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There are 72 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
- On Oct. 20, 1944, during World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur stepped ashore at Leyte in the Philippines, 2 1/2 years after he'd said, "I shall return."
On this date:
- In 1740, Maria Theresa became ruler of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia upon the death of her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI.
- In 1803, the U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.
- In 1903, a joint commission ruled in favor of the United States in a boundary dispute between the District of Alaska and Canada.
- In 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee opened hearings into alleged Communist influence and infiltration within the American motion picture industry.
- In 1964, the 31st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover, died in New York at age 90.
- In 1967, seven men were convicted in Meridian, Miss., of violating the civil rights of three slain civil rights workers.
- In 1968, former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
- In 1973, in the so-called "Saturday Night Massacre," special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox was dismissed and Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William B. Ruckelshaus resigned.
- In 1977, three members of the rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd were killed in the crash of a chartered plane near McComb, Miss.
- In 1981, a bungled armored truck robbery in Nanuet, N.Y., left a guard and two police officers dead. (Four suspects, members of radical groups, were later convicted and sentenced to 75 years to life in prison; a fifth suspect, Kathy Boudin, was paroled in 2003.)
Ten years ago:
- Jordan's King Hussein joined Mideast peace talks in Maryland at the invitation of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
- President Clinton named John Podesta his chief of staff, replacing Erskine Bowles.
- The New York Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the World Series, beating the San Diego Padres 5-4.
Five years ago:
- President Bush pushed North Korea's nuclear threat to the forefront of a 21-nation Asia-Pacific summit in Thailand.
- Israeli warplanes and helicopters pounded Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip, killing 10 people.
- A judge in Eagle, Colo., ordered Kobe Bryant to stand trial for sexual assault. (However, the criminal case was later dropped.)
- Character actor Jack Elam died in Ashland, Ore., at age 84.
One year ago:
- Republican Bobby Jindal, the U.S.-born son of Indian immigrants, won election as governor of Louisiana; he became the first nonwhite to hold the job since Reconstruction.
- Former Green Bay Packers receiver Max McGee died in Deephaven, Minn., at age 75.
- Peg Bracken, author of the "I Hate to Cook Book," died in Portland, Ore., at age 89.
Today's Birthdays:
- Actor William Christopher is 76.
- Country singer Wanda Jackson is 71.
- Singer Tom Petty is 58.
- Actress Melanie Mayron is 56.
- Baseball All-Star Keith Hernandez is 55.
- Actor Viggo Mortensen is 50.
- Rock musician Jim Sonefeld (Hootie & The Blowfish) is 44.
- Rock musician David Ryan is 44.
- Rock musician Doug Eldridge (Oleander) is 41.
- Rapper Snoop Dogg is 37.
- Singer Dannii Minogue is 37.
- Country musician Jeff Loberg is 32.
- Actor John Krasinski is 29.
- Actress Jennifer Nicole Freeman ("My Wife and Kids") is 23.
Thought for Today:
"Next to ingratitude, the most painful thing to bear is gratitude."
Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman (1813-1887).
"Let's all be careful out there!"
