July 20

Today in History - July 20

Today is Sunday, July 20, the 202nd day of 2008. There are 164 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon as they stepped out of their lunar module.

On this date:

In 1810, Colombia declared independence from Spain.

In 1861, the Congress of the Confederate States began holding sessions in Richmond, Va.

In 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation as a Canadian province.

In 1917, the draft lottery in World War I went into operation.

In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion at Hitler's Rastenburg headquarters only wounded the Nazi leader.

In 1944, President Roosevelt was nominated for an unprecedented fourth term of office at the Democratic convention in Chicago.

In 1976, America's Viking 1 robot spacecraft made a successful, first-ever landing on Mars.

In 1977, a flash flood hit Johnstown, Pa., killing more than 80 people and causing $350 million in damage.

In 1988, Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis received the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Atlanta.

In 1988, Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini accepted a truce with Iraq, even though he said the decision was like drinking poison.

Ten years ago: Russia won an $11.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to help avert the devaluation of its currency. A smoky fire broke out aboard the cruise ship Ecstasy just 2 miles from the Florida shore, forcing the ship's return to port.

Five years ago: Gen. John Abizaid, the top commander of coalition forces in Iraq, predicted that resistance to U.S. forces in Iraq would grow in coming months as progress was made in creating a new government to replace the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein. President Bush welcomed Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to his Texas ranch for a two-day visit. Ben Curtis, an unknown PGA Tour rookie in his first major championship, won the British Open.

One year ago: President Bush signed an executive order prohibiting cruel and inhuman treatment, including humiliation or denigration of religious beliefs, in the detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects. Tammy Faye Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire, then watched it collapse in disgrace, died at age 65 near Kansas City, Mo.

Today's Birthdays: Actress-singer Sally Ann Howes is 78. Rockabilly singer Sleepy LaBeef is 73. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is 72. Actress Diana Rigg is 70. Rock musician John Lodge (The Moody Blues) is 65. Country singer T.G. Sheppard is 64. Singer Kim Carnes is 63. Rock musician Carlos Santana is 61. Rock musician Paul Cook (The Sex Pistols, Man Raze) is 52. Actress Donna Dixon is 51. Rock musician Mick McNeil (Simple Minds) is 50. Country singer Radney Foster is 49. Actor Frank Whaley is 45. Rock singer Chris Cornell is 44. Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 42. Actor Reed Diamond is 41. Actor Josh Holloway ("Lost") is 39. Singer Vitamin C is 39. Actor Simon Rex is 34. Actress Judy Greer is 33. Actor Charlie Korsmo is 30. Singer Elliott Yamin ("American Idol") is 30. Actor John Francis Daley is 23. Country singer-professional dancer Julianne Hough is 20. Actress Billi Bruno is 12.

Thought for Today: "No man can resolve himself into Heaven." — Dwight L. Moody, American evangelist (1837-1899).

July 19

Today in History - July 19

Today is Saturday, July 19, the 201st day of 2008. There are 165 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 19, 1848, a pioneer women's rights convention convened in Seneca Falls, N.Y.

On this date:

In 1553, 15-year-old Lady Jane Grey was deposed as Queen of England after claiming the crown for nine days. King Henry VIII's daughter Mary was proclaimed Queen.

In 1870, the Franco-Prussian war began.

In 1943, allied air forces raided Rome during World War II.

In 1944, the Democratic National Convention convened in Chicago with the renomination of President Franklin D. Roosevelt considered a foregone certainty.

In 1969, Apollo 11 and its astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins, went into orbit around the moon.

In 1975, the Apollo and Soyuz space capsules that were linked in orbit for two days separated.

In 1979, the Nicaraguan capital of Managua fell to Sandinista guerrillas, two days after President Anastasio Somoza had fled the country.

In 1984, U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro, D-N.Y., won the Democratic nomination for vice president by acclamation at the party's convention in San Francisco.

In 1989, 111 people were killed when a United Air Lines DC-10 crashed while making an emergency landing at Sioux City, Iowa; 185 other people survived.

In 1993, President Clinton announced a policy allowing homosexuals to serve in the military under a compromise dubbed "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue."

Ten years ago: Seeking to break a 16-month deadlock, Israel and the Palestinians held their first high-level talks in months. Hundreds of Serb police battled secessionist guerrillas for control of the central Kosovo town of Orahovac.

Five years ago: A chartered aircraft carrying three families to a game reserve plowed into Mount Kenya, killing all 12 American tourists and the two South African pilots on board.

One year ago: A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by former CIA operative Valerie Plame, who was demanding money from Bush administration officials she blamed for leaking her agency identity. Taliban gunmen abducted 23 South Koreans who worked at an aid organization in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Two hostages were fatally shot; the rest were later freed.)

Today's Birthdays: Former Sen. George McGovern is 86. Actor Pat Hingle is 84. Actress Helen Gallagher is 82. Country singer Sue Thompson is 82. Country singer George Hamilton IV is 71. Actor Dennis Cole is 68. Singer Vikki Carr is 67. Country singer-musician Commander Cody is 64. Actor George Dzundza is 63. Rock singer-musician Alan Gorrie (Average White Band) is 62. Rock musician Brian May is 61. Rock musician Bernie Leadon is 61. Actress Beverly Archer is 60. Movie director Abel Ferrara is 57. Actor Peter Barton is 52. Rock musician Kevin Haskins (Love and Rockets; Bauhaus) is 48. Movie director Atom Egoyan is 48. Actor Campbell Scott is 47. Actor Anthony Edwards is 46. Country singer Kelly Shiver is 45. Actress Clea Lewis is 43. Country musician Jeremy Patterson (Flynnville Train) is 38. Classical singer Urs Buhler (Il Divo) is 37. Actor Andrew Kavovit is 37. Rock musician Jason McGerr (Death Cab for Cutie) is 34. Actress Rachel Miner is 28. Actor Jared Padalecki is 26. Actor Steven Anthony Lawrence is 18.

Thought for Today: "I always turn to the sports page first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page nothing but man's failure." — Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States (1891-1974).

July 18

Today in History - July 18

Today is Friday, July 18, the 200th day of 2008. There are 166 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 18, 1947, President Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act, which placed the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore next in the line of succession after the vice president.

On this date:

In A.D. 64, the Great Fire of Rome began.

In 1792, American naval hero John Paul Jones died in Paris at age 45.

In 1918, during World War I, American and French forces launched a counteroffensive against the Germans during the Second Battle of the Marne.

In 1932, the United States and Canada signed a treaty to develop the St. Lawrence Seaway.

In 1936, the Spanish Civil War began.

In 1940, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago nominated President Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term in office.

In 1969, a car driven by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island near Martha's Vineyard; passenger Mary Jo Kopechne died.

In 1984, a gunman opened fire at a McDonald's fast food restaurant in San Ysidro, Calif., killing 21 people before being shot dead by police.

In 1984, Walter F. Mondale won the Democratic presidential nomination in San Francisco.

In 1988, Texas Treasurer Ann Richards delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, skewering presumed Republican nominee George H.W. Bush as having been "born with a silver foot in his mouth."

Ten years ago: South African President Nelson Mandela capped his 80th birthday by marrying Graca Machel, the widow of a Mozambican president and black liberation leader.

Five years ago: Basketball star Kobe Bryant was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a Colorado spa; Bryant denied the charge, saying he was guilty only of adultery. (Prosecutors later dropped the case.) The body of British scientist David Kelly, a weapons expert at the center of a storm over British intelligence on Iraq, was found a day after he'd committed suicide.

One year ago: Senate Republicans torpedoed legislation to force the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq. An underground steam pipe exploded on a New York City street, swallowing a tow truck and claiming the life of a woman who suffered a heart attack. Armed men kidnapped two Germans and five Afghans working on a dam project in central Afghanistan. (One of the Germans, Ruediger Diedrich, was found shot dead three days later; the others were later released.) Opera tenor Jerry Hadley, 55, died at a hospital in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a week after he'd shot himself with an air rifle.

Today's Birthdays: Former South African President Nelson Mandela is 90. Former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, is 87. Skating champion and commentator Dick Button is 79. Movie director Paul Verhoeven is 70. Singer Brian Auger is 69. Singer Dion DiMucci is 69. Actor James Brolin is 68. Singer Martha Reeves is 67. Blues guitarist Lonnie Mack is 67. Pop-rock musician Wally Bryson (The Raspberries) is 59. Country-rock singer Craig Fuller (Pure Prairie League) is 59. Actress Margo Martindale is 57. Singer Ricky Skaggs is 54. Rock musician Nigel Twist (The Alarm) is 50. Actress Anne-Marie Johnson is 48. Actress Elizabeth McGovern is 47. Rock musician John Hermann (Widespread Panic) is 46. Rock musician Jack Irons is 46. Actor Vin Diesel is 41. Rock musician Daron Malakian (System of a Down; Scars on Broadway) is 33. Rock musician Tony Fagenson (Eve 6) is 30. Movie director Jared Hess is 29. Actor Jason Weaver is 29. Actress Kristen Bell is 28. Rock singer Ryan Cabrera is 26. Actor Chace Crawford is 23.

Thought for Today: "While we read history we make history." — George William Curtis, American author-editor (1824-1892).

July 17

Today in History - July 17

Today is Thursday, July 17, the 199th day of 2008. There are 167 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800, a Paris-bound Boeing 747, exploded and crashed off Long Island, N.Y., shortly after leaving John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 230 people aboard.

On this date:

In 1821, Spain ceded Florida to the United States.

In 1841, the British humor magazine Punch was first published.

In 1918, Russia's Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks.

In 1938, aviator Douglas Corrigan took off from New York, saying he was headed for California; he ended up in Ireland, supposedly by accident, earning the nickname "Wrong Way Corrigan."

In 1944, 322 people were killed when a pair of ammunition ships exploded in Port Chicago, Calif.

In 1948, Southern Democrats opposed to the nomination of President Truman met in Birmingham, Ala., to endorse South Carolina Gov. Strom Thurmond.

In 1955, Disneyland opened to the public in Anaheim, Calif.

In 1968, a coup in Iraq returned the Baath Party to power, five years after it was ousted.

In 1975, an Apollo spaceship docked with a Soyuz spacecraft in orbit in the first superpower linkup of its kind.

In 1981, 114 people were killed when a pair of walkways above the lobby of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel collapsed during a "tea dance."

Ten years ago: Prosecutors in the Monica Lewinsky case questioned President Clinton's Secret Service protectors before a grand jury. Nicholas II, last of the Romanov czars, was buried in Russia 80 years after he and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks. A 23-foot-high tsunami hit the northern coast of Papua New Guinea, killing more than 2,000 people. In Rome, delegates from more than 100 countries overwhelmingly approved a historic treaty creating the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal — ignoring strenuous U.S. objections over certain provisions.

Five years ago: President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair forcefully defended their decision to topple Saddam Hussein during a joint White House news conference. In a speech to the U.S. Congress, Blair said even if they were proven wrong about Iraq's weapons capabilities, "We will have destroyed a threat that at its least is responsible for inhuman carnage and suffering." Democrats Joe Lieberman, Dick Gephardt and Dennis Kucinich apologized to the NAACP for bypassing a presidential forum.

One year ago: Senate Democrats launched an all-night debate on the Iraq war. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson abruptly resigned in the wake of charges of shoddy health care for veterans injured in the Iraq war. A Brazilian passenger jet crashed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, killing all 187 people aboard and 12 on the ground. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury in Richmond, Va., on charges related to competitive dogfighting. (Vick later admitted bankrolling the dogfighting operation and helping to kill six to eight dogs; he was sentenced to 23 months in prison.) The Dow Jones industrial average crossed 14,000 for the first time before ending the day at 13,918.22.

Today's Birthdays: TV personality Art Linkletter is 96. Comedian Phyllis Diller is 91. The former president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, is 88. Jazz singer Jimmy Scott is 83. Actor Donald Sutherland is 73. Actress-singer Diahann Carroll is 73. Rock musician Spencer Davis is 66. Rock musician Terry "Geezer" Butler (Black Sabbath) is 59. Actress Lucie Arnaz is 57. Actor David Hasselhoff is 56. Rock musician Fran Smith Jr. (The Hooters) is 56. Singer Phoebe Snow is 56. Television producer Mark Burnett ("Survivor," "The Apprentice") is 48. Actress Nancy Giles is 48. Singer Regina Belle is 45. Rock musician Lou Barlow is 42. Hip-hop singer Guru (Gang Starr) is 42. Contemporary Christian singer Susan Ashton is 41. Actor Andre Royo is 40. Actress Bitty Schram is 40. Actor Jason Clarke is 39. Singer JC (PM Dawn) is 37. Rapper Sole' is 35. Country singer Luke Bryan is 32. Actor Eric Winter is 32.

Thought for Today: "Life has taught me that it is not for our faults that we are disliked and even hated, but for our qualities." — Bernard Berenson, Lithuanian-American art critic and author (1865-1959).

July 16 - Today in History

Today in History - July 16

Today is Wednesday, July 16, the 198th day of 2008. There are 168 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 16, 1945, the United States exploded its first experimental atomic bomb, in the desert of Alamogordo, N.M.

On this date:

In 1790, the District of Columbia was established as the seat of the United States government.

In 1862, David G. Farragut became the first rear admiral in the United States Navy.

In 1935, the first parking meters were installed, in Oklahoma City.

In 1957, Marine Maj. John Glenn set a transcontinental speed record by flying a jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds.

In 1958, the science-fiction film "The Fly" opened in San Francisco.

In 1964, in accepting the Republican presidential nomination in San Francisco, Barry M. Goldwater said "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice" and that "moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."

In 1969, Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy, Fla., on the first manned mission to the surface of the moon.

In 1973, during the Senate Watergate hearings, former White House aide Alexander P. Butterfield publicly revealed the existence of President Nixon's secret taping system.

In 1979, Saddam Hussein became president of Iraq.

In 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when their single-engine plane, piloted by Kennedy, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Ten years ago: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia refused to block Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr from calling President Clinton's Secret Service protectors before a grand jury.

Five years ago: The Environmental Protection Agency announced it was starting big-money, long-term cleanups at 10 Superfund toxic waste sites and putting 10 other sites aside for later. A car driven by 87-year-old George Russell Weller plowed through a farmer's market in Santa Monica, Calif., killing 10 people and injuring more than 70. (Weller was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to five years of probation.) Cuban-born "Queen of Salsa" Celia Cruz died in Fort Lee, N.J., at age 77.

One year ago: Declaring a "moment of choice" in the Middle East, President Bush said he would call Israel, the Palestinians and others in the region to a peace conference. A man carrying a gun and declaring "I am the emperor" was shot and killed by security outside the offices of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Japan's northwest coast killed 11 people and caused radioactive leaks at the world's most powerful nuclear power plant.

Today's Birthdays: Former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh is 76. Soul singer William Bell is 69. Actor Corin Redgrave is 69. Former tennis player Margaret Court is 66. Violinist Pinchas Zukerman is 60. Actor-singer Ruben Blades is 60. Rock composer-musician Stewart Copeland is 56. Dancer Michael Flatley is 50. Actress Phoebe Cates is 45. Country singer Craig Morgan is 44. Actor-comedian Will Ferrell is 41. Actress Rain Pryor is 39. Actor Corey Feldman is 37. Rock musician Ed Kowalczyk (Live) is 37. Rock singer Ryan McCombs (Drowning Pool) is 34. Actress AnnaLynne McCord is 21. Actor Mark Indelicato ("Ugly Betty") is 14.

Thought for Today: "The fear of becoming a 'has been' keeps some people from becoming anything." — Eric Hoffer, American author-philosopher (1902-1983).

July 15

Today in History - July 15

Today is Tuesday, July 15, the 197th day of 2008. There are 169 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 15, 1971, President Nixon startled the country by announcing he would visit the People's Republic of China.

On this date:

In 1606, Dutch painter Rembrandt was born in Leiden, Netherlands.

In 1870, Georgia became the last Confederate state readmitted to the Union.

In 1870, Manitoba entered confederation as the 5th Canadian province.

In 1918, the Second Battle of the Marne, resulting in an Allied victory, began during World War I.

In 1948, President Truman was nominated for another term of office by the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1958, President Eisenhower ordered U.S. Marines to Lebanon, at the request of that country's president, Camille Chamoun, in the face of a perceived threat by Muslim rebels.

In 1964, Sen. Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona was nominated for president by the Republican National Convention in San Francisco.

In 1976, a 36-hour kidnap ordeal began for 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver as they were abducted near Chowchilla, Calif., by three gunmen and imprisoned in an underground cell. (The captives escaped unharmed.)

In 1978, President Carter, in West Germany for an economic summit, presided over a "town meeting" during which he fielded questions from about 1,000 Berliners.

In 1997, fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot dead outside his Miami home; suspected gunman Andrew Phillip Cunanan was found dead eight days later.

Ten years ago: Three days of ceremonies to bury Russia's last czar and his family, who were killed by the Bolsheviks, began in the city of Yekaterinburg. The Congressional Budget Office estimated federal surpluses of $1.55 trillion over the next decade.

Five years ago: The Bush administration dramatically raised its budget deficit projections to $455 billion for the current fiscal year and $475 billion for the next, record levels fed by the limp economy, tax cuts and the battle against terrorism. Scott McClellan assumed his duties as White House press secretary. Philadelphia's archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, retired. Tex Schramm, who turned the Dallas Cowboys into "America's Team," died in Dallas at age 83. American-born singer Elisabeth Welch died in London at age 99. The American League beat the National League in the All-Star baseball game 7-6.

One year ago: The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles announced it was settling clergy sex-abuse cases for $660 million. The Philadelphia Phillies lost their 10,000th game, 10-2, to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Philip Carey is 83. Author Clive Cussler is 77. Actor Alex Karras is 73. Actor Ken Kercheval is 73. Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, is 72. Actor Patrick Wayne is 69. Actor Jan-Michael Vincent is 64. Rhythm-and-blues singer Millie Jackson is 64. Rock singer-musician Peter Lewis (Moby Grape) is 63. Singer Linda Ronstadt is 62. Rock musician Artimus Pyle is 60. Actor Terry O'Quinn is 56. Rock musician Marky Ramone is 52. Rock musician Joe Satriani is 52. Country singer-songwriter Mac McAnally is 51. Model Kim Alexis is 48. Actor Willie Aames is 48. Actor-director Forest Whitaker is 47. Actress Lolita Davidovich is 47. Actress Brigitte Nielsen is 45. Rock musician Jason Bonham is 42. Actor Kristoff St. John is 42. Rock musician Phillip Fisher is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Stokey (Mint Condition) is 41. Actor-comedian Eddie Griffin is 40. Actor Stan Kirsch is 40. Actor Reggie Hayes is 39. Rock musician John Dolmayan is 36. Actor Scott Foley is 36. Actor Brian Austin Green is 35. Rapper Jim Jones is 32. Actress Lana Parrilla is 31. Rock musician Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance) is 31. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kia Thornton (Divine) is 27.

Thought for Today: "It is astonishing what force, purity, and wisdom it requires for a human being to keep clear of falsehoods." — Margaret Fuller, American journalist and social critic (1810-1850).

July 14

Today in History - July 14

Today is Monday, July 14, the 196th day of 2008. There are 170 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 14, 1789, during the French Revolution, citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison and released the seven prisoners inside.

On this date:

In 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act, making it a federal crime to publish false, scandalous or malicious writing about the United States government.

In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry relayed to Japanese officials a letter from President Fillmore, requesting trade relations. (Fillmore's term of office had already expired by the time the letter was delivered.)

In 1858, British suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester, England.

In 1881, outlaw William H. Bonney Jr., alias "Billy the Kid," was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, N.M.

In 1908, the short film "The Adventures of Dollie," the first movie directed by D.W. Griffith, opened in New York.

In 1913, Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the 38th president of the United States, was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. in Omaha, Neb.

In 1933, all German political parties, except the Nazi Party, were outlawed.

In 1958, the army of Iraq overthrew the monarchy.

In 1966, eight student nurses were murdered by Richard Speck in a Chicago dormitory.

In 1978, Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky was convicted of treasonous espionage and anti-Soviet agitation, and sentenced to 13 years at hard labor. (Sharansky was released in 1986.)

Ten years ago: Northern Ireland said a tear-filled farewell to Richard, Mark and Jason Quinn, three young brothers burned to death in a sectarian attack in Ballymoney that came as they slept.

Five years ago: Iraq's new governing council, in its first full day on the job, voted to send a delegation to the U.N. Security Council and assert its right to represent Baghdad on the world stage. President Bush, facing questions about his credibility, said the United States was working overtime to prove Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction before the United States invaded Iraq.

One year ago: North Korea told the United States it had shut down its nuclear reactor, hours after a ship cruised into port loaded with oil promised in return for the country's pledge to disarm. Former presidents, fellow first ladies and about 1,800 other people attended a private funeral in Austin, Texas, for Lady Bird Johnson, the widow of President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Today's Birthdays: Playwright Arthur Laurents is 91. Actor Dale Robertson is 85. Actor Harry Dean Stanton is 82. Actress Nancy Olson is 80. Actress Polly Bergen is 78. Former football player Rosey Grier is 76. Actor Vincent Pastore is 62. Former music company executive Tommy Mottola is 59. Actor Jerry Houser is 56. Actor-director Eric Laneuville is 56. Actor Stan Shaw is 56. Movie producer Scott Rudin is 50. Singer-guitarist Kyle Gass is 48. Country musician Ray Herndon (McBride and the Ride) is 48. Actor Jackie Earle Haley is 47. Actor Matthew Fox is 42. Rock musician Ellen Reid (Crash Test Dummies) is 42. Rock singer-musician Tonya Donelly is 42. Actress Missy Gold is 38. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tameka Cottle (Xscape) is 33. Hip-hop musician taboo (Black Eyed Peas) is 33. Actor Scott Porter is 29.

Thought for Today: "Jealousy is no more than feeling alone among smiling enemies." — Elizabeth Bowen, Irish novelist (1899-1973).

July 13

Today in History - July 13

Today is Sunday, July 13, the 195th day of 2008. There are 171 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 13, 1793, French revolutionary writer Jean-Paul Marat was stabbed to death in his bath by Charlotte Corday, who was executed four days later.

On this date:

In 1787, Congress enacted an ordinance governing the Northwest Territory.

In 1863, deadly rioting against the Civil War military draft erupted in New York City.

In 1878, the Treaty of Berlin amended the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano, which had ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.

In 1886, Father Edward Joseph Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town, was born in County Roscommon, Ireland.

In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidential nomination at his party's convention in Los Angeles.

In 1967, race-related rioting that claimed some two dozen lives broke out in Newark, N.J.

In 1972, George McGovern claimed the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Miami Beach, Fla.

In 1977, a blackout lasting 25 hours hit the New York City area.

In 1978, Lee Iacocca was fired as president of Ford Motor Co. by chairman Henry Ford II.

In 1985, "Live Aid," an international rock concert in London, Philadelphia, Moscow and Sydney, Australia, took place to raise money for Africa's starving people.

Ten years ago: A jury in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., ruled that the Rev. Al Sharpton and two others had defamed a former prosecutor by accusing him of raping Tawana Brawley. (Pagones won a $345,000 judgment.) Four young cousins in Gallup, N.M., died after becoming trapped in a car trunk.

Five years ago: With the blessing of U.S. administrators, Iraqis inaugurated a broadly representative governing council. Cuban musician Compay Segundo died in Havana at age 95.

One year ago: Former media mogul Conrad Black was convicted in Chicago of swindling the far-flung Hollinger International newspaper empire he once ran out of millions of dollars. (Black is serving a 6 1/2-year sentence at a federal prison in Florida.) Family prayer services and a huge public outpouring in Austin, Texas, ushered in three days of memorial ceremonies honoring the late Lady Bird Johnson.

Today's Birthdays: Former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp is 73. Actor Patrick Stewart is 68. Actor Robert Forster is 67. Actor Harrison Ford is 66. Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) is 66. Actor-comedian Cheech Marin is 62. Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid is 60. Actress Didi Conn is 57. Singer Louise Mandrell is 54. Actor-director Cameron Crowe is 51. Tennis player Anders Jarryd is 47. Rock musician Gonzalo Martinez De La Cotera (Marcy Playground) is 46. Country singer-songwriter Victoria Shaw is 46. Bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent is 46. Actor Michael Jace is 43. Country singer Neil Thrasher is 43. Singer Deborah Cox is 35. Rock musician Will Champion (Coldplay) is 30.

Thought for Today: "If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never." — Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher (1813-1855).

July 12

Today in History - July 12

Today is Saturday, July 12, the 194th day of 2008. There are 172 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

One hundred years ago, on July 12, 1908, comedian Milton Berle was born Mendel Berlinger in New York City.

On this date:

In 1543, England's King Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.

In 1690, forces led by William of Orange defeated the army of James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.

In 1812, United States forces led by Gen. William Hull entered Canada during the War of 1812 against Britain. (However, Hull retreated shortly thereafter to Detroit.)

In 1817, naturalist-author Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Mass.

In 1862, Congress authorized the Medal of Honor.

In 1948, the Democratic National Convention opened in Philadelphia.

In 1977, President Carter defended Supreme Court decisions limiting government payments for poor women's abortions, saying, "There are many things in life that are not fair."

In 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale announced he'd chosen U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York to be his running mate; Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice president on a major-party ticket.

In 1988, Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis tapped Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas as his running mate.

In 1993, some 200 people were killed when an earthquake measuring magnitude 7.8 struck northern Japan and triggered a tsunami.

Ten years ago: In Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, three young brothers who had been asleep in their beds burned to death in a sectarian attack. France beat Brazil 3-0 for its first World Cup soccer championship.

Five years ago: Wrapping up a five-day tour of Africa, President Bush said he would not allow terrorists to use the continent as a base "to threaten the world." The USS Ronald Reagan, the first carrier named for a living president, was commissioned in Norfolk, Va. Jazz great Benny Carter died at age 95.

One year ago: A Bush administration assessment said Iraq had achieved only limited military and political progress toward a democratic society; Iraqi leaders responded by insisting they were making progress. The House of Representatives voted to withdraw U.S. troops by spring 2008 despite a veto threat from President Bush. British soccer star David Beckham and his wife, Victoria (of Spice Girls fame), arrived in Los Angeles to begin their new lives in the United States.

Today's Birthdays: Artist Andrew Wyeth is 91. Movie director Monte Hellman is 76. Pianist Van Cliburn is 74. Comedian Bill Cosby is 71. Singer-musician Christine McVie is 65. Actress Denise Nicholas is 64. Singer-songwriter Butch Hancock is 63. Fitness guru Richard Simmons is 60. Actor Jay Thomas is 60. Singer Walter Egan is 60. Writer-producer Brian Grazer is 57. Actress Cheryl Ladd is 57. Country singer Julie Miller is 52. Gospel singer Sandi Patty is 52. Actress Mel Harris is 52. Actor Buddy Foster is 51. Rock guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) is 46. Actress Judi Evans is 44. Rock singer Robin Wilson is 43. Actress Lisa Nicole Carson is 39. Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi is 37. Country singer Shannon Lawson is 35. Rapper Magoo is 35. Actress Anna Friel is 32. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tracie Spencer is 32. Actor Steve Howey is 31. Actor Topher Grace is 30. Actress Michelle Rodriguez is 30. Actor Erik Per Sullivan is 17.

Thought for Today: "I'd rather be a 'could-be' if I cannot be an 'are'; because a 'could-be' is a 'maybe' who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a 'has-been' than a 'might-have-been,' by far; for a 'might-have-been' has never been, but a 'has' was once an 'are.'" — Milton Berle, American comedian (1908-2002).

July 11

Today in History - July 11

Today is Friday, July 11, the 193rd day of 2008. There are 173 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 11, 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton during a pistol duel in Weehawken, N.J.

On this date:

In 1767, John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born in Braintree, Mass.

In 1798, the U.S. Marine Corps was formally re-established by a congressional act that also created the U.S. Marine Band.

In 1864, Confederate forces led by Gen. Jubal Early began an abortive invasion of Washington, D.C., turning back the next day.

In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first incumbent chief executive to travel through the Panama Canal.

In 1952, the Republican National Convention, meeting in Chicago, nominated Dwight D. Eisenhower for president and Richard M. Nixon for vice president.

In 1955, the U.S. Air Force Academy swore in its first class of cadets at its temporary quarters, Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado.

In 1978, 216 people were immediately killed when a tanker truck overfilled with propylene gas exploded on a coastal highway south of Tarragona, Spain.

In 1979, the abandoned U.S. space station Skylab made a spectacular return to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia.

In 1988, nine people were killed when five Palestinian gunmen attacked hundreds of tourists aboard a Greek cruise ship, the City of Poros, which was steaming toward a marina in suburban Athens.

In 1995, the United States normalized relations with Vietnam.

Ten years ago: Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, a casualty of the Vietnam War, was laid to rest near his Missouri home, after the positive identification of his remains, which had been enshrined at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington, Va.

Five years ago: President Bush put responsibility squarely on the CIA for his disputed claim that Iraq had tried to acquire nuclear material from Africa, prompting Director George Tenet to publicly accept full blame for the miscue. The World Trade Organization ruled that heavy duties on steel imports imposed by the United States violated global trade rules. Thousands marked the anniversary of the 1995 massacre at Srebrenica in Bosnia, burying 282 newly identified victims.

One year ago: Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady who'd championed conservation and worked tenaciously for the political career of her husband, former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, died in Austin, Texas, at age 94. Pakistani army commandos captured the Red Mosque from militants following a 35-hour battle.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Tab Hunter is 77. Actress Susan Seaforth Hayes is 65. Singer Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 61. Ventriloquist-actor Jay Johnson is 59. Actor Bruce McGill is 58. Singer Bonnie Pointer is 58. Actor Stephen Lang is 56. Actress Mindy Sterling is 55. Actress Sela Ward is 52. Reggae singer Michael Rose (Black Uhuru) is 51. Singer Peter Murphy is 51. Actor Mark Lester is 50. Jazz musician Kirk Whalum is 50. Singer Suzanne Vega is 49. Rock guitarist Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) is 49. Actress Lisa Rinna is 45. Rock musician Scott Shriner (Weezer) is 43. Actress Debbe Dunning is 42. Actor Greg Grunberg is 42. Wildlife expert Jeff Corwin is 41. Actor Justin Chambers is 38. Actor Michael Rosenbaum is 36. Country singer Scotty Emerick is 35. Rapper Lil' Kim is 33. Rock singer Ben Gibbard is 32. Rapper Lil' Zane is 26. Pop-jazz singer-musician Peter Cincotti is 25. Actor David Henrie is 19.

Thought for Today: "False democracy shouts Every man down to the level of the average. True democracy cries All men up to the height of their fullest capacity for service and achievement." — Nicholas Murray Butler, American educator (1862-1947).

July 10

Today in History - July 10

Today is Thursday, July 10, the 192nd day of 2008. There are 174 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On this date:

In 1850, Vice President Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency, taking the oath of office following the death of President Zachary Taylor.

In 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state.

In 1908, William Jennings Bryan was nominated for president by the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson personally delivered the Treaty of Versailles to the Senate, and urged its ratification.

In 1951, armistice talks aimed at ending the Korean War began at Kaesong.

In 1962, the Telstar communications satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

In 1973, the Bahamas became fully independent after three centuries of British colonial rule.

In 1978, ABC-TV launched its reformatted evening newscast, "World News Tonight," with anchors Frank Reynolds, Peter Jennings and Max Robinson.

In 1985, bowing to pressure from irate customers, the Coca-Cola Co. said it would resume selling old-formula Coke, while continuing to sell New Coke.

In 1991, Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic.

Ten years ago: The Diocese of Dallas agreed to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who said they'd been molested by a priest.

Five years ago: During a visit to Botswana, President Bush pledged to the nation with the world's highest AIDS infection rate that it would have a strong partner in his administration in fighting the disease. Spain opened its first mosque in 500 years. Astronomers announced they had found the oldest and most distant planet yet, a huge, gaseous sphere 13 billion years old and 5,600 light years away. Lord Shawcross, Britain's chief prosecutor at the Nazi war crimes trials in Nuremberg, died in Cowbeech, England, at age 101.

One year ago: China executed the former head of its food and drug agency for approving untested medicine in exchange for cash. A judge in Los Angeles sentenced pizza deliveryman Chester Turner to death for murdering 10 women and a fetus during the 1980s and '90s. The American League defeated the National League 5-4 in the All-Star baseball game. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Doug Marlette, 57, died in an auto accident near Holly Springs, Miss.

Today's Birthdays: Eunice Kennedy Shriver is 87. Former boxer Jake LaMotta is 87. Writer-producer Earl Hamner Jr. is 85. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins is 81. Actor William Smithers is 81. Broadway composer Jerry Herman is 77. Director Ivan Passer is 75. Actor Lawrence Pressman is 69. Singer Mavis Staples is 69. Actor Mills Watson is 68. Actor Robert Pine is 67. Rock musician Jerry Miller (Moby Grape) is 65. Tennis player Virginia Wade is 63. Actor Ron Glass is 63. Actress Sue Lyon is 62. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 61. Rock musician Dave Smalley is 59. Country-folk singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler is 57. Rock singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) is 54. Banjo player Bela Fleck is 50. Country musician Shaw Wilson (BR549) is 48. Country singer-songwriter Ken Mellons is 43. Rock musician Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros) is 43. Country singer Gary LeVox (Rascal Flats) is 38. Actress Sofia Vergara is 36. Actor Adrian Grenier is 32. Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas is 28. Singer-actress Jessica Simpson is 28.

Thought for Today: "There are only two distinct classes of people on this earth: those who espouse enthusiasm and those who despise it." — Germaine de Stael, French author (1766-1817).

July 9

Today is Wednesday, July 9, the 191st day of 2008. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 9, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington's troops in New York.

On this date:

In 1540, England's King Henry VIII had his 6-month-old marriage to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, annulled.

In 1816, Argentina declared independence from Spain.

In 1850, the 12th president of the United States, Zachary Taylor, died after serving only 16 months of his term.

In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous "cross of gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tenn.

In 1918, the Distinguished Service Cross was established by an Act of Congress.

In 1938, Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo died in Port Chester, N.Y., at age 68.

In 1944, during World War II, American forces secured Saipan as the last Japanese defenses fell.

In 1947, the engagement of Britain's Princess Elizabeth to Lt. Philip Mountbatten was announced.

In 1982, a Pan Am Boeing 727 crashed in Kenner, La., killing all 145 people aboard and eight people on the ground.

Ten years ago: Former high school sweethearts Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson were sentenced in Wilmington, Del., to prison for killing their newborn son at a motel. Grossberg received 2 1/2 years; Peterson, who'd cooperated with prosecutors, received two years. (Grossberg ended up serving nearly two years; Peterson, 1 1/2 years.)

Five years ago: President Bush, continuing his Africa tour, defended his use of prewar intelligence on Iraq, saying he was "absolutely confident" in his actions despite the discovery that one claim he'd made about Saddam Hussein's weapons pursuits was based on false information.

One year ago: President Bush directed former aides to defy congressional subpoenas, claiming executive privilege in resisting Congress' investigation into the firings of U.S. attorneys. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., whose telephone number was disclosed by the so-called "D.C. Madam" accused of running a prostitution ring, said in a statement he was sorry for a "serious sin" and that he had already made peace with his wife. A London jury convicted four Muslim militants of plotting to bomb London's public transport system. Character actor Charles Lane died in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 102.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-singer Ed Ames is 81. Actor James Hampton is 72. Actor Brian Dennehy is 70. Actor Richard Roundtree is 66. Author Dean Koontz is 63. Football Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson is 61. Actor Chris Cooper is 57. TV personality John Tesh is 56. Country singer David Ball is 55. Rhythm-and-blues singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 54. Actor Jimmy Smits is 53. Actress Lisa Banes is 53. Actor Tom Hanks is 52. Singer Marc Almond is 51. Actress Kelly McGillis is 51. Rock singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 49. Actress-rock singer Courtney Love is 44. Rock musician Frank Bello (Anthrax) is 43. Actor David O'Hara is 43. Rock musician Xavier Muriel (Buckcherry) is 40. Actor Scott Grimes is 37. Actor Enrique Murciano is 35. Rock musician Dan Estrin (Hoobastank) is 32. Actor-director Fred Savage is 32. Country musician Pat Allingham is 30. Actress Megan Parlen is 28. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kiely Williams (3lw) is 22. Actress Georgie Henley ("The Chronicles of Narnia" films) is 13.

Thought for Today: "There are two kinds of people in one's life — people whom one keeps waiting — and the people for whom one waits." — S.N. Behrman, American author and dramatist (1893-1973).

July 8

Today in history - July 8
July 8, 2003 Sudan Airways flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan, killing 116
July 8, 2001 Wimbledon Men's Finals, Goran Ivanisevic beat Pat Rafter
July 8, 2001 Wimbledon Men's Doubles Finals, Donald Johnson and Jared Palmer beat Jiri Novak and David Rikl
July 8, 2001 Wimbledon Women's Doubles Finals, Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs beat Kim Clijsters and Ai Sugiyama
July 8, 2000 Wimbledon Women's Finals, Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport
July 8, 2000 Wimbledon Men's Doubles Finals, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde beat Paul Haarhuis and Sandon Stolle
July 8, 1997 68th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 3-1 at Jacobs Field, Cleveland
July 8, 1997 NATO invites Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic to join
July 8, 1995 102nd Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Graf beats Arantxa S Vicario (46 61 75)
July 8, 1995 1st CFL game between 2 U.S. teams, Las Vegas Posse vs. Sacramento Gold
July 8, 1994 Preliminary trial rules there is enough evidence to try O. J. Simpson
July 8, 1994 Sonia O'Sullivan runs female 2K world record (5:25.36)
July 8, 1994 Space shuttle STS-65 (Columbia 17), launches
July 8, 1994 St. Maarten "Godfather" Claude Wathey sentenced to 1 years
July 8, 1992 Florida Marlins unveil their uniform
July 8, 1992 Thomas Klestil installed as president of Austria
July 8, 1991 Pittsburgh Pirate President Carl Barger becomes 1st President of Florida Marlins
July 8, 1991 Major league umpire Steve Palermo and former NFL defensive lineman Terence Mann were shot trying to help 2 waitresses from being robbed
July 8, 1990 12:34:56 on 7/8/90 (1234567890)
July 8, 1990 Brewers beat Angels 20-7, including 13 in 5th inning
July 8, 1990 Germany beats Argentina 1-0 for soccer's 14th World Cup at Rome
July 8, 1990 Greg Lemond wins his 3rd Tour de France (90:43:20 avg 23.3 mph)
July 8, 1990 Italy beats England in soccer's World Cup consolation game
July 8, 1990 Tina Purtzer wins LPGA Jamie Farr Toledo Golf Classic
July 8, 1990 Trailing 7-0, Brewers tie Angels and then score 13 in 5th to win 20-7
July 8, 1989 Carlos Saul Menum becomes President of Argentina
July 8, 1989 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk U.S.S.R.
July 8, 1988 Indians' Bud Black sets club record for most batters hit in inning (3)
July 8, 1988 Miami Arena opens
July 8, 1988 Rockers Jonathan "Chico" and Robert DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking
July 8, 1988 Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992
July 8, 1987 Kitty Dukakis, revealed addiction to amphetamines for 26 years
July 8, 1986 Farthest thrown object-an "Aerobie" flying ring, 383 m (1,257')
July 8, 1986 NASA establishes Safety, Reliability Maintain and Quality Assurance
July 8, 1986 Zimbabwe beats Netherlands by 25 runs to win ICC Trophy
July 8, 1985 99th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Boris Becker beats K Curren (63 67 76 64)
July 8, 1985 Marge Schott becomes CEO of Cincinnati Red
July 8, 1984 98th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: John McEnroe beats J Connors (61 61 62)
July 8, 1984 Lauri Peterson wins LPGA Jamie Farr Toledo Golf Classic
July 8, 1983 Rudi Koopmans retains European middleweight title
July 8, 1982 "7 Brides for 7 Brothers" opens at Alvin Theater New York City for 5 performances
July 8, 1982 Billy Martin records his 1,000th career win as a manager
July 8, 1981 France performs nuclear test
July 8, 1981 PM Maurois nationalizes banks/plane/steel industry in France
July 8, 1981 Senate confirms Sandra Day O'Conner to Supreme Court (99-0)
July 8, 1980 51st All Star Baseball Game: NL wins 4-2 at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
July 8, 1980 All star MVP: Ken Griffey (Cin Reds)
July 8, 1979 Congo adopts constitution
July 8, 1979 Don Martina's MAN party wins election in Dutch Antilles
July 8, 1979 Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Mayflower Golf Classic
July 8, 1979 Voyager 2 takes 1st ever photo of Jupiter's satellite Adrastea (J14)
July 8, 1978 92nd Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Bjorn Borg beats Jimmy Connors (62 62 63)
July 8, 1978 Alessandro Pertini elected President of Italy
July 8, 1978 Pioneer-Venus 2 Multi-probe launched to Venus
July 8, 1977 Sabra Starr finishes longest recorded belly dance (100 hrs)
July 8, 1976 Randy Jones wins NL record 16 games before All Star break
July 8, 1975 Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin visits West-Germany
July 8, 1975 President Ford announced he'll seek Republican nomination for president
July 8, 1975 Quake damages over 2,000 temples in Pagan Burma, 20-foot-high seated Buddha of Thandawgya decapitated
July 8, 1974 U.S.S.R. performs underground nuclear test
July 8, 1974 Yank shortstop Jim Mason ties record with 4 doubles in 9 inn game
July 8, 1973 Mary Lou Crocker wins LPGA MARC Equity Golf Classic Crocker
July 8, 1973 New York Mets are 12 games back in NL, and go on to win pennant
July 8, 1972 English prince Richard marries Birgitte of Deurs (Henriksen)
July 8, 1972 U.S. sells grain to U.S.S.R. for $750 million
July 8, 1971 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
July 8, 1970 San Francisco Giant Jim Ray Hart is 8th to get 6 RBIs in an inning (5th)
July 8, 1969 Thor Heyerdahl and reed raft Ra II land in Barbados 57 days from Morocco
July 8, 1969 U.S. troop withdrawal begins in Vietnam
July 8, 1968 Israeli-Egyptian artillery duel along Suez Canal
July 8, 1967 74th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Billie Jean King beats A Jones (63 64)
July 8, 1967 Helen Weston of Detroit rolls a record 4,585 in 24 games
July 8, 1966 U.S. airline strike, until Aug 19th
July 8, 1965 Joe Morgan is 1st Houston player with 6 hits in a game
July 8, 1963 Reports of Charlie Finley's intention to move Kansas City A's to Oakland
July 8, 1963 U.S. bans all monetary transactions with Cuba
July 8, 1962 Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Kelly Girls Golf Open
July 8, 1961 Fred Trueman takes 5-0 in 24 balls to rip through Aussies
July 8, 1961 Portuguese steamer "Save" breaks up off Mozambique, 227 die
July 8, 1960 Fidel Castro ends Havana's International League team, Sugar Kings move to NJ
July 8, 1958 25th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 4-3 at Memorial Stadium, Balt
July 8, 1957 Baeball Owners re-elect Commissioner Ford Frick
July 8, 1957 CDC incorporates
July 8, 1957 Irish premier Eamon de Valera arrests Sinn-Fein leaders
July 8, 1956 Joyce Ziske wins LPGA Syracuse Golf Open
July 8, 1956 U.S. performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enwetak
July 8, 1954 KMOX (now KMOV) TV channel 4 in Saint Louis, MO (CBS) 1st broadcast
July 8, 1954 Military junta selects colonel Armas president of Guatemala
July 8, 1953 U.S. stops aid to Persia
July 8, 1952 19th All Star Baseball Game: NL wins 3-2 in 5 at Shibe Park, Phila
July 8, 1951 Yankee Joe DiMaggio and mgr Casey Stengel feud
July 8, 1950 33.4 cm rain fall at York, Nebraska (state record)
July 8, 1950 57th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Louise Brough beats M duPont (61 36 61)
July 8, 1950 Gen Douglas MacArthur named commander-in-chief, United Nations forces in Korea
July 8, 1950 Leroy Deans awarded 1st Order of Purple Heart in Korea
July 8, 1949 Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson are 1st blacks to play for New York Giants
July 8, 1948 500th anniversary Russian orthodox church celebrated in Moscow
July 8, 1947 14th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 2-1 at Wrigley Field, Chicago
July 8, 1947 Demolition begins for United Nations HQ in New York City
July 8, 1946 "Tidbits of 1946" opens at Plymouth Theater New York City for 8 performances
July 8, 1946 Baseball grants $5,000 minimum salary
July 8, 1944 British troops march into Caen
July 8, 1944 Japanese kamakize attacks on U.S. lines at Saipan
July 8, 1943 4th day of battle at Kursk: Gen Model uses last tank reserve
July 8, 1943 British air raid sinks U-232
July 8, 1943 NSB-leader A Mussert meets with Heinrich Himmler
July 8, 1943 U.S. invasion fleet passes Bizerta, Tunisia
July 8, 1941 9th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 7-5 at Briggs Stadium, Detroit
July 8, 1941 All Jews living in Baltic States are obligated to wear a Jewish Star
July 8, 1939 59th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Bobby Riggs beats E Cooke (26 86 36 63 62)
July 8, 1938 Would be start of Eng/Aust Test Cricket at Old Trafford Washout
July 8, 1935 3rd All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 4-1 at Municipal Stadium, Cleve
July 8, 1933 46th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Helen Moody beats D Round (64 68 63)
July 8, 1933 Public Works Administration becomes effective
July 8, 1932 Depression low point of Dow Jones Industrial Average, 41.22
July 8, 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe scores his 100th 100, Yorkshire vs. Gloucs
July 8, 1928 Phillies set record of errorless 25 inning doubleheader
July 8, 1923 Harding becomes 1st sitting president to visit Alaska (Metlakahtla)
July 8, 1923 Walter Mittelholzer flies Junkers F-13 to Spitsbergen/Oostland
July 8, 1922 35th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Suzanne Lenglen beats M Mallory (62 60)
July 8, 1919 President Wilson returns to New York City from Versailles Peace Conference
July 8, 1918 Babe Ruth's blast over the fence in Fenway scores Amos Strunk, the Red Sox win 1-0 over Cleve, prevailing rules reduce Babe's HR to a triple
July 8, 1912 G E V Crutchley (Oxford) 99 retired measles vs. Cambridge
July 8, 1912 Giants Rube Marquard loses after winning 21 straight
July 8, 1911 Nan Aspinwall is 1st woman to make solo transcont trip by horse
July 8, 1909 1st pro baseball game, minor league, played under lights
July 8, 1907 Florenz Ziegfeld staged 1st 'Follies' on New York Theater roof
July 8, 1905 Part of Angel Island allocated for Immigration Detention Center
July 8, 1902 John McGraw, accused by Ban Johnson of trying to wreck Baltimore and Washington clubs, negotiates his release from the Orioles
July 8, 1900 1st night baseball, league game (Zanesville at Grand Rapids)
July 8, 1898 Phillies Red Donahue no-hits Boston Braves, 5-0
July 8, 1898 U.S. battle fleet under adm Dewey occupies Isla Grande at Manila
July 8, 1897 Harbor Hospital formally opens
July 8, 1896 William Jennings Bryan "cross of gold" speech at Dem convention
July 8, 1895 Delagoa Bay Railway opens in South-Africa
July 8, 1892 American Psychological Association organized, Worcester, Massacgysetts
July 8, 1891 61 degrees F, highest temp for July 1891, in Baltimore and Phila
July 8, 1891 Future president Harding marries Florence K DeWolfe in Marion Ohio
July 8, 1889 John L. Sullivan KOs Jake Kilrain in 75 rounds (last bare-knuckle bout)
July 8, 1889 Wall Street Journal begins publishing
July 8, 1876 White terrorists attack Black Republicans in Hamburg, South Carolina, killing 5
July 8, 1870 Congress authorizes registration of trademarks
July 8, 1870 Gov Holden of North Carolina declares Casswell County in a state of insurrection
July 8, 1862 Odore R Timby patents revolving gun turret
July 8, 1861 CS Gen Sibley is given command of rebel troops in New Mexico territory
July 8, 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay
July 8, 1849 St. Paul's Place in the Bronx named
July 8, 1838 Arabs attack Jewish community of Safed
July 8, 1836 HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin reaches Saint-Helena
July 8, 1835 Liberty Bell cracks, again
July 8, 1833 Russia and Turkey sign defense treaty
July 8, 1816 Frost in Waltham, Massachusetts
July 8, 1805 American Bill Richmond knocks out Jack Holmes, Kilburn Wells, England
July 8, 1800 Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse gives 1st cowpox vaccination to his son to prevent smallpox
July 8, 1797 1st U.S. senator, William Blount of Tennessee, expelled by impeachment
July 8, 1796 U.S. State Department issues 1st American passport
July 8, 1792 France declares war on Prussia
July 8, 1778 George Washington headquarters at West Point for his Continental Army
July 8, 1777 Vermont becomes 1st state abolishing slavery, adopts male suffrage
July 8, 1776 Col John Nixon gave 1st public reading of Dec of Independence (Phila)
July 8, 1758 English and Colonial assault on France at Ticonderoga, New York
July 8, 1709 Battle of Poltava; Russians defeat Swedes
July 8, 1693 New York City authorizes 1st police uniforms in American colonies
July 8, 1672 Willem II becomes captain-/admiral-general
July 8, 1663 King Charles II of England grants a charter to Rhode Island
July 8, 1654 1st Jewish colonist arrive in U.S. (Jacob Barsimson in Manhattan)
July 8, 1551 Willem of Orange weds countess Anna van Egmond and Buren
July 8, 1497 Vasco da Gama departs for trip to India
July 8, 951 Paris is founded

July 7

Today in History - July 7

Today is Monday, July 7, the 189th day of 2008. There are 177 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 7, 1865, four people were hanged in Washington, D.C., for conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Lincoln.

On this date:

In 1807, Napoleon I of France and Czar Alexander I of Russia signed a treaty at Tilsit ending war between their empires.

In 1896, the Democratic national convention opened in Chicago.

In 1898, the United States annexed Hawaii.

In 1908, the Democratic National Convention opened in Denver.

In 1930, construction began on Boulder Dam (later Hoover Dam).

In 1948, six female reservists became the first women to be sworn into the regular U.S. Navy.

In 1958, President Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act, which went into effect in January 1959.

In 1981, President Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1983, 11-year-old Samantha Smith of Manchester, Maine, left for a visit to the Soviet Union at the personal invitation of Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov.

In 2005, suicide terrorist bombings in three Underground stations and a double-decker bus killed 52 victims and four bombers in the worst attack on London since World War II.

Ten years ago: A jury in Santa Monica, Calif., convicted Mikhail Markhasev of murdering Ennis Cosby, Bill Cosby's only son, during a roadside robbery. (Markhasev was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.) Imprisoned Nigerian opposition leader Moshood Abiola died of what the government said was a heart attack. The American League defeated the National League 13-8 in baseball's All-Star Game, played in Denver.

Five years ago: A chunk of foam insulation fired at shuttle wing parts blew open a gaping 16-inch hole, yielding what one member of the Columbia investigation team said was the "smoking gun" proving what brought down the spaceship. NASA launched its second Mars rover. A federal judge approved a settlement fining WorldCom $750 million for its $11 billion accounting scandal. Golfer Hilary Lunke won the U.S. Women's Open.

One year ago: A truck bomb devastated the public market in Armili, Iraq, killing at least 115 people. A 24-hour music marathon spanning seven continents reached the Western Hemisphere with rappers, rockers and country stars taking the stage at Live Earth concerts to fight climate change. Venus Williams claimed her fourth Wimbledon title with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Marion Bartoli.

Today's Birthdays: Blues musician Pinetop Perkins is 95. Musician-conductor Doc Severinsen is 81. Country singer Charlie Louvin is 81. Historian-author David McCullough is 75. Rock star Ringo Starr is 68. Singer-musician Warren Entner (The Grass Roots) is 64. Rock musician Jim Rodford is 63. Actor Joe Spano is 62. Pop singer David Hodo (The Village People) is 61. Country singer Linda Williams is 61. Actress Shelley Duvall is 59. Actress Roz Ryan is 57. Actor Billy Campbell is 49. Rock musician Mark White (Spin Doctors) is 46. Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard is 45. Actor-comedian Jim Gaffigan is 42. Rhythm-and-blues musician Ricky Kinchen (Mint Condition) is 42. Actress Jorja Fox is 40. Actress Cree Summer is 39. Actress Kirsten Vangsness is 36. Actor Troy Garity is 35. Actor Hamish Linklater is 32. Olympic silver and bronze medal figure skater Michelle Kwan is 28. Rapper Cassidy is 26. Country singer Gabbie Nolen is 26.

Thought for Today: "There is no escape — man drags man down, or man lifts man up." — Attributed to Booker T. Washington, American educator and author (1856-1915).

July 6

Today in History - July 6

Today is Sunday, July 6, the 188th day of 2008. There are 178 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 6, 1928, the first all-talking feature, "The Lights of New York," had its gala premiere in New York.

On this date:

In 1535, Sir Thomas More was executed in England for high treason.

In 1777, during the American Revolution, British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga.

In 1917, during World War I, Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence and Auda Abu Tayi captured the port of Aqaba from the Turks.

In 1933, the first All-Star baseball game was played, at Chicago's Comiskey Park; the American League defeated the National League, 4-2.

In 1944, 168 people died in a fire that broke out in the main tent of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford, Conn.

In 1945, President Truman signed an executive order establishing the Medal of Freedom.

In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first black tennis player to win a Wimbledon singles title, defeating fellow American Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2.

In 1967, war erupted as Nigeria sent troops into the secessionist state of Biafra. (The Biafran War, which lasted two and a-half years and resulted in a Nigerian victory, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.)

In 1988, 167 North Sea oil workers were killed when a series of explosions and fires destroyed a drilling platform.

In 1988, medical waste and other debris began washing up on New York City-area seashores, forcing the closing of several popular beaches.

Ten years ago: Protestants rioted in many parts of Northern Ireland after British authorities blocked an Orange Order march in Portadown. Singing cowboy star Roy Rogers died in Apple Valley, Calif., at age 86. Se Ri Pak, a 20-year-old golf rookie from South Korea, became the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Open, defeating American amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn in sudden death.

Five years ago: Liberian leader Charles Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria. Roger Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam tennis title, defeating Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the Wimbledon final. Actor Buddy Ebsen died in Torrance, Calif., at age 95.

One year ago: A man on a balcony over the New York-New York casino floor in Las Vegas opened fire on the gamblers below, wounding four people before he was tackled by off-duty military reservists. (Steven Zegrean faces attempted murder charges.) Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, pioneer of the modern historical romance novel, died in Princeton, Minn., at age 68.

Today's Birthdays: Former first lady Nancy Reagan is 87. Actor William Schallert is 86. Actor Donal Donnelly is 77. Singer-actress Della Reese is 77. Actor Ned Beatty is 71. Singer Gene Chandler is 71. Country singer Jeannie Seely is 68. Actor Burt Ward is 63. President Bush is 62. Actor-director Sylvester Stallone is 62. Actor Fred Dryer is 62. Actress Nathalie Baye is 60. Actor Geoffrey Rush is 57. Rock musician John Bazz (The Blasters) is 56. Actor Grant Goodeve is 56. Country singer Nanci Griffith is 55. Actress Allyce Beasley is 54. Jazz musician Rick Braun is 53. Country musician John Jorgenson is 52. Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales is 51. Hockey player Ron Duguay is 51. Actor Brian Posehn is 42. Rapper Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang Clan) is 38. Rapper 50 Cent is 32. Actress Tamera Mowry is 30. Actress Tia Mowry is 30. Actress Eva Green is 28. Actor Gregory Smith is 25. Rock singer Kate Nash is 21. Actor Jeremy Suarez ("Bernie Mac") is 18.

Thought for Today: "Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy man has no time to form." — Andre Maurois, French author (1885-1967).

July 5

Today in History - July 5

Today is Saturday, July 5, the 187th day of 2008. There are 179 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 5, 1946, the bikini bathing suit, designed by Louis Reard, made its debut during an outdoor fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris. (Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer, modeled the skimpy two-piece outfit.)

On this date:

In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

In 1830, the French occupied the North African city of Algiers.

In 1865, William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act, which provided for a National Labor Relations Board, and authorized labor to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining.

In 1940, during World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke off diplomatic relations.

In 1947, Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black player in the American League.

In 1948, Britain's National Health Service Act went into effect, providing government-financed medical and dental care.

In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title as he defeated Jimmy Connors.

In 1978, a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft touched down safely in Soviet Kazakhstan with its two-member crew, including the first Polish space traveler — Maj. Miroslaw Hermaszewski.

In 1991, a worldwide financial scandal erupted as regulators in eight countries shut down the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

Ten years ago: British security forces in Northern Ireland blocked a group of Protestants from parading through the main Catholic neighborhood of Portadown. Pete Sampras won Wimbledon for the fifth time in six years with a 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (11-9), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 triumph over Goran Ivanisevic.

Five years ago: A bomb blast in Ramadi killed seven Iraqi police recruits as they graduated from a U.S.-taught training course. Suicide bombers killed 14 victims at a Moscow rock festival. Serena Williams beat sister Venus 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 for her second straight Wimbledon title. Police in Namibia reported the recent death of N!xau, the diminutive bushman catapulted to international stardom in the film "The Gods Must Be Crazy"; he was thought to be about 59 years old.

One year ago: In a setback to President Bush's war strategy, GOP stalwart Sen. Pete Domenici said he wanted to see an end to combat operations and U.S. troops heading home from Iraq by spring 2008. French opera great Regine Crespin died in Paris at age 80.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Katherine Helmond is 79. Actress Shirley Knight is 72. Singer-musician Robbie Robertson is 65. Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 60. Rock star Huey Lewis is 58. Baseball pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage is 57. Country musician Charles Ventre (River Road) is 56. Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn is 49. Actress Edie Falco ("The Sopranos") is 45. Actress Kathryn Erbe is 43. Country musician Brent Flynn (Flynnville Train) is 39. Rapper RZA is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer Joe is 35. Rock musician Bengt Lagerberg (The Cardigans) is 35. Actor Dale Godboldo is 33. Rapper Bizarre is 32. Rock singer Jason Wade (Lifehouse) is 28. Actor Ryan Hansen is 27. Country musician Dave Haywood (Lady Antebellum) is 26. Rock musician Nick O'Malley (Arctic Monkeys) is 23.

Thought for Today: "The truly fashionable are beyond fashion." — Cecil Beaton, English fashion photographer and costume designer (1904-1980).

July 4

Today in History - July 4

Today is Friday, July 4, the 186th day of 2008. There are 180 days left in the year. This is Independence Day.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

On this date:

In 1802, the United States Military Academy officially opened at West Point, N.Y.

In 1807, soldier-statesman Giuseppe Garibaldi, who played a key role in Italy's unification during the 19th century, was born in Nice.

In 1826, 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.

In 1831, the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe, died in New York City.

In 1862, English mathematician and clergyman Charles L. Dodgson ("Lewis Carroll") began devising the story of "Alice in Wonderland" for his young friend Alice Pleasance Liddell during a boating trip.

In 1872, the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, was born in Plymouth, Vt.

In 1917, during a ceremony in Paris honoring the French hero of the American Revolution, U.S. Lt. Col. Charles E. Stanton declared, "Lafayette, we are here!"

In 1939, baseball's "Iron Horse," Lou Gehrig, said farewell to his fans at New York's Yankee Stadium.

In 1966, President Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act, which went into effect the following year.

In 1976, Israeli commandos raided Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing almost all of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by pro-Palestinian hijackers.

Ten years ago: Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic won the women's title at Wimbledon, defeating France's Nathalie Tauziat 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). Japan launched its Nozomi probe to Mars. (However, the mission was abandoned in December 2003 after space officials failed to put the off-target probe back on course).

Five years ago: A speaker claiming to be Saddam Hussein called on Iraqis in a taped message to rally behind anti-U.S. resistance. President Bush visited Dayton, Ohio, to praise the work of U.S. troops and celebrate the 100th anniversary of flight in the hometown of the Wright brothers. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault after a woman accused him of sexual misconduct at a hotel near Vail, Colo. (Prosecutors later dropped a criminal charge against Bryant because the woman did not want to go ahead with a trial.) Rhythm-and-blues singer Barry White died in Los Angeles at age 58.

One year ago: BBC reporter Alan Johnston, seized by the Army of Islam in the Gaza Strip the previous March, was released. The head of the radical-held Red Mosque (Maulana Abdul Aziz) in Islamabad, Pakistan, was caught by security forces. The Black Sea resort of Sochi was elected the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics, taking the Winter Games to Russia for the first time. Bill Pinkney, the last survivor of the original members of the musical group The Drifters, died in Daytona Beach, Fla., at age 81.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Gloria Stuart is 98. Conductor Mitch Miller is 97. Advice columnist Pauline Phillips (the original "Dear Abby") is 90. Actress Eva Marie Saint is 84. Actress Gina Lollobrigida is 81. Playwright Neil Simon is 81. Baseball team owner George Steinbrenner is 78. Country singer Ray Pillow is 71. Singer Bill Withers is 70. Actor Ed Bernard is 69. Actress Karolyn Grimes is 68. Broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera is 65. Rhythm-and-blues musician Ralph Johnson (Earth, Wind and Fire) is 57. Rock musician Domingo Ortiz (Widespread Panic) is 56. Singer John Waite is 53. Rock musician Kirk Pengilly (INXS) is 50. Country musician Teddy Carr is 48. Rock DJ Zonka (Big Audio Dynamite) is 46. Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver is 46. Rock musician Matt Malley (Counting Crows) is 45. Christian rock singer Michael Sweet (Stryper) is 45. Actress Jenica Bergere is 34. Singer Stephen "Ste" McNally (BBMak) is 30.

Thought for Today: "America is American: that is incontestable." — Henry James, American author (1843-1916).

July 3

Today in History - July 3

Today is Thursday, July 3, the 185th day of 2008. There are 181 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

Four hundred years ago, on July 3, 1608, the city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain.

On this date:

In 1775, Gen. George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Mass.

In 1863, the three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., ended in a major victory for the North as Confederate troops retreated.

In 1890, Idaho became the 43rd state of the Union.

In 1898, the U.S. Navy defeated a Spanish fleet in the harbor at Santiago, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War.

In 1908, author Joel Chandler Harris, the creator of Uncle Remus, died in Atlanta.

In 1944, during World War II, Soviet forces recaptured Minsk.

In 1962, Algeria became independent after 132 years of French rule.

In 1971, singer Jim Morrison of The Doors died in Paris at age 27.

In 1978, the Supreme Court, in Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation, ruled the FCC was within its authority to reprimand New York radio station WBAI-FM for broadcasting George Carlin's "Filthy Words" comedy routine.

In 1988, the USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air jetliner over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people aboard.

Ten years ago: President Clinton concluded his Far East tour in Hong Kong, where he challenged leaders to set the pace for rescuing Asia from the region's financial crisis. Residents in northeastern Florida continued to evacuate because of wildfires closing in from three directions. The 12th World AIDS Conference ended in Geneva.

Five years ago: The U.S. put a $25 million bounty on Saddam Hussein.

One year ago: President Bush refused to rule out an eventual pardon for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby after already commuting his prison sentence in the CIA leak case. Japan's defense minister (Fumio Kyuma) resigned after drawing furious criticism for suggesting the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were inevitable. The Alinghi team from Switzerland successfully defended sailing's coveted America's Cup, beating Emirates Team New Zealand 5-2. Saxophonist Boots Randolph ("Yakety Sax") died in Nashville at age 80.

Today's Birthdays: Movie director Ken Russell is 81. Jazz musician Pete Fountain is 78. Playwright Tom Stoppard is 71. Writer-producer Jay Tarses is 69. Singer Fontella Bass is 68. Actor Kurtwood Smith is 65. Actor Michael Cole ("The Mod Squad") is 63. Country singer Johnny Lee is 62. Writer Dave Barry is 61. Actress Betty Buckley is 61. Rock singer-musician Paul Barrere (Little Feat) is 60. Actress Jan Smithers is 59. Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier is 57. Talk show host Montel Williams is 52. Country singer Aaron Tippin is 50. Rock musician Vince Clarke (Erasure) is 48. Actor Tom Cruise is 46. Actor Thomas Gibson is 46. Actress Hunter Tylo is 46. Actress Connie Nielsen is 44. Actress Yeardley Smith is 44. Singer Ishmael Butler is 39. Rock musician Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies) is 39. Actress-singer Audra McDonald is 38. Country singer Trent Tomlinson is 33. Singer Shane Lynch (Boyzone) is 32. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tonia Tash (Divine) is 29. Country singer-songwriter Sarah Buxton is 28. Actor Grant Rosenmeyer is 17. Actress Kelsey Batelaan is 13.

Thought for Today: "A man never knows how to say goodbye; a woman never knows when to say it." — Helen Rowland, American journalist and humorist (1876-1950).

July 2

Today in History - July 2

Today is Wednesday, July 2, the 184th day of 2008. There are 182 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States."

On this date:

In 1807, in the wake of the Chesapeake incident, in which the crew of a British frigate boarded an American ship and forcibly removed four suspected deserters, President Jefferson ordered all British ships to vacate U.S. territorial waters.

In 1881, President Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.)

In 1908, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore.

In 1926, the United States Army Air Corps was created.

In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator.

In 1961, author Ernest Hemingway shot himself to death at his home in Ketchum, Idaho.

In 1964, President Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress.

In 1987, 18 illegal aliens were found dead inside a locked boxcar near Sierra Blanca, Texas, in what authorities called a botched smuggling attempt; a 19th man survived.

In 1994, a USAir DC-9 crashed in poor weather at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, killing 37 of the 57 people aboard.

In 1996, electricity and phone service were knocked out for millions of customers from Canada to the Southwest after power lines throughout the West failed on a record-hot day.

Ten years ago: Apologizing to viewers and Vietnam veterans for "serious faults" in its reporting, Cable News Network retracted a story alleging U.S. commandos had used nerve gas to kill American defectors during the war.

Five years ago: Palestinian police marched into Bethlehem, taking control of the ancient West Bank city after Israel withdrew under a U.S.-backed peace plan. Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics.

One year ago: President Bush commuted the sentence of former aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, sparing him from a two-and-half-year prison term in the CIA leak case. Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his visit to Kennebunkport, Maine, where he'd held talks with President Bush. Opera singer Beverly Sills died in New York at age 78.

Today's Birthdays: Country singer Marvin Rainwater is 83. Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 79. Jazz musician Ahmad Jamal is 78. Actor Robert Ito is 77. Actress Polly Holliday is 71. Former White House chief of staff John H. Sununu is 69. Actor Ron Silver is 62. Writer-director-comedian Larry David is 61. Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Johnson, is 61. Actor Saul Rubinek is 60. Rock musician Roy Bittan (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) is 59. Rock musician Gene Taylor (The Blasters) is 56. Actress-model Jerry Hall is 52. Actor Jimmy McNichol is 47. Rock musician Dave Parsons (Bush) is 43. Actress Yancy Butler is 38. Contemporary Christian musician Melodee DeVevo (Casting Crowns) is 32. Singer Michelle Branch is 25. Actress Vanessa Lee Chester is 24. Actress-singer Ashley Tisdale is 23. Actress Lindsay Lohan is 22.

Thought for Today: "Genius is eternal patience." — Michelangelo, Italian artist (1475-1564).