26 October

10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 26 October:

1. Lori Jean Keevil-Mathews, a 33 year old insurance agent, was crushed to death by a giant yellow Umbrella on this date in 1991. The umbrella was part of the artist Christo's outdoor art installation which consisted of 1,760 Yellow 488lb umbrellas lined up on Interstate 5 in California.
2. Paul the Psychic Octopus died on this date in 2010 at the age of 2. Born in Weymouth, England, Paul lived in a tank at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany. Paul became internationally famous for correctly predicting the winner of Germany's matches at the 2010 World Cup.
3. In 1977, there was the first UK broadcast of Happy Days, comedy set in the 50s starring Henry Winkler as the Fonz.
4. The first World Congress of Housewives was held in Buenos Aires on this date in 1995.
5. In 1785, America received its first Mule in Boston as a gift from King Charles III of Spain.
6. In 1929, it was announced that all London Buses would be Red.
7. This date in 1623 was the day of ‘the Fatal Vespers’. About 300 people crammed into an upper room of the residence of the ambassador of France to England, at Blackfriars, to hear Jesuit priest Father Drury preach. Drury and about 100 of the congregation were killed when the floor collapsed. It was seen by many to be God’s judgement against Jesuits, rather than too many people weighing down a dodgy floor.
8. The "Gunfight at the OK Corral" took place in Tombstone, Arizona on this date in 1881. Wyatt Earp, his two brothers and "Doc" Holliday shot it out with Ike Clanton's gang. Three members of Clanton's gang were killed; Earp's brothers were wounded but survived. No one recalls exactly what the fight was about.
9. In 1990, Sean Shannon recited Hamlet’s soliloquy in 24 seconds (647.5 words a minute).
10. The first Madrid Marijuana Cup was held on this date in 1997, but the cup was not awarded as, after sampling all the entries, the judges were too stoned to declare a winner.

I write Fiction, too.

There is a whole new universe of superheroes to discover in my novels. The Ultraheroes Universe includes at least one alternative dimension, good guys, bad guys, secrets, romance and more.

For more information visit My Books Page

For even more information visit My website