Thursday, June 30, 2005

Spotlight
Charles Blondin, aka Jean Francois Gravelet, crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope on this date in 1859. Some 5,000 spectators watched as the man known as "The Little Wonder" made the 1100 ft/335 m walk, 160 ft/49 m above the water. Blondin repeated the feat several more times, simultaneously performing other stunts, e.g., walking on stilts, blindfolded, and stopping midway to sit on the tightrope and prepare and eat an omelet.

Quote
"Life is always a tightrope or a feather bed. Give me the tightrope." – Edith Wharton

Word of the day
temerarious: brash, marked by reckless boldness; many think it took temerity for Blondin to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope even once. (© )

Today's News

• Freedom Tower: new design for World Trade Center tower unveiled (story)
• vitamin C and the common cold: revisiting Linus Pauling (story)
• Avril Lavigne: engaged to Sum 41 lead singer Deryck Whibley (story)

Today's History

• William Howard Taft: was appointed chief justice of the US after having been president (1921)
• Gone With the Wind: novel by Margaret Mitchell set during the US Civil War was published (1936)
• Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers: the Vietnam War unknown was identified as Michael J. Blassie, a USAF pilot (1998)

Today's Birthdays

• Mike Tyson: heavyweight boxing champ (39)
• Fantasia Barrino: 2004's American Idol (21)
• Michael Phelps: swimmer who won 8 medals at the 2004 Olympics (20)