Today is the 309th day of 2012 and the 44th day of autumn.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb in Egypt.
In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began when militants loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini took 65 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli gunman.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Will Rogers (1879-1935), humorist/writer/actor; Walter Cronkite (1916-2009), journalist; Art Carney (1918-2003), actor; Doris Roberts (1930- ), actress; Laura Bush (1946- ), former first lady; Kathy Griffin (1960- ), comedian/actress; Jeff Probst (1961- ), TV host; Sean "Diddy" Combs (1969- ), rapper/producer; Matthew McConaughey (1969- ), actor.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 to win the World Series.
TODAY'S FACT: King Tutankhamen's burial chamber comprised four rooms. The peripheral rooms were looted, while the room in which Tut was actually buried remained completely intact.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need." -- Will Rogers
TODAY'S NUMBER: 444 -- days that 52 of the American hostages in Iran were held captive, until Jan. 20, 1981.
TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Oct. 29) and last quarter (Nov. 6).