August 29, 2012 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

A Thing of Beauty (Endymion) by John Keats

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its lovliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkn’d ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

Updated August 28, 2012, 2:28 pm

On Aug. 29, 1991, the Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the U.S.S.R., suspended all activities of the Communist Party, bringing an end to the institution.

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On Aug. 29, 1915, Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish international film star, was born. Following her death on Aug. 29, 1982, her obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1533 The last Incan king, Atahualpa, was murdered on orders from Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro.

1632 English philosopher John Locke was born in Somerset.

1877 Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church, died in Salt Lake City at age 76.

1944 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

1957 Sen. Strom Thurmond, D-S.C., ended the longest filibuster in Senate history after talking for 24 hours, 18 minutes against a civil rights bill.

1958 Pop singer Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Ind.

1965 Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles “Pete” Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic after eight days in space.

1966 The Beatles performed their last concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

1996 President Bill Clinton’s chief political strategist, Dick Morris, resigned amid a scandal over his relationship with a prostitute.

2000 Pope John Paul II endorsed organ donation and adult stem cell study but condemned human cloning and embryo experiments.

2008 Republican John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential running mate.

2009 Funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

2011 In a sign Moammar Gadhafi had lost grip on his country, his wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Lea Michele (“Glee”) turns 26 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Actress Carla Gugino turns 41 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1923 Richard Attenborough, Actor, director, turns 89

1935 William Friedkin, Director, turns 77

1936 John McCain, U.S. senator, R-Ariz., turns 76

1938 Elliott Gould, Actor, turns 74

1938 Robert Rubin, Former treasury secretary, turns 74

1939 Joel Schumacher, Director, turns 73

1941 Robin Leach, TV host (“Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”), turns 71

1955 Jack Lew, White House chief of staff, turns 57

1959 Rebecca DeMornay, Actress, turns 53

1977 Roy Oswalt, Baseball player, turns 35

Historic Birthdays

Ingrid Bergman 8/29/1915 – 8/29/1982 Swedish motion-picture and stage actress.Go to obituary »

64 Jean-Baptiste Colbert 8/29/1619 – 9/6/1683
French secretary under King Louis XlV

72 John Locke 8/29/1632 – 10/28/1704
English philosopher

86 Jean-Auguste Ingres 8/29/1780 – 1/14/1867
French Neoclassical painter

85 Oliver Wendell Holmes 8/29/1809 – 10/7/1894
American physician, poet, essayist and humorist

80 Albert Bartholome 8/29/1848 – 10/31/1928
French sculptor

86 Maurice Maeterlinck 8/29/1862 – 5/6/1949
Belgian Nobel Prize-winning poet, playwright and essayist (1911)

82 Charles Kettering 8/29/1876 – 11/25/1958
American automotive engineer

60 Preston Sturges 8/29/1898 – 8/6/1959
American film director, screenwriter and playwright

89 Lyman Lemnitzer 8/29/1899 – 11/12/1988
American army general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1960-62)

50 Michael Jackson 8/29/1958 – 06/25/2009
American pop singer

34 Charlie Parker 8/29/1920 – 3/12/1955
American jazz saxophonist and composer

39 Dinah Washington 8/29/1924 – 12/14/1963
American blues singer

1533	The last Incan king, Atahualpa, was murdered on orders from Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro.
1632	English philosopher John Locke was born in Somerset.
1877	Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church, died in Salt Lake City at age 76.
1944	American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.
1957	Sen. Strom Thurmond, D-S.C., ended the longest filibuster in Senate history after talking for 24 hours, 18 minutes against a civil rights bill.
1958	Pop singer Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Ind.
1965	Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles “Pete” Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic after eight days in space.
1966	The Beatles performed their last concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
1996	President Bill Clinton’s chief political strategist, Dick Morris, resigned amid a scandal over his relationship with a prostitute.
2000	Pope John Paul II endorsed organ donation and adult stem cell study but condemned human cloning and embryo experiments.
2008	Republican John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential running mate.
2009	Funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.
2011	In a sign Moammar Gadhafi had lost grip on his country, his wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria.

1923	Richard Attenborough, Actor, director, turns 89
1935	William Friedkin, Director, turns 77
1936	John McCain, U.S. senator, R-Ariz., turns 76
1938	Elliott Gould, Actor, turns 74
1938	Robert Rubin, Former treasury secretary, turns 74
1939	Joel Schumacher, Director, turns 73
1941	Robin Leach, TV host (“Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”), turns 71
1955	Jack Lew, White House chief of staff, turns 57
1959	Rebecca DeMornay, Actress, turns 53
1977	Roy Oswalt, Baseball player, turns 35

64	Jean-Baptiste Colbert 8/29/1619 – 9/6/1683 French secretary under King Louis XlV
72	John Locke 8/29/1632 – 10/28/1704 English philosopher
86	Jean-Auguste Ingres 8/29/1780 – 1/14/1867 French Neoclassical painter
85	Oliver Wendell Holmes 8/29/1809 – 10/7/1894 American physician, poet, essayist and humorist
80	Albert Bartholome 8/29/1848 – 10/31/1928 French sculptor
86	Maurice Maeterlinck 8/29/1862 – 5/6/1949 Belgian Nobel Prize-winning poet, playwright and essayist (1911)
82	Charles Kettering 8/29/1876 – 11/25/1958 American automotive engineer
60	Preston Sturges 8/29/1898 – 8/6/1959 American film director, screenwriter and playwright
89	Lyman Lemnitzer 8/29/1899 – 11/12/1988 American army general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1960-62)
50	Michael Jackson 8/29/1958 – 06/25/2009 American pop singer
34	Charlie Parker 8/29/1920 – 3/12/1955 American jazz saxophonist and composer
39	Dinah Washington 8/29/1924 – 12/14/1963 American blues singer