Today is the 318th day of 2015 and the 53rd day of autumn.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1851, the first American edition of Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" was published.
In 1889, New York World reporter Nellie Bly set out to travel around the world in less than 80 days, inspired by Jules Verne. It took her 72 days.
In 1910, the first airplane takeoff from the deck of a ship occurred near Hampton Roads, Virginia.
In 2008, the first G-20 economic summit began in Washington, D.C.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Robert Fulton (1765-1815), inventor; Claude Monet (1840-1926), painter; Aaron Copland (1900-1990), composer; Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957), politician; Ed White (1930-1967), astronaut; Wendy Carlos (1939- ), composer; P.J. O'Rourke (1947- ), journalist/author; Prince Charles (1948- ), Prince of Wales; Condoleezza Rice (1954- ), former secretary of state; Yanni (1954- ), musician; Patrick Warburton (1964- ), actor; Curt Schilling (1966- ), baseball player; Josh Duhamel (1972- ), actor.
TODAY'S FACT: The Dow Jones Industrial Average is not the actual average price of its component stocks, but a weighted average that compensates for the effects of stock splits and other adjustments.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1970, a plane carrying 37 Marshall University football players, as well as the team's coach, doctors, athletic director and 25 team boosters, crashed outside an airport near Huntington, West Virginia, killing all on board.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "Some people are worried about the difference between right and wrong. I'm worried about the difference between wrong and fun." -- P.J. O'Rourke, "Holidays in Hell"
TODAY'S NUMBER: $87.3 million -- highest amount paid for an original Claude Monet painting. "Le Bassin aux Nympheas" was sold at a Christie's auction in London on June 24, 2008.
TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (Nov. 11) and first quarter moon (Nov. 18).