| Sunday, October 4, 2009 |
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| Sputnik |
Answer of the DayWhich country was the first into outer space? The USSR launched its appropriately-named Sputnik — meaning "fellow traveler" — fifty-two years ago today. The world's first artificial satellite was unmanned, weighed 183 lbs. (83 kg.) and circled the globe every 96 minutes. Sputnik only reentered the earth's atmosphere in early 1958, burning up on the descent. The US lost the next round of the space race when Russia succeeded in putting the first human into space: Yuri Gagarin spent about 90 minutes aloft on April 12, 1961. On May 5, 1961, the US launched Freedom 7 with Alan Shepard aboard. Today also marks the start of UN-sponsored World Space Week, celebrated October 4-10. It commemorates the launch of the Sputnik on October 4, 1957 and the adoption of the Outer Space Treaty, on October 10, 1967.
Quote"It's human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice, really; it's an imperative."
Word of the daygrotty
adj. Chiefly British Slang
Very unpleasant; miserable.
George Bernard Shaw pithily observed, "England and America are two countries separated by a common language." For the next fortnight, we'll examine words that are current in the UK but may be unfamiliar to the average American.
Today's History
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| Pope Paul VI |
- Gregorian calendar: was proclaimed by Pope Gregory XIII; this date, October 4, was followed immediately by October 15 in Spain, Portugal, Poland and most of Italy (1582)
- US Open golf tournament: was played for the first time; the $150 prize was won by Horace Rawlins (1895)
- Pope Paul VI: became the first pontiff to visit the US when he addressed the UN General Assembly in New York (1965)
Today's Birthdays
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| Anne Rice |
- Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893): 19th US president; other world leaders born on this date include Louis X (1289-1316) and Charles IX (1550-1611)
- Frederic Remington (1861-1909): painter of the Wild West
- Anne Rice (68): author of Interview With The Vampire; writers Damon Runyan (1884-1946) and Lee Blessing (60) were also born on this date
- Liev Schreiber (42): stage and screen actor, Defiance, Taking Woodstock; also, actors Buster Keaton (1895-1966), Charlton Heston (1924-2008), Felicia Farr (77), Clifton Davis (64), Susan Sarandon (63), Armand Assante (60), Alan Rosenberg (59), Abraham Benrubi (40), Alicia Silverstone (33) and Rachael Leigh Cook (30)
