GMT

Today in History: September 2

1666 The Great Fire of London, which devastates the city, begins.

1885 In Rock Springs, Wyoming Territory, 28 Chinese laborers are killed and hundreds more chased out of town by striking coal miners.

1944 Troops of the U.S. First Army enter Belgium.

1945 Japan signs the document of surrender aboard the USS Missouri, ending World War II

1956 Tennessee National Guardsmen halt rioters protesting the admission of 12 African-Americans to schools in Clinton.

1963 Alabama Governor George Wallace calls state troopers to Tuskegee High School to prevent integration.

1963 The US gets its first half-hour TV weeknight national news broadcast when CBS Evening News expands from 15 to 30 minutes.

1992 The US and Russia agree to a joint venture to build a space station.

1996 The Philippine government and Muslim rebels sign a pact, formally ending a 26-year long insurgency.

Born on September 2

1901 Adolph Rupp, basketball coach at the University of Kentucky who achieved a record 876 victories.

1948 Christa McAuliffe, the first civilian passenger on a space mission. During that mission, she and the six other crew members on the space shuttle Challenger perished in an explosion shortly after launch.

1952 Jimmy Connors, former World No. 1 tennis player; reached more Grand Slam quarterfinals than any other male.

1964 Keanu Reeves, actor (Speed, The Matrix trilogy).


JOTD

At a winery, the regular taster died and the director started looking for a new one to hire.

A drunkard with a ragged, dirty look came in to apply for the position. The director of the winery wondered how to send him away. He gave him a glass to drink.
The drunk tried it and said, “It's a Muscat, three years old, grown on a north slope, matured in steel containers. Low grade, but acceptable.”
"That's correct", said the boss. Another glass...
“This is a Cabernet, eight years old, a south-western slope, oak barrels, matured at 8 degrees. Requires three more years for finest results.”
"Correct." A third glass... "It's a Pinot Blanc Champagne, high grade and exclusive,'' the drunk said calmly.
The director was astonished. He winked at his secretary, secretly suggesting something. She left the room, and came back in with a glass of urine.
The alcoholic tried it. "It's a blonde, 26 years old, three months pregnant and if I don't get the job I'll name the father."