I can’t even with all these national days today. Come on!
Let’s get on to Today’s History…
In Government…
In 1864, Nevada was admitted as the 36th state of the Union. Maybe Nevada is so freaky because its birthday is Halloween. In other spooky stuff, in 1956, Rear Admiral GJ Dufek became the first American to land an airplane at the South Pole. What do you think is really down there, and is it a portal to another dimension?
Speaking of CIA coverups, in 1959 Lee Harvey Oswald announced from Moscow that he would never return to the USA. Four years later, in 1963, J. Edgar Hoover held his last meeting with President John F. Kennedy. Happy Halloween, spooks!
In Banker War history, in 1968 President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an end to American bombing in North Vietnam. Decades later in 1991, Palestinians attended US mideast peace talks in Madrid – so that’s going well. In 1998, the Iraq disarmament crisis began, when Iraq announced it would no longer cooperate with UN weapons inspectors. Money well spent, right everyone?
Finally in US history, in 2019, the US House of Representatives voted to formalize their first impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Adam Schiff would make a good Halloween costume – or you could just go with Jimmy Savile, the Crown Protected Pedo, who was born on this day in 1927. Same difference.
In World History…
1926: Failed assassination attempt on Benito Mussolini
1940: Deadline for Warsaw Jews to move into the Warsaw Ghetto
1956: Britain and France join Israel in Egypt; bomb Egypt to reopen Suez Canal
1984: Indria Gandhi assassinated by two of her bodyguards. Succeeded by her son.
In Culture…
In 1756, Giacomo Casanova escaped from prison in Venice on this day. The name Casanova is synonymous with “lover boy,” but it’s also misogynistic and homophobic, allegedly. Times sure have changed since the 18th Century. In 90 years, we went from exceptional lovers to eating people in the snow when, in 1846 on this day the Donner Party, unable to cross the Donner Pass, constructed their infamous winter camp.
Wait, the Donner Party happened at Halloween? What, I mean who, are we missing these days? Fun fact, on the same day in 1988, Cleveland hit their lowest temperature ever recorded at 19°F, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in October.
For all you mud flooders, on this day in 1889, the Exposition Universelle – the World's Fair in Paris – closed after receiving 32 million visitors. Check out the architecture… almost looks like a machine. What’s with the World’s Fairs anyway?
Fast forwarding to 1941, after nearly 15 years of work, Mount Rushmore was completed in the Black Hills of South Dakota ; the colossal sculpture features the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Speaking of South Dakota, this would be a fun drive on Halloween. And by fun, I mean not even remotely something I would do.
In media and entertainment, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was released on this day in 1962. The film came later in the careers for both Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and I’ve seen it with my mother in law at least 10 times. It’s twisted.
October 31 brings out the crazy and, in 1970, Jim Morrison was sentenced for indecent exposure and open profanity. He received six months in jail and a $500 fine, though was not detained pending a $50,000 bond appeal. Then 23 years later in 1993, Tupac was charged with aggravated assault.
Oh, this is fun symmetry. In 1996, Elizabeth Taylor got divorced. For the 8th time. And in 2011, Kim Kardashian divorced Kris Humphries after 72 days of marriage. They cited irreconcilable differences.
Because it’s Halloween, in 2003 Bethany Hamilton had her arm bitten off by a shark while surfing in Hawaii. She was 13, and she has a very powerful story. Less inspiring: In 2010 the "The Walking Dead" premiered.
In Financial History:
2002: Enron’s Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts
2003: Bankruptcy court clears MCI to exit bankruptcy
2008: Satoshi Nakamoto Publishes Bitcoin Whitepaper
2011: Population reaches 7 billion according to the UN
In Religious History:
445 BC: Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem
1517: Luther's Ninety-five Theses posted
2018: Pakistani Supreme Court acquits Christian woman in landmark case
Today’s Birthdays…
1860: Juliette Gordon Low (Founded Girlscouts)
1931: Dan Rather (Talking Head)
1950: John Candy (Comedian/Actor)
1960: Raza Pahlavi (Exiled Crown Prince Iran)
1961: Peter Jackson (Director)
1963: Rob Schneider (Comedian/Actor)
1966: Adam Horowitz aka Ad-Rock (Rapper)
1967: Vanilla Ice (Rapper)
Deaths Today…
1879: Joseph Hooker (Yes they are named for him)
1926: Harry Houdini (Magician)
1987: Joseph Cambell (Author)
1993: Federico Fellini (Film Director)
1993: River Phoenix (Actor)
2020: Sean Connery (Alpha Male & Actor)
On This Day is published Monday through Friday. Watch the Today’s History podcast weekdays at 12PM ET! Don’t forget to visit bootlegproducts.com and use coupon code MYAMERICA!