GMT

Today in History: October 19

1781 Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrenders to George Washington and Count de Rochambeau at Yorktown, Va. Cornwallis surrenders 7,157 troops, including sick and wounded, and 840 sailors, along with 244 artillery pieces. Losses in this battle had been light on both sides. The Revolutionary War is effectively ended.

1848 John "The Pathfinder" Fremont moves out from near Westport, Missouri, on his fourth Western expedition--a failed attempt to open a trail across the Rocky Mountains along the 38th parallel.

1873 Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Rutgers universities draft the first code of football rules.

1942 The Japanese submarine I-36 launches a floatplane for a reconnaissance flight over Pearl Harbor. The pilot and crew report on the ships in the harbor, after which the aircraft is lost at sea.

1960 Canada and the United States agree to undertake a joint Columbia River project to provide hydroelectric power and flood control.

1973 President Richard Nixon rejects an Appeals Court demand to turn over the Watergate tapes.

Born on October 19

1945 John Lithgow, actor (The World According to Garp; Terms of Endearment; 3rd Rock from the Sun TV sitcom).

1945 Jeannie C. Riley, country and gospel singer, whose 1968 hit "Harper Valley PTA" (penned by Tom T. Hall) reached No. 1 on both the Pop and Country charts of Billboard magazine.

JOTD
3 men die and go to heaven

At the Pearly Gates they're greeted by Saint Peter
Saint Peter: I will let you into heaven if you can show me a spirit of Christmas
The first man pulls out a leaf from his pocket and says "this represents the Christmas tree"
He is allowed into heaven
The second man pulls out his keys "these represent bells"
He is allowed into heaven
The third man pulls out a pair of women's underwear
Saint Peter: good lord what do those represent?!
The third man says "oh well these, these are Carols"