NOVEMBER 16TH

Today is Sunday, Nov. 16, the 321st day of 2008.
There are 45 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On Nov. 16, 1908, conductor Arturo Toscanini made his debut with the New York Metropolitan Opera as he led a performance of Verdi's "Aida."

On this date:

• In 1776, British troops captured Fort Washington in New York during the American Revolution.
• In 1885, Canadian rebel leader Louis Riel was executed for high treason.
• In 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the union.
• In 1917, Georges Clemenceau again became prime minister of France.
• In 1933, the United States and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations.
• In 1959, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music" opened on Broadway.
• In 1961, House Speaker Samuel T. Rayburn died in Bonham, Texas, having served as speaker since 1940 except for two terms.
• In 1966, Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard was acquitted in his second trial of murdering his pregnant wife, Marilyn, in 1954.
• In 1973, Skylab 4, carrying a crew of three astronauts, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on an 84-day mission.
• In 1982, an agreement was announced in the 57th day of a strike by National Football League players.

Ten years ago:

• The Supreme Court ruled that union members can file discrimination lawsuits against employers even when labor contracts require arbitration.
• House Democrats re-elected Dick Gephardt as their leader.

Five years ago:

• Serbs failed for the third time in a year to elect a president because of low voter turnout.
• Bettina Goislard, a French United Nations worker, was shot and killed in Afghanistan.

One year ago:

• Senate Republicans blocked a $50 billion bill by Democrats that would have paid for several months of combat but also would have ordered troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin within 30 days.
• Marchers surrounded the Justice Department headquarters to demand federal intervention in the Jena Six case in Louisiana and stepped-up enforcement of hate crimes.
• Poland's new prime minister, Donald Tusk, formally took office along with a team of former anti-communist dissidents.

Today's Birthdays:

• Actor Clu Gulager is 80.
• Blues musician Hubert Sumlin is 77.
• Journalist Elizabeth Drew is 73.
• Blues musician W.C. Clark is 69.
• Actor Steve Railsback is 63.
• Actor David Leisure is 58.
• Actress Marg Helgenberger is 50.
• Rock musician Mani is 46.
• Country singer-musician Keith Burns (Trick Pony) is 45.
• Former tennis player Zina Garrison is 45.
• Former baseball player Dwight Gooden is 44.
• Jazz singer Diana Krall is 44.
• Actor Harry Lennix is 44.
• Rock musician Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver) is 42.
• Actress Lisa Bonet is 41.
• Actress Tammy Lauren is 40.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) is 39.
• Actress Martha Plimpton is 38.
• Actress Missi Pyle is 36.
• Olympic gold medal figure skater Oksana Baiul is 31.
• Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is 31.
• Pop singer Trevor Penick is 29.
• Actress Kimberly J. Brown is 24.
• Actor Noah Gray-Cabey ("Heroes") is 13.

Thought for Today:

"History is a combination of reality and lies. The reality of History becomes a lie. The unreality of the fable becomes the truth."
Jean Cocteau, French author, director, poet (1889-1963).

"Let's all be careful out there!"