ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Thursday 12th November 2026
This is day 316 of the year with 49 remaining. This is week 46 and there are 43 days till Christmas.    
UK & World News
2001 American Airlines 587 flying from the US to Dominican Republic crashes in New York. All 260 on board are killed and 5 on the ground.2001 Around 6600 photomultipliers costing $3000 each implode in a cascade failure at the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan.1999 A 7.2 earthquake hits Turkey the second following a 7.6 on 07/08/99 which killed around 18000. Around 894 more people are killed.1991 The Santa Cruz Massacre occurs in East Timor when at least 250 pro-independence demonstrators are murdered.1985 British Telecom introduce the first free 0800 numbers to replace a previous 'Freefone' service that required talking to an operator.1975 IRA terrorists throw a bomb into Scott's seafood restaurant in Mayfair in London. One person is killed and 15 people injured.1970 Authorities in the US blow up a 14 metre long whale that washed ashore 3 days earlier. The explosion is much larger than expected.
   

Music & Entertainment
2025 Mike Graham who made deranged claims like 'you can grow concrete' is fired by Talkradio after appearing to post racial abuse online.2007 A statue is unveiled at St Pancras of John Betjeman who helped save the railway station and hotel from being demolished in 1967.1971 The Goodies episode 'Kitten Kong' is broadcast. In 1972 an edited version wins an award but the BBC wipe the tapes of the original.
   

Birthdays
1968 Kathleen Hanna, American singer best known for dancing in Sonic youth's 'Bull in the Heather' and inspiring 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.1965 Rory Sutherland, British advertising executive known for online videos and as vice chairman of Ogilvy & Mather.1962 Mariella Frostrup, Norwegian Irish TV presenter best known from ITV programmes in the 1990s.1957 Sawsan Badr, Egyptian actress best known for playing the princess in 1980 programme 'Death of a Princess'.1945 Neil Young, Canadian American hit musician worth over US$ 200mil who complains about piracy while encouraging it.1944 Booker T Jones, American musician best known from hit group Booker T andthe MG's.1943 Errol Brown, British Jamaican singer and musician best known as lead of hit group 'Hot Chocolate'. Died 6th May 2015.1943 Brian Hyland, American singer best known for 1960 hits 'Sealed with a Kiss' and 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini'.1932 Carmen Munroe, British Guyana actress best known as 'Shirley' in Channel 4 comedy Desmond's.1929 Grace Kelly, American actress and 'Princess of Monaco' best known from hit movies. Died 14th September 1982.1928 Bob Holness, British South African who presented 'Blockbusters' and did not play sax on Baker Street. Died 6th January 2012.
   

Deaths
2024 Thomas E Kurtz, American computer scientist who with John Kemeny created the BASIC language. Born 22nd February 1928.2014 Warren Clarke, British actor from TV and movies best known from 'A Clockwork Orange'. Born 26th April 1947.2008 Mitch Mitchell, British musician best known from hit group 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience'. Born 9th July 1946.
   


   

Today's Videos

   

The Exploding Whale (1970) On this day in 1970 authorities in the US blow up a 14 metre long whale that washed ashore 3 days earlier. The explosion is much larger than expected and 'the blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds' damaging a car bought in a 'whale of a deal' sale a few days earlier.
Santa Cruz Cemetery Massacre - 12/11/91 On this day in 1991 the Santa Cruz Massacre occurs in East Timor when at least 250 pro-independence demonstrators are murdered. It will be famously caught on film by journalist Christopher Wenner using the name 'Max Stahl'. Christopher Wenner previosuly presented Blue Peter from 1978 to 1980.
Cold Blood the Massacre of East Timor - First Tuesday (1992) On this day in 1991 the Santa Cruz Massacre occurs in East Timor when at least 250 pro-independence demonstrators are murdered. It will be famously caught on film by journalist Christopher Wenner using the name 'Max Stahl'. Christopher Wenner previosuly presented Blue Peter from 1978 to 1980.
Cascade Failure at the Super Kamiokande - Alexander the OK (2025) On this day in 2001 around 6600 photomultipliers costing $3000 each implode in a cascade failure at the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan.

Music and Memes

   


   

Kitten Kong clip - 12/11/71 On this day in 1971 The Goodies episode 'Kitten Kong' is broadcast. In 1972 an edited version of the episode will win an award. The BBC will wipe the tapes of the original but the edited version survives.
Sonic Youth - Bull In The Heather (1994) On this day in 1968 Kathleen Hanna the American singer was born. While her own music is less well known she's said to have been the inspiration for Nirvana's hit 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' after writing 'Kirk smells like teen spirit' on Kurt Cobain's wall. She's probably best known from dancing around in the Sonic Youth video for their 1994 song 'Bull in the Heather'. It's unclear if she sings on it but apparently she did accidentally injure guitar player Thurston Moore during filming.
The Magic of Original Thinking - Rory Sutherland (2022) On this day in 1965 Rory Sutherland the British advertising executive known for online videos and as vice chairman of Ogilvy & Mather was born.
Frostrup moment - Coupling (2000) On this day in 1962 Mariella Frostrup the Norwegian Irish TV presenter best known from ITV programmes in the 1990s was born.
Neil Young - Old Man (1972) On this day in 1945 Neil Young the Canadian American hit musician worth over US$ 200mil who complains about piracy while encouraging it was born.
Neil Young - Don't Let It Bring You Down (1970) On this day in 1945 Neil Young the Canadian American hit musician worth over US$ 200mil who complains about piracy while encouraging it was born.
Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (1970) On this day in 1945 Neil Young the Canadian American hit musician worth over US$ 200mil who complains about piracy while encouraging it was born.
Booker T and the MGs - Soul Limbo (1968) On this day in 1944 Booker T Jones the American musician best known from hit group Booker T and the MG's was born. Their best known record was 'Soul Limbo' in 1968 which was used as the theme for BBC cricket coverage for many years. The cowbell on this record is played by Isaac Hayes.
Brian Hyland - Sealed With A Kiss (1960) On this day in 1943 Brian Hyland the American singer best known for 1960 hits 'Sealed with a Kiss' and 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini' was born.
Mika - Grace Kelly (2007) On this day in 1929 Grace Kelly the American actress and 'Princess of Monaco' best known from hit movies was born. Died 14th September 1982.
I'll have an E please Bob - Blockbusters On this day in 1928 Bob Holness the British South African who presented 'Blockbusters' was born. Contrary to a popular myth claimed to have been created by Stuart Maconie when he lied about it as a 'joke' in the NME in 1990, Bob Holness did not play sax on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street that was actually Raphael Ravenscroft, though it's said Tommy Boyd made the joke first many years earlier on his LBC programme. The writer of this entry used to listen to Tommy Boyd regularly in the early 80s and has no recollection of him saying it, but it sounds very plausible. Then again Raphael Ravenscroft himself would say he also came up with the joke as a response to a foreign journalist after being repeatedly asked if he played it, while he was working on a Robinsons advert with Bob Holness, though that advert was made seven years after the NME article. Died 6th January 2012.
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (1978) On this day in 1928 Bob Holness the British South African who presented 'Blockbusters' was born. Contrary to a popular myth claimed to have been created by Stuart Maconie when he lied about it as a 'joke' in the NME in 1990, Bob Holness did not play sax on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street that was actually Raphael Ravenscroft, though it's said Tommy Boyd made the joke first many years earlier on his LBC programme. The writer of this entry used to listen to Tommy Boyd regularly in the early 80s and has no recollection of him saying it, but it sounds very plausible. Then again Raphael Ravenscroft himself would say he also came up with the joke as a response to a foreign journalist after being repeatedly asked if he played it, while he was working on a Robinsons advert with Bob Holness, though that advert was made seven years after the NME article. Died 6th January 2012.
Bob Holness Interview About Blockbusters - London Tonight (1993) On this day in 1928 Bob Holness the British South African who presented 'Blockbusters' was born. Contrary to a popular myth claimed to have been created by Stuart Maconie when he lied about it as a 'joke' in the NME in 1990, Bob Holness did not play sax on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street that was actually Raphael Ravenscroft, though it's said Tommy Boyd made the joke first many years earlier on his LBC programme. The writer of this entry used to listen to Tommy Boyd regularly in the early 80s and has no recollection of him saying it, but it sounds very plausible. Then again Raphael Ravenscroft himself would say he also came up with the joke as a response to a foreign journalist after being repeatedly asked if he played it, while he was working on a Robinsons advert with Bob Holness, though that advert was made seven years after the NME article. Died 6th January 2012. The broadcast date of this clip was 02/06/93.
Who Killed Bob Holness - Robinsons Advert (1997) On this day in 1928 Bob Holness the British South African who presented 'Blockbusters' was born. Contrary to a popular myth claimed to have been created by Stuart Maconie when he lied about it as a 'joke' in the NME in 1990, Bob Holness did not play sax on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street that was actually Raphael Ravenscroft, though it's said Tommy Boyd made the joke first many years earlier on his LBC programme. The writer of this entry used to listen to Tommy Boyd regularly in the early 80s and has no recollection of him saying it, but it sounds very plausible. Then again Raphael Ravenscroft himself would say he also came up with the joke as a response to a foreign journalist after being repeatedly asked if he played it, while he was working on a Robinsons advert with Bob Holness, though that advert was made seven years after the NME article. Died 6th January 2012.