Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

November 2

1992
Magic Johnson: The basketball legend retires from the sport for a second time; this time for good.

1988
First Internet Worm:  Released by a Cornell graduate student, Robert Morris, Jr.

1988
Dan Quayle: While campaigning for the Vice Presidency, he was asked how his living arrangements would change if he was elected. He replied, "Well, it would sure be different to live in that White House," apparently not aware that the Vice President doesn't live in the White House.

1986
Iran-Contra Affair: U.S. hostage David Jacobsen - held since May 1985 - is released by the Islamic Jihad in Beirut. It was later revealed that the Reagan administration, in violation of public policy, had traded arms to Iran for the release of American hostages.

1983
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: The first federal annual holiday honoring a black American is created when Pres. Reagan signs the legislation to set aside the third Monday in January to honor the birth (January 15, 1929) of the civil-rights leader.

1962
Cuban Missile Crisis: Pres. Kennedy announces that the Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled.

1954
First woman lieutenant governor: Consuelo Northrop Bailey of Vermont is elected.

1948
Pres. Truman beats Thomas Dewey in the presidential election, regardless of what the newspapers said.

1947
Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose: The billionaire flies his 200-ton craft for its first and only flight. It was the world's largest plane.

1917
Balfour Declaration: Established a national home for Jews in Palestine.

1896
First automobile insurance is sold, by General Accident Co. in Britain.

1889
North Dakota becomes the 39th State and South Dakota becomes the 40th.

1867
Harper's Bazaar (Bazaar) founded, a magazine for women.

1835
Discovery of secondary currents in electricity is announced by Joseph Henry.

1800
First president to move into the White House, John Adams.

1961
k.d. lang (Katherine Dawn Lang), Canadian Grammy-winning singer. Music: Constant Craving (Grammy).

1953
Alfre Woodard, American Emmy-winning actress. TV: St. Elsewhere (Dr. Roxanne Turner).

1917
Durward Randolph Knowles, British yachtsman. He tied the record for longest span of Olympic competition (1948-88). (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1913     d. 1994
Burt Lancaster, American Oscar-winning actor. Film: From Here to Eternity (1953), Elmer Gantry (1960, Oscar) and The Leopard (1963). He started his career as a circus performer.

1885     d. 1972
Harlow Shapley, American astronomer. He made the first accurate estimate of the size of the Milky Way galaxy (1918).

1865     d. 1923
Warren Gamaliel Harding, 29th U.S. President (1921-23). He died while in office, making Vice-President Calvin Coolidge president.

1795     d. 1849
James Knox Polk, 11th U.S. President (1845-49).

1755     d. 1793
Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, disliked by her people for her extravagances and politics, she was guillotined for treason and attempting to incite a civil war.

1734     d. 1820
Daniel Boone, American pioneer, Indian fighter.

1470     d. 1483
Edward V, King of England (April-June 1483). He and his brother, the Duke of York, were put to death by their uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

2002     b. 1909
Selden Rodman, American author. He edited One Hundred American Poems (1948), which became the first paperback published by Signet Books.

1992     b. 1892
Hal Roach, American Oscar-winning film director, producer. His films starred Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, and the Little Rascals.

1964     b. 1909
Ralph Edward Schneider, American businessman, founded Diner's Club (1950), the first credit card company.

1961     b. 1894
James Grover Thurber, American author, cartoonist. Blind since the age of 40, he continued to illustrate his books until his death.

1950     b. 1856
George Bernard Shaw, British dramatist. Writings: Androcles and the Lion (1912) and Pygmalion (1913), which was later produced as My Fair Lady.

1941     b. 1867
Simon Guggenheim, American philanthropist. He and his wife created the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation (1925) in memory of their son.

1887     b. 1820
Jenny Lind, Swedish singer, known as "The Swedish Nightingale." She toured with P.T. Barnum.

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