JANUARY 22ND

Today is Thursday, Jan. 22, the 22nd day of 2009.
There are 343 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On Jan. 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Roe v. Wade decision, legalized abortions using a trimester approach.

On this date:

• In 1901, Britain's Queen Victoria died at age 81.
• In 1905 (New Style calendar), thousands of demonstrating Russian workers were fired on by Imperial army troops in St. Petersburg on what became known as "Bloody Sunday."
• In 1909, actress Ann Sothern was born in Valley City, N.D.; U.N. Secretary-General U Thant was born in Pantanaw, Burma.
• In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson pleaded for an end to war in Europe, calling for "peace without victory." (By April, however, America also was at war.)
• In 1922, Pope Benedict XV died; he was succeeded by Pius XI.
• In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces began landing at Anzio, Italy.
• In 1959, 12 workers were killed in the Knox Mine Disaster in Port Griffith, Pa., when a mine became flooded with water from the Susquehanna River.
• In 1973, former President Lyndon B. Johnson died at age 64.
• In 1984, the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9 to win Super Bowl XVIII, played at Tampa Stadium in Florida. (The game broadcast on CBS-TV featured Apple Computer's famous "1984" ad introducing the Macintosh PC.)
• In 1995, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy died at the Kennedy compound at Hyannis Port, Mass., at age 104.

Ten years ago:

• Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., abruptly called for dismissal of charges against President Bill Clinton to "end this sad and sorry time for our country."
• Clinton called for spending $2.8 billion to protect the nation from cyber terrorism and chemical and germ warfare.
• Pope John Paul II arrived in Mexico on his first visit in 20 years.

Five years ago:

• South Dakota politician Bill Janklow was sentenced to 100 days in jail for an auto accident that killed a motorcyclist.
• Enron Corp.'s former top accountant, Richard Causey, surrendered to federal authorities; he pleaded innocent to conspiracy and fraud charges. (Causey later pleaded guilty to securities fraud and was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison.)
• Actress-dancer Ann Miller died in Los Angeles at age 81.

One year ago:

• Actor Heath Ledger was found dead of an accidental prescription overdose in New York City; he was 28.
• Jose Padilla, once accused of plotting with al-Qaida to blow up a radioactive "dirty bomb," was sentenced by a U.S. federal judge in Miami to 17 years and four months on terrorism conspiracy charges.
• Republican Fred Thompson quit the race for the White House after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states.

Today's Birthdays:

• Former Sen. Birch Bayh, D-Ind., is 81.
• Actress Piper Laurie is 77.
• Actor Seymour Cassel is 74.
• Author Joseph Wambaugh is 72.
• Actor John Hurt is 69.
• Singer Steve Perry is 60.
• Country singer-musician Teddy Gentry (Alabama) is 57.
• Movie director Jim Jarmusch is 56.
• Hockey Hall-of-Famer Mike Bossy is 52.
• Actress Linda Blair is 50.
• Actress Diane Lane is 44.
• Actor-rap DJ Jazzy Jeff is 44.
• Country singer Regina Nicks (Regina Regina) is 44.
• Rhythm-and-blues singer Marc Gay (Shai) is 40.
• Actor Gabriel Macht is 37.
• Actor Balthazar Getty is 34.
• Actor Christopher Kennedy Masterson is 29.
• Pop singer Willa Ford is 28.
• Actress Beverley Mitchell is 28.
• Rock singer-musician Ben Moody is 28.

Thought for Today:

"Advertising has done more to cause the social unrest of the 20th century than any other single factor."
Clare Boothe Luce, American author, politician and diplomat (1903-1987).

"Let's all be careful out there!"