There are 40 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
- On Nov. 21, 1922, Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia was sworn in as the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
On this date:
- In 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
- In 1927, picketing strikers at the Columbine Mine in northern Colorado were fired on by state police; six miners were killed.
- In 1942, the Alaska Highway was formally opened.
- In 1958, baseball Hall-of-Famer Mel Ott died in New Orleans at age 49.
- In 1964, the upper level of New York's Verrazano Narrows Bridge, connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island, was opened.
- In 1967, President Johnson signed the Air Quality Act.
- In 1969, the Senate voted down the Supreme Court nomination of Clement F. Haynsworth, 55-45, the first such rejection since 1930.
- In 1973, President Nixon's attorney, J. Fred Buzhardt, revealed the existence of an 18 1/2-minute gap in one of the White House tape recordings related to Watergate.
- In 1980, 87 people died in a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas.
- In 1988, Canada's Progressive Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, won the country's general election.
Ten years ago:
- President Clinton, visiting South Korea, warned North Korea to forsake nuclear weapons, and urged the North to seize "an historic opportunity" for peace with the South.
Five years ago:
- More than a dozen rockets fired from donkey carts slammed into Iraq's Oil Ministry and two downtown Baghdad hotels used by foreign journalists and civilian defense contractors.
- Health officials said a deadly outbreak of hepatitis A at a Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant in suburban Pittsburgh was probably caused by green onions from Mexico.
One year ago:
- New Hampshire set its earliest-ever presidential primary, deciding on Jan. 8, 2008.
- Officials announced the recall of more than a half-million pieces of Chinese-made children's jewelry contaminated with lead.
- Engineer Herbert Saffir, who created the five-category system used to describe hurricane strength, died in Miami at age 90.
Today's Birthdays:
- Baseball Hall-of-Famer Stan Musial is 88.
- Actor Joseph Campanella is 81.
- Country singer Jean Shepard is 75.
- Actor Laurence Luckinbill is 74.
- Actress Marlo Thomas is 71.
- Actor Rick Lenz is 69.
- Singer Dr. John is 68.
- Actress Juliet Mills is 67.
- Comedian-director Harold Ramis is 64.
- Television producer Marcy Carsey is 64.
- Actress Goldie Hawn is 63.
- Movie director Andrew Davis is 62.
- Rock musician Lonnie Jordan (War) is 60.
- Singer Livingston Taylor is 58.
- Actress-singer Lorna Luft is 56.
- Actress Cherry Jones is 52.
- Rock musician Brian Ritchie (The Violent Femmes) is 48.
- Gospel singer Steven Curtis Chapman is 46.
- Actress Nicollette Sheridan is 45.
- Singer-actress Bjork is 43.
- Football player Troy Aikman is 42.
- Rhythm-and-blues singer Chauncey Hannibal (BLACKstreet) is 40.
- Rock musician Alex James (Blur) is 40.
- Baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. is 39.
- Rapper Pretty Lou (Lost Boyz) is 37.
- Country singer Kelsi Osborn (SHeDAISY) is 34.
- Actress Jena Malone is 24.
Thought for Today:
"A concept is stronger than a fact."
Charlotte P. Gilman, American lecturer and author (1860-1935).
"Let's all be careful out there!"