John Lennon (1940–1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide fame as a founding member of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon had a rebellious nature and acerbic wit, and at 16-years-old, formed a skiffle group which evolved into The Beatles in 1960. With bandmate Paul McCartney, he established the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership, which provided the bulk of the Beatles' catalogue until they dissolved at the end of the decade. Lennon then embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine. He became controversial through his work as a peace activist; his iconic songs, "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine", were adopted as anthems of the anti-war movement. With his wife and muse Yoko Ono, he moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him. He took a sabbatical from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his family, reemerging in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy, but was murdered on December 8, three weeks after its release.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1432:

Lithuanian Civil War: The first battle between the forces of Švitrigaila and Sigismund Kęstutaitis was fought near the modern town of Ashmyany. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Civil_War_%281431%E2%80%931435%29

1609:

Milan's Biblioteca Ambrosiana opened its reading room to the public, becoming the second public library in Europe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioteca_Ambrosiana

1963:

After being hit by a lightning strike while in a holding pattern, Pan Am Flight 214 crashed near Elkton, Maryland, USA, killing all 81 people on board. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_214

1998:

The Australian Cricket Board's cover-up of Shane Warne and Mark Waugh's involvement with bookmakers was revealed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_bookmaker_controversy

2004:

Twelve South American countries signed the Cusco Declaration, announcing the foundation of what is now the Union of South American Nations, an intergovernmental union modelled after the European Union. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_South_American_Nations

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

John Lennon glasses (n): A pair of eyeglasses (spectacles) with round lenses http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/John_Lennon_glasses

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I am not bound over to swear allegiance to any master; where the storm drives me I turn in for shelter. --Horace http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Horace