1 July: Six Months (183 Days) Left

By The Associated Press Today is Wednesday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2009. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day. [Hey, friends, neighbors, cousins & other relatives!] AP. A/V. UPI Almanac. Today's Highlight in History: On July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain as the British North America Act took effect. It consisted at the time of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the future provinces of Ontario and Quebec. On this date: In 1847, the first U.S. postage stamps were issued. One hundred fifty years ago, in 1859, the first intercollegiate baseball game took place in Pittsfield, Mass., between teams from Williams College and Amherst College. (Amherst won the nearly four-hour, 26-inning contest by the score of 73-32.) In 1863, the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, resulting in a Union victory, began in Pennsylvania. In 1874, the Philadelphia Zoological Society, the first U.S. zoo, opened to the public. In 1898, Theodore Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders" waged a victorious assault on San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

In 1916, in the worst single day of casualties in British military history, 20,000 soldiers were killed, 40,000 wounded in a massive offense against German forces in France's Somme River region during World War I. In 1946, the United States exploded a 20-kiloton atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.In 1968, the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union and nearly 60 other nations signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Forty years ago, in 1969, Britain's Prince Charles was formally invested as the Prince of Wales by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.In 1979, Sony introduced the Walkman, known as the Soundabout, in U.S. stores. It sold for about $200. In 1980, "O Canada" was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada. [Better than that stupid "Blood-Splattered Banner" piece of crap we have to listen to in this country. — Ed.] In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated federal appeals court judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. (Bork was later rejected by the Senate.) In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. In 1997, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as a British colony. Ten years ago: Exactly six months before the year 2000, Congress passed legislation to shield businesses from a potential flood of Y2K computer-related lawsuits. A gondola in the French Alps ripped away from its cables, killing 20 people aboard. African nationalist Joshua Nkomo died in Harare, Zimbabwe, at age 82. Five years ago: Saddam Hussein scoffed at charges of war crimes and mass killings, making a defiant first public appearance in an Iraqi court since being hunted down seven months earlier. Hundreds of thousands of people marched in Hong Kong to demand democratic rights from China. The Cassini spacecraft sent back photographs of Saturn's shimmering rings. One year ago: Ex-convict Nicholas T. Sheley, suspected in eight grisly slayings in two states, was arrested outside a bar in Granite City, Ill. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle 18 more claims by people who said they'd been sexually abused by priests when they were children. Clay Felker, founding editor of New York magazine, died at age 82. Today's Birthdays: Actress Olivia de Havilland is 93. Actor Farley Granger is 84. Actress-dancer Leslie Caron is 78. Actress Jean Marsh is 75. Actor Jamie Farr is 75. Bluesman James Cotton is 74. Actor David Prowse is 74. Cookiemaker Wally Amos is 73. Actress Karen Black is 70. Dancer-choreographer Twyla Tharp is 68. Actress Genevieve Bujold is 67. Gospel singer Andrae Crouch is 67. Rock singer-actress Deborah Harry is 64.Movie-TV producer-director Michael Pressman is 59. Actor Daryl Anderson is 58. Actor Trevor Eve is 58. Actor Terrence Mann is 58. Rock singer Fred Schneider (B-52's) is 58. Pop singer Victor Willis (Village People) is 58. Actor-comedian Dan Aykroyd is 57. Actor Alan Ruck is 53. Actress Lisa Blount is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Evelyn "Champagne" King is 49. Olympic gold medal track star Carl Lewis is 48. Country singer Michelle Wright is 48. Actor Andre Braugher is 47. Actress Pamela Anderson is 42. Rock musician Mark Pirro is 39. Rock musician Franny Griffiths (Space) is 39. Actor Henry Simmons is 39. Hip-hop artist Missy Elliott is 38. Actress Julianne Nicholson is 38. Actress Liv Tyler is 32. Bluegrass musician Adam Haynes (Dailey & Vincent) is 30. Today In Entertainment History -- In 1934, Hollywood began enforcing its Production Code subjecting motion pictures to censorship review.

In 1941, NBC broadcast the first FCC-sanctioned TV commercial, a spot for Bulova watches shown during a Dodgers-Phillies game. It cost Bulova $9.

In 1956, Elvis Presley appeared on Steve Allen's variety show singing "Hound Dog" to a bassett hound. He also was forbidden to dance.

In 1959, the controversial motion picture "Anatomy of a Murder," starring James Stewart, was released. In 1963, The Beatles recorded "She Loves You" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London. The song became the band's second number-one hit in both the US and UK. In 1969, Sam Phillips sold the Sun record label, which had been home to Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis at the start of their careers. In 1970, the syndicated radio show "American Top 40," hosted by Casey Kasem, debuted in several American cities. In 1972, the rock musical "Hair" closed on Broadway after 1,729 performances. It had opened in 1968. In 1975, the Captain and Tennille received their first gold record with "Love Will Keep Us Together." In 1981, Steppenwolf bassist and songwriter Rushton Moreve died in a car accident in Los Angeles. In 1983, Bon Jovi signed a deal with Mercury Records in New York. In 1986, Prince premiered his movie "Under the Cherry Moon" in the small town of Sheridan, Wyoming. The town was chosen because local resident Lisa Barber won an MTV contest to win a date escorting Prince to the premiere. In 1991, actor Michael Landon died after a battle with cancer. He was 54. In 1995, disc jockey Wolfman Jack died of a heart attack in Belvidere, N.C. He was 57. [A giant of broadcasting. No wonder radio stinks now. — Ed.] In 1996, actress Margaux Hemingway was found dead in her apartment in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 41. In 2000, actor Walter Matthau died near Los Angeles of a heart attack. He was 79. In 2002, The Who played their first show without bassist John Entwistle, who had died the week earlier. The show was in Los Angeles. Five tears ago, in 2004, actor Marlon Brando died of lung failure at a hospital in Los Angeles. He was 80. In 2006, the divorce between Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey was finalized. Thought for Today: "The more we learn the more we realize how little we know." — R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983). [A Rumsfeld for his age. — Ed.]