AUGUST 8TH

Today is Friday, August 8, the 221st day of 2008.
There are 145 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On August 8, 1974, President Nixon announced he would resign following damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal.

On this date:

• In 1876, Thomas A. Edison received a patent for his mimeograph.
• In 1908, American statesman and Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg was born in Chicago.
• In 1942, six convicted Nazi saboteurs who'd landed in the U.S. were executed in Washington, D.C.; two others were spared.
• In 1945, President Truman signed the United Nations Charter.
• In 1945, the Soviet Union declared war against Japan during World War II.
• In 1963, Britain's "Great Train Robbery" took place as thieves made off with 2.6 million pounds in banknotes.
• In 1968, the Republican national convention in Miami Beach nominated Richard M. Nixon for president on the first ballot.
• In 1973, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew branded as "damned lies" reports he had taken kickbacks from government contracts in Maryland, and vowed not to resign — which he ended up doing.
• In 1978, the U.S. launched Pioneer Venus 2, which carried scientific probes to study the atmosphere of Venus.
• In 1994, Israel and Jordan opened the first road link between the two once-warring countries.

Ten years ago:

• President Clinton, in his Saturday radio address, vowed the bombers of two U.S. embassies in Africa would be brought to justice, "no matter how long it takes or where it takes us."

Five years ago:

• The Boston Roman Catholic archdiocese offered $55 million to settle lawsuits stemming from sex abuse by priests. (The archdiocese later settled for $85 million.)

One year ago:

• Space shuttle Endeavour roared into orbit with teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan on board.
• Screenwriter-director Mel Shavelson died in Studio City, Calif., at age 90.

Today's Birthdays:

• Producer Dino DeLaurentiis is 89.
• Actress Esther Williams is 87.
• Actor Richard Anderson is 82.
• Joan Mondale (wife of former Vice President Walter F. Mondale) is 78.
• Actress Nita Talbot is 78.
• Singer Mel Tillis is 76.
• Actor Dustin Hoffman is 71.
• Actress Connie Stevens is 70.
• Country singer Phil Balsley (The Statler Brothers) is 69.
• Actor Larry Wilcox is 61.
• Actor Keith Carradine is 59.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Airrion Love (The Stylistics) is 59.
• Country singer Jamie O'Hara is 58.
• Movie director Martin Brest is 57.
• Radio-TV personality Robin Quivers is 56.
• Actor Donny Most is 55.
• Rock musician Dennis Drew (10,000 Maniacs) is 51.
• TV personality Deborah Norville is 50.
• Actor-singer Harry Crosby is 50.
• Rock musician The Edge (U2) is 47.
• Rock musician Rikki Rockett (Poison) is 47.
• Rapper Kool Moe Dee is 46.
• Rock musician Ralph Rieckermann is 46.
• Rock singer Scott Stapp is 35.
• Country singer Mark Wills is 35.
• Actor Kohl Sudduth is 34.
• Rock musician Tom Linton (Jimmy Eat World) is 33.
• Singer JC Chasez ('N Sync) is 32.
• Actress Tawny Cypress is 32.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees) is 32.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Marsha Ambrosius (Floetry) is 31.
• Actress Countess Vaughn is 30.
• Actor Michael Urie is 28.
• Tennis player Roger Federer is 27.
• Actress Meagan Good is 27.
• Britain's Princess Beatrice of York is 20.

Thought for Today:

"I think most people are more important than their opinions."
Jorge Luis Borges, Argentine author (1899-1986).

"Let's all be careful out there!"