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Newcastle Herald

Wednesday September 24, 2008

GR

Today's fact

Squirrels accidentally plant millions of trees because they forget where they bury their nuts.

Today's word

Libber: A member or advocate of a movement calling for the liberation of people or animals.

It happened today

From our files 1965: Newcastle had its hottest September day on record yesterday, and one of its hottest nights. Nobbys registered a record temperature of 94 degrees [Fahrenheit], but some suburbs reported home temperatures of 100.

Today in history

1852: French inventor Henri Giffard makes the first flight in a powered airship, cruising with steam power over Paris.

1924: Australian parliamentary act rules that women should not be justices of the peace because some cases "are not fit for them to hear".

1975: Britons Dougal Haston and Doug Scott become the first to climb Mount Everest by the south-west face.

1980: A simmering border war between Iran and Iraq flares into full-scale hostilities when Iraqi troops cross the border and encircle Abadan, setting fire to the world's biggest oil refinery.

1995: After all-night talks, Israel and the PLO agree to sign a pact at the White House ending nearly three decades of Israeli occupation of West Bank cities.

Born today

F. Scott Fitzgerald, US writer (1896-1940); Lord (Howard Walter) Florey, Australian scientist (1898-1968); Sir William Dobell, Australian artist (1899-1970); Linda McCartney, US-born wife of Beatle Sir Paul (1941-1998); Collette Dinnigan, pictured, Australian fashion designer (1965-).

Odd Spot

Daredevil David Blaine, 35, has started his latest endurance challenge in New York's Central Park, where he intends to hang upside down without a net for 60 hours. Sounding nasal from sinus pressure, Blaine kept smiling as he described the "enormous push of blood" that made it feel like his head was "about to explode".

Today's text

Jesus said, "This is how the judgement works: light has come into the world but people love the darkness more than the light, because their deeds are evil". John 3:19

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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