Today is the 322nd day of 2014 and the 58th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1883, American and Canadian railroads instituted five standard continental time zones.

In 1928, the first cartoon with sound, Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie," premiered.

In 1963, the first push-button telephones were test-marketed in Carnegie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

In 1966, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops eliminated the rule against eating meat on Fridays.

In 1985, the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes" made its first newspaper appearance.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Louis Daguerre (1787-1851), inventor; George Gallup (1901-1984), pollster; Klaus Mann (1906-1949), publicist/dramatist; Johnny Mercer (1909-1976), lyricist; Alan Shepard (1923-1998), astronaut; Margaret Atwood (1939- ), writer; Alan Dean Foster (1946- ), author; Alan Moore (1953- ), author; Elizabeth Perkins (1960- ), actress; Owen Wilson (1968- ), actor; Chloe Sevigny (1974- ), actress; David Ortiz (1975- ), baseball player.

TODAY'S FACT: The average American consumes 56 pounds of beef and 83 pounds of chicken every year.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1985, New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor sacked Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann during a Monday Night Football game. Theissman suffered a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in his right leg on the play, an injury that resulted in his retirement from football.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "If you're crazy, there's two things you can do to make yourself feel better: One is to get yourself cured. The other is to make everyone you have to deal with crazy." -- Alan Dean Foster

TODAY'S NUMBER: 4 -- number of major league no-hitters pitched by Sandy Koufax during his career. Koufax, who retired on this day in 1966, is second only to Nolan Ryan (seven) on the all-time no-hitters list.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Nov. 14) and new moon (Nov. 22).

Today is the 321st day of 2014 and the 57th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1800, the United States Congress met for the first time in Washington, D.C., in the unfinished Capitol building.

In 1869, the Suez Canal was officially opened.

In 1871, the National Rifle Association was granted a charter by the state of New York.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy dedicated Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

In 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as governor of California.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Shelby Foote (1916-2005), author/historian; Rock Hudson (1925-1985), actor; Martin Scorsese (1942- ), film director; Lauren Hutton (1943- ), actress; Danny DeVito (1944- ), actor; Lorne Michaels (1944- ), producer; Howard Dean (1948- ), politician; Stephen Root (1951- ), actor; Jeff Buckley (1966-1997), singer-songwriter; Sophie Marceau (1966- ), actress; Rachel McAdams (1978- ), actress; Reggie Wayne (1978- ), football player; Ryan Braun (1983- ), baseball player; Christopher Paolini (1983- ), writer.

TODAY'S FACT: Congress passed the Height of Buildings Act in 1899, stating that no building in Washington, D.C., could be built taller than 130 feet. (Contrary to popular myth, the Capitol is not mentioned in the legislation.) It was amended in 1910, allowing buildings to be as tall as the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1968, with about a minute on the clock and the New York Jets leading the Oakland Raiders, 32-29, NBC switched to a scheduled broadcast of "Heidi." Oakland then scored two touchdowns in nine seconds, winning 43-32, as thousands of deprived fans overloaded NBC's switchboard.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "I abhor the idea of a perfect world. It would bore me to tears." -- Shelby Foote

TODAY'S NUMBER: 1,900 -- average number of flight departures and landings at Washington Dulles International Airport on a given day.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Nov. 14) and new moon (Nov. 22).

Today is the 320th day of 2014 and the 56th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1801, the first New York Post newspaper was published.

In 1841, the first underwater tunnel was completed beneath the Thames River in London.

In 1907, Oklahoma was admitted as the 46th U.S. state.

In 1914, the Federal Reserve System of the United States officially opened.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed legislation authorizing the construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: W.C. Handy (1873-1958), composer; George Kaufman (1889-1961), playwright; Burgess Meredith (1907-1997), actor; Jose Saramago (1922-2010), author; Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), author; Marg Helgenberger (1958- ), actress; Dwight Gooden (1964- ), baseball player; Lisa Bonet (1967- ), actress; Oksana Baiul (1977- ), figure skater; Maggie Gyllenhaal (1977- ), actress; Amar'e Stoudemire (1982- ), basketball player.

TODAY'S FACT: The $5 bill is the U.S. currency with the shortest lifespan, lasting an average of 16 months in circulation.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1957, the longest winning streak in college football history ended at 47 games, when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish upset the Oklahoma Sooners.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "When suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool." -- Chinua Achebe

TODAY'S NUMBER: 800 -- length (in miles) of the trans-Alaska pipeline system.

TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (Nov. 14) and new moon (Nov. 22).