On this day 1790, noted founding father Benjamin Franklin died; contrary to popular mythology, he was not fried to a crisp while flying a kite in a lightning storm.
On this day in 2002, soap opera “General Hospital” aired its 10,000th episode; with a storyline featuring the hospital’s 2,000th case of amnesia, and a grim subplot about preventable deaths caused by America’s dysfunctional, for-profit health care system.
On this day in 1961, a team of CIA-trained schoolgirls invaded Cuba in a failed coup attempt called the Bay of Pigtails.
On this day in 1492, the King and Queen of Spain hired Christopher Columbus under a contract that promised him a bonus if he accidentally discovered a New World.
On this day in 1985, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled its 22-cent “LOVE” stamp, which somehow did not ignite a controversy about rainbows and trigger conservatives to boycott the Post Office.
Today’s Birthdays:
Thornton Wilder (1897-1975): won three Pulitzer Prizes, including one for the iconic play “Our Town” and its lesser-known sequel “Get the Hell Out of Our Town!”
Jennifer Garner, 52: (if that’s her real name), received four Emmy nominations for her portrayal of a spy/double agent who used multiple pseudonyms on “Alias.”
Rooney Mara, 39: actress, earned an Oscar nomination for playing the nerdy Lisbeth Salander in “The Girl with the Dungeons & Dragons Tattoo.”
Victoria Beckham, 50: singer with the Spice Girls; chose the stage name Posh Spice over the other three finalists: Grumpy Spice, Spicy Spice and Vampire Spice. (Video: “Family Guy” Peter Griffin, aka Fat Stupid Spice, doing his Spice Girls impression)
BONUS: 7 Writing Tips from the Masters !!