SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Today is Saturday, November 3, the 308

th

day of 2012. There are 58 days left in the year.

1679 ― Great panic occurs in Europe over the close approach of a comet

1839 ― First opium war; two British frigates engage several Chinese junks

1888 ― Jack the Ripper kills last victim

1918 ― Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolves

1918 ― Poland proclaims independence from Russia after WW I

1930 ― Bank of Italy becomes Bank of America

1931 ― First commercially-produced synthetic rubber manufactured

1936 ― President FDR wins landslide victory over Alfred M. Landon (R)

1955 ― Alabama woman bruised by a meteor

1955 ― First virus crystallized (announced)