I guess it wasn't so much Seward folly

October 18 is Alaska Day, observed in the U.S. state of Alaska. Previously, they tried celebrating Alaska Day in Hawaii. The seething resentment of stealing their nation hadn't abated in Hawaii, so sponsors thought better of the plan. (Note to readers who find themselves in Alaska today - once again, avoid the Palin clan; rumors abound that Sarah has been once again hitting the bottle rather heavily as of late, having lost her recent election)



It is the anniversary of the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States which took place at a flag-raising ceremony at Fort Sitka on October 18, 1867.


October 18, 1953 -
The live Peter Brooks' Omnibus production of King Lear starring Orson Welles, Micheál Mac Liammóir, Natasha Parry, Arnold Moss and Beatrice Straight premiered on CBS-TV on this date. This was the TV debut of Orson Welles



This adaptation of William Shakespeare's play cuts out the subplot involving Edmund, Edgar and their father, the Earl of Gloucester. Edmund's character is merged into that of Oswald (David J. Stewart). Tom o' Bedlam (Micheál MacLiammóir) appears, but we never learn, as in the original play, that "Tom" is only a guise for Edgar. Key scenes involving Gloucester (Frederick Worlock), including his blinding, are retained, but only as they directly relate to the main plot. No mention is made of his having sons.


October 18, 1961 -
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' film version of Broadway musical, West Side Story, premiered in New York City on this date.



The lyrics to America were substantially changed for the movie. There had been complaints that the Broadway version was too belittling to Puerto Ricans, in that the song mainly ridiculed Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans. The movie lyrics emphasize the racism and discrimination that Puerto Ricans were subjected to in America.


October 18, 1967 -
The 19th animated feature and the first film Disney Studios released after Walt Disney's death, Jungle Book, premiered on this date.



Walt Disney died during production of this film. Many people wondered at what the studio's fate would be, particularly the animation division. The film performed extremely well at the box office, ensuring that the animators would not be put out of work. Had the film failed, it is likely that animation would have been closed down at the Disney studio.


October 18, 1968 -
The Star Trek episode Is There in Truth No Beauty? premiered on this date. In it, the Enterprise travels with an alien ambassador who must travel inside a special black case because his appearance causes insanity.



The Vulcan IDIC was inserted into the script and into the episode at the behest of Gene Roddenberry, who wanted to sell the prop as an item at his Lincoln Enterprises. Nimoy, Shatner, and others were outraged at this, and Roddenberry was called to the set to negotiate with the actors. Finally, he agreed to rewrite the dinner scene. The IDIC symbol was used, but in a much less prominent way.


October 18, 1974 -
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, based loosely on Ed Gein's story opened in theatres on this date. At the time of release, the film was so strongly criticized for its content that it was eventually banned in various countries around the world, including Australia and the United Kingdom.



Marilyn Burns, whose character was chased by Leatherface through the undergrowth, actually cut herself on the branches quite badly, so a lot of the blood on her body and clothes is real.


October 18, 1975 -
The second-ever episode of Saturday Night Live was notable for the reunion of Simon & Garfunkel on this date. This show marked the first public appearance of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel together since 1972.



There are 10 musical performances in this episode, the most ever for the show. The Not Ready For Prime Time Players appear only once in the very brief Bee sketch except for Chevy Chase who also appears in the opening and Weekend Update.


October 18, 1988 -
Poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, sex, menstruation, birth control, teenage pregnancy, masturbation, obesity, abortion, race, social class, domestic violence, and homosexuality - some of the topics dealt with on the series, Roseanne (which premiered on this date.)



Sara Gilbert's contribution to the show was considered so important to Roseanne that the show's producers juggled storylines and taping schedules to allow her to study at Yale University while remaining part of the cast, shooting remote segments of Darlene at a soundstage in New York City.


October 18, 1991 -
Gus van Sant very loose interpretation of the Shakespearean classic, Henry IV, My Own Private Idaho, starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves is released



Many members of the cast (including River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Flea, and Michael Parker) moved into director Gus Van Sant's large old house in Portland, Oregon during filming. They apparently caused such a disturbance (staying up late, getting drunk, partying, and playing music) and overtook the house to such an extent, that Van Sant eventually had to move out of his own house and stay with a friend, in order to get some sleep.


Today's moment of Zen


Today in History:
October 18, 1216 -
King John was not a happy sovereign. Not the favorite child; his brother Richard the Lionheart was. John was king of England on and off while his brother enjoyed fighting the Crusades in the Middle East and engaging in royal sodomy with the King of France. Finally John became king outright when some kid shot his brother in the neck with an arrow (but that's another story.)



Once John became king, he argued with everyone: the Pope, the King of France (with whom his brother may or may not have been having romantical liaisons) and most of the Barons of England. King John died on this day after eating too many peaches and drinking too much cider. He was trying to cheer himself up after being chased by revolting Barons half way across England and losing the crown jewels while fleeing from them. Recently, historians believe they discovered the missing jewels this past September on a farm in a Lincolnshire, England, maybe that would have cheered him up.


October 18, 1767 -
The border between Maryland and Pennsylvania was settled on this date. Dubbed the Mason-Dixon line, it became the unofficial boundary between North and South.



Naughty confederates, naughty.


October 18, 1898 -
The United States took control of Puerto Rico on this date, one year after Spain had granted self-rule to the Caribbean nation. The Spanish–American War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which was signed on December 10, 1898. Its clauses included Spain ceding Puerto Rico to the United States.



Since 1917, people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. So class, once again, that makes all Puerto Ricans - U.S. citizens!


October 18, 1903 -
Hundreds of people in San Francisco were startled to see Dr. August Greth fly his 80-foot-long American Eagle airship over the city on this date.

At first his flight seemed successful but then the dirigible's engine stalled and the wind carried it over the bay where it plummeted into the water. He and his assistant, overcome by escaping gas, were safely recovered by soldiers from Fort Point.

Bad Hydrogen, bad.


October 18, 1931 -
Thomas Alva Edison, one of the most prolific inventors (and evil businessmen) in history, forgot to file a patent on avoiding death so he died in West Orange, N.J., at the age of 84, on this date.



Bad Grim Reaper, bad. (or good, depending on your viewpoint of Mr. Edison.)


October 18, 1943 -
During World War II, a pigeon named G.I. Joe saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia, Italy, and of the British troops occupying it, on this date. Air support had been requested against German positions at Calvi Vecchi on this date, but the message that the British 169th Infantry Brigade had captured the village, delivered by G.I. Joe, arrived just in time to avoid the bombing.



Up to a thousand men were saved. On November 4, 1946, G.I. Joe was presented the Dickin Medal for gallantry by Major-General Charles Keightley at the Tower on London, the citation credits him with the most outstanding flight made by a United States Army homing pigeon in World War II. G.I. Joe was the 29th and the first non-British recipient of the medal.

As always, bad nazis, bad.


October 18, 1945 -
The USSR's nuclear program receives plans for America's plutonium bomb, courtesy of secret agent Klaus Fuchs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, on this date.



Shame on you Mr Fuchs, shame.


October 18, 1959 -
The Soviet Union announced an unmanned space vehicle had taken the first pictures of the far side of the moon a few days earlier.



Remember kids, there is no dark side of the moon - it's all dark.


October 18, 1963 -
Félicette the cat was sent into space in a capsule on top of a French Véronique AG1 rocket. Félicette traveled 120 miles into space for 1 hour and 20 minutes and then returned to Earth by parachute and was recovered safely.



She was a black and white female found on the streets of Paris and was selected from 14 cats the French trained for the mission. Félicette was the only cat to have been sent into space and survived (she unfortunately was euthanized a few months later so scientists could study the impact of space travel on her brain, but that's another story...).


October 18, 1968 -
The police with the help of two sniffer dogs named Yogi and Boo-Boo, on this date, raided the apartment of John Lennon and Yoko Ono and finds a very small amount of pot. The couple is fined £150.

Bad Beatle, bad Beatle.


October 18, 1974 -
On this date, the jury in the Watergate cover-up trial heard a tape recording in which U.S. President Richard Nixon told aide John Dean to try to stop the Watergate burglary investigation before it implicated White House personnel.

Bad Dick, bad.


October 18, 1984 -
President Ronald Reagan ordered an investigation of a CIA handbook for Nicaraguan rebels that suggested assassination as a political tactic.

Bad - oh forget it, he's dead.



And so it goes