1648 – Margaret Jones is hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts colony.

1938 – Action Comics issues the first Superman comic.

1942 – Anne Frank begins to keep a diary.

Birthday girl • 1811 – Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author (d. 1896)

It’s hard out here for a poet • NH’s Donald Hall has been named US Poet Laureate, NPR’s Here & Now has an interview, as well as NPR’s All things Considered, the poems read on each is different.

audio • this Poet Laurete thing is catching on, Three Oaks, Michigan Pop 1827 has its very own poet laureate seat. Bookseller & graphic artist Rick Tuttle, owner of B Books in downtown Three Oaks has been named to that seat and NPR’s Day to Day has the story.

cookies • James Shapiro’s 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare was awarded the Samuel Johnson Prize, worth $55,000 (U.S.).

ashen • A fire damaged books in the gay and lesbian section and the African American section of a branch of the Chicago Public Library.

reach out and nudge someone • MySpace.com is the latest outlet for authors to hook up with editors, sell books and seek solace when they’re lonely. We used to call these places BARS.

banktoaster • Feedroller.com not only has parts, and accessories for an incredibly wide array of printers, but it has detailed instructons for unjamming them.