Aug. 11, 2009 - Today In History

[Bianca]

Today in History: Tuesday, August  11, 2009



AP Highlight in History:

On Aug. 11, 1965, deadly rioting and looting broke out in the predominantly black Watts section of Los Angeles.
     




On this date in:


1909 The SOS distress signal was first used by an American ship, the Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras, N.C.

1934 The first federal prisoners arrived at the island prison Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay.

1954 A formal peace took hold in Indochina, ending more than seven years of fighting between the French and the Communist Vietminh.

1956 Abstract artist Jackson Pollock died in an automobile accident in East Hampton, N.Y., at age 44.

1984 President Ronald Reagan joked during a voice test for a paid political radio address that he had "signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." President Ronald Reagan
 
1992 The Mall of America, the biggest shopping mall in the country, opened in Bloomington, Minn.

1997 President Bill Clinton made the first use of the line-item veto approved by Congress, rejecting three items in spending and tax bills. (The Supreme Court later struck down the line-item veto as unconstitutional.)

1998 British Petroleum purchased Amoco for $49 billion.

2000 Pat Buchanan won the Reform Party presidential nomination in a victory bitterly disputed by party founder Ross Perot's supporters, who chose their own nominee in a rival convention.

2002 US Airways filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

2003 NATO took command of the 5,000-strong peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.

2003 Charles Taylor resigned as Liberia's president and went into exile in Nigeria.






TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS



Actress Viola Davis ("Doubt") turns 44 years old today.

Arlene Dahl Actress 81

Anna Massey Actress 72

Kenny **** Songwriter, producer 66
 
Jim Kale Rock musician (Guess Who) 66

John Conlee Country singer 63

Eric Carmen Singer 60

Hulk Hogan Wrestler, actor 56

Joe Jackson Rock singer 55

Miguel A. Nunez Jr. Actor 45
 
Duane Martin Actor 44

Joe Rogan Actor, host ("Fear Factor") 42

Chris Dave R&B musician 41

Anna Gunn Actress 41

Ashley Jensen Actress ("Ugly Betty," "Extras") 41
 
Charlie Sexton Rock musician 41

Will Friedle Actor 33

Chris Kelly Rapper (Kris Kross) 31
 
J-Boog Singer 24

Alyson Stoner Actress 16

[Aphrodite]

You are entirely welcome, Bianca.

Say, if you ever want to shake things up a bit, the New York Times includes past front pages on their "On This Day" webpage:

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/index.html

[Aphrodite]

This one, for instance, commemorates the Watts Riot:

[Bianca]

Thanks for the tip, Aphrodite!!!