Today is Saturday, Oct. 17, the 291st day of 2020. There are 75 days left in the year.
Today in history
On Oct. 17, 1933, Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany.
Also on this date:
In 1777, British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, N.Y., in a turning point of the Revolutionary War.
In 1814, the London Beer Flood inundated the St. Giles district of the British capital as vats of beer ruptured, sending more than 320,000 gallons of liquid into the streets; as many as nine people were reported killed.
In 1931, mobster Al Capone was convicted in Chicago of income tax evasion. (Sentenced to 11 years in prison, Capone was released in 1939.)
In 1939, Frank Capra’s comedy-drama “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” starring James Stewart as an idealistic junior U.S. senator, had its premiere in the nation’s capital.
In 1967, Puyi, the last emperor of China, died in Beijing at age 61.
In 1973, Arab oil-producing nations announced they would begin cutting back oil exports to Western nations and Japan; the result was a total embargo that lasted until March 1974.
In 1979, Mother Teresa of India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1989, an earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude struck northern California, killing 63 people and causing $6 billion worth of damage.
Fun fact
An ant’s sense of smell is stronger than a dogs.
They eat what?!
Fried tarantula, a favorite in Cambodia, is an eight-legged bite-sized snack that can be eaten whole or without the legs.
Trending words
“Pecuniary:” adjective; (pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee). Definition: Of or relating to money.
Today’s birthdays
Actor Marsha Hunt is 103. Singer Jim Seals (Seals & Crofts) is 78. Singer Gary Puckett is 78. Actor Michael McKean is 73. Actor George Wendt is 72. Actor-singer Bill Hudson is 71. Astronaut Mae Jemison is 64. Country singer Alan Jackson is 62. Movie critic Richard Roeper is 61. Movie director Rob Marshall is 60. Actor Grant Shaud is 60. Animator Mike Judge is 58. Rock singer-musician Fred LeBlanc (Cowboy Mouth) is 57. Actor-comedian Norm Macdonald is 57. Singer Rene’ Dif is 53. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 52. Actor Wood Harris is 51. Singer Wyclef Jean is 51. World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els is 51. Singer Chris Kirkpatrick (‘N Sync) is 49. Rapper Eminem is 48. Actor Sharon Leal is 48. Actor Matthew Macfadyen is 46. Rock musician Sergio Andrade is 43. Actor Felicity Jones is 37. Actor Chris Lowell is 36. Actor Dee Jay Daniels is 32.
The Edge is compiled by Dallas Marshall. She can be contacted at dmarshall@lmtribune.com.
