Today in 2001, Wikipedia was launched. Despite ideological dickheads, citogenesis, perpetual vanity defacings and an unvetted authorship pool, by and large, it can actually be useful - particularly as a reference pool.
Today's famous runaways include Christopher Colombus pulling up stakes and heading back to the New World in 1493 with a boatload of potatoes and newly syphilitic sailors; and tricky dicky officially cooling his jets in Vietnam.
Today in 1976, someone who tried to shoot President Ford got sentenced to life in prison... So much for the 2nd amendment hey FOX, Jones, NRA, etc... And on the whole despotic tyrant thing: This day today in 1970, Moammar Gadhafi becomes "President" of Libya, and in 1559, Elizabeth the 1st is crowned Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. (yes, she really used etc - nothing like a bit of megalomanic ambition...)