Television host, model and author Padma Lakshmi, 56, was born Padma Parvati Lakshmi Vaidynathan on Sept. 1, 1970 in Madras, India. She is best known for being the creator, producer and host of the Bravo cooking competition Top Chef from 2006-2023.
1939 - World War II began when Germany invaded Poland. In December 1941, the U.S. entered the war, and the war ended in 1945.
Fact of the Day
Alan Alda is the only actor to appear in all 251 episodes of the long-running series M*A*S*H. He commuted from Los Angeles to his home in New Jersey every weekend for the 11-year-run because he didn't know how long the show would last.
Nature Oddities
The fastest known land animal relative to its size is the Southern California mite, which has been recorded sprinting at up to 322 body lengths per second. For a human, that would be like running 1,260 mph.
Food and Drink
The Hass avocado makes up about 95% of all avocados eaten in the United States and roughly 80% of the worldwide market.