[edit]

• 800 – Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican.
• 1420 – Henry V of England enters Paris.
• 1577 – Francis Walsingham is knighted.
• 1640 – End of the Iberian Union: Portugal acclaims as King João IV of Portugal, ending 60 years of personal union of the crowns of Portugal and Spain and the end of the rule of the Philippine Dynasty.
• 1768 – The former slave ship Fredensborg sinks off Tromøy in Norway.
• 1822 – Peter I is crowned Emperor of Brazil.
• 1824 – United States presidential election, 1824: Since no candidate received a majority of the total electoral college votes in the election, the United States House of Representatives is given the task of deciding the winner in accordance with the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
• 1826 – French philhellene Charles Nicolas Fabvier forces his way through the Turkish cordon and ascends the Acropolis of Athens, which had been under siege.
• 1828 – Argentine general Juan Lavalle makes a coup against governor Manuel Dorrego, beginning the Decembrist revolution.
• 1834 – Slavery is abolished in the Cape Colony in accordance with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.
• 1862 – In his State of the Union Address President Abraham Lincoln reaffirms the necessity of ending slavery as ordered ten weeks earlier in the Emancipation Proclamation.
• 1864 – Great Fire of Brisbane
• 1865 – Shaw University, the first historically black university in the southern United States, is founded in Raleigh, North Carolina.
• 1885 – First serving of the soft drink Dr Pepper at a drug store in Waco, Texas.
• 1913 – The Buenos Aires Metro, the first underground railway system in the Southern Hemisphere and in Latin America, begins operation.
• 1913 – The Ford Motor Company introduces the first moving assembly line.
• 1913 – Crete, having obtained self rule from Turkey after the First Balkan War, is annexed by Greece.
• 1918 – Transylvania unites with the Kingdom of Romania, following the incorporation of Bessarabia (March 27) and Bukovina (November 28), thus concluding the Great Union.
• 1918 – The Kingdom of Iceland becomes a sovereign state, yet remains a part of the Danish kingdom.
• 1918 – The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is proclaimed.
• 1919 – Lady Astor becomes the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. (She had been elected to that position on November 28.)
• 1919 – The first issue of Diário de Noite is published from Goa.
• 1934 – In the Soviet Union, Politburo member Sergey Kirov is shot dead by Leonid Nikolaev at the Communist Party headquarters in Leningrad.
• 1941 – World War II: Emperor Hirohito of Japan gives the final approval to initiate war against the United States.
• 1941 – World War II: Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, signs Administrative Order 9, creating the Civil Air Patrol.
• 1948 – Taman Shud Case: The body of an unidentified man is found in Adelaide, Australia, involving an undetectable poison and a secret code in a very rare book; the case remains unsolved and is "one of Australia's most profound mysteries."
• 1952 – The New York Daily News reports the news of Christine Jorgensen, the first notable case of sexual reassignment surgery.
• 1955 – American Civil Rights Movement: In Montgomery, Alabama, seamstress Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man and is arrested for violating the city's racial segregation laws, an incident which leads to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• 1958 – The Central African Republic attains self-rule within the French Union.
• 1958 – The Our Lady of the Angels School fire in Chicago kills 92 children and three nuns.
• 1959 – Cold War: Opening date for signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity on the continent.
• 1960 – Paul McCartney and Pete Best are arrested (and later deported) from Hamburg, Germany, after accusations of attempted arson.
• 1963 – Nagaland becomes the 16th state of India.
• 1964 – Vietnam War: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and his top-ranking advisers meet to discuss plans to bomb North Vietnam.
• 1964 – Malawi, Malta and Zambia join the United Nations.
• 1965 – India's Border Security Force is established.
• 1966 – The first Gävle goat, an annual Swedish Yule Goat tradition, is erected in Gävle.
• 1969 – Vietnam War: The first draft lottery in the United States is held since World War II.
• 1971 – Cambodian Civil War: Khmer Rouge rebels intensify assaults on Cambodian government positions, forcing their retreat from Kompong Thmar and nearby Ba Ray.
• 1973 – Papua New Guinea gains self-governance from Australia.
• 1974 – TWA Flight 514, a Boeing 727, crashes northwest of Dulles International Airport, killing all 92 people on board.
• 1974 – Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, another Boeing 727, crashes northwest of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
• 1976 – Angola joins the United Nations.
• 1981 – Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, crashes in Corsica, killing all 180 people on board.
• 1984 – NASA conducts the Controlled Impact Demonstration, wherein an airliner is deliberately crashed in order to test technologies and gather data to help improve survivability of crashes.
• 1988 – Benazir Bhutto is appointed Prime Minister of Pakistan.
• 1989 – Philippine coup attempt: The right-wing military rebel Reform the Armed Forces Movement attempts to oust Philippine President Corazon Aquino in a failed bloody coup d'état.
• 1989 – Cold War: East Germany's parliament abolishes the constitutional provision granting the Communist Party the leading role in the state.
• 1990 – Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and France meet 40 metres beneath the seabed.
• 1991 – Cold War: Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly approve a referendum for independence from the Soviet Union.
• 1997 – In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacked the CPI(ML) Party Unity stronghold Lakshmanpur-Bathe, killing 63 lower caste people.
• 2001 – Captain Bill Compton brings Trans World Airlines Flight 220, an MD-83, into St. Louis International Airport bringing to an end 76 years of TWA operations following TWA's purchase by American Airlines.
• 2009 – The Treaty of Lisbon, which amends the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, which together comprise the constitutional basis of European Union, comes into effect.
• 2013 – China launches Yutu or Jade Rabbit, its first lunar rover, as part of the Chang'e 3 lunar exploration mission.
• 2013 – A derailment of a Metro-North Railroad train near Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, New York City kills four and injures 61.

Births[edit]

• 1081 – Louis VI of France (d. 1137)
• 1083 – Anna Komnene, Byzantine physician and scholar (d. 1153)
• 1521 – Takeda Shingen, Japanese daimyo (d. 1573)
• 1525 – Tadeáš Hájek, Czech physician and astronomer (d. 1600)
• 1580 – Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, French astronomer and historian (d. 1637)
• 1690 – Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, English lawyer and politician, Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom (d. 1764)
• 1709 – Franz Xaver Richter, Czech singer-songwriter, violinist, and conductor (d. 1789)
• 1716 – Étienne Maurice Falconet, French sculptor (d. 1791)
• 1743 – Martin Heinrich Klaproth, German chemist and academic (d. 1817)
• 1761 – Marie Tussaud, French sculptor, founded Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (d. 1850)
• 1792 – Nikolai Lobachevsky, Russian mathematician and geometer (d. 1856)
• 1844 – Alexandra of Denmark (d. 1925)
• 1846 – Ledi Sayadaw, Burmese monk and philosopher (d. 1923)
• 1847 – Julia A. Moore, American poet (d. 1920)
• 1869 – Eligiusz Niewiadomski, Polish painter and critic, assassin of Gabriel Narutowicz (d. 1923)
• 1883 – Henry Cadbury, American historian, scholar, and academic (d. 1974)
• 1884 – Torben Meyer, Danish actor (d. 1975)
• 1884 – Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, German painter (d. 1976)
• 1886 – Rex Stout, American author (d. 1975)
• 1895 – Henry Williamson, English farmer, soldier, and author (d. 1977)
• 1896 – Georgy Zhukov, Russian general and politician, 2nd Minister of Defence for the Soviet Union (d. 1974)
• 1897 – Cyril Ritchard, Australian-American actor and singer (d. 1977)
• 1898 – Stuart Garson, Canadian lawyer and politician, 12th Premier of Manitoba (d. 1977)
• 1901 – Ilona Fehér, Hungarian-Israeli violinist and educator (d. 1988)
• 1902 – Rudolf Loo, Estonian wrestler (d. 1983)
• 1905 – Alex Wilson, Canadian sprinter and coach (d. 1994)
• 1909 – Hans-Heinrich Sievert, German decathlete (d. 1963)
• 1910 – Alicia Markova, English ballerina and choreographer (d. 2004)
• 1911 – Walter Alston, American baseball player and manager (d. 1984)
• 1911 – Calvin Griffith, Canadian-American businessman (d. 1999)
• 1912 – Minoru Yamasaki, American architect, designed the World Trade Center (d. 1986)
• 1913 – Mary Martin, American actress and singer (d. 1990)
• 1916 – Wan Li, Chinese politician, 4th Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China (d. 2015)
• 1917 – Thomas Hayward, American tenor and actor (d. 1995)
• 1917 – Marty Marion, American baseball player and manager (d. 2011)
• 1920 – Peter Baptist Tadamaro Ishigami, Japanese priest, 1st Bishop of Naha (d. 2014)
• 1921 – Vernon McGarity, American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2013)
• 1922 – Vsevolod Bobrov, Russian ice hockey player, footballer, and manager (d. 1979)
• 1922 – Paul Picerni, American actor (d. 2011)
• 1923 – Morris, Belgian cartoonist (d. 2001)
• 1923 – William F. House, American otologist and physician (d. 2012)
• 1923 – Dick Shawn, American actor and singer (d. 1987)
• 1923 – Stansfield Turner, American admiral and academic, 12th Director of Central Intelligence
• 1924 – Masao Horiba, Japanese businessman, founded Horiba (d. 2015)
• 1925 – Martin Rodbell, American biochemist and endocrinologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
• 1926 – Mother Antonia, American-Mexican nun and activist (d. 2013)
• 1926 – Allyn Ann McLerie, Canadian-American actress, singer, and dancer
• 1926 – Keith Michell, Australian actor (d. 2015)
• 1926 – Robert Symonds, American actor (d. 2007)
• 1926 – Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, Scottish businessman (d. 2010)
• 1927 – Micheline Bernardini, French dancer and model
• 1928 – Emily McLaughlin, American actress (d. 1991)
• 1928 – Malachi Throne, American actor (d. 2013)
• 1929 – David Doyle, American actor (d. 1997)
• 1930 – Marie Bashir, Australian psychiatrist, academic, and politician, 37th Governor of New South Wales
• 1930 – Rhea Chiles, American philanthropist, founded the Polk Museum of Art (d. 2015)
• 1930 – Joachim Hoffmann, German historian and author (d. 2002)
• 1930 – Matt Monro, English singer (d. 1985)
• 1931 – Jimmy Lyons, American saxophonist (d. 1986)
• 1931 – Jim Nesbitt, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
• 1933 – Lou Rawls, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (d. 2006)
• 1933 – Curro Romero, Spanish bullfighter
• 1934 – Billy Paul, American singer
• 1935 – Woody Allen, American actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1936 – Igor Rodionov, Russian general and politician, 3rd Russian Minister of Defence (d. 2014)
• 1937 – Muriel Costa-Greenspon, American soprano and actress (d. 2005)
• 1937 – Gordon Crosse, English composer and academic
• 1937 – Chuck Low, American actor
• 1937 – Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Latvian psychologist and politician, 6th President of Latvia
• 1938 – Sandy Nelson, American drummer
• 1939 – Lee Trevino, American golfer
• 1940 – Mike Denness, Scottish-English cricketer and referee (d. 2013)
• 1940 – Richard Pryor, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2005)
• 1940 – Tasso Wild, German footballer
• 1942 – Mohamed Kamel Amr, Egyptian diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Egypt
• 1942 – John Crowley, American author and academic
• 1943 – Kenny Moore, American runner and journalist
• 1944 – Pierre Arditi, French actor
• 1944 – Eric Bloom, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Blue Öyster Cult)
• 1944 – John Densmore, American drummer and songwriter (The Doors and the Butts Band)
• 1944 – Michael Hagee, American general
• 1944 – Tahar Ben Jelloun, Moroccan author and poet
• 1944 – Werner Scholz, German footballer
• 1945 – Bette Midler, American singer-songwriter, actress and producer
• 1946 – Jonathan Katz, American comedian and actor
• 1946 – Kemal Kurspahić, Bosnian journalist and author
• 1946 – Gilbert O'Sullivan, Irish singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1947 – Alain Bashung, French singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2009)
• 1947 – Elizabeth Baur, American actress
• 1947 – Bob Fulton, English-Australian rugby player, coach, and sportscaster
• 1947 – Jinpachi Nezu, Japanese actor
• 1948 – George Foster, American baseball player and radio host
• 1948 – Sarfraz Nawaz, Pakistani cricketer and politician
• 1948 – John Roskelley, American mountaineer and author
• 1948 – Neil Warnock, English footballer and manager
• 1948 – N. T. Wright, English bishop and scholar
• 1948 – Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Nigerian politician, Governor of Kaduna State (d. 2012)
• 1949 – Colleen Brennan, American porn actress
• 1949 – Jan Brett, American author and illustrator
• 1949 – Pablo Escobar, Colombian drug lord (d. 1993)
• 1949 – Jake Hartford, American radio host (d. 2013)
• 1949 – Sebastián Piñera, Chilean businessman and politician, 35th President of Chile
• 1950 – Manju Bansal, Indian biologist and academic
• 1950 – Gary Panter, American illustrator and painter
• 1950 – Filippos Petsalnikos, Greek lawyer and politician
• 1950 – Richard Keith, American actor and drummer (David and the Giants)
• 1951 – Obba Babatundé, American actor, director, and producer
• 1951 – Albert Ho, Hong Kong lawyer and politician
• 1951 – Jaco Pastorius, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (Weather Report, Trio of Doom, and Blood, Sweat & Tears) (d. 1987)
• 1951 – Treat Williams, American actor and author
• 1952 – Stephen Poliakoff, English director, producer, and playwright
• 1954 – Viv Albertine, British singer and songwriter
• 1954 – Bob Goen, American television host
• 1954 – Judith Hackitt, English chemist and engineer
• 1954 – Annette Haven, American porn actress
• 1954 – François Van der Elst, Belgian footballer
• 1955 – Veikko Aaltonen, Finnish filmmaker
• 1955 – Verónica Forqué, Spanish actress
• 1955 – Pat Spillane, Irish footballer and sportscaster
• 1955 – Mark Thompson, American radio host and actor
• 1955 – Karen Tumulty, American journalist
• 1956 – Julee Cruise, American singer-songwriter and actress
• 1957 – Chris Poland, American guitarist and songwriter (Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Damn the Machine, and OHM)
• 1957 – Vesta Williams, American singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2011)
• 1958 – Javier Aguirre, Mexican footballer and manager
• 1958 – Candace Bushnell, American journalist and author
• 1958 – Alberto Cova, Italian runner
• 1958 – Lisa Fischer, American singer-songwriter
• 1958 – Gary Peters, American lieutenant and politician
• 1958 – Charlene Tilton, American actress
• 1959 – Billy Childish, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter (The Medway Poets, Thee Mighty Caesars, and Thee Headcoats)
• 1959 – Wally Lewis, Australian rugby player and coach
• 1960 – Carol Alt, American model
• 1960 – Shirin M. Rai, Indian political scientist
• 1960 – Jane Turner, Australian actress, producer, and screenwriter
• 1961 – Safra A. Catz, Israeli-American businesswoman
• 1961 – Raymond E. Goldstein, American academic and educator
• 1961 – Lynn LeMay, American porn actress
• 1961 – Armin Meiwes, German cannibal and murderer
• 1961 – Jeremy Northam, English actor and singer
• 1962 – Sylvie Daigle, Canadian speed skater
• 1962 – Sayoko Hagiwara, Japanese actress
• 1962 – Pamela McGee, American basketball player and coach
• 1963 – Marco Greco, Brazilian race car driver
• 1963 – Nathalie Lambert, Canadian speed skater
• 1963 – Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lankan cricketer and politician
• 1964 – Salvatore Schillaci, Italian footballer
• 1964 – Jo Walton, Welsh-Canadian author and poet
• 1966 – Andrew Adamson, New Zealand director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1966 – Katherine LaNasa, American actress, dancer, and choreographer
• 1966 – Ali Mosaffa, Iranian actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1966 – Larry Walker, Canadian baseball player and coach
• 1967 – Nestor Carbonell, American actor
• 1967 – Reggie Sanders, American baseball player
• 1968 – Justin Chadwick, English actor and director
• 1968 – Anders Holmertz, Swedish swimmer
• 1969 – Richard Carrier, American author and blogger
• 1970 – Jouko Ahola, Finnish strongman and actor
• 1970 – Golden Brooks, American actress
• 1970 – Julie Condra, American actress
• 1970 – Jonathan Coulton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1970 – Lembit Rajala, Estonian footballer
• 1970 – Kirk Rueter, American baseball player
• 1970 – Sarah Silverman, American stand-up comedian, writer, actress and singer
• 1970 – Tisha Waller, American high jumper
• 1971 – Trinity, American wrestler and stuntwoman
• 1971 – Emily Mortimer, English actress and screenwriter
• 1971 – Melanie Peres, German-Israeli model, actress, and singer
• 1971 – Christian Pescatori, Italian race car driver
• 1971 – Mika Pohjola, Finnish-American pianist and composer
• 1971 – John Schlimm, American author and educator
• 1971 – Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee, Mongolian wrestler and mixed martial artist
• 1971 – Peter Van de Veire, Belgian radio host
• 1972 – Bart Millard, American singer-songwriter (MercyMe)
• 1973 – Steve Gibb, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Black Label Society and Crowbar)
• 1973 – Jon Theodore, American drummer (One Day as a Lion, The Mars Volta, and Golden)
• 1974 – Costinha, Portuguese footballer and manager
• 1975 – Matt Fraction, American author
• 1975 – Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, American keyboard player and producer (The Mars Volta, De Facto, and Free Moral Agents) (d. 2014)
• 1975 – Thomas Schie, Norwegian race car driver
• 1975 – Sophia Skou, Danish swimmer
• 1976 – Tomasz Adamek, Polish boxer
• 1976 – Laura Ling, American journalist
• 1976 – Dean O'Gorman, New Zealand actor and photographer
• 1976 – Matthew Shepard, American murder victim (d. 1998)
• 1976 – Evangelos Sklavos, Greek basketball player
• 1977 – Brad Delson, American guitarist and producer (Linkin Park)
• 1977 – Jared Fogle, American spokesman
• 1977 – Lee McKenzie, Scottish journalist
• 1977 – Akiva Schaffer, American actor, rapper, director, producer, and screenwriter (The Lonely Island)
• 1977 – Nate Torrence, American actor
• 1978 – Mat Kearney, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1979 – Angelique Bates, American actress
• 1979 – Ryan Malone, American ice hockey player
• 1979 – Stephanie Brown Trafton, American discus thrower
• 1980 – Mohammad Kaif, Indian cricketer
• 1980 – Roger Peterson, Aruban-Dutch singer-songwriter (Intwine)
• 1980 – Mubarak Hassan Shami, Kenyan-Qatari runner
• 1981 – Park Hyo-shin, South Korean singer-songwriter
• 1981 – Luke McPharlin, Australian footballer
• 1981 – I Made Wirawan, Indonesian footballer
• 1982 – Riz Ahmed, English actor and rapper
• 1982 – Lloyd Doyley, English footballer
• 1982 – Christos Kalantzis, Greek footballer
• 1982 – Christos Melissis, Greek footballer
• 1985 – John Coughlin, American figure skater
• 1985 – Philip DeFranco, American video blogger
• 1985 – Janelle Monáe, American singer-songwriter and producer
• 1985 – Chanel Preston, American porn actress
• 1985 – Emiliano Viviano, Italian footballer
• 1986 – DeSean Jackson, American football player
• 1987 – Simon Dawkins, English footballer
• 1987 – Tabarie Henry, Virgin Islander sprinter
• 1987 – Vance Joy, Australian singer-songwriter
• 1987 – Brett Williams, English footballer
• 1988 – Zoë Kravitz, American actress and singer
• 1988 – Dan Mavraides, Greek-American basketball player
• 1988 – Presley Hart, American porn actress
• 1988 – Yim Si-wan, South Korean actor and singer
• 1989 – Sotelúm, Mexican trumpet player, composer, and producer
• 1990 – Chanel Iman, American model
• 1990 – Tomáš Tatar, Slovak ice hockey player
• 1991 – Hilda Melander, Swedish tennis player
• 1992 – Masahudu Alhassan, Ghanaian footballer
• 1992 – Linos Chrysikopoulos, Greek basketball player
• 1992 – Marco van Ginkel, Dutch footballer
• 1993 – Reena Pärnat, Estonian archer
• 1994 – Seedy Njie, English footballer
• 1995 – Eva Boto, Slovenian singer
• 1995 – Agnė Čepelytė, Lithuanian tennis player
• 1995 – James Wilson, English footballer
• 2001 – Aiko, Princess Toshi of Japan
• 2003 – Jackson Nicoll, American actor

Deaths[edit]

• 1135 – Henry I of England (b. 1068)
• 1241 – Isabella of England (b. 1214)
• 1433 – Emperor Go-Komatsu of Japan (b. 1377)
• 1455 – Lorenzo Ghiberti, Italian sculptor (b. 1378)
• 1521 – Pope Leo X (b. 1475)
• 1530 – Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy (b. 1480)
• 1580 – Giovanni Morone, Italian cardinal (b. 1509)
• 1581 – Alexander Briant, English martyr and saint (b. 1556)
• 1581 – Edmund Campion, English priest, martyr, and saint (b. 1540)
• 1581 – Ralph Sherwin, English martyr and saint (b. 1550)
• 1602 – Kobayakawa Hideaki, Japanese daimyo (b. 1582)
• 1633 – Isabella Clara Eugenia, Spanish wife of Albert VII, Archduke of Austria (b. 1566)
• 1640 – Miguel de Vasconcelos, Portuguese politician, Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1590)
• 1660 – Pierre d'Hozier, French genealogist and historian (b. 1592)
• 1709 – Abraham a Sancta Clara, Austrian monk (b. 1644)
• 1723 – Susanna Centlivre, English actress and playwright (b. 1667)
• 1729 – Giacomo F. Maraldi, French-Italian astronomer and mathematician (b. 1665)
• 1750 – Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr, German mathematician, astronomer, and cartographer (b. 1671)
• 1755 – Maurice Greene, English organist and composer (b. 1696)
• 1767 – Henry Erskine, 10th Earl of Buchan, Scottish politician (b. 1710)
• 1825 – Alexander I of Russia (b. 1777)
• 1865 – Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Swiss pastor, poet, and educator (b. 1796)
• 1866 – George Everest, Welsh geographer and surveyor (b. 1790)
• 1867 – Charles Gray Round, English barrister and politician (b. 1797)
• 1884 – William Swainson, English-New Zealand lawyer and politician, Attorney-General of the Crown Colony of New Zealand (b. 1809)
• 1913 – Juhan Liiv, Estonian poet and author (b. 1864)
• 1914 – Alfred Thayer Mahan, American captain and historian (b. 1840)
• 1916 – Charles de Foucauld, French priest and martyr (b. 1858)
• 1917 – John January, American soccer player (b. 1882)
• 1923 – Virginie Loveling, Belgian author and poet (b. 1836)
• 1928 – José Eustasio Rivera, Colombian-American lawyer and poet (b. 1888)
• 1933 – Pekka Halonen, Finnish painter (b. 1865)
• 1934 – Sergey Kirov, Russian politician (b. 1886)
• 1935 – Bernhard Schmidt, Estonian-German optician, invented the Schmidt camera (b. 1879)
• 1943 – Damrong Rajanubhab, Thai historian and educator (b. 1862)
• 1947 – Aleister Crowley, English magician, poet, and mountaineer (b. 1875)
• 1947 – G. H. Hardy, English mathematician and theorist (b. 1877)
• 1950 – Ernest John Moeran, English pianist and composer (b. 1894)
• 1954 – Fred Rose, American pianist, composer, and publisher (b. 1898)
• 1964 – J. B. S. Haldane, English-Indian geneticist and biologist (b. 1892)
• 1964 – Charilaos Vasilakos, Greek runner (b. 1877)
• 1968 – Nicolae Bretan, Romanian opera singer, composer, and conductor (b. 1887)
• 1968 – Darío Moreno, Turkish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (b. 1921)
• 1969 – Magic Sam, American singer and guitarist (b. 1937)
• 1972 – Andreas Tzimas, Greek communist politician and Resistance leader (b. 1909)
• 1973 – David Ben-Gurion, Polish-Israeli politician, 1st Prime Minister of Israel (b. 1886)
• 1975 – Nellie Fox, American baseball player and coach (b. 1927)
• 1975 – Ernesto Maserati, Italian automotive engineer and racer (b. 1898)
• 1975 – Anna Roosevelt Halsted, American journalist (b. 1906)
• 1981 – Russ Manning, American author and illustrator (b. 1929)
• 1984 – Roelof Frankot, Dutch painter and photographer (b. 1911)
• 1986 – Frank McCarthy, American general and film producer (b. 1912)
• 1987 – James Baldwin, American novelist, poet, and critic (b. 1924)
• 1987 – Punch Imlach, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (b. 1918)
• 1988 – J. Vernon McGee, American pastor and theologian (b. 1904)
• 1989 – Alvin Ailey, American dancer and choreographer (b. 1931)
• 1990 – Carla Lehmann, Canadian-English actress (b. 1917)
• 1991 – George Stigler, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1911)
• 1993 – Ray Gillen, American singer-songwriter (Badlands, Black Sabbath, Blue Murder, and Sun Red Sun) (b. 1959)
• 1995 – Hopper Levett, English cricketer (b. 1908)
• 1995 – Colin Tapley, New Zealand-English actor (b. 1907)
• 1995 – Maxwell R. Thurman, American general (b. 1931)
• 1996 – Peter Bronfman, Canadian businessman (b. 1928)
• 1997 – Michel Bélanger, Canadian banker and businessman (b. 1929)
• 1997 – Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist (Quintette du Hot Club de France) (b. 1908)
• 1997 – Endicott Peabody, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 62nd Governor of Massachusetts (b. 1920)
• 2001 – Ellis R. Dungan, American director and producer (b. 1909)
• 2002 – Edward L. Beach, Jr., American captain and author (b. 1918)
• 2002 – Dave McNally, American baseball player (b. 1942)
• 2003 – Clark Kerr, American economist and academic (b. 1911)
• 2003 – Eugenio Monti, Italian bobsledder (b. 1928)
• 2004 – Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (b. 1911)
• 2004 – Bill Brown, Scottish-Canadian footballer (b. 1931)
• 2005 – Gust Avrakotos, American CIA officer (b. 1938)
• 2005 – Mary Hayley Bell, Chinese-English actress and playwright (b. 1911)
• 2005 – Freeman V. Horner, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1922)
• 2006 – Claude Jade, French actress (b. 1948)
• 2006 – Bruce Trigger, Canadian archaeologist, anthropologist, and historian (b. 1937)
• 2007 – Ken McGregor, Australian tennis player and footballer (b. 1929)
• 2007 – Anton Rodgers, English actor and director (b. 1933)
• 2008 – Paul Benedict, American actor (b. 1938)
• 2008 – Mikel Laboa, Spanish singer-songwriter (b. 1934)
• 2008 – Joseph B. Wirthlin, American businessman and religious leader (b. 1917)
• 2009 – Gustavo Adolfo Palma, Guatemalan tenor and actor (b. 1920)
• 2010 – Adriaan Blaauw, Dutch astronomer and academic (b. 1914)
• 2010 – Hillard Elkins, American actor and producer (b. 1929)
• 2011 – Christa Wolf, German author and critic (b. 1929)
• 2012 – Jovan Belcher, American football player (b. 1987)
• 2012 – Arthur Chaskalson, South African lawyer and judge, 18th Chief Justice of South Africa (b. 1931)
• 2012 – Mitchell Cole, English footballer (b. 1985)
• 2012 – Rick Majerus, American basketball player and coach (b. 1948)
• 2012 – Ed Price, American pilot and politician (b. 1918)
• 2012 – Yoshinori Watanabe, Japanese mobster (b. 1941)
• 2013 – Richard Coughlan, English drummer (Caravan and The Wilde Flowers) (b. 1947)
• 2013 – Stirling Colgate, American physicist and academic (b. 1925)
• 2013 – Walter E. Ellis, American serial killer (b. 1960)
• 2013 – Edward Heffron, American soldier (b. 1923)
• 2013 – Martin Sharp, Australian cartoonist and songwriter (b. 1942)
• 2014 – Mario Abramovich, Argentinian violinist and composer (b. 1926)
• 2014 – Sita Murt, Spanish fashion designer (b. 1946)
• 2014 – Dimitrios Trichopoulos, Greek epidemiologist, oncologist, and academic (b. 1938)
• 2014 – Rocky Wood, New Zealand-Australian author (b. 1959)

10 Ερωτήσεις και απαντήσεις για τον Υπερσιβηρικό

Έχοντας επιστρέψει εδώ και ένα μήνα από το ταξίδι μου με τον Υπερσιβηρικό, και έχοντας λάβει πάραααα πολλά email & inbox στο Facebook (δεν υπερβάλλω), συνειδητοποίησα πως υπάρχει πολύς κόσμος εκεί έξω που ενδιαφέρεται για το συγκεκριμένο «ταξίδι-όνειρο», που το επεξεργάζεται και θέλει να το πραγματοποιήσει αλλά έχει αρκετά ερωτηματικά για τη διαδικασία αλλά και για το ίδιο το ταξίδι.

On my way to Beijing

Αποφάσισα λοιπόν να συγκεντρώσω μερικές από τις ερωτήσεις που έλαβα και να δώσω απαντήσεις ώστε να είναι πιο ξεκάθαρα τα πράγματα για όσους θέλουν αλλά δεν έχουν τολμήσει ακόμη να μπουν στον Υπερσιβηρικό. Επίσης  θα δημοσιεύσω μια σειρά από trans- Siberian tips και posts ώστε εσύ που με διαβάζεις αυτή τη στιγμή -γιατί πιθανό να ενδιαφέρεσαι γι'αυτό το ταξίδι-, να μην έχεις πλέον απορίες και ενδοιασμούς! Έτοιμος; Ανέβα και φύγαμε!

1. Από πού και πώς αγοράζω τα εισιτήρια μου για τον Υπερσιβηρικό;

Αρχικά πρέπει να διευκρινίσουμε το εξής. Το εισιτήριο για τον Υπερσιβηρικό δεν είναι ένα... αλλά πολλά, όσα δηλαδή και οι στάσεις οι οποίες θα αποφασίσεις να κάνεις. Επίσης ο Υπερσιβηρικός δεν είναι ένα τρένο αλλά πολλά. Υπάρχει ο Υπερσιβηρικός, ο Υπερμογγολικός και ο Trans- Manchurian (δεν ξέρω καν την ελληνική μετάφραση) και φυσικά το καθένα από αυτά τα τρένα έχει 2-3 άλλα που κάνουν την συγκεκριμένη διαδρομή.

Άρα, ο καλύτερος τρόπος να κλείσεις τα εισιτήριά σου είναι φτάνοντας στον κάθε σταθμό. Αυτό σημαίνει πως θα σου κοστίσει πολύ πιο φθηνά και φυσικά σου αφήνει ανοιχτό το ενδεχόμενο να μείνεις περισσότερες ή λιγότερες ημέρες σε κάποιο μέρος ανάλογα με το πόσο σου αρέσει ή όχι.

Φυσικά, μπορείς να κλείσεις τα εισιτήριά σου και online αλλά τα περισσότερα websites δεν έχουν αγγλικά ως επιλογή οπότε αν δε μιλάς Ρωσικά ή Κινέζικα, καλύτερα να μην το δοκιμάσεις. Υπάρχει βέβαια και μια τρίτη εναλλακτική, αυτή του online ταξιδιωτικού γραφείου και την οποία σου προτείνω αν σκέφτεσαι να ταξιδέψεις καλοκαίρι που ο τουρισμός είναι αυξημένος και η επιλογή να κλείσεις στο σταθμό το εισιτήριο είναι λίγο ριψοκίνδυνη. Γιατί; Γιατί μπορεί να μη βρεις διαθέσιμα κρεβάτια στο τρένο. Η συγκεκριμένη επιλογή λοιπόν είναι η εύκολη λύση, εσύ απλά λες τις στάσεις που θες να κάνεις και εκείνοι σου κλείνουν όλα τα εισιτήρια και σου τα δίνουν στο χέρι ή σου τα στέλνουν. Φυσικά, αυτό σημαίνει πως θα πληρώσεις κάτι περισσότερο από το να τα αγόραζες μόνος σου.

2. Πόσο κοστίζει το ταξίδι;

Εδώ πιστεύω πως καταλαβαίνεις ότι ακριβώς επειδή δεν υπάρχει ένα ενιαίο εισιτήριο δεν υπάρχει και συγκεκριμένη τιμή.

Μια διαδρομή για παράδειγμα μπορεί να σου κοστίσει μόλις 70 ευρώ ενώ αν διαλέξεις να κάνεις 4 στάσεις όπως εγώ, μπορεί να σου κοστίσει συνολικά σχεδόν 900 ευρώ.

Εδώ πρέπει να σου θυμίσω πως παίζει ρόλο και η επιλογή της θέσης που θα κάνεις. Θέλεις Α'θέση; Φυσικά θα πληρώσεις σχεδόν το διπλάσιο, θες Γ'θέση; θα πληρώσεις πολύ λιγότερο.

3. Σε ποια θέση πρέπει να ταξιδέψω;

Όπως σου έχω πει και σε παλιότερο post έχεις την επιλογή 3 διαφορετικών θέσεων.

Αν θες την ησυχία σου, καθαρό μπάνιο και privacy, τότε να επιλέξεις την πρώτη θέση.

Αν θες να έχεις έλεγχο της κατάστασης, να είσαι μεν πιο private αλλά να γνωρίσεις και άλλο κόσμο, τότε σου προτείνω τη δεύτερη θέση (αυτή που διάλεξα και εγώ).

Αν θες να γνωρίσεις κυρίως ντόπιους, δε σε νοιάζει ο θόρυβος, οι συζητήσεις και η πολυκοσμία και θεωρείς πως θες το ταξίδι σου να βγει όσο πιο low cost γίνεται, τότε να επιλέξεις την τρίτη θέση.

Εγώ διάλεξα τη δεύτερη θέση γιατί μου εξασφάλιζε λίγο περισσότερη ηρεμία (είναι διαφορετικό να είστε 50 άτομα και άλλο 4 σε μια κουκέτα) αλλά και λίγο περισσότερη ασφάλεια. Η πόρτα κλείνει και κλειδώνει τη νύχτα σε αντίθεση με την τρίτη θέση που... δεν υπάρχουν πόρτες.

4. Να ταξιδέψω μόνος/η μου ή με παρέα;

Η αλήθεια είναι πως αμφιταλαντεύτηκα και γω αρκετά στην αρχή! Έχοντας αποφασίσει πως ήθελα να μείνω σε κουκέτα με άλλα 3 άτομα, σκεφτόμουν πως θα ήταν ιδανικό να πάω με άλλους 3 φίλους. (Το θεωρώ ακόμη ιδανικό οπότε αν είστε 4 άτομα, να πάτε παρέα! Θα περάσετε σούπερ!)

Εγώ τελικά μετά από ένα «όχι» φίλης και ένα last minute «όχι» φίλου, είπα πως έπρεπε να πάω μόνη μου. Όχι γιατί δεν είχα άλλη εναλλακτική αλλά γιατί συνειδητοποίησα πως αυτό ήταν το ταξίδι ΜΟΥ. Ένα ταξίδι που ονειρευόμουν χρόνια και πως δεν έπρεπε να πείσω ή να περιμένω κανέναν να με ακολουθήσει.

Κάνοντας επίσης αυτό το ταξίδι μόνη μου, κατάλαβα πως οι πιθανότητες που είχα στο να γνωρίσω νέα πρόσωπα, ήταν πολύ περισσότερες γιατί πολύ απλά... ήμουν πολύ πιο διαθέσιμη να πιάσω κουβέντα με τους γύρω μου. Μη σου μιλήσω για τις στιγμές που είχα ανάγκη να κλειστώ στον εαυτό μου, να διαβάσω το βιβλίο μου ή απλά να χαζέψω τα τοπία από το παράθυρο. Δεν είχα κανέναν να με ρωτάει «μα τι έχεις;», «γιατί δε μιλάς;», «μου κρατάς μούτρα;».

Tiffany from Hong Kong, Bert & Max from Holland

5. Πόσο ασφαλές είναι το ταξίδι αυτό;

Θα στο πω μόνο με μία λέξη: Απόλυτα!

Ειλικρινά σου μιλάω, δεν ένιωσα ούτε μια στιγμή φόβο. Σίγουρα ήμουν τυχερή γιατί όλοι μου οι συνταξιδιώτες ήταν πολύ συμπαθητικά άτομα αλλά και γενικότερα, όλοι όσοι βρέθηκαν στο δρόμο μου ή καλύτερα στο βαγόνι μου, ήταν μια χαρά άτομα. Ρώσοι, Κινέζοι, Μογγόλοι αλλά και Γερμανοί, Μαλαισιανοί, Ολλανδοί και Αμερικάνοι ήταν πραγματικά φιλικοί και νορμάλ.

Καμία μαφία, κανένας κλέφτης, τίποτα από όσα μου είχαν πει συγγενείς με τρομοκρατημένο βλέμμα όταν τους ανακοίνωνα πως θα ταξιδέψω με τον Υπερσιβηρικό μόνη μου!

Απλά να έχεις πάντα τα μάτια σου ανοιχτά και όταν πέφτεις για ύπνο να φοράς μια money belt με τα λεφτά, τις κάρτες και το κινητό σου. Κατά τ'άλλα δεν έχεις τίποτα να φοβηθείς! Σου το υπογράφω!

Tiffany from Hong Kong and Hoze Lim from Malaysia

6. Χρειάζομαι ταξιδιωτική ασφάλιση;

Κάνοντας ένα τόσο μεγάλο ταξίδι (διασχίζεις το 1/3 του πλανήτη) και φτάνοντας σχεδόν στην άλλη άκρη του κόσμου, ακόμα και αν σου φαίνεται περιττό, προτείνω να έχεις ταξιδιωτική ασφάλιση.

Πίστεψέ με, δε θα σου συμβεί τίποτα, απλά είναι σημαντικό να ξέρεις πως για οτιδήποτε χρειαστείς θα μπορείς με μια κλήση να επικοινωνήσεις στη γλώσσα σου και να ζητήσεις βοήθεια. Είτε μιλάμε για μια χαμένη βαλίτσα είτε για μεταφράσεις εγγράφων, μεταφορά φαρμάκων, μεταφορά λόγω ατυχήματος και πολλά άλλα που είμαι σίγουρη πως δε θες να τα σκέφτεσαι αλλά καλό είναι να είσαι προνοητικός και να φροντίσεις ανάλογα.

Άσε που για να βγάλεις βίζα για  Ρωσία πρέπει να τους παρουσιάσεις συμβόλαιο ταξιδιωτικής ασφάλισης.

7. Πόσες και ποιες στάσεις να κάνω κατά τη διάρκεια του ταξιδιού;

Αυτή την ερώτηση την έχω απαντήσει και στον παρελθόν αλλά επειδή με ρωτήσατε αρκετοί, σας λέω και πάλι πως θα πρότεινα τα εξής: Θεωρώντας πως ξεκινάς από  Μόσχα θα σου πρότεινα η επόμενη στάση σου να είναι η Αικατερινούπολη, το Ίρκουτσκ, το Όμσκ, το Ουλάν Μπατόρ και φυσικά το Πεκίνο. Αν ξεκινάς από Πεκίνο, μη σταματήσεις  Μόσχα, να πας και Αγία Πετρούπολη!

8. Πόσες μέρες διαρκεί το συγκεκριμένο ταξίδι;

Εδώ πάλι ερχόμαστε στα καλά της πρώτης ερώτησης. Η απάντηση είναι: εξαρτάται. Εξαρτάται από τις ημέρες που έχεις στη διάθεσή σου αλλά και από το budget σου. Εγώ συνολικά είχα στη διάθεσή μου 15 ημέρες (χωρίς τις 2 ημέρες των πτήσεων) και θεωρώ πως θα ήθελα ακόμη 7 ημέρες. Συνολικά δηλαδή τρεις εβδομάδες.

Βέβαια αν το ξαναέκανα, θα φρόντιζα να έχω στη διάθεσή μου ένα μήνα ώστε να μείνω σε κάποια μέρη για περισσότερες ημέρες.

Αλλά είπαμε, εξαρτάται από τη διαδρομή, το χρόνο και τη διάθεση που έχεις!

9.Τι τρώνε στο τρένο;

Εδώ γελάμε! Noodles, noodle, noodles. Και στο λέει κάποια που δεν αγαπά το συγκεκριμένο φαγητό.

Το μυστικό είναι να ψωνίσεις από κάποιο μεγάλο super market της  Μόσχας ή του Πεκίνου ώστε να σου έρθουν πιο οικονομικά από το να αγοράσεις καλούδια από τα μικρά καταστήματα στους σταθμούς των τρένων.

Να πάρεις μπισκότα, ψωμί τόστ, μερέντα, μαρμελάδα, συσκευασμένα Noodles, πολλά μπουκάλια νερό, πατατάκια και γενικά ξηρά τροφή. Α ναι! Πάρε και τσάι και στιγμιαίο καφέ, το μόνο που παρέχεται δωρεάν στο τρένο, είναι το ζεστό νερό οπότε εκμεταλλεύσου το!

Φυσικά, όλα τα τρένα έχουν και εστιατόριο όπου μπορείς να φας και να πιεις ό,τι τραβάει η όρεξή σου, απλά είναι σχετικά ακριβά και φυσικά τα μενού είναι σχεδόν πάντα στη γλώσσα της χώρας στην οποία ταξιδεύεις! Ω ναι!

10. Ποια είναι η καλύτερη εποχή για να ταξιδέψω με τον Υπερσιβηρικό;

Αν θες να ταξιδέψεις ήρεμα και να μην έχεις πολύ κόσμο και κυρίως άλλους τουρίστες τριγύρω, τότε να πας Άνοιξη και συγκεκριμένα Απρίλιο, η θερμοκρασία είναι ιδανική.

Αν πάλι θες να ταξιδέψεις με σκοπό να έρθεις σε επαφή με πολύ κόσμο, τότε σίγουρα να πας καλοκαίρι αν και έχω να σου πω πως λόγω των υψηλών θερμοκρασιών στη Σιβηρία (ναι, φτάνει μέχρι και 40 βαθμούς το θερμόμετρο) θα λιώσεις στη ζέστη. Αν όμως είναι η μόνη εποχή που μπορείς να πάρεις άδεια από τη δουλειά σου, τότε να πας Ιούλιο για να πετύχεις και το Naadam Festival στη  Μογγολία.

Αν τέλος θες να δεις τη λίμνη Βαϊκάλη παγωμένη, τότε να πας τέλος Ιανουαρίου απλά ετοιμάσου για πολύ χιόνι και πολύυυυ μα πολύ κρύο (-40 Κελσίου). Δεν στο προτείνω βέβαια!

Σε περίπτωση που δεν σε έχω πείσει ακόμη τότε ίσως να μη θες καταβάθος να κάνεις το συγκεκριμένο ταξίδι οπότε ξανασκέψου το, πάρε το χρόνο σου και στείλε το link αυτού του post σε κάποιον γνωστό σου που ξέρεις πως τρελαίνεται να ταξιδέψει με τον Υπερσιβηρικό.

Εγώ έχω να σου πω πως λάτρεψα κάθε μα κάθε στιγμή του ταξιδιού αυτού! Διέσχισα το 1/3 του πλανήτη, είδα μοναδικές εικόνες να περνούν τρέχοντας μπροστά από τα μάτια μου, επισκέφθηκα 3 διαφορετικές χώρες, βούτηξα στην πιο βαθιά λίμνη του κόσμου, γνώρισα νέο κόσμο, τραγούδησα, διάβασα, κοιμήθηκα (το τρένο είναι ιδανικό για νανούρισμα) και γύρισα πίσω γεμάτη, χαρούμενη και ευτυχισμένη για την επιλογή αυτού του ταξιδιού. Και ναι, έβγαλα φωτογραφίες που θα δείχνω μέχρι και στα εγγόνια μου!

travelstoriesfromyworld.com

[edit]

• 1409 – The University of Leipzig opens.
• 1697 – St Paul's Cathedral is consecrated in London.
• 1755 – The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire.
• 1763 – Dedication of the Touro Synagogue, in Newport, Rhode Island, the first synagogue in what will become the United States.
• 1775 – The USS Alfred becomes the first vessel to fly the Grand Union Flag (the precursor to the Stars and Stripes); the flag is hoisted by John Paul Jones.
• 1804 – At Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself Emperor of the French.
• 1805 – War of the Third Coalition: Battle of Austerlitz: French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte decisively defeat a joint Russo-Austrian force.
• 1823 – Monroe Doctrine: In a State of the Union message, U.S. President James Monroe proclaims American neutrality in future European conflicts, and warns European powers not to interfere in the Americas.
• 1845 – Manifest Destiny: In a State of the Union message, U.S. President James K. Polk proposes that the United States should aggressively expand into the West.
• 1848 – Franz Josef I becomes Emperor of Austria.
• 1851 – French President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte overthrows the Second Republic.
• 1852 – Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte becomes Emperor of the French as Napoleon III.
• 1859 – Militant abolitionist leader John Brown is hanged for his October 16 raid on Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
• 1867 – At Tremont Temple in Boston, British author Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the United States.
• 1899 – Philippine–American War: The Battle of Tirad Pass, termed "The Filipino Thermopylae", is fought.
• 1908 – Puyi becomes Emperor of China at the age of two.
• 1917 – World War I: Russia and the Central Powers sign an armistice at Brest-Litovsk, and peace talks leading to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk begin.
• 1920 – Following more than a month of Turkish–Armenian War, the Turkish dictated Treaty of Alexandropol is concluded.
• 1927 – Following 19 years of Ford Model T production, the Ford Motor Company unveils the Ford Model A as its new automobile.
• 1930 – Great Depression: In a State of the Union message, U.S. President Herbert Hoover proposes a $150 million (equivalent to $2,125,000,000 in 2015) public works program to help generate jobs and stimulate the economy.
• 1939 – New York City's LaGuardia Airport opens.
• 1942 – World War II: During the Manhattan Project, a team led by Enrico Fermi initiates the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.
• 1943 – World War II: A Luftwaffe bombing raid on the harbour of Bari, Italy, sinks numerous cargo and transport ships, including the American SS John Harvey, which is carrying a stockpile of World War I-era mustard gas.
• 1947 – Jerusalem Riots of 1947: Riots break out in Jerusalem in response to the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.
• 1954 – Cold War: The United States Senate votes 65 to 22 to censure Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute".
• 1954 – The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, between the United States and Taiwan, is signed in Washington, D.C.
• 1956 – The Granma reaches the shores of Cuba's Oriente Province. Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and 80 other members of the 26th of July Movement disembark to initiate the Cuban Revolution.
• 1961 – In a nationally broadcast speech, Cuban leader Fidel Castro declares that he is a Marxist–Leninist and that Cuba is going to adopt Communism.
• 1962 – Vietnam War: After a trip to Vietnam at the request of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield becomes the first American official to comment adversely on the war's progress.
• 1970 – The United States Environmental Protection Agency begins operations.
• 1971 – Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Dubai, and Umm al-Quwain form the United Arab Emirates.
• 1975 – Laotian Civil War: The Pathet Lao seizes the Laotian capital of Vientiane, forces the abdication of King Sisavang Vatthana, and proclaims the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
• 1976 – Fidel Castro becomes President of Cuba, replacing Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado.
• 1980 – Salvadoran Civil War: Four U.S. nuns and churchwomen, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, and Dorothy Kazel, are murdered by a military death squad.
• 1982 – At the University of Utah, Barney Clark becomes the first person to receive a permanent artificial heart.
• 1988 – Benazir Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of an Islam-dominated state.
• 1991 – Canada and Poland become the first nations to recognize the independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union.
• 1993 – Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar is shot and killed in Medellín.
• 1993 – Space Shuttle program: STS-61: NASA launches the Space Shuttle Endeavour on a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
• 1999 – Glenbrook rail accident: Seven passengers are killed when two trains collide near Sydney, New South Wales.
• 1999 – The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive.
• 2001 – Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Births[edit]

• 1578 – Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer and theorist (d. 1641)
• 1694 – William Shirley, English lawyer and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (d. 1771)
• 1703 – Ferdinand Konščak, Croatian missionary and explorer (d. 1759)
• 1710 – Bertinazzi, Italian actor and author (d. 1783)
• 1738 – Richard Montgomery, Irish-American general (d. 1775)
• 1754 – William Cooper, American judge and politician, founded Cooperstown, New York (d. 1809)
• 1759 – James Edward Smith, English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society (d. 1828)
• 1760 – John Breckinridge, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th United States Attorney General (d. 1806)
• 1760 – Joseph Graetz, German organist, composer, and educator (d. 1826)
• 1810 – Henry Yesler, American businessman and politician, 7th Mayor of Seattle (d. 1892)
• 1811 – Jean-Charles Chapais, Canadian farmer and politician, 1st Canadian Minister of Agriculture (d. 1885)
• 1817 – Heinrich von Sybel, German historian, academic, and politician (d. 1895)
• 1825 – Pedro II of Brazil (d. 1891)
• 1846 – Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau, French lawyer and politician, 68th Prime Minister of France (d. 1904)
• 1859 – Georges Seurat, French painter (d. 1891)
• 1860 – Charles Studd, England cricketer and missionary (d. 1931)
• 1863 – Charles Edward Ringling, American businessman, co-founded the Ringling Brothers Circus (d. 1926)
• 1865 – Louis Zutter, Swiss gymnast (d. 1946)
• 1866 – Harry Burleigh, American singer-songwriter (d. 1949)
• 1884 – Erima Harvey Northcroft, New Zealand soldier, lawyer, and judge (d. 1953)
• 1885 – George Minot, American physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1950)
• 1891 – Otto Dix, German painter and illustrator (d. 1969)
• 1891 – Charles H. Wesley, American historian and author (d. 1987)
• 1893 – Leo Ornstein, Russian-American pianist and composer (d. 2002)
• 1894 – Warren William, American actor and singer (d. 1948)
• 1895 – Harriet Cohen, English pianist (d. 1967)
• 1897 – Ivan Bagramyan, Russian general (d. 1982)
• 1898 – Indra Lal Roy, Indian lieutenant and pilot (d. 1918)
• 1899 – John Barbirolli, English cellist and conductor (d. 1970)
• 1899 – John Cobb, English race car driver (d. 1952)
• 1899 – Ray Morehart, American baseball player (d. 1989)
• 1901 – Raimundo Orsi, Argentinian-Italian footballer (d. 1986)
• 1906 – Peter Carl Goldmark, Hungarian-American engineer (d. 1977)
• 1909 – Arvo Askola, Finnish runner (d. 1975)
• 1909 – Walenty Kłyszejko, Estonian–Polish basketball player and coach (d. 1987)
• 1909 – Joseph P. Lash, American activist and author (d. 1987)
• 1910 – Russell Lynes, American photographer, historian, and author (d. 1991)
• 1910 – Taisto Mäki, Finnish runner (d. 1979)
• 1912 – George Emmett, English cricketer and coach (d. 1976)
• 1913 – Marc Platt, American actor, singer, and dancer (d. 2014)
• 1914 – Bill Erwin, American actor (d. 2010)
• 1914 – Adolph Green, American playwright and composer (d. 2002)
• 1915 – Takahito, Prince Mikasa of Japan
• 1916 – Howard Finster, American artist (d. 2001)
• 1917 – Sylvia Syms, American singer (d. 1992)
• 1921 – Carlo Furno, Italian cardinal
• 1922 – Iakovos Kambanelis, Greek author, poet, and screenwriter (d. 2011)
• 1923 – Maria Callas, Greek operatic soprano (d. 1977)
• 1924 – Jonathan Frid, Canadian actor (d. 2012)
• 1924 – Alexander Haig, American general and politician, 59th United States Secretary of State (d. 2010)
• 1924 – Vilgot Sjöman, Swedish actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2006)
• 1925 – Julie Harris, American actress and singer (d. 2013)
• 1928 – Guy Bourdin, French photographer (d. 1991)
• 1929 – Dan Jenkins, American journalist and author
• 1929 – Leon Litwack, American historian and author
• 1930 – Gary Becker, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2014)
• 1930 – David Piper, English race car driver
• 1931 – Nigel Calder, English journalist, author, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
• 1931 – Masaaki Hatsumi, Japanese martial artist, founded Bujinkan
• 1931 – Wynton Kelly, American pianist and composer (d. 1971)
• 1931 – Edwin Meese, American colonel, lawyer, and politician, 75th United States Attorney General
• 1933 – Peter Robin Harding, English marshal and pilot
• 1933 – Mike Larrabee, American sprinter and educator (d. 2003)
• 1933 – K. Veeramani, Indian lawyer and academic
• 1934 – Tarcisio Bertone, Italian cardinal
• 1934 – Sissela Bok, Swedish-American philosopher and ethicist
• 1934 – Andre Rodgers, Bahamian baseball player (d. 2004)
• 1935 – David Hackett Fischer, American historian, author, and academic
• 1937 – Manohar Joshi, Indian politician, 15th Chief Minister of Maharashtra
• 1939 – Yael Dayan, Israeli journalist, author, and politician
• 1939 – Francis Fox, Canadian lawyer and politician, 48th Secretary of State for Canada
• 1939 – Harry Reid, American lawyer and politician, 25th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
• 1941 – Mike England, Welsh footballer and manager
• 1942 – Tim Boswell, English farmer and politician
• 1942 – Anna G. Jónasdóttir, Icelandic political scientist and academic
• 1943 – Wayne Allard, American veterinarian and politician
• 1944 – Cathy Lee Crosby, American actress
• 1944 – Ibrahim Rugova, Kosovan journalist and politician, 1st President of Kosovo (d. 2006)
• 1944 – Dionysis Savvopoulos, Greek singer-songwriter
• 1944 – Botho Strauß, German author and playwright
• 1945 – Penelope Spheeris, American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1946 – John Banks, New Zealand politician, 38th Mayor of Auckland City
• 1946 – Pedro Borbón, Dominican-American baseball player (d. 2012)
• 1946 – David Macaulay, English-American author and illustrator
• 1946 – Gianni Versace, Italian fashion designer, founded Versace (d. 1997)
• 1947 – Isaac Bitton, Moroccan-French drummer (Les Variations)
• 1947 – Tommy Jenkins, English footballer and manager
• 1947 – Ivan Atanassov Petrov, Bulgarian neurologist and author
• 1947 – Andy Rouse, English race car driver
• 1948 – Elizabeth Berg, American nurse and author
• 1948 – T. Coraghessan Boyle, American author and academic
• 1948 – Patricia Hewitt, Australian-English educator and politician, Secretary of State for Health
• 1948 – Toninho Horta, Brazilian guitarist
• 1949 – Shūichi Ikeda, Japanese actor and voice actor
• 1949 – Ron Raines, American actor and singer
• 1950 – Bob Kevoian, American radio host
• 1950 – Amin Saikal, Afghan-Australian political scientist and academic
• 1950 – Benjamin Stora, Algerian-French historian and author
• 1950 – Paul Watson, Canadian activist, founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
• 1951 – Adrian Devine, American baseball player
• 1952 – James Lancelot, English organist and conductor
• 1952 – Rob Mounsey, American keyboard player, composer, and producer (Joe Cool)
• 1952 – Carol Shea-Porter, American politician
• 1953 – David Anderson, English miner and politician
• 1954 – Dan Butler, American actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1954 – Stone Phillips, American journalist
• 1956 – Steven Bauer, Cuban-American actor and producer
• 1957 – Dagfinn Høybråten, Norwegian political scientist and politician, Norwegian Minister of Health
• 1958 – Andrew George, English politician
• 1958 – Vladimir Parfenovich, Belarusian canoe racer and politician
• 1958 – George Saunders, American short story writer and essayist
• 1959 – Kelefa Diallo, Guinean general (d. 2013)
• 1959 – Boman Irani, Indian actor and singer
• 1960 – Razzle, English drummer (Hanoi Rocks) (d. 1984)
• 1960 – Rick Savage, English singer-songwriter and bass player (Def Leppard and Atomic Mass)
• 1960 – Justus von Dohnányi, German actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1961 – Richard Quinn, Scottish jockey
• 1962 – John Dyegh, Nigerian politician
• 1962 – Steve Huison, English actor
• 1962 – Kardam, Prince of Turnovo (d. 2015)
• 1963 – Brendan Coyle, English actor
• 1963 – Dan Gauthier, American actor
• 1963 – Ann Patchett, American author
• 1963 – Rich Sutter, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1963 – Ron Sutter, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1966 – Philippe Etchebest, French chef
• 1966 – Jinsei Shinzaki, Japanese wrestler and promoter, co-founded Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling
• 1967 – Mary Creagh, English scholar and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
• 1968 – David Batty, English footballer
• 1968 – Darryl Kile, American baseball player (d. 2002)
• 1968 – Lucy Liu, American actress and producer
• 1968 – Nate Mendel, American bass player (Foo Fighters, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft, and Juno)
• 1968 – Rena Sofer, American actress
• 1969 – Yang Hyun-suk, South Korean singer-songwriter and producer (Seo Taiji and Boys)
• 1969 – Pavel Loskutov, Estonian runner
• 1969 – Ulrika Bergquist , Swedish journalist
• 1969 – Tanya Plibersek, Australian politician, 45th Australian Minister of Health
• 1970 – Treach, American rapper and actor (Naughty by Nature)
• 1970 – Joe Lo Truglio, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
• 1970 – Maksim Tarasov, Russian pole vaulter
• 1971 – Wilson Jermaine Heredia, American actor and singer
• 1971 – Jüri Reinvere, Estonian-German composer and poet
• 1971 – Francesco Toldo, Italian footballer
• 1971 – Mine Yoshizaki, Japanese illustrator
• 1972 – Sergejs Žoltoks, Latvian ice hockey player (d. 2004)
• 1973 – Graham Kavanagh, Irish footballer and manager
• 1973 – Monica Seles, Serbian-American tennis player
• 1973 – Jan Ullrich, German cyclist
• 1976 – Erik Everhard, Canadian porn actor, director, and producer
• 1976 – Eddy Garabito, Dominican baseball player
• 1976 – Masafumi Gotoh, Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Asian Kung-Fu Generation)
• 1977 – Siyabonga Nomvethe, South African footballer
• 1978 – Jarron Collins, American basketball player and coach
• 1978 – Jason Collins, American basketball player
• 1978 – Nelly Furtado, Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
• 1978 – Luigi Malafronte, Italian footballer
• 1978 – Peter Moylan, Australian baseball player
• 1978 – Maëlle Ricker, Canadian snowboarder
• 1978 – David Rivas, Spanish footballer
• 1978 – Christopher Wolstenholme, English singer-songwriter and bass player (Muse)
• 1979 – Melissa Archer, American actress
• 1979 – Sabina Babayeva, Azerbaijani singer
• 1979 – Yvonne Catterfeld, German singer-songwriter and actress
• 1979 – Michael McIndoe, Scottish footballer
• 1980 – Adam Kreek, Canadian rower
• 1980 – Darryn Randall, South African cricketer (d. 2013)
• 1981 – Maria Ferekidi, Greek canoe racer
• 1981 – Danijel Pranjić, Croatian footballer
• 1981 – Britney Spears, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
• 1982 – Michelle Banzer, American model, Miss Kentucky 2007
• 1982 – Christos Karipidis, Greek footballer
• 1982 – Mike Scala, American rapper, producer, and lawyer
• 1982 – Matt Ware, American football player
• 1983 – Action Bronson, American rapper
• 1983 – Chris Burke, Scottish footballer
• 1983 – Bibiana Candelas, Mexican volleyball player
• 1983 – Jaime Durán, Mexican footballer
• 1983 – Jana Kramer, American actress and singer
• 1983 – Aaron Rodgers, American football player
• 1983 – Daniela Ruah, American actress
• 1983 – Sarah Vandella, American porn actress
• 1984 – Péter Máté, Hungarian footballer
• 1985 – Amaury Leveaux, French swimmer
• 1985 – Dorell Wright, American basketball player
• 1986 – Edson Décimo Alves Araújo, Brazilian footballer (d. 2014)
• 1986 – Veronika Kapshay, Ukrainian tennis player
• 1986 – Claudiu Keșerü, Romanian footballer
• 1986 – Adam le Fondre, English footballer
• 1986 – Seann Walsh, English comedian and actor
• 1986 – Tal Wilkenfeld, Australian bass player and composer
• 1987 – Mari-Leen, Estonian singer
• 1987 – Teairra Marí, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
• 1988 – Alfred Enoch, English actor
• 1988 – Stephen McGinn, Scottish footballer
• 1988 – Soniya Mehra, Indian actress
• 1989 – Etta Bond, English singer-songwriter
• 1989 – Cassie Steele, Canadian singer-songwriter and actress
• 1990 – Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Ghanaian footballer
• 1990 – Jamille Matt, Jamaican footballer
• 1990 – Gastón Ramírez, Uruguayan footballer
• 1990 – Fausto Rossi, Italian footballer
• 1990 – Hikaru Yaotome, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor (Hey! Say! JUMP and Ya-ya-yah)
• 1991 – Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, Canadian skier
• 1991 – Charlie Puth, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1993 – Haruka Ishida, Japanese singer (AKB48)
• 1993 – Kostas Stafylidis, Greek footballer
• 1994 – Fumika Shimizu, Japanese actress and model
• 1994 – Cauley Woodrow, English footballer
• 1998 – Amber Montana, American actress

Deaths[edit]

• 1348 – Emperor Hanazono of Japan (b. 1297)
• 1381 – John of Ruysbroeck, Flemish mystic (b. 1293)
• 1463 – Albert VI, Archduke of Austria (b. 1418)
• 1469 – Piero di Cosimo de' Medici, Italian banker and politician (b. 1416)
• 1515 – Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Spanish general (b. 1453)
• 1547 – Hernán Cortés, Spanish general and explorer (b. 1485)
• 1594 – Gerardus Mercator, Flemish mathematician, cartographer, and philosopher (b. 1512)
• 1615 – Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, French general (b. 1541)
• 1665 – Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet, French author (b. 1588)
• 1694 – Pierre Puget, French painter, sculptor, and architect (b. 1622)
• 1719 – Pasquier Quesnel, French theologian and author (b. 1634)
• 1723 – Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (b. 1674)
• 1726 – Samuel Penhallow, English-American historian and author (b. 1665)
• 1747 – Vincent Bourne, English poet and scholar (b. 1695)
• 1748 – Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, English politician, Lord President of the Council (b. 1662)
• 1774 – Johann Friedrich Agricola, German organist and composer (b. 1720)
• 1814 – Marquis de Sade, French philosopher, author, and politician (b. 1740)
• 1844 – Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko, Polish general and politician (b. 1768)
• 1849 – Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (b. 1792)
• 1859 – John Brown, American activist (b. 1800)
• 1881 – Jenny von Westphalen, German author (b. 1814)
• 1888 – Namık Kemal, Turkish journalist, poet, and playwright (b. 1840)
• 1892 – Jay Gould, American businessman and financier (b. 1836)
• 1899 – Gregorio del Pilar, Filipino general and politician, 1st Governor of Bulacan (b. 1875)
• 1918 – Edmond Rostand, French poet and playwright (b. 1868)
• 1924 – Kazimieras Būga, Lithuanian linguist and philologist (b. 1879)
• 1931 – Vincent d'Indy, French composer and educator (b. 1851)
• 1935 – Albert Jean Louis Ayat, French fencer (b. 1875)
• 1936 – John Ringling, American businessman, co-founded Ringling Brothers Circus (b. 1866)
• 1943 – Nordahl Grieg, Norwegian journalist and author (b. 1902)
• 1944 – Josef Lhévinne, Russian pianist and educator (b. 1874)
• 1944 – Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Egyptian-Italian poet and composer (b. 1876)
• 1944 – Eiji Sawamura, Japanese baseball player and soldier (b. 1917)
• 1950 – Dinu Lipatti, Romanian pianist and composer (b. 1917)
• 1953 – Reginald Baker, Australian rugby player and actor (b. 1884)
• 1953 – Trần Trọng Kim, Vietnamese historian, scholar, and politician, Prime Minister of Vietnam (b. 1883)
• 1957 – Harrison Ford, American actor (b. 1884)
• 1957 – Manfred Sakel, Ukrainian-American neurophysiologist and psychiatrist (b. 1902)
• 1963 – Sabu Dastagir, Indian-American actor and singer (b. 1924)
• 1966 – L. E. J. Brouwer, Dutch mathematician and philosopher (b. 1881)
• 1966 – Giles Cooper, Irish author, playwright, and screenwriter (b. 1918)
• 1967 – Billy Chapman, English footballer (b. 1902)
• 1968 – Adamson-Eric, Estonian painter (b. 1902)
• 1969 – José María Arguedas, Peruvian anthropologist, author, and poet (b. 1911)
• 1969 – Kliment Voroshilov, Ukrainian-Russian marshal and politician, 3rd Head of State of The Soviet Union (b. 1881)
• 1972 – Yip Man, Chinese martial artist (b. 1893)
• 1974 – Max Weber, Swiss politician (b. 1897)
• 1976 – Danny Murtaugh, American baseball player and manager (b. 1917)
• 1980 – Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Indian-Pakistani politician, 4th Prime Minister of Pakistan (b. 1905)
• 1980 – Roza Eskenazi, Turkish-Greek singer (Smyrna Trio) (b. 1890)
• 1980 – Romain Gary, Lithuanian-French author, director, and screenwriter (b. 1914)
• 1981 – Wallace Harrison, American architect, co-founded Harrison & Abramovitz (b. 1895)
• 1982 – Marty Feldman, English actor, singer, director, and screenwriter (b. 1933)
• 1982 – Giovanni Ferrari, Italian footballer and manager (b. 1907)
• 1983 – Fifi D'Orsay, Canadian-American actress and singer (b. 1904)
• 1985 – Aniello Dellacroce, American gangster (b. 1914)
• 1985 – Philip Larkin, English author and poet (b. 1922)
• 1986 – Desi Arnaz, Cuban-American actor, singer, and producer, co-founded Desilu Productions (b. 1917)
• 1986 – John Curtis Gowan, American psychologist and academic (b. 1912)
• 1987 – Luis Federico Leloir, French-Argentinian physician and biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
• 1987 – Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich, Belarusian physicist, astronomer, and cosmologist (b. 1914)
• 1988 – Karl-Heinz Bürger, German SS officer (b. 1904)
• 1988 – Tata Giacobetti, Italian singer-songwriter (Quartetto Cetra) (b. 1922)
• 1990 – Aaron Copland, American composer and conductor (b. 1900)
• 1990 – Robert Cummings, American actor, singer, director, and producer (b. 1908)
• 1992 – Michael Gothard, English actor (b. 1939)
• 1993 – Pablo Escobar, Colombian drug lord (b. 1949)
• 1995 – Robertson Davies, Canadian author, playwright, and critic (b. 1913)
• 1995 – Roxie Roker, American actress (b. 1929)
• 1995 – Mária Telkes, Hungarian–American biophysicist and chemist (b. 1900)
• 1997 – Shirley Crabtree, English wrestler (b. 1930)
• 1997 – Michael Hedges, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1953)
• 1999 – Charlie Byrd, American musician (b. 1925)
• 2000 – Gail Fisher, American actress (b. 1935)
• 2002 – Ivan Illich, Austrian priest and philosopher (b. 1926)
• 2002 – Arno Peters, German cartographer and historian (b. 1916)
• 2003 – Alan Davidson, Irish soldier, historian, and author (b. 1924)
• 2004 – Alicia Markova, English ballerina and choreographer (b. 1910)
• 2004 – Leonid Telyatnikov, Kazakh-Ukrainian firefighter (b. 1951)
• 2004 – Mona Van Duyn, American poet and academic (b. 1921)
• 2005 – Kenneth Lee Boyd, American murderer (b. 1948)
• 2005 – William P. Lawrence, American admiral and pilot (b. 1930)
• 2005 – Van Tuong Nguyen, Thai-Australian drug trafficker (b. 1980)
• 2005 – Nat Mayer Shapiro, American painter (b. 1919)
• 2006 – Mariska Veres, Dutch singer (Shocking Blue) (b. 1947)
• 2007 – Jennifer Alexander, Canadian-American ballerina and actress (b. 1972)
• 2008 – Odetta, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress (b. 1930)
• 2008 – Kathleen Baskin-Ball, American minister (b. 1958)
• 2008 – Edward Samuel Rogers, Canadian businessman (b. 1933)
• 2009 – Foge Fazio, American football player and coach (b. 1938)
• 2009 – Maggie Jones, English actress (b. 1934)
• 2009 – Eric Woolfson, Scottish singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (The Alan Parsons Project) (b. 1945)
• 2012 – Preeti Ganguly, Indian actress (b. 1953)
• 2012 – Tom Hendry, Canadian playwright, co-founded the Manitoba Theatre Centre (b. 1929)
• 2012 – Hiroshi Kato, Japanese martial artist (b. 1935)
• 2012 – Israel Keyes, American murderer (b. 1978)
• 2012 – Ehsan Naraghi, Iranian sociologist and author (b. 1926)
• 2013 – William Allain, American soldier and politician, 58th Governor of Mississippi (b. 1928)
• 2013 – Jean-Claude Beton, Algerian-French engineer and businessman, founded Orangina (b. 1925)
• 2013 – Marcelo Déda, Brazilian politician (b. 1960)
• 2013 – Rex Garvin, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player (b. 1940)
• 2013 – Salim Kallas, Syrian actor and politician (b. 1936)
• 2013 – Junior Murvin, Jamaican singer-songwriter (b. 1946)
• 2013 – Christopher Evan Welch, American actor (b. 1965)
• 2014 – A. R. Antulay, Indian politician, 8th Chief Minister of Maharashtra (b. 1929)
• 2014 – Jean Béliveau, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1931)
• 2014 – Josie Cichockyj, English basketball player and coach (b. 1964)
• 2014 – Bobby Keys, American saxophonist (b. 1943)
• 2014 – Don Laws, American figure skater and coach (b. 1929)
• 2014 – Deven Verma, Indian actor, director, and producer (b. 1937)

Aμερικάνικα φίλμ νουάρ  στη Θεσσαλονίκη 

Τέσσερις ταινίες από την κλασική περίοδο του αμερικάνικου φιλμ

 νουάρ, που έπαιξαν καίριο ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση του ύφους

 και άσκησαν τεράστια επιρροή στην εξέλιξή του, παρουσιάζονται

 στην ταινιοθήκη Θεσσαλονίκης.

Το αφιέρωμα της Ταινιοθήκης Θεσσαλονίκης εχει τίτλο «Αμερικάνικο Νουάρ: Paint it

 Black» και  θα πραγματοποιηθεί από την Πέμπτη 3 έως και την Κυριακή 6 Δεκεμβρίου

 στην αίθουσα Σταύρος Τορνές.

Πρόκειται για τα φιλμ:

«Το γεράκι της Μάλτας» του Τζον Χιούστον (1941), «Διπλή ταυτότητα» του Μπίλι

 Ουάιλντερ (1944), «Παράκαμψη» (Μοιραία συνάντηση) του Έντγκαρ Τζ. Ούλμερ 

(1945) και «Ο δολοφόνος της λεωφόρου» της Άιντα Λουπίνο (1953).

Με «Το Γεράκι της Μάλτας», ο 35χρονος (σεναριογράφος μέχρι τότε) Τζον Χιούστον

 καθιερώθηκε ως ένας από τους σημαντικότερους Αμερικανούς σκηνοθέτες.

Ο Μπίλι Ουάιλντερ, στην ταινία «Διπλή ταυτότητα», με την σκηνοθετική του

 ιδιοφυία και την μεγάλη του ευρηματικότητα, κατάφερε να παρακάμψει τη λογοκρισία

 περί ηθικής ορθότητας του κώδικα Χέιζ, περνώντας στη οθόνη τον εν ψυχρώ φόνο

 και τη λάγνα σεξουαλικότητα.

Η «Παράκαμψη» του Έντγκαρ Τζ. Ούλμερ, ταινία χαμένη για δεκαετίες, σήμερα έχει 

περάσει στον χώρο των cult-movies ενώ επηρέασε καθοριστικά τον Αντρέι Ζουλάφσκι 

και είναι μια από τις αγαπημένες - και βασική επιρροή στο Μετά τα Μεσάνυχτα- του 

Μάρτιν Σκορσέζε.

«Ο δολοφόνος της λεωφόρου», ταινία βασισμένη σε μια πραγματική ιστορία, είναι το

 μοναδικό νουάρ στην ιστορία του αμερικανικού σινεμά που σκηνοθετήθηκε από 

γυναίκα: από την σπουδαία ηθοποιό-σεναριογράφο-παραγωγό και σκηνοθέτιδα Άιντα

 Λουπίνο.

Πρόγραμμα προβολών

Πέμπτη 3/12
18:30 Ο δολοφόνος της λεωφόρου
21:00 Παράκαμψη

Παρασκευή 4/12
18:30 Διπλή ταυτότητα
21:00 Το γεράκι της Μάλτας

Σάββατο 5/12
18:30 Παράκαμψη
21:00 Διπλή ταυτότητα

Κυριακή 6/12
18:30 Το γεράκι της Μάλτας
21:00 Ο δολοφόνος της λεωφόρου

Οι προβολές 
Ταινιοθήκη Θεσσαλονίκης «Αμερικάνικο Νουάρ: Paint it Black» απο Πέμπτη 3 έως και 

την Κυριακή 6 Δεκεμβρίου 
Αίθουσα «Σταύρος Τορνές», Αποθήκη 1, Λιμάνι, τηλ. 2310 508.398
Τιμή εισιτηρίου: 4 ευρώ (γενική είσοδος), 3 ευρώ (για τα μέλη).

 το υψηλότερο κτήριο στον κόσμο

Κατασκευάζεται στη Σαουδική Αραβία και θα ξεπεράσει και το Burj Khalifa 

Η εταιρεία της Σαουδικής Αραβίας που βρίσκεται πίσω από τα σχέδια για την κατασκευή του υψηλότερου κτηρίου στον κόσμο ανακοίνωσε πως έχει εξασφαλίσει τη χρηματοδότηση για να φέρει σε πέρας το πρότζεκτ αυτό.

Η Kingdom Holding Co, υπό την προεδρία του δισεκατομμυριούχου Σαουδάραβα πρίγκιπα Alwaleed bin Talal, ανακοίνωσε πως η θυγατρική της Jeddah Economic Company προσχώρησε σε συμφωνία ύψους άνω των 2 δισεκατομμυρίων δολαρίων με την εταιρεία Alinma Investment για την ολοκλήρωση του Jeddah Tower στην πόλη Τζέντα.

Ο πύργος των 170 ορόφων θα έχει ύψος λίγο πάνω από το ένα χιλιόμετρο, αφαιρώντας έτσι από το Burj Khalifa του Ντουμπάι τον τίτλο του υψηλότερου κτηρίου στον κόσμο.

Το κόστος της ανέγερσής του είχε στο παρελθόν εκτιμηθεί στα 1,2 δισεκατομμύρια δολάρια.

Συγκριτικά, το Burj Khalifa έχει ύψος περίπου 828 μέτρα.

Το fund των 2,24 δισεκατομμυρίων δολαρίων θα χρησιμοποιηθεί επίσης για την ανάπτυξη της πρώτης φάσης της Jeddah Economic City, ενός αστικού προγράμματος που θα περιβάλλει τον πύργο στην περιοχή Obhur βόρεια της Τζέντα.

Σύμφωνα με τον Alwaleed, το κτήριο θα έχει ολοκληρωθεί έως το 2018. Όταν έκανε τη δήλωση αυτή, πριν από ένα χρόνο, τα θεμέλια του πύργου είχαν ήδη ολοκληρωθεί και η εταιρεία ήταν έτοιμη να «αρχίσει να χτίζει έναν όροφο κάθε τέσσερις ημέρες». Με αυτό το ρυθμό, το κτήριο θα έπρεπε να βρίσκεται σήμερα στον 90ο όροφο αλλά βρίσκεται στον 26ο.

Ωστόσο με την επίτευξη της συμφωνίας πιστεύεται πως ο πύργος θα ολοκληρωθεί στην ώρα του.

Το παρατημένο Οινοποιείο στο Τατόϊ ξαναζωντανεύει - Ξεκινούν τα έργα αποκατάστασής του 

Ενα από τα παλαιότερα κτίρια του κτήματος Τατοϊου είναι το

οινοποιείο του, μια πρωτοποριακή μονάδα παραγωγής κρασιού

 για την εποχή του. Τα κρασιά του Τατοΐου είχαν βραβευθεί σε

 μεγάλες διεθνείς εκθέσεις. Στόχος σήμερα είναι η αναστήλωση 

και η επαναλειτουργία του οινοποιείου, αλλά και η βιολογική

 παραγωγή κρασιού, η πώληση του οποίου θα αποφέρει έσοδα

 για την συντήρηση του κτήματος.

Για να καλυφθεί το κόστος της μελέτης οι φίλοι του κτήματος ενημερώνουν ότι 

θα διοργανώνονται τακτικές ενέργειες fundraising, μιας και το κόστος της μελέτης

 είναι ιδιαιτέρως υψηλό, λόγω του μεγέθους του κτιρίου και των ειδικών απαιτήσεων.

Ο Σύλλογος Φίλων Κτήματος Τατοΐου για τρίτη συνεχή χρονιά οργανώνει το ετήσιο

 Gala Όπερας, οπερέτας, μιούζικαλ με στόχο την ενίσχυση του Ταμείου Μελετών

 αποκατάστασης των ιστορικών κτιρίων του πρώην Βασιλικού Κτήματος στο Τατόι.

Εφέτος η εκδήλωση θα έχει εορταστικό χαρακτήρα μιας και συμπίπτει με την επέτειο 

των 5 χρόνων από την ίδρυση του Συλλόγου και θα πραγματοποιηθεί στον Παρνασσό 

στην πλατεία Καρύτση.
Στη φετινή εορταστική συναυλία συμμετέχουν Ειρήνη Καράγιαννη, Χάρης 

Ανδριανός, Δημήτρης Γιάκας και το πρόγραμμα περιλαμβάνει μεταξύ άλλων άριες 

από γνωστές όπερες και οπερέτες συνθετών όπως Messager, Dvorak, Mozart, Bizet,

 Porter, Σαμάρα, Σακελλαρίδη. 

Φιλολογικός Σύλλογος Παρνασσός
Τετάρτη 9 Δεκεμβρίου 2015 ώρα έναρξης: 20.00
Μετά τη συναυλία θα ακολουθήσει δεξίωση για όλους τους παριστάμενους.
Διάρκεια συναυλίας: 70 λεπτά
Τιμές εισιτηρίων: €25, €15, €12 και €5 για ανέργους και φοιτητές