ON THIS DAY
IT’S DAY 169 OF 2016
The largest winning margin in the eurovision Song Contest was 169 points, achieved by Norwegian Alexander Rybak in 2009. That year saw Graham Norton make his debut as BBC commentator, revealing that his predecessor Terry Wogan ‘advised me to resist having a drink until the fifth song’. The British Relief Association, created to relieve the suffering of those affected by potato famines in Ireland and the highlands, was set up 169 years ago in 1847. It raised the equivalent of £47 million today — but too late to help many victims. LIveRpooL’S famous Albert Dock, home to Tate Liverpool, was completed 169 years ago. It comprises the largest collection of Grade Ilisted buildings in the country.
THERE ARE 197 DAYS LEFT
The epic 1965 film Doctor Zhivago, starring Julie Christie ( right), omar Sharif and Alec Guinness, had a running time of 197
minutes when it was released. It won five Academy Awards. The surface temperature of Uranus is -197c. Sir William herschel announced its discovery on March 13, 1781, making Uranus the first planet found with a telescope. BARCeLoNA’S 197ft Columbus Monument was built to mark how Columbus reported to Queen Isabella after his first voyage to the Americas. The statue shows him supposedly pointing to the New World, but he is actually pointing south, to Algeria.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
veNUS WILLIAMS, 36. The fourtimes olympic Goldwinning tennis player has, with sister Serena, dominated the women’s game in the 21st century. venus has played Serena in four Wimbledon finals, but beaten her only once. BARRy MANILoW, 73. The singer, songwriter and showman, born Barry Alan pincus, (right) had a 1974 global hit with Mandy. he is reputed to clean his teeth every few hours and has an unlikely friendship with grungy rocker Dave Grohl, frontman of the Foo Fighters. KeN LIvINGSToNe, 71. The former Mayor of London introduced the London Congestion Charge. Barack obama’s motorcade was fined £120 for non payment during a state visit in 2011.
BORN ON THIS DAY
BeRyL ReID (19191996). The Baftawinning comedian and actress was best known for roles in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Belles of St Trinian’s. She left most of her fortune to the welfare of the various stray cats she shared her Thamesside cottage with in later life. hARRy pATCh (18982009). The Somersetborn plumber, who fought in the trenches from June to December 1917, was the last surviving combat soldier of World War I, living to the age of 111.
ON JUNE 17th . . .
IN 1944, the newly independent country of Iceland was declared, after it voted to abolish its Act of Union with Denmark, which, at the time, was occupied by German forces.
IN 1972, five men were caught burgling Democrat offices in Washington, marking the beginning of the Watergate scandal — which would eventually bring down U.S. president Richard Nixon.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind In The Willows (1859-1932)
JOKE OF THE DAY
hoW many drunks does it take to change a light bulb? Two. One to hold the bulb, and one to keep drinking until the room spins round.