JANUARY 14TH

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 14, the 14th day of 2009.
There are 351 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On Jan. 14, 1969, 27 people aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise were killed when a rocket warhead exploded, setting off a fire and additional explosions that ripped through the ship off Hawaii.

On this date:

• In 1639, the first constitution of Connecticut — the "Fundamental Orders" — was adopted.
• In 1784, the United States ratified a peace treaty with England, ending the Revolutionary War.
• In 1858, French emperor Napoleon III escaped an attempt on his life.
• In 1900, Puccini's opera "Tosca" had its world premiere in Rome.
• In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and French General Charles de Gaulle opened a wartime conference in Casablanca.
• In 1952, NBC's "Today" show premiered, with Dave Garroway as the host, or "communicator," as he was officially known.
• In 1953, Josip Broz Tito was elected president of Yugoslavia by the country's Parliament.
• In 1963, George C. Wallace was sworn in as governor of Alabama with a pledge of "segregation forever."
• In 1970, Diana Ross and the Supremes performed their last concert together, at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.
• In 1993, talk show host David Letterman announced he was moving from NBC to CBS.

Ten years ago:

• Before a jury of 100 silent senators, House prosecutors demanded President Bill Clinton's removal from office, charging he had "piled perjury upon perjury" and obstructed justice.

Five years ago:

• Former Enron finance chief Andrew Fastow pleaded guilty to conspiracy as he accepted a 10-year prison sentence.
• J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. struck a deal to buy Bank One Corp. for $58 billion.
• A female Palestinian suicide bomber killed three Israeli soldiers and a private security guard at a Gaza crossing.
• U.N. officials announced that Libya had ratified the nuclear test ban treaty.
• President George W. Bush unveiled a plan to send astronauts to the moon, Mars and beyond.
• Death claimed actress Uta Hagen in New York at age 84 and actor Ron O'Neal in Los Angeles at age 66.

One year ago:

• Republican Bobby Jindal, the first elected Indian-American governor in the United States, took office in Louisiana.
• Alvaro Colom was sworn in as Guatemala's first leftist president in more than 50 years.

Today's Birthdays:

• CBS commentator Andy Rooney is 90.
• Blues singer Clarence Carter is 73.
• Country singer Billie Jo Spears is 72.
• Singer Jack Jones is 71.
• Singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint is 71.
• NAACP Chairman Julian Bond is 69.
• Actress Faye Dunaway is 68.
• Actress Holland Taylor is 66.
• Actor Carl Weathers is 61.
• Singer-producer T-Bone Burnett is 61.
• Movie writer-director Lawrence Kasdan is 60.
• Rock singer Geoff Tate (Queensryche) is 50.
• Movie writer-director Steven Soderbergh is 46.
• Actor Mark Addy is 45.
• Fox News Channel anchorman Shepard Smith is 45.
• Rapper Slick Rick is 44.
• Actor Dan Schneider is 43.
• Actress Emily Watson is 42.
• Actor-comedian Tom Rhodes is 42.
• Rock musician Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne Band) is 42.
• Rapper-actor LL Cool J is 41.
• Actor Jason Bateman is 40.
• Rock singer-musician Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) is 40.
• Actress Jordan Ladd is 34.
• Retro-soul singer-songwriter Marc Broussard is 27.
• Rock singer-musician Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon) is 27.
• Rock musician Joe Guese (The Click Five) is 26.

Thought for Today:

"The most exciting happiness is the happiness generated by forces beyond your control."
Ogden Nash, American author-humorist (1902-1971).

"Let's all be careful out there!"

DAILY CHUCKLE 9-014

"Let's all be careful out there!"