Today
Today is Wednesday, Jan. 19, the 19th day of 2011. There are 346 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Jan. 19, 1861, Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union as delegates to a special convention in Milledgeville (MIHL’-ihj-vihl) (then the capital) voted 208-89 for separation.
On this date:
In 1807, Confederate general Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Va.
In 1853, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore” premiered in Rome.
In 1937, millionaire Howard Hughes set a transcontinental air record by flying his monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.
In 1944, the federal government relinquished control of the nation’s railroads following settlement of a wage dispute.
In 1955, a presidential news conference was filmed for television for the first time, with the permission of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In 1970, President Richard M. Nixon nominated G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court; however, the nomination was defeated because of controversy over Carswell’s past racial views.
In 1981, the United States and Iran signed an accord paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.
Five years ago: Osama bin Laden, in an audiotape that was his first in more than a year, said al-Qaida was preparing for attacks in the United States; at the same time, he offered a “long-term truce” without specifying the conditions.
One year ago: Eight people were shot to death in Appomattox, Va.; suspect was Christopher Speight.
charged with murder. Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was slain at a posh airport hotel in Dubai (officials in Dubai have accused Israel of carrying out the killing).
Today’s Birthdays: Former U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar is 91. Actress Jean Stapleton is 88. Actor Fritz Weaver is 85. Actress Tippi Hedren is 81. Former PBS newsman Robert MacNeil is 80. Movie director Richard Lester is 79. Singer Phil Everly is 72. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 69. Actress Shelley Fabares is 67. Country singer Dolly Parton is 65. ABC newswoman Ann Compton is 64. TV chef Paula Deen is 64. Rock singer Martha Davis is 60. Singer Dewey Bunnell (America) is 59. Actor Desi Arnaz, Jr. is 58. Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 56. Conductor Sir Simon Rattle is 56. Actress Katey Sagal is 54. Reggae musician Mickey Virtue (UB40) is 54. Rock musician Jeff Pilson (Foreigner) is 53. Actor Paul McCrane is 50. Actor William Ragsdale is 50. International Tennis Hall of Famer Stefan Edberg is 45. Rock singer Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) is 43. Singer Trey Lorenz is 42. Actor Shawn Wayans is 40. Rock singer-musician John Wozniak (Marcy Playground) is 40. Actress Drea (DRAY-uh’) de Matteo is 39. Comedian-impressionist Frank Caliendo is 37. Actress Marsha Thomason is 35. Actress Jodie Sweetin is 29. Actor Logan Lerman is 19. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is 19.
Thought for Today: “Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it.” – Christopher Darlington Morley, American journalist (1890-1957).
(Above Advance for Use Wednesday, Jan. 19)
Copyright 2011, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Associated Press
01/09/11 10:12