August 9th

1173: Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, it takes two centuries and 500,000 cases of red wine to complete.

1483: The Sistine Chapel opens at the Vatican, the first child is molested there the following day.

1877: A small band of Nez Percé Indians clash with the United States Army. U.S. soldiers mistake the attackers for small pairs of effeminate reading glasses.

1999: Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his Prime Minister and his entire cabinet... but he never finds out who stole his favorite shot glass.