ON THIS DAY
November 4, 2020
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE NOVEMBER 4, 1940
LIBRARIES throughout London have never before experienced such a rush for books as during the past weeks of night raids. Typical of the demand for ‘books to beat the Blitz’ is Croydon. Mr Berwick Sayers, borough librarian, said: ‘The tendency now is to read romance. People look for something to distract and soothe them. Books about war are rarely asked for.’
NOVEMBER 4, 1992
A JUBILANT Bill Clinton (pictured) was on his way to the White House early today after burying President George Bush in a landslide victory. Stunning early results showed the Democrat capturing normally rocksolid Republican states such as Vermont and New Hampshire.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, 51, star of How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, won a best actor Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. In 1999, he was arrested at his Texas home while high on marijuana and playing the bongos nude — and refused to get dressed until he was put in a cell. ‘Two days later, BONGO NAKED T-shirts were all over Austin,’ he joked later. PETER LORD, 67. The animator from Bristol co- founded Oscar- winning Aardman Animations with David Sproxton. The pair, who have been friends since meeting at school aged 12, made clay man Morph for the BBC’s Take Hart. Lord went on to become executive producer on Aardman titles such as Wallace And Gromit, and Shaun The Sheep.
BORN ON THIS DAY
WALTER CRONKITE (1916-2009). The American news anchor was, according to various polls, the ‘most trusted man in America’. Cronkite covered everything from the D-Day landings to Watergate. He came close to tears on air when breaking news of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. When he declared he was convinced the u.S. could not win the Vietnam war, President Johnson said, ‘ If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle-America’. RUTH HANDLER (19162002). The American businesswoman invented the Barbie doll (right) in 1959. By the time of Handler’s death, more than a billion Barbies had been sold. Were they all placed head to toe, they would circle the Earth seven times.
ON NOVEMBER 4 . . .
IN 1961, Cliff Richard was at No.1 in the album chart with 21 Today. IN 1995, Israeli prime minister yitzhak Rabin was assassinated.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Chaffer (late 12th century) A) Gift given to a guest. B) To bargain; to haggle. C) Someone who feasts or lives upon the industry of others. Answer below PHRASE EXPLAINED To pour oil on troubled waters: Meaning to soothe with gentle words. Since the first century AD it was known that pouring oil on rough waves had a calming effect. until late in the 20th century, ships carried storm oil to calm waves.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
When the imagination sleeps, words are emptied of their meaning. Albert Camus, French novelist (1913-1960)
JOKE OF THE DAY
I PRAYED to God for a handbag and he gave it to me... It’s a blessing and a purse. Guess The Definition answer: B