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Today in History.


1236
Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon take Cordoba in Spain.
1652
Massachusetts declares itself an independent commonwealth.
1767
The British parliament passes the Townshend Revenue Act, levying taxes on America.
1862
Union forces, falling back from Richmond, fight at the Battle of Savage's Station.
1880
France annexes Tahiti.
1888
Professor Frederick Treves performs the first appendectomy in England.
1903
The British government officially protests Belgian atrocities in the Congo.
1905
Russian troops intervene as riots erupt in ports all over the country, leaving many ships looted.
1917
The Ukraine proclaims independence from Russia.
1925
An earthquake ravages Santa Barbara, California.

1926
Fascists in Rome add an hour to the work day in an economic efficiency measure.
1932
Siam's army seizes Bangkok and announces an end to the absolute monarchy.
1938
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, and Olympic National Park, Washington, are founded.
1950
President Harry S. Truman authorizes a sea blockade of Korea.
1951
The United States invites the Soviet Union to the Korean peace talks on a ship in Wonsan Harbor.

1955
The Soviet Union sends tanks to Poznan, Poland, to put down anti-Communist demonstrations.
1966
The U.S. Air Force bombs fuel storage facilities near Hanoi, North Vietnam.
1967
Israel removes barricades, re-unifying Jerusalem.
1970
U.S. troops pull out of Cambodia.
1982
Israel invades Lebanon


Joke of the Day.


A penguin takes his car to the shop and the mechanic says it'll take about an hour for him to check it.

While he waits, the penguin goes to an ice cream shop and orders a big sundae to pass the time. The penguin isn't the neatest eater, and he ends up covered in melted ice cream.

When he returns to the shop, the mechanic takes one look at him and says, "Looks like you blew a seal."

"No," the penguin insists, "it's just ice cream."