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Today in History: October 31

445 BC
Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem

1517
Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Germany. Luther's theories and writings inaugurate Protestantism, shattering the external structure of the medieval church and at the same time reviving the religious consciousness of Europe. Archbishop of Mainz, precipitating the Protestant Reformation

1803
Congress ratifies the purchase of the entire Louisiana area in North America, adding territory to the U.S. which will eventually become 13 more states.

1838
A mob of about 200 attacks a Mormon camp in Missouri, killing 20 men, women and children.

1918
Spanish Flu kills 21,000 people in the US in a single week

1941
After 14 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is completed.

1971
Saigon begins the release of 1,938 Hanoi POW’s.

2002
Former Enron Corp. CEO Andrew Fastow convicted on 78 counts of conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of justice and wire fraud; the Enron collapse cost investors millions and led to new oversight legislation.

2011
The world population reaches 7 billion inhabitants according to the United Nations

2019
US House of Representatives votes to formalize impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump

2022
Taylor Swift becomes the first artist in history to claim all top 10 slots on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, all tracks from her album "Midnights"

2023
Kenyan President William Ruto, holds state banquet for King Charles III in Nairobi, whose speech acknowledges “the wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret”

Today in History: Born on October 31

1936
Michael Landon, actor (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie TV series).

1942
David Ogden Stiers, actor; best known for his role as stuffy Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H* TV series (1977–1983).

1950
Jane Pauley, journalist; co-host of The Today Show (1976–1989) and Dateline NBC (1992–2003).

1961
Sir Peter Jackson, New Zealand film director, producer, screenwriter (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit)

1961
Larry Mullen Jr., musician; drummer for U2 band.

JOTD

A nun is walking to church.

As she passes her local store, the shopkeeper says, "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, Sister?"

She finds it odd, but keeps walking. On her walk, three more people pass her and say, "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, Sister?"

Still baffled as she gets to the church, she walks to another nun at the pulpit and asks, "Why does everyone keep asking me if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today?!"

The other nun looks down and says, "You're wearing the priest's shoes"