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***Today's Highlight in History:
- One hundred years ago, on July 12, 1908, comedian Milton Berle was born Mendel Berlinger in New York City.
- In 1543, England's King Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.
- In 1690, forces led by William of Orange defeated the army of James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.
- In 1812, United States forces led by Gen. William Hull entered Canada during the War of 1812 against Britain. (However, Hull retreated shortly thereafter to Detroit.)
- In 1817, naturalist-author Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Mass.
- In 1862, Congress authorized the Medal of Honor.
- In 1948, the Democratic National Convention opened in Philadelphia.
- In 1977, President Carter defended Supreme Court decisions limiting government payments for poor women's abortions, saying, "There are many things in life that are not fair."
- In 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale announced he'd chosen U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York to be his running mate; Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice president on a major-party ticket.
- In 1988, Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis tapped Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas as his running mate.
- In 1993, some 200 people were killed when an earthquake measuring magnitude 7.8 struck northern Japan and triggered a tsunami.
- In Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, three young brothers who had been asleep in their beds burned to death in a sectarian attack.
- France beat Brazil 3-0 for its first World Cup soccer championship.
- Wrapping up a five-day tour of Africa, President Bush said he would not allow terrorists to use the continent as a base "to threaten the world."
- The USS Ronald Reagan, the first carrier named for a living president, was commissioned in Norfolk, Va.
- Jazz great Benny Carter died at age 95.
- A Bush administration assessment said Iraq had achieved only limited military and political progress toward a democratic society; Iraqi leaders responded by insisting they were making progress.
- The House of Representatives voted to withdraw U.S. troops by spring 2008 despite a veto threat from President Bush.
- British soccer star David Beckham and his wife, Victoria (of Spice Girls fame), arrived in Los Angeles to begin their new lives in the United States.
- Artist Andrew Wyeth is 91.
- Movie director Monte Hellman is 76.
- Pianist Van Cliburn is 74.
- Comedian Bill Cosby is 71.
- Singer-musician Christine McVie is 65.
- Actress Denise Nicholas is 64.
- Singer-songwriter Butch Hancock is 63.
- Fitness guru Richard Simmons is 60.
- Actor Jay Thomas is 60.
- Singer Walter Egan is 60.
- Writer-producer Brian Grazer is 57.
- Actress Cheryl Ladd is 57.
- Country singer Julie Miller is 52.
- Gospel singer Sandi Patty is 52.
- Actress Mel Harris is 52.
- Actor Buddy Foster is 51.
- Rock guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) is 46.
- Actress Judi Evans is 44.
- Rock singer Robin Wilson is 43.
- Actress Lisa Nicole Carson is 39.
- Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi is 37.
- Country singer Shannon Lawson is 35.
- Rapper Magoo is 35.
- Actress Anna Friel is 32.
- Rhythm-and-blues singer Tracie Spencer is 32.
- Actor Steve Howey is 31.
- Actor Topher Grace is 30.
- Actress Michelle Rodriguez is 30.
- Actor Erik Per Sullivan is 17.
"I'd rather be a 'could-be' if I cannot be an 'are'; because a 'could-be' is a 'maybe' who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a 'has-been' than a 'might-have-been,' by far; for a 'might-have-been' has never been, but a 'has' was once an 'are.'"
Milton Berle, American comedian (1908-2002)
"Let's all be careful out there!"
