This day in history - November 18

[seamusTX]

1883 - The United States adopted standard time zones.

Before then, each town set its clocks by the sun. The railroads needed a standard time system so that they could publish schedules.

1928 - Mickey Mouse was "born" with the premiere of the cartoon film "Steamboat Willie."

He was initially ratlike and not all that endearing.

1959 - The movie Ben Hur, starring Charlton Heston, had its premiere.

1978 - U.S. Representative Leo Ryan was killed at the Jonestown cult settlement in Guyana. The cult leader, Jim Jones, had been "losing it" for a while, and he initiated a series of murders and suicides that killed 909 people and gave Kool-Aid a black eye.

1991 - British diplomat Terry Waite was freed after having been held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon for over four years.

- Jim