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Wednesday, October 01, 2008

OCTOBER 1ST

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 1, the 275th day of 2008.
There are 91 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

  • One hundred years ago, on Oct. 1, 1908, Henry Ford introduced his Model T automobile to the market.

On this date:

  • In 1800, Spain ceded Louisiana to France in a secret treaty.
  • In 1918, Damascus fell to Arab forces as Turkish Ottoman officials surrendered the city.
  • In 1936, Gen. Francisco Franco was proclaimed the head of an insurgent Spanish state.
  • In 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing.
  • In 1958, the American Express charge card made its official debut.
  • In 1964, the Free Speech Movement was launched at the University of California at Berkeley.
  • In 1968, the Senate refused to shut down a filibuster against President Lyndon B. Johnson's nomination of Abe Fortas to be U.S. chief justice. (Fortas withdrew the next day).
  • In 1968, the cult horror movie "Night of the Living Dead" had its world premiere in Pittsburgh.
  • In 1971, Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Fla.
  • In 1987, eight people were killed when an earthquake measuring magnitude 5.9 struck the Los Angeles area.

Ten years ago:
  • Seeking to head off threatened NATO attacks, Yugoslavia's Serb leadership invited foreign experts to investigate massacres in Kosovo.

Five years ago:
  • The United States took over the monthlong presidency of the U.N. Security Council at a time when it was campaigning for approval of a new resolution aimed at getting more countries to contribute troops and money to Iraq.
  • Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh resigned from his ESPN sports job after stirring controversy by suggesting Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.

One year ago:
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a surprise announcement, opened the door to becoming the country's prime minister.
  • The Dow Jones industrial average rose 191.92 points to 14,087.55, surpassing a mid-July closing record of 14,000.41.
  • Olympic gold-medal discus thrower Al Oerter died in Fort Myers, Fla., at age 71.

Today's Birthdays:
  • Actor James Whitmore is 87.
  • Former President Jimmy Carter is 84.
  • Pianist Roger Williams is 84.
  • Actor Tom Bosley is 81.
  • Actress-singer Julie Andrews is 73.
  • Rock musician Jerry Martini (Sly and the Family Stone) is 65.
  • Baseball Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew is 63.
  • Jazz musician Dave Holland is 62.
  • Actor Stephen Collins is 61.
  • Actor Randy Quaid is 58.
  • Actress Yvette Freeman is 51.
  • Singer Youssou N'Dour is 49.
  • Actor Esai Morales is 46.
  • Baseball player Mark McGwire is 45.
  • Actor Christopher Titus is 44.
  • Actress-model Cindy Margolis is 43.
  • Rock singer-musician Kevin Griffin (Better Than Ezra) is 40.
  • Singer Keith Duffy is 34.
  • Actress Jurnee Smollett is 22.
  • Actress Brie Larson is 19.

Thought for Today:

"Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real."
Jules Verne, French author (1828-1905).


"Let's all be careful out there!"