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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!"
