Highlights

1803 - United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase. (I was born in Louisiana)
1947 - The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of Hollywood, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years. (ha ha I just thought it was funny)
1955 - Publication of The Return of the King, being the last part of The Lord of the Rings
1967 - A purported bigfoot is filmed by Patterson and Gimlin  (Nashville Shores????)
1977 - A plane carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd crashes in Mississippi, killing several band members, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines.(FREEE BIRD!)
1995 - Filmmaker Kevin Smith releases Mallrats.

BIRTH HIGHLIGHTS

1819 - The Bb, Persian founder of the Bb Faith (d. 1850)
1882 - Bela Lugosi, Hungarian-born actor (d. 1956) (The man is a friggin Horror Legend!!!)
1891 - Jomo Kenyatta, President of Kenya (d. 1978)
1897 - Crown Prince Eun of Korea (d. 1970)
1913 - Grandpa Jones, American banjo player and singer (d. 1998)
1928 - Joyce Brothers, American psychologist and television personality
1931 - Mickey Mantle, baseball player (d. 1995)
1935 - Jerry Orbach, American actor (d. 2004)
1942 - Earl Hindman, American actor (d. 2003) (Willson from Tool Time)
1950 - Tom Petty, American musician
1956 - Danny Boyle, English film director (all I can say Is Trainspotting and 28 days later…Need I say more?)
1958 - Dave Finlay, Northern Irish professional wrestler (Crazy Irish Wresler is more Like it)
1958 - Viggo Mortensen, American actor ( Have you seen lord of the rings?)
1958 - Scott Hall, American professional wrestler (Razor Ramon)
1965 - William Zabka, American actor (the bully from karate kid)
1969 - Juan Gonzalez, baseball player
1972 - Snoop Dogg, American rapper

Full Rundown after the jump.

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A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

A “jiffy” is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years.

Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
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