Monday, August 10, 2009

10 August: Poetry In A Galaxie; Mobs Attack Palais des Tuileries; Ecuador Strikes!

Today is Monday, Aug. 10, the 222nd day of 2009. There are 143 days left in the year. AP A/V.
And from the Reverend Moon's UPI Almanac. Today's Highlight in History: In 1846, President James K. Polk signed a measure establishing the Smithsonian Institution, named after English scientist James Smithson, whose bequest of half a million dollars had made it possible. On this date: In 1776, a committee of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson suggested the United States adopt "E pluribus unum" -- "Out of many, one" -- as the motto for its Great Seal. In 1792, during the French Revolution, mobs in Paris attacked the Tuileries Palace, where King Louis XVI resided. (The king was later arrested, put on trial for treason, and executed the following January.) Two hundred years ago, in 1809, Ecuador struck its initial blow for independence from Spain. (Ecuador achieved independence in 1822.) In 1821, Missouri became the 24th state. In 1874, Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was born in West Branch, Iowa. In 1885, America's first commercially operated electric streetcar began operation in Baltimore. In 1921, Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello. [What? Campobello's in Canada? Damn hosers! — Ed.] In 1944, American forces overcame Japanese resistance on Guam. In 1949, the National Military Establishment was renamed the Department of Defense. In 1968, 35 people were killed in the crash of a Piedmont Airlines Fairchild FH-227 at Kanawha County Airport in West Virginia; two survived. In 1969, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were murdered in their Los Angeles home by members of Charles Manson's cult, one day after actress Sharon Tate and four other people were slain. In 1977, "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz was arrested in Yonkers, N.Y., accused of six slayings and seven woundings in a year-long spree of random shootings of mostly young couples parked in cars in New York City. (Berkowitz is serving six consecutive sentences of 25 years to life in prison.) From the original AP report:

In Berkowitz' cream-colored Ford Galaxie sedan parked outside his apartment house, police found a submachine gun in a gunny sack and a note addressed to police. The contents of the note, printed in the same hand used in earlier notes to the police and newspaper columnist Jimmy Beslin, were chilling:

"Because Craig is Craig So must the streets Be filled with Craig death And huge drops of lead Poured down upon her head Until she was dead. Yet, the cats still come out at night to mate And the sparrows still sing in the morning."

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a measure providing $20,000 payments to Japanese-Americans who'd been interned by their government during World War II. In 1993, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as the second female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.In 1994, President Bill Clinton claimed presidential immunity in asking a federal judge to dismiss, at least for the time being, a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee. In 1995, Norma McCorvey, "Jane Roe" in the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, announced she had joined the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue. In 1996, Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole selected former congressman, Cabinet secretary and NFL quarterback Jack Kemp as his running mate. Ten years ago: A gunman opened fire at a Jewish community center in Los Angeles, wounding three boys, a teenage girl and a woman; hours later, a gunman shot and killed letter carrier Joseph Ileto; white supremacist Buford O. Furrow later pleaded guilty to the shootings and is serving two life sentences. In 2003, Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal turned the 12th unassisted triple play in major league history against the St. Louis Cardinals. Five years ago: President George W. Bush chose Porter Goss, a Republican congressman and one-time spy, to lead the CIA. A boat carrying Dominican migrants seeking a better life in Puerto Rico drifted back to almost the same spot where the voyage began nearly two weeks earlier; at least 55 of the 86 people on board had died. The 20-year-old woman who'd accused Kobe Bryant of rape filed a federal lawsuit in Denver against the NBA star. (The lawsuit was later settled out of court; terms were not disclosed.) Barry Bonds became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in 13 consecutive seasons, connecting in San Francisco's 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh. In 2006, British authorities announced they had thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the United States. One year ago: At the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps began his long march toward eight gold medals by winning the 400-meter individual medley in 4:03.84 -- smashing his own world record. The US women's 400-meter freestyle relay team, anchored by 41-year-old Dara Torres, took the silver behind the Netherlands. Stephanie Rice of Australia won the gold in the women's 400-meter individual medley in a world record time of 4:29.45. Padraig Harrington rallied from three shots behind to win the PGA Championship in Bloomfield Township, Mich. [Not this year, though. — Ed.] Today's Birthdays August 10: Singer Al Alberts is 87. Actress Rhonda Fleming is 86. Singer Jimmy Dean is 81. Singer Eddie Fisher is 81. Singer Ronnie Spector is 66. Actor James Reynolds is 63. Rock singer-musician Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) is 62. Singer Patti Austin is 61. Country musician Gene Johnson (Diamond Rio) is 60. Actor Daniel Hugh Kelly is 57. Folk singer-songwriter Sam Baker is 55. Actress Rosanna Arquette is 50. Actor Antonio Banderas is 49. Rock musician Jon Farriss (INXS) is 48. Singer Julia Fordham is 47. Journalist-blogger Andrew Sullivan is 46. [Looks about 55 to us. — Ed.] Singer Neneh Cherry is 45. Singer Aaron Hall is 45. Boxer Riddick Bowe is 42. Rhythm-and-blues singer Lorraine Pearson (Five Star) is 42. Singer-producer Michael Bivins is 41. Actor-writer Justin Theroux is 38. Actress Angie Harmon is 37. Country singer Jennifer Hanson is 36. Football player Samari Rolle is 33. Actress JoAnna Garcia is 30. [No, really, who are most of these people? — Ed.] Today In Entertainment History -- On August tenth, 1948, Allen Funt's "Candid Camera" made its television debut on ABC with the title "Candid Microphone," which was also the name of a radio program produced by Funt. In 1959, the four members of The Platters and four 19-year-old women were arrested in a Cincinnati hotel. The singers were charged with aiding and abetting prostitution, and the women were charged with prostitution. All eight were later acquitted, but the incident hurt The Platters' career. In 1970, a trial began for singer Jim Morrison of The Doors, who was accused of exposing himself to an audience in Miami. [What bullshit. You know the crowd wanted to see it. — Ed.] In 1972, Paul and Linda McCartney were arrested for drug possession in Gothenburg, Sweden, and fined $1200. Paul McCartney said the arrest would "make good publicity" for the concert that night. In 1976, Elton John began a seven-night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden. The sold-out shows helped John break a house attendance record that had been held by the Rolling Stones. In 1982, Southside Johhny Lyon of the Asbury Jukes married Jill Glasner in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The Asbury Jukes and Bruce Springsteen performed at the wedding. In 1991, nearly two dozen people were injured when fans started pushing and shoving at a Florida mall where actor Luke Perry of the TV show "Beverly Hills 90210" was appearing. [Now, people would be hurt trying to get away from a Luke Perry appearance. — Ed.] In 1999, singer Carnie Wilson had gastric bypass surgery and broadcast it on the Internet. In 2001, Martie Seidel of the Dixie Chicks married college professor Gareth Maguire in Kailua, Hawaii. In 2005, the lights on the Empire State Building were dimmed in memory of "King Kong" actress Fay Wray, who had died five days earlier. "60 Minutes" newsman Mike Wallace was arrested after he argued with New York city inspectors over whether his driver was double-parked. Wallace had just left a restaurant with a take-out order of meat loaf. It's been a year already? In 2008, Black Moses (performer-singer-songwriter-producer-DJ Isaac Hayes) died in Memphis, Tenn. at age 65. Thought for Today is under suspension; the AP &/or Yahoo! haven't been able to post the "Today, in etc." version w/ today's thought. Thoughtless in every sense. But here's the Rev.'s UPI's "A thought for the day: Leonard Nimoy, as Mr. Spock in the space drama "Star Trek," said to a captured enemy commander, "Military secrets are the most fleeting of all."

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