 08 November 1946)
Singer of Move ELO and Wizard fame

Minnie Ripperton, 59 (born 08 November 1947)
(Died 1979) Singer - biggest UK hit 'Lovin' You'

Bonnie Raitt, 57 (born 08 November 1949)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'You'

Rupert Allason, 55 (born 08 November 1951)
former MP (espionage writer Nigel West)

Rickie Lee Jones, 52 (born 08 November 1954)
Singer songwriter - 'Chuck E's in Love'

Leif Garrett, 45 (born 08 November 1961)
Actor and singer - biggest UK hit 'I Was Made for Dancin'

Su Douglas, 44 (born 08 November 1962)
actress

David and Dean Holdsworth, 38 (born 08 November 1968)
footballers

Diana King, 36 (born 08 November 1970)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Shy Guy'

Why has Who Wants To Be A Millionaire suddenly become so difficult?

It's a question that Chris Tarrant is unlikely to pose on prime-time TV:

Are the questions on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire getting harder?

For seasoned quiz enthusiasts who watch the show regularly, the answer is a resounding yes!

Players believe Celador, which makes the hit quiz show for ITV, has been introducing trickier questions to stop contestants from winning big money because its prize fund is dwindling.

The fund is made from premium- rate phone lines people call to become contestants, topped up with a contribution from ITV.

But, according to quiz fans, it has become easier to get on the show because fewer people are calling - and fewer callers means less prize money.

It has even been suggested that ITV have put pressure on Celador to make the questions harder after civil servant Ingram Wilcox won £1million on September 23.

Already this series, producers have paid out £1.34million in prizes in just four shows - and there are another 18 to come. In the whole of the last series, the 19th, the total paid was £2million.

Tarrant is said to have been asked at the National Television Awards last week if the questions had been getting harder, but he denied it.

Both Celador and ITV have dismissed the claims as "categorically untrue". Yet Celador has been cutting costs.

For the first time in the programme's eight-year history, two shows are now filmed a day at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

And viewers can now spend £1 a time trying to win £1,000 by texting answers to questions on the show.

Even the number of contestants per series appears to be dropping, which would mean fewer prizes to pay out.

For the six series between 2002 and 2005, there was an average of about 2.5 contestants per show. Over the past three series, that number has dropped to two.

Jane Allen, a director of quiz enthusiasts' association Quizzing, said her members had noticed questions were more difficult.

She said: "Most of the quizzers, when Ingram Wilcox got his £1million, were all saying, 'If only we'd been on the show' because the prize money will now dry up.

"The winning question was a classic list-learners question."

Mr Wilcox won the top prize for knowing the boxer who struck the gong before J. Arthur Rank films was "Bombardier' Billy Wells.

The question is popular in quizzes and features in trivia books such as Pears Ultimate Quiz Companion, which many quizzers learn by rote.

Ms Allen said: "The consensus is that since then the questions have been getting more difficult."

She said it was also easier to get on the show. In previous years, quizzers spent thousands of pounds on phone calls trying to get on.

Charles Ingram, who cheated to win his £1million prize, spent £2,000 getting into the hot seat.

Members of Quizzing say they have got on by spending as little as £40, according to Ms Allen.

Mark Kerr, who won £250,000 in January 2004, said: "I have no doubt they have toughened up. After Ingram Wilcox won £1million, the questions seemed to be much harder. Questions I would expect to see at £125,000 or more are coming in at £8,000.

"But it's their show - they have a right to make the questions harder if they want to. And they do have a business to run."

ITV entertainment head Paul Jackson said no one at ITV had asked for the questions to be made harder.

He said: "That's completely and categorically untrue. ITV don't carry the risk. It wouldn't make any difference to us if someone won £1million every week, we'd spend the same amount of money."

Celador said: "We haven't been making the questions harder. It would be madness for us to start meddling with the format of the show. And there has not been a significant change in the number of applications to be on the show."

Are the questions getting harder?

Here is a selection of questions asked at the £32,000 mark during the last series.

Before Ingram Wilcox won £1m:

Which plant takes its name from the Chinese meaning 'man' as its forked root resembles a man's legs?

A Aloe

B Ginseng

C Dandelion

D Witch hazel

Which gemstone is traditionally associated with a 45th wedding anniversary

A Sapphire

B Ruby

C Pearl

D Crystal

After Ingram Wilcox won £1m.

Which of these actors starred in the 1933 film "Flying down to Rio'?

A Mickey Rooney

B Jack Buchanan

C Fred Astaire

D Nelson Eddy

Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I, was born in which country?

A France

B England

C Italy

D Spain

Answers: 1: B (Aloe, Dandelion and Witch hazel are not Chinese words), 2 A, 3, C, 4: A (Maria is a name more traditionally associated with Spain, yet the correct answer is France)

Baggage advice for UK passengers

The restrictions on liquids permitted through the security search point at European Union airports are being relaxed.

The changes, which come into effect on Monday 6 November, follow previous rules regarding luggage size and content that were put in place by the UK government due to what officials described as a threat from liquid explosives.

Passengers boarding planes in EU countries will now be allowed to carry liquids in containers no more than 100ml in capacity brought to the airport contained in a single, transparent, re-sealable plastic bag - itself no more than a litre in capacity.

The definition of liquids includes:

• Gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures
• The contents of pressurised containers, eg toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam, aerosols, etc

The following liquids are also permitted through the airport security search point:

• Prescription medicines in liquid form sufficient and essential for the flight (eg diabetic kit), as long as verified as authentic
• Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle or jar must be tasted by the accompanying passenger)

Once through security, passengers can buy items in the departures lounge and take them on board.

To help with the security process, passengers are also encouraged not to include items which could contain liquids (eg bottles, flasks, tubes, cans, plastic containers etc) in their cabin baggage.

The dimensions of hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 17.7in x 9.8in approx), including wheels, handles and side pockets. This is equivalent to the size of a small roller suitcase.

Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All items carried by passengers will be screened by X-ray.

All laptops and large electrical items (such as hairdryers) must be taken out of the bag and placed in a tray to be scanned separately from the other items in the bag.

Musical instruments are allowed. However, they will have to be screened separately.

Pushchairs and walking aids must be X-ray screened. Wheelchairs are allowed on board, but must be thoroughly searched.

If passengers have any questions on their travel arrangements or security in place at airports, they are advised to contact the airport they are using or their airline.

Today's The Day - 7th November

7th November 2006
National day of Russia.

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Herculanus of Perugia,
St Engelbert,
St Willibrord,
and St Florentius of Strasbourg.

History Test for November 7th

Born today in 1926, which Australian opera singer is known as 'La Stupenda'? -Dame Joan Sutherland

Actor Steve McQueen died today in 1980. To whom was he married from 1973 to 1978? -Ali MacGraw

Born today in 1949, who played Peggy the chalet maid in the TV comedy series `Hi de Hi'? -Su Pollard

Which Russian author called his autobiographical trilogy `Childhood', `Boyhood' and `Youth' and died today in 1910? -Count Leo Tolstoy

Today in 1991, which pop group was at Number One in the UK charts with `The Fly'? -U2

Events today...

1659 The Franco-Spanish war ended.

1723 Death of Godfrey Kneller, German painter.

1783 The last public hanging in England took place when John Austin, a forger, was executed at Tyburn.

1805 The expedition of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reached the coast of Oregon, 18 months after they set out from St Louis on their epic journey into the unknown, at the instigation of President Jefferson, to open up a trade route to the Pacific. Their party included 26 soldiers and two French-Canadian interpreters. They crossed thousands of miles of wilderness, including the Rocky Mountains, encountering many savage beasts and unfriendly men, with only one fatality - that of Sgt Charles Floyd, who died of a ruptured appendix near Sioux City, Iowa.

1862 The "Gatling" Gun, which was transported on wheels and has six barrels which fire in rotation mounted round a central axis, was patented by 44-year-old inventor Richard J. Gatling.

1865 The Repeating Light Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, manufactured the first pocket lighter.

1872 The Marie Celeste set sail from New York and it was bound for Genoa in Italy. It was found abandoned 4 weeks later.

1885 The coast-to-coast Canadian Pacific railway was completed. The government of British Columbia had made it a condition of joining the Confederation, rather than be annexed to the US, that they be linked to the rest of the country by a railway by 1891. But the work had been completed five years early, thanks to the efforts of Cornelius van Horne and his team, and enthusiastic backers like Donald A. Smith. It was Mr Smith who drove in the final "golden" spike (actually iron) at 9.22am Pacific time near Craigellachie, in the Rockies. When trains started to run the next year the journey time from Montreal to Port Moody, British Columbia, was between five and six days.

1910 Death of Count Leo Tolstoy (aged 82) Russian novelist

1916 Jeanette Rankin, of the state of Montana, became the first woman member of US Congress.

1917 Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, known as Lenin, and his Bolsheviks successfully made a bid for power in Petrograd (St Petersburg). Since the abdication of the Tsar in March and Lenin's return from exile in Switzerland in April, political turmoil has presented Aleksandr Kerensky's many problems, not least a German counter-attack which threatened Petrograd itself. Armed workers, soldiers and sailors began to take over various points throughout the city this morning. The cruiser Aurora, anchored in the River Neva, fired a single blank shell, and by evening the Red Guards had seized the Winter Palace, seat of the government. The Council of Commissars has confirmed Lenin as its head, with Leon Trotsky as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Kerensky had fled to Paris, vowing to return, though his failure to get to grips with the war or the country’s economic crisis made this unlikely. The Bolsheviks' most immediate task was to make good their promise of "Peace Land and Bread", and to this end it was their declared intentton to conclude a peace treaty with Germany as soon as possible.

1921 Benito Mussolini, the 38-year-old blacksmith's son from the Romagna, became official leader of the 35 parliamentary members of the National Fascist Party. Before World War One he was a socialist, editing the Milan Socialist Party newspaper Avanti, but moved to the right during and after the War, eventually involving himself in the foundation of the Fascists. He was a fanatical supporter of the nationalist poet Gabriele d'Annunzio in his struggle to annex the port of Fiume and pre-empt the Paris Peace Conference; his "squadristi", or black-shirts, have been active in anti-Bolshevik riots in Bologna, Florence and Milan, and were relentless in hunting down and breaking up Communist meetings. Mussolini's proud boast was that Fascism was both "aristocratic and democratic, reactionary and revolutionary".

1931 The Chinese People's Republic was proclaimed by Mao Tse Tung.

1932 "Buck Rogers" took to the air on American radio for the first time.

1951 Frank Sinatra married movie star Ava Gardner.

1959 Death of Victor McLaglen, English film actor.

1960 In Moscow missiles appeared for the first time at the annual parade in Red Square.

1961 Konrad Adenauer was elected German chancellor for the fourth time.

1962 Death of Eleanor Roosevelt (aged 78) First lady - Franklin's wife

1963 The wild and wacky movie "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" had its premiere.

1970 MGM Records President Mike Curb dropped 18 of the company's acts in order to discredit musicians who exploited hard drugs through music.

1970 "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" sung by Lynn Anderson was released and went on to sell 2 million copies.

1972 Richard Nixon was re-elected US president.

1978 Death of American heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney.

1980 Death of Steve McQueen (aged 50) Actor 'Great Escape' 'Papillon' 'The Getaway'

1988 In Las Vegas, 'Sugar' Ray Lewis knocked out Canadian Donny Londe, completing his collection of world titles at five different weights.

1990 In Red Square a man fired two shots from a hunting rifle during the parade to mark the 73rd anniversary of the October Revolution. Police spotted the man taking aim at the reviewing stand on top of the Lenin Mausoleum, only 142 ft (46 m) away, where President Gorbachev was taking the salute, and wrestled him to the ground. The shots went wide and no one was injured. The gunman, Alexandr Shimonov from Leningrad, was charged with "attempting a terrorist act".

1990 Mary Robinson was elected to become Ireland's first female President.

1991 The U.S. and world of basketball was shattered to hear that their star player Magic Johnson was HIV positive.

1993 Death of Adelaide Hall, US singer, dancer, and actress.

1999 M People were given the keys to the City of Manchester.

1999 Sir Alex Ferguson switched on Manchester’s Christmas lights.

2000 Jodi and Mary the conjoined twins from Malta were separated in a 15-hour operation at Manchester’s St Mary’s hospital. The weaker twin Mary died as a result.

2003 A BBC investigation found that the "Palestinian Authority" was paying members of a group which was responsible for suicide attacks against Israelis.

2003 Georgia's president, President Shevardnadze told the opposition he was ready for dialogue, as a crisis over the previous week's elections turned violent.

2003 A pilot who sparked fears of a terror attack in Frankfurt was ruled mentally unfit to stand trial.

2003 Prince Charles insisted he would not be distracted by rumours circulating about him at home during a visit to Oman.

2003 Tory former defence secretary Michael Portillo announced he was to step down as an MP at the next election.

2003 Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones got £14,600 damages from Hello! magazine - but had wanted £600,000.

2003 The woman assaulted by Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy sued for damages and an apology.

2003 Music stars Dave Gilmour, of Pink Floyd, and Jools Holland collected honours from Buckingham Palace.

2003 The IAAF suspended athlete Dwain Chambers after his B sample confirmed a positive test for banned steroid THG.

2003 Lazio's Sinisa Mihajlovic was banned for eight matches for spitting and kicking during a game against Chelsea.

2004 Paula Radcliffe won the New York Marathon in her first race since the Olympics.

2004 It was announced that Live Aid was to get VAT money worth a possible £4m on sales of its new DVD and the new Band Aid 3 song.

2004 Pop-rock act Busted turned on this year's Christmas lights on London's Regent Street.

BIRTHDAYS (for 07 November 2006)

Marie Curie, 139 (born 07 November 1867)
Polish-born physicist.

Leon Trotsky, 127 (born 07 November 1879)
Russian Communist leader

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, 118 (born 07 November 1888)
Indian physicist who won the Nobel prize for Physics in 1931 for his discovery of the changing wavelengths of light when diffused through transparent material.

Herman J. Mankiewicz, 109 (born 07 November 1897)
American screenwriter who collaborated with Orson Welles in writing the screenplay of the Oscar-winning Citizen Kane.

Albert Camus, 93 (born 07 November 1913)
French author associated with Existentialism who won the Nobel prize for Literature in 1957 and is perhaps best known for his novels L'Etranger and La Peste.

Helen Suzman, 89 (born 07 November 1917)
South African anti-apartheid and civil rights campaigner.

Billy Graham, 88 (born 07 November 1918)
Evangelist

Dame Joan Sutherland, 80 (born 07 November 1926)
Australian operatic soprano for whom the role of Jenifer in Sir Michael Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage was created.

Mary Travers, 69 (born 07 November 1937)
Singer of Peter Paul and Mary fame - biggest UK hit 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'

Barry Newman, 68 (born 07 November 1938)
Actor - 'Petrocelli'

Johnny Rivers, 64 (born 07 November 1942)
Singer producer

Joni Mitchell (Roberta Joan Anderson), 63 (born 07 November 1943)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Big Yellow Taxi'

Su Pollard, 57 (born 07 November 1949)
Actress - 'Hi De Hi'

Nick Gilder, 55 (born 07 November 1951)
Singer - 'Hot Child in the City'

Sharleen Spiteri, 39 (born 07 November 1967)
Singer with Texas - 'I Don't Want a Lover'

Today's The Day - 6th November

6th November 2006

Religious events today...
Feast day of St Demetrian of Khytri,
St Melaine,
St Barlaam of Khutyn,
St Leonard of Noblac,
St Winnoc,
and St Illtud.

History Test for November 6th

Born today in 1946, which American actress won an Oscar for her role as a textile worker in the film `Norma Rae'? -Sally Field

Composer John Sousa was born today in 1854. His `Liberty Bell' march was used as the theme for which TV comedy series? -`Monty Python's Flying Circus'

Which American President, elected today in 1860, was born in a log cabin in Kentucky? -Abraham Lincoln

Tchaikovsky died today in 1893 soon after the first performance of his 6th Symphony. What did he call this work? -The `Pathetique'

Which English king was crowned today in 1429 and later married Margaret of Anjou? -Henry VI

QUOTE “Every Communist must grasp the truth, Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” - Mao Tse-tung, Chinese Communist leader, 1938.

Events today...

1429 Henry VI was crowned King of England.

1632 Death of Gustavus II King of Sweden.

1656 Death of King John V of Portugal.

1672 Death of Heinrich Schutz, German composer.

1813 Mexico was proclaimed independent from Spain.

1842 Death of William Hone, British satirist and editor.

1860 Abraham Lincoln and his Republican running-mate Hannibal Hamlin triumphed over a split Democrat vote in the Presidential elections, with official Democrat candidate Stephen A. Douglas receiving only 12 electoral votes to Lincoln's 180. The remainder were split between John C. Breckinridge, Southern Democrat (72) and John Bell, Constitutional Union Party (39). The popular vote was another matter, however, Lincoln received nearly 200,000 votes less than the combined Democratic vote. The key issue of the campaign was slavery, and Lincoln's strong anti-slavery speech at the Cooper Union in New York in February made him front-runner for the Republican candidacy. Lincoln challenged Douglas to debate the issue publicly, and the seven great Lincoln-Douglas debates the candidates conducted as they crisscrossed the country during the campaign enthralled the electorate. Now that Lincoln was in the White House it was certain that the pro-slavery states would secede from the Union.

1869 Diamonds were discovered at Kimberley, in Cape Province, South Africa.

1893 Peter IlyichTchaikovsky, the most famous Russian composer of his age, died at the age of 53. There were rumours that he died of cholera from drinking a glass of unboiled water, but it seemed more likely that he committed suicide by poison, having been ordered to do so by a hastily convened Court of Honour of old classmates from the School of Jurisprudence, who were fearful of a scandal because of Tchaikovsky's homosexual relationship with a member of the Imperial family. His death came only six days after he conducted the first performance of his Pathetique symphony. "I am a Russian, Russian, Russian to the marrow of my bones," he wrote to his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, and this was apparent in every note he ever wrote: his symphonies, his concertos, his operas (most notably Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, both after Pushkin), and of course his three great ballet suites, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Although he had more than fulfilled the promise of his brilliant early years at the St Petersburg Conservatory, he died as he had lived, a tortured and frustrated man.

1901 Death of Kate Greenaway, British illustrator.

1918 Poland was proclaimed as a republic.

1923 The German Mark reached the incredible figure of 4.2 trillion to the US dollar, as against 4.2 to the dollar ten years ago. Workers could be seen taking their wages home in wheelbarrows and crates, worthless Monopoly money in a country where a loaf of bread cost 200 million marks.

1924 Tory party leader Stanley Baldwin was elected prime minister of Britain.

1929 The World’s longest running political programme ‘A Week in Westminster’ began under the title ‘A Week In Parliament’.

1932 In general elections held in Germany, the Nazis emerged as the largest party.

1935 The Hawker Hurricane, the RAF's first monoplane fighter, flew for the first time and inaugurated a new era in military aviation. Heavily armed, with 4 machine-guns in each wing, it was claimed to be the fastest interceptor in the world, with a top speed of 325 mph (520 kph) at 20,000 ft (6500 m).

1939 James Cagney signed a new movie contract with Warner Brothers and his weekly wages were increased from $5000 to $12,500.

1941 Japanese forces prepared to attack Pearl Harbour.

1956 Construction of the Kariba High Dam, on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe, began.

1973 Shooting began on the new James Bond movie "The Man With The Golden Gun".

1975 UK punk rock group, the Sex Pistols, gave their first public performance at London's St Martin's College of Art; college authorities cut the concert short - after 10 minutes.

1980 Paul Simon played his first gig in the UK for five years.

1984 Marvin Gaye Senior was sentenced to 6 years (suspended) imprisonment for the manslaughter of his son. The world of Soul music lost one of its most gifted singer.

1984 A Dublin High Courtjudge froze striking British mineworkers' money following May's High Court decision that the strike, by now in its 35th week, was illegal and that the union had to pay a fine of £200,000 ($109,000) within 14 days or have its assets seized.

1987 Rail passengers often wished that TV screens on station platforms would show something more interesting than train times. Passengers on Patna station, India, suddenly saw a pornographic movie on the screens. The official explanation was that a "mistake" had occurred.

1988 Ringo Starr and wife Barbara Bach entered an alcohol rehabilitation clinic.

1988 Six thousand US Defense Department computers were crippled by a virus; the culprit was the 23-year-old son of the head of the country's computer security agency.

1990 An arsonist set fire to Universal Studios in Southern California and about one fifth of the studio back lot was destroyed.

1991 Death of Gene Tierney, (aged 70) Actress.

1991 The last oil fire in Kuwait caused by Iraqi bombings was extinguished.

1991 Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation, issued a decree banning the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and the Russian CP, and nationalising their property. He said that the Party's role in the failed coup of August 1990 proved that the CPSU was not a legitimate political party but a "special mechanism for exercising political power".

1991 Death of Gene Eliza Tiemey, US film actress.

2003 The main opposition candidate in the presidential election in Mauritania was released following his arrest on the eve of the vote.

2003 It was announced that the French will have to work an extra day a year to help fund health care for the elderly under a new government plan.

2003 Michael Howard says he was "excited, if daunted" to be Tory leader, and said he hoped his party would be able to cut taxes.

2003 Gwyneth Paltrow brought a dash of old fashioned Hollywood glamour to the UK première of her film "Sylvia".

2003 British rock band Suede, one of the defining bands of the mid-1990s Britpop scene, split up.

2003 Shola Ameobi scored the winner as Newcastle beat Basle 3-2 in the Uefa Cup. And Liverpool drew 1-1 with Steaua Bucharest.

2004 Several people died and scores were injured after a train hit a car on a level crossing in Berkshire.

2004 Prince Charles met Black Watch troops' families in the aftermath of the deaths of three soldiers in Iraq.

2004 TV steeplejack Fred Dibnah died in a hospice in Greater Manchester, surrounded by family and friends.

2004 The BBC confirmed that Leslie Grantham, who played "Dirty" Den Watts in soap EastEnders, was to leave the show.

2004 Actor Pierce Brosnan confirmed he would not play James Bond again, saying producers changed their minds.

BIRTHDAYS (for 06 November 2006)

James Gregory, 368 (born 06 November 1638)
Scottish mathematician and astronomer who gave a description of the first practical reflecting telescope.

Adolphe Sax, 192 (born 06 November 1814)
Belgian musical instrument maker and inventor of the saxophone.

John Phillp Sousa, 152 (born 06 November 1854)
Died 1932. American conductor and composer of marches known as the `March King' whose compositions include `The Stars and Stripes Forever'.

James A. Naismith, 145 (born 06 November 1861)
American physical education director of the International YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts and inventor of basketball.

Sir John Alcock, 114 (born 06 November 1892)
English aviator who in 1919 made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic with Sir Arthur Whitten-Brown.

Ray Conniff, 90 (born 06 November 1916)
Bandleader.

Frank Carson, 80 (born 06 November 1926)
Comedian.

Mike Nichols, 75 (born 06 November 1931)
German-born American director who won an Oscar for The Graduate.

P J Proby, 68 (born 06 November 1938)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Hold Me'.

James Bowman, 65 (born 06 November 1941)
English counter tenor known for singing many of the castrato roles in Handel's operas.

Sally Field, 60 (born 06 November 1946)
Actress - 'Smokey and the Bandit' 'Places in the Heart' 'Steel Magnolias'.

Glenn Frey, 58 (born 06 November 1948)
Member of Eagles - biggest UK hit 'Hotel California'.

Frankie Miller, 57 (born 06 November 1949)
Singer - biggest UK hit 'Darlin'.

Nigel Havers, 57 (born 06 November 1949)
Actor.

Brad Davies, 57 (born 06 November 1949)
(Died 1991) Actor 'Midnight Express'.

Lori Singer, 44 (born 06 November 1962)
Actress 'Fame' 'VR5'.

Ethan Hawke, 36 (born 06 November 1970)
Actor 'Dead Poet's Society'.

10 things we didn't know last week

1. John Prescott's now defunct Office of the Deputy Prime Minister spent £5,095 over the past four years on branded pens, carrier bags and note pads for exhibitions and events.