ON THIS DAY
IT’S DAY 228
THE world’s first escalator had a belt that moved at 22.8 metres (75ft) a minute. With a 25 per cent incline rising 7ft off the ground, it was created by American inventor Jesse W. Reno as an amusement park ride at New York’s Coney Island in September 1896. THE largest jellyfish recorded was an Arctic Giant washed up in Massachusetts Bay in 1870. It had a diameter of 2.28 metres (7ft 6in) and tentacles of 36.5m (120ft).
THERE ARE 138 DAYS LEFT
THE oldest message in a bottle floated around for 108 years and 138 days after it was dropped into the North Sea in 1906. The bottle (right) was found by Marrianne Winkler on an island off Germany last year. The message, on a postcard, asked the recipient to send it back stating where it was found. THE longest tennis match in history was at Wimbledon in 2010 between American John Isner and France’s Nicholas Mahut. Their final set — the longest ever both in time and games — consisted of 138 games over 8 hours and 11 minutes. In total, they played for 11 hours and five minutes over three days. THE loudest siren built could produce 138 decibels at a distance of 100ft. The Chrysler air raid siren, introduced in 1952 as the official warning siren for U.S. cities, was so powerful it could ignite paper in front of it. SONNET 138 is one of Shakespeare’s most famous. It discusses truth, lies and flattery in romantic relationships, punning on two uses of the word ‘lie’ to do so. It concludes: ‘Therefore I lie with her and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flatter’d be.’
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
ANNE, Princess Royal, 66. When the Westminster registrar visited Clarence House to complete the birth certificate, he gave Prince Philip his daughter’s identity card, a ration book and bottles of cod liver oil and orange juice. JIM DALE, 81, right. The Northamptonshire-born Carry On star narrates the seven Harry Potter audiobooks sold in the U.S., while Stephen Fry narrates the versions available in the UK, with fans of the series divided over who does it best. During 11 Carry On films, he did his own stunts. He said: ‘I remember asking the director: “Why do you always schedule my stunt work on the last day of filming?” And the director said: “For a very good reason, Jim. If you break your neck, it won’t ruin anything.” ’
BORN ON THIS DAY
SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832). The Scottish judge and author of Ivanhoe, became mired in debt with the breakdown of a publishing company of which he was the sole backer. He refused to claim bankruptcy, instead planning to write himself back to financial health. His plan succeeded — but only after he died. JULIA CHILD (1912-2004). The Fanny Cradock of the U.S., Child introduced the American public to French cuisine and was played by Meryl Streep in the film Julie & Julia. While working for a wartime intelligence agency, Child helped to develop a shark repellent to ensure the creatures would not trigger explosives meant for German U-boats. Her concoction is still used.
ON AUGUST 15TH...
IN 1945, the Allies celebrated VJ Day when Japan surrendered after almost six years of war. After days of speculation, President Harry S. Truman broke the good news at a White House press conference. IN 1998, 31 people (including a mother pregnant with twins) were killed by a Real IRA car bomb in Omagh, County Tyrone.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
We, and all others who believe in freedom as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. president (1882–1945)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT happened when the wheel was invented? It caused a revolution.