Please mind the gap when alighting the train.

by James D. Irwin

 

Things that happened on this day but in the past:

1383— King Ferdinand of Portugal dies without a male heir. Country considers several years of Civil War a better option than making his daughter queen.

1707— Scilly Naval Disaster, four ships run aground and thousand drown. Actually quite a scerious event.

1844— Followers of William Miller anticipate the end of the world. The next day became known as The Great Disappointment. How disappointing… everybody’s not dead…’

1895— A steam train in Paris derails and crashing through Gare Montparnasse, goes on to be popular poster amongst university students and people with no imagination.

1964— Jean-Paul Sartre win Nobel Prize for Literature, turns it down claiming ‘hell is other peace prizes’

Bon anniversaire to:

1882— Geza Kiss, Hungarian swimmer, frequently slapped after introducing himself to women.

1912— Frances Drake, American actress not to be confused with Franics Drake. Both noted for their golden hinds.

1923— Bert Trautmann, played in the 1956 FA Cup final with a broken neck.

1938— Christopher Lloyd, scientist who abducted Marty McFly in 1955. Evaded capture until 1985, believed to have died in 1885.

1943— Jan de Bont, director of Speed and, to a lesser extent, Speed 2: Cruise Control.

1952— Jeff Goldblum, most famous for being Jeff Goldblum.

1968— Shaggy, reggae musician who often refuses to accept responsibility for his actions.

1974— Miroslav Satan, claims to be a Slovak NHL player. Unimpressive record for the Prince of Darkness.

1983— Plan B, English rapper who turned to music after his original plans fell through.

It’s like Speed 2, but on a bus!

 

And good riddance to:

1934— Pretty Boy Floyd, gangster who hated his nickname. But probably not as much as being shot by a submachine gun at point blank range.

1987— Lino Ventura, actor/brother of Ace.

1995— Sir Kingley Amis, author of Lucky Jim. There are adjectives for his son Martin, but all are unprintable.

 

 

And finally, after a few false starts, International Stuttering Awareness Day is now a firm fixture in the annual calendar.