1...that the Château de Lusignan, now in ruins, was so impressive that a 14th-century legend credited its construction to a water faery, Melusine—as a love-gift? 2...that broadcasting in the Soviet Union was so secretive that they didn't disclose the frequencies the domestic radio stations operated on, thus leaving SWLs wanting to tune into Soviet radio to memorize the frequencies and remember where the sites were? 3...that Seattle-based company Sur La Table is the second-largest specialty cookware retailer in the United States, after Williams-Sonoma? 4...that John Surma is the president and chief executive officer of United States Steel Corporation?

The personal computer age reached a milestone when the Altair 8800 became available 31 years ago today, allowing anyone to build a computer at home. The microcomputer kit was originally intended to be sold to hobbyists, but it was an instant hit, and in 1990 the computer went on display at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of History and Technology in Washington, DC. The microcomputer was designed by Ed Roberts, who had been producing calculator kits for hobbyists.

"Buying the right computer and getting it to work properly is no more complicated than building a nuclear reactor from wristwatch parts in a darkened room using only your teeth." – Dave Barry

Benjamin Franklin: began publishing his Poor Richard's Almanack (1732) Titanic: movie with the highest box office earnings opened in the US (1997) Bill Clinton: was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice (1998)

Leonid Brezhnev: Soviet leader (1906-1982) Edith Piaf: French cabaret singer called "the little sparrow" (1915-1963) actors: Alyssa Milano (33), Jake Gyllenhaal (25)

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